Board of Trustees
STATED MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE 
TRUSTEES OF PURDUE UNIVERSITY
APRIL 6, 2018
MINUTES


A meeting of the Board of Trustees convened at 9:00 a.m. CDT on Friday, April 6, 2018, in the Great Hall of the Dworkin Student Services and Activities Complex on the Westville, Indiana, campus of Purdue University Northwest.     

All trustees were present: Sonny Beck; Michael Berghoff, chairman; JoAnn Brouillette; Vanessa Castagna; Malcolm DeKryger; Michael Klipsch; Gary Lehman; Daniel Romary; Thomas Spurgeon, vice chairman; and Don Thompson.

Officers and administrators in attendance were: Mitch Daniels, president; Jay Akridge, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and diversity; Steve Schultz, legal counsel; Janice Indrutz, corporate secretary and executive assistant to the Board; Ron Elsenbaumer, chancellor of Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW); and Tom Keon, chancellor of Purdue University Northwest (PNW).

I. ROLL CALL

Chairman Berghoff called the meeting to order and noted that all trustees were present.

II. FUTURE MEETING SCHEDULE

Chairman Berghoff drew the Board’s attention to the schedule of future meetings listed on the agenda, which included meetings scheduled through December 2019.

III. APPROVAL OF UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGENDA

The following Unanimous Consent items had been fully explored and debated in committee meetings held prior to this meeting or were routine in nature. Chairman Berghoff read the list of items and asked if any of the Board members wished to have an item removed from the consent agenda for further discussion. Hearing no such request, and upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve each of the following items:

  • Minutes: stated meeting, February 9, 2018; and executive sessions, February 8, 2018 and February 9, 2018; 
  • Approval to award a posthumous Doctor of Pharmacy degree to Benjamin A. Slaven, as recommended by the Academic Affairs Committee; 
  • Ratification of Dr. Y. Charlie Hu as the Michael and Katherine Birck Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, as recommended by the Academic Affairs Committee; 
  • Ratification of Dr. David J. Love as a Reilly Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, as recommended by the Academic Affairs Committee;
  • Ratification of Dr. Dimitrios Peroulis as a Reilly Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, as recommended by the Academic Affairs Committee;
  • Ratification of Dr. Steven D. Pekarek as the Nick Trbovich Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, as recommended by the Academic Affairs Committee;
  • Approval of faculty promotions for 2018-2019, as recommended by the Academic Affairs Committee; 
  • Approval of FY 2019 budget, as recommended by the Finance Committee;
  • Approval of amendment to authorization limit on SAP project, as recommended by the Finance Committee;
  • Approval to amend and adopt revised summer pay policy, as recommended by the Compensation Committee;
  • Approval of Conflict of Interest disclosures; and 
  • Approval of exceptions to the Nepotism Policy.
  • All supporting documents were filed with the minutes.

IV. REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

President Daniels began his report by profiling the gifts of $1,000,000 or more that the university had received since the Board last met on February 9, 2018.  The donors of these gifts were recognized in the following resolution of appreciation:  

WHEREAS, the following friends of Purdue University have generously contributed $1,000,000 or more to move Purdue to greater excellence and preeminence; and

WHEREAS, the University wishes to acknowledge the significance of these gifts to new directions, advancements, and momentum in Purdue’s history, progress, and future;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED:

1. That the University and the Trustees are grateful to these individuals for their leadership and support of Purdue University; and

2.  That this resolution be spread upon the minutes of the Board of Trustees as part of the permanent record of the University.

FRIENDS: Taltree Arboretum & Gardens Foundation, together with Damien and Rita Gabis, to support Purdue Northwest; The Regenstrief Foundation, to support the Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering; Nancy Uridil and Frank Bossu, to support the Lyles School of Civil Engineering; Peter and Ann Lambertus, to support the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and WBAA; Terry and Sandra Tucker, to support the College of Agriculture; Irving Boberski, Jr., to support the School of Mechanical Engineering; and Dennis Kravetz, to support the Krannert School of Management.

President Daniels remarked in greater detail about the Arboretum. He expressed his hope that it would help to further unite the two campus sites of Purdue University Northwest (PNW), given that it was equidistant from Hammond and Westville. Chancellor Keon added that, not only was there excitement about the experiential learning opportunities it would provide students, but the Arboretum might also be considered a regional destination. Chairman Berghoff called for a motion to approve the resolution of appreciation for the friends of Purdue University profiled by President Daniels. Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the resolution. A formal copy of the resolution was included with the minutes.

President Daniels then focused his report on the university’s affordability goals and outcomes. He commented on the continued tuition freeze and its estimated accumulated savings to Purdue families, and he informed the Board that Purdue had become the third least expensive university in the Big Ten for resident students. He also pointed out that Purdue was now the third least expensive university with regard to room and board, having been the second most expensive in 2012. President Daniels further discussed the declining cost of attendance with regard to the percentage of students who were graduating debt free, and he believed it most gratifying that the university’s default rate for graduates was now less than 1%, compared to the national average of 7.5%. 

President Daniels highlighted the point that this focus on affordability had not been at the expense of making improvements, noting examples of major investments the university had made to improve the quality of campus – from academic excellence, to employee recruiting and retention, to student success – which he described as “aggressive and effective investments.”  He shared positive news about faculty growth and retention, but he expressed concern about the ratio of administrative staff to faculty, which, he believed, would be addressed through the business process transformation the university was undergoing. President Daniels stressed that the goal was to focus the university’s resources, to the maximum extent possible, on the essential functions of the university – teaching, research, and engagement.

Chairman Berghoff remarked about the data President Daniels had presented. He said that people often asked the Board members how the university managed to keep tuition frozen yet make the investments President Daniels had highlighted.  Chairman Berghoff pointed out that the university’s revenue exceeded its expenses, and he credited President Daniels for all the “good things happening simultaneously,” which, he remarked, was rare.  

A copy of President Daniels’ report presentation was filed with the minutes.

V. REPORTS FROM PURDUE UNIVERSITY NORTHWEST

A. CHANCELLOR

Dr. Tom Keon, chancellor of Purdue University Northwest (PNW), began his report with a description of the PNW student body. He informed the Board that the age of incoming students had changed significantly, with 96% of students aged 20 or younger, and more students were taking 15 or more credit hours. Chancellor Keon said PNW had begun to attract more Hispanic students and that, not only was PNW attracting more applicants overall, there were more quality applicants. He reviewed data on the number of applicants, admissions, and acceptances for each campus, and from Illinois and Michigan specifically, and he expressed his belief that PNW was making a difference in high schools across Northwest Indiana. Chancellor Keon discussed how students from any state were being offered the reduced Illinois tuition rates in hopes that PNW would become a destination for students anywhere in the country who wished to earn a bachelor’s degree.  

Chancellor Keon also highlighted PNW’s efforts with regard to branding and identity, and he illustrated the proposed expansion of the South Shore Line, the train which ran from downtown Chicago to the South Bend, Indiana, International Airport. He expressed his belief that the expansion would allow PNW to attract even more students. Chancellor Keon concluded his report by outlining additional growth plans. These included increased recruiting and retention efforts, additional extramural offerings for students, enriching the campus environment, and developing additional areas of interdisciplinary study.  

As a resident of Chicago, Trustee Thompson remarked that he “absolutely agreed” with Chancellor Keon’s view of and vision for the region and said that one of the best things for the broader area would be the expansion of the South Shore Line. He expressed his belief that it would be “phenomenal” for Purdue Northwest because it would bring more students and more acclaim to PNW. Trustee DeKryger, who resided an hour away from each of PNW’s campuses, remarked that PNW was “on fire” and he felt privileged to be a part of it. 

A copy of Chancellor Keon’s report presentation was filed with the minutes.

B. FACULTY SENATE

Professor Geoff Schultz, chair of the PNW Faculty Senate, reported on four items which he believed represented how the faculty at PNW’s two campuses had worked to become unified.  He first discussed the Faculty Senate’s vote to adopt the Higher Learning Commission’s (HLC) criteria for screening high school teachers who taught dual-credit classes, for which, he said, there was unanimous support in a galvanized and unified Faculty Senate. He explained that at issue was the number of high school teachers in the program with bachelor’s degrees, which significantly reduced the number of high schools with which PNW worked.  He informed the Board that although the program had been downsized due to the more stringent eligibility criteria, the quality of instruction had increased.

Professor Schultz further informed the Board that the PNW Faculty Senate had revised its bylaws to formalize the decision to split Faculty Senate representation equally between the Hammond and Westville campuses, and he said the Faculty Senate was finally operating as a Senate for one institution with two campuses. He also shared what he believed led to the decline in enrollment at the Westville campus following the unification announcement, but he was pleased to report that retention levels had since increased significantly. To conclude his report, Professor Schultz recognized Dr. Ralph Mueller, vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost at PNW, for his efforts to assist with formalizing the promotion and tenure document for the unified campuses. Professor Schultz also thanked the Board for this opportunity to report on behalf of the Faculty Senate.  

Trustee Lehman asked Professor Schultz a question about the HLC criteria he had discussed.  Chairman Berghoff remarked that he appreciated the topics on which Professor Schultz had reported.  

A copy of Professor Schultz’s report presentation was filed with the minutes.

VI. REPORT FROM PURDUE UNIVERSITY GLOBAL  

Dr. Betty Vandenbosch provided her first official report of Purdue University Global as its chancellor. She said there was not a great deal to report yet given that PG had only been operational for two weeks and had only become public facing that very week, on April 2, 2018 (Purdue Global, formerly NewU, had “existed” since April 26, 2017).  She informed the Board that the first Purdue Global commencement would take place on June 2, 2018, and she stated how many students would graduate and with what kinds of degrees. Chancellor Vandenbosch highlighted that the average age of PG graduates was 36, which, she said, spoke to the purpose of Purdue Global within the Purdue system, and she said that, on average, its graduates’ salaries increased by a range of 20-50% three years after graduating. She concluded her report by saying that Purdue Global was very proud of its graduates, and it was looking forward to bigger and better things as part of the Purdue system.

VII. REPORT OF THE UNIVERSITY SENATE

Professor Alberto Rodriguez, chair of the University Senate, began his report by highlighting two resolutions on which the University Senate would vote in April. One was the Statement of Support for Survivors of Sexual Harassment or Abuse, and the second regarded a proposal for a winter session pilot program, which would be instated during the 2018-2019 academic year for a three-year period. Professor Rodriguez also reported that the Faculty Senate recognized the Higher Learning Commission’s approval of Purdue University Global, but the faculty still had questions and concerns that needed to be addressed. Trustee DeKryger asked Professor Schultz to elaborate on the PNW Faculty Senate’s resolution regarding concerns about Purdue Global to which Professor Rodriguez had referred. Trustee Lehman interjected a university history lesson, saying that, when the regional campuses were formed, there was much opposition from the West Lafayette faculty because of concerns that the regional campuses would dilute the prestige of a degree from the West Lafayette campus, which turned out not to be the case.  Trustee Thompson remarked that he respected how Professor Rodriguez had brought topics forward for discussion and reminded everyone that the Board and the administration had a responsibility to Purdue University and its land-grant mission.  He observed that all were trying to do the right thing, and he thanked everyone who had been a part of the Purdue Global dialogue. 

Professor Rodriguez also reported on his efforts to advocate for a comprehensive university climate survey, which, he said, was last done 11 years ago, and he updated the Board on efforts to tackle academic publishing monopolies. Professor Rodriguez reminded the Board that this was his last report as chair of the University Senate, and he offered his parting recommendations. In response to a question from Trustee Castagna about how the COACHE survey and climate survey would differ, Professor Rodriguez explained his perspective on the purpose of a climate survey. Chairman Berghoff thanked Professor Rodriguez for his service. 

A copy of Professor Rodriguez’s report presentation was filed with the minutes.  

VIII. ADJOURNMENT

By consent, the meeting adjourned at 10:19 a.m. CDT.