A meeting of the Physical Facilities Committee of the Board of Trustees convened at 9:39 a.m. on Friday, February 4, 2022, in Room 326 of Stewart Center on the campus of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Everyone in the room was wearing a mask amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

All committee members were present: Gary Lehman, chair; Sonny Beck (virtually); Theresa Carter; Mark Gee (virtually); and Michael Klipsch (virtually). All other trustees were present: Michael Berghoff; JoAnn Brouillette; Vanessa Castagna (virtually); Malcolm DeKryger; and Don Thompson (virtually). Officers and administrators in attendance were: Mitch Daniels, president; Jay Akridge, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and diversity; Chris Ruhl, chief financial officer and treasurer; Jim Almond, senior vice president, assistant treasurer, and assistant secretary; Steve Schultz, general counsel; Janice Indrutz, corporate secretary and senior executive assistant to the Board; Ron Elsenbaumer, chancellor, Purdue Fort Wayne (virtually); and Tom Keon, chancellor, Purdue Northwest (virtually).

I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Physical Facilities Committee voted unanimously to approve the minutes of its last meeting convened on December 3, 2021.

II. APPROVAL TO PLAN, FINANCE, CONSTRUCT AND AWARD CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS FOR LIFE SCIENCE RANGES PHENOTYPING GREENHOUSE BUILDING

Mr. Michael Cline, senior vice president for administrative operations, respectfully requested approval to plan, finance, construct and award construction contracts for the Life Science Ranges Phenotyping Greenhouse Building project. He informed the Committee that the project would allow for building a new, 20,000 square foot greenhouse facility to be located south of Lilly Hall, and he explained how the facility would be utilized to support the Purdue’s Next Moves Plant Sciences 2.0 initiative. Mr. Cline estimated the project budget at $20,000,000, with construction to begin in November 2022 and conclude in May 2024.

Trustee Gee expressed his excitement for the project given his own research experience with the current facilities as a graduate student. Chairman Berghoff expressed his belief that the Board had approved a number of phenotyping-related projects in recent years and asked how this project related to them. Provost Akridge offered a brief explanation and invited Dr. Mitch Tuinstra, professor of plant breeding and genetics, and Dr. Karen Plaut, Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture, to further explain. Dr. Tuinstra indicated that the success of the first Plant Sciences initiative had attracted more research funding, and Dean Plaut said the College was continuing to build its capacity to meet growing industry needs. Chairman Berghoff remarked, “This is how a strategic plan is supposed to work,” and he commended Dr. Tuinstra and Dean Plaut.

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Physical Facilities Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval of the project. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.

III. ADJOURNMENT

By consent, the meeting adjourned at 9:45 a.m.