Chair Report on Highlights of the Past Year
[ A Review of FY07 (PDF) ]
Report by Board of Regents Chair Allan Vigil
Board of Regents Meeting
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
This marks the first Board meeting of the new fiscal year. When you elected me in June to serve as the Chair for fiscal year 2008, I noted that I would defer any comments regarding our accomplishments during fiscal year 2007 to this meeting. Now, I am going to break with tradition and refer you to the handout in your Board book, A Review of FY07 (PDF), for a list of those accomplishments. We have a really nice brochure. I worked long into the night to produce this for you. I could not get my picture on the front, but we are in there somewhere. This shows the great work in some key areas such as the guaranteed tuition plan, System-wide projects, Regents' Test, the new capital model, and new budget allocation procedure.
During the past year, we opened a new college and welcomed two new Regents to the Board. In January we began a celebration of the System's and this Board's 75 years of transforming lives to better this state and its citizens. Contrary to what most believe, Regent McMillan was not on that first Board. He came shortly thereafter. It was a package deal; Regent Don Leebern came with him. We will conclude that celebration with a ceremony today with Governor Perdue over at the Capitol.
This Board has – and is – directing from a policy level a great deal of change in and for this System. Last August, when I assumed the Chairmanship, I pointed out that one of the Board's responsibilities was to keep change on the right track. I noted that change should help the System improve its programs, service and operations; and I noted that as we move forward, we need to take actions that will reflect the traditions and 75-year history of this great System. Looking back over the past year, I feel good about how we have met these responsibilities. We have set a dynamic course for the System under our Chancellor, Erroll Davis, and we have been focused as we set upon this course with the development of our new Strategic Plan.
In terms of my priorities for the coming year, they are summed up as follows: to approve the new Strategic Plan. Beyond approval, we must now implement the Plan. My priority as Chair is to have this Board support the Chancellor and the staff in implementing this Strategic Plan. It will take a great deal of work and attention by this Board, but I feel this is the single most important job each of us has in the coming year.
There is one more priority I have as Chair. If you want to understand this System, then visit the campuses. I know many of you have visited many of our institutions. If you have, I know that you have come away informed, surprised, challenged, and motivated. So, my challenge to each of you is to make the effort to visit as many institutions as you can. Your service on this Board will benefit, and your work as a Board member will be strengthened. Again, thank you for your personal commitment to this Board and this great University System. We build upon a strong legacy of 75 years of academic achievement that has transformed this state. I look forward to another year of progress in our efforts toward this goal. Thank you.