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Home » Board of Regents » Meeting Minutes » 2006

Meeting Minutes - August 2006

Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia
Held at 270 Washington St., S.W.
Atlanta, Georgia
August 8 and 9, 2006

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-- Select from Menu -- Remarks From The Chancellor Introduction of Senator John Wiles Introduction of New President of South Ga College Chair's Remarks Committee on Finance & Business "Committee of the Whole" Call to Order - 2 Committee on Real Estate & Facilities, "Committee of the Whole" International Education and Academic Achievement Executive and Compensation Committee Committee on Academic Affairs Committee on Organization and Law Committee on Finance and Business Operations Committee on Real Estate and Facilities Audit Committee Chancellor's Report to the Board Unfinished, New Business, Petitions Executive Session « Return to 2006 Minutes Index

CALL TO ORDER

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia met on Tuesday, August 8, and Wednesday, August 9, 2006, in the Board Room, room 7007, 270 Washington St., S.W., seventh floor. The Chair of the Board, Regent Allan Vigil, called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 8, 2006. Present on Tuesday, in addition to Chair Shelnut, were Vice Chair William H. Cleveland and Regents Hugh A. Carter, Jr., Michael J. Coles, Robert F. Hatcher, Julie Ewing Hunt, Felton Jenkins, James R. Jolly, Donald M. Leebern, Jr., Elridge W. McMillan, Patrick S. Pittard, Doreen Stiles Poitevint, Willis J. Potts, Jr., J. Timothy Shelnut, Benjamin J. Tarbutton III, and Richard L. Tucker.

SAFETY BRIEFING

The Director of Administration and Compliance Policy, Mark Demyanek, gave the Regents and audience a briefing of basic safety information in the event of an emergency.

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CHANCELLOR'S REMARKS

Chancellor Davis welcomed the Regents back from their vacation. He noted the University System Office had not been idle since the June Board meeting. He had announced its reorganization in early July. This reorganization sets up structure that will allow the University System Office to maximize its use of resources and streamline its overall activities. The key to the reorganization is putting excellent people in place. There are some novel aspects of this reorganization, he said, and if it does not work, he will change it.

At this meeting, the Board will bring to a conclusion its discussions on two presidential searches: Waycross College and Georgia Perimeter College. The focus of this meeting would be the fiscal year 2008 budget request. Staff had a very positive preliminary meeting with the Governor and the Office of Planning and Budget on July 26 regarding the staff's general philosophy and broad outline for the budget. So, the Board is off to a good start with its funding partners, and the Chancellor said it is always reassuring when the post-meeting feedback is positive. A key part of the budget request will be the capital budget. He stressed that the capital budget request the staff would propose at this meeting is not the outcome of a brand new capital process. Rather, the existing major capital outlay list remains intact with some adjustments based upon immediate capital needs. This is merely a transition from the old process to another. At the September Board meeting, there will be a robust discussion of the new capital process.

Also at this meeting, the Chancellor would ask the Regents to consider revising the Board meeting schedule as well as the makeup of the presidential search committees. Chancellor Davis noted that this meeting represents the beginning of the chairmanship of Regent Vigil. He asked the Regents to join him in expressing their appreciation for his willingness to serve and that the Regents work to support his Board leadership.

ATTENDANCE REPORT

The attendance report was read on Tuesday, August 8, 2006, by Secretary Gail S. Weber, who announced that Regents W. Mansfield Jennings, Jr. and Wanda Yancey Rodwell had asked for and been given permission to be absent on that day.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Motion properly made and duly seconded, the minutes of the Board of Regents meeting held on June 6 and 7, 2006, were unanimously approved as distributed.

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INTRODUCTION OF SENATOR JOHN WILES

Chair Vigil called upon the Chancellor to introduce a Cobb County friend of the University System of Georgia.

Chancellor Davis said it was his pleasure to formally introduce an honored guest and good friend of the University System, Senator John J. Wiles, who had just been named the chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education. The Regents are very pleased with this well-deserved appointment to this important post, he said, and they look forward to working closely with the Senator and his colleagues on the subcommittee in the upcoming session.

Senator Wiles is from Cobb County, which includes two of the System's great institutions: Kennesaw State University and Southern Polytechnic State University. The Chancellor said that Senator Wiles can expect many calls from Presidents Daniel S. Papp and Lisa A. Rossbacher. Senator Wiles has served on the Senate Higher Education Committee and has chaired the State and local Government Operations Committee. Prior to his election to the senate, he served in the Georgia House of Representatives. Senator Wiles sponsored and passed the Georgia HERO (Helping Educate Reservists and their Offspring) Scholarship legislation, which provides college scholarships for reservists and National Guard members and their children. Chancellor Davis said that this is an important piece of legislation that has been under-publicized, and the University System Office is looking at ways to publicize this opportunity for those members of the armed services who are eligible for this scholarship.

Senator Wiles and his wife, Janel, have been married for more than 20 years and have five children, so he has a vested and personal interest in the health and success of the University System. In fact, the couple's oldest son, John, Jr. is a HOPE scholar at the University of Georgia. He has retained that HOPE Scholarship with a 3.9 grade point average. Another son, Drew, will be a senior in high school, so the System hopes to recruit yet another member of the Wiles household at one of its 35 institutions.

Chancellor Davis said it truly was a pleasure to have the Senator visit and to know his intelligence, drive, and dedication will be focused on higher education. He welcomed Senator Wiles and his partnership. He asked Senator Wiles to approach the podium, and he recognized and welcomed Ms. Amanda Seals, who serves as chief of staff of Senator Eric Johnson's office and was also present at this meeting.

Senator Wiles thanked the Chancellor and the Regents and said that it was an honor to be chosen by the senate leadership to this position. He stated that he looks forward to working with the Board.

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INTRODUCTION OF NEW PRESIDENT OF SOUTH GEORGIA COLLEGE

Chair Vigil asked the Chancellor to introduce the new president of South Georgia College ("SGC") in Douglas.

Chancellor Davis said that since the June Board meeting, Dr. Torri Lilly has taken up her new responsibilities as President of SGC. President Lilly comes to SGC from her previous position as Provost and Vice President of the Citrus County Campus of Central Florida Community College in Lecanto, Florida. She joins a college that is in very good shape thanks to the work of Dr. John P. McElveen, who served since July 1, 2005, as the Interim President while the search was conducted.

The Chancellor thanked Regent Jennings, who served as Chair of the Special Regents' Committee for the South Georgia College Presidential Search. Regents Hunt and Poitevint also served on that Committee. Chancellor Davis also recognized Dr. Lori Seward, Associate Professor of Humanities at SGC, who so ably chaired the campus-based presidential search and advisory committee. He said he appreciated everyone's hard work and was delighted with the result. He noted that President Lilly is his first hire.

President Lilly is an excellent choice for SGC, said the Chancellor. She has 15 years of senior administrative experience in community colleges that will serve the institution extremely well. She understands the importance of the access mission of SGC. The search committee members and Chancellor Davis also were impressed with her demonstrated ability to build partnerships and to engage an institution in the community it serves. President Lilly's husband, Bill, joined her at this meeting. The Chancellor asked the Regents to join him in welcoming President Lilly and her husband to the University System of Georgia.

President Lilly said that she had been working toward the position of President of a community college for almost 30 years, so she was very grateful for this opportunity. She said that SGC has a reputation for excellent teaching and learning, which is a solid foundation on which to build. She said she is planning to increase enrollments in both credit and noncredit programs, so SGC will be conducting a needs assessment in its eight-county service area. SGC will also be building some online courses and programs. President Lilly said she also hopes the college will build a new residence hall to help it recruit and retain students. Another goal is to increase revenue through grants, noncredit income, and consulting services. She hopes to improve retention and graduation rates and to develop partnerships through some of these grants. Another goal is to expand partnerships with public and private colleges and universities, technical colleges, governmental agencies, K-12 school, and business and industry. SGC hopes to help improve graduation rates from local K-12 systems and has started a new program called Plant Their Feet that brings fifth-graders to the campus two or three times a semester to ensure that they will consider college a place where they want to be. SGC also hopes to improve its own graduation rates. Finally, SGC intends to improve its instructional space by ensuring it has state-of-the-art technology in all of its classrooms. In closing, President Lilly again thanked the Board for the opportunity to lead SGC.

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CHAIR'S REMARKS

Chair Vigil next gave his remarks to the Board, which were as follows:

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COMMITTEE ON FINANCE AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS, "COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE"

Chair Vigil next convened the Committee on Finance and Business Operations as a Committee of the Whole and turned the Chairmanship of the meeting over to Regent Hatcher, the Chair of the Committee.

Chair Hatcher said that at this meeting, the Board would be considering approval of the fiscal year 2008 operating budget request for all System institutions and agencies as well as the fiscal year 2008 capital budget request for System institutions and the Georgia Public Library System ("GPLS"). He asked Chancellor Davis and his staff to present the budget recommendations.

Chancellor Davis reiterated that one of his key messages has been the importance of assigning responsibility and accountability. He said he was excited about and happy to be accountable for the System's fiscal year 2008 budget request and that he plans to be the point person responsible and accountable for guiding the System's efforts to ensure the budget request's successful reception by the Governor and ultimately the General Assembly. This budget request would reflect the key themes and directions that he had been outlining with the Regents and presidents these past months. As he had mentioned in his opening remarks, the annual budget process was already underway with the July 26 discussion with the Governor on the System's budget priorities for fiscal year 2008. He said it is clear that the Governor supports the Board's underlying theme that a budget must be a policy-driven tool to implement the System's key strategic priorities. In addition, with the Board's upcoming strategic planning exercise, it has sent a strong message that we are moving forward to gain a clearer and agreed-upon understanding of these priorities. With the Board's fiscal year 2007 incremental investments and its early fiscal year 2008 capital recommendations, it has already sent a strong signal to the System's funding partners that the Board is going to align its resources with its strategic priorities. Given a 6% increase in the current fiscal year budget and a requested 5.7% increase for fiscal year 2008, the Board should be able to carve out the resources for its needed and stated priorities.

Finally, the Board is pointing out what it is going to do in order to maximize revenue from other sources than just state support and tuition. While state funds are critically important in helping the System meet its core mission, it will continue its efforts to maximize revenues from other sources before turning to state support and tuition. If the Board has determined something to be a priority, then it will fund it without necessarily requesting or receiving new state dollars. To illustrate these large budget themes and policy issues in their meeting with the Governor, staff utilized a wheel as a reference point for discussion. Staff discussed their efforts to increase revenue through greater efficiencies, such as their work with the Commission for a New Georgia and their planned Six Sigma efforts. They talked about setting benchmarks and goals for private fund-raising. This is more aspirational at the moment, but staff will get to it during the coming year. They looked at the opportunities present in their entrepreneurial activities, and they talked about the need to increase the System's share of federal research dollars. Only then did they discuss state appropriations and specifically the $80 million in new formula funds. They rounded out the dollars section of their discussion with a look at tuition and some additional concepts for tuition support, such as targeted workforce development.

Another key component of the budget request is capital, explained the Chancellor. As he had noted in his opening remarks, at this meeting, the Regents would be seeing only the fiscal year 2008 capital recommendations. This is a hybrid request, he explained. It is not the result of a new capital process, but rather a blend of the existing capital priorities list as well as some strategic capital priorities. This fall, however, the Regents can expect a robust discussion on the new capital priorities process. These were the big picture policy issues driving the specific fiscal year 2008 budget request. The Chancellor asked the Regents to keep these in mind as the Vice Chancellor for Fiscal Affairs, William R. Bowes, and the Vice Chancellor for Facilities, Linda M. Daniels, briefed them on the request. As the Regents heard this budget presentation, the Chancellor asked them to ask themselves the question: "How does this fit into these larger policy issues and directions?" He then turned the presentation over to Mr. Bowes.

Mr. Bowes began by reminding the Regents that at this meeting, they were being asked to approve the fiscal year 2008 operating and capital budget requests. He would be discussing the operating budget request, and Ms. Daniels would be discussing the capital budget request. Then, Mr. Bowes would discuss the GPLS budget request. The State of Georgia continues to enjoy modest economic growth. Tax revenues for fiscal year 2006 were up 9.3% from the previous year. For the first month of fiscal year 2007, revenues are up 13.5% over last year, representing a very positive outlook for the state. However, the state also faces some continuing cost pressures for Medicaid, employee health benefits, K-12 and other areas, which are outpacing growth in revenues. The Governor's priorities in fiscal year 2008 are education and to replenish the "rainy day fund" that was depleted during the recent recession. Given these circumstances, the Governor's guidelines for fiscal year budget requests are very conservative. The Board may request all funds that the budget formula generates. In other words, the Board must make a "flat request" for fiscal year 2008. Similarly, the fiscal year 2007 amended budget request is only allowable as a redistribution of funds. So, this year, the staff were not presenting a fiscal year 2007 amended budget request. The budget development process for fiscal year 2008 started in summer 2006 by soliciting input from all presidents of the University System of Georgia. The proposed budget, therefore, reflects the institutions' most critical needs. The Governor's budget request guidelines were presented in May 2006. On July 26, 2006, staff had a preliminary meeting with the Governor and the Office of Planning and Budget ("OPB"). Mr. Bowes said that budget discussions with the Governor and OPB will be ongoing over the next several months. The budget request is due to OPB on September 1, 2006.

Mr. Bowes said that state appropriations for fiscal year 2007 totaled $1.932 billion. The first addition to that is the annualizer for the fiscal year 2007 salary increase, which was 4%, or $30.8 million. That was funded beginning January 1, 2006, and covers all institutions and separately funded agencies. So, the University System of Georgia is actually beginning fiscal year 2008 with a base budget of $1.963 billion. The first major item in the formula was enrollment-based funding. Mr. Bowes explained that there is a two-year lag based upon the credit hour growth in academic year 2005-2006. That generates an increase of almost $38.9 million for fiscal year 2008. He noted that over the last few years, enrollment has grown at a slower pace. The enrollment growth in 2005-2006 was approximately 1.6%, which was similar to the previous year.

The budget request for health insurance reflects actual and projected increases in health insurance premiums for the System, explained Mr. Bowes. The Board did not request, and therefore did not receive, funding for the health insurance premium for fiscal year 2007 that went into effect January 1, 2006. Staff project that there will be another health insurance premium increase effective January 1, 2007, but they do not yet know that amount. He noted that the University System continues to see increases in claims costs attributable to the growth in healthcare costs. Since 2001, System healthcare costs have increased by about 40%, or approximately 6% per year. He said that nationally, the trend in healthcare costs has been closer to 10% per year. The real issue is that the System has not received funding for the health insurance premium increases that it has put into effect. So, institutions have had to take these costs out of other areas of their operations. Therefore, the System must put health insurance costs back into the budget so institutions are not diverting funding from other areas. The budget request for health insurance premiums is approximately $16.8 million.

There has also been a dramatic increase in utility rates, said Mr. Bowes. From fiscal years 2005 to 2007, electricity costs increased 36% and natural gas costs have increased 53%. Despite these increases, the University System has been taking major steps to reduce energy consumption. Ms. Daniels would discuss in more detail the efforts of the institutions and the University System Office in this regard. The budget request for utilities is $14.5 million. Also in the budget request are maintenance and operations funds in the amount of approximately $5.6 million. That is generated by the formula based upon change in square footage. There is also new retiree fringe benefit cost, which are funds set aside to cover the full premium cost in health and life insurance for retirees. The budget request for this is $4.3 million.

In total, the formula budget request for fiscal year 2008 is just over $80 million. Mr. Bowes noted that GPLS also operates under a formula based upon population increases. The GPLS share of the budget increase is just under $300,000. So, the total fiscal year 2008 operating budget request is just over $2 billion, or approximately 5.7% increase over fiscal year 2007. Mr. Bowes then turned the floor over to Ms. Daniels.

Before briefing the Regents on the fiscal year 2008 capital budget request, Ms. Daniels discussed the System's efforts to conserve energy and manage spiraling utility costs. She said there were several efforts underway that are worth mentioning. The University System is active in Governor Purdue's State Facilities Energy Council ("SFEC"). In fact, System employees chair two of the major subcommittees. Program Manager Sandra Neuse chairs the Pricing Subcommittee and has been leading the charge for energy management and conservation at the System level. The System has applied for an Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") grant to conduct energy audits of select System facilities and assess the overall potential for energy savings. In response to the Governor's executive order last fall, System institutions formed energy committees to evaluate energy usage and make recommendations. The University of West Georgia recommended adopting the federal government standards for building temperature set-points, reviewing summer and weekend building operation schedules, and developing a campuswide education program for staff, students, and faculty. The University of Georgia ("UGA") formed a permanent executive energy committee to evaluate, prioritize, and implement the recommendations of its original energy committee's work. A demo energy audit of UGA's Ecology Building identified $48,560 in implementation costs for energy conservation measures that would generate an estimated energy operating cost saving of $25,230 per year, a payback period of less than two years. Also, aging, inefficient building systems negatively impact the System's overall energy usage. However, the System is committing funds to improve and upgrade such systems on its campuses. Approximately one-third of major repair and renovation ("MRR") projects upgrade or replace HVAC systems, energy control systems, steam plants, and chillers.

The System has a legacy and an ongoing commitment to improving and upgrading its utility infrastructure to reduce overall energy consumption, said Ms. Daniels. The System is working with the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority ("GEFA") on the development of a statewide database to track energy consumption. It is expected to be up and running with training for state agency utilization this fall. This is a much needed tool to compare energy consumption data across state entities and building types. Ms. Daniels stated that the System must expeditiously establish performance benchmarks for energy consumption in the System. The Chancellor has identified energy management as a functional area where he would like to see presidential leadership to further enhance Systemwide efforts. Ms. Daniels and Ms. Neuse will be bringing more information and recommendations to the Committee on Real Estate and Facilities on this topic early next year.

Ms. Daniels next discussed the fiscal year 2008 capital budget request. She emphasized that this is a transition year, as the new capital allocation process is not yet in place. In the months ahead, as staff work with the Chancellor and the Board on the overall strategic plan, they will integrate in an iterative and systemic manner, the strategic capital model for funding. However, in the interim, the Board must take a strong slate of capital projects forward this coming session as part of the System's annual budget request.

As always, the proposed budget requests full funding of the System's MRR needs at $70 million. A difference is that this year, the staff are requesting that half of the total be appropriated in cash rather than General Obligation ("G.O.") bonds. Not only is cash both the historic and most appropriate funding method for MRR investments, but also it will create extra bandwidth in the G.O. bond package to allow the staff to meet more long-term capital investment needs for the System. The priority considerations for MRR projects are life safety compliance issues, structural and building envelope stabilization, utility systems replacement and upgrade, general renovation and rehabilitation, and other regulatory projects.

The budget request includes funding equipment for three projects that were previously funded for construction (without loose equipment) in the 2006 session. This is in accordance with the traditional three-part major project funding cycle of 1) design, 2) construction, and 3) equipment. A total of $6 million is needed. Next, the budget request includes construction funding for the first four projects on the legacy major capital priority list. These projects are all currently in design, funded by the investment of nearly $5 million in G.O. bond funds from the previous session. The total construction cost of these projects is $88.9 million, which includes construction cost escalation reflecting the rapid rise in the cost of construction materials and labor since these projects were originally programmed and estimated for construction. Ms. Daniels noted that this amount does not include the equipment cost for these projects, which the System will request in the following legislative cycle.

Ms. Daniels explained that the budget request then diverges from the traditional capital list to focus on projects meeting critical strategic needs. Each project is different but has maximum consistency with the Regents' new principles for capital allocation and represents a critical solution to a System or statewide strategic need. First is the School of Dentistry at the Medical College of Georgia ("MCG"). The need for this facility is documented and has been presented to the Board. Partial design funds will provide a foundation for MCG to build upon as it seeks the external funding to leverage this costly and significant project. Second is the Health Sciences Building at Kennesaw State University ("KSU"). This facility will help alleviate KSU's massive space shortages and will allow the University System to "move the needle" rapidly to meet the demand for nurses in Georgia. Ms. Daniels noted that during the 2004-2005 academic year, KSU could accept only 224 of the 1,425 qualified applicants for its Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. In any given semester, KSU only accepts about one of every six qualified applicants. KSU has the program resources and access to clinical space to quickly ramp up its nursing capacity and output with this new facility. The third strategic priority is a new library for Georgia Gwinnett College ("GGC"), recently approved as the Systems thirty-fifth institution. Two years ago, the Regents placed an academic facility on the capital priority list to address space shortages at the former Gwinnett University Center, now GGC. However, the System has an additional responsibility to establish a full-service library to meet Southern Association of Colleges and Schools ("SACS") accreditation requirements. The challenge to accomplish accreditation in a timely manner must be met to avoid negative ramifications for students who are reliant on financial aid.

Finally, Ms. Daniels discussed the minor capital projects, which totaled $44,300,000. In total, the capital budget request is $250 million worth of capital investment funded by G.O. bonds, along with an additional $35 million of MRR funded with cash, for a total state capital outlay of $285 million. She reiterated that this is only one of the funding mechanisms that will support the System's strategic capital model going forward. The $250 million G.O. bond total should look familiar, she said, because $250 million is the annual target amount in G.O. bonds that the staff have modeled, and presented to the Board in recent months to meet the System's long-term needs. The amount is aggressive, she said, but it is achievable based upon estimated state G.O. bond capacity. She noted that at this Board meeting, the Committee on Real Estate and Facilities would be talking about the System's complementary public-private ventures projects for the coming year to meet overall facilities needs as outlined in the strategic capital model. She further noted that the total capital budget request is for University System of Georgia institution-related capital investments only. Items typically included in the System package such as GPLA, Georgia Research Alliance equipment, traditional industries programs, and other pass-through items are not included.

In closing, Ms. Daniels said that staff need to complete their briefings with the Regents related to the new strategic capital allocation model. Staff continue to share greater detail about the strategic capital model for consideration and endorsement by the institutions. In June and July, staff engaged the institutions in group discussions of the details of the strategic capital model and how it must be ultimately integrated with the System's strategic planning efforts. They are continuing to inform the campuses, and they would soon roll out a website designed to allow communication and file sharing to facilitate the review of information in the new model. There were still a number of Regents who need to be briefed about the basis and details of the strategic capital model, but staff would make sure they had all of their questions answered and were fully up to speed before they were asked for a vote to endorse the new process in the future.

Mr. Bowes next discussed the fiscal year 2008 budget request for GPLS. He explained that the Board of Regents has direct responsibility for the budget of GPLS. Additionally, GPLS has a formula based upon workload. The GPLS budget request for fiscal year 2008 totals approximately $38.7 million, an increase of approximately $300,000, or 1.9% over fiscal year 2007. In addition, GPLS has a capital outlay budget request. Last year, the System received funding for six GPLS projects. This year, the System will request funding for eight projects totaling approximately $10.9 million. Mr. Bowes noted that these projects have already been approved by the Board and have local funding support.

In closing, Mr. Bowes reiterated that the staff were seeking Board approval of the fiscal year 2008 operating and capital budget requests at this meeting and asked whether the Regents had any questions or comments. Regent Shelnut noted that the budget request for health insurance premium increases is $16 million and that claims and expenses are $259 million. He asked Mr. Bowes how much the System collects in health insurance premiums.

Mr. Bowes said that the System collects approximately $259 million in premiums. He noted that a few years ago, the Board of Regents purposely dropped the System's health insurance reserves to cover a mid-year budget cut. However, the System is covering its insurance premiums. The gap is that part of the health insurance premium increases was not previously included in the budget and had to come out of other operations.

Regent Pittard asked whether the health insurance reserves are being replenished.

Mr. Bowes responded that the intent is to bring the reserves back up by revising the total premium structure.

Regent Pittard remarked that the enrollment projections a few years ago were much more robust than actual enrollment growth. While part of that phenomenon can be explained by the improved economy, he wondered whether there were other reasons for that. He asked whether the System needs to reconsider its enrollment projections going forward.

Mr. Bowes asked the Associate Vice Chancellor for Strategic Research and Analysis, Cathie Mayes Hudson, to comment on this.

Dr. Hudson said staff are currently in the process of revising enrollment projections as they do every few years. Enrollments are growing at a slightly lower rate than a few years ago. However, staff still project fairly significant growth in the numbers of high school graduates.

Chair Hatcher noted that the current operating budget request is based on the actual enrollments of fiscal year 2006, so it is a known figure rather than a projection.

Chancellor Davis said the Board will discuss projections when it comes to capital project needs to meet anticipated enrollment growth. He noted that the high school graduation rate has been declining. If that is arrested and turned around, it will have significant implications for System enrollments.

Regent Carter asked whether $70 million for MRR is enough to maintain the System's facilities.

Mr. Bowes responded that it is not. Last year, the System received only $60 million in MRR funding. He asked Ms. Daniels to comment on this. Ms. Daniels noted that the industry standard is 3% of replacement value, and the System receives approximately 1%. This speaks to the issue of why the System has both minor and major capital projects that are renovations. MRR is not the only way the System deals with its existing facilities. As long as the System has the opportunity to complement MRR funding this way, it will continue to make progress.

Chair Hatcher noted that the MRR request is formula driven.

Regent Carter said he understood that, but that MRR is clearly not enough. He then asked whether the four projects from the existing major capital projects list that were being recommended for funding would be the end of these projects.

Ms. Daniels stated that it was not the end of the legacy project list. Those needs still exist and will be addressed as part of the new strategic allocations process. She noted that the legacy project list has a total of 22 projects. She explained that the new process represents a strategic proposal based upon evolving conditions. With the length of the legacy list, the System was unable to address its most pressing needs and make the biggest impact.

Regent Carter asked who selected the projects for the fiscal year 2008 budget proposal.

Ms. Daniels responded that the staff selected them.

Chancellor Davis explained that the projects on the legacy capital projects list are all valid and will go through a selection process. He vetted the projects proposed for the fiscal year 2008 capital budget in accordance with strategic priorities. He noted that the few projects selected include health sciences facilities and a library necessary for accreditation of GGC. The Chancellor also vetted the proposed minor projects.

Regent Jenkins expressed concern that it might appear that the Board is limiting itself to state G.O. bond funding in the amount of $250 million going forward. He said that he hoped the Board would be able to increase this request as necessary.

Ms. Daniels responded that this will be further explained in the more detailed rollout of the strategic capital outlay process she will present in September 2006. For simplicity's sake, staff considered the history of state bond funding and a reasonable share of funding to expect. The new process is based upon an allocation accord with the state. She assured Regent Jenkins, the staff do not intent to limit the System. The state's bonding capacity will increase based upon receipts. The model that the staff are discussing with OPB assumes that as the state's receipts increase, G.O. Bond funding will also increase. Regent Jenkins said that the state is indebted at roughly $1 billion per year for G.O. Bonds. He suggested that this is substantially below what is legally allowed.

Ms. Daniels agreed that the state indeed has taken a very conservative approach historically.

Regent Jenkins said that he did not see the $35 million operating portion of the MRR budget in the figures.

Mr. Bowes said that this will be included as part of the total budget package presented to the Governor and OPB.

Regent Jenkins noted that last year, the System received a total of $310 million in bond funding.

Ms. Daniels noted that figure included all of the System's pass-through programs. Compared to this year's $250 million request, it was $230 million.

Regent Jenkins noted that the formula budget is based upon the enrollment figures of two prior years. This fiscal year 2008 budget is based upon fiscal year 2006 enrollment data. He asked whether there is any way to base it instead on one year. He asked whether staff have the actual fiscal year 2006 data.

Mr. Bowes responded that moving to a current year system would require approval to revise the budget formula.

Chancellor Davis said that he had read a paper on the history of attempted formula changes that he would share with the Regents. He said it discusses enrollments and risks of formulas going forward. He noted that a formula revision was proposed and rejected in the early 1990s.

Regent Jenkins noted that the House of Representatives last year established the Higher Education Finance and Formula Study Committee, which is chaired by Representative Bob Smith. He asked for an update on this.

The Senior Vice Chancellor for External Affairs, Thomas E. Daniel, said that Mr. Bowes is representing the Board of Regents on that committee and attempts are being made to begin the work of this committee.

Regent Jenkins asked when this committee would conclude its work, and Mr. Daniel responded that Representative Smith would like some conclusions by the end of this calendar year, but he also understands that any attempt to revise the formula would have to be implemented in fiscal year 2009, since the fiscal year 2008 budget request is due September 1, 2006. Regent Jenkins noted that all of the projects on the minor capital projects list are academic except the Rock Eagle dining hall for UGA and asked whether this was an appropriate request.

Ms. Daniels responded that the dining hall is in desperate need of renovation.

Regent Potts asked how long it will take to construct the major capital projects proposed in this budget.

Ms. Daniels responded that the legislature will vote on the budget in spring 2007, and it will only take two to three years to design and construct the facilities. However, bond sales are lagging 6 to 12 months after legislative action. So, it is a timing issue, but using a fast-track process, the staff will expedite them on more of a private sector schedule.

Chancellor Davis noted that things are improving. If the bonds can be sold expeditiously, projects can be built in timeframes that resemble the private sector.

Seeing that there were no further questions, Chair Hatcher asked for a motion to approve the fiscal year 2008 operating and capital budgets. The motion was variously seconded and unanimously approved. There being no further business to come before the Committee on Finance and Business Operations as a Committee of the Whole, he adjourned the Committee and turned the chairmanship of the meeting back over to Regent Vigil.

Chair Vigil then asked the full Board to take action on the fiscal year 2008 operating and capital budgets. The motion was properly made, seconded, and unanimously approved.

At approximately 2:30 p.m., Chair Vigil adjourned the Regents into their regular Committee meetings.

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CALL TO ORDER

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia met again on Wednesday, August 9, 2006, in the Board Room, room 7007, 270 Washington St., S.W., seventh floor. The Chair of the Board, Regent Allan Vigil, called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Present on Wednesday, in addition to Chair Shelnut, were Vice Chair William H. Cleveland and Regents Hugh A. Carter, Jr., Michael J. Coles, Robert F. Hatcher, Julie Ewing Hunt, Felton Jenkins, James R. Jolly, Donald M. Leebern, Jr., Elridge W. McMillan, Patrick S. Pittard, Doreen Stiles Poitevint, Willis J. Potts, Jr., Wanda Yancey Rodwell, J. Timothy Shelnut Benjamin J. Tarbutton III, and Richard L. Tucker.

SAFETY BRIEFING

The Director of Administration and Compliance Policy, Mark Demyanek, gave the Regents and audience a briefing of basic safety information in the event of an emergency.

INVOCATION

The invocation was given on Wednesday, August 9, 2006, by Regent Felton Jenkins.

ATTENDANCE REPORT

The attendance report was read on Wednesday, August 9, 2006, by Secretary Gail S. Weber, who announced that Regent W. Mansfield Jennings, Jr. had asked for and been given permission to be absent on that day.

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PRESENTATION: INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Chair Vigil called upon the Interim Chief Academic Officer and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Beheruz N. Sethna, to introduce the first presentation of the day.

Dr. Sethna noted that Thomas L. Friedman's book, The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century, illustrates the importance of international education. He noted that even before Friedman published this book, the Board of Regents set an ambitious goal for University System of Georgia students to have overseas educational experiences. The Board set as its goal that 25% of System graduates would have international educational experiences. At this meeting, the Senior Advisor for Academic Affairs and Director of International Education, Richard C. Sutton, would update the Regents on international education in the University System. This presentation is particularly timely, as the University System of Georgia has just received a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education to examine the academic impact of study abroad on Georgia college students. This is the fourth external grant that Dr. Sutton has obtained. He has been the Director of International Education since November 1998.

Dr. Sutton said that he would discuss the Board's strategic planning initiative in study abroad and the new federal grant the System recently received to determine the value that overseas study adds to a college education. He noted that Board has had a long-standing commitment to international education. In 1995, the Board first focused on sending more Georgia students overseas. In 2002, the Board set a new target to send more than 6,000 students abroad, which was, and remains, the most ambitious international goal of any higher education system in the country. Dr. Sutton said that he hopes by next year, the System will have crossed that threshold and the number of Georgia students going overseas will equal 25% of those who earn undergraduate degrees. This will constitute the enrollment headcount equivalent of an Armstrong Atlantic, Augusta, or Clayton State University.

There are many reasons to support international education, Dr. Sutton said. The world and its economy are changing at an unprecedented pace and scope. Locally, in just the past five years, Georgia's exports grew 41% to more than $20 billion in 2005. If college students do not graduate with global knowledge and skills, the System would be failing in its responsibility to prepare them well for their future. The University System's growth in study abroad participation has been dramatic. The System has enjoyed an average annual increase of 15% sustained through a decade of good times and bad. The System's enrollment growth during the same period averaged just over 2%. The most recent numbers put the System at about 80% of the Board's target, and by the end of next summer, the System will have reached or exceeded that goal. Dr. Sutton noted that he had distributed two tables of institutional data to the Regents to provide additional detail on these trends. This remarkably strong growth has been driven by the Board's strategic plan. Institutions would naturally have made some progress, he said, but the force of the Regents' interest has kept this on the front burner.

The Regents have supported initiatives that have made study abroad more affordable and more diverse for a broader range of students. In the early years we raised private scholarship dollars from The Coca-Cola Foundation and the American Institute for Foreign Study Foundation. When those grants ran out, the Regents endorsed the innovative Student Abroad with Regents' Support ("STARS") program, which helps students earn money toward the cost of study abroad. The System expanded its program offerings to more countries around the world, particularly in locations outside of Western Europe. Dr. Sutton said that international education is one of those areas where the 35 institutions truly work well as a system. They open programs to each other's students, share best practices, and help each other work toward a common goal. He said this is a good example of the priority Chair Vigil announced yesterday to function as a unified system, not just a confederation.

Five years ago, the System began a major research project to study what students really learn from study abroad experiences. Dr. Sutton stated that going to another part of the world is a challenging and often life-changing experience. Research confirms the personal growth and intercultural sensitivity that come from residence abroad. What has not yet been documented are the academic benefits that are attributable to studying abroad, not just being there. The Georgia Learning Outcomes of Students Studying Abroad Research Initiative ("GLOSSARI") takes advantage of the database that staff are building from these thousands of Georgia students going abroad, tracking their academic progress, conducting surveys, analyzing the types of programs that have the greatest impact on learning, and so forth. This is the most exhaustive examination of study abroad learning outcomes going on anywhere in the country, he said. GLOSSARI so far has revealed three things. Students who study abroad obtain skills and knowledge that help them navigate through life; their academic performance improves; and they stay in school to finish their degrees. GLOSSARI research shows that students who have studied abroad are better able to function and navigate in complex environments. In other words, they can find their way in lots of different and difficult situations. They have roughly one-third again the knowledge and skills to do these kinds of things than people who do not study abroad. Another thing GLOSSARI is finding is that students who have studied abroad return to Georgia with a much clearer focus on finishing their degrees. Staff did a pilot test of three state universities with institutional graduation rates of about 22%, among the lowest in the System, but looking at students from those same schools who went abroad in the corresponding year, 92% of them either graduated or were still in school two years later.

Researchers in Minnesota also got interested in this idea, and they have just released data that found much the same thing. Their graduation rates for students who went abroad were dramatically better than those for students who did not. More intriguing was their discovery that this pattern was true as much or more so for those students who entered college with less than sterling records. There is a plausible hypothesis that study abroad programs attract more talented students, so one would naturally expect better results from a self-selecting elite. However, Minnesota researchers looked just at those freshmen who came in with minimal ACT scores and low high school grade point averages, and they found that students in that cohort who studied abroad were almost twice as likely to graduate as those who did not. They also discovered that this advantage held true for black, Hispanic, Asian, and other students of color in even better proportions. Dr. Sutton said that this might suggest ways to improve retention and graduations rates particularly for high-risk populations. The U.S. Department of Education agreed earlier this summer when it awarded the System a three-year $500,000 grant to accelerate the GLOSSARI project. It is not a lot of money, he said, but external funding makes a huge difference in pushing this effort forward at full speed. Staff want the GLOSSARI project to produce the most rigorous, comprehensive, and statistically valid assessment of study abroad learning outcomes ever published, this grant will help achieve that goal.

"Why is that important?" asked Dr. Sutton. Things are happening at both national and state levels that will put intense scrutiny on the entire study abroad enterprise at all American universities, he explained, and Georgia can be at the center of that conversation. Legislation has recently been introduced in the U.S. Senate to create a new national study abroad fellowship program and double the number of American students overseas. Earlier this year, President Bush held an international education summit for 100 university presidents, including President G. Wayne Clough of the Georgia Institute of Technology. President Bush unveiled his new program to increase the nation's foreign language capacity, particularly in areas critical to national security. This fall, a new index of internationalization will be released for 14 Southern states, charting their progress in meeting the challenges of a global economy. International education in the University System needs to be in a central position to help direct and benefit from these developments.

Dr. Sutton said that all of these things raise some key policy questions for this Board. First of all, if study abroad has its apparent value in dramatically improving graduation rates, how should the University System take maximum advantage of its potential to achieve our core mission? What if the System uses study abroad as a basic part of managing anticipated enrollment increases in the next decade? If the System currently sends 6,000 students off-campus every year, that opens those spaces to new students. That may save the System classroom and dormitory space. Perhaps the System could outsource a sophomore semester or junior year to Australia, Brazil, or China. The System would require a more sophisticated, data-driven model to use that capacity effectively, but it could be done. The System would need effective policies and procedures in place to manage a distributed student population around the globe. Financial, security, and academic safeguards would have to be adequate for operations in 55 countries. Dr. Sutton asked whether the Regents would be satisfied to run their global company this way. Should the System reward its institutions for making qualitative enhancements that improve learning outcomes? For the past decade, the Board has put a premium on volume. Going forward, can it do something comparable for quality? Should staff be measuring other international products besides study abroad? Has the one-dimensional focus limited our vision of other opportunities and issues? In the next few months, as the Board starts to develop its new strategic plan, should it have a global focus with appropriate funding strategies to reach a series of measurable international benchmarks?

Dr. Sutton suggested three basic reasons the Regents should consider these issues. First, national priorities (for economic and geo-political purposes) are going to create new opportunities for external funding. Staff were successful in getting this most recent grant because of the System's leadership position in the field, and they want that to continue. Second, a few other states are already mobilizing their international resources in creative, integrated ways that align each government agency's international agenda toward a coherent state foreign policy. The Regents can help make that happen here. Finally, the Board needs to recognize that the competition for knowledge workers with global experience and skills will be transnational. The Regents want those "best and brightest" to be coming from Georgia and to Georgia if the state hopes to prosper in the years ahead. All of this, in turn, will create not just a more educated Georgia, but as Dr. Sutton likes to say, a more globally educated Georgia. In closing, he said he would be happy to answer any questions.

Vice Chair Cleveland asked Dr. Sutton how long a student should study abroad for the experience to be most effective.

Dr. Sutton said one of the issues the GLOSSARI project is examining is the length of the program and the impact of the length of the program. He said there is mixed evidence about the value of short-term programs.

Regent Leebern said that the State of Georgia must compete for global presence. He noted that the University System of Georgia has a presence in Europe and Costa Rica that is the envy of other systems. He commended Dr. Sutton for his hard work.

Regent Carter said that his daughter had such a positive experience studying in Rome, Italy, that she now wants to work in London, England. He wondered whether study abroad resulted in students leaving the country to work.

Dr. Sutton responded that some students realize that they can compete for jobs not just in Georgia, but anywhere in the world. He stressed that Georgia's economy is becoming more global, and Georgia businesses need people with these skills to work here.

Regent Carter asked how the System controls the quality of its programs abroad.

Dr. Sutton said that the programs are developed at the institutional level and the authority to approve those programs is delegated to the presidents under Board policy. However, he would like to develop some standards at the System level that every program agrees to uphold. He noted that this is an issue that affects study abroad programs across the nation, so this is another area in which the University System of Georgia can be a leader.

Regent Tarbutton asked what the average out-of-pocket expenses are for students studying abroad.

Dr. Sutton said that it is very difficult to compare the costs of various study abroad programs, but programs can costs anywhere from $1,700 for a two-week program to $10,000 for a year-long program.

Regent Tarbutton said that the cost of international programs limits the students who can attend.

Dr. Sutton responded that cost is certainly a huge factor in students considering study abroad. The System has done what it can within its funding structures to make it as affordable as possible. Cost-containment of study abroad programs is an issue the staff consider carefully.

Chancellor Davis noted that supporting international studies is one of the main focal points of the University System of Georgia Foundation, Inc. annual fund-raising celebration.

Regent Shelnut asked whether the System institutions are doing enough to promote international study.

Dr. Sutton replied that the Regents should certainly consider study abroad guidelines and benchmarks in its upcoming strategic planning process. He said at too many institutions, study abroad is an auxiliary enterprise rather than a core funded activity.

Regent Hatcher asked what types of courses students take in study abroad programs.

Dr. Sutton responded that the staff annually produce an international briefing book with lots of statistical data about study abroad programs, international curricula, international students, etc. It has a table of the majors of students who study abroad, and it is surprisingly diverse. Business and communications are the largest areas of study, followed by social sciences, which is followed by arts and humanities. Foreign languages surprisingly account for a smaller percentage of students going abroad than one would expect. He suggested that more teacher education majors ought to be studying abroad so that they can pass on global knowledge to students at younger ages.

Regent Pittard asked whether it is more economical for the System to have its own programs overseas versus using the programs of other institutions overseas.

Dr. Sutton responded that the vast majority of System students going abroad are participating in collaborative arrangements, rather than programs "owned" by System institutions with facilities overseas. There are only a small number of System programs overseas, such as the ones at Cortona, Italy, and Costa Rica. They can be cost-effective if they are appropriately managed and used to their full potential. The University of Georgia program in Cortona is exceptionally well-used.

Regent Leebern noted that fluency in foreign languages is a great asset in international business today.

Dr. Sutton noted that the University System approved its first program in Cantonese in the last year, so it does have a way to go in the area of foreign language studies.

Chair Vigil thanked Dr. Sutton for this informative presentation. He then called for Committee reports.

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EXECUTIVE AND COMPENSATION COMMITTEE

The Executive and Compensation Committee met on Tuesday, August 8, 2006, at approximately 11:00 a.m. in room 7019. Committee members in attendance were Chair Allan Vigil, Vice Chair William H. Cleveland, and Regents Robert F. Hatcher, James R. Jolly, Donald M. Leebern, Jr., Doreen Stiles Poitevint, and Richard L. Tucker. Chair Vigil reported to the Board on Wednesday that the Committee had discussed and were recommending the following items. With motion properly made, seconded, and unanimously adopted, the Board approved and authorized the following:

1. Future Issues

Approved: The Board endorsed the Chancellor's recommendation of changes in the Board meeting schedule to a minimum of eight meetings per year. The new schedule will become effective in January 2007.

Abstract: Chancellor Davis explained to the full Board on Wednesday that under the new meeting schedule, he envisioned that six meetings would be traditional Board meetings. One meeting would be an abbreviated meeting, followed by a day or two at the Capitol meeting with legislators. The eighth meeting would be an abbreviated meeting, followed by a strategic planning session.

Discussion: After the motion was made, Regent Jenkins expressed his reservations about the proposed meeting schedule, and the Regents and Chancellor had a robust discussion of the proposal and his concerns. Having not convinced the Chancellor of his position, Regent Jenkins seconded the motion, which was unanimously approved.

Approved: The Board endorsed the Chancellor's recommendation to change the method of appointing Regents to Special Regents' Committees for presidential searches. There will be 6 three-member Committees, and the Board Chair and local Regent, if not on the Committee assigned to a particular search, will be ex-officio members of the Committee.

Abstract: The Chancellor explained that the purposes of the new structure of presidential search Committees are to ensure that Regents are selecting presidents based on the System and not just the region and to balance the workload across the Board.

Discussion: Regent Pittard expressed concern that, because the Regents do represent their congressional districts, they should be invited to participate in their local presidential searches. Chancellor Davis assured him that local Regents would be included in the process by virtue of the presidential search procedures.

Approved: The Board approved the Chancellor's recommendation that The Board of Regents Bylaws and Policy Manual be revised to reflect these changes at the September 2006 meeting.

2. Information Item: Executive Session: Personnel and Compensation Issues

At approximately 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 8, 2006, Chair Allan Vigil called for an Executive Session for the purpose of discussing personnel and compensation issues. With motion properly made and variously seconded, the Regents who were present voted unanimously to go into Executive Session. Those Regents were as follows: Chair Vigil, Vice Chair William H. Cleveland, and Regents Robert F. Hatcher, James R. Jolly, Donald M. Leebern, Jr., Doreen Stiles Poitevint, and Richard L. Tucker. Also in attendance were Chancellor Erroll B. Davis, Jr. and the Secretary to the Board, Gail S. Weber. In accordance with O.C.G.A. § 50-14-4, an affidavit regarding this Executive Session is on file with the Chancellor's Office.

At approximately 12:15 p.m., Chair Vigil reconvened the Committee meeting in its regular session and announced that no actions were taken in the Executive Session but that the issues discussed would be taken up by the full Board in Executive Session on Wednesday, August 9, 2006. (See page 87.)

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COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

The Committee on Academic Affairs met on Tuesday, August 8, 2006, at approximately 2:45 p.m. in the Seventh Floor Training Room, room 7059. Committee members in attendance were Chair Doreen Stiles Poitevint, Vice Chair Elridge W. McMillan, and Regents James R. Jolly, Patrick S. Pittard, Willis J. Potts, Jr., and J. Timothy Shelnut. Board Vice Chair William H. Cleveland was also in attendance. Chair Poitevint reported to the Board that the Committee had reviewed 26 items, 24 of which required action. Additionally, 885 regular faculty appointments and 89 personnel issues were reviewed and recommended for approval. With motion properly made, seconded, and unanimously adopted, the Board approved and authorized the following:

1. Establishment of a Master of Health Administration Degree, Clayton State University

Approved: The Board approved the request of President Thomas K. Harden that Clayton State University ("CLSU") be authorized to establish a Master of Health Administration degree, effective August 9, 2006.

Abstract: CLSU sought approval to offer a Master of Health Administration degree. The Master of Health Administration degree will provide graduate level education to individuals living in the southern crescent area of the state who are interested in advancing their knowledge of and careers in the profession of healthcare administration. The Master of Health Administration degree will offer graduates access to opportunities to build upon undergraduate coursework and experiences in various fields such as healthcare management, nursing, and dental hygiene.

Need: Healthcare delivery represents one of the major industries with a need for persons to occupy mid- and upper-level management positions. The Master of Health Administration degree has increasingly become the required degree nationwide for those who seek high levels of administrative responsibility in healthcare organizations.

Objectives: The Master of Health Administration objectives are to prepare students for positions of increased responsibility within the healthcare delivery system, further career choices beyond the entry level, and improve the quality of care and resource use in healthcare organizations.

Curriculum: The program will require a waiver to degree credit hour length. The curriculum will consist of 39 to 45 credits with the variation in credits relating to residency and elective course requirements. Depending upon the amount of healthcare experience, students will take zero to six credits of residency. The degree focuses on generalist healthcare administration education. The curriculum includes, but is not limited to, the following courses: Health Systems Administration, Healthcare Marketing, Health Economics and Financial Management, Information Management in Healthcare, Long-Term Care Administration, and Strategic Planning in Healthcare Organizations.

Projected Enrollment: The institution anticipates enrollments of 20, 45, and 55 during the first three years of the program. Funding: The program will be supported through existing faculty. New courses will be developed. President Harden has provided reverification that funding for the program is available at the institution.

Assessment: This program will be reviewed after three years using the existing comprehensive program review process. An external review will take place at the end of the fifth year of implementation.

2. Establishment of a Major in International Economics and Modern Languages Under the Existing Bachelor of Arts, Georgia State University

Approved: The Board approved the request of President Carl V. Patton that Georgia State University ("GSU") be authorized to establish a major in International Economics and Modern Languages under the existing Bachelor of Arts degree, effective August 9, 2006.

Abstract: GSU requested approval to offer a major in International Economics and Modern Languages under the existing Bachelor of Arts degree. The program promotes the goals of the Departments of Economics and Modern and Classical Languages in the following ways: 1) It promotes greater interdisciplinary collaboration; 2) It promotes greater internationalization of the curriculum; 3) It provides a new educational option for students interested in some type of international economics or business career; and 4) It increases student enrollments without using additional resource costs.

Need: As markets internationalize, the volume of trade, employment, and new capital investment becomes sensitive to world economic conditions and policies, creating several opportunities and challenges for U.S. and Georgia firms and governments. The International Economics and Modern Languages major combines coursework from both the Departments of Economics and Modern and Classical Languages, thereby creating an interdisciplinary major that gives students the analytical tools needed to complete economic research, consulting, and policy analysis on global economic issues. Likewise, the program provides students with the oral and written language skills needed to work in the native language of several U.S. major trading partners.

Objectives: The program was created to prepare individuals with expertise in international economics and a strong communication base, both orally and in writing, with native speakers of other countries.

Curriculum: The composition of the 120-semester-hour curriculum immerses students in economics courses with a specialization in such areas as international trade, international finance, and economic development. Students will take intermediate and advanced language courses in one of the following areas: French, German, or Spanish. As the major matures, the program will include study of the Japanese language.

Projected Enrollment: The institution anticipates enrollments of 15, 20, and 25 during the first three years of the program.

Funding: GSU states that the program can be provided with existing faculty, staff, and physical plant resources. President Patton has provided reverification that funding for the program is available at the institution.

Assessment: This program will be reviewed after three years using the existing comprehensive program review process. An external review will take place at the end of the fifth year of implementation.

3. Establishment of a Major in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies Under the Existing Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Georgia

Approved: The Board approved the request of President Michael F. Adams that the University of Georgia ("UGA") be authorized to establish a major in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies under the existing Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences, effective August 9, 2006.

Abstract: UGA requested approval to offer a major in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies under the existing Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences. Honors Interdisciplinary Studies has expanded to include colleges outside the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. Students who complete their program with a major emphasis in areas covered in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences will be eligible to receive a Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences degree in the college with a major in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies. Honors Interdisciplinary Study programs are also available for majors offered under the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degrees.

Need: Several students whose programs are offered within the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences have inquired about access to an honors program. The Honors Interdisciplinary Studies major offers academically talented students opportunities for enhanced intellectual experiences and cultural and social exchanges. The program challenges students to work at high standards of excellence and supports interdisciplinary and collaborative learning.

Objectives: The major is designed to allow "honors" students to create an integrated program out of a coherently defined interdisciplinary combination of courses. Such courses may not be used to create a vocational program of study. The courses will be selected in consultation with the student's major advisor. The area of study may be chronological, geographical, substantive, or based upon another cohesive principle of organization.

Curriculum: Only courses not used to satisfy the core curriculum may be used toward the major. At least eight courses must be at the 3000 level or higher. Of these, the four primary courses must be in one department and in the college or school awarding the degree. The individual program, listing a description and/or subject along with specific courses, must be approved by the Honors Faculty Council upon approval by the student's major advisor. The Dean's Office will then ascertain that all degree requirements not preempted by the major program are met for graduation. A capstone thesis or project is required in order to integrate all coursework taken for this major.

Projected Enrollment: The institution anticipates enrollments of 5, 7, and 10 during the first three years of the program.

Funding: The major has been developed with existing courses. President Adams has provided reverification that establishing the program can be accommodated within funds presently anticipated and available.

Assessment: This program will be reviewed after three years using the existing comprehensive program review process. An external review will take place at the end of the fifth year of implementation.

4. Establishment of a Doctor of Public Health, University of Georgia

Approved: The Board approved the request of President Michael F. Adams that the University of Georgia ("UGA") be authorized to establish a Doctor of Public Health degree, effective August 9, 2006.

Abstract: UGA's College of Public Health proposed the establishment of a Doctor of Public Health degree program. The Doctor of Public Health, an extension of the existing Master of Public Health, is a professional degree designed to train leaders in public health at the local, state, and national levels. The curriculum will prepare students to be interdisciplinary leaders in public health. Students in the program can specialize in Health Promotion and Behavior, Environmental Health, Health Policy, or Gerontology. The program is intended to develop leaders with the comprehensive vision and philosophy needed to address a broad spectrum of public health needs, solutions, and programs in Georgia and nationally. The program is targeted toward administrators and practitioners with three or more years of professional experience beyond the Master of Public Health degree.

Need: At present, no other University System institution offers a Doctor of Public Health degree. The program will help fulfill UGA's mission as the state's flagship land grant university to train future leaders responsible for the public health and wellbeing of Georgians. The population over 60 years of age is growing rapidly, and accompanying health-related issues will also increase. UGA currently offers programs in gerontology, social work, and the behavioral sciences. The Master of Public Health degree is fully engaged in providing the tools to address the public health problems of Georgians. The proposed Doctor of Public Health represents a logistical extension of the Master of Public Health program and UGA's land grant mission. The Health Resources and Services Administration issued a report, "Public Health Workforce Enumeration 2000," that detailed gaps in public health workforce education and prospective capacity to achieve Healthy People initiative objectives. According to the report, the public health workforce comprises 8,020 persons. However, recruitment and retention of public health workers remain adversely impacted by the unmet need for professional education.

Objectives: The primary objectives of the program include the following: 1) to create an interdisciplinary Doctor of Public Health degree designed to spearhead public health practices, programs, and leadership; and 2) to provide an interface between the state's public health services and systems and the University System of Georgia. The program targets the public health practice settings of the state. Graduates are expected to fill administrative and leadership positions within government agencies, private organizations, and industries across the state.

Curriculum: The minimum 57-semester-hour requirement inculcates students with knowledge of advanced public healthcare to include courses with an emphasis on health methodology, epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy, gerontology, health promotion, and environmental health. Internships will be used to synthesize and apply skills and knowledge to ongoing public health programs and efforts in policy development.

Projected Enrollment: The institution anticipates enrollments of 3, 6, and 10 during the first three years of the program.

Funding: A significant portion of the resources needed to implement the Doctor of Public Health program are in place. President Adams has provided reverification that establishing the program can be accommodated within funds presently anticipated and available.

Assessment: This program will be reviewed after three years using the existing comprehensive program review process. An external review will take place at the end of the fifth year of implementation.

5. Establishment of a Doctor of Philosophy in School Psychology, University of Georgia

Approved: The Board approved the request of President Michael F. Adams that the University of Georgia ("UGA") be authorized to establish a Doctor of Philosophy ("Ph.D.") in School Psychology, effective August 9, 2006.

Abstract: Currently UGA offers students an opportunity to receive training as doctoral-level school psychologists through the current Ph.D. with a major in Educational Psychology with a specialization in School Psychology. Since 1983, the American Psychological Association has accredited the School Psychology specialization as a training program for psychological professionals who work in schools. At this meeting, UGA sought to offer a new major in School Psychology under the Ph.D. degree. Thus, students receiving specialized instruction in the field of School Psychology will earn a Ph.D. with a major in School Psychology instead of a Ph.D. with a major in Educational Psychology.

Need: A shortage of school psychologists exists in Georgia and the nation. Faculty members in School Psychology seek a new major for graduates of the training program for three reasons: 1) A change is sought in the name of the degree in order to accurately reflect the relationship of the program to licensure and certification areas; 2) The current major designation does not allow the training program, department, or college to obtain funds from tuition revenues that can be earmarked for clinical training; and 3) Students unanimously support this new degree application.

Objectives: The objective of the program is to train a cadre of leaders in the application of psychological principles to the school enterprise, as well as to train leaders who apply psychological knowledge toward fostering the optimal development of children in other settings. These leaders are prepared to work in public and private schools, clinics, hospitals, and other agencies that work with children with behavioral and learning problems.

Curriculum: The 108-semester-hour program includes, but is not limited to, the following courses: Diagnosis of Social-Emotional Behavior in Education, Individual Psycho-Educational Intervention, Individual Assessment of Development, Foundations of Cognition for Education, Consultation Processes in Educational Settings, and Advanced Internships in School Psychology.

Projected Enrollment: The institution anticipates constant enrollments of 40 students for each of the first three years of the program.

Funding: Funding for the program is available at the institution. Due to the fact that the program has been developed from an existing specialization, budget impacts will be minimal to the Department of Educational Psychology. President Adams has provided reverification that establishing the program can be accommodated within funds presently anticipated and available.

Assessment: This program will be reviewed after three years using the existing comprehensive program review process. An external review will take place at the end of the fifth year of implementation.

6. Establishment of a Specialist in Education in Leadership for Learning, Kennesaw State University

Approved: The Board approved the request of President Daniel S. Papp that Kennesaw State University ("KSU") be authorized to establish a Specialist in Education ("Ed.S.") in Leadership for Learning, effective, August 9, 2006.

Abstract: At the May 2006 meeting of the Board of Regents, the Doctor of Education ("Ed.D.") in Leadership for Learning was approved for KSU with five areas of concentration, as follows:

• Adolescent Education/Mathematics
• Elementary and Early Childhood Education
• Instructional Technology
• Inclusive Education
• Educational Leadership and Policy

The curriculum in each area of concentration is segmented into the following two parts:

1. Students may complete part 1 and earn the Ed.S. degree.
2. Students may complete parts 1 and 2, including dissertation research, and earn the Ed.D. degree.

The intent was for the Board of Regents to approve both the Ed.S. and the Ed.D. degrees at the May 2006 meeting. Because this intent was not clear, only the Ed.D. was approved. KSU now seeks approval to offer the Ed.S. degree in Leadership for Learning in the same areas of concentration that have already been approved for the Ed.D. degree.

As with the Ed.D. degree, the first four areas of concentration in the Ed.S. degree are for classroom teachers who wish to remain in the classroom and also assume a leadership role in their school as a member of a distributed leadership team. The fifth area of concentration is for those aspiring to become school administrators. The implementation of the fifth area of concentration will be delayed until after the adoption of new leadership certification standards that are under development by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission ("PSC").

The program will be housed in the Bagwell College of Education. In addition, the College of Science and Mathematics will play a major role in the area of concentration in Adolescent Education/Mathematics.

Need: The northwest quadrant of Georgia is a rapidly growing section of the state. KSU has active waiting lists for each area of concentration within the proposed Ed.S. degree.

Objectives: The overall objective is to prepare school teachers and administrators in leadership for learning to enable them to participate in distributed leadership roles while remaining teachers or while serving in school or school system administrative positions. Individuals aspiring to renewable certification as school administrators soon will be required by the PSC to earn the Ed.S. degree.

Curriculum: The program of study is based upon two principles: 1) Leadership must be shared by teachers and administrators to resolve complex issues of teaching, learning, and accountability; and 2) Leaders must deepen and broaden their expertise in content areas. All five areas of concentration in the Ed.S. degree program share the first 18 hours of the 27-hour common core in distributed leadership required for the Ed.D. degree. In the common core, cohorts of candidates from all concentrations will utilize case study and problem-based learning embedded within the context of schools.

Beyond the common core, each area of concentration in the Ed.S. degree will include 15 hours in the content field and an applied research capstone experience.

Projected Enrollment: The first cohort will be limited to 25 students across the areas of concentration. Once enrollment stabilizes, it is anticipated that annually 100 students will earn the Education Specialist degree.

Funding: President Papp has provided reverification that funding for the program is available at the institution.

Assessment: This program will be reviewed after three years using the existing comprehensive program review process. An external review will take place at the end of the fifth year of implementation.

7. Ratification of the Establishment of the Existing Associate of Science in Nursing as an External Degree to Be Offered on the Campus of East Georgia College, Darton College

Approved: The Board ratified Chancellor Erroll B. Davis's approval of Darton College's ("DC") request to establish its existing Associate of Science in Nursing ("A.S.N.") as an external degree on the campus of East Georgia College ("EGC"). At its June 2006 meeting, the Board of Regents authorized Chancellor Davis to take any actions necessary on behalf of the Board between the June meeting and the August 2006 meeting with such actions to be ratified by the Board at the August meeting. This ratification supports action taken by the Chancellor in a letter dated July 7, 2006.

Abstract: DC requested approval to offer its existing A.S.N. as an external degree to be offered on the campus of EGC. Students would be provided opportunities to complete the degree program in its entirety on their home campus in Swainsboro, Georgia. College admission requirements would be the same for all students. EGC would act in the role of host institution and DC would be the degree-granting agent. EGC was awarded an Intellectual Capital Partnership Program ("ICAPP®") grant to attract and fund an A.S.N. program on its campus. The administration of EGC contacted DC colleagues to request a satellite offering for a nursing program.

Need: The A.S.N. degree offering in the Swainsboro area was developed in response to public interest and a request for more registered nurses in the metropolitan statistical area. A previous collaborative agreement with EGC expired and thus a need existed to offer an A.S.N. program.

Objectives: A.S.N. graduates are prepared to work as nurses in first-level staff positions in hospitals and comparable agencies. Technical skills that nursing graduates exhibit include treating patients, recording patients' medical histories and symptoms, helping to perform diagnostic tests, and administering treatment and medications.

Curriculum: Students will be provided opportunities to complete the degree program in its entirety on the campus of EGC located in Swainsboro, Georgia. Program delivery will be made available via distance education technologies to include two-way audio and video-streamed offerings. Programmatic offerings will parallel those already in place that are offered via face-to-face instruction. Full-time faculty members will be on-site in Swainsboro during all classroom presentations. Students will complete requirements associated with supervised clinical hours.

Projected Enrollment: The institution anticipates steady enrollments of 30 students during each of the first three years of the program.

Funding: EGC will fund this program with money awarded to them through the ICAPP® program. A contractual agreement signed by President Peter J. Sireno of DC and President John Bryant Black of EGC has been established.

Assessment: This program will be reviewed after three years using the existing comprehensive program review process. An external review will take place at the end of the fifth year of implementation.

8. Establishment of an Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology, Darton College

Approved: The Board approved the request of President Peter J. Sireno that Darton College ("DC") be authorized to establish an Associate of Applied Science ("A.A.S.") in Veterinary Technology, effective August 9, 2006.

Abstract: DC sought approval to offer an A.A.S. in Veterinary Technology degree. The educational requirements have increased to sit for the licensing exam in Veterinary Technology. All examinees must now hold a minimum of a two-year degree from an accredited program of the American Veterinary Medical Association. To support changes in state requirements and provide qualified technicians in Southwest Georgia, DC stands ready to provide an associate's level Veterinary Technology program.

Need: According to Department of Labor statistics, the need for veterinary technicians will increase "much faster than average," with an anticipated increase greater than 27% by year 2014. Veterinary technicians typically conduct clinical work in private practice under the supervision of a veterinarian, often performing various medical tests along with treating and diagnosing medical conditions and diseases in animals.

Objectives: The overall objective of the Veterinary Technology major is to provide scientific theory, laboratory training, and clinical-setting experiences that will prepare graduates for state licensing exams and facilitate employment in the veterinary technology field. Technical skills will be acquired in several areas, including necropsy techniques, animal husbandry, and humane animal care and management.

Curriculum: The program's individual curricular objectives are designed to facilitate student learning in each of the curricular areas listed in the accreditation standards of the American Veterinary Medical Association's Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities. The 72-semester-hour program will include, but not be limited to, such courses as Medical Office Management, Anatomy and Physiology for Veterinary Technologists, Disease and Preventive Medicine, Pharmacology, Microbiology, and Veterinary Nursing.

Projected Enrollment: The institution anticipates enrollments of 10, 20, and 28 during the first three years of the program.

Funding: President Sireno has provided reverification that funding for the program is available at the institution.

Assessment: This program will be reviewed after three years using the existing comprehensive program review process. An external review will take place at the end of the fifth year of implementation.

9. Establishment of the Existing Master of Science with a Major in Pharmacy as an External Degree Offered Online, University of Georgia

Approved: The Board approved the request of President Michael F. Adams that the University of Georgia ("UGA") be authorized to establish an external, Master of Science ("M.S,") with a major in Pharmacy degree offered predominantly online, effective, August 9, 2006.

Abstract: UGA requested approval to offer its existing M.S. with a major in Pharmacy as an external degree offered online. Distance education delivery is proposed for eligible students pursuing the graduate Pharmacy degree with an emphasis in Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Regulatory Affairs. The program is designed to provide graduate level education for individuals who are currently employed in the pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. The Master of Science with a major in Pharmacy program is quite different from the Doctor of Pharmacy degree in that master's students are not trained to dispense or compound medications, advise medical staff on the selection and effect of drugs, or monitor drug therapies and prepare infusions.

Need: Due to the expanding biotechnology industry, a need exists for highly trained professionals. Pharmaceutical and biomedical regulatory affairs professionals are employed in industry and government positions and provide a range of support services related to the product development, manufacturing, and marketing of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, in vitro diagnostics, biologics, biotechnology, nutritional products, cosmetics, and veterinary products. The alternative delivery program expects to enroll students from within Georgia and surrounding states who are currently employed in the pharmaceutical and biomedical industries.

Objectives: Upon completion of the program, students will have the experimental and theoretical expertise to develop programs and products needed for a variety of positions in industrial and government agencies. Students will have the knowledge to perform a variety of specialized tasks including preformulation evaluation, dosage from design, stability testing, and pilot plant scale-up and production.

Curriculum: In general, the curriculum will cover comprehensive U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations of pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and device industries, food and drug laws, current good manufacturing practices, and bioethics. Coursework will follow the traditional academic pace but will use extensive and technologically demanding Internet-based means to produce streaming video and audio presentations as well as video conferencing with slide and manuscript presentations, online discussions, projects, and exams. The primary delivery mode will be computer-based Internet instruction using a WebCT™ course management platform. The delivery mechanisms are intended to facilitate the needs of working adult students. It is anticipated that these working students will participate on a part-time basis while they maintain their current positions.

Projected Enrollment: The institution anticipates enrollments of 8 to 12 students during the first three years of the program.

Funding: Initially, the College of Pharmacy received funding from the Intellectual Capital Partnership Program ("ICAPP®") program to support the development of regulatory affairs curricula to help fill a workforce need for specialized professionals in Georgia biomedical companies. UGA projects that the program will become self-sustaining after initial development, and funding for the program is available at the institution. President Adams has provided reverification that establishing the program can be accommodated within funds presently anticipated and available.

Assessment: This program will be reviewed after three years using the existing comprehensive program review process. An external review will take place at the end of the fifth year of implementation.

10. Establishment of a Major in Latin American and Caribbean Studies Under the Existing Bachelor of Arts, University of Georgia

Approved: The Board approved the request of President Michael F. Adams that the University of Georgia ("UGA") be authorized to establish a major in Latin American and Caribbean Studies under the existing Bachelor of Arts ("B.A."), effective August 9, 2006.

Abstract: In recognition of growing challenges and opportunities presented by the expanding Latino and Brazilian populations in Georgia and the increased social, political, and economic significance of Latin America and the Caribbean for the United States, UGA proposed the development of an interdisciplinary major leading to a B.A. degree with a major in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. The major is a component of UGA's strategic plan to internationalize its undergraduate curriculum.

Need: Bicultural students with proficiency in Spanish and Portuguese and in-depth knowledge of Latin America and the Caribbean's social, political, and cultural practices are needed as teachers in the K-12 grades of Georgia's public schools. Social workers with Latin American and Caribbean study-abroad experience are in great demand. Georgia has experienced a growth rate of 18.6% in its Latino population. In 2004, four of the ten U.S. counties experiencing the greatest increase in new Latino residents were in Georgia. The state's Brazilian population has grown, and as many as 50,000 Brazilians may currently live in the Atlanta area.

Objectives: Students majoring in the program will be required to show high-level proficiency in one of the major languages of Latin America and the Caribbean and speaking comprehension of one other regional language. It is projected that graduates of the program will demonstrate language competence and an in-depth, substantive understanding of the societies, cultures, politics, and economies of the people of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Curriculum: The 120-semester-hour program will be administered by UGA's Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Major requirements include advanced language training in Spanish, Portuguese, or French and upper-division courses focused specifically on Latin America and the Caribbean. To complete the degree, students must choose elective coursework in one of three primary academic tracks: Social Science; Humanities, Arts, and Music; and Environmental Science, Policy, and Historical Preservation. Students will be encouraged to develop joint programs of study across the schools and colleges of the University. In addition, students will spend a full semester in a study-abroad program. The study-abroad experience will provide students with opportunities for language learning and cultural understanding that cannot be achieved solely through formal coursework.

Projected Enrollment: The institution anticipates enrollments of 20, 40, and 60 during the first three years of the programs.

Funding: UGA states that the major can be accommodated within funds presently anticipated and available. No additional requests for funding are anticipated in the next three years. President Adams has provided reverification that establishing the program can be accommodated within funds presently anticipated and available.

Assessment: This program will be reviewed after three years using the existing comprehensive program review process. An external review will take place at the end of the fifth year of implementation.

11. Establishment of a Major in Creative Writing Under the Existing Master of Fine Arts, University of Georgia

Approved: The Board approved the request of President Michael F. Adams that the University of Georgia ("UGA") be authorized to establish a major in Creative Writing under the Master of Fine Arts ("M.F.A."), effective August 9, 2006.

Abstract: UGA requested approval to establish a major in Creative Writing under the existing M.F.A. degree. The new major will give the Department of English, the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, and UGA the ability to recruit and retain exemplary students and faculty in creative writing. The program will emphasize both studio work and traditional literary study. The program is designed to attract a diverse and talented student body and to produce graduates who will write and publish books of poetry and prose with national and international publishers.

Need: The program will offer apprenticing writers the opportunity to pursue a terminal degree in their field. Through offering the major in Creative Writing under the M.F.A. degree, the department will increase its ability to recruit and retain students and faculty and foster the study of literature at the graduate level in theory and practice.

Objectives: The objectives of the program include the following program goals: 1) to foster a study of literature at the graduate level that merges theory and practice, aesthetics and scholarship, and literary conservation and innovation; 2) to support and advance the development of contemporary letters at UGA; and 3) to prepare graduates for careers as writers. In addition, the program complements a component of the institution's strategic plan to become a regional and national center for research in fine arts and humanistic studies.

Curriculum: The 36-semester-hour program will be offered by the Department of English in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. The studio/academic writing program places emphasis in the curriculum on both writing and literature coursework and is founded on the belief that the study of literature is an important part of a writer's development. A collaborative arrangement exists between the Creative Writing program and the Lamar Dodd School of Art to include courses in creative writing in the study-abroad program located in Cortona, Italy.

Projected Enrollment: The institution anticipates enrollments of 6, 12, and 12 during the first three years of the program.

Funding: The budget for the Creative Writing program will not change as a result of offering the curriculum of study under the M.F.A. degree. President Adams has provided reverification that establishing the program can be accommodated within funds presently anticipated and available.

Assessment: This program will be reviewed after three years using the existing comprehensive program review process. An external review will take place at the end of the fifth year of implementation.

12. Establishment of a Dual Degree Offering of the Existing Juris Doctor and Master of Social Work Degrees, University of Georgia

Approved: The Board approved the request of President Michael F. Adams that the University of Georgia ("UGA") be authorized to establish the dual degree offering of existing programs to award the Juris Doctor ("J.D.") and Master of Social Work ("M.S.W.") degrees effective August 9, 2006.

Abstract: The Graduate School of UGA proposed a dual degree program between the School of Social Work and the School of Law. The proposal to combine the J.D. and M.S.W. degrees was designed to promote the integration of legal as well as social work knowledge and skills at full, professional levels. The dual awarding of the degree will account for the professional requirements of a master's level social worker and the professional requirements of a law school graduate. Graduates of this dual degree program will be able to account for the legal interventions required by individuals or organizations as clients while simultaneously accounting for the social work services needed by the same individuals or organizations.

Need: The social work and legal professions both service a variety of client subjects: individuals, groups, nonprofit organizations, social agencies, businesses, communities, and legislatures. There are instances when it would be advantageous if one person has the combined knowledge and practice expertise of both a social worker and a lawyer.

Objectives: The primary objective of this dual degree program is to supplement the professional education of social work students with an additional specialization and training in law. Social work and law are, by design, professions that have principles that are founded on providing services to enhance the wellbeing of the general public. Moreover, circumstances arise in which members of the public need and require both legal and social work advice and expertise.

Curriculum: The dual degree offering of the J.D. and M.S.W. degrees enables graduates to complete both degree programs with an overlap of specific bridge courses. Students will be required to apply to the School of Law and School of Social Work separately for admittance to each program. As such, applicants must meet all of the requirements for admission to each program. The proposed dual degree would be awarded following the completion of a four-year integrated program of study. The integrated curriculum will consist of courses in both social work and law. In addition, integrated internships will provide students with the opportunity to practice both social work and law in a practicum setting.

Projected Enrollment: The institution anticipates conservative enrollments of five to ten students during the first three years of the program.

Funding: Additional fiscal impacts are not anticipated as a result of the establishment of this dual degree program. Additional faculty and staff resources will not be required for the administration of the program. President Adams has provided reverification that establishing the program can be accommodated within funds presently anticipated and available.

Assessment: This program will be reviewed after three years using the existing comprehensive program review process. An external review will take place at the end of the fifth year of implementation.

13. Revised Mission Statement, Kennesaw State University

Approved: The Board approved the request of President Daniel S. Papp that Kennesaw State University ("KSU") be authorized to revise its institutional mission statement, effective August 9, 2006.

Abstract: President Papp requested that KSU be authorized to clarify its mission statement in order to be congruent with the strategic goals of the University System of Georgia, reflect KSU's strategic plan, and strengthen the language describing graduate education and emergent doctoral programs to be offered by the institution.

Previous Mission Statement

Kennesaw State University is a proud public university in the University System of Georgia, located in the densely populated and rapidly developing northwest region of Greater Metropolitan Atlanta. Chartered in 1963, KSU serves as a highly valued resource for this region's educational, economic, social, and cultural advancement.

This institution shares with all other units in the University System of Georgia the following characteristics:

• a supportive campus climate, necessary services, and leadership development opportunities, all to educate the whole person and meet the needs of students, faculty, and staff;
• cultural, ethnic, racial, and gender diversity in the faculty, staff, and student body, supported by practices and programs that embody the ideals of an open, democratic, and global society;
• technology to advance educational purposes, including instructional technology, student support services, and distance education;
• collaborative relationships with other System institutions, state agencies, local schools and technical institutes, and business and industry, sharing physical, human, information, and other resources to expand and enhance programs and services available to the citizens of Georgia.

This institution shares with other senior universities in the University System of Georgia the following characteristics:

• a commitment to excellence and responsiveness within a scope of influence defined by the needs of an area of the state and by particularly outstanding programs or distinctive characteristics that have a magnet effect throughout the region or state;
• a commitment to teaching/learning environment, both inside and outside the classroom, that sustains instructional excellence, serves a diverse and college-prepared student body, promotes high levels of student achievement, offers academic assistance, and provides developmental studies programs for a limited student cohort;
• a high-quality general education program supporting a variety of disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and professional academic programming at the baccalaureate level, with selected master's and educational specialist degrees, and selected associate degree programs based on area need and/or interinstitutional collaborations;
• a commitment to public service, continuing education, technical assistance, and economic development activities that address the needs, improve the quality of life, and raise the educational level within the university's scope of influence;
• a commitment to scholarly and creative work to enhance instructional effectiveness and to encourage faculty scholarly pursuits, and a commitment to applied research in selected areas of institutional strength and area need.

Kennesaw State University's distinctive characteristics are described as follows:

Kennesaw State serves a diverse student body in the northern suburbs of Atlanta and extending into Northwest Georgia. It includes young adults who enroll as freshmen or undergraduate transfers and an equally large number of older adults who return or transfer to the college at different stages in their lives for undergraduate or graduate study. Students reside off campus and commute to classes. A majority pursue their academic goals on a part-time basis because of job, family, and civic responsibilities. Significant numbers of international and minority students enroll. Many students pursue professionally oriented degrees, especially at the graduate level. Evening and weekend programs accommodate experienced professionals seeking academic advancement. A broad range of programs, services, and activities are offered outside the classroom to enrich campus life and enhance student success and personal development.

Effective teaching and learning are central institutional priorities. Service and research that strengthen teaching and address the public's interests are important supportive priorities. Faculty, staff, and administrators are committed to providing a challenging and facilitative collegiate environment that fosters high-quality academic preparation, critical thinking, global and multicultural perspectives, effective communication and interpersonal skills, leadership development, social responsibility, and lifelong learning. Programs that prepare students well for the advancement of professional pursuits are especially attractive and are offered in all schools of the university.

The foundation for all undergraduate majors is a comprehensive and coherent general education program that promotes internationalized and connected learning in the liberal arts tradition. A wide array of baccalaureate degree programs is offered, including majors in the arts, humanities, social sciences, mathematics, natural sciences, accounting, business fields, teacher education specialties, computing and information systems, and nursing. An expanding array of professional master's degrees exists in education specialties, accounting, business fields, public administration, professional writing, and nursing.

KSU's commitment to public service is reflected through an extensive array of continuing education programs, service institutes and centers, nationally recognized lecturers and conferences, collaboratives with the public schools, partnerships with business and governmental agencies, and international initiatives. The university plays a vital role in promoting and supporting regional interests in the visual, performing, and cultural arts.

Research, scholarship, and creative activity are broadly defined and predominantly applied. The university honors action research on the improvement of teaching and learning; survey research for community and economic development; interdisciplinary studies in support of environmental, governmental, business, or health interests; creative contributions in the arts and humanities; intellectual contributions; discovery research and academic publication; and the interpretation or application of academic research.

Kennesaw State University aspires to be a progressive and exemplary educational institution, respected for its excellence and leadership in its teaching, service, and research. The university is committed to continuous improvement in an increasingly diverse and constantly changing learning community.

Revised Mission Statement

Kennesaw State University is a proud public university in the University System of Georgia, located in the densely populated and rapidly developing northwest region of Greater Metropolitan Atlanta. Chartered in 1963, KSU serves as a highly valued resource for this region's educational, economic, social, and cultural advancement.

This Institution shares with all other units in the University System of Georgia the following characteristics:

• a supportive campus climate, necessary services, and leadership development opportunities, all to educate the whole person and meet the needs of students, faculty, and staff;
• cultural, ethnic, racial, and gender diversity in the faculty, staff, and student body, supported by practices and programs that embody the ideals of an open, democratic, and global society;
• technology to advance educational purposes, including instructional technology, student support services, and distance education;
• collaborative relationships with other System institutions, state agencies, local schools and technical institutes, and business and industry, sharing physical, human, information, and other resources to expand and enhance programs and services available to the citizens of Georgia.

This institution shares with other senior universities in the University System of Georgia the following characteristics:

• a commitment to excellence and responsiveness within a scope of influence defined by the needs of an area of the state and by particularly outstanding programs or distinctive characteristics that have a magnet effect throughout the region or state;
• a commitment to teaching/learning environment, both inside and outside the classroom, that sustains instructional excellence, serves a diverse and college-prepared student body, promotes high levels of student achievement, offers academic assistance, and provides developmental studies programs for a limited student cohort;
• a high-quality general education program supporting a variety of disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and professional academic programming at the baccalaureate level, with selected master's and educational specialist degrees, and selected associate degree programs based upon area need and/or interinstitutional collaborations;
• a commitment to public service, continuing education, technical assistance, and economic development activities that address the needs, improve the quality of life, and raise the educational level within the university's scope of influence;
• a commitment to scholarly and creative work to enhance instructional effectiveness and to encourage faculty scholarly pursuits, and a commitment to applied research in selected areas of institutional strength and area need.

Kennesaw State University's distinctive characteristics are described as follows:

Kennesaw State serves a diverse student body in the northern suburbs of Atlanta and extending into Northwest Georgia. It includes young adults who enroll as freshmen or undergraduate transfers and an equally large number of older adults who return or transfer to the college at different stages in their lives for undergraduate or graduate study. Students reside off campus and commute to classes.

A majority pursue their academic goals on a part-time basis because of job, family, and civic responsibilities. Significant numbers of international and minority students enroll. Many students pursue professionally oriented degrees, especially at the graduate level. Evening and weekend programs accommodate experienced professionals seeking academic advancement. A broad range of programs, services, and activities are offered outside the classroom to enrich campus life and enhance student success and personal development.

Effective teaching and learning are central institutional priorities. Service and research that strengthen teaching and address the public's interests are important supportive priorities. Faculty, staff, and administrators are committed to providing a challenging and facilitative collegiate environment that fosters high-quality academic preparation, critical thinking, global and multicultural perspectives, effective communication and interpersonal skills, leadership development, social responsibility, and lifelong learning. Programs, up to and including a professional doctoral degree, that prepare students well for the advancement of professional pursuits are especially attractive and are offered at Kennesaw.

The foundation for all undergraduate majors is a comprehensive and coherent general education program that promotes internationalized and connected learning in the liberal arts tradition. A wide array of baccalaureate degree programs is offered, including majors in the arts, humanities, social sciences, mathematics, natural sciences, accounting, business fields, teacher education specialties, computing and information systems, and nursing. An expanding array of professional master's degrees exists in education specialties, accounting, business fields, public administration, professional writing, and nursing.

KSU's commitment to public service is reflected through an extensive array of continuing education programs, service institutes and centers, nationally recognized lecturers and conferences, collaboratives with the public schools, partnerships with business and governmental agencies, and international initiatives. The university plays a vital role in promoting and supporting regional interests in the visual, performing, and cultural arts.

Research, scholarship, and creative activity are broadly defined and predominantly applied. The university honors action research on the improvement of teaching and learning; survey research for community and economic development; interdisciplinary studies in support of environmental, governmental, business, or health interests; creative contributions in the arts and humanities; intellectual contributions; discovery research and academic publication; and the interpretation or application of academic research.

Kennesaw State University aspires to be a progressive and exemplary educational institution, respected for its excellence and leadership in its teaching, service, and research. The university is committed to continuous improvement in an increasingly diverse and constantly changing learning community.

14. Revision of the Vice President for Academic Affairs Position, Kennesaw State University

Approved: The Board approved the request of President Daniel S. Papp that Kennesaw State University ("KSU") be authorized to alter the structure and responsibilities of one position, Vice President for Academic Affairs, which reports to the Office of the President, effective August 9, 2006.

Abstract: President Papp requested that KSU be authorized to change the title and responsibilities of one administrative position that reports directly to the Office of the President. KSU sought a change in title of the position of Vice President for Academic Affairs to Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Although this request did not encompass forthcoming changes to be requested concerning the administrative structure of the institution, KSU s