The end of the fund was the only major loss for public universities in the 2015 session. Oregon Tech received $465,000 of the $30M in additional aid to public universities during the 2015 session, and is pleased to report how the funds were invested.1. Restoring the remainder of the pre-recession funding level of $755 million. for the second year of the biennium can buy more student success.
Open source textbooks could be a future discussion point based on the outcome of the fall retreat. Trustee Sliwa moved to approve the resolution adopting Oregon Tech's mission and core themes. Trustee Brown seconded the Finance and Facilities Committee's motion to approve the resolution authorizing the investment of university funds into the Oregon Public University Fund.
Trustee Sliwa decided that staff manage the external audit request-for-proposal process and recommend one firm to the Finance and Facilities Committee to award the external audit contract.
July 10, 2015
Call to Order/Roll/Declaration of a Quorum
Discussion Items
- Q&A with Higher Education Coordinating Commission
- Strategic Plan Overview
When asked if there are areas of the state that Oregon Tech should focus on, Chairman Nesbitt responded that Oregon Tech is well positioned in Wilsonville and Klamath Falls (metro and rural). Vice President Sliwa stated that 40% of Oregon Tech students are non-traditional and do not fit the standard model of an incoming high school student. The university also serves industry workers and offers nationally recognized degrees. He asked HECC to consider the non-traditional areas Oregon Tech serves when changing funding formulas.
Trustee Brown recognized the amount of work that HECC has dedicated (product and time) and how he appreciates the recognition of the role that Oregon Tech plays throughout the state and the programs that are not duplicated throughout the state. The student placement rate is high at Oregon Tech, but the programs are technical and expensive. Senator Thatcher stated that she considers Oregon Tech the most important institution in the state as we produce the graduates ready to enter the workforce.
Oregon Tech's strengths include its growing reputation for student return on investment; unique niche as a polytechnic university;.
Associate Provost/VP Aboy gave an update on the Wilsonville Campus
- Roundtable None
- Public Comment
- Adjournment
Oregon Tech has the opportunity to reverse the reductions in student support staff that have taken place in recent years to balance declining budgets. A large percentage of costs are beyond the university's control, such as tuition levels, capital commitment, and faculty and staff. Key areas of Oregon Tech's 2020 Strategic Action Plan include student success; success of faculty and staff; economic and workforce connections; student access and diversity; and university financial success.
President Maples and the executive staff will address the need to establish tuition and enrollment management policies at the leadership retreat and follow up with President Graham and Vice President Sliwa. There is a need to focus on increasing revenue in addition to government revenue; also look at obtaining a larger percentage of state funding. Associate Chancellor Aboy stated that President Maples signed the purchase agreement for the Harmony campus; Clackamas Community College Board to meet July 22; and Oregon Tech should receive $4.2 million by July 30.
Vice President Sliwa commended Oregon Tech's executive staff for handling the transition from a shared governing body to an independent board.
Board of Trustees Draft Minutes
Financial Strategies and Tactics
Interim VP Meyer provided an overview of the budget and explained the Education and General Fund. The Department of Finance proposes to issue reports every four months that reflect the university's calendar and the availability of accurate data. The consensus is that despite everything, the university should move forward with what it believes is best for the university.
Primary reserve ratio: Lower threshold of industry standard is 0.4x, OT is at 0.42x per June 30, 2014; this shows that OT can bear 40% of 12 months costs; no recommendation other than to monitor and compare; 3. Return on net position: industry standard threshold is 3%-4% real return, OT is at 0.6% for FY 2014, but there was an anomaly with a library asset - normalizing data brings OT to 2.5%, target should be of 3%-4%; there are other matters that staff can track and will propose at the October meeting. Physical asset ratio: OT is 0.82 per June 30, 2014; the target is 0.9 during the transition period of 4 years; a lower number indicates an underinvestment in campus facilities; 2.
Discussion of ways to encourage university-related industry to locate in Klamath Falls.
Higher Education Opportunities
Suggestion to look at enterprise zones and creative partnerships with local authorities; invite a local representative to discuss enterprise zones and opportunities at the October meeting. Discussion about creating intensive courses and a mix of online and follow-up courses; can be used to address three issues: students who have not completed their studies and have left, students who are about to leave, and industry professionals who want to obtain another degree in an efficient manner. Discussion about the difference between students who cannot graduate due to finances and students who have problems with basic courses due to poor preparation for college; We need to focus on the reasons why students don't graduate.
President Maples walked the board members through the university statistics (handout on record) comparing the years 2008-09 through 2014-2015, and stated that the university will soon be advertising for a VP of Enrollment Management. Despite the economic downturn, having a bachelor's degree is the only degree associated with an overall increase in average income. There is a trend to invest money to make money and then focus on reducing expenses.
She reminded trustees that most university presidents have a 3- to 5-year contract and asked that trustees consider anything they might want to address in a new contract with President Maples, since his existing contract is only for one year.
Friday September 11, 2015
- Call to Order/Roll/Declaration of a Quorum
- Possible Directions & Prioritization
- How to Redirect Efforts to Free Up More Resources for New Directions President Maples No discussion
- Roundtable
- Public Comment None
- Trustee Johnston moved to adjourn the meeting Trustee Sliwa seconded. With all Trustees present voting aye, the motion passed unanimously
- Goal
- Purpose
- Board Composition
- Process
Chairman Graham asked board members to identify strategic ideas for each of the four quadrants, opportunities for the university, and then narrow the list down to a few key areas that the executive staff and president need to address and bring back to the board. Executive staff will review ideas identified by Trustees and bring proposals back to the board with any common themes identified and suggested prioritization of ideas. It focused on the ability to work with the Board and the new opportunities that the governance structure offers.
Staff suggests that the Council adopt a Council policy for general member positions and allow the President to adopt a University policy for the faculty, staff and student positions. The University Policy has been drafted to mirror the Board Policy with the addition of the President consulting with the Executive Staff Team before making a recommendation to the Board Chair. Both policies outline the desired composition of the Council and characteristics of the members.
The Executive Committee will hold a public meeting during its meeting on October 8, 2015, discuss the proposal and make a recommendation to the Council. It is an objective of the Board of Trustees to recommend, for the consideration of the Governor, general candidates who meet the individual qualities desired for the Board and complement the needs of the Board as a whole. The purpose of this policy is to guide the Council's efforts to identify potential candidates to recommend to the Governor for general Council positions.
When a vacancy on the Board of Directors is anticipated or occurs, the Board Secretary, in consultation with the President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, will conduct a needs assessment analyzing the current membership of the Board in light of the composition as indicated in Chapter 3 of this policy. In conducting the needs assessment, the Secretary of the Board, in consultation with the President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, will take into account the results of the most recent self-assessments conducted by the Board of Directors. To assist the president, the secretary of the board maintains a list of individuals submitted by sources such as trustees, the president, senior directors, alumni, and others.
If the Executive Committee agrees with the President's recommendation(s), the Chairman, through the Board Secretary, will submit the names of potential candidates on behalf of the Board of Trustees to the Governor for consideration. The Board Secretary will notify the applicant that their information has been forwarded to the Governor for appointment consideration.
ACTION
A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY UNDER PROGRAM PARTICIPATION AGREEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH TITLE IV FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. THERE IS POSSIBILITY that Oregon Institute of Technology participates in student financial assistance programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended; and. WHEREAS, Oregon Institute of Technology's current Program Participation Agreement with the US Department of Education, attached as Exhibit A, was in effect until September 30, 2018; and.
WHEREAS, effective July 1, 2015, the Oregon Institute of Technology became an independent public body governed by a Board of Trustees;. The Board of Trustees acknowledges the continuing responsibility of the Oregon Institute of Technology pursuant to the Program Participation Agreement, attached as Exhibit A. I, , Secretary of the Board, hereby certify. the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the resolution duly adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Oregon Institute of Technology at a meeting dated. 2015 and then approved and signed by the Chairman and approved by the Secretary of the Board.
First, a base budget was developed assuming fixed enrollment and a consistent student mix. resident/non-resident), additional revenue generated by the tuition increase approved by the State Board of Higher Education in June, and the level of state appropriation to public universities. This amount has been dedicated by the President's executive committee for critical and strategic initiatives and investments. A base budget was developed assuming steady enrollment and a consistent student mix (resident/non-resident), additional revenue generated by the tuition increase approved by the State Board of Higher Education in June, and the level of state appropriation to public universities proposed in the budget framework of the Co-Chairmen of the Joint Ways and Means Committee of the Legislative Assembly.
DRAFT
Some of the amounts in this resolution may change in the final approved budget for the 2015-16 fiscal year, based on changed needs or circumstances.
