November 6 - 8, 2008
President's Summary
Board of Trustees Fall Semi-Annual Meeting
Academic Affairs
Student Affairs
Finances
Long-Range Planning Committee
Admissions
Buildings and Grounds Committee
Comprehensive Campaign
Communications
Athletics Sub-Committee
I. Academic Affairs Committee
The committee recognized faculty scholarly achievements and formally welcomed Provost Mick Smyer, received an update on the Middle States Periodic Review Report, congratulated new Faculty Chair Tony Massoud and welcomed his report on recent faculty actions, discussed the latest progress toward a College of Management, received an update on the successful re-accreditation of the College of Engineering and the general education review in the College of Arts and Sciences, and discussed the latest developments in the Environmental Center. This variety of issues brought in-depth attention to timely issues related to the academic core, the first plank of The Plan for Bucknell, and allowed discussion of their value to our academic program.
Specifically,
A. Provost's Report
Provost Smyer -- joined by Professors Candice Stefanou and Tom Solomon, who chair Bucknell's Middle States PRR process, and Jerry Rackoff, assistant vice president of the Office of Planning and Institutional Research -- updated the Board on the five-year report required of the University as part of its 10-year Middle States re-accreditation cycle. The preparation of the report is going well, and the committee expressed its appreciation for the extensive work involved.
Provost Smyer provided his perceptions of the faculty as a result of his work with the University Review Committee (URC) reviewing tenure-track faculty for retention, tenure and promotion. He noted the dedication of the faculty, notably their exemplary commitment to teaching and integrating scholarship and teaching.
Provost Smyer announced the conversion of 12 temporary faculty lines to tenure-track lines through the Committee on Staff Planning, an initiative that saves money and time by eliminating yearly searches for visiting faculty and provides greater stability within the faculty. Finally, he has initiated strategic reviews of Bucknell's intellectual property policy, as well as of graduate studies and the Office of Planning and Institutional Research.
B. Instructional Staff Appointments
The committee recommended, and the Board approved, changes in academic personnel,
including instructional staff appointments, continued temporary appointments, retirements, and sabbatical leave reports.
C. Faculty Chair's Report
Professor Massoud reported that the faculty have created a University-level Committee on Athletics, the URC task force will report in late fall or early spring, an academic vision statement is ready for endorsement by the faculty, and discussion of an internal communication strategy has been undertaken.
D. College of Engineering Re-Accreditation
Dean Jim Orbison reported that the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) recently completed its site visit to the University. ABET comes to campus every six years. All degree programs in the college and the B.S. in Computer Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences were reviewed. No deficiencies in any programs in any criteria were noted. All programs will be re-accredited, and biomedical engineering will be accredited for the first time, a significant achievement. The committee commended the engineering faculty for a highly successful re-accreditation review.
E. College of Management
Dean Chris Zappe updated the trustees on the continued progress for creating a College of Management, and noted that Professor Doug Allen, associate dean of the School of Management, has been preparing for the college's potential accreditation, which will take about seven years.
F. General Education
Dean Zappe updated the committee on the review of general education within the College of Arts and Sciences, noting that based on current progress the report should be ready for bringing to the trustees for final approval at the April 2009 meeting.
G. Environmental Center
Professors Craig Kochel and Peter Wilshusen, co-chairs of the Environmental Center, described initiatives in three areas: The Susquehanna River Initiative, campus greening initiative, and the nature and human communities initiative. These projects involve more than 50 faculty. As the center expands, planning efforts will be directed to the areas of programming, staffing and space needs.
II. Student Affairs
The committee discussed off-campus housing plans, the impact of the large first -year class on residential living, international student enrollment, and the New Student Orientation Program.
Specifically,
A. Off-Campus Housing
Dean of Students Susan Hopp described the completion of the off-campus living application and the role it is playing in serving students interested in that residential option, and the impact of the large first-year class on residential living, including on housing.
B. Common Ground and New Student Orientation Program
Dean Hopp noted the success of the student-initiated diversity experience, "Common Ground,” and New Student Orientation program's expanded emphasis on academic issues. Assistant Dean of Students Amy Badal described the orientation program in-depth for the committee, including the selection, training and leadership of orientation coordinators and assistants, and the ways in which this experience benefits the more than 90 student leaders involved, in addition to noting the invaluable service they provide as leaders to incoming students.
C. International Students
Director of International Student Services Paula Myers described the many paths by which international students find their way to Bucknell and discussed the challenges and opportunities unique to them. She also presented compelling data reflecting the value of these students to the diversity and breadth of global thinking on campus.
D. Bucknell Student Government
Harry Kastenbaum '09, president of Bucknell Student Government, discussed BSG's work since the Board's September retreat, including the success of the Bison Bikes program and the new catering menu for students.
E. Complementary Activities
The committee received the report of the Committee on Complementary Activities, which described a process through which CCA will be reviewing programs and services under its auspices and made note of completed actions related to campus arming and reviewing out-of-class student learning objectives.
III. Finances
The Board welcomed the positive news of an unqualified report on the University's 2008 financial statements from our outside auditors, and discussed the University's endowment investments and the impact of the economic downturn.
Specifically,
A. Audit Committee
The Audit Committee accepted the University's fiscal year 2008 financial statements as audited by KMPG, which included their unqualified report, a positive conclusion to the annual auditing process.
B. Investments
Chief Investment Officer Chris Brown '81 provided an update on the University's endowment to the Investment Committee. Our endowment was $555 million on July 1, when this fiscal year began. Today it is about $460 million. To put this in context, our 17% decline in investment value compares with 24% declines in the U.S. stock market, and 36% declines in the non-U.S. markets. Our asset allocation and portfolio diversification have meaningfully mitigated our losses. Also, our liquidity is in good shape, enabling the University to meet quarterly obligations and to explore new investment opportunities being created by today's unrest.
C. Finance
The Finance Committee reviewed the fiscal year 2008 budget report and talked briefly about the current status of the fiscal year 2009 budget. The committee entered an executive session for trustees to discuss the initial draft of an integrated financial model and how it may be useful during the expected difficult economic environment. No specific actions were taken at this time. Instead, more data is being gathered for the building of the fiscal year 2010 budget. For more about our financial situation, I would direct you to my recent statement on this subject, at http://www.bucknell.edu/x45950.xml.
D. Human Resources
The Human Resources Committee discussion centered on the impact the current economic crisis may have on faculty, staff, students, and the local community. The committee also reviewed historic compensation data, but made no compensation decisions given that Board decisions must be informed by how the economic crisis unfolds over the next few months as we build the fiscal year 2010 budget.
IV. Long-Range Planning Committee
The committee discussed University progress on the series of metrics it is using to track institutional progress, related areas of success, and areas where further progress is needed.
Specifically,
A. Metrics
Last November, the Board identified a number of metrics for assessing institutional progress and identified 13 schools as peers against which it would track our progress.
The committee noted that the University has already surpassed what only a couple of years ago was an ambitious goal in our admissions yield rate, which is the number of first-time, first-year students who matriculate to Bucknell in the fall as a percentage of the total number of students who were offered admission. In 2006, Bucknell's yield rate was 31%. In 2008, the Board targeted a yield rate of 39% for 2016. This year it reached 40%, a useful indicator of how many students consider Bucknell their first choice for college.
Bucknell has also made progress since 2006 as follows:
• SAT scores: Range has risen from 1230-1390 to 1230-1400.
• Student-faculty ratio from 12:1 to 11:1.
• Total endowment per student from $145,700 to $153,800.
• Percentage of alumni contributing financially to the University, from 33% to 37%.
More information about the Board metrics is available in the presentation in myBucknell, under Bucknell Information in the Quick Links, at the tab "Board Update Documents."
V. Admissions
The trustees discussed the importance of the University's maintaining budgetary flexibility to address any rising need for financial aid among current students or atypical need for financial aid among Class of 2013 applicants, continued its discussions of enrollment size, and discussed ideas for enhancing the current scholarship program.
Specifically,
A. Financial Aid
The Board expressed a strong commitment to ensuring that no current student is forced to leave Bucknell because of changed financial circumstances due to the recent national economic turmoil. The trustees affirmed the financial aid priority to meet each student's demonstrated financial need using all available funding sources (scholarships, loans, and work study). The Financial Aid Office will work with families on the process of applying for financial aid and seeking additional financial assistance. We are monitoring the financial aid needs of families closely, particularly as second semester bills will be sent in early December.
Vice President for Enrollment Management and Dean of Admissions Kurt Thiede noted the Frequently Asked Questions and responses about the current economic situation and financial aid posted on Bucknell's website at http://www.bucknell.edu/FinancialFAQ.xml.
B. Scholarship Programs
The Long Range Planning Committee focused its discussion on possible enhancements to the current scholarship program, along with the feasibility of making slight changes to the current size of the student body.
The Board asked the administration to provide at its January retreat a set of detailed scenarios showing the implications of reducing enrollment, keeping enrollment the same size, and increasing enrollment in incremental stages over coming years. Areas to be evaluated in these scenarios include impact of any enrollment changes on academic and student life programs, on-campus housing and the budget.
VI. Buildings and Grounds Committee
The committee discussed recent improvements to campus facilities, the process for identifying priorities for the first new buildings within the Campus Master Plan, progress on relocating the bookstore downtown, and student housing.
Specifically,
A. Campus Renovations
Associate Vice President Dennis Hawley '72 described facilities projects that were completed over the summer, including renovation of the Terrace Room and Gallery Theater in the Elaine Langone Center, Dana 311 offices for faculty, creation of a new biology lab in the old Banner workroom (which was relocated to Cooley Hall as a combined facility with the Student Calling Program), completion of the Bison Patio upgrade, the addition to the Office of Public Safety of a new armory, renovation of Willard Smith Library, the first phase of the Academic Quad upgrade, and assorted utilities work (i.e., fire protection, steam system).
B. New Projects
The trustees continued their focus on the size and scope for lead priorities and targets of opportunity campus master plan projects, with emphasis on a downtown bookstore given the state resources already available for it. The committee received an update on the campus master plan committees evaluating program space needs, and consultants Brailsford & Dunlavey delivered a presentation on the potential first phase of student housing. No actions were taken, but the trustees approved further planning on student housing and the bookstore and expressed appreciation for the extensive campus work underway to clarify program space needs.
VII. Comprehensive Campaign
The Development and Alumni Relations Committee reviewed the exceptional work of the Parents Association, received a report from Vice President Sam Lundquist on DAR programs and campaign progress, and discussed roles that trustees could play in supporting the University's efforts to assist seniors and alumni in this difficult job market.
Specifically,
A. Parents Association
Doug Brown P'08, P'10, president of the Parents Association, provided a written report to the committee of the variety of meaningful ways parents are engaged with the University, including as volunteers, donors, internship and externship sponsors, and more.
B. Campaign Update and Constituency Relations
Vice President Lundquist updated the trustees on DAR activities, including special efforts in alumni relations and career services to support and communicate with alumni affected by job lay-offs and company closings during this economic downturn, and successes fostering alumni engagement, student career opportunities and philanthropy.
Strong year-to-date fundraising results are somewhat counter-intuitive to the economic news. New pledges and commitments to Bucknell are up 71% so far this fiscal year, to $13.4 million, compared to $7.8 million at this time last year. The campaign total so far now stands at $91 million against the $400 million goal. Cash received has also increased: 32% so far this fiscal year, at $4.7 million, compared to $3.6 million at this time last year. This performance is the realization of gifts cultivated over the past two years, so the impact of the economic downturn has not yet been felt in the University's fundraising outcomes.
Following discussion of special roles trustees could play in alumni engagement and career transitions, the DAR Committee supported the need for especially aggressive outreach and engagement, and noted the importance of cultivation and solicitation activities amid the current economic climate so that when prospects are ready to make commitments, they can best do so.
At this time, the window for a public launch of the campaign is between spring and fall of 2010. We will continue to evaluate this timing as the economic climate evolves.
VIII. Communications
Vice President for Communications Pete Mackey updated the trustees on communications initiatives since the start of the semester and previewed the new virtual tour that will be introduced in the coming weeks and the new Bucknell video that debuted at Homecoming.
Specifically,
A. Outreach Programs
The monthly Alumni Connection and Family Connection e-newsletters now together reach more than 40,000 alumni, parents, family members and friends; the new Bucknell Magazine continues to receive extremely positive feedback from readers; and the Bucknell Forum series "The Citizen and Politics in America" would conclude on November 11, while the new series, "Global Leadership: Questions for the 21st Century," begins in the spring. Consistent with the external communications strategy, the new admissions and campaign communications materials are now being introduced.
The new website has received 5.3 million hits since its launch (versus 5 million in the same time frame a year ago), including 3.4 million unique page views to the new website. Visitors to the site from off-campus are staying 25% longer on the new homepage than they did on the previous homepage, or about two minutes each, attributable primarily to their attention to the academic pathways features.
The new Study Abroad Blogs involve eight students blogging from five countries: Australia, England, Spain, Ireland, and France. In addition, one student doing Semester at Sea has posted from Vietnam, India and South Africa, among other countries. Since inception in July 2007, the Study Abroad Blog has 27,000 pageviews, nearly 250 student posts and 150 reader comments.
B. Media Coverage
Since the start of the semester, 97 news and event stories have been posted on the website, or about 10 per week. The top news story during this period has been "26 tenure-track faculty join Bucknell teaching ranks," which has had more than 6,300 pageviews, an indication of how important stories about the academic excellence and achievements of faculty and students are to University audiences.
Since the first of August, 896 news stories (excluding sports) have appeared in print, online and broadcast media about the University. Top media placements have included The New York Times, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, BusinessWeek, the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Philadelphia Inquirer, National Public Radio, The Chronicle of Higher Education, the St. Petersburg Times, The Arizona Republic, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Scientist and The Independent. The "Bucknell in the News" e-mail provides a weekly round-up of stories about Bucknell. You can subscribe at http://www.bucknell.edu/x42921.xml.
IX. Athletics Sub-Committee
The trustees received an update on the Patriot League and the ongoing confidential expansion discussions that have been taking place.
Director of Athletics John Hardt provided a brief presentation highlighting three potential athletics facilities within the comprehensive campaign:
• West Fields Phase IV -- Upgrades of baseball and softball facilities, with a mutual concession and restroom area located between the two facilities.
• New Instructional Golf Center.
• Upgrade and remodeling of Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
The Board also welcomed information that celebrated some of the many accomplishments of the Bucknell athletics program during the 2008 fall season.
Office of the President
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