BOARD OF TRUSTEES OUTLINES AU’S FUTURE PLANS
The Eagle sat down with Board of Trustees Chairman Gary Abramson, President Neil Kerwin’s Chief of Staff David Taylor and Student Trustee Seth Cutter, a senior in the School of Public Affairs, after the Feb. 18, 19 and 20 Board of Trustees meetings. The Board discussed topics relating to current and future plans for AU.
New Trustees were appointed, pending approval by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church. In the university’s original charter, the Methodists have the right to approve trustees, according to Abramson.
-First-year Washington College of Law Student Ron Frey will replace Cutter as Student Trustee in May.
-Faculty Senate Vice Chair Leigh Riddick will replace Stephen Silvia as Faculty Trustee, pending approval as well. The current class of trustees was re-approved for another three-year rotation, also pending Methodist approval.
The Board discussed the new Campus Plan, a 10-year plan Abramson called a “wish list” of conceptual ideas. Such ideas include:
- Redevelopment of Nebraska Avenue parking lot, including the addition of new dorms,
- Redevelopment of the old School of International Service building and a parking lot there to connect to the new SIS building’s parking lot,
- Possible relocation of the Washington College of Law to the Tenley Campus.
- The Board discussed housing, something Cutter called “the top priority,” and the conversion of Clark and Roper halls into residence facilities, as well as expansion of the Nebraska Hall area.
- The new SIS building will be “totally up and running” in the fall, Taylor said.
The Board approved three new degree programs:
- Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology,
- Doctor of Philosophy in Behavior, Cognition and Neuroscience,
- Masters of Arts Degree in Political Communication.
The Army Corps of Engineers is continuing to “wrap up” their work on university grounds, Taylor said. The work began Jan. 5, 1993.
Abramson reported the university’s endowment saw an increase of approximately 33 percent over the last year, to $375 million.
The next Board of Trustees meeting will be May 13 and 14.
-STEFANIE DAZIO
GREEK COUNCILS OPEN OFFICE SPACE IN MGC
The AU Inter-Fraternity Council, National Pan-Hellenic Conference and the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc. have opened their own offices in Mary Graydon Center 248, according to a press release from the IFC.
“The IFC is continuing in our drive increase both visibility and accessibility for both Greeks and non-Greeks,” IFC President Seth Gilroy said in the statement. “Our office and our office hours are meant as an outlet to talk on a one-on-one level with anyone who stops by.”
The constitution and bylaws state that these organizations’ executive boards are required to hold office hours, according to Coordinator of Greek Life Curtis Burrill. The new hours will allow time for the executives to increase their communication with Student Activities and hopefully make greek life more prominent on campus, he said.
“The Pan-Hellenic Council, NPHC and IFC have been and will continue to work closely together to assure that all Greek voices are represented,” National Pan-Hellenic Council Secretary Stephanie Eichmann stated in the release.
The office will be staffed by students on a rotating schedule, with the IFC and NPC executive board members holding weekly office hours, according to the release.
The organizations’ executive board members moved in last Thursday, the release states. However, the MGC space — which is shared with AmLit — has always been used by the IFC, NPC and NPHC but has undergone some changes, said IFC Public Relations Chair Adam Tager.
“We have had the office, it just hasn’t been utilized the way it is now,” he said.
The office has been rearranged to be more appealing and equipped with new desks and computers, Tager said. The schedule of office hours is expected to be finalized this week.
-SARAH RUDNICK
SENATOR AND BOE CHAIR RESIGN
Two Student Government officials resigned Sunday, including the Board of Elections Chair and a School of International Service senator.
BOE Chairwoman Savonia Vassel was not present at the Senate meeting and Erika Zois, chairwoman of the Judicial Board, read her letter of resignation to the body.
Vassel, a junior in the School of Public Affairs, later told The Eagle that as a result of personal matters, she was unable to make the time commitments, as the Senate recently passed legislation making it mandatory for her to be at the Sunday meetings.
The legislation required Vassel to give a written and oral report at every Senate meeting, according to Eric Reath, School of Public Affairs senator and Election Studies Commission chairman.
“Sundays have never been a great day for me to do stuff,” Vassel said, adding that she couldn’t make today’s meeting either. “I’m still a member of the BOE, I’m just not chairwoman.”
Both the Election Studies Commission and recent legislation were enacted after problems during the fall elections, to “look into the conduct of the last election and to see where we could improve,” Reath said.
There is no established line of succession for the position, but the chair must be nominated by the Judicial Board Chair and confirmed by the Senate, according to Reath.
SIS Senator Grant Livingston resigned his position in person Sunday.
“I feel that the Senate now often cares more about putting on a show than accomplishing meaningful work,” he said.
-S.D.
