xt72rb6vz541 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt72rb6vz541/data/mets.xml Lexington, Kentucky University of Kentucky 2014 minutes  English University of Kentucky Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Minutes of the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees Minutes of the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees, 2014-05-09 text Minutes of the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees, 2014-05-09 2014 2014 true xt72rb6vz541 section xt72rb6vz541 Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Trustees
University of Kentucky
Friday, May 9, 2014
The Board of Trustees of the University of Kentucky met on Friday, May 9, 2014 in the
Board Room on the 18th floor of Patterson Office Tower, Lexington, Kentucky.
A.

Meeting Opened

Dr. E. Britt Brockman, chair of the Board of Trustees, called the meeting to order at 1:03
p.m. Chair Brockman asked Trustee Sheila Brothers, secretary of the Board, to call the roll.
B.

Roll Call

The following members of the Board of Trustees answered the call of the roll: C.B.
Akins, Sr., James H. Booth, William C. Britton, E. Britt Brockman, Sheila Brothers, Mark P.
Bryant, Jo Hern Curris, Angela L. Edwards, William S. Farish, Jr., Oliver Keith Gannon, Carol
Martin (Bill) Gatton, David Hawpe, Kelly Sullivan Holland, Terry Mobley, Roshan Palli, C.
Frank Shoop, James W. Stuckert, Irina Voro, John Wilson and Barbara Young. Secretary
Brothers announced that a quorum was present.
The University administration was represented by President Eli Capilouto, Provost
Christine Riordan, Executive Vice President for Health Affairs Michael Karpf, Executive Vice
President for Finance and Administration Eric Monday and General Counsel William Thro.
The University faculty was represented by the Chair of the University Senate Council
Lee Blonder, and the University staff was represented by the Chair of the Staff Senate Jeff
Spradling.
Guests, other administrators and members of the news media were also in attendance.
C.

Consent Items

Chair Brockman called attention to the two consent items on the agenda. The items were
the minutes for the Board of Trustees meeting on April 1, 2014 and PR 2, Personnel Actions.
Trustee Stuckert moved approval of the consent items and Trustee Mobley seconded the motion.
Chair Brockman called for the vote and it passed without dissent. (See consent items listed below
on the Board of Trustees website, www.uky.edu/Trustees, under agenda.)
Minutes, Board of Trustees Meeting, April 1, 2014
PR 2 Personnel Actions
D. Chairman’s Report

Chair Brockman reported that there was one petition to appear before the Board of
Trustees. Mr. Brock Meade, representing the UK – United Students Against Sweatshops was

* granted permission to address the Finance Committee.
Chair Brockman announced that Dr. Robert Grossman, professor in the Department of
Chemistry was elected by the University faculty as the next Faculty Trustee to the Board of
Trustees. Dr. Grossman was elected to the position currently held by Dr. Irina Voro, whose term
ends on June 30, 2014.
Chair Brockman recognized University Senate Council chair-elect Dr. Andrew Hippisley,
a professor of Linguistics from the Department of English. Dr. Hippisley assumes the chairship
of the Senate Council on June 1, 2014.
E.

Executive Committee Report

Chair Brockman reported that the Executive Committee met to discuss the 2013-14
Presidential Evaluation process. The Committee discussed the feedback from the University
Senate, Staff Senate and Student Government Association regarding the questionnaire used in
the evaluation. The Committee approved the questionnaire and also authorized Chair Brockman
to approach representatives of each constituency group to participate in the process.
G.

President’s Report

President Capilouto began by announcing that Dr. Lisa Cassis, Professor and Chair of the
Department of Molecular and Biomedical Pharmacology, had agreed to serve as the Interim Vice
President for Research. President Capilouto continued that Dr. Cassis has an extensive research
portfolio that focuses on metabolic, vascular and obesity-associated diseases. She currently
serves as the principal investigator on several multi-million dollar National Institutes of Health
grants and is an affiliated faculty member in the Saha Cardiovascular Research Center. She
earned her B.S. and Ph.D. in Pharmacology from West Virginia University and held post-doc
positions at the University of Wurzburg and the University of Virginia. She has received several
professional and academic honors, is a noted leader in her field, and is an exceptional colleague
and mentor at UK. She will begin her term on June 2, 2014.
Dr. Cassis thanked President Capilouto and the Board for the opportunity to serve as
Interim Vice President for Research. She stated that as a pharmacist and pharmacologist, she
studies drug design, development and the action in the body. Her research on different types of
cardiovascular metabolic diseases invites collaboration with other units, most prominently
nutritional sciences. One area of her current research is in environmental toxins in Kentucky and
how they promote Type 2 diabetes. She looked forward to her role as Interim Vice President to
encourage collaboration and move the University’s research interests forward.

 
 

President Capilouto stated that the University Research Professorships were established
by the University of Kentucky in 1976. Their purpose is to enhance and encourage scholarly
research productivity, provide an opportunity for concentrated research effort, recognize
outstanding research achievement, emphasize the function of research and discovery, and
publicize research accomplishments and the impact thereof. Nominations are made by UK
faculty members, screened by a faculty committee appointed by the Vice President for Research
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* and approved by the Board of Trustees. The honor carries an award of $40,000 to enable
professors to devote time to their research or continue to teach and use the award to support
research activities.
The first recipient was Dr. Richard J. Charnigo, Jr., a tenured full professor in the
Departments of Biostatistics, and holds a joint appointment in the Department of Statistics in the
College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Charnigo received his Ph.D. in Statistics from Case Western
Reserve University in 2003 and joined UK in August 2003. His research interests include theory
and methods for mixture modeling and microarray data analysis, theory and methods for
nonparametric regression and nanoparticle characterization and applications in cardiology,
psychology, organizational behavior and public health. He has published more than 100 articles
in peer-review journals, is currently an editor-in-chief of the Journal of Biometrics and
Biostatistics, and has been principal investigator on grants from the National Science Foundation
and the Army Research Office. He also currently is serving as President of the Kentucky Chapter
of the American Statistical Association.
The second recipient was Dr. Francie Chassen-López, a tenured full professor in the
Department of History. Dr. Chassen-López was also recently named a Provost´s Distinguished
Service Professor. She received her M.A. and Ph.D. from the National Autonomous University
of Mexico, and her B.A. from Vassar College. She taught in Mexico City for ten years, first at
the National University and later at the Autonomous Metropolitan University, where she attained
the rank of Associate Professor with tenure. In 1988 she returned to the United States, where she
joined the faculty at UK. She continues to work closely with colleagues in Mexico City and
Oaxaca. She has been visiting researcher at both the Institute for Sociological Research and also
at the Humanities Institute of the University of Oaxaca. She has twice served as Director of Latin
American Studies and was the first woman to chair the UK Department of History. She has
produced two single-authored books; two co-authored books; two short books; three edited short
anthologies, and 37 journal articles and book chapters. She writes fluently in both Spanish and
English, and several of her articles in English have been translated into Spanish. For her work,
she has received the Tibesar Article Prize from the Council on Latin American History and also
the Hallam Article Prize awarded by the UK Department of History.
The third recipient was Dr. Debra Moser, Professor and holder of the first endowed chair
in nursing at the University of Kentucky. Her research concentrates on improving morbidity,
mortality and quality of life outcomes in patients with heart failure and acute myocardial
infarction. She has studied the interaction of psychosocial and clinical variables in heart failure
and acute myocardial infarction. Her research program includes more than $30,000,000 in
funding. Dr. Moser’s work has been recognized with more than 23 awards, including the
Lembright and Heart Failure Research Awards from the American Heart Association Council on
Cardiovascular Nursing. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the American
Heart Association. In addition to her academic position, she is the co-editor of the Journal of
Cardiovascular Nursing, the co-director of the Research and Interventions for Cardiovascular
Health (RICH) Heart Program, and the Director of the Center for Biobehavioral Research in
Self-Management of Cardiopulmonary Disease. Known for expertise in heart failure and acute
myocardial infarction patient care, she has published more than 290 journal articles, 25 chapters,
and three books, and lectures extensively in these areas.
-3 

* The final recipient, Dr. Mark A. Prendergast, received his doctoral degree in
Developmental Psychobiology from the Department of Psychology at the University of Nebraska
in 1994, with an emphasis on animal behavioral pharmacology. After completing his graduate
training, Dr. Prendergast completed a three-year post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of
Pharmacology and Toxicology at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Georgia, working
with Dr. Jerry Buccafusco, Director of the Alzheimer’s Research Center. In 1997, Dr.
Prendergast started a second post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Pharmacology at the
University of Kentucky. In 1999, he joined UK’s Department of Psychology with direct
responsibility for both undergraduate and graduate education. After three years of appointment
as a tenure-track Assistant Professor, he was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in
2005. In 2010, he was appointed to the rank of Full Professor and is also an Associate Member
of the Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, a unit of the College of Medicine. Dr.
Prendergast has maintained an externally funded research program since 1999, almost entirely
based on awards from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. In addition, as
Principal Investigator, he is a training faculty member on two National Institutes on Drug Abuse
(NIDA) funded T32 programs at the University of Kentucky and has been since 2000. To date,
Dr. Prendergast’s vitae shows 81 publications of refereed scientific manuscripts and four book
chapters. Importantly, nine of these publications include one or more undergraduate students as
co-authors. Since 2005, Dr. Prendergast has been the Area Coordinator for the Behavioral
Neuroscience and Psychopharmacology Area of the Department of Psychology. This area is
comprised of nine faculty members, with a graduate student population ranging from 20-25
students at all levels of progress annually. As Area Coordinator, Dr. Prendergast is the primary
point of contact and interaction for undergraduate students interested in gaining research
experience and for those applying to the graduate program.
Professors Charnigo, Chassen-López, and Prendergast were grateful for their award and
the opportunity to share with the Board of Trustees the nature of their current research projects.
Due to travel-related delays, Professor Moser was unable to attend.
President Capilouto continued that as Kentucky’s flagship university, UK is home to the
Commonwealth and region’s best and brightest; students who compete and succeed alongside
top talent from the world’s top colleges and universities. This year, UK named its 15th and 16th
Astronaut Scholars and 13th Truman Scholar. Additionally, UK has had 18 Goldwater Scholars
since 1990 and two Gates Cambridge Scholars in the past six years.
President Capilouto was delighted to introduce two of these outstanding students. The
first, computer science, mathematics and physics junior Samuel Saarinen, of Shelbyville, KY,
was awarded the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship worth up to $7,500 per year. He was one of
283 students nationwide awarded the 2014 Goldwater Scholarship, which was selected on the
basis of academic merit from a field of 1,166 mathematics, science and engineering students who
were nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities.
Mr. Saarinen thanked President Capilouto and the Board of Trustees. He stated that his
dream is to conduct world-class research in artificial intelligence and this scholarship will help
him achieve this goal. He also thanked Dr. Pat Whitlow, Director of External Scholarships, for
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* her assistance with his application and Dr. Judy Goldsmith, professor in the Department of
Computer Science, who is guiding his undergraduate research.
The second student, a political science junior and UK Women's Tennis Team member
was Grace Trimble, of Winchester, KY. She has been named a 2014 Truman Scholar and will
receive $30,000 to conduct graduate work in areas of public service. Ms. Trimble is the only
Truman recipient this year from a Kentucky college or university and is the 13th UK student to
receive the honor from the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation. Upon completion of her
graduate degree, Ms. Trimble agrees to work in public service at least three years.
Ms. Trimble thanked President Capilouto and the Board of Trustees. She gave a brief
history of her nonprofit tennis and education program for underprivileged youth, named “Smart
Shots.” The Truman Scholarship will allow her the chance to pursue her dream of helping others
through athletics and education. An afterschool program, she hopes to expand Smart Shots
across the state and eventually throughout southeast.
President Capilouto recognized and thanked Dr. Pat Whitlow, Director of UK’s Office of
External Scholarships for her help. He stated that her office provides students with individual
preparation for some of the most challenging application processes. She coordinates the work of
faculty mentors, helps fine-tune resumes and essays, and is a constant source of encouragement
for these students.
President Capilouto stated that over the past year, the University has been considering
dining options. Recently, the Dining Request for Proposal (RFP) Negotiating Team
recommended that the University move forward to consider contract negotiations with a
particular vendor, Aramark.
President Capilouto stated that he had accepted that
recommendation and invited Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Eric
Monday to provide a brief summary and update.
Executive Vice President Monday began by reviewing the goals set forth as the
University set out to “build the best environment for student success.” He stated that the dining
experience is an essential piece for a successful residential university. Throughout the review and
discussion, UK was committed to the following standards: providing for current UK Dining
employees and their well-being, benefits and long-term employment security; opportunities for
students and student employees; the focus on “Kentucky Proud,” local food sources and
sustainability; the University’s land-grant mission, academic representation and expression; and
the nutrition and wellness of UK students, faculty, staff and the community.
During the course of the 18-month discussion, certain opportunities became apparent. A
public-private partnership, similar to the successful on-going housing transformation, was
identified as a process that could provide enhanced meal plans and meal plan value and was a
vehicle for facility investments in both new and current dining areas to accommodate the
increase in students living on campus. A public-private partnership could also provide
opportunities for growth in on-campus food brands and/or restaurant chains, quick-service
options and a larger selection of fresh and nutritional menu options.

-5 

* Executive Vice President Monday reviewed with the Board of Trustees the list of faculty,
staff and students who were committee participants in the discussions leading up to a
recommendation. Since January 2013, 23 different individuals took part in the Dining Project
Revitalization Committee, Dining Request for Information (RFI) Taskforce and the Dining
Request for Proposal (RFP) Committee. He continued that with President Capilouto’s
acceptance of the RFP Negotiating Team recommendation, UK would begin contract
negotiations with the preferred partner. If the negotiations of this public-private partnership (P3)
proved optimal, capital construction components could be recommended for Board of Trustees
approval as early as June 2014. If approved, the transition of the dining program with several
facility, menu and service enhancements would occur over the summer in time for the arrival of
students in the fall.
In closing, Executive Vice President Monday reiterated some of the compelling and
timely opportunities regarding UK’s dining services. The opportunity can improve the quality of
the dining experience at a lower cost, improve employment opportunities for staff and students,
create an unprecedented educational and research enterprise/institute to focus on sustainability of
food and local production, and continue the momentum of the campus transformation.
G.

University Research Professorships (PR 3)

President Capilouto stated that PR 3 was the recommendation that the Board of Trustees
approve the naming of Professors Richard J. Charnigo, Francie R. Chassen-López, Debra K.
Moser and Mark A. Prendergast as University Research Professors for 2014-15.
Trustee Britton moved approval of PR 3. Trustee Mobley seconded the motion and it
passed without dissent. (See PR 3 on the Board of Trustees website, www.uky.edu/Trustees,
under agenda.)
H.

Candidates for Degrees: May 2014 (ASACR 1)

Trustee Gannon, chair of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee, stated that
ASACR 1 was the recommendation that the President be authorized to confer upon each
individual whose name appears on the attached list the degree to which he or she is entitled upon
certification by the University Registrar that the individual has satisfactorily completed all
requirements for the degree for which application has been made and as approved by the elected
faculty of the University Senate and the Academic and Student Affairs Committee of the Board
of Trustees.
On behalf of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee, Trustee Gannon asked for
approval of ASACR 1 and it passed without dissent. (See ASACR 1 on the Board of Trustees
website, www.uky.edu/Trustees, under agenda.)
I.

Candidate for Degree: December 2013 (ASACR 2)

Trustee Gannon stated that ASACR 2 was the recommendation that the President be
authorized to confer upon the individual whose name appears on the attached list the degree to
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* which she is entitled upon certification by the University Registrar that she has satisfactorily
completed all requirements for the degree for which application has been made and as approved
by the elected faculty of the University Senate and the Academic and Student Affairs Committee
of the Board of Trustees. Due to an administrative error, the name was not previously submitted.
On behalf of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee, Trustee Gannon moved
approval of ASACR 2 and it passed without dissent. (See ASACR 2 on the Board of Trustees
website, www.uky.edu/Trustees, under agenda.)

 

J.

Finance Committee Report

Trustee James Stuckert, chair of the Finance Committee, stated that the Committee heard
a presentation by Mr. Brock Meade and Ms. Autumn Murphy, representing the UK chapter of
the United Students Against Sweatshops regarding the current discussion on UK Dining
Services. Trustee Stuckert was impressed with their respect for the Board of Trustees, their
passion for the concerns raised and the professionalism of their presentation.
K.
Authorization of Lease between the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry
and Kentucky Medical Service Foundation, Inc. (FCR 1)
Trustee Stuckert stated that FCR 1 was the recommendation that the Board of Trustees
authorize the Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration to negotiate and execute
a lease between the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry and Kentucky Medical Services
Foundation, Inc. (KMSF) for space located at 2195 Harrodsburg Road, Lexington.
Due to space limitations in the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry’s (UKCD)
current building, UKCD is seeking to expand Oral & Maxillofacial Services, Orthodontic
Services and the General Practice Dentistry faculty practice currently located at Kentucky Clinic
South to this new space. KMSF also intends to close the facility that is “Kentucky Clinic South”
and relocate its faculty practice. By partnering with UK HealthCare in the expansion of their
clinics in the same location, UKCD will be able to better serve its patient base. The majority of
the patients served will be UK employees participating in the UK Dental Care Plans.
On behalf of the Finance Committee, Trustee Stuckert moved approval of FCR 1 and it
passed without dissent. (See FCR 1 on the Board of Trustees website, www.uky.edu/Trustees,
under agenda.)
L.

Establishment of Coldstream Research Campus Quasi-Endowment Fund (FCR 2)

Trustee Stuckert stated that FCR 2 is the recommendation that the Board of Trustees
approve the establishment of the Coldstream Research Campus Quasi-Endowment Fund to
provide for future capital projects and infrastructure improvements; and authorize the executive
director of the Coldstream Research Campus, in consultation with the Executive Vice President
for Finance and Administration to reinvest distributions, invest future positive cash flow and
have the option to withdraw funds if needed to fund unforeseen capital projects.

-7 

* On behalf of the Finance Committee, Trustee Stuckert moved approval of FCR 2 and it
passed without dissent. (See FCR 2 on the Board of Trustees website, www.uky.edu/Trustees,
under agenda.)
M.

Expansion of Purpose of Central Kentucky Management Services, Inc. (FCR 3)

Trustee Stuckert stated that FCR 3 was the recommendation that the Board of Trustees
approve an expansion of the purpose of affiliated corporation Central Kentucky Management
Services, Inc. (CKMS).
As the University’s health care programs expand and become more diverse and
widespread, there is a need to have a University affiliated corporation provide management,
staffing and other support services to health care facilities, entities or enterprises (either
University-owned or non-University owned) located beyond the boundaries of the University’s
main campus. CKMS has the ability to provide these services but requires an expansion of the
purpose set forth in its Articles of Incorporation in order to do so.
On behalf of the Finance Committee, Trustee Stuckert moved approval of FCR 3. Chair
Brockman opened the floor for discussion. Trustee Brothers asked for further clarification about
the expanded duties of CKMS. Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Eric
Monday stated that the expansion of purpose would allow CKMS to be involved in the
management or staffing of the management for facilities outside the Lexington campus. Chair
Brockman called for the vote and it passed without dissent. (See FCR 3 on the Board of Trustees
website, www.uky.edu/Trustees, under agenda.)
N.

Proposed 2014-15 Tuition and Mandatory Fees Schedule (FCR 4)

Trustee Stuckert stated that FCR 4 was the recommendation that the Board of Trustees
approve the attached 2014-15 tuition and mandatory fees schedule and authorize the President to
submit the schedule to the Council on Postsecondary Education. The tuition and mandatory fees
schedule reflects a five percent increase for most resident students and an eight percent increase
for most non-resident students.
Trustee Stuckert stated that background on the recommendation included information
from the April 29, 2014 Council on Postsecondary Education meeting that established tuition and
mandatory fee parameters, including the maximum amount that can be charged. The Council is
expected to approve each institution’s proposed tuition and mandatory fee rates on June 20,
2014. The Council is transitioning to a two-year tuition setting cycle to facilitate strategic
planning and budgeting processes at Kentucky institutions and make college costs more
predictable for students and families. For the research and comprehensive universities the
Council approved resident undergraduate tuition and mandatory fee ceilings for academic years
2014-15 and 2015-16 that do not exceed five percent in any one year and do not exceed eight
percent over two years. The Council’s actions also included maintaining the current floor for
nonresident undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees of two times the resident undergraduate
rate and allowing the public universities to submit market competitive resident and nonresident
tuition and mandatory fee rates for graduate and online courses.
-8 

* On behalf of the Finance Committee, Trustee Stuckert moved approval of FCR 4. Chair
Brockman opened the floor for discussion. Student Government President Roshan Palli offered
that though no student likes tuition increases, “we do recognize the difficult higher education
climate in this Commonwealth currently.” President Palli thanked President Capilouto, Eric
Monday and the entire finance team for “working so diligently to mitigate the effects of our
appropriations decrease” and ensuring that any student fee increases go to maintaining a high
quality of education.
Trustee Curris inquired about the “class fees” and how these fees might impact the cost
of programs. Provost Riordan explained that colleges were instructed to hold course fee
increases to three percent. The course fee requests were currently being reviewed by the Provost
Budget Office for submission as part of the 2014-15 Capital and Operating Budget proposal,
which would be brought to the June 2014 meeting for the Board’s consideration. Trustee Curris
requested a 2013-14 and 2014-15 report comparing in-state student costs of the top five most
costly programs. This report would include tuition, mandatory fees and class fees.
Trustee Hawpe stated that the vote on 2014-15 tuition and mandatory fee is preceded by
thorough discussions, briefings and deep consideration by both the Board of Trustees and the
University administration.
Trustee Shoop inquired about the student fee included in the five percent tuition increase.
Executive Vice President Monday explained that the new Student Center renovation fee ($30 per
semester) was provided for within the five percent tuition and fee increase.
Trustee Voro offered the following remarks and asked they be included in the minutes of
the meeting.
 

“It seems to be the norm that, every time the university goes through the
budget process, the administration tries to increase the tuition and fees. I guess it
is just an easy thing to do. However, after three years on the board, I haven’t
seen any credible numbers on our administrative costs and our overhead costs. It
appears that our administrative costs are higher than our instructional costs. I
wonder why… What is our administrator-to-faculty ratio? What is our
administrator-to-student ratio? What is our “professional and para-professional”
staff-to-student ratio? These are the ratios that are essential to understanding the
actual spending we do at the University. Yet, I see that this essential information
is not furnished to us while we consider increasing the tuition.
After years of only gentle protests, let me put it bluntly today: I doubt the
administration’s explanation of the necessity of the tuition raise. I seriously
doubt their numbers, and I am not convinced by the rest of their claims. As a
university employee, I see every day how, because of the administrative
inaptitude or, at times, outright malice, the university resources are wasted and
the employee morale – another essential resource - is quashed. Most
depressingly, I also see how students who come to UK with so much
expectation, start to speak of their alma mater with open disappointment…
-9 

* I don’t buy the usual moans that our state is short-changing our University
and that we have to raise tuition. The claims of the allegedly massive state “cuts”
are not revealing the fact that, comparing to the year 2000, the state cuts of
subsidies to UK have amounted only to about $25 million a year, yet, compared
to the same year 2000, the additional monies collected from students in tuition,
amount to over $200 million annually. This means that we are recouping from
students nearly ten times as much as we lose in the form of state subvention
cuts… Since the year 2000, our tuition has increased three-fold. What is
presented today as a “moderate” tuition increase of 5% percent for in-state
students would equal a draconian 15%, if the same dollar amount were asked
from students in 2000.
Just think about this: the job-placement value of our diplomas is no better
than it was in 2000. (In fact, it is likely worse, since today UK is only Top 59
among publics while it was Top 50 before former president Lee Todd took the
helm in 2002.) However, to students the sticker price of our diplomas has tripled!
We clearly have failed to fulfill the state charge to become a Top 20 public
research university, and the administration is clearly down-shifting our research
and graduate education as too expensive... Still, our administration keeps
presenting the relatively small state cuts as a “valid” excuse for us to charge
students more and more…
I believe that, it is by improving employee morale and using money
smartly, other state research universities, like, the University of Vermont, for
example, have left us in the dust in the rankings race. And the University of
Vermont has much less state funding than we get… In 2002 we were poised to
overtake UVM. Today, we are 20 spots behind them… Our employee morale is
in the dumps and it is hard to understand how our administration manages to
spend so much money with so little to show for it, really…
As a university employee, unfortunately, I have seen too few cases of wise
and proper investment of the money that we collect from students, parents,
taxpayers and donors. Yet, I routinely see how this money is being wasted on
harmful administrative bloat, on vanity projects and bureaucratic games. I also
see how the lack of real accountability, ethics and overall good governance
destroy our ability to give our students and taxpayers the outcomes they deserve.
In particular, I see how the money is spent on embellishing personal
credentials of an army of bureaucrats that grows by leaps and bounds. In the last
four years, at my own college, the number of “executives” (associate deans and
such), has tripled. Their salaries have virtually doubled. Meanwhile, as a teacher
and researcher, I see no help from their work - only inconvenience, if not
outright harm. Isn’t it perplexing that the dean, his “executives”, and various
directors at my college spend more of the college money on their travel (some of
which is of dubious benefit), than the dean allocates for research travel grants for
- 10  

* 70+ faculty members working at my college… Is this a “research university” or a
“bureaucracy university”?
I see that, at times, by administrative caprice of our administrators, the
taxpayer and student money is spent on funding inconsequential research of flyby foreign professors, while path-breaking research of UK’s own professors is
not supported by a single cent. I see that the exploding applied music fees (that
our students are forced to pay in addition to tuition) are not being used to
alleviate the disastrous environment that the students are studying in nor on the
maintenance of instruments they have to practice on… By not providing the
services that the University charges them for, our administration is essen