Board minutes from the two February meetings are now on-line at http://www.ihl.state.ms.us/admin/downloads//BdFeb05.pdf and http://www.ihl.state.ms.us/admin/downloads//BdFeb05-special.pdf. The second set, notes from the discussion led by Thomas Meredith, Chancellor of the University System of Georgia, are worth reading in full. The first set contains the following USM and possibly related items:

1. Ms. Newton thanked Dr. Shelby Thames, President of The University of Southern Mississippi, and his faculty and staff for hosting the February 17, 2005 Board dinner at the Parker House. (p. 1)

2. Paving way for multi-year, non-tenure-track contract employees (p. 4):

Change to 404.01 NON-TENURE TRACK DEFINED

Universities are authorized to establish faculty positions designated as non-tenure track positions. [NEW:] Universities may enter into renewable contracts, for periods up to four years in length, with non-tenure track faculty members in three separate categories - research, teaching, and service - based on the mission and needs of the institution. Each institution employing non-tenure track faculty will have a formal system of annual evaluations to assess each such faculty member’s performance. Renewal of contracts is not guaranteed and will be determined by the institution on the basis of the faculty member’s performance, availability of funding, and institutional priorities.

3. Restrictions changed for remedial courses (p. 5):

Change to 601.0201 INTERMEDIATE COURSES

...Students taking Intermediate Reading should not be permitted to take [OLD:] courses in Literature and Social Sciences [NEW:] reading-intensive courses, such as History.

4. New procedures on SACS reporting (p. 6), giving Commissioner broad oversight:

A copy of any letter received from an accrediting body stating formal action taken by the body shall be sent to the Commissioner of Higher Education. Other documents including site visit reports and other documents commonly included as part of the accreditation process will be made available at the request of the Commissioner of Higher Education, etc.

5. Various USM departments and programs removed from/placed on board probation (pp. 6-7).

6. The board's February USM observance (p. 21):

EXECUTIVE SESSION

On motion by Dr. Magee and with Ms. Robinson absent and not voting, the Board voted to close the meeting to determine whether or not it should declare an Executive Session. On motion by Dr. Magee, seconded by Mr. Owens, with Ms. Robinson absent and not voting, the Board voted to go into Executive Session for the reason later reported by the President in Open Session and stated in these minutes, as follows:

Discussion of a personnel matter at The University of Southern Mississippi.

On motion by Mr. Patterson, seconded by Mr. Blakeslee, with Ms. Robinson absent and not voting, the Board voted to return to Open Session.

No action was taken.

Board President Roy Klumb stated, “The Board has deliberately and thoroughly discussed all relevant issues at USM. The Board remains singularly focused on the task of moving the university forward and past the accreditation problems.”

7. Fallout from MSU's NCAA problems? Board to distance itself from monitoring foundations, putting responsibility in lap of university presidents (pp. 47-48):

[Exhibit 7 Proposed amendment to the Board Policies and Bylaws – 301.0805 Foundation Activities – for first reading.]

OLD:
301.0805 FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES

The Board recognizes the important role of private gifts to the university foundations in supporting the academic and extracurricular activities on each campus. The Board shall exercise appropriate oversight regarding the relationship institutions and the Commissioner have with foundations, including foundations specifically created to support athletic programs. The Institutional Executive Officer of each institution and the Commissioner shall:

A. Provide the Board with an annual audited financial report of each of its foundations, disclosing in appropriate detail all expenditures for the past fiscal year; etc.


NEW:
The Board of Trustees recognizes the role of university foundations throughout the nation have in providing additional financial support for their institutions so they can achieve a level of excellence not possible through state funding and tuition alone. The Board of Trustees recognizes and appreciates the contributions made to higher education by the foundations affiliated with the institutions of the Mississippi’s State Institutions of Higher Learning, and that their goal is not to replace necessary support from the state. The Board of Trustees acknowledges that the private, independent nature of foundations provides flexibility to the institutions of the Mississippi’s State Institutions of Higher Learning in fiscal management and responsiveness.

The purpose of foundations affiliated with institutions of the plans, and budgets to achieve their missions. Each institutionally affiliated foundation is authorized to accept gifts, restricted and unrestricted, on behalf of that institution. The institution agrees, through its chief executive officer, to keep the foundation appraised of its needs and priorities; the foundation agrees to consider and communicate to the institution its ability and plans to fund those needs and priorities and accept or solicit gifts that are consistent with the institution's mission, goals, or objectives.

Public Confidence:

The Board of Trustees recognizes it cannot and should not have direct control over institutionally affiliated foundations. These foundations must be governed separately to protect their private, independent status. However, because the Board of Trustees is responsible for ensuring the integrity and reputation of the university system and its institutions and programs, it must be assured that any affiliated foundation will adhere to ethical standards appropriate to such organizations in order to assure the public that it is conducting its mission with honesty and integrity.

Therefore, each institutional chief executive officer should ensure that the foundation ascribes to the following requirements in order to enhance public confidence in the foundation.

• Compliance with state and federal law applicable to such organizations.
• Maintenance of financial and accounting records in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. These records shall be audited annually by a Certified Public Accounting firm and the records shall be maintained separately from the records of the affiliated institution.
• Submission of the annual audited financial statements by each November 1 (to allow compliance with GASB 39) along with a list of foundation officers, directors, or trustees, through their institution’s chief executive officer, to the Commissioner of Higher Education, etc.