The UI Board of Trustees covered a lot of ground during its March 23 meeting in Springfield.
The board approved several action items and heard reports on upcoming issues likely to affect university operations.
Matt Wheeler, University Senates chair, gave a report on what he said are burdensome research regulations - which include federal rules and those established internally by the university.
"If research is important, we're going to need to get some relief from some of these issues," he said.
He said a recent study showed that nearly half of a researcher's time is taken managing research projects rather than conducting research. Last year UI researchers from all three campuses brought in nearly $700 million in grant funding from more than 4,200 awards.
"There's a lot of redundancy in the (regulatory) system," he said. "It's an onslaught."
Wheeler suggested the university study ways to reduce form duplication at the UI, possibly through an online database or by appointing grant-funded project managers. Doing so would streamline the regulatory requirements enough to increase research, he said, and make researchers more likely to seek additional funds.
He said the long-term problem is that students interested in research are leaving their field because of the required paperwork.
"They've seen what we really do and they don't want to do that," he said. "We need reasonable rules, reasonable reporting."
Bob Easter, Urbana's interim vice president and chancellor, said the addition of a UI lobbyist in Washington, D.C., could add another voice seeking regulatory changes at the national level as well. He said a streamlined process could lead to higher funding levels.
"The ability to gain some efficiencies is real," he said. "The goal here is to increase productivity and the scope is significant. We need to be engaged nationally."
In support of Hogan
The trustees unanimously passed a resolution in support of UI President Michael J. Hogan.
"It reaffirms the wisdom of the search committee," said trustee Lawrence Oliver. "We're grateful to have you and very fortunate."
The resolution thanked Hogan for "his leadership in this period of crisis, including his diligence in analyzing the needs of the university and for the staffing changes he proposes in order to improve services, reduce costs and strengthen our great university."
Chairman Christopher G. Kennedy said the resolution showed the board's "broad support" of actions taken by Hogan since his hiring more than eight months ago.
Kennedy said, while some of the initiatives were started before Hogan's arrival, he's been impressed with how quickly the president has moved on restructuring the administration and on cost-cutting measures.
"It's been quicker than anything in the history of the university," Kennedy said.
The resolution specifically addressed Hogan's initiatives to reorganize the university, which trustees said "will better integrate administrative services across the university in order to improve the quality of those services and contribute to cost savings."
Diversity suppliers
Trustees also heard a report on a recent study by the Bronner Group, a consulting firm from Chicago, on the university's efforts to increase supplier diversity through its contracting process.
Gila Bronner said the study was still in the assessment phase, but the goal was to increase awareness and build guidelines to "go out and build capacity" for the university's Minority and Female Business Enterprise Program.
The idea is to engage and build a network of minority-held companies, which would advance the diversity goals of the university as well as increase its competitive bidding base. To qualify under MAFBE, a company's ownership must be at least 51 percent minority, female or disabled.
Bronner's report indicated the university would have to revisit and possibly expand its policy to reach its stated goal of using 19 percent MAFBE-led firms. While university-sponsored contracting conferences are commendable, she said officials needed to more actively engage minority businesses - and even assist them in navigating the procurement process.
"The university's policy does not properly reflect the conditions necessary for the commitment to be operationally viable," the report said.
Wind turbine
Trustees heard public comments about the status of the Urbana campus wind-turbine project.
The project has stalled following some community opposition, which has put the $5 million project's grant funding in danger of lapsing barring renewal.
Stephen Platt, a UI professor of mechanical science and engineering who spoke not as a staff member but as a concerned resident, called the project a "$5 million symbol" and said there are other, more efficient ways to increase the university's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.
He said much has changed since the project was first proposed, including knowledge of the negative impact of the turbines on neighboring farms and properties.
The project has been in either funding or organizational jeopardy since it was proposed in 2003 as a multi-tower project. Platt suggested the board draft a statement to further guide the issue.
Amy Allen, a civil engineering student and president of the Urbana campus group, Students for Environmental Concerns, asked trustees to move forward now on the project - of which students have fronted $640,000 in additional fees - or call it off altogether.
"It's a high student priority," she said, but extending the grant timeline would only lead to more study, more delay and higher project costs.
"There is no site that will appease" neighboring landowners, she said.
Other business
- Trustees approved Hogan's March 23 recommendations that included the appointment of UIC's Joe G.N. "Skip" Garcia as interim vice president for health affairs and Urbana's Lawrence B. Schook as interim vice president for research.
- Trustees discussed the ramifications of recent legislative attempts to change pension rules of the underfunded State Universities Retirement System, which manages the pensions of UI employees.
Some of those discussions have included the possibility of retroactive changes to retirement benefits for current employees. Benefit options for new employees were changed this year.
Trustee Karen Hasara said the changes could affect the university's future competitiveness in attracting and retaining quality employees.
"Everyone feels the issue will have to ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court," she said. "There are a lot of people around here ... who are very concerned."
Hogan said administrators would continue to monitor the situation to determine "what potential implication a change in the law would have for us," and they would report findings to the board at an upcoming meeting.
- Trustees heard a report from ethics officer Donna McNeely on the university's efforts to adhere to new state procurement reporting guidelines.
"It's hard for me to describe how big the change is," she said, noting officials continue to "sort through" regulations and are hopeful for more state guidance.
The changes came from Illinois SB51, which requires more stringent reporting of procurement functions.
McNeely said her office is in the process of providing procurement-system access for about 8,000 employees.
- Trustees discussed the continuing mission of UI Extension and whether the model could be further expanded to share more and varied information with state residents.
Easter said officials have been studying ways to make Extension more cost-effective, considering it does not generate tuition dollars. It does generate up to $67 million in grants, which could be threatened if funding levels continue to decline.
"We have one of the best extension programs nationally and the model has been expanded around the world," Easter said. "How do we support it?"
"I don't think anybody wants to walk away from this," Kennedy said.
- Trustees approved Urbana campus repair projects for Davenport Hall, Smith Memorial Hall and the Education Building; approved the $78 million contract for the construction of Stanley O. Ikenberry Commons residence hall and the demolition of Forbes Hall.
- Trustees approved lease agreements for the National Center for Supercomputing Applications and for space to house administrative offices. The NCSA lease is for space near the National Science Foundation's headquarters in Virginia; the administrative space is at 1817 S. Neil St., Champaign.
- Trustees finalized amendments to the operating agreement of the UI Research Park, based in Urbana, as well as a 10-year development agreement with Fox/Atkins Development.
According to officials, the agreement includes provisions to benefit the university and further development at the park. Provisions include having at least 20,000 square feet of building space available at all times for potential new tenants, and requirements for marketing and infrastructure development.