Utah System of Higher Education
Virtual Meeting

Thursday, September 16, 2021

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MINUTES

Board Members Present
Harris H. Simmons, chair
Aaron Osmond, vice chair
Nina R. Barnes, vice chair
Jesselie B. Anderson
Mike Angus
Jera L. Bailey
Stacey K. Bettridge
Lisa Michele Church
Wilford Clyde
Sanchaita Datta
Alan Hall
Crystal Maggelet
Tanner Marcum
Arthur E. Newell
Shawn Newell
Scott Theurer

Board Members Absent
Patricia Jones
Valirie Serawop

Office of the Commissioner
Dave R. Woolstenhulme, Commissioner of Higher Education
Geoffrey Landward, Deputy Commissioner and General Counsel
Rich Amon, Chief Financial Officer
Trisha Dugovic, Director of Communication
Malin Francis, Director of Facilities & Planning
Brynn Fronk, Executive Assistant to the Utah Board of Higher Education
Jared Haines, Senior Advisor for Technical Education
Melanie Heath, Assistant Commissioner of Strategic Initiatives
Malissa Jones, Office Manager
Carrie Mayne, Chief Economist
Loreen Olney, Administrative Assistant
Kim Ziebarth, Associate Commissioner of Technical Education

Institutional Presidents Present
Chad Campbell, Bridgerland Technical College
Richard B. Williams, Dixie State University
Clay Christensen, Mountainland Technical College
Mindy Benson, Southern Utah University
Paul Hacking, Tooele Technical College
Astrid S. Tuminez, Utah Valley University
Taylor Randall, University of Utah
Darin Brush, Davis Technical College
Kelle Stephens, Dixie Technical College
Brad J. Cook, Snow College
Brennan Wood, Southwest Technical College
Aaron Weight, Uintah Basin Technical College
Noelle Cockett, Utah State University
Brad L. Mortensen, Weber State University

Other Guests
Carson Howell, Vice President of Finances and Administrative Services, Snow College
Robin Burr, Chief Facilities Officer, University of Utah
Mark Halverson, Associate Vice President for Facilities and Campus Planning, Weber State University
Richard Brown, Dean, College of Engineering, University of Utah
Paul Morris, Vice President of Administrative Affairs, Dixie State University
Holly Peterson, Vice President of Instruction, Mountainland Technical College
Aaron Peterson, Board of Trustees Chair, Tooele Technical College

Chair Simmons called the meeting to order at 12:00 p.m.

Committee of the Whole

Instructions for Capital Scoring (TAB A)

Rich Amon gave introductory comments and instructions for capital scoring to the Board. This was an information item only; no action was taken.

Degree Granting Institutions Presentations

Presentations from the following degree granting institutions:

1. Utah Valley University – President Astrid Tuminez
2. Snow College – President Brad Cook
3. Utah State University – President Noelle Cockett
4. Southern Utah University – President Mindy Benson
5. University of Utah – President Taylor Randall and Richard Brown
6. Weber State University – President Brad Mortensen
7. Dixie State University – President Richard Williams

Finance and Facilities Committee Capital Tour Observations

Board members Clyde, Angus, and Anderson shared observations from the Finance and Facilities Committee tours of the projects. Vice chair Barnes and Board member Bailey asked the Board to remember the students in rural Utah as they consider the asks. This was an information item only; no action was taken.

Board Scoring, Tabulation and Discussion

Rich Amon explained the process of Board scoring and tabulation. This was a discussion item only; no action was taken.

Board Final Prioritization and Recommendations for Degree-Granting

Rich Amon revealed the results of the scoring. Some Board members expressed concern that the weight of the Board criteria does not equal or exceed the criteria of the staff ranking. The Board agreed to revisit the scoring process in a future meeting for next year. Board member Church made a motion to approve the following degree-granting capital facility requests as Board recommendations pursuant to the criteria and scoring they were asked to for legislative funding in priority order:

1. WSU – David O. McKay Education Building Renovation
2. USU – Animal Science Renovation
3. UVU – Engineering Building
4. DSU – General Classroom Building
5. SUU – Music Center Renovation
6. Snow – Center for Rural Studies and Community Development
7. UU – Interdisciplinary Computing Building

Vice chair Osmond seconded the motion with the amendment that the scoring rubric will go forward with the list of projects and the motion passed.

Technical Education Institutions Presentations

Presentations from the following technical education institutions:

1. Dixie Technical College – President Kelle Stephens
2. Davis Technical College – President Darin Brush
3. Mountainland Technical College – President Clay Christensen
4. Tooele Technical College – President Paul Hacking

Finance and Facilities Committee Capital Tour Observations

Board members Angus and Clyde shared observations from the Finance and Facilities Committee tours of the projects. Vice chair Osmond informed the Board that prior to COVID-19 impacts, these projects had been prioritized with the U Tech Board for their consideration. This was an information item only; no action was taken.

Board Scoring, Tabulation and Discussion

Rich Amon explained the process of Board scoring and tabulation. This was an information item only; no action was taken.

Board Final Prioritization and Recommendations for Technical Colleges

Rich Amon revealed the results of the scoring. Some Board members expressed concern that under the scoring rubric rural institutions are negatively impacted. The Board agreed to revisit the scoring process in a future meeting for next year. Board member Datta made a motion to approve the following technical college capital facility requests as Board recommendations for legislative funding in priority order:

1. Mountainland Technical College – Payson Campus
2. Davis Technical College – Campus Renovations/Program Expansion
3. Tooele Technical College – Tech Building Expansion
4. Dixie Technical College – New Classroom

Board member Theurer seconded the motion and the motion passed.

Land Bank Requests Presentation

A presentation from the following institution:

1. Bridgerland Technical College – President Chad Campbell

Board Recommendations for Land Bank Requests

Board member Theurer made a motion to approve the following land bank request as a Board recommendation for legislative funding:

1. Bridgerland Technical College

Board member Clyde seconded the motion and the motion passed.

Motion to Adjourn

Board member Datta made a motion to adjourn; Board member Arthur Newell seconded the motion and the motion passed.

The meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m.

Date Approved: November 19, 2021