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10:00 – 11:45 AM General Session
Location: The Great Hall, R. Haze Hunter Conference Center
10:00 – 10:15 AM Welcome & Introductions – Chair Church and Vice Chair Anderson
10:15 – 10:30 AM How do the Strategic Plan and Statute Work Together?
10:30 – 11:00 AM Update of Progress on Strategic Plan
11:00 – 11:30 AM Using Committees to Advance the Board’s Work
11:30 – 11:45 AM Opportunity for All Utahns
1:45 AM – 1:00 PM Working Lunch – Crisis Communications – Kelsey Richardson & Matthew Driscoll, R&R Partners
Location: The Great Hall, R. Haze Hunter Conference Center
1:00 – 2:45 PM Breakout Sessions
Board of Higher Education
Location: Whiting Room, R. Haze Hunter Conference Room
Boards of Trustees
Location: Charles Hunter Room, R. Haze Hunter Conference Room
1:00 – 1:20 PM Trustee Statutory and Delegated Responsibilities – Geoff Landward
1:20 – 1:35 PM Tuition & Fees Due Diligence and Recommendations – Juliette Tennert
1:30 – 1:50 PM Performance Funding Goal Setting – Juliette Tennert
1:50 – 2:05 PM Program Approval – Julie Hartley & Kim Ziebarth
2:05 – 2:45 PM Facilitated Discussion Regarding Trustees’ Role in a System – What is Working and What is Not? – Geoff Landward
Presidents
Location: Yankee Meadows, R. Haze Hunter Conference Room
2:45 – 3:00 PM Concluding Remarks – Chair Church
Location: The Great Hall, R. Haze Hunter Conference Room
Projected times for the various meetings are estimates only. The Board Chair retains the right to take action at any time. To ensure availability, individuals needing accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (including auxiliary communicative aids and services) for this meeting or the materials should notify Brynn Fronk at brynn.fronk@ushe.edu, 60 South 400 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84180 (801-646-4783), at least three working days prior to the meeting.
Utah Board of Higher Education
Utah System of Higher Education
Thursday, July 14, 2022
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
Minutes
Board Members Present
Lisa-Michele Church, chair
Jesselie Anderson, vice chair
Grace Acosta
Stan Albrecht
Stacey Bettridge
Rich Christiansen
Hope Eccles
Heather Johnson
Patricia Jones
Arthur Newell
Shawn Newell
Steve Starks
Scott Theurer
Xitlalli Villanueva
Rick Wheeler
Board Members Absent
Julie Beck
Sanchaita Datta
Office of the Commissioner
Dave R. Woolstenhulme, Commissioner of Higher Education
Geoffrey Landward, Deputy Commissioner and General Counsel
Taylor Adams, Associate Commissioner for Strategic Initiatives
Alison Adams-Perlac, Associate General Counsel
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
Julie Hartley, Associate Commissioner of Academic Education
Melanie Heath, Assistant Commissioner of Strategic Initiatives
Vic Hockett, Talent Ready Utah Director
Lais Martinez, Assistant Commissioner for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Carrie Mayne, Chief Economist
Jordan Passey, Budget and Planning Analyst
Juliette Tennert, Chief Financial Officer
Melissa Van Hien, Executive Assistant to the Commissioner
Scott Wyatt, Senior Executive Director of Online Education
Kim Ziebarth, Associate Commissioner of Technical Education
Institutional Presidents Present
Mindy Benson, Southern Utah University (interim)
Stacee McIff, Snow College (interim)
Darin Brush, Davis Technical College
Brad Mortensen, Weber State University
Clay Christensen, Mountainland Technical College
Jordan Rushton, Dixie Technical College (interim)
Noelle Cockett, Utah State University
Aaron Weight – Uintah Basin Technical College
Paul Hacking, Tooele Technical College
Richard Williams, Utah Tech University
Deneece Huftalin, Salt Lake Community College
Brennan Wood, Southwest Technical College
Boards of Trustees
Kent Alder, Utah State University
Gil Almquist, Dixie Technical College
Karla Bergeson, Weber State University
Danelle Brinkerhoff, Uintah Basin Technical College
Lori Chillingworth, Salt Lake Community College
Kearston Cutrubus, Weber State University
Michael Evans, Southwest Technical College
Christian Garner, University of Utah
Darin Gifford, Southwest Technical College
Jodi Hart Wilson, Southern Utah University
Dave Haskell, Tooele Technical College
Terri Hunter, Mountainland Technical College
Leslie Keisel, Snow College
Nancy Kennedy, Bridgerland Technical College
Camille Knudson, Tooele Technical College
Mari Krashowetz, Dixie Technical College
Colleen Kvetko, Utah Tech University
Rick Nielsen, Utah Valley University
Vanessa Perez, Mountainland Technical College
Rick Robinson, Snow College
Eric Schmutz, Southern Utah University
William Shafer, Ogden-Weber Technical College
Brady Southwick, Salt Lake Community College
James Taggart, Ogden-Weber Technical College
Eric Wamsley, Bridgerland Technical College
Tiffany Wilson, Utah Tech University
Troy Wood, Davis Technical College
Other Guests
Laura Snow, Chief of Staff, University of Utah
Chris Nelson, Chief University Relations Officer & Secretary to the University, University of Utah
Wayne Vaught, Provost / Sr. Vice President for Academic Affairs, Utah Valley University
Jacob Wright, Senior Budget & Policy Analyst, Governor’s Office of Planning & Budget
Chair Church called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m.
General Session
Welcome & Introductions
Chair Church welcomed the group and highlighted concerns and challenges the system is facing. This was an information item only; no action was taken.
How do the Strategic Plan and Statute Work Together?
Geoff Landward reviewed statute with the group and the difference in governance between the Utah Board of Higher Education and the institutional boards of trustees. This was an information item only; no action was taken.
Update of Progress on Strategic Plan
Commissioner Woolstenhulme emphasized how important it is that the institution’s strategic plans fit into the Board’s strategic plan. He reviewed the pillars of the plan. The Commissioner shared they are meeting with each institution to receive feedback on the Board’s strategic plan. Changes to the plan will be proposed to the Board at the August committee meetings. Taylor Adams walked through the strategic plan in more detail and reviewed the plan on USHE’s website. She provided a basis for what currently exists and noted that changes will be made in the August committee meetings. This was an information item only; no action was taken
Using Committees to Advance the Board’s Work
Chair Church reviewed the committee assignments and introduced the USHE staff members supporting each committee, Julie Hartley, Melanie Heath, Juliette Tennert, and Kim Ziebarth.
Julie Hartley provided an overview of the work of the Academic Education Committee. Melanie Health gave a summary of the Student Affairs Committee’s work. Juliette Tennert reviewed the Finance and Facilities Committee assignments. Kim summarized the work of the Technical Education Committee. This was an information item only, no action was taken.
Opportunity for All Utahns
Lais Martinez discussed the attainment gaps that exist in higher education. She stated it is extremely critical that everything we do as a Board and system is centered around equity and closing the attainment gaps. She highlighted the work that is being done including the equity lens framework and equity-related resolutions. She emplored the new Board to ask in every conversation they’re a part of what is the equity imperative. She thanked the chief diversity officers for leading out on this work. This is an information item only; no action was taken.
Crisis Communications
Kelsey Richardson and Matthew Driscoll from R&R Partners provided crisis communications training to attendees. This was an information item only; no action was taken.
Breakout Sessions
The Board of Higher Education, boards of trustees, and presidents broke out into three separate breakout sessions. The Board of Higher Education discussed how the Board governs and can foster a successful system of higher education. They also discussed their next steps for the coming year. This was an information item only; no action was taken.
The meeting adjourned at 3:00 p.m.
Date Approved: September 16, 2022
Utah System of Higher Education
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60 South 400 West
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
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Scholarships: 1-801-646-4812
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