October 13, 1994
The Board of Regents of Washington State University met, pursuant to call, in Open Meeting at 1:03 p.m. on Thursday, October 13, 1994, in the Compton Union Building, Pullman.
Present: Phyllis J. Campbell, Vice President; Regents: Richard R. Albrecht, R. M. "Mac" Crow, Scott B. Lukins, and Louis H. Pepper; President Samuel H. Smith, Provost Thomas F. George, Vice President for Business Affairs Sallie A. Giffen, University Counsel Sally P. Savage, Assistant Attorney General Diane McDaniel, Faculty Senate Chair Douglas Baker, Staff Senate President Robert Gibson, Alumni Association President Tom Thompson, GPSA Vice President Michelle Eddy, and ASWSU Vice President Jeff Lanctot.
Also present were: Special Assistant to the Attorney General Richard Hutchinson, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Geoffrey L. Gamble, Vice Provost for Research and Dean of the Graduate School Robert V. Smith, Vice Provost for Student Affairs K. J. "Gus" Kravas, and WSU Tri-Cities Campus Dean James C. Cochran.
1. Welcoming Remarks. Regent Phyllis Campbell welcomed everyone to the meeting and commented that she attended the first official meeting of the Regents Diversity Advisory Subcommittee today. President Smith also welcomed everyone to campus for the meetings of the WSU Foundation, Homecoming football weekend, and the announcement of Campaign WSU and encouraged everyone to have a good time.
2. Minutes. It was moved and seconded that the Washington State University Board of Regents approve the minutes of August 26, 1994. Carried.
3. Granting of Degrees. It was moved and seconded that the Washington State University Board of Regents approve the recommendation of the Registrar that the candidates whose names appear in Exhibit A be advanced to the degrees set above their names as members of the class of July 30, 1994. Carried.
4. Establish a Master of Arts in Agribusiness. Provost Tom George reported that the proposed degree of the Master of Arts in Agribusiness is designed to provide students with an understanding of the infrastructure surrounding production agriculture. It recognizes that over three quarters of the employment opportunities in agriculture will be in the general area of agribusiness. It will allow students to choose areas of emphasis such as agricultural marketing, agribusiness management, or agribusiness finance. Employment possibilities in agribusiness exist in the state, and the program will be unique in that no other school in the Pacific Northwest offers the program at the graduate level. The program will be supported through the internal reallocation of state resources plus external grant funds and no new space equipment or support services are required. The degree will be offered through the Department of Agricultural Economics as a nonthesis/thesis option at the Pullman campus.
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It was moved and seconded that the Washington State University Board of Regents approve the recommendation to establish a Master of Arts in Agribusiness. Carried.
5. Report by the Vice President for Business Affairs. Vice President for Business Affairs Sallie Giffen reported on the bond sale which closed today. She stated that the underwriter best bid was Seattle Northwest Securities, a syndicate of Prudential Securities. The interest rate was 6.4288 percent, and all but $1 million of the bonds sold on the first day. She stated that WSU is insured based on its excellent AAA rating.
6. Contracts under Previous Delegation of Authority (under $500,000). Vice President for Business Affairs Sallie Giffen reported that on the authority delegated to the President of the University or his designee at the meeting of January 24, 1986, she had approved entering into the following contracts:
R.A. CO., Spokane, for the Institute of Biological Chemistry Greenhouse for $468,500. Additional cost for this project is sales tax of $35,138, for a total project cost of $503,638, to be paid from Departmental Minor Capital Improvement and Indirect Cost Recovery funds.
Motley-Motley, Inc., Pullman, for the collection of stormwater runoff from Animal Facilities, for a total project cost of $309,063, including sales tax, to be paid from Safety Minor Capital Renewal funds.
A. Noble, Inc., Clackamas, Oregon, for installing fuel tanks at Puyallup, Sumner, Buckley, and Vancouver, for a total project cost of $129,113, including Alternates 1 and 2 and sales tax, to be paid from Minor Capital Renewal and Safety Minor Capital Renewal funds.
Pavement Maintenance Corporation, Spokane, for WSU Pullman, for pavement joint and crack sealing 1994, for a total project cost of $64,111, including Alternates 1 and 2 and sales tax, to be paid from Minor Capital Renewal, Parking and Housing funds.
Looker and Associates, Inc., Puyallup, for the repair of concrete surfaces and curb repair at the Western Washington Research and Extension Center in Puyallup, for a total project cost of $44,131, including sales tax, to be paid from Minor Capital Renewal funds.
Moza Electric Construction, Tacoma, for an electrical distribution upgrade, at the Western Washington Research and Extension Center in Puyallup, for a total project cost of $35,524, including sales tax, to be paid from Minor Capital Improvements funds.
October 13, 1994
7. Contracts under Previous Delegation of Authority (over $500,000). Vice President for Business Affairs Sallie Giffen reported that on the authority delegated to the President or his designee, the Vice President for Business Affairs, by the Board of Regents at its meeting of March 4, 1994, she had approved entering into the following contracts:
Johnson Controls, Network Integration Services, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for the installation of Inside Plant (ISP) and Outside Plant (OSP) media and pathways in support of the Communication Infrastructure Renewal Project, in the amount of $2,803,840, including sales tax, to be paid from 1993-95 Capital Budget funds.
Inland Construction Company, Spokane, for the Communication Infrastructure Renewal Project -- construction of selected communication closets, in the amount of $2,093,441, including sales tax, to be paid from 1991-93 Capital Budget and 1993-95 Capital Budget funds.
On the authority delegated to the President or his designee, the Vice President for Business Affairs, by the Board of Regents at its meeting of July 30, 1993, she had approved entering into contract with Mark Construction, Inc., Edmonds, for the Records, Maintenance Materials Storage and Recycling Building, Phase I, in the amount of $1,361,600, including Alternate 1 and sales tax, to be paid from 1991-93 State Building Construction Account. Vice President Giffen added that since there were not sufficient funds for the entire project, it was decided to sign a contract for Phase I, which primarily is recycling.
8. Completion of Contracts (over $2,500). Vice President for Business Affairs Sallie Giffen reported that on the authority delegated to her at the meeting of June 24, 1994, she had approved satisfactory completion of the following contracts:
Shea Construction, Inc., for Chilled Water Storage Facility, in the final amount of $2,620,493.00;
Atkinson Construction, for Wilson Hall Remodel Rooms 7-12, in the final amount of $307,695.00;
McCullough Brothers General Contractors, for Chief Joseph and Valley Crest Villages Exterior Painting, in the final amount of $147,229.00;
McCullough Brothers General Contractors, for Stimson and Waller Halls Exterior Painting, in the final amount of $98,986.00; and
Inland Coatings, for Tri-East Interior Painting, in the final amount of $46,270.00.
October 13, 1994
9. WSU Tri-Cities Consolidated Information Center and Bohler Gym Addition. Mr. Jerry Winkler of Integrus Architecture was present and gave a slide presentation on the WSU Tri-Cities Consolidated Information Center (CIC) project. The CIC will be located about 200 yards north of the existing facilities and about 400 feet west of the Columbia River. It will incorporate approximately 70,000 gross square feet and will house the consolidated library facilities of the WSU Library and the Department of Energy Library; the Environmental and Technology Resource Center; and the Continuing Education and Training Center with food service, and collection and archival space. The CIC will also incorporate telecommunications infrastructure and support space which will support voice, video and data over a variety of pathways to enable the various entities to communicate effectively.
The goal of the CIC is to be of direct assistance to the Hanford site remediation and restoration efforts by providing effective access to and facilitating use of all Washington State University and Hanford Technical Library information resources. It will support the recruitment and training of high quality new staff and the retraining and re-education of existing staff through an expanded array of non-credit courses and programs. Most importantly, the CIC through its Environmental Technology Resources Center (ETRC) will be a major contributor to the technology transfer and commercialization activities of the DOE, its Hanford contractors, and the Tri-Cities Commercialization Partnership, serving as an essential information sources and access node in the proposed Washington Technology Network.
Vice President Giffen said it is anticipated that bids will be received on the project in September of 1995 with completion of the construction by May 1997. She said it will be funded partially from federal funds and also from the Capital Budget Request. She stated that approval is being requested to complete the design of the project, then the Regents will receive a report on the condition of the project at a later date.
Jim Cochran stated that he was pleased that the project has arrived at this stage, since it has been approximately 10 years since the project was originally envisioned. He added that Integrus Architecture is designing the building for 70 percent energy efficiency and that the Department of Energy is funding not only the capital construction, but also guarantees to continuing operating funding for the Hanford library and reading room, worth well over $2.5 million on an annual basis. He added that Pacific Northwest Laboratories and the Department of Energy are partners in this project, which is a unique contribution of the state and University to the needs of the campus.
William Turner, Design Services Manager of Facilities Development, was present on behalf of Sasaki Associates, San Francisco, and gave a slide presentation on the Bohler Gymnasium Addition project. Pam Bradetish, who serves on the Bohler Gymnasium Addition Building Committee from Intercollegiate Athletics, was also present. The Bohler Gym Addition is a 28,327 net and 42,343 gross square foot structure, sited along the north face
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of the existing 1928 building. The addition accommodates programmed space on three floors, each of which is aligned with an adjacent existing Bohler Gym floor. The proposed Physical Development Facility replaces the existing inefficient weight room and will be an active and heavily used area with high visibility. The facilities will also house a locker room for an additional WSU team sport, offices for the academic support staff eligibility and compliance personnel, sports information and study and meeting areas.
Vice President Sallie Giffen estimated that the project will begin in the fall of 1995 and will be completed in the spring of 1997.
Regent Crow asked if there are plans to renovate the existing Bohler Gymnasium building, and Pam Bradetish responded that there will be a renovation project at some point in the future, but the current plans are to meet the needs of the student athletes in the area of academic services, marketing, update office space for coaches, locker rooms for students. The gymnasium itself will not be updated at this time. President Smith added that the project is also designed to take care of gender equity needs, specifically to provide comparable space for both women and men athletes. He stated that the gender equity consideration is one of the primary reasons for moving forward on this project.
Regent Lukins asked what impact this project will have on parking in that area. Vice President Giffen stated that the elimination of that parking lot was considered in the parking plan from two years ago. She added that a process has been set in motion to investigate more parking solutions, such as putting some parking where the tennis courts currently are located and then raise the lower level, putting the courts on the roof, for example. She acknowledged that the area is congested and possibly so congested that it is not attractive for parking. She commented that some new spaces have already been made available with the new Holland Library garage. She said the main concern now is where to park buses.
President Smith commented that parking on any campus becomes a major consideration, and he was not sure there is an answer, but that it is something that is being considered, especially with projected enrollment increases.
Regent Lukins stated that if there is to be efficient use of our campuses, it may be necessary to build into the fee system an amount to provide funding for some parking garages. Michelle Eddy asked about disabled parking. Pam Bradetish responded that handicapped parking will be located in front of the Field House.
It was moved and seconded that the Washington State University Board of Regents approve schematic design documents, grant permission to proceed with design development, and delegate authority to the President or his designee, the Vice President for Business Affairs, to approve construction documents for the Tri-Cities Consolidated Information Center and the Bohler Gym Addition. Carried.
October 13, 1994
10. Delegation of Signature Authority. Vice President for Business Affairs Sallie Giffen reported that the 1994 Supplemental Budget included an appropriation of $7,110,500.00 for equipment for WSUs new Veterinary Teaching Hospital and that this supplemental appropriation, together with funds originally allocated within the hospital project budget, are intended to provide necessary funding to properly equip and furnish the new facility. The timing of the supplemental appropriation was developed to allow purchase and orderly installation of significant medical equipment systems as a part of the facility construction. Those medical systems have been identified, technical specifications have been developed and system costs have been defined so that procurement can now proceed.
It was moved and seconded that the Washington State University Board of Regents delegate signature authority to the President or his designee, the Vice President for Business Affairs, to expend funds appropriated for specialized Veterinary Teaching Hospital Equipment. Carried.
11. Delegation of Authority to Purchase Scientific Equipment. Vice President for Business Affairs Sallie Giffen reported that the work of Dr. M. Grant Norton in Mechanical and Materials Engineering requires a twin transmission electron microscope. His research in the field of ceramic materials is partially funded by grants from the National Science Foundation and the U. S. Department of Energy. The total cost of the instrument will be $640,222.00, including sales tax.
It was moved and seconded that the Washington State University Board of Regents approve the purchase of an electron microscope from Philips Electronic Instruments, Santa Barbara, California, for the Mechanical and Materials Engineering Department research activities. Carried.
12. Request for State Attorney General to Provide Defense for University Employees. Assistant Attorney General Diane McDaniel stated that the matter for which defense is being requested has been explained and that she has investigated the case and believes that the employees named have acted within the scope of their employment.
It was moved and seconded that the Washington State University Board of Regents adopt the Resolution appearing in Exhibit B, finding that the named employees acted within the scope of their authority and in good faith with regard to conduct alleged by the plaintiff to be wrongful, and requesting the attorney general to defend them against the claims brought by Dallas E. Barnes in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. Carried.
13. Reports from University Groups. ASWSU Vice President Jeff Lanctot reported that ASWSU President Jim Froembling was in Washington, D. C., lobbying to allow students to have voting booths on campus in the union buildings for all campuses of 5,000 students or more and to allow students to register to vote when they register for classes. He added that
October 13, 1994
they have just completed a voter registration drive and more students have registered than ever before. He added that they are working to get some lighting changed on campus, because the current lights are outdated, get too hot, and turn themselves off. He added that several complaints have been received about this, and he thanked Vice President Giffen for helping to get the problem solved.
GPSA Vice President Michelle Eddy reported that GPSA President Oliver Bangera was in Arizona, working on a national associated graduate magazine, which they hope will put WSU in the forefront. She added that they are working on some budget reconfiguration items and also on graduate assistantships.
Staff Senate President Robert Gibson thanked Tom George and Ernestine Madison for filling Alonzo Whites position so quickly, as it is a critical position which deals with staff directly. He added that the Staff Senate is completing some of the goals they set two years ago, such as the creation of a handbook for staff, which is planned for completion by the end of this year.
Alumni Association President Tom Thompson provided comments on its September board meeting and thanked President Smith for participating in the Fireside Chat. He reported that the Alumni Association was proud to be involved in the first African American Alumni conference, which he stated was a success and a very good beginning. He also reported that the Alumni Association hosted a pre-game function, with approximately 300-350 alumni in attendance, in conjunction with the WSU vs. University Tennessee football game at Knoxville.
Regent Pepper reported that he visited with former GPSA President Ken Wang in a hotel in Shanghai. He said that Ken was staying in a first-class hotel but wished he could get a place of his own. He added that Ken sounded nostalgic.
14. Naming of Phil and June Lighty Student Services Building. President Sam Smith provided comments regarding Phil and June Lighty. He said that for more than 50 years, Phil and June Lighty have shown extraordinary dedication to WSU. Mr. Lighty, who is a 1940 graduate of WSU, founded the Northern California chapter of the Alumni Association, and he and Mrs. Lighty were charter members of the Presidents Associates. In addition to their ongoing scholarship support, this year they created the largest scholarship and student leadership endowment in the Universitys history. In 1991, Mr. Lighty received the WSU Foundations highest honor, the Weldon B. Gibson Distinguished Volunteer Award. President Smith added that the Lightys advocacy and friendship continue to enrich WSU through their work as trustee ambassadors. President Smith reported that construction of the Student Services building began in the fall of 1994 and is expected to continue over the next 18 months. He asked that the Board of Regents approve naming this building after Phil and June Lighty.
October 13, 1994
It was moved and seconded that the Washington State University Board of Regents approve naming the new Student Services Building the Phil and June Lighty Student Services Building. Carried.
At 1:50 p.m. the meeting adjourned. Phil and June Lighty arrived immediately following adjournment, at which time they were congratulated by the Regents and administrators in attendance upon the naming of the Phil and June Lighty Student Services Building.