December 2, 2010, and December 3, 2010

1. December 2, 2010, Meeting. The Board of Regents of Washington State University held a special meeting via teleconference at 8:00 a.m., on Wednesday, December 2, 2010, to endorse the launch of the Campaign for Washington State University, to take actions relating to the transfer of funds for the Ruckelshaus Center, and to accept a gift for the benefit of the School for Global Animal Health and Washington State University. The meeting was held via teleconference in the Large Conference Room of WSU West, 520 Pike Street, Suite 1101, Seattle, Washington. 

Present at WSU West: President Elson S. Floyd.

President via teleconference:  Regent Theodor Baseler, Vice Chair; Regents Scott Carson, Ericka Christensen, Harold Cochran, Elizabeth Cowles, Francois Forgette, Rafael Stone, and Michael Worthy.

Present in Pullman via teleconference: Executive Assistant to the Board of Regents Christine Hoyt.

2. Introduction.  Vice Chair of the Board of Regents Ted Baseler called the meeting to order.  Executive Assistant Christine Hoyt conducted a roll call to ensure the presence of each of the Board members.  Regent Baseler asked President Floyd to provide an initial statement.  

3. Report from the President of the University.  President Elson S. Floyd thanked the Board for coming together for this special meeting.  He said that although Chair Laura Jennings was unable to join them, she had been fully briefed.  He said that there were three items on the agenda for the Board’s consideration.  He said the first was a resolution to endorse the public launch of the billion-dollar campaign for Washington State University.  He stated that this is clearly a historic moment in the history of the University, and he is indebted for the leadership that the Regents have provided.  He said the second item involves the acceptance of funds from the University of Washington’s Ruckelshaus Endowment and to have those funds transferred to Washington State University’s Ruckelshaus Endowment. He said the third item involves a gift to the WSU School for Global Animal Health.    

4. Public Launch of the $1 Billion Campaign for Washington State

University. The Board took action on the following:

Resolution to Endorse the Public Launch of the $1 Billion Campaign for Washington State University. It was moved and seconded that the Board of Regents endorse the launch and public announcement of The Campaign for Washington State University.  Carried.

5. Acceptance of Funds from the University of Washington’s Ruckelshaus Endowment to Washington State University’s Ruckelshaus Endowment.

President Floyd reported that the Ruckelshaus Foundation Endowment is currently held by the University of Washington and that this action would transfer those funds (approximately $800,000) to the endowment at Washington State University. He said that the Regents of the University of Washington took action at its November 18, 2010, meeting approving the withdrawl and transfer of these funds.

President Floyd asked Michael Kern, Director of the Ruckelshaus Center, to provide additional background. Mr. Kern said that the Center is a joint effort between the University of Washington and Washington State University and was originally administratively a Joint Center, as well.  He said that this has proved to be an extremely complicated way to run the Center.  He said that they have kept the model of putting together talented teams of faculty, staff and students at both universities to do projects that help foster collaborative public policy in the state of Washington but have consolidated administratively under Washington State University. He said this has simplified things greatly and made the Center to be much more efficient.  He added that when the Center was established to accept funds for its support, William D. Ruckelshaus Center Foundation was also established. He noted that at the time, the University of Washington Foundation agreed to house that endowment, but that now that the administrative side of the Center is housed at Washington State University, it makes more sense for the endowment funds to be located within the WSU Foundation. 

The Board took action on the following:

Acceptance of Funds from the University of Washington’s Ruckelshaus Endowment.  It was moved and seconded that the Board of Regents accept the transfer of the funds in the William D. Ruckelshaus Endowment now held by the University of Washington Foundation to the William D. Ruckelshaus Foundation Endowment located at Washington State University Foundation, and the transfer of the investment management and administration of the William D. Ruckelshaus Center Foundation Endowment, and delegates authority to the President or his designee to take all necessary action and execute all necessary documents to effectuate and implement such transfers.  Carried. 

6. Gift to the WSU School for Global Animal Health; Naming the School for Global Animal Health; and Naming the School for Global Animal Health Building.  President Floyd said that the final action for the Regents’ consideration is the acceptance of the terms and conditions of the largest gift in the history of Washington State University. He said that he is pleased to report that Paul G. Allen has agreed to provide a gift in the amount of $26 million to Washington State University. He said that the gift is very strategic and consistent with WSU’s priority on Global Animal Health.  He said that as a consequence he would like to have these funds go exclusively to that effort. 

President Floyd also recommended that the Regents name the School for Global Animal Health the “Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health,” and further that they name the School for Global Animal Health Building the “Paul G. Allen Center for Global Animal Health.” He said that this too, is a historic moment in the history of the University.   

Regent Worthy extended his compliments on the content of the involved agreement with Mr. Allen. He said that it was specific, as well as strategic and comprehensive.  He added that he has a clear understanding of the obligations the University has taken on in performing under the standards of this gift. He complimented President Floyd and his team on the structure of the agreement. 

Regent Basler noted that at last Regents’ Meeting, they discussed “steeples of excellence.”  He added that this initiative is clearly a tall steeple.  

Regent Stone excused himself from voting because his firm drafted the agreement for Mr. Allen. 

The Board took action on the following:

Gift to the WSU School for Global Animal Health (SGAH).  It was moved and seconded that the Board of Regents (1) accept the terms and conditions of the $26 Million Gift from Paul G. Allen; (2) name the SGAH School the “Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health; and (3) name the SGAH Building the “Paul G. Allen Center for Global Animal Health”.  Carried. 

Before the meeting adjourned, President Floyd thanked the Board their leadership. He said that this gift is very much consistent with the Strategic Plan of Washington State University, that there is no doubt that WSU can make a significant difference in the eradication of zoonotic diseases, and that WSU will do that in full and complete partnership with Paul G. Allen. He thanked Mr. Allen for his support of this initiative and also thanked the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, because those funds served as a catalyst in focusing our State and the University in the area of Global Animal Health.  He again thanked the Board for its leadership and encouragement for this administration to pursue this bold initiative.  He said It’s the right thing to do, and is consistent with WSU’s priorities as an institution and for any institution on a global basis.  He said that

$26 million represents the largest gift that WSU has ever received in the history of our University and expressed his deep appreciation to Mr. Allen for his investment and commitment to the vision that WSU has in place. 

7. Adjournment.  The meeting of December 2, 2010, adjourned at 8:16 a.m.

8. December 3, 2010, Regents’ Retreat.  The Board of Regents of Washington State University held a special meeting on Friday, December 3, 2010, at 12:45 p.m. on Friday, December 3, 2010, in the Regents’ Room of the Lewis Alumni Centre on the WSU Pullman Campus.

Present:  Regent Laura Jennings, Chair; Regents Theodor Baseler, Scott Carson, Harold Cochran, Elizabeth Cowles, Francois X. Forgette, and Michael Worthy (via teleconference); President Elson S. Floyd, and Executive Assistant to the Board of Regents Christine Hoyt.

9. Branch Campus Discussion. Following the opening of the meeting by Regent Laura Jennings, President Floyd stated that the purpose of the meetings was to look deeply at the branch campuses, not to make any decisions, but to give the Regents an appreciation for where we are in a fundamentally different way that is different from any other campus systems established in the United States, as well as paint a framework for where we are headed in the future.

The Regents heard presentations from Joan King, Executive Director of Planning and Budget, who provided detailed information regarding enrollment, finances, academic trends, and student and employee data in the context of the branch campuses. Additionally, the Regents heard presentations from Chancellor Brian Pitcher of WSU Spokane, Chancellor Vicky Carwein of WSU Tri-Cities, and Chancellor Hal Dengerink of WSU Vancouver. The Regents engaged in discussions about each of the campuses individually and about issues and challenges that that confront entire system, as a whole. The Regents took no action at this meeting.

7. Adjournment.  The meeting of December 3, 2010, adjourned at 4:30 p.m.