Report on the Board of Trustees Meeting
Fall 2003

Skidmore’s Board of Trustees came to Campus Oct. 15-19 for its fall series of meetings. The meetings were scheduled in conjunction with the inauguration of President Philip A. Glotzbach and the Centennial Celebration weekend and included the awarding of the inaugural Lucy Skidmore Scribner Medal (see separate story).

During the full meeting of the board, on Friday, Oct. 17, Chair of the Board Sue Corbet Thomas ’62 noted that President Glotzbach had been wholeheartedly endorsed by the board. “We look forward to many years of working together,” she said, expressing thanks to the College community for welcoming the new president. Thomas added that the business of the board centered on “academic vision, athletics, critical thinking, fiscal responsibility, benefits, budget constraints, diversity, and town-gown relations. We will continue to discuss and address our problems and issues as we move ahead in the coming year.”

In his report, President Glotzbach first announced the appointment of Charles M. Joseph as vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty—no longer interim. “He has been of enormous service to the College over the years and, in particular, during these past few months. Together with the associate deans, I see great leadership in the future.” Glotzbach then discussed strategic planning and said it was important to avoid both “the strategic budget gap and the strategic vision gap, which is equally important and ultimately, more damaging.” He said that he is a proponent of “strategic planning by stealth,” which provides “some room for serendipity and for seizing the moment. Part of my job is to keep us focused on our dreams and not just on a strategic plan.”

Committee business included the following resolutions:

From the Academic Affairs Committee — Trustee M. Elizabeth Tidball presented a resolution to promote Lenora de la Luna from visiting instructor to assistant professor in the Department of Education Studies. It was unanimously approved.

From the Budget and Finance Committee — Trustee John Morris discussed a structural imbalance action plan, focused on how to deal with budget deficits and the future financial stability of the College. Morris said that the committee was aware that changes to benefits plans with a goal of cost sharing “was difficult and controversial on campus, but we feel it is essential to future budget stability.” He presented a resolution that effective Jan. 1, 2004, Skidmore will begin to implement changes in College contributions to participants’ benefits packages, and will introduce participant cost sharing. Approved changes may be implemented in stages over a number of years until a balanced budget is achieved. The resolution was unanimously approved.

A second resolution presented by Morris is designed to offer the College flexibility as it looks ahead to construction initiatives, particularly in the area of residential housing, as it considers the possibility of constructing between 200 and 500 new beds, as well as the renovation of existing units. In anticipation of selling tax-exempt bonds to finance such an initiative, such a reimbursement resolution serves notice of the possibility of the College issuing tax-exempt debt and allows the College to reimburse itself from bond proceeds for expenses incurred prior the sale of such bonds on behalf of the financial projects. This standard reimbursement resolution is required by IRS regulations to enable reimbursement to occur. The resolution passed with one abstention and one nay.

From the Special Programs Committee —Trustee Sara Schupf presented a resolution to grant master’s degrees in liberal studies to two students as approved by the faculty at its October meeting; and a resolution to grant 15 bachelor’s degrees to University Without Walls students as approved by the faculty at its October meeting. Both passed unanimously.

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