MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF TRUSTEES
CLARION UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
APRIL 21, 2011
ROOM 108 EAGLE COMMONS, CLARION CAMPUS
CLARION, PA 16214
7:00 P.M.
I. RECORDING OF ATTENDANCE
The meeting was called to order by Mr. James, Chairperson, with the following
Trustees present:
Dr. Syed Ali-Zaidi
Mrs. Susanne Burns
Mr. Ross Cioppa
Ms. JD Dunbar
Mr. R. Lee James, Chairperson
Mr. James Kifer, Vice Chairperson
Mr. Chris Myers
Ms. Donna Oberlander
Mr. Larry Pickett
Mr. Jeffrey Szumigale (via conference phone)
The following trustee was absent from the meeting:
Mr. Howard Shreckengost, Secretary
The following members of the University administration attended the meeting:
Mr. Paul Bylaska, Vice President for Finance and Administration
Dr. Jocelind Gant, Assistant to the President for Social Equity and Assistant Vice
President for International Programs
Dr. Valentine James, Provost
Dr. Christopher Reber, Executive Dean, Venango Campus
Mr. Harry Tripp, Vice President for Student and University Affairs
Dr. Karen Whitney, President
Chairperson James indicated that since Trustee Szumigale was participating via
phone, the agenda would be reordered to consider all Action Items first. He
further indicated that at the conclusion of the Action Items, Trustees Szumigale
and Burns would be excused from the meeting.

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II. ACTION ITEMS
A.

Minutes
A motion was made by Ms. Dunbar, seconded by Mr. Cioppa, that
the minutes of the February 17, 2011 regular meeting of the Council of
Trustees be approved as distributed by mail. A roll call vote was taken.
The motion carried unanimously.

B.

Approval of Proposed Venango Campus Student Support Fee Increase
Mr. Bylaska read the resolution seeking approval of an increase in the
Venango Campus Student Support Fee from 8.4% of tuition to 13.65% of
tuition, effective fall semester 2011. He introduced Dr. Chris Reber who
noted a growing gap between available resources and student needs and
expectations related to student life, student services, and facilities needs
at the Venango Campus. Dr. Reber indicated that the proposed fee
increase would generate approximately $150,000 per year and bring
Venango fees in parity with total fees charged to Clarion campus students.
Venango Campus student Elizabeth Gadsby voiced student support for
the fee increase.
A motion was made by Mr. Pickett, seconded by Mr. Kifer, to
approve the following resolution. A roll call vote was taken. The motion
carried unanimously.
RESOLVED, that the Council of Trustees, Clarion University,
approve an increase in the Venango Campus Student Support Fee from
8.4% of tuition ($243.77) to 13.65% of tuition ($396.12) effective fall
semester 2011.

C.

Finance Committee Report
A motion was made by Mrs. Burns, seconded by Mr. Myers, that
the following resolution be approved. The motion carried unanimously.
RESOLVED, that the Council of Trustees, Clarion University,
approve the Finance Committee Report dated December 14, 2010.

D.

Report of Nominating Committee
Mr. Szumigale presented the Nominating Committee’s recommendations
for the 2011-2012 Council of Trustees officers:

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Chairperson – R. Lee James
Vice Chairperson – Larry Pickett
Secretary – James Kifer
A motion was made by Ms. Dunbar, seconded by Mr. Cioppa, that
the nominations be closed and that the recommendations of the
Nominating Committee be accepted. A roll call vote was taken. The
motion carried unanimously.
Trustees Szumigale and Burns were excused from the meeting.

III.

COMMUNICATIONS
A.

Public Comments - None

B.

Report of Student Senate
President of Student Senate Ben Sturtz reported on activities of his group,
including the First Annual ―Pot Party‖ on April 20—an event to raise
awareness about drug abuse; the review and approval of 2011-2012
budgets for Recognized Student Organizations; and the election of new
officers. Mr. Sturtz noted that the Student Senate President for 2011-2012
would be Joanna Catalano. He thanked the trustees for their support.
Ms. Dunbar congratulated Mr. Sturtz on his doctoral fellowship at Case
Western Reserve.

C.

Report of Faculty Senate
Dr. Todd Pfannestiel, Chair, indicated that Faculty Senate had completed
its curriculum review and recommended the approval of a set of new
cutting-edge courses for students. He noted that Faculty Senate elections
for eight seats had just been completed and that a new Faculty Senate
chair would be identified in July.

D.

Council Chairperson’s Report
Mr. James reminded the trustees that the university’s Spring
Commencement would be held on Saturday, May 7, with ceremonies at
10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the Clarion campus and at 7:30 p.m. on the
Venango Campus.

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IV.

REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PRESIDENT
A.

President
Information Items
1.

Spring Events
President Whitney noted that some 200 people had attended the
Alumni Association’s Extravaganza event at the Duquesne Club in
Pittsburgh on April 16, raising $40,000 toward scholarships. She
thanked Sue Burns and her family for their involvement in the
event.
Dr. Whitney also thanked the trustees for their attendance at the
Inaugural and Academic Excellence Series events. She noted that
Trustee Chris Myers had chaired the Inaugural Subcommittee that
planned the Student Celebration during the inauguration week.

2.

Enrollment
Dr. Whitney discussed an uncertain picture for Fall 2011
enrollment, noting that while applications were up, paid deposits
were down. She indicated that the academic deans had devised a
new schedule to better serve the needs of both incoming and
continuing students. She noted that she would alert the trustees to
any sharp enrollment declines.
Noting state cuts to basic education and their impact on school
district budgets, Trustee Kifer asked about a potential drop in
Clarion’s Education majors. Dr. Whitney noted that she encouraged
students to be multi-credentialed in order to position themselves for
a changing job market. She further noted that the state’s
consideration of dropping its current requirements for master’s
degrees in education would impact the university’s enrollment.

3.

Presidential 500-Day Plan April 2011 Status Report
Dr. Whitney called the trustees’ attention to copies of her latest
report on progress toward her 500-Day Plan. She reviewed various
outcomes noted in the report, including work on a $20 million grant
to help dislocated workers and adult learners, the launching of a
new Responsibility Centered Management (RCM) model for
university budgeting, progress in searches for a new Provost and
Information Management Institutional Research (IMIR) Director,
and planned improvements to business processes.
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4.

Class of 2011 and other Outstanding Student Accomplishments
Dr. Whitney called the trustees’ attention to a handout at their
places outlining outstanding accomplishments of the Class of 2011
and Clarion students at large, including acceptances to graduate
schools, positions secured, and scholastic and athletic honors and
awards.

5.

Financial Workshop in July
Dr. Whitney announced that a financial workshop for trustees would
be held prior to the Council of Trustees dinner and public meeting
on Thursday, July 21. The workshop will review the status of the
university’s budget in light of the final state budget and Board of
Governors’ decision about tuition.

B.

Academic Affairs
Information Items
1.

System-wide Upgrade of D2L
Dr. James noted that an upgrade to the university’s learning
management system would be completed in May at a cost of
$2,600.

2.

Faculty Hiring in the Face of Difficult Budget
Dr. James commended the deans for their efforts in helping to
ensure that student needs would be met despite challenges in the
area of faculty hiring.

3.

Department Chair Elections
Dr. James noted the list of newly elected faculty department
chairpersons that appeared in the trustees’ agenda.

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C.

Finance and Administration
Information Items
1.

Budget Update
Mr. Bylaska reviewed the process underway to implement the RCM
budgeting model. He noted that a Budget Review and
Implementation Committee (BRIC) had been looking at movement
from the university’s former incremental budgeting to a more
decentralized, incentive-based budget. He further noted that RCM
would consider the fiscal, enrollment, and employment strengths of
programs.

2.

Status of Facilities Report
Mr. Bylaska referred the trustees to Attachment C, the Status of
Facilities Report, highlighting a chiller repair to Marwick-Boyd Fine
Arts Center, conversion of the former Rhea Lumber building to
provide more accessible office space for offices formerly located in
the basement of Hart Chapel, and the addition of 100 parking
spaces on the former Rhea property.
Mr. Bylaska shared photos and an artist rendering of lettering and
materials under consideration for a flag court at the university’s
official entrance, once that is determined. K. Whitney noted the
university’s plans to undertake a Master Plan effort with Clarion
Borough and indicated that the location of the flag court would be
impacted by the joint planning. Dr. Ali-Zaidi requested that at least
on a temporary basis, a US flag be erected near Carrier
Administration Building. Trustees Dunbar and Cioppa concurred
and Trustee Oberlander suggested the inclusion of a PA state flag
as well. Dr. Whitney indicated that she would provide an update on
the flags issue at the July Council of Trustees meeting.

D.

Student and University Affairs
Information Item
1.

Fund-raising Report
Mr. Tripp distributed his fundraising report, noting that gifts were
trending about $250,000 below last year. He acknowledged a new
gift made by President Karen Whitney and Dr. Peggy Apple that will
allow the creation of an eagle sculpture to be placed in the entry to

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Eagle Commons. He thanked members of the Council of Trustees
who had matched the gift.
Mr. Tripp also reported on preliminary planning for a summer joint
retreat of the Foundation Board and the Council of Trustees to
engage in strategic planning for 2011-2012.

V.

REPORT OF COMMITTEES
A.

Executive Committee
Mr. James reported that the Executive Committee had not met in April.

VI.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS - None

VII.

NEW BUSINESS - Executive Session

______________________________________________________________________
The Trustees entered into executive session at 8:26 p.m. to discuss an interim review of
President Whitney’s performance and returned to public session at 9:15 p.m.
______________________________________________________________________

VIII.

ADJOURNMENT - The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted

_________________________
James Kifer, Secretary
Council of Trustees

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