Sticking to a strict agenda for its three-day meeting, the University of Wyoming’s Board of Trustees met Nov. 14 to Nov. 16 to discuss and decide issues central to the university’s workings, including budgeting, tuition and enrollment.
The 12 members of the board, all UW alumni appointed by Wyoming’s Governor, are responsible for the University’s financial management, academic policy and student welfare. The Governor, UW President Laurie Nichols, ASUW President Seth Jones and several others also serve as ex-officio members who have no vote.
Under the leadership of board president Dave True, the Trustees broke into specific committees for discussion Wednesday before opening executive session Thursday. The Board heard public testimony Friday and posted its schedule and decisions on the UW site for the public to evaluate.
Board of Trustees Treasurer John McKinley spoke on the Budget Committee’s tuition policy considerations. Current tuition policy recommending a 4 percent increase each year has been in place since 2014 and must be reviewed every four years.
“As a reminder this Board of Trustees in 2016 passed the policy that applied for the years 2016-20 and this spring the trustees took action with regard to the 2020 year, so we are looking at where that policy is going forward,” McKinley said. “The way the policy is set up is the policy remains in effect unless it is changed or amended, and so we took a look at the policy and some recommendations regarding modifications to the policy are in front of everybody now. It was the recommendation coming from the Budget Committee to move those changes forward in the form that is in front of you and I would make a motion that is appropriate.”
ASUW President Seth Jones represented students’ interests to the Trustees and spoke on the tuition policy to give the Board ASUW’s approval. Jones also represented the student body at other committee meetings.
The Board also spoke on the rise in enrollment this academic year, which broke the previous record for largest freshmen class size, as well as one goal of UW’s strategic plan “Breaking Through: 2017-2022,” receiving a bronze rating though the Association for the Advance of Sustainability in Higher Education’s Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System.
Other topics on the table for construction included the Biodiversity Institute transition plan, student housing improvements, a new construction management program, a 30-year plan for Wyoming Union renovations, employee and student satisfaction surveys and UW’s Engagement Task Force.
More information about the Board of Trustees, its agendas and reports are available at UWyo.edu/trustees.
