12/03/2003

The following events have been scheduled in conjunction with the December 13 meeting of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents:

Please note: All events on this schedule will take place in the Board Room, Varner Hall, 3835 Holdrege Street, in Lincoln.

To: Reporters, Editors, News Directors

From: Joe Rowson, Director of Communications

Friday, December 12:

Committee Meetings

1:30 p.m. Academic Affairs Committee

Topic: Status of University of Nebraska at Omaha Dual Enrollment Pilot Project

Presenters: Sheri Rogers, Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, University of Nebraska at Omaha

John Christensen, Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, University of Nebraska at Omaha

2:15 p.m. Information Technology and Outreach & Service Committees

Topic: Distance Education Update

Presenter: Jay Noren, Executive Vice President and Provost

Panel: Arnold Bateman, Associate Vice Chancellor for Extended Education
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

John Fiene, Associate Vice Chancellor for Technology
University of Nebraska at Omaha

Carol Pullen, Assistant Dean for Rural Nursing Education
University of Nebraska Medical Center

Gloria Vavricka, Associate Dean, Continuing Education
University of Nebraska at Kearney

3:00 p.m. Break

3:15 p.m. Business Affairs Committee

Topic: Deferred Maintenance

Presenter: Rebecca Koller, Assistant Vice President and Director of Facilities
Planning and Management

Saturday, December 13

8:30 a.m. December meeting of the Board of Regents

Strategic Issue: Tax Policy as it Relates to Higher Education

Presenters: Ron Withem, Associate Vice President and
Director of Governmental Relations

State Senator David Landis, Chair of the Revenue Committee

State Senator Kermit Brashear, Chair of the Judiciary Committee

John Bartle, Associate Professor of Public Administration
University of Nebraska at Omaha

John E. Cederberg, CPA, Cederberg & Associates

Items of Interest:

1. Tax Policy and Higher Education (Strategic Issue). In Nebraska – as in many other states – the portion of the state’s budget allocated to higher education has been shrinking. Faced with many demands for state dollars, legislators have been forced to make difficult choices, and higher education has been cut in the process. Since higher education is responsible for providing highly educated citizens and productive members of the workforce, however, policy makers recognize the need to continue to provide accessible, high-quality higher education. The question of how this goal might be achieved will be the subject of this discussion.

2. Major in Latino/Latin American Studies at UNO (Item X-A-2): The Board of Regents will be asked to approve a new major in the UNO College of Arts and Sciences. It is intended to help provide students with the analytical, methodological, and practical skills needed for employment and citizenship in today’s increasingly transnational and ethnically diverse work environments. It also would provide both Latino and non-Latino students a vehicle for understanding interconnected histories as well as sociological, political and economic realities

3. School of Architectural Engineering and Construction at UNL (Item X-A-3). The board will be asked to approve a merger of the existing departments of Construction Systems and Construction Management and the architectural engineering program to form this new school. The objective is to create a strong, dynamic unit that will allow the College of Engineering and Technology at UNL to become a national leader in this field while allowing for more efficient use of resources.

4. Health Science Education Building at UNMC (Item X-B-3). The board will be asked to approve the program statement and budget for the UNMC Center for Health Sciences Education. The new facility would fit within UNMC’s Education Vision, which calls for it to prepare the best-educated health professionals and scientists to serve the citizens of Nebraska. It would address current inadequacies in large-group and small-group instructional areas, teaching technology infrastructure, clinical skills labs, and basic science labs. These deficiencies have been adversely cited in the accreditation of UNMC’s education programs, and may also deter recruitment and retention of both students and faculty. The $52.7 million building would be paid for with private funds.

The agenda for the December 13 meeting of the Board of Regents can be found at http://www.nebraska.edu/board/board_agendas.shtml.