JSU News Wire

President’s Report

Board of Trustees

January 22, 2007

Capital Projects

Ayers Hall Transportation Building

Hale Building Company is the contractor of record. The “Certificate of Substantial Completion” was received from the State of Alabama Building Commission on January 11, 2007. Only punch list items remain to be completed the building will be ready for occupancy this spring.

McClellan 3181 New Parking Lot

The parking lot is being built with federal funds awarded to Gadsden State Community College on JSU property. Gadsden State Community College awarded a contract to McCartney Construction Company. The project includes approximately 70 paved parking spaces with lighting. The project is approximately 75% complete. Major tasks still to be completed include paving, striping, and the erection of light poles.

Demolition of Steam Plant, Abercrombie and Luttrell Halls

This project was completed by Taylor Corporation. A change order was submitted by the contractor which was denied by the University. Taylor Corporation has appealed to the State of Alabama Building Commission. The Building Commission is in the process of reviewing all applicable documents to establish the basis for their ruling.

Little River Canyon Field School

Funding in the amount of $6.3 million has been appropriated and authorized for use through NASA. The revised design and plans have been completed by the architect and engineer and will be out for bid by the end of January. Several bidders have expressed interest in this project and requested drawings and specifications.

Chimney Peak Observatory

Hale Building Company is the contractor of record. The concrete structure and dome are in place and completed. The mechanical, electrical, and telecommunication portions of the project to operate the telescope are not completed at this time. Completion is expected in March.

Art Department Annex Building

CCS Duncan of Madison, Alabama is the contractor of record. Erection of the building’s steel frame began the third week of January. There was a delay in the manufacturing and shipping of the steel structure. This facility will meet the Art Department’s requirements for reaccreditation and will provide a safe and modern environment for the ceramic studio.

Stadium Scoreboard and Other Electronic Campus Signage

Daktronics, Inc. is the contractor of record. The project calls for two scoreboards in Paul Snow Stadium and electronic message boards at Pete Mathews Coliseum and the Theron Montgomery Building. A pre-construction conference was held January 9th and soil borings were performed the first week of January. Electronic display boards are being manufactured and the contractor will mobilize to the site in early February. Funding for this project is to come from private gifts, advertising and sponsorship package sales.

University Activities

Spring Enrollment

Our Spring Semester enrollment as of January 17, 2007 was a head count of 8, 389. This is an increase over last year spring 2006. The colleges with larger gains of enrollment were the College of Arts and Sciences, up 219 students and the College of Nursing, up 93 students. The College of Education took the greatest loss of enrollment 282 students. Overall credit hours produced were down over last spring by 2,535 hours. The decrease in credit hours is almost split between undergraduate courses 56% and graduate courses 44%.

University Housing

University Housing occupancy for spring semester is 97%. The report indicates that university housing: apartments, houses and residence halls accommodate 1,595 students.

At the last Board meeting I shared with you that the JSU Foundation is considering a proposal to the Board that would build apartment like dormitories and provide 300 to 500 additional living spaces on campus. Since then the Housing Project Committee of the Foundation has chosen University Housing Services (UHS) to assist them in studying the feasibility of this project. The University has agreed to pay for a study from a third party firm that will assist identifying the type of facility best suited to JSU’s student needs.

The University needs additional campus housing that will maintain a viable residential campus student life. The Foundation plans to determine by the April Board meeting if it will pursue this project. If it does not I will recommend a plan for the University to fund new housing initiatives at the end of its current housing bond obligation which ends in 2008.

Governmental Affairs

Alabama’s legislators and government officials have completed their election campaigns and we are very glad that our own Trustee has been elected to his former office as Alabama’s Lt. Governor. We congratulate him and look forward to working with him in Montgomery.

Academic Affairs

I am pleased to ask Dr. Rebecca Turner, Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs to present her report and introduce our JSU Army ROTC presentation. Dr. Turner’s written report is in your binder under “Tab 6” which you may read at your leisure. One of the many interesting accomplishments listed is an agreement between JSU and Jefferson State Community College to offer courses at their Pell City Branch.

Athletics

Among the materials you have before you is a copy of the NCAA Presidential Task Force on the Future of Division I Intercollegiate Athletics. I served on the Task Force as a member of the Student – Athlete Well Being subgroup. The report is divided into four areas: fiscal responsibility, Academic values and standards, presidential leadership, and student athlete well being. This report will serve as the basis for NCAA legislation and agenda for the next three to five years. I want to now ask Athletic Director Jim Fuller to present his Athletic Report

Business Affairs Report

Mr. Carlson will present the Business Affairs Report and introduce the salary comparison study that the Board asked for at the last meeting.

Institutional Advancement

Mr. Joe Serviss, Vice President for Institutional Advancement will provide a brief update of our capital campaign.

Mr. Chairman, that concludes my report.

William A. Meehan

President