Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Open Board of Directors Meeting
San Bernardino Community College District
114 S. Del Rosa Drive
San Bernardino, CA 92408
Minutes
Present: Don Averill, Deborah Barmack, Carole Beswick, Tom Brickley, Erin Brinker, Ann Bryan, Bill Easley, Scott Hofferber, Matthew Isaac, Mark Kaenel, Lowell King, John Mirau, Lou Monville, Tom Nightingale, Steve PonTell, Bev Powell, John Prentice, Susan Rice, Kristine Scott, Paul Shimoff, Shelli Stockton, Steve von Rajcs, Phil Waller and Kim Wilcox.
Guests: Eric Ewing and Frank Reyes
Announcements: 1) The dates for the trip to Washington, D.C. are tentatively March 31-April 2, 2014. 2) The reception for the CTC was well attended. Appreciation was expressed to those who participated. 3) The San Bernardino Planning Commission voted 7-1 in favor of the proposed Waterman Gardens project at their meeting on Wednesday, December 11, 2013.
M/S/P: Minutes from December 10, 2013.
Paul Shimoff introduced Dr. Kim Wilcox, Chancellor of University of California, Riverside (UCR).
Dr. Kim Wilcox was appointed Chancellor of UCR in August 2013. He expressed that the transition has been relatively easy as his values and interests align perfectly with UCR, one of the nations great research facilities.
He has a wealth experience and most recently served as provost and executive vice president at Michigan State University. There he oversaw more than 200 academic programs, some 49,000 students and almost 5, 000 faculty and academic staff. He helped lead a capital campaign that raised $1.4 billion and implemented major institutional restructuring and strategies initiatives and expanded the universities two medical colleges into Grand Rapids and the Detroit area. While chief academic officer at Michigan State, the percentage of students from underrepresented groups increased, academic credentials of entering freshman rose, the average time to degree decreased, graduations rates increased and the percentage of graduating students with debt decreased.
It is an exciting time at UCR with the opening of the new medical school, expanding research opportunities and the potential to broaden the campus’s international reach. Nationally rated as the second best University of the future by Washington Monthly magazine, they have good reason to be proud. The ranking is based on the following:
- How well the institution performs as an engine of social mobility (ideally helping the underprivileged)
- How well the institution performs in fostering scientific and humanistic research
- How well the institution promotes an ethic of service to country
Chancellor Wilcox stated that these are exactly the core measurements that he is committed to.
UCR is no longer the “last resort” or fall back school for students. Their average freshmen have high school GPA’s at 3.7 and 4 of 5 students select UCR as their first choice for continued education.
UCR, like other institutions, have been economically hit with a loss of State funding. They have lost over 1 billion dollars and realize their future is increasingly less connected to the state. Determined to keep their commitment to California students, they have used their out-of- state fees in order to help support over 2,000 students since the state cuts. The benefits of free tuition for California families with income levels under $80,000.00 are an opportunity that should be embraced by more Californians.
Unlike most medical schools UCR will not have their own medical center. The medical school will be interconnected to the community. The UCR students will experience working and interacting with the community they live and learn in. Chancellor Wilcox added that the medical school is as much about research as it is training new physicians.
The Chancellor sees great potential in the growth of the University. In addition to the new medical school, UCR has added a new school of public policy. Additionally, their relatively young college of engineering is growing with high demand. Chancellor Wilcox plans to focus on growing the student/faculty ratio. They have already increased their enrollment, much of which is the demand seen in their college of engineering, but now need to rebalance with more faculty and research. Future plans will include increased student recruitment from other states as their tuition is necessary to support our in-state students and focus on UCR becoming a more visible presence in the area, state and nation.
A Q & A period followed
The meeting adjourned at 8:35 a.m.