A meeting of the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees convened at 8:09 a.m. on Friday, April 6, 2018, in the Great Hall of the Dworkin Student Services and Activities Complex on the Westville, Indiana, campus of Purdue University Northwest.     

All committee members were present: JoAnn Brouillette, chair; Vanessa Castagna; Malcolm DeKryger; Daniel Romary; and Professor Alberto Rodriguez (ex-officio). All other trustees were present: Sonny Beck; Michael Berghoff; Michael Klipsch; Gary Lehman; Thomas Spurgeon; and Don Thompson.

Officers and administrators in attendance were: Mitch Daniels, president; Jay Akridge, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and diversity; Bill Sullivan, treasurer and chief financial officer; Steve Schultz, legal counsel; Janice Indrutz, corporate secretary and executive assistant to the Board; Ron Elsenbaumer, chancellor of Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW); and Tom Keon, chancellor of Purdue University Northwest (PNW).

I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic Affairs Committee voted unanimously to approve minutes of its last meeting on February 9, 2018.

II. APPROVAL TO AWARD POSTHUMOUS DEGREE

Provost Akridge respectfully requested the Committee’s approval to award a posthumous Doctor of Pharmacy degree to Benjamin A. Slaven, who passed away on February 23, 2018.  Provost Akridge informed the Committee that Benjamin had completed 98% of his degree requirements and would have graduated in May 2018.  Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval to award the posthumous degree. Trustee Brouillette asked Provost Akridge to extend the Board’s sympathies to Benjamin’s family. Supporting documents were filed with the minutes.  

III. APPROVAL TO APPOINT THE MICHAEL AND KATHERINE BIRCK PROFESSOR OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

Provost Akridge respectfully requested approval to appoint Dr. Y. Charlie Hu as the Michael and Katherine Birck Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He informed the Committee that Dr. Hu was a world-renowned researcher in experimental computer systems and networking who had made field-defining and groundbreaking contributions through his work.  Provost Akridge discussed Dr. Hu’s research, startup company, and industry funding, and he referenced one of six letters received in support of Dr. Hu’s appointment.  Trustee Brouillette and Provost Akridge acknowledged Dr. Hu’s wife, Dr. Joy Tong, an assistant professor in the College of Liberal Arts’ Department of Sociology, who had accompanied Dr. Hu.  Trustee Romary remarked that, having come from all over the world, Dr. Hu’s letters of recommendation were a testament to how world-renowned Dr. Hu was.

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval of Dr. Hu’s appointment. Supporting documents and a photo were filed with the minutes.

IV. APPROVAL TO APPOINT REILLY PROFESSOR OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

Provost Akridge respectfully requested approval to appoint Dr. David J. Love as a Reilly Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He discussed Dr. Love’s research interests in the design and analysis of broadband wireless communication systems and Dr. Love’s pioneering work in the field, which included reducing exposure to electromagnetic radiation emitted by cell phones.  Provost Akridge informed the Committee that Dr. Love held 28 U.S. and 17 international patents, and he referenced one of six letters received in support of Dr. Love’s appointment. Trustee Brouillette also noted that Dr. Love had been recognized as a Highly Cited Researcher by the Thomson Reuters Corporation.   

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval of Dr. Love’s appointment. Supporting documents and a photo were filed with the minutes.

V. APPROVAL TO APPOINT A SECOND REILLY PROFESSOR OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

Provost Akridge respectfully requested approval to appoint Dr. Dimitrios Peroulis as a Reilly Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He informed the Committee that Dr. Peroulis was a global leader in the field of microelectromechanical systems for radio frequency applications and sensors, and he discussed how Dr. Peroulis’s research had impacted public safety.  He also noted that Dr. Peroulis had received many teaching awards and had been inducted into Purdue’s Book of Great Teachers. Finally, Provost Akridge  referenced one of six letters received in support of Dr. Peroulis’s appointment.

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval of Dr. Peroulis’s appointment. Supporting documents and a photo were filed with the minutes.

VI. APPROVAL TO APPOINT THE NICK TRBOVICH PROFESSOR OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

Provost Akridge respectfully requested approval to appoint Dr. Steven D. Pekarek as the Nick Trbovich Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He informed the Committee that Dr. Pekarek was internationally recognized, in both academia and industry, as a top expert in analysis, modeling, and design of electric machines, electric drive systems, and power electronics.  He discussed the nature of Dr. Pekarek’s research, noting that it was utilized by the U.S. military and NASA, among others, and he referenced one of six letters received in support of Dr. Pekarek’s appointment. Trustee Brouillette added that Dr. Pekarek was known as an outstanding mentor of undergraduate students.  Trustee DeKryger remarked that all the professors’ work was impressive and said the professors made the trustees very proud. 

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval of Dr. Pekarek’s appointment. Supporting documents and a photo were filed with the minutes.

As an electrical engineering alumnus, and with enthusiastic applause, Trustee Thompson showed his excitement for the recognition of all four professors of electrical and computer engineering.

VII. APPROVAL OF FACULTY PROMOTIONS FOR 2018-2019

Provost Akridge was pleased to recommend approval of faculty promotions for 2018-2019, the roster for which included 119 faculty members who had been recommended for promotion by the appropriate promotion committees. The roster had been provided to the Committee for its review prior to the meeting and included 99 faculty members at the West Lafayette campus, 6 at the Fort Wayne campus, 6 from the IUPUI campus, and 8 from Purdue Northwest.  Provost Akridge reminded the Committee that, to be considered for promotion, the faculty members must have demonstrated excellence and scholarly productivity in at least one of the three missions of a land-grant university – discovery, learning, and engagement.  He added that mentoring had also been documented, as specified by the revised guidelines for promotion and tenure. Provost Akridge underscored that the quality of Purdue University was sustained through the dedicated and creative work of the faculty, and he said that the roster of faculty members being considered for promotion was one of which to be proud.   

Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval of the roster of faculty promotions.  The supporting documents were filed with the minutes.

VIII. ADJOURNMENT

By consent, the meeting adjourned at 8:28 a.m. CDT.