A meeting of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees convened at 8:49 a.m. on Friday, October 1, 2021, in Room 326 of Stewart Center on the campus of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Everyone in the room was wearing a mask amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
All committee members were present: JoAnn Brouillette, chair; Vanessa Castagna; Malcolm DeKryger; Mark Gee; and Professor Steve Beaudoin (ex-officio). All other trustees were present: Sonny Beck; Michael Berghoff; Theresa Carter; Michael Klipsch; Gary Lehman; and Don Thompson.
Officers and administrators in attendance were: Mitch Daniels, president; Jay Akridge, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and diversity; Chris Ruhl, chief financial officer and treasurer; Jim Almond, senior vice president, assistant treasurer, and assistant secretary; Steve Schultz, general counsel; Trent Klingerman; deputy general counsel; and Janice Indrutz, corporate secretary and senior executive assistant to the Board.
I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to approve the minutes of its last meeting convened on August 6, 2021.
II. APPROVAL OF POSTHUMOUS PROMOTION TO ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
Provost Akridge respectfully requested approval to posthumously promote Dr. Chunhua Zhang from Assistant Professor of Botany and Plant Pathology to Associate Professor of Botany and Plant Pathology. He informed the Committee that Dr. Zhang was a plant biologist who studied vesicle trafficking in plant cells during growth and in response to environmental stress. He further discussed Dr. Zhang’s research and said her work had been published in top journals and she had several provisional and approved patents to secure the intellectual property around her discoveries. Provost Akridge also shared that, in 2016, Dr. Zhang was the inaugural hire for the Purdue Moves’ Plant Science initiative and quickly gained the respect of her peers and students. He said Dr. Zhang had prepared her promotion and tenure document in spring 2021 in preparation for consideration for tenure in fall 2021, but she passed away from pancreatic cancer on March 15, 2021, following the birth of her fourth child.
Trustee Brouillette noted that Dr. Zhang had met the seven criteria established for a posthumous promotion, and she expressed her gratitude to Provost Akridge and Dr. Karen Plaut, dean of the College of Agriculture, for seeking to recognize Dr. Zhang’s outstanding work and honor her legacy in this way. She acknowledged that Dr. Zhang left behind a husband and four children and expressed her hope that the Board’s action today would provide them a measure of comfort. Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval to posthumously promote Dr. Zhang to Associate Professor. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.
Trustee Brouillette tearfully addressed Dr. Zhang’s husband, Dr. Junli Liu, saying “our hearts ache for you and your family, and we are grateful Professor Zhang was a member of our Purdue family.”
III. APPROVAL TO APPOINT THE ST. VINCENT HEALTH PROFESSOR OF HEALTHCARE ENGINEERING
Provost Akridge respectfully requested approval to appoint Dr. Pavlos Vlachos as the St. Vincent Health Professor of Healthcare Engineering. He informed the Committee that Dr. Vlachos was an internationally recognized leader in the field of fluid dynamics, advanced optical flow diagnostics and image processing, and biomedical fluid dynamics. Provost Akridge also shared that Dr. Vlachos was a prolific researcher who had authored over 400 papers and held eight patents, and he cited one of five letters received in support of Dr. Vlachos’ appointment. Trustee Brouillette observed that another letter writer expressed his belief that Dr. Vlachos epitomized Sam Regenstrief’s vision for the Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering, of which Dr. Vlachos currently serves as director. Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval of Dr. Vlachos’ appointment as St. Vincent Health Professor of Healthcare Engineering. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.
Dr. Vlachos briefly discussed his career trajectory and said his eight years at Purdue had been both productive and challenging. He also affirmed his commitment to the vision of the Regenstrief Center, especially, he said, during and following the COVID-19 pandemic.
IV. APPROVAL TO APPOINT THE DANE A. MILLER HEAD OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
Provost Akridge respectfully requested approval to appoint Dr. David M. Umulis as the Dane A. Miller Head of Biomedical Engineering. He informed the Committee that Dr. Umulis had joined Purdue in 2008 as an assistant professor and quickly advanced through the academic ranks. He explained that Dr. Umulis’ research focused on understanding how molecular components involved in signal transduction and gene expression were integrated into networks and how these networks transduced the inputs they received and produced the desired pattern of gene expression. Provost Akridge quoted Dr. Mung Chiang, John A. Edwardson Dean of the College of Engineering, as saying Dr. Umulis was an impactful research leader, award-winning teacher, widely respected mentor to young faculty colleagues, and an administrator with a proven track record. Provost Akridge said he joined Dean Chiang in his excitement about Dr. Umulis’ appointment given the challenge to find the right person to succeed Dr. George Wodicka in this important role.
Trustee Brouillette suggested that many people, especially those in Indiana, might recognize the late Dane Miller’s name, as he founded Biomet, Inc., located in Warsaw, Indiana, and was a leader in the orthopedics field. She also noted that Dr. Umulis was one of nine faculty members who received the 2021 Purdue Engineering Faculty Excellence Award. Student Trustee Gee remarked that he had been a student in two of Dr. Umulis’ classes and could attest to Dr. Umulis’ innovative approaches to teaching. Student Trustee Gee also stated that, because Dr. Umulis served on his graduate committee, he would recuse himself from this vote. Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted to recommend full Board approval of Dr. Umulis’ appointment as Dane A. Miller Head of Biomedical Engineering. Supporting documents were filed with the minutes.
Dr. Umulis shared that he had been a first-generation student thanks to a mentor who had taken him under her wing, and he expressed his desire to play a similar role for Purdue students. Chairman Berghoff thanked Dr. Umulis for sharing his personal story.
V. APPROVAL TO APPOINT THE JERRY AND ROSIE SEMLER CHAIR IN ECONOMICS
Provost Akridge respectfully requested approval to appoint Dr. Mario J. Crucini as the inaugural Jerry and Rosie Semler Chair in Economics. He informed the Committee that Dr. Crucini, who had been recruited from Vanderbilt University, had studied business cycles across countries for more than thirty years and had published important research on savings behavior, investments, exchange rates, tariffs, and U.S. monetary policy. Provost Akridge added that Dr. Crucini was also a pioneer in collecting internationally comparable price data, and he said Dr. Crucini’s work exemplified the vision for the Semler Chair as someone whose empirical research contributed to the understanding of economic policy. Provost Akridge cited one of nine letters received in support of Dr. Crucini’s appointment, written by a senior vice president and monetary policy advisor in the research and statistics group of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Trustee Brouillette expressed her understanding that the Department of Economics had searched for five years to fill this position, and she looked forward to the recognition and excellence which Dr. Crucini would garner for Purdue University. Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval of Dr. Crucini’s appointment as the Jerry and Rosie Semler Chair in Economics. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.
Dr. Crucini told a personal story about his father’s upbringing and how he helped his father write letters of reference, an experience which he believed influenced his academic path, and he recognized the significance of Purdue’s land-grant mission.
VI. APPROVAL TO NAME THE SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM MANAGEMENT
Provost Akridge respectfully requested approval to name the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management the White Lodging—J.W. Marriott Jr. School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. He suggested that this name would recognize the generous support and commitment of alumnus Bruce White and his wife, Elizabeth, and honor the standard of excellence established by J.W. Marriott and the Marriott family. Provost Akridge recounted Mr. White’s long history with Purdue, which included serving on the Board of Trustees from 2011-2015 and the White family’s significant gift to transform and modernize the Union Club Hotel.
Dr. Marion Underwood, dean of the College of Consumer and Family Sciences, thanked the White family for their incredible generosity and said the Whites’ gift was transformative and would elevate the School. Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval to name the White Lodging—J.W. Marriott Jr. School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.
VII. APPROVAL TO NAME THE ROGER C. STEWART LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WITHIN STUDENT LIFE
Provost Akridge respectfully requested the Committee’s approval to name the Roger C. Stewart Leadership and Professional Development Department within Student Life. He informed the Committee that naming the department for Mr. Stewart, a Purdue alumnus, would honor his generosity and align with his passion for supporting students and enhancing their preparedness by fostering and growing their leadership skills for success in life beyond Purdue. Upon retiring from the Procter & Gamble Company in 2005, Mr. Stewart returned to Purdue where he taught finance in the Krannert master’s program, served as executive director of both the graduate and undergraduate programs, and also worked in the Office of the Dean of Students.
Trustee Brouillette thanked Mr. Stewart for being in attendance and asked Dr. Beth McCuskey, vice provost for student life, to remark on the request. Vice Provost McCuskey explained why the department was important for the students, and she expressed her gratitude to Mr. Stewart for his generosity and commitment to students. Student Trustee Gee shared his observations of Mr. Stewart as a mentor to students. Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval to name the Roger C. Stewart Leadership and Professional Development Department. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.
Mr. Stewart remarked about having hired, managed, and taught Purdue students and how he observed their academic prowess and work ethic, and he further explained why the leadership and professional development program was valuable to students.
VIII. APPROVAL OF M.S. IN ATHLETIC TRAINING
Provost Akridge respectfully requested approval to offer a Master of Science degree in Athletic Training within the Department of Health and Kinesiology in the College of Health and Human Sciences. He informed the Committee that the degree program would prepare students to enter the workforce and provide clinical leadership while advancing health knowledge and improving the quality of life for active individuals. Provost Akridge indicated the program would be accredited, discussed how the program would be delivered, and said faculty would work closely with community partners to introduce innovative clinical fieldwork. Dr. Marion Underwood, dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences, explained that a master’s degree had become a requirement for many entry level positions. Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval of the degree. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.
IX. APPROVAL TO AWARD HONORARY DOCTORATE DEGREES IN SPRING 2022
Trustee Brouillette stated the Committee had received the dossiers for two candidates under consideration for honorary doctorate degrees to be awarded in May 2022; in keeping with past practice, their names would remain confidential. Trustee Brouillette said the candidates, from the College of Engineering and the Krannert School of Management, were very impressive and had made many contributions to the university, the state, and nationally. Provost Akridge affirmed that the candidates had been reviewed by the appropriate school and university committees. Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval to award honorary doctorate degrees to the two candidates. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.
X. RATIFICATION OF PROCEDURES FOR GRANTING EMERITUS RANK
Trustee Brouillette stated the Committee had received a copy of the systemwide procedures for granting emeritus rank. Provost Akridge explained that the Board first ratified a policy for conferral of emeritus rank in June 1970, but, since that time, the policy had been recast as a set of procedures which had been updated over the years. Therefore, he recommended ratification of the most current procedures for granting emeritus rank to memorialize the Board’s consent to the process. Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval of the procedures. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.
XI. DEMOSTRATORS ACKNOWLEDGED
Trustee Brouillette announced that the members of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee had met with several student representatives immediately prior to this meeting to address their concerns regarding recent sexual assaults on campus. A number of students were in attendance for the meeting, some seated in the room and many standing in the hallway, to which Trustee Brouillette said, “We hear you, we share your concerns, and we are grateful for your efforts.” Professor Steve Beaudoin, chair of the University Senate, also addressed the crowd of students to assure them that their concerns would be addressed through appropriate means.
XII. UNIVERSITY SENATE REPORT
Professor Beaudoin reported on resolutions which the Senate had passed at its most recent meeting. These included a resolution regarding the civics literacy requirement. Professor Beaudoin stated that, although the resolution expressed the Senate’s belief that there had been a lack of shared governance with adoption of the civics literacy requirement, the Senate was committed to ensuring its success. He also shared that the Senate was moving forward on a number of priorities, which he reviewed for the Committee. To conclude his report, Professor Beaudoin said he was pleased the students were in attendance to voice their concerns about sexual assault, saying everyone wanted a safer campus and he looked forward to having more conversations with the students in this regard. A copy of Professor Beaudoin’s report presentation was filed with the minutes.
XIII. ADJOURNMENT
By consent, the meeting adjourned at 9:34 a.m.