A meeting of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees convened at 9:01 a.m. on Friday, December 3, 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; Janice Indrutz, corporate secretary and senior executive assistant to the Board; Ron Elsenbaumer, chancellor, Purdue Fort Wayne; and Tom Keon, chancellor, Purdue Northwest.
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 meeting convened on October 1, 2021. Trustee Brouillette indicated that minutes of the November 16, 2021, meeting were not yet available.
II. UPDATE ON EFFORTS TO ADDRESS SEXUAL ASSAULT ON CAMPUS
Trustee Brouillette informed the Board that there had been a number of meetings held since the Committee and Board last met on October 1, 2021, with regard to addressing sexual assault on campus. She said the meetings had included Dr. Beth McCuskey, vice provost for Student Life, Dr. Katie Sermersheim, dean of students, Provost Akridge, Trustee Gee, General Counsel Schultz, and many student groups. Provost Akridge confirmed there had been a number of meetings and conversations with student groups and student leadership, and he said the University Senate had been deeply engaged under Professor Beaudoin’s leadership. He expressed his appreciation to the University Senate as well as to the students for their feedback. Trustee Gee remarked that he was impressed by how well the students had represented themselves, saying they were very thoughtful about the issues and recognizing that their suggestions had evolved into action supported by the administration and Purdue Police Department. Vice Provost McCuskey indicated that Student Life was focusing on communication and education. Trustee Brouillette thanked everyone for the update and the great work being done in regard to preventing sexual assault on campus.
III. APPROVAL TO APPOINT 150th ANNIVERSARY PROFESSOR
Provost Akridge respectfully requested approval to appoint Dr. Haley F. Oliver as a 150th Anniversary Professor in the College of Agriculture. He informed the Committee that a consistent theme throughout all aspects of Dr. Oliver’s work was her extraordinary ability to teach and engage students, including mentorship of 40 undergraduate students in her laboratory. Provost Akridge shared that Dr. Oliver was the director of the first-ever Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Safety, which was established by the U.S. Agency for International Development, and she served on the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods, having been appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. Provost Akridge noted a few of the numerous prestigious honors Dr. Oliver had received for her research, leadership, and teaching; these included Purdue’s highest honors. To conclude his recommendation, Provost Akridge cited one of her students, who said, “As a student worker in Dr. Oliver’s lab, there was never a moment when I was not learning.”
Trustee DeKryger noted that Dr. Oliver’s name and photo had been appearing in more and more articles over the last three to five years, and he said he was proud of her work and her impact on students. Trustee Brouillette remarked that mentorship was now included in the criteria for promotion and tenure and said Dr. Oliver’s impactful mentorship of students was an example of that. Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval of Dr. Oliver’s appointment as 150th Anniversary Professor. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.
Dr. Oliver remarked, “It doesn’t matter how much research we do if we don’t remember who our true clients are – the students.” She also expressed her appreciation for the opportunities Purdue had provided her.
IV. APPROVAL TO APPOINT THE CHARLES D. AND NANCY G. DAVIDSON PROFESSOR OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Provost Akridge respectfully requested approval to appoint Dr. Jeffrey P. Greeley as the Charles D. and Nancy G. Davidson Professor of Chemical Engineering. He informed the Committee that Dr. Greeley’s research focused on enhancing society’s ability to meet critical energy and environmental challenges by understanding, predicting, and controlling the interactions of molecules with solid surfaces. Provost Akridge further discussed Dr. Greeley’s research, describing it as revolutionary and pioneering, with implications for future improvements in clean energy and environmental technologies. To conclude his recommendation, Provost Akridge cited two of seven letters received in support of Dr. Greeley’s appointment.
Trustee Brouillette remarked that Dr. Greeley was yet another star. Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted to recommend full Board approval of Dr. Greeley’s appointment as the Charles D. and Nancy G. Davidson Professor of Chemical Engineering. Supporting documents were filed with the minutes.
Dr. Greeley remarked that it was a profound honor and a humbling experience to receive such recognition from the university. He thanked the Davidsons for their tireless support of the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, and he spoke about his experience at Purdue, saying the students were the capstone and faculty and staff were remarkably collegial and dedicated to each other’s success.
V. APPROVAL TO APPOINT THE ARVIND VARMA PROFESSOR OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Provost Akridge respectfully requested approval to appoint Dr. Zoltan Nagy as the Arvind Varma Professor of Chemical Engineering. He informed the Committee that Dr. Nagy’s widely impactful research focused on developing and applying process systems engineering concepts and tools for the understanding, design, and control of complex chemical and pharmaceutical systems. He also described Dr. Nagy as an active entrepreneur who had successfully commercialized his crystallization software, secured five patents, and cofounded two award-winning start-up companies. Provost Akridge added that Dr. Nagy’s research had attracted funding from a diverse range of sources, including the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. To conclude his recommendation, Provost Akridge cited one of five letters received in support of Dr. Nagy’s appointment, the writer of which stated that Dr. Nagy was a widely recognized global expert in the area of advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Trustee Brouillette noted that the late Dr. Varma had played a vital role in recruiting Dr. Nagy to Purdue. Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval of Dr. Nagy’s appointment as the Arvind Varma Professor of Chemical Engineering. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.
Dr. Nagy remarked that being named the Arvind Varma Professor was an honor and privilege. He echoed Dr. Greeley’s sentiment about Purdue’s collegial environment and said he had now been a proud Boilermaker for a decade. Dr. Nagy added that being the Arvind Varma Professor was also a responsibility given Dr. Varma’s legacy, and he would continue to strive for research excellence.
VI. FOR PURDUE FORT WAYNE: APPROVAL TO CHANGE DEPARTMENT NAMES
Trustee Brouillette stated that the Committee had received a request to change the names of three departments at Purdue Fort Wayne (PFW) as a result of the Colleges of Science and Liberal Arts having reviewed their respective visions and missions. Provost Akridge specifically outlined the name changes as follows: Department of Biology to Department of Biological Sciences; Department of Chemistry to Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; and General Studies to Department of Integrated Studies. He informed the Committee that the name changes were supported by both the PFW faculty and the university’s Academic Organization Committee. Trustee Brouillette asked Chancellor Elsenbaumer if he wished to make additional comments about the recommendation, to which he responded that Provost Akridge had summarized it well. Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend full Board approval to change the names of the three departments as outlined. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.
VII. FOR PURDUE NORTHWEST: APPROVAL OF DOCTOR OF TECHNOLOGY DEGREE
Provost Akridge respectfully requested the Committee’s approval to offer a Doctor of Technology degree at Purdue University Northwest. He informed the Committee that the recommendation was based on the needs of business and industry in the region, the growth of professional doctoral programs, and the demand for emerging skills in a knowledge-based and technology-based economy. Provost Akridge further explained the need for the degree and said it would target alumni of the Master of Science in Technology program who worked in northwest Indiana and the Chicago area. Trustee Brouillette asked Chancellor Keon if he wished to make additional comments about the recommendation, to which he replied that the degree was part of a larger strategy for northwest Indiana. He explained that, in cooperation with a consultant, a consortium of northwest Indiana businesses had concluded that Purdue Northwest was the university to move northwest Indiana forward in innovation and commercialization through applied research and advanced professional development.
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.
VIII. UNIVERSITY SENATE REPORT
Professor Steve Beaudoin, chair of the University Senate, summarized the outcomes of the November 15, 2021, meeting of the Senate. He was pleased to report that the Honors College now had two senators and the Senate had endorsed elements of Purdue Student Government’s SAFER initiative. He also shared that the Senate had an extended discussion about benefits as well as reconstitution of the Senate as proposed by former chair of the University Senate, Deborah Nichols.
Professor Beaudoin shared that other Senate priorities had been set aside to focus on the priority of reducing sexual assault on campus. He discussed the formation of an advisory committee to gather information and offer impactful suggestions, with a focus on the areas of education, messaging, support, and consequences. Professor Beaudoin expressed his appreciation to the many offices across campus who had reached out to lend their voice to the effort, and he said he continued to be impressed by the students’ fervor and respectfulness.
Trustee DeKryger asked Professor Beaudoin how the faculty felt about the discussion relative to reconstituting the Senate. Professor Beaudoin responded that everyone appreciated the basis for the discussion but there was not enough understanding at this time. He added that faculty recognized there needed to be a body that functioned efficiently and effectively, maintained decorum, and engaged in a way that made everyone proud, but how to retain appropriate oversight, authority, and voice was yet to be determined.
To conclude his report, Professor Beaudoin remarked to Dr. Frank Dooley, chancellor of Purdue Global, that Purdue Global had made the university proud. Professor Beaudoin also expressed pride for his Chemical Engineering colleagues who were honored during the meeting and affirmed that Dr. Greeley and Dr. Nagy are indeed world leaders in their areas. A copy of Professor Beaudoin’s report presentation was filed with the minutes.
President Daniels took a moment to recognize Professor Beaudoin, saying that the Purdue Energetics Research Center was the finest in the country thanks to his directorship. Chairman Berghoff expressed his appreciation for Professor Beaudoin’s remarks about Purdue Global.
IX. ADJOURNMENT
By consent, the meeting adjourned at 9:45 a.m.