A stated meeting of the Purdue University Board of Trustees convened on Friday, June 7, 2024, at 10:46 a.m. in Stewart Center, Room 326 at Purdue University, West Lafayette.
Trustees present: Michael Berghoff, chairman; Sonny Beck; Kevin Boes; JoAnn Brouillette; Vanessa Castagna; Malcolm DeKryger; Michael Klipsch; Gary Lehman, vice chairman; and Shawn Taylor. Theresa Carter participated via conference call.
Officers and administrators in attendance included: Mung Chiang, president; Patrick Wolfe, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and diversity; Eva Nodine, senior vice president, assistant treasurer, and assistant secretary; Steve Schultz, senior vice president and general counsel; Cindy Ream, corporate secretary and senior executive assistant to the Board.
I. ROLL CALL
Chairman Berghoff called the meeting to order and noted all trustees were in attendance with the exception of Theresa Carter who participated via conference call.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the minutes for Executive Sessions convened on April 3, 2024, and April 4, 2024; Stated Meeting April 5, 2024.
III. UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGENDA
The Academic and Student Affairs Committee, Compensation Committee, Finance Committee and Physical Facilities Committees convened a public meeting immediately prior to this Stated Meeting. Chairman Berghoff read the list of items on which the Committee voted to recommend full Board approval, which includes the unanimous consent agenda along with other routine items, as follows:
- (WL) Approval of Posthumous Degree: Sameer Kamath; Sara Brown
- (WL) Ratification of:
- Evan and Sue Ann Werling Professor of Comparative Oncology
- Corteva AgriScience Henry A. Wallace Chair in Crop Science
- (WL-PNW) Approval of New Degrees
- MS Robotics Technology – Polytechnic Institute
- PhD Robotics Technology – Polytechnic Institute
- MS Software Engineering – Engineering
- Doctor of Engineering – Engineering
- MS Applied Artificial Intelligence – Purdue Northwest
- (SW) Approval of Additional Actions Related to SEA 202
- Approval of Key Terms of Amendment for Men’s Basketball Coach
- Approval of Key Terms of Amendment for Women’s Basketball Coach
- (SW) Approval of FY25 Operating Budget
- (WL-IN) Approval to Plan, Finance, Construct and Award Construction Contracts for the Academic Success Building
- (SW) Approval of Conflict-of-Interest Disclosures
- (SW) Approval of Exceptions to Nepotism Policy
- (IN) Approval of Faculty Promotion IUPUC – General Counsel, Steve Schultz provided clarity for this item noting that at the April meeting the Board approved a list of faculty promotions and tenure. A faculty member at IUPU in Columbus, which is a satellite campus of IUPUI was inadvertently left off the list. The request is to append her to the list that was approved in April. Supporting document was filed with the minutes.
- (WL) Approval of Resolution on Security Clearance Updates - General Counsel Schultz shared that for the sake of clarification the request for exclusion of any present or future Board member serving in the capacity of Student Trustee shall be, excluded from, and shall not have access to, any and all classified information relating to the national defense and security that may now or in the future be in the possession of the Corporation or of Purdue University. Cindy Ream, Corporate Secretary for the Corporation and the Board of Trustees was also added to the exclusion list. Supporting document was filed with the minutes.
- (SW) Approval of Conflict-of-Interest Disclosures
- (SW) Approval of Exceptions to Nepotism Policy
Chairman Berghoff asked if any of the Board members wished to have an item removed from the consent agenda for further discussion. Hearing no such request, and upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the unanimous consent agenda. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.
IV. FACULTY AWARDEE PRESENTATION
Dr. David Love, Nick Trbovich Professor, Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, shared a presentation on 6G Wireless Research and Applications. Dr. Love noted that Purdue has a long history of early contributions that have revolutionized access. He shared that Purdue has an ongoing tradition of excellence in communications research and noted precision agriculture is a research area critical to solving world’s food issues. A copy of Dr. Love’s presentation was filed with the minutes.
V. FACULTY AWARDS RECOGNITION
President Chiang recognized individually those who received sponsored research awards of $1M and above from January 2024 through May 2024. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.
VI. PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Approval of Resolution of Appreciation for Friends of Purdue University
President Chiang profiled the gifts of $1,000,000.00 or more which the university had received since the Board’s stated Meeting on April 5, 2024. The donors of these gifts were recognized in the following Resolution of Appreciation:
WHEREAS, the following friends of Purdue University have generously contributed $1,000,000 or more to move Purdue to greater excellence and preeminence; and
WHEREAS, the University wishes to acknowledge the significance of these gifts to new directions, advancements, and momentum in Purdue’s history, progress, and future;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED BY THE TRUSTEES OF PURDUE UNIVERSITY:
1. That the University and the Trustees are grateful to these individuals for their leadership and support of Purdue University; and
2. That this resolution be spread upon the minutes of the Board of Trustees as part of the permanent record of the University.
FRIENDS: Sandra Bish, to support the College of Science; Mary Anne Davidson, to support the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business; Ronald and Susan Dollens, to support the College of Pharmacy and the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business; Robert and Amy Martin, to support Intercollegiate Athletics; Brooke Patterson, to support the College of Pharmacy; Marvin and Melanie Richardson, to support the College of Pharmacy; James Tarpo Jr. and Margaret Tarpo, to support the College of Science; Hugh Brian Underwood and Carol Blacutt-Underwood, to support the School of Materials Engineering; John and Lori Zehner, to support the College of Pharmacy; Anonymous, to support the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering; Anonymous, to support the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering; and Anonymous, to support the School of Industrial Engineering and Purdue Institute for Cancer Research.
President Chiang submitted the Resolution of Appreciation for Board approval.
Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the resolution. Supporting materials and a formal copy of the Resolution were filed with the minutes.
One Health Strategic Initiative
President Chiang reviewed the Four Universitywide Initiatives and provided details for One Health. He shared the four pillars of One Health which include Health Academic Affairs, Life Science/Chem+ Research Facility Study, One Health Innovation District, and Eli Lilly Partnership.
Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve and adopt the Resolution which authorizes various actions related to the launch of a new strategic initiative in health and life sciences, to be known as “Purdue One Health Initiative”. A formal copy of the resolution was filed with the minutes along with President Chiang’s presentation.
2020 Sustainability Master Plan Update
Mike Cline, Senior Vice President, Administrative Operations presented the 2020 Sustainability Master Plan Update. He shared recent recognition in support of Purdue sustainability. He noted the five areas which include energy, water, materials, buildings, and grounds and noted the successes in each area. He shared items going forward to assist with the current trajectory which included; pursuit of clean energy, working with Duke Energy and energy demand management. He thanked the Administrative Operations staff and noted their hard work and dedication to the Sustainability Master Plan. A copy of the presentation was filed with the minutes.
VII. EXCEPTIONS TO RETIREMENT POLICY
Chairman Berghoff noted the next item for the day was to approve an Exception from Retirement Policy for Alysa Rollock and Julie Rosa. General Counsel Schultz provided details regarding the exception request. He noted that Julie Rosa joined the University in 1993 and Alysa Rollock joined Purdue in 1998. He shared that both Julie and Alysa have served in no less than five different Purdue University administrations, and they continue to be counted among our most valuable colleagues.
Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the exceptions from retirement policy for Alysa Rollock and Julie Rosa. Supporting documents were filed with the minutes.
VIII. APPROVAL TO RENAME FACILITIES
Chairman Berghoff noted final action items for the day was the approval to rename two facilities. The first is the approval to rename the Data Science Building to the Hall of Data Science and AI.
Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Trustees voted to approve the renaming of the Data Science Building to the Hall of Data Science and AI. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.
The second renaming is the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory to the Willie M. Reed Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. Provost Wolfe noted that Dean Willie Reed has been at Purdue for 25 years and has been Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine for the past 16 years.
Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Trustees voted to approve the renaming of the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory to the Willie M. Reed animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. Supporting materials were filed with the minutes.
Dean Reed thanked Provost Wolfe for the kind remarks and the Board for the honor.
In conclusion, Chairman Berghoff presented Dean Reed with a Resolution of Appreciation. The formal Resolution is included in the minutes.
RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION FOR WILLIE M. REED
WHEREAS, Willie Reed served as dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine from 2007 to 2024 during his 25 total years of service to Purdue University; and
WHEREAS, Willie consistently championed One Health at Purdue – bringing together animal health, human health and plant health – and the university continues to strengthen and accelerate his groundbreaking approach to excellence and education in these areas; and
WHEREAS, Willie guided Purdue Veterinary Medicine in developing and executing a series of three visionary strategic plans to enhance the future through innovative educational initiatives, groundbreaking research, and creative and effective engagement programs; and
WHEREAS, Willie’s strategic planning initiatives culminated in the opening of the David and Bonnie Brunner Purdue Veterinary Medical Hospital Complex in 2022 – expanding the college’s Small Animal Hospital and creating new Equine and Farm Animal hospitals to replace the Large Animal Hospital; and
WHEREAS, Willie’s leadership of the college also improved Purdue DVM and veterinary nursing education through implementation of new approaches to clinical skills training and the use of innovative technology; and
WHEREAS, Willie fostered growth in research programs, achieving record-level research funding through expanded external support for scientific discovery that advances medicine for both animals and humans; and
WHEREAS, Willie spearheaded efforts that enhanced the teaching, clinical and research facilities in Lynn Hall; increased the DVM class size by 20%; fostered successful recruitment of faculty members from around the globe in many disciplines; and significantly expanded the college’s global engagement programs; and
WHEREAS, Willie’s many achievements were recognized in 2023 when he was selected by the American Veterinary Medical Association as its inaugural recipient of the AVMA Frederick Douglass Patterson Lifetime Achievement Award, honoring his innovative leadership and contributions in supporting and promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the veterinary profession; and
WHEREAS, Willie earned his PhD in pathology from Purdue in 1982 and joined the College of Veterinary Medicine faculty as an assistant professor of veterinary pathology and diagnostician in the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory; and
WHEREAS, Willie served eight years on the Purdue faculty before joining the Michigan State University faculty as a full professor and director of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and then returning to Purdue as dean; and
WHEREAS, thanks to Willie’s guidance, the College of Veterinary Medicine is set up for continued success;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED BY THE TRUSTEES OF PURDUE UNIVERSITY:
1. That the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory be renamed to the Willie M. Reed Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory to honor Willie’s loyalty and service to Purdue University, the veterinary medicine profession, and the State of Indiana; and
2. Willie is hereby granted the title and status of dean emeritus.
IX. ADJOURNMENT
By consent, the meeting adjourned at 12:01 p.m.
- 06-07-24 | Stated Meeting