Penn State's Board of Trustees met on Friday, Jan. 19, 2007, on Penn State's University Park campus. The following items were presented to the board for action or informational purposes:
Penn State Board of Trustees meets; President Spanier's remarks
Penn State's Board of Trustees held its regular, bi-monthly meeting Jan. 19 on Penn State's University Park campus. In his opening remarks to the board, President Graham B. Spanier provided a brief update on some of the activities that have occurred since the last board meeting. Among the topics covered were commencement in December, in which the University graduated a total of 4,511 students; the University's student-athlete graduation rate, which continues to be well above its peers nationwide; and the publication of "The Collegian Chronicles: A History of Penn State from the Pages of the Daily Collegian." Spanier also updated the board on the Trustee Matching Scholarship, and reminded everyone with Penn State Access Accounts to change their passwords before Feb. 1.
Read the full text of the president's remarks at http://live.psu.edu/story/21794
University to establish School of International Affairs
Penn State University's Board of Trustees today (Jan. 19) approved the establishment of a new School of International Affairs, effective July 1. "The need has never been greater for professionals of all walks of life to develop a deeper awareness of a world that is increasingly linked in matters of peace and security, health and commerce, and the sharing of natural resources," said Penn State President Graham B. Spanier. "We believe that Penn State can enhance its contribution to this multidisciplinary challenge by establishing a School of International Affairs."
Read the full story at http://live.psu.edu/story/21792
International students, scholars enhance learning environment, culture
Students from diverse international backgrounds improve the educational experiences of their University peers and contribute to research endeavors at Penn State, a panel of experts explained today (Jan. 19) in a report to the University's Board of Trustees. Panelists -- who included Robert Pangborn, vice president and dean for Undergraduate Education and professor of engineering mechanics; Lewis Jillings, executive director for International Programs and associate dean for internationalization; and Negar Davis, director of International Student Services -- noted that the University's undergraduate and graduate programs count students from more than 123 countries, most significantly from China, India and Korea. This finding reflects a nationwide trend, according to a poll by the Institute of International Education.
Read the full story at http://live.psu.edu/story/21789
Graduate education nourishes several levels of the university experience
The Graduate School at Penn State attracts high-quality students from diverse backgrounds who are motivated to achieve and simultaneously reciprocate benefits to the greater University community, noted Eva Pell, senior vice president for research and dean of The Graduate School, in a report to the University's Board of Trustees today (Jan. 19). The Graduate School's successful reputation has been reflected in a recent boost in interest among prospective students.
Read the full story at http://live.psu.edu/story/21788
Board hears overview of University's assessment initiatives
Renata Engel, chair of the Coordinating Committee on University Assessment, and Louise Sandmeyer, executive director of planning and institutional assessment, updated the Board of Trustees today (Jan. 19) on the development of a University-wide plan to prioritize assessment needs related to student learning. As part of the University's efforts to build, share and maintain effective practices to assess student learning, various teams have been developing workshops, databases and venues for discussion. The Assessment Academy developed by the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, the Quality Advocates Network via the Office of Planning and Institutional Assessment, and many others promote the culture of assessment.
Read the full story at http://live.psu.edu/story/21793
Additions planned for steam plant, Computer Building
Additions will be constructed for two University Park facilities, the Penn State Board of Trustees learned today (Jan. 19). The East Campus Steam Plant and Computer Building will be enhanced through expansions. The steam plant, located off of Porter Road, will be expanded to meet increasing steam demand. The expansion will house a combustion turbine and heat recovery steam generator. The new addition will complement the appearance of the existing building and minimize impact on the site. The Computer Building addition aims to provide reliable mechanical and electrical systems support to the University's data center. The expansion will house stand-by generators, uninterruptible power supplies and electrical gear.
Read the full story at http://live.psu.edu/story/21798
Trustees approve new name for McKeesport campus
Penn State's presence in the Pittsburgh suburb of McKeesport will be taking on a new name: Penn State Greater Allegheny. Approved Jan. 19 by the University's Board of Trustees, the name change is intended to support the campus' regional presence, facilitate an expanded vision and evolving mission for the campus and raise general awareness of the campus. The new name also is expected to give campus alumni and Penn Staters living in the Greater Allegheny County region an understanding of the campus' position as the only Penn State campus in the county. More than 22,000 Penn State alumni live in Allegheny County -- the largest concentration of alumni residing in any one county in the nation -- and approximately 4,000 Penn State students hail from the county.
Read the full story at http://live.psu.edu/story/21790
Trustees approve Penn State Harrisburg campus Master Plan
A campus master plan for Penn State Harrisburg received approval from the University's Board of Trustees Friday (Jan. 19). "Campus planning has been an essential business practice here at Penn State," said Gary C. Schultz, senior vice president for finance and business/treasurer of the University. "The master plan is a guide to help make critical long-term decisions regarding the physical development of the campus. Informed and thoughtful long-range planning will help to make the campus better with every investment and every design decision." Schultz explained that the campus master plan is an opportunities plan that defines possibilities for accommodating change -- not an implementation plan.
Read the full story at http://live.psu.edu/story/21791
University demonstrates progress in mitigating energy consumption, environmental impact
In a report to Penn State's Board of Trustees today (Jan. 19), Steven Maruszewski, deputy associate vice president for Physical Plant, explained that the University is committed to aggressively reducing its impact on the environment, and seeks the cooperation of its students, staff and faculty to be careful stewards of the University's energy resources. Under the University's current environmental plan projected through 2012, emissions would fall 17.5 percent below the 2005-2006 baseline year -- dropping to pre-1996-1997 levels -- and would also offset approximately 2 percent in traditional annual emissions growth. "Without taking into account new building growth, the University's reduction target is effectively 29.5 percent by 2012, plus whatever can be achieved through our energy-conservation awareness efforts," said Maruszewski. The plan would avoid at least $20 million in utility costs, as well as the capital costs that would otherwise have been required to grow the University's utility infrastructure.
Read the full story at http://live.psu.edu/story/21830
Environmental stewardship initiatives support Earth-sensitive plan
To reinforce the University's strategies to aggressively reduce its energy consumption and minimize its impact on the environment, several environmental stewardship initiatives were developed and continue to serve as a framework to help meet its strategic goals. In a presentation to the Board of Trustees today (Jan. 19), Steven M. Maruszewski, deputy associate vice president for Physical Plant, highlighted a few of the many programs and practices that reflect those goals toward the University's ongoing efforts to be ecologically responsible.
Read the full story at http://live.psu.edu/story/21831
Penn State Board elects Broadhurst as chair, Garban as vice-chair
James S. Broadhurst, chairman and chief executive officer of Eat'n Park Hospitality Group Inc., was elected chair of Penn State's Board of Trustees today (Jan. 19). Steve A. Garban was elected vice-chair. Broadhurst was first appointed to the Board of Trustees in 1998 to fill an unexpired term as a business and industry trustee, and was elected for successive terms. He was elected vice chair of the board in 2004 and re-elected in 2005 and 2006. Garban is the senior vice president of finance and operations/treasurer emeritus of Penn State. He currently serves as a director of Metropolitan Life Series Fund in New York; State Street Research and Management Mutual Funds in Boston; and on The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Board of Directors. Garban was elected to the Board of Trustees by the alumni for a three-year term beginning July 1998, and has been re-elected for succeeding terms.
Read the full story at http://live.psu.edu/story/21836