By Kärin Raddock
The Presidential Search Committee plans to announce the names of the presidential candidate finalists for the University by the end of the week, said Richard Logan, the committee’s chair, at Tuesday’s Board of Trustees’ meeting.
Logan, also the Board of Trustees’ Vice Chair, added, “We’re probably also ready to con6rm the dates when the candidates will be on campus.”
He said information about when the 6nal candidates will be on campus is going to be posted on the school’s website in the next seven to eight days. That information will include a full schedule of where meetings will be held and who is invited.
“We are planning to kick things off on December 3rd – who we’re going to bring on campus,” said Logan.
He said the Presidential Search Committee had its final meeting this past Monday night, following two days of interviews with 10 candidates over Veterans Day weekend.
“It was a very positive weekend,” Logan said. “The outcome’s produced what we feel to be some very, very good candidates.”
Logan said the search committee “tried to be as focused as we could on the time frame.
“We recognize it was a quick turnaround from when President Flanagan resigned, to the time we appointed the search committee, to this evening.”
He said the committee worked “tirelessly” since mid-July.
Trustee Barbara Gardner complimented Logan for his efforts as chair of the committee. “He’s done an excellent job. It was hard to keep the timing going during that intensive weekend, but he did a superb job.”
Director of Fiscal Affairs Rachel Trant explained a summary given to the trustees about the University’s risk management and minimization.
She said a draft for a new procurement card policy and procedure has been circulated and it will be released after internal review.
According to the document available to trustees, “Next steps include the rollout of the new policy to any potential p-cardholders and their approving manager(s), which requires these staff to attend training about the requirements of the new policy and procedure prior to issuance of a p-card.”
Trustees approved 2014-2015 academic year sabbatical leave for 31 faculty members.
Vice President of Academic Affairs Linda Vaden-Goad said there “are maybe twice the names that typically we have.”
She explained the contract for sabbatical leave has changed, “which made two groups of faculty eligible this year. And that’s true at all the other state schools as well, because we share a contract.”
Executive Vice President Dale Hamel discussed the possible conveyance of 149 acres of land from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to FSU.
According to an informational document about the potential conveyance, that land is approximately 12 miles of shoreline surrounding Framingham reservoirs nearby FSU’s athletic field. It would be used for Framingham State’s environmental science and biology programs and Wildlife Club.
In addition, this land would allow for athletic field expansion supporting “the FSU Capital Master Plan concept for development of a new women’s softball 6eld adjacent to the existing Maple Field.”
Hamel said, “We continue to work with the commonwealth for the possible conveyance of this
property.”
Interim President Robert Martin said faculty members have been working with Vaden-Goad and Vice President of Enrollment and Student Development Susanne Conley to create some courses and academic programs for Framingham State’s upcoming 175th anniversary.