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Show Tuesday, 24 June 1986 Vol. 46 No. 60 PRESIDENTS of the nine colleges and universities in Utah met with the Board of Regents last Friday to study the problems that arose when the Utah legislature cut the funding for higher education by 1.2 percent earlier this year. ASWSC PRESIDENT Jonathan Wright presents his survey to the Board concerning the five percent student tuition surcharge. The surcharge was being considered by the Regents as a possible way to fatten up an already-lean budget for the 1986-87 school year (Signpost photos: Jeff Bybee) i ? I : f 1 i . ' - Regents discuss 'crossroads' of education Linda R. Nimori Editor-in-Chief Each month, the Utah Board of Regents meets at one of the nine colleges and universities in the state to discuss matters affecting the education process of these higher institutions. Weber State hosted the Regents on this campus last Friday in the Shepherd Union building.. The meeting included not only the Regents themselves, but also the presidents of the various state colleges and universities; campus and local newspaper and TV reporters and photographers, and several studentbody presidencies from WSC and other campuses. Sue Marie Young, chair of the Board of Regents, brought the 9 a.m. meeting to order, asking WSC president Stephen D. Nadauld to open the session with his presentation. Nadauld informed the participants that he and his management staff are committed to serving the students of Weber State. He also reiterated his belief that WSC is one of the finest undergraduate schools in the nation. He took the opportunity to introduce his management staff, praising them for individual efforts and efficiency. Dr. Jerald T. Storey, Vice President for Business Affairs, emphasized Weber's architectural and landscape design, noting that the college had received two national awards for these categories. He also spoke about the beauty of the "duck pond," but confided that the basin was designed for excess run-off and not just for the ducks. Dean Hurst, Vice President for College Relations, spoke of the centennial year coming up for WSC in 1989 and mentioned several ways in which the college is already planning to commemorate it (see the feature photo of the "rock" on page 3). Dr. Robert B. Smith, Vice President for Academic Affairs, pointed out that during the last five years, Weber State had discontinued only one vocational program but had initiated 12 more. He made note of the fact that 10-12 of WSC's vocational programs are nationally recognized. He paid further tribute to the award-winning Open Hour, which was started at Weber, and the undergraduate research conferences held on this campus during the 1985-86 school year. The main topic of the meeting was summed up in the words of Commissioner Wm. Rolfe Kerr, who alluded to the fact that "higher education in the state of Utah is at a very critical crossroads . . . either we stay in business and be competitive or we diminish into mediocrity." He felt that settling for mediocrity would be the "death knell of the economy" of Utah. It was a general feeling with the Board that the public needed to be made aware of its responsibility towards higher education.Regent Marvin J. Ashton felt that a public awareness campaign is important to the situation, and Regent Elva Barnes emphasized that, for the first time, Utah students are on the brink of being denied ready access to Utah's educational system. Earlier in the year, a 1.2 percent cut in funding for higher education was approved by the Utah legislature. Now, the Regents are facing another one percent cut this month, due to increased expenditures for flood control and revenue shortfalls.There was a general recommendation by the Board to "remind" the governor of a previous request to raise taxes instead.Raising student tuition with a five percent surcharge was discouraged by the student government element attending the meeting. Jonathan Wright, WSC studentbody president for the 1986-87 school year and president of the Utah Council of Studentbody Presidents, presented a survey to the Regents which emphasized the detrimental effects that the tuition surcharge would have on returning students. He maintained that the surcharge, along with several other approved increases, would result in decreased attendance at WSC by as much as 500 students. Wright said, "Students vote with their feet. If tuition goes up, they don't protest; they just don't go." Kotter selected student services vice president Dr. Marie L. Kotter, assistant vice president for academic support at WSC, has been named to become the new vice president for student services. The position was originally opened last year by former WSC president Rodney H. Brady after members of student government requested more student representation. The office was not filled earlier to give the new college president, Dr. Stephen D. Nadauld, a chance to adjust to the position and decide what was needed. Duties of the new vice president include school services, admissions, financial aids, scholarships, registration, records, graduation, counseling, housing, health center, food services and student activities. With the creation of the new vice presidential position, the office for dean of student affairs is eliminated. Kotter was selected from among 19 candidates for the position. In making the announcement, Nadauld said both the selection committee and the WSC Institutional Council supported the appointment enthusiastically.."We are very pleased and look forward to working with her," Nadauld said. "She has been acknowledged for her fine mind and her ability to make important strategic planning decisions." Her appointment becomes effective July 1 . . Marie L. Kotter The office of vice president for academic support, in which Kotter has previously served, will be temporarily filled by Dr. Jeffery E. Livingston until a permanent placement can be made. Livingston has served the school as administrative intern at the academic affairs office and as professor of management at the School of Business. The new vice president for student services came to Weber in 1972 as the director of the Medical Laboratory Technician program (MLT). Prior to. (see KOTTER on page 3) |