August 24, 2015
Members present: Kathy Bigham, Karl Folkens, Glenn McCall, Jane LaRoche, Susan Smith-Rex,
Janet Smalley, Tim Hopkins, Don Long, Randy Imler, Donna Glenn Holley, Scott Middleton,
Ashlye Wilkerson, Dan Mahony (ex officio)
Members absent: Scott Talley, Tim Sease, Julie Fowler
Representatives present: Ray McKetty, Student Representative; John Bird, Faculty Representative
Representatives absent: None
Others present: Anna Douglas, The Herald; Carolyn Rennix, The Johnsonian; Renee O'Neal,
CN2; members of Winthrop faculty and staff
The Board of Trustees met on Monday, August 24, 2015 on the campus of Winthrop University,
Rock Hill, SC.
Public Comment
There were no requests for public comment.
Call to Order
Chair Bigham called the meeting to order at 12:30 p.m. She welcomed all present.
Approval of Minutes
Don Long moved to accept the minutes from the meetings of August 19, 2013 and April
17-18, 2015. Ashlye Wilkerson seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous in favor
of the minutes as submitted.
Executive Session
Karl Folkens moved with a second from Donna Holley that the Board meet in executive
session for the purposes of discussion of employment and compensation matters involving
certain current university employees and to discuss negotiations incident to proposed
contractual arrangements concerning the possible purchase and sale of real property.
The vote was unanimous. Kimberly Faust, John Bird, and Ray McKetty were invited to
remain for the executive session. Janet Smalley moved the Board end executive session,
Don Long seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously by voice vote. No actions
were taken in executive session.
Return to Public Session
Ms. Caity Johnson of Directorpoint joined the meeting via telephone to present a demonstration
of her company's cloud-based meeting portal. This portal will permit Trustees to access
their meeting materials on a tablet via an app, laptop or PC, rather than in paper
form. Key points of the demonstration included ways to easily access meeting materials,
streamline administration and preparation time for meetings, increase Trustee engagement,
and reduce costs by eliminating paper copies.
Chair Bigham thanked Alexandra Persson for her work in arranging the demonstration
and for investigating the options presented by similar companies. The general consensus
of the Board was to direct staff to request pricing options work toward acquiring
the Directorpoint software.
Report of the Executive Committee and Chair of the Board
a.Resolution Regarding 2015-16 Performance Objectives for President Mahony
Per the Trustee bylaws, President Mahony met with the Executive Committee of the Board
of Trustees to propose the goals and objectives he will meet in academic year 2015-16.
Specifically, he proposed the following as listed on the Agency Head Salary Commission
planning document:
Needing no second, Chair Bigham called for a vote on the resolution to accept the
goals and objectives as presented in the Agency Head Salary Commission planning document.
The vote passed unanimously. The Agency Head Salary Commission planning document will
be submitted to the Commission by the deadline of September 15, 2015.
b.Report on 2015-16 Operating Budget
President Mahony stated the 2015 fiscal year ended with a $1.845 million increase
in the unrestricted net position, now totaling $12.6 million. He specially noted the
increase would have been $2.1 million, but the required Withers/W.T.S. Building classroom
renovations had to be completed this year.
He thanked Debra Boyd for her leadership in reducing costs in FY 2015 via the 10 percent
overall reduction in operating budgets, utility savings, additional payments from
grants, and savings from vacant positions.
The president has proposed a FY 2016 budget totaling $112.4 million. The budget includes
a 2.5 percent tuition increase, revenue increases expected from an additional 50 (and
possibly more) students over the projected enrollment. It also includes an employee
$800 bonus payment according to the Supplemental Appropriations Act passed by the
General Assembly in the state budget process. All Winthrop employees in FTE positions
as of December 31, 2014 with an annual base pay of less than $100,000 are eligible.
The budget also includes $200,000 to respond to employee salary issues to be identified
by the Competitive Compensation Committee.
Update on Campus Activities
President Mahony began the update by reporting on the second instance of vandalism
of Tillman Hall that happened earlier this morning. He responded to the vandalism
by reading the following statement.
This morning we encountered an act of vandalism at Tillman Hall. My thanks go out
to our Facilities staff for acting so quickly to remove the graffiti.
To be clear, I do not believe we should allow anyone to force an action that would
exclude our campus from the conversation.
Since last fall, Debra Boyd has been leading our exploration of Tillman Hall and our
campus generally. She invited a group of faculty, staff, students and administrators
to join together in a safe and confidential environment in order to begin the discussion.
Soon after I was named the new President, I was proud to learn that Winthrop had been
working to be out ahead of how best to recognize the highs — and lows — in our history.
That effort gained more attention in the wake of the horrific tragedy in Charleston.
This working group recognized that limiting the discussion to Tillman Hall would not
allow a broader reflection on Winthrop University's progress as an institution and
would miss an opportunity to educate the campus community on the complex issues surrounding
race and difference. They came to a consensus around a statement that will serve as
a starting point for a broader discussion. Their recommendation was that as we move
forward, all key stakeholders will participate in an open, collaborative process that
will be thoughtful and deliberate. I thank Debra and the working group for their leadership
in this effort.
I believe Winthrop is uniquely positioned to lead in this broader conversation. We
are already a university that is diverse and we have a record of successfully embracing
diversity in a way that has had a very positive impact on our entire campus community.
Last October Winthrop celebrated the 50th anniversary of our first enrolled African-American
students. This change happened without much of the rancor and hostility that occurred
elsewhere.
I am confident that we can continue to address all of these issues in an inclusive
and collaborative process that embraces the voices of all of our stakeholders. As
has been the case in the past, I believe we will continue to be at our best as an
institution when we work together.
Following his statement, Provost Debra Boyd reported on the work of the committee
considering options related to the use of the Tillman name on our campus. She concluded
her report with the following statement.
Our campus community stands at a defining moment. We have a responsibility to recognize
that moment and our duty to embrace it. We must not forget the past but use it as
we summon our collective memories and experiences to arrive at the solid ground of
common purpose.
We are brought together by Tillman Hall, originally called the Main Building as it
was the first built on campus, and renamed in 1962 after another building bearing
Tillman's name was torn down.
Tillman Hall was named for Benjamin "Pitchfork" Tillman, a man who as governor and
U.S. Senator advocated for poor farmers against large corporate interests and endeavored
to improve their condition by establishing institutions that would become Clemson
University and Winthrop University. Tillman was also an unabashed racist who counted
among his proudest moments his participation in the "Hamburg Massacre" of 1876 in
which seven black militiamen were murdered. And one of Tillman's most enduring and
fateful legacies was South Carolina's 1895 constitution, which disenfranchised most
of the black majority and ensured white rule for generations.
Winthrop was built and grew in the shadow of discrimination and segregation, but we
have worked to move into the sunlight. Last October, we celebrated the 50th anniversary
of integration at Winthrop, a bright moment for our university. While certainly not
without tension, Winthrop took its historic step toward integration without the vitriol
and violence experienced at other campuses. Since then, we have grown to be among
the most diverse public institutions of its type — both in the state and across the
nation.
Considering how far we have come, how could we keep the name of so divisive an individual
on a Winthrop building, no less than the main administration building which serves
as the heart of our beloved institution? Certainly some believe strongly we cannot
keep the Tillman name, including alumni who brought this issue to the forefront. We
applaud them for moving us to this historic moment.
Others counsel retaining the name to recall the victory of the first African Americans
to attend Winthrop as students, realizing an achievement Tillman himself would never
have countenanced. Dr. Cynthia Roddey — one of Winthrop's first four African-American
students in 1964 — recalls with great pride defiantly climbing the steps of the building
named for someone who would have denied her the privilege of an education.
Still others note that state law prohibits changing the name of Tillman Hall without
approval by the state legislature by a supermajority vote, an outcome even the most
ardent supporters of renaming recognize is not likely.
Our strength as a campus community is our capacity to appreciate the array of voices
speaking on this matter.
We resolve to continue these discussions, but do more than talk; our goal is to identify
and act on campus initiatives that are achievable, will have long term impact, and
will reflect Winthrop's culture of diversity and tolerance.
And we resolve to be known as the university community that took command of a dark
chapter in our past and denied it the power to divide us. Indeed, we will be bound
closer together today and in the future.
President Mahony continued his report by acknowledging the good work of the Admissions
staff that has led to an additional influx of students over the projected entering
class. While preliminary budgets were built with an anticipated increase of 50 students,
current numbers are tracking higher.
The president concluded his report with a mention of upcoming campus events including
the Campaign of Distinction finale celebration on September 18.
New Business
There was no new business.
Adjournment
Jane LaRoche moved to adjourn the meeting with a second from Scott Middleton. The
vote was unanimous. The meeting was adjourned at 2:35 p.m.
Minutes submitted by Kimberly A. Faust, Secretary to the Board
