Present: Dene Thomas, Karen Evans, Dean Froehlich, Rene Hofeldt, Rob Lohrmeyer, Kathy Martin, Rita Morris, Kathy Noble, Jody Oftelie, Carmen Rahm, Dan Regan, Ray Sanders

Absent: Chet Herbst, Deacon Meier

Price comparison for the pinstripe stationery is less expensive than any paper selection that is currently utilized by campus departments. The pinstripe stationery was approved for use with the new wordmark.

A campus-wide meeting has been scheduled on Thursday, January 10, at 2:00 p.m., in the Williams Conference Center. President Thomas wishes to speak to the campus about our budget status at that meeting.

A virus alert has been issued. Information Technology has been responding to protect the campus system and those computers that have the virus.

• Higher Education Research Council funding does not look promising.
• Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee hearings have been scheduled. LCSC is scheduled on Thursday, January 24.
• Early PERSI retirement options do not look hopeful for use in the budget holdback. PERSI is looking at a two-month time frame for a study, and it will not be completed for our budget planning purposes.
• The Promise Scholarships Program may be in danger with the legislature. There was no discussion requiring the institutions to match the scholarships.
• The other higher education institutions will consider open positions, reorganization, administration, faculty with tenure and programs as possible areas to cut for the budget holdback. In an attempt to balance the legal and the ethical and humane, LC will do selective letters to second-year tenure track faculty as well as schedule individual meetings for those faculty with the president, provost, and division chair. Different processes exist for exempt and classified staff. Exempt staff must be given a 60 day- notice and classified staff layoffs must follow state rules.
• The presidents discussed the reduction of total credits from 128 to 120 for graduation, and referred it to the provosts for a recommendation.

The parking lots should be completed by spring break; however, they might be utilized for a month or two as graveled lots rather than paved. The construction project specifications are out for bid. The bid opening is scheduled for January 9, with construction to begin in March. Phase I should be completed in May or June, 2003. Phase II will be completed in academic year 2004. The facility will be run as an auxiliary enterprise.

The next President's Council will be on Wednesday, December 12, at 9:00 a.m., in the Alumni Board Room.