Present: Dene Thomas, Karen Evans, Dean Froehlich, Chet Herbst, Rene Hofeldt, Rob Lohrmeyer, Kathy Martin, Deacon Meier, Whitney Pugh, Carmen Rahm, Ray Sanders

Absent: Rita Morris, Jody Oftelie, Dan Regan

Representative Robert Schaefer (District 11-A Canyon County), Chair of the Commerce and Human Resources Committee, has requested higher education presidents to respond to proposed legislation that would create a single university system within Idaho. The response should include pros and cons to the proposed legislation while seeking to conserve tax payer resources and maximizing benefits to the educational process. The proposed legislation was written with the following benefits in mind:

• Only one president would be required allowing for a reduction in high cost personnel;
• One purchasing department should be able to effect savings on purchases of the multiplicity of items needed through better bids;
• Competition for state resources will be reduced as all facilities work together.

The President's Council discussed several suggestions for President Thomas' response to Representative Schaefer. Chet Herbst will be assisting the president in preparing the response. Additional thought should be e-mailed to President Thomas and Chet Herbst immediately.

Chet Herbst continues to work with the reorganization/restructuring committee on Professional-Technical and Community College Functions. An interim report is anticipated to President Thomas by the end of March. Strategic budgeting issues will be discussed with the Budget Liaison Committee this afternoon.

Renee Hofeldt presented a draft for the Events Calendar and Facility Scheduling Policy and Procedures. Facility schedulers will be asked for comments, and the draft will be posted on web for review.

The faculty, professional staff and classified staff representatives reported that their constituents over-whelmingly wish to have a recognition event with fewer or no monetary awards.

Student fee increase notice will be released tomorrow and a formal fee hearing will be scheduled for student to react to the proposal.

The next President's Council will be on Wednesday, March 6 at 9:00 a.m., in the Alumni Board Room.