Middle Tennessee State University’s Board of Trustees on Tuesday, March 27, approved two new academic programs in the Colleges of Business and Education at its quarterly meeting.

Trustees also approved a new Athletics Master Plan; authorized the chair of its Finance and Personnel committee to negotiate an employment contract between MTSU and President Sidney A. McPhee; and decided not to pursue the idea of adding a merit-pay raise option for faculty and staff at this time.

Trustee Pam Wright, chair of the Academic Affairs, Student Life, and Athletics Committee, said two new degrees — a Bachelor of Science in Commerce and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education — will be established from existing concentrations.

She said a Bachelor of Science also will be added to the existing Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Arts to the existing Bachelor of Science in Communication.

“These new programs will give students more options and clarify the degree they are earning,” Wright said.

The MTSU Board of Trustees go through their agenda during their March 27 quarterly meeting in the MTSU Student Union Ballroom. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)

In other matters:

• Trustees authorized Joey Jacobs, chair of the Finance and Governance Committee, to negotiate an employment contract with McPhee. They delayed consideration of an overall evaluation policy of the president after Faculty Trustee Tony Johnston said he wanted to discuss ways to expand feedback from stakeholders in the process.
• Trustees approved a new Athletics Master Plan, which now goes to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission for review. The plan, required before fundraising efforts can go forward, suggests several improvements such as a new football team facility; Murphy Center practice court improvements and club seating; an entry plaza; and a new multisport indoor practice facility.
• Accepted a recommendation from Finance and Governance not to pursue merit pay as a salary option for faculty and staff until further progress in bringing pay to market levels.
• McPhee told trustees that the state Attorney General’s office informed the university that it would have to retain outside legal counsel if it decided to appeal the state Historical Commission’s decision to deny the name change of Forrest Hall. A decision to pursue an appeal is still under study.
• Trustees learned of the establishment of the International Ginseng Institute, another research partnership with Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants in China.

For more information about the MTSU Board of Trustees, go to www.mtsu.edu/boardoftrustees.

— Andrew Oppmann (andrew.oppmann@mtsu.edu)

MTSU Board of Trustees member J.B. Baker listens intently during the March 27 quarterly board meeting in the Student Union Ballroom. In the foreground at left is Trustee Andy Adams. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)

Dr. Bud Fischer, dean of MTSU’s College of Basic and Applied Sciences, gives the MTSU Board of Trustees an overview of activities within his college during the March 27 quarterly meeting of the board inside the Student Union Building. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)

New MTSU men’s basketball head coach Nick McDevitt speaks at the March 27 MTSU Board of Trustees quarterly meeting inside the Student Union after being introduced by President Sidney A. McPhee. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)

MTSU Board of Trustees members Dr. Tony Johnston, left, Pete DeLay and Lindsey Weaver joke before the March 27 meeting in the Student Union Ballroom. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)

MTSU Board of Trustees sets March 27 meeting on campus

March 20

The Middle Tennessee State University Board of Trustees announces the following meeting:

• Board of Trustees: 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 27, Ballrooms A and B, Second Floor, Student Union Building. Agenda items include reports from board committees; approval of items including proposed rules and policy amendments, new academic programs, athletics master plan amendment, compensation strategy, institutional mission/mission profile, board of trustees policy, and president’s compensation and contract; and, information including the president’s report and, technical revisions made to policies and rules.

All board meetings are open to the public. For parking details, go to http://tinyurl.com/MTSUParkingMap.

For agenda details or other information, go to www.mtsu.edu/boardoftrustees/meetings.