MSU trustees take time off to think over budget, tuition

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The MSU Board of Trustees is taking the university’s concerns on the road to Holland, Mich., for its annual summer retreat.

The retreat, which begins today, lasts until Wednesday.

The board, along with President Lou Anna K. Simon, will discuss the budget and tour a Pfizer facility given to MSU in 2007.

The board also will evaluate Simon’s performance during the last year.

MSU Trustee Melanie Foster said the board will focus on the decline in state appropriations as well as a review of Boldness by Design.

“Certainly one big issue is the budget and the continuing drastic decline in state revenue and how that’s going to affect public higher education,” Foster said. “We’re also going to do a review of the president, which is typical. … We’ll have an update on the five guiding principals of Boldness by Design since the last retreat and tour the Pfizer facility that was gifted to MSU that’s in Holland.”

The key areas of Boldness by Design include continuing to improve academic programs, outreach and research and increasing stewardship, according to the Boldness by Design Web site.

Trustee George Perles said the board will discuss the entire budget but also look for ways to keep tuition down.

Simon said the retreat is a forum for discussion, not for decision-making.

“It’s making sure everyone is on the same page,” she said. “We’ve already made preliminary budgets decisions for fiscal year (2010) and fiscal year (2011) so this isn’t a decision making meeting — it’s the background (the trustees) need to move through next year.”

The Pfizer facility has a research lab as well as a biorefinery, Simon said.

“The idea for the Holland facility … was to take full advantage of the biorefinery for the development of new materials for energy-related (projects) and the development of bio-based chemicals that would further advance the Michigan economy,” she said.

The space also will be used for incubator companies and to develop research partnerships with companies in the Holland area, Simon said.

The facility was given back to Pfizer after the initial gift, so the company could complete environmental cleanups, utility separation and other tasks.
MSU received control of the facility again in March, Simon said.

The tour marks the first time the board will see the facility.

Foster has been through the facility before and said she hopes MSU research will take place there.

“It’s a phenomenal lab space with very sophisticated lab equipment and office space — it’s really kind of a dream space for an incubator company,” Foster said.

Trustee Dianne Byrum said she hopes the more focused environment will help with brainstorming.

“I am looking forward to interacting with my fellow trustees in an environment that is uninterrupted by cell phone calls and the responsibilities of our day jobs,” Byrum said.

“I am one of two new trustees on the board and I would like to get to know my colleagues on a more personal level, which I hope this retreat will achieve. The MSU family is entering a very stressful time of tight budgets and having a more personal connection on the board can only be helpful.”

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