UO board focuses on the future as it closes this academic year

The Board of Trustees of the University of Oregon opened its final full meeting of its first year of governance on June 4 with some reflection and a focus on the future.

Noting that the past year has been a time of “transitions and new beginnings,” interim President Scott Coltrane and acting Provost and Senior Vice President Frances Bronet used the opportunity to reflect on what was an ambitious year, culminating with the upcoming arrival of Michael Schill, who will begin as UO’s 18th president on July 1.

“It has been quite a year,” Bronet said in her final meeting before moving on to her new role as provost at the Illinois Institute of Technology. “We have learned a tremendous amount about our resiliency through challenging times and achieved many of our academic goals of the year.”

“Frances has made an extremely significant and lasting impact on the University of Oregon,” Coltrane told the board. “As dean of the school of architecture and allied arts, and in this last year as acting provost, she led with fearless enthusiasm and a great sense of purpose. She might take exception to my description of her as fearless, but I have never met someone who was able to so clearly state her mind, and question the status quo, and also get people on board with significant endeavors.”

“As she leaves for Chicago, and we welcome incoming President Schill from Chicago, I will return to my position of provost,” Coltrane added. “I will support President Schill’s transition and I will continue to advance our faculty hiring, strategic planning and other academic initiatives. I am very optimistic for the year ahead.”

The meeting began with reports from Brook Muller, interim dean for the School of Architecture and Allied Arts, Andrew Marcus, interim dean for the College of Arts and Sciences, and Hal Sadofsky, associate dean of natural sciences. Both presentations provided an overview of the current status of the academic programs and goals for the coming years.

Those presentations gave way to the public comment period, which was highlighted by comments from representatives of the university’s Service Employees International Union and several students and staff members advocating for support services for African-American students.

During the afternoon session, trustees turned to committee reports and action items and approved:

  • Amendments to the student code of conduct.
  • A temporary AY15-16 operating and capital budget.
  • Legacy pension plans.
  • Acceptance of a lead gift of more than $6 million from longtime supporters Phyllis and Andrew Berwick that will kick start construction of a new home for the Oregon Bach Festival.

By Tobin J. Klinger, Public Affairs Communications