Thursday, June 27, 2024 | 9:00 a.m.
Gold Room | DiGiorgio Campus Center
Winthrop University | Rock Hill, SC
Members Present: Kathy Bigham, John Brazell, Ed Driggers, Joel Hamilton, Randy Imler, Rick Lee, Glenn McCall, Tim Sease, Janet Smalley, Isaiah Venning, Ashlye Wilkerson, and Gary Williams
Members Absent: David McDonald, Sandra Stroman
Others Present: President Edward Serna, Todd Hagins, Kevin Sheppard and various members of the faculty, staff, and students of Winthrop University
FOIA Compliance Notice
Under state law, Winthrop University published a notice to the public on its website
providing the meeting notice July 1, 2023, and posted the agenda outside the Office
of the President and Board of Trustees in Tillman Hall on June 26, 2024. On the day
of the meeting, the Secretary to the Board affixed to the door of the meeting location
the agenda for the Board and all associated committees.
The Board of Trustees met on Thursday, June 27, 2024, on the campus of Winthrop University,
Rock Hill, SC.
Call to Order and Invocation
A quorum being present, Chair McCall called the meeting to order. He welcomed all
present and gave the invocation to begin the Board meeting.
Executive Session--pursuant to S.C. Code Ann. §30-4-70(a)(1) and (2) for the purposes
of discussion of employment matters and contractual items related to Winthrop University
A motion was made and seconded to move into executive session pursuant to South Carolina
Ann. §30-4-70(a)(1) and (2) for the purpose of discussion of personnel issues and
legal matters. The vote was unanimous in favor of the motion. A motion was made and
seconded to end executive session. The vote was unanimous.
Consent Agenda
A motion was made to adopt the consent agenda related to resolutions passed by the Committees the previous day and to accept the minutes of the April 25, 2024, meeting as written. The motion was seconded and approved by a unanimous voice vote.
Remarks of the Chair
Chairman McCall reported on the great things happening at Winthrop. Winthrop had a
terrific year in academics; Winthrop athletics has been on a roll; and esports continues
to excel nationally. He also said that Winthrop is poised to reach even greater heights
with new market-driven programs, including the new CBE modality. He expects the Tuition
Transparency Initiative strategy to be a game changer.
Chairman McCall reported that the academic year was eventful and reached a thrilling climax last month with the commencement ceremonies in the Coliseum with its new, improved lighting. President Serna and his team are streamlining the graduation experience for our graduates, families and friends. By all accounts, this year’s ceremonies were a spectacular success. Even for those who have attended previous ceremonies, this year’s commencement ceremonies were at or near the top of the list. Chair McCall thanked President Serna and his team for implementing changes to the program. He acknowledged this class of graduates, who were the high school Covid class, and said they came away from the ceremony feeling special.
Report of the President
President Serna thanked the Board for adjusting their schedules during the power outages due to the chiller repairs. He also thanked the Board for attending dinner the night before with Betty Holcombe’s two daughters, Kathryn Holcombe Wheeler and Karen Holcombe Leftwich. All the appropriate preparations have been made, and he looks forward to the Day of Dedications this afternoon for the new fountain and the Morgan-Holcombe Alumni Center at the Stewart House.
Committee Reports
Committee on External Affairs and Athletics
Mr. Williams reported on the university’s fundraising performance as of May 31st. Overall dollars raised for the year stand at $4.3 million, which is more than a $2 million dollar increase over last year’s numbers at the same time. He also reported on the academic successes of Winthrop student-athletes. For FY24, the GPA was 3.33, there were 54 student-athletes with a 4.0 GPA, and 72% of student-athletes made the Big South honor roll. Mr. Williams congratulated the Eagle Club for hosting the Eagle Club auction for the first time since 2019 on Saturday, May 18 th.
Committee on Strategic Planning and Facilities
Mr. Driggers provided an update on the Strategic Plan and the small modifications to the Winthrop Mission, Vision and Values statements based on the required changes from the Commission on Higher Education. He reported on campus projects and provided a comprehensive update on those projects on going and planned as well as a tentative schedule looking out several years for both academic as well as auxiliary projects.
Committee on Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Enrollment Management
Ms. Smalley reported that Emeriti Faculty were honored, and she shared information
about three new degrees: an Ed.D. in Leadership and Innovation, a Bachelor of Science
in Artificial Intelligence, and a Bachelor of Science in Financial Technology. She
noted the Ed.D. would be Winthrop’s first doctoral program. She noted the forward-thinking
Provost shared a “Cheat Sheet” showing other academic plans and explorations. She
reported that Winthrop Elevate is the outstanding product of a great collaborative
team that puts Winthrop into a new market. Ms. Smalley reported the enrollment forecast
is strong and bright despite the chaos of FAFSA, which the Office of Financial Aid
handled exceedingly well. Student Affairs has been continuing to explore ways to increase
visibility and recruitment for all organizations, with a special focus on fraternities
and sororities. A timeline of work was reviewed outlining key events for Fraternity
and Sorority Life, including marketing initiatives. She also reported progress in
restructuring the Council of Student Leaders model to the Student Government Association
model and said to look for a full report in October 2024.
Committee on Finance
Mr. Sease reported the following were approved by the committee for full Board vote:
four new block meal plans as affordable options for FY25 and a three-year agreement
with Walk2Campus to provide 320 beds to Winthrop to accommodate overflow of student
housing. Mr. Sease provided an update on the FY2024 budget, and the FY2025 budget
was approved as presented.
Report of Affiliated Groups
Faculty Conference
Dr. Adam Glover provided a brief update from Faculty Conference.
Staff Conference
Mr. Taylor Degen provided a brief update from Staff Conference.
Council of Student Leaders
Mr. Sean Pennington provided a brief update from the Council of Student Leaders.
New Business
Resolution Honoring Dr. Peter J. Judge
Mr. McCall acknowledged Dr. Judge for his dedication to Winthrop University and expressed his deepest gratitude for his exceptional service and contributions to the campus community. He thanked Dr. Judge for his willingness to come out of retirement and assume the position of Interim Provost during an important time of transition. A motion was made and seconded to approve the resolution as presented. The vote was unanimous, and Dr. Judge received a round of applause.
Report on Title IX Climate Survey
Mr. Kevin Sheppard reported that with 34% of students having experienced some from of sexual misconduct before arriving at Winthrop, the institution must have proper resources in place to support these individuals. He also noted the disparity in students’ feelings/perceptions about who is concerned about their welfare. The survey indicated that 81.7% of students felt that “faculty” genuinely cared about their welfare, but only 58.5% of students felt that “administrators” cared about their welfare. Mr. Sheppard also discussed the new 2024 Title IX Regulations that were released in the spring with an implementation date of August 1 st. However, due to court injunctions, as well as a “do not implement” directive by state government leadership, Winthrop is currently still operating under the 2020 regulations.
Adjournment
With no further business before the Board, a motion was made to adjourn. The motion
was seconded and approved unanimously by voice vote. Hearing no objections, Chair
McCall adjourned the meeting.
