Vacancies, housing on Portera agenda

At his first general faculty meeting, President Malcolm Portera outlined his priorities for the next few months including proposed changes in student housing and plans to fill key administrative posts.

Enhancing the quality of life for students is among Portera's first projects and he sees a $16.5 million university bond issue as a way to make student housing more appealing. The project would include renovating some residence halls and demolishing others. Constructing apartment-style housing on campus is part of the plan.

"We're considering building apartments near the Sanderson Center as the center should be a student magnet," he said.

Another presidential priority is filling administrative slots. Holland Faculty Senate Chair Leslie Bauman will head a search committee for the provost and vice president of academic affairs position. Elected committee members were to be chosen by Jan. 30 and the full committee will be named early this week.

Portera announced that the search committee for vice president for research is expected to bring back a new list of finalists by the middle of spring semester. The search was extended because of a lack of recommendations.

Other slots to be filled include the deans of business and industry, continuing education and the Meridian Campus, and the vice president for institutional advancement.

The president also touched on a Legislative Budget Committee recommendation for a $2 million increase in base funding for the university for each of the next three years. The recommendation must be approved by the Legislature. Citing faculty shortages in some areas, Portera hopes to use the funds to hire new faculty members and improve salaries beyond the 3 percent allocation set by the Legislature for the next fiscal year.

Additionally, Portera said he is working to have Mitchell Memorial Library achieve membership in the Association of Research Libraries. ARL representatives have made one visit to campus and are expected back this semester.

"The first numbers called for funding of $7 million annually (to meet ARL requirements) and we are now reassessing," he said.

Additional priorities include:

• Improving public education in Oktibbeha County schools;
• Enhancing the university's presence in Washington, D.C.;
• Establishing fund-raising priorities and attracting private support for them;
• Adopting a strategic plan to promote the university;
• Continuing to develop women's athletic programs while keeping the athletic budget in the black.