The Governor is scheduled to attend the Board meeting, make a few remarks, and sign legislation authorizing creation of the Illinois Century Network.

This item includes detailed information regarding the fiscal year 2000 appropriations for higher education enacted by the General Assembly. The item also includes a summary and status report on substantive legislation of interest to the higher education community.

(Email Ross Hodel for further information.)

The Location of the University Center of Lake County: A Committee Report (Action)

In December 1998, the Committee presented to the Board a plan to implement the new University Center, and the Board approved policies establishing basic goals, objectives, and responsibilities for the new institution. This report continues the Committee’s work to implement the new Center putting forward recommendations on site location.

(Email Doug Day for further information.)

In April 1999, the Board of Higher Education approved the establishment of a new committee to examine issues and develop recommendations for enhancing progress in access and diversity for Illinois higher education, a major objective of The Illinois Commitment. This item provides further information about the new Committee. The report describes the type of issues the Committee will examine; Committee structure, process, and timetable; and information sources.

(Email Doug Day for further information)

This report analyzes data from the Shared Enrollment and Graduation Information System about the attendance and graduation patterns of two groups: students who entered Illinois public universities as first-time freshmen between 1987 and 1992 and students who graduated from public universities in Spring 1998.

(Email Neil Matkin for further information)

This report provides results of the public universities’ Baccalaureate Follow-up Survey of the Class of 1997 one year after graduation and compares their survey responses to the responses of the Senior Class of 1999 surveyed in fall 1998 as part of the development of The Illinois Commitment. Only 2.8 percent of the Class of 1997 graduates were neither employed nor in school when they were surveyed—88 percent were working and 32 percent were in school, with 21 percent doing both. Ninety-five percent of Class of 1999 seniors and 93 percent of Class of 1997 graduates rated their undergraduate experience positively.

(Email Jan Ignash for further information)

B.  Proposed Amendments to Rules for Program Approval for Public Institutions (Action)

In October 1998, the Board endorsed a plan to streamline processes for program approval and review. This item summarizes progress to date and recommends changes to the Board’s administrative rules governing program approval and policy changes needed to implement the redesigned program approval process. The next steps needed to redesign the program review process and to create an academic audit process are also outlined.

(Email Donna Corriveau for further information)

A list of consent agenda and information agenda items follows the regular agenda.

CONSENT AGENDA

The Illinois Articulation Initiative Steering Panel requests the Board’s endorsement of three additional Baccalaureate Majors’ recommendations for Chemistry, History, and Political Science.

(Email Ann Bragg for further information)

This item recommends approval for an allocation of fiscal year 2000 grants for students enrolled in 1999-2000.

(Email Jim Forstall for further information)

Approval is requested for five new units of instruction: a new baccalaureate program on campus, three existing programs to be offered off-campus, and a new master’s program to prepare secondary teachers to be offered on and off campus.

(Email Ann Bragg for further information)

Approval is requested for seven new associate degree programs to be offered by five community colleges.

(Email Ann Bragg for further information)

Approval is requested for new on and off-campus programs to be offered by six private institutions, including programs to be offered through distance learning by the Illinois Institute of Technology and National Technological University.

(Email Ann Bragg for further information)

Appropriation Transfers for Fiscal Year 1999

This item recommends approval for fiscal year 1999 line item transfers for the Board of Higher Education, the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, and Southern Illinois University.

(Email Debra Smitley for further information)

This item recommends approval for noninstructional capital improvement projects for Eastern Illinois University and Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

(Email Debra Smitley for further information)

INFORMATION ITEMS