Executive Council met at 11 a.m. at 611 Allen Hall. Present were Dr. Malcolm Portera, presiding, Dr. David Cole, Matt Allen, Larry Templeton, Dr. Roy Ruby, Dr. Rodney Foil, Dennis Prescott, Dr. Joe Thompson, Dr. Bob Altenkirch, Bill Broyles, Ms. Leah Norman, Dr. Melvin Ray, Dr. Euel Coats, Charles Guest, Dr. Roy Ikenberry, Joe Farris, Mike White, Dr. Gene Tice, John McRae, Dr. Eddie Keith, and architects Chuck Barlow, Steve Davis, Bruce Wood, Rob Ashley, and Rob Turner.

Mr. White presented a recommendation of the Campus Planning and Development Committee that design development plans for the Capitol Street construction projects of the School of Architecture be approved. The council recommended that the design development plans for the academic building and the student residence building be approved, subject to agreement by Dr. Cole, Dean McRae, Ms. Norman, and Mr. Prescott on how a shortfall in the project budget is to be resolved.

Dr. Ruby presented schematic design documents for a proposed renovation of Colvard Union. The council recommended approval of the proposed building footprint and schematic drawings.

Dr. Ruby recommended that full-time student budgets as proposed by the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships be approved. The estimated cost of attending the university in 1999-2000 will be $10,251 for a resident undergraduate student with an average meal plan and $11,601 for a graduate student. The amounts include tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, personal expenses, and transportation.

Ms. Norman requested approval for a temporary facility behind 51 Magruder Street to accommodate eight to 10 Information Technology Services staff members until new ITS office space in the McArthur Hall Annex is available. The council recommended approval.

Ms. Norman presented for information an analysis of the impact of telephone rate changes on campus units. A decrease in long distance rates and a two-year increase in local service rates are expected to result in overall net savings of about $8,900 to university units in 1999-2000. The changes have increased student use of the university's long distance service.

Dr. Altenkirch reported that grants and awards for March totaled about $4.2 million, bringing the year-to-date total to approximately $48 million.

Dr. Portera said that a Facilities Use report indicates that about 4,000 meetings and special events were scheduled on campus last year, and noted that the number of special events is straining the capacity of support staff, increasing costs, and discouraging participation. The president will appoint a committee to review special event scheduling. Dr. Ruby will chair the committee.

Mr. Allen noted that former presidential candidate Jesse Jackson would speak on campus on April 21 during a tour of the state.

The meeting adjourned at approximately 11:45 a.m.