Thoughtful collaborations benefit BGSU, the state and nation, Dobb tells trustees

Collaboration is a word we can expect to hear more often, the board of trustees learned at its April 1 meeting.

Linda Dobb, executive vice president, told the board that in today’s environment of limited resources and large social issues, collaborations between colleges and universities will become increasingly important because they save money, avoid duplication of effort and move things along much more quickly than could be accomplished by one institution alone.

Successful collaborations improve services to students and help address issues for the region, the state and the nation, she said.

However, Dobb cautioned, collaborations must be entered into only after careful consideration to determine whether they are in keeping with the University’s mission. They should be between equals and they must also be ”very outcome driven,” she added, saying, “We need to know going in what we want to accomplish in the collaboration.”

She outlined a number of successful collaborations already under way and talked about others the University plans to undertake in others in the near future.

“Here at Bowling Green we’re fortunate because we have a number of faculty who are eager to work in collaborations,” Dobb said.

Those at the meeting also learned that BGSU is in the enviable position of receiving a high rating from the Ohio Board of Regents in its annual report on the financial health of state colleges and universities, Trustee David Bryan reported. Out of a possible combined rating of 5, BGSU scored 4.2 overall. The study comprises such criteria as financial viability, debt and net income, Bryan said, adding that the University’s enrollment growth over the past several years was a major contributing factor in its performance.

Faculty Senate President Benjamin Muego reported that the senate is stepping up its efforts to communicate to legislators the importance of maintaining adequate funding for higher education. He cited the faculty visit that day (April 1) to Columbus to meet with legislators and another trip on April 4 by faculty, staff and students to a rally at Ohio State University.

Also during the meeting, the board approved a resolution for the refinancing of general receipt bonds in an amount not to exceed $30 million dollars. The bonds were originally issued to provide funds to pay the cost of residence hall rehabilitation and other future projects. By taking advantage of the low interest rates currently available, the University can save between $500,000-$600,000 in debt service, Trustee Michael Marsh told the board.

The trustees also approved auxiliary improvement projects totaling $524,500. The projects include $450,000 to finish renovations for the Kohl Hall Living Learning Center and $74,500 to replace the elevator in the Saddlemire Student Services Building.

In other action, the board passed a resolution giving approval to proposed easements and rights of way to the city of Bowling Green for a project to widen East Wooster Street. The project is scheduled to begin in August and last for possibly more than a year, Marsh said.

The trustees also accepted a $750,000 gift from the BGSU Foundation Inc. and authorized that the funds be used to proceed with renovation of the University president’s residence on Hillcrest Drive.