RALEIGH, (SGRToday.com) - Following is a summary of highlights of the UNC Board of Governors meeting, compiled by the system and posted to its website at northcarolina.edu.

For a full account of board proceedings and meeting materials, check the board meeting archive on that site.

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Operation and Capital Budget Priorities

The Board of Governors approved the 2015-2017 operating and capital budget priorities.

The Board of Governors is responsible for developing, preparing and presenting to the Governor and the General Assembly a single, unified recommended budget for the University’s 17 constituent institutions.

Campus Security Fee for Students.

In August 2014, UNC President Tom Ross launched an Initiative to study security and student safety at the University’s 17 constituent institutions. The result was a report that included high-priority recommendations for new initiatives, staffing and security measures for UNC campuses. The Board  discussed a proposed Campus Security Fee to provide a portion of funding needed to implement the report’s core recommendations, but deferred action pending consideration of other funding options..

Border Tuition

The board voted to permit UNC campuses located within 25 miles of the state border to propose a discounted tuition rate for nonresident students who live within defined geographic proximity to the campus.  Such border rates would be higher than in-state rates and all nonresidents would still be included in the calculation of the 18% nonresident cap. For the upcoming tuition cycle, only Elizabeth City State University and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke will request border tuition rates.

New Degree Programs

The Board approved North Carolina Central University’s request to establish a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Environmental and Geographic Sciences degree program.

In 2012, at the request of NCCU, the Board of Governors discontinued the bachelor’s degree programs in Geography and Environmental Science with the understanding that the content of the two discontinued programs would be combined into one new degree program. The new program does not require any new or additional resources.

Academic Credit for Military Training

Senate Bill 761 requires that the UNC and Community College systems work together to develop a plan to award academic credit to students who present with military training and to address the need for non-degree programs, especially in some licensed occupations, for military students.

The Board of Governors approved a plan outlined in two reports to be sent to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee of the N.C. General Assembly.


NC A&T Nursing School Report

In April 2014, the Board of Governors completed its annual review of the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) first-time writers’ pass rates for graduates of the nursing programs across the University system.

Subsequent to that review and in keeping with Board of Governors Policy 400.1.7, the Board suspended new admissions to the BSN program at NC A&T State University’s School of Nursing after fall 2014 and called for a full review of the program.

A team of experts in nursing education and workforce issues, academic affairs, and the economics of academic programming has completed that review, and its findings and recommendations were presented to the Board’s Committee on Educational Planning, Policies and Programs.

The Board approved the recommendations that address the A&T nursing program‘s enrollment and funding.

Optometry School

The 2014 General Assembly directed the Board of Governors to evaluate the feasibility of a school of optometry at one or more of eight designated constituent institutions.

Based on data received from a Cecil B. Sheps Center report, of the Board voted to recommend that a school of optometry not be established on any UNC campus at this time.

UNC Global Engagement Report

The University's Strategic Plan, "Our Time Our Future," recommends investments fo further system efforts to increase engagement with partners in China, India, Brazil, Mexico and Africa, to recruit more international students and to build UNC's global "brand." The UNC Global Engagement Report looks at campus international activity, progress toward strategic plan goals and poteinal strategies going forward.