MONTANA BOARD OF REGENTS OF HIGHER EDUCATION
WORK SESSION AGENDA

MAY 23-24, 2002

The University of Montana Western

710 S. Atlantic

PRIORITY 1

  • Resolution Regarding the Respective Role of the Board of Regents and University System Managers: Regent Roehm
    Please see attached document (Attachment 1).

  • Dashboard Reports: Regent Jasmin
    Please see attached documents (Attachments 2 & 3).

  • Perceived Challenges and Questions: Regent Hur
    Please see attached document (Attachment 4)

  • MUS Open Meeting Proposal: Regent Hur
    The Montana University System is "owned," in the literal sense, by the people of Montana. The officials of the Montana University System will only close meetings to discuss labor strategy, litigation and/or personnel matters.

    Any Montana University System meeting attended by at least one member of the Montana Board of Regents, as defined in the Constitution of Montana, Article X, Section 9, 2(a); and/or the commissioner of higher education shall be considered open according to the State of Montana s open meeting laws. Members of the press and general public will be notified by staff of the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, in accordance with precedent; regarding the date, time, and nature of the subject meeting.

  • MUS Economic Development Proposal: Regent Hur
    Please see attached document (Attachment 5).

  • Teacher Retention: Regent Roehm
    Our Montana University System annually produces a highly skilled and competent graduating class of teachers, but unfortunately, many (at times up to two-thirds of a graduating class) leave the state, primarily for fiscal reasons. With the lure of higher paying jobs elsewhere, and an average student debt of over $17,000, the economic need to go out of state overshadows the natural desire to stay in Montana.

    If Montana is to gain in economic performance, the first place to start, in my opinion, is to focus our energies on retention of teachers in Montana. Currently, Montana elementary and secondary schools face short and long term shortages of quality educators. We educate enough teachers, but an unacceptable number opt to leave the state after graduation. We need to turn this around. Good Montana schools are good for business, and for our quality of life.

    I ask that the Board of Regents direct the Commissioner to work with the Superintendent of Public Instruction to review the teacher retention issue, establish options that would reduce the need for graduating teachers to seek employment outside Montana, and recommend a course of action to help resolve the problem.

  • AGB Meeting Report: Regent Jasmin
    Please see attached document (Attachment 6)

PRIORITY 2

  • Update on Mission/Vision Statements: Regent Roehm
    Please see attached documents (Attachments 7 and 8).

  • Leadership College: Regent Mercer