January Board Highlights
The triannual Board of Trustees had their meeting of the year on Monday, January 29. The meeting consisted of reports from several subcommittees and departments.
uCrew - The uCrew Ministry, led by Payton Arnett and Buell Fogg, presented for worship. This ministry has sent 20 groups to different churches and academies in the last year, creating good relationships and making memorable experiences.
Name Change Update - There is not an official new logo or seal yet, but they are in the process. The sign by the entrance will be changed in time for graduation. We will also be transitioning the URL to uau.edu on May 5.
Residential Halls Update - Nearly a third of the dorm rooms on campus have been renovated or refreshed in the past five years, and it’s not over. A board member has donated $100,000 to refresh rooms in Prescott Hall, completely changing the 3rd floor. This coming summer will extend the paint and new flooring to the 4th and 5th floor. Unfortunately, this isn’t a permanent solution to Prescott. Ayers & Ayers, the contracting company building the Reiner Center, has given us a full engineering report on Prescott Hall. The centralized piping system is outdated and in need of replacement, the electrical system is not strong enough to support the current electrical needs of the students, the heating and cooling system is a 2-pipe system when it should be a 4-pipe system, and any renovation on the building will require installation of sprinklers and an updated fire alarm system.
The board voted to create a subcommittee that would work together with contractors on finding the best solution. This project will become a fundraising campaign, because this level of renovation will cost millions of dollars.
Enrollment Report - Ryan Teller has stepped into the role of vice president of enrollment, and he gave the presentation. Spring enrollment is at 613 students, with 42 new students, including 15 new freshmen. In a poll of the freshmen, they were influenced to attend Union most by in-person visits (45%), parents (39%), Union alumni (32%) or friends (17%).
Student Influence - If a student has concerns or frustrations about Union College, they must put their concerns in the Net Promoter survey that comes around once per semester. The board members look at the results of that survey, and that’s how they know what students are thinking/feeling on campus. Watch your emails for the survey when it comes out in March.
By Annelise Jacobs