Board of Trustees to meet April 25, updates regarding campus plans

Andres Davila | News Director

The Board of Trustees will meet for the last time this semester on April 25th at 9:30 a.m. in the Wolfe University Center in the Biscayne Bay Campus.

The Finance and Facilities Committee will review the audit for financial statements for this academic year, looking at highlights and future goals for the upcoming year. In addition, there will be updates regarding the renewal of the naming of the Ocean Bank Convocation Center and a recently approved student residence facility at the Modesto A. Maidique Campus.

The committee will also discuss the price increases for student housing over the next four years. “If FIU does not raise rates now, the University will have further declining debt service coverage of the housing system that will require even higher increases [for] future students,” according to Chief Financial Officer Aime Martinez in the agenda.

Another project that will be discussed on April 25 is the proposed naming of “Leyva Family Field” for the soccer field located at the FIU soccer stadium. A pledge of $500,000 was made for the renaming of the soccer field, not extending to the stadium. Other projects related to research labs and construction projects will also be in talks on Wednesday.

For the Strategic Planning Committee, FIU’s Annual Accountability Plan will be reviewed. Presented by Provost Elizabeth Béjar, the plan “reflect[s] the institution’s distinctive mission and focus on core institutional strengths within the context of State University System goals and regional and statewide needs”, according to the agenda.

The plan will reflect on the strategic planning for the university, looking upon plans for student housing and campus construction projects and how it will impact student enrollment, according to the campus master plan.

As for student enrollment, the External Relations Committee will discuss communication updates on brand visibility and marketing plans. This is another reflection of the academic year, based on senior vice president Michelle L. Palacio and how the university has been focusing on brand affinity.

The Governance Committee will also be reflecting on the year regarding board appointments to the FIU Foundation and self-evaluations of the board.

After lunch, the full board will meet and discuss reports by FIU Foundation and President Kenneth Jessell, going on from the previous meeting on Feb. 29 and having updates from the committees.

Committee agendas are online for the public to view and there will be a live option to view the meeting on Thursday. 

This will be the last meeting of the spring semester. The first meeting for the summer semester will be on Wed. June 5 at 8:30 a.m. in the Modesto Maidique Campus.