University Board of Regents to meet in Havre

The heads of the Montana University System will hold their May meeting in Havre this week, with the first event a public forum Wednesday afternoon.

Montana State University-Northern Chancellor Frank Trocki said this morning that this will be the second time the Board of Regents of Higher Education will hold a public meeting before its regular meeting, and the first time it is being held in Havre. Depending on the success of the meeting, it could become a regular event at other meetings of the board, he added.

"It gives the opportunity for the community to interact with the Board of Regents, to make suggestions … , identify needs, identify directions for the state," he said.

Regents Lynn Morrison-Hamilton of Havre and Todd Buchanan of Billings will represent the board at the forum, starting at 4:30 p.m. in the Hensler Auditorium in the Applied Technology Center on the university campus.

"This is an excellent opportunity for students, parents, faculty, and interested members of the public and business community to provide suggestions, voice concerns, and ask questions of univers i ty sys tem leadership, " Commissioner of Higher Education Sheila Stearns said in a press release.

"We try to make these sessions a real open environment, where the public has the opportunity to respond and engage in a dialog with the Regents." The forum is the first of a series of opportunities for the community to interact with the board, which provides public comment periods during its agenda of its regularly scheduled meeting Thursday and Friday.

"It's an honor to have the board here," Trocki said this morning. "I think it's a good opportunity for the community to interact with the Board of Regents and to identify and tell them what we need and what Havre and the community and the Hi-Line needs." "We know Northern is more than Havre, it's the community, it's the Hi-Line, it's north-central Montana," he added.

The agenda starts Thursday with a breakfast for the regents and MUS staff members attending and the classified staff of the university. It is followed with the opening of the full session at 8 a.m. in the Student Union Building Ballroom.

After Trocki welcomes the attendees and board Chair Stephen Barrett provides opening remarks, the board will Start its work day with the commissioner's and system reports, including a fiscal year 2010 enrollment report.

That is followed by work by the committees on two-year education and workforce and on staff and compensation.

Following recognition of the s t u d e n t r e g e n t , Ro b e r t Barnosky, and an executive session and lunch break, the board will address system action items including campus mission and vision plans at 1:15 p.m. The Academic and Student Affairs Committee is scheduled to meet at 2 p.m., followed by a meeting of the Administrative, Budget and Audit Oversight Committee at 3 p.m. Several people retiring from the university system, including Northern's Provost and Vice Chancellor Joe Callahan, will be honored during a dinner Thursday night.

Friday starts with a meeting with select civic and business leaders of the area, followed by the full board reconvening at 8:30 a.m. with discussion of items including committee reports, discussion and action; a discussion of the Kindergarten to College Focus element of Indian Education for All; election of board officers, and public comment.

The meeting is scheduled to adjourn at noon Friday upon close of business.