Board of Regents Update | October 24

Board of Regents Update | October 24–25, 2019

Highlights from each Board of Regents meeting will be reported in the Pacific Insider to inform the campus community of the board's actions and major discussions. The board plays an important strategic role as the governing body of the university, responsible for the quality and integrity of the education provided to students and the financial sustainability of the university. The chair and chair-elect of the Academic Council, the president and president-elect of the Pacific Alumni Association and the president and vice president of the Associated Students of the University of the Pacific are recognized as non-voting liaison representatives to the board and provide a report at each meeting.

Tuition and fees approved for fiscal year 2021
The board approved tuition increases for new and continuing undergraduate students, graduate students, and PharmD, DDS and JD students, along with room and board rates and student fees (see chart below).

Along with the tuition increases, the board approved setting aside $1 million in additional financial aid for continuing undergraduate students based on their financial needs. Increased aid for continuing undergraduate students will be directed first toward those with the highest financial need and nearing graduation and then to those in proven need of additional assistance to continue in their degree program.

Tuition	Increase
Undergraduate (new and continuing)	3.0%
Graduate	0–3.0%
Pharm D	2.0%
DDS	2.0%
JD	3.0%

Room and Board

2.5% increase

Fees	Change
ASuop	No change.
Activity and Recreation Center (Full-time students)	Increase from $80 to $120.
Activity and Recreation Center (Part-time students)	New fee of $60 for part-time students taking fewer than 8 units on the Stockton Campus.
Wellness	No change.

BA/BS Health Studies program approved
The board approved this undergraduate program that will prepare students for non-clinical health care careers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, non-clinical health care employment in Northern California is projected to grow 21.5% over the next ten years (almost double the average for all occupations in the state). Located in the College of the Pacific, this interdisciplinary program will offer three concentrations to prepare students for different career paths: social services, health leadership and health policy and law. The program will start in fall 2021.

SIS programs approved for closure
The board approved the closure of the Bachelor of Arts programs in Global Studies and International Affairs and Commerce offered by the School of International Studies (SIS) in the College of the Pacific, upon the recommendation of SIS faculty, Chair Sarah Mathis, Director William Herrin and COP Dean Rena Fraden. The provost and president supported their recommendation, citing continued low enrollments and poor enrollment projections. There is no need for a teach-out plan for the current and incoming students as no classes are being eliminated. New enrollment will stop in August 2020 and degrees must be completed by June 2025.

Presentation regarding expanding CAPS and Services for Students with Disabilities
The regents heard presentations from Vice President for Student Life Carrie Lovelace Petr regarding the need to expand Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD). Pacific is experiencing an increase in mental health concerns among students, a nationwide trend. In the past five years, the number of students seeking CAPS services has increased by 681% on the Stockton Campus and 246% on the Sacramento Campus. To address these growing needs, Vice President Petr will present a Strategic Investment Fund proposal to the board in February. The board, in the meantime, agreed to consider some initial resources to address high-demand student support services.

Presentation on new website and intranet
The university is embarking on a redesign of its website as one of several efforts aimed at increasing undergraduate enrollment. A proposed plan and timeline were shared with the Advancement and Enrollment Committee. The project will include revamping the website to be more marketing and enrollment focused, providing a new content management system, developing an intranet for employee communications and information, and a governance process to curate quality content and to maintain the integrity of the site’s design and structure

Campaign update
The board received an update from Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Burnie Atterbury on the university’s Leading with Purpose fundraising campaign. So far, over 17,000 donors have contributed more than $240 million toward the campaign goal of $300 million. The campaign will fund student scholarships, academic programs and new and renovated facilities.

Facility update
The board approved the following facility proposals:

To lease 80 beds in San Francisco, which will provide more affordable student housing near campus.
To initiate a facility review to meet the current and future growth of the Sacramento Campus.
To begin initial planning to consider renovating Grace Covell residence hall on the Stockton Campus.