No public comments

Vote - Passed. Lynn/Eric

Mike M Lynn  Passed

Congrats to all tenure and Promotion faculty members.

Lynn - March 24.

University Police, Operations and Technology were covered. 

Fleet discussed. 

Family reunification

DCAMM funding for building funds

CMP - Storm events. Fleet was discussed as well. Sustainability efforts, EV charging, Holmes dining hall and back of the house upgrades. MART shuttle services discussed/MWCC 

Technology - Digital accessibility updates.  

Over 4000 apps, over 3000 accepted. Yield increased 5.5%

Onboarding 3 new nursing faculty to increase accepted nursing majors. 

Admissions staffing critical. 3 admissions recruiters (1 police) and one Director of Admissions due to a resignation.

President Hodge. Report stands. 

Shared gratitude to board and community. 

Theater block is focus of report. State supported. Redevelop the property. 89-100 market rate, community space, rest. space, retail space. 

2nd Grand Royal Soirée. Student led event. 

Events: detailed in report. 

Undergrad research day. April 16th - KELLI SEND INFO

Commencement - May 16.  

Text - Admissions center with FHS Welcome center. Yesterday registered 55 Kindergarten children shared by J. Thompson. 

Stefan Dodd - Technology update

Presentation re: Title II 

Recognized staff for their hard work. Often behind the scenes and unnoticed. 

2 initiatives

Digital accessibility

Substantive training offered to faulty and staff. Over 81 trainings since last fall. 

Resource hub - 

Remediating old documents. 

Blackboard Ally will be rolled out to faculty and provide alternative methods. 

Questions - What re the biggest 2 challenges?  Biggest is people have to have foundational knowledge. 

April 24 is the deadline. 

Cyber security

Threats are intensifying. 2 specific risks. Student focused scams. Vector training will be rolled out to students to train. Admissions fraud. Fake applications. 

Strengthening readiness - Offering tabletop exercises.

Questions: Sheila - Has AI impacted email scams. It makes the attackers more efficient.

  Eric - Vendor relationships - Do they have to uphold a certain standard. Yes, there is a vendor vetting process. 

Chief 

Changing landscape. Dept evolving to meet needs. 

Intentional modernization. PD, Equip upgrades, partnerships

Staffing - People most important asset. Thin.. 4 vacancies in front line. 75% capacity. current staff helping with voluntary and forced OT.  Not looking to just "fill" positions. Not lowering standards. Want mentors and community partners. 

Intro's 2 new members. Sargent and officer. 

Grant for body worn cameras in process. Vital tool for community trust and safety. $35K from grant. Update on grant expected in September. 

Fleet - Operated on 6 of 27 vehicles. But still have a very large maintenance charge for those 6 vehicles.  Looking for a pro active program to rotate fleet. 

Training in the fall... 

Questions:

Eric - Thanked Chief and Dept. Vacancies - Peer comparison? And how does that relate to municipal depts.  No hard data... Challenge for all over several years. Fewer applicants to become police officers. All have similar changes. Retirement boom.... 

Fleet questions - Lynn - How can we/community help?  

Donna - Need to have a strategy. 

Lechter - Spring and summer switch

Winter had lots of snow events off hours.  Heating systems were monitored by the group

Equipment aging and last storm only had one working. During storm, able to purchase another 

Shift to spring. 

Lots, landscape, fencing etc. 

Thompson Hall front being repaired now. 

Capital Projects

Summer projects:

DCAMM Critical repair program. $6M 

Lock replacement, sidewalks, Conlon network air cond system, Conlon window project will resume after commencement and complete in June. 

Generator exhaust 

Transformer swap - rec center. 

EV Chargers - Fast chargers will be at the rec center. Fist in Fitchburg. 

Comm Media is the biggest project. 

Dining

Enhancements to dining room with new carpet, seating areas, couches, etc. Back of the house operations discussions are in progress now.  New menu system... to view and order dining system. Remote monitoring of refrigeration.

$34k in February sales. 

Encouraged all feedback. 

Shuttle

MART conversations. Rout to McKay and upcoming year there will be a McKay shuttle stopping at McKay.  Continuing conversations around circle. 

Matt Gill - Parking lots. Already identified a vendor to do the work. PO will be done and lots will be repaired. 

Military and veterans services. Welcomed Tim and Nolan Buck.

Tim - Growth in numbers 

News to Share:

Designated military friendly as silver level. And now we are gold level. 

Students accessing their benefits:  199 for spring. 109 last spring. 

Nolan - Word of mouth has been incredible. 

Donna - Change in thinking to bring Nolan on board. Working thin. 

Purple Heart Status. On our desk now. 

Pam

Reiterate how wonderful is is to have Nolan and the veteran population. 

Highlights:

Fall 26 UG day freshman class - 

Future Falcon day was Saturday and we have one more scheduled. Enthusiasm is contagious. Lots of positive feedback. 

Deposits looking strong. Above last two years. 

Direct admissions working very well... Apps up 72%. Yield is high. 

40% of Fitchburg students (seniors) have applied here. 

Fall UG freshman - next 4 weeks are telling. 

Transfer numbers for fall are looking good

Searched for 3 recruiters and director. One is a police academy recruiter. 

Financial Aid

Mid March awarded 2100 awards to students vs. 1300 last year. 

Will continue to push for the fall class.

Did not have a break

Matt Gill

SGA Issues... follow up

Trying to find solutions and not just complain. 

Sustainability - Met with Lechter Robey and Piccone. And were invited to the staff meeting. They have short and long term goals. 

OL applications increased. 350 total events 

Bagels with the Board. Will be for next Trustee in the Fall. Kelli to reach out. 

Senior committee - Senior week... Sr. dinner cruise cap decorating, and painting a senior mural. 

SGA elections coming up. Meet the candidates next week.

Lynn 

Met on March 24. 

Family housing

Simonds to 12 month housing

JED campus recognition in Counseling services

132 athletes qualified for MASCAC. 

Jen

March 25

Gen Ed

Franca and Jannette

Presentation for the BS in Finance

Dean of Library introduced.

AUC proposal sent. GenEd proposal for committee to evaluate. Committee convened in April. This is so the committee can meeting in this AY and they can get started right away in the fall with the recommendations made. Fall of 2027 is when we hope to have the program started. 

Christa and Andrew:

Presented on BS of Finance. Included PPT. 

Students Andrew Woods and PJ Norton spoke. 

Franca went through the phases of getting this program up and running. 

Budget summary. and recruitment of major open positions in finance. 

Travis

Financial recruitment. 5 EEs right now. 

Progress in recruitment. 

Thanked finance team.  

FY26 Budget reviewed.

Questions on Revenue - None

Expenditures:

Reviewed. 

Michael - Is there anything that concerns you?  TC - Revenue streams in SGOCE.

Michael - What about expenses... TC - Utilities. More capital breakdowns are what worries him. 

FY27 Process was reviewed

Under way. 

Cabinet is doing a deep review of their department budgets. Funded level.