Following is a report of The University of Findlay’s Board of Trustees’ meeting Oct. 1-2.

1.     The University continues to expand and further strengthen academic and student programs. The number of full-time faculty has increased from 165 in 2004 to 195 in 2009.  

2.     Expansion of professionally-based programs continues. The first doctor of pharmacy degrees will be awarded in 2010 and the first doctor of physical therapy degrees will be awarded in 2011. Students in the Physician Assistant Master’s program will begin their course work in January, 2010.  

3.     The new animal science facility on the property adjacent to the Western Equestrian Farm, six miles south of Findlay, has been completed and is in use. It is believed to be the best in the country and serves students in the University’s pre-veterinary and animal science programs extremely well.  

4.     The University balanced its budget for the fiscal year which ended June 30, 2009 and projects a balanced budget for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2010.  

5.     Summer projects were completed on budget, on time, and were paid for when completed. Construction for the summer amounted to $3 million for maintenance and renovations. Projects included installing individually controlled heating and air conditioning units in the rooms of two residence halls.  

6.     Trustees authorized initiating a search for a person to become president of the University in the fall of 2010 to replace Dr. DeBow Freed, who has served as president since 2003.  

7.     A professional search firm has been engaged to assist in the search. Planned timing of the search process includes identifying and assessing candidates in the fall of 2009, interviewing in the first quarter of 2010, and making the appointment in the late spring to be effective by the fall of 2010.  

8.     The search committee will be chaired by Dr. C. Richard Beckett, who is chair of the Board of Trustees. The search committee consists of trustees, faculty, staff, alumni, a student, and a community member.  

9.     Dr. Beckett noted that the presidential transition and search is in the context that the trustees invited Dr. Freed to become president of the University in 2003 to deal with current needs, help establish a clear direction for the University for the future, and assist in organizing the search for a long-term president who would bring strong leadership to the University in the future. Two years ago, trustees invited Dr. Freed to continue until 2010, with a general plan of undertaking a search to have a new president for the fall of 2010.  

10.  Dr. Beckett said: “We are confident that we will have strong candidates and will be able to appoint a highly capable person to serve as the next president of the University. We have made great progress and expect the next president to guide the University’s continued forward movement.”  

11.  The above information and actions were part of a meeting of The University Board of Trustees on October 1 and 2. Thirty regular trustees and four special trustees attended the meeting.  

12.  “We had a good meeting,” Board Chairman C. Richard Beckett said. “Trustees are pleased with the progress and direction of the University. We are systematically strengthening the academic, teaching and student programs, while improving finances. The University is adding exciting new educational features which will serve long into the future.”