Trustees to discuss athletics department's 5-year outlook

Marking the first meeting with three new appointments to the board, the IU board of trustees will convene today and Friday on campus to discuss the IU Athletics Department's budgetary woes, examine enrollment figures and evaluate the new College Readership Program. \nOne of the most controversial issues the trustees are scheduled to discuss during the Friday business meeting is how to handle the athletics department's financial troubles. \n"It is my understanding that the athletics department will bring forward a five-year plan for reducing the deficit," said IU Director of Media Relations Larry MacIntyre. "It is definitely an item that will get close scrutiny."\nIUSA President Alex Shortle is also scheduled to address the board Friday. He said there are fewer student interest proposals up for vote this week, now that IU President Adam Herbert had delayed the Atwater Avenue parking garage proposal, but added he will comment on the readership program. \nTwo other architectural proposals are also on the agenda. The trustees will vote on a proposed site for the new Honors College building to be located at the intersection of Seventh Street and Woodlawn Avenue. In addition, the trustees will vote on new concepts for the new Service Building, to be located along Range Road. The current Service Building is being replaced by the Multi-Disciplinary Science Building, Phase II. \nAfter experiencing disappointing enrollment numbers last year, MacIntyre said IU Vice Presidents Charlie Nelms and Judith G. Palmer will release current enrollment figures Friday to look at how each campus did in meeting its enrollment goals. \nThree trustees are also up for appointment to serve on additional boards. Clarence W. Boone needs approval for the Riley Children's Foundation, board President \nStephen L. Ferguson for the IU Foundation Board of Directors and William R. Cast to the IU-Purdue University Fort Wayne Foundation Board. That business will be resolved Friday.\n"Each of those boards have responsibility that to some degree overlap with the responsibilities with the IU board of trustees," MacIntyre said. "And by virtue of their vision as trustees they have been appointed to those boards to represent the trustees and serve as a liaison so to speak."\nPrior to the trustee meetings, Wednesday and part of today, the nine-member IU board, along with Herbert, will be in Nashville, Ind., for an annual retreat. \n"The trustees do this once a year to discuss and think about the long-term goals and vision for the University, as opposed to more specific day-to-day issues," MacIntyre said.\nFollowing the retreat, the trustees will reconvene in Bloomington to start off their Thursday meetings. Friday, the business meeting will be held at 1:15 p.m. in the Frangipani Room in the Indiana Memorial Union, where several of the proposals will be voted upon and other matters will be discussed. \nThe meeting will be open to the public.