Board of Trustees may get state-appointed members

Four government-appointed trustees may join the University's Board of Trustees this year, if the University decides to accept the $35 million it was appropriated by the state in June. The Pennsylvania state legislature passed a law last month that allows politicians to name members to the board of trustees of some private colleges which receive state funds. University President Judith Rodin said this week that the Board of Trustees has not yet decided if it is willing to welcome four government-appointed members to its board in exchange for the state funds. "We're still discussing it," she said. "We haven't met formally to vote, although the Trustees have had information briefings on the law." Board of Trustees Chairperson Alvin Shoemaker said that although he has not yet met with the other Trustees to discuss the law, he is "not particularly excited about it." "I don't particularly like it," he said. "It isn't particularly positive." He added that the issue will be discussed and voted on at a Trustees' meeting scheduled for early October. Paul Munch, a Pennsylvania House of Representatives Appropriations Committee budget analyst, said the law was passed because the government "was putting out a lot of state money and wanted to see some representation." But Rodin said accepting four state-appointed trustees could mean an overhaul of the Board of Trustees' bylaws. "No one would know the tangible outcome of changing our bylaws," she said. "Our Trustees are really considering their own rules of governance." Pennsylvania state officials have disagreed about the way the new law will be enforced. Debbie Yenn, legal counsel to Pennsylvania State Representative Ronald Cowell (D-Allegheny) said the law was passed simply to assure private colleges' "accountability." "There is no other expectation than that they be present at meetings," Yenn said. "There is no expectation that they even report back to general assembly representatives." But Munch said the state-appointed Trustees will vote, just as regular Trustees do. He said he did not think the addition of the four Trustees will change the way the University does business. "[University Trustees] have nothing to fear unless they're doing something wrong," Munch said. If the Trustees vote to accept the state-appointed board members, the University will get about $35 million in state funds for fiscal year 1994-95 -- a $6.3 million increase from last year's stipend. Of the $35 million, $15.5 will go to instruction at the University, about $1 million will go to the Dental Clinic, $4.3 million will go to the Medical Center and $14.2 million will go to the Veterinary School. Eight other colleges in the Philadelphia area -- including Drexel University -- are also affected by the law.