Trustees to hold meeting on campus today

The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees is expected to elect Trustee Roy Vagelos as the Board's new chairperson today at its Stated Meeting. Vagelos will succeed Trustee Chairperson Alvin Shoemaker, who has held the position for eight years. Vagelos has served as CEO of Merck, the nation's largest pharmaceutical company, for nine years and will retire on Nov. 1. At the meeting, the Trustees are also expected to discuss the addition of four government-appointed trustees to the Board. University Secretary Barbara Stevens said she expects discussion and debate on the issue during the meeting. The Pennsylvania state legislature passed a law in June which allows politicians to name members to the board of trustees of some private colleges which receive state funds. The University was appropriated $35 million by the state in June. If the Trustees do approve the additions, they must also amend the Board's bylaws. When this issue was first brought up in July, Shoemaker said he was "not particularly excited about it." At the time, Pennsylvania state officials disagreed about the new law's implications. Some expected government-appointed trustees not to participate in meetings, while others said they would vote as University Trustees do. At the Stated Meeting, the Trustees are also expected to discuss renovations, appointments and the activities of several other Trustee committees that are meeting earlier today. The Stated Meeting of the Trustees will take place at 1:45 p.m. in Hoover Lounge of Vance Hall. Also scheduled today are meetings of the Academic Policy Committee, the Budget and Finance Committee, the Facilities and Campus Planning Committee and the Internationalization Committee. All meetings are open to the public.