UWF Board of Trustees shows support for faculty and president
The University of West Florida Board of Trustees voted on several important topics at the Emerald Coast Campus Sept. 17. The trustees ratified the United Faculty of Florida bargaining agreement with the UWF Faculty which provides a 1.7 percent salary increase to base salary for in-unit faculty. UWF President Judith Bense indicated she plans to extend the increase to other faculty and staff, subject to appropriate bargaining where required.
Trustees also voted on extension of President Bense’s contract. Bense became president in 2008, after former President John Cavanaugh left the office. The trustees voted to authorize negotiation of a long-term contract with President Bense, extending through June 30, 2015. The BOT adhoc committee for Presidential Evaluation and Compensation will negotiate the details of the contract, considering input from interested parties, with final action scheduled for the December trustee meeting.
“President Bense is moving our university forward in the right ways,” said Chairman K.C. Clark. “It is time to provide a longer term appointment.”
SGA President Josh Finley serves on the board. He provided comments about Bense.
“The students love her,” said Finley. “Never before have we had a president who is so accessible and there for students.”
Trustees approved naming of the Roberta C. and Herman V. Yeager Memorial Library in the Department of English. The trustees also approved debt to be issued by the Foundation for a new residence hall slated to open in fall 2012. The newest hall, Heritage Hall, opened this fall and is at 100 percent capacity, along with all other residence halls at UWF.
The trustees received a preview of the athletic facilities plan that is expected to be integrated into the university long-term master plan.
“The first step to success is having a plan,” said President Bense. “This athletic plan will help us in building a strong collegiate environment and will allow our recruitment and retention efforts to flourish.”
For more information, contact Dr. Kim Brown, chief of staff, at kimbrown@uwf.edu.
