UCA trustees amend alcohol policy

The University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees voted Friday to amend the university’s policy on alcohol.

The policy had been to allow alcohol to be served only in the president’s home and in Ferguson Chapel during the celebration of mass. President Allen Meadors recommended to the trustees that the policy be amended to allow the president to approve in writing other locations on campus where alcohol may be served.

According to information from the university, requests have been made for alcohol to be permitted at certain events at Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center and Reynolds Performance Hall.

Jack Gillean, vice president for administration, said the new policy is directed at events such as the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting or Conway Symphony Orchestra concerts, rather than events that would attract students.

He said, “If students will be in attendance, (the president will) take that into account. I don’t anticipate him approving every request that comes along. The idea is that it will elevate these events.”

Also Friday, the trustees adopted a change to its smoking and tobacco-use policy. During the last Arkansas General Assembly, lawmakers passed the Clean Air on Campus Act of 2009, which requires all public institutions of higher learning to become smoke-free by Aug. 1. The board of trustees voted to make UCA smoke-free effective July 1 and also prohibited smokeless tobacco-use on campus. Violations will result in a ticket of $100 to $500, according to a representative of the UCA Police Department.

Trustees heard a financial report from Alan Russell, interim vice president for financial services.

He said past collection activities had become very lax but have since improved. Receivables from last fall and prior amount to $3.9 million, and about $3.8 million has been sent to collection agencies. He said he does not consider it prudent to assume it is collectible.

Collection activities have become “much more appropriate,” however, with the university collecting 98 percent of what was billed in the spring and summer and already collecting 96 percent of what was billed in the fall, he said.

Students have been made subject to penalties upon non-payment and upon missing two payments. Penalties include losing the use of their meal card and administrative withdrawal, which makes them unable to attend school, he said.

Also Friday, Dr. John Parrack, faculty senate president; Melanie Epperson, staff senate president; and Cody Wilson, student government association president, addressed the board of trustees.

Parrack thanked the board for its efforts toward improving finances and relations with faculty but warned that faculty morale is low and resources are stretched thin. Epperson said morale is “at an all-time low” and said staff feel a lack of genuine rapport with the administration. Wilson questioned whether proceeding with Division I certification is wise in light of current financial issues and asked for a new commitment to academics, stressing the importance of library resources. He said he plans to propose a library fee and hopes the board will accept it.

In other business, the trustees approved officers for next year. Dr. Harold Chakales will serve as chair, Scott Roussel will be vice chair, and Bobby Reynolds will be secretary.

(Staff writer Rachel Parker Dickerson can be reached by e-mail at rachel.dickerson@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1277. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)