2021 April 16 Board Meeting (KSC)

Zoom

A. Determination of a quorum sufficient for the conduct of business

B. Determination of conditions necessary for the conduct of a telephonicmeeting

8:00 - 8:05 AM IIIIII. . CALL TO ORDERCALL TO ORDER

A. Approval of the MinutesMOVED, that the Board of Trustees approve the minutes of themeeting held on January 21-22, 2021, be approved as presented.

8:20 -8:25 AM VV. . CONSENT AGENDACONSENT AGENDA

8:25 - 8:45 AM VIVI. . PRESIDENTS' REPORTSPRESIDENTS' REPORTS

8:45 - 9:05 AM 1. UNH - President Dean

9:05 - 9:25 AM 2. PSU - President Birx

9:25 - 9:45 AM 3. KSC - President Treadwell

8:45 - 10:05 AM A. Campus Updates

9:45 - 10:05 AM 4. GSC - President Rubinstein

10:05 - 10:15AM

B. Break

VIIVII. . DISCUSSION ITEMSDISCUSSION ITEMS

A. Educational Excellence Committee - Trustee Eastwood

B. Audit Committee - Trustee Walker

C. Governance Committee - Trustee Ardinger

D. Investments Committee - Trustee Rutman

E. Financial Affairs Committee - Trustee Black

11:15 - 11:45AM

VIIIVIII. . COMMITEE REPORTSCOMMITEE REPORTS

II. . Zoom Meeting InformationZoom Meeting InformationCall in: 1 646 876 9923Meeting URL: https://unh.zoom.us/j/98505467981 Meeting ID: 985 0546 7981

IIII. . In Unlikely Event of a Zoom Call Failure:In Unlikely Event of a Zoom Call Failure:The board meeting will reconvene using these teleconference call-innumbers. Call: 800 505 4464 Code 630838#

C. Take attendance of all meeting participants

8:05 - 8:20 AM IVIV. . CHAIR'S WELCOME & REMARKSCHAIR'S WELCOME & REMARKS Chair Morone

1. BOT Meeting Minutes - 2021-01-21 and 22 - DRAFT.pdf - Page4

A. Presidents Reports.pdf - Page 8

10:15 - 11:15AM

C. KSC Campus Presentation - President Treadwell

Meeting Book - 2021 April 16 Board Meeting (KSC)

Board of Trustees AgendaBoard of Trustees Agenda

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F. Nominations Committee - Trustee Pope

11:45 AM - 12PM

IXIX. . WRAP-UP AND NEXT STEPSWRAP-UP AND NEXT STEPS Chair Morone

XX. . ADJOURNADJOURN

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Page 1 of 4

BOARD OF TRUSTEES January 21-22, 2021

Meetings held via Zoom

Videoconference Platform

Meeting Minutes (Draft for Approval)

January 21, 2020 In Attendance: Trustees: Chair Joseph Morone, Vice Chair Jamie Burnett, Secretary Kassandra Ardinger, Amy Begg, Don Birx, Jim Dean, Jackie Eastwood, Frank Edelblut; Jim Gray, Cathy Green, George Hansel, Shawn Jasper, Rick Ladd, Tyler Minnich, Mike Pilot, Chris Pope, Mark Rubinstein, Morgan Rutman, Wally Stevens, Gregg Tewksbury, Melinda Treadwell, and David Westover. Call to Order: At 8:00 am, Chair Morone called the morning session to order and noted the presence of a quorum sufficient for the conduct of business. Conduct of a Telephonic Meeting: Chair Morone made the following announcement regarding the conduct of a telephonic meeting and counting all members toward the quorum requirement whether or not physically present in the meeting location:

This meeting is being held by electronic means in conformance with the Governor’s emergency declaration of March 13, 2020, and subsequent emergency orders, as well as the applicable provisions of the New Hampshire Right-to-Know Law, RSA 91-A. If during the conduct of this meeting, anyone has difficulty connecting or staying connected to the video or audio feed please contact Tia Miller at tia.miller@usnh.edu.

Chair’s Remarks: Chair Morone showed a couple of slides with forecasts of student demographics for distinct sectors of higher education institutions including four-year undergraduate and two-year institutions. The data, from Professor Nathan Grawe’s new book, The Agile College, forecasts at least 15 years of sustained substantial declines in higher education students in the Northeast United States. The Board discussed the implications for USNH and confirmed the importance of the work being done across the institutions, much of which will be discussed at the Board and committee meetings over the next day and a half. Nonpublic Session: On motion made by Chair Morone and seconded by Trustee Burnett, a roll call vote was taken; the Board unanimously voted to go into nonpublic session for the stated purposes:

VOTED, that the Board of Trustees go into nonpublic session for the purposes of (1) discussing personnel matters including the performance of one or more public employees, (2) confidential,

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USNH Board of Trustees Minutes, January 21-23, 2021 (Draft for Approval) Page 2 of 4

commercial, or financial information, (3) matters of market strategy which, if discussed in public, would likely benefit a party or parties whose interests are contrary to those of the general public, (4) matters likely to affect collective bargaining strategy, and (5) consultation with legal counsel as authorized by RSA 91-A:2, I (a) and (b); 91-A:3, II (a), (b), and (d); and 91-A:5, IV.

The vote having been adopted, at 8:15 am, the Board went into non-public session. Return to Public Session: At 9:28 am, on motion duly moved and seconded, the Board voted to return to public session. Chair Morone announced that while in nonpublic session, no votes were taken, and no decisions were made. Adjournment: At 9:30 am, Chair Morone adjourned the Board of Trustees until tomorrow, Friday, January 22, 2021, at 8:30 am. The Board’s committees are scheduled to meet in the interim. January 22, 2021 – Board Business Meeting In Attendance: Trustees: Chair Joseph Morone, Vice-Chair Jamie Burnett, Secretary Kassandra Ardinger, Amy Begg, Don Birx, Todd Black, Jim Dean, Jackie Eastwood, Frank Edelblut, Jim Gray, Cathy Green, George Hansel, Shawn Jasper, Rick Ladd, Tyler Minnich, Mike Pilot, Chris Pope, Morgan Rutman, Wally Stevens, Gregg Tewksbury, Melinda Treadwell, Alex Walker, and David Westover. Call to Order: At 8:30 am, Chair Morone called the Board’s business meeting to order and noted the presence of a quorum sufficient for the conduct of business. Chair Morone briefly reviewed the agenda and desired outcomes for the business meeting. Conduct of a Telephonic Meeting: Chair Morone made the following announcement regarding the conduct of a telephonic meeting and counting all members toward the quorum requirement whether or not physically present in the meeting location:

This meeting is being held by electronic means in conformance with the Governor’s emergency declaration of March 13, 2020, and subsequent emergency orders, as well as the applicable provisions of the New Hampshire Right-to-Know Law, RSA 91-A. If during the conduct of this meeting, anyone has difficulty connecting or staying connected to the video or audio feed please contact Tia Miller at tia.miller@usnh.edu.

Campus Updates for Spring Semester Opening: The presidents of the residential institutions each reported briefly and answered questions on the current conditions at their institution and their plans for the spring semester. Topics covered include: the academic calendar, plans for testing and vaccination, available modes of program delivery, monitoring of conditions, contingency plans, athletics, other recreational opportunities, and continued coordination with the state through the Department of Health and Human Services. Following a brief discussion, the Board thanked each of the presidents for their hard work, careful planning, and leadership on these issues. Consent Agenda: On a motion moved by Trustee Burnett and seconded by Trustee Green, a roll call vote was taken, and with twenty-one in favor, none opposed, and one abstention (Trustee Ladd was not on the

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USNH Board of Trustees Minutes, January 21-23, 2021 (Draft for Approval) Page 3 of 4

Board at the time of the meetings which are the subject of the vote) the Board approved the consent agenda, comprised of the following action item: Board Minutes:

VOTED, that the Board of Trustees approve the minutes of the meetings held on October 22 and 23, 2020 be approved as presented.

Committee Reports: Chair Morone noted the minutes from each of yesterday’s committee meetings are posted in the board portal. The chairs of the Investments, Governance, Audit, and Nomination Committees each gave brief summaries of their committee’s meeting. Chair Morone called on the chairs of Educational Excellence and Financial Affairs Committees to present the action items approved by their committee for recommendation to the Board of Trustees. Educational Excellence Committee – Appointment of UNH Professor with Tenure:

On motion made by Trustee Green and seconded by Trustee Westover, a roll call vote was taken and the Board, with twenty in favor and none opposed or abstaining, unanimously approved the following action: VOTED, on recommendation of President Dean and the Educational Excellence Committee, that the Board of Trustees approve the appointment of one individual as professor with tenure at the University of New Hampshire, as presented in the supporting material attached to the Educational Excellence Committee meeting agenda.

Financial Affairs Committee – Approval of Tuition Rates, Mandatory Fees, and Room and Board Fees for FY2022:

On motion made by Trustee Eastwood and seconded by Chair Morone, a single roll call vote was taken on all three of the following action items and the Board, with twenty-one voting “yes to all three,” none opposed, and none abstaining, unanimously approved the following three votes: VOTED, on recommendation of the Financial Affairs Committee that, effective for academic year 2021-22, the tuition rates as presented on the attached schedule be adopted as the maximum amounts authorized. VOTED, on recommendation of the Financial Affairs Committee that, effective for fall semester 2021, mandatory student fees be adopted in amounts not to exceed $3,442 at UNH-Durham; $2,884 at KSC; and $2,622 at PSU. VOTED, on recommendation of the Financial Affairs Committee that, effective for fall semester 2021 (FY22), maximum housing and dining rates be adopted as the maximum per the attached schedules.

Break: At 10:05 am, Chair Morone called for a ten-minute break, after which he called the meeting back to order at 10:15 pm, and recognized President Birx.

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USNH Board of Trustees Minutes, January 21-23, 2021 (Draft for Approval) Page 4 of 4

Host Campus Presentation – PSU: President Birx began the presentation with a video about how PSU handled the pandemic and attendant disruptions during the fall semester. Highlighting interviews of students and faculty, the video showed the resilience, persistence, and creativity of the academic community in preserving valuable educational opportunities in the face of unprecedented challenges. President Birx then introduced Robin DeRosa, Director of PSU’s CoLab (Open Learning and Teaching Collaborative), to discuss her work and the PSU faculty perspective on teaching during the pandemic. With Professor Nick Sevigney (Art) and Professor Khanh Lai (Social Work), Director DeRosa described for the Board the work done at PSU to make the fall delivery of academic programing successful including curricular adjustment, course design, training, and technology. Each of the three presenters also described their personal experiences teaching and serving students, with emphasis on educational access barriers such as homelessness, food insecurity, and broadband connectivity. Board members asked a number of questions and engaged in a substantial discussion of the issues presented, especially access to and affordability of higher education for at-risk student populations. Chair Morone thanked President Birx, Director DeRosa, and Professors Sevigney and Lai for their attention to the needs of its students, dedication to their work, and an interesting and informative presentation. The Chair then announced the Executive Committee will next meet as scheduled at 4 pm, on Thursday, February 18. Adjournment: At 11:10 am, on motion duly moved and seconded, Chair Morone adjourned the meeting of the Board of Trustees. The next regularly scheduled Board and committee meetings will be held on April 22-23, 2021.

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Keene State College ● 1

President’s Quarterly Report to The Board of Trustees, April 2021

KEENE STATE’S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IMPROVEMENT INSTITUTE

Keene State’s Behavioral Health Improvement Institute (BHII) works shoulder-to-shoulder with community partners to improve behavioral health practice and outcomes for underserved populations through knowledge translation, program evaluation, training and consultation, and other forms of technical assistance. BHII’s work shares a common value framework: beholden to local stakeholders, dedicated to the learning needs of its partners, infused with the most current and relevant scholarship, and aimed at maximum population-level impact. Whether it’s a counselor in a school, a therapist in a mental health agency, a discharge coordinator in a psychiatric hospital, or even the commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services—BHII uses practice wisdom, research evidence, and local data to help the people who help others do it better. BHII evaluates New Hampshire’s system of care for youth with serious mental illness; supports NH’s 16 family resource centers, and; enhances NH DOE’s Multi-tiered System of Supports for Behavioral Health and Wellness framework in schools all over the state. At the request of NH DHHS, BHII developed the state’s current 10-year Mental Health Plan. BHII joined Keene State College on July 1, 2019, attracted by the college’s public liberal arts mission; integrated approach to teaching, learning, scholarship; warm and inviting community; robust system infrastructure, and reputation as an engaged academic partner of the highest integrity. BHII extends the community service arm of KSC’s mission to include mental health and wellness while providing opportunities for students to learn valuable applied research and consultation skills. BHII extends KSC’s visibility throughout New England. In fact, most of its stakeholders refer to BHII simply as “Keene State.” BHII’s operations and 10 staff are 100% externally funded via an expanding portfolio of contracts and grants. BHII has received funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, US Department of Education, Health Resources and Services Administration, Centers for Disease Control, John T. Gorman Foundation, and Endowment for Health, among others. Recent clients include NH DHHS, NH DOE, School Administrative District 44 (ME), NH Children’s Trust, Cheshire County, Amoskeag Health, North Country Health Consortium, City of Manchester, and Cheshire Medical Center. In KSC fiscal year ’19-20, BHII brought in $1,668,093—$1,367,348 in direct costs and $300,745 in KSC Facilities and Administrative (F&A) cost recovery. BHII projects $1,964,000 in revenue for the ’20-21 fiscal year – $1,614,000 in direct costs and $350,000 in KSC F&A recovery. Together, BHII and KSC are poised to make a difference in the lives of those with mental and behavioral needs for years to come.

OPERATIONS & SAFETY HIGHLIGHTS – STUDENT ENGAGEMENT Keene State’s Student Engagement staff have been hard at work this year ensuring the success, safety, resource availability, and social opportunities for KSC students, and creating abundant opportunities to do things differently and safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. During COVID testing at the beginning of the Spring semester, all returning on-campus students were provided with a new, vertically aligned Owl Card for easy identification for desk assistants within residence halls, Campus Safety officers, and any other campus area needing to quickly ascertain if a student should be within a certain space. Off-campus students continue to use the original Owl cards. The Dean of Students Office and the Office of Student Conduct have been integral to ensuring student compliance with both standard and COVID-specific policies and expectations, supporting both weekly and twice-weekly testing and wrist-banding processes, assisting students in crisis, and adjudicating as necessary. Our redesigned CARES early alert program was implemented at the start of the spring semester. Facilitated by the Dean of Students with a core goal to increase retention and graduation rates, CARES teams are now community residential-based to establish stronger rapport and relationships, use data to drive outreach, and focused on establishing a culture of academic and personal success and wellbeing. The re-envisioned Office of Transitions & Community Living has been hard at work rebuilding a community-centered staff that is creating student connections both within and outside of the residence halls. Renaming the office, professional staff, and student leaders serves as a clear message that the team is centered on community-building. In collaboration with Campus Safety, the team has refined

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Keene State College ● 2

a desk assistant program that provides 24-hour coverage for the entry areas in all traditional residence hall facilities. These student staff have been instrumental in ensuring that only residential KSC students are accessing the halls at any time, thus ensuring that only those who are a part of our rigorous testing protocol are within the facilities. The Transitions side of the house serves as the main outreach team for students who need additional assistance navigating a variety of challenges, and has recently facilitated a progress report campaign that has garnered the highest faculty response rate yet—66% of faculty completed the progress reporting request, a 187% increase in typical faculty compliance. By enacting thoughtful spacing, strictly enforcing mask use, and creating stringent cleaning protocols, Recreational Sports has kept the Rec Center facility open and safe throughout the academic year for student, faculty, and staff use. Rec Sports has ramped up its social media presence and has managed to continue student programs, including Intramurals, Rec Club activities, and Group Fitness classes, all while working around the needs of the required COVID testing site. Spring Intramurals continue, and a number of the Rec Sports Clubs are beginning to utilize outdoor spaces as the weather begins to shift. The Student Involvement team has been providing student programs and events all year that cater to COVID guidelines—including offering both virtual and in-person programming; hosting back-to-back programs to fit more students in a campus venue over time; lengthening programs to accommodate more student attendees; ensuring that event-based cleaning protocols are in place; offering easy grab-and-go items at different times; supporting student organizations in thinking through reimagined traditional events, and; increasing their use of social media platforms. This semester, the team has launched and implemented OwlNet, an entirely new student org management platform, allowing students to easily find student organization information, join clubs, request funding, and search student events. The team has managed to keep the fun, social, leadership, and developmental opportunities abundant, even if they look a little different. Working with the campus COVID leadership team, community medical professionals, and KSC Rapid Response Team, The Wellness Center (TWC) supports and resources have been indispensable over the past year. Students continue to receive care, whether in person or via telehealth appointments, accessing services provided in ways that mitigate risk to both staff and students and participating in Wellness Center programming. TWC has established a URI trailer in a distinct location on campus for those with upper respiratory symptoms, which serves to mitigate possible exposure to others. From this satellite operation, the team has been able to staff, diagnose, test when appropriate, and move students on for additional resources or into quarantine/isolation while continuing to staff, diagnose, and treat students in the traditional location. TWC has launched the Thrive@KSC campaign, with initiatives focused on the challenges of isolation and supporting students’ overall emotional health. Thrive at KSC provides both in-person and virtual events geared towards student wellbeing and community participation that adheres to the College’s safety guidelines—including weekly virtual workshops on different topics of mental health, such as mindfulness, relationships, and stress. Keene State Dining continues to operate with clear COVID-safety protocols in place. They are finding new ways to surprise students with fun and engaging programs and events, including special meals like the recent St. Patrick’s Day dinner, which students thoroughly enjoyed; offering new concepts in the retail market in Lloyd’s Marketplace; re-envisioning the Hoot-N-Scoot to-go offerings based upon direct student insights; and hosting numerous promotions and giveaways via social media and in conjunction with student groups. Keene State Dining continues to provide for both safe in-person dining opportunities with limited, set seating and stringent cleaning protocols, and take-out opportunities in all dining locations.

PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR RACIAL AWARENESS

The Hopkinton School District contracted with the Southwest Center for Educational Support to deliver a series of scaffolded professional development activities on culturally and racially sensitive teaching to school staff and community members. This is a community-wide initiative in Hopkinton. The Southwest Center’s activities are led by Dr. Dottie Morris, Associate Vice-President for Institutional Equity and Diversity, and include training for administrators, a community-wide kickoff, a community book read and discussion, a half-day workshop for all district staff, and a five-workshop series for teachers with optional graduate credit this summer.

ADVANCEMENT AND CONSTITUENT RELATIONS

YTD Fundraising as of 2/28/21 ahead of FY20 by $363,262 As of 2/28/21, we have raised $1,578,418—on track to reach overall funds raised goal with a projection of surpassing that goal. The annual February Athletic Challenge was the most successful in KSC history, surpassing our $30,000 and raising over $53,305! This is a true philanthropic partnership by Advancement and Athletic Coaches. KEA Board Endowment Scholarship Fund We have surpassed our fundraising goal of reaching $20,000 by 6/20/21 by securing $20,475. We are nearly at 100% KEA Board participation with 24 donors in total, of which 15 are KEA BOT.

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1

DRAFT #3/ March 26, 2021

PRESIDENT’S REPORT TO THE USNH BOARD OF TRUSTEES—April 2021 Plymouth State University observed its sesquicentennial in March, marking a century and a half of service to New Hampshire and its citizens. With new energies and innovations, we are confident that our best days are yet to come. Our Founders Day celebration featured a Plymouth State Day proclamation by Governor Chris Sununu, tributes from Senator Chuck Morse ’84 and Representative Matt Wilhelm ’04, presentation of the Richard E. Collins Philanthropy Medal to Meredith and Wally Stevens (both PSU ’62), other honored participants, and a time capsule to be opened in 2046. Plymouth State in 150 Objects, curated by the University’s Museum of the White Mountains, includes images and artifacts highlighting our sense of place and contributions over the generations. COVID-19 HIGHLIGHTS

Much of our work last year involved planning for multiple scenarios, including the possibility of an outbreak that could force us to shift gears quickly. These plans became indispensable when our positive test numbers spiked in February and the need for quarantine and isolation space came close to surpassing our resources. As of February 16, 97 students had posted positive, bringing our total number of cases to 130. This represented a dramatic increase from our more typical averaging in the mid-thirties. Transmission appeared to be primarily taking place in the residence halls, rather than in classrooms or through athletics. Most cases were not symptomatic and fortunately, none were serious.

Our comprehensive response included increased testing, fully remote learning until March 2,

canceling most athletics and campus events, limiting gatherings to no more than six people with

all appropriate health recommendations in place, closing of most campus buildings, securing

additional isolation and quarantine space both on- and off-campus, and moving dining to take-

out only. Faculty once again made the transition to all-virtual teaching, most staff conducted the

University’s business from off-campus as well and, as always, our essential workers maintained

critical infrastructure. Updates on all of these measures were shared with both the PSU and

town communities. These measures were effective in quelling the outbreak. As of March 29,

our total number of active cases was 13.

Every PSU classroom was equipped with additional advanced virus-fighting technology by the

start of classes. Air filtration was enhanced with a nanoscale coating that traps droplets in the

air and prevents them from recirculating in our buildings, and with medical-grade HEPA filtration

and ultraviolet germicidal radiation (UV-C light) air purifiers.

PSU Athletics juggled all three seasons at once in March. Fall athletes practiced and played

games scheduled for last semester, and these events were held while the winter season was

wrapping up and spring sports were underway. This would not have been possible without our

new, lighted turf field. Fans are not allowed at contests but home games are broadcast online.

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2

The allowed emergency use of the unfinished Health & Human Enrichment (HHE) Open Lab in

the bottom of the HHE Complex has been a godsend. It as been one of the most used areas on

campus and extremely helpful in retention and recruitment. We really need to finish this facility

or at least make it usable as soon as possible. ROI is less than two years.

Graduation plans have shifted multiple times as viral changes and vaccination schedules have

changed. We now plan on in-person graduations for all 2020 and 2021 student but with

attendance limited to students and faculty (but this may change). Our graduate speaker is

Pamela Diamantis, (Granite State Award), and our undergraduate speaker is Debbi Birx

(Honorary Doctoral Awardee).

THE NEW PSU

PSU is in a good position relative to Governor Sununu’s proposed USNH/CCSNH merger, as we

have already been working on building and strengthening pathways for students from New

Hampshire’s community colleges to complete four-year degree programs at PSU. President Birx

was among those who addressed a subcommittee of the House Education Committee reviewing

the merger plan. The Board Chair and CAO’s presentation was particularly compelling.

We are helping to equip students in all majors with data analytics skills through a $25,000

grant received from the inaugural Northeast Big Data Innovation Hub Seed Fund Program.

We are identifying actionable steps that take the new normal resulting from the global

pandemic into account. Priorities include Equipping Students for the 21st Century Global

Economy, Recruitment and Enrollment, Retention and Persistence, and Sustainability and

Thriving.

We are streamlining processes in order to increase student success rates. The Advising Task

Force is developing a new registration schedule that builds in time for students and advisors to

identify and try to address barriers to registration such as financial holds. The Retention

Working Group and our Student Financial Services office are clarifying the different types of

holds and identifying strategies to help students resolve them.

The Career Development Office has launched several initiatives, including a new Employer Sponsorship Program that will have leading firms interacting with students, classes, and groups.

Program closure and reinvention discussions continue to be a major area of focus. We have the tools in core modules, integrated families of programs, Cluster tracks, Cluster majors, 3+2 and 4+1 programs, our interdisciplinary studies major, market assessment and data analysis, and program closure to accomplish what is required to meet Board goals while minimizing impact. That said, closing programs is always a significant struggle and is a challenge for all of us, particularly for the faculty involved.

Fourteen courses from a range of disciplines have earned Quality Matters (QM) certification, which is an internationally recognized symbol of online and blended course design quality.

ENROLLMENT

Undergraduate recruitment continues be challenging, as COVID-19 interruptions have been felt

strongly by graduating high school seniors throughout our recruitment territory and most

significantly by Granite Staters. However, early deposit numbers are above last year’s and we

are hopeful that our personal approach will pay off, resulting in higher yield rates.

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3

Graduate applications are down slightly but we anticipate the application volume to increase as

we near the deadline. Our EdD, MBA, and DPT programs are showing strength, as is our new MS

in applied exercise physiology and human performance program.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION Recruitment for our new chief diversity officer and director of diversity, equity, and social

justice is underway.

In the spirit of celebrating Black History Month, the Office of Student Life and our Agents of

Change—ALANA program hosted a Diversity Awareness Program (D.A.P.) presentation.

Although mental health and inclusiveness is one of our primary areas of emphasis, we lost a student to suicide last month. In the message at the service, which was well attended, and a following webinar, we focused on peer intervention and aiding faculty and staff in supporting and recognizing students in difficulty.

IMPACT IN OUR WORLD Substantial recent media includes NBC10 Boston coverage of our new climate studies major and

our plans for a full, in-person experience next year.

Five members of the Plymouth State community are honored in this year’s Union Leader “40

Under Forty” celebration of up-and-coming young professionals.

PSU nursing students are helping with vaccination clinics in Plymouth and elsewhere in the

state, and testing for symptoms in dozens of agencies across New Hampshire.

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State of the University updates strategic plan, inspires Convocation President Dean and several colleagues presented the virtual State of the University 2021 address on Feb. 9, detailing the university’s successful response to COVID and outlining progress on The Future of UNH strategic priorities and initiatives, including expanded efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion. The address was followed two weeks later with a spring Academic Convocation to continue campus-wide dialogues around free speech, truth and civility. Speakers included: Professor John Greabe, UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law, on “Free Speech at Public Universities;” Professor Jan Golinski, Department of History and the Humanities, on “Post-Truth and Anti-Science;” and Renee Heath, principal lecturer and co-director of the Civil Discourse Lab, on “Higher Education in a Democracy and the Praxis of Civil Discourse.” Commencements for 2020 and 2021 graduates emphasize public safety Graduation ceremonies are scheduled for the Durham campus’s undergraduate and graduate classes of 2020 and 2021 from May 16 through May 23 at Wildcat Stadium. Seven ceremonies, divided by colleges, are planned to ensure adequate social distancing and other public safety measures. Students and families have been notified that the final plan may change if public health guidelines and restrictions are updated. Manchester’s commencements for its 2020 and 2021 graduates will be May 23 with two separate ceremonies, and the UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law will celebrate both its 2020 and 2021 graduates on May 22 in separate ceremonies.

As people stay close to home, interest in Extension gardening tips grows Although spring is always busy for UNH Extension, interest in its yard and gardening online programs, classes and resources has taken off as people continue to spend more time at home. Launched in January, Extension’s new “Gardening in the Granite State” podcast was recently among the top 50 of more than 2,000 podcasts in iTunes’s Home and Garden category. In the first three months of 2021, the all-volunteer Master Gardener Program saw a 90 percent increase in calls to the Extension Infoline over the same period in 2020. The Ask UNH Extension page on Facebook has gained more than 1,500 followers the past four months, and its Facebook Live series on pruning fruit trees had more than 10,000 viewers and 1,000 comments. Biotechnology Innovation Center helps attract new Millyard Scholars UNH Manchester introduced nine members of Class of 2024 who were recruited to the campus through the Millyard Scholars Program, which provides scholarships and research opportunities to exceptional incoming students in the biotechnology and

Report to the USNH Board of Trustees April 2021

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technology programs. Manchester Dean Mike Decelle said the students were also attracted by opportunities offered at the Biotechnology Innovation Center, where they will study in the state-of-the-art cell culture teaching lab, upstream and downstream processing suites, pilot production laboratory and more—and be able to pursue on-site internships and research with start-up biotech firms. The center also invites students from other institutions to join Semester in the Millyard, an exchange program open to Colby Sawyer College, Keene State College, New England College, Plymouth State University, Saint Anselm College and the UNH Durham campus. New Business Analytics Initiative launched with $6 million gift The Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics has launched a Business Analytics Initiative aimed at providing New Hampshire and regional businesses with the critical help they need to sustain a competitive advantage — highly skilled graduates who can harness the power of big data and analytics tools. Peter T. Paul ’67 contributed a $6 million gift to jump-start the initiative. A $25 million gift by Paul in 2008 helped build the business school, which was named after him in 2013. The field of business analytics continues to grow rapidly, and analytics is now central to many firms’ success and strategic planning. Study on impact of wilderness therapy awarded $3 million grant UNH’s Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Center was awarded a $3 million grant to conduct a first-of-its-kind randomized study looking at the effectiveness of outdoor behavioral health, or wilderness therapy, in helping teens struggling with depression, anxiety and substance use disorders. “Our hope with this controlled randomized study is to uncover definitive answers about the benefits of wilderness therapy from a behavioral, social and cost point of view,” said Michael Gass, professor of outdoor education and director of the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Center. “The Legal Impact” podcast offers legal analysis on the latest news The UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law is building an audience for its podcast, “The Legal Impact,” launched in 2019 and featuring faculty experts who offer a legal angle on current events. Subjects range from U.S. Supreme Court decisions, COVID-19, sports law, technology and more, including a recent episode on jury selection for the murder trial of Derek Chauvin, a white former police officer charged with killing George Floyd, a black man from Minneapolis whose death sparked nationwide Black Lives Matter protests. Community reflects on one-year anniversary of COVID-19 response President Dean and Durham Town Administrator Todd Selig commemorated the one-year anniversary of efforts to control COVID-19 on our campuses and in our neighboring communities with a virtual ceremony on March 15, recognizing our partnerships in responding to the unprecedented challenges brought by the pandemic.

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Granite State College

Report to the Trustees

April 15-16, 2021

This report covers the major activities and accomplishments that were achieved as well as the

challenges identified since the report to the Trustees on January 21-22, 2021.

Major Activities and Accomplishments

Academic Quality

Accreditation

o The NH DOE virtual site visit was held on February 4th, and included a comprehensive

review of all teacher certification programs for re-approval consideration. The State

Board of Education will review the team report and vote on program approval status on

May 13th. Initial feedback has been favorable.

Program Development

o The first course in the new BS in Fire Service Administration will be taught in spring

term which starts in April.

o The Information Technology review was completed, and a revised curriculum has been

approved through the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. It includes three

concentrations- software development, data analytics, and entrepreneurship. It will be

reviewed by Academic Council in April. A new minor in Data Analytics was included

in this review.

o The BS Digital Media Program Review was completed, and revisions have been

approved through Academic Council. The program will now be a BS, Digital

Communication Design with two concentration options – Graphic Design and Writing

for Visual Media. In addition, there will be two new minors that correspond to these

concentrations – Minor in Graphic Design and Minor in Writing for Visual Media.

o The BS Operations Management Program review was completed, and the program

revisions were approved through the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. The

program will now be a BS, Operations, Supply Chain, and Logistics Management.

These changes will be reviewed by Academic Council in April.

o The new MS in Nursing, Health Care Education admitted its first student and is

continuing to phase in new courses each term. The MS in Nursing, Health Care

Leadership continues to grow with 23 active and enrolled students.

o Graduate certificates introduced in Fall 2020 have provided a worthwhile free-standing

credential and stepping-stone to a graduate degree. Two further certificates are under

development for Fall 2021.

Program Review and Assessment of Learning Outcomes

o As of the end of Fall 2020, 2,428 unique undergraduate students have been assessed on

the 39 competencies associated with 14 undergraduate degree outcomes. This has

resulted in over 20,000 individual competency assessments across nine terms in over 30

courses.

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Granite State College

Report to the Trustees

April 15-16, 2021

o Faculty have used learning outcomes data in wrap-around course reviews and as data

elements in program reviews, resulting in changes to course assignments, student

support tools, and program requirements.

o Extensive program reviews were conducted this year for six undergraduate programs:

BS Digital Media, BS Operations Management, BA History, BS Human Resource

Administration, BS Criminal Justice, and BS Marketing. These reviews have resulted

in extensive improvements at both the program and course level.

o Added six Behavioral/Social Science courses to the outcomes assessment initiative,

resulting in 10 additional course sections being evaluated in winter term.

Prior Learning Assessment

o The following institutional validations have been completed and approved:

o Southern NH AHEC Community Health Worker Training

o Sandler Training: Sales Mastery Training

o National Registry Emergency Medical Technician & Paramedic

Faculty Development

o In a continuation of the iSocial: Pyramid Model Infusion / Implementation grant, early

childhood faculty engaged in professional development through participation in the

iSocial State Leadership Team and the Institutions of Higher Learning Professional

Learning Community.

o A faculty development series on equity, inclusion and diversity in online classes

continued in March 2021 with a session facilitated by a GSC adjunct faculty member

on the topic of “How Do I Infuse Equity into Any Online Class?” o As part of the execution of the Presidential Grant for Alternate Academic Delivery

GSC received from the Davis Educational Foundation, the College is in the beginning

stages of forming a new Professional Learning Community (PLC) that will help to

enhance the teaching and learning community for our faculty. This PLC will provide a

virtual meeting place for our faculty to explore new teaching strategies and share

methods as a community.

o The College is collaborating with the Learning Design and Technology team: USNH

Enterprise Technology & Services unit on the Canvas transition training for faculty.

The college is implementing a targeted training rollout plan and faculty have been

pleased with the trainings. The College is also offering drop-in sessions with

experienced GSC faculty who have experience with Canvas.

Support for Students

o Virtual tutoring continues to be a viable option for students. GSC tutors delivered 111

virtual tutoring sessions between January 1 and March 21, 2021, compared to 120

mostly F2F sessions in the same time period last year.

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Granite State College

Report to the Trustees

April 15-16, 2021

o The College has updated its policy statement on Free Speech, outlining the College’s

commitment to the fundamental rights of freedom of speech, expression, and assembly

and reinforcing that the College will not discriminate based on the political, religious,

philosophical, ideological, or academic viewpoint expressed by any person.

Engagement

Academic Engagement

o The Quality, Innovation, and Collaboration for Student Success QICS2 report has been

produced which includes graduation/retention rates, faculty academic engagement,

student course satisfaction, student support services, and student learning outcomes.

This document will evolve each year and potentially include special quarterly editions,

serving as a framework for monitoring the performance of our work across multiple

metrics that can inform continuous improvement activities.

o This year’s Peer Review Process kicked off in January. The Peer Review team consists

of twelve peer reviewers of which three are full-time faculty and the remaining adjunct

faculty. The peer review team will be reviewing over forty faculty and corresponding

courses over the next few months. This information is shared with the Program

Directors as part of their summative dialogue with their faculty. As of March 2021,

over half of all peer reviews for 2021 have been completed and approved.

Partnerships

New Partnerships:

o Institutional Enrollment: Town of Londonderry.

Current Professional Development:

o April 5 – May 14: Excel Basics (Sold out)

o April 2: NH Public Defenders; The Supervisory Role and Addressing Performance:

Training for Management

o April 7 – May 26: Network4Health, Foundations of Leadership

o May 17 – June 25: Excel Intermediate (Sold out)

Current Team Cohorts:

o Network4Health Humans Services and Addiction Studies Team Cohort:

The Network4Health (N4H) team-cohort is an opportunity for groups of employees

from N4H partners to take courses together. The courses have been sequenced into two

tracks within the larger Human Services field – an Addictions Studies track and a

Human Services track. N4H along with students are responsible for the cost of the

courses. The enrollments for the Winter 2021 Term are 15 students for

the Addiction Studies track and 12 students for the Human Services track. One student

is enrolled in a second course as part of a degree program. For Spring Term, we

currently have 10 enrolled in the Human Services Track and 13 enrolled in the

Addiction Studies track. Two students are enrolled in a second course as part of a

degree program.

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Granite State College

Report to the Trustees

April 15-16, 2021

o Manchester Fire Department:

Employees of the Manchester Fire Department and other surrounding city fire

departments engage in a series of dedicated courses either on-site at MFD or online

hybrid. Courses are aligned with BS, Applied Studies, Option in Management. Twelve

students are enrolled in eight courses for the Spring 2021 Term. Some of these students

are taking the newly created FSA 605 Fire Service Ethics course which is a part of the

new BS Fire Service Administration program to determine if this program is a better fit

for them.

o Friendship Charter School (Washington, DC):

ARTS 501, Introduction to Drawing will be offered for the Spring 2021 term with a

minimum enrollment of twelve students.

Recognition

o GSC is on the 2020-2021 list of Military Friendly® Schools list. With nearly 15% of

the student body comprised of servicemembers and veterans, Granite State College is

dedicated to helping military and veteran students get ahead in their careers. GSC

continues to be an institution of choice for members of the NH National Guard.

o U.S. News & World Report ranked Granite State College among the nation’s Best

Online Programs for the ninth year in a row. For online bachelor’s degrees, Granite

State College is highest ranked program in New Hampshire (US News & World

Report), 2021.

o Dr. Kathleen Patenaude and Courtney Rice will be presenting at the 2021 AUPHA

Annual Meeting in June. The title of the presentation is “An Academic Professional

Progression Model in Health Care Management”.

o Carina Self co-presented a webinar for the New England Educational Assessment

Network entitled: NECHE Has Visited: Now What? Closing the Feedback Loop

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