Many waited outside the doors of the Zion Room on the fifth floor of the Holland Centennial Commons Friday morning as the board of trustees began the open session of its meetings.
After an introduction and welcoming of guests, members of the board began the session by honoring now-retired Don Hinton, dean of the school of humanities, with an excellence in education award.
“This isn’t an award we give lightly,” trustee Elisabeth Bingham said.
Following a short speech by Hinton, Debra Bryant, assistant professor of business, presented the results of a survey called “Great Colleges to Work For,” which measures responses given to questions distributed to the faculty at Dixie State University about the quality of their jobs.
“I think one of the signs of being a great college is that you ask your employees how you’re doing,” Bryant said.
Dixie’s scores on the survey met the national average but didn’t quite live up to the highest standard: the honor roll.
After reviewing the survey’s numbers, President Biff Williams gave the president’s report.
“We do a lot of amazing things at [DSU],” Williams said. “But we don’t brag about ourselves enough, and that’s one culture that I would like to change.”
Williams announced a new student housing building would soon be breaking ground.
The trustees listened to seven program proposals and approved the restructuring of the communication department including new multimedia and social media emphases.
The physical education/recreation program in the department of family and consumer sciences will also see a change as it moves to the school of health sciences with more programs to follow shortly.
The board also heard reports devoted to investments, finances, various committees and building prospects as well as a listing of events scheduled for the coming months.
Visit Dixie’s website to view the detailed agenda of the meeting. The next board of trustees meeting will be held March 20.
