The Board of Trustees met to discuss such issues as facilities, finances and academic affairs.
The meeting was held on Friday, April 7, at the Hotel at Auburn University & Dixie Conference Center.
On the agenda for facilities resolutions was the renovation of Jordan-Hare Stadium's press box and the construction of a concourse on Mell Street in front of the new classrooms.
The Auburn-Opelika News reported the Board approved the stadium project, which will replace the current press box with luxury seating and construct a press box in a new location.
The trustees also passed the resolution in support of the project to make improvements on Mell Street, West Samford and Thach Avenue. Phase I of this project is estimated to cost $4 million, which is to be funded by University General funds, according to the Board's agenda.
This project would make improvements from West Thach Avenue to the end of the Library Service Drive, where there will be a concourse constructed for pedestrians and bicyclists in front of the new Mell Street classrooms.
Dan King, associate vice president of facilities, said this phase of the project will greatly change the main campus.
“This first piece is really important and pretty exciting in that this will be a project that will be sort of transformative to the main campus in terms of student and pedestrian friendliness and compatibility,” King said.
The Board discussed the possibility of tuition increases, which would raise the next two years' tuition by three percent.
The OA News reported this resolution to increase tuition passed.
This was also the first official meeting of the Board since announcing the appointment of President Jay Gogue's successor, Steven Leath.
The trustees approved Leath's contract as University president during the meeting, according to the OAnews.
Leath's contract will be for five years with an annual salary of $625,000 with a deferred retirement bonus of $1.25 million. Leath's contract also states his car allowance will be $31,250.
Leath will be reimbursed for any moving expenses, according to the University. Though he will eventually be living in the President's mansion on campus, it is currently undergoing renovations. In the mean time, the University plans to provide housing in Auburn until these renovations are complete.
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