Board of Trustees Approves Senior Faculty and Roof for Raley

OBU trustees celebrated the grand opening of Jane E. and Nick K. Stavros Hall, approved recommendations for senior faculty status, and approved a recommendation to replace the roof on Raley Chapel among other business during their spring semester meeting Friday, Feb. 5.

The Board of Trustees attended the grand opening and ribbon cutting for Stavros Hall and participated in building tours provided by nursing faculty and students.

The recommendation to move forward with the replacement of the Raley Chapel roof was approved. Original to the building in 1961, the roof will be replaced this summer with Ludowici clay tile and will be funded through both an insurance claim stemming from a severe hailstorm in spring 2015 and from fundraising resources. The $1 million project will begin in June with a planned completion date prior to the fall semester. Additional work will be completed as necessary to the copper spire.

New seating in the Noble Complex arena was approved to replace the current seating. Original to the arena, the current seating no longer operates to extend and retract as needed and parts are no longer available to correct issues. The new bleachers will meet current ADA requirements and will be funded through athletic fundraising.

Sabbatical leave was granted to Dr. Alan Bandy, Strickland professor of New Testament and Rowena R. Strickland chair of Bible, for the fall 2016 semester to complete research and writing several books related to New Testament studies.

The Board of Trustees approved senior faculty status for Dr. D. Brent Ballweg, professor of music/Burton H. Patterson chair of music; Dr. Krista Hands, associate professor of mathematics; Dr. Peter Purin, assistant professor of music; Valarie Watts, assistant professor of nursing; and Dawn Westbrook, assistant professor of nursing.

Full-time faculty contracts were approved for the 2016-2017 academic year.

Skip Robinson, chair of OBU’s 31-member board of trustees, moderated the board’s plenary session.