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New USF trustees plunge into job
By BARRY KLEIN
© St. Petersburg Times, TAMPA -- The first order of business Friday for the University of South Florida's new board of trustees was to elect a chairman -- local developer Dick Beard. Then the board selected a vice chairman, agreed that Judy Genshaft should remain USF president, created two committees and concluded the business portion of its meeting. That took 25 minutes. The trustees spent the next 2 1/2 hours learning about their roles and responsibilities. For at least some of the members, the orientation was an eye-opener. They were told that much of their power is still in limbo because the stateLegislature has yet to complete its wholesale transformation of Florida's education system. They were given a quick -- and thoroughly confusing -- overview of USF's $1-billion budget. Or is that a $550-million budget? And why doesn't it include a financial reserve, especially given the state's increasingly gloomy budget projections for next year? "This will need a workshop," said trustee Lee Arnold, a former chairman of the Tampa Bay Partnership, a seven-county economic development organization. Considerable time was spent answering questions about the board's responsibilities under Florida's Sunshine laws. Can a group of trustees meet privately with legislators? (That depends, said USF attorney R.B. Friedlander.) What if several trustees are together at a USF football game? (Don't discuss business, advised Friedlander, who said the safest course would be to give public notice any time two or more trustees are together in the same room.) "Does that include the restroom?" asked Gus Stavros, a Pinellas businessman and major USF fundraiser. The remark drew a hearty laugh, but Beard, 57, a former member of the state Board of Regents, urged the trustees to listen closely to Friedlander's warnings. "We need to follow the law," he said. While the board's first meeting was short on actual business, it was still an important session for Genshaft, who has spent considerable time lately getting to know her new bosses. She has lunched with several trustees in recent weeks and met with others in their offices. She is counting on them to help lobby for more money in Tallahassee, and to raise the university's profile locally. The board should have plenty of clout. The trustees include former U.S. Sen. Connie Mack, Tampa Electric Co. president John Ramil and Outback Steakhouse chairman Chris Sullivan. Prominent Tampa lawyer Rhea Law is the board's vice chairwoman. Dr. Margarita Cancio is a former chief of state at Tampa General Hospital. Only one member is an experienced educator -- Howard University president H. Patrick Swygert. He also is the board's only black member. As part of their orientation, the trustees heard from John Kudless, a consultant hired by Genshaft to help the board define its role and mission. He told the trustees their job is to set broad policy, not deal with day-to-day issues. "The university has one leader, one voice -- the president," he said.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
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