MSU President Lou Anna Simon led the MSU Board of Trustees for the first time in her presidency during the board's first meeting of the semester on Friday.

It was also the first meeting for Trustee Melanie Foster, who was elected to the board in November after serving on the Central Michigan University Board of Trustees.

As part of conducting the meetings, Simon said she would like to encourage open communication and discussion.

By keeping the table open to discussion, it would allow for members of the MSU community to communicate issues they are working on to the entire board, Simon said.

"I think that there's a way to have dialogue that is transparent, but at the same time be reflective of the institution," she said.

Foster said returning to the board will allow her to contribute to the university's issues, such as the reorganization of the liberal arts college, which was discussed at the meeting.

"I believe I had some good input," Foster said. "It's great to be part of such a multi-faceted institution."

Board members re-elected Trustee David Porteous and Trustee Joel Ferguson to the positions of chairman and vice chairman, respectively. Both positions are two-year terms.

The creation of a liberal arts residential college was discussed at the meeting.

Several trustees said they needed more information about the project before they could vote.

Questions were brought up such as how many students it would serve, what the curriculum would be and whether there were other programs similar to it.

"Today was another step in what has been a lengthy process in pulling together the information, the pluses and minuses, in order that we'll have the relevant information needed to make a decision," Porteous said.

Several board members said the project needs to move more rapidly.

Members said a decision on the issue would need to be reached by April or May.