The Board of Trustees held their first meeting of the 2018-2019 academic year Friday morning. The meeting began with public comments, included a research presentation and committee reports and concluded with a presentation on the launch of the academic year.
The board approved many new projects, including the formation of a new health organization called MSU Health Care, which replaces the current MSU HealthTeam.
A new health organization
"This, I believe, is long overdue," CEO of the MSU HealthTeam Michael Herbert said. "This has been talked about for the last 15 to 20 years."
Herbert said this will allow the new organization, comprised of MSU's colleges of Human Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine and Nursing, to enter into "a number of joint ventures with both private physician groups as well as area hospital partnerships."
MSU Health Care will include 260 providers from 14 clinical departments at MSU, according to MSU Spokesperson Emily Guerrant. This includes doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, therapists and nutritionists.
This ability to collaborate with other health care entities will "nurture a culture of safety, foster cost-efficient clinical practice and increase research opportunities," according to the press release.
Three projects approved
The board also authorized the planning phase for a construction project that would expand Munn Ice Arena. Deputy Athletic Director Greg Ianni said this project aims to move the hockey facility from the basement to an addition on the south side of the building, as well as renovate the existing hockey space.
"The Munn Arena project has been something that's been in the queue for a number of years," Ianni said. "We're about the last program in the Big Ten that has done anything about their arena."
Along with an expansion on the Munn Ice Arena, the board also authorized the installment of an observation tower and canopy walk at Hidden Lake Gardens and the installment of field lighting to Old College Field.
Revisions to the university's indemnification policy
The board approved changes to the indemnification policy, the first revision since 1983. An indemnification policy protects students from lawsuits with prior approval for a student's actions.
The policy update was in order to "provide consistency between the policy and the way MSU has been interpreting the language," according to the press release.
The next Board of Trustees meeting is Oct. 26.
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