The Yale Corporation will focus on setting a new term bill and other University fiscal matters when it convenes this weekend for its third meeting of the academic year, Yale officials said.
While the University’s highest decision-making body traditionally keeps its agenda secret, Yale officials said the Corporation is also likely to discuss the University’s upcoming capital campaign to support its recently-approved academic review. Members will also have informal discussions about the search for a new dean to replace Yale College Dean Richard Brodhead, who will become president of Duke University on July 1.
This weekend marks the first meeting at which Corporation member Roland Betts ’68 will serve as senior fellow. Betts succeeded former Senior Fellow John Pepper ’60,Êwho stepped down from his position after being named the University’s vice president for finance and administration in December.
Betts said the Corporation will discuss and vote on the term bill. He said a tuition increase is a “fair expectation.” The Corporation will decide on the percentage increase during its meetings, he said.
Also on the agenda will be the capital campaign to raise between $200 million and $500 million to cover the cost of implementing academic review proposals announced in April. The review was the first of its kind in 30 years.
Brodhead ,who spearheaded the review, said he discussed it at December’s Corporation meetings. He said he will take a back seat this weekend now that the Corporation has fully endorsed the review.
“I’m not a major player at this Corporation meeting,” Brodhead said. “The Corporation has been kept well informed about this process [the academic review proposals]. There’s been no lack of interest. Now they’re more content to trust that we are executing these ideas.”
The capital campaign will raise money for aspects of the review such as the creation of a new central campus science teaching center, expanded study abroad opportunities for students, and an 10 percent increase in the number of University faculty members.
“A lot of good ideas came out of the Yale College study and we’re looking to fund them,” Betts said.
While officials and Corporation members said an update on the search for a new dean to replace Brodhead was not on the agenda, they did say the topic was likely to come up in conversation during the weekend.
“That is obviously such an important topic that it would be astounding if someone didn’t talk about it at some point,” Corporation member Len Baker ’64 said.
Corporation members said Yale President Richard Levin has kept them involved in the search process.
“We have a president who is very collegial and good at soliciting opinions,” Baker said. “Everybody’s going to have a chance to weigh in on it.”
Levin has said he hopes to name a new dean before spring break.
“By the next Corporation meeting, they may have a new dean,” Brodhead said.
Corporation members said they are looking forward to convening this weekend under Betts’ leadership.
“I think the committee has great confidence in [Betts’] judgment and ability to perform the role and we’re very supportive of having him assume it,” Corporation member Janet Yellen GRD ’71 said.