Austin Peay board approves leases, renovations, bylaws revisions and presidential contract

At its September 2025 meeting, the Austin Peay State University Board of Trustees approved multiple committee-recommended actions by roll call, including a land lease, a campus renovation with donor support, revisions to the board’s bylaws, the president’s employment contract, and changes to the university mission documents.

The board took the following formal actions (motions carried unless otherwise noted):

Lot 26 land lease — The board voted to approve the Lot 26 land lease. Trustee Catherine Cannata presented the committee motion on behalf of the Business and Finance Committee; because the motion came from committee, a second was not required and the board conducted a roll-call vote that the chair announced as carried.

Community Engagement and Sustainability Center renovation — The board approved renovation of the garage portion at 328 College Street into the Community Engagement and Sustainability Center at a cost not to exceed $1,200,000 and approved a letter of intent to enter into a “gift in place” agreement with Leo and Lily Bien to fund and support the project. Trustee Cannata presented the committee motion; the board conducted a roll-call vote and the motion carried.

Revisions to the Board of Trustees bylaws — By direction of the Executive Committee, the board approved revisions to the Board of Trustees bylaws. The committee presented the motion to the full board and the trustees approved it by roll-call vote.

President’s performance evaluation instrument and incentive plan for FY 2025–26 — The board adopted the same evaluation criteria and instrument for fiscal year 2025–26 that had been used for FY 2024–25. The motion was made on behalf of the Executive Committee and approved by roll call.

President’s employment contract — The board approved the president’s employment contract as presented by the Executive Committee. Trustees discussed the contract in open session earlier in the day; after a motion from the Executive Committee, the full board voted by roll call and the motion carried. During discussion board members commented on the president’s leadership and noted the contract includes provisions intended to provide housing continuity for the president’s spouse in the event of his departure.

Institutional mission changes — The board approved a small amendment to the university’s mission statement intended to reflect compliance with federal regulations and new state law language referenced by counsel, and separately approved amendments to the institutional mission profile statement, including language recognizing the university’s Carnegie reclassification and its designation as the state’s first Vets Bravo campus.

Committee action reported to the board — The Audit Committee reported that it approved one action item in committee: the fiscal year 2026 salaries and budget (reported during the Audit Committee report to the full board). That committee-level action was described to the full board in the Audit Committee report.

Procedural notes — Several routine items were also approved by roll call (agenda adoption and approval of minutes for the June 6 and August 21 meetings). The board’s secretary conducted roll-call votes for each motion presented to the full board and the chair announced that each motion carried.

No dissenting results were announced in the roll calls recorded in the meeting transcript; the chair stated the motions carried after each roll-call sequence. The board’s packet also included a list of contracts and agreements executed since the last meeting and state voting commission actions since the prior board meeting.

A full transcript of roll-call responses is reflected in the meeting record; motions originating in committee were presented to the full board by committee chairs or the board chair and then approved by roll call.