APPROVED December 11, 2014
WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
MEETING MINUTES
THURSDAY, October 9, 2014

1. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Karen Lee called the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of Western Washington
University to order at 3:05 p.m., Thursday, October 9, 2014 in the Board of Trustees Conference
Room, Old Main 340, at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington.
Board of Trustees
Karen Lee, Chair
Sue Sharpe, Vice Chair
Dick Thompson, Secretary
Betti Fujikado
Chase Franklin
Carly Roberts
Ralph Munro
Earl Overstreet
Western Washington University
Bruce Shepard, President
Brent Carbajal, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Eileen Coughlin, Senior VP, Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services
Richard Van Den Hul, Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs
Stephanie Bowers, Vice President for University Advancement
Steve Swan, Vice President for University Relations and Community Development
Spencer Anthony-Cahill, Faculty Senate President
Annika Wolters, Associated Students President
Kerena Higgins, Assistant Attorney General
Sherry Burkey, Associate Vice President for University Relations and Community Development
Paul Cocke, Director, University Communications
Barbara Sandoval, Assistant to the President and Secretary to the Board of Trustees
Elissa Hicks, Assistant Secretary to the Board of Trustees

2. WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT
Steve Swan, Vice President, University Relations and Community Development introduced Rob Fix,
Executive Director, Port of Bellingham. Fix proceeded to give a presentation on the current status of
the Waterfront Development Project. He said that the current plan for the waterfront area is a
vibrant mix of uses including parks and trails, a new downtown marina and an extension campus
area for Western. The goals of revitalizing the first 10.8 acres of the waterfront include restoring the
health of the land and water in the area, rebuilding the underutilized waterfront economy and
improving public access to the waterfront. There will be five distinct development phases throughout
the project.

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APPROVED December 11, 2014
Fix described some of the challenges of the project which include the failing industrial shorelines and
infrastructure, site environmental contamination and cleanup, the endangered species in the area,
and coordinating all of the local, state and federal regulatory permits from fourteen different
stakeholders.
Fix said the next steps that the Port is currently working on include the continuation of the
environmental cleanups with the help of the State Department of Ecology, the installation of the
phase 1 roads and park areas and the selling and leasing of property for the first development
areas.
Trustees had questions about the Port’s ongoing commitments from the former tenants for cleanup
and where the money from the cleanup efforts would come from. Fix said that a mix of insurance
money from former tenants and grants from the State Department of Ecology would offset the
expense. Trustees also had questions about the planning process, who had been involved and
whether the current plan was different from the original plan for both the project as a whole and for
Western’s involvement. Fix said that the port has been working with numerous community
stakeholders over the life of the project and that input and changes are still being sought and made
to ensure a positive experience for the community. Provost Carbajal also mentioned that the plans
for Western’s involvement, while they have evolved, are still close to the original discussions.
President Shepard added that leaving the waterfront option open for Western’s future will be an
enormous benefit to campus.
3. PUBLIC RECORDS TRAINING
Kerena Higgins, Assistant Attorney General provided background on the Open Government
Trainings Act. Higgins said that Board members received Open Public Meetings Act training from
Assistant Attorney General Wochos at the August 2014 Board of Trustees meeting. She said the
new laws represent an effort by the legislature to support the rights of citizens to participate in the
democratic process of open public government and limit violations by providing routine training and
broadening awareness. As part of the initiative Assistant Attorney General Higgins presented
training materials regarding the Public Records Act, Chapter 42.56 RCW. Because of time
limitations Tony Kurtz, University Records Manager, was unable to present information on record
management at the university. University staff will reschedule a time for Mr. Kurtz to present.
Trustees asked how this act related to their duties as trustees verses staff of the University. Higgins
said that the same rules apply to them when they are doing the business of the University.
4. EXECUTIVE SESSION MAY BE HELD TO DISCUSS PERSONNEL, REAL ESTATE AND
LEGAL ISSUES AS AUTHORIZED IN RCW 42.30.110.
At 4:37 p.m. Chair Lee announced that the Board would convene in Executive Session for
approximately twenty five minutes to discuss a legal controversy with counsel as authorized in RCW
42.30.110 (1)(i).
The Board returned to open meeting at 5:00 p.m. with no action to report.

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