Wichita State Innovation Alliance Board Meeting
September 21, 2018
11:00 am
Experiential Engineering Building, Room 164
Wichita State University
Agenda
- Approve Minutes from April 26, 2018
- Board Meeting Content and Policy Follow-Up, Schlapp and Boden
- Annual Board Appointments, Bardo
- Review and Approval of FY18 Financial Statements, Tatro
- Investments Progress Report, Goodnight:
- Composite Patch
- Shocker Composites
- Celtig/Graphene
- Innovation Campus Projects, Tomblin
- Other Business as Arises, Schlapp
Minutes
In attendance were Directors John Bardo (phone), Lou Heldman, Willie Kendrick, Elizabeth King, Rodney Miller, David Mitchell, Scott Redler, John Tomblin, and Andy Schlapp. Also present were Bayram Yildirim, Pierre Harter, Betty Smith-Campbell, Mark Torline, Stacia Boden, Alan Goodnight, Lois Tatro, Anna Lanier, and Matt Kelly.
Call to Order
Tomblin called the meeting to order at 11:04 am.
Minutes
Draft minutes of the April 26, 2018, board meeting were distributed to the Board. Mitchell moved to approve the minutes. Miller seconded the motion. Motion approved.
Board Meeting Content and Policy Follow-Up.
Schlapp gave overview of WSIA, covered roles and obligations of Directors. Invited feedback about how to best use Directors’ time and talents to advance mission of WSIA and WSU. As a start-up affiliated corporation, what is the best approach and best use of time.
Board discussed frequency of meetings. Boden stated WSIA is obligated to meet once a year. If they choose to meet more than that, it would be a Board decision. Schlapp suggested having an annual business meeting to discuss updates and review financials, with updates to the Board as necessary. Directors discussed meeting once a year. Mitchell recognized that day-to-day decisions needed to be made quickly and often, and Board meeting not necessary for those. Consensus reached to discuss schedule of board meetings at the next annual meeting.
Tomblin pointed out that each Board Director was selected because of their crossdisciplined backgrounds in business, IP, start-ups, entrepreneurship and education. Tomblin discussed WSIA’s role in commercializing WSU intellectual property. King suggested next meeting start with a tutorial of how WSU finds companies, markets them, and tracks their success.
Schlapp suggested next meeting Boden presents other models of what similar boards are doing at other universities.
Boden covered Conflict of Interest (COI) policy and distributed annual disclosure forms. Directors that work for State of Kansas are required annually to file a Statement of Substantial Interest (SSI) form, but this doesn’t cover all Directors. As such, all WSIA Directors are asked to fill out COI form.
Annual Board Appointments
Bardo recognized that all Directors serve for a one year term but that each Director shall continue to serve until a successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.
Bardo recognized the work of Bill Moore and announced Moore’s resignation at his request to cycle off the Board.
Bardo discussed his nominations for Director positions: Bayram Yildrim, to represent faculty interests; Rick Muma, in his position as Provost; and Pierre Harter, to represent the WSU Board of Trustees.
Bardo asked for a motion to increase the number of Board directors from eleven to twelve seats. Motion made by Miller and seconded by Mitchell. All approved. Motion passed.
Bardo asked for a motion to elect Yildrim, Muma, and Harter to fill the empty Director seat left by Moore and the new Director seat. Motion made by Redler and seconded by Miller. All approved. Motion passed.
Review and Approval of FY18 Financial Statements
Tatro distributed WSIA FY18 financial statements for Board review. Board reviewed and discussed financial statements. Tatro pointed out that while there is a lot of fluidity, WSIA does maintain an adequate cash position. Tatro reported WSIA is currently keeping track of 30 different leases. Mitchell motioned to approve financial statement, Kendrick seconded. All approved. Motion passed.
Investment Progress Report.
Goodnight presented an update on several investments, including Composite Patch, Shocker Composites, and Celtig/Graphene. Discussed status and commercialization efforts.
Board discussed new technologies, uses and commercialization efforts.
Innovation Campus Progress Report
Tomblin presented an update on the Innovation Campus projects. i. Braeburn Square. Phase one of Braeburn Square is built and ready for occupancy. Announcement of first restaurant coming in next few weeks. ii. Hotel. Still working towards finalizing development. Current hotel option would be around 100 rooms. iii. Wonder School. Discussed location for potential new development and leased areas to Wonder. iv. YMCA Student Health and Wellness Center. Showed a rendering. Should be complete in January 2020. Boden highlighted the YMCA project and how Wesley will complement (not compete) with Student Health. Miller added that the YMCA is a great way to bring wellness to our students and surrounding community members. v. The Suites. This is phase 2 of Flats student housing project. This project will bring approximately 280 additional beds to campus. WSU is looking at another record freshman class, so this will address continued need for student housing. vi. Business School. King has done a great job raising funds for this Business School. The design not yet set, but has location on Innovation Campus. Will be going through KBOR for approvals. vii. Other Partnership Buildings. Looking at two partnership buildings on the east side of the innovation campus in the area marked for the partnership building 3. Discussed parking challenges. viii. NIAR Crash Lab. Project is going through approvals and will be bid. Old Crash Lab will become ATLAS which is being funded through state money, federal government contracts and grants. ix. Partnership Building 2. Speculative building owned and operated by developer. Tenants for this building include WSU (WSU College of Engineering, WSU Firepoint and will house two NIAR labs) and space is being finalized with SPIRIT. The Firepoint and NIAR labs are being funded with federal government contracts and grants. Hope to use some space for opportunity zone tenants.
Other Business
Schlapp outlined placemaking initiative focused on getting more community members onto campus and encouraging students to stay on campus longer. Stresses that WSU needs to become a destination place where people can recreate and enjoy their time.
Boden reported she attend a P3 conference and it had roughly 800 attendees. There was a lot of excitement around what WSU is doing. Lots of discussion about when public funds are not there, need to fund projects in a different way in order to grow and stay relevant.
Mitchell shared recent article authored by Bardo about future of education and discussed article.
Bardo gave campus update. Official enrollment numbers are not released yet by the Kansas Board of Regents, but looks like WSU will have third year in a row of largest freshman class. The College of Applied Studies and College of Fine Arts are two of our most innovative colleges and both have seen significant growth. Wesley will put an urgent care facility within the WSU YMCA.
No questions, meeting adjourned at 12:52 pm.
Minutes drafted by: Anna Lanier