At its regular meeting today, Coastal Carolina University's board of trustees approved a motion to proceed with the planning for a new campus building, the Academic Enrichment Center and Auditorium. The administration was directed to reconfigure some aspects of the project, which will be presented to the board at its October meeting.

The proposed 58,000-square-foot facility is being planned in response to needs identified in CCU's campus Master Plan to create an environment that will encourage experiential learning endeavors. The center will feature computer labs, seminar offices and study lounges. The estimated budget for the proposed project will not exceed $28.5 million, predominantly funded with the penny sales tax for education.

The board also approved the establishment of two new Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees, the B.F.A. in Studio Art and the B.F.A. in Visual Communication Design. The new programs are expansions of CCU's successful bachelor's degree programs in art and graphic design, and they comply with prevailing trends in higher education and the marketplace, as the B.F.A. is increasingly the preferred degree for working artists.

An additional new undergraduate degree, the Bachelor of Science in Applied Statistics, was also approved. The degree is designed to provide students with a solid foundation in all aspects of statistical analysis, including programming, data analysis, and oral and written communication skills.

In order to satisfy the legal requirements necessary to establish a performing arts study abroad program in Italy, the board passed a resolution to comply with the Barile Law. Under current Italian law, all foreign academic programs must follow the authorization procedures of this legislation. CCU's Office of University Counsel has hired external counsel in Italy to assist with the process.

A motion was approved to establish a committee of the board to create self-evaluation policies and practices for the board of trustees. The self-evaluation process is recommended by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), the national accrediting organization for higher education institutions in the Southeastern states, in its resource manual for governing boards.

The board also approved tenure for the hiring of William G. Ambrose, Ph.D., as vice dean for the School of Coastal Environment, effective Aug. 16, 2018.