By Elijah Mckenzie

In the University of Louisville board of trustees meeting, which took place on April 12, members motioned to approve changes to the School of Medicine practice plan, which would consolidate 30 medical practice units into one single entity.

The purpose of the change would be to streamline operations, improve patient care, reduce overhead costs and allow the School of Medicine to comprehensively negotiate lower procedure costs with insurance companies. The consolidation would establish the medical practice entity as a not-for-profit organization, operating under the name University of Louisville Physicians, Inc.

U of L board members proceeded to vote in favor of awarding the 2011 Grawemeyer Award in Education to Greg Mortenson, author of such books as “Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace… One School At a Time.” The decision to nominate Mortenson came from his work to promote peace and understanding by educating girls in remote areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The Board also chose John Cumbler, professor of history, as a 2011 Trustees Award winner. The award recognizes faculty for making “outstanding contributions to the student experience.”

Also approved was Angela Ford to be the 2011 College of Arts and Sciences’ Alumni Fellow. Ford, a Lexington attorney, served as U of L’s first female SGA president.

U of L board members subsequently authorized President James Ramsey to enter into an agreement revising some provisions of land use with the J.B. Speed Art Museum. The museum’s projected expansions would extend over to the property on which Robbins Hall currently sits, placing it nearer to areas surrounding the College of Business.

Provost Shelly Willihnganz also offered a presentation to the board, highlighting U of L’s commitment to scholarships and financial aid for its students.

Board members also voted to allow a change to the faculty grievance procedure in cases regarding the Provost. The change now authorizes the president to designate an appropriate overseer to receive and act upon grievances where the Provost is named as the respondent.