Board approves housing and food-service rates and IT/cybersecurity funding distribution

The board considered fiscal affairs items including university housing and food-service rate proposals and the proposed distribution of state funding for IT infrastructure and cybersecurity.

Regent Benson summarized the committee review and recommended full-board approval of the housing and food-service proposals, noting nationwide food costs and inflationary pressures. Vice President Frisbie explained that five institutions require freshmen to live on campus and that some universities contract food service; the board approved the housing and food-service rates by voice vote.

On IT and cybersecurity, Vice President Frisbie outlined a prioritized proposal based on an audit against the NIST framework and noted that the institutions will devote some of their own resources to cover costs beyond the state appropriation. Board members asked how mature campuses would be after this investment; staff suggested those questions be addressed offline and noted campuses will include cybersecurity elements in governance reports. The motion to approve the proposed funding distribution carried by voice vote.

Board members expressed strong support for cross-campus collaboration on cybersecurity and welcomed continued planning work in January to align IT directors and business officers on system priorities.