Funding for Huskie Stadium upgrades and the campus alert system were among the topics discussed at the committee meetings prior to the Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday.

The Finance, Facilities and Operations Committee reviewed almost 30 university recommendations before the Board of Trustees met for a special closed meeting. The committee approved a recommendation that funding for Huskie Stadium upgrades will not exceed $650,000. The changes would include the installation of LED ribbon boards on the east and west sides of the stadium and the replacement of the sound system.

The naming rights authorization failed to garner a second vote to discuss and was tabled for discussion at a later meeting. Under the authorization, the board would maintain its authority to name all facilities on campus and would allow the board to implement procedures for naming.

Trustee John Butler requested a report detailing the services offered at the Zeke Giorgi Law Clinic, which has a lease was up for renewal. According to the agenda, NIU wishes to exercise the first of two three-year renewal options, with the lease agreement beginning on July 1, and ending June 30, 2016.

A presentation was given on the status of phase one of the campus-wide replacement of electrical infrastructure. Phase one replaced more than 50-year-old electrical infrastructure, including more than four miles copper wire, which was purchased at a 10-year low price.

Phase two includes the replacement of more than three-and-a-half miles of cabling and the cleaning and testing of electrical infrastructure in 13 buildings on campus. Phase two is budgeted to cost no more than $2.58 million. It was approved by the Finance, Facilities and Operations committee.

The committee discussed the campus alert system and proposed funding for continuing the project. The system uses existing fire alarms, public address systems and a new voice over IP system to verbally alert students and faculty in campus buildings in the event of an emergency. The first two phases and more than 50 percent of phase three has been completed. When phase three is complete, 90 percent of the DeKalb campus will be covered by the new system. The committee recommended a budget not to exceed $1.25 million for plans and specifications for bidding the work for the completion of phase three. Phases four and five will complete the project at the DeKalb campus. Phase six would provide coverage at NIU’s satellite campuses at Hoffman Estates, Naperville and Rockford.

The legislation, audit, external affairs and compliance committee met shortly after the finance, facilities, and operations committee adjourned. The committee mainly went over reports, but it was set to take action on the Board of Trustees’ travel and expense reimbursement policy. However, after discussion of the policy, it was tabled by the board to be readdressed at a later meeting when data showing past requests for reimbursement could be reviewed.

Christian Spears, deputy director of athletics, gave a presentation reviewing NIU’s NCAA compliance.

“The NCAA is undergoing massive change and there’s a lot of editorializing of it,” Spears said. “But nevertheless, we’re going to have to be prepared for new regulatory culture.”

All of the paperwork and documents required by the NCAA are digitized on a shared drive system that all compliance officers have access to, Spears said.

“We led the Mid-American Conference in self-reported violations,” Spears said. “It’s a good thing to have systems in place that self-report violations. It advances that we have a program, a culture; our coaches come tell us and we have systems in place that find things. We are doing our due diligence and self-reporting violations. That honestly keeps the NCAA away from you.”

When the Board of Trustees meeting convened, roll was called and the agenda was approved. The board immediately recessed to a closed session.

Paul Palian, director of media and public relations, said the board has the right to meet in closed session under the Open Meetings Act of the Illinois General Assembly.