Present:  Mine Akimoto, Barbara DeFilippo, Ben Hill, Bill Kyker, Nanci La Velle, Linda Loft, Kay Malmberg, Marie Matsen, Jose Ortal, Lynne Phillips, Jane Scheidecker, Linda Simmons.. 
Absent:   Helen Garrett, Brandon Kilgore, Jane Russell
Facilitator:   Barbara DeFilippo
Recorder:   Terry Caron

Marie Matsen introduced Linda Simmons who will acting vice president for College Operations during the time period that Marie will be acting president (mid June through mid-August).  Linda will attend any subsequent BAG meetings held during the summer.

Budget Update

• The Board approved the 2001-02 budget based upon a $1 tuition increase.
• The Stateís community college budget has not yet been heard before the Ways & Means Committee.  There should be more news from Salem next week.
• The budget analyst advised that the Unrestricted Carryover funds, as included in the 2001-02 budget, could be less than anticipated.  This will be a more serious event for future years, if this trend continues. 

Tuition and Process Group
There were no new meetings held.

ìBumpy Roadî Issues and Role of BAG Members
Discussion:

• The role of BAG was described as advisory to Budget Leaders yet some members preferred to be an advocate for their representative group.
• The first responsibility of members should to the college.
• The group may have been less effective because members were not sharing the same philosophy.
• Should ìcustomersî of the college be involved in determining policy or should all people affected be at the table?
• BAG should be involved in determining long-term financial strategies and processes, not preparing recommendations that have an immediate affect.
• BAG may have been working at too low a level--making recommendations about tuition, etc., and perhaps should deal with broader strategic and policy issues.
• If college advocacy groups had access to information and opportunities to discuss issues with budget leaders and the board, perhaps there would be less concern about the role of BAG members.  There needs to be a way for those groups to advocate for themselves.
• A goal for BAG is to have an impact on changing policy and be effective as a clear channel for providing budget information.
• Union opinion of BAG has been mostly negative.  But these groups need to view BAGís role as advisory and  as advocates for the college and not for a particular groups.  BAG members are developing expertise on budget process and policy and can be channels for such information but BAG is not a place for advocacy for particular groups.
• Marie would like her role to be one of liaison between ELT and BAG. She also wants to ensure that BAG members take the lead in being an effective group as they develop expertise in the budget process.

• Term of service on BAG Committee:  do they rotate each year?  Student committee members would not necessarily remain the same.  How do they stay current with all the information?  Due to the time it takes to become more knowledgeable about the budget, it would be more effective for members to have longer than one year terms.  It would be advisable to change the BAG Charter if a certain term of service was determined.
• Communications regarding the budget process appear to be a major problem.  BAG to discuss ways to have clearer and more efficient communications.
• Since BAG minutes are an important tool for communication and are posted on the web, BAG approval of the minutes would be needed prior to posting them on the web.

• Helen Garrett and Barb DeFilippo were thanked for their important role and impact on the group and for their great facilitation and leadership skills.
• The group also expressed gratitude for the two student representatives, Mine Akimoto and Brandon Kilgore, and acknowledged them for their participation and willingness to be a part of the groupís process.
• Marie acknowledged all BAG members saying that they gained the trust and respect of the Budget Leaders, the Board  and the Budget Committee.  

• Next yearís  planning will include invitations to Budget Committee members to attend BAG meetings.
• Budget Process ñ need to decide how to interpret this yearís negative feedback.
• Meet with new budget Leaders
 
Ø BAG will meet one time during July and again during Fall Inservice to prepare for the 2002-03 and future budget planning process. 
 
Ø BAG to send their summer schedules to Terry to plan these two meetings.