BOARD OF EDUCATION
Minutes - February 9, 2005
1) Attendance
Chair Paul Holman called the meeting of the Lane Community College Board of Education to order at 6:30 p.m. Present were: Board Members Jay Bozievich, Roger Hall, Mike Rose, Kathleen Shelley, and Dennis Shine. Also present were President Mary Spilde, Vice President Marie Matsen, Associate Vice President Donna Koechig, Executive Assistant to the President Tracy Simms; College Counsel Meg Kieran; Lane Community College Education Association President Jim Salt; Lane Community College Employees Federation President Bob Baldwin, and Associated Students of Lane Community College President Tony McCown. Board member Larry Romine and Vice President Sonya Christian were absent.
2) President's Report
There are no new developments regarding the budget. All of our “unknowns” are still unknown at this time. On Friday, the State Board will hold a work session on the distribution formula. Presidents and business officers from Portland, Chemeketa, Linn-Benton, and Lane met yesterday and developed a new proposal. Gretchen Schuette, president of Chemeketa, and I met with the Commissioner today and presented it. We believe that our option is consistent with the State Board’s policies and avoids the dramatic swings in funding that exist in the Commissioner’s proposal. I am happy to report that the Commissioner was favorably disposed to our proposal and plans to forward it to the State Board.
Several legislators from both sides of the aisle have formed a community college caucus. They had their first meeting today, and I made a presentation about community college needs. There were about 18 legislators present. These legislators will be our champions and, hopefully, will have an impact on our funding level. James Sager, Governor’s policy person on education, also attended. It was rather disappointing that he lumped community colleges in with all the other agencies wanting additional money. While he acknowledged the “glitch” he did not make the distinction that we need to be brought up to a comparable level with other sectors of education. Representative Ackerman did take him to task on this and told him his answer was less than satisfactory. There is a move to place all of the construction packages on the list instead of the top six.
Thursday is Lane Day on the Hill. We will have 16 faculty, staff, students, and board members, as well as two business representatives, meeting with our legislative delegation. At the last Presidents’ Council meeting we adopted the figure of $440 million as the absolute minimum that community colleges need to maintain current service level. So your new mantra is 440 or fight!
We received our notification from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities regarding our full school visit. Our accreditation was reaffirmed. As you know, we received two recommendations and three commendations. The Commission requires that we write a focused interim report on the two recommendations, and they will make a campus visit in spring 2007. I don’t think the visit could have gone better. The visiting team affirmed that Lane is a very strong college and I am very proud of all the good work that goes on here.
Phi Theta Kappa informed us that our Sigma Zeta Chapter has achieved the Pinnacle Gold level in the 2004 Scholarship Award program for increasing its membership acceptance rate by 10 percent for three consecutive years. This represents excellent work by chapter members, officers and the advisors. The State Board of Higher Education approved a Transfer Module. The module was developed by representatives of community colleges and universities with the intent of smoothing the transfer of students.
Paul and I attended the League CEO/Board Chair retreat in Scottsdale last week. It was very informative. The League Board also had a meeting to define the future of the League and to determine what will be needed in the next CEO of the League.
We are working on a Strategic Conversation for April with the County Commissioners and some of the county staff. We are also planning a Strategic Conversation for spring term with economic development partners.
Dennis Shine was presented the 2004 Outstanding Citizen Award from the Lane Council of Governments at its annual appreciation dinner on January 27 held at the Center for Meeting and Learning at Lane. County Commissioner Pete Sorenson presented the award noting that Shine had "invested endless heart, inexhaustible energy, and countless volunteer hours" in the community, and that Shine's commitment "serves as a model for others" and has "enriched and advanced our community." The board appointed Shine as its representative to the LCOG board in 2001. In addition to representing Lane at LCOG board meetings, Shine represents the college at national Association of Community College Trustees meetings. He volunteers on numerous other boards and committees and is a well-known advocate for human rights, diversity and education. Shine has been a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People since 1962 and Eugene/ Springfield Chapter membership chair since 1993; mentor-student coordinator for the local NAACP-sponsored ACT-SO African American Olympics of the Mind program; American Civil Liberties Union Lane County Chapter member since 1993; Friends of the Springfield Library member since 1994 and past president 1998-2002; Lane County Human Rights Advisory Committee member since 1999; Lane Community College Diversity Team member since 2001; Association of Community College Trustees Diversity Committee associate member since 2002; and 4J School District Equity Committee since fall 2003. He also volunteers at the Springfield High School Career Center and in Lane's Tutoring Center. In 2003, Shine won the Springfield Alliance for Equality and Respect Human Rights Leadership Award.
I would like to thank the We Care committee and the broader college community for their involvement in the annual staff campaign. The results are in--408 donors gave $44,366 to the Foundation and $36,463 to United Way. The grand total contributed was $80,829! These gifts will be used to fund student scholarships, or to help the non-profit groups selected. The pizza winners for 100 percent department participation are: Disability Services, Business Technologies and the President's Office. Continuing Education earned the distinction of "most improved" with a 73 percent participation rate. A special thank you to the department reps: Jane Marshall, Liz Coleman, Al Clark, Babe Gay, Shelley Dutton, Sanae Weitzel, Pat Hansen, Stan Barker, Bonnie Phipps, Cheryl Reiter, Helen Mikkelsen, Clive Wanstall, Jeffery Davis, Jackie Bryson, Leigh Alice Petty, Linda Schantol, Diane Engle, Wendell Butler, Anne O'Brien, Lisa Oxenford, Dennis Carr, Jessie Codding, Craig Taylor, Shirley Valentine, Pat Combest, Jeff Hyett, Terria Burch, Siv Serene Barnum, Myrna Seifert, Lisa Wald, Gary Anderson, Debbie Roach, Autumn Green, Carrie Brandt, Patty Parks, Melinda Dunnick, Duke Vandervort, Tina Lymath, Paula Sena, and Patti Martinez.
The annual KLCC Microbrew Festival will be held February 11 and 12 from 5-11 p.m. at the Lane Events Center (Fairgrounds).
The Culinary Arts students will prepare and present a Marco Polo Classical Cuisine dinner March 3.
3) Statements from audience
Dr. Earle Ellson, citizen, announced his Lane board of education candidacy for Zone 1. Tatiana Efremova, OSPIRG intern, advocated for affordable student textbooks and distributed a resolution, which she asked the board to consider at its March meeting. She said OSPIRG would be seeking a fee increase in March, the first in ten years. Dean Hansen, citizen, reported that many people contributed to the success of the recent baseball fundraising dinner and auction, which raised $55,000 for the program.
4) Consent Agenda
A date was corrected in the statement that Dennis Shine gave at the January board meeting.
Romine moved, seconded by Shelley, to approve the amended consent agenda consisting of:
- Approval of the December 8, 2004, Minutes
- Budget Calendar
Motion passed 6-0.
5) Policy Review
First Reading: Marie Matsen and Bill Kyker, funded projects accounting manager, reviewed language additions in bold to policy A.050, Financial Condition and Activities. A second reading will be held in March.
POLICY NUMBER: A.050
POLICY TYPE: EXECUTIVE DIRECTIONS
POLICY TITLE: FINANCIAL CONDITION AND ACTIVITIES
With respect to the actual, on-going financial condition and activities, the president shall avoid fiscal jeopardy and assure that actual expenditures reflect board priorities as established in ends policies.
Accordingly, the president shall:
- Not expend more funds than have been received in the fiscal year to date, except as approved by the board.
- Not use any long-term reserves that are not budgeted and appropriated for expenditure.
- Settle payroll and debts in a timely manner.
- Assure that tax payments or other government-ordered payments or filings be on time and accurately filed.
- Make no single purchase or commitment of greater than $75,000 without board approval, except in extreme emergencies.
- Acquire, encumber, or dispose of real property only with board approval, except in extreme emergencies.
- Pursue receivables aggressively after a reasonable grace period.
- Comply with budget and financial policies contained in Section E.
- Not contract with the College’s independent auditors for nonaudit services without prior approval of the Board.
- Provide the following annual certifications, by the president and by the vice president for college operations, to the Board upon receipt of the audited financial statements:
- He/she has reviewed the annual audit report;
- Based on his/her knowledge, the report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omission of a material fact that makes the financial statements misleading; based on his/her knowledge, the financial statements present in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations.
- Establish and maintain an adequate internal control structure and procedures for financial operations and reporting.
ADOPTED: November 9, 1998
REVISED: May 12, 1999
REVISED: April 12, 2000
REVISED: January 14, 2004
First Reading: Matsen and Kyker reviewed the language additions (in bold below) to the first reading of policy B.110, Governing Style. A second reading will be held in March.
POLICY NUMBER: B.110
POLICY TYPE: GOVERNANCE PROCESS
POLICY TITLE: GOVERNING STYLE
The board will govern with an emphasis on meeting community needs, respecting diverse viewpoints, leading strategically, clearly distinguishing board and president roles, making collective decisions, being future-oriented, and being proactive.
More specifically, the board will:
- Operate in all ways mindful of its obligation to the people of its district.
- Enforce upon itself whatever discipline is needed to govern with excellence. Discipline will apply to matters such as attendance, policy-making principles, respect of roles, speaking with one voice, and adherence to ethical practices.
- Keep adequately informed about relevant global and local educational and other issues, actively gathering information to fulfill this role.
- Direct, control, and inspire the organization through the careful establishment of the broadest organizational values and perspectives through written policies.
- Focus chiefly on intended long-term impacts on the world outside the organization (Ends), not on the administrative or programmatic means of attaining those effects.
- Be an initiator of policy. The board will be responsible for board performance.
- Use the expertise of individual members to enhance the ability of the board.
- Monitor and regularly discuss the board’s own process and performance.
- Acting as a committee of the whole, perform the functions of the Audit Committee including:
Additionally, the President shall be responsible for establishing and reporting to the Board procedures for:
- The receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the College regarding accounting, internal controls and auditing matters.
- The confidential, anonymous submission by employees regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.
ADOPTED: November 9, 1998
REVISED: July 27, 2004
First reading – Proposed Policy:
Matsen and Kyker reviewed proposed policy B.110, Financial Reporting. A second reading will be held in March.
This following proposed new board policy, Financial Reporting, E.110, formalizes Lane’s established practice of requiring that financial statements be issued in compliance with appropriate standards set by professional accounting bodies. This recommended policy conforms to Sarbanes-Oxley Act requirement for enhanced financial disclosures.
POLICY NUMBER: E.110
POLICY TYPE: BUDGET AND FINANCIAL POLICY
TITLE: FINANCIAL REPORTING
Lane’s annual audited financial statements shall conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Applicable professional accounting standards and guidance shall be incorporated into Lane’s financial statements.
6) Working with Prospective High School Students [K-12 Initiatives]
Donna Koechig provided background information on the Winter 2005 status report regarding working with prospective high school students (K-12 Initiatives). Karen Edmonds, coordinator, High School/Community Relations, gave an overview of activities and projects involved in Lane’s relationship and recruitment of high school students and its connection to the community. Andrea Newton, division chair, Cooperative Education, described the development of the Regional Technical Education Center/Consortium (R-TEC). Laurie Swanson-Gribskov, coordinator, Cooperative Education, described R-TEC’s purpose, the partnerships formed, current progress, and future goals.
The board recessed for a 5-minute break at 7:45 p.m.
7) Benchmarks
Craig Taylor responded to questions and comments on the following Benchmarks.
- Student Retention and Success Rates: Credit, College-Level Courses
- Student Retention Rates: Credit, Developmental/Remedial Courses
- Student Success Rates: Credit, Developmental/Remedial Courses
- Student Retention/Progress Rates: Credit, Developmental/Remedial Student Retention to First College-Level Courses
- Student Success Rates: Credit, Developmental/Remedial Student Success in First College-Level Courses
Marie Matsen responded to questions from the board on the following monitoring reports:
8) Financial Condition and Activities: Quarterly Report
9) Financial Conditions and Activities, A.050
Mary Spilde responded to questions from the board on the following monitoring reports:
10) Emergency President Succession, A.060
11) Communication and Support to the Board, A.090
12) Reports
ASLCC President Tony McCown reported that, although five vacancies in ASLCC presented some challenges, activities and projects continue.
LCCEF President Bob Baldwin spoke about the diversified community committee formed in response to the on-going union issues between the Amalgamated Transit Union and Lane Transit District and the potential for a March strike. He said College Council was dealing with the instructional aspects of a four-day schedule, and that LCCEF would be working with the college on issues that impact classified staff.
LCCEA President Jim Salt hoped that a bus strike could be averted, but advised Lane to be prepared should one occur. Faculty support correcting the community college funding “glitch” in the Governor’s proposed budget. Although impressed with the tone and collaborative spirit of the bargaining process, Salt said there are labor issues that still need to be addressed. LCCEA is committed to working with the college in trying to reach agreement.
Associate Vice President Donna Koechig presented highlights from the Office of Instruction and Student Services report. The full report will be distributed to the board.
- The owners of 20 local “microbusinesses” in Lane County will take part in a $60,000 project to help get their operations a little faster off the ground. The money comes from Lane County, using video lottery funds earmarked for local economic development.
- In January, Lane’s “Extreme Cuisine” team took first place in the American Culinary Federation Junior Member Culinary Team Oregon State Championships. A second team, “Team Epicure” came in third and earned a bronze medal.
- Second year dental hygiene students are participating in a cooperative dental clinic experience at the Linn-Benton Community College Dental Assisting Program. Patients receive their preventive dental care from Lane students at the LBCC site.
- A total of $645 was collected through donations and gate proceeds and presented to the American Red Cross Tsunami Relief effort during the men’s and women’s basketball games February 2.
- 109 employees participated in the 2005 Health Fair.
- In a 2004 survey, 98 percent of respondents gave the Women’s Center high ratings for the services they received that day.
- A number of Lane staff representing the Assessment Team, BioBonds, and Flexible Sequence Algebra met with InSites, an organization funded by the National Science Foundation. Their study focuses on how community colleges create a collaborative culture using wise, evidence-based decisionmaking to help diverse students achieve meaningful learning.
Vice President Marie Matsen distributed Western Sustainability Network’s homepage. Lane was featured as February’s College of the Month thanks to sustainability coordinator Jennifer Hayward, and the work of other staff. Tony McCown and ASLCC were commended for their on-going participation on councils and committees. KLCC’s Microbrew Festival will have locally brewed root beer for non-beer drinkers this weekend.
Board Members
Jay Bozievich thanked Dean Hansen, Athletic Fund-raising Campaign chair, and Rodger Bates, Health and Physical Education interim chair, for organizing the baseball auction and dinner. Rotary is hosting 11 private middle and high school educators from Russia.
Mike Rose recommended adding the Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group’s resolution on affordable textbooks to the March board meeting agenda. Rose has been attending weekly education/legislative luncheons, and stressed that a number of issues need to be carried forward to legislators. The Oregon Community College Association Convention is being held March 1-3.
Dennis Shine attended the Lane Council of Governments Appreciation dinner, the Springfield Chamber of Commerce Appreciation dinner, the Economic Forecast Conference, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s Freedom Fund dinner.
Paul Holman distributed a summary from the League for Innovation’s Board/CEO meeting that he and President Spilde attended. Four different sessions were addressed: Board Relations, The Role of Modern Community Colleges, Increasing Revenue Streams, and Recruiting, Retaining, and Developing Talent. Spilde added that many community colleges are facing challenges similar to Lane.
12) Date, Place, and Proposed Agenda Items for Next Regular Meeting
Wednesday, March 9, 2005, Boardroom, Building 3, Lane Community College.
13) The board meeting unanimously adjourned at 9:30 p.m..
___________________________
Paul Holman, Chair
______________________________
Mary Spilde, President/District Clerk
