1)  Attendance
Chair Mike Rose 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, Paul Holman, Larry Romine, Kathleen Shelley, and Dennis Shine. Also present were President Mary Spilde; Vice President Marie Matsen; Executive Director Tim Craig; 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 Rebecca Hill.

• Although a lot of compromises were made and on-going discussions continue, the state board recently approved a funding formula for Oregon’s community colleges to distribute funds for 2004-05. A letter from Central Oregon Community College to State board members with copies to Commissioner Cam Preus-Braly, community colleges and others, expressed concerns with the formula, specifically around the disappropriation of Ballot Measure 30. Spilde supports the Commissioner and the presidents’ agreement to hold colleges harmless from this year to next and supports the method for distributing the funds. A second letter from Chemeketa Community College shares the same view as Spilde.
• The Oregon Community College Association’s Executive Committee is discussing the idea of getting input from local boards about the principles that should be used to determine the amount to ask for in the next legislative session. The Committee may collaboratively discuss this issue with the State Board. Lane’s board will discuss this issue at the April meeting.
• Enrollment figures improved from last month’s estimates. Final fall figures show a decline of 7.75 percent vs. 10 percent; transfer is down 5.37 percent vs. 8 percent; professional technical is down 3.7 percent; and non credit is down 36 percent vs. 60 percent. The credit side, which includes the majority of FTE, is not down substantially from the projections.
• The work on removing the carpet in Enrollment Services and Student Financial Services has been completed, and staff have returned to their work spaces. Other parts of the building are being proactively tested. Comments from staff include their appreciation for the communication by the administration and the work done to create a healthy work environment.
• Tamara Pinkas and Ellen Cantor gave a presentation on the “Reading Together” project at a League for Innovation Conference.
• A fundraising consultant helped the Lane Foundation Board develop a plan for annual, corporate, and individual giving and coached the board on cultivating donors.
• The vice president for Instruction and Student Services position has been posted and a search committee appointed. Interviews will be held at the end of May, and it is hoped that someone will be on board by the beginning of fall term.
• During board meetings, Legal Counsel Meg Kieran has volunteered to act as the board’s parliamentarian.
• The Phi Theta Kappa Chapter received a $100 Pinnacle Scholarship from the National Phi Theta Kappa organization to increase membership by assisting with payment of fees and convention costs.
• Lane’s Culinary Team participated in a regional competition in Colorado and are to be congratulated for placing fourth and receiving a Silver Award.
• Before becoming a physician, Dr. Steve Hunsacker, now practicing in Portland, participated in Lane’s Cooperative Education Program, completing an international co-op in Rwanda, Africa. He is among the inductees honored in the Second Annual Co-op Hall of Fame featured in “The Best of Co-Op,” published by the National Commission for Cooperative Education.
• The Rites of Passage Puerto Abiertas program received an award from the Oregon Diversity Institute. A booklet featuring the 2003 Summer Academy created by Connie Mesquita, coordinator, Multicultural Center, was shared with board members.

• Approval of the February 11, 2004, Minutes.
• Purchase of Electronics Annex Modulars

Lane Community College shall be governed by a system that is learning-centered system and fulfills the vision, mission, and core values of the college.

The president shall be the steward of the governance system, be accountable and responsible for the decisions made in the governance system, and evaluated accordingly.

The board recognizes college governance system shall recognize that the best decisions are made through the inclusion of many and diverse voices. The system of governance shall ensure that the authority, responsibility, accountability, and relationship among and between the board, managers, faculty, staff, and students are clearly described and communicated. The system of governance shall be evaluated as to its:

1. Clarity
2. Wide and explicit communication
3. Effectiveness
4. Efficiency and timeliness
5. Processes that encourage employee and student participation in problem solving and decision making
6. Processes that assure that decisions are made at the appropriate level, by the appropriate group with the needed expertise
7. Recognition of the support needed for employees and students to participate and contribute usefully meaningfully
   

ADOPTED:  March 10, 2004

Romine moved, seconded by Bozievich, to approve the second reading of Policy B.200:.
Motion passed unanimously.

POLICY NUMBER:     B.200
POLICY TYPE:     GOVERNANCE PROCESS
POLICY TITLE:     PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

Unless otherwise provided in board policy, or as provided in Oregon Revised Statutes, the board shall conduct all of its meetings in accord with Roberts’ Rules of Order, Revised.

ADOPTED:   November 8, 2000
REVISED:    March 10, 2004

Romine moved, seconded by Shelley, to approve the second reading of Policy C.010.
Motion passed unanimously.

POLICY NUMBER:     C.010
POLICY TYPE:     BOARD-PRESIDENT LINKAGE
POLICY TITLE:     GLOBAL BOARD-PRESIDENT RELATIONSHIP

The president is accountable to the full board. The board will instruct the president through written policies that prescribe the college Ends to be achieved and describe college situations and actions to be avoided, allowing the president to use any reasonable interpretation of these policies.

1. The board’s sole official connection to the college, its achievements, and conduct will be through the president.
2. Ends policies direct the president to achieve certain results; Executive Limitations Directions policies constrain the president to act within acceptable boundaries of prudence and ethics. With respect to Ends and executive means, the president is authorized to establish all further procedures, make all decisions, take all actions and develop all activities as long as they are consistent with the board’s policies.
3. The board may change its policies, thereby shifting the boundary between board and presidential domains. By so doing, the board changes the latitude of choice given to the president. But so long as any particular delegation is in place, the board and its members will respect and support the president’s choices. This does not prevent the board from obtaining information in the delegated areas.
4. No individual board member, officer, or committee has authority over the president. Information or assistance may be requested by individual board members, but if such a request—in the president’s judgment—requires a material amount of staff time or funds, it may be refused, unless authorized by the board.
5. Board members who have a concern or issue will first inform the president or designee, providing the administration an opportunity for response. A board member can request that an issue be discussed at a work session or placed on a future board agenda (see B.030 – Agenda Planning).

ADOPTED:  November 9, 1998
REVISED:   May 12, 1999
REVISED:   March 10, 2004

6)  First Reading

The board conducted a first reading of the following policies:

BOARD POLICY:    C.020
BOARD TYPE:    BOARD-PRESIDENT LINKAGE
POLICY TITLE:   DELEGATION TO THE PRESIDENT

The president’s performance will be considered to be synonymous with the total performance of the college.

The president’s job contributions can be stated as performance in the following areas:

1. College accomplishment of the provisions of board policies on Ends.
2. College operation within the boundaries established in board policies on Executive Limitations Directions and state mandated policies.
3. Achievement of annual goals approved by the board.

ADOPTED:  November 8, 1998

POLICY NUMBER:    C.030
POLICY TYPE:    BOARD-PRESIDENT LINKAGE
POLICY TITLE:   CONTRACTUAL AUTHORITY

Only the president, or formally designated representatives, may commit the college to financial obligations or contractual agreements. No obligation may be incurred unless it first has been authorized by the budget or by the budget change process. Any person otherwise obligating the college financially or contractually may be held personally liable for such obligation. Any contract entered into in violation of this policy is void as to the college.

All contracts of $75,000 or greater shall be approved for award by the board of education. The president is authorized by the board to enter into contractual agreements on behalf of the college up to a total dollar value not exceeding $75,000. The president may delegate this authority to college staff.

ADOPTED:  November 9, 1998

Bozievich moved, seconded by Holman, to amend the agenda and move agenda item 7, ASLCC Ballot Measures, before agenda item 6, Budget Projections.
Motion passed unanimously.

7)  ASLCC Ballot Measures
Hall moved, seconded by Holman, to approve the proposed ASLCC ballot measure language as a non-binding recommendation for inclusion in the May 2004 election.

Motion passed unanimously.

The board took a 5-minute break at 7:25 p.m.

8)    Budget Projections
Vice President Matsen shared updated budget projections. Although the budget projection’s bottom line for this and next year does not show a deficit, Matsen cautioned the board to not become too complacent as the major driver for revenues is still state resources. She encouraged a long-term perspective, urged care and caution about authorizing new expenditures, and advised taking this window of opportunity to plan for 2006, and especially 2007. 


9)    Implications of K-12 Strategic Conversation
A Strategic Conversation with school district superintendents and board members was hosted by the Lane board of education on November 12, 2003. Spilde reviewed the follow-up report and responded to questions.

10)    Governance
Spilde updated the board on the work being done by the Governance Task Force. Concerns from staff on the governance proposal included the following:

• workload, release time, and what it will take for full participation.
• amount of time it will take out of a work day.
• managers’ concern that they will be unable if everything going through the governance process.
• lack of a formal role for Classified Council in the governance system.
• Council members who are representatives of unions vs. members of an association; it is more important whether the staff have an opportunity to participate and their voices heard.
• Learning Council replaces other entities (e.g. Strategic Learning Initiative) or whether it builds on this loose-knit, ad hoc group. There may be a need for a coordinator/integrator.
• membership on the Learning Council; that the LC is only focused on transfer rather than developmental issues, ESL, IESL, or non-credit.
• the notion that nothing has changed, that the Executive Team has too much power.
• whether it is really going to work.
• financial costs to the college for administrative assistance or staff support tied to councils
• how much authority the councils will have vs. the administration and board of education.
• roles of Faculty Council and the Association.
  

The Governance Task Force meets March 15 to review and process staff feedback. The final governance document will be presented for board approval in April. Councils will begin their work spring term.

Accountability/Reports

11)    Benchmarks
Craig Taylor responded to board questions/comments on the following Benchmark:.

• Change in Employee Headcount: Number of Employees by Group – Fall Term

Declines represent people who aren’t in positions (vacancies) or positions that no longer exist. It was pointed out that 248 full-time faculty teach 60 percent of the classes, while 261 part-time faculty teach 40 percent of the classes. A committee has been reactivated to look at full-time/part-time faculty. It is collecting data with the goal to begin addressing problem areas, particularly in some transfer programs.

12)    Cash Flow Report
Matsen said the latest FY04 cash flow report is a new report that represents cash from all funds. The report is especially relevant during times of tight resources. She reported no concerns this year through next year.

13)    Accreditation
Sonya Christian said it was the Accreditation Team’s intent to familiarize the board with the nine accreditation standards. An April work session will be conducted to review the work completed by the different standard committees and to see how Lane aligns with the standards. The Coordinating Team emphasized that the self study document is really being written by the committee. They also reminded the board of how Lane goes into the continuous improvement process by the mantra “Plan, Do, Check, Act.”.

14)    Reports
ASLCC President Rebecca Hill

• The Student Advisory Board will address issues on Financial Aid, Students First, Counseling, and more.
• Hill represented Lane County renters at a City Council meeting on housing standards.
• Columbia Sportswear continues to donate merchandise to students in need.
• Students will attend the United States Students Association in Washington, D.C. Hill thanked the sponsors for their assistance.
• A student survey on the proposed Student/Staff Health Center conversion will be conducted.
  

• Request that the administration review the naming policy.

17)   Adjournment
The board meeting unanimously adjourned at 9:28 p.m.

______________________________
Mike Rose, Chair

______________________________
Mary Spilde, President/District Clerk
Lane Community College