1)  Attendance
Chair Roger Hall called the meeting of the Lane Community College Board of Education to order at 6:30 p.m.  Present were:  Board Members Robert Ackerman, Paul Holman, Larry Romine, Kathleen Shelley, Mike Rose, and Dennis Shine.  Also present were President Mary Spilde; Vice Presidents Marie Matsen and Cheryl Roberts; Assistant to the President Tracy Simms; College Counsel Meg Kieran; Lane Community College Education Association President Jim Salt; Lane Community College Employees Federation (LCCEF) President Bob Baldwin; and Brett Rowlett, Oregon Student Association Campus Organizer.  Associated Students of Lane Community College President Greg Dunkin was absent.

2)  Board Agenda Review/Changes
Agenda item 3-A, PERS Bonding for Unfunded Actuarial Liability, was moved to the beginning of the meeting.

3)  PERS Bond for Unfunded Actuarial Liability
Rebecca Chou, financial consultant, Regional Financial Advisors, answered questions about joining a community college pool to issue taxable pension bonds to cover the PERS unfunded liability.  At the February meeting, the board approved Resolution 479, authorizing participation in the Oregon Community College Association pension bond program; which authorized the issuance of limited tax pension bonds, but reserved the right to withdraw before pricing is set.

4)  Presidentís Report

• Brett Rowlett, Oregon Student Associationís Campus Organizer, was introduced to the board.
• The state budget is not improving.  A $245 million revenue shortfall was announced in the last revenue forecast; another forecast is due in May.  A bail-out package approved by the legislature and governor took money away from the Education Endowment Fund to be used for funding the Oregon Opportunity Grant.  Legislators who said the governorís budget was 4 percent optimistic are now saying it is 10 percent too optimistic considering the latest state revenue forecasts.  Community colleges may lose another $36 million statewide.  Lane administrators will continue to wait a few more weeks before revising budget projections.
• The president recently sent several emails to staff on the budget situation.  The Executive Team has had more difficulty coming up with a reduction package this year compared to last.  Although there are serious qualms, differential pricing for selected professional-technical programs will be included in the 2003/04 balanced budget proposal next month.  Courses will be reviewed and every possible avenue explored so that students can fulfill their requirements.  The hiring process on some positions has been delayed until April 8 when the budget is completed.  This will allow for more flexibility and help to minimize the impact on existing employees.  Discussions are planned with departments, faculty, staff, and students.  Realizing that Lane will become smaller and given the revenue situation, every idea will be explored to come up with the best recommendations so that we can position the college for fiscal stability.  Meetings with union leadership and representatives of the Management Steering Committee will be held to discuss different strategies.
• Five first-year culinary students at Lane placed second in overall points and earned the bronze standard at a competition at the Western Culinary Institute (WCI) in Portland on February 22 and 23. The students were Brandi Mitchell and Eiji Sato of Springfield, Tiff Rockett of Cottage Grove, and Andrew Tan and Josh Zier (team Captain) of Eugene.  Instructors Bill Gaspard and Clive Wanstall supervised the team.  The WCI is the only accredited American Culinary Federation Program in the state, and Laneís first-year students beat their second-year students.
• The Commission on Dental Accreditation considered Laneís progress report on the Dental Assisting Program and approved our accreditation status without further reporting.
• PBS Adult Learning Services has awarded Lane, along with eleven other Vanguard Learning Colleges, the PBS OíBanion prize for Laneís work on the Learning College.  The prize will be presented to the president at the League for Innovation in the Community Collegeís Innovation Conference next week.
• President Spilde, Dennis Shine, and Tamara Pinkas attended the League for Innovation board meeting and learned that many colleges are struggling with similar budget issues as Lane.   Shine participated on a panel and presented entrepreneurial strategies that featured the Workforce Training Center.  Dale Lugenbehl, faculty, Social Science, had an article published by the League titled, ìLearning on a Deeper Level.î  Laneís board membership in the League for Innovation was reaffirmed.  The League was very complimentary about the written evaluation report and about what they found at Lane.  Thank you to Anne McGrail, Tamara Pinkas and others who presented during the League visit, and to the board for their support.

LASR Report ñ Stephen Pruch
Although three modules have now gone live on the new LASR system, there is still a lot of finish work to be completed.   (The full report is included with agenda materials.)

5)  Consent Agenda
Romine moved, seconded by Holman, to approve the revised Consent Agenda, consisting of the following:

• Minutes of the February 12, 2003, board meeting ñ On page 2-A-3, Öbonds selling at a maximum yield changed from 7.0 to 6.5 percent; on page 2-A-5, language in Mike Roseís statement was corrected.
• Personnel

6)  Resolution 480:  Authorizing OSBAís Appeal of Notice of Rate Increase
Romine moved, seconded by Holman, to adopt Resolution 480, Authorizing OSBAís Appeal of Notice of Rate Increase.

Motion passed unanimously.

7)  Resolution 481:  Special Counsel for the Pension Bonds
Holman moved, seconded by Romine, to adopt Resolution 481, Special Counsel for the Pension Bonds.

Motion passed unanimously.

8)  Naming of Space:  Center for Meeting and Learning
Rose moved, seconded by Holman, to approve that the part of Building 19 containing hospitality and culinary classrooms and offices, meeting and food production facilities, an auditorium, several large and small meeting rooms, and kitchens for student learning and food preparation be named  The Center for Meeting and Learning.

Motion passed unanimously.

9)  Naming of Spaces:  Rooms in Building 19
Shelley moved, seconded by Rose, to approve that:  (1) the major donations, by those individuals and businesses listed below, be recognized by the college through room naming opportunities; (2) donors be encouraged to select a proper name, such as a family name, as they wish it to appear in the building, and (3) those donors that have yet to have the opportunity to select a room, be given this opportunity.

     Donors                             Donation
   Tom and Kathy Wiper         $ 31,000
   McDonalds Wholesale         $ 30,000
   Jean and Wayne Tate           $ 10,000
   US National Bank                $ 15,000
   Curtis Restaurant Supply      $ 10,200
   Weyerhaeuser Company      $ 10,000
   Oregon Electric Station        $ 10,000
   Spencer Whitted                  $  5,000

An administrative policy will be developed regarding naming of rooms and spaces either for recognition and distinction or for donation to the college.

Romine moved, seconded by Shelley, to amend #(3) in the above recommendation to read: (3) those donors that have yet to have the opportunity to select a room, be given this opportunity in line with the new administrative policy. Motion passed unanimously.

Original motion passed unanimously.

10)  Oregon Community College Association:  Governance Structure; Dues; Statewide Property Tax
The board discussed three issues raised by the Oregon Community College Association including governance of community colleges at the state level; OCCA dues; and the idea of a statewide property tax for community colleges.  A majority of the board advocated for a separate community college board in the long-term.  There was concern about moving in that direction immediately due to the fiscal constraints of setting up a new board.  A flat rate dues for individual projects is being discussed.  Board members were not necessarily enthusiastic about pursuing the statewide property tax.

11)   Presidentís Evaluation Instrument and Process
The board approved the revisions to the presidentís evaluation instrument and process.

At 7:55 p.m., the board took a 10-minute break.

12)  Benchmarks
Craig Taylor reviewed the following Benchmarks:

• Transfer:  Students Completing an AA/OT Degree then Enrolled at an OUS Institution the Next Year
• Transfer:  Students Completing an AA/OT Degree in 1997-97 then Enrolled at an OUS Institution in a Subsequent Year
• Transfer and Academic Performance:  GPA of Students Completing an AA/OT Degree then Enrolled at an OUS Institution the Next Year
• Gender and Minority Status of Graduates ñ Appended:  International Students Identified

14)  Reports
ASLCC ñ Brett Rowlett, Oregon Student Association Campus Organizer
Students attended the U.S. Student Association Legislative Conference and lobbied Oregon senators and representatives for funding need-based grants and other issues.  Students also continue to lobby in Salem.  Results will be reported next month in a student opinion survey on important campus issues.

LCCEF President ñ Bob Baldwin
Two staff in Purchasing Services will soon be retired including long-term employees Steve Evans and Lloyd Rain.  Baldwin complimented Rain, director of Purchasing Services, for being a motivating, supportive, and topnotch manager.  He voiced his opposition to the  proposal of having community colleges under the governance of the State Board of Higher Education.   Although there is support for the administrationís budget process, Classified staff are concerned with the lack of concrete budget information.  Despite the dire budget situation, and realizing the board has a difficult job, bargaining representatives are feeling hopeful and positive that common ground can be reached on many issues using creativity and a problem-solving approach.

LCCEA President ñ Jim Salt
Discussions with the union and management team are being held, and proposals have been made on ways to work proactively rather than reactively on the budget process.  It is hoped that the budget process and substance will be more successful than last yearís resulting in better solutions.  Salt stressed the importance of clear communication regarding the purpose of Resolution 480, Authorizing OSBAís Appeal of Notice of Rate Increase.  Although the state and Lane face difficult financial challenges, Salt cautioned the college in becoming too capitalistic or market oriented in its direction of the college.  March 24 is OEA lobbying day in Salem.

Vice Presidents
Cheryl Roberts said Tamara Pinkasí article in the National Society for Experiential Education featured cooperative education students and their work on a Native American language project.  The first draft of the accreditationís self-study will soon begin.  The new mission, vision, and core values will become much more a part of how people think and do their work at Lane.  Three topics will be addressed at the all staff spring conference:  diversity, learning- centeredness, and engagement from individuals to work groups.

Marie Matsen distributed the March 10 budget projections.  She noted the retirements of long-term classified employees Stephen Evans, Ted Smouse, and John Hall.  She gave special thanks to Lloyd Rain, retiring as of February 28, and mentioned his many accomplishments, nationally, regionally, and at Lane.  Matsen said Rain was a person most willing to learn and to change, who always went the extra mile, and one of the most productive people at Lane.

Board Members
Mike Rose acknowledged the stress staff are experiencing at Lane as a result of the budget situation and knows firsthand that it can affect the teaching and learning process.  Rose reviewed the OCCA report submitted in the board mailing.

Dennis Shine thanked Jane Scheidecker, Mary Bolton, and Joan Aschim who assisted him in preparing and writing a presentation for the recent League for Innovation Conference.  He pointed out Aschimís article in the Fall 2002/Winter 2003 issue of ìDenali.î  Shine participated in a workforce conference in Albany and is serving on a Lane accreditation committee.

Larry Romine disputed Maricopa Community Collegeís claim of introducing community colleges to China.  He said Lane introduced community colleges to China many years ago when visitors from China toured Lane and, subsequently, invited former president Eldon Schafer to visit China.

Paul Holman supported differential pricing at Lane and the possibility of a future separate community college board at the state level.

Kathleen Shelley said the Central Latino Americano Noche Cultural event will be held May 17 at Laneís Center for Meeting and Learning.

Mary Spilde distributed a proposed calendar for budget meetings.

Chair Hall recommended board members review the ending fund balance information that was not discussed during the earlier Work Session.

15)   Date, Place, and Proposed Agenda Items for Next Regular Meeting
The next regular meeting will be Wednesday, April 9, 2003, beginning with a Work Session at 3:00 p.m. and Regular Meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the Boardroom of the Administration Building, Lane Community College.

16)   Adjournment
The board meeting unanimously adjourned at 8:55 p.m.

______________________________
Roger Hall, Chair

______________________________
Mary Spilde, President/District Clerk
Lane Community College