KIRTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE

BOARD OF TRUSTEES MINUTES

October 19, 2006

CALL TO ORDER

Chair Sally Galer called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m.

ROLL CALL

Members Present:      Sally Galer, Roy Spangler, Richard Silverman, Patricia Webb, Denis Weiss,

Members Absent:        Robert Bovee, Roberta Werle

Others Present:          Stacey Barnes, Jo Ann Comerford, Joe Fields, Kathy Koch, Ed Koliba, Doty Latuszek, Dennis Mansfield, Kathy Marsh, Kyle Morrison, Charles Rorie, Ilene Scherer, Tim Scherer, Dale Shantz

WELCOME

Members and guests were welcomed by Chair Sally Galer.

OPEN DISCUSSION

Board self-evaluation

Trustee Richard Silverman presented a summary of the 2006 board self-evaluation with a comparison with the board self-evaluation of 2005.  The need for development of action plans for the areas identified as requiring attention of the board was discussed.  Silverman recommended a special meeting sometime to address this need.  Sally Galer suggested using a facilitator for this important work.  Trustee Roy Spangler spoke of the need to be more informed of state and national educational issues, such as the Pell grant funding.

Community focus groups

Richard Silverman distributed additional focus group reference material from Bonnie Wichtner-Zoia for conducting a community needs assessment.  He pointed out the page listing the need to form a steering committee, determine what needs/issues to address, determine the community you are assessing, determine the assessment tool, develop a plan, implement the assessment tool, analyze the results, report the results and implement a follow-through.  Silverman recommended forming a broad committee to bring a proposal to the board as to make the determinations (identify a couple of target groups and what issues to assess in order to develop a plan). College President, Charles Rorie offered to form a recommendation for membership of such a committee and bring it back to the board.

MINUTES

Minutes from the September 21, 2006 regular board meeting were reviewed and approved as presented after a motion from Trustee Richard Silverman supported by Trustee Denis Weiss. 

COMMUNICATION

Charles Rorie introduced the college’s new public relations director, Dennis Mansfield.  He also introduced full-time English faculty member, Dr. Joe Fields.

Charles Rorie shared a letter from Robert Jones, Superintendent of COOR I.S.D. on behalf of the COOR I.S.D. board, thanking Kirtland for co-hosting the Meet the Candidates Night on September 25, 2006.

Charles Rorie distributed to the board members a flier announcing the Public Sale of obsolete college property.

FINANCIAL REPORT

Edmund Koliba, Chief Business and Finance Officer, presented the Year End Financial report for the year ending June 30, 2006 with comparative figures at June 30, 2005.

BUSINESS FOR BOARD ACTION

1. First reading: POL 4.090 FIELD TRIPS

Chair Sally Galer recommended to have the college legal counsel review t his policy before the second reading.

The following preamble and resolution were offered by Trustee Roy Spangler and supported by Trustee Patricia Webb:

WHEREAS

The board of trustees has been presented the proposed POL 4.090 FIELD TRIPS as a first reading at this meeting,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT

The proposed POL 4.090 FIELD TRIPS be moved to a second reading at the next scheduled meeting.

Vote:      Ayes, five      Nays, zero     Abstain, zero        Absent, two          Resolution declared adopted.

2. Resolution to approve selection and employment of facilitator to assist the board in presidential succession planning

The Trustees Weiss and Spangler, Chair Galer, and President Charles Rorie each reported on the references they checked and found that all were consistently high and very positive.  Trustee Silverman questioned the possibility of a network that might lean toward favoritism.  The response was that this topic was addressed at the special meeting on October 17 at which Silverman was absent, and further explained Dr. Ponitz’ position. Charles Rorie commented that he always had concerns about favoritism until he became president here at Kirtland.  He has been contacted many times by these consultants and learned that he has no reason to suspect their motives.  They conduct the searches very professionally.

The following preamble and resolution were offered by Trustee Roy Spangler and supported by Trustee Denis Weiss:

WHEREAS

        1.     The current president of Kirtland Community College, Dr. Charles D. Rorie, Sr., has announced his intention to retire from that position; and

        2.     President’s Rorie’s anticipated last active day as president will be June 30, 2007; and

        3.     The Board of Trustees of Kirtland Community College recognizes their responsibility to select and employ a well-qualified leader and administrator to assume the responsibilities of president in a timely manner; and

        4.     After careful consideration and deliberation, it has been determined that the selection and employment of a knowledgeable and experienced facilitator with known expertise in successful presidential succession planning would greatly assist trustees in this process; and

        5.     A review of presidential succession planning facilitators’ proposals has identified Dr. David Ponitz, President Emeritus of Sinclair Community College (Ohio) as such a qualified facilitator with a record of serving in this capacity for sixty such processes.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT

The trustees of Kirtland Community College employ Dr. David Ponitz as presidential succession planning facilitator at a fee of $15,000 payable upon the Board’s acceptance of a new president, plus normal consulting expenses of travel, accommodations, meals, office expenses, etc., estimated to come to approximately an additional $3000.

Vote:      Ayes, five      Nays, zero     Abstain, zero        Absent, two                  Resolution declared adopted.

Discussion on succession process

Charles Rorie provided a communication from Dr. Ponitz for what comes next.  Rorie recommended the human resources director to be the liaison person with the consultant. If this is agreeable to the board, he would suggest that the board select a couple of board members to work with the human resource director to decide on how to choose the members of the advisory committee. The recommendation was accepted by the board and Trustees Denis Weiss and Richard Silverman volunteered to serve, with Roy Spangler as an alternate if needed.  Chair Sally Galer appointed Trustees Weiss and Silverman to the advisory committee.

REPORTS FOR BOARD INFORMATION

COMPASS Demonstration

Kathy Marsh, Dean of Instruction, provided a demonstration of the online COMPASS/ESL KCC mathematics, writing and reading skills placement test.

Average Class Size Report

Kathy Marsh presented the average class size report for fall -06 which is up one tenth of one percent. Since fall 1998, the average class size has gone from 14.8 to 17.8.

EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS UNITED STEELWORKERS NEGOTIATIONS

Trustee Roy Spangler made a motion to go into closed session to discuss United Steelworkers negotiations, supported by Trustee Patricia Webb.

Vote:      Ayes, five      Nays, zero     Abstain, zero        Absent, two          The motion was declared approved.

After a break, Chair Sally Galer called the executive session to order at 9:17 p.m.

Others Present: Ed Koliba, Tim Scherer, Jo Ann Comerford, Kathy Koch

Ed Koliba provided an update on negotiations with the United Steelworkers currently in progress.

Roy Spangler moved to leave executive session, supported by Richard Silverman.  Vote: Ayes, five

ADJOURNMENT

With no further business to come before the board, the meeting was declared adjourned at 9:32 p.m. by Chair Sally Galer.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathy Koch

Recording Secretary