KIRTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MINUTES
May 15, 2008
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Roy Spangler called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL
Members Present: MaryAnn Ferrigan, Sally Galer, Richard Silverman, Roy Spangler, Denis Weiss, Patricia Webb, Roberta Werle
Members Absent: None
Others Present: Stacey Barnes, Tom Dale, Jim Enger, Kathy Koch, Ed Koliba, Kathy Marsh, Dennis Mansfield, Tom Quinn, Ilene Scherer, Tim Scherer
WELCOME
Chair Spangler announced that we are expecting visitors from the Bahamas for the Kirtland’s Warbler Festival, Mr. and Mrs. Oldham. He also noted an addition to the agenda of an action item for approval of a new member to the M-TEC Governing Advisory Board.
MINUTES
Minutes from the April 24, 2008 regular board meeting were approved as amended with a motion from Trustee Sally Galer, supported by Trustee Denis Weiss.
PUBLIC COMMENT
None
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Personnel Update
Tom Quinn, college President, presented a report prepared by Dale Shantz, Director of Human Resources, announcing that no personnel actions have taken place since the last board meeting. Kirtland has open postings and is advertising for a sonography instructor, operations coordinator for M-TEC, housing resident assistant, and a licensed counselor.
Awards and Honors
Nick Baker, Director of Institutional Research, has been appointed to the vice chair position of the Michigan Association of Institutional Researchers. He was chair of this organization during the 2006/2007 year. He has also been named to the Michigan Community Colleges Data and Evaluation Committee (MCCDEC) advisory committee by the Department of Labor and Economic Growth, joining Kathy Marsh, Dean of Instruction. MCCDEC’s major purpose is to provide technical assistance to Michigan community colleges in data collection, data reporting, and evaluation procedures.
Mark Burger, eServices Director, has been elected, for another two-year term, as secretary for the Michigan College Telecommunications Association (MiCTA).
Betty Ehinger, Coordinator of Special Populations, has been invited to present a workshop on Transition from High School to College and Beyond at the 25th annual conference for Students Against Drunk Drivers (SADD).
Anneliese Finke, part-time English instructor, has been elected to the board of Peninsula Writers of Michigan.
Update from President’s office
Tom Quinn recently led a group to visit Kaletta Air in Oscoda to investigate workforce development opportunities. Mid Michigan Community College has already contracted with them to provide training.
Tim Scherer and Tom Quinn visited M-33 Access and talked about partnership opportunities in telecommunication programs. Glen Wilson of M-33 Access is a supporter of the college.
Tom Quinn followed up on a request to have gas lines brought to the college from Saint Helen, and learned that our inquiry has been turned over to DTE Energy, whose representatives will be investigating the request. He also sent seismographic information to a geologist to help identify which pieces of information would be most valuable for us to purchase. Once the best information has been identified, he plans to ask the owners of the seismographic information for a donation through the Kirtland Community College Foundation. There are other ideas emerging that might include partnering with others to help reduce our energy costs.
Cell phone coverage is coming to campus with leased space on
our 352 feet high tower. Both to Centennial and Alltel have offered
contracts, but they have not been signed as of this date.
A special meeting on student housing is still being planned, and will be confirmed after board members respond regarding dates they are available.
The Instruction building walking bridge is in the hands of architects. After the blueprints are completed, the college will bid the project.
Capital funding for our water well system upgrade passed the House three times and the Senate keeps sending it back. Hopefully this $864 million project will pass so we can move on with the project.
Board members are invited to a planning session September 12 for strategic planning. Four faculty and staff members will be leading that effort. They are Alan Mabarak, Tim Scherer, Luann Beilfuss, Nick Holton and Tom Quinn. This is the team that attended special training in using a process called Appreciative Inquiry. Trustee Richard Silverman asked about the board’s role; should they meet beforehand to talk about strategic planning; would the September 12 session be a kick-off for strategic planning. Quinn responded that we have been having mini sessions for training employees internally because this is a different process; it focuses on what we want more of as a positive approach. Trustee Roberta Werle asked whether the planning is to be a top-down or bottom-up process. Quinn responded, bottom-up. At some point in time, a board retreat would be appropriate in order to infuse the board’s goals and objective into the process. Ultimately, the board has a decision-making role in approving the plan.
Break
Chair Spangler called a break in the agenda to introduce arriving guests from Eleuthra, Bahamas for the Kirtland’s Warbler Festival. Jim Enger, Director of Marketing, introduced Mr. and Mrs. Oldham. Mrs. Oldham is the principal of Rock Sound Elementary School on Eleuthra and has been primarily responsible for spreading the word about the endangered species, the Kirtland’s Warbler, which winters on the island of Eleuthra. The locals call them the Banana Birds because for a long time, they did not know that it was a rare species called the Kirtland’s Warbler. They do now, and Mrs. Oldham has been active in getting all the school children involved in the education and conservation efforts of the warbler. Their agenda is to spend tomorrow visiting local schools and the Gahagan Nature Reserve with Tom Dale. They plan to adopt Saint Helen Elementary as a sister school and the students will communicate via pen-pal style letters or emails. They are learning about the warbler habitat, and Mrs. Oldham said she is looking forward to seeing a Jack Pine tree. Saturday they will attend the festival, and on Sunday they will tour the west coast of Michigan to see Lake Michigan and the Sleeping Bear Dunes.
President’s Report Information Items Continued
Tom Quinn College President noted that Kathy Marsh, Dean of Instruction, provided a copy of the Perkins Executive Summary. She explained that we are required by the Perkins legislation to present a summary to each of our educational advisory groups, which are subcommittees of workforce development boards. $204,692 is a preliminary amount of Perkins funds from the federal government through the state. We are required to match it, so the total allocation is $409,000. The report lists the activities for how the college spends the Perkins funds.
Kathy Marsh also presented the AQIP System Appraisal with a summary of our re-accreditation status, and a tabulation of the system appraisal results. Of the nine categories, each is broken down into the process, results, and improvements. Areas of concern that arise from the report are a strategic planning, measuring effectiveness/
continuous improvement model, student outcome assessment, and valuing people through communication.
Richard Silverman asked for time at the next board meeting to ask questions about some of the opportunities because it correlates well with the strategic planning.
An enrollment report was provided by Stacey Barnes, Dean of Student Services, for the Winter 2008 semester with a five-year comparison. Headcount is down one percent from 2007 and 13.4 percent since Winter 2004 semester. Credit hours are up 3.4 percent from 2007 and down three percent from winter semester 2004. Tom Quinn explained that we are trying to come up with Dashboard information for assessing programs. This is so significant that we need to look for meaning within the data. From a strategic planning perspective, we are asking what do we want more of; health science is our biggest program; do we want more of that? Student transfer, 19.8 percent, is up except for the long-term. We really need an analysis of what this means for the college.
Ed Koliba, Chief Business and Finance Officer, asked for the board’s pleasure on how to approach the 2008-09 Preliminary Budget. Typically it is presented in May as a first reading with approval in June. The current budget is still coming together in an attempt to provide a balanced budget. He asked whether the board would prefer a special board meeting prior to June 12, or have June 12 be the first reading with a special meeting afterward to adopt the budget. Another option would be to present the budget on June 12 and adopt it at that time. Roy Spangler stated the need to have the budget ahead of time with a summary sheet of what is contained within, regarding significant changes.
Ed Koliba said he would get the budget document to them by the first week of June with narrative, which would give them two weeks to review it and discuss it at the board June 12 meeting. It was agreed that June 12 will be a first reading with a tentative special meeting following to approve it. The public budget hearing regarding millage levy is being published for June 12.
BOARD MEMBER REPORTS/OPEN DISCUSSION
Trustee Denis Weiss said that he attended a Region 7B workforce development meeting that morning, and that an M-TEC leader from Mid Michigan Community College is on that board, but there is no representation from Kirtland. Weiss said that he has a lunch meeting scheduled Monday with Mark Berdan, Executive Director of Michigan Works! Workforce Development Center, and he will try to find out how to add a member to the board from Kirtland. Richard Silverman offered a motion to go on record as a board, of our desire to have an active employee from Kirtland Community College on the Region 7B workforce development board. Trustee Roberta Werle supported the motion.
Vote: Ayes, seven Nays, zero Abstain, zero Absent, zero Motion declared carried.
Roberta Werle said that the audit committee met prior to
this meeting and it was a profitable discussion. The new audit firm, Plant
Plante Moran, provided information about the audit process, and there
will be some changes. They reminded the board that this is the audit for the
board rather than for the college. There is a direct relationship between them
and the board. Werle stated that she thinks we have been wise in choosing Plant
Plante Moran, as they do a large percentage of audits throughout the
state. They asked about our charter and were surprised that we do not have one.
They are going to send us a copy from other colleges to help the finance
committee with this.
NEW BUSINESS/BOARD ACTION
1. RESOLUTION TO APPLY FOR ARTS & LEARNING GRANT
The following preamble and resolution were offered by Trustee Sally Galer and supported by Trustee MaryAnn Ferrigan:
WHEREAS
1. Kirtland Community College has contracted with the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble (EDE) to teach and perform March 3 through 6, 2009, and
2. The EDE will bring “Healthy Kids,” a performance geared toward a healthy lifestyle to area schools and to the Performing Arts Center, and
3. There is an opportunity to apply for an Arts and Learning grant through the Michigan Council for the Cultural Affairs (MCACA), and
4. The MCACA requires board of trustee approval of the grant application.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT
The Kirtland Community College Board of Trustees approves the application for a $5,000 Arts and Learning grant through the Michigan Council for the Cultural Affairs (MCACA).
Vote: Ayes, seven Nays, zero Abstain, zero Absent, zero Resolution declared adopted.
2. RESOLUTION TO APPROVE APPOINTMENT OF BOARD MEMBER TO THE M-TEC℠ GOVERNANCE ADVISORY BOARD
The following preamble and resolution were offered by Chair Roy Spangler and supported by Trustee Richard Silverman:
WHEREAS
1. The board has authorized the establishment of an M-TEC Governance Advisory Board to provide input and oversight to the M-TEC programs and services, and
2. Ongoing input from business, industry, governmental and educational partners is essential to ensure that the M-TEC programs meet the needs of the citizens within this community and its surrounding areas, and
3. In accordance with the Governance Advisory Board Bylaws; Article II, section 2. The board of trustees of Kirtland Community College shall approve all appointments to the Governance Advisory Board,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT
The Board of Trustees approves the appointment of Tom Lemon, CEO of Otsego Memorial Hospital, to the Governance Advisory Board as an at large voting member to replace Nancy Kussrow, who resigned from the board in January 2008.
Vote: Ayes, seven Nays, zero Abstain, zero Absent, zero Resolution declared adopted.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Tom Quinn reviewed announcements. The next board meeting is
scheduled for July June 12, 2008. There will be a public hearing
at 6:45 p.m. for the purpose of allowing the public to comment on the millage
to be included with the college budget for 2008-09 which will be presented to
the board for approval.
Reminder: The Kirtland’s Warbler Festival is this Saturday!
ADJOURNMENT
With no further business to come before the board, the meeting was declared adjourned at 8:17 p.m. by Chair Roy Spangler.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Koch
Recording Secretary