PUBLIC HEARING
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Sally Galer called the public hearing to order at 6:45 p.m.
Members Present: Robert Bovee, Sally Galer, Richard Silverman, Roy Spangler, Patricia Webb, Roberta Werle
Members Absent: Jan Keith Farmer
Others Present: Stacey Barnes, Jerry Boerema, Keith Gave, Eric Hamp, Christin Horndt, Sandra Hull, Kathy Koch, Ed Koliba, Doty Latuszek, Jerry Nunn, Jason Prout, Charles Rorie, Ilene St. Onge, Tim Scherer, Susan Warrington
PUBLIC HEARING
The purpose of the public hearing was to allow community members to comment or ask questions about the Election Consolidation Law provision to establish a new regular election date pursuant to law. The date chosen by the board of trustees is the first Tuesday following the first Monday in May on an odd year basis. Jason Prout spoke in favor of the chosen election date. Roberta Werle questioned why that date was chosen. Some of the reasons were that it allows for July 1 terms of office to begin and that it matches the date tentatively chosen by constituent school districts allowing for shared election costs. The hearing was closed at 6:55 p.m.
REGULAR MEETING
Chair Sally Galer called the regular meeting of the board of trustees to order at 7 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Members Present: Robert Bovee, Sally Galer, Richard Silverman, Roy Spangler, Patricia Webb, Roberta Werle
Members Absent: Jan Keith Farmer
Others Present: Stacey Barnes, Jerry Boerema, Carol Finke, Keith Gave, Eric Hamp, Christin Horndt, Sandra Hull, Kathy Koch, Ed Koliba, Jeremy Jones, Lois Jones, Doty Latuszek, Jackie Liddle, Joe Meadows, Jason Prout, Charles Rorie, Ilene St. Onge, Tim Scherer, Jill Schult, Susan Warrington, Jerry Werle
WELCOME
Members, employees and guests were welcomed by Chair Sally Galer.
OPEN DISCUSSION
Presidential Evaluation
Roberta Werle shared information gathered from evaluation instruments received from other community colleges. She commented on the range of people who evaluated college presidents from the board of trustees to internal and external community members, including students. The frequency of evaluations ranged from annual to more often upon request. Mid Michigan Community College board of trustees evaluates their president annually and every two years internal and external groups are given an opportunity to evaluate the president as well. Werle said that she and Jan Farmer favored the evaluation form used by Santa Fe Community College because of it's clarity and positive language. The delivery method can be both electronic or hard copy.
Werle suggested a special meeting in January to focus on this issue in order to bring a resolution for board approval in February if the evaluation instrument is to be in place by May. Sally Galer said she would like to hold a session devoted to goals and guidelines to be established as a board so the evaluation is not done in a vacuum, but incorporated into the broader picture. She recommended facilitation services through the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT). Galer said she would make the contacts and bring back more information on a facilitated board session or retreat.Medical benefits for part-time faculty
Roberta Werle raised this as an ongoing concern of hers for the welfare of society; people with a lack of medical benefits. In August she was assured that a great deal of thought and care had gone into the decision regarding part-time faculty medical benefits; that the policy has not changed; that those who have benefits will keep them; but the future was going to be handled such that no one would actually qualify for medical benefits if they are a part-time faculty member. She proposed a change in the process to offer medical benefits based on a formula in which the college would pay a portion of the cost based on the number of hours taught and length of time the person has been a part-time faculty member. She described it as a method by which some individuals might be able to get medical benefits and Kirtland might keep valuable employees who might otherwise go somewhere else.
Sally Galer commented that it is certainly an area that is evaluated regularly in the budgeting process. We try to balance between what we can afford and how to be fair.
Werle said that this leads to something she learned today that alarmed and concerned her. She referred to an article in the college newspaper about Mike Waters, a part-time faculty member who, it was reported, has worked at the college 18 years and two years before retirement had his contract ended which means not only is his retirement benefit significantly reduced, but he is losing his medical benefits. She declared, is this the way we want to treat people? Werle then presented a written list of questions addressed to Charles Rorie and to the board regarding policies and practices she said were spoken out against before she and Richard Silverman were elected to the board. Stating that she does not believe the board approves of what is happening, she read her questions to the board and finished by asking what type of retaliation will be taken against The Paper, the reporters and anyone else who airs an unpopular topic?
Ed Koliba responded to the medical benefits proposal saying that the subject has been brought to the problem solving team for part-time faculty members and administrators within the last five years. He explained that one of the stipulations of the insurance carrier is that all part-time faculty would have to be brought on board with medical benefits in order to offer them. A poll of part-time faculty at that time showed that there was no support for it. A recent check with the insurance carrier confirms that the criteria has not changed.
Suggestions for improvement of open discussions
Richard Silverman referred to the AQIP action proposal for improving communication and trust saying that if people are getting accurate, comprehensive information, they will trust the institution. His concern is for two forms of communication, open discussion and email, to be improved to show that we are making efforts to communicate, not build obstacles to communication. He said that when a person from the community raises an issue and we say thank you and end it, it is not open discussion; it is a one-way communication. For example, when Paul Durbin spoke to the board there were no comments and no response or give-and-take discussion. Another example given was the parent of one of the basketball players addressed the board, and the board just said thank you, next case. It gives the impression that the board does not want to communicate. He strongly suggests encouraging open discussion with everyone in the room. He is not asking for decisions from the board, but an open discussion.
Galer responded that sometimes the issues that are brought up require more information from someone who is not at the meeting or the questions need to be researched, and sometimes they merely want the opportunity to express themselves, but it is not going to change what happened.
Email as a means of improving communication
Also dealing with communication and perception issues, Silverman said that the change in aliases to the board of trustees to a mail lists where only certain people have access the list as a means of communication. It places a barrier to communication. He said a place on the website needs to be made so people can communicate with various members of the college community. Spam is not a good enough reason to place barriers to communication because there are tools in place to reduce spam, but it should not mean exclusivity. Silverman requested a re-examination of the means for communication from both internal and external community.
Tim Scherer responded that such avenues of communication are already in place through the college website that promotes contacting within the college community. There is a contact us link on home page and each page of the website. There is a directory listing phone numbers and email addresses of college employees and departments. All inquiries through the contact us link are forwarded by the webmaster. He said he also did a check of what other community colleges provide on their websites and found that Kirtland is ahead of the others in promoting communication.
MINUTES
Minutes from the September 16, 2004 regular board meeting were presented. No corrections or additions were offered. With a motion from Robert Bovee, supported by Roy Spangler, the minutes from September 16, 2004 were declared approved.
FACULTY/STAFF PRESENTATION
Christin Horndt, Director of Financial Aid, gave a presentation of trends in financial aid. Kirtland has been credited with a significant decrease in the default rate which dropped to 4.7 percent from 9.7 and 10.1in prior years. The national average is 52. 5.2 percent. She credited the improvement to better communication of information to students about what they can do to avoid default. Internet services provide more readily available information to lenders about student loans in a more timely manner. She also mentioned that increased enrollments allow deferral or forbearance of student loans when students are currently enrolled. There are different repayment options now available that better meets the needs of students to avoid default. The interest rate for student loans is currently at 2.77 % which makes loan consolidation a favorable option.
Nationally, loan volume is growing by 5 billion dollars a year. A recent news article reported that 50 percent of students did not apply for financial aid and 67 percent of community college students do not apply for financial aid. When they polled students, 41 percent said their family could afford it. Twenty-four percent said they thought their income was too high and 9 percent said they missed the deadline. Low income students were just as likely to give the same statements. At Kirtland, 60 percent applied for financial aid and we disbursed $3.2 million in Title IV aid and administered over $5 million in various types of financial aid.
COMMUNICATION
Charles Rorie shared two letters of appreciation for Kirtland's involvement in "Meet the Candidates Night" held on September 27.
Rorie announced a finance committee dinner meeting prior to the November regular board meeting for November 18, 2004 at 5:30 p.m. The finance committee meeting precedes a board presentation from the college auditors followed by a resolution to approve the audit at the regular meeting at 7 p.m.
FINANCIAL REPORT
Edmund Koliba, Chief Business and Finance Officer, presented the 2003-04 fiscal year summary. The college ended up 1.6 percent over budget for 2003-04. His presentation focused on explaining the circumstances of that result.
BUSINESS FOR BOARD ACTION
The following preamble and resolution were offered by Trustee Roy Spangler and supported by Trustee Patricia Webb:
WHEREAS
1. The Kirtland Community College Board of Trustees, pursuant to the provisions of the Consolidated Election Laws, has conducted a public hearing pursuant to published notice within the community college district; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT
1. The Board does hereby approve the first Tuesday following the first Monday in May as the regular biennial election date for the community college district on an odd year basis, to continue hereafter until changed pursuant to law, if permitted.
2. This resolution shall forthwith be filed with the Michigan Secretary of State in Lansing, Michigan.
3. All resolutions and parts of resolutions insofar as they conflict with the provisions of this resolution be and the same are hereby rescinded.
Vote: Ayes, six Nays, zero Abstain, zero Absent, zero Resolution declared adopted.
The following preamble and resolution were offered by Trustee Richard Silverman and supported by Trustee Robert Bovee:
WHEREAS
1. The college has been engaged in updating the campus master plan approved by the Board of Trustees on October 10, 2002, and
2. The updated draft copy was presented to the board of trustees by Duce Simmons Associates on behalf of the planning team at the September 16, 2004 board meeting, and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT
The board of trustees approves the campus master plan as presented.
Vote: Ayes, six Nays, zero Abstain, zero Absent, zero Resolution declared adopted.
The following preamble and resolution were offered by Trustee Richard Silverman and supported by Trustee Roy Spangler :
WHEREAS
1. Kirtland Community College has $200,000 budgeted for maintenance and repair expenditures in the 2004-05 budget, and
2. The beginning year fund balance in the Maintenance and Repair fund is $1,104,405, and
3. The college has identified the immediate need to repair three campus building roofs, specifically the Administrative Building, the Performing Arts Center and the Arts/Maintenance Building, projected to cost in excess of $450,000, and
4. The college feels it is in the best interest to keep the remaining Maintenance and Repair fund balance intact, and
5. There is approximately $265,000 in the Unexpended Plant Fund as follows:
a. $28,367 balance of funds from the $4,000,000 bond issue of 1995
b. $151,722 balance of funds of the $500,000 bond issue of 1995
c. $85,136 balance of funds from the 1978 debt retirement proceeds
and
6. It is within the board of trustees' ability to move these balances to other funds, so long as the original purpose and intent of the proceeds is adhered to, and
7. The use of these funds for roof repairs and other infrastructure repairs and renovations is compliant with the original intent.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT
1. The board of trustees authorizes the transfer of the balances in the Unexpended Plant Fund to the Maintenance and Repair Fund with the purpose of addressing immediate roof repairs, and
2. Any remaining balance after the repairs will be put aside for future use.
Vote: Ayes, six Nays, zero Abstain, zero Absent, zero Resolution declared adopted.
REPORTS FOR BOARD INFORMATION
Deferred maintenance and capital improvements
Ed Koliba provided a presentation on planning for deferred maintenance. His problem statement was that the college does not have the funding mechanisms in place to seriously address the capital renewal and deferred maintenance needs of the college. He presented a list of completed projects, ongoing projects, current projects, and deferred projects. The maintenance and repair fund balance is declining with expenditures higher than revenues over a five-year period. Some alternatives given to consider are to continue with past practice, commit to enhanced funding, and strategically plan for overall college facility improvements. Methods of financing listed enhancing revenue through tuition or millage, borrowing funds through lending institutions or bond issues, saving now to spend later by identifying and implementing cost-saving methods, and re-prioritizing resources including the fund balance through re-prioritizing existing budgets and incorporating cost saving methods.
Average Class Size report
Jerry Boerema, Associate Dean, spoke about the Average Class Size Summary as of September 13, 2004. Average class size for Fall 2004 is 7.3 17.3, down from 17.6 in 2003. Further improvement in the bottom line is questionable with nursing clinicals limited to 10 students and the size of classrooms as limiting factors. A goal is to reach 18 to 20 for economies of scale, but it may not be realistic given the constraints already mentioned.
AQIP update
Tim Scherer, Director of Institutional Services and project leader for the environmental conditions action project, gave a presentation updating the three action projects currently in process, Vision, Retooling Trust Through Effective Communication, and Commitment to Improve Environmental Conditions. He gave some preliminary results of Vision Day listing the $1 allocations for each unit. He reminded everyone that October 27 is the day set aside to work with facilitator, Lee Whipple to work on writing the college vision.
M-TEC report
Doty Latuszek, Provost, provided two governing advisory board meeting packets and reported that enrollment is on track from last fall. New leadership of the governing advisory board with chair, Bob Kasparasak, is refreshing in that he wants to get beyond operational issues and has requested that the next meeting be more focused on future curriculum. The new workforce development person, Mark McCully, begins working on Nov. 1.
ADJOURNMENT
With no further business to come before the board, Chair Galer declared the meeting adjourned at 10:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by
Kathy Koch, Recording Secretary