This page is part of the 2016 Lane website archive, and is presented for historical reference only.

February 12, 2003

LANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
BOARD OF EDUCATION
FEBRUARY 12, 2003

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 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 Tim Harold; Lane Community College Education Association President Jim Salt; Lane Community College Employees Federation (LCCEF) President Bob Baldwin; and Associated Students of Lane Community College President Greg Dunkin.  Board Member Robert Ackerman was absent.

2)  Presidents Report

  • Board Member Ackerman was not able to attend the meeting due to legislative responsibilities in Salem; he serves as state representative of District 39.
  • Dr. Sonya Christian, new associate vice president for Instruction, was introduced to the board.
  • On February 6-8, board members, staff, and students met with legislators and attended events at the Oregon Community College Association Convention in Salem.
  • Based on the failure of Ballot Measure 28 and the governors budget, projections show that Lanes deficit for 2003-04 is $5.9 million.  Although the Governors budget showed an increase to universities and K-12 schools, funding for community colleges decreased 8 percent.  Spilde said the decrease was disproportionate compared with other educational sectors and will impact Lanes ability to contribute to the economic recovery.
  • At this time, the Governor does not intend to initiate any revenue proposals because he believes that government has not provided enough evidence that they are being efficient and effective.  Reports this morning indicate that the state will face another $300 million shortfall by the end of June.  Although Lanes deficit may increase even further, it may be alleviated by ending fund that we did not commit to balance this years budget in anticipation of further state reductions.
  • Lanes budget deficit includes increases of $3.3 million in the PERS employer rate to cover the unfunded actuarial liability.  Several bills are passing through the legislature regarding PERS.  The first limits earnings on the regular account to an 8 percent maximum.  Another bill would restructure PERS governance and reduce the board from 12 to 5 members.  Among the five members, one would be affiliated with PERS and one would have expertise in pension accounts.  Spilde read elements of a PERS reform bill introduced by a coalition of local government employers.  Two bills relating to collective bargaining have been introduced.
  • The Criteria Application Work Group (CAWG) completed its work and forwarded its recommendations to the Executive Team (ET).  The ET is in its first phase of organizing their budget work for the next couple weeks.
  • All employees have received budget information from the president via email.  Despite the dismal state budget news, staff are encouraged to be vocal and supportive of community colleges and their needs.
  • Associate Vice President Christian described the process involved in determining the reductions in spring term classes.  Initially, it was projected that 243 sections would be eliminated.  In December, it was reported that the maximum number to be cut would be 160.  Following consultation with division chairs, 55 credit sections will be eliminated spring term.  An additional 70 credit sections will be tuition based, subject to cancellation if enrollment is not sufficient.  Still to be determined are non-credit courses.
  • A letter was sent to the State Board of Education asking them to accept the Oregon community colleges Presidents Councils recommendation on the funding formula distribution.  Although they did not accept the recommendation in its entirety, the board did implement the gap, costing Lane about $400,000-500,000 in state revenue.  The board also approved a cap on enrollment.
  • President Spilde gave a speech at the Eugene City Club.  She continues to host breakfast and lunch forums at Lane.
  • Although the play, Equus, had a few complaints about nudity, correct protections were in place during auditions and rehearsals.  Disclaimer notices were included on advertisements about the play indicating that is was for mature audiences and appropriate for people over 18 years.  Spilde emphasized that, as an administration, Lane strongly supported the expression of academic and artistic freedom.  This is a Tony award-winning play that was on Broadway for several years.  She applauded the faculty, classified, and students who were involved in the play.
  • Members of the League for Innovation in the Community College were recently on campus to evaluate Lanes application to retain its membership as a board college of the organization.  The visit was a success, and the visiting team plans to recommend Lanes continuing board seat on the League to the full board.  Anne McGrail, Tamara Pinkas, and many others were thanked for their involvement in writing the Institutional Self-evaluation and organizing the visit.
  • The One Stop Center for Dislocated Workers, in partnership with the Lane Workforce Partnership, opened on February 10 in the Workforce Learning Center.
  • As of February 6, the Culinary Kitchen successfully completed its fundraising goal by raising $297,195.  The president thanked major donors.
  • On behalf of the Oregon Community College Association, Spilde presented Roger Hall a plaque in appreciation for serving twelve years on the Board of Education.

Bond Report Bob Mention
Contrary to the February 12 Bond Projects Status Report, minor construction improvements
remain on the preparation kitchen.

LASR Report Linda DeWitt
As part of the Banner implementation, Financial Aid plans to Go Live in March.

President Spilde commended Dennis Shine for receiving the Human Rights Leadership Award from the Springfield Alliance for Equality and Respect at the Martin Luther King Celebration in January.

3)  Statements from the Audience

  • Dennis Gilbert, faculty, recommended that board members carefully examine the assumptions provided in determining the reductions in spring term classes.  He asked the board to question the reliability of information provided regarding the colleges budgeting and planning process.

4)  Consent Agenda
Romine moved, seconded by Shelley, to approve the Consent Agenda, consisting of the following:

  • Minutes of the January 15, 2003, board meeting
  • Personnel
  • 2003-04 Budget Calendar

Motion passed (6-0).

5)  Vision, Mission, Core Values, and Presidents Strategic Goals
Shelley moved, seconded by Romine, to approve the college Vision, Mission, Core Values, and the Presidents Strategic Goals for the next eighteen months.
Motion passed 6-0.

6)  PERS Unfunded Actuarial Liability
Rose moved, seconded by Shine, to approve the revised recommendation (new language is in bold) that Lane Community College participate in a pool with other Oregon community colleges to issue taxable pension bonds in April 2003 or later to fund 75 percent of its PERS Unfunded Actuarial Liability as calculated by PERS before the issuance date. This participation is contingent upon the bonds selling at a maximum yield of 6.5 percent.  An intercept agreement with the state, through the Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development, shall provide that the state pays the debt service for the pool thus lowering the quarterly payments for participating colleges.  The college shall have the option of withdrawing from participation in the bonding agreement up to a week before the pricing date.

At 7:42 p.m., Larry Romine left the meeting..

Motion passed 5-0.

7)  Resolution 479:  Authorizing Limited Tax Pension Bonds
Legal Counsel distributed Resolution 479 and the Letter of Intent, should the board decide to issue bonds to finance the colleges PERS Unfunded Actuarial Liability.  The college has the option of declining from participating seven days prior to the April 8 pricing date.

Rose moved, seconded by Shelley, to adopt Resolution 479, Authorizing Limited Tax Pension Bonds, and the Letter of Intent, which are filed with the original minutes.
Motion passed 5-0.

8)Differential Pricing
Board members requested additional information regarding differential pricing and recommended continued future discussion.

At 8:15 p.m., the board took a 5-minute break.

9)  Transparent Budget Recommendations
Vice President Matsen said that a few of the transparent budget recommendations were implemented during the FY03 budget process, and the budget Office has continued to implement more of the recommendations through the FY04 budget process.  The recommendations are a good framework for Lane to work within and to strive toward.  Both the Budget Transparency Work Group recommendations and the responses from the Executive Team to those recommendations will be posted on the budget development website.

10)  Budget Committee Appointment for Zone 2
Shine moved, seconded by Rose, to approve Robert Ackermans recommendation to appoint Kevin Wells to the Lane Community College Budget Committee to serve a three-year term ending June 30, 2006.
Motion passed 5-0.

11)  Benchmark
Craig Taylor reviewed the following Benchmark:

  • Gender and Minority Status of Graduates

12)   Emergency President Succession, Policy A.060
Spilde reviewed compliance with Policy A.060, Emergency President Succession.

13)   Follow-up to the 2001-02 Treatment of Learners and Consumers Report
Roberts responded to comments regarding the follow-up to the 2001-02 Treatment of Learners and Consumers Report.

14)   Reports
ASLCC President Greg Dunkin
ASLCC will conduct a campus-wide student survey to gather opinions on various topics including differential pricing.  In regards to the 8 percent reduction in community college funding, the Oregon Student Association intends to lobby legislators for a refund.  Students will be attending the United States Student Association Legislative Conference.  They will be recommending an increase in the Pell Grants as well as addressing other funding and accessibility issues.  Two new ASLCC senators and a campus organizer have recently been selected.  Additional campus staff positions will soon be filled.

LCCEF President Bob Baldwin
Baldwin expressed thanks for everyones support while recuperating from surgery the past six weeks.  During that time, he continued to work with the Criteria Application Work Group, which he felt was as clean and free from politics as possible.  Budget staff were congratulated for managing the budget crisis, especially as it related to cutting fewer courses than anticipated last fall.  The board received information regarding the number of classified staff qualifying for public assistance.  The colleges budget situation makes it difficult, Baldwin said, to ask staff, including those working in high-level, full-time positions, to take personal time off to file for food stamps.  As bargaining begins, Baldwin assured the board that, although there is no sense of animosity or conflict between parties, there is conflict with the budget crisis itself.

LCCEA President Jim Salt 
Faculty continue to study state budget issues, lobby for adequate community college funding, and advocate working collaboratively with the board, staff, and students in support of community college funding.  Regarding Kulongoski's budget recommendations, the Oregon Education Association opposes any attempt to interfere with the right to collective bargaining or to freeze wages and benefits.  Salt read a statement by Oregon community college faculty presidents unanimously endorsing the position that steps, COLA, and benefits are essential to maintaining a comprehensive, quality community college education.  The LCCEA remains optimistic that, despite current budget problems, through a variety of steps, further program cuts can be prevented.  He presented a number of concerns regarding the decision to cut classes this spring and strongly encouraged the board to reconsider cutting these classes.  Salt encouraged rapid progress on fully implementing the transparent budget recommendations.

Vice Presidents

Cheryl Roberts recognized Greg Evans, special projects coordinator for the Multi-cultural Center, who received the 2003 Education Award from the Oregon Assembly for Black Affairs, for his efforts with the Rites of Passage program.  Business Workforce Development and Extended Learning (BWEL) is thriving due to the guidance of new director, Jim Lindly, the expertise of faculty, and the counsel of business owners.  Beverly Farfan, cooperative education coordinator for Social Science, was presented the Community Service Award by Mayor Torrey for her work with the Free Community Thanksgiving dinner serving over 2,500 people.  Lanes Culinary Program was also instrumental in hosting the dinner.  Over 250 people were involved in a Financial Aid Workshop sponsored by Lane.

Marie Matsen reported that Alan Siporin, KLCC reporter and host, had written and published a novel, Fires Edge.  Siporin is the featured author of the Second Annual Readin in the Rain, a community-wide reading series that takes place in February.  Matsen recognized Facilities Management and Plannings trades group who are working on the Centers fourth floor remodel; the Financial Team working on the budget; and Computer Services employees who support the entire Banner project.  Arbitron ratings report over 65,000 KLCC listeners and, at times, KLCC is one of the top three listening radio stations in Lane County.

Board Members

Mike Rose recommended that the ASLCC delegation to Washington, D.C. be informed on issues such as the Carl Perkins funds, student scholarships, and Bushs budget.  He plans to attend the February 21 OCCA board meeting.  Rose said an OCCA spreadsheet by district showed only six students in Representative Bill Morrisettes district in Lane County received the Oregon Opportunity Grant, whereas 1,578 students were eligible.  The governor proposed dipping into the schools reserve fund where Opportunity Grants are funded from.  There is a need for everyone to talk about this and many other issues with our legislators.

Dennis Shine reported that Greg Evans and the Rights of Passage Program were recently noted in the Black Issues of High Education.  Lane will sponsor a table at the State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in March.  Shine noted that February 19 is a Day of Remembrance event honoring Japanese Americans interned in camps during WWII.

Paul Holman attended the OCCA Conference.  He said legislators did not seem to be supportive of community colleges due to the deficit budget situation.  He did, however, encourage everyone to continue talking to legislators.

Kathleen Shelley attended the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, Workforce Partnership Open House, and the OCCA Conference.  She endorsed a grassroots effort to encourage change at the state level and recommended reviving last years Unity Pledge submitted by community colleges.
Roger Hall said the governors budget for community colleges is disgraceful.  He believes that no
other public institution has higher public acceptance and greater accountability.  Hall disagreed with a statement given by Dennis Gilbert earlier in the meeting regarding the process involved and information received by the board in determining class reductions.  He emphasized that although the board carefully weighs both students and faculty needs when considering class reductions, student learning may take precedence in accordance with the mission of the college.  He noted that the fluidity of the budget situation made it even more difficult for staff to complete their work.  He commended staff for being able to reduce the number of class cuts from 243 to 53.  Hall defended the integrity of the board and urged the union to separate themselves from the comments made by Gilbert.

15)   Date, Place, and Proposed Agenda Items for Next Regular Meeting
The next regular meeting will be Wednesday, March 12, 2003, beginning at 6:30 p.m., in the Boardroom of the Administration Building, Lane Community College.

16)   Adjournment
The board meeting unanimously adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
 

______________________________
Roger Hall, Chair
Board of Education

______________________________
Mary Spilde, President/District Clerk
Lane Community College