LANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Minutes - January 18, 2006
1) Attendance
Board members present: Jay Bozievich, Roger Hall, Paul Holman, Susie Johnston, Pat Riggs-Henson, and Larry Romine. Board member absent: Michael Rose. Also present were: President Mary Spilde; Vice President Sonya Christian; Associate Vice President Stephen Pruch, Executive Assistant to the President Tracy Simms; College Counsel Meg Kieran; Lane Community College Employees Federation President Bob Baldwin; and Associated Students of Lane Community College President Jeremy Riel.
A. Chair Hall called the meeting to order at 6:31 pm.
B. President’s Report
Happy New Year!
We will be discussing the budget later this evening, but I will give a brief update now. We are still working on updating the projections and plan to finalize them next week. As I mentioned last month, we are going to have a pretty sizeable deficit. We need to take steps immediately to mitigate that deficit and will have to make decisions this year for the 2006-07 budget. It is likely that the deficit will be in the same order of magnitude as we experienced in 2001-02. We have known this day was coming unless some things went our way, such as enrollment, funding, etc. Unfortunately, things haven’t moved fast enough in terms of increases in state funding or enrollment.
I have notified all staff via e-mail, already met with managers, and scheduled two all-staff meetings for next week. Tomorrow, I will propose a new timeline for the budget process to College Council. Even before we began updating the projections, it became clear to me that what we are doing and how we are doing it right now is not sustainable in the long run. We must make some fundamental changes to how we do our work. I am in the process of preparing a short presentation on what I mean by this and will share it at the next available opportunity.
At the December meeting, we updated you on the work with the county on the Gonyea interchange. I am passing out a letter that was sent to the County requesting further action.
Earlier this month, during the state of the city event, I was pleased to receive an award on behalf of the college from Mayor Kitty Piercy for our work on sustainability.
I would like to note that two of our staff received awards at the Martin Luther King celebration on Monday evening. Retired Multicultural Center Director Connie Mesquita received the Human Rights Commission award and Counselor Marva Solomon received the ASLCC award.
I am passing out Whispering Sage, a publication which is the work of the students and staff in the Adult Basic and Secondary Education program. It is an opportunity for students at all skill levels to see their work published. I thought you might enjoy it.
You have received notices from Donna Zmolek regarding the Springfield and Eugene Chamber dinners and the Lane Council of Governments (LCOG) dinner. These are really good opportunities for you to connect with the community. If you are interested and have not responded, please let Donna know.
On January 9, Sonya Christian, Tim Craig, Jim Lindly, and I attended the Economic Summit organized by the Oregon Business Council. The topic of the day was education K-20, and it was quite clear that state government and the business community is intent on redesigning education. I think it is imperative that we get in front of this effort to assure that whatever initiatives or legislative proposals come forward that we are engaged in shaping them.
1) December Highlights
December 2005 Highlights at Lane Community College as offered in the board mailing were presented.
2) Personnel
The college’s current personnel appointments were presented.
C. Board Agenda Review/Changes
No changes were made to the agenda.
D. Statements from Audience
Dean Hansen, co-founder of the Athletics Community Fundraising Group, invited the board to the 2nd Annual Student Spring Spectacular on January 27, 2006, a fundraising event for baseball and women’s soccer.
2. Consent Agenda
A correction was noted in the December minutes under Board Reports. The last two sentences under the first report will be removed from the minutes.
Bozievich moved, seconded by Johnston, to amend the December 14, 2005, minutes as noted.
Motion passed unanimously.
Riggs-Henson moved, and Romine seconded, to approve the Consent Agenda consisting of:
• The approval of the amended December 14, 2005 Minutes
Motion passed unanimously.
3. Policy Review
A. Second Reading
Romine moved, seconded by Riggs-Henson, to approve the second reading of board policy D.040, Gambling.
Motion passed unanimously.
POLICY NUMBER: D.040
POLICY TYPE: MISCELLANEOUS
POLICY TITLE: Gambling
Illegal gambling of any form, whether played for money, check or any item or service representative of value, is prohibited on the Lane Community College campus or facilities under its direction and control.
ADOPTED: November 9, 1998
REVIEWED: May 12, 2004
REVISED: January 18, 2006
B. First Reading
1) Possession of Firearms, D.030
One change was recommended to this policy as shown below. A second reading will be held in February.
POLICY NUMBER: D.030
POLICY TYPE: MISCELLANEOUS
POLICY TITLE: POSSESSION OF FIREARMS
No person, including students, employees, college patrons or and vendors may bring, possess, conceal, brandish, use or be in possession of a firearm, destructive device, or other dangerous weapons as defined by law, or give the appearance of being in possession on college-owned or controlled property or at activities under the jurisdiction or sponsorship of the college, except as provided by Oregon or federal law.
ADOPTED: November 9, 1998
REVISED: November 16, 2004
4. Discussion/Action Items
A. Budget Process and Timelines
Spilde reported that the budget projections are currently being updated. It was recognized this year that the numbers were likely to change since pre-audit figures were used. In reviewing the initial projections, which are just that—estimates, it was discovered that all of the special appointments had not been included. Faculty overload has also increased significantly due to vacancies and governance reassignment. In addition, there have recently been several reclassifications of classified employees. PERS health care costs are unknown at this time.
On the revenue side, the 4 percent annual enrollment growth target has not been met. However, the current trend in community colleges is declining enrollment, and Lane has at least stayed the same instead of declining. While there was a risk in projecting 4 percent enrollment growth, Spilde reminded the board of the previous decision to try to increase revenue before cutting programs. It is evident that current funding methods will not be sustainable. Property taxes have increased 3 percent, tuition increased about 4 percent, state funding has either stayed the same or decreased, and expenses have gone up at least 5 percent a year. Impacts of the new funding formula will eventually help the college, but it’s not happening fast enough. Lane has done a number of things on the cost containment side, such as offering health clinic services to staff, sustainability projects, and energy management; however, it’s clear that Lane needs to fundamentally change the way we’re doing things.
Spilde also stated that, in terms of budget process, College Council has a good system in place. It has been suggested that the timelines for proposals be extended until April so that College Council will be looking at them at the same time as the budget committee.
The board discussed the possibility of a local tax option, the maximum amount of which would be $1.3 million.
Bozievich reminded the board that it has been known for a long time that there are a lot of variables in the projections. We’ve known that the original projections were based on many assumptions, and this deficit is not unexpected.
5. Accountability/Reports
A. Benchmarks
Craig Taylor, Institutional Research and Planning director, responded to questions and comments on the following Benchmark:
• Gender and Race/Ethnicity Status of Graduates
B. Asset Protection, A.070
Stephen Pruch, Associate Vice President for Information Technology, was present to answer questions regarding the annual monitoring report on Policy A.070, Asset Protection.
C. Compensation and Benefits, A.080
Spilde and Christian were present to answer questions on the monitoring report with regard to Board Policy A.080, Compensation and Benefits.
Spilde referred to the copy of the most recent quarterly analysis of health insurance claims experience for the period January through October 2005. The report shows a pure loss ratio (total claims cost divided by premiums paid) percentage at 73.7 for all college employees combined; anything lower than 78 percent will play out in our favor. The wellness investments Lane has made are helping.
6. Reports
ASLCC President Jeremy Riel commented on the unique relationship Lane has with University of Oregon. In most cases, it’s advantageous for a student to take prerequisites at Lane before moving to the university. At the end of January, the Oregon Students of Color Coalition is holding a conference at the U of O designed for students and faculty of color to network and organize around issues that affect them. ASLCC is planning a voter registration drive; last year, ASLCC got thousands of students to register to vote within a month and a half.
LCCEF President Bob Baldwin stated that a number of labor disputes have been resolved, and there is just one set of outstanding grievances, which he hopes to have resolved soon. With the number of labor disputes down, more time is left to concentrate on the budget process.
Vice President Sonya Christian reported that Lane is immersed in the implementation of Senate Bill 300, which provides eligible high school students early entry into post-secondary education. We are working collaboratively with Lane ESD and with high school superintendents. At the state level, the Joint Boards Articulation Commission (JBAC) is starting a process to bring together faculty from the Oregon University System, community college and private colleges to begin the discussion on common student learning outcomes for courses. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Cooperative Education. Lane faculty members Jamie Kelsch, Tamara Pinkas, and Larry Scott are invited presenters at the national conference in April, as Lane’s Cooperative Education program will be featured because of our status as a national model.
Associate Vice President Stephen Pruch delivered the report for College Operations. He reported that Lane received a rebate check from Eugene Water and Electric Board in the amount of $6,425 for flat monitor purchases. Pruch also mentioned the article in The Register Guard which highlighted Lane’s recycling and sustainability efforts.
Board Reports
Bozievich encouraged Riel to collect up the old voter registration cards and get bounty from the Secretary of State by giving them to elementary schools.
Holman will be going to Salem tomorrow for a pre-Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Conference meeting. He and Johnston will be representing Lane at the ACCT Conference in February in Washington D.C.
Johnston brought up the TABOR Initiative—the proposed “Taxpayer Bill of Rights” designed to limit state expenditures—and asked to make it a future agenda item. The initiative is still waiting for language approval and is not yet in the signature process. She reminded the board of the LCOG dinner next Thursday, January 26.
Hall attended the Martin Luther King celebration at the Hult Center and is very proud of the role that Lane has played in the past and continues to play.
7. Date, Place, and Proposed Agenda Items for the Next Regular Meeting
Wednesday, February 15, 2006, Boardroom, Building 3, Lane Community College
A board retreat will be held February 10, 2006, from 1 – 8 pm in the Boardroom in which the board will summarize the information gathered at the Fall work sessions.
8. Suggest Agenda Items for Future Board Meetings
The TABOR Initiative will be added to the list of future agenda items to be brought forward when the timing is right.
9. The board meeting unanimously adjourned at 7:40 pm.
| _____________________________ | _____________________________ | |
| Mary Spilde, President/District Clerk | Roger Hall, Chair |