LANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
BOARD OF EDUCATION MINUTES
November 3, 2015
1. Attendance
Board members present: Philip Carrasco, Matt Keating, Gary LeClair, Tony McCown, Rosie Pryor, and Sharon Stiles. Susie Johnston participated by telephone. Also present were: President Mary Spilde; Vice President Brian Kelly, Interim Vice President Dawn DeWolf; Lane Community College Education Association Vice President Adrienne Mitchell, Lane Community College Employees Federation President Bob Baldwin, and Associated Students of Lane Community College President Ashley Jackson.
A. Chair Tony McCown called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
Chair McCown stated that the board will join their colleagues around the state with a moment of silence at 7 pm for a joint vigil in honor of Umpqua Community College (UCC).
B. President’s Report
October 13 was our last day helping our colleagues at Umpqua on site, but others from Lane continued going down to help. I updated our local community about Lane’s outreach in an e-mail, and at least 30 people responded to say how much they appreciated Lane’s response. We are the community’s college, and our team served as ambassadors for all of Lane County, as well as for the college.
I want to thank Tony for his very moving op ed in The Register-Guard on the topic of violence.
I can only hope that society someday finds an effective way to reduce violence, and at Lane, we will continue to focus on safety and preparedness and look for more ways to strengthen our prevention and readiness.
As of the sixth week of classes, total registrations for all classes are down 10.6 percent compared to the same point in the cycle last year at the same time.
The Oregon Promise tuition grant program began accepting applications this week. The application period continues through March 1, but we will be encouraging students to apply as soon as possible so they are earlier in the queue if the program has higher demand than available funding. Remember that the Oregon Promise is designed as a last-dollar in program, meaning that the greatest benefits will flow to those with the least financial need. The program pays for tuition after state and federal grants are applied. Pell Grant students already have their tuition paid. In 2014-15, 50 percent of Lane credit students, or 7,294, qualified for financial aid. Of those, 83 percent qualified for Pell grants. Of the Pell recipients, 74 percent qualified for the maximum award. What our students need is help with the other costs of going to college such as paying for textbooks, housing, transportation, and childcare. Nonetheless, the Oregon Promise is expected to attract 10,000-12,000 new students statewide. We are following the progress of the America’s College Promise proposal, too. The ACP is a first-dollar in program. It would allow low-income students to apply Pell grants to non-tuition expenses, and it would be open to all first-time community college students, not just recent high school graduates.
This week we are hosting a team from across the country for two accreditations. One is for the Oregon Small Business Development Network. I met with that team yesterday, and they will be visiting some of the other colleges where we have SBDC sites. And this morning Dawn DeWolf and I and faculty and staff met with accreditors for Dental Assisting and Dental Hygiene programs, and they were particularly interested in our partnership with Lewis and Clark College in Idaho where we provide our program for students there.
Last month we won a bronze award for our 50th Anniversary Campaign, in the special event category of Medallion Awards, a regional competition sponsored by the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations. NCMPR is an affiliate of AACC. We also received a silver Medallion Award in the wild card category for our creative partnership with Ninkasi and the branding of the special run of Titan Power Pale Ale. Congratulations to Tracy, Brett, Funk/Levis and associates and everyone who worked on our 50th Anniversary last year.
The Lane women’s soccer team clinched its second straight NWAC Southern Region title on Saturday with a 1-1 draw against Clark College.
We have posted positions for Men's Soccer and Women’s Volleyball coaches. The announcement of the new programs has been very well received in the community.
Last week I interviewed with Rachael McDonald of KLCC about our experience at Umpqua Community College and about safety at Lane. I also interviewed with Tom Adams of KVAL TV about Stacey Kiser. Stacey was named Two Year College Teacher of the Year by the National Association of Biology Teachers. She receives her award at the NABT conference next week. You can see the KVAL story from our online newsroom at lanecc.edu/newsroom. I also interviewed with a writer for the American Association of Community College’s 21st Century Center about the workshop that I taught at Harvard on improving and achieving agility at community colleges as they adapt to rapid changes.
It was good to attend the ACCT congress last month with several of you, and I’m looking forward to this week’s OCCA conference. Later this month I will attend the national AACC fall meetings where I will be attending a meeting regarding America’s Promise, which is the tuition-free program. I’ll also be attending a briefing from the Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education, and they will be reporting on a national survey that was recently completed on increasing opportunity for new Americans at community colleges, which I think is very relevant to our growing population here in Lane County.
At the ACCT meeting, some of you attended sessions on Guided Pathways. At your place is the new book, Redesigning America’s Community Colleges, which makes a case for guided pathways. Colleges across the country are at various stages of consideration of this as one method to help students complete their programs. During this past summer, a faculty interest group reviewed the book and made recommendations, including bringing one of the authors to Lane. I’m happy to say that Davis Jenkins will be here on Friday, February 19. We will host teams from other colleges as well as partners from the university to start the conversation. We haven’t decided this is the direction we are going to take, but it is one that we’re going to engage faculty in discussing. Discussions are already going on as a result of the recommendations of the interest group. Having one of the authors here will kick start that.
As you may recall, at our last meeting it appeared almost inevitable that Congressman Kevin McCarthy, a former community college trustee, was going to become the next Speaker of the House. Well, a lot happened during the past month, and last week the House officially chose Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) as their next Speaker. Ryan has been a member of the Community College Caucus organized by AACC.
Congressional leaders and the White House have reached a bipartisan budget over budgetary caps and the debt limit. So it looks like that piece of work is done until at least after the presidential election.
Last week the US Department of Education released two significant sets of regulations. One addresses student loan issues and the other addresses cash management issues related to issuing student refunds of financial aid. I particularly want to thank our own Helen Faith who was very instrumental in getting to consensus on the rule making process.
Senator Wyden has introduced a bill called the "Promoting Access and Retention Through New Efforts to Require Shared Higher Investments in Postsecondary Success Act." The bill encompasses a large federal investment for states to support public institutions of higher education. States who opt-in would be required to develop strategies to support completion for low-income students, hold down tuition costs, and invest in public colleges and universities.
As you may have heard, we’ve had a report that one of the children in our Child Care Center has Norovirus. Brian Kelly messaged staff to remind people what the protocols are, and we have been in touch with Lane County Public Health.
I want to thank the Foundation for yet another fabulous Harvest Dinner. This year we raised just over $370,000. That includes about $103,000 specifically for Shining Star Scholarships. Congratulations to Wendy Jett and her team.
Tomorrow night is a reception for the artists of the fall exhibit at the David Joyce Gallery in the CML. The reception is from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The exhibit is themed, “Taking Flight: A Visual Voyage,” and it includes the work of our own JS Bird, Demetra Kalams, Anne Tiegan, and Kat Gottfried, as well as the visiting exhibit of David Joyce’s “Flight Patterns” from the Eugene Airport. Our exhibit is up through January 8, and we will host the flying people until the airport determines what to do with the work which was displaced by airport construction.
Just a reminder that Lane will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 26 and 27, for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Finally, if you haven’t followed me on Twitter yet, my handle is @maryspilde.
1) Personnel
The college’s current personnel appointments were presented.
E. Board Agenda Review/Changes
Keating moved to approve the agenda. LeClair seconded.
Motion passed unanimously.
F. Statements from Audience
Mariana Paredones, Oregon Student Association Coalition co-chair and Higher Education Coordinating Commission student appointee, expressed concern about the recent inactivity of Lane’s Diversity Council.
2A. Consent Agenda
LeClair moved, and seconded by Pryor, to approve the Consent Agenda consisting of:
- Approval of the October 7, 2015, Minutes
- Policy Review
1. Definition of a Balanced Budget, BP 240
2. Purchasing Procedure, BP 285
Motion passed unanimously.
3. Discussion/Action Items
A. Spotlight on Student Success: Title IX
Kerry Levett, Executive Dean of Student Affairs, and Terry Minner, Associate Dean of Accessibility and Support and Title IX Coordinator, presented information on Title IX. Title IX is a comprehensive federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity. It is about equity in education as it relates to gender and has impacted colleges, high schools, and elementary schools. Some of the things Title IX affects are:
Athletics
Academic programs
Transgender individuals
Gender-based discrimination and harassment
Gender—based violence
Levett distributed a handout titled “9 Things to Know about Title IX” and showed a short video. Levett and Minner discussed some of the ways that Title IX affects Lane Community College such as awareness, education, and prevention; ASLCC’s Sexual Violence Prevention Committee; Take Back the Night event; a community coalition with UO and Lane students; and the Titan Taskforce created to educate the campus on how to respond, how to engage, and what the resources are.
Title IX not only applies to employees but to students as well. We are currently looking at how to implement everything that needs to be done at Lane regarding Title IX, such as training employees and students, response to incidents, and updating and adding to procedures. A training module will be launched for new students coming to Lane, and we have created SVPIT, a sexual violence and prevention implementation team.
B. Tuition Rate Index
Pryor moved to approve the use of the Higher Education Price Index (HEPI) as the inflation benchmark for 2015-2016. LeClair seconded.
Keating noted that he would oppose this motion as he believed it was tied to a policy that mandates that the board raise tuition every year. Pryor and McCown clarified that this recommendation is only approving the inflation index by which to assess the need for a tuition increase and directs staff to base a recommendation on the HEPI.
Motion passed 6 -1. Keating dissented.
C. Budget Update
Vice President Brian Kelly provided an update on the status of the budget. There were 24 classified employees who took the separation incentive offered last spring. We are currently filling 13 of those positions. The budgeted savings in the general fund was $678,000; the net savings in all funds was approximately $900,000.
Kelly shared the projection variance report. The projections from last year were off by just .1%. The audit report will be shared in December. Deans, directors, faculty, and classified did an incredible amount of work last year to balance the budget, making reductions in materials and services and midstream adjustments.
This year’s ending fund balance is approximately $13 million. $2.5 million was used last year to balance the budget. Board policy states that anything over 11% may be set aside for one-time expenses. The administration will be presenting a recommendation for the board at a future meeting.
Kelly shared the projections for the 2015-16 year. The enrollment decrease for fall term is 12% in credit courses and a little over 10% overall. The projected deficit for this year is $4.2 million. He requested that the board allow administration to manage that and keep the board updated.
The decrease in enrollment adversely affects Lane’s funding in future years. Revenue for state funding for enrollment will go from $31 million to $27.7 million in FY17. Historically, Lane has been leading the numbers in the state; when enrollment goes up, Lane has led the increase, and the same is true with the enrollment decline. Work continues to be done through strategic enrollment management to get enrollment figures up. Full negotiations with both employee groups will begin in January. PERS rates are estimated to increase over the next three bienniums. Also on the horizon are rising health care costs and Cadillac tax considerations. All of these things will need to be considered when planning future expenses.
D. Board Open Forums
McCown reported that the board held its first open house last week and received about one dozen visitors. He thanked Pryor and Keating for attending. The intent of the conversations is not to enter into contract negotiations. He hoped to have more dates scheduled over the next few months, reserving April and May to travel to other campuses.
4. Accountability/Reports
A. Facilities Update
An update on the status of bond and facility projects was presented.
B. Financial Condition and Activities: Quarterly Report, BP255
The Financial Condition and Activities quarterly report was presented to the board.
Pryor asked a question regarding the difference in the sale of goods and services and capital outlay from the previous year. Kelly stated that it was a timing issue and that he would provide specifics at a later time.
6. Reports
ASLCC President Ashley Jackson noted that the students played a large role in advocating for $550 million for the community college support fund. Despite Lane’s history of having robust student allies and leaders, we need to ensure that the group is united and that we don’t treat conversations about access and inclusion under glass – we need to take them down and have deeper conversations. The theme between the presentations on Title IX and Rites of Passage is that within these and programs such as Women in Transitions, Bridge of the Gods, etc., students are transforming their lives here at Lane. To be a transformative campus, we have to be prepared to be wrong and ask the hard questions so that others start to see the logic and what is important. Every week student leaders gather and discussed issues around being in a place that is exclusive, i.e. teachers perpetuating stereotypes, conversations with advisors where people are excluded. We have an inherently racist, sexist, homophobic, classist society in America. Here at Lane, we need to expand student representation and look at teachers to learn from mistakes such as misgendering someone. Jackson extended thanks to those who have taught the students words to articulate oppression and inequities and help them navigate the forces of power and privileges.
LCCEF President Bob Baldwin attended the Oregon AFLCIO convention in Seaside. There was an LCCEF arbitration held today and two more to go in this month. He has seen the challenge continue with labor relations stemming from managers and administration not seeming to know the legal framework. There were several instances recently where BOLI standards were violated, and fortunately they were quickly addressed by Human Resources. The problem is that Lane does not hire management who have significant or any experience managing in the public sector, or with unions, or with higher education. Recently questions have arisen about the board’s campus conversations, and he has not received answers. He hoped the board responds quickly and directly.
Adrienne Mitchell, Academic Learning Skills faculty member and LCCEA Vice President, read a brief report on behalf of the association: “The college and LCCEA settled an unfair labor practice complaint today with the college admitting to having violated Oregon collective bargaining statutes and interfering with association rights. The settlement will be posted publicly for one month on the college bulletin board inside the south second floor entrance to this building. The association had explained to administration representatives on several occasions that the administration was infringing upon our legal rights. We’re glad that the college admitted to violating the law and saved both parties the expense of having the state investigate the ULP complaint. We hope this means that the college intends to fully recognize the faculty association’s legal rights in the future, thereby contributing to a more collaborative working relationship.”
Interim Vice President Dawn DeWolf reported that she and President Spilde accepted the 2015 Exemplary Program Award on behalf of Lane’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) program. Lane collaborates with many agencies and internal departments to help ESL students improve and succeed in the ECE program. DeWolf was asked to be on an accreditation team. It is an amazing experience to go to another college and be on the other side of the table. There will be open forums on Lane’s new core themes on November 13 and December 4 to help the campus community understand the core themes and how they affect our work.
Vice President Brian Kelly thanked the board for touring the CLASS project. The administration recently hosted two bond forums. He thanked Dean Middleton and Randy Painter for streaming the forums so that employees could log in and watch if they could not attend in person. He had the opportunity to present the Employee Recognition Award to advisor Claudia Riumallo. He attended the Association for Sustainability in Higher Education conference where Lane faculty member Margaret Robertson was one of the featured authors and Robertson, Jennifer Hayward, Russ Pierson and Roger Ebbage gave presentations. There will be open forums on Lane’s new core themes on November 13 and December 4.
Board Reports
Johnston appreciated Jackson’s passion.
Carrasco reported that he attended the AFLCIO conference with over 350 delegates from around the state. It was an empowering week in Seaside. He attended the ACCT Congress and it was great to connect with other Latino trustees in the nation.
Keating thanked Jennifer Hayward and the team that led the board on a tour of the CLASS Project and the newly remodeled Center Building. He gave a big thank you to everyone who did some great work to make that happen. Keating recognized one of his former instructors, Dr. Kate Sullivan, who is the best writing instructor he has ever had. Today is Election Day; Keating advocated to establish an official ballot drop box at Lane and encouraged everyone to start having the conversation of making that happen.
Pryor congratulated Stacey Kiser on her award. She expressed disappointment on hearing about the speed and devotion with which we are pursuing diversity on campus and looked forward to an update at a future meeting. She attended the Harvest Dinner, which was a success. She attended a Foundation Board meeting at which the audit report was presented. The auditor complimented the Foundation on the superb job managing funds for an institution of Lane’s size.
LeClair appreciated the tour of the CLASS project. He was discouraged that we still need to talk about Title IX and women’s issues. He has spent the last 40 years working with women.
Stiles thanked Jackson for her energy and thoughtful speech. She attended the ACCT Congress and got a lot of good information. The Florence Center had a wonderful evening celebrating the Florence Campus. Beth Habian from Florence is in the Aspiring Leaders program; that is the first time a Florence staff member has been in the program. Director Russ Pierson will present an update on the Center at City Club.
McCown thanked everyone who attended the Town Hall meeting. It was great to connect those interested with advocacy groups and bring life to the issue of gun violence. He has had some questions regarding the intent of the board’s listening tour. It is simply to give members of the campus community a way to interact with the board in a less formal setting to discuss where we are, where we should go, and how to get there. There really is no strong agenda.
7. Date, Place, and Proposed Agenda Items for the Next Regular Meeting
Wednesday, December 9, Boardroom, Building 3, Lane Community College
8. The board meeting unanimously adjourned at 8:24 p.m.
_____________________________
Mary Spilde, President/District Clerk
_____________________________
Tony McCown, Board Chair
Prepared by:
Donna Zmolek, Executive Assistant to the President/Board