In accordance with the terms and provisions of the Texas Open Meetings ACC Chapter 551 of the Government Code, the Board of Trustees of the Austin Community College District convened in public session at 4:15 p.m. in the Board Room (201) of the Highland Business Center of Austin Community College. The following members were present: Beverly Watts Davis, Chair/Presiding Officer; Allen Kaplan, Vice Chair; Hunter Ellinger, Secretary; Lillian J. Davis; Della May Moore [arrived at 4:40 p.m.; Carol Nasworthy; Rafael Quintanilla; Beverly Silas; and John Worley. Absent were: Lou Herman, Charles Quinn, and Nick Sarantakes.

It is further found and determined that in accordance with the policies and orders of this Board, the notice of this meeting has been posted and return thereof made pursuant to the terms and provisions of the Texas Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code, and there has been full compliance with the terms and provisions of said act, including the timely posting of the subjects of this meeting.

Other participants included: Richard Fonte, Cha Guzman, Frank Friedman, Cha Guzman, Donetta Goodall, Martha Oburn, Barbara Bolin, David Fonken, Rex Peeples, Margie Huerta, Gary Hampton, Reed Peoples, Mike Midgley, Cecile Sanders, Tony Rameriz, David Sondegroth, Beverly Mashburn, Dolores Segura, Joe Lostracco, Beverly Kimbrough, John Herndon, Sonia Koerner, Celeste May and Tomi Welch. Absent were: Lou Herman,

Dr. Richard Fonte, College President, stated that, effective August 31, 1998, Jerry Miller will be Vice President for Business Services and Dr. Ana M. "Cha" Guzman will become Executive Vice President for Administration and Institutional Advancement.

Ms. Davis distributed information concerning the Board of Trustees. She stated that she is available for meetings each Monday. Persons interested in contacting or meeting with any Board member should contact Pat Stubbs in the Office of the Board of Trustees.

Dr. Frank Friedman, Executive Vice President for Academics and Student Affairs, described development of the College-wide strategic planning process including the identification of important Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) facing Austin Community College and the Strategic Planning Timeline for Fiscal Year 1998-1999. The SWOT areas included:

Strengths - Internal factors in which ACC excels and must develop plans to take advantage of;

Weaknesses - Internal factors which ACC must correct or they will significantly impact ACC’s ability to carry out its mission;

Opportunities - External factors that are future opportunities for ACC if ACC is to be proactive; and

Threats - External factors that could negatively impact ACC’s future if not avoided or addressed.

Approximately 50 faculty and staff provided broad-based input in identification of over 200 such factors. The factors were rated in terms of importance and each of the 10 highest rated factors in the SWOT areas were discussed, including identification of activities to assist the College in taking strategic action for the future. An initial list of 20 Strategic Priorities were identified, each with a list of possible initiatives and projects.

He stated that the focus of the Board Retreat was to provide input and feedback concerning the Strategic Priorities and identification by the Board of those most strategic in nature. One set of planning priorities will emerge to guide unit-level planning for all instructional programs and disciplines as well as administrative areas. Two questions were to be addressed for each the Strategic Priorities or Initiatives—(1) What are the Strategic Issues? and (2) How will we know when our efforts are successful?

Trustee Lillian Davis expressed a concern that responsibility be clearly assigned. Retreat participants discussed each of the following Strategic Planning Priorities and identified:

• Capacity questions: increasing/decreasing (space) (resources) (staff);
• International partnerships

--Saltillo as sister city;

• Expand notion of community to include web;
• Community-based/neighborhood organizations;
• Define community

--growth;

--multi-facet;

• Community relations office;
• How to reach community

--Identify linkage/outreach/partnership mechanisms;

• Establish criteria to determine priority/where to invest resources for community outreach;
• Expand participation in setting up feedback mechanism to the community - performance-based assessments;
• How will community feel about what ACC does? What "community support" political/public relations capabilities will come of these objectives? Not just to partnerships;
• Needs analysis - What should ACC be doing? Community as a source of information;
• Board input from community incorporated into College initiatives; do something with input;
• Representative group to be available for interaction with ACC students (include Board) (solutions);
• Focus groups with students;
• Expand fac-to-fac articulation by discipline;
• Need goal/outcomes defined when meeting with community groups;
• What is the vision for Board?

--develop workforce for business and industry - train/find/invest;

--preparation for careers is not always identical with workforce development;

• Define relationship between workforce development and career development

--focus on learner most central to ACC;

--context is workforce needs (SMT/Commercial Art);

--making a difference in people’s lives;

--balance the two;

• Single point of contact; "Who do I go to get information?"
• Stereotypes about ACC

--business and industry;

--parents;

--students;

--superintendents/principals;

• Lack of knowledge about technology;
• Fragmentation: ACC, K-12, 4-year, workforce; Who are players and how can they be brought together? need to link these;
• Contract training on site where appropriate

--extension of company training department;

• Challenge: competition;
• How do we market to different segment of community and who is responsible?
• Identified on Feedback Sheet: Institutionalization of apartheid in the faculty (i.e., the majority of teachers poorly paid, no job security, no benefits) undermines our credibility with key constituencies (e.g., labor), and greatly reduces our ability to do faculty exchanges—with other faculty, with arts community.

• Develop comprehensive criteria: decision matrix (model) for program analyses; "business case" method; market need; dollars to start; facility partnership capabilities, long-term financial;
• Justify new program; family wage/career possibilities; need to look at financial analysis as part of decision;
• Radio/TV/Film A.S. expansion; tie into journalism;
• Synergy among programs as part of criteria;
• Learning styles considered as part of program development; visual/auditory learning;
• Internal linkages to use talents to fullest—adjunct involved in curriculum development;
• Small business management/entrepreneurship as part of the program—linked to international business;
• Focus on existing programs and what needs to be expanded:

Health--

--outreach needs to be developed;

--identify resources for areas of: specialization; continuing education;

Barriers--

--space issues

--clinical space (UT competition)

--marketing - nursing not the only career;

Faculty recruiting—

--full-time competitive salaries

--need to look at other alternatives to salaries

--clinic site;

• Alternative credit concerns:

--full cost reflected

--career development - need to balance credit programs with "spot" training

--use of term "alternative" credit needs to be clarified;

• Arts:

Concerns—

--performance space on campus

--consider Phase II of Eastview;

--Rio Grande Campus developing arts focus - Enough? Quality? Location is at? Not a long-term solution.

• Bond election (November 1998)

--two facilities proposed

--look into partnerships;

• Youth organization partnerships;

--some sharing of Rio Grande facility;

• Arts and entertainment map of Austin will include Rio Grande Campus;
• RTF capitalize on Austin’s reputation;
• Laser technology as an art;
• Austin Lyric Opera School - music/visual design opportunity to partnership;
• Identified on Feedback Sheets:

--Adjunct faculty should be fairly involved in program development, and should be fairly paid for their work.

--How do adjunct faculty members get an opportunity to participate in development?

--Decision matrix for new programs (model) (some criteria to be measured); market need-career possibilities, partnership capabilities, funding, facilities, and use of current assets (synergy to current programs);

--Good decisions about the expansion of programs, especially of transfer programs are dependent, at least in part, on implementing comprehensive review;

--Tie any criteria we develop for new programs to criteria for decisions related to program expansion (i.e., decisions about new programs cannot be made independently of decisions regarding program expansion; they both draw from the same pool of resources).

3. Improve student retention and goal completion

• Include student recruiting/retention activities focused on role models/motivation;
• Faculty retention impacts student retention; employ high-quality teachers;
• Safety net needs to be developed for at-risk students;
• Better advising;
• Appropriate course placements;
• Development of students—holistic approach in and out of class; use wide range of methods;
• Help students set realistic goals; for example: certification rather than AAS;
• Welcoming environment for students;
• Mandatory faculty advising;

--including diversity of faculty;

• Curriculum changes may offset program completion;

--look for disconnects in what is required in a major/degree program;

• Early intervention strategies incorporated
• Identity indicators;
• Proactive intervention strategies;
• Include all faculty as part of system;
• Front-end loading where students are at risk;
• Exit interviews with students who leave, especially those who do not stay long;
• Need better research on who leaves/stays;
• Make withdrawal process more difficult and give more feedback to faculty/staff;

--assist them in looking at strategies to "salvage" course;

• Math: look at alternatives used at small campuses and implement on larger campuses TASP-Prep/feedback;
• TASP test issues
• Create job placement function;
• Develop retention plan that emphasizes:
• linkages with faculty;

--identifying most at-risk students;

--intervene before students are in trouble;

--infrastructure that assists with success.

• Prioritizing is important;
• Identified on Feedback Sheets:

--Involve adjunct faculty in advising, by creating job security and fairly integrated environment;

--The highest priority has to be the retention of quality teachers. The next priority must be good and available counseling.

4. Ensure high quality teaching

• In hiring, have balance of faculty in age/rank groups;
• Early retirement program;
• Supervision and evaluation issues

--make sure ACC has effective supervision and evaluations systems;

• Merit base pay system;
• Need systematic approach to developing faculty competencies in field (externship);
• Stipends in areas of high demand disciplines (full-time and adjunct);
• High quality learning support services

--expand as needed;

• Faculty Development: assure adequacy of resources on a continuous, systematic basis;
• Create learning communities (curriculum development)

--block-schedule of students so that faculty can do integrated, teaching collaborative;

--interdisciplinary courses;

--better use of adjunct faculty;

--developmental studies/student development collaboration;

• Facilities/equipment can impact quality of faculty;

Strategic Issue: requires long-term investment;

• Faculty development - use internal resources as experts;
• Don’t put faculty development and faculty evaluation as separate items;
• Identified on Feedback Sheet:

--Retention of faculty by a fair compensation package along with predictability

--Integrate adjunct faculty fairly through fair pay, health benefits, and job security. It’s very hard for adjuncts to be involved in team-teaching, inter-disciplinary classes, etc.

5. Use information for decision making

• Use data for assessment;
• Need to learn how to use data for decision making (training and development);
• Develop common reports and standard queries that are accessed on personal computer (systematize and standardize);
• Students: lap top loan program

--take proactive approach to information technology usage for students;

• Make sure students can use information

--information that is access consistent;

• Expand PEC-type (President’s Effective Council) discussions to faculty - dissemination and discussion
• Computer bulletin board for student comments/suggestions;
• Infrastructure time for computer support area;
• Technical training;
• Technical salary;
• Identified on Feedback Sheet:

--The information must be accurate and reliable. Our history is not good in this area.

6. Ensure effective marketing efforts

• Create consistent messages that are positive for ACC;
• Identify target audience

--focus on Austin professionals to come to ACC;

• Market throughout service area to develop and maintain relationships;
• Analyze high school senior market and approach in ways that will tap into the way they receive messages;
• Recruitment vs. Image for some target groups of students;
• Tell the truth in marketing—tell people if ACC is the "right" place for them;
• Target audience: GED graduates;
• Joint market with others where appropriate

--Austin ISD;

• Alumni association;
• Use successful students in K-12 to tell story to their school systems;
• Determine how to reach 18-25 year-old minority population with innovations;
• Market programs to colleges;
• Educate and use employees as a resource for recruiting;
• Put faculty on business and technology and high school advisory committees

--better use of faculty (more systematic);

• Internal communications;
• Speaker’s Bureau;
• Departmental web pages;
• Measure for effectiveness/systematic way to evaluate marketing efforts;
• Identified on Feedback Sheet:

--Word of mouth is the best marketing - Happy, well paid employees spread the good word. Unhappy employees spread bad word.

7. Develop facilities to meet instructional needs

• Rio Grande Campus plan if it is to become arts center;
• Master plan for district (5-10 years);
• Phase II of Eastview;
• Potential to look at a south campus;
• Look at financial model associated with facility

--cost/year needs to be determined (long-term cost)

• Parking;
• Look at future growth patterns in area;
• Look at where people work as well as where they live;
• As part of long-range plan, address transportation/parking planning issues;
• Do origin and destination study;
• Support services facility below recommended standards; incorporate needs into

facility plans;

• Faculty office space;
• Develop student space;
• Identified on Feedback Sheet:

--Utilize the facilities we already have to their fullest potential. For example, why do we have few or no classes on Fridays (or) why do they end at noon? Classes need to be strategically offered and not so clustered as they currently are.

--Provide adequate office space for adjunct faculty.

8. Increase fiscal resources

• Grants office;
• Contract training;
• Foundation;
• Reallocate:

--free dollars directly;

--efficiency criteria for credibility when going for tax initiatives;

• Business and industry support of programs;
• Identify roles and plan;
• Other ways of generating revenue—alternative revenue streams - look at pluses and minuses.

Dr. Friedman stated that a report would be provided regarding the outcomes of this session. It will be converted into a strategic planning document and should reach fruition in February of 1999.

 Ms. Davis expressed appreciation to participants for the valuable information provided.

The Special Meeting/Retreat of the Austin Community College Board of Trustees recessed at 8:50 p.m. on Friday, August 28, 1998, until 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 29, 1998, at the Highland Business Center of Austin Community College, Board Room (Room 201), located at 5930 Middle Fiskville Road, Austin, Texas.

The ACC Board of Trustees Special Meeting/Retreat reconvened at 8:45 a.m. on Saturday, August 29, 1998, in the Board Room (Room 201) of the Highland Business Center of the Austin Community College, with the following Board members present: Beverly Watts Davis, Chair and Presiding Officer; Allen Kaplan, Vice President; Hunter Ellinger, Secretary; Lillian Davis; Della May Moore [arrived at 8:55 a.m.]; Carol Nasworthy [arrived at 8:50 a.m.]; Rafael Quintanilla; Beverly Silas, and John Worley.

Other participants included: Richard Fonte, Frank Friedman, Cha Guzman, Jerry Miller, Martha Oburn, Dolores Segura, Joe Lostracco, Beverly Kimbrough, John Herndon, Sonia Koerner, Milton Gatewood, Celeste May, and Tomi Welch.

Ms. Davis welcomed Board members and participants.

Ms. Davis introduced the item.

Dr. Maria Poarch, Project Director, Austin Community Agenda ’98 Research Associate, IntelliQuest, presented a report which was the result of a community survey on quality of life and community involvement in Austin. The 25-minute survey was administered by telephone to a random sampling of 600 persons from Travis, Hays, and Williamson counties. She stated the findings were:

• 83% of residents are either satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of life in Austin.
• 40% of respondents think that Austin will be a worse place to live in five years.
• The population can be described in terms of three distinct attitudinal groups: Community Optimists (47%), Urban Environmentalists (28%), and Nostalgic Individualists (25%).
• 31% of the Austin population claim they have not benefited from Austin’s growth.
• Minorities, particularly African Americans, are much less satisfied with the quality of life in Austin than Whites.

Dr. Martha Oburn, Associate Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, distributed and provided information concerning Austin Community College and the Austin Community.

Ms. Davis expressed appreciation to Drs. Poarch and Oburn for the information provided.

Dr. Ana M. "Cha" Guzman, Vice President for Administration and Institutional Advancement, distributed information and responded to questions from Board members regarding legal issues pertaining to a possible referendum, pertinent tax rate information for possible referendum, and analyses of FY99 Budget and its unmet needs through the Budget Priorities Committee Process. Jerry Miller, Associate Vice President for Business Services, presented information regarding base tax rate, dollar value for each cent added to base tax rate, and yearly debt service on bonds.

Board members were made aware of a grand opening to be held early in December of the Ralph W. Yarborough Branch Library on Hancock Drive in Austin. A request was made by Beverly Kimbrough for any Ralph W. Yarborough memorbillia.

The Board recessed into closed session at 11:40 a.m. pursuant to Government Code 551.074 relating to Personnel Matters to Evaluate Criteria to be used in Evaluation of College President.

There being no motion before the Board, the August 28-29, 1998, Special Meeting/Retreat of the Austin Community College Board of Trustees was adjourned at 12:45 p.m. on Saturday, August 29, 1998.