MINUTES
Regular Meeting - Board of Trustees
December 7, 1998
In accordance with the terms and provisions of the Texas Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code, the Board of Trustees of the Austin Community College District convened in public session on Monday, December 7, 1998, at 6:00 p.m. in the Board Room (201) of the Highland Business Center of Austin Community College located at 5930 Middle Fiskville Road, Austin, Texas, with the following members present: Allen Kaplan, Vice Chair/Presiding Officer; Hunter Ellinger, Secretary [arrived at 6:05 p.m.]; Lillian Davis; Della May Moore [arrived at 6:15 p.m.]; Carol Nasworthy; Rafael Quintanilla; Beverly Silas; and John Worley. Beverly Watts Davis, Chair, was absent.
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.
Recognitions
Dr. Gerry Tucker, Associate Vice President for Human Resources, introduced the following new staff: Leisa McPherson, Student Assistance Specialist I, Eastview Campus; Michelle Faust, Risk Management and Insurance Coordinator, Highland Business Center; and Dennis Proust, Marketing and Publications Coordinator, Highland Business Center. She also advised that Brenda Lightfoot, Student Development Specialist I, Pinnacle; and Elizabeth Farrar, Instructional Technology Manager, Northridge are new employees at ACC.
Mr. Kaplan read a thank-you note from Dr. Frank Friedman, Executive Vice President, for the gift presented at the November 16, 1998, meeting.
Mr. Kaplan welcomed Manor Superintendent, John Hardwick; Manor Independent School District Board members: Ben Arrellano, Board President; Pamela O'Brien, Board Vice President; Tim Jackson, and Stephanie White; and members of the Manor for ACC Steering Committee: Joanne Hurley, Chair; Geralyn Elmore, Karen Wills, David Wills, and Laura Burgos. Mr. Kaplan recognized the exemplary work of the committee, board, and superintendent which resulted in Manor becoming a "full-community partner" of Austin Community College. Dr. Stephen B. Kinslow, Executive Vice President, stated Manor is the third "full-community partner" of ACC, joining Austin and Leander Independent School Districts. Small tokens of appreciation were presented to the Manor people in acknowledgement of their support and hard work. Mr. Kaplan presented a plaque to Dr. Kinslow in recognition of his service.
Work Session--ACC Board Policy on Employee Compensation
(6:15-7:25 p.m.)
Mr. Kaplan welcomed the following participants to the work session: Cha Guzman, Executive Vice President; Lee Hisle, Interim Executive Vice President; Milton Gatewood, President of Professional-Technical Employees Association; Tyra Duncan-Hall, Provost of ACC Central Austin Campuses; John Herndon, President of the Adjunct Faculty Association; Steve Kinslow, Executive Vice President; Janis Koenig, Provost of Cypress, Pinnacle and Northridge Campuses; Sonia Koerner, President-Elect of Professional-Technical Employees Association; Joe Lostracco, President-Elect of the Faculty Senate Association; Dolores Segura, President of the Faculty Senate Association; Gerry Tucker, Associate Vice President of Human Resources; Janet Valenza, Vice President of the Adjunct Faculty Association; Tomi Welch, President of Classified Association; and ACC Trustees. Mr. Allen Kaplan stated the work session is the first in a series of work sessions to be held to develop the Board policy on compensation principles.
Trustee Hunter Ellinger called attention to information in the agenda and distributed the information. He stated that these were the questions discussed earlier and the underlying questions were extracted. He stated he hoped to receive from participants the following: (1) answers to questions in those that they felt were important; (2) identification of other questions that may have been omitted that are really not addressed; and (3) a resulting list of questions identified by participants that should be addressed.
Participants discussed Questions 1(a), 2(a), 2(b), 2(c), 3(a), 3(b) regarding compensation and cited the need to:
- Address the contribution of the job and people in the job--matching;
- Attract and retain qualified, productive, and motivated employees;
- A fair day's work for a fair day's pay;
- Equal pay for equal work--equity, fairness, merit--with any contradictions worked out;
- Work within constraints to be an ethical and responsible employer and ability to retain employees;
- Realize there is community support and understanding of required job skills to provide job services;
- Be substantially above the disastrous failure of the minimum wage established by the Federal government;
- Establish clarity regarding pay for performance and equal pay for equal work;
- Have the capability of administering the system;
- Connect compensation and effectiveness;
- Possess good hiring competitiveness by ensuring that there are many good candidates;
- Possibly operate more like the market operates;
- Pay differential for hard-to-hire positions;
- Look outside the classroom to look at effectiveness of serving students;
- Ensure that this is a team effort to include Classified, Professional-Technical, and Adjunct faculty and Full-time faculty;
- Include hourly employees;
- Determine whether it is entry, top, or average that is most important;
- Determine from exit interviews with employees how many are leaving because of salaries;
- Look at stipend/release time versus merit pay;
- Budget stipends at a higher amount;
- Determine factors to motivate and retain employees including rewarding staff for going beyond expected service, encourage employees to work toward associate's degree, establishment of a career path and understanding of supervisor;
- Ensure that pay rewards are the same for classified and professional-technical as they are for adjunct and full-time faculty who receive additional compensation when a certain number of hours of additional education are completed;
- Possibility of compensatory time for representatives of classified and professional-technical employee associations;
- Must remain cognizant of costs of support services and workload levels;
- Possibility of a recognition program or process, enhancement of TRS, overall atmosphere that ACC is a good place to work;
- Development of a professional development plan for each employee; and
- Provide enhanced staff development training for all employees.
Mr. Kaplan stated that there will be additional work sessions to discuss the ACC policy on compensation principles. The second work session will concern Questions 5, 6, and 7 and will be held on January 4, 1999. Question 4 will be discussed at a later date. The third work session will be held on February 1, 1999.
Mr. Kaplan expressed appreciation to participants and stated that the Board of Trustees looks forward to continued input and comments regarding the policy compensation principles.
Citizen’s Communication
One person registered to address the Board but left the meeting.
Reports from Employee Associations
Full-Time Faculty Senate - Dolores Segura, President, spoke regarding proposed compensation policy and comments and need for names of instructors in Course Schedule.
Adjunct Faculty Association - John Herndon, President, expressed appreciation for Work Session and new instructional associate positions; limits on adjunct faculty; and one-College concept.
Professional/Technical Employees Association - Milton Gatewood, President, expressed appreciation for work session and identified compensation issues.
Classified Employees Association - Tomi Welch, President, expressed appreciation for work session and a value statement; will provide name of new President-Elect of association at next meeting; and thanked the Board for hosting the annual holiday party held on December 4.
Student Leadership Association - Crystal Ozillou, President, stated the association looks forward to the student forum discussed by Mrs. Moore earlier. She introduced Deanna Edmiston, Treasurer, and Mara Coleman, Secretary, and distributed Holiday packets from the association.
Reports to the Board
Internal Audit Annual Schedule - Dr. Fonte called attention to the Audit schedule included in the agenda and stated that Jerry North, Internal Auditor, is currently working with the External Auditor. He advised that reports will be made as noted on the schedule.
Eastview Campus Update - Dilip Anketell, Associate Vice President for Facilities and Operations, advised stated that the elevator for the Eastview Campus will be delayed in arrival. He stated Dr. Duncan-Hall and her staff have addressed the details for the move. Mr. Anketell expressed appreciation to Elvis Eaglin, Gilbert Rodriguez, and Nikki Jackson for the valuable assistance provided in purchasing for the new campus. Dr. Tyra Duncan-Hall, Provost, Central Austin Campuses, stated the move to the Eastview Campus will begin on December 28. Faculty were advised by email regarding the new move date. She stated that the move date for offices will be January 6. A contingency plan has been developed for classes to be held at the Eastridge Campus and Highland Business Center in the event that there is an unexpected delay. She stated that plans for the Capital Metro shuttle service are under review at this time and they may not want to provide service until September. Board members expressed the desire to contact Capital Metro Board members and to attend the next Capital Metro meeting to state concern regarding their earlier agreement to provide shuttle service beginning in January. Dr. Duncan-Hall and Dr. Guzman responded to questions from Board members.
College Organization - Dr. Fonte distributed the current organizational chart and responded to questions from Board members.
CONSENT AGENDA
Mr. Kaplan introduced the following Consent agenda items:
Agenda Item 7029
Minutes of Board of Trustees Meetings: November 2, November 9, and November 16, 1998
Recommendation: That the Board of Trustees approve the minutes as presented.
Agenda Item 7030
Approval of "LOGIC" (Local Government Investment Cooperative) for Investment Training
Recommendation: That the Board of Trustees approve "LOGIC" (Local Government Investment Cooperative) as an independent investment trainer.
Agenda Item 7031
Purchase of Duplication and Printer Paper
Recommendation: That the Board of Trustees approve the purchase of duplication and printer paper from the lowest responsible bidders, Clampitt Paper and Western Paper.
Trustee Lillian Davis moved and Hunter Ellinger seconded that:
MOTION: The Board of Trustees approve the Consent Agenda as presented.
VOTE: The motion passed by a unanimous vote.
Absent: Beverly Watts Davis, Board Chair
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION/POSSIBLE ACTION
Agenda Item 7032
Custodial Contract
Mr. Kaplan introduced the item and Dr. Guzman and Elvis Eaglin, Purchasing Manager, provided information and responded to questions from Board members. The item will be on the agenda for the January 4, 1999, meeting for possible action.
[Trustee Della May Moore left the meeting at 8:45 p.m.]
Agenda Item 7033
ACC Legislative Priorities
Mr. Kaplan introduced the item and Dr. Guzman distributed revised information on the ACC Legislative Priorities. Board members discussed the proposed information and discussed alternate wording of item number VII regarding the TASP as a diagnostic test.
Dr. Nasworthy moved and John Worley seconded that:
MOTION: The Board of Trustees present Items I, II, III, IV, V, VI, and VIII as ACC Legislative Priorities for the 76th Texas Legislative Session and support Items VII and IX which will be presented by the Texas Association of Community Colleges.
VOTE: The motion passed on a unanimous vote.
Absent: Beverly Watts Davis and Della May Moore
Agenda Item 7034
Proposed New Board Policy on Review of Instructional Programs
Mr. Kaplan introduced the item and Dr. Nasworthy provided information.
Dr. Nasworthy moved and Hunter Ellinger seconded that:
MOTION: The Board of Trustees approve the policy as proposed.
Board members discussed the proposed policy.
Hunter Ellinger requested:
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Delete the following phrase from the next to last paragraph in the proposed policy - "Based on the above analyses, the President shall provide a summary recommendation on program status to the Board, whose approval is required to initiate or discontinue a program, [to substantially change its scope,] or to change it between college-credit and non-college-credit status."
Dr. Nasworthy did not accept the Friendly Amendment.
VOTE: The motion passed on a unanimous vote.
Absent: Beverly Watts Davis and Della May Moore.
Agenda Item 7035
Evaluation Process of College President
Mr. Kaplan introduced the item and distributed materials which were provided to Board members earlier. He distributed a packet of information concerning comments from the community, faculty, and staff regarding College leadership. Mr. Kaplan stated that a Special Board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, December 14, 1998, for the Presidential and Board evaluations. Dr. Nasworthy requested that the Board evaluation be completed prior to the Presidential evaluation at the December 14 meeting.
Agenda Item 7036
Appointment of Citizen's Advisory Committee
Mr. Kaplan introduced the item. He stated that Ms. Davis had requested two names from each Board member and reminded Trustees to provide the information to her. He said the process will begin on January 4, 1999, with appointment of the Citizen's Advisory Committee and provision of the Charge to the Committee. Board members discussed the need to provide the Committee with the parameters and also very good materials concerning the College for Committee information. Dr. Guzman will work with Board members to prepare the Charge to the Committee and materials to be provided to the Committee regarding the College.
Agenda Item 7037
Salary and Stipends Relating to the New Executive Vice Presidents
Mr. Kaplan introduced the item and Dr. Fonte provided information. Since three Board members were absent and the Board had not seen the item prior to this meeting, this item will be placed on the January 4, 1999, agenda.
Executive Session
The Board of Trustees recessed into Executive Session at 9:54 p.m. to consult with Legal Counsel regarding pending or contemplated litigation or a settlement offer pursuant to Government Code §551.071.
Reconvene
The Board of Trustees of the Austin Community College reconvened in public session at 10:55 p.m. pursuant to Texas Government Code §551.071.
Adjournment
Having no motion before the Board, the December 7, 1998, Regular Meeting of the Austin Community College Board of Trustees was adjourned at 10:55 p.m.
Approved By
Hunter Ellinger, Secretary