MINUTES
Regular
Meeting - Board of Trustees
May 7, 2001
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, May 7, 2001, at 6:00
p.m. in the Board Room (201) of the Highland Business Center of the Austin
Community College located at 5930 Middle Fiskville Road, Austin, Texas, with
the following members present: Lillian Davis, Chair/Presiding Officer; Beverly
Silas, Vice Chair; John Worley, Secretary; Beverly Watts Davis; Allen Kaplan;
Barbara Mink; Della May Moore [arrived at 7:15 p.m.]; Carol Nasworthy; and
Rafael Quintanilla.
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 new
employees: Kathleen Handran,
Customized Training Account Executive, and Marcia Smith, Customized Training
Account Executive.
§ Stephanie
Diina, Executive Director of the Austin Community College Foundation,
introduced Bob Rustishauser, Chair of the Foundation, and Terry Berke, Regional
Manager of SEMI. Mr. Berke presented a
gift to the Foundation's SEMI/Frank Squires Scholarship Fund in the amount of
$35,100 from SEMI and its membership companies. Mr. Rutishauser accepted the gift and expressed appreciation to
Mr. Berke and colleagues for gifts to the College which now total over
$100,000.
§ Ed
Osborn, Marketing and College Relations Executive, stated there were 165
entries in the "Start Here. Get
There." essay contest from Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, and Colorado. He introduced and presented scholarships
from the ACC Foundation in the amount of $350 each to the following
winners:
Michelle
Reyes, current ACC student
Kathy
Judge, current ACC student
Eve
Rallo, current ACC student
Sarah
Paulson, Travis High School senior
Robyn
Willians, high school senior moving to Austin from Oklahoma
John
Sanchez, current ACC student
Kristy
Teeple, current ACC student
Teresa
Silverman, current ACC student
Helen
Alexander, current ACC student
Phyllis
Boyum, current ACC student
Dennis
Harper, current ACC student
Winners
unable to attend were:
Anna
Martinez, San Marcos High School (will attend ACC in Fall)
Cynthia
Kirkwood, current ACC student
Carmen
Jara, current ACC student
Jaye
Hall, current ACC student
Mr.
Osborn expressed appreciation to contest judges and to the Austin Community
College Foundation.
Dr.
John Worley became Chair.
§ Dr.
Worley introduced Mike Dellens, ACC math faculty member. Mr. Dellens presented the following math
students with certificates for performance in the recent Student Math League
competition:
Levi
Zuniga
Chuong
Nguyen
Mikael
Burek
Hui
Shi
Ke-chun
Chou
Winners
who were unable to attend were:
Russell
Owens
Matt
Dennis
Hua
Li
Shawn
Pennartz
Winton
Parlindungan
Chi
Hai Ho
Reza
Farahani
Dr.
Davis became Chair.
Citizens
Communications
§ Bill Montgomery, ACC/AFT,
spoke regarding revision of Board Policy C-2
§ Steven Bradley, ACC Full-Time
Faculty, spoke regarding organizational principles
§ Dorothy Martinez,
ACC/AFT/Senate, spoke regarding shared governance
§ Fred B. Blood, City of
Austin, distributed information and spoke regarding air quality and
sustainability
§ Dan Dewberry, ACC/AFT, spoke
regarding college organization
§ Allison Mosshart, ACC/AFT,
spoke regarding college organization
Reports from
Employee Associations
· Adjunct
Faculty Association - Kamil Jbeily, President, expressed appreciation for
College leadership and introduced new officers effective September 2001: Kitty Henderson, President; Dan Morris,
President-Elect; and Becky Villarreal, Secretary-Treasurer; shared information
on salary data from The University of Texas and Southwest Texas State
University; and urged approval of $3,000,000 for each year of the three-year
compensation plan.
· Classified
Employees Association - Barbara Dickey, President, expressed appreciation for
attendance at recent Classified Employee Association Breakfast; called
attention to the Professional Development Day on May 18; and introduced Mark
Goodrich, new President-Elect of the Classified Employees Association. Mr. Goodrich stated that he was looking
forward to working with the Board during the coming year.
· Full-Time
Faculty Senate - Paula Robertson-Rose, President, stated Laura Ore will be
President of the Full-Time Faculty Association; Stacey Thompson will be the new
President-Elect effective September 2001; and spoke regarding Board Policy C-2.
· Professional/Technical
Employees Association - Linda Morrison, President, advised that Dr. Fonte and
Gerry Tucker, three Trustees, and 60 employees attended the recent Association
meeting; recognized employees who volunteer in the community, and provided
information regarding future activities.
· Student
Government Association - Dawn Shestko, President, spoke regarding the recent
meeting with students; parking fees; and introduced new officers: Jose Contreras, President; Jaqi Bushey, Vice
President; Andrew Parker, Parliamentarian; and Liz Guiterrez, Historian. She expressed appreciation for the mentoring
program and to the Student Activities Office, Steve Kinslow, Board of Trustees,
and faculty for assistance provided during her tenure as President of the
Student Government Association.
Reports to the
Board
1. Report of Achievements and Recognitions -
Dr. Elva Allie, Executive Vice President, recognized:
§ Ed
Miller, a Mitte Fellow at Southwest Texas State University took steps to turn
his life around by enrolling in classes at Austin Community College. His thirty-year career in radio broadcasting
and record producing ended when the cash flow faltered and he had to shut the
business. As a result he was jobless,
homeless, and wanted to turn his life around.
His first step was to enroll in classes at ACC. During this time, Mr. Miller became aware of
students in ACC's Construction Gateway Program. Life skills and job preparedness are taught at Gateway to
incarcerated young adults in the CORE boot camp program at the County Correctional
Center, as well as to others who are on probation or parole, or are living in
halfway houses or homeless shelters.
ACC offered him a chance to teach in Gateway and Mr. Miller found in
that job the direction and meaning he sought in his life.
While
continuing to teach, he earned his Associate's Degree from Austin Community
College, transferred to St. Edward's University and earned a Bachelor's Degree
in Communications. Because of growing
involvement in the successes of Gateway, he was recruited by Southwest Texas
State University. To obtain the
credentials required to develop other new innovative programs, Mr. Miller
worked toward his Master's of Education.
He graduated with a Master's Degree in Education from Southwest Texas
State University in December 2000. He
is continuing his life's work, helping other people turn around their lives as
he has his own. Yes, it all started at
ACC.
§ The
Greater Austin at Work High School College and Career Fair took place on April
12 at the Convention Center. Austin
Community College had seven booths at the fair. Participants were impressed by the "hands-on" booths
and the excitement generated by ACC faculty and staff.
§ Gabriel
L. Estrada, Fifth Grade Teacher at Zavala Elementary School, Austin Independent
School District, provided reflections on the "If I Had a Hammer"
program and shared the following comments:
"If I Had a Hammer for all of the discussions and ideas that came out of
our time spent building a house in this program, I could start my own hardware
store. This was our second year that
our school has had the wonderful opportunity to participate in this enriching
program. The application of mathematics
in this program did more to enhance the idea of the importance of math than any
textbook or lecture could ever come close to achieving. The "If I Had a Hammer" program is
one of those moments in a child's life that lasts. As a teacher it acts as a catalyst for change in how curriculum
can truly be applied.
The idea
of foundation has played an integral part in our classroom since our
participation in this program.
Foundation is no longer a word without meaning in my class. It has definition, but it is not merely
defined as what supports a structure.
It is defined now in terms of the structure being the individual and
goals in their life. The foundation is
education. This idea took root with
what this program allowed our students to generate: cooperation, problem solving, discussion, and success.
"If
I Had a Hammer" will always be at the top of our to do list when planning
our fifth grade school year at Zavala Elementary."
2. Update - Management Response/External Auditor -
Joe Ed Spencer, Interim Vice President, called attention to the earlier audit report
and stated that Garza and Associates was to provide updated information in
May. Renee Garza, Garza and
Associates, reported that of the eighteen recommendations identified in the
audit, nine have been fully implemented; seven are partially addressed and
staff is working continuously to address these recommendations; two recommendations have not been addressed
but will be addressed by June 2001. Mr.
Garza commented on GASB (Governmental Accounting Standards Board) 34 which will
become effective in 2002.
Trustee
Report(s) to the Board
Dr. Lillian Davis, board
member of the Connections Resource Center, stated that the Center was formerly
a part of Austin Community College and several ACC faculty are also members of
the board. Dr. Davis read the mission
for the Center: "To improve the
quality of early education and care for our community's children by providing
information, education, and resources to those individuals who have the
greatest impact on children during their critically important formative
years--parents, caregivers, teachers, and community leaders." Dr. Davis stated that she felt that it is
the underpinning of what is going on in childcare in Austin. The Connections Resource Center has moved to
53 l/2 Street. The Center is similar to
a library for day care providers in Austin.
People can use the workshops to put together materials on all
subjects. ACC became involved in this
project because it was an extension of our library and the Center was set up so
people can check out materials.
Connections has a mobile van that visits family homes where day care is
provided to share needed materials, and provide consultation on safety issues
on a regular basis. Dr. Davis provided
information regarding the Citywide Parenting Series, the Tell-A-Teacher,
Tell-A-Parent Hotline, and distributed materials concerning the Center. She stated that the Center became a
501(C)(3) in 1998, and asked individuals to contact the Center for valuable
information on child care.
ITEM(S) FOR
CONSENT
Dr. Davis introduced the
Consent Agenda:
Agenda Item
7357
Minutes of the
April 2, 2001, Regular Meeting, and the April 16, 2001, Board Briefing and Work
Session
Recommendation: That the Board of Trustees approve the
minutes as presented.
Agenda Item
7358
Proposed New
Program: A.A.S. in Environmental
Technology and an Advanced Technical Certificate in Environmental Technology
Recommendation: That the Board of Trustees approve the
proposed new program leading to an A.A.S. in Environmental Technology and an
Advanced Technical Certificate in Environmental Technology.
Agenda Item
7359
Proposed
Amendment to Board Policy E-6, Investments
Recommendation: That the Board of Trustees approve the
proposed amendment to Board Policy E-6, Investments, to allow Austin Community
College to continue the "overnight" investment program.
Agenda Item
7360
Proposed
Approval of Chase Vista Funds as Authorized Broker
Recommendation: That the Board of Trustees approve Chase
Vista Funds as the authorized broker for overnight investing.
Agenda Item
7361
Telecommunicating
Equipment and Supplies
Recommendation: That the Board of Trustees authorize the
administration to continue a purchasing agreement with Graybar Electric for
telecommunications tools and supplies.
Agenda Item 7362
Energy Audit
Recommendation: That the Board of Trustees authorize the
administration to contract with Honeywell, Inc., for Phase One of a two-phase
project to:
§ Conduct
an Energy Audit of all ACC buildings.
§ Prepare
a District-wide Facility Utility Master Plan.
§ Develop
a detailed implementation plan including funding mechanisms and potential
rebates.
Phase
Two, the actual implementation of infrastructure improvements, will be
presented to the Board of Trustees at a later date and only after the detailed
implementation plan is prepared and accepted by ACC.
Trustee
Allen Kaplan requested Agenda Items 7358 and 7362 be pulled for discussion.
Dr. Carol Nasworthy moved and Allen Kaplan
seconded that:
MOTION:
The Board of Trustees approve Agenda Items 7357, 7359, 7360, and 7361 as
presented.
VOTE:
The motion passed on a vote of 6-0.
The Chair did not vote.
Beverly Watts Davis was not present for the
vote.
Della May Moore was absent.
Agenda Item
7358
Proposed New
Program: A.A.S. in Environmental
Technology and an Advanced Technical Certificate in Environmental Technology
Dr.
Davis introduced the item and Trustees discussed the need for business/industry
participation and in-kind contributions.
Dr. Elva Allie stated that business and industry representatives are now
included on advisory committees and Dr. Fonte advised that work is underway
with businesses and industries to underwrite scholarships.
Dr. Carol Nasworthy moved and John Worley
seconded that:
MOTION: The
Board of Trustees approve Agenda Item 7358 as presented.
VOTE:
The motion passed on a vote of 7-0.
The Chair did not vote.
Beverly Watts Davis was not present for the
vote.
Agenda Item
7362
Energy Audit
Dr.
Davis introduced the item and Trustees discussed the proposed process, funding
of the audit, and any potential savings derived.
Dr. Carol Nasworthy moved and Allen Kaplan
seconded that:
MOTION:
The Board of Trustees delay action on Agenda Item 7362 until Executive
Session.
VOTE:
The motion passed on a vote of 7-0.
The Chair did not vote.
Beverly Watts Davis was not present for the
vote.
DISCUSSION/POSSIBLE
ACTION
Agenda Item
7363
Proposed
Revision of SoCo Contract
Dr.
Davis introduced the item.
Della May Moore moved and Rafael Quintanilla
seconded that:
MOTION:
The Board of Trustees approve the contract revision for SoCo Consulting,
Inc., which transfers $50,293.75 from the Human Resources streamlining project
to the student accounting cashier/petty cash project.
VOTE:
The motion passed on a vote of 6-1.
FOR:
Allen Kaplan, Barbara Mink, Della May Moore, Carol Nasworthy, Rafael
Quintanilla, and Beverly Silas.
AGAINST:
John Worley
The Chair did not vote.
Beverly Watts Davis was absent for the vote.
Agenda Item
7364
Board Policy C-2,
College Organizational Principles (One-College Concept)
Dr.
Davis introduced the item and Trustees discussed the proposed amendments to
Board Policy C-2. Trustees and all
interested individuals were asked to provide comments regarding what "one
college" is and the proposed amendments to the policy. This item will be included on the agenda at
a later date.
Agenda Item
7365
Out-of-District
Tuition
Dr.
Davis introduced the item and Dr. Steve Kinslow, Executive Vice President; Joe
Ed Spencer, Interim Vice President; and Martha Oburn, Associate Vice President
for Institutional Effectiveness, provided information regarding out-of-district
tuition and responded to questions from Trustees. This item will be included on the agenda at a later date.
Agenda Item
7366
Proposed
Calendar of Board Meetings for Fiscal Year 2002
Dr.
Davis introduced the item. Trustees
discussed the dates proposed for Board meetings and suggested several changes.
Carol Nasworthy moved and John Worley seconded
that:
MOTION:
The Board of Trustees approve the following calendar dates for Board
meetings.
Monday, July 9, 2001
Monday July 23, 2001
Monday, August 6, 2001
August 17-18, 2001, Retreat (Friday evening and
Saturday morning) in place of mid-month
meeting
Tuesday, September 4, 2001
Monday, September 24. 2001
Monday, October 1, 2001
Monday, October 15, 2001
Monday, November 5, 2001
Monday, November 19, 2001
Monday, November 26, 2001 (Special Meeting)
Monday, December 3, 2001
Monday, December 17, 2001 (Board Holiday Dinner)
Monday, January 14, 2002
Monday, January 28, 2002
Monday, February 4, 2002
Monday, February 18,2002
Monday, March 4, 2002
Monday, March 18, 2002
Monday, April 1, 2002
Monday, April 15, 2002
Monday, May 6, 2002
Monday, May 20, 2002
Monday, June 3, 2002
Monday, June 17, 2002
VOTE:
The motion passed on a vote of 8-0.
The Chair did not vote.
Executive
Session
The
Austin Community College Board of Trustees recessed into Executive Session at 9:50
p.m. to consult with legal counsel regarding Texas Government Code 551.071
related to pending or contemplated litigation or settlement offer.
Reconvene
The
Board of Trustees of Austin Community College reconvened in public session at
10:01 p.m. pursuant to Texas Government Code 551.
DISCUSSION/POSSIBLE
ACTION (Continued)
Agenda Item
7362
Energy Audit
Allen Kaplan moved and Rafael Quintanilla
seconded that:
MOTION:
The Board of Trustees authorize the administration to contract with
Honeywell, Inc., for Phase One of a two-phase project to:
§ Conduct an Energy Audit of all ACC buildings.
§ Prepare a District-wide Facility Utility Master
Plan.
§ Develop a detailed implementation plan including
funding mechanisms and potential rebates.
Phase Two, the actual implementation of
infrastructure improvements, will be presented to the Board of Trustees at a
later date and only after the detailed implementation plan is prepared and
accepted by ACC.
VOTE:
The motion passed unanimously on a vote of 8-0.
The Chair did not vote.
President's
Report
Dr.
Fonte distributed information in response to questions from the Full-Time
Faculty-Senate at an earlier date.
Meeting Review
Trustees
commented regarding the meeting:
What we did well rated as 1-5 (with 5 being very
satisfied): medium
satisfied; satisfied with process; medium satisfaction; rated as a
"4"; rated as a "3"; "4";"4.5", good
meeting and good dialogue; liked discussion on policy.
What we can do better: felt rushed;
prefer that questions for people who are reporting should be presented to the
President to obtain information; meeting was too long; need to look at timing
on controversial topics; would have preferred that some of the information
presented on tuition to have been presented in a Board Briefing; concerned that
Trustees should kill the messenger when staff presents information.
Information
Items
There were no announcements.
Announcements
§ Beverly Watts Davis asked to
present a Resolution at the next Board meeting to nominate Trustee Della May
Moore for an award by the Association
of Community College Trustees.
§ Beverly Silas commended the
Bistro.
§ Della May Moore extended
congratulations to Beverly Silas, new Executive Director of Leadership Texas.
§ Beverly Watts Davis advised that
the Fighting Back Project has won a national exemplary award from the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services and will be honored at the White House
by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and President on May 17.
Adjournment
Having
no motion before the Board, the May 7, 2001, regular meeting of the Austin
Community College Board of Trustees was adjourned at 10:10 p.m.
Approved By
John
B. Worley, Secretary