MINUTES
Regular
Meeting – Board of Trustees
In
accordance with the terms and provisions of the Texas Open Meetings Act,
Chapter 551 of Texas Government Code, the Board of Trustees of the Austin
Community College District convened in public session on Monday, March 31,
2003, at 6:04 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: Rafael Quintanilla,
Chair/Presiding Officer; Barbara Mink, Vice Chair; Allen H. Kaplan, Secretary;
Beverly Watts Davis, John F. Hernandez; Nan McRaven
[arrived at 6:15 p.m.]; and John Worley.
Trustees Lillian Davis and Beverly Silas were 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
Mary Kohls,
Austin Community College Instructor and Advisor to the ACC Chapter of Alpha
Gamma Pi of Phi Theta Kappa, stated the chapter received several awards at the
recent Texas Regional Conference: Velvet
Webb was recognized as Outstanding President for the state of Texas, Travel
Award; Pinnacle Award; 5-Star Level and 5-Star Program Awards; and recognition
as one of the 10 top chapters in Texas.
Mary Kohls received the Outstanding Faculty
Advisor Award and Velvet Webb was named as the District Five Vice President.
Trustees expressed congratulations
and appreciation for the honor the organization and students have brought to
Citizens
Communication
·
Gregg Garlow, ACC
Instructor, expressed appreciation for the Texas Association of Black
Professionals in Higher Education (TABPHE) having been recognized as an ACC
affiliate organization; stated support
by TABPHE for the upcoming ACC referendum; and invited attendance at the April
3-5 TABPHE conference to be held at the Omni Hotel.
·
Myra Bradley spoke regarding upcoming legislative
and American Federation of Teachers activities; stated support by AFT for the
upcoming ACC referendum; and composition of the Presidential Search Committee.
Reports from
Associations
·
Adjunct Faculty Association – Don Becker,
President-Elect, spoke regarding Association activities and proposed revisions
to Board policies.
·
Classified Employees Association – Judy Doyen,
President, spoke regarding Association activities and proposed State
legislation regarding College health insurance and social security benefits.
·
Full-Time Faculty Senate – Stacey Thompson,
President, spoke regarding Senate activities and College contingency plan.
·
Professional-Technical Employees Association –
Marilyn Lee-Taylor, President, spoke regarding Association activities and
presented a profile of Gina Palacios-Grochow, Association
Secretary and ACC Video Productions Specialist,
·
Student Government Association – James Neece, President, spoke regarding Association activities
and invited attendance at the upcoming Rally to support the referendum on
Wednesday, April 2, at the Rio Grande Campus.
Trustee Community Organization Reports to the Board
·
Trustee John Hernandez provided information on a recent meeting of the
Battle Bend Springs
Association.
·
Trustee Nan McRaven reported on a recent
meeting of the Jester Homeowners Association.
Reports to the
Board
·
Report on Achievements and Recognitions – Dr. Steve Kinslow, Executive Vice President, distributed information
and recognized recent awards/recognitions received by faculty/programs, staff,
students, and
·
Commendation Report – State Comptroller: Administrative: Administrative/Business – Ben Ferrell, Vice
President of Business Services, distributed information and spoke regarding the
ten commendations from the State Comptroller’s review of the Business Services
Department of Austin Community College in the following areas: budgeting; cash management; finance;
cashiering; purchasing; mail services; facilities; and campus police
CONSENT AGENDA
Agenda Item
7668
Minutes of the
Recommendation: That the Board of Trustees approve
the minutes as presented.
Agenda 7669
Proposed
Approval of Minor Revisions to Board Policies A-6, Student Goal Achievement;
B-3, Code of Ethics – Board of Trustees; D-1, Statement of Instructional
Philosophy; E-1, Master Planning; E-2, Provision of College Facilities; E-3,
Economic Analyses; E-7, Resource Development; E-8, Auxiliary Enterprises; F-6,
Staffing; F-8, Due Process for Employees; F-11, Conflicts of Interest; G-2,
Purchasing; and G-3, Reimbursements
Recommendation: That the Board of Trustees adopt minor policy revisions proposed for these Board policies.
Agenda Item
7670
Matters
Related to Conduct of
Recommendation: That the Board of Trustees authorize amended
polling places and Election Agreements for the
Board Secretary Allen Kaplan pulled Agenda Item 7670 be pulled from the
Consent Agenda for discussion. The
following Board policies were pulled from Consent Agenda Item 7669, Proposed Minor Revisions to Board Policies, for
discussion: B-3, Code of Ethics – Board
of Trustees; E-2, Provision of College Facilities; E-3, Economic Analyses, and
E-7, Resource Development.
Allen
Kaplan moved and
The
Board of Trustees approve Agenda Items 7668, Minutes of March 4, 2003, Regular
Meeting; March 17, 2003, Special Meeting; and March 17, 2003, Board Work
Session of the Austin Community College Board of Trustees, and Agenda Item
7669, Proposed Minor Revisions to Board Policies A-6, Student Goal Achievement;
D-1, Statement of Instructional Philosophy; E-1, Master Planning; E-8,
Auxiliary Enterprises; F-6, Staffing; F-8, Due Process for Employees; F-11,
Conflicts of Interest; G-2, Purchasing; and G-3, Reimbursements, as presented.
VOTE: The motion passed on a vote of 7-0.
For:
Against: None
Absent: Lillian Davis and Beverly Silas
A-6. STUDENT GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
Enabling students to
meet their educational goals should be the central organizing principle of
College activity. While most of the work on this task will be done by students
and faculty as part of the instructional process, the College shall also
provide these other needed supports:
The College shall
help students relate their aptitudes and interests to career opportunities and
the corresponding educational goals (which may or may not include further
college education after ACC). Accordingly:
[1] The College
shall provide current information about the career opportunities in its area
(including current demand, starting salaries, and career salary prospects), the
preparation typically required for success in those careers, and the subsequent
success by academic sector of ACC students in job placement and/or university
transfer.
[2] Students shall
be assessed as to their preparedness for their goals and informed of the
educational sequences ACC offers that would advance them toward those goals (or
of an alternate supplier or method in cases where that would be in the best
interests of a student).
[3] A declaration of
educational goal (which may or may not include a degree or certificate) shall
be maintained (and updated at least annually) for each college-credit student
to allow analyses of goal attainment.
[1] Each
college-credit student (except those who at entry declare a clear short-term
goal and decline an advisor) shall be assigned a faculty or staff advisor
prepared to assist with the specific educational goal of that student. For
transfer students, this preparation shall include appropriate knowledge about
their field and the articulation of ACC courses with their target college. For
workforce students, knowledge of the student's target industry shall be
included. In either case, students requiring remediation under state law shall
be given assistance and advice on how to satisfy such requirements while
advancing toward their specific goals.
[2] Students
(especially those who have difficulty reaching their goals) shall be advised as
to how to learn effectively at the college level and as to what combinations of
preparation, courseload, and non-school activities
have been found to be consistent with academic success at ACC.
[3] Advising and
counseling shall reflect a consistent philosophy of operational delivery
throughout the College, with task assignments implementing a coordinated plan
allocating resources based on student needs and addressing both campus-specific
services and college-wide responsibilities.
The College shall
fully inform students as to their opportunities for financial assistance to
attend college, and shall facilitate their use of those opportunities,
especially for grants.
The College shall
assist students in addressing obstacles to the achievement of their educational
goals. Accordingly:
[1] Counseling
services shall be focused on enabling educational achievement. Counselors shall
accordingly work with students (self-referred or identified by faculty or staff
as needing attention) so as to help them:
(a) make good use of the support services available at the College.
(b) understand how other students with similar
problems have successfully resolved them.
(c) develop work and classroom participation patterns
that contribute to successful performance in school and in their intended
career.
[2]
Student-development staff shall ensure that student concerns are brought to the
notice of the responsible authority. Counselors shall therefore:
(a) inform the appropriate supervisor when a student reports any action by a
College employee that seems contrary to College rules or policy. , and
(b) inform students of the College's appeal systems when appropriate, while
respecting the responsibility and authority of instructors.
[3] The college
shall provide assistance to its students in placement in jobs or further higher
education when they have completed their preparatory work.
The President shall
make a comprehensive annual report to the Board on the extent and nature of
College efforts and results in this area. It shall list goal-achievement rates
by major/program, ethnicity, and gender, and shall describe the participation
in and nature of support services in this area. The report shall also include
institutional plans and goals for improving the College's ability to serve
students who do not succeed in reaching their declared goals.
D-1. STATEMENT OF INSTRUCTIONAL
PHILOSOPHY
[1] Pre-assessment
measures, where appropriate, so that students can be advised to enroll in
courses at their present skill level subject
to provisions of Board Policy D-4, Assessment, Placement, & Developmental
Courses.
[2] Statement of
course objectives and standards so that the student is aware of the
requirements for successful completion of the course;
[3] Recognition that
the responsibility for learning rests with both the student and the instructor;
therefore, where appropriate, students may participate with the instructor in
planning their progress through a course and in exercising some choice among
learning objectives and activities, as determined by the instructor;
[4] Repeated
opportunities, where appropriate, for the student to achieve the course
objectives;
[5] Use of student
evaluations to improve or revise learning objectives and activities;
[6] Substantial
consistency of objectives and standards for all sections of the same course,
wherever that course may be offered by the College; and
[7] Design of
courses appropriate for the diverse backgrounds of community college students.
E-1. MASTER PLANNING
The President shall
develop, in document form, for biennial review and approval by the Board of
Trustees, a comprehensive College Master Plan of a multi-range nature (long,
medium, short) that encompasses the needs of the entire institution with
specific attention given to educational, financial, and physical development
planning. The College Master Plan shall be based upon current
determinations of current and future community
needs and upon responsible
utilization of fiscal, physical, and human resources. The Board policies on Intended Results and Ends To Be Produced, especially A-1, , shall be used as the
foundation for College planning efforts.
A. Principles:
The Master Plan,
and the process used to develop it, shall adhere to the following planning
principles:
[1]
The main focus of ACC's planning shall be to ensure that the
regular activities of the College match community needs and are effective in
enabling students, local employers, and the community sectors to reach their
declared educational goals efficiently. Care must be taken in the planning
process to ensure that new initiatives and current activities both have
adequate, equitably-distributed resources.
[2]
The accessibility of ACC to students who have few other educational options
must be a pervasive concern in all College planning. Since any ineffective use
of resources may directly lead to higher student tuition rates, the College
must operate with exemplary efficiency to maximize student access and success
and to avoid abuse of ACC's state and local tax subsidies.
[3]
The College shall provide efficiently-delivered high-quality instruction that
closely matches student and community needs and enables rapid student progress
to competence in their chosen fields. The College shall minimize requirements
that are not essential to meet a student's declared educational goals. The
College shall systematically provide the support needed for sustained
high-quality instruction that develops the work habits and problem-solving
skills needed for successful employment and educational advancement.
[4]
The planning process shall ensure compliance of College operations with Board
policies and accreditation criteria.
[5]
Institutional research must be an integral part of the College's planning and
evaluation processes, and there must be a clear linkage between planning,
budgeting, evaluation, and assessment.
[6]
The Planning process shall include recommendations from the instructional task
forces, faculty, and staff.
[7]
The planning process shall be open, with public access provided to the
information on which plans are based and to the recommendations made at each
stage of the planning process.
[8]
As part of the planning process, the administration shall identify potential
instructional programs with substantial enrollment at other local institutions
that are not offered at ACC but are within its legal scope.
B. Board Role Input
During each cycle of
updating the Master Plan, the Board shall, after considering planning
information and recommendations provided by the administration, adopt a set of
planning directives, including those listed here, stating the elements it
wishes to emphasize.
[1]
For programs in which local tuition/fees and
state-reimbursement revenues cover overall costs (including indirect, facility,
and capital costs), the extent of program offerings shall be determined
primarily by student demand. Programs requiring significant subsidy shall be
offered in accordance with a community-priorities declaration adopted by the
Board, which shall be based on consideration of local workforce and
higher-education needs.
[2]
The Board will, in response to Presidential recommendations based on policy
F-10, adopt specific compensation goals as part of its update of the College's
master plan. During that review, the Board shall be provided information
comparing College compensation rates to those typical of both the primary
comparison groups and various other groups of employers that might be
considered relevant. Information shall also be provided comparing the workloads
and compensation of full-time and adjunct faculty at the College.
E-8. AUXILIARY ENTERPRISES
[1] General
student-service enterprises: Services run or contracted for by the College
whose primary function is to provide general services to students (e.g.,
food-service providers) should be awarded and/or operated under terms which
maximize the value of those services to students, rather than maximizing the
economic return to the College. Allocation of facilities and other resources in
support of such enterprises should reflect an analysis of student demand.
[2] Specialized
student-service enterprises: Student-oriented services whose benefits are
limited to a small fraction of students should generally be operated at
approximately breakeven, unless a planned subsidy has been allocated as part of
the budget process.
[3] Other
enterprises: Activities not primarily oriented to serving students (e.g., a
public golf course) should be operated so as to yield maximal sustained gain
for the College. For any such activities whose gross revenues exceed $500,000
per year, the administration shall, during the master-planning process, provide
the Board an analysis showing its plans for achieving this objective.
[4] Provision of
space: Allocation for more than two years of significant College facilities
to the use of external entities requires a cost/benefit analysis and Board
approval.
[5] Annual Report:
An annual report shall be provided to the Board as part of the annual
budget process.
F-6. STAFFING
[1] The President
shall, as part of the budget process, publish a list of proposed positions staffing table giving the
planned distribution of long-term positions for the year, with identification
of administrative positions and of any changes from the previous year. This list shall provide information on
positions but staffing table shall list positions, not names.
Board approval for changes in this
list the staffing table is required when on where specified by policy. The President
shall provide Board members a description and justification of significant
staffing-table changes prior to public announcement of them.
[2] Board approval
is required to increase the annual rate of total expense for administrative
positions by more than $100,000/year beyond the budgeted amount. Moreover,
consultation with and prior approval by the Board is required for any increase
in administrative positions at or above the level of Vice-President.
[3] Hiring of
employees, placement of individual employees on pay scales, and assignment of
individuals to positions shall be done by the College administration and do not
require Board approval.
[4] Neither the
staffing table nor appointment to a staffing table position is a contract
between the College and any particular employee. Employment contracts may be
issued only when specifically approved by the Board or authorized by Board policy.
F-8. DUE PROCESS FOR EMPLOYEES
The College's
systems for employment decisions shall normally provide opportunities for
experienced employees to correct perceived performance deficiencies or to find
new employment in an orderly manner, but shall enable the College to act
immediately when necessary. Accordingly:
[1] Immediate
Termination: The employment of any person may be terminated by the
President without further compensation, regardless of employment status, for
good cause for immediate termination as interpreted under
[2] Faculty:
Other than to address a substantial reduction in need for faculty in an
instructional area (and then with at least 180 days notice before the end of a
fiscal year), or for good cause for immediate termination as defined above, the
employment of faculty members shall not be terminated during the term of an
appointment made under the provisions of Policy F-4 on Faculty Appointments.
[3] Non-Faculty
Staffing Table Employees: Non-faculty employees serving in positions that
are in the current Staffing Table published by the President in accordance with
Policy F-6 may have their employment terminated without further compensation
either for good cause for immediate termination as defined above or under one
or more of the following conditions:
[a] at will during the first 180 days at the College as a staffing-table
employee.
[b] after having been placed on probation and having
failed to attain, within 90 days, a level of performance satisfactory to the
College in the areas named in the probation notice.
[c] as part of a reduction in force in an area or a
change in the type of work skills needed. In such a case, at least 90 days
notice shall be provided except when the change is in response to a serious
financial emergency.
[d] after 120 days notice from the President, for
employees in positions specified as managerial or administrative in the
staffing table; no probationary process is required in such cases.
[4] Other employees:
The employment of other College employees may be terminated at will or, where
applicable, in accordance with the terms of their contracts or appointments.
[5] Notice: A
person whose College employment is being considered for termination shall be
given advance notice.
[6] Scope of
Policy: These due-process provisions apply only to reductions in
base compensation but not to the
reassignment of duties. ; t The
President may assign any College employee to new duties at any time.
F-11. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The College
President shall establish and enforce rules to keep college resources from
being inappropriately used for personal gain. The rules shall forbid, in
addition to activities forbidden by law, at least these activities:
[1] the acceptance of significant personal gifts from College
vendors.
[2] participation of authors in decisions about adoption use of their
textbooks by the College.
[3] employment of a person under the supervisory jurisdiction of
a close relative.
[4] the provision of college business to College staffing table employees managers
or Trustees, or to their immediate family members. Provision of College
business to firms in which such people have a substantial interest (as defined
by Chapter 171 of the Texas Local Government Code) shall also be forbidden
except when the President finds a compelling benefit for the College and the staffing table employee manager
or Trustee publicly recuses themselves from the
decision.
[5] significant use of College facilities, resources, or duty
time for activities for which an employee is paid by anyone other than the
College, except when such activities have been approved in writing by an
authorized supervisor and appropriate compensation is made to the College.
[6] acceptance of compensation for referring students to
vendors.
[7] resale of materials (e.g., textbooks) provided due to an
employee's role at the College.
The
rules shall also establish procedures by which College officers, and other
employees when designated by the President, shall report any outside employment
or paid consulting work.
The President shall
annually report to the Board a summary of enforcement activities associated
with this policy.
G-2. PURCHASING
A. General
Objectives
[1] To support the
instructional mission of the College by procuring in a timely manner the
specific equipment, services, and materials needed for effective College
operations.
[2] To secure work and materials
at the best value for the College.
[3] To provide opportunities for
individual vendors, contractors, historically underutilized businesses, and
small/local businesses to compete for College purchases/contracts in a fair and
competitive environment, and to create an open process for procurement through
competition.
B. Board Approval:
The requirement for specific Board approval of vendor and price for purchasing,
consulting, or contracting expenditures or commitments for related groups of
items depends on the cost and on the extent of prior Board review. During any
fiscal year, the stated limits apply to the aggregated expenditures with any
single vendor. During any fiscal year, the stated limits apply to the
aggregated expenditures with any single vendor. When the aggregated
expenditures to any single vendor would exceed the stated limits, specific
Board approval for any new expenditures to that vendor
is required. In addition, for multi-year purchases the stated limits apply to
total costs.
[1]
Expenditures costing less than $25,000 never require such approval.
[2]
Expenditures costing over $100,000 always require such approval.
[3]
Expenditures costing between $25,000 and $100,000 require such approval unless
either:
[a] the Board has
previously approved, after a public review period of a month or more, a budget
or other written plan listing the items and their approximate cost, or
[b] the expenditure is primarily to repair or replace an existing capability
that has been unexpectedly lost, or
[c] the expenditure is necessary to meet an emergency (i.e., a situation in
which immediate action must be taken without Board approval to avoid harm to
the College) and is reported to the Board at its next meeting, or by written
notification provided through the President.
For construction procurement
services which require Board approval below $500,000, the administration shall
provide a summary and evaluative judgments of vendor
responses with a recommendation of a single vendor. Such items should be
submitted to the Board early enough that it does not have to make its final
decision at its first consideration of the item if it has unresolved questions
or decides not to accept the administration's recommendation at the first
meeting the item is on the agenda. In cases where the administration's
recommendation is not accepted, consideration of alternatives shall occur at a
subsequent meeting.
For construction procurement
services in excess of $500,000, a limited number of well-qualified vendors
shall make presentations to the Board. The administration shall provide the
Board with appropriate evaluative criteria or questions for use by the Board in
the review process. The administration shall provide a summary of the proposals
and provide evaluative judgment concerning strengths and weaknesses of these
well-qualified vendors.
The Board shall generally assess
the administration's recommendation by whether it and the process leading to it
are in accord with Board policy and the General Objectives set forth in Section
A of this policy, giving due deference to the administration’s expert judgment
on whether a recommendation will meet General Objectives [1] and [2].
C. Reports:
The administration shall provide quarterly reports and annual summaries on
purchasing activities. Such reports shall include:
[1] purchase orders and
contracts summarized by vendor (detail listing for orders and contracts greater
than $25,000) awarded to official, certified HUBs;
and also by other historically underutilized businesses to the extent possible;
[2] purchase orders and
contracts summarized by vendor (detail listing for orders and contracts greater
than $25,000) awarded to local vendors;
[3] state contract and
state catalog purchases made summarized by vendor;
[4] all contracts over
$10,000; and
[5] an explanation of
consulting fees in excess of $5,000 to a single vendor in a fiscal year.
[6] a
listing of any expenditures directly for administrative officers that exceed
$5000 or are unusual.
D. Responsible
Contracting Practices
[1] In all purchasing and
contracting decisions, employees shall make diligent efforts to include
historically-underutilized-business (HUB) vendors and shall, where practicable,
avoid practices that tend to exclude HUB vendors. ACC shall develop, maintain,
and enhance the participation of minority-owned and women-owned firms in all
phases of its procurement processes, supporting their efforts to compete for
College business.
[2] The College shall encourage
all vendors, suppliers, contractors, and professionals with whom it does
business to support the common goal of equal opportunity and economic participation
for all citizens. In the
expenditure of College funds, neither the College nor its contractors and
suppliers shall discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, creed, religion,
national origin, age, or sexual orientation, or on the basis of disabilities
that do not significantly effect the quality of work.
[3] In deciding which functions
to accomplish via external contractors, the administration shall take care not
to support patterns of employment that fail to meet community compensation standards.
[4] Contracts shall be reopened
on an equal basis to all qualified vendors at least once every five years (or
on completion for contracts longer than five years).
E. Routine
Real-Estate Items
The President is authorized to
approve, and sign on behalf of the College, easements, covenants, restrictions,
waivers, and other agreements regarding real property owned or leased by the
College, provided they are minor in nature and reported promptly to the Board.
This authorization does not extend to the purchase or sale of real property.
G-3. REIMBURSEMENTS
Reimbursement
of College employees for job related expenses and local travel shall be made in
an equitable manner, with the same rules applying to all levels of employees.
The
President shall annually report the extent and justifications for College
provision of vehicles, travel expense, and other expense reimbursements as part of the annual budget process.
This report shall include a description of the administrative guidelines for
reimbursement and of any exceptions made to them.
***********
Proposed
Revisions to Board Policy E-7, Resource Development
Trustee Beverly Watts Davis stated that
she desired to provide additional revisions to Board Policy E-7, Resource
Development, and asked that action on revisions to this policy be delayed until
a future meeting.
Proposed
Revisions to Board Policy B-3, Code of Ethics – Board of Trustees
Trustees discussed the proposed revisions
to Board Policy B-3, Code of Ethics—Board of Trustees. This item will be included on a future agenda
to allow comments from Trustees Lillian Davis and Beverly Silas.
Proposed
Revisions to Board Policy E-2, Provision of College Facilities
Vice Chair Barbara Mink discussed the
need for additional revision of Board Policy E-2, Provision of College
Facilities.
Chair Quintanilla requested that this
item be placed on a future agenda.
Proposed
Revisions to Board Policy E-3, Economic Analyses
Trustee John Worley proposed an
additional revision to Board Policy E-3, Economic Analyses.
Trustee
Barbara Mink moved and John Worley seconded:
MOTION: That the Board of Trustees approve the
proposed revisions to Board Policy E-3, Economic Analyses.
VOTE: The motion passed on a vote of 7-0.
For:
Against: None
Absent: Lillian Davis and Beverly Silas
E-3. ECONOMIC ANALYSES
ACC's decisions are
fundamentally driven by pursuit of its mission of community service rather than
of financial gain for itself. Many of its activities of great value to the
community do not generate a net profit to the College, and many others are
close enough to breakeven that their finances have little strategic impact. But
careful attention to the financial implications of College operations is still
necessary to identify possibilities for improvement and expansion, to ensure
allocation of limited resources in accordance with planned priorities, and to
avoid waste. Accordingly:
[1] The President
shall ensure that the economic analyses needed for planning and evaluation are
conducted according to reasonable, clearly-stated principles that are applied
in a consistent manner in all sectors.
[2] These principles
shall make appropriate provision for matching costs with revenues, for
recognition and allocation of indirect and capital costs, and for using
appropriate methodologies for valuation and projection of cost and revenue
elements in long term business analyses.
[3] The level of
detail and sophistication of analyses may be adapted to the size and economic
sensitivity of the topics.
[4] Analyses or
projections provided to the Board shall report the sources of the information
and the assumptions on which the analysis is based.
[5] Economic
analyses are required for items submitted for Board approval involving
total expenditures of $500,000 or more, or where otherwise specified in policy.
**********
Agenda Item
7670
Matters
Related to Conduct of
Myra McDaniel, College Legal Counsel,
called attention to the need for approval by the Board of last minute changes
to the polling places and ratification of the interlocal
agreements with other entities in the
Allen
Kaplan moved and Nan McRaven seconded that the Board
approve the amended polling places and Election Agreements for the May 3, 2003,
election.
The
motion passed on a vote of 7-0.
For:
Against: None
Absent: Lillian Davis and Beverly Silas
Items for Discussion/Possible Action
Agenda Item 7671
Proposed Revision of Board Policy C-5, Open
Communication—Shared Governance
Dr. Steve Kinslow,
Executive Vice President, provided information concerning the proposed revision
and responded to questions from Trustees.
Trustee
MOTION: That the Board of Trustees approve the
proposed amendments to Board Policy C-5, Open Communication—Shared Governance.
VOTE: The motion passed on a vote of 7-0.
For:
Against: None
Absent: Lillian Davis and Beverly Silas
C-5. OPEN COMMUNICATION AND SHARED GOVERNANCE
Shared Governance is a collaborative
decision-making process by which trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, and
students work as a community of colleagues to advance the mission, goals, and
values of the college. Shared Governance requires open communication among
stakeholders in an environment of mutual respect, collegiality, and
accountability.
The
implementation of shared governance should involve self-correcting and
self-monitoring processes that result in:
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effective decision-making at appropriate organizational levels |
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appropriate and timely dissemination of information |
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efficient and effective management of resources |
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responsiveness to the experiences and expertise of stakeholders |
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consideration of the ideas and opinions of those most impacted by decisions |
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individual and institutional accountability |
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a trusting and respectful community of colleagues |
Accordingly,
[1] Decision makers at all levels of the
College shall encourage and make use of free exploration and expression of
different ideas, viewpoints, and analyses on College issues.
[2] Internal employee associations,
affiliate organizations, and the Student Government Association will select
their representatives to representative bodies, such as Councils, committees,
administrative task forces, etc.
[3] Representation by associations and
functional roles within the college on representative bodies should be reviewed
in the Spring of each year as part of the budget cycle
and through the shared governance process and structure itself.
[4] In accord with the self-monitoring nature of shared governance, a
report on the state of shared governance in the College should be presented
each year to the President and the Board.
This report should
derive from a broadly representative shared governance process and structure
within the College and should
-- address the quality of
decision-making processes in the light of this policy, and
-- provide recommendations
for the improvement of decision-making processes in accord
with this Board policy.
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[5] College decision-making and consultation
processes shall be open except in unusual cases that clearly meet
confidentiality criteria established by the President (which shall include any
privacy protections required by law). This openness includes access to data
being used in deliberations and to the decision options being considered; such
information should be made openly available as early in the discussion/decision
process as possible.
[6] Employees with information that
they feel would improve the accuracy of decision-related data should make it
available to all decision makers and at all stages and levels of
decision-making. Information that would aid the Board and President in assessing
the compliance of the operation of the College with Board policies and
directives should also be made available to them.
[7] Everyone participating in College
discussions and decision-making processes should strive to express his or her
opinions in a constructive, complete, and accurate manner, without retribution.
While dealing honestly with any perceived problems, people should strive to
interact in a manner that creates and sustains mutual respect.
[8] College management directives,
decisions, guidelines, and standard procedures shall be made generally
accessible through an electronic system (with appropriate print-based support)
that shall also indicate who issued each item and if anyone is authorized to
waive its provisions.
[9] Employees may use College premises to distribute clearly-attributed materials related to education or employment to other employees; this permission does not imply College endorsement or recognition of views or organizations referred to in the materials.
***********
Agenda Item 7672
State Comptroller’s Report:
Update on Implementation/Status
Dr. Terry Thomas, Instructor and Budget
Committee Co-Chair, and Ben Ferrell, provided a status report on the
implementation recommendations from the State Comptroller’s School Performance
Review. Dr. Thomas and Mr. Ferrell
responded to questions from Trustees.
Trustees requested that additional information be provided and this item
be included on the Board agenda in two months.
Agenda Item 7673
Schedule of Board Policy Revisions – Substantive Changes
Allen Kaplan called attention to the
schedule for review by the Board of policies which require substantive
changes. He suggested that Board Policy
E-7, Resource Development, be added to the April 21 meeting. Mr. Kaplan stated Dr. Fonte
will author a new Board policy on professional development. He stated that Board Policy B-3, Code of
Ethics—Board of Trustees, was added to the May 5 meeting.
Agenda Item 7674
Proposed Revisions to Board Policies F-1, Equal Employment
Opportunity/Affirmative Action, and F-2, Prevention of Harassment
Trustees discussed the proposed revisions
to F-1, Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action.
MOTION: The Board of Trustees approve the proposed
revision to Board Policy F-1, Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action.
VOTE: The motion passed on a vote of 7-0.
For:
Against: None
Absent: Lillian Davis and Beverly Silas
F-1. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT
The
Austin Community College District is an equal employment opportunity /
affirmative action employer. Discrimination on any ground listed in Policy F-2
(B) will not be tolerated is thus forbidden..
As
an affirmative action employer, the College shall employee personnel appoint
employees in full compliance with existing laws. Qualification guidelines for all staffing
table positions shall be published by the Office of Human Resources Personnel
Services, and shall be applied consistently and fairly to all applicants.
"Qualified" is defined as having the requisite education, training,
and/or skills required of the position as defined in the approved job posting
and job description.
The
College shall actively seek to increase the number of minority personnel
through affirmative actions. Procedures for advertising vacancies, recruitment,
hiring, promotion, compensation, fringe benefits, resolution of grievance, and
separations from the College shall be monitored by the College's Equal
Employment Opportunity / Affirmative Action Officer.
The Board of Trustees shall
receive an annual report on the District's employment profile.
**********
Trustees discussed Board Policy F-2,
Prevention of Harassment, and suggested additional changes. This item will be included on the
Agenda Item 7675
Contract for Office Supplies
Gilbert Rodriguez, Director of
Purchasing, provided information concerning the proposed contract for supplies
and responded to questions from Trustees.
This item will be included on the
Agenda Item 7676
Discussion of Board Policy F-10, Employee Compensation
Trustees discussed proposed revisions to
Board Policy F-10. Trustee John Worley
stated his desire for this item to be scheduled for action at the
President’s Administrative Report
·
Dr.
Richard Fonte, College President, stated the College
has begun the process for preparation of the budget for Fiscal Year 2004. He advised that the revenue projections will
be available at the May 5 Board meeting.
·
Bronson
Dorsey, Associate Vice President for Facilities and Operations, distributed the
College’s Emergency Preparedness Plan.
Announcements
·
Chair
Quintanilla stated he has appointed Jeff Jacks to the South Austin Campus
Advisory Committee.
·
Allen
Kaplan stated that Beverly Silas had asked him to work with Guy Watts, Delmar
Region, and Ralph Holmes, College of the Mainland, to organize a Trustee’s
association for
There was no Executive
Session.
There
were no announcements.
Meeting Review
Trustees
commented regarding the meeting:
What we did well: Overall, it worked fine; in
terms of review of Board policy, excellent and
appreciate
information provided by Bronson Dorsey; regarding WorkSource,
would like to be kept informed and see the bigger picture; regarding additional
information to be provided on State Comptroller’s report, would like to have it
ahead of time for weekend reading; excellent meeting; discussion on policies
really got down to the nitty-gritty; very good policy discussion; the charts
around the response to the Comptroller’s report are important in seeing the big
picture; liked policy discussion.
What we can do better: Regarding Board policies, thought we had more discussion than was
anticipated; voted in the Economic Analyses Committee—but we haven’t started
that—and we need to do that; this would have helped the discussion; need to be
more diligent in doing the things we say we are going to do; strayed from
topics on agenda too much; got a little loose there.
Adjournment
Having
no motion before the Board, the March 31, 2003, Regular Meeting of the Austin
Community College Board of Trustees was adjourned at
Approved By
Allen
H. Kaplan, Secretary