MINUTES
Special
Meeting - Board of Trustees Forum
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 Thursday, March 24,
2005, at 6:05 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: Dr. Barbara P. Mink, Chair/Presiding
Officer; Mr. John F. Hernandez, Board Vice Chair ; Dr. Lillian J. Davis; Mr.
Allen H. Kaplan; Ms. Nan McRaven [arrived at 6:35
p.m.]; Ms. Veronica Rivera; and Dr. John Worley. Trustees Rafael Quintanilla and Jeffrey
Richard were absent from the meeting.
Also in attendance were: Pat Forgione, Superintendent, Austin ISD; Doyle Valdez, Board
Member, Austin ISD; Roderick Emanuel, Superintendent, Bastrop ISD; Bernard
Blanchard, Superintendent, Del Valle ISD; Joe Dan Lee, Superintendent, Georgetown
ISD; Linda Holmstrom, ISD Representative, Georgetown
ISD; Linda Simonson, ISD Representative, Georgetown ISD; Betty Harrison, ISD
Representative, Hays CISD; Leanne Haley, ISD Representative, Johnson City ISD;
Camille Clay, ISD Representative, Leander ISD; John Hall, Superintendent,
Lockhart ISD; James Matthews, ISD Representative, Luling
ISD; Patricia Pickles, Superintendent, Pflugerville ISD; Kenneth Thompson,
Board Member, Pflugerville ISD; Darren Kesselus, ISD
Representative, Prairie Lea ISD; Gary Madsen, ISD Representative, Round Rock
ISD; Sylvia Garza, ISD Representative, San Marcos CISD; Michelle Savage, ISD
Representative, San Marcos CISD; and Clinton Sayers, Board Member, Eanes ISD
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.
Community Forum:
Chair
Mink introduced welcomed constituencies to the meeting and stated the purpose
of the meeting was to collaborate regarding overlapping responsibilities;
interest in achievements and the need for an educated workforce; and the challenges
of funding and educational accountability.
Dr.
Stephen B. Kinslow, Interim President, stated that
Dr.
Kinslow recognized ACC staff including:
·
Dr. Mary Hensley, Associate Vice
President, Instructional Support Services
·
Dr. Luanne Preston, Director, Early
College Start
·
Ms. Sue Ray, Associate Director,
Early College Start
·
Dr. Kathleen Christensen, Associate
Vice President, Retention and Student Services
·
Mr. Mark Kincaid, Director, College
and Career Preparatory Program (AISD)
·
Mrs. Sharyl
Kincaid, Executive Director, Tech-Prep
·
Dr. Sharon King, Director,
Recruitment and School Support Services
·
Ms. Karoline
Gebert, Curriculum Specialist, Instructional Support
Services
Discussion of What’s Working Well and Ways We Can Strengthen ISD/ACC
Linkages
q
ACC
staff is responsive to requests. There is an outward effort to respond. ECS is
a good program. They would like to increase their participation. There is a
need for staff to work together to provide organized information to parents.
They would also like to see the College Connection Program brought to
their district.
q
San Marcos ISD
(Table 2)
College
Connection is working very well in
SMCISD. We are proud to be the first district to do this program. There is a
great relationship between staffs. ACC staff make the
effort easy and informative. Students get excited when ACC comes because of all
the opportunities. Would like to have more public relations
on ECS. Would like for the college to work with
students at a younger age including junior high.
q
Round Rock ISD
(Table 3)
q
Round Rock is
pleased with communication and the willingness of the ACC staff to work with
them. Very pleased with Tech Prep. Would like to see more cross-curriculum work
between ISD and college.
q
Pflugerville
ISD/Austin ISD (Table 4)
College
Connection program is good. AISD is
encouraging Pflugerville ISD to join the district.
q
College
Connection had a very fast response
in Bastrop ISD. Parents and students are very positive about College
Connection. The end result is great for all the hard work. Great feedback
from the Bastrop Chamber of Commerce from the presentation made earlier this
year.
Pflugerville ISD would like to see more involvement and would love
to see the College Connection program brought to their high schools.
q
Leander,
Burnet, Luling, Prairie Lea and Eanes
(Table 6)
Leander
ISD is thankful for the very quick
response to the request to start College Connection in their district.
They would like to continue the commitment with more resources for the program.
A
possibility was mentioned of having the districts send people to learn the
process for doing College Connection or acquiring funding through a
grant. A reminder was made not to forget the small districts. Very discouraged that no more new schools are going to be accepted
into the College Connection program next year.
q
Del Valle
(Table 7)
College
Connection is a good program that is
working well. Would like to see some after-school dual credit
and ESL for adults at the school. Would also like to
see about certifying high school teachers to be ACC instructors for dual
credit, especially for the summer.
Breakout Group Reports
q
Establishing a
Regional ISD/ACC Council
o
Idea was received
favorably
o
Will meet
quarterly with two representatives from each ISD
o
Annual meeting
will include everyone with the possibility of adding the home school
organization
q
Curriculum
Alignment
o
Areas to target:
§
Math/Science
§
English
o
Increase rigor at
ISD
o
Identify gaps
o
Identify/promote
college-level expectations
o
Professional
Development
o
Faculty meet
faculty
o
The big question
was how to address the gap between secondary and post-secondary by increasing
the rigor at the ISD in Math and Science and the American Diploma program.
o
Need to promote
staff development between ISD and ACC to help understand expectations.
o
Need to create
vertical teams between the ISD and ACC
o
Funding will be
required and need to look at release days. Also need commitment for professional
development from both sides.
o
How to Implement
§
Focus group with ISDs to refine process
§
Study group on
American Diploma program
§
College
standards/TEKS
§
Funding
q
Enhancing
College/Career Prep
o
What is working
well?
§
College/Career
Fair–CATF
o
How can we
strengthen linkages?
§
Involve more
districts in college/career fair
§
Assistance with
FAFSA
§
Career
information/fair travel to districts
§
More information
o
Several outlying
districts were part of this group and expressed a need to communicate better
with smaller districts.
o
Need to look at a
“traveling show” idea for career information and sending out more FAFSA
information.
o
Need to let
everyone know what is available.
Dr. Mink expressed appreciation to all regional
representatives for their time, efforts, and dedication to the programs.
Adjournment
Having
no motion before the Board, the March 24, 2005, Special Meeting of the Board of
Trustees was adjourned at
Approved By
Jeffrey
K. Richard