MINUTES

Joint Meeting – ACC/AISD Boards of Trustees

November 1, 2005

 

In accordance with the terms and provisions of the Texas Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551 of Texas Government Code, the Boards of Trustees of the Austin Community College District and Austin Independent School District convened in public session on Tuesday, November 1, 2005, at 6:02 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; Mr. Jeffrey Richard, Secretary [arrived at 6:30 p.m.]; Dr. Lillian J. Davis; Mr. Allen H. Kaplan; Ms. Nan McRaven; Mr. Rafael Quintanilla; Ms. Veronica Rivera; and Dr. John Worley. Members of the Board of Trustees of the Austin Independent School District in attendance were: Mr. Doyle Valdez, President; Ms. Ave Wahrmund, Vice President; Ms. Johna Edwards; Mr. Robert Schneider [arrived at 6:20 p.m.]; Ms. Patricia Whiteside; and Mr. Mark Williams.  Also in attendance were:  Dr. Pascal D. Forgione, Jr., AISD Superintendent; Dr. Stephen B. Kinslow, ACC President; Dr. Rosalinda Hernandez, AISD Assistant Superintendent; Dr. Mary Hensley, ACC Vice President; and Mr. Mark Kinkaid, Director of the College and Career Preparatory Program.  AISD Trustees Ms. Cheryl Edwards and Mr. Pete Montoya, Jr., were absent from the meeting. 

 

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.

 

Items for Discussion and Possible Action

 

Agenda Item 8138

Overview of Institutional Goals – Austin Community College

Dr. Mink welcomed AISD Board members and staff to the meeting and introduced Dr. Stephen B. Kinslow, College President.  Dr. Kinslow presented an overview of the goals of Austin Community College District including:

 

·        Meeting Closing the Gaps Challenges

·        Promoting Economic Development

·        Expanding ACC resources

·        Increasing understanding of ACC

·        Promoting regional role

·        ACC Service Area

·        ACC Master Plan

·        Annexation

·        One College Concept

·        Academic Consistency

·        Academic Evaluation, and

·        Quality Indicators.

 

Overview of Institutional Goals – Austin Independent School District

Dr. Pascal D. Forgione, Jr., AISD Superintendent, provided an overview of goals of Austin Independent School District including:

 

·        AISD Results Policies

·        AISD Recommended High School Plan Initiative which included:  Increase in College Readiness for AISD Graduates and High School Completion Rate

·        Career and Technology Restructuring including Southern Region Education Board (SREB) Recommendations, and

·        High School Redesign.

 

Dr. Rosalinda Hernandez, AISD Assistant Superintendent, High Schools, provided information on the Austin ISD High School Redesign Initiative, Audit and Recommendations by Southern Regional Education Board, High Schools That Work, Dr. Gene Bottoms. 

 

Drs. Kinslow and Forgione responded to questions from Trustees regarding poverty in Austin and the need to involve the City of Austin and Travis County.

 

Agenda Item 8139

Overview of Joint Programs

Dr. Mink introduced the item and Dr. Mary Hensley, ACC Vice President for College Support Systems and ISD Relations, introduced staff of joint programs currently operating between ACC and AISD:  Mr. Mark Kincaid, Director, College and Career Preparatory Program; Dr. Luanne Preston, Executive Director of the College Connection and Early College Start programs; Ms. Sharyl Kincaid, Executive Director of the Tech-Prep program; Dr. Rosalinda Hernandez, AISD Assistant Superintendent for High Schools; and Dr. Ann Smisko, AISD Interim Executive Director of Curriculum.  Information on the College and Career Preparatory Program (CCPP); College Connection program; AISD-to-ACC Student Transition; AISD Student Demographics; Early College Start; Examples of Possible Expansion of Dual-Credit Courses; Early College Start AISD Dual-Credit Students; Tech-Prep; Solution:  Career and Technology Education Management Application.

 

ACC and AISD staff responded to questions from Trustees regarding developmental education needs and the number of students who are undeclared majors in ACC’s College Connection program.

 

Agenda Item 8140

Proposed Automotive Institute at Crockett High School:

A Joint ACC/AISD Partnership

Dr. Mink introduced the item and Drs. Forgione and Kinslow discussed information in the agenda item concerning a possible partnership between AISD and ACC in the development and operation of a proposed Automotive Institute which could be located at Crockett High School.

 

Trustees called attention to the need for funding partnerships from the business community, especially those who would benefit from an Automotive Institute.  AISD stated their desire to move forward in January 2006 to open the Automotive Institute in Fall 2006.  Several ACC Trustees expressed the need to review ACC’s participation during the regular 2006 budget planning process.

 

Agenda Item 8141

Board Dialogue

Dr. Mink introduced the item and called attention to the questions proposed for Board dialogue:

 

·        Existing in the same communities with common educational goals and objectives, how can we further align our vision for student success?

·        What barriers to student success do we still need to address?

·        Are there any new and emerging opportunities AISD and ACC should jointly explore?

 

Trustees advised that some of these questions were addressed during the discussion of the individual agenda items.  Trustees suggested the following needs:  to engage the City, County, AISD, and ACC in discussions; ACC/AISD to work together on developmental education; how to close the gap between high school and college readiness and the course sequence between  ACC/AISD; regarding Challenge 3 of the SREB’s recommendation to AISD “In order to improve the quality of instruction and raise classroom standards and expectations” – need to have dialogue with the parents; students can get organized and finish high school with one year of college; back-to-school nights; AISD has a “parent university”; maybe ACC should have a “parent university”. Must create a college-going climate early in families; parents need to understand early that there are ways to go to college, and then build on that; for facilities master planning, point out spaces and opportunities within City, County, AISD and ACC which could be shared; and for community resources, must get involved and motivate others to become involved to serve as one team with one vision within the community.

 

Appreciation was expressed to Drs. Forgione and Kinslow for being involved and going the extra mile.

 

Dr. Mink expressed appreciation to ACC and AISD Trustees and staff for the dialogue.  Mr. Valdez stated a need to continue the ACC/AISD partnership.  Mr. Valdez expressed appreciation to the staff of ACC and AISD for the work involved with the agenda.

 

It was suggested that the focus of a future meeting would be to involve City and County officials.

 

Executive Session

There was no Executive Session.

 

Adjournment

Having no motion before the Board, the November 1, 2005, Joint Meeting of the Austin Community College Board of Trustees and the Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees was adjourned at 8:20 p.m.

 

Approved By

Jeffrey Richard, Secretary