MINUTES

Regular Meeting – Board of Trustees

January 22, 2007

 

 

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, January 22, 2007, at 6:10 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: Mr. John F. Hernandez, Chair/Presiding Officer; Ms. Veronica Rivera, Secretary [arrived at 6:40 p.m.]; Dr. Lillian J. Davis [arrived at 7:20 p.m.]; Dr. James W. McGuffee; Mr. Barbara P. Mink; Rafael Quintanilla; and Mr. Jeffrey K. Richard.  Trustees Allen Kaplan and Nan McRaven 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.

 

Recognitions

·        New Employees – Ms. Erica Breedlove, Manager, Human Resources, introduced Mr. Peck Young, Director of ACC’s Center for Public Policy and Political Studies.

·        Student Profile:  Mr. Ryan Thill, ACC Early College Start, Bowie High School - Dr. Kathleen Christensen, Vice President, Student Support and Success Systems, introduced Mr. Ryan Thill, ACC Early College Start student at Bowie High School.  She also introduced his parents, Linda and Kevin Thill, who were in attendance.  Mr. Ryan Thill expressed appreciation for the opportunity to speak to the Board of Trustees. He provided information regarding his background, experiences, and future goals and responded to questions from Trustees regarding his ACC Early College Start classes and experiences at ACC and Bowie High School.  Trustees expressed appreciation to Mr. Thill for his attendance at the Board meeting and the valuable information provided.

·        Student Report on 2006 Mesoamerica Study Abroad Program – Mr.  Clint Davis, ACC Professor of Anthropology, introduced students Evan Szu and Gordon Ulmer who presented a report on the 2006 Mesoamerica Study Abroad Program.  Mr. Szu narrated a slide show of the various locations and sites the students visited this past Summer. Mr. Ulmer presented an on-site video and an accompanying music he produced as a result of the Mesoamerica visit.  Mr. Szu and Mr. Ulmer responded to questions from Trustees.  Trustees expressed appreciation for their presentations. 

 

·        Report on Achievements and Recognitions – Dr. Tyra Duncan-Hall, Provost of Campus Operations, presented the Kudos Report and called attention to recent awards/recognitions received by faculty/programs, staff, students, and Austin Community College.

 

Dr. Duncan-Hall expressed appreciation to Trustees and Administrators for the reception held earlier in the evening in honor of her service to Austin Community College and her retirement on January 31, 2007.

 

Citizens Communication

No one registered to address the Board.

 

Reports from Associations

·        Adjunct Faculty Association – Mr. Jim Nelson, Vice President, Adjunct Faculty Association, spoke regarding Association activities and invited attendance at their March General Assembly meeting.

·        Classified Employees Association – Ms. Kathy Judge, President, spoke regarding association activities and educational incentive pay for Classified Employees.

·        Full-Time Faculty Senate – Ms. Linda Welsh, President, expressed appreciation for actions taken by College during the recent icy weather, and invited attendance at the upcoming faculty forums regarding House Bill 1.

·        Professional-Technical Employees– Ms. Judy Van Cleve, President, expressed appreciation for closing of the College during the recent icy weather and the assistance provided by staff for the safety of faculty, staff, and students upon arrival at the campuses.  She spoke regarding Association activities and the need for educational incentive pay for Association members and the importance of questions included in the Board’s Self-Evaluation document.

·        Student Government Association – Ms. Anastasyia Travina, President, spoke regarding upcoming activities of the Student Government Association including the Texas Student Government Region IV Conference on February 9-10 at the ACC Eastview Campus; Community College Student Day at the State Capitol on February 22; the 37th Texas Junior College Association State Convention in April.

 

President’s Report

Dr. Stephen B. Kinslow, College President, stated the College has initiated two Weekend Colleges at the Northridge and Riverside Campuses to provide students an opportunity to attend classes outside the Monday-Friday week.  Approximately 2,000 students have enrolled in the Weekend Colleges.  He stated the College hopes to expand the Weekend College to other campuses in the future.  He noted that the College Connection program at Austin Community College was recently recognized in the national Community College Times publication.

 

Reports to the Board

·        Facilities Update – Mr. Bill Mullane, Director of Facilities and Construction, called attention to the information provided regarding the current construction and renovation projects including Capital Improvement Projects; Miscellaneous Work; Environmental Health and Safety and Insurance - Recent Projects; and Buildings and Grounds Projects.  Mr. Mullane, Mr. Ferrell, Vice President, Business Services, and Dr. Kinslow responded to questions from Trustees.

·        Financial Report – November 2006 – Mr. Ben Ferrell, Vice President, Business Services, called attention to the information provided including:  (1) the College’s budget was on track and projecting approximately $4.6 million increase in Unrestricted Net Assets, and a $5.3 million increase in Total Net Assets; (2) Fall enrollments were up about 4.2%.  Wile official Spring enrollment figures are still to be finalized, current numbers indicated an even larger increase.  This exceeded the original projections of 2% growth, and therefore, tuition revenues were projected to exceed budget by $2.0 million; and (3) As for expenses, Adjunct Faculty and Overloads were projected to exceed original FY07 estimates due to the increased enrollments and vacancies in Full-Time Faculty Salaries.  This would be offset by increased tuition revenues and lapsed salaries in Full-Time Faculty.  Total salaries were projected to be over budget by about $0.4 million.

 

In summary, adjusting revenues by $5.6 million and expenses by $1.0 million, Net Revenues over Expenses projected a budget surplus of about $4.6 million and an increase in Total Net Assets of about $5.3 million.  Cash and investments were in line at approximately $73 million, including $46 million in bond proceeds.

 

Mr. Ferrell responded to questions from Trustees.

 

CONSENT ITEMS

 

Mr. Hernandez introduced the items:

 

Agenda Item 8278

Proposed Approval of Minutes December 4, 2006, Regular Meeting of the Austin Community College Board of Trustees

Recommendation:  That the Board of Trustees approve the minutes as presented.

 

Agenda Item 8279

Associate of Science Degree in Archaeology

Recommendation:  That the Board of Trustees approve an Associate of Science Degree in Archaeology.

 

Trustees Barbara P. Mink moved and Jeffrey Richard seconded that:

MOTION:  The Board of Trustees of Austin Community College approve Agenda Items  8278, Minutes of the December 4, 2006, Regular Meeting of the Austin Community College Board of Trustees; and Agenda Item 8279, Associate Degree in Archaeology.

VOTE:  The motion passed on a vote of 7-0.

FOR:  Lillian J. Davis, John F. Hernandez, James McGuffee, Barbara P. Mink, Rafael Quintanilla, Veronica Rivera, and Jeffrey Richard.

AGAINST:  None.

ABSENT:  Trustees Allen H. Kaplan and Nan McRaven were absent from the meeting.

 

 

DISUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION

 

Agenda Item 8280

Board Policy Review Process

Chair John Hernandez introduced the item and Trustee Veronica Rivera stated that a timeline would be established for the Board Policy review process and that the review would be completed prior to discussion of the FY08 Budget.  She indicated that a calendar for the review of policies would be provided at the February 5, 2007, Board meeting.  Ms. Rivera stated that she would perform an audit to ensure that the process would accomplish what the Administration desired.  Trustee Rivera responded to questions from Trustees regarding the process.

 

Agenda Item 8281

Discussion and Motion to Accept FY06 External Audit

Chair Hernandez introduced the item and Mr. Ben Ferrell stated the FY06 External Audit was conducted by McConnell & Jones, CPA’s, Houston, Texas.  Mr. Ferrell introduced Mr. Wayne McConnell and Mr. Eric Ernst of McConnell & Jones.  Mr. McConnell and Mr. Ernst stated that the audit gave Austin Community College an unqualified (“clean”) opinion.  An unqualified opinion assures the Board that the financial statements present fairly in all materials respects the financial position of the District as of August 31, 2006, and were prepared in conformity with applicable accounting and auditing standards for governmental colleges and universities in the United States.  In addition, the District had included statistical data in the audit as required by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) in order to provide the public with an enhanced understanding of District finances.  There were no management letter recommendations from the auditors for FY2006.  Mr. McConnell and Mr. Ernst responded to questions from Trustees. 

 

Trustees Lillian J. Davis and Jeffrey Richard moved and seconded that:

MOTION:  The Board of Trustees accept the FY06External Audit.

Trustees discussed action by the Board at the current meeting, and requested that this item be included on the Consent agenda for the February 5, 2007, Board meeting.

Trustees Lillian Davis and Jeffrey Richard withdrew the motion.

 

Agenda Item 8282

Discussion of Proposed Move of ACC Fire Academy

Mr. Hernandez introduced the item and Mr. Mike Midgley, Vice President for Workforce Education and Business Development, provided information concerning the proposed move of the ACC Fire Academy from Taylor, Texas, to the Austin Fire Department facility at the same location as the burn-site which is within the ACC District.  Dr. Gary Hampton, Dean of Applied Technologies, Multimedia, and Public Service, introduced Mr. Paul Menches, ACC Department Chair for Fire Protection Technology.  Mr. Midgley, Dr. Hampton, and Mr. Menches responded to questions from Trustees.  This item will be included on the agenda for the February 5, 2007, Board meeting.

Agenda Item 8283

Land in the Vicinity of Cypress Creek Campus

Mr. Hernandez introduced the item.

 

Recess

Mr. Hernandez recessed the January 22, 2007, Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees of Austin Community College into Executive Session at 7:46 p.m. to consult with legal counsel regarding the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property, including land in the vicinity of Cypress Creek Campus, pursuant to Government Code 551.072.

 

Reconvene

The Board of Trustees of Austin Community College reconvened in public session at 8:28 p.m. on January 22, 2007, pursuant to Texas Government Code 551.

 

Agenda Item 8283

Land in the Vicinity of Cypress Creek Campus

Mr. Hernandez introduced the item.

Trustees Veronica Rivera moved and Trustee Richard  seconded that:

MOTION:  The Board of Trustees authorize staff to acquire land in the vicinity of the Cypress Creek Campus along the lines that have been negotiated.

VOTE:  The motion passed on a vote of 7-0. 

FOR:  Lillian J. Davis, John F. Hernandez, James McGuffee, Barbara P. Mink, Rafael Quintanilla, Veronica Rivera, and Jeffrey Richard.

AGAINST:  None.

ABSENT:  Trustees Allen H. Kaplan and Nan McRaven were absent from the meeting.

 

Agenda Item 8284

ACC Board of Trustees Self-Evaluation

Chair Hernandez stated this item would be postponed until the February 5, 2007, Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees, due to the absence of two Trustees from the current meeting.

 

Announcements

There were no announcements.

 

Adjournment

Having no motion before the Board, the January 22, 2007, Regular Meeting of the Austin Community College Board of Trustees was adjourned at 8:29 p.m.

 

Approved By

Veronica Rivera, Secretary