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, January 14, 2008, at 6:03 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. Nan McRaven, Board Vice Chair
[arrived at 6:07 p.m.]; Dr. James W. McGuffee, Board Secretary; Mr. Allen H.
Kaplan; Dr. Barbara P. Mink; Mr. Rafael Quintanilla; and Mr. Jeffrey Richard. Trustees Lillian J. Davis and Veronica Rivera
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
·
Student Profile – Dr. Kathleen Christensen, Vice
President for Student Support and Success System, introduced David Dunkin, ACC student
in the Human Services program. Mr. Dunkin advised that he had attended college
earlier in
Citizens
Communication
No one registered to address
the Board of Trustees.
Reports from
Associations
·
Adjunct Faculty
Association – Mr. Mike McCarthy, Treasurer and Eastview Campus Representative, provided
information regarding Association activities and the success of the recent silent
auction benefiting the ACC Scholarship fund.
He expressed appreciation to Trustees for their service and for having the
opportunity to serve the students, College, and community. He also expressed appreciation to Dr. Stephen
Kinslow, College President, for his work with the Adjunct Faculty Association.
·
Classified
Employees Association – Ms. Lisa Buck, President, spoke regarding the success
of various fundraising activities to assist the Capital Area Food Bank and the
Association’s emergency fund.
·
Full-Time Faculty
Senate – Dr. Dan Dydek, President-Elect, advised that the Senate President was
unable to attend the meeting and no report would be presented.
·
Professional-Technical
Employees– No report was presented.
·
Student
Government Association – No report was presented.
President’s
Report
Dr. Stephen B.
Kinslow, College President, provided information regarding a recent Leander ISD
Board meeting which he and Trustee Kaplan attended and in which a citizen’s
group donated $3,228.51 to the ACC Foundation for ACC’s College Connection program; highlighted and complimented ACC’s
Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, Travel and Tourism, and Meeting and Event
Management programs for sponsoring and producing the Mayor’s Balcony VIP
Reception during Austin’s annual First Night celebration held on New Year’s
Eve; ACC’s Cypress Creek Campus received national coverage in the December 2007
issue of College Planning &
Management magazine as one of four community college projects to be
highlighted; The Community College Business Officers recently named Ben
Ferrell, Vice President of Business Services, as the 2007 Outstanding Business
Officer; introduced ACC’s Leader ship and President’s “Above and Beyond Award”
recipients: Ms. Alice Farmer, Administrative
Assistant at the Round Rock Higher Education Center - Classified Employee of
the Year; Mr. Frankie Waller, ACC Chief of Police - Professional-Technical
Employee of the Year and; Dr. Gary Hampton, Dean of Applied Technologies,
Multimedia, and Public Service -Administrator of the Year; Dr. Luanne Preston,
Executive Director of Early College Start and College Connection - Servant
Leadership Award; and Mr. Tung Vu, Learning Lab Math Tutor at the Pinnacle
Campus - Student Success Award. Mr.
Waller, Dr. Hampton, and Mr. Vu expressed appreciation for the awards.
Reports to the Board
·
Facilities Update – Mr. Bill Mullane, Executive Director
of Facilities and Construction, called attention to current construction and
renovation projects, GO Tax Bond Projects, District-Wide Renovation Projects,
and Detailed Usage of Interest Earnings.
Dr. Kinslow, Mr. Mullane and Ms. Rebecca Cole, Director of Environmental
Health, Safety and Insurance, responded to questions from Trustees.
·
Financial Report – November 2007 – Mr. Ben Ferrell, Vice
President, Business Services, called attention to the information provided
including:
o The College’s
budget was on track and projecting a positive $2.8 million Net Revenues &
Expenses, and a $4.3 million increase in Net Assets.
o Fall enrollments
were up about 2.3%. This slightly
exceeds the original projections of 2% growth and, therefore, tuition revenues
were projected to be on track. With only
a few weeks of Spring enrollments book through November, it was early to
project Spring results, but Spring enrollments were on track.
o As for expenses,
Adjunct Faculty and Overloads were projected to slightly exceed original
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 under
budget by $2.7 million.
In summary, adjusting
revenues by $0.5 million and expenses by $2.3 million, Net Revenues over
Expenses projected a budget surplus of about $2.8 million and an increase in
Net Assets of about $4.3 million. Cash
and investments were in line at approximately $80 million, including $36 million
in bond proceeds.
Mr. Ferrell
responded to questions from Trustees.
CONSENT ITEM(S)
Mr. Hernandez
introduced the Consent Items:
Agenda Item 8406
Proposed Approval of Minutes of
Recommendation: That the Board of Trustees approve the
minutes as presented.
Agenda Item 8407
Proposed Approval of Workers Compensation Insurance Renewal
Recommendation: That the Board of Trustees award the renewal
of the Workers Compensation insurance contract to the Texas Association of
School Boards (TASB).
Trustees
MOTION: The Board of
Trustees of the Austin Community College District approve Agenda Items 8406,
Minutes of the December 3, 2007, Regular Meeting of the Austin Community
College District Board of Trustees; Agenda Item 8407, Proposed Approval of
Workers Compensation Insurance Renewal.
VOTE: The motion
passed on a unanimous vote of 7-0.
FOR: John Hernandez;
Allen H. Kaplan; James W. McGuffee; Nan McRaven; Barbara Mink; Rafael
Quintanilla; Jeffrey Richard; .
AGAINST: None.
ABSENT: Trustees
Lillian J. Davis and Veronica Rivera.
Agenda Item 8408
FY07 External Audit/Management Letter
Mr. Hernandez
introduced the item and Mr. Ben Ferrell provided information. Texas Higher Education Code 61.605(a)
requires each public community/junior college to be audited by independent
Certified Public Accountants in accordance with the approved reporting system
developed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board. The independent auditors’
engagement is with the Board of Trustees, rather than the College
administration; consequently, the auditors address the report to the Board.
Mr. Ferrell
introduced Mr. Wayne McConnell of McConnell & Jones, CPA’s,
Trustees
MOTION: The Board of
Trustees accept the Fiscal Year 2007 Financial Audit Report.
VOTE: The motion
passed on a unanimous vote of 7-0.
FOR: John Hernandez;
Allen H. Kaplan; James W. McGuffee; Nan McRaven; Barbara Mink; Rafael
Quintanilla; Jeffrey Richard.
AGAINST: None.
ABSENT: Trustees
Lillian J. Davis and Veronica Rivera.
Agenda Item 8409
Discussion of Legislative Agenda
Mr. Hernandez
introduced the item and Ms. Linda Young, Special Assistant to the President for
Government and Community Relations, provided information regarding key dates
for the ACC legislative agenda. Trustees
discussed topics to be included as possible State legislative issues. Mr. Kaplan presented information regarding the
recently established Community College Association of Texas Trustees (CCATT).
Agenda Item 8410
Approval of Equipment Lease Purchase Agreement
Mr. Hernandez
introduced the item and Mr. Ben Ferrell stated formal action by the Board of
Trustees was needed to use lease financing.
Mr. Ferrell stated the College has been in the process of upgrading its
telecommunications equipment during the past two years. Upgrades were originally planned in concert
with campus construction and renovation projects; however, staff determined that
it would be beneficial for the College to accelerate the upgrades on a
district-wide basis in FY2008 to gain efficiencies and to standardize equipment
at all ACC locations. The Tech Plan for
FY2008 included the purchase and financing of all the equipment necessary to
complete the project during the fiscal year and requested the FY2008 lease
payment amount, which was approved as part of the College budget on July 9,
2007.
In conjunction
with the financing of the project, staff requested that the Board approve a
lease purchase agreement for the equipment.
The approval provides assurance that the Board is aware of the
particulars of the financing arrangement and ensures the tax-exempt status of
the financing agreement.
Trustees Allen Kaplan moved and James McGuffee seconded
that:
MOTION: The Board of
Trustees approve the use of a lease purchase agreement for telecommunications
equipment as approved in the FY2008 budget.
VOTE: The motion
passed on a unanimous vote of 7-0.
FOR: John Hernandez;
Allen H. Kaplan; James W. McGuffee; Nan McRaven; Barbara Mink; Rafael
Quintanilla; Jeffrey Richard; .
AGAINST: None.
ABSENT: Trustees
Lillian J. Davis and Veronica Rivera.
Agenda Item 8411
Approval to Negotiate Lease for Photography Studio
Mr. Hernandez
introduced the item. Mr. Ferrell and Mr.
Bill Mullane provided information. The
shop currently used by the Photography Department is located in space leased at
Trustees Allen Kaplan moved and Rafael Quintanilla seconded
that:
MOTION: That the
Board of Trustees approve negotiation of a lease for the ACC Photography
Studio.
VOTE: The motion
passed on a unanimous vote of 7-0.
FOR: John Hernandez;
Allen H. Kaplan; James W. McGuffee; Nan McRaven; Barbara Mink; Rafael
Quintanilla; Jeffrey Richard.
AGAINST: None.
ABSENT: Trustees
Lillian J. Davis and Veronica Rivera.
Agenda Item 8412
Approval of Lease of Space for the Construction Shop
Mr. Hernandez
introduced the item.
Agenda Item 8413
Consideration of Trustee Vacancies
Mr. Hernandez
introduced the item.
Executive Session
Chair Hernandez
recessed the January 14, 2008, meeting of the Austin Community College District
Board of Trustees into Executive Session at 7:16 p.m. to consult with legal counsel regarding the purchase,
exchange, lease or value of real property, including approval of a lease for
the Construction Shop, pursuant to Government Code §551.072; pending or
contemplated litigation or a settlement offer pursuant to Government Code
§551.071; and/or relating to personnel matters, including deliberation
regarding applicants for Trustee vacancies, pursuant to Government Code
§551.074.
Reconvene
The Board of
Trustees of the Austin Community College District reconvened in public session
pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 551 on January 14, 2008, at 7:45 p.m.
Agenda Item 8412
Approval of Lease of Space for the Construction Shop
Mr. Hernandez
introduced the item.
Trustees Allen Kaplan moved and Jeffrey Richard seconded
that:
MOTION: The Board of
Trustees approve entering into a lease for relocating the Construction Shop to
the vicinity of the South Austin Campus as discussed in Executive Session and
to authorize Dr. Stephen B. Kinslow or his designee to execute a lease with a base
rent not to exceed $16,592 per month until April 2009 and, thereafter, having
an annual increase not to exceed three percent per year and other terms and
conditions as Dr. Kinslow may find favorable or advantageous.
VOTE: The motion
passed on a unanimous vote of 7-0.
FOR: John Hernandez;
Allen H. Kaplan; James W. McGuffee; Nan McRaven; Barbara Mink; Rafael
Quintanilla; Jeffrey Richard; .
AGAINST: None.
ABSENT: Trustees
Lillian J. Davis and Veronica Rivera.
Agenda Item 8413
Consideration of Trustee Vacancies
Mr. Hernandez
introduced the item.
Trustees James W. McGuffee moved and Barbara P. Mink
seconded that:
MOTION: The ACC
Board of Trustees call a Special Election to elect a Trustee for Place 5 and
that this Special Election be held at the same time as the General Election in
May 2008 for Places 1, 2, and 3.
Trustee McGuffee
stated that Trustee Quintanilla would be the incumbent in the Place 5 position until
the results of the May 2008 Special Election are known and the winner would then
serve in Place 5.
VOTE: The motion
passed on a unanimous vote of 6-0.
FOR: John Hernandez;
Allen H. Kaplan; James W. McGuffee; Nan McRaven; Barbara Mink; Jeffrey Richard;
AGAINST: None.
ABSTAIN: Trustee
Rafael Quintanilla.
ABSENT: Trustees
Lillian J. Davis and Veronica Rivera.
Adjournment
Having no motion before the
Board, the
Approved By
James W. McGuffee, Board
Secretary