LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
March 20, 2006
Regular Meeting

Adopted Meeting Minutes

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m.

Roll Call

Present: Brannan, Laverty, Pelleran, Proctor, Rasmusson, Smith
Absent: Canady

Trustee Canady arrived at 6:24 p.m. He departed at 8:16 p.m.

pledge of allegiance

Trustee Brannan led the pledge of allegiance.

ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA

Chairperson Laverty added to the agenda a resolution regarding the Senior Advisor for Resource and Enterprise Development.

There were no objections from the Board.

Limited Public Comment Regarding Agenda Items

Lynn Savage - Good evening, my name is Lynn Savage, I'm chair of the LCC Labor Coalition. Members of the Board of Trustees, President Cardenas, faculty, staff, and the community. We stand before you for the third time since November to express our continuing frustration at the lack of a health care settlement. All seven LCC labor unions supported and participated in the informational picket that you witnessed tonight. We believe at this point that it is important that the public understand that what we propose at the table is not unreasonable. We want to settle health care. We want to get on with our real jobs here at LCC: teaching students and providing the support necessary to make that happen. What is most disturbing? Our proposal costs less than the College's, offers greater benefits, and should be attractive for those two reasons alone. We all understand that the College wants employee heath care data, and to date has said they will pay the extra money to obtain it. However, that same money could be applied to continuing an excellent health care plan at a reasonable cost - and to beginning the process of bringing LCC's health care benefits to a level comparable to other Michigan community colleges. Truly, we are haggling over a sum that isn?t a lot different from the sum of monies spent to help top administrators leave their posts this year. If you have it for your top administrators, why can't you find it for those of us who are staying? We hear that we are valuable and valued, yet we heard clearly last week that our top budget priorities don't include human resources. Our AQIP report identified several areas that need attention in this area. We agree. We want very much to work with management to establish a comprehensive strategic plan for human resources that will particularly address our relatively poor standing with respect to salaries and benefits among comparable community colleges in Michigan. But what are we to believe? Nothing of this magnitude can possibly be addressed without fiscal commitment on the part of the College. Rhetoric about valued and valuable doesn?t spend well at the grocery store or the prescription counter. Help your team realize that now might not be the time to change a lot in the benefit structure. The Health Care Task Force, your combined labor-management team, needs to rebuild the budding trust that we thought we had, and we need time to do that. Settle health care now. It is doable. We encourage you to examine your parameters and your priorities, and send your team to the mediation sessions scheduled for next week with genuine commitment to finding a settlement.

Denise Warner - Good evening. Dear Board of Trustees. I've been working at LCC for nearly 10 years and I should give you my name shouldn?t I? my name is Denise Warner and I work in the department of Language Skills. And I must say that I love Lansing Community College for its mission, its students, and its faculty and staff. The faculty and staff whom I work with every day take great pride in providing the best programs and services for our students. We work tirelessly to meet the needs of our students and help them to begin to reach their dreams of entering a degree program and graduating or transferring. We are here because we are dedicated to students and take great joy in watching them succeed. Unfortunately I almost also say that these recent months have been some fo the most frustrating and stressful for me and my colleagues. We have watched in frustration as stories have exploded in the newspaper and we have watched in frustration as a our negotiating team has struggled at the table. Striving to reach a reasonable contract which provides our highly dedicated faculty with fair wages and healthcare benefits. I do not like entertaining the thought that the LCC Board and administration might be taking the faculty for granted; delaying a fair settlement in order to spend more on new buildings and fixtures; or to recuperate funds wasted on software programs or administrator buyouts. All of this does leave many of us feeling unappreciated. Let?s face it we all have to live on a budget and LCC is no exception. In my own family?s budget my husband and I allocate dollars for the things we deem is most important for our family. We may scrimp in one area for a while in order to spend on something else. LCC has spent and continues to spend a lot of dollars on buildings, on technology, and on administration. Is LCC scrimping on faculty? It's time that the Board and administration recognize the value of our faculty and put the budget dollars in line with what is most important at this College. Who teaches in the building? Who uses the technology? Who motivates and encourages students to strive for success? We the faculty that's who. We ask for respect and a fair and equitable contract now. Thank you.

Camille LaGuire - My name is Camille LaGuire and I'm a part-time instructional lab faculty in the MAIT Department. I spoke to you last September about how I've been here for 20 years and I'm more or less at the top of the pay scale and I still can't afford insurance or even the VEBA insurance. And right after I talked to you the deadline for VEBA came around. Things are getting better. we're going to have a contract any day now and I made a leap of faith in this college and I signed up for VEBA. Boy am I sorry. All of my money goes to the premiums. I can't afford to go to a doctor because I don't have any money left for the deductible. I'm worse off than I started. When I talk to my fellow adjuncts, they laugh at me. They say, "what has this college ever done for an adjunct that makes you believe that anything will get better?" I'm not talking about the people here. People here with the signs and the shirts - these people have hope, but the silent majority out there doesn?t right now among the adjuncts. They are cynical, they are angry, and they do not believe this College is going to do anything for them. When you think about it, a 3% raise, which people think it's the cost of living. that's $20 a month for most adjuncts. that's not going to do anything for them. And they see no point even lobbying because that's all they think they're going to get. They are intending actually to vote no on the contract. I keep talking to people. They haven?t seen it, but they know that whatever it is it's not going to be good for them. I asked them, "if you're so angry, why do you work here?" And they respond exactly?I should say they have advanced degrees. Even if you're an adjunct here, you have marketable skills. They could get a job someplace else. And they give you this funny look and they answer exactly how I would answer, and that is they are educators. They love this community. They love the?they believe in the mission of the community college which is to educate everyone in the community. And so we have made a commitment to this community. The community is committed to us. They voted for the millage. we're waiting for the College to make a commitment to us and to the Colelge itself for that matter. And those?silent majority out there, they're nt going to be satisfied with whatever the union happens to accept. They're going to keep people at the table until that commitment matches the trust to the community and the kind of commitment that faculty show every day in and out of the classroom. Thank you.

Pamela Miller - Members of the Board and the campus community. My name is Pamela Miller. I am a full-time instructor in the Business Department in the BMIT Division. I am also the lead faculty member in program coordinator and I'm also the Faculty Chair of the Curriculum and Instruction Council. I address you today as a faculty member who cares deeply about this institution and the students we serve. It is within this context that I need to share with you my dissatisfaction with the priorities of this institution. It became evident to me very early in my career at LCC that administration and faculty are all too often unable or unwilling to work together collaboratively, and that a campus culture of mistrust and disengagement is a result and has been allowed to flourish. The work of faculty does not appear to be highly valued on campus, as is evidence by the lack of a faculty contract and the general lack of participation of faculty in institutional decision-making. Thereto, faculty decision-making in curriculum and pedagogy is all too often micro-managed by department and division-level administrators. I submit to you that it is the faculty - those who possess the technical knowledge and skill necessary to inform curriculum and instructional change efforts - must play an integral role in determining the focus and the management of their work as well as in the leadership of this institution. I offer you the following in support of my position: The National Center for Educational Statistics referred to faculty as "the pivotal resource around which the process and outcomes of post-secondary education revolve".Myran referred to community college faculty as the "operating core" that provides the "mission-critical services" that directly impact student learning.Teacher empowerment supports improvements in student learning by creating ownership which, according to Murphy, "takes on enhanced power in light of the widely held belief that change requires ownership? ownership is the fulcrum for school improvement efforts and an essential element in the equation to sustain and deepen reforms". Educational researchers have found that teachers who were empowered to make decisions that affected their work environment and enhanced their ability to effectively work with students reported higher levels of commitment and job satisfaction. Higher levels of job satisfaction among teachers, in turn, have been linked to increased student outcomes. I also address you today as a professional. As a professional, I expect to play an integral role in determining the focus and management of my work; I expect that my knowledge and technical expertise be acknowledged and valued by this institution; I expect to participate in establishing the priorities and strategic initiatives of this institution. Insofar as the culture of an institution shapes and is shaped by the behavior of its members, collaborative leadership requires the commitment of everyone in this institution. Strong support for faculty development must be evident among campus leadership, and a culture of collaboration and collegiality must be nurtured. Most important is the acknowledgement of the central role of the faculty in student learning and the recognition that improvements in student learning cannot be achieved without a strong commitment to the ongoing support and development of faculty. Thank you.

Trustee Smith asked for anyone attending the Board meetings to please turn their cell phones to vibrate because it can be very distracting.

CHAIRPERSON AND BOARD MEMBER REPORTS

Chairperson Laverty

Prima Civitas - Mr. David Hollister

Chairperson Laverty introduced Mr. David Hollister, who was the former director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth. He is now the president of Prima Civitas.

Mr. Hollister thanked the Trustees, President Cardenas, and the campus community for the opportunity to address the Board. He shared with the Board the origin, mission, strategies, and plan for Prima Civitas. The mission of Prima Civitas is to diversify the economy; to help in the transition from a manufacturing based economy to a economy that's focused on life sciences, alternative energy, advanced manufacturing, IT and homeland security. Mr. Hollister stated that they see Lansing Community College as an active partner in this effort. He asked for college representation on the Prima Civitas board and for financial support. Mr. Hollister expressed willingness to sit down with the appropriate officials and discuss the College's participation.

There was a question and answer period after his presentation.

Trustee Rasmusson hopes that the College will participate.

Chairperson Laverty stated that the Board is interested in career, workforce and economic development. He further stated that the Board is interested in participating and learning more.

Chairperson Laverty shared a letter from a part-time faculty member that requested it be read into the record.

Trustee Pelleran recommend that the Board accept the letter and encapsulate it in its entirety into the meeting minutes.

There was brief discussion regarding the topic of the letter. The letter was regarding in support of more health insurance for part-time employees at the College.

The Board agreed to Trustee Pelleran?s recommendation.

Trustee Smith stated that when people send things to the Board they intend for the general public to hear it as well.

Letter from Vince Dragonnetti: "March 12, 2006; LCC Board; RE: Insurance- part time teaching staff. I could not attend; I'm away, permission to read into the record in full. I've been working continuously at LCC for 25 and also at JCC for 10 years leading many business courses. Self employed have started, operated, sold off, and still own over 11 businesses? all but one successfully. My entry level part timers were offered some types of benefits staged in over time. I keep my debt near zero and know money management and mismanagement well. As a taxpayer I also know the limits that I'll pay to support public programs and demand they be managed prudently. Let there be no mistake on that statement as I'm fully aware of the financial problems we have at LCC. But, has there ever been time where we have so much money we just have no idea where to spend it all? We are in the people business. Taxpayers are pushing more for results. Our business is educating people by well trained and experienced staff. It is not in bigger buildings, it is not in the latest equipment, it is in the people! I know of over 12 close friends that left teaching part time here over the years due to poor pay levels, little or no benefits (even with options to buy in), parking problems, management disputes, etc. Almost every one of them were excellent assets and well accepted people by students. They were excellent teachers with real world experience from their related work outside of LCC. They were not all MBA?s nor PhD?s - just plain good teachers in their field. Keeping an army of part timers is one thing, but to treat them like trash? is not "good business", the community sees this. Those former staff persons are community members. The taxpayers WILL NOT get good results. As President of the VEBA, which handles the catastrophic health insurance for part timers, I'm telling you this has been a great option for part time teaching staff just to have available. I'm licensed to handle health insurance and this is a very good plan when tied to LCC support for those that want to be involved. More benefit options are needed NOT LESS, All part timers will need nor want various benefits, but you must make them available to keep the door open. You must offer more benefits even with staged in qualifications based on years of service, number of credits, etc. Plans can be developed with various co-pays to keep this cost effective for the tax payer/employers. It may start after a few years then phase in LCC's share increasing with each year served etc. I know there will not be a massive run on the coffers as most employees here are covered by outside more expanded plans by themselves or their spouses. If it were phased in by years of service with a waiting period it will avoid problems of attracting those that only want the benefits. There are some of us that are not covered by anything at all. I'm not looking for a full ride and full benefits program for part time teaching staff? I want to see options ? good solid options available with the employer participating especially to those that you see have years of service and a proven loyalty to LCC. At the least, I urge you to keep some form of the VEBA co-pay plan in place under a grand father system for those that are members of the VEBA at this time."

Search Process Request for Proposal

Chairperson Laverty distributed a new version of the request for proposal for a search firm for the President and Chief Financial Officer positions. (The request for proposal is on file with the official Board materials.)

There was discussion regarding the due date of the proposals and whether the due date was adequate time for organizations to respond.

President Cardenas shared that they contacted community colleges that are in the process of searching for a new president. The turnaround time for the request for proposals was anywhere between two and four weeks. Most of the search firms are already accustomed to the request for proposal process and will quickly respond. The other factor in a shorter response time was to ensure that faculty were aware of the process and timeline prior to leaving for the summer months.

IT WAS MOVED by Trustee Rasmusson and supported by Trustee Pelleran to approve the request for proposal to find a search firm.

Trustee Canady offered a friendly amendment to extend the response period to April 10.

Trustee Rasmusson accepted Trustee Canady?s friendly amendment.

Trustee Pelleran also offered an amendment to change the project timeline accordingly.

Trustee Rasmusson accepted Trustee Pelleran?s amendment.

Ayes: Brannan, Canady, Laverty, Pelleran, Proctor, Rasmusson, Smith
Nays: None
Absent: None

Motion carried.

Chairperson Laverty shared that Henry Ford and Bay De Noc community colleges are also searching for a president. He asked for volunteers to review the request for proposals. Trustees Smith, Pelleran, and Laverty will review the proposals to narrow it down to three firms. Those firms will be invited for an interview process and presentation to the entire Board.

Information and Announcements

Chairperson Laverty distributed a letter from Miller Canfield regarding the Headlee Millage restoration. (The letter is on file with the official Board materials.)

There was brief discussion regarding the letter. Mr. William Danhof from Miller Canfield will be invited to attend the next meeting for further discussion on this issue.

Chairperson Laverty distributed a report regarding an environmental scan conducted for the Association of Community College Trustees in 2004 (it is on file with the official Board materials.) This study was conducted by Sungard Collegis. He felt that it is very important for the Board to review and it show?s one of the things Collegis does.

He gave a report on the Career Connections Advisory Group which is a subcommittee of the Workforce Development Board. This group has lost its funding, but discussions are continuing regarding relationships with K-12 and career pathways that have been laid out by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth. This group is also discussing involvement in the guaranteed diploma upon leaving high school and community college and work key programs. Chairperson Laverty distributed a copy of an article from the March 10 issue of The Chronicle Higher Education regarding how community colleges can become more aligned throughout the community.

Chairperson Laverty presented the following resolution regarding the Senior Advisor for Resource and Enterprise Development:

Pursuant to the authority of the Board of Trustees to establish policies, rules and regulations related to duties assigned to the Senior Advisor, Resource and Enterprise Development, the Board resolves as follows:

1. The Senior Advisor, Resource and Enterprise Development, shall present to the Chair of the Board, no later than Friday before its April, 2006 Board meeting, an accounting of funds brought to Lansing Community College, as a direct result of his efforts, from July 1, 2004 to the present.

2. The Senior Advisor, Resource and Enterprise Development, shall present to the Chair of the Board, no later than the Friday before its April, 2006 Board meeting, a report of the activities in which he has been engaged on behalf of Lansing Community College. This report shall detail his activities on a weekly basis from September 1, 2005 through the present, and shall include the contacts that he has made, the meetings in which he has engaged, the documents and records that he has developed, and the projects in which he has participated in on behalf of Lansing Community College.

3. The Senior Advisor, Resource and Enterprise Development, is hereby directed to accomplish and become involved in coordinating tasks related to various grants recently awarded to Lansing Community College, including but not limited to the Workforce Innovation Grant and Regional Economic Development Grant (WIRED). A report regarding these activities is to be presented to the Chair of the Board no later than the Friday before the May, 2006 Board meeting.

4. The Senior Advisor, Resource and Enterprise Development, is hereby directed to recommend effective ways in which Lansing Community College can assist in the goals of Prima Civitas. A report regarding the activities that the Senior Advisor is undertaking in this regard is to be presented to the Chair of the Board no later than the Friday before the May, 2006 Board meeting.

5. The Senior Advisor, Resource and Enterprise Development, is hereby directed to present to the Chair of the Board no later than Friday before its April, 2006 Board meeting, a list of the contacts with whom Cynthia Evans works throughout the United States that is critical to the success of the work of the Enterprise and Resource Development effort. The list should include the name of the organization, primary contact person, contact information including address and telephone number, specialization, and date and purpose of most recent contact.

6. The Senior Advisor, Resource and Enterprise Development, is hereby directed to present to the Chair of the Board no later than Friday before its April, 2006 Board meeting, a list of the contacts with whom the Senior Advisor works throughout the United States that is critical to the success of the work of the Enterprise and Resource Development effort. The list should include the name of the organization, primary contact person, contact information including address and telephone number, specialization, and date and purpose of most recent contact.

7. The Senior Advisor, Resource and Enterprise Development, is hereby directed to present to the Chair of the Board no later than Friday before its April, 2006 Board meeting, a report detailing the purposes, activities, goals, timelines and deadlines for each project and program in which the Enterprise and Resource Development office is involved.

8. The Senior Advisor, Resource and Enterprise Development, is hereby directed to present to the Chair of the Board no later than Friday before its April, 2006 Board meeting, a report detailing the progress with the Entrepreneurial Program development.

9. The Senior Advisor, Resource and Enterprise Development, is hereby directed to present to the Chair of the Board no later than Friday before its April, 2006 Board meeting, copies of all forms and spreadsheets developed pertaining to the Entrepreneurial Program development.

10. The Senior Advisor, Resource and Enterprise Development, is hereby directed to present to the Board no later than Friday before its May, 2006 Board meeting, a report detailing Enterprise and Resource Development and the process he is using to assist the college in enhancing its revenue stream, pursuant to the Power Point presentation that he presented at the 20 September, 2004, which is attached to this resolution.

Chairperson Laverty felt that this person is needed on campus to do work. He also felt that this person could assist with the Lansing Community College Foundation.

IT WAS MOVED by Trustee Pelleran and supported by Trustee Proctor to accept the resolution as stated; however, that the information shall be presented to the President of the College instead of to the Chair of the Board.

Chairperson Laverty made no objection to the change.

Trustee Canady felt leery about not having had this information prior to the meeting and considers this as a snap decision. He does not object to having this person give a report, but they should provide a report to the full Board.

Trustee Smith stated that the Senior Advisor, Resource and Enterprise Development did present to the Board previously and if the Board feels there should be more accountability then ask him to provide a much more comprehensive report.

Trustee Rasmusson felt that the Senior Advisor for Resource and Enterprise Development did not accomplish anything in almost two years and the President should oversee this.

Chairperson Laverty stated that he previously had questioned what has been the return on investment here. He felt that the Board and the College should expect accountability. Chairperson Laverty made no objection for the report to be given to the full Board. He asked Trustee Pelleran if she was willing to withdraw her motion.

Trustee Pelleran responded no. She felt that this is a staff oversight issue and prefers that the President of the College oversee the staff. Once the benchmarks are made and presented to the President, she would not object to a presentation given to the Board. However, she was not in favor of micromanaging staff.

Trustee Smith agreed that it is the President's job to oversee him. He is not an employee of the Board. If the Board is requesting more details, she would not object to a presentation.

Trustee Canady felt that if the Board has raised a concern about the level of accountability then the Board should be the one who gets the information.

Trustee Pelleran responded that she would prefer to receive the information from the one person the Board does hire; the President.

Trustee Canady was concerned with receiving filtered information, not that anyone would do this intentionally. However, he would prefer to hear the information directly from the individual.

Trustee Proctor stated that if the information is to be presented to the President, it doesn?t preclude having Mr. McCormick come before us to give a summation of his work.

Several Trustees expressed an interest in having Mr. McCormick make a presentation to the Board.

Ayes: Brannan, Laverty, Proctor, Pelleran, Rasmusson, Smith
Nays: Canady
Absent: None

Motion carried.

Board Members

Trustee Thomas Rasmusson - Policy Review and Analysis Report - The Mercer Group

Trustee Rasmusson introduced Ms. Jan Lazar from the Mercer Group.

Ms. Lazar presented the Policy Review and Analysis report to the Board (it is on file with the official Board materials.)

There was a question and answer period throughout the presentation.

A final report will be forwarded for Board action at the April meeting.

Trustee Rasmusson also reported that at the April meeting a request will be made for either a Trustee or a committee to review the issues of convergence and new economy networking.

Chairperson Laverty distributed copies of letters of engagement with Plante Moran as requested by Trustee Rasmusson (the copies are on file with the official Board materials.)

Trustee Proctor - Workforce Development Board

Trustee Proctor reported that at the last meeting $34,000 in additional funding was received for the incumbent worker program. This program focuses on aid and averting layoffs and supports the efforts of participating companies seeking to upgrade entry level skills. The training is conducted primarily by Lansing Community College. He also reported that the Michigan Innovation Alliance will be receiving $15 million over the next three years. This is a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor and it's called the WIRED Grant which stands for Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development. The College will be receiving $2.4 million over three years for entrepreneurial and healthcare workforce development programs.

Trustee Smith - Foundation

Trustee Smith reported that at the last Foundation meeting there were two student organizations highlighted. These student organizations shared how they have used the funds provided by the Foundation and how they were impacted by the dollars received. She announced that the Annual Scholarship Breakfast will be held on May 18. They received an update on the capital campaign. They are currently focusing efforts on a different audience. The Michigan Chamber of Commerce will be sponsoring a fundraising event in May and more details will be provided at a later date.

President's REPORT

Informational Items

College Spotlight - Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center Lansing Community College

President Cardenas introduced Mr. Bo Garcia the Regional Director of the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center at the College.

Mr. Garcia provided a PowerPoint presentation highlighting the Small Business & Technology Development Center (the presentation is on file with the official Board materials.)

There was a question and answer period after the presentation.

Oracle Update

President Cardenas reported that they are making great strides in attempting to address all issues and challenges. Three positions in Financial Aid have been advertised. There is now an interim Financial Aid Director and they are working with a search firm to find a permanent financial aid director. They are working with ISCD to create a request for proposal and request for information to identify firms to conduct a review of the College's structure along with other issues that may need to be addressed. The goal is to complete the request for information proposal by the end of this week.

Chairperson Laverty asked that a copy of the completed request for information proposal be sent to the Board for informational purposes.

Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) Grant

Vice Presidents Ruth Borger and Gary VanKempen provided a PowerPoint presentation on the WIRED Grant, which is a federal program designed to encourage regional economic development (the presentation is on file with the official Board materials.)

There was a question and answer period after the presentation.

The Board requested a copy of the presentation.

Cesar E. Chavez Day

President Cardenas reported that on Friday, March 31 is Cesar E. Chavez Day and many activities are being planned. She asked those interested in attending the activities to please contact Ms. Norma Mendez.

Trustee Pelleran announced that there will also be a reception welcoming President Cardenas on March 31 and everyone is invited.

Tribute to Paula D. Cunningham

President Cardenas presented the committee?s recommendations which were the following: 1) rename the Technical Training Center/MTEC to the Paula D. Cunningham Center/MTEC with appropriate branding;remove West Campus signage and place signage on three sides of the building; and 2) create a Paula D. Cunningham Scholarship Fund coordinated through the LCC Foundation.

This will be brought back to the Board for action at the April meeting.

Action Items

Approval of Minutes - February 9, 2006 Special Meeting; February 20, 2006 Regular Meeting

President Cardenas presented the February 9, 2006 and February 20, 2006 meeting minutes for the Board's review.

There were no changes to the minutes.

Voluntary Compliance Plan - State of Michigan Civil Rights Site Visit

President Cardenas presented the Voluntary Compliance Plan.

There was discussion regarding the plan.

Trustee Pelleran recommended referring covering the costs of the necessary upgrades to the Foundation.

Trustee Rasmusson recommended legal counsel review whether the State is liable under Headlee to pay the costs.

Finance - Approval Bids and Consulting Services

1. Document Imaging System in the amount of $89,699; and after the first year, with $17,939.80 in annual software maintenance. The recommendation was to award the bid to Albin Business Centers from Okemos, MI.

2. Oracle Programming & Applications Support in the amount of $220,000. The recommendation was to award the bid to the following firms: eAppTek, Inc.; Efficient Computing, EiS Technologies Inc.; and PRIAM Inc.

3. Consulting Services & Temporary Staffing for Financial Aid in the amount of $250,800. The recommendation was to award the sole source to Financial Aid Services from Atlanta, Georgia.

4. Consulting Services & Temporary Staffing sole source for Information Services and College Development and Administrative Services in the amount of $600,000. The recommendation was to award the sole source to Millennium Technical Consultants, Inc., from Webberville, Michigan.

5. Asbestos & Lead Air Monitoring sole source in the amount of $35,494. The recommendation was to award the sole source to Fibertec, Inc., from Holt, Michigan.

6. Training and Consulting Services for Mercury Interactive Load Testing Software sole source in the amount of $29,500. The recommendation was to award the sole source to Compulogic Corporation from Westland, Michigan.

7. West Campus-Dynamometer Lab in the amount of $199,400. The recommendation was to award the bid to Nielsen Commercial Construction Company of Holt, Michigan.

8. Demolition of Old Central, OUB & OUC in the amount of $467,850. The recommendation was to award the bid to Pitsch Companies of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

9. Parking Structure Restoration 2006 in the amount of $155,620. The recommendation was to award the bid to Western Waterproofing Co., of Livonia, Michigan.

10. Campus Fiber Loop Reconnect Through SPS in the amount of $9,810. The recommendation was to award the bid to Professional Communications Services, Inc., from Jackson, Michigan.

There was discussion regarding the bids.

IT WAS MOVED by Trustee Canady and supported by Trustee Smith to approve the action items under the President's Report.

Roll call vote:
Ayes: Brannan, Canady, Laverty, Pelleran, Proctor, Rasmusson, Smith
Nays: None
Absent: None

Motion carried.

Chairperson Laverty offered the audience an opportunity to offer public comment prior to going into closed session.

Denice Beckwith - Hello, I'm Denice Beckwith and tonight I listened to Jan Lazar?s report. I'm very impressed by it. I think a lot of what she has stated will give us good information. Both us and the Board. But there's one piece that worries me quite a bit. And that's the reporting to the ACS code for the budget. If you think about it, that's going to shake the system up. It's going to shake our organization because you are asking for the funding and the budget to be reported by ACS. What I would?this will shake all of our Oracle systems. What I would like to request is that we have some time to talk. There is some good to that proposal, but not in the budgeting piece. So, if there could be further discussions in the future, I?d appreciate it. Thank you.

Jan Lazar - I think there's a misunderstanding. we're specifically not asking you to budget to ACS. Barb and I already went over that at great length. It is asked to be budgeted in the same way that you currently budget it on the divisional departmental total. There?s one informational spreadsheet at the beginning of the year that will reference to ACS to the degrees feasible. I have been over that in great length with Barbara to make sure that we are not trying to budget to ACS. So, I think there is just some confusion about that. that's exactly what we are not proposing. But it was a discussion because there was a request from the external auditor who would like to see you budget to ACS. That there be some?at least some recognition that how the audit is prepared is on a different basis than you budget, operate and monitor and so to deal with that question without trying to budget to ACS and turn the system upside down and make it do something it doesn?t do we recommended to a degree feasible an information spreadsheet that would show at the beginning of the budget year how that generally fits to ACS. And it is general because of course the budget is only a plan at the beginning of the year; at the end of the year Bruce is merely tying it up down to the penny and in all kinds of formats that are in the accounting department. But that is not what is being proposed and I don't want anyone to think that we are proposing that because it would not be, from our understanding, feasible with the software and it would not match operationally in how the college operates and, therefore, not be a very useful budgeting format for you.

Trustee Pelleran - My public comment is on the procedure that we?ll look at and this Board will look at some policies next time and hopefully put them into place. And rest assured that we will take into consideration all elements and questions that people have proposed to us this evening and thank you for your insight.

Trustee Smith - Mr. Chair. One thing regarding the tribute to Paula Cunningham which was an informational item for tonight. On?at our next meeting it will be a recommendation that will be made to the Board I would ask that the other sites that were looked at?just so that the community will know the process from which the recommendation was made?that that information be presented at our next meeting as well.

CLOSED SESSION

IT WAS MOVED by Trustee Brannan and supported by Trustee Pelleran that the Board go into closed session for the purpose of discussing a strategy in negotiations connected with a collective bargaining agreement.

Roll call vote:
Ayes: Brannan, Canady, Laverty, Pelleran, Proctor, Rasmusson, Smith
Nays: None
Absent: None

Motion carried.

The Board entered into closed session at 8:16 p.m.

IT WAS MOVED BY Trustee Pelleran and supported by Trustee Smith that the Board return to open session.

Roll call vote:
Ayes: Brannan, Laverty, Pelleran, Proctor, Rasmusson, Smith
Nays: None
Absent: Canady

Motion carried.

The Board returned to open session at 9:00 p.m.

PUBLIC COMMENT

There were no comments from the public.

There was discussion about ordering a table to be placed in front the of the Board table for presenters. Also, there was discussion on moving the Vice Presidents? table to the opposite side of the room.

ADJOURNMENT

IT WAS MOVED by Trustee Brannan and supported by Trustee Proctor for the meeting to adjourn.

Ayes: Brannan, Laverty, Pelleran, Proctor, Rasmusson, Smith
Nays: None
Absent: Canady

Motion carried.

The meeting adjourned at 9:11 p.m.