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Minutes 01/25/2000




GOVERNING BOARD
JANUARY 25, 2000
MINUTES


An executive session and regular meeting of the Maricopa County Community College District Governing Board were scheduled to be held at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. respectively at the District Support Services Center, 2411 West 14th Street, Tempe, Arizona, pursuant to A.R.S. 38-431.02, notice having been duly given.

PRESENT
GOVERNING BOARD
Gene Eastin, President, Donald R. Campbell, Secretary, Nancy Stein, Member, Linda B. Rosenthal, Member, Ed Contreras, Member

ADMINISTRATION
Raul Cardenas, Phil Randolph, Bertha Landrum, Rufus Glasper, Pete Kushibab, Gina Kranitz, Larry Christiansen, John Cordova, Art DeCabooter, Stan Grossman, Homero Lopez, J. Marie Pepicello, Linda Thor, Joyce Elsner for Tessa Martinez Pollack Arnette Ward, Fred Gaudet

ABSENT
STATE BOARD
Nick Balich

CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m. by President Gene Eastin.

EXECUTIVE SESSION
President Eastin called for a motion convening an executive session, notice having been previously given.

MOTION
MOTION NO. 8938
Don Campbell moved that an executive session be convened. Motion carried 5-0.

The meeting reconvened at 6:30 p.m.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The assembly pledged their allegiance to the United States of America.

CITIZEN'S INTERIM
No citizens came forward.

BOARD MEMBER REPORTS
1. Don Campbell - no report
2. Nancy Stein reported that she attended the faculty convocation at Scottsdale Community College.
3. Ed Contreras - no report
4. Linda Rosenthal - no report
5. Gene Eastin made the following inaugural remarks:

CHALLENGES FOR MARICOPA COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN THE 21ST CENTURY

The enormous size of this district and the magnitude of its operation provide a real challenge to any president of  the MCCCD Governing Board.I accept the challenge with the conviction that I can make a difference, as has each of the past presidents. Tonight, I want briefly to discuss a few of the challenges that together we will face in the future.Among these issues are:
1.Growth in enrollment and erosion of revenues
2. The need to reduce costs
3. Managerial accountability
4. Fear in the work place
5. Governance
6. The transition of new leadership into the 21st century.

I. First, there is the budgetary challenge posed by ever-increasing costs in operations.    The answer is not a simple one, but the word austerity does seem to focus rather sharply on the problem.

I have suggested, on other occasions, that we simply must eliminate what we don’t need in order to preserve and enrich what we do need. Limited resources have narrowed our means. We must now focus on the essentials as set forth in our Mission statement if we are going to continue to be the national leader in providing the very best education to the students whom we serve. Therefore, we will have to develop new and better ways to move forward with restricted resources and greater demands on those resources.

II. The search for the best practice in cost-cutting will involve a collective effort wherein everyone accepts the premise that reductions in certain expenditures must be made if we are to meet our mandated commitments and maintain our reputation for the finest in quality education. This will require a new emphasis on program review, consolidation and realignment.

It is my belief, and evidence affirms, that revenue growth will be considerably less than the demand for our services. What, then, are the most appropriate reallocations to make in order to implement the GOALS as set forth by the Governing Board and maintain the integrity of our MISSION?

Somehow, we must impress upon legislators that while we are the largest district in the state, we are not fiscally irresponsible.  They must understand that we do practice the best possible fiscal management through strategic planning and Maricopa’s Risk Assessment procedures.

It should be remembered that I have gone on record questioning administrative overhead. The protest that I make here is, of course, not only for an increase in full-time faculty, but also for a significant decrease in management overhead, for we are fundamentally a teaching institution.

There is also the larger issue of population growth and what it means to us. We cannot stop the influx of new residents, many of whom will be students in our system, but we have to accommodate them one way or another.

The challenge to MCCCD is truly awesome. At this point in time no end is in sight.  Our strategic planning must not only address this issue but also provide workable solutions.  Do we provide for the growth by another bond program to buy more land to build more buildings, or do we build multi-storied buildings on existing campuses, or do we limit enrollment to accommodate the capacity of each campus? Do we lease rather than build? Do we expand distance learning?All these issues raise an even more fundamental question: Has MCCCD reached the saturation point? Again strategic planning has to face these questions.

To meet such challenges, an increase in tuition will inevitably be suggested.  And strong arguments will surface to support it. But there will be equally strong reasons to defeat it. At the present time, I do not suggest or support any increase in tuition. However, I do support fees for performing arts centers.It is my view that the performing arts are just as important to education as the humanities and the sciences.

What about other commitments? Is it possible to eliminate some of them? State law provides only for the first two years of higher education, and I do not support initiatives that deal with problems that are not our own. I am in favor of studies that promote a seamless transition between high school and college curricula, I do not believe that we have either the time, resources or expertise to solve financial and educational problems that are at the high school level. It is a question of knowing our limitations.

These thoughts lead me to a proposal of austerity. As a specific example, if you take the total allocation for travel for next fiscal year 2000-2001, assuming it to be the same as this fiscal year’s $1,033,065, and cut it by 10%, you will generate a savings of $103,306.50 that can be used for other perhaps more important purposes.  Even the Governing Board can make cuts in its operational budget.

I am certain that similar cuts in other areas will produce equally impressive results. Take, for example, contractual services that this year amount to $16,486,558.  Reduce that amount by, say, 10%, and you would gain $1,648,558, adding even more to address urgent needs.

Aside from these specific examples, and on a more general level, there is even the possibility that entire programs and services that do not contribute directly to the instructional process could be eliminated. Certainly consolidation of effort in certain areas might be considered.

These are only a few examples as I see them.  I am certain that more equally appropriate examples can be found throughout the budget.  It takes nothing more than belief in the premise that resources are more likely to diminish than to increase and that certain reductions and/or eliminations will have to be made if we are to continue to meet the specifics of the our MISSION and GOALS.

III. Thus, we need to become more focused, which brings me to another very important issue: the promotion and cultivation of executive and managerial accountability.

As you know, there has been much national attention given lately to accountability, and MCCCD is no exception.  In one sense, accountability explains how tax money is spent, why it is spent and who does the spending. More precisely, it is nothing more than a justification for how one spends taxpayer money and time on the job. But accountability has many dimensions and reaches into every aspect of any given system.

It will be my objective to suggest policies and procedures whereby everyone will be held accountable from the CEO on down.

Furthermore, it should not go unnoticed that we Governing Board members ourselves are held strictly accountable by the voters for everything we do, how we do it, why we do it, and for every dollar we spend. Nothing less should be expected from faculty and staff.

From my perspective, it is not unreasonable to expect an accounting of how taxpayer money is being spent, nor is it unreasonable to expect a statement, say, on travel, indicating just what was accomplished, how it met the district goals, including district mission objectives.  Then, too, if the chancellor can send a memo to the Board and to his subordinates that he will be out of town for a while, attending a conference or whatever, so, too, can top management inform the Board and personnel under them in a similar manner. It will take no more than a few sentences to explain where you have traveled, why, when and what Board GOALS were met through such travel. But this is only one direction that accountability might take.

On another level, accountability is associated with performance funding which has been defined as getting money in proportion to your performance as determined by indicators of success.  To one extent or another in several other states such funding mechanisms are being implemented by state legislatures.

Accountability does not stop at any given level.  It is pervasive.  On more than one occasion, I have publicly declared that I would like to see a more residential chancellor, but it does not stop there. Campus presidents should be more frequently visible to their faculty and staff.  This, too, is accountability in time and presence on the job.

IV. But even this cannot be done unless we also deal with another enormous challenge:  fear in the workplace. I submit that we cannot cut costs or become more accountable unless we eliminate the corrosive and perhaps unwarranted fear about perceived arbitrary and capricious personnel practices on our campuses and in our district office.

By way of examples of fear in the workplace, I offer the following which have been directly reported to me by various personnel on several of our campuses;

Fear of illegal drugs being planted in an office.
2. Fear of phones calls being monitored.
3. Fear of being followed off campus.
4.Fear of a supervisor’s retaliation for a minor discretion.
5. Fear of running for election against a department chair.
6. Fear of managerial monitoring of electronic mail.
7. Fear of transfer without good or sufficient cause.
8. Fear of unwarranted dismissal.

I am as astonished at this list as you probably are, but I have been assured that these are common expressions of malcontents. I happen to believe otherwise.

As a first step in dealing with this issue, I propose that everyone in authority in this district, from the CEO on down through department chairs at the campus level, adopt the precepts in the following paragraph that I first wrote on another occasion several months ago.

Lest he/she fail, a good leader must have willing followers who subscribe to the ideals and ideas, to the methods and means the leader values.  A good leader achieves this through civility, respect and appreciation of the dynamics of the group that he/she leads. Such a leader cannot long afford to be tyrannical in methods or intolerant of diversity or threatening by harsh words and deeds.  A good leader does not push; a good leader inspires. A good leader does not use threats; a good leader uses reason. A good leader is never abusive or insensitive; a good leader is always thoughtful and caring.

If these precepts are followed, many of our personnel problems might well be reduced or eliminated. Of course, reducing fear in the work place will not be easy, but it will be necessary if we are to compete in the 21st century. Some of the following might help in this matter.

1. Clarifying the cumbersome provisions of the
whistle blower policy.

2. Reexamining our internal dispute-resolutions mechanisms.
3.Equalizing the due process rights for all employees.
4. Establishing merit as the key principle around
which promotions and perks are given.
5.  Promoting credibility and integrity in our personnel system, with a particular emphasis on preventing arbitrary and capricious behavior.

V. And now, before closing, I should like to say a word or two on Governance. Last month, in mid-December, another benchmark in the evolution of Policy Governance was achieved. The name of our policy document was changed to Maricopa Governance Policies.

Then, too, the contents underwent structural revisions to promote brevity, precision and clarity.  The Board recognizes that it is still not a perfect document; it is evolving but continued use and constant examination into its function will most probably inspire further revisions.

Nonetheless, it should be clearly understood that while the Board assumes the role of establishing policy and determining goals, it does not lay aside its “Duties and Responsibilities” as defined and determined by Arizona Statutes, and also as clearly stated in the Common Policies of all the Employee Policy Manuals, over which the Board retains control.

VI. Finally there is a remaining great challenge which involves concluding the search for a new chancellor and preparing the transition of MCCCD into the 21st century. This will include focusing on creating a climate that is marked by merit and tempered by equity.It will also indicate a reemphasis on making the chancellor and the presidents more accountable and residential in the sense that they will be more focused on the internal operations of the district including the campuses and the various centers.

In conclusion, let me say that meeting these challenges will be an enormous undertaking. The problems of reducing costs, clearly defining and establishing accountability, dealing with growth, and eliminating fear in the workplace will not be easy.  Selecting a new chancellor and preparing for our transition into the leadership of a new chancellor will require extraordinary patience and wisdom. The Board is well aware of the awesome responsibility of selecting and appointing a chancellor which is quite probably the single most important task the Board has to perform.  While this burden is borne by the Board alone, I am certain that our collective wisdom will guide us to the best choice.   And with everyone’s help, I am hopeful that my presidency will be able to meet these challenges and move forward to an even more productive future.

CHANCELLOR'S REPORT
There was no report.

SECRETARY’S REPORT
There was no report.

FACULTY REPORT
There was no report.

EMPLOYEE GROUP REPORTS
There was no report.

COLLEGE REPORTS
Dr. Gina Kranitz, President for Paradise Valley Community College, reported that two track team members broke national records in the pole vault.  She also reported on the first two students to graduate from Findlay University.  These students graduated in the field of environmental management and are already employed.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT REPORTS
Ricky Turner, Chandler Gilbert Community College Student Government President updated the Board on this semester's activities, which included a student leadership retirement and the upcoming intergenerational prom.

STATE BOARD REPORT
There was no report.

AADGB REPORT
Linda Rosenthal reported that a joint meeting was held with the ACCPC. Issues discussed included legislative items and regulatory issues. Don Puyear spoke regarding the State Board meeting format and a report was heard from members of the Governor's Taskforce on Higher Education.  A committee of chief executive officers will be working with the State Board on dual enrollment issues. The concept and restructuring of ACCA and the make-up of the membership of the new board wasp; discussed.  At the AADGB meeting further discussion was held regarding the ACCA restructuring and the hiring of a contract lobbyist for this legislative session.

LEGISLATIVE REPORT
Jack Lunsford provided an update on several legislative issues including the biennial budget process and the amount of funds the District will receive. Due to the biennial budget process the District should receive the same amount as it receives in the first year. Funds will be received from supplemental funding.  Amendmentlanguage is waiting for senate approval. It would provide for giving the District all of its earned income for growth in the coming year.  This would be added to the base for ongoing and continuous years, although issues regarding the base which have not been resolved will affect if the funds are "one time."  Work is being done to have this issue resolved.  Issues also reported on included the forming of a committee to study the issues of dual enrollment and a bill that would allow for community college districts to join the state insurance pool. Mr. Lunsford also provided updates on bills pertaining to salary issues for adjunct faculty which could affect the local authority of governing boards, retirement issues, and the possibility for provisional districts to apply for state aid. In response to inquiries regarding redistricting, Mr. Lunsford noted that the 60 day period is still running its course, but the boundary changes will, for the most part, switch the constituencies of districts 3 and 4.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
Phil Randolph thanked and recognized Donna Schober for her leadership and performance as Acting Vice Chancellor for Quality and Employee Development.  President Eastin congratulated Don Campbell for receiving the Whitney M. Young Award from the Boy Scouts of America.

Mr. Eastin presented Linda Rosenthal with a plaque and gavels in recognition for serving as Governing Board President for four terms. He expressed appreciation for her service as Governing Board President during the past year.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
President Eastin requested a motion to approve the agenda.

MOTION
MOTION  NO. 8939
Linda Rosenthal moved that the Governing Board agenda be approved.  Motion carried 5-0.


CONSIDERATION OF CONSENT AGENDA
President Eastin asked if there were any requests to remove items from the Consent Agenda. There were no items removed from the Consent Agenda. The following items are included in the Consent Agenda:

(A-1) APPROVAL OF MINUTES -of the December 14, 1999 and January 11, 2000 meetings.

(B-1) CONSIDERATION OF EMPLOYMENTS,  RESIGNATIONS, RETIREMENTS AND TERMINATIONS - terminations be approved as presented.

(B-2)AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR STUDENT INSURANCE COVERAGE - Award a contract to Renaissance Agencies, Inc. for student insurance coverage at a cost to the District of $447,399.00 for an 18-month premium.

(C-1)CONCEPTUAL APPROVAL FOR THE NEW PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AND THE MULTI-PURPOSE PERFORMANCE CLASSROOMS WING AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE - Approve the following: a) The concept and initiation for a new Performing Arts Center and a Multi-purpose Performance Classrooms Wing at South Mountain Community College, and b) forwarding this item to the State Board for its action.

(C-2) BUDGET INCREASE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AT CHANDLER-GILBERT COMMUNITY COLLEGE - Approve a Seven Hundred Thousand Dollar ($700,000) increase in the budget of the Performing Arts Center at Chandler-Gilbert Community College.

(C-3) QUIT CLAIM RESOLUTION ON PROPERTY LINE AT MESA COMMUNITY COLLEGE AT RED MOUNTAIN - Approve the following: a) A quit claim resolution regarding the western boundary line at Mesa Community College at Red Mountain, and b) forward this item to the State Board for its action.

(C-4)CURRICULUM - Approve the curricula as submitted. (C-5)INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT FOR THE ARIZONA STATE SYSTEM OF INFORMATION ON STUDENT TRANSFER (ASSIST) - Authorize District participation in the Arizona State System of Information on Student Transfer (ASSIST) and approve the Joint Resolution that will require the District to submit data to ASSIST.

(D-1)BUDGETED EXPENDITURE REDUCTION FOR FY 1998-99 - Approve the reduction of budgeted expenditures as presented to reflect the same amount as actually expended in the General Fund, the Auxiliary Enterprises Fund, the Restricted Fund, and the Unexpended Plant Fund, for FY 1998-99 per the audited financial statements.

(E-1)CONTRACT AWARD FOR INFRASTRUCTURE CABLING INSTALLATION FOR MATH/COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS BUILDING AT SCOTTSDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE - Approve acceptance of a negotiated contract in the amount of $2,441,843 between the Small Business Administration and the Maricopa Community Colleges.  This contract represents $1,142,449 of SBA funding and $1,299,344 of Arizona community colleges cash match in-kind resources.  Of this amount, Maricopa Community  Colleges represents $166,442 of cash-match support, and $290,953 of in-kind and indirect support.

MOTION
MOTION NO. 8940
Linda Rosenthal moved that the Consent Agenda be approved. Motion carried 5-0.

INFORMATION ITEMS
(VI.A.) Policy Titles: Manner of Governing and Treatment of People Addition of Diversity Language First Reading

MONITORING REPORTS
(VII.A.) Budget Analysis Report Summary
Fund 1 - General Unrestricted Fund
For the Six Months Ended December 31, 1999
(VII.B.)1994 General Obligation Bonds Series A (1995), Series B (1997), and Series C (1999) Receipts and Disbursements Analysis and Capital Development Plan Summary As of December 31, 1999

(VII.C.) Payroll and Accounts Payable Vouchers FY 99/00 through December 31, 1999

NEXT BOARD MEETING
The next Governing Board meeting will be a work session on February 8, 2000

ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
The Governing Board moved into executive session.

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