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Minutes 03/09/2004



GOVERNING BOARD
MARCH 9, 2004
MINUTES

An executive session and strategic conversation of the Maricopa County Community College District Governing Board were scheduled to be held at 5:30 p.m. at the District Support Services Center in Tempe, Arizona, pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.02, notice having been duly given.

PRESENT

GOVERNING BOARD

Linda Rosenthal, President
Don Campbell, Secretary
Ed Contreras, Member
Nancy Stein, Member
Scott Crowley, Member

ADMINISTRATION

Rufus Glasper
Anna Solley
Ron Bleed
Debra Thompson
Jose Leyba
Pete Kushibab
Larry Christiansen
Ken Atwater
Homero Lopez
Todd Simmons for Linda Thor
Gene Giovannini
Art DeCabooter
Corina Gardea
Maria Hesse
Jane Saldana-Talley for Paul Dale

EXECUTIVE SESSION

The Governing Board met in executive session beginning at 5:30 p.m., notice having
been previously given. The executive session recessed at 6:25 p.m. The strategic
conversation convened at 6:35 p.m.

LISTENING SESSION

President Linda Rosenthal welcomed everyone present to the evening's strategic conversation intended to examine the culture of the Maricopa Community College District. She acknowledged the presence of students and a visitor from a League for Innovation College, Ms. Gerry Welch. Ms. Welch was from St. Louis Community College in Florissant Valley. She also acknowledged the presence of MCCCD Foundation Board Member, a few external guests, and many internal family members. Mrs. Rosenthal then turned the session over to planning committee chair Laura Helminski, Rio Salado Faculty Chair of Communication, to get the Conversation started.

Ms. Helminski also welcomed everyone in attendance and called attention to the magnifying glasses at each seat setting, stating that this evening they would be used figuratively and literally. She introduced members of the planning team which included Maria Harper-Marinick, Donna Schober, Josh Mackey, Teresa Toney, and Jason Reiche. She explained that the goal for the evening would to examine Maricopa's culture in order to increase our common mental models and shared understanding as to what is meant when people talk to each other.

Ms. Helminski called attention to the evening's ground rules which consisted of:

  • No Rank in the Room
  • Everyone Participates; No one Dominates
  • Have Fun

The participants were then directed to the handout consisting of the various exercises and activities for the evening. Ms. Helminski directed everyone to the question, "What is meant by Organizational Culture? She explained that it was seen as being shared meaning held by members in an organization that distinguished the organization from other organizations. On closer examination, this system of shared meaning is a set of key characteristics that the organization values.

Activity #1: A video clip of the movie City Slickers was shown. Participants were then asked to respond to a question about the intent of the movie using the polling response system.

Activity #2: Participants were asked to vote on the following statements: The culture at MCCD is established and attended to by design and effort rather than by chance. MCCD's Governing Board, Administration, Faculty and Staff would define our culture in similar terms.

Participants were asked the following questions:

Question #1: Why is it important to share a common understanding of our culture? The following responses were given:

  • To have commonality of the culture to achieve student success
  • To define how we should act and what is expected
  • Tradition
  • Shared understanding provides for a greater effective cultural institution, richness of value system, and respect for diversity of values
  • It helps employees determine whether they want to invest their time at an organization
  • Sense of belonging if part of a team system. Provides checks and balances and which help people keep on track.

Question #2: What is the most important reason for us to have a common understanding of our MCCD culture?

  • To help us work together more effectively to accomplish our mission
  • To help us work together more effectively to help our students accomplish more goals.

Question #3: How do vision/mission/values equal culture?

Mission: The business with which we are charged
Vision: Where we are going
Values: What is important to us

Question #4: What are MCCD's key cultural characteristics?

  • Innovation
  • Inclusiveness/Diversity
  • Student Centered
  • Learning
  • Attitudes

Question #5: What is evidence of our key culture characteristics?

Question #6: What is the level of evidence you believe we demonstrate for "Innovation"?
Polling responses indicated participants felt "Medium" level

Question #7: What is the level of evidence you believe we demonstrate for "Inclusiveness"?
Polling responses indicated participants felt "High" level

Question: #8: What is the level of evidence you believe we demonstrate for "Student Centered"?
Polling responses indicated participants felt "High" level

Question: #9: What is the level of evidence you believe we demonstrate for "Learning"?
Polling responses indicated participants felt "High" level

Question: #10: What is the level of evidence you believe we demonstrate for "Negative Attitude"?
Polling responses indicated participants felt "Low" level

Question: #11: What is the level of evidence you believe we demonstrate for "Positive Attitude"?
Polling responses indicated participants felt "Medium" level

Discussion on the question: What are strategies to increase the key culture characteristics? resulted in the following answers:

  • Chance or let it happen
  • Make an effort
  • Focus on specific strategies

To perpetuate a culture cycle, the following practices can be used:

  • Evaluating - with cultural values
  • Rewarding through a mechanism aligned with values
  • Communicating the message of the culture
  • Defining and agreeing on the culture
  • Hiring people who fit the culture
  • Training

Concluding Remarks:

Ms. Helminski commented that this evening represented the first level of examination. Observations made by participants were as following:

  • No mention of community
  • There are cultural differences based on work sites
  • Awareness of problems and strengths dependent on where colleges are
  • Differences in institutions
  • There may be more of a challenge than expected to improve culture and celebrate diversity
  • Need to go deeper into the meaning of words
  • Need to poll students

Examining is an important concept. When people bring up a phrase, examine what the other person means. Remind yourself that examining our culture really works.

Homework for April 13: Focus on questions 4,5,6.

Question 4: What are MCCCD's culture characteristics?
Question 5: Evidence of culture characteristics?
Question 6: Strategies to increase the culture characteristics?

Attachments

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting concluded at 8:20 p.m.

———————————
Dr. Donald R. Campbell
Governing Board Secretary