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Minutes 08/10/2004



GOVERNING BOARD
AUGUST 10, 2004
MINUTES

An executive session, special joint meeting of the Maricopa County Community College District Governing Board and Mesa City Council, a special meeting of the Maricopa County Community College District Governing Board, and a 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
Earl Monsour for Ron Bleed
Debra Thompson
Jose Leyba
Larry Christiansen
Ken Atwater
Homero Lopez
Linda Thor
Gene Giovannini
John Neibling for Art DeCabooter
Corina Gardea
Maria Hesse
Paul Dale
Phil Randolph
Steve Helfgot

MESA CITY COUNCIL

Keno Hawker, Mayor
Mike Whalen, Councilmember
Janie Thom, Councilmember
Tom Rawles, Councilmember

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 6:15 p.m. The special joint meeting of the Maricopa County Community College District Governing Board and the Mesa City Council convened at 6:35 p.m. The special joint meeting was adjourned at 6:55 p.m. After a twenty minute adjournment, the special meeting of Maricopa County Community College District followed and strategic conversation was reconvened at 7:15 p.m.

SPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF THE MARICOPA COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD AND MESA CITY COUNCIL

  • President Linda Rosenthal called the meeting to order, welcomed guests and community members. She then introduced individual members of the Governing Board. Because not all members of the Mesa City Council were present to constitute a quorum, the call to order for the Mesa City Council was delayed. Mayor Keno Hawker led the Pledge of Allegience.

  • President Rosenthal requested that Chancellor Rufus Glasper speak on the proposed signing and implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Mesa and the Maricopa County Community College District for Establishment of a Mesa Community College Downtown Campus. Dr. Glasper referenced his great pleasure in being able to propose the signing and implementation of this Memorandum of Understanding between the two entities as it provides the framework for the future development of a Downtown Campus of Mesa Community College. He stated that this partnership serves as a model on how the Maricopa Community Colleges can continue working with the community in Mesa and throughout the other communities they serve. He expressed excitement about this opportunity which is just the beginning of many future endeavors such as this. Dr. Glasper introduced Bernie Ronan, Director of the Center for Public Policy, and Debra Dollar, Mesa City Deputy Manager, and asked them to brief those in attendance on the history and sequence of bringing this initiative to the implementation stage.

  • Mr. Ronan remarked that this initiative came into being three years ago as a result of a trip taken by three city council members who traveled to Canada and were introduced to the idea of utilizing existing buildings and facilities in the downtown area. They proposed this idea to Mesa Community College and a task force was subsequently put together. Two town halls were held to discuss this idea further. The conclusion was reached that this would be a win-win situation for both the City of Mesa and Mesa Community College. The Memorandum of Understanding represents a framework of the vision and goals of this Downtown Partnership. He praised Debra Dollar for the hard work she put forward on behalf of the City of Mesa which will result in educational benefits for the citizens of Mesa, the revitalization of Downtown Mesa, and workforce benefits. He stated that taxpayers will benefit from both entities working together.

  • Ms. Dollar spoke about the next phase of this initiative which will involve the generation of IGA's (Intergovernmental Agreements) between the different facilities. She stated that these will be generated in the next two weeks.

  • Governing Board Member Comments:

    • Mrs. Stein remarked that she was encouraged by the vision brought forward and excited to have an educational institution be a driving force in Downtown Mesa.
    • Mr. Contreras remarked that he has participated in this process as one of the board members and looks at this effort as a defining moment in his board member tenure. He hopes this initiative will be used a model towards helping other communities better. He commended staff for moving forward on this initiative.
    • Mrs. Rosenthal commented that this event was historic. The Maricopa Community Colleges have participated in many partnerships and the signing of this agreement is truly historic. Partnerships are highly desired to stretch resources.

MOTION NO. 9264

Dr. Campbell moved for approval of the signing and implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of the Downtown Mesa Center. Motion approved 5-0.

  • The Mesa City Council was called to order at 6:50 p.m. by Mayor Keno Hawker. Mr. Hawker commented that in November 2002 a master plan of land use was concluded which included data on the balance of housing and jobs. It presented a need for an educated workforce and the importance of partnerships being formed with education, government, and citizens. He stated that people don't care where resources come from. They just know they want their money well spent and made to work together and not duplicate services.

  • City Councilmember Comments
    • Janie Thon asked if there was a conflict of interest issue present because she had a relative that worked for Mesa Community College. The response was that there was not. She commented that she, therefore, was in full favor of this initiative because it provided a presence at different locations being served in Mesa.
    • Mike Whalen moved that this Memorandum of Understanding be approved.
    • Tom Rawles seconded the motion. He stated that as a graduate of Mesa Community College he was supportive of this effort. Motion approved 4-0.

  • Dr. Larry Christiansen, President of Mesa Community College, came forward to thank members of the Mesa City Council and the Maricopa Community College Governing Board for being part of this ceremony and for helping create a vision that will benefit students and citizens of the East Valley. He acknowledged the assistance of Chancellor Rufus Glasper, Mesa City Manager Mike Hutchinson and all that have participated in this effort and endeavor. Tonight cemented four years of hard work and relationship building between the Mesa Community College and the City of Mesa towards serving their communities and exemplifying how this must be accomplished in new and creative ways.

  • The Mesa City Council Meeting was adjourned at 6:55 p.m.

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE MARICOPA COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD

  • President Linda Rosenthal reconvened the special meeting of the Maricopa County Community College District Governing Board at 7:15 p.m.

I. ACTION

1. APPROVAL OF RECOMMENDED EMPLOYMENTS, RESIGNATIONS,
RETIREMENTS AND TERMINATIONS - Approve the recommended employments as presented.

MOTION NO. 9265

Scott Crowley moved for approval of the recommended employments as presented. Motion approved 5-0.

STRATEGIC CONVERSATION

  • President Linda Rosenthal reconvened the evening's meeting and turned the meeting over to Dr. Steve Helfgot, Vice Chancellor of Student Development and Community Affairs.

  • Dr. Helgot commented that the suggestion for a strategic conversation incorporating legal and legislative issues provided a world of possibilities. After much discussion it was decided that the issues of academic freedom, risk management, and baccalaureate degrees were topics of current interest and thus this evening breakout groups would discuss these issues. The following people came forward to comment briefly on the issues being discussed this evening. Their remarks mirror comments included on the attached white papers.
    o Ruth Unks for Risk Management
    o Pete Kushibab for Academic Freedom
    o Chris Bustamante for Baccalaureate Degrees

  • The groups met for approximately ½ hour. The groups were asked to join together to listed to concluding comments. These concluding comments are attached.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting concluded at 8:30 p.m.

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Dr. Donald R. Campbell
Governing Board Secretary