Bitterroot College University of Montana
Minutes of the Advisory Council
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Meeting Location: Conference Room, Human Resource Council Building, 316 North 3 Street, Hamilton
Meeting Time and Date: 3:00 PM, Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Chair: Lynn Stocking
Vice Chair: Dixie Stark
1) Call to Order and Roll Call
a) Advisory Council members present: Terry Berkhouse, Perry Brown, Kahweh Etminan-Rad, Tom Korst, Al
Mitchell, Deb Morris, Dixie Stark, Lynn Stocking, and Connie Ward
b) Advisory Council members absent: Pat Connell and Roger Maclean
c) BC staff present: Victoria Clark (Director), Kathleen O’Leary (Advising and Enrollment Services
Coordinator), and Patricia Skinner (Operations and taking notes)
d) Members of the public present: Allen Bjergo (RC&D and RCEDA Board) and Colleen Murphy-Southwick
(past BC adjunct),
2) Announcements and Documents Received
None
3) Approval of Meeting Minutes from June 26, 2013, July 24, 2013 and August 1, 2013
Discussion Summary: Minutes from June 16 and August 1 were unanimously approved without changes. Approval
of July 24 minutes was tabled until all council members had time to review the document. Approval for July
minutes will be requested electronically by Chair Lynn Stocking prior to October 2013 meeting.
4) Public Comment
Discussion Summary: Allen Bjergo commented that he would be following any developments regarding a new
building for the college especially as they involved RCEDA (Bitterroot College’s current landlord). Colleen
Southwick-Murphy said she was interested in following through with assisting the Advisory Council on its
evaluation/assessment strategic goal.
5) Information Items
a) Director’s Report – see supplemental materials (Victoria Clark; 10 minutes)
i) Questions on Director’s Report (10 minutes)
Discussion Summary: Victoria Clark commented that Bitterroot College fall 2013 college enrollment was slightly
down from the previous fall. Clark and Kathleen O’Leary attributed the enrollment dip to the lack of second year
classes available at the Bitterroot College. While new student enrollment was up, retention was down as second
year students had few face-to-face course options at the Bitterroot College; O’Leary speculated that these
students were turning to online classes, commuting to Missoula, or dropping out until classes became locally
available. Clark also noted that due to budget issues, the Bitterroot College had run two fewer classes than it had
the previous fall, which represented a six percent drop in course offerings, nearly equal to the seven percent
enrollment decline. Dixie Stark asked if dual enrollment and online enrollment were included in the fall enrollment
calculations. Clark replied that neither online nor high school campus dual credit was included in the enrollment
figures, but that Bitterroot College on-campus early college was included in the numbers. Stark asked that a dual
enrollment total for Ravalli County be made available. Provost Brown remarked that final enrollment numbers
would not be available for several weeks, as the fall student census was not quite complete.
Regarding fall continuing education, Clark reported that the BC’s first Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) classes had
started with 10 students. Too, she noted that the BC’s continuing education business courses would be broadcast
to Salmon, Idaho students via a new partnership with Lemhi County Economic Development Authority.
Clark then turned to the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT)
Grant award. She said she was working on a hiring, purchasing, and programming timeline that she should be able
to share shortly. She noted that the industrial programs would be served by mobile labs, so space concerns were
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not immediate, however in terms of longer range planning the college would likely need to expand to handle the
influx of new students.
Clark next mentioned that the college would be holding a Family and Friends night on Friday, October 18 from
4:30-6:30 PM. The event would welcome students to bring family and friends to tour the college, meet faculty and
staff (and Advisory Council members), and order Bitterroot College logo gear (for delivery in time for the holidays).
In closing, Clark remarked on August’s special building meeting. She said that President Engstrom had
declined Cote and Glenn’s initial construction proposal, but that a revised proposal from Cote and Glenn was
probable.
Stark commented that the October 18 Family and Friends event would overlap with the K12 schools’ PIR days,
however she understood that any date was likely to have conflicts. Provost Brown noted that the TAACCCT Grant
would be a game changer for the Bitterroot College. Stark wondered how the reduction in services at the local
county health clinic might affect Bitterroot College students needing immunizations. Stocking suggested that UM’s
Curry Health Center be asked to assist if there were unmet needs. Stark wondered if there was any way to create
a revolving loan account for new students who didn’t receive financial aid money in time to purchase textbooks for
the start of classes. Provost Brown noted that the UM did have such revolving accounts already, and he thought
one could be created specifically for BC students if funds could be supplied (donated). Terry Berkhouse said that
Dean Stephen Kalm with the UM College of Visual and Performing Arts has a no-interest loan program for his
students. Clark and O’Leary said they would look into establishing a revolving loan account for BC students.
O’Leary asked Stark about her population of homeless students, noting that the college’s seemed to be growing.
Stark said her population of homeless students had been high ever since the stock market crash.
6) Action Items
a) Set BC Advisory Council Work Plan for FY2014 – see supplemental materials
Discussion Summary: After Council discussion, the following was decided with respect to the proposed FY2014
Council Work Plan: regular meetings would remain scheduled from 3-5pm; starting in November, meetings would
move to the third Wednesday of the month; language regarding specific invitations to President Engstrom and
Provost Brown would be changed to reference “UM Leadership;” the April regular meeting which would focus on
highlights from the BC Annual Report (a written document to be prepared yearly by the BC Director) would be
scheduled as an evening meeting so more public would have access (and be scheduled at larger venue such as the
Bedford Building); and break-out sessions for strategic goal work groups would be scheduled at consecutive
meetings from October through February, with work groups reporting on annual goal accomplishments at the
March meeting.
With respect to strategic goal work groups and informational presenters, O’Leary suggested that students be
asked to present to the work groups and Clark suggested the same of faculty. Kahweh Etminan suggested that the
UM School of Business be approached to assist with a marketing plan. Clark noted that the college did have a
marketing plan, but that there was not funding to implement the plan. Stark said that her work group could use
help devising a unified message to present at public gatherings or when networking. Etminan and Berkhouse
noted that Mario Schulzke (University Relations) could provide assistance on this. Deb Morris commented that
Colleen Southwick-Murphy had ideas on a process for evaluating college performance which would help her work
group with their task. The discussion ended with general agreement on the changes to the proposed work plan.
Chair Stocking said that a revised draft of the work plan would be sent out electronically to Council members prior
to the October meeting with a vote on the revised draft to be completed electronically prior to the October
meeting (note: revised draft of BC AC FY2014 Work Plan is included at the end of these minutes).
7) For the Good of the Order
Discussion Summary: Chair Stocking said that she would present on Perkins funding issues at the October meeting
to follow through with her offer to discuss this issue with the Council after the July meeting. Stark said she was
pleased to at last see the Bitterroot College included in the State’s Your Guide publication. Al Mitchell asked about
the Bitterroot College Fair Booth. Clark and O’Leary said they felt it was a success and worth the college’s time,
however Patricia Skinner noted it was hard for her to staff the fair booth as the fair always coincided with the first
week of fall classes. Clark said that help with the fair booth from Council Members would be appreciated in the
future. Mitchell then commented that the City of Hamilton was very interested in the discussion about a new
building for the college. He mentioned that the Hamilton downtown area was suffering and that having the
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college located downtown could be a real boost for city businesses. Provost Brown asked that Mitchell have the
city send him a letter expressing its interest in the process. Provost Brown also noted the positive effects of having
a college in town with respect to increases in business traffic and convenience of business partnerships, although
he did note the potential negative issues involving industrial programs in downtown areas.
8) Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 4:45 PM.
Meeting notes subscribed by Patricia Skinner and summarized by Victoria Clark
Bitterroot College Advisory Council
Advisory Council Work Plan for FY2014
Month
July
Date
July 24, 2013
August
August 2, 2013
August 26, 2013
August 28-31, 2013
September
October
September 25, 2013
October 18, 2013
October 23, 2013
November 20, 2013
3-5pm
4:30-6:30pm
3-5pm
3-5pm
Advisory Council Meeting
BC Family & Friends Night
Advisory Council Meeting
Advisory Council Meeting
December 6, 2013
December 13, 2013
December 18, 2013
January 15, 2014
January 27, 2014
4:30-6:30pm
BC Community Open House
Fall College Semester Ends
Advisory Council Meeting
Advisory Council Meeting
Spring College Semester Begins
February
February 19, 2014
3-5pm
Advisory Council Meeting
Vote on Council bylaw review recommendations (if needed); breakout into Strategic
Goals Work Groups
March
March 19, 2014
Mar 31-Apr 4, 2014
April 16, 2014
May 16, 2014
May 16, 2014
May 21, 2014
3-5pm
Strategic Goals Work Groups present annual progress reports
4-6pm
3-5pm
Advisory Council Meeting
College Spring Break
Advisory Council Meeting
Spring College Semester Ends
BC Graduation Celebration
Advisory Council Meeting
3-5pm
Summer College Semester Begins
Advisory Council Meeting
November
December
January
April
May
June
May 27, 2014
June 18, 2014
Time
3-5pm
Calendar Item
Advisory Council Meeting
Comments
New Council members welcomed
Summer College Semester Ends
Fall College Semester Begins
Ravalli County Fair
3-5pm
3-5pm
5:30-7:30pm
Order BC Merchandise for holidays
Breakout into Strategic Goals Work Groups
Starting November 2013, Council meetings move to 3rd Wednesday of each month;
elect Nominating Committee members for FY2015; breakout into Strategic Goals Work
Groups
Pick-up BC merchandise holiday orders; invite UM Leadership
Breakout into Strategic Goals Work Groups
Annual review of Council bylaws; breakout into Strategic Goals Work Groups
Director presents BC Annual Report to Council; invite UM Leadership
Nominating Committee presents candidate slate for new members and new officers;
Advisory Council Work Plan for FY2015 proposed
Elect new members and new officers; approve Advisory Council Work Plan for FY2015
Recommendations for FY2015
July 2014 Meeting - begin discussion on setting new (or renewing previous) Strategic Goals
August 2014 Meeting - hold Council retreat (1-day or 1/2 day; hire facilitator); propose FY2015 Strategic Goals
September 2014 Meeting - vote on new/renewed FY2015 Strategic Goals and decide on Strategic Goal Work Group membership
Annual Strategic Goal time frame - work on goals starting in October and conclude by March