Minutes of Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees
College of the Mainland
Appomattox Meeting Room
Monday, April 28, 2014
1501 North Amburn Rd., Suite 4
A regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of College of the Mainland was held Monday,
April 28, 2014, at 12:30 p.m. in the Appomattox Meeting Room.
1. Pledge of Allegiance (American Flag), Texas Pledge, and a Moment of Silence
2. Roll Call & Determination of Quorum Board members Rosalie Kettler and Rachel
Delgado were not in attendance.
3. Comments from the Community One community member spoke.
A. Students
B. Employees
C. Other Citizens
4. Acknowledgment Mainland Auxiliary will present a check to the COM Foundation.
The Mainland Auxiliary presented a $10,000 check for COM nursing student
scholarships. A longtime supporter of the nursing program, Mainland Auxiliary
raised funds through their gift shop at Mainland Medical Center.
5. Student Recognition
A. Debate Team
The Debate Team will share their Recent Accomplishments. The debate team is now
ranked as the number two community college in the nation. They competed in seven
tournaments this semester. They recently hosted a debate tournament at COM,
attended by eight colleges and universities from Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana.
B. Senior Center
We will recognize the Senior Adults that were featured artists in the Galveston Art
League, March 2014 For the month-long show, COM students created an array of
more than 50 works, including acrylic paintings, watercolors, stained glass and
jewelry. Juror Carol Outlaw-Wagner awarded best of show and prizes to the top
three entrants in each category. Elisa Tong, of La Marque, took best of show for her
paper-mache kangaroo, “Irene.”
6. Employee Recognition
A. Child Development/Kitchen Manager
Recognition of Child Development / Education Department’s, Kitchen Manager, Ms.
Lisa Woitena, who has been selected to receive the Galveston County Health District
Gold Ribbon Award for exemplary operation of a food service. This is her sixth award.
She has received no demerits from the health district during her six years at COM.
B. Child Development/Education
Recognition of Child Development Program for having received their accreditation from
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
The program received its highest score ever during its yearly renewal. Director of
Child Development Robert Castro: “We believe it is important to continue to
provide a high quality of education for our students and their families.”
7. Consideration of and Possible Acceptance of Bench for Process Technology Hallway Donation from Praxair All approved.
8. Constituents Leader Activity Reports
A. Students One representative spoke.
B. Faculty One representative spoke.
C. Professional One representative spoke.
9. Consent Agenda Items All approved.
A. Approved Items from the Finance/Audit Committee
1. Consideration of and Possible Acceptance of Sale of Foreclosed Property
a. Sale of Tax Foreclosed Property- Part of Lots One (1) thru Six (6), Blk 253, Moores
Addition Dickinson ISD
b. Sale of Tax Foreclosed Property- Part of LOT Two - Three (2-3) and Part of LOT Two
- Eight (2-8), Blk. Eighty- Four (84), Angell Rune Addn., Santa Fe ISD
c. Sale of Tax Foreclosed Property- LOT Thirty - Six (36), BAYCREST 2nd
ADDITION, Dickinson ISD
d. Sale of Tax Foreclosed property-LOT Nine (9) & Ten (10), Block Two Hundred
Twenty Eight (228), In the Townsite of Dickinson, DICKINSON ISD
B. Approved Items from the Building and Grounds Committee
1. Consideration of and Possible Action on Contract 14-14 Crescent Electric Blanket
Purchase Order Parking lot light fixtures are being replaced and repaired.
2. Consideration of and Possible Action on Outsourcing Management of Facilities Request for Proposal (RFP) 14-09 After receiving three bids from independent
services, the committee recommended keeping maintenance in-house rather than
contracting services.
Chair of Building and Grounds Committee Nick Stepchinski explained: “(Director
of Purchasing) Sonja Blinka and (Director of Facilities and Maintenance) Charlie
King researched, and the savings would be minimal. We felt retaining our own
employees was better for the community and the college. We’ve done our due
diligence and we’re happy to keep our own people.”
C. Approved Items from Human Resources Committee
1. Consideration of and Possible Action on Appointment Nomination(s)
a. Elizabeth Bennett, Academic Advisor, Student Success Center
2. Consideration of and Possible Action on Re-Appointment and Non-Renewal List(s)
a. Consideration of and Possible Action on Faculty Re-Appointment List
b. Consideration of and Possible Action on Faculty Non-Renewal List
c. Consideration of and Possible Action on Professional Re-Appointment List
d. Consideration of and Possible Action on Professional Non-Renewal List
D. Consideration of and Possible Action on Minutes
1. Workshop, Friday, March 21, 2014
2. Human Resources Committee, Monday, March 24, 2014
3. Building & Grounds Committee, Monday, March 24, 2014
4. Policy Committee Monday, March 24, 2014
5. Full BOT Monday, March 24, 2014
10. Consideration of and Possible Acceptance of Investment Report(s) March 2014
11. Data Presentation
LaWanda Franks and Anita Garcia will discuss the PowerPoint presentation given at the
April Hitchcock ISD Board Meeting. Anita Garcia will provide an update on student data
for Spring 2014.
COM partners with Hitchcock High School in the Gulf Coast PASS grant. An
increased number of Hitchcock High School students are choosing COM. 31 percent
of 2013 Hitchcock High School graduates attended COM in fall 2013. This is up
from 9 percent of 2012 Hitchcock High School graduates attending COM in fall
2012 (THECB data).
In addition, dual credit enrollment has increased at COM. Dual credit students now
comprise 25 percent of COM students (up from 20 percent the previous year).
12. Board Report
A. Miscellaneous Updates from Board Chair
a. Board chair Roney McCrary, board members Ralph Holm and Rachel Delgado,
and President Beth Lewis recently attended the 2014 Board of Trustees Institute in
Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Houston Endowment funded the trip to the conference.
13. President's Report
a. COM’s Cinco de Mayo Festival, the College’s 40th, will be held May 6 at 12:30
p.m.
b. Graduation will be held May 10 at the Abundant Life Christian Center in La
Marque. There will be two ceremonies:
First ceremony: 10 a.m. to noon for Associate of Arts, Associate of Science and GED
graduates.
Second ceremony: 2-4 p.m. for Associate of Applied Science and certificate
graduates.
c. COM will host a 5K Color Course from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. May 3 at the field on
Monticello. The race will fund an animal shelter and pregnancy center. Register at
colorcourse.com.edu.
d. A retirement lunch for faculty will be held May 1 at 12:30 p.m.
A. Miscellaneous Updates
14. Adjournment to closed or executive session pursuant to Texas Government Code
Sections 551.071, 551.072, and 551.074, the Open Meetings Act, for the following
purposes:
A. Legal Matters
1. Consultation with legal counsel concerning matters on which the attorney’s duty to the
System under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct clearly conflicts with
the Texas Open Meetings Laws.
2. Consultation with Legal Counsel on Pending Legal Matters
B. Personnel Matters
1. Deliberate Individual/Faculty/Administration Classified Staff
2. Deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, leave,
discipline, contract status, or dismissal or to hear complaints or charges against the
president, employees or board members.
3. Discussion of Re-Appointment and Non-Renewal List(s)
a. Faculty Re-Appointment List
b. Faculty Non-Renewal List
c. Professional Re-Appointment List
d. Professional Non-Renewal List
4. Conduct Board Self-Evaluation
C. Real Estate and Property Matters
1. Deliberate the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property for Agenda items if
deliberation in an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on negotiations.
2. Discussion of Potential Real Estate Purchase(s)
15. Additional Closed or Executive Session Authority
If, during the course of the meeting covered by this Notice, the Board should determine
that a closed or executive meeting or session of the Board should be held or is required in
relation to any items included in this Notice, then such closed or executive meeting or
session as authorized by Section 551.001 et seq. of the Texas Government Code (the
Open Meetings Act) will be held by the Board at that date, hour and place given in this
Notice or as soon after the commencement of the meeting covered by the Notice as the
Board may conveniently meet in such closed or executive meeting or session concerning
any and all subjects and for any and all purposes permitted by Sections 551.071,
inclusive, of the Open Meetings Act, including, but not limited to: Section 551.071 – For
the purpose of a private consultation with the Board’s attorney on any or all subjects or
matters authorized by law.
Section 551.072 – For the purpose of discussing the purchase, exchange, lease or value of
real property.
Section 551.073 – For the purpose of considering a negotiated contract for a prospective
gift or donation.
Section 551.074 – For the purpose of considering the appointment, employment,
evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline or dismissal of a public officer or employee
or to hear complaints or charges against a public officer or employee.
Section 551.076 – To consider the deployment, or specific occasions for implementation,
of security personnel or devices.
Section 551.082 – For the purpose of considering discipline of a student or to hear a
complaint by an employee against another employee if the complaint or charge directly
results in a need for a hearing.
Section 551.084 – For the purpose of excluding a witness or witnesses from a hearing
during examination of another witness.
Should any final action, final decision, or final vote be required in the opinion of the
Board with regard to any matter considered in such closed or executive meeting or
session, then such final action, final decision, or final vote shall be at either:
A. The open meeting covered by this Notice upon the reconvening of the public meeting,
or
B. At a subsequent public meeting of the Board upon notice thereof, as the Board shall
determine.
16. Reconvene in Open Meeting
17. Possible Action on Agenda Items, Including Closed Session Matters
18. Adjourn