MEETING OF THE BOARD GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM
April 21, 2005
Minutes
The Board Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Houston Community
College System held a Meeting on Thursday, April 21, 2005, at the System
Administration Building, Training Room A, 2nd Floor, 3100 Main, Houston, Texas.
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT
Diane Olmos Guzman, Committee Chair
Michael P. Williams, D.Min., Board Chair
Bruce A. Austin
Jay K. Aiyer
Abel Davila
James R. Murphy
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT
Herman Litt
Yolanda Navarro Flores
Christopher W. Oliver
ADMINISTRATION
Bruce H. Leslie, Chancellor
Doretha Eason, Interim Deputy to the Chancellor
Jose Villarreal, Vice Chancellor, Economic Development
Michael Kyme, Executive Director, Purchasing
OTHERS PRESENT
Jarvis Hollingsworth, System Counsel, Bracewell & Patterson
Other administrators, citizens and representatives from the news media
CALL TO ORDER
Ms. Olmos Guzman called the meeting to order at 12:35 p.m. and declared the
Committee convened to consider matters pertaining to the Houston Community College
System as listed on the duly posted meeting notice.
A Work Session was held until a quorum was reached.
COMMITTEE STRUCTURE
Mr. Hollingsworth reviewed a draft of the revised Board bylaws regarding committee
structure. The proposed structure allows the Board to utilize the Committee of the
Whole, in which all nine members serve as voting members, or appointed committees,
with three members and one chair, for long-term projects.
The Board Chair has discretion to establish an ad hoc committee from a standing
committee, choose how ad hoc committees are organized and designate the duration of
the committee.
Houston Community College System
Board Governance Committee – April 21, 2005 – Page 2
(A quorum was achieved by the arrival of Mr. Austin at 12:45 p.m.)
Agendas for appointed committee meetings must be approved by the chair of the
appointed committee prior to the meeting. If the chair does not respond in a timely
manner, the Board Chair would have discretion to approve the committee’s agenda.
Chairs of appointed committees will provide a report at the Committee of the Whole on
any recommendations made by those committees. Appointed committees and the
Committee of the Whole have the same level of authority, both are working committees,
both can pass recommendations with a quorum vote, and recommendations from both
committees go on the Consent Agenda for the Regular Board Meeting.
Administration cannot place an action item on the agenda for a regular board meeting
unless recommended by a committee, although the Board Chair has discretion to waive
this requirement. The chair of a Committee of the Whole must approve the agenda
before the committee meeting. If approval is not forthcoming in a timely manner, the
Board Chair may approve each committee’s agenda. Mr. Hollingsworth advised that all
committee meetings should be posted. Chairman Williams appointed Trustees Austin
and Davila to the Board Governance Committee.
RECESS CALLED
Ms. Olmos Guzman called a recess at 1:15 p.m. The meeting was reconvened at 1:24
p.m.
(Mr. Aiyer arrived at 1:26 p.m.)
REVIEW OF SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT POLICY
Motion – Ms. Guzman made a motion to pull this item in order to hold a workshop on the
Small Business Development policy. Mr. Austin seconded the motion. Motion carried
5-0.
(Mr. Murphy arrived at 2:10 p.m.)
BOARD BUDGET AND APPROVED CONFERENCES, CONVENTIONS AND
WORKSHOPS
Dr. Eason presented a recommendation to provide each Trustee with a budget of $4,000
for 2005-2006 to cover expenses for district and out-of-town conferences and events.
The Trustees requested further clarification of the recommendation and a breakdown of
the Board’s budget.
ADJOURNMENT
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 2:16 p.m.
Minutes Prepared by:
Linda Gray, Board Services
Houston Community College System
Board Governance Committee – April 21, 2005 – Page 3
Reviewed and Submitted by:
Diane Olmos Guzman, Secretary
Board of Trustees
Minutes Approved as Submitted:
May 26, 2005