MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
February 19, 2009
Minutes
The Board of Trustees of the Houston Community College met as a Committee of the
Whole on Thursday, February 19, 2009, at the HCC Administration Building, Second
Floor Auditorium, 3100 Main in Seminar Room B, Houston, Texas.
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT
Neeta Sane, Vice Chair
Diane Olmos Guzman, Secretary
Christopher Oliver, Deputy Secretary
Bruce A. Austin
Yolanda Navarro Flores
Richard Schechter
Dr. Michael P. Williams
Mills Worsham
ADMINISTRATION
Mary S. Spangler, Chancellor
Art Tyler, Deputy Chancellor/COO
Renee Byas, General Counsel
Doretha Eason, Executive Assistant to the Chancellor
Bill Carter, Vice Chancellor, Information Technology
Charles Hebert for Charles Cook, Vice Chancellor for Instruction
Cheryl Sterling, Interim Vice Chancellor, Student Services
Daniel Seymour, Vice Chancellor, Planning and Institutional Effectiveness
Margaret Ford Fisher, President, Northeast College
Fena Garza, President, Southwest College
Mike Edwards for Bill Harmon, President, Central/Interim President, Coleman College
Zachary Hodges, President, Northwest College
Irene Porcarello, President, Southeast College
Remmele Young, Executive Director, Government Relations Office
Willie Williams, Chief Human Resource Officer
OTHERS PRESENT
Jarvis Hollingsworth, Counsel, Bracewell & Giuliani
Other administrators, citizens, and representatives of the news media
CALL TO ORDER
Mrs. Sane, Vice Chair, called the meeting to order at 5:20 p.m. and declared the
Board convened to consider matters pertaining to Houston Community College as
listed on the duly posted meeting notice.
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Committee of the Whole – February 19, 2009 – Page 2
Mr. Schechter moved to recess the Facilities Committee meeting until after the
Finance Committee meeting. Mrs. Guzman seconded the motion.
Vote-The motioned passed with a vote of 8-0.
FINANCE
Mrs. Flores called the meeting to order at 5:21 p.m. and recommended to move items
5, 6, 7 up on the agenda.
CONTRACT FOR COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES
Mr. Schechter moved and Dr. Williams seconded to authorize the Chancellor to
negotiate a three (3) year contract with Yaffee|Deutser for communication services.
Mrs. Guzman asked why there is not a utilization plan provided as documentation. Dr.
Tyler apprised that the information is available and the goal is 35% for small business.
Dr. Williams apprised that pertinent information should be provided beforehand to the
Board.
Vote – The motion passed with vote of 8-0.
CONTRACT FOR SYSTEM ARCHITECT
Motion – Dr. Williams moved and Mrs. Guzman seconded.
Mr. Schechter asked how many system architects the administration is asking the
Board to approve. Dr. Tyler apprised that the recommendation is three. Mr. Schechter
asked if there is enough work for three. Dr. Tyler noted that enough work will be
created by the amount of expansion and growth.
Motion - Dr. Williams moved that the top three firms be approved and Mr. Oliver
seconded. The following three firms were approved:
1. Prozign
2. Archi*Technic/3, Inc.
3. Smith & Company
Vote – the motion passed with vote of 8-0.
CONTRACT FOR MASTER PLANNING FOR HCC
Motion - Mr. Oliver moved to approve Espa as the firm to provide master planning
services for HCC. Dr. Williams seconded.
Mr. Schechter requested to see the final RFP on the master planner and asked if we
are asking for someone to draw a master plan.
Mr. Austin noted that there are two different type of planning in projecting the future.
He noted that, unfortunately, the problem has been to focus on maintaining as
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Committee of the Whole – February 19, 2009 – Page 3
opposed to projecting. Dr. Tyler apprised that the objective is to go after the bolder to
provide some standards and noted that the total cost is for transformation of the
future.
Dr. Williams asked if there is a misnaming issue. He noted that it’s his understanding
that this is to get a macro sense for the entire institution looking at growth patterns and
demography. Dr. Tyler mentioned that this is both. Mr. Schechter associated with Dr.
Williams and asked if the plans have not been completed has payment been made to
complete the plans. Dr. Tyler noted that payment has not been made for those not
completed.
Mr. Oliver noted that Mr. Davila mentioned that there needs to be an assessment. Mr.
Austin apprised that direction could be given to administration to finish what has been
completed and then approve to move forward on the unfinished. He noted that
administration has the ability to determine what has been started and what needs to
be completed.
Mr. Schechter apprised that the concern is spending unnecessarily without a listing to
show what has been completed.
Dr. Williams mentioned that he is concerned about those items that were contracted
for completion but there is no status. Dr. Tyler mentioned that he is requesting that the
master planner complete an assessment.
Mrs. Guzman asked if this contract is foreseen to be over $100,000 and asked why
the small business shows best efforts. She noted that a best effort goal will be
ignored.
Mrs. Sane noted that her understanding is that it is important to get the process
implemented. Mr. Oliver informed that the confusing part is that the master planner
will be doing an assessment on something that should already have an assessment.
Mr. Schechter noted that the other problem is that no one has been able to explain to
what extent the master plan has been completed and possibly eschewed the entire
procurement process.
Mr. Austin mentioned that Dr. Tyler can separate the issues. Dr. Williams mentioned
that it is up to administration to manage and noted that the master planner should not
be planned.
Dr. Williams recommended that administration bring to the Board clarity tasks
completion and assessment of the buildings.
Motion - Mr. Schechter moved to table and Mr. Oliver seconded. The motion failed 44.
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Committee of the Whole – February 19, 2009 – Page 4
Motion Withdrawn – Mr. Oliver withdrew his motion and Mrs. Guzman withdrew the
second.
Motion – Mrs. Sane moved to place ESPA on the agenda as the recommended
Master Planner. Mr. Austin seconded with the condition that administration develop
an articulated analysis.
Vote – The motion passed with a vote of 7-1 with Mr. Schechter opposing.
(Mr. Worsham left out at 5:54 p.m.)
Mr. Oliver requested a point of personal privilege and asked Dr. Williams Harmon to
make an announcement on Black History Gala scheduled for February 28, 2009 at
6:00 p.m.
PARKING LOT AND PARKING GARAGE CLEANING SERVICES
Motion – Mrs. Sane moved and Mr. Schechter seconded. The motion passed with a
vote of 7-0.
PAYMENT TO BRACEWELL & GIULIANI LLP FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Motion – Mr. Schechter moved and Mrs. Guzman seconded to approve. The motion
passed with a vote of 7-0.
INVESTMENT REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2008
Motion – Dr. Williams moved to approve and Mrs. Guzman seconded. The motion
passed with a vote of 7-0.
ADJOURNMENT
With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:59 p.m.
FACILITIES
Mrs. Flores reconvened the facilities committee at 5:59 p.m.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (CIP) AND RELATED
Motion - Dr. Williams motioned to moved to the Regular Board meeting. The motion
passed with a vote of 7-0.
ADJOURNMENT
With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:00 p.m.
Recorded by:
Sharon R. Wright, Executive Administrative Assistant, Board Services
Transcribed and submitted by:
Sharon Wright, Executive Administrative Assistant, Board Services
Minutes Approved: