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HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM
REGULAR MEETING OF
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
April 22, 1999
Minutes
The Board of Trustees of the Houston
Community College System held a Regular
Meeting on
April 22,1999 at the HCCS
Administrative Center, Board Room, 22 Waugh
Drive, Houston, Texas.
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT
Christopher W. Oliver, Chairman (left the
meeting at beginning of Executive Session) Abel Davila, Vice Chairman (arrived at 4:50 pm) James R. Murphy, Secretary Bruce A. Austin Herlinda Garcia (arrived at 4:40 pm: left the meeting at 5: 12 pm Carol Smith W. F. Russell BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT
John Fonteno, Jr.
M. James Henderson
ADMINISTRATION
Ruth Burgos-Sasscer, Chancellor
Sue Cox, President, HCC-Southwest
Jack E. Daniels, III, President, HCC-Central
Patricia Fairchild, Vice-Chancellor,
Workforce Development
Joe Fenninger, Chief Financial Officer
Margaret Forde, President, HCC-Northeast
Zachary Hodges, President, HCC-Northwest
Sylvia Ramos, President, HCC-Southeast
R. Mark Tiller, Interim Vice Chancellor,
Educational Department
Patricia Williamson, Vice-Chancellor,
Institutional Development
OTHERS PRESENT
Arturo Michel, Bracewell and Patterson
Hank Coleman, Vinson & Elkins
Other administrators, staff, representatives of
the news media and interested citizens
CALL TO ORDER
Mr. Oliver called the Meeting to order at
4:30 p.m. and declared the Board convened to
consider matters pertaining to the Houston
Community College System as listed on the
duly-posted meeting notice.
PRAYER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mr. Oliver called upon Mr. Russell to offer the
prayer and lead the audience in the Pledge of
Allegiance.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mr. Oliver announced he was not feeling well
and stated that upon reaching the closed
session portion of the meeting, he would turn the
meeting over to Mr. Davila
MINUTES APPROVED AS CORRECTED
Motion No. 906 - Mr. Murphy moved to approve
the minutes, as corrected, from the Regular
Board Meeting of March 25, 1999. Mrs. Smith
seconded the motion . Motion carried 5-0. (Mrs.
Garcia and Mr. Davila had not yet arrived).
Mr. Oliver considered the minutes from the
Special Board Meeting of April 10, 1999. Mr.
Murphy observed that approval of the minutes
from the April 10th meeting was not proposed in
any action item.
Upon consultation with
Attorney Michel, it was decided that the text of
the minutes should be considered an information
item only and that the minutes would appear for
approval on the May agenda.
AWARD AND PRESENTATION
• Faculty Recognition Award- Mr. Glenn
Purser, Business Administrator Instructor,
Northeast College received the Chancellor'S
Medallion for excellence in teaching. Dr.
Burgos pOinted especially to Mr. Purser's
extensive experience in the business sector,
experience which has served him well in
teaching. Dr. Burgos also observed that Mr.
Purser is a community college graduate with
Bachelor'S and Master's degrees in
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Houston Community College System
Regular Board Meeting - April 22. 1999 - Page 4
Mr. George Brown, Director of Education.
Major Keller provided a status report on the
program and expressed the Sheriff's
appreciation
of
HCCS
and
the
administrators and faculty who work in the
program. Mr. Austin complimented the
program and underscored the importance of
making city leaders aware of our
involvement in such projects. Dr. Burgos
agreed that marketing our programs is very
important. In connection with this, she noted
that last year, more than 700 articles
appeared concerning HCCS programs.
•
•
First Year Institutional-Effectiveness Report
Dr. Burgos called the Board members'
attention to the HCCS Institutional
Effectiveness report that was distributed to
them. She noted that this report reflects the
willingness of HCCS to be accountable,
something that both the Southern
Association and the public expect. She
observed that it provides information
concerning our performance in relation to
measurable objectives, showing where we
are, what we have achieved, what we still
need to accomplish. It also contains
information concerning our outcomes in
terms of critical success indicators, many of
them to be utilized by the state in assessing
our performance. She noted that areas in
which we have fallen short will drive our next
three-year plan. The' report also provides
information concerning specific program
reviews. Mr. Russell requested that when
Board members are provided information
concerning HCCS' performance, that
comparative data indicating other
institutions' performances be included. He
cited transfer rate information as an example
of this need for comparative data.
Student Retention Report - Dr. Burgos
noted that in response to Mrs. Garcia's
request at the last Board meeting, she was
providing student retention information. Dr.
Burgos discussed the varying goals of our
students and how, consequently, a strict
graduation/certificate accounting is not a
sufficient measure of our performance. Mr.
Austin observed that more varied
performance indicators are necessary for an
institution such as HCCS.
• Other - Dr. Burgos answered that for the
first three years of the new millennium,
HCCS will be focusing on the theme of the
"Learning College, " just as we have used
the theme of the "Vision for the Future" for
our current strategic planning. She noted
that in the facilities planning, the theme of
"HCCS: Where Learning and Community
Meet" was used. She continued by saying
that the theme of "HCCS: The Power of
Learning" is being developed by our Public
Information Office. To spearhead this
emphasis on the learning college, the
administration has invited to its fall
convocation, Dr. Terry O'Banion, a
nationally known educator who has
championed this approach. Dr. Burgos said
she hoped that Board members would
attend this event.
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
(No report)
AD HOC COMMITTEE REPORTS
• Bond Initiative Committee - Mr. Oliver
noted that Mr. Henderson was not present
but hopefully would be able to report on the
committee's activities next month.
• Capital Improvements Committee - At Mr.
Davila's request, Mr. Fenninger reported on
the committee's last meeting, on April 19th ,
noting that material from 18 respondents to
the RFQ concerning System Architect and
the one response to the RFQ on
Construction Plant Manager was brought to
the meeting. At the committee's direction,
the administration is evaluating the
responses. The date of the next meeting,
said Mr. Fenninger, would constitute the due
date
for
the
administration's
recommendations of the finalists.
Mr.
Murphy questioned the limited response to
the RFQ for project manager, and Mr.
Fenninger indicated that the short-term
basis of the position might be the
explanation for why we received only one
response.
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Houston Community College System
Regular Board Meeting - April 22. 1999 - Page 5
•
Facilities Committee - Mr. Murphy reported
that the committee has completed its report,
which the Board now has.
meeting in Open Session at 7:30 p.m., and
entertained motions on matters pending.
•
Legal Affairs - At Mr. Austin's request, Mr.
Dahse reported that HCCS has advertised
for legal services and responses are
expected back by May 3, 1999. Then the
administration will review the responses. At
that time, another Legal Affairs committee
meeting will be held and recommendations
to the Board will be finalized.
Motion No. 910 - Mr. Russell moved to approve
the personnel agenda. Mr. Austin seconded the
motion. Motion carried 5-0. (Mrs. Garcia and
Mr. Oliver had left the meeting.)
PERSONNEL AGENDA APPROVED
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•
Finance Committee - Mr. Russell reported
that the committee had a good meeting, with
trustees Mr. Davila. Mr. Austin, Mrs. Garcia,
and Mr. Oliver in attendance. Mr. Russell
reported that Mr. Fenninger presented a
very good financial layout. At Mr. Russell's
request, Mr. Fenninger reviewed financial
information that illustrates the institution's
evolving financial control process. Providing
examples, he illustrated how the data will
provide a more detailed sense of the
performance of the various institutional units
and prompt important management
questions. He reviewed year-to-date figures
and provided forecasts by budget authorities
of expenditures for the rest of the fiscal year.
Mr. Russell complimented the report's
approach, as did Mr. Murphy. The Board
indicated that it welcomed being provided
with information through this format, though
Mr. Murphy emphasized that the balance­
sheet format ought to be also provided. It
was agreed that the rest of Mr. Fenninger's
presentation would be undertaken in closed
session.
APPROVAL
OF
EARNEST
MONEY
CONTRACT
Motion No. 911 - Mrs. Smith moved approval of
the purchase of an Earnest Money Contract to
purchase property for consolidation of central
administrative services, as discussed in closed
session. Mr. Russell seconded the motion.
Motion carried 5-0. (Mrs. Garcia and Mr. Oliver
had left the meeting.)
APPROVAL OF SETTLEMENT IN CAUSE NO.
98-015503
Motion No. 912 - Mr. Austin moved approval of
settlement in Cause No. 98-015503 on the terms
provided in closed session. Mr. Murphy
accepted the amended motion and seconded it.
Motion carried 5-0. (Mrs. Garcia and Mr. Oliver
had left the meeting.)
ESTABLISHMENT OF NEXT REGULAR
MEETING
The next Regular Board Meeting will be held on
Thursday, May 27, 1999, at 4:00 p.m. It will be
held at the Administrative Center Boardroom, at
22 Waugh Drive, Houston, Texas.
ADJOURNMENT
With no further business to come before the
Board, the Meeting was adjourned by Mr. Davila
at 7:35 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
TO
CLOSED
OR
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Mr. Oliver adjourned the meeting to Executive
Session at 5:39 p.m., notice having been
previously given, and reiterated by him in
accordance with the Open Meetings Law. He
stated any final action, vote, or decision on any
item discussed in Executive Session would be
taken up in Open Session or in a subsequent
Public Meeting. He also noted that he was not
feeling well and would be leaving the meeting.
He turned over the chair's duties to the vice
chair, Mr. Davila. Mr. Davila reconvened the
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Houston Community College System Regular Board Meeting - April 22. 1999 - Page 6 Minutes Prepared By:
Tom Curley
,/"
Board Services Office
Reviewed, Finalized and Submitted By:
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James R. Murphy, Secretary
Minutes Approved as Submitted:
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