Project Name:
Transmittal Date: e-mail To Attendees:
Temple College Master Plan
07/14/2004
Fax To Non Attendees:
Author: Robert S. Ogorzaly, AIA
ORA Project Number:
Number of Pages:
Fax:
0337.00
4
Location of Meeting: Cameron Center Meeting Date: 12 July, 2004 Time: 2pm
Attendees:
Janet Sheguit, City Manager (Cameron),
Ginger Watkins, Cameron Economic Development,
Mike Zajicek, Cameron Industrial Development Corporation (CIDC), CISD Board, Williams Foundation
Ken Harriss, Cameron Industrial Foundation, TXU Electric Delivery
William C. Meacham, Mayor (Cameron), CIDC Board, CIF Board, Citizens National Bank
Maxie Morgan, Superintendent, Cameron ISD
Stewart Perkins, CIDC Board
James D. Camp, CIDC Board
Dr. John Bicknell, Director, Temple College Cameron Educational Center
Jim Tranum, Board Member, Temple College
Dr. Marc A. Nigliazzo, President , Temple College
Dr. Kar én Bleeker, Vice president of Educational Services, Temple College
Daniel Perez, AIA, Director of Educational Services, O’Connell Robertson & Associates, Inc.
Robert Ogorzaly, AIA, Architect, O’Connell Robertson & Associates, Inc.
Topic: Temple College Master Plan regarding the future of the Cameron Center
These minutes of the aforementioned meeting reflect the understanding of the author. Any corrections or additions to the statements contained herein should be directed to ORA within five (5) business days of receipt of these minutes, otherwise the minutes shall stand as a record of items discussed and decisions made.
Opening of Meeting
Dr. Nigliazzo opened the meeting by reviewing the Master Plan Process. Temple College had last commissioned a
Master Plan in 1996, before the Cameron Center had even come into being. The Temple College Board of Trustees has invited O’Connell Robertson & Associates to make a review of the facilities, an assessment of future growth, and recommendations on how the College might accommodate that growth. Thereupon, Dr. Nigliazzo invited Dr. Bicknell to recap the history of the Cameron Educational Center, and to put forth his vision of how the Center will evolve over the next five, ten, fifteen years.
Dr. Bicknell distributed a chart summarizing the phenomenal growth of the student population served by the Cameron
Education Center over the past five years, which included a great infusion to the student population in 2001 when
Temple College took over the responsibility of providing educational services to Rockdale from Blinn College, primarily through the Cameron Education Center. The Cameron Education Center also provides services to the communities of
Buckholts, Cameron, Milano, Rogers, Rosebud, and Lott.
The Cameron Center will bring a professor to the facility when a class of ten or more can be fielded. If four to ten can be assembled, provisions are made to link students with professors through a video hook-up. In 2001, the Center was unable to locate an economics professor for the 8am to 9:15 am class period, so students who wanted to take economics classes had to drive to Temple at that hour. An economics professor has since been found.
Over the next five years, Dr. Bicknell envisions a need for three faculty offices, a faculty Lounge, two to five more classrooms, and a science lab. The question is what the community needs. Offerings for Criminal Justice and Child
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O’Connell Robertson & Associates, Inc.
Architecture
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Development classes weren’t able to generate enough interest to support a class, though an introductory philosophy class was made available through video conferencing. Questionnaires will be distributed this fall semester in Falls and
Milam Counties to determine what is wanted.
Dr. Nigliazzo added that the Cameron Education Center’s current offerings are mostly General Academics with some
Continuing Education. This summer a Math Lab will be added at the Center also. (Math Lab is basic math and algebra in a lab setting, where the students are basically self-paced and the instructor is a facilitator, available to answer questions or guide research.) The math program allows threw student to pick up where they left off without having to repeat the work if their education is interrupted. This course is being offered because Temple College’s charter is to provide the same level of developmental studies at the satellite campuses as are offered at the main campus.
Jim Tranum added that Temple College would like to offer more college level courses. Dr. Bicknell responded that a good selection of evening classes are offered at the Cameron Center: 3 English, 2 psychology, three math, 1 education, 1 computer, 1 government, 1 history, 1 Art , and 1 Computer Aided Design course.
Ken Harriss posed the question: “How do we get students to realize that if they can get an interested group of ten toget her, then you can provide the course?” Ken added that he’d like a nnursing course provided. Jim Tranum cautioned that they should be aware that nursing courses are very expensive. Dr. Nigliazzo pointed out that Taylor made the commitment at their campus for a nursing program and built Micro-Biology & Health Science Labs.
Mayor Meacham voiced a concern that population trends for the Hispanic population were climbing and that was the same population that was most likely to drop out before high school graduation. How can that population be reached before they are lost. Dr. Bleeker replied that that used to be an inner city problem, now it’s a rural problem too. To reach these students takes more than a posted bilingual sign; it takes an outreach program to promote the benefits of education. Ginger Watkins said that an effort should be made to let high school students know that college courses are offered locally. Dr. Bleeker added that the availability of GED courses needs to be discussed when students are indicating drop-out potential.
Ms. Watkins felt that the attractiveness of e-commerce (low overhead, low start-up costs) should be advertised. Ecommerce would be a way to let the local population stay close to their roots and still be able to make a decent income.
The Center has the personnel and equipment to train those with that interest. Ms. Sheguit noted that Cameron has 22 public access computer stations.
Bob Ogorzaly posed the question: what about beyond five years? Dr. Nigliazzo responded that Temple College knew that the Taylor satellite campus would grow in response to poulation pressure from Hutto and Austin; that they expected
Cameron to be more stable, but we’re ready to support Cameron in any way the local community thinks best. Is there a special population that needs to be served? Is there an industry that needs to be targeted? Do you need help in economic development?
James D. Camp pointed out that the vocational areas in the back of the Center were potential area for expansion (they are outfitted for welding classes which were popular when first introduced with certification, but certification is no longer offered and the classes aren’t being filled). Should we be partnering with TSTC?
Dr. Nigliazzo: Work force training? What does that mean in Cameron? It’s not going to happen without community input.
Jim D. Camp: We’ve got to get the word out that we have a college in Cameron and that it’s more than GED.
Dr. Nigliazzo: We could rest on our laurels and call it a success, but do you want more?
Jim Tranum: We’re pushing dual credit in the high schools. It’s economically positive when high school students graduate with college credits already under their belt.
Dr. Nigliazzo: Who uses this facility besides the students?
Dr. Bicknell: Red Cross, and the Chamber of Commerce Christmas event. Next semester, Toastmasters.
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O’CONNELL ROBERTSON & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Architecture Engineering Project Management
811 Barton Springs Road, Suite 900, Austin TX 78704 512.478.7286 512.478.7441 FAX

Dr. Nigliazzo and Mr. Tranum: Encourage Community Meetings at the Cameron Educational Center. That’s an easy way to familaiarize the community with the facility.
Jim D. Camp: (to the architects) What are the possibilities of Lab spaces in this facility? (The architects walked the facility after the meeting.)
Dr. Bicknell: It takes $80,000 - $100,000 just to equip a lab.
Mr. Ogorzaly: What’s the possibility of using the Cameron High School Labs?
Superintendent Maxey: The High School has just built two new Biology Labs; making those labs available to the
Cameron Education Center for post High School education would need CISD Board approval.
Dr. Bicknell: My preference is that upper level education takes place in this facility. It’s the association of our facility with higher education.
Jim Tranum: The Taylor experience over the last 9 months, one year… They’ve invested in landscaping and other amenities to make what was the HEB Supermarket really look and feel like an institution of higher learning.
Dr. Nigliazzo: Note that we do provide Industrial Base Training. Cisco software offered a course that was popular until the bottom fell of Tech.
Superintendent Maxey: We anticipate growth, probably at a slower rate than Taylor. We also look to Scott and White as a regional employer. Even if Health Care Programs are expensive, maybe that is an area that needs growth. Don’t know if we could field a class of 30, but we should explore that. Cosmetology is the top course that CISD students said they wanted, but the CISD board didn’t want to invest in that profession.
Ginger Watkins: What’s the success of the dual credit class program? How are those students doing?
Dr. Nigliazzo: The Middle Class Concept: Graduating a high school student with a one year certificate or even an associate degree or a vocational nurse degree. If the student is committed, then they can do it.
James Tranum: Visited Las Vegas Community College. Upper Level High School students with the grades can attend
Junior Collee courses and graduate from high School with college credits, and that pays off with earlier and less expensive graduation from college.
Dr. Bleeker: How many high school students are taking advantage of dual credit?
Superintendent Maxey: Probably about a third, but the district is 70-80% economically disadvantaged.
Daniel Perez: Maybe Temple College could send career path speakers to Cameron schools and let them know early
(8 th grade) about the opportunities for taking dual course credit classes at the Cameron Center, while still in high school.
Dr. Bicknell: Our community has an untapped resource of high school students who are not going on to college. We should try to provide technical courses.
Stewart Perkins: We’ve covered a lot of ground and we’ll need to poll our community and partners to decide where to focus our efforts and resources. Thank you all for attending and speaking your mind.
End of Meeting Minutes
Attach: Talking Points (Daniel Perez’s markerboard notes of issues raised over the course of this meeting)
D:\726923774.doc
O’CONNELL ROBERTSON & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Architecture Engineering Project Management
811 Barton Springs Road, Suite 900, Austin TX 78704 512.478.7286 512.478.7441 FAX

Talking Points
Space Utilization:
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Existing Space
Welding Area
Become a Community Center?
Toastmasters
Christmas event
TxDoT Meetings
We have space for vocational programs (can they succeed here?)
Programs:
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Science Labs - Cost – CISD
Collaboration?
More than Basics
Nursing – Cost?
Vocational – Can it succeed?
Workforce Training
Early graduates:
-keep them in school
-help get into college
CISC Opportunity
D:\726923774.doc
O’CONNELL ROBERTSON & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Architecture Engineering Project Management
811 Barton Springs Road, Suite 900, Austin TX 78704 512.478.7286 512.478.7441 FAX