HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Minutes of June 25, 2013
The 322nd meeting of the Holyoke Community College Board of Trustees was held on Tuesday,
June 25, 2013, in the John T. Hickey Conference Room, Chair Helen Caulton-Harris presiding.
MEMBERS
PRESENT
Helen Caulton Harris
James Lavelle
John Driscoll
Jack Ferriter
Robert Gilbert
Yolanda Johnson
Suzanne Parker
Lucy Perez
Julie Pokela
Jon Vaccaro
MEMBERS NOT
PRESENT
Diandra Schloss-Messer
ALSO
PRESENT
Marcia Morrison, Linda Szalankiewicz, James Deats, Samantha
Melendez, Bill Fogarty, Monica Perez, Aaron Levin, Trudy Tynan, Erica
Broman, Irma Medina, Gloria Lomax, Karen Desjeans, Pam Baran, Steve
Duffany, Matt Reed, Karen Derouin, John O’Rourke, Keith McKittrick,
Clara Elliott, James Dutcher, JoAnne Rome, Michelle Sneizek, Jeff
Hayden, Tara Wolman, Veena Danker, Carl Todd, Chris Yurko, Amnat
Chittaphong, Maureen Conroy, Kermit Dunkelberg, Kathy Hankel,
Colleen Cameron, William Messner
CALL TO
ORDER
Chair Caulton-Harris called the meeting to order at 8:04a.m.
INTRODUCTION OF
NEW TRUSTEE
Chair Caulton Harris introduced the newly appointed Alumni Trustee,
Lucy Perez. Lucy is currently a Human Resources Administrator for the
Springfield Public Schools, and is an active member of the HCC Alumni
Council.
APPROVAL OF THE
MINUTES
On a motion by Trustee Pokela and seconded by Trustee Ferriter, it was
VOTED to approve the minutes of the May 2013 meeting as presented.
APPROVAL OF
PERSONNEL
ACTIONS
On a motion by Trustee Vaccaro and seconded by Trustee Driscoll it was
VOTED to approve the appointments for Non-Unit Professional, MCCC
Unit Professional Staff and Faculty as presented.
June 2013
On a motion by Trustee Driscoll and seconded by Trustee Ferriter, it was
VOTED to empower the President of the College to approve all personnel
actions prior to the next meeting.
REPORT OF THE
CHAIR OF THE
BOARD
The Chair will appoint a nominating committee for the 2013/14 board
officers.. The board will be presented with a list of 2013/2014
committees and their members at the August board meeting. In addition,
the President’s Office will be in touch with the four new board members
and our College Counsel to establish a date for a Trustee orientation for
new Board members.
The Chair appointed the following Trustees to serve on the Presidential
Evaluation Committee. Trustees Pokela, Driscoll, Johnson and Headley.
The President will prepare his self-evaluation and send it along to the
committee. All the components must be into DHE by September 2013.
REPORT OF THE
TRUSTEE FINANCE
COMMITTEE
There was some discussion around the three motions dealing with
finances for FY 14. The first motion proposed fee increase for FY 14 was
a motion by Trustee Parker and seconded by Trustee Johnson and
VOTED to approve the FY 2014 budgets for the General Operating Trust
Fund, the Restricted and Sponsored Activity Trust Fund and the Auxiliary
Enterprises Trust Fund as presented with the express approval of all
purchases in any amount; further, to authorize the President or his
designee to transfer among subsidiaries as needed during the fiscal year
and approve the recommended fee increases suggested by staff for FY
2014 as follows: $8 per credit fee increase, establish a $4 per credit
capital fee and increase the online fee from $10 per credit to $15 per
credit.
The second motion eliminates or diminishes the amount of the fee
increase in the event that the Governor’s proposal is adopted completely
or partially by the Legislature. On a motion by Trustee Vaccaro and
seconded by Trustee Gilbert it was VOTED to repeal the FY 2014 fee
increase if the final state budget provides community college funding
approved by the House of Representatives; and to direct staff to
proportionately lower the fee increase if the final state budget provides
community college funding at a level below the amount initially approved
by the House of Representatives, but above the amount initially approved
by the Senate.
A third motion was regarding the 3rd Quarter Revenue and Expenses.
On a motion by Trustee Pokela and seconded by Trustee Ferriter it was
VOTED to approve the Third Quarter Statement of Revenue and
Expenses as presented.
The fourth motion was a proposal to change the dollar value with regard
to the purchase of goods and services. On a motion by Trustee Driscoll
June 2013
and seconded by Trustee Lavelle it was VOTED to approve the change of
threshold amounts for the purchase of goods and services. Three quotes
will be required for purchases greater than $5,000, and formal bids will be
required for purchases greater than $25,000; effective July 1, 2013.
REPORT OF THE
TRUSTEE CAMPUS
SECURITY AD HOC
COMMITTEE
There was a fairly robust discussion regarding a proposal to arm campus
police.
After the conclusion of the discussion, on a motion by Trustee Vaccaro
and seconded by Trustee Parker it was VOTED to adopt staff’s proposal
to arm campus police, provided the program includes extensive
background checks and screening, initial and annual training of candidates
and officers consistent with training policies for firearms as adopted by
the Massachusetts State Police and the Municipal Police Training
Committee, as amended thereafter, and collaboration with consultants, or
trainers as may be deemed appropriate. This program should be
completed and implemented with the hiring of the new Director of Public
Safety.
The board determined to keep its Campus Security Ad hoc committee in
place. It will be comprised of Trustees Ferriter, Pokela, Johnson, Gilbert,
and Vaccaro. Trustee Ferriter also agreed to be involved with the search
for a new campus Director of Public Safety.
PRESIDENT’S
REPORT
The President reported on a recent Sightlines meeting with the
Administration & Finance Department at the State House in Boston
regarding deferred maintenance needs of community colleges.
The board was then introduced to Samantha Melendez and James Deats.
Both of these students shared their paths to success at HCC with the
board. Samantha is transferring to Amherst College, while James is
transferring to UMass Amherst to study engineering.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:14a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Julie Pokela
Secretary Pro Tempor
/cc
June 2013