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District Board Board Minutes

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Board minutes 12/08/04

A meeting of the Madison Area Technical College District Board was held Wednesday, December 8, 2004, at Madison Area Technical College, 3550 Anderson Street, Madison, Wisconsin.

Board members present: John Ashley-Chair, Kenneth Brittingham, James Cavanaugh, Judy Ecker, Donald Heiliger, Jerry McGowan and Rose Williams. Excused: Carousel Andrea Bayrd and Darnella Mosley.

Also present: Rose Ann Findlen, Acting President; Becky Baumbach, Vice President for Strategic Effectiveness; Edward Clarke, Vice President for Strategic Innovations; Debbie Derr, Executive Dean for Student Development & Success; Terry Gulmire, Director of Facilities; John Lalor, Executive Dean for Outreach Learning; Kevin Myren, Chief Financial Officer; Will Strycker, Vice President for Human Resources; David Wallace, Chief Information Officer, Department of Educational Technology & Services; Terry Webb, Executive Dean for Learning Programs; and Ellen Hustad, Recording Secretary.

Others present: Phil Baranowski, Moraine Park Technical College District Board & President-Wisconsin Technical College District Boards Association; Patrick Barlow, Staff & Organizational Development Coordinator-Human Resources; Sue Carter, Admissions/Assessment Administrator-Student Development & Success; Sandra Docter, Part-Time Faculty; Mark Durkee, Mechanical Technician Instructor-Technical & Industrial; Eugene Fujimoto, Diversity Coordinator/Affirmative Action Officer; Robin Gee, Marketing Publications Specialist-Institutional Marketing/Public Relations; Paul Gabriel, Executive Director-Wisconsin Technical College District Boards Association; Bill Graf, Coordinator-External Communications & Advocacy; Janet Kelly, Manager-Institutional Marketing/Public Relations; Amy Kittleson, Graphic Designer/Illustrator-Institutional Marketing/Public Relations; Ryan Liebert, Controller-Financial Resources; Joe Lowndes, Genetics Instructor-Agriscience & President-Full-Time Faculty Union Local 243; Gladys McKay, Bursar-Financial Resources; Joy McMillan, Director-Center for New & Converging Technologies; Mary Rapp, Budget Manager-Financial Resources; Jody Thrush Withers, Administrative Dean-Arts & Sciences; and others.

Call to Order ^I

The meeting was duly noticed and called to order at 5:31 p.m.

Additions to or Deletions from the Agenda ^{I B}

There were no additions to or deletions from the agenda.

Approval of Meeting Minutes ^{II A}

There were no public appearances on non-agenda items.

Mr. Gabriel, executive director of the Wisconsin Technical College District Boards Association, introduced Mr. Phil Baranowski, Moraine Park Technical College board member and president of the Wisconsin Technical College District Boards Association. Mr. Baranowski thanked the board for the opportunity to visit Madison Area Technical College. Mr. Baranowski stated that one of his goals as District Boards Association president is to visit each of the 16 technical colleges to learn about how other technical college boards operate and what’s being accomplished statewide. Mr. Baranowski thanked Mr. Ashley for serving on the Wisconsin Technical College System search committee and Mr. McGowan for agreeing to serve on the District Boards Association’s nominations committee. Mr. Baranowski reminded board members to attend the next District Boards Association meeting in January and the Community College National Legislative Summit in Washington DC. Mr. Baranowski noted that the District Boards Association will be meeting in Madison in April and MATC will be contacted to arrange a possible meeting on campus.

Mr. Gabriel shared information and provided an update on initiatives related to legislative leadership, joint finance, property tax freezes and the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR). Mr. Gabriel praised Dr. Findlen for her leadership of the college over the past year and a half, noting her positive leadership in moving the college forward during the presidential search process. Mr. Gabriel thanked the board for the opportunity to visit the baking/pastry arts program and congratulated the college on hiring Mr. Graf as its external communications/advocacy coordinator.

Ms. Rapp was presented with the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for MATC’s Programs & Services Plan for fiscal year 2004-05. This award represents the highest form of recognition for governmental budgeting, and is the seventh year in a row the college has received this award.

Ms. Kelly was pleased to share four medallion awards received by MATC's Institutional Marketing and Public Relations department during the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations regional conference in October. The National Council for Marketing and Public Relations is an affiliate of the American Association of Community Colleges. Ms. Kelly recognized Ms. Amy Kittleson and Ms. Robin Gee for their exemplary design and writing contributions which resulted in this recognition at the regional level. Awards included a bronze award for the college’s print advertisement series, a bronze award in the wildcard category for redesigned program brochures, a gold award for a series of recruitment postcards that are sent to prospective students, and a gold award for the college’s annual catalog. Ms. Kelly noted that the annual catalog category is very competitive. Ms. Kelly stated that she hoped to have more good news to share in the spring related to similar awards at the national level.

Ms. Baumbach reviewed how the colleges planning model creates alignment between planning, budgeting and support functions. This model results in the college annually creating plans at all levels of the organization that drive budgeting and align with the college vision and board goals. In addition, the College Council has developed its own unit plan which includes specific outcomes, measures and targets, and provides direction for all units of the college. Ms. Baumbach shared eight critical actions the College Council has identified to support college priorities. In response to questions from Mr. Ashley, Ms Baumbach provided an overview of the College Council’s role in the annual budgeting process. Mr. Brittingham stated that the college planning model seemed to reflect more alignment and constancy of purpose on outcomes and results than in the past.

Mr. Myren indicated that the draft Comprehensive Annual Financial Report had been sent to the board in advance for their review. Mr. Myren reported that the firm of Grant Thornton LLP had conducted the audit. Mr. Myren introduced Mr. Irv Banzhaf with Grant Thornton.

Mr. Banzhaf thanked the board for the opportunity to continue to provide auditing services. Mr. Banzhaf thanked Mr. Myren and his staff for their assistance, indicating that the annual process continues to go smoothly. Mr. Banzhaf reported that there were no negative findings and that the college was in strong financial condition. Mr. Banzhaf noted that the financial condition of the district continues to improve and the college continues to receive the highest possible ratings from both Moody’s and Standard & Poors. Mr. Banzhaf commended the board and Mr. Myren and his staff.

Mr. Myren indicated that preliminary information regarding the college’s FY2005-06 programs and services plan had been presented to the board on October 27, 2004. This presentation included an overview of the college’s budget planning process, areas of strategic focus, development of the base budget, financial inputs, and the calendar for FY2005-06 budget development and final approval. Since the October 27 presentation, the only budget input that has changed is the utilities line item which has increased by two percent. Mr. Myren noted that there were components of the FY2006-07 budget that were still unknown at this time.

Bids & sole sources ^{III E 3 b}

Information Item ^{III F}

Mr. Strycker indicated that, as part of the board’s approval of the 2003-04

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Annual Report last spring, the board had requested a review of the Wisconsin Technical College System’s (WTCS) abbreviated format for this report. Mr. Strycker introduced Mr. Fujimoto to review the abbreviated format.

Mr. Fujimoto reported that a draft abbreviated version of the report had been developed for the board’s consideration that met the WTCS guidelines and made the report more reader-friendly to the board and other requestors. The abbreviated format

also included relevant information that would keep the board informed of progress in this area.

Mr. Fujimoto reviewed the abbreviated format, noting the sections that had been eliminated from the previous report. Mr. Fujimoto indicated that staff wished to continue generating the more in depth report format on an annual basis for internal purposes as it is referred to often by Human Resources and Affirmative Action in planning efforts as well as serving as a resource in responding to community inquiries.

Mr. Ashley asked if there were any diversity initiatives under consideration as part of budget planning. Mr. Myren responded that there were requests from the affirmative action area in the budget process. Mr. Ashley stated that he will be interested in seeing how the affirmative action effort is reflected in the budget prioritizations.

There was discussion regarding the various report formats. Mr. Cavanaugh suggested that perhaps an abbreviated version of the report could be created based on state office guidelines that the board would review and approve, and the larger document continue to be generated for internal purposes. The board agreed with this rationale. However, because the board would be receiving much less detail in the annual state report, they would expect to be informed of affirmative action and diversity issues and initiatives on a regular basis, possibly during the second meetings of the month.

The board suggested that staff confer with state board staff to confirm the amount of information desired in the annual state report.

Communications ^{III G}

Rose Ann Findlen ^{III G 1}

Dr. Findlen reported that 104 prospective students and parents were hosted at a recent "Preview Day" event. This is a monthly event where prospective students have an opportunity to visit Truax, Downtown and Commercial Avenue campuses to talk with current students, counselors and financial aid staff.

John Ashley ^{III G 2}

Mr. Ashley thanked Mr. McGowan for his work on the presidential search and transition process. Mr. McGowan thanked the college community and the community at large for their support over the last fourteen months. Mr. McGowan reported that Dr. Bettsey Barhorst would officially join MATC on January 18, 2005. A transition committee is working to facilitate Dr. Barhorst’s smooth transition into the college and community, including visits to each of the college campuses her first week and an investiture ceremony and community reception on February 22, 2005.

The meeting adjourned at 7:22 p.m.