Call to Order
The meeting was called to order
at 5:01 p.m.
Roll Call
Present: Brannan, Canady,
Laverty, Pelleran, Proctor, Smith
Absent: Rasmusson
Trustee Rasmusson arrived at
5:03 p.m.
Trustee Canady departed at 6:44
p.m.
Limited Public Comment Regarding Agenda Items
Addie Morrow – I have to
apologize for reading my comments – and I have problems with my
throat today – reading my comments, but I want to respect and adhere
to your timeline. I’m sorry my name is Addie Morrow and I’m
somewhat sad as I come here. I am here in response to Trustee Mark
Canady’s move at the last Board of Trustee’s meeting to delay the
appointment of a Dean until further investigation of denied
appointments of “Blacks” that were dismissed as failed searches.
The Board dismissed Trustee Canady’s concern and moved to appoint
Jan Danford as Dean despite his call for delay. However, previously
the Board had tabled the selection committee appointment of Redecka
Appiah Padi, a black, for three Board meetings, and three months
before accepting her appointment. Obviously, the Board felt that
the appointment of Jan Danford was more critical and warranted. I
am tired of concerns of African Americans dismissed to get on with
business as usual. I was stunned to hear my name mentioned at the
last Board meeting and was unaware that Trustee Mark Canady knew of
the unjust selection process that occurred in the SAS division
regarding an appointment of Director of Student Success which was
lead by Dr. Judith Cardenas. Trustee Canady’s response that the
three individuals were afraid of retaliation was inaccurate in my
regard. My decision not to file a grievance or suit was based on my
decision to not take time from student needs to engage in a
laborious grievance process or suit. Also, I unequivocally felt
that it would be deceptive for me to serve and support questionable
divisional leadership. The outcome was a blessing in disguise and I
have the greatest respect and regards for the previous Director of
Student Success, Dr. Rebekah Woods, currently serving as the interim
Dean of SAS. However, but, my brief time as co-interim chair of
counseling made me question the ethics and integrity of Dr. Judith
Cardenas. Furthermore, after not being a candidate for the
permanent position, there were rumors of concern that I was going to
sue the College for mishandling of the
selection process. If everything was properly done, I am not sure
why this concern surfaced. I addressed my concerns in writing about
discrediting rumors and implications about my professionalism which
seem to come from Judith Cardenas. I hand delivered the letter to
both Judith Cardenas and Dr. Gary VanKempen. I was open, not
anonymous or backbiting. I must say this was the first time in my
25 year tenure at the College, I felt compelled to address such a
messy situation. Instead of a response from Judith and Gary
regarding my letter, I received a call from Human Resources, Tim
Zeller and Jan Stuart. Mr. Zeller and Ms. Stuart alleged they were
concerned for me. However, after a series of recent questionable
evolvements: President Cunningham’s dismissal, the rise of Judith
Cardenas to the Interim Presidency and Tim Zeller’s new
responsibilities, in retrospect, I am not sure the concern was for
my professional existence. Also, my past experience with the SAS
division under Cárdenas leadership makes me question many of the
recent fiascos and what actually went wrong in terms of students’
financial aid. From my perspective, the SAS Division was in chaos –
please let me respectfully go on – although the SAS staff is one of
he hardest working and committed staff in the College who volunteer
long hours of overwork to try to meet student needs. I along with
many in our division question the Oracle technology and raised
concerns of moving forward too quickly, so not to inconvenience
students. Yet in the division, under Dr. Cardenas we implemented
new procedures that limited the ability for Counseling to assist
students, and we had full time responsibilities combined and crammed
under one or two individuals that appeared to limit expertise. We
experienced under Dr. Cardenas leadership the dismantling of the
Multicultural Center, and various other questionable changes which
now none appear to support that fast implementation of a new
technology system. If technology was not intuitive to student
needs, it appeared that the SAS division needed to enhance the
current supportive services, instead of diluting the support
services by overloading individuals with multiple responsibilities.
It makes me wonder if Judith Cardenas accurately reported and
courageously addressed the current concerns of the division to the
executive administration. It makes me wonder if in Dean’s and
Executive Leadership Team meetings, Dr. Cardenas openly communicated
the need to slow down or stop the continue evolvement of Oracle and
aggressively convey the concerns that financial aid and others in
the division express. It is ironic that technology and student
services were reported as the fault of the so called alleged trauma
of 1900 students’ financial aid failure; yet the technology leaders
are dismissed, the president is dismissed and the student service
leader and her supporters move on despite the many complaints, long
lines, and student frustration that occurred under Cardenas
leadership of the SAS division. I cannot understand why the Deans,
the union and staff sit silently as though every thing is business
as usual when we all must know there is something seriously wrong
with this picture. My concern is what future impact this can have
on students. In summary, I am asking that you delay and thoroughly
investigate any future leadership appointments, confirmations and
hiring power until you properly investigate this concern. I feel
that Dr. Cardenas certainly has the potential to be a competent
leader. I am concerned that she needs more time before a
presidential appointment. Mr. Laverty, you mentioned in yesterday’s
Lansing State Journal and I quote: “Trustees also found a college
administration in deep denial of the problem.” Yet you appoint a
purchasing director that you claim had no contract to purchase the
Oracle systems with no budget, no outcome and no deliverance to the
position of Vice President and Finance and a former Dean to interim
President who led a division that was experiencing challenging
issues that resulted in a financial aid disaster. This appears to
be denial in the fullest. In summary, I leave you with the
following: “It is not my enemy’s words that are so hurtful, it is
the silence of my friends that is so painful.” Thank you for your
patience.
Chairperson Laverty – This item
that you just discussed was not on our agenda tonight. This would
have been more appropriate for our meeting this following Monday on
the 20th. Tonight we’re talking about audit reports,
financial aid presentation, interim president’s contract. Are you
able to provide us with your presentation in writing? If not now,
later. Let’s keep it to three minutes and to the agenda, please.
Anybody else under public comment?
Sally Pierce – Hi. Just a
minute. I’m Sally Pierce. I’m the President of the faculty
association. I’m working without notes tonight.
Chairperson Laverty – Is this to
do with something on the agenda?
Sally Pierce – Well, auditing is
on the agenda and one of our concerns as we sit at the table, has to
do with how much money is being allocated to faculty contracts. So,
I don’t know Chris you can…
Chairperson Laverty – Well,
that’s a stretch, but go ahead. We do have a regular meeting next
Monday the 20th.
Sally Pierce – Well, we plan to
be here for that one too. So, all I wanted to say is that when you
look at the finances tonight and we’re glad that you are looking at
the finances, we want you to think about the priority that you’ve
placed on faculty who are your front line folks interacting with the
students and remember your priorities as an institution. That’s all
I wanted to say.
Trustee Smith – Mr. Chair, even
though the first comments you stated by Addie Morrow are not
directly related to the Interim President’s contract they do relate
to the President and I feel that it is public comment and at that
time if she wants to voice…
Chairperson Laverty – Well, if
this Board wants to change our guidelines as far as how we handle
public comment…
Trustee
Smith – Well, I think that the issue for me is that with the other
individual you said that they were taking some latitude and if you
were going to extend that to the next one then I don’t think you
should ridicule her because…
Chairperson Laverty - I did not
ridicule anybody. Trustee Canady.
Trustee Canady – While I don’t
necessarily endorse all the comments that were made, I do concur
with Trustee Smith that the comments were within the bounds of what
we’re discussing here today.
Chairperson Laverty – We have
public comment towards the end of the meeting which is a longer
period of time and it doesn’t have to be limited to the agenda items
either.
AUDIT REPORTS
Chairperson Laverty introduced
the speakers and asked that questions be asked after the
presentations.
Maner, Costerisan and Ellis
Mr. Bruce Dunn presented his
report, which is on file with the official Board materials.
BDO Seidman
Mr. Frank Massotta presented his
report, which is on file with the official Board materials.
Plante Moran
Ms. Vicky VanDenBerg presented
her report, which is on file with the official Board materials.
There was a question and answer
period after the presentations.
AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT
No report was given.
Trustee Rasmusson explained that
Ms. Michelle Gallagher has not completed her report.
ISCD AND FINANCIAL AID
PRESENTATION
President Cardenas introduced
Dr. Stephanie Shanblatt and Dr. Rebekah Woods.
Drs. Shanblatt and Woods
provided PowerPoint presentations regarding what ISCD and Financial
Aid are doing to address the issues and recommendations provided in
the audits and prior reports. (The presentations are on file with
the official Board materials.) Dr. Shanblatt introduced Mr. Dan
Stockwell who is the Director of Higher Education Practice of
Millennium Technical Consultants.
Mr. Stockwell provided a
PowerPoint presentation on the Oracle Student System project success
plan. (The presentation is on file with the official Board
materials.)
There was a question and answer
period after the presentations.
INTERIM PRESIDENT’S CONTRACT
Chairperson Laverty presented
the Interim President’s contract. He stated that it was sent via
email to the Trustees (the contract is on file with the official
Board materials.)
IT WAS MOVED by Trustee Brannan
and supported by Trustee Pelleran to accept the President’s contract
Minimal changes were made to the
contract and legal counsel present made note of those changes.
Trustee Proctor offered a
friendly amendment that all changes be incorporated into the
contract.
Trustee Brannan accepted the
friendly amendment.
Roll call vote:
Ayes: Brannan, Laverty, Pelleran, Proctor, Rasmusson, Smith
Nays: None
Absent: Canady
Motion carried.
Chairperson Laverty announced
that work is continuing on the request for proposal for a search
firm. The request for proposal may be presented for the Board’s
approval at the March 20 meeting.
Chairperson Laverty offered the
audience the opportunity to address the Board on the agenda items
prior to going into closed session.
Cathy Kallioinen – My name is
Cathy Kallioinen and I just would like to provide one clarification
from my perspective, if I could from what I have heard this
evening. From what I have heard it appears that all of the staff
here at the College that are working on the Oracle system are doing
it without any documentation, without any training, and we’ve just
been kind of winging it. I have been involved in multiple functions
of the Oracle system here across the College as an administrator and
I can tell you that I was not allowed to have any of my securities,
which are quite high, without going through the training and without
having the training materials. I have a notebook in my office that
I refer to daily. Yes, we had training. Yes, we do have
documentation. I can’t speak for all the (inaudible) functions for
the institution, but I can speak for the ones that I’m involved in.
Thank you.
Trustee Pelleran – Thank you,
Mr. Chairman. I wanted to respond to a prior…I wanted to make a
couple of observations on a prior…on comments made by a prior
speaker. There were comments that I took deference with that we
dismissed technical staff; that we dismissed the president. In no
way shape or form did this Board dismiss the technical staff or the
president. And I want to make that clear and if anyone wants to
talk with me privately, I’d be happy to do so, but this has to
stop. The other thing about racial accusations about the Board. I
would like to have everyone know that Paula Cunningham when she was
president was very fair. And I take deference to accusations while
under her administration that there was any racial issues that took
place at this college. She would not tolerate it nor would the
Board. And I just wanted to go on record with that.
Trustee Rasmusson – The first
thing I said to Paula when she was made president back in 2000. I
said, “the courts have gutted affirmative action, but I think you
know the Board supports affirmative action as a vital part of the
education process.” I think she always followed that.
CLOSED SESSION
IT WAS MOVED by Trustee Smith
and supported by Trustee Pelleran that the Board go into closed
session for the purpose of discussing privileged confidential
information from legal counsel.
Roll call vote:
Ayes: Brannan, Laverty, Pelleran, Proctor, Rasmusson, Smith
Nays: None
Absent: Canady
Motion carried.
The Board entered into closed
session at 7:11 p.m.
IT WAS MOVED by Trustee Smith
and supported by Trustee Rasmusson for the Board to return to open
session.
Roll call vote:
Ayes: Brannan, Laverty, Pelleran, Proctor, Rasmusson, Smith
Nays: None
Absent: Canady
Motion carried.
The Board returned to open
session at 8:01 p.m.
Chairperson Laverty stated that
there were some concerns about the Deans’ and Vice Presidents’
employment contracts. He felt that there is not enough information
in the contracts. He’s requested legal counsel to review the
contracts and review severance agreements. Legal counsel has done
some work on them already; however, the templates used have been in
place for a long time and need some work. Chairperson Laverty
stated that the Board may not have to approve this, but he would
like the Trustees to see the information at some point in time.
Trustee Pelleran felt that the
Board needs to restore some of the powers of the President and let
her deal with the administration of the College. She believes that
if it is a contract situation, the Board will vote on it.
Mr. Tim Zeller agreed that the
contracts and agreements need a lot of work; however, he recommended
meeting with the President and legal counsel first. This will help
in ensuring standardization with other community colleges and it
will also help as a recruiting tool.
There was no objection from the
Board to Mr. Zeller’s recommendation.
There was discussion regarding
improving the Board bylaws to ensure future longevity that will
allow a balance between the administration and the Board in order to
work toward moving the College forward. There was also discussion
about bringing the bylaws more in line with Policy Governance.
The Board briefly evaluated the
meeting. There was a consensus that having had the auditors
available for questions was helpful for the Board and the public.
It was encouraging to have had the presentations regarding ISCD and
SAS because the College is on the right track in moving forward.
The Board should also have regular evaluations of the meetings and
self evaluations.
The Board briefly discussed the
president’s evaluation process and the hiring policy. The Board
cannot do it all and needs the assistance from external consultants,
the President or staff. The Board would like to see a presidential
evaluation process in place before the next president is hired.
PUBLIC COMMENT
There were no comments from the
public.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at
8:12 p.m.
