SUNY Orange, "If you have the dream, we have the way!"SUNY Orange

Highlights of Minutes - March 11, 2004

MINUTES OF THE ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE Board of Trustees MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2004, AT 7:00 PM IN THE MUSIC ROOM, MORRISION HALL, FIRST FLOOR

Present: H. Gareiss, Jr., Chair, A. Anthonisen, D. Boyce, B. Hodge, D. Mirro, J. Wolfe

Absent: A. Garcia, R. Glinton, S. Hunter, J. McMahon

Executive Session

At 5:45 pm Chairman Herbert Gareiss, Jr., called an Executive Session to discuss personnel matters. At 6:10 pm by unanimous consent, the board closed Executive Session to reconvene at 7:00 p.m.

I. CALL TO ORDER

At 7:00 pm Chairman Gareiss called the meeting to order and noted that a quorum was present.

II. CONSENT AGENDA

A motion was made to approve Consent Agenda Items A through E.

  • Wolfe/Hodge
  • Unanimous
  1. Approved the Minutes from the regular meetings held on Monday, January 12, 2004 and February 9, 2004 as presented.
  2. Approved the petty cash reports for January and February 2004 in the amounts of $25.00 and $34.65, respectively.
  3. Approved Faculty Appointments:
    Name Discipline Effective
    Thomas Knieser Instructor, Engineering Science,
    Department of Science and Engineering,
    full-time, temporary - until the position
    is filled permanently    		 2/5/04
    Carl Ponesse Instructor, Department of Social Sciences,full-time temporary Spring 2004
    Semester
  4. Approved Staff Appointment:
    Name Discipline Effective
    Eileen Burke Coordinator for Developmental Education And Tutorial Center 2/1/04 -
    8/31/04
  5. Approved a resolution (see attached) to install a traffic device on the corner of South Street between East Conklin Avenue and Bennett Street in order to guarantee the safety of pedestrians and motorists.

III. PRESIDENT'S REPORT

  • Due to the date change for the board meeting, photos of the trustees for the College website will be taken prior to the 4/12 board meeting.
  • At a 3/19 meeting, a proposal for a Newburgh branch campus will be discussed with Chancellor Robert L. King, state and county officials, the trustees and college administrators. State support is required to move forward with architectural and engineering planning.
  • Preparations are in progress for the Middle State Accreditation team, 4/ 4 - 4/7. The final report from the MSA team will be woven into the Strategic Planning Process.
  • In the board packet, a proposal for the southern portion of the county includes an increase in services and programs that would be more advantageous than building or leasing space at this location.
  • Newburgh is undergoing a revitalization of the community, and it is more important to expand in the eastern end of the county. Enrollment continues to grow steadily.
  • The Board of Trustees Retreat will take place in June from 8:30 - 2:30 pm. The date and location will be determined.
  • A proposal for the revitalization of the Orange Voice, the student newspaper, was included in the board packet. The students will produce a high-quality publication that will reflect well on the College. Many people are interested in advertising. The proposal calls for support from an editorial staff and includes a monetary stipend for the editor and reporters. President Richards will contact Jim Moss to request financial support. President Richards projects that within three years the newspaper will be self-supporting; it will receive a national award for excellence; and one staff member will receive a scholarship to a senior college for journalism.
  • A proposal has been presented to the alumni association to combine with the college in a closer alignment to become financially more efficient. The alumni board will meet in March to discuss the proposal and a decision will be made in April prior to Ada DeGeus' retirement.
  • A draft letter for Chairman Gareiss' signature to County Executive Diana requesting the reappointment of Trustee Dr. Arthur C. Anthonisen was approved. The board unanimously concurred that a similar letter should be drafted to Chancellor Robert L. King requesting Trustee Stephen R. Hunter's reappointment.
  • A new College policy and procedures manual is being created. The trustees received a draft of board policies and procedures for review, and comments or revisions are requested by the April board meeting. A draft of the entire manual will be discussed at length at the June board retreat. The final version of the manual will be approved at the September board meeting.
  • The trustees were invited to the Administrative Professionals Breakfast in the Commons Cafeteria at 8 am on 4/21.
  • The trustees shall assemble at 5:20 pm on 3/19 in Orange Hall Gallery, Room 107 to robe for President Richards' Inauguration.

IV. REPORT OF THE COLLEGE GOVERNANCE SYSTEM

Professor Jim Lynch, president of the College Governance System, highlighted the following topics:

  • Candidates for the offices of President and Vice President of Governance will give their presentations to the College Assembly at the 3/15 meeting.
  • Revising committee representation so that it coincides with the new academic reorganizations will be the main topic of a special Executive Committee meeting to be held on 3/17. The possibility of merging several committees will also be considered. In addition, charges of several Standing Committees will be reviewed and perhaps modified so that the charges more clearly reflect the functions of the committees.
  • The Constitution and By-law of the Governance system have recently been posted on the College's website.
  • Whether full-time temporary faculty should be eligible to serve on Standing Committees is an ongoing issue.
  • The Executive Committee agreed with President Richards' suggestion that a Board of Publications be established at the college to oversee college documents, especially the College newspaper.

V. REPORT OF THE STUDENT TRUSTEE

Student Trustee Donald Boyce highlighted the following items:

  • Admission receptions will be held 3/10, 4/17 and 4/21
  • Don thanked President Richards for allowing him to attend the ACCT
    conference in Washington, DC, 2/ 8 - 2/11, which was very informative.
    He met with Senators Clinton and Schumer and Congressman Hinchey.
  • He brought to the board's attention the student's activities calendar included in the board packets.
  • The pens distributed to the trustees were gifts from the student senate.
  • The Sojourner Truth Awards were a great success with more than 300 students in grades 6 - 12 from schools throughout the county receiving recognition awards for academics, sports, and community service. Don thanked Trustees Glinton and McMahon for participating in the awards ceremony.
  • The students raised enough money to hire a specialist to analyze the condition of Sugar - the Mastodon located in the Bio-Tech building.

VI. OLD BUSINESS

Two resolutions (see attached) were presented to the trustees pertaining to the approval policy for College-sponsored travel abroad and within the continental United States. This policy affects students, all college personnel and guests. Upon adoption, this policy shall become effective immediately and also will include a waiver of liability form as well a parental consent section for all individuals under the age of 18.

  • The first resolution grants the Board of Trustees the power to pre-approve travel outside of the continental United States and suspends College-related travel to any destination which is on the travel advisory list of the United States Department of State.
  • The second resolution grants the President of the College the sole authority to pre-approve College-sponsored travel whether it is local, within the United States borders or outside of the continental United States for all students, faculty and other participants.
    • A motion was made to adopt the two above-mentioned travel-policy resolutions effective immediately as presented.
  • Boyce/Mirro
  • Unanimous

VII. NEW BUSINESS

  • Professors Kathleen Malia, president of the Faculty Association, and Kathleen Wright recently traveled to Albany to lobby the state representatives. An article about lobbying the state legislators and a photo of both professors and Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther were included in the latest edition of the NYSUT magazine, The New York Teacher.
  • President Richards made a proposal in line with the approval of a 3% salary increase for the faculty and staff and chair members, he recommends that all management confidential employees receive a 3% salary increase retroactive to September 1, 2003.
    • A motion was made to approve a 3% salary increase for all management confidential employees retroactive to September 1, 2003.
  • Hodge/Wolfe
  • Unanimous

VIII. COMMITTEE REPORTS AND/OR RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Administrative Services Committee - None
  • Personnel and Finance Committee - None
  • Educational Policies and Student Affairs Committee - None

IX. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC - None

X. BOARD DISCUSSION

At 7:40 pm the board by unanimous acclamation adjourned the meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

Maryann Raab
Secretary to the President