Public Comments continue

Jackie McGrath, CODFA faculty

Has worked at COD for 12 years and notes how sad she felt when reading the HLC report. The worst findings that could have been have. And this morning, instead of a to-do list of what this college could do to address and resolve the issues mentioned in the report. But instead there was an e-mail defending the Senior Management Team. But it is clear that we need leadership change at this college. We have to look at who is making management decisions at this college.
These issues are squarely at the feet of those who took the decisions and that is why we need a change in senior management — non-renewal, reassignment, resignation, firing — they are standing in the way of what needs to be changed here at COD.

John Kraft
Refers to the note sent by the missing three trustees. Reminds the public that the Illinois Community College Act stipulates that the Chair presides at the meetings and do what she chair is bound to do by law. The Vice-Chairman serves in the Chairman’s absence.
Notes that the Higher Learning Commission has put COD on probation for two years.
Notes that Illinois State legislation has also been created in order to address the problems created by the previous administration.
We all know the facts now.

Rosalea Danielson– retired Professor of Economics, COD
Academics are solid at COD, but probation puts a black mark on this college. Many students are going to associate probation with non-accreditation. Students are worried about whether or not their credits will be accepted from a college that is on probation.
For many students, COD is the only option for starting their college career.
Do you think other colleges out of state are going to accept credits from a college that has to list on all its documents that it is on probation?
A lot of damage has been done. I hope this status of probation will not harm students.
Shame on the senior management for having acted in a way that has landed COD on probation.
But note that no actions by faculty are mentioned in the probation. Probation happened only because of actions taken by administration.

Judy Wherely
Comes to offer her support. Students are great. It might be hard for students to organize here since they don’t live on campus, but I would like to stand up for COD students.
The absence of the three trustees — they have basically admitted the truth of the situation. They are holding the student body hostage at this point. I support the call for the resignation of the three trustees who are absent today and for the resignation of the senior management team.

Tom Tipton, English Professor, COD

Hi, I’m Tom Tipton. I’ve lived in the district and taught English here for 22 years.
It’s too easy, this time of year to make reference to Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and the ghosts of Christmas pasts. Oh, how things would have been different, if only…Flashback: The Board and administration’s journey to accreditation probation began several years ago when members of an earlier Board colluded to “fast track” their pick of the now terminated president. The explicit reason for his choosing was his business acumen — he was a self-proclaimed businessman for whom “cash was king.” The implicit reason for his choosing was his reputation for taking power from faculty — witness the public record of the strife he caused at Harper before his hire here.

There is no pleasure in pointing out the irony that the college is now on probation with the HLC because the so called businessman tried to run the college like a business. But it takes more than one bad leader to destroy a community. To be sure, along the way he drew a loyal following among some of — not all of, but some of —the board members and administrators who enjoy playing politicians and “corporate bigwigs.” This is the problem.

Make no mistake, though, the College’s core function of academics — teaching and learning — are NOT called into question in the HLC’s report; it is the Board and administration who are on probation.

So, in the spirit of Christmases future, in the spirit of hope, let’s not repeat the core mistake of years past in choosing the next president of College Future. We don’t need a politician, a businessman, an engineer, a general, a Major League Baseball General Manager, etc. — all noble professions in their own place, just not here. What we need is a college president who will lead the college as a college; a college administration that will serve as college administrators; a college board of trustees that will function. It will take more than just one good hire for the board and administration to get out of this mess.

Okay, since it is final exam week, here’s a one question, pass/fail final exam for the board and administration. Don’t worry, it’s multiple choice…Here goes…

In order to get out of probation, the Board and administration should…
A.stop its political infighting
B.hire a college president who will run the college as a college
C.listen to your faculty members
D.all of the above…

A.In case you don’t know, the correct answer is…all of the above. Here’s to a brighter Christmas future.

Mike McPherson

Notes he is sorry that Trustee McGuire did not show up with her two bobbleheads. They are trying to run COD into the ground.
Talks about the Waterleaf– how administration ate and drank there and charged the college.
Notes he is glad that Breuder is gone.

Jeanne Ives, State Representative
Talks about the crisis that has happened. Notes that she told the Senior Administration months ago that they are enablers.

43 internal audit investigations that reveal illegal or unethical actions — I want a timeline from senior administration. What did you know, when did you know it, and who did you share it with?
Bab behavior doesn’t happen in a vacuum. THE SLEA credit scandal falls at the hand of your administration. We have a problem with this. The Senior Management need to start talking. Where are the 43 audits.
The taxpayers are still paying for these administrators. She would like them held accountable.

Miguel Marino
Says he has to change his speech today because it was intended for people who are not present at this meeting.
Why are we pointing fingers at each other. We are a community. We should be supporting each other.
We cannot play the blame game and solve the problems we have here.

David Goldberg, Professor of Political Science.
Has been here 11 years.
There are three hige issues here:
Search committee
Divided BoT
Probationary Status by HLC as a result of Brueder’s dysfunctional time as president.
Unfortunately those responsible are still here. They continue to behave as if April 2015 had not occurred.
The authors of the disastrous policies have not taken responsibility.
And faculty have not been named in any of the HLC sanctions.
The administration that caused these problems remains in power. They should be dismissed or reassigned.
Notes that students are concerned about whether or not COD credits would transfer.
Today I cannot say with confidence that there will be no problems for students who want to transfer their credits.

Julia DiLiberti, Professor of Humanities for here for 11 years
Talks about her students and their stresses.
Talks about a Dean who has talked about whether or not COD programs will be accepted in Springfield.
We have BoT members who got their names in the paper for stealing COD documents.
I am so distracted by what is going on on these levels that it is hard to be fully present for students.
Notes that students are asking if our credits are going to be accepted.

Chris Robling, had a temporary position with COD until he left it yesterday.
Praises Hamilton, Mazzochi, Napolitano, Bernstein for their comprehensive attempts at reform.
edgarcounty watchdog website
Notes that absent BoT members have attempted to smear his name.
The HLC has clearly indicated that this is a corrupt institution.
Wants included in the minutes of this meeting: I am an award winning journalist, helped IIT, Rush University,have spoken and taught at NW, U of C, Roosevelt, DePaul. Has gotten awarded by American Transportation Company, has spoken abroad on transportation issues. Has been sent to Russia to do democracy training.
None of my previous work has included politics despite what the absent BoT members have been saying.
He has sent every paycheck he got here to the COD Foundation.
The former BoT members are the dead hand of the past. Management must be gutted and rebuilt. A new BoT member must be found and a new president who are committed to uncompromising reform.

Roger Kempa
Notes that the absence of the BoT members is a work stoppage. They could have come here to discuss their issues.

Chair Mazzochi asks Mr. Elliot to inform the public on the current state of the BoT.
Mr. Elliot–
Hamilton’s resignation became known on Sunday evening and was t ransmitted by him.
Two vacancies are now
Section 3-7 of CC Act. Process is that remaining trustees have 60 days to find and agree upon a replacement, a new successor trustee. All 6 trustees have to participate in that process. 4 must agree on a new trustee. Feb 11 2016 will be 60 days. If no agreement has happened then the ICCB will name a replacement. That new trustee would serve until April 2017 when voters would select a new trustee to fill

Section 3-10 of the Illinois CC Act
The Vice-Chair shall serve in the Chairman’s absence. If both Chair and Vie-Chair are absent a Chairman Pro-Tempa. Only if both Chair and Vice-Chair are unavailalbe does the BoT then select a temporary chair to fulfill the role of Chair.
5-65 –duty of Vice-Chair shall include the following — serve as the Chair in the Chair’s absence.
There has been some suggestion that the course of action is for COD BoT to convene a new organizational meeting. This is not the law.

3-8 — an organizational meeting is required to be held following an election. That would be every other year following an election. The next one will be in April 2017. There is nothing in the statute for interim organizational meetings.
An individual community college could opt out and have elections every one year. COD 5-55 says that the BoT will annually elect or appoint a Chair, Vice-Chair and treasurer every year. That takes place in April. Thus there is not provision by the ICCB or COD policy to have an interim organizational meeting.
It is my opinion as COD General Counsel that Deanne Mazzochi as Vice-Chair must serve as Chair. In April there will be a meeting to elect new officers.

Chair Mazzochi — Thank you. Some comments relating to recsent events
Reserve judgement until you have walked in somebody’s shoes. I deeply thank Kathy for her actions. Now we must positively build on her efforts. As elected members of this body we can expect a mutual comittment to excellence, judgement, reasonable compromise. We were elected and we owe this to the people who work here every day. We must be committed to our students.
We have new circumstances. We must work cooperatively and with collegiality. We should advance the besst ideas no matter where their origin.

Regarding HLC — this is what I understand has happened since Sunday.
First non-compliant component — COD’s internal audits. Non-compliant investments.
We are hiring an outside agency to help us with making investments meet with BoT policy.
43 internal audits took place that involved unethical or illegal actions. Mazzochi has asked for a complete set of audits. Wants to generate the documentation the the HLC is asking for.
Are we following our own ethics policies — HLC has found there is no robust ethics training for staff.

We were supposed to fund spending for ethics training o item 9D of tonight’s meeting.

Failure to receive financial statements. That was at a time of transition of teams. AS we move forward from Alex Partners to other investors we will make sure that documents are available.

the BoT has no involvement in Waterleaf management.
Should BoT be involved in selecting new positions — Mazzochi has asked Dr. Collins to follow normal procedures of presenting his suggestions to the BoT.
Will call a new meeting to expedite new hires.

Faculty governance was not properly respected regarding the SLEA problem, where faculty had expressed their concerns and were not listened to.

Faculty Vote of no Confidence was not taken seriously and no actions were taken by administration to address them.

We can make the changes needed by controlling ourselves. We can do this.
Professional fees– discussed in newspaper that there have been expenses for professional fees. These are caused by investigations. The BoT is obligated to allow these investigations to take place. Federal legal compliance is not a place where we can cut corners or costs.

The crises here are not manufactured.
The BoT could take steps to manage our costs through in-house counsel.
Trustee Napolitano and Dr. Collins can ensure next year’s budget has a line item for hire of in-house counsel.
Calls for a proposal by MacGuire, Birt and Wozniak to address
Will establish a committee to oversee litigation costs. Committee will be composed of Sands Van-Kirk, Collins, a Finance representative and Mazzochi.

Student Trustee- no report since it’s finals week.

Chair Mazzochi calls the meeting to order.
Pledge of Allegiance.
Sec Napolitano calls roll
McGuire, Birt, and Wozniak are absent.
Other BoT members present.

Chair Mazzochi notes that there is no quorum. As a working group there will be discussion of items that can be discussed.

Glenn Hansen, President CODFA and Faculty Senate
Hansen notes the e-mail exchange on e-mail took place this afternoon regarding his call for the resignations of the three absent trustees, who have kept us from conducting COD business tonight. Not acceptable behavior. And in terms of comments to the press regarding the HLC report and probation. Hansen notes he defended the institution. But he wants the people who were responsible for the HLC sanctions to resign as they are responsible for the negative Wants all administrators who were hired by Breuder should be fired. Those who are responsible for the sanctions should stand up and admit their role and responsibility for what has happened. Only Dr. Collins has done that. He has apologized to faculty and staff for mistakes. That’s what I ask. Apologize and we can move forward. Hansen asks administrators who are responsible to step forward and take the mic and admit their responsibility.

Richard Jarman
I would like to read the following resolution that was adopted unanimously by the Faculty Senate this week.
“The College of DuPage Faculty Senate wishes to thank Kathy Hamilton for her many contributions to the College of DuPage over the past two years, for the courage she manifested in her challenging role as trustee, and, as the board chair, for her dedication and commitment to making the education of students the priority.”
The following are my own.
I know not Mr. Martin Dolan and I wonder if he ever visited this college. I realize he is not paid to be impartial, but the HLC letter that has just placed the college on probation makes abundantly clear that any actions taken by the board during the chairmanship of Kathy Hamilton regarding the former president was not some “political charade.” His undoing was not a result of a plot enacted by the Clean Slate, but at his own hands through his ravening greed and abuse of power and privilege. We should be grateful to the new board that his legacy will not be a name on a building, accompanied by a $760 thousand parachute, but the catalog of problems chronicled in the report.
Of course he did not act alone. I quote, “The Board of Trustees did not provide effective leadership…” “The administration of the College did not perform effectively…” Herein is a compendium of failed leadership.
Three of those trustees whose hands were on the tiller are still here –except not actually here. None has yet to make any acknowledgment that anything was ever amiss and that they owned some responsibility. One might think that now, more than ever, their full energy would be invested in addressing the issues and righting the wrongs. Not a bit of it. We have heard about “manufactured crises.” Creating a tempest in a teapot over the viewing of legal documents, then hauling them off campus on the pretext to do “research,” which it appears meant running post haste to the Daily Herald editors is a manufactured crisis.
And now these three have abdicated their fiduciary duties in an attempt to embarrass the other trustees and further their own selfish ambitions. There are real costs involved here. Real consequences. They have no shame. There is only one logical option. Go.

Keith Yearman — COD Geography Professor

IN 2009 THIS COLLEGE WAS PAYING THREE PRESIDENTS AT THE SAME TIME. SUNIL CHAND HAD JUST BEEN OUSTED AND REASSIGNED TO AN OFFICE IN THE LIBRARY. HAL MCANINCH CAME OUT OF RETIREMENT TO SERVE AS INTERIM PRESIDENT FOR SIX MONTHS; HE HAD BEEN AWARDED A TWO-YEAR CONTRACT. BREUDER’S HIRING THAT NOVEMBER COMPLETED OUR MOUNT RUSHMORE OF PRESIDENTS. AT THAT POINT MCANINCH WAS TASKED, PER BREUDER’S OWN WORDS, WITH RIPPING APART THE FACULTY CONTRACT IN PREPARATION FOR UPCOMING NEGOTIATIONS.

NOBODY HAS SEEN MCANINCH’S WORK PRODUCT. WHOSE PERSONNEL FILES DID MCANINCH ACCESS IN RELATION TO THIS ASSIGNMENT? WHOSE PERSONNEL FILES DID BREUDER OR HIS UNDERLINGS ACCESS IN PREPARATION FOR THESE NEGOTIATIONS? FACULTY NEGOTIATORS WERE SURPRISED BY SOME OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE DEMANDS – DRASTIC CUTS RELATING TO THINGS LIKE CLASS REIMBURSEMENTS AND TUITION WAIVERS. IT SHOULD BE NO SURPRISE THOUGH – THE DEMANDED CUTS TARGETED SPECIFIC FACULTY MEMBERS WHO REALLY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THOSE BENEFITS, SOME OF WHOM HAD BEEN ACTIVELY INFORMING LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES, AS WELL AS PUBLIC WATCHDOG GROUPS OF MISCONDUCT HERE.. LET ME POINT OUT SUCH CUTS MAY HAVE RUN COUNTER TO HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION ACCREDITATION STANDARDS 5.6 AND 5.13. BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT IS THAT WHISTLEBLOWERS WERE TARGETED – THEY ALWAYS HAVE BEEN AT THIS INSTITUTION.

IN RECENT MEMORY, A LAB TECHNICIAN POINTED OUT YEARS OF CERAMICS PAINTS WOULD HAVE LEFT HAZARDOUS MATERIALS IN VARIOUS HOODS AND DUCTWORK IN CAMPUS STUDIOS. THE COLLEGE’S BUILDING PROJECT COORDINATOR WROTE IN AN E-MAIL THAT THE CONTRACTOR “DOES NOT FEEL IT TO BE A PROBLEM. HOWEVER, IT IS AN ISSUE NOW,” REFERRING TO THE TECHNICIAN’S OUTSPOKENNESS. THE TECHNICIAN PROTESTED REPEATEDLY AND LOUDLY ENOUGH TO FORCE TESTING, WHICH WAS ORDERED THE NEXT MONTH, BUT THE RESULTS DID NOT COME IN FOR ANOTHER FOUR MONTHS. THE RESULTS – ARSENIC, SELENIUM, CADMIUM AND SILVER ALL EXCEEDING OSHA STANDARDS. THE CONTRACTOR WROTE, “AT THIS TIME [WE] CANNOT REMOVE THIS DUCTWORK…PLEASE LET US KNOW WHEN IT IS SAFE.” MY UNDERSTANDING IS ANOTHER CONTRACTOR DID THE REMOVAL PRIOR TO THE TEST RESULTS ARRIVING ON CAMPUS, BUT I DO NOT WISH TO GIVE THIS BOARD MISINFORMATION.

THE TECHNICIAN WHO RAISED THE INITIAL CONCERNS? HE WAS FIRED AND EVENTUALLY SETTLED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE COLLEGE.

MORE RECENTLY, A PROFESSOR SENT AN E-MAIL TO ADAM ANDJEWSKI AND FOR THE GOOD OF ILLINOIS OFF HIS COLLEGE E-MAIL ACCOUNT. WITHIN DAYS THIS PROFESSOR WAS SUMMONED TO A MEETING WITH THEN-PRESIDENT BREUDER AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM ABOUT THIS E-MAIL. THIS WAS DESPITE ASSURANCES OUR E-MAILS WERE NOT BEING MONITORED. THEN TWO INVESTIGATORS FROM THE DUPAGE STATE’S ATTORNEY’S OFFICE SHOWED UP OUTSIDE THIS PROFESSOR’S CLASSROOM SEEKING (QUOTING THE LEAD INVESTIGATOR), “ANY INFORMATION IN HIS POSSESSION WHICH CASTS THE COLLEGE IN A NEGATIVE LIGHT.” ONE INNOCUOUS E-MAIL BROUGHT MORE OF A RESPONSE FROM BOB BERLIN THAN ALL OF BREUDER’S ACTIONS.

THE REPEATED TARGETING OF WHISTLEBLOWERS MUST STOP. THIS BOARD SHOULD STEP UP AND DO RIGHT BY THOSE WHISTLEBLOWERS, SOME OF WHOM MAY STILL BE HERE, AND COMPENSATE THOSE FOR DAMAGE DONE IN THE PAST. I ALSO CALL UPON THIS BOARD TO ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT INSPECTOR GENERAL’S OFFICE AND TO ESTABLISH A TRUE PROGRAM FOR WHISTLEBLOWERS AND THE PROTECTION THEREOF.

Bob Hazard, COD Faculty
Good Evening,

In a week of Daily Herald revelations, this one stood out for me. Trustee McGuire is quoted saying:

“The school has spent more than $3.5 million in legal and financial consultant fees the past seven months “chasing a manufactured crisis.”

She’s wrong in one respect: There is more than a single manufactured crisis here.

One crisis was manufactured by Bob Breuder, his SMT, and the previous boards. Anyone who’s read the HLC report can see that there was serious malfeasance going on at the highest levels of our college. Make no mistake about it. Breuder, Glaser, and Saypta all deserved to be fired.

No doubt they will continue their misguided lawsuits, hoping for a settlement they don’t deserve. Please don’t give in to blackmail. Breuder and his SMT damaged our college and they don’t deserve a penny more than they’ve already squeezed out of us.

But the bigger crisis has been manufactured by McGuire herself.

For seven months now McGuire who allowed, enabled, even encouraged Breuder and his hand-picked management team to damage our college with their bad investments, their wasting of tax dollars in their private clubhouse, The Waterleaf, their secret manipulation of credit hours in SLEA, and on and on and on, has been determined to undermine the trustees who were elected to clean up the mess she helped to create.

For seven months now, McGuire has preened before the press, posed as the martyr, playing out dysfunction in front of the HLC so she could claim the new board was dysfunctional, all the while not caring what damage she was causing.

Now, that preening has come home to roost. We’ve been put on probation for the acts of a fired president and those under his direct command. But we’ve also been put on probation for the acts and the inaction of those boards on which McGuire was an active member.

If there is any justice in all of this, it’s that the HLC report came out mere hours after the latest public snit fit from McGuire, a report that directly contradicted her latest defense of Breuder.

Part of me is angry that she’s not here to face the college she betrayed, but part of me says good riddance. Stay away Dianne, you’ve worn out your welcome here and it’s been a very long time since you contributed anything of value.

From the 4pm public forum

Bob Hazard, English faculty:
I had originally wanted to talk about our need for a college president who has a terminal degree in an academic field, but the events that transpired this past weekend have left me feeling that nothing that is said in these forums will have any effect on the final choice for president. This committee has shown by its recent actions that it has no interest in working with and listening to the constituent groups that make up the College of DuPage.
The assignment of Lee Daniels to chair the presidential search committee, without any public discussion and apparently without any discussion within the search committee is troubling. What this college needs is an open transparent and through process. Given the way the previous president was chosen, and the disastrous results of that decision on our college, it is crucial that we have a clean process in which all constituent groups have a fair say if we’re going to start to heal as a community.
I am even more dismayed by the secret choice of Robert Dickeson as a consultant for the presidential search. Mr. Dickeson has been rebuked numerous times over the past 30 years by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) for his anti –faculty proposals. We have just lived through an administration that was openly anti faculty. We need collaboration, not confrontation. But if you want confrontation, you will have it.
These events reek of a coup. Faculty fought Breuder for five plus years. We have supported the new board as they have worked to right the ship and institute new, transparent policies. But do not mistake our support of policies for blind support. We will continue to fight for what is best for our college.

Karin Evans
I am a Professor of English. I have been teaching here full time since 2003. Thank you for this opportunity.
I wish to make two points that I believe are critical in selecting a new president.
First, if we look at our college historically, COD became known as one of the best community colleges in the nation because of our commitment to quality in the academic mission. Now, as our accreditation is in question, we must have a return to the mission. We must have a president with unassailable academic credentials and a strong background in higher education to lead our faculty and curriculum, as well as our administration. Higher education is a complicated and special enterprise, and it is not like any other kind of business or government entity. We need a president who is qualified to understand the quality and depth of our curriculum, the preparation of our faculty, and the wise stewardship of our institutional resources, focused on excellence in teaching and learning.
Second, our new president must set the tone of listening and learning at the top of our organizational structure. A college is not a place where people come in with their ideas already set and their agendas already decided. A college is a place where people come to open themselves up – to learn the perspectives of others, to find out new ways to solve problems, to learn what history bears on the present, and to bring new information and data to bear on their decision-making. This is what we expect of our students and of ourselves. This is what we also should be expecting of our new president. Our new president must come to us as a learner and as a collaborator, with the aim to learn and serve, as well as to lead.
Thank you.

College of DuPage is asking both College and community members to weigh in on the qualities they would like to see in the next COD president.

The College will host two public forums to gather input on Monday, Dec. 14. COD’s Presidential Search Committee has asked noted former WFLD-TV journalist Anne Kavanagh to lead two sessions to receive ideas at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 14, in the Student Services Center (SSC), Room 2206, on the College’s main campus in Glen Ellyn.

Read the full press release.

Presentations.

Incurred Legal Fee Analysis: John Dischner, Interim Chief Financial Officer. Reviewed expenses for legal fees. Biggest spike in fees relates to cooperation with law enforcement. Internal investigations also add significant expenses. Bar graphs show how fees stack up. Hamilton asks several questions to clarify. McGuire asserts that investigations are going nowhere, and we are spinning our wheels and spending money. Mazzochi responds that the expenses McGuire is complaining about have federal subpoenas behind them. McGuire agrees that responding to investigations is required, but she accuses (somebody) of getting the ball rolling on investigations that are pointless. Wozniak chimes in, money is flying out the window. This reform board voted for all this stuff. Mazzochi points out that the attorneys doing the responses were selected by Breuder and Glazer. Hamilton: “Cleaning up is expensive.”

Management Audit Letter: William Kresse, Member Board Audit Committee. Member of our transition team. 14 deficiencies in internal controls found by Crowe Harvath audit, a very high number, even though this was only a routine audit of financial statements. There could be other deficiencies which are not expressed. Three major findings included issues with conflict of interest and compliance with investment policy. Made recommendations to remedy. These issues are being addressed with COD management. Sums up presentation with need for vigilance. Bernstein comments on what a change since an earlier meeting when a team of accountants appeared and said there was nothing wrong at COD. Further exchanges… McGuire raising issue of transmittal letter. Exchange between McGuire and Hamilton. Kresse points out that Crowe Horvath brought in a completely new team.

Executive Search Recommendation from Presidential Search Committee. Paul Lefort, chair of search committee. Commenting on search strategy, looking for “passive candidates” who will not respond to ad. Dischner of AlixPartners explained process for RFP. Lefort explained search committee charter, 18 members, representative body of the citizens of District 502. Make recommendations to BOT who will make final selection. Ranking of firms, questioning. Now have live website for presidential search. Recommended firm asked to retain a firm with more education experience to assist them. Search strategy of recommended firm, William E. Hay & Co., is research-based, their staff will go out looking for people who are the right fit. They will be looking for four positions all at once – president and top financial officers, VP Development.

Chair Hamilton comments on the role of the BOT to keep control of the hiring process. Hiring in four positions is a major cultural shift. Need to turn the page.

There is a motion on the floor. McGuire comments on the process of hiring all four at once, it’s against board policy and goes against an earlier board action authorizing only searching for the president. In the board policy, the trustees have the authority to hire the president, and the president has the authority to hire the others. The motion is out of order, we should start over, do the RFP again, try to get the firm with more education experience. There is more about Polonio’s statement about telling the old board not to hire Breuder, Wozniak denies this again. College attorney points to community college legislation that justifies BOT hiring senior administrators. Mazzochi engages McGuire about what our alternatives are. McGuire urges that we find people internally to cover the positions until the new president is hired. There is a long debate about this. Mazzochi writes an amendment to divide the process. Hamilton is mad at Mazzochi. Back and forth argument between McGuire and Hamilton. Attorney speaks. Sands-Vankerk speaks to timing of hiring people to cover.

The discussion continues… the blogger is done. Apologies for stopping in the middle, but it’s getting late. Please go to the stream.

Student Trustee Report. International education. Presentation on international students on campus through CCIP, Community College Initiative Program. Brief comments and video.

President’s Report. Study Abroad office recognized for having more students study abroad than any other community college in the nation, Maren McKellin and Sue Kerby named for their excellent work. Our football team had 8-1 season and invited to a bowl game. Very conscientious and well behaved team. Reminds everyone of the outstanding work of adjunct faculty.

Roll call. Birt absent.

Agenda approved.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Roger Kempa. Asks about cost of executive search and raises questions about financial statements.

Glenn Hansen, CODFA President. You should remember, I come from a culture where we debate everything, but we find solutions. We teach students to think critically and debate topics from many perspectives. We recognize that it takes time to work things out. However, nothing is ever accomplished if you don’t start.

Blogging tonight! Stay tuned as the executive search firm for COD’s new president is set to be approved.

You can find the BOT agenda and packet at this link:
http://www.cod.edu/about/board_of_trustees/index.aspx

For streaming, go to this link:
http://www.cod.edu/multimedia_services/botmedia.aspx

As always, we remind you that our bloggers are volunteers. We thank you for reading and for your patience with the inevitable errors and typos that come with live blogging. If you see something that should be corrected, email us at codfaboardblog@cod.edu. This email is monitored! We love making corrections! We love fan mail, too!

If our blogger does not have the endurance to make it through the meeting (yes! we teach tomorrow morning!), please head over to the live stream. It is extremely good. Thank our amazing Multimedia Services staff.

#8 This agenda item reflects recommendations imposed by the HLC report.

Authorization for the Board to organize a Board Retreat, establish an augmented Board Orientation Program, and to direct the Administration to describe and establish an Ethics Training Program for College Administrators

Bernstein proposes amendment to add faculty and staff to ethics training program. Amendment is accepted and voted on. Birt, McGuire, and Wozniak abstain. Amendment passes.

Linda Sands-Vankerk came to the podium to present on vendors for ethics training program. Described a 45-minute training product that can be adapted to include COD-specific material. Scenario based from the point of view of different types of employees. Very comprehensive.

Some discussion/description of options for board retreat.

Vote on the motion is unanimous.

#9 Approval of Academic Committee Charter

Mazzochi commented on the final version since several drafts have been circulated. She mentioned several issues that she felt the BOT should discuss. DIscussion of possible amendments. Birt objects that the document is disorganized.

Birt motions to table and McGuire seconds. This motion fails.

Discussion resumes. Birt states she does not support the motion. Wozniak says it’s very unorganized, it’s ridiculous to vote on it. Napolitano lists notes about the proposed changes – add a student, add an adjunct, have the administrator appointed by the President rather than the board chair. Hamilton concerned that the committee might get too large and not function well. More back and forth. Administrators would be designated by role, VPAA and VP Student Affairs. Discussion of how many trustees would be named to the committee.

Mazzochi moves a list of changes as one amendment. This motion passes. Birt votes no.

Vote on the main motion: passes. Birt votes no.

Note to readers, we should keep an eye out for the amended text of the charter. They did agree on two students, two full-time faculty, two adjuncts, and two (?) trustees. One of the trustees will be the chair.

This is the end of tonight’s blogging coverage. 

For streaming, go to this link:
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Presentations

Strategic Planning Process overview by Joe Collins. Large task force involved representing all constituencies. Long-range plan involves larger goals and measurable tasks and objectives. Results of LRP process in recent years has been positive. Improvements in many academic areas based on great strategic plan. Graphs based on student success in key academic areas, retention, enrollment of students with high GPAs, graduation rate.

Presentation on investment process and options. Alix Partners, John Dishner presenting, Interim CFO. Found that self-management of investment portfolio stressed COD’s financial department. Issues with compliance, asset selecting, and reporting to BOT. Looked at other institutions, common for them to use outside management for investments. Presented recommendations that COD manage its own short-term capital (0-90 days) and retain providers to manage two different tiers of longer-range capital. Fees for these providers compare favorably to hiring people internally to do this level of financial management.

Financial controls re: WDCB and Waterleaf (same presenter).

WDCB thefts were accomplished by presenting things as “emergencies” and by not accumulating invoices from the same vendor. Station manager would have been in the best position to catch the problem, was not sufficiently engaged, and senior management did not ask enough questions. What has been changed? Management has changed, new manager following procedures. Proposing a new financial policy later in the meeting for consolidating invoices from single vendors that go over $25k.

Waterleaf / HLC issue easy to fix house accounts and alcohol reimbursement. Cultural shift in the organization. This has been addressed. Internal Auditor’s reporting environment changed, reports to President administratively and Audit Committee functionally.

Working on issue of conflicts of interest with Foundation board members. In the process of adding language to RFPs, must disclose conflicts. Watching this closely but will also be formalized.

Trustee questions and discussion went on for a while. Hamilton stated that we have greatly improved and we are identifying and resolving problems.