>> Chair Greg Musil: Good afternoon and welcome
to the June 2020 meeting of the Johnson County
Community College Board of Trustees. This
is a somewhat unique meeting, as the last
several have been, as we are meeting both
in person with six of the seven trustees and
cabinet around the room. We are socially distanced.
We all wear masks when we're not at our table
so that we're at least 6 feet apart. And one
of the things that was mentioned to me, everybody
that's in this room, if we want to hear each
other in this room, we will need to speak
up louder than maybe a normal voice. Zoom
will pick it up fine. These microphones are
tuned to Zoom. They're not tuned to give us
more volume in this room, and since we're
a number of feet away, we'll need to practice
that. I want to start with our Pledge of Allegiance
as we always do, if you'd help me honor our
country.
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United
States of America and to the Republic for
which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you. The next item
I want to make sure we do is thank those who
took the time, extra time and effort along
with every other job they do and have been
doing since mid-March, our IS Department and
our AV Department. I've got Adrian, Jason,
Ann, Scott, Sam, Ron and Derek. Thank you
all very much. This was not a simple effort.
I come in here and it's all set up, you make
it look easy. We have equipment. We have cords.
We have duct tape on the floor. We have microphones.
So thank you very much, all you do for the
college.
We do have a quorum. I see Trustee Lawson
on the screen. Can you wave, please. You're
in a little screen up on our monitor, so can
you wave to make sure that -- Trustee Lawson?
Can you just --
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: I can't even
hear you guys. Is your microphones on? Is
someone -- whoever is setting up the Zoom,
can they move the laptop closer to you guys?
Because --
>> Chair Greg Musil: We'll check. The microphones
are supposed to be individually connected
to the Zoom. Can you hear any of that?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: I can barely
hear you.
>> Chair Greg Musil: We're checking on the
volume for the microphones for you who are
on Zoom.
>> Mr. Tom Pagano: I can hear you loud and
clear on my connection here. I'm not sure
about others on the call.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: I could hear
Tom clear, but anybody in that room I can't
hear.
>> Can we -- does my mic work any better?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Dr. Sopcich, do you want
to say something, see about your mic?
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Can you hear this -- can
you hear this, Trustee Lawson?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: A little bit
better. I think you -- your voice projects
better.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Even if you get it this
close, does that make it any better?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: That's way better.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: So I guess the message
is you've got to get about an inch or two
away from the microphone.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: There you go.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Lawson, how does
this work?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Wow. Hi.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay. I don't know if
that's me or the magic man with the board
over there. But I will try to stay close to
the microphone. If at some point you can't
hear, please -- please interject. We can't
see a chat message or anything because we
don't have your monitor in front of each of
us. But let us know if you can't hear.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Okay. The signal
is going in and out. You're getting choppy.
So I just wanted to let you guys know if someone
is watching that.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Who else is on Zoom?
Jason, are you on Zoom?
>> I am.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Are you having any trouble
hearing?
>> You are sounding much better now than you
were previously.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay. Derek, can you
hear me now?
>> Yeah, we can hear you.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay. Well, one thing
I mention to the numerous staff who have worked
extra to set this up is that I think unless
this meeting is extremely an unusually productive,
I think we will go back to either a Zoom meeting
completely or to have a few trustees in the
board room, which is already wired for this,
and then a few trustees participate by Zoom
as I know other governing bodies have done,
because this is really above and beyond the
call for our staff, and I don't want to do
that on a monthly basis.
We do have a quorum. We have all seven trustees
here, six trustees in the room and Trustee
Lawson participating by Zoom.
The first item on our agenda as always is
our Open Forum. The Open Forum is an opportunity
for members of the public to comment on items,
provide comments to the board. There will
be one Open Forum provided at each of the
college's regularly scheduled board meetings.
Comments are limited to 5 minutes unless a
large number of speakers intend to participate,
in which case the Chair may limit a person's
comments to less than 5 minutes.
Tonight we have eight people signed up, so
I will ask people to limit their comments
to 3 minutes. In order to be recognized, individuals
must register. The registration for Zoom meetings
is on the college's website along with the
board's agenda. And registration is closed
at 5 p.m. the night before in order to allow
our staff, again, to give speaker privileges
to those who have registered for the open
comment section.
When addressing the board, registered speakers
are asked to remain at the podium, which I
guess remain at your computer, should be respectful,
and are encouraged to address individual personnel
or student matters directly with the appropriate
college department. As a practice, the college
does not respond in this setting when the
matter concerns personnel or student issues
or matters that are being addressed through
our established grievance processes or are
otherwise the subject of review by the college
or board. With that, our first speaker today
registered is Angeliina Lawson.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Thank you, Mr.
Chair. Tonight as a citizen, I hope to have
a voice to speak. I want to remind this board
of a longstanding policy that we do not interact
with the public section. I want to talk about
Black Lives Matter and our Police Academy
on campus. I've had a good discussion with
Ken Sissom, also, the mayor of Merriam, a
former police chief who also is not okay with
the actions of those police officers in the
murder of George Floyd. We talked about opportunities
for more oversight with the legislature and
a possibility with the Board of Trustees when
it comes to having an accredited curriculum.
I was informed that nobody is trained on rubber
bullets, no choke holds, no tear gas, the
recruits are Tasered and pepper sprayed and
that is done so that they understand how that
impacts someone else. We need to have more
citizen review boards for every police department
and more oversight in our policies. We need
to actively get to know our police officers.
When I hear Blue Lives Matter, nobody is born
blue. A job does not give you the right to
murder. George Floyd was murdered by several
officers who all had their knee on his body,
suffocating him while he had handcuffs on
and calling out, "I cannot breathe, mama."
And those officers did not even get up after
he was suffocated to death, even after he
was pronounced dead, even after the ambulance
came with no EMTs inside but more officers.
And only then did they get up off his lifeless
body, but only when cued with the several
taps from another officer that came to remove
George Floyd's body. All of this happened
in front of their peers. This is why there
is outrage.
Our police officers are not judges and juries
on the street where a minor offense are the
death penalty. Black Lives Matter educates,
and white people need to listen and interrupt
racist comments in the grocery stores when
only white people are around. This is why
we see the -- the idea of white silence becomes
endorsement of violence. You can interrupt
racist comments, I don't agree with that,
or say please stop. At the college we do not
stand for racism or discrimination. This month
is also Pride Month for LGBTQ community. We
hear about intersection with different groups
merging together.
In the last week, two young black transgender
women were murdered. Standards that diminish
the value of life harm all of us. When someone
says Black Lives Matter, they are reminding
you that too often our society values life
differently and makes their lives less. All
communities need to know that we value them.
And I just wanted this statement to be said
on record.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you. The next registered
speaker is Adidja Suleman. I apologize if
I very much butchered your name pronunciation.
Are you there? Ms. Suleman?
>> I am not seeing them in the attendee list.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay. We will come back
to that at the end of the other speakers.
The next registered speaker is Kristie Welder.
Kristie Welder. And it does take a minute,
for those in the room, for our technology
folks to hook up the Zoom connection and promote
them to speaker.
>> Kristie Welder: Good afternoon. Can you
hear me? Thank you for your time. My name
is Kristie Welder. I grew up in Olathe and
I live in Shawnee. I'm a wife, mom of three
young children, and a lawyer, and I'm here
today to talk about changes to the Title IX
regulations --
>> Chair Greg Musil: For all remaining speakers,
please give your name and address at the start
of your remarks.
>> Kristie Welder: Sure. Kristie Welder. Shawnee,
Kansas. Thank you for your
time. My name is Kristie Welder. I grew up
in Olathe and live in Shawnee. I'm a wife,
mom of three young children, and a lawyer.
I'm here today to talk about the changes to
Title IX regulations that protect victims
of sexual assault that could have tragic consequences.
Right now there are laws requiring this school
to provide wheelchair ramps throughout -- throughout
campus. But imagine if those laws were suddenly
repealed? The school wouldn't have to have
wheelchair ramps, and if the administration
only changed their policies to conform to
the changes in the law, no wheelchair ramps
would exist anywhere on campus. What would
this board do? Hopefully you would continue
to provide ramps even though you didn't have
to because you have a responsibility to your
students that goes far beyond just complying
with the law.
The same thing is now occurring with Title
IX. The Trump Administration has set forth
new regulations that will take effect this
August which weaken protections for students
--
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you for your patience,
Kristie.
>> Kristie Welder: Can you hear me? Hi. Can
you hear me? Can you hear me?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Kristie, we cannot hear
you in the room. Although they can hear you
at the speaker board -- (multiple speakers
overlapping) -- in the room. Please be patient.
>> Kristie Welder: Of course.
>> Ma'am, can you hear me?
>> Kristie Welder: I can hear you, yes.
>> Okay. That might be just the way to do
it.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Kristie, I apologize
for the technology. We are going to hold your
cell -- or the cell phone where we can hear
you next to the microphone so that folks in
this room can hear you. Would you please give
your name and address, and then I will start
the clock on your three minutes. Thank you
for your patience.
>> Kristie Welder: Thank you. My name is Kristie
Welder. I'm in Shawnee, Kansas. Thank you
for your time. I grew up in Olathe. I live
in Kansas. I'm a wife, mother of three young
children, and a lawyer. And I'm here today
to talk about changes to the Title IX regulations
protecting victims of sexual assault that
could have tragic consequences.
Right now there are laws requiring this school
to provide wheelchair ramps throughout campus.
But imagine if those laws were suddenly repealed.
The school wouldn't have to have wheelchair
ramps, and if the administration only changed
their policies to conform to the change in
law, no wheelchair ramps would exist anywhere
on campus. What would this board do? Hopefully
you would continue to provide ramps, even
though you didn't have to, because you have
a responsibility to your students that goes
far beyond just complying with the law.
The same thing is now occurring with Title
IX. The Trump Administration has set forth
new regulations that will take effect this
August which weaken protections for students
who are the victims of sexual assault and
violence and create new hurdles to reporting
sexual assault and holding perpetrators accountable.
One of the huge changes is actually to re-define
the term sexual harassment to exclude a lot
of terrible conduct from being investigated
by the school. The effect will be to silence
and intimidate victims. If this school chooses
not to act -- and to be clear, a failure to
take action is a conscious choice -- it is
failing its students. Just as in the wheelchair
ramp analogy, you have a responsibility to
your students that goes far beyond just basic
complying with the law.
The good news is that Title IX provides just
a minimum, not a maximum of the protections
you can provide your students. Many institutions
are creating their own set of
policies now to give back those rights to
students that these new regulations are taking
away; for instance, continuing to make teachers
and administrators mandatory reporters of
sexual assault, continuing to investigate
off-campus reports of assault, providing post-assault
services, and taking strong preventative actions
to prevent assault. What the school should
not do is nothing.
I understand that Human Resources managers
are working to comply with the new regulations,
but compliance should be the beginning, not
the ending; the floor, not the ceiling. The
school risks deeply retraumatizing victims
of sexual violence, as well as igniting a
media and legal firestorm if the school's
decisions fail to protect their students.
Instead, the school should work with other
institutions, student groups, women's rights
groups, and sexual assault experts to continue
providing a safe learning environment in the
wake of these large changes. You have an opportunity
to stand up. I hope you will take this opportunity
to be allies in the fight against sexual violence,
not adversaries. Thank you for your --
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you, Kristie. Again,
apologies for the technology. I'm certainly
not aware of any endeavor by this college
to change our protections for anybody discriminated
based on sex or other issues or victims of
sexual assault, whether the administration
rules go into effect or not. And certainly
as the father of a --
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Mr. Chair. Mr.
Chair, I think we just need to hold our comments
because there is a -- an issue in the HR that
does discuss this. So I just want to make
sure that that's stated as your opinion.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Is it stated as my opinion,
Trustee Lawson, as each of us when we speak,
we're speaking our own opinion. As the father
of an advocate at a metropolitan organization
to counter sexual assault, I certainly agree
with the statements made by Ms. Welder.
The next speaker represented here is Colleen
Cunningham. Ms. Cunningham, would you state
your name and address.
>> Colleen Cunningham: Hi. I'm Colleen Cunningham
and I live in Overland Park, Kansas. Can everybody
hear me?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Please proceed. We can
hear you as best we can. If you speak up,
it will be better.
>> Colleen Cunningham: Okay. Thank you. Tonight
I want to speak briefly about the important
role that Johnson County Community College
plays in this current political and cultural
moment, and ask school leadership to ensure
that your work both leads and reflects our
community’s best potential.
Watching the Black Lives Matter rallies across
the country, and participating in them locally,
I have been struck by the passion, leadership,
and activism of young people, and I am reminded
of --
>> Chair Greg Musil: Colleen? Colleen, this
is the Chair. I don't want to interrupt, but
I will give you more time if you will speak
up and speak more slowly so that we can hear
you in the room.
>> Colleen Cunningham: Okay. I would be glad
to do that.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you.
>> Colleen Cunningham: Sure. Watching the
Black Lives Matter rallies across the country
and participating in them locally, I've been
struck by the passion, leadership and activism
of young people and I'm reminded of the historical
context for this: young people have always
played an outsized and leading role in working
to bring greater equity and inclusion to
institutions; from school desegregation efforts
in the Civil Rights era, to more recent protests
against overcrowded, underfunded K-12 schools,
and for protections for undocumented youth.
In their fight to bring justice to the people
whose names we’ve now all learned, such
as George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, as well
as to bring attention to more general issues
of injustice and inequity, young people are
using their voices.
In celebrating Pride Month, we remember its
roots at the Stonewall Inn in 1969; the same
year that Johnson County Community College
was established. Even prior to the Stonewall
Riots, there was an LGBTQ student movement
growing in institutions of Higher Education.
The voices of these young people served as
a catalyst for the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement,
and it is only through the continuing work
of these community members and their allies
that we see victories, such as this week’s
Supreme Court decision providing protections
for LGBTQ employees.
Similarly, it was the experiences and testimonies
of young women that made way for the passage
of Title IX in 1972. While commonly thought
of as the law that mandates equity in school
sports, Title IX provides protections for
access to higher education, protections for
pregnant and parenting students, and in fighting
sexual harassment. When schools fail to live
up to that charge, it is the courageous voices
of students that push for better, and safer,
learning environments for everyone.
Perhaps owing to their proximity to these
outspoken young people, schools, and particularly
institutions of higher education, have historically
played an important role in all of these movements
toward justice. Schools cannot be mere observers
of these changes, and they have often taken
decisive stands. Some examples include: schools
closing, rather than desegregating following
the Brown v Board of Education decision; schools
staying open for a single student, such in
the case of Ruby Bridges; and more recently,
universities deciding to sever or not sever
ties with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,
or ICE; and so on. As Trustees and leaders
at Johnson County Community College, you have
an immense amount of power in this moment.
As community leaders, you have the opportunity
to use your platforms to proclaim support
for Black students and other students of color,
LGBTQ+ students, students whose comfort and
safety are impacted by Title IX protections,
as well as faculty and staff members who are
members of our community in these protected
groups. I want to thank Trustee Smith-Everett
for using her platform to make such a statement,
and for pointing out that when JCCC was established,
the vision of who would make up this educational
community does not match the realities of
today. We have to ask ourselves, how can we
ensure that our college is fully supporting
all students, faculty and staff, when it was
not built with such diversity in mind? We
have to ask other difficult questions. Do
budgets reflect our community’s priorities
and values? Do anti-discrimination policies
need to be strengthened? Does the college
fully support diversity, equity and inclusion
initiatives? Are students, faculty, and staff
provided a welcoming outlet for reporting
concerns, where they can be confident that
their concerns will be adequately addressed?
How do we live up to the new standards that
young people are setting? Your decisions here
and now will ripple through the community
for years to come. Will you rise to the challenge
of this moment and encourage others in your
community to do the same? Will you use your
voices to support the work of these amazing
young people in our community, and welcome
change to our college?
Thank you.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you. I'm going
to ask if all of the speakers have their
comments in writing, if they would submit
them to the college and we can get an e-mail
address for you. We will include them in full
with the audio transcript of this presentation,
because the video audio is not very good right
now. So for the speakers that have spoken
so far, if you want to submit your comments,
I will announce an e-mail here shortly where
you can e-mail your written comments and we'll
include them in the -- in their entirety either
with the transcript on the website or with
the minutes when the minutes are ultimately
approved.
Thank you, Colleen.
The next speaker listed is Val Baul. Do you
-- Jason, would you like a few moments to
see if we can do something better than this?
Or are we as good as we're going to get?
>> Valerie is not in the attendee list.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Ms. Baul, B-A-U-L, is
not on the attendance list?
>> Valerie Baul: I'm here.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay. Are you under a
different name, Ms. Baul?
>> Valerie Baul: I don't know what link I'm
supposed to use.
>> Chair Greg Musil: What name does it say
at the bottom of your screen?
>> Valerie Baul: Um, I got a link from Trustee
Lawson because I was not e-mailed the link.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay. Why don't we take
a few minutes to get to the fix so we can
hear all of the remaining speakers. We have
one, two, three, four, plus Ms. Suleman if
-- if they appear. So we'll -- we're going
to suspend the open comment session so we
can hopefully hear the comments themselves
and move to the college reports. We'll start
first with the college lobbyist. Mr. Carter,
are you available?
>> Mr. Dick Carter: Can you hear me okay?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Yes. Can you hear me?
>> Mr. Dick Carter: Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Please go ahead, Mr.
Carter.
>> Mr. Dick Carter: Thank you. I'll provide
just a brief recap of some of the things that
have been happening over the past month and
a half, and I really want to focus my comments
on a meeting that occurred this week at the
Board of Regents. The sine die session occurred
on May 21. It was a full 24 hours. Nine bills
were sent to the governor with multiple topics
covered in each one of those bills. Four bills
were vetoed. The COVID Emergency Order Bill,
the Higher Education Bill, which contained
College Promise and free A.C.T. testing, the
overall or the All Encompassing Tax Bill and
a banking bill were all vetoed by the governor.
The governor called a special session on June
3rd. The legislature returned to work on COVID
liability and emergency orders and what that
process should look like when the legislature
is not in session. That bill passed at the
end of the special session, which went through
about 5 p.m. on June 4th. And then that concludes
the special session. Should there be another
special session called later on, we'll have
to deal with whatever those topics or issues
are as -- as they're brought up.
The Legislative Budget Committee and the State
Finance Council have met this week, both to
address different components of COVID emergency
funding.
What I would like to focus on the most this
evening is something called the future of
the Higher Education Committee. This is not
a legislatively requested committee. There
was discussion in a Budget Committee during
the regular portion of the session where legislators
were asking Blake Flanders, President and
CEO of the Kansas Board of Regents, for a
three-year,
five-year and a ten-year plan for higher education.
So let me reiterate. This is not a legislatively-mandated
or requested committee. Mr. Flanders convened
a committee, and that committee will make
recommendations to the Kansas legislature.
Nancy Ingram from our Board of Trustees is
serving as the KACCT representative on this
group. There are legislators on the committee.
On Tuesday, most of the day was spent discussing
a lengthy background on the higher education
system in Kansas.
We should be very concerned. And my concerns
were raised by a number of topics that were
discussed, and even just some -- some responses
by the Board of Regents CEO. KBOR staff presented
on ad valorem dollars, which are locally generated
and locally decided by the elected trustees.
Board staff discussed the legacy computer
systems that exist at the 19 different community
colleges and the inability to communicate
back and forth with regard to data sets. Legislators
asked questions about service areas, and there
was conversation about cost models.
Probably what was concerning the most to me,
and I think this sort of indicates the direction
things could go, was when asked a question,
Dr. Flanders responded that if there is a
local need to fill a solution, we should probably
allow the community colleges to offer that
program. So that's a very bold statement coming
from a coordinating board when we have boards
of trustees who are elected to represent each
individual institution. I would think there
will be at least two more meetings and a report
will be generated. The next meeting of this
group will be on July 16th of 2020. And certainly
I would invite Trustee Ingram to follow up
with any comments if I missed anything of
importance as a result of the other -- the
comments that I made about the meeting the
other day.
And then, finally, I just want to make a comment
that we don't know what it looks like yet,
but we anticipate that there will be allotments
coming from the administration, and we're
hearing to the tune of about $700 million.
That is a large pot of money that is nearly
equal to the entire amount of state general
fund dollars that are given to higher education.
Please understand, I'm using that as a comparison.
Those dollars are not going to all come from
the higher education budgets, but it's very
concerning that that -- that budget picture
looms before the legislature likely returns
in January of next year.
So, Mr. Chairman, I would stop there. That
kind of gives a very up-to-the-date snapshot
of what is happening. We will have interim
committees that will likely meet later on
in the fall. This is an election year for
all House members and all Senate members,
and so they are campaigning in earnest throughout
the summer and, excuse me, fall months.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you. Trustee Ingram,
did you want to add anything now about the
Higher Education Task Force?
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: I was prepared to
do that when I give the KACCT report, but
I can sure do it now while he is with us.
I don't know if he's planning to continue.
And I appreciate your comments completely,
Dick. So thank you very much. There was concern
-- there was concern expressed to me prior
to the meeting, after the meeting, so I've
been in discussions with our executive director,
Heather Morgan, in addition to sitting through
that meeting.
What I want to do is share the names of the
people who are on the committee, Dick. It's
Cheryl Harrison-Lee, who is chairing it. Molly
Baumgardner is on it. Terry Beck. Ed Berger.
Blake Flanders. Tom Hawk. Steve Hubert. Myself.
Cynthia Lane. Jim Lewis, who is the other
trustee, he's from Dodge City Community -- or
Dodge County Community -- Dodge City Community
College, excuse me. Ken Rojas. Ken Romer.
And Brandon Woodard, who is
also another local legislator.
So I agree with his concern. The charge to
us was twofold. It's to analyze existing affiliations
and partnerships in the KBOR system to enhance
the delivery of higher education to Kansans
and to ensure the alignment of facility and
infrastructure capacity with projected enrollments.
Now, initially I was told that it was to construct
a three-, five- and ten-year plan, but we
did not hear anything about moving forward
with that. So you are correct, our next meeting
is July 16th. And I will leave it at that.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you, Trustee Ingram.
Mr. Carter, I've always been amused by the
term allotments because it appears as though
we're going to be getting more money and that
Topeka is going to allot us money. But they're
going to allot us costs; is that right? Or
cuts?
>> Mr. Dick Carter: Yeah. Allotments in this
sense mean cuts.
>> Chair Greg Musil: 700 million out of an
operating -- base operating budget of how
much?
>> Mr. Dick Carter: Seven -- six or seven
billion dollars for the state of Kansas.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you. Trustee Cross?
>> Trustee Lee Cross: It could be -- thank
you, Mr. Chair. It could be my intellectual
limitation, but I don't quite understand.
I don't quite understand what we're talking
about, that the State is going to hand the
community college system allotments, essentially
orders to make cuts?
>> Mr. Dick Carter: Okay. What I heard was
that the legislature is going -- or that the
administration is going to make cuts to community
colleges. It would be out of the dollars that
we receive via the block grant, which are
state general fund dollars.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: So we have to give back
money or we're going to be cut?
>> Mr. Dick Carter: Depending on when those
dollars are disbursed, it can be both. We
are at the beginning of the fiscal year, and
I would imagine -- I may need to refer to
Dr. Weber or Rachel Lierz. I don't know if
that first payment has been cut, from the
state. I'm not sure when we receive that -- that
installment. I think we receive dollars twice
a year from the State of Kansas, or from the
legislature.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: And then whose idea
is this? Did this come from the governor or
is this somebody on the council? Or who --
>> Mr. Dick Carter: Yeah. The allotments will
come from the administration, and so that
would be the governor's, the governor's recommendation.
And they will be spread across all of state
government. It's not just higher education.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Thank you.
>> Chair Greg Musil: So the legislature passed
a budget that gives us $100. The state is
looking at a $1.3 billion deficit in revenues
over the next two years. They may come back
and say I want -- I'm not -- I'm only going
to give you $95. That's the effect of an allotment.
Is that right, Mr. Carter?
>> Mr. Dick Carter: Yeah, that's a pretty
good explanation.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Any other questions for
Mr. Carter?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: I have a question,
Mr. Chair.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Lawson.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Thank you. Mr.
Carter, it's my understanding that should
Congress pass the HEROES Act, that the states
are to receive the stimulus injection to prevent
this issue, correct?
>> Mr. Dick Carter: I think that is correct.
That's a federal issue. And I don't attract
federal legislation for the college.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Right. And so
do we have means to lobby our U.S. Senators
to vote in favor of the HEROES Act? I know
there's the Governmental Affairs Committee
that has been doing that.
>> Mr. Dick Carter: Yeah, there's a task force
for government affairs, but they don't -- they
don't lobby. And I don't -- maybe Kate Allen,
if she's on, might want to respond.
>> Ms. Kate Allen: I'm on. Are you able to
hear me?
>> Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Dr. Weber was going to
answer first, Kate.
>> Ms. Kate Allen: No problem.
>> Dr. Randy Weber: Actually does have a provision
in there that in order to receive the funds,
folks are not to reduce funding, or states,
organizations, whomever it may be. But there
is an extenuating circumstance clause in there
and that is what a lot of organizations are
exercising. And so, yes, the legislation does
say you are not to make cuts unless there's
extenuating circumstances.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Okay. I couldn't
really hear that. I will go over the transcript
when we get that back. So, Dick Carter, the
last question I have is, is there a possibility
that some colleges could close? And then,
you know, how much of the 700 is just unrealized
services? We use less services as, you know,
well, for the less income during the COVID
period.
>> Mr. Dick Carter: Yeah, I'm not in a position
to answer whether other colleges might close
or not, so that -- that's really something
that's way beyond my scope of -- of where
we're at in the budgeting process and what
other community college budgets look like.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you, Mr. Carter.
Oh, Dr. Sopcich.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: I think as -- Trustee
Lawson, in response to your question, which
is a good one, all community colleges, their
-- I guess you could say their funding formats
are all a little different. In our case, for
example, I believe, and I'm sure Dr. Weber
can correct me on this, we're about 65% locally
funded. That is extraordinary, anywhere in
the country, let alone -- let alone in Kansas.
Some schools are way, way more dependent upon
those state dollars. Those are the ones who
are going to be taking a hit. They're the
ones that are going to have some real challenges.
In our case, we -- we can probably get by.
It's not going to hurt us so much because
I believe our state funding is around, what,
12%? 15?
>> Dr. Randy Weber: Yeah, it's about 14 to
16%.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: 14 to 16. At one time
it was over 20%. So it's a tough issue. And
I can assure you that community colleges are
-- are very, very concerned about this.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Jason, are we ready to
go back? Okay. We're going to try to move
back to the Open Forum section of the meeting
where public comments are presented. I'm going
to go back to, let's see, Kristie spoke. Colleen
spoke. Ms. Baul, are you still on the Zoom?
Val, if you're on there, could you speak up
so our techs can see if they can hear you.
We'll try one more. The next registered speaker
was Louella Walker. Louella Walker. Louella,
are you on the Zoom? And if so, could you
-- once you get hooked up with speaker
privileges, could you please identify yourself
by name and address.
>> I'm not seeing her in the list.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay. We'll come back
to Ms. Walker. The last -- Jae Moyer. Jae,
are you on the Zoom? And if so, could you
--
>> Can you -- can you hear me?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Yes. Who is that, please?
>> This is Val Baul.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Val, was that you?
I'm fairly convinced we're going to have our
next meeting in the board room with sufficient
social distancing or by Zoom, because I know
our techs are doing the best they possibly
can. Jae Moyer. Jae, are you available on
Zoom?
>> Jae Moyer: I'm on Zoom. Can you guys hear
me?
>> Chair Greg Musil: We can here you. If you
speak up louder, that would be even better.
>> Jae Moyer: Okay.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Jae, please give us your
name and address and then I will start your
3 minutes. I will give you -- if you will
go slower and louder, I'm not going to hold
anybody to 3 minutes.
>> Jae Moyer. Will do. My name is Jae Moyer.
I live at -- (indiscernible). That's in Overland
Park, Kansas. 66204.
I wanted to take a minute to recognize this
month as Pride Month. On the eve of Juneteenth,
along with this month not only being the anniversary
of the Stonewall Riots, started by a trans
woman of color, but also the same month gay
marriage was legalized, and also now the month
sexuality and gender orientation were added
as protected classes, and seeing continuing
protests over the death of George Floyd and
Breonna Taylor, along with an unfortunate
amount of our friends who are Black, Indigenous,
People of Color being brutalized and murdered,
I felt that in this June meeting, it would
be important to talk about allyship, and what
it means to be an ally.
I want to point out that this is a very important
topic for a school board to be discussing.
Education, especially post-high school education,
is an important facet of American society
- we would not function without it. But there
are ways in which I believe our education
system sometimes fails our society, especially
underprivileged communities, such as our Black,
Indigenous, People of Color friends and the
LGBTQ+ community, such as economic resources
and colleges that are fearless allies.
What is a fearless ally, you may ask? It’s
easy. It’s someone who is anti-racist and
anti-homophobic, ideas that are becoming more
and more prominent in today’s day and age.
In order to be anti-racist or anti-bigoted
in general, you must seek to understand every
way in which members of each underprivileged
community are suffering or more at-risk to
oppression based on your own actions.
I will not speak for members of any community
but my own, because that is not my story to
tell. I cannot speak for Black, Indigenous,
People of Color, for disabled people, or for
members of the opposite sex, because I have
never experienced the means of oppression
that they have. But in the spirit of Pride
Month, I will speak towards my own experiences
as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
When in high school, I sat next to a student
who called me the f-slur every single day.
This led me to feelings of depression, a lack
of self-worth, and hatred for my identity.
What made things worse is how the school refused
to do anything about it, claiming they couldn’t.
My first question to the board is this: do
you have policies in place to protect students
from this type of bullying? If so, do you
believe they are strong enough? Do they serve
your underprivileged students, or in other
words, are they ANTI-BIGOTED, or are they
just passive? Will you do as a board -- will
you choose to do in the future if you have
discriminatory problems? Will you take direct
action? If you believe your policies don’t
well enough serve members of underprivileged
communities, will you commit today to drafting
new school legislation to solve these problems?
Another point I’d like to make is a message
the school sends, and I will use JCCC as an
example. This school does business with at
least two companies who have less than desirable
ratings with the Human Rights Campaign. One
is Chick-Fil-A, who is known for donating
millions of dollars to openly homophobic and
transphobic charities and organizations. The
college could choose to do business with any
other fast food company, a favorite of mine
being Raising Cane’s, but it continues to
renew its contract with Chick-Fil-A. Another
company is the school’s paper supplier,
Veretiv, who has a mere 20% rating with the
Human Rights Campaign’s business survey,
sent out to all Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000
companies. People defend the use of the company,
arguing that they simply didn’t fill out
the survey, causing their abysmal score, but
that also sends me red flags. Why did this
company not fill out the survey? Did they
just not care? Or, even worse, did they know
that if they did fill out the survey, they
were not going to get a good score, so they
just neglected to do it? That sends a bad
message. And the fact that the college is
doing business with them gives me pause as
well. This is not an anti-bigoted stance.
This message the college sends is important
in order to be viewed as an ally. People of
underprivileged communities must feel safe
choosing a school, and attending. If you are
not taking an anti-bigoted stance, how safe
do you presume students will really feel?
Now is not the time to make excuses, now is
not the time to speak over other people, and
now is not the time to call yourself an ally,
especially if you don't act like one. If a
member of an underprivileged community calls
you out for an action that is problematic,
it is NOT within your right to push them to
the side. You MUST listen to them, and you
must serve them accordingly.
I urge the school, and specifically this board,
to think about these issues as they continue
to have productive and difficult conversations,
and to include more members of these underprivileged
communities and to welcome them at the table
and weigh their voices seriously when discussion
issues that -- when they discuss issues that
affect them directly. Thank you for your time.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you, Jae. Our last
registered speaker is Darryl Burton. Pastor
Burton, are you on the Zoom?
>> Val is also available. I don't have the
other speaker cued up yet if you want to go
to --
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay. We'll go back to
Val Baul. Val, can you hear me?
>> Val Baul: I can hear you. Although it's
really weird.
>> Chair Greg Musil: We -- we seem to be able
to hear you. Again, if you will speak up and
speak slowly, I will give you extra time.
>> Val Baul: Can you hear me now?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Yes. Please state your
name and address.
>> Val Baul: Okay. So I will go ahead with
my statements.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Please go.
>> Val Baul: So I am -- (Inaudible). With
my goal --
>> Chair Greg Musil: Val --
>> Val Baul: I'm here tonight --
>> Chair Greg Musil: We're not hearing you,
Val. If you can hold on for just a second.
>> Val Baul: I don't understand what is happening.
>> I'm just letting you know where we're at.
(Indiscernible)
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay, Val. Would you
start over, please. Name and address.
>> Val Baul: Hi. My name is Val Baul. I live
at 11724 West (Indiscernible) 66203. And if
you drive by my house you will see signs in
my front yard that say "End White Silence
About White Violence." The reason I'm here
to speak to you tonight is to end that white
violence. I'm here to ask Johnson County Community
College what you're going to do to address
the systemic racism that exists in our community
college.
The entire reason that Johnson County Community
College exists is due to white flight, white
privilege, and systemic racism.
(Indiscernible)
>> Chair Greg Musil: Val, I'm sorry. We are
not getting that and it indicates it's a bandwidth
issue on your computer. I think what we're
going to ask everybody to do is to e-mail
their statements. They will be circulated
to each of the trustees immediately when we
receive them all. The e-mail address to use
is president@jccc.edu. President@jccc.edu.
We will include those with the transcript
of today's meeting and attach them to the
minutes. I apologize. It is an issue of technology,
both on either end sometimes and sometimes
in the middle.
So, Val, if you would please do that, that
is the only way we can accept your statement
at this time.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Mr. Chair, I
can have somebody call me or to be able to
listen. I don't know what's going on.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Well, I don't think you
can turn them in to the speaker that we can
hear. So we're going to ask all members of
the open comment period to send their statements
to the address I indicated. We have your e-mails,
too, from your registration, so we will e-mail
that address to you so that you have it on
your e-mail.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Hello?
>> It was really nice of you to help.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Here you go if
you want to speak.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Just a minute, Trustee
Lawson.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Go on.
>> Hello. Can you hear me okay?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Yes.
>> Okay. My name is Adidja Suleman.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay. Just a minute.
>> My address is -- (Indiscernible)
>> Chair Greg Musil: Just a minute, please.
>> West 132nd Terrace, Overland Park, Kansas,
66209. I come to you as a former student,
a mother, a resident, and a productive member
of this community. I want to thank Trustee
Lawson for giving me this opportunity to come
and speak in front of the Board of Trustees.
And my intention here is to appeal to the
Board of Trustees and in echoing what every
other speaker has shared in that we really
want to make sure that the issue of Title
IX and Black Lives Matter and protection of
people from different backgrounds, races,
sexual orientation are considered and protected.
As a productive member of this community,
I could not have done it without going through
Johnson County Community College for my first
two years in college. I had a great time there.
However, times have certainly changed from
the time I was there 15 years ago to now.
What I ask -- I kindly ask of the Board of
Trustees is please keep in mind that this
is the time to stand up and be a voice, not
just for those who look like you or believe
what you believe, but really the under-served,
under-represented members of the minority
community here in Johnson County. Your voice
and your actions, they go a long way. Many
children, we don't know what they are going
through at home. Now we know that they go
through a lot whether through the police or
even discriminatory behavior in the -- in
this very own community of ours. So I would
love for Johnson County Community College
to be that safe space where paying members
of the community who are in most cases younger
people and even adults are coming there to
a safe space where they can focus on continuing
or starting their education, because those
experiences at your campus go a long way in
shaping who they will be later on. Again,
I do not have a written script. I wanted to
come to you from the heart as a member of
this community, as a product of your school,
and also now as a mother of four young children
who all have college ambition. Thank you so
much for your time. And, again, thank you
so much, Trustee Lawson, and your whole team
for all you're doing.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Thank you. Mr.
Chair, this individual was on the list, but
this was unable to connect via the Zoom because
she did not receive a link. So she called
me directly to make that statement. I think
that you guys could hear her fine. So I can
also do that to the other members that were
supposed to be speaking.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Did you solicit Louella
Walker so that she could call you as well
and use your phone?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Point of order,
Mr. Chair. Please do not make attacks at me.
I am trying to make sure that the public has
an opportunity to speak, and I think I'm doing
that.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Several speakers have
mentioned that you contacted them. I think
it's excellent that they're participating
in our meeting. I'm trying to figure out how
we connect technologically, and if you can
do that, that would be beneficial to all of
us.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Point of order,
Mr. Chair. I have not heard many. I've heard
one person talk about that. So please make
sure to be accurate.
>> Chair Greg Musil: I'll do my best.
>> Trustee Smith-Everett: Mr. Chair?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Yes.
>> Trustee Smith-Everett: Can you hear me?
>> Chair Greg Musil: I can hear you. Who is
this?
>> Trustee Smith-Everett: This is Laura. I'm
in the room with you.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Oh, I'm sorry. You're
just an echo like everybody else. Trustee
Smith-Everett.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Can I ask
for clarity for the next meeting what the
appropriate -- when someone registers as a
speaker during our Open Forum, what should
happen?
>> Chair Greg Musil: They receive a Zoom link
that allows them to be identified and
promoted as a speaker when they are identified
so that they can speak during that period
of time, and the rest of the meeting they
will be an observer, or just a participant.
And I don't think it's the fact that the Zoom
links were wrong. There are issues with technology
and bandwidth on their end and connections
to ours that have proven to be more difficult
than I think anybody anticipated today.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: So they need
to go to our website, log on with the link
that's provided for the board meeting that
everybody in the public can be -- can click
on, and then once we see their name appear
as a somebody just participating -- just watching,
then you will promote them to speaker when
it's the Open Forum time; is that correct?
Okay. I think that may be part of our misunderstanding
with some of the speakers. They thought they
were going to be sent something and when they
didn't get sent something, then were trying
alternative channels. So I just wanted to
know for the next meeting in case anyone asks.
>> Chair Greg Musil: I'm sure Chris and his
team will look at the website and make sure
the instructions are as clear as possible.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Okay. Val, you
can go.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Cross?
>> Hi. Again, my name is Val Baul.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Lawson, could
you ask her to hold on for a minute, please.
>> I live at 11724 West 54th Terrace in Shawnee,
Kansas. If you drive by my house you'll see
home made yard signs that say End White Silence
About White Violence. On the other side which
aren't facing the street, they say Show Up
for Racial Justice and Black Lives Matter.
And what I'm here to do is end white silence
about systemic racism at Johnson County Community
College.
Johnson County Community College only exists
because white people -- (Indiscernible) quote
my aunt, the coloreds started moving in. Johnson
County is the epitome of white privilege and
it's the epitome of systemic racism. Anyone
that has ever gotten a ticket in Leawood or
Prairie Village or Westwood knows that we
have border patrol on our county that pulls
over people of color with plates from Missouri
and in Shawnee Mission and Merriam, they pull
over people of color with Wyandotte plates.
If you go to those courts on any day they
have traffic, you will see that those, some
of the wealthiest cities in Johnson County,
have lines of people of color paying fees
and fines to these same cities, increasing
the racial wealth gap constantly. Besides
Johnson County Community College not having
diversity and equity and inclusion statements
and committees and all the things that I know
some trustees have worked really hard to bring
to the attention of the board, being shamed
and ostracized for trying to end that white
silence about what we are doing -- yes, we,
white evangelicals -- are doing to people
of color.
Additionally, Johnson County Community College
is the home of the actual Police Academy that
trains the police in this county, the active
border patrol, and I personally have friends
of color who refuse to drive into Kansas because
they are very aware that they will get pulled
over just for driving while black. Just because
we haven't had a police officer murder a Black
person in our county does not mean that we
do not have racism here. It is permeated through
the entire structure of everything in Johnson
County. Prairie Village deeds still have caveats
in them that do not allow for Black people
to get loans and own property in that town.
What is Johnson County Community College going
to do to be a leader in addressing systemic
racism, especially considering that Johnson
County has a great conflict resolution mediation
program that all mediators who want to get
approved by the State of Kansas have to take
their courses at Johnson County Community
College. I want to know why Johnson County
Community College is not having those mediators
train police officers in de-escalation tactics
and to resolve conflicts without the use of
violence. Thank you.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you, Ms. Baul.
Has Louella Walker appeared on any Zoom link?
Louella Walker?
>> I am not seeing that name.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Darryl Burton?
>> I'm not seeing that one either.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Cross?
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Yeah. I just wanted
to comment, Mr. Chair, and just note for the
record that we've gone nearly an hour based
on the Open Forum section here. I don't remember
that ever happening in my career, seven years
now on July 1. I want to thank you for your
leadership, Mr. Chair, and literally to note
for the record, I'm used to being in court
where you have to articulate things that you
see, mannerisms and the shaking of heads and
whatnot. Just to note for the record, the
hustle, literally the running of our staff
in this unprecedented time, the effort I think
everyone has put forward. I think it's clear
that Trustee Lawson, many of these people
have spoken for her and with her in the past.
I appreciate she organizing them and bringing
them forward in this historic time. But I
did just want to note and appreciate the Chair's
patience and I've got many texts that we've
lost control of the meeting. I disagree. I
think it's a time of unparalleled social tumult,
and I appreciate your leadership and how you've
handled this meeting. I just wanted to note
that for the record, and for all of our staff
who put forth so much effort.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you. I agree with
respect to our staff. I didn't know it was
news when I lost control of a meeting.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: I'm not saying --
>> Chair Greg Musil: I know you're not. I
know you're not, Lee.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: You're doing fine.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Yeah, we're into the
meeting a ways. But that's okay. Important
comments. Dr. Leiker, are you ready for the
Faculty Association report? I think you're
going to be at the podium and I don't know
what that means as far as technology, but,
please, share your thoughts.
>> Dr. Jim Leiker: Yeah, the way this is going,
I'm not sure if anybody outside of the room
can see me or hear me, but I'm just going
to go forward like people are listening. I'm
used to that after 28 years of college teaching.
[ Laughter ]
So thank you, Mr. Musil, and members of the
board. It's good to be back on campus even
in this limited setting. Several of my colleagues
have expressed sadness at these circumstances
of not physically seeing one another and having
the hallway run-ins that we're so used to.
I've always believed that the best ideas happen
accidentally, and while accidental ideas can
happen I guess in Zoom meetings, you'll probably
agree that it's not the same.
Before I address a few specifics as they pertain
to our local situation, I'd like to raise
some concerns as to what's been happening
in the national and the global context. And
this will mirror some of the comments that
you've heard tonight in the Open Forum. The
"Chronicle of Higher Ed" this week ran a story
titled "The Coming Campus Protests" claiming
that in the wake of
George Floyd's death, activists will be demanding
more systemic and structural changes to increase
diversity in colleges and universities. JCCC
is not alone in that if it wants to be ahead
of the curve, it will require working closely
with faculty and staff, especially those with
appropriate expertise. I would be a bad representative
of my own area of humanities and social sciences
if I didn't point out that fields like ours
engage all the time with the kinds of problems
to which the demonstrations have been calling
our national attention.
I would also be a very bad professor of African
American studies if I didn't point out that
tomorrow is Juneteenth. So I will offer extra
credit to the first trustee who can explain
to me what the origin of that is. And you
can use your phones. You can Google it. My
students do that all the time. Laura, did
I see a hand go up? Go for it.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Yes. It was
when Texas slaves found out that they were
freed and it was finally announced to them.
And I don't remember how far it was from the
actual legislation passed.
>> Dr. Leiker: 1865.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: But it was
11 months, was it, after they were supposed
to be.
>> Dr. Leiker: Very good. I'm going to pass
along a suggestion from my fellow historian,
Tai Edwards, that tomorrow be a paid day off
in honor of Juneteenth day. So don't dismiss
that idea. You've got all night to think about
it.
[ Laughter ]
A fine start on this was made two weeks ago
when Dr. Sopcich's office issued a statement
in support of racial justice, which was quickly
followed by similar statements from the Diversity,
Equity and Inclusion Task Force, the Academic
Branch Council, and of course the Faculty
Association. Statements like these are meaningless
unless they carry some tooth in the days ahead.
But in the meantime, I thank Dr. Sopcich for
taking the lead, and while I'm at it, I'll
just thank Dr. Sopcich. Joe, this is your
last meeting as president. Trust me when I
say that you will be missed. You and I have
had our disagreements. We didn't always understand
as a faculty the moves that you were making,
and I don't think you always understood ours
either. But most of us never once doubted
your commitment to this institution and to
the students and your good intentions. So
I hope you leave here feeling proud of the
work that you've done, and I say this with
some envy, I wish you a happy retirement.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Jim, Dr. Leiker, thank
you so much. Coming from you, as I've said
before when you've sent me some very constructive
and positive e-mails, coming from you that
means a great deal, because I know you don't
dish those out lightly. So thank you for all
the work that you do here. I know you're one
of the better teachers on campus. Much appreciated.
And I've always enjoyed our discussions. So
thanks for the kind words.
>> Dr. Leiker: Thank you. So this past month
marked the end of the most unusual semester
in our history. It's no exaggeration to say
faculty were taxed to their collective limits.
Some made the transition to online instruction
quite smoothly. Others who were accustomed
to more face-to-face methods scrambled to
become competent with Canvas, YuJa, Zoom,
and other packages that helped us reach the
finish line. This could not have occurred
without the tremendous work of Ed Lovitt and
his staff in the Educational Technology Center
who provided emergency training to those who
needed it.
Although the FA does not represent them, I
want to give a shout out to our adjunct faculty,
many of whom hurried to complete I-Teach training
to gain eligibility for online summer
and fall classes, and at least to date, they
took on that extra training with no additional
compensation. Not only did a thousand innovations
have to happen at the level of individual
instruction, but chairs and deans invested
dozens of unanticipated hours redoing the
summer and fall schedules for their departments
and divisions. Not every course and program
was able to finish the spring through virtual
delivery. There are several in the career
and technical areas that require students
and faculty to return in July and complete
what we're calling summer teach-outs. These
classes will happen in labs and classrooms
with lower capacities because of recommended
social distancing.
It was and is the FA's position that any deal
which returns nine-month faculty during an
off-contract season requires additional compensation,
which in turn requires negotiation. Now, before
someone argues that those faculty were paid
through spring for classes that were not completed,
I'll point out that faculty's job extends
far beyond the classroom. It involves staying
current in their respective fields, planning
for the year ahead, and in some cases rearranging
spaces to accommodate industry-specific guidelines.
I'm happy to say that the FA worked with Dr.
McCloud and HR to reach a contract proposal
which we submitted to the bargaining unit.
I'll admit I was a little nervous about obtaining
the required ratification votes for a contract
that affected a small handful of faculty at
a time when most of our members were off contract
and not responding to campus communications
like they normally would. So I was very surprised,
pleasantly, at the remarkable turnout and
the overwhelming number of votes cast in favor
of the deal which you are voting to affirm
later tonight.
Those are a few examples of how we've stepped
up during this crisis. Here are a few others.
In May, Jeffery Oden, Adjunct Professor of
Environmental Science, suggested a poll to
determine how well faculty made the transition
to virtual delivery. FA has been working on
a survey with one of our representatives,
through one of our representatives, Ron Palcic,
who has been working in turn with Farrell
Jenab to craft a survey that asks questions
like how many hours did you spend learning
new technology? What resources did the college
make available to you? What out-of-pocket
expenses did you incur?
For the record, my wife and I purchased another
personal computer when it became clear to
us that the one was not going to be effective
for two people teaching from home. And don't
worry, I have no plans to ask the college
for compensation for that, at least not at
the moment.
At the suggestion of accounting professor
and aspiring politician Dave Krug, FA has
also been working with institutional effectiveness
on a student survey. Jessica Garcia from counseling
and Michelle Salvato from psychology are part
of a team to get answers from students themselves
as to how spring 2020 turned out for them.
We hear a lot of anecdotal and not particularly
scientific information about how the college
handled instruction during the shutdown. It's
my hope that these surveys will produce the
knowledge and the insights we need in the
likely event of a repetition this coming fall.
The Academic Branch Council, henceforth known
as the ABC, is in full operation. If you recall,
this was the group approved by faculty to
implement shared governance in the Academic
Branch, as per the requirements of the Higher
Learning Commission. Jim Hopper was instrumental
in leading that task force through its formative
year. Tanya Hughes from film and photography,
and Heather Seitz from science will serve
as co-chairs in the year ahead. FA will retain
its authority on matters pertaining to the
Master Agreement, but on non-contractual items
FA will be working closely with ABC to improve
vertical communication and move us closer
to those shared governance goals that the
HLC expects of us. I know, I know, FA, ABC,
HLC, it sounds like alphabet soup.
There have also been examples of where collaboration
could use improvement. It's not my style to
call out the problems of specific areas from
a podium unless I have to. Suffice to say,
much of my time this past month has been occupied
in meetings with faculty telling me that reopening
decisions are being made with little or no
input from them. We understand the challenges
of bringing employees back to campus in safe,
effective ways that limit liability. But this
is really a case of where the college's eyes
need to be just as focused on the leaves as
on the forest. Decisions about lab maintenance,
maximum numbers in classrooms and offices,
physical proximity between faculty and students
and students to each other, are better when
they involve the people who know those spaces
intimately and will be tapping toes with the
public on a daily basis.
If the spring semester had some successes,
it was because administration listened and
accepted flexibility as the norm. That spirit
of listening and professional confidence will
be needed again if reopening will work. In
many ways, I see the next six months as the
ultimate test of what the HLC charged us to
do, namely, move away from the practice of
management by mandate.
Lastly, I'm going to wax philosophical and
repeat a point I made on the FA listserv when
I succeeded Melanie Harvey. In my 18 years
here, I've seen two visions of JCCC struggle
to compete with one another. One is a vision
of the college as a physical space with first-class
facilities and magnificently endowed buildings.
That's the vision benefactors and casual visitors
see, and typically the one most invoked when
they describe us. Over the last three months,
that vision has been as empty as these buildings.
It's the second vision that has sustained
us; JCCC is defined by its people.
If not for the efforts of hundreds of employees
who took the college's business into their
personal spaces, some of them surrounded by
small children, others investing in improved
Internet service and higher utility bills,
it's doubtful we'd be in the place we are.
It's natural that salaries and benefits would
take the lion's share of the budget since
people are our greatest asset. The news is
full of stories about institutions like ours
which will not survive the pandemic. I wonder
how many of those places will fail because
of poor morale.
I've heard it asked by trustees more than
once, what do faculty want? We recognize them
all the time with awards and accolades. You
know, those are nice certainly, but after
a while they do seem kind of like cookies
that you give to children for good behavior.
We'll take the awards and the accolades. Who
says no to a cookie? But what we're really
wanting is what all professionals want, control
over the areas in which we have expertise,
competitive salary and benefits, and a seat
at the table when important decisions are
being made. That concludes my report. I will
stand for questions.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you, Dr. Leiker.
Are there questions from the board? I'll start
with this side, so I have to look at you since
you're so far away. Trustee Smith-Everett,
anything?
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Yes. Can you
tell me how many full-time faculty are on
the IRT?
>> Dr. Jim Leiker: I have to think about that.
>> Chair Greg Musil: The IRT being the Incident
Response Team.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Right, that
is currently doing our --
>> Dr. Jim Leiker: I'll defer that question
to Dr. Weber.
>> Dr. Randy Weber: So on the Incident Response
Team, there are actually no full-time faculty.
On the Return to Campus Team, there is one
full-time faculty.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Thank you.
>> Dr. Jim Leiker: There you go.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Lawson?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Okay. Thank you.
I know many companies have had Juneteenth
a paid day off and it's definitely worth considering.
So, Mr. Chair, I'd love to make a motion that
we consider making Juneteenth a paid holiday
for our faculty and staff.
>> Chair Greg Musil: We will -- if you want
to bring that up during New Business, we would
have to have a motion to add it to the agenda
and then an action on that. And I don't think
it's appropriate now to do so. But I'll -- I'll
call on you during New Business.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Okay. So New
Business, okay. And then, Mr. Chair, I want
you to know that I'm glad to say that when
people asked if they could speak about the
issues, I was glad to help them to find a
way to speak. I know we all have a lot on
our minds and I'm proud to help our residents
find a way to participate. And thank you so
much, Dr. Leiker, for your presentation.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Cross, do you
have something?
>> Trustee Lee Cross: I was just going to
say thank you to Professor Leiker. I've known
him for years and I know he's been a huge
advocate for the college, and thank you for
being here.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you, Jim. The next
item is the Johnson County Education Research
Triangle Report. Trustee Cross.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: I don't really have
a report, Mr. Chair. We have not met since
we last met. We will meet on the 35th anniversary
of Game 5 of the 19 -- Game 6 of the 1985
World Series at K-State Olathe.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Questions for Trustee
Cross? If none, we'll move on to the Kansas
--
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: For those
of us that don't know when that was in --
>> Trustee Lee Cross: It's also available
online, Trustee Smith-Everett, at the Johnson
County Education Research Triangle. It's October
26th, 1985.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Thank you.
I was going for October, but that's my baseball
knowledge.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: It was a big deal in
Royals history. There was some call at first
base.
>> Chair Greg Musil: All right, now I have
lost control. Trustee Ingram, Kansas Association
of Community College Trustees?
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: I'll bring you back.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you.
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Kansas Association
of Community College Trustees met on June
6th. And I'll just provide some highlights
from that meeting. It was a Zoom meeting.
And I don't know that we have a number of
the full attendance there, but 17 of the 19
community colleges did have representation
at the meeting. It was announced that the
executive director's evaluation had been completed
with many favorable comments being given about
Heather's performance this year. And I would
just remind everyone that we do have a new
executive director who has just completed
her first year. She's been extremely helpful
and has provided great leadership throughout
the state.
We did have some additional business manners
in addition to simply the approval of the
minutes and the Treasurer's Report. There
was a motion to approve an extension of contracts
with Devine, Donley & Murray, who is our lobbyist
firm, and also with our accountant. In addition
to that, David Marshall, who is our treasurer,
spoke to the '20-'21 proposed budget. He stated
that it would be a flat budget, which basically
means that we'll be very similar to the '19-'20
budget. The primary reason being that community
colleges may be experiencing deficits in both
enrollment and funding. So we're looking at
all sorts of efficiencies that we can create.
Due to existing and unforeseen effects of
the COVID-19 pandemic, it was recommended
by our executive director that the annual
KACCT fees remain flat as well, and that was
approved. In addition, Heather provided some
legislative updates which were very similar
to those already provided by Mr. Carter. The
meeting was then opened to comments from participants
regarding their plans for the reopening of
their respective institutions. As you can
imagine, there were a variety of different
options and many at this point still had a
lot of questions.
We discussed the return of foreign students
to campuses. International students, some
colleges were planning on quarantining those
students prior to the beginning of classes
and some voiced again they are just simply
unsure. There's still just so much uncertainty.
Another issue addressed was the handling of
students who lacked the necessary technology
to complete online coursework. It was mentioned
that oftentimes these students were given
laptops and recommendations for hot spots
in their area so they could in fact complete
that coursework.
Heather reported that the Council of Presidents
met the day before, on June 5th. She stated
that a majority of the meeting was focused
on the recent national attention to the tragic
death of George Floyd. Those in attendance
at this meeting called for KACCT to issue
a statement which would reflect the organization's
stand on racial conflict and resolution. We
did vote on one, and it is on our KACCT.org
website.
As a final order of business, Heather explained
to everyone that KACCT was suspending the
sponsorship of the KCCLI, which is the leadership
initiative, for the upcoming academic year
due to financial reasons. Jackie Vietti, who
has been the program coordinator, has created
plans for continuing the program, which we
were very pleased about. We did not want to
discontinue that program. We just wanted to
give it a year break. But she will be working
on that program and I believe it's going to
be $200 per attendee. So it will be very affordable
this year.
With a few introductions of new liaisons to
the organization, the meeting was adjourned.
So it was a good, good meeting. And I will
answer any questions if anyone has any.
We have continued to participate in phone
calls throughout all of this. There were legislative
phone calls on Fridays and the executive officers
have been a part of that with the Council
of Presidents. So we're all working very cooperatively.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you, Trustee Ingram,
for leading that organization as president.
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Not a problem.
>> Chair Greg Musil: And I think it's worth
reminding ourselves that that is funded by
so much per student. I don't know the amount.
But given enrollment issues at other colleges,
it will be interesting come our September
meeting to find out what percentage of funding
comes from Johnson County as we've reviewed
that kind of over the years.
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Right. I can tell
you, since we met, which was just a little
over a week ago, we have made plans to close
the office in Topeka. Our lease expires the
end of December, I believe, and we will no
longer have an office over there. Heather
lives in Wamego
and she's working out of her home, which as
many people have figured out, it's been doable
for her and she would -- she made that recommendation
and we did accept that. So I will share that
with you.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay. You are next up
on the Foundation. Johnson County Community
College Foundation. Trustee Ingram.
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Yes. The Foundation
continues to successfully accomplish important
work on behalf of our students during this
challenging time. A few examples of some of
the important work that has occurred recently
include through partnership with financial
aid more than 200 students have received emergency
funds from the Foundation's COVID-19 Response
Scholarship. The Foundation in partnership
with donors has made $75,000 available to
this point with additional funds that can
be made available as needed. The Foundation
successfully partnered with JCCC to purchase
60 new laptops for students for the new loaner
laptop program. In May, the Foundation successfully
transferred the needed funds, and the laptops
have been purchased by JCCC.
In addition to maintaining all standard operations
while working remotely, the staff has been
working to enhance and expand the information
in our database of JCCC supporters. This included
the addition of nearly 2500 e-mail addresses
and updating contact information of nearly
1500 donors of gifts in recent years. The
goal was to improve options for regular communications
with donors and to improve efficiencies in
using information from the base. It has been
refreshing and rewarding to touch base with
so many wonderful supporters as they have
done.
On May 19th, the Foundation held its first
ever virtual annual luncheon with the support
of the wonderful video services team, the
plan went off without a hitch. So we want
to thank everyone who assisted with that.
We also want to share some preliminary good
news. This is information not typically announced
this time of the year, but they were excited
to share it. With opportunities continuing
to exist for scholarships to be awarded for
summer courses, the Foundation did a receive-to-date
figure for the amount of Foundation scholarship
funds that have been awarded to students during
the '19-'20 academic year. While not finalized
yet, we anticipate that more than $1.3 million
will have been awarded in Foundation scholarships
during '19-'20, surpassing that $1.3 million
mark for the first time in our history. Exact
final figures are typically available in September
following the completion of summer courses.
The Foundation continues to work each day
to adapt and plan for upcoming events such
as the annual Harvest Dinner, Lace Up For
Learning, Beyond Bounds, and of course Some
Enchanted Evening. As plans are finalized
for each of these important events, more information
will of course be shared. We encourage everyone
to watch the Foundation website online for
updates and information about how to support
our students during this time. And that concludes
my report.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you, Trustee Ingram.
Any questions about the Foundation? If not,
we'll move into Committee Reports and Recommendations.
The first one is the Audit Committee. The
only thing in your packet is the minutes from
the meeting that was held in May. We reported
on the contents of that meeting, or I did,
during our May trustee meeting. Human Resources,
Trustee Ingram.
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Yes. The Human Resources
Committee Zoom meeting was held on Friday,
June 5th. Ms. Becky Centlivre, Vice President
Human Resources, reviewed the
proposed Human Resources Committee Working
Agenda for 2020-2021, which is found on Page
8 of the packet. Therefore, Mr. Chair, that
is our first recommendation. It is the recommendation
of the Human Resources Committee that the
Board of Trustees approve the Human Resources
Committee Working Agenda for 2020-2021 as
is shown subsequently in the board packet,
and I will make that motion.
>> Chair Greg Musil:Moved by Trustee Ingram,
seconded by Trustee Snider to approve the
Working Agenda that appears on Page 8 of the
board packet. Is there any discussion? If
not, all in favor say aye.
(Ayes)
>> Chair Greg Musil: Anyone opposed say nay.
That motion carries unanimously.
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Thank you. Mr. Jerry
Zimmerman, Manager, Benefits, reviewed the
significant amount of recent federal legislation
pronouncements related to COVID-19 that impacted
JCCC benefits between March and May of this
year. That includes the Family First Coronavirus
Response Act, FFRCA, the Coronavirus Aid,
Relief, and Economic Security, which is the
CARES Act, and Internal Revenue Service Notice
2020-29. Other benefit plan changes include
Delta Dental rescinded their 4% premium increase
for the 2020-2021 benefit year, and our vision
plan provider, Eye Med, is allowing participants
with any unused benefits for the benefit year
ending on May 31st, 2020, to incur and submit
expenses through August 31st, 2020.
Ms. Julie Vivas, Manager of Employee Relations,
gave background information, reviewed the
numerous needed policy changes and procedural
changes based upon the new Title IX regulations.
The Department of Education released their
final regulations for the Title IX in May
with an implementation date of August 14th,
2020. We will be asking the policy and procedure
changes to be approved at the July board meeting.
She also reviewed the different projects that
are being worked on to make sure the college
is in compliance with the new regulations
by the August 14th implementation date. As
a result of those implementations, we will
meet on Friday, July 10th, at 8 a.m.
Ms. Colleen Chandler, Director of Human Resources,
reminded everyone that Policy 422.02 requires
annual training for all employees, including
non-discrimination, anti-harassment training,
technology security, and campus safety awareness
training, and any other required trainings
as determined by the needs of the college
or the employees department. For fiscal year
2020, the required training program included
discrimination awareness in the workplace,
Title IX and sexual misconduct, campus safety
and FERPA, and e-mail and messaging safety.
For fiscal year 2021, the required training
program will include diversity and inclusion,
sexual harassment, cybersecurity overview,
e-mail and messaging safety, FERPA, enrollment
management, and ALICE emergency preparedness.
Employees are also required to complete coronavirus
awareness training by June 30th, 2020, or
prior to their return to campus.
Ms. Centlivre reviewed the memorandum of understanding
with the JCCC Faculty Association for a spring
2020 incomplete -- completion for spring 2020
professor stipend raise, rates, and formulas
as is shown subsequently in the board packet
on Page 7. We have a recommendation regarding
that memorandum of understanding, and I will
now present that. The Human Resources Committee
recommends that the Board of Trustees accept
the College Administration's recommendation
to authorize the Memorandum of Understanding
with the JCCC Faculty Association for spring
2020 completion stipend as is shown subsequently
in the
board packet. This memo of understanding applies
to the spring 2020 courses only, and I will
make that motion.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Second.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Moved by Trustee Ingram
and seconded by Trustee Smith-Everett to approve
the recommendation for the stipend for faculty
who continue teaching their spring courses
effectively in the summer. Is there any discussion?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Mr. Chair, I
have some questions about the statement that
was raised in these minutes. It sounds like
they're advocating for the adoption of these
new rules for Title IX. And I just want to
make sure that that is not something that's
actually been decided yet. So I want to make
sure that we are not putting that out there
to the public that that is actually happening
right now. I know --
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Lawson, that
-- we're acting on the different motion now.
You'll have an opportunity to raise that question
before the report is over. But we are now
acting on the stipend for the Faculty Association
--
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: The memo? The
memorandum? Okay. Thank you.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Mr. Chair.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Cross.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Just a question. I mean,
this all went pretty smoothly? I'm not on
audit. I'm just asking, this memorandum was
negotiated?
>> Chair Greg Musil: It's the memorandum that
Trustee -- or that Trustee Leiker -- President
Leiker mentioned --
>> Dr. Jim Leiker: One day maybe.
>>Chair Greg Musil: -- that was negotiated
between the Faculty Association and Dr. McCloud
on behalf of the administration, and I think
it, as you indicated, it did go smoothly and
the Faculty Association has endorsed it and
would like us to pass it.
>> Dr. Jim Leiker: It carries the same legal
weight as a three-year contract. Melanie Harvey
and I, for expediency's sake, served as the
negotiating team. And, yes, I would characterize
it as a smooth negotiation.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: That's it. I just appreciate
it.
>> Chair Greg Musil: If there's no further
discussion, all in favor of adopting or agreeing
to the memorandum of understanding with the
Faculty Association say aye.
(Ayes)
>> Chair Greg Musil: Anyone in opposed -- opposition
say nay. That motion carries unanimously.
We'll let Trustee Ingram finish her report,
Trustee Lawson, and then come back to your
question.
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Thank you. Dr. Randy
Weber, Interim EVP of Finance and Administration,
Vice President Student Success & Engagement,
gave an overview of the Return to Campus Plan
and Guidelines. Step 2 began June 1st, allowing
beyond essential function employees whose
roles necessitated preparing campus for the
return of individuals and Step 3, which is
targeted to begin June 22nd. Individuals are
not to congregate in groups larger than 30.
Each department prior to returning is submitting
a plan for consideration and approval by the
IRT. Plans include the purchase and distribution
of PPE for each work unit and what is expected
of each employee. Signs are being placed all
around the campus. The coronavirus awareness
mandatory training is underway. As mentioned
previously, the next Human Resources Committee
is scheduled for Friday, July 10th, 2020,
at a location to be determined.
And, Mr. Chairman, that does conclude my report
-- conclude my report, excuse me, unless Trustee
Smith-Everett has anything to offer. But I
think that's the sole purpose of us meeting
on the 10th is to discuss, you know, where
we're going with some of those. Is that not
correct?
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Yes. I was
going to just clarify that, too, if you want
to, that we have a special HR meeting scheduled
to address the Title IX changes and the proposed
I guess adoption for Johnson County Community
College and how we will adopt those new regulations
in -- on -- in July at the --
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Right, any new policy
or procedures. You bet.
Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: That we would
--
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Right.
>> Chair Greg Musil: As I understand it, these
are policies or procedures we have to adopt
to be in compliance with the new federal regulations.
Do we perceive these as undermining any of
our continuing and ongoing efforts to ensure
that Title IX's non-discrimination and our
anti-discrimination policies are followed?
No changes to that?
(Off mic)
(Inaudible)
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Lawson?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: There's absolutely
no sound at all from Becky.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay. She -- basically
what I think she said was we will adopt the
regulations -- or our policies to meet the
regulations, but otherwise there will be no
changes in how we treat that topic as a college.
>> Becky Centlivre: Correct. We will have
to change some of our procedures, but we still
have the resources available to all the people,
employees and students.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Could you hear that,
Angeliina?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: No. Just whatever
you speak back.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Basically all the same
resources and programs will be available to
all members of the campus community. We will
change the policies simply so that they meet
the federal regulations. Is that accurate,
Becky? Can you talk in a new microphone?
>> Becky Centlivre: Yes. That's accurate.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Did you hear her, Angeliina?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Just a little
bit, yeah. Is there anything else that she
has to say before I can say something?
>> Becky Centlivre: No.
>> Chair Greg Musil: No.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Okay. Mr. Chair,
there are 18 different state attorney generals
right now and several community colleges and
advocacy groups of course that have signed
on to lawsuits against the Department of Education.
These rules proposed by Secretary DeVos have
of course one goal, and that's to make it
nearly impossible for women to report sexual
violence without the fear of retribution.
"The Washington Post" noted that these rules
silence survivors by giving the accused more
control. Ted Mitchell, who is the President
of ACCT and the Education Council, has asked
all the community colleges and the trustees
for a timeline on this rule to be able to
be suspended due to COVID virus. So there
is an active
attempt to try and push back and not just
accept wholeheartedly with of course the 18
states in suit, national organizations, all
of which are -- we are members of, being broadly
opposed. I will vote no when this comes up
because I think that we have time here to
really address and come to a re-thinking of
do we want to join these community colleges
in a suit so that we can protect the rights
of women and -- or anybody who files a sexual
violence report. And I want to make sure that
we never vote to comply with rules that are
so set to devalue women. I believe we should
sign on to the other colleges and organizations
and these other 18 states that are opposing
this, and it's really bothersome to just have
a blanket acceptance of something when there's
a lot of movement to push back. And we don't
need to prematurely put this forward. But
the discussion that there was no other way
to do it is problematic. And I think that
warrants to be able to have a statement that
says there are other people who are finding
another way, and I think we can join them
as well.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you. Learning Quality,
Trustee Cook.
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Learning Quality met on June 1 via Zoom. Trustees
Cross and Smith-Everett were in attendance
with a plethora of faculty, staff -- faculty
and staff. The Learning Quality report can
be found on Pages 9 through 16 of your packet.
I won't read that verbatim. But we had some
really interesting happenings. Dianna Rottinghaus
gave a report on her 2019 spring sabbatical.
The focus of her sabbatical was to create
a collection of academic reading strategies
to be available to JCC (sic) faculty working
with students from all disciplines. A couple
highlights, a great toolbox for assisting
students with reading challenges was further
developed. She also did a survey of department
chairs and, based on that information, put
together some strategies to assist students
who have, like I say, reading -- reading challenges.
She's very enthusiastic about her report,
very enthusiastic about how we approach helping
students with reading challenges. The reading
-- one of the points in your report, the reading
faculty made a site visit to American River
College to investigate reading across disciplines,
RAD program, and they were very impressed
with those results and will implement those
-- those strategies here at Johnson County
Community College.
Gurbhushan Singh gave an update on an Affiliation
Agreement that's found in your Consent Agenda
which was a continuing Affiliation Agreement.
Denise Griffey gave a report on a new Articulation
Agreement with the Blue Valley School District.
Dr. McCloud, I'm not sure if you want to speak
to that. That's been in the works for some
time. We're excited about that because that
enhances the number of students that we will
receive from the Blue Valley School District.
I know you put a lot of time into that. Would
you like to make a comment about that?
>> Dr. Mickey McCloud: Yes. That particular
agreement is designed for us to provide better
counseling services to students who are interested
in joining us here on campus and some of the
newer programs that we've inaugurated for
high school students. It will allow for the
hiring of a position shared between Johnson
County and the Blue Valley School District
to make sure that students' transcripts are
in alignment and that the courses that they
take here will appropriately reverse transfer
for their high school credits so that we can
begin working towards students completing
both a high school diploma simultaneous to
an AA.
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: Appreciate that. We
always value renewing Affiliation Agreements
and always look forward to new ones emerging.
We had a report from Vince Miller, Tim Laughlin,
and Rochelle Quinn on our simulation, healthcare
simulation program. And that was also very,
very enlightening and -- I would say
entertaining, but I don't want you to take
that wrong. But we really found out a lot
of detail about the simulation program. One
of the highlights is we're the only accredited
healthcare simulation center in Kansas. Metropolitan
Community College is also certified, and the
two of us are about a group of about 150 nationwide
that get certified through the Society for
Simulation Healthcare. And Vince and Tim and
Rochelle were strong to point out that with
the assistance of Dr. McCloud, from the administration's
standpoint, to help get this approved was
very instrumental and Dr. McCloud was also
instrumental in getting Metropolitan Community
College their certification.
So you're all well aware of, I think, of the
great work our college does in the simulation
program. I believe you have some additional
detail or we can get additional detail. I
was just really impressed with the detail
of that report and the passion and the excitement
that the people have for our simulation center.
So I want to compliment them. It was a very
outstanding -- a very outstanding report.
Dr. Weber gave a report, as he has in all
committees, on the COVID-19 campus update.
And Dr. McCloud talked about the work we're
doing for the summer course, which Dr. Leiker's
talked about, referred to, and we're all been
aware of the great work that staff has done
to accommodate online learning and dealing
with lab work and students that -- when we're
in this quarantine basis.
Karen Martley provided review of ongoing efforts
in Continuing Education. And I think, Karen,
you've always said of the great work the Small
Business Development Center is doing with
the number of requests you're getting from
small business for assistance. So we're very
appreciative of that as well. With that, that
kind of concludes my report.
I would -- I would defer to Laura and to Lee
for your impressions of both of those reports,
particularly the reading sabbatical and the
health simulation. I didn't want to cut that
short. So if you have any comments, please.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Smith-Everett?
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: I just wanted
to thank the group that did the simulation.
They only showed us the nicest -- specimen?
No. What was that? It was --
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: Patients. They were
the patients.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: No, no, no.
The -- they showed us --
>> Sputum.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Thank you,
sputum. And only showed us the nicest one,
they told us. So I appreciated at an 8:30
in the morning meeting only being shown the,
you know, elementary version of what they
could have shown us in their simulation. But
the simulation was remarkable. It was eye-opening.
And I applaud that team for all the work they
put into it before COVID and of course afterwards,
this is one of the main ways our nursing students
are able to continue to get their hours. So
thank you very much.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Cross?
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Yes. Thank you, Mr.
Chair, and Mr. Chair Cook. I appreciate that.
As someone who had reading problems, I sure
do appreciate the presentation on the sabbatical
and the learning and reading strategies that
were presented. And, you know, in all of Trustee
Smith-Everett's work and leadership, the answering
of the Juneteenth question, I sure do appreciate
your intelligence, grace, and dignity which
you have brought to this board. So thank you.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Dr. Sopcich?
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: The program we have with
Blue Valley is a big deal. I mean it's incredibly
gratifying when you go to a Blue Valley Board
of Education meeting and you hear them talk
in glowing terms about the college. Dr. McCloud
and I attended one of these meetings in which
we were honored. I have to say, Dr. McCloud
was more like the rock star there as he was
swarmed by his -- by his fans, and I had to,
you know, find my own seat type of deal.
But, Dr. McCloud, I know the Blue Valley program
is just kind of a first step. What's your
vision for working with K-12 in this regard?
>> Dr. Mickey McCloud: Ultimately, the goal
for these programs is that we will work with
K-12 across our service area so that we can
provide what I'm going to call without a real
name an academy concept whereby high-achieving
students and students who are prepared for
college opportunities can come to Johnson
County directly to work with our faculty in
our classrooms, utilizing all of the equipment,
technology, and opportunities that we can
provide to move them forward. My hope is that
we can build a pipeline of students who can
achieve both a high school diploma and an
AA simultaneously. This has worked at -- I
was a part of over in Missouri that is new,
a newer concept to the state of Kansas that
I would like to see us be able to implement
kind of in full in being able to provide more
opportunities for those students, particularly
as we have entered a stage of education where
because of our accreditation and national
and regional accreditation standards, many
of the high schools have had a difficult time
employing instructors who meet appropriate
qualification standards to be able to teach
college material.
The more opportunities that we have to bring
those students here to work with our faculty
who have all of those accolades and the ability
to offer them a stronger education than we
would be able to do at a distance, I think
that it will strengthen our service area and
in the long run be a model for other service
areas across the state of Kansas to be able
to work with their K-12's.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Any other districts have
any interest?
>> Dr. Mickey McCloud: Right now we have four
districts that are quite interested. Shawnee
Mission is interested in working with us.
Olathe is interested in working with us. And
in the coming year we will actually be working
with Eudora, who is looking to begin sending
some students to us this coming academic year
provided we can find a way to make our way
through all of the kind of the niceness that
COVID-19 has put in our path. And so we will
be able to continue growing this as a programmatic
approach with the hope that we can serve more
students in our -- in our service area and
that we can kind of open up a little bit more
of what we have to offer directly on the campus,
not simply through our dual credit College
Now opportunities.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Anything else on Learning
Quality, Trustee Cook?
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: That concludes our
report.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Questions? Move on to
the Management Committee report. Trustee Cook.
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
The Management report --
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Mr. Chair, I
make a motion that Trustee Snider recuses
himself out of the room while we discuss the
Management Committee as per our Trustee Ethics
Policy of 114.02 on Paragraph No. 3. He brought
forward and worked on environmental policy
at JCC (sic) and Management Committee while
working as a paid lobbyist. He did not disclose
that in that committee. He is being paid by
NRDC, which is an environmental lobby group.
This is a clear conflict of interest. While
I agree with the environmental policies, the
public has
a right to know that this represents his paid
work, as well as his elected work, and the
end does not justify the means, so I would
be more comfortable to have Trustee Snider
recuse himself as per our ethic policy, the
code of ethic policy.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Which item in the Management
Committee are you referring to?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: We only have
one Management Committee.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Well, we have topics.
I'm not speaking to any of the substance of
your comments because I don't know anything
about it, it has never been brought up before
to me. But are you suggesting a trustee needs
to recuse himself or herself with respect
to the retention of the official newspaper?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Mr. Chair, I
think the entire Management Committee, he
is a laid lobbyist. I think that I have concerns
and regarding the conflicts of interest and
voting on any building efforts, considering
his listing with the Secretary of State as
a lobbyist for developers. He spoke to me
today about his active recruiting of developers
and construction companies, and I think it
is hard to know just where and how much of
the conflicts of interest. And I think for
peace of mind during the committee report
to have him recuse himself and I think that
solves the issue of any conflicts of interest,
as stated in our ethics, Code of Ethics, states
that restraint of participation, trustees
should not be doing all of these acts, they
should not be participating in related board
discussions, making recommendations, negotiating
terms or contractual provisions and voting
on them. So...
>> Chair Greg Musil: I don't see anything
on the Management Committee agenda that in
any way affects Trustee Snider's independence,
either perceived or real, with respect to
what you've just described. I don't know the
process for forcing a recusal. Under Kansas
law, that is up to each individual elected
official, is my understanding.
Is there a second to the motion that would
exclude Trustee Snider from any participation
in any Management Committee matters? If not,
let's move on to the retention of official
newspaper, please.
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: Well, the Management
report again is on Pages 17 to 33. Before
we get to the recommendations and the motions,
I would just say that Trustee Smith-Everett,
Trustee Snider, and I were in attendance with,
again, a plethora of faculty and staff. Randy
Weber, Interim Executive Vice President, presented
information on two agreements, which we have
discussed previously. Those agreements are
found on Page 53 and 55, deal with the Blue
Valley School District for Career Ready Partnership,
and JCCC's in-kind contribution space for
workforce activities. Rachel Lierz, Associate
Vice President of Financial Services, provided
a report on the 2020-2021 budget development.
She reminded us that the July 2020 Board of
Trustees meeting, the board votes to approve
and public a one-page portion of the legal
budget and the Notice of Public Hearing. Public
hearing will be held in August and when we
approve '20-'21 legal budget. Next, Ms. Lierz
gave a presentation of estimated actual results
compared to budget for the fiscal year ending
on June 30, 2020, including preliminary estimates
of under-spending and certain operating budget
lines due to the campus closure. That was
a follow-up to a detailed report she gave
in May and an ongoing update of what our status
is from month to month.
Janelle Vogler, Associate Vice President of
Business Services, presented the Single Source
Purchase Report that's found on Page 23, and
the Contract Renewal Report, which can be
found on Page 24. Tom Hall, Associate Vice
President of Campus Services, gave the monthly
update on capital infrastructure projects.
That report is found on Page 28. He also reported
on
current progress of the construction projects
on campus, then reviewed the report of the
financial status of Facilities Master Plan
projects, and that report is found on Page
29.
We have a number of recommendations. The first
is the official newspaper. Chris Gray, Associate
Vice President, Strategic Communications and
Marketing, stated that Kansas statute requires
that when a school district or community colleges
publishes a legal notice in a newspaper, the
newspaper must be one that is published at
least weekly, 50 times year in the college's
district. Therefore, it is the recommendation
of the Management Committee that the Board
of Trustees accepts the recommendation of
the College Administration to designate "The
Legal Record" and "The Gardner News" as official
newspapers of the college and that publication
constitutes legal notice on behalf of the
Board of Trustees, and I'll make that motion.
>> Second.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: I'd like to make
a substitute motion to offer this actually
to The KC Star and the "Shawnee Mission Post."
"The Legal Record" is a paid subscription,
which automatically limits the amount of people
that can see our press releases and public
notices. And "The Gardner News," as far as
the reach that the KC Star and the "Shawnee
Mission Post" have, I'm not understanding
why we don't have this anyway. So I'm making
a substitute motion to actually offer this
to KC Star and "Shawnee Mission Post."
>> Chair Greg Musil: We went through this
last month and I'll just say I'm going to
accept your motion as a motion to amend as
opposed to a motion to substitute. I will
state, and Mr. Gray and Ms. Nazar can correct
me if I'm wrong, the paper has to be published
in Kansas. It cannot be published -- "The
Kansas City Star" does not publish in Kansas.
It has to be a published print newspaper.
The "Shawnee Mission Post" is not a published
print newspaper. We are constrained by Kansas
law. We have been part of an effort over the
years to be able to simply publish our legal
notices on our website because it would save
considerable funds. But the Kansas Press Association
in Topeka is a very powerful lobby and that
has not gotten anywhere. So we have choices
of basically these two newspapers published
in Johnson County with a sufficient circulation
to allow us to legally choose them. Would
you like to withdraw your amendment?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: I'd like to make
an amendment to that motion to change The
KC Star to "The Pitch."
>> Chair Greg Musil: "The Pitch" is published
in Kansas City, Missouri, as well. Best of
my knowledge.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Do we have clarification
on that?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Well, I think it would
be a mistake to pick a paper tonight that
for the first time we've heard about your
selection of "The Pitch" or "The Kansas City
Star" and assume it's a Kansas paper. So is
your amendment now to kick out one of these
Johnson County published newspapers and add
"The Pitch" as the sole newspaper or as one
of the two?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Mr. Chair, we're
allowed to make amendments, so that's something
that we can do right now. And "The Pitch"
does print in the Johnson County area, actually
in Wyandotte. So that is something that is
within the Kansas limit.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Is there a second -- well,
I'm trying to clarify your motion for the
board. What is your amendment now?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: My amendment
is to offer a -- these -- I'm sorry, the -- to
"The Pitch" and to "The Shawnee Mission Post."
>> Chair Greg Musil: "The Shawnee Mission
Post" does not qualify as a print newspaper.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: I'm sorry. Then
I didn't hear that. Why?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Because it must be a
printed newspaper published in Kansas.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Print, okay.
I'm sorry. How about "The Gardner News," then?
So the amendment would actually be to "The
Pitch" and The Garden News -- Gardner News.
>> I've already seconded the motion.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: I seconded the motion.
My dad was born in Gardner.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Well, did you second
the motion to amend?
>> I did when she (Inaudible) (off mic).
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay. So I did not hear
you.
(Multiple speakers off mic.)
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay, we have a motion
by Trustee Lawson and a second by Trustee
Snider to amend the recommendation to include
"The Pitch" and "The Kansas City Star" as
our -- as our newspaper -- what? "Shawnee
Mission Post" and "The Kansas City Star" as
our legal newspapers. Is there discussion?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Mr. Chair, I
just want to make sure my correct amendment,
because what you're saying doesn't match what
I said. So I'm making a substitute motion
to amend that it goes to "The Pitch" and "The
Gardner News."
>> Chair Greg Musil: I understand. But I didn't
realize your first amendment attempt had been
seconded, which means it is on the floor and
that is what we will vote on. Your first amendment
was to recommend "The Kansas City Star" and
the "Shawnee Mission Post," neither of which
meet the statutory requirements. Is there
any further discussion? All in favor of the
amendment, please signify by saying aye.
Are you -- are you in favor of your amendment,
Trustee Lawson?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Sorry. It's hard
to hear. There's a lot of echo. So I'm just
trying to follow the amendment here. Do you
need me to withdraw this amendment to go to
the one that I was talking about?
>> Chair Greg Musil: You may. You made the
motion. If you'd like to withdraw the motion,
I will accept that, and you can make a substitute
amendment.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Okay. So I'd
like to withdraw the amendment to offer this
to The KC Star and "Shawnee Mission Post."
Instead, I'd like to make the substitute motion
to amend to offer it to "The Pitch" and "The
Gardner News."
>> Trustee Lee Cross: I'd like to object,
Mr. Chair. I mean "The Pitch," and Vice President
McCloud and I just looked it up. "The Pitch"
is in Missouri. So I'm going to --
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Wyandotte.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: I don't know what to
say.
>> Chair Greg Musil: It's where it's printed.
It's not where it's distributed. Do you want
to -- do you want to vote on your motion?
We don't have a second. The motion to amend
to make it "The Pitch" and "The Gardner News"
dies for lack of a second.
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: I'd like to call the
original question, please.
>> Second.
>> Chair Greg Musil: The question has been
called on the original motion to designate
"The Gardner News" and "The Legal Record"
as the official newspapers of the college.
All those in favor say aye.
(Ayes.)
>> Chair Greg Musil: Opposed?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Aye.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Motion carries 6-1 with
Trustee Lawson voting in opposition. Next
item, Mr. Cook.
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: Mr. Gray also reported
that each year the college sponsors selected
events that help the college maintain strong
community relationships. The organizations
are listed on Page 18 of the board packet.
This is always a difficult decision to make
as we get several requests. It is vetted by
a number of people at the college and, therefore,
it is the recommendation of the Management
Committee that the board accept the recommendation
of the College Administration to approve the
above-listed sponsorships, excuse me, for
the 2020-2021 physical year at a cost of $15,000,
plus an additional 2,000 contingency, for
a total cost of $17,000, and I'll make that
motion.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Second.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Moved by Trustee Cook
and seconded by Trustee Cross to approve the
sponsorships listed on Page 18 of the board
packet. Is there any discussion? If not, all
in favor say aye.
(Ayes.)
>> Chair Greg Musil: Opposed nay? That motion
carries unanimously.
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: Next item, Randy Weber
presented a draft of the '20-'21 Management
Committee Working Agenda found on Pages 20
and 21 of your packet. It is the recommendation
of the Management Committee that the Board
of Trustees approve the fiscal year 2020-2021
Management Committee Working Agenda, and I'll
make that motion.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Second.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Moved by Trustee Cook,
seconded by Trustee Smith-Everett to approve
the Working Agenda for the Management Committee
for fiscal year 2020-'21. Is there any discussion?
If not, all in favor say aye.
(Ayes.)
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Opposed nay?
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: Next item we have --
>> Chair Greg Musil: Motion carries unanimously.
I just need to make sure I do that for the
minutes.
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: We have one Single
Source Purchase to present for recommendations.
It is the Micro Data Systems, Inc., for continuing
education for trainers and curriculum. It
is the recommendation of the Management Committee
that the Board of Trustees accept the recommendation
of the College Administration to approve the
Single Source Justification for the fiscal
21 estimated amount for Micro Data Systems
for a total estimated amount of 210,000, and
I'll make that motion.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Second.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Moved by Trustee Cook,
seconded by Trustee Smith-Everett to approve
the recommendation for the Sole Source Award
to Micro Data Systems. Is there discussion?
If not, all in favor say aye.
(Ayes.)
>> Chair Greg Musil: Opposed nay? That motion
carries unanimously.
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: Ms. Vogel reported
that there was one recommendation based on
Requests for Proposals. This recommendation
is for RFF for Network Infrastructure Equipment
and Services. Is it the recommendation of
the Management Committee that the Board of
Trustees accept the recommendation of the
College Administration to approve the proposal
from Sirius Computer Solutions for the provisions
of various network infrastructure products
and software subscriptions for an estimated
base year of $1,065,878 for fiscal year 2020-'21
and a total expenditure estimated of $5,329,392
for the optional renewals through 2025, and
I'll make that motion.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Second.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Moved by Trustee Cook,
seconded by Trustee Cross to approve the selection
of Sirius Computer Solutions for provision
of various network infrastructure products
and software subscriptions. Is there any discussion?
If not, all in favor say aye.
(Ayes.)
>> Chair Greg Musil: Opposed nay? That motion
carries unanimously.
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: Final recommendation
has to do with extending our lease at the
West Park Center on 87th Street in Overland
Park. The college occupies space for the cosmetology
and ABE, GED, ESL programs, credit and non-credit
classes. Mr. Hall reported that the existing
fifth lease amendment agreement executed in
August 1, 2015, will expire on July 31, 2020.
The sixth lease amendment will renew the existing
five-lease agreement for a three-year term
from August 1, 2020, through July 31, 2023,
with three additional one-year options. The
college will have the option to terminate
the lease without penalty once per year during
the three-year renewal period.
Therefore, it is the recommendation of the
Management Committee that the Board of Trustees
accept the administration's recommendation
to exercise the three-year lease extension
with three additional one-year options for
the West Park Center leases per agreement
subject to review by legal counsel, and I'll
make that motion.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Second.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Moved by Trustee Cook,
seconded by Trustee Cross to approve the lease
as presented with West Park Center. Is there
any discussion?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Mr. Chair, I'd
like to make a substitute motion that we actually
refer this back to committee because there
has been numerous complaints about this location
and this site, and we need to be able to take
better care of the students and professors
that are coming off-site. There's been a number
of complaints that I've personally heard over
the years that there's a struggle between
being able to complete the two-year program
because the off-site does not allow for the
travel time to make back-to-back classes,
so they miss out and they have to end up extending
their amount of time to finish their degree.
I think there's not enough oversight when
you don't have the cross-pollination on main
campus. And I believe in Dr. McCloud's team
that there is an option to be able to really
advance this instead of asking one more year,
one more year, one more year. I think the
feedback that is coming back from faculty
and staff and students are important, and
I think I'd like to make a motion to refer
this to either to Management Committee, to
make a task force to get this done with the
new president, and I think that's possible
instead of renewing another year.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Would you please state,
then, exactly what your amendment proposes.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: My amendment
is to refer this back to Management
Committee for Dr. McCloud to put together
a task force to find another site.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Dr. McCloud, it appears
as though we need to renew the lease by August
1 of 2020; is that correct?
>> Dr. Mickey McCloud: That is correct at
this time.
>> Chair Greg Musil: And that in each of the
three years of the base term we would have
the option to terminate the lease?
>> Dr. Mickey McCloud: Currently the base
allows us to terminate with some minor penalty.
We can -- I mean we can talk about that. But,
yes, we do have the option to pull ourselves
out during that three years and then each
individual year of renewal on the other end
of four, five and six could also be pulled.
>> Dr. Randy Weber: I might point out, this
is a unique contract for us in that it's three
years with three one-year options at the end.
Historically we've done five-year. When Dr.
McCloud and I spoke about this, and working
with our Facilities folks, we don't believe
that we would be able to do anything on campus
any earlier than three years, which is why
the initial three years is what is requested
as part of the lease agreement.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay. Is there a second
to the amendment to refer this back to Management
Committee? I presume at their July meeting
to then be acted on at our July meeting, at
which time a negotiated lease would have to
be made with the landlord.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Mr. Chair, just to clarify,
this is the recommendation of the administration
and Dr. McCloud? Not the amended motion, but
the recommendation we're prepared to vote
on is what the administration has in its due
diligence recommended?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Correct, and was recommended
by the Management Committee.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Okay.
>> As well as I'd like to say Continuing Ed.
We run a very large program over there for
ESL students. So this would -- this would
have a huge impact on us as well.
>> Chair Greg Musil: What is ESL?
>> Our English Second Language program.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: I would also
like to speak and say I would be on the other
end of it, arguing for it to remain where
it is because it's a really vital location
for the community that accesses it for the
adult basic education and for the ESL, where
that particular area is a very large area
that has people who speak another language
and so it's convenient for them. So --
>> And transportation issues --
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Is a very
big deal. It's walkable.
>> -- is a primary concern for us.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: I concur.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Let's -- is there a second?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Dr. McCloud,
can you please speak on the reason for some
of the research that you explained to me about
the feedback of the students and faculty?
And I also know directly from the students
and the professors there, as I've attended
and had services there to understand that
off-site program, a lot of those populations
that go there are not current trends and so
they miss out on the opportunities to do hair
for current, younger generations, and we would
get that opportunity if they were on-site,
and they don't have that opportunity and so
there's a lot of students that have expressed
concerns that they are going and getting hired
into
salons that then they have not had the proper
practice because what's in the current salons
are not that -- that are coming in. And so
the movement on campus would be something
that I think our team, and I believe in Dr.
McCloud. I believe in the ability to find
what needs to get done and he's been a great
advocate to do that. And if, Dr. McCloud,
you can speak on some of the research and
the program reviews and that have -- you have
talked about.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Dr. McCloud, go ahead
and finish and make your remarks, then I'm
going to ask if there's a second to the amendment.
>> Dr. Mickey McCloud: Yeah, I think that
you've -- I think Trustee Lawson has spoken
to the issues the program is dealing with
right now. And we are looking at the future
of what we need to do with this program in
terms of whether that would be retrofitting
here on campus, possible solutions of new
facilities being prepared, and I think that
what she has elaborated pretty thoroughly
covers a number of the issues, both with the
retrofitting of that facility that has been
done, which has been a little bit problematic
and we have had to do a great deal of upkeep
to maintain viable standards for those students,
but also because of the viability of other
populations utilizing those services and providing
better clinical opportunities for those students.
I think that's all accurate. It is all part
of our evaluation and part of what we're working
towards in the future.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: And I believe
we need to trust in our --
>> 
Is there a second to that amendment, Mr. Chair?
>> Chair Greg Musil: There is not yet. Trustee
Lawson appears to be frozen on the screen,
so I'm going to give her a chance to unfreeze.
Then I will ask if there's a second. Angeliina,
can you hear me?
Any idea which end this is on, Jason?
>> That's what I'm trying to find out, if
we're still going.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Did we not buy the unlimited
Zoom?
>> She's gone. So, yeah, she's disconnected.
So she's no longer in the meeting.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Well, I am going to propose
we text her, we give her a minute.
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: While you're doing
that, Mr. Chair, I just want to support what
Laura Smith-Everett talked about. In our Management
Committee, we did spend considerable time
talking about the positives for the ESL program
and the other programs we have there, even
GED. So we spent a lot of time reinforcing
that that was a good location for those. Now,
if we've got some program issues with cosmetology,
then I -- those certainly need to be dealt
with.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: I just wanted
to clarify. We can decouple those, right?
There's no particular reason the location
needs to hold both?
>> Dr. Mickey McCloud: Yeah, we can decouple
the programs. At this point they share the
building. We split the building in half with
them at this point.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: I remember
having to stop my ESL students from going
towards the cosmetology wing, and it's a very
open corridor. So I understand the -- truly
understand the --
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Lawson is logging
back in. She indicates she's in. Do you see
her, Jason?
>> I do not. Let me check...
>> Chair Greg Musil: She says she sees me,
which is probably a good sign of something.
>> There has been all sorts of issues tonight,
on different computers seeing different things.
(Inaudible)
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Okay. I think,
thank you, Jason, for switching me over.
>> She is on with -- we're watching the attendee
view and she's on on that, but she is for
some reason not here.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Can you hear
me? I can hear you.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Well, Trustee Lawson
said she could hear me, but I don't know if
she's talking about my phone or my microphone.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Microphone and
-- can you hear me now?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Lawson, can you
hear me?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: I can.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Can you speak up?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Right here.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay. We have no video.
We have your sound very faint. So when you're
speaking, you'll need to speak up extra loud.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Okay. Is there
a second?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Is there a second to
the amendment that would refer this lease
agreement back to the Management Committee
for further consideration?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: For Dr. McCloud
to have a task force to address this.
(Echo.)
>> Chair Greg Musil: Right. I heard you say
Dr. McCloud to have a task force. That motion
dies for lack of a second. So we're back to
the main motion to approve the lease, which
has been moved and seconded. All in favor
of approving the recommendation to enter the
new lease for the Westpark Center as presented
signify by saying aye.
(Ayes)
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Those opposed say nay.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Nay.
>> Chair Greg Musil: That vote is 6-1 with
Trustee Lawson voting nay.
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: That concludes our
report. I would defer to Trustees Snider and
Smith-Everett if they have additional things
to say. (Inaudible)
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you. We'll move
on to the ad hoc committees. The first report
will be from the Presidential Transition Team.
Trustee Cook and Trustee Smith-Everett.
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: I would just say that
because I've been speaking so much here lately,
we've -- Trustee Smith-Everett and I have
been leading a team to properly say goodbye
to our current president and to welcome the
new one. And, Laura, if you want to take the
lead on that and tell us what's going on.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Sure. We've
been -- make sure I have the microphone close.
We have been keeping the trustees updated
with a weekly e-mail that you should be receiving
from us to review just this week's items that
we've been working on. We've been working
on the details for this June meeting for the
song and dance, we have prepared a Cirque
du Soleil type ceremony at the end for Dr.
Sopcich's very last board meeting. Just making
sure you're paying attention, Dr. Sopcich.
>> (Inaudible, off mic.)
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Yeah, well,
just you wait. So we've been working on the
plans for all of that. And then we are also
working with Dr. Bowne to get his plans in
place so that we can have him come onboard
and have the public and the internal and external
communities know his vision and his plan.
He has a 90-day plan for how he'd like to
meet all the different stakeholders that are
important in this job. And the marketing team
is working on a website that will be brought
live when Dr. Bowne comes onboard. And so
we've been working on those details. And then,
finally, we've been working with Chairman
Musil to very lightly map out an understanding
that your goal was to have two retreats. And
Chairman's been working with us to work on
the details. An August retreat is really just
for the sole purpose of the COVID, the reopening
and for all of the trustees and --
>> Chair Greg Musil: July.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Oh. What did
I say?
>> Chair Greg Musil: You said August.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: I mean July.
Sorry. July retreat is just for that sole
purpose. But then we will also have an August
retreat and I know one of the feedback that
I received from one trustee is several internal
board policies and procedures that that individual
would like implemented. And so we will have
a broader discussion about board and president
protocols and procedures at an August retreat
yet to be planned.
Is that --
>> Chair Greg Musil: Correct.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: -- a good
summary?
>> Chair Greg Musil: That's the plan.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: And that is
all I have.
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: I would say that in
addition, and in response to Dr. Leiker's
remarks about inclusion, I think we all understand
the challenge of dealing with these unprecedented
times and the anxiety we have and apprehension
not just with a new leader and -- and how
the college will move forward, but dealing
with the COVID crisis, dealing with the social,
racial unrest that's occurred in the last
several weeks. So we know there's anxiety.
And -- and what we've tried to do with our
plan, and by the way, we sent that to all
of the trustees. We've communicated with the
trustees personally for edits. We've included
those edits. I think we're really at a point
now with the plan and it includes about 12
-- 12 points. I would just like to share for
the public the first couple of paragraphs.
The primary purpose of this plan is to purposefully
facilitate a clear, collaborative, and inclusive
transition process for Dr. Andy Bowne, Johnson
County Community College, and the community
in which it serves. Strategies will focus
upon creating an open line of communication
with all stakeholders, hopefully we can deliver
on that, ensuring transparency and open communication
during the entire transition process, building
a trustworthy communication process, apprising
the Board of Trustees via weekly updates on
the transition progress, and Laura Smith-Everett
has done a great job with that.
Trustees' role in the transition, and we have
a number of points here to deal with this
board becoming a high performing board by
focusing on -- focus upon the college's destination,
CEO's performance, assessing individual board
performance as to how such aligns with and
supports the affirmation points -- aforementioned
points. Scheduling board retreats that Laura
has referred to, clear understanding of the
President's 90-day plan and understanding
of how his smooth transition will benefit
the college. And in addition to that is to
properly say goodbye to Dr. Sopcich, which
we will do later this evening.
So and then I think the 12th point that was
added as a result of our discussions with
you is the full board in consultation with
Dr. Bowne will conduct a review of the transitional
plan
progress during the fall semester. So this
just isn't a goodbye Joe tonight in June and
hello to Dr. Bowne on the first week of July
and put it away. We intend to use this plan
as kind of a framework to, if we're really
serious about becoming a high performing board,
to move this college forward that we'll take
those -- those actions seriously.
So I want to thank all of you for your input
into the plan. We all have a responsibility
to benefit the students of this campus with
the very best teaching and learning experience
that we can provide, and in a time when safety
and health and emotional disturbances are
really impacting all of us as students and
faculty. So thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Laura, for your --
>> Chair Greg Musil: Questions of the Presidential
Transition Team? Trustee Lawson, we still
cannot see you. So you're going to have to
shout out if you have questions.
[ Dog barking ]
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: I do not.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you. Next item
is a Ad Hoc Committee on Board Self-assessment.
That's Trustees Cross and Trustee Ingram.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Yes. Thank you, Trustee
Ingram. Trustee Ingram asked me to speak on
this tonight and I'm happy to do so, although
she has carried most of the water on the committee.
I've been a stay-at-home dad really for the
last three months. So I thank her for the
opportunity to speak. I will note that we
have been working with Colleen Allen at ACCT,
to my knowledge is the Director of Educational
Services there. We have worked with her discussing
ways and opportunities that we might have
to adopt some of the standards that they use
at the national level and within our industry.
So we are meeting with her Monday?
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Yes.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: At 8:00 Eastern, 7:00
a.m. via Zoom.
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Yes.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: As Trustee Ingram, at
all hours of the day thankfully accommodating
my schedule as I've also been running a law
practice. I appreciate Trustee Ingram's leadership
on this and everything she does. And, Mr.
Chair, we'll meet Monday with ACCT to go over
that. We're hoping to do perhaps something
of a hybrid. ACCT has a number of different
templates and models that we could use for
self-assessment. Although, I will mention,
Trustee Dr. Cook set up a couple of templates
that we'd planned to use a year or two ago
and that we'd used in the past. So we're hoping
to save some money for the college but also
consult with ACCT as to what would be the
best way forward. And I would ask Trustee
Ingram if she has anything to add, but that
concludes my report.
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: No. I think you did
a great job. We're looking forward to that
conversation. It's just scheduling issues
that we've had, and Monday morning at 7:00
is it. So we'll report back next month.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Thank you.
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: You're welcome.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Anybody that wants to
join, please get in touch with one of those
two trustees. 7:00 a.m. Monday. All right.
Thank you for that. We're now ready for the
President's Recommendations for Action. We're
right back to you, Trustee Cross, for the
Treasurer's Report.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Yes. Thank you, Mr.
Chair. The Treasurer's Report can be found
in your board packet and it is for the month
ended I believe April 30th, 2020. And some
items of
note include that Page 1 of the report is
the General/Post-Secondary Technical Education
Fund Summary. April was the tenth month of
the college's 2019-2020 fiscal year. The college's
unencumbered cash balance as of April 30th,
2020, in all funds was $93.4 million, which
is approximately $2.2 million lower than at
the same time last year. Expenditures in the
Primary Operating Funds are within the approved
budgetary limits, and I will note the -- the
wisdom of this administration, this board
has been to -- we increased the mill -- one
of the first votes I held in 2013, participated
in, was to raise the mill. President Sopcich,
a brand-new president, made that courageous
decision to do it and we've built up our reserves.
This is an incredibly uncertain time, but
I think the leadership of this administration
and this board has put us in a decent position
to help put people back to work as we have
record people unemployed. So, Mr. Chair, it
is the recommendation of the College Administration
that the Board of Trustees approve the Treasurer's
Report for the month ended April 30th, 2020,
subject to audit. And I'd make that motion.
>> Trustee Paul Snider: Second.
>> Chair Greg Musil: It's been moved by Trustee
Cross and seconded by Trustee Snider to approve
the Treasurer's Report subject to audit. Is
there any discussion?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Yes, Mr. Chair.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Lawson, do I
hear you?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay. You'll really need
to speak up, please.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Okay. Thank you,
sir. Mr. Chair. Sorry. I just had a question
on Page 35 to 42, when I calculated up all
the ending balances of unencumbered cash,
that total was 103 million. And then add the
112 million that is tied up in investments
on Page 43. The total unencumbered cash that
I have is 215 million. Is that correct?
>> Chair Greg Musil: No. That's not correct.
The unencumbered cash includes investments
and other numbers. I think Rachel Lierz is
on the Zoom if she wants to address that.
The unencumbered cash in the basic operating
account, Post Secondary Technical Ed is 80
million. I would recall it was 110 million
in -- at the end of January. It goes down
until we get our ad valorem tax payments this
month that would be reflected in the June
30th financial statements.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Mr. Chair, actually,
then on Page 37, the unencumbered cash for
Adult Supplementary Education Fund is a little
over a million. Student Activity Fund is 727.
Then on Page 38, there's more calculations
of unencumbered cash, as well as Page 39,
41, and 42. And the number comes up to 103
million.
>> Chair Greg Musil: And (indiscernible),
some of which are self-supporting and which
can only be used for those particular topics.
They fluctuate during the year. And I think
what our policy reflects is the balance in
the General Post Secondary Educational Funds,
and that's what our policy is based on. There
are on occasion balances in other funds that
are unencumbered.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: That's fine,
Mr. Chair. What I was asking that --
>> Chair Greg Musil: (Indiscernible) unencumbered
cash?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: I'm just asking
for the total number of unencumbered cash,
because on Page 44 it also shows that the
graph meets that $103 million mark on the
line for fiscal year 2019. And even though
the unencumbered balance on that line, the
chart does not show the 11 million, but the
graph does show 103. So not 80.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Well, I would -- I'm
not sure if you have a question or a point?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: My question that
I said, Mr. Chair, was the current amount,
was it 103? And plus the 112 million in investments
that are going to be mature at the end of
July show 112. So that's 215 million in our
reserves. I wanted to know if that was true.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Dr. Weber, can you clarify
that the investment numbers are not added
to unencumbered cash?
>> Dr. Randy Weber: We have confidence in
the chart that's on Page 44 as being reflective
of the unencumbered cash on hand. As far as
speaking to the fund strategies and the investment
pool, I would defer to Rachel Lierz on that.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Okay. So that
is a graph that shows 103 million for fiscal
year '19?
>> Dr. Randy Weber: In the General Fund, that
is correct.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Thank you. That
was my question.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Mr. Chair --
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: On Page 36, I
had a question for the amounts that were paid.
It says faculty Continuing Ed program dropped
by 24% during COVID. And I wanted to know
why the natural gas was 138% in April. Was
that due to usage or rates?
>> Chair Greg Musil: I'm sorry, we couldn't
hear you. Was that due to usage or what was
your second word?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: On Page 36, it
shows that the faculty Continuing Ed program
dropped by 24% during COVID. The other question,
why was the natural gas 138 higher in April
during COVID? Was that due to usage or rates?
>> Chair Greg Musil: I don't know if anybody
can answer those specific questions at the
board meeting.
>> Dr. Randy Weber: We'd be happy to follow
up with -- with subject matter experts to
that question. I can say overall utility usage
was down immensely during -- during the last
couple of months. But I can't answer that
question specifically now. If we get it e-mailed
we'd be happy to answer it.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Okay, because
it might be the rates. That's fine. And then
on the last page, 43, it shows our interest
rates for Capital Federal was a quarter interest
rate for 4 million for 77 days. Yet a regular
savings account is .5 for any amount over
200,000. And Bank of KC is giving .4 interest
rate on 7 million for 91 days when a regular
savings account is .5 for three months CD.
Do we have a reason as to why we are getting
a lower rate than if we just walked in the
door?
>> Chair Greg Musil: If you'll notice, those
individual investments are made at various
times to a variety of banks for both safety
and security purposes, and to spread those
based on the market rate at the time, so they're
going to vary and sometimes we probably take
advantage of a higher rate and sometimes it's
a lower rate. I'm sure that Dr. Weber or Ms.
Lierz would follow up with you on that along
with our investment advisors.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Is that going
to require a board vote to make changes to
this so that we get actually a better rate
than what is being given to us?
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Mr. Chair, I call the
question --
>> Chair Greg Musil: It would require a change
in policy if this board is going to get into
the investment policies on short-term or long-time
-- long-term basis, which we have delegated
to the president and the financial office.
So that would require a policy change.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Okay. Thank you
so much, Mr. Chair. Just wanted to understand
that.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you. All in favor
of adoption of the Treasurer's Report signify
by saying aye.
(Ayes)
>> Chair Greg Musil: Opposed nay?
I believe that vote was unanimous. We will
move on now to the Advisory Committees. Dr.
Sopcich.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Thank you, Trustee Musil.
It's always my pleasure to make my one lone
recommendation of the year. And this is it.
It's about Advisory committees. Advisory committees
are very important here at our college. I
couldn't tell you the exact number that we
have. But, Mickey, I'm going to give you a
chance to talk here after I read this recommendation
as a part of the discussion. But I will tell
you that they're essential to the curriculum
taught in many of our courses. Before we built
the Libby Career and Tech Building, those
advisory committees were coming in early on
Saturday mornings and spending a good portion
of the day talking to our faculty and trying
make sure that what we were teaching in that
building was the most current and relevant
type of stuff to ensure that those students
will be able to get a great job when they
finished. So I know there's a real commitment
here.
The list has been distributed to everyone.
You should be reasonably familiar with it.
I'd like to read the recommendation.
It's the recommendation of the College Administration
that the Board of Trustees approve the Advisory
Committees contained in supplement B from
July 1st, 2020, through June 30, 2021. I'd
like to have the opportunity for some discussion
on this.
>> Chair Greg Musil: First, is there such
a motion?
>> Trustee Lee Cross: So moved.
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Second.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Moved by Trustee Cross.
Seconded by Trustee Ingram. We're ready for
discussion. Proceed, Dr. Sopcich.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Dr. McCloud, could you
-- I'm glad to see you removed your Iowa State
mask. Could you perhaps provide a little enlightenment
on the list this year?
>> Dr. Mickey McCloud: Yes. There was an error
in this year's list due to a miscommunication
between a couple of the administrative professionals
who actually work on that list. What was provided
for you was supposed to have been redacted
for personal information because a couple
of years ago we had an error, in my first
year, where we had people's personal cell
phone numbers listed in the public document.
And so it's supposed to have listed not contact
information, but the individual, their role,
and the place of business that we reached
out to, to have professionals sent to our
-- And what happened was they thought that
they needed to redact everything except the
individual and their role. And so what you
have is a little in error. And so we will
be correcting that and getting the appropriate
information, which should include the business
that the individual represents as well on
to that list and get those back out.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Any questions?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Further discussion? Trustee
Smith-Everett?
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: So I wanted
to talk about the Police Academy Advisory
Committee on Page 42. One of the things that
struck me about it is it's the only Advisory
Committee, and I -- I will be honest that
I did not read every single Advisory Committee,
but I did a pretty good scan of them. It didn't
have a diverse group represented on it. Every
single member of the Regional Police Academy
Advisory Committee are chiefs. And I wondered
if there was any consideration to push back
with other diverse members who could offer
maybe a different perspective than a Chief
of Police for a Police Academy.
While I understand part of the purpose is
of course making sure they're meeting their
obligations, in light of things that are happening
nationally, I feel like this is a good opportunity
to think more broadly about how we prepare
our -- our cadets for service.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: That's a very good perspective
and thanks for raising that issue. The Police
Academy serves local municipalities in Johnson
County. We're very honored to have that here
on our campus. It's a great opportunity obviously
for the county to come on campus and feel
a part of our community. I'm going to ask
Dr. McCloud to provide a little more insight
into how that works.
>> Dr. Mickey McCloud: If you look at particularly
our police, fire, and EMS, there are both
statutory reasons, but also because of earlier
statutes when those were created, those are
populated primarily by chiefs. Now, those
are the listed members. Those are not necessarily
always the people who attend because each
chief has the right to send a representative.
Now, in terms of the police, the police chiefs
actually do usually attend. The fire chiefs
will occasionally send sub-chiefs. So we end
up with that listing of the individuals who
have been designated that we know will be
coming. So some of those are place holders
in that we are -- each one of the served -- particularly
Police Academy, each one of the served Police
Academies has to have a representative from
the chief's office as the individual that
we have. Now, in terms of the possibility
of expansion, those are still opportunities
that are available beyond those folks.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: That would
be my request. Just looking at the, for example,
the Emergency Medical Service Advisory Committee
by comparison is much broader in terms of
you've got physicians, you have government
officials, you have the fire department represented.
And so you really get a sense that you've
got a lot of people from different points
of view. But also it has many more members
than the Police Academy one, which seems to
be one of the smaller ones. So I would request
or advocate for a more diverse representation
on that, and I think that's a really important
thing for us as the host of the local Police
Academy.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: And if I can add, I mean
certainly what has happened has been horrific,
and hopefully, we should all have hope that
from these tragedies, something positive and
constructive can happen that will help, hopefully
help avert them in the future. And I think
what you're talking about is on that path.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Thank you.
Appreciate that.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you, Trustee Smith-Everett.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. Trustee Ingram?
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: As do I. The other
thing I wanted to just add on that last sentence,
the committees can also be integral to fundraising
and job placement. I think they're friend
raising as well. And I think that's just another
piece of it. These -- some folks may not do
the fundraising, but some of them may go out
and speak in the community too. So they're
extremely valuable. Thank you.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Snider?
>> Trustee Paul Snider: Dr. Sopcich, so this
is -- motion is turned and we're approving
these advisory committees. If someone were
to leave a committee, can they not be -- can
that
slot not be filled without us voting on it?
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: I think -- I think not.
I mean these committees, my understanding
-- Mickey, you're going to contradict me on
that?
>> Dr. Mickey McCloud: Yeah, I can speak to
that. These committees are actually -- what
you get when we approve these each year is
a simple snapshot in time. We are always adding
and reducing the numbers and the individuals
on these committees in perpetuity as different
companies, particularly when we have small
businesses represented, when people shut down,
they rotate off, occasionally when a new business
opens in the area, we will invite those individuals
and see if we can get someone to join us.
If there are emerging technologies or new
fields that are a part of a connected subfield,
we try to bring those folks in. So this is
always a moving target. What is approved here
yearly is a simple snapshot in time that can
be larger, smaller, shifting within days based
on change within the community and what is
happening within each one of those major areas.
>> Trustee Paul Snider: Okay. Thank you. With
that in mind, I guess I would just encourage
you and Karen and everyone else that's involved
just to make sure, you know, what the issues
of the day to make sure that we're inclusive
on all these. I know you've gone through a
lot of work up to this point, but maybe just
look at it with a different lens that we all
have at this time. Thank you.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Mr. Chair.
>> Chair Greg Musil: If there's no further
discussion, all in favor --
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Mr. Chair.
>> Chair Greg Musil: I believe we have a motion
and a second --
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Mr. Chair.
>> Chair Greg Musil: All in favor say aye.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Mr. Chair, I'm
talking. Hello, Mr. Chair.
(Ayes)
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Opposed nay.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Mr. Chair.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Yes?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Hello!
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Lawson.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: I'm trying to
talk. I would like to say thank you so much
to Dr. McCloud for responding to my e-mail
about this. I really appreciate a feedback
to be able to make changes to that. I think
it's very important to make sure that we are
transparent with the public as to which businesses
are in our advisory positions that help craft
curriculum, help navigate and steer our college
in specific directions. And we need to make
sure not to stack advisory committees with
a single company, and I believe also the diversity
of ownership that needs to be represented
in these committees. So I thank you so much,
Dr. McCloud, for responding and being able
to make these changes. So thank you.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay. I gather you voted
yes, Trustee Lawson?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay. That vote was unanimous.
The next item on the agenda is the Monthly
Report to the Board. I'm going to alert the
board, if anybody would like a break
after this, we will take a very short break.
I hate to do that when we're on Zoom. But
I think we've been going for 2.5 hours. So
after the President's Monthly Report to the
Board, we'll take a very short break before
New Business. Dr. Sopcich.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Thank you. What if I told
you I was going to take 25 minutes? Would
you want to have a break earlier?
>> Chair Greg Musil: I might leave.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Okay.
[ Laughter ]
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Thanks. Thanks, Trustee
Musil. I won't take 25. Possibly 20. First
of all, --
>> Chair Greg Musil: If you're serious about
20, we should take a break now.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: I don't know. Once I get
going, I just don't know if I can manage that.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Well, I didn't know if
you had a Lightning Round or --
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Oh, no. Well, you know,
you might want to take that break now. That
would be a good idea.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Why don't we take a break
now. For those who are watching on Zoom, I
have 7:46. Let's try to be back here by 7:50.
I know that's not very much time. But as close
to 7:50 as you can. When we get everybody
back, we will start over. Trustee Lawson,
did you hear that?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Yes, Mr. Chair.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay. I will ask you
if you're present when we get back.
(Break.)
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you. Greg Musil,
Chair of the Johnson County Community College
Board of Trustees. We took about a five-minute
break there, six -- eight-minute break for
the first time since we started the meeting
at 5:00. I apologize for the interruption
for those of you watching on Zoom. Maybe it
offered you an opportunity for a break as
well. We're ready for the President's Monthly
Report to the Board. Dr. Sopcich?
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Thank you, Trustee Musil.
Appreciate this opportunity. Last report.
First of all, I'd like to ask all the board
members to make sure that you read the Monthly
Report to the Board. It's amazing when you
look through this because it's almost as if
it was a normal semester. And we all know
that it wasn't. And it reflects a lot of intense
work across the board, across every aspect
of this campus. We would like to recognize
Dr. Weber for his leadership and getting us
to where we are, the leadership and the IRT
and all the different groups, a big role in
having the campus continue to function.
One of the things that's kind of remarkable
is when you look at our enrollment for the
summer, we are up .1%, but we're up. Continued
to other schools that's pretty -- that's pretty
doggone good. And we're even more so in credit
hours, a couple points, which is fantastic.
Again, it reflects an incredible team effort
across so many different areas to make this
stuff happen. I'd like to recognize Jim and
the faculty for their participation in this
-- in this endeavor.
Before I get to the crux of what I'm going
to say tonight, I'd like to give a few minutes
to John Clayton. On May 29th I sent out the
HLC findings of a report that was submitted.
They accepted what we had done. That didn't
happen without a lot of effort and determination.
I don't know if the board's aware that that's
not -- this isn't the first time that this
campus as tried some type of governance, approach
to shared governance. If you'd like to read
Chuck Bishop's
biography of the college, you might want to
check it out because like a lot of things
that can happen in higher ed, you get a good
start and it slows down and it disappears
and people act like it never happened. In
this case, this is only going to succeed without
a unified -- it will only succeed with a unified
board and of course a unified campus to make
this governance work. So, John, I'll turn
this over to you and you can take us through
-- take us through a few slides.
>> John Clayton: All right, thank you. One
of the things I wanted to just kind of briefly
do is walk through a little bit of history.
Where does shared governance come from? When
you actually read through the criteria from
our regional accreditor, you don't actually
see the words shared governance, but it's
there. In the assumed practice, the Board
of Trustees have the responsibility for the
annual budget, engage/dismiss the Chief Executive
Officer. Faculty have the responsibility to
participate substantially in the oversight
of curriculum and assessment. I believe that's
what Dr. Leiker was talking about earlier
when he was talking about being held responsible
and having an active role in what they do,
oversee what they do. When you move on into
the criteria for education -- or for accreditation,
the Board of Trustees are to delegate the
day-to-day management of the institution to
the administration and expect faculty to oversee
academic matters. Administration, faculty,
staff and students are involved in setting
academic requirements, policies and processes
through effective structures for contribute
-- contribution and collaborative effort.
Never says shared governance, but that's all
referring to shared governance.
So what do the principles of shared governance
consist of? As Dr. Sopcich mentioned, the
board should commit to ensuring a broad understanding
of what shared governance is and the value
it offers for the institution. For shared
governance to work, it must be based on a
culture of meaningful engagement across the
campus. It can't just be one area. It has
to be all areas engaged. And then we need
to review our institutional policies that
define shared governance periodically to make
sure that they're current with what's going
on in our environment around us, as well as
up on our campus.
So what's been the recent journey for shared
governance? Well, as some of you on the board
remember back we had an HLC site visit. And
the spring of '18, the site team recommended
an interim report around our shared governance,
but primarily focused upon communication.
What were our processes and protocols? How
did we communicate up and down the structure
of the organization? What was our shared governance
when decisions were made? How did we communicate
those things?
We did a report on that, provided that report
to them. It was -- it was done primarily through
the Vice President of Academic Affair's office,
through the President of the Faculty Association
at the time, and through the President of
the Faculty Senate. HLC then took that report
and said, that's good, you've got to -- (inaudible)
-- due May 1st. Very short time frame. Basically
two terms. And basically what it was is they
had heard that Joe was retiring and they wanted
it done on his tenure. They wanted it completed
before he left us.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Excuse me. I tried to
convince them otherwise, but it didn't work.
>> John Clayton: So their response to us was
the institution is required to submit additional
report on faculty voice what's in the shared
governance system at JCCC. The report is to
be submitted no later than May 1st.
So what was our response to that? The institution
set up two task force to focus on shared governance.
The first one was the Academic Shared Governance
Task Force, and that was -- their charge was
to research and provide recommendation to
the Chief Academic Officer
on an appropriate policy structure for faculty,
shared governance, complete with an operational
practices framework for policy structure.
And then as we're looking through that, we
identified that we didn't have a clear framework
for institutional shared governance.
And so on top of that, the institution set
up an Institutional Shared Governance Task
Force that was -- had two charges. Theirs
was to research and provide recommendation
to cabinet regarding an appropriate policy
structure for institution wide shared governance,
which is where our shared governance philosophy
statement came in, and then research and provide
recommendation to the cabinet regarding the
operational framework. How should we put shared
governance in practice for the institution?
Our process of going through the shared governance
was a shared governance activity. The Institutional
Shared Governance Task Force had three administrators,
three faculty members, three professional
staff members, one hourly staff member, and
one student.
The Academic Shared Governance Task Force
was represented by vote from each of the divisions.
They actually voted on who they wanted to
represent them. As well as the Academic Branch,
staff had representation, as well as the counselors
since they hold faculty recognition here at
the college also had representation on there.
It was a shared governance activity.
So what results came from these task force?
Let's look at the Institutional Shared Governance
first. The development of the shared governance
philosophy statement. I think you guys have
all seen that numerous times and I believe
endorsed that at the April meeting. Out of
that, though, to make it operational, they
recommended that we create a college council,
a broad representation of individuals from
across campus that would contain one Board
of Trustee member, one administration member
from the cabinet, three faculty members, three
staff members, and one student member, a true
representation of our make-up across campus.
Now, while some of the other -- some of the
membership guidelines were clear for some
of the areas, it was not clear how the staff
should designate their shared governance representation.
So that was another recommendation they made
is that the staff needs to have a task force
set up to identify how they would do shared
governance and who they would send to represent
them.
In the Academic Shared Governance branch,
they were instructed that they needed to move
to one faculty voice. That was an outcome
from this. Through that, they developed the
Academic Branch Council, the ABC, as Dr. Leiker
referred to earlier. While the Senate was
never formally recognized as a body of the
college, the ABC started fall -- starting
fall of 2020 will be under the direction and
authority of the Office of the Chief Academic
Officer and the college will begin immediately
working to build this body as the official
governance body of the Academic Branch representing
the instruction and faculty on this campus.
Now, to what Dr. Sopcich was referring to
earlier, the outcome of our submission to
the HLC. So we had to do a short report, about
ten pages. Very limited. They want it brief
and succinct. The response we got back to
them, and this is a quote, on behalf of the
Higher Learning Commission, staff received
the report on faculty voice within the shared
governance system. No further reports are
required. We have met their standards by what
they -- we've made it far enough down the
path to meet their needs and their -- what
they required of us.
Now, the next thing, though, is the Open Pathway
Assurance Review is scheduled for 2021-2022.
The institution's next reaffirmation of accreditation
is scheduled for 2027-2028. So what does that
mean? The Open Pathway Assurance Review, that's
kind of a mid cycle review. So they're going
to -- we're going to have to write a report
coming up and submit that to the
Higher Learning Commission. Another report,
due in about two years. They're going to -- part
of that report is going to be how well we
are doing on shared governance. What are we
doing? Where have we progressed from this
May 1st report to now? But we do have full
accreditation. Okay. So we're not under any
sanctions, nothing that way. We're fully accredited
until 2027-2028. Doesn't mean we couldn't
get in trouble with them for actions we do
in the interim part. But we are fully accredited.
So what are our next steps? It's the implementation
across the institution for the Institutional
Governance Philosophy Statement and framework.
And that needs to happen summer and fall of
2020. What's that include? That includes the
creation of the college council. That includes
the creation of a Staff Shared Governance
Task Force that's coming down the pipeline,
that will need to occur once we get back to
some normalcy.
How about the Academic Branch? That's going
to be the implementation of the ABC, the Academic
Branch Council. That will -- that's, as Dr.
Leiker referred, has been kicked off and will
be going stronger come fall of 2020. The creation
of one faculty voice is something else that's
going to need to be focused on. And then what
will the accreditation folks on campus be
working on? We're going to start working on
writing our assurance argument for that interim
mid-term report for submission to HLC in 2021-2022.
So, Joe, your last presentation here at the
board and you get to talk about your favorite
thing, accreditation. HLC.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: HLC. One of the big -- one
of the big wins on this that all schools strive
for when they go through this process, and
not all schools get it, is that ten-year accreditation.
That in some ways seems to have been down-played
around this place. That was a huge accomplishment
for us, something we can all be proud of.
John mentioned the one voice. And I was so
encouraged by Jim's comments with regard to
how the FA will work with the ABC. The ABC
must be recognized as the voice and the academic
-- on the Academic Branch. I mean that was
loud and clear from that site visit when they
talked to us afterwards. So this is going
to be a huge carry, a huge lift, because other
organizations as well have often seen themselves
in that role. That role is now in the hands
of the ABC. So it's so important to make sure
that everybody understands that and falls
in line with that direction.
John, when did you say they're going to come
back for like an interim?
>> John Clayton: So the interim visit will
be 2021-2022.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Yeah, around the corner.
>> John Clayton: And that won't actually be
a visit. That will -- we'll submit a report
to them. They'll read the report about what
we've accomplished, and assuming there's no
red flags in that report, we will be good
to go then until 2027-2028.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: So does everyone -- does
anyone have any questions on this?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Questions from the board?
Trustee Cross?
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Briefly. I thank you
for your work on this, John, Mr. Clayton,
and Dr. Sopcich. Is it HLC or it's the League
for Innovation we have to undergo -- when
you -- after your retirement, we have to undergo
another review.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: The League for Innovation,
well, you have to be reaccredited, or reaffirmed
I think is the appropriate word, into to the
League when the president steps down. That
will probably -- I'm not sure. It starts up
really soon. Randy is our rep in that, in
that capacity.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: So I've confused the
issue. I'm sorry. I don't mean to waste time.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Yeah, it's a totally different
thing.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Sorry.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Yeah, if we don't get
reaffirmed by the League, we'll survive. If
you don't get reaccredited by the HLC, you
got a problem.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Okay.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Great question. That will
be a good exercise for everybody around the
table. Sorry. I'm looking at my hair. I've
got so much grease on that, that -- to weigh
it down.
One of the -- the big issue of today really
is obviously -- John, thank you. Thank you
for that summary. -- is the topic of race.
It's something that's been brought to the
forefront. I mean I grew up here. I remember
late 1960s when Martin Luther King was killed
and the resulting violence and damage that
occurred in Kansas City. I remember Bobby
Kennedy's speech in Indianapolis when he got
in the back of a flatbed truck. He got on
the back of a flatbed truck and gave one of
the most eloquent speeches that calmed, that
calmed the big crowd, and there was no violence
in Indianapolis. That was real leadership.
He spoke with great empathy. And he spoke
from the heart. And that is obviously one
of our biggest challenges today.
This morning, one of the -- one of the most
enjoyable things, one of the best memories
I'll have from here is an occasional breakfast,
which is more than occasional, with a couple
of our custodians. Both of them are Black.
We kind of started bonding over Kansas City's
sports history in the 1950s and '60s when
-- that was my time, in the '70s, and it was
theirs as well. We talked about old Municipal
Stadium, the Kansas City A's. We talked about
in the 1960s ABC telecasts of the NBA, Oscar
Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, all of that.
Today it was kind of interesting because I
think this has given us an opportunity to
talk about -- to talk about race. It's not
an easy topic for people to broach. How do
you do that? How do you ask a person with
black skin, what's it like to be black? And
to hear their perspectives and what it was
like. Recently a letter was circulated from
-- from my university from a Black football
player in the '90s and he talked about what
it's like raising his children and the fears
that he has simply when they go outside. And
you kind of put yourself in that situation,
how would you respond to that?
I mean I go for runs. I like to run. Sometimes
I find myself in some pretty interesting spots.
I can't even comprehend the horror to be hunted
down and murdered like that gentleman was
in Georgia. Nor can I comprehend what it's
like, and my daughter runs, what it would
be like to have your child hunted down and
murdered just because of the color of his
skin. These are the types of discussions that
if anything good, if anything good can come
from this, to be able to talk and listen,
and to listen to what it is like to live in
our society, to live in our community with
black skin.
I think one of the things that this board
never really gets to hear are a lot of the
things that we do on campus already in a step
toward that direction. When the discussion
came up on diversity, equity and inclusion,
I had asked -- I'd asked for some information.
And this is from the academic year of '18-'19.
Exactly what are we doing on campus with regards
to that? What are we trying -- what are we
doing trying to expand our horizons? I got
a list. You gotta love lists, right? But this
one has 62 different courses. Kudos to the
faculty for incorporating, for incorporating
issues of diversity in their regular coursework.
The beauty of this is that many of these are
also -- they also fulfill a general education
requirement. I'm not going to read all 62
of these courses, but I am going to read some
of them.
World Cultures. Native Americans. American
Indian Artistic Tradition. U.S. Latino
and Latina Literature. Literature by Women.
Introduction to Globalization. African American
Studies. Islam: Religion and Civilization.
North American Indian History. History of
the Middle East. Islam: Religion Civilization.
History of Rock 'N Roll Music. History of
Asian Philosophy. Social Psychology. Religions
of the East. Religions of the West. Islam:
Religion Civilization. Social Problems. Introduction
to Social Work and Social Welfare. Sociology
of Community. Global Women's Studies. The
Many Women of Islam.
In our non-core credit offerings: Leveraging
Diversity. Building Intercultural Work Teams.
Breaking Down Barriers Through Awareness.
Unconscious Bias. Building Intercultural Healthcare
Teams. Bridging Differences, Finding Solutions.
These are some of the things that our college
does in the classroom. We do that out of an
institutional desire to try to understand,
not just about issues of race, but also about
issues of religious diversity as well, cultural
diversity.
Then I asked, okay, what are we doing with
regards to getting people on campus? Right?
I mean we hosted -- this college hosted the
Johnson County celebration of Martin Luther
King Day, on our campus, in Yardley Hall.
We hosted it two years in a row. Kudos to
Chris Gray's team, to Emily Behrmann, to Kate
Allen. They were fascinating, wonderful productions.
That's something that we stepped up and we
did on our campus.
I've also taken a very involved role in trying
to get any type of Hispanic organizations
on our campus. I've worked with the Hispanic
Chambers. I've worked with organizations in
the metropolitan area trying to get people
on our campus so they can get a grasp of what
it's like to being on a college campus, not
just students, but their families.
So I'm going to read some of these names.
This is about 17, 18 pages on a spreadsheet
of things that happened on our campus in '17-'18.
The Indian Dance Graduation. The Berachah
Church Conference. The, let's see, Kansas
City Christmas, sang by the -- performed by
Heartland Men's Chorus. Chinese New Year Celebration
2018. Chef Maran Returns to Middle Eastern
Menu, June 26th through 29th.
Our international programs, extremely diverse.
About Argentina. Our JCCC International Dance
Club. It says seeks a faculty or staff advisor.
Jim, you might want to sign up for that one.
International Relations Council. Multicultural
Programming Advisory Council. The Charlottesville
Conversation Today.
Smith Discusses Women's Roles in Ancient Times
at First Great Books Lecture. Registration
open for Diversidad Conference. Kansas Studies
Institute sponsors registration for Staff/Faculty
to Hispanic Conference. Welcome reception
this Thursday for visiting teachers from China.
Amigos sin Fronteras Spanish Club Meets Today.
DACA program. This is a discussion that we
held on our campus with regards to DACA. History
professors analyze removal of Confederate
memorials. ASL and Interpreting Education.
Multicultural Programming Advisory Council
Coffee. El Centro visit plan to JCCC. Free
Mandarin Chinese language classes. College
Scholar, Easley-Giraldo presents on Global
Politics. Mayan Daykeeper shares elements.
You get the point. This goes on and on and
on, and in many cases, it's a huge commitment
from faculty, who often take the lead on this,
and staff to make these things happen.
But, you know, to do these types of things
or to write a letter, that's easy. I mean
that is a real easy thing for everybody to
do. You've seen a lot of them. I wrote one,
I have to confess with the help of Dr. McCloud
and Chris Gray. I've seen higher ed print
those things out right and left. But what's
going to be the outcome of all of this? What
is going to happen? And
what's going to happen at this college? This
is a great opportunity for this college. It's
a great opportunity to do something that makes
a difference and that could maybe, maybe serve
under-served populations.
Now, one of the things about being the outgoing
president is that you can pretty much, you
can say whatever you want, right? And you
can also give challenges that you don't ever
have to worry about stepping up for. But here
are some things that you might want to talk
about because tonight's discussion by the
trustees was outstanding. I've got five points
here.
Now, I can tell you, Dr. Weber, Dr. McCloud,
some of the cabinet members across this table
are going to cringe. But our last meeting
was on Tuesday, so I don't have to face you
guys again.
First, standardized testing. Standardized
testing discriminates against the under-served
and zero-privileged populations and decisively
favors those raised in a privileged household.
It even discriminates against seniors who
may want to change their career, those who
have chalked up great accomplishments in their
lives, but now that opportunity that they
seek is limited due to some antiquated screening
device which is called standardized testing.
I for one was never that successful with standardized
testing. But neither of my parents went to
college. And when you have a family member
who goes to college, you've got a huge advantage
over somebody who doesn't. And most of the
populations that we're talking about, they
don't have that benefit. So today, in today's
world, universities, state systems, state
of California, they're dropping this. They're
looking at something called multiple measures.
Multiple measures which documents the accomplishments
across an entire student's academic career,
rather -- rather than a 60-minute experience
with a No. 2 pencil and a fill-in-the-dot
sheet.
So the question is, what about Johnson County
Community College? How do we use standardized
testing? What areas of our college persist
and cling to this device that is used as a
screening device, which in the process limits
those who might be able to do great things
but struck out, struck out when they had the
chance, when they had the -- when they had
to take a standardized test. Something to
think about.
Second one: Developmental education. Developmental
education. Does anyone around this table,
and this isn't for members of the cabinet,
know what other schools are doing and why
they're doing it? Does segregating students
based on their current ability rather than
their desire and potential for academic growth,
does that really produce, does that merit
the investment that we make in developmental
education? I passed out a book to every trustee.
I'd like to give a test to them, because the
book is called 13 Ideas That Are Transforming
Community Colleges. There's a lot in there
about developmental education. I'm going to
tell you, Johnson County Community College,
13 ideas, we're not even listed in the index.
You gotta look at how much we're spending
on developmental education. This isn't about
money. Then you look at the results. Are those
students advancing beyond that? Those are
just questions. You gotta find the answers.
Bureaucracy. I give a lot of credit to Dr.
Weber and his team for exercising a process
where they were breaking down barriers. But
do we have institutional barriers for students
to enroll here to seek help that make it extra
difficult for them? And then we expect students
who are intimidated just by our campus come
in and navigate this? Stuff like the complexity
to enroll or to seek counseling. Sometimes
these groups that need help the most are denied
simply because our response is, we just don't
do it that way. The need is to put the students
first and to work toward their success rather
than hold on for dear life to bureaucratic
norms that we've had.
Number 4, completion success. Will this institution
be willing to focus on the outcomes of students,
white students compared to Black and Brown
students? Anne Arundel College in Maryland,
they inspired their whole campus, they brought
everybody together to try to close the gap
with the -- the performance gap between white
students and Black students and Brown students.
And they're making progress. They're succeeding.
But it takes an entire campus and great focus
to make that happen, trying to equalize completion
and graduations across those groups. This
is real stuff. This isn't just writing a letter.
This is what a campus can do if it has the
will and the passion to get it done.
Number 5, hiring. This college -- and, Becky,
don't take this personal, because I've already
insulted -- I've already kind of, you know,
Mickey's down there and Randy, and they're
probably a little uptight about some of this
stuff, so don't you -- don't you either. This
college needs to go through a study of its
hiring practices, faculty and staff. That's
easily done. The facts are there, somebody's
just gotta lay it out. I'd suggest a five-
or ten-year trend on who gets hired and why
they get hired, for staff and faculty. And
how do we do this? Do our system -- does our
system, does it favor those from privileged
backgrounds? Because when we value experience
the level that we do, that immediately discounts,
immediately discounts those who have had to
scrap on their own to try to get to a certain
level.
What do we do? What is our outreach to various
communities? And also, does diversity here
at Johnson County Community College include
diversity of thought? How open are groups
to people with different ideologies? Truly
that enriches an entire campus to hear more
than just one point of view. Oftentimes that
is lost in the discussion of color. Is this
institution ready to have such a rock solid
commitment to diversifying its workforce that
it is willing -- willing to watch market-driven
premiums paid to attract the best candidate
and also a candidate, and that candidate may
be a candidate of color. Because I'm just
telling you, the marketplace is going to pay
premiums. But at our place, the most read
part of that -- of the book that goes out
-- what do you call it? The board trustee
book. I forgot. Board packet, sorry. I've
only been here 28 years. Is your personnel
section. Everybody here can tell you what
everybody makes. Everybody can tell you when
somebody gets a promotion or they get this
or that. And everybody -- that's just the
way it is. That's the first thing that people
go to. So the question is, when somebody gets
hired, are we willing to pay that person a
little bit extra -- a little bit extra more,
might go beyond what we normally do and what's
acceptable, to get them in here. And it's
not about the color. It's about the quality.
It's about what they can do, and -- and the
fact is maybe their skin just happens to be
black or brown. So that's about institutional
will when it comes to hiring. Because certainly
we all like to hire people that are kind of
like ourselves, right? It's easy. And we like
people who are going to go along. The challenge
is to break that mold and hire people who
are unlike us, be they a different color or
a different way of thinking. And if you really
want a diverse institution, that's what you
have to do, and sacrifices will have to be
made to get that to happen.
So, now since I laid out those challenges,
I'd like to thank you all. I'd like to thank
you all for listening to me rant like that.
But it's something that I -- I've been reading
all these letters. They're worthless. What's
going to matter is action. And the action
is only going to happen if people are committed
to making this happen. And we can all have
a better society as a result.
And so, Mr. Chair, that concludes my final
report.
>> Chair Greg Musil: That is an impressive
final report. In my nine years, there have
been a lot of impressive reports, none probably
more timely than that. I'm going to remember
that -- we're going to have a chance to, all
of us, to make comments about you at the end.
But we all did an implicit bias training before
we started the presidential interviews. I
think it was a great learning experience for
this board. I think most of us had done something
in the past. But it was a great experience.
You mentioned Charlottesville, and I know
that the Charlottesville march, I believe,
and the death there occurred the day before
the August All Faculty, All Staff Convocation,
because I was speaking the next morning and
I recalled that because it was walking on
streets I'd walked as a law student. And those
kind of things have profound effects. So I
think you laid out some really great challenges
for us, ones we all knew about, but we have
a -- we have a challenge now. And Dr. Bowne
is watching, so he is writing these down as
we speak.
I'm ready to move on to New Business if everybody
else is.
Okay. First item on New Business involves
Dr. Bowne. You had circulated to you on Friday
a proposal, or an amendment to his -- the
employment contract we approved back in March.
Dr. Bowne had submitted information initially,
well, I guess to me and to Dr. Cook and Trustee
Smith-Everett as members of the Presidential
Transition Team, indicating what the expenses
were going to be to him and his family to
move here. Our initial contract had authorized
up to $25,000 worth of reimbursement. Because
of various -- various items in his move and
in storage, moving costs, relocating his family
for a period of time before their house is
ready here in town, he anticipates those expenses
are going to approach $30,000, but not exceed
that. The amendment you have in front of you
authorizes an amendment that would allow reimbursable
expenses based on documentation up to 35,000.
We don't expect to go above 30, but we didn't
want to have to come back to this board and
let him have to wait for reimbursement for
costs that he's going to need to move his
family here. So that is the purpose of the
amendment. And if I get a motion and a second
on that, then we can have discussion.
>> I will move passage of the amendment.
>> Second.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Mr. Chair, can
I ask for a substitute motion to add that
you have the authority by the board to go
up to 40,000 if in the event that there is
additional expenses, that you don't have to
come back to the board?
>> Chair Greg Musil: You may after I call
the motion and the second. Dr. Cook -- Captain
Kirk -- Dr. Cook moved, Trustee Smith-Everett
seconded to approve the amendment as presented.
Trustee Lawson, you have a motion to amend
that to grant the Chair authority to reimburse
up to 40,000 with documentation. Is that -- do
I understand that?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: That is correct.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Second.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Seconded by Trustee Cross.
I'm looking at Kelsey Nazar, our legal counsel.
We can make that amendment in there and present
it to Dr. Bowne. Dr. Bowne has seen this amendment
and approved it. I doubt he would have an
objection to that. So I think if it's the
will of the board, we can do that. He truly
believes he will be at 30,000 or below, but
believed he would exceed 25,000. So any discussion
on the amendment?
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Mr. Chair, if I may.
>> Chair Greg Musil: You may.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Is now a good time to
say I told you so? Or should I wait?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Lee, it's always a good
time for you to tell me I told you so.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: No objection.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Any further discussion
on the amendment?
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: I would just
like to offer that this should and is set
to include all incurred costs for his move,
including traveling here to be able to find
the home and relocate and any auxiliary travel
that would probably have happened without
COVID may still happen. I just want to make
sure that covers those costs.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Very fair. Thank you
for bringing that up, Trustee Smith-Everett,
because we did somewhat increase the language
because the language said he could exceed
25,000 only if he had two houses for 90 days.
What we've tried to do here is say if you
have a legitimate expense incurred because
of your move of you and your family, we will
cover it up to 35,000, and now with my discretion
to go to 40. So, good point.
All in favor of the amendment say aye.
(Ayes.)
>> Chair Greg Musil: All opposed say nay.
The amendment passes, which means we have
the regular motion on the table, which now
includes 35,000, but up to 40,000 at the discretion
of the Chair with reimbursable documentation.
Any discussion on the main motion? If not,
all in favor say aye.
(Ayes.)
>> Chair Greg Musil: Opposed nay. That motion
also carries unanimously. Thank you for that
item of New Business. Trustee Lawson, you
had -- I think you intended to offer a motion
to add tomorrow, Juneteenth, as a paid holiday.
I guess I will note for the record that we
have a policy that establishes all the paid
holidays for the year. The Master Agreement
identifies those holidays separately for full-time
faculty based on their eight, nine, or 12-month
contract. I'm looking at Dr. Leiker. I believe
that to be true. So there would be a different
impact on different employees depending on
whether they're on -- employed on June 19th.
In addition, employees have a floating holiday
that they're allowed to take. So I guess do
-- you would have to first offer -- or move
to amend the agenda to include a new agenda
item, which would be to add another paid holiday
for Johnson County Community College employees.
Is that the motion you're going to make?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Okay, so, Mr.
Chair, then I would like to make a motion
to amend the agenda to include the -- let
me make sure I'm doing this right -- that
Juneteenth, that is June 19th as a paid holiday
for our employees. I believe that there's
numerous companies around the country already
doing so. Sprint, University of Virginia,
KC Chiefs, KC Royals. I think we can do this
as well. And I know Juneteenth cannot be about
just a day off for white people on the backs
of suffering of so many. It has to be about
a chance to give us a better way to reflect
from the sins of our nation. Whether we want
to admit it or not, everyone who is not an
immigrant or a refugee has benefited directly
and continues to benefit. We need a day to
acknowledge what has been done and a day that
says we have to remember the harm. So I would
like to make a motion to give our -- our employees
a paid holiday.
>> Chair Greg Musil: That would be a motion
to amend -- or to add that agenda item. It
is not a motion on the substance of the proposal.
Is there a second?
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: I'll second.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Smith seconded.
The motion before us is to add an agenda item
that would then lead to consideration of a
motion, possible consideration of a motion
to add another paid holiday, in this case,
June 19th. Trustee Cook?
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: I have a question for
legal counsel. What does this do to our
negotiating agreement with the Faculty Association?
Is it -- does this open the door then when
anybody has an idea in between negotiation
sessions to add or subtract a paid holiday?
>> I don't think we can re-negotiate the agreement
tonight. It is what it is. But I mean in terms
of the practical effect of it, maybe Becky
can speak to how that would work through HR.
(Inaudible, off mic.)
>> Chair Greg Musil: Mr. Leiker. Dr. Leiker.
>> Dr. Jim Leiker: I think what would have
to happen in that event is that the Master
Agreement would have to be amended in the
next negotiation round to reflect any addition
of that paid holiday. And I -- I would also
follow up on Trustee Lawson's suggestion that
this not simply be a day off for white people.
We have plenty of groups on campus I think
who could be trusted to form some sort of
an advisory group that would be responsible
for every year putting together some sort
of recognition/celebration on Juneteenth that
would go along with what the board would -- would
approve as a change.
>> Chair Greg Musil: I will be voting against
the motion. I don't think there are very many
times when we need to add items to the agenda.
I'm very well aware of the criticisms that
this board has taken about transparency and
making sure the public knows what we're doing.
Nobody had any notice of this. Nobody knows
this was going to be suggested. It is not
something that's in our policies. It would
be something appropriate for the Human Resources
Committee to consider. It has a budget impact
that hasn't been budgeted for in the budget.
And for all of those reasons, I think it is
at best premature and at worst unwise to add
something like this to the agenda basically
on the spur of the moment.
So I will be voting against the amendment
to add it to the agenda. I'm not taking a
position on the substance of it. But if we
are to be a transparent entity, if we are
to have policies and procedures that I keep
hearing I violate, if we're to follow the
rules that this body has, then I suggest we
follow the rules, tonight, on July 16th at
our next meeting, and thereafter. And this
would not be following our rules. Any other
discussion?
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Mr. Chair, if I may.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Cross.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: I think in the spirit
of President Dr. Sopcich's final statement
to us tonight and really the spirit of his
diversity in the time he's here, first ever
minority trustee and the most diverse cabinet
we've ever had, for the son of two people
that didn't go to college with a Croatian
name, and I believe Catholic. I've never asked,
but I assume going to Notre Dame, and as the
son of a Catholic woman, I admired him for
that. I think that it would be appropriate
to do tonight and it is certainly by the rules.
We have New Business for a reason, and I think
the question posed by Dr. Sopcich, what will
we do, I think it starts here and now. I think
it was Dr. King that said there's nothing
like the fierce urgency of now. I'm not sure
I disagree with you from a legal standpoint
or what you're saying substantively. However,
I think now is a good time. I'll be voting
yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Any other discussion
on the motion to add this to the agenda? If
not --
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Mr. Chair, Dr.
Sopcich has called on us to be better and
we have time to consider this moving forward.
>> Chair Greg Musil: No, I understand that.
But you're asking for it to be implemented
tonight for tomorrow. Right?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Correct.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Right now we're just
adding it to the agenda.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Yeah, we're adding it
to the agenda. The motion to add it to the
agenda I'm going to call individually. Trustee
Lawson?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Are you calling
for a vote?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Yes. Yeah, I'm going
to do kind of a roll call, if you will.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Okay. Yes, I'm
in favor of adding this to the agenda.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Smith-Everett?
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Cook?
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: No.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Ingram?
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Snider?
>> Trustee Paul Snider: No.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Cross?
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Aye.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Musil, no. It
is added to the agenda by a vote of 4-3. Okay,
we now we have the item on the agenda. Am
I doing this right, Kelsey? Okay. Would you
state your motion again, Trustee Lawson.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Yes, sir. Mr.
Chair, I motion that we make Juneteenth, June
19th, as a paid holiday for our employees.
>> Chair Greg Musil: And just so I'm clear,
is that for 2020 or is that -- is your intention
to do that in perpetuity?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: For tomorrow.
But I'm open to amendments.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: If I may --
>> Chair Greg Musil: Okay. So, now, I just
want to make sure we have the motion. The
motion is to make June 19th, 2020, a paid
holiday for all Johnson County Community College
employees. Is there a second?
>> Trustee Lee Cross: What's the motion, for
tomorrow, right? 2020?
>> Chair Greg Musil: 20. June 19th, 2020,
as I understand the motion.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: And other -- other
businesses are doing this, yes? Mr. Cross?
Or Trustee Cross. Excuse me.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: If the trustee would
yield for a question.
>> Chair Greg Musil: We don't have a second,
but I'll let you ask Trustee Lawson a question.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Yes. Thank you, Mr.
Chair. I would think it would make some sense,
in light of what Trustee Chair Musil is saying,
that we have some vetting of this, that would
be an appropriate thing that I know Congress
or the White House or any state legislature
would do, in my political experience, is to
vet an issue to see what it would be worth.
I'd sure like to do it for tomorrow. I'll
vote for your motion should you want to do
it for tomorrow. I think it would make some
prudent finanical sense that we review it
and allow our paid professional staff, who
I think are eager for a day off, I'm hearing
too many objections around the table here,
that we set it for 2021 but we take action
tonight incorporating allowing our professional
staff to do their job. Would you amend it
to 2021?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: I accept your
friendly amendment, Trustee Cross. And let's
make it for 2021 so that HR has more time.
Thank you so much.
>> Chair Greg Musil: So the motion is made
now is for June 19th, 2021, would be a paid
holiday for Johnson County Community College
employees. Is there a second?
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Second.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Second by Trustee Smith-Everett.
>> Trustee Paul Snider: Mr. Chairman?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Further discussion? Trustee
Snider?
>> Trustee Paul Snider: I have an amendment.
And that amendment would be that the HR Committee
look at this issue and bring it back to us
at an appropriate time so we can do all of
our due diligence and understand what implications
are. I just -- that would be my motion, to
amend her motion. And the rationale for that
is it's almost 9:00. Chris Gray will have
to turn around and send an e-mail to everyone.
They'll have to figure out whether that is
a scam e-mail or not -- (Inaudible). Well,
I guess we changed it.
>> Chair Greg Musil: '21.
>> Trustee Paul Snider: Well, I would like
-- so I amend that. I take that back. I appreciate
that Trustee Lawson named several organizations
that have already done this. I would like
to see that in writing. I'm not aware of any,
and I don't know whether they also provide
days off for Martin Luther King Day like we
do and have some of the other benefits that
we do. So I would just like to understand
all that before we vote. I think it's a great
idea to consider. I'm just not prepared to
vote on something like that tonight.
>> Chair Greg Musil: I'm -- the Motion to
Amend, then, is to refer this to the HR Committee
for further consideration. Is there a second
to that?
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Second.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Seconded by Trustee Ingram.
Discussion on the amendment? I'll support
the amendment. That's the process that ought
to be done and I doubt if any of those places
did it in a period of 35 minutes, making the
decision that they made, which is what we're
being asked to do tonight with no -- no preview,
no notice or anything else. So it is -- it
is frustrating that we're being placed in
a position that if we support our procedures
and our rules and our desire to be transparent,
that we will be noted on social media I don't
doubt as being somehow bigoted, anti-Black,
anti-Black Life Matters, pro-slavery, who
knows what because we've been presented this
at 8:25 on the night of our meeting. So I
think the --
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Point of order,
Mr. Chair. I actually --
>> Chair Greg Musil: No. There's no point
of order when I'm speaking, Trustee Lawson.
Trustee Lawson, I'm speaking. There's no -- there's
no point of order. There's no point of order.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: (Inaudible).
You have to recuse yourself as the chair.
>> Chair Greg Musil: No, I don't recuse myself
and there's no point of order at this point.
You will have your chance to speak.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Are you debating?
>> Chair Greg Musil: I am commenting on the
motion that is on the floor, which I have
the right to do, as you do.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: But if you're
the chair, you are supposed to stay neutral
and you cannot be swaying for -- if you're
supportive, then your chair position needs
to be moved to Vice Chair Trustee Snider.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Every trustee chair since
1970 at this college and since 1970 when
the statute was passed has been a voting member
of every body. I vote on everything. I'm not
like a mayor where I vote where my vote makes
a difference. I am not expected to be neutral
in positions before this board. I never have
been. And I've voted on everything so far
tonight. The fact that you don't like how
I might vote on this one does not change that.
We will be -- we've been put in a position
of acting like we don't support Black Lives
Matter, of acting like we don't support reform
of police, of acting like we promote white
privilege. I resent that, because that's the
trap that is being -- that we're being placed
in. And we have policies, this board, this
college has had non-discrimination policies
ahead of other schools. We added gender identity
to our non-discrimination before other people
did and before it was required. So I think
for all of those reasons, referral to the
HR Committee for consideration to bring back
to this board so we all have the information
and how it affects all of our employees would
be an appropriate -- an appropriate vote tonight.
Trustee Ingram, you had your hand up.
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Well, I just wanted
to make it clear, the reason that I voted
for it to be placed on the agenda was so that
we could have a little bit of further discussion
about it. I come from a community in Olathe
that has celebrated Juneteenth for a number
of years. So I am completely supportive of
it. But I do believe in following the policies
and procedures. And I think to turn around
and try to do it tomorrow --
>> Chair Greg Musil: It's 2021. The motion
now is 2021.
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Right. But -- but
originally to have thought that we could do
it tomorrow is -- is just unacceptable. So
anyway. Thank you.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Lawson and then
Trustee Cook.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: I think we have
the opportunity to do this. I think that what
Dr. Sopcich stated very eloquently moves us
to be able to be better. I think we can. And
the motion has been amended to 2021 and we
can be able to do that. I think we have the
option to make sure we stay within our own
rules and I would be in favor of making sure
that we have the opportunity to support this
holiday for our employees.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Cook.
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm not sure where we are. I guess if we vote
for the amendment to study it back to Human
Resources, does that then mean we also then
approve or will vote I guess on the motion
to apply for 2021? I'm just not very comfortable
in making decisions after four hours of meeting
here. We have another lengthy meeting tonight.
It seems to be the practice of this board
to bring items to a board meeting and not
discuss them prior to the board meeting with
the related parties. I have nothing against
the idea. I have nothing against the concept.
I would like to see us consider all these
holidays and events through a -- through a
structured process of discussion rather than
on the spur of the moment when we've been
sitting here all night long dealing with surprises.
So I'm going to vote no on everything, not
that I'm against everything, because I think
we need -- we need to discuss it, but not
at the spur of the moment. Thank you.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Mr. Chair?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Smith-Everett.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: For the next
two years, in '21 and in '22, these holidays
are on the weekends. So I believe we have
the opportunity to visit this through the
right procedures and policies, which is through
our HR Committee. I am lost where we are in
terms of the motion and what process we would
go through. But I would advocate for the process
to
go through our regular committee process with
the intention that the HR Committee present
a policy on the -- on Juneteenth as a holiday
and the financial impact that it would have.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Here's where we are procedurally.
The original motion -- well, the amended original
motion, by friendly amendment, is to create
Juneteenth, June 19th, 2021, as a paid holiday.
The amendment to that is to refer the matter
to the HR Committee for consideration and
bringing it back to this board. So what we're
voting on, what we'll be voting on first is
the amendment, which would refer it to HR
to have that brought back to this board through
the committee process. Is everybody clear
on that? Okay.
All right. I'm going to --
>> Trustee Lee Cross: One last thing, if I
may.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Cross?
>> Trustee Lee Cross: You know, I've had my
disagreements with Trustee Lawson, anybody
that knows me knows that. But not for nothing,
she has no other remedy. She's not on any
committees. She has no opportunity to bring
this up. I say this not in her defense, just
as a practical and logistical matter to address
the situation we're in. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
>> Trustee Paul Snider: Mr. Chairman?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Snider.
>> Trustee Paul Snider: If I can address Trustee
Cross. I guess I would refute that. It is
true that she is not on a committee. However,
the Chair has been giving wide latitude to
anyone that wants a topic for consideration
on an agenda to get it to him with specifics
seven days in advance. So had this been requested,
I'm quite certain that the Chair would have
put this on the agenda. Likewise, had Trustee
Lawson indicated that she wanted to have some
sort of recognition of Black Lives Matter,
I'm certain the Chair would have put that
on the agenda as well. But instead, she hid
what that agenda item was so that --
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Trustee Snider,
point of order. You cannot attack me. You
cannot attack me. That is against our Code
of Conduct Policy and there's many actual
in writing of times where you have been added
to the agenda yourself. So your arguments
need to be substantiated by documents that
-- that you cannot state. So please --
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Lawson, Trustee
Snider has the floor.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: That doesn't
mean he attacks me.
>> Trustee Paul Snider: It wasn't an attack.
In my view, those are all factual statements.
The things that I've had added to the agenda
I've gone through the process which I just
laid out.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Mr. Chair?
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Cross.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Just to respond, Mr.
Trustee Snider, you've had 401 years. Now
is the time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
>> Chair Greg Musil: All right. We're voting
on the motion, the amendment to the motion.
The amendment is to refer this to the Human
Resources Committee for consideration and
return to this board. Anybody have a confusion
about that? Trustee Cross?
>> Trustee Lee Cross: I'm sorry, on the amendment?
>> Chair Greg Musil: On the amendment.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: No.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Snider?
>> Trustee Snider: Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Ingram?
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Cook?
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: No.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Smith-Everett?
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Lawson?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: No.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Chair votes aye. The
amendment passes. The main motion now is to
refer to the HR Committee the consideration
of adding a Juneteenth paid holiday to our
holiday schedule. Is there any further discussion
on that? If not, Trustee Cross?
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Snider?
>> Trustee Paul Snider: Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Ingram?
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Cook?
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: No.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Smith-Everett?
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Lawson?
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Musil? Chair
votes yes. That votes -- that is a 6-1 vote.
So I know that will be referred to the HR
Committee at the appropriate time.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: That it passes?
>> Chair Greg Musil: It passed to refer it
to the HR Committee, yes. I don't have any
Old Business. Are we ready for the Consent
Agenda? Is there a motion? The Consent Agenda
is a list of typically non- -- routine items
that are non-controversial that have been
vetted by committee or senior staff and are
presented as one motion and for one vote.
Any trustee has the right to pull anything
off the Consent Agenda which starts at Page
47 of our -- of our board packet. Is there
anything anybody would like to consider separately?
If not, is there a motion to approve the Consent
Agenda as published?
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: So moved.
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Second.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Moved by Dr. Cook and
seconded by Trustee Ingram. Any discussion?
If not, all in favor say aye.
(Ayes.)
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Opposed nay. Motion carries.
I think we're ready for the recognition of
Dr. Sopcich and his service to the college,
maybe a little later than we thought we'd
get here, but. You okay? Okay.
(Inaudible)
Yeah, we did. I'm going to start and just
-- Dr. Sopcich has been here almost 28 years,
in various roles, including really building
our Foundation into a body that can, as you
heard earlier tonight, give over $1.3 million
in scholarships donated by private individuals
and businesses in Johnson County and beyond.
He was in charge of the business affairs of
the college as vice
president and was then elevated to president
by this board, or previous board in 2013.
He's given almost 28 years of his life to
this college. His wife, Stacy, has given an
equal amount of time and probably more angst.
And his two children have grown up, gone to
college, moved away, are now back, COVID-related
and otherwise. But he's been here for 28 years
and it is unfortunate that we're in a COVID-19
situation where we can't have a public reception
for the people in this county to come up to
Joe and say thank you eye-to-eye. Dr. Bowne
is aware of this and we will plan that if
there becomes a time when we can have public
gatherings without social distancing.
So with that, I'm going to turn it over to
Dr. Cook for the next portion of this tribute.
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: Well, what we'd like
to do is I think we all remember the video
that was shown at Some Enchanted Evening.
The Foundation did a wonderful job. I think,
Chris, you were involved with that a little
bit of putting together a recap and we thought
it would be a good opportunity to go back
and -- and look at that video again because
it really captured your -- your career here
well, Joe. So while we might be used to Netflix,
let's cue up the video for Some Enchanted
Evening.
>> Mary Birch: Joe and Stacy, what a wonderful
day to celebrate your amazing partnership
and all of the accomplishments the two of
you have helped this community achieve. There's
no doubt that over the next several months
you'll have the opportunity to reflect on
your legacy and the kinds of things that you
did.
I want to do two things today. I would like
to honor both of you, not just for your Johnson
County Community College work, but for your
work within our community. I don't remember
a time that either one of you said no, and
I know that your love for this county has
helped us in many other ways throughout the
community for our quality of life.
Secondly, I'd like to talk about that legacy.
There's no doubt in my mind that the biggest
legacy that you two have left for our community
is the Johnson County Community College Foundation.
Many, many years ago, when community colleges
were not doing this, a group of civic leaders
came to you with a vision and you were able
to make that vision happen. And so as you
leave, you will know that you have built an
amazing base with a Foundation that helps
so many students every year. You have allowed
individuals to contribute to the success of
the students. You have allowed the business
community to be a part of helping students
do better and find jobs when it's all over.
So I honor you. I thank you. I know that there
was a sacrifice in your public service. I
also know that the leadership you provided
will be remembered forever. So on your next
journey, which I hope to be a part of, I hope
to give you a big hug and we wish you all
the very best. But thank you. Thank you. Thank
you.
>> Ron Palcic: Thank you, Mr. Musil and Board
of Trustees, for the honor of saying a few
words about Dr. Sopcich. I met Dr. Sopcich
in 1999 when he was in the Foundation office
doing what he does so well, and that is helping
students. When Joe was in the process of applying
for the Johnson County Community College president's
position eight years ago, I had the honor
of meeting all the presidential candidates
by being their campus tour guide between interviews.
With his tour, I told him about we being a
B faculty at Johnson County Community College.
He insisted we were better than a B faculty.
In fact, he said we were one of the finest
faculty in the nation. But our tour ended
before he could complete his argument about
our faculty.
Our relationship was very professional from
the beginning, but as time progressed, we
developed a personal relationship as well.
Joe always asked about my family whenever
we had a few minutes free. In fact, with his
wise counsel, my oldest daughter, Grace, who
started working on her AA while still in high
school by taking College Now courses through
Johnson County and attending classes on campus
during the summer. Because of his wise advice
two years ago, my daughter, Grace, received
her AA from JCCC on Friday night; two days
later she received her high school diploma.
I'm proud to tell Joe that Grace is earning
her bachelor's degree from Kansas State University
this coming December with two majors.
Joe and I had a friendly rivalry where he
is a die-hard Notre Dame football fan and
I, as a Californian by birth, was a University
of Southern California football fan. That
was truly fun rivalry. In honor of Joe's retirement,
I want him to see me one more time wearing
my favorite college football team's ball cap.
Go Fighting Irish!
Joe, I want to wish you and Stacy the best
in your retirement for the years to come.
And, oh, by the way, Joe, saying we were a
B faculty, it just means that we'll be here
after you retire. So rest assured that we
will move forward maintaining that status
as one of the finest faculty in the nation.
Thank you for your support and guidance over
the year.
>> Melody Rayl: Hey, Joe. I really wish I
could be there in person, but I'm so excited
that they're actually going to let me speak
at the board meeting because I have so many
things to talk about, things that we've shared
over the years: margaritas, cinnamon rolls,
poppers, even tattoos. But, you know, I tried
to fit all that in and I just couldn't get
it in time. And I decided everything that
happens at Arrowhead stays at Arrowhead. So
today I just want to thank you.
You know, you may not recall, but the first
time we really spent any time together was
when I took my first Legislative Summit to
D.C. as a trustee, and you and I kind of separated
from the group one morning and took a walk
across the mall. And I remember thinking during
that walk, how am I ever going to keep up
with this man? He walks so fast! Little did
I know that I would spend the rest of my time
as a trustee and at Johnson County Community
College in a number of capacities trying to
keep up with you, with your vision, with your
leadership. You have accomplished so much,
so many great things during your nearly 30
years at JCCC. All you have to do is walk
across the campus. You can see your mark everywhere,
from your time with the Foundation and from
your time as president of this college. Most
of all, you have helped make JCCC a first-class
institution for our community and, most of
all, for the students that we serve. My daughter
is so excited to be a part of Johnson County
Community College as a student. And she thanks
you for that. You have touched so many people.
You will be so missed. But enjoy the time
with Stacy and the kids. And, hey, here's
looking forward to even more tailgating to
come for the two of us. Congratulations, Joe.
You've earned it.
>> Jon Stewart: Joe Sopcich, very pleased
when Chairman of the Board Greg Musil asked
if I would contribute a video for your final
Board of Trustees meeting. I was there in
the beginning, served on the Alumni Association
committee that interviewed you when you were
seeking the job of Foundation manager. I wondered
why a young man from Chicago would want to
come to Johnson County Community College,
and then I found out he was from Independence,
Missouri, and a William Chrisman Bear. You
were hired and that was a great decision.
I remember our first event, an alumni auction,
we worked pretty hard and we raised $10,000
in that one night. Fast-forward 26 years,
and last November we raised over $1 million
at Some Enchanted Evening for scholarships.
That's because of you, Joe, and the job you've
done. You impacted thousands of students seeking
career and technology certificates or transfer
programs.
As a Board of Trustee for 11 years, I witnessed
first-hand when you came to the administrative
side the passion, the ethics, and the hard
work you brought to the college. You have
impacted many students, staff, and members
in this community. The community owes you
a debt of gratitude. I hope that you and Stacy
enjoy a great retirement. And I hope our paths
cross many times in the future. What I'd like
to end with is just, job well done, Joe. Job
well done.
>> Dr. David Zamierowski: I was privileged
to spend a very focused week in '09 getting
to know Joe, to watch how he works. As you
know, Joe has had personal experience with
international service having spent a year
in Chile in the '70s. So when I came to him
with a proposal to connect JCCC with potential
projects in Uganda, he was not only interested,
but he wanted to personally go on the scouting
trip. We were roommates for that trip, and
I got to watch him interact with civic and
educational leaders, healthcare and religious
leaders. And what I found out about him is
that he is a very hands-on person who wants
to see for himself, collect the data himself.
I saw and in our debriefings heard how reflective
and analytical he was. He kept me from being
naive and helped me focus on the possible.
And when we got back to Kansas City, he taught
me about follow-up and development. What he
personally did to expand international studies
and relationships at JCCC, not just in Africa,
but with multiple locations, was far beyond
anything that I had envisioned. In this and
multiple subsequent projects, he made my own
dreams become a reality at JCCC, more than
at any other place I have worked. Joe is that
rare individual who can personally gather
data, evaluate problems, and then analyze
and find a way to solutions, then form action
plans and make the solutions a reality to
actually get things done.
I know maybe as much as anyone how it takes
a sympathetic, compatible, supportive spouse,
someone who's your constant helpmate, to enable
you to reach for your vision and your dreams.
All I can say to Joe and Stacy is thank you.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
[ Music ]
>> We actually got the videos turned around.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Yeah, Cirque du Soleil
is still coming. But we have a -- that was
a video tribute from some people that are
very close to the college. And now we have
-- do we have cued up the -- that's the only
one they have.
(Inaudible)
Okay. Well, for those -- I think a lot of
us here were at Some Enchanted Evening and
it was a great tribute to Joe's history at
the college and had --
>> Showed at the Foundation lunch.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Showed at the Foundation
lunch and it included surprise appearances
by Stacy, Kate, and Eli, which I understand
Joe was alerted to right before he went on
stage so he wouldn't get too emotional, as
you might. So I don't know. We kind of lost
the --
>> Trustee Smith-Everett: We can go to the
scholarship.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Well, the -- it's -- along
with Dr. Cook and Trustee Smith-Everett, we
worked with the Foundation and want to announce
tonight a Joe and Stacy endowed scholarship.
We have secretly solicited funding through
members of the Foundation and we will also
have the opportunity to solicit that ongoing
to add to this fund. Our initial goal was
the $10,000 that it takes to endow a scholarship
here, which can on average allow two $500
scholarships, so a thousand dollars -- or
a $500 scholarship. Jon Stewart mentioned
your first effort was to raise $10,000. In
the week and a half we have had this out,
we've raised $35,000 for that scholarship.
And I'm sure that will continue to grow now
that it -- as it gets out in the community.
So...
(Applause.)
>> Chair Greg Musil: There's another announcement.
Trustee Smith-Everett.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Yes. We also
wanted to give our community an opportunity
to wish you well. And we are remiss that in
COVID era, we don't get to have big receptions
and the Cirque du Soleil will come down from
the ceiling and all the great things we had
planned. So in lieu of that, with the marketing
team we've created a digital board where people
will be able to go on and contribute videos
and words of congratulations to you. There
will be an announcement about it tonight after
this meeting. And it will be open through
June 30th for anyone who would like to contribute
it, from both faculty and staff, students
internally, as well as some of our external
partners that have worked with you over these
very long 20, almost 28 years.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you, Trustee Smith-Everett
and Trustee Cook, for helping to plan this.
I'm sorry it didn't come off perfectly with
the other video. But now I want to give the
opportunity for trustees to make some comments
if they have any. And I think we'll all say
a lot of the same stuff. But Trustee Snider.
>> Trustee Paul Snider: Well, Joe, I would
just, you know, first like to reiterate and
say thank you. I first met you 10, 12 years
ago because of your community involvement.
And really, as much as anything, my connection
with the community college was through you,
which is probably similar to how really thousands
of community members have that. And so when
I chose to run for office, it gave me some
comfort that, hey, I know the guy in charge,
that he'll kind of point me in the right direction
and tell me what I need to know and everything
else. So that helped me I guess with my decision
to run. And clearly my first two, two and
a half years have been under your tutelage
and watchful eye. And now watching these videos,
I feel like we should have gone on a trip
together. I haven't taken advantage of any
of those opportunities. Now I'm regretting
that. So really just want to wish you well
and look forward to seeing you. I assume you'll
remain a valued member of Johnson County.
So thank you.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Thank you.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Cross.
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Among the lasting memories I have with Dr.
Sopcich was being in a cab in Seattle, Washington,
debating and discussing Kansas politics, of
all the places, and so many times me saying,
no, don't worry about the politics, let me
worry about the politics. And Dr. Sopcich
would say, yeah. But there was a lot I had
to learn. There's still a lot I need to learn.
And, you know, in all fairness, candor, and
honesty, I've repeatedly called you the Billie
Beane of community college -- (Inaudible).
Your maneuvering ability and the wisdom of
Kris Kobach, who is the one that taught me
and just ingrained this concept into my brain,
to frame the debate, to frame the issue early
on when I came onto the board and we had an
anti-education legislature and a governor
what gave little pushback to that. Your ability
to navigate through some complex situations
in the state, at the federal level the relationships
we did have, and do have, excuse me, with
our federal officials, to get the grants and
to know about the grants and opportunities
that we have, it really does speak to I think
what was your greatest strength was to establish
and maintain relationships, a great lesson
that you
among many other people at this table and
in this community have taught me.
And not to go on, but just to say there were
a tremendous number of great things that happened
here. Diversity, I mentioned earlier, and
I meant every word of it. I -- I remember
the night that Trustee Henry Sandate, Enrique
Sandate, you said his name that night. And
Henry had to correct you. He said, no, no,
it's Henry Sandate. And you were so proud
with your background to be able to pronounce
his name in Spanish. And then how thrilled
you were that we had our first ever person
of color that night. I remember that. And
I remember your commitment. And I think the
stress and strain of the job is something
that many of us paid attention to on you,
and I know that in seven years we've had our
differences. But it is to say that -- I've
read lots of other books besides Moneyball,
but I do love it so much. And I think to call
you the Billy Beane of the community college
movement, when Linda Fund would call you and
ask you what do we do, what do you think,
when all the people we are connected to and
need to have relationships with in the Congressional
delegation, the state legislature, in the
community, they call you, they ask what to
do. And here we are. We have this dissent,
we have some rancor, we have some good moments
here tonight, and yet we're still standing
and we have a tremendous opportunity to move
into the 21st Century as a leader in the nation,
and I think that speaks to your -- your talent
and leadership and I appreciate you. Thank
you.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Ingram.
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Joe, thank you, for
everything. There's a couple of things that
come to mind and one of them, the first thing
was, when I called to make my donation to
that scholarship fund and I inquired a little
bit about it and said, you know, what's your
goal? And then they told me where they had
already been. Immediately people were engaged
and interested in supporting you and Stacy
with all of that. So I think that's such a
compliment to you and the way people feel
about you in the community. There was a time
and I think it was just a year ago when you
came and spoke to the Olathe Chamber and I
was there early. And I think we'd had some
miscommunication and you weren't even sure
you were supposed to be there. But you got
a call and they were asking, Where is Joe?
Where is Joe? Where's Joe? And the meeting
started at maybe 7:15. And about 7:13 you
rolled in and talked for an hour non-stop.
And I cannot tell you the impression that
that just makes on people, is your ability
to just get up and tell your story and -- and
talk about your love and your passion, it
just radiates. So thank you for that.
The second thing that I would tell you is
one of our favorite nights when we traveled.
We were at the ACCT convention a year and
a half ago in New York. And Steve and I had
planned on going to a show a couple nights
in. But you and Stacy were able to get tickets
to "Kinky Boots." So we went to "Kinky Boots"
with you. That will always be one of my favorite
memories. So it was a great night. Thank you
for everything. You are so supportive. Called
you the day after the election and told you
you were the first call that I made and I
said I'm looking forward to this. So thank
you for all of your support of all you have
done in our community.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Thank you, Nancy.
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Absolutely.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Your hair is getting
longer or your head is getting bigger. I'm
not sure which it is. Looking good. Trustee
Cook?
>> Trustee Jerry Cook: So the Chairman came
in tonight, he said there's no Shakespeare
tonight is there? And I said, no, there will
be no Shakespeare. But I do have one word
that I
want to capture you with. And I didn't realize
that Dr. Leiker was going to say what he said,
or the speakers on the screen were going to
say what they said. But I think just one word
captures all of their comments. And the one
word comes from Christian Nestell Bovee, who
was an American author and editor. He lived
from 1820 to 1904. And here's the word he
uses that I think captures you, Joe, because
you've always been about doing things for
the benefit of this college. You've always
had students top of mind. You've always focused
on what does the data show about our effectiveness.
You challenged us tonight with five great
points that this word I think encapsules you.
We've had lots of faculty accomplishments
that behind the scenes you have been very
promotional for. Your outreach to the community
on behalf of the college has been superb,
not to mention a few building changes on campus
over the 27 or 28 years you've been here.
And it's rare that somebody these days can
say they spent 28 years, over half of a lifetime
of an institution or an organization. So thank
you for that. And thank you for your commitment.
The word that I want to use tonight is earnestness.
Earnestness, which by definition is serious
in attention or purposeful. And here's what
Bovee said about earnestness. Earnestness
is the devotion of all the faculties. It is
the cause of patience. Gives and dos. Overcomes
pain. Strengthens weakness. Braves dangers.
Sustains hope. Makes light of difficulties
and lessens the sense of weariness in overcoming
them. And I thought when I saw that word and
that -- and that definition by Bovee, it kind
of captures many of the daily experiences
you've had on this campus over 28 years, as
Mary Birch said from the Foundation to -- to
Dr. Zamierowski recently with his travels
with you on our international travel.
So thank you just isn't enough. Appreciate
your earnestness in how you have led this
-- this college for the benefit of teaching
and learning, and the benefit of student outcomes.
So thank you, Joe. We wish you the very, very
best and we'll be seeing you often.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Lawson.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Thank you, Mr.
Chair. Mr. President, when I first came on
to this board, you and I had a frank conversation
in your office, and I appreciated your candor
regarding the pressures that you faced and
the way in which you felt forced to respond
at all hours with your time to those who had
tons of white privilege. But that privilege
took them away from your time you spent and
wanted to spend helping others. And I saw
a lot of that happen over and over again.
I can hear in your voice tonight, and I'm
sorry that we did not protect you better.
You and I may not be friends, we may not like
each other, but I know you have a good heart.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Smith-Everett.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: Excuse me, Mr.
Chair. I'm not done.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Oh, I'm sorry. I apologize.
Take your time.
>> Trustee Angeliina Lawson: I know we don't
have to pretend to be friends. But this speech
tonight was the first time in a long time
I saw the Joe I met that first weekend. I
miss that Joe. And I'm sorry I didn't get
to spend more time with the man I think you
are instead of the role I feel you may have
been forced to fulfill. That's it, Mr. Chair.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Thank you. Trustee Smith-Everett.
>> Trustee Laura Smith-Everett: Anyone who
dedicates 27 years to one place deserves our
utmost respect. I think I've aged 20 years
in the six months I've been here, so I can't
imagine what 27 years does to someone.
Obviously we have had the least amount of
time together, but I wanted to speak to your
graciousness. And I think that that really
speaks to what one has to do in this role.
You have to
be all things to all people, and you were
incredibly gracious particularly at the ACCT
conference, legislative conference, and introduced
me to both national partners, as well as our
local Kansas partners. And I really appreciate
it and I think it speaks to the way that you
conducted yourself personally with so many
faculty and staff and students, and they felt
like they were the center of your attention,
knowing full well you had 100,000 other things
and priorties that were just as equally important.
Thank you so much for all you've done and
all you've poured in and all the sacrifices
you've made over these almost 28 years to
this institution. People have reaped innumerable
benefits from it. And above all things, I
wish you a relaxing second half to your year
and a very relaxing retirement. Congratulations.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Thank you, Laura.
>> Chair Greg Musil: I'm going to make some
comments and then we'll let you close and
then we'll move to a motion to adjourn. We
met about the time you started at the college
and I started on the Overland Park City Council
when I was on the Some Enchanted Evening scholarship
-- or steering committee trying to raise scholarship
money, nothing like the $1 million that Jon
mentioned for last year. But in those 28 years,
nearly 28 years I've seen your dedication
to this college, your love for the community,
your sincerity in making education better,
more accessible, more impactful, and more
affordable. And I've watched you take slings
and arrows for yourself and others, some deserved,
but most let fly for no reason or misguided.
It is amazing to watch as social media has
expanded how we -- and the regular media has
essentially disappeared, how we can underestimate
and under-report the successes of an institution,
and instead of marveling at what has been
built here, we can focus on every imperfection,
perceived or real. And as I thought about
comments tonight, Joe, and I know you're sick
of all these already because I know how modest
and humble you are, equal to your beginnings
in Independence, but I thought of Teddy Roosevelt's
"Man in the Arena." I've revised it a little
bit in the interest of modern speech. But
it is not the critic who counts, not the person
who points out how the strong stumbles or
the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the person who is actually
in the arena, whose face is marred by dust
and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly,
who errs, who comes short again and again
because there is no effort without error or
short-coming. But who does not actually strive
to do the deeds -- but who does actually strive
to do the deeds who knows great enthusiasms,
great devotions, and spends themselves in
a worthy cause. Who spends -- the best knows
in the end that the triumph of high achievement
and who at the worst if they fail at least
fail while daring greatly, so that their place
shall never be with those cold and timid souls
who neither know victory nor defeat.
I think in watching you for 27 years and for
7 years as president, that pretty well sums
it up. I thought also about the ESPN series
"The Last Dance" about Michael Jordan, arguably
the greatest basketball player of all time,
undoubtedly undeniably one of the top three
or five at all times. And anybody that watched
any part of those series, he was criticized.
He didn't do it right. His attitude wasn't
right. He made mistakes. And it is just amazing
to me that as great as anybody can be, you
can be frequently criticized even if you are
rarely out-performed.
Lee mentioned the demands of your job. And
I've seen that more in my two terms as chair.
People demand you 24/7, 365. You're never
unavailable. People demand purity and perfection,
demanded by many, practiced by few. They demand
effort and excellence. Many demand, few perform.
You demanded that from others, just like you
demanded it of yourself.
When you're demanding it of others, you get
their chagrin. When you demand it of yourself,
you often get pain, and I've seen you in that.
I've thought about what the college means
to you. It means 500,000 stakeholders, several
hundred thousand students since you've been
here, thousands of employees, hundreds of
faculty, dozens of trustees, all pulling and
tugging you in one direction or the other,
not always in the same direction.
And so we come to what's your legacy as a
teacher, because you've taught here, an administrator,
a promoter, a funder, a consistent advocate
for students, particularly those facing challenges.
Someone who talked the talk and walked the
walk of diversity with the first African American
cabinet member, served with the first Hispanic
-- or person of color on the board, the first
openly LGBT board member. I remember you defending
Dreamers when it wasn't popular to defend
them. I remember you opening the doors for
Hispanic leaders at Biz Fest when I was able
to speak to that group and you talked about
how most of these kids had never been on any
college campus and never would be but for
Biz Fest being hosted at Johnson County Community
College, Hispanic high school students doing
a week-long project.
You're a careful manager of money. We sometimes
overlook that in leaders. But you always knew
that it wasn't your money or the college's
money. It's the taxpayers' money, it's the
students' money, it's not our money, and you
were careful with that. And one of my tests
of character is how you handle other people's
money. You passed.
You never asked for a raise beyond what we
gave everybody else on campus. Never in seven
years did you ask for a raise beyond what
we gave everybody else, even though every
equitable measure that we looked at every
year showed you deserved more money. I'm not
saying you were under-paid. I'm saying you
were more than fair to this college. And when
people looked at your salary and said how
does somebody make that much money, I say
look at the other 18 members of the League
of Innovation or our peer colleges. One year
this board forced a raise on Joe higher than
the rest of the campus, and he and Stacy gave
every bit of the extra money to the Foundation
for scholarships. That's character.
The more anybody knows about you and Stacy
and the sacrifice and commitment you made
to this college, the more grateful they are.
I love this quote from Will Rogers. He's not
quite Shakespeare or whoever you mentioned
there that I don't know of. Will Rogers said
we can't all be heros, some of us have to
sit on the curb and clap as they go by. And
I'm really proud tonight to be here to clap
for you.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Thank you.
(Applause.)
>> Chair Greg Musil: The floor is yours.
>> Dr. Joe Sopcich: Thank you, Greg. I'd like
to thank the board for this really marvelous
tribute. It's a very special evening. Even
though it's pushing 10:00, it's still a wonderful
evening, and thank you. I, if you may have
not have -- I'm extraordinarily awkward in
these types of situations. I do not like to
be the center or in the spotlight. I really
don't. And one of the things about this job
is that you have to be in the spotlight, and
it sure helps if you enjoy it. And in this
community, and you saw some incredible representatives
of that on that screen tonight, they -- their
commitment to the college and how they've
demonstrated that, it makes you want to live
up to their expectations. And you have to
put yourself out there.
I think Dr. Bowne is really going to enjoy
this community because it's a very giving
and welcoming community. The college is so
highly revered. I remember when we first moved
here 28 years ago, and we moved down here
from Chicago with a 3-year-old and a 4-day-old
baby and set up shop. In fact, we lived in
an apartment on 119th Street over there by
69 Highway because we were in transition.
I was kind of struck by how -- how welcoming
and generous people were in moving here. I
was also kind of disheartened when I saw my
picture and salary on the front page of the
Sun, "Overand Park Sun." I'd never had that
before. Every family member and -- and my
neighbors knew exactly what I was making,
which was kind of extraordinary. But that's
this community. And we raised our family here
and it's a great place to be. It really is.
And very appreciative of that. You need to
live in other parts of the country to really
understand what I meant by that.
I could tell stories. Poor Terri here. I love
to reminisce, and Terri's had to listen to
all kinds of stories these past couple days,
and she's handled it quite well. But when
you've been here for 28 years, I can tell
you that this place generates a lot of material
for good stories. Even tonight, you saw Dr.
Zamierowski up there. You know, you praise
the simulation lab. That wasn't always what
you saw. Our simulation effort was a mannequin
behind a curtain in the corner of a classroom.
Seriously. Dr. Zamierowski said he'd put 750,000
toward it. Jon Stewart, as a board member,
made the motion to let's match it, and that's
how that simulation came to be.
Kathy Carver, it didn't have a supervisor.
Dr. Zamierowski thought it needed a supervisor,
and Kathy Carver's position was partially
endowed, and the board stepped up and matched
that as well. And now what you have is one
of the top simulation programs in the country
thanks to the courage of one board member
and the generosity of a member of our community.
When Dr. Zamierowski talked about going to
Uganda, yeah, we roomed together for about
five days, and it was fascinating. We got
to share a lot of stories and also talk about
the value of that type of opportunity for
a student to be able to go and work at the
very same hospital in Uganda where the Ebola
virus had started years before. It's kind
of fascinating. But those are the types of
opportunities you get at a place like this.
You know, and people would say, hey, would
you ever want to work at a university? The
beauty of the community college is that it
provides access and opportunity to those who
otherwise may not have that access and opportunity.
And that's kind of like a cause. And it's
great to be a part of something that is a
movement because the community college movement
is very, very real, and in today's society,
it is indispensable to our future. And that
is what I've always loved. I would never want
to work, quite frankly, I'd find no interest
at all in working at a high end university
where everyone comes from relatively privileged
backgrounds. I attended one of those. Great
experience. I loved every minute of it. But
I don't know if I'd want to ever dedicate
my life's effort to something like that.
So I would like to thank certainly the board
for this evening. I'd also like to thank those
around this table who comprise the infamous
cabinet or the leadership team. The amount
of respect that I have for each and every
one of you is tangible. Somebody once said
what's going to be your legacy? And my legacy
is going to be the people that I would leave
behind in those leadership roles. And I believe
that. And each one of you have carried an
insurmountable load these past couple months,
and you always have. I made a list and I call
it, "Things That Happened Under My Watch."
It's for my own benefit, and also it could
be beneficial down the road. I was kind of
astounded how many things, most of which you
don't even have a clue about, that we did
here. But the fact is, I didn't do any of
them. I get to take credit for the work
of everybody on this campus and especially
those around this table. So I thank you for
that from the bottom of my heart. It's been
so much fun working with you. And I enjoyed
your leadership and I wish you all the best
of luck.
So, Trustee -- Trustee Musil, again, thanks
for a great evening. I appreciate you pulling
this off. And one last thing. You mentioned
about being here for 28 years. The fact is,
the fact is, most people don't ever leave
this place. They really don't. It's a great
place to work, for a lot of different reasons.
And you're a part of a mission and everybody
works together to try to accomplish that.
So it's really been a joy and it's been an
honor. So thank you.
(Applause.)
>> Chair Greg Musil: This is so very anticlimactic
and feels so inadequate for -- for what you've
done. We really wanted to embarrass you at
a big public event and we will still hold
open the possibility of doing that. I do want
to thank all the staff around the table, the
cabinet members, Dr. Leiker for being here
and especially our AV and IS staff for pulling
this off. We're going to do a -- I'm sure
you will be doing a debriefing on this and
probably I suspect calling me and saying can
we do this in the board room next month with
some folks on Zoom and some folks in the board
room. Our board room is simply not big enough
to allow seven people to social distance.
So we would have to split up the board in
some -- in some manner or fashion. But if
there is nothing else -- Trustee Cross?
>> Trustee Lee Cross: I said I volunteer to
stay home.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Trustee Cross will stay
home. I'm sure that would be a unanimous vote.
(Laughter.)
I'm kidding. We are ready for a motion to
adjourn.
>> Trustee Paul Snider: So moved.
>> Trustee Nancy Ingram: Second.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Moved by Trustee Snider,
seconded by Trustee Ingram to adjourn. All
those in favor say aye.
(Ayes)
>> Trustee Lee Cross: Yes.
>> Chair Greg Musil: Anybody opposed say nay.
Motion carries. We are adjourned.
