NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Special Meeting
April 22-23, 2005
5:00 p.m., Baffin Island Room, Crystal Mountain Resort

CALL TO ORDER
The special meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m., Friday, April 22, 2005, by Chair Cheryl Follette.

PUBLIC INPUT
There was no public input.

DISCUSSION
Friday, April 22, 2005: Viewed Leading Change, a video tape of Peter Drucker and Peter Senge and discussed it's implications for NMC and the Board of Trustees. Discussion included the notions of planned abandonment, environmental scanning, going where the organizational energy lies, and other topics.

Reviewed notes and topics from prior retreats. In particular, the 2002 retreat led by Cindra Smith, an ACCT consultant who provided a suggested Code of Conduct for the Board of Trustees. The Trustees asked that the code be placed on the next Board agenda so that it could be presented as a first reading and allow the Board to have public discussion. Additionally, the last two retreats have suggested that the Board review all of the Board policies. A policy committee, chaired by Ross Childs will establish a schedule for review. All policies will be reviewed and read at regular board meetings.

Saturday, April 23, 2005: A discussion on the book "The Future of Higher Education". Trustees shared their thoughts on the important issues and questions raised in this book and suggested that some of these topics be further examined by the Strategic Goals Committee. Important trends that are occurring nationally, include governmental calls for increased accountability, negotiated agreement between colleges and government for higher levels of autonomy, the increased privatization of public institutions, the increased market orientation and the associated problems related to that orientation. This book and its major topics should be reviewed and discussed by others at the college and within the community.

ADJOURNMENT
The retreat was adjourned at noon on Saturday, April 23, 2005.

Recorded by
Tim Nelson