NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Special Meeting - Retreat
February 2-3, 2007
5:00 p.m., Arcturos Room, Black Star Farms

CALL TO ORDER — The special meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m., Friday, February 2, 2007, by
Chair Walter (Jay) Hooper.

PUBLIC INPUT
There was no public input.

DISCUSSION — Friday, February 2, 2007

Dennos Museum Center — Gene Jenneman provided information to trustees relative to future planning for Dennos Museum Center. The museum is now 15 years old, its collections have doubled in size, it received the National Governor's Arts award in 2000, hosted the Michigan Museum Association Conference twice, scored highest of any college unit in the recent "branding" study, and 45% of those participating in the Community Attitude and Awareness survey have interacted with the museum in the last year. The museum's challenge is to keep these audiences, with increasing competition and decreasing funding. The endowment is not keeping up with the cost of operations, State funding went from $77,000 to $20,000 in the last five years, and Marshall Fields-DMC's largest corporate donor at $20,000-24,000 every other year-no longer exists in Traverse City. DMC's Strategic Planning resulted in a series of action steps including a fundraising campaign. A feasibility study must take place prior to launching a campaign. Suggested purposes are for an increase to the endowment and capital funding for expansion. Gene hopes to begin some sort of campaign within one year.

Permissive Baccalaureate Legislation — Marguerite Cotto explained that the MCCA Executive Committee has agreed to recommend legislation permitting a community college to confer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Legislation allows a community college to make its case to their accrediting body. NMC may or may not apply; one factor in the decision would be the availability of clinical sites. If legislation is successful this spring, it is the Committee's intent to recommend permission to confer applied science degrees in December.

GLMA — Marguerite reported that the Vice Presidents are analyzing options for strengthening the Academy's relationships with both government and industry. Absent additional external funding, the college's general fund contribution to the program is projected to increase substantially and solutions are being sought to generate additional support and reduce operating expenditures.

Aviation — Marguerite Cotto reported that Aviation continues moving forward. Of the 84 recommendations made by the University of North Dakota, the Aviation team has touched every one. The Board Finance and Audit Committee has preliminarily reviewed a revised equipment purchase and buy-back approach.

Health Education Institute (HEI) — Marguerite Cotto reported that the Institute continues to work very hard in management training for Munson Medical Center in response to jointly established curriculum. Extended Educational Services is managing HEI's community learning initiative.

DISCUSSION, Saturday, February 3, 2007

Policies — Board Chair Jay Hooper facilitated a discussion regarding Policy A107. The Policy Committee will continue this discussion and draft recommendations for board consideration.

Strategic Planning Committee Progress Report — President Timothy Nelson led a discussion regarding the proposed Mission (no change), vision and strategic initiatives as proposed by the Strategic Planning Committee. In order to complete the plan, new value statements need to be developed by the Committee and proposed to the college community and the Board of Trustees for their input into the value statements. Once those steps have been achieved, the Board will invite public input to the Strategic Plan. A tentative timeline was presented and will be finalized within the next week or so.

ADJOURNMENT
The retreat was adjourned at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 3, 2007.

Recorded by Karen Sabin
Karen Sabin (Friday)
Tim Nelson (Saturday)