NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Special Meeting / Mini-Retreat
August 27, 2007
8:30-11:30am, Courtyard Conference Room, Parsons-Stulen Building

CALL TO ORDER —

PUBLIC INPUT
There was no public input.

DISCUSSION ITEMS:

Parent concern - Trustees acknowledged receipt of a letter from the parent of an adult student. The letter expressed policy concerns. President Nelson explained that Vice President Siciliano had thoroughly researched the issue, which Trustees agreed is an administrative matter. President Nelson was asked to respond to the writer on their behalf, based on the research done by Educational Services.

Meeting structure - Trustees expressed an interest in having first-Monday special meetings devoted to finance, policy and strategic planning discussions. Monthly financial reports can be given by staff before the Consent Agenda at regular meetings. Any member may bring up a discussion topic at meetings, but as a courtesy, the board chair should be notified ahead of time.

Reports - Trustees discussed types and quantity of oral reports received at both regular and special meetings. They would like reports scheduled out for the year, balanced between regular and special meeting agendas. Tim will classify the reports listed on the handout as to whether they are Plan, Do, Check, Adjust or Information. The board is interested in receiving reports/information on: environmental scanning; local demographics; regional trends in hiring/firing; compensation (all levels), and "state-of-the-art" educational delivery methods.

Committee Structure - The following decisions were made regarding board committees:

• Finance and Audit Committee and Strategic Goals Committee will cease to exist as separate committees. Finance committee functions will be accomplished through the entire Board operating as a committee of the whole.
• An ad hoc Board Audit Committee will be created to be in keeping with best practices as defined in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. This ad hoc committee will be charged with recommending an auditor, determining what the internal audit component will be, and reviewing the audit with the auditors prior to the full-board review. Membership will remain the same as the former Finance and Audit Committee.
• Policy Committee will continue to meet as usual.
• Presidential Performance and Self Evaluation Committee was discussed. The title will change to Presidential Performance and Board Self Evaluation Committee, and the charge will be reviewed to be sure the intent is clear. Trustees discussed a need for clear goals against which they would measure their own performance (e.g. spend more time discussing board business and strategic issues, modify the board agenda to facilitate discussions, etc.)

Institutional Goals - Tim provided copies of the strategic plan, a draft of trustee suggestions for the President's annual goals and a draft of enhanced strategic initiatives for discussion. Under Strategic Initiative #2, Resources, the group prioritized the following three areas for emphasis in the coming year: 1) Dennos Museum Center; 2) Water Studies Institute; and 3) Energy. On hold for 2007-08 are further development of Health Education Institute and Viticulture/Agribusiness. Tim is to provide goal revisions reflecting this discussion.

Other - The Board asked Tim to review current job classifications to determine whether there might be alternative job classifications that could apply to non-faculty personnel who are delivering instruction to students. Currently positions are either faculty or administration. Should there be something else?

ADJOURNMENT
The retreat was adjourned at 11:30 a.m.

Recorded by Tim Nelson