With respect for cultures and the needs of communities, Northern Lakes College provides quality educational programs and services which enable adults to continue their education, to improve their employment opportunities, and to enhance their quality of life. MINUTES The Board of Governors of Northern Lakes College April 25, 2013 Grouard Campus, 10:00 a.m. Present: Governors Archie Cunningham - Public Member (Chair) Gerald Cunningham - Public Member (Vice Chair) Earl Laboucan - Public Member Vacant - Public Member Jennifer Moore - Public Member Wilf Willier - Public Member Sandra Willing - Public Member Scott Biggin - Faculty Association-nominated Member Jordan Koski – Student-nominated Member (Teleconference) Odessa Ptashnyk - Staff Association-nominated Member Rick Neidig - President Staff Madeline McVey, Vice President, Academic Lynne Haas, Vice President, College Services Robert LeSage, Senior Director and Chief Financial Officer Brad Hestbak, Senior Director, External Relations Randy Anderson, Community Consultant Maureen Samborski, Recording Secretary Guests Shona Hommy-Bugarin 1. Opening 1.1 Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 10:12 a.m. by Chair Archie Cunningham. Board of Governors Meeting April 25, 2013 1 1.2 Adoption of Agenda MOTION 113-12/13: Moved by Wilf Willier That the agenda for April 25, 2013 be adopted as corrected. CARRIED 1.3 Acceptance of Minutes MOTION 114-12/13: Moved by Jennifer Moore That the minutes of March 19, 2013 be approved. CARRIED MOTION 115-12/13: Moved by Sandra Willing That the minutes of April 2, 2013 be approved as corrected. CARRIED 1.4 Committee of the Whole 1.4.1 Motion to move to Committee of the Whole MOTION 116-12/13: Moved by Jennifer Moore That the Board move into Committee of the Whole. CARRIED The Board moved into Committee of the Whole at 10:30 a.m. In the absence of Vice Chair, Gerald Cunningham and at the invitation of Archie Cunningham; Sandra Willing assumed the Chair. 1.41. (a) April 11th meeting with the Ministry • Collaboration – There was agreement to work together to transform the post-secondary system to serve students and Albertans. It was acknowledged that there are difficult decisions ahead. The goal of working together more is to enhance opportunities for students, our institutions, sectors, and the post-secondary education system as a whole. Collective efforts are in support of students and their learning and more broadly the social and economic health of Alberta. • Letters of Expectation – The collective set of letters for the 26 institutions will effectively become a memorandum of understanding. The Presidents and the ministry will take the time over the coming months to further develop system, sector (from the 6- sector model) and institutional level outcomes and have these built into revised Letters of Expectation by the start of the academic year (September 1, 2013). The different levels of outcome will provide some consistency across institutions instead of individual institutions writing their own without system coordination. The short term budget issues will be separated from the “outcomes and results-based planning” exercise embedded in the letters. The Budget details and FLE expectations will be removed from the Letters of Expectation. Along with the revised letters, the Post-secondary Learning Act will be opened for review in the fall. Results Based budget reviews are due next May. These three activities will be related to each other and begin with the specification of outcomes in the letters. The Board Chairs will be brought together in the near future through the Campus Alberta Strategic Directions Committee to further discuss the Letters of Expectation as well as other opportunities to continue to advance the post -secondary learning system. Board of Governors Meeting April 25, 2013 2 • Legislation & Funding Model – The Post-secondary Learning Act as well as the current funding model will be reviewed beginning this year to identify the changes needed to support the new directions for the post-secondary education system. • Communication and Dialogue – Ministry Executive Leadership will meet individually on a quarterly basis with the Council of Presidents, Board Chairs, and student union organizations to ensure momentum is maintained on achieving outcomes. Lynne Haas joined meeting at 10:39 a.m. • Tuition – Student tuition for the 2013-14 academic year will be frozen for post- secondary programs at 2012-13 levels. Institutions will be compensated for the lost revenue. Student unions at all post-secondary institutions will be encouraged not to increase their fees. There have been no changes in agreed to direction in relation to current process around mandatory non-instructional fees. • Campus Alberta – Institutions and ministry leadership are committed to exploring opportunities to enhance access to post- secondary education for Albertans. Enhancements may come from the needs of institutions, partnerships within sectors and partnerships within Campus Alberta. Important attributes of Campus Alberta include academic independence, institutional differentiation, and access for students. Institutions play an integral role in ensuring that Albertans have the cultural, economic and social capacity needed to ensure healthy communities and a prosperous future. • Enterprise - The Enterprise side of Advanced Education was discussed briefly. The link below is a video of what Enterprise is about. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV_OqBSu_Qw&feature=youtu.be • Letter dated April 18, 2013 – A letter from Honourable Thomas Lukaszuk dated April 18, 2013 that was sent to the Board Chairs of Post Secondary Institutions regarding the 2013 provincial budget was reviewed. • Meeting – Archie Cunningham will set up a meeting sometime in July with all the MLA’s and MP’s in Northern Lakes College geographic area to discuss the positive impact the College has on the communities in our area. 1.4.1. (b) Public Accounts follow-up • The purpose of the meeting was to review Northern Lakes College’s most recent financial statements and reports, and any related recommendations included in the Auditor General’s most recent reports. • Other discussion included: growth numbers, strength of accreditation, quality control, policy development, and student stats regarding completion rates, satisfaction, etc. • Some of the noted challenges that Northern Lakes College has recently faced affecting the report include: loss of CFO, hiring challenges, NAIT amalgamation, first major construction project since 1992, and the impact of the 2011 Slave Lake Fire. 1.4.2 Motion to adjourn Committee of the Whole and move into the Public Meeting of the Board MOTION 117-12/13: Moved by Jennifer Moore That the Board adjourn the Committee of the Whole. CARRIED The Board moved out of Committee of the Whole at 11:45 a.m. Archie Cunningham reassumed the Chair. Board of Governors Meeting April 25, 2013 3 2. Introduction of Guests: 2.1 Brian Panasiuk, Director, Career Programs 2.2 Amy Saitz, Coordinator – Human Services Careers 3. Presentations: 3.1 Survey Theory and Calculations Program Brian Panasiuk gave a presentation on the Survey Theory and Calculations Program. This program started in the 1980’s as the Survey Technician Program and is now called the Survey Theory and Calculations Program. Some of the basic information of the program includes: • Nothing similar in province. • Program is offered part-time and entirely by distance • Tuition for the course is $225/course and we pay the instructor $140/course. Net $85/course registration. • Only use contract instructors. • Grade determined by one final exam. • Have a contract with a company so they can offer the courses to their employees. • Time from application to starting first course is generally less than one hour. • Continuous Registration. • Have students from across Alberta and even some BC and SK. • Union of Operating Engineers – Union #955 has chosen ST&C courses to be part of the development pathway for union members. • Only pre-requisite is that you are working in the field and have a letter from your employer. • Presently working on transferability agreements with NAIT and SAIT. • Was established as a practical hands-on program for people employed in the field. • A copy of the presentation was provided with agenda package. MOTION 118 -12/13: Moved by Wilf Willier That the Board receive Mr. Panasiuk’s Survey Theory and Calculations Program presentation for information. CARRIED 3.2 Educational Assistant Program Amy Saitz gave an overview on the Education Assistant Program. This program prepares its graduates to assume diverse responsibilities within educational settings. The program started in 2002 when Northern Lakes College partnered with Grant MacEwan College to offer the Teacher Assistant Program. The program name was updated to Educational Assistant in 2012 to more accurately reflect employments position, titles, and duties. The 5 year average on program stats indicate: a full load equivalent of 22, retention rate averaged at 88%, completion rate is 72%, employment rate for graduates at 90%, students’ overall satisfaction rate 100%, and 98% of the students would recommend this program. Some of the school divisions have made funds available for Educational Assistants to access for course tuition fees. Most school divisions have pay incentives for educational assistants who have acquired a certificate. A copy of the presentation was provided at the meeting. MOTION 119-12/13: Moved by Jordan Koski That the Board receive Ms. Saitz’s Educational Assistant Program presentation for information. CARRIED Board of Governors Meeting April 25, 2013 4 The Board recessed at 12:25 p.m. for lunch The meeting resumed at 1:10 p.m. 4. Reports 4.1 President’s Report: Rick Neidig • A new Community Education Committee was created at Chateh. Applications for Fall programs at Chateh are strong. There are currently 60 ready, willing and able applicants over and above the full class already accepted. All upgrading applicants are at the Adult Basic Education level. • Program advisory committee meetings are scheduled this spring for, Social Work, Early Learning and Child Care and for the Education Assistant programs.