Present: Ann Adams, Lynn Bain, Beth Camp, Phil Krolick, Marlene Propst, Gary Ruppert, Evonne Rutherford, Ron Sharman, Ann Smart, Sharyn Smith, Mark Teschner (Student Rep), Diane Watson, Ed Watson, Peggy Weems, Steve West

Guest: Jon Carnahan

Jon Carnahan gave an overview of distance education at LBCC. Early on it became apparent that distance education wasn't applicable to just one discipline. As part of college-wide organization, the college began to sort out its spot in distance education. This led to the formation of the Distance Education and Instructional Technology Committee.

One of the hallmarks of community colleges is that we are able to change as technology and curriculum changes. Delivery of instruction is the cornerstone of the community college and the success of students is paramount. Regarding distance learning, Jon has been open to suggestions of how we can improve in that area. We have a strong commitment to distance learning, distributed learning, and adapting our delivery systems to different learning styles.

However, through distance education, other public and private institutions have access to the residents in our district. Jon talked about his experience working with medical systems in a local community. It is also true with community colleges we can't keep our competitors out of our "area." Our key concern is to know our own market: Who are we serving? Our charge is to design, deliver and support programs that are relevant to our local community. We have done a good job in keeping balance in our distance education offerings and the numbering of classes and enrollments have increased. Jon appreciated how the college has been able to navigate through this. We didn't worry if we had too much or too little offerings. At this point in time, we made the right decisions regarding distance learning and distributive learning. We have combined distance education technology with on campus classes. It is not "either/or"--either the new way (technology) or the old way (white board/lectures). We need continued balance in how we support our present curriculum and new curriculum that may be delivered in a different way.

Our next step is to "institutionalize" our delivery system. Jon has started an initiative for longer term planning -- where the college would be 1 year, 5 years and 10 years down the road. We now have some resources to invest and we need to make good, conscious choices. The college began a 21st Century campaign to raise private money and also passed a $19 million bond measure. The college has a wonderful reputation of being a good steward of public money while still providing a good education for our students. The bond funds must be used for capital construction. The private money can be used for instructional technology. The Governor put $45 million in his budget for enrollment growth for community colleges. The wild card is the state's revenue forecast. If we get student based enrollment funding, the state will provide about 45% of community college needs. LBCC's reserve fund balance is $3 million. The college has a reserve fund because it made reductions due to the anticipated impact of Measure 5; we have been conservative in our expenditures. Jon said he would be willing to spend this reserve down over a period of six years. We have to set aside money to upgrade and maintain our equipment. It costs between $400,000 and $500,000 just to upgrade our computers, but we have strengthened our accounting processes so that we are depreciating and anticipating maintenance and replacement. Jon is working on a college-wide process for planning how to use the rest of this reserve fund.

A Planning Task Force has begun to look into the huge amount of needs that have been identified for the college. Once a project is identified, then a team leader will be appointed with a team composed of staff who are interested in the project.

Jon then sketched out a possible way for DEIT to be involved because DEIT issues need to be institutionalized at the division and the department levels. For example, normally, the DEIT Committee develops goals every year and then decides on subcommittees to reach those goals. But for 2001-2002, Jon would like to set up a DEIT design team, perhaps organized around a planning retreat this summer to assess LBCC's technology choices over the next 5-10 years. . He envisions using this group for planning and as a design team for technology for the future. As we do capital construction and upgrading of facilities, it's important to meet the technology needs of both students and staff. We need long range vision and planning to guide what we will look like and what we'll be doing in the future. There will be around 20 projects over the next 4 or 5 years. There will be teams for such issues as: building, reconstruction, signage, and security. We need to focus on institutional goals for the future of LBCC.

Jon asked for comments/reactions:

It seems that is what the committee is already doing. However, it is important to break out of subcommittee work and look at the larger picture.

In answer to the question, "Do you envision technology for just instructional or for services like registration?" Jon said he was thinking of both instructional and service areas. The new model of state support is student driven -- if we serve more students, we receive more FTE reimbursement. It all comes back to students.

The committee has an avenue to look at the bigger picture the Summer Institute.

The Capital Planning Project Committee has only met once. At its next meeting, Jon will recommend this committee be assigned technology. The chair of the project will be the chair of this committee. Then the committee can interact with the Capital Planning Project Committee. This will enable the DEIT Committee to look at the broader perspective.

DEIT's strength is that it has been composed of staff from cross disciplines and services, and it has done a good job of integrating our past needs for information and strategies. We now need to look at a larger picture out a "longer" window--5 to 10 years into the future. We need to consider how the college mission affects our use of technology and, given the rapid rate of change in technology, what are the options facing us. In short, we need a futures oriented report from this new DEIT design team as part of our overall and college- wide planning for the future.

We're also concerned about staffing and the need to develop and maintain new buildings. Jon said when we look at new space, we need to look at the support needed to maintain it. Out of every $1 the college spends, 84 cents is for personnel. There will be no new money for personnel. We will have to grow and/or increase efficiency. These are the kinds of decisions that will be made by the task force teams.

Subcommittee Reports:

1. Student Support Diane Watson

Diane handed out a new strategic plan. Ed told the committee that over $100,000 in funds are available to develop distance education classes. Marti has the forms. $3,000 per project is allowed. The deadline has passed but there is still money left which has to be spent by the end of spring term. He urged committee members to submit a proposal.

2. Marketing & Web Presence Marlene Propst

Marlene handed out the subcommittee's goals for 2000-2001. Its goals are somewhat rolling, depending on what people are asking for. The subcommittee has met a couple times.

Ann Adams requested that the DEIT Committee write a letter of recommendation for the decision package she is preparing to hire a new Media Tech II and increase Ken Long from 11 months to 12 months. Beth said she would write a letter of recommendation for this decision package.

In response to a question from the last meeting about LBCC staff email addresses, Ann Adams said the question of community colleges having the right to use an .edu email address would be settled on the national level. One option might be to have staff use their first name dot last name. New staff would be given this email address as they are hired. It would be necessary to unsubscribe staff from all listservs and then resubscribe. Beth will ask for input from the whole committee and then get back to Ann Adams.

NEXT MEETING: The next full committee meeting will be during the 7th week of spring term.