Central Oregon Community College

The Board of Directors discussed several key business and academic items. These included awarding a contract for Construction Manager/General Contractor services for the Redmond Campus remodel and expansion project, and approving a fourth amendment to a ground lease agreement for the Outcrop subdivision. The Board reviewed and authorized updated mileage and meal per-diem rates for 2026. Additionally, the Board appointed two new members to the Budget Committee and approved room and meal plan rates for Wickiup Hall for the 2026-27 academic year. Academic program changes were also addressed, including the approval of a new Welding Technology Career Pathway Certificate of Completion and the suspension of the Welding Technician Career Pathway Certificate of Completion.

The committee discussed proposed revisions to board policies and administrative procedures, including debt level and management, General Fund reserve policy, the board planning cycle, board operations, delegation to the president, and the code of conduct. Key topics included addressing potential uncivil public commenters during meetings, managing public comment time limits, and clarifying communication protocols between board members and college staff. The committee also reviewed new legally required policies concerning federal immigration enforcement and law enforcement operations on campus.

The committee discussed the President's evaluation process, including the review and revision of the evaluation tool to incorporate future goals. Key tasks involved planning interviews with senior leadership team members and community leaders to gather performance feedback. The committee also outlined plans to hold an executive session to review the President's self-evaluation and compile written performance feedback submitted by Board members.

The committee discussed outreach strategies, including coordinating talking points for Board members to use in the community regarding enrollment data, campus expansion projects, and economic impact. Advocacy priorities were reviewed, specifically regarding proposed federal budget requests and their potential impact on CTE programs. Additionally, the committee evaluated activities related to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, legislative updates, and engagement plans for the student government.

The Committee discussed proposed revisions to the General Fund Reserve Policy, focusing on maintaining bond ratings and establishing reporting frequencies. Discussions were held regarding the Debt Level and Management policy, specifically targeting the viability ratio. The Committee also reviewed Governance Process policies related to Board operations, including public comment procedures and building naming conventions. Additionally, they reviewed Board-President relationship policies to improve communication and drafted updates for the Board Member Code of Conduct, including conflict of interest language, while tabling the review of the President's job description.