Oakton Community College

The board reached a consensus on meeting practices, including the discontinuation of reading the land acknowledgement aloud and the removal of the Pledge of Allegiance from the agenda. The board established a schedule for four annual committee-of-the-whole meetings covering budget reviews, financial audits, and budget priorities. Additionally, the board decided not to renew its subscription to the BoardEffect platform, opting for expiring PDF documents and continuing the delivery of hard-copy board books. Finally, committees and liaisons for the Educational Foundation, ICCTA, HLC accreditation, Pathways to Opportunity, Dashboard, and the Emory Williams Academy were confirmed.

The Board discussed a variety of operational and strategic topics, including the annual budget for the upcoming fiscal year, various institutional purchases, and personnel appointments. The meeting featured a presentation on student success and the college's relationship-rich ecosystem. Key financial actions included the ratification of bill payments, acceptance of the treasurer's report, and supplemental authorization for professional personnel payments. Additionally, the Board reviewed policy revisions and partnership agreements with high schools and clinical practice entities.

The Board discussed the rotation of their executive committee for the upcoming academic year and determined a schedule for quarterly Committee of the Whole meetings. Additional discussion topics included the potential restructuring of meeting procedures such as the inclusion of a Land Acknowledgement and the Pledge of Allegiance. Furthermore, the Board addressed a request from the Classified Staff Association regarding a Day of Civic Action, ultimately declining the request due to recent college closures, and explored strategies to increase Board representation within the community.

The Board meeting included discussions on budget highlights for FY 2027, the authorization to schedule a budget hearing, and approval of various purchase authorizations, including contracts for Wi-Fi access, wellness kiosks, athletics website hosting, and library and printing services. Additionally, the Board authorized the hiring of tenure-track faculty, reviewed policy revisions, accepted grant awards, and performed its annual board reorganization. The meeting also included reports from the president, educational foundation liaison, pathways to opportunity liaison, HLC accreditation, ICCTA liaison, and the student trustee.

This strategic plan outlines a vision for 'Building Just and Thriving Communities' by 2030, focusing on key performance metrics to achieve its objectives. The plan's priorities include increasing student matriculation, enrollment in credit coursework, and completion rates for gateway English, gateway math, and overall credentials. It also aims to improve fall-to-fall persistence, transfer rates, and bachelor's degree completion among transfer students. Furthermore, the plan seeks to enhance graduate employment rates, expand workforce and community partnerships, and increase workplace learning opportunities, with an overarching goal to improve campus climate.