District board approves grant and OCCA contract during meeting

The district board approved a $16,000 grant request Wednesday night to help replace outdated lighting in the Studio Theatre and approved a new Oregon Community College Association (OCCA) contract, which allows expenditure of funds in excess of $150,000.

As a part of the OCCA contract, maximum expenditures have been set at $250,000.

Daryl Harrison-Carson, who made the presentation on the grant request, said the $16,000 Reser Foundation Grant will be used to replace the 25-40 year old lighting system.
The OCCA represents the 17 publicly chartered community colleges and assists the colleges on topics such as appropriation and college funding and educational policy.

Upon the calling of a quorum, Michael Viera, part of the Community College Search Services that the college has hired to search for a new president with Michael Hay retiring in June, provided a search update.

In the update, Viera highlighted the following dates that were a part of the process of hiring a new president.
On Oct. 30, the Search Advisor Committee, which is comprised of various employees of the college, a student and other representatives, will hold their first meeting, an orientation session.

The following week, the committee will meet on Nov. 6 to gather information on what kinds of individuals the college is looking to replace the president with.
Viera said the position be closed on Jan. 4 and interviews will begin in February before holding public forums and board interviews sometime in the middle of March.
David Minger, the vice president of Student Success and Enrollment Services, announced MHCC disbursed 52 percent more financial aid in fall of 2012 versus fall of 2011 with a total of $6,441,999 disbursed.

Minger also said with the new financial aid system, which has gone entirely online, whereas last year it 10-12 weeks to process financial aid documents, it now takes 3-4 days.

“We have one of the fastest financial aid delivery (systems),” said Minger.
When asked why a new board member was not elected as per the original agenda, District board chairman Dave Shields said, “The board is still in the process of evaluating the applications.”

Asked when he thinks the board will elect the new member, Shields said they would most likely do so at the next board meeting.

There are five applicants for the position, including Catherine Baker, Andre Wang, Paul Capell, Katherine Kralj and James Zordich.

The next board meeting is scheduled for Nov. 14, 2012.

Advocate Staff