September 28, 2020 at 6:30 PM - Regular Meeting

1. Roll Call
 

2. Invocation
 

3. Approval of Minutes
 

4. Communications
 

5. Audience to Patrons and Petitions
 

6. Information Items
 

6.A. Enrollment Reports
 

6.A.1. Credit Students. The Registrar's Office reports the attached enrollment information for the Fall 2020 semester.
 

6.A.2. Dual Credit and Concurrent Enrollment Report. The Registrar’s Office reports the attached dual credit and concurrent enrollment for the Fall 2020 semester.
 

6.A.3. Community Education Courses. The Director, Community Education, reports the attached enrollment and participant hours for the month of August 2016-2020.
 

6.A.4. Center for Business/Industry Training. The Director, Center for Business/Industry Training, reports the attached enrollment and participant hours for the month of August 2016-2020.
 

6.B. Report of Taxes Collected. Attached is the report of taxes collected for the month of August 2020.
 

6.C. Report of Unfilled Positions. The Vice President, Human Resources, provides the attached report on vacant positions that are currently being advertised.
 

6.D. Resignations and Retirements. Pursuant to Board Policy DMD (LOCAL), the President has accepted the written notice of resignation from the following contract employee:  

Ms. Nicole Tunmire, Mathematics Faculty, submitted her resignation, effective September 18, 2020.
 

6.E. New Teachers for Community Education Programs. Attached is a communication from the Director, Community Education, reporting on two new teachers for the Community Education Program.
 

6.F. Fund Development Report. The Vice President, College Advancement, provides the attached report on fund development activities of the Brazosport College Foundation for the months of August and September 2020.
 

6.G. Adjunct Credit Teachers, Fall 2020. The Vice President, Academic & Student Affairs, recommends approval of adjunct teachers in the attached memo for 2020 Fall semester credit courses. Each of the teachers is qualified in the area of assignment.

The President, under authority granted by the Board, has approved this recommendation.
 

6.H. Guided Pathways Update. The Vice President, Academic & Student Affairs, provides the attached update on the College’s Guided Pathways efforts.
 

6.I. Center for Business/Industry Training Annual Report. The Director, Center for Business/Industry Training, presents the attached annual report about current CBIT activities and plans for the future.
 

6.J. Approval of 2020-2021 SBDC Budget. Attached is a communication from the Director, Small Business Development Center (SBDC), recommending a budget in the amount of $135,311.00 for the SBDC program for 2020-2021. The SBDC operates on an October 1 to September 30 fiscal year in order to coincide with the federal fiscal year. 

The President, under authority granted by the Board, has approved this recommendation.
 

6.K. Student Success Center Report. The Director, Student Success Center, provides the attached update on activities of the Student Success Center for the past year.
 

6.L. Writing Center Report. The Director, Writing Center, provides the attached update on activities of the Student Success Center for the past year.
 

6.M. ACCT Leadership Congress 2020. The 2020 ACCT Annual Leadership Congress will be held online as a virtual event in consideration of members’ well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each day from October 5-8, the ACCT Leadership Congress will convene 15 concurrent educational expert and ACCT member-led sessions and a general session keynote address.  Members of the Board of Regents are encouraged to participate in the virtual conference with Dr. Millicent Valek, President. Registrations for the conference are to be made through Kasie Guthrie, Executive Assistant to the President. More information on the ACCT Leadership Conference can be found at: https://www.congress.acct.org/.
 

6.N. 2020 Higher Education Leadership Conference. The 2020 Texas Higher Education Leadership Conference is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, November 19, 2020, as a virtual event. More details to be provided.
 

6.O. Policy Review. At the Board Workshop on February 13-14, 2009, Regents initiated a systematic review of Board policy.  It was suggested that a number of Board policies be included for review as part of each monthly agenda. Questions regarding the referenced policy may be addressed to the President prior to the meeting for clarification and/or discussion.

The attached policies DH (LEGAL) and DH (LOCAL) regarding Employee Standards of Conduct can be found at: https://pol.tasb.org/Policy/Download/215?filename=DH(LEGAL).pdf and https://pol.tasb.org/Policy/Download/215?filename=DH(LOCAL).pdf.
 

6.P. Brazosport College Calendar. The Brazosport College Calendar for October 5, 2020 through November 27, 2020 is attached.
 

7. Reports/Presentations
 

7.A. President's Report.
-College Update
-Legislative Update
-Regents' Visibility
 

8. New Business
 

8.A. Limited Tax Refunding Bonds, Series 2020.  The Vice President, Financial Services & CFO, requests Board consideration and approval of the attached Order Authorizing the Issuance, Sale and Delivery of Brazosport College District Limited Tax Refunding Bonds, Series 2020 in One or More Series; Authorizing a Pricing Officer to Approve the Amount, the Interest Rates, Price, Redemption Provisions and Terms Thereof and Certain Other Procedures and Provisions Related Thereto; and Containing Other Matters Related Thereto. Dave Gordon, Senior Managing Director at Estrada Hinojosa & Company, Inc., will be present on the Zoom call to discuss this order.

It is recommended that the Board approve the Order Authorizing the Issuance, Sale and Delivery of Brazosport College District Limited Tax Refunding Bonds, Series 2020 in One or More Series; Authorizing a Pricing Officer to Approve the Amount, the Interest Rates, Price, Redemption Provisions and Terms Thereof and Certain Other Procedures and Provisions Related Thereto; and Containing Other Matters Related Thereto.
 

8.B. Adoption of Tax Rate. At the August 17, 2020 meeting, the Board adopted the 2020-2021 operations budget of $54,800,000.  The Board also proposed a No New Revenue Tax Rate (Effective Tax Rate) of $.297866, which is a tax decrease of 0.77% as compared to last year's tax rate.  

It would be appropriate for the Board to adopt the attached resolution setting the tax rate for the 2020-2021 fiscal year.
 

8.C. Readoption of Tax Abatement Guidelines and Criteria. Chapter 312, Property Redevelopment and Tax Abatement Act, of the Texas Tax Code permits taxing units to enter into abatement agreements provided certain conditions are met. On October 12, 1988, the Brazosport College District Board of Regents approved a resolution of the Board’s intent to participate in tax abatement and established guidelines and criteria governing tax abatement agreements.  These guidelines and criteria must be readopted every two years or sooner if changes are made by Brazoria County.  On May 31, 2018, the Brazoria County Commissioners’ Court reaffirmed current guidelines and criteria.  The Vice President, Financial Services & CFO, is recommending Board reaffirmation of the current College Tax Abatement Guidelines and Criteria, Application and Agreement which are attached.  

It would be appropriate for the Board to reaffirm the current Tax Abatement Guidelines and Criteria, Application and Agreement.
 

8.D. Capital Budget Transfer Request.  Due primarily to the COVID-19 pandemic, the cell phone and instrumentation labs capital projects were delayed and incomplete as of August 31, 2020. At the end of FY 2020 unused capital budget remained in the amount of $74,000 for the cell phone project and $134,000 for the instrumentation labs project.  The Vice President, Academic & Student Affairs, and the Vice President, Financial Services & CFO, join in recommending that the Board approve the transfer of the unused capital budget from FY 2020 to FY 2021 in the amount of $74,000 and $134,000 for the respective projects. The President joins in this recommendation. Attached is a memo from the Division Chair, Physical Sciences & Process Technologies, detailing the instrumentation lab budget transfer request.

It would be appropriate for the Board to approve the request to transfer $74,000 and $134,000 for the respective projects from the FY 2020 capital budget to the FY 2021.
 

8.E. Contract Approval - Texas Communications. Attached is a memo from the Vice President, Human Resources, requesting Board approval in accordance with Board Policy CF (LOCAL) for the purchase and installation of campus safety dispatch console equipment to be made for over $100,000 through Texas Communications.  The amount of the contract will exceed $100,000 but will be within the approved capital budget.

It would be appropriate for the Board to approve the President to contract with Texas Communications for the purchase and installation of a Public Safety rated Two Position Motorola/Avtec Console system.
 

8.F. Payroll Related to Potential Future Emergency Closures in FY21. Policy DEA (LOCAL) states that if "the Board chooses to pay employees during an emergency closure for which the workdays are not scheduled to be made up at a later date, then that authorization shall be by resolution or other Board action and shall reflect the purpose served by the expenditure."     

The Vice President, Human Resources, recommends that the Board pre-authorize that the College pay its full-time, part-time, and student employees who are scheduled to work during any future emergency closure in FY21 that is less than one week in duration, unless any of those days are scheduled are to be made up at a later date. Employees should not have to expend leave or go without pay due to the College’s decision to close due to the emergency.    

The President joins in this recommendation. It would be appropriate for the Board to pre-approve that the College pay its full-time employees and part-time employees who are scheduled to work but cannot due to any future emergency closure in FY21 that is less than one week in duration, unless any of that work time is scheduled to be made up.
 

8.G. Financial Report. Attached is the financial report for August 2020. 

It is recommended that the Board accept the financial report.
 

9. Executive Session

The President requests an Executive Session as provided in the Texas Government Code, Section 551.074.

For the purpose of considering the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee or to hear complaints or charges against a public officer or employee.
-To discuss evaluation, contract and employment terms and contract renewal for President.

Open Session

Action on Items Discussed in Executive Session

Consideration and action, if any, regarding items discussed in Executive Session.  (Those listed under Executive Session in this notice.)