Special Guest Speakers:

• J. Noah Brown – CEO, Association of Community College Trustees
• Mark Milliron – Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• John Mitchell – Noted Oregon Economist 
• Scott Jaschik – Editor, Inside Higher Ed online magazine
• Byron McClenney – Project Director and Senior Lecturer Fellow, Community College Leadership Endowment, University of Texas at Austin

John Mitchell, noted Oregon economist, opened the conference on Thursday afternoon, with Scott Jaschik (Editor, Inside Higher Ed) , J. Noah Brown (CEO, Association of Community College Trustees), Byron McClenney (Project Director and Senior Lecturer Fellow, Community College Leadership Endowment, University of Texas at Austin), and closing keynote speaker Mark Milliron (Deputy Director, Postsecondary Improvement for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) rounding out the conference. Each of the 20 break-out sessions was packed with topics supporting the conference’s “Taking Charge of Change” theme.
 

Helping Students Cross the Finish Line: Conversations on Credential Completion in Higher Education  

The US education trend data are not pretty. The challenges around the completion of credentials past high school in particular are real and growing. However, an optimist might look at this opportunity and take heart in the rising embrace of innovative technologies, creative student supports, dynamic delivery models, cross-sector partnerships, and data informed policies and say there is hope on the horizon. In this presentation we’ll explore the likely challenges and opportunities on the agenda as we move to help more students succeed on the road ahead.

Mark Milliron, Deputy Director, Postsecondary Improvement for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Meeting Challenging Times Through Teamwork and Technology
As budgets tighten and technology becomes more complex and essential, a sustainable and effective approach to collaborative project management and implementation is necessary to meet the growing needs colleges are facing. Learn how MHCC implements this successful approach to managing its IT systems.
Brenda Brady - MHCC, Portfolio/Project Manager
Michael Hay - MHCC, VP Information Technology and CIO 

Revisioning the Future: Why Life-Planning Makes Good (Business) Sense for You Employees and Your College
PCC's innovative program, 'Life by Design NW', provides a road map for individuals 50+ to navigate life and work transition enroute to their "encore', as well as plan for retirement in a rapidly changing world. Through workshops, community education classes, networking, service-learning travel, and social groups, participants can explore factors affecting life planning and retirement decisions.
Jim Harper - PCC, Board Member
Neal Naigus - PCC, CEO/Assistant to the District President 

 Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Community College Funding, Facts and Figures
This session covered the intricacies of the complex issue of how community colleges are funded, along with trends in enrollment, tuition and other significant areas.
Andrea Henderson – OCCA, Executive Director 

Unleashing Energy for Positive Change Through Appreciative Inquiry - Success at SWOCC  

At SWOCC, the climate of the college was at a critical juncture; morale was low, trust was low, and resources were low. A new president brought hope for positive changes. SWOCC used Appreciative Inquiry to engage the college community in a conversation around what is right with the college; prepare for restructuring its regional accreditation processes; and utilize resources and capacity to build a college vision. We sought inclusive collaboration by inviting everyone. Learn how this could work for your college.

Dr. Patty Scott - SWOCC, President
Valerie Martinez - SWOCC, Vice President
Dr. Kristen Crusoe RN, EdD - SWOCC 

Utilizing Real Estate as a Resource: COCC’s Campus Village

Colleges need a broad range of alternative income strategies to deal with the reality of the current and long-term fiscal strategies. Developing an alternative revenue stream which incorporates a public/private partnership provides long term financial benefits and community goodwill to the institution. Over the past four years, the presenters have explored alternatives and developed specific strategies for using college real estate resources to create a mixed use (educational, residential, retail, office) development on college property while retaining long-term ownership and control of the property.

Jim Middleton - COCC, President
Matthew McCoy – COCC, Vice President for Administration

Sustainable Change in Lighting the Community College Classroom

As college campuses struggle to find ways to meet the needs of growing student enrollment with existing facilities while lowering long term operating costs and retaining high caliber faculty and staff-employing sustainable lighting, lighting control and day lighting strategies are some of the most cost effective ways to lower energy and long term maintenance costs while simultaneously improving the student and faculty experience and reviving outdated classroom/office spaces. This presentation will show multiple short term and long term approaches to effectively implement electric and day lighting strategies to meet the growing demands for energy efficient and enjoyable community college environments.

Jerry Vessello - Chemeketa CC
Louise Foster, AIA - SRG Partnership
Bjorn Clouten, AIA - SRG Partnership
Zachary Suchara, AIA - Luma Lighting Design 

Planning for an Uncertain Future

Revenue reductions, combined with increasing FTEs, are forcing institutions to restructure their strategic planning and implementation to increase alignment between academic goals and finances. This session reviews how two different campuses used highly interactive, collaborative master planning and long-range goal setting to effectively develop projects that were financially feasible while maintaining continuity and focus, reducing waste and reinforcing campus identity.

Richard Higgins- DLR Group Architect
Robert Esau- DLR Group Architect 

What You Always Wanted to Know About PERS – But Were Afraid To Ask

What are the basics of PERS? Thought they fixed it with ‘reforms’ in 2003, and can’t understand why it’s in the hole again? What do current valuations say and what are the implications for community college budgets going forward? What are ‘side accounts’ and why did jurisdictions borrow to set them up? What is coming down the pike with the legislature coming into session? These questions and more will be answered in as clear a way as the topic of PERS allows.

Carol Samuels - Seattle-Northwest Securities Corporation, SVP

Changing to a Balance of Student Access and Success

There has been a great deal of attention paid to student success nationally and in Oregon in the last several years. We have been asked to consider not just how well students find our “front door” but also how well they perform and progress. This

session will expose participants to Oregon’s identified “27 Best Practices for Student Success”, the integration of data from the Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE), and additional research to guide the implementation of our College Readiness Workshops. We will review the development,implementation, and early feedback from this new effort to improve student success.

Bruce Clemetsen - LBCC, Acting Vice President and Dean of Student Services
Sally Moore - LBCC, Associate Dean, Academic Development,  

Communication Arts, and Mathematics

SWOCC Curry County Campus: When the Stars Align: A testament to community partnerships, fiscal management and leadership

The presentation will focus on the financial and budgetary challenges the college had to overcome, how it went from being a non-rated municipal issuer to having an “A Stable” credit rating and the key factors that every college should be aware of when accessing the capital markets for borrowing.

Dr. Patty Scott – SWOCC, President
Linda Kridlebaugh – SWOCC, VP of Administrative Services
Javier Fernandez – Senior Vice President, D.A. Davidson & Co
Mike Gaudette – Consultant, Lighthouse Consulting

Engaging Tomorrow’s Leaders
There is, perhaps for the first time, up to four generations who may be currently employed within the same work environment! Each generation has its unique needs and preferences and their own set of values about the meaning of “good” leadership. A systematic process must be thought through and articulated that reflects the specific needs and capabilities of every individual college. Learn how to develop and manage a process that allows for the history, values and culture to be understood and transferred to the next generation of leadership.

Ruth Roemer – Principal, Cornerstone Consultants

A Framework for Understanding How Conflict Management and Decision Making Degrees of Freedom Improves Working Relationships
In dynamic organizations like our colleges there are almost always more needs and priorities than resources. Members of a college team with a framework of “conflict management” and “decision making degrees of freedom” facilitate effective operations. A common understanding of the language of these every day realities takes the mystery out how things happen and get done between peers, bosses and subordinates.

Ernest Keller, EdD – CGCC Board Member

Taking Charge of Change: The Call for Accountability and Supporting Student Success

Community colleges are being challenged to build an accountability framework to provide stakeholders with critical information. While many community colleges have a second year retention rate of 30% or less, decreasing student turnover and increasing student completion has become part of how community colleges will be assessed. This presentation will review research about student retention and completion and discuss methods to support staff and faculty, both full and part-time.

Mark Smith - NEA Higher Education Coordinator, Pacific Region
Jim Salt - OEA Community College Council President/LCC faculty
Louanne Whitton - OEA Community College Council OCCA Liaison and Chemeketa CC faculty/Part-time Faculty Support Coordinator

Your Questions Answered: Oregon Ethics and Public Meeting Laws

There is a renewed interest in transparency in government. The public and media are paying closer attention to how decisions are made at the state and local levels. Are you aware of the requirements of Oregon’s Public Meeting law? When is it okay to discuss an issue in executive session? Do you have questions about Oregon’s ethics law and how it impacts you? How do you know when you can accept a meal or other gift? Get the answers to these and your other questions.

Karen Smith, OCCA, General Counsel

A “High-Tech, High-Touch” Approach to New Student Orientation

As the student population grew, PCC Cascade developed new strategies to address the orientation, advising and registration processes to keep up with the demand for both hands-on assistance and access to technology resources. The START Lab allow the college to work more efficiently to deliver these services. The model could provide a feasible way for other community colleges to implement similar orientation services.

Roberto Suárez- PCC Cascade Outreach/Orientation

New Market Tax Credits and Your College
The NMTC program is the largest federal economic development initiative to be launched in 20 years with $26 billion in total allocation authority awarded as of 2010. The program is designed to stimulate investment and economic growth in low income urban neighborhoods and rural communities, by creating quality jobs or improved access to services. In 2008, SNW worked with ShoreBank Pacific and Clatsop Community College to secure New Markets Tax Credit equity for their Jerome Campus capital construction project. Find out if and how your institution might qualify for this program.

Nicole Peterson- Seattle Northwest, VP Public Finance and RE
Greg Hamann - LBCC President