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>> Hello everyone.
I'm Michael Brown from Montgomery College Television
and we're on the Rockville Campus today
for Dr. Pollard's second Town Hall Meeting
of the fall 2013 semester.
Now, Dr. Pollard is very excited about hosting today's Town Hall.
I'm her sidekick today and my job is to moderate things,
to take care of the details, so that Dr. Pollard can focus
on you and your questions.
Now, if you're watching online, you can e-mail those questions
to townhall@montgomerycollege.edu.
And we're going to try to get to as many of those questions
as we can during the hour time that we have today.
Now, you can do me two favors.
First of all, try to keep your questions as brief as possible.
And second of all, whether you are here in the room
or you're watching online,
please introduce yourself before you ask your question.
Now, once again, we're on the Rockville Campus.
We're in the faculty/staff dinning room
in the Campus Center.
So, if you're nearby and you're watching online,
why don't you come on over and join us.
We've got plenty of room and we'd loved to have you take part
in the conversation right here in the room.
So, without further ado, it is my pleasure
to introduce Dr. Pollard.
>> Thank you so much.
Well, I am delighted to be here
and have this conversation yet again.
Last week-- last month I did this and I wore heels
and I stood up the whole time.
So I modify and although this morning,
I thought Miles was going to ask me if I look like a pilgrim
because I got black and white.
And it's November, so I asked all the people in the office
when I walked that door, do I look like a pilgrim today?
They said, "No, you're OK.
The red shoes burst it up."
So, I'm delighted to be here because I know we have a lot
of great questions that have already come in.
Some of them not brief.
This one-- Mike has on top is actually one question.
So we're going to try and modify a few of this, but a few things
that I want to give a shutout to,
I got the best surprise yesterday.
I walked in to my office after a long day
and had a thank you card from the Child Care Center.
And I'll tell you, that was the best thing ever because it was--
they all signed their names.
And it is about the cutest thing I've ever seen
in my entire life.
So, I remember how hard-- whoever who had to sit down
and get them to do that, I thank you all because that--
I was really grateful to have that.
I want to give a big shutout to some of our athletic teams
who are doing outstanding work right now.
We had men's soccer and women's volleyball
that are both advancing to nationals.
That is--
[ Applause ]
and what I understand, our women's soccer missed it
by just a hair going there as well.
So, I am delighted to look forward to seeing the work
that they're going to be doing there.
And as we-- one of the things to keep
in mind, have you all seen it?
It's coming, it's coming, it's coming, November 19th,
we're going to be unveiling the new Raptor mascot.
I was going to be here at the Rockville Campus,
at the Campus Center at 2:30.
So there's going to be free food, giveaways, music,
by HOT 99.5, and raffle tickets to the jingle ball.
And then we're going to go to the gym
and have the big mascot reveal.
Then we have our men and women's double headed that day, food,
giveaways, and a chance to win some awesome prices.
And for what I understand, our basketball team is going
to be fierce this year.
The women, I got my-- I am excited about that.
I'm going to be so pump, but--
I went and bought season's ticket to the mystics now.
So, come, I am going to the women's basketball.
So, I'm very happy and looking forward to that.
Just a couple of things to point out as well, you know,
the registration right now for winter is open, registration
for fall starts on November 18th, so please make sure
that we're helping-- our students think about getting
in sooner rather than later.
Important for us to be thinking about retention in that regard.
You'll be seeing an announcement that will be coming
out from our facilities folks regarding the East Garage
at the Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus.
So please make sure that you see that.
Those of you who were concerned about parking, particularly
at our remote locations from today, that would be coming
out to kind of give you update, plenty of parking.
We're continuing the progress,
so I'm just sure people know what's happening.
And then last but not the least, November--
this season is actually one of my favorite seasons of the year.
I know a lot of people think about the holidays, but for me,
October is my anniversary,
and then November is both Robyn and I's birthday.
Actually my birthday is tomorrow.
Yes, so Myles is taking-- he told me that he's taking me
to see Thor for my birthday.
[ Laughter ]
So, we're going to go see Thor for my birthday.
I think for Robyn's birthday we went to Dave & Buster's.
So it's his-- I find it so interesting.
He's taking us for our birthday.
But my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving, and we've--
and our family Thanksgiving means a lot.
And we spend a lot of time thinking
about how we are grateful for what's happened.
So, I'm grateful to each of you
for the work you do each and everyday.
And then more importantly, grateful to our students
who allow us to be in their lives.
So, very excited about it, we're going to move forward
and I'll turn it over to you for the first question.
>> All right.
Our first question is this gentleman right here.
>> Good morning, Dr. Pollard.
>> Good morning, you too.
>> I'm Atul Roy and I have been teaching full-time here
for 15 years and have been full-time
in this Higher Education industry for 37 years.
And, so first of all, congratulations on expanding us
into China, Ethiopia and India, and again, congratulations
on having successfully given us this opportunity
to speak to you directly.
>> Thank you.
>> So-- you're welcome.
So, my question is coming and--
>> It's a hard question might as well hurt.
>> No. It could be mean but not hard.
>> OK.
[ Laughter ]
There's a difference between the two,
but I appreciate your honesty.
Go ahead.
>> No, no.
So-- so, first of all, I want to assure you,
I'm not a Tea Party member nor a communist.
[ Laughter ]
I'm not a communist.
But my question comes from this red book.
First of all, you know, as a consequence
of Affordable Health Care Act, 30 people lost our jobs
as full-time temps few months ago, you know,
and my wife was one of them.
So, that didn't help.
But anyways, coming back to this red book,
our deductibles are going up.
Let me get the numbers, you know, 1,750,
5,250 individual family straight to 2,500/6,500.
And I know there are reasons.
I myself, I'm getting older and heavier, you know,
but the thing is that, you know, that this doesn't help.
So, I mean my question is this.
That is if you see for me, this is a great place to work,
I love working here, no other place on the planet
that I can find for myself.
But that will be a stock employee.
But I'm saying that with these figures, what would you say
to the talented employee-- sorry, perspective employee pool
who might be looking at ourselves destination employer.
Thank you very much.
>> Thank you too, but God, I love you.
That's the meanest question I get today then I'm doing OK.
I love the spirit in which you asked.
The first part of your question, I would love
to unpack a little bit because the issue regarding temporary
employees who are no longer able to serve
in temporary capacity is not as a result of the ACA.
So, let's-- I want to be very clear about that
because there are lots of conversations going on now
about the impact of the ACA on contingent
or temporary employees,
but that's not the reason why we did that.
This is actually a regulatory issue because of the IRS.
We have-- the IRS gives us a certain number of hours
and a certain number of years for the lack that we put
in which temporary employees can work for an organization.
And if those temporary employees continue beyond
that we then have severe penalty as a result of that.
The college as a time period for many years
because we were not getting new positions, we did something
that many folks in Higher Ed have done.
We hired temporary people.
And we had-- matter of fact,
we hired so many temporary people here
at Montgomery College that continued for years but some
of them didn't know they were temporary, right?
Some of them thought that they were full-time employees
in many different roles and we're very excited about that
until we had to notify them that there was a change in wage
and labor regulations from the IRS.
It's not related to ACA.
Now, there will be conversations that have to go on about the ACA
that relates to other contingent employees,
that particularly being part-time faculty.
And this is a national conversation that's going
on right now, those of you who follow straight papers.
Second, part of your question or if that was a premise
for your question, health care costs are astronomical.
I have no doubt about that.
We do have a committee that is composed of employee groups
that come together, representatives to look at that.
We figure out how to best contain our cost,
what are the strategies in which we can think about?
What benefits to add?
What benefits not to add?
Can we pull somebody?
But you made a very important point.
We are an aging population at the college
that always takes health care cost up.
Are we in a very expensive part of the country
when it comes to health care cost?
And right now, we have a self-funded plan.
So, one of the conversations that we're having--
oh, come on man, don't duck.
Just walk in here.
One of the questions that we have to have
as a college community is, are there opportunities for us
to pull with the counting in some ways that may help?
We had been very been a health care cost--
we've been able to contain them based on some things that we put
in place within the institution.
We would know that there are some challenges based
on some what other folks in the count of your doing
and therefore there are impacts on that as well.
I do know it's an issue that we have to think about.
And I think you're exactly right,
a lot of people besides health care cost, just the cost
of living in this region.
Housing, you can hardly find affordable housing.
I am struck by the number of employees who are
in the age range of 25 to 35
who do not live in Montgomery County.
And it's simply because they had inability
to find affordable housing at the salaries that we pay.
So, for me, we are looking at this issue much holistically,
the destination employer
or the common employee experience is looking at this.
How do we provide compensation
and benefits that are marketable?
And then at the same time allow us as a public institution
because there are also penalties
if we start adding Cadillac plans,
I think they're called, right?
So, there are also penalties that happened
within the institution if that occurs.
But if you have ideas about how we can improve that,
I'm happy to hear them.
And I know the committee that works, there's a committee
or faculty staff and administratives working
with HR ED to come together and they look
at these on an annual basis.
And we have a consultant, our health care consultant coming,
that's OK, you can tweet this.
You can do this up this deductive, do this,
I personally have the one with the highest deductible
and it's a very expensive plan, but it's very important
because I think it also creates some consciousness on me
about how I decide to use my health care
and how I think about that.
But I don't disagree with your concern, health care cost,
and I'm hopeful that maybe after a couple of years of ACA,
we might actually see some decrease in health care cost
but I don't know that.
And other problems that we are people business, unlike a lot
of places where we have other cost that can help maybe
to fight-- we are people business.
Our payroll roughly 80 percent of our college operating budget
as people and that's a lot.
Thank you.
>> OK. We have another question here in the room.
>> Yes.
>> My name is Julie Pretty.
I'm actually at some accolades for Montgomery College
as maybe some of you know or don't know,
our construction management group sent a team
out to Las Vegas.
>> Yeah.
>> I guess you know.
>> I know.
>> And Mario Parcan who is the department chair
and the team consisted of Chris Caron, Chad Oursler,
Dwight Hidle, Sev Henry, and James Glass.
It was a national competition in Las Vegas.
The-- we were the part
of the Associated Builders student chapter.
And we actually made it to the finals,
the only community college that did and they came in second
in quality and control and third in construction management.
So, we placed ahead as some
of the top four year colleges in the nation.
And-- Gricel wanted to add just a couple of--
>> My name is Gricel Munoz.
And I am the president
of the Student Construction Association for this year.
I'm proud to say that we are affiliated
with the Associated Builders and Contractors of Metropolitan DC
and they have well over donated--
funded 13 scholarships to 13 construction management students
for over 35,000 dollars this year alone.
And we continue to help them and they as well help us a lot.
So, we are actually making an event at the end
of this semester to bring all those people back
that did help us and just to appreciate,
give them our appreciation for everything they did.
>> All right, so, thank you for sharing that.
[ Applause ]
Congratulations.
I read that and I think that's outstanding
and it's interesting I just did a blog post about this
that our students when they go off
to national competitions they are shining and bidding folks
who are supposed to be doing this work at forty levels.
Our students come in to shining.
So, I thank you for sharing that.
If you send me a date, I'll try and stop by.
I may not be able to save the whole thing but I'll try
and stop by I think, I love the fact
that you're expressing gratitude
to those folks who are helping you.
Congratulations.
Welcome. Yes, sir.
>> OK. We have an online question.
>> OK.
>> This comes from Jill Kronstadt who is a--
an associate professor of English in Germantown.
>> OK.
>> She has a long question but I'm going to distill it
in the interest of time.
Currently, Banner flags students for academic alert based on GPA,
developmental students are most vulnerable and least likely
to complete are not flagged until they've taken 12
or more credit courses at MC.
So, here's the question.
Can't we at least program Banner to flag students
who have struggled in even one developmental course
so we don't have to wait until several semesters later
until they failed enough credit courses?
>> First of all, I thank Jill for the question
because we all know what the literature tells us
about developmental education
and we know those students often times if they--
if they can't get out of developmental courses,
they very well may not succeed
in college level courses and just discontinue.
The other thing I think is important about her question is
that what should be the premise by which we make decisions
in terms of advising and counseling
and helping students matriculate.
That question can't be based
on what the system can or cannot do.
It has to be based on a comprehensive approach
to how we look at advising students.
So, I happen to know and those of you who haven't attended one
of the phenomenal sessions that Monica and her team does
on starfish, I would encourage you to do that because one
of the things that's in our new developmental advising model,
they're looking at many different factors in terms
of helping students understand success, how to plug them
in different types and how to integrate very clearly
into their-- intrude if I can say into their life,
how to connect them with resources within the institution
and to be very thoughtful
about making sure the students progress.
The other thing is important is at SB740 are the CC or CCA at--
aren't you proud of me?
I get that.
They-- there are certain requirements that we have
to meet as an institution regarding
students' matriculation.
So, the questions you post Jill is a phenomenal one.
I think there are several forces that have come
into effect right now that would change that.
I don't know if Monica had put you on the spot.
But is there going to be this type of flag as a part
of the developmental process?
>> Not an issue, not right away.
Banner still won't allow us to flag students.
>> Right.
>> However, in 2014, there will be a mechanism in Banner
that will allow us to flag students,
developmental students, and all other students.
And we're looking at early alert measures as part
of the developmental advising model.
>> Thank you.
Banner XE, is that the word?
>> XB.
>> XB as in boy.
That will come into effect and it will allow us
to have the programming that we can do to do that.
But I think going to Jill's question
which I think is there's a new advising model we're putting
in place and it's important for us to get all of those steps
in place and I just simply look at Banner as a solution.
We're going to put all of those steps
in place 'cause it does them good to flag the students
and we don't know who's going to contact them
and we don't know what support services who connect them too
so we're putting that all in place.
Jill, I thank you for the question and thank you.
I saw that she had a long explanation about it
and I completely get it.
I haven't taught developmental education in English
and reading for several years.
I know exactly what you mean.
So, thank you.
>> All right, our next question is right here.
>> Hello.
>> Good morning.
>> How are you?
>> Hi. I'm Amy Crowley from Academic Initiatives.
The college has dedicated a great deal of space
for the Welcome Center
in the South Campus Instructional Building creating
room 101 and they also have room 112.
Those of us who work in the building are well aware
that the space is underutilized and we're not seeing students--
large number of students being served.
Currently, there's no longer any meeting space in the building
and more importantly, there is no space
for students to hangout.
If you come into the building during the day,
you will see students sitting on the floor,
lining in the hallways.
So, my question is, would the college consider taking some
of the space in 101, the large room, and putting in seat
in the way it is in Germantown so that students can sit
between classes, meet, have plugs, outlets for them
to charge their devices and also advertise the PCs are in there
so students can use the PCs.
>> Yeah.
>> Thank you.
>> I see no reason why not answer your question Amy.
Thank you for asking.
There's several interesting parts about your question.
One is that we have a space deficit significantly
across the institution.
This campus in particular, we know as already--
it's not only landlocked but it is a campus
that has the most number of students on there
and we don't have enough space.
This has been an ongoing issue as a part of the master plan
for the Rockville Campus.
I will also suggest, you know,
this has also been a very big issue that the folks who work
in the common student experience group talked about,
how do we create spaces for that?
So, I think that's a very good point.
I'm very happy to speak but we can talk to Karen Roseberry
and the folks who are responsible
for the Welcome Centers.
I see no reason why we shouldn't do that.
Those centers are very busy upfront
and then during the academic year they actually slowed
down quite a bit.
I suspect they'll pick up some more in terms
of fall registration,
but it doesn't mean we couldn't have space in it.
I was in there a couple of weeks ago in the afternoon.
You're right, it's very empty,
students aren't there, they pop in.
So, I think it's a very good idea to figure out how
to create flexible spaces so that we can use them.
But I also know the facilities in IT are actually
in the process right now of putting charging stations
and they're investigating how to create those on the campus.
That's a part of our facility's capital improvement plan
and IT has been part of their IT plan because--
and the other thing is the parking lots,
I know that's a big issue.
How do we get a wide by experience in the parking lots,
'cause a lot of students go there during classes or in
between and wait, so we're trying to figure that out.
And then, how do we in general
which I think is an interesting point create a more a
student-friendly campus?
I am struck by the fact that you go into certain parts
of our campus as you described students are sitting on a floor,
they're laying up against the wall.
They're hanging over the rail
and everyone is why you are in full in back.
And they're doing that because we don't have enough space.
I'm hopeful when we get the new student services on this campus,
or their help alleviate some of that
but we'll still be a space deficit.
So, we-- we have some significant issues
in that regard.
And if we can use flexible spaces and kind of swing them in
and out, I think that makes good sense.
So, I talked with Karen Roseberry about that.
Karen, and what's-- Karen, who's in charge of directive as--
OK, is another-- Amy, thank you.
Thank you, Amy.
>> OK. We have another question right here.
>> All right.
>> Hi, Dr. Pollard.
>> Hello.
>> My name is Dean Schleicher and I'm the articulation
and transfer specialist.
>> Yes, you are.
I sign a lot of papers for you.
>> You do.
[ Laughter ]
Which part of a College and Career Readiness
and College Completion Act, otherwise known as SB 740,
do you envision having the largest impact
on Montgomery College?
>> Thank you, Dean.
Well, one of the things I think is going to be interesting
in the fact that the student has to have a pathway articulated.
I think that's going to be one of the most significant ones
that we have as an organization 'cause that means we have
to put the infrastructure in place which is
with the whole development or advising model is
about how do you create a sustainable pathway,
the student knows it from the moment they walk in
and then be able to articulate
that throughout their collegiate experience.
I think that's a really big opportunity
but it's also-- is a challenge.
The second one that I think is probably most challenging,
if I'm correct, the legislation says
that after a student completes a developmental class
and somebody can correct me if I'm wrong,
they must immediately go into a credit bearing class.
Now, the idea of how we can make somebody do something,
Dean, is a challenge.
I think oftentimes too sometimes for students, if I had gone
through and I'll just say this 'cause I saw two
grading earlier.
If you have-- you had to do some working developmental math
and you get to that sequence,
I can probably say the last thing you thinking
about is getting into another math class.
But the reality that the leadership tells they should,
so how do we impress upon students the need for that
and how do we look at coordination schedules
across campuses that can occur?
I think that's going to be a significant challenge for us.
Those are the two at the top of my head.
And thank you for the question, Dean.
>> Thank you.
>> All right.
Next question is an online question.
It's from a student who didn't sign his name.
>> Uh-oh.
>> So, they broke--
>> Yeah, let me know--
>> -- rule number one.
>> Yeah, yeah, let me know if we should answer it or not.
[ Laughter ]
Yeah, I know I like nameless question.
>> It's a good question though.
>> Uh-oh.
>> Dr. Pollard, you recently wrote a post titled
"Ending Hunger in our Community is the Community College Role."
In this article, you discussed the need for Montgomery College
to take part in the food recovery network
for the students that attend MC and the surrounding community.
You also say as a college, we understand that the food
that fuels bodies also fuels minds.
Along with the lack of food distribution, there have been--
there have been issues with food deserts.
I'm not sure what that means.
Can you address the importance of quality of food provided
to the students and community and how this relates
to your presidential priorities to improve the bookstore
and food service operations to meet the student need.
>> That's a very engaged student.
Wow, they-- they read a few things.
But I will answer because I do think they are--
there are some important points to be made in that.
The number one issue that I hear from students
after parking is concerns about food service.
And with that, we know that we took
that very deliberately this year.
In fact, Cathy, Carrie Fletcher,and all of our folks
who run accessory services and AFS really worked a lot in terms
of correcting one a new RFP that went
out for our food services program
and then very deliberately set down ahead, baffle conversations
about the people or the group that was a finalist
about what the needs of our students, how do we look
at correcting healthy options for our students,
cost containment strategies, variety, all the things
that are important to students.
And-- and actually employees out in here today before I leave.
So, there is an important part about how we think differently
about what those processes are.
How can we make sure the students can actually afford
to eat?
I was struck.
I happened to be just come apart campus a couple of weeks ago and
but I grabbed lunch, and next thing I know, I-- I got a salad.
I got some ice tea.
I got some fruit.
I picked up a cookie.
And next thing you know it was 10 dollars, I'm actually, what?
You know, and I thought
to myself 'cause I think I would really go back
with something else but I was like, wow, you know,
and I thought if a student did this everyday,
50 dollars per week is--
is a lot for most of our students they have to live on,
I mean they'll be able to do.
So, I think we have to talk but on the other hand,
it's a business, right?
So, we cannot expect our food service provider
to then not make any money on the work
that this is a very delicate balance about how you meet needs
and expectations and also how you allow a business to be able
to generate enough revenue to allow and to stay in a business.
And I would tell you one of the challenges for us is
that we are a disperse-- we have three campuses.
So, my understand is a little
of time food vendors don't even want to apply to come
into our vending areas because we have also lot of competition
in terms of our student, bar area here.
We have our own munchies area.
So, they don't have-- what's the word they call it?
They don't have full control
of the entire food services program.
So, that creates a little bit of challenge.
First we have three campuses, so how does that play itself out?
So, it's a very complex issue but I think that's when we have
to be very thoughtful about poverty
in this country is significant,
and just growing in Montgomery County.
In fact, between 2007 and 2010, the county--
those who live in poverty according
to federal poverty standards rose
like 33 percent in Montgomery County.
So, it's not just something,
and you all know a lot of them are students.
So, we have to think about how that plays itself out.
Very important issue we're working on that.
Yeah, Cathy, you want to say something?
>> Yes, I would just like to add--
well, you can spend 10 dollars on your lunch--
>> Yes.
>> -- and it's easy to do that.
>> Yeah, that was me that day.
>> Especially with the-- you know, new choices we have.
>> Yeah.
>> One of the things that's important to remember is
that we have a-- we have a three dollar breakfast.
We have a five dollar lunch available complete meal
and we also now have a six dollar dinner.
So, if you choose those meals specifically, you can--
you can leave the cafeteria without spending the 10 dollars.
And we also have other new choices.
We have vegan meals now.
We have more vegetarian choices and--
>> Salad-- the salad bar I love.
>> -- and salad bar at Rockville and McLaughlin Park.
We also-- you'll be interested to know how nutritional labels
on all of the grabbing goes.
So, if you want to find out how many calories or, you know--
>> And my cookie.
>> Yeah, yeah.
Don't look at it on a cookie.
>> Yeah, yeah.
OK. Good.
>> But those options are now available in this new contract.
So--
>> Very good.
>> -- you know, if you had an experience
in the cafeteria prior to July 1, we hope that was not positive
or too expensive, please visit the cafeterias
on all three campuses--
>> Awesome.
>> -- again.
And you may find something that's more affordable
and also more to your nutritional needs.
>> That's a great-- and am I jealous
or complaining 'cause that's-- but I--
I made the choices I made.
I could have had as you suggest--
I was on the value meal option, right?
But I made a different choice
and that cookie was good, just for the record.
So, thank you all very much.
Go ahead, Mike.
>> OK. We have another question from the room.
>> Hi, Dr. Pollard.
I'm Carol Rognrud.
I'm the Executive Director of the foundation,
and I'd like to ask you about the you entered
into a partnership with the Montgomery County public schools
and USG to help those underrepresented and in college
who have a pathway to college
through Montgomery College and then onto USG.
The achieving excellence at success
and college success program, could you give us an update
about how that is going now that we've been in the schools
and how many schools were in
and just a little about that program?
>> Awesome.
Thank you very much, Carol.
I'm very excited about this program
because ACS is doing something that all
of us know is important.
We're actually going into the high schools and working
with students who traditionally have been underrepresented
in Higher Education.
Right now, we are in 10 high schools this year.
Nearly, a thousand students if I'm correct are enrolled
in the ACS program and we have coaches in each
of those high schools
and working very deliberately not only with the students
but their families to talk about college going
and to help them understand what that pathway can be
from college-- excuse me, from their high school
to Montgomery College and then to USG.
This program is geared to our traditional ethnic groups
who are underrepresented first generation students who are--
would be considered living in poverty,
students who have academic or other challenges
and very thoughtfully designed that we're really intrusive
and working in partnership with the high school personnel.
I think that's an important thing.
And then when the students come to Montgomery College
in addition to all the support services we have,
how we have coaches that can help them navigate the system
as well here.
And many of you know, this is a very personal thing for me.
I've talked about this in several places
because I know this program is designed for people who get--
who don't know how to have conversations at home
about college or who's family may say, I want you to go
to college but they don't have a clue about how to get you there
or more importantly how to navigate the systems of college.
Those of us who do that we think is, you know, I go sometime,
we start dropping all of our acronyms and phrases
and systems, people like, "What the heck are you talking about?"
And they-- they're intimated by that.
This is really to demystify that and give people access
to education in really thoughtful ways.
So, thank you, Carol for the question.
Very excited.
We're going to have-- have update about ACS as a matter
of fact on Friday from the team.
This is a high profile program as well.
The county invested resources into as well
of the college's resources.
So, we're very thoughtful about this is progressing.
Thank you.
>> And we have a question right here.
>> Oh, I'm not going to tie and shirt pattern.
Yeah.
>> Hi. My name is Mapo Cedrica, a member of the student council
>> Hello.
>> Hi. We had an ongoing debate because we are talking
about the book prices then we are trying
to institute a book exchange in their college
like between student and student instead
of having going to the bookstore.
So, and just ask you like according to you how--
how much resource do we have in order to like infiltrate
that into the system rather
than just creating a club with the students?
I've tried in making it like a system
like lets say financial in office.
I've tried to get a book department in the school
like how much associates do we have
on if that's possible, could we do that?
>> Yeah. One of the things I'm going to ask you to do
because there has been a lot of work done right now to look
at textbook affordability.
And we not only have had state law that required us to do that.
We also have had a group of college employees
that work deliberately on that.
So, we do have opportunities for book rental.
We have opportunities for loaners in different places
and we work very *** that.
That being said, textbooks are expensive.
And we had very little control over that.
And right now because the market is open enough,
you can purchase books from our bookstores
but you can also go online in many cases and purchase them.
And we have to provide that data to those vendors.
They can make that available.
There's a-- the control factor is somewhat problematic.
But in terms of the program that you're suggesting,
I'm going to ask you to work with--
you and this campus work with Deborah,
Dr. Deborah who can connect you with the bookstore team,
the manager to talk about what the process would be
to institutionalize it if it's possible or not.
There may be some limitations that I'm unaware
of right now based on our contract with different vendors
and our contract with the folk, the publishers,
but I think it's a worthwhile conversation.
And I applaud the students for trying to figure out how
to be entrepreneurial to solve those types of problems.
Thank you.
Dr. Bright, you know Dr. Bright I'm sure.
All right, thank you.
>> OK. We have an online question.
This is from Becky Rosansky.
>> OK.
>> And she wants to know
when will we get an updated .edu website?
The current website is confusing and hard
to navigate, exclamation point.
>> The college, you mean the-- the one she says .edu,
the entire college's website?
Yeah, we have actually-- I-- Beth I have to turn over you--
do you-- I know Dave is working, he has a group that's going
to be working on this but I think
as a part of a communications.
Can you talk about this?
>> So, we did-- I'm sorry.
>> Thank you.
>> So, and some of you may have known or you participated
and we did a communications audit where we did a series
of focus groups around the college to find
out how we're doing with internal communications,
also external communications, the number of faculty staffs,
students participated.
We're going to the start of the January, February.
We're going to actually do some additional surveys to get
out additional information we're looking for.
And that's going to help us form the basis of where we went ahead
with the website because it's-- it's great to--
we hear that feedback, believe me
about the things need to be improve.
But we need to know what we're working toward to ensure
that when we do have a new website.
It's going to work well for everyone.
So, believe me, we hear it, we want to make those improvements
but it is going to take some algorithm.
We want to make sure that we have the research to back it up.
But we all-- also we're doing some IT
and communications are doing some work at looking
at the issue of content, management and content strategy.
And the idea of we need to make sure that the content is rich
and good on our website.
So, it's not just a matter of make it look pretty
and make sure it's easier to navigate.
It's also to make sure that the content we have
on this site is a value to our students, or faculty, or staff
and our perspective students, so.
>> I think the other thing-- who asked that question?
Becky, did you say her name was?
>> Becky Rosansky.
>> Yeah, Becky.
The other thing I will say Becky is that, we also have
to have a substantive conversation about the purpose
of our website oust the purpose of our internet or portal.
I think that there is a challenge right here
that the dissonance occurs, I think in terms of what
and how we use a website and what and how, what for
and how do we use a portal
and how do we make sure they're complimentary
that had the same purposes.
I happened to a couple of weeks ago work in the response center
which OK, if you haven't done that, God.
I was literally overwhelmed in that moment.
But the amount of information, you know,
but they use the college's website so much
to get information, literally type it in, bam-- here it is.
So, is that the place we want that information?
That should be on a portal or is it the website?
So, is it an informational purpose?
Is it a marketing purpose?
There's lots of things we have to think about the website
and I really appreciate Becky for asking the question
and I'm hopeful, we'll start to see some plans.
We don't just want to start changing it
without knowing how we're going to change it
and that's something I'm trying to make sure we do.
>> OK. Next question is an online question,
it's from Debra Poese.
>> OK.
>> Director of the School of Education in Rockville.
As, you know, that I realize full-time faculty
of Montgomery College are feeling disrespected
and frustrated with the increasing lack
of voice we perceived under your administration.
Do you have any plans to reach out and improve the situation
in the coming year or should faculty simply assume
that our professional options are not-- opinions, I'm sorry,
are not welcome outside the confines of our classrooms?
>> Wow. So, that-- that was a question right there too.
[ Laughter ]
What-- what I would tell.
First of all, I want to tell Deb,
I'm sorry you feel that way.
It is never my intention to have any employee group, faculty,
full or part-time staff, bargain or none, students full
or part-time administrative to feel if they--
they're not respected their voices and valued.
What concerns me though about that is that I'm not quite sure
if I agree with the premise of the question.
I think it started-- she started of the question, if I'm correct,
Mike by saying, as I no doubt know
because there's a certain amount
of schizophrenia that's occurring right now that I see
within the organization.
In fact, for every message that I receive
about Deb's experience is speaking very thoughtfully
about that.
I will receive-- I just actually got an e-mail the other day
from a faculty member who said to me,
"This is the most exciting I felt about my discipline.
I'm very excited about the academic reorganization."
Literally say that was a gentleman and he said,
"I know you're going to get a lot of feedback
about this but keep it moving."
Now, there's this kind of interesting part about that do
and I hear that type of commentary
that I hear a commentary such as the one that Deb post.
And I'm struck by how to balance that in a way that allows
to do a thoughtful about the fact that things are changing.
I get that, and I also recognize the fact
that roles might be changing,
and understand might be changing.
But I don't necessarily know in terms of a question
that full-time faculty voices are being silenced.
I'm very deliberate in trying to make sure
that if a faculty member full or part-time wants
to have a conversation with me, we have those conversations
that we have a governance system as vibrant and allow us
for that both in terms of a faculty councils.
We have the campus-based faculty senates.
We have the various faculty serving multiple constituency,
councils across the institution.
So, I don't know how I feel about that.
I would argue and offer very clear as I said in many places,
there's a difference in terms of how
that communication is blowing.
There is a government system
and then there's also other mechanism
with faculty to engage.
And I welcome the opportunity here how that can be improved.
I had a couple of faculty in my office last week
and it was very interesting to have that conversations
because one said to me in a very similar thread,
here's some concerns I have and then went
and to talked about certain issues.
And as we started to unpack the issue, it was very interesting
that there were very different perspectives
about what happened.
There is the perspective of this person based on what they saw
and heard and then the perspective of me as someone
who saw in her different things as well and how
that played itself out.
But I did have a meeting, was it just this week, yesterday,
or I'm losing track of the days.
Today is Thursday.
So, Tuesday morning, I had a meeting with leadership of each
of the unions, AAUP, AFSCME, and FCIU.
And a similar thread was brought up by President Wilson,
Dan Wilson and I said to him, I said, "So,
here's what I'm going to ask you do."
Most times when people come to me
with the challenge or concern.
I asked him, give me a solution 'cause in the back
of their heads, people already started thinking
about the solution.
So, I said to him, I will welcome to opportunity for you
to bring to me three or four ideas about ways
in which faculty can feel as Deb suggested more engaged
in decision-making or whatever that gives me and then we'll sit
down and have a conversation about that.
Because I have-- I have yet to understand how
that is not happening.
I spent an-- an amount of time having lots
of conversations with people.
A couple of weeks ago, I sat down with--
I had a great conversation.
I really admire the leadership council, faculty council
or chair, met also with the union president that time
to talk about issues I think they came to three issues.
As a matter of fact, what are the college sharing?
Three gets and I said, here-- here are your three gets.
Not a problem.
Let's figure out how to make it happen
and I think we've done that.
So, for me, I'm trying to understand more what that is.
Does it mean the things have changed in a way
that people are trying to figure out and navigate in the system?
No doubt. Have the people changed?
The people have changed.
I have no doubt about that.
But the question for me is to figure out,
give me some solutions in ways that can show me where those--
that voice is there, and I have been and we'll continue to reach
out in ways that I can in many ways as I can.
The irony about that as I said at the table
and have this conversation with the union leaders.
I told Dan, I hear what you're saying.
I said but the irony is I get these e-mails from people
who tell me very different things.
I said and then I look at part-time faculty
who for many years have described a completely
disengaged, disvalued experience at the college.
And they say, yeah, are we a nirvana?
No. Are me making progress?
Yes. They described that.
I turn to Liz who represent asking me and say,
do you feel the same way?
That she was bringing me problems
about the performance evaluation.
We talked about that but then she said,
but we are making progress in some areas
and have brought legitimate concerns that can be addressed.
So, Deb, I welcome that.
If you want to sit down and have a conversation
with me, I welcome that.
Because I need to understand and I'm sorry
that she feels a way that's been her experience
but I certainly welcome the opportunity
to hear the thoughts.
>> Very good.
We have another question from online.
This is from Nik Sushka who is the Service Learning Coordinator
at the Rockville Office of Student Life.
And her question is Montgomery College is service learning
program coordinated through student Life
on all three campuses, engaged over 2,000 students each year
with over 50 community partners and dozens
of service learning faculty through projects
and courses Co-Curricular Leadership Development
opportunities and high impact programs
like alternative breaks.
Where do you see academic
and Co-Curricular Service Learning fitting
into MC's community engagement initiatives
and the academic restructuring?
>> I don't know how but I know that they should.
This is-- the college is a member
of the Maryland DC campus compact that looks
at how you look at civic engagement
and be very thoughtful about how you produce citizens who step
into a role of being engaged in active members of society.
And a lot of that comes through service learning.
And I also think their ways in which we can be more thoughtful
and engaged in people on that, you know, I think--
I've worked in an organization where the faculty and students
and the HVAC Program would go out and do a HEAT--
HEAT test, a furnished checks before the co-season started.
It was a very important learning moment for them
but also was a great service they did this in communities,
particularly seniors and people who are in public housing,
very thoughtful experience to get back opportunity,
to engage with a customer or client but also
to give that service back.
I know that we do a lot of that right now.
And so, the announcement for the--
there was a fair that was done at the school here
in Rockville, a health fair.
I thought that was phenomenal because here's a great way
of having students the experts
at the same time be very thoughtful about the ways
in which they are communicating their expertise to students
in helping young children feel more valued and knowledgeable
about their own health experience.
And we have lots of packets of that
but I think what's interesting to me
about it is I don't know how we have consolidated our knowledge
about them.
And I think that is what maybe the restructuring can help us do
and a what community engagement can help us do they figure
out how we publicizes what's happening, how we organize
in a way that people understand it,
and then create other opportunities.
There's not a day-- I just--
matter of fact, I had the case centric for adoption,
support in education meet with me this morning at 9 o'clock,
and they wanted to talk about, is there a way
to do some work regarding Adoption Education Awareness.
Could the college work with them to do another portraits of life
on adoptive families in Montgomery County
to raise awareness and that is the combination students use a
write-ups, faculty and students use the photos.
And I thought what a great idea and I think.
So I-- so, I'll talk to the folks who've done that and see.
So, there are-- there are opportunities for that
which would be very thoughtful about how we let people know
that we do a lot of that already.
>> All right, we have a question here in the room.
>> Hi, Dr. Pollard.
My name is James ***.
I'm a student here in Arkansas.
Ever since I first attended this campus,
I love the campus community.
And I just wanted to say I was a student
that represented the summer alternate break when we went
up to Union Beach to help up with the shore relief
and that was a great experience.
And all I can say is really changed my perspective
on everything and allowed me to build
about a better relationship with--
of with other students and my other professors.
And I just want to let you know
that like we should continue this
and I also apply again for this winter.
So, and I'm hoping to be a reflection leader for this trip.
Thank you.
>> See, James.
I can't even pay for that.
[ Applause ]
So, the best part of my job
without a doubt is the opportunity to talk to students
and hear about those things.
And to hear how their experiences
of this college is literally changing and life,
they're building confidence.
Yesterday, I spent time at the Germantown Campus
and their leadership student-- leader seminar.
And I spent an hour with them talking about leadership
and they had phenomenal questions about learning style--
to leadership styles and challenges,
the joys of leadership and the hard questions you have
to answer as the leader.
How do you build consensus?
And I was so struck by the number of folks who come
and may got leadership in a very--
but to see them literally growing
over the course of the semester.
So thank you, James for sharing of that experience.
>> OK. We have a question online.
This is from a student, the editor of the Excalibur.
>> OK.
>> All right.
He says, first I would like to apologize in advance
if I'm asking inappropriate questions.
>> Oh, that's so sweet.
>> I don't think it is so.
>> All right.
Thank God.
>> I want to ask you a question
about AELP Institutional Credit Announcement.
>> Oh, boy.
>> The-- the college decided
that AELP courses will no longer earn institutional credit
and will not be calculated
into a student's GPA starting fall 2013.
We even published this announcement in the newspaper
but since then, many fellows have been asking me why this
privilege is given only to new students.
Most of them say that their AELP grades affect their GPA
significantly-- significantly, and when they try
to transfer the presidents of the AELP courses
in their transcript makes them lose in the high competition
of the four-year school admission process.
What should I say or answer
when they ask me questions like these?
>> Well, you know, it's interesting.
I was thinking about-- you have those leadership moments
and you think about things that are challenging.
Kenneth, going to even to Deb's question earlier.
This undoubtedly is probably one of those examples
that she will cite about faculty voice
and faculty decision-making.
And this is a very hard one.
This is a group of students who came to us and this is a--
there are certain fights I've picked.
This was not one I picked.
This is a group of students
who over a several semesters made a very--
a strong case about the role of those credits in their GPA
and also their ability when they are transferring
to other institutions that was negatively impacting them.
And the college went through a study,
actually a multi-year study, many studies that were done
and had some phenomenal people who put to participate in that.
And ultimately, I accepted a recommendation
and made the decisions.
So, let's be very clear, I made the decision
that we would no longer accept the AELP
for institutional credit
and those will not adversely affect students GPA.
However, you don't have the ability to go back and do that.
You have the opportunity to set a date from this point forward
because at that particular point, the student is--
there's a new catalog that goes into effect and that student is
in that catalog and it goes forth.
So, we can't go back and do that.
What I would advise those students when they transfer
and it might be very useful them to talk to their advisor here
at the institution and maybe there's some supplement,
a letter that might be able to be attach to say,
the college is going forward
and maybe this is something I can talk with Monica
and keep looking she was right here.
I'm thinking of advising if there's something
that we might be able to say for those students, you know,
starting with the catalog fall of 2013,
institutional credit would no longer be offered.
Dan, we need to have a conversation about this
and figure out how we can help students have that is a part
of their description when they go forward.
But I think what I would tell the editor
of the student paper is to rephrase this.
Students express a concern, the college studied it,
we made a decision on it and may have made a positive effect
on students who are coming in future years
but we can't go back and change what's happened
because that credit is already in on their transcript.
They already have a transcript that the college has to honor.
>> All right, we have another online question,
this comes from Dr. Jon McLaughlin, part-time professor
of English at Germantown.
I would like to thank the president
for her continued support
of part-time faculty research including grant funds
to support travel involving research.
Will there be available funds to assist part-time faculty
who would like to accompany Professor Malveaux and students
to Cuba this coming January?
>> Probably not.
I don't know then I have to talk to Dan and see
if there's some mechanism.
I would think probably not.
That is going to be a trip
that exceeds any financial commitments
that we've already made to adjunct and full-time
and staff for that matter.
We'll probably not be able to do that.
I don't-- I'll say it probably but I'd say probably not
in a very, very deliberative manner.
But I'm excited and I've certainly hope
that this particular person takes advantage of it.
The other thing I think is important about that question
because I've ruminated on these things along the way.
Every time and I think if you look at the history
of this country, actually maybe the history of the world.
When some folks gained greater access
to the political structure, again, greater access
to the resources of structure, there are always going
to be consequences for that and there always going
to be perceptions about who gets in and who don't get in,
who gets some and who's not getting some.
And at the end of the day, if I give you a piece of the pie,
that doesn't mean I'm getting a little bit lesser piece
of the pie?
And what's the impact on me?
And I think we have to have--
they're part of what we are experiencing right now
within our organization, is this very a shifting culture?
One of the things I've said to Dan and Bill when I met
with them and Liz who was in the room early this week is I think
that there is somebody needs to hold a form
on what are faculty roles for 2020.
And when I say that, I say it not and I said not talk about it
about Montgomery College.
Don't talk about the State of Maryland, don't talk about 2015,
2014, push it out because otherwise, we personalize it,
and it's too hard to have the conversations
but those roles are changing.
Last night, I had the opportunity
and I don't know how I got invited but the Gates Foundation
and the National Journal held a thought leader discussion
on the achievement gap and Workforce Development.
And today, they're doing a whole symposium
if you get National Journal on The Next America.
And in this conversation was fast
and they had all these different models
of education playing forth.
But here's the Gates Foundation guys sitting next to me, right?
And the conversation that we sort of having he said
and we say, "What is going to be the role
of faculty in the future?"
Will there be a distinction between full
and part-time faculty?
What will that look like?
How will you start to have conversations about advising?
How will you have conversations
about those students who are at risk?
I-- and I told this to Dan and Bill, how I'm going
to start the conversations, and I don't know to be saying,
do you even got an agenda?
Do you even try and make that?
I want us to have the dialog because I think if the--
if the basis of Deb's question earlier, this question that came
in from who's as the part-time faculty member?
>> Jon McLaughlin.
>> Jon McLaughlin.
And all of the questions we've had, we are in the midst
of a shifting reality right now.
And it's shifting so fast
that we can't even get our hand on it.
We're trying to figure out what that looks like and in that,
it creates discomfort.
My last example on that,
it relates to what's happening right now with our board,
our board of trustees.
I chose but I've had any epiphany the other day.
I met with Sharon even told Joan, and Chelsea over there.
I said, you know, "I grew up in an environment
where change was constant."
It was a part of what I do, how I do.
As a matter of fact, I always get a little uncomfortable
when things stayed the same for too long 'cause I'm trying
to figure out what that actually looks like.
But what happened and this is that now and I was sleeping,
and I talked to him about this morning.
Our board is changing significant
and that's we have a board chairman who had been
on this since I started.
He's no longer now the chairman.
He's not even on the board anymore.
We have new members who started within the last six years
and we have one member who's right now a holdover
from into the second term.
Different reality, very different reality,
and I'm trying to figure out how do I navigate this?
You know, how do I talk to this person?
How do I relate to this person?
The power of dynamics has shifted and had been a couple
and I said, I had to check my blood pressure in the middle
of the night because-- I'm serious, it was like,
what the hell is happening, right?
But the reality during the days,
I've had to choose how I'm going to react.
And am I going to say, I'm going to manage this board
and support this board and be a student and leader of this board
in the same way that I have been or do I figure
out with the new reality is going to look
like in the new paradigm
and start adapting the shifting toward that.
And that's when I've made that conscious decision.
Cathy this morning, I happened to walk into the bookstore
and she gave me a moment.
I'm-- I talked to somebody and said I needed it so bad.
They gave me a moment.
I don't know if you realize you did it.
But she's start with-- she said, "How are you doing?"
"Chill, I'm OK.
I'm not complaining today."
And she said, "That's so good."
She told me about this book she's reading
and what's the theory?
>> It has to do with the native--
it has to do with the Native American myth and advice at 20
when we turned into our new century.
It is about staying in the middle of the river as opposed
to holding onto the sides because we will drown
and we will pull ourselves apart if we do not begin
to understand the process of flowing through life basically.
>> So, she just gave me a moment you all.
[ Laughter ]
Literally, I walk in a bookstore,
as I'm walking here and, you know,
I don't know the questions where I walk in.
I looked 15 minutes to get here early, Beth and Chelsea,
they showed me, and I looked at them and I said, OK.
And I thought-- I said, so this is going to be my new mantra.
How do I stay in the middle of the river
and just keep on flowing?
Because I think there's a whole lot of opportunities.
There's fear, there's anxiety, there's a tendency to hold on
and you all know, Phoebe, no, I don't swim.
So, you know, when I get in the water, I am really trying
to figure out how to hold on.
But now, I've started to realize that that's the knot.
It's how do you flow?
So that's my goal.
>> Well, we've ran out of time.
>> Oh, I talked too much, Dan.
I'm sorry.
[ Laughter ]
Is there a quick question in my last--
>> We have a quickie.
>> OK, quickie.
>> OK. 'Cause it's a short question.
>> All right, might as well be short though.
>> What is your opinion
of the newly created Ombuds position for the college?
>> Excited about it.
It was a recommendation that came from a group of folks,
faculty staff, and the administrator say we need this.
What I understand, Sarah whose
in this row was only working part-time has been busy.
She's now actually working overtime.
I saw her the other day and I kind of say,
you got some limits here.
So, very active about that.
Excited because it was--
obviously, it's still in the need and look forward
to seeing some recommendations for it.
Very good.
>> All right, well, thank you, Dr. Pollard.
[ Applause ]
And thank you to all of you here in the room and online
for joining here on the conversation today.
Our next town hall meeting is going to be in February of 2014.
It's going to be in the early part of the month.
It's going to be on the Takoma Park, Silver Spring campus.
So, keep an eye on Inside MC Online
and also the President's Corner Monday message for details
about our next upcoming town hall.
You can follow us
at new.livestream.com /montgomerycollegelive.
You can go on there and check out all the information
on upcoming Montgomery College live web events.
So once again, for Dr. Pollard,
everybody on the MC TV production crew,
we want to thank you
for participating in today's town hall.
>> Thank you all.
Great audience.
[ Applause ]
[ Silence ]