The Olympian

Issue date: 10/10/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Sophie Siemion Pondering a policy on policy. Chairwoman Alice Tawresey confers with other members of the board and college administers about important issues at OC.

The Olympic College Board of Trustees convened
for the first time during this school year on
Sept. 25 to discuss housekeeping issues.
Most of the conversation had no direct effect
on the student body, such as Vice President of
Administration Barbra Martin proposing a policy
on how to make policies. The board discussed
some minor uses on the wording of the policy
on policy and talked about updating the policy
manual, which hasn't been done since October
2005.
The highlight of the meeting for students
would have to be presentation by Leslie Miller,
President of the Associated Students of OC,
detailing the ASOC's plans for the year.
Miller said she was optimistic about the philosophy
of having ASOC events that were planned
by students instead of the ASOC, like they have
been in the past. She also said that their goal this
year is to get more students involved on the campus
and help with retention.
"There are really exciting things happening,"
Miller said.
The board received the report with praise.
"We appreciate what you are doing as far as
retention," Alice Tawresey said in response to the
report.
Retention has been a crucial issue because of
the shrinking enrollment, which was reflected in
President Dr. David Mitchell's his report to the
trustees.
"Enrollment is better but not what we would
like it," Mitchell said.
Dr. Nat Hong presented the report for the
Association of Higher Education and reintroduced
the issue of the gap between two-year
and four-year college salaries. According to the
National Education Association, Washington has
the largest gap in salaries between two-year and
four-year schools.
Hong also said that he plans to run for one
more two-year term as president of AHE. The
board expressed their appreciation for the work
he has done during his time of service and said
he would be missed.
Kim McNamara, director of the Shelton campus
and head of a committee that is drafting a
new version of OC's mission and visions statement,
reported on the committee's progress.
She presented a draft of the revised statement
that considers the needs of students, employees
and the community surrounding the college.
"We have very conflicting demands of who
we are," McNamara said. "What emerged for us
is a mission statement that is like a three-legged
stool."
McNamara added the vision statement is
intended to be future orientated so it becomes an
ideal that the school can strive for.
The meeting ended when the trustees went
into a closed executive session to discuss the
performance evaluation of Mitchell. In a report
released after the meeting, the board said, "Dr.
Mitchell has provided steady, wise and mature
leadership to Olympic College."
They concluded by saying they are "eager to
move forward" with him over the next academic
year.

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