Riverland Perkins Consortium

OPERATING POLICIES

Revised July 2020

Table of Contents
Introduction and Purpose .................................................................................................................3
Organization
Consortium..............................................................................................................................4
Executive Board ......................................................................................................................4
Operation Team ......................................................................................................................5
Officers ............................................................................................................................................6
Membership and Terms ...................................................................................................................7
Operating Rules, Quorum and Voting .............................................................................................8
Vacancies .........................................................................................................................................9
Committees ....................................................................................................................................10
Reporting........................................................................................................................................11
Amendments ..................................................................................................................................12

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Introduction and Purpose
The Riverland Perkins Consortium was organized under the Minnesota State Plan for Career and
Technical Education to plan for and implement career and technical education programming in
the region. The consortium has been approved by the Minnesota Department of Education and
the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and is comprised of one community college and
nine surrounding school districts in southern Minnesota. The consortium is the legal recipient of
federal funds under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act and is obligated to
manage those funds in accordance with federal and state laws, rules and regulations.
The Riverland Perkins Consortium was organized to address ten functions:
 To understand the needs of the geographic region in which the consortium resides and to
plan career and technical education programming that meets the needs of the region while
addressing five state goals:
o Developing and implementing programs of study
o Building and maintaining partnerships with business and industry
o Providing services to members of special populations
o Expanding access for learners by brokering services with other Perkins consortia
o Maintaining the consortium
 To build upon and improve relationships among secondary and postsecondary partners
within the consortium
 To expand partnerships within the consortium by engaging other partners deemed
essential to consortium success
 To develop and implement programs of study, at least seven of which will be designated
as signature programs of study and will be included in state required accountability
measures
 To identify and implement technical skill assessments at one or more secondary sites and
at the college
 To expand program access for students by collaborating with other Perkins consortia
where local programming is not available
 To facilitate the transition from high school to college and from college to university
within programs of study
 To ensure access to adequate career guidance and advising supports
 To develop and implement budgets at the secondary and postsecondary level that
facilitate progress toward consortium goals
 To gather, report, and utilize data for program improvement and accountability
This handbook describes the operating policies for the consortium so that it may carry out its
responsibilities in an effective and efficient manner.

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Organization of the Riverland Consortium
Consortium
Under Minnesota’s State Plan for Career and Technical Education, a Perkins Consortium will be
comprised of at least one eligible postsecondary institution (community college, technical
college, or combined community-technical college) and at least one eligible secondary institution
(public independent or special school district). A charter school district may be a member of a
Perkins consortium if it maintains a state-approved career and technical education program.
The following entities are members of the Riverland Perkins Consortium:
 Riverland Community College
 Albert Lea Public Schools – District 241
 Austin Public Schools – District 492
 Glenville-Emmons Public Schools – District 2886
 Grand Meadow Public Schools – District 495
 LeRoy-Ostrander Public Schools – District 499
 Lyle Public Schools – District 497
 Owatonna Public Schools – District 761
 Southland Public Schools – District 500
 Kingsland Public Schools—District 2137, effective July 1, 2018
Executive Board
The Riverland Consortium operates under the direction of an executive board comprised of the
following:
 President of Riverland Community College or designee
 Two school superintendents – one from among the three larger school districts in the
consortium and one from among the six smaller school districts in the consortium
 Three Riverland Community College deans with CTE programs
 Two high school principals or alternatively administrators representing the high schools –
one from among the three larger school districts in the consortium and one from among
the six smaller school districts in the consortium.
 A secondary career and technical education teacher
 A postsecondary career and technical education faculty member
 A high school counselor and a small schools Career Navigator
 A Riverland Community College student affairs department representative
 A representative from the regional WorkForce Centers
 An individual/s representing the economic development region or Chamber of Commerce
 At least three but may have more business/industry/labor representatives
 Ex Officio members are the consortium coordinators
Representatives on the executive board are to represent their constituents to the best of their
abilities, and are to communicate the activities of the executive board and the Perkins consortium
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to their constituents using normal communications channels. Executive board members are
responsible for the operation of the consortium as a whole and should not promote programming
or utilization of resources that benefit one member of the consortium over the consortium as a
whole.
The executive board will meet at least two times each year and will make recommendations
toward the development of the annual consortium plan. The executive board’s role is to provide
oversight of the operations team who will carry out the work of the Executive Board-approved
plan of the consortium. The executive board will review the proposed consortium plan prior to its
distribution to the college president and district superintendents for approval and submission to
the state.
Operations Team
The operations team is comprised of the postsecondary Perkins coordinator and the secondary
Perkins coordinator and they determine the Operations Team membership. The coordinators
develop the structure of team meetings and the program of work to accomplish the Perkins goals
and objectives. The coordinators may include individuals with program/and or fiscal
responsibility at the secondary and postsecondary levels. Various individuals may be invited to
participate in quarterly meetings of the operations team. Operations Team members who are not
designated as part of the Executive Board may still attend Executive Board meetings as ex-
officio and non-voting members.
The consortium Operations Team is responsible for seeing that activities included in the
approved consortium plan are undertaken, and provides regular updates to the executive board
regarding implementation of the plan and progress toward consortium goals.

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Officers
The executive board will call for nominations of a chair, vice-chair and will proceed to elect
candidates to these positions for the duration of the three-year terms.
The chair works with the coordinators to set a schedule, and plan agendas for executive board
meetings. The chair conducts meetings of the executive board. The chair communicates and
works with the coordinators regarding the implementation of plan of work for the consortium.
The vice chair presides at meetings in the absence of the chair.
The Executive Board minutes are taken (generally by staff from the college or by a secretary
which may be appointed by the meeting chair) and distributed to members and the consortium
ensures that work of the executive board is recorded.

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 Membership and Terms
Members on the executive board will be selected by the represented constituents. Except for the
college administration, members should not serve more than two consecutive terms.
The term of membership on the executive board is three years arranged, when possible, so that
one-third of positions are vacant each year. A term of membership starts on July 1 and concludes
on June 30. Membership of the executive board:
Position Member Representing Term
College Administration President Atewologun; Riverland Ongoing
Designee — Barb Embacher
School Superintendent – Large David Krenz, Vice Chair Austin July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2021
District
School Superintendent – Small Jamie Goebel, Chair Lyle School District July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2022
District
Riverland CTE Deans Kelly McCalla, Riverland July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2021
Ryan Langemeier July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2022
Laura Beasley July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2023
Secondary Principal – Large Kory Kath Owatonna July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2023
District
Secondary Principal – Small Jeff Tiege Glenville-Emmons July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2022
District District
Career and Technical Education Heather Earl Riverland July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2023
Faculty
Career and Technical Education Denise Lage Owatonna School July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2021
Teacher District
High School Counselor Kathleen Lommen Albert Lea District July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2021
Small Schools Career Navigator Heather Schutte SMEC schools July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2023
College Student Services Nel Zellar Riverland July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2023
Representative
MN WorkForce Center Mike Postma Workforce Region July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2022
Representative
Economic Development Rotating Representative Albert Lea, Austin, Terms do not expire
Region/Chamber of Commerce from this category: Owatonna
Elaine Hansen
Business/Industry/Labor Mayo representative AL/Austin Mayo July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2021
Representative Lori Routh Health Systems
Business/Industry/Labor Jeff Irvin Northern Country July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2022
Representative Coop
Business/Industry/Labor Judy Callahan Hormel Foods July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2023
Representative Corporation
Ex Officio: Secondary and Ryan Stanley Austin
postsecondary coordinators Jean Kyle Riverland

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Operating Rules, Quorum and Voting
The executive board will operate under the guidelines of Robert’s Rules of Order Revised.
Ground rules for executive board meetings include:
 All members participate
 Ideas are shared freely
 Constructive suggestions are offered rather than negative criticisms
 Members stay on track and on time
 Members are concise
A quorum at an executive board meeting is one half of eligible voting members present plus one.
Work of the executive board will be deemed most effective if decisions are made by consensus,
but the chair may call votes if necessary. The majority of members present will carry a vote.

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Process for Filling Vacancies
After the completion of initial membership terms, members of the executive board are selected
by the educational institutions. Community organizations are invited to membership by the
member districts and the college partner. This may be done by vote, by consensus, or by other
means deemed appropriate. A member may serve more than one term on the executive board, but
should not serve more than two consecutive terms unless no other individual is available.
If a member of the executive board cannot fulfill the responsibilities of his term, the position
may be considered vacant and shall be filled by the members of the constituency. A member who
does not participate in three consecutive executive board meetings will be deemed unable to
fulfill the responsibilities of the position and a replacement will be sought. If a vacancy persists
for more than three months without being filled by the constituency, the position may be filled
by the executive board by vote.

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Committees
The executive board may establish committees to carry out its plan of work. Members of
committees do not need to be members of the executive board, but should be individuals with
understanding or expertise in the issues to be addressed by the committee. Committees will make
recommendations to the executive board for action.

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Reporting
The operations team will provide members of the executive board with updates regarding the
activities pertaining to the annual plan. It is the responsibility of members of the executive board
to forward these and other pertinent communications to their constituencies.

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Amendments
These operating procedures may be amended by the executive board at any regularly scheduled
meeting at which a quorum is present.

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