LAS POSITAS COLLEGE HORTICULTURE ADVISORY BOARD ...
LAS POSITAS COLLEGE HORTICULTURE ADVISORY BOARD ...
LAS POSITAS COLLEGE HORTICULTURE ADVISORY BOARD ...
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<strong>LAS</strong> <strong>POSITAS</strong> <strong>COLLEGE</strong><br />
<strong>HORTICULTURE</strong> <strong>ADVISORY</strong> <strong>BOARD</strong><br />
Thursday, October 28, 2004<br />
4:00 P.M. Room 2014<br />
MINUTES<br />
Present:<br />
• Earl Ault, Cedar Mountain Winery<br />
• Linda Ault, Cedar Mountain Winery<br />
• Neal Ely, Dean of Academic Services, Las Positas College<br />
• David Everett, LPC Adjunct Faculty<br />
• Ron Liljedahl, LPC Faculty, Horticulture<br />
• Tom O’Malley, Tri-Valley Business Council<br />
• Michael Orton, Friends of the Vineyards<br />
• Sblend Sblendorio, LVWA/Sblendorio Estate & Vineyard<br />
• John Silva, Caltrans, Retired<br />
Called to order: 4:12 PM<br />
I. WELCOME/INTRODUCTIONS<br />
Dr. Ely welcomed everyone to the Fall 2004 Horticulture Advisory Board meeting,<br />
thanked them for coming, and asked all to sign in and update e-mail addresses. He<br />
introduced Michael Orton from Friends of the Vineyards and David Everett, who is<br />
teaching the VWT Wine and Food Pairing class.<br />
Dr. Ely offered all in attendance the “Gifts of Appreciation” listed below. They are the<br />
College’s way of thanking Advisory Board members for their support, time, and advice.<br />
‣ A voucher good for two tickets to any Las Positas College Performing Arts event<br />
on campus during the Fall or Spring semesters. The vouchers must be redeemed<br />
at the LPC Bookstore at least 24 hours prior to the event you wish to attend.<br />
‣ Special parking permits are available to Advisory Board members. The permits<br />
are issued on a two-year cycle and are valid through the current academic year.
Horticulture Advisory Board Meeting Minutes<br />
October 28, 2004<br />
Board members themselves should only use parking permits. Anyone who needs<br />
a permit should see Colleen after the meeting.<br />
‣ LPC Library Cards are also available to Advisory Board members. Application<br />
forms are contained in each meeting packet. They should be completed and<br />
returned to Colleen so that a Library/LPC card can be issued.<br />
II.<br />
APPROVAL OF SPRING 2004 MINUTES<br />
Motion: Accept the minutes from the April 29, 2004 Advisory Board meeting as<br />
submitted.<br />
Vote: Unanimous<br />
MSC: Ron Liljedahl/Earl Ault<br />
III.<br />
<strong>COLLEGE</strong> REPORT TO THE <strong>BOARD</strong><br />
A. Fall 2004 Enrollments<br />
Dr. Ely reviewed the Fall 2004 Enrollment handout. Enrollments look good<br />
except for HORT 51 Plant Materials I. Dr. Ely reported that enrollments in the<br />
VWT classes have exceeded expectations. The VWT 12 VINEYARD SOILS,<br />
FERTILIZERS AND IRRIGATION class was originally sized at 35, was<br />
increased to 40, and when it filled up again it was capped at 45 and moved to a<br />
new classroom. VWT 45 FOOD AND WINE PAIRING class lost a couple of<br />
students to job changes. There are still students who want to add, but it is past the<br />
add deadline.<br />
Horticulture<br />
Fall, 2004 Enrollments<br />
Course Title Allowed Enrolled Open Instructor<br />
HORT 50 Introduction to Horticulture 30 28 2 Liljedahl<br />
HORT 51 Plant Materials I 30 9 21 Liljedahl<br />
HORT 59 Landscape Design 30 20 10 Liljedahl<br />
Viticulture and Winery Technology<br />
Fall, 2004 Enrollments<br />
Course Title Allowed Enrolled Open Instructor<br />
VWT 12 Vineyard Soils, Fertilizers and Irrigation 45 45 0 Liljedahl<br />
VWT 45 Food and Wine Pairing 35 32 3 Everett<br />
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Horticulture Advisory Board Meeting Minutes<br />
October 28, 2004<br />
B. Spring 2005 Schedule<br />
Spring 2005 schedules were passed out to board members. The following courses<br />
will be offered in Spring 2005:<br />
HORT 52<br />
HORT 54<br />
HORT 56<br />
HORT 69<br />
VWT 35<br />
VWT 44<br />
PLANT MATERIALS II<br />
PLANTING MEDIA & NUTRITION<br />
ARBORICULTURE<br />
ADVANCED LANDSCAPE DESIGN<br />
VINEYARD PEST & DISEASE MANAGEMENT<br />
WORLD VITICULTURE & WINES<br />
C. 2004-2006 Catalog<br />
The 2004-2006 catalogs are available to anyone who would like one. There will<br />
be an addendum in 2005 and a new catalog again in Fall 2006. Dr. Ely<br />
announced that through the help of the Advisory Board, the VWT program is in<br />
the catalog with degree requirements and courses descriptions.<br />
D. Budget Update<br />
Dr. Ely reported that it is a tight year, but there has been growth to where we were<br />
two years ago. We have been frugal and prudent, even though there are increased<br />
costs to cover, including the cost of benefits. He does not anticipate any major<br />
cutbacks, expects the College to continue to grow and keep up with the growing<br />
community.<br />
E. Enrollment Management<br />
Dr. Ely explained that the Enrollment Management Committee is the College’s<br />
process for sorting out what classes we offer, based on funds allocated to the<br />
district. There is a structure to the process, which is based on enrollment trends,<br />
future growth potential. The colleges each have Enrollment Management<br />
committees, which allocate FTE to each division and respective disciplines.<br />
F. Education Master Plan Update and Bond Activities<br />
Dr. Ely reported that last spring the $498M Measure B bond passed. He noted<br />
that there are two buildings in the pipeline being built with funds not from<br />
Measure B. The gymnasium is under construction and the multi-disciplinary<br />
building will house classrooms and computer rooms, and should start in the<br />
spring.<br />
The college is in the process of detailed planning for the efficient use of the<br />
Measure B funds. There are three major task forces looking at the planning<br />
opportunities, including facilities and organization plans and student learning<br />
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Horticulture Advisory Board Meeting Minutes<br />
October 28, 2004<br />
outcomes. Student enrollment is expected to double in ten years. The College is<br />
fortunate to have acreage to plan out the usage of the space.<br />
The Educational Master Plan was updated two years ago and is now being<br />
reviewed for currency. The Horticulture and Viticulture and Winery Technology<br />
sections are being reviewed and expanded.<br />
G. Majors Faire (October 18) and Senior and Parents Night (October 27)<br />
Dr. Ely announced that the Majors Fair was held October 18 th . It was well<br />
attended; Jacquie Williams-Courtright participated. Ron Liljedahl reported that<br />
many students stopped, student feedback was positive and there was lots of<br />
interest. Senior and Parent Night was held the previous evening. In attendance<br />
were high school seniors and their parents from Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin<br />
and Sunol. They were given an overview of the College with breakout sessions<br />
where they learned more about specific disciplines. There were more than 400 in<br />
attendance.<br />
H. Report to the Board by Ron Liljedahl<br />
Ron Liljedahl reported to the Board that the VWT 12 class is interesting to teach<br />
and covers subjects he is familiar with. There are 45 interesting students,<br />
including a cellar master, 3-4 students with significant acreage, some with 100-<br />
200 vines, and some that plan to plant 50 vines. A small number of students from<br />
the horticulture program are interested in the VWT program and are enthusiastic<br />
about it. As the instructor, Ron learns with the students. So far, he has had one<br />
guest speaker; Michael Princevalle gave a presentation about soils. He reported<br />
that the College president’s husband is in the class, as they co-own several acres<br />
in Brentwood. Ron is looking for guests to speak about fertilizers and irrigation.<br />
Sblend Sblendorio suggested that Ron call Mike Wanless, who works for Sterling<br />
in Napa. He also referred Ron to Ken Kupperman (925-766-3679).<br />
Ron reported on his recent activities, which include a booth at the Home and<br />
Garden Show and participation at the Alameda County Fair. He has a good group<br />
of students and enrollments are good, except for the Plant ID class, which has<br />
been offered every semester for the last four years. He expects that enrollments<br />
will also be good in the spring semester.<br />
Earl Ault noted that one of his employees is taking Ron’s class and invited Ron to<br />
bring his class to their winery; Sblend Sblendorio also invited them to his<br />
vineyard.<br />
I. Viticulture Program Update<br />
Dr. Ely noted that Ron Liljedahl and David Everett are the inaugural instructors<br />
for the VWT program and are largely responsible for how well the program is<br />
being received. Feedback on both classes has been good and they have both<br />
gotten off to a good start.<br />
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Horticulture Advisory Board Meeting Minutes<br />
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Dr. Ely invited David to speak to the Advisory Board about his class. David<br />
reported that he thought it was a “brilliant” idea to offer the Food and Wine<br />
Pairing class as the first in the program. His students are very interested, are<br />
having fun, and he expects at least half of them to take the VWT 44 class in the<br />
spring. When asked how often VWT 45 would be offered, David said he thought<br />
it was a good idea to offer it once in a while; Dr. Ely said that it may be offered<br />
again in Spring 06. David said that teaching VWT 45 is challenging because food<br />
and wine pairing is subjective; he noted that the wine knowledge of his students is<br />
improving. He noted that an exhibition kitchen would be a fine “classroom” for<br />
the class. He is looking forward to the next class. Dr. Ely added that there were<br />
25 students who wanted to add the class the first night.<br />
It was asked if there are plans for a vineyard on campus. Dr. Ely explained that it<br />
is in the Master Plan and it was part of the Bond. One of the ideas was that half<br />
of the vineyard would be for production of both white and red wines. Half of the<br />
vineyard would be used every semester for practicing skills, teaching about<br />
irrigation, planting vines, and other reoccurring hands-on activities.<br />
Sblend was interested in how specific David’s classes would be. For example,<br />
would they focus on Bordeaux or a particular region He wanted to know what<br />
the students wanted. David answered that it is difficult to speak to some subjects<br />
in general terms. He would like to bring students’ wine knowledge up to higher<br />
levels.<br />
Dr. Ely informed the Advisory Board that Ron Liljedahl has announced his<br />
retirement, effective at the end of the current academic year. Dr. Ely anticipates<br />
going out this spring to hire a full-time instructor to teach viticulture, enology,<br />
and horticulture classes. This will allow the College to offer more than two VWT<br />
courses per semester. He noted that it is important that the full-time instructor<br />
oversee the on-campus development of a teaching vineyard and be a liaison to the<br />
community. There will be a time when we will need someplace for students to<br />
get hands-on experience in the community. The faculty person will also help to<br />
build a relationship with Friends of the Vineyards, the Livermore Valley<br />
Winegrowers Association, and local wineries. Dr. Ely has consulted with Steve<br />
Krebs, the VWT coordinator at Napa Valley College, who hired a similar faculty<br />
member four years ago, who was able to make recommendations for the job<br />
announcement and trade publications in which to advertise the position.<br />
During this transition time, Dr. Ely explained that we will need adjunct instructors<br />
in horticulture. Although the new instructor will teach some horticulture classes<br />
to keep that program functioning on campus, there will be a need for adjunct<br />
faculty also. Dr. Ely asked that if board members know of anyone who might be<br />
interested in teaching part-time, that they let him know.<br />
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Horticulture Advisory Board Meeting Minutes<br />
October 28, 2004<br />
Ron Liljedahl noted that it would be difficult to hire someone with experience in<br />
landscape and plant science as well as viticulture and winery technology. It was<br />
clarified that the VWT instructor will be a full-time position and the balance of<br />
the horticulture classes will be taught by part-time faculty. John Silva will contact<br />
Dr. Ely with names of people who might be able to teach a class. It was also<br />
suggested that Jacquie Courtright-Williams might be interested in teaching a<br />
class. Dr. Ely clarified that the Education Master Plan calls for a full-time faculty<br />
member in Horticulture and a full-time faculty member in VWT and there is no<br />
intent not to have the horticulture program here.<br />
Dr. Ely explained that the VWT program was designed without prerequisites.<br />
Linda Ault talked about the Education Committee of the Wine Growers<br />
Association and the possibility of using it as a resource.<br />
Dr. Ely reported that the program approval package for the VWT program was<br />
recently sent to the State Chancellor’s Office and included a letter of support from<br />
the LWGA and past minutes from the Horticulture Advisory Board. He expects a<br />
determination of approval for the program before the end of the current academic<br />
year.<br />
Dr. Ely explained that the VWT brochures are being displayed in local wineries as<br />
well as the wine shop in Brentwood. Mr. Silva asked about similar programs at<br />
other colleges and whether students would come from out of the area. Dr. Ely<br />
told him that the most well-known VWT program was at Napa Valley College. In<br />
addition to local students, Dr. Ely expects students from Tracy and Brentwood<br />
and has had calls from prospective students in San Francisco. Dr. Ely noted that<br />
Fresno State has a VWT program.<br />
Dr. Ely announced that personally, and on behalf of the College, he appreciates<br />
the support of the Advisory Board for the VWT program and appreciates Ron<br />
taking on the VWT classes and teaching them.<br />
IV.<br />
Recommendations by the Advisory Board<br />
1. The Board recommends that the College dedicate land for a vineyard and that 2<br />
rows of vines be planted every year and left permanently for use in teaching the<br />
program. They recommend that any unplanned space be considered for the VWT<br />
program.<br />
2. The Board recommends that the College reserve 5-7 acres for the future<br />
development of a “Horticulture/Viticulture/Enology” Center on campus. The<br />
Center would include classrooms, smart classrooms with AV capabilities, a<br />
drafting room, a minimum of three greenhouses, vineyard area, orchard area,<br />
vegetable and flower garden areas, a shade house, out-buildings, and hospitality<br />
facilities with a kitchen. The kitchen would include a cooler, specific classroom<br />
with glass storage, a cold box for flowers, and dishwasher. The Center should be<br />
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Horticulture Advisory Board Meeting Minutes<br />
October 28, 2004<br />
a beautiful facility to showcase various programs. There should be a secretary to<br />
support the program and opportunities in the future to hold plant sales and wine<br />
sales for revenue enhancement.<br />
3. The Board recommends that the College continue its recruiting efforts. They<br />
should continue involvement at the Fair and the Home and Garden Show. The<br />
College should consider marketing the program in other districts to bring students<br />
into the program.<br />
4. Upon completion of the search for a full-time VWT instructor, that the College<br />
initiate a search for a full-time Horticulture instructor.<br />
5. The Board recommends that the College develop the unlimited potential for<br />
interaction between the VWT program and other programs on campus, i.e.,<br />
Business (Winery Management) and Graphic Arts (wine label design).<br />
6. The Board recommends continued community interaction for all facets of the<br />
program.<br />
V. Date of the next meeting<br />
Thursday, April 21, 2005 at 4:00 PM.<br />
ADJOURNED: 5:30 PM<br />
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