Minutes provided for Crowder College Board of Trustees meeting

(From Crowder College)

There being a quorum present, the meeting of the Crowder College Board of Trustees of the Community College District of Newton-McDonald Counties, Missouri, was called to order by the President of the Board, Mr. Andy Wood, at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, September 28, 2015, in the Crowder College Student Center Fireside Room.

Members present for the meeting were:

Andy Wood, President

Diane Andris, Member

Vickie Barnes, Treasurer

Rick Butler, Vice President

Al Chapman, Secretary

Larry Vancuren, Member

Also attending the meeting were:

Jennifer Methvin, President

Martha Nimmo, Secretary to the Board

Cyndi Adamson, Director, Crowder Webb City

Mark Aubuchon, Campus Life Director

Cindy Brown, Director of Public Information

Judy Clark, Accounts Payable Bookkeeper

Talmage Clubbs, Program Coordinator, NCDFC Support Program

Glenn Coltharp, Vice President of Academic Affairs

Christina Cullers, Controller

JP Dickey, Director of Regional Centers/Dual Credit Institutional Monitor

Aaron Divine, Director, Crowder McDonald County

Jamie Emery, Director, Behavior Support Center

Tom Franklin, Associate Director, Crowder Training and Development Solutions

Beth Gandy, Career and Transfer Services Coordinator

Helen Hale, Student Success Coordinator

Mickie Mahan, Associate Vice President of Information Services

Adam Morris, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs

Bill Moss, Wind Energy and Turbine Technology Instructor

Monte Padgett, Director, Nevada Campus

Michelle Paul, Director of Human Resources

Jim Riggs, Director of Admissions

Angela Seymour, Director, Crowder College Cassville

Brittany Simpson, Office Manager, Grants

Tif Slinkard, Vice President of Student Affairs

Melissa Smith, Dual Credit Coordinator

Todd Higdon, Neosho Daily News

A few moments of silence were observed to prepare for the meeting. The following new employees were introduced and welcomed: Beth Gandy, Career and Transfer Services Coordinator; Talmage Clubbs, Program Coordinator for the NCDFC Support Program; Danny Wininger, Collision Repair Instructor; Maria Rodriguez, CAMP Administrative Assistant; Jose Gomez, CAMP Retruiter/Advisor, and Kristen Stout, Speech and Debate Instructor.

Minutes of Previous Meeting

Minutes of the August 24, 2015, tax levy hearing, regular meeting and work session minutes were approved as written and previously distributed.

Financial Reports

Mr. Wood noted the monthly cash flow statement, and Dr. Methvin reviewed checks written since the previous meeting and responded to various questions. She said new directional signs were purchased for inside the CTEC, and she thanked David Webber for his work in updating and modernizing the building.

Dr. Methvin said there were several annual renewal fees paid this month including MOBIUS (the Missouri Library Consortium), Microsoft campus agreement and Infobase Learning. She noted more athletic bus repairs saying it appears to be an ongoing problem, and some car rentals have been required to get students where needed. Dr. Methvin said several educational loans were paid to employees which is a great benefit to employees who are working on advanced degrees. She said asphalt repairs were made on a parking lot instead of totally repaving in an effort to lower maintenance costs and help with cash flow. 

When asked, she said we use contract security at the branch campuses and in Neosho on the weekends, and some custodial maintenance is also contracted on occasion. She noted payment for Viewbooks which provide valuable information for prospective students. 

Dr. Methvin said the Public Safety Project (PSP) grant paid for a simulator for the Criminal Justice program as well as for the contracted service agreement for it. She noted some office rental space is being used and paid for by the Newton County Drug-Free Communities (NCDFC) grant which will be discussed later. Dr. Methvin pointed out a large expense for welding supplies for the welding program in Neosho saying we will need to discuss differential tuition due to the high expense of this program. 

Another large expense was for supplies to remodel the Neosho welding shop which was paid with state Enhancement grant funds, and she said the shop is in very good shape now. Dr. Methvin noted new equipment was purchased with grant funds for the computer lab in Nevada. Checks in the amount of $1,026,969.73 were approved ON MOTION by Mr. Butler, seconded by Mr. Vancuren, and unanimously carried. 

The rest of the fund balances and agency accounts were reviewed. Mr. Wood noted it is early in the year, but everything appears to be doing well. Dr. Methvin said it is apparent how good the centers are doing at holding expenses down for the year. The revenue and expense accounts were reviewed, and Dr. Methvin said we have billed about 52% of the tuition budgeted for the year. She said we are watching enrollment closely, and she offered great appreciation to faculty and staff for their efforts to keep expenses down.

Personnel

Dr. Methvin recommended approval of the retirement of Darleen Talley, Office Manager at Crowder Webb City, who has been at Crowder since 1997 when the Webb City facility was started. A MOTION to accept her retirement with thanks and appreciation for her service was made by Dr. Chapman, seconded by Mr. Butler and unanimously carried.

Dr. Methvin recommended approval of the resignation of Sherry Patrick, Custodian. A MOTION to accept her resignation was made by Mrs. Andris, seconded by Mrs. Barnes and unanimously carried.

Dr. Methvin recommended the following five employments saying two of them are internal candidates: Donna Talbert, Payroll Accountant/Benefits Specialist; Andres Balderas, Graphic Design/Fine Arts Event Coordinator; Jamie Ward, UB/UBMS Academic Liaison; Talmage Clubbs, II, Program Coordinator, Newton County Drug-Free Communities (NCDFC) Support Program, and Sasha Cooper, Student Support Services Academic Coordinator, Nevada. A MOTION to approve all five employments as recommended was made by Mrs. Barnes, seconded by Mrs. Andris and unanimously carried.

Alternative Energy Program Update

Mr. Bill Moss reported Crowder offers four alternative energy degrees, and the Associates of Applied Science, Alternative Energy–Wind provides graduates with the skills needed in the wind power industry to step into leadership and management positions, to plan and complete technical projects in a timely manner, to be prepared for obstacles that might occur in remote locations, and to consider and understand local, state and federal issues relevant to the project. He said internships are a key component to prepare students for the field. 

Mr. Moss said we have been working for several years to bring our program to the national level which requires receiving the “Seal of Approval” from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). He said there are specific steps to meet their criteria as well as being an active member in AWEA so we have made curriculum changes this year to meet their approval. Mr. Moss said there are only six colleges in the U.S. that have full AWEA approval, and completion will bring us into national standing with several larger universities. He said wind turbines have very technical equipment with nearly five thousand parts and seven major systems including electrical, computer, mechanical and hydraulic systems which students must learn and have experience using. He showed a list of new equipment that has been purchased or donated in the past year, and he thanked the Wind Capital Group of St. Louis who donated a GE Control Board Assembly saying they are one of the largest companies in the nation that builds wind equipment and funds projects. 

Mr. Moss showed a large list of industry advisors from around the country who provide valuable advice to make sure the program is meeting the needs of the wind power industry. He said training includes taking students on field trips throughout the summer to manufacturing plants, to wind farms to see how they are run as well as those under construction, and to wind industry conferences around the four states including to the University of Missouri, Columbia, and to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. He said our current wind turbine is thirty years old and replacement parts cannot be found or are extremely expensive. 

Mr. Moss announced we are working with an organization in New York who would provide a new state-of-the-art wind turbine on our campus for educational purposes through a “purchase power agreement” in which they would own and maintain the turbine, but would give us access to it in exchange for the power from it. He said other needs for the program include a rescue training platform and a mock up alignment platform in order to gain rescue certification. He said another part-time adjunct instructor is needed to teach night classes to expand training to the community for small wind application classes. Mr. Moss said students have been informed of the new classes that now meet AWEA approval, and there is increased student interest. 

When asked, Mr. Moss said thirteen out of fifteen Crowder graduates are working in the field with the other two pursuing higher degrees, and twenty-five students are currently taking wind and solar classes. Mr. Wood asked where our students come from and what their expected pay would be. Mr. Moss said students are from neighboring states or from this area, and starting pay is around $20-$23 per hour and goes up with experience. Mr. Moss responded to questions regarding the tentative new wind turbine. Dr. Methvin said the agreement has not yet been received so details are not clear at this time. The Board thanked him for the good report.

Newton County Drug-Free Communities Grant

Ms. Jamie Emery reported over the last year we have been working with the Newton County Drug Court through the Missouri Foundation for Health Grant, and as a result in June 2015, Crowder College was recommended to be the new lead agent for the Newton County Drug-Free Communities Grant. 

She said the grant coordinator will be working with all of the organizations in Newton County that deal with substance abuse to focus purely on prevention and awareness so there will not be any direct service such as mental health counseling. She said action items have been set to meet the grant criteria which will be coordinated with the community through the Newton County Coalition. 

Ms. Emery said we are currently in year three of the grant so we will receive funds for the next two years, and then we will likely reapply for the grant in 2017 for another five years. She reported some of the action items include compliance checks in which the Newton County Police Department check to see if illegal substances are being sold in the community, drug take-backs to get prescription drugs disposed of correctly, Eyes Wide Open in the public schools for student and parent awareness, 

5th Quarter events after high school football games to provide a safe alternative activity, support of Neosho Youth in Action in which high school students mentor other students, and child-parent communication and behavior training. She said the grant provides $125,000 per year for personnel and to provide support specifically for these designated action items so we will coordinate all of the community groups together for that purpose. She said when we re-write for the grant in a couple years, we can write it to fit our community needs at that time. 

When asked, she said it is to the advantage of the community groups to meet with us to receive the additional funding. Mr. Clubbs said the Police Department can provide overtime pay for employees to do additional compliance checks and also provide follow-up training for their employees through these grant funds. When asked, Ms. Emery said we became involved because the Behavior Support Center is already identifying at-risk students and providing behavior support for them through the Missouri Foundation for Health Grant, and this is a means to provide additional support through parent training and by providing safe activities for students. Mr. Wood asked if there would be teaching opportunities for Crowder students through this program.

 Ms. Emery said there could be, and she will look for those opportunities. She said this will be a community liaison program to coordinate and bring groups together who are already doing these types of activities, and to share resources. Board members agreed this will be a good service to the community.

A+ Program Update

Mr. Jim Riggs reported the Missouri A+ program is a state scholarship program for high school students that has an attendance, grade, and tutoring requirement which, if met, will provide an A+ seal on the student’s high school transcript. 

He said we look for that seal, and when enrolling at Crowder they must complete A+ paperwork, enroll in full-time classwork (twelve hours per semester or six hours in the summer), have completed the FAFSA, and maintain a 2.5 GPA. He said Crowder’s A+ Coordinator is Kelli Cragin who is currently at a college recruiting fair. Mr. Riggs said the A+ scholarship will pay for community college tuition and common fees, and the program has dramatically expanded over the past few years so state funding has become an issue. 

He said last spring we were notified that A+ would not pay for four credit hours and we notified students, but it was then changed to two hours, and then the state paid it all. He said state notifications are often made retroactive to students, and we are in a similar situation this year although the state is keeping up with funding needs.

 Mr. Riggs said we have about 732 active A+ students, and previously, students would be checked at the end of the spring semester for the 2.5 GPA, and those not meeting that would be ineligible for the following year. With that, students could carry a lower GPA all year long and have those classes paid for until the next year when they would be ineligible. He said the state has now changed the requirement so that students must meet a 2.0 GPA at the end of their first semester and maintain the 2.5 GPA after their second semester and every semester afterwards. He said students must now also complete a full-time class load each semester or they will become ineligible for the following semester while previously if they dropped a class to below twelve hours, A+ would simply not pay for the dropped class, but they would still be eligible the following semester.

 Mr. Riggs said students can become eligible again by completing a three hour class (paid for by themselves) and maintaining the 2.5 GPA. He said these requirement changes were made two weeks ago, and students may have already dropped below the twelve-hour minimum so we are contacting them to encourage enrollment in a second eight-week class to maintain their full-time status and A+ eligibility. 

Mr. Riggs said these changes do not affect students at the high school level, but high school students should be serious about attending college because for the A+ program, they will have to maintain a 2.5 GPA and full-time credit hour status. He said students should consider enrolling in fifteen credit hours per semester in case they need to drop a class. Mr. Riggs said these are reasonable changes which should truly be a cost savings for the state although it is difficult for students when changes are made retroactively. When asked, he said the A+ program is currently fully funded but future changes are always possible.

Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment Program

Mrs. Melissa Smith explained the difference between dual credit (DC) and dual enrollment (DE) saying DC students are high school students taking college classes at their high school with an approved Crowder College high school instructor, and they receive both high school and college credit for the courses. 

She said DE is when high school students take a college class on a Crowder campus or online, and they may or may not receive high school credit for the course. She reviewed a spreadsheet comparing fall 2009-2015 data for DC students showing an increase of 18% in students and 19% in credit hours from Fall 2014 to Fall 2015. She announced DE students have increased dramatically by almost 68% from the previous year. 

Mrs. Smith said in DC, we have added Joplin High School and nineteen new DC instructors for a total of 111 DC adjuncts. She said we have expanded DC classes offered within some high schools, and an MDHE requirement change has allowed greater access by lowering the GPA to a 2.5 to take DC classes, but students must have a written recommendation from a high school counselor or administrator. 

Mrs. Smith said Crowder’s program reputation is strong having done DC for about fifteen years, and having received NACEP accreditation keeps our standards high. She provides program consistency and one-stop customer service for anything dealing with DC/DE. She said MSIP 5 regulations at the high school level are also a driving force. Mrs. Smith said in DE this fall we have 300 total DE students with 178 of them enrolled in eleven online courses that are dedicated to them as high school students. She said we also have 68 homeschooled students taking DE classes in a variety of areas. 

Mrs. Smith reported we offered four dedicated DE classes this summer and also partnered with Upward Bound in which 41 UB high school students took summer DE classes. She said overall there were 133 high school students taking summer classes. Mrs. Smith announced there are now ten area high schools participating in the associate’s degree program where high school students can complete their associate’s degree from Crowder while still in high school. 

Fifteen high school students are expected to graduate in May 2016 with a Crowder degree, and they will be recognized at Crowder’s May graduation with special stoles. She said these numbers are small because these high school students must be very committed to succeed. 

In the future we plan to provide more DC courses at area Tech Centers as well as DE at our CTEC. She said we hope to add one more high school in our service district for DC and expand DE to meet out-of-state needs. Mrs. Smith said one concern is that MDHE has tightened statewide requirements for DC faculty which will cause us to lose some experienced instructors. 

Dr. Methvin said we believe DC and DE will continue to increase, and these students often become comfortable staying at Crowder so they help increase our overall enrollment when they graduate from high school. When asked, Mrs. Smith said there is a definite correlation between A+ students and DC students who complete college classes at a reduced rate before graduating and then do not have to take as many classes to complete their degree when at Crowder. Mr. Riggs agreed saying A+ will only pay for 105% of classes towards a degree, but DC classes do not count against that total. The Board thanked Mrs. Smith for the great report.