MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
OF NEWTON-McDONALD COUNTIES, MISSOURI
July 24, 2017
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 Board Chair, Mr. Andy Wood, at 10:01 a.m. on Monday, July 24, 2017, in the Crowder College Student Center Fireside Room.
Members present for the meeting were:
Andy Wood, Chair
Diane Andris, Member
Vickie Barnes, Treasurer
Rick Butler, Vice Chair
Al Chapman, Secretary
Larry Vancuren, Member
Also attending the meeting were:
Jennifer Methvin, President
Martha Nimmo, Administrative Assistant to the President
Cindy Brown, Director of Public Information
Kristi Chapman, One Stop Admissions Recruiter & Advisor
Kathy Collier, Grants Director
Glenn Coltharp, Vice President of Academic Affairs
Mitch Cordray, Director of Information Technology
Christina Cullers, Controller
Chett Daniel, Director of Institutional Research
JP Dickey, Director of Admissions
Aaron Divine, Director, McDonald County Instructional Center
Kristi Enloe, Accounts Payable Assistant
Sarah Horine, International Program Coordinator & Advisor
Mickie Mahan, Associate Vice President of Information Services
Adam Morris, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs
Melissa Oates, Director of MARET Center
Monte Padgett, Director, Nevada Instructional Center
Michelle Paul, Director of Human Resources
Amy Rand, Vice President of Finance
Angela Seymour, Director, Cassville Instructional Center
Tiffany Slinkard, Vice President of Student Affairs
Melissa Smith, Director, Concurrent Enrollment and Regional Centers
Eddie Stephens, Associate Vice President, Career and Technical Education
Kerry Whitehead, Education Technology Specialist
Joelle Cannon, District Director, Senator Blunt’s Springfield Office
A few moments of silence were observed to prepare for the meeting. Mr. Wood asked if there were any objections to amending the Board Agenda to include a closed session at the end of the meeting regarding real estate. There being no objections, the Agenda was amended to include a closed session following the regular meeting.
The following new employees were introduced and welcomed: Erin Cooley, Upward Bound Academic Liaison; Taylor Juenger, UB Math/Science Academic Coordinator; Elaine Cox, System Administrator, IT; Derek Sanders, Computer Technician, IT; Kerry Whitehead, Education Technology Specialist and Tammy Holmes, Nursing Support Specialist.
Minutes of Previous Meeting
Minutes of the June 23rd work session and the June 26th regular meeting were approved as written and previously distributed.
Financial Reports
Mr. Wood noted the monthly cash flow statement which is the fiscal year-end report showing an anticipated bank balance as of July 31st of over $3M. Dr. Methvin said this is a much healthier balance by about $1M than this time a year ago.
Mr. Wood agreed saying various questions have already been answered regarding the regular checks written which are from June 9 to 30 and July 1 to 10, 2017. Checks in the amount of $1,851,924.85 were approved ON MOTION by Mr. Butler, seconded by Mr. Vancuren, and unanimously carried. The current fund balances and agency funds were reviewed. Mrs. Andris asked where the reserve funds reside, and Dr. Methvin said they are not in a separate account as they are “cash on hand” or deposits in current checking accounts which should be at least 15% of our operating budget at all times. Mr. Wood asked under Transport Training, “what is a ‘refresher course’?”
Dr. Methvin said it is for drivers who have too many points on their record to remain employed to help their record so they can return to work. Mr. Stephens said sometimes new employees also take the course. Under Customized Training, Dr. Methvin said the new jobs training and retained jobs have gone down over time, and those funds will be phased into one pot beginning next year so we will discontinue showing them as two separate incomes at that time.
Mr. Butler asked about the Maddox Hill Center’s net income difference between this year and last year. Ms. Rand said they have had a couple of things happen this spring causing increased personnel costs. She said there was some position overlap with individuals who started in June to be trained for July positions.
Dr. Methvin said the director’s position is also now fully funded by the Center instead of partially funded by the Education department. Regarding Nevada, Dr. Methvin said they, along with nearly all employees, have done a great job of adjusting their expenses in relation to the decline in enrollment, and we appreciate that. For McDonald County, Mrs. Andris asked if we budgeted a negative amount. Dr. Methvin said we try to budget realistically, and that is our expectation until we get more enrollment there, but it is better than last year. The breakdown of revenue and expenses accounts were reviewed, and Mr. Wood said they look good overall.
Naming and Dedication:
The Roy Blunt Center for Missouri Alternative and Renewable Energy Technology
Dr. Methvin introduced and welcomed Joelle Cannon from Senator Blunt’s Springfield office. Dr. Methvin said we would like to honor Senator Blunt for his contributions to our growth in alternative energy, and particularly for his assistance in helping to secure funding and negotiate regulations as we built the MARET Center. She said if action is taken today, we will have a Dedication ceremony later this fall.
Mr. Wood said Senator Blunt has generally been our supporter in Washington DC for many years. Dr. Methvin agreed saying he has also been a great leader in restoring year around PELL which will allow students to access federal PELL funds in the summer and, ultimately, will increase student completion rates as they can complete in a shorter amount of time. She said that does not have to do with this naming, but it is a significant contribution to community colleges. Ms. Cannon thanked Dr. Methvin for having her come saying she was a PELL grant student, and education is Senator Blunt’s number one priority. She said he is very grateful and honored for the MARET Center naming, and we are excited for the growth there. She said Senator Blunt’s policy on energy is ‘all of the above’, and she encouraged Dr. Methvin to contact her office anytime they can be of service. Dr. Methvin thanked her saying Ms. Cannon was also a former TRIO student.
Ms. Cannon said the Springfield office covers 28 counties in southwest Missouri, and it holds a special place in her heart. Dr. Methvin said this fall we will do a celebration of the fifth anniversary of the MARET Center and of Crowder’s twenty-fifth year in the alternative energy education business. She said although the date has not yet been set, the Dedication ceremony will be a grand highlight of our celebration. Mr. Wood called for a motion.
A MOTION was made by Mrs. Barnes to approve the naming as the Roy Blunt Center for Missouri Alternative and Renewable Energy Technology; Mrs. Andris seconded and the motion was unanimously carried. Dr. Methvin thanked Ms. Cannon for her efforts to get this accomplished. Ms. Cannon said she is very excited for the upcoming event and thanked Dr. Methvin as well.
Personnel
Dr. Methvin recommended approval of the resignation of Talmage Clubbs, NCDFC Program Coordinator, and Richard Wallace, Veteran Services Coordinator (HT). A MOTION to approve the two resignations as requested was made by Mr. Vancuren, seconded by Mrs. Barnes and unanimously carried.
Dr. Methvin recommended approval of the following eight employments: Steven Wolven, Education Technology Assistant; Nathan Busteed, Network Administrator, IT; Chett Daniel, Director of Institutional Research; Rachel Feagans, Nursing Coordinator/Instructor, McDonald County; Lorna Doss, Health Science Instructor, CTEC; JoEtta Powers, Administrative Assistant, Vice President of Student Affairs; Shirley Davidson, Student Services Coordinator (PT), McDonald County, and Maria Hernandez Reyes, Custodian (PT), Cassville. A MOTION to approve all eight employments as recommended was made by Dr. Chapman, seconded by Mr. Butler and unanimously carried.
Facilities Corporation Director Approval
Ms. Rand explained the Facilities Corporation is organized in the State of Missouri as a non-profit entity and is what the College uses to do bond issuances, purchase property or to incur debt. She said the annual Facilities Corporation meeting is held every July where they elect officers and new members who serve on a staggered three year term. She said they typically only meet once a year unless more is needed for property or bonding purposes. She provided a list of the current five members with their term dates noting Cindy Branscum serves as the ongoing secretary. Dr. Chapman asked for more details about the Corporation. Mr. Wood explained they are set up at the request of the College to support the College’s needs. Ms. Rand said they do not have a budget, and they exist purely to do bonding at the will of the College. She agreed to provide further background at a later date. Without further discussion, a MOTION to approve the Facilities Corporation directors list as presented was made by Mr. Butler, seconded by Dr. Chapman and unanimously carried.
Neosho Police Department Agreement Annual Renewal
Ms. Rand reported this is simply an annual renewal of our agreement with the City of Neosho, and there are no changes from what was approved last year. She said there are two Neosho Police Department officers on campus for twelve hour shifts, seven days a week. When asked, she said it cost about $110,000 annually, paying their salary and benefits, and we have been pleased with their service. Dr. Methvin said there were some initial start-up costs, and this has been paid for through the student Safety and Security Fee. She agreed to provide a future report on how the Safety and Security Fee has been used. Ms. Rand said this Agreement will also go to the Neosho City Council for approval. Dr. Chapman asked if it needs to be approved every year. Dr. Methvin said since it is approved annually by the City Council, the Board should approve it annually as well. With no further discussion, a MOTION to approve the Intergovernmental Agreement Regarding Law Enforcement Services was made by Mr. Butler, seconded by Mrs. Barnes and unanimously carried.
Admissions Program Review
Mr. JP Dickey provided the new mission statement for the Admissions Department that “is to recruit, admit, advise, orient and enroll as many prospective students as possible. Through multiple recruitment strategies… to ensure that all eligible students… have access to higher education.” He welcomed recruiter Kristi Chapman back after maternity leave and introduced the other advisors/recruiters: Delpha Crain (Nevada), Shirley Davidson (McDonald County), Krystal Morgan (Cassville), Eric Knell (Webb City), Melissa Smith (Monett and Joplin). He said former employee Jim Riggs is serving as a part-time recruiter which has enabled us to expand our reach; Judy Schmoll and Nancy Hutchins process Admissions Applications, Kelli Cragin handles the A+ Program and Sarah Horine handles the International Program. He said we also do advisement overload from the Student Success Center and Project NOW advisors. Mr. Dickey said he is very grateful that Mr. Riggs put together such a great staff. He provided a recruitment report saying we present at over 80 college fairs annually which is a 100% increase in three years, and recruiters cover a 200-mile radius around Neosho and in all four states. He said we visit over 60 Missouri high schools as well as 20 out-of-state high schools. He said we also do about 250 individual tours annually which is a 20% increase in three years. He said there has been a 150% increase in large group tours in three years. He said we are involved in special events such as Aggie Day and the annual Business Contest with information tables and social media. Mr. Dickey said statistics show that students are often making college decisions based on what they see on social media. He said email and website inquiries have increased by 12% in three years. Mr. Dickey said we process and assistant applicants with Admissions Applications including sending out acceptance letters and reviewing special circumstances. He showed how many phone calls and walk-ins are received at the various sites saying those who handle them are critical, and there are fewer walk-ins when phone calls are handled appropriately. He showed the three-year average of how many appointments are scheduled during peak enrollment periods at the various sites with Neosho averaging over 400 appointments. He said advising and enrolling includes financial suspension appeal advising and hosting enrollment clinics where students come here. Mr. Padgett said they were successful this year by going to the Nevada High School to do a pre-enrollment clinic followed by the students coming to campus for enrollment.
Mr. Dickey showed the ratio of how many students inquired, applied and enrolled saying over three years there is about a 75% rate of enrolling almost 6,000 students out of over 8,000 inquiries. Mr. Wood said this appears to be a very good success rate. Mr. Dickey showed retention data for fall to fall, spring to spring and summer to summer saying it is fairly consistent over three years. He showed enrollment data from area sending high schools including home schooled and GED/Hi-Set students. He reviewed A+ activities saying there are over a thousand eligible A+ students every fall that are all verified by hand prior to data entry. He said Ms. Cragin does a great job of monitoring State regulations for constant changes, assisting high school A+ coordinators, and being the main A+ contact point. About half of all active A+ students receive federal PELL funding first before receiving A+ funds. Mr. Dickey said Sarah Horine handles all questions regarding international students, provides airport pick-ups or other student assistance, coordinates the annual International Festival and bi-monthly International Markets, coordinates student volunteer opportunities, transfer services and study abroad trips, and maintains social media. Ms. Horine reported this year we started Friendship Families in which community members volunteered to provide some home/family activities for international students. The number of international students in the past three years rose in Fall 2016. Ms. Horine said they are from at least 36 different countries. She said only about 50% of students actually attend who have applied due to either not following up or not getting the required documentation. Dr. Methvin said we have a reputation of being both affordable and taking care of our students. Mr. Dickey said we do not recruit international students so many come as a result of word of mouth or social media. The data showed that international students needing ELI courses is minimal with the majority entering college-ready, and 70% persist to graduation. Ms. Horine said the majority continue on to higher education and stay in this area. Mr. Dickey reviewed the various reports used to track student progress. He listed special events including Start Smart, All Things Crowder, Show Me Crowder Day, A+ high school coordinator meeting, counselor appreciation breakfast, enrollment clinics, and scholarship/awards presentations. Mr. Dickey provided responses from a student survey showing how well Student Ambassadors perform. He listed several other duties performed and future projects being worked on by Admissions. Mr. Dickey showed student and employee response data including strengths and challenges for Admissions questions from the Noel Levitz SSI and IPS surveys noting that employees often rate ourselves more harshly than students. In conclusion, he thanked his staff for their great work and congratulated Kristi Chapman for completing her master’s degree this year. The Board thanked him for the great report.
Information Technology Program Review
Mr. Mitch Cordray reported Information Technology is a support department for all students and staff that provides computers, software, networks and server infrastructure across all college locations. He said we create all user accounts and assign permissions so that students have appropriate access to the information they need for their classes. He said there are nine employees including the Director of Information Technology, a Network Administrator, Systems Administrator, Web Programmer/Analyst, Communication Specialist, Help Desk Assistant and three Computer Technicians. He said the annual budget for last year was about $1.2M and they came in under budget mainly due to lack of staffing. He showed the cost of major expenditures over the past three years including Microsoft licenses, Jenzabar (the student information system), MoreNet (the state internet provider) and College Board (the financial aid product). Mr. Cordray said last year there were nearly 500 help tickets logged and completed. He said there are 1,600 workstations throughout all campuses in 44 computer labs. He said there were over 7,000 wireless devices registered with IT last year, and we will likely reach over 9,000 this year. He said many people carry more than one device, and they are tracked for legal purposes due to possible illegal downloads so although we do not filter for any reason, we can locate the user if needed. Mr. Cordray reviewed results from the Noel Levitz SSI and IPS surveys which showed that students generally feel computer labs are adequate and accessible, and lab equipment is kept up to date. He said the employee perception is not as good, and we consider these ratings a benchmark for future improvement. He said regarding “user-friendly computer systems”, we rank well compared to the national norm, but still need to improve. Mr. Cordray reviewed a couple of the training conferences they attended last year. He said a Cyber Security staff development session was held last year, and this is an ongoing problem that takes continual employee training. Mr. Cordray reported they maintain 45 computer servers across all campuses that have an average age of six years and are working well, but we would like to improve their average age to five years. He said the Help Desk fields an average of 700 calls per month. Computer Technicians provide support for all users and dedicated Technicians are assigned to each campus site. He reported a new telephone system was installed last year on the Neosho campus and a new server infrastructure was built for the Joplin ATTC location which will be ready for the fall semester. Mr. Cordray listed future projects for 2017-18 including a new backup generator, new domain controllers for remote sites, a new computer lab in Nevada and a new graphics lab in Neosho. He said IT’s main challenge this year was a major 78% turnover in staffing, but we are rebounding with most vacancies filled. When asked, he said all employees who left for other positions left for larger salaries, but that is typically the case. Dr. Chapman asked about the significant increase in Jenzabar expenses for 2017-18. Mickie Mahan said when we initially signed with Jenzabar it was for a ten year capped maintenance period, but we have now exceeded that ten year limit. Dr. Methvin said a management system is necessary, and this is the cost of doing business in higher education. She said it is very difficult and even more costly to change systems. Mr. Wood asked what the biggest need in IT is. Mr. Cordray said we hope to receive the Title III grant which will improve our nine year old network infrastructure, and we would also like to see a full wireless project for all locations. Mr. Wood thanked him for the good report.
Strategic Plan Annual Report
Dr. Methvin asked if her lengthy report should be postponed saying she will be delivering the information at All Staff Day. Members agreed a Work Session should be scheduled, and it was set for Tuesday, August 1, at 9:00 a.m. Dr. Methvin said she will include a report on the Safety and Security Fee as well.
Adjournment and Closed Session
Dr. Methvin thanked employees for helping us to be named for the fifth time as a “Great College To Work For” by The Chronicle for Higher Education. She announced today is Mr. James B. Tatum’s 92nd birthday. She reported the formal signing with Empire District Electric Company was held on Friday to install an electric car charging station here which is the first if its kind in Neosho. She asked for prayers for Doreen Clouse, TRIO Administrative Assistant, whose mother passed away recently. It was noted the Foundation Annual Board meeting is set for Monday, August 14, and RSVP’s are needed. The next regularly scheduled meeting is August 28 and will include the annual Tax Hearing.
Mr. Wood called for a motion to go into closed Session. At 11:50 a.m., a MOTION to go into closed session in accordance with Section 610.021 (2) RSMo to discuss the leasing, purchase or sale of real estate was made by Dr. Chapman, seconded by Mrs. Barnes and passed unanimously on the following roll call vote:
Andris: Yes Wood: Yes Vancuren: Yes
Butler: Yes Barnes: Yes Chapman: Yes
During the closed session, discussion took place with Dr. Methvin regarding real estate. No Board action was taken. At about 12:25 p.m., a MOTION to adjourn was made by Mrs. Barnes, seconded by Mrs. Andris and unanimously carried on the following roll call vote:
Chapman: Yes Barnes: Yes Andris: Yes
Vancuren: Yes Butler: Yes Wood: Yes
The meeting was adjourned to lunch.
Crowder President Dr. Methvin has to have her kiss-up photo op. It's really all she is good for. I hope Crowder survives her.
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