MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
OF NEWTON-McDONALD COUNTIES, MISSOURI
April 22, 2019
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, April 22, 2019, in the Crowder College Newton Hall Conference 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:
Glenn Coltharp, President
Martha Nimmo, Administrative Assistant to the President
TJ Angel, Director of Physical Plant
Peter Broglio, Life Sciences and PE Division Chair/Biology Instructor
Cindy Brown, Director of Public Information
Kathy Parker-Collier, Grants Director
Christina Cullers, Controller
Jim Cullumber, Director of Institutional Advancement
Chett Daniel, Director of Institutional Research
Curtis Daniels, Career and Tech Ed Division Chair/Computer Tech Instructor
JP Dickey, Director of Admissions
Aaron Divine, Director, McDonald County Instructional Center
Kristi Enloe, Accounts Payable Accountant
Mark Fitch, Director, Webb City Instructional Center
Ike Isenhower, Paramedic Instructor
Mickie Mahan, Associate Vice President of Information Services
Kevin Newby, Drafting and Design Instructor
Melissa Oates, Director of MARET Center
Monte Padgett, Director, Nevada Instructional Center
Amy Rand, Vice President of Finance
Angela Seymour, Director, Cassville Instructional Center
Tiffany Slinkard, Vice President of Student Affairs
Phillip Witt, Associate Vice President of Career and Technical Education
Keith Zoromski, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs
Nastasia Neier, PTK Student/New Century Transfer Pathway Scholar
A few moments of silence were observed to prepare for the meeting. The following new employees were introduced and welcomed: Samantha Garman, Registered Behavior Technician; Reba Clark, Behavior Technician; Jaclyn Link, Behavior Technician; Ellen Thieme, Behavior Technician, and Brandy Blanton, Vet Tech Lab Assistant.
Minutes of Previous Meeting
Minutes of the March 25 regular minutes and Closed Session were approved as written and previously distributed.
Financial Reports
Mr. Wood noted the monthly cash flow statement saying there are two sets of checks for approval for March 6-31 and April 1-8. Without further discussion, checks in the amount of $1,509,873.59 were approved ON MOTION by Mrs. Andris, seconded by Mr. Butler and unanimously carried. Mr. Butler asked what CPA referred to in reference to an Upward Bound expense. VP Slinkard explained that is the ‘College Prep Academy’ in which about three hundred Upward Bound and UB Math/Science students attend summer classes ending with a cultural trip. The rest of the fund balances, agency funds and various accounts were reviewed. Mrs. Barnes asked if a carpentry house was being built this year. Dr. Witt confirmed that the construction department is building two ‘tiny homes’ that will be auctioned on May 7 so it is expected that their cost will be entirely recuperated. Dr. Coltharp noted the additional information provided on the Customized Training Income Statement as requested last month. Ms. Rand responded to questions as needed. She noted that currently several departments show higher profits over the expected annual budget due to tuition that has come in, but there are still several months of expenses before the end of the fiscal year. The revenue and expenditure accounts were reviewed.
Induction of New Trustees
Mr. Wood reported that he and Mrs. Barnes filed for the two open Board of Trustees positions for Newton County, and since no one ran against them, they were not on the April 2nd election ballot. He asked Mr. Butler to induct the two ‘new’ trustees for another six-year term of office. Mr. Wood and Mrs. Barnes repeated the oath of office, and members applauded their induction.
Election of Board Officers
Mr. Wood noted the current Board officers: President is Mr. Wood, Vice President is Mr. Butler, Treasurer is Mrs. Barnes, and Secretary is Dr. Chapman. He asked if there was any discussion or desire by members to change positions. There being none, Mr. Vancuren MOVED that all the Board officers remain the same; the motion was seconded by Mrs. Andris and unanimously carried.
Shared Governance Structure
Dr. Coltharp said this is second reading for the Shared Governance Structure that provides a structure for us to use for developing any new policy and procedures which involves nearly all employees of the College. He said it includes the restructuring of College Council to give more representation of employees on a rotating basis, not just membership based on position. Mrs. Andris asked how the structure was developed. Dr. Coltharp said Executive Council began working on it, and College Council discussed and approved both the restructuring of the Council and the procedure for proposals. He said the new College Council membership will begin later this summer after the start of the fiscal year. Mr. Wood asked if there was any further discussion. A MOTION to approve the new Shared Governance Structure for Policy and Procedures as presented was made by Mrs. Barnes, seconded by Mr. Vancuren and unanimously carried. Mr. Wood said Dr. Coltharp spoke with Mr. Tatum about this recently, and Mr. Tatum was very pleased with the new structure.
Personnel
Dr. Coltharp recommended approval of the retirement of Joleen Werkmeister, Office Manager at Crowder Nevada. Mr. Padgett said she has been at the campus since it opened nineteen years ago and has seen many changes. Dr. Coltharp and the Board thanked her for her outstanding service over the years. A MOTION to accept her retirement as recommended was made by Mr. Butler, seconded by Mrs. Andris and unanimously carried.
Dr. Coltharp recommended approval of the following seven resignations: Charles Brown, Computer and Network Support Instructor; Joshua Smith, Graphic Design Instructor; Casey Smith, Art Instructor; Mellisa Moreno, Accounts Receivable Specialist/Cashier; Sydnie Lowe, Records Clerical Assistant (PT); Timothy Baker, Evening Library Assistant (PT), and Sherry Lotufo, Secretary (PT), Crowder Cassville. A MOTION to approve all seven resignations was made by Mr. Vancuren, seconded by Mrs. Barnes and unanimously carried.
Dr. Coltharp recommended approval of the employment of John Larson, Communications Instructor, Crowder Nevada, and Jordan McNeill, Talent Search Advisor. A MOTION to accept the two employments as recommended was made by Mrs. Andris, seconded by Dr. Chapman and unanimously carried.
Contract Renewals for 2019-2020
Dr. Coltharp said lists have been provided with full administrative approval for Contract Renewals for the 2019-2020 academic year. The lists include Administrators (full-time), Faculty (full-time, part-time and half-time), Professional Staff (full-time and part-time), Classified Staff (full-time), and AEL (part-time) employees. Without further discussion, a MOTION to approve all Contract Renewal lists for 2019-20 as provided was made by Mr. Butler, seconded by Mrs. Barnes and unanimously carried.
Continuous Tactical Planning
Dr. Coltharp reviewed the Continuous Tactical Planning (CTP) model that was talked about previously and was used several years ago. He said we would like to start in the fall building our strategic plan in this way. He said in order to “Eliminate obstacles and continuously innovate to increase or improve…”, there are four specific Student/Program Areas shown that need to be strengthened including the Perception as the ‘College of Choice’, Access to College, Persistence to Graduation, and Transition Options After Graduation. Dr. Coltharp said each campus will develop objectives or tactics in each of those areas, define what specific action will be taken to accomplish it based on the data gathered, and list what follow up action is needed. He said previously there was only one overall plan for all of Crowder, but the off-campus sites often have different needs from the Neosho campus so this time there will be a different plan for each site. Dr. Coltharp said HLC often wants to know what action took place using the data that was collected so this will supply that request. He said on a broader scale, there are two items under College Operational Areas that will need to be improved or strengthened: Fiscal Position and Institutional Effectiveness. He said all of the objectives will need to tie in with the Board goals, and at some point, the Board goals will need to be reviewed and updated. When asked, Dr. Coltharp said we will start developing the objectives at each campus in the fall, and we hope to have CTP documents to present to the Board by Thanksgiving. He responded to questions and gave examples of possible objectives saying in the past too many goals were taken on at once so this will provide a smaller number of focus areas that are specific for each campus. Dr. Coltharp said it will be Executive Council’s role to oversee and assist the campuses in meeting their objectives, and the Neosho campus will have its own plan as well. He said the data for each objective will be included in the action or follow-up action sections, lending support as to why that particular action was taken. Mr. Daniel helped explain the process. Mr. Wood asked what role the Board has in accomplishing these objectives. Dr. Coltharp said the goals will be brought to the Board for review initially along with continuous updates and reports by each campus. He said the CTP document started with Executive Council and was approved through College Council. Mr. Wood asked if the Board could have any in-put to the goal items; Dr. Coltharp said certainly, once the initial plans have been developed for review. With no further discussion, Mr. Wood asked if this item could be moved to next month for Board action, and there were no objections.
Budget Draft for FY 20
Ms. Rand reviewed the Budget Draft saying the first page gives budget notes and assumptions used for this budget for both revenues and expenses. She said property taxes have been going up between one and two percent for the past eight years, and this budget uses the property tax rate at the same amount as 2017-18 actuals. She said tuition and fees are calculated using the approved rates for 2019-20 with a projected 4% decrease in credit hours charged. Housing and meal plans are figured at the 2019-20 approved rates with the current 2018-19 occupancy level. She said state appropriations are budgeted at the MDHE 2019-20 amount, and the PELL amount budgeted is about $750,000 less than this year at $7,750,000. Ms. Rand said for expenses, we have included an increase for all permanent full-time and permanent part-time employees of an average 2-3% salary increase which was a top priority for both the Board and Executive Council. When asked, she said hourly classified staff will more likely receive a 3% increase while administration and higher paid professionals will receive a 2% increase. She said there is a total contingency fund of about $1.375M allowed for possible state withholding and other contingencies. She noted the PELL amount on the expense side is the same as on the revenue side. Ms. Rand reviewed the Budget Summary comparing budgets for previous year, current year, and proposed 2019-20 year for both revenues and expenditures, and she responded to questions. She said we received about a $5,000 increase in federal Work Study funds for next year in which students must qualify to work on campus for up to twenty hours per week. She noted pie charts showing the percentage breakdown for revenues and expenses saying they are very similar to prior years. Ms. Rand said the last pages of the Budget Draft show detailed revenue accounts and expenses broken down by department. She explained how the tuition revenue numbers are determined that go onto the financial report each month. Ms. Rand and Dr. Coltharp responded to questions. Ms. Rand said although state appropriation funding remains the same, the dollar amounts have been shifted to different categories. Dr. Coltharp said student fees are specific to certain programs, and the increased fees have been critical in funding educational needs that may not have been met otherwise. Ms. Rand said we have recently received a new nursing grant that will be added into the budget before next month along with any other changes needed. Mr. Wood asked if there were any objections to passing this to next month for final action, and there were no objections.
MCCA Leadership Academy
Dr. Coltharp said OTC has had their own Leadership Academy in the past, and they allowed other community colleges to participate. However, the number of participants has grown so this is the first year for MCCA to sponsor and lead it while OTC continues to provide their own Academy. Mr. Chett Daniel reported this pilot year went very well as there were representatives from all Missouri community colleges except for State Tech. He said attendees worked four full days including after-hours on projects, and presenters were exceptional including current and retired college presidents and administrators from across the country. Mr. Daniel reviewed the topics covered each day saying a common thread throughout was how education is facing rapid changes and innovation in all areas. He said at the end of each day, the presenters came back in the evening for an informal question and answer period which was very beneficial. He said a book study was also required, and this year’s book was The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown which is about the 1936 men’s Olympic rowing team from Washington University who won the gold medal. He noted several themes in the book saying the ‘boat’ is a metaphor for the entire journey of the team, and for us, the community college is our ‘boat.’ He said innovation was critical as the coaches constantly changed and adapted to learn what worked best to compete and win against schools that had long-established rowing traditions. Mr. Daniel recommended this excellent book that reminded us of the many hours of work needed to reach success in a relatively short race which is similar to the educational process which requires many hours of work by both students and educators for them to reach the short walk of graduation. Mr. Daniel said the expense of sending employees to the Leadership Academy is absolutely worth it as attendees networked and learned successful practices from other institutions across the state. He said it was also successful in that the attending leadership cohort has already begun an online discussion group and plans to meet again at the fall MCCA Annual Conference. Mr. Daniel said Crowder’s reputation as an institution that is committed to servant leadership is known and respected statewide. He said Dr. Farnsworth explained that our culture of service started at the very beginning with the focus being on students, even by not adopting special parking lots for faculty. Mr. Daniel thanked the Board for the opportunity to attend the Academy and encouraged supporting future participants. Mrs. Barnes asked what has contributed to the increased pace of change, and he said changing technology was emphasized as both a resource for education, but also as a threat or challenge to education. Mr. Wood asked why servant leadership was brought up by the presenters. Mr. Daniel said as aspiring leaders from various institutions attended, the presenters wanted them to remember that to be an effective leader, you must also serve others. The Board thanked him for the great report.
College Career and Technical Programs Review
Mr. Curtis Daniels reported Career and Technical Education is a very diverse and constantly changing division which makes it very exciting. He said constant change is needed to meet the needs of employers and students, and to keep up with the changing technology that drives the workforce. He listed the programs in the division including: Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Alternative Energy, Auto Technology, Computer and Network Support, Construction Technology, Criminal Justice, Diesel Technology, Drafting and Design, and Transport Training. He showed faculty numbers saying they have been consistent over time, noting that it is hard to keep adjunct instructors who can get paid more by working outside of education. Mr. Daniels showed how the number of CTE graduates has increased, and continues to gradually increase. He said most CTE students are non-traditional, do not like classroom work, and were often getting hired before completing the program requirements. He said we have been able to increase completers by creating Certificates, and in three years, the number of Certificate completers went from 210 to 509. Mr. Daniels said student enrollment and credit hours are also going up gradually, which is made possible somewhat by having so many diverse programs. He showed a breakdown of students by sending high schools saying the numbers have been fairly consistent over the past five years. Mr. Daniels showed the breakdown of CTE student numbers by year and program and also by school, grade and class. He said dual credit students have risen as well with Webb City and Carl Junction students now attending at the Joplin ATTC site. He reviewed major changes in each of the programs saying nearly every program has added Certificates so that students can be successful gaining a Certificate for each semester completed, getting used to classroom work gradually as they work towards a higher degree. He said although the Collision Repair degree was discontinued, the Auto Body classes were kept as a degree option and to support the Diesel Technology program. He said Crowder is one of three schools in Missouri that provides the entire VmWare Academy in the Computer and Network Support program. Mr. Daniels reported student completion and retention rates have been successful because of adding Certificates and moving the general education requirements to later in the degree programs. He said as an example, Diesel Technology students were having 100% job placement, but had only a 1% completion rate until these steps were taken. He showed how the Advanced Manufacturing Technology program was broken down into Certificates leading to an AAS degree. Mr. Daniels thanked the instructors of CTE for their great work. When asked, he said the Drafting degree is being deactivated, but the courses will continue to support other programs. Mr. Wood asked if it was a challenge to keep faculty and equipment up-to-date with the changing needs. Mr. Daniels agreed saying we have been able to use grant funds for most of the equipment needs, and faculty always need to attend conferences to keep updated. Dr. Coltharp said it is difficult to convince individuals making exceptional money in the workforce to become trainers, and schools from larger areas are able to increase tuition rates in specific programs to provide better pay for their instructors. Mr. Wood asked if there should be a separate strategic plan (CTP model) for the CTEC because of their focus on workforce development. Dr. Coltharp said that will be considered. The Board thanked Mr. Daniels for the great report.
MCCA All-MO Academic Team/New Century Scholar
Dr. Pete Broglio reported Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) is the honor society for community colleges, and it was founded in Missouri and celebrated its 100thanniversary this year. He said each year Crowder nominates two students to compete in the PTK Academic All-American Team scholarship competition. He announced this year we have a national winner, Nastasia Neier, who has been named the 2019 New Century Transfer Pathway Scholar which means she is the top PTK student in Missouri with only 53 named nationwide. He said Nastasia is a Vet Tech first-year student who was also named to the First Team of the All-Missouri Academic Team, receiving a scholarship from MCCA. He said she and Mrs. Prior recently returned from Orlando, Florida, where Nastasia was recognized at the PTK Presidents Breakfast at the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Annual Convention. Dr. Broglio said it is apparent from her scholarship application that Nastasia is a true ‘servant leader’ having traveled with the Agriculture Department to help after Hurricane Harvey, including many other activities, and maintains a 4.0 GPA. Mr. Wood said the press release indicates over 2,000 students were nominated from more than 1,200 college campuses, and Missouri’s one recipient is from Crowder College. He presented Nastasia Neier with a certificate congratulating her. Ms. Neier said she came to Crowder from Bentonville, Arkansas, and hopes to get a bachelor’s degree at the University of Arkansas after finishing here. She was applauded for her outstanding efforts.
President’s Update
Dr. Coltharp said a few years ago, we were considering closing the entire Fire Science program, but we heard about a wonderful Fire Science trainer from Monett who was known statewide. He said as a result, we moved our program to the Crowder Cassville site, and through training dollars from the Missouri Division of Fire Safety that we have received since 2012, we are able to provide free training for volunteer firefighters in southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas. Dr. Coltharp indicated the map of locations where firefighters have come from to be trained in the program. He said previously Fire Science was under the Social Sciences division, and it is now being moved to the Allied Health division. Mr. Zoromski introduced the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Career Training Officer of the Year Lieutenant Shane Anderson. Mr. Anderson said he was deeply moved to receive the award this year. He said about two years ago there were several near-miss incidents with live-fire training, and he was asked to pilot one of the first programs in the nation for live-fire training that is certified by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Mr. Anderson said now all of Crowder’s instructors are certified to do the training, and Crowder is known statewide for its Fire Science training program. Mr. Anderson said this year there have been ninety unique participants in four completed classes through January 2019, and two more classes will be delivered by the end of June. He thanked Mrs. Collier, Mr. Zoromski and Mrs. Seymour for their help getting funding for the Fire Academy program that provides blended training (partially online and partially in-classroom) for firefighters who need the training both for safety and for grant requirements. He said Crowder College was asked to pilot the program, there has been a very high 70% pass rate, and the grant funding has been critical allowing the training of more people for less money. Dr. Coltharp thanked Mr. Anderson saying he is the reason Crowder’s Fire Science program has not only succeeded, but become known statewide. Members and the Board applauded and congratulated Mr. Anderson for the great work he has done.
Adjournment
Mr. Wood noted the next regularly scheduled meeting set for Monday, May 20, following Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 18, at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. The meeting adjourned to lunch at 12:20 p.m.
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