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 10:00 A.M. on Monday, 9/23/2024. Members present at the meeting were:
Andy Wood, Chair
Diane Andris, Vice-Chair
Vickie Barnes, Treasurer
Don McBride, Member
Mandy Barrett, Member
Also attending the meeting were:
Katricia Pierson, President
Elizabeth Armstrong, Executive Assistant to the President
Jessica Struckhoff, Paragon Architecture
Chris McKinzy, Paragon Architecture
Ciara Montez, Paragon Architecture
Elizabeth Stinnett, Paragon Architecture
Brad Erwin, Paragon Architecture
Ed Barlow, Director of Workforce Training and Development Solutions
Steven Wolven, Allied Health Director
Al Stadler, Vice President of Finance
Chett Daniel, Associate Vice President of Career and Technical Education
Sarah Smith, Cassville Site Director
Priscilla Gurule, Procurement Accountant
Jared Brown, Associate Vice President of Finance
Joe Brenner, Vice President of Finance
Jamie Ward, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs
Tiffany Slinkard, Vice President of Student Affairs
Sandra Wilson, Nursing Director
Joani Zibert, Grants Director
Aaron Divine, McDonald County Site Director
Cindy Brown, Public Information Director
Melissa Smith, Post-Secondary CTE Director
Andrew Nwanne, Vice President of Academic Affairs
Juli DeNisco, AEL Director
Brandi Arthur, Athletics Director
Stephanie Witcher, Communications Division Chair
A few moments of silence were observed to prepare for the meeting.
Amendment to the agenda
Mr. Wood asked the Board to add the purchase of additional services from SoftDocs as agenda item V.B.n. With no objection, the purchase was added to the agenda.
Minutes of Previous Meeting
Minutes of the August 19 regular meeting and Tax Hearing were approved as written and previously distributed.
Financial Reports
Mr. Wood noted the monthly cash flow statement for August 2024. Dr. Pierson responded to additional questions from Board members as needed. Checks in the amount of $1,228,204.67 were reviewed. The rest of the current fund balances and agency accounts were reviewed.
Grants Policies and Procedures Manual – Second Reading
Dr. Pierson stated in reviewing state statute, the title page will be amended to read “Community College District of Newton and McDonald Counties”. No other changes were made.
Internal Hire Board Policy – Second Reading
An amendment excluding associate vice presidents, vice presidents, and the College president from the internal hire policy was made. Mr. Wood commented on the phrase “may be promoted internally” noting that certain jobs would likely not have internal candidates. Dr. Pierson discussed that employees of the college may recommend an additional policy for employees that guides the process and provides definitions in relation to the Board policy.
2025 Board Meeting Calendar
Dr. Pierson presented the recommended calendar of Board meeting dates for 2025. Dr. Pierson noted that we would like to host a ribbon cutting for the new Joplin facility on July 28, following the Board meeting.
A MOTION to approve the consent agenda was made by Ms. Andris, seconded by Ms. Barnes, and unanimously carried.
Personnel
Dr. Pierson recommended approval of the following personnel changes:
Resignation of Colton Holland, Part-Time AEL & ELL Instructor, Skyelar Long, Behavior Technician, Dorothy Millsap, Bookstore Customer Service Associate, Haley Vaughn, Health Science II Instructor, Thomas Stephenson, Evening Custodian, and Roy Rivard, Interim Paramedic Clinical Coordinator/Instructor.
Change of status of Steven Wolven from IT Specialist/Media and Technology Integration to Director of Allied Health, Priscilla Gurule from Accounts Payable Assistant to Procurement Accountant, Nash Brodsky from Assistant Director of Upward Bound/UBMS to Systems Analyst, and Dace Youngblood from Part-Time ELL Instructor to Full Time ELL Instructor.
Employment of Jacob Barnes, Economics Instructor, Augusta Faucett, Surgical Technology Clinical Coordinator/Instructor, Kimmie Daugherty, Evening Custodian, Lloyd Cheatham,
Evening Custodian, Thomas Stephenson, Evening Custodian, Daralice Allison, Case Manager, Hayley Miller, Evening Custodian, Thomas White, Evening Custodian, Jyl Williams, Teacher Preparation Instructor, Laken Malone, Assistant Women’s Softball Coach, Adamo Stornello, Part Time Housing Coordinator, Michaela Oxley, Office Manager, and Medland Wallace, Part-Time English Language Learner.
A MOTION to approve all personnel changes was made by Dr. Barrett, seconded by Ms. Andris, and unanimously carried.
Budgets and Finances
The board was asked to vote on contract and purchase requests for Hurst live board review, OTA instructional equipment, GMP for Joplin renovation, Lightcast/EMSI, builders risk insurance, 20 student laptops, CTEC Health Science digital cadaver table, two auto tech post lifts, building trades scaffolding system, IDEXX radiology system, arctic wolf security services, fire extinguishers, and additional expenses for expanded services through SoftDocs. A MOTION to approve all contracts and purchases as requested was made by Mr. McBride, seconded by Dr. Barrett, and unanimously carried.
The board was then asked to review information regarding purchases of Elsevier Adaptive Quizzing, barriers for the Joplin building, and welders.
AEL Program Presentation
Juli DeNisco, AEL Director presented an overview of the AEL program at Crowder. She provided an overview of the mission and services included in the umbrella of AEL. Ms. DeNisco also reviewed metrics of success for the program. She noted that with metrics tied to workforce, the program works to develop partnerships that students have a successful entrance into the workforce.
Facilities Master Plan
Ms. Struckhoff provided an update on the Facilities Master Plan timeline, meeting schedule, engagement with faculty, staff, students, and administration, and priority categories/themes. Ms. Stinnett outlined the responses from faculty, staff, students, and administration that resulted in the provided priority categories/themes. Ms. Montez reviewed current faculty, staff, and student rankings of the priority categories/themes. The Board discussed the necessity of all categories/themes.
President’s Update
Dr. Pierson reminded the Board that auditors are on campus for the annual audit this week. The Board will have a retreat in McDOnald County on Friday, October 11, and the Board Picnic will be held on Friday, October 18.
Dr. Pierson highlighted Al Stadler for being invited to speak at the national cyber security conference next year.
She noted that MCCA selected Chief Glenna Wallace as a recipient of their distinguished alumni award this year.
She discussed the success of the student/employee dodgeball tournament as well.
Executive Session
With no further agenda items, Chairman Wood called for the meeting to adjourn at 11:29 am.
