North Central Missouri College President Doctor Lenny Klaver announced the college’s commencement speakers at the Board of Trustees meeting March 26th. Former NCMC Vice President and State Fair Community College President Joanna Anderson will speak at the morning ceremony. Mosaic Life Care Chief Executive Officer Mike Poore will speak at the afternoon ceremony.
Vice President of Student Affairs Doctor Kristen Alley reported the commencement ceremonies will be May 4th. Rehearsal will be May 3rd.
Alley said registration for returning students will open April 1st. New student orientation will start April 15th.
She commented there have been challenges with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid simplification. NCMC is not receiving information from FAFSA about all of the applications being submitted.
Chief Information Officer Jennifer Triplett said there were a lot of changes around FAFSA, and the college has had to adapt to work with FAFSA. Information Technology Services was working with Financial Aid. She noted there had been a disruption across every vendor, and the vendors were trying to make it work.
Triplett reported IT Services has spent time on the print information system, and it was making progress. Security was updated to make it better.
Vice President of Academic Affairs Doctor Tristan Londre reported seven new school districts participated in dual credit this school year. That brought the total to 52.
He said the ag contest at NCMC last week had more than 1,900 students from more than 80 schools.
Director of Advising and Retention Jenna Stevens discussed online appointment scheduling for student advising. She reported online scheduling allows for student convenience and an increase in productivity for Advising and Retention.
Appointments can be virtual and over video or phone. Appointments can also be in person.
Stevens said students get an email confirmation for online scheduling. An email is also sent to say how to prepare for an appointment. There is a follow-up email sent as well.
A reminder text is sent one hour before an appointment. Stevens noted there has been fewer no shows with online scheduling. She said some students hit cancel on the reminder text and reschedule.
Stevens added that information shows all of the communication the college has had with a student.
Board President NiCole Neal said she thought online appointment scheduling was wonderful because it had trackability and accountability.
Green Hills Head Start Director Janet Gott reported Head Start was working on getting the infant/toddler centers ready at Chillicothe and Unionville. She said they were very close to being ready, and it was exciting. Early staff members are in place.
Gott commented the first goal for those opening was the end of March, but now she is looking at April. Head Start is waiting on licensing and inspections, such as from the fire marshal.
President Klaver reported the matriculation rate of high school student cohorts for early college for fall 2020 was 24%. The rate then dipped to 19% in fall 2021 and 18% in fall 2022. However, the matriculation rate of high school student cohorts was 13% for the falls of 2009, 2010, and 2011. The rate was 18% in fall 2018 and 20% in 2019. The average was 16% from 2009 to 2022.
Klaver said the NCMC graduation rate of high school student cohorts for early college was 24% in fall 2019, 21% in fall 2020, and 7% in fall 2021. The average was 19% from 2009 to 2021.
Klaver noted the Missouri Community College Association had asked its members to report early college numbers. NCMC had not seen cumulative totals.
He said he was proud of the men’s and women’s basketball teams for how well they performed in national tournaments. He commented that NCMC’s spring sports were doing well.
Klaver reported Governor Mike Parson toured the Convergent Technology Alliance Center at Missouri Western State University. The governor met with Missouri Western President Doctor Elizabeth Kennedy, Klaver, and business leaders. Klaver noted the governor said he was impressed with the progress of the building of the CTAC and the collaboration between NCMC and Missouri Western.
Klaver gave a legislative update. He reported House Bill 2310/Senate Bill 1075 is important to NCMC. The legislation’s goal is to make the transfer process easier for students. He explained that, by passing this bill, students will not have to retake classes, some of which were paid for by A+ or other state scholarships.
Klaver said MCCA President and CEO Brian Millner and members of the Presidents and Chancellors Council have worked with universities and the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development to narrow the scope of the bill. It now requires the department to create a transfer pathway for students for specific program areas.
The bill moved out of some preliminary committees. However, Klaver reported there has been resistance from the University of Missouri and the Council of Public Higher Education. He said the resistance had included attempts to rewrite the legislation to make transferring restrictive and initiating a period of three years for assessment of transfer and articulations.
Klaver mentioned that MCCA members have asked why universities would oppose what he said the members believe is a commonsense approach to improving the transfer process for Missouri’s community college students.
Students from NCMC’s Foundation of Education class attended March 26th’s board meeting.
The North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees approved room and board rates, course fees, and salary schedules March 26th.
Room rates for next academic year will be $3,130 for double occupancy and $4,170 for single occupancy. An apartment will be $5,400. An all-access meal plan will cost $3,615, and an eight-meal plan will be $1,945.
The rates were based on a recommendation from Vice President of Student Affairs Doctor Kristen Alley. They will begin with the fall semester.
Alley reported the recommendation reflected an approximate 2% increase in room rates for Selby and Ellsworth halls and a 2.5% increase for the Anchor apartments. She said that was based on supply and demand, and the Anchors are full.
NCMC completed a cost comparison of room rates at Missouri community colleges and the surrounding local market. Alley noted NCMC’s rates stayed competitive.
She said Trenton Municipal Utilities reported electric rates would stay the same for 2024. However, water rates will see a 3.9% increase, and wastewater rates will increase by 3%. The Consumer Price Index is projected to average 2.5 to 2.8% in 2024 and about 2.1% in 2025.
Alley reported NCMC will incur a 5.5% contractual increase in board rates for the 2024-2025 academic year for services provided by Great Western Dining. The recommendation also reflected an approximate 5.5% increase in meal plans. She said the contract increase was due to an anticipated 6.5% increase in the Consumer Price Index: Food Away From Home.
Alley commented that the college hated to have increases in room and board. It wanted to keep incremental increases as low as it possibly could.
A $25 fee was added to Intro to Commercial Power Equipment; CPE Maintenance; CPE Brakes, Steering, and Suspension; and CPE Electrical. Vice President of Academic Affairs Doctor Tristan Londre reported the fee addition would defray the cost of consumables, such as oil, filters, and miscellaneous shop supplies.
The fee for Teaching Profession with Field Experience was also increased by $2 to $17. Londre said that better reflected the current cost of the required Accusource HR check. Education Faculty Member Cassie Cordray explained Accusource HR check was a background check given to students before they are allowed into school districts.
Course fee changes will be effective this fall.
The non-nursing faculty schedule base for next school year was increased by $1,000, and movement was allowed of one vertical step for a 4.6% increase. The fiscal year 2025 average base for non-nursing faculty will be $55,694 for nine-month employees, $53,960 for 10-month, $75,263 for 11-month, and $76,627 for 12-month employees.
The nursing and allied health faculty schedule base was increased by 1%, and movement was allowed of one vertical step for a 3% increase. Years 16 plus were changed to a 2% increase. The fiscal year 2025 average base for nursing and allied health faculty will be $51,790 for nine-month employees, $62,401 for 10-month, and $67,929 for 11-month employees.
The classified staff salary schedule base was increased by 55 cents for a 4.6% increase, and horizontal movement of employees was allowed for employees in Range 5. The fiscal year 2025 average base for classified staff will be $17.78 an hour.
Administrative, management, and professional employees will receive a 3% increase in pay. The fiscal year 2025 average base for an AMP will be $58,867.
No changes were made to current rates for adjunct and overload.
The dance team coach stipend will be increased by $250 to $3,500. The Shooting Club coach stipend will be $4,000 split between two employees.
Vice President of Business and Finance Tyson Otto reported the non-nursing faculty schedule base salary had been increased by $4,250 since fiscal year 2022, which represents a 12% increase to the base salary amounts over that time. With steps, non-nursing faculty annual salaries have increased by nearly 19% since fiscal year 2022.
The classified staff salary schedule has increased by almost $3 an hour since fiscal year 2022, which corresponds with a more than 30% increase to the base salary amounts over that time. With schedule movements, average classified salary schedule rates have increased by nearly 38% since fiscal year 2022.
AMP salaries have increased by 12% over the last three fiscal years.
Otto said he is proud of the improvements made and believes the college has made significant strides with pay in the last three years.
He noted the increases in room, board, and fees for students help pay for salary increases.
The board approved awarding Emeritus status to two employees upon their retirement. Green Hills Head Start Director Janet Gott will be Director Emerita, and Savannah Campus Director Sue Nichols will be Professor Emerita. The recommendation from Chief of Staff Kristi Harris was based on qualifications, achievements, and dedication to NCMC.
The board approved a new position for Sail Program Director. Harris said the position would be part of the Thrive program. The position would be partially supported by University of Central Missouri grant funds.
Dean of Instruction Doctor Mitch Holder explained Thrive would be a post-secondary educational program to provide academic support and employable skill development for students with intellectual disabilities, like Asperger syndrome, autism, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. He said it would be an exciting opportunity for NCMC. The plan is to have eight students in each cohort to start. There would be students in the school’s population now who would qualify.
The board approved a recommendation from Harris to establish and hire another instructor for the Business Department. She said an additional faculty member is needed because of the student demand for courses, enrollment growth in the program, and large overloads of current business faculty. The position will be budgeted for the new fiscal year and will start in the fall.
The board approved resignations for Custodian Doug Frazelle, effective February 29th, and Workforce Development Board Manager Kerry Savage, effective March 22nd.
Adam Gallagher of Trenton was hired as a custodian, effective March 18th.
The board approved a request from Information Technology Services to renew NCMC’s Microsoft licensing and solutions. The renewal cost is $27,880.68 for the next year of service. Chief Information Officer Jennifer Triplett reported the price was the same as the previous year.
The quote was provided under Sourcewell consortium pricing. It is for Year 2 of the college’s current 36-month agreement. The IT Services Operating Budget is the funding source for the renewal.
The trustees approved the Program Year 2024 Fiscal Agent Agreement between NCMC and the Workforce Development Board of North Missouri. WDB Executive Director Brent Stevens reported the only change in the agreement was when it will be effective, which will be from July 1st, 2024 to June 30th, 2025.
The trustees approved the Green Hills Head Start Policy Council by-laws, Public Complaint Policy, and Internal Dispute Resolution Policy. Green Hills Head Start Director Sue Ewigman reported the policies were unchanged, but they required annual approval.
The board approved Head Start personnel items. Jessica Ryals was employed as a toddler teacher at Unionville, effective March 19th. Taffi Robbins was transferred from a teacher aide to an infant teacher at Unionville. Kelsie Lowe was transferred from full-time teacher to part-time teacher at Trenton, effective February 16th. Barbara Craver was transferred from cook to teacher aide at Unionville.
The board moved into an executive session for possible discussion of employees, legal action, and/or real estate.
