Multiple reports were given at the North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees meeting February 22nd.
Vice President of Student Affairs Doctor Kristen Alley reported NCMC’s graduation rate is 42%, and the withdrawal rate is 39%. NCMC is the only community college in the state to have a higher graduation rate than a withdrawal rate.
More than $732,000 was given to more than 300 students through the A Plus Program. Alley said NCMC developed an A Plus recognition award.
Vice President of Academic Affairs Doctor Tristan Londre reported activities have been held recently that brought potential students onto campus.
He said Program Coordinator of Health Sciences Kristi Cutsinger and Nursing faculty and staff held a Nursing and Health Science Day February 4th. One hundred ten high school students came to the campus for information about NCMC’s Nursing and Health Sciences programs. A health science fair was in the Ketcham Community Center.
NCMC’s first certified nursing assistant testing day was February 9th. Londre said that brought five students to campus for CNA knowledge and skill examination. Some of the testers were area high school Health Occupation students who may apply for NCMC’s nursing programs.
Londre reported NCMC had a faculty in service yesterday (Tuesday) as well as the annual SkillsUSA competition. He estimated more than 100 people came to campus for SkillsUSA.
Chief Information Officer Jennifer Triplett reported on Information Technology Services projects worked on this month. They included a remote learning classroom upgrade, a OneCard Hardware upgrade, and renovations at the former U. S. Bank building.
Digital Media Specialist Rick Cole showed a video highlighting things the Digital Media Club has done so far this year.
He reported there have been up to 11 students working on the production crew. He had four students in his first semester class and four in the second semester class.
Cole is looking for students interested in all kinds of media.
Green Hills Head Start Director Janet Gott reported attendance the last few months has been about 62 to 70%. She does not think it is related to COVID-19. Head Start is starting to look at morning health checks, and transportation might be a problem. Gott would like to see attendance go back up.
After being asked by Trustee Doctor John Holcomb, Gott said Head Start is also looking at ways to increase parent participation in the Policy Council.
NCMC President Doctor Lenny Klaver reported on meetings and activities he attended this month.
Governor Mike Parson was at one meeting hosted by Truman State University February 1st. Klaver said Parson discussed his priorities for infrastructure and workforce development. The governor has a goal for all campuses to have one new building under the new budget. Additional core funding is part of the governor’s plan.
Klaver chaired a Missouri Community College Association Presidents and Chancellors meeting via Zoom February 2nd. Klaver said there was budget discussion as well as discussion on federal legislation and Association of Community College Trustees Legislative Summit office visit planning, projects, tuition increases, and raises. The colleges also discussed what is being done on campuses with COVID-19 and masks.
A meeting was held February 4th involving the expansion at Hillyard Technical Center of Saint Joseph. Klaver reported Vice President of Academic Affairs Doctor Tristan Londre and the Saint Joseph School District’s chief financial officer have worked out lease terms for the coming year. NCMC will occupy the space Metropolitan Community College occupied. There will be new welding and high tech manufacturing equipment to replace antiquated machines. Klaver said Director of Business and Industry Relations Jason Helton has made some good new industry contacts for potential customized training projects.
Klaver attended the Association of Community College Trustees National Legislative Summit in Washington, D. C. February 7th through 9th. He heard from First Lady Doctor Jill Biden, who was a community college writing professor. CBS Chief White House Correspondent Major Garett looked at the last few elections from different angles. U. S. Secretary of Labor Martin Walsh discussed what community colleges are doing to help the labor market. Klaver also heard from Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.
Klaver had legislative visits with Senator Roy Blunt, Senator Josh Hawley, and Emily Henn with Congressman Sam Graves’s education staff. Klaver said Blunt is fighting for more Pell Grant money. Graves was in a voting session.
Klaver reported the virtual day NCMC had February 17th was an experiment, and he thought it turned out well, considering the weather.
The North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees February 22nd accepted bids for the addition and renovation of facilities for the Savannah campus.
E. L. Crawford of Saint Joseph’s base and alternate bids were accepted and totaled $8,767,900. There were two base bids, which involved the existing structure renovation and the nursing and allied health addition. There were also five alternate bids, which involved re-roofing the existing building, a nursing lab partition, exterior paneling on the existing building, HVAC, and window coverings.
E. L. Crawford had the lowest total of the six companies that submitted bids. The other total bids ranged from $8,782,798 to $12,365,800.
Jeremy Proctor with Ellison-Auxier Architects reported costs are still up for supplies, and the bids were a little higher than what the architects originally thought they would be. He considered all of the companies that submitted bids to be reputable.
Proctor mentioned that lead times for some items might be long, especially steal. He said the timeline is for Phase 1 to be done by October, and classes would be able to be held at the Savannah facility next January. It is hoped Phase 2 will be done by June 2023.
The trustees renewed NCMC’s Proofpoint email security solutions for $33,410.70 for the next year. Chief Information Officer Jennifer Triplett reported Proofpoint provides critical protection against email-based cybersecurity threats. The Information Technology Services operating budget is the funding source.
The purchase was approved of seven HVAC systems from Foster Refrigeration and Electric/Heating and Air Conditioning of Chillicothe for $71,154. It was the lowest of three bids. NCMC Vice President of Business and Finance reported the systems would replace existing outdated or broken HVAC equipment at the former US Bank building and add two additional units. The purchase will be covered 100% by state deferred maintenance funds. It was reported in December that the former bank building is to be used as a temporary location for some departments currently housed in a strip of buildings on Main Street the college is looking to demolish.
The trustees approved editing the college’s mission statement because of the upcoming addition of Buchanan County to NCMC’s service area. The mission statement now refers to “all communities and rural areas of our 17-county service region” instead of “the rural and small communities of our 16-county service region.”
The Green Hills Head Start child selection criteria was approved for Preschool and Early Head Start for the non-competitive year three grant year. Head Start Director Sue Ewigman reported revisions included the addition of points for infants with mothers who were enrolled in the prenatal program, applicants who have someone in the home who is an English Language Learner, and students who had siblings previously enrolled.
NCMC personnel matters were approved.
Tenure was granted to Agriculture Instructor Jack Green, Political and Social Sciences Faculty Member Doctor Sterling Recker, Nursing Faculty Member Sophia Swink, and Nursing Instructor Ashtyn Wilson.
Resignations were approved from IT Helpdesk Specialist Zane Robinson, effective February 28th, and Upward Bound Program Coordinator Carmen Austin, effective July 29th.
Jamie Taylor of Savannah was transferred from part-time North Belt Center Evening Assistant to full-time Andrew County Site Assistant, starting February 14th.
Kyle Jones of Chillicothe was hired as a custodian, starting February 16th. Delana “Lanie” Gardner of Jamesport was hired as the Campus Store Associate—Retail Operations, beginning March 7th. Maggie McAllister of Jamesport was hired as a part-time clinical adjunct instructor.
Head Start personnel matters were also approved. They included the transfer of Chasity Rardon from Brookfield B Teacher Aide to Brookfield B Teacher, effective January 18th. Lynda Brosdahl was approved as a cook at Brookfield B Head Start, effective January 31st. Karrigan Bowling was employed as a teacher aide at Bethany.
The board entered into an executive session for personnel and real estate matters.
