Board of Directors October 2019 Meeting Minutes
October 24, 2019
Board Members Present:
- Ms. Charlene Harris, Chair
- Phillip Duncan, Vice Chair
- Ms. Kelly Johnson, Secretary
- Mr. Jonathan Arnett
- Mr. Gary Napier
- Mr. Phillip Duncan
- Ms. Marsha Phelps
- Dr. Allison Cherry
- Mr. Tyler Stapp
Board Members Absent:
- Mr. Marshall Todd
Call to Order
Chair Harris called the meeting of the Somerset Community College Board of Directors to order at 1:03 p.m. in the Citizens National Bank Community Room in the Harold Rogers Student Commons. She welcomed everyone in attendance.
Minutes
Chair Harris called upon Secretary Johnson to present the minutes from the last meeting.
MOTION: Mr. Arnett moved that the Board approve the minutes of the July 25, 2019 meeting. Dr. Cherry seconded the motion.
VOTE: The motion passed unanimously.
Agenda Item
Ms. Cindy Clouse, Vice President of Institutional Advancement, presented two documents that are required to be given to all Board members: Your Duty Under the Law: The Kentucky Open Records and Open Meetings Acts and Managing Government Records A Cooperative Undertaking. Also included in the packet a proof of receipt that each Board member must sign. Ms. Clouse explained the changes that had been made to the documents since Board members had received the packets and answered any questions presented. Board members then signed the Proof of Receipt and gave the receipts to Ms. Clouse.
President's Remarks
Dr. Castle’s began his report by introducing Dr. Amanda Waterstraat, Director for the SCC Honors Program and Professor of Biology. With Dr. Waterstraat was SCC student, Samuel Lay, who is on a pre-engineering tract for transfer to University of Kentucky. Dr. Waterstraat presented to the Board about the new SCC Honors Program and how it was established to recruit and support high achieving students. There are fourteen students actively engaged in this first year of the program. She spoke about requirements to be considered for the program and what the students do in the program over a two-year period of time. Ms. Lay also spoke about his first semester in the program and the ways it has helped him. After presenting, Dr. Waterstraat responded to questions from Board members. At the conclusion o the presentation and question and answer period, Ms. Clouse presented the named giving opportunity for financial support of the Honors Program.
Dr. Castle informed the Board that the Mission Statement they approved at the July Board meeting was approved by the KCTCS Board of Regents on September 20, 2019.
Enrollment as of Friday was at 5,590 which is down 4% from the previous fall and the full-time equivalent is 3,290, down 8%. We continue to work on new ideas for enrollment opportunities, including the addition of a winter session, which is a compact 4-week course. Enrollment from this new session will be counted in the spring enrollment number. Our biggest decreases are in arts and sciences and online classes. We are still figuring out why and find that we are not doing anything different than other colleges who are experiencing success.
We have now officially signed MOA’s with all four universities participating with the University of Southern Kentucky (UCSK) – University of Kentucky, Morehead State, Eastern Kentucky University, and Western Kentucky University. There is a new assistant, office renovations are complete and new program options are coming. We will probably be looking at adding one new university partner and will announce that when possible.
Programs news includes the truck driver training (CDL) program has started and we will start with two classes this year and pick-up in the spring. Additive Manufacturing just got a new grant. We received the Arc Power grant in the amount of $958,000, partnering with programs in Tennessee. Our part of the grant is for building new nursing programs at EKU Manchester Building, our McCreary Center and the Clinton Center, which is not part of the grant. We started a new evening HVAC program and it started off well. We continue to look at which technical programs would work outside the common hours so we can meeting students’ needs.
The Slave Memorial Dedication was held recently and Dr. Castle thanked Mr. Duncan for emceeing the event. It went very well.
The annual International Festival was held on the Somerset Campus, Laurel Campus and the Clinton Center.
There will be a Legislative luncheon here on campus on November 7. We will talk about what is scheduled to come up in the next Legislative session and provide a tour of the campus. Chair Harris will attend the event.
The SCC Foundation is having a fundraising event for the Laurel Campus on November 21. Formal invitations will follow in the next week. Dr. Castle asked Board members to attend if possible. The initiative for this event is led by two SCC Foundation Board members from Laurel, Phil Smith and Paula Thompson.
The annual Board of Directors breakfast will be Thursday, December 19 at 8:30 a.m. at the Downtown Deli.
There will be an internal working group from our Leadership Council to develop a 2020-2021 working plan. The focus will still be “our main thing” providing new emphasis toward working adults.
We will host the SPEDA lunch on November 21.
Action Item
The Nominating Committee for the election of officers for 2020 consisted of Mr. Arnett as Chair, Mr. Napier and Dr. Cherry. Mr. Arnett reported that the committee recommends a slate of Board officer candidates for 2020 as follows: Ms. Harris as Chair, Mr. Duncan as Vice-Chair and Ms. Johnson as Secretary.
MOTION: Mr. Arnett moved that the Board approve the recommendations made by the Nominating Committee. Dr. Cherry seconded the motion.
VOTE: The motion passed unanimously.
Action Item
Chair Harris asked Board members if there are any conflicts with the 2020 meeting schedule as sent to them in their Board books and, if not, she asked for a motion to approve.
MOTION: Mr. Arnett moved that the Board approve the 2020 meeting schedule. Dr. Cherry seconded the motion.
VOTE: The motion passed unanimously.
Chair Remarks
Chair Harris announced that the next scheduled Board meeting is January 23.
Adjournment
There being no further business, Mr. Arnett moved that the meeting adjourn. Mr. Duncan seconded the motion. The meeting adjourned at 1:36 p.m.
Date Approved by Board of Directors
2-6-2020
Charlene Harris, Chair SCC Board of Directors
Signature on file
Kelly Johnson, Secretary SCC Board of Directors
Signature on file
