Board of Directors July 2021 Meeting Minutes
July 22, 2021
Board Members Present:
- Ms. Charlene Harris, Chair
- Phillip Duncan, Vice Chair
- Ms. Kelly Johnson, Secretary
- Mr. Gary Napier
- Mr. AJ Tompkins
- Mr. BJ Brown
- Mr. Marshall Todd
- Ms. Marsha Phelps
- Dr. Allison Cherry
Board Members Absent:
- Mr. Jonathan Arnett
Call to Order
Chair Harris called the meeting of the Somerset Community College Board of Directors to order at 1:00 p.m. She welcomed everyone in attendance.
Minutes
Chair Harris called upon Secretary Johnson to present the minutes from the last meeting.
MOTION: Mr. Todd moved that the Board approve the minutes of the May 13, 2021 meeting. Mr. Brown seconded the motion.
VOTE: The motion passed unanimously.
Chair Remarks
Chair Harris introduced AJ Tompkins. He is the President of the Student Government Association this year and replacing Alyssa Johnson.
Action Item
Ms. Meece reviewed the 2021-2022 Operating Budget. This budget was presented with more detail in May with the understanding that the Board of Regents could make changes. The Board of Regents approved the budget without any changes in June. In closing, Ms. Meece asked for the Somerset Community College Board of Directors to approve the 2021-2022 Operating Budget.
MOTION: Dr. Cherry made a motion to approve the 2021-2022 Operating Budget. Mr. Napier seconded the motion.
VOTE: The motion passed unanimously.
President's Remarks
Dr. Castle expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to update the Board. Dr. Castle began his report with enrollment. Summer enrollment was not bad but it was less than the College expected. SCC offered one free class to first-time students to give them an opportunity to see how classes were being handled. The COVID climate has made it difficult for SCC to determine the best way to get students back to college. Currently, the restrictions are somewhat relaxed but there is still some fear among the population.
Dr. Castle discussed the current status of COVID-19 at Somerset Community College. It appears that cases have increased in the community and SCC is keeping a close watch to determine what’s best for employees and students. In addition, the System Office has, Safety at Work, a representative who is working closely with the state and keeping up with the current restrictions. No changes have been made at this time but SCC will continue to review the situation day by day.
Dr. Castle discussed Relief Fund Expenditures and SCC has received multiple relief packages to assist students and the college. This allowed SCC to use institutional funds to recoup some losses over the past year and it helped fund SCC invest in technology, program development, recruiting, and retention. Most importantly the relief funds issued to SCC were used to assist the students with various costs.
Dr. Castle also discussed program growth and support for the College. This Fall SCC is offering free tuition to first-time students. It is a last-dollar incentive and students must be enrolled in 6 credit hours up to 12. SCC plans to add programs, expand current programs, and implement curriculum changes. Academics and Workforce development are developing new programming to meet the needs of large companies. Also, SCC is working on the Capital project for the Laurel South Campus and hoping that this gets approved by the Board of Regents.
Dr. Castle discussed personal growth at the college. SCC is excited about the Title III grant implementation. This will take students who need the extra help and walk them through the College process and see them through graduation. Also, SCC plans to enter the 4DX process. 4Dx is four disciplines of execution that allow a large organization to focus on things they need to do most and still stay steady with day-to-day responsibilities. The main focus is increasing enrollment but the details are still being discussed. In addition, some of the departments are going through a LEAN process. Employees sit down and review their processes and see where they can approve.
Dr. Castle discussed SCC’s involvement with community events. There have been several events across the service area and SCC had great representation. Dr. Castle invited the Board to let the College know about the different events and get them involved.
Dr. Castle reported giving totals for the College in 2020-2021. SCC received various gifts for the College and the Foundation. SCC also has endowments where income is received from the interest. SCC gave $1.3 million in scholarships in the 2020-2021 year.
Dr. Castle also discussed how fluid times are but also presents great opportunities for SCC. He invited the Board to participate in a quick SWOT analysis of the College. The presentation brought good conversation and the members discussed SCC’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
Executive Session
Chair Harris made a motion to go into Executive Session to discuss a purchase. If made public this could potentially affect the purchase price per KRS 61.810 1b. Vice-Chair Duncan seconded the motion and all were in favor of the closed session.
Action Item
The SCC Board has a responsibility to review the Vision, Values, and Mission Statement annually. Chair Harris read the statement before the board. No further suggestions were made to the statement.
Adjournment
Chair Harris announced the next meeting will be October 28, 2021. Chair Harris recommended that Mr. Napier, Dr. Cherry, and Mr. Todd serve on the nominating committee to appoint new members.
Meeting adjourned.
Date Approved by Board of Directors
10-28-2021
Charlene Harris, Chair SCC Board of Directors
Signature on file
Kelly Johnson, Secretary SCC Board of Directors
Signature on file
