SCCC/ATS Board Meets

The Seward County Community College/Area Technical School Board of Trustees met for their regular board meeting Monday, Oct. 3 in the board room to review programs and approve a revised budget.
The board approved a revised 2011-12 budget following publication in the High Plains Daily Leader and Times. The proposed amendment allows for $500,000 in construction services for the Corrosion Technology Program, which is part of the Title V grant. This amendment does not impact the local support revenue for the college.
The president gave an overview of the five institutional goals, including strengthening alumni relationships, accentuating positive perception of SCCC/ATS, maximizing presentation and use of college website, improving student advising and recruitment and strengthen industry partnerships.
“We are really making terrific strides with our industry partners,” said Dr. Duane Dunn, through new internships, the addition of a career services specialist, more active advisory boards and career placement services.
The board approved an annual update of the English program as presented by English Instructors Bill McGlothing and Dale Doll.
Doll said the pilot project adds pre-composition classes. These courses help prepare students to take Composition I and II and improve their success rates.
The English Department is making strides to meet annually with English instructors from Liberal High School and other area high schools, McGlothing said. Through workshops, they are able to better prepare students for college classes both through concurrent and outreach courses. The English Department hopes to conduct regular workshops to improve the success of SCCC/ATS students.
The board approved an annual update of the Math and Science programs as presented by Luke Dowell, Science, Math and HPERD Division chair.
The Math Department created a placement test in 2009 that is given on the first day of class in each math class to see if the student is prepared for the class they are taking, Dowell said. This is being used in addition to the ACT or COMPASS placement tests students take prior to enrollment at SCCC/ATS. The Math Department is analyzing the new advising process to see if students are having the success they need.
The department is also analyzing why some students are not successful from one course to the next level of math. They are also looking at the success rate of students who sign a waiver to take a class for which they may not be prepared.
The Science Department is looking at a new alignment of biology courses with four-year colleges or universities. Some curriculum between two classes has been combined into one class; however, some of the original courses are still needed for certain programs, such as Respiratory Therapy and Surgical Technology.
The department is also investigating an environmental focus for the department with such classes as Ecology and Wildlife Biology.
The United States Department of Education has awarded SCCC/ATS the Title III Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Grant. SCCC/ATS is eligible for this grant as a Hispanic Serving Institution due to consistent enrollment exceeding 25 percent Hispanic students.
The grant in the amount of $4,163,737 will help construct and renovate space, purchase equipment and hire staff to develop new high-demand programs in Sustainable Agricultural Resources and Food Safety and Science, along with updating and strengthening the existing Engineering program.
SCCC/ATS is the only Kansas college to receive this funding.
With this grant, the college must include partnerships with universities and address Hispanic student enrollment as specific target enrollment.
Dr. Suzanne Campbell, Medical Laboratory Technician coordinator, will oversee the grant.
Dale Reed, dean of outreach, told the board that BP is making another $14,000 donation to the Natural Gas Compression program that will be used for student scholarships. The college will honor BP representatives with a luncheon Thursday.
Reed also told the board that Marcus Pollard, former SCCC/ATS basketball player, is a participant on the television show, The Amazing Race.
In other action, the board
1. Approved naming of the circle drive as the Jo Ann Sharp drive as a result of Mrs. Sharp’s purchase of the naming rights at the SCCC/ATS Foundation Auction;

2. Accepted the bid from Magourik Chevrolet for a 2012 Chevrolet Impala in the amount of $20,200; and

3. Appointed Rick Brenneman as voting delegate and John Engel as alternate to the Association of Community College Trustees Annual Community College Leadership Congress this month.

The fall play “An Inspector Calls” will be at 7:30 p.m., Thursday through Saturday in the Showcase Theater.
The college is hosting the CNG4Kansas seminar on Thursday, Oct. 13. This compressed natural gas conference will bring legislators and natural gas professionals to campus.