SCCC/ATS Board Of Trustees Meet

Following a dinner with a cross section of students, the Seward County Community College/Area Technical School Board of Trustees met Monday to discuss the end of the 2008-09 school year and budget requirements for the 2009-10 school year. The dinner is held each semester and provides the trustees with an opportunity to meet students discuss their experience at SCCC/ATS, obtain ideas and recommendations for improvement and aspects of strengths of the college.

Dustin Ormiston and Sharon Hobble were sworn in as trustees of the board following re-election in April. Ron Oliver, who was also re-elected, was absent.

Donetta Dreitz, registrar, gave an overview of the graduation festivities, which will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, May 9. Ms. Dreitz indicated that over 300 students will be recognized for earning career certificates and associate degrees during this commencement.

Due to low enrollment this year in some of the programs that were previously a part of the Southwest Kansas Technical School, the administration recommended that the Business Administrative Technology program be moved from probation to monitoring status and the Drafting and Design Technology, Construction Trades Technology and Machine Tool Technology programs remain on probation for the 2009-10 school year.

Dr. Duane Dunn gave an overview of the budget planning process on campus. The college is expecting a reduction of approximately $415,000 in state aid for the 2009-10 due to budget rescissions and reductions in appropriations. In addition to this loss of revenue, the college is facing known cost increases for health insurance, the tax sheltered annuity program, faculty salaries and the well-pay policy.

Tom Williams, dean of administrative services, told the board that the college will receive $11,120.55 from a reduction in our workerź??s compensation. In addition, since the county was considered a disaster area following the recent blizzard, the college will receive a state reimbursement for snow removal costs and labor costs.

Williams also gave an update of the summer maintenance projects that will include technical school parking lot and drainage, sidewalk replacement, brick repair, fire alarm system, doors and framing replacement, ventilation in diesel area and the wash rack in agricultural building. These projects are available through the no interest state bond program designed for colleges to improve and repair facilities.

Dale Reed, dean of instruction, reported the Gas Compressor Institute had an increase in class participants, although vender participation was down. The college will begin interviewing candidates for a Gas Compressor Technician program that will start in fall 2010.

Cynthia Rapp, dean of instruction, said the state gave full approval of the Medical Coding and Reimbursement Program that will begin this fall.

In other action, the board

1. Hired Gary Damron as social science instructor and Magda Silva as vocal music instructor;

3. Approved the low bid from Schwindt Stone and Masonry of Liberal in the amount of $17,500 to repair brick and concrete on both the main campus and the technical school site as part of the PEI Bond Loan Project; and

4. Approved the bid from Southwest Glass and Door of Liberal in the amount of $110,394 to replace 21 single doors and 2 double doors and frames at the technical school as part of the PEI Bond Loan Project.

Among the end-of-the year activities are the Nursing Capping and Pinning, 7:30 p.m., Friday, May 8 in the gymnasium; Phi Theta Kappa breakfast, 8 a.m., Saturday, May 9, in 214 East/West; Graduation 10 a.m., Saturday, May 9 in the gymnasium; graduation for the Kansas State High School Diploma candidates, 4 p.m., Saturday, May 9, and moonlight finals breakfast for all students the evening of May 11.

The college will sign a 2+2 agreement with Fort Hays State University, May 11 for an elementary education program.

The next board meeting is Monday, June 1.