SCCC/ATS Board Meets

The Seward County Community College/Area Technical School Board of Trustees met on Monday, Jan. 3 to review purchase recommendations and receive updates on the strategic plan.
Celeste Donovan, dean of student services, provided the board with a report on the services the college provides to students with disabilities. Donovan reported that the college provides services to students with physical and learning disabilities with assistance ranging from tutoring, extended test time, and counseling to adaptive services, such as desk arrangements, enhanced computer screens, and classroom access. Students must request the services through the dean’s office and the college then ensures that the students are provided with appropriate assistance. As part of the institutional goal regarding meeting students’ needs and the strategic vision element of addressing diversity, Donovan indicated that her office is monitoring student satisfaction with the services provided as well as the different types of assistance requested.
Al Shank, Jr. provided the Board with a proposal for property and casualty insurance. The college realized an increase in workers compensation ratio for 2010 but the other aspects of the institutional insurance realized a decrease. The board approved the renewal of institutional insurance through EMC Insurance Group, Inc. at a cost of $260,921 for the year 2011. This coverage includes property, liability, crime, workers’ comp, and auto.
The board approved the employment of Norma Jean Dodge as the director of business and industry. Dodge has previous experience with the office of business and industry at Garden City Community College, as well as with customized training and industry training with entities in southwest Kansas.
The board approved the purchase of replacement equipment for the Wellness Center and authorized the business office to purchase computers for the computer labs used in the computer science department in the simulation and game design courses. The computers were bid by Dell Computer Corporation and the treadmills were bid by Advanced Exercise Equipment.
Cynthia Rapp, dean of instruction, reported on a collaborative effort with Dodge City Community College, Garden City Community College and SCCC/ATS to expand the effectiveness of the adult learning programs in southwest Kansas. The three colleges will work with the Kansas Board of Regents to ensure success in the GED programs and citizenship courses provided to the area.
Rapp also clarified that the SCCC/ATS cosmetology program is continuing with new enrollment of students for the spring semester including the nail technology program. The college is seeking individuals who have an instructor license through the Kansas Board of Cosmetology in order to meet the attendance requirements for the students to sit for their licensing exam. The SCCC/ATS cosmetology program operates with two full-time instructors and enrollment is near capacity; however, adjunct instructors are essential for student assistance and lab instruction.
Dale Reed, associate dean of educational services, notified the board that the Natural Gas Compressor Technician program will begin classes this month with a full enrollment of students. The program is a non-credit program, which includes an internship with industry partners.
Dr. Duane Dunn, SCCC/ATS president, reviewed the impact of a potential change in the state aid distribution formula for community colleges. The new formula is a legislative requirement to address career and technical education programs offered at community and technical colleges. The factors that impact SCCC/ATS include the county residency of the students, the specific course in which the student is enrolled, and the percentage of the college’s enrollment generated from Seward county residents. Dunn explained that to implement the formula, the legislature would need to appropriate approximately $50 million additional dollars for FY2012 and without that appropriation SCCC/ATS could face a revenue decrease of over one million dollars. The new formula has not been approved by the Kansas Board of Regents but is expected to be reviewed and modified by the Regents and forwarded to the legislature for action.
An “All-Saints” enrollment day is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 11 with spring semester courses beginning Wednesday, Jan. 12. Campus will be closed Monday, January 17 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.
The next regular Board of Trustees meeting will be Monday, Feb. 7.