SCCC/ATS Trustees Meet

The Seward County Community College/Area Technical School Board of Trustees discussed a number of items to start the spring 2012 semester.
Dr. Duane Dunn, SCCC/ATS president, gave an overview of the institutional goals. The goals are designed to strengthen alumni relations, accentuate a positive perception of the college, maximize presentation and use of the college website, focus resources to improving student advising and recruitment; and strengthen industry partnerships.
The Art Department has proposed a ceramic tile wall as a campus art project that would feature a personalized tile for the estimated 400 graduates this year. Each year the Art Department would add tiles to the concrete structure along the campus amphitheater.
Dunn also gave an overview of the initiatives through the IMPACT (marketing) Committee that include Green Wednesdays, success stories, student articles in hometown newspapers and changes to the college website.
Cynthia Rapp, dean of instruction, presented the eight courses involved in the Process Technology program that will begin during the fall 2012 semester. This is the second program to be implemented through the Title V, Developing Hispanic-serving institutions program grant. The first program developed through the grant, Corrosion Technology, began classes this past fall.
Harold Fick, Process Technology instructor, will review the proposal and courses as part of the application to the Kansas Board of Regents for approval. Rapp explained that the college academic affairs committee must approve all new courses, which insures that college academic policies and institutional objectives are addressed and the appropriate assessment and resources are included in the courses.
Celeste Donovan, dean of student services, provided information to the Board on the college’s plan to implement Rave Mobile Safety to provide students, staff and faculty with the Rave Alert system that provides mass notification for the college. All students will be signed up for the automatic notifications that will announce emergencies or campus closings. The notification will be through both texting and email. A student can opt out of either texting or email through the campus portal, but not both.
Al Shank of Al Shank Insurance presented the renewal package of the college insurance coverage through Employers Mutual Corporation. Shank said the package is relatively stable, up just a little over last year.
Donovan reported that enrollment for the spring 2012 semester looks strong. It shows an increase in students between the ages of 30 and 40 and an increase in part-time students.
Dennis Sander, dean of finance and operations, reported that a number of individuals took advantage of the tax credits at the end of the 2011 year through the Kansas Department of Revenue. These tax credits in the amount $31,750 will benefit SCCC/ATS and provide a tax credit equal to 60 percent of the donation. The college can use these funds for deferred maintenance projects, such as the new greenhouse being constructed.
Sander also reported that the college recently received an additional $132,000 through the American Recovery and Investment Act.
In other action, the board
1. Approved updating the board membership to include John Engel;
2. Hired Harold Fick as the Title V Process Technology specialist;
3. Accepted a quote from CPI Pipe and Steel of Yukon, Okla., for 600 feet of 24-inch pipe in the amount of $7,500 for use in the corrosion technology program;
4. Approved the purchase of the Laerdal Virtual I.V. from Laerdal Medical Corporation of Wappingers Falls, N.Y., in the amount of $11,000 that will be used in the Nursing program for virtual I.V. training; and
5. Approved the purchase of six HP Flip Netbook computers from Pro Vantage in the amount of $9,438 for use in the STEM grant math lab initiatives.
The next Board meeting will be February 6.