March 2023

West Kentucky Community & Technical College
Board of Directors
March 7, 2023  2:00-4:00 p.m. ATB 101F

I. CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order by Chair Simmons, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Board members present were Gorman Bradley, Heather Coltharp, Summer Holland, Kenneth Hurt, Erika Mehta, Barry McDonald, Chuck Murphy, and Jay Simmons. Other attendees were Dr. Anton Reece, Dr. Renea Akin, Janett Blythe, Bridget Canter, Octavia Lawrence, Shay Nolan, Kevin O'Neill, Dr. Kate Senn, Geelyn Warren, Mellisa Duncan, and Melissa Allcock, assistant secretary.

II. OLD BUSINESS

Approval of the Minutes

A motion was made by Director Chuck Murphy and seconded by Director Gorman Bradley to approve the minutes of the November 10, 2022, meeting. No discussion and the motion passed.

III. NEW BUSINESS

None

IV. CHAIR'S REPORT

Chair Simmons encouraged the Board of Directors to attend the May 9 meeting to vote on the Fiscal Year 2024 budget and to evaluate and advise the KCTCS acting President of Dr. Reece's annual performance. Chair Simmons noted that the Board would hear more about the budget later in the meeting. The Chair also stated that evaluation materials for Dr. Reece would be forthcoming in the next few weeks.

Chair Simmons called the Board's attention to the KCTCS College Board handbook that had been previously emailed in November 2022 for ease of reference.

V. PRESIDENT'S REPORT

President's Leadership Team (PLT) and Legislative Updates – Dr. Anton Reece

Dr. Reece reported that Dr. Larry Ferguson is the acting KCTCS President for sixty to ninety days while an interim Presidential search is conducted. The selected interim President will serve for one year. The KCTCS Board of Regents (BOR) will meet on March 24 and 25 and discuss several important items on the agenda, including the update from the consultant firm Huron which was hired to study KCTCS space efficiency and employee compensation. Dr. Reece also noted that WKCTC would host the BOR meeting on June 14 and 15, 2023.

Legislation is wrapping up, and SJR98 passed. The resolution looks at the feasibility and programmatic and fiscal impacts of having KCTCS continue to be responsible for technical education programs but transfer responsibility for traditional academic subjects to the regional universities. The study shall include a comprehensive review of how this transition might impact each regional university and the potential implications of any proposal for establishing a four-year university in southeastern Kentucky. The proposal passed, and they will work with Aaron Thompson, President of the Council on Post-Secondary Education, during this study. KCTCS welcomes the review and legislation inquiry.

Budget - Bridget Canter

Vice President of Business Affairs and Human Resources Bridget Canter presented an update on the impacts of the current FY23 budget. There were positive impacts to the budget in a 14.5% increase in state appropriations ($1,788,800), a 10% increase in dual credit tuition rate (50% of KCTCS rate), and a $3 increase in per credit hour tuition rate. Additional impacts on the budget follow:

• A 7% pay increase for all full-time employees hired before April 1, 2022
• Employee turnover and vacant positions resulted in salary savings
• Approximately $1.1 million unmet budgeted tuition revenue for Fall & Spring

Ms. Canter also provided possible Impacts on the FY24 budget.

• Proposed tuition rate increase of $7 per credit hour, which would be split over two years - $4 FY24 and $3 FY25
• KCTCS Board of Regents will decide on a proposed employee pay increase of 3-5% at its June board meeting
• Decrease in fringe benefits rate of .5%
• Compensation and pay equity study results and recommendations from Huron Re-instate practice of dropping students from classes for non-payment (average of $300,000 per semester in bad debt)due to lack of debt collection options on outstanding student accounts
• The proposed increase to the mandatory budget reserve amount

Fiscal Year 2024 budget development is underway and will be presented to WKCTC Board for approval at the May meeting.

Enrollment and Student Support - Octavia Lawrence

Interim Vice-President of Student Services Octavia Lawrence reported that the spring credential-seeking enrollment is 2,480, and the overall headcount is 3,557. We are down 2.3% in Credential-Seeking (CS) enrollment (CS anyone seeking a certificate, diploma, or degree). Total Headcount - Projected 3957 final count for spring; hopeful it will be above where we ended in spring 2022.

Fall 2023 enrollment began March 1, and currently, the credential-seeking enrollment is 239, and the total headcount is 241. Fall 2022 ended with 2894 credential-seeking and a total headcount of 5315.

It was commented that lower enrollment could result from approximately 35,000 fewer high school students since 2018 and competition with higher wages in the workforce.

Ms. Lawrence also reported that the student emergency fund had expended $3282.33 to fund requests of 26 students this academic year (textbooks, rent, class kits, background checks). In addition, a number of students were also given emergency transportation awards, bus pass booklets, and gas cards.

Lastly, Ms. Lawrence gave a summary update of students accessing the Campus Cupboard, which main focus is food insecurities noting that 115 sets of groceries have been supplied since the Fall of 2022.

Campus Operations Update - Shay Nolan

Vice President of Campus Operations Shay Nolan reported that the asset preservation projects (Switchgear, Roofing, Paving/Sidewalks, and Amphitheater Canopy)have engineers assigned and are in the study phase. Work on these projects is not expected to begin this year.

Next, Mr. Nolan noted that a refresh to Waller Hall building refresher would be conducted over the summer, looking at aesthetics and addressing interior items.

Lastly, Mr. Nolan reported the strategic campus needs over the next six years.

• Biennium 2024-2026 will include updates to Haws Gym and general campus priorities
• Biennium 2026-2028 will include cooling replacement in the Anderson Technical Building and program expansion in welding, auto body, and CMM.
• Biennium 2028-2030 will address exterior structural work, replacing the elevator and expansion in the Allied Health Building.

Announcements

Director of Marketing and Communication Janett Blythe announced the sixth annual Regional Educators and Scholarship Awards to be held on March 30. This year's event will recognize 125 applicants with a reception at 4:30 followed by the ceremony at 5:30. Ms. Blythe also announced the WKCTC spring graduation would be on May 8 with two ceremonies at 4:30 and 7:00 p.m. at the Carson Center. Lastly, she noted that WKCTC is celebrating its 20th Anniversary throughout the year with various events, with the main celebration planned for October 19, 2023. Also, on October 17, the Allied Health Building will be renamed for Dr. Barbara Veazey. In addition, the University of Kentucky Engineering – Paducah Campus is also celebrating an anniversary, and event plans are underway. The WKCTC/UK Computer Technology Program memorandum of agreement will be signed as part of the celebration.

Challenger Learning Center (CLC) Director Mellisa Duncan announced a three-prong approach to the CLC 20th-anniversary celebration on April 17 and 18, which includes a

• Patch contest – Winning student's school gets a visit from Kentucky's only astronaut Terry Wilcott
• VIP Reception - April 17, 4:30 to 6:00 in CLC
• Community event – April 18 in the Clemens Fine Arts Center

VI. ADJOURNMENT

A motion was made by Mr. Barry McDonald and seconded by Mr. Gorman Bradley to adjourn the meeting.  Chair Murphy adjourned the meeting at 3:10 p.m.

Gorman Bradley, Secretary