July 2025

West Kentucky Community & Technical College
Board of Directors Retreat
July 15, 2025, 8:00 - Noon ETC 140

The WKCTC Board of Directors met for an informational retreat on July 15, 2025.  Dr. Anton Reece opened the retreat with a welcome and a review of the day’s agenda.

Chair Jay Simmons brought remarks about the upcoming October Board of Directors officer elections. Mr. Simmons shared that he had served for three years and wouldn’t be eligible to be elected Chair, and encouraged other Board members to step in to fill the role. He discussed some of the events he had attended, with graduation comments being one of the important ones. Dr. Reece and Mr. McDonald both emphasized the importance of Board involvement and engagement, as well as the board's role in supporting fundraising efforts.

Geelyn Warren, Mark Smith, and Brent Taylor presented the Strategic Planning Cycle and Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) to the Board.

The Strategic Planning Cycle timeline for 2026-2030 was reviewed. The next Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) will also be identified within the timeline.

SWOT analyses were conducted at unit and division retreats, yielding the following overarching themes.

Strengths – highlighted by Brent Taylor

• Support for students and our focus on student success
• Affordability and flexibility
• Strong community engagement and partnerships
• Strong reputation
• Dedicated and caring faculty and staff

Weaknesses – highlighted by Mark Smith

• Staffing and turnover
• Aging facilities and infrastructure
• Student engagement
• Communication and coordination
• Program offerings and awareness programs
• Accessibility

Opportunities – highlighted by Mark Smith

• Marketing and outreach
• Deepen industry connections
• Alumni engagement
• Technology and processes
• Communication and culture
• Programs and trainings

Threats – highlighted by Brent Taylor

• Legislature
• Student well-being
• Operational inefficiencies
• Workforce and knowledge drain
• Economy
• AI
• Social Climate

After sharing the results of the campus SWOT themes, Geelyn asked the Board to share if they saw anything surprising in the themes and to discuss the most important strengths, identify the weaknesses and threats that concerned them the most, and discuss what needed to be addressed urgently. The Board members expressed surprise at the facilities' improvements and program offerings. Additionally, accessibility to the facilities could be an issue, and determining how to outsource support to assist students with specific needs. The weakness in student engagement could be addressed by adjusting the dates and times of the Student Government Association meetings. A student incentive plan could be considered to attract more involvement by gauging what students value and rewarding them for participation in an economical manner. The Board identified the most urgent threats as legislation, staffing hard-to-fill positions that support entire programs, and finding a funding model to support positions for the economy and workforce through partnerships.

Geelyn asked the Board to choose five areas that should be top priorities for the college (see Appendix A). She will compile the results and include them with the data analysis. The Strategic Plan's next steps include ensuring that the SWOTs align with three general areas: organizational success, student support, and economic development. Additionally, we will review potential changes to the current objectives and administer the survey to faculty, staff, and students in September.

After a brief break, Andy Wilson, Mellisa Duncan, and Malissa Kano-White gave presentations from the Advancement unit.

Mellisa Duncan and Malissa Kano-White engaged the Board in a Reach for the Stars activity, which consisted of dividing into two groups. With limited supplies, one group created an art sculpture, and the other group built the highest tower possible. Both groups accomplished the assignment by working together, and how it ties in with Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM).

Melissa shared the Mission Statement of the Challenger Learning Center (CLC) and then presented the Strategic Plan, focusing on the four core strategies and their corresponding goals and objectives.

• To continue and expand programming to provide quality experiences for all.
• To amass financial resources to sustain ongoing operations and provide for growth.
• To continue to promote facility, location, and programs.
• To be a premier regional resource for STEM education.

Malissa Kano-White shared the mission and vision of the community arts program.

Mission: to enrich our community through the arts by providing artistic and educational opportunities for all ages.

We will…

• Create a verdant environment where all art forms can flourish.
• Offer a wide variety of arts educational opportunities
• Provide opportunities and facilities to promote lifelong learning and participation in the arts.
• Serve all members of our community, including underserved populations and visitors.

Malissa reviewed the results of their SWOT analysis. She then highlighted the Arts and Ideas for communication and marketing, which included a website and landing page, unified messaging and branding, cross-promotion of events, community links with WKCTC, and simplified access to the community arts “storefront.”

Malissa concluded her presentation with the short-term and long-term goals of program development, and revenue and funding ideas.

Andy Wilson discussed giving trends in the US as well as a summary of gifts to the PJC Foundation for FY25.

He then engaged the board with an interactive survey of alumni questions to guide a discussion for Alumni Association engagement. He highlighted the activities they are working on to increase alumni participation, including the development of an Alumni Board, gifts for graduates, newsletters, social media, networking (such as the scholarship reception and events), volunteer opportunities, and giving.

Andy wrapped up the Advancement Unit presentation by including fundraising outreach, including:

Major Gifts

 Visits

 Pathways to the Future – Donor – Scholarship Reception

Annual Giving

 Giving Day

 Mailings

 Social Media 

Corporate/Grants

 Partnerships

Planned Giving/Estate Planning

 Newsletter

 World Financial Planning Day Luncheon

Chair Simmons gave closing remarks, and the retreat ended with lunch served in the Cyber Lounge.

Board members present were Gorman Bradley, Heather Coltharp, Taliyah Hamilton, Barry McDonald, Erika Mehta, Jay Simmons, and Jessica West.  Other attendees were Dr. Anton Reece, Melissa Allcock, Geelyn Warren, Mark Smith, Brent Taylor, Andy Wilson, Mellisa Duncan, and Malissa Kano-White. Joining the board for lunch were Cabinet members,

Chase Durrance, Tammy Maines, Shay Nolan, Jennifer Tubbs, and Whitney Walker.

Appendix A

• What should be top priorities for the college? CHOOSE 5
  • Recruiting and retaining high-quality faculty and staff
  • Improving campus communication and collaboration (internal processes, clearer roles, knowledge sharing)
  • Upgrade and maintain facilities
  • Modernizing technology and tools
  • Onboarding for faculty and staff
  • Supporting faculty and staff well-being and morale
  • Expanding academic student supports
  • Expanding non-academic student supports
  • Strengthening student engagement and student life
  • Addressing barriers for nontraditional, adult, and working students
  • Improving affordability, scholarships, and financial literacy resources
  • Enhance online learning quality and delivery options
  • Expanding work-ready training and short-term credentials
  • Strengthening employer partnerships
  • Improving transfer pathways
  • Growing community outreach with K-12 partners
  • Growing community outreach with other community partners
  • Grow marketing and promotion of college programs and successes
  • Meet workforce needs with new program development
  • Improve institutional effectiveness and data use in decision making
  • Build more sustainable practices
  • Ensure a sustainable funding base

Is there anything else of great importance that was not addressed with the list above that you would like to place in your top 5?