Following a tour of the area technical school facilities at Seward County
Community College/Area Technical School, the Board of Trustees met Tuesday,
Sept. 7 to discuss the English and Science programs and hear a variety of
reports.
The latest changes at the area technical school that are nearly complete are
the resurfacing of the interior parking lot, newly remodeled classrooms and
bathrooms, new tile, new doors and windows and a new snack bar area. The
Automotive Business Management program now has a new parts store,
instructional lab and classroom area, which had been the bookstore and a
conference room. This program not only trains students in the skills for
careers in retail sales and parts inventory, but also provides parts for
other technical programs.
Celeste Donovan, dean of student services reported that headcount enrollment
at the area technical school is down slightly with final enrollment yet to
be determined; however, credit hour enrollment is up from last year
including more high school students in a number of different technical
programs. Credit-hour enrollment is up college-wide as well with an increase
in full-time students from last year.
Dr. Steve Cauble, board chair, congratulated the college on its ranking as
33rd in the nation by the Washington Monthly.
The data used in the ranking is based on the Community College Survey for
Student Engagement as well as the graduation rate of those students who
continue their education and graduate from a four-year college or
university. Students who completed the survey, said Donovan, said the
faculty and staff care about their success both in and out of the classroom.
SCCC/ATS students also participate in more activities than many other
community colleges nationwide.
??We also have one of the highest graduation rates in the nation of those
students who transfer to a four-year institutions,?? said Dr. Duane Dunn,
SCCC/ATS president. That data was obtained by the Washington Monthly
through a national database of student information compiled by the U.S.
Department of Education.
Tammy Doll, director of development, gave an overview of the SCCC/ATS
Foundation Auction set for 6 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 25 at the Seward County
Event Center on the Fairgrounds. The event is $20 per person and tickets
must be purchased in advanced. National Beef is donating the beef and
Seaboard Farms the pork.
Doll showed the board some of the items that have been donated to the
auction.
The board approved one additional item for the auction. The college will
auction the rights to name the circle drive for one year. Minimum bid would
be $500 and the sign would recognize the winner for one year. Both the
foundation and college boards must approve the name for the sign. President
Dunn expressed appreciation to the Foundation Board for establishing a
unique auction item and the Trustees for their support of the concept.
The board approved an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement for the operation of
EduKan, the six-community college consortium that offers courses and degrees
online. The original six community colleges will be the founding members and
all new members will be known as associate members. EduKan was created in
2002 by SCCC/ATS and Pratt, Dodge City, Garden City, Barton County and Colby
community colleges to offer online general education courses.
EduKan also offers Associate in General Studies, Associate in Arts,
Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science to its students, which
was approved by the Higher Learning Commission that accredits community
colleges. The Commission must approve any additional degrees prior to one
being offered. The SCCC/ATS board approved the placement of this information
with all information about the college??s accreditation.
New faculty introduced to the board were Don Hayes, Biology; David Ingle,
Diesel Technology; Michael Jameson, Diesel Technology; Laurel Lahita,
Nursing; and Allison Owens, assistant Volleyball coach.
Ingle showed the Automotive Service Excellence plaque to the board that they
received recently. The Diesel and Automotive technology programs have
received ASE certification and the Auto Body Collision Repair program is
scheduled for an ASE certification visit this fall.
Donovan reported on a new ??At Risk?? program that allows anyone on campus to
email the At Risk Committee if they feel a student is at risk. Students can
be at risk academically or due to family, personal, financial or physical
issues.
Dunn presented the board with information on enrollment in the 19 Kansas
Community Colleges. Although the data shows a 13 percent increase in
enrollment during the 2009-10 school year, the state aid decreased by 9
percent.
Overall the community colleges serves over 50 percent of the students in
public higher education and delivers over 80 percent of postsecondary
technical education in Kansas.
In other action, the board
1. Approved the hiring of Michael Jameson, Diesel Technology instructor;
and Allison Owens, assistant Volleyball Coach; and
2. Approved a change to the Identity Theft Prevention Policy.
The next board meeting is Monday, Oct. 4 in the board room.
The group that is assisting the college with a long-range land and facility
use plan will be on campus Oct. 4-7 to meet with students, staff, board
members and area residents to obtain ideas and feedback.