Board of Directors Meeting | ACTC

Leadership

Board of Directors Meeting

Via Microsoft Teams
February 3, 2022
Minutes

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Rick Clark, Ben Collier, Amanda Collins, Addie Howard, Kathryn Lamp, Vicki McGinnis, Ramona Salyer, Jason Salyers

MEMBERS ABSENT:

Brooke Elswick-Robinson

ALSO PRESENT:

Taylor Alexander, Kellie Allen, Karen Blevins, Todd Brand, Larry Ferguson, Steve Flouhouse, Pam Miller, Scott Rigsby, Brooke Seasor, Janet Thompson

CALL TO ORDER

Rick Clark, Board Chair, called the meeting to order at 8:32 a.m. A quorum was present. He opened with a Happy New Year and hopes that all are healthy. He also thanked everyone for their time.

APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

Members reviewed the minutes of the November 10, 2021 meeting (copy attached).  Ben Collier made a motion to accept the minutes as written. Amanda Collins seconded the motion. All voted to approve the minutes.

KCTCS COLLEGE BOARDS’ RESPONSIBILITIES

Kellie Allen, Director of Human Resources, using a PowerPoint presentation (copy attached), gave the annual review of Board responsibilities.  She covered governance, responsibilities, and the president’s evaluation process.

PRESIDENT’S UPDATE

Dr. Larry Ferguson used a PowerPoint presentation to update members (copy attached). He discussed areas of Institutional Leadership/Management, Educational Leadership/Internal Relations and External Relations/Economic Development. He announced 2022 priorities:  graduation rate, transfer rate, experiential learning and the new strategic plan.

FACULTY UPDATE

Vicki McGinnis, Faculty Representative to the Board, reported the following:

From Dr. Mary Cat Flath:

During fall 2021, my students collected 384 food items for the Pathfinder Food Pantry.  Since the pantry is very well stocked at this time, we’ll be spending the next four weeks collecting hygiene items for the Ashland Homeless.

From Bridgette Carroll, LPN Program Coordinator

  • PN and ADN faculty have blended. Faculty are now beginning to teach their specialties in both programs. We are excited to see the improvements in both programs.
  • The skills labs have been reorganized. We use the labs on the 3rd and 4th floors for all nursing students. Labs are no longer scheduled. 
  • We have also been able to create a virtual lab setting for those students out with COVID or when we have snow days. The hours are flexible and run from Monday - Thursday 9am to 8pm and 9 to 4 on Friday. The students have flexibility to come and go when their schedules permit while maintaining instructor guided sessions. It is working well, and students appreciate the opportunity to succeed at skills in their time schedule.
  • Lori Raybourn has joined us as a full-time lab instructor.

From Professor Hossein Mohebbian, who teaches college trigonometry and all advanced calculus courses online: 

For the Fall 21 and spring 22, during the first week of semester I was able to arrange five-minute sessions and met individually with my students. I called the session “Getting to know my students”. I wanted them to feel comfortable with me from day 1 and gave them encouraging words for success. I met them online in course room at Blackboard Collaborate (a platform for live interaction with students within Blackboard).

I feel I have improved in communicating class information and expectations with my students.  With each course, during the first week of semester, I arranged five-minute sessions with individual students, and gave each encouraging words and emphasized study skills that would promote success in the course.

From Coy Hall, Associate Professor of History:

Mr. Hall’s book The Hangman Feeds the Jackal will be available on June 14, 2022, in paperback and eBook, and his already released book Grimoire of the Four Imposters will have a Spanish edition released in 2023.

From Jon Joy, Associate Professor of English:

Mr. Joy’s podcast for children, Professor Theo’s Mystery Lab, continues to gain popularity in the United States and countries such as Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Switzerland.  If you have elementary age children, check it out wherever you get podcasts—it is in its 3rd year of production.  He appeared in Clara’s Christmas at Marshall this December and continues to publish stories in the Ashland Beacon on a regular basis.

From Vicki McGinnis, Dual Credit Coordinator:

The enrollment for spring dual credit students is complete, and there is an increase from 361 students in Spring 2021 to 475 students in Spring 2022.  There was an increase in 134 students in CTE courses—college and career courses, particularly in health care programs.  This is a result of our work with the Area Technology Centers (ATC).  We have offered our help to Lawrence, Ashland, and Boyd in their work as they look to build new ATCs in the next three years. We continue to reach out to all our partner districts with opportunities for students to come to campus to take CTE courses as well, particularly in Computerized Manufacturing and Machining, HVAC, Industrial Maintenance, Medical Information and Technology, and Business.  We are working on some specialized initiatives with two districts for their Early Childhood Education programs as well.

STAFF UPDATE

Jason Salyers, Staff Representative to the Board, reported the following:

Staff Executive Council

  • Donation to Community Hospice
  • Changes to Staff Excellence Nominating and voting process
  • Build a Bed - March 5th

Events/Projects

  • ACTC Angel Tree - headed up by Heather Shelton
  • Virtual Events in honor of Black History Month
    • MLK’s Legacy Moving Forward
    • History of Black Women in Military
    • A Brief Intro to Africa
  • Young Men’s Conference - Friday, March 11
  • Wellness Wednesdays - Emails to remind people about the importance of positivity, mental health and wellbeing. 
  • Workforce Solutions offering introductory foreign language courses in French, Japanese, Italian, and Spanish.
  • Lineman Rodeo - 23 lineman students demonstrated their skills.
  • Ready to Work - 20-21 Fiscal year students earned:
    • 4 degrees
    • 4 diplomas
    • 31 certificates
    • 1 GED
  • Workforce Enrollment from August to December:
    • Phlebotomy 46
    • Nurse Aid 210
    • ECG Technician 11
    • CPR 88
    • CDL 42
    • KY Medication Aid 8
    • Lineman 23

Hiring, Milestones and Recognition 

Two new staff members:

  • Megan Magruder - Department Assistant for the Arts and Sciences division
  • Andrew Brown - Media Specialist in Marketing and Public Relations

Megan Smedley won the Bronze Medallion from the National Council of Marketing and Public Relations.

STUDENT UPDATES

Addie Howard, student representative to the Board reported on the interactions of the ACTC Student Ambassadors with perspective students:

There are four student ambassadors. Primary locations are the College Drive Campus and Technology Drive Campus. Courses of study include Pre-Nursing, Criminal Justice, and Computer Aided Drafting and Design.

Here is how we are engaging with students:

  • We speak with prospects on the phone to answer questions about our programs and how to enroll.
    • We have multiple phone lines in the Welcome Centers. We receive calls from current students and prospects. Questions range from how to access the admissions application, how to request a transcript, how to enroll in classes, and questions about specific academic program offerings.
  • We provide campus tours, including group tours on special Pathfinder Days.
    • Pathfinder Days are group tour days prospects can sign up for. The college markets these events on social media, through text messages, emails, and in-person at ACTC and high schools. When students arrive, a student ambassador guides them around campus pointing out key areas of the college and highlighting programs. After the tour, visitors are also given an opportunity to ask questions about the admissions process, financial aid, and class options.
  • As prospects request information about the college, we mail out information packets with upcoming dates to enroll, steps to become a student, and more.
    • Prospects can request information from the ACTC website or in-person. Each information packet is personalized to the student based on their academic program interests.
  • This semester we are doing special personalized videos for prospective students and sending those through email.
    • Our office utilizes software to record a video for the prospective student. We try to include the student’s name in the video and email message. The email includes a preview of the video; this is typically where we hold up a sign with the student’s name, wave and smile. Our goal with the email preview and video is to be upbeat and positive. Once a prospect clicks on the video in the email, they are routed to a special webpage that includes the Welcome Center Contact Information and clickable buttons with links to Steps to Enroll, How to Request a Tour, ACTC Academic Programs, and more!

Addie thinks it’s nice for prospective students to hear from and interact with current ACTC students. 

Addie introduced, Janet Thompson, Assistant Professor, Medical Information Technology Program Coordinator, and Phi Theta Kappa Advisor. Janet gave a report regarding the recent PTK project: 

  • Our visual display, “Songs of Highway 23,” is now available for viewing at CDC/TDC libraries.  The display consists of a biography and song highlight on a poster for 11 of the prominent artists of Country Music Highway 23.  PTK students researched and designed the posters in the display.  Our PTK Chapter will also be donating the 11 display posters to our local Highland’s Museum for display. 
  • This project was an initiative of the “Honors in Action” program, where PTK sets different research themes that students will address in a formal research project.  Our project was based on Highway 23 based on the theme “Expressions of Truth,” and our research included field trip visits to Highland’s Museum and the Loretta Lynn Homeplace cabin.  Our Chapter also received a $1000 research grant for this project which made the efforts of creating the visual display a possibility.   
  • Our virtual presentation on the project can be viewed on the ACTC Library Facebook page or at YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qZgdgJUVj8

CABINET UPDATES

Taylor Alexander, Director of Marketing & Public Relations, invited Board members to create a blog for ACTC’s social media accounts (guidelines attached).

Kellie Allen, Director of Human Resources, had no report.

Karen Blevins, Dean of Business Affairs, announced that we have started the FY2023 annual operating budget process, building revenue and expense budget scenarios and will be refining and adjusting for several months to have ready for the April 27 board meeting.  

Dr. Todd Brand, Dean of Academic Affairs, gave the following report:

  • Surgical Technology program has just purchased a simulator using Perkins funds.  It is a basic model, and this year’s Perkins funds will be used to buy modules for it.  It will greatly enhance the program as it simulates the surgical experience for students.
  • ACTC was recently chosen as one of only four KCTCS colleges to participate in the Kentucky Graduate Profile Academy.  This includes teams from three other KCTCS colleges and teams from all eight public universities.  The purpose of the academy is to ensure that all graduates from any Kentucky college have 10 essential workplace skills when they graduate.  This is a three year project.  Year one involves taking a snapshot of the institution, year two centers around professional development, and year three centers on implementation.  ACTC is receiving $12,500 for year one, to be renewed in years two and three.  The money is from CPE. 
  • Terri Ratliff is the new program coordinator of Associate Degree Nursing Program.
  • Michael Polley is the new program coordinator of CADD program.
  • Sarah Gauze is the new Administrative Assistant for Academic Affairs.
  • Lori Raybourn has been hired as a full-time temporary nursing instructor.
  • Shayne Holsinger has been hired as a full-time temporary faculty member in APT.

Steve Flouhouse, Dean of Institutional Effectiveness and Grants, had no report.

Brooke Seasor, Director of Resource Development, announced:

  • The Women, Wine, Jewels and More event has been rescheduled to March 1st. ACTC greatly appreciates any sponsorships.
  • Taking sponsorships for the Young Men’s Conference.
  • Resource Development will be moving all scholarship applications to an online format this spring. 

BOARD CHAIR COMMENTS

Chair Clark thanked all for the updates.  He stated that the meeting was filled with good, encouraging, exciting news.  He announced the next meeting, April 27, plans to be in-person on the College Drive Campus.  

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 9:25 a.m. by Chair Rick Clark.

Respectfully submitted,
Pam Miller, Recorder