The Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Board of Trustees convened a meeting on Monday, August 1, 2022, at 3:06 p.m., in person in The Brumit Center for Culinary Arts and Hospitality. Mr. Matt Kern, Chair, presided.
The following members of the Board participated in person: Theresa Banks, Joe Barwick, Michael Garrison, Matt Kern, David King, Judy Lewis, John Parham, and Frances Ramsey. Trustees Joe Brumit and Roger Metcalf participated via Zoom. Trustees Tommy Justus, Himanshu Karvir, and Libby Kyles were absent.
Others present for the meeting included: Dr. John Gossett, President; Terry Brasier, Vice President of Student Services; Shanna Chambers, Vice President of Human Relations and Organizational Development; Kerri Glover; Executive Director of Community Relations and Marketing; Beth Stewart, Vice President of Instructional Services; Dirk Wilmoth, Vice President of Business and Finance/CFO; Darryl Rhymes, Director of Employment and Employee Relations; Chris Campbell College Attorney; and Carolyn Rice, Secretary to the Board.
Call to Order
Chair Kern read the ethics statement. No conflicts of interest were reported. Ms. Rice called roll; a quorum was present.
Swearing In
At 3:12 p.m., Dr. Joe Barwick was sworn into the Board of Trustees and welcomed by all.
Consent Agenda
At 3:14 p.m., Chair Kern asked for a motion to approve the Consent Agenda.
Mr. King moved to approve Consent Agenda items: 1. A. June 6, 2022, Board Meeting Minutes, and 1. B. Personnel Actions.
The motion to approve the Consent Agenda was seconded by Ms. Lewis. Trustees Banks, Barwick, Brumit, Garrison, Kern, King, Lewis, Metcalf, Parham, and Ramsey each verbally approved the Consent Agenda. The motion passed by unanimous consent.
Resolution/Action Items
2. A. Dr. Gene Loflin discussed the 2023-2024 Academic Calendar with the Board. Dr. Loflin shared that annually, the Calendar Task Force, Deans, members of Student Affairs, and many other stakeholders meet to create the Academic Calendar for the following year. The final calendar must meet the twelve-holiday limit, financial aid requirements, standard terms for state requirements, meeting times, and class hours.
Dr. Parham moved to approve the 2023-2024 Academic Calendar. Dr. Banks seconded the motion. Trustees Banks, Barwick, Brumit, Garrison, Kern, King, Lewis, Metcalf, Parham, and Ramsey each verbally approved the 2023-2024 Academic Calendar. The motion passed by unanimous consent.
2. B. Dr. Wilmoth informed the Board that the College still does not have a state-approved budget. Therefore, the Board needs to authorize the President to pay state-funded salaries and other ordinary expenses of the College for the interval between the beginning of the new fiscal year and the adoption of the budget resolution by the State Board. The expenditures shall not exceed last year’s level and shall be charged to the proper allocations in the budget year 2023.
Dr. Barwick moved to approve the Continuing Budget Resolution. Mr. King seconded the motion. Trustees Banks, Barwick, Brumit, Garrison, Kern, King, Lewis, Metcalf, Parham, and Ramsey each verbally approved the Continuing Budget Resolution. The motion passed by unanimous consent.
2. C. The College is seeking to increase the personal vehicle mileage reimbursement rate and revise the current rate structure to be more in line with federal reimbursement rates. All employees who travel for the College have access to College-owned vehicles, and vehicles leased through Enterprise.
Mr. Garrison moved to approve the Personal Vehicle Mileage Rate Increase and Revised Rate Structure. Dr. Parham seconded the motion. Trustees Banks, Barwick, Brumit, Garrison, Kern, King, Lewis, Metcalf, Parham, and Ramsey each verbally approved the Personal Vehicle Mileage Rate Increase and Revised Rate Structure. The motion passed by unanimous consent.
2. D. Ms. Shanna Chambers shared that Governor Cooper recently issued Executive Order 262, which provides state employees with paid leave to observe a day of "personal significance.” The College created Procedure 507: Personal Observance Leave to mirror the state’s new leave policy. With supervisory approval, sixteen hours of Personal Observance Leave may be used for any reason the employee chooses. The Leave may be taken in a four- or eight-hour block. The Leave may not be shared and does not roll over into the next year if not used.
Dr. Barwick moved to approve the Personal Observance Leave Procedure. Mr. King seconded the motion. Trustees Banks, Barwick, Brumit, Garrison, Kern, King, Lewis, Metcalf, Parham, and Ramsey each verbally approved the Personal Observance Leave Procedure. The motion passed by unanimous consent.
2. E. The College has two new programs, Meat Cutting and Cardiovascular Sonography that require amending the 2022-2023 Schedule of Fees. If needed, students may use financial aid, scholarships, etc., to help pay for course fees.
Dr. Parham moved to approve the Amendment to the 2022-2023 Schedule of Fees. Dr. Banks seconded the motion. Trustees Banks, Barwick, Brumit, Garrison, Kern, King, Lewis, Metcalf, Parham, and Ramsey each verbally the Amendment to the 2022-2023 Schedule of Fees. The motion passed by unanimous consent.
2. F. Dr. Stewart shared that it is always a difficult decision to close or terminate a program. Unfortunately, the Civil Engineering Program has seen a significant drop in enrollment, students being recruited out of the program before completing the degree, and the resignation of the Chair of the program. Several students have transferred to different programs, and per SACSCOC requirements, the remaining students will complete the program with a teach-out.
Dr. Parham moved to terminate the Civil Engineering Program. Mr. Garrison seconded the motion. Trustees Banks, Barwick, Brumit, Garrison, Kern, King, Lewis, Metcalf, Parham, and Ramsey each verbally approved the termination of the Civil Engineering Program. The motion passed by unanimous consent.
2. G. The costs have escalated from $900,000 to $1,101,100 for the upgrades to the Building Access Controls, and Dr. Wilmoth asked the Board to approve an increase in the capital budget. Building Access Controls are part of the safety upgrade to campus.
Mr. King moved to revise NCCCS 3-1 Form for Building Access Control Upgrades. Mr. Garrison seconded the motion. Trustees Banks, Barwick, Brumit, Garrison, Kern, King, Lewis, Metcalf, Parham, and Ramsey each verbally approved revising NCCCS 3-1 Form for Building Access Control Upgrades. The motion passed by unanimous consent.
2. G. 2. Dr. Wilmoth then asked the Board to approve a NCCCS 3-1 Form for Upgrades to the Advanced Manufacturing Center. The College is requesting an allocation of $500,000 from the State Capital and Infrastructure Funds to use for upgrades for electrical capacity, etc., in plans to operate the machinery required for the Pratt & Whitney training program. The funds will be spent in the facility on the Asheville Campus.
Dr. Parham moved to revise NCCCS 3-1 Form for Advanced Manufacturing Center Upgrades. Ms. Lewis seconded the motion. Trustees Banks, Barwick, Brumit, Garrison, Kern, King, Lewis, Metcalf, Parham, and Ramsey each verbally approved revising NCCCS 3-1 Form for Advanced Manufacturing Center Upgrades. The motion passed by unanimous consent.
2. H. The College is restarting our Global Education program and is offering students a Spanish language and cultural immersion trip to Salamanca, Spain in June 2023. The trip fee includes meals, lodging, cultural activities, international flights, in-country transportation, program fees, and travel insurance. Students must be 18 years of age or older and may use financial aid, Pell, or scholarship funds to participate. Host families are vetted, and the College has liability insurance for our students.
Mr. King moved to approve the 2023 Global Education Trip to Spain. Dr. Banks seconded the motion. Trustees Banks, Barwick, Brumit, Garrison, Kern, King, Lewis, Metcalf, Parham, and Ramsey each verbally approved the 2023 Global Education Trip to Spain. The motion passed by unanimous consent.
Trustee Business
3. A. Chair Kern asked the Nominating Committee to present their nominations for Chair, Vice Chair, and Board Secretary for 2022-2023. Mr. King shared that the Committee met and made the following recommendations: Mr. Matt Kern as Chair, Dr. Theresa Banks as Vice Chair, and Ms. Carolyn Rice as Board Secretary.
Chair Kern asked the Board for any nominations from the floor and there were none. Chair Kern then asked for a motion to approve the slate of candidates as presented. The motion passed by unanimous consent.
3. B. Mr. King then stated that members of the Executive Committee would be Dr. Banks, Mr. Karvir, Chair Kern, Dr. Parham, and Ms. Ramsey.
Chair Kern asked the Board for any nominations from the floor and there were none. Chair Kern then asked for a motion to approve the members of the Executive Committee. The motion passed by unanimous consent.
3. C. Dr. Gossett thanked the Board for their work with each other and A-B Tech’s employees and asked the Board to review the results of their Self-Evaluation Survey.
The Board agreed that they feel comfortable with each other and work well together as ambassadors for the College. The Board agreed to revisit the attendance policy during the September 12 meeting.
3. D. Labor Day falls on the first Monday of September every year, and Chair Kern asked the Board if they would like to keep or cancel Board meetings in the month of September or move the meeting to the second Monday of the month.
The Board agreed to continue the meeting on the second Monday of September.
3. E. Chair Kern mentioned that several Trustees are attending the NCACCT meeting in September and asked if anyone else would like to attend, to please let Ms. Rice know.
President's Report
Dr. Gossett shared the following information with the Board:
- The College is working hard on plans for the fall term. Our enrollment looks promising.
- ELT is focused on the future and what the declining budget will look like for the College.
- The dual enrolled student population is increasing, as are our continuing education students.
- We have written letters of support for both Advent and HCA for their applications for the new 87-bed hospital in our area. The College is not taking sides, we are seeking additional clinical spots for our students.
- Graduation season continues. Along with the first Barbering cohort, the Veterinarian Tech and Dental Assisting students have graduated as well!
- Ms. Shanna Chambers and Mr. Darryl Rhymes have created a New Employee Orientation (NEO) process that allows new employees to walk through different modules of everything they need to know on their own time and at their own pace. Lunch with the President is included in the NEO so that Dr. Gossett can meet everyone face to face.
- In September, Dr. Gossett will chair a SACSCOC Committee that will visit a college in Northern Virginia. The visit is a valuable professional development opportunity and allows us to learn more about the accreditation process.
- Dr. Gossett co-chaired the Faculty and Staff Retention Committee for the state board. All Community Colleges are dealing with personnel issues, and the state board will address this subject during their next board meeting.
- The North Carolina Community College Presidents met last week with the system’s interim President, Bill Carver, and state board chair Burr Sullivan. The conversation was very frank, and concerns were expressed about the system, and the state board's inability to find a good leader.
- HCA’s Galen College of Nursing’s first cohort starts this September in Biltmore Park. We do not think we will be competing for the same students, as A-B Tech’s reputation in the community is well known.
Closed Session
At 4:37 p.m., Mr. Garrison moved that the Trustees enter closed session pursuant to G.S. 143-318.11 (a) (1) and (3) to discuss confidential personnel matters pursuant to G.S. 115D-27-29 and to discuss matters protected by the attorney-client privilege.
Dr. Parham seconded the motion. Trustees Banks, Barwick, Brumit, Garrison, Kern, King, Lewis, Metcalf, Parham, and Ramsey each verbally agreed to enter Closed Session. The motion passed by unanimous consent.
On a motion properly made, the Board returned to Open Session at 5:10 p.m.
Open Session
5. A. Ms. Lewis moved to approve the Closed Session minutes from June 6, 2022. Dr. Banks seconded the motion. Trustees Banks, Barwick, Brumit, Garrison, Kern, King, Lewis, Metcalf, Parham, and Ramsey each verbally approved the June 6, 2022, Closed Session Minutes. The motion passed by unanimous consent.
Handouts
Divisional Updates, the July 2021-2022 Student Success Scorecard, and the State and County Budget Report as of June 30, 2022, are in the Handouts.
The next Board meeting will be on Monday, September 12, 2022, at 3:00 p.m., in the Brumit Center for Culinary Arts.
Adjourn
On a motion properly made, the meeting adjourned at 5:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Carolyn H. Rice
Board Secretary