The Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Board of Trustees convened a meeting on Thursday, February 8, 2024, at 1:18 p.m., in the Brumit Center for Culinary Arts and Hospitality, Tillman Dining Room. Mr. Jason Walls, Vice Chair, presided.
The following members of the Board participated: Joe Barwick, Joe Brumit, Himanshu Karvir, Matt Kern, David King, Judy Lewis, Roger Metcalf, John Parham, Frances Ramsey and Mariana Flores, Ex-Officio. Theresa Banks, Michael Garrison, Tommy Justus, Libby Kyles, and Roger Reid were absent.
Others present for the meeting included: John Gossett, President; Deborah Bailey, Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development and Continuing Education; Shanna Chambers, Vice President of Human Resources; Amanda Edwards, Executive Director of College Advancement; Kerri Glover, Executive Director of Community Relations and Marketing; Cris Harshman, Interim Vice President of Information Technology; Fairley Patton, Acting Vice President of Student Services; Beth Stewart, Vice President of Instructional Services; Dirk Wilmoth, Vice President for Business and Finance/CFO; Mariana Flores, Ex-Officio; Darryl Rhymes, Director, Employment & Employee Relations; Ashley Leonard, College Attorney; and Carolyn Rice, Secretary to the Board.
Call to Order
At 1:19 p.m., Vice Chair Walls read the ethics statement. No conflicts of interest were reported. Ms. Rice called roll; a quorum was present.
Swearing In
At 1:20 p.m., Student Government Association President Ms. Mariana Flores was sworn into the Board of Trustees as Ex-Officio.
Consent Agenda
At 1:22 p.m., Vice Chair Walls asked for a motion to approve the Consent Agenda.
Mr. Brumit moved to approve Consent Agenda items: 1. A. November 27, 2023, Executive Committee Meeting Minutes; 1. B. December 4, 2023, Board Meeting Minutes; and 1. C. Personnel Actions.
The motion to approve the Consent Agenda was seconded by Mr. Kern. The motion passed unanimously.
Resolution/Action Items
2. A. Dr. Dirk Wilmoth informed the Board that the College continues to upgrade buildings with access controls on exterior doors. As the installation progressed, the scope of the project expanded to include several additional doors and equipment, necessitating an increase in the budget of $1,301,100. The magnetically locked doors improve safety on campus and lock from the outside only.
Mr. Karvir moved to revise the Budget Form NCCCS 3-1 for Building Access Control Upgrades. Dr. Parham seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
2. B. Dr. Wilmoth shared that seven firms submitted bids to perform the 2024-2034 Campus Master Plan for the College. Of the two who qualified, the administration is requesting that the College contract with McMillan, Pazden, and Smith for a negotiated cost not to exceed $500,000 to be paid for with Article 46 funds. Upon Board approval, the contract will be submitted to the Joint Capital Advisory Committee for approval, and subsequent submission to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners for final approval.
Mr. Brumit moved to approve the Master Planning Project Using Article 46 funds. Mr. King seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
2. C. The College continues to collaborate with Riverlink to restore the Haith Branch and its tributaries located on the Asheville campus. For Riverlink to move forward with the project, the College must agree to establish a conservation easement on the 5.74-acre tract that will be restored. To achieve this, the College must adopt a “Restoration Declaration” establishing the conservation easement.
Mr. Kern moved to adopt the Restoration Declaration which establishes a conservation easement on a 5.74 acre tract to improve water runoff issues on the Haith Branch. Mr. Karvir seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
2. D. Dr. Dirk Wilmoth shared that the Board typically reviews the College’s Financial Statements and Audit for the year ended June 30, 2023, during the April meeting. This year SACSCOC is requiring the College’s financial statements and audit to be completed by March 1, 2024.
Mr. Brumit, who is on the Audit Committee, stated that the audit was clean, and no issues were found.
Copies were not ready to distribute to the Board at this meeting, so the Board will both review and act on the financial statements and audit during the March 4, 2024, meeting.
2. E. Instructional Services reviewed the Phlebotomy Program and found that the program is no longer financially viable to offer through the curriculum division. A review of similar programs in North Carolina found that a vast majority of Phlebotomy programs are currently being offered through Continuing Education, which is much more cost-effective for students. Dr. Stewart asked the Board for approval to close the Phlebotomy Program in the curriculum division and to offer Phlebotomy through Continuing Education beginning in August 2024.
Mr. King moved to approve transitioning the Phlebotomy Program from Curriculum to Continuing Education. Ms. Lewis seconded the motion which passed unanimously.
2. F. Dr. Stewart stated that Board Policy 503.07, Faculty and Staff Requirements, needed to be updated and simplified in order to be accepted by any accrediting agency in the future. All pertinent information from the policy was moved into the procedure.
Mr. Karvir moved to approve the Revisions to the Faculty and Staff Credential Requirements Policy. Mr. Kern seconded the motion which passed unanimously.
2. G. Dr. Gossett discussed ”Propel NC;” a funding model proposed by the System Office that will be presented to the General Assembly for action in the spring. Propel NC proposes that we fund our programs in four ways:
- By sectors, job, and industry demand.
- With a base funding enhancement. Each college would receive a base amount of money regardless of the size of the college.
- Allowing colleges to have access to the enrollment increase reserve the same year that the enrollment increased.
- By tuition receipt adjustment. If the College over-collects tuition based on the system office’s projection, we would like to recall that money in the same year we collected it.
Propel NC will also allow us to look at our programs to see if it makes sense to move them to continuing education. All programmatic changes will be focused on the business sector, and on what our industry partners need.
Dr. Parham moved to support Propel NC. Dr. Barwick seconded the motion which passed unanimously.
Trustee Business
3. A. Vice Chair Walls asked if any Trustee would like to attend the 2024 NCACCT Law-Legislative Seminar, March 13-15, in Raleigh, to please let Ms. Carolyn Rice know.
President’s Report
Dr. Gossett shared the following with the Board:
- Chair Banks had court today and sent her regrets for missing the meeting.
- Our curriculum enrollment numbers are flat, and the hope is that Propel NC will give enrollment some momentum.
- Higher Education altogether is in transition. Students want skills, abilities, and knowledge to get on with their careers. Degrees are no longer the goal.
- The good news is that enrollment in continuing education and basic skills is up 18 percent.
- Dr. Gossett is co-chairing a committee that evaluates how Performance Measures will be used, funded, and presented in the future.
- The Community College Presidents met last month and several of the following changes are happening:
- BLET is changing dramatically, and A-B Tech is part of a new pilot program. There seems to be a misalignment with the curriculum program and exams.
- The System Office must approve the renewal of the President’s contract.
- The General Assembly changed how we are accredited. You may use your current creditor if you have been using them for the last three years. We may have to change creditors in the future. Most importantly, we must be an accredited college to be eligible for federal financial aid.
- Dr. Loflin has done excellent work in spearheading the writings due for our Fifth Year Review by SACSCOC (our current accreditor).
- Dr. Fairley Patton is our Acting Vice President of Student Services.
- Mr. Cris Harshman is the Interim Vice President of Information Technology & Chief Information Officer while Mr. Brian Willis is out.
- Blue Ridge Community College hired Mr. Dean Shatley to do a “New Trustee Orientation” session toward the end of March. Please let Ms. Rice know if you would like to attend.
- Dr. Patton will inquire as to whether high schools can offer the EMS program.
- We will investigate offering a ROTC program at the College.
- ELT continues to address the impending budget shortfall. We expect to have a final target number next week. Actions already taken include reallocating employees into different positions. We expect to have several retirements this year as well.
- Due to the declining high school population, the College is focusing on adult learners.
- We are working with the City of Asheville to finalize construction at 111 Victoria Road. The short-term plan is to use the space for parking. Visioning for 111 Victoria Road will be included in the Master Plan.
SGA Report
SGA President Mariana Flores shared that she started A-B Tech last fall. She began attending the Spanish Club and through that, became the President of the SGA. Ms. Flores loves the campus and our students, and hopes to increase the Hispanic student population.
The SGA is hosting a Valentine card-making workshop, and an open mic session in Comen for students to perform, recite poetry, and/or sing. The SGA is still involved with the MANNA Food Bank. Students are invited to attend a free lunch in Magnolia to learn the manners needed in future business meetings.
Closed Session
At 2:32 p.m., Mr. King moved that the Trustees enter into closed session pursuant to G.S. 143-318.11under subsection (a) (3) to discuss matters protected by the attorney-client privilege, and under subsection (a) (5) to discuss the acquisition of real property. Dr. Parham seconded the motion which was unanimously approved.
On a motion properly made, the Trustees returned to the Open Session at 3:23 p.m.
Handouts
The Board congratulated Ms. Ashley Leonard on becoming a Partner in the Campbell Shatley Law Firm!
The State and County Budget Report as of December 31, 2023, Divisional Updates, the January 2023-2024 Tracking Measures Scorecard, and the A-B Tech Foundation Communication Letter and Audit for FYE 2023 are in the Handouts.
The next Board meeting will be on Monday, March 4, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. in the Brumit Center for Culinary Arts.
Adjourn
On a motion properly made, the meeting adjourned at 3:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Carolyn H. Rice
Board Secretary