October 3, 2022 Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes


The Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Board of Trustees convened a meeting on Monday, October 3, 2022, at 3:30 p.m., in person in RAMS 116, at A-B Tech Madison. Dr. Theresa Banks, Vice Chair, presided.

The following members of the Board participated in person: Theresa Banks, Joe Barwick, Michael Garrison, Tommy Justus, David King, Libby Kyles, Judy Lewis, Roger Metcalf, John Parham, Frances Ramsey, and Ryan Adams-Clark, Ex-Officio. Trustees Himanshu Karvir and Jason Walls participated via Zoom. Trustees Joe Brumit and Matt Kern 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 Resources and Organizational Development; Amanda Edwards, Executive Director of College Advancement; Kerri Glover; Executive Director of Community Relations and Marketing; Brian Willis; Vice President of Information Technology; Dirk Wilmoth, Vice President of Business and Finance/CFO; Deborah Wright, Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development and Continuing Education; Darryl Rhymes, Director, Employment & Employee Relations; Ashley Leonard, College Attorney; and Carolyn Rice, Secretary to the Board.

 

Call to Order

Vice Chair Banks read the ethics statement. No conflicts of interest were reported. Ms. Rice called roll; a quorum was present.

Dr. Banks welcomed the Board to beautiful Madison County!

 

Employee Recognition

At 3:35 p.m., Ms. Paula Trilling was recognized as Professor Emerita by the Board for her years of teaching accomplishments at A-B Tech.

 

Tour of A-B Tech Madison

Ms. Sherri Davis took the Board on a tour of the A-B Tech Madison. Ms. Davis then invited the Board to return to the A-B Tech Madison to attend a National Apprenticeship Week celebration being held on November 15.

 

Swearing In

At 4:07 p.m., reappointed Trustee Libby Kyles was sworn into the Board.

 

Consent Agenda

At 4:10 p.m., Vice Chair Banks asked for a motion to approve the Consent Agenda.

Dr. Metcalf moved to approve Consent Agenda items: 1. A. September 12, 2022, Board Meeting Minutes; and 1. B. Personnel Actions.

The motion to approve the Consent Agenda was seconded by Mr. King. The motion passed by unanimous consent.

 

Resolution/Action Items

2. A. Dr. Dirk Wilmoth discussed the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2022-2023 with the Board. The College is required to submit its budget to the Board annually for approval; the budgets were constructed in alignment with the College’s Strategic Plan.

Dr. Parham moved to approve the Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2022-2023. Ms. Lewis seconded the motion. The motion passed by unanimous consent.

 

Trustee Business

3. A. Ms. Ashley Leonard presented “Best Practices for Good Governance at the Community College Level” to the Board. Ms. Leonard shared the following information:

  • The Board functions as a corporate entity.
  • The definition of a public meeting.
  • Electronic participation in Board meetings. The Board recognized that although electronic participation was needed to conduct business during the pandemic, the Board should meet in person going forward, using electronic participation as a last resort.
  • The process of adding something to the Board agenda.
  • Hiring and firing decisions.
  • The duty to maintain impartiality while exercising judicial functions.
  • The duty to discharge duties.
  • Public records best practice.
  • Handling complaints and concerns.
  • The top ten list that every Board Chair needs to know.

The Board thanked Ms. Leonard for her presentation and asked Dr. Wilmoth to discuss the College’s insurance coverage for the Board during the November 7 meeting.

 

President’s Report

Dr. Gossett shared the following information with the Board:

  • Trustees are encouraged to attend Autumn in Asheville on October 13, as it is a wonderful event that benefits our students.
  • Dr. Gossett chaired a SACSCOC committee for a community college in Virginia. The experience will be invaluable to A-B Tech during our upcoming reaffirmation process.
  • The last few weeks have been spent doing annual program reviews at the program’s location. Seeing our faculty in person, working in their labs and shops, has made the program reviews more relevant for members of the Executive Leadership Team.
  • Dr. Gossett has finished meeting with all of our incumbent representatives and with all of our potential representatives. All have been supportive of the community college system and A-B Tech. He looks forward to working with them after the election in November.
  • The Land of Sky received a $1.4 Million grant that A-B Tech will share with Blue Ridge Community College. The grant will fund work-based learning, scholarships, and apprenticeships in the solar, electrical, and manufacturing fields.
  • The size of the building for Pratt & Whitney has been projected to be approximately 10,000 square feet with a $10 Million total budget, including funds for site preparation. A-B Tech will be the sole occupant of the building, which allows us to offer industrial training, mechatronics, customized training, etc. Once the College receives architectural drawings for the building, the Board can vote on moving forward with the South Campus or to use the $10 Million elsewhere.
  • A-B Tech currently has both an Early College and a Middle College on campus. Early College students attend ninth through twelfth grade and leave A-B Tech with a certificate or an Associate’s Degree upon graduation. Middle College is for eleventh and twelfth-grade students only. Buncombe County Schools Superintendent Dr. Tony Baldwin and Dr. Gossett have been talking about how to increase Middle College enrollment, and are looking for potential space on campus to house them. Middle College students are more focused on attaining credentials, degrees, and a pathway to a four-year college. This discussion will continue with the new Superintendent of the Buncombe County Schools when he arrives.

 

SGA Report

SGA President, Ms. Adams-Clark shared that the Fall Festival was a huge success, with about 800 students in attendance. Ms. Adams-Clark invited the Board to come and get their blood pressure checked during the Wellness Fair on October 5!

 

Handouts

Divisional Updates and the September 2022-2023 Student Success Scorecard are in the Handouts.

The next Board meeting will be on Monday, November 7, 2022, at 3:00 p.m., at the Brumit Center for Culinary Arts and Hospitality.

 

Adjourn

On a motion properly made, the meeting adjourned at 4:57 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Carolyn H. Rice
Board Secretary