The Northeast Texas Community College Board of Trustees met for its regular February meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 20th at 5:30 p.m. All trustees were present.
In the President’s report, Dr. Ron Clinton gave an update on the latest HB8 news and how it will affect the college’s funding. He said the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) has drafted rules on the specifics of how the performance-based funding model will work and the criteria that will be used to gauge a college’s success. These new rules will be voted on by the THECB Board next month.
“While we are excited about the new HB8 funding model, it also brings some new challenges in regards to budgeting. There are more variables than with the old funding model, so it’s difficult to project future allocations. Our Institutional Effectiveness team is currently working to develop new forecasting tools that will help us work in the variables as they relate to NTCC so we can budget accordingly,” Clinton said.
Clinton reported that NTCC student, Monserrat Rivero Sanchez, has been selected by Phi Theta Kappa to address faculty at the Texas Community College Teachers Association (TCCTA) conference in Frisco later this month. Only one student per year is granted this honor. Clinton also thanked the NTCC Phi Theta Kappa chapter for nominating him for the Shirley B. Gordon Award. This is the most prestigious national award Phi Theta Kappa grants to a college president. Clinton was chosen to receive the honor and he will join NTCC students and advisors at the PTK Catalyst national convention in Orlando in April to accept the award.
He also said that the college has consulted with a construction firm to begin drafting plans for a new Unity Center. This will be an outdoor pavilion space north of the Student Union Building that will be used for student activities. The project is still in early development and would be funded through a Title V grant. Under Personnel Action Under the President’s Authority, Clinton announced that Brandi Cave has been promoted from Controller to Vice President for Administrative Services.
Dr. Jon McCullough, NTCC Executive Vice President for Advancement, reported that the NTCC Foundation received $162,222.71 in the month of January. This included $100,000 from the sale of a donated Shelby GT350 convertible at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale earlier this month.
Dr. Kevin Rose, Senior Vice President for Student Success, gave a spring 2024 enrollment report. He said that enrollment was up slightly over last spring in head count (+1.9 percent), semester hours (3.6 percent), and contact hours (1.6 percent). Rose reported that enrollment is distributed into divisions as follows: 57 percent Arts and Sciences, 18 percent Health Science, and 25 percent Workforce. Just over 1,050 of the student body are dual credit students – a college record for the spring semester. He said that NTCC enrollment is approaching pre-COVID-19 levels.
In action items, the board approved the consent agenda and voted to hire Russell Radke as the college’s new Chief of Police. Radke is currently employed with Chapel Hill ISD and will start full-time in May. Radke will work on a contract basis in the meantime to start developing the new police department.
Radke was in attendance at the meeting and commented: “I am grateful for the chance to be involved in building a department from the ground up. I appreciate this opportunity and look forward to serving the college well.”
The board also approved a quote from TASB for the college’s insurance coverage. The premium is 35 percent higher than last year due to overall market increases and a large hail claim from 2018. Cave said the hail claim will fall off next year and she anticipates that this may help the college find a lower rate in 2025.
Sheila Kirkbride, Office Administrator for the Titus County Appraisal District, addressed the board asking for them to approve a resolution for the TCAD to complete renovations to their office. As a Titus County taxing entity, the NTCC board is required to approve this type of project. The board unanimously approved the resolution to renovate the property for a cost not to exceed $400,000.
Finally, the board discussed the outcomes from their annual self-evaluation process. They said that they were happy with the process in general, but tabled discussion for a future meeting. With no other business being presented, the meeting was adjourned.
