The Southwestern Community College (SWCC) board of directors met 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 9, in the SWCC Administration Center for its regular monthly board meeting.
A public hearing was held for the replacement of the gymnasium floor in the Student Center. No oral or written objections or petitions were heard or submitted.
The board recessed to hold a Collective Bargaining Strategy Session from 5:33 to 5:55 p.m.
When the board reconvened, Tom Lesan, SWCC vice president of economic development, presented the two bids received for the gymnasium replacement project to the board. Following discussion, the board voted to approve the lower bid of $131,960 from Phillips Floors. The project is set to be completed this summer.
In personnel, the board accepted the resignation of Mark Bonneville, electrical technology instructor, effective at the end of his current contract.
The board approved the employment of Jeremy Fox as professional music instructor. Fox, who taught at the college previously from 2002-10, will return to the college in August 2017.
Also in personnel, the board voted to receive and file the president’s recommendation to terminate an instructor’s contract.
Jolene Griffith, SWCC director of human resources and educational equity and Title IX coordinator, presented the college’s 2016 Affirmative Action Plan to the board. Following Griffith’s presentation, the board approved the plan as presented.
The board approved a proposal to raise in-state and out-of-state tuition by $6 per credit, as well as implement a $1 increase in fees, for the 2017-18 school year. With the increase, total tuition and fees will be $177 per credit for in-state students and $184 for out-of-state students.
Changes to other fees for the 2017-18 school year, approved by the board, include:
• AGC 908 Agriculture Lab I - $25 course fee to cover the costs associated with the OSHA 10-hour general agriculture certification during the fall semester course, AGC 908 Agriculture Lab I. Upon successful completion of the training, students will receive a portable OSHA 10-hour course completion card and certificate.
• AGS 355 Animal Breeding and Genetics - $450 course fee to cover the costs associated with the artificial insemination certification during the spring semester course, AGS 355 Animal Breeding and Genetics. The three-day training will consist of classroom sessions and live, hands-on practice with beef cattle. Upon successful completion of the three-day training, students will receive a beef cattle artificial insemination certification.
• AGS 331 Animal Reproduction - $100 course fee was removed from the fee schedule as it is being replaced with the Animal Breeding and Genetics course fee.
• NET 122 Computer Hardware Basics - $188 course fee. The fee currently associated with the fall course, NET 122 Computer Hardware Basics, was reduced, from $194, effective for the 2017-18 academic year. The fee covers the costs associated with the administration of CompTIA A+ certification exam during the fall semester course, NET 122 Computer Hardware Basics.
• NET 612 Fundamentals of Network Security - $203 course fee currently associated with the summer course, NET 612 Fundamentals of Network Security, was reduced, from $302, effective for the 2017-18 academic year. The fee covers the costs associated with the administration of the CompTIA Security+ SY0-401 exam.
Bill Taylor, SWCC vice president of instruction, spoke to the board about the college entering into a new agreement for a joint construction project between the college and Sonntag Development, LLC. This would be the second year the college has partnered with Sonntag Development. With this agreement in place, the carpentry and building trades program would build a duplex on property owned by Sonntag Development, and located in Cottonwood Estates in Creston. With the details of this contract, Sonntag Development carries expenses of the project during the construction period, again allowing students to complete required lab experience without the college incurring the expenses and risk associated with building. The board approved the building partnership contract with Sonntag Development, LLC.
During the president’s report, Dr. Barb Crittenden, SWCC president, reminded the board of spring commencement 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 12, and informed the board summer commencement will be held 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 30. Both ceremonies will be held in the Student Center gymnasium.
Crittenden also told the board the athletic department’s annual golf fundraiser will be held Saturday, May 27, at Crestmoor Golf Club in Creston.
Following the president’s report, Jerry Smith, SWCC board member from Osceola and also SWCC’s Iowa Association of Community College Trustees (IACCT) representative, reported on the recent IACCT board meeting. Smith reminded the board of the summer IACCT Conference, to be held July 19-21, in Davenport.