Board of Directors Meeting Minutes, September 12, 2024

OWENSBORO COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ MEETING
Thursday, September 12, 2024
Minutes

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:  Zara Basham, Sharmy Davis, Doug Hoyt, Pat Jones, and Sofia Stinnett

BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT:  Charles “Buzz” Backstrom, Joan Hayden, Jordan Lanham, and CeCe Robinson

PRESENTATION

Professor Zara Basham, coordinator of the Surgical Technology program, provided an overview of the 10-month allied health program. In this program, students complete 1,100 contact hours, including 600 hours of clinical experience. The program has achieved a 100% job placement rate and a 100% first-time pass rate for the past ten consecutive years. She shared that several events have been organized in recognition of the upcoming National Surgical Technology Week.

CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was held in the Administration Board Room and called to order at 5:39 p.m. (CST) on September 12, 2024.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The minutes could not be approved due to the lack of a quorum.

NEW BUSINESS

Quarterly Budget Report

Vice President Sarah Price shared the quarterly budget report for the fourth quarter of the year. 

Revenue

Sales and Services- 107% was received. Revenue for this category surpassed the fourth quarter parameter. Bookstore commission and on-line course charge contributed to the increase in revenue.

Other Sources—47.97% was received. During the third quarter, OCTC received $1,204,942.41 from KCTC for overages from the system cost recovery process identified in State Examinations finding #2. Note: This category represents the budgeted College Fund Balance.

Budget Reserve- 0.00% was received.

Restricted Funds- 39.47% was received. This amount is below fourth-quarter parameters due to the $38 million HealthForce Kentucky budget, of which only $6,176,341.58 has been received in actual revenue through the fourth quarter for the current year. In addition, this percentage reflects the receipt of restricted student financial aid for 2023-2024, in addition to other grant and gift revenue received.

Expense

Instruction- 77.99% was expended. This category has not surpassed the fourth- quarter parameters due to budgeting a portion of the College’s Fund Balance in this category.

Academic Support- 117.03% was expended. This category surpassed the fourth-quarter parameters. This was due in part to the purchase of $394,216 of computers for faculty, staff and labs. 

Library- 111.23% was expended. These category expenses have surpassed the fourth-quarter parameters due to the purchase of security gates for the library from the College Fund Balance.

Student Support- 93.63% was expended. Expenses in this category did not surpass the fourth-quarter parameters and can be attributed to staff turnover resulting in a lapse in salary and benefits.

Institutional Support- 88.04% was expended. Expenses in this category did not surpass the fourth-quarter parameters. This can be attributed in part to the indirect cost expenditures in this budget’s debt and contingency budgeted but not expended in this category.

Current Operating- 90.79% was expended. Expenditures are for current operating expenses, including travel expenditures. The number reflects conservative spending by College personnel.

Capital Outlay- 35.10% was expended. The expenditures in this category include library resources, capital equipment, renovations, and capital lease payments. The last half of the annual lease payment for the ESG-guaranteed energy project was paid in the third quarter. Additional capital lease payments and small renovations were expensed in this category. Note: the College Fund Balance is budgeted in this category.

President’s Report

Dr. Williams provided the following report: 

• Dr. Williams shared that Professor Basham was proactive in restructuring the Surgical Technology program as a work-and-learn model to support Owensboro Health Regional Hospital and developed Scrub Craze in 2015 as a recruitment tool;
• Fall student credit hour enrollment has increased by 8%, surpassing our enrollment budget;
• OCTC achieved a yield rate of 19% with a conversion rate of 64%, leading the other 16 colleges. A special thank you was extended to Dr. Ashleigh Crowe and Bernie Hale for their leadership, along with appreciation to all faculty and staff for their contributions;
• The Strategic Enrollment Plan launched this fall, featuring an Innovation Grant. Recruitment and retention were the focuses of this project. Each department had the opportunity to apply for the $200,000 set aside 2024-25 academic year. OCTC awarded nine of the eleven project applications. The applicants requested amounts ranging from $5,000 to nearly $50,000. Dr. Williams credited Sarah Price for the idea behind the initiative and thanked Jim Hartz, Sydney Warren, and Sarah Price for developing the selection guidelines;
• OCTC is seeing success with the new centralized advising model. In addition to this wrap-around advising initiative, OCTC is implementing an early intervention system to identify students, early in the semester, who need assistance to be successful. This has led to a reorganization in the Student Affairs division. Shane Armstrong has transitioned into the role of Dean of Student Success, with her focus being on student retention and the revitalization of the first-year student experience;
• An update of Senate Joint Resolution 179 was provided. Preliminary recommendations will be provided during next week’s Board of Regents. Dr. Williams is leading the KCTCS Governance and Organizational Structure team;
• The following updates were provided regarding the HealthForce Kentucky initiative: Due to recent retirements, two new members were appointed to the Board of Directors: Dr. James Cousins and Dr. Amy Higdon. The second mobile training unit, HealthForce Two, is now in operation. Through the collaboration of other colleges within the HealthForce Kentucky initiative, Elizabethtown Community & Technical College will offer a sonography program on OCTC’s campus, and Brescia University will introduce a Physician’s Assistant Program on their campus. 
• Capital construction projects are ongoing. The updates included the geothermal system installation, the fire and life safety project, the kitchen project, and the switchgear at the Downtown Campus; 
• OCTC received positive feedback regarding our reaccreditation from our SACSCOC consultant visit. Sharmy Davis is leading the Quality Enhancement Plan team, and Nicole Ralph is the SACSCOC Liaison;
• The AI Recommendation team is moving forward, focusing on the development of guidelines and policies for AI usage on campus; and 
• OCTC and the Owensboro Airport are continuing conversations regarding the offering of an aviation mechanics program; 

OLD BUSINESS

There was no old business.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chair Hoyt highlighted the following events:  OCTC Restaurant Night—October 8; 20th Anniversary of the Common Read—October 22; the Annual Supporter Celebration—November 7; the Board of Directors Meeting—November 14, and OCTC’s Graduation—December 17.

In addition, Chair Hoyt encouraged the Board members to contribute to OCTC’s Annual Campaign. The goal is to receive 100% participation by the OCTC Board of Directors.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 6:36 p.m.

Approved:

Signature on File 
Scott Williams, Ph.D. 
President

Signature on File 
Doug Hoyt
Chair