Board Meetings

    Board of Regents Meeting Minutes September 20, 2024

    Kentucky Community and Technical College System
    Board of Regents Meeting Minutes
    September 20, 2024, 9:00 A.m. CST
    Henderson Community College - Preston Arts Center

    I. Call to Order

    Chair Martin called the regularly scheduled meeting to order on September 20, 2024, at 9:05 a.m. CST.

    II. Roll Call

    Attendance
    Chair Barry Martin (Present)
    Vice Chair Keith Hamilton (Present)
    Secretary Brianna Whitten (Present)
    Mr. Rusell Cox (Present)
    Mr. Christopher Girdler (Present)
    Ms. Lauren Guerra Gomez (Present)
    Ms. Kimberly Greene (Present)
    Ms. Tiffany Kelly-Jenkins (Absent)
    Ms. Candace McGraw (Present)
    Ms. Kelly Rabinowitz (Absent)
    Ms. Shana Savard-Hogge (Present)
    Ms. Audra Shouse (Present)
    Mr. James Lee Stevens (Present)
    Mr. Marty Sutherland (Present)

    III. Recognition of Individuals

    Chair Martin recognized former Regent Joe Heerdink who served from 2020 to 2024 as a staff regent. Chair Martin recognized Regent Greene and presented her a gift as appreciation for her service. Chair Martin also recognized Buddy Combs as this is his last meeting as a KCTCS employee. Mr. Combs started with KCTCS in 1994.

    IV. Increase Organization Success

    Items G, H, and I from the September 19th agenda were presented first.

    G. Action: Ratification of Personnel Actions

    Vice President Bridget Canter presented the personnel actions from May 1, 2024, through July 31, 2024 for ratification. Two colleges had employees who passed away during that time period and the Board observed a moment of silence in their honor.

    Regent Whitten made a motion to ratify the personnel actions. Regent Sutherland seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

    H. Update: Compression

    Vice President Bridget Canter presented an update on salary compression. KCTCS has begun the RFP process to procure a platform that will assist with this process. This will be a long process that requires phased implementation.

    I. Action Revisions to the KCTCS Board of Regents Bylaws

    Parliamentarian George presented changes to the Board of Regents bylaws. In order to streamline Board operations, the KCTCS System Policy and Planning Committee has requested to amend the System Policy and Planning Committee meeting schedule to require one meeting prior to each regularly scheduled Board meeting, rather than monthly in between regular Board meetings. The Bylaws also clarify that all Board members are invited to attend System Policy and Planning Committee meetings but will not count toward quorum or have the authority to vote on matters before the Committee.  Regent Whitten made a motion to approve the changes and Regent Sutherland seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

    A. Update: Forensic Audit Progress Update

    Parliamentarian George introduced leadership from KPMG for an update on the forensic audit. Mr. Mike Doyle reviewed the project status for each aspect of the audit. Slides containing additional details were provided to the Board in their materials. Chair Martin thanked Mr. Doyle for the update.

    B. Update: Fire Commission

    Interim Director Bruce Roberts provided information about the Fire Commission that began in 2000. Mr. Roberts discussed the funding model for the Commission and reviewed several of the programs offered by the Commission. The Commission offers low interest loans to fire departments and has grants for thermal imaging cameras. The Commission offered 28,669.5 training hours in the fiscal year 2024. On April 30th, the Commission dedicated its new training facility. The fire academy is a 13-week residential program that includes physical training, classroom, and hands-on training.

    C. Update: Financial Report

    Chief Financial Officer Todd Kilburn shared the financial report with the Board as of June 30, 2024. The numbers are unofficial at this time and subject to change based on what KCTCS receives back from the auditors. There were 339 TRAINS projects. Investment revenue has started to grow. KCTCS was in the positive by $692,000 for this year. Regent Whitten had a question related to leases.

    D. Action: Capital Construction Projects

    Mr. Kilburn presented information on capital construction projects. Regent Savard-Hogge made a motion approve the extend the Big Sandy Community and Technical College Pikeville Chiller Replacement scope increase to $1,500,000. Regent Hamilton seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

    E. Action: Naming of Building - SKYCTC

    Acting Vice President of Advancement Megan Stith presented on the recommendation of naming a building at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College. The Named Building Advisory Committee met on September 4, 2024 to review the proposal for naming the Robert and Mary Tincher Campus Community Center on SKYCTC’s campus. The Named Building Advisory Committee determined that the proposal met the requirements of Board of Regents Policy 7.10 and KCTCS Administrative Policy 7.10.2. Regent Guerra Gomez made a motion to ratify the recommendation of the committee to name the building. Regent Sutherland seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. 

    V. Increase Employment Success

    A. Update: Workforce and Economic Development Annual Report

    Vice President of Workforce and Economic Development Ms. Jesse Shook presented an update. KCTCS has completed the Workforce and Economic Development Annual Report for fiscal year 2024. The publication highlights critical programs such as KCTCS-TRAINS and provides closeout figures for the year. Regents received a copy of the report in their materials. Ms. Shook outlined business and industry partnerships and illustrated documented progress related to a pillar of the KCTCS strategic plan: Increase Employment Success. KCTCS has a robust employer outreach program through the Statewide Workforce and Talent Team (SWATT) collaboration.

    B. Update: Philanthropy

    Acting Vice President of Advancement Megan Stith gave an update for gift giving for the prior fiscal year. Giving results for 2023-2024 show a $6.7M increase in donations over the prior year, with over $20M raised. Priorities for System Office Advancement in 2024- 2025 include developing new ways of supporting college fundraising efforts, providing direction to the KCTCS Foundation, and identifying shared fundraising needs to engage new donors. Planning for Giving Day 2025 has begun, and an alumni engagement plan is in the process of being developed. Ms. Stith spotlighted donors and supporters and the effects of their gifts.

    The Board took a recess at 10:25 a.m. CST and resumed at 10:40 p.m. CST.

    VI. Increase Learner Success

    A. Update: Learner Success Report

    Board members were given an update on learner success through a report provided by Acting Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Phil Neal in their board materials. 

    B. Action: Ratification of KCTCS Colleges’ Candidates for Credentials

    Acting Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Phil Neal presented the recommendation for the ratification of the KCTCS Colleges’ candidates for credentials. Regent Sutherland made a motion that the KCTCS Board of Regents approve the awarding of KCTCS colleges’ candidates for degrees and diplomas and ratify certificates as presented in the supplemental booklet, KCTCS Candidates for Credentials April 6, 2024 – July 12, 2024, with the credentials (degrees, diplomas, and certificates) to be awarded to the candidates upon certification that the requirements have been satisfactorily completed. Regent Whitten seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. 

    C. Update: Certificate and Program Approvals

    Acting Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Phil Neal provided and update on certificate and program approvals. There are three new degree programs and seventeen new certificates across the system. 

    D. Update: Credential Suspensions

    Acting Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Phil Neal shared the number of credential suspensions which totals 169 since the last time this information was shared with the Board. Twice annually, the Board of Regents is informed of credentials (certificates, diplomas, focus tracks of Associate of Applied Science degrees, and degrees) that have been suspended from the KCTCS Colleges’ program inventories. A suspended program is defined by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education as an academic program that no longer accepts new students as of a specified date but allows current or previously accepted students to complete the program. The program can be reopened within five years without going through the new academic program approval process. After five years, if the program has not been re-opened, it is considered a closed program.

    E. Update: KCTCS Online Learning Assessment (KOLA) Plan

    Acting Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Phil Neal presented an update on the KCTCS Online Learning Assessment (KOLA) plan. Following the KCTCS Online Learning Assessment (KOLA) plan, all adjunct faculty and any newly hired full-time faculty will complete KES training no later than the end of the academic year 2024-2025. 41% of adjunct faculty have completed the KES training. Following the KCTCS Online Learning Assessment (KOLA) plan, all faculty teaching at least one online course must complete a KES self-review of their courses at least once every third year. Colleges are responsible for establishing their internal timeline for KES self-reviews, and most have connected it with their internal three-year assessment strategies for online learning. 45% of adjunct faculty have completed at least one KES course review.

    F. Update: Enrollment Report

    Acting Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Phil Neal gave an update to the Board on the Fall 2024 enrollment report as of September 6, 2024. The overall KCTCS headcount is 70,895, marking an increase of 5,278 students or 8.0% compared to the same time last year. FTE enrollment also shows an increase over the prior year, up 3,104 students or 7.9%. Enrollment has increased across all student classifications compared to the same time last year. As of today, the credential-seeking headcount is up 7.0%, the high school headcount is up 11.1%, and the workforce/non-degree headcount is up 3.5%. Comparable gains can be seen when evaluating FTE for credential seeking and high school students. Workforce/non-degree FTE students have decreased by 1.0%, however. 

    G. Update: KCTCS 2022-26 Strategic Plan – Annual Update

    Vice Chancellor of Research and Policy Analysis Ms. Alicia Crouch provided an update on the KCTCS 2022-26 Strategic Plan. This is the first four-year strategic plan. There are three goals with six objectives within the plan. The first goal is increasing organizational success. The second goal is increasing employment success, and the third goal is increasing learner success. KCTCS has met three goals, is on track for one goal, and not on track for one goal. KCTCS fell short of the employee retention goal. Ms. Crouch gave an update on employee retention, alternative revenue, and academic year enrollment. 

    H. Update: Tracking Graduate Employment

    Vice Chancellor of Research and Policy Analysis Ms. Alicia Crouch shared data related to tracking graduate employment. KCTCS provides data every four year to CPE for a program review and the outcomes are tracked. KCTCS tracks the wage growth of students after they leave, which includes a doubling of wages of those students who receive Associates degrees. The federal government is very interested in this data and could have big impacts on some of our programs. 

    VII. Next Meeting - December 5-6, 2024

    A. Location

    KCTCS System Office - Versailles, KY

    VII. Adjournment

    Regent Stevens made a motion to adjourn, and Regent Sutherland seconded the motion. The motion passed by consensus and the meeting adjourned at 11:33 a.m. CST.