Executive Summary - December 3, 2021

The independent opinion issued by Crowe, LLP is an unmodified opinion. This opinion means that the KCTCS financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, KCTCS’ financial position as of June 30, 2021, and the changes in its financial position and its cash flows for the year ended June 30, 2021. The audit firm has reported that there are no deficiencies in the KCTCS internal controls that are considered material weaknesses.

A report was received about personnel actions and ratified.

The KCTCS Board of Regents ratify the increase in benefits delivered as part of the health benefits funded by the OPEB Trust previously established by 2013 KCTCS Board of Regents Resolution. Rationale Prior to the October 2021 Open Enrollment period for health insurance benefits, KCTCS made an administrative decision to increase the health benefits supplied to those retirees eligible to receive post-employment benefits pursuant to pre-2009 Board Policy and through payments made to the OPEB Trust. This decision was reported out to the Board at the September 17, 2021, KCTCS Board of Regents’ meeting, but the Board took no action. To ensure the Board has exercised its statutory duty, the Board must vote to ratify this change in benefits.

The KCTCS Board of Regents approved a one-time employee appreciation award for each regular, full-time, and part-time employee employed as of November 1, 2021, in recognition of the outstanding work performed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

That award being $500, The KCTCS President was directed to implement the award prior to the institutional break in December. Further, the Board directed that another $500 award be given in March should the financial outlook make it feasible to do so. 

The KCTCS Board of Regents approved the 2022-24 biennial budget requests, operating and capital, for KCTCS. Statutorily, KCTCS must submit its requests, operating and capital, to the Council of Postsecondary Education, the Legislative Research Commission (LRC) and the Governor of Kentucky – Office of State Budget Director (OSBD). The KCTCS operating and capital requests are developed in cooperation with the CPE, LRC and OSBD guidelines. 

The revisions and additions to the KCTCS Board of Regents Policy 1.5 Administrative Structure of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System are intended to:

• Clarify and more strongly state the authority of the KCTCS Board of Regents as the sole governing body for the KCTCS; 
• Emphasize the jurisdiction of the KCTCS Board of Regents;
• Delineate the governance and administrative roles of the KCTCS Board of Regents and the KCTCS President as the Board’s employee; 
• Establish minimum qualifications for the KCTCS President and the College Presidents; 
• Clarifies the delegation of authority from the KCTCS Board of Regents to the KCTCS President, reserving all duties within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Board thereto.

New policy 2.11 will ensure that the KCTCS Board of Regents sets a range of acceptable salaries for executive level employees and will provide a mechanism for pre-approval of any deviation therefrom.

The KCTCS Board of Regents has exclusive jurisdiction over the salary and benefits of all KCTCS employees. For those employees who do not fall within a band on the previously adopted salary schedule, the Board has only approved hiring and no other review of salary, benefits, or supplemental compensation has occurred. 

The KCTCS Board of Regents approve the scope increase of $800,000 for the renovation of the Student Center Building on the Elizabethtown Community & Technical College Main Campus. Rationale 

In accordance with state statues, interim authorization for a capital construction project with a scope greater than $1,000,000 must be approved by the KCTCS Board of Regents and reported to the Capital Projects and Bond Oversight Committee. The current authorization for the ECTC Student Center Renovation is $4,300,000. Additional scope  increase is needed in the amount of $800,000 to raise the authorization to $5,100,000. Current construction market conditions have caused this needed increase due to material and labor costs which have escalated recently and are expected to continue into the near future. The increase in authorized scope of the project will be funded from agency funds with the anticipation of continuing fund-raising efforts for the project from private donations. The project has significant community support.

The new programs approved by the KCTCS Board of Regents respond to local needs surveys in the college’s community. 

• AAS in Aviation Maintenance Technology for Madisonville Community College.
• AAS in Diesel Technology for Madisonville Community College

The proposed revision of KCTCS Board of Regents 4.11, Policy on Program Approval expedites program approval by authorizing the KCTCS President to approve college requests to add programs of study currently in the KCTCS Catalog without taking the approval before the Board of Regents and still following Council on Postsecondary Education requirements; and provides for the approval of programs new to the KCTCS Catalog by the Board of Regents. 

Ratified new credit certificate programs.

Each certificate is applicable towards at least one degree program and is designed to be responsive to education and workforce needs in Kentucky, providing greater student access to quality programs. New certificate programs were ratified for Gateway Community and Technical College, Madisonville Community College, Maysville Community and Technical College, and Southeast Community and Technical College. 

Approved KCTCS colleges’ candidates for credentials.

For the period of July 17, 2021, through October 1, 2021, there were 6,349 credential requests, including 3,931 certificates; 363 diplomas;698 associate in arts degrees, 459 associate in science degrees, 888 associate in applied science degrees, and 10 associate in fine arts degrees. Credentials are awarded to students upon certification that requirements for the credentials have been satisfactorily completed.