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Board of Regents

    Executive Summary

    Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) 
    Board of Regents Meeting – March 23-24, 2023 
    Bluegrass Community and Technical College, Lexington, KY

    Meeting highlights:

    • Called for a State Audit.
      The Board voted to ask State Auditor Mike Harmon to begin an examination of the financial operations, internal policies, and controls of the system. This was precipitated by leadership and the board being made aware the System Office had a fund balance that had not been properly classified to the board. The fund balance is nonrecurring funds that typically are used for items such as asset preservation or starting new programs. The System Office and the sixteen colleges all have fund balances used for these items.

    • Ratified a Student Suspension Appeal Decision
      The Board ratified a recommendation of the Student Appeal Panel regarding a student's appeal of suspension from Jefferson Community and Technical College. The suspension was upheld.

    • Ratified Dr. Ferguson’s Appointment as Acting President
      The Board ratified the appointment of Dr. Larry Ferguson as Acting President of KCTCS and that the compensation previously approved be maintained for the period of his appointment, including additional reimbursement for housing commensurate with the Board’s determination that Dr. Ferguson must be present in Versailles up to 3 to 6 days per week. In addition, to the appointment, the Board also ratified Dr. Czarapata’ s resignation, which was effective in February 2023.

    • Approved Three Asset Preservation Projects
      The Board approved $1,500,000 for the upgrade of mechanical equipment and building controls at Henderson Community College; approved a scope increase of $7,500,000 for the construction of a Parking Garage at Jefferson Community and Technical College; and approved the interim project of $5,000,000 for the expansion of the Administration Building at the Bluegrass Community and Technical College Newtown Campus.

    • Approved a 3 Percent Board Required Reserve Amount
      The Board approved a 3 percent budget reserve of State Appropriation and Tuition and Fees less System wide contracts for the Colleges and the System Office. The Board will approve the budget reserve rate each March Board of Regents Meeting. The KCTCS President is ultimately responsible for the specific use of board required reserves.

    • Ratified Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) Trust Administrative Committee Decisions The ratified decisions included the following:

    Dependent Premiums and Coverage Retirees under 65 years of age

    • Effective FY24, the OPEB Trust will provide single coverage as defined in each State offered plan coverage. Retirees under 65 may opt for dependent health insurance coverage, but the OPEB Trust will provide single coverage premium only. The employee, not the Trust, will be responsible for the difference between single coverage premiums and the premiums for dependent coverage.

    Communication plan for FY24 open enrollment

    • KCTCS (Kentucky Community and Technical College System) currently enrolls thirty-nine (39) OPEB Trust retirees who opted for dependent coverage. The OPEB Trust committee will notify these individuals by August of 2023, so they may begin to review other options.

    Future additions to plan coverage require official Request for Proposal (RFP)

    • KCTCS will submit an RFP intended to solicit bids from other insurance companies to evaluate options available to KCTCS to ensure the Trust appropriately provides insurance benefits while preserving the Trust’s corpus.

    • Ratified Personnel Actions
      A report was received about personnel actions and ratified.

    • Approved KCTCS Colleges’ candidates for credentials
      The Board approved 10,492 academic credential requests between October 1, 2022 – January 5, 2023. These credentials include:
      • 7,055 candidates for certificates.
      • 502 candidates for diplomas; and
      • 2,935 candidates for associate degrees.

    Other highlights:

    • Received updates/reports on the following items:
      • College report from Bluegrass Community and Technical College President Dr. Akakpo
      • The Huron Project
      • Audit Committee Meeting
      • Quorum Voting Procedures
      • 2023-24 KCTCS Tuition
      • Budget Scenarios for 2023-24, including Employee Compensation
      • KCTCS Financial Report
      • Performance Indicator Targets for the 2022-26 Strategic Plan
      • 2024 Board Meeting Dates
      • Education First Employers Initiative
      • Handshake Platform
      • Employer Asset Map
      • TRAINS Funding
      • ORPA Online Learning Report
      • Online Course Quality Assurance Pilot and Data
      • Chancellor’s Office Initiatives

    Next Regular Meeting – June 15-16, 2023 

    The KCTCS Board of Regents will conduct its next regularly scheduled meeting at West Kentucky Community and Technical College