July 25, 2007
Trustees revisit
student fees
Responding to concerns about its
effect on recruiting students from outside
The change involves reductions in the
proposed out-state tuition and fees. Instead of the proposed tuition of $55 per
credit hour and fees of $65 per credit hour for students from outside Kansas,
the trustees approved an amendment setting out-state tuition and fees at $45
each per credit hour.
The amendment followed presentations
by community members and DCCC’s athletic department, worried about the effect a
$65-per-credit-hour fee would have on recruiting efforts outside
The original $55 tuition/$65 fees
proposal was presented to the board at its May meeting. “I would like to think
that the recommendation was made on behalf of an enlightened administration,”
said Anthony Lyons, dean of students. “However, there are some arguments
tonight that are fairly compelling.”
“It’s not our intention to hamstring
the athletic department,” said Dr. Merrill Conant, trustee, noting that issues
brought up during a board work session Wednesday afternoon prompted the
trustees to take another look at the issue.
Summer enrollment looks healthy
Although the final figure could
change, DCCC’s summer session enrollment is cause for optimism, said
Further analyzing enrollment
information for the Board of Trustees Wednesday night, Lyons said he expects to
see continued growth in the college’s Outreach and Nontraditional Studies
programs.
State to offer deferred maintenance tax
credits
Work is underway at the state level to
flesh out the procedure by which individuals will be able to claim tax credits
for donations to deferred maintenance programs at
“Starting July 1, 2008 and through
December 31, 2008, we can receive $130,000 in donations,” said Hermon. The
state will give donors a 60 percent tax credit on those donations. Hermon said
the college will be able to receive $260,000 in tax-deductible deferred
maintenance contributions in the following year, and that amount will increase
to $347,000 in succeeding years.
Donors will receive proof of tax
credit eligibility at the time their donations are made. “This will open up a
lot of doors for us to be able to make some nice improvements on campus,” said
Hermon.
Trustees approve budget for publication
“We had a good year,” said Hermon. “We
balanced the budget, added around $36,000 to cash reserves, and finished the
lower level of the new science-math building without going into cash reserves,”
she said.
In other business, the board…
- Approved a contract with
Southwest Kansas Consulting Services, Inc., which will provide Vada Hermon
to DCCC as its business services director for the coming year.
- Re-elected Bill Austen as
chairperson of the Board of Trustees. Dr. Merrill Conant will serve as
board vice-chair.
- Expressed appreciation to Dr.
Morris Reeves for his eight years of service on the Board of Trustees, and
welcomed Floris Jean Hampton back to the board.
- Approved Allied Health
cooperating agency agreements with 17 area clinical sites.
- Approved purchase of ITV and
multimedia equipment for classrooms.
- Learned from Michael Ahern,
dean of instruction, that all faculty positions for the coming school year
have been filled. “Human Resources has been rockin’ and rollin’ all
summer,” said Ahern, expressing appreciation to the department and those
who served on screening committees for the faculty positions.
Personnel moves approved
Board members approved the following
employment contracts:
- Steve High as head women’s
basketball coach.
- Doris Manwarren as Child and
Adult Food Care Program nutritionist (part-time).
The board also accepted these
resignations:
- Elizabeth Brinkley, assistant
athletic trainer.
- Jay Nayreau, assistant
women’s basketball coach.
- Don Hart, director of the
- Dave Sparks, director of
public information.
- Rebecca Barnhardt, associate
professor of Spanish.
Trustees also approved a leave of
absence for Dr. Hala Amawi, professor of Biology.
Happy birthday in August to:
1 - Ryan Ausmus
8 - Lynette Kessen
10 - Carol Johnson
11 - Amy Anderson, Tammy Tabor
12 - Lee Crouse
17 - Leila Duncan
18 - Adriana Vargas
19 - Rebecca Bredfeldt
21 - Casey Malek
28 - Bessy Knoy
30 - Denice Giersch, Ben Guhr