May 12, 2023 - BOD Minutes

ECTC Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting

Elizabethtown Community and Technical College
ECTC Main Campus - RPC 200C, Board Room
Friday, May 12, 2023, 9:30 a.m. EST

Attendees

CALL TO ORDER

Chair Stan Routt called the regular board meeting to order at 9:33 a.m. EST.

DISCUSSION

Welcome, Introductions, and Announcements

• Chair Routt welcomed everyone and commended ECTC on the wonderful graduation ceremony held Monday, May 8, in the atrium of the Regional Postsecondary Center.
• Chair Routt commended Culinary Arts on the fantastic breakfast prepared for this board meeting.

Approval of Minutes

• MOTION: Mr. Mike Phillips made the motion to approve the February 10, 2023 minutes as presented and Mr. Andy Games seconded the motion.
• VOTE: The minutes were approved by unanimous consent.

New Business

Election of Officers:

• A motion was made by Ms. Kim Huston and seconded by Mr. Howard Williams to re-elect Stan Routt as Chair, Kim Huston as Vice-Chair, Howard Williams as Secretary, and Emily Allen as Assistant Secretary. Motion carried.

Strategic Needs Analysis - Student Center Expansion:

• The Strategic Needs Analysis has already been approved by the Board of Directors; however, an item needs to be approved so it can be added to the SNA. We have an opportunity to expand the Student Center to include an additional program. The expansion must be approved by the Board of Directors to be included in the SNA and gain state approval.
• A motion was made by Mr. Howard Williams and seconded by Mr. Tom Claycomb to approve the expansion of the Student Center and add this item to the already approved Strategic Needs Analysis. Motion carried.

Budget Approval:

Mr. Joe Mattingly shared the proposed fiscal year 2023-2024 budget with all board members.

• Included in the budget presented to the board is a $1,000 salary increase for employees, no tuition increases for students, and our bad debt budget increased by $600K annually.
• During non-appropriation years we have requested tuition rate information from the Board of Regents in March to better prepare our budget. Unfortunately, this information has not been provided, therefore, we estimate to the best of our ability when preparing the budget.
• We have had to include bad debt into our budget due to the loss of the Department of Revenue Collections. Our total bad debt is approximately $1 million, 3.1% of our operational budget and 1.4% of our overall budget.
• ECTC is budgeting fall and spring tuition enrollment to meet the actuals of 2023.
• Discretionary expense budget lines remained the same and early enrollment tracking and projections are parallel at this point in time to last year.
• Additional budget considerations include:
  • Huron Study and any immediate budget impacts by KCTCS Board of Regents
  • On boarding of Glendale campus
  • Inflation increases
  • Campus renovations
• Operational Revenue Breakdown
  • Tuition: 53% for FY24
  • State Appropriations: 40% for FY24
  • Other Sources (noncredit tuition, sales and services, budget reserve, and system contracts: 7%)
• Operational Expenses Breakdown
  • Personnel: 71% for FY24
  • Asset Management: 4% for FY24
  • Discretionary expenses: 25% for FY24
• Total Revenue is projected to be $71,242,300
• Total Expenses is projected to be $71,242,200
• A motion was made by Ms. Kim Huston and seconded by Mr. Howard Williams to approve the proposed fiscal year 2024 budget as presented. Motion carried.

Family Scholar House Campaign:

Dr. Megan Stith shared information about the Family Scholar House campaign with board members.

• ECTC has been awarded a little over $9 million in tax credits that will allow us to move forward in building a 48-unit residential complex on our campus.
• A campaign team has been formed to raise approximately $5.5 million to build the complex and operate the building for the first five years.
• In order to close on the awarded tax credits ECTC must quickly raise $3.875 million in pledges or through cash-in-hand donations.
• Dr. Stith asked the Board of Directors members to support this project in a way that is personally meaningful to each member. The goal with this ask to have 100% Board support as this will help us fundraise with other corporations and foundations when we can share that our Board fully supports this project.

President/CEO Evaluation:

• Prior to the board meeting, Chair Routt distributed an evaluation form for Dr. Pate's performance during the 2022-2023 academic year to all board members. Board members returned their completed evaluation form to Chair Routt prior to the May 12, 2023 board meeting.
• Chair Routt summarized all responses for each category Dr. Pate was evaluated on including institutional leadership/management, educational leadership/internal relations, external relations, and College Board relations.
• In summary, Dr. Pate exceeded all expectations for each category evaluated.
• Board members identified important contributions Dr. Pate made that has enabled the college to move forward over the past year and some of the highlights include:
  • Continued to grow solid leader relationship with both staff and student body.
  • Continued to analyze, adjust, and enhance ways to increase enrollment, achieve student success, and retain critical staffing.
  • Created a key alliance with Family Scholar House to meet student needs, reduce roadblocks to student success, and provide platform for life long economic prosperity.
  • Continued developing and communicating strategic plans across all ECTC arenas.
  • Continued to develop and exercise critical stakeholder position within industrial and regional economic base providing vital services, sound advice, and strategic vision.
  • Continued to develop key relationships among local and state level government office holders to support critical needs and synch messaging across agencies.
  • Continued to grow relationships and develop interest in funding streams.
  • Implemented sound business practices/decisions across multiple operational and foundational fronts integrated into a strategic plan and vision.
• The board identified issues or concerns for Dr. Pate to focus on during the 2023-2024 academic year and these include:
  • Maintain/retain, develop, and grow staff and working relationships.
  • Maintain, develop, and grow student population with path to success.
  • Continue to maintain momentum on all areas outlines in item 1 above.
  • Seek ways to leverage board members and community/regional key stakeholders toward the benefit of ECTC and overall workforce development.
  • Maintain proactive stance on strategic planning and monetary management.
  • Maintain frankness, open dialogue, and communication practices.
• A motion was made by Mr. Andy Games and seconded by Mr. Mike Phillips to approve the board summary of Dr. Pate's evaluation; motion carried.

REPORTS

President/CEO Report:

Dr. Juston Pate shared his report with the board:

• Dr. Pate shared a comprehensive update with the board highlighting milestones and accomplishments from his time here as President {2017-2023).
• Dual credit site numbers have increased from 7-8 high schools to now 14 and our dual credit student numbers have increased from 500 to just over 1,900.
• We have added six complete academic programs.
• We have shifted to an 8-week schedule resulting in an increase in student success metrics.
• We have reclassified approximately 50 employees to better align their job description with their responsibilities and duties. We have prioritized investing in employees' experiences.
• New positions created include but not limited to:
  • Budgeting Director
  • Recruiting team
  • Web Designer
  • Dual Credit Coordinator
  • Institutional Advancement officer
  • Instructional Specialist
  • Facilities Project Manager
  • Scholarship Coordinator
  • Safety Specialist
  • Advancement of our leadership team (Cabinet members)
• We now have Wi-Fi in all buildings on campus.
• Technology advancements have been made.
• We have improved our fund balance from where it was in 2016 and have no longer ended any fiscal year in a deficit.
• We have created a Foundation.
• We have increased the number of scholarships available to students, we have increased the amount of grant funding, our media presence has increased significantly, and the number of gifts to the college have substantially increased.
• We have restructured Workforce Solutions and are now ranked second in the system, but were ranked in the bottom six to eight in 2016.
• We operate in a proactive manner rather than a reactive way.
• We have created a Master Plan for all campuses.
• Looking to the future we are:
  • Working on a comprehensive advising plan.
  • Creating an overarching student success plan.
  • We are renovating several buildings on campus and bringing them up to current day standards and have purchased the LTADD building.

MEETING ADJOURNMENT

A motion was made by Mr. Howard Williams and seconded by Mr. Mike Phillips to adjourn the meeting; motion carried.

The meeting adjourned at 10:58 a.m. EST.

NEXT BOARD MEETING

The September 8, 2023 board meeting will be held in-person, the location has yet to be determined.

Minutes respectfully submitted by,