The Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Board of Trustees convened a meeting on Thursday, February 9, 2017, at 1:25 p.m. in the Magnolia Building. Joe Brumit, Chair, presided.
The following members of the Board were present: Gene Bell, Bruce Briggs, Wayne Brigman, Mike Fryar, Roger Metcalf, William Murdock, John Parham, Frances Ramsey, Robin Ramsey, Mary Ann Rice, and Mandy Stone.
Others present for the meeting included: Dennis King, President; Dirk Wilmoth, Vice President Business and Finance/CFO; Terry Brasier, Vice President Student Services; Beth Stewart, Vice President Instructional Services; Shelley White, Vice President Economic and Workforce Development/Continuing Education; David White, Executive Director of Research and Planning; Kaye Schmidt, Vice President, Human Resources and Organizational Development; Marketing; Kerri Glover, Executive Director, Community Relations and Marketing; Brian Willis, Vice President, Information Technology/CIO; Chad Donnahoo, College Attorney; and Carolyn Rice, Secretary to the Board.
Call To Order
Chair Brumit read the ethics statement. Chair Brumit asked Mr. Fryar, Board Trustee, and Buncombe County Commissioner, if there would be a conflict of interest regarding his role as a Trustee of the College. No conflicts of interest were reported. Ms. C. Rice called roll. A quorum was present.
Chair Brumit welcomed Mr. Briggs back to the Board after a lengthy absence. Mr. Briggs stated that he was glad to be back, and thanked the Board for all of the flowers, letters, and prayers that he received while out.
Consent Agenda
Ms. Stone moved to approve the Consent Agenda items: 1. A. Minutes of December 12, 2016; 1. B. Personnel Actions; 1. C. 2017-2018 Schedule of Fees; 1. D. Metropolitan Sewerage District Easement; and 1. E. Revised Travel and Vehicle Use Options.
Mr. Bell asked how the Board would know the ethnicity of newly hired employees. Ms. Schmidt responded that although the College tracks data regarding employee race and ethnicity, employees are not required to state their race or ethnicity on employment applications or human resources documents. Any race and ethnicity data that is voluntarily collected, is recorded in the College’s monthly Strategic Plan Scorecard update
The motion to approve the Consent Agenda was seconded by Mr. Murdock and approved unanimously by the Board.
Resolution/Action Items
2. A. Dr. King informed the Board that the College is seeking approval to offer an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Interventional Cardiac and Vascular Technology. If approved, the program will potentially generate approximately 40 FTE per cohort. It is estimated that there will be a 24 percent increase in the need for Interventional Cardiac and Vascular Specialists by the year 2024.
On a motion by Mr. Brigman, seconded by Ms. M. Rice, the Board unanimously approved the Interventional Cardiac and Vascular Technology Program.
2. B. Dr. King informed the Board that the College wishes to terminate the Therapeutic Massage Program. Licensure requirements have changed for massage therapists, making the program no longer viable due to the ability to practice massage therapy without a degree. All students currently enrolled in the Program will complete their massage courses in May 2017.
On a motion by Ms. F. Ramsey, seconded by Dr. Metcalf, the Board unanimously approved the Termination of the Therapeutic Massage Program.
2. C. Dr. King informed the Board that the College has been asked by the Buncombe County Commissioners to present a report on both approved and proposed projects to be funded by the quarter-cent sales tax. In alignment with the Buncombe County-funded Masters Facility Plan, Dr. King discussed the following prioritized projects with the Board:
- The Arts & Sciences/Engineering Building
- 99,000 square feet.
- Will house all College Transfer and Engineering Programs.
Building a new Arts & Sciences/Engineering Building is vital to the College. The Master Facilities Plan called for separating these two academic divisions which presently share the Elm Building, by dedicating the Rhododendron Building to Engineering and giving all of the Elm Building to the Arts and Sciences Division.
The Engineering Department would have received 46,677 square feet of renovated space while Arts and Sciences would have received 70,000 square feet of renovated space after the renovation of the Rhododendron Building was completed.
When the County declared that the Rhododendron Building was too costly to renovate, resulting in the building being demolished, two problems occurred:
- First, the College lost the ability to renovate the two buildings in tandem (Rhododendron and Elm).
- Secondly, the proposed alternate project—The Arts and Sciences/Engineering Building—would be 17,000 square feet smaller than the two it was to replace.
When the Elm building was constructed, A-B Tech had 6,000 fewer students. The College was designated as a technical institute only and was not authorized to teach university transfer students. There was no need for art, music, humanities, foreign languages, literature, etc. A-B Tech now offers the breadth of courses that universities expect of transfer students, and they have become the College’s largest program, with an enrollment of approximately 3,500 students.
In addition, every student in an applied technology program is required by our accreditors (SACSCOC) to take math, English, and social sciences as part of their curriculum. Many programs need anatomy and physiology. All of these courses are taught by the Arts and Sciences Division. Every student on campus employs the courses of this division which is housed in half of a building constructed in 1980 when enrollment was a third of its present number.
The College’s enrollment has been level for a few years. This is attributable to the low unemployment rate in Buncombe County. It is a national fact that the lower the unemployment rate, the lower the community college enrollment. The converse is also true. Specifically, individuals who can find work forego schooling.
It is important to note that A-B Tech had 1,537 students when the Rhododendron building was built and 3,524 when the Elm building was built. Presently, the annual headcount is 9,991. The College needs the new Arts and Sciences/Engineering building because of our past growth and not because of anticipated growth.
Dr. King continued and stated that the remaining projects are equally important and are estimated to be undertaken in the next three to five years:
- Elm Building Renovation
- 70,000 square feet
- Built in 1980, the building is technologically out of date.
- Unable to renovate Elm without another home into which to move current programs - even temporarily.
- Will house the Small Business Incubator, Cosmetology/Health and Fitness Science, and the Buncombe County Early College
- Sycamore Building First Floor Renovation
- 13,000 square feet
- Will house the Physics Department
- Birch Building Renovation
- 48,421 square feet
- Will house Business Programs, and Brewing, Distillation, and Fermentation
- Ferguson Allied Health/Workforce Development completion of the fifth floor
- 22,077 square feet
- Will house Physical Therapy, and additional Allied Health Programs
The Trustees discussed the square footage of several buildings on campus, how the current space is being utilized, and what the space requirements are for each program. Suggestions were made on how to maximize the use of the College’s current amount of available square feet. The Trustees continued the available square feet discussion and focused on the fact that just because a building has underutilized available square feet, it would be impossible to teach specialized classes in a space constructed for other specialized programs. The Trustees discussed current enrollment, and although current enrollment trends are flat, they won’t always be flat. The College needs to focus on the future, as well as how many square feet will be needed for future programs and growth.
Dr. King stressed the importance of and asked the Board to reaffirm their support for the approved and proposed Arts and Sciences/Engineering project.
On a motion by Dr. Metcalf, seconded by Dr. Parham, the Board approved the Resolution (ten in favor, two opposed) to the Buncombe County Commissioners in support of the Master's Facilities Plan. Mr. Bell and Mr. Fryar opposed.
Trustee Business
4.A. Chair Brumit asked the Board to contact Carolyn Rice if they are interested in attending the NCACCT Law/Legislative Seminar in March 2017.
4.B. Chair Brumit informed the Trustees that the next Board meeting will be on April 17, 2017, at 3:30 p.m., in the Mission Health/A-B Tech Conference Center.
President's Report
Dr. King shared the following news with the Board:
- The College is able to give a small salary increase to full-time and part-time regular employees. A small non-recurring bonus will also be given to these employees as well. Both increases will be reflected in the February paycheck.
- BASF recently performed a site test for contamination on the Enka property. BASF will inform the College in March if they are able to “gift” the College the property. If BASF is unable to give the property to the College, a lease for the property is still possible for an additional 50 years.
- Dr. King introduced Mr. Kenet Adamson as the new Dean of Arts and Sciences.
- The College had seven tables at the January 14 Martin Luther King, Jr., Prayer Breakfast. Mr. Darryl Rhymes, Special Assistant to the President for Inclusion, did an excellent job coordinating the event.
- Dr. Mary Grant, Chancellor of UNC at Asheville has committed to being the speaker for the May 13, 2017, Commencement Ceremony.
- A pre-commencement party for Dr. Grant and the Trustees will take place on Thursday, May 11.
- Dr. King gave Senator Terry Van Duyn a tour of the campus, followed by a culinary luncheon with Chair Brumit and Ms. F. Ramsey.
- Dr. King had dinner in Raleigh with Senator Chuck McGrady, Co-Chair of the House Educational Finance Committee, as well as with Senator Chuck Edwards, Dr. Molly Parkhill, President of Blue Ridge Community College, and Dr. Jimmie Williamson, the new President of the North Carolina Community College System. It was a great opportunity to put community college issues before members of the general assembly. Senator Edwards stated that he attended Blue Ridge Community College, and although he did not graduate, he received an excellent education because he got what he needed from the College.
- Senator Edwards expressed interest in and will tour A-B Tech in March.
- Dr. David Gilbert of Mars Hill University will present “The Music of the Civil Rights Movement” at 3:00 p.m. in the Ferguson Auditorium on February 28 for Black History Month.
- The College’s Academic Achievement Ceremony will be held on February 21 at 3:00 p.m. in the Ferguson Auditorium. Students who have completed certificate programs will be recognized along with those receiving the Dean’s or President’s List honor. A light reception will follow the ceremony.
Staff Report
Ms. Amanda Edwards updated the Trustees on the following 2016-2019 Strategic Plan Initiatives:
- 2.4.1. – Conduct an assessment of the advancement function of the College. During the past several years, two consulting firms performed overview assessments that provided the Advancement Office with the framework needed to develop a three-year plan in accordance with Initiative 2.4.2. of the College’s Strategic Plan.
- 2.4.2 – Develop and implement a three-year College Advancement Plan. College Advancement is in the process of hiring a consultant to conduct an audit on both staffing and fundraising, prior to creating, developing, and implementing the three-year plan. The focus will be on goals, outcomes, and measurements for the advancement team. Foundation Board members will be involved in the process as well.
SGA Report
President Andrea Howell was unable to attend the February 9 meeting and will update the Board on the SGA at the April 17 meeting.
Adjourn
On a motion by Mr. Brigman, seconded by Ms. R. Ramsey, the meeting was adjourned at 2:40 p.m. by unanimous consent.
Respectfully submitted,
Carolyn H. Rice
Board Secretary