Board of Trustees discuss policy changes and campus renovations

 

Several members of the board of trustees could be seen bustling around campus on Sept. 12 and 13 for the September board of trustees meeting. During their time here, the board  discussed the renovations going on around campus and approved several policies and plans.   

During his all-campus speech on Sept. 12, Chancellor Paul Turman addressed several things happening on campus. He heavily discussed the upcoming renovations of the Math and Science Building.  $22.7 million dollars will be allocated from the state with a 14-year bond. This bond will ease the burden on the institution to find $4.5 million dollars to fund the rest of the project.  

“It was not an issue that we had not argued the need, it was can we find the right place to get the budget to accommodate that,” Chancellor Turman said.  

The renovations on the Math and Science building will begin in the spring of 2020. 1400 square feet will be added to the building. Turman was hopeful that the renovations could be completed within the span of a year to make the transition much easier for staff and students.  

Turman also discussed the strategic plan for 2025. A task force of faculty from all three colleges was put together in March of 2019 and worked together to find the key outcomes for the college system.  

During their discussions they came up with four strategic goals needed to ensure the success of the colleges. Those goals were: student success and completion, institutional and academic quality, workforce and economic impact, and access and affordability.  

Student success and completion would ensure that the retention rate of students remained high throughout their time in college, undergraduate degree completion rates were within six years, total degrees awarded to undergraduate and graduate students was high, as well as total degrees awarded to transfer students.  

Institutional and academic quality would ensure that students would be able to complete academic experimental learning activities and that the distribution of instruction delivered by a full-time faculty member rise.  

By raising the workforce and economic impact on campus, the task force wanted to ensure that more students that completed their degrees were placed in the Nebraska workforce while raising the enrollment rate of new students.  

The task force believed that raising the affordability by increasing the percentage of funding rather than net tuition would allow for an increase of availability towards incoming freshman.  

“Everyone has an opportunity to touch and engage with a student and make a difference,” Turman said.  

At the board business meeting held at 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 12, the final adjustments to policies and plans were made and approved.  

The board approved the request to write off noncollectable debt. CSC had $89,762.56 for the 2019 write-off. This total is a sum of the cash fund accounts (tuition and fees), other fund accounts (CIF and trust fund) and the revenue bond account.  

The Chancellor’s travel request was approved at the business meeting. Turman will be traveling to both CSC’s homecoming and Wayne State College’s homecoming.  

The revisions to Board Policy 3100; Conduct and Discipline; Students, a policy that provides insight on student discipline, were approved.  The revisions made to Board Policy 3200; Due Process are still under discussion. 

According to the board’s meeting minutes, the policy is being revised to, “Outline disciplinary sanctions (and) requests to delay due process procedures and withdrawal procedures that may be used to resolve conduct.” 

The first and final round of revisions to Board Policy 7015; Contracts; Limitations, Exemptions were approved. 

Each biennium, the College and System office seeks board authority to carry forward remaining appropriations (authority to spend) from the prior biennium. The board approved the carryforward funds that are necessary to meet the outstanding obligations and commitments of the Colleges and Systems offices as of June 30. For CSC, the board approved $1,219,154.00 in cash funds, $376.99 in revolving funds, and $18,061.52 in federal funds  

The board also approved the chancellor’s strategic plan for 2025 that had been discussed at the all-campus meeting that morning.  

When it was his turn to present his report, President Randy Rhine spoke of all the great things happening on campus and the successes of some of the students.  

CSC senior Rachel Mitchell of Riverton, Wyoming, was highlighted for her primary research conducted in May at the University of Indiana’s Lilly Library. There she had the opportunity to view and touch some of the historic pieces of literature that have shaped the culture of the English-speaking world. The research she did during her time there will be used for the North American Victorian Studies Association in October, where she hopes to present her work.

“Truly, it is an exciting time at Chadron State College. From the new construction occurring at the track and field complex, to students using a simpler and more intuitive application form for admission to CSC, to the Math Science renovation and addition being approved by the State Legislature are just a few examples of what is valued by this institution, its Board, and the State of Nebraska. In my mind, there is no better place to be.” Rhine Said.  

To conclude their trip to Chadron, the Board of Trustees and Turman gathered for a reception and dinner Thursday night to honor CSC Professor of Justice Studies, Tracy Nobling, for receiving the 2019 Nebraska State College System Teaching Excellence Award. Nobling was selected for the award at the March Board of Trustees meeting in 2018.