WVU at Parkersburg

Board of Advisors

May 14, 2007

The meeting was called to order by Board of Advisors Chairperson, Linda Dickirson. Those present were: Linda Dickirson, Jackson County Representative; James Hayhurst, Jr. Executive Vice President United National Bank; Joe Campbell, Senior Vice President Wes Banco; Tony Playtis, Environmental Health Coordinator E.I. Dupont; Robert D’Avria, Consultant YMCA of the USA; William Niday, Superintendent Wood County Schools; Curtis Miller, President Curtis Miller Insurance Agency, Inc.; Ed Crisp, Faculty Representative; Joyce Okes, Program Coordinator Workforce Investment; Violet Mosser, Staff Representative; David Cumberledge, Student Representative; Marie Foster Gnage, President WVU Parkersburg, and Patsy Bee Executive Secretary to the President. 

Absent were: Jim Mylott, Executive Director Mid Ohio Valley Regional Council   

George Kellenberger, Chamber of Commerce President; and Gregory Smith, President Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

Guests: Jennifer Hitt, Student Government President Elect, and Rhonda Richards, the new Executive Dean of Academic Affairs.

Call to Order

Mrs. Dickirson called the meeting to order and presented the agenda.

Approval of Minutes

The minutes of the Board meeting held on February 12, 2007 meeting was approved upon a motion by Mr. Hayhurst and second by Mr. Niday.

Chairman’s Report

Mrs. Dickirson welcomed Jennifer Hitt the new Student Government President Elect that will serve as the student representative on the Board next year.  Mrs. Dickirson also presented a certificate to David Cumberledge the current Student Government President for his service to the Board of Advisors.  Mrs. Dickirson welcomed the new Executive Dean of Academic Affairs, Rhonda Richards, and she welcomed and thanked the Legislators that visited today for their support. 

Mrs. Dickirson congratulated President Gnage on her publication in the book entitled Middle Passages and the Healing Place of History:  Migration and Identity in Black Women’s Literature by Elizabeth Brown-Guillory.

President’s Report

President Gnage provided an update on the Strategic Plan Goals noting that the college continues to be a dynamic institution as evidenced by new and revised academic and student services programs, student engagement, achievement awards, and media stories about faculty, staff and students.   Some items of note included:

• News stories about Dr. Phil McClung nomination for Professor Phil McClung by the Faculty Merit Foundation of West Virginia.
• Newspaper articles on our new Nursing Lab.
• Partnership with Ohio Valley University in Nursing.
• Social Justice Committee Engagement Hour speakers.
• Focus stories on some of our faculty and student organizations.

Updates on Strategic Plan Goals

Recruitment and Retention of Faculty and Staff

·         Retirements—5 faculty; one staff person.

·         Recruitment—7+ faculty will be recruited; Executive Dean for Academic Affairs will be on board June 1^st (Dr. Rhonda Richards); Mary Beth Busch will serve as Interim Dean for Corporate and Community Education.

·         We have renovated a space for an Adjunct Faculty Resource Room.

·         The WVUP Foundation will provide a professional development fund for adjunct faculty beginning in fall 2007 ($5,000).

·         Full-time faculty will see an increase in pay--with stated responsibilities—for summer teaching.

·         Increases in salary for faculty and staff are planned and partially funded by a special state appropriation.

·         Staff received an increase in professional development funds from the WVUP Foundation this year.

·         Faculty were selected for Excellence Awards to be presented at the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD).

Enrollment Management

·         Summer enrollment FTE is up; headcount appears flat.

·         Summer schedule reflects changes to accommodate more students and enables students to take more credit hours.

·         The Enrollment Management Plan is complete and implementation has begun.

·         Graduates (267) received a total of 366 degrees and certificates.

·         Three students received the Honors College designation at graduation.

·         The Nursing program will admit 40 students in fall and 40 in Spring to address employer needs and retention.

·         Recruitment team made many visits to schools; many students visited from high schools and technical centers with support from the Mid-Ohio Valley Community College Consortium.

·         Career academies will be offered this summer for youths in 10 – 12 grades.

Technology

·         We will contract with WVU Office of Institutional Technology for IT services and support.

Environment

·         Renovations:  adjunct faculty resource room, aerobics room, speech classroom and office, etc.

·         Safety Plan is completed.  We recognize that it needs to be a dynamic document.

·         Master Plan has received final review by the committee.

Resources

·         Increase in tuition was approved (4.50%); base appropriation was increased; allocation for increase in salaries was received.  The CTC received funding for SB3009 (matching funds for program donations); new technical programs; and Advance Response programs.

·         WVUP Foundation has received donations encouraged by tax credit incentive.

Challenges

• Service area intruder(s)
• Funding for infrastructure, renovations, new facilities
• Funding to enhance program mix/balance
• Immunizations goal (WVU)
• Grants development

President Gnage concluded by noting that the summer breaks will give some opportunity for re-energizing and planning for the next year. 

Corporate and Community Education

Mary Beth Busch, Interim Dean for Corporate and Community Education provided an overview of the Corporate and Community Education programs and services.  Following is a summary of her presentation:

WVU Parkersburg's Center for Corporate and Community Education is a proactive, customer-guided component of the college which contributes to the professional, technical, economic development and training needs of our clients/customers. 

The Center provides high quality, cost effective programs, seminars, workshops, institutes, courses and consulting services which result in improved performance and outcomes for the participating individuals, organizations, and businesses.  

The Center is structured to serve the professional, technical and economic development training needs of the Mid-Ohio Valley. The division is dedicated to providing services and programs that exceed the expectations of those to whom they are provided

Education Programs and Services Committee

Dr. Joe Badgley, Executive Dean of Academic Affairs provided the following update:

• Three new applied science programs this fall
  • Accounting
  • General Business
  • Forensics Science
• Two Programs in Education
  • Early Education Pre-K
  • Math Specialists K-4

·         A grant was received in the amount of $139,000 from the WV Council for Community and Technical College to implement a pharmacy technician program.

·         An agreement was finalized with Ohio Valley University to accept eight of their students in our Nursing program.  In return they will provide a full-time instructor for nursing.

·         A Bulgarian faculty member will be teaching on campus this fall. 

·         There will be three four-week sessions of summer school, one eight-week session, and one 12-week session.

Resource Development Committee

Mr. Jack Simpkin, Chief Financial Officer reported that the budget for next year is in the process of being finalized.

Campus Improvement and Development Committee

President Gnage provided an update on the Early Childhood Development Center.  A brochure is being developed for requesting funds to assist in covering the cost of the center.

David White provided a report on major programs that will be completed this summer including the renovation of the Records Office, Students Services and Human Resources.  He also noted that the College received $45,000 in furniture and equipment from the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Council.

Legislative Relations Committee

Mrs. Dickirson suggested having breakfast meetings again with Legislators in the fall.  President Gnage noted that this year at least one meeting should be scheduled at the Jackson County Center.  She also added that the meeting in Charleston during Legislative session this year went very well.

Action Items

Mrs. Dickirson appointed Mr. Miller and Mr. Niday to the Nomination Committee to elect the chair and vice chair for 2007-2008.  Elections will be held at the next meeting.

The meeting schedule for 2007-2008 was presented and approved by Board members. The schedule for next year will be as follows:

August 13, 2007

November 12, 2007

February 11, 2008

May 12, 2008

Other Business

General Updates

Jenny Keup, Executive Director of the Foundation, reported that student travel assistance is being provided by through contributions to the Foundation’s Annual Fund.  There were 125 scholarships awarded this year.  An Estate Planning and Personal Will preparation will be held later this summer.  Flowers planted outside the college were donated by George Kellenberger.

John Gorrell, Director of the Jackson County Center, reported that he has met with the Chamber of Commerce in Ravenswood to assure them that WVU Parkersburg can meet the needs of their students.  He will be working with them on their Strategic Plan, and will serve on the Chamber Education Committee.  He also added that summer enrollment at JCC is up 20%.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the WVU at Parkersburg Board of Advisors will be held on Monday, August 13, 2007.

Adjournment

With no further business to be discussed, the meeting adjourned.

                                                                        Respectfully submitted,

                                                                        Patsy J. Bee

                                                                        Executive Secretary to the President

________________________________

Linda Dickirson, Chair