The Southwestern Community College (SWCC) board of trustees held their regular board meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019, at 5:30 p.m. in the college’s Administration Center.
The meeting began with a report from Iowa community college legislative liaisons Dave Palmer and Jerry Fitzgerald. They briefed the board regarding past and upcoming legislative sessions.
The election of board officers took place for the upcoming year. Dr. Tony Cass, of Creston, was re-elected as president of the college’s board. Cass, who has served on the SWCC board since February 2009, was the board’s vice president from 2015-17, and became board president in October 2017. Fred Shearer, of Corning, was re-elected as vice president of the college board. Shearer joined the board in 2002 and became vice president in 2017. Katie Dukes was appointed board secretary and Tia Samo was appointed board treasurer.
The board then approved the college’s Early Retirement Policy for fiscal year 2019-20. The retirement benefits in the proposed policy remained unchanged from the previous year’s policy. Currently there are 22 SWCC employees eligible for early retirement. The estimated annual wage savings to the operating budget if all eligible applicants apply is approximately $362,000. The expiration date for the plan is June 30, 2020.
Samo reported to the board regarding the college’s annual audit. The college received an unmodified opinion with no internal control deficiencies and no instances of non-compliance. The statutory letter for the state included a recommendation for credit and contact hour reporting. Following her report, board members voted to receipt and file the college’s annual audit report as presented.
Tom Lesan, SWCC vice president for economic development, updated the board on construction progress with the science lab renovation project in the Instructional Center and the building expansion at the Ag Site north of campus. Lesan said the crews began moving equipment back into the science labs on Monday, Dec. 9, and the first walk-through will take place on Friday, Dec. 13. He said the mobile lab, located south of the Instructional Center, will be removed on Friday, Dec. 20. Lesan said construction at the Ag Site is progressing and the project is still slated for a Feb. 1, 2020, completion date.
Kim Bishop, SWCC dean of student services, presented to the board regarding the college’s 2019 Student Demographic Report. According to data presented, there are 677 full-time students and 904 part-time students, for a total of 1,581 students attending SWCC during the fall 2019 semester. Bishop said these students are taking a total of 14,531 credits. The survey utilized for the Demographic Report showed the top two reasons students chose SWCC are proximity to home and cost of attendance.
Jerry Smith, SWCC board member from Osceola and Iowa Association of Community College Trustees (IACCT) representative, gave a brief report on the most recent IACCT meeting in Des Moines.
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