Feb. 15, 2024, CRESTON, IOWA—The Southwestern Community College (SWCC) board of directors met on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, at 5:30 p.m., in the Administration Center board room.
Kim Bishop, SWCC dean of student services, gave the spring 2024 enrollment report. Bishop said spring enrollment is up 1 percent in headcount and down 56 credit hours. She said overall enrollment is at a good place, as this spring’s enrollment in still up 5 percent in credit hours from 2022 and up 10 percent from 2021.
Bishop told the board SWCC is hosting the NJCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Region 11 Tournament from March 1-3. Bishop said games will take place Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and evening, and Sunday evening.
“If you want to see great basketball and hopefully see our team play far into the tournament, feel free to come out anytime that weekend to support our team and NJCAA basketball,” stated Bishop.
Dr. John Franklin, SWCC interim vice president of instruction, said 15 outside groups will be in attendance that same weekend (Feb. 29-March 2) for the professional music department’s School for Music Vocations’ Vocal Jazz Festival. The guest artist for the festival will be Laila Biali, a Canadian singer-songwriter and pianist. Biali will have concerts open to the public on Thursday and Friday at 4 p.m.
Lindsay Stoaks, SWCC president, spoke to the board regarding the college’s recently completed Master Facilities Plan. Stoaks said the college worked with INVISION Architecture of Des Moines for several months to complete the comprehensive 10-year plan.
Stoaks said the Master Facilities Plan is all about driving future renovation and construction plans for the college.
“There’s a lot of excitement and pride centered around the creation of this plan, as we look to improve on the college’s physical identity and improve upon the existing infrastructure of both our campus and our centers, as well as strategize prospective growth opportunities designed around moving the college forward,” stated Stoaks.
Stoaks said INVISION Architecture spent a great deal of time on-campus interviewing employees, surveying students and employees, and collecting information from the college’s current strategic plan, career and technical education program evaluations, and previous Master Facilities Plans. In addition to the work of INVISION, Stoaks said the process was led on-campus by a cross-sectional steering committee made up of 14 employees from departments college-wide.
Stoaks explained the top 10 emerging themes following interviews with 14 departments/groups. The top five themes follow: 1. First impressions, 2. Improved parking lot with green space; 3. Improved campus security, 4. Improved athletic facilities, and 5. Dedicated student-centered spaces.
Wayne Pantini, vice president of economic development, spoke next about the CDL training grant the college recently received. He said the CDL proposal will be brought to the board in March 2024, but talked briefly about major improvements related to the plan including a new entrance to the ag site; an addition that will expand the Agricultural Sciences Center; an improved parking area at the ag site; and the construction of a CDL range.
Pantini said the college has been working with the Iowa Department of Transportation to request usage of institutional road use funds, with a cash match from SWCC, to complete the parking area improvements.
Related to the physical infrastructure assessment of the Master Facilities Plan, Pantini said key priorities are upgrade HVAC units in the Instructional Center; integrate new Instructional Center boiler and chiller control module, replace Student Center roof; replace Spartan Hall parking lot; complete various sidewalk improvement projects across campus; phase-in door access control systems across campus and at the centers; replace Osceola Center RTU and heat pumps; install new sound system in the Performing Arts Center; integrate additional campus landscaping; and upgrade signage across campus and at both centers to ease navigation issues.
Bishop then briefed the board on another facet of the Master Facilities Plan that emerged during interviews and surveys, construction of an athletic practice facility on the Creston campus. According to Bishop, the college has a shortage of usable practice space; therefore, the college is in need of an open space for teams, such as baseball, softball, track, and golf, to practice on a regular basis. This space would also give the college an opportunity to continue to grow enrollment, for example by adding athletic programs, such as soccer or wrestling.
Bishop made clear the existing partnership with Southern Prairie Family Fitness Center, for students living in the residence halls, would continue. Currently, SWCC athletic programs are utilizing the old Walmart building on Highway 34, owned by Greater Regional Health, for practice needs, due to the limited availability of the Student Center gymnasium.
Key needs of the proposed athletic practice facility identified during the master facilities planning process would include approximately 20,000 square feet; ideally be located on campus; include open turf space; a larger weight room; an open space for golf practice; lanes for track practice; and practice space for implementation of new athletic programs.
Stoaks summarized the presentation of the Master Facilities Plan by explaining potential funding streams and fundraising opportunities and thanking everyone involved for their assistance getting the plan to this point.
Dr. Tony Cass of Creston, SWCC board of trustees president, said he sees these as exciting times for the college and emphasized how nice it is to have an updated Master Facilities Plan for guidance.
The board then approved college administration’s request to proceed with the Spartan Hall parking lot reconstruction, one of the projects targeted during master facilities planning. Pantini said construction on the parking lot is extremely necessary due to the deterioration of the concrete. The hope is for contractors to begin construction the week following graduation in May. With the boards’ approval, bids for the project will be due on March 5 and the public hearing for the project will take place on March 12.
Pantini then offered the board updates related to the ORBIT Center lease agreement and upcoming construction, spearheaded by the Clarke County Development Corporation (CCDC), in Osceola. Pantini reminded the board the ORBIT Center is a $3.2 million project involving construction of a 9,000 square foot training facility on Highway 34, just west of the SWCC Osceola Center. Pantini said groundbreaking on the facility will be March 8 at 10 a.m. The college hopes to begin offering non-credit programming in the center in January 2025 and credit programming in fall 2025.
Pantini spent time detailing college responsibilities, as well as CCDC’s responsibilities as related to the center. Following Pantini’s presentation, the board of trustees approved the ORBIT Center lease agreement as presented.
In personnel, the board accepted the early retirement request of Martin Reeves, senior program analyst, as well as the resignations of Deb Roberts, math instructor; Dr. Tyler Thomas, professional music instructor; and Dr. Jeremy Fox, professional music instructor.
The board then spoke about the annual CEO evaluation. Cass said in the past the evaluation had been administered to board members through Survey Monkey. Following discussion, the board agreed to proceed with the evaluation in March. The evaluation will then be on the board agenda for the April board meeting.
Sue Stearns, board member of Woodburn and SWCC representative for the Community Colleges for Iowa, gave a brief report on statewide community college activity including the planned Community College Day on the Hill, scheduled for Feb. 27, at the state capitol in Des Moines.
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