Creston— The Southwestern Community College (SWCC) board of directors met for their regular meeting on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at 5:30 p.m., in the Administration Center board room.
Maggie Burger, senior vice president for Speer Financial, Inc., spoke to the board regarding the electronic bidding held Tuesday morning for the Industrial New Jobs Training Certificates, not to exceed $2,500,000. Following Burger’s presentation and recommendations, the board approved the bid from Robert W. Baird & Co., Inc., of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for $2,284,218.70, with an interest rate of 4.8 percent, and next approved resolutions related to the certificates.
Wayne Pantini, SWCC vice president of economic development, spoke to the board regarding continued conversations related to safety and access control at SWCC. Pantini said campus safety and access control were identified as top priorities during the college’s master facilities planning process. Pantini said, following an assessment review by Solutions Management Group (SMG), college administration was seeking approval to enter a five-year agreement with the SMG for installation and management of video security cameras and door access controls, as well as support services. Pantini said equipment and support services are eligible for Operational Equipment and Protection Insurance. The board approved the SMG agreement as presented.
Brandi Shay, SWCC chief financial officer, presented a tuition and fee proposal for 2025-26 to the board. The proposal included an $8 per credit hour increase in tuition for in-state residents, as well as an $8 increase for out-of-state students. Shay said the new rates, $232 per credit hour for Iowa residents and $239 for out-of-state residents, would be effective at the start of the fall semester on Aug. 18.
Dr. John Franklin, SWCC vice president of instruction, spoke to the board of directors concerning proposed changes to student fees and housing deposits.
Following the presentations of Shay and Franklin, the board approved the tuition and fees proposal for 2025-26 as presented.
In personnel, the board approved the employment of David Sorensen of New Market as an electrical technology instructor for the 2025-26 academic year. Sorensen, a graduate of the SWCC electrical technology program, holds an active Journeyman Class A electrical license and is currently employed as a journeyman foreman electrician at O’Neal Electric in Red Oak.
Lindsay Stoaks, SWCC president, told the board the carpentry and building trades and electrical technology program students have completed construction of the residential home at 1109 N Sycamore Street in Creston. The project was in partnership with the Fuller Center for Housing of Southern Iowa and an open house was held that evening.
Stoaks invited board members to attend the Transportation Center Ribbon Cutting on Thursday, May 15, from 10-11 a.m.
Sue Stearns, college board member and SWCC representative for Community Colleges for Iowa, briefed the board of directors about the upcoming 2025 Summer Trustee Conference, to be held July 9-10, at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge.
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