Creston— The Southwestern Community College (SWCC) board of directors met on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in the college’s Administration Center for its regular board meeting.
The consent agenda was approved as presented.
Wayne Pantini, SWCC vice president of economic development, presented the board with the Union County Hazard Mitigation Plan. Pantini explained as one of several stakeholders in the process of updating the plan, Union County Emergency Management asked for the SWCC board to approve the plan. The board approved the plan as presented.
In the president’s report, Lindsay Stoaks, SWCC president, reported on spring enrollment numbers. According to Stoaks, the spring enrollment headcount is 1,564 students, down 19 students or 1 percent from spring 2024. Credit hours came in at 14,316, which is down 137 credit hours from spring 2024.
“If we think about where we were at with enrollment last year, that was a really big year for us,” Stoaks said. “In fact, from a headcount perspective, we hadn’t been there since 2016. So, I think it’s encouraging with these spring enrollment numbers.”
Stoaks also reported to the board about the 2025 Community College Day on the Hill at the Iowa State Capitol. Stoaks and Pantini attended Community College Day on the Hill along with students in the applied engineering technology program to feature the business training program in collaboration with Osceola Foods.
Stoaks explained this program has been in place since 2018, with a number of Osceola Foods employees participating in the program. Each year, Osceola Foods administers in-house screening and testing to qualify employees for sponsorship by the industry in SWCC’s applied engineering technology program. At Community College Day on the Hill, students, along with Shawn Oaks, applied engineering technology instructor, were able to provide legislators with an overview of some of the technology used in the applied engineering technology program at SWCC.
Stoaks recognized Tom Borland, SWCC business instructor, who attended the board meeting as faculty representative.
Sue Stearns of Woodburn, SWCC board member and Community Colleges for Iowa representative, provided the board with an update from Community Colleges for Iowa.
Maureen Weaver, SWCC nursing department chair, Dallas Stephens, SWCC nursing simulation coordinator, and three nursing students demonstrated for board members a nursing simulation scenario using the college’s new patient simulators.
Prior to the regular board meeting, the SWCC board of directors met at 4 p.m. for a work session.
During the work session, John Franklin, SWCC vice president of instruction, provided the board with an update on the proposed skilled trades facility, a 14,500 square foot facility that would house SWCC’s electrical technology, carpentry and building trades, and EMS programs.
Kim Bishop, SWCC dean of student services, updated the board on phase one of the college’s proposed athletic facility improvement project. Bishop shared with the board proposed designs and cost estimates for the turf baseball and softball fields.
Pantini provided the board with an update on HVAC improvements in the Instructional Center. Pantini said the plan is to go out for bid on the project in mid-March, with work starting in mid-May. Completion of the project is anticipated to be in mid-August, before classes begin for the fall semester.
Stoaks informed the board about a free assessment review of the college’s technology life cycle management plan conducted by Solutions Management Group, based out of Davenport. Stoaks said following the assessment, administration is interested in continuing to explore Solutions Management Group’s security cameras and access control options.
Pantini added it was a valuable exercise for the college to go through to fully understand options for its security systems. Pantini noted Solutions Management Group’s recommendation for upgrading security cameras and adding access control is based on a three-year implementation.
Pantini then provided the board with an update on the ORBIT Center in Osceola. Pantini said the college conducted a special preview for local industry to see the facility and learn how the college plans to implement industry training at the ORBIT Center.
Brandi Shay, SWCC chief financial officer, spoke to the board about the Ringgold Center, a project in Mount Ayr that was proposed in late 2022 that did not move forward at that time. Shay said through recent conversations, Mount Ayr Community Schools, Ringgold County Development, and Southwestern have decided to move the project forward. With the project, SWCC will provide career academy programming to Mount Ayr, Bedford, Central Decatur, Diagonal, and Lamoni school district students.
Cait Maitlen, executive director of the SWCC Education Foundation, spoke to the board about the major gifts campaign feasibility study.
Shay provided the board with a review of the college’s budget. Shay also provided the board with information to consider as the college begins budget planning for the 2026 fiscal year.
Stoaks updated the board on talking points from the Iowa legislature, including a request for Iowa’s community colleges to complete a feasibility study on offering bachelor’s degrees.