NPC Minutes of the Board of Trustees Meeting

The National Park College Board of Trustees met in regular session on September 28, 2022, beginning at 3:30 PM. Trustees present were Larry Bailey, Mike Bush, Joyce Craft, Jim Hale, Bev Joe, Lance Porter, Rhonda Harrington, Forrest Spicher, and Raymond Wright.

Staff and faculty members present were Bill Allison, Jacynda Ammonds, Wade Derden, Jessie Ellis, Kelly Embry, Jason Chism, Roger Fox, Michelle Godwin, Terri Helms, Robyn Hendrix, Nicole Herndon, John Hogan, Brad Hopper, Lisa Hopper, Brian Kroening, Julie LaRue, Jennifer Lyons, Kurt Markish, Caysie Martin, Melony Martinez, Susan Millerd, Andrew Pennington, Nathan Poor, Scott Post, Bill Ritter, Nathan Ritter, Rebekah Robinette, Sandra Skillern, Miki Smith, Jerry Thomas, Darla Thurber, Steve Trusty, John Tucker, Lindsey Vondenstein, Tim Ward, Tim Webb, and Mike Wiles.

The 2022-2023 Phi Theta Kappa officers, the Student Government Association officers, and the student ambassadors were introduced.

The media was notified of the meeting. Brandon Smith and Lance Porter of The Sentinel Record were in attendance.

Chair Forrest Spicher opened the meeting with a welcome. Trustee Joe provided the invocation.

Items for Action

  • Trustee Bush made a motion to approve the August 24, 2022, minutes as presented. Trustee Hale seconded the motion, and the motion passed unanimously.
  • Trustee Wright made a motion to approve the May 2022 financial statements as presented by Controller Andrew Pennington. Trustee Bush seconded the motion, and the motion passed unanimously.
  • Kelli Embry, Vice President for Administration, presented the 2022-2023 High Priority Objectives for approval. Trustee Wright made a motion to approve the 2022-2023 High Priority Objectives as presented. Trustee Porter seconded the motion, and the motion passed unanimously.
  • Julie LaRue, Director of Human Resources, presented the ratifications of personnel actions. Trustee Bush made a motion to approve the ratifications as presented. Trustee Craft seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

Items for Report

  • Dr. Jerry Thomas, Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, shared the fall enrollment report. Dr. Thomas noted credit student enrollment for fall 2022 is 1,826 compared to 1,920 enrolled in 2021 as of the 11th-day census count. Semester credit hours for fall 2022 are 21,743 compared to 22,445 for fall 2021, indicating a 7% increase in new, first-time, and full-time students this year. Thomas reported a record number of students living on campus, with 231 students in Dogwood Hall this fall. The number of concurrent credit students significantly increased this fall. Concurrent enrollment for fall 2022 is 510 compared to 406 students in fall 2021. This is a 25.6% increase. Significant increases were noted at Fountain Lake, Lake Hamilton, and Mountain Pine High Schools. Bill Allison, Vice President for Workforce, reported that Community and Corporate Training programs served 2,717 students and logged 33,995 contact hours in 2022, compared to 3,220 and 29,940, respectively, in 2021. He noted significant growth in apprenticeship programs, reporting a 58% increase in enrollment compared to the fall of 2021 and an increase of 40% since the conclusion of the spring semester.

    Adult Education Director Bill Ritter reported that Adult Education had served 368 students since July 1, compared to approximately 296 in the same period last fiscal year. This is an increase of about 24%.

    National Park Technology Center (NPTC) has 360 students enrolled this semester, an increase of twenty-seven students. NPTC Director Mike Wiles said 92% of the juniors returned for their senior year at NPTC.
  • Board Chair Report - Chair Spicher expressed gratitude for the good reports and expressed condolences to Trustee Harrington and faculty member Roger Fox for a loss in their families.
  • President’s Report - President Hogan reflected on National Park College’s community reach, stating that NPC’s enrollment sum serves nearly 7,000 unique individuals. He then said that NPC’s enrollment is up nearly 7% in new students, 26% in concurrent enrollment, 58% in apprentice enrollment, and 24% in Adult Education. President Hogan noted that the enrollment numbers speak to the diversity, strength, and responsibility that the College has. He stated that the result of NPC’s efforts provides a variety of quality, affordable learning opportunities that create a pathway for transfer or to the workforce.

 There was no further business. Chair Spicher motioned to adjourn, and Trustee Bailey seconded. The meeting adjourned at 4:08 PM.

Forrest Spicher, Chair
Bev Joe, Secretary/Treasurer