NPC Minutes of the Board of Trustees Meeting
The National Park College Board of Trustees met in a regular session on January 24, 2024, beginning at 3:30 PM. Trustees present were Mike Bush, Joyce Craft, Jim Hale, Rhonda Harrington, Lance Porter, Forrest Spicher, Renee Westfall and Raymond Wright.
Staff, faculty members, and guests present were Bill Allison, Chuck Argo, Alexandra Barnard, Sarah Day, Wade Derden, Kelli Embry, Katelynn Hardage, Nicole Herndon, John Hogan, Brad Hopper, Lisa Hopper, Brian Kroening, Shannon LaDuke, Julie LaRue, Jennifer Lyons, Caysie Martin, Melony Martinez, Ashley Mitchell, Robin Pelton, Sheri Phillips, Scott Post, Rich Thompson, Darla Thurber, Gary Troutman, Lynn Valetutti, and Tim Webb.
The media was notified of the meeting. Lance Brownfield and Brandon Smith of The Sentinel Record were in attendance.
Chair Joyce Craft opened the meeting with a welcome at 3:30 PM.
Sarah Day took roll call. A quorum was present.
Trustee Rhonda Harrington provided the invocation.
Sarah Day introduced the media guests present.
National Park College Communication and Arts instructor, Sheri Phillips, introduced the January Student of the Month, Ashley Mitchell.
Items for Action
- Trustee Bush made a motion to approve the November 29, 2023, minutes as presented. Trustee Hale seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.
- Trustee Bush made a motion to approve the January 11, 2024, special meeting minutes as presented. Trustee Westfall seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.
- Trustee Spicher made a motion to approve the October and November 2023 financial statements as presented by Kelli Embry, VP for Administration, during the Finance Committee Meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
- National Park College Human Resources Director, Julie LaRue, presented the ratifications of personnel actions. Trustee Spicher made a motion to approve the ratifications as presented. Trustee Wright seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.
Items for Report
- Trustee Jim Hale provided a Presidential Search report. Hale shared that the Presidential Search Committee and job posting were approved in the January 11th special meeting. The job was posted on the NPC website, in the Democrat Gazette, HigherEDJobs, Linkedin, and other national and statewide recruiting platforms on January 12th. Trustee Hale stated that the Presidential Search Committee is scheduled to meet on March 4th to review candidates and to select the first round of candidates for Zoom interviews which will be conducted between March 7th – 14th. Hale said that the Committee plans to have interviews completed before Spring Break and to prepare finalist recommendations for the Board by the last week of March. Trustee Hale finished by providing a timeline recap for March and April 2024.
- Kelli Embry, VP for Administration, provided the Building and Campus Development report. Embry stated that Redbud Hall would contain 176 beds and would include a total square footage of 42,000. Together, Dogwood and Redbud Halls will provide 386 beds for students. VP Embry shared that Dogwood Hall has been oversubscribed since 2022 even though the college increased the number of beds from 180 to 210 in 2022, and again to 240 in 2023. Embry said that NPC has been working toward a plan to increase student housing since 2022, with a bond sale in fall 2023 providing the funding needed to begin construction on Redbud Hall. VP Embry announced that a groundbreaking ceremony will be scheduled for early spring, with Redbud Hall scheduled to open in the Summer of 2025. Embry also provided an update on the planned new Maintenance facility, with construction beginning by the end of January. Discussion ensued with questions asked and answered.
- Board Chair Report - Chair Craft thanked Trustee Hale for the Presidential Search report, noting that this is a pivotal time for NPC. Craft congratulated the NPC Nighthawk men’s basketball team on their first-place national ranking. Chair Craft expressed her appreciation for the faculty and staff who were able to seamlessly work remotely during the recent adverse weather conditions, thus allowing students to not suffer a loss of momentum in their education. Craft ended by thanking the Board for placing their trust in her as she embarks on another term as Board Chair during this important time of transition.
- President's Report - President Hogan expressed gratitude to trustees Craft, Hale, and Joe for agreeing to continue as officers for another year. Hogan joined in the congratulations for the NPC Nighthawks men’s basketball number 1 national ranking. President Hogan welcomed Dr. Chuck Argo as the interim VP for Academic Affairs. Hogan informed the Board the NPC was honored to host the Arkansas Higher Ed Coordinating Board quarterly meeting the following two days, January 25th and 26th. President Hogan provided information regarding the integrated budget process and how it culminates in recommendations at the yearly May special meeting. Hogan ended by thanking Trustee Wright and Kelli Embry for the facilities update. He expressed his appreciation to the Board for supporting the Redbud Hall project and for continuing NPC’s investment in student success.
There was no further business. Chair Craft asked the trustees for further comment.
- Trustee Spicher encouraged all to support Nighthawk men’s basketball games.
Trustee Wright motioned to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 4:11 PM.
Joyce Craft, Chair
Beverly Joe, Secretary/Treasurer