NPC Minutes of the Board of Trustees Meeting
The National Park College Board of Trustees met in a regular session on September 25, 2024, beginning at 3:30 PM. Trustees present were Joyce Craft, Jim Hale, Rhonda Harrington, Bev Joe, Lance Porter, Forrest Spicher, Renee Westfall, and Raymond Wright. Trustee Mike Bush arrived after the start of the meeting.
The National Park College Board of Trustees met in a regular session on October 23, 2024, beginning at 3:30 PM. Trustees present were Mike Bush, Joyce Craft, Bev Joe, Forrest Spicher, and Renee Westfall.
Staff, faculty members, and guests present were Chuck Argo, Alexandra Barnard, Blake Butler, Denice Davis, Sarah Day, Wade Derden, Jessica Ellis, Kelli Embry, Kathy Flournoy, Roger Fox, James Frierson, Nicole Herndon, Josh Holiman, Janice Ivers, Brian Kroening, Jennifer Lyons, Melony Martinez, Rose Milnes, Mark Oliver, Miranda Porter, Scott Post, Bill Ritter, Darla Thurber, John Tucker, Lynn Valetutti, and Tim Webb.
The media was notified of the meeting. Brandon Smith and Thomas Buckman 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 Bev Joe provided the invocation.
Sarah Day introduced the media, Denice Davis, NPC Foundation Chair, and VP Darla Thurber, who introduced Jessica Ellis, NPC Director of Career Services and College Success, and Josh Holiman, NPC Testing Center Coordinator.
Items for Action
- Trustee Bush motioned to approve the corrected September 25, 2024, minutes as presented. Trustee Westfall seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.
- Trustee Spicher motioned to approve the August and September 2024 financial statements as presented by Kelli Embry, VP for Administration, during the Finance Committee Meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
- VP Kelli Embry presented the new NPC Policy 3.100, Presidential Selection. Trustee Spicher motioned to approve NPC Policy 3.100 as presented. Trustee Westfall seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.
- VP Kelli Embry presented the amended NPC Policy 4.100, President, as updated following the public comment period (copies were made available). Trustee Westfall motioned to approve the updated amended NPC Policy 4.100 as presented. Trustee Joe seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.
- Human Resources Director, Kathy Flournoy, presented the ratifications of personnel actions. Trustee Bush motioned to approve the ratifications as presented. Trustee Joe seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.
Items for Report
- VP Kelli Embry, provided the Building and Campus Development report. Ms. Embry anticipates that the Maintenance facility will be ready for move-in within the next two weeks. VP Embry stated that the Redbud Hall project is ahead of schedule. Embry shared that Servitas will begin pre-leasing for fall 2025 in November.
- VP Kelli Embry provided the High Priority Objectives 2023-2024 report (attached). Embry provided a PowerPoint presentation with the collected data. Discussion ensued and questions were answered.
- Board Chair Report - Chair Craft thanked Ms. Thurber for highlighting some of the valuable student resources available on campus. Craft expressed her gratitude to Trustee Harrington, VP Kelli Embry, and Melony Martinez for their dedicated efforts in developing NPC Policy 3.100, Presidential Selection. Ms. Craft said this policy presented a solid framework that will serve NPC well. Chair Craft finished by thanking VP Embry for the High Priority Objectives report. Craft stated that while not every goal was met, these goals are meant to be a challenge and it is through those challenges that NPC will grow and improve.
- President's Report - President Derden explained that the college leadership team had been involved in an outreach campaign across the community over the past months. Meet and greet events were held in Hot Springs Village, the Webb Center downtown, the Hot Springs Country Club, and in Malvern. Derden said that these events yielded thoughtful and constructive conversations about the future of the campus as well as what NPC is currently doing. Part of the purpose of these events has been to listen, gather feedback, and share information about the college and our comprehensive mission. President Derden explained he was intentional about explaining the College’s full impact in the community, with over $111 million in economic impact every year. Derden shared that another effort to reach out to the community is his new monthly podcast, “Winging It: Unscripted Conversations with the Hot Springs Community.” He stated this first episode is a conversation with Mary Zunick of the Hot Springs Sister City Program. Derden noted there are several Sister City events happening in the next few weeks. President Derden acknowledged VP Kelli Embry’s report on the 2023-2024 High Priority Objectives and the 2025-2030 strategic planning process. Derden further explained that campus and community strategic planning focus groups will be organized to gather feedback to help determine priorities for the College over the next five years. Dr. Derden congratulated the campus on a successful Fill the Pantry effort and thanked Nicole Herndon and Shannon LaDuke for their efforts in the NPC Foundation to secure a grant from the Community Foundation for a new commercial refrigerator/freezer for the Helping Hawks Food Pantry. Derden then asked VP Darla Thurber to share information regarding the upcoming Premiere Party for the national championship recap film that the NPC Marketing team created. Thurber shared a short trailer clip of the documentary, “STAY DOWN: A Championship Story” and invited the public to attend the premiere on November 11, 2024, in the Frederick M. Dierks Auditorium at 3PM. President Derden concluded by sharing the passing of Mrs. Arlene Cevela, a long-time employee of the College who helped establish the RN program with the first cohort being accepted in 1974. Derden said that Mrs. Cevela was a committed nursing professional throughout her 50-year career and continued to support the NPC nursing program even after her retirement in 2011.
There was no further business.
Trustee Spicher shared that National Park College was well represented at the Hot Springs National Park Rotary Club meeting held that afternoon on the NPC campus.
Trustee Westfall motioned to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 4:13 PM.
Joyce Craft, Chair
Beverly Joe, Secretary/Treasurer