The Northeast Texas Community College Board of Trustees met for its regular October meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 31st. All six members were present. The seventh seat on the board is currently vacant, as Dr. Dan McCauley retired from his position in September. McCauley was on the NTCC Board since 1988 and was the longest-serving trustee in the college’s history.
“Dr. McCauley served NTCC faithfully for 35 years as a trustee, with many of those years spent as Board Chairman. He was there in the early days of the college and has been there through lean times and prosperity. We are truly grateful for his leadership and longtime commitment to providing residents of this area with affordable, accessible educational opportunities,” Dr. Ron Clinton, NTCC President, said. “We wish Dr. McCauley the best in his retirement.”
Under Items of Information, the Board heard a report on the Carl D. Perkins Grant from Dr. Kevin Rose, Senior Vice President for Student Success. Rose reported that NTCC received $266,678 in Perkins funding through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for the 2023-2024 academic year. This is $55,000 more than the allotment received the previous year.
“This is a non-competitive grant that provides critical funding for capital equipment and other projects that we wouldn’t otherwise be able to complete. The Perkins grant goes a long way toward keeping our workforce programs up-to-date with the latest technology and training tools,” Rose said.
Rose also gave the annual College Access and Affordability Report. This covers statistics like average tuition and fees compared to the median average household, financial aid criteria and enrollment demographics. Rose said that NTCC’s average annual tuition and fees of $3,478 remain significantly lower than the state and national averages for both two and four-year colleges and universities. The median household income for NTCC’s service area is also lower, at only $50,411 compared with $67,000-$70,000 elsewhere in Texas and the nation.
“This report just reiterates the fact that NTCC continues to provide students with one of the best values in higher education,” Clinton said.
In action items, the Board approved the consent agenda and then voted on appraisal district board elections for both Morris and Titus Counties. The Board approved splitting its allocated votes between candidates Danny Lilley and Miguel Larsen in Morris County and splitting allocated votes equally between all candidates in Titus County.
The Board also approved the repurposing of unexpended funds from the Health Sciences Simulation Center project. They then approved using the reallocated funds to improve the gutter and drainage systems around the Business Technology and Industrial Annex buildings. The bid of $49,566.25 was awarded to Stansell Construction, who also completed the Simulation Center project.
“Drainage in this area has been an ongoing issue for many years and it causes significant problems during heavy rains. This solution should prevent further damage to buildings and make it easier for students to navigate that part of campus during inclement weather,” Clinton said.
In personnel action, the board released a Faculty Member in Nursing and the Financial Aid/Veteran’s Specialist from their contracts. No executive session was called, so the meeting was adjourned.
