TORRINGTON –The Eastern Wyoming College (EWC) Board of Trustees conducted the college’s regular board meeting on Tuesday, April 8. Chairwoman Jackie Van Mark called the meeting to order in the EWC Dolores Kaufman Board Room. Also present at the meeting were board members Rick Vonburg, Randy Adams, Robert Baumgartner, Katherine Patrick, Jim Willox and Doug Mercer

A motion was made to approve the agenda for the evening, to which a correction was made to agenda item 8.2 where the word “tenure” was misspelled. Upon correction of the error, a motion was made was made by Baumgartner to accept the evening’s agenda and Adams provided a second. The agenda was approved via vote and the board moved on to a motion to approve the March 11 meeting minutes as presented where Baumgartner moved to accept the minutes. Mercer seconded accepting the minutes and the motion was passed per board vote.

During introductions, Van Mark asked college president, Jeffry Hawes, to introduce a new member of the faulty. 

“Dr. Hawes, would you please introduce us to our new lovely assistant, who’s replacing Sally? That we’re all sad about and I want that in the minutes,” Van Mark said.

“Yes, and we are excited for Sally as she looks at her next steps but we are also very pleased to announce Mrs. Sunny Edwards, who joined our college just a little over a week ago,” Hawes said. “We’ll be in her transition from one location to another. She brings a wealth of experience to our college and I would like to not two things. Currently, [she] serves as a principal for child development at Morrill High School and she has a lot of background and experience working, not only with the K-12 system, but also working with boards.”

Hawes noted Edwards would be half-time in the president’s office from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., for the first six weeks.

Next, the board moved on to public comment where there were no public comments to be heard. 

Moving on to administrative reports, Hawes provided his president’s report to the board. 

“For my president’s update, I have four items that I would like to walk through,” Hawes said. “I would like to start the conversation, obviously, as a college, we are officially off HCM2, which is – we’re very healthy for our organization. That deserves a round of applause I really want to thank every employee at our college. This is not just one area, one individual. It took every area of our college to step up compliance. Because of the compliance audit findings stemmed into every area of the college.”

Hawes further explained the work done over the last four or five months played a significant part of helping automate and how documents are prepared for submission. Hawes noted it helped the college demonstrate administrative capability. 

“I would like to talk just a bit about what was HCM2 as we started over two years ago and now, we’re on HCM1 and what’s the difference? HCM2 really looks at cash flow. Institutions must disperse aid to students from their own funds first and as you are all aware of as a board, that is the most significant change,” Hawes said. “Now, on one hand, someone would say, ‘Well, Dr. Jose, we always have to disperse aid first.’ Not necessarily. There are two scenarios. It’s just before we were on HCM2, we would disperse $750,000 and within 30 days, those dollars would be coming back into the institution.”

Hawes noted under HCM2, once aid is dispersed, the college has to wait for an audit process and he further explained thanks to the hard work begin done over the last 18 months, the audit can take place sooner. Hawes also explained HCM1 “might be somewhat normal” while HCM2 is last chance for corrective action.

“When you need to make some corrective actions, HCM1 is a place where many colleges and universities can end up as they work through some corrective measures with these processes,” Hawes said. “This is a good place for us to be.” 

“As we move through this, well get some updates on our HCM1 process and how well we’re taking on those particular items. Because again, this is a list. Our eventual goal is to be off. Then, in the next coming month, I’ll have the board review our new set of strategic plans for the college,” Hawes said also provided an update on the USDOE HCM1. “We’ll be updating the president’s goals now that we’re off HCM2. Now, to be on the HCM1 compliance and looking what that parameter is,” Hawes said calling for the next slide.

“But that burden part is what changes for us on HCM1,” Hawes said. “Under this particular process, cash follow still exists. It’s a still part about the cash flow management. Institution requests funds in advance for student aid, which we always do.”

After a bit more discussion the board moved on to chief financial officer, Kwin Wilkes, who provided the financial report. 

“I can still say this, we’re three quarters of the way through so, as we look at things to be on budget, we would be at 75%, which is mostly what we look at on the expense side,” Wilkes explained. “So, as of end of March total received in fund 10 is 15.8 million. That puts us at 86%, almost 86.5% of the amount we budgeted.”

Wilkes further explained they had received 10.4 million in state appropriations. He also explained the college received the final disbursement of student aid in the amount of 1.8 million.

After a brief discussion over budget, employee salary and added benefits, the board moved on to approval of the consent agenda, item seven of the evening’s agenda. A motion was quickly made and seconded. The motion carried by board vote.

In an error, Van Mark redirected the board back to item 6.4, HLC Assurance Review Update from Dr. Maragaret Farley, on the agenda which had been overlooked. 

“I’ll give a real quick update where we are with the assurance review. So, Obviously, one and two went out and I’m sorry Trustee Adams, I did not have your correct email but I have it now so you’ll get the criterion five, which we’re working on right now,” Farley said. 

Farley noted the trustees would be receiving additional documents and she appreciated the feedback she’d been given

Getting back on track, the board moved on to action items approving item 8.1, the final reading for board policy 3.2, appointment of faculty and staff. 

Van Mark pulled item 8.2, where the the board was to approve the recognition of tenure of Donna Charron, Glenna Zwiebel, Dr. LeAnn Smith and Todd Ascherl, from the action items noting no action was needed from the board. 

Under item 8.3, the board approved the deletion of accounting AS and economics AS degrees and under item 8.4, the board also approved the removal of the imposition of a $4 credit hour charge for books at the bookstore.

Moving on to trustee topics, item 10, Van Mark announced Wilkes had become a grandpa.

“And a bit of sad news, if you hadn’t heard, former trustee Carl Rupp has passed away and if you didn’t know Carl, I’m so sorry. Carl was a great guy and if you never had any of his chocolates, I am so sorry,” Van Mark said.

After a brief discussion on automatic drains and flushers, the rescheduling of the Douglas trade building kickoff and strategic planning, the board moved on to item 11.

Under item 11, the board moved to adjourn into executive session to discuss and conduct safety and security planning which notably would post a threat to the safety of life or property or persons of the college pursuant to Wyoming State Statue 16-4-405 a(xii). The meeting was then adjourned.