TORRINGTON – The Eastern Wyoming College (EWC) Board of Trustees met on Tuesday, November 11, for a work session followed by the regular monthly board meeting. 

In attendance were chairman Jackie Van Mark and board members Rick Vonburg, Katherine Patrick, Randy Adams, Robert Baumgartner, Doug Mercer, Kurt Sittner, and Jim Willox. Chairman Van Mark called the work session to order, and the board approved the meeting agenda.

Vice president Patrick Korell made introductions, starting with Dr. LeAnn Smith, who was recently awarded the Wyoming Department of Education’s Innovative Educator of the Year. 

The board praised Dr. Smith’s coordination with the Goshen County School District, her work with the substitute teacher program—through which education students completed 116.5 days of substitute teaching in K-12 schools—and her efforts in securing new equipment and programs through grant funding.

Whit Peterson, EWC rodeo coach, then introduced the rodeo team. He noted that almost half of the team was on the Dean’s List last year and that the team had seven academic all-American athletes. This year, the women’s team is currently ranked fourth, and the men’s team is ranked sixth in a very competitive conference with many larger schools. Brenna Herring of Veteran, has been invited by the Wyoming Department of Tourism to speak about her rodeo experiences at a breakfast during the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas next month.

Four officers of the EWC Student Senate updated the board on their activities this semester. These included speaking with Dr. Hawes about student concerns, holding a tailgate event and a harvest event, and planning an upcoming food drive, as well as a dinner and dance.

The board also recognized the basketball teams for honoring veterans in attendance at that week’s games with a pin. The volleyball team has also seen huge success as champions of their region. The team was recognized for its excellence, with many players receiving awards and coach George Hamilton being named coach of the year. The team is headed to Tennessee to continue their post-season play.

Dr. Hawes then presented his president’s report. He outlined the transition from the previous Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to the new KPIs recommended for board approval later in the meeting. The changes aligned with previous board decisions emphasizing measurable goals at both the board and department levels. Dr. Hawes also demonstrated a new dashboard that tracks various metrics at the institution, including those related to enrollment, retention and persistence, and completion per cohort. He stated this dashboard would allow the board and EWC staff to engage in “data-informed decision making.”

Dr. Hawes continued his report by reviewing the recent association of Community College Trustee Conference he attended with trustee Patrick. Patrick submitted a review of the conference to the other trustees, highlighting successful initiatives at other community colleges, such as partnerships with other institutions to provide bachelor’s degrees and efforts to encourage concurrent enrollment. Dr. Hawes also introduced three consultants from Ferrilli, who have been hired by the college to assist in measuring efficiency and encouraging automation of routine tasks. The goal is for staff to have more time to engage with students and faculty.

Chief financial officer Kwin Wilkes then gave a financial report. EWC is four months into its financial year, and revenue and expenses are within a normal range, consistent with expectations.

The board passed the consent agenda, which included approval of previous meeting minutes, the check register, and the retirement of Tyler Vasko, who will retire in December after 16 years of service.

Next, the board addressed action items. As Dr. Hawes had already discussed the new KPIs in detail, which align with the updated strategic priorities, the board voted to repeal the Strategic Priorities and KPIs for FY20-25 and approved the new KPIs for FY25. They then voted to approve the Zero-Sum Budget Process, following a motion by Vonburg and a second by Baumgartner. 

The new process ensures that each dollar of projected income is allocated to a specific expense or purpose, with no funds left unallocated.

Finally, the board approved the purchase of a Polaris Utility Vehicle, as the invoice received exceeded the original approved amount.

Willox updated the board on the progress of the construction trade building in Douglas. The project’s estimates had increased by approximately $500,000 since its inception, which raised concerns about covering the difference. However, since the October meeting, Willox and staff have located additional funding, and site conditions now support a lower expense, significantly reducing the outstanding amount. Proof of funding is required by the end of December, and Willox expressed confidence that the project would be funded by the deadline.

Dr. Farley, vice president of the Douglas campus, updated the board on the four-year strategic plan. She also provided updates on changes made by the Higher Learning Commission to its minimum standards for staff qualifications. These updates will give institutions more authority to determine whether an individual instructor’s qualifications meet the minimum standards.

The board moved into executive session.