Category: Campus News

Athletic Department Claims Conference Academic Award

July 29, 2016 | Campus News

Success in athletics starts with hard work in the classroom at the intercollegiate level. The East Central College Athletic Department has proven this to be a fact again this year as all three teams collected academic awards and winning records.

The overall athletic department grade point average was 3.16 and the school set another record winning the Missouri Community College Athletic Conference Harold Oetting Academic All Sports Award for an unprecedented seventh consecutive year. Since the 2009-10 academic year, the ECC Athletic Department has held the highest overall GPA among conference schools. Individual teams and athletes have received numerous accolades. All three teams were honored by the NJCAA as All-Academic teams with grade point averages of 3.30 for volleyball, 3.24 for softball, and 3.0 for soccer.

Twelve student athletes were also recipients of NJCAA Academic Student-Athlete Awards for their exceptional classroom performances with GPAs of 3.6 or better. Kayla Borcherding and Sarah Borgerding (women’s volleyball) received the Pinnacle Award for Academic Excellence for achieving a 4.0 grade point average. Chelsea Delay (women’s volleyball) and softball players Dayla Gruenloh, Eden Henry, and Karissa Hoffman earned Superior Academic Achievement Award for overall GPAs of 3.80-3.99. Taylor Davis and Virginia Ward (women’s volleyball) were recognized for Exemplary Academic Achievement as were Kayla Kelly and Monica Kelley (women’s softball) and Zeke Little and Umoh Ufot (men’s soccer). Those six students achieved GPAs of 3.60-3.79.

Twenty-six students received Academic All-Conference honors for attaining grade point averages of 3.0 or high, while 23 ECC student athletes achieved Academic All-Region honor by earning GPAs of 3.25 or higher.

Gruenloh (2) — Dayla Gruenloh, center, infielder for the East Central College softball Falcons the past two seasons, was named the 2015-2016 Scholar Athlete at ECC. She is pictured with Debra Mann-Kurka, assistant softball coach, and Brad Wallach, head coach.

Gruenloh, a sophomore infielder for the Falcons, maintained a grade point average of 3.88 and was named ECC’s Scholar Athlete. Little was co-recipient of the Outstanding Student Award at ECC’s May commencement ceremony.

The softball team compiled a 28-22 record in 2016. The ECC soccer Falcons finished their season 16-4-1, advancing to the Region 16 final where they fell to Jefferson College. The volleyball team ended the season with a record of 24-20, losing to Northeastern Oklahoma A & M in the Region 16/District O semifinals.

“The consistency of team performance is truly dependent upon the work ethic of the coaches and players on the field and court along with their dedication to their studies,” noted Dr. Jay Mehrhoff, ECC athletic director.

National Junior College Athletic Association Honored Student Athletes

Kayla Bocherding — Women’s Volleyball Pinnacle Award for Academic Excellence

Sarah Borgerding — Women’s Volleyball Pinnacle Award for Academic Excellence

Dayla Gruenloh — Women’s Softball Superior Academic Achievement

Eden Henry — Women’s Softball Superior Academic Achievement

Karissa Hoffman — Women’s Softball Superior Academic Achievement

Chelsea Delay — Women’s Volleyball Superior Academic Achievement

Monica Kelley — Women’s Softball Exemplary Academic Achievement

Kayla Kelly — Women’s Softball Exemplary Academic Achievement

Taylor Davis — Women’s Volleyball Exemplary Academic Achievement

Virginia Ward — Women’s Volleyball Exemplary Academic Achievement

Zeke Little — Men’s Soccer Exemplary Academic Achievement

Umoh Ufot — Men’s Soccer Exemplary Academic Achievement

Region 16 Academic All-Region (3.25 GPA or higher)

SOFTBALL

Shelby Friend, Dayla Gruenloh, Eden Henry, Karissa Hoffman, Monica Kelley, Kayla Kelly, and Lizzy Swindell

VOLLEYBALL

Kayla Borcherding, Sarah Borgerding, Taylor Davis, Samantha Deason, Chelsea DeLay, Alexis Olney, Olivia Strode, Mackenzy Vedder, and Virginia Ward

SOCCER

Andrei Ciot, Archibald Darko-Boateng, Matt Hampton, Jindu Israel-Bolarinwa, Zeke Little, Gavyn Prsha, and Umoh Ufot

Missouri Community College Athletic Conference

Academic All-Conference (3.0 GPA or higher)

SOFTBALL

Shelby Friend, Dayla Gruenloh, Eden Henry, Karissa Hoffman, Monica Kelley, Kayla Kelly, Lizzy Swindell, and Makala Trail

VOLLEYBALL

Kayla Borcherding, Sarah Borgerding, Taylor Davis, Samantha Deason, Chelsea DeLay, Samantha Kolo, Alexis Olney, Olivia Strode, Mackenzy Vedder, and Virginia Ward

SOCCER

Andrei Ciot, Archibald Darko-Boateng, Darren Hamilton, Matt Hampton, Jindu Israel-Bolarinwa, Zeke Little, Gavyn Prsha, and Umoh Ufot

Trustees Extend Contract for President Bauer

July 28, 2016 | Campus News

East Central College trustees voted unanimously to award a one-year contract extension to College President Dr. Jon Bauer. The new contract, approved following an executive session at the board’s July 21 meeting, will run through June 30, 2019.

Bauer recently completed his fourth year as ECC president.

Ann Hartley, president of the board of trustees, stated that Dr. Bauer has provided outstanding leadership since taking over as president in 2012. “His many years of experience at the college prior to becoming president have been invaluable in the smooth operation of the organization and the administration of the college budget,” Hartley said. “Dr. Bauer is respected by his peers across the state and is very active in the community on behalf of the college.”

“Serving as president is a privilege and I am pleased that the board has decided to extend my contract,” Bauer said. “The next three years will be important for the college as we carry out construction, go through our accreditation process, and celebrate our golden anniversary.”

Bauer is the college’s sixth president, succeeding Donald Shook, Charles Novak, Dale Gibson, Karen Herzog and Ed Jackson. On two occasions Fred Davis served as interim president of the college.

$1 Million Rural Economic Development Loan Awarded to ECC

July 28, 2016 | Campus News

East Central College has been awarded a $1 million zero-interest loan through the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) program.

The funds will be used to offset costs associated with renovations to a property ECC purchased in 2015 that will house a Business and Industry Center. The Center will bring under one roof East Central’s advanced manufacturing programs which include Industrial Engineering Technology and Industrial Maintenance, Precision Machining, and Heating/Ventilation/Air Conditioning/Refrigeration. ECC’s Center for Workforce Development will also occupy the facility.

The REDLG program provides funding to rural projects through eligible local utility organizations across the nation. Crawford Electric Cooperative, a not-for-profit, member-owned electric utility, serves as the intermediary for this Rural Economic Development loan.

As part of a national competition for USDA loan funds, ECC and Crawford Electric submitted a joint application to support creation of a facility for advanced manufacturing and workforce development. The REDLG program is designed to support projects that will create and retain employment in rural areas. East Central College, as the ultimate recipient of the loan, will repay Crawford Electric directly.

“East Central College’s project was a perfect partner for us to facilitate financing through USDA,” said Tony Mallory, Crawford Electric Cooperative’s CEO/general manager. “As a rural electric co-op, we’re well acquainted with the benefits of working together to enhance the quality of life in our area. Our commitment to our wider community includes support for education and training that will spur economic development.”

When completed this September, the Business and Industry Center will total 28,388 square feet. The facility will allow ECC to expand the Industrial Engineering Technology and Precision Machining programs which are currently housed in space ECC leases in Washington. The HVAC program will relocate from the main campus, and a lab will be set up for short-term welding classes. The college paid $1.2 million for the facility and is spending another $3.8 million to renovate and expand the building.

According to ECC President Jon Bauer, “Partnering with Crawford Electric is an important piece in making this project possible. We were fortunate to be awarded a $1.2 million Economic Development Administration grant through the U.S. Department of Commerce as well as up to $600,000 in tax credits from the Missouri Development Finance Board.” Bauer noted that the East Central College Foundation also has a capital campaign underway to raise funds with the goal of transforming the building into a first class center for workforce training.

“This project is a prime example of partnerships between key stakeholders,” stated Bauer. “Funding includes college, state, federal, and private dollars. All of these resources are being directed toward a facility that will train people for jobs right here in our region.”

Crawford Electric Cooperative is a member of Touchstone Energy, a national alliance of locally owned, community-minded electric co-ops with high standards of service. Crawford Electric serves almost 20,000 meters along more than 3,300 miles of distribution lines in Crawford, Franklin, Gasconade, Washington and Dent counties. This is the first Rural Economic Development loan the co-op has facilitated.

Grimes Returns as Head Men’s Soccer Coach

July 27, 2016 | Campus News

East Central College has hired Benji Grimes as the head men’s soccer coach heading into the 2016-17 academic year. Grimes had a two year stint as the head coach at ECC in 2007 and 2008,

Originally from Union, Grimes brings a level of experience from a number of different coaching and playing areas. Last year he served as a volunteer assistant with the St. Francis Borgia boys’ soccer team which finished 19-4-1, falling to Kansas City O’Hara in the Class 2 state semifinal match.

After graduating from Union High School where he played under Coach Bob Brotherton, Grimes attended Lindenwood University in St. Charles, He suited up all four years for the Lions and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

His college coaching career began as an assistant coach at his alma mater under Coach Carl Hutter. In 2004 Lindenwood finished as NAIA National Champions.

As head coach of the Falcons in 2007 and 2008, Grimes lead his team to winning seasons finishing 8-7-5 and 17-5-1 respectively. In 2008, the team won the Midwest Community College Athletic Conference by winning both the home and away matches against Jefferson College, St. Louis Community College-Florissant Valley and SLCC-Forest Park. ECC split their contests with SLCC-Meramec that year. In that stretch run, Grimes had eight players named to the NJCAA All-Region teams, 10 MCCAC All-Conference players and two NJCAA All-Americans: Seymour Williams and Nickardo Blake.

Williams continued his playing career at Lindenwood University while Blake played at the University of Connecticut for two years and was selected by Toronto FC in the MLS Superdraft. Blake and ECC and UConn teammate Lionel Brown played professionally in the NASL for the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers.

“Coach Grimes is a student of the game and has the communication and leadership skills to guide the Falcons to prominence in the Missouri Community College Athletic Conference and NJCAA Region 16,” stated ECC Athletic Director Jay Mehrhoff. “Coach knows how to recruit and put together a squad capable of winning championships.”

Grimes replaces Kean Barclay who recently accepted a position as assistant coach at Northern Kentucky University, a NCAA Division I school in Highland Heights, KY.

Contractor Approved for Hansen Hall Renovation

July 21, 2016 | Campus News

East Central College trustees approved awarding a bid for renovation of the 300 and 400 levels of Hansen Hall to K & S Associates of St. Louis. Action came at the board’s July 21 meeting.

The K & S bid of $1,256,000 was the only one received. The project will be funded through the $1.8 million capital improvement bond ECC received from the State of Missouri in 2014. Work will start this summer with the project completed by June, 2017.

Jon Bauer, college president, noted that the renovation enhances safety and security by providing better emergency lighting and security cameras. “By design, cost savings will be introduced into the environment through the use of occupancy sensors and green technologies,” Bauer said.

Bauer noted that the bid includes replacement of the handicap accessible chair lift to accommodate wheelchairs used today that are larger and heavier than what people used when the building was completed in 1985. The project also includes demolition work and subsequent upgrades to computer information system classrooms and labs, enhancement of the HVAC and electrical/data infrastructure, and replacement of emergency lighting infrastructure. Flooring, ceilings, and paint will be refreshed in the hallways, a computer lab and nine classrooms on both levels. Lighting will also be refurbished in both hallways.

A student lounge and open study area will be added, along with a conference/break room and additional faculty offices.

K & S is currently renovating the Business and Industry Center, formerly known as the Gala Center, adjacent to ECC’s main campus in Union. K & S also served as the general contractor for the 2010-11 renovation of Buescher Hall.

Trustees also approved the bid of $65,147 from Modern Business Interiors for classroom and office furniture in the Business and Industry Center. Pricing is based off of the Cooperative Purchasing Network competitive bid contract. That facility should be completed in mid-September.

Personnel

Board members approved the hiring of several full-time employees, a part-time head soccer coach, one resignation and a retirement.

With the start of the 2016 fall semester, Jenifer Goodson will teach emergency medical services classes. A Missouri licensed paramedic, she earned her associate degree in paramedic technology from ECC and will begin work this fall towards a BSN. She has 14 years of experience as a paramedic and has worked for the St. Clair Ambulance District since 2002. Goodson served as a preceptor for paramedic students completing internships while employed with St. Clair Ambulance.

Jeremy Goss will serve as the new business development and training coordinator. Since April of 2015 Goss has been coordinator of the Missouri-STEM/CIS grant program at ECC. After earning an applied science degree in avionics systems technology from Community College of the Air Force, he went on to receive a bachelor of arts in creative writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in technical management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Goss obtained a master’s degree in educational technology from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Justin Shane Dawson has accepted the position as manager of the John Edson Anglin Performing Arts Center. For the past eight years he has been the technical director and facility manager of the Greer Auditorium at Central Christian College in McPherson, KS. Dawson earned his B.S. in psychology from Central Christian College and an associate degree in music from Seward County Community College.

Windy Souders, a part-time employee in the Learning Center for more than a year, has been promoted to coordinator of testing services at the college. She received a bachelor’s degree in English from Missouri Baptist University, and is currently working toward a master of fine arts degree at Lindenwood University.

Benji Grimes will return to ECC to serve as the head men’s soccer coach. He held that same position for the 2007 and 2008 seasons. Grimes attended Lindenwood University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration.

Trustees accepted the resignation of Alex Miller, physics/physical science instructor. They also approved the retirement of custodial supervisor Drew Guenther effective August 19.

In other personnel matters, trustees approved changes to the adjunct faculty list for the 2016 summer session.

Fontbonne University and ECC Sign Articulation Agreement

June 27, 2016 | Campus News

Fontbonne University and East Central College recently signed an articulation agreement to create pathways to baccalaureate degrees in business, computer information systems, cybersecurity, social work, literary studies, communications and strategic communications at Fontbonne.

Fontbonne President J. Michael Pressimone and ECC President Jon Bauer signed the agreement following many meetings between faculty and staff at both schools.

“Agreements such as this improve educational access and attainment for students in our area,” said Pressimone. “We are pleased to be collaborating with East Central to achieve these important objectives.”

“This articulation agreement is a fantastic example of how institutions can work together for the benefit of our students, who then go forward and use their advanced education and training to further develop our workforce,” said Jean McCann, vice president of instruction at ECC. “Students from ECC’s district and service region will have the opportunity to pursue a wide variety of 2+2 transfer programs as well as access to scholarship opportunities at Fontbonne. A bachelor’s degree from Fontbonne can be attained at a greatly reduced cost when students complete their first two years at ECC.”

Staff at both institutions will work on promotional materials, transfer guides and other information useful to students as they explore transfer options. “We are excited about the level of collaboration that will continue as the degree pathways are explored and expanded,” stated McCann. Faculty at both institutions have met and are committed to an ongoing dialogue to provide the best transfer experience possible for ECC students.

Faculty and staff from Fontbonne University and East Central College — Faculty and staff from St. Louis based Fontbonne University and East Central College were on hand when Fontbonne President J. Michael Pressimone (second from left, seated) and ECC President Jon Bauer (third from left, seated) signed an articulation agreement that will provide more opportunities for ECC students transferring to Fontbonne.

High School Students Complete STEM Academy

June 24, 2016 | Campus News

Students from six area high schools participated in East Central College’s second annual STEM Scholars Academy June 20-24.

The Academy gave students the opportunity to work with ECC faculty on activities related to science, technology, engineering and math.

“We touched on a variety of topics each day,” noted Fatemeh Nichols, chair of ECC’s science and engineering division. “First we covered lab safety, college success and scientific methods. Then the students moved on to activities in physics, engineering, ecology, microbial biotechnology, programming and physiology. Engineering, physics and computer science were new topics to the STEM Academy this year.” The students selected an ECC instructor who will serve as their mentor as they work on a STEM related project during the upcoming school year.

“I was pleased with the willingness of the students to challenge themselves in the activities,” Nichols stated. “During the physics session they were apprehensive about the math, but an hour later they were designing and building bridges. The interest and determination of these students really makes me excited about future generations going into STEM fields.”

Participating students included: Calista LeBrell – Hermann High School; Kallista Stubblefield – New Haven High School; Jacob Hawkins, Jacob Jungbluth, Dillon Shadrick, and Trey Wideman – St. Clair High School; Alex Hanneken, Owen Karl, Clarissa Krimmel, Cole Parsons, and Lucas Pyatt – Union High School; Jonathan Mitchell – Warrenton High School; and Rachel Bauche and Trent Althen – Washington High School.

Nichols plans to offer the Academy next year to a new group of students who will be entering their sophomore or junior year in the fall of 2017.

High school students at East Central College’s Summer STEM Academy — Fourteen area high school students participated in East Central College’s Summer STEM Academy June 20-24. ECC faculty members worked with the students on activities and experiments related to science, technology, engineering, and math. Shown, front row, left to right, seated: Rachel Bauche, Trent Althen, Calista LeBrell, Kallista Stubblefield, and Jonathan Mitchell. Second row: Jacob Hawkins, Trey Wideman, Jacob Jungbluth, and Dillon Shadrick. Back row: Alex Hanneken, Lucas Pyatt, Cole Parsons, Owen Karl, and Clarissa Krimmel.

A+ Program to Expand to Nonpublic Missouri High Schools

June 24, 2016 | Campus News

East Central College officials are excited about seeing more students in the future due to an expansion of the state’s A+ program.

Governor Jay Nixon this week signed Senate Bill 638 into law. The legislation will allow any nonpublic Missouri high school to apply to the State Board of Education to be certified as an A+ School, if that school meets the same requirements that apply to public high schools.

The A+ scholarship program, which under Governor Nixon has expanded to include nearly every public high school in Missouri, enables qualified students to attend one of the state’s public community colleges by covering the costs of tuition for two years.

“This bill helps even more hard working Missouri students attend community college without paying a nickel for tuition through the A+ Program,” said Nixon.

“This is very good news for students and their families,” noted Dr. Jon Bauer, president of East Central College. “We welcome them into this highly successful program. More than 500 students utilized A+ funding to cover their tuition and general fees this year at ECC. That totals $99 per credit hour for our in-district students and $134 for those who live outside the college district.”

Bauer stated that for an in-district student completing 30 credit hours in an academic year, A+ represents a benefit totaling $2,970; and $4,020 for an out-of-district student.

A+ does not cover any additional costs associated with classes, such as lab fees and books.

Bauer stated that each year many more students are A+ eligible, but the Missouri Department of Higher Education requires students to use their federal grants to cover their tuition and general fees before they can use A+ funds.

To be eligible for A+ assistance high school students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents; enter into a written agreement with their high school prior to graduation; attend a designated A+ high school for three consecutive years immediately prior to graduation; and graduate with an overall grade point average of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale. They must also have at least a 95 percent attendance record overall for grades 9-12; perform at least 50 hours of unpaid tutoring or mentoring, of which up to 25 percent may include job shadowing; maintain a record of good citizenship and avoid the unlawful use of drugs and/or alcohol. Students must also achieve a score of proficient or advanced on the Algebra I end of course exam, or a higher level end-of-course exam in the field of mathematics approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

To take advantage of their A+ benefits at East Central or any of the other participating public community colleges, vocational/technical schools, or private two-year vocational/technical schools, students must seek a degree or certificate at the school where they are enrolled on a full-time basis. They must also make a good faith effort to secure all available federal financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. As post-secondary students they must maintain satisfactory academic progress by earning a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and completing a minimum of 12 credits each semester. The A+ program will not cover costs for students who pursue a degree or certificate in theology or divinity.

The governor signed the bill Wednesday in Springfield, MO.

Trustees Okay $18.5 Million General Operating Budget

June 21, 2016 | Campus News

East Central College trustees approved an $18.5 million general operating budget for the new fiscal year that begins July 1. That represents an increase of slightly less than one percent in the general fund over the 2016 budget.

In presenting the budget to board members at their June 20 meeting, Phil Pena, vice president of finance and administration, noted that development of the budget for fiscal year 2017 required balancing the needs of students and the community versus revenue growth.

The college derives over 99 percent of its revenue from three sources: tuition and fees, state aid and local tax revenue. “In putting together this budget we expect a 4 percent increase in state aid, but little growth in local tax revenues. Revenue from tuition and fees should be less since we expect a 4 percent drop in credit hours,” Pena stated.

Tuition and fees account for 33 percent of the total budget.

East Central College students will not see a tuition increase for the coming year. Last year the college implemented a two-tier tuition model. Students in four career-technical programs at ECC pay more in tuition due to the higher cost of operating those programs.

Tier 1 tuition is $76 per credit hour for in-district students; $111 per credit hour for out-of-district students; $168 per credit hour for out-of-state students; and $181 per credit hour for international students.

Tier 2 is a higher tuition for precision machining, industrial engineering technology, nursing and culinary arts classes. Tier 2 courses cost $95 per credit hour for in-district students and $139 per credit hour for out-of-district students. Out-of-state students pay $210 per credit hour with the rate for international students set at $226. The tier 2 tuition only applies to classes in the programs; students still pay the base, or Tier 1, rate for general education courses.

Pena noted that a $4 per credit hour security fee will go into effect this fall to support the new on campus police presence and security enhancements. The fee will only be assessed to students who attend classes in person on the main campus or a satellite location.

State aid accounts for 32 percent of the total operating revenue for ECC. Pena stated that the 2017 budget projects a four percent increase in state aid. This year state aid accounted for 30.2 percent of ECC’s total operating revenues.

Little or no growth is expected in local tax revenue. The 2016 assessed valuation decreased 2.3 percent over 2015, keeping the rate ceiling at the maximum authorized levy of $0.37. Local revenue represents the largest source of revenue for the college at 34 percent which is down .4 percent from the current fiscal year.

Full-time employees of the college will receive a $1,000 increase to their base salary plus a one percent increase. Part-time employees will receive the pro-rated equivalent based on hours worked. For example, a half-time employee would get $500 plus one percent.

The FY ’17 staffing plan includes two new full-time positions bringing that total to 211. A full-time emergency medical services clinical instructor has been added along with a technical support technician in Rolla. New part-time positions include a volunteer coordinator for the Adult Education and Literacy program and a custodian.

For the fifth consecutive year the state retirement system will not raise the mandatory contribution rate. Contribution rates still stand at 14.5 percent for faculty and salaried staff and 6.86 percent for support staff.

Salaries and benefits account for the largest share of expenses for the college, totaling 75 percent of general fund spending in the upcoming fiscal year. The 2017 budget also projects a five percent hike in medical insurance costs.

In addition to the general operating fund, the college has four other funds necessary for college operations which brings the total working budget to $38.8 million. The college restricted programs fund has expected revenue of over $1.57 million for next fiscal year. It contains money from credit hour fees that are used exclusively for the purpose for which they were generated.

The debt service fund is expected to collect $1.44 million from local property taxes. These funds will be used to fulfill the college’s bond obligations. The auxiliary services fund supports college operations such as the cafeteria and bookstore and projects more than $2.06 million in revenue for the upcoming year. Government restricted programs, which includes students grants and loans, total over $15.2 million for fiscal year 2017.

Trustees Approve NEA Agreement, Leases, Bids & Professional Service Agreements

June 21, 2016 | Campus News

East Central College board members approved an agreement with the ECC National Education Association, the official collective bargaining representative for full-time faculty members employed by the college. Action came at the board’s June 20 meeting.

“A number of articles were modified from last year’s contract,” noted college president Jon Bauer. “A new article that incorporates board policy definitions on the types of contracts issued to faculty is defined. We will also work collaboratively with ECC-NEA over the course of the year to make revisions to our job descriptions.” Bauer said it was agreed that any changes to a job description would not become effective until the next contract year unless mutually agreed upon or required by law or regulation.

Dennis Pohlmann, president of the ECC-NEA, noted that this agreement builds on the previous year’s contract. “In many ways we thought this would be an easier negotiation but I think it was just as hard. We set aside some things that we weren’t able to take care of in this contract, but hope we can bring those back up next year.” Pohlmann said that it might be possible to look at a longer term contract, perhaps two to three years, in the next timeframe.

There are 43 full-time faculty members who pay NEA dues. The faculty ratified the one year contract by a vote of 32-2.

Leases & Professional Service Agreements Authorized

Members of the East Central College board of trustees authorized college officials to renew existing leases for three off-campus locations for the coming year. The action came at the board’s June 20 meeting.

The amount paid to lease a facility in Sullivan will decrease $168 starting July 1. The annual rate paid to Central Markets for the 5,800 square foot building on North Clark Street will total $23,736 for the new fiscal year.

The agreement with the Rolla School District for 8,140 square feet of space at Rolla Technical Center will remain at $145,530.

A new rate of $12.50 per square foot for the facility on North Bishop Avenue in Rolla that ECC leases from Columbia College will go into effect November 1. The annual lease will increase to $97,433.36 for the 7,900 square foot building that houses ECC’s nursing program, general classrooms, and several offices. East Central remodeled that space in the fall of 2013 and it opened to students in January 2014.

Trustees also approved the renewal of three professional service agreements for fiscal year 2017. Legal services will again be provided by Tueth, Keeney, Cooper, Mohan & Jackstadt, P.C. of St. Louis with no increase in rates.

The firm of KPM of Springfield (formerly Davis, Lynn & Moots) will continue to provide auditing services for the college and the ECC Foundation. Cost of the audit for fiscal year 2016 will total $46,000, a $1,000 increase.

ECC continues to work with J.W. Terrill as the college’s employee benefit consultant and broker of record. Fiscal year 2017 is the second year in a three year contract with the St. Louis firm.

The college utilizes the consulting firm to provide advice concerning group benefits, solicit bids from carriers, and assist when there are problems or issues concerning coverage for employees. J.W. Terrill is paid $30,000 per year.

Bids Approved

Two bids were received for repairs and upgrades in the John Edson Anglin Performing Arts Center. Trustees approved the lowest bid, $315,150 from iWeiss Theatrical Solutions based in New Jersey. Bellatex, Inc. from Tennessee submitted a bid of $337,200. The project involves demolition of the existing rigging system, replacement of the fire curtain release system, and repair and maintenance of the fire curtain rigging system. iWeiss will also supply and install a fire vent closure system, counterweight rigging system, stage drapery and drapery tracks.

The project will be paid for with a portion of the $1.8 million in funding the college was awarded last year for repairs and renovations provided by the State of Missouri capital improvement bonds.

Trustees also approved the purchase of 45 Dell computers with LCD monitors for the Learning Center. Using the state negotiated Dell purchasing contract, the equipment will total $35,675.55 and will be funded through the technology fee assessed to students.

Due to the scheduling of upcoming board meetings, trustees also pre-authorized purchases that will need to be made with funds from state vocational enhancement grants prior to the start of the fall semester August 20. Authorization was also given for purchases to be made with funding from the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant.

Personnel

Trustees dealt with a number of personnel matters at their June board meeting.

They approved the appointment of two new faculty members. J.D. Herdlick was hired as a mathematics instructor. He earned bachelor’s degrees in psychology and mathematics from Santa Clara University and a master of arts degree in mathematics from Washington University. He was a full-time instructor at St. Louis Community College from 2001 to 2006 and since 2007 has been an adjunct instructor at SLCC and Washington University. He currently works at McGraw Hill.

Trustees also approved the appointment of Stephanie Free as nursing instructor in Rolla. Since 2009 she has been employed as a registered nurse at Mercy Hospital in Lebanon and Rolla and prior to that worked for eight years at Phelps County Regional Medical Center. She obtained her B.S. in nursing from Central Methodist University.

The new associate director of the Learning Center is Kristin Milligan. This past year Milligan was the writing center coordinator at Texas State University. In August she will graduate from Texas State with a master’s degree in rhetoric and composition. She earned her bachelor’s degree in secondary education-English at Webster University.

The resignation of Renee Greenshields, business development and training coordinator was approved effective June 8. Trustees also approved the retirement of public relations director Dot Schowe effective August 15.

In other personnel matters, trustees authorized revisions to the adjunct faculty list for the 2016 summer session. Revisions to the list of faculty reappointments that the board approved in April were okayed, and a request for unpaid leave from Kim Aguilar, human resources assistant, was authorized since she is not eligible for the Family Medical Leave Act at this time.