Board of Directors Meeting March 12, 2025

Mr. Walker called for a motion to approve the minutes from the December 11, 2024 meeting of the BCTC Board of Directors. A motion to approve the minutes was made by Mr. Robert McNulty and seconded by Mr. Richard Webb. The minutes from the December 11, 2024 meeting were approved.

The Board Chair, Mr. Walker, welcomed and swore in the new board member, Mr. John Cirigliano.

Mr. Walker thanked Mr. Ted Vittos for his seven years of service on the board. Mr. Vittos expressed that it had been a pleasure to serve, and he learned a lot during his time.

The meeting dates for the remainder of the year are September 10th and December 3 (joint dinner with BCTC Foundation Board). All meetings will begin with dinner at 5:30 PM. The meetings will begin at 6:00 PM at the Leestown Conference Center and a Teams link will be provided for those who cannot attend in person.

Everyone was reminded that June 11th is the next quarterly meeting.

Mr. Walker reminded everyone that committee meetings need to be scheduled in May prior to the June 11th meeting. The committee meetings may be conducted virtually.

The committee assignments were reviewed and confirmed.

Finance Committee

• Ms. Olivia Watts
• Mr. Thomas Stephens
• Ms. Hilary Morgan

Presidential Review Committee

• Mr. Bob McNulty
• Mr. Ron Walker, Jr.
• Mr. Richard Webb
• Mr. Rider Burton

Strategic Planning Committee

• Ms. Colleen Merrill
• Mr. John Cirigliano
• Ms. Julia Terrell

Dr. Greg Feeney explained the need to amend the 2022-2026 Strategic Plan to address the diversity, equity, and inclusion goal to comply with the federal requirements. It was noted that the adjustments align with the new requirements while maintaining the mission of the college. The college will continue to make data-driven decisions to ensure the strategic plan positively impacts students.

The board reviewed and discussed the recommended revisions to the 2022-2026 Strategic Plan. Mr. Walker asked for a motion to be made to approve the amended changes to the 2022-2026 Strategic Plan as presented. The motion was made by Mr. Webb and seconded by Mr. McNulty. The motion passed unanimously.

Dr. Karen Mayo provided an overview of the timeline for developing the 2026-2030 Strategic Plan. The Strategic Planning Committee will be identified between April 2025 – June 2025. The research phase will begin in June 2025, involving collaboration with KCTCS and conducting surveys with internal and external stakeholders in August 2025. By November 2025, a draft of the strategic plan will be prepared, including identifying metrics and targets for the strategic plan. The final strategic plan will be presented to the board for approval at the March 2026 meeting. Once approved, the 2026-2030 Strategic Plan will be implemented starting July 1, 2026.

Ms. Lisa Bell presented a modification to the 2026-2032 Capital Needs Strategic Needs Analysis priorities and projects that the board approved at the December 2024 meeting. The addition of a Newtown multipurpose facility, with a projected cost of $10 million, was added to the college’s capital project list as the first priority and in the first biennium. The project will be funded using restricted funds from the college's fund balance and potentially contributions from a donor partner. The new facility will provide expanded gathering space, larger instructional space, and areas for student involvement, activities, intramural sports, and fine arts.

The board reviewed and discussed the recommended addition to the 2026-2032 Capital Plan Strategic Needs Analysis priorities and projects. Mr. Walker asked for a motion to be made to approve for submission to System Office the amended Capital Strategic Needs Analysis priorities and projects as presented. A motion was made by Mr. McNulty and seconded by Ms. Colleen Merrill. The motion passed unanimously.

1. The Presidential Student Ambassadors (PSAs) introduced themselves and shared their academic pursuits and future plans.
2. They discussed the positive impact of their roles, including opportunities for personal and professional growth, leadership development, and community involvement.
3. Mr. Walker thanked them for their service and encouraged them to remember BCTC in their future endeavors.

1. Dr. Feeney shared some challenges regarding DEI, federal grants, and international efforts.
2. The college has the highest level of federal grants, over $8.2 million, within the KCTCS system.
3. Spring enrollment is up by 7% compared to this time last year.
4. The retention and completion rates are up for the spring.
5. Phi Theta Kappa inducted over 100 new members at the 2025 Spring Awards ceremony held on March 10th. In every state and national level, the chapter secured honors in each category. They earned two prestigious international recognitions.
6. Seventeen faculty members went through the faculty promotion process. All 17 were successful and received their next level of promotion.
7. Through a competitive application process, the college was selected to participate in the Council of Postsecondary Education’s (CPE) Credit for Prior Learning Initiative pilot project. The Associate Dean for Adult Learner Enrollment will work closely with CPE on this 6-month pilot.
8. The college was awarded $225,000 from the Bluegrass Community Foundation. The Filmmaking and Cinematic Arts program team will partner with students from Fayette County Public High Schools to provide practical training, mentorship, and support to develop the students into proficient film technicians.
9. The Advancement team is doing an amazing job on fundraising for the college. They have raised approximately $70,000 to support the 85th Anniversary Celebrations at the regional campuses and the May 29th Legacy Gala on Newtown Campus. In addition, the college received a donation of $100,000 for the Winchester building to support the capital campaign for the Workforce Training Center.
10. The Board of Directors were encouraged to purchase a seat or table at the Legacy Gala on May 29th. This is a fundraising event to support student needs.
11. The college continues to look for sponsors for the 85th Legacy Gala. Any sponsorships or sponsorship names should be directed to Dr. Erin Tipton.
12. Family Fun Day is scheduled for May 31st from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM on the Newtown Campus. This event will conclude the 85th anniversary celebrations. All faculty, staff, board members, and their families are invited to attend.
13. The recently purchased 1919 Rolling Hills building in Winchester is progressing well. In January, the second year of nursing classes began at the facility. Several community events are being held there, providing the college with opportunities to share our story.
14. The college is collaborating with Shaker Village on ways to partner and support both missions.
15. Dr. Feeney gave an educator presentation at the MLK Unity Celebration Breakfast in January.
16. As part of the 250LEX celebration, the college will host an open house on March 27th, during which a Lexington student will be awarded a BCTC scholarship.
17. The college hosted a successful Science Olympiad and Skills USA on our Lexington campuses.
18. The college could double enrollment in the welding program with a larger facility. The college will continue to collaborate with community partners.
19. The Associate Vice President of Organizational Development, Deborrah Catlett, will retire on May 1st.

Ms. Bell gave a general update on the Budget Reports, Budget Narrative, Yearly Comparison, and Current Year Visuals, Revenue, and Expenses.

1. Ms. Bell reported an increase in spring tuition revenue by approximately $20,000 and summer revenue by approximately $700,000.
2. As of today, the bookstore revenue is $384,000, which exceeds budgeted revenue and helps balance the college’s budget.
3. Ms. Bell highlighted the challenges related to bad debt expense, which has already reached $881,000, with an anticipated increase to exceed $1 million by the end of the fiscal year.
4. Budget planning for the next fiscal year is underway. At the June 2025 board meeting, the college will seek board approval to submit the FYE26 budget to the System Office for inclusion in the KCTCS budget request.

Dr. Mayo presented the enrollment report for the year.

1. Spring enrollment is up 7.4% compared to this time last year.
2. Details on the demographics of enrolled students were provided, noting that 58.5% are female, 38.8% are male, 66.2% are credential-seeking students, 28.7% are dual credit students, and 5.1% are workforce enrollments. Students aged 20-24 make up 28% of enrollment, which is the largest enrollment.
3. The top five enrollment programs are: Associate in Science (2,211 students), Associate in Arts (982 students), Business Technology (596 students), Health Science Technology (530 students), and Nursing (472 students).
4. Open registration began on March 1st for students to register for summer and fall classes.

1. Dr. Mayo shared the successful results from the SACSCOC accreditation site visit in January 2025. The committee conducted two specific evaluations: one for the Prison Education Program and another for the off campus instructional sites. The visit resulted in zero findings.
2. The Prison Education Program is now in its second semester, offering ENG 100 and 101 with 36 students, SOC 101 with 32 students, and a technical option in Welding with 8 students. The college remains committed to finding ways to support both facilities.
3. Dr. Mayo highlighted the significant increase in the number of students benefiting from the zero textbook cost initiative, which has grown by 167% from spring 2024 to spring 2025.

1. Ms. Bell provided an update on the development of the Newtown Campus, including the demolition of the cottages, signage improvements, and the construction of new facilities.
2. The 14 future Capital Project requests were reviewed, with the top priority being a Newtown multipurpose facility, which the college hopes to include in Phase 2B.

1. A FOX56 video featuring Career Conversations and Campus Corner segments, created to promote BCTC programs and events, was shown to the board members.
2. The Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society at the college received several prestigious national honors. Dr. Feeney received the prestigious New President Paragon Award, a recognition that celebrates exceptional leadership and guidance within the PTK organization.
3. The 85th Legacy Gala is planned for May 29th, at 5:30 PM on the Newtown Campus. Mr. Walker encouraged the board members to attend the Legacy Gala.