Board of Directors Meeting September 10, 2025

Mr. Walker called for a motion to approve the minutes from the June 11, 2025, 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 June 11, 2025, meeting were approved.

The spring meeting dates will be March 11th and June 10th. 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 December 3rd is the next quarterly meeting, with a joint dinner with the BCTC Foundation Board.

Each board member received a copy of the committee list in the board packet. Mr. Walker reminded the committee chairs to schedule a committee meeting prior to the June 2026 meeting.

Mr. Alan Lawson, VP of Data Strategy and Data Innovation, provided the third-year update on the 2022-2026 Strategic Plan.

1. The Strategic Plan has three goals, 12 core objectives, 39 initiatives and 26 key performance indicators.
2. The college made significant progress on seven objectives, while some progress has been achieved on the remaining five.
3. Over the past five years, BCTC enrollment increased by 33.8%. The national enrollment at public, two-year institutions increased by 1.7%.
4. Retention rates have increased from 49.3% to 60.2% in the past decade, with graduation rates rising from 19.4% to 43.3%.
5. After a significant drop in employee retention from 2020-21 to 2021-22, BCTC has made positive strides in improving employee retention.
6. Mr. Lawson provided an overview of the timeline for developing the 2026-2030 Strategic Plan. The development will begin by collecting feedback on the college’s mission, vision, and values. The process will continue with input from the board, faculty and staff, and community partners, with the goal of creating a more streamlined set of objectives and performance indicators.

1. Dr. Feeney reported that the August Convocation, held in the 1919 Rolling Hills Lane building in Winchester, had the highest attendance to date.
2. The college holds the GED Dual Credit and GED ESL contracts serving Anderson, Clark, Estill, Fayette, Scott, and Woodford counties. The Woodford County location opened on July 1st and is housed at the System Office in Versailles.
3. The Prison Education Program at Northpoint Training Center and Blackburn Correctional Complex are going well. The state is exploring offering additional programs at the Northpoint Training Center, modeled after a successful initiative in Michigan.
4. The undergraduate student comparison data points between our students and those at the University of Kentucky were shared. The data reflects the Fall 2022 semester and demonstrates how unique our college is, highlighting the role it plays in supporting students on their educational pathways, strengthening our economy, and providing access to students who might not have other opportunities.
   • First Generation Student – BCTC 51.6% vs. UK 19.4%
   • Underprepared for College – BCTC 43.8% vs. UK 6.5%
   • Caring for Dependents – BCTC 30.9% vs. UK 2.3%
   • Part-Time – BCTC 54.5% vs. UK 7.1%
   • Age 25+ - BCTC 39.9% vs. UK 6.6%
5. Discussions continue at the legislative level regarding whether KCTCS colleges should operate under a single accreditation or individual accreditation. Discussions continue to clarify the distinction between KCTCS Board of Regents and college-level Board of Directors. Current language being considered would establish an advisory council at the college level, with members appointed by KCTCS. The membership would continue to include one faculty, staff, and student representative.
6. Commencement is scheduled for Monday, May 11th at 6:00 PM at Rupp Arena.
7. A social event is planned for the Board of Directors and the Foundation Board on November 7th at Dr. Feeney’s home.

Ms. Lisa Bell gave a general update on the FYE 2025 and FYE 2026 Budget Reports, Budget Narrative, Yearly Comparison, and Current Year Visuals, Revenue, and Expenses.

1. The estimated unrestricted net operating income is $8.2 million for FYE 2025, attributing this to exceeded revenue projections, salary savings, and underspending on recurring and non-recurring expenses.
2. As of today, revenue was $1.4 million over budget, a 7.36% surplus, driven by higher enrollment.
3. The required contingency reserve for FYE 2026 is $1.8 million, ensuring compliance with Board of Regents policy.
4. The college has not received the bookstore commission for fall, but $309,000 is budgeted as bookstore commission revenue. The Barnes and Noble contract will end on June 30, 2026. A new contract with BibliU will begin on July 1, 2026.

Dr. Karen Mayo presented the enrollment report for the year.

1. Fall enrollment increased by 10.6% (11,871 students) compared to this time last year.
2. The college continues to enroll students for the 12- and 8-week terms, as well as dual credit students.
3. Open registration for spring 2026 classes begins on October 1st.
4. Details on the demographics of enrolled students were provided, noting that 59.5% are female, 38.4% are male, 73% are credential-seeking students, and 23% are dual credit students.
5. The top five enrollment programs are: AA and AS (3,756 students), Business Technology (625 students), Health Science Technology (622 students), Nursing (463 students), and Industrial Maintenance Technology (279 students).

1. The college is currently reviewing academic programs to identify opportunities to expand student capacity. This fall, 15 additional seats were added in the Equine Care Lab. In spring 2026, 13 additional seats will be added in Welding, 4 in Electrical Technology, and 10 in the Winchester Nursing program. In addition, two new courses with 18 seats will be offered to support the Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Technician certificate.
2. The college is developing a partnership with the Fayette County Detention Center to offer criminal justice certificates.
3. In spring 2026, the new Additive Technology program will begin at our Georgetown-Scott County campus.
4. The college is working with community partners on developing a Water Resource Technology program. If approved by SACSCOC, the program will launch in fall 2026.
5. International student enrollment for fall 2025 is 150, including 32 new students who are either incoming freshmen or transfer students.
6. The Prison Education Program has 20 students at Blackburn Correctional Complex and 51 students at Northpoint Training Center.
7. The Honors Program has a total of 65 students, with 36 students new to the program.
8. The Faculty Seminar Series welcomed 20 new faculty members.
9. The Student Support Services grants for the Lexington and Danville campuses were renewed for another five years.

1. The asset preservation project for the renovation and addition of the Administration Building on the Newtown Campus is under construction. This includes 1) asset preservation renovations of $9.7 million budget with a $1.2 million contribution from the college and 2) new construction building addition of $5 million budget college funded. The project includes a renovated ballroom and a new assembly space for 300 people. The substantial completion date is December 2025, with a tentative occupancy date of late February 2026.
2. The $58 million Newtown Phase 2b-a project is underway. The project is part of a multi-phase plan to fully build out the campus.
3. Additional projects include:
   • Demolition of the Newtown North cottages, tree line cleanup and added signage.
   • HVAC upgrades to the Megowan Building on Newtown Campus and Leestown Buildings S and B.
   • Esports lounge expansion and relocation to the Classroom Building.
   • Aquaponics Greenhouse at Leestown is currently in the construction document phase. A grant and partnership with Kentucky State University will help support the project.
   • Window and door replacements at Leestown, Buildings A and B.
   • Purchased furniture for the new Career Center at Leestown Building N.
   • Life safety upgrades at Winchester 1919 Rolling Hills Lane include installing additional fire pulls and sprinklers, as well as resizing the UPS.
   • Lawrenceburg paving project, which includes paving a previous gravel lot.
4. The list of future capital project requests was reviewed.

1. The board watched a video featuring the Aranda family, who shared their educational journey at BCTC. The videos are intended to inspire many of our prospective students and potential donors.
2. The board was invited to the Building 30 Newtown North Ribbon Cutting on October 16th from 3:00-5:00 PM.