SCCC Board of Trustees Updates Campus Facility Rental Policy, Prepares for 2024-25

Seward County Community College

The Seward County Community College Board of Trustees prepared for the upcoming academic year during their regular monthly meeting — and they started by attending a class in the form of a boardroom workshop hosted by the Kansas Association of School Boards. The 90-minute workshop covered the basics of how elected boards operate in the state of Kansas, including an overview of recent legislative changes affecting higher education.

Standing member, SCCC Board Chairman Ron Oliver, thanked facilitator Dr. Steve Karlin of the Kansas Association of School Boards and noted that it is a great training for seasoned board members and newly elected board member Kelly Hill.

With the national search for the new position of Associate Vice President of Athletics now complete, President Brad Bennett provided a brief update on Saints Athletics.

“We’re just over a month away from home games and the fall 2024 rosters for women’s volleyball, women’s soccer and men’s soccer have all been announced. Thanks to the Kansas initiative, we’re now looking at a larger pool of homegrown talent, with nearly 20 Kansas natives on our fall roster,” Bennett said.

The men’s soccer season begins on August 25 at Liberal High School and the women’s soccer season plays on September 4 against Hutchinson Community College, also at Redskin Field.

The men’s and women’s basketball teams wrapped up their summer session with the women’s team going 7-0 and the men’s team going 12-2 in two weekends of action against NJCAA competition. On the men’s side, Lovasoa Andriatsarafara was invited to a Top-100 Juco event in Phoenix and will compete against other top junior college prospects the week of July 15.

SCCC Foundation Executive Director Teresa Randle provided an update on the recent outpouring of community support, which has staff working through tons of agreements. In total, the foundation will have received more than $1 million in new donor funding by the time the paperwork is finalized.

“I want to commend Teresa,” said trustee John Engel, who also serves on the foundation’s board. “She’s jumped in with both feet and is doing a great job.”

Board grants selective approval for alcohol serving during on-campus rental events

SCCC’s rental and event spaces are now permitted to serve alcohol on a limited, case-by-case basis, following an update to Policy 509: Public Use of Facilities. In an unusually divided vote, trustees approved the policy change, with Vice Chairman Marvin Chance Jr., Hill, Dustin Ormiston, Casey Mein and Keeley Moree voting in favor, and Chairman Ron Oliver and Engel voting against.

The vote followed a three-month research and discussion process, with Shirla McQueen, SCCC legal counsel, reviewing the vote.

The updated policy reads as follows:

“All SCCC buildings shall be smoke-free facilities, except under special circumstances as provided by Kansas law. Alcoholic beverages, including beer and wine, and controlled substances shall not be consumed or used on SCCC premises, except that, pursuant to KSA 41-719, the SCCC Board of Trustees may exempt from the provisions of such policy certain properties under the control of such board and not used for classroom instruction, where alcoholic beverages may be consumed in accordance with policies adopted by such board.”

Commission recommends naming of adult education institution

Following a $30,000 donation from Mary Lloyd, a Liberal resident and SCCC Adult Education alumna, the college formed an advisory committee to identify opportunities for the Adult Education Center. Members include Dr. Katie Reck (Director of Adult Education), Rachel Coleman (Director of Marketing and Public Relations), Teresa Randle (Director of SCCC Foundation), and Maddie Day (Vice President of Business Affairs). The advisory committee solicited, screened, and recommended suitable names and identified areas that could be designated for gifts based on the size of the gifts.

The Advisory Committee has submitted a written recommendation with supporting documentation to the Chair of the SCCC. Supporting documentation is attached. All names and signs to be placed will be approved by the Foundation and Board for recommendation and will be presented to the Board of Trustees for final approval at the next regular meeting. No signs will be recommended that are discriminatory or project a negative image of the college or its activities.

The board recommends accepting the list of naming possibilities and donation amounts for the Mary & Dallas Lloyd Adult Education Center. The board unanimously approved this list.

In other matters:

• The board has approved the extension of the college’s sports insurance through Al Shank Insurance and Zurich Insurance. The 2024 policy comes with a zero dollar increase and no changes to benefits or rates for both the basic and catastrophic policies.

• The board approved an updated, 17-page drug policy for student athletes. The document outlines minimum parameters for testing and treating student athletes as needed. “We will randomly test 10 percent of our student athletes weekly throughout the year,” Bennett said. “Drug testing will begin in August and all student athletes will be required to sign the agreement,” he said.

• Following a letter of intent approved on June 17 and an open bidding process, the board approved a capital lease agreement with Bank of Beaver City for $2 million in financing with a maximum cost of $2,961,977.11, pending the protest period through July 25.

• As required by law, the board voted to designate an official newspaper for the publication of legal notices. The High Plains Daily Leader was identified as the official publication for SCCC.

• The administration outlined the implementation of new items required by Title IX. This includes adding lactation rooms on campus and implementing new provisions for students who are pregnant and need to take a leave of absence. Under the new provision, they will be allowed to return at the same point in the semester.