Champions celebrated at Board Meeting; Student Pantry continues to assist

The national champion Cowley College women’s cross country team was on hand to be honored in front of the Board of Trustees during its regularly scheduled meeting held Monday in the Patrick J. McAtee Dining Center. 

Nothing would stop the Cowley College women's cross country team from accomplishing their goal of being national champions, not even a flu bug that ran through the team leading up to the race. 

The Lady Tigers placed five runners in the top 25 and claimed its second national championship in the past four years by winning the 2023 NJCAA Division II women's cross-country national championship held November 13 in Huntsville, AL.

This was the second DII National Title in school history and the third overall, with the team capturing the 2010 NJCAA Division I national championship. 

Cowley College president, Dr. Michelle Schoon, then informed the Board of some of the recent events the College hosted, such as the Art & Design Showcase, Fall Preview Day, CTE Day for Freshmen in Wellington, and the Chamber Coffee hosted by the Workforce and Community Education Center.

There was also an update on the Student Pantry provided by the director of student housing, Lynlea Bartlett, director of student life, Peyton Snively, and assistant athletic director, Ali Nittler. Through a $40,000 grant, the College established the pantry, which consists of food, personal hygiene items, and clothing. 

The pantry is open to any student at Cowley College and is open Monday, Tuesday, and Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Nelson Student Center.

“It is amazing what these three girls are doing for our students,” vice president of finance and administration Holly Harper said. 

In other matters:

1. Cowley College president Dr. Michell Schoon provided the Board with an update. Dr. Schoon informed the Board that the admissions office mailed out more than 2,000 letters to area high school students informing them of enrollment at Cowley College. Also, the Marketing Department is looking at how to better market the College to area middle school students. The College is participating in the Apply Kansas Initiative and had excellent participation from employees and students at the recent Arkalalah festivities. She also informed the Board of her recent meeting at Kansas State University and with Bethany College president Elizabeth Mauch. She also mentioned the successful start to the Quiz Bowl season for the Cowley Collegiate Quiz Bowl team and that the College was recently informed they are the recipients of a Kansas Board of Regent Technology Grant worth $20,900. Dr. Schoon also thanked the Trustees for attending the advisory council meeting, congratulated the Cowley College volleyball team on their recent national title and all fall sports for qualifying for nationals, and Mathematics instructor Dr. Brooke Istas for defending her dissertation.
2. Saw Dr. Schoon present gifts to the September, October, and November Students of the Month.
3. Bob McGregor provided the Board with a Trustee Finance Subcommittee update.
4. Brett Bazil provided the Board with a Trustee Policy Subcommittee update.
5. Approved the Consent Agenda:
   1. Board Minutes of the October 16 meeting.
   2. Approved the Financial Reports as presented.
   3. Bills and Claims. Approved fiscal officers of the College to execute payment of all bills and claims as presented.
   4. Administrative Reports.
   5. Approved the following policies: (123.00) Budget and (454.00) Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL).
   6. Personnel Transactions. The Board was informed of the resignation of Madison Meyer as Impact advisor, effective October 23, Joe Clasen as CTE instructor, Todd Shepherd as economics instructor, and Evan Dolley as welding instructor.
   7. The Board was informed of the employment of Joe Clasen as Technical Workforce Liaison, Lance Turner as Humanities instructor, effective January 1, and Brianna Hand as Upward Bound Academic Coordinator, effective December 1.
6. Holly Harper, vice president of finance and administration, provided the Board with a facilities maintenance update.
7. Dr. Rachel Bates, vice president of academic affairs, informed the Board of ongoing academic affairs and administrative daily operations.
8. Paul Erdmann, vice president of information technology, provided an update on projects the information technology staff has worked on over the past month.
9. Debbie Phelps, executive director of institutional effectiveness (IE), provided an update to the Board.
10. Stefani Jones, director of student enrollment and success, provided an enrollment update. She also mentioned that in the month of October, a total of 391 applications were processed. Letters of acceptance are sent out to all accepted applicants.
11. Kristi Shaw, executive director of student services, provided a housing update.
12. Jeff Fluty, athletic director, informed the Board for the first time in program history that all five fall athletic programs were Region VI champions (Men’s/Women’s Cross Country, Men’s/Women’s Soccer, and Women’s volleyball). Volleyball and women’s cross country brought home NJCAA Division II National Championships.
13. Dr. Scott Layton, faculty liaison, provided updates from several Cowley instructors. He also mentioned that Humanities recently held their Fall advisory council, where stakeholders heard program updates and participated in a SWOT Analysis.
14. John Sybrant provided public comment on partisan politics and the Board of Trustees.
15. Held a 20-minute executive session to discuss non-elected personnel regarding faculty contracts, pursuant to the exception for discussion related to non-elected personnel.
16. The Board approved the purchase of four (4) SimX VR licenses for $52,324 through KBOR Capital Outlay Tech Ed grant funds.
17. The Board adopted the 2024-2026 Winfield Neighborhood Revitalization Plan Interlocal Agreement. The new plan contains no changes from the previously approved plan.
18. The meeting adjourned at 7:21 p.m.

Rama Peroo | Director of Institutional Communication
Cowley College
125 S. 2nd Street
Arkansas City, KS 67005
rama.peroo@cowley.edu