February 2026 Board Meeting Highlights

The Cowley College Board of Trustees gathered for their February 16th meeting at 6:00 p.m. in the President’s Dining Room inside the McAtee Dining Center on the Ark City Main Campus. Trustee Phil White provided the invocation, and Chair Dr. Alan Marcotte recited the College Mission Statement.

Under Awards and Reports, Cowley President Dr. Michelle Schoon shared that representatives of Cowley College met with Senator Roger Marshall, Air National Guard staff, and the community college consortium at Butler Community College’s Andover Campus on January 21st to outline a new partnership. An agreement was signed with the Air National Guard to partner in cybersecurity training to support faculty and students on February 11th at the Capitol in Topeka. Currently, Cowley, Butler, Hutchinson, Barton, Garden City, and Cloud colleges are working in conjunction on a Patterson Grant to support cybersecurity programs. Stefani Jones provided an update on the Strategic Enrollment Management Plan. In addition, Schoon introduced the February Student of the Month, Dacey Morris. Government Affairs Liaison Jessica Lucas provided a legislative update. 

Under Administrative Reports, Renn Memorial Library had a total attendance of 967 in January. IMPACT/ACES hosted the Spring Red Cross Blood Drive to help with the current blood shortage; they exceeded their goal of 28 units of blood by collecting 36. In partnership with the V.J. Wilkins Foundation, Cowley College has launched the Cowley Youth Choir (CYC),

serving students in grades 3–7. The choir currently includes more than 35 students from Cowley County and surrounding communities.

No Public Comment.

Under Standing Committee Reports, Trustee Bob McGregor provided a recap of the February 9th, 2026 Trustee Finance Subcommittee meeting, where members discussed the Sumner Land Donation completion, Budget and State Funding, and the renewal of Cowley College’s Blackboard agreement with Anthology. Administration and the Finance Subcommittee requested approval to renew the three-year Blackboard (Anthology) agreement in the total amount of $390,833.75 for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029 (approved 8-0).This purchase will be funded through the Operating Fund as part of the College’s annual technology and instructional software budget.

Trustee Phil White provided a recap of the February 10th, 2026 Trustee Academic Subcommittee meeting, where members discussed course procedures, pathway updates, Blackboard renewal, high school survey results - Sumner County, four day schedules, and new courses. Administration and the Trustee Academic Subcommittee request ed the Board's approval for new courses to include: CIS1530 Introduction to AI, CIS1531 AI Security Operations (SECOPS), CIS1532 AI Native Networking (AIOps), CIS1533 AI-Driven Log Analysis Troubleshooting (Approved 8-0).

Chair Alan Marcotte provided a recap of the February 12th, 2026 Trustee Policy Subcommittee meeting, where members reviewed policy 152.00 - Insurance: Property & Liability (revised) and 157.00 – Student Account Bad Debt Write-off (revised), which were presented for a first review. Final approval will be requested at the March meeting.

The Board approved the Consent Agenda, including the Minutes from the January 20th, 2026 regular meeting, Financial Reports, Bills and Claims, Personnel Transactions, and Board Policy Approval of 139.00 – Sexual Harassment (revised), by a vote of 8-0. 

Under the Discussion Agenda, the Board completed its Fourth reading of the revised Board of Trustees Handbook, discussing revisions, feedback, and additional requested edits. The Board adopted the revised Handbook by a vote of 7-1.

Under Board Officer Amendment, Chair Marcotte requested the Board approve the amended slate of officers for the 2026 calendar, replacing Chair Marcotte with Jacinda Shaw-Kinzie on the Academic Subcommittee, as presented. (8-0)

The Board held two executive sessions, totalling 20 minutes to discuss a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a local organization, pursuant to the exception related to attorney-client privilege. No action followed the executive sessions.

With no other business to discuss, Chair Marcotte declared the meeting adjourned at 7:23 pm.

For more details, see the agenda.

Hunter Ferguson | Integrated Communications Specialist
Cowley College
125 S. 2nd Street
Arkansas City, KS 67005
hunter.ferguson@cowley.edu