Dr. Schoon, first Cowley College female President, appointed through August, 2024

The Cowley College Board of Trustees approved the appointment of Dr. Michelle Schoon as the Cowley College President during Monday’s meeting held at noon in the Patrick J. McAtee Dining Center. The Board agreed to employ Dr. Schoon as Cowley College President for a period commencing March 1st, 2023, and ending August, 1st, 2024.

Dr. Michelle Schoon has been at Cowley since 1991 and has served as the interim president since early February of this year. She previously served as the school’s vice president of academic affairs.

While at Cowley, Dr. Schoon received an Excellence Award from the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD), as well as being a recipient of the College’s Endowed Chair for Teaching Excellence and Student Learning and Paul Stirnaman Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence. She was also named Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers in 2004 and 2007. Dr. Schoon has a bachelor of science from Bethany College, a masters of curriculum and instruction from Wichita State University, and an educational doctorate from Southwestern College.

In other matters:  

1. Dr. Schoon provided the Board with a College update. Dr. Schoon spoke of the website redesign that launched on Monday. She also provided an update on the search for a new athletic director. The College has received over 20 applications and hopes to narrow down the candidate list to conduct interviews after Spring Break.
2. Dr. Alan Marcotte provided the Board with a Trustee Academic Subcommittee update.
3. Gary Wilson provided the Board with a Trustee Finance Subcommittee update.
4. Dr. Alan Marcotte provided the Board with a Trustee Policy Subcommittee update.
5. Stefani Jones, director of student enrollment and success, on behalf of Debbie Phelps, executive director of institutional effectiveness (IE), provided the Board with an enrollment, recruitment, and retention update.
6. Approved the Consent Agenda:

A. Board Minutes of the February 20 meeting.

B. Approved the Financial Reports as presented.

C. Bills and Claims. Approved fiscal officers of the College to execute payment of all bills and claims as presented.

D. Administrative Reports.

E. The Board approved the following policies: (101.00) Mission and Related Statements; (126.00) Weapons Policy; (432.00) Financial Aid; (433.00) Satisfactory Academic Performance for Federal Aid Recipients; (453.00) Substance Abuse for Intercollegiate Athletics;

F. The Board was informed of the resignation of Courtney Peterson as financial aid specialist, effective February 21.

G. The Board was informed of the employment of Tammie Hedrick as Academic Department Specialist-Humanities, effective March 20.

7.  Approved the Wind Turbine Technology Certificate A and associated new courses as presented.

8. Holly Harper, vice president of finance and administration, provided the Board with a facilities maintenance update.

9. Dr. Schoon informed the Board that the Natural Science and Mathematics Department hosted Math and Science Day at the main campus on February 15. A total of 96 high school students from eight schools participated in this annual recruiting event where they competed in subject specific exams and scientific apparatus/skills events that tested their critical thinking and engineering skills. Two winning seniors were awarded tuition scholarships for their performance.

10. Stefani Jones, director of student enrollment and success provided an enrollment update.

11. Paul Erdmann, vice president of information technology, provided an update on projects the information technology staff has worked on over the past month.

12. Debbie Phelps, executive director of Institutional Research, informed the Board that the Institutional Office began the work to assemble information for the College’s HLC Assurance Argument earlier this year. The Assurance Argument is an electronic document, required at the end of the Open Pathway’s 10 year accreditation cycle, and is used as a critical piece of evidence for reaffirmation of accreditation.

13. Rama Peroo, interim director of athletics, informed the Board that the Tiger men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams had a combined 13 All-Americans at the national championships held in Topeka, KS. The Lady Tigers had two national runners-up and placed 11th as a team, while the Tiger men finished 18th. Cowley’s wrestling team wrapped up its season by placing 20th at the national tournament held in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The Tigers were led by freshman Melton Powe placing third in the 174-pound weight class and garnering All-American honors. Cowley’s Tigerette Dance team finished second in the Region and third in the performance and pom category while competing in Olathe, KS. The Tiger men’s and women’s tennis teams are off to torrid starts with the Cowley men’s tennis team ranked No. 1 in the national rankings, while the Cowley women are ranked second. The Tiger baseball team, picked to win a sixth straight Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division title, has played a tough early season schedule and are currently ranked 20th. The team recently played its first home games of the season and got to utilize the beautiful new scoreboard that was installed thanks to the diligent work of director of maintenance and grounds Todd Ray, maintenance technician Darrell Quick, and their crew.

14. Julie Rhoads, faculty liaison, provided the Board with updates from several Cowley College instructors.

15. Abby Morris, director of marketing, provided the Board with an update and demonstration of the new website which launched on Monday. “This is a new era of innovation for Cowley College,” Morris said. “I am super excited about what this means for Cowley College.”

16. Jessica Lucas, government affairs liaison, provided a legislative update.

17. The meeting adjourned at 12:47 p.m.

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