Ryan Burkett

The Board approved the three-year renewal of the Blackboard contract and authorized several new Computer Information Systems courses. Key administrative actions included the approval of revisions to the Board of Trustee handbook and an amended slate of officers for the calendar year. The meeting also involved reviews of college financial reports, personnel transactions, policy updates, and two executive sessions regarding legal matters.

The meeting commenced with the election of officers for the 2026 calendar year, resulting in Dr. Alan Marcotte being elected as Board Chair and Phil White as Vice-Chair following a tie-breaking coin flip. Several Trustee representatives and sub-committees were appointed for various duties, including Finance, Academic, and Board Policy. Key reports included a College update from the President concerning the start of the spring semester, strategic planning progress, and new employee introductions. Students were recognized as the December 2025 and January 2026 Students of the Month. The Finance Subcommittee approved the purchase of a 2023 Dodge Durango Pursuit AWD for the Criminal Justice Department using Tech Ed Capital Outlay Funds. The Policy Subcommittee reviewed the revised Sexual Harassment policy. The Consent Agenda addressed the approval of the December 15, 2025 regular Board Minutes, financial reports for the month ending December 31, 2025, Bills and Claims for December, and authorized personnel transactions including one retirement and several new staff appointments/hires. Board appointments for Clerk and Treasurer were also confirmed for the 2026 term.

The regular meeting addressed several items, including a College update detailing recent activities such as the Aspen Narrative submission, legislative engagement, and athletic team successes. The Board reviewed updates from the KACC Quarterly meeting and legislative reports. Key actions included the approval of the FY 2024 Audit. Furthermore, the Board approved the purchase of welding equipment for the Mulvane Campus using Perkins Reserve Grant Funds and Operating Budget, following an RFP process where Lampton Welding Supply was selected. The Academic Subcommittee provided an update regarding proposed prerequisite language changes for Paramedic courses to accommodate Bridge Program students. The Policy Subcommittee reviewed policy 214.00. The Consent Agenda, which included the approval of November 17, 2025 Board Minutes, financial reports for November 30, 2025, and associated Bills and Claims, as well as personnel transactions including retirements and new administrative appointments, was approved. Finally, the Board tabled the discussion regarding revisions to the Board Handbook until the January meeting.

The Cowley College strategic framework, known as Assessment of Institutional Metrics (AIM), focuses on four core pillars: Educational Access, Student Retention, Student Success, and Institutional Effectiveness. The college is committed to providing learning excellence, personal achievement, and community engagement. This framework guides the college in assessing its commitment to open admissions, supporting students to remove roadblocks to retention, enabling students to achieve educational goals, and creating sustainable organizational action prioritizing student success.

This Quality Initiative Report details Cowley College's 'Maximizing Data to Support Institutional Effectiveness and Student Success' initiative, implemented during its 2018-2021 strategic plan. The initiative focused on reinventing the College's Accountability and Institutional Measures (AIM) by reorganizing metrics, creating cross-departmental review teams, incorporating peer cohort data, and implementing Tableau dashboards. The aim was to enhance data accessibility, literacy, and governance, transforming key performance indicators into tools for goal-setting and success planning.