Whit Vosburgh

The Board discussed the progress of the 2026-31 strategic plan and received an update from the President regarding state and county budget processes, affordable housing initiatives, and upcoming commencement exercises. Action items approved included naming nominations and pledges for the Novo Nordisk Life Sciences Center, an HVAC project amendment, construction management recommendations for a building renovation, and the 2026-27 meeting calendar. Additionally, the Board approved various items on the consent agenda, such as continuing education fees, off-cycle curriculum changes, and a class visitation report.

The meeting included a panel discussion with economic development directors from Orange and Durham counties concerning regional economic and workforce development priorities, with input informing the College's Strategic Plan Core Team and Task Force. The President provided an update on the Affordable Housing development, noting that site clearing has commenced following the execution of the purchase agreement. Furthermore, the College was selected by Achieving the Dream to participate in the Digital Holistic Student Supports initiative. The Board unanimously approved the budget report, cycle fees for curriculum and continuing education for fiscal year 2026-27, and off-cycle fees for continuing education and curriculum for fiscal year 2025-26. Action items approved included a Health Sciences amendment, an Orange County Campus addition, candidates for 2026 Honorary Degrees (including Commencement Speaker/Student Honorary Degree recipient Parsa Zareiesfandabadi, Retiree Mary Anne Grabarek, and Community Partner Steve Farmer), and a recommendation for Building 9 architectural partners.

Key discussions and actions from the Board of Trustees meeting included updates on the affordable housing property closing scheduled for mid-December. Progress continues on the café renovation, which the Board named the John Burness Commons, and the exterior courtyard project. Enrollment for Spring 2026 is trending positively, and the campus climate is reported as positive. Student Government Association President reported on a successful fall conference and outlined spring plans, including hosting a Town Hall. Committee reports covered Student Success and Workforce & Economic Development, noting SACSCOC approval for several existing programs (Social and Human Services AAS, Introduction to Social and Human Services Certificate, Construction Management Certificate). Pending SACSCOC approval, three new Information Technology (IT) offerings were proposed, including an Artificial Intelligence AAS degree. The Board unanimously approved the budget report, Continuing Education off-cycle fees, and capital replacement actions for the HVAC systems in both the West Collins Building and the East Collins Building.

The meeting included a discussion about state performance measures, focusing on adult basic education, developmental education, curriculum completion, and college transfer performance. The board also discussed the establishment of baselines and goals for performance measures and the college's performance in relation to these metrics. Additional topics included the upcoming holiday party, a multi-year plan of work, enrollment trends, and potential partnerships. The board also touched on campus improvement plans, renovations, and the exploration of alternate organizational structures to enhance entrepreneurial approaches to program delivery.

Durham Tech's strategic plan focuses on transforming lives, achieving equity, and building communities through an expansive vision of higher education. It emphasizes guiding programs of study, offering a mix of short-term and longer-term opportunities, making institutional investments, providing support services, partnering with companies and sectors, and embracing innovations over the next five years.