Greenville Technical College

The meeting began with the Chair calling the meeting to order and confirming that the press was notified and a quorum was present. Key discussion points included an update on the Center for Manufacturing Innovation (CMI), which recently received the Society of Manufacturing Engineering (SME) Workforce Development Innovations Award. The CMI update highlighted current student partnership levels (approximately 14%), high graduation and employment rates, and enrollment projections showing significant growth for Summer and Fall 2025, with key programs being located in the facility. Projections indicate a need for additional instructors. Additionally, a board member recognized the college for hosting the NAMIWalks event, which raised substantial funds for mental health support.

The meeting commenced with a welcome to board members, staff, and legislative guests, followed by recognition for a board member's reappointment and the Greenville County Schools' 90+% graduation rate. Key discussions included the approval of the 2026 GTC Board Calendar. The President's Report highlighted achievements such as exceeding enrollment goals, a significant increase in the college's economic impact (from $627 million to $874 million), updates on the Center for Welding and Automation Excellence and the Center for Industrial Cybersecurity and AI, the decision to allow the current ERP system contract to expire while seeking new vendor pathways, and an alumnus restaurant receiving a Michelin star. The Audit Committee provided an update on reorganizing the internal audit function to align with global standards and presented an updated disaster recovery plan and cybersecurity report. The Performance and Evaluation Committee recommended and the board adopted the 2028 strategic plan. The Marketing, Recruiting, and Enrollment Committee reported winning five awards. The Education and Training Review Committee received unanimous approval for two new programs: an Associate of Applied Science in Visual Arts and an Associate of Applied Science Engineering Fundamentals, Welding Concentration. Updates were also provided on the SCATCC's plans, the preliminary ULI data report, and the CHE's review of higher education institutions. The Greenville Tech Foundation reiterated its commitment to fundraising and is managing leadership transitions. The board convened in executive session to discuss a personnel matter before adjourning.

The Audit Committee meeting included an update on internal audit activities and organizational changes, such as the Internal Audit team moving under the Chief of Staff's office and the pending hiring of a General Counsel. Key discussion points in the internal audit update involved strengthening governance, risk management, and control processes, including compliance with Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Global Standards. The committee also discussed the status of the 2026 Audit Plan Risk Assessment, which is being developed based on input from various college areas and emerging risk reports. Furthermore, the committee reviewed the 2026 Office of Information Technology (OIT) Disaster Recovery Plan, which outlines procedures for catastrophic network disruptions, and discussed recovery timelines related to on-site and cloud-based backups. An update on cybersecurity was also provided, referencing Federal Trade Commission safeguards and detailing 2025 incidents like phishing and transcript fraud. The motion to present the 2026 OIT Disaster Recovery Plan to the full Board for approval carried.

The Audit Committee meeting commenced with the confirmation that the press was notified and the agenda was publicly posted. A key action involved the presentation of the Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Statements by the external auditor, who reported an unmodified audit opinion with no negative findings and commended the finance team's strong performance. The committee subsequently voted to present these financial statements to the full Board for approval. No other old or new business was addressed before the meeting was adjourned.

The meeting commenced with the confirmation of public notification and the presence of a quorum. Key topics discussed during the President's Report included enrollment figures showing a 1% increase overall and a 3% rise in credit hours, a 25% reduction in withdrawal rates, national recognition from organizations supported by the Gates Foundation, ongoing community and workforce engagement initiatives such as potential collaborations following a visit to Boise, ID, and Michelin apprenticeship achievements. The President also detailed economic outlook monitoring, updates on the McAlister Development project timeline, accreditation considerations, capital projects including the completion of the Nursing building renovation and expansion of Surgical Technology, and financial highlights such as increased Pell scholarships and a substantial reduction in student bad debt, offset by ongoing high pension costs. In the Finance Report, revenues were reported as 6% above budget, driven by enrollment growth. The Audit Committee received an unmodified opinion for FY 2025 Financial Statements, noting a $13.4 million improvement in net financial position, and the committee's recommendation for approval was unanimously adopted. Updates were provided on the South Carolina Association for Technical College Commissioners (SCATCC) joint meeting regarding tuition setting and the Commission for Higher Education (CHE) review of its annual budget and advanced-degree graduate reports. In New Business, discussion centered on a draft press release highlighting new program offerings, specifically the associate degree in Engineering Fundamentals.