According to a report from ANC Vice President for Administration Don Ray, the College should be seeing some cost savings through more efficient operations. The Board had previously approved an extensive, energy-performance audit by Johnson Controls, an Arkansas Energy Performance Contracting, Global Fortune 500 Company, doing business in Arkansas since 1906. The preliminary assessment indicated a potential for cost savings to ANC significant enough to fund an energy upgrade/replacement plan. The Board approved a proposed energy performance contract, including infrastructure upgrades and measured (guaranteed), with Johnson Controls in the amount of $3,735,174 to be paid for with Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds ($1,769,895) and with Unrestricted E & G Funds ($1,965,279). The energy performance contract recommended by executive staff includes three primary elements: 1) savings related to replacing ANC’s heating, ventilation, & air conditioning (HVAC) systems, 2) replacing much of ANC’s interior and exterior lighting, and 3) reducing heating/cooling loss related to gaps in building
envelops/weatherization.
Board members present were given an enrollment report by ANC Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Chris Heigle. Similar to enrollment trends across the nation, ANC saw a slight decline for this Spring Semester with a total headcount of 1,179 as compared to last Spring’s number of 1,222. The total number of credit hours this Spring is 9,385 as compared to 10,537 last Spring. ANC was fortunate to show a smaller decline than most of its sister intuitions across the state. ANC staff contributes this to the college’s commitment to be flexible for students in its course delivery. ANC faculty have worked very hard to provide their students instruction utilizing a variety of methods.
Reported personnel changes included the hiring of Emily Crosskno as the Director for ANC Technical Center, Jessica Tippy as Payroll Services Specialist, and Greg Turner as ETS Advisor (Grant-Funded).
In other news, Associate Vice President for Development and College Relations Rachel Gifford reported that ANC’s marketing team had been recognized by the Education Digital Marketing Awards. For nine years, Education Digital Marketing Awards (EDMA) have recognized the best educational websites, digital content, electronic communications, mobile media, and social media. Colleges and universities from across the country submit entries to be considered in one or more of 32 different categories. Entries are grouped by type of institution (2-year v. 4- year) and enrollment size. ANC was recognized with 6 awards, 5 Gold (the highest attainment) and 1 Merit.
Considering the rapid and massive increase of digital students since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, digital marketing has become an elevated strategic priority. Gifford noted that ANC’s EDMA recognition is a direct reflection of the work of ANC’s marketing staff, Media Director James Hartley, and Webmaster Danny Graham. Particularly notable is the fact that roughly half of the 9th Annual EDMA winners list outside advertising agencies responsible for their ads/promotions. ANC’s digital ads are produced entirely in-house.
ANC Vice President for Instruction Dr. Keith McClanahan addressed the Board with an update on the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) upcoming visit, and the Board of Trustees role in the visit. The HLC is the accrediting agency for the College. The HLC Peer Review Team will be on campus March 7 & 8, 2022 for the Re-Affirmation of Accreditation.
ANC President Dr. James Shemwell reported that the recent formation of the Consortium of Arkansas
Independent Colleges (CAIC) presents a new opportunity for Trustees to pursue in-service education by
way of annual Trustees retreats for the eight CAIC members: Arkansas Northeastern College, Black River
Technical College, East Arkansas Community College, National Park College, Northwest Arkansas
Community College, Ozarka College, South Arkansas Community College, and Southeast Arkansas
College. The first annual CAIC Trustees Retreat will be hosted by Black River Technical College in
Pocahontas on June 2, 2022, for any ANC Board Member wishing to attend.
The Board was also given an update regarding President Shemwell’s keynote address at a national
conference earlier in February. Each year the American Association of Community Colleges hosts a
Workforce Development Institute (WDI) conference focusing upon best practices and new innovations in
workforce development. On two previous occasions, ANC President Dr. James Shemwell has spoken on
WDI panels in breakout sessions regarding the workforce development model at ANC. For the 2022 WDI
held in Jacksonville, Florida, Dr. Shemwell and Dr. Ava Parker, President of Palm Beach State College
(the opening night host college), served as the featured speakers for the opening night keynote plenary
session, moderated by Jennifer Worth, Senior Vice President of Workforce Development at AACC. Dr.
Shemwell addressed numerous innovations at the Arkansas Northeastern College including the Solutions
Group workforce training delivery model, the emergence of multimodal instruction, and efforts leading to
the elimination of the achievement gap related to minority graduation rates at ANC. Over 500 community
college representatives from around the country were present for the opening session, which was well-received based upon feedback offered by dozens of attendees throughout the remainder of the conference.
Ideas and themes raised by Dr. Shemwell were referenced and reinforced by other speakers on several
occasions in subsequent breakout sessions and presentations. The 2022 WDI conference provided an
opportunity to share ANC best practices and innovations with other community colleges across the
country with the hope that these successful approaches might be replicated elsewhere.
Before closing, the board elected its officers for the 2022 year:
Chairman, Mr. Curtis Walker of Blytheville
Vice-Chairman, Mr. Randy Scott of Blytheville
Secretary, Dr. Thomas Westbrook of Blytheville
