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New college governors take office
NORTH PLATTE -- With an air of optimism and expectation, five members of the Mid-Plains Community College board of governors took the oath of office Wednesday night.
That confidence will be needed in future months, however, as the college works to deal with a number of challenges outlined for the new board later in the meeting.
Among them are declining area student population, underuse of an extensive college computer system, and distribution of funds left in limbo by legal questions over what college they belong to.
Four of them are new on the board, Ted Klug Jr., Elizabeth Benjamin of McCook, Jim Prang and Ross Ridenour. Ernie Mehl is also new to the board, but was unable to attend the meeting. Royce Norman was also sworn in after being re-elected.
Grant consultant Dr. Bonnie Buckland outlined problems with the Mid-Plains area's Jenzabar software system, parts of which have fallen into disuse because of departing staff member, and efforts to more fully utilize its capabilities.
College president Dr. Michael Chipps said the missing data has hurt the college badly.
He is convinced, he said, that the college lost out on a grant worth some $800,000 over four years because it could not produce the information it needed.
The information will also help in recruiting more nontraditional students, Buckland said, which is important because of declining numbers of traditional college students.
Of the 41 high school districts served by Mid-Plains, Buckland said, 78 percent have lost enrollment over the last 10 years.
The board also viewed a report by Tim Hall on the college's Web-based services, and heard that the college's online classes are "booming, reaching far beyond our 18-county border," according to official Marilyn McGahan.
Chipps said Mid-Plains is in position to be the technological gateway to rural Nebraska.
He said he has also discussed the entrepreneurial issue with U.S. Rep. Tom Osborne, and Mid-Plains can help establish the two- to 10-employee businesses that can revive the rural economy.
College attorney David Pederson said he and McCook attorney Dal Wood of the McCook College Foundation are working on a method for using funds which have been left to the college, but which cannot be legally transferred to the McCook foundation or a North Platte Community College foundation. He said a third foundation, specifically to deal with those funds, may have to be set up. The amount of money involved was not immediately available.
In other business at Wednesday night's meeting:
* Glenn Colson was elected chairman, Royce Norman vice-chair, Jane Hornung secretary-treasurer, Glenda Hasenauer assistant secretary-treasurer, and Hornung and Roger Wilson were elected as representatives to the Nebraska Community College Association.
* A new refund policy was approved for students who withdraw from the college before moving in or attending class.