An amendment presented at the Navajo County Community College District Governing Board meeting on Nov. 20 provides an additional $7,600 to Northern Arizona University’s (NAU) Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) for students transitioning to Northland Pioneer College (NPC) from Winslow and Holbrook public high schools.
“GEAR UP is a 13-month project committed to foster post-secondary student success beginning in middle school and continuing through high school, into college and beyond,” said Interim Vice President for Learning and Student Services Rickey Jackson. The additional funds will be added to the existing award of $50,000.
The program enables NAU to partner with NPC as previously approved in April of 2018 to increase postsecondary enrollment and reduce the need for remedial coursework in college.
“This amendment is intended to provide participating students with up to $200 to apply toward spring semester costs,” continued Jackson. “NPC will provide GEAR UP students the chance to earn the award through specific activities and/or by completing specific steps related to college persistence.”
Every GEAR UP student attending NPC is eligible to earn the award.
The board unanimously approved the hiring of a construction manager and assistant to oversee the planning, design and construction of the new facilities and the repair and renovation of existing facilities at the White Mountain Campus in Show Low.
The construction and renovation will be split into three projects: the Skills Center, which will consolidate welding, automotive, metal arts and other programs; the General Education Building, a two-story building with classrooms for new technology and office space; and repair and renovation of the Learning Center for Nursing, with minor renovation in the Aspen and Goldwater buildings for an estimated cost of $20 million.
Even with the unanimous approval, concerns were raised over whether the new building will bring a positive impact to enrollment in three to five years down the road.
“What is going to be the return on investment,” asked Board Member James Matteson. “Will our programs expand; will this project bring in more students? Is there any way we can put a number on this? The board is going to make a decision and invest quite a bit of money. What will this do for the communities?”
NPC President Mark Vest said, “We know we have waiting lists for programs. When we have expanded in the past the programs have filled.”
Board Chairman Frank Lucero noted, “A big complaint I hear is that we are dumping everything in Show Low and ignoring everybody else. We are not planning ahead and Winslow is a good example, we don’t know what is happening to those kids. I personally think Winslow could expand but nobody wants to put much effort into it.
Vest said, “That’s factually not true, we are sitting on a new campus in Holbrook that didn’t exist 10 years ago.”
Lucero agreed, “But I am saying there is a perception. We are being lumped in with Navajo County government and Navajo County dumps everything in Show Low and ignores the north end of the county.”
Vest responded, “The first focus is to attract more students to new and current programs, with the second focus to make the educational environment better for all the students, by concentrating our programs on one campus rather than having them spread all over Show Low.”
In another discussion led by Jackson it was noted that while fall enrollment for NPC was up by 2.1 percent, there are concerns that Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology (NAVIT) numbers from Winslow High School have decreased. But Jackson continued, “There has been an increase in the police academy and fire science for NAVIT. We have 70 Snowflake High School students participating in the TALON (Technology to Advance Learning Outcomes at Northland) program as well.”
Matteson said that he was encouraged that the fire science and medical programs were increased in enrollment. “When you look at what is happening on a national level, there are some programs that are really in demand, like medical and fire science.”
Jackson agreed, “Every year we have a plan to evaluate our programs, not just how they impact our communities but what the need is nationally.”
Chief Business Officer Maderia Ellison advised the board that NPC would be awarding a contract for engineering and architectural services to Adams Engineering and Associates for $36,650. The contract will provide engineering services to design the removal and replacement of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system in the Aspen Center on the White Mountain Campus in Show Low.
“This is a multi-year, multi-location project that will affect several buildings located in Show Low, Snowflake, Winslow and Polacca,” said Ellison. “Upon completion of the engineering and design phase, a request for proposal will be issued for the construction portion of the project, which will require the approval of the board.”
In other business, the board:
* Approved the dual enrollment agreements between the college district, and Show Low, Tuba City and Window Rock unified school districts.
* Approved a dual enrollment IGAs between the college district and Northeast Arizona Technological Institute of Vocational Education.
* Reviewed the Fall 2018 Enrollment Report and the 2019-20 Budget Assumptions and Guidelines.
* Reviewed the financial audits for NPC Friends and Family 2017-18 and for Northeast Arizona Training Center 2017-18, which were completed by Brian Richards, a certified public accountant in Snowflake, on Aug. 22. Richards issued an opinion that the financial statements were presented fairly, in all material respects and in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
* Reviewed the annual report to the Governor that included major accomplishments as well as issues and resolutions in 2017-18.
The next meeting of the board will be at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 18, at the Holbrook Painted Desert Campus, located at 2251 E. Navajo Blvd.
