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In his enrollment report to the Navajo County Community College Governing Board on April 16, Interim Vice President for Learning and Students Services Ricky Jackson reported that enrollment at Northland Pioneer College was down by 4.3 percent over this time last year. “The main cause is the dual enrollment offered in the local high schools,” said Jackson. “We have fewer high school students but those students are taking more credits. This gives us more reasons to reach out to the local high schools and be a good partner.”
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When asked what was being done about the decline. Jackson noted that the two new programs starting in the fall, surgical nursing and massage therapy, should bring an increase in biology, math and general education areas “because students will need the credits to get into those programs.”
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Matteson noted that the decline was a great concern. “Do we get new ideas from the communities?” he asked. “It can’t be the cost as we don’t have high level media moguls trying to get their children in.”
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President Mark Vest said, “The demographics of the county are working against us. The school district population is shrinking, especially at the elementary school level. While the economy is rebounding faster in the big cities. The question remains, how do we respond to entire groups of students who are no longer going to college?”
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Jouen suggested, “One of the areas we may find benefits will be in the community economic development commissions. It would be good for us to have a voice there as they recruit new businesses.”
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In other business, the board:
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* Approved the course fees for the courses that were turned in late, including Surgical Nursing, Massage Therapy and Firefighting.
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* Approved the program modification for Paramedicine (EMT) Associate of Applied Science, Certificate of Applied Science and Certificate of Proficiency.
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* Approved the 2019-2022 Preliminary Capital Budget as presented.
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* Approved the purchase of 500 desktop computers, 500 20-inch computer monitors and 15 laptops including 15 docking stations and 15 warranty service packs for the laptops for a total cost of $497,328 through a cooperative purchasing contract with the vendor CDW-G.
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* Approved an award of contract for the removal and replacement of the HVAC equipment in the Aspen Center at the White Mountain Campus in Show Low to Jovos, Inc., in the amount of $199,378, including taxes.
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* Heard for first reading the primary property tax rate which is levied at the current year rate of $1.8164 generating $15.5 million in revenues. It is the recommendation of staff that tax rate remain unchanged from the current year.
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