The Navajo County Community College Governing Board convened Tuesday, Aug. 19, during which the board approved a lease with the Town of Kayenta beginning June 30 and continuing for 25 years for Kayenta property where a new Northland Pioneer College (NPC) facility will be built.

Board Member Kristine Laughter praised the efforts involved in obtaining this lease, adding that working with the federal government is a monumental task. “The government has put things in place to make it harder for us as Indigenous people to succeed, to do what we need to do to make our lives better. So, this is such a big deal.” Navajo Nation land is held in a trust by the federal government and cannot be privately owned.

According to the college’s website, the Arizona Commerce Authority awarded NPC a 2024 Economic Resources Transition Grant to relocate and build a new center in Kayenta in the amount of nearly $8.9 million. The new building will increase NPC’s program offerings, educational services and economic development resources within the region. The project was anticipated to be completed by May 2027, although the length of time it took to acquire the lease might push back its completion date.

Classified Administrative Staff Organization (CASO) President Cynthia Blevins gave an update provided by Early College Office Assistant Kate Hahn who was unable to be present, on NPC’s attendance rates among high school students who were in their last year of high school. Results showed no notable changes in numbers of attendees, maintaining around 31% attendance of high school graduates in Apache or Navajo counties in academic year 2022-23 and 2023-24. Blevins stated that according to Hahn, more direct advising will increase those numbers, which the college will begin to offer.

Northland Pioneer College NPC Friends and Family Director Jesse Reeck stated in her report that the organization’s yearly audit came back with no findings. During the construction report, Director of Facilities and Transportation Justin White stated the Show Low campus automotive building next to the Skills Center is completed and the Goldwater building is a few weeks away from completion. “So, we are redirecting our efforts towards Winslow.” Planning for the Winslow campus’ cosmetology building is in progress. He also reported on the progress of the Kayenta center, which is still in its pre-building phase.

During the president’s report, President Dr. Von Lawson gave his sincere apologies to the board for lack of communication regarding an incident on Feb. 27, where a Holbrook High School student sustained serious burns while taking part in a welding class at NPC. The unidentified student was participating in the Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology (NAVIT) program at the NPC Skills Center in Holbrook. He ensured the board that updates will be provided quickly and more concisely in the future. Lawson explained that his weekly reports will now include details on all student related reports. “We’re going to list all reports that we receive in a brief summary or synopsis, meaning if a student fell, if a student took a wallet, if a student had an accident, whatever that might be. So that you are at least aware.”

In other business, the board:

* Approved a 2025-31 intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between Navajo County Community College District, Northeastern Arizona Training Center and Navajo County, Show Low, Taylor, Snowflake, Pinetop-Lakeside, Holbrook, Winslow, Eagar, Springerville, Apache County and the White Mountain Apache Tribe. The purpose of this agreement is to provide Northeastern Arizona with a police training academy called Northeastern Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy (NALETA) for students who meet Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training qualifications and are sponsored by a law enforcement agency.

* Approved a 2025-31 IGA between Navajo County Community College District and NALETA and Pinetop-Lakeside. Pinetop-Lakeside Police Department will provide instructors for all classes at NALETA.

* Approved a 2025-31 IGA between Navajo County Community College District and NALETA and the towns of Snowflake-Taylor.

* Approved a memorandum of understanding between Maricopa Community Colleges and NPC.

* Approved to renew SMARTnet services for an additional one-year term, through HyeTech Network & Security Solutions, LLC., in the amount of $79,611. This is an annual budgeted expense.

* Approved entering a five-year contract with Anthology for the implementation and four years’ worth of renewal software fees, with the year one software fees being waived, for their Blackboard Learning Management System for a total cost of $274,639. Several board members stated reluctance prior to approval due to previous issues working with Anthology, but was assured by staff that the contract would not have the same setbacks.

* Approved entering into a five-year contract with TouchNet to provide financial services related to credit card processing, student fund disbursements, student tuition payment plans and cashier services for a total cost of $269,000. Annual cost is estimated to be approximately $45,500, which includes $39,500 of software fee and approximately $6,000 of transactional fees. Entering into this contract replaced three vendors that were previously being used for these services.

* Discussed Board Member Rosie Sekayumptewa’s request to have future board meetings held at other locations in the college district. It was marked for further discussion.

* Approved Board Members Derrick Leslie and Sekayumptewa to travel for the Association of Community College Trustees Annual Leadership Congress in New Orleans. The approximate cost to send a participant will be around $3,500, for a total of approximately $7,000. The money is available in the proposed 2025-26 budget.

* Approved Vice President of Human Resources Nicole Ulibarri as NPC Trustee for Mountain Public Employee Benefit Trust.