Improving the Allen Community College campus is a top priority for college trustees. They voiced their ideas on what should be updated and renovated at a meeting Tuesday night.
Allen President John Masterson said the process of planning projects has begun. Trustees agree improvements are needed but concern of smaller projects being completed before a larger picture is devised worried some.
“I don’t want to commit something to a short term project if we don’t have a long-term plan,” Neal Barclay said.
Ken McGuffin agreed with Barclay.
“We should work on immediate needs of the college before you build new, but you don’t want to put that off, either,” McGuffin said.
Projects that need to be tackled include replacing the floor in the chemistry lab and expanding the student center.
Cynthia Jacobson, vice president for student affairs, brought attention to scheduling issues of intersession. Intersession was scheduled from Jan. 6 to 10. The spring semester begins on Jan. 21, which means students attending intersession would have one week and two weekends of idle time before the semester started. She proposed that they reschedule intersession for Jan. 8-14. The trustees approved the change.
Masterson told trustees a tuition and fee increase is a possibility.
“It would increase $3 a credit hour,” Masterson said. “We would raise book rental from $10 to $12 a credit hour.”
A two and half percent food service increase would take place and $100 increase on room and board. Trustees will make a decision at the next meeting.
New employees Ashley Michaelis and Dorothy Lawrence attended the meeting to introduce themselves to trustees. Michaelis is the admissions counselor at the Burlingame Campus. She has a master’s degree in leadership and management from Friends University. Lawrence is part of the maintenance and custodial staff. Lawrence said she is a student at ACC and is two credits away from earning her associates degree.
Student Senate and the Burlingame campus are both looking into recycling programs on the campuses. Senate would like to recycle plastic bottles in the residence halls.
John Marshall, vice president for academic affairs, reported the college is trying to complete a reverse transfer option for students. Students who transfer to a university before obtaining an associates degree at the college can transfer their university credits back to Allen. Doing this would allow the student to receive an associates degree. Marshall said this option could possibly be available in January.
A change devised this fall on how to collect late payments, or no payments, from students will continue in January, Jacobsen said. Students are removed from class registration for non-payment at the 100 percent deadline. Monthly reminders will be sent between registration opening and the beginning of the semester. Student affairs tried the new collection idea this fall and Jacobson said it was successful.
Allen in early stages of development, plans
