March BOT meeting slides & recording posted

If you were unable to attend the March 26, 2024, meeting of the College Board of Trustees, the video recording of the meeting is available on the College intranet.

• To access the recording go to How the College Works > Board of Trustees > BOT Recordings > 2024
• Click to download the March BOT meeting slides

Trustees’ action items and discussion topics included:

• Discussion of College finances and work in progress on building the budget for Fiscal Year 2025. The new fiscal year begins July 1, 2024.
  • The financial report was presented by Steve Morris, VP of Administration, who is also serving as Interim Chief Financial Officer while the search is underway for a permanent replacement for past CFO Chris Calvert.
  • Development of the budget for Fiscal Year 2025 is based on projected enrollment for 2024-25 that remains steady or increases slightly above the current year’s enrollment. Budget planning also takes into consideration the $5 per credit hour increase in tuition that goes into effect for Fall Semester 2024.
  • Budget planning also includes the assumption that open positions will continue to be filled.
• Approval of a new insurance carrier, Anthem, effective July 1, 2024.
  • VP Morris said the change will lower administrative costs for the College’s insurance plan compared to the current insurance carrier, UMR.
  • The change in insurance carriers should also result in stronger customer service, as well as new funding to support wellness initiatives.
  • Morris said the detailed rationale for changing insurance carriers was reviewed with representatives of Cincinnati State unions, and will continue to be discussed with unions as implementation gets underway.

• A report from Provost Robbin Hoopes on the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Comprehensive Quality Review visit that takes place April 29-30.

• A report from Faculty Senate President Milene Donlin on the Senate’s recently-completed Adjunct Satisfaction Survey.
  • Several Board members commented on the high level of participation in the survey (more than 23% of Fall Semester adjuncts) and the generally high level of satisfaction with working at Cincinnati State that was expressed in survey results.
  • Donlin said the survey results show that improvements to adjunct compensation need to continue and that other concerns raised in the survey, such as improvements in communication with adjuncts, need to be addressed also. Several Board members said they agreed on the importance of making additional improvements for adjunct faculty.
• A report from President Monica Posey on recent and upcoming College activities and events.
• A report from Dr. Posey, Board member Mark Walton, and Board Chairperson John Silverman on meetings with Ohio members of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives during the February National Legislative Summit hosted by the Association of Community College Trustees, and the recent on-campus meeting with the new Chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education, Mike Duffy.

The next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for May 28, 2024, at 3:45 p.m. in the Conference Center on Clifton Campus.