CCCC trustees approve master contract

The master contract along with compensation for administrative and support staff personnel were approved by the Cloud County Community College board of trustees during its regular meeting Tuesday night.
The board approved the 2019-2020 master contract as presented.
A salary increase of 2.5 percent for 2019-2020 to the base salary of each full-time administrative employee, excluding president Dr. Adrian Douglas, who were in their current position or have not received a compensation adjustment since April 1, 2019, was approved by the board. The increases are effective July 1.
The board also approved a wage increase for 2019-2020 of 2.5 percent for each full-time support staff employee and that no wage for full-time support staff employees be below $11 per hour for those who were in their current position or have not received a compensation adjustment since April 1, 2019.
A low bid of $74,028.97 from Hood Heating, Air, Plumbing & Electric to renovate the heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit in the college library was approved by the board.
The primary purpose of the unit replacement and duct work repair is to provide a permanent solution to  manage the humidity levels within the library.
The board also approved the low bid of $80,500 from Peltier Foundry to replace the staircase in parking lot 3.
Information presented to the board stated that the current staircase has become dilapidated and irreparable per a structural engineer. As a result the staircase has been blocked off while the college worked with an engineer and architect to design a functional replacement staircase.
Appointing Dr. Crystal Davis to the full-time KPERS-covered position of coordinator of student retention and academic support at the Geary County Campus, effective November 1, was approved by the board.
During public comments, faculty and staff members, including Beth Whisler, instructor of psychology and education; Kristina Frost, criminal justice and social science instructor; Caesar Wood, director of auxiliary services; and Gwen Cairns, mathematics instructor, each voiced their support for having a mental health professional on campus full time.
Cloud County currently has a mental health professional on campus two days per week.
The board of trustees has previously discussed hiring a mental health professional full time.
An increase on course fees of $3 per credit hour from $32 to $35 was approved by the board of trustees last year to help support student health services. It was estimated to generate $105,690 in revenue per year.
“Rarely does a day pass that I don't have to refer a student to counseling or some kind of support services, and sometimes more than one time a day,” Frost said.
Cairns said she has seen more students coming in this semester with a problem, and they tell them to seek help.
“You can't continue to tell students to take action, to get help, if you don't provide a means for that,” Cairns said.
During his report to the board, Dr. Pedro Leite, vice president for academic affairs and student success, said that the mental health counselor sees about 15 students per week in the two days she is on campus.
“It is close to impossible to provide a good service when you see 15 students. It takes time,” Leite said.
Leite said that there is no time for walk-ins to see the counselor, and if there is an emergency, that student has to be walked or driven over to Pawnee Mental Health Services or taken to the hospital.
Also during his report, Leite announced that the college had received word on Tuesday afternoon that the nursing program had received continuing accreditation for another eight years, which is the maximum number of years.
Following the regular meeting, the board had a study session on the tuition and fees for the 2020-21 academic year.
The current tuition rate are $71 per credit hour for in-district, Cloud County residents; $78 for in-state, non- Cloud County residents; $84 for out-of-state; and $84 for international tuition.
The board was informed that the college administration will not recommend changes in the tuition, fees and housing rates for next year.