National Park College remembered former president Tom Spencer Wednesday and highlighted its growing number of transfer degrees during the monthly Board of Trustees meeting in the Gerald Fisher Campus Center.
Spencer died on April 9. He was one of only four presidents in the college's history.
Fisher served as president for the first 20 years when the school was known as Garland County Community College. Spencer served as president for the next decade and oversaw the merger with Quapaw Technical Institute when the school became National Park Community College.
Sally Carder succeeded Spencer and has since been followed by the current president, John Hogan, who oversaw the college's rebrand to National Park College in 2015.
Jeff Weaver, vice president for external relations, said the NPC Foundation has received a number of donations for the Spirit of NPC scholarship fund, which was endowed by Spencer in honor of his parents. The scholarship supports Phi Theta Kappa students.
The award is presented each year during the spring commencement ceremony to a student who is determined to best exemplify academic achievement, contribution to the spirit of the college and personal advancement. The 2016 ceremony will be held May 14 at Bank of the Ozarks Arena.
Caleb Grisham reported during the meeting the college's Alpha Beta Psi Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society was recognized as a five-star chapter during the 2016 Nerd Nation International Convention in Washington, D.C. Grisham said the rating was awarded due to the chapter's involvement in all three of the chapter, regional and national levels of the honor society.
Weaver said the NPC Foundation ranked 34th out of 314 small profits during the Arkansas Gives campaign on April 7. The foundation recently helped host the seventh annual Style Show for Scholarships Luncheon with the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Garland County. The event raised almost $15,000 to qualify for a $7,000 match from the state organization.
Grisham was involved in one of several ratifications of personnel actions approved by the board. Grisham's resignation was accepted effective May 14.
Susan Aldridge, director of public relations/marketing, was one of two early retirement submissions approved. Her retirement will be effective June 30. Elbert Lewis, maintenance assistant, will retire effective Dec. 31.
The college hosted guests from the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, the University of Central Arkansas and Henderson State University Wednesday to celebrate the growing number of transfer degrees and agreements. Yolanda Mitchell, director of the National Park University initiative, said the college has increased its number of agreements from 20 a year ago to 35 ahead of the 2016-17 school year.
Wade Derden, vice president for academic affairs, presented academic program changes, including five new agreements with UAFS. Associate of Applied Science degree programs in Emergency Medical Services-Paramedic, Health Information Technology, Radiologic Technology and Respiratory Care and an Associate of Science degree in Medical Laboratory Technology will transfer to bachelor's programs at UAFS.
Three Associate of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees were approved to transfer to UCA in Health Education, Health Sciences and Nutrition. The agreements allow students to fulfill the first two years of requirements at NPC. The agreements with UAFS allow students to take up to 75 hours at NPC before they transfer.
UCA Provost Steven Runge discussed the university's increased focus on expanding transfer agreements. The university had established only two such agreements with two-year institutions in Arkansas two years ago. The number of agreements has increased to more than 90.
Visitors from UCA included Brian Corbin, director of transfer services, and Geoff Thiers, education counselor. LeRoy Cox, associate professor and department head, represented UAFS.
Henderson was represented by Christi Nation, executive director for HSU-Hot Springs, and Tonya Smith, director of marketing. Three new transfer agreements with Henderson were announced during the February board meeting.
Mitchell said the college has unique transfer agreements with 11 universities in the state, including seven universities with two or more agreements. The college also has one agreement in place for a program at the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope.
Roger Powell, president of the Student Government Association, presented a resolution to Hogan on behalf of the student body expressing gratitude for support of higher education. Members of the SGA visited the state Capitol in Little Rock Tuesday when they presented the resolution to Gov. Asa Hutchinson and local legislators.
Steve Trusty, vice president for finance and administration, said during a finance committee meeting prior to the full board meeting that officials worked to reduce administrative overheard in favor of investment in faculty, staff and student services in the budget for the 2016-17 school year.
Board members will discuss the proposed budget during a retreat in May. Trusty said the proposal will likely be amended in June due to possible actions by the state Legislature during the current special session.
Local on 04/29/2016