Legislative updates: The Technical College request for an operational base grant was approved by legislators as part of the Omnibus package. Additional legislative actions with impact to the technical college budget include capital outlay, IT infrastructure/cybersecurity funding, tiered and non-tiered funding, and apprenticeship funding.

Strategic Area 1: Student Success Graduation and Dental Hygiene Pinning. Join us for graduation Saturday, May 20, at 10 a.m. The Dental Hygiene pinning is scheduled that afternoon at 1 p.m. Honors Recognition Ceremony. Students who earned honors (3.5-3.99 GPA) and highest honors (4.0 GPA) were recognized at a ceremony Wednesday afternoon. Wrangler Ranch. The food pantry continues to serve students' needs. Brenda Carmichael on occasion sacks the food and places it on the tables in the Hollenbeck Commons, and that approach tends to remove a stigma for some students to walk into the Wrangler Ranch kitchen space. One student shared her appreciation for the College taking that action to serve students. End of Year Bash. The event celebrated the end of the academic year and Cinco de Mayo activities.

Strategic Area 2: Employee Development and Support Retirement Reception. Thursday, May 18, from 3:30-5 p.m., the College will celebrate the professional service of three retirees. Their leadership, smiles, laughter, and professionalism will leave the College with significant gaps once classes resume for the start of the fall 2023 semester. We will miss them in our classrooms, offices, and events! Monica Graves, Dental Assisting Director and Dental Assisting Faculty; Division Chair Health & Human Services -- 25 years of service with additional years as an adjunct / alumni Deb Illk, Faculty, Dental Assisting -- 14 years of service / alumni Steve Loewen, Vice President for Instructional Services/Chief Academic Officer -- 24 years of service Master Agreement Discussions. Gratitude to a group of 10 administrators and faculty for taking the time to review the Master Agreement and present to IBB a document that transitions from the former agreement to a model reflecting higher education workload units and language. These efforts were focused on collaboration, open discussions, acknowledgement, professionalism, and respect. This agreement includes updated responsibilities for Division Chairs. Employee Q&A Sessions. Two Q&A sessions were scheduled with employees to review the organizational chart recommendations and the budget process. The Exec Team will schedule additional sessions with employees to specifically address the budget recommendations for 2023-2024 and goals for sustainability of the budget. Friday, May 12 3-7 p.m. Employees, their families, Board members and their families are invited to the house to enjoy conversations and yard games to celebrate the end of the academic year.

Strategic Area 3: Optimized Programs and Facilities include several moves over the summer, which will bring Business Administration and Computer Program Design programs and faculty to the main campus. Additional actions included removal of the gate into the automotive and maintenance spaces area Letters -- Facility Naming Status. After approval of the building naming at the April 10 Board meeting, letters were sent to family members of Richard Metcalf (rename Main Building to Metcalf Education Center), Dr. Dean Hollenbeck (rename the Technology Building to Hollenbeck Education Center), and Keith Stover (rename the Construction Building the Stover Education Center). To celebrate the College's 60th year, a special ceremony and event will be scheduled for the fall 2023 semester.

Strategic Area 4: Dynamic Partnerships Statewide Chamber Dinner April 26. Sauder Fabrication hosted the College as guests of theirs at the Chamber dinner in Topeka. The speaker was Mike Pompeo, former Director of the CIA and U.S. Secretary of State under President Donald Trump. FHTC and USD245 South Coffey County. Superintendent Matt Thomsen is interested in additional partnership with the College. He visited the campus May 5 to tour the facilities and discuss the possibilities of our future partnership.
Gala Success. Congratulations to Mike Crouch, Carol Porter, and Amy Little for their success in another record- shattering year for donations, which is a testament to our value and importance of our programming to our industry and community partners. They show significant support for our students and trust in our programs. Pittsburg State University partnership. PSU President Dan Shipp is riding his bike across the state to engage with students. His schedule bring him to Emporia May 18, and he and his team have invited FHTC employees and students to at Radius from 5:30-7 p.m. See more about President Shipp's biking plan here.

Legislative updates: The Technical College request for an operational base grant was approved by legislators as part of the Omnibus package. Additional legislative actions with impact to the technical college budget include capital outlay, IT infrastructure/cybersecurity funding, tiered and non-tiered funding, and apprenticeship funding.

Strategic Area 1: Student Success Graduation and Dental Hygiene Pinning. Join us for graduation Saturday, May 20, at 10 a.m. The Dental Hygiene pinning is scheduled that afternoon at 1 p.m. Honors Recognition Ceremony. Students who earned honors (3.5-3.99 GPA) and highest honors (4.0 GPA) were recognized at a ceremony Wednesday afternoon. Wrangler Ranch. The food pantry continues to serve students' needs. Brenda Carmichael on occasion sacks the food and places it on the tables in the Hollenbeck Commons, and that approach tends to remove a stigma for some students to walk into the Wrangler Ranch kitchen space. One student shared her appreciation for the College taking that action to serve students. End of Year Bash. The event celebrated the end of the academic year and Cinco de Mayo activities.

Strategic Area 2: Employee Development and Support Retirement Reception. Thursday, May 18, from 3:30-5 p.m., the College will celebrate the professional service of three retirees. Their leadership, smiles, laughter, and professionalism will leave the College with significant gaps once classes resume for the start of the fall 2023 semester. We will miss them in our classrooms, offices, and events! Monica Graves, Dental Assisting Director and Dental Assisting Faculty; Division Chair Health & Human Services -- 25 years of service with additional years as an adjunct / alumni Deb Illk, Faculty, Dental Assisting -- 14 years of service / alumni Steve Loewen, Vice President for Instructional Services/Chief Academic Officer -- 24 years of service Master Agreement Discussions. Gratitude to a group of 10 administrators and faculty for taking the time to review the Master Agreement and present to IBB a document that transitions from the former agreement to a model reflecting higher education workload units and language. These efforts were focused on collaboration, open discussions, acknowledgement, professionalism, and respect. This agreement includes updated responsibilities for Division Chairs. Employee Q&A Sessions. Two Q&A sessions were scheduled with employees to review the organizational chart recommendations and the budget process. The Exec Team will schedule additional sessions with employees to specifically address the budget recommendations for 2023-2024 and goals for sustainability of the budget. Friday, May 12 3-7 p.m. Employees, their families, Board members and their families are invited to the house to enjoy conversations and yard games to celebrate the end of the academic year.

Strategic Area 3: Optimized Programs and Facilities Action on Vision Plan. The College is moving forward on additional actions presented in the Vision Plan. These include several moves over the summer, which will bring Business Administration and Computer Program Design programs and faculty to the main campus. Additional actions included removal of the gate into the automotive and maintenance spaces area Letters -- Facility Naming Status. After approval of the building naming at the April 10 Board meeting, letters were sent to family members of Richard Metcalf (rename Main Building to Metcalf Education Center), Dr. Dean Hollenbeck (rename the Technology Building to Hollenbeck Education Center), and Keith Stover (rename the Construction Building the Stover Education Center). To celebrate the College's 60th year, a special ceremony and event will be scheduled for the fall 2023 semester.

Strategic Area 4: Dynamic Partnerships Statewide Chamber Dinner April 26. Sauder Fabrication hosted the College as guests of theirs at the Chamber dinner in Topeka. The speaker was Mike Pompeo, former Director of the CIA and U.S. Secretary of State under President Donald Trump. FHTC and USD245 South Coffey County. Superintendent Matt Thomsen is interested in additional partnership with the College. He visited the campus May 5 to tour the facilities and discuss the possibilities of our future partnership.

May 8, 2023 FHTC Board of Trustees

Meeting Information

Supporting Documents