BENTONVILLE -- Instituting a sanctioned sports program is "not in the best interest" of Northwest Arkansas Community College, President Evelyn Jorgenson announced Monday, putting to rest an idea discussed for months.
The college instead will focus on improving the club sport programs it offers, Jorgenson said during a Board of Trustees meeting.
Expenditures
A breakdown of how Northwest Arkansas Community College expects to spend its money in fiscal year 2016.
Salaries/wages: $23,334,949
Benefits: $8,302,137
Maintenance/operating: $9,580,088
Source: Northwest Arkansas Community College
Chairman Ric Clifford created a committee to explore the possibility of offering sanctioned sports in response to interest from numerous people last summer. Todd Schwartz, a board member who supported the idea, served as the committee's chairman. The committee met several times between August and February.
The committee researched other community college sports programs and presented a plan to the board in March for starting women's volleyball and softball and men's baseball programs. A student survey done in January showed those sports among the most likely to draw students' interest.
Clifford accepted the committee's report, then disbanded the committee. Board bylaws leave programming decisions in the administration's hands, he said at the time. Jorgenson said at the time the administration would need time to consider the issue.
Jorgenson said Monday the administration arrived at its decision based on feedback from community members, faculty and staff members, students and state legislators.
"We tried to be very thorough. We tried to get beyond a narrow group of people who wanted (sanctioned sports) to happen," she said.
Administrators hosted a forum on the topic about a month ago for college faculty and staff members. Several of them expressed concern sanctioned sports would take the college's focus off education, Jorgenson said.
"They only emphasized how important education is and that's what this college should be known for," she said.
Others have spoken out against the idea as well, including two board members and state Rep. Kim Hendren, R-Gravette.
Schwartz, when asked after Monday's meeting to respond to Jorgenson's announcement, declined to comment.
Mid-South Community College and North Arkansas College are the only schools among Arkansas' 22 public two-year colleges that have sanctioned sports programs.
Joe Spivey, board member, commended Schwartz for his work with the committee, which included college employees and community members. Spivey said the college should consider supporting intramural sports and building fields on the main campus.
"I think that may be an opportunity to increase student enrollment and tie into some additional donors who haven't traditionally been in favor of giving," Spivey said.
The college does offer a range of club sport opportunities, including baseball, basketball, soccer and volleyball.
In other news from Monday's meeting, the board unanimously approved a budget of $41.2 million for fiscal 2016, which begins July 1. That represents a slight increase from the $41.1 million budgeted for this fiscal year.
The 2016 budget includes no increase in tuition rates; in fact, out-of-state tuition was slashed from $175 to $125 per credit hour. Some student fees are being increased, however. The typical full-time student will pay an additional $120 per year in fees under the new fee schedule. The college is expected to reap an extra $621,000 from the fee increases, according to officials.
Officials crafted the budget around the assumption the college will see a 3 percent decline in credit hours -- from 153,692 to 149,081 -- taken next school year compared with the current one. State funding will remain flat. Millage revenue is expected to increase $45,000, or about 0.7 percent.
There will be no merit or cost-of-living salary increases. Faculty members also will not receive the step increases they usually receive, Buckley said.
"We have presented this (budget) to faculty and staff, as is our usual practice," Buckley said. "They're very aware of what this budget looks like."
The college offered a retirement incentive program again this year. Seven people accepted the lump sum payment of $10,000 to retire early. Three of those positions will not be filled, Buckley said.
The college's for-credit enrollment hit an all-time high of 8,648 during the fall 2011 semester, then began to slide. Enrollment last fall was 8,164.
Dave Perozek can be reached at dperozek@nwadg.com or on Twitter @NWADaveP.
NW News on 05/12/2015