CC Regents authorize renewing 33 faculty

Clarendon College Regents approved renewing 33 faculty contracts during their regular meeting last Thursday, April 16.
Regents met in closed session for about 45 minutes before seven people addressed the board in public comments on behalf of three current faculty members who were not on the list of renewals and in support of two athletic programs being shuttered by the college.
Students of drama instructor Leslie Schnaufer, rodeo coach Cody Heck, and English instructor Cannon Roberts spoke up for their teachers, and a member of the CC cross-country team also asked the board not to end his program.
Mr. Heck also spoke on his own behalf, and Interim faculty member Dr. Lauraine Paul spoke in favor of keeping the cheerleading and cross-country programs as well as asking the board to look into why her employment was not being continued.
The board voted unanimously to renew the contracts of the following faculty members as presented: Jay Anders, Welding; Dale Askew, RFO; Cathryn Bailey, ADN; Melvin Balogh, Volleyball Coach/Instructor; Erinn Campbell, Cosmetology; Dr. Edward Caraway, Biology; Valerie Conrad, ADN; Charla Crump, Speech; Kory Dunn, VN; Russell Estlack, Biology; Scarlet Estlack, Biology; Amanda Fefel, Softball; Bret Franks, Ranch Horse; Brian Fuller, History; JoAnne Genn, ADN; Alicia Hunter, VN; Kim Jeffrey, Criminal Justice / Government; Dr. Russell Killingsworth, Chemistry; Addie Lees, Women’s Basketball / Instructor; Melissa McCoy, English; Kelly McDonough, English; Devin McIntosh, Baseball /Instructor; Andy McLatchy, Government / History; Jamie Mears,  VN; Jana Oliver, Cosmetology; Linda Rowland, Math; Dr. Jeremy Sain, Math; Letha Storrs, Cosmetology; Johnny Treichel, Ag / Judging; Daniel Trejo, VN; Laban Tubbs, RFO; Frank Vance, Math; and Ken Wilson, Psychology / Sociology.
The board also voted unanimously to end the cross-country and cheerleading programs.
This week CC President Robert Riza said the cheerleading and cross-country programs were designed to bring in specific numbers and never hit their marks. Resources for those programs will be folded back into the CC athletic department so that the college could focus on its core programs. Cheerleading and cross-country students under scholarship at CC will have their scholarships renewed despite the elimination of those programs, Riza said.
Riza also said the college was not backing away from its commitment to fine arts or to rodeo.
“We are not shutting down rodeo or drama,” Riza said. “We want to make those programs stronger. In fact, expanding fine arts is part of our strategic plan.”
On Tuesday, the Riza administration announced that CC Ranch Horse Team coach Bret Franks will be overseeing the rodeo team, and the college began taking applications for a drama instructor.
In other college business last week, Regents approved a $77,328 proposal to purchase Microsoft Surface tablets for its Ranch & Feedlot Operations and ADN nursing programs. The expenditure will be partially offset by student fees and will eliminate a lot of paper waste at the college. Each RFO student currently receive 14 three-inch, three-ring binders of information, and this pilot program will put all that information at the students’ fingertips on a digital tablet. Students who graduate from the programs will get to keep their tablets.
Regents also ratified the employment of Lisle Rowland as an accountant and JoAnne Genn as nursing instructor.
Amarillo College Board Chairman Don Nicholson addressed the board on legislative affairs and issues facing community colleges in Austin right now.
In his President’s Report, Riza said new bathrooms under construction at the Livestock & Equine Center were nearing completion and should be finished by mid-May.
Riza also said an energy study done by Trane has identified $45,000 to $50,000 in potential savings if mechanical equipment was updated at the college. Trane will have a more detailed report in three to four months.
Interim Vice President of Instruction Roger Schustereit gave a short report for his office and said he was proud of the students who had addressed the board in open forum for speaking articulately and rationally for their views.