The Seminole State College Board of Regents convened Thursday for their monthly meeting. At their March meeting, the Board awarded Emeritus status to five former employees and approved policy updates regarding faculty evaluations.

During the President’s Report to the Board, President Reynolds gave updates on personnel, campus events, financial aid and legislative matters. She also gave an update regarding security on campus. She explained that in light of recent incidents on national, state and local levels there has been a heightened concern for safety and security on college campuses. Reynolds added that although SSC has remained in compliance with National Incident Management System (NIMS) requirements and has a good Emergency Operations Plan, there is always room for improvement, especially when it comes to the safety of students and staff. During the coming months, the College will revisit preparedness and response plans for campus emergencies – updating where necessary and practicing as needed.

President Reynolds also updated the Board on The Academy of Seminole charter school that is renting space in the David L. Boren Library on campus. The Academy will officially begin classes next fall with ninth and tenth grade students. In subsequent years, as these students become juniors and seniors, the Academy has pledged to enroll and pay tuition and fees for all of their students to take concurrent classes at SSC.

“The College is pleased to be a part of providing new and exciting educational opportunities to high school students in this area and we are thankful to The Academy for their financial support of SSC,” said Reynolds.

Under the business agenda, the board approved a request to grant honorary Emeritus status to five former SSC employees: Katherine Benton, Larry Birdwell, Marie Dawson, Kathy Hoover and Kelly Kirk.

Benton served SSC for 18 years. She began in the Talent Search Program and served in several other capacities on campus before assuming the role of Vice President for Fiscal Affairs. Birdwell served SSC for over 12 years as a Mathematics Instructor.  Dawson taught speech and communication courses for 20 years as a full-time faculty member and seven years as an adjunct instructor at the College. Hoover served SSC for 31 years and was responsible for 10 federal grants and two state-administered grants. She wrote nine of the 13 federal grants currently at the SSC. Kirk served the College for over 40 years working as a faculty member and chairman of the Art Department. He was also chair of the Language and Humanities Division for over 12 years.

SSC Policy on Emeritus status states that the Seminole State College Board of Regents, at its discretion, may honor recommendations of the President granting retired faculty, administrators, or professional staff members emeritus status after retirement.  In evaluating candidates for this honorary status, consideration may be given to length of service, special recognitions and activities, and similar items related to performance.

Also approved under the business agenda were updates to Policy II-6-2 regarding faculty evaluations. Specific adjustments were made to clarify the process of student evaluations of faculty. This modification is part of ongoing efforts to update College policies for accuracy and in preparation for the College’s upcoming Higher Learning Commission accreditations process.

Board members present at the March meeting were: Chair Bryan Cain, Marci Donaho, Curtis Morgan, Paige Sheffield and Kim Hyden.

The next SSC Board of Regents meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 17, 2018.