Meetings watch: CCC board names health center phase after scholarship providers

The Clovis Community College Board of Trustees met Wednesday morning at the college:

• The first phase of the Allied Health Center was named for Don and Gustenia Bonner of Clovis. President John Neibling said the pair have established the CCC Foundation’s largest endowed scholarship fund, which has helped provide financial support for students in the nursing and radiology programs.

• The board received news the college’s nursing program received a renewal of accreditation from the National League for Nursing.

Executive Vice President Becky Rowley said the process went well. The biggest complaint received was the college could do more to attract potential students. Rowley said she felt it was a stretch to call that a problem, and it was a good sign.

The accreditation is good for eight years. The next evaluation comes in spring semester of 2017.

• The board approved a changing of priorities for capital projects using Higher Education Department funds.

Neibling said at a recent meeting in Hobbs, HED officials made positive remarks on plans to remodel the previous allied health building into classrooms and a new computer lab ($1.3 million) and remodeling of the welding department’s electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems. Neibling said other schools didn’t get high marks because they were looking to add new properties instead of remodel. He said the department doesn’t want to take on additional costs for larger campuses if it can avoid it.

“Although I can’t guarantee success,” Neibling said, “I think we were well received.”

• A legal counsel contract was awarded to the Greig and Richards law firm of Clovis. The four-year contract is renewed annually.

• The board re-appointed four board members and replaced another on its Art Committee.

Board members Terry Martin (board representative) and Gayla Brumfield (design or construction professional) received new four-year terms. Community representatives Linda Palla and Corey Pickett received four-year terms. Teegan Simmons, a fine art major at CCC, received a one-year term.

The vote was 3-0; Martin abstained and Brumfield left the meeting before the item came before the board.