CCC board approves gift and graduation

CLOVIS — In its last meeting of 2021, Clovis Community College trustees approved a fall graduation list and a sizable local gift that would be bolstered by matching state dollars.

By a 5-0 vote, trustees approved a gift of $2 million to the college by the Bonner Family Foundation for the benefit of the college’s nursing program. For CCC to receive the donation, a match of $2 million would be required from the state. Discussions during the meeting and the agenda did not include specifics on how or when the state would provide such a match, but the agenda noted local legislators are working on securing those dollars. The CCC Foundation board of directors reviewed the gift as a requirement of the college’s gift policy and recommended its approval.

Board member Terry Martin said gifts from the Bonners, and various other families in past years, are a part of the community that make the college possible.

“The Bonners deserve a lot of gratitude,” Martin said.

The fall graduation list, President Charles Nwankwo told trustees included 213 graduates of some type — 60 associate’s degrees, 70 certificates of completion and 83 certificates of achievement. The college does not hold a fall commencement, but fall graduates are welcome to walk in the May 13 spring commencement.

In other business at the Wednesday meeting:

• Trustees approved a $105,965 compensation study contract with salary.com. Trustee Jan Bradburn, a former CCC instructor, said the study was overdue and was glad the college was doing it.

• Trustees approved new employee handbooks, which combined separate handbooks that were given to professional and support staffs. The singular handbook unifies content shared by both professional and support, but keeps any areas specific to those employees in the original form.

Trustee Carolyn Spence spoke at length questioning a section on CCC’s hiring process that required a selection committee to provide the Human Resources office with a candidate’s ethnic category. Administrators told Spence the college did not use that information, which is voluntarily provided by applicants, in hiring decisions but recorded it for federal reporting and applicant pool data.

• The board met in executive session for just over an hour to discuss personnel matters, but upon return to open session took no action before adjourning.

The next meeting is scheduled for 8 a.m. Feb. 2 at CCC Room 512.