By Karen Gavis/editor-in-chief
Students were on the Jan. 17 agenda as the board of trustees spent $1 million-plus on computers and discussed creating spaces on campuses specifically to generate ideas.
Trustees also heard about a student who won third place in a national video contest and the revamping of the Cornerstone honors program.
Trustees agreed to spend $1.26 million to purchase Dell computers and flat-panel displays to satisfy the needs of students and new employees. The cost covers software, replacement of computers purchased 2005-2008 and computers requested for new employees.
Board member Conrad Heede asked how the college disposed of its old computer systems. Previously, the discarded computers were sold at a warehouse sale, and the college actually lost money that way, vice chancellor of finance Mark McClendon said.
Now, the computers are donated to Goodwill and can be bought by TCC students at a discount.
Afterward, BOKA Powell representative Tom Dwyer presented a plan that discussed the concept of innovation forums on each campus.
“It’s a place for all the ideas to kind of come together,” he said. “It’s kind of like a mini-sticky space.”
Trustee Kristin Vandergriff called the plan a tremendous process.
Chancellor Erma Johnson Hadley called it a game changer.
“We have had lots of input on it,” Hadley said. “We think it’s something that is workable.”
During the meeting, SE Campus president Bill Coppola introduced TCC student Chipo Moyo, formerly of Zimbabwe, who won third place in the Dream Big for College video contest. Coppola said the contest had 210 entries, and 185 schools participated.
“I see the world as a giant canvas of opportunity,” Moyo said in her video.
The video’s musical ending played the words “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine” and showed Moyo exiting the doors of TCC.
“Thank you for this honor, for this opportunity you have given me, this opportunity to flourish and grow where I feel right at home,” she said at the meeting.
NW Cornerstone director Lynn Preston presented a video about NW Campus’ honors program, and 10 of the program’s students were present at the meeting.
Preston said in Cornerstone, students take 22 of the 64 hours needed for an associate degree at an honors level.
“It is truly beneficial to our students,” she said. “They are soaring leaps and bounds in this program.”
The Cornerstone program has been revamped and is now available on all campuses, Hadley said.
