Cloud County Community College Board of Trustees Extends President Knoettgen's Contract for Additional Year

Cloud County Community College President Amber Knoettgen
Cloud County Community College President Amber Knoettgen

The Cloud County Community College Board of Trustees unanimously voted to extend the contract of President Amber Knoettgen an additional year through June 30, 2025 during their regular meeting on Tuesday, May 24th.

President Knoettgen's prior contract ran through June 30, 2024.  The decision came after the Board of Trustees conducted the annual evaluation of President Knoettgen on May 9th.

Knoettgen was named the institution's ninth president on November 17, 2020.  Prior to that, Knoettgen served for more than three years as the college's Vice President for Administrative Services.  She first came to Cloud County in July 2016 as the Director of Advisement and Retention.

The board also voted Tuesday night to renew the contracts for full-time administrative personnel for the 2022-2023 contract year.

In other personnel matters,  the board approved the appointment of Linda Ramsey of Abilene as an Allied Health Instructor at the Geary County Campus, effective August 15th.  Ramsey currently serves as the Director of Nursing at Village Manor of Abilene.

Blayne Harris of Hays was appointed an Assistant Wrestling Coach, effective on July 18th.  Harris, a graduate of Cloud County Community College and Fort Hays State University, was a volunteer Assistant Wrestling Coach in 2021.  The Beloit native was a two-time NJCAA national qualifier in wrestling while at Cloud County.

Also at Tuesday's meeting, the board voted 5-1 to approve the renewal of a two-year lease agreement with Darrel Hosie and Margo Hosie for a hanger facility at Blosser Municipal Airport in Concordia to support the educational programs offered by the Renewable Energy Department in the amount of $72,600.

Trustee Patricia Owensby Macfarlane cast the lone opposing vote.

Cloud County Community College first entered into a lease agreement for the hanger space in August 2012.  The college extended the contract from 2012 through 2017, and then added an additional five years.

The college board elected to renew the lease for two more years at a cost of $3,000 per month for fiscal year 2023 and $3,050 per month for fiscal year 2024, up from the current lease terms of $2,650 per month, to support the Renewable Energy Department during the construction of the new Technical Education and Innovation Center.  Once complete, the plan is to move the Renewable Energy Department into the Technical Education and Innovation Center.

The board also voted to approve a five-year agreement with Instructure for 2022-2027 in the amount of $110,385.00 for the use and customer support of Canvas, the college's learning management system.

Canvas provides a platform for students enrolled in online as well as face-to-face courses to interact with their instructor, provides access to course materials, the ability to submit assignments, and to view their grades.  The college's current service contract is set to expire on June 30, 2022.

The board also approved a bid from Image Quest in the amount of $31,963.68 for the first year of a five year lease agreement for a multifunction copier.  The agreement includes 12 replacement copiers serving both the Concordia and Geary County campuses, plus regular maintenance services to support the college's print, copy and fax environment.

During her report, Vice President for Academic Affairs Kim Zant said the college is working on the final touches of their 2+2 agreement with K-State Salina for their small unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, program.

Before adjourning, the board held three Executive Sessions totaling an hour in length.

The board held a 15-minute Executive Session for Negotiations with President Knoettgen, Vice President Zant, Vice President for Administrative Services Caesar Wood, Human Resources Director Chris Wilson and College Attorney Justin Ferrell.

The board then held two Executive Sessions for Attorney/Client Privilege,  with the same participants, adding up to 45 minutes in length.

No action was taken after the sessions.