Wilkes Community College Board of Trustees Holds Retreat and Regular Business Session

Wilkes Community College Board of Trustees Holds Retreat and Regular Business Session

 

Sparta, NC – The Wilkes Community College (WCC) Board of Trustees held its scheduled meeting and retreat on Thursday, August 21, 2025, at the Alleghany Center in Sparta, NC.

 

The afternoon began with a trustee retreat and review of the Trustee Audit Summary at 4p.m. A pre-meeting presentation was delivered by Talina Pipes, highlighting programs and initiatives at the WCC Alleghany Center. The Board convened its regular business session at 5:45 p.m.

 

Meeting Highlights:

 

• Trustees approved the minutes of the May 14, 2025, meeting and routine financial reports previously shared via email.

 

• College President’s Report – Mike Rodgers

 

 

• • QEP Presentation: Valerie Bailey, Matt Baldwin, and Joey Phillips provided updates on WCC’s Quality Enhancement Plan. The QEP is a five-year plan to increase students’ skills in effective Workplace Communication.

 

• • Enrollment Management Plan: Naomi Bivins and Elisabeth Blevins presented strategies designed to increase enrollment, raise overall curriculum persistence and retention, and grow credential completion including the launch of the Element 451 CRM platform. The new Enrollment Management Plan will also be a five-year plan that will align with the QEP.

 

• • Enrollment Update: As of August 7, fall enrollment is up 3.6%, with FTE up 4.5%. CCP enrollment continues to rise, surpassing pre-COVID numbers for the third consecutive year.

 

• • NC Reconnect Campaign: Since joining the program in 2022, WCC has contacted over 3,000 adult learners. Of these, 320 returned to WCC—a re-enrollment rate of more than 10%, well above the 2% baseline goal. To date, returning students have completed 250 credentials.

 

 

 

• Dr. Jeff Cox, NCCCCS President, announced his retirement from the North Carolina Community College System effective June 30, 2026. WCC wishes Dr. Cox the best in his final year as System President and into the next chapter.

 

• Chairperson’s Report- Jay Vannoy
• Chairperson Vannoy recognized Mr. Giddeon Keith Elmore for eight years of dedicated service to the Wilkes Community College Board of Trustees.
• Chairperson Vannoy honored the memory and legacy of Mr. Terry Bumgarner. Mr. Bumgarner dedicated thirty-one years of service to the Wilkes Community College Board of Trustees.
• Chairperson Vannoy introduced the new and reappointed trustees for 2025. The oath of office was administered by Beverly Talley.

 

Name	Appointing Agency
Ricky Brown	Alleghany County Commissioners
Arnold Lakey	NC Senate
Zachary Luffman	Wilkes County Commissioners
Jay Vannoy	NC House of Representatives
Anna Church	Student Government Association

 

• Action Items:

 

• The Board of Trustees unanimously approved the following Board of Trustee Officers for 2025:

Name	Office
Jay Vannoy	Chairperson
Ricky Brown	Vice Chairperson
Josh Roten	Secretary

 

The Board of Trustees unanimously approved the following items:

 

• Revisions to policy 7.2-Internet and Network Acceptable Use and approved the new 7.9-Pornograpy Prohibited on College Network and Devices policy as presented.

 

• Gave Building and Grounds Committee authority to approve an open-ended design agreement with the selected architect for work on small projects where the cost is below $500,000 and report the selection back to the Board of Trustees at the next meeting.

 

• Gave the Finance Committee authority to approve the 2025-26 state budget allocation and other budget-related items that require action prior to the board’s October meeting, reporting the same at the October meeting.

 

• 2025-2026 budget allocations from Wilkes, Ashe, and Alleghany counties.

 

 

• The Quality Enhancement Plan budget

 

• Implementation of the new Health Sciences Associate in Applied Science Degree program- A45230 beginning Spring semester 2026.

 

• Policy 5.2.8- Repeating Courses and Course Substitutes as presented.

 

• Information Items shared with the Board of Trustees:

 

• Update on FEMA-Reimbursed Hurricane Helene Repair Projects. The potential reimbursement from FEMA totals $635,804.53 to repair campus damage caused by Hurricane Helene.

 

• New employees, retirements, and resignations were shared with the Board of Trustees.

 

• Several Facilities project updates were given.

 

• The 2025 MerleFest Executive Summary

 

• The WCC Foundation Education Promise report

 

• The John A. Walker Center season line-up

 

 

The next scheduled meeting of the WCC Board of Trustees will be held October 9, 2025.

 

Wilkes Community College, a member of the North Carolina Community College System, is a public, two-year, open-door institution serving the people of Wilkes, Ashe, and Alleghany counties and beyond. Established in 1965, WCC has a proud history of meeting the educational, cultural, and workforce needs of our community. As we look to the future, Wilkes Community College provides programs, resources, and services that create quality educational, economic development, and cultural opportunities. WCC aspires to be an effective, learner-centered institution and a dynamic learning organization, preparing students for success in a changing world.

###