2026 Board of Governor Minutes

January 22, 2026

CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Board of Governors’ Meeting Minutes
January 22, 2026

Public notice of the time and place of the Central Community College Board of Governors' meeting was given in advance to the board members, college administrators and the five daily newspapers within the 25-county area. The agenda was available to the public in the college president’s office and on the CCC website, www.cccneb.edu. The college adheres to the Open Meetings Act, a copy of which is available in the college president’s office.

The meeting was held in the Administration Office Board Room at Central Community College, 3134 W. Highway 34, Grand Island, Nebraska.

All supplemental documents from this meeting are available at: https://meeting.sparqdata.com/Public/Organization/CCC.

Chair Linda Heiden called the Jan. 22, 2026, meeting to order at 1 p.m., with nine board members present.

ROLL CALL

Aerni – present
Broekemier – present
Buss – present
Davis – present
Heiden – present
Keller – present
Lee – present
Pirnie – absent
Skiles – present
Smith – present
Werner – absent

POLICY ITEM

Heiden announced the slate of officers for 2026. They are as follows:

Linda Aerni, Chair
Roger Davis, Vice Chair
Jason Buss, Secretary
Dann Smith, Treasurer

MOVED BY DAVIS, SECONDED BY SKILES to accept the slate of officers.

Aerni – aye
Broekemier – aye
Buss – aye
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – aye
Pirnie – absent
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – absent

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

Jason Buss and Rita Skiles were appointed as Nebraska Community College Association representatives and Jason Buss, Roger Davis, Trevor Lee and Dann Smith were appointed as Enrollment and Financial Audit Committee members for 2026.

INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS

Aerni asked college representatives to introduce guests and staff members.

REVIEWING CLAIMS FOR NEXT MEETING

Jason Buss will review the claims prior to the Feb. 19, 2026, board meeting in Grand Island.

REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION OF CONSENT ITEMS

Aerni asked board members for items in the consent agenda they would like to move to discussion of consent/action items.

CONSENT ITEMS

Consent items included:

Agenda for Jan. 22, 2026.
Minutes of the Nov. 20, 2025, Board of Governors meeting.
Claims for the periods from 1 through Nov. 30, 2025, and from Dec. 1 through Dec. 31, 2025.
Financial reports as of Nov. 30, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2025.
Purchases: None
Personnel:
Jerry Muller, Columbus: The College President recommends that Jerry Muller be offered the position of mechatronics faculty on Columbus Campus, effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Mirisa Hernandez, Kearney: The College President recommends that Mirisa Hernandez be offered the position of nursing faculty in Kearney, effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Jack Annen, Kearney: The College President recommends that Jack Annen be offered the position of mechatronics faculty in Kearney, effective Jan. 20, 2026.
Honorary Award Policy as amended on Jan. 5, 2026.
Civil Rights Procedures as updated in December 2025.
UNK License Agreement: The agreement is between the University of Nebraska Board of Regents and CCC for a nursing classroom in the University of Nebraska-Kearney’s health sciences building.
Legal Support for Copyright Review.

MOVED BY BROEKEMIER, SECONDED BY SMITH to approve the claims, with the exception of payments to themselves, and also to approve the other consent items.

Aerni – aye
Broekemier – aye
Buss – aye
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – aye
Pirnie – absent
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – absent

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

PARNERSHIP/OWNERSHIP

Arts, Science and Business Report

Associate deans Todd Heier and Kyle Sterner presented the following:

The division’s staff support, faculty experience, curriculum instruction assessment, and physical and virtual resources.
Highlights including faculty attending and presenting at conferences, 23 fine arts performances, 67 admissions and recruiting events, three grants received, expansion of eight-week course offerings, revision of the business program, increasing live video options for early childhood education, and relocation of the Hastings library.
In 2024-2025, the awarding of 300 degrees, 176 diplomas and 358 certificates. This amounted to 63% of the college’s FTE, 42% of its degrees and 28% of its awards.

Theater instructor Stephanie Tschetter highlighted the following:

Shakespeare in the Park, a public performance at Frankfort Square in downtown Columbus. CCC partnered with Paws and Claws to feature adoptable dogs during the event, collaborated with downtown businesses, hosted three local food trucks, and participated in Trunk or Treat, drawing more than 2,000 attendees.
Junie B. Jones the Musical, a touring production presented at area elementary schools. About 300 students attended the play at Columbus’ five public elementary schools. Schuyler Elementary School hosted two performances that reached about 700 students.
Charlie Brown Christmas, which was an immersive audience experience that included pre-show activities. The show itself featured a combined band and choir concert with a staged Charlie Brown Christmas performance.
Gage County NE, which is a documentary theater production based on the wrongful conviction of The Beatrice Six that was featured on HBO’s Mind Over Murder. The CCC production will feature nine actors and a raked stage design in the shape of Nebraska.

DISCUSSION OF CONSENT/ACTION ITEMS

2026-2030 Strategic Mission, Vision, Values and Major Initiatives

The College President recommends approval of CCC’s strategic mission, vision, values and major initiatives for 2026-2030.

MOVED BY SKILES, SECONDED BY DAVIS to approve the 2026-2030 strategic mission, vision, values and major initiatives.

Aerni – aye
Broekemier – aye
Buss – aye
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – aye
Pirnie – absent
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – absent

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

Energy Technology Program Teach Out

The College President recommends approval of the teach out of the energy technology program in compliance with the Higher Learning Commission’s expectations for accredited institutions.

MOVED BY DAVIS, SECONDED BY SMITH to approve the energy technology program teach out.

Aerni – aye
Broekemier – aye
Buss – aye
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – aye
Pirnie – absent
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – absent

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

REPORTS

Dr. Gotschall’s Report

Dr. Gotschall gave updates that covered 2025 successes, Nebraska graduation trends, CCC graduate outcomes, student and employee surveys and other topics. He also reported the following:

Participated in peer review meetings and a site visit of a Kansas college for the Higher Learning Commission.
Visited the Ord Center, multiple visits, including a job fair, to Lexington following Tyson closing announcement and Holdrege due to relocation efforts.
Amy Hill, Kelly Christensen and I participate in biweekly phone calls regarding Lexington response and support coordinated by Nebraska Department of Labor and other state agencies.
Met with State Board of Nursing representatives.
Participated in new National Science Foundation Business Leadership Team meeting in Columbus with about a dozen area manufacturers to plan projects and initiate iMec training in their plants.
Attended fundraiser and follow-up meetings with Edgerton Explorit Center and Trades on the Move initiative for the 6 Regions/One Nebraska group.
Hosted Governor Pillen at CCC-Grand Island in new welding building for his State of the State media tour across Nebraska.
Attended Aksarben event in Ashland regarding study on economic development opportunities.
Attended several meetings regarding new micro-credential in advanced manufacturing funded by a statewide $7 million Nebraska Department of Labor investment.
On-going faculty negotiations meetings.
Attended event at University President Dr. Gold’s residence regarding statewide P-20 education coordination and representatives from state legislature’s Education Committee.
Participated in winter commencement with over 355 diploma/degree recipients invited as well as 40 GED graduates.
Attended meeting with JBS-GI regarding possible training opportunities.
Attended Hastings Campus and area office employee service awards.
Attended some federal workforce Pell implementation webinars.
Participated in a CCC-Grand Island residence hall progress meeting as well as other area capital projects and opportunities.
Conducted college-wide presentation regarding the state of the college and welcome back for the new year. A copy of the PowerPoint is available under President’s report.
Met with Peter Kiewit Foundation regarding current and potential future projects, attended Scott Foundation meeting regarding Higher Education efforts.
Met with several state legislators during first week of session and attended BioNebraska legislative event in Lincoln.
Attended Heartland United Way Nominating Committee meeting to discuss new board members and UW leadership.
Participated in an American Association of Community College focus group.
Attended athletic basketball competitions in Columbus.
Participated in early part of All College Faculty Senate meeting.

Reports from area vice presidents include:

Press release from the University of Nebraska-Kearney was released to area media regarding new 2+2 Transfer Pathways to UNK for elementary education, SPED, early childhood education and middle grades education.
Spring enrollment so far is up with a few days of free drop/add remaining. Official media numbers should be released next week.
We are full-staffed in nursing faculty positions for the first time in several semesters. Faculty and students began meeting at the new UNK/UNMC Rural Health Building on Jan. 13, a new agreement has been negotiated and CCC will cover cost of student and faculty parking as needed.
31- Feb. 6, 2026, are the dates for nursing applications for the 2026-27 academic year. The new process is a lottery system. Students will have the entire week to submit items then complete applications will be picked randomly.
Callie Bridges, occupational therapy assistant program director, is meeting with the College of Saint Mary for a combined case study activity with their OT students and our OTA students to meet some accreditation standards.
We completed an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) instructor course in December. Many of the new instructors will be assigned to a mentor instructor to work with this spring during EMT courses. This will increase our instructor pool for EMS courses throughout the CCC area starting in summer 2026.
The dental hygiene program provided preventive care for 200 children at two elementary schools in Columbus on Dec. 10.
Faculty continue to add AI (artificial intelligence) into their courses, including AI podcasts in psychology.
CCC is participating in a Computer Science Futures grant, which is focused on building computer science and computer science education pathways. All six community colleges and all three Nebraska University campuses are participating in the state-wide project.
Taylor Brase, early childhood director, and Dr. Amy Mancini, dean of arts, science and business, presented at the Nebraska School Board Association on “On Ramps to Teacher Education” which highlighted the para certificate and the human relations training.
The General Education Committee began analyzing the offerings at other community colleges in Nebraska. The committee looked at the gen ed groups, number of credits required per group, and the courses in each group. In January, the work will continue when the committee reviews the same information from four-year public colleges in Nebraska.
Adult Education staff have helped with coverage at job fairs in Lexington. Class attendance was down significantly in December, but interest in January classes is still strong. We have delayed enrollment in Lexington so we can see the impact of the closure before classes start and can successfully serve as many as possible while still meeting grant requirements.
Team GPA for fall 2025 for CCC athletic teams were: men’s basketball, 3.01; women’s basketball, 3.39; men’s golf, 2.83; men’s soccer, 3.40; women’s soccer, 3.15; women’s softball, 3.81; women’s volleyball, 3.80; coed esports, 2.60; and coed shotgun sports, 3.36.
CCC Entrepreneurship received $10,000 from the national entrepreneurship organization NACCE to assist with Big Idea competitions. Presentations have occurred at various high schools including Grand Island Northwest, Grand Island Public, Kearney Catholic and Ord. Looking at opportunities to support Lexington businesses or individuals considering starting own business following layoffs.
Fine arts faculty attended the Nebraska Music Educator Association and Nebraska State Activities Association state one-act competitions with booths representing CCC programs. Over 540 people attended the successful Charlie Brown Christmas two-day event on the Columbus Campus.
Associate Dean Brian Hoffman attended the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and the Metallica – All Within My Hands Foundation annual meeting Nov. 5-6 at the College of Southern Nevada. The criminal justice (CRIM) program is in the fifth year of funding from the foundation to support scholarships for CRIM students.
Nate Allen, dean of career and technical science, attended the SkillsUSA state leadership conference and competition planning meeting on November 12 for the state conference and competitions held annually in Grand Island in April. Planning is in full swing with identifying contest coordinators and planning for each competition.
Students and faculty in auto body technology (AUTB) were presented with a $20,000 check to support the new Automotive Training Center building project from the Nebraska Rod and Customs Association (NRCA).
The Media Arts (MART) faculty and administration hosted UNO faculty and administration on December 4. Program tours, discussion of 2+2 options for students, and discussion of the two programs were held.
The heavy equipment operator (HEOT) program students, faculty and staff, Alison Feeney and Dr. Cheri Beda attended the Nebraska Land Improvement Contractors’ Association (LICA) conference in Lincoln on Jan. 15. LICA continues to provide each HEOT student with a $500 scholarship. The scholarships were presented at the conference.
The hospitality management and culinary arts faculty and staff will host the State High School ProStart culinary competition on Feb. 18 on the Hastings Campus. New competitions have been added this year and over 50 high school students will participate. CCC will be the host for the next three years.
The CCC-Columbus farm ground lease was awarded to REDSTAR LLC. They offered their support to provide more opportunities for agriculture students to gain more hands-on learning through various test plots. Students will be able to engage in all phases of field crop production.
Mechatronics instructors Brent Konwinski and Allen Stenzel attended the Automation Fair in Chicago.
Agriculture instructor Jeff Buescher and AGRI students attended the Holdrege Regenerative Ag Conference.
Advanced manufacturing design technology and drafting and design technology faculty and administration are engaged in a project with Mentor Connect to explore an ATE grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Troy Davis, Amy Stuart, Alison Feeney and Joe Black are teaming together on this project.
The 2026-27 scholarship applications look very promising with 1,317 scholarship applications started as of January 11. Of those, 628 have been completed. At the same time last year, CCC had roughly 200 completed scholarship applications.
For the new year and new term, 132 military-connected students are registered. Nine are new students, 123 are returning. Twelve of the returning students were recovered from 2024 or previous years thanks to the teams’ outreach. Of the 132 students, 70 are veterans or service members and 62 are family members. The average course load is 10 credits per student. The oldest student is 70, eight are over 50 and the youngest is 18.
CCC Director Luz M. Colon-Rodriguez was named director of the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska (BHECN) Central Site. BHECN was created by the Nebraska Legislature in 2009 and is housed at UNMC.
The CCC-Columbus Academic Success Center had 456 students sign into the ASC for the fall semester: 33 for computer use, 106 for independent study, 81 for skill builder, 26 for study break, 24 for supplemental instruction, 112 for tutoring and 74 for the writing coach.
The Hastings career and employment services office collaborated with 10 local businesses to set up CCC job board accounts, discuss internship opportunities, and explore sponsorships. These businesses included Olsson Engineering, Professional Agronomy Services, Kingery Construction, Cozad Services, Rafter Custom Holmes, and others.

The following reports were also submitted for board review:

Enrollment Report
Grants Report
Purchasing Report

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Aerni requested an executive session to discuss personnel and legal issues after a short break at 2:22 p.m.

MOVED BY HEIDEN, SECONDED BY SMITH that the Board of Governors recess the regular meeting in order to go into executive session to discuss personnel and legal issues.

Aerni – aye
Broekemier – aye
Buss – aye
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – aye
Pirnie – absent
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – absent

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

Aerni reconvened the regular session of the Board of Governors meeting at 2:55 p.m.

ADJOURNMENT

MOVED BY SKILES, SECONDED BY HEIDEN to adjourn.

Aerni – aye
Broekemier – aye
Buss – aye
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – aye
Pirnie – absent
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – absent

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

Aerni declared the meeting adjourned at 2:56 p.m.

February 19, 2026

CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Board of Governors’ Meeting Minutes
February 19, 2026

The meeting was held in the Administration Office Board Room at Central Community College, 3134 W. Highway 34, Grand Island, Nebraska.

All supplemental documents from this meeting are available at: https://meeting.sparqdata.com/Public/Organization/CCC.

Treasurer Dann Smith called the Feb. 19, 2026, meeting to order at 1 p.m., with seven board members present.

ROLL CALL

Aerni – absent
Broekemier – present
Buss – absent
Davis – absent
Heiden – present
Keller – present
Lee – present
Pirnie – absent
Skiles – present
Smith – present
Werner – present

INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS

Smith asked college representatives to introduce guests and staff members.

REVIEWING CLAIMS FOR NEXT MEETING

Roger Davis will review the claims prior to the March 19, 2026, board meeting in Hastings.

REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION OF CONSENT ITEMS

Smith asked board members for items in the consent agenda they would like to move to discussion of consent/action items.

CONSENT ITEMS

Consent items included:

Agenda for Feb. 19, 2026.
Minutes of the Jan. 22, 2026, Board of Governors meeting.
Claims for the period from 1 through Jan. 31, 2026.
Financial report as of Jan. 1 through Jan. 31, 2026.
Purchases: None
Personnel:
Courtney McCarty, Grand Island: The College President recommends that Courtney McCarty be offered the position of math faculty in Grand Island, effective Aug. 1, 2026.

MOVED BY SKILES, SECONDED BY WERNER to approve the claims, with the exception of payments to themselves, and also to approve the other consent items.

Aerni – absent
Broekemier – aye
Buss – absent
Davis – absent
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – aye
Pirnie – absent
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – aye

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

PARNERSHIP/OWNERSHIP

Dr. Pam Bales, dean of nursing, gave the following highlights about CCC’s nursing program.

Positive qualities include 17 faculty members with diverse backgrounds, Alpha Delta Nu honorary, and the pinning and first year ceremonies.
The program is open to anyone who meets the admission criteria. About 200 students enroll in the program each semester.
The program shows a three-year average pass rate of 88% for students taking the NCLEX-RN licensing exam and of 96.3% for students taking the NCLEX-PN.
The program has an 85% completion rate.

DISCUSSION OF CONSENT/ACTION ITEMS

Capital Improvement Budget Tentative Approval

Craig Boroff, college facilities manager, presented the 2025-26 capital improvement budget for tentative approval. The budget will be presented for final approval at the September board meeting.

MOVED BY KELLER, SECONDED BY LEE to give tentative approval of the 2025-26 capital improvement budget.

Aerni – absent
Broekemier – aye
Buss – absent
Davis – absent
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – aye
Pirnie – absent
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – aye

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

Columbus Physical Education Center Case Study

Boroff also presented the program statement to be sent to the Nebraska Coordinating Commission on Postsecondary Education for the renovation of and addition to the Physical Education Center on the Columbus Campus.

MOVED BY SKILES, SECONDED BY HEIDEN to approve the Physical Education Center program statement for submission to the Nebraska Coordinating Commission.

Aerni – absent
Broekemier – aye
Buss – absent
Davis – absent
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – aye
Pirnie – absent
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – aye

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

REPORTS

Student Success Report

Francesca Davis and Samreen Ahmed from CCC’s institutional effectiveness office provided information on the 2025 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Data Feedback Report. They covered enrollment measures; number of academic awards; tuition and required fees; and retention, graduation and transfer-out rates for first-time, full-time award-seeking students. When compared to its IPEDS peer group, CCC has:

Higher enrollment of White and Hispanic students and slightly lower enrollment of Black or African American students.
Lower tuition and fees.
Significantly more diplomas and certificates.
Higher full- and part-time retention rates.
Higher graduation rate with lower transfer-out rate and higher graduation rates for most ethnic groups.

Dr. Gotschall’s Report

Hosted the quarterly President’s Quality Action Council meeting with representatives from all campuses, employee groups and students. Shared updates on spring initiatives and updates on the board approval of the CCC mission, vision, values and major initiatives.
Attended the American Association of Community Colleges’ Workforce Development Institute in New Orleans, La., with over 900 attendees and interacted with major community college corporate donors like Metallica, Microsoft, Lowes, Snap On and Festo. Included sessions on dual credit, Workforce Pell and community college baccalaureates to address ongoing workforce development needs.
Several community college president’s meetings regarding legislative issues including visiting area senators, submitting appropriations testimony and presenting oral testimony opposing LB 1247, and prioritizing issues for engagement.
Participated in Lexington Response updates hosted by Nebraska Department of Labor.
Continued with faculty negotiation discussions with administrative team and attorney.
Participated in discussions regarding expanded programming opportunities in Columbus, Kearney and Ord. Participated in CCC athletics planning meetings.
Attended American Association of Community College Trustees meetings in Washington, D.C., with representatives from each of the six Nebraska community colleges and Courtney Wittstruck. In addition to ACCT sessions regarding national legislative priorities and Workforce Pell, met with Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts and Reps. Mike Flood and Adrian Smith. Attended Nebraska Breakfast that included all of the above and Rep. Don Bacon.

Reports from area vice presidents include:

Spring 2026 military-connected enrollment is strong, with 142 students — slightly below the usual 152 average but boosted by the recovery of 16 students from earlier terms. Of the current students, 81 are veterans or service members and 61 are family members.
For the 2026-27 academic year, we are seeing some increase in numbers between scholarship applications and ISIRs. For ISIRs (federal financial aid), we have started importing and processing, and we are up roughly 500 ISIRs from this time last year.  For CCC scholarship applications, we continue to be up roughly 200 applications compared to this time last year.   
At the start of spring classes, counseling services completed eight new intakes, 1 crisis visit, nine consultations and 70 individual appointments.
Disability services staff completed 28 new intakes (21 ADA, seven Title IX). Additionally, there have been five follow-up visits, 13 consultations with faculty and staff, and 10 student consultations. There are 698 Active Access Plans.
Updates to the Early College enrollment and approval process have begun with additional training and implementation of new processes this spring and summer.
By March 16, the registration office will have an estimated count of certificates, degrees and diplomas anticipated for completion for the spring and/or summer terms.
Career and Employment Services closed January with 216 new jobs on the CCC Job Board, which is up from 168 in January 2025.
The admissions office is implementing a targeted plan for signing day outreach college wide. The students who are eligible to participate in these programs are being texted, emailed, and called to try and build the excitement of this great experience.
Math faculty attended a meeting demonstrating a new AI math tutorial tool in development. New online and hybrid courses are in development for several biology courses. The goal is to bring new modalities and offerings to all campuses. Some faculty are experimenting with AI-powered podcasting tools to enhance online classes.
CCC hosted the annual Early Childhood Education conference in Grand Island on Feb. 7. Over 150 early childhood educators attended the event.
Raider golf will have its first golf meet on March 2. Softball had first games on Feb. 16 and CCC Raider volleyball will be represented at the NJCAA Beach Pairs exhibition May 1-3 in Huntsville, Alabama.
Connections and meetings with the new St. Paul economic development director and Phelps County economic development director. Aurora is researching a possible Big Idea as are some other smaller communities in the CCC service area.
Seventeen students were present for a successful 2026 Singing Valentine’s fundraiser.
Both first- and second-year dental hygiene students began their clinical experiences, including community-based rotations at Head Start, elementary schools, the VA, nursing homes and federal clinics. These rotations provide supervised, real-world clinical training aligned with workforce preparation and student success.
In the OTHA 1220 community-based practice course, students will be initiating a few community projects that include working on a sensory space/pathway for Kearney Children’s Museum. Some students will be working on life skills with adults with developmental disabilities at Mid-Nebraska Individual Services.
The medical assisting lab was a rotation stop for 220 students from Barr Middle School on Jan. 20 and more than 200 eighth graders from Westridge Middle School on Jan. 27. They shared program information, demonstrated suturing, and discussed the different scissors used in clinics.
Health sciences students were invited by the UNMC Diagnostic Medical Sonography program to volunteer for sonography labs for spring 2026. This is an opportunity for the UNMC students to practice with live patients.
Afternoon nursing assistant and medication aide courses have been established in Lexington to support retraining and re-entry into the healthcare workforce for former Tyson employees. In addition, exploratory conversations are underway with area hospitals, medical clinics and community partners regarding potential phlebotomy offerings to further expand workforce pathways across Lexington, Cozad, Gothenburg, Kearney, Holdrege and other communities.
CHI Health St. Francis donated IV poles to the paramedicine and EMT programs. They will be used for paramedic students in the lab, and each campus will have one for EMT students. The EMT program across our service area has been grateful for all the recent additions to equipment and programming needs the college has provided.
There are 33 EMT students who will complete their EMT courses in February/March. We have 64 new enrolled EMT students for spring 2026. Paramedicine has 11 students completing their final semester, with an internship to follow in the summer of 2026.
Second-year courses at the Kearney Center continue to be held at the new UNK/UNMC Health Science Building #2 without major issue. There is a slight disruption with maintaining or acquiring a Wi-Fi signal through Eduroam. The IT team from UNK has been a great help in working through this issue.
31- Feb. 6, 2026, is the application period for the 2026-27 academic year in nursing. The goal is to fill cohorts by mid-April, early May.

The following reports were also submitted for board review:

Enrollment Report
Grants Report
Purchasing Report

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Smith requested an executive session to discuss personnel and legal issues at 1:48 p.m.

MOVED BY LEE, SECONDED BY SKILES that the Board of Governors recess the regular meeting in order to go into executive session to discuss personnel and legal issues.

Aerni – absent
Broekemier – aye
Buss – absent
Davis – absent
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – aye
Pirnie – absent
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – aye

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

Smith reconvened the regular session of the Board of Governors meeting at 2:05 p.m.

ADJOURNMENT

MOVED BY HEIDEN, SECONDED BY SKILES to adjourn.

Aerni – absent
Broekemier – aye
Buss – absent
Davis – absent
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – aye
Pirnie – absent
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – aye

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

Smith declared the meeting adjourned at 2:06 p.m.

March 19, 2026

CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Board of Governors’ Meeting Minutes
March 19, 2026

The meeting was held in the Hall Student Union, Cottonwood Room, at Central Community College-Hastings, 550 S. Technical Blvd., Hastings, Nebraska.

All supplemental documents from this meeting are available at: https://meeting.sparqdata.com/Public/Organization/CCC.

Chair Linda Aerni called the March 19, 2026, meeting to order at 1:30 p.m., with 11 board members present.

ROLL CALL

Aerni – present
Broekemier – present
Buss – present
Davis – present
Heiden – present
Keller – present
Lee – present
Pirnie – present
Skiles – present
Smith – present
Werner – present

INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS

Aerni asked college representatives to introduce guests and staff members.

REVIEWING CLAIMS FOR NEXT MEETING

Linda Heiden will review the claims prior to the April 16, 2026, board meeting in Grand Island.

REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION OF CONSENT ITEMS

Aerni asked board members for items in the consent agenda they would like to move to discussion of consent/action items.

CONSENT ITEMS

Consent items included:

Agenda for March 19, 2026.
Minutes of the Feb. 19, 2025, Board of Governors meeting.
Claims for the period from Feb. 1 through Feb. 28, 2026.
Financial reports as of Feb. 28, 2026.
Purchases:
Stand-Alone Diesel Engine, Hastings: The College President recommends purchasing the engine from Cummins of Omaha for $49,804.96.
Irrigation Pivot, Hastings: The College President recommends accepting the offer to purchase the pivot from S & P in the sum of $105,318.56 as a replacement for the Hastings Campus.
Personnel:
Carlos (Charlie) Simmons, Grand Island: The College President recommends that Carlos (Charlie) Simmons be offered the position of Electrical Technology Faculty in Grand Island, effective March 23, 2026.
2027-29 Instructional Calendar.
Security Services Bid (tabled for a future meeting).
Athletics Expansion.

MOVED BY DAVIS, SECONDED BY SMITH to approve the claims, with the exception of payments to themselves, and also to approve the other consent items.

Aerni – aye
Broekemier – aye
Buss – aye
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – aye
Pirnie – aye
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – aye

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

PARNERSHIP/OWNERSHIP

Hastings Campus Report

Campus President Dr. Christopher Waddle recognized Kylie Merchant, a graphic design student from Bradshaw, who designed the latest Hastings Campus annual report.

Sarah Kort, CCC dean of health sciences, and Nikki Hamer, Head Start administrative specialist, gave an overview of the partnership that provides dental care to vulnerable kids. CCC dental hygiene students go to Head Start facilities to provide on-site dental assessments and education and, when needed, referral to a dentist. Since 2009, 1,500 kids have been served through the partnership who might not otherwise have received dental care.

Nate Allen, dean of career and technical sciences, gave highlights on CCC’s long involvement with SkillsUSA. The organization has student members and advisors on all three campuses, who participated and did well in multiple individual and team events at the 2025 state competition. The seven students who won a gold medal advanced to the national competition in Atlanta, Ga.

Foundation Report

Executive Director Traci Skalberg shared the following highlights:

Naming rights have been secured for Automotive Careers Training Center.
A strategic planning plan was adopted on Feb. 19.
The CCC Foundation board has reviewed the mission and vision statements. Mission: Partnering with donors to invest in students’ dreams and community success. Vision: A future where communities thrive because everyone has the opportunity to build a better life through education.
Objectives are to expand philanthropic resources, strengthen the internal infrastructure, elevate awareness of the foundation and the college, and optimize program impact.
Projects in the works include the Columbus Raider Fieldhouse, Grand Island Residence Hall and Ord Pollinator Garden Expansion Project
Upcoming events include the ribbon-cutting celebration for the Holdrege Center on March 24 and the CCC Foundation Golf Tournament on Sept. 14 at the Riverside Golf Club in Grand Island.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Scott Miller stated no one had signed in for Public Participation.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Aerni said there was no need for an executive session.

DISCUSSION OF CONSENT/ACTION ITEMS

Tuition, Fees, Food and Housing Rates

For 2026-27, tuition will increase from $99 to $102 per credit hour. Fees will remain the same at $16 per credit hour. Housing will increase by 3% with a single occupancy rate of $3,502 per semester and double or triple occupancy rate of $1,751 per occupant per semester. Food will increase for the 200-meal plan from $1,909 to $1,991 and the 300-meal plan from $2,241 to $2,338 per semester. Tuition for Early College ranges from $0 to $102, depending on the high school’s ability to cover instructional costs. All Early College students will pay the general fees at $16 per credit hour. The fee for Raider Ready is $24.50 per credit hour.

MOVED BY SKILES, SECONDED BY DAVIS to approve the tuition, fees, food and housing rates for 2026-27.

Aerni – aye
Broekemier – aye
Buss – aye
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – aye
Pirnie – aye
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – aye

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

Employee Wages and Benefits

Tabled for a future meeting.

Automotive Center Naming Rights

The naming rights recommended for approval represent gifts ranging from $20,000 to $500,000 and recognize donors who chose to name a space within the facility.

MOVED BY SMITH, SECONDED BY BUSS to approve the naming rights for the Automotive Careers Training Center as presented by the CCC Foundation.

Aerni – aye
Broekemier – aye
Buss – aye
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – aye
Pirnie – aye
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – aye

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

REPORTS

Student Success Report

Dr. Walton shared the following results from the 2025 Employer Survey:

Employers rated 19 professional skills (general education outcomes) and technical skills (different for each program).
Those who hired CCC graduates in the last two years rated them as advanced, 18%; proficient, 51%; progressing, 24%; and beginning, 7%.
Those who haven’t hired a CCC graduate in the last two years rated general skill sets as very important, 55%; important, 36%; somewhat important, 8%; and not important, 1%. These responses indicate CCC is on target training graduates in the skills needed by employers.

Dr. Gotschall’s Report

Dr. Gotschall reported the following:

Participated in residence hall CMR interviews regarding Grand Island residence hall progress. (postponed due to 8 bidders so finalist interviews to be held in April).
Attended the Holdrege Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner.
Participated in the CCC Foundation quarterly meeting and Kearney donor visit, as well as board nominating committee meeting.
Attended Association for Innovation & Transformation (AFIT) national conference and learned about quantum computing, exponential organizations and use of AI agents in higher education.
Attended NBDC press conference and award ceremony at the state capitol with entrepreneurship department.
Participated in new Workforce Pell meeting with Midwest Higher Education Consortium and with the state of Nebraska task force.
Participated in welding ribbon-cutting event attended by the governor and local, state and international leaders. Following the ribbon-cutting event, I gave Nebraska Department of Labor Commissioner Katie Thurber a tour of the Grand Island Campus including the area Health Career Fair.
Held Open Forum at CCC-Hastings and met with various faculty and staff on campus.
Regular communications with presidential peers and NCCA regarding legislative changes.
Participated in weekly meeting regarding Lexington response and training/support given.
Reviewed and scored over 45 scholarship applications for new and returning CCC students as part of areawide effort to review applications between March 1 due date and goal of awards by mid-March.
Will be attending the Higher Learning Commission annual meeting next week and renewed my appointment to the HLC peer review corp.
Hosted administrative budget planning meeting for 2026-27 fiscal year.
Participated in AACC’s Small & Rural College Commission.
Participated as member of Greater Nebraska Workforce Board meeting in Columbus.
Attended dinner with CCC theater department with guest artist, playwright Cecilia Rubino.
Signed off on letter of support with the University of Nebraska-Kearney regarding rural health care educational opportunities for possible US Senate appropriation.

Reports from area vice presidents include:

Occupational therapy assistant self-study report for accreditation has been completed, reviewed and submitted. Additionally, OTA students completed ergonomics assessments on the Grand Island campus and the community practice course students will do some work at Mid-Nebraska Individual Services in Kearney, working with individuals on life skills training and activities. The program is working on a new sensory space at the Kearney Children’s Museum and accepting youth for Getting It Write Camp, a summer fieldwork and a sensory motor camp.
Four new EMS Instructors have been completely credentialed for EMR and EMT courses.
Initiated development of a video podcast series for human services instructors to enhance student communication and connection in the online learning environment. The project is designed to serve a dual purpose: supplemental content for current students and a recruitment tool for prospective students
Health sciences is working on a partnership with Sandy Creek School to implement a phlebotomy class in the fall with a potential phlebotomy certificate program the following year.
Grand Island’s Walnut Middle School visited the CCC campus on February 2, bringing more than 230 eighth-grade students. MEDA, MEDT, and PHRM were among the stops. They spent nine minutes at each rotation hearing about the programs. Additionally, in February, NA/MA, OTHA, PHRM, MEDT, MEDA and PARM/EMS participated in the GISH Junior Exploration Day. This was a great opportunity to showcase CCC programs to the high school by providing information along with hands-on activities. Approximately 160 students attended.
Numerous programs attended Lexington High School for the Dawson County Career Fair.
There were over 154 applicants for this year’s nursing admission event. Staff have been going through the applications to determine if each applicant meets criteria and to establish cohort lists.
The Holdrege Center successfully made the move to its new location in downtown Holdrege. A ribbon-cutting is scheduled for March 24 at 1p.m.
This summer, CCC has 17 workshops scheduled to support Early College. That is a jump from last year’s 13, and many of the sessions will feature new divisions, subjects and faculty participation.
KAAPA Ethanol signed a $62,000 industrial training contract on December 10, 2025, for nine industrial training workshops to be completed by March 13, 2026.
The advanced manufacturing/machine tool training team hosted a business meeting on January 23 to present the new training series and new CNC mill and CNC lathe. Nineteen business leaders from 10 businesses attended the luncheon meeting from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. At least two students signed up for training after the meeting.
A CCC second-language student enrolled in the injection molding training program was featured in an interview session conducted by Telemundo Nebraska.
CCC-Kearney is hosting four Saturday labs for phlebotomy training beginning in mid-March.
iMec summer workshops are planned for four summer professional development workshops beginning on June 9 and ending on July 1. Sixty-four professional development registrations have already been submitted, and up to 80 registrations are expected.
A seven-week industrial training workshop series was offered in Lexington beginning on March 2. This sequence is offered to both GAP-eligible and publicly available participants. Commercial construction course is also to start mid-March with 10 preregistered students.
Numerous CCC faculty and staff will be recognized at the League for Innovation in Community College national conference in mid-March.
CCC-Holdrege has been selected as one of nine qualifying locations for the State Fair Jigsaw Puzzle Tournament. The top three teams from each location will go to the State Fair.
Osceola High School, in partnership with Annie Jeffrey Memorial County Hospital and CCC, completed its first certified nursing assistant Course offered onsite at the high school during the fall semester.
The Albion Hub held a scones class that was well received with 27 attendees. The local brewery, Highway 14, has an open space they rent to people for gatherings and meetings. Because of the number of people attending, they allowed CCC to use the room for free.
A STEM Boot Camp will be offered in partnership with the Omaha Archdiocese from June 1 through June 18. The camp open to Columbus Scotus Central Catholic students entering 9^th-12th grades.
Valerie Bren held leadership training in Red Cloud in January with 10 students.
There are 11 CCC students in the UNK residence halls this semester and there were 15 students during the fall semester.
Amy Hill and Dr. Kelly Christensen met with Gov. Pillen in Lexington to continue working toward serving those impacted by the closure of Tyson in Lexington.
CCC will start teaching the new science for the American Heart Association on March 1. CPR instructors must have their skills updated by February 1. To date, we have updated 57 of the 70 CPR instructors in the Columbus service area.
CCC reached an all-time high in Early College enrollment, with 5,382 students, 548 FTE and more than 16,000 credits. It is an accomplishment to have so many high school students start at CCC.
CCC continues to be a leader in Nebraska Math Readiness activities across the area and in partnership with statewide partners and at least three more schools interested in starting.
BIOS 1500 will be offered in the fall through hybrid scheduling. Dr. Mendadala will lecture via live video, and in-person labs will be available in Columbus, Grand Island, Hastings and Kearney. Four biology instructors are collaborating to offer the same labs to all students regardless of location.
An early childhood conference was held February 7 in Grand Island. It was very successful with over 150 attendees. Due to demand and limited space, plans are being made to offer two conferences next year in separate locations to serve a greater portion of the service area.
A new process has been implemented to better track Level 6 GED students and keep them progressing through each test in a timely manner. It has only been a few weeks, but there has been improvement.
Women’s basketball player Lexi Fiscus was honored for the fifth time as ICCAC Player of the Week and was named NJCAA player of the week. She broke CCC’s single-game scoring record (44 points), surpassed 1,000 career points and became the school's new career scoring leader this season. She was selected ICCAC First Team for basketball
Shotgun sports will be competing at the ACUI Nationals in San Antonio the week of March 16.
Kickin’ with the Raiders will be held April 11 in Lexington. The soccer teams will put on a camp for grades 2-6. Lexington and CHS will play soccer at Raider Field in Columbus on March 19.
The CCC Entrepreneurship Center and its directors will be recognized March 12 as the Nebraska Business Development Center 2025 Business Award winner. NBDC and its home institution UNO are committed to empowering entrepreneurs with the resources and support they need to succeed. Congratulations to Aimee Steinhardt-Duysen, Stephanie Berry, Scott Snell, Katie Walmsley and Lisa Windedahl for their continued work with entrepreneurs across the CCC area and for their collaborative relationship formed with NBDC.
2026-27 Scholarships: Phase 1 scholarships closed on March 1. The college received 1,163 completed applications. This was an increase of 86 applications from a year ago. They are currently in the review process. CCC offered 154 Transition Advantage scholarships totaling $188,496 to students who are on target to complete 12 CCC Early College credits by their high school graduation. The college also offered 75 Committed to Your Success scholarships totaling $38,500 to students nominated from the 25-county area high schools.
The scheduled Office of Civil Rights review for the Columbus Campus was successfully completed on February 11. This state review includes facilities, practices and interviews with students and staff to ensure compliance with federal and state laws. Each campus will be reviewed about every 10 years.
College Central Network, the college’s area-wide online job board, has already helped connect current students and CCC alumni with 426 job opportunities in 2026, representing a 27.2% increase from this time last year. CCC-Grand Island had 58 employers come to the Nursing and Health Career Fair on March 4.

The following reports were also submitted for board review:

Enrollment Report
Grants Report
Purchasing Report

ADJOURNMENT

MOVED BY LEE, SECONDED BY HEIDEN to adjourn.

Aerni – aye
Broekemier – aye
Buss – aye
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – aye
Pirnie – aye
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – aye

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

Aerni declared the meeting adjourned at 3:10 p.m.

April 16, 2026

CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Board of Governors’ Meeting Minutes
April 16, 2026

The meeting was held in the Administration Office Board Room at Central Community College, 3134 W. Highway 34, Grand Island, Nebraska.

All supplemental documents from this meeting are available at: https://meeting.sparqdata.com/Public/Organization/CCC.

Vice Chair Roger Davis called the April 16, 2026, meeting to order at 1 p.m., with eight board members present.

ROLL CALL

Aerni – absent
Broekemier – absent
Buss – present
Davis – present
Heiden – present
Keller – present
Lee – absent
Pirnie – present
Skiles – present
Smith – present
Werner – present

INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS

Davis asked college representatives to introduce guests and staff members.

REVIEWING CLAIMS FOR NEXT MEETING

Diane Keller will review the claims prior to the May 21, 2026, board meeting in Holdrege.

REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION OF CONSENT ITEMS

Davis asked board members for items in the consent agenda they would like to move to discussion of consent/action items.

CONSENT ITEMS

Consent items included:

Agenda for April 16, 2026.
Minutes of the March 19, 2026, Board of Governors meeting.
Claims for the period from March 1 through March 31, 2026.
Financial reports as of March 31, 2026.
Purchases: None
Personnel: None
Security Services Contract: The college president recommends approval of Allied Universal to continue security services for the college.

MOVED BY HEIDEN, SECONDED BY SMITH to approve the claims, with the exception of payments to themselves, and also to approve the other consent items.

Aerni – absent
Broekemier – absent
Buss – aye
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – absent
Pirnie – aye
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – aye

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

PARNERSHIP/OWNERSHIP

Career and Technical Sciences Report

The report featured the following speakers:

Matt McCann, truck driving program director. He spoke about how combining range driving with online learning has allowed the program to take in more drivers. It also gives the program flexibility because not all students need six weeks of training; for example, a farmer who drives farm equipment but has never gotten a CDL. Other students have never driven a truck and need the in-person and hands-on training. About 360 students have come through the program, most of them from CCC’s 25-county area. During a typical academic year, about 60 students take the traditional course and 50 complete the online option.
Jason Baker and Raven King, Hastings Campus co-lead advisors for SkillsUSA. They introduced students Wyatt Kreutzer and Hunter Trumble, who won gold in the Nebraska SkillsUSA state competition in the additive manufacturing category for a mini catapult they built.
Landon Hunt, Columbus Campus co-lead advisor for SkillsUSA. He introduced the Columbus Campus students who won awards at the state SkillsUSA competition: Ashton Behmerwohld and Carson Kunze, gold in mechatronics, and Jessica Ortega, silver in welding sculpture. She was joined by Faith Wilson, a student at the Grand Island Campus, who won a bronze in welding sculpture.
Nate Allen, dean of career and technical sciences. He said that students from the three CCC SkillsUSA chapters won 10 golds, five silvers and four bronzes in the state competition. The gold medal winners qualified for the SkillsUSA national competition, which will be held in June in Atlanta.
Hastings Campus President Dr. Chris Waddle. He announced that Whitney Williams, a member of Phi Theta Kappa’s Beta Alpha Delta chapter, has been named a 2026 New Century Pathway Scholar by the Coca-Cola Foundation: She received the $1,500 scholarship for getting the highest score in Nebraska in the Phi Theta Kappa fall scholarship competition. He also recognized Dr. Allen, who received the SkillsUSA traveling belt for the significant contributions he has made to the organization over the years and for now serving on the state board.

DISCUSSION OF CONSENT/ACTION ITEMS

Gosper Building Naming Rights

In recognition of their longstanding support of the college, the College President recommends naming the new Automotive Careers Training Center as the Gosper Building on the Hastings Campus.

MOVED BY SKILES, SECONDED BY HEIDEN to name the Automotive Careers Training Center as the Gosper Building.

Aerni – absent
Broekemier – absent
Buss – aye
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – absent
Pirnie – aye
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – aye

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

Faculty Negotiated Agreement

Joel King presented the negotiated agreement between the CCC Education Association and the CCC Board of Governors for the contract year 2026-27.

MOVED BY SKILES, SECONDED BY BUSS to approve the faculty negotiated agreement for the 2026.-27 contract year.

Aerni – absent
Broekemier – absent
Buss – aye
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – absent
Pirnie – aye
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – aye

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

Employee Wages and Benefits

Joel King presented the following wage and benefit recommendations for 2026-27:

Full-time classified and contracted employees retained for the 2026‐27 year will be eligible to receive a wage increase. An amount up to the equivalent of 3% of total wages will be set aside for compensation.
Employees hired after April 1, 2026, or salaried employees who exceed the current maximum rate for their grade will not be eligible for an increase. Salaried employees who will exceed the maximum rate as a result of the increase will be adjusted to the maximum rate. Hourly employees who exceed their maximum rate for their grade will still be eligible for an increase of 1.5% of their current rate.
Employees who are eligible to receive additional vacation days due to longevity will have the opportunity to get those additional days cashed out on the month after their anniversary month.
Employees or their dependents who are eligible for free tuition have the ability, in lieu of the free tuition, to opt to have up to $3,060 reduced from their housing charge.
Health and dental insurance premiums are estimated to increase 7.25% over the next year. This equates to an increase of approximately $830,000.
Continuous part-time employees are eligible to receive vision insurance. This equates to a college expenditure of approximately $960.
All other benefits will remain in place without change.

MOVED BY SMITH, SECONDED BY BUSS to accept the wages and benefits for full-time salaried and classified staff for 2026-27.

Aerni – absent
Broekemier – absent
Buss – aye
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – absent
Pirnie – aye
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – aye

Construction Manager At Risk Contract

The College President recommends acceptance of the RFP from Sampson Construction for construction manager at risk for the dormitory project on the Grand Island Campus.

MOVED BY BUSS, SECONDED BY KELLER to accept Sampson Construction for construction manager at risk for the Grand Island Campus dormitory project.

Aerni – absent
Broekemier – absent
Buss – aye
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – absent
Pirnie – aye
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – aye

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

REPORTS

Student Success Report

Given as part of the Partnership/Ownership presentation.

Dr. Gotschall’s Report

Dr. Gotschall reported the following:

Attended Higher Learning Commission meeting on presidential and trustee updates.
Attended American Association for Community College’s annual meeting where Business Administration instructor Venus King was recognized at a Dale Parnell Faculty Excellence awardee. Also participated in the Commission for Small and Rural Colleges meeting during this time.
Met with Ireland Consulate regarding and brought back information on culinary student exchange program and shared with CCC faculty.
Participated in a Postsecondary International Network (PIN) executive committee retreat at end of AACC meeting. I serve as treasurer and the CCC Foundation holds the checking and savings accounts.
Continued with weekly meetings hosted by the Department of Labor regarding Lexington response. Had a successful meeting with a donor for over $127,000 in financial support for our training efforts in Lexington.
Held an open forum with all faculty and staff in Grand Island/Area Office.
Welcomed attendees at the Kansas/Nebraska Information Technology conference that the college hosted in Grand Island. Dozens of college IT representatives met for professional development, networking and problem solving.
Participated in a meeting with multiple representatives from the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation regarding CCC initiatives and possible funding partnerships in future. They invited CCC to sent a rep to an adult education conference in North Carolina based on that meeting with more work to follow.
Attended the UNK investiture for Chancellor Schnoor and attended a Strategic Planning “Catalyst” meeting at the invitation of UNO Chancellor Li.
Maintained regular updates with NCCA and college peers as state budgets and bills are finalized.
Participated in the Scott Scholar Graduation event in Omaha with our over 20 student graduates, foundation and college peers.
Traveled to Lexington and Hastings for meetings with some faculty and staff.
Listened to the Court of Appeals session that was held on the Grand Island Campus that was open to the public and saw great involvement, including a Q&A afterward by our criminal justice students and the three judges.
Participated in CCC’s new success coaching training.
Participated in an AACC federal update webinar, ACCT regional update meeting and HLC virtual meeting with presidents.

Reports from area vice presidents include:

Phase 1 scholarships for 2026-27 closed on March 1. We received 1,163 completed applications, an increase of 86 applications from a year ago. They are currently in the review process. We offered 154 Transition Advantage scholarships totaling $188,496 to students who are on target to complete 12 CCC early college credits by their high school graduation. We also offered 75 Committed to Your Success scholarships totaling $38,500 to students nominated from the 25-county area high schools.
The TRIO annual report was submitted in February. The results showed the program served 213 students and successfully achieved persistence and good academic standing objectives. On April 11, CCC hosted 80 college and high school TRIO students in Grand Island for a student leadership conference. The students listened to a TRIO alum as the keynote and then attended three sessions with topics including leading with purpose, the social change model of leadership, and finding your future self.
Twelve students were inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Chapter in Columbus, including four officers. PTK students from Columbus and Hastings attended Catalyst National Convention March 26-28 in Baltimore.
CCC-Hastings Housing supported more than 60 students who registered to remain on campus during Spring Break. Resident Assistants facilitated a variety of programs, including rock painting, board games and pool tournaments, encouraging student engagement within the residence halls.
Signing day has over 250 registrations, which is a large increase in preregistered numbers compared to last year. Faculty have completed their calls to prospective students, and we will have a more accurate number after registration closes on Friday.
Beth Klitz, vice president of student success and enrollment management, will accompany representatives from the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation and attend the Fourth Annual Belk Endowment Adult Learner Convening in North Carolina April 16-17. The program/agenda aligns similarly with one of CCC’s Impactful Initiatives.
The 2026 Nebraska Assessment of College Health Behaviors Survey (NACHB) was conducted in February-early March. The NACHB is a bi-annual survey designed to better understand student health behaviors, well-being and related experiences. The data collected through this assessment helps inform prevention education programming, campus policies, resource allocation and student support initiatives. Results directly guide our work in areas such as alcohol and other drug education, mental health promotion, and overall student well-being.
College Central Network, our area-wide online job board, has already helped connect current students and CCC alumni with 426 job opportunities in 2026, representing a 27.2% increase from last year.
Coordinated event planning with campus committees for NSRO and Signing Day. Signing day is going well, with registrations coming in nicely for each campus and Kearney.  Efforts to make calls from program faculty started on March 16. Enrollment specialists will start calling Early College students in the upcoming weeks.
Wanda Cloet, dental hygiene program director, represented Central Community College at the American Dental Education meeting in Montreal, Canada has a delegate for the allied program directors in March. She was also featured in an article by Schein Dental with her American Dental Hygienists’ Association Educator of the Year Award.
Shawna Stump has been elected chair of the 2026-27 Nominating Committee for the Nebraska Health Information Management Association (NHIMA). As chair, she will play a vital role in shaping NHIMA’s strategic direction and supporting our mission to promote excellence in health information management across the state.
A nursing pinning ceremony will be held in Grand Island (College Park) on May 1.
Over 60 vendors met with nursing and health sciences students at the annual Job Fair last month.
A total of 103 students were selected for admission into the nursing program: 23 students from Columbus and 40 students from Grand Island and Kearney. Students have until next week to accept their seat in the program. We will be able to fill any unaccepted seats at the Grand Island and Kearney locations. We accepted all applicants from Columbus.
Nursing faculty meet on April 3 to discuss potential admission requirement changes as directed by SBON and other items. The meeting was held at the Kearney Center in the new classroom at UNK.
The distance mechatronics course model was presented at the League for Innovations Conference in Indianapolis by Doug Pauley and Andrew Dunn on behalf CCC and the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing.
Provided quotes for leadership training to BonnaVilla Homes, Ryder Rosacker McCue & Huston, and Grand Island Streets Department.
Coordinating mechatronics trainer coverage for four summer professional development workshops this summer. About 100 professional development registrations have been submitted, which is the largest sign-up that CCC has ever hosted for this event. (This is an increase in 37 enrollments since January.) Additionally, the iMec program includes building distance mechatronics equipment sets for summer professional development (20+ sets per workshop), fall Nebraska high school offerings (TBD), business, and industry professional development (10 sets per course), and business and adult education offerings (60 sets per course).
On March 28, the Holdrege Center helped to host the annual childcare providers conference with UNL Extension, DHHS, Nebraska Family Food Service program and several local/regional early childhood organizations. Approximately 60 people attended.
The Early College announcement for the summer professional development workshops went out to area schools last week, reaching over 260 high school contacts within our service area, along with advertising through the state listservs. The training is arranged for educators and support staff who work directly with students in our community schools. We have 19 sessions scheduled, covering 14 disciplines as well as artificial intelligence training.
Kickin’ with the Raiders soccer campus was held in Lexington on April 11.
The Holdrege Center hosted the Annual Career Fair on April 1 for high school freshmen. About 250 students from ESU 11 area attended.
Workforce Education will offer the following training through June: 24-hour Hazwoper, RS Logix 500, DOT Hazmat, NEC review, forklift certification and confined space at CCC-Columbus; NEC review, VFD, mechanical systems, backflow recertification, electrical fundamentals, electro-pneumatics and motor controls at CCC-Grand Island; technical diagrams, mechanical systems, electrical fundamentals, electro-pneumatics and motor controls at CCC-Lexington; motor controls at Trenton Agri-Products in Trenton; two forklift certification classes at Cornhusker Public Power in Columbus; and three electrical fundamentals classes at KAAPA ethanol in Aurora.

The following reports were also submitted for board review:

Enrollment Report
Grants Report
Purchasing Report

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Davis said there was no need for an executive session and requested a motion to adjourn.

ADJOURNMENT

MOVED BY HEIDEN, SECONDED BY BUSS to adjourn.

Aerni – absent
Broekemier – absent
Buss – aye
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – absent
Pirnie – aye
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – aye

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

Davis declared the meeting adjourned at 2:13 p.m.

May 21, 2026

CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Board of Governors’ Meeting Minutes
May 21, 2026

The meeting was held at Central Community College-Holdrege, 424 West Ave., Holdrege, Neb.

All supplemental documents from this meeting are available at: https://meeting.sparqdata.com/Public/Organization/CCC.

Vice Chair Roger Davis called the May 21, 2026, meeting to order at 1 p.m., with seven board members present.

ROLL CALL

Aerni – absent
Broekemier – absent
Buss – absent
Davis – present
Heiden – present
Keller – present
Lee – present
Pirnie – present
Skiles – present
Smith – present
Werner – absent

INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS

Davis asked college representatives to introduce guests and staff members.

REVIEWING CLAIMS FOR NEXT MEETING

Tom Pirnie will review the claims prior to the June 18, 2026, board meeting in Grand Island.

REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION OF CONSENT ITEMS

Davis asked board members for items in the consent agenda they would like to move to discussion of consent/action items.

CONSENT ITEMS

Consent items included:

Agenda for May 21, 2026.
Minutes of the April 16, 2026, Board of Governors meeting.
Claims for the period from April 1 through April 30, 2026.
Financial reports as of April 30, 2026.
Purchases:
Administration Building Carpet and Paint, Columbus: The College President recommends acceptance of the low acceptable bid of $212,000 from B-D Construction to provide all labor and material to update the interior of the administration building on the Columbus Campus.
Hall Plaza Entrance Replacement, Hastings: The College President recommends acceptance of the low acceptable bid of $443,000 from Carmichael Construction to provide all labor and material to replace the Plaza on the Hastings Campus.
Personnel: None
Nebraska Community College Insurance Trust: Ronald Golka will be the CCC representative of the Nebraska Community College Insurance Trust, effective immediately.
Privacy Policy: Text messaging was added to the college’s privacy policy.

MOVED BY KELLER, SECONDED BY SKILES to approve the claims, with the exception of payments to themselves, and also to approve the other consent items.

Aerni – absent
Broekemier – absent
Buss – absent
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – aye
Pirnie – aye
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – absent

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

PARNERSHIP/OWNERSHIP

Community and Workforce Education Report

Dr. Kelly Christensen, vice president of community and workforce education, talked about expanding services in Cambridge and Gothenburg; gave an overview of what CWE offers, including community education classes, CPR, Early College and workforce education; and shared that CCC was second only to the University of Nebraska-Omaha in the number of ACE (Access College Early) Scholarships it awarded to students. He then introduced the following speakers:

Diana Watson, regional director, updated the board on the Holdrege Center’s move to its new location in downtown Holdrege in mid-December. She highlighted the opportunities available at CCC-Holdrege and the partnerships that bring additional classes to Holdrege as well as past and possible future overseas trips that she helps arrange in her other role as CCC’s international studies coordinator.
Student Arlette Cocco Berrido spoke about how she moved to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic and came to the Holdrege Center to take ESL (English as a second language classes). The college has become a family affair with her son earning a degree and her daughter starting at CCC and then transferring to a four-year college to become a teacher.
Dan Gettinger, associate dean of community and workforce education, focused on CCC’s involvement in addressing the Tyson closure in Lexington in collaboration with the city, school system and service agencies. The college has participated in career fairs, offered workforce training, extended adult education registration to allow more students to enroll and expanded GED class sizes.
Dan Davidchik, associate dean of training and development, shared information about the three National Science Foundation grants that are helping CCC expand participation in advanced manufacturing, build robust mechatronics pathways and provide professional and student development through the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. He also touched on the NeMAC Grant and the Nebraska Pell-Powered Pathways Grant.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Scott Miller stated no one had signed in for Public Participation.

DISCUSSION OF CONSENT/ACTION ITEMS

Approval of CCPE Program Reviews

Dr. Candace Walton presented information on the heavy equipment operator technician, medical assisting, nursing, paramedicine, pharmacy technician and truck driving programs, which are undergoing their seven-year review as required by the Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education.

MOVED BY LEE, SECONDED BY SMITH to approve continuation of CCC’s dental assisting, dental hygiene, early childhood education and eating, air conditioning and refrigeration programs.

Aerni – absent
Broekemier – absent
Buss – absent
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – aye
Pirnie – aye
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – absent

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

Columbus Campus Physical Education Center Addition and Remodel

The work consists of two additions, an interior remodel and HVAC upgrade. The College President recommends acceptance of the low acceptable bid of $5,490,240 from B-D Construction to provide all labor and material to add two additions and remodel the Physical Education Center on the Columbus Campus.

MOVED BY SKILES, SECONDED BY HEIDEN to accept the bid of $5,490,240 from B-D Construction to provide all labor and material to add two additions and remodel the Columbus Campus Physical Education Center.

Aerni – absent
Broekemier – absent
Buss – absent
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – absent (left meeting at 2:10 p.m.)
Pirnie – aye
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – absent

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

REPORTS

Student Success Report

No report was given.

Dr. Gotschall’s Report

Dr. Gotschall reported the following:

As one of two community college representatives, attended two extended Nebraska P-20 Alliance meetings, a newly formed group including representatives from the Nebraska State Department of Education, community colleges, state colleges, University of Nebraska, Buffet Early Learning Institute and Nebraska Department of Labor. Working on establishing a framework for better coordination of P-20 efforts in preparing individuals for workforce needs in Nebraska. As documents are finalized, they will be shared with you all.
Awarded CCC mini-grants to CCC faculty and staff who want to pilot innovative projects across the college.
Attended Grand Island’s signing day where students sign commitments to attend CCC in various programs. Each campus and the Kearney Center held an event with double the attendance from last year.
Held open forums in Kearney (virtual to all centers and hubs) and Columbus and met with the All-College Faculty Senate
CCC-Grand Island hosted the Central 6 Regions/1 Nebraska meeting with approximately 75 central Nebraska leaders attending to get updates on the accomplishments in childcare, workforce and housing that were identified three years ago, and to plan next steps.
Participated in the CCC feasibility study and met with consultants while conducting interviews.
Participated in three commencement ceremonies, celebrating with graduates and their families.
Participated in the Phi Theta Kappa All-Nebraska Team recognition ceremony at the State Capitol where six CCC students were recognized for leadership in scholarship and service.
Attended a two-day BioEconomy in Nebraska conference sponsored by Dr. Gold/University of Nebraska system.
Participated in NCCA quarterly meeting along with the following CEO meeting to discuss possible future funding formula changes.
Met with two possible vendors to provide additional health and wellness support to students and assist with adult student reenrollment of “stop outs” who left CCC prior to earning a credential.
Several meetings with Administrative Services team regarding future direction.
Attended state workforce board meeting regarding implementing Workforce Pell in Nebraska.
Attended Greater Nebraska Workforce Development board meeting regarding new agreements of partners like CCC.
Participated in a meeting with the U.S. Department of Labor regional coordinator and invited her to the automotive ribbon cutting in September with positive affirmation of attendance.
Annual review of IT budget and services for 2026-27 with Tom Peters and review of reports from annual conference attended by several CCC department heads. Provided input on CCC’s response to nationwide Canvas cyber disruption.
Met with Holdrege Chamber president regarding providing space areawide for AI training for small businesses due to a U.S. Chamber of Commerce grant they received to use over the next 18 months.
As PIN treasurer, continued coordination of ISA Ireland conference for PIN members to explore transition of technical colleges to regional technical universities, small business development, and experiencing the sites and programming our students participate in during their exchanges that CCC has offered over several years.
Participated in two community listening sessions in Ord with fantastic support from area leaders seeking more collaborative programing and facility opportunities at the Ord Center. Full report and recommendation will be forthcoming in June.
Participated in the UNK/UNMC Rural Health ribbon cutting luncheon. Positive acknowledgement of CCC at lunch and ribbon cutting and logo shown in room. Positive exchange with CCC’s donor who helped make our investment possible.
Participated in a meeting with Nebraska Economic Development regarding opportunity to redirect some unused state ARPA funds toward the Trades on the Move project. Submitted CCC grant to Coordinating Commission for additional funds for our response in Lexington to provide expanded, and free training for impacted family members of former Tyson employees and community members impacted who do not qualify for unemployment support from the Nebraska Department of Labor.
Participated in pre-audit meeting with auditor, CCC staff and board representatives.

Reports from area vice presidents include:

Many positive end-of-year celebrations, including student recognition events, nursing pinning ceremony, retirement parties, fine arts showcase events, and media arts day.
Faculty participated in the Computer Science Futures grant with all six community colleges and three universities has resulted in new teacher pathways and the addition of a course to the state-wide list.
Biology faculty are adding BioDigital to their courses for fall. This online science simulation tool will allow us to offer online anatomy and physiology courses for the first time.
Two CCC faculty were selected to attend a month-long quantum technology technician bootcamp hosted by Central New Mexico Community College. Hope to bring back ideas of incorporating into current curriculum or new programming for credit or non-credit.
Library kiosks will be added to CCC centers to ensure access to materials and resources at all locations.
Adult Education has partnered with Thermo King in Hastings to offer our first workplace literacy class. We hope to begin the class next month. It will meet once a week for 16 weeks and Thermo King will pay their employees to attend. We will teach the specific vocabulary and objectives Thermo King wants their employees to learn.
May 2026 marks the 50th Anniversary of Adult Education at Central Community College. CCC will be celebrating our 60^th Anniversary during the 2026-27 academic year.
Central sent five current volleyball student-athletes (two pairs and one alternate) to the NJCAA inaugural beach pairs exhibition in Huntsville, Ala., May 2-3. Coach Spenner and the team gained valuable experience and insight to the beach game that will put them on a solid foundation heading into CCC;s first season in 2027. The pairs each won two matches while at the competition.
CCC signed its first woman’s golfer – a student athlete from Burwell.
Athletic Director Mary Young was a co-presenter at the 2026 NJCAA Convention in Kansas City for best practice in event management. She will present again at the NJCAA summer seminar in June on game day operations and sportsmanship, conduct and institutional accountability.
Raiders completed 27 High Five Fridays at 11 area elementary schools in Columbus throughout the past academic year. The visits proved to be a hit for elementary students and incredibly enjoyable for the student-athletes. Thank you to Coach Tyler Francis for the initial organization.
Work is underway with two new business founders and seven current entrepreneurship founders in Hastings, two new in Ord, and 22 current founders in Grand Island. Grand Island also started the spring Trades cohort with 10 businesses. Each Grand Island business will receive a $3,000 mini-grant after six weeks of classes. Kearney hosted a NBDC Blueprint to Business session with 12 in attendance and presented to the Gibbon Chamber in May.
Business and accounting program revision has been completed and will be published in the 2026-27 catalog. Seven new education guided pathways were developed with UNK as well this year.
Eighteen fine arts department performances were held on and off campus this past year.
Numerous CCC faculty are teaching workshops designed to assist and support high school early college instructors better align curriculum and activities with campus offerings.
New CCC history instructor Michelle Setlik is writing the Hall County Chautauqua for 250 Celebration at Stuhr Museum this summer.
Dean Dr. Amy Mancini has been named to the Nebraska Public Media Foundation Board.
Many faculty members will be participating in summer conferences related to teaching subjects and professional development in addition to accompanying our national SkillsUSA students.
New/expanded faculty positions for 2026-27 include psychology, speech, paramedicine and welding due to expanding student numbers. Three lower-enrollment open faculty positions are not scheduled for replacement.
Ara Mottl, medical laboratory technician program adjunct instructor, was selected for the 2025 Emerging Leader Award by the American Society for Clinical Pathology Great Plains Chapter.
Senior dental hygiene students provided preventive dental services, including dental sealants and fluoride varnish, to students at Sutton, Sandy Creek and Lawrence-Nelson high schools in April. Graduating students also had 100% clinical boards pass rate.
Four beds were donated from Bryan Memorial Health Center. Assistant facilities director Dave Stewart traveled to Lincoln to pick beds up to replace non-working beds in Grand Island.
Luz Colon-Rodriguez’s submission of a roundtable session for the NECPA state convention on “Expanding Campus Safety: Implementing and Sustaining Narcan Programs in Higher Education” was accepted. Representing CCC’s Narcan Program and prevention education initiatives will be Lauri Shultis and Alyson Wolfe-Nelson.
New Student Registration and Orientation days are scheduled all summer with faculty and staff advisors available.

The following reports were also submitted for board review:

Enrollment Report
Grants Report
Purchasing Report

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Davis requested an executive session to discuss personnel and legal issues at 2:26 p.m.

MOVED BY SMITH, SECONDED BY KELLER that the Board of Governors recess the regular meeting in order to go into executive session to discuss personnel and legal issues.

Aerni – absent
Broekemier – absent
Buss – absent
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – absent
Pirnie – aye
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – absent

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

Davis reconvened the regular session of the Board of Governors meeting at 3:13 p.m.

ADJOURNMENT

MOVED BY SKILES, SECONDED BY SMITH to adjourn.

Aerni – absent
Broekemier – absent
Buss – absent
Davis – aye
Heiden – aye
Keller – aye
Lee – absent
Pirnie – aye
Skiles – aye
Smith – aye
Werner – absent

UNANIMOUS “AYE” VOTE – MOTION CARRIED

Davis declared the meeting adjourned at 3:14 p.m.