Pictured: Dr. Gerald Stagg (left) is joined by Judge Kent Cooper (center) and Dr. Kevin Rose (right) after being sworn in as NTCC's newest member of the Board of Trustees.
The Northeast Texas Community College Board of Trustees met for its regular May meeting on Tuesday, May 26th. Chairman Robin Sharp opened the meeting with a special presentation honoring Stephanie Thurman for seven years of service on the board.
“We are very grateful to Stephanie for her service to NTCC. She was a dedicated member of the board who always kept the best interests of the students, college employees, and community in mind,” Sharp said.
Following the presentation, Titus County Judge Kent Cooper swore in trustees Brian Applegate (Place 2) and Sondra Fowler (Place 3), who were both unopposed incumbents beginning new six-year terms. Cooper also swore in Dr. Gerald Stagg, who was recently appointed to fill Thurman’s Place 5 seat.
Trustees then unanimously voted to retain the current slate of board officers: Robin Sharp, Chair; Russell East, Vice Chair; and Sondra Fowler, Secretary.
Program Spotlight: Communities in Schools
This month’s Program Spotlight featured Communities in Schools of Northeast Texas. Billi Jo Thomas, Associate Dean of Outreach Services and Executive Director of CIS, and Heather Hughes, CIS Program Director, shared an overview of the program and its impact.
CIS currently serves at-risk students in 13 school districts across Northeast Texas, providing case-managed services to more than 3,000 students through approximately 40 full and part-time coordinators. Services include academic support, mental and physical health assistance, behavioral interventions, and help meeting basic needs such as food insecurity.
Thomas noted that the ultimate goal of CIS is to remove barriers to student success. CIS of Northeast Texas is also unique in being the only program in the nation directly affiliated with a community college.
The program reported strong outcomes among case-managed students, including 97% academic improvement, 93% behavior improvement, 89% attendance improvement, and 100% basic needs improvement.
Click below if to view more information about CIS and a recent Harvard study highlighting the effectiveness of the program:
President’s Report
President Kevin Rose highlighted several recent accomplishments and updates:
- Spring commencement ceremonies were held May 16th, with 370 students earning a total of 457 credentials.
- The NTCC Eagles Baseball team completed its most successful season in 30 years, winning the Region XIV North Tournament and advancing to the Super Regional in Waco. Head Coach Andy Morgan was named Region XIV Coach of the Year, and several players received all-conference honors.
- NTCC Rodeo team members Kelon Andrews and Hayden Sanders qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming.
- The college recently received a $275,416 JET Grant from the Texas Workforce Commission to purchase advanced training equipment for nursing and health science programs.
Rose also provided an update on HB8 funding, noting that community colleges statewide exceeded projections, creating a significant state-level shortfall. While NTCC received full funding for the current fiscal year, appropriations for 2026-2027 have not yet been finalized. Rose said conservative budgeting should help the college remain financially stable despite expected reductions.
The Foundation reported $187,099.22 in gifts during April, including East Texas Giving Day donations. Dr. Jon McCullough, Executive Vice President of Advancement, said the total is expected to approach $300,000 once matching grants are applied.
Items of Information
Rose also shared an update on the college’s new strategic framework, “NTCC 2030: Empowering the Future,” which replaces the previous strategic plan concluding in 2025. The condensed framework focuses on strategic priorities tied to the college’s Mission, Vision, and North Star Statement. Additional details will be released later.
Amy Adkins, Executive Director of Human Resources, reviewed recent updates to TASB Legal and Local policies. Trustees are expected to vote on the policy updates at the June meeting.
Action Items
The board:
- Approved the consent agenda
- Tabled an easement item concerning AEP SWEPCO equipment maintenance
- Released the Executive Director of Human Resources and Dean of Health Science from their contracts due to retirements
- Approved a one-year extension of the president’s contract
