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PJC Board of Regents updated on Pathways Institute

PJC Board of Regents updated on Pathways Institute

Published or Revised December 11, 2023

Monday's Feb. 22, 2016 meeting of the Paris Junior College Board of Regents opened with an address from Representative Gary VanDeaver, HD1, and continued with an update on the work being done with the national Pathways Institute.

"You missed out on some funding last time," VanDeaver told the Regents, referring to the previous legislative session. "We're going to work to see that doesn't happen in the future." VanDeaver said he felt that community colleges are in a much better position going into the new session than in the last cycle. A House interim study looking at community college funding issues, requested by VanDeaver, is underway now.

A report on the First Pathways Institute was delivered by Board of Regents President Curtis Fendley, who attended with PJC President Dr. Pam Anglin and PJC staff members. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is paying expenses for PJC's participation in the Pathways project.

"We can be very proud of Paris Junior College," said Fendley. "They only selected 30 institutions in the entire country and we were one of those. The main emphasis of what I heard is this a starting path for students leading them from the start to completion of their degree. Our goal as a board is to increase the number of graduates and along the way eliminate unnecessary courses that don't transfer. The goal is for them to not only be successful at PJC, but for them to be successful in the workforce." He reported on groundwork already done of establishing performance indicators, monitoring timelines, and getting communication out. There are a total of five institutes held in the year.

"Pathways will work with what the high schools are doing with endorsements," said Dr. Anglin. "We can get into the high schools and hand students a degree plan all the way up through the associate degree in applied science or working through a baccalaureate. So we'll be working with K-12 and our major transfer institutions to have that path. They will have milestones and advisors checking those milestones to keep them on track."

In other business the Board of Regents:

  • Received a financial report from Controller Keitha Carlton showing stable finances in the fifth month of the fiscal year. PJC faces a shortfall of nearly $1 million due to three factors: a requirement from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board mandating no more than 60 hours for degree programs; cutting contact hours from some of those programs; and lower spring semester enrollment.
  • Approved a contract with the Lamar County Elections Administrator to conduct the PJC regent election, sharing voting locations and cost with the City of Paris. PJC will have one additional location in Cunningham.
  • Accepted a proposal from the Follett Bookstore that purchased Nebraska Books last year. The company is looking at setting up a coffee shop in the PJC - Greenville Center, putting in a bookstore in the new PJC - Sulphur Springs Center, and upgrades for the Paris campus bookstore. They will also add an online athletic team store.
  • Authorized Dr. Anglin to settle the tax abatement issue with Paris Warehouse 107. The Chief Appraiser brought back a finding that PJC has no overpayment so is not obligated to return funds.
  • Received a report from Assistant to the President Pam Bennett on candidates filing for Regent positions: in Place 1, incumbent Berdie Gibson is unopposed; Baisha Kwanna Franklin and Carolyn Lockett have filed for Place 2; At-Large Place 8: incumbent Louise Taylor faces Grover Glatfelter.
  • Were informed during the President's Report that testimony from the House Interim Study on Higher Education stated only 66 of the 250 counties in Texas are in a community college taxing district. In other news, PJC was notified that the Texas Success Center is providing a $60,000 Texas Success Center Career Pathways grant for workforce dual credit. The college will receive performance pay of $1,000 per student for sixty students in electrician, welding and enhanced nurse aide programs to be used to assist future students enrolling for dual credit in these programs. PJC was one of 12 colleges selected.
  • Approved the hiring of Stephanie Pinckard as Advising/Counseling Academic Advisor, effective Feb. 15.