TC approves strategic plan, anticipates slight budget deficit

Texarkana College's Board of Trustees approved the 2018-20 strategic plan and heard a first reading of the 2018-19 budget during its regular meeting Monday.

The strategic plan, which trustees worked on during a May workshop meeting, includes goals the school will seek to achieve and align with TC's mission of educating the community.

It establishes core values, which include opportunity, excellence, community and success. Top priorities include:

n Enhancing, upgrading and renovating facilities to meet state and federal ADA compliance standards and modernizing instructional space

n Active involvement in a regional economic development initiative effort

n Reaching $10 million in TC Foundation assets by 2020 and growing the TC Alumni and Friends Network to 1,000 members by 2018

"Over the next two years, we will measure progress by our level of adherence to these values, priorities and our mission," TC President James Henry Russell said. "Making informed decisions is important now more than ever for the future of Texarkana College and our community."

In other business, Kim Jones, the vice president of finance, presented a first draft of the 2018-19 budget.

Revenue is projected at $41,856,084 and estimated expenditures are at $42,000,840, with a projected deficit of $144,756 for the year ending Aug. 31, 2019.

Jones said the numbers were preliminary, as the Bowie County Appraisal District will not have final certified appraised values until July 25.

"So many things are still estimates, we cannot give exact amounts on anything," she told the board.

The budget was configured at the current tax rate of $.118115. Russell said he does not anticipate having to increase the tax rate to eliminate the deficit and that they will be able to balance the budget without doing so.

For the past two years, trustees have voted to increase taxes to balance the budget. They also considered an increase in 2015, but an anonymous donor stepped in and gave the school $1 million to keep the taxes from being raised.

The final budget will be approved in August.

Dr. Donna McDaniel, vice president of instruction, also recognized two staff members who received the 2018 National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Teaching in Excellence Award. Denise Johnson, biology faculty member and Dr. John Dixon Broyles, dean of business and social sciences, received the award in May at a national conference in Austin. McDaniel said both go above and beyond for their students and make significant contributions to the community in helping build a college-going culture.

"Both recipients exemplify outstanding professionalism and work for the good of the entire college and community," she said. "Through their guidance and leadership, students thrive and achieve their dreams of earning a college credential despite the barriers they are facing. We are fortunate to have both as members of our TC team."

Johnson has been at TC for 17 years and earned a bachelor of science degree in biology from Texas Women's University and a master of science degree in biochemistry from Louisiana State University-Shreveport. She is the coordinator of anatomy and physiology courses for TC's science, technology, engineering and math division.

Broyles serves as TC's liaison for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in history and a master of fine arts degree in English and creative writing from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. He holds a doctorate of education degree in educational leadership from East Carolina University. Prior to beginning at TC in 2014, he worked at Beaufort County Community College, where he served as dean of arts and sciences.

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