Trustees give more authority to Texarkana College president amid virus outbreak

TEXARKANA, Texas - Texarkana College President Dr. Jason Smith has the authority to make decisions on the behalf of the Board of Trustees in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

The move is intended to provide seamless decisions amid a fast-changing situation to bring about student success and provide services and resources.

"The College's top priority is the safety of our students and employees," Smith said. "The administration's goal is to facilitate the continuance of operations in an altered operational format, allowing students to remain on track to meet their learning objectives and complete their studies. Retention of full-time and part-time employees, reduction in turnover, maintaining morale and facilitating the future return to normal operations is also a top strategic objective."

The Board granted Smith the decision-making authority on their behalf during a virtual meeting Friday.

Board President Kyle Davis said the trustees saw the need to act quickly in response to the emergency situation.

The resolution allows for the college president to act for the Board of Trustees in various areas, including scheduling of work and payments to employees, alteration to 2019-2020 calendar, ability to seek waivers from various agencies and ability to procure needed items above the president's normal threshold.

Smith said TC formed a special task force with representatives from campus administration, faculty, staff and police to monitor the emerging COVID-19 outbreak.

"We have pulled together resources from across campus who remain in continuous contact with local and state officials as well as medical advisers who provide us with accurate and timely information regarding the pandemic," said Smith. "We will continue to daily assess the needs of our students, faculty and staff and be ready to respond with appropriate support and actions."

Smith said the TC switchboard will remain open for incoming calls although the campus will be closed for in-person meetings.

"Students can contact academic advisers and financial aid specialists during this time of campus closure," said Smith. "This is a good time for students to start thinking about enrolling in the summer or fall terms and completing financial aid applications. During the time the campus is closed, staff will also be working remotely, and it will be necessary for students to call and leave a voice message and a contact number for a return call. We will do our very best to remain accessible and responsive to every student's need."

Upcoming Events