RBC | In an email sent to members of the Craig Board of Control Monday afternoon June 4, Craig CNCC Campus Vice-President Janell Oberlander stated her resignation and reported that her assistant, Denise Mosher, was resigning as well. Oberlander is headed to a new job in Wyoming, and Mosher has accepted a position at the Colorado Community College system office.
At a meeting of the CNCC Foundation Board in Meeker Friday, it was revealed that the other two CNCC vice-president positions are now open. Vice-president for finance Scott Rust has given notice that he is accepting a job for the Town of Rifle, and vice-president for instruction Michelle Landa, who has been working out of both Craig and Rangely, is also leaving.
DIFFICULT TIME FOR CNCC IN CRAIG, STATE SYSTEM PRESIDENT VISITS
These resignations come at a difficult time for CNCC. At a May meeting of the Board of Control, the board defeated a no-confidence vote in Rangely-based CNCC President Ron Granger by a 2-3 margin. The Board of Control is the Moffat County Affiliated Junior College District Board, whose five elected members are responsible for authorizing expenditure of the approximate $1.26 million of mill levy, property and ownership tax revenue that accrues to the Craig college district annually.
Concerns expressed in the Craig community and by board members in recent months caused Colorado Community College System president Nancy McCallin of Denver to meet with the board and Granger at the Craig campus on May 29 for nearly three hours. Community concerns expressed about CNCC have included frustration with the lack of leadership and growth, concerns which were made apparent through community-based focus groups organized by the district board earlier this spring.
GRANGER RESPONSE
At the May 29 meeting, Granger said he intends to create a monthly community networking opportunity modeled on similar monthly meetings in Rangely, hold regular meetings with Craig’s young professionals, seniors and the Spanish speaking community, and, in general, spend more time “talking with the community.”
BOARD OF CONTROL EXERCISED AUTHORITY IN MAY; INSTITUTED TOTAL TUITION BUY-DOWN
At its May 17 meeting, the Board of Control voted 3-2 against authorizing $300,000 in funding requested by the CNCC administration for 2018-2019 operating expenses. Instead they authorized a 100 percent tuition buy-down for any Moffat County residents wishing to enroll or continue their CNCC education.
The motion was made by board treasurer Andy Daniels, who is also the CEO of The Memorial Hospital in Craig. Current buy-down levels are at 50 percent. The 100 percent buy-down would match what’s currently the case for Rangely district residents and what was formerly the case in Craig. This $300,000 would come from the board’s expected contributions to the nursing and emergency medical service programs while support for the soccer program is maintained.
Granger expressed concern about the resulting shortfall to the Craig college programs and said, “we’re looking at how we can make that up.”
Daniels added later that he was “happy that we voted to provide a 100 percent tuition buy-down for all residents of Moffat County. Hopefully, the residents will take advantage of this rare opportunity, enrollment will go up at the college, and President Granger will not squander this opportunity to increase enrollment numbers and expand programs.”
