Deb Wendtland has been elected president of the Northern Wyoming Community College District for the coming year.
Action took place during the trustees’ meeting Tuesday night. Hayden Heaphy, who’s attorney for the board, presided over the election of officers and explained the procedure.
Gary Koltiska was elected vice president of the board, Norleen Healy secretary and Shelley Kinnison treasurer. All were the only ones nominated for the positions and were elected unanimously.
Following the elections, Wentland in her first official duty as board president appointed new members to three boards in which the college district is involved. Bob Leibrich and new trustee Tracy Swanson were named to the Board of Cooperative Higher Education Services – BOCHES.
Northern Wyoming Community College District trustees have approved a four-year BAS degree program for the district. (Photo from Sheridan Media files)
Northern Wyoming Community College trustees took the first step Tuesday night in approving a Bachelor of Applied Science degree to be offered by the district.
College District President Dr. Walt Tribley said that was an important step, but noted that the action is just the first step in a process that could take months for completion.
That includes securing approval from a peer review group as well as the Wyoming Community College Commission and the Higher Learning Commission. Also among those steps, he said, will be a review of the district’s finances.
Bid process to begin for new health science facility at Sheridan College thesheridanpress.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thesheridanpress.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
A view of Central Wyoming College s campus
The Wyoming Community College System was already struggling with budget cuts before the COVID-19 pandemic turned the world upside down.
The system s budget was about $54 million in the hole at $236 million, through a combination of cuts and revenues not keeping pace with inflation. Now, it s down about $94 million, according to Sandra Caldwell, executive director of the Wyoming Community College Commission.
Declines in oil and gas revenue among other extraction industries are at least partly to blame. As a state, Wyoming is dependent on its extraction industries, which include coal, oil, trona and natural gas. The state s Consensus Revenue Estimating Group doesn t expect oil production will recover enough to offset declines until 2022.
The bid process is expected to start between January and February next year for the new health science facility at Sheridan College.
The state-of-the-art facility is planned to be added to the Sheridan College campus over the next three years to serve the college’s nursing, dental hygiene and health sciences programs.
Trustees of the Northern Wyoming Community College District last month approved naming the overall facility the B. F. and Rose H. Perkins Health Science Center, while the dental clinic was named the Kim and Mary K. Love Dental Hygiene Clinic.
College District President Dr. Walt Tribley at this week’s board meeting said there is some confusion about where those names will be on the buildings.