The Kansas City Kansas Community College Board of Trustees convened on Dec. 16, bidding farewell to three members, including its top officers. The group also approved significant academic program revisions and received the annual audit report from its auditor.

Farewell to departing trustees

The December meeting served as the last official session for Board Chairman Brad Isnard, Vice Chairman Mary Ricketts, and Trustee Evelyn Criswell, who are leaving the board following November’s election results. The board acknowledged their service during the meeting.

Student success highlighted

Before the regular business session, the board celebrated athletic excellence as the volleyball team was recognized for finishing as national runner-up. Director of Athletics Greg McVey, along with head coach Mary Bruno Ballou and assistant coaches Asya Herron and Lily Thornberg, presented the achievement to the board.

The meeting also featured an inspiring presentation from Emily Lopez, an electrical technology student who shared her journey of transformation through education at KCKCC.

Lopez first attended the college in 2014, studying psychology and sociology, where she was profoundly influenced by Professor Victor Amons. “That man is a gem and he should be protected at all costs,” Lopez told the board, noting that Amons has remained a mentor and kept in contact with her throughout the years.

After facing homelessness during the pandemic in 2020, Lopez returned to KCKCC to pursue electrical technology. Working alongside contractors to renovate a property in Wyandotte County, she discovered her passion for the trade and recently completed her electrical program. She is now working as an electrician and credited KCKCC with transforming her life.

Academic program modernization

The board unanimously approved a comprehensive package of 13 new and revised academic programs designed to better prepare students for both immediate employment and further education.

New programs include Automation Engineer Technology and Commercial Construction. Significant revisions were made to Residential Construction, Welding, and Early Childhood Education & Development programs. Technology programs in Computer Science, Networking Technology (updated to Cisco’s latest CCNA curriculum), Cybersecurity, and Accounting were also modernized.

According to college officials, these curriculum updates increase the ability for students to “stack” credentials, that is, to accumulate a more valuable collection of skills and certifications. The changes also align training better with employer needs, which helps students be prepared for immediate employment and continued education.

Financial audit shows strong performance

The board approved the fiscal year 2025 annual audit and financial compliance reports following a detailed presentation by Bill Miller, Chairman and CEO of Novak Birks, the college’s auditing firm.

The audit yielded overwhelmingly positive results. The college received a clean, unqualified opinion on its GAAP-based (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) audit, continuing a streak of clean audits spanning at least eight years.

Financial strength indicators:

The college’s financial position showed significant growth and stability:

• Total assets reached $204.5 million, driven primarily by ongoing capital investments
• Net position (equity) ended the year at $160 million, up about $19 million from the prior year
• Current assets of $107 million remained consistent year-over-year, providing solid operational funding

“The college continues to get stronger and stronger from a financial perspective,” Miller told the board. He noted that the increase in net position of $18 million shown on the revenue statement “is a strong number” for the college, even though it was lower than the previous year.

Asset growth and capital investment:

Much of the college’s asset growth over the past four to five years stems from major capital projects, including new student housing, the downtown campus construction, and the technology center. Miller noted that while liabilities remained relatively stable year-over-year, this was because most funds for the downtown campus had already been raised and recorded on the books in previous years.

Complex audit environment:

Miller characterized this year’s audit as particularly challenging for two reasons. First, the major downtown campus construction project created “moving parts” with the fiscal year ending on June 30 in the middle of that process. Second, American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal funds required additional federal compliance testing for the first time, and the federal government didn’t issue final testing guidelines until Nov. 26, which delayed the audit timeline.

No compliance issues found:

Despite the complexity, the audit found no reportable findings in either of the two major federal programs tested. Student financial aid, which federal regulations designate as a “high risk area” requiring annual testing, passed all compliance requirements. The ARPA funds, tested for the first time this year, also showed no issues.

Miller reminded the board that all ARPA funds must be spent by the end of 2026, and college staff confirmed they expect to meet that deadline.

Improved financial management:

The auditor praised the college’s finance team, noting that “your financials have improved over time and your staff’s ability to produce financials has improved over time.” He specifically thanked Vice President of Finance and Operations Patrick Schulte and his staff, along with student financial aid personnel.

Isnard echoed the positive assessment, stating that achieving clean audits year after year requires “passion for compliance and good financial sense and management” of taxpayer dollars. “This college continues to show that they can be trusted with the people’s money,” he said.

Criswell, chair of the Board Finance Committee, added that despite challenges including reduced state funding, “the college still has managed to manage the financials appropriately, correctly, and effectively.”

Additional board actions

The trustees took action on other items, including approving the the 2026 Master Contract with the Faculty Association of Kansas National Education Association (KNEA) Kansas City Kansas Community College as well as the 2027-2028 academic calendar.

Prior to the regular meeting, the board convened in a brief 10-minute executive session to discuss personnel matters of non-elected personnel. No action was taken following the closed session and the specific purpose was not disclosed.

Looking ahead

In his final act as board chair, Isnard presided over the selection of Trustee Don Ash as interim board chairman. Ash was unanimously elected and will serve until the newly constituted board elects permanent officers for the coming year.