The Barton Community College Board of Trustees took another opportunity Thursday to discuss the recent selection of four students from the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society, who were recognized Feb. 13 at Topeka. They were BCC’s 2014 choice for the PTK All-Kansas Academic Team.
Holly Mosier and Jordan Klima from the Great Bend campus, and Tiffany Salser and Joanna White from the Fort Riley campus, all attended an award ceremony and luncheon. All four students will have a chance at being named to PTK’s All-USA Academic Team, which will be announced in March.
At Thursday’s BCC Board of Trustees meeting, faculty advisers Stephannie Goerl and Kathy Boeger in Barton County and Janet Balk at Fort Riley reiterated that PTK is the international honor society for two-year colleges and symbolizes excellence in higher education. Students who have completed 12 hours and are continuing with a GPA of 3.5 or higher are invited to join.
Membership provides opportunities for scholarships and other benefits.
All Kansas community colleges choose at least two students for the All-Kansas Academic Team. BCC selects four because it has two chapters, in Barton County and at Fort Riley. On Thursday, Balk said they would also like to start a chapter at Fort Leavenworth, since BCC has extended its military education services to that base. “I already have a faculty member willing to serve as the chapter’s on-site adviser,” she said.
The advisers noted that volunteer service is expected of PTK members. Boeger said students at Barton spend significant time sponsoring local events as well as volunteering to support others’ events. Last year they helped the food bank, crisis center, humane society and more, and oversaw a five-hour Halloween activity at a church. Balk said Fort Riley’s chapter raised money for the Fisher House Foundation, among other activities. Fisher House Foundation is best known for a network of comfort homes where military and veterans’ families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving treatment at a VA medical center.
Trustees also heard a report from Mike Cox, chairman of the BCC Faculty Council. He said the council’s project on promoting and protecting academic integrity has turned into a bigger job than anyone anticipated. “Our goal for the fall semester is to make an academic integrity website and quiz,” he said.
In action items, the board approved hiring three new people: Rhonda Weingrad, custodian, and Eric Stacey, campus safety officer, both at the Barton County campus; and Susan McCabe, an instructional specialist at the Larned Correctional Facility.
Upcoming events include the board retreat, which replaces the March study session, March 5-7 at Junction City and Fort Leavenworth; the March 27 regular board meeting, which will start 30 minutes earlier than usual at 3:30 p.m.; and the open house for the renovated Fine Arts Auditorium, at 5 p.m. on March 27.
The campus will be closed March 20-21 for Spring Break.