PJC Regents bid farewell, take in new member

Published or Revised July 02, 2014

A plaque of appreciation was presented to outgoing Paris Junior College regent Frankie Norwood at the PJC Board of Regents' meeting Monday night by PJC Board President Curtis Fendley, who thanked him for 23 years of dedication to the community and the college. “My daddy said, ‘son, the decisions that you have to make, always use what knowledge you have, but always ripen it with common wisdom.’ I hope that’s what I did in these 23 years. I’ve enjoyed serving at PJC, and saw a lot of changes,” said Norwood. “Continue to keep PJC strong, viable and affordable for all our kids because it's the greatest place here.” Incoming regent Jim Bell was sworn in, and the board elected officers to two-year terms by acclamation. Fendley was reelected to serve two more years, as was Board Secretary Berdie Gibson. Regent Ann Wyche was elected Vice President. The regents heard of an articulation agreement under negotiation from PJC biology instructor Jack Brown, who also heads PJC's biomedical sciences program. Brown briefed the regents the agreement will be with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. "They came to visit and liked how modern our labs are," said Brown. "This articulation agreement will greatly expand the options for PJC students." When finalized, the agreement will be similar to the one PJC has with the biomedical science program within the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University-College Station. For both institutions, successful completion of PJC's biomedical sciences program guarantees entree into highly competitive programs. In other business, the Board of Regents:

• Received a positive financial report from PJC Controller Keitha Carlton, who reported that PJC remains in a strong cash position and in line with budgeted amounts.
• Received a report on Summer I semester enrollment showing the number of students is up 18 percent from one year ago, and 16 percent from two years ago. The number of contact hours increased four percent from a year ago and 9.8 percent from two years ago. Paris has 1,680 students (online students are included in the Paris total); Greenville has 344 and Sulphur Springs 193.
• Approved the bids for sale of tax write-off property.
• Approved conveyance of 20 acres at S.W. 19th and Washington streets to Paris Independent School District to serve as trustee for the PJC, City of Paris and Paris ISD's taxing units. In separate action, the board also approved the re-sale of that same property by PISD to the City of Paris for $1.
• Accepted a bid to provide athletic insurance for play and practice insurance and catastrophic insurance from Norment & Landers.
• Approved two of three companies bidding to supply welding equipment to PJC with funds from a recently received Jobs and Education for Texans grant. Matheson and AirGas will provide equipment from the list.
• Received a report on fall and spring enrollment and retention by course. The fall completion rate is 93.76 percent and the spring retention rate is 93.53 percent.
• Received an accountability report from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board that showed 81 percent of PJC students are from out of district. Seventeen percent live in district, and the remaining two percent are out of state or international students.
• Approved the purchase of a building on East Loop 301 in Sulphur Springs.
• Approved the employment of Daniel Goodman and Wayne Snelling as instructors of Computer Information Systems, both effective Aug. 18, and the resignation and retirement of Harrel Harrison as Instructor of Jewelry Technologies effective Aug. 31 and Teri Zamora as Vice President of Business Services effective June 11.