Notes from the Bethel College spring board meetings
The Collegian news staff compiled its notes from the general sessions of Bethel's spring board meetings.
Ahead of Easter, the Bethel College board of directors visited campus for spring board meetings. The Collegian news staff was present at the general sessions which were the only sessions open to the media and public.
March 31, 8:00-9:45 a.m. — APRIL POWLS:
Wynn Goering, the chair of the board, opened the meeting with welcoming remarks to new board members. Then, senior Rachel Duer, a student chaplain from Chapman, delivered a focus meditation and prayer.
The theme for the semester’s meeting was Mission Possible: What Bethel College Can Mean to the Higher Education Landscape, inspired by the different perceptions of what Bethel’s mission is all about from different groups around campus: students, board members, faculty, etc.
President Jon Gering opened the action part of the meeting. Gering further introduced the theme Mission Possible by asking, “what is the purpose of higher education?”
Gering emphasized “the integration of work and learning” by pointing to Mike Rowe’s Dirty Jobs as the divide between vocational abilities and higher education, referring to a quote from Rowe which implies the belief that skills mean more than diplomas.
Gering said that for far too long, students have been detracted from Bethel in favor of vocational opportunities — the ‘Thresher Way’ is designed to eliminate that gap. He then introduced the ‘Bethel Balanced’ concept to the board (a play on the popular ‘Bethel Busy’ phrase) and “rebuilding Generation Z” to promote a care for mental health and safety.
For the final 20 minutes of the opening session, board members were separated into groups to discuss the college and share new findings:
(1) Recent change of campus software from a 1985-built program to a modern program.
(2) There are still steam tunnels under the campus as the institution places an emphasis on renewable energy.
(3) This academic year marked the first that Bethel took MLK Day off as a holiday.
(4) Out of the 102 deposited first-year students for Fall 2023, 62 have already committed to participating in Employment Experiences, the Thresher Way work study program.
March 31, 3:30-4:30 p.m. — LAUREN McCREARY:
SGA president Taylor Dashney and vice president Josh Kennell
Student Government Association (SGA) VP Josh Kennell spoke on the senior mural project, ISR funds, iPad project for textbooks, health and safety improvements, and general SGA updates — including updates to the constitution, a Fall 2023 transition plan, and student body complaints (which dealt mostly with faculty).
The SGA debt has been paid along with the addition of an SGA lounge and office. Various clubs and senate meetings will now have the adequate space to take place.
SGA president Taylor Dashney presented the board a set of graphs from the Bethel College Community for Justice and Peace, which conducted a survey sent to students regarding the residency financial changes.
These graphs were used to provide explanation as to why students might leave Bethel and not find the campus as a fit for them: “Students don’t feel welcomed and it doesn’t help students with mental health concerns,” Dashney, a senior from Edmond, Okla. told the board.
The board proceeded to grill Dashney on the issue before Kennell offered alternative solutions:
(1) Have students with a Medical & Emotional Support Accommodation pay half the double rate (resulting in a smaller increase in pricing).
(2) Use stricter requirements for students to obtain a single room as the lone substitute.
The board responded that the new policy is more in line with other colleges in Bethel’s area. If there’s a better revenue way, they say it can be considered. Dashney and Kennell are encouraged to talk with other students and return to the board at a later date.
Nathan Kroeker’s staff welfare report
Proposed new annual policy would see staff receive MLK Day and Juneteenth as campus holidays.
Proposed greater alignment of Bethel’s spring break with other institutions.
Proposed the return of ‘Snackapolooza’: an old tradition where faculty and staff bring potluck after student finals at the end of the semester. Designed to encourage fellowship among the groups along with ‘BC Gear Fridays’ (also known as Casual Fridays).
Proposed updates to bonding/parental leave (parents of all types) to earn vacation time within the first six months — which isn’t currently a policy.
Currently looking to fill open positions for staff welfare.
Faculty report provided by Nancy Banman, Jeremy Mitchell-Koch, Brad Born, and Rachel Epp Buller
Banman talked about her family’s long history of involvement at Bethel and how COVID-19 played a vital role in her time on campus.
Banman’s notes on Generation Z: possess great qualities but have also experienced high levels of anxiety, the COVID-19 crisis, a focus on mental health help, climate crisis, concerns of equity and inclusion, and fears/experiences that others haven’t shared.
Financial crisis (in connection to COVID-19 crisis) forced some to potentially become income providers while growing up with school shootings have become a norm.
Banman claimed that Bethel needs to increase mental health resources for students, recognize when students need help, provide information to faculty and staff who can recognize red flags, increase diversity in employees, get to know students outside of the classroom, and be flexible for students.
Banman recommended an increase in accommodations to help student success and allocate more time with students to check in and provide flexible due dates for coursework. Added that personal costs and extra effort from the staff can help Bethel students earn their degree.
Mitchell-Koch discussed how athletic training was removed from Bethel’s list of majors and nothing was done to replace it. Noted that exercise science was looked at but never added.
Mitchell-Koch said science majors are interested in other areas and it has become challenging to help students who are stuck in the Health and Physical Education (HPE) major. “They’re checking a box,” he added.
The HPE department is working to reorganize itself so that its students can have a different route. Mitchell-Koch noted that this would also help with recruiting new students.
Mitchell-Koch argued that being able to point to a program that students desire will help students at Bethel. Recreation of chemistry of molecular biology and (other biology) was a success.
There’s a need for remediation for skills that students are coming to college without. Adaptive systems that allow each student to work at their own pace — such as ALEKS — that is currently being used by the math and science departments.
Born noted that Bethel faculty is working hard to meet the school’s strategic plan and its priorities, including:
Priority 5, to enhance academic support and add English as a language course to support students with certain needs.
Priority 6, as faculty looks to progress the vocational work college model, including proposals to enhance the curriculum of the first-year seminar course.
Born noted that they’re examining BIFL and redesigning its curriculum to fit students and connecting student-athletes with courses that they would be interested in.
They’re also looking to provide a substantial offering of freshman courses that will benefit them. The strategic plan is to redesign the curriculum so that it will bring additional resources — such as federal funds/income — to restore competing faculty salaries and increase retirement benefits. Born said the long-term survival of the college relies on great people being committed to great staff members lasting.
Buller said Bethel is an outlier compared to other colleges in terms of retention. She encouraged the board to allocate money to support students.
April 1, 3:45-4:30 p.m. — BRETT ESCH:
All of the following action items passed unanimously:
Action Item #1 by the Financial Affairs & Risk Management Committee, which recommends the approval of applying for the 2023 Kansas Department of Commerce Community Service Tax Credit Program, passed.
Action Item #2 by the Financial Affairs & Risk Management Committee, which recommends the approval of the Fall 2024 operating budget as presented, passed.
Action Item #3 by the Financial Affairs & Risk Management Committee, which recommends the approval of a one-time supplemental payment of up to $150,000 from the Contingency Fund to Employees, passed.
Action Item #4 by the Financial Affairs & Risk Management Committee, which recommends Knudsen Monroe as the auditor for a three-year contract starting with the 2022-2023 fiscal year, passed.
The next board meetings will take place Oct. 11-13.