Casey Daniels and Mike Coker spoke to the board regarding Western’s upcoming appearance on KSBI’s Mind Games college quiz bowl at Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Western Oklahoma State College Board of Regents. Daniels reported that the Western team recorded their first round of competition with Rodgers State University on Sept. 11 in Yukon. The show will air Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. on KSBI Oklahoma City channel 57. The team consisting of Ashley Wheeler, Nicole Lamb, Callie Dodd and Nick Dimitratos were chosen based upon their overall grade point average. The team was coached for the competition by Daniels and Coker. Every team that competes receives a cash scholarship weather they win their quiz round or not. Though the team would not reveal the results of their quiz round, Daniels indicated that the team will return to compete in Mind Games during the Spring 2013 semester.

Pia Bauer reported on the latest news from the Instructional Faculty Association. She thanked the board for approving a review of Western’s tenure policy that had been under a two-year moratorium. She also indicated that a review committee comprised of tenured faculty and administrative leadership will be working with the board during the review process. Bauer also reported on the recent Oklahoma Association of Community Colleges conference held in Midwest City October 3-5. She said that three staff members attended the first day of the conference intended for support staff. April Nelson, Briar Jenkins and Nick Hood where recognized with a 2^nd place award in the Creative Staff Innovations Competition held by OACC. The three are members of the Health and Wellness Committee at Western and worked with other team members to implement the new employee health and fitness program at Western called Flex Appeal. Bauer also reported that 14 professional staff and faculty members attended the second two days of the conference.

Tricia Latham was next to address the board regarding the annual external audit for fiscal year 2012. Latham directed the board to specific pages in the audit documents for their consideration. Latham introduced Mike Gibson of Cole and Reed, P.C., the firm that performed the audit. Cole and Reed has worked with Western for the past five years on its annual audits. Mike Gibson spoke to the board about the audit results and indicated a positive report with an unqualified audit opinion. The board accepted the audit as presented. Western’s audit results will be published to wosc.edu.

Latham also presented a request to issue a change order in the amount of $273,050.16 to the McKinstry energy project that recently began at Western. The purpose of the change order is to replace three condensing units and multi-zone air handling units which condition the air for 23 zones in the B-Wing of the main campus building. The board approved the request of the change order.

The minutes of the Aug. 21, 2012 regular meeting, the expenditure comparison report and the schedule of the regular meetings of the board of regents for the 2013 calendar year were the next items up for consideration. All three items were approved by the board.

Dr. Birdine next gave his report and recommendations. Birdine informed the regents about an upcoming presentation at the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. Members of Western’s leadership will speak to the entire state board of regents on Oct. 24 regarding Western’s online delivery of courses. Birdine also reported about recent interviews conducted by The Chronicle of Higher Education reporter, Brad Wolverton. Wolverton contacted leadership in September inquiring about the college’s online course delivery and will publish an article in an upcoming issue of the publication.

The board moved into executive session at 9:02 p.m.

The board reconvened at 9:49 p.m. for open session. The following personnel were approved for employment: Justin Smith, Director of Institutional Research and Melinda Hathaway, Nursing Secretary for the Lawton campus. The resignation of Lisa Jones, WINDS Clerk was accepted.

Under new business and matters not known about before the post of the board agenda, were comments from regent Dean Graumann. He thanked Western for their support and involvement in the recent screening of the Ken Burns film, The Dust Bowl on Oct. 4 in the Herschal H. Crow Fine Arts Center. Graumann shared that he has heard many positive comments about the film screening and was appreciative for the opportunity to bring the film to Western and the community.

The next regular meeting of the Western Board of Regents will be held Dec. 11, at 7: 30 p.m. in the Higher Learning Center.