Northern Essex Community College Board of Trustees
Minutes of Meeting (OFFICIAL) – April 2, 2025
A meeting of the Northern Essex Community College Board of Trustees was held in room L244 in the John R. Dimitry Building located at 45 Franklin Street, Lawrence on April 2, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. A Zoom Teleconference option was also available.
PRESENT:
Ms. Borislow
Mr. Cousins (via Zoom)
Ms. Fernandez (arrived at 5:24 p.m.)
Mr. Gomez
Mr. Hamm
Ms. Hatem-Roy
Ms. Mohammed
Ms. O’Rorke (via Zoom)
UNABLE TO ATTEND: Ms. Quiles, Ms. Sanchez, Mr. Silverio
ALSO, PRESENT: President Glenn
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Borislow called the meeting to order at 5:05 p.m. with a roll call of attendance and a quorum present.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS:
Chair Borislow asked for a motion to re-elect the Vice Chair. Trustee Cousins moved to re-elect Patricia Fernandez.
On a Motion presented by Trustee Cousins and seconded by Trustee Hamm, by roll call vote, the Board unanimously approved the re-election of Trustee Fernandez as Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees.
Chair Borislow asked for a motion to re-elect the Secretary. Trustee Hamm moved to re-elect Jouel Gomez.
On a Motion presented by Trustee Hamm and seconded by Trustee Mohammed, by roll call vote, the Board unanimously approved the re-election of Trustee Gomez as Secretary of the Board of Trustees.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Chair Borislow asked for a motion to approve the March 5, 2025 minutes.
On a Motion presented by Trustee Gomez and seconded by Trustee O’Rorke, by roll call vote, the Board unanimously approved the March 5, 2025 minutes.
Trustee Fernandez arrived at 5:24 p.m.
CORRESPONDENCE: There was none.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
a) Introduction of Newly Hired Employees:
President Glenn introduced and welcomed NECC’s newest employees: Rosa Michelle, Payroll Assistant; and Alexander Truman, Learning Specialist for the Essex County Sheriff’s Department. The Trustees also welcomed the newest employees. President Glenn provided a brief explanation of the Trustees’ role in Northern Essex Community College’s governance.
EDUCATION REPORT:
a) ATD LPN to ADN Nursing Update by Kathy Hudson
President Glenn introduced Vice President of Academic Affairs Sharon McDermot, who introduced Kathy Hudson, Dean of Health Professions. Dean Hudson has served as the dean for the last three years. Prior to her appointment, she was a full-time faculty member for 10 years and served as department chair.
The advanced nursing degree program, also known as the LPN to ADN program, has been in existence since 2013. This program allows Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) to return to college and complete the second year of the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program. Upon completion, graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam to become registered nurses.
In Fall 2022, the program received the Achieving the Dream grant, which aimed to accelerate diversity in nursing pathways and provide opportunities for BIPOC and first-generation students. In January 2023, the program accepted 11 students, and 10 of them completed their degree. Out of these graduates, 8 have passed the NCLEX-RN exam, and the remaining 2 are retaking it. The program has seen a significant increase in applicants, with 34 applicants in January 2024.
The program continues to grow, with 31 applicants for the next cohort, and 25 students have been accepted to start in Fall 2025. This fall, the college will have 85 nursing students on campus, including second-year students. The program has been successful in attracting students from other schools and vocational programs. Most of our graduates are meeting the workforce demands in our local communities.
Q: Trustee Hamm asked if the 2% male student population is because of the lack of male interest or male LPNs? A: Lack of male LPNs, but that is expected to grow. For example, male paramedics have started to look towards nursing.
Q: Trustees Gomez asked if student struggles are growing as the program grows? How can we continue to support all students, including English language learners? A: The Achieving the Dream grant has allowed us to increase tutoring. We also allow students to have a “bump,” where they can stop, get the support they need, and come back. They can always come back.
b) All College Assembly Report by Sheila Muller
President Glenn introduced Chair of the All College Assembly Sheila Muller. Dr. Muller has just completed her doctorate and is also the Chair of the Business Department.
The All College Assembly (ACA) is an integral part of the college’s internal governance structure. It aims to improve communication within the college and ensure that policies and procedures are reviewed and implemented effectively. The ACA focuses on three main pillars: people, processes, and technology. The ACA engages with committee members and other stakeholders to understand their roles and responsibilities within the governance framework. This includes clarifying organizational responsibilities and strengthening engagement among members. The ACA develops and implements processes to conserve institutional memory and ensure that policies are reviewed and approved systematically. This involves creating an intake process for policy review and ensuring that all relevant documentation is vetted and stored. The ACA utilizes various technologies, such as Soft Docs, Teams, and NECCOne, to facilitate communication and document management. This helps in preserving historical perspectives and making information accessible to all members.
The ACA also conducts retreats to clarify organizational responsibilities and strengthen engagement among members. These retreats provide an opportunity for committee members to connect and discuss governance issues, leading to increased engagement and commitment. Dr. Muller shared an impressive flowchart that outlines the governance-process structure of the college. The flow chart helped to emphasize the complexities of implementing policies, procedures, and programming. The work of the ACA will be especially helpful in increasing the efficiency and documentation for governance in the next NECHE report.
Q: Trustee Fernandez asked if the people who submit proposals to the ACA know what happens after submission? A: It is unlikely the submitters understand the full process as there is a lot of work that happens in the background, but it is the responsibility of the ACA to track and document the process.
BOARD CHAIR UPDATE:
Chair Borislow reminded everyone about the upcoming 3rd Annual Impact Awards on May 7, 2025. Trustee O’Rorke will be recognized as one of the award recipients. She also encouraged all Trustees to participate in Giving Day, which kicks off tomorrow. The Board’s Officers are working with President Glenn to plan a one-day summer retreat for the leadership team and new board members.
Chair Borislow recognized President Glenn as the 2025 recipient of the Campus Compact’s Eduardo J. Padrón Award for Presidential Leadership. Eduardo J. Padrón is President Emeritus at Miami Dade College and is considered a leader in higher education, especially in his effort to enroll, retain, and graduate minority student populations.
REPORT OF BOARD COMMITTEES:
a) Audit and Finance Sub-Committee:
President Glenn explained that FY26 fees are unique in the history of the College in that MassEducate limits what we can do with fee increases. The legislation’s calculation allows for up to a 1.93% increase.
1) FY26 Institutional Support Fee- Regular
On a Motion presented by Trustee Gomez and seconded by Trustee Fernandez, by roll call vote, the Board unanimously approved the FY26 College Institutional Support Fee-Regular, which is assessed on all credit courses that are non-health, to be $243 per credit.
2) FY26 Institutional Support Fee- Allied Health Courses
On a Motion presented by Trustee O’Rorke and seconded by Trustee Mohammed, by roll call vote, the Board unanimously approved the FY26 College Institutional Support Fee-Allied Health Courses, which is assessed on all credit courses that are health, to be $328 per credit.
3) FY26 Institutional Support Fee- Early College: President Glenn explained that the institutional support fee increase for Early College is slightly higher because it is lower than the regular fees.
On a Motion presented by Trustee Fernandez and seconded by Trustee O’Rorke, by roll call vote, the Board unanimously approved the FY26 College Institutional Support Fee-Early College, which is assessed on all Early College credit courses that are non-health/non-regular, to be $127 per credit.
4) FY26 Quarter 3 Budget Projections and Updates
At the request of Trustee Hamm, Executive Vice President Mike McCarthy provided a brief financial update. The college is projecting a surplus of just over $700,000 for the fiscal year. The report includes notes on credit generation, which is running slightly ahead, and higher salaries and benefits due to actual salary increases. The state has reimbursed for these salary increases, and the details are provided in the notes on page 16 of the packet. The college remains in excellent financial condition.
b) Alumni Advancement Sub-Committee: Trustee Fernandez thanked Chair Borislow for the Giving Day reminder. It is being kicked off right now in Haverhill and Trustees and meeting attendees are invited to join after the meeting. There is still time for Trustees to join the Trustee Challenge. The focus of Giving Day is on participation and building the pipeline.
c) Nominating Sub-Committee: Trustee Cousins reported that Trustee Hamm was re-appointed to a second term and that two new Trustees are finalizing their appointment process. Zoila Gomez Ruiz will replace Glennis Sanchez, and Juan Yepez will replace Sally O’Rorke. Trustee Cousins also recognized Trustee O’Rorke for her ten years of service and her help with the college and the college’s Foundation.
d) Presidential Evaluation Sub-Committee: Trustee Gomez reported that the sub-committee met early today and is on track to have a report for the June meeting.
REPORT OF ADMINISTRATION:
a) Leadership Flowchart: As requested at the March meeting, the Board packet included a leadership overview org chart. Changes are expected as the new Vice Presidents are hired.
b) Community College Cost of Living Pilot Study: The pilot project is aimed at understanding the impact of doubling the Pell Grant for community college students. Bob Pozen, who donated $1,000,000 towards the project, will be the commencement speaker. The project involved raising funds to provide an extra $7,000 to a few hundred students across two colleges for two years. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and the Community College Research Center, with funding from Arnold Ventures, are conducting the study to ensure it is scientifically rigorous. The goal is to make a case at the national and state levels for increased cost-of-living support for community college students. The study is still ongoing, and the results will be presented to the Massachusetts legislature to help identify additional financial aid opportunities.
Trustee Hamm excused himself at 6:02 p.m.
c) Vice Presidents Searches: The searches for new Vice Presidents of Academic Affairs and Vice President of Student Affairs are underway, with finalists expected to be on campus by the end of April, so that we can have faculty and student involvement before the end of the semester.
d) Whittier Tech Project: The municipal working group has met three times to discuss the Whittier Tech project. Progress is being made, and the communities are actively working towards signing the necessary letters for the MSA to move the project forward. President Glenn recognized Executive Vice President McCarthy and his team for providing the project management with the working group. Steps are being taken to engage MassDevelopment.
e) Impact of Federal Executive Orders Update: The administration is monitoring the impact of federal executive orders on the college. While there are no significant updates at this time, the administration remains vigilant.
f) Campus Updates: There were none.
g) Save the Dates:
· Student Annual Awards Convocation, Tuesday, May 13, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Sport & Fitness Center, Haverhill Campus
· Early College Recognition Ceremony, Thursday, May 15, 5:00-6:30 p.m., Quad, Haverhill Campus
· NECC 63rd Commencement Exercises, Saturday, May 17, 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., Quad, Haverhill Campus
· Lawrence Partnership 2025 Annual Meeting, Tuesday, June 17, 10:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Central Catholic High School
h) Communique: The communique was included in the Board packet.
President Glenn announced that the new Chief of Staff, Jennifer Ball, will begin May 12. He thanked the search committee for their successful efforts.
NEW BUSINESS:
Chair Borislow noted that the board had four motions to approve.
a) MCCC/MTA Tenure Status Recommendations
Chair Borislow called for a motion to approve the AY25 MCCC/MTA Tenure Status Recommendations.
On a Motion presented by Trustee Fernandez and seconded by Trustee O’Rorke, by roll call vote, the Board unanimously approved the five faculty positions outlined on page 24 of the Board packet to be effective at the start of the 2026 academic year.
b) Solar Ground Mount System Solar Panel Project
This motion will provide Chief Financial Officer Michael McCarthy with the signatory authority on behalf of the College to enter a lease for Solar Ground Mount System, estimated to be 709.07 KW system with 23% reduction in energy supply. This project is in compliance with the Division of Capital Assets Management & Maintenance (DCAMM) energy efficiency program. In addition, the College will be eligible for a $453K Leading by Example grant award for the solar panel project.
Chair Borislow called for a motion to approve the Delegation of Authority to Execute Contracts.
On a Motion presented by Trustee Cousins and seconded by Trustee Hatem-Roy, by roll call vote, the Board unanimously approved the delegation of authority to execute contracts and approve financially related transactions as they relate to the Solar Ground Mount System solar panel project that includes a 25-year lease plus two optional 5-year extensions on behalf of Northern Essex Community College.
c) Grants
Chair Borislow noted two grants for approval totaling $50,000.00 and asked for a motion to approve the grants collectively. They were:
1) Massachusetts Department of Higher Education: Early College Dual Enrollment Supplemental Funds | *$ 35,000.00
1) Massachusetts Workforce Skills Cabinet/Haverhill High School: STEM Tech Career Academy Program | $ 15,000.00
*Pending Sponsor Approval
On a Motion presented by Trustee O’Rorke and seconded by Trustee Gomez, by roll call vote, the Board unanimously approved the two grants (ADM-391326-040225 and ADM-3927-040225) totaling $50,000.00 as presented.
d) Campus Security Services: Chair Borislow brought forward an additional motion that came out of the Audit and Finance Sub-committee meeting.
Chair Borislow called for a motion to approve the change in campus security services.
On a Motion presented by Trustee Gomez and seconded by Trustee O’Rorke, by roll call vote, the Board unanimously approved the recommendation that United Security, Inc. be the college’s new outsourced security service managed by the College Campus Police Department with a three-year contract and a two-year renewal option.
OTHER BUSINESS: There was none.
ADJOURNMENT: With no other business, Chair Borislow adjourned the meeting at 6:16 p.m.
