Navarro College to construct new police building

By Bob Belcher

Daily Sun

The Navarro College Board of Trustees voted Thursday to authorize the construction of a new building to house the college’s police department.

The $400,000 project will provide offices, work rooms and storage space for the department’s operations on the Corsicana campus. The college police department is currently housed in four offices in Gibson Hall. Navarro College’s police force includes 11 full-time and two part-time officers. Nine officers are assigned to the Corsicana campus, two at the Ellis County campuses in Midlothian and Waxahachie.

Two possible locations for the new building have been identified - along Fourth Avenue at the south end of the competition soccer field, or adjacent to the college’s Physical Plant building near Home Street at the north edge of the campus, said Dr. Richard Sanchez, college district president.

The project will be paid for from the college’s auxiliary fund, which has a present balance of $2.6 million, according to Gettie Moreno, vice-president of finance.

Trustees also gave the go-ahead Thursday to begin conducting criminal background checks on new students applying to live in residence halls on campus. The screening would begin with the Fall 2010 semester, Sanchez said.

“We’ve been talking about background checks for some time ... not just in response of the recent events,” Sanchez said.

Two recent incidents on campus a few days apart — one involving a student with a handgun on campus, the second an administrator thinking he had seen a weapon — prompted renewed focus on the college’s security alert system, known as the “WatchDog Alert System.” Another off-campus incident, in which a student was shot, occurred Oct. 20 at an apartment complex near the college.

Costs of the screenings would be covered by a $10 fee assessed to all new residence life students applying beginning next fall. Guidelines for use of the information in determining a student’s eligibility for admittance to residence halls are still being developed, Sanchez said, and will be presented to trustees before final implementation.

The background checks would be limited to students applying for residence halls, and would not include students who live off-campus.

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Bob Belcher may be reached by e-mail at belcher@corsicanadailysun.com. Want to “Soundoff” on this story? E-mail: soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com.

NAVARRO COLLEGE MEETING BRIEFS

By Bob Belcher/Daily Sun Staff Writer

Reserve fund established

At the request of Dr. Richard Sanchez, college district president, the college is establishing a special reserve fund in the event the district is asked to return a portion of its funding to the state, something said Sanchez said is being discussed at the legislative level. Trustees approved moving $1 million from the college’s reserves to the fund. An ad-hoc committee of Lloyd Huffman, Dr. James Price, Phil Judson and Sanchez was formed to monitor the legislative process.

Financial update presented

Gettie Moreno, vice-president of finance, reported the college in sound financial condition, with year-end reserves of $3.92 million in the education and general fund, $2.66 million in the auxiliary fund, $229,834 in the debt service fund, and $2.94 million in the scholarship fund. Trustees approved moving $1 million from the education and general fund to the special reserve fund, and using $400,000 from the auxiliary fund to build a new police department building.

Program update heard

Marcy Ballew, director of adult education, updated trustees on the educational programs offered through Navarro College, including GED, ESL, and literacy instruction. Ballew said the adult education programs are active in all four counties the college serves, teaching 31 different classes and serving approximately 500 students. The program is grant-funded, this year receiving $325, 210.

Closed session on personnel held

Trustees met in a closed session following the regular agenda to discuss personnel matters. No action was taken on any matters discussed in the closed session.