ALLEN INSIGHTS
SPRING 2024
FINANCE & OPERATIONS
Tonya Johnson, Vice President for Finance and Operations
Audit for Fiscal Year 2022-2023
The 2022 - 2023 audit report was submitted to the Board of Trustees on Tuesday, February 6th. The auditor's opinion affirms that the financial information has been fairly presented and is, in all material respects, in compliance with accounting principles generally accepted in the USA. Throughout the audit process, the auditors encountered no significant difficulties in their interactions with management. Access the audits conducted over the past five years.
Monetary Funds
As of January 31, 2024, our cash holdings, including certificates of deposit, amount to $32,800,881. These funds are distributed across three banks: Landmark National Bank, Encore Bank, and Community National Bank & Trust.
Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Budget
We have commenced our budgetary preparations for the fiscal year concluding in 2025. We are scrutinizing a range of factors to craft a financially prudent budget, including projected revenues, expected expenditures, and plans for building and ground enhancements. Predicting student enrollment poses a challenge, given the declining numbers of high school students nowadays. However, we are dedicated to expanding programs for high school students transitioning into the workforce or pursuing higher education.
New Student and Financial Based Software Implementation
We are migrating to the advanced cloud-enabled software platform, Jenzabar One, and have initiated the project mapping phase. This undertaking is comprehensive and intricate, demanding substantial additional time investment from multiple offices of the college to ensure effective implementation. Our project lead indicates implementation by Fall 2025.
DEPARTMENT INSIGHTS
FINANCE & OPERATIONS
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
STUDENT AFFAIRS
ALLEN ENDOWMENT
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Dr. Kara Wheeler, Vice President for Academic Affairs
Student Achievements
Allen’s Agriculture students recently participated in the Young Farmers and Ranchers Leaders Conference held in Manhattan, KS, during early February. Remarkably, the Quiz Bowl Teams clinched the 2nd position in their pool, narrowly missing victory by just two questions. Among the highlights, Aidan Yoho emerged triumphant in the state-level Discussion Meet competition, securing not only a $500 prize but also a fully funded trip to the prestigious 2024 American Farm Bureau Federation Leadership Conference in Omaha, NE, slated for March. At this national event, Yoho will vie for the coveted title against fellow state champions.
The Theatre and Film Department returned from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region V in Des Moines, Iowa, with resounding achievements. Region V, spanning seven states and encompassing institutions from community colleges to graduate levels, stands as the largest in the nation.
Allen garnered a total of nine Certificates of Merit, a testament to the excellence exhibited by its productions. These accolades, bestowed by college faculty respondents, were distributed as follows: six for Technical Theatre, two for Direction, and one for Performance. The detailed breakdown of awards and recipients is provided below:
- Achievement in Stage Management-recent graduate Titilope Oyelami for tick, tick...BOOM!
- Achievement in Lighting Design-recent graduate Titilope Oyelami for The How and the Why
- Achievement in Scenic Design- guest designer John Leahy for tick, tick...BOOM!
- Achievement as Lead Scenic Artist- former student Molly Comfort for tick, tick...BOOM!
- Achievement in Costume Design- student Mariah Stackhouse for The How and the Why
- Achievement in Scenic Design-student Tiago Cortes for The How and the Why
- Achievement in Direction-faculty Tricia Stogsdill for tick, tick...BOOM!
- Achievement in Direction-faculty Tricia Stogsdill for The How and the Why
- Achievement in Ensemble Performance Work-recent graduate Krais Baker, and students Austin Morris and Nautianna Goforth, the cast of tick, tick...BOOM!
Maddie Hodgden achieved a significant milestone by advancing to the semi-finals of the Irene Ryan Acting Competition. Out of 253 entries, Hodgden was one of only 68 performers chosen, demonstrating exceptional talent. Alongside their scene-partner Nautianna Goforth, they garnered high rankings in the semi-final round.
Trevor Pratt earned a coveted spot in the audition-only Long Form Improv Show at the Festival, highlighting his improvisational skills. Meanwhile, Austin Morris crafted and delivered a compelling piece for the Monologue Slam Performance, exhibiting his prowess as a performer.
Tiago Cortes secured the Regional Award in Scenic Design for The How and the Why, marking a significant achievement. This accolade is particularly noteworthy as only one Regional Award winner is selected from among entries across colleges spanning seven states and ranging up to the graduate level.
New Academic Programs
The Board of Trustees has approved two new CTE programs projected to be offered in the 2024-25 academic year. The Machining & Manufacturing and Emergency Medical Services programs.
The Machining & Manufacturing program will start at B&W Trailer Hitches in Humboldt for the first year. The program will be open to both high school students and college-level students. The Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) is in the process of reviewing the program for approval. Following KBOR's approval, it will undergo review by the Higher Learning Commission and U.S. Department of Education.
The Emergency Medical Services program will offer a range of certifications, including Emergency Medical Responder, EMT, Advanced EMT, and Paramedic. Letters of support for the program were provided by the Iola Fire Department, Saint Luke’s Hospital, and Anderson County Emergency Medical Services. This program will focus on addressing the needs of rural communities.
Fall Course Schedule
Starting Fall 2024, on-ground classes at the Iola Campus will be held four days a week—Monday through Thursday. This decision, influenced by survey feedback from current and prospective students in the service area, aims to provide a better balance between academic commitments and personal life, potentially enhancing recruitment efforts.
Allen Community College has committed to transitioning all online courses to digital formats and Open Educational Resources (OER). This initiative, spanning three years, aims to ensure that students have access to educational resources from day one of class.
STUDENT AFFAIRS
Cynthia Jacobson, Vice President for Student Affairs
Entrepreneurship Challenge
Once again, the College's Business Department and Student Life Offices are co-sponsoring an Entrepreneurship Challenge for Allen students. Scheduled for February 20th, the Challenge offers participants the opportunity to deliver a 10-minute presentation on their business concept, followed by a five-minute Q&A session with the judges. Our esteemed panel of judges this year includes Myra Gleason, Andi Garrett, Traci Plumlee, Alana Kinzle, and Hannah Brown. Thanks to their generous support of the sponsors below, a total of $1,500 will be awarded to the winners:
Expanding Scholarship Opportunities
Every year, Allen provides academic, athletic, and activity scholarships to assist students in financing their education. Starting in the 2024-2025 academic year, the college is reallocating unused scholarship funds to expand opportunities for students in these areas:
Agriculture
Community Service
Criminal Justice
Early Childhood Education
Emergency Medical Services
Graphic Design
Health Occupations
Machining and Manufacturing
Expanding into these additional scholarship areas will offer opportunities to a greater number of students without the need for allocating additional funds.
Finish What You Started - Enrollment Campaign
The Enrollment Management Office has initiated a new campaign aimed at boosting the enrollment of adult students, specifically those over 21 years old. Dubbed the "Finish What You Started" campaign, its primary focus will be on reaching out to former students who did not complete a certificate or degree. We are committed to assisting these former students in overcoming any barriers that may have hindered their academic success, whether related to academic preparedness, finances, scheduling, or other factors.
Safety and Security Training
Continuous safety training is crucial for maintaining a secure environment at Allen. At the start of the spring semester, Allen organized ALICE training on campus, inviting area schools and law enforcement personnel to become trainers. ALICE is the program implemented at Allen to address active shooter threats. On February 22nd, the Student Life Office will conduct ALICE training for students at the Iola campus.
Additional safety training opportunities have been or will be offered this semester:
· Bloodborne Pathogens Training was provided to maintenance, housing, and athletic staff during Convocation in January.
· Mental Health First Aid Training will be accessible to faculty and staff from February 29th to March 1st.
· SAFE Zone Training for LGBTQ+ student support occurred on February 14th.
ALLEN ENDOWMENT
Lauren Maisberger, Director of Development
Endowment Fund
The Allen Endowment generously awarded over $305,000 in scholarships to students during the previous academic year (2022-2023). Among its 210 scholarships, 48 are dedicated specifically to supporting Allen County students.
Following the completion of the financial audit for 2023, the Endowment proudly announced its current assets of $7.3 million, reflecting an impressive increase of nearly $400,000 from the previous year, despite market volatility.
Centennial Campaign
Progress continues towards the $5 million Centennial Campaign, with $4.3 million raised thus far. As of the beginning of this year, there was $1.4 million remaining to reach the goal, half of which has been raised in the current year alone.
24th Annual Scholarship Gala
The 24th Annual Scholarship Gala, scheduled for Saturday, March 23rd in the Allen Gymnasium, stands as the Endowment's premier fundraising event. Anticipated to draw in over $50,000 in support of student scholarships for the upcoming academic year, the gala invites community members, alumni, faculty, and staff to participate. The evening promises a vibrant array of activities including live and silent auctions, interactive casino-inspired games, a photo booth, catered dinner, and a bar offering both soft and alcoholic beverages. Your presence at this year's event is highly encouraged and appreciated.
Allen Community College is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, and disability in admissions, educational programs or activities, and employment; all as required by applicable laws and regulations under the Title VI Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Title IX Regulations of 1972, Section 504 of the Social Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disability Act of 1990. Responsibility for coordination of compliance and receipt of inquiries has been delegated to the Vice President for Student Affairs, Allen Community College, 1801 North Cottonwood Street, Iola, Kansas 66749, 620-365-5116, vpsa@allencc.edu.