Northern Oklahoma College Board of Regents heard a presentation from Dr. Nikole Hicks, Nursing Division Chair, regarding the NOC Nursing Accreditation Self Study.The document was created in advance of an Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) visit scheduled for March 8-10 in the Renfro Center at NOC Tonkawa. ACEN is the accrediting body that approves college nursing programs, and enables them to prepare registered nurses. Public comments on the nursing program may be made Wednesday, March 9, at 3 p.m. in the Renfro Center.The board passed a resolution supporting the current law regarding weapons on campus, in which the president has the discretion to allow individuals to carry weapons on campus when the individual circumstances warrant it. The resolution strongly opposes any changes to state law regarding weapons on college and university campuses in Oklahoma.Board members also heard a President Dr. Clark Harris regarding the Building a Better NOC Program at Wednesday’s meeting in Tonkawa.Dr. Harris has been holding meetings on all three campuses providing an opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to provide suggestions to build a better college community.“We have received good feedback from students and employees at these meetings,” Dr. Harris said. “We will take these great ideas and through the Executive Council build a strategy going forward.”Harris said that at the Tonkawa meeting, he asked faculty and staff that attended NOC or had family members attend NOC to stand up.“It was amazing, as 90% of the participants stood up,” he said. “It just shows the investment that our faculty and staff have in NOC, as they are NOC. That is something we can build on for the future.”In administrator updates, Vice President for Enrollment Management Dr. Rick Edgington reported that enrollment for Spring 2022 is up 5% over Spring 2021. He said the largest jump in enrollment is through the Gateway Program at Oklahoma State University.Diana Watkins, Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs, reported on successes for NOC students who are part of a rocket launch program as well as NOC Livestock Judging and Sheep Center students participating in events across the country.Vice President for Community Relations & Development Sheri Snyder reported the Renfro Lectureship Series featuring singer/ song writer Jimmy Webb will be held March 8. She also reported the creation of a quarterly newsletter by the NOC Alumni & Community Relations Office developed through an intiative by the NOC Alumni Advisory Board that ...
