CCC board extends tenure of interim president

Robin Jones’ month-to-month tenure as interim president of Clovis Community College has been extended another month, to Dec. 7.

The CCC Board of Trustee’s voted 3-0 to extend the appointment at its regular meeting Wednesday.

Trustee Laura Leal abstained from voting. She also abstained last month, saying it’s time to put President Charles Nwankwo back to work. Trustee Terry Martin did not attend Wednesday’s meeting.

Jones was named interim president at a special board meeting on Aug. 8 and that appointment was extended at the board’s regular meetings in September and October. She was appointed following the board’s decision to place Nwankwo on paid administrative leave beginning Aug. 8.

Resolutions and letters from three CCC employee groups stated Nwankwo “has shown to be an incompetent administrator and has demonstrated a remarkable degree of unprofessionalism in conduct and behaviors.” Their votes of no confidence led to the paid leave and an investigation by the Albuquerque law firm of Cuddy and McCarthy.

The board’s attorney, Kameron Barnett, said Wednesday the investigation is still proceeding and added that the CCC board has not placed restrictions on the length of the investigation.

In other matters Wednesday, the CCC board:

• Heard a presentation on preparations for the Campus Cabinet, which is scheduled to start offering food and toiletry items to students in need beginning in April 2023.

• Heard a report on the $6.4 million in financial aid that is helping students this year. Most of the financial aid, $5.3 million, comes from federal grants, including Pell grants that assist low-income students. The report also noted that default rates on federal student rates have declined from 20 percent in 2017 to 5.6 percent, due to federally enacted loan forgiveness.

• Gave emeritus status to retired instructors Paul Nagy, Michael Powers, Paul Aragon and Beverly Aragon.

• Heard financial reports that show the college finishing the quarter ending Sept. 30 with $38.2 million more in revenues than expenses.

• Approved $35.5 million in budget adjustments among other things to accommodate property improvements, capital outlay allocations and general-obligation bond funds, renovation of the Norman and Vi Petty Performing Arts Center, welding faculty, health and fitness equipment, and enterprise resource planning.