AWC to offer degrees, certificates in informatics, more

Strengthening its partnerships, Arizona Western College will offer new degrees and certificates in several areas starting this fall.

The school will begin offering associate of arts degrees in animal production and an associate degree in business in agriculture commerce through its partnership with the University of Arizona, said Vice President for Learning Services Dr. Linda Elliott-Nelson.

“The new degrees and certificates that Arizona Western College is presenting before you represent the extensive work that we do with our partners,” ElliottNelson told the board. “Our community partners, our university partners and partners such as STEDY, which is the JTED here in Yuma County.”

The college will offer an associ- ate of arts in animal production and an associate in business- agricommerce in partnership with the University of Arizona, ElliottNelson said.

“Agri-commerce represents what I believe we will see more of, which is a blending of two different disciplines — in this case it’s agriculture and business,” Elliot-Nelson said. “What we hear from our agriculture partners is that they want people in business to go to work for them.”

AWC has been working with the Southwest Technical Education District of Yuma County Superintendent Kevin Imes to offer an associate of applied science in emergency and disaster management, Elliot-Nelson told the board.

The other degree to be offered starting in the fall is an associate of applied science in informatics, which is part of a grant the college received last fall.

Certificates to be offered include: bookkeeping; emergency and disaster management; informatics — education technology; informatics — information management/software development; informatics — information systems; informatics — security; and massage technician.

“These are stackable certificates in that once you begin one certificate you can build toward the actual degree,” she said.

There is a great demand for bookkeepers by the Colorado Indian River Tribes in La Paz County, as well as in Yuma County, ElliotNelson said, as there is a difference between bookkeepers and accountants.

After several questions and minutes of discussion, the board approved the degrees and certificates. Board member Melissa Wright participated in the meeting by phone.

AWC Foundation Executive Director Renee Smith reported that the foundation is in the middle of its scholarship season. More than 350 applications have been either submitted or are in progress through the online system. The Foundation expects to notify students May 1 if they have been awarded a scholarship. For 2017-2018, Smith said there are 117 scholarships being offered, with $116,400 of that coming through the Foundation.

Under the good of the order, Board President Dennis Booth and other board members questioned presenters in the audience on how the college could reach students who fall “in between” — their families make too much to qualify for financial aid but they can’t pay out of pocket.

Vice President for Student Services Bryan Doak said that the college does track these students and that a future board report could be made on how the college is trying to reach these students.

Smith said that the scholarship committee tries to spread its funds across as many students as it can.

Lee Altman, professor of heating ventilation and airconditioning, introduced the new Faculty Senate governing board representative Dr. Joann Chang starting in May. The new Faculty Senate president will be Dr. Matthew Smith and Reetika Dhawan will be the vice president.

Board member Maria Chavoya gave a report on her attendance at the Association of Community College Trustees National Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C.

Diana Doucette, direc- tor of Financial Services and controller, noted in her report that the Yuma Area Benefits Consortium has raised health insurance premiums 5 percent for the upcoming year, and the state retirement system is increasing its long-term disability rate by 0.02 percent, which will cost about $12,000.

Doucette said she is meeting with AWC President Daniel Corr on how the college will be meeting those expenses.

Elliott-Nelson and Doucette reported on the AWC classroom being built in the new Somerton City Hall. Elliott-Nelson noted that they already have faculty lining up to offer classes there.

Doak said that the audit of the veterans services program yielded exciting news — the program was called a “model” for other Arizona colleges.