State College of Florida trustees unanimously approve President Carol Probstfeld’s 2016-17 goals

The State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota’s District Board of Trustees voted 5-0 Tuesday to approve SCF President Carol Probstfeld’s 2016-17 goals for additional retirement contributions.

Some of Probstfeld’s goals to be completed by June 30, 2017, include securing commitments for $600,000 toward the fundraising goal of $1 million for the Library Learning Center, which she described in her list of goals as the most significant structure the college will have built in its history; developing three new academic program pathways with local educational partners; and implementing a self-service password solution and upgrading the college-wide wireless system.

“This strategy, designed to impact retention, will allow students to reset their own passwords on a 24/7 basis versus the need to call the IT help desk for assistance,” she wrote in a document of the goal to implement a self-service password solution. “In addition, (it) will enhance wireless speed and increase capacity particularly during peak periods and in preparation for increased demand from the new Library Learning Center.”

At an Aug. 23 meeting, several trustees challenged the president before the board voted 5-1 to table discussion of her 2016-17 goals. Trustee Edward A. Bailey was the sole dissenting vote.

Trustee Craig Trigueiro at that meeting said he expected most of the goals Probstfeld previously listed to be done as SCF president — not as a goal. He described the goals as ill-defined and too easy.

“First of all, the board was doing our job and what I heard from Dr. T (Trigueiro) for example was the challenging of the goals needing to be meaningful, not just a walk in the park,” Marlen “Rick” Hager, the board’s new chair, said Tuesday. “And especially if we’re going to reward a large, substantial amount of money for the accomplishment of those goals, they needed to be somewhat strenuous.”

Trigueiro said he spoke to Probstfeld before the meeting and suggested that next year each board member pick out what they think could be a goal.

In other news, the board of trustees and attendees were informed of SCF winning a five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education of a little more than $2.2 million.

Richard G. Barnhouse, SCF vice president of strategic enrollment management, said grant money will go toward data, software and technological solutions.

“These are really designed to help us understand where students are in their academic career, where they’re struggling, where we can assist, and it gives us real-time data so we don’t have to dig for it and miss the boat,” he said, “We understand what’s happening with all of our students, or with a single student.”

This story was originally published September 20, 2016 at 9:50 PM with the headline "State College of Florida trustees unanimously approve President Carol Probstfeld’s 2016-17 goals."