The Board of Trustees of the Flint Hills Technical College received its annual financial report from Agler & Gaeddert accounting firm during a meeting late Monday afternoon at the college. The report covered the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2006.
Lorinda Duncan, representing the firm, told trustees that accountants had audited only the college books, not those of the Flint Hills Technical College Foundation.
Agler & Gaeddert’s report noted that the FHTC’s management had not presented a management discussion and analysis that is “necessary to supplement, though not required to be part of, the basic financial statements.”
The synopsis of the report stated that the accounting firm found no material weaknesses in the college’s financial report. Recommendations about compliance with laws, regulations, contracts and grant agreements already had been presented to trustees in October 2006.
Because of excessive employee turnover during the past year, several accounting functions had not been completed properly and affected presentation of figures from the college, according to an internal revenue summary presented to trustees. Those lapses have been corrected and will be reflected at the end of this fiscal year.
During a report from representatives of the graphic arts department, trustees heard that 100 percent of the students last year had been placed in jobs.
“We had all of our students placed before they walked across the stage last year,” Jason Brinkman said.
Brinkman said that discussions are underway to partner with Pittsburg State University’s graphic arts department. Students would attend FHTC for two years for an associate’s degree, then attend Pittsburg for another two years for a bachelor’s. Fifty-two of the 56 credits from FHTC would transfer to Pittsburg.
The department anticipates purchasing new computers and software this year and, if funding permits, will upgrade its color digital press. The latter will give the department more flexibility in producing materials for student services and marketing divisions.
The trustees voted unanimously to accept the school calendar presented by Steve Loewen. They discussed the possibility that the Board of Regents will take action to make all tech college calendars uniform. FHTC, for example, works on an 18-week schedule; Manhattan’s tech college uses a 15-week schedule. FHTC will have no choice but to conform to a Regents’ decision, if that should occur.
FHTC President Dean Hollenbeck told trustees that students in the building trades division are working on the college’s auditorium, which should be completed for use by the fall.
Trustees met in executive session for 10 minutes for a discussion about property.