Atlantic Cape Trustees Approve Personnel Matters, Contracts

MAYS LANDING—Atlantic Cape Community College’s Board of Trustees approved personnel matters and contracts and purchases when it met April 26 at the Mays Landing Campus.
Board Accepts President Mora’s Retirement
The board approved a resolution to accept the retirement of Dr. Peter L. Mora, Sr., president, effective Dec. 31. Mora joined the college in 1974 as an assistant professor of developmental studies. He was promoted to chairperson and later associate professor before earning administrative leadership positions, including director of Institutional Planning and Research, associate dean of Academic Affairs, associate dean of Economic Development and Community Services, dean of Continuing Education and Training, and interim provost for Cape May.
In 2005, Mora was appointed the college’s eighth president. In that role, he provided leadership to establish the Rutgers Degree Completion project at the Mays Landing Campus, was elected chairperson of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, was elected to the Executive Committee of the New Jersey Presidents Council, was elected chair of the Campus Safety and Security Committee of the NJPC, and was appointed by Rochelle Hendricks, New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education, to her statewide advisory committee on Student Success Initiatives.
In Personnel Activity, the Board:
–Appointed Nicholas Alexander of Pleasantville, office assistant, Disability Support Services, effective April 27.
–Approved the promotion of Paul Stewart Davis of Vineland, to director, Counseling and Support Services, retroactive to Feb. 5.
–Accepted the resignation of Michael Bruckler of Galloway, director, College Relations, effective May 18.
–Accepted the retirement of Assistant Professor of English Elinor Mattern of Mount Holly, effective June 30. Mattern joined the college in 1993 as a part-time instructor, securing a full-time position in 2000. Over the past 23 years, she has taught basic through advanced English, as well as English as a Second Language. She served on the Basic Skills Committee, advised Rewrites magazine, conducted poetry workshops and assisted with the Cross Cultural Club.
Former Dean of Instruction Ron McArthur stated Mattern “created a learning environment that was exceptional. Her enthusiasm and dedication to teaching is obvious, even to the casual observer.”
Contracts and Purchases:
–Continuing Education guide printing, Bartash Printing Co., Philadelphia, $18,698.
–Media buying services, Entrepreneur Advertising, Linwood, not to exceed $93,000.
–Internet services, three-year contract, Comcast, Trevose, Pennsylvania, $99,144.
–Unmanned aerial vehicle helicopter package, Draganfly Innovations Inc., Saskatoon, Canada, $30,822.
–Merchant card services, three-year contract, Touchnet Information Systems Inc., Lenexa, Kansas, and Ellucian, Fairfax, Virginia, annual fee of $28,700 and one-time implementation fee of $10,100.
–Services to redesign disability services for faculty to meet student needs as accepted under the consent decree with the National Federation for the Blind, Access 4 All, not to exceed $32,400.
–Services to redesign disability services for staff development and training in compliance with the consent decree with the National Federation for the Blind, Salome Heyward & Associates, not to exceed $27,000.
In Grant Activity, the Board:
–Approved submitting an application to the New Jersey Space Grant Subgrant Program of Rutgers University for a grant of $15,000 for the college’s Aviation Studies program to participate in an aeronautical research project over the anticipated term of Sept. 1, 2016-June 1, 2017.
In Other Business, the Board:
–Approved the March 2016 financial statement.
–Approved a list of renovations and upgrades for funding for capital projects from the Chapter 12 FY’17 allocation of $2.9 million. Projects include replacement of the PBX system; updates and repairs to fiber networks; rebuilding manholes for primary electric network; furnishings for the new Testing Center; refitting J-Building space vacated by the day care center for office use, and refitting space in D-Building vacated by the Testing Center for office use.
–Adopted a change to Board of Trustee bylaws amending the number of voting members to reflect there is currently only one superintendent for both Atlantic and Cape May counties.
In the President’s Report:
–Dr. Mora recognized the student newspaper, The Atlantic Cape Review, which won 13 awards, including “Best of Show,” in the 2015-16 New Jersey Collegiate Press Association’s annual Better Newspaper Contest.
–Beacons By the Sea Professor Nina Stolzenberg was introduced. Stolzenberg is teaching two classes at the college this semester, Child Psychology and Psychology of Exceptionality. She is a licensed psychologist and director of children’s services at the Jewish Family Service of Atlantic and Cape May Counties. The visiting professor program is funded in part by the Beacons by the Sea, a public arts and fundraising project that placed artist-decorated lighthouses in prominent locations throughout Atlantic and Cape May counties in 2003.
–Dr. Rich Perniciaro, vice president of planning, research, facilities and executive support, provided an overview of the March 14 Student Lobbying Day organized by the New Jersey Council of County Colleges. Three Atlantic Cape students shared their personal stories with New Jersey elected officials of how they make a difference by their continued support of funding to students and accessibility to high quality education at Atlantic Cape.
–Dr. Mora introduced Ellie Fogarty, the college’s liaison to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The college is preparing for its next self-study by a Middle States team in 2018. Middle States is an internationally recognized organization that evaluates degree-granting institutions of higher education and assists institutions to improve their programs and services.
The next meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held at 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 24, at the Cape May County Campus. All are welcome to attend.