Allen Community College Board members approved an upgrade to the college’s administrative software, while taking advantage of $75,000 in savings. THE UNIVERSITY of Kansas will be partnering with ACC for the fall semester for alcohol and substance abuse counseling through KU Medical Center. IN OTHER BUSINESS:
The software, Jenzabar CX, will ultimately need to be upgraded to Jenzabar JX in the future — the company is offering a total of $75,000 in savings for organizations that sign the contract before Sept. 30.
“We are going to have to pay now, or later,” Board Chairman Neal Barclay said.
The total cost will range anywhere from $171,536 to $321,036. The discrepency in cost, according to Vice President for Finance and Operations Steve Troxel, comes from shared costs between colleges during the installation and training process. If more than one college is upgrading the software, costs could be split for training and on-campus work.
The program is funded through a KU grant geared toward rural colleges, and will provide “tele-medicine” for students who need help or advice with alcohol or drug use. Essentially through video conference counseling, students will have access to licensed psychiatrists and psychologists.
“It’s just another resource we will have for our students,” Regina Aye, dean for online learning, said to the board during Tuesday evening’s meeting.
Students are currently referred to local entities for any counseling regarding alcohol and substance abuse. Online students will also have access to the new program.
— Board members approved a three-year contract with Blackboard, the college’s online course module provider. The cost to the college is $154,789, $158,383 and $162,084 per year, respectively.
— A public hearing for the 2013-2014 ACC budget was held, with no comments, and the budget was approved by the board.
College bites bullet on software upgrade
