Northern Essex Community College Board of Trustees
Minutes of Meeting (OFFICIAL) – November 5, 2025
A meeting of the Northern Essex Community College Board of Trustees was held in room LC301 in the Dr. Ibrahim El-Hefni Allied Health & Technology Center located at 414 Common Street, Lawrence, MA on November 5, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.
PRESENT:
Ms. Borislow
Mr. Cousins (via Zoom)
Ms. Fernandez (via Zoom)
Mr. Gomez
Mr. Hamm
Ms. Horne (via Zoom)
Dr. Kelley
Mr. Silverio (via Zoom)
Mr. Yepez (arrived at 5:08 p.m.)
UNABLE TO ATTEND: Ms. Gomez Ruiz, Ms. Hatem-Roy
ALSO, PRESENT: President Glenn (via Zoom)
CALL TO ORDER: With a quorum established, Chair Borislow called the meeting to order at 5:02 p.m.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Chair Borislow asked for a motion to approve the October 1, 2025 minutes.
On a Motion presented by Trustee Fernandez and seconded by Trustee Hamm, the Board unanimously approved the October 1, 2025 minutes as presented.
CORRESPONDENCE: The board received official certification confirming that NECC is a member in good standing for 2025 with the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT).
President Glenn also shared a copy of a letter from Tim Sullivan, project director at Workforce Solutions Group thanking NECC for hosting the 16th Annual MA Jobs and Workforce Summit and President Glenn for sharing his insight and expertise during the fire-side chat with Secretary Lauren Jones.
Trustees also received a photocopy of a thank you card from caitlin little ’25 for the opportunity to attend the Campus Compact’s Newman Civic Fellowship Convening in Chicago, IL.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
a) Introduction of Newly Hired Employees:
President Glenn introduced and welcomed NECC’s newest employee, Camille Bouknight, Director of Enrollment Operations & Welcome Express. The Trustees also welcomed the newest employee. President Glenn provided a brief explanation of the Trustees’ role in Northern Essex Community College’s governance.
Trustee Yepez arrived at 5:08 p.m.
EDUCATIONAL REPORT:
a) Culinary Arts: A Taste of Success by Jody Carson
Executive Vice President McCarthy introduced Dean of Business & Professional Studies Jody Carson.
Dean Carson’s highlighted the program offerings, including the Culinary Arts Associate Degree and certificates in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry. Chef Bryan Philbrook was introduced as the new Program Coordinator. Recent activities included participation in the Taste of the Merrimack Valley event, which was “baked” into the Banquet Operations class. Students were actively involved in menu planning, food preparation, and service, gaining hands-on experience and exposure through health inspections and media interviews. Networking opportunities were emphasized through collaborations with Harrows Chicken Pies, GLTS, and Whittier, creating pathways for internships and employment. Entrepreneurial Business students also engaged in taste tests and business model discussions. Additional program-related opportunities included hosting NECC events, contributing desserts for Rising Stars @ BOSA, Paraeducator Graduation, and NECC’s café, as well as organizing Wedding Cake Day. All activities were designed to align with course and program learning outcomes.
Q: Chair Borislow asked how many students are the culinary arts programs? A: About 25. Chef Philbrook is already excited about the potential for growth.
Q: Chair Borislow asked if NECC partners with restaurants? A: Yes, mostly for summer internships.
BOARD CHAIR UPDATE:
The Board Chair Update and Report of Board Committees were taken out of order to correct a technical issue. Chair Borislow called the Trustees attention to the Communique in the Board packet. She acknowledged the accomplishments of the Fall student-athletes – Men’s Soccer ranks sixth in the nations, Women’s Volleyball made the playoffs, and Basketball has started practices and are ready for the next season. Chair Borislow reminded the Trustees that she will be hosting the holiday party at her home this year and the December Board meeting has been moved from Haverhill to Lawrence. Next Friday, President Glenn will be the keynote at the AgeSpan: Inspiring Lifelong Learning, where Trustee Hatem-Roy is the CEO. Chair Borislow and Trustee Gomez will be participating in the Governance Leadership Institute this Friday at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester.
REPORT OF BOARD COMMITTEES:
a) Audit and Finance Committee: No report.
b) Alumni Advancement Committee: Committee Chair Fernandex recognized Vice President Dolan-Wilson and her team for their hard work in organizing the Annual Fall Leadership Society Event held last night in the ArtSpace Gallery in the Bentley Library. She also encouraged everyone to take some time to visit the art work on display.
c) Nominating Committee: No report.
d) Presidential Evaluation Committee: No report.
EDUCATIONAL REPORT:
b) All College Assembly Report by Sheila Muller
Executive Vice President McCarthy introduced the chair of the All College Assembly, Professor Sheila Muller.
Sheila Muller presented the ACA annual report, emphasizing governance improvements and strategic initiatives. Key accomplishments included approving the Academic Restart Policy and Incomplete Grade Policy, implementing the Knowledge Management Framework and SoftDocs workflow for institutional memory, and supporting the Beloved Community Action Plan for the Lawrence Campus. The committee also introduced campus-wide orientation and governance process videos to enhance engagement. Curriculum modernization advanced with the approval of 76 proposals, streamlined program development, and reinforced academic quality standards. Fiscal transparency efforts involved reviewing the FY25 budget, endorsing a 1.9% fee increase, and supporting initiatives such as MassEducate, space utilization studies, building renovations, and sustainability projects including solar expansion and EV charging stations. Technology modernization focused on cybersecurity training, EOTSS audit compliance, transitioning to Brightspace LMS, rolling out Ellucian Experience, and adopting SoftDocs e-forms for secure workflows. Student advocacy remained a priority, addressing food and basic needs insecurity, hosting open forums on advising and safety, distributing multilingual Know Your Rights materials, and supporting undocumented and LGBTQ+ students. The committee monitored building renovations for accessibility and relaunched the Knight’s Quest Award for student recognition. Awareness initiatives increased ACA’s presence through Leadership Academy and professional development programs, though more representation from AFSCME and faculty is needed. Staff turnover and succession planning were noted as ongoing concerns. Next steps include overseeing the Knowledge Management Framework, preparing for the NECHE self-study, and maintaining chair term limits of five years.
Q: Chair Borislow asked with the emergence of AI prevalence, does AI security roll into cybersecurity? A: IT continues to monitor technology, but Professor Muller hope is to create a closed AI agent specific to the ACA.
REPORT OF ADMINISTRATION:
President Glenn acknowledged the growing concern around food security for students and the broader community. He noted that while the college continues to update resources and communicate availability through email, it cannot fully replace federal or state support as programs like SNAP. The college’s approach remains focused on providing emergency resources for students in greatest need, maintaining a strong network of community partners, and advocating for expanded funding to reduce reliance on emergency measures. Initiatives such as MassReconnect, MassEducate, and increases to the Mass Grant Plus program have helped put thousands of dollars back into students’ pockets, though significant needs persist. Compared to previous years, progress has been made, but continued advocacy and awareness are essential.
a) Budget and Legislative Updates: President Glenn and Student Trustee Horne attend a legislative briefing on the statewide SUCCESS program at the State House tomorrow. This is Trustee Horne’s second trip to the State House in as many weeks, and she has quickly become a familiar and effective advocate on Beacon Hill.
For those who are newer, the SUCCESS program began at Northern Essex in 2021 and helped secure $7 million statewide for community colleges. Over time, that amount grew to $14 million, but funding has stalled this year despite significant enrollment increases across all community colleges. Instead of increasing community college funding, the State allocated $14 million to state universities. This is concerning because SUCCESS—Supporting Urgent Community College Equity through Student Services—was designed specifically for community colleges. While we support resources for state university students, data shows that they already have far more funding per student than community colleges. Tomorrow’s advocacy will focus on prioritizing community college funding first, then expanding to the four-year sector as resources allow.
President Glenn reported two significant grants the college recently received. NECC received a $250,000 Capital Skills Grant to purchase equipment for our new surgical technology program and a $150,000 TRAIN grant to support pharmacy technician training. These grants demonstrate our commitment to securing resources for both our students and local employers.
b) Campus and Community Updates: President Glenn acknowledges that former Trustee Sally O’Rourke honored by Haverhill YMCA this evening. He also called attention to the recognition of Allie Gagne as the Community Advocate of the Year for contributions to internship programs by Opportunity Works.
The New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) Interim (fifth-year) Report was accepted by the Commission with best possible outcome. The next report will be the Comprehensive Evaluation in 2030 and we have been asked to report on our progress on the strategic plan and the culture of assessment in addition to addressing each of the Standards. NECHE has also granted the opportunity to apply for blanket approval for competency-based education programs. This is significant because Northern Essex was the first public college in Massachusetts to adopt this approach and the first in the nation to offer an associate degree in competency-based format for early childhood educators. President Glenn acknowledged the efforts Dean Marcy Yeager, Dean Jody Carson, and Vice President Gilliland towards this milestone.
President Glenn announced that Vice President Naydeen González-De Jesús has been approved by the Lawrence Partnership board to serve as interim executive director while continuing her role at the college. This dual responsibility will strengthen the partnership during a critical period as it works toward financial stability and prepares to hire a full-time executive director in the future. Her leadership, combined with the strong board and community support, positions the partnership for success. Chair Borislow also recognized Dr. González-De Jesús’ appointment to the YMCA Board.
Executive Vice President invited the Trustees to the Veteran’s Ceremony being held at the Haverhill Campus tomorrow morning. He also announced that the Solar Project is in the final steps at eh State and DCAM. He reminded the Trustees that this project is expected to generate about23% of the Haverhill Campus’ electricity. In addition, EV charging stations will be added at the Lawrence Campus, another strong step toward energy efficiency and supporting eco-friendly transportation.
c) Save-the-Date:
- Massachusetts Governance Leadership Institute, November 7, College of the Holy Cross in Worcester
- AgeSpan: Inspiring Lifelong Learning, November 14, Blue Ocean Event Center in Salisbury
- NECC BOT Holiday Party, Wednesday, December 3 at 6:30 p.m.
d) Communique: The Communique was distributed as part of the Board Packet prior to the meeting.
NEW BUSINESS:
a) Grants
Chair Borislow noted three grants for approval totaling $846,590.00 and asked for a motion to approve the grants collectively. They were:
- Massachusetts DCAMM: Higher Education Applied Learning Space Modernization Program | *$500,000.00
- Massachusetts Department of Higher Education/Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges: (ETF) Lite – Healthcare Workforce Supplemental Funds | $96,590.00
- Massachusetts Workforce Skills Cabinet: Massachusetts Skills Capital Grant Program | $250,000.00
*Pending Sponsor Approval
On a Motion presented by Trustee Yepez and seconded by Trustee Gomez, the Board unanimously approved the grants (ADM-3978-110525, ADM-3979-110525, ADM-3980-110525) totaling $846,590.00 as presented.
OTHER BUSINESS: None.
ADJOURNMENT: With no other business, Chair Borislow expressed appreciation for Trustee Horne’s representation of NECC at the Stare House and on behalf of the Board wished her luck for tomorrow. The meeting adjourned at 5:52 p.m.
