GCCC Board of Trustees Meeting Recap September 16, 2025
[Garden City, KS] September 17, 2025 -- The Garden City Community College Board of Trustees conducted three consecutive meetings: a public hearing to exceed the revenue neutral rate, a public hearing on the 2025-2026 budget, and the regularly scheduled meeting on September 16, 2025.
2025–2026 Budget
The Board approved and adopted the Fiscal Year 2025–2026 budget. The certified tax levy for the General Fund is set at $17,135,113 with a mill rate of 27.726, and $924,738 for Capital Outlay with a mill rate of 1.496. The combined proposed budget for the General Fund and Post-Secondary Technical Education Fund totals $27,784,448.
Women’s Wrestling Program
The Board approved the addition of women’s wrestling as an NJCAA-sanctioned sport at GCCC starting in 2026. The program will provide new recruitment opportunities, expand scholarships, and strengthen Title IX compliance. With strong local interest and competitive high school programs in the area, the program is expected to attract 25–30 student-athletes and run its competitive season from October through early March. GCCC will collaborate with the Garden City School District for practice space, further strengthening community support.
Strategic Plan
During the President’s Report, Dr. Ryan Ruda informed the Board that GCCC is updating its Strategic Plan to guide the college over the next five years and beyond. As part of this process, the college is collecting input from community members through an anonymous online survey. The survey is open now through September 29 and can be accessed at: http://www.tejoin.com/scroll/604563730.
Five-Year Reviews
The Board reviewed five-year reports from the Business Administration program and the Institutional Research department, which highlighted program overviews, key achievements from the past five years, and opportunities for future growth.
The next regular Board of Trustees meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at 6 p.m. in the Omar D. Angeles Endowment Room of the Beth Tedrow Student Center on the GCCC campus. Please note, this meeting will be held on the second Tuesday of the month instead of the usual third Tuesday.
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Garden City Community College exists to produce positive contributors to the economic and social well-being of society.