BUTLER’S NUMBERS ARE UP!
ENROLLMENT
• 4.74% increase in overall headcount compared to Fall 2023.
• 6.65% increase in total number of credit hours.
RETENTION RATE
• Current rate of 66% equals 5% increase over previous year.
• National community college average is 61%.
Butler Celebrates Important Program Anniversaries
Early College Academy and BEST pass significant milestones
This past May Butler’s Early College Academy (ECA) completed its first decade of service to high school juniors and seniors, having helped 725 students from 20 partner schools make significant strides toward their future careers.
“What was once just in Rose Hill has now expanded into the state and country,” Associate Dean of Online, High School and Community Learning Christy Streeter said. The ECA now offers more than 10 educational pathways that lead to associate degrees or certificates.
ECA graduates have saved nearly $2.5 million and received more than $27 million in scholarship offerings. Butler County residents make up more than half of all ECA graduates and account for 75% of those savings and scholarship offerings.
“I think it’s important that people know we are continually trying to meet the needs of our students and families and streamline the process as much as possible,” Streeter said.
Students in the BEST program earn their associate degree from Butler and their Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Emporia State University entirely on campus at Butler.
ThisThe Early College Academy offers high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to earn college credits in a chosen pathway while simultaneously working toward their high school diploma.
year Butler Community College and Emporia State University’s (ESU) elementary education partnership, known as Butler & Emporia from Students to Teachers (BEST), recognized 20 years of dedication and support to students.
“Students benefit from the BEST program because they get a high-quality education [without] having to move,” Todd Roberts, ESU advisor, said. “Many of our students are place-bound due to family responsibilities, jobs or finances. Having this for the last 20 years has allowed them to stay home and get that degree.
“Butler and Emporia graduates have a reputation in this area for being great [teacher] candidates,” said Roberts, noting that many of the 500 graduates go on to be mentor teachers for future BEST students.
“Students have multiple opportunities to go out into the classroom,” said Casey McGraw, Butler’s elementary education lead instructor. “They get to observe in different settings, interact with students, and plan and teach lessons. The BEST program offers a vast amount of clinical experiences for students, [and] real world perspective.”
Photo by Rodney Dimick.
THE AFFORDABILITY CHECKLIST
Scholarships and a lower price tag mean Butler provides its students an average savings of more than $8,500/year compared to four-year public universities in Kansas.
3 SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID
Hundreds of renewable scholarships are offered every year, totaling $3 million in awards for academic excellence or involvement in activities. Plus The Kansas Promise Scholarship can make up the difference in aid for select programs.
During the 2022-23 academic year 54% of first-time, full-time Butler students received scholarship aid. The average amount of scholarships was $2,347. (Source: IPEDS)
3 TUITION DISCOUNTS
Butler County residents receive a discounted tuition rate relative to in-state, out-of-state and international students.
For the 2024-2025 school year, residents only pay $99 per credit hour, compared to $130 per credit hour for other Kansas residents.
3 2+2 AGREEMENTS
Butler holds partnerships with dozens of four-year institutions that ensure each credit earned at Butler transfers directly to a variety of programs. For example, the new Educate the State partnership provides a discounted tuition for Butler Secondary Education majors transferring to Friends University, Newman University or Southwestern College.
3 NO HIDDEN FEES!
“When comparing programs between institutions, it is important that a student compares a program’s total costtuition and all fees. Some institutions advertise a low tuition rate but fail to clearly state additional course or program fees.” - Director of Financial Aid Heather Ward
3 OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER)
OERs are instructional materials released under a special copyright license allowing them to be offered at a significantly reduced cost. When Butler-authored textbooks were first offered in 2018, the cost to students dropped from $240 to just $10. Since then, OERs have resulted in over $2.8 million in student savings.
Innovation and Opportunity Always Have a Home at Butler
A Look at What’s Ahead at Butler Community College
Every season is one of renewed excitement at Butler Community College, with new partnerships and curriculum improvements always being announced and new college initiatives implemented.
The past year held several examples of how Butler is staying ahead of the curriculum curve and bringing new educational opportunities to Butler County residents:
New Software Development AI Pathway
Research by the State of Kansas projects lucrative career prospects for graduates in the AI field, which is what led Butler’s Software Development department’s Industry Advisory Committee, a group of area professionals who recognize the growing need for Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, to push for this new program option.
NSA Re-designation
In the spring Butler was re-designated a National Center of Academic Excellence by the National Security Agency (NSA). This continued acknowledgment by a significant national institution is further testament to Butler’s faculty’s unwavering dedication to provide top-tier education and training in the evolving field of cyber security.
Educate the State
A new public-private agreement called Educate the State was launched last spring, bringing together 5 Kansas colleges—Cowley College, Friends University, Newman University, Southwestern College and Butler—to positively impact the teacher shortage in the state. The institutions created a seamless transfer option for Secondary Education majors which is more affordable through a guaranteed lower tuition rate at the university level.
Instructional Design Certificate
Fall 2024 has seen the start of a new Instructional Design Certificate that equips students with the online design capabilities they need to excel in the world of instructional design. The fully-online 12-hour curriculum, geared toward education, graphic design and digital media majors, includes an optional three credit hour internship, ensuring students receive a real-life opportunity to shape the future with an enhanced toolkit.
Beyond these exciting opportunities there is even more to look forward to, including a Butler e-sports gaming club and trap shooting team starting collegiate competition in Fall 2025 and many academic projects and industry partnerships aimed at improving the lives and careers of Butler students and our Butler County communities.
Butler Retention Rates Reach All-Time Highs
Students return to Butler in record numbers—and administration knows why
Butler
Community College reached a historic retention rate for the Fall 2022 freshman class, as first-time full-time students who began taking classes that term returned to Butler at a 66% rate. The previous high for the college was 61%.
The increase places the College well above the national retention rate average. In addition, Butler’s 35% retention rate for part-time students is the highest it’s been since 2018.
“In today’s enrollment and financial climate, student retention has never been more important,” said Butler Research Analyst Dr. Jenna Gannon. ”And these numbers show Butler’s ongoing commitment to increasing retention rates.”
Butler’s Dean of Online, High School & Community Learning, Dr. Heather Rinkenbaugh sees a meaningful reason for the positive trend. “We are embedding our family feel into our culture–that and the dedication of our faculty and staff to meet students where they are continue(s) to set us apart,” said Rinkenbaugh.
The Chronicle of Higher Education calls retention “a fundamental component of an institution’s ability to carry out its mission,” with low retention rates serving as an indicator of future financial loss. With this in mind, Butler’s increased retention rate is a sign of the College continuing to fulfill its mission to provide innovative, affordable, quality education.
Retention rates for the Fall 2022 class are released in 2024 because those enrollment numbers must be measured against the number of students who return for the Fall 2023 semester, before both sets of numbers can be analyzed.
Trustees Focus on Student Success and Institutional Sustainability
At the September 10, 2024, Butler Board of Trustees regular meeting, the Board voted to exceed the revenue neutral rate set by the County Clerk and raise the College’s tax request to the county by 1 mill from 12.268 to 13.268 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. After a period of public comment and board discussion, the measure passed by a vote of 5-2.
The Board’s vote puts Butler Community College’s total request at just over $14.4 million for the 2024-2025 budget year. For a Butler County homeowner with a $200,000 residential property, the 1 mill increase will mean an addition of roughly $23.00 per year.
The change comes after a 32% decrease in the College’s mill levy from FY15 to FY24. The college has continued to reduce its tax request even as its valuation from the county has increased nearly 52% since FY17. Of the major taxing entities in the county, Butler continues to have the lowest taxpayer request.
Butler President Dr. Kim Krull and the Board acknowledge the impact of the increase on taxpayers and are examining new ways to lower the tax burden. “Butler Community College is extraordinarily grateful for every cent of investment we receive from taxpayers,” said Dr. Krull.
Krull pointed to a Lightcast economic impact study completed in the fall of 2023 using fiscal year 2022 data which showed the College has a $49.4 million economic impact within Butler County alone. This level of economic impact equals a return on investment to taxpayers of $3.31 for every $1.00 invested.
She added, “Throughout the annual budgeting process, the Board and Administration have a constant focus on fulfilling the College’s mission to serve students and change their lives. Institutional sustainability and growth, fiscal responsibility, enrollment and student success are all top strategic priorities.”
New and Familiar Faces Take the Reins at Butler
Robinson,
Foust,
and
Padzensky
bring new energy to campus
Aninflux of new leadership has come to Butler over the past several months in the form of a new Vice President of Academics, a new director at the Redler Institute of Culinary Arts and a familiar face taking on a new role in the Career and Technical Education division.
DR. BARRY ROBINSON – Vice President of Academics
Dr. Robinson comes to Butler after serving as Vice President of Instruction at Whatcom Community College in Bellingham, Washington. Before beginning his career in higher education, Dr. Robinson worked as a clinical researcher at several notable institutions including Johns Hopkins Medical Center.
Dr. Robinson says his science background has helped him greatly as an administrator in higher education, pointing to the importance of communication and collaboration in both fields which led him to institute an open door policy for students. “It speaks to being collaborative and being able to listen to students to meet them where they are. Since they are the eyes and ears of the front line, it allows us to adapt and pivot as need be to ensure that they have the best educational journey possible.”
DEREK FOUST – Associate Dean, Career and Technical Education (CTE)
As the agriculture department’s lead instructor for the last four years, Foust developed three separate class curriculums and regularly worked with local industry partners to ensure Butler students continue to be taught the skills necessary for success.
Foust says he will miss his classroom time with students, but is “excited to help guide [their] success on an institutional level. I am also excited to support the incredible faculty of the CTE division to ensure they are given the support to be successful,” he said.
LES PADZENSKY – Director, Redler Institute of Culinary Arts
Former Butler President Dr. Jackie Vietti has been named Interim President for the Spring 2025 semester, as the search for a permanent successor to the retiring Dr. Kim Krull continues. A new president is expected in Summer 2025.
An award-winning professional with more than 30 years of management experience in the local culinary and hospitality industry, Padzensky has worked for several notable food and hospitality organizations in the Wichita area, including LaTour Management, Inc., where he helped manage Piccadilly Market & Grill and Timberline Steakhouse & Grill, and Epoch Development where he was a Regional Manager for Freddy’s Frozen Custard.
Along with new Head Culinary Instructor Ethan Moulds, Padzensky believes he knows how to find the right formula for the program’s new chapter. “It’s going to be a shared vision, like a recipe, you listen to others and you tweak it. You work together and you come up with a solution.”
ABOVE, left to right: Associate Dean of Career and Technical Education Derek Foust (center) speaks with Dean of Career & Technical Education Dr. Peter Linden (right) at the Redler Institute of Culinary Arts Meet & Greet on August 6, 2024. (Elizabeth Cody); Butler President Dr. Kim Krull (left) and new Vice President of Academics Dr. Barry Robinson (right). (Rodney Dimick); Redler Institute Director Les Padzensky speaks at the Redler Institute Meet & Greet on August 6, 2024. (Elizabeth Cody)
OUR MISSION
Butler Community College inspires and prepares students for lifetime success through inclusive, innovative, affordable, quality education while advancing community vitality.
OUR VISION
Butler Community College will be an innovator in shaping the future for students, faculty, staff, and the community in a caring environment through dynamic instruction, programs, and support services.
