ROCK SPRINGS — Western Wyoming Community College’s President Kirk Young has the opportunity to stay a bit longer than his initial three-year contract called for.
The college’s board of trustees voted to extend Young’s contract by two years following a short executive session Thursday evening. The board also approved a pay increase for Young should the Wyoming Legislature allow a raise for community college employees. Young said he was not asking for a salary increase after that portion of the contract amendment was announced. The extension pushes the end of Young’s contract to June 2029. Young’s contract sets his salary at $205,000 per year and includes a $1,500 monthly housing allowance and an $800 a month vehicle allowance.
Young has been the college’s president since July 1, 2024.
Board Approves Lab Bid, Submission of Nuclear Tech Certificate
The board of trustees also approved a $2.1 million bid for the college’s Nuclear Technology Program Lab Project. The awarded bid was an alternate submitted by Utah-based Solutions Sample Systems. The other bidder for the project was Samuel Engineering of Rock Springs, which had submitted a $3.58 million bid for the project.
The board also approved a request to submit the Generation IV Nuclear Technician Certificate to the Wyoming Community College Commission for final review. Beth Gard, the interim vice president of academic affairs, described the program as a stackable certificate that would allow a student seeking an associate of applied science degree outside of nuclear technology to receive certification to work in a sodium-cooled nuclear power plant. With the approval, the certificate program will be reviewed and voted on by the community college commission in February, which Gard said would allow Western to start offering the program next fall.
Board Elects New Officers
Trustee Jim Jessen was elected to serve as the board’s president, a role he previously held until last year, when Trustee Jenissa Meredith was elected. Meredith was absent from the meeting, marking the second month in a row she was not in attendance. Trustee Robbie Lee was voted to serve as the board’s vice president, while Trustee Ken Lorimer was voted to serve as the board’s secretary. Trustee Tiffany Marshall was selected to be the board’s treasurer.
