The Northwest College Foundation has been working to fill some of the gaps left by budget cuts required of the college in the last decade.

At the Dec. 12 NWC Board of Trustees meeting — originally scheduled for Meeteetse but returned to the college due to snow — foundation leaders presented on the success of the organization. The board also reviewed the Memorandum of Understanding that spells out the partnership that began in 1966.

Executive director Shelby Wetzel said the foundation expects to return more than $2.8 million to the college this year for scholarships, other programs and a $500,000 grant to help fund the temporary dining hall building.

In the spring, the foundation will also be paying the salaries for two endowed faculty positions.

Wetzel noted the foundation also uses money from farm leases to pay for the feed at the college’s equine center and provides discretionary funds for President Lisa Watson to use on entertainment, hospitality and public relations.

“We can show a pattern of support where we’ve been able to step in and sustain some operations … and reduce programs at risk at Northwest College due to budget cuts,” Wetzel said.

New faces

Three trustees have been sworn in to start new four-year terms, including one new to the board. Denise Laursen attended her inaugural meeting Monday and was sworn in alongside longtime trustee John Housel. Re-elected trustee Dusty Spomer attended the meeting virtually, but had already delivered his new oath of office in front of a notary.

Old places

The trustees — except for two who joined virtually — met at their usual location in the Yellowstone Building on campus, but not where they had planned. The schedule called for trustees to have their annual meeting in Meeteetse, but a big snowstorm prompted the switch to Powell.

College policy states there will a meeting in Meeteetse during every fall semester and one in Cody during the spring semester. The snow got in the way of that policy requirement, although trustees said they still plan to have a meeting in Meeteetse this school year. They also plan to review the policy with the aim of dropping the strict requirement about the time of year for the two off-campus meetings.