Area Commission Planning Meeting

For those who were off last week, welcome back. I hope you enjoyed your time off. For those of you who did not take off please make plans for some vacation time in the near future.

I apologize for not posting any updates in a few weeks. Last minute preparations for the Area Commission Planning Meeting were overwhelming. The Planning Meeting was held over two full days, with nine of the ten Commission members in attendance. We presented pertinent information related to the six planning themes that were identified from the faculty/staff focus group sessions: student success, programming, partnerships, campus environment, branding, and organizational development. Our discussions focused primarily on student success and how the other themes support our efforts to help students achieve their goals.

We introduced the future concept of building a 55,000 sq ft allied health facility. The allied health sector is growing rapidly and there is great demand for us to expand our programming and provide facilities to meet those needs. Adding an allied health facility to our campus would free up space in A and C buildings for new and expanding programs.

The potential for a major partnership with the Rock Hill School District was discussed. The school district is evaluating a possible location for a fourth high school. One of three ideas they are exploring is locating a non-comprehensive high school on our College campus. This option is very similar to the Early College concept where students could simultaneously earn both a high school diploma and an associate degree. Opportunity exists for all or part of the programs at the Applied Technology Center to relocate to the College campus, which would provide additional space on the Northwestern campus. The new high school could potentially accommodate as many as 1200 students or be designed for mostly grades 11 and 12 and be as small as 500. There is no date certain but if both administrations and governing boards agree this could become a reality by 2012.

I believe Commission members were engaged and appreciated the time spent covering the major opportunities and challenges ahead. I am very grateful to our Commission members for their support. I am also very appreciative of the hard work by many individuals who helped us prepare for the meeting.

Investing In Our Community

Despite economic hardship in year 2007, which reduced the amount of contributions by other institutions to the United Way, York Technical College was able to increase its pledges by nine percent over 2006. YTC employees contributed $13,824.50 to the 2007 United Way Campaign. I am delighted to know that in addition to your regular duties, you are also adding value to the community through your charitable contributions. Special thanks to Shahram Mazhari, Teresa Bomar, Brandy Piner, Deborah Jones, Anita McBride, Teresa Smith, Gingery Dewey, Cynde Marshall, Mary Davis, and Julie O'Dell for leading the College’s United Way Campaign.

"Give Kids a Smile"

On February 1, our Dental Health Professions programs, in partnership with the Tri-County Dental Association, provided free dental care to 46 kids as part of "Give Kids a Smile!" Day. Volunteers included nine area dentists, seven hygienists and assistants, and 42 students enrolled in the dental program. According to the American Dental Association, $16,349 in services was provided by these great volunteers. Thanks to the Dental Department faculty, staff, and students for providing such a wonderful service to our community.

Planning Update

We continue to collect stakeholder input in to the College's planning process. Yesterday the College hosted a planning luncheon for leaders of all six of the school districts within our service area. I am pleased to report that 36 representatives, including superintendents, associate superintendents, applied technology center directors, high school principals, and others were in attendance. It was a great opportunity to hear their challenges and opportunities, ideas to improve collaboration and engagement, and to learn what additional services we can provide. It was also a fitting occasion to share and celebrate the fact that York Technical College had the largest dual enrollment of high school students among the 16 technical colleges in fall 2007. This accomplishment would not be possible without the support of the school districts, as well as the hard work of Sherry Glenn and others to increase dual enrollment opportunities. We look forward to working even more closely together in the future.

On January 30, the College hosted a Small Business Providers' luncheon to learn how we can further support small businesses and entrepreneurs in York County. Winthrop and York Tech representatives will meet on February 15 to discuss course articulation. These two meetings were not formally part of our planning outreach effort but will certainly benefit us as we move forward. On February 26, we plan to engage the York County Council in the College's planning process. That meeting will conclude the external stakeholder input piece of the process. In the meantime, I am working with a small group to develop a proposed framework that integrates all of the feedback we have received to develop a new strategic plan that is simple, meaningful, and inspiring.

I am also planning to continue the discussions with you that we began in the fall. I will host sessions in March and April where we can more fully explore our collective values and how they can inform an overall college philosophy. More information about these sessions will be available in the next few weeks.

Student Advocacy Day

The Lottery Tuition Assistance (LTA) Program has made education possible for thousands of students throughout the state. On Tuesday, January 15, over 300 students representing the 16 South Carolina technical colleges gathered at the State House to show their support for the LTA Program. Students wore shirts proclaiming, “Lottery Tuition Assistance makes a difference….one of $175,000+,” referencing the number of technical college students who have utilized the lottery-funded aid. Twenty-four York Technical College students, Kelli Dawkins, Warren Cook, and I rode by motor coach to Columbia to show our appreciation to the General Assembly. Dr. Barry Russell, System president; Senator John W. Matthews (D-Orangeburg), Senate Education and Finance Committees; Representative Dan Cooper (R-Anderson), Chair, House Ways and Means Committee; and Catalina Abruntilla, an LTA recipient and student at Midlands Technical College spoke to the hundreds of students gathered at the steps of the State House. As members of the House and Senate began their sessions, they recognized sixteen students representing each of the technical colleges. I enjoyed spending the day with the students and greatly appreciate Kelli Dawkins, Sherry Glenn, and Carolyn Stewart for all their hard work in making the day a success!

Lottery Tuition Assistance is just one of the many legislative priorities for the SC Technical College System this year. The following link provides a list of the System’s legislative priorities.

http://www.sctechsystem.com/LegislativePriorities/2008-09/index.html

The 2008-2009 Legislative Priorities: An Overview provides a brief summary of all the priorities.

2007 Benefactor of the Year

Joe McElwee, a York Technical College Foundation Board member since 1990, was recognized at the South Carolina Technical College System Benefactors Make a Difference ceremony which highlights the generosity and efforts of individuals who have partnered with South Carolina's technical colleges to make a college education possible for hundreds of students.

McElwee is a major supporter of the College’s efforts to build a higher education facility in Chester County. He is helping the College’s Foundation raise funds from private sources to make the new Chester Center a reality. “The one thing missing in Chester County for a long time was the lack of post-secondary opportunities. Seeing the construction of the new York Technical College Chester Center is the fulfillment of a lifetime dream,” said Joe McElwee.

Joe’s contributions to the College are highlighted in the video. The College is thankful for his leadership and support, and we are very proud to recognize Joe as our Benefactor for 2007.

Welcome Back and Happy New Year!

2008 . . . I should get used to the year changing but I never do. It always seems to boggle me for a little while. I will struggle to get it right for a week or so, as I write the date, then it will become normal. Growing up, the thought of a new millennium seemed strange. Being a sci-fi guy and watching the futuristic TV shows and movies made me think that 2000 was incredibly far away and not really real. Now, in 2008, the thought of crossing that time threshold seems less strange but still odd none-the-less. Neither 2001: A Space Odyssey (released in 1968) or the sequel 2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984) got the timing right on man orbiting Jupiter but we have achieved many things envisioned by science fiction writers.

One thing that hasn’t changed a great deal though is organized learning: technical, academic, and otherwise. Of course, we have much more sophisticated technology and much more of it. But the real ingredients of education stay the same—namely people working with people to build upon, transfer and apply knowledge that adds value to the individual and society. Such is our endeavor and a most significant one at that. When teaching, I often feel inadequate. In part because I realize how little I really know and because I know I have so far to go. That doesn’t change the fact that the person who I am responsible for is looking to me for guidance and there is no ready alternative. That realization helps me to take stock, refocus and improve. You see, I can simultaneously be grounded in the knowledge of my limitations, help others learn and get better myself. It is an amazing human endowment. So without getting into the whole resolution thing, I will endeavor for our organization to grow and improve in 2008, while I too strive to grow and improve. I know you will join with me in that challenge and as such feel confident that we will have a great 2008. Welcome back and Happy New Year!