It’s great to work in challenging times. Dr. Greg Rutherford, President of York Technical College, recently made that statement when he opened a meeting of the President’s Council of the South Carolina Technical College System. Dr. Rutherford serves the Council as this year’s chairman. The comment is simple; the implications are so very complex. These are indeed challenging times in all sectors of our communities, state and nation.
There is another statement I hear when I’m watching an intense sporting event. It is usually voiced after one team scores and there is a huge momentum shift mounting. Soon after an impressive drive leading to a score, in a surprise turnaround fashion, the other team responds quickly with a convincing play or series of plays in a short timeframe to counteract the previous score by the opposition. Typically, you’ll hear the announcer proclaim – good teams respond.
It’s true. Good teams respond to adversity. At TCL we have a good team that is on its way to greatness. During these times of mounting opposition, we have to remain committed to our calling and respond vigorously with creative initiatives that show the public our spunk and determination to keep the momentum going even when there are obstacles.
It’s difficult to remain positive when financial difficulties confront us, but determination allows us to succeed. That manifests in many ways. It’s evident in the way we encourage students to think, it’s evident when we prepare facilities for the next day of classes, it’s evident when we make one more student appointment when the available office hours have long past, it’s evident when we offer a helpful smile and greeting that conveys we’re here to help, and it’s evident when we accept one more student into a full class because he or she needs it to graduate. Yes, it’s also evident when we go out of our way to show kindness to someone who is having a bad day or to offer an encouraging word of praise when one is performing tasks that exceed our typical expectations. Yes, good teams indeed respond to challenges. They not only survive the challenge, they are better for not caving or giving in to adversity. Great leaders lead with positive demeanor. Yes, it is truly great to work in challenging times.
Spring is a wonderful time and we all sense the freshness and liveliness due to the season. I feel energized and refreshed, and at TCL we’re making some plans for extraordinary times. There is never a time when we will get complacent. We are so fortunate to work at a time that needs our services and our product, which is the curriculum.
I challenge all teammates at TCL to respond to challenges, knowing that it may get more difficult and demanding in the next year as our financial resources dwindle even farther.
The best reward is coming. It’s Commencement. It’s that time of year when we get to celebrate the conferring of an academic credential. It’s a big deal for our students. It will remind all of us why we keep responding and keep pushing harder.
It’s great to have a responsive team of committed individuals who believe in human potential. There is hope out there. I remain committed to the fact that our community and technical colleges are our nation’s great hope to lead and the major force behind the innovation driven economy.
The major news of the year so far is the passing of the Healthcare Initiative. Imbedded in that initiative are funds for advancing two year colleges. This marks the first time the federal government has awarded funds to community and technical colleges.
We will continue to seek alternative sources of revenue to fund our operations so we can continue to respond to the needs in our community. Believe in our process, our resolve to serve and our commitment to leading the region to economic prosperity. I challenge our TCL team to lead the community with responsive solutions that reflect pride in the trust that others have given us, for the survival of this great nation rests solidly on an educated polity. Our job is defined for us. Let’s get it done.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Funding Dilemma.
More budget cuts are coming, get prepared. That’s the word from Columbia. I appreciate the advanced notice, and I realize the funding issues will continue to hamper operations for all state agencies in the coming fiscal year. We’re bracing for at least another 15% cut in funding from the State when we begin the new fiscal year on July 1.
Across the nation, recent student demonstrations called attention to decreased funding and tuition increases. Students amassed to use their collective voice to communicate their concern. For me, it's good to see engaged students voicing their opinion; however, the sobering truth is institutions of higher learning, even those with state affiliation, can no longer rely on tax-based revenue to fund college operating budgets.
Although base funding from the State of South Carolina is decreasing, we have been careful to examine the tuition structure so that we are not placing students at a disadvantage. Our tuition increases have been modest. The technical college tuition structure is less than what the other SC higher education sectors charge. In no way are we making up for declining state support through the tuition we charge. We do encourage all students to apply for available grants through our Office of Financial Aid, providing they qualify and follow all the requisite steps. There are dedicated financial aid staff available to assist.
TCL employees are curious about the impact of state budget declines. From what I know now, providing that our enrollment continues to grow while we retain current students, we should be able to survive and hopefully maintain full employment. Survival is one thing. We are surviving. Are we advancing as we should? Not to the extent we should. At TCL we know that since 2008 we have approximately $1.2 million less in state appropriations. Imagine where we could be with those dollars. As a consequence, there are some items on hold, including new programs, expansion plans, and deferred maintenance items. This is all part of the dilemma.
A dilemma is defined as choice between equally undesirable outcomes. Those choices are to remain operational and continue to serve more students with fewer funds or to outright restrict enrollment and operate within our funding structure.
At present, my position is to maintain our commitment to open access. Students are enrolling at the two-year colleges in record numbers all across the nation, TCL not withstanding. The dilemma we face, as we admit record numbers of students, is how many more students do we admit before our service to them is impacted?
In the current fiscal year, TCL received some financial assistance from the federal government through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). These non-recurring funds helped us renovate facilities, purchase new furniture and repair campus HVAC systems that otherwise would have been deferred. The funds provided a temporary boost to our financial position, but they will not last beyond next fiscal year. The funding picture will look substantially different in fiscal year 2012 when these funds are no longer available.
There is no question that TCL employees are working harder at all levels to serve more students. Yes, they are stretched. For the record, there has been no increase in compensation in the last few years. Due to the enrollment increase, there have been some temporary part-time employees hired to help with the increased workload. Rather than continue to add more work to existing employees, we attempted to add temporary help. The greatest advantage we have is the collective intellectual capital of TCL employees.
Let me be unequivocal. At TCL, we will continue to do our best to serve students. The same is true for our State lawmakers. They are not destined to spitefully hurt higher education or any other state agencies for that matter. Public service is a high calling, both locally and in Columbia. The individuals who serve in the General Assembly have noble intentions. They are simply having to deal with a lousy dose of economic decline, and it is widespread, far beyond South Carolina.
The purpose of this note is to communicate. I want to create the open agenda to know that as an institution, we are very sensitive to concerns of everyone, including our constituents, our students and our employees. We will continue to make careful decisions about how we handle the financial resources we are given. We are mindful stewards of the public trust, and above all, I pledge to operate in an honorable fashion where we remain committed to service to our community, our students, and our staff.
Across the nation, recent student demonstrations called attention to decreased funding and tuition increases. Students amassed to use their collective voice to communicate their concern. For me, it's good to see engaged students voicing their opinion; however, the sobering truth is institutions of higher learning, even those with state affiliation, can no longer rely on tax-based revenue to fund college operating budgets.
Although base funding from the State of South Carolina is decreasing, we have been careful to examine the tuition structure so that we are not placing students at a disadvantage. Our tuition increases have been modest. The technical college tuition structure is less than what the other SC higher education sectors charge. In no way are we making up for declining state support through the tuition we charge. We do encourage all students to apply for available grants through our Office of Financial Aid, providing they qualify and follow all the requisite steps. There are dedicated financial aid staff available to assist.
TCL employees are curious about the impact of state budget declines. From what I know now, providing that our enrollment continues to grow while we retain current students, we should be able to survive and hopefully maintain full employment. Survival is one thing. We are surviving. Are we advancing as we should? Not to the extent we should. At TCL we know that since 2008 we have approximately $1.2 million less in state appropriations. Imagine where we could be with those dollars. As a consequence, there are some items on hold, including new programs, expansion plans, and deferred maintenance items. This is all part of the dilemma.
A dilemma is defined as choice between equally undesirable outcomes. Those choices are to remain operational and continue to serve more students with fewer funds or to outright restrict enrollment and operate within our funding structure.
At present, my position is to maintain our commitment to open access. Students are enrolling at the two-year colleges in record numbers all across the nation, TCL not withstanding. The dilemma we face, as we admit record numbers of students, is how many more students do we admit before our service to them is impacted?
In the current fiscal year, TCL received some financial assistance from the federal government through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). These non-recurring funds helped us renovate facilities, purchase new furniture and repair campus HVAC systems that otherwise would have been deferred. The funds provided a temporary boost to our financial position, but they will not last beyond next fiscal year. The funding picture will look substantially different in fiscal year 2012 when these funds are no longer available.
There is no question that TCL employees are working harder at all levels to serve more students. Yes, they are stretched. For the record, there has been no increase in compensation in the last few years. Due to the enrollment increase, there have been some temporary part-time employees hired to help with the increased workload. Rather than continue to add more work to existing employees, we attempted to add temporary help. The greatest advantage we have is the collective intellectual capital of TCL employees.
Let me be unequivocal. At TCL, we will continue to do our best to serve students. The same is true for our State lawmakers. They are not destined to spitefully hurt higher education or any other state agencies for that matter. Public service is a high calling, both locally and in Columbia. The individuals who serve in the General Assembly have noble intentions. They are simply having to deal with a lousy dose of economic decline, and it is widespread, far beyond South Carolina.
The purpose of this note is to communicate. I want to create the open agenda to know that as an institution, we are very sensitive to concerns of everyone, including our constituents, our students and our employees. We will continue to make careful decisions about how we handle the financial resources we are given. We are mindful stewards of the public trust, and above all, I pledge to operate in an honorable fashion where we remain committed to service to our community, our students, and our staff.
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