EDENTON: The State Board of Community Colleges held its annual retreat and regular October meeting in Historic Edenton. The focus of both the retreat and Board meeting was laying the foundation for the future success of the North Carolina Community College System.

At the retreat the Board developed a plan of action designed to enhance the success of the System in achieving adequate funding to carry out the mission of the NCCCS.

At the State Board meeting the attention was on what that funding should be as the Board had its first look at the proposed 2003-2005 Expansion Budget Request. The complete budget must be presented to Governor Easley on October 31.

"North Carolina is changing, the new economy is beginning to emerge," said NCCCS President H. Martin Lancaster. "It is the role of the System to prepare the workforce for the new marketplace."

Lancaster readily admits the dollar amount attached to the request is a large one, but emphasized it reflects the true financial requirements for the System. "We are presenting our funding needs required to serve the new economy, it will be up to policy makers to make the budget decisions," said Lancaster.

Kennon Briggs, Vice President for Business and Finance for the NCCCS, presented budget items to the Board, stressing the fact that community colleges are "the link between the needs of the adult learner and the requirements of employers." Briggs told the Board members that the budget the System will present to Governor Easley would represent real needs to meet these critical requirements.

One major priority for Lancaster continues to be bringing faculty and professional staff salaries to the national average of their professional peers in two years. North Carolina Community College faculty salaries are at 79% of the national average. This item carries a price tag of $19,019,670 in the first year of the biennium and $76,720,428 in the second.

Enrollment growth funding continues to be a major issue for the System. Briggs reported to the Board that the NCCCS has experienced a 5.5% increase in FTE enrollment this fall. Full enrollment growth funding carries an estimated price tag of $27 million.

The NCCCS has the responsibility to provide the developmental/remedial education required for high school graduates to be ready to do college work. Briggs told the Board that 48.6% of all first-year college students require at least one remedial class. A large percentage of those students are enrolled in public universities. This service places a drain on resources at the community colleges so the budget request will include a line item to add an average of three student service positions at each college to assist in serving these students. This line item has a price tag of $11.9 million each year of the biennium.

The fundamental basis of community college service is access. To ensure that access for all North Carolina residents, 12 community colleges operate campuses in more than one county and 42 colleges operate off-campus centers. These locations need resources to adequately serve the students and therefore prove to be a financial drain on the main campuses. A line item of $10.7 million for each year of the biennium would provide funding for the remote locations.

The budget will also include a request for education equipment funding, distance learning education and support for the System Office.

Received a report from Barbara Boyce, NCCCS Director of the Human Resources Development Program on the reorganization of the program. Boyce reported to the Board that the program, which helps the unemployed and underemployed develop employability skills, is thriving; a total of 36,000 students were served last year and 32,000 have been served in just in the first half of this year. Boyce emphasized that the program, which is free for about 95% of participants, "exemplifies the real mission of the NCCCS."

Presented a Resolution of Appreciation to Dr. Donny Hunter, who recently retired as State Board Executive Director and Education Liaison. Hunter also received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine from Governor Easley.

Approved James Timothy Brewer as the new State Board Executive Director and Education Liaison.

Approved Kathy Sullivan as Associate Vice President of Academic and Student Services.

Received a report on a study of Community College Presidential and Exempt Personnel salaries. The report was placed on the Future Action Agenda for consideration next month.

-NCCCS-

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