RELEASE DATE:   April 21, 2006

CONTACT:           

Public Affairs

State Board of Community Colleges endorses joint legislative priorities with
UNC Board of Governors
 

LUMBERTON:  "We should put a big red circle around this date, because we're making history today." 

 

So said Dr. Stuart Fountain of the State Board of Community Colleges today (Friday, April 21) as he presented a resolution acknowledging the commitment of the State Board and the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina to support key legislative priorities from each system.  The Board of Governors approved a similar resolution April 11. 

 

The State Board voted unanimously to approve the resolution, which represents the latest step in a continuing effort to strengthen and expand partnerships between the North Carolina Community College System and The University of North Carolina. 

 

In 2004, James Woody, then chair of the State Board of Community Colleges, and Brad Wilson, UNC Board of Governors Chair, established a joint task force to improve collaboration.  The 2005 General Assembly appropriated a million dollars to fund one of the Task Force's recommendations, distance learning approaches to teacher preparation programs.

 

Shortly after his election as President of The University of North Carolina, Erskine Bowles began working with NC Community College System President H. Martin Lancaster to establish a higher education cabinet of senior staff from both systems.

 

At the Lumberton meeting, President Lancaster said, "The new cabinet had 13 items on the table at its first meeting, and we've already acted on almost the whole list."

 

The State Board of Community College was in Lumberton for its regular April meeting.  The board customarily holds one meeting in the spring and one in the fall on a community college campus.

 

Hilda Pinnix-Ragland, Chair of the State Board, praised Robeson Community College and President Charles Chrestman for exceptional hospitality.

 

In other business, the State Board:

• Heard an update from System Office staff member Dr. Betty Adams on the process of preparing a new Strategic Plan for the North Carolina Community College System, focusing on response to North Carolina's changing population, economy and technology.
• Reviewed the quarterly report on the 2000 Higher Education Bond projects.  The System has completed 188 projects, including 27 in the last quarter alone.   The North Carolina Community College System received $600 million from the bond vote.
• Approved the final year of a three-year contract extension on the College Information Systems (CIS) project.
• Approved three new curriculum programs: 
• Viticulture and Enology Technology at James Sprunt Community College in Kenansville
• Criminal Justice Technology/Financial Crime/Computer Fraud at Pitt Community College in Greenville
• Interpreter Education at Western Piedmont Community College in Morganton.

 

The North Carolina Community College System is the state's primary provider of workforce training and adult education, enrolling almost 800,000 students in 58 comprehensive community colleges.

 

For details, contact Public Affairs at the System Office.

 

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