For Release: IMMEDIATE	Contact: Public Affairs
Date: July 15, 2005	(919) 807-6963

Hilda Pinnix-Ragland elected State Board of Community Colleges Chair

 

RALEIGH: History was made with the election of the new leadership of the State Board of Community Colleges today. Hilda Pinnix-Ragland was elected State Board Chair and Dr. Linwood Powell was elected Vice-Chair by their fellow State Board members.
 

Mrs. Pinnix-Ragland (near left), the first female and first African-American to chair the State Board, is the Vice President of Northern Region Energy Delivery Services for Progress Energy. The Cary resident is a native of Hillsborough. Pinnix-Ragland received the Outstanding Business Leader Award by the Cary Chamber of Commerce in 1998 and was named one of the "Women of Note" by the African American Hall of Fame in 1999.  Governor Jim Hunt first appointed her to the Board in 2000 to fill an un-expired term and Governor Easley re-appointed her in 2003. Her term expires in 2009.

 

Dr. Powell (far left) retired from Fayetteville Technical Community College in 2003 after serving in various capacities including Vice President for Administrative Services and Interim President. A 20-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force (USAF), Dr. Powell served in the USAF Security Service. He later became an instructor and commandant of the USAF Leadership Academy. He has also served as an education adviser for the U.S. Army. The State Senate elected him to the Board in 2003. His term expires in 2009.

 

Steve Johnson (left), a student at Durham Technical Community College was sworn in as the student representative on the Board. He is the North Carolina Comprehensive Community Colleges Student Government Association (N4CSGA) President. Johnson has an Associate Degree in Respiratory Therapy and is now in the College Transfer program at Durham Tech. He is employed as a Respiratory Technician at Rex Healthcare in
Raleigh.

 

The Board spent considerable time praising James J. Woody Jr., the outgoing Board Chair of four years, for his 17 years of service to the Board. His term on the Board has expired. Mr. Woody received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine and several resolutions of appreciation.

 

The Board also showed its appreciation to two other members whose terms have ended. Mrs. Ann T. Turlington was there to receive a resolution and praise for her 12 years on the State Board and 20 years of service at Sampson Community College. Dr. Jeannette Council’s term has also expired, but was unable to attend today.

 

The Board took a major step toward the full implementation of the College Information System (CIS) project. This massive integrated system will meet the administrative operational requirements and management information needs of the NCCCS. This is the largest education information system implementation in the country.

 

The Board approved two important CIS contracts. One establishes the process that will provide web-based registration for all the colleges. The second contract is the Year Two extension renewal with Affiliated Computer Services (ACS). This extension provides a foundation for the successful implementation of the CIS System for the entire Community College System by summer 2007 and establishes formal mechanisms for ongoing support of the CIS.

 

In presenting these contracts, Finance and Capital Needs Chair Herb Watkins told the Board that the CIS is undergoing a significant transition. In the early stages, the responsibility for remedying code problems and providing deliverables rested with the vendor. "Now," said Watkins, "the staffing and maintenance of the project rests with the System Office and the local colleges."

In other action the Board:

• Approved Dr. Steven Greiner as the third president of Brunswick Community College in the college’s 25-year history. Greiner leaves the post of president of Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, Va. to take the helm at Brunswick on July 18. He succeeds Dr. Michael Reaves, who retired after serving as the college's president since 1987.
   
• Approved Mr. William Carver as Nash Community College president. Carver is the college's vice president of instruction and has been at Nash for 18 years. Carver replaces Interim President Marvin Joyner on August 1. Dr. Katherine Johnson stepped down January 7 after five years as president of Nash Community College. Mr. Carver was present for his Board approval and thanked the Board for their action. He praised the work of his predecessors and their exemplary "chapters" of leadership service at Nash CC. "My chapter is yet to be determined," he said.

• Approved retired Western Piedmont Community College President Jim Richardson as interim president. His term began on June 1 and ends on November 30.

• Approved retired Mayland Community College President Thomas Williams as interim president. His term began on June 1 and ends on November 30.

• Approved Dr. Donald Stanton as interim president at Haywood Community College. His term began on July 1 and will continue until December 31.

• Approved a resolution regarding Halifax Community College. The resolution affirms the Board’s concern regarding certain allegations made about the college and affirms support of a review of college issues by the Office of the State Auditor. The resolution follows this release.
   
• Ratified the June action of the Finance and Capital Needs Committee to give the local community colleges the authority to charge an increased tuition rate, prior to the passage of the Appropriations Act that will include the four- percent tuition increase.

• Adopted a proclamation designating 2005 as "The Year of Languages" and a resolution in support of the report and recommendation of the Business and Education Technology Alliance (BETA).

 

-NCCCS-

 

A Resolution
of the
State Board of Community Colleges
 

WHEREAS, it is the responsibility of the State Board of Community Colleges to maintain the integrity of the North Carolina Community College System and its constituent members, and

 

WHEREAS, the North Carolina Community College System Office has recently received an inordinate number of communications from students, faculty, and staff from Halifax Community College, and from concerned citizens of Halifax County regarding the operations of the College; and

 

WHEREAS, the Roanoke Rapids Daily Herald reports that a number of the members of the Halifax Community College faculty did not have their annual contracts renewed and were told the non-renewals were for budgetary reasons, while, in fact, there is no apparent budgetary justification for the dismissals and many of these same positions were advertised in regional newspapers within days of the non-renewals; and

 

WHEREAS, the North Carolina Community College System Office has received information which contains allegations which, if corroborated and proven true, would be damaging to Halifax Community College, the citizens within its service area, and the North Carolina Community College System; and

 

WHEREAS, the nature of these allegations is potentially of such significance that the State Board believes it to be in the best interests of the System that they be investigated fully by an agency having competent jurisdiction; and

 

WHEREAS, the President of Halifax Community College has been non-responsive to requests from the System Office, some of which originated with the General Assembly, for information on these issues; be it therefore

 

RESOLVED, that the State Board of Community Colleges does lend its support to a review of these issues by the Office of the State Auditor; and be it further

 

RESOLVED, that the State Board of Community Colleges directs the staff to provide whatever assistance may be requested by the Office of the State Auditor in the performance of this review; and be it further

 

RESOLVED, that the State Board of Community Colleges directs the administration of Halifax Community College and its Board of Trustees to comply with all requests from the System Office for information relating to the allegations that have been received; and be it further

 

RESOLVED, that the State Board of Community Colleges requests the Board of Trustees of Halifax Community College investigate all matters in controversy and take such action as may be appropriate with regard to the College leadership and administration.

Hilda Pinnix-Ragland, Chair
State Board of Community Colleges

This 15^th day of July, 2005