RELEASE DATE: May 18, 2007
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State Board of Community Colleges to Legislature: “Unfair!”
Nursing program in jeopardy
RALEIGH – Proposed legislative funding, or the lack of it, was a main topic of discussion for the State Board of Community Colleges today. System President Martin Lancaster laid out the budget as passed by the House and encouraged the members to press the Senate, where the budget now resides, for additional support.
“The House budget does very little to fund your priorities,” said Lancaster. “Our grave concern is that our cut will be even larger in the Senate without additional revenue enhancements.”
Lancaster explained that with the tuition increase and loss of funds to supplement the salaries of the lowest paid instructors, community colleges lost $8.7 million that went into the General Fund and was not returned to community colleges.
In addition to the loss, there is no money proposed to support economic and workforce development or occupational continuing education, major mandates of the System. There is funding for only 9.7 new counselors for the entire System. The State Board requested 58. There is no new money for biotechnology included - no money for the Research Campus – and no money to support the Biotechnology Training and Education Center the System will share with NC State University.
“We’ll have a grand facility, with no money to staff it!” said Lancaster.
Dr. Don Reichard, president of the North Carolina Association of Community College Presidents, had earlier voiced the concerns of community college presidents.
“This budget is terrible,” he said. “We are ready to camp out at the Legislative Building if necessary.” Reichard, who is president at Johnston Community College, added his counterparts are ready to “pull out all stops to improve this dire situation or the colleges will be in trouble next year.”
Board member Jim Daniel suggested all 58 presidents descend upon the legislature as a group. Student Board member, Bentley Pagura added the students are ready to marshal their efforts to work the legislature for budget changes.
Lancaster pointed out that for the last 30 years community colleges have consistently received only about eight percent of the education budget allocations. That inequity, he said, has to change. He suggested that increasing that percentage must be a priority for the new System president.
The Board also learned that while community colleges are called upon to educate about 80% of the Allied Health workers in the state, which is a high cost endeavor, only $2 million in new funding was provided in the House budget. The State Board requested $ 31 million.
The report from the Program Services Committee underscored the urgent need for more funding for Allied Health programs, particularly in nursing. In North Carolina, community college associate degree nursing programs graduate the majority of new registered nurses each year. To meet State Board standards, each program must post a passing percentage on the licensing exam (NCLEX) of at least 80 percent of first-time test-takers. Programs failing to meet that standard must appear before the board to explain and lay out plans for improvement.
During the last testing period, 10 of the 55 colleges offering an ADN program fell below the standard, far more than usual. The Program Committee spent several hours Thursday hearing from those college presidents and nursing directors. Most cited, among other reasons, faculty and leadership turnover and challenges in recruiting, especially in rural, low-wealth areas that cannot pay enough to attract nurses with the required graduate credentials. Furthermore, many colleges graduate fewer than half of their entering class. The most frequent reason for dropout is not academic failure, but a lack of student services, such as counseling.
Program Chair Norma Turnage said the Board should consider closing programs that are not performing well and focus on improving and expanding programs of demonstrated quality.
“We need to consider having fewer programs that are strong and that are top grade and can produce the passing rate,” she said. “Maybe we should limit those programs that are struggling and having problems.”
Lancaster has announced his May 1, 2008 retirement. The Board approved GoldHill Associates of Asheville as the search consultant firm. It is expected that the search may take at least five to six months to complete, longer than originally hoped.
The
Board approved Dr. Myra Johnson (left) as the new president of
Isothermal Community College in Spindale, NC. Johnson has 23
years of service at Isothermal and is currently the vice president
of Academic and Student Affairs. She will replace Dr. Bill Lewis,
who is retiring from the post at the end of June after 21 years at
the college. Johnson was present for her Board approval and told
the members she “looked forward to the opportunity to improve life
through learning.” She assumes the presidency on July 1.
The Board approved Dr. Molly Parkhill as the interim president of Blue Ridge Community College. She assumes the post on June 4, the retirement date of Dr. David Sink, who has served in the position since 1987. Parkhill is currently the dean of Continuing Education at Blue Ridge.
The Board accepted the nomination of Hilda Pinnix-Ragland and Dr. Elwood Powell to continue serving as chair and vice chair of the State Board for the next two years. The election takes place in July.
The Board passed a resolution honoring Helen Dowdy, executive director of the North Carolina Association of Community College Trustees. Dowdy was one of the first employees of the North Carolina Community College System, then the Department of Community Colleges.
The North Carolina Community College System enrolls more than 800,000 students in 58 comprehensive community colleges. Internationally recognized for the scope and quality of its programs, the System is North Carolina's primary provider of workforce preparation and adult education. For details, visit www.nccommunitycolleges.edu .
NCLEX - RN Passing Rates Below Eighty Percent
Bladen Community College
Cleveland Community College
Isothermal Community College
James Sprunt Community College
McDowell Community College
Randolph Community College
Rockingham Community College
Sampson Community College
Tri-County Community College
Vance-Granville Community College
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