State Board adopts strategic plan for community college system, takes first steps to set holiday-leave policy

RALEIGH – The State Board of Community Colleges today (Feb. 16) adopted a strategic plan to guide the North Carolina Community College System through 2022.

The plan is aimed at improving how community colleges provide high quality, accessible educational opportunities to North Carolinians. It focuses on four key themes related to comprehensively improving community colleges’ educational pipeline: Student Interest and Access, Clear and Supported Pathways for Student Progress and Success, Economic and Workforce Impact, and System Effectiveness.

The system will use the plan to promote a clear and consistent message about North Carolina’s community colleges; guide development of the system’s budget and legislative priorities; promote accountability; aid in making decisions and focusing on priorities; and promote cohesion.

Adoption of the plan followed a yearlong planning process that involved board members, NCCCS staff, and faculty, administrators and students from community colleges around the state.

Board begins rule-making process for policy on holiday leave

Also today, the board began the process to establish a holiday-leave policy for community colleges.

The proposed policy would require community colleges to offer full-time employees eligible to earn leave under local policy a maximum of 12 paid holidays per fiscal year.

Local community college boards of trustees would still be able to determine the holiday schedule on the college calendar.

The policy was developed after an investigation by the State Auditor’s Office found that over half the state’s community colleges awarded more than 12 paid holidays per year. The audit report recommended that the State Board adopt a uniform holiday-leave policy for the community college system.

The proposed policy will be open for public comment Feb. 20-March 22. The board could vote on the policy in April.

In other action, the board:

• Approved the selection of Dr. Paul Hutchins as president of Martin Community College in Williamston, effective March 1. Hutchins has served as president of Sampson Community College in Clinton since 2012. At Martin, he will succeed Dr. Kenneth Boham, interim president of the college since February 2017.
• Approved an Associate in Applied Science in Swine Management Technology degree to be offered by Wayne Community College in Goldsboro, beginning this summer.
• Approved an Associate in Applied Science in Human Technology Services degree to be offered by Pamlico Community College to inmates at Pamlico Correctional Institution in Bayboro, beginning this fall.
• Approved the formation of four new cooperative innovative high schools: Southeast Area Technical High School, to be operated by New Hanover County Schools and Cape Fear Community College; Marine Sciences & Technologies Early College High School, a partnership between Carteret County Public Schools and Carteret Community College; Roanoke Rapids Early College High School, to be operated by the Roanoke Rapids Graded School District and Halifax Community College; and the Center for Industry, Technology and Innovation, a partnership between Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools and Nash Community College. Cooperative innovative high schools are partnerships between local school districts and community colleges that enable students to concurrently obtain a high school diploma and begin or complete an associate degree program. The State Board of Education already has approved the schools, and the proposal now goes to the General Assembly for final approval.
• Approved an allocation totaling $50,000 to four community colleges to set up courses and training for inmates at prisons in their respective service areas. The colleges are Halifax Community College in Weldon, Isothermal Community College in Spindale, Piedmont Community College in Roxboro and Roanoke-Chowan Community College in Ahoskie.

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