Department of Postsecondary Education presents Phase I of Strategic Plan

At its January 8, 2009 State Board of Education work session, board members received a report which resulted from a review of the Alabama Community College System (ACCS), by Task Force 2008.

In February of 2008 the State Board of Education directed the establishment of Task Force 2008, consisting of nine individuals who are social, educational, and business leaders across the State. Task Force 2008 was asked to conduct a comprehensive review of the operations and internal governance of the Alabama Community College System leading to recommendations that will improve the system’s capacity to achieve the three elements of its mission – academics, adult education, and workforce development.

This review was conducted with assistance from the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama, ACCS staff, and ACCS presidents.

The report, “Building on our Successes, Meeting Our Challenges,” reflects the culmination of those deliberations. The presentation can be viewed on the ACCS website at http://www.accs.cc/EXEoverview.aspx.

Alabama’s workforce development system showcased nationally

National leaders took notice in early January of Alabama’s efforts to develop a world‐class workforce development system that aligns community college career/technical programs and other education and training with the documented needs of business and industry. 

Dr. Matthew Hughes, who directs workforce development for the Alabama Community College System and also is the director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development, traveled to Lexington, Kentucky this week to serve on an experts’ panel for the National Governor’s Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices.Hughes participated in the session, “The Role of Community Colleges in Meeting State Economic and Workforce Needs,” showcasing the efforts of three states’ efforts in restructuring their workforce development functions and the critical role of community colleges. The successes of Louisiana and Kentucky also were featured during this session.

“This is a tremendous honor for Dr. Hughes and all the agency leaders who have worked long and hard over the past year to overcome barriers and develop a vital, efficient system,” said Bradley Byrne, chancellor of the Alabama Community College System and chairman of the State Workforce Planning Council. “It proves that Alabama is on the right track in training employees for high‐skill, high‐demand, and high‐wage jobs needed in today’s workplace.”

State Board of Education approves new mission, vision and values for the Alabama Community College System

Earlier this year, the State Board of Education established Task Force 2008 to conduct a broad review of the operations and internal governance of the Alabama Community College System. The Task Force’s mission:  To begin the process of identifying and overcoming barriers to the System’s success, and paving the way for a long-term, comprehensive strategic plan to map the System’s future. 

The Task Force provided valuable insight and input to System staff charged with developing suggested mission, vision and values statements for the system, a critical first stage of any strategic planning process.  At its December 11, 2008 meeting, the State Board of Education adopted the following mission, vision and values statements for the Alabama Community College System:  

What We Do:

Our Mission is to provide a unified system of institutions dedicated to excellence in delivering academic education, adult education, and workforce development.

Where We are Going:

Our Vision is to develop an educated, prosperous population by providing an affordable pathway to help citizens of any walk or stage of life succeed through quality education and training; a community college system where education works for all.

The Transcendent Principles that will Guide Us:

Our Values are integrity, excellence, accessibility, accountability, and diversity.

Proration priorities: Core missions, existing jobs

On December 16, Gov. Bob Riley was forced to declare across‐the‐board budget cuts of 12.5 percent in the Education Trust Fund (ETF). In ordering the proration, Gov. Riley asked the state’s government leaders and public employees to do what most other Alabamians must do these days: “Figure out how to get by with less during these tough times.”

Chancellor Bradley Byrne’s plan for budget‐cutting in the Alabama Community College System centers around two main priorities:

• Preserve our core mission of academics, adult education and workforce development.
• Protect existing jobs. 

“While this is a very difficult situation, I am confident that the Alabama Community College System can manage through these tough financial times,” Byrne said. “I know that the ACCS family will do its part to stand by the people of our state who need our services more than ever.”

Department of Postsecondary Education receives clean property audit

In December, the State Auditor’s office conducted a property audit of the Department of Postsecondary Education’s nonconsumable personal property. The Department received notification recently that all 390 items, with an acquisition cost totaling more than $600,000, were located. State Auditor Samantha Shaw commended the Department on the audit, and congratulated property manager Wallace McCartha on the achievement.

ATN achieves ISO 9001 certification

Employees of the Alabama Technology Network (ATN) recently enhanced their commitment to improving the state’s existing industries. ATN achieved ISO 9001 quality management certification. The certification was made official Dec. 2. 

According to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the ISO 9001 Quality Management System is an international standard that provides standardized requirements for organizations to follow when establishing a quality management system.

“This process was a true team effort and I am proud of our employees’ dedication. By achieving this important certification, the employees of ATN have shown their commitment to Alabama’s existing manufacturers and businesses. Accreditation to this standard fosters confidence in ATN processes with its clients, partners and stakeholders,” said Dr. Mike Bailey, president of ATN.

ACCS colleges among nation’s fastest growing community colleges

According to most recent edition of Community College Week, Calhoun Community College was the only Alabama community college with enrollments of 5,000 – 9,999 included in the list of the nation’s “Fastest Growing” community colleges. 

While the overall growth among the colleges surveyed was 1.6%, Calhoun’s enrollment growth from fall 2006 to fall 2007 was 6.8%.  According to the report, during this same time period, private for-profit and non-profit institutions saw an overall enrollment decline of -2.1%.

Wallace Community College - Dothan was listed among the nation’s top 50 fastest-growing public two-year colleges by the same national publication, ranking them number 44 in increase by headcount, with 287 additional students, and a ranking of 38 by percentage, with an increase of 8.4 percent, in the category “Enrollments 2,500-4,999.” Wallace enrolls approximately 3,900 per year. The college has consistently experienced enrollment increases for each of the past four consecutive semesters. 

The analysis was based on data provided by the U.S. Department of Education. For the national survey, the enrollment trends at 1,129 of the nation’s two-year institutions were examined. 

New Data Dashboard brings ACCS info online

In an effort to provide detailed system data to the public, the Alabama Community College System has launched a new Data Dashboard, a project which has been several years in the making and required system-wide coordination.

We invite you to explore the site to learn more about ACCS and our member institutions. As this is indeed a work in progress, more data will be added as the reports and systems are developed. Our goal is to shine the light on every dollar spent and received, and every aspect of accountability as we go about the business of providing academic education, adult education, and workforce training.

You may wish to bookmark this page and check back periodically for enhancements to the site.

http://www.accs.cc/statistics.aspx

State Board of Education selects presidents for three community colleges

On November  13, 2008 the Alabama State Board of Education (SBE) approved Anne McNutt as president of Bevill State Community College, W. Darryl Harrison as president of Gadsden State Community College, and Herbert Riedel as president of Lurleen B. Wallace Community College at its regular board meeting.  

“In the last 12 months you all have appointed nine phenomenal college presidents to an already outstanding group in the two-year college system,” Chancellor Bradley Byrne stated as he talked to the SBE members regarding their approvals.

In recommending the candidates for the presidential positions, Chancellor Byrne spoke to the experience, leadership and commitment that each candidate would bring to their respective posts.

Both Harrison and Riedel will assume their presidential posts effective January 1, 2009. McNutt will assume her presidential position on January 15, 2009.

No more diploma mills

"Fraudulent institutions do not belong in this state – period," stated ACCS Chancellor Bradley Byrne. Byrne recently announced an aggressive new initiative to shut down fraudulent for-profit colleges and better regulate the legitimate ones. Byrne emphasized that the new regulations, which became effective October 1, are not meant to hinder legitimate operations. "For-profit institutions are an important part of the educational landscape throughout the United States," he said. "In shutting down the diploma mills, we help protect the reputations of the legitimate proprietary institutions."