SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY COLLEGE
ANNUAL REPORT 1999-2000
(Numbered items listed in
“Annual Plan 1999-2000”)
1 To
develop a plan to present to the President and Board of Regents of the Kentucky
Community and Technical College System to consolidate Southeast Community
College and Cumberland Valley Technical College.
The College has worked with the
Director of the Cumberland Valley Technical College to update the Memorandum of
Agreement that has been in use on the Middlesboro Campus—which is jointly
occupied by SECC and CVTC; the MOA was substantially completed by July 1. The MOA outlines the following
organizational structure:
Southeast
Community College will have management responsibility for the joint
campus. Each institution shall appoint
a director who will report to the President of SECC. In those areas where staffs are blended for administrative
purposes, the directors will work cooperatively to insure that responsibilities
are carried out in a fair and equitable manner. Cooperative work units will be established in business affairs,
student affairs, learning resource center (the library), developmental skills,
computer operations and industrial training / continuing education. The faculty of the two institutions,
although not officially merged, will work together in the offering of courses,
programs, and educational services.
2 To continue our self-study process, leading to the
reaffirmation of accreditation from the Commission on Colleges, Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools in 2001.
An active self-study committee, made up of representatives
from throughout the institution and community, has been hard at work during the
past year; a draft copy of the committee’s report became available for
institutional review in May, with the expectation that findings, suggestions,
and recommendations will be shared with the faculty at in-service meetings in
August.
3 To begin programming in the Telecommunications
Center, using it as the platform for developing a regional telelinking network,
for offering course work and laboratory experiences in broadcasting, and for
expanding the utilization of technology in the classroom.
The Telecommunications Center will be in full operation by
the beginning of the fall semester. At
least two distance learning channels will be available in Cumberland and
Middlesboro (equipment has also been purchased for a second channel in
Whitesburg) and the broadcast studio will conduct test programming in anticipation
of establishing a local presence on the Cumberland Cable Network. The Center will become the platform for
providing instruction to public school teachers and college faculty in the
utilization of distance learning technologies.
4 To seek
approval:
·
For new
associate of applied science degree programs in Arts and Crafts: Pottery;
·
For new
options in the business management program in hospitality management and golf
course management;
·
To
reactivate associate of applied science degree programs in Engineering
Technology and Mining Technology.
The
Kentucky Community and Technical College System's Board of Regents approved our
new degree program in Professional Craft: Pottery. New options were also approved for the Business Technology
Program in both hospitality management and golf course management. Additional community needs assessments are
underway for both Engineering and Mining technology programs.
5 To develop a concept plan for the location of a Center for Appalachian
Development to house a research and development institute at Southeast
Community College.
The 1999-2000 Kentucky General Assembly approved $500,000
for design studies and development for the proposed Center for Appalachian Development,
with construction funds to be requested in a future biennium budget.
6 To expand interactivity among the campuses: build
on the distance learning network, and
make wider use of computer capabilities, particularly in the academic and learning resources area.
The Telecommunications Center
will be in full operation by the beginning of the fall semester and will serve
as the platform for providing instruction to public school teachers and college
faculty in the utilization of distance learning technologies. The College has made significant progress in
upgrading our networking capacity on all three campuses; the final phase of
this project is near-completion on the Cumberland campus which was rewired over
the spring and summer with Enhanced Category-5 cable that can carry 250
Megabits per second.
7 To develop a successful framework for the management and
operation of projects affiliated with the Southeast Education Foundation,
Inc.
The Southeast
Education Foundation has established advisory boards for 1) the Schoolhouse
Inn, 2) Kentucky Coal Museum, and 3) Sleepy Hollow Golf Course; each board is
responsible for overseeing the operation of the project with which it is
affiliated and reports to the Foundation’s Board of Directors. While the Foundation maintains overall
management and fiduciary responsibility, the respective advisory boards
administer many day-to-day functions.
Oversight is also vested in the Executive Director of the Foundation and
the Dean of Community and Business Development of the College, both of whom sit
on the Foundation Board of Directors and work closely with the advisory boards.
8 To place major emphasis on
planned giving in the College’s development program and to work toward the
establishment of at least one charitable remainder trust whose proceeds will
benefit the College.
Dr. Edsel
T. Godbey, the founding president of Southeast Community College, has
established a non-revocable, remainder trust in the amount of $635,000, the
proceeds of which will go to SECC. At
their June 2000 meeting, the KCTCS Board of Regents approved a measure to
rename the Appalachian Center building in Dr. Godbey’s honor. The building dedication ceremony coincides
with the College’s 40th Anniversary celebration in September
2000. In addition, during the Spring
semester, the Office of Resource Development launched a new initiative, the
Kingdom Come Heritage Society which has been established to recognize
individuals who have included the College in their wills and estate plans. Seven charter members, to date, have
committed to gifts totaling $917,000.
9 To launch at least three major initiatives through the Office
of Community and Business Development and continue to serve as a partner with
the community in all areas of economic development, with particular emphasis to
be given to:
·
Establishing industrial sites at strategic locations and
recruiting business and industry that can build on the unique aspects of our
region’s cultural heritage;
·
Working to increase the importance of cultural tourism,
based on the Wilderness Road and Coal Heritage concepts;
·
Creating opportunities for sustainable development
through exploration of new and innovative programming, i.e., aquaculture, arts and
crafts design, and videography.
§
Work is near completion for approval of a 300-acre
industrial site on Perkins Branch, approximately 2 miles west of Cumberland, in
Harlan County; preliminary discussions are underway to develop a 1,500-acre
site in Bell County.
§
Under the advisory leadership of the Executive Directors
of the SECC Foundation and the Kentucky Coal Museum, cultural geographer Boyd
Shearer of Lexington worked over a ten-month period to develop multimedia
presentations focusing on thematic tourism opportunities in the region. These presentations may be delivered via
closed-circuit systems, the world-wide-web, and by cd-rom at various venues
affiliated with the Foundation and in the wider community served by SECC. A sampler of that endeavor can be viewed via
the new website: www.kingdomcome.org This project serves as an integral part
of a larger and comprehensive plan of advertising and public relations launched
by the Foundation to market tourist attractions along the Kingdom Come Scenic
Parkway (US 119).
§
The aquaculture project, under the direction of the Dean
of Community and Business Development, is well underway and, despite some
procedural setbacks, expects to harvest its first crop of trout in the Fall of
2000. KCTCS Board of Regents approved
the College’s proposal to establish the state’s first Associate of Arts
degree-program in arts and crafts design – pottery option. This innovative program will admit its first
degree-seeking students during the 2000-2001 academic year. New academic programming in videography will
begin in earnest during the upcoming academic year with the full utilization of
the new telecommunications facility and the submission of a program proposal in
Broadcast media. The heart of the
production facility is a Trinity Super-computer with both linear and nonlinear
editing capacity and the intrinsic ability to handle live-, tape-, and
post-production at D-1 broadcast, network resolution (IEEE1394). These technologies provide opportunities for
students and instructors to utilize state-of-the-art, high-end equipment and
techniques in both studio and in-the-field situations and to record and
broadcast both instructional programming and cultural events onto local cable
systems.
10 To work
toward a performing arts / theater cooperative among the College’s three
campuses.
While a cooperative is not yet
in place, the Harlan Area Performing Arts Series will be renamed this year and
will sponsor at least one event in both Middlesboro and Whitesburg. Our new capabilities in broadcast media will
greatly enhance the possible success of this goal.
11 To
successfully integrate new computer software systems in all administrative
areas and to insure that personnel are trained to use systems in their
respective areas.
To insure
an effective, comprehensive computer presence in administrative areas,
Southeast has maintained employee training, upgraded equipment and performed
software enhancements. The necessity to
integrate legacy and current software systems required new user skills in
Windows, ODBC, Crystal, wide area network functions, and a structured approach
to data integration between the legacy and PeopleSoft programs. While
PeopleSoft brings many new challenges to the personnel, admissions, student
records, human resource and general ledger training has served well to bridge
the learning gap and insure consistent data integrity. PeopleSoft training continues with heavy
emphasis on student records, student, faculty and advisor involvement.
12 To establish closer working
relationships with the public schools through:
·
The offering of in-service workshops and seminars for
faculty and staff.
·
The availability of course work for high school juniors
and seniors
·
The establishment of a telelinking network in Harlan,
Bell, and Letcher counties that includes the public schools.
A wide range of activities, courses, and forums have been conducted for public school faculty and students. (See reports of 1999-2000 Action Strategies for full details) During the Fall and Spring semesters, over 100 high school students, from each of the three counties of our service area, enrolled in a range of SECC courses such as Basic Public Speaking, College Algebra, Spanish III and IV, and Writing I. Harlan High School will join our distance learning network this fall and we will then begin working with other high schools in our service region to explore and secure funding for potential hookups.
13 To begin
construction of Phase II of the Academic / Technical Building in Whitesburg and
continue work on environmental clean-up.
The College has learned that the environmental cleanup of this building site may last an indeterminate length of time. At its June meeting, the SECC Board of Directors received a briefing from representatives of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System on recent information from the state that suggests the site may continue to receive contaminants from nearby areas. The Board of Directors voted to reconsider whether or not the building should be constructed on this site and appointed a committee to prepare a list of options for the Board’s consideration. After a decision is made, a recommendation from the Board will be made to KCTCS President Michael McCall and to the Board of Regents.
14 To complete initial planning for renovation projects approved
by the 1998 General Assembly that have not yet been started.
A new roof was installed on both Newman and Chrisman halls, Cumberland campus, during the year and ceiling tile was replaced in the Learning Resource Center. Additionally, managers have been hired for the following renovation projects: 1) HVAC update in Newman Hall; 2) HVAC update in Falkenstine Hall, and 3) installation of new elevator in Newman Hall. However, with the expectation that the 2000 General Assembly would give approval to a $2 million renovation project for Newman Hall, work on each of these was delayed until planning can be undertaken on the latter project. At that time, the other three projects, while remaining separate, will be functionally coordinated with the general renovation of Newman Hall.
15 To complete a landscaping improvement project on the
Middlesboro campus.
This project, completed during the spring semester, included extensive landscaping, concrete renovations in parking lots, and the construction and furnishing of a new patio adjacent to the student grill.
16 To work with the
Department of Transportation to complete the design of a new access road for
the Cumberland Campus.
The Department of Transportation has delegated design of the road to its Manchester office. College officials met with DOT representatives on two occasions during the year to make them aware of specific institutional needs. Work will soon be completed on the design, public hearings set to begin this fall, right-of-way to be purchased in the winter, with work to commence in the spring of 2001.
For more information, contact: Office of Institutional
Planning and Research
Southeast Community College, 700 College Road Cumberland,
KY 40823
Telephone:
606 589-2145, extension 2081 or E-mail: Ralph.White@kctcs.edu