1. To complete all work on the first phase of the Academic / Technical Building in Whitesburg, particularly environmental clean-up activities, and secure approval for a second phase.

Work was completed on the Phase I of this building, and the College took occupancy in the fall of 1998; however, environmental cleanup of the site continues. The problems were found to be much more serious than initially thought. Presently, a remediation plan, which may take up to three years to complete, is being finalized. Phase II, a $5 million addition to the present structure, was approved by the General Assembly in the spring of 1998. Work is expected to begin on this project in early 1999.

 

2. To complete the renovation of the Little Theater (Falkenstine Hall) on the Cumberland Campus as a Telecommunications Center, with distance learning and television studios.

The Telecommunications Center, which is now out for bids, is expected to be on line by the spring of 1999. This state-of-the-art facility will include three distance learning laboratories and a television studio. (See response to 3, below.)

 

3. To expand interactivity among the campuses: build on the distance learning network, make wider use of existing computer capabilities, particularly in the academic and learning resources areas.

The College's distance learning network, consisting of ITV laboratories on each of its campuses, is now fully operational. A full complement of course work is now regularly scheduled over the network each semester. With new laboratories planned for each campus within the next two years, SECC will be in a position not only to offer course work from within the institution but also to connect with other colleges and universities around the state and nation. Adding to this capability will be a television studio on the Cumberland Campus that will be able to communicate via satellite within 3-5 years.



Distance learning and the related technology is rapidly changing. To ensure the College's position in this area, the inter-campus network connections will be upgraded over the next year to ATM standards. This significant enhancement will allow streaming video, internet based interactivity and program development. In the initial stages, the Cumberland Campus will be upgraded to ATM, DS3 standards and each Whitesburg and Middlesboro to ATM T1 levels.

 

4. To complete all construction projects on the Bell County Campus, and complete work on a new campus development plan.

Delays have continued to plague the building of a storage building and equipment compound on the Bell County Campus; however, plans have now been finalized by Johnson Romanowitz Architects and work is expected to begin by October 1, 1998.

The physical development plan, developed by John L. Carman and Associates, is now in its final stages and will be available for review early in the fall semester.

 

5. To review and prioritize all capital constructional projects for the College, and to prepare a facts booklet briefly describing each project along with a needs analysis.

Prioritization has been completed, and the booklet has been prepared.

 

6. To focus on the use of multimedia as an instructional tool in the Teaching Excellence Center.

This objective has been delayed, pending the completion of the Telecommunications Center. (See Objective #2 Annual Plan: 1998-1999.)

 

7. To establish an institutional effectiveness / planning office and consolidate all research and related functions under its auspices.

A planning office has been established and a director of institutional of research and planning has been hired with the charge of providing overall leadership in the planning, management and evaluation processes of the College.

 

8. To fully integrate the strategic advancement and effectiveness process by strengthening the role of action teams and the role of the Institutional Advancement and Effectiveness Team (IAET).

Action teams dealing with functional areas have been appointed and meet on a regular basis. The IAET, headed by the president, is fully constituted and serves as the College's official planning team.

 

9. To work with the Cumberland Valley Health Technology Center to insure that larger numbers of SECC students are enrolled in and graduate from the jointly-sponsored respiratory care and radiography programs; and that CVHTC students are able to articulate hours earned in medical technology to an associate degree program at SECC.

The respiratory care program has increased numbers in all categories and is progressing well. However, the same cannot be said for radiography. Despite the fact that the College has a large number of students (52 in the spring of 1998) who have declared radiography as their major, few have been admitted to the clinical component of the program offered by CVHTC. With this being the case, the number of graduates has remained small. The result has been a recommendation by the Community College System that the program be suspended. Knowing that the small number of students being admitted to and graduating from the program was a problem, SECC is now working with Hazard Community College to merge their two programs into a single program which would serve the entire region. This cooperative arrangement would allow each institution to admit 10 students annually. Graduates from the certificate program offered by CVHTC could articulate credit to either SECC or HCC. (See Objective #14 Annual Plan: 1998-1999.)

The Kentucky Community and Technical College System has approved the reactivation of the College's Clinical Laboratory Technician (formerly Medical Laboratory Technician) Program, leading to the awarding of an associate of applied science degree. The program will be offered in cooperation with CVTHC on an articulation basis only. Thus, graduates of the certificate program will be able to articulate clinical hours earned at CVTHC to SECC, where, after completing a general education component, they will be awarded an AAS degree.

 

10. To work cooperatively with Hazard Community College and Appalachian Regional Healthcare to establish a regional physical therapy assisting (PTA) program; and to explore additional joint programming in the health sciences field.

The Council on Post Secondary Education during the spring semester approved a regional PTA program, to be offered cooperatively by SECC and HCC. Both institutions have hired instructors for the program and expect to admit the first class in January 1999. The program proposal was cited by the Council as an example of cooperative effort that had region-wide applicability, strong support for the health care industry (ARH), and employed state of the art technology in the delivery of course work.

SECC and HCC are also collaborating on a merger of their respiratory care programs. (See Objective # 14 Annual Plan: 1998-1999.)

 

11. To review all programming with the Southeast Regional Technology Center which leads to an associate of applied science degree.

This objective was placed on hold, pending the reorganization of all Kentucky Tech institutions into a technical college structure. SRTC operated previously under the auspices of the Laurel Campus of Kentucky Tech. Under a proposed structure, the Center will report to the Cumberland Valley Technical College, formerly the Cumberland Valley Health Technology Center. The College believes that programmatic review should be carried out jointly with the parent institution of SRTC. Once that determination is made, the review will take place. (See Objective # 13 Annual Plan: 1998-1999.)

 

12. To complete needs assessment work for new programs in law enforcement and production arts and crafts.

Needs assessment work has been completed for the offering of an associate of applied science degree in law enforcement, and a proposal has been prepared for submission to the Community College System and the Council on Postsecondary Education. Program approval is expected in the spring of 1999.

As part of preliminary in-depth research, SECC personnel made site visits to Haywood Community College (North Carolina) and Suomi College (Michigan) to study program models for art and craft design. A concept paper for the new SECC program was drafted and presented to the Division of Communications, Humanities, and Fine Arts, Dean of Academic Affairs, and SECC's President. A division committee was appointed and meets regularly. In addition, presentations on program content and curriculum have been made to the SECC Board of Directors and Faculty. Community-wide needs-assessment survey begins September 1998.

 

13. To determine the need for additional options in the engineering technology program.

The College has developed an advisory statement, indicating its interest in offering an associate of applied science degree program in Network and Information Systems Technology; if approved for the program, SECC would be one of six institutions in the Community College System to offer the new program. Needs assessment studies showed an increasing demand for graduates of this program both local and statewide. The need for reactivation of the College's civil engineering technology program is also under consideration. (See Objective # 16 Annual Plan: 1998-1999.)

 

14. To explore the possibility of combining all economic development functions-Office of Continuing Education, Small Business Development Center, Mine Training Institute and Rural Community College Initiative-under a new Division of Community and Business Development.

A new Office of Community and Business Development was officially created on July 1^st. In addition to the units mentioned above, the new office also includes the Adult Basic Education Program. The restructuring is aimed at eliminating duplication of services and offering a truly integrated approach to community development. A dean will head the office.

 

15. To work toward a performing arts / theater arts cooperative among the College's three campuses.

With the employment of a full-time theater arts instructor in Middlesboro last year, work on this objective will be intensified during the upcoming year. To date, there have been few cooperative ventures other than theater arts performances alternating between campuses. (See Objective #19 Annual Plan: 1998-1999.)

 

16. To serve as a community partner in the development of the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum and other regional efforts designed to promote tourism.

The Museum, which has experienced steady growth during the past year, is expected to be the recipient of state funds which can will be earmarked for (1) operating expenses and (2) the development of a mine tour in Lynch. The College anticipates at some future date to use this and other local museums as laboratories for a proposed museum management program.

Through the Rural Community College Initiative and other community development programs, SECC continued to assist local communities throughout its region with economic development, with tourism being a primary component in most plans.

 

17. To refocus the Partners in Progress Campaign in Bell County; and to renew efforts to raise additional funds in Letcher County to match those made available through the Robinson Trust.

The Partners in Progress Campaign in Bell County was put on hold during the legislative session on higher education. The Campaign Executive Committee was reactivated in August and continued with lead gift solicitations. A special event "Evening with Friends" was held in October in an effort to rebuild momentum. The campaign will end December 31, 1998, with solicitation of professional divisions (attorneys and physicians) and a direct mail/phonathon event. To date, the Bell County campaign has raised $330,287. The Whitesburg Education Foundation successfully raised $100,000 to match the first of two challenge grants from the E.O. Robinson Trust. Efforts are underway to secure the second grant by December 31, 1998. The funds will be used to retire the debt on the Whitesburg Classroom building, which will then be deeded to the College.

 

18. To establish working relationships with public schools through expansion of Keys to KERA programming, an annual conference for counselors, and the offering of specially-tailored course work as requested by individual school districts.

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