Editorial Column for Daily Herald
For Publication: 5/28/08

HCC: Hosting Area Legislators and Community College Presidents

Dr. Ervin V. Griffin, Sr.
President, Halifax Community College

Halifax Community College hosted an area legislators' breakfast, Apr. 30, at The Centre. Pictured are, from left, Nash CC President Bill Carver, HCC Board of Trustee Chair Dr. Stanley Edwards, Senator Ed Jones, Wilson Technical CC President Rusty Stephens, Dr. Ervin V. Griffin, Sr., HCC President, Edgecombe CC President Debra Lamm and Wilson Technical CC Board Chair Jerry Dorsey.

Halifax Community College hosted an area legislators' breakfast last month at The Centre. Community College presidents including Rusty Stephens from Wilson, Debra Lamm from Edgecombe, Bill Carver from Nash, and myself were in attendance and made presentations to the legislators who were present.

As part of our group presentation, the presidents touched on enrollment at their respective community colleges. Total figures for curriculum and continuing education programs were (2006-07): Edgecombe CC—9,206; Halifax CC—7,545; Nash CC—11,189; and Wilson CC—10, 828 for a grand total of serving 38,766 students.

Funding for 2007-08 was reviewed:

Funding each year is closely tied to enrollment figures. In 2007-08, funding provided five percent salary increases for both faculty and professional staff and for nursing and other allied health programs. A motorsports program was also established. Funding provided full enrollment growth funds and replenished the enrollment growth reserve for growth greater than five percent. Fifteen new Male Minority Mentoring programs were funded to recruit and retain African-American males.

In the area of technology and distance learning support, the first substantive funding in the North Carolina Community College System was provided for increased bandwidth, funding course development, editing centers and appropriate staffing. Monies also provided for a competitive capital grant process for community colleges and the first-ever funding for advanced planning for community college facilities.

Future funding needs were also presented:

We discussed enrollment growth adjustments and much-needed additional funding for allied health programs. From nursing accreditations to health sciences funding, we asked for more to be done to help meet current and future allied health training. In the area of technical education, we want to reestablish and place a renewed emphasis in this area as many careers of the future will require technical expertise.

In student services, we need more counselors and services personnel, possibly to include campus security coordination. We would also like to see a continuation of the Minority Male Mentoring programs that have been established and support the annual mentoring conference.

Funds are needed to close the salary gaps of faculty, professional and support staff. In the system office, staff, equipment, information technology rate increases and the implementation of a continuity plan are needed. We also talked about equipment appropriation and the need for additional advanced planning funds for our long range and master facility plans.

Challenges exist in per student funding between community colleges, public schools and the UNC system. In the UNC system, $13,068 is funded per student. In the public schools, $5,511 is allotted per student. The community colleges receive $5,069 per student. As you can see, there is a big difference in funding.

Another part of that funding equation is based on how many credit hours a student has to take to be considered full-time for funding purposes. The UNC System gets “full-time” funding for 12 credit hours per student—Community Colleges get full-time funding for 16 credit hours per student. In order to get the funding we need, our students are required to take four more credits hours, even though they are technically considered full time students when they take 12 hours. This is a discrepancy that really must be addressed and equalized in the future.

While legislators were present, we also talked about initiatives that have taken place this year. Campus security and security as a whole are top issues. Also, workforce and economic development and the work of the Upper Coastal Plains Learning Council were discussed. I will have more on the Upper Coastal Plains Learning Council in future columns.

From the President's Perspective, I truly believe that if we work together, we can make a positive difference in the lives of our area's citizens. There are many challenges, but there is nothing, if faced by a united force, that can't be solved. I want to personally thank Representative Michael Wray and Senator Ed Jones for their participation in the event and encourage all of our legislators to remember the needs of the community colleges during this short session.

Feel free to send me an email message at president@halifaxcc.edu with your thoughts or ideas. Also, to learn about our current or new programs—stop by campus, call us at (252) 536-HCC1 (4221), or visit us online at www.halifaxcc.edu.