I’m pleased to offer this update on March activities and college initiatives. As always, please reach out to me with any questions.
State Budget
· State Budget: We are now examining outcomes from the New York State Budget that was approved over the weekend. Our preliminary analysis of the budget shows generally positive news for community colleges, with a small increase in state support for Hudson Valley and funding for three capital projects (Guenther roof repair, Facilities Master Plan consulting and overflow parking lot construction across Vandenburgh Ave.). More information will be shared as details of the budget are reviewed.
Enrollment
· Spring Enrollment: Final spring enrollment numbers have exceeded budget projections. Since my last report, the addition of Sprint and College in the High School enrollment brought the final enrollment to a 2.32% decrease from Spring 2018, which is 1.49% higher in FTE than anticipated. We are moving in the right direction, and I thank you again for your efforts during the spring enrollment period. Please continue to urge students to consider summer coursework where appropriate and also register/enroll for the fall term as well.
International recruitment efforts
· Costa Rica: As I have mentioned in the last two updates, the college is exploring several international partnership opportunities to support enrollment. In mid-March, after receiving an invitation from the Costa Rican government, Board Chairman Neil Kelleher, Executive Director Regina LaGatta and I travelled to Costa Rica, along with University at Albany President Havidán Rodríguez and his team and Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughin. The trip was planned in partnership with the Costa Rica Investment and Promotion Agency (CINDE) and PROCOMER, two economic development organizations promoting education, business and industry collaboration with Costa Rica.
We had the opportunity to make presentations before the Congress of Costa Rica and attend meetings with the First Lady of Costa Rica,as well as the country’s Minister of Education and others. We also met with more than 200 Costa Rican business leaders and visited several universities and schools interested in establishing a working relationship with both the colleges and Rensselaer County businesses. This is an exciting opportunity, as Costa Rica aims to become a hub for higher education in Central America.
We are now working toward establishing formal partnerships and planning for a Congressional delegation from Costa Rica to visit the campus.
· Astar Education Institute: The college also recently signed an agreement with Astar Education Institute, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, based in Manassas, Virginia. The organization will provide consultation, recruitment and marketing services related to international students. More specifically, Astar will assist the college with promotion and recruitment abroad, focused on, but not exclusive to China, and provide non-credit English language instruction to prospective international students who do not yet meet the college’s admissions requirement for English language proficiency through a pathway program that is currently under development. This is a fantastic opportunity for the college, and the Office of International Student Services will coordinate the college’s work with Astar.
College Planning and Campus Facilities
· Strategic Plan Update: The college’s Strategic Plan Steering Committee continues to make progress. Last week, Dr. Will Miller of Campus Labs presented a draft version of the plan to members of the college community. Please take a moment to review the plan and video from the presentation available in the Strategic Plan 2019-24 organization in Blackboard. A revised version will be shared with the faculty and staff during the week of April 8.
· Master Plan: As I reported in my January update, the college is searching for a Facilities Master Plan consultant to examine necessary improvements to our campus infrastructure. In conjunction with the college’s 2019-24 Strategic Plan, this effort will guide campus renovations and construction activities to better serve our students and faculty in the years ahead. The consultant contract will be awarded at the next Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, April 30.
· CAMS: I am pleased to report that construction on the Gene F. Haas Center for Advanced Manufacturing Skills (CAMS) is proceeding on schedule. Equipment delivery will begin in April, and a substantial portion of the project is expected to be finished by the end of May. Some tool and equipment installation will be ongoing throughout the summer. The grand opening event for CAMS is scheduled for Tuesday, August 27. More details will follow.
· Energy Audit: Please be advised that the college is undergoing an energy audit. As part of this effort, meters will be installed in each building so energy consumption can be monitored and reported.
Scholarship awards
· Foundation Scholarships: Please join members of the Foundation Board for the annual Scholarship Reception on Thursday, April 25 at 4 p.m. in the Bulmer Telecommunications Center. Approximately 160 students will be awarded more than $200,000 in scholarships and meet their scholarship donors. This year, we were pleased that more than 400 students applied for scholarship assistance through the college Foundation. I share my thanks with members of our Scholarship Committee comprised of faculty, staff, Foundation and alumni volunteers who reviewed and scored the applications.
Workforce Development and Community Outreach Efforts
· Capital Community College Career Coalition (C5): As you may know, the five community colleges of the Capital Region—Hudson Valley, Columbia-Greene, Fulton-Montgomery, SUNY Adirondack and SUNY Schenectady—established a partnership last fall, known as the Capital Community College Career Coalition (C5). The group is tasked with addressing the growing need for skilled labor among multiple sectors of the region’s workforce. C5 hosted a summit back in November to allow industry leaders in manufacturing, healthcare and information technology to share thoughts and ideas on what their sectors need in order to grow. We will host a second summit on campus on Thursday, April 4 to give local economic and workforce development groups the chance to share their thoughts.
· Interfaith Community Forum: The college’s inaugural Interfaith Community Forum on Monday, March 18 was a success. More than 75 members of various faith-based communities from around the region came together on discuss ways to work together. We hope this initial gathering will lead to the establishment of stronger ties between these faith communities and college programs and services. I plan to meet with some of the attendees to learn more specifically about how we can partner, and then establish an advisory board of religious leaders. We plan to have a follow-up report out to the participants by the end of the spring semester.
Leadership
· Dean of STEM candidates on campus: As announced last fall, the college will be appointing a Dean of STEM. The search is underway, and three candidates are on campus this week for open forums. Members of the campus community are encouraged to attend.
· Interim Dean of Schools of Business, Engineering and Industrial Technologies: Dr. Jonathan Ashdown, assistant professor in the Automotive, Manufacturing and Electrical Engineering Technologies Department, was named Interim Dean of the Schools of Business, Engineering and Industrial Technologies during the Board of Trustees regular meeting on March 26. The appointment is effective June 1. Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. MaryAnn Janosik will serve as acting dean until that date. You can read more about Dr. Ashdown in the Campus Chronicle.
· Vice President for Academic Affairs: The college’s search for a Vice President for Academic Affairs is ongoing with our committee meeting this week to review applicants.
As always, please contact my office to share any thoughts or feedback on college initiatives. Thank you.
Published: Mon, 01 Apr 2019 20:09:34 +0000 by r.ramsammy