November 14, 2002
When you start asking people for millions of dollars, it helps if people trust you.
So when officials with the Kentucky Community and Technical College System kicked off their first big capital campaign last week, they went to the person some people call "the most trusted figure in American life" -- Walter Cronkite.
That's right, our benevolent, photogenic grandfather, now 85, whose golden tones rolled from the television all those years, will soon be coming to a radio or television near you.
Cronkite taped the narrative for a video that highlights the accomplishments of KCTCS and its colleges, and states the case for private support for the KCTCS campaign to raise between $25 and $30 million.
"As the sun rises each morning, it brings with it new opportunities for KCTCS to fulfill its mission and destiny -- to change the lives of Kentuckians," Cronkite says in the video. "And a golden opportunity for you to keep the enlightenment of education shining brightly across the Commonwealth."
Cronkite doesn't do commercial endorsements, but does help some educational projects. He agreed to sign on for somewhere between $15,000 and $20,000 after Mary Ellen Slone of Meridian Communications contacted his office and explained the KCTCS mission, said Tim Burcham, KCTCS' vice president for institutional advancement.
"My feeling has always been that education should demand our first priority in expenditures," Cronkite said of the video. "Educators are the keystone of the successful continuation of our democracy."
Burcham was in the New York studio when Cronkite taped the spot.
"It was wonderful, he's a very gracious, very humble man, and very interested in education personally," Burcham said.
The campaign -- the first major one since KCTCS was created in 1997 -- is aimed at several initiatives beyond the day to day running of Kentucky's 62 community and technical college campuses, which operate in 16 districts across the state.
The initiatives will focus on the New Economy and economic development, helping students move into postsecondary education and jobs, and flexible funding to meet the needs of business and industry.
Since the community college system was separated from the University of Kentucky and joined to the technical schools, enrollment has continued to grow.
This fall, a record was set at 67,000 students, a 7 percent jump from the year before. Enrollment has risen nearly 50 percent since 1998.
KCTCS officials are hoping their fund raising will grow as rapidly as the student population, with Cronkite's help. At the sign-off of each of his commercials, he recites a familiar phrase from many years on the CBS Evening News:
"This is Walter Cronkite for the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. And that's the way it is."
November 12, 2002
The official attendance at the 62 schools that make up the Kentucky Community and Technical College System rose to a record-high 67,813 for the fall semester, according to a news release.
That figure represents a 7.4 percent increase from fall 2001 enrollment, which was 63,120, and a 49 percent increase from the 45,529 students enrolled in fall 1998 - the first semester that two-year community colleges and technical colleges were joined under the KCTCS.
Each of the 16 KCTCS districts saw enrollment increases. Several factors contributed to the increases, including increased enrollment in information technology programs, distance-learning courses and college courses for high school students, the release said.
The Lexington-based KCTCS is the organization that oversees state-funded community and technical colleges.
November 4, 2002
The Kentucky Community and Technical College System has established an agreement with Murray State University that will make it easier for students to transfer between two particular degree programs.
The arrangement allows students to apply credits they've earned through KCTCS's associate in applied science in information technology to Murray's bachelor of science in telecommunications systems management, according to a news release.
"This partnership fulfills several strategic objectives of KCTCS - to enhance information technology education, to expand access to distance learning, and to increase the number of our students who transfer to four-year colleges and universities," said Keith Bird, chancellor of KCTCS, in the release.
More than 10,000 students are enrolled in the KCTCS associate degree program, which is offered on campus and online.
In a separate initiative, Murray State is developing online courses for the telecommunications systems program. Some courses will be available through the Kentucky Virtual University this spring, and all 20 courses in the program will be online by August 2004, the release said.
November 12, 2002
Ed Hughes has been working as the founding president of Gateway Community and Technical College for the past year, but he's only now getting around to some of the formalities.
Like his inauguration.
Since taking over Dec. 1, Hughes has been working largely behind the scenes to organize the transition of the technical school into a community college.
Hughes also wanted to delay his inauguration until the school's old name - Northern Kentucky Community and Technical College District - was changed to keep people from confusing it with Northern Kentucky University.
With the new Gateway name chosen last month and the groundwork laid to broaden the mission of the college, Hughes is to be inaugurated at 11 a.m. on Friday at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington. The public is invited to join some 300 invited guests.
The new name and inauguration are intended to put the rejuvenated college in the public eye.
"This is a good place to be after a year's work," says Hughes, 52, whose entire career has been in community colleges. "We've made some tremendous strides toward enlarging the vision of our college. We're comfortable now taking it into the community."
The two-year college now offers associate degrees, diplomas and certificates in 28 program areas, including business and information technologies, health services, welding, cosmetology and a variety of other professions.
Enrollment over the past year has increased from 2,200 to 2,550 and Hughes expects substantial growth in the next few years as the school upgrades its general education curriculum to permit students to transfer their credits toward a bachelor's degree at four-year colleges.
Hughes expects between 5,000 and 6,000 students in five years and 9,000 in 10 years.
He says Northern Kentucky has the population - and the need - to send more people to college.
"Nationally, 24 percent of adults over 25 have bachelor's degrees, but in our region it's only about 12 percent and in some of our areas, just 3 percent," he notes. "Part of our broadened mission is to provide increased access to post-secondary education."
That access includes low tuition (currently $64 a credit hour or $960 for a full-time semester), help for students with academic problems and community outreach.
The college currently has campuses in Covington-Park Hills, Edgewood and Highland Heights. But, in a few years, the college's main campus will be in a new development in Boone County just off Mount Zion Road. Ground is to be broken in February or March for the first building on the new campus, with classes to start there in the autumn of 2004.
In 10 years, 5,000 students could be on the new campus - if money can be found to construct more buildings.
"Money is going to be a big challenge," laments Hughes. "We keep hearing huge numbers of deficit for the state.
"But, I've been through lean times and good times. You just have to keep moving forward."
Hughes has a reputation for moving forward.
Before coming to Northern Kentucky, he was president of Hazard Community College, which grew from 600 students to more than 3,800 in his 16-year tenure. Economic growth in the Hazard area was linked to the college, which expanded onto multiple campuses under Hughes' direction. Hughes previously was a teacher and administrator in community and technical colleges in Arkansas, Illinois, Tennessee and New York.
He says he loves community colleges.
"I get up every morning more excited than the last morning," he says. "We have a very ambitious goal in Northern Kentucky. In just a short number of years, we want to be nationally recognized as a premier community and technical college.
"There are about 25 or 30 innovative, vanguard community colleges across the country. We're aiming to be a vanguard college. That's where we want to be."
October 30, 2002
Five Area Technology Schools have officially entered into agreements to allow for their students to receive college credit from Hazard Community College.
Dr. Jay K. Box, president and CEO of Hazard Community College, noted that students will earn a grade while obtaining college credit and beginning their college transcript. "These are college classes and it is a great benefit for students to enroll," Dr. Box said.
Those participating in the signing agreement at the Technical Campus of HCC were Margaret E. Gross, principal at the Breathitt Area Technology Center; Betty Huff, Leslie County Area Technology Center; Patrick Goodin, Knott County Area Technology Center; Barbara Ison, Letcher Area Technology Center, and Jerry Hollon of the Lee County Area Technology Center.
Betty Huff of Leslie County said she is already seeing the impact from this agreement. "We are getting better students because they are working toward their future and we're seeing more students participate," Ms. Huff said. "I wish I had had this opportunity when I was in school."
"Students can start college with as many as 12 credit hours," Ms. Huff noted, adding that parents and students continue to need to be educated about this venture.
Margaret E. Gross of Breathitt County, noted that students from both the Jackson City and Breathitt County school systems were participating in the service. "This agreement illustrates the vision of Hazard Community College and we thank them for this opportunity."
Jerry Hollon of Lee County called the agreement a "win-win situation" for all those involved. "We have a smooth transition with this program and it's good to see how this region has always worked together."
Barbara Ison of Letcher County praises this HCC program because she notices
a lot of students start college but don't finish because they chose an academic
route when a technical area of study was better suited for them. "We need
to educate parents because it is possible for students to enroll in these classes
and, for instance, learn welding. As a certified welder they can be making $17
an hour."
Patrick Goodin of Knott County praises the benefits of the agreement. "This
venture gives the students a head start on getting an education and it saves
them a fortune," Goodin said, noting that he has more of his Knott County
ATC students taking classes at the Technical Campus of HCC this year than he
has in the last three years. "I hope it will continue to grow," Goodin
said.
Dr. R. Kathy Smoot, HCC provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, noted that after completing an education with the area technology centers a student could then enroll at HCC to complete a certificate, diploma, or degree.
"Dual credit represents the highest level of cooperation and confidence between two institutions. The process of awarding dual credit holds both institutions responsible for a coordinated curriculum that assures students acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitude that are required in the college classes," Dr. Smoot noted.
Ralph Kidd, dean at the Technical Campus, has been visiting area technology centers to explain the benefits of the program.
Also working with the program is Jan Fuller, Technical Campus Academic Dean, who will oversee the faculty credentials, syllabi, and evaluations.
Any ATC student interested in enrolling in the dual credit program can contact
Ralph Kidd at 436-5721, or 800-246-7521, ext. 8312.