Tansey Topics: A weekly look at what’s happening at BCCC | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Welcome back everyone from our holiday break. I hope everyone is looking forward to a successful Spring Semester 2014! Our spring registration has been strong. Preliminary registration figures compiled this week, show 1,905 students had enrolled for Spring 2014 Semester as of Day 2 for a Full Time Equivalency count of 793.7. In Spring 2013, with the inclusion of last year's late start Basic Law Enforcement Training classes, 1, 893 students were enrolled for an FTE of 786.8. Final numbers are still being compiled and do not reflect all of the enrollment in late-start classes being planned for later this semester. These classes will be critical to our goal of no loss in FTE appropriations from the state.

Here's a quick look at other recent events at BCCC:

    BCCC Foundation News

    • The Foundation has awarded scholarships to 16 BCCC students for Spring Semester 2014. Photographs and articles about the scholarships and their recipients are scheduled to appear in the Washington Daily News in the coming weeks.

    • Foundation trips to the Durham Performing Arts Center to see Once and The Book of Mormon have been well received, according to Foundation Director Judy Jennette. There is a wait-list for The Book of Mormon and only a very few tickets were still available this week for Once.

    Business and Industrial Technology

    • The Washington County Board of Commissioners this week agreed to allow BCCC's Basic Law Enforcement Training Program to use the parking lot of the Plymouth Municipal Airport for the driver's training portion of the program. The agreement is in effect for one year. For several weeks I along with other BCCC faculty and staff had searched for a suitable location to conduct the driving training portion of our BLET program after we lost the use of Warren Field Airport in Washington. I appreciate the vote by the Washington County board in approving this agreement and the hard work by Dean of Business and Industrial Technology Ben Morris and BLET Director Larry Barnes in this effort.

    • BCCC's welding faculty and students have almost completed their upgrade of the welding shop. After painting the walls and installing new welding equipment, the final project was resurfacing of the welding shop floor. Thanks very much to Lead Welding Instructor Ted Clayton, Welding Instructor Brandon Keech and all of our welding instructors and students for this work.

    Continuing Education

    • Vice President of Continuing Education Chet Jarman has announced a reorganization of the division effective February 1. Steve Taylor will assume the title of Director of Fire and EMS Training Programs. Lou Stout has been named Director of Workforce Initiatives. BCCC will advertise for a Coordinator of Special Projects whose duties will include oversight of BCCC's Commercial Truck Driving Program and College for Kids, among other duties. Thanks to Chet for his work on this reorganization!

    Student Services

    • Student Activities Coordinator Theresa Edwards and an ad hoc committee have begun work on Gullfest, a spring arts and music festival to be held on the BCCC campus Saturday, April 5. It will include a car show sponsored by the campus automobile club, music from local performers, a yard sale sponsored by local organizations and other events. All student organizations as well as the Staff Association and the Faculty Senate are invited to sponsor an activity or fund-raising event in conjunction with the festival. For more information about this exciting event, contact Theresa at 940-6217 or by email at theresae@beaufortccc.edu.

    • A new program that begins this month will recognize Beaufort County Community College students

    Throughout the year for various positive character traits they display in class and on campus. The program, BCCC's Best, is a project of Student Services. Its goal is to recognize students for their achievements beyond academics, according to Vice President of Student Services Rick Anderson. BCCC's Best begins this month and continues for eight months during Spring and Fall semesters in 2014. Any faculty or staff member is eligible to nominate a student who displays that character trait with a short description of how that student has exemplified that character trait in the classroom or in other ways on the BCCC campus. Nominations should be submitted to Director of Counseling Kimberly Jackson at kimberlyj@beaufortccc.edu no later than the third Monday of the month in which the character trait is to be recognized. The character trait for January is Motivated. The deadline for the January nominations is Monday, Jan. 21.

    Personnel and Personal Notes

    • I'm delighted to welcome Donna Price back to campus as Cosmetology Instructor and Sandra Barfield as success coach for the new Certified Production Technician Program.

    • Lead Mechanical Engineering Technology/Drafting and Design Instructor Riley Mills has announced his retirement effective at the end of this month. I am sorry that we are losing Riley but I wish him well in his retirement and future endeavors.

    • Condolences to the family and friends of Director of Fire Services and Special Projects David Crosby who died January 1. The N.C. Community College flag has been flown at half staff throughout the week in his memory. A college memorial service is planned for later this year.

    And in the coming weeks, watch for the following:

   •  January 13  -  Allied Health Programs Information Session for Medical Lab Technology, 5:30 p.m., Room 1204/06, Building 12.

   •  January 14  -  BCCC Board of Trustees meeting, 6:30 p.m., Board Room, Building 10. Committees will meeting consecutively beginning at 5 p.m.

   •  January 15  -  Data-driven Decision Making and Personal Response Systems with Dr. Elizabeth Fines, noon, Room 1220, Building 12.

   •  January 20  -  Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday.

   •  January 21  -  Deadline to submit nominations for "Motivated" character trait for BCCC's Best recognition.

   •  January 21  -  N.C. Association of Community College Trustees Regional Meeting, Board Room, Building 10.

   •  January 25  -  BCCC Foundation trip to see the musical Once at the Durham Performing Arts Center.

   •  January 27  -  Allied Health Programs Information Session for Associate Degree and Practical Nursing programs, noon, Room 1204/06, Building 12.