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

    The Beaufort County Community College Board of Trustees met this week and took action on several items of interest. The board unanimously approved a contract in the amount of $85,861 to Curtis and Curtis of Kinston for repairs to work on the roofs in Buildings 5 and 9. Work on the projects is expected to begin in the next few weeks. The board was briefed by Vice President of Continuing Education Chet Jarman on the evaluation forms for faculty and staff that will be incorporated into the People Admin software when it comes online later this spring. The new forms replace the old ones that simply indicated an employee exceeded, met or did not meet expectations in their work. As Chet said, the Personnel Evaluation Systems Committee tackled a task that was "huge" but was "very much needed." I thank Chet, chairman of the committee, Director of Human Resources Emily Woolard and the entire committee for their hard work. Watch for more information about the new forms as they become available. Also during the meeting, the board was shown a PowerPoint presentation about all of the changes in BCCC's welding laboratories (A copy of that presentation will follow in a separate email so those of you who are not on the college campus can see the presentation).

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

    BCCC Foundation News

    • Fundraising for the BCCC digital sign project is well under way, according to Foundation Director Judy Jennette. In a report to the Board of Trustees, Judy said that a total of $23,026 has been received to date and an additional $2,928 in pledges have been committed. I hope we can continue this good work and move forward with this important project.

    • On Thursday, Judy and I welcomed Olivia and Riley Roberson and Jan and Pack Hindsley for tea. I enjoyed the chance to welcome these individuals to the campus and to learn more about their interests in the community.

    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!

    Early College High School

    • The Beaufort County Early College High School is sponsoring a Mobile Dental Lab that will be held Friday, Feb. 28, in the Multi-Purpose Room of Building 10 that will provide free dental care for high school and college students 18 years of age or younger. To receive services from the dental lab, interested persons should complete an application no later than Friday, Feb. 7. For more information about this event, contact BCECHS Principal Emily Pake at 9400-6227 or by email at emilyp@beaufortccc.edu.

    Faculty Senate

    • Due to illness, the workshop sponsored by the BCCC Faculty Senate, Data Driven Decision and Personal Response Systems, has been postponed until Tuesday, Feb. 25. The workshop, presented by Dr. Elizabeth Fines, will be noon to 1 p.m. in the auditorium of Building 12. Please make note of this on your calendars and join the Faculty Senate for this valuable opportunity.

    Information Technology

    • About a dozen BCCC administrators and staff members attended two days of Communications Management training earlier this week to learn more about the Colleague software. It will allow Financial Aid, Student Services and Academic officers and staff members to more effectively send letters and emails to students, prospective students, faculty and staff here at BCCC. Watch for more information as we implement this service.

    Student Services:

    • BCCC's Study Abroad group has scheduled a silent auction to raise money to help defray the cost of their travel. The auction will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10, and Tuesday, Feb. 11. Trip leader Suzanne Stotesbury reports that a number of items have already been donated for the auction including jewelry, a guitar case, I-Pad cases. The funds raised will help the group cover the cost of the trip this spring to London and Paris. If you have any items that you would like to donate or for more information about how you can help the travel group, please contact Stotesbury at (252) 940-6339 or visit her in her office , Room 107 of Building 3.

    Personnel and Personal Notes

    • I hope that everyone will enjoy their holiday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday.

    • Randy Burnette, who had been working at BCCC part-time, has accepted the post of Systems Administrator, succeeding Whiting Toler, new Network Administrator, in the post. Congratulations Randy!

    • Condolences to Vice President of Administration Mark Nelson on the recent death of his father-in-law.

    Alumni Note

    Lou Montana-Rhodes, a graduate of Beaufort County Community College, has accepted the post of Vice President of Patient Care Services at Vidant Beaufort Hospital in Washington. A Beaufort County native, Rhodes has been in nursing since graduating from BCCC with an Associate Degree Nursing in 1998. At BCCC, Rhodes graduated with honors and was the recipient of the Nursing Leadership Award. In 2009, Rhodes earned a master's degree in nursing at East Carolina University. Before accepting the post at Vidant Beaufort Hospital, she served in the same leadership role at Vidant Pungo Hospital beginning in 2004. Congratulations to Lou on her new post!

    And in the coming weeks, watch for the following:

    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.

    January 30  -  BCCC Foundation Board of Directors meeting, 11 a.m., Board Room, Building 10.