Tansey Topics: A Weekly Look At What's Happening At BCCC | Eastern North Carolina Now

    A combination of factors has resulted in a dip in full-time enrollment at Beaufort County Community College for Fall 2015, but the news isn't all bad. The staff and faculty are responding to the challenge by redoubling efforts to ensure that the institution meets the educational needs of the community as effectively and efficiently as possible.

    First, the numbers: for Fall 2015, BCCC has 1,607 students enrolled in curriculum programs. For comparison, enrollment for Fall 2014 was 2,029.

    Students enrolled in College and Career Readiness, Occupational Extension and Personal Enrichment courses through the Division of Continuing Education are calculated separately, and those numbers are expected to remain steady or even increase. Employees are still needed to fill the area's trade jobs, and the short-term training programs offered through Continuing Education are designed to fulfill that need.

    BCCC's participation in the federal student loan program from 2010-2015 boosted enrollment numbers, but turned out to be problematic for both students and the college, as too many students borrowed more than they could afford and later defaulted on the loans. The college was required to inform students of the maximum amount they could borrow - which many did - and it was not permitted to run credit checks when issuing loans. Colleges with high default rates risk losing federal funding such as Pell Grants for students, so the Board of Trustees made the difficult decision to exit the student loan program, effective July 2015.

    There were 604 students who participated in the student loan program in Fall 2014, and 408 of those students are not enrolled in fall classes this year, accounting for the majority of the drop in enrollment. Other factors include an improving economy - fewer students go to school when there are more jobs available - and the demographics of BCCC's service area, whose population, especially of college-age residents, is not increasing.

    The staff has worked hard to find other funding sources to help students pay for school and keep them enrolled, providing more emergency grants and scholarships, offering short-term loans to bridge the gap until financial aid checks are issued, and creating a payment plan option (starting Spring 2016). The college's administration is also working to boost enrollment for 8-week Late Start courses that start in October, and to promote spring enrollment.

    A drop in enrollment means a smaller budget for the next fiscal year, so efforts are also under way to streamline wherever possible by merging low-enrollment classes, using full-time instructors first to minimize the use of adjuncts, and offering more online courses, for which there is increasing demand.

    "The mission of BCCC is to meet the educational needs of our citizens and to train workers for the available jobs in our service area," says BCCC President Dr. Barbara Tansey. "That means we are working constantly to make sure the college is the right size for our community and offers the right programs and services to meet its needs."


    BCCC's first Industrial Maintenance Mechanic class has completed seven months of training, earning Forklift Training Certificates, OSHA 10 Cards, Career Readiness Certification, Core Curriculum Credential from NCCER, and Level 1 Industrial Maintenance Mechanic Credentail from NCCER. The second group of students began the program in August and another will begin in January.


    BCCC's Study Abroad Program is holding its first fundraiser from now until the end of September. The $25 Attractions Coupon Book features more than $4,000 in coupons for Eastern North Carolina businesses including Washington, Greenville, Chocowinity and Plymouth. Cash, checks and online payment are accepted. Contact Suzanne.Stotesbury@BeaufortCCC.edu for more information.


    If you are interested in walking with BCCC's team on Saturday, Oct. 3 from 9 a.m. to noon, please contact team captain Dana Sauls at 252-940-6391 or Dana.Sauls@BeaufortCCC.edu. You can also buy a T-shirt for $25 or a bracelet for $3, or simply donate in any amount. Last year our team raised more than $500, and we would love to top that this time around.


    Our student recognition program, BCCC's Best, will kick off with the character trait "Committed" for the month of September. Faculty and Staff are invited to nominate one student who "perseveres in school or life with the ultimate goal of being successful in mind despite adversity." Nominations should be sent to Kimberly.Jackson@BeaufortCCC.edu by Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 5 p.m. along with contact information and a short description of how the student has exemplified this trait. Nominated students will be recognized at noon on Tuesday, Sept. 29 in the Student Lounge.


    The BCCC Foundation hosted a Retiree Luncheon on Sept. 2. Guests were welcomed back to campus and thanked for their years of service. They also met new Foundation Executive Director Serena Sullivan, saw the first-ever virtual tour of BCCC's campus (created by Keith Sullivan and presented by Dr. Tansey), and received a brief presentation from Mandy Jones about the possibility of forming a Retiree Association.

• BCCC is currently seeking applications for the following positions:
1. Registrar (Full-time)
2. Records Specialist, Continuing Education (Full-time)
3. Administrative Assistant to Research and Institutional Effectiveness (Full-time)


• Please share this posting with anyone you know who may qualify and be interested. Visit the BCCC Employment Opportunities page (https://jobs.beaufortccc.edu/) for additional position announcements and information about how to apply.

    Please send any Important Dates you would like publicized in Tansey Topics/Campus Connections/BCCC Briefs to Jules.Norwood@BeaufortCCC.edu. This includes but is not limited to student and campus events, fundraisers, student organization meetings and board meetings.

    And in the coming weeks, watch for the following:

• Sept. 11 - SGA 9/11 Remembrance, 9 a.m., Student Lounge
• Sept. 14 - Registration for Second 8-Week Classes begins
• Sept. 14 - Allied Health Information Session, ADN, PN; 1 p.m., Building 12, Room 1217
• Sept. 15 - Men of Success, 11 a.m., location TBA
• Sept. 16 - Student Support Services/TRiO Annual Community Resources Day, 9 a.m., Student Lounge, Building 9
• Sept. 17 - Constitution Day Presendation, noon, Building 10 Multi-Purpose Room
• Sept. 18 - Peer Study Group, 9 a.m., Building 1, Room 120
• Sept. 22 - Men of Success, 11 a.m., location TBA

    Beaufort County Community College is a public comprehensive community college committed to accessible and affordable quality education, effective teaching, relevant training, and lifelong learning opportunities for the people served by the College.