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

    Members of BCCC’s senior staff had their first look this week at new software that should help our faculty better track the academic progress of our students and help us meet the challenges ahead. Vice President of Research Jay Sullivan is developing automated advising and academic mapping software to help faculty advise students and track their progress towards completing certificates, diplomas or degrees. The software lists specific classes within students degree programs that are available for enrollment. It also provides a visual display of the coursework completed and these reports will be available during advising and registration periods. With this new software, the college will be better prepared for the demands of Success NC and expected changes in state funding requirements. Professional development and training will be available in the next six to eight weeks.

    Here’s some of what happened during the past week:

    • Congratulations to Trina Cobb who began her second term as President of BCCC’s Student Government Association! She is joined by Christopher Lynch, vice president; Montana Selby, secretary; LaLether Shepard, treasurer; Jackson Lancaster, historian; Jordan Pooser, parliamentarian, and Kristen Baker, special populations. They will work over the new academic year with Student Activities Coordinator Theresa Edwards to represent the students here at BCCC and coordinate a variety of activities on our campus. I appreciate their service to the college!

    • Admissions Director Daniel Wilson is looking for a few, good men to join Men of Success. Men of Success provides mentoring for minority male students here at BCCC and has begun its new year this week with about 20 men attending. Wilson asks instructors to refer any student they think may benefit from participation in Men of Success. Contact Wilson at 940-6233 or the program’s Director, Maurice Griffin, at 252-623-8326. The group plans to meet every first, second and third Tuesday of the month.

    • Our GED Assessment Day on Wednesday attracted a record number of people to campus who were interested in completing their high school equivalency work before changes go into effect next year. Of these, 46 were eligible for GED assessment testing, according to Penelope Radcliffe, Basic Skills Assessment and Retention Specialist. Thanks to Penelope and her team and Literacy Volunteers of Beaufort County for a successful event.

    • Faculty and students in BCCC’s welding classroom were busy during the past week installing 13 new welding machines that were purchased by the college as part of the N.C. Advanced Manufacturing Alliance grant. Our welding program continues to be one of the most successful in terms of job placement and the welding machines that had been in use were falling behind industry standard. Congratulations to Lead Welding Instructor Ted Clayton and his team for working hard to ensure that our students have the latest equipment on which to train. See upcoming editions of Campus Connections for photos.

    • Beaufort County Community College’s opening day was featured in the Sunday, Aug. 18, edition of the Washington Daily News. The article, by Mona Moore, was accompanied by several photographs of the people at BCCC who make learning an enjoyable experience. In case you missed it, I am including below the link to the article on the Daily News website. http://www.thewashingtondailynews. com/2013/08/18/pamlico-life-bccc-enrollment-on-the-rise.

    • Personal and personnel notes: Congratulations to Becky Woolard and Carol Taylor, instructors in BCCC’s Basic Skills Program. The two recently attended the N.C. Community Colleges Basic Skills Conference and Training Academy in Raleigh where they earned silver status in the N.C. Basic Skills Core Instruction Certificate.        •  Aug. 29 – BCCC Foundation Board of Directors, 11 a.m., Board Room, Building 10.

   •  Sept. 2 – Labor Day Holiday.

   •  Sept . 10 – Book talk by Dr. Maurice Godwin on criminal profiling, serial murder and crime scene analysis, noon, BCCC library.

   •  Sept. 17 – Faculty/Staff Kick-off, noon, auditorium, Building 8.