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Technical colleges should educate students according to area's industries, report states

Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College is assessing the findings of a report advocating clusters of industrial education, President Dr. Anne Crook informed the college's governing Area Commission last week.

The South Carolina Policy Council, a Columbia-based conservative think tank, paid Stuart Rosenfeld of North Carolina's Regional Technology Strategies to conduct the study.

The report encourages the state's technical colleges to tailor their programs to meet the needs of clusters of related industries -- such as tourism, textiles or motor vehicles -- in their respective communities.

If technical colleges train people for jobs that are not available locally, they are "shipping out a lot of intellect to somewhere else" rather than benefiting the community, Crook said.

She also said technical colleges "must be involved with K-12 education or we're hurting ourselves" by not nurturing potential students.

Also, Crook said O-C Tech has earned a 2.83, or 94 percent, or "exceeds," performance funding rating from the state.

"They shouldn't call it performance funding because you don't get any money for it," Crook said. "Still, it's good to do well."

One of the performance funding indicators is the graduation rate. O-C Tech's is the highest or one of the highest among the state's technical colleges, she added.

Crook also said 52 students were inducted into the Alpha Alpha Delta chapter of Phi Theta Kappa this year, "the largest group we've ever had."

At the college's annual retreat, faculty, staff and administrators worked on the college's Quality Enhancement Plan, said Walt Tobin, vice president for academic affairs.

Tobin said they reached a consensus on the top four goals: student retention, service learning, Web-based e-learning and learning communities.

The QEP is a new requirement for re-accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The college has formed a QEP team to help develop and implement the plan.

"We've got five years to implement it and start showing some results," Tobin said.

Tobin also gave early registration numbers for continuing students: 972 were enrolled as of last week, representing a full-time equivalency of 524. Regular open registration will begin May 17.

While O-C Tech's finances seem secure for the moment, all but one technical college in South Carolina are contemplating tuition increases for the 2004-05 academic year, said Retta Guthrie, vice president for business affairs.

Most of the other colleges charge various fees, such as for labs, consumable materials or parking, Guthrie said. O-C Tech's only add-on is a $50 technology fee that is earmarked solely for technology upgrades.

Commissioner Dr. F. Simons Hane said the college might want to start raising some extra money now because the commission and the administration know they are looking to construct a new building.

Contractors "are working hard and loud" on remodeling the Administration Building and should meet their June 30 completion date on the 90-day contract, Guthrie said.

This week, painters will start putting a new layer of pewter gray silver paint on the roofs, she said, adding that it's been five or six years since they were last painted.

Commission Chairman Larry Patrick said he attended a meeting of the college's Foundation Board years ago and "I learned a lot that day. We had a little dialogue going there."

To further improve communication between the two groups, Patrick said he wants to attend additional Foundation Board meeting "and invite their chair or a designee to attend our meetings."

Patrick also noted that the Area Commission has never had a retreat independently of the college's retreat.

He said it would be good for the commissioners to spend a day touring the campus, having discussions and dining together "to get to know each other a little better."

The tour would demonstrate the commissioners' care and interest in the college and would serve as a "morale boost" for employees and students alike, Patrick said.

Other commissioners liked the idea of having a retreat this summer, when it is expected the board will return to its full complement of members.

Graduation ceremonies are scheduled for 7 p.m. May 13 in the Jonas T. Kennedy Center at Claflin University, just down U.S. Highway 601.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Hendren can be reached by e-mail at lhendren@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5552.