Open House: 4:30-6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29 at Prichard Auditorium. The public is encouraged to attend and provide input as SCC prepares for the opening of its new Falls City Outreach Center.
(The following was submitted by SCC Board of Governors Chairperson Kathy Boellstorff and SCC President Paul Illich.)
Dear Reader:
This is a very exciting time for Southeast Community College as it establishes a new transformational direction to meet the current and future higher education needs of southeast Nebraska. This past year, the College developed its 2015-19 Strategic Plan which includes implementing a proactive enrollment management model, planning to establish several learning centers throughout the 15-county area and developing a comprehensive 10-year facilities master plan.
Community colleges have a mission to provide open access to higher education opportunities for all students. In support of this goal, we are utilizing a new enrollment management model to build our course and program schedules and services to match employer, student and community demand. SCC plans to hire additional faculty and staff to address high demand in welding, agriculture, nursing, business, academic transfer, criminal justice, food services, and other programs. SCC will use the new enrollment model to meet the needs of students, employers and the communities.
SCC serves more than 9,000 credit students each fall quarter and more than 19,000 students annually through non-credit courses. We have campuses in Seward, Lancaster, and Gage counties and provide more than 40 dual-credit college courses for high school students in 38 participating K-12 schools through the Southeast Nebraska Career Academy Partnership (SENCAP). We provide contract training for local employers through training solutions staff. While these programs are designed to serve the counties outside of Lancaster, SCC recognizes that additional programs and services are needed throughout the 15-county region. The SCC Board of Governors is committed to meeting the needs of all communities within SCC’s service area.
In direct response to the College’s service area needs and based on detailed analyses of population demographics and trends, industry trends, infrastructure and geographical spacing, SCC is working toward establishing on-site learning centers in Falls City, Hebron, Nebraska City, Plattsmouth, Wahoo and York. Initially, the centers will provide classroom space and open computer labs to support contract training, continuing education courses, credit courses, and possibly dual-credit and SENCAP courses. These locations provide comprehensive geographical coverage, ensuring that everyone within SCC’s service area will be within 35 miles of a learning center or existing campus. SCC staff will continue working with community leaders to identify specific site locations and to develop programming schedules based on the needs of the local community.
During the past several months, an extensive assessment has also been conducted of all the college’s facilities based on a wide range of criteria, including a space needs analysis of current and future programming needs. The Facilities Master Plan will identify which facilities are in need of renovation or replacement, as well as ideal locations for new building sites. This plan will provide an opportunity and roadmap to transform SCC into a premier institution of higher education for the future.
Southeast Nebraska has tremendous attributes, including highly productive agriculture, energy generation infrastructure, the state capital, access to outstanding two- and four-year institutions of higher education, and a thriving economy in health services, finance, insurance, construction, manufacturing, and many other industries. SCC is poised to expedite southeast Nebraska’s economic and community development by empowering its employers, students and community members via responsive pathways to career/technical, academic transfer and continuing education programs. Southeast Community College and its Board of Governors are committed to providing the highest quality programs and services to meet student, employer and community demand within the 15-county service area through innovative strategies, expanded accessibility, and judicious stewardship with the resources entrusted to us. The College has the responsibility, means and vision to help create and maintain healthy and vibrant communities.
Sincerely,
Kathy Boellstorff
Chairperson, SCC Board of Governors
Paul Illich
SCC President
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