Enrollment At All-Time High; Presidential Search Narrows To Five
Trustees Welcome New Board Member, Mrs. Nancy Henderson
VGCC BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING: SEPT. 21, 1998
Enrollment at Vance-Granville Community College has gradually increased each new session over the past several years. This Fall Semester, enrollment has leaped ahead.
President Ben F. Currin reported to the college Board of Trustees at their bi-monthly meeting Monday, Sept. 21, that 3,234 students signed up for curriculum classes this semester, which began Aug. 24. Since the 10 percent period allowed for dropping out has passed, that number has fallen to 3,194, which will be VGCC’s official enrollment for state records.
This year’s enrollment is a 20 percent jump over Fall Semester 1997’s 2,684 students, which was the previous record.
“This is by far the best enrollment we’ve ever had,” Dr. Currin said. “We ranked 17th in enrollment among the state’s 59 community colleges last year, and I think we’ll probably move up to about 10th this year.”
Board Vice Chairman John K. Nelms, who presided over the meeting in the absence of ailing Chairman John T. Church, Sr., said opening of the new Franklin Campus near Louisburg had a lot to do with the big enrollment increase. “I think the Franklin Campus is going to fool a lot of people because of the tremendous growth of Franklin County and southern Granville County,” he said. “Next year, a substantial expansion of the South Campus near Butner will be complete, and we’ll see even higher enrollment, I believe.”
While the number of students has increased in all Vance-Granville’s programs, the largest jumps were in Health Education and high school programs. Health Education enjoyed a 46 percent enrollment increase. The addition of a new Medical Assisting program at Franklin Campus and Licensed Practical Nursing at South Campus and Main Campus accounted for 38 new students, and the pre-health curriculum added 82 students this fall.
Cooperative programs with area high schools added 120 new curriculum students, a 58 percent increase. Included in this is the new Cosmetology program offered at Southern Vance High School.
Search for New President
Trustee Donald C. Seifert Sr., chairman of the board’s Presidential Selection Committee, reported his committee has pared the 55 applicants for president of Vance-Granville Community College down to five finalists.
Dr. Currin announced in May he will retire at the end of this year, and the board immediately began the process of selecting his successor. After advertising the position nationwide, more than 100 requests for applications were requested, and 55 completed applications were received by deadline.
Seifert, Chairman Church, Vice Chairman Nelms, trustees Henrietta H. Clark and John M. Foster, and Robert S. Hight, board attorney, are on the selection committee. Seifert reported they have met weekly and each member reviewed every application. They have selected five candidates for interviews, which they plan to complete by the first week of October.
Plans are to submit three to five names to the North Carolina Board of Community Colleges by Nov. 1 so that body can consider them at its November meeting. After the state board approves the candidates, the VGCC board will select the person it wants to lead the college. The state board will again get a chance at its January 1999 meeting to endorse or turn down this finalist, and the VGCC boards hopes to make a final choice at its own January meeting. If all goes according to schedule, VGCC will offer the position to its choice soon after the Jan. 18, 1999, meeting.
Nelms praised the committee for its diligence and hard work in the selection process.
Nancy Henderson Joins Trustees
Nancy R. Henderson of Vance County took the oath of office as a new member of the VGCC Board of Trustees. The Vance County Board of Education appointed Henderson to a three-year term.
Shown in the photo above, Henderson, second from left, repeats the oath of office. Pat Graham, left, secretary to the board, administers the oath while Vice Chairman John K. Nelms and Secretary Henrietta H. Clark look on.
Other Actions
Building Committee Chairman J. David Brooks said bid openings will be held at 2 p.m. Oct. 6 for planned expansion of the South Campus at Butner. If bids come in within planned limits, work is expected to begin soon thereafter.
Plans are to construct an 8,050 square-foot addition to the current facility to house an expanded cosmetology department, a computer lab and an EMS/Public Services classroom. Some current spaces, such as cosmetology, will be renovated into two classrooms.
Construction of the second building at the Franklin Campus is expected to be complete so that vocational instruction can begin there in October, Brooks said.
Dr. Currin told the board that Vance-Granville will receive more than $728,000 from federally funded projects it participates in during the 1998-99 school year. This includes tutorial and counseling services, vocational and technical training, non-traditional training for women, and services for single parents and criminal offenders.
The president also gave an update on the college’s Endowment Fund, which will exceed $4 million in principal when it receives about $2 million from the estate of R.B. “Bob” Butler of Warrenton. VGCC awarded 401 scholarships valued at $186,000 at the annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony on Sept. 16.
“I think the scholarships afforded by the Endowment Fund also have something to do with our increased enrollment,” Dr. Currin said.
Because it only uses interest earned for scholarships and because it is invested wisely, the fund will keep on growing, Vice Chairman Nelms said.
