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VGCC Trustees Affirm Commitment To Warren

VGCC BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING: NOV. 15, 1999

The Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees told a survey team from the state Monday evening that the college is committed to providing the kind of training and education that Warren County citizens need to prosper in the future.

Dr. J. Edgar Boone and Dr. George B. Vaughan have been employed by the N.C. Community College System to conduct a service area study in areas served by more than one college to assess which school can best meet the needs of the workforce of the county. One of the areas they are looking at is Warren County, which is currently divided between VGCC and Halifax Community College.

Currently, VGCC is responsible for eight townships in Warren County, and Halifax C.C. has four townships in the eastern part of the county.

Boone told the VGCC trustees at their bi-monthly meeting Monday that they will complete their study by February 2000 and report their recommendations to System President H. Martin Lancaster and the State Board of Community Colleges.

Chairman John K. Nelms of the VGCC board told the survey team that VGCC is committed to industrial development and that community colleges are best suited to providing the training necessary for the workforce of Warren County.

Trustee J. David Brooks pointed out that VGCC, with its Warren County Campus, has demonstrated its commitment to that training.

Trustee Clarence Lemons said that VGCC has shown its faith in Warren County by placing a permanent structure with a full-time faculty and staff there and that the people of Warren County have placed their faith in the college by attending VGCC and supporting its programs.

President Robert A. Miller pointed out that Glen Raven Mills is the largest corporate donor to the VGCC Endowment Fund and that the late Robert B. Butler of Warrenton left about $2 million to the college for scholarships.

Boone said he and Vaughan will meet with the Warren County Board of Commissioners and the superintendent of Warren County Schools to get their input. They will also hold a public hearing at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 2 at the Warren County Campus to hear what county citizens feel about the ability of the two colleges to meet county training needs.

BIG DONATION

In the photograph at above right, Vance-Granville Community College faculty and staff set a new high in contributions to the college’s Endowment Fund and Scholarship Program in 1999 with $13,109 in donations. This brings total contributions by faculty and staff to more than $113,000. President Robert A. Miller, left, and Board of Trustees Chairman John K. Nelms congratulate campus co-chairpersons Diane Finch, Mary McMannen and Button Brady, left to right, on their successful drive during the board’s meeting Nov. 15.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Chairman Brooks of the Building Committee reported that bids will be opened Dec. 16 for construction of two new buildings at the Franklin County Campus. One building is designated as a biotechnology training center to serve the entire state, and the other will house a community service area.

President Miller said that biotechnology classes will begin at Novo Nordisk Biochem near Franklinton before the new facility is completed. Novo donated $250,000 for the new center and also is giving about $100,000 worth of equipment to it. Also, $38,000 has been allocated from State Board of Community Colleges Reserve Fund to help develop the Process Technician Course in biotechnology.

Brooks also said the new addition to South Campus between Butner and Creedmoor passed it final inspection Nov. 15, and that replacement of the roof on Building 1 at the main campus has been completed. In addition, work is continuing on a new 50-space parking lot at the main campus, expected to be completed by Nov. 30, and initial studies are under way for the replacement of heating and air conditioning systems in five buildings on the main campus.

NEW COMPUTER PROGRAM

At the recommendation of Chairperson Henrietta H. Clark of the Curriculum Committee, the board approved seeking authorization to implement a new curriculum program, Network Administration and Support, in Fall Semester 2000.

This program will be a concentration in the Information Systems program, designed to prepare students to install and support computer networks.

The board also approved Occupational Extension courses in Nurse Aide I and Daily Living Assistant at the Low Security Correctional Institute in Butner, which requested the training.

COMMENDATIONS, HIRING

Chairman Nelms read resolutions, passed by the board, commending the VGCC Business Office staff and the Maintenance Department. The Business Office was commended for its fifth consecutive audit in 1998 in which state auditors found no discrepancies. The Maintenance Department was lauded for its care of the 83 acres and eight buildings on the main campus, for which VGCC was the September recipient of the Vance County Appearance Commission Award.

The board unanimously approved employment of Robin S. Williams of Norlina as a case worker in the Welfare-to-Work program.