New Franklin Campus Tops Trustees’ Agenda

Calendar, New Program, Personnel Among Actions Taken In January Meeting

Building and budget items headed a heavy agenda facing the Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees at its regular meeting on Jan. 27. John T. Church, Sr., board chairman, presided over the session.

Building Committee chairman David Brooks announced a revision in the architectural time schedule for the proposed Franklin County satellite campus.

As reported by Dove-Knight & Associates, P.A., of Rocky Mount, architect for the project, the firm anticipates advertising for bids on April 8 and receiving them by May 8. With no further delays, construction could begin this June and be completed by July 1998.

Brooks also reported that a new 7-l/2 ton heating and air conditioning system has been installed in the vocational shop area of Building 2 on the Warren County Campus. This system replaces an old, inefficient electric heating system.

Next the board heard a status report on needed repairs and resurfacing of the tennis courts/recreation area on Main Campus. Acting on a motion by the Budget Committee, members agreed to appropriate $25,000 from Bookstore funds to defray these costs.

Also, as recommended by John M. Foster, Budget Committee chairman, the trustees approved amendments to the 1996-97 budget resolution and accepted the mid-year financial status report for the year ending Dec. 31, 1996.

Looking ahead to a new academic year and anticipated schedule changes, members adopted a proposed 1997-98 academic calendar, contingent upon necessary revisions when converting from the quarter to the semester system in the fall of 1997.

The board likewise approved a feasibility study to offer a new program of study, Medical Assisting Technology, beginning with the 1998 fall quarter. According to Henrietta H. Clark, Curriculum chairperson, this program prepares multi-skilled health care professionals qualified to perform administrative, clinical, and laboratory procedures.

In the absence of Michele E. Burgess, Personnel Committee chairperson, John K. Nelms, vice president, offered the following recommendations, which the board OK’d:

 

• Accept the resignation of Dietra D. Deanhardth, Microcomputer Systems Technology instructor, effective Dec. 6.
• Approve the employment of Tony Clark of Henderson as a full-time Criminal Justice instructor, effective Feb. 24.
• On request of Dr. Ben F. Currin, president, the board named T. W. Ellis, Jr., as its legislative liaison with the N.C. Association of Community College Trustees.

Other information shared by the president included the following:

• VGCC’s Winter Quarter curriculum headcount stands at 2,397, up seven percent over the 2,239 students enrolled during the same period last year.
• Eighteen houses built as training projects by vocational students since 1990 have been sold. Profits derived from the sales go for materials to construct future structures and/or are applied to scholarships for students in the trades areas.
• Use of the Civic Center by student and community groups continues to increase each year, and reservations already received show 1997 to be another busy year.
• VGCC has received additional grants for 1996-97 as follows: N.C. Employment and Training Grant, $95,040; Human Resources Development Program allocation $112,148; and Academic Assistant for Disadvantaged Nursing Students $2,300 (peer tutoring and instructional software purchase).
• The college has entered into an agreement with the City of Henderson to rent the Henderson Police Training Center firing range facilities for the purpose of training law enforcement and criminal justice students.