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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

President's Wednesday Message


This week’s message will be a couple of short notes on two hot topics. As always, if you want to hear more about any in particular, just let me know.

Front Loop
If you spend much time in MCC’s “Front Loop” as a driver, bus rider or pedestrian, you have likely noticed that the volume of traffic it handles poses significant and growing safety concerns. For this reason, the college began working with Monroe County back in 2008 to secure capital funding for improvements to the Front Loop, and this project first appeared on the County’s Capital Improvement Project (CIP) list in July 2008. The timeline for the project was then 2011-2012 but was soon pushed out to 2012-2013. For context, it’s important to note that CIP funds are not assignable to any other type of college expenditure (e.g., personnel or operating costs). This is a distinct pot of funding for capital projects only; for example, the renovations to the Gleason Hall of Science and Technology came about because of CIP funding.

In planning for the improvements to the loop, Administrative Services created an ad-hoc study group of stakeholders from all divisions in May 2010, and this group worked with the external project lead (Parrone Engineering). Administrative Services has since been updating various constituencies ranging from the Student Senate to the Faculty Senate about the proposed project. In addition, the college has been working closely with RGRTA on a request that this agency pursue federal transportation grant funding for a true bus loop distinct from the redesigned Front Loop. This effort continues to move forward.

The Front Loop redesign will—without question—result in a more inviting and attractive entry way to the college. However, it is critical to remember that the impetus behind this project was MCC’s concern about the safety of the Front Loop space, which (unsurprisingly) could no longer serve effectively as a road way, parking lot, bus stop, drop off point, cross walk, waiting area, delivery zone all in one. Comments on the redesign plans should be shared with Vice President Heze Simmons.

Completion Agenda
I hope many of you were able to join our fantastic student leaders from Phi Theta Kappa yesterday as they launched their Complete to Compete effort. The energy in the Atrium was amazing, and now, we all need to work to keep this spirit alive and active at MCC.

Why? I could catalog a host of reasons relating to international competitiveness and the knowledge economy, but I will make this local: because our students need to complete to compete. Students earning an AS or an AA make more than their peers who do not and they find more job opportunities. Students who transfer without completing their associate degree are less likely to complete a bachelor’s degree, which leaves them with no academic credential at all. Students seeking entry level positions in the trades will find they need college-level credentials, including certificates, to open those doors. So, why should we get behind the completion agenda? Because MCC has always focused on the needs of our students.

The next question might be: where are we right now? MCC graduates about 23% of our students within a three year window; extending this window out to four years gets us to about 30%. These numbers are basically in line with national and SUNY averages. If we are to support President Obama’s 2020 goal for increased college completions, we need to stretch well outside of our comfort zone and add about 10% more completers each year—all while maintaining the same high quality academic expectations that give a degree from MCC its value. So, part of our focus on the completion agenda (and its corollary agenda in retention) must be to identify what programs can provide clear evidence that they support students on the road to graduation. We also need to consider how MCC can more effectively reach out to and serve the needs of the many adults in our region who have earned some credits but have yet to complete their degrees. I encourage you to generate discussions within your departments and divisions about student success, retention, and completion, and to engage in our college-wide effort to help our students Complete to Compete.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on both of these important topics; please feel free to join the discussion by sharing comments in my blog.

Anne M. Kress
President
03/23/2011