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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

Update from President Flynn


As I prepare this year-end update, I am struck by what an unbelievable year we have had. Few other periods in our history have featured such horizon-altering changes – changes whose impact will be felt well into the future. In the last year, we have done more to change the lives of future students than at any other time in our history. I hope you find our work as energizing and rewarding as I do.

Let me take a moment during the hectic, end-of-the-academic-year activity to update you on some of these initiatives and highlight some of our successes.

FACILITIES
Changes to our physical landscape are altering our college. The students living in our new residence halls – the Alice Holloway Young Commons – have infused this campus with a deepening community spirit that has changed the culture of this college forever. Exciting collaborations are blossoming between student service and residential life programs, and between student service programs and academic initiatives. I applaud everyone who has sought out new learning opportunities for our students in the residence halls. With approximately 115 beds to fill this fall, we currently have 560 applications. The question of whether to build more halls is being asked more frequently; we are gathering data to guide our decision.

Our new campus center is changing the college even more than the residence halls. We finally have a campus center that our students, faculty, staff and community deserve. Our students are overwhelmingly positive regarding the amenities of the center and its ability to meet their needs. Our faculty and staff are using the center for their many activities as well. And, as envisioned, our community is using the center. Just recently, Bausch & Lomb held its 150th anniversary shareholders’ meeting in the campus center. It is an extraordinary facility. Thank you to everyone who made it possible.

Just as residence halls and the campus center have forever changed the Brighton Campus, the Renaissance Square project will transform the Damon City Campus and build upon the success we have achieved there. A new downtown campus is critical to our ability to serve an expanding student base. We must have a campus that is more conducive to teaching and learning than a former department store can ever be. The opportunities inherent in co-locating with the performing arts and transit centers will open new doors for our students and the community. We have incredible momentum that we will build upon with our partners this summer; I will update you on our piece of this project completely in the fall.

PROGRAMS
We also have momentum building behind our Homeland Security Management Institute (HSMI). We have accomplished much in the institute’s first few months, building connections with state and federal homeland security officials and positioning ourselves to carry out the homeland security training for which we are so well-equipped. Under the auspices of HSMI, an eight-week emergency response training program for Monroe County residents is underway. The HSMI and our Service Learning office are sponsoring and hosting a two-day seminar on the role of community colleges in homeland security training on June 16 and 17. Community college presidents will join us on the first day; I hope you can attend the second day. You will find more information at <<https://www.monroecc.edu/go/servicelearning>>. We also are pursuing federal and state funding for the HSMI; I hope we will have good news in that regard before the fall semester begins.

Although the evening news is more likely to report on our new buildings and our homeland security initiatives, our Middle States re-accreditation effort is more critical to our long-term viability. Without accreditation, there is little else. And without your participation, we will not have much of a report. Please join me in supporting the entire Middle States team – from chairs Chris Abbott and Valarie Avalone, to the Middle States Steering Committee and the Self-Study Teams. Your work over the next 18 months is incredibly important and I thank you for your leadership and participation.

There is much activity on the academic and curricular front. This summer we will announce a new collaboration that will enable us to better address our community’s shortage of radiologic technicians. Much like the nursing collaboration announced in November 2002, health care leaders are stepping up to the plate to help us expand the number of students educated in our rad tech program. I hope we will have an announcement in July on this initiative. We will launch our second institute in the coming weeks; the Construction and Design Institute is a collaborative of educators, contractors, engineers and architects working together to move these related industries forward. Finally on the academic front, we remain optimistic that our teacher preparation programs will soon get the green light in Albany, allowing us to bring more future teachers into the education pipeline.

FINANCES
We continue to be a financially healthy institution, thanks in large part to extraordinary enrollment growth, sound fiscal management and strong private support. We are on track to break enrollment records for the seventh consecutive year. As I’ve said many times in the past, steady enrollment growth is key to our financial viability. The MCC Foundation’s annual fund and Building on Success capital campaign – now beyond the $8.6 million mark and on its way to its goal of $10 million in private support – provide ever-increasing resources as other sources are challenged to do so.

The state and county continue to have financial problems. The Governor reduced community college funding in his budget but we are hopeful that through the good work of the community college presidents, SUNY administration, and other associations that funding will be restored. Even with restoration, we will lose $1.2 million in state aid primarily due to elimination of aid for non-credit remedial programs. On the local front, Monroe County legislators and administrators continue to be our strongest supporters. Unfortunately, they are facing significant fiscal challenges. However, we are working closely with County Executive Maggie Brooks and her team to develop a plan that will move the county closer to fulfilling its financial responsibilities to the college. I am confident that meeting those responsibilities will be a primary goal of the County Executive and the Monroe County Legislature as we move forward.

Even though our enrollment is strong, with funding weaker than anyone would like from the county and the state, a nominal tuition increase is likely for the 2004-2005 academic year. This will be the first increase in seven years.

PEOPLE
Another positive event is the negotiation of the Faculty Association (FA) contract by our management and FA teams. They have worked long and hard to craft this four-year agreement and I very much appreciate their efforts. The contract meets the college’s goal of being fiscally responsible while doing our best to improve salaries to remain competitive. I am pleased with the positive endorsement given to the contract by FA members in the recent voting.

I am well aware that our CSEA is in active negotiations on its labor contract. I am hopeful a satisfactory contract will be reached soon. You all are so important to MCC’s success.

On a personal note, one of my primary objectives has been to consistently provide every member of this college community a pleasant environment in which to do his or her job. I want each of you to enjoy the teaching, counseling, advising, or whatever your responsibilities are, without having to worry about downsizing, layoffs, or so many of the other challenges that could detract from your best efforts in meeting the needs of students. I am most grateful for the cooperative relationships that we have with the Faculty Senate, Faculty Association, CSEA and each individual employee as we continue our work to be one of the most successful community colleges in the country.

The success of our students continues to be remarkable. Of course, their success stems directly from the excellent preparation they’ve received at MCC. As President, one of the barometers that I use to gauge how well we are doing is the feedback I receive from the community. I only wish that each of you had the opportunity to hear all the positive comments about MCC directed to me from every segment of our community. That praise is a result of the excellent job we do in publicizing our programs with our community and the experience individuals have in interacting with us. Hardly a week goes by that someone in our community does not share with me a story of a positive interaction they have had with a member of this college community. Thank you for being positive ambassadors for MCC.

As we wind down the 2003-2004 academic year, I trust each of you is as enthusiastic as I am about the exciting challenges ahead. I thank each of you for your dedication, your quality work, your innovation and your enthusiasm. I continue to be privileged to work at one of the best community colleges in the nation. We have only reached that height because we have the best faculty, administration and staff in community colleges today. And I still believe “the best is yet to come.”

Thank you for all you do for MCC and our students.

Enjoy the Rochester summer!

R. Thomas Flynn
President
06/07/2004