Alabama Southern Community College

1. ALABAMA SOUTHERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE“High Technology andEconomic Development Partnerships”Building Institutional CapacityRural Community College AllianceMemphis, TennesseeOctober 8, 2002

2. Alabama Southern Community College Rural Southwest Alabama “Alabama’s Most Rural Region” Alabama Population Density Per Square Mile: 79 Service Area Population Density Per Square Mile: 19

4. Alabama Southern Community College Service Area: • 54% white, 45% black, 1% other • Six rural counties (10,000 Square Miles) • Largest city: 7,500 population • Two large rivers • Huge pine forest • Superb hunting and fishing • Economically and educationally disadvantaged • Declining population • Double digit unemployment

5. Four day/evening campuses: • Monroeville • Thomasville • Gilbertown • Jackson Merger in 1991: • Traditional junior college • Trade/industrial institute College enrollment: • 1,400 headcount • 1,100 FTE

6. Initial Status • Limited, provincial view based upon institutional and personal experience • Low expectations for support in equipment, supplies, and professional growth • Resistance to cooperation and change based upon scarce resources and lack of trust • History of limited involvement with area business and industry • Low credibility as community change agent or political influence • Distinctive programs: forestry technology; paper and chemical technology (both with low enrollments)

7. College Choice: Status Quo OR New Shared Vision!!

8. College Internal Questions: • What did community/region need? • How did college need to change to meet those needs? • Were we capable of meeting those needs? • Were we committed to change?

9. Alabama Southern Goals: (1) Best rural community college in America (2) Catalyst and coordinator of community and economic development

10. “Alabama Southern has achieved the most dramatic turn around of any college in the history of the Alabama College System!” Dr. Fred Gainous, Chancellor, The Alabama College System

11. Alabama Southern selected one of the ten most innovative community colleges in America!(out of over 1200 colleges) NILIE, 1998

12. All Progress Must Begin With TRUST

13. UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHTS PLEDGE adopted by Alabama Southern Community College I believe that every individual has infinite and eternal worth.  I believe that recognition of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world.  I believe that every individual is entitled to dignity and respect, without prejudice toward race, color, gender, disability, language, religion, creed, national origin, property, age, or other status.  I believe that every thought and every act of such prejudice is harmful.  If it is my thought or act, then it is harmful to me as well as to others.  THEREFORE, I will strive every day of my life to eliminate such prejudice from my thoughts and actions.  I will discourage such prejudice by others at every opportunity.  I will treat all people with dignity and respect.   I will strive daily to honor this pledge, knowing that the world will be a better place because of my effort. -- adapted from the Birmingham Pledge and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

14. Components of Empowerment • Sense of Significance • Sense of Competence • Sense of Community • Sense of Enjoyment

15. World-Class or “Best Ever” are the only standardsthat inspire orare truly fun!!!

16. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People • Commitment to Personal Independence • Habit 1: Be Proactive • Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind • Habit 3: Put First Things First • Commitment to Interdependence • Habit 4: Think Win/Win • Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood • Habit 6: Seek Creative Cooperation/Synergy • Commitment to Renewal/Revision/Refresh • Habit 7: Seek Continuous Renewal

17. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People • Common Language and Values • Leadership 101 • Customer Satisfaction • Internal and External Partnering • 7 Habits Across-the-Curriculum

18. Initial Strategies • Intensive contract training for business/industry with over 100 partners developed • Invest in professional development of faculty • Build partnerships • College has role in all good things !!

19. Commitment to reduce relative labor costs (only budget category large enough to help meet new priorities) Reduce staff largely through retirement and attrition Garner additional revenues (largely through contracts and grants) to support existing salaries (thereby reducing relative labor costs) Eliminate unnecessary or low priority functions and activities to optimize labor effectiveness. In order to increase budget for: professional development technology infrastructure equipment for instruction trust-building comfort/security with continuous change Alabama Southern Budget Strategy

20. VISION 2020 • Convened 25 movers and shakers, including 8 Fortune 500 companies located in ASCC’s service area in 1993 • Survey: Priorities for ASCC • Commitment to a new initiative - catalyst and coordinator of community and economic development for 6 rural counties • Convened 300+ community leaders in regional rally in 1994 • Convened 6 county-by-county community leadership sessions in 1995 • Convened regional rally for Vision 2020, March 2000

21. Other Regional Planning/Visioning • Create collaborations between chambers of commerce, industrial recruiting, industrial development boards, and tourism boards throughout region • Create strategic partnerships with major land holders • Identify niches - - What is distinctive about region? About individual community? What are advantages? How to create or enhance advantages?

22. Issues of Accountability Guarantees of Quality • University transfer • Job placement - technical degrees • Employer satisfaction - certificate programs Results • Improved advising system • 30% increase in rigor and standards in technology programs

23. Forestry, paper, and chemical industries are the heart and soul of the economy of southwest Alabama. (Large, high technology industries)

24. Special Professional Development Strategies for High Technology Faculty • All high technology faculty have conducted in-plant training courses • All high technology faculty have participated in one term internships in-plant to study industrial processes for curriculum development • High technology faculty have visited the best training centers in eleven states to steal best practices

25. Center for Excellence for Forestry, Paper and Chemical Technology • Partnership of Alabama Southern/Auburn University and regional industries • Established in 1995 by the Alabama legislature as Alabama Technology Network Center @ Alabama Southern-- with $350,000 annual allocation • NIST Manufacturing Extension Center for seven counties • Ties 5 instructional programs to the Center: Forestry Technology, Industrial Maintenance, Electronics and Instrumentation, Electrical Technology, and Paper and Chemical Technology

26. CIBA Partnership • Scholarships/internships/jobs • 20 scholarships annually to high school seniors in two counties • Complete associate degree curriculum based upon Voluntary Standards of American Chemical Society • Three-month internships on industrial site • Virtually guaranteed jobs @ $30,000+ annually • Recognized by the American Chemical Society as “workforce development model for the nation” • Great public relations for company • Improves workforce competency and reduces training costs

27. Alabama Southern’s scholarship-internship-jobs partners include: • CIBA Specialty Chemicals • Alabama River Pulp • Temple-Inland • Boise-Cascade

28. External Resources for High Tech Development • National Science Foundation (NSF) grant (1998-2001) of $870,000 for laboratory and curriculum development (partners: Auburn University and area industries) • U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) annual grants of $220,000 for laboratory development (1998-2001) • CIBA specialty chemicals in-kind support of $100,000 (1998) for engineering design of laboratory pilot plants • Piping and instrument diagrams contributed by Brazosport Community College for adaptation from petroleum pilot plants to paper and chemicals (resulting from Dow Chemical collaboration)

29. High Tech DevelopmentResults--1998-2001 • Completion of $1.1 million process industries laboratory including eleven pilot plant trainers • Curriculum development support of $700,000 in concert with industry and Auburn University to include paper and chemical technology, instrumentation and electronics, electrical technology, and industrial maintenance • Laboratory for programmable logic controllers (PLC’s) ($300,000); ranked by Lab Volt Corporation as “best in four-state district” • New welding laboratory ($150,000) in expanded facility ($250,000)

30. Alabama Southern’s PLC Lab is the best in four southern states!(Better than Mercedes!!) Lab Volt Corporation, 2000

31. Alabama Southern’sprocess industries lab is one of the three best in the United States!(over $1 million in equipment) National Science Foundation Visiting Committee, 2001

32. Alabama Southern hasone of the six top industry/education alliances in the United States! American Chemical Society, Alliances, 1999

33. Alabama Southern’sscholarship-internship-jobs model is a “workforce development model for the nation!” American Chemical Society, 1998

34. Alabama Southern and it’s partners have created a “national model fortechnical training.” National Science Foundation Visiting Committee, 2001

35. “Alabama Southern’s technical training for the pulp and paper industry is without equal in the United States!” Dr. Harry Cullinan, Auburn University, Pulp and Paper Research Center

36. Two New NSF Grants • $488,000 two-year grant to complete additional curriculum and equipment projects • $50,000 one-year grant to develop a plan for the National Network for Pulp and Paper Technology • Alabama Southern—National Center for Pulp and Paper Technology • Partners: Auburn University, American Forest and Paper Association, Maine, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Washington

37. Alabama Works—Manufacturing Technology Institute • Alabama Works MTI coming to Thomasville in 2003. • Machine Technology (32 weeks): • Lathes • Milling machines • Computer Numerical Control machining • Estimated investment: Over $1,000,000.

38. Partnerships for Education • TRIO . . . .Over $1.5 million annually exclusively for K-12 students (Talent Search, Upward Bound, other) • Over $1.2 million for Adult Education and Out-of-school Youth. • Baccalaureate degrees through new University Center--partnership with Troy State University (pending)

39. Tourism • Monroeville and Monroe County designated “Literary Capital of Alabama” in 1997 • Helped to develop annual community theatre production of “To Kill a Mockingbird” • Developed an annual writers’ symposium • Created Alabama Center for Literary Arts and Alabama Writers Hall of Honor(pending) • Helped to obtain grant funds for restoration of Old Monroe County Courthouse

40. Demopolis Higher Education Center • Demopolis City Council to receive $1.245 million Delta Regional Authority grant. • 15,000 square foot building to be built on 30 acres in Demopolis Sportsplex. • Alabama Southern to serve as Managing Partner. (ASCC Demopolis Campus) • Other partners: University of West Alabama and University of Alabama • To open: Fall 2003.

41. The Learning Paradigmat Alabama Southern Strategies • Strong commitment to faculty/staff development (at least one percent of faculty/staff salaries budget) • Required faculty mentoring: National network of professionals: (a) content/evaluation mentor (b) instructional methodologies mentor

42. Windows Microsoft Office Word Excel Access Powerpoint Internet Proficiency Electronic Periodical Research Mainframe Ability to Schedule and Advise Front Page (40% and growing) 100% Full-Time Faculty are Technologically Competent Perhaps the most technologically competent faculty in America!!

43. Alabama Southern“Most Wired College in Alabama” • More Computers per Student • Fiber-Optic Infrastructure on each campus • Fast EtherNet to each Computer • T-1 Lines deliver Voice/Data/Video between all four campuses • Two-way Audio/Video Teleconference Centers on all four campuses (Fall 2001) • Optical Drive Storage for all records • Hosting WEBCT courses on own server • 90% of classrooms on 4 campuses--Multi-media

44. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”Margaret Mead

45. ALABAMA SOUTHERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE“CLEARLY ONE OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN AMERICA!!”Visit our website: http://www.ascc.eduE-mail: jajohnson@ascc.edu

48. Building College Capacity forCommunity and Economic Development • Create shared dynamic vision • Eliminate historical practices, policies, attitudes that are barriers to new vision • High expectations for all faculty and staff • Reorganize annually (or at least periodically) • Highest standards for selecting/retaining non-tenured personnel • Zero-based budgeting (eliminate the less than necessary) • Promote internal partnering • Focus on learning, rather than teaching (The Learning Paradigm)

49. College and University Contributions to Economic Development Colleges and universities play an integral part in the economic development of the communities in which they are based. Services include: (1) Leadership in visioning and planning (2) Technical Assistance to Existing Business/Industry (3) Business Incubators (4) Workforce Training (A) Literacy (B) Basic Skills (C) Traditional Programs (D) High Technology (E) Customized Contract Training (5) Manufacturing Extension Services (6) Partnerships for Education (7) Tourism (8) Healthcare (9 Telecommunications

50. Alabama Southern Milestones In Achieving Goals 1992 Fred Gainous, Chancellor, Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education: “Alabama Southern has achieved the most dramatic turnaround of any college in the history of the Alabama College System.” 1993 Debbie Dahl, Director of Finance, Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education: “Alabama Southern is one of the five most efficient community colleges in Alabama.” 1994 Selected by the Ford Foundation to be a charter member of Rural Community College Initiative,based exclusivelyon the college’s reputation.