The North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) celebrated Community College Day on Wednesday by inviting colleges across the state to meet with their legislators and exhibit the programming they offer outside of the General Assembly in Raleigh.
More than 20 community colleges sent representatives to the event, including Bladen, Brunswick, Blue Ridge, Caldwell, Cape Fear, Carteret, Central Carolina, Fayetteville Technical, Forsyth Technical, Gaston, Guilford Technical, Haywood, James Sprunt, Johnston, Mayland, Nash, Pitt, Sandhills, Stanly, Surry, Wake Technical, and Wilkes community colleges.
The exhibition included displays of electrical linemen work, biotechnology, veterinarian care, and other pivotal workforce development programs across the state.
System leadership said the exhibits were a way to remind lawmakers and stakeholders of the role they play in the workforce and economy.
“By connecting with elected officials, business leaders, and students, we reinforced the message that investing in community colleges is investing in North Carolina’s future,” said Alex Fagg, the system’s vice president of government and external relations. “Our colleges are driving innovation, workforce solutions, and economic growth — and today’s event highlighted just how critical that mission is.”
One elected official the community colleges engaged with was Rep. Julie von Haefen, D-Wake, who heard from students and administrators at Wake Technical Community College about their work and partnerships in the biotechnology industry.
“I just think the community college system has just improved so much,” she said. “Even since I’ve lived in North Carolina for the past 20 years, what they’re doing to invest in our workforce, and to give kids coming out of high school these opportunities, it’s just invaluable.”
More on workforce development
Instructors and administrators from several colleges were also trying to garner support for Propel NC, the system’s new funding model.
Propel NC is “designed to expand workforce training in high-demand fields such as healthcare, technology, and manufacturing,” per a system’s press release.
In the new model, funding would still be based on the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) students that the community college has. However, the tiers of funding would be based on different workforce sectors, with all curriculum and continuing education (CE) courses housed in the same workforce sector. For instance, a nursing curriculum and nursing CE course would be funded the same way.
Courses will be ranked and valued by statewide salary job demand data and updated every three years. Courses not on the list of proposed sectors would be held harmless and retain their same value, according to the system, but they would not be labeled in tiers. There would also be a catch-all sector for transfer and general education courses. More details about Propel NC can be found here.
“I just want to say thank you for your vision on Propel and what you’re trying to do here,” said Sen. David Craven, R-Randolph, following NCCCS President Jeff Cox’s presentation to the Joint Education Appropriations Committee in February. “I think it’s a world class innovation and we’re going to have much success in the state.”
The following requests were included in Cox’s presentation:
- $68.5 million in recurring funds for workforce sectors seeking FTE value increases. The health care, information technology, and public safety and first responders sectors would see increases, among others.
- A 5.8% increase to the base funding level to community colleges.
- Fully funding enrollment growth increases.
- Strengthening academic advising, mental health counseling, and career services.
- Modernizing college campus infrastructures.
Jay Carraway, president of James Sprunt Community College, said their representatives are always receptive to the college when they meet.
“And of course, we see them other times, not just on Community College Day,” Carraway said. “But they are always supportive. And we talk about the system and what the system’s needs are in regards to Propel NC. We also talk about local issues, and how they can help us to improve and increase, get better at what we do.”
In Democratic Gov. Josh Stein’s proposed budget, he recommended allocating more than $40 million to Propel NC in each year of the biennium, and more than $34 million toward free community college tuition for high-demand skills training.
Carraway said those proposals are right in line with what community colleges are trying to do.
“We need to be about taking down barriers,” Carraway said. “Give people an opportunity to get the skill set they need to go to work and earn a sustainable wage, and have a career.”
