The Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees approved a proposed total budget request of $3,071,984 for the 2017-2018 fiscal year for Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties at its bimonthly meeting on the college’s Main Campus on Monday, March 20.
VGCC’s budget requests, which include $2,493,174 in current expenses and $578,810 in capital outlay, now go to the board of county commissioners in each of the four counties served by VGCC. The capital outlay budget is composed of $95,960 in recurring needs and $482,850 in one-time needs.
Of the $2.49 million current expense county budget, $1,146,197 is being proposed for Vance County for the Main Campus and the nursing simulation lab at Maria Parham Health; $752,184 for Granville County for Main Campus, South Campus and the Culinary Arts location in Oxford; $225,625 for Warren’s campus; and $369,168 for Franklin’s campus.
Of the $95,960 in recurring capital outlay requests for facility improvement needs, funding by county is: Vance, $41,220; Granville, $28,740; Warren, $6,000; and Franklin, $20,000.
The college is requesting the one-time capital outlay funds of $482,850 for the Main Campus in accordance with VGCC’s Capital Improvement Plan submitted to Vance County, said Steven Graham, VGCC’s vice president of finance and operations. Vance and Granville share in the funding of the campus between Henderson and Oxford on a 3:1 ratio. A total of $362,138 is being requested from Vance County and $120,712 from Granville.
The proposed budget for the four counties represents a $61,451 increase over the 2016-2017 current expense budget and a $30,000 increase over the current year’s recurring capital outlay.
At the Main Campus, the increase in current expenses is being requested in order to maintain plant operations at the current level of service, to cover merit-based pay adjustments, and to fund a full-time safety coordinator position to lead campus compliance safety regulations and to develop, maintain and coordinate environmental, health and safety programs and training for the college, according to Graham. At each of the three satellite campuses, the current expenses are level with 2016-2017 funding.
“The college is requesting additional recurring capital funding from Vance and Granville counties in the total amount of $30,000 to perform a backlog of mid-sized repair projects and to maintain the adequacy and use of existing facilities going forward,” Graham added.
In addition, the college has currently earmarked funds from the Connect NC Public Improvement Bond, approved in a March 2016 state referendum, in the amount of $6,705,695 to fund major capital improvements to the Main Campus buildings and infrastructure. Other bond funding has been planned for other campuses as follows: South Campus, $325,000; Franklin Campus, $202,260; and Warren, $65,000.
Trustee Abdul Rasheed, chair of the board’s Budget Committee, described the budget as essential to helping Vance-Granville fulfill its role in providing the education and job skills training needed by area citizens. “It’s everything about the future of the area we serve,” Rasheed said.
County funding represents approximately 9 percent of the college’s overall budget.
New Medical Office Pathways
The trustees voted to approve two new curriculum programs and terminate a third. The board is adding to the Career and College Promise pathways program for high school students the opportunity to earn certificates in Medical Office Administrative Assistant I and II, effective this fall. A certificate in Medical Transcription Specialist will be terminated in the fall.
The Medical Office Administration curriculum prepares individuals for employment in medical and other healthcare related offices. The new Level I certificate pathway will be a 17-credit-hour program with classes in computers, keyboarding, medical terminology, medical insurance billing, and office procedures. The Level II pathway, an 18-credit-hour certificate, will have courses in word processing, medical legal issues, office ethics, healthcare customer relations and electronic healthcare records.
The certificate program that is being terminated will allow currently enrolled students to finish their certificates, according to Trustee Barbara Cates Harris, chair of the board’s Curriculum Committee.
State Budget Priorities
The North Carolina Community College System has adopted three budget strategies for the current session of the North Carolina General Assembly, VGCC President Dr. Stelfanie Williams informed the trustees.
The NCCCS is seeking “technical adjustments” to correct a salary loss error from 2016 and to secure an adjustment for enrollment growth. The community college system wants to ensure that business and industry have quick and easy access to a highly-skilled, well-trained workforce and ensure that students have an awareness of quality, well-paying career opportunities. To continue to provide business and industry with a highly-skilled workforce pipeline, community colleges must have a stable and solid foundation of operations, as outlined in the priorities.
Legislative priorities include investment in workforce training, funding additional career coaches, increasing student completion, rewarding colleges for outcomes, stabilizing budgets and raising faculty and staff salaries.
A key goal of NCCCS is to provide an affordable pathway for students to earn a baccalaureate degree through a Community College Transfer Incentive program, according to the NCCCS. The initiative seeks to reward completion and provide incentives to students who choose a North Carolina community college transfer program by providing a scholarship to students who complete an associate degree and then transfer to either an institution of the University of North Carolina system or a private college or university in North Carolina. Under such a plan, students would save in the area of $20,000 in tuition, fees and housing costs, while the state would save approximately $8,000.
Other Action
In other action:
- In his Building Committee report, Donald C. Seifert, Sr., chair, said bid awarding is pending for the roof renovations for Building 6 on the Main Campus, a project that is expected to be completed during the summer term. A lab is being renovated for the new Histotechnology program, also slated for completion this summer.
- Trustee Sara C. Wester, chair of the Personnel Committee, informed her fellow board members of the plans for the annual evaluation of the president, and she reported on new employees, retirements and resignations.
- The Investment Committee, chaired by Trustee L. Opie Frazier, Jr., reported on growth in the college’s investments.
- Colton Hayes, student trustee and president of the Student Government Association, detailed recent and upcoming events for students.
- Dr. Williams announced the following events: Fifth Annual Dinner Theater, April 27-28; Vance-Granville Community Band concert, May 1; Endowment Fund Golf Tournament, May 2; and Graduation, May 12. She said the board will have its annual retreat on Aug. 28.
The next meeting of the VGCC Board of Trustees will be held on Monday, May 15, at the Main Campus.
Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 03/27/17
/by CharleneVance County Coop Director Morris White to Head Durham Extension
/by WIZS StaffVance County,
I have bittersweet news. The good news is that on April 3, 2017, I will begin a great new venture as the County Extension Director for Durham County! My email address will remain the same and I will continue to serve as the point of contact for the two major programs taking place in Vance County; ECA District Day on April 20th and the Vance County Community Resource Fair on April 27, 2017.
In addition, while Vance County begins its search for the next director, our Vance County 4-H Agent (Turner Pride) has been appointed by our District Director to serve as Interim Director. It is my sincere hope that you will show Turner and the entire team the same support you have shared with me over the years.
The sad portion of the bittersweet news is that I will truly miss Vance County. Over the last four years, you all have greatly impacted both my professional and personal life. I have become a better person as together, we have accomplished so much. From the Vance County Community Resource Fair to the Voices of Vance, Community Voices project, I thank you for allowing me to serve as your leader. I know from the sacrifices you all have made to make our work successful that it is because of people like you “Goodness Grows in Vance”.
So let us continue to remain in touch as Vance County continues to be a place where the seeds of goodness can continually grow.
With sincere gratitude,
Morris White
Morris F. White, III
County Extension Director
NC Cooperative Extension
Vance County Center
305 Young Street
Henderson, NC 27536
Trustees Approve Budget Requests For County Funding
/by WIZS StaffThe Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees approved a proposed total budget request of $3,071,984 for the 2017-2018 fiscal year for Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties at its bimonthly meeting on the college’s Main Campus on Monday, March 20.
VGCC’s budget requests, which include $2,493,174 in current expenses and $578,810 in capital outlay, now go to the board of county commissioners in each of the four counties served by VGCC. The capital outlay budget is composed of $95,960 in recurring needs and $482,850 in one-time needs.
Of the $2.49 million current expense county budget, $1,146,197 is being proposed for Vance County for the Main Campus and the nursing simulation lab at Maria Parham Health; $752,184 for Granville County for Main Campus, South Campus and the Culinary Arts location in Oxford; $225,625 for Warren’s campus; and $369,168 for Franklin’s campus.
Of the $95,960 in recurring capital outlay requests for facility improvement needs, funding by county is: Vance, $41,220; Granville, $28,740; Warren, $6,000; and Franklin, $20,000.
The college is requesting the one-time capital outlay funds of $482,850 for the Main Campus in accordance with VGCC’s Capital Improvement Plan submitted to Vance County, said Steven Graham, VGCC’s vice president of finance and operations. Vance and Granville share in the funding of the campus between Henderson and Oxford on a 3:1 ratio. A total of $362,138 is being requested from Vance County and $120,712 from Granville.
The proposed budget for the four counties represents a $61,451 increase over the 2016-2017 current expense budget and a $30,000 increase over the current year’s recurring capital outlay.
At the Main Campus, the increase in current expenses is being requested in order to maintain plant operations at the current level of service, to cover merit-based pay adjustments, and to fund a full-time safety coordinator position to lead campus compliance safety regulations and to develop, maintain and coordinate environmental, health and safety programs and training for the college, according to Graham. At each of the three satellite campuses, the current expenses are level with 2016-2017 funding.
“The college is requesting additional recurring capital funding from Vance and Granville counties in the total amount of $30,000 to perform a backlog of mid-sized repair projects and to maintain the adequacy and use of existing facilities going forward,” Graham added.
In addition, the college has currently earmarked funds from the Connect NC Public Improvement Bond, approved in a March 2016 state referendum, in the amount of $6,705,695 to fund major capital improvements to the Main Campus buildings and infrastructure. Other bond funding has been planned for other campuses as follows: South Campus, $325,000; Franklin Campus, $202,260; and Warren, $65,000.
Trustee Abdul Rasheed, chair of the board’s Budget Committee, described the budget as essential to helping Vance-Granville fulfill its role in providing the education and job skills training needed by area citizens. “It’s everything about the future of the area we serve,” Rasheed said.
County funding represents approximately 9 percent of the college’s overall budget.
New Medical Office Pathways
The trustees voted to approve two new curriculum programs and terminate a third. The board is adding to the Career and College Promise pathways program for high school students the opportunity to earn certificates in Medical Office Administrative Assistant I and II, effective this fall. A certificate in Medical Transcription Specialist will be terminated in the fall.
The Medical Office Administration curriculum prepares individuals for employment in medical and other healthcare related offices. The new Level I certificate pathway will be a 17-credit-hour program with classes in computers, keyboarding, medical terminology, medical insurance billing, and office procedures. The Level II pathway, an 18-credit-hour certificate, will have courses in word processing, medical legal issues, office ethics, healthcare customer relations and electronic healthcare records.
The certificate program that is being terminated will allow currently enrolled students to finish their certificates, according to Trustee Barbara Cates Harris, chair of the board’s Curriculum Committee.
State Budget Priorities
The North Carolina Community College System has adopted three budget strategies for the current session of the North Carolina General Assembly, VGCC President Dr. Stelfanie Williams informed the trustees.
The NCCCS is seeking “technical adjustments” to correct a salary loss error from 2016 and to secure an adjustment for enrollment growth. The community college system wants to ensure that business and industry have quick and easy access to a highly-skilled, well-trained workforce and ensure that students have an awareness of quality, well-paying career opportunities. To continue to provide business and industry with a highly-skilled workforce pipeline, community colleges must have a stable and solid foundation of operations, as outlined in the priorities.
Legislative priorities include investment in workforce training, funding additional career coaches, increasing student completion, rewarding colleges for outcomes, stabilizing budgets and raising faculty and staff salaries.
A key goal of NCCCS is to provide an affordable pathway for students to earn a baccalaureate degree through a Community College Transfer Incentive program, according to the NCCCS. The initiative seeks to reward completion and provide incentives to students who choose a North Carolina community college transfer program by providing a scholarship to students who complete an associate degree and then transfer to either an institution of the University of North Carolina system or a private college or university in North Carolina. Under such a plan, students would save in the area of $20,000 in tuition, fees and housing costs, while the state would save approximately $8,000.
Other Action
In other action:
The next meeting of the VGCC Board of Trustees will be held on Monday, May 15, at the Main Campus.
Butterfield Statement on the Republican Healthcare Bill Failure
/by WIZS StaffWASHINGTON, DC – Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) today released the following statement after Republicans pulled their healthcare bill from the House Floor:
“From the very beginning, the American people said ‘NO’ to Trumpcare. They said NO to paying more for less care, NO to kicking 24 million people off of their coverage, NO to stripping funding from Medicaid. The people rejected Republican attempts to take away access to preventive, mental health, and maternity care. The people of the First District fought Republican attempts to take healthcare from over 80,000 of our friends and neighbors. In rallies, town hall meetings, letters, and phone calls, voters reminded Republicans that they did not want to turn back the clock on healthcare.
“The lesson from today is that when people unite for the common good, they will never be defeated. I hope President Trump and Speaker Ryan take note.”
https://butterfield.house.gov
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News 03/27/17
/by LarryLocal Chambers of Commerce to Host Administrative Professionals Luncheon
/by WIZS StaffThe Granville County Chamber of Commerce, together with Franklin, Warren and Vance Chambers, and the Small Business Center of Vance-Granville Community College, are sponsoring the annual Administrative Professionals Luncheon.
This year’s event is being held Wednesday, April 26 at noon, at Henderson Country Club. Business owners and administrators are encouraged to treat their administrative professionals to lunch, networking and an interesting presentation in observance of Administrative Professionals’ Day.
Lunch reservations are required ~ $20/person by April 14th to either of the Chamber’s offices – 919.693.6125, wanda@granville-chamber.com or 919.528.4994, tawheeler@granville-chamber.com.
Henderson Lions Announce April Meetings
/by WIZS StaffApril 13 Thursday
The Henderson Lions will meet at the Henderson Country Club at 6:30 p.m.
The speaker will be Marion Perry.
April 27 Thursday
The Henderson Lions will meet at the Henderson Country Club at 6:30 p.m.
The speaker will be Lion Wayne Faber – VIP Fishing Tournament District Chair.
VGCC well-represented at regional community college awareness event
/by WIZS StaffWILSON, N.C. — Vance-Granville Community College shared the spotlight with eight other community colleges from the region on March 22, when Wilson Community College hosted a press conference for the “North Central Prosperity Zone,” a 15-county area of the state that includes the four counties served by VGCC: Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren.
This first-of-its-kind event was designed to showcase the community college story. “We’re celebrating the vital role that community colleges play in our 15 counties,” said Dr. Tim Wright, president of Wilson Community College, in his welcoming remarks. Several community college presidents, including VGCC’s Dr. Stelfanie Williams, were in attendance.
The sole student selected to speak at the conference was a VGCC student, Christopher Blue of Henderson. A student in the Vance County Early College High School program, Blue is set to graduate soon with his high school diploma and his associate’s degree from the college. He recalled learning about Vance County Early College in the eighth grade and seizing the educational opportunity in front of him.
“My mom became a registered nurse by going to Vance-Granville Community College, so I knew that it would be an ideal place for me, as well,” Blue said. “Now being a Super-Senior (fifth-year student) at Early College, I can honestly say Vance-Granville did not disappoint me in the least. I did not know back in eighth grade about all the opportunities I would have here.” VGCC, he noted, is more than just a school. “It gives you an opportunity to be part of a family,” Blue said. “I’ve built tremendous relationships with so many people here at Vance-Granville. I also love how VGCC gives the students leadership opportunities.” Blue joined the college’s Male Mentoring Success Initiative as a high school junior, eventually becoming its recorder/treasurer and receiving an award for his involvement in the program.
“At Vance-Granville, I’ve grown as a person and as a student,” he said. In the fall, Blue plans to continue his education by pursuing a bachelor’s degree in public health with the ultimate goal of becoming a prosthodontist, a type of dentist who specializes in dental implants. In essence, he wants to “create smiles,” he said. Meanwhile, he also focuses on passing on the knowledge he has gained to youth by serving as a mentor to children at the Vance County unit of the Boys and Girls Club of North Central North Carolina. “I always tell the kids to take advantage of every opportunity you have,” Blue said. He ended his remarks, saying, “Thank you, Vance-Granville, thank you, Early College, and go Vanguards!”
Other speakers at the event represented community college presidents, trustees, business partners and instructors. Each detailed how the colleges serve their communities and make a difference in the lives of their students on both an academic and economic level. “Absent community colleges, the state of North Carolina and our individual communities would be poorer in quality of life and in hope for the ability of our people to improve their lives,” said Wright, the WCC president. He noted, as examples of the system’s impact, that virtually all North Carolina law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians are trained at community colleges, as are half of the state’s nurses.
Each of the nine community colleges represented at the press conference also brought a display or demonstration to highlight programs they offer. VGCC’s display focused on the Welding Technology and Mechatronics Engineering Technology programs. Welding student Josh Pfohl of Wilton joined VGCC Applied Technologies department chair Keith Shearon and TechHire project manager Ken Wilson in presenting the frame of a car that, when complete, will race in a national competition.
The North Central Prosperity Zone press conference was one of eight such regional events being held across the state ahead of the March 29 “Community College Day” at the North Carolina General Assembly. All the local and state recognition events were organized by the N.C. Association of Community College Presidents to bring awareness to the programs and services offered by the 58 community colleges.
–VGCC–
Granville Chamber Requests Nominations for Small Business of the Year Award
/by WIZS StaffThe four area Chambers of Commerce – Granville, Franklin, Vance and Warren, along with Vance-Granville Community College’s Small Business Center, are sponsoring the annual Small Business Award Luncheon May 3rd at Henderson Country Club.
The criteria is as follows:
Anyone may nominate a business they feel deserves recognition and meets the criteria.
Companies may nominate themselves. Past Granville County recipients are: Cardiovascular Care; Stovall’s Gifts; Preferred Communications; Royster, Cross and Hensley; House of Ribeyes; Lewis Electric of Oxford; The School of Graphic Arts, Express Employment Professionals, Oxford Ace Hardware, Creedmoor Drug Company, Whitco Termite and Pest Control, F. O. Finch Insurance Agency and Floyd Management and Realty.
Nomination forms are available from a Chamber office or from the website, www.granville-chamber.com and are to be returned to the Chamber by April 13th.
DA’s Office Brings in special prosecutor to prosecute DWIs
/by WIZS StaffOxford, NC – The District Attorney’s Office, in cooperation with the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys, is pleased to announce that Special Prosecutor Jonathan Evans will travel to the Ninth Prosecutorial District to prosecute DWIs.
Jonathan Evans was born in Gainesville, Florida, and grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina. He graduated from John T. Hoggard High School and attended the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where he received a Bachelor’s of Arts in Criminal Justice. He then studied at North Carolina Central University School of Law, where he participated in internships in the District Attorney’s offices in New Hanover, Durham, and Wake Counties.
Jonathan later joined the Durham County District Attorney’s office in 2014, beginning in District courtrooms and later taking on a role in Traffic court. He eventually entered the role of handling DWI and traffic-related appeals, as well as felony cases connected to impaired driving. In his current position, Jonathan will to assist Assistant District Attorneys and law enforcement across the state with experience in research, training, and litigation.
Michael Waters