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Welcome.
[2008-09 KCTCS Annual Initiatives]
I would like to extend a warm welcome to each of you as we begin a new academic year.
[Kentucky Community and Technical College 10 Year Anniversary Logo: a blue butterfly with 1998 written on its left wing and 2008 written on its right wing]
This is a particularly auspicious occasion because this marks our tenth year as a comprehensive community and technical college system. It’s been an exciting journey since we were first formed in 1998 we’ve achieved phenomenal growth and success. Thanks to the efforts of each of you KCTCS has become the largest provider of workforce training and higher education in the state, in just ten years.
[The KCTCS Vision: To create a comprehensive community and technical college system recognized as the nation’s best]
We’ve accomplished our vision of being recognized as the best comprehensive community and technical college system in the nation, but as we begin our second decade it’s time to reflect both on our past and on our future.
[We are on a journey to be the BEST: Success is a journey, not a destination]
Since 1998 a majority of our efforts have been focused creating and building this new college system, we built the system and we are accomplishing our mission now it’s time for us to refocus and look out the horizon and to address our future workforce needs we will be facing as we navigate the demands of the new world economy. In response to these forces and dialogues I had with CEO’s last November KCTCS introduced the Plan for a Competitive Commonwealth.
[An image of the front cover of KCTCS’ Plan for a Competitive Commonwealth 2008-2009 which depicts 2 businessmen and 1 businesswoman lined up on a race track]
It outlined these specific steps that must be taken to meet the needs of Kentucky’s changing economy and the mandates that were issued to us as part of the 1997 Postsecondary Education Reform Act.
[We are on a journey to be the BEST: KCTCS 3.0 & Beyond/Workforce Education, Transfer Education, College and Workforce Readiness]
However, because of the states revenue shortfall and cuts made to higher education during the last legislative session we’ve had to do some serious soul searching and re-examine some traditional community college values such as being all things to all people. It’s required us to take a serious look at what we do best and begin shedding some of the programs and services that are draining our precious resources from accomplishing our mission critical areas. The Plan for a Competitive Commonwealth provides a roadmap for turning this crisis into an opportunity of focusing on our strengths and passions on the strategic initiatives that are outlined in this plan.
While the next two years will be challenging ones, they have the potential to be the most rewarding.
[Natural diamond can be formed only under intense heat and pressure/photo of a dull rock turning into a dazzling diamond. Image of a peice of dark, dull rock labeled "Dull" and an image of a diamond labeled "Dazzling". Between the two images is an arrow labeled "The Brilliance Continuum" which points from the dull rock to the diamond.]
As Simon Bailey says in his book “Release your Brilliance” during times of crisis successful individuals and organizations work to discover in leverage their unique talents and strengths. They mine their diamonds of strength and then cut and polish them to release their inner brilliance and genius.
[KCTCS President’s 2008-09 Annual InitiativesThe KCTCS President will Focus Action on the Commonwealth’s Educational Transformation through: workforce competitiveness, virtual learning, transfer education]
Therefore, during the next year we will focus our efforts on three primary initiatives 1) workforce competitiveness 2) virtual learning 3) transfer education. All three of these initiatives focus on our unique ability to prepare adults for the workforce. These are the diamonds that we will be cutting and polishing during the next year.
[KCTCS President’s 2008-09 Annual InitiativesWorkforce Competitiveness Initiative
GOAL: KCTCS will enhance its capacity to meet Kentucky’s current and future job needs]
The workforce competitiveness initiative is designed to enhance Kentucky’s capacity to meet current and future job needs.
Meetings conducted by the KCTCS President with representatives of three industry sectors to determine the KCTCS response to statewide training needs
System wide management and supervisory institute will be established]
In order to accomplish this goal KCTCS will reengineer its workforce education training divisions to be more responsive to the needs of Kentucky’s business and industries. This effort will include forums with representatives from the state leading industry sectors to determine the types of programs and services KCTCS should develop to meet their needs. In addition, workforce competitive teams will be developed at all colleges to develop a specific plan of action to meet the needs of local business and community and based on the feedback we received during our CEO dialogues a system wide management and supervisory institute will be established to provide training and development for this critical level of Kentucky’s workforce.
[KCTCS President’s 2008-09 Annual InitiativesVirtual Learning Initiative
GOAL: KCTCS will enhance the flexible delivery of workforce solutions.]
The virtual learning initiative is designed to meet the growing demands for education in an online anywhere, anyplace, anytime environment in addition to employers have stressed to us the needs to provide just in time training to incumbent workers that will allow them to upgrade their skills without interfering with their workday. KCTCS will officially be rolling out a virtual learning initiative entitled KCTCS Online that will enhance the flexible delivery of workforce solutions. This program is completely learner centered and will allow adults to pursue higher education anytime, anyplace, anywhere without ever having to physically enter the doors of any of our colleges and through this effort business and industry will be provided a new opportunity to choose small segments of a college curriculum that best fits the workforce training needs.
[KCTCS President’s 2008-09 Annual InitiativesTransfer Initiative
GOAL: KCTCS will enhance two-to-four year transfer in order to increase the educational attainment of Kentuckians]
The final initiative we will be focusing on the next year is enhancing the transfer from two-to-four year institutions across the state. Kentucky’s transfer system desperately needs to be overhauled if we want to accomplish the goal of doubling the number of baccalaureate degrees by the year 2020. To address these issues within the next year I will conduct meetings with each public university president to address transfer barriers. We will establish transfer centers at each of our sixteen colleges, we will reassess our current two plus two agreements with the state’s colleges and universities and we will establish at least one two plus two agreement at each of our colleges.
[KCTCS President’s 2008-09 Annual InitiativesF.A.C.E.T: Focus Action on the Commonwealth’s Educational Transformation]
These three initiatives, workforce competitiveness, virtual learning and transfer are the diamonds that we will be polishing in order to release our organizations unique ability for brilliance to provide working adults the technical skills they need to succeed in today’s workplace.
[Releasing Our Brilliance: photo of a diamond and screened map of Kentucky in the background
The word diamond comes from the Greek word Adamas; which means “unconquerable”]
I believe that we have the most talented, passionate and committed team in higher education and through focus on the strategic effort we can not only lead our state but the nation as well.
Thank you for the work that you do every day to ensure that KCTCS is a place where higher education begins for most Kentuckians and I wish for you a great academic year.