By JUDY JENKINS
Henderson Gleaner

It was "iffy" at best and took a year of preparation, but Henderson Community College's application for a $1.8 million federal Title III grant has paid off.

The 44-year-old school has been notified that it will receive its requested amount -- $360,000 a year for five consecutive years. HCC is one of only 51 colleges and universities nationally to win one of the grants that were pursued by 249 institutions.

HCC President Patrick Lake said it is rare indeed for a school to be awarded a "Strengthening Institutions" Title III grant upon first making application. Generally, he said, 2-year and 4-year schools apply three or four times before achieving success.

"That speaks to the strength of the ideas our (application) team put together," Lake said. "They put in many hours on this." That team was comprised of faculty and staff members Doris Cherry, Meg Burnley, Kim Conley, Patty Mitchell, David Brauer, Mike Thurman and David Fritts.

The group was assisted by the Arkansas consulting firm of Munsell and Associates.

The grant money will help flesh out HCC's bare bones operating budget of $11.5 million for this academic year. Lake told the school's governing board at their Aug. 27 meeting that with the exception of raises for staff and faculty, the budget is basically the same as last year's document.

The Title III grant, administered under the U.S. Department of Education, will enable HCC:

- To hire more full-time and part-time instructors to meet a steadily growing enrollment. It's anticipated that the fall semester enrollment may break the 2,000 student mark and set an all-time record.

- Promote professional development among the faculty and staff, which includes 105 full-time employees and 165 part-time personnel.

- Upgrade campus information technology.

- Establish an endowment to be fueled by matching private and federal dollars. The endowment will provide additional scholarships.

One other school in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System received a Title III grant this year. That is Gateway Community and Technical College in Northern Kentucky. Last year, four KCTCS schools received the coveted national grants.

Lake noted that an HCC staff member has pointed out that about half the KCTCS schools have now received the grants, and that fact should make it "quite clear how underfunded we are" by the state.

HCC, which has served as a KCTCS pilot school for the "learning-centered" approach to higher education, is expected to utilize grant money to expand that concept. "This will give us the opportunity to try a few strategies to improve student success, particularly for those who come in with less than desired skills," Lake said.

He said that "everyone is really excited about the obvious increase in potential in terms of what we've wanted to do and tried to do but have been unable to do because we've had no (state) money to help us."

Funding woes prompted HCC last fall to launch a major gifts campaign called "Fulfilling The Promise" to generate money for a planned campus child care center for the children of faculty, staff and students as well as the general public, and to provide greater student access.

The campaign, which hasn't yet had an announced specific goal, is in the lead gift phase and will continue throughout this academic year.

It is much needed, Lake said, as is the Title III grant. "We're very happy about this grant," he said, "and anxious to move forward