STUDENT VIEWS OF PATTON'S PLAN
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by Eddie Day and Veronica Shackleford The debate over Governor Patton's proposal to separate the community colleges from the University of Kentucky keeps getting hotter and hotter. The majority of students and staff are firmly opposed to the proposal, however, Patton has found support with other universities around the state. Here at Southeast Community College, most share the same view points as other students at Kentucky's community colleges. Many SECC students feel that Patton's plan is ill- informed and should be rejected at the General Assembly May 5. "Governor Patton's proposal is only in the best interest of Lexington and the other universities. He doesn't care that we are unable to move our families and that community colleges are our only source of a solid, educational foundation. Tech schools can not provide the same future," said Jennifer Shepherd. J.J. Johnson said, "Governor Patton is only out to win the appraisal of higher officials. We are useless to him now, so we shouldn't expect his sympathy." "Patton's proposed changes to our educational system is the equivalent of disassembling Church Hill Downs, reconstructing it in North Dakota and still calling it the Kentucky Derby." William Henry said. Dan Gilbert said, "I'm able to attend this college under the VA Rehab program because of its affiliation with UK. If Patton's proposal goes through, I'm either going to have to move so I can attend an accredited college or drop school totally. I don't feel this is right, and it shows a bad example for my family and relatives." Most students interviewed at SECC shared the same sentiment about Patton's plan: "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."return
WHEREAS, the Governor of Kentucky is seriously studying higher education and recommending measures for improvement, and WHEREAS, the General Assembly has assigned the University of Kentucky the mission of providing Kentuckians throughout the Commonwealth with higher education opportunities, and WHEREAS, the University of Kentucky Community College System benefits from its association with the nationally ranked research university, and WHEREAS, the University has the potential of becoming one of the top 20 research universities in the nation if significant additional funding is provided by the General Assembly WHEREAS, community college students resoundingly report that they want to continue to be UK students to reap the tangible benefit and prestige of earning college credits and a diploma from the “University of Kentucky,” and WHEREAS, almost half a million Kentucky citizens have attended the community colleges associated with the University of Kentucky, and WHEREAS, half a million Kentucky citizens annually benefit from the wide range of community-based programs available at the community colleges, and WHEREAS, business and government leaders in cities and towns of Kentucky served by the community colleges recognize that the services provided by those community colleges enhance development, and WHEREAS, students from the community colleges transfer to Kentucky four-year institutions at a rate that rivals any community college system in the nation, and WHEREAS, separating the community colleges from UK would create new layers of needless bureaucracy in Frankfort, at a high cost to Kentucky taxpayers, and WHEREAS, The members of the Board and the University of Kentucky administration are committed to working with the Governor and the General Assembly to achieve a blueprint for progress leading into the next century and providing the best educational opportunities for Kentucky’s youth, our most precious resource. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees strongly opposes any move to separate from the Community College System from UK and reaffirms its belief that the statewide land-grant mission of the University of Kentucky of teaching, research and public service can best be accomplished through retention of the community colleges as an integral part of the University of Kentucky. The Board of Trustees, in furtherance of the stated ambition of the Governor to enhance academic excellence at the University of Kentucky, commits to establish a Fund for Excellence to provide additional scholarships, endowed chairs, professorships, and rewards for outstanding teachers and students, and hereby authorizes the President and the Development Council to launch a fund raising effort so that the University will be proud to augment the funds promised by the Governor. The Board of Trustees reaffirms its support for Charles T. Wethington, Jr., for his effective leadership as President of the University of Kentucky. This, the 1st day of April, 1997. Board of Trustees University of Kentucky Edward T. Breathitt, Chairmanreturn
Establish the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) to Serve as the Governing Board for the Community Colleges and KY TECH. A. The Mission of KCTCS will be: 1. To be responsive to the needs of students, business and industry in each of the Commonwealth's regions by providing postsecondary education and training at the associate degree, diploma and certificate levels, short- term customized training for business and industry, adult basic education and remedial education, and other services commonly associated with the comprehensive community and technical colleges. B. The Membership of the KCTCS Board: 1. The Board will be composed of eleven (11) members eight of whom are appointed by the Governor for six-year, staggered terms. 2. The other three members of the Board will represent faculty, non- teaching staff,a nd students in accordance with the provisions of KRS 164.321 with the added provision that representatives of the community colleges and technical school systems shall alternate between terms. 3. The chair will be elected by the membership. 4. The majority of the membership will be from business and industry and other employers of graduates of the system. 5. The balance of the membership will be between those with former associations with either the Community College System or KY TECH. 6. Provisions for geographic, ethnic,and gender balance will be made in the selection process. C. Responsibilities of the KCTCS Board: 1. The Board will serve as the governing board for both the Community College System and KY TECH. 2. All other powers as now assigned to the boards of regents/trustees of the universities will be provided to the KCTCS Board. D. The Structure will be as follows: 1. A President, appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the KCTCS Board, will be responsible for planning and carrying out a statewide and regional strategy, consistent with the Strategic Agenda, for linking the state's postsecondary resources at the two-year associate degree level and below, including postsecondary education and training, remedial education and adult basic education to regional economic development and workforce training. 2. the separate units, KY TECH and the Community College System, will each be headed by a Chancellor, appointed by the President of KCTCS. Each of these units will operate as separate educational entities, it is expected that, under the leadership of the KCTCS Board and President, the System will lead to a significant increase in cooperative initiatives, transfer and articulation agreements and other actions to ensure students, employers and every region of Kentucky the benefits of highly-coordinated community and technical college services. 3. Regional advisory bodies will be established in such form and for such purposes as the KCTCS Board determines are necessary to ensure extensive participation of employers, community and regional leaders and other consumers in the planning and coordination of postsecondary education services in each region of the Commonwealth. E. Implementation Conditions 1. Implementation a. The creation of KCTCS will be effective July 1, 1997. b. KY TECH and the Community College System will be moved to the new structure effective July 1, 1997. c. An interim President of KCTCS will be appointed as of July 1, 1997. d. Interim heads of KY TECH and Community College System will be designated for up to one year - from July 1, 1997 through June 30, 1998. e. the administration of KCTCS will not duplicate but rather replace what currently exists. 2. KY TECH a. Interim personnel policies for KY TECH employees to be non-state employees will be provided for in statute. b. These interim policies would remain in effect until June 30, 2000, or until the KCTCS Board adopts replacement policies, whichever occurs first. c. Employees who have "continuing" or "tenure" status will be assured that their rights and privileges will be retained under the new structure. The new Board will determine policies for all other existing and new employees. 3. Community College System a. Current personnel policies will be transferred to the new Board. b. Tenured faculty members and tenure-track faculty members will be assured their rights and privileges under the new system. F. New Personnel Policies 1. The Board will be charged with developing new personnel policies appropriate to each entity (KY TECH and Community College System) by June 30, 2000. INSTITUTIONAL OUTCOMES OF THE PLAN As a result of the reform initiative, providers of postsecondary education in Kentucky will have clear responsibilities and missions. A. Community Colleges and KY TECH will: 1. Create a capacity beyond anything previously envisioned to uplift the knowledge and skills of Kentucky's adult population. 2. Be the primary provider of courses of study preparing Kentuckians for technical fields and other occupations requiring two years or less of instruction. 3. Tailor course offerings and services to the economic and business needs of the region including employer- based training programs. 4. Provide a basic course of study in academic subjects intended for transfer to a four-year baccalaureate institution. 5. Provide remedial education for those intending to pursue other courses of study at the postsecondary level. 6. Provide community-based, non-credit continuing education 7. Provide a linkage to employer-based training through the Bluegrass State Skills Corporation.return
FACULTY / STAFF RESPOND TO PATTON'S PLAN
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by Tracy Hensley & Jeremey Clem
As if many of our readers didn’t
already know, Governor Paul Patton is pushing a
Higher Education Reform Plan that will separate
the 14 Community Colleges from the University of
Kentucky.
Southeast Community College in
particular has its own opinions about Governor
Patton’s plans, from the President to the
students. However, a certain group who will
share their thoughts and views are the faculty
and staff members of SECC.
Dr. Karl Winegardner, director of
the Academic Support Center on the Cumberland
Campus, is the first to comment on the
Governor’s plan, “the split from UK can only be
viewed as a rather bold attempt by the state’s
regional universities to hustle the Community
College System away from UK and eventually to
lay claim to our students. I find nothing
positive and several extremely negative
potentials to this ill-considered plan.”
He is not the only faculty member
who feels this way. Robin Pennell, an SECC
English and literature instructor, expresses her
thoughts on whom she thinks will suffer the
most, saying,
“students may suffer more than
anyone if this is passed,” Pennell said. “ Will
current and future degrees for these students
still hold the same value without the UK seal on
them?”
SECC associate professor of
communication Carlton W. Hughes emphasizes the
magnitude and long-term effects of such a
change.
“Many people don’t realize what a
‘ripple effect’ such a change will have, as our
entire service area will be affected,” said
Hughes. “SECC is such an important part of the
local community; if we are removed from the
University of Kentucky, I think our status will
be lowered, and we may not be able to serve the
community in the same manner as we do now. I
encourage everyone to contact their legislators
and let them know how they feel about this
issue.”
Hughes emphasized the fact that the
students need to take a stand for what they
believe is right, whether it is for or against
the Governor’s Higher Education Plan. It will
affect the students, faculty, and staff of all
the 14 Community Colleges and the communities
where the colleges are located.
BATTLE LINES ARE DRAWN BY PATTON
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by Melissa McCreary
Kentucky Governor Paul Patton
was unable to sell his plan to separate
13 community colleges from the
University of Kentucky to the majority
of the 400 plus crowd who were in
attendance for his speech March 27 at
Southeast Community College's Cumberland
campus.
Patton's Higher Education
Reform plan covers many areas and would
create new governing boards for the
different institutions. Southeast
Community College President Dr. Bruce
Ayers emphasized that he commends
Governor Patton for wanting to improve
higher education in the state and that
he agrees with the majority of the
suggestions in the plan, with the
exception being the removal of the
community colleges from the University
of Kentucky.
"The most visible effect of a
change like that would be the academic
quality of education offered by
community colleges," Ayers said.
"As an extension of the
University of Kentucky, community
colleges have the resources to offer the
same quality of courses that are offered
at a four year institution," Ayers
added.
Dr. Roger Noe, Dean of
Academic Affairs at SECC and current
Interim President at Ashland Community
College, agrees.
"I strongly oppose any
proposal which removes the community
colleges from the University of
Kentucky. Whether such a proposal would
place community colleges under a
separate board or a joint board with the
vocational schools, we would lose a
system unique in its ability to provide
the education our citizens need to
succeed in today's complex economy," Noe
said.
During the Mar. 27 meeting,
Patton offered his agenda to the visibly
upset and often vocal crowd of students,
faculty, staff, and concerned citizens
for economic growth.
He would give community
colleges and vocational-technical
schools responsibility for developing
workers for jobs, and try to make the
University of Kentucky a world-class
research institution.
"I've been a community college
educator for 27 years, and I can safely
say we've come as close to realizing our
mission as any other educational
institution. We've done what we've been
asked to do," Ayers said.
"The community college
system's association with the University
of Kentucky is its greatest strength,"
Noe said.
During his presentation,
Patton said, "The University of Kentucky
deserves great credit for giving birth
to these fine institutions, and
nurturing them for many years . . .
making them what they are, and I'm not
going to attempt to diminish what the
university did, but the two can survive
apart, and, in fact, will grow better if
they're allowed to be themselves. They
both will grow and develop better if
they are allowed to seek their own
destinies."
"I am confident that the
current system is both the most
efficient method to assure academic
quality and the most effective way to
provide educational services tailored to
the needs of our communities," Noe said.
William Short, Vice President
of Student Council at SECC's Cumberland
campus addressed his concerns to Gov.
Patton during the presentation.
"It would be nice if everybody
could run off to the University of
Kentucky, but I am an honorably
discharged veteran, which I'm very proud
of. I get my education free, and I can't
afford to go to the University of
Kentucky," Short said.
According to Patton, his plan
would create a more efficient way of
distributing state funds throughout the
community colleges and technical school
systems, putting these two systems under
one governing board. He pointed out that
while community colleges represent two-
thirds of UK's enrollment and more than
50 percent of its political power, they
only receive about eight percent of UK's
funding.
Patton also said that, under
the current system, both community
colleges and Kentucky Tech, which is now
controlled by the Workforce Development
Cabinet of state government, are at the
bottom of a long list of bureaucracies.
"The basic fundamental problem
is there's nobody to guide these two
institutions to cooperate and make them
operate efficiently," Patton said.
"What we would do is move
those two institutions onto a line that
would be equal to all the rest, under a
board of trustees just like the current
system of the community colleges,"
Patton added.
Under his plan, both the
community college system and Kentucky
Tech would be run by eight board members
appointed by the governor, as well as a
member of the faculty, a member of the
staff, and a representative of the
students.
Faculty and staff members
would serve three-year terms while the
student representative would serve a
one-year term, with those positions
alternating between community colleges
and KY Tech.
This system would not be a
merger of community colleges and
technical schools, Patton said. Kentucky
Tech community colleges would be run by
their own chancellor, similar to the
current system, and the community
college system would operate under a
chancellor who would make more than the
current college presidents.
"If you think that your
current setup is the way that community
colleges will be best taken care of when
it comes to the distribution of money
then I suggest that you review the
record," Patton said.
"In the eight years prior to
my taking office, funding for community
colleges in Kentucky went down 17
percent compared to other states. I
would conclude that somebody wasn't
being the champion of community
colleges."
Noe said, "The association
with UK assures our students and
employers of verifiable, university-
level academic standards accredited by
the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools (SACS)."
Patton could not recall the
name of the accreditation agency during
the presentation.
"I think I can say our
students want that college prestige that
college credit and degrees that a
community college affiliated with the
University of Kentucky can offer," Ayers
said.
"When a student graduates from
Southeast Community College with a
certificate in nursing or mining
engineering, the University of Kentucky
appears on every diploma," Ayers added.
Dorothy Thrash, SECC student
and commentary writer for The
Southeasterner, was very emotional about
her disapproval of Patton's plan during
the presentation.
"As far as the view from the
people, maybe a picture of what you are
doing to this community college would be
better served," Thrash said.
Thrash told the Governor that
taking UK from the community college
system made her feel as if someone had
come to a person's home to move a
parent's child away, and that parent
would have no say over the future of
that child.
"You as a parent would say,
'wait a minute...I brought these
children up for all these years and you
have the power to take them away from
me.'
"I know that you would do all
you could to keep your children from
being taken away, so we are asking you
today governor, to consider the wishes
of your people...and remember what we
said when we broke away from
England...we said no taxation without
representation," Thrash said.
Patton responded, saying that
Thrash had brought up an interesting
analogy, but, if his children had been
at home for over 35 years (as long as
community colleges have been with UK),
it would be about time for them to get
out of the house and on their own.
Patton said that in his first
year in office he increased funding for
most universities by 3 percent, but he
increased funding for community colleges
by 9 percent, and 6.5 percent in his
second year, which amounted to $7.2
million.
"I believe that demonstrates
that I understand the importance of
community colleges," Patton said.
"The proposal that I will
present increases the funding to
community colleges beginning July 1 this
year another $11.7 million. That will
bring your funding up to 95 percent of
the benchmark of comparable states,"
Patton added.
"I know that you're proud of
being under the same name of the
University of Kentucky. The quality of
education . . . its value to you . . .
is dependent upon this campus. This is
an independently accredited college, and
it is accredited based on your faculty,
not on the fact that you are attached to
the University of Kentucky," Patton
said.
When the topic of separation
came up late last year, Ayers asked his
faculty and staff whether it would
prefer to see SECC lose its affiliation
with UK, and the vote was 61-2 to remain
the same.
The Southeasterner's student
survey earlier this year revealed
similar results. With more than 70
responses, only four were in favor of
breaking ties with UK.
According to the Bluegrass
State poll in The Courier-Journal, 62
percent of Kentuckians who have heard
about the plan are opposed to it, while
only 21 percent of the people who knew
about the plan were in favor of it (802
adults were surveyed).
According to an article in The
Harlan Daily Enterprise, The University
of Kentucky has unleashed a high stakes
fight against Gov. Patton's plan.
University and alumni leaders
have been airing TV and radio ads,
writing letters, posting Internet
messages and printing lapel buttons, all
with the message: KEEP OUR COMMUNITY
COLLEGES.
UK has put a warning on its
Internet page that the community
colleges are being threatened, urging
people to contact Patton and lawmakers.
A TV ad featuring a community
college student arguing the schools'
merits is being shown in prime time in
the state's leading TV markets.
Production of another ad is being
considered.
"Those of us who feel the same
way need to let the governor and
legislators know we are satisfied with
the current community college system,"
Ayers said.
Patton promised students that
the new system, the Kentucky Community
and Technical College System (KCTCS)
would offer just as much prestige as
UK's system, however the quality of
their education would improve due to
better funding.
"We cannot get better unless
we change. We cannot get better if we
continue to do everything the same way
as we have always done. Change is
essential, but change always brings
about controversy," Patton explained.
Patton said that his college
reforms will probably take an even
heavier toll on his popularity than his
worker's compensation reform, but he
feels that the political risks are
outweighed by the benefit to the state.
Patton received jeers from the
audience when he said that both Kentucky
Tech and UK community colleges basically
do the same thing.
"I am faced with the
responsibility of telling the truth to
the people of Kentucky, recognizing that
there are some people who don't want to
hear the truth," Patton said.
"But the fact of the matter is
that virtually every system like this in
our nation is an independent system that
is free to do its job on a community by
community basis. Universities aren't
designed to do that," Patton explained.
Universities are slow to
change, Patton said because they are the
storehouse of basic knowledge, while
community based colleges need to be able
to respond rapidly because of changing
technology.
Ayers said that Patton's
presentation did not convince him that
his plan is an improvement.
"He didn't say a single word
here today that would convince me to
change my position. A lot of the facts
that he uses are erroneous," Ayers said.
"When he talks about the
community colleges not being responsive
to the needs of this area, I almost
become angry. He ought to come down here
and walk a mile in our shoes and see
what we're really doing," Ayers added.
Patton said, "I think it would
be safe to say that many of you in this
room will not vote for me during the
next election, but I'd rather be known
as a one-term governor who did some good
for the state than someone who just
coasted along."
Community colleges are only
one of what Patton calls a three-part
college system in this state. The other
two are bachelor/graduate degrees and
research.
"The search for new knowledge,
the search for new techniques . . . that
intellectual wealth that will produce
indigenous growth within an economy and
bring prosperity in the long run,"
Patton said.
Patton noted that he is a
graduate of UK, as are his children, and
he said that he has contributed to it
financially for 25 years.
Several students in the crowd
shouted, "Then let us be one (a UK
graduate)."
Patton said that no one can
question his allegiance to UK.
Ayers disagreed with Patton's
statement that removing the UK insignia
from SECC diplomas would not adversely
affect a student's ability to find a
job.
"I don't understand his
reasoning in saying that except he is so
emotionally attached to his position
that he can't see things clearly," Ayers
said.
Patton accuses community
colleges of being emotionally attached
to the University of Kentucky.
The four-year college system
is an area Patton said in which the
state is moving along fairly well, while
a voice in the audience blurted out that
none of those institutions are in
Eastern Kentucky.
"You're right about that,"
Patton said.
"We can improve upon our
bachelor's program, we can make it more
accessible to every community in
Kentucky using the latest technology,
and that's what we're going to do,"
Patton concluded.
Patton has called a special
session of the State Legislature to
begin Monday, May 5 in Frankfort to
consider his plan.
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