College and Community Planning Forums
Summary of Comments
October, 2004

Columbia State Community College hosted eight forums at its five campuses during the last two weeks of October, 2004. The purpose of the forums was to give faculty, staff, students and community stakeholders the opportunity to comment on the college’s mission and participate in the early stages of the strategic planning process. We asked participants to tell us what we were doing well, where we needed to improve, and what we should include in our 2005-2010 strategic plan. The forums generated a great deal of discussion, questions, and comments. The following statements summarize the basic thrust of participant comments and recommendations.

Columbia, October 18, 15 participants
• Increase children’s programs and schedule them to fit with the revised school calendar (two-week courses and camps)
• Grow nursing program to increase the supply of nurses
• Adopt delivery methods that fit adult access needs (compressed programs, evenings, weekends)
• Strengthen marketing efforts to increase high school student awareness of Columbia State programs and services

Williamson County, October 19, 18 participants
• Develop and communicate partnerships and articulation agreements that lead to bachelor’s and master’s degrees
• Plan expanded campus for new site because current location has traffic capacity problems that prevent additional growth
• Develop city/county/private partnership to purchase land for new Columbia State Community College location in Franklin (should be addressed immediately)
• Identify ways that private sector can assist with funding and operating new facility

Columbia, October 20, 32 participants
• Provide scholarships to help adults increase adult participation in higher education
• Adopt delivery methods that fit adult scheduling needs (compressed programs, evenings and weekends)
• Align high school and college curricula through greater faculty interaction
• Strengthen career exploration activities and services
• Align college programs with state needs and economic goals
• Develop plans to replace retiring faculty and strengthen faculty professional development
• Prepare for university enrollment caps that will impact future enrollment pressures on community colleges
• Strengthen marketing efforts to increase high school student awareness of Columbia State programs and services
• Strengthen efforts that promote two-year career programs to high school juniors
• Address Williamson County growth needs by developing a new facility

Lawrence County, October 20, 15 participants
• Provide programs that help displaced workers participate in higher education
• Increase articulation with technology centers
• Encourage local foundations to reconsider scholarship priorities (increase scholarship funding for displaced workers, adults, dual enrollment)
• Develop partners and funding sources to replicate Ayers Foundation model and increase family, parent, and high school student involvement in higher education
• Take leadership role in promoting educational attainment and preparing communities for global economy

Lawrence County, October 21, 12 participants
• Work with children from an early age to impress the importance of higher education
• Market higher education and recruit students more aggressively
• Strengthen career counseling to help high school students and adults understand their educational needs
• Develop partners and funding sources to replicate Ayers Foundation model and increase family, parent, and high school student involvement in higher education
• Build on strength of criminal justice training and conferences to grow program in Lawrence County

Lewisburg, October 25, 21 participants
• Increase marketing to high school students and displaced workers by clearly showing Columbia State as a pathway to career or transfer
• Promote minority enrollment
• Market value of higher education to middle school students
• Offer noncredit courses and other events to get children on Lewisburg campus
• Increase noncredit courses in Lewisburg
• Develop partners and funding sources to replicate Ayers Foundation model and increase family, parent, and high school student involvement in higher education
• Develop program to bring community and business leaders into schools to talk with students about the value of higher education
• Market the Regents Online Degree Program more aggressively

Williamson County, October 25, 33 participants
• Strengthen partnerships with other higher education institutions to increase the availability of accounting, economics and finance courses
• Promote current articulation agreements in the community
• Develop and communicate utilization rates to community and state agencies
• Partner with local governments and other higher education institutions to build a higher education facility in Williamson County that has Columbia State as the hub
• Explore opportunities to merge college needs for a new higher education facility with community need for a performing arts facility
• Explore a Williamson County, Franklin and Columbia State partnership for a new facility
• Market Regents Online Degree Program more aggressively to adult market

Clifton, October 26, 22 participants
• Offer Saturday and compressed courses to reduce time needed for a degree
• Investigate partnership with Adult Basic Education programs to increase the percentage of population eligible for college
• Revise course scheduling where needed to increase dual enrollment opportunities for Wayne County High School students
• Offer dual enrollment courses at Wayne County High School
• Grow dual enrollment via ITV to local high schools
• Seek local foundation funding for dual enrollment scholarships
• Develop partners and funding sources to replicate Ayers Foundation model and increase family, parent, and high school student involvement in higher education
• Promote importance of higher education to grade school students