BCC Trustees Want
Closer Look At Trends In Enrollment
BY SUSAN USHER
A 3.5 percent decline in fall quarter enrollment at
Brunswick Community College, despite the addition of
new curriculum classes, has some trustees concerned the
drop might become a trend.
This fall K80 students are taking classes at the college,
down 3 1 from the 91 1 students enrolled a year ago.
Enrollment in general academic education courses
that transfer to four-year colleges is down slightly, as is
enrollment in vocational classes such as auto mechanics
and heating and air conditioning.
"Vocational courses were once the backbone of this
college in terms of FTE production (full-time equivalent
students, the formula used by the state in allocating
funds)." said trustee Willie Fullwood, former literacy
program director and affirmative action officer for the
college. "What is the trend now and what are we doing
about it?"
Vocational courses are typically quarter to one year
in length, preparing students for quick entry into the
workforce. However, demand is higher today for work
ers with better skills, such as those who have graduated
from two-year technical courses.
These programs, which include those that are part of
the Tech Prep agreement with the Brunswick County
Schools, "are taking a better qualified student coming
out of high school," said Beth McLean, dean of students.
"They have to be computer literate."
"Welding and some of those programs got us here, but
basic skills no longer means knowing how to use a
welding torch, but may also mean knowing how to pro
gram a robot to weld."
At the same time that more students are being en
couraged to enter technical programs, said Kelly, "We
must try to realize we still need people to fix our cars
and do our plumbing."
However, these days even fixing the car often requires
computer literacy, McLean noted, and many community
colleges are moving from auto repair into automotive
"We need to be quick and
pro-active and respond to
what the people are
interested in. "
? Willie Fullwood, BCC Trustee
technology.
"We need to be quick and pro-active and respond to
what the people are interested in." said Fullwood.
A process begun just this year will help put BCC in a
I tetter position to do that, according to McLean. Program
review looks at each curriculum offering closely. Re
commendations are then made to either keep the pro
gram or course as is. improve or otherwise change it, or
try to replace it with another program.
Results of the first program reviews donate BCC will
be discussed by trustees at an upcoming retreat, along
with the possible need for new standing committees on
the board.
According to BCC President Michael Reaves several
years of rapid growth in enrollment, peaking last fall at
911 students, has "caught up" with the college and en
rollment is starting to level off.
Focus On College Road
Brunswick Community College campus and the Odell
Williamson Auditorium should soon be easier to find for
those unfamiliar with the area.
The N.C. Department of Transportation has asked
BCC to direct all traffic from U.S. 17 onto College
Road, the new access from U.S. 17 into campus.
Two signs on U.S. 17 now direct traffic to U.S. 17
Business, where the college's main entrance is located.
The college had asked for a third sign directing auditori
um traffic to College Road.
Instead, "to eliminate contusion, they are asking us to
designate that as the main entrance." said Chairman
Dave Kelly.
Board members agreed when Trustee Dean Walters
interjected. "If so. we need to make some improvements
to that road in lighting and landscaping."
Better lighting is also needed at the existing entrance
median, trustees Willie Fullwood and Eugene Hewell
added.
Kelly indicated plans would lie drawn up to improve
lighting at both entrances. A contractor has already been
asked to replace several older light poles with peeling
paint near the current entrance, but so far the work
hasn't been done.
In another appearance-related move, trustees con
curred with Al Wooten's motion to buy sod for staff to
install in front of the Williamson Auditorium at a cost
not to exceed S4.(HK).
In other business the board:
??Approved an increase in attorney's fees, effective
Nov. 1, charged by Prevatte, Prevatte & Campbell of
Southport. the first adjustment since 1980. Fees went
from S5U to $75 an hour, increasing to Sl(M) an hour for
court time, if that becomes necessary. All work done is
itemized on statements.
?Received a survey indicating benefits offered by
other community colleges to part-time employees, with
an eye toward developing some type of benefit package
for 1994-95. Of 21 campuses responding. 14 offer some
type of benefit. Packages vary widely as to benefits of
fered and terms of eligibility, with few providing bene
fits for part-time faculty. BCC has approximately 250
part-time employees counting faculty and stall.
?Authorized an in-house study, as recommended by
the N.C. Department of Community Colleges, to deter
mine if it is appropriate to upgrade BCC's associate of
general education (AGE) degree to an associate of arts
degree program, continuing the existing UNC
Wilmington contract arrangement. Forty-six of the
state's 58 community colleges offer the AA degree; of
fering it here would make it easier for students to trans
fer to four-year campuses other than UNC-W, said
Johnnie Simpson, vice president for instruction.
?Approved a policy encouraging appreciation and
support of multicultural diversity on campus.
Head Start
Plans Open
House Friday
An open house will be held
Friday, Oct. 29, from 10 a.m. to 1
p.m. at the Finey Grove Head
Start Center on Piney Grove
Road, Bolivia.
Refreshments will be served
and the public is invited, said
Carol Burney.
The preschool readiness pro
gram is operated by Four County
Community Services Inc. of
Laurinburg.
Piney Grove Head Start Center
is behind Piney Grove Baptist
Church.
PTA Spruces Up
Bolivia Campus
The outside appearance of Bolivia
Elementary School was transformed
Oct. 20 during a workday held by
the school PTA Beautification Com
mittee.
Volunteers removed dying and
unattractive plants, pruned scrubs
and planted chrysanthemums.
The original crape myrtle, which
has been on the campus since Boli
via School's beginning was pruned
and rid of vines.
Committee members involved in
the project were Spencer and Cyn
thia Smith, Judy Willetts, Kathy
Varnum, Ruth Gore and Shelly Full
wood.
School Retirees
To Meet Monday
The Brunswick County Retired
School Personnel Association chap
ter meets Monday, Nov. 1, at 10:30
a.m. at the Western Sizzling Steak
" House in Southport.
A speaker from Raleigh will dis
cuss health insurance on the state
and national level.
New and returning members are
invited to attend. Anyone interested
in becoming a member and cannot
attend the meeting is asked to con
tact Virginia Winfree, P.O. Box 1,
Shallotte, N.C. 28459.
The state association's treasurer,
Lorraine Soles, was the speaker at
the local group's first meeting of the
year on Sept. 13.
Three Towns Awarded
Land Planning Grants
Three Brunswick County towns
were among 13 coastal communities
awarded land use planning grants by
the N.C. Department of Envir
onment, Health and Natural Re
sources.
Calabash received $8,800 to up
date its existing land use plan. Var
namtown received $4,480 to devel
op its plan. Belville received $3,600
for its update.
The 20 coastal counties and about
65 municipalities manage growth
through land use planning. The
plans enable coastal communities to
conserve valuable resources and
guide development to appropriate
areas. The plans are updated every
five years.
Holden Beach Voters
ELECT
Dwight Carroll
Students Seeking Business
Instructor's Reinstatement
BY SUSAN USHER
A group of past and present stu
dents at Brunswick Community
College is circulating a petition ask
ing college trustees to review the
dismissal of a business instructor.
Jane H. Page of Southport has
filed a wrongful dismissal suit in
Brunswick County Superior Court
against BCC, claiming she was de
nied due process afforded her under
the college's personnel policy. She is
seeking reinstatement and damages
in excess of $10,000.
Employed by the college since
Sept. 1, ll)X7, as a business instruc
tor, Page was notified by BCC
President Michael Reaves in a letter
dated Aug. 23 that she would not be
offered a contract for the lc)l)3-<)4
year.
"She was an excellent instructor
and we would like for her to get her
job back," business administration
student Charlie Skipper said in an
earlier interview. "We feel she has
been treated unfairly."
The petition, which began circu
lating on campus last week, will
eventually he submitted to the BCC
Board of Trustees, he said.
It reads in part, "We. ..are con
cerned and incensed at the termina
tion of Mrs. Jane Page."
According to the petition Mrs.
Page was dedicated to the on-going
education of her students, inspired
them to keep working toward their
goals despite personal hardships and
as an advisor, "went above and be
yond what was required," freely giv
ing of her own time.
Page's attorney, Gary Shipman,
had sought a hearing on a motion for
a preliminary injunction seeking im
mediate reinstatement of Page while
the action is heard. That motion was
first recalendared and then with
drawn.
As of midmorning Tuesday,
Brunswick Community College had
not filed its response to Page's com
plaint.
United Way Campaign Nears
Home Stretch In Brunswick
More than halfway through Cape
Fear United Way's 1993 campaign,
it's still too early to assess how the
effort is going in Brunswick County
as pledges begin coming in.
"Overall, we're getting into the
home stretch," said Brad Bruestle,
the UCB executive in charge of the
countywide local business campaign
out to raise $50,000 in pledges and
contributions. "Efforts are still at a
high level."
"We're getting a pretty good re
sponse from our people, but it could
be a little better."
Bruestle 's area teams are making
a special effort this year to involve
businesses that have not participated
before in the campaign, in addition
to regulars.
The local business campaign thus
far has brought $7,000 in contribu
tions and pledges, or about 14 per
cent of goal, according to Michael
Griggs, executive director of the
three-county agency.
That doesn't include major busi
nesses and industries such as Exide,
CP&L. DuPont, Atlantic Telephone
Membership, Brunswick County
Government, Brunswick County
Schools, Victaulic, The Brunswick
Hospital, Dosher Memorial Hos
pital, and others with employee
campaigns in progress. It also does
not include the individual solicita
tions handled through mailings from
Griggs' office.
United Way raises money to sup
port health and human service agen
cies in Brunswick, New Hanover
and Pender counties, including those
involved in scouting, literacy, sup
porting victims of domestic vio
lence, serving senior citizens, the
handicapped, children, the homeless
and others.
DAV Office Due
Here On Nov. 3
The Disabled American Veterans
mobile office will be in Shallotte
Wednesday, Nov. 3, offering infor
mation on issues relating to veterans
and disabled veterans.
Based in Winston-Salem, the of
fice will be open from approximate
ly 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the N.C. Na
tional Guard Armory in Shallotte,
said local DAV Commander Warren
Reynolds.
For more information call Rey
nolds at 754-8446.
Community Colleges
Vi>J
For North Caroli,
T
ina
They Help Create Jobs
and Train People
To Fill Them
\bte FOR
The Community Col1ege\
Bonds ISfovember 2
BRUNSWICK COMMUNITY COLLEGE...
AN INVESTMENT IN YOUR COUNTY
Brunswick Community College plays a key role in training and educating
our county's workforce. Since its humble start in 1979, Brunswick
Community College has touched the lives of more than 10,000 adults
through vocational, technical, and general education diploma and degree
programs, courses for personal enrichment and professional training
upgrades, continuing education courses, small business seminars, and
literacy training. Most of our county's fire, rescue, and police training is
provided by Brunswick Community College on campus and at other
locations throughout the county. Statewide, one in every six adult North
Carolinians is enrolled in a community college.
With the Tech Prep initiative, Brunswick Community College is working
to bring workplace preparedness and employability skills to high schoolers
within the county. Tech Prep helps students bridge the gap between high
school and their future careers through training at BCC.
To date, local monies have built the Brunswick Community College
campus. With passage of the community college bond, this community
investment will be matched with up to $4 million in state dollars. The
bond will pay for the construction of an allied health classroom building on
BCC's main campus. Since BCC has experienced double digit growth in
the past three years, this building will ensure space for students. Today,
our health information technology (medical records), practical nursing, and
phlebotomy programs are at maximum capacity. Our future plans include
expanding allied health and health care programs. The proposed building
(to be built with state bond monies) would enable the College to grow and
provide classrooms and laboratories for these expanding and new programs.
Consider the important role Brunswick Community College serves in
education when you go to the polls on November 2. Vote for the
community college bonds and encourage others who care about the future
of Brunswick Community College to do the same.
Paid for by friends of Brunswick Community College