IF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY APPROVES GOVERNOR’S PROPOSED VCCS REDUCTION, NO LAYOFFS ARE ANTICIPATED AT GERMANNA.
I write to reduce confusion about the governor’s proposed budget adjustments. This week
Gov. Tim Kaine recognized the important role community colleges can play in saving financially strapped Virginia families money on tuition and in jump-starting the Commonwealth’s economy during a speech he made to introduce his proposed state budget adjustments.
For 2010, Gov. Kaine proposed a further reduction of another 5% on top of the 5% we’ve already cut out of the biennial budget (2008-2010) for a total of 10% starting July 1, 2009.
The good news is that this is just 5% less than where we are now. The good news is also that his budget “also includes increases in the Community College Transfer Grant program, helping more students begin their higher education at a two-year college and then transfer to a four-year institution to get their degree at a lower cost to their families.”
We are doing everything we can to avoid layoffs and/or pay cuts, while recognizing that Germanna must do its part to help deal with a projected $3 billion shortfall in state revenues.
If the General Assembly approves the reduction level Gov. Kaine proposes for community colleges, no layoffs are anticipated at the college for the coming year.
We recognize that in the current economic climate, sacrifices must be shared across all government agencies, indeed across society. We are as prepared as we can be to shoulder our part of that sacrifice.
Germanna has already been taking the following actions to prepare for this cut without layoffs:
· Offering early retirements (3 have accepted so far)
· Freezing most hiring
· Maximizing efficiencies and looking at restructuring positions
· Exploring further partnerships with other community colleges and universities and other organizations, including some in the private sector
This does mean that we have to continue to tighten our belts while trying to serve the needs of students and communities. But we clearly recognize that the governor sees community colleges as a critical tool in helping Virginia and Virginians to recover, and thus has treated us differently than other parts of the budget.
We appreciate the difficult decisions involved in this budget and appreciate that the governor sees us as an investment in the future.
“Even in this atmosphere,” the governor said, “our excellent schools, colleges and universities produce the ideas and graduates that will keep driving our economy. The advances we have made in career and technical education and our restructuring of workforce efforts under the community college system enable us to better prepare our dedicated workforce.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
A Christmas message
Friends and Colleagues,
Here in Virginia, with the Blue Ridge as a backdrop and history alive around us, the snow falls, the skies suddenly clear, and the semester ends.
At year end, we take time to reflect, to celebrate, to remember, and to plan for the future.
Whatever holiday we celebrate, let us remember the origin of the word comes from 'holy day.' Let us remember that every day is sacred, an opportunity that comes to us once to live this particular day in the best way we can.
In this season of renewed hope, in a time of great challenges and opportunities for our nation and our commonwealth, let us remember that we work in a place of hope.
Let us remember the sacred trust we hold here at Germanna Community College. Every day we have been given the opportunity to make a difference in people's lives. Each student we meet presents us with this opportunity.
Each student we meet is the opportunity to fulfill hope: The hope of the individual student. The hope of the family who entrusts us with that student. The hope of our community that this student will be an effective and contributing citizen. Each student we meet gives us the opportunity to help someone find a dream and earn the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to achieve that dream.
Each student presents us with the sacred opportunity to pass on the ethic of service to a cause larger than the self, the ethic of shared leadership, shared responsibility, shared power.
We face great challenges with a strength that comes from this common commitment.
We are blessed to be in this business of hope, and I am proud and grateful to work with all of you at Germanna.
As we spend time with our friends and families, let us remember the lyrics of that wonderful Christmas song,
“Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams”
and recall the many men and women serving our country who will not be home for Christmas except in their dreams, and pray for their safety and that they come home before the next year ends.
I wish you all a blessed time with your families and friends, a safe and happy holiday season, and the bounty of a new year with more opportunities to serve at a place of hope.
David
Here in Virginia, with the Blue Ridge as a backdrop and history alive around us, the snow falls, the skies suddenly clear, and the semester ends.
At year end, we take time to reflect, to celebrate, to remember, and to plan for the future.
Whatever holiday we celebrate, let us remember the origin of the word comes from 'holy day.' Let us remember that every day is sacred, an opportunity that comes to us once to live this particular day in the best way we can.
In this season of renewed hope, in a time of great challenges and opportunities for our nation and our commonwealth, let us remember that we work in a place of hope.
Let us remember the sacred trust we hold here at Germanna Community College. Every day we have been given the opportunity to make a difference in people's lives. Each student we meet presents us with this opportunity.
Each student we meet is the opportunity to fulfill hope: The hope of the individual student. The hope of the family who entrusts us with that student. The hope of our community that this student will be an effective and contributing citizen. Each student we meet gives us the opportunity to help someone find a dream and earn the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to achieve that dream.
Each student presents us with the sacred opportunity to pass on the ethic of service to a cause larger than the self, the ethic of shared leadership, shared responsibility, shared power.
We face great challenges with a strength that comes from this common commitment.
We are blessed to be in this business of hope, and I am proud and grateful to work with all of you at Germanna.
As we spend time with our friends and families, let us remember the lyrics of that wonderful Christmas song,
“Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams”
and recall the many men and women serving our country who will not be home for Christmas except in their dreams, and pray for their safety and that they come home before the next year ends.
I wish you all a blessed time with your families and friends, a safe and happy holiday season, and the bounty of a new year with more opportunities to serve at a place of hope.
David
Thursday, December 4, 2008
APPRECIATION: Dr. Arnold Wirtala, Germanna's founding president, passes away at 85
It is with deep regret that I inform you of the passing of Germanna’s founding president. Dr. Arnold E. Wirtala died Tuesday at home in Fredericksburg, at age 85. He served as Germanna’s president from 1969 to 1980.
Funeral arrangements were incomplete this afternoon.
As Germanna’s first president, Dr. Wirtala led the college through some of its most challenging times, keeping the institution going when low enrollment threatened its very existence. GCC opened with 400 students in 1970, and struggled to meet enrollment goals in the early years. There was talk in the state legislature of closing the college. Dr. Wirtala’s efforts helped give Germanna the chance to grow and thrive as it has today, serving a total headcount of nearly 13,000, and spreading out over an area the size of Rhode Island with campuses in Fredericksburg and Locust Grove, a tech center in Culpeper, and the potential for the opening of a Stafford center in 2009.
When Dr. Wirtala arrived at Germanna in September 1969, he says in a history of GCC, “I found only stakes marking the location of the college.”
Germanna opened its doors in 1970. He called starting the college, “an exciting adventure.”
He said building a college in a sparsely populated spot such as Locust Grove “required an act of faith and a commitment to the future. The first years were not easy. …”
He said it was always his view that Germanna: “was here to reach out to young people who otherwise could not have the opportunity for a higher education. Also, it was to give another chance to those who had failed previously. Gov. Mills Godwin on many occasions cited success stories of Germanna Community College as examples of what community colleges are about.”
Dr. Wirtala was born on May 4, 1923 in Ashtabula, Ohio. He was the son of the late Ernest and Lylli Wirtala. He graduated from Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky in 1947 with a degree in Music Education. His college education was interrupted by World War II, and he served in the U.S. Army from 1943-45 overseas with the 117th Armored Group, 3rd Army Battalion in Normandy, France; the Battle of the Bulge, Rhineland, and in Central Europe.
He married Mary Grace Land in June 1947. They both enrolled and completed work in the Master's Degree Program in Music Education at the University of Michigan. They moved to Gainesville, Fla. in August 1948, where he was employed as an instructor in the Division of Music at the University of Florida. Dr. Wirtala received his Doctor of Education in 1954 at the University of Florida, and was then promoted to Assistant Professor of Music. He taught music theory, music literature, 'cello and clarinet. He was the cellist in the Faculty String Quartet and clarinetist in the Faculty Woodwind Quintet. He was the Associate Conductor of the University Symphony. He also served as the choir director at University United Methodist Church in Gainesville from 1957-1969.
Dr. Wirtala became the Assistant Dean of Men in 1962 at the University of Florida. He then served as the Dean of Academic Affairs at Central Florida Community College in Ocala from 1965-1968. He returned to the University of Florida as the Coordinator of Undergraduate Studies in the College of Education from 1968-69.
After leaving Germanna, Dr. Wirtala and his wife Mary returned to Gainesville, Fla. to enjoy their retirement. In additional to traveling throughout Europe and the United Kingdom many times, Dr. Wirtala also served as the President of the Foundation of Music as well as the President of the Retired Faculty of the University of Florida, as well as remaining active in the University United Methodist Church.
He was preceded in death by his wife. He is survived by his daughter Cathy Keathley of Gainesville, Fla., his son and daughter-in-law Joe and Kathy Wirtala of Fredericksburg, and his five grandchildren-- Ben and Dan Keathley of Gainesville, and Sara, Tim and Amy Wirtala of Fredericksburg.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Germanna Community College Education Foundation, Inc., or the University of Florida College of Education Support Fund.
As the first president of Germanna Community College, Dr. Wirtala helped to create the foundation for the college that serves the region today. He will be deeply missed.
--David
Funeral arrangements were incomplete this afternoon.
As Germanna’s first president, Dr. Wirtala led the college through some of its most challenging times, keeping the institution going when low enrollment threatened its very existence. GCC opened with 400 students in 1970, and struggled to meet enrollment goals in the early years. There was talk in the state legislature of closing the college. Dr. Wirtala’s efforts helped give Germanna the chance to grow and thrive as it has today, serving a total headcount of nearly 13,000, and spreading out over an area the size of Rhode Island with campuses in Fredericksburg and Locust Grove, a tech center in Culpeper, and the potential for the opening of a Stafford center in 2009.
When Dr. Wirtala arrived at Germanna in September 1969, he says in a history of GCC, “I found only stakes marking the location of the college.”
Germanna opened its doors in 1970. He called starting the college, “an exciting adventure.”
He said building a college in a sparsely populated spot such as Locust Grove “required an act of faith and a commitment to the future. The first years were not easy. …”
He said it was always his view that Germanna: “was here to reach out to young people who otherwise could not have the opportunity for a higher education. Also, it was to give another chance to those who had failed previously. Gov. Mills Godwin on many occasions cited success stories of Germanna Community College as examples of what community colleges are about.”
Dr. Wirtala was born on May 4, 1923 in Ashtabula, Ohio. He was the son of the late Ernest and Lylli Wirtala. He graduated from Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky in 1947 with a degree in Music Education. His college education was interrupted by World War II, and he served in the U.S. Army from 1943-45 overseas with the 117th Armored Group, 3rd Army Battalion in Normandy, France; the Battle of the Bulge, Rhineland, and in Central Europe.
He married Mary Grace Land in June 1947. They both enrolled and completed work in the Master's Degree Program in Music Education at the University of Michigan. They moved to Gainesville, Fla. in August 1948, where he was employed as an instructor in the Division of Music at the University of Florida. Dr. Wirtala received his Doctor of Education in 1954 at the University of Florida, and was then promoted to Assistant Professor of Music. He taught music theory, music literature, 'cello and clarinet. He was the cellist in the Faculty String Quartet and clarinetist in the Faculty Woodwind Quintet. He was the Associate Conductor of the University Symphony. He also served as the choir director at University United Methodist Church in Gainesville from 1957-1969.
Dr. Wirtala became the Assistant Dean of Men in 1962 at the University of Florida. He then served as the Dean of Academic Affairs at Central Florida Community College in Ocala from 1965-1968. He returned to the University of Florida as the Coordinator of Undergraduate Studies in the College of Education from 1968-69.
After leaving Germanna, Dr. Wirtala and his wife Mary returned to Gainesville, Fla. to enjoy their retirement. In additional to traveling throughout Europe and the United Kingdom many times, Dr. Wirtala also served as the President of the Foundation of Music as well as the President of the Retired Faculty of the University of Florida, as well as remaining active in the University United Methodist Church.
He was preceded in death by his wife. He is survived by his daughter Cathy Keathley of Gainesville, Fla., his son and daughter-in-law Joe and Kathy Wirtala of Fredericksburg, and his five grandchildren-- Ben and Dan Keathley of Gainesville, and Sara, Tim and Amy Wirtala of Fredericksburg.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Germanna Community College Education Foundation, Inc., or the University of Florida College of Education Support Fund.
As the first president of Germanna Community College, Dr. Wirtala helped to create the foundation for the college that serves the region today. He will be deeply missed.
--David
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
A Thanksgiving Message - 2008
Dear Colleagues:
This Thursday we celebrate Thanksgiving. This Thursday, we will join with family and friends around a common table.
At the same time we face a great deal of uncertainty and fear – in our nation and world, in our Commonwealth, and here at Germanna Community College. It would be easy to give way to worries about the economy, to give way to all our uncertainties and fears. It would be easy to say we don’t have much to be thankful for this year, then sit down, eat turkey, and watch football.
This year, it is even more important that we remember those first Thanksgivings:
On December 4, 1619, Captain John Woodlief and the English colonists arrived after a long sea journey to the New World. They were thankful for their safety. They were thankful for a new opportunity, a new place of hope along the James River. Together, they vowed:
"Wee ordaine that the day of our ships arrivall at the place assigned for plantacon in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually keept holy as a day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God."
A little over one year later on December 26, 1620, in what would become Plymouth, Massachusetts, the Pilgrims joined with their new Native American neighbors to express thanks for having survived their first winter. Half of the colonists had died, and without the support of Squanto, Samoset and Chief Massasoit they all would have perished. They were thankful for a new place of hope.
We know these stories. We were told them as children.
The difficulties we face as a nation, as a Commonwealth, and as a college are nothing like the life or death dangers of long voyages and deadly winters these pioneers faced. But these are worrying times nonetheless.
I offer the following reasons why we should be thankful not just in the face of these fears but in order to better face those fears. Each of you will add your own reasons to this list.
· I am thankful that Germanna is a place of hope for many whose life journeys are difficult and trying.
· I am thankful for those who have taken voluntary retirements so that we can bank their wages against future budget cuts, helping to preserve jobs for their colleagues here at Germanna.
· I am thankful that I have the opportunity to be a servant leader and to work with such devoted and caring faculty and staff.
· I am thankful that you have welcomed my wife, Linda, and me in our first year-and-a-half here in Virginia.
· I am thankful that Rich Gossweiler is recovering from his accident.
As the New Year approaches, we face another budget cut to be effective July 2009. We are preparing for that now so that we do not have to be reactive when it comes, so that we can do our best to protect our mission, our students, and each other.
All of us here at Germanna Community College have a great spirit of compassion and dedication. We will work together to keep the college moving forward, albeit more slowly than we would like. We will care for each other and for our students. We will boost each other’s spirits when they flag. We are a place of hope in the tradition of the founding of our nation.
I am confident that we will come through this time as a stronger nation, a stronger state, and a stronger college. Americans have always faced adversity and become stronger than ever for it.
For all of those reasons, and because of all of you, I am deeply thankful.
I wish each of you the best of Thanksgivings, one in which you have a richness of family and friends to celebrate, and that you take a moment to remember those whose blessings are fewer.
In thanksgiving,
David
This Thursday we celebrate Thanksgiving. This Thursday, we will join with family and friends around a common table.
At the same time we face a great deal of uncertainty and fear – in our nation and world, in our Commonwealth, and here at Germanna Community College. It would be easy to give way to worries about the economy, to give way to all our uncertainties and fears. It would be easy to say we don’t have much to be thankful for this year, then sit down, eat turkey, and watch football.
This year, it is even more important that we remember those first Thanksgivings:
On December 4, 1619, Captain John Woodlief and the English colonists arrived after a long sea journey to the New World. They were thankful for their safety. They were thankful for a new opportunity, a new place of hope along the James River. Together, they vowed:
"Wee ordaine that the day of our ships arrivall at the place assigned for plantacon in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually keept holy as a day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God."
A little over one year later on December 26, 1620, in what would become Plymouth, Massachusetts, the Pilgrims joined with their new Native American neighbors to express thanks for having survived their first winter. Half of the colonists had died, and without the support of Squanto, Samoset and Chief Massasoit they all would have perished. They were thankful for a new place of hope.
We know these stories. We were told them as children.
The difficulties we face as a nation, as a Commonwealth, and as a college are nothing like the life or death dangers of long voyages and deadly winters these pioneers faced. But these are worrying times nonetheless.
I offer the following reasons why we should be thankful not just in the face of these fears but in order to better face those fears. Each of you will add your own reasons to this list.
· I am thankful that Germanna is a place of hope for many whose life journeys are difficult and trying.
· I am thankful for those who have taken voluntary retirements so that we can bank their wages against future budget cuts, helping to preserve jobs for their colleagues here at Germanna.
· I am thankful that I have the opportunity to be a servant leader and to work with such devoted and caring faculty and staff.
· I am thankful that you have welcomed my wife, Linda, and me in our first year-and-a-half here in Virginia.
· I am thankful that Rich Gossweiler is recovering from his accident.
As the New Year approaches, we face another budget cut to be effective July 2009. We are preparing for that now so that we do not have to be reactive when it comes, so that we can do our best to protect our mission, our students, and each other.
All of us here at Germanna Community College have a great spirit of compassion and dedication. We will work together to keep the college moving forward, albeit more slowly than we would like. We will care for each other and for our students. We will boost each other’s spirits when they flag. We are a place of hope in the tradition of the founding of our nation.
I am confident that we will come through this time as a stronger nation, a stronger state, and a stronger college. Americans have always faced adversity and become stronger than ever for it.
For all of those reasons, and because of all of you, I am deeply thankful.
I wish each of you the best of Thanksgivings, one in which you have a richness of family and friends to celebrate, and that you take a moment to remember those whose blessings are fewer.
In thanksgiving,
David
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Veterans deserve far more than a single day of thanks
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, there are 17 million surviving war veterans in the United States.
All of them have put their lives on the line for their country. All were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for us. And many must live with the memory of seeing their comrades do just that.
Nov. 11 has been designated as Veterans' Day, but for too many of us, it has become just a day off, just an opportunity to take advantage of sales at the mall.
Wherever we are, we should seriously contemplate the sacrifices veterans, living and dead, have made for us.
I ask everyone at Germanna to pause today at 4:30 p.m. to remember the brave men and women who have served and are serving our nation, those who gave a part of their lives or indeed their very lives to protect us and freedom.
As we sit in our classrooms we should express deep gratitude to those who protect us so we can teach and learn and live.
Today we thank all of America’s veterans, from those who fell during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars to those serving our nation in Iraq and Afghanistan today.
But our gratitude is not limited to this single day. We should thank the veterans we meet each and every day.
They have earned our eternal gratitude and undying respect.
All of them have put their lives on the line for their country. All were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for us. And many must live with the memory of seeing their comrades do just that.
Nov. 11 has been designated as Veterans' Day, but for too many of us, it has become just a day off, just an opportunity to take advantage of sales at the mall.
Wherever we are, we should seriously contemplate the sacrifices veterans, living and dead, have made for us.
I ask everyone at Germanna to pause today at 4:30 p.m. to remember the brave men and women who have served and are serving our nation, those who gave a part of their lives or indeed their very lives to protect us and freedom.
As we sit in our classrooms we should express deep gratitude to those who protect us so we can teach and learn and live.
Today we thank all of America’s veterans, from those who fell during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars to those serving our nation in Iraq and Afghanistan today.
But our gratitude is not limited to this single day. We should thank the veterans we meet each and every day.
They have earned our eternal gratitude and undying respect.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Faculty and Staff Suggest Budget Savings
We recently sought faculty and staff advice on ways to cut costs and received many good ideas.
Thanks to all who responded for your thoughtful input as we strive to meet state mandates to reduce our budget both during the current year and to meet further cuts expected for next year.
We respond to many suggestions below. Sometimes more than one person submitted the same or similar suggestions through survey monkey, and they are combined where appropriate.
Thanks to all who made suggestions.
- David A. Sam
SUGGESTION: Eliminate “In-Service.” While this may be important, I feel that the money spent on this could be used for something of more value if it was given only for department managers and not all employees. Department managers should bring back ideas and information from In-Service. It’s not justified to close the college for an entire day and have all the employees more and or less just sitting around.
We feel In-Service has value beyond providing information. It’s a day of reaffirming our collective commitment to our mission and values and of building a sense of teamwork and belonging. In tough times, it is even more important that we invest in each other’s growth and development and also in ourselves as a college community. We will look for ways of reducing expenses for this twice-yearly event, but we are committed to our own learning as well as that of our students.
In this and in many of the cases mentioned, we are trying to balance the current budget while doing the least harm to our students, our communities, our faculty and staff, and our college’s future.
SUGGESTION: Consider an alternate schedule where the College is open fewer days with more hybrid and online versions. Consider lengthening class periods when the college is open to reduce the number of weeks in a semester. The students may like this as well, as fuel costs are high for them, too, and they would have to do less driving. Go to four-day work weeks.
Four-day work weeks are being explored but must be balanced with the needs of our students and the region we serve. President’s Council will make decisions regarding policy and practice and announcements will be made near the beginning of the New Year.
Student enrollment has an impact on revenues in both the short-term and long-term. Reducing the number of classes taught typically does not result in savings for the College and may harm students' ability to graduate in a timely way. Classes with low enrollments or with very high costs may be exceptions, and we are looking for ways to maximize enrollment in sections without harming student learning and success.
SUGGESTION: Out-of-state travel should only be funded for mandated training requirements or conferences.
We have already begun implementing this suggestion. The College has reduced funds available for professional development and travel. Professional development is not being eliminated, but it is being reduced. Employees will be encouraged to have on-campus activities for large groups rather than use limited funding for trips by individuals. The College President must approve travel for professional development, overnight trips, and travel over $500. Travel costs are limited to $500 unless preapproved by the President. Priorities include travel that is in-state or close to our service area rather than long distance travel, meetings and/or conferences that directly support SACS mandates and college strategic initiatives, and activities that produce the greatest learning for the greatest number of faculty and staff.
SUGGESTION: Temporarily reduce advertising.
Some advertising has been reduced, such as course-specific ads. Instead, a single ad is often used to meet multiple needs. Full commercial radio ads have been reduced to traffic or weather spots to cut costs. And employment ads have been steadily reduced because fewer jobs are available.
Advertising has been linked to increased enrollment, and cutting back too deeply could hurt the college long-term, after things turn around economically. And let's remember that advertising is an important way for us to fulfill our mission and strategic initiative number 2:
Schedule printing has already been reduced from several thousand copies to one thousand-- and students are being encouraged to go online for details. Future printing of the catalogue is already slated for reduction in favor of online options. But the state requires that certain data must be available in hard-copy form.
We continue to look for ways to move communications from paper to electronic positing, and other less expensive means of communicating. Not only does this reduce expenses but it also reduces our impact on the environment.
SUGGESTION: Copier use is excessive. At times, some students seem to be copying entire chapters of textbooks. Students should be charged for any copies made.
Coin operated devices on copiers actually cost more than the revenues we generate. They seemed to have served as a printing deterrent, though. We need to look at methods to limit student printing. Each department is encouraged to make suggestions.
We encourage all employees and students to print less and use double-sided printing and copying when possible, both to save money and to save trees.
SUGGESTION: Now that students have been switched to Gmail, we should give them reason to check it and save money on paper, printing and postage at the same time by sending out fewer letters.
Grades are no longer printed; an e-mail is sent to students to look up their grades on the Web site. We are also eliminating the printing of paycheck remittances and asking employees to use direct deposit and the Payline website.
SUGGESTION: Don’t pay for meals for employees at so-called “staff meetings.”
Food purchased for meetings and events is being closely managed and will be significantly reduced this year, and on an ongoing basis. Generally, food should be purchased when guests are asked to spend time with us over a normal mealtime and when employees' duties do not allow them to leave the workplace during the day to visit a restaurant.
SUGGESTION: Telecommuting could cut energy costs.
Telecommuting is difficult to implement because most of our jobs require face-to-face interaction with students, visitors, customers, and clients. The College is developing a telecommuting policy that might be effective for our operating environment and Presidents’ Council will rewrite that policy and make it known shortly. The College is also considering alternative work schedules that might be effective.
SUGGESTION: Automatic flushing toilets are nice. But many times they are flushing three to four times or more in one visit, wasting resources.
The automatic flush valves and sink valves in the bathrooms are designed to reduce water usage, saving money and helping the environment. A small number have been malfunctioning. Buildings and Grounds staff has already begun checking them closely and will replace the worst performing ones with manual flush valves, as appropriate.
SUGGESTION: Eliminate trucks for the maintenance folks to drive to and from work. This is only necessary when snow is expected and they should drive their own vehicles to and from their main campus.
Maintenance staff members drive their own vehicles to and from work and car pool whenever possible when traveling between campuses. Fewer than five exceptions have been made in which a maintenance employee took a vehicle home, and that was at the request of the College to accomplish a College objective or to save costs.
SUGGESTION: If we are paying for mileage for people to come to meetings, insist on the use of interactive video for those meetings.
Video conference meetings have been encouraged since the College has owned the technology. Staff members are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the technology to reduce travel time and costs immediately and whenever possible. The reduced travel time also reduces the waste of time during the commute.
SUGGESTION: Lower the thermostat when the heating is on, and even lower on the weekends. Cut grass to a greater height, and less frequently. Replace lamps in parking lots with more energy efficient ones.
Thanks to all who responded for your thoughtful input as we strive to meet state mandates to reduce our budget both during the current year and to meet further cuts expected for next year.
We respond to many suggestions below. Sometimes more than one person submitted the same or similar suggestions through survey monkey, and they are combined where appropriate.
Thanks to all who made suggestions.
- David A. Sam
SUGGESTION: Eliminate “In-Service.” While this may be important, I feel that the money spent on this could be used for something of more value if it was given only for department managers and not all employees. Department managers should bring back ideas and information from In-Service. It’s not justified to close the college for an entire day and have all the employees more and or less just sitting around.
We feel In-Service has value beyond providing information. It’s a day of reaffirming our collective commitment to our mission and values and of building a sense of teamwork and belonging. In tough times, it is even more important that we invest in each other’s growth and development and also in ourselves as a college community. We will look for ways of reducing expenses for this twice-yearly event, but we are committed to our own learning as well as that of our students.
In this and in many of the cases mentioned, we are trying to balance the current budget while doing the least harm to our students, our communities, our faculty and staff, and our college’s future.
SUGGESTION: Consider an alternate schedule where the College is open fewer days with more hybrid and online versions. Consider lengthening class periods when the college is open to reduce the number of weeks in a semester. The students may like this as well, as fuel costs are high for them, too, and they would have to do less driving. Go to four-day work weeks.
Four-day work weeks are being explored but must be balanced with the needs of our students and the region we serve. President’s Council will make decisions regarding policy and practice and announcements will be made near the beginning of the New Year.
Student enrollment has an impact on revenues in both the short-term and long-term. Reducing the number of classes taught typically does not result in savings for the College and may harm students' ability to graduate in a timely way. Classes with low enrollments or with very high costs may be exceptions, and we are looking for ways to maximize enrollment in sections without harming student learning and success.
SUGGESTION: Out-of-state travel should only be funded for mandated training requirements or conferences.
We have already begun implementing this suggestion. The College has reduced funds available for professional development and travel. Professional development is not being eliminated, but it is being reduced. Employees will be encouraged to have on-campus activities for large groups rather than use limited funding for trips by individuals. The College President must approve travel for professional development, overnight trips, and travel over $500. Travel costs are limited to $500 unless preapproved by the President. Priorities include travel that is in-state or close to our service area rather than long distance travel, meetings and/or conferences that directly support SACS mandates and college strategic initiatives, and activities that produce the greatest learning for the greatest number of faculty and staff.
SUGGESTION: Temporarily reduce advertising.
Some advertising has been reduced, such as course-specific ads. Instead, a single ad is often used to meet multiple needs. Full commercial radio ads have been reduced to traffic or weather spots to cut costs. And employment ads have been steadily reduced because fewer jobs are available.
Advertising has been linked to increased enrollment, and cutting back too deeply could hurt the college long-term, after things turn around economically. And let's remember that advertising is an important way for us to fulfill our mission and strategic initiative number 2:
- Develop outreach efforts, programs, and services that fulfill the promise of our Mission for all residents of the College’s service area.
Schedule printing has already been reduced from several thousand copies to one thousand-- and students are being encouraged to go online for details. Future printing of the catalogue is already slated for reduction in favor of online options. But the state requires that certain data must be available in hard-copy form.
We continue to look for ways to move communications from paper to electronic positing, and other less expensive means of communicating. Not only does this reduce expenses but it also reduces our impact on the environment.
SUGGESTION: Copier use is excessive. At times, some students seem to be copying entire chapters of textbooks. Students should be charged for any copies made.
Coin operated devices on copiers actually cost more than the revenues we generate. They seemed to have served as a printing deterrent, though. We need to look at methods to limit student printing. Each department is encouraged to make suggestions.
We encourage all employees and students to print less and use double-sided printing and copying when possible, both to save money and to save trees.
SUGGESTION: Now that students have been switched to Gmail, we should give them reason to check it and save money on paper, printing and postage at the same time by sending out fewer letters.
Grades are no longer printed; an e-mail is sent to students to look up their grades on the Web site. We are also eliminating the printing of paycheck remittances and asking employees to use direct deposit and the Payline website.
SUGGESTION: Don’t pay for meals for employees at so-called “staff meetings.”
Food purchased for meetings and events is being closely managed and will be significantly reduced this year, and on an ongoing basis. Generally, food should be purchased when guests are asked to spend time with us over a normal mealtime and when employees' duties do not allow them to leave the workplace during the day to visit a restaurant.
SUGGESTION: Telecommuting could cut energy costs.
Telecommuting is difficult to implement because most of our jobs require face-to-face interaction with students, visitors, customers, and clients. The College is developing a telecommuting policy that might be effective for our operating environment and Presidents’ Council will rewrite that policy and make it known shortly. The College is also considering alternative work schedules that might be effective.
SUGGESTION: Automatic flushing toilets are nice. But many times they are flushing three to four times or more in one visit, wasting resources.
The automatic flush valves and sink valves in the bathrooms are designed to reduce water usage, saving money and helping the environment. A small number have been malfunctioning. Buildings and Grounds staff has already begun checking them closely and will replace the worst performing ones with manual flush valves, as appropriate.
SUGGESTION: Eliminate trucks for the maintenance folks to drive to and from work. This is only necessary when snow is expected and they should drive their own vehicles to and from their main campus.
Maintenance staff members drive their own vehicles to and from work and car pool whenever possible when traveling between campuses. Fewer than five exceptions have been made in which a maintenance employee took a vehicle home, and that was at the request of the College to accomplish a College objective or to save costs.
SUGGESTION: If we are paying for mileage for people to come to meetings, insist on the use of interactive video for those meetings.
Video conference meetings have been encouraged since the College has owned the technology. Staff members are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the technology to reduce travel time and costs immediately and whenever possible. The reduced travel time also reduces the waste of time during the commute.
SUGGESTION: Lower the thermostat when the heating is on, and even lower on the weekends. Cut grass to a greater height, and less frequently. Replace lamps in parking lots with more energy efficient ones.
For years, the College has been seeking to reduce our carbon footprint and be more efficient in our use of energy.
Utility usage has steadily been decreased over the past five to six years. The College had already been replacing lighting and electrical equipment with more current, energy-efficient technology before the Governor released two executive orders mandating energy reductions. In a six-year period, Germanna will have reduced energy consumption by approximately 25 percent. Whenever a building is unoccupied, the thermostats are set to 60 degrees during heating seasons and 85 degrees during cooling seasons. During occupied mode, the heating season thermostats are set to 68-71 degrees and during the cooling season to 72-75 degrees. We are also looking at ways to reduce parking lot lighting costs by reducing usage during late night hours. This must be balanced with security needs.
We will explore thermostat settings that reduce energy consumption further, as long as student learning and success is not negatively impacted.
SUGGESTION: Reduce office supply budgets through being economical and departmental sharing.
Centralized management of office supplies could be more efficient in many cases. This should be done by departments who co-locate an area where such sharing is not already being done.
We continue to solicit your help in finding ways to save money and become more efficient. Again, thank you for your ideas.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
GERMANNA AVOIDS LAYOFFS WITH BELT-TIGHTENING PLAN RESPONDING TO GOVERNOR'S CALL FOR BUDGET CUTS
Click the link directly below to review the Governor's plan.
http://www.governor.virginia.gov/tempcontent/FinalPlan_10-8.pdf
We continue to go forward with plans to open a center in North Stafford in 2009 and to begin construction of a third building at the college’s crowded Fredericksburg Campus. Stafford County’s Economic Development Authority has approved a $300,000 grant to help with the opening of the center. The state has approved $23.3 million for the new building at the Fredericksburg Campus. But $2.6 million in local funds must be raised before ground can be broken for construction of the new Fredericksburg building.
We would be mortgaging our future if we were to put these plans off now because of the hard times of the moment and then had to turn students away later as a result. So we continue to seek local donors to invest in our area’s future by helping us build these facilities.
Even during these tough times, we see a bright future for Germanna on the horizon and we continue to move ahead.
The potential for more cuts lies ahead, so we must maximize our efficiency and look for savings wherever we can.
But for now, let us take a moment to breathe a sigh of relief and celebrate this, the most positive outcome possible under difficult circumstances.
--David A. Sam
President, Germanna Community College
http://www.governor.virginia.gov/tempcontent/FinalPlan_10-8.pdf
It is with mixed feelings that we announce that Germanna has responded to Gov. Kaine's call for a 5 percent budget reduction by implementing a plan that will avoid layoffs while trimming $577,291 in state spending for fiscal 2009.
The cost-cutting will force the deferment of the addition or expansion of several new programs and therefore will limit our ability to meet our communities needs, but averted the prospect of what could have been large-scale layoffs.
We are pleased not to have been forced to lay off good people who help us do the critical work in making our communities competitive, prosperous and educationally strong.
There had been concerns that the budget for the Virginia Community College System could have been slashed as much as 10 or 15 percent because of a state revenue shortfall resulting from a weak economy. Cuts that deep would have required terminating programs and laying off substantial numbers of employees.
Thankfully, the state cuts were not that severe, and we were able to protect all the members of our Germanna family.
The College’s budget is $22 million, about half of it appropriated by the state. The other half consists primarily of tuition and fees from the college’s total enrollment of 13,000. Germanna employs 520 people.
I’m gratified that the fiscal 2009 cut was no larger than 5 percent, which was the best-case projection, because there is very little fat to trim from the College’s budget.
We greatly appreciate the governor understanding how important the investment in community colleges is in turning the economy around and the fact that he did all he could to keep the cuts from hindering the performance of our mission here. And we are thankful to VCCS Chancellor Glenn DuBois for his untiring efforts in keeping cuts to a minimum.
We are grateful that we will not be forced to lay any of our people off this year. We understand the severity of the budget situation and the necessity for all parties to participate and make sacrifices. But, in addition to the terrible human impact layoffs would have had on employees and their families, and the emotional blow it would have been for all of us at Germanna, losing good people would have made our job of helping prepare the region for economic resurgence very difficult.
Still, this new round of cuts underlines the urgent need we have for private donations now more critical than ever in helping us to serve our communities.
Even as we celebrate maintaining job security within our Germanna family, there remain sacrifices that must be made and belts that must be tightened.
The Germanna reduction plan includes:
- Seeking to replace state general fund spending on the costs of employing one nursing faculty member by finding a local sponsor to pay for that position. This will result in a savings of $80,000.
- Deferring improvements planned for its Automotive Lab to comply with NATEF certification requirements. This will mean a savings of $7,000.
- Eliminating discretionary travel and membership spending, thereby reducing those budgets by one third compared to fiscal year 2008. The savings will be $100,000.
- Cutting non-personnel spending by reducing spending on supplies, furniture and the cyclical replacement of equipment, for the largest chunk of savings, $330,291.
- Eliminating an incentive budget spent on training employees on its “learning college” concept and incentives achieving objectives related to that concept for a savings of $60,000.
We continue to go forward with plans to open a center in North Stafford in 2009 and to begin construction of a third building at the college’s crowded Fredericksburg Campus. Stafford County’s Economic Development Authority has approved a $300,000 grant to help with the opening of the center. The state has approved $23.3 million for the new building at the Fredericksburg Campus. But $2.6 million in local funds must be raised before ground can be broken for construction of the new Fredericksburg building.
We would be mortgaging our future if we were to put these plans off now because of the hard times of the moment and then had to turn students away later as a result. So we continue to seek local donors to invest in our area’s future by helping us build these facilities.
Even during these tough times, we see a bright future for Germanna on the horizon and we continue to move ahead.
The potential for more cuts lies ahead, so we must maximize our efficiency and look for savings wherever we can.
But for now, let us take a moment to breathe a sigh of relief and celebrate this, the most positive outcome possible under difficult circumstances.
--David A. Sam
President, Germanna Community College
Dr. Sam will hold open forums for all Germanna employees to discuss the Governor’s budget reduction and the impact on the college. The forums will be held on:
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Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Difficult Times Will Bring Out the Best in Us
These are unsettling times for all Americans.
In our lifetimes, we have not seen anything like the current economic turmoil. But we at Germanna Community College must be at our best during difficult times. Our Commonwealth and indeed our Nation count on community colleges to retrain workers and help the economy recover. Our citizens and communities count on Germanna to continue to be a place of hope even more so in a time of uncertainty and fear.
Together, we will get through this time. We will help reinvigorate our communities. And we will do our best to take care of each other—our students, our faculty and staff.
The national economy has affected Virginia's long pattern of growth. Even before the economic crisis of the last two weeks, the College faced a cut in state funding of 5, 10 or 15 percent. Revenues from sales and other taxes are down dramatically from even the reduced projections made last spring.
The college’s budget is approximately $22 million, with a little more than half coming from the state general fund, and most of the rest tuition and fees. A 5 percent cut would mean a loss of almost $600,000 in funding; a 10 percent cut, almost $1.2 million; and a 15 percent cut, almost $1.8 million. This would come out of the current budget in the middle of our fiscal year and would continue into the future.
To give some perspective, Germanna faced an 8 percent cut in 2004. This year’s cut will come on top of last year’s cut of 4% or over $400,000.
We’re going to do everything we can to protect our students and protect our people. We won’t be able to protect everything. If the cuts are more than 5-7 percent, we will be forced to make some hard choices and reduce some programs and services.
But rest assured that this airplane is going take off and land safely, even if the ride gets bumpy along the way. The greatest danger would come if we were to pull in, curl up in a ball, and ignore the future.
Germanna has to be as ready as we can for the influx of people seeking retraining now. We also have to plan for a future when growth in the economy, in the population, in the number and kind of businesses, in the needs from the many increase demands on us to provide quality and accessible opportunities for education and training.
Some might say we should forget about the third building at our Fredericksburg Area Campus, that we need money for other things now, or that we should delay opening centers in Stafford and Caroline counties and planning for a new nursing building at our Locust Grove Campus.
That would be a mistake.
First of all, the bond monies approved by the Assembly last year can only be used for building our third building. If we hesitate or cannot raise the over $2.6 million in local funding, we lose $25 million in funding from the state.
Second, the $300,000 generously committed by the Stafford Economic Development Authority for a leased center in North Stafford can only be received for that purpose.
Third, and most important, we cannot forestall investing in our future because times are tough, making the excuse that we need money for other things now. We would mortgage too much of our future. We must prepare for the time when things turn around. We must be ready now for the need that is already present in our communities—the need to better prepare our citizens for the new economy and full participation in community life. We must help train the health care workers for an increased number of hospitals and to fill positions vacated as a generation of nurses retires.
We must do all that we can so that we do not shut doors in our students’ faces and hamper our area’s economic recovery.
We can’t deny how tough it will be. But neither can we lose hope. Our whole business is the business of hope.
It will take all of us, but we can and will find a way through these tough times. We will seek new partnerships and new support from donors and grants. We will look for ways of being more efficient. We will draw closer to each other to work together, to support each other, and to support our students.
And we’ll be stronger for it.
In our lifetimes, we have not seen anything like the current economic turmoil. But we at Germanna Community College must be at our best during difficult times. Our Commonwealth and indeed our Nation count on community colleges to retrain workers and help the economy recover. Our citizens and communities count on Germanna to continue to be a place of hope even more so in a time of uncertainty and fear.
Together, we will get through this time. We will help reinvigorate our communities. And we will do our best to take care of each other—our students, our faculty and staff.
The national economy has affected Virginia's long pattern of growth. Even before the economic crisis of the last two weeks, the College faced a cut in state funding of 5, 10 or 15 percent. Revenues from sales and other taxes are down dramatically from even the reduced projections made last spring.
The college’s budget is approximately $22 million, with a little more than half coming from the state general fund, and most of the rest tuition and fees. A 5 percent cut would mean a loss of almost $600,000 in funding; a 10 percent cut, almost $1.2 million; and a 15 percent cut, almost $1.8 million. This would come out of the current budget in the middle of our fiscal year and would continue into the future.
To give some perspective, Germanna faced an 8 percent cut in 2004. This year’s cut will come on top of last year’s cut of 4% or over $400,000.
We’re going to do everything we can to protect our students and protect our people. We won’t be able to protect everything. If the cuts are more than 5-7 percent, we will be forced to make some hard choices and reduce some programs and services.
But rest assured that this airplane is going take off and land safely, even if the ride gets bumpy along the way. The greatest danger would come if we were to pull in, curl up in a ball, and ignore the future.
Germanna has to be as ready as we can for the influx of people seeking retraining now. We also have to plan for a future when growth in the economy, in the population, in the number and kind of businesses, in the needs from the many increase demands on us to provide quality and accessible opportunities for education and training.
Some might say we should forget about the third building at our Fredericksburg Area Campus, that we need money for other things now, or that we should delay opening centers in Stafford and Caroline counties and planning for a new nursing building at our Locust Grove Campus.
That would be a mistake.
First of all, the bond monies approved by the Assembly last year can only be used for building our third building. If we hesitate or cannot raise the over $2.6 million in local funding, we lose $25 million in funding from the state.
Second, the $300,000 generously committed by the Stafford Economic Development Authority for a leased center in North Stafford can only be received for that purpose.
Third, and most important, we cannot forestall investing in our future because times are tough, making the excuse that we need money for other things now. We would mortgage too much of our future. We must prepare for the time when things turn around. We must be ready now for the need that is already present in our communities—the need to better prepare our citizens for the new economy and full participation in community life. We must help train the health care workers for an increased number of hospitals and to fill positions vacated as a generation of nurses retires.
We must do all that we can so that we do not shut doors in our students’ faces and hamper our area’s economic recovery.
We can’t deny how tough it will be. But neither can we lose hope. Our whole business is the business of hope.
It will take all of us, but we can and will find a way through these tough times. We will seek new partnerships and new support from donors and grants. We will look for ways of being more efficient. We will draw closer to each other to work together, to support each other, and to support our students.
And we’ll be stronger for it.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Tough Times - But We Are in the Business of Hope
To Our Community:
We are all very much aware of the economic uncertainty we face whether here in our corner of Virginia, across the nation, or indeed across the globe. All of us watch our bank accounts and investments nervously. Many of our citizens face layoffs or reduced hours.
Even before these recent problems, many of our citizens looked across a global marketplace and realized they did not have the knowledge, skills and experience to successfully compete for jobs. They turn to community colleges for those skills and that knowledge. Retraining offers an opportunity for new careers and a more prosperous future. Retraining may also be a necessity as jobs go away to be replaced by new, higher skill employment.
Your support of Germanna Community College is more important than ever during this time of economic uncertainty.
Moreover, employers need a workforce with the skills for the future. Local communities wishing to attract new business and industry also need a high-skilled citizenry. We ignore the global economy at our peril. China, India and many other developing nations are investing in infrastructure and new business the way and at a speed of 19th Century American. They know that building competitive and quality higher education is part of that investment in infrastructure. New colleges and universities are being poured in concrete at an amazing rate.
Meanwhile, even before the recent economic slowdown, Germanna’s enrollment was surging at a record pace. Last year, Germanna was the fastest-growing community college in Virginia. At the same time, we were confronted with a forced reduction in revenue due to the state budget shortfall, and face the likelihood of further cuts in the coming year. And yet, during these tough economic times, we can expect the pace of our growth to accelerate as even more people turn to us for affordable education and training. They turn to us as a place of hope, a place to find their dreams and get the knowledge and skills to attain those dreams.
Germanna must grow to meet these needs, and the needs of an increasing population that will continue to flourish once the economy begins to grow again. We must grow to continue to give hope to those who are most hurt by the economic downturn. We must grow to meet the needs of business and our communities.
Because of this perfect storm of trends, Germanna’s Fall Appeal for your help carries a new sense of urgency. Your support of our efforts to serve our communities and students is more important than ever. We offer a brochure that gives a fuller description of the kinds of needs we have, and the opportunities you have to help.
We are all very much aware of the economic uncertainty we face whether here in our corner of Virginia, across the nation, or indeed across the globe. All of us watch our bank accounts and investments nervously. Many of our citizens face layoffs or reduced hours.
Even before these recent problems, many of our citizens looked across a global marketplace and realized they did not have the knowledge, skills and experience to successfully compete for jobs. They turn to community colleges for those skills and that knowledge. Retraining offers an opportunity for new careers and a more prosperous future. Retraining may also be a necessity as jobs go away to be replaced by new, higher skill employment.
Your support of Germanna Community College is more important than ever during this time of economic uncertainty.
Moreover, employers need a workforce with the skills for the future. Local communities wishing to attract new business and industry also need a high-skilled citizenry. We ignore the global economy at our peril. China, India and many other developing nations are investing in infrastructure and new business the way and at a speed of 19th Century American. They know that building competitive and quality higher education is part of that investment in infrastructure. New colleges and universities are being poured in concrete at an amazing rate.
Meanwhile, even before the recent economic slowdown, Germanna’s enrollment was surging at a record pace. Last year, Germanna was the fastest-growing community college in Virginia. At the same time, we were confronted with a forced reduction in revenue due to the state budget shortfall, and face the likelihood of further cuts in the coming year. And yet, during these tough economic times, we can expect the pace of our growth to accelerate as even more people turn to us for affordable education and training. They turn to us as a place of hope, a place to find their dreams and get the knowledge and skills to attain those dreams.
Germanna must grow to meet these needs, and the needs of an increasing population that will continue to flourish once the economy begins to grow again. We must grow to continue to give hope to those who are most hurt by the economic downturn. We must grow to meet the needs of business and our communities.
Because of this perfect storm of trends, Germanna’s Fall Appeal for your help carries a new sense of urgency. Your support of our efforts to serve our communities and students is more important than ever. We offer a brochure that gives a fuller description of the kinds of needs we have, and the opportunities you have to help.
Why should you give at a time when you yourself may be feeling the pinch?
- Because this is a critical time to invest in the future of our young people, in those in the workforce who need to be retrained to compete globally, and in the quality of our citizenry and level of their civic engagement that make our communities what they are.
- Because both major presidential candidates say community colleges must play a key role if America is to remain competitive in the world economy.
- Because Germanna’s total enrollment may reach 14,000 this coming year. For 2007-2008, the college had 8,500 students enrolled in credit courses and about 4,500 in Workforce training.
- Because in tough times it is even more important that we help our communities remain competitive in a changing global business economy by keeping workforce skills on the cutting edge and by working with local economic development officials to help attract new employers.
Germanna, your community college, is up to the challenge. We have renewed our purpose and move forward with vigor, excitement, and innovation, adding to our 38-year history of success and service.
We have recommitted Germanna to serving as the region’s leader and preferred partner providing excellence in accessible educational opportunities and related services to our communities. We are determined that our learning experiences produce well-rounded citizens who are positive forces in their communities.
As I said last April in my inaugural address, “Founded during the great expansion of community colleges during the 1960s, Germanna’s mission is to be one of what some have called Democracy’s Colleges. We seek to enable all citizens in our service area to fully participate in the intellectual, political, social, cultural and economic life of our communities and to provide an educated and prepared workforce for our region and the global economy.”
Please help us in celebrating our past, and in making the area’s future brighter than ever, by giving to our 2008 Fall Appeal. You may designate a gift to honor a relative or friend or a favorite faculty member, fund a scholarship, or support an individual program. For a certain level of donation, you may have a portion of or an entire building named for someone.
You can help students like Angela Sawyer, who grew up in a family of 10, believing college was out of her financial reach. Our affordability and flexible schedules allowed her to work, take care of her son, and earn a degree at the same time. The 2008 graduate says that, “Because of Germanna, I became the person I always dreamed I could be, and I‘m able to pursue the career I desire.”
And you can help students like 2008 graduate Jacquelene Whelchel, who is transferring to a university after earning her associate’s degree. “I was raised by a single mother and I understand wanting to succeed, yearning to be something when sometimes everything and … everyone’s actions around you tells you that you can’t,” Jacquelene says.
Your donation will not only allow students like Angela and Jacquelene to reach their potential, it will have a ripple effect on the local economy and the quality of life in our area. It will help us continue in our business of hope.
We appreciate your continued support and we look forward to working with you to make our communities more competitive, more prosperous, and more fulfilling places to live.
Thank you,
David A. Sam
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Mission, Vision, Values and Strategic Initiatives Approved by Local College Board
In its January 2008 meeting, the Germanna Community College Local Board approved the following final draft of the Mission, Vision, Values and Strategic Initiatives. The college is not developing the action steps to form the rest of the strategic plan.
Mission, Vision, Values and Strategic Objectives
for
Germanna Community College
Approved by the Local College Board
January 31, 2008
for
Germanna Community College
Approved by the Local College Board
January 31, 2008
Who We Are
Germanna Community College is a public institution of higher education in the Virginia Community College System. As a comprehensive community college, Germanna provides quality, accessible, and affordable educational opportunities for the residents of the City of Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, Culpeper, King George, Madison, Orange, Spotsylvania and Stafford.
Mission:
As a public, comprehensive community college, Germanna provides accessible, quality educational and training opportunities that meet our communities’ changing learning needs.
This Mission is achieved through:
Germanna Community College is a public institution of higher education in the Virginia Community College System. As a comprehensive community college, Germanna provides quality, accessible, and affordable educational opportunities for the residents of the City of Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, Culpeper, King George, Madison, Orange, Spotsylvania and Stafford.
Mission:
As a public, comprehensive community college, Germanna provides accessible, quality educational and training opportunities that meet our communities’ changing learning needs.
This Mission is achieved through:
- courses, programs, and services that enable students to gain access to and succeed in higher education;
- associate degrees and courses that prepare students to advance to and succeed in four year colleges and universities;
- training and services to develop successful employees who meet employers’ specific needs;
- training, associate degrees, and certificates for students to enter and succeed in the workplace; and
- services and support for community and economic development.
Vision:
Germanna Community College is recognized as the region’s leader and preferred partner providing excellence in accessible educational opportunities and related services to our communities. Our quality learning experiences enable students to participate effectively in the social, economic, political, intellectual, and cultural life of their communities. Germanna, a dynamic learning organization, is the premiere gateway to personal and community development.
Values:
Our values influence our thoughts, guide our decisions, mold our policies, and help determine our course of action. Student learning and success are at the heart of all that we do and are demonstrated by:
- Passion for learning and teaching: We demonstrate our commitment to the belief that everyone can learn. Although at different rates and in different ways, all learners can learn if we challenge, support, and believe in them through everything we do and in every decision we make.
- Integrity: We are true to our mission, to our values, to our learners, to our communities, and to each other. We say what we mean and we do what we say. We admit our mistakes and take responsibility for our actions.
- Culture of service: We are dedicated to serving the educational and training needs of our students and communities. Our individual wants are secondary to the mission we serve.
- Excellence: We seek to achieve excellence and to foster and develop excellence in our learners. We continuously improve our teaching and organizational systems and processes. We embody a culture of evidence and make decisions using that evidence.
- Professionalism: We exhibit the skill, competence, and character expected of educational professionals.
- Stewardship: We practice servant leadership. We effectively manage and maintain the resources in our care. We uphold the responsibility placed on us as teachers and supporters of teachers of the current and future citizens of our service area, our commonwealth, and our nation.
- Respect: We treat our students, our stakeholders, our resources and each other with courtesy and respect. We respect each other enough to speak truths and have courageous conversations, and we do so with civility.
College Strategic Initiatives:
Germanna Community College has established strategic planning initiatives considered critical to achieving its Mission and realizing its Vision. These initiatives are:
- Become a learning-centered college, where teaching is the means and learning is the end.
- Develop outreach efforts, programs, and services that fulfill the promise of our Mission for all residents of the College’s service area.
- Develop the organizational culture and structure that support and invest in people to achieve the College’s Mission, Vision, and Values.
- Develop additional resources to better enable the College to achieve its Mission.
- Develop systems of continuous improvement and a culture of evidence.
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