McCall was great choice to lead KCTCS

Toyota honored for philanthropy

Editorial: Watchdog needed

The Kentucky Monthly
January 2005

McCall was great choice to lead KCTCS

Without hesitation, Wilson said the development of the University of Kentucky's community-college system in the 1960s. I agree.

Through the years, campuses sprouted across the state, opening the door to thousands of Kentuckians who may not have had the opportunity or financial means to pursue higher education or advanced training.

The colleges were part of the University of Kentucky until Gov. Paul Patton boldly decided to separate the community colleges from UK, eventually leading to the Kentucky Postsecondary Education Improvement Act of 1997 that established the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. James Ramsey, currently the president of the University of Louisville, was appointed chairman.

Patton took some heat from traditionalists, those who thought that the community colleges belonged with the University of Kentucky. Others sided with the governor, believing that the community colleges deserved to be a separate entity with its own defined mission and purpose.

Our Kentuckian of the Year, Michael B. McCall, was hired as founding president in 1998 and has taken the system to new and greater heights. As Mike Longinow reports in his cover story, McCall is a visionary. KCTCS has grown and thrived under his guidance.

There were 45,529 students in the system when McCall took the helm in 1998. Since then, 28 community and technical colleges have been merged into 16 accredited comprehensive community colleges that serve more than 81,800 students annually in credit programs. More than 1,700 new programs and program options that result in certificates, diplomas or associate degrees have been started during his tenure. And more than 180,000 people a year receive workforce training through KCTCS.

"By fulfilling our mission to establish comprehensive colleges in a seamless statewide system, KCTCS is changing the lives of students, improving services to employers, and fulfilling its vital role in the growth of communities," McCall said at the KCTCS Board of Regents meeting in December.

A study by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education noted that Kentucky's investment in community and technical colleges "appears to have paid off in the form of higher than average proportions taking and passing licensure examinations in fields like nursing and physical therapy."

McCall proved to be an excellent choice to lead KCTCS into the 21st century. He has a passion for community colleges. "I just believe in it," he said.

Nationally, more than 450,000 associate degrees and nearly 200,000 two year certificates are conferred each year by the 1,173 community colleges, according to the National Profile of Community Colleges: Trends & Statistics.

How important are community colleges? Here a few comments gathered by the American Association of Community Colleges:

"Community colleges are the only job training program I have ever seen the federal government put its money into that works," said former U.S. Sen. Lauch Faircloth (R N.C.).

"Community colleges were the greatest idea in American education for students like me," said Randy Owen of the country music group Alabama.

Management guru Tom Peters said community colleges are "...the unsung, under funded backbone of America's all important life long learning network."

Kentuckians should feel fortunate they have has a progressive community-college system that adapts to the needs of industry.

Speaking of leaders, Wayne D. Andrews takes the reins as Morehead State's 13th president on Jan. 1.

"I am passionate about the school's mission," said Andrews, a Vietnam veteran. "MSU has served the nation, the state of Kentucky, particularly east Kentucky, very well, and I am delighted to lead a school that cares about its students."

Andrews brings a wealth of experience to MSU, having served as chief administrative and operating officer at East Tennessee State University and as a professor at Illinois State University.

This month's Cityscape showcases Frankfort, the state capital and headquarters to Kentucky's favorite magazine. I've worked in Frankfort for more than six years and have lived here for more than three, and I must admit that it's one of my favorite places. While politics permeate the air, especially when the legislature is in session, it's still a town that has its own identity, charm and pride.

Speaking of politics, 29 legislators responded to a Kentucky Monthly questionnaire regarding the important issues facing Kentuckians in 2005. You'll find what some of them had to say in our legislative preview.

Agriculture writer Tim Thornberry examines the tobacco buyout and what it means to farmers and Kentucky.

In October, Deborah Kohl Kremer wrote about Kentucky's assisted living and nursing homes. This month she takes a look at retirement homes.

It seems that some University of Louisville basketball fans are getting a little restless. It's been 19 years since the Cardinals won the national championship. That was also the last time the Cards reached the Final Four. With Rick Pitino entering his fourth season as coach, they believe it's time the Cards make a run for the title.

Sportswriter Ed Peak takes a look at those expectations and what Pitino and his players have to say about this season.

The Louisville football team enjoyed a banner season in 2004 winning another Conference USA title and earning a trip to the Liberty Bowl. Peak writes that a lot of homegrown talent has played a big part in the team's success.

The Kentucky Monthly
January 2005

Toyota honored for philanthropy

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, Inc. and one of its team members were among 22 companies and individuals named as 2004 Outstanding Community Honorees during the National Philanthropy Day Celebration held in Lexington.

National Philanthropy Day is sponsored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. It celebrates those who have made a significant contribution of time and resources to non-profit agencies, richly enhancing the quality of life of communities.

Tom Zawacki, general manager of General Administration at TMMK, was honored by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. He is a long-time advocate of higher education in Kentucky and has played a significant role in establishing KCTCS as the primary provider of pre-baccalaureate education and workforce training in Kentucky. Zawacki was elected to the KCTCS Foundation board of directors in 2000 and served as chair from 2002 to 2004.

Toyota has contributed more than $1 million to KCTCS and its foundation. Zawacki was recently appointed by Gov. Ernie Fletcher to serve on the KCTCS board of regents.

TMMK was honored by the Lexington Children's Museum. Toyota's Georgetown plant is lead sponsor of the museum's Have a Heart Fund, which provides free or reduced admission to the museum for more than 2,500 children who could not otherwise afford to visit.

The Paducah Sun
January 7, 2005

Editorial: Watchdog needed

The Council on Postsecondary Education has taken a belated interest in the crisis of skyrocketing college costs.

It's unlikely, however, that the council, which was created by the 1997 higher education reform law that helped to ignite double-digit cost increases at the state's colleges and universities, will present any real solutions to the crisis.

Council President Tom Layzell says he has asked the CPE staff to prepare recommendations for giving the council more control over tuition. Layzell said "college affordability" was a major theme of a series of meetings the council staff held around the state over the past several months.

It should come as no surprise to Layzell and the CPE staff that state residents are concerned about rising college costs.

Earlier this year, the state's major universities adopted tuition and fee increases that averaged more than 14 percent. At least two universities — Kentucky State and Western Kentucky — have added midyear increases in tuition and fees to earlier price hikes.

Since the higher education reform law was enacted eight years ago, the annual cost of attending the University of Kentucky has nearly doubled. Similar increases have occurred at the state's other universities.

College costs are a growing national concern. For more than a decade, tuition has been rising about four times faster than the general inflation rate.

Higher education officials in Kentucky like to point out that tuition is lower in this state than in most states. However, they do not put that claim in context by noting that Kentucky ranks in the bottom tier of states in per capita income. Affordability is a critical issue in Kentucky because many families lack the financial resources to send their children to college.

If tuition and fees at state institutions continue to rise at five or six times the inflation rate, Kentucky almost certainly will lose any advantage in affordability it currently holds over neighboring states.

It's encouraging that Layzell has at least acknowledged the cost problem. But as head of the agency that presided over the explosion in tuition and fees, he is not well-positioned to hold the schools accountable.

The reform law gave the colleges control over tuition. It's not clear whether increasing CPE's control over tuition would improve affordability.

Layzell says state budget cuts and rising operating expenses at the universities are fueling the double-digit increases in tuition.

This sounds like the university officials' party line on the cost crisis — it's the public's fault.

University of Kentucky President Lee Todd has repeatedly urged the legislature to ignore public opposition to tax increases and approve whatever tax measures are necessary to provide enough funding to satisfy the demands of the colleges.

Todd and other university leaders complain about tight state budgets, but they fail to recall the huge funding increases the universities received — 17 percent in one budget cycle — following passage of the reform bill.

They also fail to note the sharp rise in state funding for college scholarships and endowed chairs at the universities.

University officials should be required to explain specifically why their "operating expenses" justify annual tuition increases in the 12-to-17 percent range.

Perhaps these expenses have something to do with what state Rep. Jim Wayne called "the hubris of some of our universities."

Students and taxpayers have reason to wonder whether institutional hubris caused UK to expand its bureaucracy and raise salaries for senior administrators by more than 50 percent in four years.

Is hubris — or more specifically, the desire for empire-building — driving the big capital projects at UK and other universities? Consider that UK is planning to spend $4.4 million — five times more than it spent on classroom improvements last year — on renovating a faculty club.

The CPE could perform a public service by blowing the whistle on empire-building and putting pressure on the universities to hold down tuition increases. But after seven years of silence and inaction, the council is unlikely to suddenly become a watchdog for the taxpayers.