Lindsay: Tech site might not make it -- this time

LCC needs money for building

Preliminary enrollment figures up for local LCC campus

ECTC profs, students analyzing county's social service needs

ACTC, library team for Study Buddy program

Lindsay: Tech site might not make it -- this time

Not getting the new Henderson Community College technology center funded in the current legislative session won't be the end of the world, state Rep. Gross Lindsay said Monday.

However, both he and state Sen. Dorsey Ridley told about 60 people at the local Chamber of Commerce Early Birds forum that they intend to make it one of their top legislative priorities when the session reconvenes Feb. 1.

"I'm hoping we can get it back in there," Lindsay said. "But I'm not as excited about it, to be honest with you, this time as I was last time. The last time was a two-year budget. We're just talking about a year. So if we don't get it in there this time, we don't have to wait two years.

"The budget we're talking about passing now is last year's budget. It's good only through June of next year. So it's not a two-year budget."

When Gov. Ernie Fletcher visited Henderson Jan. 13 to help sell his tax modernization plan he pledged not to veto the HCC tech center if it were put in the budget by legislators. But he also said he doesn't plan to put it in his initial version of the budget.

"He's in favor of it -- but he's not going to place it in this budget that he will propose," said Ridley. "It's left to us to find funding and place it in the budget."

Ridley expressed confidence in Lindsay's ability to get the $13 million building in the budget, at which point it will become his job to shepherd the project through the Senate.

"It'll be a job to wrestle with that but I think we can ... keep that in the budget," he said. "The governor has indicated once it arrives upon his desk he will not veto that."

"I'm hoping to get it in there but you can never make any promises on that," Lindsay said. "We'll work on it and see what we can do. You can rest assured we'll do the best we can."

In the larger picture Lindsay indicated that passing a state budget is by far the top legislative priority. A Frankfort judge has given the General Assembly until June 30 to pass a budget, otherwise the state can fund only essential programs.

Lindsay said he wishes the judge had set a March 30 deadline to ensure the General Assembly doesn't procrastinate. "People put things off if they're not kind of forced to deal with them," he said.

He noted that the tech center was in the budget that did not pass last year when "the wheels fell off the cart. "Nobody got anything. I think we can't go on this way. We've got to work something out. I'm very, very serious about that. That upsets me more than anything else.

"I'm a firm believer that we're entitled to a budget, that you're entitled to a budget. It may not be pretty, but it's a budget and it gives you an idea of where you are. It's very difficult to start projects when there is no budget."

Lindsay noted that there is much else to occupy the General Assembly during the session, but the budget will be on everyone's minds:

"We'll be busy taking care of business but all the time we're taking care of ordinary business ... we're going to be looking over our shoulders at what they're doing with that budget."

LCC needs money for building

Where enrollment is concerned, the Winchester-Clark County campus of Lexington Community College just keeps on growing, and growing and growing.

Preliminary figures for the spring semester, which began last week, show enrollment up 26 percent over last spring, with a total of 336 students enrolled, compared to 268 in the spring of 2004. That's not surprising considering all that has happened in recent years. In the fall of 2000, LCC, had just 32 students enrolled in classes here, most of which were held at George Rogers Clark High School. But interest was growing, and after extensive renovation, LCC's Winchester-Clark Campus formally opened in January 2002 in the College Park Library Building. Slightly more than 106 students were enrolled.

Flash forward three years. Enrollment has tripled, thanks to 47 class sections this fall, up from 31 last spring. The majority of the students understandably are from Winchester and Clark County, but they also are coming from a number of nearby counties, underscoring widespread interest in college classes. Moreover, more of the students are now full-time rather than part-time, due in part the local campus now offers the classes needed for an associate's degree. Clearly Winchester is a choice location for a college campus, and that's underscored by the fact that the campus here is experiencing the largest growth of any of LCC's six campuses.

We're delighted that LCC's Winchester-Clark County campus continues to do well. However, with the College Park Library Building at 92 percent capacity this spring, continued growth will depend in large measure on what we as a community do to provide LCC with the additional space it must have to accommodate ever-increasing enrollments.

The Winchester-Clark County Industrial Development Authority, which recognizes the importance of a well-educated workforce in attracting new industry, has given LCC 20.3 acres of land in the new section of the Industrial Park now under development. LCC envisions a 25,000-square foot classroom building accommodating up to 1,000 students on the site. But such buildings cost money. Lots of money. The latest estimate is that site preparation and construction could cost as much as $5.5 million.

As of last week, nearly $1.8 million had been given or pledged toward construction of a permanent campus building here for LCC. That's a good start, but more is needed. The coming months are expected to see a variety of fund raising endeavors aimed at generating the funds needed to turn the dream of a permanent building into reality, and we trust the citizens of Winchester and Clark County will give and give generously.

Other communities know a good thing when they see it and are asking for LCC classes in their communities. We don't begrudge them that. But Winchester, which for many years, was home to Kentucky Wesleyan College and later Southeastern Christian College, needs to intensify its efforts to find the funds needed to ensure LCC has room to grow here.

LCC, confronted with a Lexington campus that is bulging at the seams, has much to gain from a campus here. However, Winchester and Clark County will benefit even more. We will benefit because the lives of young and old alike will be enhanced by the classes taken and the education received at home. Graduates will be able to get better-paying jobs and the economic impact of that will be felt throughout the community.

Opportunity is knocking, indeed, has been knocking for several years. It's time we answered and ensured a brighter future for all our citizens!

The Winchester Sun
January 14, 2005

Preliminary enrollment figures up for local LCC campus

Thursday afternoon, LCC released an unofficial, preliminary snapshot of spring 2005 enrollment figures. Only preliminary figures were announced as classes began just Wednesday. The numbers could change in the next few weeks as students drop and add classes.

As of Thursday, said Tri Roberts, associate dean of extended campuses, 336 students were enrolled, compared to 268 students the same time last year. LCC compares enrollment figures from fall to fall and spring to spring.

"We're trying to compare from day to day," Roberts said. "That comes out to be approximately a 26 percent increase compared to spring of 2004."

LCC Winchester was at 92 percent capacity as of Thursday, with 47 class sections. Roberts earlier had said LCC was increasing class offerings here from 31 sections in spring of '04 to 49 this semester.

"We've had good growth," he said, noting a few new classes, such as accounting, anthropology and additional business sections, have been added to the course line-up.

Jim Kerley, president/CEO of the Bluegrass Community & Technical College District, said the enrollment numbers reflect a healthy increase.

"Any time you have a double-digit increase, which this is, it's very encouraging to that community and illustrates the importance of our growth, which ties into building a new campus. If we were going backwards, not getting students ... it makes a harder case for getting a new campus and new building."

The Winchester-Clark County Industrial Development Authority has given LCC approximately 20 acres in the new section of the Industrial Park now under development on which to construct a permanent campus building.

LCC currently is holding classes in the College Park Library Building. Funds are being raised locally to construct a 25,000-square foot classroom building to accommodate up to 1,000 students.

LCC Winchester, Kerley said, is on target with enrollment and experiencing the largest growth of LCC's six campuses.

"We're very pleased with that (growth)," he said. "And it just shows a strong indication as far as the need for higher education in Winchester/Clark County and surrounding areas."

Because of the growth here, Kerley said, it is "absolutely essential" the community push forward with establishing a new facility.

"It has to be a top item in Winchester/Clark County," he said.

Breaking down the numbers

From the fall of 2000 to the fall of 2004, enrollment at LCC here jumped from 32 students to 358. Clark County continues to produce the highest number of LCC Winchester enrollees, but the school, Roberts said, continues to see interest from out-of-county students.

In the fall of 2004, approximately 227 students enrolled at the Winchester campus were from here, with Fayette County coming in second with 28, Powell County at 27 and Montgomery County with 23.

"That seems to be the theme, that other counties continue to support us," Roberts said, "and we continue to draw people into driving this way."

Other counties farther away from Clark also are showing increasing interest in LCC Winchester, JoEllen Reed, community liaison for the Winchester/Clark County campus, said.

"It's just amazing how much we've grown. Lee County keeps calling us to come there," she said, noting LCC is looking into establishing a room rate with a local motel so students from greater distances could stay here overnight if needed, have breakfast before class, etc., for when the school relocates to its proposed new campus in the Industrial Park.

While the number of students has increased, class size hasn't, Roberts said.

"We try to fill up the classrooms as much as they will hold. The number in the classrooms, however, has not changed ... it's about the same, between 18 to 25 in each classroom," he said. "If we go way above that (too many students enroll for a class), we add another class."

Another trend LCC Winchester has seen is that its number of full-time students continues to grow.

"Now, we actually have more full-time students than part-time," Roberts said. "In 2000, that was just the opposite. That's due in part to the fact you now can get all the classes you need here for an associate's degree, and we're still working toward the long-term goal of our permanent campus because we can't offer science labs here, etc."

Changes

Students will notice several changes this semester, according to Roberts and Reed. Ten additional laptops are on their way here, Roberts said, and will be added to a pool of 17, which he said had been inadequate to allow each student in a class to have access. The laptops are placed on a cart that can be taken from classroom to classroom and utilized by students to access the Internet.

A staff assistant also has been added, Reed said, noting students also will see new lighting that has been installed "out back."

Thursday afternoon, LCC Winchester also received an Automatic External Defibrillator donated by Martek. The AED enables trained users to deliver life-saving shocks prior to EMS personnel arriving.

AEDs can reverse sudden cardiac arrest by identifying life-threatening cardiac rhythms that be helped by a metered electrical shock.

"CPR and AED training, all the staff (of LCC) did and this is a neat piece in terms of community safety," Roberts said.

Long-term plans call for establishing a full-time faculty line by fall of 2005 to assist with advising, Reed said.

ECTC profs, students analyzing county's social service needs
Project is being undertaken for United Way

A team of Elizabethtown Community and Technical College professors will crunch survey data during the next few weeks to help the United Way of Central Kentucky and other agencies learn how to better disburse social service funds.

They are scheduled to publicly discuss the results of the first-ever needs assessment Feb. 23.

"The United Way is going to be very pleased with it," said Anthony Slone, assistant professor of business and part of the agency's investment team. The United Way disburses funds to agencies such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana and Community Health Clinic.

Local governments and businesses also could benefit from the data.

The 15 major areas that the student-conducted survey examines include housing, access to education, child care and health care.

The survey asked respondents if those services are important and if they are needed and accessible.

While Slone and other ECTC professors would not discuss most of the survey results, they released demographic data of the respondents. For instance, 56 percent are women and 21 percent of them are uninsured.

The ECTC team plans to analyze the date by county and income.

The survey area includes Hardin, LaRue, Meade and Grayson counties. Within each county, both male and female heads of households were chosen at random to participate.

Of the 444 surveys sent out, 218 came back complete. Professor Khondaker E. Haque called a nearly 50-percent response rate "pretty high."

Still, he expected more participation and blamed heavy rain and the fact the survey was conducted just before last year's election. "There was a polling fatigue," he said.

Almost half of the surveys were filled out by Hardin County residents. About a third are from Grayson County, 20 percent came from Meade County and 3 percent from LaRue County.

Sixty-six students are participating in the project, and 48 conducted the survey.

Professor Michael Coyle called the project an "active learning experience" for the students.

ACTC, library team for Study Buddy program

ASHLAND - Math and social studies are tough, said Hannah Durham.

"I just don't understand math and it's kind of hard. Social studies I don't follow as easy as

everybody else does," said the 13-year-old seventh-grader, who attends Boyd County Middle School.

Looking for a way to improve her grades in both subjects, the girl packed up her books and pencils on a recent Wednesday night and rode with her father to the Boyd County Public Library for some help.

She found help all right. Through a new initiative, the library has teamed with Ashland Community and Technical College to launch the Study Buddy program, which pairs faculty and college students with children for tutoring.

Hannah was the first - and only - youngster to attend the inaugural session of the program, so she had two tutors to work with.

One was John McGlone, who is director of public relations at ACTC.

The other was Katie Bias, a Marshall University senior and part-time library employee who plans a career teaching elementary school.

"You're going to get a lot of individual attention tonight," McGlone said.

The program is an opportunity to promote good study habits, McGlone said. And that's what he commenced to do while helping his young charge review her assignment on ancient Greek civilization.

He asked the girl to read chapter highlights and then drilled her with questions, interspersed with study and memory tips.

Following the session, the teen said she was impressed with what she'd learned. "Now I have a lot more easier ways to study, like writing down the most important parts so I can remember them," she said.

"A lot of it is common sense," said McGlone. "I'm just passing on the things that worked for me as a student."

Next on the Boyd student's agenda was multiplying and dividing fractions, a daunting task at any age.

Bias stepped in to help and soon the girl was moving smoothly through the problems.

The girl said later that she was more confident of her ability, thanks to Bias' approach of walking her through the problems step by step.

Bias, whose next student teaching assignment will be in junior high, said the session helped her too.

"I have absolutely no experience in the upper grades. This shows me just how much I'll have to break things down."

The Durham girl said she'd heard about the Study Buddy program at school and thought it would be worth trying. If she'd stayed home she'd be studying anyway, she said.

McGlone said his personal interest in community service and seeing children succeed in school is shared by his colleagues at ACTC.

At least four professors have pledged to attend future sessions and they'll be joined by college students, primarily those majoring in education and planning teaching careers.

The program will have an added benefit for education majors - participation counts toward required clinical hours, he said.

The library's staff also will be on hand to help locate research and study materials in its collection, said library spokeswoman Amanda Gilmore.

All the help is free, she said.

The program is designed for students in middle and high school but elementary students will be accommodated as well, Gilmore said.

The Study Buddy program meets from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays in the second-floor conference room at the main library. No pre-registration is required.