An HCC Forward Update
We recently have shared details about budget considerations that will impact our fiscal outlook here at HCC. Projections for appropriations from federal, state, and county levels are expected to be lower than we have received in previous years. Population loss, lower birth rates, and fewer students graduating from high school will impact enrollment and tuition revenues. The board of trustees and this administration have worked together over the past three years to prepare for forecasted and unexpected changes in our revenue structure.
As an equity-centered institution, we are committed to enhancing student success and the potential for their economic advancement and civic engagement. Using data as a primary tool to identify and dismantle obstacles to success, we will mitigate barriers to inspiration, learning, and achievement for every student.
We want to update you on the progress of the division realignment work that began in May 2022. At that time, President Willis pledged flexibility in the realignment, relative to the changing nature of student need, public funding and a culture that commits to a “plan-do-check-act” approach to student success.
We are committed to optimizing the strength of full-time faculty to support innovation in teaching and learning and integrating new workforce credit programs to support interdisciplinary collaboration. We want to provide more clearly defined supervisor roles in the divisions to ensure that every employee in the college can successfully contribute to our institutional strategic priorities focused improving student success outcomes for students.
Division Updates:
Division I (Foundational Learning)- Remains largely the same with the exception of Psychology, which will be aligned with the other social sciences counterparts under Liberal Studies.
Division II (Liberal Studies) -Will include Psychology, Entertainment Technology and Audio-Visual Media Production; Natural sciences move to Health & Science division.
Division III (Health & Sciences)- Will include Life and Natural Sciences and Physical Sciences departments and 7 Allied Health programs.
Division IV (Business, Engineering, & Technology) – Will include four new workforce trades programs (Additive Manufacturing, Automotive Technology, Mechatronics, Welding) within the division, alongside traditional credit offerings in Business, Culinary & Hospitality, Engineering and Technology.
Department chairs will assume supervisory duties for adjunct faculty. The term for coordinators ends on June 30, 2026. Incumbents will remain in these roles for the duration of their terms.
In support of our commitment to “plan-do-check-act” to measure institutional effectiveness, several staff from the teaching and learning operations (TLO) and the Academic Program Support (APS) areas will report to divisional leadership effective at the start of the spring term of 2025. They will directly support the Dean, Associate Dean, department heads, faculty, and students toward academic program success.
We are confident that these changes will help us reach our student success goals and maintain our commitment to transparent stewardship of public funds. This is a result of Dr. Grays and her team having a strong commitment to visiting and engaging with our faculty and staff partners as we all bolster our ability to meet students where they dream. This transparency makes easier our goals of increased student success, interdisciplinary collaboration, and accountability as outlined in HCC Forward.
We are moving towards lean economic times and greater government oversight of community college spending. We were excited to receive last month an independent audit report with no significant findings from a new partnering financial review firm.
Beyond our campus, we eagerly look forward to working with the forthcoming Office of the Inspector General to affirm that our historic institutional finance and management practices are compliant and meet the needs of our diverse college community.
We appreciate your support as we implement these necessary changes.