Appendix B-1

Executive Summary of Findings and Recommendations
Of The Blue Ribbon Task Force on The Future of Transformation Community College, Langston County Campus
June 1997

Over a period of eight months the Task Force on the Future of TCC - Langston County Campus assessed the quality of educational services and organizational structure. Borne out by focus groups comprised of business, industry, education and community members in general, the Task Force concludes that the College has been reasonable effective in serving County citizens in both secondary and post-secondary programs.

On the matter of organization and structure of TCC, there is total Task Force agreement that the current approach is not effective now, and is not in the best long term interests of Langston County. The current administrative structure presents TCC as a single institution, serving its wide geographical area with common policies, centralized decision-making on programs and budget, and a "one college" orientation in its marketing and operational practices. This organization, and its related "matrix management" administrative orientation, has moved College responsiveness and decisions for the County too far from its customer base. Further, this situation will be exacerbated as TCC expands campuses to other parts of the state.

Accordingly, the Task Force unanimously recommends changes in structure which will achieve the following primary results:

  1. Provide a chief executive officer at the Langston County Campus who resides in the county; who is singularly dedicated to the county; and who is perceived by business, community and educational leaders to be directly in charge of the campus and its programs.
  2. Provide to that CEO, budgetary and decision-making authority commensurate with above responsibilities.
  3. Establish a much higher correlation between County enrollment and related state funding.
  4. Reorganize Langston County Campus academic and support staff in such a manner that they can better orient themselves and their operations to Langston County.
  5. Maintain and enhance existing partnerships toward achieving a truly K through 16 educational vision for the county.

While the need to achieve the above results was clear, the Task Force does not provide a mandate for one organizational model. After assessing many options the Task Force focused on two structural models that should achieve the above results. One model was retaining the LC Campus within the TCC "system" but providing it with semi-autonomy with its own CEO and staff, that CEO reporting to the TCC president. This semi-autonomous model could combine autonomous academic and student services operations with continued centralized business services functions.

The second was to create a new, state supported, free standing community college for Langston County, this institution to be a full standing member of the state community college system. Either option has the full support of the Task Force members.

This report provides details on the deliberations. However, the important point is that the Task Force recommends a change in structure which will achieve the outcomes set forth above. The form of that structure is far less important than achieving the desired results.

 

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Higher Education Transformation Work Group
Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education
2117 School of Education
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1259