Legislators make stop at FSCC

In the wake of recent deep budget cuts to higher education Kansas legislators converged on the campus of Fort Scott Community College Thursday, Oct. 24, as part of a six-day bus tour. Before arriving in Fort Scott, legislators toured FSCC's Harley Davidson facility in Crawford County.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase community colleges as part of this tour," FSCC President Dr. Clayton Tatro said, addressing legislators seated in the audience.

The FSCC stop was designed to enable legislators to gather information about program and funding needs of the state's community colleges. In early June, Kansas lawmakers slashed $65.8 million from the higher education budget over the next two years.

"While we have the opportunity as a college at Fort Scott to put some documents in your book, we also thought it was important that we try to give you a statewide perspective of community colleges as well," Tatro said. "We're thrilled to be the college of choice for this tour, but at the same time wanted to be able to share more information with you on state-wide perspective."

Prior to a brief question and answer period, the legislators listened to a panel discussion featuring the presidents of Allen County Community College, Barton County Community College, FSCC, Hutchinson Community College, and Neosho County Community College. The panel discussion took place inside the theater at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center. Tatro introduced the four community college presidents and later briefly joined in on the panel discussion.

"The mission of community colleges is to provide quality, affordable, accessible higher education to Kansans. That's pretty clear and concise," ACCC President John Masterson said. "We charge the student around $80 for a credit hour, tuition and fees, for a total of $2,400 for two 15-hour semesters in an academic year. Over 80,000 students (state-wide) took advantage of our services in the fall of 2012. Quality, affordability, and accessibility -- community colleges deliver."

Masterson said that as a system, 33 percent of Kansas' community college funding comes from "home counties" through ad valorem taxes, 24 percent from student tuition and fees, 24 percent from auxiliary and other sources, and 19 percent from state funds. Additionally, Masterson said more than 60 percent of the state's community college students work at least part-time while attending school.

Panel members presented an overview of Kansas community colleges, and discussed ways their schools could strengthen local communities. The panel specifically addressing the local commitment that these schools make to surrounding communities and their taxpaying constituents.

"We meet the community needs in terms of training, in terms of opportunity and in terms of assisting where the needs are identified," BCCC President Carl Heilman said. "We provide first opportunities, we provide second chances, and if necessary third chances. In terms of post secondary career technical education, we provide 80 percent of the training in the state of Kansas. You see the degrees awarded on a yearly basis -- 7,500 associate degrees, and 3,000 technical certificates. Look at the number of students prepared for transfer to other institutions, most of which transfer to our state universities."

Chairman of the Kansas Senate Ways and Means committee, Sen. Ty Masterson, (R) Andover, asked the panel to share its thoughts on the proposed FSCC and Pittsburg State University Partnership, and "potential of this collaborative affiliation."

"There's many talking points, Senator, in response that can be brought up," Heilman said. "Community colleges are all about partnerships and collaboration. In terms of relationship building with other entities, such as universities, school districts and businesses, the trustees' and the local constituents drive this. They determine the priorities, the needs and the goals. We respect Fort Scott Community College's leadership and the direction the trustees provide."

After the panel discussion, Masterson spoke with the Tribune, sharing his thoughts on the current environment of community colleges in the state.

"This stop had a little bit of a different feel than some of the other stops we've had at the regent universities," Masterson said. "The real focus obviously is this new environment of decreasing tax dollars, where we can't internally continue to print money and take on trillions of dollars of debt at the federal level, so that's got to shrink.

"We have to find a way to create the most efficient delivery of higher education. We think the community colleges actually have the ability to produce a lower cost for local delivery of general education and tech (courses). Which, 50 percent of the kids don't complete a degree, but have high value in the community with a technical certificate, whether it's metal shop, automotive or your Harley Davidson facility up the road. Those guys can come out and make more money than some of those college graduates.

"Our focus is how do we integrate that system? How do we take a kid from high school, seamlessly transition him through the community college regent system, to where he can get his education and come out at whatever stop he wants?" Masterson asked.