Community College Journal - February/March 2010

tributes to the vision and mission of the college and whether it is cost-effective. Some units, such as counseling or the business office, will likely never be self-supporting; they are nevertheless critical to the vision and mission of the organization. Many other departments, such as corporate and continuing education, should be held accountable for producing self-supporting revenue. At CPCC, our Allied Health programs are the most costly and typically run deep into the red, but they are important to the welfare of our community. To prevent cost challenges, we actively partner with local hospitals to supplement high-cost programs. Our theaters almost never break even. We have addressed this by creating an endowment to support annual shortfalls.

We lose thousands of students each year when they apply for Pell Grants, but fail to be awarded one. Nothing should stop us from raising private funds to endow scholarships. CPCC’s enrollments jumped 12 percent per year

the past three years. We began to turn away thousands of paying students because we didn’t have enough money to hire more part-time instructors. We solved this problem by raising $600,000 in private donations for class sponsorships this year. If we need a piano or a new robotic arm, we seek a donation, write a grant, or raise private money to purchase it.

We have a separate 501(c) 3 fee-for-service corporation that allows us to earn additional revenue and creates entrepreneurs among our faculty and staff. We consider our foundation and institutional advancement staff to be the best in the business, and we have exceeded our annual fundraising goals.

All of this is not to suggest that we should in any way abandon or ignore tax-based funding. Indeed, now is the time to convince policymakers at every level that funding these fine colleges is an investment in the economic future of our cities, states, and nation. Congress is still awarding special appropria-

tions; state leaders can still be convinced of our value, especially in these trying times. In North Carolina, Gov. Bev Perdue recently rescinded 2 percent of a 6 percent budget reversion.

Astute and insightful CEOs understand that the greatest asset within their organization is the collective intellectual capital of their employees. Engaging them in the acquisition of new revenue in its most efficient use is the key to success. The critical test for community and technical college presidents at this time is whether we will make the necessary changes in thinking and in the operation of our colleges that guarantee the delivery of quality learning. If we resolve to loose the bondage that comes with an entitlement mentality, engage in sensible cost efficiencies, and become more entrepreneurial, our students, our employees, and our communities will greatly benefit.