-- Colleges Work Together to Benefit Students and Save Scarce Funds --
HARRISBURG, Ill. (March 27, 2017) -- Three local community college presidents have been honored with an invitation to present at the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)芒鈧劉s Annual Convention in April. Terry Wilkerson of 海角视频, Dr. Tim Bellamey of Shawnee Community College (SCC) and Dr. Jonah Rice of Southeastern Illinois College (SIC) will travel to Chicago to report on their multiple unique and collaborative partnerships.
HLC is the accrediting institution for degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions in the North Central region, which includes 19 states.
| Dr. Tim Bellamey, President of SCC | Dr. Jonah Rice, President of SIC | Terry Wilkerson, President of RLC |
The joint presentation is dubbed, 芒鈧揃uilding Bridges Not Walls,芒鈧� and will feature major aspects regarding partnership agreements that have grown out of necessity and a willingness to work together for the common good of students, as well as save scarce funds by avoiding duplicate programs.
The presentation covers three major areas: 1) establishing the fiscal and higher educational context for all three colleges, 2) vital ingredients for successful collaboration, and 3) future implications and new directions for such partnerships.
These partnerships include seat and course section purchasing when low enrollments occur, which allows the other colleges to place students in those classes, as well as staff and program sharing.
In years past, the colleges have shared routine formal interdistrict agreements which allow students to attend a college outside their own district if the college in their home district does not offer the particular program the student wants. However, the evolving partnerships among RLC, SIC and SCC go beyond that. Partnerships with shared programming among the colleges expanded beyond traditional interdistrict agreements when oil and gas extraction looked like it may take off in the region.
Since that time, officials said special intergovernmental agreements have evolved among the three, including two-school and three-school agreements.
芒鈧揙ur board of trustees know that this cooperation contributes to their fiduciary responsibility as well as service to students,芒鈧� said Rice. 芒鈧揟his evolution is greatly done out of necessity for sustainability.芒鈧�
Vickie Artman, SCC Vice President of Instructional Services added, "One of the best advantages of this type of agreement is the fact that we are not competing with each other. We are working together to provide more opportunities for our students.芒鈧�
Artman will present to HLC on behalf of SCC in place of Bellamey, due to his upcoming retirement.
Rice said so much of the partnership depends on those at the helm.
芒鈧揚residents Wilkerson and Bellamey are both trustworthy, honest and mindful of student needs,芒鈧� Rice said.
He added that to make these types of agreements work, you have to be dealing with noble people, and that is why this project has worked so well. He also credited Wilkerson with helping to foster that sense of camaraderie and cooperation.
芒鈧揃y partnering, we芒鈧劉re looking into better ways of offering more options to our students,芒鈧� said RLC President Terry Wilkerson. 芒鈧揜LC, SIC and SCC realize that working together is better than working apart and we芒鈧劉re all stronger because of this. Reaching across district lines to build these bridges is what芒鈧劉s in the best interest of the region, and ultimately for our students.芒鈧�
The three colleges plan on additional agreements and have said they will work with others as partners, as well.
芒鈧揝IC, RLC, and SCC aren芒鈧劉t the only ones who are doing this type of thing,芒鈧� Rice said. 芒鈧揥e芒鈧劉re getting calls from other colleges and even universities about meeting to create unique partnerships. In these times, we芒鈧劉re open to partnering. We have to be. It just makes sense.芒鈧�
{loadposition like-share}