"If we're standing still, we're falling behind." It's a phrase that is heard more and more often among the leaders of Clinton Community College these days. Call us ambitious, call us competitive, or call us paranoid, but don't call us lazy.
The fact is that the world around us is changing at a pace never before seen. Most economists agree that in less than a decade, the United States will no longer be the world's largest economy. Most educators know that our students are no longer among the top achievers in international assessments of math, science and language. Most community leaders understand that we have to keep embrace systemic change if we are to sustain our quality of life and our local economy.
So, in the American tradition, we at Clinton Community College are not settling for "good enough." We have disconnected the "autopilot" switch and taken the controls on our journey to the future. Our soon-to-be-launched strategic plan will be our roadmap; our vision, mission and values will be our compass.
So what can people expect to see on the road map? Look for a focus on improving access and increasing success. We do a good job at getting recent high school graduates through the front door, but we have room for improvement when it comes to flexible scheduling and delivery modes for non-traditional learners. And in every category, there is room for us to do more to promote student success and goal attainment. Our faculty, staff and administrators need to upgrade their knowledge and skills on a continual basis, and we need an improved infrastructure to achieve the access and success agenda. And, across the board, we need to better prepare our students to take advantage of the benefits of living and working in a globally diverse environment.
Other countries, other states and other communities are taking similar steps to gain their own competitive advantage. The people of Clinton County and the North Country deserve nothing less from their community college. Standing still while others pass us by is not an option.
That's what I think. I'm interested to know what you think. Please let me know by sending an e-mail to presidentsblog@clinton.edu.
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