MACC Names Dr. Bernard Sadusky, Interim State Schools Superintendent, as Executive Director

Posted on April 25, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The Maryland Association of Community Colleges (MACC) has named Dr. Bernard J. Sadusky, the Maryland State Department of Education’s (MSDE) current Interim State Superintendent of Schools, as its new executive director. Dr. Sadusky will begin his new post at MACC on July 1, after completing a year of service in the interim superintendent role at MSDE, where he has filled the position left vacant by the retirement last year of Dr. Nancy Grasmick.

Dr. Sadusky served as superintendent of schools in Maryland’s Queen Anne’s County from 1994 to 2007, and spent more than 30 years in total in the Queen Anne’s school system as an administrator and teacher. He was recognized as Maryland’s Superintendent of the Year in 2007. Following his retirement in Queen Anne’s County, he joined the Maryland State Department of Education as policy liaison to the local school systems, before being appointed by the Maryland Board of Education to serve as interim state superintendent in 2011.

“Dr. Sadusky brings to the Maryland Association of Community Colleges an enormous wealth of experience in the education field and a lifetime of industry experience in the specific context of our state, having worked with top educators, elected officials and other key policy makers, throughout his illustrious career,” said Dr. Guy Altieri, President of Hagerstown Community College and the current Chair of the Maryland Community College Presidents Council.

“We’re impressed not only by all that he has accomplished in helping Maryland to earn its well-deserved reputation for educational excellence, but also by his passion for and understanding of the unique and invaluable role that community colleges play in our higher education system,” added Dr. Altieri. “And we’re excited about how Dr. Sadusky’s vast experience in the K-12 sector in Maryland will help us to forge even stronger partnerships with our school systems across the state.”

“I’m extremely honored to have the opportunity to lead MACC forward at this critical time and to serve each of Maryland’s 16 outstanding community colleges,” said Dr. Sadusky. “I look forward to working closely with the presidents, trustees and other leaders from our member colleges to advance the important work that they are all doing to best serve the needs of hundreds of thousands of community college students throughout the state each year.”

Dr. Sadusky received his bachelor’s degree in biology from King’s College in Pennsylvania. He holds a master’s degree in psychology from Washington College and a doctorate in educational administration from Nova-Southeastern University.

As the new executive director, Dr. Sadusky fills the post that was left vacant by the recent retirement of H. Clay Whitlow, who had served MACC since 2006.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

MACC Leaders Write to Governor, Urging Convening of Special Session to Replace ‘Doomsday’ Budget

Posted on April 23, 2012 by | Leave a comment

A chaotic ending to this year’s Maryland General Assembly session led to the automatic enactment of a so-called “Doomsday” budget for the state in fiscal year 2013, which, for Maryland’s community colleges, meant a 10 percent reduction in state aid.  MACC leaders recently wrote to Governor O’Malley, urging him to convene a special session in which legislators can work together to enact a revised budget.

“In spite of the difficult fiscal climate we have all faced during the past five years, you have provided the community colleges with the opportunity to keep average annual tuitions and fees below a 3% increase,” wrote Dr. Guy Altieri, President of Hagerstown Community College and Chair of the Maryland Council of Community College Presidents. “However, without major changes in the currently approved FY 2013 budget, many of our institutions will be forced to raise tuitions beyond the sustainability of our students.”

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Budget, Maryland Community Colleges, Uncategorized

Tagged ,

Community College Presidents Speak Out Against Pension Cost Shift, Leading to Modified Plan

Posted on April 2, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Maryland community college presidents — joined by administrators, faculty and staff from around the state — spoke out in strong opposition to the proposed shifting of pension costs for community college faculty and staff, from the state to the counties.

While lawmakers are continuing to iron out final details of how that cost shift will still impact the pensions of thousands of school teachers and other public employees, the voices of community college leaders were heard as the legislation was modified to remove community college personnel form the proposal.

Several community college presidents expressed their opposition to the pension shift in newspaper commentaries and letters to the editor, which have each been posted on the MACC website.

 

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , ,

Dr. Guy Altieri Commentary on the Pension Shift Cost Equation: “If a Train Leaves Annapolis at…”

Posted on March 1, 2012 by | Leave a comment

With debate heating up in Annapolis over the proposed shifting of pension costs from the state to the counties, the Maryland Association of Community Colleges is urging legislators to oppose this legislation and has joined forces with a statewide “Stop the Shift” coalition. Dr. Guy Altieri, President of Hagerstown Community College, is chair of the Maryland Association of Community College Presidents Council, and authored the following op-ed piece about the impact of this proposal on community colleges, in the February 24 edition of The Gazette of Politics & Business.

By Dr. Guy Altieri

A current proposal before the Maryland General Assembly to shift teacher pension costs to counties has all of the makings of a classic Algebra problem, one that would be sure to end badly. “If a train leaves Annapolis at high noon, going 50 miles per hour, and another leaves the county seat of Hagerstown at 3 p.m., also going at 50 miles per hour, how soon before they…?

Hold that thought.

Leaders of Maryland’s counties and the state’s teachers’ unions have each weighed in heavily on how devastating a budgetary hit it would be if the General Assembly were to enact Governor O’Malley’s proposal to shift a substantial portion of teacher pension costs from the State of Maryland to the counties.

Yet as devastating as this seismic cost-shift would be to the counties that would have to pick up the bill, few people have even focused on the fact that Maryland’s community colleges, and the students we serve, will be harmed in two ways: .

First, the proposal to transfer a portion of the pension costs to local governments would represent a crushing blow to our annual operating budgets. As currently proposed, it would come with a $9.5 million sticker price in just the first year and that figure would continue to increase in the years to come. Second, if the counties are forced to pay some $239 million in pension costs, they will be hard pressed to maintain critical funding for their community colleges.

To help mitigate the impact of the $239 million cost-shift, the Governor has proposed revenue enhancements, including new taxes, but there is no guarantee that any of this additional revenue will benefit local community colleges. Many counties may opt to dedicate any additional revenue to other local priorities, while expecting the community colleges to make up the deficit by raising tuition.

Maryland’s community colleges are critical to its economic recovery and long-term future.    Enrollments at community colleges have increase exponentially since the beginning of the recession.  From 2008 to 2010, enrollments have increased statewide by approximately 20,000 students, an amount equivalent to the size of Towson University.

In recent years, the state’s traditional commitment to funding one-third of the cost of a community college education has fallen to below 20 percent, with student tuition picking up the shortfall. A pension cost-shift will only further erode the state’s share of the commitment and it will almost surely result in a tuition increase. Such an outcome would hurt the students who can least afford to pay more for their college education and would fly directly in the face of what has been the top priority for higher education for both the Governor and for President Obama – holding college tuition in line, while ensuring that more students receive college degrees.

Ever since the first community colleges in the state were incorporated – dating back to the 1940s – the state has assumed the cost of the pension/retirement system. As is the case with the school systems, this funding has helped our colleges to balance the wealth differences among the various counties and has enabled the less affluent communities to attract and maintain faculty and staff on par with the wealthier communities. Passing these costs on to local governments would eliminate this factor and increase the cost of a community college education, without addressing the ultimate repercussions for Maryland residents.

Remember that equation we began with? We don’t think we need to fully solve it to see that the ultimate outcome here is a fiscal train wreck.

(Visit http://stoptheshiftmd.com/ to learn more about the statewide coalition that has formed to oppose the proposed shifting of pension costs to counties.)

 

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Budget, Maryland Community Colleges, Pension, Uncategorized

Student Advocacy Day: Hundreds Turn Out to Annapolis to Make Voices Heard for State Funding!

Posted on February 17, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Much of the 90-day Maryland General Assembly session in Annapolis can be grueling for state legislators and advocates alike. But few days, if any, are as inspiring to all involved as the annual Community College Student Advocacy Day, which brings together each year hundreds of students from all 16 community colleges for the annual trek to the state capital.

The event is aimed at urging legislators to provide adequate state funding for community colleges, which now serve half of all undergraduate students in Maryland each year. This year’s Student Advocacy Day, held on Thursday, Feb. 9, was an overwhelming success – reminiscent of the theme that the colleges highlighted in their advocacy for additional state funding: “SUPPORT = SUCCESS!”

After arriving to Annapolis in busloads from the various campuses around the state, students took part in a morning rally that featured enlightening speeches from a variety of legislators and community college leaders, and a selected student speaker. This year, it was a young man named Taren Nance, from Wor-Wic Community College, who drew a rousing ovation after sharing his powerful, personal story, which began with the words: “Simply put, community college saved my life.” Taren’s full story, and those of students from all the colleges, is found on the MACC website.

After the rally, each college’s group of students ventured out to meet with various State Senators and Delegates from their county delegations in Annapolis. In these smaller groups, they have the chance to have a dialogue with their elected officials about the difference that their community college is making in their lives and the importance of providing enough state funding to keep tuition affordable and preserve critical student services.

Here are a couple of wonderful news articles about the Student Advocacy Day event…

The advocacy work and the 90-day legislative session winds on for the community colleges, but Student Advocacy Day 2012 will go down once again in the books as a day to remember! Thanks to all who participated! Keep up the good work and keep in touch with our elected officials to let them know how important it is that they provide strong support for our community colleges.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Maryland Community Colleges, Uncategorized

Tagged , ,

Hundreds from 16 Community Colleges to Rally on Student Advocacy Day in Annapolis, Feb. 9!

Posted on February 6, 2012 by | Leave a comment

On Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012, hundreds of students representing all 16 Maryland community colleges will speak with one voice in the state capital, urging lawmakers to help keep community colleges affordable by supporting full funding in the Governor’s FY2013 budget.

MACC’s annual Student Advocacy Day will be kicked off with a morning rally at 9 a.m. in the Presidential Conference Room of the Miller Senate Building in Annapolis. Legislators scheduled to address the students include Senator Thomas “Mac” Middleton and Speaker of the House of Delegates, Michael E. Busch.

Students will then meet with legislators from their respective county delegations in order to emphasize support of the funding formula for the amount of state aid granted to each college and support of capital requests at community colleges throughout the state.

The day’s call-to-action also centers on the theme of “Support=SUCCESS” because community colleges can only help more citizens be successful if there is greater state support.

Students will have an opportunitiy to tell their stories of how community college is helping them achieve their goals and what being able to access such affordagle, quality higher education means to them and their families.

Please visit the Student Advocacy Day website to read some of the community college student success stories from around the state!

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , ,

This Month’s ‘News and Updates’ From MACC…

Posted on January 18, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Our January newsletter is out! This month’s edition features a recap of MACC’s recent Summit on Completion, with excerpts from the keynote presentation by Dr. Uri Treisman of the University of Texas. Also in the newsletter, a summary of the 2012 Legislative Agenda and some brief highlights of news from around the state’s community college campuses.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

A Video Look Back… at MACC’s 2nd Annual Statewide Summit on Completion!

Posted on January 4, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Here’s a quick highlights video… of a spectacular day, as more than 400 community college administrators, faculty and staff from across the state gathered together at CCBC Catonsville on December 9 for MACC’s 2nd Annual “Summit on Completion.” Attendees shared best practices and strategies during the full-day conference and reaffirmed their joint commitment to increasing the number of students who complete degrees and other credentials, and successfully transfer to four-year institutions.

Please visit the MACC website for a full conference recap. There, you’ll find The Community College Times article about the event: “Md. colleges advance completion agenda,” along with the conference program, posted conference materials, photos from the event, and more. You’ll also be able to access full-length videos of the speakers from the opening, luncheon and closing sessions.

Thanks to the outstanding team from the Community College of Baltimore County for hosting the event at CCBC Catonsville, and for making these videos available!

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

More Than 400 Turn Out for Maryland Association of Community Colleges’ 2nd ‘Summit on Completion’

Posted on December 17, 2011 by | Leave a comment

More than 400 community college administrators, faculty and staff from across the state — along with Maryland Higher Education Secretary Danette Howard and  other prominent education leaders — gathered for MACC’s 2nd Annual “Summit on Completion,” on December 9. Attendees shared best practices and strategies during the full-day conference and reaffirmed their joint commitment to increasing the number of students who complete degrees and other credentials, and successfully transfer to four-year institutions.

Thanks to Dr. Sandra Kurtinitis, President of CCBC (Community College of Baltimore County), and her team for hosting a fabulous event out at CCBC Catonsville. Please visit the MACC website for a conference recap. There, you’ll find The Community College Times article about the event: “Md. colleges advance completion agenda,” along with the conference program, posted conference materials, photos from the event, and more.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Completion Agenda, Uncategorized

Tagged , ,

Federal Report to Recommend Revised Methodology For Tracking Community College Completion

Posted on November 30, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Not only are community colleges making great progress toward improving student completion success, they are also making huge strides in urging education policymakers, nationally, to develop a more accurate and effective methodology for tracking graduation rates and other measures of completion success. Maryland’s community colleges welcomed the news this week that a federal committee’s just-released draft report recommends to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan a broad series of changes in measuring completion success, including that of fully counting students who transfer from community colleges to four-year institutions.

“That move would be a victory for community colleges,” notes an article in Inside Higher Education about the recommendations. Maryland’s community colleges have been in the forefront of this issue, as noted on this blog and reflected in a commentary piece authored by Dr. Craig Claggett of Carroll Community College, which ran earlier this fall in that same publication. A final report will be transmitted to Secretary Duncan within the next few weeks.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized