Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is working on its new strategic plan, and sought insight from mayors and chamber of commerce leaders from Rowan and Cabarrus counties Monday.
The college shared its five proposed goals that focus on academic excellence, career preparedness, quality service, financial responsibility and advancing the community.
Mayor Barbara Mallet said she’s excited to take the word back to the East Spencer community. Awareness, she said, will produce more students for the school.
“It brought all of us together to hear what they were planning,” she said.
Mallett said she was most impressed with their goal to “provide excellent service delivery for current and perspective students to advance achievement.
“It helps them to stay with the student until it is complete,” she said.
Mallet personally knows the value of Rowan-Cabarrus’ service delivery. She’s a graduate of the college.
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College primarily serves students in Rowan and Cabarrus counties.
According to Rowan-Cabarrus President Carol Spalding, 2,268 of those students were from Concord, 2,220 were from Salisbury and 1,259 were from Kannapolis. Rockwell, China Grove, Spencer and Harrisburg also had larger student populations.
Spalding also went over the college’s plans for its Advanced Technology Center, which will provide training in information technologies, welding, machining, HVAC, electronics and electrical engineering technologies, mechanical engineering, hydraulics, pneumatics and more.
The college hopes to receive funding for the center with a bond referendum on Cabarrus County’s ballot in November.
Spalding stressed the importance of raising awareness about the referendum to Cabarrus County leaders.
“We really need to focus on education for our adults,” Mallet said, adding that there are fewer and fewer service jobs while high tech jobs continue to grow.
Many adults don’t realize what other career options are out there or don’t remember how to write a resume, she said.
At the end of the strategic discussion, the community leaders were asked to provide feedback for the school’s strategic plan and to ask any questions they had.
After the strategic planning meeting, the Board of Trustees held their monthly meeting.
R. Wayne Bost Trucking, Inc. donated a Mack conventional sleeper truck and a stainless steel tanker the college to use in its fire training program.
The board approved McCracken and Lopez, PA as the college’s consulting engineers to design the college’s air conditioning upgrades on its north campus.
The board also approved policies regarding intellectual property rights and credit hours in order to stay in compliance with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission.