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on this edition of around bcc
we spent some time to looking at the news and activities at the bccs attleboro
center
there's some good news for students who plan to attend bcc next academic year
and our attleboro based alum took advantage of bccs dual enrollment program
to get a head start to college
music:
welcome to our bcc I'm Keith Thibault
it is April which means that we are fully in spring and hopefully
better weather is ahead as we head for the second half of the
twenty thirteen spring semester at although locations of bristol community
college
for the past few years or so we've had the great opportunity to visit
some of the bccs campuses
outside of fall river where of course the main campus is located and today for
at least the third or four year in a row we are at the Attlboro center and we're
pleased to be joined for the first part
of our program by the dean of attleboro and taunton Rodney Clock Rodeney thank you
for joining us appreciate it Keith think for coming out we appreciate it
again we appreciate coming to attlboro and it's a good opportunity for us to
share
the good work that's being done in this part of bristol county on behalf of a
bcc
let me ask you Rodney this is your second full
academic year has dean of attlboro and taunton
what did you learn from year one that you're taking into your second year
i would say that probably the biggest thing is really
the relationship cultivation
with students with faculties with staff and certainly with the community
into that end one of the things we're trying to do was having a better
sense of
what is specific to
needs of attlboro area residents what kinds of programming and coursework
a more suitable for where they are academically
so were just trying to play pay closer attention to that
by working more closely with the school systems and in attlboro and taunton
other communities as well
so that's what's been a really good for us
now i know that went to the campus started
on county st and moved here eventually
that uh... i think that the focus probably are just getting something
started
serving the needs educational needs of this community
in a basic way some of the
the the general educational topics and and and and uh... in courses
but now i guess from what i hear from you trying to pinpoint
specifically what may be the educational needs of this part of bristol county
correct i think so uh... to do that we have formed an advisory
committee which consists of individuals in the
educational sector as well as the business community
in community in government relations folks as well
and again we're trying to help inform the direction of this colleges to go and
in this particular municipality so that's real important to us because we
don't want to do is make the mistake of
trying to develop programming at offer courses
really based upon random kind of guesswork were trying much more specific
uh... and again that comes from paying attention to the community
in terms of
unit of the big push at the bcc has been for years
getting those who are currently in the workforce to improve their skills
through education
workforce development programs uh... is that a big part of this is well not just
traditional students who may come to the doors but workforce development
well to be honest with you keith I don't really know
how its
correctly defined a traditional student
because our students who are coming straight from high school
and many of them if not most of them or part-time students
because in addition to advancing academically
there are also working they may have family responsibilities and the
like
uh... some of them are
traditionally the day time student but not all of them there are some doing the coursework
online
uh... in the evenings on the weekends and we're trying to
customize the type of academic program that makes the most sense
now in speaking of
getting a handle on
the future educational needs of the attlboro area you talked about working
with political
officials
uh... those in the business community in goes the education of community what
about reaching out to
some of the potential students
here at bcc what's being done to try to get their opinions on what they may want
from bcc going forward
well that's actually to that end one of things we've done is we've developed
uh... a survey
instrument which we launched a month
or two ago
and one of the great things about us that it's asking
potential students existence students
what is it
that we need to be offering how do we customize our academic programming that
makes the most sense
one of the things that we've been discussing is trying to figure out
what does a better way to deliver
hybrid course offerings
in other words in a typical online class
they may be some component of that where
they may have face-to-face contact the couple few times during the academic
semester
in all the other instructions handled electronically
we're trying to figure out
how do we handle that how do we shape that makes the most sense for people
and how are the demographics in if you know this know how are the demographics of this part of the
county maybe a little different than some of the urban area's of fall river
and new bedford how would that play a role that's a good question
the question Keith one of the thing's we've noticed uh... that i've noticed
specifically is that
a lot of the students who seem to who come here seem to be a little bit
younger
than any other campus locations
and because of that their level of academic preparation may be a little bit
stronger
and so that's been really good for us to have a sense of that because what that
does do really helps us to make sure that
we're doing the kinds of things
in terms of course offerings in an academic programming as well as student
support services that make the most sense for people
that's one of the thing's were trying to do
that's also being done in fall river and a new bedford
it's interesting how
the satellite locations are
doing their best to try to tailor to that specific region that they serve
where
you know
for years
the thought was well you know where bcc in its just
it's sort of uh... of
you know one
one size fits all approach but that i can't really be the case with
with uh... the
demographics of region and that that's good that
attlboro and I know new bedford and fall river are doing that as well as i do those
data driven research to make sure that you meet the needs of those locations so
that is important
it is because we're a realize this certainly there's a bristol
community college brand
which certainly
makes sense for the
a greater bristol county region we certainly understand that very seriously
but at the same time some of the needs
might be a little bit different in fall river compared to attlboro
not better not worse but just a little bit different
and so we try to make sure that were in step with that meeting those needs of
appropriately
let's talk about uh... sum of
the numbers
here at attlboro in general terms
the good thing that
has benefited bcc in general
um...
since you know the economic declined two thousand eight two thousand nine ten
eleven twelve
is that
more more students are looking at bcc as an affordable
and a very quality
option for their educational needs
bcc has been fortunate enough to see an increase in aroma just about every year
despite the fact that there are less dollars in people's pockets on that
still have been the trend here in attlboro more and more people
uh... are enrolling here in the taking part of the activities here
you know that's a really good for us as well we'll see a
certainly and increase for enrollment
looking at spring 2013
compared to sprint 2012
a roman growth
comparing those two time frame
about six seven eight percent above we were
that time frame last year
so that's really been good for us what things that we've instituted in addition
to try to full advantage of
the different media outlets whether it's the newspaper our website facebook
uh... what we're trying to put take food as well those
uh... opportunities but the same time
we've been doing a number of
somebody described as old-fashioned approaches
were calling students indirectly or directly
uh... students who are here it's time to register for classes were calling let them
know that we have advisors here group to meet with them privately one-on-one
in order for them to help sort classes for the upcoming semester
and i'm sure you are also using
uh... connections at the local high schools in the recent to try to let them
know he was still here were still a great
a great resource
and a great uh... option for students as they continue their higher educational
career absolutely
uh... let's let's talk about time the other of the other hand you where is
your also the dean of the activity of taunton I know there's been over
the past few years there's been some unfortunate
um...
not much stability there in terms of where the classes have been held talk about
updates that
that are happening in taunton
one of the thing's we have been doing in taunton
uh... in addition to
well first of all we've actually
added another evening of classes ok there
prior to my arrival and during my first year in this position
we're offering classes at night
in taunton
on monday tuesdays and wednesdays
courses were beginning either at four o'clock or seven o'clock
these are the students who do back-to-back coursework in a given
evening and that was fine
we saw the need to expand that to a four th evening on thursdays so we just
started that this uh... spring semester and that's really worked well for us
so recognizing that there are a lot of folks in taunton who
certainly appreciate respect what bristol community college has to offer
we've been inviting in different uh...
leaders from
the bristol community to come in and meet the faculty and meeting for students
we've had doctor spraga coming
and a couple few of the different vice presidents and
of the directors of professional of the support staff
conduct their business there
or simply too
greet students in different hallways or different classrooms and such and that's
that's really worked well for us
and so on enrollment in taunton has grown into a little over 200 students
so that really been good for us
one of the thing that are very interesting is that
we've had some students expressed a desire
for us to have more technology classes
and i'll be honest with you i wasn't really sure that we have enough students in
order to run a class there
we certainly work that we promoted it
and it's been very successful for us
in edition there were a students that stressed the need or desire to have
science classes
and so we've offered astronomy class this semester that's gone really well
for us and were exploring some other opportunity's there also how
difficult
just because of
where you're physically located and
the staff
is physically located here in attlboro
to try to get those um...
that data that your trying to gather here in attloboro from taunton to try to meet
their needs how difficult is that
or or it or maybe it's not as difficult because you'll be able to
make some of those educational connections in those political
connections
laterally there on the phone or
the email
what we do all those things certainly we work closely with the
taunton school department I've met with the superintendent a few times and so we've
had some discussions and so that's really worked well for just at that time
partnership established
but taunton is one of those
communities where it's it's rather interesting depending upon where a
person resides
the taunton resident may have a connection at an additional connection to bristol
location here in attlboro or
they may have a connection to bristol's main campus location fall river
so depending upon where student resides
that may determine which way are they going to just what they do taunton
now the good thing about that is when we
offer classes in taunton
we try to make sure that students know
uh... through the different sign's we post on the hallways and such
students have the opportunity to take advantage of the defferent service is
available
here in attlboro and in taunton as well
so it is obviously a lot
of room for growth in
in taunton
is there also some impact uh... in terms of taunton's relatively
proximity to Massasoit community college in brockton i mean it's almost is closes
little further away
taunton to brockton then taunton to fall river so is that an issue
i don't think that it is and largely because
we find that there are a lot of students
they are extremely busy
with someone with their schoolwork with their employment situation and of course
with their families
so they may not want to travel such a long distance in order to advance
themselves academically
and that certainly testament to just the explosive growth that we've seen
online
a distance learning types of uh... platforms that's really worked well for
us
but no I've not seen really any
hardy data to suggest that
there's been any type of
competition
uh... that we've lost because of the proximity to Massasoit
uh... in brockton
and in fact they open at the campus location in a couple of years ago
the middleborrow
and i've not seen any erosion in our taunton numbers instant in fact it's
been quite the opposite
it's really grown
i wanna finish up our conversation talk a little bit more about workforce
development uh...
meeting the needs of the industry in the businesses here in the attlboro area
again demographics are different
um...
here then they may be in fall river
and and the bedford and you mentioned about before we taped about a event
that
that's being held this month early this month
uh... to try to get some of those businesses through the doors and get
people talking to them about
there need's let's talk a little bit about that event
in collaboration with the united chamber of commerce would serves
attlboro and taunton
and a number of other communities in between
uh... along with course bristol community college in bridgewater state
university
we brought in a number of businesses
who are members of the chamber of commerce
really as a as a fact-finding
opportunity for
individual business to learn more about
how we can help each other to really elevate
this community
and that the has really worked well for us uh... to the extent that
it's one thing for it
a business owner to be familiar with another business owner
to find specifically what types of services that that other business owner may
be able to offer that will help the other one
and so having that platform here bristol we believe that that will help elevate
our visibility in this community
because we find it a lot of business owners
they may know vaguely that bcc is in attlboro but they may not know
this campus very well that may not know the difference services that are
available
and so we see it kind of as a as a
two-pronged uh... advantage to us
it's bringing this people into the center physically into the center
physically into the center but at the same time recognizing that they influence
people and there
uh... constituencies whether employees or staff members or
certainly uh... family members or neighbors
and for them to see what's available here in attlboro
where confident that helps to bring back the message into those differences spheres
influencing
finally you mentioned uh... survey that's being done get information about
attleboro
and speaking with those in the educational community political
community business community about
what the needs are academically
can you shed any light on what
students in the attlboro area may expect to see with the new academic year
coming up in the fall
that's a harder question to answer I mean to be honest with you I mean we hear a number of
anecdotal
types of things and i think that's really why we want to be
rely upon
much more hard data to inform the future direction for what were going to do
and so i think that's what speaks to
surveyed instrument that we have in place is uh... you know right now we're
trying to evaluate
what direction should we go where they have a good sense of that we obviously
need to have
a certain number of math classes and English classes and reading and history and
psychology some of the basic classes that fit the number of different programs or
try to find out
are there specific other types of course that we should offer
and if so should we offer them war during the day or night on the weekend
uh... one of the thing's that we started just this past fall
is a week in college
where their's a hand full programs that students can complete
just by taking classes on saturdays and sundays
and so that's really worked well for us also
well Rodney Clark Dean of
I appreciate your time and thank for the hospitality thank's for comming
coming out well more of around bcc right after this
welcome back
april is the time when bcc students start registering for classes coming up
this fall
and the college has some good news for not only those students but a new
students attending bcc next year
there will be no increase intuition and fee's the bcc board of trustees took a
courageous step last month announcing that tuition and fees at bristol
community college will not go up for the 2013-2014
academic year
president dr John Spraga says fees have risen steadily over the last few years
due to a decrease in support from the state he says this year is different as
the state aims to bring funding fairness to community colleges one of the factors
that is helpful
reach this decision is the advent of a new
formula funding of mechanism for the community colleges
and it is to redistribute weather it is one extra dollar or not
it is to redistribute the existing dollars for
for whatever amount of dollar's are in the pool
for community colleges some of us and of course bristol ofcource is one of the leaders
in the pack
have suffered from uh...
en-adequate support based on our our enrollment search
uh... we have uh... over the years that i've been here we've gained by some
80 percent of our students
however the state support has not only not kept up but has actually
declined
so uh... the new funding formula is uh... another panacea but it certainly
going to
ameliorate some of our problems in the inequity
of the distributions
in addition to the new funding formula governor patrick has proposed allocating
20 million dollars more
for the state's community colleges
beginning this summer tuition and fees for an average three credit course at
bcc will remain
at 522 dollars
522 dollars
just in time for easter bcc's culinary arts program in conjunction with skills
usa held it's 6th annual cake show at the fall river campus
the creative talents of cake decorators from across the region were on display
at this year's show
regional and world renowned pastry chefs were also on hand to judge the cake
decorating competitions
assistant professor of culinary arts Gloria Cabral says her pastry
students
learned real life skills by participating in the show
we've used this as a stepping stone to see the they all the work that has to be
involved the techniques you have to know
it's not something you know when you learn you go in and your done it's the practice
practice practice is what makes you my students they say after 500 times
you'll get better so they see how much these people have invested with their
passion to make a beautiful cake and it's good for them they also have a
what we call mandatory volunteering because they have to it's all part this is all
for them
so they have to be part of the growing experience so it's a good thing
in all aspects of it that they will see that if i don't wanna be a competitive
well maybe i can do
cookies or cake or maybe I can be a vendor
or we see people coming to take photography pictures beautiful pictures
may the'll be a food stylus or photographer
so we give them all aspects of what they can do
here just as simple as this may seem
it's very complex and uh... the growth for the kids is wonderful
this month alumni and our community features an attlboro base graduate
who began his collegiate career
before receiving his high school diploma
Hi my name is Hunter perrawetmore
bcc class of 2012
i was born in province rhode island uh... actully at woman and infants hospital and i
grow up mostly in rhode island in pawtucket which
borders attlboro uh... i moved to attlboro when i was
i want to say 10 and I might have been 8 my mom has the details they're
I was homeschool
i've been home-schooled my entire life if you ask my mom I think
the some song about
this kid comes into school and starts coloring the roses purple and other
and all these flowers like the wrong colors
and the teacher makes the kid color them right
uh... like roses are red violets are blue you know
and it's is very song about how
creativity at that age was kind of
squashed and that's my moms like
this is why I want to home-school you because
she was very much into the
uh... freedom of expression freedom to learn the way you want learn to
when i got
was homeschooled
I kind of didn't even realize it was a difference until i hit like
middle school age
because you do even think of it we were in a home school co-op
so we had a ton of different homeschooled families
uh... altogether so i had a bunch of friends we went to parks and museums
we
always doing stuff together
and it never even accursed to me
all that different
then middle school I did like basketball camp at the YMCA I did
boy scott camp and I was like o yeah there's people that go to school
and
at first
middle school going towards high school it's like 13 14
i really considered going to high school I was like
no
what what do i want to be here is this what i want to be doing
they I was like no you know I had a girl friend
friend i'm gonna stay home-schooled my mom is a bcc alum i can't tell
you the class year but she graduated from the nursing school
uh... nursing program here
uh... so she knew about bcc i have done the kids college program when i was i don't
know what age much younger
and then uh... I was hitting high school age i want to suplument my education
and a couple of other homeschoolers
had taking classes at
at CCRI
and one other home-school-er their uh...
at the time
actually Robert Logins Nan Logins works here
was taking classes here so they'd i'd kind of her through the homeschool
grapevine that there's duel enrollment
kind of reduced tuition to take these classes
and uh...
you know I though it was a really great idea
and i are done uh... AB bio through MIT so I wanted to keep
doing bio
so I was able to take the more advanced anatomy and philology when i came here
that time I stepped forward
wow i can really do more
i really accessed some great resources here
so that's kinda
draw me you know into bcc
also as a younger student as as kind of the um...
o that's interesting your that age tell me more about it and we have a
everyone here is so incredibly friendly
you most attlboro and other communities yet people know each other
you know they like each other
ever one really gets along here so
um...
coming in you know i'd be in my english 101 course and
people be like o your that
age tell me more about it and i talked and formed a lot of um...
friendships and connections with people who are older than me who were
somewhere just on a high school a lot where are kind of returning students are
non traditional
it was really excellent to be able to connect with people from different experence level
different
walks of life
uh...
and their everyone here was so very open and so very like
now willing to tell their stories willing to share with me and
i really had a huge learning experience from that
i was always really intrested in medical fields i was interested in uh... uh...
just health in general my mom was is
is labor delivery room there's a woman and infants in providence
and my dad works act non profits and a equipment program management
as well as uh... like group homes in doing care their so i've always been
kind of integrating that health field and when i came to bcc
the first class i did here was anatomy and physiology
which uh...
you know much anatomy and physiology it's sort of a pre req class
for incredibly competitive nursing program
so
i was with people like
i'm going to be nurse i'm going to be this is you know might
that the other
i am interested in this
so um...
it was really great
kind of develop those interests of other people were interested in medical
careers
and who it had previous medical expenses that LPN EMTS uh... in my course
so i really got to reach out and hear stories about medicine uh... and that
kind of was able to develop out what i want to go into and hear other
experiences rather than just my parents
i started with tutoring here uh...
i was there was an advisor who i spoke which he headed the dual enrollment
program here at and at the time
and shes
you should be if you have it
as what kind of a regular tutor
and then uh...
when I was 16 1/2 my next semester
uh...
i've joined the senate decent senate here which is kind of our governing body
uh...
for students at bcc
ag join as the out of our campus representative
i kinda jumped in midway through the year undo some seven
confusion with appointees and stuff like that
but it was just op antacids fears because it really got to work
uh... with administrators network people who are
in charge thirty deal i graduate the sistine faltering twelve
and i graduate would like to create liberal arts math and science option
which is a mass transfer degree which allowed me to get into uh...
u_-mass amherst date accepted sixty credits of mine outweighed my tuition
because that's kind of the agree articulation agreement we have a few
mass and i started as abe ap to get my bachelor's degree in public health exams
my car plant size of my graduate my bachelors in public health
then get uh... a degree in nursing and i might be coming back here for that i'm
not positive
uh... but once
then i'm able to explore both the bachelors i think the market with it
work with um...
the public health fields
also being able to work with my nursing degree
bcc help me
as a student help me really kind of
gather who i was in the find who i was because
i was younger west are going to be cc and i think a lot of people have had a
developmental period of like we're not really sure what we want to do without
cannula but guidance
and bcc gave at lake
through the working as a cure working in sindh government
late leadership skills competencies i can run a program i can drop by ken
bring people together i can organize things
that's off around bcc this month
we leave you with a look at material matters antarctic civic recently held at
the grimshaw bitterroots art gallery at the four of the campus i'm keith cbo
thanks for watching
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