A Little Dance to the Future

Earlier this month, Dennis Jones of the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems presented “An Assessment of Community College Service Needs in Central Louisiana” to the board of the Louisiana Community & Technical College System in Baton Rouge. In preparing the report, Mr. Jones conducted analyses; interviewed Central Louisiana civic leaders, economic development professionals and major employers; and reviewed the Rapides Foundation’s 2008 “Beyond High School” report that set the stage for the region’s progress towards a comprehensive community and technical college.

Among other things, the new report says, “Central Louisiana is the most underserved region of the state with regard to provision of community college services.” It could have said that we are one of the most underserved regions in the nation with accuracy as well.

More importantly, the report makes a series of recommendations that when implemented could change the landscape of Central Louisiana forever.

The report recommends “…creation of a technical community college in the Alexandria region.” It says that the college should be serve as the “…single front door” for community college services for students and employers. It goes on to prescribe the kinds of services that should be offered through the new entity.

A question that often arises on this subject is, “Didn’t LSUA used to be a community college?” Since LSUA’s status as a four-year institution is a relatively recent phenomenon, this is a perfectly normal question. However, the answer is “no.” LSUA was a two-year college, but it was never the kind of comprehensive community and technical institution that is envisioned by “Beyond High School” or in the new recommendations.  A comprehensive community and technical college in Central Louisiana is a game-changer for us, a landmark event.

It fills a gaping hole in Central Louisiana, and it does so within a system that is constitutionally mandated to provide such services. As we look at building a real knowledge platform for the citizens, businesses and institutions of Central Louisiana, the addition of the technical community college is exactly what is called for at this point in our history.

It is astonishingly good news for the region. As “Beyond High School” demonstrated, the greatest opportunity for job creation in the region for the next decade will be in jobs requiring more than a high school education, and less than a four-year diploma. It is specifically that arena in which the region is so underserved, and it is specifically that market that the new institution will serve.

The result will be investment, jobs, higher levels of knowledge, higher levels of pay, and new wealth creation for our region.

Congratulations and thanks to all of the leaders in Central Louisiana who have supported and encouraged the creation of a technical community college in Central Louisiana.

Rapides Foundation President Joe Rosier and I had the pleasure of accompanying Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy and Pineville Mayor Clarence Fields to make comments to the NCTCS board. While we all expressed our pleasure with the recommendations, it is notable that these two elected officials were willing and able to lead in such harmony. Many other community leaders have supported this action over the past two years, and they, too, deserve credit.

Another region that is moving towards development of a technical community college is on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain. The region needs the school, but it is not as underserved as Central Louisiana. However, the political and civic leadership are thoroughly united behind this goal and that makes a huge difference for the region.

Mayors Fields and Roy have shown that we can have that kind of harmony across jurisdictional and political lines in Central Louisiana as well.

The report will now go on to the Louisiana Board of Regents for its consideration. Because of the way the report recommends using existing institutional resources to pave the way on implementation, we could be looking forward to the commencement of classes before the year is out.

I may do a little dance across the Jackson Street Bridge on that day.