(The following is an excerpt from my state of the college address to faculty and staff at our fall semester in-service)

This summer President Obama unveiled a $12 billion plan over 10 years to help community colleges prepare the workforce for a new generation of jobs. The President views community colleges as the launching pad for training for new careers and a stepping stone for expanding opportunities in higher education. This initiative is one of the President’s strategies to turn around the economy.

Federal funding at this level has not been seen since the Higher Education Facilities Act of 1963 provided funding for community colleges to construct campuses and move from high school basements and abandoned buildings. In our case, we utilized these funds to move out of the old Milwaukee Railroad Building to our main building in 1967. This initiative has potential to propel Miles Community College forward not only by upgrading our facilities but also by positioning us to be the catalyst for economic recovery in Eastern Montana.

At a recent UN Forum in Paris, Jill Biden, a faculty member at Northern Virginia Community College, and wife of Vice President Joe Biden, stated that because community colleges are a source for providing new skills after layoffs, we will be the pillar for economic recovery. Miles Community College is poised to be a gateway in this economy as people lose their jobs and seek training opportunities to fill the gaps, as well as to help people transition from high school into bachelor degree programs.

Therefore, we must be prepared to adapt quickly to change, recognize emerging markets, and be proactive in looking for new opportunities. Consequently leadership roles can no longer be limited to a chosen few at the top; we all must take responsibility for the on-going success of Miles Community College.

In his recently published book, Turnaround: Leading Stressed Colleges and Universities to Excellence, James Martin states that this approach to leadership is one of five key strategies that must be implemented for the necessary turnaround to occur. Martin urges the importance of having a group of collaborative, engaged employees and trustees, stating that trust and candor make a critical difference. One of the college presidents he interviewed for the book stated, “The biggest thing is that anxiety has abated on campus and there is an attitude of personal responsibility of the future of the institution. People are eager to embrace the mission of the college and we realize that we cannot reach beyond what we are, but what we do, we will do effectively.”

Other key strategies in the book include: focus on mission, accreditation, finances, and deferred maintenance. Miles Community College’s mission is to “promote student success and lifelong learning through accessible, quality programs and community partnerships.” We will be spotlighting our mission even more as we move forward with implementing a new accreditation format. As a result of our accreditation visit four years ago, we received full accreditation with one remaining recommendation regarding general education assessment, which will be implemented this year.

Our finances are stable even in this difficult economy. Although our budgets are limited, we are financially solvent. Further evidence of our financial stability is the result of last year’s audit which had no findings.

We are addressing our deferred maintenance needs through our strategic facility maintenance plan. By having this plan in place we were able to communicate our needs during the legislative session. Thanks to Representative Bill McChesney and Senator Keith Bales, we received $700,000 in stimulus funds from the legislature to address our deferred maintenance. Our strategic plan allows us to implement most pressing projects in a timely fashion to maximize results.

Martin also emphasizes in his book that it takes about ten years to fully implement these strategies and that presidents who are committed to stabilizing their college must make this time commitment. I have made a commitment to Miles Community College and plan to stay.

I am inspired every day by the role we play in our region and by the hard work of our faculty and staff. Through academic rigor and high standards, we not only create an environment that assists students to reach their dreams; we also create dreams they never knew existed. Federal funding through the community college initiative will advance our strategic facilities plan by fifteen years and enhance our ability to serve students. I am proud to lead an institution with an integrated approach toward the development of academic excellence coupled with the value nurturing students’ success. This is indeed our niche.