CC opens 118th fall semester

Clarendon College begins its 118th fall session this week with plans to build on the successes it had in the last year.

Speaking at All College Day last Thursday morning, CC President Robert Riza talked about the positive outlook for the college and among employees there.

“We have made changes in the culture of this institution over the last 12 months,” Riza said.

Fall enrollment was still underway early this week, but the president pointed to a number of high points over the 2014-2015 school year, chief among those was CC being named by Schools.com as the number two community college in the state in terms of student success.

Dr. Riza also discussed Clarendon’s revolutionary approach to developmental education, which started last year in the math department led by Linda Rowland and Dr. Jeremy Sain. CC had a 39 percent pass rate for Tier One Developmental Math at a time when the national rate is three percent.

The program, which is now being implemented by the English department, has taken a system that got students to college level math over a period of 2½ years and accelerated it to 16 weeks.

CC’s first class to graduate with an Associate Degree in Nursing, which results in an RN certification, boasted a 94 percent pass rate on the national exam, which is a pass rate 30 points higher than neighboring Amarillo College.

In addition, residence hall occupancy had its best year-end numbers in CC history at the end of spring 2015, reflecting more students staying for the full year than ever.

Riza emphasized the closeness of Clarendon College teachers, staff, and students in achieving success.

“We’re in a good spot, we’re at a good school, and we’ve got great people,” Riza told college employees. “Everybody here matters. You are all a piece of this family.”

Later in the day, CC Regents convened in regular session and approved a $9.3 million budget for fiscal year 2016, an increase of about $79,000 over the current budget. The board also approved keeping the ad valorem tax rate at $0.220802, which is just 1.5 percent more than the effective rate and will raise taxes on a $100,000 home by $1.58.

Riza said Clarendon was one of only 12 community colleges that did not see a decrease in funding by the Legislature this year. The approved budget reflects reduced revenues in some areas, but that loss is made up by about $350,000 in grant revenue. The budget funds some new faculty positions, Riza said, including three new nursing faculty positions to prepare for growth in that program.

Regents also gave approval to the policy manual, the personnel handbook, the student handbook, and the 2015-2016 college catalog and ratified the dismissal of a custodian in a Pampa.