Clarendon College President Robert Riza addressed accomplishments and upcoming goals during All College Day at the Bairfield Activity Center last Thursday, January 14, as CC prepared to open its 118th spring semester this week.
Speaking to college employees, Dr. Riza discuss several topics, beginning with the recent gun law changes in the state. There is currently no “open carry” allowed on college campuses, and CC has until 2017 to put rules in place regarding concealed weapons on campus.
The president also gave a quick run-down of successes the college has had in the last few months, including coming through its reaccreditation on-site visit with just two minor issues to be corrected and two recommendations for CC’s Quality Enhancement Program.
“You shoot for [the QEP] to be ‘Acceptable,’” he said. “That’s as good as it gets.”
Instead, one visiting official said Clarendon’s attendance-based initiative for student success, “could be a national model for attendance.”
Riza said the college has continued to strengthen its ties in the communities it serves, is pushing the benefits of dual credit, and is seeking a way to fully fund dual credit classes for students in Donley County.
Welding is now taught as dual credit classes in six area high schools, CC’s approach to developmental education has resulted in national recognition for two college faculty members, and the college has a plan in place to be able to offer an associate’s degree over 12 months with strictly online classes.
The recently announced project with Trane that will upgrade heating and cooling systems on the home campus and install HVAC in the Bulldog Gym is just part of the overall plan that is getting Clarendon College poised for growth in many areas.
CC’s Associate’s Degree in Nursing now has full approval by the Board of Nursing, and a bridge program that will lead from vocational nursing to an RN license will start this spring in Childress, working with the hospital there. The college has also inked an agreement with Texas Tech to offer a program that leads to a bachelor degree in Health Science and is pursuing other similar agreements with Tech.
Speaking to the Enterprise after his presentation, the president also pointed to the college’s auditors having no “findings” last month for the first time in several years as proof that good things are happening at the CC. But Riza says the most important thing is to look to the future.
“We do the best we can to impact the people in front of us,” Riza said. “Let’s be proud of what we’ve done but keep working hard.”
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