Riza points to CC’s past in focusing on future

Clarendon College faculty reported for the 2017 spring semester last Thursday, and CC President Robert Riza welcomed them with an address that looked at past accomplishments but focused on the need to stay relevant in today’s environment.

With students returning to campus this week, Dr. Riza quickly ran through the top headlines of 2016, which saw Clarendon College students excelling and the college itself establishing new partnerships and programs to help students succeed. The college also honored its alumni and its heritage in the last year, but the president was only looking to the past to bring focus on the future.

“We have to maintain relevance,” Riza said. “What worked 20, 15, or 10 years ago, won’t work today or three years from now.”

The president put forth several interesting facts about Clarendon College from 1997 compared to CC today to show how the institution has grown and changed.

In 1997, Clarendon employed 24 full time faculty members compared to more than 40 today. Spring enrollment has grown from 790 twenty years ago to 1,252. Back then there were no dual credit classes, although CC did teach a few college classes in area high schools. Today, 513 high school students are enrolled in dual credit courses.

The college’s budget in 1997 was $3.3 million and 60 percent of that was state funded. Today, CC has a budget of $9.3 million and only receives about 35 percent of those funds from the state.

Although community colleges teach about 70 percent of the state’s freshmen and sophomores, two-year schools have lost a lot of influence the in the state Capitol where the late Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock was one of their staunch supporters, Riza said.

“Sen. Kel Seliger is a friend of ours, and he understands what we do,” the president said but noted that many new Legislators don’t understand the importance of community colleges.

“Our students are very successful,” Riza said of Clarendon College. “Ninety-four percent of dual credit students pass their classes. Eighty-four percent go on to college, and 38 percent finish bachelor’s degrees within four years.

“We (community colleges) are the best expense of state dollars,” Riza said.

The president reminded the faculty and staff about their purpose and the impact they have on students’ lives.

“Our students need our best every day that they are here,” he said.

The afternoon session of All College Day was focused on a new state law that will allow Concealed Handgun License (CHL) holders to be able to carry their weapons on public college campuses beginning this fall

Riza reminded those in attendance that the law only applies to licensed concealed carriers and that openly carrying on the campus is still a felony. There will also be rules in place that will limit where even concealed weapons can be carried.

For instance, no weapons will be permitted in the Childress Center or in college classrooms at the Childress Regional Medical Center as those facilities are not owned by the college. No weapons will be allowed in college dormitories, and there may even be restrictions in the classroom buildings because other laws prohibit weapons where UIL events are held.

“We’re still working on setting the designated areas,” Riza said. “The law takes effect August 1, 2017.”