RCC Board of Trustees Holds Retreat
Members of the Board of Trustees at Robeson Community College gathered together on Monday, April 4 for a special retreat in the Student Center of the main campus in Lumberton.
Trustees were served a three-course meal prepared by students enrolled in the culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, and hospitality programs at RCC. The meal included an appetizer – Caesar salad, topped with pomegranate and pecans; dinner which consisted of boneless beef ribs served over sauteed vegetables and a bed of polenta; and ended with an amazing dessert, a spin on a classic, raspberry shortcake.
Shirley Stockton, board chair for the trustees, led the retreat and provided training to members on Board Self-Assessments and Evaluations. It was a discussion of the “why’s” and covered best practices for governing boards.
The information presented by Stockton was from what she learned during a state-wide meeting of the North Carolina Association of Community College Trustees and Board of Trustees Chairs.
“Board Self-Assessments are a requirement of SACSCOC,” said Stockton, in reference to the regional accrediting body, The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, that oversees the educational quality and effectiveness of curriculum programs at RCC.
“So, it is extremely important.”
“Effective Boards have a formal policy that ensures they continually assess and improve their performance and practices,” Stockton stated as she continued her presentation. “An effective Board also sets goals for themselves, engages all Board members and the President in discussions of how the Board is doing and how it can improve.”
A discussion of the next steps ensued after Stockton’s presentation as the Board brainstormed ideas for moving forward with self-assessments.
Tito Massol, a member of the trustees, also gave a presentation showcasing what he had learned while attending two conferences – the North Carolina Association of Community College Trustees, held in Wilmington, and the Association of Community College Leadership Congress held in San Diego, CA.
“Although our community college is separated by 3000 miles from community colleges on the West Coast, I discovered that our problems are still the same, but at different levels,” said Massol. “There are staffing issues across our country, we are all still maneuvering through remote and virtual learning… but it all is related to how people communicate and the ever-changing needs, and how those needs move much faster than education can react to,”
Massol also touched on how rapidly the student demographics are changing and how much more diverse populations are becoming.
“Just here in Robeson County we have so many more cultures, we have Haitians, people from the Middle East, and an untold number of residents from Latin countries who all have different cultures and customs,” said Massol. “Even in the Middle States, people are moving to find work and fill jobs, and how do we respond?”
“Urban markets are seeing incredible growth, and we can see the same growth here in Robeson County, but we need a strategic plan to bolster that growth,” Massol concluded.
Also presenting during the retreat was RCC President Melissa Singler. Singler shared the findings from the recent PACE Campus Climate Survey that was administered to employees.
The survey identified points of pride at RCC and areas of potential improvement. Singler reported that more than 170 employees took part in the survey that focused on climate factors such as institutional structure, student focus, supervisory relationships, and teamwork. More than 66% of respondents included written comments, which Singler said provides great feedback for the college to consider as it moves forward.
