A-B Tech Rated Superior Third Year In A Row

A-B Tech's faculty and staff gather on the lawn of the Learning Resources Center to celebrate the College's third straight Superior rating.

A-B Tech is one of only three community colleges of the 58 in North Carolina to earn a superior rating for the third consecutive year on a state report card that evaluates how well the colleges serve their students and business and industry.

The performance measures began in 2001 as the result of a mandate from the General Assembly to ensure strong public accountability from tthe state's community colleges. A-B Tech has earned the highest rating possible each year since.

"We're proud to once again receive such a resounding endorsement of the job we're doing in meeting our community's needs," said K. Ray Bailey. "This rating ensures the public that A-B Tech is providing the kinds of quality educational opportunities the citizens of Buncombe and Madison counties need to prepare not only for the jobs of today but also for the jobs of tomorrow."

Colleges are evaluated on 12 performance measures ranging from the employment rate of their graduates, the percentage of students who indicate they achieved their educational goal, and the passing rate of students in developmental courses to the performance of their college transfer students after one year at a public university. A-B Tech is one of only four colleges to meet all 12 standards this year.

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Enka Campus Receives $ 3 Million Appropriation

Renovation efforts at A-B Tech's Enka Campus received a major boost in June when the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners adopted a budget containing a $3 million special appropriation for the campus.

"A-B Tech's Enka Campus is a tremendous economic engine for all of Buncombe County," said David Young, vice chairman of the Board of Commissioners and chairman of the Buncombe County Economic Development Commission. "From our standpoint, it's a matter of a good solid investment that's going to have good returns for the citizens of Buncombe County."

Pointing to the June 9 announcement of a new biotech-related company, Phenix Research Products, (see related story, page3) Young said: "We're already seen one company locate on the Enka Campus and we expect more to locate there and more jobs to be built ...."

Commissioner Patsy Keever said the Enka Campus also serves as an important source of continuing education for the citizens of Buncombe County. "The need for lifelong learning is more critical in the 21st century than ever before," said Keever, a retired educator. "A-B Tech's Enka Campus will help our citizens meet that need by providing educational opportunities that reflect the diverse and changing needs of our community."

President K. Ray Bailey said the $3 million appropriation will allow A-B Tech to complete work that must be done to receive a certificate of occupancy from the City of Asheville on the portion of the campus the college has lacked funds to renovate. "This will allow us to renovate (BASF's) former Marketing Technical Building for a small business incubator, renovate the balance of space in the (former) RandD building to attract biotech and biotech-related companies, and complete renovation of the Haynes Center to give us space to provide additional training opportunities for new and expanding industries and other service agencies in Buncombe County," President Bailey said.

Breaking News: Governor Mike Easley signed the state budget Monday which included $814,000 for the Enka Campus.

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Emphasizing The General Liberally

Chairperson of Developmental Studies Gigi Derballa was selected to be on the Executive Board of the Association for General and Liberal Studies (AGLS). Its mission is to emphasize the importance of general and liberal studies to college students. Derballa is the only community college member on the AGLS board. Her three-year term begins this fall and she will be organizing a panel of key people from community colleges and universities to discuss transfer issues for students from community college's who are going to universities.

Constructing the Future

Dean of Engineering and Applied Technology Robert Anderson presented the new Construction Management Technology program to the Carolina Association of General Contractors (AGC) at the Holiday Inn Sunspree June 17. Over 50 contractors attended to learn about the program and the articulation agreement between A-B Tech and Western Carolina University. The AGC gave its support for the program and agreed to provide co-op sites, internships and jobs for graduates of the program. A needs assessment survey for the service area of Buncombe and surrounding areas, shows the average wage for a graduate of this program will be $35, 000.

Gilded Glory

A-B Tech's Decorative Restoration program received national publicity in the June 2003 edition of Art and Antiques. The article focuses on the gold leafing of the bedroom walls of "Mr. V", George Vanderbilt, at The Biltmore Estate. The article states that "For a month, 17 students from the decorative restoration program at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College carefully applied 700 books of 3-inch-square gold leaves. Now, generations to come will enjoy the fruit of their labor and skill," the article said.

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