Bailey Named NCCCS President of the Year
President Bailey accepts congratulations from (l-r) Sandra Hayes of the State Board of Community Colleges, Brick Brown of Wachovia, State Board Chair Hilda Pinnix-Ragland, and NCCCS President Martin Lancaster.
A-B Tech President K. Ray Bailey received the 2005 North Carolina Community College President of the Year Award Nov. 18 at the North Carolina Community College System's Day of Recognition Awards Luncheon at the RBC Center in Raleigh.
The program is sponsored by the State Board of Community Colleges, the North Carolina Community Colleges Foundation, Inc. and Wachovia Corp. to encourage, identify, and reward outstanding leadership and commitment to the community college mission among the presidents of the 58 institutions of the North Carolina Community College System.
"I am honored to have been chosen for this prestigious award from among my peers," President Bailey said. "It is a tribute not to the leadership of a single individual, but to the outstanding faculty and staff, Board of Trustees, Foundation Board, and community supporters of A-B Tech. Their efforts have built our college into one of the finest in the country."
President Bailey visits with former Learning Resources Center Director Shirley McLaughlin, one of the North Carolina Community College System retirees of the past year honored at the Day of Recognition.
Mr. Bailey is A-B Tech's longest-serving employee, joining the college in 1966 as director of Adult Basic Education and working his way up to the presidency in 1990. A native of Tullahoma, TN, he received a bachelor's degree from Middle Tennessee State University, a master's degree from Western Carolina University, and an honorary doctorate from Mars Hill College.
He has been the recipient of many awards for his contributions to the community, including, most recently, the 2005 Distinguished Service Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Asheville-Buncombe Community Relations Council and the Rotary Centennial Service Award for Professional Excellence. He is married to Glenda Greenwood Bailey and has four children and four grandchildren.
Among the accomplishments he was cited for in being selected President of the Year were:
- Creating A-B Tech's Enka campus in the year 2000 through a donation from textile maker BASF Corp. The gift of nearly 37 acres and three buildings is the largest donation of property ever given to a community college in the United States.
- Growing enrollment to more than 25,000 students annually, including a 30 percent increase in the number of curriculum students in the past five years.
- Adding more than 30 degree and diploma programs to the college's curriculum since he became president.
- Creating effective partnerships with business and industry, other community colleges, schools, and four-year institutions that enhance the region's economic development.
- Participating as a board member or chairman of more than 30 local and regional civic organizations.
- Constructing a Computer Technology Center that houses, among other programs, the state's first two-year Digital Media Technology program, and a Hospitality Education Center that will soon be home to the college's nationally-acclaimed Culinary Technology program, Hotel and Restaurant Management, and Baking and Pastry.
The President of the Year is chosen by a committee that includes the North Carolina Community College System's executive vice president, a member of the State Board of Community Colleges, a representative from Wachovia, a member of the North Carolina Community Colleges Foundation board, a community college trustee, a community college student, and a member of the faculty of the N.C. State University Department of Adult and Community College Education.
Barnett Chosen as Educational Office Professional of The Year
From left, Austin Ramsey received the Nelle Creasman Student Scholarship at the NCAEOP's District 1 fall awards luncheon. Robert Logan, superintendent of Asheville City Schools, was named Administrator of the Year. A-B Tech's Tamala Barnett, a secretary in the Division of Arts and Sciences, was named Educational Office Professional of the Year.
Tamala Barnett, a secretary in the Division of Arts and Sciences at A-B Tech, recently received the Educational Office Professional of the Year Award for District 1 from the N.C. Association of Educational Office Professionals.
She received the honor Nov. 2 at an awards luncheon in the Haynes Conference Center on the Enka Site. She will represent District 1 at the state level.
In order to qualify for the award, nominees must be at least a five-year member of the NCAEOP state association and either hold a Professional Standards Program certificate or be enrolled in the program. Judges evaluate the nominee's autobiographical narrative on achievements, two letters of recommendation, and a list of all in-service courses taken in the past 10 years.
"Tamala is an outstanding employee who is always willing to accept new challenges without hesitation," said Tom Dechant, Dean of Arts and Sciences. "She is a perfect example of our invitational philosophy. Her service to our students, faculty, and department chairs has been an integral part of our success as an educational institution. Tamala is very deserving of this award because of her compassion for our students and their success."
Austin Ramsey, a senior at McDowell High School, had come to the meeting to provide musical entertainment. He was quite surprised to learn he would be leaving with the $1,000 Nelle Creasman Student Scholarship.
Robert Logan, Superintendent of Asheville City Schools, was named Administrator of the Year.
Vet Med Tech Students Work To Keep Animals Adoptable
Veterinary Medical Technology Student Rachel Ownbey shaves Buster's paw in preparation for surgery while Dianne Cotter, Veterinary Medical Technology chair, holds his head.
It probably started with a case of heartworms. A beautiful, tan Labrador mix was brought to the Asheville Humane Society's shelter with no chance of being adopted because of the parasites.
Allyson Hall, a second-year Veterinary Medical Technology student, couldn't bear to see her euthanized, so she made arrangements to have her treated, at cost, at the veterinary clinic where Hall works. "It's a natural instinct to want to help," she said. "This is what we are going to school for."
"Some of us pitched in a little money to help with the bill, but Allyson has by far paid for most of it, even at cost," said Dianne Cotter, Veterinary Medical Technology chair.
Then came Buster, a black Labrador mix stray, who had been hit by a car. He received injuries to his pelvis, and his tail no longer wagged due to damage to the spine. Dogs in Buster's condition are usually euthanized at the shelter.
Andrea Byrd is an animal caretaker at the shelter who fell in love with Buster and wanted to do what she could to save him. "I just really wanted to do something for him. I called around to different vets to see if we could get an x-ray of him," she said.
Charlotte Street Animal Hospital did the x-rays and the North Carolina ASPCA came up with some funds to help pay for them.
"The dog is just so cool. He was just a really happy dog and we were hoping we could get him into adoption. Buster loves other dogs and animals and wants to play so badly," Byrd said.
She asked if there would be any chance of A-B Tech's Veterinary Medical Technology program being able to look at Buster with a view to surgery.
Currently, the Vet Med Tech program works closely with the Humane Society to do workups on animals heading for their adoption program. The students get practical experience in obtaining specimens for testing purposes as well as the "hands-on" contact essential in developing good handling skills.
The animal shelter receives, in return, dogs that have usually been bathed, have their nails trimmed, ears cleaned and received a de-worming treatment. Cats are tested for various diseases, have their ears cleaned and nails trimmed.
"We provide a basic health exam for animals from the shelter," said Cotter. "The goal of the program is to work with the shelter and make the animals adoptable."
The Veterinary Clinical Practice II class meets for its practical work at REACH, Regional Emergency Animal Care Hospital, under the direction of Dr. James Guenther. Dr. Guenther, who has been in the community for 30 years, started working with the class taught by Cotter and Dana York this semester. "It was a way for me to support the community," he said.
Dave Hinton, a student in the class transports the animals between the shelter and REACH. He discussed Byrd's request for Buster with Dr. Guenther, Cotter and York.
Dr. Guenther carefully looked at the x-rays of Buster and after discussions with the instructors, he agreed to carry out a neuter, tail dock and femoral head ostectomy. The injuries were recent and, in cases like that, time is of the essence so surgery was scheduled for two days later.
Buster arrived bright and early for his surgery with a whole team ready to see him through from beginning to end.
The morning class had the opportunity to see a surgery and tail dock as well as some of the class being involved in the workup, premeds, anesthesia, surgical assisting and recovery.
"The students are fortunate to have this kind of hands-on experience," said Cotter. "We have a great relationship with the shelter and REACH. Dr. Robert Freeman, a local veterinarian, was gracious enough to allow us to use his instruments. We still have a need for orthopedic instruments, which are specialty instruments and quite expensive."
"I took Buster back to the shelter and already he is happily putting weight on his left leg. I hope to get pictures in a few months time to show his recovered condition," said Hinton.
Buster is now adoptable, rather than being put to sleep. "It's very gratifying to be able to do this. It keeps us motivated to see we made a difference," said student Laura Dendy.
Student Beth Theida said the program makes pet lovers out of everyone. "It's probably why we all have about 500 animals," she said.
"Not many people in this program own normal, healthy animals," said student Lauren Hawkins.