"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."Abraham Lincoln
Headlines
- State report rates A-B Tech as Exceptional
- President Emeritus Bailey sworn in to State Board
- College's longest-serving trustee Coman dies at age 88
- A-B Tech graces cover of AT&T directory
- Middle school students attend Camp CSI
- Culinary team brings home the silver
- Early Childhood Education receives $59,000 Smart Start grant
- FolkmootUSA returns to A-B Tech
- Foundation Scholarship recipients account for nearly 10 percent of spring graduates
- HRM graduate named manager of the year
- Students visit A-B Tech for Tech Connect
- Sparks are flying for College's 50th anniversary
- YES! Camp wraps up second successful year
- Tech Notes
State report rates A-B Tech as Exceptional
A-B Tech graduates have even more to celebrate since the College achieved Exceptional status, the highest possible rating, on the North Carolina Community College System's accountability measures.
A-B Tech was one of 11 community colleges in the state achieving Exceptional status on the North Carolina Community College System's accountability measures.
The NCCCS measures colleges' performance in eight core areas using the most recently available data. Accountability measures for North Carolina's 58 community colleges based on 2007-08 academic year data confirm that community college students found success in college readiness, workforce preparedness and as college transfers.
"I want to express my sincere appreciation and congratulations to everyone at A-B Tech for this wonderful achievement for our College," said Interim President Richard Mauney. "We are among a very small group of colleges that can boast performance at this level."
To obtain Exceptional status, a college must meet or exceed all eight system standards. They must also meet the performance goals of achieving the college performance rates of students who began in, rather than transferred into, the UNC System and attaining at least a 70 percent passing rate for students who sit for a licensure or certification exam for the first time.
"This is a true tribute to the professionalism and accomplishment of all of our faculty and staff who continue to make A-B Tech the best, especially in light of this difficult economic time," Mauney said.
A-B Tech's first-time test-takers were successful on all of the 11 required licensure and certification exams the College offers, including a 100 percent pass rate on the Dental Hygiene and Radiography exams. The college transfer performance was among the highest in the state at 95 percent.
"These accountability measures show that North Carolina Community Colleges are providing a great foundation for our students whether they are headed to the workplace or into baccalaureate institutions," said Dr. R. Scott Ralls, President of the N.C. Community College System. "We're providing a well-trained workforce for our state and our business community."
The colleges are expected to meet system standards in the progress of basic skills students, passing rates on licensure and certification exams for first-time test-takers, performance of college transfer students by having a 2.0 GPA or better after two semesters, passing rates in developmental courses, success of developmental students in subsequent college-level courses, student satisfaction, retention, graduation and transfer rates of curriculum students, and client satisfaction with small business center services.
"Attaining these standards is a matter of pride and achievement among our colleges, our faculty and our staff," Ralls said. "When the budget allows, we are able to provide performance-based funding to the colleges based on the number of measures they meet or if they rise to the exceptional level. However, this year our colleges understand that there won't be any additional dollars, only the satisfaction of achieving their mission of preparing students for their next step whether it's college or work. With more than 200,000 full-time students and record enrollment growth, that's a big accomplishment."
Highlights of A-B Tech's summary of performance measures found the following:
- 95 percent of first-time test takers passed licensure and certification exams.
- 95 percent of college transfer students had a GPA of 2.0 or above. 92 percent of students had passing rates in developmental courses.
- 97 percent of A-B Tech's students said they were satisfied with the quality of the College's programs and services.
- 94 percent of the businesses and industries surveyed reported satisfaction with the services provided by the College.
President Emeritus Bailey sworn in to State Board
A-B Tech President Emeritus K. Ray Bailey was sworn in as a new member of the State Board of Community Colleges by N.C. Rep. Bruce Goforth. Holding the Bible is Bailey's wife, Glenda, right, while Rep. Ray Rapp, Rep. Jane Whilden and Gov. Beverly Perdue look on.
A-B Tech President Emeritus K. Ray Bailey was sworn in to the State Board of Community Colleges July 17 in Raleigh. Members of the N.C. House elected Bailey to a six-year term on the 21-member board.
The Board serves as the governing authority for the North Carolina Community College System. The Board is empowered by General Statutes to adopt and carry out the policies, regulations and standards necessary for administering and operating the nation's third-largest system of community colleges.
Bailey served as president of A-B Tech from 1990 until he retired in August 2007. He was elected as a Buncombe County Commissioner in November 2008. He was A-B Tech's longest-serving employee, having been hired in 1966 as the director of Adult Basic Education. Under his leadership, the College grew into a three-campus institution that enrolled more than 25,000 students each year in more than 50 curriculum programs and 1,200 Continuing Education courses.
Bailey served on the boards of numerous civic organizations and has been widely recognized for his community service. Among the honors he received are the title of 2005 President of the Year for the North Carolina Community College System, the 2005 Distinguished Service Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Asheville-Buncombe Community Relations Council, and the Rotary Centennial Service Award for Professional Excellence. In 2006, he received The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of the most prestigious awards presented by the Governor of North Carolina, for extraordinary service to the state.
Bailey also received the Spirit of the Civitan Award, a Professional Achievement Award from Western Carolina University, the Leadership Asheville Circle of Excellence Award, the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce Chairman's Award, the Buncombe County Partners in Education Volunteer of the Year Award, and a Special Contributor Award from Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina.
In addition, he holds honorary doctorates from Western Carolina University and Mars Hill College in recognition of his efforts to improve the quality of education not only for A-B Tech students, but all of western North Carolina.
College's longest-serving trustee Coman dies at age 88
J. Herbert Coman
J. Herbert Coman, charter member of A-B Tech's Board of Trustees and the College's first trustee emeritus, died July 13 following an extended illness. He was 88.
Coman received the President's Award, the College's highest honor, in 1996. The Student Activity Center, which houses the College's gym, health and physical education, intramurals, recruiter, snack bar, and Student Government Association office also was named for him.
For more than 40 years, Coman, a retired human resources manager and former teacher, dedicated his life to serving A-B Tech and the Community College System. With his manufacturing background and persistent lobbying efforts, he played a critical role in the establishment of community colleges. He helped create numerous community college programs, particularly those that serve the manufacturing base in the community.
During his time on the board, Coman served through four presidents, the establishment of every program the college offers, and the growth of A-B Tech from an industrial education center to a comprehensive community college with three campuses.
Coman was a veteran, serving in the U. S. Army Air Corp, 745 Bombardment Squadron during World War II in the Mediterranean and Italy. He was awarded The Order of the Long Leaf Pine by the Governor of the State of North Carolina in 2002.
Coman was a member of the WNC Sports Hall Fame, the UNCA Athletic Hall of Fame and the Owen High School Athletic Hall of Fame. At Lee Edwards High School, he earned 12 letters in football, basketball and baseball, was All-State three times, All Southern, and played in the inaugural N.C. Shrine Bowl. At the University of South Carolina, he earned seven letters in football, basketball, baseball, and was named All-South Football. He coached at David Millard Jr. High School, Lee Edwards High School, served as Asheville-Biltmore College (UNCA) Athletic Director, Dean of Men and Football Coach. He was an athletic official in high school and college, calling 746 varsity football games and more than 2,500 basketball games.
Tech Talk is published by the Communications Office for employees, students, and friends of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.
Editor: Mona Cornwell, Writer: Martha Ball, Designers: Justin Page, April Sides
Send submissions to: Mona Cornwell, Director of Communications, at mcornwell@abtech.edu
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