Governor Convenes Meeting to Advance Community College Agenda

This is an edited version of a press release from the governor's office.

Gov. Deval Patrick today hosted the first meeting of the Commonwealth’s community college board chairs to discuss implementation of his community college plan. The 15 newly-appointed chairs will partner with the administration to create a more integrated, effective community college system responsive to both local and statewide employer needs that gives community colleges additional capacity to expand student access to high-quality, relevant educational and training programs.  

The governor’s community college plan, supported by the legislature and included in the FY13 budget, calls for the governor to appoint the chair of the board of trustees at each community college. Appointments were announced in mid-October and reflect an experienced and skilled team ready to partner with the administration in strengthening the state's community college system. 

“This plan has always been about strengthening the connections between our campuses, our employers, and our workforce so that each and every one of our students has the opportunity to thrive,” said Governor Patrick. “These fifteen Board Chairs are the lynchpins of that new, coordinated system of community colleges and I am excited about what we can accomplish together.” 

Delivering on the goals of his community college plan, Governor Patrick recently awarded community colleges a total of $4 million in grants to support increased skill training and workforce alignment, improved student learning outcomes and efficiency measures at campuses across the Commonwealth. These grants are designed to give campuses additional capacity to promote higher completion rates of degrees and certificates, be more responsive to the needs of local economies as well as of the state’s fastest growing sectors and adopt a system-wide standard core of course offerings.

Patrick also announced nearly $300 million in capital funding to community colleges this fall to advance high-quality instructional and research facility projects throughout the community college system so that Massachusetts students can remain competitive in a 21st-century global economy.

At the meeting, the governor was joined by Education Secretary Paul Reville, Higher Education Commissioner Richard Freeland, Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Joanne Goldstein and Housing and Economic Development Secretary Greg Bialecki.

The 15 community college board chairs are:

•           Berkshire Community College, Darlene Rodowicz

•           Bunker Hill Community College, Marita Rivero, effective January 1, 2013

            Current Chair through 2012, Jeanne-Marie Boylan

•           Bristol Community College, Fernando Garcia

•           Cape Cod Community College, Ralph Cahoon

•           Greenfield Community College, Robert Cohn

•           Holyoke Community College, Helen Caulton-Harris

•           Massasoit Community College, Pamerson Ifill

•           MassBay Community College, Pam Richardson

•           Middlesex Community College, Royall Mack

•           Mount Wachusett Community College, Tina Sbrega

•           North Shore Community College, Richard Yagjian

•           Northern Essex Community College, William Moynihan

•           Quinsigamond Community College, Stacey Luster

•           Roxbury Community College, Kathy Taylor

•           Springfield Technical Community College, Hector Toledo

To learn more about the governor’s community college plan visit http://www.mass.gov/governor/agenda/education/.