2016 State of the College highlights HCC accomplishments
Feb 22, 2016
Houston Community College Chancellor Cesar Maldonado, Ph.D., P.E., challenged an impressive crowd of elected officials, community leaders, and industry partners to view the institution in a new light. The concept of change was the focus of the HCC State of the College 2016 at Bayou City Event Center in Houston.
“I want you to dare greatly with us as we share what we are really about, what we are doing for our students, for our businesses, and for our community,” said Maldonado. “I want to challenge you to think about a different kind of college. Think about a different kind of future for our students.”
Chancellor Maldonado explained the progress HCC has made since he unveiled his plan last year for transforming HCC into the “College of the Future” from a center of delivery model to the Center of Excellence model with 13 centers that are up and running across the district. At the core is a new strategic plan called “Imagine HCC 2019” with these four overarching themes:
- Student Success
- Organizational Stewardship
- Performance Excellence
- Innovation
The chancellor praised faculty members for what they do for students in and out of the classroom, and highlighted the many accomplishments at HCC which include:
- A 22 percent increase in graduates over last year;
- Partnerships with colleges/universities across the state and beyond;
- Ranking number one in awarding Associate Degrees to all minorities;
- Ranking number one for international student enrollment among U.S. community colleges;
- A first-of-its-kind plan to waive out-of-district fees for all high school students in the Dual Credit program
Dr. Stephen Klineberg of the Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research has repeatedly stated that the most important institution of higher education is the community college system.
“We are in a world now where education beyond high school is the minimum requirement for good jobs in the global knowledge economy of the 21st Century,” said Dr. Klineberg. “You need one to two years of a community college to be able to become a welder, electrician, and health technician in the ways that provide enough money to support a family and move forward in ways to have successful lives. This is where we do it and this is where the future of Houston is going to be shaped.”
HCC recognizes the changes in technology, business, and society and continues to work on new innovations to support student success. Another key point of Chancellor Maldonado’s address was a nimble curriculum process.
Susy Brown, founder of EduKation4all, an international education consultant, attended the 2015 State of the College. She was happy the chancellor addressed the growing world of cybersecurity in his 2016 report and how students are learning to understand cyber defense technologies, policies, and practices.
“Big corporations are dealing with an increase in hackers and they have no one to help, but now HCC is right there to support global security systems with its programs,” said Brown.
HCC works with Greater Houston Partnership on UpSkill Houston, one of the most vital workforce and education initiatives in the city. The college benefits employers who need workers to make their businesses more productive.
“As one of Houston’s largest employers, I am well aware of the importance of having a well-educated, finely-trained workforce,” said Scott McClelland, president, HEB Houston Division. “Houston Community College plays a really important part of making this all happen.”
HCC Board of Trustees Chair Adriana Tamez, Ed.D. said, “We are Houston’s community college and we are committed to becoming even better in all that we do and all that we offer for our great city,”
“We are far from done,” said Chancellor Maldonado. “But for anyone who did not know, or who had doubts about progress and direction, the results are clear and our students are winning.”
To learn more about the programs offered at Houston Community College visit hccs.edu.
