Dear Search Committee Members:

Transcription

1 Dear Search Committee Members: I am pleased to submit this packet for my candidacy as President of Chattanooga State Community College. Your college Presidency appeals to me because of the reputation of your institution whose hallmarks include increased student retention, faculty growth and effectiveness, fiscal responsibility, and community engagement by being tuned into changing local and regional needs. Throughout my entire career, but especially during my tenure as Provost (CEO) and Chief Academic Officer (CAO) of NOVA Manassas Campus and Innovation Center, I have established major partnerships with local government officials, community institutions, and educational organizations with programs dedicated to excellence. These include programs such as NOVA s Global Learning Center (GLC), NOVA Next Door (NND), SySTEMic Solutions, icad, and NOVA College-wide STEM Initiative (NCSI). On December 4, 2014, I represented NOVA at the White House as an invited guest of President Obama. We discussed his desire to strengthen Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs for women and underrepresented groups. I represented NOVA at the White House because President Obama s STEM initiative is aligned with many of the STEM projects for which I am responsible. SySTEMic Solutions, a part of NCSI, is a flagship program that has been implemented in all high schools across Northern Virginia and at 40-50% of the middle and elementary schools under my leadership. There are currently 40,000 students enrolled in Northern Virginia STEM programs with a goal of reaching 50,000 students by To make this program successful, my team was instrumental in forming partnerships with area school superintendents and business leaders, resulting in STEM Academies and regional efforts focused on increasing underrepresented groups in the technology workforce. During my tenure as Provost and CAO, my team and I have demonstrated our skills in fundraising by working with area businesses through the implementation of matching funds for a one million dollar grant from the legislature to support NOVA s STEM initiatives. I also worked successfully with college foundations and potential donors to create and maintain one of the most technologically advanced science campuses in the region. Our science labs now serve as prototypes for other campuses and industry professionals alike due to the sophisticated equipment we have acquired. In fact, my campus can boast of having the highest caliber of general education labs seen only in a few universities. Due to my accomplishments as Provost and CAO, I also served as the college-wide STEM administrator with a 3.3 million dollar budget to rebuild general education labs on all NOVA campuses. Most recently, I led the creation of an Associate of Science in Engineering degree on the Manassas campus, and I am working on the release of our new Mobile Cyber Security Certificate Program which will support our veterans and workforce programs. I have introduced several new initiatives to increase enrollment, such as NOVA Next Door, which is a program providing support to those who would otherwise find it difficult to be on campus. I also implemented Sunrise and Weekend College Certificate Programs to help better utilize our space, and I have established advisory boards for the Global Learning Center, Automotive and Diesel programs, and SySTEMic Solutions. Our advisory boards are composed of business CEO s from all Northern Virginia counties who advise us of their needs and required skills.

2 Other initiatives under my direction include the introduction of a Workforce Training Futures Program and SkillSource, each of which is located on the Manassas Campus. These two organizations serve populations seeking job retraining, internships, and placement services. These critical commitments are tailored to impact underserved populations who often view college as unattainable. As President of Chattanooga State Community College, I will serve both traditional and nontraditional students, as I have done at NOVA. In my role as Board Director at Northern Virginia Family Services, I was able to grant college credit to students enrolled in the workforce retraining program called Training Futures. I had the pleasure of establishing this program on my campus and integrating it with our credit version called Credential to Careers. Furthermore, I am working with other provosts to work on behalf of veterans so that they receive credit for their skills in the Manassas Mobile Security Program. I continue to make strides in utilizing creative retention strategies, by serving as co-chair of the college s implementation of No Late Registration in fall 2014, and our Achieving the Dream program aimed at equipping students for success as measured by increased transfers to universities, and the number of attained credentials. Throughout my 21 year career in higher education, I have enjoyed serving in various capacities as a graduate student at Howard and Georgetown Universities, Professor of Biology, Associate Dean and Dean of Math, Engineering and Science, to Dean of Academic Affairs at Palm Beach State College. My ability to foster innovation, leadership, and strategic and collegial relationships are well aligned with the opportunities and challenges associated with being President of Chattanooga State Community College. My application is based upon the very core of your college s vision. I will work closely with the Board of Regents to implement those programs which will make Chattanooga State Community College one of the most outstanding colleges in Tennessee. I will place Chattanooga State Community College among the top viable colleges for the Aspen Prize using my skills and creativity. Along with turning NOVA s Manassas Campus into the most productive campus in the entire state of Virginia, I have led several successful college-wide committees, including the On-Time Registration Implementation Committee, the Budget Advisory Council, the Regional Expansion of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) in Northern Virginia, and others. I am a strong proponent of the college community, its students, faculty, staff and administrators, as all are critical to the success of any institution of higher education. I proudly serve as an advocate for student success through retention and pathways to higher education and job placement, which remains one of the vital cornerstones of my life. As President of Chattanooga State Community College, I will continue to promote senior faculty serving as mentors to those who are new to the institution. I am confident that building relationships where faculty are presented as mentors to the newest colleagues, will strengthen the foundation of knowledge and expertise that will be a tremendous asset in what is already a fine institution. Throughout my career, I have been recognized as an experienced leader in an environment of shared governance, open dialogue and honest collaboration, and I have worked closely and successfully with unions. I am a strong, clear, and transparent communicator who has the ability to create a culture where appropriate risk taking is encouraged and new ideas are considered. I will continue to remain a fiscally responsible leader of complex budgets and large capital investments as exemplified by my record here at NOVA.

3 I understand that external relationships are critical to the success of any complex institution. I pride myself on my ability to initiate and sustain partnerships with regional K-12 school districts that aid in producing a student conduit of educational excellence throughout the community. I work closely with county and state lawmakers, plus various state agencies in identifying capital for transportation improvements throughout the campus landscape. Such relationships have garnered the support of our newly opened Global Learning Center which was awarded the 2014 Innovative Practice Partnership for Prince William County. My service on a variety of boards enables me to be a constant education advocate, ensuring that education always has a place at the table. I am a student-centered proponent who actively engages business, civic, and other community leaders. Building external strategic partnerships are paramount to the success I will continue to foster at Chattanooga State Community College. I am very confident that my years of service as academic administrator have equipped me to excel as the next President of Chattanooga State Community College. I truly look forward to meeting with all of you to discuss the future growth of the college. Sincerely, Roger Ramsammy, PhD Provost & CEO NOVA at Manassas & Innovation Center

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5 NOVA NextDoor, a program that offers classes at remote sites to accommodate community residents living a distance from the college. Sunrise College, offering students a chance to earn a degree by attending early- morning classes and leaving campus by 9:15am. Faculty and Staff: Restructured and clarified the roles of Academic Affairs, Student Services, Library and Testing, IT, Campus Operations, and the Provost s Office to streamline services, improve student/administration interaction, and strengthen working relationships between departments. Specifically, this involved: Developed a wide- variety of policies and procedures to streamline the workflow for the campus. Rewrote the job descriptions for administrative deans, associate deans, assistant deans, program heads, and administrative assistants. Created the position of Associate Dean of Students to provide a strong on- campus presence to focus on student communications and services. Created the position of Dean of Academic Administration with direct oversight of all campus- wide initiatives. Initiating the Manassas Adjunct Fair to recruit faculty from the community and strengthen faculty investment in the campus. Building a Faculty Resource Center (FRC) to help faculty use College- supported computer technology optimally, build competencies in Blackboard, enhance the ability to deliver online interactive instruction, and become qualified to teach hybrid courses. Building and Improvements: Worked directly with federal authorities, state senators, and county supervisors to: Acquire funding for renovations of two buildings; $31 million awarded July Obtain permission to construct free- right turn lane on U.S. Park Services Land to create a second exit on what was a one- exit campus. Obtain a VDOT feasibility study to establish an additional exit option. Undertake active search for land for campus expansion or for new site growth. Reconfigured, through new construction and reassignment, campus building space to provide more centralized and efficient work areas for faculty and staff. College-Wide Activity: Created international program with Astar Education Institute to recruit a cohort of Chinese students to begin a two- year Engineering AS degree fall 2015 at the Manassas Campus; will travel to China in January 2015 to coordinate recruitment efforts with university presidents. Created PopUp Series: What You Can Do Online and in the Classroom, Annandale Campus, 2013 Co- chaired a College- wide committee to create a 6- Policy Change Implementation plan aimed at a) promoting student success in concrete and measurable ways e.g., building online competencies, providing early advising and placement testing and, thereby, b) improving student retention. Co- chaired 18- member Campus Student Success Task Force, tasked with implementing the foregoing plan. The plan included six major policies that began in fall One of the six- policy change included Ontime Registration. All students must register by the deadline in order to enroll. 2

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