Strategic Plan: Environmental Scan 2008 - January 12, 2009
National
Social/Demographic Trends
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Broad consensus developing about environmental issues and issues of quality of life arising out
of globalization and industrialization. [Deep Economy, Bill McKibben] This new perspective will
raise the value of environmentally-focused educational efforts and drive new regulatory
standards which reflect new constituent expectations
o One term for this shift in priority is the call to move the nation to a “low carbon
economy” – a change which will be successful only with a combination of federal and
state priority, significant technological innovation, and serious/sustained increases in
energy costs. (“The 2008 State New Economy Index”, Atkinson & Andes, Kauffman
Foundation)
Baby boomers move into senior years – more active and more diverse than their predecessors.
Particularly in terms of wealth, the boomers will have two large extremes – those with
considerable resources and a willingness to spend them, and those with significant debt, whose
options are becoming severely restricted
Echo generation, the children of boomers, are now in high school and college. These students
are digital natives, enjoy participation and activity rather than static learning, are more oriented
toward social concerns, more ethnically diverse, and in some ways more conservative than their
parents
Educational Trends
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Draft 1
Governmental impact is moving from funding/policy-driven encouragement to funding
cuts/mandated accountability. The accountability is rising through required reporting, grant
outcomes, and forced accreditation standards. Bottom line – less money, money with more
strings attached, and more external review
Overall educational reform movement has resulted in a “teach to the test” preoccupation, with
mixed results. Rigor has improved, but self-directed learning, reading, and other skills key to
success in college are weak.
A generation of retirees (the largest in history) will seek retraining, recreational and avocational
learning (The Coming Tsunami: Leadership Challenges for Community Colleges)
The speed at which new programs are needed and old programs become irrelevant will
increase. Areas like nuclear technologies, cyber security and wind energy are needed overnight,
while other programs (e.g. Chrysler automotive training) can become obsolete within a short
period.
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Strategic Plan: Environmental Scan 2008 - January 12, 2009
Workforce Needs
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Continued preoccupation with academic credit and the transfer function, thus effectively stifling
comprehensive workforce development and negating the comprehensive mission of the
community college (The Coming Tsunami: Leadership Challenges for Community Colleges)
Large numbers of retiring workers will leave a skilled labor shortage in many areas. However,
addressing these needs will be done reactively and in close participation with constituent groups
(e.g. employers) rather than by proactive planning and government policy
A “new economy” (Kauffman Foundation) is emerging and is characterized as:
o Knowledge-dependent. “Knowledge-workers” became the largest occupational
category in the U.S. by the 1990s. Even manufacturing-related jobs are rapidly
converting to the “knowledge-worker” category. This makes postsecondary training
absolutely critical for the economy at any level (national, state, or regional)
o Global. Virtually no area is untouched by the global supply web.
o Entrepreneurial. “…the underlying operation of the economy has accelerated to a new
speed while becoming more customized and innovative…from 1980 to 2001, all of the
net U.S. job growth was from firms less than five years old, while older firms actually
lost jobs.
o Rooted in Information Technologies. “…information technology is now the key
technology driving the economy, not just in the IT industry itself, but also in the use of IT
in virtually all sectors to boost productivity, quality, and innovation.”
o Driven by innovation.
Funding Issues
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Draft 1
The current recession is expected to be relatively deep and broad, affecting the nation for
several years. Its impact will vary by region, depending on the mix of industries which support
the regional economy
Federal government response to the economic crisis, once credit markets are stabilized, will
likely include major investments in infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, etc.), investments in
alternative energy and grants to the states for rising Medicaid and social service costs (The
Kiplinger Letter, vol. 85, no. 48)
The long-term future trend, already established across the last twenty years, will be a general
retreat from support of higher education. Periodic small upticks in support will tempt some to
hope the trend is changing. However, given the big picture realities of federal deficits, burdens
from entitlement programs (social security, Medicare/Medicaid), an aging infrastructure of
roads, bridges, etc.,, and present incarceration rates, there is simply no money for educational
priorities (The Coming Tsunami: Leadership Challenges for Community Colleges)
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Strategic Plan: Environmental Scan 2008 - January 12, 2009
State
Social/Demographic Trends
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Texas will continue to move rapidly toward a majority Hispanic state (is already “majority
minority”), exacerbating a number of social and economic challenges associated with poverty
and a growing underground economy (undocumented workers)
Texas will also move in the direction of environmental priorities, although not as fast as the rest
of the country. It will be a leader in wind energy but will be slower to adopt dramatic personal
energy and waste conservation methods, primarily because of the heavy reliance on the
automobile and plentiful undeveloped land
Texas will continue to benefit from its transportation assets (major harbors, NAFTA trade routes,
highway system).
Educational Needs
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Draft 1
“Closing the Gaps” remains a top priority; to increase the college-going rate of Hispanic and
other underrepresented groups
Workforce education is a low priority in Texas, with state officials focused on getting as many
students through traditional college education as possible. Using the Kauffman Foundation
measures (see “National, Workforce Needs,” above), the State of Texas dropped from 10th to
18th among the fifty states in its overall ability to compete in the new economy. It ranked 41st in
workforce education, a criteria revealing the low priority placed by state leaders on workforce
education
Public policy is moving to a “career pipeline” and “career clusters” organizational approach. This
approach sees work lifespans as more fluid and seeks to align curriculum, degrees and
certificates to recognize skills at various levels, giving persons multiple opportunities to stop-out
and later reenter the educational “pipe.” One of the more well-developed examples is nursing,
where a person can get an LVN license, then an RN license at the Associate degree level, and
ultimately earn a BSN – all without losing credit for the study done at earlier levels. This policy
trend has implications for Perkins funding, workforce grants, and recruitment efforts, to name a
few.
A troubled K-12 educational system in Texas, plagued by seriously flawed funding and
accountability systems, is not producing graduates who typically are college-ready. This fact will
lead to greater involvement by colleges in the support of public education, both indirectly
through political pressure and directly through collaboration and partnership programs. Dual
credit is an important example of one such partnership expected to grow in the future.
Adult population is seriously undereducated, and immigration (legal and illegal) will worsen the
situation
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Strategic Plan: Environmental Scan 2008 - January 12, 2009
Workforce Needs
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Serious shortages in skilled trades and other professions as we face an aging population
Workers over 50 needing “second chance” careers as they, for a variety of reasons, must change
jobs but cannot afford (or do not wish) to retire
Funding Issues
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Draft 1
Consideration of Augmentation/Replacement of Attempted Hours (contact hours) with
Completed Hours (A-F end of term grades)
Introduction of incentive funding for community colleges will inexorably lead to new ordering of
priorities to meet state expectations
Prospective students will find it increasingly difficult to afford college because of the rising costs
of a college education, combined with declining personal and family resources. This trend could
drive students who otherwise would have attended a university after high school, to consider
community college. It could also make community college unattainable for many other students
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Strategic Plan: Environmental Scan 2008 - January 12, 2009
Region
Social/Demographic/Economic Trends
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Overall, the community will become more Hispanic and less Anglo. Among the 18-24 year old
cohort, this trend will be quite rapid, reaching almost 30% Hispanic within 8 years.
o However, if economic distress continues, the growth rate among the Hispanic
community may slow, particularly in the 18-25 year old range
The region’s economy is primarily dependent on agriculture (poultry, cattle and timber),
manufacturing (Priefert, Big Tex, ??), education and medical services.
Broadband internet access is limited in the area, with many students functioning on dialup
connections. Student access to personal computers may also be limited. Cell phone technology,
however, is widely adopted and preferred by our students.
Educational Needs
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The region is seriously undereducated, with many of the professional-level workforce imported
into the area from outside. While NTCC has made a demonstrable difference, both with its own
programs and with its university partner programs (e.g. A&M – Commerce, A&M – Texarkana),
the gap is likely to continue between East Texas and the rest of the state.
Other colleges and universities will continue to seek partnerships with NTCC to economically
reach larger numbers of students
Our traditional aged college students (18-24) do not respond well to lecture-based instructional
methods. The college will embrace more dynamic and technically innovative methods of
teaching and learning which include greater participation by the students in the learning
process.
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Workforce Needs
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Draft 1
“Brain drain” means many of the best and brightest young people leave the community for the
larger cities. Local educational resources are not paying the local dividends possible if these
young people stayed home and built lives in the area
Among first-generation students, high school counselors are a critical part of the pathway to
postsecondary education. In the future, the college must find ways to increase the visibility of
its workforce education programs with the counselors and demonstrate the critical role such
training plays in the economic viability of this area
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Strategic Plan: Environmental Scan 2008 - January 12, 2009
Funding Issues
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Draft 1
Regional Workforce boards (NE Texas & E Texas) have experienced serious funding reductions in
recent times, leaving fewer resources to assist with workforce training needs
Regional employers have reduced or eliminated many tuition reimbursement programs
previously offered to their employees, thereby adding to the difficulty of undereducated adults
to further their education.
Major regional industries (particularly manufacturing-based) are in a period of economic
contraction, meaning fewer jobs, less money to support community needs like the college
foundation. No one knows whether this is a short-term or longer period of economic struggle
External funding support for adult basic education has dropped dramatically, making it
increasingly difficult to address the regional adult literacy programs
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Strategic Plan: Environmental Scan 2008 - January 12, 2009
Institution
Social/Demographic Trends
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The ethnic makeup of our student body has not met that of the region yet, but has definitely
moved rapidly in that direction. In 2008, the academic student enrollment was 17% Hispanic
and 11% African American.
There are almost 2,000 high school graduates annually within the 7 counties in the region. While
the numbers are sufficient to support enrollment growth, the economic resources available to
these students, as well as other prospective students, are severely limited according to census
information about household income levels.
Racial issues on campus have been more prevalent recently. There seems to be interest among
the college family to address diversity issues directly and intentionally.
Educational Needs
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Outcomes assessment will be the primary tool used by external authorities to verify the value of
an NTCC education. This trend is now well-established in accreditation standards and grant
evaluation. The state of Texas is behind but will move in the same direction for its own
accountability measures in the future.
Cross-discipline interaction among faculty is necessary if the College is to make best use of
faculty talents to meet educational needs of today’s students
Workforce Needs
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Given the rapid changes in the business & industry world, NTCC must be able to rapidly gear up
new programs in high-demand areas and just as rapidly dismantle programs that are no longer
economically viable.
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Funding Issues
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Draft 1
The college is close to its tax cap of 10 cents per $100 valuation.
The college is carrying a substantial tax repayment obligation against its annual operating
revenues.
Operating reserves are $900,000. Best practice suggests 3-6 months of operating reserves
should be maintained. That would be about $3-6 million.
Tuition rate for NTCC is 3rd highest among 9 regional community colleges in East Texas.
Deferred maintenance needs stand at $1 million dollars, likely requiring significant investment
annually to meet present and future needs.
Major taxpayers for the college are:
o AEP/SWEPCO – utility
o Priefert Manufacturing –
o US Steel – steel foundry
manufacturing
o Pilgrim’s Pride – poultry
o Red Man Pipe & Supply
o Sooner Pipe & Supply
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Strategic Plan: Environmental Scan 2008 - January 12, 2009
o
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Texas Tubular
Major employers in the NTCC tax district are:
o Pilgrim’s Pride – 4,000
employees
o US Steel – 2,000
o Mt Pleasant ISD – 966
o Titus Regional Medical Center –
650
o Texas Utilities – 600
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TXU Generation Co – utility
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Wal Mart – 450
Priefert Manufacturing – 595
NTCC – 360
Big Tex Trailers – 462
Diamond C Trailers – 85
City of Mt Pleasant - 155
Strategic Planning Principles to Guide our Work:
Identify, and keep prominent, the core mission. Everything else is secondary…and must support
the mission
Choose small number of major initiatives and focus all energy across the college on those goals.
“Do few things but do them well.” What is essential to today and tomorrow?
Draft 1
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