Dear SCC Family,

On May 5, I sent you an email indicating that I would be notifying the Board tonight that, "in accordance with College policy, one or more operating units of the College will be reorganized." Like "the face that launched a thousand ships," this email has apparently launched a thousand discussions and many guesses at what this "reorganization" will entail.

Please allow me to clarify...No "decision" or "reorganization plan" will be unveiled at tonight's Board Meeting ... and here's why.

Just a few weeks ago, our Legislature wrapped up this year's session. Any day now, the Governor should sign the state's budget. With his signature, all of the funding is at last in place to construct our new Altamonte Campus, our new Heathrow Facility, our new Automotive Facility, and a new Firetower. This is an historic, exciting opportunity for SCC and Seminole County! These buildings, which were only on our "wish list" these past two years, are about to be realized. Whatever new structure we envision must include the operations of three distinct campuses and an economic development center/high tech facility which will be brought on-line toward the end of 2006.

It's been six years since the last major review and update of SCC's strategic plan -- in 1998 when enrollment decline was the primary fiscal challenge. Obviously, with the tremendous enrollment growth at hand and ahead of us, a major update in SCC's strategic plan is now paramount. Therefore, we will take the next 6 - 8 months to conduct an all-encompassing, thoughtful look at the College's strategic capabilities/direction and determine if there is a better way to be structured to accomplish newly-defined strategic priorities as we move toward 4 distinct sites. That is why I will be notifying the Board tonight of our intent to begin this self-analysis process which may eventually lead to a "redesign"... and here is the rest of what I will tell them.

The first step in this process is to lay the groundwork. I have appointed a preliminary committee to develop a recommendation for a process for a comprehensive review and update of SCC's Strategic Plan. This committee is comprised of Carol Hawkins, Annye Refoe, Barbara Entwistle, Michael Staley, Molly Dykes, and Michael Garlich. They will soon make their recommendation regarding the process, which I will share with you and which will lead to the ever-widening inclusion of all college stakeholders. By the end of 2004, everyone will certainly have the opportunity to become engaged in this process and participate to whatever degree they desire.

I know this message is lengthy, but I wanted you to hear directly from me exactly what this "reorganization/redesign" is really all about. Please be assured I will keep you informed of every step of this process, via email updates and/or college meetings, as we launch our exciting and momentous journey together toward 4 distinct sites for Seminole Community College -- the leading higher educational entity in Seminole County. ann

Did you know?

SCC is just 45 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean and its world famous beaches.