University System Announces COT Mission Expansion And Rebranding Listening Tour, Various Dates And Communities

2011-10-05 19:30:00

Helena, 10/3, Billings, 10/5, Missoula, 10/13, Butte, 10/17, Great Falls, 10/19

Contact: http://www.matr.net/files/CollegeNOWListeningSessionCalendarFinal.pdf

The Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education will hold community listening sessions http://www.matr.net/files/CollegeNOWListeningSessionCalendarFinal.pdf at each of Montana’s five Colleges of Technology to discuss the Board of Regents’ goal of extending the comprehensive two-year mission to each of Montana’s COT campus. The sessions will also seek input on the Regent’s goal to rebrand and rename the Colleges of Technology. The effort is part of the College!NOW initiative.

The listening sessions will begin in Helena on October 3rd, and continue to Billings on October 5th, Missoula on the 13th, Butte on the 17th and finish in Great Falls on October 19th. A complete schedule is attached, and available online at the College!NOW blog, http://www.montanacollegenow.com.

The College!NOW initiative is part of a grant from the Lumina Foundation, in which Montana was selected as one of only seven states nationwide for funding to strengthen its two-year colleges and increase access to affordable higher education options for all Montanans.

"It’s a tremendous opportunity to strengthen our higher education system and provide even more opportunities for those who are looking to further their education," said Sheila Stearns, Montana Commissioner for Higher Education. "Whether it’s a high school graduate looking for an economical option for college or a professional looking to get another degree, our two-year institutions are well suited to help out. That’s what College!NOW is all about."

At their August meeting, the Montana Board of Regents approved a 25-month timeline for extending the comprehensive two-year college mission to each of Montana’s five Colleges of Technology including rebranding and renaming them to better reflect their broad mission. The listening sessions will be held in each community where a College of Technology resides (Missoula, Helena, Great Falls, Butte, and Billings) and are open to the public. A full schedule is attached.

"Our proposal highlighted the challenges and opportunities in Montana for two-year education," said John Cech, Deputy Commissioner for Two-Year and Community College Education. "As we all know, Montana is a wonderfully unique state with our own set of challenges and opportunities when it comes to higher education. Through College!NOW, we’re looking at those challenges and finding creative ways to address them."

Cech continued, "One challenge is the simple misperception of two-year education. It’s not only a tech degree or a certificate. Those are available, but so are transfer degrees and continuing education. Two-year education is exciting, and we’re preparing to tell that story, these listening sessions are the first step in that process."

Clayton Christian, Chairman of the Montana Board of Regents, stated a major goal of the College!NOW initiative is to bring the comprehensive two-year college mission to each of the State’s Colleges of Technology so each look, act, feel, and respond similarly to a comprehensive community college. "This is a game changer for Montana’s two-year education," he said.

Cech stated the listening sessions are focused on seeking input and guidance from faculty, staff, students, and community on the COT mission expansion and rebranding process. "Seeking input from all constituents associated with the Colleges of Technology is very important and will help ensure the success of this initiative," said Cech.

Please forward this email to ANYONE you feel may be interested in attending or who may wish to learn more about this initiative. Much more detailed information can be found on the Montana University System College!NOW website at http://www.mus.edu/2yr/CollegeNOW/default.asp

We are also engaging the public in a conversation about this initiative through "social media" – a CollegeNow face book page has been established: http://www.facebook.com/CollegeNowMontana and a CollegeNow blog has been established: http://montanacollegenow.com/

Thank you!

John E. Cech, Ph.D.

Deputy Commissioner for Two-Year and Community College Education

Montana University System

PO Box 203201

2500 Broadway, Helena, MT 59620-3201

Phone: 406-444-0316 Fax: 406-444-1469

Cell: 406-670-0848

E-mail: [email protected]