|
The Gogebic Community College administration began
its planned countywide public forums last week when
G.C.C. President Jim Lorenson made presentations
Wednesday evening in Marenisco and then again Thursday
in Wakefield.
The Wakefield presentation was given to the members
of the Wakefield Rotary Club. The purpose of the public
forums is to discuss the upcoming renewal of the college
millage. The millage will not be a new millage, nor will
it be an increase in the expiring millage. The millage
was first approved by county residents in 1971. It was
again approved by the electorate in 1991. The revenues
derived from this millage is used for the College Site
Fund. . The funds from this millage are restricted to
debt retirement, building and grounds maintenance and
repair, and the purchase of instructional and
non-instructional equipment.
Examples of expenditures made with the use of these
funds include payment of the construction cost of the
Lindquist Student Center, swimming pool major
maintenance and repairs, resurfacing of the Lindquist
Center walking track, underwriting energy conservation
projects including the installation of solar panels on
campus facilities to reduce costs, purchase of computers
for student use, and updating the science laboratories.
The college currently offers many computer classes.
The state-of-the art computer labs that support these
valuable programs are purchased through the Site Fund,
thereby assuring that Gogebic’s students are receiving
the necessary skills to compete in today’s, as well as
tomorrow’s, high tech world. An abacus may be nice but
they’re no longer used, not even by our country’s
competitors. G.C.C. has great labs and instructors and
it hoped that the county’s residents are aware of that
fact.
When I first went to college I went to a Junior
College. At the time I was working and was supporting a
family. The Junior college was close to home and was a
convenient start to my college education. Today, we call
these two year institutions "Community Colleges" a very
appropriate name, as they serve the entire community in
which they resided.
You probably know that GCC also began as a Junior
College in 1932 serving 188 students. According to the
latest information the college, now a full-fledged
"Community College" serves about 1,500 students.
In addition to the college transfer courses offered
at Gogebic, the college also offers othe programs that
meet the needs of the "Community’s Students", young and
old alike. Students range in age from 16 to 75, with an
average age of 26. Female students make up 63% of the
student body and 37% of the students are male. Michigan
residents make up 80% of the college's population, with
40% from Gogebic County. .
Did you know that during after the Viet Nam War the
college provided training for many our returning
veterans?
Did you know that today the college is re-educating
our residents that are displaced due to employment lay
offs?
Well it did and it continues to do so! In addition to
serving the needs of the traditional student the school
is meeting it responsibility to non-traditional students
as well. The college offers many vocational and
specialty studies not offered anywhere else.
The college also has a positive economic impact on
our "Community" and our region. An independent study,
completed in 2006 found that the public’s investment
provides even more benefits. Students benefit by
realizing a 29% annual return on their investment of
time and money. Taxpayers see a real money "book" return
of 3.6% on their annual investments in the college. The
area we serve receives about $3.4 million annually in
labor and non-labor income through college operations.
And the total economic contribution of the instruction
and skills students’ gain at GCC contributes some $29.6
million to the regional economy.
As the State of Michigan continues to shirk its
responsibility in adequately funding education, local
support becomes even more critical. The college has
responded to state funding cuts through judicious
spending reductions. Today the G.C.C. campus is
undergoing an energy audit, which when complete will
produce more energy efficient buildings and equipment.
The resulting savings will ultimately reinvested in more
vital needs.
Future forums are scheduled for:
Watersmeet School Library on October 20, at 6:00pm
Ironwood on the GCC Campus in Room B-22 Solin
Center for Business Education on October 22
and October 29, at 6:00pm.
In the event that residents may be unable to
attend these informational forums, the case for
supporting the Renewal of the Site Fund millage,
a fairly complete report is available on line
at: /www.gogebic.cc.mi.us/millage/index.shtm.
For further information regarding the forums or
millage renewal question can be directed to Lorenson’s
office at (906) 932-4231, extension 200, or by
contacting him at
jiml@gogebic.edu.
|
