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LCTCS Adopts 21st Century Model for the Delivery of Technical Education

The Board of Supervisors of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System today presented the implementation plan for the Board of Regents Report to Act 506 of the 2005 Regular Legislative Session. The Board supports the recommendations presented by Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. Joseph Savoie that calls for a regional implementation plan over a three-year period for the delivery of technical education.

“We are encouraged by the opportunities this plan offers in moving towards a 21st Century model of delivering technical education. This plan ensures our ability to effectively and efficiently provide high quality programs and services, and to rapidly respond to the ever changing workforce needs in the communities we serve throughout this State,” said LCTCS President Dr. Walter Bumphus. “The structure and organizational changes will focus the resources of our campuses that deliver technical education in a manner that will best serve the workforce training and economic development needs in our State.”

The LCTCS provides access and opportunity to education and a better life for Louisiana citizens. The plan looks at the delivery of technical education from a statewide approach, examining each region independently and designing programs needed for the campuses in that area.

The plan calls for several structural and organizational changes, including the immediate down-sizing of the Louisiana Technical College Central office and the dissolution of the District offices, creating Regional Technical Education Centers, which will be comprised of a cluster of technical college campuses in a geographic area. A campus leader, who will serve as the CEO of the multi-campus region, will lead the regional technical education centers and be responsible for all administrative and reporting duties, including advancing workforce development opportunities, determining program offerings, increasing enrollment, and budgeting for the region, to name a few.

Regional CEOs will be charged with the following tasks, which include but are not limited to:

As stated in the Regents recommendations, over the three-year implementation process, most of the regional technical education centers will be linked with the nearest community college and/or technical community college in that area, while others will function as stand alone regions. Linking will include consolidation of operational functions, which include but are not limited to human resources, finance, other administrative, instructional and support services, with the “hub” institution assuming the leadership role, where appropriate.

Through the downsizing and dissolution of the LTC Central and District offices, approximately $1.5 million will be saved in salaries for services performed at the Central and District offices. It is also anticipated that at least ten jobs will be eliminated in the first year, with other positions being eliminated over the next two years of the transition. Funds recouped as a result of the eliminations will be driven to the campus and regional levels.

"We are very pleased with the new structural and organizational changes," said Norene Smith, LTC Vice Chancellor, Greater Northeast District. "The plan will make it easier for the campuses to make decisions at the local level. Most importantly, the plan is good for the students and efforts to provide them with quality technical education."

As the organizational model currently stands, the Central and District offices are responsible for a wide range of critical administrative functions, including fiscal operations, human resources, information technology, and academic and student services. Through the plan, all decisions and accountability, along with these critical responsibilities, will now rest at the local and regional levels. Each campus and region will have to conduct levels of readiness studies to assess their ability to continue performing these types of functions.

Considering that these operations must continue in the new structure, it is expected that the regions may have to contract for services with other proximate institutions or additional staffing will be needed at the local and regional levels to ensure these critical functions continue.

The Functions that a Regional Multi-Campus Technical Education Center must be able to perform are as follows:

• Write Checks
• Pay Bills
• Pay Employees
• Process and Administer Employee Benefits
• Process and Issue Pell Checks
• Draw Down Funds
• Collect and Record Revenue
• Record Expenditures
• Manage Cash Flow
• Issue Purchase Orders
• Load Budget into Accounting System
• Record Property and Maintain Inventory
• Reconcile Bank Accounts
• Provide Telecommunications for Faculty & Staff
• Give Students, Staff and Faculty Internet Access
• Give students, staff and faculty email access
• Provide Staff Access to Automated Accounting System
• Prepare Quarterly and annual financial reports
• Secure and Maintain Grounds and Facilities

“The elimination of the Central and District offices have far reaching implications. Each region must evaluate their capability to continue performing the critical functions that these offices performed. As it currently stands, many of regions will need to develop the capacity to perform these operations,” said Dr. Walter Bumphus. “We will work hand in hand with the campuses and regional CEO’s to ensure that they are able to identify a means to continue carrying out these necessary operations.”

The LCTCS will work with the technical college regions to develop timelines for the seamless transition of all operational and functional processes to ensure minimal impact on instructional programs, workforce training, and college services.

“The legislators made a request and the Board of Regents gave us recommendations on a plan to implement,” said Vinney St. Blanc III, LCTCS Board member. “As a former vocational agriculture teacher, I am very confident that this model we have implemented will work. We have taken steps in the right direction, and have given a timeline of three years for it to be totally implemented. If the legislators give our System the opportunity to fully implement the plan, I believe within the three-year time span, they will see a model for an effective delivery of technical education that the whole State
can be very proud of.”

Currently, The Louisiana Technical College is the primary provider of workforce training for the State of Louisiana, and has always been a place of access and opportunity for all. There are 40 campuses across the state, and their main focus is to provide skilled employees for business and industry that contributes to the overall economic development and workforce needs of the state. Presently, more than 13,000 students are enrolled at a Louisiana Technical College campus.