Church events – The Robesonian

October 12, 2020

LUMBERTON In a surprise move Monday, Chairman Sammy Cox Jr. announced his resignation from the Robeson Community College board of trustees, bringing two decades of service to an end.

Its been a great ride, Cox said. I feel like its time for me to move on.

Cox made the announcement during the boards regular meeting by reading aloud his letter of resignation, which is effective Thursday. His formal resignation notice now must be submitted to the Robeson County Board of Commissioners, which appointed Cox chairman of the RCC board in July 2019.

In his letter, Cox said he will focus on his family and his health during his retirement.

My wife has been telling for the past nine years that I needed to retire, Cox said. Im looking forward to total retirement.

At 21 years, Cox is the board of trustees longest-serving member. He was a student in the colleges Basic Law Enforcement Training program in 1975, and went on to teach in that program. He received naming rights for the colleges BLET building in 2018 after he donated $100,000 to the program. The building bears the name Sammy Cox Law Enforcement Center.

You dont serve 21 years on a board without caring about the institution, trustee Kyle Chavis said.

Bosco Locklear said hes only been on the board a few months but has known Cox for 40 years.

Youve certainly been a great leader, Locklear said to Cox. I thank you for all the years youve put in here.

Trustee Audrey Hunt spoke of the support Cox has given to the institution over the years.

Its going to be a great loss for the college, Hunt said.

Cox said he feels confident in the colleges leadership, the people who do the brunt of the work.

I think Im leaving it in good hands. You have excellent leaders, Cox said.

Because of the abrupt nature of Coxs announcement, the meeting was recessed until 6 p.m. Thursday to give the boards attorney time to review the proper procedures for replacing a chairman who has resigned.

Also Monday, the trustees got a look at some of the negative effects COVID-19 has had during the first quarter of the academic year. Steven Hunt, vice president of Workforce Development and Continuing Education, said that when the school year began enrollment in Continuing Education exceeded its projected 39.5 full-time equivalents by posting 61.67 full-time equivalents.

When I saw that number for the first month of the year, I was really excited in the midst of COVID, and then I got a wake-up call come August, Hunt said.

In August, the college only met 52 of the projected full-time equivalents, Hunt said.

Were roughly about 45 FTEs off the first quarter, Hunt said. Thats actually money.

Hunt said 45 FTEs represents a loss of about $175,000.

Were going to be short almost 200 to 210 FTE per year if COVID continues the way it is now, Hunt said.

To combat the loss, his office is trying to run as many programs as possible, Hunt said.

COVID is affecting the community college, Hunt said.

This is why the college will hold a special Winter Session that will run from Nov. 30 to Dec. 29, said Melissa Singler, RCC president.

Although COVID-19 has negatively affected enrollment it has pushed more people to give, according to Rebekah Lowry, director of Foundation and Development.

Lowry told the trustees that the Campus Fund Drive has seen a 86% increase in giving from 2019. The drive is when employees donate either a one-time gift or a payroll deduction gift to the Foundation for student scholarships. This year, $33,415 was donated to the Foundation.

Our employees dug deep, and they gave and they made history this year, Lowry said.

Lowry also told board members that the 36th annual Clifford Bullard Memorial Tournament broke earnings records. A net gain of $37,500 was raised for the colleges Foundation, beating the colleges record of $28,829.

In Building and Grounds business, Steven Hunt told the trustees that the price tag for getting the college in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act is about $825,000.

To be in compliance the college must repave the parking lot, update bathrooms and add Braille and handicap signage throughout the campus. The project is to be completed within seven years.

Hunt also said that sooner rather than later the college will need to replace the roof shingles on Building No. 13 with seamless medal to prevent leaks. The project is estimated to cost $600,000.

The trustees also learned that instead of holding its annual Made in Robeson Day event, the college will make videos highlighting manufacturers and industrial programs at the college. The videos will be given to the Public Schools of Robeson County to be distributed to students.

Eric Freeman, director of the EMS program, gave a presentation on the Computed Tomography program, which began in August. The program is a modality added to the radiography program.

The trustees also reaffirmed its mission statement which reads, Robeson Community College provides opportunities for academic, technical, and life-long learning in a collaborative culture dedicated to inquiry, results, and excellence.

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Church events - The Robesonian