NCC Leaders Promote Workforce-Focused Legislative Agenda

More than 300 presidents, trustees, students and supporters of North Carolina’s 58 community colleges met with legislators April 3, 2019 to promote the system’s workforce-focused legislative agenda. NCC’s trustees, president and Student Government officers were among the group calling on legislators to support the work of NC community colleges.

At a briefing before the legislative visits, NC Community College System President Peter Hans told the assembled “community college family” that they were a powerful voice for the system. “Now is our time to lift up all North Carolinians,” he said. “Community colleges are this state’s future.”

The NC Community College System’s legislative priorities include requests for funding for workforce training and technology, increased faculty and staff compensation, career coach program expansion and simplification of the enrollment verification process.

NCC representatives met with Senator Rick Horner and House Representative James Galliard. “Seeing firsthand, the president of NCC, Dr. Carver, and members of the board of trustees speak so passionately about the importance of community colleges was very inspiring,” NCC Student Government Association President (SGA) Amberleigh Dornseif said. Dornseif and SGA Treasurer, Ulysses Puente, represented Nash Community College students. Representatives also visited with NCC alumna Rebekah Lahay who transferred and graduated from North Carolina State University. She is employed as a legislative constituent liaison.

Pictured above, from left – NCC trustees: James Mercer, Paul Jaber (Chair), Russell Proctor, Sam Dickens and Jim Martin; SGA Treasurer Ulysses Puente, SGA President Amberleigh Dornseif and NCC President Dr. Bill Carver.