Farewell, Manatee Community College.
Welcome, State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota.
Today marks the final day in the life of the school known as a “community” college. Tomorrow, the school’s new name tells one and all that is has officially joined the ranks of the big boys as it stretches its mission beyond two-year associate degrees into baccalaureate programs.
Once the state Board of Education granted the college permission in March to offer a four-year degree in nursing, MCC clinched a larger role in educating the local workforce. Strong support from our medical community made the state board’s decision easy. The nursing program launches in January.
And State College of Florida is forging ahead with applications to add six more bachelor’s programs, like nursing all designed to meet workforce demands at the behest of businesses and students.
College President Lars Hafner, on the job only one year, is nothing if not aggressive when it comes to school achievement and progress.
The community stands to benefit greatly from not just these baccalaureate programs but additional educational advances.
While some in the community continue to lament the loss of the prominence of “Manatee” in the college’s new name, as well as the swift decision and lack of public input in that process, school trustees are now acknowledging the misstep — to their credit. More important, trustees also plan to reach out to the community by becoming more transparent and improving communications, starting with public workshops in the fall.
These are positive and welcome steps, and we applaud the trustees.
A ticklish situation remains — in the relationship between State College of Florida and the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee.
SCF will have to prove to the state Board of Education that the six bachelor’s programs in its sights do not duplicate existing offerings in the area. USF contends several do — namely in early childhood education, special education and information technology management. But the college has outlined how the proposed programs either differ from USF offerings or add new ones to the Manatee and Sarasota region.
As this sorts itself out in the application process, we would not want any disagreements to sour the cooperative arrangement between the education partners. The two institutions offer what is known as the 2+2 Program, designed to help college graduates transition into the university’s bachelor’s programs. That’s a tremendous boon for students.
Beyond the college’s march down the baccalaureate path, the school is pushing ahead on other fronts. A 40,000-square-foot, $11 million Medical Technology and Simulation Center is under construction on the Lakewood Ranch campus, scheduled for completion next spring. Nursing students will practice care on “robot” patients in a simulated intensive care unit.
Trustees are exploring the development of a charter school for grades 6-12 at the Bradenton campus, propelling students forward with a curriculum designed to encourage college graduation. That’s a promising prospect, as is the $18 million expansion and remodeling of the main campus library.
Enrollment figures, jumping from 5,787 last year to 6,900 today, prove the college’s appeal in this down economy — and the 60 percent surge at the Lakewood Ranch campus shows tremendous growth potential there. Long a strong regional asset, the school continues to boost its value to the community and the local economy. Expansion into more baccalaureate programs will be welcome, indeed.
Our heartiest welcome, State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota.
Email Story
Printer Friendly 
Quick Job Search
@Nyx.replyAnswerText@