TigerTalk 136 11/17/2020

In episode 136 of the TigerTalk podcast presented by Northeast Mississippi Community College, host Will Kollmeyer welcomes Northeast president, Dr. Ricky G. Ford, to the podcast as Kollmeyer and Ford sit down to discuss what is happening at the college. In this week's update, Dr. Ford welcomes all listeners and talks about a variety of different topics including a recap of the Fall 2020 semester and a preview of the Spring 2021 semester as the college puts a focus back on face-to-face classes. However, the college will still offer online, ZOOM, and hybrid classes for students, who are not ready to come back to face-to-face classes just yet. Ford announces some big news of the college in two parts of the podcast including shifting the date that the college will close for the 2020 holiday season -- shifting from Thursday, December 17 back to Friday, December 11 and a major milestone as the Northeast story has climbed up the corporate ladder at Apple, Inc., and is headed for CEO Tim Cook. Northeast will reopen the 2021 Spring Semester on Monday, January 4, and will look forward to opening its Northeast at Ripley center as well. As the students head home for the holidays at the Thanksgiving break, Ford and the college will turn their attention to the 2021 Mississippi Legislative calendar and will band with other presidents in the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges (MACC) to present six legislative priorities for the 2021 budget. Those priorities include 1) restoration of the 2021 reduced appropriation, 2) a 5% funding formula increase, 3) a 3% salary increase for all community college employees, 4) a focus on career-technical education by adding new programs and enhancing the ones already in the system, 5) examining a dual credit scholarship program for high schoolers enrolled in those classes and 6) $35 million capital improvement bonds for the upcoming year. Ford also brings to light the Mississippi Online Workforce College, which is very similar to the Mississippi Virtual Community College system, that will allow working professionals to receive additional training and certificates at their job place in hopes that this will help to accelerate their career paths. Ford gives an update on the Mississippi Department of Transportation Project's second round of funding that will see new sidewalks, lighting, and crosswalks put into campus around Cunningham Boulevard and north to George E. Allen Drive/Veterans Boulevard and then back along Church Street to make sure that all of our students are safe. This will also include new crosswalks for those making the trek across Church Street from Hines Hall to the Baptist Student Union, Mississippi Hall, or the Band Practice Field down SMU Drive. In addition to the second round of the MDOT funding, Ford talks about the college's application for GEARS grants through the Mississippi governor's office and how they will benefit the college. In a look at athletics, Ford discusses the 2020 football season and how the team had been successful on the field (5-1 with a season-ending win over Itawamba Community College in Fulton) and off as well thanks to the athletic training staff that made sure that the team did not go under quarantine during the season.  🎙️TigerTalk – where Northeast tells its story, one episode at a time. For those who may have missed an episode, all Northeast TigerTalk episodes are archived at https://nemcctigertalk.simplecast.com.--NEMCC--Information about Northeast Mississippi Community CollegeNortheast Mississippi Community College is a leading educational institution that provides comprehensive academic, technical, and workforce training programs to empower students and promote lifelong learning. With a commitment to excellence, Northeast Mississippi Community College fosters a supportive environment that prepares individuals for success in their chosen fields.For more information about Northeast Mississippi Community College, visit http://www.nemcc.edu.