Show M I 1 f l The changing face fac-e. of f f i. i Jerre Contributing Writer Remember when was Utah Technical School at Salt Lake It was just two years ago in fact when the State Legislature chartered the new name helping to forge a new direction and identity for the school According to Brent Goodfellow Goodfellow Goodfellow Good- Good fellow special assistant to President Carnahan the change mirrored a national trend of junior colleges merging merging merging ing with vocational education institutions The name change has really taken vocational vocational vocational voca voca- education and a junior college and put them together under one roof he said For the most part he continued students who haven't met up with the college college college col col- col- col lege curriculum have a rude awakening when they take their first math examination Students can come here and test the water They find themselves here Plus a lot of people are late bloomers They come here later in life Maybe they took a couple of college courses here and there and maybe they held a couple of jobs Now they're really focused channeled and matu ma ma- tu ture reo There is a mentality in Utah Goodfellow went on to say that a lot of people with good intentions have have have- parents teachers bishops bishops- that says in order to be successful in life you have to togo togo togo go on a mission and go to college Now some parents would brag about having a ason ason ason son or daughter at BYU or at atthe atthe atthe the University of Utah but would whisper about having children at Utah Tech The name change is doing away with that stigma Goodfellow believes What basic changes have occurred at since the the- 1987 name change It al allowed allowed allowed al- al lowed us to offer Associate of Arts and Science degrees Goodfellow said This meant we had to meet certain requirements requirements requirements re re- re- re in order for our credits to transfer to the University of Utah After two years could it be said that has come of age No Goodfellow remarked Id say were we're still in transition We still have a ways to go in some areas One of the areas still in transition identified by Goodfellow Goodfellow Goodfellow Good- Good fellow is quality of education The reality is that in 90 1989 a students student's tuition only pays percent of his college education The rest is paid for forby forby forby by the state State funding is not keeping keeping keeping keep keep- ing pace with the growing enrollment enrollment enrollment en en- at resulting in higher student tuition Good- Good fellow is concerned about mounting tuition costs saying I dont don't believe we can continue to balance the budget on the backs of the stu stu- stu- stu dents In terms of tuition were we're about 20 percent above peer institutions around the nation Even with tuition increases increases increases in in- creases Were having to do more with less Goodfellow remarked Open access enrollment enrollment enrollment en en- open to all has al allowed allowed allowed al- al lowed the number of students to increase an overall 86 percent percent percent per per- cent since fall quarter 87 86 according to the College Budget Office Goodfellow believes that quality may be sacrificed if state funding is not increased There is a fine line between open access and quality he said The picture is not totally grim however If the overall economy is growing the tax base is larger A larger tax base creates more state revenues to fund education Goodfellow said Were seeing signs that the economy is strengthening now And we did very well vell at this last legislative session I In addition to state revenues and tuition the college college college col col- col- col lege administration has been successful in rounding up dollars dollars dollars dol dol- lars on its own An important financial shot in the arm ann came shortly after the name change in 1987 with the awarding of the Title III federal grant The Title III grant is for emerging institutions and will distribute 2 23 3 million to over a year five-year period Goodfellow credited many individuals individuals individuals in in- with obtaining the grant but primarily President Carnahan and John Latkiewicz PhD Ph.D. who serves as Title III Project Director Director Director tor in the Development Office ceo Calling the grant a godsend godsend godsend god send Goodfellow explained that prior to Title III there was no way to do term long-term planning planning planning plan plan- ning and development of the schools school's curriculum The money we received from the legislature and the students was already budgeted by the time we received it We were growing so rapidly and our mission was changing Goodfellow commented With Title III were we're able to develop the curriculum hp he continued Tt Its rp realleY Y PY- PY x A A v 16 A A A A A V V V A V h W V I v citing because the curriculum ties all the new technologies together Goodfellow made reference reference reference refer refer- ence to a new computer lab which has been developed and is working on a pilot basis offering support to students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents and teachers acting or more as a tutor Since everyone learns differently Goodfellow said students can use this program to go through the course material at t their own pace The computer tests their understanding of the material as they go through it Title III is also helping the college integrate the general education and humanities curriculum with vocational education studies The challenge challenge challenge chal chal- lenge is as Goodfellow put it How do we go about teaching teaching teaching teach teach- ing math to a welding student student student stu stu- stu- stu dent Knowing about what other community colleges are doing is another Title III objective As a result administrators faculty and even community leaders are funded to visit other colleges and sees how is keeping pace When asked what direction direction direction tion he saw going in the future Goodfellow imparted his vision Since 80 percent of the jobs of the future will require more than a high school degree he said I see training the technicians needed by our community Goodfellow noted that year four-year universities are often allied with research parks important to economic development of each com com- The emerging trend with community colleges is to ally themselves with Advanced Advanced Advanced Ad Ad- Technical Centers ATC's ATC s 's a type of industrial park attached to the college Master Plan calls for forthe forthe forthe the development of an ATC according to Goodfellow In addition to offering degrees shown in the catalog Goodfellow also sees directly responding to the specialized specialized specialized needs of industry The legislature is already funding the college with custom fit dollars to accommodate the needs of new industries and technologies For example if a new company company company com com- pany with a unique technology technology technology ogy requiring a skilled labor force wants to locate in Salt Lake the company could meet with to develop a a specific training program They could then send their employees to us for training utilizing our facilities and state resources Goodfellow said Companies such as McDonnell McDonnell McDonnell Mc Mc- Donnell Douglas Aerospace Fastener Co and Lucas Aerospace are already 0 from this custom fit arran arrangement ement Another way will grow in the future Goodfellow low believes is through its branch campuses remarking that the Sandy Campus alone has 1200 students and its own o facility Growth is not just saying you come to us Goodfellow said We will WiIl go goto goto goto to you Were We're adaptable With two candles on the cake is a fidgety toddler It is going everywhere and doing everything hardly able to hold still long enough to have its picture taken It has almost outgrown its jumper and wants to be everybody's darling even when it sometimes sometimes sometimes some some- times fails to live up to the expectations with all its growing pains may not yet |