President's Blog

Incorporating Your Feedback into a Shared Vision

One of the hallmarks of my first year as Owens Community College president was a series of listening sessions with employees and community partners designed to help me learn more about Owens and to shape our plans for the future.

We received positive feedback in these sessions that the College has much to celebrate, starting with offering quality, affordable education and career training options aligned with regional economic needs. And while this list could go on, it’s clear we can do so much more to serve our community and our students. We cannot – we must not – remain stagnant.

We have listened, and we will pursue these focused changes that will impact the broader community and move Owens forward:

1. Streamlining our processes;
2. Reaching underserved populations; and
3. Beginning steps to establish a Lucas County presence.

Streamlining Processes

One thing that came up during the listening sessions was the need to make our services more straightforward and accessible for students. While we cannot compromise our attention to specific standards or compliance requirements, we are continuing to evaluate processes.

We want to be an indispensable partner in serving all the students who need us, and this is an area where we will continue to strive for streamlined experiences.

Visibility to More Potential Students

Completing postsecondary education often involves overcoming many barriers, especially for those who need socioeconomic mobility the most. Over the years, it has become more, not less, complicated for our students. Affording college is no longer just a matter of qualifying for a Pell Grant or other funding, as it might have been in earlier generations. Many Owens students are already coming from situations where enrollment and tuition are only the first hurdles to clear in their journeys. We envision a future where issues like housing security, childcare and other basic needs don’t stop someone from getting the education they want and need and that the regional economy demands.

To achieve that, we have to be sure our courses and programs fit seamlessly into complicated lives. It also means working with community organizations that can ensure students have options for shelter, healthcare and support beyond what our institution is able to provide. These types of relationships are essential as we advance our mission to provide not only a quality education but also one that is ever more accessible, affordable and relevant in today’s changing job market.

We have a responsibility to seek out potential students, especially those for whom a degree or new credential would offer real financial and career opportunity. The mission of community colleges is rooted in the principle of economic inclusion. We are a ladder to family-sustaining wages for so many who would otherwise live in or near poverty.

Forty-one percent of our students are from Lucas County, part of which constitutes one of the poorest congressional districts in the country. Across our service district, which encompasses Lucas, Wood and Hancock counties as well as parts of Ottawa and Sandusky counties, higher educational attainment is relatively low in areas where it’s needed most.

Lucas County

We have a history of satellite locations in Lucas County with various levels of success. More recently, we’ve heard from a lot of stakeholders that we should consider a new Lucas County presence. Let me assure you that we are giving careful attention to this feedback. Moving forward with this plan allows us to further live our mission by reaching potential students in a location that eliminates barriers to their enrollment and increasing the numbers of trained and educated individuals needed to fuel the growing economy in our region and state.

A data-informed approach is required to maximize opportunities for all involved. We plan to hire a consultant later this year to conduct a feasibility study and help guide the process. Before we can acquire space, hire professors or fill classrooms, we need to understand how we can best serve the specific needs of Lucas County and of Toledo as a city. We want to fill a critical gap by choosing the right location or locations; we want to ensure a strategic approach and will do so enthusiastically and with intention.

A Strategic Vision

As we launch the strategic planning process this fall, you’ll see these themes and others that emerged from this year’s listening sessions take shape. Please continue to engage with my office and our leadership. We’ll be conducting outreach as part of the planning process, including community visits and more listening sessions.

It took many community partners to help identify these themes, including our incredibly supportive Board of Trustees and Foundation Board of Directors. They could not be stronger advocates for our mission. I’m proud to say our biggest strength is our people. As I approach my one-year anniversary as president, I look forward to all we’ll continue to achieve together.

Dione D. Somerville, Ed.D.
President