2016-2017 President's Report

Nationally Recognized

Top 100 in Degrees to Minorities East Central Community College ranks among the top 100 community and junior colleges in the nation in conferring associate degrees to minorities in three different academic areas according to data released by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education . ECCC is ranked No. 30 among all two-year colleges and schools nationwide in the number of degrees awarded to African-Americans in Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences and No. 37 in the nation in the number of degrees awarded to Native Americans in Liberal Arts and Sciences/General Studies/Humanities. East Central also ranks No. 85 nationally in total degrees awarded to Native Americans in all academic disciplines combined. Upward Economic Mobility A national study published in The New York Times indicates that East Central Community College ranks No. 40 out of 690 community colleges in the nation included in the study, and No. 3 in Mississippi, in overall economic mobility of graduates over their lifetime, despite being among the lowest two-year colleges in the nation in family income of incoming students. Great College to Work For ECCC was named one of the best colleges in the nation to work for in an annual survey of more than 46,000 college and university employees by The Chronicle of Higher Education . East Central was one of only three community colleges in Mississippi, one of only 25 two-year schools in the nation, and one of only six two-year or four-year colleges in the state to be honored by The Chronicle . East Central was recognized in the categories of Collaborative Governance, for faculty members who are appropriately involved in decisions related to academic programs; Confidence in Senior Leadership, for leaders who have the necessary knowledge, skills, and experience for institutional success; Supervisor/Department Chair Relationship, for supervisors who make expectations clear and solicit ideas; and Work/Life Balance, for policies that give employees the flexibility to manage their personal lives. Nation’s Largest Community College PBL Chapter East Central Community College’s Theta Chi chapter of Phi Beta Lambda is the largest community college chapter in the nation, and fourth largest among all two-year and four-year institutions. There are more than 500 PBL chapters on college campuses across the United States. East Central’s chapter has 141 members. Phi Beta Lambda is a national business education association for students interested in careers in business and business-related fields. Top 25 PTK Chapter ECCC’s Theta Xi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society of two-year colleges, was recognized on the organization’s inaugural President’s List, which recognizes the 25 chapters with the highest membership acceptance rates. East Central’s Theta Xi Chapter was ranked No. 18 with a 41 percent acceptance rate. Military Friendly School East Central Community College was again designated as a Military Friendly School by Victory Media for the fifth consecutive year. ECCC is one of only five community colleges in Mississippi to earn the Military Friendly designation for 2017. Military Friendly Schools is a comprehensive resource provided to service members and their families to help them select the best college, university, or trade school to receive the education and training needed to pursue a civilian career. • The percentage of spring 2015 public high school graduates who first matriculated to ECCC within one year was 50 percent, marking the fifth straight year that number increased. The percentage was 43 percent in 2011. • East Central is No. 4 in Mississippi in percentage of in-district students (81.9 percent) and second in the state in percentage of in state students (98.3 percent). • ECCC is the fourth youngest community college in Mississippi with an average age of 21.7, down from 22.1 the previous year. • ECCC experienced the fifth highest percent increase in degrees or certificates conferred at 5.45 percent, from 568 graduates in 2015 to 599 in 2016. • There will be more than 700 students living on the Decatur campus when the fall 2017 term begins, a record for ECCC. • ECCC is the second most residential college or university campus in the state of Mississippi. About 23 percent of ECCC students live on campus. • The annual Community College Performance Profile as required by the state of Mississippi once again gave ECCC high marks in several areas that were above the state averages. East Central achieved elite status in Total Student Success and Student Progress, or progression towards graduation of full-time, first-time students through two years. Overall graduation rate, retention of students in for-credit programs, and number of students served through workforce training activities were other areas in which ECCC was among the leaders in the state. In addition, East Central had a positive employment impact in its five-county district, ranking high in the state in the increase in the number of workforce trainees finding employment and in wages earned by certificate completers. Locally Preferred

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