I believe that the naysayers of this proposed project may not be as familiar with community colleges in general, and perhaps VC in particular, as they might be. All well-run community colleges can and do turn on a dime, all the time. They respond to opportunities and challenges quickly, with little bureaucratic nonsense. Unlike say, a UHV, they do not have to get permission from the State to do business. They most definitely know how to turn a profit in training and continuing education programming. Their books are open to all and it won't be difficult for interested parties to asses the profit/loss figures. Tuition costs have nothing whatsoever to do with such a building purchase or operation. Those funds can, by state law, only be used for certain expense categories, such as paying faculty salaries, etc. VC has the required infrastructure to run such an enterprise: Accounting, planning and marketing expertise, equipment for printing, various personnel with a high degree of management capability who can and will share responsibilities without needing a fleet of new staff, as well as art and drama departments which will undoubtedly greatly enhance program offerings. Corporate involvement will undoubtedly enhance demand for downtown restaurants and other services. Victoria College gives instant credibility to this operation, which I predicted ten years ago would never be self-sustaining and would face tough times or closing during economic downturns. Face it, Victoria, your city is not the most attractive in the world, and the summer heat is not inviting. However, a well-run downtown facility that is not always on the brink of disaster should greatly improve the opportunities for surrounding businesses to become more stable because the Center, whatever it's to be called, will be stable and inviting. Be grateful for your local community college; it will serve you well. And, Victoria Advocate editorial board, when you praise VC, please include your appreciation for its outstanding teaching in academic subjects, which enables so many Victoria area students to be successful when they transfer to major universities.
If you really want to do well academically, lose the social life. Basically, if you are smart enough to do well in AP classes, forget social life. Just focus on doing well academically and get the hell out of Victoria.
Does anyone remember a Victoria Advocate editorial within the past year proclaiming that one of Victoria's assets was its weather? No one in his right mind would propose that Victoria has livable weather.
If you removed all dangerous students from VISD the classrooms would be at least half empty. Also, is the Advocate Editorial Board admitting that there are "bad" teachers in VISD? What a shock.
It is difficult to fathom why (or how) Victoria "leaders" can't comprehend that the number of students who actually take classes on the UHV campus is far too small to justify its existence now, much less an expanded campus. The students are in Sugarland, for goodness sakes--not Victoria. Why shouldn't Sugarland be part of the UH System? It's IN Houston! The students in Sugarland are divided among various entities in order to justify more administrators and staff of various entities, and the waste of State money on this absurdity is outrageous during these times--or at any time. There will never be enough actual students in Victoria attending UHV (or an A&M) to justify a full-fledged campus and all of the expenses that entails. The duplication of effort in terms of Victoria College is absurd; VC is much more academically rigorous and cost-effective. This is all about politics and "pride," rather than about quality education. No one fails at UHV; if the Aggies came in and maintained their academic standards, no one would graduate.
The number of administrative positions at VC has grown exponentially in the past several years, far outpacing student and faculty growth. Student retention and achievement have not improved, and students in remedial courses still are mostly unsuccessful in college level courses, but by golly VC has an outlandishly expensive PR machine and a terrific community image. The current president is paid far more than his predecessor, who was far more frugal with public money. The Fine Arts Auditorium is a treasure that could be restored with cuts to administrative salaries and or a few staff reductions--to tear the building down is an outrage. The public should demand valid statistics about how students are performing compared to how they performed when far fewer administrators were employed and before grade inflation was forced down the throats of developmental education faculty. Something is very rotten at VC.
Victoria College continues its laudable and outstanding service to the community and region. It is interesting to note that Caterpillar did not require the services of UHV, which community leaders tout as being essential to local and regional development. Since its inception VC has remained current with workforce training and provided outstanding academic courses, a fact that seems to have been lost on the Don Quixote-like quest to expand UHV, which is basically an online university with low academic standards.
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I believe that the naysayers of this proposed project may not be as familiar with community colleges in general, and perhaps VC in particular, as they might be. All well-run community colleges can and do turn on a dime, all the time. They respond to opportunities and challenges quickly, with little bureaucratic nonsense. Unlike say, a UHV, they do not have to get permission from the State to do business. They most definitely know how to turn a profit in training and continuing education programming. Their books are open to all and it won't be difficult for interested parties to asses the profit/loss figures. Tuition costs have nothing whatsoever to do with such a building purchase or operation. Those funds can, by state law, only be used for certain expense categories, such as paying faculty salaries, etc. VC has the required infrastructure to run such an enterprise: Accounting, planning and marketing expertise, equipment for printing, various personnel with a high degree of management capability who can and will share responsibilities without needing a fleet of new staff, as well as art and drama departments which will undoubtedly greatly enhance program offerings. Corporate involvement will undoubtedly enhance demand for downtown restaurants and other services. Victoria College gives instant credibility to this operation, which I predicted ten years ago would never be self-sustaining and would face tough times or closing during economic downturns. Face it, Victoria, your city is not the most attractive in the world, and the summer heat is not inviting. However, a well-run downtown facility that is not always on the brink of disaster should greatly improve the opportunities for surrounding businesses to become more stable because the Center, whatever it's to be called, will be stable and inviting. Be grateful for your local community college; it will serve you well. And, Victoria Advocate editorial board, when you praise VC, please include your appreciation for its outstanding teaching in academic subjects, which enables so many Victoria area students to be successful when they transfer to major universities.
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Bars required to enable residents to ignore the unbearable heat of Victoria.
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If you really want to do well academically, lose the social life. Basically, if you are smart enough to do well in AP classes, forget social life. Just focus on doing well academically and get the hell out of Victoria.
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Does anyone remember a Victoria Advocate editorial within the past year proclaiming that one of Victoria's assets was its weather? No one in his right mind would propose that Victoria has livable weather.
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This airport will never be self-sufficient and should be shut down.
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If you removed all dangerous students from VISD the classrooms would be at least half empty. Also, is the Advocate Editorial Board admitting that there are "bad" teachers in VISD? What a shock.
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It is difficult to fathom why (or how) Victoria "leaders" can't comprehend that the number of students who actually take classes on the UHV campus is far too small to justify its existence now, much less an expanded campus. The students are in Sugarland, for goodness sakes--not Victoria. Why shouldn't Sugarland be part of the UH System? It's IN Houston! The students in Sugarland are divided among various entities in order to justify more administrators and staff of various entities, and the waste of State money on this absurdity is outrageous during these times--or at any time. There will never be enough actual students in Victoria attending UHV (or an A&M) to justify a full-fledged campus and all of the expenses that entails. The duplication of effort in terms of Victoria College is absurd; VC is much more academically rigorous and cost-effective. This is all about politics and "pride," rather than about quality education. No one fails at UHV; if the Aggies came in and maintained their academic standards, no one would graduate.
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The number of administrative positions at VC has grown exponentially in the past several years, far outpacing student and faculty growth. Student retention and achievement have not improved, and students in remedial courses still are mostly unsuccessful in college level courses, but by golly VC has an outlandishly expensive PR machine and a terrific community image. The current president is paid far more than his predecessor, who was far more frugal with public money. The Fine Arts Auditorium is a treasure that could be restored with cuts to administrative salaries and or a few staff reductions--to tear the building down is an outrage. The public should demand valid statistics about how students are performing compared to how they performed when far fewer administrators were employed and before grade inflation was forced down the throats of developmental education faculty. Something is very rotten at VC.
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"To Kill a Mockingbird," hands down.
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Victoria College continues its laudable and outstanding service to the community and region. It is interesting to note that Caterpillar did not require the services of UHV, which community leaders tout as being essential to local and regional development. Since its inception VC has remained current with workforce training and provided outstanding academic courses, a fact that seems to have been lost on the Don Quixote-like quest to expand UHV, which is basically an online university with low academic standards.
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