Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College upgrades moving forward

Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College’s $4.2 million renovation of its health science building is expected to go out to bid in May, with construction beginning in January 2024.

Vice President of Financial Affairs Kim Huff told the OCtech Area Commission that the architect has submitted the final drawings to the state engineer’s office. He expects final bids will be in by the end of May or early June.

The project will be funded with state money.

Mechanical and electrical upgrades, including HVAC replacements, are among the work to be done at the building, which was built in 1987.

Huff said the architectural plans for the renovation of Building S into a student commons and kitchen area have been sent out for state review with hopes renovations will begin around August with completion by December of this year.

Huff also noted a contractor for the first phase (electrical construction) of the project to upgrade the college’s machine tool space in its transportation building has been chosen. The project will be completed over three phases. An architect is working on the design of the project’s second and third phases, Huff said.

The project also includes mechanical and general construction.

Financial matters

OCtech President Dr. Walt Tobin said he and Huff plan to meet with Calhoun and Orangeburg County officials as the budgeting process begins for both counties.

There currently remains a question on the state level about how much technical colleges will be receiving.

Tobin provided an overview of the S.C. House and S.C. Senate versions of next year’s state budget:

• The Senate has plans to provide $20 million in recurring funds for tuition mitigation while the House plans $15 million.

• The Senate has $183 million planned for nonrecurring capital and maintenance needs. The House is planning $129 million.

• The Senate plans $80 million for SC Wins (the state-funded scholarship program for career technical programs). The House has $100 million allocated.

• The Senate and House each have $20 million planned for high-demand job skill training equipment.

• The Senate and House have allocated $51 million for lottery tuition assistance.

• The Senate and House have allocated $10 million for nursing initiatives.

• The Senate allocated $8 million for technology and the House allocated nothing.

The Senate version of the budget provides funds for an employee pay increase of $2,500 for anyone making $50,000 and below or a 5 percent raise for anyone making more than $50,000 annually.

The House version is providing funding for an employee pay increase of $2,500 for anyone making under $83,000 a year and a 3 percent raise for those making above $83,000.

Tobin said he hopes the college has a final budget by the end of May.

Academic affairs

Commissioners unanimously voted to add an office management specialization program under its Associate of Applied Science Business Administration track.

“Over the past few years, our AOT (Administrative Office Technology) program has been on probation because we don’t have enough students to meet the graduation numbers requirement,” OCtech Vice President of Academic Affairs Williette Berry said.

She said the college will create the concentration track in office management at the request of local businesses and industries who say office management skills are still needed.

As part of this move, the college will end its Associate of Applied Science Administrative Office Technology program.

Commissioners also unanimously approved adding a 30-hour certificate for its Associate of Arts and Associate of Science programs.

“When students come as transfer students, they stay for a year then transfer out so we don’t get any completion rates from them,” Berry said.

She said the 30-hour certificate will help the college have completion data for students if they do leave.

She says the certificate will also provide Early College students with a greater foundation than a 15-hour general education certificate.

Berry also said a survey was conducted of the college’s plans for its seven-week term semester, which it piloted this spring and plans to officially roll out this fall. She said about 80 percent of the courses will be offered in this format.

She noted about 21 students responded to a survey of the plan with only one saying they did not like the format.

“We are looking forward to moving forward and to seeing how this affects our students’ success,” Berry said.

Berry said the college continues to provide professional development opportunities for its faculty over the spring and summer months in an effort to ensure students can reach their full potential.

Berry also said the college is tweaking its orientation program for new students with plans to roll it out in the fall.

“This is something we have been pushing,” Berry said. “We had a college 101 course that was one credit hour, but it was a lot of information that didn’t get the students where we wanted them to be.”

“We wanted something more robust, more interactive,” she said.

In other business:

• Commissioners unanimously approved a policy that makes sure students are equitably refunded. Huff said there have been no changes in the policy and that the vote was procedural.

• Huff said the college has a request for proposals out for its banking and auditing services. The state requires these services be bid out every five years.

• Spring Graduation will be held Wednesday, May 10, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the R Auditorium

• The next Area Commission meeting is scheduled for May 16.