Southwest Tennessee Community College Scoop Newsletter
In This Issue...
- Message from President
- Welcome aboard, new team members
- Southwest Child Care director presents research in Amsterdam
- Pharmacy technician students reap rewards of giving back
- Don't miss the year-end close deadlines
- Saluqi Corner
- 12 Southwest student athletes receive national academic honors
- Stajduhar named Second Team All-TCCAA Softball
- Nobles named Second Team All-TCCAA Baseball
- Public Safety Corner
- 2018 Commencement full of pomp and circumstance
- Mother and daughter move forward together with continuing education program
- Governor selects 2018 Southwest graduate to serve on TSAC board
- Upward Bound students jam with Soulsville alumni
- Title IX Video Contest wraps up with Hollywood-style premiere
- Important Dates
Message from
President Tracy D. Hall
![Dr. Tracy D. Hall](images/dr-hall.jpg)
Our academic and fiscal year have been outstanding. We have experienced increases in enrollment, retention and graduation rates and our financial outlook is positive. Your exceptional work and tireless dedication are reasons why I have the following news to share.
The upcoming fiscal year 2018-19 budget allows for a 2.5 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) for all full and part-time benefit-eligible employees in unrestricted positions, effective July 1, 2018, for employees on the payroll as of June 30 2018. Employees in restricted positions are subject to grant or contract funding and will be notified by July 13, 2018, as to their eligibility for the 2.5 percent COLA. Also, TBR announced that 2019 health insurance premiums will decrease by 9.4% and there will be no benefit deductions from November 2018 pay checks.
In addition, effective July 1, 2018, adjunct faculty pay, as well as faculty overload pay, will increase by $100 per credit hour. The following also are funded in the College’s fiscal year 2018-19 Education & General (E&G) budget that was approved June 22, 2018, by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR):
- Launch of the new Funeral Services Education program (pending TBR approval),
- Launch of the new Team Safe program to help at-risk youth in area high schools discover their path to college, and
- Continued funding for training and professional development for faculty and staff.
The College’s positive financial performance and outlook, along with recent actions taken by the TBR, enable us to fund these compensation and program enhancements. Included in the statewide 2018-19 TBR-approved budgets is an average 2.7 increase for in-state tuition, the fourth consecutive year of increases under 4 percent and the lowest four-year average increase in decades.
These steps are a continuation of our efforts to address concerns you shared with me when I arrived nearly three years ago. As you may recall, in October 2016, each eligible employee received a $1,000 bonus and last year all full and part-time benefit-eligible employees received a three percent cost of living allowance (COLA). These compensation enhancements demonstrate our appreciation for your hard work and dedication to helping our students achieve their dreams.
Again, thank you for your outstanding performance this past year. Our students are benefitting from your stellar efforts each day and so is the College, the community and the state of Tennessee.
Thank you for all you do. Have a happy and safe Fourth of July holiday and enjoy the summer.
![Tracy D. Hall Signature](images/tracy-hall-Signature.jpg)
Dr. Tracy D. Hall