Opinion

Not just complaining

Friday, October 25, 2002

Dear Editor,

After reading Mary Ginapp's letter to the editor in the October 23 Gazette, I realized that if someone that has worked for our college system for over 31 years doesn't understand what the McCook community and alumni have been trying to point out for the past several years, then there's no doubt that more people see us (the campus and the community) as simply complaining about the name "again".... They don't see the big picture.

First of all, as Mike Hendricks pointed out in an earlier article in the Gazette, McCook Junior College was actually renamed to "McCook Community College" the fall of 1973 after the creation of the "Mid-Plains Nebraska Technical Community College Area" by state legislature (LB 775).

Second, Mary is correct in that numerous efforts have been made to bring the campuses together as an area, and we've done just that. For instance, we've gone to an area computer system for student records and billing; state/federal reporting is done under the area name through the Institutional Research office in North Platte; many former campus positions are now area positions -- the President, Registrar, Dean of Curriculum & Instruction; Distance Learning Coordinator; Director of Financial Aid; and even the Dean of Students and Recruiter.

What do the tax payers of our 18-county area have to say about the name? Maybe something as simple as, "Why not just leave it Mid-Plains Community College Area, and call the campuses McCook Community College and North Platte Community College?"

The McDonald-Belton and Technical campuses will eventually join to become one campus at the McDonald-Belton site, so it could work. Even Dr. Gregory Fitch (President before George Mihel) and Greg Fritz (Public Information Director before Chuck Salestrom) referred to McCook Community College as "McCook Community College, a college of the Mid-Plains Community College Area" -- it may simply be an issue of advertising. And just because Mike Hendricks writes an article doesn't mean he's the only one who dislikes the name "Nebraska Plains Community College" (or NPCC for short) -- it's the entire community.

I wonder how many people up north would like being named "Heritage Community College"? Did anyone take into consideration that McCook celebrates "Heritage Days" or that our golf course is "Heritage Hills"?

However, probably the most important issue not realized within the Mid-Plains Area is not just that McCook Community College is afraid of losing our identity, but that the McCook campus relies greatly on our community and alumni support -- the McCook College Foundation. As a matter of fact, the foundation has been approached by MPCCA administration (more often times than not) to fund major purchases for the MCC campus, including one-third of the cost of the recent renovation of McMillen Hall.

How many McCook Junior College and McCook Community College alumni are going to be willing to support the McCook College Foundation when McCook Community College doesn't even exist? If we lose their support, the McCook campus will have to depend on the AREA pocketbook.

Even look at the campus ... Every single building on the McCook Community College campus has been funded by community members or past alumni -- McMillen Hall (soon to house the Hormel Business Center), True Gym, vonRiesen Library, Barnett Hall, Tipton Hall (which houses the Weeth Mini Theater), Wrightstone Fine Arts Building, Walsh-Brady Hall, and Brooks Residence Hall.

Not to mention the numerous scholarships provided by the community or past alumni, such as Walsh-Brady and Anna Berg scholarships. It's more than just our name.... it's our livelihood.

Finally, I whole-heartedly agree with Mary, as most anyone would if they had the opportunity to meet and work with him, in that Dr. Carlton Williams has lifted the morale of employees in the short time he's been interim president.

Not only that, but he's a fine person. But that's not really the point....

Lana Stewart,

graduate and employee of McCook Community College

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