Local View: SCC a worthwhile investment

Southeast Community College is committed to its mission of providing a qualified workforce in career and technical fields and affordable access to higher education.

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, in his inaugural address, stated, “We must strengthen our education system. We must make sure our young people have the skills they need to compete in a 21st-century global economy and in particular career and vocational training. Every manufacturer I’ve spoken to has told me they can’t find enough skilled labor and it’s a barrier to them expanding in our state.”

In 2015, SCC implemented a five-year strategic plan to improve the college’s capacity to fulfill its mission and meet the workforce, student and community needs throughout its 15-county service area. The strategic plan included the college’s first Facilities Master Plan, which was recently commended by the college’s regional accrediting body.

The college is required to comply with accreditation criteria, including the need to have sufficient facilities infrastructure to support its operations. The plan identified more than $350 million of needs and recommended most facilities be replaced. SCC attempted a bond election in 2016, which did not pass.

Community colleges in Nebraska have three primary sources of funding: state aid, tuition and fees and property tax. Of all property taxes levied in Nebraska, community colleges account for approximately 5 percent of the total.

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