A lot to crab about
March 15, 2017
Locals enjoy big success in college basketball season
March 15, 2017
Fletcher Technical and Community College will be adding two existing community college campuses as part of a state system consolidation.
Last Wednesday the Louisiana Community and Technical College System board voted to realign eight campuses across the state due to dwindling financial support from the state.
As part of the realignment, the South Central Louisiana Technical College campuses in Thibodaux and Galliano will be under Fletcher’s management beginning July 1. Fletcher’s Marine Petroleum building on Houma’s east side, where Young Memorial currently handles the marine training, will now be managed by South Louisiana Community College.
Fletcher Chancellor Kristine Strickland said none of the campuses would be closing due to the consolidation, noting the current faculty and leadership will be staying put. She said while Fletcher may transition some programs from one campus to another, no program would be closed. Strickland highlighted the consolidation as a chance for Fletcher to expand its program offering, as the college is adding HVAC and surgical technology programs from SCLTC.
“I think it’s a really exciting time for Fletcher and our whole community. The addition of new faculty expertise, the addition of new locations, it just means that we have more opportunities than ever before to serve our communities and to help people
get trained and educated,” Strickland said.
The LCTCS realignment comes as a means to saving money on administrative costs as state appropriations for all of higher education continues to fall. Strickland said the board estimated the system could save as much as $10 million through the realignment.
Strickland said Fletcher is beginning to work on its transition plans for the new campuses, with the plans due to the LCTCS board in May. She said administrators
have not yet determined if jobs will be cut as part of the transition but noted Fletcher will be looking for money-saving opportunities wherever it can find any.
“Over the next number of weeks we will be looking at and learning about the campuses becoming a part of Fletcher, and we will be certainly putting together plans that will allow us to continue to serve the community and continue to fulfill our
mission, but also looking to enhance and achieve any efficiencies, even budgetarily, we can achieve by bringing these campuses into Fletcher,” Strickland said.
