Lansing Community College is planning for the future, and they are looking to the entire Lansing area to help them do it. The college is now embarking on a year-long strategic planning process, beginning with a series of community forums to garner feedback and direction from students, residents, local business owners and more.
LCC’s last strategic plan covered years 2006 through 2011, and according to LCC Provost Dr. Stephanie Shanblatt, now is the perfect time to take another look at the school’s plan for the future.
“The rapid changes occurring in business and the workforce require us to become more flexible and responsive,” says Shanblatt. “In fact, the nation is counting on community colleges to help meet the need for significantly more college graduates so we can stay competitive in the world economy. This focus is occurring at the same time our funding sources have declined, so planning our future is a complex undertaking.”
The planning process will begin with a series of “Learn Forward” public forums taking place throughout the Lansing area during March. Attendees will be asked what they need from LCC, what kinds of education and training they think LCC should provide, how they think LCC should serve the community and what they believe to be the challenges facing higher education.
“We want our students to prepare for high skill, high demand, high-wage jobs,” says Shanblatt. “At the same time, we want to contribute to strengthening the economic vitality of the region.”
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.