The Horry-Georgetown Technical College Area Commission invites applications for the position President of the College.

The Role of the President

The President of Horry-Georgetown Technical College is employed by, and serves at the will of The Horry-Georgetown Technical College Commission (Area Commission or Commission), in accordance with the South Carolina State Board of Technical and Comprehensive Education (State Board) policy. In making its determination of hiring a President, the Board must consider the minimum qualifications established by the State Board. Consistent with the Area Commission's "Constitution and Bylaws" (Bylaws), the primary function of the Commission "is the determination of policy and administration, as determined by the State Board , and the employment and evaluation of the President." The Bylaws further note that "Within the policy guidelines established by the Commission and State Board, the College President is singularly responsible for the operation of the College." Further, while the President is granted full authority and responsibility for the operation of the College, such authority and responsibility must be exercised under policies, rules, and requirements of the Area Commission and State Board.

In effect and in practice, the Bylaws and State Board rules reflect a principle of shared governance between the Commission and the President, e.g. while the Commission governs and establishes policy, rules, etc., and the President is responsible for the operation of the College, they share their respective roles in the development and advancement of Horry-Georgetown. Consistent with the Commission's Bylaws, the President employees all College personnel, with the Commission's approval for hiring institutional officers. In addition, the President is responsible for preparing both the annual current expense and capital budgets, and submitting them to the Commission for review and approval. With regard to capital projects, the President advises the Commission of all planned construction, facility modification needs, and generally about the state and condition of College facilities. In the area of the Academic Program, the President recommends to the Commission all new educational programs, and changes in the curriculum. Consistent with practice and protocols, the President regularly apprises the Commission on the development and operation of the College, for which the President is ultimately responsible. In carrying out these responsibilities and authorities, consistent with and reflecting the principles of shared governance, the President regularly provides transparent counsel, guidance, and analysis to the Commission with regard to policy issues; trends in technical higher education programs and practices; potential operating difficulties facing the College; fiscal, budgetary, and capital projects and needs of the institution; and challenges and opportunities that require Commission consideration, discussion, and potential policy enactment and/or amendment.

The President of Horry-Georgetown holds a strenuous, comprehensive, and unique leadership position. In as much as the President is responsible for the overall operation of the institution, they oversee College administration, provide executive leadership, and lead development and planning to ensure that its mission and purpose are fulfilled. This work is accomplished through the implementation of Commission policy, within goals and objectives, and in accordance with College, Technical College System, local, state, and federal statutory, administrative code, and regulatory requirements. In addition, the President ensures that the institution complies with Commission on Colleges and Universities accreditation guidelines, and adheres to the "Principles of Accreditation" in management and operational practices. Additional Presidential responsibilities include providing executive leadership to define the College's mission, identify and develop the vision, and articulate the core values of the institution. In effect, the President leads development of the Strategic Plan. The President's leadership is vitally important. The President draws together the College's executive staff, and together they work throughout the institution to bring each area of focus into light with regard to quality efforts, budgeting, resource planning, program evaluation, and performance monitoring and reporting.

The Commission is required to annually evaluate its President. In addition, the President provides to the Commission an annual report that includes "major accomplishments." This report is helpful for identifying myriad activities with which the President of Horry-Georgetown engages, and the "end results expected and indicators of success." The report is also helpful for clarifying the "Role of the President" in this profile, and to illustrate the scope and span of the position. The President represents the College before governmental, higher education, business and industry, school district, civic, economic development, and other agencies, organizations, and entities. The President advocates before local, state, federal, private, and philanthropic units of government and organizations for resources that sustain and enhance the mission of the institution. An important role of the President is to solicit State support from the South Carolina General Assembly for the College. Taking an active role in the area's economic and workforce development activities, discerning the needs of business and industry, and leading the development of programs and services in this area is an important role of the President. Fiscal acumen, budget management, understanding capital projects, executive staff development, expertise in education and training program development, a focus upon student success, and engagement with local and regional education partners are highly valued characteristics of the President. At the core of the President's role is interaction and engagement with individuals, groups, and organizations; establishing new and nurturing existing relationships and partnerships with the College; securing support for the institution at all levels of the public and private sectors and with benefactors; and leading with passion an exceptional Technical College that changes the lives of its students and their families.

Opportunities and Challenges

As portrayed in the section on The Role of the President, the next President of Horry-Georgetown Technical College will lead an institution that is governed by an exceptionally strong Area Commission, a College that has enjoyed exemplary presidential leadership, and one that is proud of what it has accomplished in six decades of service to the residents of Horry and Georgetown Counties in Northeastern South Carolina. The President will work collaboratively with the Area Commission, through the practice of shared governance, and with devoted employees, community and educational partners, and local governments and business organizations, to move the institution forward as it embraces opportunities and challenges in the coming years. The College 's mission statement, vision, and core values, and the goals enumerated in its Strategic Plan, collectively affirm its commitment to meet the education and training needs of students, and to connect them with employment opportunities within and beyond the service area of the institution. This commitment will include interactions with the local business community to discover and deploy innovative workforce development programs and solutions; collaborating with public and private secondary and post-secondary educational institutions to foster student access, potential transfer, progression, and completion of credentials, licenses, and certifications; and seeking and encouraging new financial investments and external funding sources that include the Foundation, philanthropic organizations, governmental entities, and community members.

The Presidential Search Committee provided access to a survey instrument to College employees and community members in order to gather broad input about the future of the institution. The purpose of the surveys was to enable employees, students, and residents of the two-county service area to express their views about the opportunities and challenges the College faces over the next three to five-year period. Strong residential population growth, a robust economic and workforce development and business environment, and increasing student demand for access to education and training opportunities set the tone for a tremendous survey response. Therefore, the following items are seen by the Area Commission, Search Committee, and survey respondents as opportunities and challenges that are and/or will be before the College:

• Population Growth and Student Engagement: There is a strong correlation between population growth within the service area, increasing demand from students for education, training, and support services, and the needs of business and industry for well-educated, highly-skilled, and occupationally licensed or certified graduates or completers for a rapidly growing and prosperous local economy. The College must respond by revisiting its program offerings, expanding high-demand occupational programs, delivering marketable credentials, and exploring innovative and affordable programs and solutions to meet student and employer needs, respectively. Successful solutions will impact and improve the lives of students and their families, and serve to meet employer demand.
• Economic and Workforce Development and Support: An area of focus for faculty, staff, and community members is the important role the College plays in the nexus between education, training and employment. As a premier Technical Education College, Horry-Georgetown bridges - with clear pathways - the connection between educational attainment and the world of work. A growing number of new residents, expanding enterprises, significant employment opportunities in high-demand occupations, and close partnerships with existing or customized training needs of new industries generate a steady demand of College offerings that supply qualified workforce participants. The institution is positioned to solidify its leadership in this area by expanding workforce training in emerging and growing sectors, and leveraging program, equipment, and capital support from its partners.
• Employee Engagement, Commitment, and Development: There is no more valuable asset to the College than its human capital - Faculty and Staff. The institution has a legacy of employing individuals who put the needs and interests of students first in Horry and Georgetown Counties. These employees are the people who interact daily with the people the College was established to serve. Whether in a classroom, lab, or on-line course setting; in the financial aid or business office; enabling them to fulfill their transfer, further education, or occupational goals; or navigating academic or learning challenges; these dedicated servants make a difference in the lives of students. The next President will need to address concerns related to talent recruitment, retention and development, competitive compensation in a demanding market, increasing workloads in high-demand areas of the institution, recognizing employee contributions and innovations in instruction and service delivery, and maintaining a positive culture.
• Technology Enhancements and Artificial Intelligence: There is a great deal of interest in expanding delivery methods for students, especially on-line instruction, hybrid courses, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and evening and weekend programs. In addition, there are opportunities to leverage modern technology to improve student success, enhance institutional effectiveness, deliver academic programming, and modernize administrative operations. A cadre of employees noted that AI is an important technology tool for a changing workforce. There is a need for integration of AI into teaching and operations. It also has an important place in business process improvements, workforce preparation, and instructional innovation. The College's emergence as a recognized leader in adoption and innovation of AI in the State are major opportunities of importance.
• Fostering Student Success and Meeting Student Needs: The College's Mission Statement declares that "Horry-Georgetown is dedicated to enriching the lives of students and empowering communities through accessible and affordable education." A growing population of students at the College, including both traditional and non-traditional students participating in technical education and transfer programs, have needs that must be met to enable them to succeed. Some of these needs include academic advising, career guidance, financial aid support, mental health services, and other basic needs. Furthermore, students need encouragement to persist, complete their coursework or transfer requirements, and understand the pathways that connect education, training, and employment. A challenge facing the College is students arriving with a lack of sufficient academic or other education preparation. This challenge may be a renewed area of focus as the student population grows.
• Program Evaluation and Development: An opportunity expressed by many survey respondents included an evaluation of academic programs and workforce training, and the revision of existing or development of new activities, seen through the lens of