Chancellor sings NSCS's praises

Carpenter, who spoke Thursday to the CSC employees, delivered a largely upbeat message to the tune of five classic rock titles: “Come Together,” “I’m a Believer,” “We Are the Champions,” “We Can Work it Out” and “I Can See for Miles and Miles.”

The leader of the three colleges said the NSCS emerged from the legislative session better than most state agencies, and commended state leaders for level funding for the system and increasing appropriations 39 percent during the past decade. He noted that institutions of higher education across the nation are feeling the brunt of tough economic times, including the 21 percent decline among colleges and universities in neighboring Colorado.

Carpenter delivered a list of more than a half dozen NSCS and statewide initiatives that are improving education for students of all ages in Nebraska, including Nebraska’s P-16 Initiative. One of the initiatives Carpenter mentioned was the CSC Red Balloon Project, an effort to “break down academic silos” which has resulted in a restructuring of CSC’s academic, business and student services areas. The list included an NSCS initiative to reduce the number credit hours required  for graduation and a program that funds tuition for Pell Grant recipients. He also spoke about the NSCS Seamless Transfer Program for community college students and Peru State’s One Rate Any State program.

Carpenter also touted the direct economic and cultural impact of the NSCS institutions.

“The NSCS contributes about $275 million to the Nebraska economy annually,” he said. “Additionally, the state colleges are the centers of cultural, athletic and intellectual activity in the regions they serve.”

Carpenter also gave evidence of the benefits of the three colleges working together. As an example of the collective power of Chadron State, Wayne State and Peru State Colleges working together, he said the institutions are able to issue revenue bonds at favorable interest rates because of the collective assets of the three institutions serve as “collateral.”

Although excited about the work at the three state colleges, Carpenter gave warnings about the “draconian” approach to education funding he has identified in a number of areas in the United States.

Using quotes from educators and political leaders and successes of CSC students, he described education as an equalizer of society. In order to ensure that higher education is accessible for not only the rich, but all students, he encouraged people to be vigilant in describing the benefits of public colleges and universities.

“Magazines and newspapers are full of stories of our efforts to build schools around the globe, but it seems we may have forgotten the lesson at home,” Carpenter said. “All across America, school budgets are being cut, teachers laid off and education programs dismantled.”

Following his presentation, Carpenter fielded a question about the investigations of football fundraising outside the Chadron State Foundation and the team’s mid-season coaching change. Con Marshall, former CSC director of information, encouraged Carpenter to share information about the case, noting that the issue is dividing the campus and community.

Carpenter agreed that honesty and disclosure is the best approach, but said privacy is required in this matter to preserve the integrity of the investigation. He said the NCAA is a “deliberative body,” and doesn’t expect the investigation to be completed in “the next week, or two weeks or six weeks. After that, I don’t know.”

Carpenter said officials of the CSC and NSCS are cooperating with the investigation to the best of their ability.

“It is a difficult issue. It is one that has consumed a great deal of time of the administration here and of the administration at the system office, as well,” Carpenter said. “I wish that I could tell you what’s going on right now, but I can’t. I know that sounds like an easy glib answer, but it would be a whole lot easier for me if I could tell you. But, there’s an investigation going on, there’s an NCAA investigation going on, and we cannot jeopardize that. I can tell you that no one at this institution has acted precipitously. No one has acted without thinking carefully about what’s going on and the steps that have been taken. I can tell you they did the right thing when these issues came forward. They addressed the matter. They talked to us, we’ve talked to the people at the NCAA. This investigation will take its course.”

Responding to a question about how the University of Nebraska’s move to the Big 10 Conference and efforts to grow will affect the institution, Carpenter said he expects the impact to be minimal because the university system serves a largely different demographic than the NSCS.