ASU and Central Alabama Community College Sign an MOU
to Help Uplift Student Success
By Kenneth Mullinax/ASU
Alabama State University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Central Alabama Community College (CACC) at the latter's Prattville campus on August 24. The MOU formalized a partnership between the two schools that will allow the institutions to work together to build a seamless pipeline for students attending CACC to have the opportunity for a direct pathway to study and obtain a degree at ASU.
At the event, ASU President, Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr., was joined by Dr. Jennifer B. Steele who represented CACC's President Jeff Lynn. Both affixed their signatures to the MOU agreement, which made it official. ASU's President Ross explained that the collaboration between the two schools is a big win for the students who reside in several Central Alabama counties and attend CACC.
"We are excited to be a partner with Central Alabama Community College under the leadership of President Jeff Lynn and work with him and his staff to help further uplift the college’s students," Ross said. "What we are doing today by signing this agreement is important for Central Alabama's students, the community, ASU and for education. This is a match that lifts up Central Alabama's students and allows ASU to continue to help enhance its educational and career opportunities by giving interested students at Central Alabama Community College an opportunity to study with us at ASU."
CENTRAL ALABAMA HAS HIGH HOPES FOR THE PARTNERSHIP
CACC's Dr. Steele explained that the agreement is all about enriching the educational experiences of its students who attend any of its four campuses, located in Alexander City, Prattville, Childersburg and Talladega.
"We are most grateful for the opportunity to be partners with Alabama State University and see our students enhance their education with additional classes, which will help their ability to obtain better employment opportunities upon graduation," Steele stated.
In attendance on behalf of the University was ASU provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, Dr. Carl Pettis and Dr. Tanjula Petty, assistant provost for Student Success and Special Initiatives in ASU's Office of Academic Affairs. Pettis and Petty are responsible for helping to develop and execute all of Alabama State University’s MOU agreements with other schools and entities.
Also present was one of President Ross's colleagues from his days as a member of the Alabama State Senate, the Honorable Senator Clyde Chambliss (District 30), who represents the area in which CACC is located.
"It is great to be here with Dr. Ross, whom I still think of as 'Senator Ross,' who has a heart of gold. He and I both believe in creating pathways that help students grow into productive and successful citizens and this agreement is evidence of how these two schools plan on obtaining this goal," Chambliss exclaimed.
PRESIDENT ROSS EMPHASIZED ASU'S OBJECTIVE IS "COMM-UNIVERSITY"
"In ASU's strategic plan, there is a section we inserted that is about our desire to work to help the community that the University resides in, which we call 'Comm-University.' That is a term which means we wish to provide services for the general community at-large," said Ross. "This MOU is a great example of collaboration between our two schools and an example of 'Comm-University,’ which in this case is all about obtaining student success.”
News media contact: ASU's Kenneth Mullinax, 334-229-4104.
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