NEWSLETTER

Issue 2 - June 2002

District Enrollment/Registration

Summer enrollment at both Paducah Community College and West Kentucky Technical College is up, according to student services personnel. PCC staff members enrolled more than 100 students on the first day of summer registration and by June 11 a total of 1,115 had enrolled for summer classes. West Kentucky Tech has about 415 students enrolled in summer classes. Fall enrollment goals have been set at 2,165 for West Kentucky Technical College and 3,522 at Paducah Community College.

Hospitals Join Forces with PCC

Lourdes Foundation, Western Baptist Hospital and Paducah Community College have joined forces to ensure that the area sees no effect from the emerging nationwide nursing shortage.

Under a recent agreement, Lourdes Foundation and Western Baptist Hospital will fund additional non-tenure faculty positions through PJC, Inc. (the foundation in support of PCC). Both Lourdes Foundation and Western Baptist Hospital will pay $30,000 during 2002, the first year of the agreement, and $70,000 for each year of the agreement thereafter.

"PCC's ability to admit and graduate nursing students is directly tied to the number of faculty our nursing department employs," says Dr. Barbara Veazey, PCC president.

The funding provided by Lourdes Foundation (for Lourdes Hospital) and Western Baptist Hospital will enable the college to add an additional 3.5 faculty positions to the nursing program over a period of two years. This increase in privately funded faculty positions permits PCC's R.N. program to admit and graduate approximately 80 - 90 nursing candidates annually.

"This partnership is a great example of business linking with education in a way that will have a direct impact on healthcare in this community. It's an innovative and proactive way for us to invest in the community and will yield great results in helping us staff our facilities," said Larry Barton, President and CEO of Western Baptist Hospital.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that one million new nurses will be needed by 2010. While some communities are already experiencing a shortage, the Paducah area has not been effected.

"The agreement with PCC reflects the commitment of both hospitals to encourage and support nursing career choices," says Dr. William G. Wheeler, Lourdes President and CEO. "This is an example of the aggressive measures the hospitals are undertaking to avert any potential nursing shortage in our area."

PCC has seen a 200 percent increase in the number of qualified nursing applicants, but due to the loss of faculty positions resulting from budget cuts, the college has been unable to accommodate these students, officials said.

More information about the college and its educational facilities can be obtained by contacting the tech college directly by telephone on the number provided below.

Address: 4810 Alben Barkley Drive, Paducah, KY, 42001

Phone: (270) 554-9200



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