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Channel 12 News
Alexandra Renslo reporting / arenslo@twlve.tv
August 25, 2010
A new school year at North Hennepin Community College in Brooklyn Park brings a new set of challenges and opportunities for new college president John O'Brien.
O'Brien, 48, comes to North Hennepin after 20 years in academia including serving as acting president at Century College in White Bear Lake. He started at North Hennepin Community College on July 1. O'Brien said his most important job over the last month-and-a-half has been listening and getting to know faculty, staff and now students at the college.
"Lots of people, when you're the new person they want to know sort of what your vision is and what your plans are, and I've tried to be really clear that my plans are to listen," said O'Brien.
O'Brien takes over at a time when the financial challenges facing North Hennepin and other Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Systems (MnSCU) could prove to be a major hurdle in the years to come. O'Brien said North Hennepin will need to prepare for the possibility of a wide range of cuts in state money for 2012 that could add up to more than a million-dollar reduction in state funding for the college.
At the same time enrollment continues to grow at North Hennepin. This year they're expecting more than 10,000 students to enroll, a 2 percent increase in enrollment for the school.
"I think the biggest challenge facing the college has to do with the budget because we're trying to serve more students with less resources, and that's a big challenge," said O'Brien.
As state funding for higher education has decreased, students are bearing more responsibility with higher tuition costs. Sixty percent of North Hennepin's funding now comes from student tuition and fees. School officials said tuition used to make up for less than half of the college's funding.
Still O'Brien said he is focusing on the opportunities the school has to move forward. He said his number one goal is to reach out to more students and offer a wide range of flexible and accessible courses to attract even more students to campus.
O'Brien also believes the school is in a good position to move forward with innovation in its programs and facilities. A $14.7 million expansion and renovation of the Center for Business and Technology is currently underway and should be complete by January of 2012.
Retaining students and seeing them through to graduation is also a big goal for the new college president. O'Brien believes that too will help lead the school forward during uncertain economic times.
"I think we're in as strong a position as any two year college in the state, but there will be a lot of pressure and a lot of interest in making sure that in the long run that we stay strong for students," said O'Brien.
Video clip of Channel 12 Newscast
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