College official says conservative attitude helps weather tough times

Andy Long, vice president at McCook Community College (far right), says that the notes he jots down while attending a speaking engagement are just as important as the speaking notes he brings into the meeting. He agreed with Sharon Bohling (second from the left) who said that she’s always trying to learn something new.

Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. — The vice president of McCook Community College feels that a conservative approach all the time helps the McCook college and the 18-county Mid-Plains Community College Area weather tough budget times.

“We’re very conservative. It’s our nature out here,” Andy Long told those gathered for the monthly “Coffee with a Cop” event at Sehnert’s Bakery Tuesday morning, in response to questions about big budget cuts just announced by the University of Nebraska. “We’ve seen this coming, and we’ll see more of this,” Long added.

Long said that Ryan Purdy, president of the Mid-Plains system, is very conservative, especially in maintaining a reserve “that’s there through good times and bad” and by keeping the tax rate as level as possible.

Long said that the McCook and North Platte campuses share some instructors and that teacher retirements provide the opportunity to re-evaluate and realign staff assignments.

While MCC anticipates a $250,000 reduction in state aid in 2018-2019, Long said officials are not looking at cuts in athletics, as the University system is. “Athletics are a core piece of what we are. Of our 400 students, a quarter of them are athletes,” Long said.

Long said the college still plans to move forward with a softball and baseball complex at the former Elks Lodge building and land that were gifted to the college in 2016, although initial plans for the building itself will probably be reevaluated. “There’s no way we can do a capital campaign,” Long said, explaining that MCC and the Mid-Plains system “shy away from huge facilities expansion.” He said about the Elks building, “We need to take our time and develop appropriate plans for the building’s use.”

Long said the college has support for the ball complex by tapping into the MCC alumni base.

Long said he wants something named in honor of E.P. Baruth, (July 21, 1906-Nov. 14, 1992) McCook Junior College’s business teacher and track coach in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s. Baruth was a legend in life and even into death, and Long said that although the college doesn’t plan to bring backtrack, the college needs to recognize Baruth’s tremendous impact on the lives of students. “He really made a difference in people’s lives,” Long said. “He is the embodiment of who we try to be at MCC,” Long said.

Long said that when he came to MCC five years ago, there were 68 students in the Brooks Hall dormitory. Now, it’s at the capacity of 148 and over the past several years, the college has purchased seven houses for off-campus student housing, particularly for students in the college’s popular accredited accelerated paramedics class.

While MCC provides traditional degree programs, Long said he wants MCC to also be known for its leadership and entrepreneurial programs, such as the for-credit entrepreneurial certificate program, the Hormel Entrepreneurship Competition and the “Biz Launch Weekend” workshop.