Educational Report: NECC’s Digital Archives are Available to Anyone

Northern Essex’s story—the photos and documents that chronicle its past—is in the process of being digitalized, thanks to the efforts of Mike Hearn, director of libraries, and his staff.

At the November trustee meeting, Hearn reported on efforts over the past two years to grow the college’s collection of historical materials and make them more accessible by creating digital archives that anyone can access online.

The college’s digital archives now include over 3,500 photos spanning the 56-year history of the college, commencement programs, yearbooks published from 1963 to 1974, academic catalogs, and Parnassus, the college’s literary and arts magazine which goes back to 1965.  Materials are still being added including all back issues of the “Observer”, Northern Essex’s student newspaper, according to Hearn.

One exciting discovery uncovered during efforts to build the archives was a series of video tapes produced in 1983 in honor of the college’s 25th anniversary.  These videos feature John Spurk, author of the college’s history, interviewing Northern Essex’s first two presidents—Harold Bentley and John Dimitry—about the history of the college.  Titled “A Love Affair with Learning”, those videos are now available in the digital archives.

Report of Administration

Haverhill Campus Update:

The college’s first Homecoming on Saturday, October 14, was a success.  Two-hundred students, alumni, faculty, and staff and their families enjoyed baseball, music, games and a cookout.  Next year’s event is already scheduled for Saturday, October 13, and it will be expanded to include more athletic events, the Campus Classic 5K and Fun Run, and possibly food trucks.

The college is continuing to partner with UMass Lowell to promote its new satellite campus located at Harbor Place in downtown Haverhill.  President Glenn mentioned that an open house is planned for Wed, November 15, from 6 to 8 pm.  “We want to build the pipeline for Northern Essex students who want to transfer to UMass Lowell,” said Glenn.  “We want to make sure four-year degree opportunities are accessible to all of our graduates.”

The Harbor Place site offers bachelor’s degree completion programs in psychology, business, and criminal justice.

Lawrence Campus Update

Northern Essex’s Sleep Technology Program, which is located in Lawrence, is expanding to Greater Boston, thanks to online courses and an agreement with Neurocare, the largest employer of sleep technologists in New England. Read more.

Northern Essex will celebrate a new partnership with Cambridge College at a signing on December 7.  Cambridge, which is based in Charlestown and has a satellite at Riverwalk on Merrimack St. in Lawrence, will offer a discount to Northern Essex graduates who transfer into their human service and education bachelor’s degree programs.

State Releases Strategy for Capital Planning

President Glenn shared a report released in September of this year that provides a framework for capital planning in public higher education.

Basically, the state will focus on deferred maintenance projects, rather than construction of new buildings, said Glenn.

Referring to the El-Hefni Allied Health & Technology Center, Glenn said “This building is a Lexis but, in public higher education, we have a lot of Pintos with bad paint jobs up on blocks.”

Glenn told trustees that, in 2015, Northern Essex had a deferred maintenance backlog of $90 million, larger than any college in the state.  That situation has improved somewhat recently with the renovation of the Spurk Building in Haverhill and plans to renovate the Dimitry Building in Lawrence.  Both much-needed projects received significant capital funding from the state.

Mike McCarthy, Northern Essex’s vice president of administration, is part of a statewide committee looking at capital needs in higher education across the state.

Three New Appointments are Approved

Trustees voted unanimously to approve the following appointments: Andreas
Fleckenstein, assistant professor, Culinary & Hospitality; Erin Colstad, special programs coordinator, Patient Simulation Center, Health Professions; and Melanie Batista-Ortiz, academic counselor, Academic Advising Center.