NECC Professor Publishes Textbook,

Thanks to Sabbatical Leave

Behavioral Sciences Professor Kristi Arford has taught at Northern Essex for 10 years, but she was never satisfied with the textbooks available in her field.

“They were written in a boring, dry style and they just didn’t address issues that are really important to students,” said Arford, who provided an educational report on her recent sabbatical at the September meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Arford’s dissatisfaction with the status quo led her on a year and a half quest to write, edit, and publish her own textbook, which she will use in her Anthropology I classrooms for the first time this fall.

“Coming Full Circle” takes a transdisciplinary approach.  Each chapter features an introduction written by Arford, three to four scholarly articles, and a section titled “Why you should care”, based on a question she received from a student early in her career.

The overarching theme of the textbook is sustainability.  “I took the approach that if a culture is more sustainable, it’s probably a better place to be,” said Arford.

The textbook will be published on the national market by Cognella Publishing.

Report of Administration

NECC President Lane Glenn reported on the following:

Deferred Maintenance Backlog

The college’s deferred maintenance backlog is currently an estimated $69m which is an improvement over two years ago when it was $90m.

The college recently learned that it will receive $5.8m over the next five years to address its deferred maintenance backlog.

While this will only address 10% of the need, Glenn called it “good news”.  “We have predictability and can put a plan together to address ADA compliance issues.”

Lift Campaign

The college’s capital campaign is currently in the silent phase while the president and the capital campaign team solicit early donors.  “We anticipate making a public announcement late this fall,” said Glenn.

Strategic Plan

Northern Essex opened five new academic centers this fall: Business & Accounting (C201, Haverhill Campus); Health Professions (LC106, Lawrence Campus); Liberal Arts (C209, Haverhill Campus); Professional Studies (C203, Haverhill Campus), and STEM (TC219, Haverhill Campus) as well as a new Student Success Hub in the Behrakis Student Center in Haverhill.

These new centers will address the Strategic Plan’s integrated student experience goal which is focused on delivering a student experience that will maximize student success.

“We want to make the path for students more easily navigable,” said Glenn.  “We have created physical places for advising, tutoring, and lectures and other special events.”

Haverhill Campus

Close to 80 recruits from 26 police departments were expected to graduate from the NECC/Methuen Police Department Academy on Sept. 21 and the college recently received approvals for two new academies, according to Glenn.

Glenn has been working statewide to change the educational requirements for municipal police officers.  Policies for credits for life long learning have been changed and a requirement that police officers have an associate degree is being proposed.

The college is looking to hire a full-time director of the academy who will replace Thomas Fleming, the part-time director who resigned this summer.  The new director will oversee the academy as well as in-service learning.

Lawrence Campus

Northern Essex will hold a reception for Cynthia Paris, the new superintendent of Lawrence Public Schools, on Tuesday, October 9 at 5 p.m. at the El-Hefni Allied Health & Technology Building, 414 Common Street.  The Lawrence Partnership is co-sponsor of this event.

New Appointments and a Sabbatical Leave

Trustees voted unanimously to approve the following new appointments: Rachel Boersma, professor, Nursing; Brienna Woodworth, instructor, Nursing; Stephanie Haskell, coordinator of student activities; Jeff Mejia, special programs coordinator/assistant director of athletics; Stephanie Wares, associate director of academic advising; Angel Beato, student accounts manager, Hilce Cassanelli, staff associate; Randal Hernandez, maintainer I, Leonel Castellanos, storekeeper II; and Phil Perkins, motor equipment mechanic I.

Trustees also unanimously approved a sabbatical leave for Deirdre Budzyna, professor, Early Childhood Education, for the spring semester.