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More than 70,000 students take classes at Houston Community College.
New HCC trustee Leila Feldman says the board is very focused on making sure those students complete their programs.
“Student success is top priority. And that means really focusing on completion, graduation, retention rate, making sure as many students as possible actually obtain the certificates when they enroll in certificate programs. So student success in all the various things that that means.”
A report by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board looked at students who started at HCC in 2004.
After six years, less than 30 percent of them had graduated — whether they were full-time or part-time students.
To help students succeed, Feldman says HCC can work more with local school districts.
“Also making sure the institution is responsive to the needs of business and industry and helping to retool workers with the skills they need for the types of jobs that are out there.”
The board unanimously appointed Feldman last month.
But she’s not new to HCC. She’s an attorney and used to work in the legal department.
“I am going to have a learning curve and have the opportunity to be involved in policy-making.”
If Feldman wants to keep her seat, she’ll have to run for election in November.
From the KUHF Education Desk, I’m Laura Isensee.