New chancellor looks to the future on day one of position

The changing of the guard at Bossier Parish Community College is official, as the new chancellor Jim Henderson began his first day on the job Wednesday.

“Chancellor”, I like the sound of it,” Henderson said.

But, he also said that when you drive on to the campus of Bossier Parish Community College and see that the facility is beyond compare to any in the state and you get to know the people that work there and realize what their work ethics, dedication and confidence is, it is a very humbling title.

Henderson said that right now there is no particular first turn that he would like to make or new path down which he would like to travel.

“That is not a challenge. What we need to do is to focus on three core principles,” he said.

He stated that the first one would be to expand the access and success for BPCC students, because students are what the college is all about.

The second is to ensure that BPCC is positioned to respond to a very dynamic and growing economy.

Third, is to also ensure that BPCC is positioned to respond to a very dynamic and growing economy.

“Those three core principles are going to drive everything that we do,” Henderson said.

In wake of the states recent budget cuts, especially in the area of higher education, when asked if he felt that now high school graduates bound for college would see BPCC as a more stable setting he said yes.

“When you give more attention to the condition of higher education in the state, you start asking questions. And, the questions that we have been asking at the systemic level for junior and technical colleges, questions that BPCC has already provided the answers to, is that this college more than any other is the solution to so many challenges that students face as they embark upon their career paths,” he said.

According to Henderson statistics show that the vast majority of jobs created in this century are going to require more than a high school education, but less than a four year degree.

“Something that is kind of scary is that we know that the jobs that will be the top 10 in 2012 did not exist in 2006. Technology is changing. The work force is changing. The entity positioned to be responsive to those changes is the community college, and the students recognize that,” Henderson said.

He said that BPCC has always been a leader in innovation. And as our state faces budget challenges for the next several years, he thinks that policy makers are going to look to those who are the leanest, who are the most resilient and the most innovative solution providers that there are. When using that as a measuring tool, Bossier Parish Community College is going to be positioned very well to take advantage of that.

Henderson was in attendance at the swearing in ceremony for Mayor Lorenz “Lo” Walker and the Bossier City Council members on Tuesday in one his first official duties as chancellor.

“When I was in that room and I saw the legislative contingency that was present, the number of law enforcement officials, municipal and parish employees, and the military representatives from Barksdale, it gave me a sense of community that I really think encapsulates what Bossier City and Bossier Parish is about,” he said.

As to how he plans to acquaint himself with the student body, Henderson said that he already has on his calendar a number of new student orientation sessions that he will be attending. He thinks that it will be the most appropriate setting to really try to connect with students.

He also plans to be out and about on the campus frequently meeting with students and talking to them one on one.
“If you take a walk around this campus and talk to the students, you get a great feeling of what this is all about, because you come to understand some of the aspirations and dreams that they have,” he said.

Henderson said that right now there are not any plans for new changes. He just wants to get into the flow of things and see where they take him.

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