President John M. Berry, PhD
John M. Berry, PhD, assumed the role of COTC president on January
1, 2019, and is the college’s second sole president. He was
unanimously selected by the COTC Board of Trustees after a
nationwide search.
Having previously served as director of student life at COTC,
Berry returned to the college after positions at Cape Fear
Community College in Wilmington, North Carolina; Rhodes State
College in Lima, Ohio; and most recently, BridgeValley Community
and Technical College in Montgomery, West Virginia.
After starting his own education at a community college, Berry
went on to earn a doctoral degree in Higher Education
Administration from The Ohio State University.
Meeting the needs of our students
Friends of Central Ohio Technical College (COTC),
In March, when COTC took the immense and extraordinary step of
shifting all services to remote delivery formats due to the
coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we could scarcely imagine that
six months later we would begin autumn semester continuing most
services in that mode.
Throughout the pandemic, the health and wellbeing of our
students, faculty and staff have remained our top priorities, as
did our commitment to continue offering exceptional academic
experiences for our students. We were exceptionally gratified,
then, that amid widespread health and economic uncertainty across
the state and country, COTC exceeded our summer semester 2020
enrollment goal. Additionally, enrollment trends for autumn
showed a 7% increase in online enrollment and a 10% increase in
transfer student enrollment.
My friends, the message is clear – even during the challenges
brought about by the pandemic, our community members trust COTC
to continue offering high quality, relevant and affordable
education that prepares them to immediately step into local
in-demand jobs and transfer to four-year institutions.
Affordability, accessibility, student-first philosophy key
to success
I’m also very proud to report that COTC responded quickly to the
crisis with multiple bold and supportive measures. In April, we
announced the availability of more than $1 million in
scholarships for the 20-21 academic year – with a
special allocation specifically for displaced workers impacted by
the pandemic. Broad availability of scholarship dollars has long
set COTC apart from other area institutions, an advantage the
college enjoys directly because of the incredibly generous
support of our donors.
In continuing our student-first philosophy, COTC also announced
our “We’re Here for Our Students Promise,” in which the college
promises to do everything in our power to ensure that students’
educational paths are not adversely affected due to disruptions
caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, COTC announced the
temporary modification of our admissions policy to “test
optional” through autumn 2020 to allow all who want to take
advantage of COTC’s career training and upskilling opportunities
to enroll without delay. Finally, COTC is further adapting to
meet the current needs of students by offering a selection of
accelerated-format (eight weeks versus 15 weeks) general
education courses during the second term of autumn semester. All
courses will be taught remotely, offering peace of mind during
the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
On-campus safety protocols
For the continued health and safety of students, faculty and
staff, COTC is conducting the majority of our autumn semester
classes remotely, with face-to-face instruction only occurring
for classes that require a student’s physical presence in a
laboratory (primarily healthcare program labs). All COTC student
support services and academic advising will remain available
remotely at this time, with limited on-campus services for those
needing them. On campus, COTC is also following CDC guidelines to
lessen the spread of COVID-19, including classroom occupancy
limits, physical distancing, enhanced daily cleaning, safety
signage and the use of personal protective equipment. COTC will
follow this academic plan for the entire autumn semester
regardless of any positive developments around the pandemic.
Unfortunately, due to the state-wide economic effects of the
coronavirus (COVID-19), COTC’s state share of instruction for
FY20-21 was cut by 4.38% in early July. After extensive
deliberation and careful consideration, the college has made a
number of significant and difficult decisions to respond to
budget shortfalls through organizational changes, academic
program eliminations and restructures, as well as operational
budget cuts. These budgetary adjustments will be combined with a
plan to use both institutional reserves and CARES Act funding
allowing COTC to manage the exceptional financial challenges
presented by COVID-19. Although the state of Ohio is certainly
not yet beyond the effects of the crisis, we are confident that
the college’s decisions are right for COTC at this time and that
these actions, while extremely difficult, will help ensure the
future fiscal health of the college.
Lastly, the Office of the Provost will continue to evaluate all
credit program offerings to ensure they are both viable and
serving students in the best and most efficient ways possible.
These reviews will be ongoing for at least the next two academic
years and may result in further restructuring in the future.
Against this evolving backdrop, the urgent calls for social
justice reforms in the United States compelled us to recommit to
being a positive force for change, helping our campus and larger
communities listen, learn, understand and heal during this time.
I am incredibly proud of our college. I again convey my deep
thanks to the COTC faculty, staff and students. I thank them for
their creativity, for their diligence and dedication, and most
especially for their resilience.
My goal is to maintain the standard of excellence COTC has always
continued to offer. Together, we will move ahead with a singular
focus to help our students build successful futures by engaging
with our industries, communities and employers to uncover
opportunities that will address workforce needs, positively
influence communities and impact lives for decades to come.
Stay Healthy, Stay Helpful, Stay Hopeful,
John M. Berry, Ph.D.
President
