NMC bachelor’s degree authorization focus of The Ticker feature

“The Ticker” featured an article, Tuesday, on NMC’s recent work to get the process of offering a bachelor’s degree in maritime technology started.  In December, state lawmakers passed a bill that authorizes Michigan’s 28 community college to offer four-year degrees in these select areas: maritime technology, energy production, culinary and cement technology.

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Michigan Senate passes Community College Baccalaureate bill

Late last night House Bill 4496 (the Community College Baccalaureate Authorization bill) passed the Senate and won concurrence in the House of Representatives.  It is now headed to the Governor for his signature.

This bill authorizes community colleges in Michigan to offer technical bachelor’s degrees in maritime technology, cement technology, energy production technology, and culinary arts.  The Senate vote was 20 to 17 and the House vote was 65 to 44.

This is an important step for our students and the future students in Michigan.  This authorization coupled with our current and continuing partnerships at the University Center provide superior access to higher education for citizens in our region.  I particularly look forward to continuing to work with Ferris State University as a partner in meeting the degree needs of our Great Lakes Maritime Academy students.

While we had hoped to include nursing in the bill, we simply did not have the votes this time to do so.  We are actively pursuing other options that will meet the BSN needs of health care in our region and I am confident we can provide appropriate solutions.

We owe great thanks to Speaker Pro Temp Representative John Walsh, the primary sponsor of the bill, for his three years of work to make this bill a reality.  We also should thank Mike Hansen, President of the MCCA and the many community college presidents, trustees and friends that helped to accomplish this goal.  You all have my personal gratitude!

I hope you can join us at the Holiday party this afternoon at the Hagerty Center (4:30 to 7:00).

Thankfully,

Timothy J. Nelson, President
Northwestern Michigan College

See the bill and the outcomes at http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(234ivp45kggu1bq0ci1hibet))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectname=2011-HB-4496

Maritime spring cruise departs at 6pm, May 16

The T/S State of Michigan is scheduled to depart NMC’s Great Lakes Maritime Academy at 6 p.m. Wednesday on its annual spring cruise, bound for ports of call in Lakes Michigan, Huron, Erie and Superior.

A total of 52 cadets and 10 faculty/crew members will be on board. The ship is scheduled to remain at sea through June 3, when it will return to Traverse City to restock the vessel for the remaining three weeks of the cruise. The cruise is scheduled to conclude on June 28.

The annual spring training cruise is one of three sea projects every Maritime cadet must complete and is an integral part of the training provided to cadets in both the deck and engineering programs. The cadets will complete their remaining sea projects on U. S. flag commercial vessels. The itinerary is designed so that all cadets in the Deck Officer program will be eligible to sit for their Great Lakes Pilotage Endorsement when they sit for their Coast Guard Merchant Marine Officer’s license prior to graduation.

See a map of the ship’s route and its itinerary »