A SERIES OF EDITORIALS BY THE PRESIDENTS
OF GEORGIA'S TECHNICAL COLLEGES

t has been my privilege to have been associated with Griffin Tech for over 36 years, and to have served as its president since 1981. Because one of the foundational principles of our system is that each school must be driven by and responsive to local needs, our system is comprised of 24 unique colleges that share core governing principles and work as a system while maintaining individuality. I'd like to offer my perspective on Griffin Technical College and Georgia's system of technical colleges.

Griffin Tech was in the second wave of those who joined the state system, which was officially established in 1988. We were in the early group, but not in the first wave that came in. We had a very good situation here with our own local board. Yet looking into the future, we could see that it would be difficult for our local school board to provide major maintenance and that new facilities would not be provided unless we joined hands with the state. So, at our first real opportunity we took advantage of it, and it has been the best thing that could have happened to the college.

Dr. Ken Breeden, the commissioner of the system already had my confidence, and I could see that this system was going to prosper under his leadership. When I first met him, he was already director (CEO) of Lanier Tech. I developed a friendship with Ken and really depended on his advice and counsel. In fact, he was the one I called during the lonely hours when I first became head of the college here. He always gave good advice — some of it I didn't use — but he always took his time to listen and help. It seemed like he was very much interested in what I had to say and what I needed to know. He never rushed through the conversation; I never felt that he thought he had something more important to do. I've always appreciated that. I really needed someone to talk to at that time; I was new to this position and we were going through a lot of transition. For me, having been here so long before I was president, it was a little bit unnerving, rather challenging, shall I say, to move into being the CEO after having been on the staff for so many years, having established peer relationships with the people I was now to lead.

Ken Breeden is one of the most talented people that I know. He's very focused; he has a way of seeing through the fog. Reality is out there, though many people can't see it. Ken has the ability to see that reality and lead his people to set their goals in accordance with what he sees. I think the success of Georgia's technical college system is directly related to his leadership over a long period of time. The consistency of mission and purpose that we've enjoyed by having his leadership has allowed the system to become a world-class system.

Let me give you an example of just one of the avenues through which the commissioner worked to ensure the excellence of our system: the Presidents' Council. Each organization has its own culture and personality, and I think most would like to have closeness and teamwork — a sense of family — as part of that culture. The Presidents' Council with its regular meetings and common agenda has provided an opportunity for each of the 34 presidents to know each other very well and to share ideas and successes — and failures — to the point that it is really beneficial to all of us. It's a strength of our organization — and something the Presidents' Council is directly responsible for — that we're not all out there pulling in different directions. We're pulling together as part of a system. Dr. Breeden realizes that our strength is communication — not only between the presidents, but with him and the state-staff members. To isolate presidents from one another and from the department would be detrimental. I think it's allowed us to move together and become strong, and I think every one of the presidents would agree with me. There's also a sense of competition that exists — you should see us when coflege-by-college reports are issued at the meetings — but at the same time, when one falls, there are 33 of us to help, to lend support and encouragement, to do whatever needs to be done to make things right.

And we've grown together, as a group, down to the details. At one presidents' meeting, we had a session that focused on the image of a leader, including information on what clothing choices might communicate about us to our communities and businesses. I believe we could trace a surge in the retail market for dark suits immediately following that session. At our meeting as a group, we could definitely see that the medicine had taken effect.

At Griffin Technical College, we are especially proud of the sense of family we've developed and our high degree of fiscal responsibility. One of the things I hear repeatedly is that we have a very special place here. It takes a long time to develop this sense of family, but once you have it, there's not a morning that you don't enjoy walking in the door and meeting the friendly, warm, smiling faces of the people who work here. We have a real sense of trust in each other here; people go out of their way to help each other.

The piano in our lobby is one demonstration of how this sense of family extends throughout our school and community. The piano was actually purchased by the students, to use some open space to establish a special atmosphere. It's used quite often. Students will stop and play during the day — or faculty members will. What we thought would just be a pretty object sitting out in the lobby has become something that's well used. When we have receptions or other events on campus, it adds something special to the occasion.

The whole Griffin Technical College family is proud of our financial management and budgeting. Through the years, this has been one of the strengths of Griffin Tech. We've had realistic budgets, and we empowered our employees to manage their budgets. As a result, we achieved excellence with limited resources. We've run our affairs in as business-like a way as possible. Our financial office scrutinizes everything — whether it's telephone bills, any vouchers turned in — and the president is no exception, nor does he wish to be. We've created a mindset here that what we do is important and that we have high responsibility to use tax dollars to their best advantage.

To us as a school, last-year's name change meant everything. It has made all the difference in the world here at Griffin Tech. Prior to the name change, we had earned our college accreditation — our C.O.C. accreditation — and this just gave us the right name to go along with that accreditation. We've seen phenomenal growth, certainly assisted by the name change. That's what we are. And any other name would not smell as sweet.

Every school in the system has its own personality and character that make it unique, and I'm sure every president has his or her own idea of what makes their college what it is. At Griffin Tech, it seems to me, there's always been a little magic in the air. This is a place where dreams come true.

DR. COY HODGES, PRESIDENT
GRIFFIN TECHNICAL COLLEGE