Chancellor Erma Johnson Hadley’s recent visit to each TCC campus was needed.
Hadley had conversations with students, faculty and administrators on each campus. These forums are a direct way to get thoughts and concerns face to face with Hadley.
Whether it’s financial aid, parking issues, the expansion of TCC or the hiring of more adjunct instructors, it’s a way for students and faculty to express thoughts on these topics.
And it’s a great way for Hadley to see firsthand how each campus is doing.
However, Hadley’s stops at each campus shouldn’t be a once-a-year visit. We encourage her to visit multiple times a semester and have conversations with students and faculty.
The visits build a connection among students. Facetime sends a message to faculty members that the chancellor cares about how each campus is doing.
During Hadley’s visit on SE Campus, she asked if students voted in the recent midterm elections.
Few hands went up, which made Hadley sharply reply, “You shouldn’t complain here if you don’t vote out there.”
Her answers to students were blunt but concerning. Hadley seemed to want students to do well not only at TCC but outside the classroom.
After her forum with the students, Hadley talked to a number of students one on one. Little things like these can drive students to do bigger things in the future.
If the chancellor visited each campus on a regular basis, it could leave an impression on future students why TCC is a good college to attend.
Hadley grew up in the small town of Leggett, Texas. She was the first African-American student from Leggett to graduate college.
In 1968, Hadley started teaching business at TCC. Forty-two years later, Hadley was appointed chancellor — the first woman and first African-American to hold the position.
It’s impressive to see a person such as Hadley come up to this position of power.
It’s great that Hadley took her time to appear on each campus to answer the hard questions for students and faculty, whether or not they liked the answers she gave.
We should all appreciate the chancellor staying true to her word.
Hadley has said her goals for the district were to focus on the number of students attracted to the campuses, the number of students who successfully completed college-level courses after remediation and the availability of TCC to future students.
Thank you for your time, Madam Chancellor.
