Spire Summer 2020

Through this new level of partnership with VCOM, he shared that Bluefield College will retain much of its current nature. The name Bluefield College will remain in place for the institution, and the College will remain a separate 501(c)(3) entity with all its assets and liabilities intact. Most importantly for those structuring the new partnership, will be the continuation of the Christ-centered mission and the covenant relationship with the Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV). Alongside two new ex-officio members from the VCOM consortium, Mr. Rocovich as Chairman and VCOM President Dr. Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, the governing board will continue to direct the College’s future decisions in its own meetings. Non- governing boards at Bluefield College, such as the Alumni Association Board of Directors, President’s Advisory Council, and others will continue as they currently operate. He continued by speaking directly to students sharing that nothing regarding their educational and co-curricular experiences at Bluefield College will change, with the exception that they will benefit from the capital improvements being made to campus facilities in the upcoming years. Servant-leadership, a long held value of Bluefield College, was also highlighted as Olive mentioned that students would have the benefit of being associated with the largest medical college in the country that focuses on meeting the needs of the underserved. “The College will get an immediate and ongoing boost in capital funding to address our deferred maintenance needs,” said Olive. “While our facilities have some age on them - some nearing 100 years old - if you have driven by a VCOM campus or stepped foot into one of their buildings, you already have an idea of how our academic, administrative and residential spaces will someday look.” Faculty and staff were reassured that everyone would continue to have a place at Bluefield College who is committed to the mission of Bluefield College and the success of its students. However, changes in how the College offers education, through a restructuring and realigning of the College’s curricular programs, would be coming. This was

the second big idea to come from the strategic planning session and

for the institution. The great success of the Masters of Biomedical Science (MABS) program positioned VCOM as the standout partner for consideration. Once an interest in greater partnership was expressed to Mr. Rocovich and VCOM leadership, several meetings and conference calls followed that decision with both parties doing their due diligence in arriving at the current position. The announcement of this new level of partnership is just the first step ahead of Bluefield College in this process. Once the announcement was made, a prospectus was created that will be submitted this fall to The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, Bluefield College’s accrediting agency. This request for a substantive change in the form of control of the institution once approved will then allow the entities to formally join as sister entities, while each retaining its separate accreditation. Approval from the United States Department of Education will also be sought out to approve the new partnership. These approvals are anticipated to be announced sometime in early 2021. “I am eagerly anticipating the formative opportunities that lie ahead of us as we position ourselves to continue the next 100 years in fulfilling our mission,” said Dr. Olive. “God has significant things in store for Bluefield College.”

encouraged by the Board of Trustees. In the future Bluefield College will offer continuously-tested programs that meet student demand and produce marketable graduates. This will include a robust offering, and focus, on health science and health career programs. A vision for new and restructured programs deliverable through traditional, online, and hybrid formats in modules leading to degrees, certificates, badges, or other applicable credentials, including both master degrees and doctoral level programs, all compliant with the expectations of the College’s accrediting bodies, was cast for the future. review of many of the issues surrounding enrollment growth, finances, and impact of academic programs. During the Fall 2019 meeting of the Board of Trustees asked President Olive to convene a group of institutional leaders for a strategic thinking session to explore big ideas that would give the College a firm foundation for its future prosperity. The meeting was called The Charrette, that defined means “an intense problem solving period of time,” consisted of a cross-section of College leadership including trustees, alumni, administrators, and faculty. The group privately met in January and concluded the session with three “big, audacious recommendations” for the Board of Trustees to consider. A special called meeting of the Board of Trustee Executive Committee was immediately held in February to debate the recommendations. Upon review of the planning session, the Executive Committee determined it best to focus on the recommendation to consider a stronger relationship with partners. It was determined the other recommendations may likely be a natural conclusion following the course of action of the first recommendation. The matter was brought to the full Board of Trustees for consideration. The decision to select VCOM as a partner for a higher level of partnership came from several long conversations on the type of partner desired, existing partnerships, and outcomes desired The pathway to this new level of partnership began with consistent

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