St. Louis Community College is modernizing facilities and programming to meet the
job training and retraining demands of Missouri.
From Prop R to STLCC Transformed
Thanks to the citizens of the St. Louis region who voted to approve Proposition R
in 2021, we’re moving forward with STLCC Transformed. Collectively, this initiative aims to bring the College into a more modern standing
by providing facilities and programming for the growth and competitiveness of our
region.
We understand that voters are interested in how we will move forward with the use
of the funds supplied by the passing of Prop R. And so, as part of the College's commitment
to transparency and responsible spending, this web page aims to share details on the
progress of STLCC Transformed.
Latest News
This is an exciting time because the College is moving forward with plans to construct
seven new buildings at its four main campuses as part of the STLCC Transformed initiative.
While a lot of pre-planning has happened already, major changes are about to get underway
as the College prepares to begin construction.
Before breaking ground, students, employees and community members are invited to attend
STLCC Transformed information sessions to learn about the projects, timelines and
plans for the future.
*Photos courtesy of Arcturis
Pre-Planning
Campus Forums: In the fall of 2022, College leaders hosted campus forums to bring
students, employees and community members up to date on STLCC Transformed. These forums
were facilitated by Jeff L. Pittman, Ph.D., chancellor, and Hart Nelson, chief operating
officer, and included details on the planning, programming, building and funding for
each project.
Input is key! To leverage the expertise and input of our stakeholders, the College
formed and continues to work with various groups to develop and review plans for these
projects. Here’s a snapshot of some of these teams.
Chancellor’s Advisory Committee
This team is composed of several CEO's from some of the largest employers, agencies
and institutions in the St. Louis region.
STLCC Graduate Team
This team engages College alumni to collect input on the decision-making process.
Campus Planning Transformation Teams
These teams are composed of faculty and staff members who have volunteered to provide
input into the ideas and vision created by the College Transformation Steering Committee.
College Transformation Steering Committee
This team is composed of the College’s executive leadership group, campus presidents
and vice presidents of student affairs.
These are very exciting times at the College for our students and employees, as well
as for the entire St. Louis region as we move forward with significant changes on
our campuses. We understand you may have questions as we work to complete the STLCC
Transformed projects. For the fastest response, please send all inquiries related
to STLCC Transformed to stlcctransformed@stlcc.edu
Skilled trades, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and accounting and finance are
among the top skills in demand by St. Louis area employers. In 2020, more than 50%
of businesses reported the need for middle-skill employees to address workforce shortages.
A shortage of workers with knowledge or skills remains the primary barrier to expanding
employment.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) consists of a diverse economy with
a labor force of over 1.3 million people. The top employment sectors are healthcare
and social assistance, wholesale and retail trade. Over the past decade, there has
been tremendous growth in the finance and insurance sector as well. Overall, the St.
Louis economy added over 93,000 employees in the past 10 years through 2019.
Nearly half of the region’s population aged 25 and older have a high school diploma
but no post-secondary degree, lower than the state rate of 52%; 44% have an associate’s
degree or greater, higher than both the state rate (37%) and the national rate (42%).
The average associate degree graduate from STLCC will see an increase in earnings
of $10,000 each year compared to someone with a high school diploma working in Missouri.
Data continues to show that education pays off in both median earnings and lower unemployment
rates. St. Louis MSA data for 2019 shows that having some college or an associate’s
degree versus just a high school diploma reduces the average unemployment rate by
1.6% and provides $7,825 annually in average extra earnings. A bachelor’s degree or
higher further reduces the unemployment rate by 1.7% and increases median earnings.
A ‘typical” student at STLCC is enrolled part time and is juggling multiple responsibilities
including work, childcare and other personal responsibilities.
More than 1.3 million students have furthered their education at STLCC since 1962.
In addition, it is estimated that more than half of the households in the St. Louis
region have at least one resident who has attended STLCC at one point or another.
The length of each program is different, but STLCC strives to meet the needs of all
students and employers and has found new ways to provide training and retraining.
For example, the College offers short-term credentials, such as non-certificate programs,
Certificates of Specialization
and Certificates of Proficiency, to quickly prepare workers. These credentials are
then stackable to align with longer-term degrees and beyond to offer a career pathway.
The College continues to have a waitlist for its nursing and respiratory care programs,
while other healthcare programs such as radiologic technology, dental hygiene, diagnostic
medical sonography, physical therapist assistant and surgical technology are typically
at or close to capacity. The College has also seen growth in information technology
programs along with career training in areas such as automotive and construction-based
programs. Employers still need more graduates in programs such as computer programming,
cybersecurity and other IT applications. All of these programs help local employers
find the employees they need and provide a pathway for individuals in low-wage jobs
into well-paying careers. Overall, this cycle is a boost to our regional economy.
Every year, College leadership reviews enrollment numbers and area workforce needs
to update its program offerings. Since 2014, 110 programs have been updated, 20 have
been added and 59 have been deactivated.
The College works diligently to balance its budget year to year. These efforts have
involved reducing expenses for programs with few students and offering Voluntary Retirement
Incentive programs to help reduce salary costs.
The average tuition cost for an STLCC student who is a resident of the district is
around $3,500, which is higher than the Missouri average for community college tuition,
which is around $3,400 per year, and the national average of $3,340. Quality, affordable
community college courses allow students to access life-changing education without
accruing large debts. STLCC is committed to keeping tuition costs affordable.
Most of the buildings at the three main campuses (Meramec, Forest Park and Florissant
Valley) were built in the 1960s, 60 years ago. Since then, careers, training and technology
have changed dramatically, and the learning spaces needed to prepare today’s students
are also very different.
The 60-year-old buildings have antiquated building systems and infrastructure, as
well as disjointed, small rooms that lack the infrastructure to support the needs
of the current educational programming and priorities. There is also an insufficient
amount of laboratory and multipurpose flexible spaces but an overstock of large, underutilized,
low-demand inflexible spaces such as gymnasiums, pools, and cafeterias.
Each year, the College spends approximately $4.3 million on repairs and maintenance
of its buildings. More than $150 million in maintenance, repairs and updates have
been identified through formal facility studies.
STLCC opened the Center for Nursing and Health Sciences at Forest Park in 2019. The
Center features the latest technology and hands-on clinical learning spaces to help
address the St. Louis region's growing healthcare workforce needs. More than 900 students
per year prepare for careers in nursing and health science professions in this building.
This $40 million facility was built through a combination of private donations and
a small bond issue that was paid for through the general operating fund and the sale
of the College’s downtown corporate office building. This type of funding is not available
to meet the more than $350 million in facility needs and additional program updates
necessary to meet the needs of students and local employers.