[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 123 (Friday, July 31, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1194]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING DR. R. SCOTT RALLS, RETIRING PRESIDENT OF THE NORTH CAROLINA 
                        COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DAVID E. PRICE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 31, 2015

  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
Dr. Scott Ralls, the seventh president of the North Carolina Community 
College System, who stepped down as president of the system this summer 
after seven years of service.
  North Carolina's community college system is one of the state's 
greatest educational assets. It is one of the nation's largest 
community college systems, and its reach is extensive, with most North 
Carolinians residing within 30 miles of one of its 58 colleges. The 
system serves more than 850,000 individuals annually, with 321,000 
students in degree, certificate and curriculum programs and almost 
500,000 students taking continuing education classes. Some 40 percent 
of the state's wage earners today have received some education or 
training at a North Carolina community college in the past 10 years.
  Dr. Ralls was an exemplary president, carrying on the fine tradition 
of leadership of his predecessor, and our former House colleague, 
Martin Lancaster. Taking the helm in 2008, President Ralls' tenure 
began just as the recession hit and the state's unemployment rate began 
to soar. During the first three years of his presidency, displaced 
workers flocked to the state's community colleges; the system's 
enrollment grew 28 percent from 2007 to 2010. At the same time, the 
system weathered a budget crunch, all the while embarking on a strategy 
to revamp curriculum, improve completion rates, and forge new transfer 
agreements with the state's university system.
  Even with these challenges, Dr. Ralls helped the System obtain 
international recognition for its efforts to foster economic and 
workforce development. Ralls's efforts included expanding health care 
programs, reenergizing technical education, strengthening the 
connection between economic and workforce development, and furthering 
strong partnerships between public schools, community colleges and the 
University of North Carolina System to promote seamless education 
pathways.
  President Ralls also focused efforts on improving student success. He 
was an early champion for early college high schools, and today, North 
Carolina hosts one-third of all early colleges in the U.S.--the vast 
majority located on the campuses of community colleges. In addition, in 
2009, under Dr. Ralls's leadership, the North Carolina Community 
College System initiated a comprehensive set of strategic initiatives 
focused on student success and program completion entitled SuccessNC, 
consolidating curriculums into 32 critical growth areas for North 
Carolina's economy and providing students with opportunities to earn 
industry-recognized, stackable credentials, resulting in a more 
competitive workforce. The Brookings Institution and the Rockefeller 
Foundation recognized this model in describing one of the most 
``forward-thinking economy-shifting efforts underway in America's state 
and metropolitan areas.''
  During his tenure, President Ralls was elected by national peers to 
be the President of the National Association of Industry-Specific 
Training Directors. He also led a state task force responsible for 
creating policies and procedures for the New and Expanding Industry 
Training Program, which resulted in a 16% reduction in expenditures and 
11% increase in total training projects. Further, he chaired a task 
force on workplace safety training and generated new policies for 
administering the NC Worker Training Tax Credit Program.
  Dr. Ralls serves on several national and state boards and commissions 
and is the Chair of the National Council of State Directors of 
Community Colleges. He has earned a number of awards and honors, 
including a Certificate of Appreciation from the U.S. Department of 
Commerce (1995), and a Certificate of Appreciation from the NC Rural 
Prosperity Task Force (2000). He was also awarded the 2006 Freedom Fund 
Award from the Craven County NAACP, and was dubbed a 2007-2008 Impact 
Business Leader by the Charlotte Business Leader Magazine.
  Prior to serving as the North Carolina Community College System 
President, Dr. Ralls was president of Craven Community College in New 
Bern and Havelock. This makes him only the second former North Carolina 
community college president to hold the System presidency, and he is 
leaving to once again assume the presidency of a fine institution, the 
Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC). While at Craven, he led 
efforts to support college enrollment growth, while facing significant 
impacts of military deployment. At Craven, Ralls led in establishing 
workforce development programs in targeted industry sectors; helped 
create Craven Early College; initiated University Connections to foster 
on-site and on-line degree completion opportunities, and fostered an 
Undergraduate Engineering Education partnership with N.C. State College 
of Engineering.
  Dr. Ralls, a leader of national distinction, is also an approachable, 
collaborative person who has been a delight for me and others to work 
with personally. He guided North Carolina's community colleges through 
the economic downturn and state budget cuts and oversaw a period of 
remarkable growth. Thanks to his tireless efforts, thousands of North 
Carolinians have had the opportunity to obtain the education and 
training they need to realize their full potential. I thank Dr. Ralls 
for his years of service to the state of North Carolina and wish him 
the very best as he assumes the helm at NVCC.

                          ____________________