FKCC president looks back at the reality

By John Andola

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

With nearly two years gone by as president of Florida Keys Community College, Jonathan Gueverra looks back and sees a lot of plusses. “During the process of interviewing for the job, I did some research into the college’s financial situation and found, you know, all that stuff about the dormitory,” reflected Gueverra.

“I took the job anyway because every place is going to have an unfortunate issue that needs to be dealt with.” He likes to say, and often does, “You may not like what I tell you, but it is what it is.” It’s how we deal with the reality that makes the difference.

Gueverra is not certain how or why the dorm situation occurred. Perhaps because of a lack of understanding or maybe the college got some bad advice. “No one on staff or the College Board of Directors was familiar with how to do these things,” says the president. “Also I think that probably some enthusiastic emotions were at work because of the value of actually acquiring a dormitory and how it would help the college with enrollment.”

State Rep. Ron Saunders had a bill passed that actually allowed the college to build and manage a dormitory based on the fact that the college is in an area of critical concern. Students can only commute so far and that limits the number of students who can enroll. Gueverra also explains: “The College did not have to go through a direct support organization (DSO), but it decided to have The Campus Foundation serve in that capacity.

So, the College had the legal authority to do what it did even though the state auditor general did not agree.” In some areas, Gueverra felt the college had too many staff and faculty. “We don’t always see the value added by keep adding. We are dealing with real people with families and lives, but there is the reality of living within our means.”

Some staff, he believed, had to be cut.

Gueverra believes that a great challenge for the college is to attract the talent needed to operate effectively in an environment where the cost of living is so high. When you build a team, you have to focus on giving employees the resources they require to become the very best they can. “You have to act like a high school coach,” says Gueverra.

In his nearly two years as president, the college has doubled the funds in professional development and provided each faculty and staff member with their own laptop.

The college, according to Gueverra, is in a much stronger position financially. They now have 24/7 security, all spaces are maintained in a clean and safe manner, distance learning has been increased, the Marine Science Building has been completed, a 12-passenger van was acquired for student field trips, the college has the greatest fund balance ever and tuition has not been raised while doing all these things.

The Southern Association of Colleges and High Schools (SACHS) has just recently visited the campus to review the college for accreditation. Gueverra expects on June 19 to get a call from SACHS on the outcome of that visit.

About 30 percent of FKCC students are full time and 70 percent are part time. To calculate the number of full time equivalent (FTE) students, the total number of credit hours taken by all students is divided by 30, which is considered full time for one year (12 credits each semester and 6 for the summer).

Using this calculation, the college currently has 306.2 FTEs. In the future, Gueverra would like to build the college enrollment to about 1,200 full time students and eventually offer a bachelors degree. Once again, the distance from the mainland becomes the driving force.

“We are the only game in town for those who cannot afford to go elsewhere. It’s all about community and the need to be an engine for economic growth,” said the president.

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