Last week Walter Bumphus, President of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System,
(LCTCS) was a keynote speaker at the
Innovations 2006 Conference for Community Colleges.
His theme was catastrophe. How catastrophe has changed their system. How catastrophe caught them unprepared and how other organizations could learn from their mistakes.
He made the point that to date the LCTC system has received more financial support for recovery from their student associations than they have from FEMA.
more...
LCTCS was made honorary host of the Atlanta conference and 10% of the net proceeds from were donated to Louisiana.
Part of the problem in disaster recovery is to train people to develop new skills for new jobs. Colleges function to prepare people for their return to productive life. This is the teachable moment, and it won't last long.
Can some Kossacks help here? Rebuilding of infrastructure isn't just limited to bricks and mortar. How about some action to get Louisiana's people back to work with new and better employment skills.
Suggestions Anyone? Politicians? Professors? Education Community? Anyone? Bueller? Anyone?