86 



Now that supports a curriculum and faculty development at two- 

 year colleges, which are very important in at least my area. 



Would you give us a progress report on this? I understand that 

 is a relatively new program. Describe how the increased funding 

 will be used. 



Dr. Lane. Could I ask Dr. Williams to respond to that? 



Mr. Cramer. And if my time has expired, Mr. Chairman, per- 

 haps they could provide me with that information. 



Mr. Ehlers. It has not. 



Dr. Williams? 



STATEMENT OF DR. LUTHER WILLIAMS 



Dr. Luther Williams. As you indicated, Congressman Cramer, 

 this program was started several fiscal years ago with the particu- 

 lar purpose of ensuring from a science and math base, adequate 

 preparation in terms of work force. 



The program essentially has three components. It combines the 

 last two years in high school, 11th and 12th grade, with the first 

 two years in a community college. 



So it requires a partnership between a collection of school dis- 

 tricts and two-year colleges. 



Occasionally four-year institutions are affiliated with them also. 



The other obligatory partner is a local industry. A variety of 

 those, for example, are in your state in the Huntsville area. But 

 that is how we create this triumvirate between the three players. 



The program has been really quite successful. It has resulted 

 in — I would argue that at least from a scientific and technical per- 

 spective it is serving to revitalize community colleges, because it 

 has given them really a very challenging agenda that is yielding 

 very high returns. 



The returns are measured by the rate at which the graduates of 

 the program are being employed in the local industries, and of 

 course that information is being communicated to the colleges. 



The program has grown over the three years, and we are now re- 

 questing — as it is one of our highest priorities within the education 

 and human resources directorate 



Mr. Cramer. Would you use the additional monies then to ex- 

 pand the program? 



Dr. Luther Williams. It will be to expand the program. As you 

 know, we have six or seven large comprehensive centers around the 

 country. 



These monies will be used to expand the program, but in particu- 

 lar they will be used to bridge the linkage between the community 

 colleges and the industries. 



For a very modest amount of money, we can leverage a major 

 contribution from the participating industries. 



Mr. Cramer. I congratulate you on that program. 



I think it makes a lot of sense and accomplishes a lot of things 

 that I would like to see accomplished. 



Thank you for that information. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I 

 yield back. 



Mr. Ehlers. Thank you, Mr. Cramer. 



I believe we have completed all the questions that anyone wishes 

 to ask. 



