September 2, 2009
For Immediate Release

RCCC Announces New Academic Vice President

              SALISBURY, N.C. — Rodney M. Townley, Ph.D., will join Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (RCCC) as its new vice president of academic programs.

              Townley comes to RCCC from Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) in Charlotte, where he is dean of science, technology, engineering, math, geomatics and sustainability and the Futures Institute. His previous experience includes dean at National College, in Pueblo, Colo.; director of internet development and business management at Pueblo Community College; and dean of the Harper Campus at CPCC.

              The RCCC Board of Trustees approved Townley's hiring at its Aug. 31 meeting. Townley will succeed Timothy Foley, who will become RCCC's associate vice president of facilities and environmental operations. Townley will start work at RCCC on Sept. 21.

              Townley holds a bachelor's degree in English and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Southern Colorado. He earned a doctorate in college administration from Colorado State University. He is a member of several boards and associations, including the Metrolina Entrepreneurial Council; N.C. Technology Association (NCTA); Charlotte Chamber of Commerce; International Federation for Business Schools; National Council of Instructional Administrators; N.C. Governor's Task Force on Science and Technology; Charlotte's Information Technology Council; the TechConnect and Arrowood Association for Workforce Development; and the National Council of Occupational Education.

              In other business, the RCCC trustees voted on board officers and re-elected Ray Paradowski of Salisbury as chairman, Cynthia Mynatt of Concord as vice chairman, and RCCC President Carol Spalding as board secretary.

               RCCC is a comprehensive, community-based institution of higher learning, serving the citizens of Rowan and Cabarrus counties in North Carolina. RCCC is one of 58 colleges in the state-supported North Carolina Community College System.

                RCCC offers fully-accredited associate-degree programs in more than 40 areas of study, including arts and sciences, business, information technology, health and public services, and engineering technologies. RCCC also offers accredited diploma and certificate programs focused on career training, continuing education and basic skills education. RCCC provides a strong foundation and transferable credits for students moving on to four-year colleges and universities and helps adults get the additional training they need to start new careers.

               RCCC annually provides more than 2,000 course offerings, serving an overall enrollment of approximately 20,000 students. In addition, RCCC provides the education and job-training programs needed to meet many of the workforce demands of the North Carolina Research Campus being developed in Kannapolis. For complete details, see the RCCC website at www.rowancabarrus.edu.