PROGRAM CRISIS MANAGEMENT:
A Case Study of a National Leader in Aviation Education
Doug Kendzierski
Chair, Applied Technology
CCBC
Dr. Doug Williams
Director, Aviation Technology Programs
CCBC
Innovations Conference 2016 – Chicago, IL
The Community College of Baltimore County
Aviation Education at CCBC
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Program Inception
Enrollment of 350-400 per semester
4 FT Faculty & 30+ PT Faculty
VA Approved
FAA Approved ATC Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI)
Regional Flight Program; 14 Affiliate Flight Training Centers
6 Distinct AAS Degrees
 Flight Operations Management
 Air Traffic Control
 Flight Dispatcher
 Professional Pilot - Airplane
 Professional Pilot - Helicopter
 Professional Pilot - Unmanned Aircraft Systems
Program Crisis: Part One
• FAA Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI) Partnership
• Diversity pressure from special interest groups
• December 31, 2014 – FAA Notice to CTI Schools
• 3,500 graduates in the hiring pool – ready & tested
• January 2015 – Conference Call with FAA & CTI Schools
• No differential priority of CTI graduates
• No differential priority of Veterans
• No differential priority for college graduates
• QUALIFICATION: 3 years of progressive employment
• Eliminated ATSAT; Implemented un-validated Bio Inventory
• Grads in queue must reapply
• Immediate Implementation
Program Crisis: Part One
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AT-SAT Passers fail BA
OTS hires failure rate of 60%
ATC Shortage Exacerbated
Massive Media Coverage
Congressional Hearings
Congressional Legislation
ATC Enrollment declines 50% over two years at CCBC
Many other CTI programs close
Graduates age out
General industry alarm; concern among flying public
FAA goes silent
Program Crisis: Part One
Program Crisis: Part Two
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VA is overcharged by several institutions for flight time
Orders national audit of all VA-approved flight colleges
Funding to current and new students is delayed
Significant portion of our current student population is at
risk of non-funding going forward
Crisis Management
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Calm confidence
Immediately informed Executive Staff
Power in numbers; Coalesce with CTI College Network
Association of Collegiate Training Institutions (ACTI)
incorporated in June, 2014
• CCBC assumes founding Vice-President & Treasurer
• Aggressive and coordinated PR Campaign
• Industry Affiliates
• Local and National Media
• Lobbying Congress
• Unions
Crisis Management
• Establish national standards/outcomes, for lack of FAA
Leadership
• Educate our prospective and existing VA students about the
situation; assure of CCBC’s compliance and eventual
resolution
• Work tirelessly and manually to ensure non-disruption in VA
benefits for current students
• Promote programs at an unprecedented level
• Prepare for a sterling outcome of VA Audit
Crisis One Outcomes
• ACTI is a flourishing, productive and effective network that
is improving Collegiate Aviation Education nationwide
• Fox News runs 1 hour feature on national TV; many follow
up reports
• 4 x FAA ATC senior leadership officers “resign”
• FAA Cheating Scandal uncovered & televised on FOX News
• Congress demand 2 separate investigations
• FAA Reauthorization Act includes ACTI Language
• FAA silently returns to CTI and Veteran priority
• Industry as a whole rallies around ACTI position
• CCBC’s leadership on issue and national profile rises
• Standardized Outcomes in Progress
• Enrollment begins to re-climb toward record levels
Crisis Two Outcomes
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CCBC passes extensive VA audit with flying colors
VA issues directive that flight schools move in-house
CCBC in process on interim and permanent solution to directive
Interim funding resumes
CCBC Flight School likely to be established in 2016-2017, or
alternative arrangements suitable to VA
• Enrollment begins to re-climb toward record levels
Lemonade Framework
Lemonade Framework
The Solution To Your Programing PAIN:
Plan & Prioritize
Affirm & Assure
Inform/Introspection
Network
Lemonade Framework
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CALM and CONFIDENT: Self Affirmation
RESOLVE TO “WALK IN THE LIGHT”
INFORM ALL INTERNAL PRINCIPALS; SECURE ADVICE
CONSULT EXTERNAL CONSTITUENTS
FORMULATE A PLAN; SECURE BUY-IN
COMMUNICATE OPENLY AND REASSUREDLY TO ALL IMPACTED
FORM LIKE-MINDED ALLIANCES (POWER IN NUMBERS)
SEEK TO DO MORE THAN RESOLVE: IMPROVE/ENHANCE!!!!
INTROSPECTION (ANY CULPABILITY? WHAT COULD WE HAVE
DONE?)
ONCE RESOLVED; FORGIVE AND FORGET.
KEEP CONSTITUENTS’ BEST INTEREST AS PRIORITY
THROUGHOUT
APPLY LESSONS LEARNED TO A MORE PROACTIVE APPROACH
STAY OPTIMISTIC THROUGHOUT; OTHERS ARE LOOKING TO YOU
Lemonade Framework: APPLIED!!!
Walk through of some of
your program crises using
the Lemonade Framework
For more information, contact:
Doug Kendzierski, Chair, Applied Technology
dkendzierski@ccbcmd.edu
Dr. Doug Williams, Director, Aviation Technology Programs
dwilliams@ccbcmd.edu