ECC Announces New Academic Vice President

Dr. Harry A. Starnes has been named vice president of instruction at Edgecombe Community College.

Dr. Harry A. Starnes, a lifelong educator who has spent the last 16 years in higher education and the last five at Edgecombe Community College, has been named vice president of instruction at ECC.

In his new position, Dr. Starnes will oversee all degree, diploma, certificate, and continuing education programs at the college. Through these programs, the college serves about 13,000 individuals each year.

“We are delighted that Dr. Starnes has agreed to take on a new role at Edgecombe Community College,” says ECC President Dr. Deborah Lamm. “He brings an ideal blend of experience as an instructor, university administrator, and as a dean here at ECC. He has contributed significantly to the successes of the college over the last five years, and his clear commitment to this institution and its students will help move us forward.”

He joined ECC in February 2011 as dean of the Division of Arts and Sciences. In his new role, Dr. Starnes will supervise the associate vice president of instruction and three deans of instruction, and will oversee about 200 full-time and part-time instructors.

His student-centered focus as dean will continue to guide his work as vice president. “I believe the student is the center of all that we do, and their success is my number one priority,” he says.

With a nod to his predecessor, Dr. John Enamait, who recently left ECC to become president of Stanley Community College, Dr. Starnes says, “My goal is to build on the good policies and procedures we have put in place.”

He explains, “In recent years, we have restructured our programs of study to include stackable credentials so that students can achieve success along the pathway to their degree or diploma. We also have improved our wraparound services to students, like adding transportation between campuses and strengthening our services to veterans.

“Now, we need to focus on teaching, from curriculum planning and delivery of instruction to assessment of learning and professional development. Our goal is student success, and we need to ensure that our instructors are incorporating best practices and using every tool possible to be effective.”

At ECC, Dr. Starnes is as a member of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Reaffirmation Committee. SACSCOC is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. During his tenure as dean, he co-chaired the SACSCOC 5th Year Review Committee.

Prior to joining Edgecombe, Dr. Starnes served as a senior academic and administrative officer at the University of North Carolina General Administration, where he worked for 11 years. Previously, he taught undergraduate and graduate level courses at Barton College, NC Wesleyan College, NC Central University, the College at Southeastern in Wake Forest, and Central Michigan University.

Dr. Starnes holds a bachelor’s degree in education from UNC-Chapel Hill, an M.Ed. from UNC-Greensboro, and an Ed.D. in educational leadership from East Carolina University.

He completed the 2014-2015 North Carolina Community College Leadership Program and is currently enrolled in the NC State University Executive Leadership Program.