Mark James recently retired after serving more than seven years as the chancellor of Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City, Missouri. Formerly the director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety, Mark James was the CEO of the $700 million organization with 15,000 employees.Overseeing several different emergency departments in Missouri, including the Gaming Commission, Capitol Police, Division of Fire Safety, and the National Guard, the Missouri Department of Public Safety has established programs that guide the various departments in providing emergency services for local communities. Among the many initiatives set by the Department of Public Safety is the Crime Victims' Compensation program.Established to help people who have sustained psychological or physical injuries due to violent crimes, the Crime Victims' Compensation funds are used to help pay for counseling and medical services along with any lost wages that might have occurred. The compensation fund is also available to assist victims with any burial or funeral expenses.
Now retired, Mark James served as chancellor of Metropolitan Community College (MCC) in Kansas City, Missouri. During his seven-year tenure as chancellor of Metropolitan Community College, Mark James steered the institution through the tough economic recession, ensuring the college continued to offer high-quality education to students while positively impacting the lives of Kansas City residents. In 2014, Economic Modeling Specialists Intl. (EMSI) published a report on the economic impact of MCC on Kansas City. The report, titled Metropolitan Community College- Kansas City’s Economic Impact, used labor market data to show the connection between the MCC economy and the surrounding community. Here are a few takeaways from the report:- Because of the community’s investment in MCC, the cost of tuition at the institution is one-third that of public universities. It is also lower than at technical colleges. - For every dollar MCC students invest in the institution, they get $4.40 back in higher wages in the future. In addition, because 96 percent of the institution’s graduate students find work locally, the education they receive translates to $837 million in increased regional income annually. - MCC students who graduate with associate degrees in nursing, engineering, computer networking, and industrial technology have a starting salary of between $45,000 and $65,000 a year.
