The initial challenges of the '90s have been met and the survivors have been identified! We are now an industry beyond mere survival: We are about profitability and cutting-edge technology, but we are also committed to community. Our staffs need to be well trained and educated, forward-thinking and bottom-line sensitive. They cannot get there alone. They need the reinforcement of current and pertinent information, reflective discussions, mind-stretching challenges exercised by professional instructors with issue-specific knowledge, and skills development that keeps pace with the everchanging technology and regulatory and compliance demands.
Bringing our institutions into the 21st century will require a strong network of qualified technicians, competent financial services experts and a future-bound management team. SCBA is committed to being the source for education and staff development for the community banking industry.
SCBA's Education and Management Development Department, located at the Center for Financial Studies on the campus of Fairfield University in Connecticut, administers 30 to 50 programs each year within five major schools:
* The National School of Banking.
* The Executive Development Program.
* The Seminar for Presidents.
* The National Mortgage Institute.
* The School of Management Development.
These schools focus on the technical and management development of specialists and officers in member and nonmember institutions. Class size is limited to allow for maximum education benefit and personal attention. Diplomas and certificates of achievement are awarded to many of the attendees for their successful participation in specific programs.
National School
Founded in 1960, the National School of Banking is a graduate-level program designed to provide in-depth, practical study of today's financial services industry. The more than 3,000 graduates of this highly regarded school of bank management reflect a starting class profile that includes the following: positions ranging from senior vice president to branch manager; an average 11 years experience with financial institutions; higher level degrees held by more than 88% of participants. Students represent savings banks, savings and loan associations, cooperative banks, credit unions, federal agencies, and financial services groups.
For Executives
The Executive Development Program provides a thorough and thoughtful examination of the managerial qualities required to run an institution. Founded in 1956 on the campus of Dartmouth College, this leadership-development school assumes that senior officers of savings institutions have already demonstrated expertise and experience in their own areas of operational responsibility.
The program is a place for them to hone new skills and reinforce current skills required for the executive level. Communications, ethics, conflict management, creative problem-solving, and presentation skills are but a few of the areas studied in the highly interactive and introspective workshops.
For Presidents
The demands on presidents of today's community banks are more challenging than even before. To meet these challenges, 60 bank presidents gather for five days in mid-winter to roll up their sleeves and get "schooled" in the critical issues they face in their day-to-day activities. The Seminar for Presidents gathers distinguished faculty from academia, leading consultants from the financial services industry and SCBA leadership to conduct extended workshops in areas critical to the performance of the chief executive officer in today's community bank.
Mortgage Institute
The National Mortgage Institute is a separate, nonprofit organization affiliated with SCBA that is dedicated to providing programs to meet the education and professional development needs of mortgage lending personnel. Created as a separate entity in 1986, the institute certifies loan processors, loan servicers, and residential mortgage loan officers. The completion of required courses, plus verification through a rigorous testing process, qualifies candidates for certification.
Management School
SCBA's Education Department offers a full array of management and technical development workshops that range from basic introductory courses to the most specialized programs tailored to every niche in community banking. Most courses are two to three days in length and are geared to the mid- to senior-management level.
On the Road
Although most courses are offered at the center in Connecticut, some courses are being given on the road in various parts of the country. Modules of the compliance school are offered at a variety of state locations and as optional programs at national conferences. Courses specifically designed for members of an institution's board of trustees or directors are also available.
The Center
The Center for Financial Studies is one of the most modern education and conference facilities in the Northeast. It is located on the 200-acre campus of Fairfield University. It provides a carefully planned environment designed to stimulate communication, encourage problem-solving, and enhance the learning process.
The amphitheater seats 148 conferees and can be divided into separate rooms. There are 14 individual meeting rooms that can be arranged to meet the size and needs of the user. The center provides state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment and a computer classroom with 16 work stations. The complex includes dining facilities and large sleeping rooms and study areas.
The center is a cooperative enterprise of the savings institutions industry and Fairfield University. It is the principal instructional site for the education programs of Savings & Community Bankers of America. It is also available to private and public organizations for a variety of instructional and meeting purposes.
Every year for more than 30 years, hundreds of bankers have been attending SCBA's education programs. SCBA provides the quality education programs required to keep the community banker on the cutting edge of new technology, regulatory compliance and excellence in financial and human resource management. SCBA listens to its members; it keeps a finger on the industry's pulse, proactively working with its members as the industry continues to evolve. SCBA's focus is on your most important asset -- your staff.
