350p. · 2014. 3. 30. · DOCUMENT RESUME. ED 433 872 JC 990 586. TITLE Southwest Virginia Community College Self-StudyReport, 1993-1995. INSTITUTION Southwest Virginia Community

DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 433 872 JC 990 586

TITLE Southwest Virginia Community College Self-Study Report,1993-1995.

INSTITUTION Southwest Virginia Community Coll., Richlands, VA.SPONS AGENCY Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Atlanta, GA.

Commission on Colleges.PUB DATE 1995-00-00NOTE 350p.

PUB TYPE Reports Research (143)EDRS PRICE MFO1 /PC14 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS *Accreditation (Institutions); *Accrediting Agencies;

Community Colleges; Evaluation Criteria; *InstitutionalResearch; Planning; *Reports; *School Effectiveness; SelfEvaluation (Groups); Two Year Colleges

IDENTIFIERS Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; SouthwestVirginia Community College

ABSTRACTSouthwest Virginia Community College (SVCC) developed this

report in order to improve its effectiveness as an institution and toreaffirmation its accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges andSchools. To achieve these goals the college attempted to (1) develop greaterconsensus in the college community about the future of the college; (2)

evaluate every aspect of the college's operations; (3) investigate progress

on planning priorities; (4) identify strengths and weaknesses of theinstitution; and (5) produce a report that is useful to the ReaffirmationCommittee. The report is divided into the following sections: principles andphilosophy of accreditation, institutional purpose, institutionaleffectiveness, instructional program, educational support services, andadministrative resources. The educational program section includes categorieson faculty and instruction. The educational support services section includescategories on learning resources, educational support services, and studentdevelopment services. The administrative resources section includescategories on administrative processed, financial resources and physicalresources. A conclusion and a set of recommendations, suggestions andproposals follow each major section. The report summarizes the findings of 2years of data acquisition and analysis and presents action plans for futuresuccess. Contains 30 tables and 18 figures. (RDG)

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Self-Study Report1 9 9 3 - 1 995

Submitted to the Commission on Colleges,Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

by

Southwest Virginia Community CollegeRichlands, Virginia

1995

BEST COPY AVAILABLE2

a

INTRODUCTION ID 1993-1995 SELF-STUDY REPORT

In the late 1960's, the Commonwealth of Virginia establisheda system of community colleges designed for accessibility byall its residents. From the beginning of the VirginiaCommunity College System, the State Board for CommunityColleges created comprehensive institutions that includedtransfer and occupational-technical programs as we!! asdevelopmental course work. In 1967 county officialsappointed a Local College Board for Southwest VirginiaCommunity College (SVCC). In the fall of 1968 SVCC openedwith an enrollment of 710 students, and in the fall of 1994enrolled 4,785. The College is located in Tazewell County onRoute 19 where Tazewell and Russell counties join. Inaddition to these two counties, Buchanan and a section ofDickenson form SVCC's designated service area.

Southwest Virginia historically has been dependent on thecoal industry. Through the 1980s. technological advances ledto stable coal production with shrinking labor requirements.Since 1990, demand, prices, and production have alsodropped, and mines are closing. In 1994 alone over 600southwest Virginia miners lost their jobs. Agriculture,trades, government, light manufacturing, and the servicesectors of the economy are growing, but the region's almostexclusive orientation to the coal industry has meant thatdiversifying and stabilizing the economy have been very slow.

Between 1980 and 1990, the four-county area lost 12 percentof its population (from 140,067 to 123,580). In general, allfour counties have experienced double-digit unemploymentfor the past four years, two to three times that of Virginia'saverage. While the projected 1995 median household incomefor the Commonwealth of Virginia is $40,203, it stands at$22,780 In the four-county SVCC service area. As might beexpected, 22 percent of the region's population lives belowthe poverty level. The population is aging, and school-agepopulations are on the decline.

The terrain of SVCc's service region varies from mountainsover 4,700 feet of elevation to rolling valleys below. TheCollege is located on and around a hill with mountainscompletely encircling it. Four-lane highways provide accessto some of the region, but a two-hour drive is required fromremote areas of the counties to SVCC's campus.Consequently, the College has routinely offered courses inthe evenings at public schools and other off-campus sites,and the counties have provided bus service to Increase

access. In more recent years, SVCC has added videotelecourses and interactive video classes to its distanceeducation capabilities.

The College is no doubt making an impact on the educationof area citizens. In the tourcounty area, the percentage ofthe population over age 25 that had some college creditsgrew .87 of a percent between 1960 and 1970, but between1970 and 1980, the percent was 2.48, and bet/Veen 1980 and1990, the percent almost doubled from 8.08 to 16.09.Statewide, SVCC serves a greater percentage of itspopulation than any other community college, a recordWCC has achieved each year for the past decade.

It is against such a background that Souihwest VirginiaCommunity College launched the formai processes for the1993-95 Self-Study. Recognizing the importance of givingmore systematic attention to institutional effectiveness, theCollege had worked for nearly five years to establish planningand evaluation processes to promote a continuous quest forimprovement in the face of the region's challenges. In the fallof 1992. as plans were being made for the Self-Study,assessment of student learning, annual operationalplanning, and college-wide long-range planning were fullyoperational.

In order to provide continuity with institutional effectivenessefforts, the Steering Committee of the College's PlanningCouncil became the Steering Committee for the Self-Study inFebruary 1993. In the months that followed, the SteeringCommittee mobilized much of the campus community toparticipate in the self-study process. To conduct the requiredresearch and write up findings and analyses, the SteeringCommittee appointed committees composed ofadministration, faculty, and staff. A Data Collection andProcessing Committee provided these committees assistancewith surveys and other research needs. A member of theSteering Committee served as a liaison with each committee.Students, part-time faculty and staff, and Local Boardmembers were involved primarily through self-study surveys.A Special Arrangements Committee began its work inOctober 1994 to make local preparations for the VisitingCommittee. The Steering Committee invited final campus-wide reaction to the self-study report in November 1994.Through January and February 1995, the Assistant to theEditor merged committee reports into a coherent format andworked with the Editor and others to make final changes.SVCC Staff Services personnel printed the self-study reportin early March 1995.

2 Introduction to Self-Study

4

I

The College's purpose in undertaking the institutional self-study process was to improve its effectiveness as aneducational institution and to achieve reaffirmation of itsaccreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges andSchools. In order to achieve this purpose, SVCC attempted:

to develop a fuller sense of consensus in the collegecommunity about the future of SVCC by mobilizing full-time and part-time employees to conduct a thoroughstudy of the College.

to evaluate every aspect of the College's operations,addressing all criteria that define acceptable practice formember institutions of the Commission on Colleges.

to investigate SVCC's progress on planning priorities andbasic fulfillment of purpose.

to identify strengths and weaknesses of the institutionand to ensure that action plans are created and carriedout by appropriate personnel to address weaknesses andenhance strengths.

to produce a report that is useful to the ReaffirmationCommittee for its visit to the College and useful to theCollege to facilitate planning and improvement for thefuture.

As a critical part of their work, committees sought to identifyany problem related to their assignment in the Criteria. Inaddition, as each self-study committee organized its efforts,the Steering Committee emphasized that care should betaken to go beyond an investigation of SVCC's compliancewith the Criteria. As such challenges were identified, thecommittees sought to clarify them and offer realisticproposals to address each one. Consequently, in addition toformal "recommendations" and "suggestions" related to the"must" and "should" statements of the Criteria, the readerwill note "proposals" that offer other kinds of improvementsrelated to institutional needs.

Because 1993-94 was the last full year in this study, mostfinancial and enrollment data used were for that year. Insome cases, however, it has been possible to update thereport to reflect information for fall 1994. The Office ofPlanning and Development has inventoried sourcedocuments cited in the SVCC Serf:Study Report and willmake most of these available to the Visiting Committee in

Introduction to Self-Study 3

the work room at their motel and in a conference room onthe SVCC campus.

Up to December 1994, the committees operated under the1992-94 Criteria for Accreditation, Commission on Colleges, ofthe Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. When thenew edition of the Criteria was approved, the committeesmade as many changes as possible within the limited timeavailable. However, in order for the Visiting Committee toknow what persons were responsible for the research and togive the committee doing the research credit for its work, theSteenng Committee chose lo leave in place the portions ofthe 1992-94 Criteria which were relocated in the 1995 Criteriawith an indication to the Visiting Committee as to where tolocate the material.

From the beginning of its self-study, the College hasresponded to many of the weaknesses which the committeesidentified. To track these changes for the VisitingCommittee, underlining marks the original proposal,suggestion. or recommendation, and "InstitutionalResponse" is written in the margin to the left of the changesmade.

The remaining proposals, suggestions, and recommendationsare in bold print within the text and are then listed at theend of each chapter. Administrative actions, assignment ofresponsibility. completion date, and status report for theseappear in the Summary and Action Plans section of thisreport.

The self-study process has enabled the college community toclarify SVCC's purpose and make improvements in itspolicies, procedures, and processes. College personnel haveworked together to learn more about SVCC, each other, andthemselves. Faculty and staff look forward to meeting theVisiting Committee and benefiting from their insights abouthow SVCC can more effectively meet the needs of itsstudents and other citizens of the region.

4 Introduction to Self-Study

SELF-STUDY PERSONNEL

Steering Committee Members

Douglas W. Boyce Associate Professor, CoordinatorSelf-Study Director of Planning and Development

Robert H TomlinsonChair

Pat CarterEditor

Professor. American History

Associate Professor, English

Sue Captain Associate Professor, Librarian

Jereial Fletcher Associate Professor. English

Barbara Fuller Associate Professor. CECS Program Developer

Gaynelle Harman Enrollment Services Coordinator

Mike Hem-y Assistant Professor, Student Support ServicesProject Director

Richard Hudson Professor, Dean of Financial and AdministrativeServices

Charles R. King Professor, President

Vaughn Lester Professor, Electricity/Electronics

Terry Morris Professor. Chemistry

Ron Proffitt Assistant Professor, Radiologic Technology ProgramHead

Michael Rush Associate Professor, Dean of Student DevelopmentServices

Donald H. Smith Professor, Dean of Instruction

Sandra Stephenson Associate Professor, Data Processing

Hazel Wilson Program Support Technician SeniorRecorder Office of Dean of Financial and Administrative

Services

7

Introduction to Self-Study 5

Special Arrangements Committee

Barbara BuskinChair

Doug BoyceLiaison

Alice Brown

Pat Bussard

Sandy Canter

Tom Cash

Ralph Gibson

Ron Kiser

Tammi Leathers

Mary Lawson

Terry Long

Donna Miller

Rod Moore

Windell Turner

Tom Witten

Ed SmithChair

Assistant Professor, AdministrativeAssistant to the President.

Associate Professor. Coordinatorof Planning and Development

Assistant Professor. Psychology

Instructor. College Publications Coordinator

Printing Services Supervisor

Assistant Professor, Coordinator of Audio Visualand Distance Education Services

Buildings and Grounds Superintendent

Security Officer Supervisor

Office Services Assistant, Title III

Instructor, Institutional Advancement Officer

Instructor. Art Photography and Media Specialistand Admissions Counselor

Executive Secretary to the Dean, StudentDevelopment Services

Associate ProfessorDirector of Admissions. Records, and Financial Aid

Information Services Manager

Assistant Professor, MathematicsTech Prep Project Director

Data Processing and Collection Committee

Doug BoyceLiaison

Assistant Professor, Institutional ResearchOfficer

Associate Professor, Coordinatorof Planning and Development

6 . Introduction to Self-Study

8

Barbara Buskill

Betty Sword

Pat CarterEditor

Idana HamiltonAssistant to the Editor

Assistant Professor, Administrative Assistant to thePresident

Production Control Technician

Self-Study Report Production Staff

Barbara Buskill

Pat Bussard

Sandy Canter

Stacy Harris

Nancy Hedrick

Michelle Horn

Patricia Martin

Martha Pruett

Danny Stilwell

Associate Professor. English

Assistant Professor. EnglishComputer-Assisted Instruction Coordinator

Assistant Professor. AdministrativeAssistant to the President

Instructor. College Publications Coordinator

Printing Services Supervisor

Engineering Student

Secretary, Office of Planning and Development

Office Services Aid

Administrative Staff Assistant

Printing Press Operator

CEErm Services Assistant

Other Self-Study Committees

The members of committees assigned to examine various College operations arelisted at the beginning of the section of the self-study report they prepared.

Introduction to Self-Study .

e

COMMITTEE

Joseph S. Di Pietro Professor, Respiratory Care Program HeadChair and Writer

Doug BoyceLiaison

Devi Mitra

Edna S. SizemoreRecorder

Associate Professor, Coordinator of Planning andDevelopment

Associate Professor, Engineering

Office services Assistant. CECS

Ray Temp lin Assistant Professor. Mathematics

Section 1 . 1 - 1 . 6 11

INTRODUCTION

The primary objective of the self-study committee onPrinciples and Philosophy of Accreditation was to review andassess Southwest Virginia Community College's commitmentto the accreditation Criteria of the Southern Association ofColleges and Schools (SACS), Commission on Colleges, andthe processes of review of this commitment. To complete thisobjective, the committee reviewed the global responsibilitiesand functions of the College to ensure that they reflect acommitment to the accreditation process as well as ensurethat the College's activities meet SACS 'Conditions forEligibility."

Sources to evaluate this objective included catalogs,handbooks, brochures, and financial data from the Office ofFinancial and Administrative Services, curricular andinstructional data from the Office of the Dean ofInstruction, as well as the Curriculum and InstructionCommittee, student information from the Office of the Deanof Student Development Servtces, institutional informationfrom the Office of the President, research and planning datafrom the Office of Planning and Development, andinformation from the Code of Virginia and from the VirginiaCommunity College System Policy Manual.

INSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENT AN RESPONSIBILITIESIN THEACCREDITATION PROCESS

Southwest Virginia Community College (SVCC) is a singleunit institution of the Virginia Community College System(VCCS). Enacted by statutory action (Code of Virginia, Title23, Chapter 16. Sections 23-214 through 23-231), the StateBoard for Community Colleges authorized the VirginiaCommunity College System to create Southwest VirginiaCommunity College in 1967. Since the College opened in1968, it has been committed to receiving and maintainingaccreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges andSchools, Commission on Colleges. The current self-studyendeavor has engaged over 150 full-time faculty and staff,working to 13 committees under the leadership of a steeringcommittee. Student engagement included invitations to meetwith self-study hearings and involvement in surveys andquestionnaires related to student perspectives of theCollege's activities. The Local Board was directly involvedthrough questionnaires and formal presentations by theChair of the Steering Committee and the Director of the

Section 1.1- 1.6 13

Self-Study. who addressed the self-study process and theresultant committee findings.

The College's continued reaffirmation of this process ispredicated upon its commitment that, as an institution ofhigher education, its educational responsibility is one oftrust: to the public-at-large, to each learner, and to thosefaculty and staff members actively engaged in this mostimportant endeavor. The self-study document openly reflectsthe process of SVCC's review of its activities to determine therelationship of these activities to the vision and the purposeof institutional function and serves as the reportinginstrument of this review process, emphasizing compliancewith SACS Criteria for Accreditation. The College'scommitment to this part of the process is its affirmation ofassurance to review and assess all aspects of collegiateoperations so that the College may improve its effectiveness.In order to capitalize upon institutional strengths andaddress weaknesses as hindrances to the institutional visionand purpose, the final section of the 1993-95 Self-StudyReport titled "Summary and Action Plans" will state theactions that have been and will be taken in response to therecommendations, suggestions, and proposals, which havenot already been addressed by the College during the process.

Knowledge can be defined as "a familiarity, an awareness, oran understanding gained from experience or study." Thedriving force of any institution of higher education is thequest for knowledge. Perhaps the search for knowledgeparallels the search for and the maintenance of truth orintegrity. However, the quest is not enough. How thatknowledge is obtained, how it is distributed, and the purposeof that distribution is tantamount to collegiate function andeffectiveness. The following portion of SVCC's Statement ofPurpose succinctly presents, in part, the institution's questfor knowledge:

SVCC is dedicated to the belief that each personshould be given a continuing opportunity for thedevelopment and extension of skill and knowledge toincrease an awareness of the individual's role andresponsibility in society. (Catalog & Student Handbook,1994-95. 1)

This self-study and the processes leading to its completionare examples of the College's continued efforts to seekknowledge and state it in the most straight-forward manner,by presenting the College as it actually operates.

14 Section I: Principles and Philosophy of Accreditation

The effectiveness of SVCC's quest for knowledge and itstruthful distribution is further presented in the College'sMaster Plan, Giving Direction to the Future. The planningprocess of the College exemplifies its commitment to thequest for knowledge, as codified in the following excerpt fromthe Master Plan:

A well-qualified staff, renewed and professionallychallenged, will gather, store, and facilitate thedistribution of knowledge in a way that will inauguratequality learning experiences with students,empowering them to fulfill their goals and contributeto society. (19)

In order to wisely take these steps into the future itrequires an honest appraisal of the real strengths ofthe College and an ongoing reflection on thechallenges and opportunities faced internally andexternally. (3)

APPLICATION OF THE CRITERIA

During the ten years since SACS' last site visit andsubsequent reaccreditation by the Commission, SouthwestVirginia Community College has implemented some newtechnologies, such as distance learning alternatives andcomputer systems for students, to carry out its vision andpurpose. However, the addition of these new learningtechnologies has not modified the nature or the scope ofSVCC or its educational programs.

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES

Southwest Virginia Community College provides for studentcomplaints with the Grievance Procedure, as well as theCollege Judicial Board (Catalog & Student Handbook, 1994-95, 41-42). The composition of the Judicial Board includesfive student members, who are recommended to the Presidentby the Student Government Association, and four facultymembers, representing each academic division. TheGrievance Procedure is predicated upon procedural dueprocess rights afforded all citizens by the United StatesConstitution. Just as important, however, is the spirit ofthis Constitutional intention, that is, to provide the avenuefor problem resolution when other less formal activities havenot been effective. Since SVCC opened in 1968, of the 21cases presented to the Judicial Board, 21 have been broughtto acceptable resolution.

13Section 1.1 1.6 15

SEPARATELY ACCREDITED UNITS

Southwest Virginia Community College is a single unitinstitution of the Virginia Community College System. Itseeks reaffirmation of its accreditation from the Commissionbased upon this presentation.

CONDITIONS OF ELIGIBILITY

The self-study committee on Principles and Philosophy ofAccreditation concludes that SVCC is in compliance with allthe following 13 conditions of eligibility of the SouthernAssociation of Colleges and Schools, Commission onColleges:

1. Commitment to the Accreditation Process

Southwest Virginia Community College, in seekingreaffirmation of accreditation from the Commission onColleges of the Southern Association of Colleges andSchools, pledges its commitment to the accrediting processand its willingness to comply with the Criteria forAccreditation, as well as the requests, directives, decisions,and policies of the Commission. Further, the Collegepromises complete, accurate, and honest disclosure andagrees that the Commission may make known the results ofthe reaccreditation process. The most recent statement ofthis commitment exists in the document entitled"Conditions for Eligibility for Candidacy and Membership,Institutional Agreement," dated October 12, 1992, and signedby the President of the College.

2. Governmental Authority

The State Board for Community Colleges grants SouthwestVirginia Community College the formal authority to awarddegrees, certificates, and diplomas.

3. Governing Boards

In 1966, statutory action of the General Assembly of Virginiaauthorized the State Board for Community Colleges andgranted it the power to "establish, control, administer, andsupervise all community colleges established by the state inselected communities throughout the Commonwealth ofVirginia" [Code Of Virginia, Title 23. Chapter 16, Sections 23-214 through 23-231).


14

In 1977, the General Assembly altered the role of the StateBoard from a state agency board to a governing board (acorporate enti) for a statewide institution of higherlearning (Code 01 Virginia, Title 23, Chapter 16, Section 23-215) .

Thus, the VCCS is a single statewide institution of highereducation, overseen by the State Board for CommunityColleges, which is the policymaking body for the 23community colleges within the Virginia Community CollegeSystem (The Establishment and Operation of Virginia'sComprehensive Community Colleges, 1993: VCCS PolicyManual, 1991, Section 2A- 10). The Governor of Virginiaappoints 15 members to serve on the State Board, and theGeneral Assembly affirms these appointments. Membersmust be from the State at-large and cannot be an officer, anemployee, or a member of the governing board of any publicinstitution of higher education or any school under thejurisdiction of the State Board or the General Assembly.

A local college board also serves each college, includingSVCC. Established by the State Board, the Local Board iscomprised of ten members including its chairperson and isdefined as that entity "established to act in an advisorycapacity to the State Board and to perform such duties withrespect to the operation of a single comprehensivecommunity college as may be designated to it by the StateBoard" (Code of Virginia, Title 23, Chapter 16, Sections 23-214 and 23-220). SVCC's Board Policy and Procedures Manualreaffirms that the Local Board is responsible to local needsas they apply to the statewide policies, procedures, andregulations of the State Board for Community Colleges(Section 2.4001.

4. Chief Executive Officer's Relationships

The chief executive officer of SVCC is the president, who isappointed by the State Board for Community Colleges incooperation with the Local Board. The Local Board elects itsofficers including its chair, and the SVCC President, as chiefexecutive officer of the College, serves as secretary to theLocal Board.

5. Continuing Operation

Southwest Virginia Community College is in operation, andbarring any substantive alterations within the Common-wealth of Virginia, the College will be in operation andstudents will be enrolled in degree programs at the time ofthe committee visit.

Section 1.1- 1.6 . 17

6. Educational Offerings

Being a comprehensive community college, SVCC offers 7transfer programs of collegiate transfer course work leadingto the Associate of Arts and Sciences degree, 11 Associate inApplied Science degrees, 5 diploma programs, and 31certificates in various occupational-technical fields.Additional instructional programs include an honorsprogram, international/inter-cultural education, develop-mental studies, and the Learning Resource Center (Catalog &Student Handbook, 1994-95, 56-57).

7. Statement of Purpose

The Southwest Virginia Community College statement ofpurpose is appropriate to an institution of higher educationand is clearly defined and published (Catalog & StudentHandbook, 1994-95. 1-2).

8. Institutional Planning and Development

Like all institutions of higher education, SVCC is multi-dimensional, operating from the perspective of a modifiedcorporate structure, with a physical plant which must bemaintained and renewed, fiscal responsibility for revenuesrequired to operate so that the institutional mission can befulfilled. and responsibility for three levels of personnel:student, faculty, and staff.

Global operation of the College is, in part, predicated uponits ability to accomplish self-evaluation. Introspectiveanalyses of any sort are indeed difficult since they requirestamina, far beyond that of routine function, to look atwhere the College has been, where it is, and where it desiresto reach (Giving Direction to the Future). The VCCS establishedthe requirement and now ensures that all communitycolleges accomplish assessment of their curricular activitiesthrough institutional outcomes assessment. To parallel this,the College began to review all operations and prepare a solidfoundation for strategic planning, thereby allowing forcontinuity between learner and institutional outcomes. Forwell over two years, the planning process included all facultyand staff, driven by an eight-member Steering Committeeand fueled by a fifty-member Planning Council composed offaculty and staff of the College. The outcome of this tri-partite structure was the creation of the College's Statementof Vision, the strategic priorities of the vision, and proposedtactical plans needed to carry this vision forward into thenext century. As follow-up to these initial activities and partof the global assessment program of the College, each


institutional unit, such as departments and programs, is toassess itself annually, using the evaluation methodemployed by SWOTs, the acronym for Strengths,Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (Planning andDevelopment Office). Tactical in nature, SWOTs is actuallyused prior to strategic planning. but the real essence of itsuse is that it presents an overall assessment of any strategicplans that have been set into motion.

9, Published Admission Policies

SVCC's admissions policies are clearly outlined, arejuxtaposed with institutional purpose, and are published inthe Catalog & Student Handbook (1994-95, 8-10).

10. Undergraduate Degree Program Requirements

Tantamount to the College is the comprehensive nature ofits academic offerings, which the diversity of those offeringsexemplifies. SVCC offers both transfer and occupational-technical degrees (Catalog & Student Handbook, 1994-95, 56-173). General education (or liberal arts) requirements arecrucial to the framework of these curricula, even thoughearly specialization is taking place through development ofthe major. SVCC exceeds the SACS requirement of 15 credithours minimum of general education course work to bedrawn from the humanities/fine arts, behavioral/socialsciences, and the natural sciences/mathematics ("MinimumRequirements for Associate Degrees in the VCCS," Catalog &Student Handbook, 1994-95, 58). Both the CollegeCurriculum and Instruction Committee and the self-studycommittee on Principles and Philosophy reviewed theserequirements and determined that all transfer, as well as allassociate degree programs, do meet SACS Criteria. Further,this review found no narrow focus courses that were peculiarto a particular occupation or profession.

11. Responsibility for Degree Programs

Specific degree programs cited within the SVCC 1994-95Catalog & Student Handbook are fully operational, and allexcept one (the music curriculum) have at least one full-timefaculty member to maintain the program's direction andfunction (xii-xviii). Because the music curriculum iscurrently without someone to direct the program, thefollowing statement of clarification is offered at the end ofthe description section in the Catalog: "Although a degree isnot currently offered in the music major, selected courses areavailable" (72). Response to this presentation has beenmixed among members of this self-study committee: While

Section 1.1 - 1.6. 19

some members felt having such a qualifying statement wasadequate, others questioned the validity of showing themusic curriculum in the Catalog. This concern was deferredto the committee evaluating the Instructional Program.

12. Adequacy of Learning Resources

To accomplish the learning activities which the Collegeoffers, resources for learning must keep pace with thedemand required by technological advances as well as learnerneeds for access to these resources. At SVCC, resourcesinclude those on the campus of the College and thoseaccessible away from the actual campus. The College'simmediate resources include, but are not limited to, a full-service campus library, a local area computer network andcomputer laboratories, discipline-based laboratories, acomplete Learning Resource Center with a computerizedlearning laboratory and audio-visual services with interactivevideo and satellite network for telecourse offerings. Off-campus resources include, but are not limited to, businessand industry serving as sites for internships, extemships, orclinical rotations for the learner and programs to accesstechnologies: information as well as practice of thoseaccrued cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills requiredof particular trades or professions; and area libraries andpublic schools.

As was noted earlier in this section, continuous assessmentof learner, program, and degree outcomes is an ongoingprocess and a requirement of SVCC as a comprehensiveinstitution of higher learning. Evaluations are predicated ona willingness to grow and improve. As with the planningprocesses, including strategic and tactical operations, allforms of learning resources, regardless of their particularlocus, exist in order to fulfill the purpose of the College.Further, these resources support the existing programs anddegrees the College offers, as well as provide open access forlearners to achieve their goals and aspirations.

13. Audited Adequacy of Financial Base

Because of the magnitude of student enrollment at SVCC,with near 3,000 full-time equivalent students (FTEs), it mustoperate with not only fiduciary responsibility, but with fiscalresponsibility as well. The VCCS has established enrollmentand funding formulas to distribute monetary resources toeach of the 23 colleges in the system (Code of Virginia, Title23. Chapter 16, Section 23-218). An explanation of thisfunding process is located in Section 6.3 of this self-studydocument. Audited financial reports are available in the


Office of the Dean of Financial and Administrative Services;the audit for 1993-94 is provided as an exhibit for thevisiting committee.

REPRESENTATION OF STATUS

In the Catalog and other advertising brochures, SVCCrepresents its status and relationship with the SouthernAssociation of Colleges and Schools, Commission onColleges, in the following manner:

The College is accredited by the Commission onColleges of the Southern Association of Colleges andSchools to award the associate degree. (Catalog &Student Handbook 1994-95, 2)

19

section 1.1 1.6 21

Daisy CampbellChair and Wnter (1993-94)Retired

Curtis CoxChair (1994-95)

Mike CochranRecorder

John CoxRetired

Quintin DoromalResigned

Mary Easterling

Ellen Elmes

Clark Farrington

Linda Harris

David Hayes

Tammy Jessee

Mary Lawson

Clark Phillips

Sandy StephensonLiaison

Virginia White

COMMITTEE

Professor, English

Associate Professor. Chair of Natural Science andMathematics Division

Instructor, Radiology

Professor, Chair of Business Division

Associate Professor, Counselor

Fiscal Technician, Business Office

Instructor, Art

Associate Professor. Drafting

Secretary Senior to Director of Continuing Education

Assistant Professor. Mine Machinery Maintenance/ Diesel

Office Services Specialist. Health Technologies

Instructor. Institutional Advancement Officer

Associate Professor, Office Systems Technology

Associate Professor, Data Processing

Buyer Specialist, Business Office

Section II: Institutional Purpose 25

e INTRODUCTION

During the summer of 1993, the self-study committeeassigned to evaluate the Statement of Purpose for SouthwestVirgmia Community College (SVCC) began examining thestatement to evaluate its significance and appropriateness.The committee represented all instructional divisions andareas of the College. Through interviews, a review ofdocuments and publications, and general observations of theCollege, the committee researched the history of the currentstatement of purpose. considering the adequacy of itscoverage and the extent to which it represents both officialpolicy and actual practice. The committee also looked at howthe purpose statement has been used, whether it has beenreviewed and revised, and how adequately college programsand resources fulfill the purpose. While most of the workwas completed during spring 1994, the committeeparticipated in subsequent college-wide review of the purposestatement and made further revisions during the summerand fall of 1994.

GENERAL BACKGROUND

In 1966 the General Assembly of Virginia authorized theestablishment of a statewide system of comprehensivecommunity colleges (Code of Virginia, Title 23. Chapter 16,Sections 23-214 through 23-231) "designed to serve theeducational needs of qualified post-high school age youthand adults to prepare them for employment, for advancedcollegiate education, and for improved citizenship" (VCCSPolicy Manual. 1994, Section 2A-1). Seeing that thislegislative action had opened the door to a great opportunityfor this rural mountainous area. a delegation of local andstate officials met to determine the feasibility of developing acommunity college for the counties of Russell, Tazewell,Buchanan, and the eastern portion of Dickenson.

Plans moved quickly, and in fall 1968, Southwest VirginiaCommunity College opened its doors to 7 10 students, almostdouble the projected enrollment. Enrollment continued toincrease over the years, and in fall 1993 the unduplicatedheadcount of credit enrollment was 4,620; for the 1993-94year the number was 7,038 (VCCS Annual StudentUnduplicated Enrollment Booklet). The College also served1,733 area residents in non-credit community serviceprograms during 1993-94 ("Continuing Education AnnualReport," 1993-94). From 1985. when the data were first


collected, until fall 1993, Southwest Virginia CommunityCollege served a higher percentage of its regional populationthan any other community college in Virginia (Office ofPlanning and Development, "Southwest Virginia CommunityCollege's Penetration Rate," Trends to Watch).

PURPOSE STATEMENT

As is true of all 23 colleges in the Virginia CommunityCollege System (VCCS), Southwest Virginia CommunityCollege operates under the mission and policy statements ofthe system as a whole. The following mission statement ofthe VCCS was adopted by the State Board for CommunityColleges on March 20, 1986:

The Virginia Community College System functionswithin the educational community to assure that allindividuals in the diverse regions of theCommonwealth of Virginia are given a continuingopportunity for the development and extension of theirskills and knowledge through quality programs andservices that are financially and geographicallyaccessible.

The Virginia Community College System, throughcomprehensive community colleges, providesleadership in determining and addressing both theneeds of individuals and the economic needs of thecolleges' service areas.

Occupational-technical education, transfer education,developmental studies, continuing education, andcommunity services are the primary avenues throughwhich the mission is fulfilled. To assure that allstudents have the opportunity for success, each collegeshall provide a comprehensive program of studentdevelopment services. (VCCS Policy Manual, Section2.2C-1)

Throughout the process of the present self-study, SouthwestVirginia Community College was operating under thefollowing Statement of Purpose as listed in the 199495Catalog & Student Handbook and as reviewed and approvedby the Local Board at its September 28, 1993, meeting (LocalBoard Minutes):

SVCC is dedicated to the belief that each personshould be given a continuing opportunity for thedevelopment and extension of skill and knowledge toincrease an awareness of the individual's role and

28 Section II: Institutional Purpose

22

responsibility in society. The College is devoted toserve the educational needs of its community, andassumes a responsibility to help provide therequirements for trained manpower in its regionthrough a cooperative effort with local industry,business, professions, and government.

Educational opportunities are provided for adults aswell as college-age youth. These include qualityinstructional associate degree, certificate anddevelopmental courses. A counseling program andother student services are also provided to assist thestudent with decisions on occupational, educational,and personal goals.

Southwest Virginia Community College is acomprehensive institution of higher education offeringprograms of instruction extending not more than twoyears beyond high school.

1. Occupational-Technical Education. Progreaninthis area are designed to meet the increasingdemand for technicians, semi-professional workers,and skilled craftsman for employment in industry,business, the professions, and government. Thecurricula are planned primarily to meet the needsfor workers in the region being served by theCollege.

2. College Transfer Education.Programs in this areainclude college freshman and sophomore courses inart and sciences and pre-professional educationand standards acceptable for transfer tobaccalaureate-degree programs in four-year collegesand universities.

3. General Education. The programs in generaleducation encompass the common knowledge,skills, and attitudes required to enable the studentto be effective as a person, a worker, a consumer,and a citizen.

4. Continuing Adult Education. Thee programs,offered to enable adults in the region to continuetheir learning experiences, include both degreecredit and non-degree credit study offered duringthe day and evening hours.

5. Special Training Programs Special training isprovided where special job opportunities are


available for new or expanding industries. Thisspecial training shall be coordinated with Virginia'seconomic expansion efforts and with the needs ofemployers.

6. Developmental Courses. Thus courses are offeredto help prepare individuals for admission to anoccupational-technical curriculum or to a collegetransfer curriculum in the College. These programsare designed to help the individual develop thebasic skill and understanding necessary to succeedin other community college programs.

7. Specialized Regional and Community Services.The facilities and personnel of the College areavailable to provide specialized services to helpmeet the cultural and educational needs of theregion served by the community college. This serviceincludes non-classroom and non-credit programs,cultural events, workshops, meetings, lectures,conferences, seminars and special communityprojects (SVCC Catalog & Student Handbook, 1994-95, 1-2).

This "official" statement of purpose reads essentially as itwas approved by the State Board on October 4, 1968. In theyears that followed, institutions within the VirginiaCommunity College System were given the freedom to modifytheir statements of purpose within the parameters of theenabling legislation and State Board policies. By reviewingcollege catalogs for the past decade, this committeediscovered several minor changes had been made since thelast self-study. In the 1988-89 Catalog the President's Officeadded "certificate" to the first paragraph. In the 1991-92Catalog "the community college" became "SVCC" in the firstparagraph, and in Sections 2 and 6 'university parallel-college transfer" became "college transfer." A change in theterminology used in the VCCS Policy Manual (1994. Section2A-5) to describe the types of programs to be offered by thecolleges in the system prompted #is last modification.

The self-study committee on Institutional Purposeconcluded, based on its research, that the SVCC Statementof Purpose is appropriate to collegiate education as well asits own educational role. Within this framework, SVCC's"specific educational role" is to provide meaningful andpotentially useful learning experiences for all citizens of theregion. The two-year transfer programs and occupational-technical training are the primary elements of this role thatdistinguish SVCC from secondary education and from senior

30 * Section II:Instituuonal Purpose

colleges and universities. The College has a significant andvital function to promote life-long learning from enrichmentprograms for the elementary age group to dual enrollmentprograms with local high schools to leisure time activities forsenior citizens. In Virginia, from the beginning of the dreamuntil today, the Community College has been considered"the people's college," and SVCC has not lost sight of thismulti-faceted role in the community.

Documents Related to Purpose

While SVCC's purpose statement remained essentially thesame in content and wording as the original version, somerelated documents were written as the College reviewed itspurpose from time to time and attempted to keep purposeand action closely related. For one thing, the College hasturned the contents of the purpose into more appealing formand language for better communication with itsconstituencies. In 1989, the President's Office crafted thefollowing abbreviated version, which has since appearedannually in the College's "Academic Calendar," as a meansof highlighting its essential components:

The mission of Southwest Virginia Community Collegeis:

. Access and Excellence: Higher Education Opportu-nity for all who can benefit

. The Teaching/Learning Process: Quality instruction

. Student Development

. Economic Development of the Region

. Service with Excellence to our Community

Another example is the College's "commitment" statement.In the winter of 1989-90, college officials discussed thedesirability of expressing the values growing logically out ofthe institutional purpose that might be expressed ascommitments on the part of the college community. Afterseveral drafts were prepared and discussed within thecontext of the College Council, the College Board approvedthe following commitment statement on February 13, 1990.This statement now appears across the campus on wallplaques and in the annual "Academic Calendar":


We Are Committed

We are committal to the belief that service to ourcommunity is our single most important productand that we can best serve our community byproviding the citizens with high-qualityeducational opportunities: they deserve nothingless.

We are committed to the belief that our learnersdeserve continuing opportunities to learn andadvance to a constantly-evolving world: we realizeand promote the understanding that suchlearning is a lifelong activity.

We are committed to the belief that learners whohave the desire to learn. can learn if we providethem with the attention and the caring that isthe hallmark of this institution.

We are committed to providing the citizens of ourservice area with the means to be constantlyaware of and to exercise their rights andresponsibilities towards our state, our nation,and the world in which we live, and we commitourselves to exercising responsible and exemplarycitizenship.

We are committed to serving our community, ourstate, and our country with excellence, in the fullmeaning of these words. And to that end, wepledge to honor this commitment throughuntiring and continuing efforts to innovate,educate, and evaluate the results of our efforts.

We are committedto serving our area busmesses andindustries by providing them with andmaintaining the quality of a work force that cancompete and succeed in today's world economiccommunity.

And we are committed to making a tangiblecontribution to making our community a goodplace to live, work, and learn. ("SVCC AcademicCalendar," 1993-94)

Finally, in the context of its long-range strategic planningefforts, the College created a vision statement and a series ofstrategic priorities designed to provide a sense of shareddirection for the future. They were written to be compatible


26

with the College's purpose and to provide a sense of what itwill take to fulfill that purpose in the years ahead. A highlyrepresentative, fifty-member Planning Council provided theinput for the College's vision statement in December 1990.The Steering Committee of the Planning Council created theactual wording that was then reviewed and refined through aseries of open hearings both on and off campus in March1991. The vision statement and strategic priorities can befound in SVCC's Master Plan, Giving Direction to the Future(1992, 19).

Beginning in the spring of 1990, each administrative unit ofthe College was asked to write a statement of purpose andgoals consistent with the College's purpose. These have beenreviewed each year and used as the basis for annualoperational planning activities.

The committee applying the Criteria on institutional purposesees one problem with the College's attempts to market itspurpose statement. This philosophy has led to someInconsistencies in the "official" statement as it isdisseminated in various publications. In comparing thepurpose statement as reflected in the 1994-95 Catalog 86Student Handbook Giuing Direction to the Future: SouthwestVirginia Community College Master Plan (1992), the FacultyHandbook, and the 199394 Adjunct Faculty Handbook, thecommittee found that there are substantial differences inwording in these versions. While these differences do notsignificantly impact on the meaning of the purposestatement. the written inconsistencies should not beignored. Therefore, this committee recommends that theCollege make all "official" statements of the purposeconsistent in wording in all publications. Also, simehepurpose statement is very appropriately placed in the facultyhandbooks, the committee believes it should be similarlyreinforced for classified personnel. The committee, therefore,recommends that the SVCC Statement of Purpose beincluded in theClassifiedStajf Handbook

It is evident to this self-study committee that the Collegehas given serious attention to the importance of itsinstitutional purpose, using it as a foundation for planningand for the development of related documents which conveythe essence of the mission to the general public. To stressthis commitment further, the committee proposes that theCollege make the purpose-relatedness of the "We AreCommitted" statement more explicit by placing it alongwith the purpose in theCatalogand in other appropriatepublications. TIE committee also proposes that theCollege continue to use the "Mission" statement as a


InstitutionalResponse

convenient summay of the purpose, but that a footnotebe added to inform the reader that the completestatement may be foul in the Catalog & StudentHandbook.

Finally, while the faculty, administration, and Local Boardhave studied the statement of purpose from time to time, thereviews were not done according to a planned schedule.Consequently, the committee suggested that theadministration, board, faculty, and staff periodically studythe SVCC Statement of Purpose to consider internal changesand the changing responsibilities of the institution to itsconstituencies. The committee also proposed that in thenext review g obal awareness and citizenship, which havebeen major emphases on campus in recent years, andservices provided for precollege youth be added to the officialstatement of purpose.

The College has responded to both the above suggestion andproposal. During annual operational planning sessions forteacher, staff, and administrative personnel held in May1994, the Coordinator of Planning and Development secured

broad input for the revision of the purpose statement. Thesesessions also gave the college community an opportunity tosee a new annual planning calendar presented by theCoordinator of Planning and Development that provides foran annual review of the College's purpose.

The Steering Committee of the Planning Council thenestablished a subcommittee to review suggested changes tothe purpose and develop a revised version by fall 1994. TheOffice of Planning and Development circulated this draft tothe campus community and invited further reaction. By earlyDecember, the Steering Committee of the Planning Councilcompleted a final draft that was approved by the Presidentand adopted by the Local Board on January 10. 1995. Thenew purpose statement, which will be included in the 1995-96 Catalog 85 Student Handbook and other collegepublications noted above, reads as follows:

Southwest Virginia Community College, as acomprehensive institution of higher education,dedicates its services to area citizens. Believing thateach person should be given an opportunity forcontinuing personal and intellectual development, theCollege assumes responsibility as a catalyst in the lifeof the individual and the community. SVCC providescitizens the means for improving skills: expandingknowledge as well as cultural, aesthetic and global

34 section II: Institutional Purpose

28

awareness; and encouraging economic developmentand responsible citizenship.

Southwest Virginia Community College offersprograms of traditional classroom instruction andtechnologically enhanced courses generally extendingnot more than two years beyond high school.Educational opportunities for adults and college-ageyouth include instruction in associate degree, diploma,and certificate programs, as well as in continuingeducation. Counseling services and other studentdevelopment programs assist students with decisionson occupational, educational, and personal goals.

To implement these broadly conceived purposes, theCollege provides many options:

. Occupational Technical Educationneets thedemand for technicians, para-professionals, andskilled craft persons for employment in industry,business, the professions, and government throughcurricula planned primarily to satisfy needs for andof workers within the SVCC service region.

. College Transfer Educatia offers college coursesin the arts and sciences and pre-professionaleducation designed to transfer to four-year collegesand universities.

General Educatiozencompasses the knowledge,skills, attitudes, and perspectives each studentneeds to improve as an individual, a worker, aconsumer, and a citizen of the community and theworld. General education encourages creative andcritical thinking by helping students recognize theconnections among bodies of knowledge throughcourses and special programs, such as honorsseminars and across-the-curriculum programs.

Developmental Education Course help prepareindividuals for admission to an occupationaltechnical or college transfer curriculum bydeveloping basic skills necessary for personal oracademic endeavors.

. Continuing Education enables students to pursuelearning experiences for work and personalenrichment which include degree and non-degreeprograms and courses at flexible times and


locations. Work-force training responds to thechanging needs of local industries.

. Specialized Regional and Community Serviceshelp meet the cultural and educational needs of theregion by offering non-classroom and non-creditprograms, cultural and arts events, workshops,meetings, lectures, exhibits, conferences, tele-conferences, seminars, sports and recreation andspecial community projects.

ADEQUACY OF COLLEGE PROGRAM AND RESOURCES

Since the remaining chapters of the SVCC Self -Study Report1993-1995 will reveal the weaknesses, as well as thestrengths, of Southwest Virginia Community College in theareas of administrative processes, financial and physicalresources, educational programs, support services, andplanning and evaluation processes, the remainder of thissection of the Purpose Chapter will present only the salientstrengths of SVCC in order to suggest in an obviouslyabbreviated way that each of these areas is "appropriate" tothe College's "stated purpose and role" and. in mostinstances, is far more than "adequate."

Administrative Processes

As one of 23 institutions in the Virginia Community CollegeSystem, Southwest Virginia Community College operatesunder the policies of the State Board for CommunityColleges. The Chancellor of the VCCS reports to the StateBoard while the president of each individual college reportsto the Chancellor. A Local College Board, appointed by theBoard of Supervisors of each constituent county, acts in anadvisory capacity to the college president. While VCCSpolicies and procedures, as stated in the VCCS Policy Manualprovide clear guidelines for the operation of the individualcolleges, they allow some room for autonomy and decisionmaking at the local level.

Under the capable leadership of its founding president, SVCCcontinues to provide comprehensive educational services tothe region. A strong administrative organization enables theCollege to make effective use of available resources to fulfillits mission. Second-level administration is provided by thedeans of Financial and Administrative Services, Instruction,and Student Development Services. Lay curriculum advisorycommittees are used extensively to provide guidance andassistance in program design and implementation, and a


30

strong institutional advancement and public relationsprogram maximizes the use of community resources forcollege-wide advancement. Support from the private sector isprovided through the SVCC Educational Foundation and theAlumni Association, and a highly successful grantsprocurement program has enabled the College to obtainexternal funding to enhance many of the programs andservices essential to the fulfillment of its mission. Thiscommittee finds the administrative structure adequate andeffective in its operation and notes that policy decisions aremade in a context that supports the stated purpose of theCollege.

Physical Resources

From a single building (Buchanan Hall) when it opened in1968, Southwest Virginia Community College has grown to atotal of five combination classroom/laboratory/officebuildings on its one-hundred acre campus today.Construction of two additional campus facilities, the Centerfor Health and Community Development and a NationalGuard Armory, is scheduled to begin before the end of thiscalendar year, and preliminary drawings have been preparedfor a Learning-Resource Center/Allied Health building,which is expected to complete the building constructionprogram for the remainder of this century. While indoorfacilities for large assemblies, physical education, andrecreation have been rather limited, the College hasmanaged, with the help of the Virginia National Guard, toconstruct superb outdoor facilities for these purposes. OnOctober 19, 1993, a ceremony celebrated the completion of acomprehensive recreational complex for use by the Collegeand by the community at large. This complex includes abaseball field, a track, a combination football-soccer-rugbyfield, tennis courts, picnic shelters, playground, and generalrecreation areas.

The College also uses several public schools and a fewprivate facilities throughout the service area to take classes,seminars, and special training sessions out into thecommunity. This "extended campus" concept has expandedsubstantially over the last few years until, today, classes areoffered on a regular basis at more than a dozen off-campuslocations. Moreover, special classes and seminars areprovided in response to specific requests almost anywherewithin (and sometimes beyond) the service region.

Although some programs have almost outgrown theirlaboratories and especially their equipment storage spaces,the existing facilities, together with those under

3.1


construction, are at least adequate and appropriate tosupport the purpose of the College.

Financial Resources

The Colley receives most of its operating budget from statefunds. These include general funds (tax dollars) and non-general revenue (student tuition and fees). In addition, theCollege has greatly benefited from sustained success insecuring external funding from state and federal grants aswell as private sector donations through the SouthwestVirginia Community College Educational Foundation.During the last few years the Virginia economy has beenstrained resulting in rapid tuition increases and a declineboth in the amount and proportion of general funds. Whilefinancial resources have been adequate to support theoperation of the College, tuition increases appear to have anadverse effect upon the enrollment of part-time students noteligible for federal financial aid. Budget constraints havealso slowed progress on the renovation of existing facilitiesand on new construction. As a result, in spite of greatlyimproved physical facilities over the years, the College ispresently contending with shortages of classrooms duringpeak periods of use, as well as office space and otherfacilities. However, through the energetic efforts of the SVCCFoundation and creative collaboration with state NationalGuard units, this situation will be greatly alleviated by thetwo additional facilities that should become a reality in thenear future.

Educational Programs

The occupational-technical, transfer, developmental studies,continuing education, and community services programsdescribed in the Catalog & Student Handbook reflect themeans through which Southwest Virginia CommunityCollege fulfills its stated purpose. program offerings includethe Associate in Arts and Sciences Degree with seven areasof concentration: Business Administration, Education,Engineering, General Studies, Liberal Arts, Music, andScience. Associate in Applied Science degrees are offered infour areas: Business Technology. Engineering Technology,Health Technology, and Public Service Technology. Five areasof study offer Diploma programs; 18 lead to certificateprograms: and 13 Career Studies programs are currentlyavailable. All together there are more than 50 areas ofconcentration from which students may choose.

Although not a separate program, developmental studiesclasses provide instruction for students needing a review of

38 . Section II: Institutional Purpose

32

the basic skills necessary for college-level work.Developmental classes consist primarily of English, reading,and mathematics, but remedial courses in biology andchemistry are also provided for those needing them to gainentry into one of the health-care programs.

These educational programs are enriched through grant-funded initiatives, such as Writing Across the Curriculum,Arts Across the Curriculum, and Computer AssistedInstruction. Another special project, made possible througha state-funded grant was Meeting the Global Challenge,designed to encourage an appreciation of cultural diversityby requiring participating faculty members to revise courseobjectives to include global elements. Course work wassupplemented by guest lectures, visits by overseas educators,opportunities for travel abroad, and interactive programswith the public. This international education emphasisresulted in sister-college agreements with institutions in theUnited Kingdom, Taiwan, and New Zealand.

Access to higher education remains a challenge for manycitizens of the SVCC service area due to distance, familyresponsibilities, job requirements, and other factors. TheDistance Education program, initiated as a result of fundingthrough a Title III grant, offers viable alternatives to dailytrips to the main campus. Two-way interactive technology ofthe Electronic Classroom now links four high schools in thearea with Southwest Virginia Community College. This linkwill eventually connect all area high schools and a broadernetwork of colleges and secondary institutions, allowingstudents at any of these locations to participate in classeswhich could originate at any institution within the regionalnetwork. The Telecourse delivery system utilizes audio andvideo recordings to provide instruction with content andquality comparable to on-campus courses. Both distanceeducation options permit very flexible scheduling forstudents who are working or who have other conflicts withregularly scheduled classes.

Many partnerships have been made with public schools,industries, and businesses. For instance, the Governor'sSchool, a program in science and technology for giftedstudents, is a popular activity for students from area highschools. Tech Prep, a state-initiated program for middle- andhigh school students interested in occupational-technicalprograms, is an initiative linking SVCC to all four localschool divisions in order to provide smooth curricular pathsfor students matriculating from the secondary schools tosvcc.


33

From time-to-time, the College offers specialized courses atthe request of public schools, industries, or other agencies.Recertification and in-service classes have proved to be quitehelpful for schools and members of the community, both ascredit and non-credit classes. Classes related torecertification for teachers are Aerospace, Aerobics,Computer Assisted Instruction, Desk Top Publishing, andspecial English classes. The Elementary MathematicsCurriculum Improvement Project, involving 74 elementaryschool teachers from the four-county service area, was ayear-long program in which the participants exploredmethods and materials designed to increase studentinvolvement in the learning process and later shared theirexperiences with other teachers in their respective schools.

Along with these collaborative efforts between SVCC and thepublic schools, there are also partnerships with businessand industry providing training in leadership skills,management (through an American Management Associationcurriculum), computer applications. total qualitymanagement, safety in the mines, and health and wellnessseminars. On-site classes are provided at times andlocations that are convenient for businesses and theiremployees. Special classes for health care providers includeNurse Assistant, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, MedicationManagement, and Train the Trainer (training for registerednurses who teach the Nurse Assistants class).

SVCC values articulation with external institutions andgroups. There are currently 12 comprehensive transferagreements in place with senior institutions. Lay curriculumadvisory committees, industry, and four-year institutionsplay a major role in designing appropriate and relevantprograms for SVCC. New programs proceed through severalsteps before final approval. Depending on the nature of theprogram, these steps may involve review, analysis, andapproval by the appropriate curriculum advisory committee,SVCC's Curriculum and Instruction Committee, SVCC'sLocal Board, the Virginia Community College System (forboth certificate and degree programs), and the State Councilof Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) for degreeprograms.

The self-study committee reviewing Institutional Purposefeels that this great diversity of courses, programs, anddelivery systems is quite appropriate and adequate tosupport the College's stated purpose.

40 section II: Institutional Purpose

Educational Support Services

The success of SVCC's educational programs is heavilydependent upon the numerous academic support servicesprovided by the Learning Resources Center and StudentDevelopment Services. These areas are essential partnerswith the academic program areas from the initial applicationprocess through graduation and beyond.

The Learning Resource Center, made up of the Library, theLearning Lab, and Audio-Visual and Distance EducationServices, provides the traditional means of educationthrough printed materials, but they offer much more.Hundreds of audio visuals are available to enhanceclassroom presentations, to make remediation more effective,or simply to provide entertainment. TV sets are standardequipment in almost every classroom, and most are hookedinto the campus communications network. Students haveaccess to extensive information sources, including microfilm,microfiche, CD-ROM, on-line databases, and othercomputerized sources unheard of at the time of the last self-study. Computers may be found in almost every office oncampus (including faculty offices), and student access tocomputers is provided through up-to-date computer labsboth on and off campus.

The Division of Student Development Services, staffed by adean, professional counselors, classified staff, andspecialists, provides quality support services to students,staff, faculty, and the community at large. Available servicesinclude academic and interest testing, counseling, financialassistance, tutoring, and referrals. In addition to these,course work is provided in orientation to college life, studyskills, preparation for employment, women's perspectives,career education, and tutor training. Also, a variety ofcultural and entertainment activities are providedthroughout the year. The Office of Alumni Affairs providesinformation services, post-college assistance, and periodicsocial events to maintain contact with graduates and formerstudents.

Planning and Evaluation Processes

College personnel are continually reviewing programs inrelation to the purpose and needs of the area throughsurveys, research, focus groups, and planning. The planningprocess involves college-wide participation, including a ten-member Steering Committee and a fifty-member PlanningCouncil composed of faculty, staff, students, and eighteenleaders from the community. This group meets periodically to

section II: Institutional Purpose 41

assess the College's strengths and challenges and tocompose a set of strategic priorities for the future.

Greater participation takes place in operational planningeach year. Faculty and staff from each unit, along with theiradministrative supervisors, meet annually to refine unitpurpose and goals, define measurable key results, reviewprogress, and make improvements as needed.

Assessment is a significant part of planning and research atSVCC. In 1987 SVCC submitted its plan for studentoutcomes assessment to the State Council of HigherEducation for Virginia. A twelve-member Student OutcomesAssessment Committee drafted, revised, and implemented aplan for assessment in developmental studies (1988). majors(1989) and general education (1989). Assessment is one stepin the planning process for improvement of instruction.Each unit or division developed a statement of purpose,goals, and measurable objectives or anticipated results as abasis for assessment. As assessment results are secured,faculty and division chairs seek ways to make improvementsprompted by the data. Assessment efforts between 1990 and1994 have included the areas of general education,developmental studies, most majors, and a number of keycourses offered on and off campus.

CONCLUSION

The current SVCC Statement of Purpose provides a beginningpoint for all basic college functions. The Committee couldlink all services and responsibilities of the College back tosome phrase within the purpose and found that the officialposture of the College, as expressed in the statement ofpurpose, is consistent with actual institutional practices.SVCC's administrative processes, physical and financialresources, educational programs and support services, andplanning and evaluation processes are adequate andappropriate to the institution's stated purpose and role. Thefollowing chapters will specify in detail how these areas carryout their roles and responsibilities as they attempt to fulfillthe stated purpose of Southwest Virginia CommunityCollege.


36

PURPOSE

Recommendations, Suggestions, and Proposals

. The committee recommends that the College make all"official" statements of the purpose consistent in wordingin all publications.

. The committee recommendsthat the SVCC Statement ofPurpose be included in the Classified Staff Handbook.

. The committee proposes that the College make thepurpose-relatedness of the "We Are Committed" statementmore explicit by placing it along with the purpose in theCatalog and in other appropriate publications.

The committee proposes that the College continue to usethe "Mission" statement as a convenient summary of thepurpose, but that a footnote be added to inform thereader that the complete statement may be found in theCatalog & Student Handbook.


Ronnie BartleyChair ( 1993-941

William B. FleesChair ( 1994-95)

Ann c. BartholomayWriter

Craig Ashbrook

Barbara A. Buskill

Nan P. Dunford

Barbara J. FullerLiaison

Karen RatliffRecorder

James H. Tolbert

R. Mark Wildman

Charles W. Wymer

COMMITTEE

Associat e professor. Chair of BusinessDivision

Assistant Professor. Mathematics

Associate Professor, Learning LaboratoryCoordinator

Associate professor. Environmental Management

Assistant Professor, Administrative Assistant to thePresident

Business Manager

Associate Professor, Continuing Education ProgramDeveloper

Program Support Technician, Library

Instructor and Clinical Coordinator. RespiratoryCare

Instructor, Counselor. Co-Curricular ActivitiesCoordinator

Associate Professor. Administration of Justice

Section 3.1 - 3.3 Institutional Effectiveness 47

INTRODUCTION

Southwest Virginia Community College (WCC) is committedto excellence. Administration, faculty, and staff believe thatit is important to state clearly the purpose of the College andeach of its programs and to establish related goals for theCollege as a whole, each division within the College, andeach program of study within each division. Collegepersonnel also place significance on determining levels ofeffectiveness by evaluating instructional outcomes in light ofthese goals, analyzing the results, and making adjustmentsbased on the findings.

In its review of how SVCC determines its effectiveness as aninstitution of higher learning, the self-study committee onInstitutional Effectiveness examined the College's processesfor planning and evaluation and institutional research. Thecommittee began its analysis of planning and evaluation byreviewing the purpose of the College for clarity andappropriateness for collegiate education and reviewing thedivisions' purpose statements and educational goals todetermine their consistency with the institution's purpose.The committee also examined the procedures which divisionsuse to measure the extent to which they are achieving theirgoals and the extent to which they use resulting assessmentinformation to make instructional improvements inprograms, services, and operations. The committee observedthe College's continuous study, analysis, and appraisal of itsoverall and division purposes and goals, evaluation of goalachievement, and use of results for instructionalimprovement.

Documents used in the evaluation included the College'sMaster Plan, Giuing Direction to the Future and also annualreports, assessment reports, and follow-up studies. Inaddition, surveys and interviews provided historical data notincluded in written reports and information on currentpractices.

The committee directed its appraisal of institutional researchtoward one standing committee and two majoradministrative units. Minutes of the Research andDevelopment Committee (currently called Research andPlanning Committee) and statistical abstracts from theOffice of Information Services [formerly called Data Services)provided a historical view of college research. The Office of

48 Section III: Institutional Effectiveness

39

illInstitutional Research provided information about currentresearch practices.

PLANNING AND EVALUATION

At SVCC, planning and evaluation are continuous andrequire a comprehensive approach in order for evaluation topermeate the institution at both administrative andinstructional levels. The administration, faculty, and staffperceive that this process must be responsive to the needs ofstudents and community members. Planning includes threecomponents: long-range planning, annual operationalplanning, and outcomes assessment as a tool for continuousimprovement of educational programs.

Lang-Range Planning

In 1981-82, Southwest Virginia Community Collegedeveloped a ten-year Educational Master Plan to guide SVCCinto the 1990s. During the 1980s. several incidentscontributed to the institution's redirecting its planningprocess. In the middle 1980s, the American Association ofCommunity and Junior Colleges (now the AmericanAssociation of Community Colleges) established theCommission on the Future of Community Colleges andcharged the Commission with the task of developing aproposal for future directions for the colleges. During theprocess of developing the proposal, the Commissiondistributed information widely and published articles in theCommunity College Journal. These efforts resulted in thepublication of Building Communities: A Vision for a NewCentury in April 1988, followed in November with ateleconference. In this work, the Commission emphasizedpriorities for community colleges as they moved toward thetwentieth century.

In September 1988, a one-hundred member committee acrossthe Virginia Community College System (VCCS) begandeveloping responses to the proposals made by theCommission. The committee's review of therecommendations and suggested VCCS actions in responseresulted in the publication, Toward the Year 2000, a workwhich provided the impetus for all Virginia communitycolleges to look immediately at planning and development asa means of implementing short-term and long-rangeplanning.

In addition, in April 1990, a consultant identified by the11111

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools provided the

Section 3.1 - 3.3 Institutional Effectiveness *49

college staff with an overview of the accrediting process, atwhich time he indicated that the Southern Associationexpected all institutions to have in place a planning processthat would include evaluation procedures to monitorinstitutional effectiveness. The consultant emphasized theneed for formalized and systematic planning mechanisms.

During this time, the financial climate in theCommonwealth led government agencies to make numerousdemands to the legislature for available dollars. Increaseddemands resulted in the need for community colleges tocompete for needed operational funds. The need to beaccountable became evident. Efficiency and effectivenesswere necessary to achieve this accountability.

Concurrently with these events, SVCC began to look at itsown methods of planning and evaluation for possibleinadequacies. The Grants Officer, influenced by informationgenerated by the Commission on the Future of CommunityColleges, prepared a proposal to the United StatesDepartment of Education, HEA, which had Title III grantsavailable that would allow developing institutions to prepareand establish enhanced planning, research, andmanagement information capabilities. The concepts of broadparticipation and ownership were central in the proposal inorder to encourage shared understandings and motivationfor decisive action. In 1988, the College received a three-yeargrant with funds designated for planning operations tobecome available during the last two years of the grant.

In the fall of 1989, the College hired an officer for therecently established Office of Institutional Research andcharged the office with the task of developing a new masterplan that would be comprehensive in nature and global inperspective and would guide the College for two to five years.The strategic planning necessary for developing this updatedmaster plan involved all segments of the college community.The Institutional Research Officer kept all faculty and staffinformed of progress being made through College Counciland faculty and staff meetings. The initial plan includedannual revisions to ensure continued participation andinvolvement of faculty and staff, as well as attention tomaintaining the Master Plan's pertinence to currentinstitutional needs.

The initial long-range planning, which is renewedperiodically. included a steering committee. a planningcouncil, community representatives, the local Board, andthe President of SVCC. The Steering Committee consisted ofa broad-based representation from the Planning Council. The

50 . Section III: Institutional Effectiveness

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41.

fifty-member Planning Council consisted of faculty and staff,students, division chairs, coordinators, directors, programheads, and deans. Eighteen community representativesselected from all counties within the College's service regionalso participated. These long-range efforts contributed to thetotal planning process.

Between October and December of 1990, the PlanningCouncil began its tasks by completing a survey developed bythe Institutional Research Officer. The Officer listed therecommendations presented in the VCCS publication,Toward the Year 2000, and requested two responses fromPlanning Council members. For each recommendation. themembers indicated which activities the College was currentlyfulfilling and which ones were important for future planning.Areas of consensus among the Planning Council resulted ina list of 15 external challenges and 36 opportunities. ThePlanning Council then divided the opportunities into twocategories of 12 "societal and technological opportunities"and 24 "economic and public policy opportunities."

In December 1990, the process of developing an SVCC visionstatement began when Planning Council members examinedWCC's purpose and analyzed its strengths, challenges, andopportunities for the future. During a day-long retreat, sixfocus groups, made up of Planning Council members and across section of community leaders, developed lists ofSVCC's strengths and internal challenges that were laterprioritized by all participants. This activity resulted in theidentification of ten strengths and eight internal"challenges."

Planning continued with the development of strategies forfulfilling the opportunities identified and the preparation ofa vision statement for the College. Presented in GivingDirection to the Future (19), the vision statement revealed theCollege's sense of direction and genuine commitment toinstructional excellence. It outlined programs planned toeducate, train, and re-train citizens, preparing them toparticipate in a changing and complex society. It also calledfor new approaches to instruction and new technology inteaching, including extended learning activities to facilitatelearning for traditional and non-traditional students inSouthwest Virginia. The statement also contained sixstrategic priorities to serve as a guide for accomplishing thevision.

In subsequent years, the long-range planning effort involvedthe strategic priorities the Planning Council had selected.Another Title III grant, currently in its fourth year, reflects

Section 3.1 3.3 Institutional Effectiveness 51

those priorities as shown through its five outlined activities.Activity I focused on the development of the instructionaltelevision system, the Distance Education Program, on thecampus of SVCC and at two off-campus sites. Activity IIprovided for the development of new programs and courses tomeet the needs of area health care providers. Activity IIIcalled for planning and implementing three new careerstudies certificates. In the category of Electronic InformationInterchange, the Engineering Division is developing two newcareer studies certificates. the Career Studies Certificate inElectronic Information Interchange and the Career StudiesCertificate in CD-ROM and CD-WORM. In the category ofProcess Control Technology, the Engineering Division isdeveloping the Career Studies Certificate in Process ControlTechnology. Activity IV led to increased offerings andimproved faculty competency in the Law EnforcementProgram. The final activity featured the addition of acomputer lab to improve opportunities for use of computer-assisted instruction for developmental courses.

For the past two years, the self-study process and planninghave been integrated. With its focus on quality ofinstruction and use of assessment for instructionalimprovement, the self -study process has further supportedthe College's attention to the priorities set when GivingDirection to the Future was completed. In January 1993, theSteering Committee of the Planning Council was expandedto become the Steering Committee for the SVCC Self-Study,which is temporarily guiding much of the College's presentplanning and evaluation.

Annual Operational Planning

Before 1990. SVCC employed a planning process in whichadministrators were the key participants. The tools forplanning were management objectives which eachadministrative unit of the College prepared. Each deanrequired the administrative/functional areas reporting tohim to prepare annual objectives according to fourcategories: innovative, problem-solving, regular or routine,and personal development. A measurement designed toassess effectiveness accompanied each objective. Themeasurement statement included a list of enhancements tothe activity and a list of potential hindrances to completingthe objective successfully. The planning process called foreach administrative unit to review the objectives andmeasurements to determine the results of each objective andprepare new objectives for the following year. The deanssubmitted the resulting "annual reports" to the Office of thePresident for inclusion in the College's Annual Report.

52 . Section MInstitntional Effectiveness

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As an introduction to the annual operational planningprocess, the Office of Institutional Research guided theadministrative units of the College in preparing unit missionstatements and goals in spring 1990. At the completion ofthe long-range planning activities. annual operationalplanning began in April 1991, when the InstitutionalResearch Officer encouraged all full-time and many part-time faculty in each division to consider ways to make thecollege-wide vision a reality and to implement strategicpriorities in their program areas. After the annual springgraduation in May, most administrative faculty and manystaff participated in a series of operational planning sessionsto review the past years accomplishments: reconsider eachadministrative unit's purpose and goals; assess progress onkey results: reflect on the unit's strengths, weaknesses,opportunities, and threats: and identify a few innovative andproblem-solving initiatives for the coming year. In themonths that followed, each administrator completed reportsand plans that summarized these efforts.

Planning resulted in a list of initiatives for 1991. TheInstitutional Research Officer had advised the administrativeunits to include in their planning consideration of thestrategic priorities identified by the Planning Council. Thestrategic priorities included plans for designing curricula forlifelong learning and new work-related technologies andskills: reaching traditional and new student populations:providing educational opportunities to enhance studentaccess: developing partnerships with business and labor,local communities, governments. and schools; exhibiting acommitment to quality through assessment and continuousimprovement as well as fundraising; and providing forpersonal and professional development.

An examination of the initiatives completed by theadministrative units indicated that they supported thestrategic priorities. The initiatives written by the BusinessDivision, Division of Continuing Education and CommunityServices, and the Engineering Division supported the priorityon partnerships with business. One initiative of theHumanities and Social Sciences Division was directedtoward increased articulation with schools; thus it alsosupported the strategic priority on partnerships. Manyadministrative units planned initiatives supporting thestrategic priority: "educational opportunities that providegreater access." The Office of Evening Offerings, Admissions,Alumni Affairs, Financial Aid, Talent Search, VeteransAffairs, International Education, the Natural Science andMathematics Division, the Learning Laboratory, and theLibrary indicated plans for activities providing for increased

Section 3.1 3.3 Institutional Effectiveness . 53

student access to the College. Lifelong learning was a focusfor initiatives in Student Support Services and InstitutionalAdvancement. The strategic priority of assessment appearedin almost every list of initiatives prepared by administrativeunits. Clearly, planning had resulted in contributions fromall College administrative units toward the PlarmingCouncils initial strategic priorities.

Prior to 1993, the document resulting from the annualoperational planning was entitled Annual Report; it iscurrently named Annual Reports and Operational Plans. Thepurpose of this document is to provide a thoughtful sense ofdirection and accountability annually for each functionaladministrative unit's appraisal of operational tasks. It servesas a guide for each unit to refine its purpose and goals,identify key results, and prepare a unit situation analysis ofstrengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It alsoencourages reflection on Implementation of objectives andprogress reviews of results of implementations. In addition,it serves as an Impetus for instructional and administrativeimprovement.

The "Planning Cycle," as set forth in Giving Direction to theFuture, describes the steps necessary to achieve effectiveoperations and to provide the mechanism for the cycle tocontinue from year to year. The annual process calls for eachadministrative area to clarify its purpose and goals inrelation to the College's purpose: consider its strengths,challenges, and opportunities; and make plans that enhancethe quality of the units efforts and help to realize the majorobjectives for the College during the following year. Theplanning design prescribes regular meetings of unit membersto review progress made on plans and to generate new ideas.

To Implement goals and achieve key results from month tomonth, administrative units prepare annual calendars whichoutline important dates for the activities of those units.Calendar designs vary according to needs of differentadministrative units. The Office of the Dean of Instructionprepares and distributes an academic calendar withsignificant dates related to instruction. The Office of thePresident compiles and disseminates a calendar whichdesignates deadlines and important dates needed for alladministrative units.

In its evaluation of the planning process at WCC, the self-study committee on Institutional Effectiveness determinedthat the administrative units are endeavoring to implementthe Annual Operational Plan as outlined in the planningprocess. Documentation provided evidence that the

54 . Section 111: Institutional Effectiveness

administrative units produce the appropriate reportsrequired. A survey of faculty and staff indicated that almosttwo-thirds (62 percent) of all respondents agree that theCollege engages in continuous study, analysis, and appraisalof its purpose, policies, procedures, and programs.

An examination of the procedures which divisions employ tomeasure the achievement of their goals and use ofassessment data for instructional improvement displayedevidence of involvement of twelve-month faculty and full-time staff in this process. However, interview results revealedthat nine-month faculty, generally, were not being involved.The only exception to this finding was in the Allied Healthprograms. In response to this information, the Coordinatorof Planning and Development invited faculty members to theplanning sessions held at the end of the spring semester of1994. In 1995, the Coordinator of Planning and Developmentintends to schedule planning sessions beginning in Januaryin order to include most administrators, faculty members,and staff. Beginning early in the semester will provide ampletime for planning. evaluation, follow-up, and plans forinstructional improvement. In support of this plan, the self-study committee on Institutional Effectiveness proposesthat administration continue to schedule operationalplanning but schedule the planning earlier in theacademic year to provide opportunity for mebroad-based participation. Theommittee also suggests that thehead of each administrative unit involve nine-monthfaculty/staff more actively in the operational planginfthe unit, including the unit's goal setting, and worktoward accomplishing unit goals.

In its review of the annual reports for 1991-92 and 1992-93,the self-study committee on Institutional Effectivenessfurther identified a deficiency on the part of divisions toidentify and document the accomplishments and weaknessesfor the first year and to use the findings to planimprovements for the subsequent year. The committeereviewed a representative sampling of the goals andaccomplishments as listed in the annual reports and foundlittle relationship between goals and accomplishments. Thereview revealed that annual reporting does not use adequatemeasures to indicate accomplishment of a goal. Therefore,the committee recommends that the variousadministrative units responsible for operational planningprovide complete reporting on the implementaticofkey results and evaluate those results so that planningfor the next cycle can be as comprehensive as possible.


Outcomes Assessment

A vital part of SVCC's Annual Operational Planning is theuse of assessment data for instructional improvement. Evenbefore the current planning methods began, the College hadbegun developing program assessment plans, and since 1988,when state mandated assessment began. the College hasactively participated in the process.

Outcomes assessment, instigated by a statewide legislativemandate that colleges and universities submit annualassessment reports to the State Council of Higher Educationfor Virginia (SCHEV), began formally in 1987 when the Deanof Instruction formed a twelve-member Student OutcomesAssessment Committee for the purpose of developingassessment activities.

In 1988, the Developmental Studies Assessment Committeebegan work on a project designed to shape criteria for placingstudents in developmental courses and assessing theirperformance. The Committee determined that thedevelopmental courses being offered met the requirementsrecorded in the Report of the Joint Task Force on RemediationIn order to ensure appropriate placement of students indevelopmental courses, the Committee formulatedadvisement guidelines for Math 02. Math 03. Math 04.English 01. English 04. and Biology 20. The CollegeGuidance and Placement Test (CGP) scores, backgroundpreparation in high school, and performance in priordevelopmental courses comprised the criteria for placement.As a help for advisors, the Committee provided chartsdisplaying subsequent courses appropriate upon a studentssuccessful completion of each developmental course. In orderto provide for follow-up of students, the Committee designedthree levels of student success: Level 1-students passing ofdevelopmental course: Level 2-student's passing of asubsequent course, gaining entry into a chosen program, orobtaining a GED; Level 3-student's completing his or herchosen program, graduating, obtaining related employment,or transferring to another college.

In 1989, SVCC faculty attended workshops to developgeneral education goals and methods of assessment inacademic majors. The general education goals selected wereas follows: to promote life-long learning, to broaden skills incommunication, to develop problem-solving skills, tostimulate critical and creative thought, to introducestudents to ethical and socio-technological values, toencourage responsible and active citizenship, to introducestudents to a diversity of cultures, to expand student56 Section III: Institutional Effectiveness

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awareness of the creative and performing arts, and topromote mental and physical well-being. SVCC facultycompleted a course-by-course analysis to determine if thegeneral education goals were being met. The faculty providedstatements of expected educational results, which theInstitutional Research Officer used to develop theinstruments for assessment of general education. Generaleducation assessment, using the locally developedinstruments, began in spring 1990 and has included theAcademic Profile since fall 1990.

While general education assessment proceeded, the Collegewas also focusing on assessment of majors. During 1989,academic program faculty members defined the educationalobjectives that students should master by graduation anddesigned instruments to measure student achievement of theobjectives. They also used other measures of achievement,such as capstone courses.

In 1990, the Planning and Development Office assumedgeneral responsibility for the coordination of assessment.The Institutional Research Office, as part of the Office ofPlanning and Development, focused on linking the College'sstrategic plarming process with the annual operationalplanning and assessment activities. The goal was continuousimprovement of instruction through proper planning andongoing evaluation. The Institutional Research Officer alsoset a goal of obtaining significant Involvement of faculty andStaff.

In 1991. sub-committees with broad faculty representationbegan work on implementing assessment plans for mostmajors and for general education. In addition, a new taskforce for developmental studies was established to makeschanges indicated by research which resulted from studydone by the earlier Developmental Studies AssessmentCommittee. During this continuous effort, 15 majorprograms conducted assessment activities. With the supportof the Institutional Research Officer and direction from thedocument entitled "A Guide for the Improvement ofEducational Programs at SVCC," faculty assessed thefollowing programs: Accounting, Automotive TechnicianOperations, Business Management, Computer InformationSystems, Early Childhood Education, Drafting and Design,Human Services Technology, Machine Tool Operations, MineMachinery Maintenance-Diesel Power Option, Radio logicTechnology. Respiratory Care, Welding. Arts and CraftsProduction, Clerk Typist, and Office Systems Technology.


The College began publishing annual assessment reports forthe institution at the end of the first year of assessmentactivities in 1989. Since then, SVCC has sent SCHEV twocomprehensive assessment reports covering the two-yearperiods of 1989-91 and 1991-93. These reports demonstratethe significant progress in assessment made at the College.

Illustrations from the 1991-93 assessment efforts indicatesignificant responses to the results. College administrationand faculty have worked jointly to plan and implementinstructional improvements. Initial efforts included manyprogram changes. The Business Division instituted acomputerized accounting course and developed a local areacomputer network to assist students in the ComputerInformation Systems Program. The Respiratory Care Programexpanded the number of rotation sites to enhance thestudents' clinical experiences and added four adjunct facultymembers to provide appropriate guidance for the studentsassigned to the sites. Students in the Welding Programbegan taking the American Welding Society Test earlier inthe semester than they had done in the past in order toprovide a less stressful time frame in which to complete thetest. The Machine Tool Program instituted a new course injig and fixture design to meet student needs. The needs ofEnglish 111 students for composition skills resulted in therequirement that all students in English 111 write anassessment essay toward the end of the term. This processallowed English faculty to ensure a minimal level of Englishcompetency in all composition sections. As part of thecontinuous nature of the assessment effort, the departmenthas now changed to using portfolios for assessing studentprogress in order to determine needed instructional changes.Assessment results have also contributed to theimprovement of biology instruction. The Arts Across theCurriculum Program, which has received statewiderecognition, was an outgrowth of assessment data. Inaddition, a review of the CGP as a placement test led SVCCto adopt the ASSET Test.

As a result of recommendations of the DevelopmentalStudies Assessment Committee and follow-up data onstudent performance and persistence, the President formedthe Developmental Studies Task Force. His charge for theTask Force was "to plan and implement a program ofdevelopmental studies which will coordinate academicofferings with other contributing units throughout theinstitution in a manner which will provide students withskills essential for successful completion of thedevelopmental courses, as well as subsequent courses neededin their programs." The Task Force, with the support of the58 . Section III: Institutional Effectiveness

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Institutional Research Officer, used the total qualitymanagement process to determine the major elements of theprogram. The final recommendations of the Task Force led tothe formulation of the Developmental Studies CoordinatingGroup (DSCG), an interdivisional group which is currentlyimplementing the program elements. The DSCG isaddressing all elements of the program with special emphasisat the present on staff development and assessment. Thegroup places continuous emphasis on instructionalimprovement. For example, the Humanities and SocialSciences Division has implemented a computerizedclassroom for developmental reading and compositionclasses. Instructors teaching developmental classes in theNatural Science and Mathematics Division are implementingcreative instructional methods and plan to increase thenumber of credit hours for Math 04 in order to allowstudents to receive additional instructional concepts neededin subsequent courses.

As part of the continuous effort, these instructionalimplementations exemplify the emphasis SVCC is placing onusing assessment data to improve programs. The process hasbecome one of continuous change and modification.However, despite the ongoing attention to assessment insome programs, several areas of weakness remain. First, notall of the programs which initiated assessment activitiescompleted them. Also, the effort placed on assessment variesamong programs. Based on interviews with program heads,an ongoing systematic use of assessment results to achieveinstructional improvement appears to be lacking in someprograms. Some program heads seldom meet with divisionchairs or others to evaluate their programs or discuss theresults of assessment. Even though much information isaccumulated, it is, in many cases, not applied to planningfuture activities.

In light of these findings, the self-study committee onInstitutional Effectiveness recommends that, in order toincrease SVCC's effective use of assessment data, eachprogram head and all program personnel meet with thedivision chair at least annually to discuss the strengthsand weaknessesof the program and to plan programimprovements. These discussions should relate to thestated goals and objectives of the program and theassessment results.


INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH

Prior to 1989. Southwest Virginia Community Collegeemployed a decentralized approach to institutional research.Various administrative units collected data and conductedresearch projects and follow-up studies: the Office of SVCCData Services collected data for administrative purposes. Inmany cases the results of research projects appeared in theminutes of the Research and Development Committee(currently the Research and Planning Committee).

Minutes of the Research and Development Committeerecorded numerous reports on topics, such asstudent/faculty ratios, demographic data, and gradedistribution, which were completed by the first Coordinatorof Institutional Research and Grants. The minutes alsocontain records of research data compiled by the StudentDevelopment Services Division on graduates who transferredto other colleges. Additional projects reported by theResearch and Development Committee include earlyinstitutional research to determine appropriate entry testingmeasures for student advisement, assessment offaculty/staff development needs, and assessment ofinstructional needs of students.

During the 1980s, the Office of SVCC Data Services providedstatistical abstracts which contained beneficial informationfor college administrators and instructors. The abstractsincluded demographic information, enrollment in programs,unduplicated headcount for full-time and part-timestudents, and FT Es. In 1987, the Office of Data Servicescompiled a summary of data on students dated as early as1972 for some categories.

Even though some administrative units maintained up-to-date research data, multiple responsibilities and timeconstraints often interrupted the efforts of other units toattend to institutional research. The second Coordinator ofInstitutional Research and Grants readily observed the needfor a more systematic approach to institutional researchwhen the College began planning and conducting assessmentactivities. This need brought about the creation of the Officeof Institutional Research under the administrative directionof the Office of Planning and Development (formerly theOffice of Institutional Research and Grants). The Office'spurpose includes engaging in research that supports andmeets the needs of SVCC's administration and faculty,maintaining information about institutional research that

60 . Section III: Institutional Effectiveness

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other administrative units have pursued in order to makethe information accessible to those needing it, and workingclosely with the President and other administrators of theCollege.

In November 1989, the Office of Institutional Researchofficially began the process of providing the leadershipneeded for collecting and using research data and has sinceworked with all administrative units to move the processforward. The responsibilities of the Office of InstitutionalResearch include carrying out routine and special researchprojects supporting the assessment, planning, anddevelopment activities of the College: compiling data on theCollege's internal and external environment: coordinatinginstitutional research: preparing written and verbal reports;contributing data needed for grant proposals: and assistingwith grant-writing efforts. The Office is also responsible forproviding research information to support managementneeds of the College. By collecting, synthesizing, andanalyzing student enrollment data, faculty data,administrative and management data, and information onthe College's mission, the Office can provide informationpertinent to instructional and administrative effectiveness.The Officer also acts as a liaison between SVCC and variouslocal, state, regional, and federal agencies for the purpose ofsharing information. In this capacity, the Officer providesthe agencies relevant research information.

The Institutional Research Officer employs various means ofcollecting data for both internal administrative units andexternal agencies, conducting surveys, preparing datacollected from surveys given by other administrative units,accessing data bases, and using printed and raw data. Someexamples of surveys given are the student satisfactionsurvey; the faculty survey used to derive information for theself-study: surveys of faculty and staff satisfaction with StaffServices and the telephone system; surveys for feedback forthe Tech Prep Program, the Food Service ManagementProgram, and the Office Systems Technology Program: anevaluation of the fall 1994 faculty and staff in-service; and asurvey conducted for Tazewell County businesses. The databases most used are Research and Assessment Data SupportSystem (RADSS) and Student Information System (SIS).Data also come from the State Council of Higher Educationfor Virginia, the Virginia Community College System, andstate, federal, and private agencies. SVCC administrativeoffices often send raw data to the Office to be prepared foruse by the offices. Upon receiving or generating data, theOfficer analyzes and prepares the information fordissemination to appropriate offices.


Disseminating the information collected and analyzed isanother important charge of the Office of InstitutionalResearch. The Office distributes a wide variety of reports onassessment, evaluation, and other data analyses andprovides data needed by the administration to makeimportant decisions Involving the utilization of faculty andstaff. Also, in order to make research Information widelyavailable throughout the College, the Institutional Researchoffice publishes research briefs, which address an array ofeducational and institutional research topics. Since 1989,this Office has also published regular assessment reports,which are synopses of Information related to enrollment,demographics, graduate data, and program evaluation andassessment.

The Office of Institutional Research conducted assessmentsof its research function In 1989, 1991, and 1994. In 1989,one page of a larger survey served as a medium for feedbackon the services being provided by the Office at that time. In1991, the Officer surveyed College Council members toaccess administrative viewpoints of the research activities ofthe Office. Between the 1991 and 1994 assessments, facultyand staff members increasingly used data distributed by theOffice and became valuable sources of feedback. During thisinterim. the Institutional Research Officer and theCoordinator of Planning and Development reviewed theliterature on the composition and conducting of surveys andcollected several sample surveys. The Institutional ResearchOfficer then constructed a survey instrument which Includeditems designed to evaluate the entire operation of thePlanning and Development Office, one part of which focusedon the activities of the Institutional Research Office. TheOffice conducted the survey In 1994 to selected faculty andstaff.

Interviews with the President, the Dean of Instruction, theDean of Financial and Administrative Services, the Dean ofStudent Development Services, and the four academicdivision chairs about the performance of the Office ofInstitutional Research produced positive results. Findingsindicated that the Institutional Research Officer has a widerange of knowledge about the Virginia Community CollegeSystem, Southwest Virginia Community College and itsfunctions, and research methodology. The Office hasdeveloped a network of contacts and is proficient ingathering the documentation necessary for its many reports.Not only does the Office gain access to needed data but alsoprovides a rapid response to administrative and facultyrequests for information. The "Fact Book," a computer filedeveloped by the Institutional Research Officer, is an62 Section III: Institutional Effectiveness

important information source which both faculty andadministration find useful. The Officer also prepares datawhich meet the needs of local industries.

Operating as an interactive component with the Coordinatorof Planning and Development, the Office of InstitutionalResearch uses its allocated budget each year to ensurecontinued improvements. The Officer attends conferences tostay current in the research field and to interact withcolleagues for the exchange of ideas and information onspecific research and planning issues. In addition, theOfficer uses resources available for professional development,such as computer programs and mailings. The availability ofresources has continued to ensure the professionaldevelopment of the Institutional Research Officer.

The Office of Institutional Research has been relativelysuccessful with the process of collecting and analyzing data,as well as disseminating reports to appropriateadministrative units of the College. The positive effects of itsservices have increased as administrators, faculty, and staffhave become aware of the value of the services. However,involvement of administrative units in conducting researchand/or using data varies. Therefore, the self-study committeereviewing Institutional Effectiveness proposes that theadministration. faculty, and stiff the College continueto assess the activities of the Office of InstitutionalResearch on a regular basis to ensure that the Office isrealizing its fullest potential in contributing toinstitutional effectivenessIn addition, the committeeproposes that the Office of Institutional Research makeprovisions for more faculty involvement in institutionalresearch and also that the Office heighten faculty andstaff awareness of information available in the Office.

CONCLUSION

Throughout the committee's examination of institutionaleffectiveness at SVCC, the focus remained on making surethe College is dedicated to excellence. The committee foundevidence of high quality planning and evaluation, as well asinstitutional research. The areas of needed improvementincluded involvement of faculty and careful follow-up ofoperational planning. This committee isolated institutionaleffectiveness to the extent possible to reflect on the College'saddressing of the topic, but because planning, assessment,and research are integral parts of all categories for the self-study, additional statements and examples related to

Section 3.1 3.3 Institutional Effectiveneas63

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institutional effectiveness are located throughout thisdocument.

64 Section III: Institutional Effectiveness

INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS


. The committee proposes that administration continue toschedule operational planning but schedule the planningearlier in the academic year to provide opportunity formore broad-based participation.

. The committee suggests that the head of eachadministrative unit involve nine-month faculty/ staffmore actively in the operational planning of the unit,including the units goal setting, and work towardaccomplishing unit goals.

. The committee recommends that the variousadministrative units responsible for operational planningprovide complete reporting on the implementation of keyresults and evaluate those results so that planning forthe next cycle can be as comprehensive as possible.

. The committee recommends that, in order to increaseWCC's effective use of assessment data, each programhead and all program personnel meet with the divisionchair at least annually to discuss the strengths andweaknesses of the program and to plan programimprovements. These discussions should relate to thestated goals and objectives of the program and theassessment results.

. The committee proposes that the administration, faculty,and staff of' the College continue to assess the activitiesof the Office of Institutional Research on a regular basisto ensure that the Office is realizing its fullest potentialin contributing to institutional effectiveness.

. The committee proposes that the Office of InstitutionalResearch make provisions for more faculty involvement ininstitutional research.

. The committee proposes that the Office of InstitutionalResearch heighten faculty and staff awareness ofinformation available in the Office.

Section 3.1 -3.3 Institutional Effectiveness 65

James H. Gibson, Jr.Chair and Writer

John Brenner

Curtis Cox

Elizabeth Dale

Richard Foil

Bruce Gillingham

Gaynelle HarmanLiaison

Karen Hudson

Bruce Judkins

Peggie Marrs

Donna Jo Pruitt

Maxine Rogers

Martha StinsonReporter

Thomas Witten

COMMITEE

Assistant Professor, Business/IndustryTrainer

Assistant Professor, Human Services andPsychology

Associate Professor. Chair of Natural Science andMathematics Division

Instructor. Foreign Languages

Associate Professor. Psychology

Assistant Professor, Biology

Enrollment Services Coordinator

Instructor. Talent Search and AmeriCorps ProjectsDirector

Associate Professor, Business Management

Associate Professor, Human Services

Assistant Professor, Tricollege Nursing

Instructor, Procurement Assistance Center Officer

Program Support Technician, Human Resourcesoffice

Assistant Professor, Mathematics, Tech Prep ProjectDirector

Section 4.1 - 4.2 Instructional Program 71

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INTRODUCTION

Southwest Virginia Community College (SVCC), operating asa comprehensive community college within the VirginiaCommunity College System (VCCS), works diligently to be ofvalue to those who choose to participate in its educationalprograms. The College is tasked to deliver the core coursesdesigned to enhance the potential of well rounded citizensand to provide students the knowledge, skill, and ability tofunction within specialized major disciplines. SouthwestVirginia Community College is challenged to meet the needsof anyone who can benefit from a program and meet thecriteria for entry into academic programs. The Collegedevelops associate degree, diploma, and certificate programsin addition to specialized courses to meet the needs of theservice region.

A strong testament to SVCC's quest for excellence in meetingthe educational needs of the college community lies in thefact that the College has for several years led the VCCS inserving the highest percent of residents in its service area(VCCS Research Report Series: Population Penetration Rates byCity and County, Fall Term 1994). This statistic isphenomenal when placed against the background of datathat reflect a local population with an average educationlevel among the lowest in the Commonwealth and thatreveal the area lacks a manufacturing base andtransportation system common to other areas of Virginia.

Because of the challenge to meet diverse needs with limitedresources, the College must stop from time to time to com-pare current practices to a known standard. The self-studycommittee assigned to evaluate SVCC's InstructionalProgram had the responsibility of evaluating programsagainst the Criteria of the Southern Association of Collegesand Schools (SACS) as a requirement for continuedimprovement and accreditation. The areas of study includedAdmission Policies and Practices, Completion Requirements.Curriculum, and Instruction.

The evaluation began with at-large committee meetings todiscuss the criteria applicable to SVCC's educationalprograms, obtain clarification of terms and concepts, anddevelop performance measures that would accurately portraygaps between existing practices and SACS Criteria. At thispoint the committee subdivided into smaller groups of two orthree members to investigate the specific sub-sections. Eachgroup worked independently to address the requirements

Section 4.1 4.2 Instructional Program 73

within their assignments. As work progressed, the fullcommittee met to clarify uncertainties and to gather inputfrom others on methods to investigate perplexingobservations. The resulting narrative presents the findings ofthe committee.

Purpose of Educational Programs

The following excerpt from the Statement of Purpose forSouthwest Virginia Community College clearly points outthat the principal focus of the College is the education ofstudents:

SVCC is dedicated to the belief that each personshould be given a continuing opportunity for thedevelopment and extension of skill and knowledge toincrease an awareness of the individual's role andresponsibility in society. The College is devoted toserve the educational needs of its community, andassumes a responsibility to help provide therequirements for trained manpower in its regionthrough a cooperative effort with local industry,business, professions, and government.

Educational opportunities are provided for adults aswell as college-age youth. These include qualityinstructional associate degree, certificate anddevelopmental courses. A counseling program andother student services are also provided to assist thestudent with decisions on occupational, educational,and personal goals.

Southwest Virginia Community College is acomprehensive institution of higher education offeringprograms of instruction extending not more than twoyears beyond high school. (Catalog & StudentHandbook, 1994-95, 1-2)

Data provided throughout the appraisal of SVCC'sInstructional Program in this self-study report will show thehigh value that the College places on the attainment of goalsrelating to this purpose. The occupational-technical,transfer, developmental studies, continuing education, andcommunity services programs described in the CollegeCatalog & Student Handbook reflect the means throughwhich SVCC fulfills its stated purpose.

74 Section IV: Educational Program

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ADMISSION

As one of 23 colleges in the Virginia Community CollegeSystem, Southwest Virginia Community College closelyadheres to the admission policies set forth by the StateBoard for Community Colleges. These policies are clearlystated in the VCCS Policy Manual (Section 6.0) and arerestated, published, and made available to all SVCCconstituencies through means of the Catalog & StudentHandbook (8- 10), the Faculty Handbook, program brochures,the SVCC Schedule of Course Offerings, and news releasesfor special courses. The Office of Admissions and Recordsalso has developed a Procedures Manual which providesspecific and current details for carrying out these policies.

The State Board for Community Colleges determines SVCC'soverall admission policy. The Local College Board and thePresident of SVCC assure compliance to established policiesby development of local procedures and utilization ofavailable resources. The Director of Admissions, Records,and Financial Aid and the Dean of Student DevelopmentServices are responsible for the implementation andadministration of admission policy.

Academic advisors, counselors, the Enrollment ServicesCoordinator. and the Director of Admissions, Records, andFinancial Aid implement admission procedures anddecisions. Faculty and program heads have input relating tothe admission policies of programs and courses for whichthey are responsible.

Although admission to specified courses and curricula isbased upon established standards, the College operates on a"quasi open door" policy in that "any person who has a highschool diploma or the equivalent, or who is 18 years of ageand, in any case, is able to benefit from a program at SVCCmay be admitted as a regular or special student" (Catalog &Student Handbook, 1994-95, 8)

Evaluation

The State Board for Community Colleges sets the criteria forevaluation of admissions policies and procedures based uponrecommendations from the VCCS deans and approval by theVCCS Advisory Council of Presidents. At the local level,Admissions and Records Office personnel, Dean of StudentDevelopment Services, and instructional area administrativeand program personnel regularly review and evaluateadmission criteria and policies, which must then be

Section 4.1- 4.2 Instructional Program . 76

approved by the President and the Local Board. VCCSauditors monitor the College's adherence to establishedadmission policies and procedures. Internal memoranda andannouncements are used to clarify admission pol i ci es andprocedures and to inform college personnel of changes.

Recruitment

SVCC engages in many recruiting activities and distributionof materials to attract students and inform them ofadmission policies to specific programs. Activities Includesenior on-campus visits, financial aid workshops, collegedays, "Bring a Friend" Day, career days, counselors' andother representatives' visits to high schools, collegeoutreach, Project INFORM, guest speakers, andmathematics, business, and forensics contests. The Office ofAdmissions and Records disseminates to high schoolguidance counselors and SVCC counselors updates oncurrent requirements on a semester basis.

The first phase of Project EPIC (Enhancing Paths forIndependent Citizenship) focused on helping collegepersonnel become aware of and learn to work with those whohave disabilities. In the second phase, a grant submittedthrough Clinch Valley Community Action in partnershipwith the College launched an intensive effort to recruit andwork with individuals with disabilities (Catalog & StudentHandbook 44-45) to assist them in meeting their educationalgoals.

While the Dean of Student Development Services and theDirector of Admissions, Records, and Financial Aid superviseall SVCC-directed recruiting activities, they also involvecounselors, other administrative personnel, selected staff,and faculty to ensure that recruiting activities and materialsaccurately and truthfully portray the institution. Divisionchairs and appropriate deans and faculty critically review allrecruiting and informational materials before printing anddistribution.

General Admission

Admission policies relate to the educational purpose ofSVCC as the Statement of Purpose, presented in thebeginning of this part of the self-study, shows. Thestatement, quoted from the 1994-95 Catalog & StudentHandbook (1). captures the College's reasons for existing.The requirements for general admission to the College arereferenced in the Catalog under the title "AdministrativeInformation" (8-10).

76 section IV: Educational Program

61

The admission policies establish qualitative and quantitativerequirements to admit students who demonstrate reasonablepotential for success. Personnel in Student DevelopmentServices, division chairs, and program/discipline heads worktogether to see that students admitted do demonstratereasonable potential for success. Counselors use criteriastated in the Catalog, assessment and diagnosticinstruments, high school transcripts, and recommendationsof high school officials to evaluate each students level ofpreparation and, if necessary. to place students indevelopmental courses to help them attain the knowledgeand skills that will enable them to be successful in theirchosen programs.

Specific Program Admission

The 1994-95 College Catalog (8-10) outlines admissionrequirements to degree programs. VCCS policy (Policy Manual,Section 6), and therefore SVCC policy, requires official highschool transcripts reflecting date of graduation or evidence ofGED completion. Applicants who have not graduated fromhigh school or attained the equivalent (normally the GED)must complete approved developmental classes, or otherpreparatory program, prior to admission to degree programs.

The section titled "Program Offerings" in the Catalog(beginning on page 56) states admission requirements forspecific curricula. Admission requirements for programsbeyond those for general admission to the College are statedin the Catalog & Student Handbook Examples are the HealthTechnology majors of Nursing and Radio logic Technology(96-104).

Skills or achievement tests, including the ASSET, SAT, ACT,CGP, and TABE, are used to assess a prospective student'spotential for success in a program. Applicants may useASSET. ACT, and SAT scores for entry into all programsexcept the health care programs. The Radio logic Technologyprogram requires ASSET, and all qualified nursingapplicants for admission to the on-campus nursing programmust take the PSB (Psychological Services Bureau NursingAptitude Test). External regulating organizations, such asthe National League for Nursing and the Virginia StateBoard for Nursing, evaluate and grant accreditation for theassociate degree nursing program and thus impact admissionrequirements.

SVCC offers developmental courses in mathematics, reading,and English to enable students to attain proficiency levelsrequired to qualify for acceptance into all programs of the

Section 4.1 4.2 Instructional program 77

College. Tutoring services are available for students whoneed assistance in general education courses and, in severalareas, for specialized courses. Tutoring arrangements forstudents are made through Student Support Services.

Student Body Size and Character

The intent of the Virginia Community College System is thateach individual college will serve as many of its service arearesidents as can benefit. For planning and funding purposes,enrollment projections are established by each college, withinput from individual college personnel, the VCCS, and StateCouncil of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). Suchfactors as the individual college's enrollment history andpatterns, as well as population trends within the serviceregion, are considered in the enrollment projection process.SVCC's enrollment of 543 full-time equivalent (FTE)students in 1968-69 has increased to 2856 annual FTES in1993-94 (`Southwest Virginia Community College OfficialEnrollment Data, 1968 to Present"), as can be seen in Chart4.1.01 on the following page.

Certain degree programs, including all health technologyspecializations, have very strict student capacities per class,as well as mandated student-faculty ratios. Within itsprograms, the College accepts the responsibility to facilitateenrollment by providing class schedules to meet the needs ofthe student body. Within a program, space and equipmentlimitations, together with input from instructors, programheads, division chairs, and the Dean of Instruction,determine course capacity and teaching loads.


63

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Advanced Standing

SVCC awards credit based on advanced standing throughseveral means in accordance with VCCS provisions (PolicyManual, Section 5). "Credit by Examination" involves aqualified faculty member of the petitioned courseadministering an examination to the student. If the studentperforms satisfactorily, the College awards credit. Studentsmay also receive advanced placement by performingsatisfactorily on College Board's Advanced Placement

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

64


examinations in high school. Students may receive creditthrough documentation of experience (portfolio-based credit)or previous completion of course work. Qualified studentsmay be awarded credit from classes or training takenthrough the armed services or through DANTES examinationscores. In addition, students may earn credit through CLEP(College Level Examination Program), which a qualifiedcounselor from the Student Development Services Divisionadministers periodically on the SVCC campus.

The student must initiate the process to receive credit by anymeans of advanced standing. Except for credit through thearmed services, DANTES, or advanced placement, thestudent must obtain a recommendation for the award ofsuch credit from his or her advisor. the appropriate divisionchair, and the Dean of Instruction. Provisions for advancedstanding are stated in the College Catalog under theheadings "College Level Examination Program (CLEP)" and"Credit by Advanced Placement, Examination or Experience"(17-18). Decisions regarding the awarding of credit and thedetermination of such credit arc addressed in the Admissionsand Records Office Procedures Manuel (62).

When a student is awarded credit for non-traditionallearning experiences, the "Non-traditional CreditRecommendation Form" and supporting documentationbecome part of the students permanent record. Finalapproval includes a review of the permanent record to ensurethat the current request does not duplicate credit alreadyawarded. The form for approval of non-traditional creditspecifies the course for which the student is requestingcredit. By the process of elimination, the student isresponsible for all other courses in the major field of study.

As stated on the "SVCC Non-traditional CreditRecommendation Form," students requesting credit for priorexperiential learning must have successfully completed 12semester hours at SVCC applicable to a specific program ofstudy with a cumulative grade-point average of "C" or abovebefore the College may award credit. The Dean of Instructionand the appropriate division chair must approve anydeviation from this policy. Students must apply for award ofcredit for experiential learning only for any specific coursesrelevant to their major and program.

When a student seeks award of credit for prior experientiallearning or experience, the evaluation process andrecommendation are initiated through an instructor and/orprogram head with an intimate knowledge of the course forwhich the student is requesting credit. The students


knowledge and documented experience are compared to thecontent and evaluation process of the course. The instructorverifies the experience, makes a determination, and submitsa written recommendation for consideration of approval tothe appropriate division chair.

A student who feels a request for any type of advancedstanding has not been appropriately determined may appealthe decision in accordance with the "Grievance Procedure forStudents" outlined in the Catalog (4 1-42).

Personnel in Admissions and Records identify all creditawarded through advanced placement, credit by experience,or examination on the students transcript. The amount ofcredit awarded is clearly stated and is in accordance withcommonly accepted good practice in higher education. Thecourse and the number of credits are identified on thestudent's transcript as credit earned by advanced standing,occupational experience, or previous completion.Documentation of learning or work experience, etc., and thebasis for the award of credit is maintained in the studentspermanent record (VCCS Policy Manual, Section 5).

Transfer StudentsThe Catalog, following the guidelines from the VCCS PolicyMinzia defines the criteria for admission of studentsdesiring to transfer to SVCC. The requirements for transferstudents are also published in the Course Schedule ofOfferings. Using the policy guidelines, the EnrollmentServices Coordinator determines which transfer credits theCollege will accept. The College accepts "official" transcriptsonly and, as verified by an official transcript, will accepttransfer credit with grades of "C" or above from colleges oruniversities that have accreditation from a regionalaccrediting association (Catalog 9-10). The Catalog specifiesthat generally credit will not be given for courses fromcolleges and universities not accredited by a regionalaccrediting association. Transfer students not eligible to re-enroll at the previous college must come before theAdmissions Appeals Committee to enter SVCC.

SVCC evaluates transfer credit both for courses which maybe used in the transfer student's program of study to fulfillspecific requirements and for electives. The College awardscredit only in areas which fall within the regular curricularofferings of the institution in the students program of study.

VCCS policy states that "students transferring from anothercollege should consult the appropriate office at the

Section 4.1 4.2 Instructional Program . 81

community college for an assessment of credits to determinetheir standing before registering for classes" (VCCS PolicyManual, Section 6). The College Catalog (10) further supportsthis requirement by directing transferring students to theOffice of Admissions and Records at the College forevaluation of transfer credits. The College Admissions andRecords Office Procedures Manual states that, for incomingtransfer students, 'The transcript evaluation should becompleted prior to the applicant's [first] term of enrollment,if at all possible. If not completed prior to the student'senrollment, the evaluation of credit and notification tostudent and advisor of courses and number of creditsaccepted, should be completed prior to the end of the firstterm of enrollment" (28). Admissions and Records Officepersonnel state that they comply with this requirement forstudents who submit official transcripts at the time ofadmission. However, some students enter as careerexploration students and do not request the evaluation untilthey have completed a significant portion of a program.

To assess the students' point of view as to whether transferstudents are informed of their transfer status in a timelymanner, the self-study committee evaluating theInstructional Program at SVCC placed the following questionon the self-study questionnaire for students: "As a transferstudent I was informed of transfer credit policies before orsoon after I enrolled in a transfer program." The students inall groups responded in the majority "no" or "do not know."

However, problems arose in assessing this information. Ofthe 723 students surveyed, there is no way of knowing howmany were actually transfer students. Therefore, thecommittee obtained the names and addresses of 415 transferstudents and directed the question to them. From thissurvey, 78 transfer students returned the postcards to theInstitutional Research Office. This is a response rate of 19percent, which is low. However, research shows that"response rates in mail surveys are extremely varied, rangingfrom as low as 10% to over 90%" (Graham Klaxon,Introduction to Survey Sampling, Beverly Hills: SagePublications, 1983, 66). Also, according to other research,"Refusals to mail questionnaires almost always are biasedtoward education and interest" (Floyd J. Fowler, Jr., SurveyResearch Methods, Beverly Hills: Sage Publications, 1988,59). Based on this information, the nonresponse segment ofthe survey to transfer students probably Included those whowere satisfied with the treatment they received or those whowere neutral about their treatment. As the card requiredsimply one check mark, and the College paid the postage,


o


"high interest" would tend to be associated with anunpleasant experience.

Responses to the survey question of whether or not studentswere informed in a timely manner were 51.3 percent "No."30.7 percent "Yes," and 18 percent "Uncertain." Despite theconsensus that the overall response was positive, thecommittee concluded that the number of "no" answers wassufficient to make a recommendation that the Office ofAdmissions and Records implement a tracking system oftransfer students in order to monitor compliance with thisSACS requirement.

In response, the Director of Admissions and Records hasImplemented a tracking system of transfer students todocument dates of admission and receipt and evaluation oftranscripts.

Admission requirements for international students arestated in the Catalog (9) with instructions for such studentsto contact the College Admissions Office. Upon receipt of arequest for admission from a foreign student, AdmissionsOffice personnel inform the applicant of the process forhaving credits from foreign institutions evaluated through aforeign student transcript evaluation service. Upon receipt ofthe completed evaluation, SVCC Admissions personnelevaluate the information for possible award of creditapplicable to the student's program of study at SVCC. It isthe foreign applicant's responsibility to pay the required feefor the evaluation service (Admissions and Records Wier,Procedures Manual 28).

The College evaluates transfer of credit from institutionsaccredited by an agency that is recognized by the Council onPostsecondary Accreditation in accordance with the policyfor "Admission of Student Transferring from Other Colleges"covered in the Catalog (9-10)

The Office of Admissions and Records evaluates awarding ofcredit for education accomplished in a non-collegiate settingwhich has been evaluated and recommended for credit by anorganization generally recognized as an authority by thehigher education community, such as the American Councilon Education. This evaluation is conducted in accordancewith the policy for awarding non-traditional credit. Theevaluation and recommendation of the generally recognizedauthority will be taken into consideration for awarding ofspecific credits at SVCC. This procedure Includes militarytraining. Admissions and Records personnel compare

Section 4.1 - 4.2 Instructional Program . 83

recommended courses to appropriate courses in the CollegeCatalog. Upon award of credit, the approved courses arelisted in the students permanent record as credits forrequired courses in the major field of study and as potentialelectives.

The Office of Admissions and Records evaluates conversionof credit earned in a non-degree program on an individualbasis in consultation with the appropriate instructor and/orprogram head, the chair of the academic division in whichthe course is normally taught, and the Dean of Instruction.The student may initiate such conversion by "applying forcredit or waiver of requirements" as presented in the Catalog(10).

SVCC does not accept transfer of "block" credit. Theawarding of credit is based on the provisions for evaluationof "non-traditional" credits to ensure conformity to thestated purpose of each program for which degrees areconferred.

Academic Dismissal, Suspension, and Readmission

The Catalog states the policies for academic dismissal,suspension, and readmission of students under the title,"Academic Standing" [35-36). The Office of Admissions andRecords notifies students placed on academic suspension oracademic dismissal by letter and notes their academic statuson their current grade report and permanent record. Theletter states the procedure for applying for readmission tothe College. Students on academic suspension or dismissalmust appeal in writing to the Admissions Appeals Committeefor readmission.

The Admissions Appeals Committee, comprised of faculty,counselors, administration, classified staff, and students,reviews each suspended or dismissed student's appeal forreadmission and considers the student's ability level,academic and career interests, and extenuatingcircumstances in deciding if the student should bereinstated. Often, the committee requires that, as acondition of readmission, the student must undergoappropriate counseling and/or enroll in developmentalstudies and study skills courses.

To maintain enrollment, the College uses validatedassessment instruments, counseling, and advisement toevaluate the interest and potential of a student to completea program. SVCC's admission and retention policies are notcompromised to maintain adequate enrollment.


0 COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS

SVCC publishes a semester schedule of courses, an annualcatalog, and brochures to enable persons to evaluate thebenefit of specific programs for their individual needs andthe requirements for entry into and successful completion ofsuch programs. The provisions of the 1994-95 Catalog &Student Handbook, which is the primary guideline forprogram completion, are shown below:

PagesPurpose 1-2Admission Requirements and Procedures 8-10Rules & Regulation for Conduct 39-43

Student Code of Conduct 40Program Offerings 56-173Description of Courses 174-240Degree Completion Requirements 58Full-time Faculty/ Degrees Held xii-xviiiTuition and Fees 3-5Withdrawal 34-35Financial Aid 2832

The College annually publishes the Catalog & StudentHandbook and related brochures to detail the curriculum,objectives, and specific requirements for each degree. Thestatements of degree requirements specify in a recommendedsequence the courses and total credits to be earned,including the number of credits to be earned in the major,electives, and general education credits. A basic core ofgeneral education courses is presented in the section tilled"Minimum Requirements for Associate Degrees in the VCCS"in the 1994-95 Catalog (58). The description of degreerequirements provides the length of study, purpose of thedegree, admission requirements, and specific programrequirements. Other requirements, beyond those discussedabove. are found in the "Program Requirements" section foreach of the programs outlined in the Catalog (56-173). Thenumber of credits for each program for which a degree isawarded is stated in the section for each curriculum. Theappropriate course prerequisites and the course numberingsystem are stated in the catalog ( 174-240).


Electives, either approved or free electives, are specified inthe section for each curriculum. The College makes provisionfor at least one elective in each of the areas of specializationas evidenced by the specific degree program offering. Thisself-study committee's review of all programs revealed thatelectives are included in all programs except Music. However,new applicants are not being accepted into the Music majoras explained later in this section.

The technical definition of a major is provided in the VCCSPolicy Manual (Section 5.2). The operative definition is listedwith the appropriate degree, stated in the degree purpose,and listed as courses in the curriculum. Except for GeneralEducation requirements, developmental classes, and studentdevelopment courses (STD), all other courses are designatedas Major field courses and electives.

All degrees offered by SVCC, in accordance with VCCSstandards, exceed the SACS requirements for the numberand distribution of courses for degree completion. Aminimum of 17 semester hours with the appropriatedistribution are found in the AA &S /AAS degrees, withsignificantly more required in all other degree programs.SVCC is in compliance with VCCS guidelines, which exceedthe SACS Criteria.

Skills Competencies

At SVCC students develop competence in reading, writing,and mathematics through appropriate course work, such asEnglish composition, required mathematics courses, andother courses which require reading, writing, andmathematical skill applications. Those who may be deficientin these skills at the time of admission must successfullycomplete developmental courses in these areas beforeattempting program-specific course work. However, oralcommunication is not listed as a specific component of thegeneral education core. On the faculty and student self-study surveys, respondents indicated that there are oralcommunication components in their general educationclasses to lead to competence in this area. The surveysshowed that 82 percent of all students and 70 percent of thefaculty stated that such components were present.

When asked the question, "Does the institution providemeans by which students may acquire basic competencies inthe use of computers?" 87 percent of the faculty responded"yes." SVCC does provide the means for students to obtainbasic competencies in the use of computers forcommunication, computation, and other specialized

86 . Section IV: Educational Program

7 1

applications. Each instructional division has computerfacilities that are available for staff and student use.Likewise, computer laboratories are operational at off-campus sites.

Students enrolled in English 11 1- 112, College Composition Iand II, are given the opportunity for a formal introduction tothe Humanities Division computer lab. Students in mostEnglish classes receive introductory instruction to thecomputer and word processing, and the open laboratory isavailable to them for the duration of their active enrollmentat the College. Although ENG 111 and 112 classes require"typed" reports, there is currently no assurance that allstudents graduating from programs at SVCC havedemonstrated competency in the use of computers.Therefore, the sell-study committee evaluating SVCC'sEducational Program recommends that the Collegeestablish procedures for the evaluation of competency inoral communication and computer use for studentsgraduating from associate degree programs.

Hours Required at SVCC for a Degree

The 1994-95 Catalog & Student Handbook (13) stated that astudent must acquire 15 semester hours of credit at SVCC inorder to receive a degree. This was in compliance with VCCSpolicy, which stated:

To be eligible for graduation with an associate degreefrom a community college, students must have fulfilledall the course and credit-hour requirements of thedegree curriculum with at least fifteen (15) semesterhours acquired at the college awarding the degree.(VCCS Policy Manual, Section 5.2)

The self-study committee evaluating SVCC's InstructionalProgram determined that the College was in compliance withthe VCCS policy, but not the SACS requirement because 15semester hours is not 25 percent of those degrees requiringmore than 60 semester hours. The committee's review of theassociate degree programs revealed that the minimumnumber of credits for degress SVCC offers is 65 semesterhours. Therefore, the committee recommended that SVCCencourage the VCCS to bring its policies in compliance withthe SACS requirement that, for degree completion. at least25 per cent of credit semester hours must be earned throughinstruction offered by the institution granting the degree.

Section 4.1 4.2 Instructional Program* 87

Institutional The College forwarded the dilemma and recommendation toResponse the Virginia Community College System for disposition.

Based on the SVCC recommendation and similar requestsfrom other colleges in the system, the VCCS changed itspolicy to meet the SACS Criteria. SVCC has reflected thischange in the 1994-95 Catalog (13).

CURRICULUM

Publications Review and Change

All degree, diploma, and certificate program curricula aredescribed in the current SVCC Catalog & Student Handbook,which the College reviews and revises annually according toan established process. Brochures, which are available togive program descriptions, prerequisites and limitations, andspecific curricular content, are revised as changes are madein programs, or as faculty, program heads, and/or divisionchairs deem desirable, to provide more effective decision-making information to prospective candidates forcompletion.

The SVCC Curriculum and Instruction Committee (C85I)periodically reviews the Catalog and program brochures toevaluate their conformance to requirements and their valueto prospective students. The Committee evaluates thesuggestions for change and recommendations for revision(C &I Committee Minutes, December 14, 1993).

Relationship and Appropriateness

Curricular offerings are directly related and appropriate toSVCC's purpose and goals: certificates, diplomas, anddegrees: the ability and preparation of students: and tofinancial and institutional resources.

As can be seen by the statement of purpose at the beginningof this chapter, the purpose of the College is to providepostsecondary educational experiences to the adult learnerthrough various delivery systems. The College offers transferprograms, occupational-technical training, professionaldevelopment, enrichment programs, and special interestcourses in order to meet the life-long learning needs of thecitizens in its service region.

All aspects of the educational program are clearly related tothe purpose of the institution. Program offerings include theAssociate in Arts and Sciences Degree with seven areas ofconcentration: Business Administration, Education,


73

Engineering, General Studies, Liberal Arts, Music, andScience. Associate in Applied Science degrees are offered infour areas: Business Technology, Engineering Technology.Health Technology, and Public Service Technology. Five areasof study offer diploma programs: 18 lead to certificateprograms: and 13 Career Studies programs are currentlyavailable. The College offers more than 50 areas ofconcentration from which students may choose. In its questto provide an opportunity for individuals to improve theirquality of life through development of skill and knowledge,the College has attempted to provide numerous deliverystrategies.

Although not considered a separate program, developmentalclasses provide instruction for students needing a review ofthe basic skills necessary for college-level work.Developmental classes consist primarily of English, reading,and mathematics, but SVCC also provides remedial coursesin biology and chemistry for those needing them to gainentry into the health technology programs.

Chart 4.1.02 shows the distribution of students by type ofprogram:

Chart 4.1.02

CATEGORY TYPE OF PROGRAM: 1993-1994

21%

College Transfer

O Occupational Technical

O Developmental

1:1 Unclassified

The educational programs are enriched through grant-fundedinitiatives, such as Writing Across the Curriculum, ArtsAcross the Curriculum, and Computer Assisted Instruction.

Section 4.1 - 4.2 Instructional Program .89

Collaborative arrangements with local public schools haveprovided appropriately designed advanced placement forqualified students. Although some secondary students takecollege courses, SVCC does not presently offer any dualenrollment courses populated solely by high school students.There are clear policies and procedures for high schoolstudents to enroll in the College for credit classes. TheCollege has implemented articulation agreements with seniorinstitutions to streamline matriculation of SVCC students.

As to ability and preparation of students, the College,operating under a "quasi open-door" admission policy,accepts any person who has a high school diploma or theequivalent, or who is at least eighteen years of age, and, inany case, is able to benefit from a course or a program ofstudy and is willing to develop to meet program entrancerequirements. Since SVCC offers both credit and non-creditclasses, as well as certificate, diploma, and degree programs,and provides developmental classes for unprepared students,the College has been able to meet the diverse needs of itsstudent population.

As shown in Section 6.3, financial resources for theeducational program come primarily from state funds andtuition, which are sufficient to support the College'seducational program. Also, SVCC has been quite successfulin obtaining additional funds for instructional support fromgrants, contracts, and private donations through the SVCCEducational Foundation.

In addition to financial resources, other parts of the self-study address additional resources, such as Faculty (Section4.8), Library/Learning Resources (5. 1), Student DevelopmentServices (5.4). and Physical Resources (6.4).

Library services have been extended significantly with theaddition of on-line computerized search capability,acquisition services, and interlibrary loan programs.Instructional divisions and off-campus sites providecomputer resources with specific applications to supportprograms. Local Area Networks in the Business, Engineering,and Humanities and Social Sciences divisions link the SVCCnetwork and VCCS network with capability for accessingBITNET and INTERNET. Audio-Visual and DistanceEducation Services, a component of LRC, provides adviceand support for instructional delivery, including supplies,materials, and equipment ranging from transparencies to theelectronic classroom. LRC. Staff Services, StudentDevelopment Services, and Computer Services, have well


75

defined responsibilities for enhancing educational deliverysystems.

From its inception in 1968. SVCC has had continual growthin numbers of full-time students, and facility developmenthas closely paralleled growth in the student body.Acquisition of a building adjacent to the campus by theSVCC Educational Foundation and support of the Collegecommunity have allowed progress to continue without adecrease in instructional quality because of facilities. TheCollege is on the high priority list at the VCCS level forconstruction of a combination Learning ResourcesCenter/Allied Health building. The Educational Foundationhas attained its goal of raising enough money through localcontributions to construct a Center for Health andCommunity Development. Another unique project that hasreceived funding is the construction of a joint-use NationalGuard Armory to be shared by the Virginia National Guardand the College. SVCC administration anticipates that thesefacilities will carry the College into the next century, asenrollment and space requirements stabilize, and as SVCCdevelops additional partnerships with specific businessesand industries for targeted programs.

The College undergoes regular audits to determinecompliance to established standards for efficient utilizationof financial resources. All funds have mandated policies forsafeguarding and deployment by College personnel and aresubject to assessments by independent, local, and agency-designated auditors.

In addition to financial audits, the College and VCCSmaintain monitoring systems to track physical inventories,utilization of classroom and laboratory space, efficiencies offaculty, and compliance to federal, state, and localregulations that impact on efficient use of financialresources. Both the office of the appropriate deanresponsible for the resource(s) and the specific officeresponsible for deployment of the resource maintain theresults of audits.

Consistency Between Technology Goals and College Purpose

SVCC has secured funding for the development and deliveryof video and interactive telecourses to extend the SouthwestVirginia Community College mission further into its servicearea. Both options, with development of courses based onneeds assessment, have clear and explicit goals consistentwith the stated purpose of the College. Course offerings,

Section 4.1- 4.2 Instructional Program 91

delivery objectives, and evaluations are on file in the Audio-Visual and Distance Education Services Office.

Another innovative delivery system, which started in the fallof 1994, involves SVCC as an approved site for OldDominion University's 'Teletechnet" articulation program toextend baccalaureate programs to students in areas of theCommonwealth that have not previously had access to suchprograms. This program is housed on the campus but is notunder SVCC governance.

The self-study committee assigned to evaluate SVCC'sInstructional Program could not find evidence that theCollege had demonstrated how it would achieve the goals ofthe new delivery systems in order to ensure their overalleffectiveness. The committee, therefore, recommended thatSVCC evaluate technology-based and other innovativedelivery systems for providing educational programs andservices, making sure to formulate clear and explicit goalsfor these activities in order to demonstrate that they areconsistent with the stated purpose of the institution andstating how the College will achieve these goals.

Institutional Since the committee made this recommendation, the Audio-Response Visual and Distance Education Services Department, in

collaboration with academic divisions, has developed theSVCC Distance Education Policy and Procedures Manual

Establishment. Review, and Evaluation

In addition to guidelines published in the VCCS PolicyManual [Section 5.31, Southwest Virginia Community Collegehas a well-defined process for the establishment and reviewof programs. Integral to the process are numerousinstructional and administrative faculty and staff, inaddition to the C86I Committee, Citizens AdvisoryCommittees. and the Local Board.

Specific program faculty, or the chair of the division inwhich the program is housed, generally initiatemodifications to existing programs or addition of newcourses to the schedule. Such actions might also be initiatedby staff members, the Director of Continuing Education, theDirector of Learning Resources, or the Coordinator ofEvening Offerings. After discussion and evaluation of theanticipated impact of the modification or course additionwhich is being considered, the division chair, Director, or


77

Coordinator forwards the proposal to the Dean ofInstruction. Generally, course addition proposals are readilyapproved. If proposed modifications meet with SouthwestVirginia Community College, VCCS, SCHEV, and SACSCriteria, the Dean of Instruction forwards a copy to thePresident and a copy to the C &I Committee for review. Ifpotential problems or deviations from policy do not exist,proposed program modifications are adopted and becomepart of the Catalog

Since a cross section of SVCC faculty, staff, and studentscomprise the C&I Committee, the campus community isgenerally immediately aware of deliberations and action ofthe Committee. Although individual faculty members andadministrators sometimes approach the C&I Committeedirectly with proposals for review or modification to oraddition of a course, or for discussion of possible newprograms, as outlined below, the normal progression followsthe administrative lines described above.

New programs may also be proposed in much the sameformat and by the same personnel as described for programmodifications and new course additions, as shown above,but with some variation. New program proposals aregenerally Initiated at the division level, followingdocumentation of need via surveys and assessmentsthroughout the area, and are submitted to the appropriateCitizens Advisory Committee (comprised of practitioners andother knowledgeable persons from the area] for review. Uponreceipt of the proposal, the Dean of Instruction consultswith the Resident, appropriate division chair or director,and any other appropriate persons, considering potentialspace, equipment, and personnel needs of the proposedprogram, as well as such factors as anticipated studentenrollment and job opportunities for graduates. If theproposed program passes all tests, a copy is forwarded to theC&I Committee for review. The last stage of college reviewand approval is the Local Board, prior to forwarding to theVCCS for State Board approval. SCHEV must also approveall associate degree programs.

According to VCCS policy (5.3.0). proposals for programmodifications and the addition of new courses to theschedule should be reviewed by the C&I Committee, butmust receive approval of only the college administration forImplementation. New program proposals should be reviewedby the appropriate Citizens Advisory Committee and by theC861 Committee. but require the approval of the collegeadministration and the Local Board before being forwardedto the VCCS for further consideration.

Section 4.1- 4.2 Instructional Program . 93

Division chairs have the primary responsibility for each ofthe programs within the Business, Engineering, Humanitiesand Social Sciences, and Natural Science and Mathematicsdivisions. However, in some specialized programs, such asthe health technologies, the program faculty and CitizensAdvisory Committees contribute to oversight andcoordination of curriculum development and review.

Professional resumes and curriculum vitae are located in thepersonnel file of each faculty member. The SVCC CollegeCatalog lists all full-time faculty, including position andacademic qualifications (xii-xviii).

At least one full-time faculty member with appropriatecredentials is assigned to each curricular area. In programsthat do not have a discipline specific core, such asEducation, General Studies, Liberal Arts, and Science, allfaculty with teaching assignments are required to possessthe appropriate credentials. One exception to thisrequirement is the Music major, which does not currentlyhave a full-time faculty member. However, the College is notaccepting new students into this program. The College offersselected classes within this program to allow students whoplan to matriculate to four-year institutions to completetheir core requirements and continue developing their musicknowledge and skills. The Catalog states this limitation (72).

An example of the new program needs assessment processoccurred in November 1993 when SVCC developed anassessment instrument to evaluate the needs within thehealth care professions of the SVCC service area. Becausehealth care is a rapidly growing and developing industry, theCollege needs to ascertain the numbers of personnel neededand the specific skills/occupations required in the servicearea. The survey was mailed to appropriate agencies. Theresponse was very good and indicated a need to collect evenmore specific data, so a second survey was developed anddistributed to a wider population in a wider area of severalthousand health care professionals (physicians, nurses,practitioners, rescue squad personnel, social services, etc.).Results are presently being evaluated to formulateprogrammatic changes and continuing educationopportunities.

SVCC has demonstrated effective response to its changingenvironment. Continuous efforts have been effected toevaluate changing needs of the service area and allocatelimited resources to be of optimal value in supporting themission of the College.


For example, college staff recognized Computer AidedDrafting (CAD) as an emerging technology and essential skillfor manufacturing operations and implemented the trainingin its engineering technology programs. As a result of thisvision, skilled technicians, graduates of SVCC, were on handfor employment when local industry made thetransformation. When Long-Airdox, a local miningequipment manufacturer, converted from mainframe Cadumto microprocessor Autocad systems, local residents withsolid skills and knowledge led the transition. Othergraduates have had the opportunity to lead companies intocompute 'aided draftily and computer integratedmanufacturing with skills they acquired at WCC.

Likewise, SVCC faculty submitted a proposal for discontinu-ance of the AAS Program in Mining Technology to the MiningAdvisory Committee because of the compression of the coalmining industry and the decreasing opportunities for gradu-ates of the program. The committee supported therecommendation for cessation of the program but targeted amore general program of industrial technology that wouldsupport the mining industry as well as emerging manufac-turing industries of the area. SVCC administration monitorschanges in requirements for programs based on career trendsand guidance from local advisory committees and allocatesresources according to the potential, not the immediate con-tribution, of each alternative. This commitment andresponsiveness to service and changing needs have been sig-nificant factors in the steady growth of the College.

Unwarranted proliferation of courses is avoided by limitingthe options available in the general education requirements.SCHEV regularly monitors degree programs to determine ifadequate participation is present as measured against thedocumented needs of the program.

Faculty, department heads, division chairs, the C &ICommittee, and appropriate administrative personnel arealso responsible for implementing and monitoring generalcurriculum policy and academic programs after approval bythe State Board for Community Colleges.

Transfer/Articulation Agreements

SVCC has developed numerous articulation agreements forupper division study. One college counselor has primaryresponsibility for assisting students in effective transfer toupper division programs at other colleges and universities.The Admissions and Records Office, under the supervision ofthe Dean of Student Development Services, maintains copies

BEST COPY AVAILABLE


80

of transfer/articulation agreements between SVCC andvarious colleges in Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina,Tennessee, and West Virginia, where the majority of SVCCtransfer students matriculate. This office can alsoinvestigate requirements for specific programs and collegesfor whom previous agreements have not been developed.Copies of articulation agreements are on file with the Deanof Student Development Services, all college counselors,division chairs, the Dean of Instruction, and the President.

The College publishes a Transfer Handbook for Students as aresource for those students who are considering transfer toother institutions. This Handbook catalogs, booklets, andtransfer guides from Clinch Valley College, RadfordUniversity, Virginia Commonwealth University, and VirginiaPolytechnic Institute and State University are also availablein the Career Centers of Southwest Virginia, Inc. SVCCfollows articulation guidelines established by SCHEV (VCCSPolicy Manual Section 5.5.0).

SVCC is involved in ongoing assessment and evaluation oftransfer activities and the programs of students who transferto senior institutions and other community colleges. Thisinformation is available in the 1993 SVCC Assessment Reportcompiled by the SVCC Office of Planning and Development.Additional transfer data are compiled in SCHEV's 1992Special Assessment Swvey and in the 1992 Percentage ofTransfer Students with Degrees (from two-year to four-yearinstitutions).

Review and evaluation of articulation agreements areongoing processes with changes made by either SVCC or thesenior institution as curricular changes occur. A formalevaluation of all articulation agreements is made every twoyears to assure equitable and efficient transfer of students.

SVCC has cooperatively developed programs with secondaryschools and with a number of senior institutions, such asOld Dominion University.

SVCC is a member of the Southwest Virginia Tech PrepConsortium and is in partnership with the school systems ofBuchanan, Dickenson, Russell, and Tazewell counties. Asteering committee is represented by area business leaders,industrial managers, and educators. Tech Prep is anirmovative, focused educational program designed for thepurpose of preparing students in grades 9-12 for theoccupational and educational needs of the twenty-firstcentury. SVCC has taken a leadership role in the consortiumto help ensure that participating students are well-prepared


to enter the workforce upon graduation from high school orto matriculate into programs in higher education. Undercurrent policies, no Tech Prep students can be awardedcollege credit for secondary school courses. The consortiumhas adapted a comprehensive evaluation plan that willmonitor the effectiveness of Tech Prep programs. Initialresults confirm improved relationships between schooldivisions and the College and more coherent curriculumpathways. Dropout rates, test scores, and more quantitativemeasures of effectiveness will be addressed during the nextyear.

Southwest Virginia Community College has developed anarticulation agreement with the Tazewell County CareerTechnology Center (TCCTC) in the diploma program forMachine Tool Technolgy. College faculty and the TCCTCmachine shop program head developed competencies inmachine tool operations that can lead to advanced standingfor qualified students. This agreement was developed toreduce duplication of core competencies and provide asmooth transition from the Technology Center to theCommunity College.

As an example of programs developed with seniorinsititutions, "`Teletechnet" developed with Old DominionUniversity (ODU), located in eastern Virginia, was designedfor individuals who cannot relocate to have access to abaccalaureate program. ODU is presently offering degreeprograms on the Southwest Virginia Co-unity Collegecampus, for example, Criminal Justice, BusinessAdministration/Management, Engineering Technology (Civil,Electrical, and Mechanical), Health Sciences/Health CareManagement, Human Services Counseling, Nursing/RN toBSN, and Professional Communications. The networkinvolves telecourses and interactive audio for delivery, withthe SVCC site supplemented with a site coordinator,specialized laboratories, library and computer services, andacademic advisement.

INSTRUCTION

Course Contents. Methods, Etc.

Southwest Virginia Community College's instructionalpolicies and procedures are in accord with the purpose of theinstitution, as well as being appropriate to the specific goalsof an individual course as evidenced by the requirementsdetailed in the course syllabus for each class. Instruction

Section 4.1- 4.2 Instructional Program* 97

techniques are determined by the requirement to deliver thecontent prescribed on the course syllabus.

The Catalog & Student Handbook (174-240) contains adescription of each course. Using this description, facultymembers develop a syllabus for each class they teach. SVCCrequires distribution of course syllabi for each class, whicheach instructor discusses with students at the beginning ofthe term. Course selection is made from the VCCSCurriculum Guide, which lists the general objectives of thecourse and provides content stability throughout the VCCS.In the syllabus each instructor must state the specific areasof emphasis, method(s) of delivery, resource material, andmethod and frequency of evaluation. Forty course syllabi,selected at random from the four instructional divisionsduring the 1993-94 academic year, yielded 100 percentcompliance with this requirement. The self-study studentquestionnaire asked students to respond to the statement:"The methods of instruction used in the courses I tookfulfilled the goals of the courses." Of the 723 on-campusstudents responding, 19 responded "Don't know," 6responded "seldom," with no responses to the "Never"category. Of 252 off-campus students, 9 responded "Don'tKnow" and 3 answered "Seldom," with no responses to the"Never" option.

Student response to the statement, "The methods ofinstruction used in the courses I took fulfilled the goals ofthe courses," was very favorable, with only 25 of 723 on-campus students indicating "Seldom" or "Don't Know"; and12 of 252 off-campus students responding likewise. Neithercategory of students selected the response text "Never."Appropriateness of methods of instruction is monitored bythe SVCC policy of instructors' submitting the finalexamination for each course to the division chair for review.

Evaluation of Student Performance

Methods submitted by faculty as means of evaluatingstudent performance include oral and written responses todirected questions, tests, quizzes, comprehensiveexaminations, lab exercises, projects, and homeworkassignments. On the self-study faculty questionnaire to off-campus instructors, 21 of the 31 responded that they usecomprehensive examinations; with 14 evaluating progress byquizzes, and 24 monitoring understanding by usinghomework as a method of evaluating performance.

Student response to the statement, The grading proceduresat SVCC reflect concern for quality by clearly indicating


83

student performance levels" was very positive, with two on-campus and no off-campus students Indicating "Never."

Experimental Methods

On the self-study faculty questionnaire 36 of 63 facultymembers responded that they had experimented withmethods to improve instruction. Nine of the 63 respondedthat they did not experiment with instructionalImprovement, with 18 indicating that they did not know(three left the item blank). Of the respondents, 42 indicatedpositively that their methods used to Improve instructionwere adequately supported and critically evaluated by theirdivision chair and themselves. Sixteen responded negatively,with two indicating that they did not know, and three failedto respond. Of the 3 1 off -campus faculty, 6 responded "Don'tKnow," and 4 replied "Never" or "Seldom." Of the 31 off-campus instructors, 30 Indicated that they do experimentwith methods to improve their classroom instruction.

Discussion of their responses with faculty membersIndicated that the skewed response resulted largely from lackof an operational definition of the "experimental method toImprove instruction." Therefore, the self-study committeeassigned to evaluate SVCC's Educational Programrecommends that division chairs, directorscoordinators. and program heads work closely withinstructors to define and evaluate experimental methodsto improve instruction and obtain data for analysis insupport of these efforts.

Evaluation of Instructional Programs

One component of the evaluation of instruction is theannual evaluation of faculty using the form: "Evaluation ofCollege Personnel Holding Faculty Rank." This processInvolves input from students on factors Involving Instructionand course administration, as well as observations fromdivision chairs. This procedure is detailed In the VCCS PolicyyManual (Appendix VI to Section 3) and in the Fact zjHandbook (Section 3.13). Results of the evaluation processand recommendations are shared through individualconferences with faculty members by their immediatesupervisor. A copy is given to faculty members, and theoriginal and copies are maintained In the employeepersonnel file, division chair office, and Office of the Dean ofInstruction.

411)

In addition to faculty evaluations, effectiveness of SVCC'sinstructional program is assessed by other methods. Health

Section 4.1- 4.2 InstructionalProgram . 99

Technology and occupational-technical programs leading tocertification are monitored by student performance on thecertification examinations. The institution periodicallyconducts a tracking study to monitor the progress ofstudents who matriculate at other colleges and universities,In addition, the occupational-technical and health careprograms receive input from ptugarri advisory committeesconsisting of working professionals in the areas ofspecialization. The SVCC Institutional Research Officer iscurrently updating an instrument to assess the performanceof graduates in employment.

SVCC operates by way of the main campus and numerouscommunity locations, including public schools and the KeenMountain Correctional Center. Distance education coursesare extended by way of interactive facilities linking SVCCwith Grundy, Graham, Richlands, and Tazewell high schoolsand also by way of video courses that students may completeat home. Library and audio-visual resources are available foroff-campus classes. The College has conducted formalassessments of courses to evaluate the quality of instructionfor on- and off-campus courses, as evidenced in theAssessment Report 1991-93. Assessments have beenconducted in mathematics, English, biology, accounting,and psychology. In all areas except English, evaluationconsists of a common test administered by an independentperson: in English classes, the assessment consists ofrandomly selected portfolios, evaluated by a group of Englishfaculty.

Other efforts to improve instruction are evidenced in theAssessment Report 1991-93 and in Section 3, "InstitutionalEffectiveness," of this self-study report.

Comparable Quality in Non-traditional Delivery Systems

SVCC does not offer courses required for program completionin a concentrated or non-traditional format. DistanceEducation (electronic classroom) courses utilize the sameformat as traditional courses. In video courses students havethe advantage of "replay" for reflection and analysis of thesubject matter.

SVCC developed an extensive method of appraising theeffectiveness of distance education and video courses beforethe initial offerings were extended. The evaluation measuresstudent response to the specific course and provides baselinedata to compare with the same courses taught in the regularclassroom environment. Evaluations of video courses andtraditional lecture courses reveal a strong correlation in

loo Section N: Educational Program

85

favor of the video courses, with all students evaluated by thesame instrument. Documentation of these evaluations is onfile with the Coordinator of Audio-Visual and DistanceEducation Services.

Learning Environment

The results from both on- and off-campus student surveysstrongly supported the desire of SVCC to provide and supportan environment for scholarly and creative achievement.Activities and organizations in this effort include the Dean'sList for academic achievement, SVCC Honors Program,scholarships, Library (Learning Resources Area), Art Studio,Phi Theta Kappa, Phi Beta Lambda, discipline and specialinterest clubs, SVCC Community Players, and other staff-student organizations.

College Control over Clinical Programs

Clinical assignments and internships are arranged with localagencies and organizations to meet the requirements of theappropriate certifying agencies and the College. The dutiesand learning experiences for SVCC students are structured,with College faculty monitoring the activities and evaluatingstudent progress. These agreements are made to support thelearning experiences of the students and to minimize theliabilities incurred by the College and site facilitatingorganization. Student learning experiences are under theultimate control and on-site supervision of SVCC faculty.

Relationship of Course Content to Practice in Specialized Programs

For all programs designed to prepare students for aspecialized profession or occupation, the College maintainsan effective relationship between curricular content andcurrent practices in the field of specialization. The effort issupported by several interactive processes. Faculty areencouraged to maintain active membership in professionalorganizations in their areas of specialization. Professionalstandards are reviewed periodically and compared to existingcurriculum structure. Advisory committees, consisting ofworking professionals, provide input to required changes andtrends, as well as feedback on graduates. Changes tocertification standards are maintained and, often, audited bythe certifying agency. Requirements for clinical studies andinternships are compared to current practices at the facilityas an ongoing method of evaluation.


86

ACADEMIC ADVISING

The College has a comprehensive program of studentadvisement. An evaluation of Academic Advising is presentedin Section 5.4 of this self-study document.

COLLEGE PUBLICATIONS

Southwest Virginia Community College does not have amajor publishing center but does have a College Publicationscoordinator who supervises marketing/media materials, andthe College produces an annual Catalog & StudentHandbook. Additional information on publications can befound in Section 6.1.

CONCLUSION

The educational program at SVCC reflects the pride theinstitution has taken in meeting the needs of the studentbody. Admission practices comply with the requirements ofthe VCCS and SACS. Completion requirements are clearlystated and practiced. Particular strengths have been in theareas of curriculum and instruction. primarily because theCollege has a strong commitment to providing a solid core ofprograms and continual improvement of delivery. Theeducational program system at SVCC is effective and canhave tremendous leverage for increased effectiveness with asmall amount of integration and smoothing.

The committee's final analysis was that the College takes itsresponsibility seriously and, in many cases, exceeds therequirements for compliance with SACS Criteria.


87

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM: INSTRUCTIONAL. PROGRAM

Recommendations. Suggestions, and Proposals

. The committee recommends that the College establishprocedures for the evaluation of competency in oralcommunication and computer use for studentsgraduating from associate degree programs.

. The committee recommend; that division chairs,directors, coordinators, and program heads work closelywith instructors to define and evaluate experimentalmethods to improve instruction and obtain data foranalysis in support of these efforts.

Section 4.1 4.2 Instructional Program 103

COMMITTEE

Peggy Barber Assistant Professor. Mine Health and SafetyChair

Thomas McKnight Professor. English and Child CareWriter

Janice BowlingRecorder

Tom Cash

John CurranRetired

Connie Davis

Jim Farris

Frank Horton

Ron ProffittLiaison

Secretary, Mine Health and Safety

Assistant Professor. Coordinator. Audio-Visual andDistance Education Services

Associate Professor. Center for EconomicDevelopment, Director

Assistant Professor. Continuing Education, AlliedHealth Program Developer

Assistant Professor, Counselor

Associate Professor, Director of ContinuingEducation

Assistant Professor, Radio logic Technology

Pat Salyers Instructor. Counselor, Student DevelopmentServices Tutorial Coordinator

Roger Stallard Buildings and Grounds Supervisor

Sandy Walther Fiscal Assistant. Business Office

David Witt Instructor, Welding

Bill Wright Assistant Professor, WeldingRetired

Section 4.6 Continuing Education Outreach and Service Programs 107

INTRODUCTION

The main purpose of the self-study committee assigned toevaluate Continuing Education, Outreach, and ServicePrograms at Southwest Virginia Community College (SVCC)was to research and analyze the functions, funding services,administration, and range of offerings sponsored by theDivision of Continuing Education and Community Services(CECS). The committee also assessed three additional areas:evening and off-campus classes, Center for EconomicDevelopment, and other service relationships.

The major sources of research included "Annual Report forContinuing Education and Community Services" (1992-93),SVCC Handbook of Continuing Education and CommunityServices, The Continuing Education Unit: Criteria andGuidelines (1990), The Virginia Community College System(VCCS) Policy Manual, SVCC Faculty Handbook, and persona)interviews with administrative personnel and staff in theareas studied.

CONTINUING EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

The following purpose statement of Southwest VirginiaCommunity College is the guiding principle for the missionof the Division of Continuing Education and CommunityServices:

SVCC is dedicated to the belief that each personshould be given a continuing opportunity for thedevelopment and extension of skill and knowledge toincrease an awareness of the individual's role andresponsibility in society. The College is devoted toserve the educational needs of its community, andassumes a responsibility to help provide therequirements for trained manpower in its regionthrough a cooperative effort with local industry,business, professions, and government. (SVCC Catalog& Student Handbook, 1994-95, 1)

The Division of Continuing Education and CommunityService provides ongoing extension education, training,professional development, and public and community servicefor a diverse population. The services of this division includecredit offerings on campus and at various off-campuslocations, non-credit classes, workshops, and seminarsfocusing on a wide range of subjects. Each semester

Section 4.6 Continuing Education, Outreach and Service Programs 109

hundreds of area citizens benefit from numerous activitiesincluding business and industry training, seminars foradvanced job skills, sophisticated management trainingprograms, cultural events, assessment, and careerexploration, to name a few. These services assure that allcitizens of the "community" have a continuing opportunityfor the furtherance of knowledge and extension of skills.

The basic mission of the CECS Division is "to provideextended educational services to all who can benefitthroughout the service region. This is accomplished througha comprehensive program of credit and non-credit classes aswell as other events and activities" (Handbook: ContinuingEducation and Community Services, Section 1- 1). CECS offersworkshops, seminars, and classes for enrichment, skilldevelopment, and extension to clients ranging from school-age students to public school teachers, secretaries, AlliedHealth personnel, industry laborers, business executives,and senior citizens.

Enrichment activities for elementary school children takethe form of summer day camps in the areas of art, arts andcrafts, and computers. Public school teachers routinely takecourses that meet the requirements for updating teachingcertificates. The CECS Division co-sponsors with theAmerican Coal Foundation, Consolidation Coal Company,and Pittston Coal Company a three-day "Coal in theClassroom Workshop" whereby selected teachers fromthroughout the service region attend an intensive workshopon coal issues and awareness. In addition, many localteachers take advantage of the "Aerospace Institute forTeachers," which has been held each summer since 199 1.

CECS sponsors an annual professional developmentworkshop to address the particular needs of secretaries fromboth SVCC and business and industry throughout theservice region. Allied Health personnel may obtainspecialized certifications necessary for their work withoutleaving southwest Virginia. Industry laborers, such as coalminers, routinely attend various mandatory and certificationclasses that state and federal regulatory agencies require formaintaining necessary certifications. In 1992 CECS alsosponsored a workshop for visiting Russian coal miners togive them an orientation to the work environment and toshowcase the various technologies of coal mining found insouthwest Virginia.

Business executives have taken advantage of the College'sAmerican Management Association program to enhance theirmanagerial skills. CECS provides senior citizens a wide110 Section IV: Educational Program

variety of programs and courses in partnership with theAppalachian Agency for Senior Citizens (AASC). AASC waslocated on the SVCC campus for many years before leasing abuilding from the SVCC Educational Foundation locateddirectly across the highway from SVCC. Also, CECS hastaken the lead in the establishment of a Pre-employmentTraining Center for dislocated workers in the region. Fromits inception in July 1994 to October 1994, the Center served75 dislocated workers, either by placing them in classroomtraining programs or in on-the-job training programs withlocal industries. SVCC's President and a number of facultyserve on the executive board for this project.

The results of these classes and many others not mentionedare not only personally satisfying and enriching but clearlyrelate to the overall mission of the College, which is toprovide the region with a well trained, educated work forcethat is qualified and eager to meet the problems of the realworld.

Administrative Structure

The Continuing Education and Community Services Divisionis composed of nine members: a director, four programdevelopers, one secretary, and three office service assistants.CECS is organized, staffed, and operated with the theme ofcomprehensive services in mind. To teach credit and non-credit classes, the Office of CECS utilizes both full- andpart-time faculty. As can be seen from Chart 4.6.01, theCECS Division is appropriately organized and staffed toenhance the overall mission of the College as well as theobjectives of the division.

All four program developers are classified as twelve-monthteaching faculty. They receive sick leave, annual leave, salaryincreases, and merit pay in the same manner as all otherteaching faculty and are afforded the same opportunities forprofessional development as other teaching faculty.Specifically, one program developer has completed therequirements for her doctoral degree and was awarded aVirginia Chancellor's Fellowship that included a year-longsabbatical in 1992-93. In addition, the director and threeother program developers hold a minimum of a master'sdegree. The following descriptions of the program developersgive an overview of how the division functions in carryingout its comprehensive mission.

Section 4.6 Continuing Education, Outreach and Service Programs . 111

Chart 4.6.01

Dean of Instruction

Coordinator of EveningOfferings

Secretary

Director of ContinuingEducation

Lay AdvisoryCommittee

Secretary

Allied Health PrograDeveloper

Office ServicesAssistant

Employment TrainingProgram Developer


Business & IndustryProgram Developer


Allied Health Program Developer

Community ServicesProgram Developer

The primary role of the Program Developer for Allied Healthis to coordinate Continuing Education Programs andservices for allied health personnel. The Allied HealthProgram Developer anticipates and responds to the needs ofallied health professionals in SVCC's service region. A goodexample is the relatively new nurse's assistant requirement.Recent legislation requires that nursing assistants workingin home health and long-term-care facilities be certified bythe Virginia State Board of Nursing. From the inception ofthis requirement in 1990 through the summer of 1994,CECS coordinated training classes for 953 nursingassistants (CECS Annual Reports, 1991-94). The NursingAssistant Program uses a faculty of nine registered nursesand two licensed practical nurses to teach at sevenlocations. In 1993, the Nursing Assistants Program


BEST COPY AVAILABLE 93

successfully completed a state audit and receivedcertification to continue.

Another example is the recent Drug Control Act whichmandates that physicians' authorized agents receive trainingin curriculum approved by the State Board of Nursing. Thistraining is designed to prepare authorized agents to performtheir duties and responsibilities effectively, teaching theagent the proper administration of medications. The agentswork at facilities licensed by the Department of MentalHealth, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services;the Department of Social Services: and the Department ofYouth and Family Services.

The Allied Health Program Developer is not only involved inprogram development and in instructing and supervisingnursing assistant programs, but also assists with theimplementation of grants and contracts, such as ContinuingEducation for Health Care Professionals, Drug EliminationTechnical Assistance, and the Association of ConcernedTenants.

Employment Training Program Developer

The Employment Training Program Developer is responsiblefor individual and group assessment activities as requestedthrough various agencies within the service area, includingJob Training Partnership Act (JTPA), Appalachian Agency forSenior Citizens, and county Departments of Social Services.In addition, this program developer coordinates the FoodStamp Employment Training Program (FSET) to clients whoreceive assistance through the Tazewell County Departmentof Social Services. The Division of CECS administers theFSET program under a letter of agreement with TazewellCounty Department of Social Services. Eligible clientshaving completed job search activities enter testing andassessment activities and complete plans of participationvarying from short-term training options to one-yearcertificate programs of study.

Community Services Program Developer

The Community Services Program Developer serves as liaisonwith community leaders for recommending needed programsand courses. In addition to working closely with theBusiness and Industry Program Developer, this programdeveloper is also instrumental in obtaining andimplementing the Work and Family Institute grant, whichwas first awarded to the College in 1988. Its purpose is tohelp both employers and employees balance such demands


as time management, wellness, child care, parenting, andstress management. Another contract, Integrating LifestylesManagement, is one of three awarded to SVCC by theSouthwest Virginia Public Education Consortium in aneffort to provide public education teachers the opportunity toattend tuition-free classes in their curriculum for re-certification.

Examples of types of courses taught by the CommunityServices Program Developer include goal setting, fitness,CPR, first aid, nutrition, communication skills, lifestylemanagement, stress management, and motivational courses.

Business and Industry Program Developer

The Program Developer for Business and Industry focuses onthe various training needs of local business and industry.The Director of CECS regularly meets and consults with theregional economic development organizations in PlanningDistrict II to ascertain from community, business, andindustry the needs in order to design classes and workshopsspecifically to help provide the requirements for a trainedwork force at all levels. When specific needs are identified,the Business and Industry Program Developer is thenresponsible for the curriculum development, customizing,coordination, supervising and/or teaching of the classes,workshops, and seminars needed throughout the businesscommunity. CECS staff have developed partnerships withlocal business and industry professionals, as evidenced bythe fact that in 1992-93 over 50 different businesses andagencies throughout the service region participated inclasses/workshops/seminars offered through the CECSDivision.

The Business and Industry Program Developer combinesefforts with other members of the Continuing Educationteam to develop new curricula to meet the economic needs ofthe changing community. For example, the HospitalityManagement curriculum, which provides training in tourism,will lead Co potential employment opportunity in the futurefor this region. Examples of courses/workshops taught bythe Business and Industry Program Developer include teambuilding, personality assessment, lifestyle management,stress management, fitness, nutrition, communicationskills, and motivation courses.

Adjunct Faculty

The director ensures that the CECS Division meets theestablished institutional policies and procedures for credit


courses within the College's regular instructional program byhiring qualified adjunct instructors in accordance withVCCS and institutional policy. All applicants must completeappropriate state applications and forms for personnel files.Together, the appropriate division chair and Director ofContinuing Education select adjunct faculty, who must meetthe same qualifications as full-lime faculty teaching thesame credit courses. Also, to give the adjunct facultyconnections to the full-time faculty and to ensure thoroughunderstanding of the College's expectations, just before eachfall term begins, the College holds an orientation workshopfor adjunct faculty.

The Director of Continuing Education selects faculty fornon-credit courses based on their expertise and presentationof credentials. Just as adjunct faculty who teach creditcourses must do, these faculty must complete theapplication process. The director is responsible for theirorientation and supervision. The CECS Handbook (Section2.9) provides information and conveys policies andprocedures that must be followed.

Classes

Credit

The CECS Division offers credit classes that will be coveredlater in this chapter in the section entitled "Eveningprograms: On and Off Campus."

Non-Credit

The CECS Division administers a comprehensive program ofnon-credit classes and activities on the SVCC campus andthroughout the service region. These non-credit offerings arenormally structured to serve the specific educational needsof clientele, are short-term, and are offered in a variety ofdelivery modes and at various locations. 'The followingdistinction is made between non-credit continuing educationactivities and community service activities: Non-creditactivities for which C.E.U. credit is awarded are consideredto be continuing education: non-credit activities for whichno C.E.U. credit is awarded are considered to be communityservice" (VCCS Policy Manual Section 5.0. 1.0).

The non-credit offerings through the CECS Division are amixture of community service and C.E.U.-awardingactivities. In awarding the C.E.U., the College follows thenational guidelines as outlined in The Continuing EducationUnit: Criteria and Guidelines and in the VCCS Policy Manual.

Section 4.6 Continuing Education. Outreach and Service Programs 115

SVCC awards the C.E.U. as a unit of measure to recognizean individual's participation in non-credit activities thatmeet appropriate criteria. Courses awarding C.E.U.'s areplanned in response to an assessment of educational needsfor a specific target population. After pre-planning with thetarget group and instructional personnel, a rationalestatement and objectives for the course are formulated. Thecourse content is developed and organized in a sequentialmanner, after which the course is approved by an academicor administrative unit of the institution, usually theDirector of Continuing Education.

The CECS Division follows the national guidelines forrecording C.E.U.'s. As required by Standard Nine of TheContinuing Education Unit: Criteria and Guidelines, one C.E.U.is awarded for each ten contact hours of participation in an"organized continuing education experience, underresponsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualifiedinstruction" (VOCS Policy Manual, Section 5.0. 1 .0 .0). AllC.E.U. information and records are recorded and stored inthe CECS Division. The Continuing Education Divisionresponds to all requests for transcripts of C.E.U. courses,records of which remain with the CECS Division for aminimum of 20 years. These records contain the followinginformation:

a.Student information. such as the name of thestudent, social security number, title of the course,starting and ending dates for each course, and thenumber of C.E.U.'s awarded.

b. Activity information, such as the title anddescription of the activity, starting and endingdates, format of the activity, name(s) of theinstructors, any cooperating sponsors,associations, or companies, activity classification,roster of participants, and the number of C.E.U.'sto be awarded. (VCCS Policy Manual, Section5.0.1.0.2)

This information is required as a part of each course outlinethat is submitted prior to the beginning of a course. Reportsfor CECS programs are filed semi-annually with the VCCSOffice and as requested by other agencies.

Physical and Financial Resources

Administrative offices for the Division of CECS are locatedin Buchanan Hall in facilities that are convenient and


97

0functional. Rooms are readily available for on-campusactivities, and off-campus sites are adequate.

Courses offered as credit follow the same tuition charge asother classes offered at the institution. The tuition and feesfor non-credit classes must be sufficient for the classes to beself-supporting in the aggregate and are established toprovide funds to pay the direct cost plus an additional SOpercent to defray general overhead costs. The VCCSencourages colleges to operate the non-credit program as a"Profit Center" for the institution. Profits from non-creditprograms may be utilized by a college as deemed appropriateor necessary and may be carried over from one fiscal year toanother. While there is no uniform tuition for various non-credit classes, a comprehensive fee of 50 cents per studentper class is required in addition to the tuition for thepurpose of supporting parking and student activities. Factorsused in establishing the tuition for each class include lengthof class, type of class, class enrollment, and instruction costcompared to the fixed cost. All funds for the CECS Divisionare received and disbursed through the State Treasury.

As shown in Table 4.6.01, the College's Maintenance andOperation Budget, which is made up of personnel costs andother objects of expenditure (OTPS), provides the majorfunding for operation of the CECS Division. Special grantsand contracts provide additional financial resources, whichenable the institution to go well beyond basic CECSofferings.


98

Tab

le 4

.6.0

1So

uthw

est V

irgi

nia

Com

mun

ity C

olle

geC

ontin

uing

Edu

catio

n& C

omm

unity

Ser

vice

s D

ivis

ion

Exp

endi

ture

s

MIS

CO

DE

Dep

t.N

ame

1988

-89

405

Con

tinui

ng E

dIn

stru

ctio

nN

on-C

EU

462

Adm

inis

trat

ion

Con

tinui

ngE

duca

tion

119

Inst

ruct

ion

Voc

atio

nal

146

Inst

ruct

ion

Ass

ista

nts

170

Hot

el-R

est

Inst

itutio

nal

Man

agem

ent

247

Die

tetic

s33

9FS

ET

355

Publ

icSe

rvic

e

Tot

al

Pers

onal

Ser

vice

s12

.047

.44

86,9

53.3

60.

0011

7,90

8.86

10.0

25.0

478

,557

.22

0.00

39,6

22.n

345,

114.

636.

436.

993,

027.

510.

000.

000.

009,

173.

270.

000.

0018

,637

.77

07113

Tot

al18

,484

.43

89,9

80.8

70.

011

7,90

8.86

10.0

25.0

487

,730

.49

0.0

39,6

22.n

363,

752.

40

1989

-90

Pers

onal

Ser

vice

s14

,373

.06

88,4

05.5

60.

0010

5.93

9.85

24.6

31.1

076

.306

.65

0.00

43,5

01.3

835

3.15

7.60

3,44

7.32

4,78

4.15

000

3,21

0.00

0.00

3,42

1.65

0.00

0.00

14,8

63.1

2T

otal

17,8

20.3

893

,189

.71

0.0

109,

149.

8524

,631

.10

79.7

28.3

00.

043

,501

.38

368,

020.

72

1990

-91

Pers

onal

Ser

vice

s18

,284

.95

92.7

47.3

40.

0055

,916

.57

25,0

70.8

194

.819

.27

0.00

45.5

19.4

733

2.35

8.41

OT

PS3,

370.

842,

768.

810.

0050

0.11

0.00

4,37

3.75

0.00

0.00

11,0

13.5

1T

otal

21,6

55.7

995

,516

.15

0.0

56,4

16.6

825

.070

.81

4,46

8.83

90.

045

,519

.47

343,

371.

92

1991

-92

Pers

onal

Ser

vice

s14

,960

.93

93,0

17.6

60.

0060

,398

.46

52,4

97.9

452

872.

0119

,725

.92

45.8

05.7

833

9,27

8.70

OT

PS10

,514

.91

3,77

5.03

0.00

0.00

0.00

3.58

5.67

6.07

3.92

0.00

23,9

49.5

3T

otal

25,4

75.8

496

.792

.69

0.0

60.3

98.4

652

,497

.94

56.4

57.6

825

,799

.84

45,8

05.7

836

3,22

8.23

1992

-93

Pers

onal

Ser

vice

s16

.006

.07

94,7

49.4

61.

018.

7235

.626

.95

48.5

23.6

427

.415

.20

37.6

24.2

344

.752

.60

305.

716.

87O

TPS

10.8

05.2

73,

819.

730.

000.

000.

00'8

40.1

0'7

12.2

60.

0016

,177

.36

Tot

al26

,811

.34

98,5

69.1

91,

018.

7235

,626

.95

48.5

23.6

428

,255

.30

38.3

36.4

944

,752

.60

321,

894.

23

1993

-94

Pers

onal

Ser

vice

s12

.171

.45

93.7

73.3

81,

653.

5038

,073

.03

49.8

09.7

198

,849

.80

37.7

91.3

348

,992

.89

381,

115.

09O

TPS

8,35

3.42

10.8

73.0

70.

000.

000.

001,

795.

150.

000.

0021

,021

.64

Tot

al20

,524

.87

104,

646.

451,

653.

5038

,073

.03

49,8

09.7

110

0.64

4.95

37,7

91.3

348

,992

.89

402,

136.

73

9910

0

118

.Se

ctio

n IV

: Edu

catio

nal P

rogr

am

BE

ST

CO

PY

AV

AIL

AB

LE

Most states use a system for computing contact hours andequating the number of contact hours to an FTE (Full TimeEquivalency) to obtain funding from the state for CECS non-credit classes. Since Virginia does not employ such a system,the self-study committee evaluating Continuing Education,Outreach, and Service Programs at SVCC proposes thatSVCC encourage the Virginia Community College Systemto explore with state funding agencies the possibility offunding non-credit course offerings.

Program Evaluation

The CECS Division regularly evaluates credit and non-creditofferings. Continuing Education personnel frequentlycompare the purpose and goals of the institution with thelearning objectives of classes. Instructors routinely assessstudent learning, and students complete evaluations ofinstructors in both credit and non-credit classes. Creditcourses offered through CECS use the same evaluation formas other credit classes. Non-credit classes use a differentform. CECS personnel regularly use evaluation results todetermine which courses should be included on institutionalschedules and how courses can be improved for the future.

A specific example of program evaluation can be shown withthe College's American Management Association (AMA)classes. Course syllabi indicate the evaluation process, and apre-test is given. At the end of the classes students completean evaluation and take a post-test. Additionally, theprogram planner talks with the instructor about ways toimprove the offering. During these discussions, programoutcomes are compared with program objectives. Programplanners and the director meet and discuss offerings,including frequency, cost, target group, and institutionalappropriateness. Changes that have occurred as a result ofprogram evaluation for the American ManagementAssociation classes have included the following: limitingcourse offerings to alternate semesters, eliminating summerofferings due to diversity of vacation schedules, adjustingcost to meet area economy, and selecting instructors basednot only upon their topic knowledge but on their industrialexperience as well. Evaluations have indicated that thisexperience is essential for developing program credibility.Results have been discussed internally and externally withthe AMA advisory committee at SVCC to explore newofferings, eliminate ineffective programs, expand currentprograms, improve instructor effectiveness, explore ways tomake classes more cost effective, examine course offerings in


relation to the mission of the College, and serve the needs ofthe community.

A second example of using program evaluations forinstructional Improvement has occurred in the CertifiedNursing Assistant (CNA) Program. Both the State Board ofNursing and SVCC set the standards for evaluation, whichhave led to the identification of the following:

A health care Program Developer in CECS.

Increased emphasis on the pass rate of the CNA stateexamination.

Development of a career study program to expandofferings for participants.

Provision of staff training and coordination of CNAinstructors.

Another evaluation process involves Continuing Educationand Community Services directors from all communitycolleges who meet periodically as a group to discuss commonproblems, such as the evaluation of programs. CECSdirectors rely on each other for many program improvementideas that have been piloted throughout the region.

Independent program developers have evaluated grants andcontracts within the CECS Division. Such monitoring hasoccurred in the Food Stamp Employment Training Programand the Cumberland Plateau Housing Authority. As a resultof outside monitoring, courses have been eliminated,expanded, and revised accordingly.

EVENING PROGRAMS: ON-CAMPUS AND OFF-CAMPUS

Because the large service area, mountainous roads, andlengthy travel time make attendance a difficulty for manystudents, evening on-campus and off-campus classes havebeen an integral part of the overall instructional programsince the College was opened in 1968. These evening classes,wherever they are held, are designed to meet the educationalneeds of working adults and other individuals who areunable to attend day on-campus classes.

The development and management of all evening and off-campus classes fall under the overall leadership of the Deanof Instruction. The Director of Continuing Education andthe Evening Coordinator, who both report directly to theDean, share in the planning and administration of these

120 section lv: Educational Program

1.02

evening on-campus and off-campus programs and classes.The VCCS Policy Manual (Section 1.2) and the SVCCHandbook of Continuing Education and Community Services(Section 2.0) specify that credit classes offered throughcontinuing education are considered a regular part of theCollege's credit instructional program and may be offered onthe main campus or at locations throughout the serviceregion.

Currently, the Director of Continuing Education, incooperation with the appropriate academic division chairand the Evening Coordinator, is responsible for theoperation of classes at the following off-campus locations:Castlewood, Haysi, Lebanon, Tazewell, and Falls Mills.Classes offered at these locations are scheduled inconjunction with the respective division head, who assistswith the employment, assignment, supervision, andevaluation of faculty, as well as provide appropriate coursesyllabi and instructional materials and textbooks. Theacademic division chair is ultimately responsible for facultyassigned to classes in his or her division wherever they aretaught.

The Evening Coordinator functions much like the Director ofContinuing Education for on-campus evening classes andoff-campus classes located in the areas of Grundy, Garden,Council, Whitewood, and Keen Mountain CorrectionalCenter. The Evening Coordinator's major responsibilitiesinclude:

. Coordinate on-campus evening registrations incooperation with the admissions and financial aid office.

. Coordinate off-campus evening registrations fordesignated locations.

. Assist students taking evening classes in the counselingand advisement process.

. For on-campus and other designated locations, develop,promote, evaluate and coordinate a comprehensiveprogram of evening classes.

. In cooperation with academic division chairs, coordinatethe employment and orientation of faculty for designatedlocations including procurement of textbooks andmaterials, LRC services, and other needed items.

Section 4.6 Continuing Education. Outreach and Service Programs . 12 1

In addition to the assistance provided by full-timecounselors and Student Development Services staff membersfor evening and off-campus students, both the EveningCoordinator and the Director of Continuing Educationutilize part-time site coordinators and clerical staff whoassist with the advisement and registration process, issuebooks and materials, administer class evaluations, andprovide other required services.

While the Evening Coordinator and Director of ContinuingEducation participate in the offering of numerous programsand classes, they do not administer any "free standing"degree program. Therefore, the College operates incompliance with SACS Criteria and has not been required toinform the Executive Director of the Commission of suchplans. It should be noted that historically a number ofcertificates and degree programs have grown from classesoriginating initially through the Division of ContinuingEducation and Community Services.

CENTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

In 1988, in an effort to stimulate economic growth andcreate job opportunities throughout the service region, theCollege started the Center for Economic Development (CED).In addition to the Center for Economic Development,members of the SVCC faculty and staff are activeparticipants in regional economic development effortsthereby increasing the economy and job opportunities for arecitizens.

Mission and Purpose

The Center for Economic Development provides or linksentrepreneurs and businesses in the designated service areaswith information and expertise. The goal is to help managersbecome more successful in avoiding business problems andmore competent to compete effectively in their chosenmarkets.

The CED is a "one stop shopping center" for those needingbusiness, technology, or government contracting help. Thiseffort is aided by GED's ties with worldwide sources ofinformation through the Virginia Tech Information Center(VTIC), the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), the VirginiaDepartment of Economic Development (VDED), and the USSmall Business Administration (SBA). These sources,coupled with the high level of expertise of CED personnel,make it possible to deal with systems management and other


104

issues not ordinarily available at no cost to area businessesand industries.

CED service is provided through the mechanism of threeprograms: the Technology Assistance and Transfer Program(TATP), the Procurement Assistance Center (PAC], and theSmall Business Development Ccntcr (SDDC). CED typicallyserves more than 400 clients (persons or businesses) peryear.

Organization

The organization of the Center for Economic Developmentfor the 1993-94 year is shown in the chart below. Althoughstaffing for the center is expected to remain basically thesame, due to funding changes, some realigmnent may takeplace in the future. It should be noted that, although theCED operates as a separate unit, excellent relationships andchannels for communication exist between the CED staffand other divisions of the College.

Chart 4.6.02

Center for EconomicDevelopment

Technology Assistance&Transfer Program

Director

Secretary

Procurement AssistanceCenter

Officer

Secretary

Small BusinessDevelopment Center

Director

Secretary


105

FundingFunding for the Center is derived from special grants andcontracts with several agencies. Budgets are provided inTable 4.6.02 showing funding for the past three years.

Table 4.6.02

Technology Assistance and Procurement Assistance Small BusinessTransfer Program center Development Center

(TATP) (PAC) (SBDC)

FY-92-93 FY-93-94 FY -94 -95 CY 1993 CY 1994 CY 1996 CY CY CY1993 1994 1995

$101,917 $104,721 $52.961 $145,115 $160,200 $181.911 $88.000 $88.00 $88,00(

It should be noted that for the 1994-95 year reduced fundinglevels occurred in the Technology Assistance and TransferProgram. College administration is making every effort tohave these funds restored. A brief summary of each of theelements comprising the Center follows.

Technology Assistance and Transfer Program

The Technology Assistance and Transfer Program is apartnership between the Virginia Center for InnovativeTechnology (CIT) and the Virginia Community CollegeSystem. The TATP advances Virginia's economic growth andtechnology leadership by providing Virginia businesses withaccess to new technologies and technical and educationalresources. Ten directors located at community collegesthroughout the Commonwealth offer direct, confidentialassistance to help companies use scientific andtechnological (federal and state) research to improve theirperformance and increase their competitive ability.

The TATP is linked, through CIT. with five universities inVirginia having Industry-supported specialties in such fieldsas fiber optics: power electronics: coal and mineralbenefication; advanced ceramics; composites; semi-custom

124. SectionIV: Educational Program

/06

integrated circuits: wireless communications: bioprocessproduct development; drug design, delivery, and clinicalapplications; excellence in command, communications,control and intelligence: electrochemical science andapplications; and magnetic bearings. In addition, there aredirect linkages with 9 other community colleges which arealso providing TATP services in their service areas.

At SVCC, TATP provides direct assistance to 30-50 industrialclients and 50-70 community organizations or initiatives peryear. Services range from provision of information onpertinent topics, such as patents, to in-depth assessment ofoperations and recommendations for modifications. Clientsrespond with estimates of value of the service and itseconomic impact with rates of about 25 percent.Additionally, TATP sponsors or conducts conferences,seminars, and teleconferences on selected technology issues,a listing of which is available for the visiting committee inthe Office of Planning and Development.

Procurement Assistance Center

The Procurement Assistance Center is sponsored by the USDefense Logistics Agency and is organized to generateemployment and improve the local economy by assistingbusiness firms in obtaining federal, state, and localgovernment contracts. Southwest Virginia CommunityCollege's PAC is one of only three such centers in theCommonwealth and the only one located at a communitycollege.

The PAC assists local companies wishing to access foreigntrade opportunities, receive state bid announcements, andparticipate in computer based, on-line, bid-matchingservices. Also maintained is an administrative library. whichincludes federal regulations and the Federal Register.Additionally, PAC provides business and industryrepresentatives assistance on pre- and post-contract awardprocedures. PAC sponsors or conducts seminars,conferences, and teleconferences on a variety of business andprocurement related topics at sites throughout the twentycounty service area of southwestern Virginia, west ofRoanoke.

The PAC provides in-depth counseling to some 200businesses per year, many of them owned by women andminorities. The measure of success for the project is contractawards. Last calendar year there were 36 contract awards fora total of $10,078,783 to businesses served by the Center.

Section 4.6 Continuing Education. Outreach and Service Programs 125

Small Business Development Center

The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) ispartnered with the US Small Business Administration andthe Virginia Department of Economic Development and isone of 23 located in Virginia. The SBDC's purpose is to makeelements of business management, such as counselinginformation, technical assistance, and operations training,more accessible to small businesses.

Services provided by the SBDC include business planningand specialized training. The SBDC director assistscompanies with marketing techniques and suggests ways topackage business loans. Throughout the year SBDCsponsors or conducts seminars, conferences, andteleconferences on a variety of business related topics.

Measures of success are numbers of clients served; jobscreated, saved, or stabilized: capital investment made; andincreases in sales. During the past calendar year the SBDCserved about 180 clients. It is estimated that over 40 jobswere created, and more than 15 jobs saved or stabilized.Approximately $900,000 in capital investments were madethrough the efforts of the SBDC, and sales in the servicearea increased by over $250,000.

OTHER SERVICE RELATIONSHIPS

A sampling of SVCC's many other special servicerelationships includes:

Southwest Virginia Law Enforcement AcademyAppalachian Agency for Senior CitizensClinch Valley Community Action Head StartCumberland Mountain Community Services

Southwest Virginia Law Enforcement Academy

The Southwest Virginia Law Enforcement Academy locatedon the college campus was established in 1972 for thepurpose of providing education and training for all of the lawenforcement agencies in Southwest Virginia. The academy isapproved by the Department of Criminal Justice Services inRichmond to offer basic, specialty, and in-service training forlaw enforcement officers. It is totally separate from theCriminal Justice Program SVCC offers. In the fall of 1994 theacademy opened to civilians who would like to pursue lawenforcement certifications.


108

Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens

Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens (AASC), a private,non-profit organization funded by federal, state, and localsources, coordinates two employment training programs withthe College and frequently uses the instructional staff,facilities, and services of the College. Both the College andthe Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens benefit from thisspecial relationship. At one time the AASC was located onthe college campus, but due to its growth the agency movedacross from the College into a leased building owned by theCollege Foundation.

Clinch Valley Community Action Head Start

The CECS Division served as the liaison in securing a HeadStart facility on the campus of SVCC. The Division workedwith the College's classified staff organization and thefinancial supporter of this facility, Clinch Valley CommunityAction, to make this Child Care Center a reality. TheCollege's connection with this facility is to provide the land.The building exceeds local and federal codes for size andsafety. The 28 x 76-foot, $80,000 mobile unit has twoclassrooms, a kitchen. and two baths. At full capacity thebuilding houses 50 children between the ages of three andsix. The staff consists of two teachers and two aides. Thefacility is limited to children who qualify financially for HeadStart. Future plans include expansion of the program toprovide services for children of SVCC students, faculty, andclassified staff. The facility, which opened in September1994, is located below the Buchanan Hall parking lot closeto the maintenance building.

Cumberland Mountain Community Services

The College has two special agreement contracts withCumberland Mountain Community Services (CMCS). Thefirst is an agreement to provide counseling services to theemployees of SVCC at a charge not to exceed what theemployee's health care provider will cover. Another programunder the auspices of Cumberland Mountain CommunityServices is the Sheltered Workshop, which provides workactivities for area citizens who are mentally, physically,and/or emotionally impaired. The College has a specialagreement with the Sheltered Workshop for them to providepersonnel four days a week during the months of Aprilthrough October to mow all areas designated by SVCCgrounds men, weed-eat, sweep sidewalks, and clear trash anddebris from grounds and parking areas. CMCS provides alltools and equipment necessary to complete these tasks andSection 4.6 Continuing Education, Outreach and Service Programs 127

complies with all prescribed safety practices while on SVCCpremises.

CONCLUSION

The self-study committee evaluating Continuing Education,Outreach, and Service Programs finds that the CECSDivision at SVCC exceeds the requirements set forth bySACS. CECS programs clearly relate to the purpose of theCollege as they provide comprehensive credit and non-creditclasses, workshops, and seminars that offer lifelong learningopportunities for the citizens of the four-county service area.The CECS Division follows national guidelines for recordingC.E.U.'s and regularly evaluates both credit and non-creditclasses.

The CECS Division demonstrates that it possesses thenecessary resources and services to support its programs. Amajor strength of the Division is a staff that couplesflexibility and versatility with knowledge and skills. Thesefaculty members pursue professional development, engage incourse and curriculum development, serve on s v cccommittees, and participate in state and regionalcommittees. They enjoy the same consideration in matters ofsalary, promotion, professional security, and other benefitsas faculty who teach in other divisions of the College.

The areas of Evening On- and Off-campus Classes and theCenter for Economic Development function appropriatelywith respect to their mission and stated goals and objectives.In addition, the College has established numerous servicerelationships with outside agencies that have proved and arecontinuing to prove to be quite beneficial to the community.


ID

o

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM: CONTINUING EDUCATION/OUTREACH


The self-study committee proposes that SVCC encourage the VirginiaCommunity College System to explore with state funding agencies thepossibility of funding non-credit course offerings.

Section 4.8.1 - 4.8.5 Faculty I 129

*M. J. ThornhillChair

Brady Burieswriter

Tom Coughlan

Mike Goins

Warren Harris

Tom Hopkins

Elaine Jenne lle

Lorrian KilgoreRecorderResigned

Tony Lotito

Jane Patsel

Sherri Ratliff

Teresa Richardson

Sandy StephensonLiaison

Betsy Summerfield

Associate Professor, Mathematics

Associate Professor, History and Government

Laboratory Mechanic B. AV&DES

Assistant Instructor, Talent Search Advisor

Professor, English

Assistant Professor, Electronics/Electricity

Library Assistant

Executive Secretary, Office of EconomicDevelopment

Professor, Coordinator of Evening Offerings

Associate Professor, Office Systems Technology

Assistant Professor. CE Program Developer

Office Services Specialist, Dean of Instruction'sOffice

Associate Professor, Data Processing

Human Resources Officer

Section 4.8.1 - 4.8.5 Faculty I 133

INTRODUCTION

Two self-study committees evaluated Section 4.8 of SACSCriteria on Faculty. This committee studied the areas:Selection Preparation, Part-time Faculty Matters, andCompensation. The committee's first objective was todetermine whether Southwest Virginia Community College(SVCC) has hired qualified faculty members for both full-and part-time positions. The second was to investigate thesalary and benefit package to see that it is conducive toretaining current faculty members and hiring new faculty.

To accomplish these objectives, the committee met with theDean of Instruction and the various division chairs todiscuss hiring practices. The committee had as a member theHuman Resources Officer for the College, who provideddetailed descriptions of the hiring procedure as well as thebenefits package.

In addition, the committee had access to all employmentqualification folders for both full- and part-time faculty. Thecommittee used published salary figures for both the VirginiaCommunity College System (VCCS) and for the southernregion of the United States.

SELECTION

SVCC has an employment procedure which leads to hiringfully qualified faculty. This procedure follows the guidelinesof the VCCS for recruitment and appointment of facultystated in the VCCS Policy Manual (Section 3.4.3) and in theFaculty Handbook (Section 3.030).

To begin the process, the division chair/ director seeking tocreate a new position or fill a vacancy consults with theDean of Instruction and the President. Once the position isapproved. the division chair/director prepares the positiondescription and announcement, which must be approved bythe Office of Human Resources and the President.

The Office of Human Resources has responsibility formailing the position announcement to the EqualEmployment Opportunity/Affirmative Action (EEO/AA)distribution list; posting the position announcement oncampus; notifying appropriate state agencies of the vacancy:in most instances, advertising the position in applicablenewspapers and magazines; and then receiving applications,

Section 4.8.1 4.8.5 Faculty I . 135

establishing the job file folder, and notifying the appropriatedivision chair/director and dean when the applicationdeadline has passed and the applicant pool is ready forreview. After the deadline has passed, in consultation withthe Dean of Instruction and the President, the Office ofHuman Resources determines the method of review ofapplications, which may or may not include the use of ascreening committee.

If an ad hoc screening committee is decided upon, Section3.031 of the Faculty Handbook is followed. The Dean ofInstruction or the President appoints the committee afterconsultation with the appropriate division chair/director.The Human Resources Officer is an ex-officio member of allad hoc screening committees.

Duties assigned to the screening committee usually include:

1. Select a chair, if one has not been designated.

2. Become familiar with duties and responsibilities of theposition and the desired qualifications of the appointee.

3. Become familiar with the method of reviewing applicants'folders and consistently apply the method to allapplicants.

4. Participate in the identification of leading candidates tobe Invited for an interview.

5. Develop interview questions to be asked or decide whatother information and activities will be required andadhered to consistently for all applicants who areinterviewed.

6. Participate in the interview process.

7. Participate in evaluating each candidate's strengths andweaknesses.

8. Recommend top choices to the dean.

The chair of the screening committee is responsible forsetting meetings; distributing information: conveying to thecommittee the confidential nature of the proceedings so thatfrank discussions can be held: and preparing written reportsto the dean. division chair/director, and the President.

If an ad hoc screening committee is not used, the Immediatesupervisor, in consultation with the dean, determines the


candidates to be interviewed, completes the interviewingprocess, and makes recommendations in writing to the dean.

Once the dean receives the recommendations, either from ascreening committee or division chair/director, he reviewsthem and makes his recommendations to the President, whomakes all final decisions in faculty hiring.

At the end of either process, all materials used must bereturned to the Office of Human Resources, whereappropriate documentation will be filed and kept for threeyears to ensure proper compliance with all state and federalhiring practices. The Office of Human Resources also notifiesall applicants of the final decision.

Upon a candidate's acceptance of an employment offer, theOffice of Human Resources prepares paperwork to put thenew employee on the payroll: conducts orientation, whichincludes providing the employee with complete payroll andemployment information; provides assistance to the divisionchair/director and/or dean in the completion of the"Interview and Selection Report"; prepares appropriatepaperwork to submit to the VCCS for approval by the StateBoard of Community Colleges: and prepares all requireddocuments and reports to ensure compliance with EEO/AAstate and federal hiring practices.

Communication Skills

Administrators at SVCC believe all persons with teaching oradministrative responsibilities should possess effectivecommunication skills and, therefore, encourage thoseinterviewing applicants to give attention to the presence andquality of these skills during the oral interview and to readall documents thoroughly to assess written skills.

To help ensure that faculty hired possess effectivecommunication skills, all position announcements includethis statement in the "Qualifications" section: "Must possesseffective oral and written communication skills." Allcandidates are also required to write a letter of application.

Faculty Selection from Accredited Institutions

In reviews of faculty credentials, both the Dean ofInstruction and this committee determined that the highestrequired degree held by each faculty-rank employee wasawarded by a regionally accredited college or university andthat none of the faculty had attended a college or universityoutside the United States for the highest degree received.

Section 4.8.1 4.8.5 Facult3I 137

ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION FOR ASSOCIATEDEGREE PROGRAMS

In its hiring practices, Southwest Virginia CommunityCollege follows guidelines for the qualifications of full-timeand adjunct faculty as specified in VCCS Form 29, "Criteriafor Faculty Rank," which is duplicated in the FacultyHandbook (Section 3.14). These guidelines meet or exceed therelated SACS Criteria. They also give specific direction in thecase of work-related experience and competencies in place ofacademic preparation. For all faculty members, the Collegemaintains files containing the documentation of academicpreparation, specialized training, work experience, and otherqualifications. Folders for full-time faculty are located in theOffice of Human Resources and for adjunct faculty in theOffice of the Dean of Instruction.

Full-Time Teaching Faculty

To assist this self-study committee in ensuring that theacademic and professional preparation of the College'sfaculty meets the requirements of the SACS Criteria, theAdministrative Assistant to the President reviewed facultymembers' folders checking for "documentation of academicpreparation, such as official transcripts, and, if appropriatefor demonstrating competency, official documentation ofprofessional and work experience. . and certifications andother qualifications" (Criteria for Accreditation, 1992-93, 36)and recorded the information on a summary sheet for eachof the 84 full-time teaching faculty members and other full-time faculty who taught at least one course in the fallsemester of 1993.

To verify accuracy, this committee compared a randomselection of eight faculty credential files (two from eachacademic division) with the summaries the AdministrativeAssistant to the President had prepared and found nodifferences.

Four members of the committee, one from each of theacademic divisions (Business, Engineering, Humanities andSocial Sciences, and Natural Science and Mathematics),then reviewed the summary sheets according to the followingSACS Criteria For faculty teaching credit courses inhumanities/fine arts, social/behavioral sciences, andnatural sciences/mathematics, committee membersspecifically checked to see that graduate degrees and/orgraduate hours were in the area(s) in which each faculty


116

member teaches. For faculty who teach courses inprofessional, occupational and technical areas that aredesigned for transfer or where substantial numbers ofstudents do transfer, they checked for appropriate degreesand/or graduate hours in the discipline taught. For facultyteaching courses in areas not usually resulting in collegetransfer, the members checked for appropriate academicpreparation and/or academic preparation coupled with workexperience and for degrees at the same level at which thefaculty member is teaching. For faculty teaching non-degreediploma or certificate occupational courses, the committeechecked for special competence in the field coupled withappropriate college or specialized training. For facultyteaching basic computation and communication skills innon-degree occupational programs and those teaching inremedial programs, the committee checked for appropriatedegrees, work experiences, and appropriate training in theseareas.

The committee did not address the SACS Criteriarequirements for faculty teaching adult basic education(ABE) because State policy assigns A B E to public schools.

The study revealed six faculty credential files, which requiredand had sufficient justification in writing, and six additionalinstances of faculty who meet the requirements for most, butnot all, of the courses they teach. Therefore, this self-studycommittee concluded that by far most full-time facultycredentials and professional preparation meet or exceedSACS Criteria, but the committee recommended that writtenjustification be added to those files of faculty teaching somebut not all classes for which they have appropriate degrees ora sufficient number of graduate hours.

Institutional Since that time, justification has been added to thoseResponse folders where documentation had previously been needed.

Part-Time Faculty

In order to get a pool of candidates for part-time positions atSVCC. every fall before classes begin, the Office of the Deanof Instruction places an advertisement in area newspapersasking qualified persons to apply. The College normallyselects from this pool and from returning part-time facultyto fill any openings that occur.

Recognizing a need to develop a supply of qualified adjunctinstructors to teach in the area of history, the College, in

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conjunction with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and StateUniversity (VPI & SU), organized a series of graduate coursesin American history for current and prospective adjunctfaculty. Under the plan, SVCC paid for tuition and textbooksfor enrollees.

In addition to assisting prospective adjunct faculty toacquire needed graduate hours, the courses offered severalother benefits. Students read extensively in American historyand discussed ways to present the material in history surveycourses. The classes also provided an opportunity for thoseteaching history at SVCC to develop some common groundon which to build survey courses: hence, these classesresulted in an improved working relationship between full-time and part-time history instructors. Also, SVCC and VPI& SU for the first time developed an informal partnership inproviding graduate instruction for adjunct faculty employinga community college professor as the instructor, somethingother departments and colleges may wish to emulate.

These classes began in spring semester of 1987. From that.time to spring 1994, adjunct instructors have had theopportunity to take 16 graduate semester hours in history.

Candidates for adjunct positions are asked to supply thesame information as to transcripts, work-related experience,and other qualifications that full-time faculty do. However,at the beginning of the self-study, some members of thiscommittee checked several folders for part-time faculty andfound that, in many instances, the folders did not complywith the Criteria.

Institutional The committee discussed this situation with the Dean ofResponse Instruction, whose office immediately formed and

implemented a plan to correct many of the problems. Staffchecked all folders to identify those that were incomplete.They then sent a registered letter to each part-time facultywho lacked supporting documents to inform him or her ofthe deficiency and the action required to correct it.Response thus far has been good.

This committee believes that appropriate steps are beingtaken but does recommend that the Office of the Dean ofInstruction continue to press for all appropriatedocuments from part-time faculty and, when all suchdocuments are in place, that written documentationjustifying the exceptions be added to the folders of thosefaculty for whom they are needed and appropriate.


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The committee also recommends that in the future allfaculty files be kept current and complete while makingsure that all newly-hired faculty, both full- &apart-time. meet the criteria for the courses they are hired toteach.

Since the above recommendations were made, much progresshas been accomplished to correct the problems. The Office ofthe Dean of Instruction has now updated most of thefolders, and as an incentive the College paid for tuition andbooks to encourage faculty who needed additional credithours in the area they were teaching to take such classes.

The Office of the Dean of Instruction is presently conductingan in-depth review and analysis of the folders of all activeadjunct faculty members. The process includes thedevelopment of a summary sheet for each, an evaluation ofall academic course work to determine applicability to thediscipline(s) taught by each, an analysis of past academicand related experience and, where appropriate, developmentof statements of justification of the teaching assignment(s).

Ratio of Full-time to Part-time Faculty

The VCCS has established a target ratio of 70:30 full-time topart-time faculty, and one of its 1994-96 "LegislativeInitiatives" is funding for this goal. SVCC will be a part ofthis effort. Within the VCCS, the average ratio is 58:42. AtSVCC the ratio for the 1993-94 academic year was about64:36.

PART-TIME FACULTY DEVELOPMENT

Orientation and Professional Development

At the beginning of each fall semester, the College providesorientation for adjunct faculty in the form of a pre-serviceworkshop. At this workshop the faculty receive and reviewthe SVCC Adjunct Faculty Handbook during a question-and-answer session, which is followed by division meetings forthe distribution of course outlines and textbooks plusanother question-and-answer session with the appropriatedivision chair and scicctcd full-time faculty. In addition tothis initial meeting, academic division chairs periodicallyschedule joint professional development meetings andworkshops for full-time and part-time faculty.

I 19

Section 4.8.1 - 4.8.5 Faculty I . 141

Supervision

Supervision of part-time faculty is a joint endeavor betweendivision chairs and the Director of Continuing Education orthe Evening Coordinator. Practicality and timeliness dictatethat the Director of Continuing Education or the EveningCoordinator, whose primary responsibility is to oversee theoff-campus and/or evening programs, provide generalsupervision to part-time faculty. Nonetheless, division chairsare responsible for overseeing the academic programs in theirrespective divisions, and this responsibility includes thesupervision of part-time faculty in discipline or program-specific matters. For example, in recent years, division chairshave been active in developing and implementing assessmentprocedures in certain disciplines and/or programs with aresult of increased attention to facilitating greater courseconsistency by working with all faculty to achieve commoncourse goals and comparable student outcomes.

Also, division chairs periodically visit off-campus sites toassess the quality of the instructional environment inparticular classes and determine what, if any, action shouldbe taken to effect improvement. This action could range froman informal discussion with the instructor to the initiationof a meeting with the Director of Continuing Education orthe Evening Coordinator to a formal report to the Dean ofInstruction. Similarly, the Director of Continuing Educationor the Evening Coordinator typically contacts theappropriate division chair when a discipline or program-specific issue arises.

In general, the supervision of part-time faculty is a jointprocess that encourages continual involvement andinteraction between division chairs and the Director ofContinuing Education and/or the Evening Coordinator, inconjunction with and under the overall supervision of theDean of Instruction.

Evaluation

Adjunct faculty are evaluated annually using writtenevaluation procedures. Details of these evaluationprocedures are clearly stated in the Adjunct Faculty Handbook(32).

Student Access

As stated in "Classroom Responsibilities" (Adjunct FacultyHandbook 29) part-time faculty are required to schedule aminimum of one office hour per week. At off-campus142. Section IV: Educational Program

120

locations, part-time faculty must provide this schedule to0 the secretary at the site to post on the bulletin board.

FACULTY INTERACTION WITH OFF-CAMPUS STUDENTS

SVCC ensures full-time faculty interaction with off-campusstudents in several ways.

Students taking off-campus classes often have a fun-timefaculty member for an advisor whether they are on-campusor off-campus. For example, one full-time faculty member inthe Division of Humanities and Social Sciences advises allstudents in both Human Services and Mental Healthprograms. Since students are required to complete aninternship and since this faculty member arranges theinternships, all students in either of these majors, whetherthey take on-campus or off-campus classes, must meet andwork with an on-campus advisor.

Some off-campus classes are taught by full-time facultymembers. For example, the Nursing Program in Grundy hasfull-time faculty for all nursing classes. In addition, severalfull-time faculty members teach classes at off-campuslocations. Faculty from both the Division of Humanities andSocial Sciences and the Division of Natural Science andMathematics have developed and supervise off-campuscourses. Other faculty members supervise commerciallydeveloped courses.

Engineering Division off-campus classes are primarily offeredto employees of business and industry, particularly themining industry. Full-time faculty members in the MinerTraining Program almost exclusively staff these classes. Inaddition, full-time faculty teach off-campus classes in TotalQuality Management to area businesses and industries.

The electronic classroom provides yet another method ofallowing interaction between full-time faculty and off-campus students. Full-time faculty teach such courses froma classroom on campus while students can attend classeither on the campus or at one of four off-campus locationsat Graham, Grundy, Richlands, and Tazewell high schools.In the future, video and audio by way of fiber optic cableswill further enhance interaction by means of a wide areanetwork.

Student feelings about access to faculty represent anotheraspect of this issue. In response to the "Self-Study Student


121

Questionnaire," 97 percent of on-campus and 92 percent ofoff-campus students indicated that they were either"satisfied" or "very satisfied" with access to the faculty. Thestudy showed no significant differences between studentswho took classes only at off-campus sites and those whotook classes on campus.

FACULTY COMPENSATION

Salary

According to the SREB State Data Exchange Report for 1993,Virginia ranked fourth among the states in the region inaverage faculty salary. This report did not include theDecember 1993 increase. When this increase is included,Virginia ranks second. Thus, Virginia community collegesoffer salaries that are near the top for their regions.

Within the Virginia Community College System (VCCS),SVCC ranks eighth out of 23 colleges in average authorizedfull-time faculty salary. The annual authorized averagesalary is $36,016, which is slightly lower than the VCCSoverall average of $36,839 ("VCCS Faculty Salary Average1993-94"). Thus, SVCC's salary structure is adequate toattract qualified personnel. For part-time faculty SouthwestVirginia Community College follows the VCCS pay plan.

Upon his or her initial appointment, the Office of HumanResources calculates each faculty member's proposed salaryon the "Faculty Qualifications Summary" (VCCS Form 10)once faculty rank is determined in accordance with VCCScriteria listed in "Normal Minimum Criteria for Each FacultyRank" (VCCS Form 29) using educational preparation andemployment experience. The initial salary is determined fromthe VCCS Salary Schedule for Faculty Personnel (VCCSForm 18) using minimum salary and incremental amountsfor full-time work experience and education beyondrequirements for the appropriate rank ("VCCS Procedure toDetermine Faculty Entry Level Salaries," VCCS PolicyManual, Section 3.7.3).

At Southwest Virginia Community College yearly salaryincreases are calculated from a Faculty Salary Plan providedby the VCCS and based on a percent increase in theauthorized VCCS faculty salary average tied to the facultyevaluation plan. Individual increases are calculated using aportion of the funded percent increase as an across-the-board increase with the remaining percent being reserved for

144 . Section Iv: Educational Program

merit increases, promotions, and adjustments. Outlinedbelow is the formula utilized in recent years:

Current salary + % (across-the-board) + $ (rankpromotion) + $ Level I merit rating (Very Good) + $Level II merit rating (Excellent) = Salary Proposal forsubsequent year.

As reflected above, rank promotions also have an effect onsalary increases as governed by policy listed in the FacultyHandbook (Section 3.026). The Handbook includes the formfor requesting rank promotion and states the guidelines forgranting promotions.

In summary, the Committee found that the College followsapproved policies and procedures in faculty compensationmatters, Even though salary increases have been ratherlimited in recent years, SVCC's faculty salaries are adequate.

Benefits

In keeping with SACS Criteria, Southwest VirginiaCommunity College offers a choice of retirement plans,health and other insurance benefits, and many fringebenefits as well.

The primary retirement plan, as well as most other facultybenefits, is under State management. The VirginiaRetirement System (VRS) is available to all full-timeemployees in state institutions of higher learning who holdacademic rank and are engaged in teaching, administration,or research. In place of VRS, faculty may choose toparticipate in Optional Retirement Plans. Companiescurrently offering retirement plans are VALIC. Fidelity, GreatWest, Met Life, and TIAA/CREF. To whichever plan a facultymember chooses, the State contributes an amount equal to10.4 percent of his or her salary.

The health insurance plan that the Commonwealth ofVirginia offers to active employees and eligible dependents isKey Advantage, a statewide Preferred Provider Organizationprogram by Trigon Blue Cross /Blue Shield, which covershospital, medical, surgical, out-patient, prescription drug,and major medical expenses. The employee may choose theoptions of single membership, self plus one dependent, or afamily membership. The State and the individual share theper month cost as shown in Table 4.8.5.01:

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Section 4.8.1 4.8.5 Faculty 3 145

Table 4.8.5.01

Health Insurance Cost Per Month

$180 $8 $188

278 376

356 170 526

In addition, the State pays for life as well as accidentaldeath and dismemberment insurance. The amount of lifeinsurance is the employee's annual salary rounded to thenext highest thousand, then doubled; accidental deathinsurance is double the natural death benefit. A $500,000Employee Blanket Faithful Performance Public Official Bondautomatically extends to all personnel without cost to theemployee, as well as Teacher's Liability Insurance with alimit of $1.000,000 per claim for personal injury (excludingcorporal punishment). The institution also pays Workers'Compensation and Unemployment Compensation.

Two other important faculty benefits are personal leave andsick leave. Nine-month faculty members receive three days ofpersonal leave per school year, which if not used converts tosick leave at the end of the summer term following theacademic year for which granted. Sick leave for full-time,nine-month teaching faculty accrues at the rate of four andone-half days per academic semester, awarded on the firstday of each semester. There is no limit to the amount of sickleave a faculty member can accrue, and 25 percent of sickleave balance (not to exceed $5,000) is paid to a facultymember with five or more years of continuous service withthe VCCS at the time of leaving the system.

Other faculty benefits include:

. Educational aid for teaching and administrative facultyfor courses related to their work. Such leave may be atfull, partial, or no pay. This benefit requiresauthorization by the President.


BEST COPY AVAILABLE

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. The Commonwealth's premium conversion program. Thisprogram allows employees to pay health insurancepremiums before taxes are calculated.

The Commonwealth's dependent and medical carereimbursement accounts, a program which allowsemployees to pay certain dependent care and medical careexpenses through payroll deduction before taxes.

. State Employee Assistance Program (SEAS), a counselingand referral service for employees having personalproblems, such as alcohol and substance abuse, maritalor other family difficulties, financial problems, andmedical or mental disorders. All inquiries to and contactswith SEAS initiated by employees are confidential.

Common Health, Virginia's Employee Wellness Program,which is available to all employees and dependentseighteen years and older living in the home. Servicesinclude medical screenings and assistance with physicalfitness, nutrition, personal health, personal safety, stressmanagement, and weight control.

. Membership in the State Employees' Credit Union.

Access to all recreational facilities at the Collegeincluding tennis courts, weight room, playing fields, andpicnic areas.

The College also makes numerous payroll deduction optionsavailable, including tax deferred annuity plans, cancerInsurance, accident insurance, income protection, andpurchase of US Savings Bonds.

CONCLUSION

The self-study committee assigned to evaluate FacultySelection, Preparation, Part-time Faculty Matters, andCompensa.tion found that Virginia Community CollegeSystem policy, and therefore Southwest Virginia CommunityCollege policy, provides explicit guidelines for the hiring offaculty members. These meet or exceed the SACS Criteria anddo much to ensure that qualified faculty members are hiredand retained.

The committee also found that the College has done anexcellent job of hiring qualified full-time faculty members.Indeed, the committee feels that this point is a strength ofthe institution. Part-time faculty members, on the otherhand, have not always met the requirements that should be

Section 4.8.1 4.8.5 Faculty I 147

met. The committee noted this weakness and maderecommendations that will help prevent its reoccurrence inthe future.

Benefits, including salary, insurance, and retirement, arevery good and are competitive with other institutions in thesouthern region of the United States. These benefits areconducive to hiring and keeping qualified faculty members.

148 . aectioalV: Educational Program

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM: FACULTY I


. The committee recommends that the Office of the Deanof Instruction continue to press for all appropriatedocuments from part-time faculty and, when all suchdocuments are in place, that written documentationjustifying the exceptions be added to the folders of thosefaculty for whom they are needed and appropriate.

The committee recommends that in the future all facultyfiles be kept current and complete while making sure thatall newly hired faculty, both full- and part-time, meet thecriteria for the courses they are hired to teach.

Section 4.8.1 4.8.5 Faculty I. 149

COMMITTEE

Dennis HardyChair

Judy CastleWriter

Debbie SydowWriter

Ruby Absher

Robert Bevins

Michael Bishara

Alice Brown

Phyllis ChristianRecorder

Robert Chambers

Patsy Hankins

Vaughn LesterLiaison

Alice Lind

Carol Morgan

Jc Osborne

Brenda Persin

Gary Sullivan

Windell Turner

Professor. Electricity/Electronics andMining

Instructor, English

Assistant Professor, Chair of Humanities andSocial Sciences Division

Professor, Health and Physical Education


Professor, Chair of Engineering Division

Assistant Professor, Psychology

Secretary. Engineering Division

Instructor. JTPA Program Developer

Assistant Professor, Office Systems Technology

Professor, Electricity/Electronics

Assistant Professor, English

Library Assistant

Executive Secretary Senior, Office of Dean ofInstruction

Assistant Professor, Office Systems Technology

Instructor, Machine Tool Operation

Information Services Manager

Section 4.8.6 4.8.10 Faculty II 153

e

INTRODUCTION

The second of the two self-st.udy committees responsible forevaluating faculty matters at Southwest Virginia CommunityCollege (WCC) addressed the areas of Academic Freedom,Professional Growth, Loads, and Evaluation to assesscurrent institutional effectiveness in ensuring fair andreasonable work conditions for faculty. The committee setabout accomplishing this objective by reviewing assignedareas o f responsibilities; identifying strengths andweaknesses in each area, matters of concern to faculty. anddata required to evaluate the effectiveness and applicabilityof existing criteria-related policies and procedures:categorizing specific criteria: preparing data requests: andrecommending policy and procedure modifications and/oradditions.

Information came from a variety of sources, including theFaculty Handbook, the Virginia Community College System(VCCS) Policy Manual, and self-study survey results. Thecommittee devised a substantial number of questions for thefaculty and student self-study surveys; responses to thesequestions played an important role in the committee'sfindings and recommendations. Also, the committee deviseda questionnaire for the Administrative Assistant to thePresident, the responses to which provided valuableinformation about summer employment practices. Finally,the committee prepared a questionnaire for division chairs;the results of that questionnaire provided valuable insightinto the evaluation and faculty load assignment processes.The committee also utilized the results of existing researchwhich the VCCS had conducted pertaining to currentprofessional development activities and needs. The Dean ofInstruction attended meetings to answer several policy andprocedure questions.

ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND PROFESSIONAL SECURITY

Recognizing that the protection of academic freedom forfaculty is crucial to the integrity of an educationalinstitution, Southwest Virginia Community College assuresfaculty academic freedom in teaching, research, andpublication by adopting the principles of academic freedomas established by the Virginia State Board for CommunityColleges. The Faculty Handbook, which is distributed to allindividuals holding faculty rank, clearly sets forth theseprinciples:

Section 4.8.6 - 4.8.10 Faculty II 155

To insure the college an instructional program markedby excellence, the Virginia Community College Systemsupports the concept of academic freedom. In thedevelopment of knowledge, research endeavors, andcreative activities, college faculty and students mustbe free to cultivate a spirit of inquiry and scholarlycriticism . faculty and students must be able toexamine ideas in an atmosphere of freedom andconfidence and to participate as responsible citizens.(Section 3.01)

To ensure that faculty do have this freedom, SVCC hasprovided professional security in part by closely following theguidelines set forth in the VCCS Policy Manual (Section 3,Appendices II, III, and IV).

The Faculty Handbook delineates and explains the procedurefor academic rank promotion (Section 3.026). including thecriteria for achieving faculty rank as listed in the VCCS-29form, and a copy of the Request for Promotion in Rank(Section 3.14) form, which is to be completed by the facultymember making the request.

Termination and non-renewal procedures contain adequatesafeguards for protection of professional security and allowfaculty to proceed in instruction without fear ofinappropriate dismissal procedures. Neither dismissal nornonreappointment can be used "to restrain faculty rankemployees in their exercise of constitutional rights oracademic freedom as set forth in the Statement of AcademicFreedom and Responsibility adopted by the State Board"(Sections 3.022 and 3.023). The procedure for dismissal ofpersonnel holding faculty rank states that there must be"just cause" for dismissal. Among these just causes areincompetence, unsatisfactory performance of duties,insubordination, unlawful discrimination, sexualharassment, and misconduct. To provide faculty furtherprotection of academic freedom, a clearly defined grievanceprocedure is also in place.

In addition, the institution ensures faculty professionalsecurity by providing faculty members with rank and salaryproposals and one-, three-, or five-year appointments whichdescribe the terms and conditions of employment. Thepolicies pertaining to faculty rank employment, as stated inthe Faculty Handbook (Sections 3.02. 3.021, 3.25.4), ensurethat these faculty proposals are distributed in a timelymanner.


130

The only problem this committee detected while researchingappointment policy at SVCC was a faculty concern over thepolicies and procedures of summer teaching appointments.The statement about summer session employment did notadequately explain the terms and conditions of summeremployment. Also, the actual formula used to calculatesummer salaries was not included in the Handbook, and noprovision existed to inform faculty about the procedure forawarding summer appointments or the dates of notification.

Statistical data. from the Administrative Assistant to thePresident indicated that approximately 83 percent of full-time faculty who worked during the summer of 1993 receivedwritten summer appointment proposals while approximately17 percent did not. Data collected from the institutionalself-study survey, by contrast, indicated that approximately64 percent of full-time faculty working during the summer of1993 received contracts while 36 percent did not.

Approximately 16 percent of respondents believed their paywas inconsistent with pay policies contained in theHandbook. Another 32 percent of full-tune faculty did notknow if their summer pay complied with the policy.

Profiles developed from the Administrative Assistant'sstatistical data and the self-study survey did not match.Terminology, survey response rates, and similar factorscontributed to the profile variance. Nonetheless, both sets ofdata led this committee to conclude that not all facultyreceived documents describing the terms and conditions ofsummer employment in 1993.

The Administrative Assistant to the President also supplied apay document titled "1993 Summer Salary Plan for Nine-Month Teaching Faculty," which described the completeformula and procedures for computing a full-time facultymember's summer pay. The Faculty Handbook did not includethis document. The Office of the Dean of Instructioncalculated all computations for summer appointmentproposals and made recommendations to the President: theOffice of the President prepared and distributed summerappointment proposals for faculty acceptance or rejection.

These data pointed to the inconsistencies and the confusionthat typified summer employment and suggested the need forthe development of a policy that clearly described the termsand conditions of summer employment. Even though apolicy existed, it was not comprehensive, it was notconsistent with actual practice, and it was not (in itsentirety) readily accessible to faculty. Therefore, thiscommittee recommended that a comprehensive summer

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Section 4.8.6 - 4.8.10 Faculty II 157


employment policy that clearly stipulates the terms andconditions of summer employment be developed,implemented, and distributed to all faculty.

Review of this recommendation occurred during springsemester 1994, and implementation of a revised summer payplan (Faculty Handbook, Section 3.25.7) began duringsummer term 1994. The results of a survey conducted todetermine whether or not the revised summer pay plan did,in fact, stipulate the terms and conditions of summeremployment are positive. This committee surveyed all facultywho received summer contracts in 1994. Of the 60.9 percentwho responded, 100 percent stated that they received awritten appointment proposal. Furthermore, 96 percentindicated that the conditions of the proposal were fulfilled.

The administration anticipates minor refinements to therevised pay plan, but this committee on faculty matters nowconcludes that the intent of its original recommendation hasbeen met.

PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

Southwest Virginia Community College considerscontinuous and ongoing growth in the academic professionnot only a professional responsibility but a professionalethic. The expectation that faculty are regularly to engage inprofessional development activities for the purpose ofimproving as teachers scholars, and practitioners is clearlystated in the Faculty Handbook:

It is assumed that faculty will remain alert to the needfor continuous self-evaluation and professionalimprovement through various modes of research andactive participation in professional associations.(Section 3.19)

Likewise, the VCCS Policy Manual lists participation inprofessional activities as a faculty responsibility (Section3.6). Through faculty evaluation, the College annuallymonitors fulfillment of this responsibility. As an evaluationcategory professional development can comprise up to 15percent of the overall performance rating for teachingfaculty, based upon faculty-determined weighting of each ofthe performance categories. The Faculty Handbook describesprofessional development as "those activities in whichparticipation will improve classroom performance or otherservice to the college and/or the community." Activities may


132

S

include participation in professional conferences andworkshops, advanced study, and research and publication(Section 3.13: Forms TE-3, TE-4, and TE-5).

Division chairs in each instructional area encourage facultyto remain current in their disciplines. A survey of divisionchairs revealed that divisions employ several methods toencourage ongoing professional development among faculty.In addition to encouraging faculty to participate inworthwhile professional development activities, one or moredivision chairs also:

Disseminate information about relevant professionalorganizations, publications, and meetings.

Assist faculty with the development of individualdevelopment plans which enable them to map outstrategies for achieving both short-term and long-termprofessional goals.

Counsel faculty who need graduate work or othereducational training to serve the needs of studentsand/or to receive rank promotion.

Inform faculty of funds available in the division budgetthat can be used to sponsor professional developmentactivities.

Encourage faculty to compete for grant funds that can beused to sponsor professional experimentation and growth.

The College not only encourages faculty "to remain currentsin their respective disciplines and areas of employment"(Faculty Handbook, Section 3.17), but the College providesfaculty members with opportunities to continue theirprofessional development throughout their careers. Inaddition to the provision of professional developmentopportunities from the VCCS, including the Chancellor'sFellowship, designated faculty research days, and leavewithout pay for exchange teaching or full-time study (VCCSPolicy Manual Sections 3.7.8 and 3.7.9). SVCC makesopportunities for professional development activities widelyavailable to faculty through a variety of offerings, includingeducational assistance, sabbatical leave, travel costs forconference attendance, and in-service programs (FacultyHandbook, Sections 3.22 and 3.18). The ProfessionalDevelopment Committee recently developed and distributedto all faculty the SVCC Professional Development Directory, acomprehensive directory of professional developmentopportunities available to them. The directory provides

Section 4.8.6 4.8.10 Faculty II 159

specific information about each offering, including astatement of purpose, eligibility requirements, andapplication procedures. This publication will be updatedannually to ensure its currency.

Division chairs reported that approximately 25 to 33 percentof faculty request some type of support for professionaldevelopment in a typical year. Division chairs citedprofessional need, institutional need, equity, availability ofresources, and the potential of the activity to benefitstudents directly as the criteria used to determine whichfaculty members receive financial support for professionaldevelopment activities.

The Office of Human Resources is attempting to documentfaculty development activities. Forms, such as requests fortravel, educational aid, tuition reimbursement, and leave,are routed through the Office of Human Resources, whichkeeps a record of the professional meetings, conferences,training sessions, etc. that each faculty member attends. Inaddition, the Office of Human Resources annuallydistributes a computer generated form, listing thedevelopment and training activities completed by eachfaculty member over the course of the year; the form alsoincludes a place for faculty to add activities not listed on theprintout or to make other necessary corrections. Anothermeans of documentation the Office of Human Resourcesemploys is to have attendees of local training, for example,the fall in-service training session on sexual harassment,sign an attendance form. Finally, the Office of HumanResources, in yet another attempt to document facultydevelopment activities, recently distributed to each facultymember a small pad of "training record" forms, which are tobe filled out upon the completion of development activities.Information obtained on these forms includes the type oftraining received (seminar, conference, education,presentation, other], the need for additional training, andwhether or not a certificate was obtained.

These efforts by the Office of Human Resources to track fac-ulty professional development activities can only besuccessful with faculty cooperation, which involves thetimely and accurate provision of information about develop-ment activities. However, although professional developmentis clearly taking place at SVCC, and the Office of HumanResources does provide some means for documenting theseefforts, sufficient documentation of such activity is a short-coming. An institutional survey conducted in the fall of 1993revealed that only 35 percent of all full-time and part-timefaculty had completed documentation to indicate


0

professional development activities in which they hadparticipated within the last year. Since it is incumbent uponthe institution to demonstrate that such development takesplace, a systematic means of documenting professionaldevelopment activities among faculty is needed. Because it isimportant that all faculty complete the necessarydocumentation, for example, travei request and educationalaid forms, to verify their involvement in professionaldevelopment activities, this committee proposes that theadministration and theOffice of Human Resources en-courage faculty to complete appropriate documentation.

Evidence of professional development among faculty isplentiful. According to a 1992 survey of the professionaldevelopment activities of faculty (full-time and part-time) inthe Virginia Community College System, 15 percent of SVCCfaculty were shown to have taken educational or sabbaticalleave within the past three years, 35 percent had completed auniversity credit course, and 83 percent had attended aconference in the same time period (Sydow 2-5). The surveyshowed that over the past three years, 28 percent of SVCCfaculty had engaged in scholarship which had led to apublication or other significant contribution to theirdiscipline or field, and 10 percent had participated in aninternship in their occupational field. Of all respondentssurveyed 62 percent indicated that the administration atSVCC either "mildly" or "strongly" encourages professionaldevelopment, and 53 percent indicated that financial supportfor such activities is "somewhat adequate" or "adequate."More than 80 percent of SVCC respondents stated that theywould pursue professional development in the upcomingyear. A more recent institutional survey revealed that 65percent of all full-time and par&time faculty, 68 percent ofclassified staff, and 88 percent of administrative staff arecurrently members of a professional organization in theirwork area or discipline.

A two-year study conducted by the National Center forResearch in Vocational Education (Hoemer et al., 1991)identified SVCC as an exemplary institution in the area ofprofessional development. The College was one of sixteeninstitutions out of 708 whose practices in professionaldevelopment were systematic and comprehensive.

A total of 104 full-time and 11 part-time faculty and administrators at SouthwestVirginia Community College were targeted to participate in the ProfessionalDevelopment Survey conducted by the Virginia Community College System in the fallof 1992. Eighty-one individuals responded, yielding a 70.4 percent response rate.

Section 4.8.6 4.8.10 Faculty II . 161

The College has received Funds for Excellence grants fromthe State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV)for six consecutive years. These grants have provided facultyin each division with the opportunity to engage ininstructional development, particularly course development.Faculty selected to participate earned honoraria to developcourse modules emphasizing writing, art, and internationalstudies, to name a few. A five-year Title III grant awarded in199 1 has also provided a number of opportunities for facultyin a variety of disciplines to pursue graduate studies, toattend professional meetings, and to develop innovativeapproaches to instruction, particularly computer-assistedinstruction.

Because of the flexibility the College provides in the area ofprofessional development and the diversity of professionaldevelopment offerings, faculty are enabled to pursueprofessional development in personally meaningful ways--onthe basis of individual needs and desires. The College hasattempted to address the professional development needs ofa diverse faculty and staff of varying ages, Interests, andcareer stages by offering a variety of professionaldevelopment opportunities, everything from on-campusgraduate classes to in-service programs designed to addressthe stated needs of faculty. The institution continues tomake efforts to be responsive to professional developmentneeds.

In the fall of 1993, the Research and DevelopmentCommittee divided into two committees: the ProfessionalDevelopment Committee and the Research and PlanningCommittee. This division was intended to provide onecommittee the opportunity to plan and promote professionaldevelopment among faculty and staff, and the other to planand promote research. The Professional DevelopmentCommittee has already begun to take an active role inplanning in-service activities and structuring a formalprofessional development plan for the College. Thecommittee is also working toward the development of aforum for sharing information brought back fromconferences and other professional meetings to utilize in-house resources for professional development moreeffectively. Finally, the development of a somewhat commoncalendar with surrounding community colleges (MountainEmpire and Virginia Highlands) promises to promote greaterinteraction and communication among faculty and staff atthe three institutions as conferences, workshops, and otheropportunities for collegial sharing evolve from theconsortium.

162 . SectionIV: Educational Program

Clearly, the College not only meets but exceeds SACSrequirements for encouraging the professional developmentof faculty and for providing opportunities for professionalgrowth. Nonetheless, this committee proposes that theCollege develop a public forum to recognize andcelebrate faculty accomplishments, including significantcontributions to their field, the institution, or thecommunity.

ROLE OF THE FACULTY AND ITS COMMITTEES

The Faculty Handbook states, 'The faculty of SVCC isstructured so as to maximize its contributions to thepositive development of the college educational program"(Section 2.05). Through committees (standing and ad hoc),Faculty Senate (Section 2.11). and special councils, facultyhelp to improve the overall educational program. Thepresident and deans look to these faculty groups for advicerelated to the improvement, development, and governance ofthe College and its educational program (Section 2.05).

Currently, the College has four Academic Affairs committees,including Curriculum and Instruction, Learning Resources,Research and Planning, and Professional Development.These committees evaluate and recommend institutionalpolicies and procedures related to teaching and learning.Other standing committees include Student Affairs andInstitutional Affairs. The President also appoints faculty andstaff to special college-wide committees. In the fall of 1990,for example, the College established an institutionalplanning council. This council, consisting of 50 persons,convened on a regular basis to analyze college needs,establish priorities, and chart directions for the future.

The College's standing committees vary in their levels ofactivity, involvement, and effectiveness. Committee make-up,college needs, and other factors subject to change influencecommittee work and outcomes. For example, over the pasttwo years, two of the College's Academic Affairs committeeshave gone through the process of restructuring in an effortto function more effectively. The Curriculum and InstructionCommittee has been actively involved in the review andapproval of all curriculum changes, most of which programfaculty initiated. The committee is in the process ofreviewing proposed caps on program credit hours and expectsto provide recommendations regarding the proposed caps.Also, following extensive review and discussion amongcommittee members concerning the past role and futuredirection of the Research and Development Committee, the

Section 4.8.6 - 4.8.10 Faculty II . 163

committee recommended a division into the Research andPlanning Committee and the Professional DevelopmentCommittee. This recommendation was approved by the Deanof Instruction and President.

A renewed emphasis on assessment and accountability at alllevels of education has prompted the development of asystematic and ongoing effort to improve instructionalprograms and curricula at SVCC. Faculty arc involvedextensively in this effort. As is stated in A Guide for theImprovement of Educational Programs at SVCC (a document ofthe Planning and Development Office which outlines SVCC'sprocedures for developing program improvement plans),faculty play a key role in continuous program improvement;they are expected to "help define what students shouldmaster from their disciplines, to assist with the developmentand implementation of assessment tools." and to be activelyinvolved individually and as members of committees in theongoing improvement process (2).

Through participation in structures, such as committees,councils, and senates, operating within the broad policiesdetermined by the administration and governing boards,SVCC faculty contribute greatly to the improvement andgovernance of the College.

FACULTY LOADS

Being a comprehensive institution of higher educationcommitted to the provision of quality instruction indevelopmental classes and in programs leading to AA&S/AASdegrees, diplomas, and certificates, the College maintains afaculty of adequate size to support its purpose. The Collegefollows staffing guidelines set forth by the VirginiaCommunity College System (VCCS Policy Manual Section2B-2.6) and, as much as budgetarily possible, adheres to thestudent-to-teacher ratios set forth by the State Council ofHigher Education. The College employs both full-time andpar--time faculty to carry out the institution's educationalmission.

To ensure that faculty responsibilities are equitably andreasonably assigned, certain procedures are in place. Theseprocedures are intended to regulate teaching loads, academicadvising, committee membership, guidance of studentorganizations, research, and service to the public.

The VCCS and SCHEV have established guidelines to ensureequitable and reasonable teaching loads. Division chairsassign all full-time faculty teaching loads in the amount of


13

12 to 15 credit hours per semester. Since teaching loads arecalculated for the academic year, a teaching load less thanor in excess of normal for the fall semester is compensatedwith load adjustments in the spring semester wheneverpossible. When faculty agree to accept an assignment. toteach an overload (i.e., more than 30 credit hours or 40contact hours per academic year), additional compensationis provided at an established overload rate (FacultyHandbook, Section 3.16).

Provision is also made for the adjustment of a facultyteaching load to accommodate special circumstances, suchas the use of instructional assistants. team teaching, theuse of non-traditional instructional delivery systems, specialassignments, and curriculum development (VCCS PolicyManual, Section 3.1.0.1; Faculty Handbook, Section 3.16).For example, as the College continues to increase itscapacity to offer educational services via distance education,the need to adjust faculty teaching loads to accommodatevideo-course development, electronic classroom instruction,etc., becomes increasingly evident. In 1992, LearningResources developed a distance education policies andprocedures manual to set forth specific guidelines pertainingto the development and implementation of electronicallyconveyed video courses.

Academic advising is a duty shared by most teaching faculty,although some faculty opt to assume other non-teachingresponsibilities in lieu of academic advising. The followingprocedure is followed in assigning advisees. The Director ofAdmissions and Records assigns student advisees toindividual faculty members (Faculty Handbook, Section 3.03)"according to the area of interest indicated by the applicantand according to the abilities of the applicant as is indicatedon the test scores and high school transcript." To protectfaculty members from being assigned excessiveresponsibilities in academic advising, first-year instructorsare not normally assigned advisees, and an effort is made toassign an equal number of advisees to all other advisors(Admissions Procedures 13) In some cases, however, facultyadvisors are assigned large numbers of advisees due tolimited numbers of qualified advisors in a few specializedprograms.

Committee work is another faculty responsibility (FacultyHandbook, Section 3.16) and, as such, is regulated by collegepolicy. The President appoints standing committee membersupon recommendations from the Faculty Senate and deans(Faculty Handbook, Section 2.14). Recommendations fromthe Faculty Senate are generally based upon the expressed

Section 4.8.6 4.8.10 Faculty 11 . 165

interest of faculty to serve on particular committees:however, the Senate also follows presidential guidelines toensure representation from each academic division onAcademic Affairs, Institutional Affairs, and Student Affairscommittees. To ensure the equitable assignments of facultyresponsibilities and to protect faculty members fromassuming or being assigned an inordinate amount ofcommittee work, the President discourages new facultymembers from serving on Standing Committees during theirfirst year. Annually, the president of Faculty Senate isinstructed to see that no one faculty member serves on morethan two Standing Committees.

When faculty choose to supervise student organizations aspart of their non-teaching responsibilities, they areencouraged to do so because "student activities and servicesare an integral part of the total educational process atSouthwest Virginia Community College" (Faculty Handbook,Section 3.24). The decision to guide student organizations orto be actively involved in these organizations, however,ultimately resides with the faculty member. Several facultymembers contribute considerable time to studentorganizations.

As with the supervision of student organizations, service tothe public is encouraged (Faculty Handbook, Section 1.02)but tends to be a discretionary faculty responsibility. TheVCCS Policy Manual encourages faculty, for example, to"assist business, industry, governments and othereducational agencies" and says that employees "may engagein consulting and teaching activities so long as suchactivities do not interfere with their regular responsibilitiesand duties within the VCCS" (Section 3.6.9). Althoughfaculty are required to allocate a percentage of their non-teaching activities to college and/or community service andare evaluated accordingly (Faculty Handbook Form TE3 andForm TE4), the level of involvement in these activities tendsto be left to the discretion of individual faculty members.Similarly, involvement in research activities tends to be afaculty option.

Interviews with division chairs indicated that limitedavailability of information about the non-teaching activitiesof faculty prohibits the comprehensive consideration of allfaculty responsibilities when assigning teaching loads. Dataindicated that the number of advisees, the number ofpreparations, the number of special committee assignments,and other relevant factors tend not to influence theassignment of faculty loads. While the committee does notadvocate hard and fast formulae to incorporate non-teaching

166. Section IV: Educational Program

factors into a faculty member's overall load, division chairsshould give more attention to these factors. Also, collegeadministrators should be more sympathetic to those facultymembers whose hourly loads are not at the maximum butwhose overall load is such that the quality of instructionmight suffer. This committee suggests that the Office ofthe Dean of Instruction review the current procedaforassignment of faculty responsibilities and recommendways in which reasonable internal assignments might beprovided so that faculty teaching loads might beconsistent with the number hadvisees, the amount ofcommittee work, the number of preparations, thenumber of students taught. the nature of the subject.the level of involvement with student organizations, andthe amount of assistance available from secretaries andwork-study students.

To discourage faculty from assuming "externalresponsibilities which might encroach upon either thequality or the quantity of the work they are employed toperform for the institution," the College prohibits facultyengagement in "any employment at any time that prejudicestheir usefulness as members of the faculty of the college"(Faculty Handbook, Section 3.12; also VCCS Policy ManualSection 3.6.7). Faculty are encouraged to obtain writtenpermission from the President prior to engaging in outsideemployment. Faculty may obtain permission to engage inoutside employment that "does not conflict with theirprofessional responsibilities to the college" (FacultyHandbook, Section 3.12). Although the policy is designed toprotect faculty from assuming excessive externalresponsibilities, namely outside employment, that mightcompromise their responsibilities at the institution, no suchpolicy currently exists to limit other external or internalresponsibilities that might have the same effect. Becausedata this committee collected revealed that division chairsare largely unaware of the total amount of non-teachingactivities faculty engage in, faculty should be encouraged tomonitor their own activities as much as possible to avoidcompromising their effectiveness as personnel of the College.This committee suggests that administration write astatement and add it to thegandbook that would assistfaculty in weighing their existing internal and externalresponsibilities prior to taking on new assignments.

CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES FOR EVALUATION

Southwest Virginia Community College views the periodicevaluations of the performance of individual faculty members

141

Section4.8.6 4.8.10 Faculty It $ 167

as a positive evaluative tool: furthermore, the College iscommitted to improving classroom instruction andeducational programs, striving to include faculty input in allareas of faculty evaluation.

The SVCC Faculty Handbook (Section 3.13) and the VirginiaCommunity College System Policy Manual (Section 3.4.4.4)clearly indicate that periodic evaluations of individualfaculty performance are to be conducted fairly and properly.The Handbook states as follows:

It is recognized that the central purpose of evaluationshould be improvement of professional performance,and all evaluation should be designed andimplemented with this benefit in mind. (Section 3.13)

SVCC conducts evaluations of all teaching faculty througheach division office near the end of each fall term. The SVCCEvening Coordinator is responsible for the administration ofevaluations of faculty teaching classes off-campus as well asevening classes on-campus. Each full-time faculty memberselects by lot. two classes for evaluation. Students in allfirst-year faculty classes evaluate their performance.

College faculty have ready access to evaluation criteria in theFaculty Handbook, which the Office of the President suppliesto all faculty members. The College periodically updates andrevises the information in the Handbook as necessary:faculty have the opportunity to approve any revisions inevaluation criteria or procedures.

The Faculty Handbook states the following minimum criteriato be used in the evaluation of full-time faculty:

Effectiveness in the performance of the tasksdelineated in the appropriate position description.

Effectiveness in establishing and maintainingpositive professional relationships with colleagues,supervisors, students, and the community.

Effectiveness in maintaining a current competencein the particular discipline or field of specialization.

. Adherence to policies, procedures, and regulationsof the college and the VCCS. (Section 3.13)

Furthermore, the Faculty Handbook states that criteria willbe evaluated in the areas of teaching, college service,


professional development, and community service, subject tothe provisions that:

. Teaching is mandatory with a minimum weight of75%.

Each remaining area will normally have a minimumweight of 5% each.

. Each faculty member must be evaluated in at leastthree of the four areas.

The total of the combined weights must be 100%.(Section 3.13)

The corresponding forms a faculty member would complete tomeet the evaluation criteria are TE-1, TE-2, and TE-3, copiesof which are in the Faculty Handbook (Section 3.13).

The present evaluation criteria include several strengths.Among those strengths is the feeling among faculty that thestudent feedback during the evaluation process does helpfocus the instructor on continuing effectiveness in courseinstruction: additionally, the follow-up faculty/divisionchair conference during which evaluation results arediscussed enhances communication between administrationand faculty about pedagogical and discipline- or programrelated issues.

As shown by the following figure, the self-study survey tofaculty revealed that approximately one-third (32 percent) offaculty respondents believed that current evaluation criteriaare adequate for the evaluation of program-relatedperformance. More than one-quarter (27 percent) eitherbelieved that current evaluation criteria are only sometimesadequate or they didn't know whether or not these criteriaare adequate; therefore, it would seem that currentevaluation criteria need to be assessed for their effectivenessin evaluating faculty performance.


Chart 4.8.01

Percentage of Respondent who Stated That Current EvaluationCriteria An Adequate for the Evaluation of Program-Related

Performance

AlwaysD Frequently

CI Sometimes

Ei Seldom

UNeverDon't Know

The above statistics show that faculty apparently feel someambivalence toward the effectiveness of the presentevaluation criteria as being an adequate indicator ofindividual job performance.

Discussion among some faculty indicates concern thatevaluation criteria for laboratory classes, for classes that aretechnical in nature, for classes that depend more onpractical knowledge, and for classes that are largelycompetency-based, may need to undergo terminologyadjustment or even to be redesigned.

The self-study survey to faculty revealed that nearly half (48percent] of faculty respondents believed that the results offaculty evaluation are used effectively to make appropriateimprovement in educational programs, and 34 percent statedthat results of faculty evaluation tend not to be usedeffectively, as shown in Chart 4.8.02. which follows.Although more faculty believed the institution doesdemonstrate that the results of evaluation are used for theimprovement of the educational program and for makingappropriate improvements in classroom instruction, thelarge percentage of faculty who believed that evaluationresults are seldom or never used effectively (34 percent)suggests the need for greater emphasis on ensuring thatfaculty evaluation is intricately connected to continuousimprovement.


Chart 4.8.02

Percentage of Respondents Who Stated That the Resultsof the Faculty Evaluation Are Used Effectively

Always

EFrequently

Sometimes

Seldom

1:114eveT

Don't Know

The faculty responses from the self-study survey again posethe question of whether the present evaluation criteriaadequately evaluate educational, program-related. andfaculty performance. Interviews with division chairs suggestthat they too consider some changes in the currentevaluation instrument appropriate to enhance its potentialfor improving faculty performance and program effectiveness.

Although the College recognizes that the central purpose ofevaluation is to improve professional performance, someambivalence exists among faculty with regard to the currentevaluation criteria. Therefore, this committee proposed thatthe present evaluation process be reviewed and a moreeffective process and/or instrument be devised.Consideration should be given to peer-evaluation, self-evaluation, action documents. and narrative type studentevaluations. Special consideration should be given to theevaluation of laboratory classes and technical classes thatare largely competency based.

145


Institutional In response to this committee's findings and subsequentResponse proposal, Faculty Senate has formed a committee to study

the current faculty evaluation procedure at SVCC. Theevaluation committee's charge is to evaluate the currentprocedure for evaluation (which includes student evaluationand supervisor evaluation), examine the self-study findings,and make recommendations.

CONCLUSION

In its guiding philosophy, in its written policies andprocedures, and in its day-to-day operations, the Collegeensures that working conditions for faculty are not only fairand reasonable, but are also conducive to a spirit ofcollegiality, innovation, and excellence. Faculty have theacademic freedom to teach, conduct research, publish, andengage in similar creative activities in an atmosphere opento intellectual inquiry and academic criticism. Faculty areextended many opportunities to pursue professional growthand development. The College assures faculty the kind ofprofessional security that derives from established guidelinesand procedures for employment practices, work loadassignments, committee contributions, and evaluations.

The professional activities and contributions of the College's41)faculty testify to the quality of the working conditions pro-

vided. Faculty pursue and complete higher degrees: engage incourse and curriculum development to accommodate newdelivery systems; sponsor student organizations: win awards;direct grants: serve on College committees: serve on state,regional and national committees; engage in research andpublication: and create original works.

Although the provision of conditions conducive to suchactivities is a major strength of the institution, oneshortcoming is the lack of a systematic procedure for keepingtrack of faculty activities and accomplishments. Another isthe lack of a public forum for recognizing and celebratingsignificant faculty achievements and contributions to theirfield, the institution, or the community. Additionally, al-though the College has multiple mechanisms in place toensure manageable faculty work loads, no policy currentlyexists to assist faculty in weighing their aggregate responsi-bilities prior to assuming additional internal or externalassignments. Finally, a review of current evaluation criteriaas a means of adequately assessing faculty performance isneeded and is currently underway.


146

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FACULTY II


. This committee proposes that the administration and theOffice of Human Resources encourage faculty to completeappropriate documentation.

. This committee proposes that the College develop apublic forum to recognize and celebrate facultyaccomplishments, including significant contributions totheir field, the institution, or the community.

. This committee suggests that the Office of the Dean ofInstruction review the current procedure for assignmentof faculty responsibilities and recommend ways in whichreasonable internal assignments might be provided sothat faculty teaching loads might be consistent with thenumber of advisees, the amount of committee work, thenumber of preparations, the number of students taught,the nature of the subject, the level of involvement withstudent organizations, and the amount of assistanceavailable from secretaries and work-study students.

. This committee suggests that administration write astatement and add it to the Handbook that would assistfaculty in weighing their existing internal and externalresponsibilities prior to taking on new assignments.


Committee members who evaluated the College in relation tothis portion of the SACS Criteria are listed under Section I:`Principles and Philosophy."

INTRODUCTION

In its educational program, Southwest Virginia CommunityCollege is actively engaged in both consortia and contractualrelationships. These components are extensions of theCollege in that they provide improved access to thepostsecondary environment: improved communications andactivities with other educational institutions, such aselementary and secondary schools as well as seniorinstitutions of higher education and other communitycolleges; and access for education and training forpostsecondary learners in clinical and/or internshipenvironments conducive to "real world" education beyond theclassroom/laboratory setting. Since these components areextensions of the College, whether consortia or contractualdesigns, the College acknowledges they must meet therequirements set forth in the Criteria. These arrangementsare pivotal to growth in services rendered to the communityat large.

The primary consortia arrangements include:

Virginia Appalachian Tricollege Nursing Program (VATNP)Cooperative Program in Radiography (JRCERT)Southwest Virginia Tech Prep Consortium

Southwestern Virginia Advanced Manufacturing Tech-nology Center (SVAMTC)Southwest Virginia Public Education Consortium

Southwest Virginia Education and Training Network(SVETN).

In all of these programs, faculty satisfy standards of qualityby intensive reviews and reassessment followed by curricularand/or instructional revisions to meet the needs of both thelearner and the communities served. Consortia are evaluatedin part by outcomes assessment but also through externalaccreditation by specialty agencies.

148

Section 5.1 - 5.4 Learning Resources 177

Consortia RelationshipsVirginia Appalachian Tricollege Nursing Program

The Virginia Appalachian Tricollege Nursing Program usesthree collegiate campuses of the Virginia Community CollegeSystem: Virginia Highlands Community College (the centralcollege for this program), Mountain Empire CommunityCollege, and Southwest Virginia Community College. Thefollowing organizational chart shows the relationshipsamong the three institutions. As well as all threeparticipating colleges having full accreditation through theSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), thisprogram also has been accredited by the National League ofNursing (NLN) and meets NLN's specific requirements forcontinued review and improvement.

College Division Chairperson

Secretary

Chart 4.9.01Organizational Chart

TRICOLLEGE NURSINGPROGRAM

Coordinating Council

Director

Faculty

Joint AdvisoryC ornrnittee

Health Care Facilities

Students

* Made up of:President, Virginia Highlands Community CollegePresident, Southwest Virginia Community CollegePresident. Mountain Emnire Community Co !leoDean of the College, Virginia Highlands Community CollegeDean of the College, Southwest Virginia Community CollegeDean of the College, Mountain Empire Community CollegeDirector of Nursing Program

Cooperative Program in Radiography

The Cooperative Program in Radiography involves twocommunity colleges: Virginia Highlands Community Collegeand SVCC (the central college for this program). In addition


149

to SACS accreditation of both these colleges, this program isfully accredited by the Joint Review Committee forEducation in Radio logic Technology (JRCERT)

Southwest Virginia Tech Prep Consortium

The Southwest Virginia Tech Prep Consortium is apartnership arrangement between Southwest VirginiaCommunity College and the public schools in SVCC's four-county service area. Technically an offshoot of the 2 + 2program, the Tech Prep Virginia Education Grant providesthe consortia arrangement for Improved latitude and accessfor learners desiring entry into technically orientedprograms. Students enter the program in the ninth gradeand proceed through the associate degree level. Thisactivity's design provides continuity which allows trackingthe learner from secondary school to first two years of collegethrough the Baccalaureate degree, if the student continuesthrough a four-year program. The public schools engaged inthis program, as well as Southwest Virginia CommunityCollege, have SACS accreditation. Further Information aboutTech Prep may be found in the Office of Planning andDevelopment.

The Southwestern Virginia Advanced ManufacturingTechnology Center

The Southwestern Virginia Advanced ManufacturingTechnology Center (SVAMTC) housed at WythevilleCommunity College is a consortia of five communitycolleges: Southwest Virginia Community College, MountainEmpire Community College, New River Community College,Virginia Highlands Community College, and WythevilleCommunity College. The advisory board for the center ismade up of the five community college presidents, six at-large members, and 14 representatives from business andindustry in the colleges' service regions.

The objective of this consortia is multi-faceted, but itsmission statement clearly shows its commitment tocommunity service through educational and industrial links:"The Southwestern Virginia Advanced ManufacturingTechnology Center will be a catalyst for economic growth andindustrial competitiveness through programs for training,applied research, and community-industrial service. Thecenter will provide industrial vision and leadership toimprove the global competitiveness and economic stability ofthe region." Its motto is a declaration of the importance ofconsortia arrangements--"Linking Education, Technologyand Industry for the 2 1st Century."

Section 4.9 Consortial Relationships and Contractual Agreements 179

Southwest Virginia Public Education Consortium

The Southwest Virginia Public Education Consortium, thefirst of its kind in Virginia, was created by the VirginiaGeneral Assembly and began operation July 1, 1992. Itsthrust is a unique approach to educational improvementthrough partnerships between education and businesses forthe purpose of improvement in educational leadership andimproved schools through shared resources and innovation.The Consortium covers the entirety of southwestern Virginiafrom Wytheville to the far western part of the state.Membership includes 11 school districts, 4 four-yearinstitutions, 3 community colleges, of which SouthwestVirginia Community College is one, and the SouthwestVirginia Higher Education Center. These members arefurther partnered with George Mason University (through theVirginia Economic Bridge Initiative) and Fairfax CountyPublic Schools.

Southwest Virginia Education and Training Network

Southwest Virginia Education and Training Network, Inc.(SVETN) , is located at the Southwest Virginia HigherEducation Center in Abingdon, Virginia. This consortium isa not-for-profit fiber optics-based educational networklinking 16 public school divisions, 4 community colleges, ofwhich Southwest Virginia Community College is an activeparticipant, 5 four-year colleges, and the regional telephonecompanies, including Bell Atlantic, United Telephone, andGeneral Telephone and Electronics. Through this activity, atwo-way, interactive television network provides improvedaccessibility to educational resources that otherwise wouldprove difficult to access.

All colleges, universities, and public schools engaged in thisactivity are accredited by the Southern Association ofColleges and Schools. Further information about theprogram may be found in the Planning and DevelopmentOffice.

These consortia provide a means for improved learner access,performance, and goal achievement. There are no exceptionsregarding accreditation matters, whether it be at thecollegiate or public school level of education.

Contractual AgreementsSouthwest Virginia Community College has two types ofcontractual relationships. Actual contracts for course workare designed for the payment of tuition for a group of

18 0 Section N: Educational Program

151

learners by a corporate payer. The course work the collegeprovides is based upon institutional purpose, policies, andprocedures. Subsequently, the contractual course workprovided is in compliance with the Criteria. In manyinstances, course work provided under contract is foremployees of certain trades and/or professions to maintaineducational levels predicated upon state or federal statute.Examples include miner training and continuing educationof health technology professionals.

Internships and clinical activities make up the second typeof contractual relationships between the College and otherexisting facilities, such as businesses and health carefacilities. These agreements clearly delineate the roles andresponsibilities of on-site faculty, the learners, the facilitiesthemselves, and the College and reflect the purposes,policies, and procedures of the specific programs, the coursework, the business involved, and the College. Suchagreements have been signed by the President of SouthwestVirginia Community College and the chief executive officer ofthe participating business. In addition, these agreementshave been reviewed by the Attorney General of Virginia forcoherence and conformity with state and federal law. Inthese arrangements, the College is responsible for theselection and evaluation of on-site faculty, as well as theevaluation of the site used and the learners engaged in theinternship/clinical activity.

Section 4.9 Consortial Relationships and Contractual Agreements 181

COMMITTEE

Kenneth Cross Assistant Professor. Business ManagementChair

Nancy Cyphers Assistant Professor, Englishwriter

John Brenner

Carolyn Browning

Sylvia DyeRecorder

Guy Glover

Georgia Householder

Mabel Jackson

J. E. King

Terry MorrisLiaison

Assistant Professor Sociology and Human Services

Assistant Professor. Business Management

AV &DES Program Support Technician

Installation and Repair Technician Senior. NetworkManager

Instructor. Biology

Associate Professor, Tricollege Nursing

Assistant Professor. Mine Health and Safety

Professor, Chemistry

Frank Nunez Assistant Professor. Coordinator of Library Services

Charlotte Robinett Assistant Professor. Tricollege NursingResigned

Teresa Thompson Office Services Specialist, Admissions

Tolbert White Housekeeping Supervisor Senior

Section 5.1 5.3 Learning Resources 4 187

153

INTRODUCTION

Over 26 years ago when SVCC opened its doors in a singlebuilding, the "library" was a one-room operation offeringtraditional services. Today the SVCC "library" is acontemporary academic support service area organizedaround the concept of a learning resources center composedof three distinct areas: the Library, the Learning Laboratory,and Audio-Visual and Distance Education Services. All arehoused in a central location in Russell Hall. Since each areahouses collections of materials readily accessible to itsusers, the Learning Resources Center (LRC) is composed ofthree "libraries" with diverse but related functions. TheLibrary provides access to books, periodicals, on-linedatabases, reference services, and inter-library loan services.The Learning Laboratory provides self-paced instruction anda variety of media to support instruction for individualstudent use, tutoring, and other student assistance. Audio-Visual and Distance Education Services (AV&DES) providesequipment loan and maintenance, production ofinstructional materials, planning and consultation forinstructional and television programs and services,coordination and administration of the Distance Educationprogram and certificate programs in Radio/TelevisionBroadcast Production, Photography, and Journalism.

A major part of the purpose of the self-study committeeevaluating Learning Resources was to determine theadequacy of the purpose, services, collections, staff,institutional relationships, and off-campus access to theresources of the LRC. The committee also studied computerresources and services and instructional support.

The committee's task was to ensure that all areas of LRCmeet the requirements listed in the "Educational SupportServices" section in the Criteria for Accreditation Commissionon Colleges published by the Southern Association ofColleges and Schools. As will be shown in the followingstudy, all academic support services are available to allfaculty, staff, and college students, whether they take classeson campus or off, and many services are available tomembers of the community as well.

Section 6.1- 5.3 Learning Resources + 189

LEARNINGRESOURCESCENTERPURPOSEANDSCOPE

Mission Statements

A brief mission statement for the Learning Resources Centerand a purpose and short descriptive statement for each ofthe three service areas are published in the 1994-95 CollegeCatalog & Student Handbook (20-22) and have beenpublished in all previous catalogs.

In addition, as part of the campus-wide planning process,each of the service areas developed more comprehensivemission statements, which the college administration thenreviewed. All of these documents, which are now on file inthe offices of the director and each coordinator, form thebasis for planning activities for each fiscal year and forevaluating services annually. Succinctly stated, the purposeof the LRC and each of its parts is to support the curriculumand meet the needs of faculty and students for informationin print and other media. This overall LRC mission supportsand enhances the purpose of the College and is appropriateto a Learning Resources Center in a comprehensive two-yearcollege. However, the academic support services provided bythe LRC go far beyond this brief statement.

Determining User Needs

LRC staff use a variety of means to determine whichmaterials should be purchased and which services should beprovided. One means is user statistics that provide ahistorical picture of the materials and services faculty andstudents have used. Each service area collects appropriateuser statistics which form one part of the planning process.For example, data reveal an tncreased usage of newer formsof media, such as Compact Disc-Read Only Memory (CD-ROM), video cassettes, and other electronic media. Anothermeans of determining materials to be selected is the LRCStanding Committee. Since the formation of theadministrative structure of the College, this committee hasbeen devoted exclusively to the Learning Resources Center.The committee, which is composed of representatives fromeach academic division, classified staff, and students, isconcerned with the educational policies of the three LRCareas and plans for future services. Another place of input isthe College Council. Some members of the LRC staff meet asmembers of the College Council, where educational trends,college policies and procedures, state mandates, andplanning for new programs and courses are freely discussed.

190 , Section V: Educational Support Services

155

LRC staff also meet with individual faculty and divisionchairs to assist in developing support materials and services.Additionally, some LRC staff are members of the Curriculumand Instruction Committee, which reviews all course andprogram changes as well as new courses and programs. Eachof these is an element in planning future services for theLRC

Early in the establishment of the College, the Library staffwrote a policy for guidance in selecting books and otherlibrary materials. As the College expanded and the LearningResources Center became established, this document wasrevised and expanded. It now is housed in the offices of allthree coordinators and the LRC Director and is used as aninternal LRC document to guide the selection and purchaseof materials ("Southwest Virginia Community CollegeLearning Resources Center Selection Policy"). Its mainpurpose is to establish standards for quality: it also statesthat faculty requests are the number one priority. However,whenever an area of the LRC receives funding from a grantsource, the language of the grant may mandate priorities.

LRC staff take seriously their responsibility for initiatingdialogues with faculty to solicit their involvement indetermining materials and services. Staff meet with academicdivisions and individual faculty to encourage them to makerequests and evaluate materials and services. Any studentrequest for information or service which cannot beimmediately met is recorded and included in the planningand purchasing process.

Staff in the LRC must also consider unexpressed user needs.One of the most important functions of the professionalstaff of the LRC is to remain up-to-date in the newtechnologies, materials, and services in the marketplace. It isthe professional responsibility of the LRC staff to anticipateneeds for new goods and services and to introduce facultyand students to new materials and techniques.

EVALUATION

Students evaluate programs, including the materials andservices of the Library and the Learning Laboratory, primarilythrough a questionnaire administered to all candidates forgraduation ("Library and Learning Lab GraduationQuestionnaire"). Students who are to graduate complete thesurvey as a part of the application for graduation. Oneproblem of this evaluation is that all students do notgraduate. Therefore, this committee recommends that the

Section 5.1 5.3 Learning Resources 191

Library and Learnig Lab staff supplement thegraduation questionnaire with regular and systematicevaluation of resources and services to ensure that theyare meeting the needs of all general user groups and aresupporting the programs and purpose of the College.

The results of the graduation questionnaire are provided tothe staff, who discuss these findings and incorporate theminto the planning process. For instance, the Learning LabCoordinator discusses questionnaire results with studentworkers in the Learning Lab to identify barriers to learningand ways to serve students better. The Library staff analyzequestionnaire results and review student comments in orderto improve point-of-use instruction and reference services.AV &DES regularly administers evaluation forms to allstudents registered in telecourses and electronic classroomsand to all participants in teleconferences to rate andcomment on services, content, and delivery systems. TheCoordinator discusses questionnaire results with the staff todetermine how to improve delivery and service.

Although no formal evaluation of the LRC has been solicitedfrom the community outside the College, at least onesegment of the community, high school students visitingSVCC in formal school visitation in 1990-91, was given theopportunity to respond to questions concerning SVCC. Ofthose surveyed, 59 percent (690 of 1,166) responded they hadpreviously been on campus to use the Library (Office ofPlanning and Development, "Survey of High School SeniorsVisiting Southwest Virginia Community College 1990-91").Library statistics show elementary and high school studentsand community residents regularly use its services.

According to the results of the graduation surveys, 85percent of students stated that the Library is doing anoutstanding job. A survey to collect data for the self-studyalso indicated high user satisfaction (overall 82 percent).However, the self-study survey showed that within theEngineering Division student satisfaction was not as high(51 percent).

Some areas of the LRC participate in formal classes, such asdevelopmental math and telecourses, for which the teachersare evaluated regularly. From the beginning of the College,the LRC staff have participated in freshman orientation andreceived satisfactory or better evaluations. The Libraryinvites academic divisions by telephone and letter to meet fora formal evaluation of the Library. Faculty are also askedinformally to comment on .the effectiveness of LRC servicesand collections.

192 Section V: Educational Support Services

An example of the way faculty evaluation leads to change inLRC services is shown by the process for purchasing newtechnology. After the Technical Service Librarian obtainsCD-ROM databases, faculty preview and makerecommendations for staff implementation. The Libraryvalues faculty input for their insight into student needs.Library staff use all of these means of evaluation in revisingprocedures and setting priorities.

Although LRC staff and administrators have regularlyevaluated LRC collections and services and have activelyencouraged faculty input, the LRC staff desire greater facultyparticipation in the planning and development of collectionsand services. Since faculty may be unclear as to the extentthat their participation is encouraged, the self studycommittee on Learning Resources proposes that the LRCmission statements be included in th FacultyHandbook. Also, since faculty members from each academicdivision make up the LRC Standing Committee, the self-study committee evaluating LRC proposes that LRCStanding Committee members participate in the annualreview and planning for LRC.

LIBRARY SERVICES

The Library supports the purpose and programs of theCollege and the LRC by providing its users access to primaryand secondary materials. The Library primarily serves SVCCstudents, faculty, and administration but further serves adiverse population of community patrons generallycomprised of high school students, community groups,professional organizations, and others. One service theLibrary offers is a free library card. As of September 1994,those holding current SVCC Library cards totaled 6,709,including 729 high school students, 73 elementary students,801 other area residents, and 5.106. SVCC students, faculty,and staff. These library card holders are using the Library, asshown by attendance records. Library staff have kept hourlyattendance records since the beginning of the College. Theserecords show that Library attendance has averaged close to50,000 person hours per year based on hourly headcount forthe last ten years ("Library Attendance Records"j. As shownby the graduation surveys of students over the past severalyears, users generally respond positively that both materialsand service are accessible.

In order for students to know what services are available, theLibrary conducts orientation, which is an integral part of astudents introduction to the SVCC college experience.

Section 5.1 5.3 Learning Resources 193

Originally, LRC orientation was a major requirement in STD100 (Freshman Orientation). For a short period of time, LRC

orientation became an optional part of the class. Therefore,the self-study committee assigned to study LearningResources proposed that the Director of LRC and the Deanof Student Development, Services discuss the restoration ofLRC orientation as a part of STD 100.

Institutional Since that time, LRC orientation has again become anResponse integral part of the STD 100 class.

Many students undergo a more focused library instructionprogram in preparing assignments for classes. In addition,instructors influenced by programs, such as Writing Acrossthe Curriculum and Arts Across the Curriculum, haverequired bibliographic instruction for classes thattraditionally would not have required such work. Normally,the responsibility for providing this orientation service restswith the Information Services area of the Library. However,other staff members are knowledgeable and perform thisservice if needed. All Library staff are available to offer point-of-use instruction and assistance to students and faculty.Bibliographic instruction and reference assistance areavailable any time the Library is open.

Further details about orientation to the Library will beprovided under the discussion of orientation to the LearningLab.

Through the years the Library has maintained a schedule ofoperating its facilities from the current 65 hours per week toa peak of 72 hours. Current operational hours are from 8a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to5 p.m. on Friday. Additionally, the Library is open from 1p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. According to the "InstitutionalSelf Study Questionnaire 1993-94" administered to studentsand faculty in the various disciplines across campus, themajority of students and faculty are satisfied with theLibrary's present hours.

The Library provides a comprehensive record of materialsthrough the use of catalogs, indexes, and bibliographies. TheLearning Lab and AV &DES provide comprehensive printedcatalogs of their holdings, which are distributed to all full-time and adjunct faculty. Since a comprehensive record ofthe holdings of the three areas would benefit students andfaculty, especially when the automation project is complete,this committee proposes thatAV&DES and the Learning


159

e

Lab work with the Library to include Learning Lab andAVM= materials in the Library's automated catalog.

As part ofa comprehensive plan to form a consortium oflibraries and the creation of a network of all VirginiaCommunity College System libraries and LRCs, SVCC librarystaff completed their portion of retrospective conversion inDecember 1993. The on-line public access catalog (OPAC)should be available in early 1995, and the circulation systemshould become fully operational by fall of 1995. As the VCCSupgrades the wide area network (WAN), faculty and staff willhave access from their computers through SVCC's local areanetwork to access library holdings throughout the VCCS.

In addition, the Virginia Virtual Library project (VIVA) will beimplemented in spring 1995 for the purpose of connecting allacademic libraries in Virginia. The project will provideSouthwest Virginia Community College with one workstationthat connects (via Internet) with six doctoral-grantinginstitutions' popular bibliographic and full-text databases.Another workstation using ARIEL software provides inter-library loan and fax capability for shared periodical resourcesamong the networked academic libraries.

Library users have access to periodical and newspaperindexes both in printed and electronic form. The Library hascomputers which offer the student access to informationthrough a variety of formats. By teaching students to accessinformation, the Library provides the opportunity forstudents to continue a process of life-long learning. Thecomputer area is composed of public access catalogs, IBM-compatible machines with CD-ROM players, and Macintoshcomputers networked to a laser printer. The CD-ROMenhancements contain such standard indexes as TheReader's Guide to Periodical Literature, Humanities Index,General Science Index, Cumulative Index to Nursing and AlliedHealth Literature, SIRS Full-text Database, and ProQuestNewspaper Abstracts.

The Library provides microform reader-printers with coin-operated attachments and a copy machine. All Librarycollections are easily accessible through the Library ofCongress Classification System. Current magazines areshelved near the circulation desk in alphabetical order, andback files of magazines and newspapers are availablethrough microform subscriptions. A printed magazine list isavailable to all library users. The Library has an extensivecollection of microfilm titles and subscribes to national,regional, and local newspapers. The Library circulationsystem, a Gaylord Charging Machine, is still operating and is

Section 5.1 5.3Learning Resources . 195

160

i

adequate for the time being but will be replaced with a barcode system within 12 months. The microfilm reader-printeris workable. the copy machine has recently been replaced,and needed'repair for one microfiche reader-printer is beingnegotiated.

Library staff members work closely with teaching faculty tofoster greater use of existing materiais by setting up reservecollections, conducting instruction geared to the particularneeds of their students, providing individual assistance whenneeded, and creating specialized bibliographies.

Whenever users need library sources not available at SVCC,they have access to materials from other libraries throughinterlibrary loan. To provide this service, the Library hassecured written agreements with academic and publiclibraries in the service region.

The present Library setting was constructed and furnishedmore than twenty years ago, but it is still attractive andrepresents the College well. The physical arrangementprovides a friendly atmosphere where students can study.However, the Library needs additional space for services,such as conferencing and interlibrary loan, as well as spacefor storage.

Additional space for the Library, as well as the other LRCareas, may be available at some time in the future when theLRC/Allied Health Building is constructed. A copy of thearchitectural drawing for this building, as reproduced inArchitectural Design. is located in the Dean of Financial andAdministrative Services Office. During the summer of 1993, apreplanning study was completed at a cost of $45,000("Invoices for Preplanning for the LRC/Allied HealthBuilding"). The planning included input from personnel whowould use the proposed 53,500-square-feet facility, as well asan on-site observation of the work habits of personnel by thearchitectural team. The State Board for Community Collegesand the Chairman from the Art and Architecture ReviewBoard have approved the plan for the building. Althoughstate funds are not available for this building at present, theState Board for Community Colleges has ranked SVCC infirst place for space needs of all community colleges inVirginia. SVCC administration foresees a strong campaignfor funds for this building during the 1996-98 biennialbudget process.

Library services to off-campus students will be addressed inthe section of this chapter entitled "LRC Services at Off-Campus Sites."

196* Section V: Educationd Support Services

AV&DE SERVICES

Audio-Visual and Distance Education Services is housed in1,926 square feet (excluding classrooms) of Russell Hall. Thedepartment supports the purpose and programs of theCollege by providing coordination and administration of theDistance Education Program and certificate programs inRadio/Television Broadcast Production, in Journalism. andin Photography, as well as providing a variety of readilyaccessible materials, both primary and secondary, tostudents, faculty, and staff.

Television services offered include four computerizedinstructional channels that broadcast across the campus,allowing faculty and students to schedule video broadcastsin advance. Such broadcasts are scheduled on an average offorty times a week. An information channel, displayed ontelevision monitors strategically located in each building oncampus, offers an opportunity for students, faculty, and staffto be aware of special events, activities, club meetings,emergencies, and other pertinent news on a timely basis.AV&DES also offers commercial channels, such as CNN andPBS, fed by a master antenna system and satellite receivingantennas. Television productions and related services areavailable through a television studio, an editing suite, anddubbing and audio equipment.

SVCC is a leader in Virginia distance educationadministering two electronic forms of distance education:the electronic classroom and taped telecourses. At theOctober 1994 Virginia Community College Associationannual meeting, SVCC faculty and AV&DES staff gave apresentation using SVCC-produced video tapes to support ademonstration of the College's innovative electronicclassroom, as well as SVCC produced telecourses.

Within three years (1991-94) the number of studentsenrolled in the distance education telecourses and classesgrew from 5 students to 453 students. Of the 453 studentsenrolled in these options during spring 1994, 53 took classesthrough the electronic classroom. At present there are fiveelectronic classrooms: one on the main campus and oneeach at Grundy. Tazewell, Richlands, and Graham highschools which the College uses for evening classes.Equipment allows students to communicate instantly withthe teacher and each other via television screen, telephone,and fax. Students in all locations can interact visually andverbally.

section 5.1 5.3 Learning Resources 197

The remaining 400 students took telecourses that are videoor audio taped in their entirety. Audio-Visual and DistanceEducation Services cooperates with the academic divisionsin administering 21 distance education telecourses, many ofwhich have been produced by SVCC faculty. Students whoregister for these classes check out and complete the tapedtelecourses at their own pace. After an initial meeting withthe instructor to receive course materials and directions,students thereafter contact and interact primarily with theProgram Support Technician. Testing for the telecoursestudents, which the Program Support Technician monitorselectronically, is done individually at each student'sconvenience during the regular hours of AV&DES at one offour carrels stationed in the hallway near the AV&DES area.

Students taking telecourses visit the Audio-Visual andDistance Education Services Office from five to eight timesper course per term for questions and information ontelecourse expectations, testing, and conferencing on grades.Also, students from across the campus use the four carrelsto view video tape assignments for more conventionalclasses. Because students are often in a waiting line for thecarrels and because the Distance Education Program isexpected to continue to grow. there is a need for moreviewing carrels and more space for student testing.

These needs will be met when the Learning ResourceCenter/Allied Health Building is constructed. However, theneed for additional space is immediate. Thus, this committeeproposes that space needs AV&DES electronicclassroom and newly developed telecourses be includedin the renovation plans.

More traditional programs now being offered under theauspices of Audio-Visual and Distance Education Servicesare journalism, photography, and broadcasting. The creationof these programs in the fall of 1993 led to additional spaceneeds within the AV&DES area. To make necessary room forlab space, a section of AV&DES office space has beenconverted into a combination lab area for radio broadcastingand video editing.

Another service that AV&DES has offered since 1983 isteleconferencing. SVCC was among the first communitycolleges in Virginia with teleconferencing capability. Some ofSVCC's faculty and administrators have been presenters forteleconferences, and the majority of the faculty and staffhave participated as audience members in teleconferences.

198. Section V: Educational Support Services

Orientation to AV&DES is provided for freshman students inSTD 100. AV&DES also provides orientation through thevideo tape version of STD 100 for distance educationstudents and others. Evidence that these tapes are well usedis shown by results of the "Distance Education Survey"housed in the AV &DES offices. Response from faculty hasalso been positive.

AV &DES staff provide an updated media catalog, which isdistributed to all on-campus faculty and to adjunct facultythrough coordinators at the off-campus sites. The catalog isavailable to anyone upon request.

Audio-Visual and Distance Education Services is openMonday through Thursday from 8:15 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.After 5:00 p.m. a workstudy student, who may contact theCoordinator as needed, is on duty. On Friday the hours arefrom 8: 15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Equipment, such as overhead projectors, television sets, andscreens, are assigned to each classroom and are maintainedby Audio-Visual staff. Other equipment is delivered to theclassroom as requested ("Audio-Visual EquipmentUtilization 1992-93").

LEARNING LAB SERVICES

I

The Learning Laboratory, which is open during the samehours as the Library, provides orientation for students inseveral ways. Each semester, the Coordinator invitesinstructors to bring their classes to the Lab for orientationsessions. During the sessions, media are set up throughoutthe Lab. The Coordinator makes an initial presentation toeach class, welcoming students to the College andintroducing them to Learning Lab personnel. After thepresentation, the students practice using the computerprograms, videos, slides, and filmstrips to become familiarand comfortable with receiving instruction via the programsavailable. Students receive a printed description of LearningLab services and a list of personnel from whom they canrequest assistance. In addition, they are provided a list ofmedia pertinent to classes in the Lab. Instructors areprovided forms to use when recommending specialinstructional concepts for their students. The students bringthe forms when they come for help to ensure that theyreceive instruction in the appropriate areas of need.

In order to help users become independent learners, LearningLab personnel make special efforts to locate and set up theneeded media and then encourage each student to follow the

Section 5.1 5.3Learning Resources . 199

directions thereafter. However, users may ask for assistancewhenever needed. Detailed instructions for accessingcomputer programs are posted next to each computer.

Orientation information is also located in theLibrary/Learning Lab handbook and cassette tape required inthe STD 100 individualized packet. Audio-Visual andDistance Education Services, in cooperation with the Libraryand the Learning Lab, produced an orientation video tape in1993. It is used throughout the college community, on-campus and off-campus, to familiarize new users withavailable services. Visiting high school seniors and currentstudents in orientation classes receive an introduction toLearning Lab services and a tour of the facility.

At present, the Library OPAC provides access to catalogedLearning Lab materials. Users may locate needed materialsin the on-line catalog and print call numbers andbibliographic citations. Lab personnel will assist withlocation and use of materials. Learning Lab materials arelisted in the Learning Lab card catalog and in the printedcatalog of materials.

Learning Lab users find media and computer software onopen shelves available for viewing. Tables and equipment areadjustable to different heights in order to assist persons withdisabilities. Equipment is also available to assist visuallyimpaired students to enlarge print of reading materials.Learning Lab materials are checked out at the Librarycirculation desk.

The Learning Lab is comprised of 620 square feet withseating for 46. Over the last several years, the Learning Labhas planned strategies to use the space efficiently. However,at peak times of the day and on peak days the Lab is crowdedto the extent that students have asked for more room onLearning Lab evaluation surveys.

COLLECTIONS

During the process of the recent retrospective conversion andduring ongoing evaluation, the library staff observed that thecurrent library collection needs to be increased in some areasin order to support the educational and service programs ofthe institution equally. There are strengths throughout thecollection that are outstanding and that are substantiallyrepresentative of quality, such as the collections found inthe humanities and allied health fields. Numerous factorshave contributed to the weakness of collections in somesubject areas and to the strength of the humanities and200 Section V: Educational Support Services

165

allied health collections. Logically, most of the titles foundin the humanities collection are in history and literature.Generally speaking, these titles are not outdated through theaging process as are titles found in the sciences andtechnical areas. Therefore, materials accumulated over aperiod of time in the humanities tend to strengthen, ratherthan weaken, the collection. In the fields of allied health,such as nursing, radiologic technology, and respiratory care,accrediting agencies require that the collections becontinually updated. Other areas, such as the physicalscience area, are adequate but not strong. Scienceinstructors agree that there is sufficient. material in thescience area to support curricular offerings. However, due tothe pace of scientific discovery and innovative change in thefield of basic science and technology, the Library hasdifficulty keeping these collections current.

Another area of concern is the changing pattern of libraryuse by engineering students. The separation of buildings(before King Hall was constructed, the Engineering Divisiuuwas housed in the same building as the library) maydiscourage library use by engineering faculty and students.Also materials in the Library supporting courses taught inthe Engineering Division are weaker than in other areas.More emphasis needs to be placed on articulation with thoseareas of the educational community located in King Hall. Asan initial step in dealing with the concern, the self-studycommittee on Learning Resources proposed that anIntelligent Catalog be placed in King Hall.

Institutional To help resolve this issue, the Coordinator of LibraryResponse Services met with the Chairman of the Engineering Division

to discuss the placement of an Intelligent Catalog in KingHall to give students more convenient access to the Library.Since that time, the committee's suggestion has been carriedout.

The committee proposes that dialogue be continuedbetween the library staff and the Engineering Division toencourage greater faculty involvemenlin planningmaterials and services for the use of Engineering Divisionstudents.

Factors contributing to a stasis in growth pattern in thecollections of some disciplines have been inflation in thecost, of materials over the years and limited library budgetsleading to insufficient book and periodical budgetallocations. Another factor contributing to the depletion ofthe book budget has been the need to purchase technology atthe expense of the budget previously allocated for books and

166

Section 5.1 - 5.3 Learning Resources . 201

periodicals. To help avoid such a reduction, LRCcoordinators need to have meaningful input into the initialbudget decision process.

Author, Howard L. Simmons, in "Accreditation and theCommunity College: Challenges and Opportunities" from the1993 fall edition of New Directions for Community Collegesstates that the problem of limited library budgets is arecurring one that exists across higher education. Simmonssays, "When faced with difficult budget decisions,educational institutions often reduce library and otherlearning resources." Yet he emphasizes that "communitycolleges must not cut library and learning resources sodrastically that teaching and learning are adversely affected."Again the author points out that "libraries may be least well-positioned to absorb such reductions because adisproportionate amount of their budgets may already beconsumed in acquiring costly technical books and journals"(89). At SVCC, a portion of the book budget supplies fundsfor technology and computers to the detriment of new bookand periodical acquisition.

The committee's study of SVCC's library budget led to areview of sources which confused rather than clarified theissue.

First, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia(SCHEV) publishes an annual technical report entitledAcademic Libraries in Virginia, which includes statistics forlibraries of all public and independent institutions of highereducation in Virginia. The Learning Resources Committeenoted two areas of statistical comparison concerningVirginia community colleges listed in SCHEV's report: acomparison of the percentage of Education and GeneralFunds (E&G) spent by each community college on its libraryand a comparison of the actual amount of money spent byeach community college on its library. The report rankedSVCC twentieth as to percentage of total money spent (Thereport showed that SVCC spent 1.60 percent of the E &GBudget on the Library for 1992-93: whereas the College listed2.66 percent), but SVCC ranked ninth among communitycolleges in Virginia in actual money spent; SVCC spent$269.610 on the Library in 1992-93 (Academic Libraries inVirginia). According to SVCC's Office of Planning andDevelopment, the E &G as reported by SVCC. $273,753,varies by $4,143 from that reported by SCHEV. SVCC reportsthat in 1993-94 the Library received $350,119 or 3.14 percentof the total E &G. The SCHEV report is not available for1993-94.


The committee was concerned at the apparent differencebetween the SCHEV figures and the College figures. TheOffice of Institutional Research investigated and discoveredthat the College and SCHEV use two different budgets tocalculate the percentage of E&G being allocated to theLibrary. The College uses the State Maintenance &Operation Budget, and SCHEV uses IntegratedPostsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). The StateM&O does not use grant related or other eat-markedfunding, which in itself causes considerable differencebetween the percentages that the College and SCHEVproduce. The State M860 and IPEDS use the same figure forLibrary expenditures, but the SCHEV report gathers itsexpenditures from another source. Consequently, theSCHEV rankings do not provide very meaningfulcomparisons for Southwest Virginia Community College. Theactual expenditures for the Southwest Virginia CommunityCollege Library from 1983-84 to 1993-94 are shown in thefollowing table:

Table 5.1 .01

LI BRARY EXPENDITURES1983- 1994

:,Xi r:

1 Old, 1

I

ar,,., LN °:

1983-84 79,160.60 61,060.37 140, 2 2 0.9 71984-85 110,544.80 77,090.53 18 7 , 63 5.3 31985-86 132,492.08 368927. 73 1 8 9,4 1 9.8 11986-87 156,761.86 66,994.07 2 2 3 , 7 5 5.9 3

1987-88 170,001.85 104,340.81 2 74 , 34 2.6 61988-89 183,834.65 135,451.85 319,286.501989-90 187,950.45 108,784.24 2 9 6, 7 3 4.6 91990- 91 177,815.36 57,804.92 2 3 5, 6 2 0.2 81991 -92 184,842.79 73,289.66 2 5 8, 1 3 2.4 51992-93 185,880.89 87,872.11 273,753.001993 -94 216,713.75 131,405.67 350,119.42

The actual expenditures provide a historical trend line thatreflects the financial constraints within the VCCS and atSouthwest Virginia Community College in the early 1990's.The committee reviewing Learning Resources believesfinancial resources have been minimally adequate to provide

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Section 5.1 5. 3 Learning Resources 203

168

the library collections and data bases required for SVCC'sprograms. However, because of the painful financial trade-offs and constraints of budgets in recent years, thecommittee on Learning Resources proposes thatconsideration be given to increasing library funding asinstitutional resources become available.

Teaching faculty are encouraged to participate in collectiondevelopment. The library staff meets individually withinstructors, sends them materials (book lists, flyers, subjectbibliographies, etc.) to evaluate, and schedules meetingswith them to assess the Library's collection in theirdiscipline. Members of the faculty are responsible forsubmitting requests for books within their teaching expertiseand respond well when asked to mark choices in catalogs forthe Library to order. In the fall of 1994, the Library extendeda personal invitation to all divisions to participate activelyin purchasing library materials by meeting with a publishers'representative to choose books and materials from a displayof books and annotated book jackets covering the full rangeof academic programs. Policy statements defining facultyinvolvement in the selection process are currently beingrevised and will be included in the Faculty Handbook. TheLibrary has a written policy governing the selection ofmaterial.

The collections in AV&DES are well organized, and the videolibrary is adequate to meet the needs of faculty, staff, andstudents. The department has in excess of 1,000 titles ofeducational support videos, 200 16MM films, 200 masteraudio cassettes, and numerous teleconferences that areuncataloged but available for use. Videos are available for allacademic areas as per teaching faculty requests. The videolibrary is updated as the needs are made known and asmoney becomes available. The College's lease agreement withEncyclopedia Britannica allows the faculty to exchangefilms/videos. The Office of Audio-Visual and DistanceEducation Services surveys all on-campus teaching facultyannually to determine their media instructional needs.

Collections of materials in the Learning Lab are available forall academic divisions and most programs of study. Videocassettes, audio cassettes, CD-ROM, slide sets, and kits arelisted in a printed media catalog and are well organized andaccessible to students and faculty. Equipment, includingMS-DOS and Macintosh computers, allow utilization of allmedia in the Learning Lab. The Learning Lab Coordinatormaintains contact with instructors regarding needs forinstructional media. Budgets are insufficient to purchase allrequested materials, but new materials requested by faculty


are purchased as funds become available either through theregular budget or occasionally through grant funds whichprovide opportunities to increase in some academic areas.

STAFF

As shown in the LRC Organizational Chart 5.1.01 on thefollowing page, each area is headed by a coordinator, whoreports to the Director of Learning Resources, who in turnreports to the Dean of Instruction.

Professional librarians and other professional staff in theLRC hold faculty rank and receive annual contracts andsalary commensurate with rank. The LRC staff are subject tothe policies published in the Faculty Handbook including dueprocess.

Following the organizational chart, Table 5.1.02 shows thatthe current members of the LRC staff meet or exceedacademic and work experience requirements for eachposition established within the division. The table lists theresponsibilities of each position in the LRC.

Over the past several years the College has experiencedperiods of growth and decline in personnel. Economicconditions, both state and national, have played animportant part in the fluctuation of financial support for theCollege, and financial support obviously tends to drivepersonnel. During one of these periods of budget constraint,the College experienced a state mandated reduction inpersonnel. As a result, LRC lost one professional positionand one and a half clerical positions. To compensate forthese positions, the Coordinator of Library Servicesreassigned existing personnel and altered job descriptions tomeet this crisis. At most, it was thought to be a stop-gapmeasure. However, through the intervening years, thesechanges became part of the status quo. Therefore, the self-study committee evaluating Learning Resources proposesthat SVCC administration evaluate the adequacy ofstaffing for the Library.

Section 5.1 - 5.3 Learning Resources . 205

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INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

The three service areas of the LRC have several formal andinformal relationships with other colleges, networks,libraries, and academic groups. The Library has five formalagreements with other libraries: Virginia Intermont College,Bluefield College, Buchanan County public Library, RussellCounty public Library, and Tazewell County public Library.These are reciprocal agreements which formalize access tofacilities, services, and materials for the users of both theSVCC Library and the signatory libraries. In each case thereis a formal, signed agreement on file in the Coordinator'soffice. The language of each specifies that the agreements aresubject to annual review and can be terminated by eitherparty.

The Library is a member of Southwest Information NetworkGroup, Inc. (SWING), Virginia Library Association (VLA),American Library Association (ALA), and SoutheasternLibrary Network, Inc. (SOLINET). Membership dues arerequired each year, and the SVCC Library must abide by thebylaws and requirements of the organizations. Eachorganization or network provides access to materials orservices that enable the Library to meet its obligations forservice. For example, membership in SWING almostprecludes the necessity for reciprocal agreements with thefive libraries named above. The SWING Bylaws supportinterlibrary loan and cooperative reference services. Twoother advantages to SWING membership are the purchasingdiscounts negotiated with library vendors and theopportunities for staff training.

Audio-Visual and Distance Education Services belongs toother educational groups and networks. ALSS SatelliteService, PBS Adult Learning Satellite, East CoastCommunity Colleges for Media and Telecourses, and VirginiaInstructional Technology Association provide access totelecourses and teleconferences, group buying discounts, andjoint purchasing. In addition, the Chancellor's Task Forcefor Virginia Distance Education Network (VDEN) hasestablished agreements among the colleges in the VCCS sothat students enrolled in any community college may take atelecourse Offered by any Other VCCS college Audio-visualand Distance Education Services also participates inlicensing agreements with New River Community College,Northern Virginia Community College, and Dabney S.Lancaster Community College to lease or purchasecourseware jointly. The Learning Lab participates in the

Section 5. 1- 5.3 Learning Resources , 2 0 9

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Region I Literacy Coordinating Committee and other looselyfederated networks to share knowledge and courseware.Agreements are in place for the delivery of SVCC eveningclasses through electronic classrooms at four off-campuslocations: Graham, Grundy, Richlands, and Tazewell highschools. The College has had fiber optic cables installed toimplement the use of electronic classrooms.

In 1994 SVCC entered into an agreement for Old DominionUniversity (ODU) to offer upper division coursework throughsatellite. Initial programs, which began in the fall of 1994,were Business Administration/Management, Criminal Jus-tice, Health Sciences/Health Care Management, ProfessionalCommunications, Nursing (RN to BSN), Human ServicesCounseling, and Engineering Technology (Civil, Electrical,Mechanical).

The agreements with other colleges, libraries, andinstitutions and the cooperatives and networks to which theLRC areas belong are a logical extension of efforts to supplymaterials and services to all SVCC students and faculty.These agreements, which are evaluated before renewalannually, are located in the Office of the LibraryCoordinator. SVCC has agreed to provide library service toarea residents who are students at Virginia Intermont,Bluefield College, and Old Dominion University. Thesecolleges have agreed to reciprocate in kind. Local publiclibrary patrons have the same access to the College Librarythat SVCC students have to local libraries. Theseinstitutional relationships are not used to avoidresponsibility but to seek alternative avenues for providingquality service.

LRC RESOURCE FOR E lin CYME 1.319 B ITES

Students enrolled in off-campus classes have access to allon-campus learning resource materials. The Library andLearning Lab are open 65 hours a week in order toaccommodate students. To extend services to off-campusstudents and on-campus night students, as well as thetraditional students who may need to work at theseconvenient times, the Library and Learning Lab extend theirhours to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and open onSunday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Audio-Visual and DistanceEducation Services remains open until 7:00 p.m. Mondaythrough Thursday.

Each fall at an adjunct faculty orientation workshop, LRCstaff are allotted time to acquaint these instructors and

2 10 , Section V: Educational Support Services

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administrators with policies and procedures that govern theselection and delivery of and access to materials to supporttheir classes and programs. The LRC staff distribute toinstructors handouts consisting of periodical holding listsand indexes, several individual library information sheets,and AV &DES and Learning Lab printed catalogs. Muchsignificance is placed on LRC and Library involvement andthe way that classes taught off-campus can be enriched.

A point that is given considerable emphasis is theavailability of Library orientation for off-campus students.Instructors of off-campus classes are encouraged to schedulean orientation session as one of their regular class meetings.When an instructor requests such a session, one of the full-time staff members meets with the class. English classesthat are taught off campus are especially targeted for Libraryorientation. Also available to all students is the STD 100video presentation designed to acquaint students with themany services and collections of the LRC.

LRC staff work to ensure that Off-Campus students andfaculty have equal access to materials and services. However,in spite of these attempts, degree-seeking students who aretaught primarily off-campus may miss an orientation to thethree areas of the LRC. Therefore, this committee proposesthat LRC staff implement a plan to ensure that alldegree-seeking students have access to LRC orientation.

Upon request, Audio-Visual and Distance Education staffmake arrangements to have materials delivered to off-campus sites and also, upon request, place audio-visualequipment permanently at the off-campus sites whenequipment is available or as funds become available topurchase designated equipment. AV &DES staff also providean annual inventory and preventive maintenance service.

Although off -campus students receive full service by comingon campus, off-campus students and faculty at the HaroldSmith Training Center need easy access to catalogedholdings for the SVCC Library. Although all off-campus siteswill have access to complete Library holdings when the newVCCS automated Library Network is implemented in 1995,student and faculty needs should be met in the interim. As afirst step, because of the distance and difficulty of travel tothe Center and nearby areas where SVCC classes are taught,this committee recommended that an Intelligent Catalog beplaced at the Harold Smith Training Center.

Section 5.1 - 5.3 Learning Resources 211

Institutional Since the time of this recommendation, the Library hasResponse placed an Intelligent Catalog at the Harold Smith Training

Center to be used until a computer modem replaces it.

Since serving students at off-campus locations is moredifficult and since LRC staff have formal contact withadjunct faculty only once a year, the committee evaluatingLearning Resources recommends that the Coordinator ofLibrary Services evaluate and improve support servicesto off -campus sites.A dialogue with public libraries servingoff-campus students should be ongoing.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES AND SYSTEMS

Information technology is of prime importance at SVCC. TheCollege has an objective that all faculty and staff will have acomputer to facilitate their work. Computers are now in 95percent of all faculty and staff offices. The College is in thethird phase of plans launched in 1989 to develop a college-wide local area network (LAN), to provide faculty/staff accessto the VCCS distributed computing network and theINTERNET, to install an integrated telephone system, and toestablish an interactive video classroom network across theservice region.

Information technology supports institutional planningfunctions and educational programs in a variety of ways.Administratively the college community uses computersroutinely for word processing, database management, anddesktop publishing. Faculty and staff can access anelectronic "fact book" produced by the Office of Planning andDevelopment and an administrative calendar from thePresident's Office on a file server of the College's LAN. TheOffice of the Dean of Instruction sends daily updates of thenext day's special events schedule showing times and roomsvia campus e-mail. The Office of the Dean of Financial andAdministrative Services has created a wide array of basicforms (e.g., purchase requisition, travel) that save time inpreparation. Personnel routinely share documentselectronically through the LAN. Faculty submit grades onscanable forms that have eliminated the tedious process ofkeying in grades. The Institutional Research Officer preparessurveys in a scanable format that allows for rapid, accuratescoring and greater flexibility in subsequent classificationand analysis of results. Such capabilities allow the Collegeto plan and manage its affairs more effectively and to make afew small, but significant steps toward a paperless workenvironment.

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The role of information technology in the educationalprograms of the College is expanding greatly. As mentionedearlier in this chapter under "Services," the LearningResources Center of Southwest Virginia Community Collegeuses computers for video production in creating charts andgraphs and for the Distance Education System in theElectronic Classroom. The Learning Lab is equipped withcomputers for individual and group users during its hours ofoperation. The Macintoshes and PCs are used for computerinstruction, word processing, and programs for courses inbusiness, math, nursing, social sciences, and English. TheLibrary offers students a wide variety of computers, such assix PCs with CD-ROM, six Macintosh computers that arenetworked to a laser printer, and on-line services to meet theneeds of student and faculty research. As described earlierunder "AV & DE Services," the College participates in theSouthwest Virginia Education and Training Network, whichwill some day provide interactive video classroom links for allhigh schools, community colleges, and senior institutionsthroughout the Ninth Congressional District of Virginia.

In addition to the information technology available in LRCareas, students have access to a Developmental Reading andWriting classroom with computers and the HumanitiesComputer Writing Center (HCWC) in Buchanan Hall, aDOS-based Autocad Lab, a combination Mac/Apollo Lab.and four classrooms with computers in King Hall, and inRussell Hall three business classrooms equipped with micro-computers and one lab with computer terminals connectedto the main frames. A replacement lab for Russell Hall isincluded in renovation plans. Through such resources andthe academic requirements of each program, students atSVCC are provided the means to acquire the basiccompetencies in the use of computers they will need in theworld of work.

In Buchanan Hall the Developmental Reading and Writingclassroom has 18 computers, 5 printers, and an instructor'sportable station with computer, overhead projector, andLiquid Crystal Display (LCD) panel. In addition to wordprocessing, the Reading and Writing lab is used for specificdrills in reading and writing language skills development in aself-contained classroom.

The open Humanities Computer Writing Center has 30student work stations and three faculty stations; image andcharacter recognition scanners: dot matrix, ink jet and laserprinters: and external CD-ROM players. The studentcomputer work stations have internal CD-ROMs. Studentswho use the computer facilities of the HCWC as part of their

Section 5.1 5.3Learning Resources 213

English class experience may have access to their own e-mailaccount with which they can communicate with others intheir class as well as the instructor. Other methods ofcollaborative learning are also employed as a routine part ofthe HCWC's operation.

Beyond computer use in English courses required by allstudents, most academic programs include courses thatrequire students to develop computer competencies. Thispattern is particularly evident in Computer InformationSystems, Office Systems Technology. Drafting and Design,Electronics, and Computer Electronics, but there are alsomodules imbedded in at least some courses of most otherprograms that promote basic computer competencies. Forexample, students in Accounting must work with electronicspreadsheets, those in Machine Tool Operation and Weldinggain experience with programmable robotic equipment, andthose in Automotive Technician Operations must work withthe computerized electronic components of modem vehicles.

Faculty and staff also have local and statewide electronicmail, the on-line Student Information System, andINTERNET access. Via these network systems, faculty havedirect access to student records, to class rosters, and otherpertinent advisement information. SVCC can send messagesnot only across the campus, the state of Virginia, and theUnited States but around the world. The College is installinga fiber optic backbone that will Increase speed of computernetwork access considerably and is planning for studentelectronic mail accounts to provide alternative access tofaculty by computers. These accounts will also give studentsaccess to the INTERNET.

In addition to the computer network, the core of theCollege's information technology, SVCC went on-line in 1991with an integrated telephone system featuring voice mail,automated attendant, and the ability to have direct Inwarddialing to each telephone on campus. The problem ofunattended phones was virtually eliminated overnight. Theflexibility of this system also allows faculty and staff toaccess the College's LAN and WAN from home with theircomputer and a modem.

All these technological innovations would be useless to thecollege community without adequate training for faculty andstaff. When the Meridian Communications Services wasinstalled in the phone system in 1991, competent personnelprovided comprehensive hands-on training for all faculty andstaff. During the past five years it has been rare for a monthto go by without the Computer-Assisted Instruction2 14 . SectionV: Educational Support Services

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o

Coordinator, the Office of Information Systems staff, orAV&DES personnel providing a training session on someaspect of the information technology described above.

It should be evident from the previous narrative thatappropriate information technology resources are availableon the SVCC campus. The College understands theimportance of providing these resources as needed for allprograms wherever they are located or delivered. At off-campus sites rented by the College, the Office of InformationServices staff have Installed computer labs appropriate forcourses at each location. To ensure access to computers, theCollege has taken the initiative to develop agreements withhigh schools where courses are offered in the evenings.Student Development Services personnel have the capabilityto conduct dial-in registration of students and to accessstudent records for advisement.

To provide further access to off-campus students, theHumanities Computer Writing Center is normally open from8: 15a.m. to 5:00p.m. Monday through Friday, but the lab isalso open several evenings a week until 8:00 p.m. The exactevening schedule is adjusted each semester to meet theneeds of the evening program. The schedule is posted on theHCWC door. Additionally, HCWC extends hours at facultyrequest. For example, HCWC's coordinator has conductedSaturday and evening sessions to enable off-campus Englishclasses to take advantage of the computer facility. Also,evening instructors may request additional time for theirstudents. Students from all divisions, faculty, and membersof the community have easy access to computers in theLearning Lab and the Library since these two LRC areas areopen more hours, including weekends and evenings, thanany other area on campus. However, arrangements can bemade in advance for using other campus labs duringevenings and weekends.

With all the access that is currently and will increasingly beavailable, security of information technology networks is areal issue for SVCC and educators around the world. Thisconcern is addressed in policies that the Office ofInformation Services has established for the College. Accessto the VCCS's Student Information System is strictlycontrolled under the terms of these policies that specify howaccounts are established, procedures for passwordprotection, and those who are authorized to have access.Campus e-mail and voice-mail are also password protectedand managed by college personnel.

Section 5.1 5.3 Learning Resources 2 15

The College is indeed becoming a desktop community. Eventhe bookstore offers software to faculty, staff, and studentsat sharply reduced rates. A Network Manager, one part-timetechnician. and one part-time programmer work at keepingall of the computers and computer systems in order. Theprocedures manual for the Office of Information Servicesrecommends that, "with such a large percentage of thecampus networked, and the high volume of work remainingto be done in automation," that both part-time positionsshould "be converted into full-time positions" (15). Thiscommittee agrees that the work load appears to be heavy andtherefore suggests that administration of SVCC evaluatestaffing for computer servicing and assistance.

The administration has planned effectively for large system-wide innovations and has dealt with most day-to-day issuesof repair, acquisition, and use of computers. There is aprocedures manual and a verbal policy of first-come, first-served exist: however, there is no written policy regardingpriorities for acquiring, repairing, and using computers.Therefore, this committee proposes that clear andconsistent policies dealing with computers be put inwriting. Such policies should more explicitly take intoconsideration the allocation and use of informationtechnology. For example, user statistics from the computerlabs should be kept to establish priorities. The HumanitiesComputer Writing Center keeps such usage records. Facultyand staff also need a written policy to deal with immediateand future obsolescence of computers. Finally, they needguidance for such simple matters as where to borrowportable computers for use on professional trips and for useat home in writing lengthy documents important to theCollege. The language of these policies must also includeprocedures by which these policies will be regularly evaluatedto ensure academic and administrative needs are adequatelyaddressed in the future.

As with any new technology, SVCC will need to keepcomputers up to date and serviceable in order to remaincurrent in this vital area. For example, business studentswho use the Learning Lab computers could not, until veryrecently, run their programs using Word Perfect 6.0 Windowson the PCs in the Learning Lab. Also because the BusinessDivision teaches classes in their computer labs, computersare not available for other student use during class hours.Thus, there is a need for additional computers andequipment, such as CD-ROM, sound boards, and computersoftware, in the Learning lab. Also, some computers forstudent use in the Library need to be updated since one ormore computers are often inoperable. Because of the age of216. SectionV: Educational Support Services

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these computers, equipment failure rates and necessaryrepairs are high.

The College is already addressing some of these needs. In1994, administration provided a special allocation of $33,200

for new library computers. Also, equipment trust funds inthe amount of $10,000 are expected to be released in 1995for library computers. In 1993, however, the Coordinator ofLibrary Services had to make the painful decision to transfer$8,000 from the book budget to up-grade the five computerswhich support the on-line Library catalog. All three areas ofthe LRC are intensive users of technology. and sincetechnology is not Included specifically in budgeting for theseareas, the committee sees a need to anticipate crises eventhough money is usually forthcoming when needed.Historically, such funding can be accomplished more readilynear the end of the fiscal year. Obligating funds at thebeginning of the fiscal year may be difficult since a decreasein FTES for the fiscal year necessitates the return of fundsto the State. When the College meets its enrollmentprojection, funds are then available at the end of a fiscalyear. Therefore, the committee proposes that the threecoordinators work with the administration to includetechnology in the LRC budget for all three areas.

INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT

Instructional support is provided institutionally throughmany areas of service to SVCC students and faculty.

One area is laboratory services. In addition to the computerlabs and Learning Lab discussed in the above sections, SVCCuses laboratories in the following areas: biology andchemistry (both on and off campus), typing, painting, potteryand leather crafts, welding, diesel mechanics, machine shop,environment/geology, respiratory care, nursing (both on andoff campus), and radiology. In addition, the on-campusTutorial Lab offers students one-on-one assistance insubject areas where help is needed. Student tutors also helpfaculty in developmental classes, and the newly createdCenter for Teaching Excellence is beginning to offer facultyresources.

Faculty, staff, and students have access to educationalequipment and duplicating services in both on-campus andoff-campus facilities. Staff Services offers duplicationservices, supplies (folders, pens, pencils, legal pads, etc.),and printing services (brochures, flyers, etc.) to faculty andstaff. Faculty and staff have access in all divisions to

Section 5.1 5.3 Learning Resources . 2 17

copying machines for document duplication and fortransparency making and to Scantron machines for rapidgrading of objective tests. Students have access to coin-operated copying machines now located in Russell, Tazewell,and Buchanan halls. All off-campus sites have duplicatingmachines available to adjunct faculty through SVCCagreements with the various sites. Also the Office of EveningOfferings duplicates material for adjunct faculty on request.

The equipment used for instructional support in the LRC,including AV&DES equipment for on- and off-campus use onrequest, was evaluated earlier in this section. Equipment isalso available on campus through academic divisions andother areas. The Humanities and Social Sciences Divisionhas two portable televisions with VHS capacity, ContinuingEducation has three portable VHS players with TV screens,the Natural Science and Mathematics Division has one VHS-TV-Computer combination, Human Resources has oneportable VHS player with 'IV screen, Police Science has oneVHS with screen, and King Hall has five TV monitors andfive big screen projectors. Off-campus sites have videoplayers, audio tape players, and projectors that are availableto SVCC classes through agreements.

Yet another area of instructional support that includes alldivisions is secretarial assistance. With the change intechnology in all divisions across the campus, secretarieshave been assigned additional responsibilities, such asentering all course data for registration purposes, processingstudent excessive absence forms, and other duties formerlyhandled outside the divisions. The issue is a complex one inthat the increasing opportunities for use of technologicaldevices for accomplishing routine tasks have altered some ofthe responsibilities of faculty, administrators, and classifiedstaff. For example, faculty can perform many responsibilitiestraditionally assigned to division secretaries, such as takingphone messages, typing and sending inter-office messages,and typing revisions of course syllabi and other documentsby way of voice mail, electronic mail, and word processors.The local area network also provides complete and up-to-date student, class, and schedule information which greatlyincreases the efficiency of advising students. The majority offaculty members who have asked for computers have anetworked personal computer with voice mail and electronicmail; however, not all faculty who have computers have beensuccessfully trained to use all of the available technology.Other accessible avenues for clerical assistance include StaffServices and student workers. In short, faculty have beengiven increased access to computers, software, printers, e-mail, voice mail, and copy machines, but not increased2 18 Section V: Educational Support Services

186

e secretarial assistance. Some faculty have expressed concernabout the lessening of available secretarial assistance.

Therefore, this committee proposes that the Collegeevaluate the components of instructional supportincluding laboratory services. equipment, and the declinein the availability of clerical assistance resulting in partfrom the increas in technological devices and thechanging role of division secretaries.

CONCLUSION

The committee has studied the adequacy of the LRC purpose,services, collections, staff, institutional relationships, andoff-campus access to resources and has concluded that theLRC. which has the task of maintaining and enhancing thepurpose and mission of the College by supporting thecurriculum and determining the articulated andinarticulated needs of faculty and students, has acquitteditself well.

The largest area of the LRC, the Library. has kept currentwith the development of technology appropriate to acommunity college. In 1989 the Library acquired an on-linepublic access catalog (OPAC) and has continued to add otherstations as well as other information technology, such asCD-ROM bibliographic, full text, and other data bases.Being responsive to faculty requests, the Library will buythose requests that can be worked into the budget. TheLibrary has established good communications and closeworking relations with the academic divisions.

In yet another area of the LRC, the Learning LabCoordinator has played a leadership role in developmentalstudies education for the entire campus. The Learning Labhas offered media support for every academic division andhas worked well with faculty to meet individual student(including facilities for the physically impaired) andclassroom needs.

AV&DES has coordinated and developed the delivery ofeducation services since the early years of the College andhas progressed from the initial concept of hand deliveringequipment and software to classrooms to the delivery ofeducational materials and courses electronically to all on-campus classrooms and every off-campus site. AV&DES hasdesigned and built an electronic classroom and has producedentire electronic courses using SVCC faculty and equipment.

Section 5.1 5.3 Learning Resources . 219

Computers are more than adequate for a community college.All faculty have access to computers; 95 percent of facultyhave computers in their offices through which they haveaccess to student records needed for advisement andelectronic mail. Students have access to computers throughnumerous campus labs. Computer training is available forfaculty, and students may take computer classes or elselearn a basic use of computers through English classes, evendevelopmental English classes.

Collections of materials and available services from allsources are more than adequate to meet the purpose andgoals of Southwest Virginia Community College.

220. Section V: Educational Support Services

EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICESLEARNINGRESOURCES


. This committee recommend; that the Library andLearning Lab s t a ff supplement the graduationquestionnaire with regular and systematic evaluation ofresources and services to ensure that they are meeting theneeds of all general user groups and are supporting theprograms and purpose of the College.

. The committee proposes that the LRC missionstatements be included in the Faculty Handbook.

. The committee proposes that LRC Standing Committeemembers participate in the annual review and planningfor LRC.

. This committee proposes that AV&DES and the LearningLab work with the Library to include Learning Lab andAV8r,DES materials in the Library's automated catalog.

. The committee proposes that space needs for AV&DESelectronic classroom and newly developed telecourses beincluded in the renovation plans.

. The committee suggests that dialogue be continuedbetween the library staff and the Engineering Division toencourage greater faculty involvement in Planningmaterials and services for the use of Engineering Divisionstudents.

. The committee proposes that consideration be given toincreasing library funding as institutional resourcesbecome available.

. The committee proposes that SVCC administrationevaluate the adequacy of staffing for the Library.

. The committee proposes that LRC staff implement a planto ensure that all degree seeking students have access toLRC orientation.

. The committee recommends that the Coordinator ofLibrary Support Services evaluate and improve supportservices to off-campus sites.

Section 5.1 - 5.3 Learning Resources 22 1

. 'This committee suggests that administration of SVCCevaluate staffing for computer servicing and assistance.

. This committee proposes that clear and consistentpolicies dealing with computers be put in writing.

The committee proposes that the three coordinators workwith the administration to include technology in the LRCbudget for all three areas.

The committee proposes that the College evaluate thecomponents of instructional support including laboratoryservices, equipment, and the decline in the availability ofclerical assistance resulting in part from the increase intechnological devices and the changing role of divisionsecretaries.


COMMITTEE

Pansy Waycaster Associate Professor, MathematicsChair

Linnea Olson Associate Professor, Single Parents, Homemakers,Writer and WIT Programs Director

Donald Bartholomay Associate Professor, Biology

Curtis Breeding Assistant Professor, Mine Health and Safety

Jereial Fletcher Associate Professor, EnglishLiaison

Ronnie Kiser Campus Security Supervisor

Maggie Lilly Office Services Assistant, Admissions Office

Terry Long Instructor, Admissions Counselor. Art Photographyand Media Specialist

Donna Miller Executive Secretary to Dean of StudentRecorder Development Services

Rod Moore Associate Professor, Director of Admissions,Records, and Financial Aid

Phyllis Roberts

Ginger Robinette

Brenda Robinson

Melissia Thomsbury

Alumni Program Coordinator

Office Services Assistant, Continuing Educationand Community Services

Office Services Assistant, Continuing Educationand Community Services

Program Support Technician, Student SupportServices

Section 5.4 Student Development Services 225

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INTRODUCTION

The self-study committee assigned to evaluate StudentDevelopment Services (SDS) at Southwest VirginiaCommunity College (SVCC) accepted the responsibility ofascertaining whether or not SVCC's Student DevelopmentProgram complies with SACS Criteria for accreditation. Inorder to accomplish this task effectively, the committee,comprised of representatives from faculty. administration,and classified staff, used several strategies to collect data.Members of the committee reviewed the assigned areas ofresponsibility in the SACS Criteria and college policies andprocedures; gathered and analyzed information; generatedquestions for surveys: conducted personal and telephoneinterviews: and consulted with other discipline expertsacross campus. Then the committee diagnosed and evaluatedthe strengths and challenges of each Student DevelopmentServices area.

Sources used included the following: VCCS Policy ManualSVCC Local Board Policy and Procedures Manual, the 1994-95Catalog & Student Handbook, SVCC Self-Study Report 1983.85, SVCC Financial Aid Policies and Procedures Manual, SVCCStudent Activities Handbook, Giving Direction to the Future:Southwest Virginia Community College's Master Plan, AnnualReports and Operational Plans 1Volume 25, Part 2), and SVCCbrochures. The committee also reviewed proposals from thegrant areas within the division, divisional course outlinesand evaluations, and student, staff, and faculty feedback. Inaddition, results and analyses by the Office of Planning andDevelopment from the 'Student Questionnaire 1993-94,""Off-campus Student Questionnaire 1993-94," "SVCCGraduate Survey of the Classes of 1972-1993," and "StudentDevelopment Services Internal Survey Related to SACSCriteria" guided the committee in making decisions. Anotherinvestigative resource was the continuing availability of theDean of Student Development Services, along with theprofessional and classified staff of the Student DevelopmentServices Division.

SCOPE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

At Southwest Virginia Community College studentdevelopment services coexist with the educational programsin a partnership that fuses academic and personal goals as

Section 5.4 Student Development Services . 227

illustrated by the purpose statements presented below. TheSVCC Statement of Purpose reads in part:

Educational opportunities are provided for adults aswell as college-age youth. These include qualityinstructional associate degree, certificate anddevelopmental courses. A counseling program andother student services are also provided to assist thestudent with decisions on occupational, educational,and personal goals. (SVCC Catalog 85 StudentHandbook, 1994-95, 1)

The purpose statement of the SDS Division echoes thisrelationship in these words:

Student Development Services is an essential partnerwith the academic program of the College in movingstudents toward their educational goals. The well-represented range of services at Southwest VirginiaCommunity College is planned to meet students' needsby allocating college resources toward the intellectual,social, cultural, physical and moral development ofstudents.

Student development services begin with the student's initialcontact at the time of application and continue throughgraduation and even beyond into alumni services. Majorservices, such as admissions, registration, record keeping,financial aid, orientation, counseling. career guidance andplacement testing, drug and alcohol awareness, services forthe physically impaired, and alumni affairs provide a holisticstudent environment when coupled with the College'seducational offerings.

One good example showing how the two areas of the Collegework in partnership is Project INFORM, an interdisciplinaryadmissions recruiting team approach, which combines theexpertise of faculty and Student Development Servicespersonnel as they present recruitment materials toprospective students and answer their questions in apersonal, systematic manner. This approach creates acontinuous opportunity for faculty and StudentDevelopment Services personnel to interact concerning theeducational goals and procedures of the institution.

The College's approach to extracurricular and co-curricularactivities provides another example of the partnership. Underthe leadership of the Office of Student Activities, the Collegebrings together teaching faculty and personnel from theDivision of Student Development Services to provide


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extracurricular and co-curricular opportunities for studentinvolvement in campus life, such as student government,student publications, intramural athletics, club sports andorganizations, international education events, and aninterdisciplinary SVCC Speakers Series. For example, theSVCC Speakers Series coordinates events that complementacademic classes. The following events illustrate the diversityof the Series' interdisciplinary focus. A National OperaCompany performance about nineteenth century Italyaddressed content taught in music, literature, and westerncivilization classes. An area college president shared someexperiences with political science and US history classes. Aguest speaker from Russia spoke with environmental science,English, speech, sociology, art, western civilization,business, and honors program faculty and classes.

Other examples of the partnership between the two areas ofthe College working toward total student development maybe seen in the role of certain faculty voluntarily serving asadvisors to student clubs and organizations. During 1993-94Phi Theta Kappa, advised by faculty from the Humanities,Business, and Science areas: Phi Beta Lambda advised by amember of the Business Division; and Student Governmentadvised by the Co-Curricular Activities coordinator,addressed scholarship, leadership, and community activitiesfor students. In the same year, both Phi Theta Kappa andPhi Beta Lambda received national recognition. Anotherexample is the Art Club, which complements the artcurriculum through trips to the National Galley of Art, theRichmond Museum of Fine Arts, and the Roanoke Museumof Fine Arts.

The College further confirms its commitment to apartnership between academic and student developmentservices toward promoting a holistic educationalenvironment for students by allocating two hours ofnoninstructional time (Activity Period) during the week forstudents and faculty to participate in clubs and otherextracurricular and co-curricular activities, such asvolleyball tournament, three-on-three intramural basketball,SVCC faculty/staff art exhibit, SGA hot dog lunch, or otherclub sports activities. The holistic philosophy is furtherreflected in that the various extracurricular and co-curricular activities are open to all students through thepolicy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color,creed or religion, sex, age, national origin, military status,handicap, or other factors prohibited by law. Having such adiversity of activities in an environment that encouragesparticipation and does not discriminate shows that both theSDS Division and faculty recognize that a college education


includes not only intellectual development but also cultural,social, moral, and physical development.

GOALS

The Division of Student Development Services is divided intounits according to their mission and purpose. These units,which consist of Alumni Affairs, Career Development,Counseling/Co-advising, Financial Aid, Student Activities,Veterans Affairs, Admissions and Records, Student SupportServices, Talent Search/AmeriCorps, and Single Parents,Displaced Homemakers and Single Pregnant Women Program(hereafter referred to as Gender Equity Center), havedeveloped programmatic goals, which are evaluated andupdated annually. Collectively these goals form thedivisional goals.

This committee found that the goals of the units of the SDSDivision are consistent with the overall purpose of theCollege. Student needs, as determined by an initialinterview, standardized testing (such as ASSET, TABE, SAT,and ACT), student and faculty feedback, graduatequestionnaires, and follow-up studies, guide thedevelopment of these goals and provide the framework for theservices the SDS Division offers. For example. one of theCollege's goals, "to enhance and improve student life andactivities" (1992-93 Annual Report with SVCC OperationalPlanning for 1993-94") emphasized the College's focus onaddressing student needs and providing leadership towardimproving the quality of student life. This goal decidedlyparallels the unit goals of the Division of StudentDevelopment Services. Beginning in 1993-94, the Dean ofStudent Development Services began identifying planningpriorities to serve as organized goals for StudentDevelopment Services. For 1993-94, the Division identifiedthe following planning priorities: improving systems foradmissions/registration, strengthening the financial aidprocess, facilitating student retention, evaluating effective-ness of counseling/advising, developing measures/indicatorsto assess quality, and enhancing career development activi-ties.

For goal setting and evaluation, as well as leadership andproblem resolution, the units collectively use the SWOTs(Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) model. Thisplanning process incorporates individual and teamevaluation. All units use this planning and evaluationprocess, but grant programs, such as Gender Equity,Student support Services, and Talent Search,


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simultaneously formulate program goals and effectivenessstandards by incorporating externally mandated federal orstate requirements.

Written documents, such as unit goals, administrativeplanning priorities, and working calendars, provide evidencelinking the goals of the SDS Division to the broaderinstitutional mission. In-depth working calendars, whicheach unit developed for the 1993-94 academic year,demonstrate how the goal process guides and coordinatesdivisional plans and operations. These working calendarsreflect assessment and planning efforts which continuallyoccur within the division through feedback fromquestionnaires, surveys, and student requests.

The following summary shows a more specific example ofhow this process works: When the Division recognized thatoff-campus registration and advising needed to be addressedin order to improve these services and Increase retention foroff-campus students, the College ran a pilot program toestablish a means for off-campus access to the StudentInformation System (SIS), which is the statewidecomputerized record system for student records, etc. SVCCwas the first college in the VCCS to make an attempt to usethis system. In addition, the SDS Division, according to thefall 1993 results of the "Student Development ServicesInternal Survey Related to SACS Criteria," perceived efforts"to develop and satisfy goals" as at least "adequate" and insome instances "exemplary."

The 1994-95 planning priorities, which again provideorganized goals for the Student Development ServicesDivision, are to:

. Plan for retaining students, especially first-year studentswho transfer.

. Develop a written plan for recruitment.

. Develop a data model to track student transfer andperformance at four-year schools.

. Departmentalize academic advising to identify studentswith particular counseling and advising needs to linkintervention with retention.

. Explore mechanisms to enhance and track job placementfor students and alumni.

Section 5.4 Student Development Services . 23 1

. Formalize departmental manuals, handbooks, andprocedures, e.g., student activities, articulationagreements, academic renewal, etc.

. Improve student due process policies and procedures.

SERVICES AND PROGRAM EVALUATION

As shown in the section titled "Goals," the areas of goalsetting and program evaluation overlap considerably sinceevaluation often determines goals, especially in using theSWOTs model along with working calendars. Additionally,the services and programs of the SDS Division receive otherexternal and internal evaluation. The State Auditor andVCCS auditors make periodic checks of Student SupportServices and o f Admissions, Records, and Financial Aid. TheUS Department of Education does not perform an audit ofits own; however, the State forwards a copy of its report tothe federal government. Also, Virginia and the USDepartment of Education make site visits. One program,Talent Search, has site visits which occur without aprearranged schedule.

The SDS Division annually surveys graduation candidates.The Office of Planning and Development also surveys recentgraduates and forwards the results to the Division. Thisinstrument assesses a number of dimensions of the College.including elements of the Student Development SupportServices, with regard to student satisfaction. Such surveyresults from students, as well as faculty and divisionpersonnel, often lead to change. For example, surveycomments about the registration process revealed concerns,especially about the time spent waiting in line to register.Since 1993 the registration process has been improved tofeature a virtual "no lines" experience.

In addition to the programmatic evaluation process, theCollege uses a formal procedure for evaluating theperformance of personnel. Specifically, the Presidentevaluates the Dean of Student Development Servicesutilizing ratings from division members and other factors. Allother professional personnel within the division use peer,self, and student evaluation, as well as evaluation by thedean. Student evaluation comes from feedback gatheredthrough written orientation class evaluations, student andfaculty sessions, student questionnaires, and the graduatesurvey.


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I

SERVICES TO OFF-CAMPUS CLASSES

In order to meet the needs of area citizens, includingindividuals, businesses, industries, and other communitygroups, the College offers a variety of classes at several off-campus locations in each of the four counties of the servicearea. SDS personnel extend most development services tooff-campus students. These include admissions andadd/drop processes, assistance with registration and records,toll-free phone access, counselor entry and exit interview,payment of fees and tuition, placement testing, financial aid,orientation, and advisement. As well as having access to theuse of the main campus and its facilities, students mayparticipate in clubs, co-curricular activities, and sports.

ORGANIZATIONAL STATUS

As shown by the College's organizational chart (shown inSection 6.1). the Division of Student Development Serviceshas equal organizational status within the three majoradministrative areas of the College. Each area is under thedirection of a dean, who reports directly to the President andhas input into the total college operation as a member of theCollege Council.

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITY

primary responsibility for carrying out the purpose of theDivision lies with the Dean of Student DevelopmentServices, who orchestrates all facets of the Division'soperations within the institution and the community. Chart54.01. the organizational chart shown on the followingpage, denotes the line-staff relationship of full-timeemployees.


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The primary functions of the SDS Division include recruitingand enrolling students, counseling students, providingrecreational and cultural activities for students, facilitatingthe provision of financial assistance to qualified students,maintaining the academic records of students, and providingcareer guidance. As "an administrative area responsible forplanning and implementing student development services,"the SDS Division perceives itself as being "adequate,"according to the fall 1993 "Student Development ServicesInternal Survey."

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

While the implementation of Student Development Servicespolicy rests with the Dean, the avenue for policyimplementation generates within the policies, procedures,and regulations of the State Board for Community Collegesas set forth in the VCCS Policy Manual (Section 6.5 - 6.62)and the Southwest Virginia Community College FacultyHandbook (Section 5). These policies govern the proceduresand implementation processes addressing studentdevelopment services throughout the community collegesystem in Virginia, including those framing the actualservices provided at SVCC. Comprehensive policies andprocedures exist for the following student development areas:Admissions, Virginia Residency, Student Registration andRecords, Classification of Students, Campus Conduct, andStudent Development (counseling, recruitment and highschool articulation, faculty advisors, testing, orientation,career planning and placement services, financial aid,housing, student publications, student activities, andintramural programs and sports clubs).

HUMAN RESOURCES

Within the Division of Student Development Services 46personnel, 24 full-time and 22 part-time, deliver specificservices and programs for 11 program areas, which havegoals congruent with the institutional mission. Within eachof these areas counselors, specialists, officers, officeassistants, field representatives, and secretaries report to acoordinator, a program director, or to the dean.

Part-time employees perform indispensable services on acontinuing basis in the areas of Admissions, Records andFinancial Aid, Talent Search, AmeriCorps, Student SupportServices, and the Gender Equity Center. Temporary part-time


employees also fill staffing needs for special projects andduring high demand periods, such as general studentregistration and alumni surveys.

Qualificationsof Personnel

A review of the academic preparation and experience ofpersonnel in the Division of Student Development Servicesshowed that all professional staff members hold the properacademic credentials to perform their assigned duties. Oneexception did exist for a while. Certain personnel in theTalent Search program were referred to as counselors. Thiscaused some confusion because the individuals acting inthis capacity did not possess counseling credentials, nor didthey perform counseling responsibilities to college-levelstudents. To remedy this situation, these titles have beenchanged to Talent Search Advisors" to reflect their function.The College continues to conform with VCCS policiesregarding qualifications of personnel.

Work Loads

Work loads in the Student Development Services Divisioncan be described as taxing. The areas of Admissions,Records, Financial Aid, and counseling illustrate how taxingthe work loads are. However, during 1993-94, to alleviatework loads in the Office of Student Financial Aid, severalpositions were filled, including a Perkins-funded financialaid counselor's position.

Peak periods during enrollment generally require staffmembers from these areas to work beyond their normal workhours. Throughout the semester, numerous deadlines andreporting requirements demand constant redeployment o fpersonnel within the Admissions, Records, and Financial Aidoffices. Furthermore, some employees in these areasassimilate mandated changes into their work schemes,altering the nature of the performance and expectations ofjob requirements. The Division has identified the need forthe addition of an Admissions, Records, and Financial Aidclerk to relieve the pressure created by deferred work. Eventhough much cross training occurs, current staffingresources do not alleviate the stressful work load nor thework flow needs of the Admissions, Records, and FinancialAid offices. For example, the time from pre-registrationthrough the add/drop date usually consists of six weeks ofextensive enrollment flow through the Admissions and


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Records area. Consequently, routine tasks remainunattended or create overtime pressures.

There are two full-time college-funded counselors. Bothpositions involve other program responsibilities besidescounseling services. One counselor has responsibility forstudent activities, student government, and studentorganizations. The other supervises the freshman orientationprogram, administers the testing program for prospectivestudents, coordinates articulation agreements with four-yeartransfer institutions, and teaches orientation classes. Fiveother grant-funded positions contribute to providingstudents with quality counseling services. Four grant-restricted counseling positions in Student Support Servicesand the Gender Equity Program provide counseling andsupport services to students within the scope of the grants.

During fall 1993 the College served 1,979 full-time students,the highest number of full-time students in its history, anda total headcount of 4,620. Based on counseling contactrecords, the increase in full-time student numbers impactson the delivery of all counseling services. The number of full-time students and full-time equivalent students (FTES) hasincreased nearly every year since 1988 with no increase inthe number of counseling staff positions. In addition tostudent development counseling expectations, the College'sgrant-restricted counselors also perform special dutiesmandated by federal regulations. Among the fourprofessionals in Student Support Services, one serves asproject director, one as transfer specialist for project-identified students, a third as supervisor of the tutoringprogram (which receives institutional funding), and a fourthas a counselor to "special needs" students. The diversifiedneeds and demands for counseling services to the studentbody, along with the restrictions of specific grant positions,identify and support a need for an allocation plan todetermine needs, such as an additional professional SDScounselor's position.

The Office of Alumni Affairs, staffed by a position created in1993, aims at improving the College's knowledge of andservice to its graduates. The functions of developing andmaintaining a database and providing informational linkagesbetween the College and its alumni are vital. The AlumniAffairs coordinator uses special events, newsletters, surveys,and other research to follow graduates. Presently, a part-time assistant fulfills the clerical duties supporting theOffice of Alumni Affairs.


Under the stewardship of the Office of Veterans Affairs, thenumber of veterans served has doubled since 1989. TheVeterans Affairs officer represents the College to the VeteransAdministration, the Department of Education, and a numberof other agencies on behalf of veterans or veterans'dependents. In addition to the complex and exactingrequirements of the Veterans Affairs duties, this positionprovides clerical support for the two fuli-time, college-fundedcounselors and produces the weekly College Bulletin. Thecommittee evaluating Student Development Services foundthat the grade level of the person performing these duties didnot reflect actual job responsibilities and proposed that theVeterans Affairs grade-level classification be reviewed.

Institutional The College acted upon this proposal by reviewing andResponse upgrading the classification.

Between 1989 and 1993 the Career Development Center wasstaffed by a grant-supported director's position. At theconclusion of the grant, the Center operated with reducedpersonnel and services. Staffed with a part-time employee,who reported directly to the Dean of Student DevelopmentServices, the Center housed career information, current joblistings, computer assisted career development activities andclerical, technical assistance with resume preparation. TheCareer Development Center's major thrust was listing localjobs and assisting students and alumni with the job-application process. Therefore, the committee recommendedthat the College review the situation and propose a plan forthe Inclusion of a full-time professional position in theCareer Development Center.

Institutional The College responded to this recommendation in a uniqueResponse and Innovative partnership between the College and the

Cumberland Plateau Planning District through the CareerCenters of Southwest Virginia, which became operational onJuly 1. 1994. A more detailed description of the Center willbe given later in this chapter. However, a placement functionstill needs to be developed in conjunction with the College,so students can have this service available. Consequently,the committee recommends that the College continue toreview the placement issue and provide appropriatestaff.

The Gender Equity Program, a vocational education,marketable skills grant funded through the Carl D. PerkinsApplied Vocational and Technology Act, was facing two vital


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issues: reporting delineation and future funding options.One of three Gender Equity programs, the Center for SingleParents and Displaced Homemakers, et al, funded in 1985,originated and operated in the SDS Division until fall 1991.Then, due to the vacancy of the director's position for theCenter: the defunding of one of these programs, Women inHigh Innovative Technology Studies (WHITS): and a directivefrom the Virginia Department of Education, the program'sdirectorship was transferred to the Director of the Women inIndustrial Training Program. This situation resulted in thedirector's having a split reporting assignment between theDean of Student Development Services and the Chair of theEngineering Division. This committee proposed that theCollege review the split reporting situation.

Institutional The College responded by reorganizing the reporting of theResponse position to the Dean of Student Development Services. The

funding issue for the Gender Equity programs will bediscussed in the Financial Resources section of this chapter.

Other than the anecdotal situations described throughoutthis section, a mechanism does not exist that adequatelyassesses the personnel needs for positions within the SDSDivision. Therefore, the committee recommends thedevelopment of an allocation plan to determine needsand predict when additional positions are Justified.

The Talent Search Program, a relatively new addition toSVCC, began operation In 1991-92. Like Student SupportServices, Talent Search represents one of a cluster of federalprograms known as TRIO. The primary goal of the TalentSearch Program is to make public school students andadults aware of and become prepared for collegeopportunities. The program works primarily with grades sixthrough twelve. Staffing includes a project director, a part-time Talent Search coordinator, a part-time secretary, andtwo full-time and four part-time advisors. The programserves 800 students in grades 6- 12 in Buchanan, Dickenson,and Russell counties.

Another federally funded program, begun in fall 1994,AmeriCorps, USA, is one of three located on communitycollege campuses in the country, and SVCC is the onlycommunity college to be funded in Virginia. The program'smain mission is to assist at-risk K-8 students withIndividual or small group tutorials so that the targetedstudents will pass the Literacy Passport Test. A projectdirector (who also directs Talent Search), a part-time


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coordinator, a par-time secretary. 3 tutor coordinators, and30 of 40 funded part-time tutors fulfill the AmeriCorpsmission.

Staff Development

Professional development activities exist that offer personnelin the Student Development Services Division opportunitiesto remain current and further develop respective skill areas.These include attendance at national, state, and localconferences, meetings, and workshops, as well as on-campusinservice and other professional development opportunitiesthroughout the academic year. Opportunities provideexpertise exchanges and dialogues among campusdisciplines. Completing a graduate course in Marriage andFamily Counseling at a regional university, attending anAHEAD conference on learning disabilities, participating in aVCCS Activities group meeting, and presenting at a nationalmeeting of the League of Innovation for Community Collegesillustrate the diverse professional development activitiesabounding within the SDS Division.

Since the professional personnel of the SDS Division holdfaculty rank, the section titled "Professional Growth" inSection 4.8.7 of this self-study document explains in greaterdetail the professional development program encouraged andavailable at SVCC.

FINANCIAL RESOURCES

Resources for Student Development Services staff to accessprofessional development, as discussed above, comes fromprofessional development funds set aside for that purpose bythe Virginia Community College System and the VirginiaCommunity College Association, as well as college fundsprovided through the division budget.

Planning processes usually predetermine needs so thatcollege and grant funds support the programmatic needs ofthe SDS Division adequately. When unanticipated needsarise. the College's Budget Review Committee has allocatedadditional funds. Also, the College budgets for part-timeemployment of temporary personnel to be used whensituations dictate a need.

Southwest Virginia Community College has actively pursuedand been very successful in securing grant funds or grant-restricted positions to support many vital student


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to development programs. Of the seven professional counselingpositions within the division, five are either grant funded orgrant restricted. This current situation providesapproximately a 1:700 counselor-student ratio. According toa report, July 27, 1994, of the FY 1993 National Associationfor College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) dataprepared by the Institutional Research Officer, "GenerallySVCC had higher FTE Staffing ratios (which indicates fewerstaff serving more students than other SW Regional collegesand the VCCS)." Therefore, if the externally funded positionswere discontinued, the ratio would significantly change to aservice ratio of approximately 1:2000, which would be muchhigher than the VCCS approximate ratio of 1:800.Furthermore, the NACUBO report states, "Even excludingPell grants, SVCC received a slightly higher percentage of itsrevenues from Gift Grants, Contracts, and Other Revenuesources than the VCCS or the SW Regional CC's." Thishigher percentage in gifts, grants, contracts, and otherrevenue sources might create a problem which managementwill need to address at some point in the future.

A current example is shown in the proposed federallegislation for Carl D. Perkins set-aside funds, which providethe College's Gender Equity programs. This legislativepassage effective 1996 would result in the loss of thesefunds. The program, which has existed since 1985, hasprovided approximately $1,513,000 in direct tuition andrelated services to the College, and by spring of 1996 willhave served over 2,630 re-entry adults.

Additional analysis of FY 1993 NACUBO data for SVCC, theVCCS, a group of six community colleges in the region, andnational reference groups shed light on the complexity ofthis problem. Non-grant-funded expenditures per credit perFTES for FY 1993 Student Services are as follows: National:$492, National Peer: $488, VCCS: $330, Regional: $402, andSVCC: $287. The annuity credit FTE for FY 1993 at SVCCwas 2,897, which means that SVCC's Student DevelopmentServices FY 1993 budget of non-grant funds was $124,571less than the VCCS average in 1993. When compared to theregional and national data, this deficit is greater.Consequently, this committee recommends that theCollege review in the annual budget review process therole of grant funded and grant restricted positions andservices for possibd inclusion in the College's non-grantplans and budgets.


PHYSICAL RESOURCES

Housing available for the Division of Student DevelopmentServices can be described as generally adequate butdecentralized across campus in Tazewell, Russell. Buchanan,and King halls. Although challenging, the physicaldistribution of personnel does not present a serious problem.

Tazewell Hall, centrally located on the SVCC campus,houses Admissions, Records, and Financial Aid, AlumniAffairs, Career Development, Veterans Affairs, administrativeoffices for the Division, and a counseling office.

The Office of Admissions and Records, recently renovated toimprove work flow, maintains an environment respectful ofstudents' rights to privacy and confidentiality. Four full-timeand four part-time Admissions Office employees share workspace in three separate work areas, and both the directorand the admissions counselor have private offices.

The Financial Aid Office contains five work stations in anopen-room layout. The current working area does not providea confidential and private floor plan conducive to discussingsensitive financial and academic information with students;however, an existing redesign plan proposes a floor layoutwith enclosed work stations, which will provide anenvironment that respects the crucial issues of student andstaff confidentiality and privacy, thus extending theAdmissions Office renovation into the Financial Aid Office.This renovation will also include areas that house theFinancial Aid counselor, Veterans Affairs, and StudentDevelopment Services administrative offices.

The professional staff of Student Support Services, located inBuchanan Hall, have offices conducive to a climate ofprivacy and confidentiality as well as individual attention.However. the Student Support Services tutorial programarea, which serves as many as 10-12 tutors and studentsduring peak usage, is constrained by a room ofapproximately 130 square feet. As a result, some studentsreport difficulty concentrating in such crowded conditions.Often small group tutorial sessions need to locate a vacantclassroom elsewhere when available. Also. since the StudentSupport Services tutorial area is an open lab, it does notlend itself to confidentiality and privacy for either individualor group tutorial sessions. These conditions lessen theeffectiveness of the tutorial process. Consequently, the


2O

committee recommends that the College review the spaceproblem in the Student Support Services area andprovide sufficient space allocation to address the needsfor tutorial services.

The Talent Search area houses a project director, part-timesecretary, and one Talent Search advisor in Russell Hall. Asecond Talent Search advisor has on-campus office space inTazewell Hall. The remaining four Talent Search advisorsoperate from the Lebanon Training Center and Harold SmithTraining Center in Grundy. Professional tutors (threecredentialed teachers] and peer tutors (four students) arebased in the schools the project serves. Although a shortageof space prevents the College from housing all Talent Searchpersonnel in one central location, the institution and theprogram reap benefits from this decentralized arrangement.The college-wide renovation plan includes a net gain of fivenew office spaces in Russell Hall, some of which might beused to centralize the Talent Search Project's personnel.

Alumni Affairs and the Career Center share space on thefirst floor of Tazewell Hall, and the Gender Equity Centeroperates from the first floor of King Hall. The space issufficient to conduct services for these areas.

EQUIPMENT RESOURCES

Computers, printers, telecommunications technology, andother equipment complement professional skills and createoffice efficiency. Computers are used for campus-wideadvising. These examples demonstrate that the Division ofStudent Development Services has sufficient equipmentbudgets.

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

SVCC has a comprehensive academic advisement process,which the Office of Admissions and Records coordinates withassistance from the four academic division chairs. Since full-time faculty members assume responsibilities as academicadvisors, the advising process serves as another example ofthe partnership between the academic and StudentDevelopment Services areas. The program also providesspecialized support to students who enroll without a highschool diploma or GED by assigning counselors as academicadvisors for these individuals.


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To assist faculty advisors, the Office of Admissions andRecords provides them with copies of pertinent studentrecords, the "Academic Advisement Handbook," a 'TransferGuide," and a copy of the "Advisor's Help Sheet," which iscompleted by a counselor during the initial student interviewand serves as a valuable document for facilitatingadvisor/advisee dialogue.

In addition, faculty now have computer access to studentrecords through SVCC's local area network (LAN), whichprovides immediate. up-to-date information, therebystrengthening the advising process. Through this networkconnection, advisors can access high school grades or GEDcompletion level, placement test scores, previous collegerecords, and curriculum progress.

Even though college personnel implement the philosophy ofa "quasi open-door" admissions policy, placement tests guideadvisors in enrolling students in a program of study andespecially in appropriate English and mathematics courses.SVCC has always accepted ACT and SAT scores and until1992 administered the CGP. In 1993 the Division of StudentDevelopment Services replaced CGP with ASSET. Forentrance into the Nursing Program, PSB (PsychologicalServices Bureau Nursing Aptitude Test) is a requirement, andsome programs offered for the student without a high schooldiploma or GED employ TABE. Since such standardizedtests identify students' strengths and weaknesses in English,mathematics, and reading, as well as other areas, studentsenroll in appropriate courses based on skills and personalreadiness.

In an interdisciplinary, intervention model of advisement,student development counselors work collaboratively withfaculty in guiding students through their paths at theCollege. Each counselor is responsible for specializedknowledge within an academic area and in this role serves asa student development representative in assisting facultywith alternative options for student advising, depending onstudents' assessment findings and/or career choices. Alsocounselors represent the specific curriculum assigned whenthe faculty or division chair may not be available, thusfostering team recruiting and enhancing communication tobridge strategies for retaining students. In addition, acounselor serves on the Developmental Studies Committeeand assists with addressing the needs of this segment of theCollege's population.


Although all advisors and counselors have a workingknowledge of transfer requirements, one counselor isdesignated to serve as resource counselor and another toserve as a transfer counselor/ specialist. thereby providingmore precise information. The transfer counselor has theresponsibility of keeping the "Transfer Guide" up to date.

To provide open discussions on issues pertaining to advisingat SVCC, the college-wide standing committee, Advisementand Retention, focuses on issues pertaining to these areas ofconcern. Furthermore, a task force on advising, chaired bythe Dean of Instruction and open to anyone interested,functions as a forum for college-wide advising.

The committee assigned to evaluate SDS concluded thatSVCC complies with the SACS Criteria for an organizationstructure and resources necessary for an effective academicadvising process.

Orientation

To assist students in their transition to the role andresponsibilities of being first-time college students, StudentDevelopment Services personnel offer a multifacetedorientation program. Incoming freshmen participate in aone-day orientation program, which includes becomingacquainted with campus and being introduced to pertinentoffices. services, and personnel, such as admissions,financial aid, division chairs, academic placement testing,and advisor. This orientation day ends with students'meeting an assigned advisor or an approved advisor'ssubstitute and then registering for classes.

The SDS Division encourages students who intend tograduate to enroll in a required co-curricular orientationclass taught by Student Development Services staff. Severaltraditional class options exist for students: STD 100,Orientation (1 credit): STD 100-31, a special SVCCAmbassador Section (1 credit); STD 105, PersonalDevelopment from a Woman's Perspective (2 credits); STD106, Preparation for Employment (1 credit): STD 107, CareerEducation (2 credits); and STD 108. College Survival Skills(2 credits). Generally, with permission, orientation classessubstitute for each other except STD 105, StudentDevelopment from a Woman's Perspective, which onlysubstitutes for STD 100 in order to meet the special needs ofnontraditional female students.


Individualized "take-home" packet and audio/video optionsoffer other orientation class alternatives for the College'sdiversified student body. On-campus evening students mayregister for the STD 100, Section V1, course offering, whichis an independent study approach using printed material aswell as video and audio cassette. Content paraliels the daySTD 100. Off-campus students may complete STD 100,Section 30, which allows students an independent studyapproach using printed and audio cassette components.

Thus, while successfully completing a co-curricularorientation class to meet curriculum and graduationrequirements, students can also select which orientationmethod complements their particular needs. Even thoughthe courses contain specialized content, general studentdevelopment requirements and emphases occur in eachcourse. Student development courses focus on topics, suchas assisting students with the transition to college in areasof student role clarification, goal setting, and stress andtime management, as well as serve as mutual support fordealing with pertinent issues: provide an overview of Collegepolicies, rules/regulations, facilities/services, proceduresand curricular offerings: encourage contacts with otherstudents and staff provide information on effective studyhabits plus career, academic and life planning: explorecultural differences; and educate students on substanceabuse and sexual assault. Students experience culturalevents, such as local, regional, national, and internationalspeakers, as well as special activities through in-class andout-of-class assignments. These assignments againdemonstrate a partnership because faculty also encouragestudents to participate in these educational, culturalopportunities as content-related assignments. In addition,students may participate as active learners by planning andimplementing related activities, such as receptions.

The SVCC Ambassador Program provides a creativepossibility for students to earn one orientation credit.Selected mature, congenial, and highly motivated studentsreceive special training and then assist the College by servingas hosts and campus guides for the many visitors to thecampus. The student benefits from this experience byenhanced leadership ability, increased personal growth andself-esteem, as well as improved communication andinterpersonal skills.

Over the last decade, other innovations with the orientationmodel have been tried. For example, from the academic years


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1985-86 through 1990-91, an innovative orientationprogram, Women in High Innovative Technology Studies(piloted with Carl D. Perkins Vocational Educational funds),offered an interdisciplinary approach among the divisions ofStudent Development Services, Engineering, Natural Scienceand Mathematics, and Humanities and Social Sciences. Asan interdisciplinary approach, the program provided re-entrydevelopment services, academic preparation, and careerexploration in a one-semester. adult-learner experientialorientation program.

Collectively, $240,000 of Carl D. Perkins VocationalEducation funds provided tuition, books, and child-careassistance to this innovative, interdisciplinary orientationprogram, which bridged the transition from home tomarketable skills training for over 400 first-timenontraditional females. The success of this program can beillustrated by a retention rate of 85 percent for these high-risk students. Grant funding ended in the 1991-92 academicyear.

In summary, SVCC has an effective multifaceted orientationprogram for its diversified student body. This comprehensiveand well developed orientation program addresses not onlythe needs of the full-time traditional day student but alsothe special needs of evening, nontraditional, and part-timestudents.

Counseling

Seven full-time professional counselors offer a comprehen-sive student development service of vocational, educational,personal, and social/cultural counseling. Students canreceive individual counseling sessions as a walk in, by ap-pointment, or by faculty referral. A unique situation for arural community college exists for SVCC's student body inthat the Cumberland Mountain Mental Health Agency,located adjacent to campus, provides services to meet thespecialized counseling needs of students, faculty, and staffby direct referral.

Since financial concerns are a barrier to college attendancefor many of the area's citizenry, individualized andconfidential financial aid counseling provides applicationforms and expert assistance with a variety of financial aidprograms. In addition, SVCC offers academic and personalcounseling in areas such as tirriemanagement, personalconcerns, interpersonal skills, and decision making. Toassist students who plan to transfer, counseling services


offer transfer information about application deadlines,academic majors, course selection, and credits needed. Tocomplement a student's academic pursuits and life-longplanning, career counseling guides the students throughprogram selection, career redirection, educational choices,and career exploration.

An evaluation of the on-campus "Student Questionnaire1993-94" conducted for the self-study indicated usage andsatisfaction with counseling services as follows:

Personal Counseling. Thirty-nine percent of the 35-44age group and 36 percent of the 45-54 age groupindicated they use the personal counseling services.These groups also reported higher satisfaction with thehelp they received.

Academic Counseling. The youngest contingent (16-2 1age group) was the only group reporting under 40percent usage of academic counseling, and of thisgroup 5 percent were dissatisfied (about 10 percent ofthe age group's users]. Most other age groups reportedover half took advantage of academic counseling.

Career Counseling. About 30 percent of the studentsreported using career counseling. In the 45-59 agegroup, 11 percent (about 22 percent of the age group'susers) reported dissatisfaction with the careercounseling they received. The 16-21 age group had 5percent (14 percent of the age group's users) reportingdissatisfaction with their career counseling. (Office ofPlanning and Development, "Analysis of On-campusStudent Survey")

Career Development

At SVCC, career development operates under VCCS policyguidelines (Policy Manual, Section 6.4.1). Career counselingencourages students to be actively responsible for their owncareer development and job search preparation. Studentsreceive assistance in assessing their skills, aptitudes, values,and interests in order to determine career paths. Also,students receive counseling about particular job tasks, workenvironments, hiring trends, and job market information.

According to The Results of the SVCC Graduate Survey ofthe Classes of 1972-1993," a majority of the respondentswere employed in occupations related to their field of studyand felt their course work had prepared them to do the


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duties their jobs involve. Only a small percentage reportedthat they were unemployed, seeking employment" (Office ofAlumni Affairs).

In the 1993 "Student Development Services Internal SurveyRelated to SACS Criteria," 70.6 percent of the respondentsindicated that personal counseling, as well as the careerdevelopment program, were within the "exemplary" or"adequate" categories.

The present approach to career development includes aunique and innovative partnership between the College andthe Cumberland Plateau Planning District. On July 1, 1994,in anticipation of legislation and funding resultant from theRe-employment Act of 1994, a corporation, Career Centers ofSouthwest Virginia, formed to serve displaced and dislocatedworkers in the four-county region. College leadership activelyparticipated in the conceptualization of the Career Centerlocated on the SVCC campus and staffed by JTPA (JobsTraining Partnership Act) personnel. This partnership takesadvantage of the emergence of the concept of "one-stop" re-employment centers, whose functions are to assess, retrain,and place persons entering or re-entering the work force, andmakes more effective use of pre-existing, on-campus facilitiesthat had served SVCC's population under Carl PerkinsFunding. The federal initiative to combine the activities ofseveral federal programs was a good fit with the materials,facilities, and functions of the former SVCC Career Center.

Some functions, such as career counseling and academicadvisement, remain with SVCC's counseling staff. Acombination of counseling, course work, and workshopsprovides job-search skills for SVCC students. Computer-based career development programs are available to bothstudents and community users. One of these, SIGI Plus. acommercially prepared program, assists students inidentifying interests and matching them to college curriculaand courses. Virginia VIEW is somewhat similar, with a joboutlook feature that projects job trends within the State ofVirginia.

The placement function relates to the College's partnershipwith the on-campus JTPA Program (Career Center) and thenearby Virginia Employment Commission (VEC), with theOffice of the Dean of Student Development Servicescoordinating the placement activities. The range of servicesincludes, but is not limited to, posting part-time and full-time job openings, investigating business/industry personneland training needs, coordinating student internships,


referring individuals seeking entrepreneurial advice ortraining, assisting in the development of specific responsesto industry training needs. conducting job-seeking skillstraining, and providing a liaison with JTPA and VEC.

In order to strengthen the placement function at SVCCduring the transition period, the College allocated a portionof time from members of the Continuing Education andCommunity Services Division and the Miner Training staffsto placement. Initially, these persons contacted business andindustry with a proposal to place dislocated workers who arein SVCC retraining programs as student interns. As contactswere made, a survey queried business/industry interest insponsored internships and established training andemployment opportunities for SVCC students. This directlink between educational programs and the work placereflects current school-to-wcrk initiatives.

The College's Master Site Plan includes a proposed site forthe Virginia Employment Commission which serves theregion. Should this plan come to fruition, the careerdevelopment function would be served by a multi-agencycooperative, all on the SVCC campus. With the College andthe planning commission already in partnership, SVCC'scareer development function is evolving well beyond whatstudents might find at other colleges. Planning, evaluating,and goal setting for career development activities willcontinue to evolve as surveys, questionnaires, annual reportdata, and external evaluation by cooperating agenciesgenerate information about these services.

STUDENT INVOLVEMENT IN INSTITUTIONAL DECISION MAKING

The Student Government Association serves as the primarymeans of student involvement in institutional decisionmaking. The following statement from the "SVCC StudentActivities Handbook" clearly confirms that the SGA'spurpose includes providing input into decision makingrelated to student affairs:

The Student Government Association represents theCollege's commitment to active participation bystudents in regard to policies, programs, committeesand other issues that directly affect students. TheCollege is dedicated to student involvement in thesematters, and SGA serves as the students' voice.


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Serving on college standing committees offers anotheropportunity for student involvement in institutional decisionmaking. Each college standing committee has students whoserve upon recommendation of the SGA and are appointed bythe College President. Usually SGA recommends sophomoreswho have an interest in a particular committee's activities toserve on that committee. For example, a student who has aninterest in instructional issues could be recommended toserve on the Curriculum and Instruction Committee, or astudent who is physically impaired might be recommended toserve on the Health and Safety Committee.

Even though students have a functioning role ininstitutional decision making, the College needs to publicizethe availability of such opportunities more widely. While the"Student Activities Handbook" provides a statement onSGA's voice in college governance and a statement notingstudent participation on college committees, the Catalog andStudent Handbook does not. Also since the "SVCC StudentActivities Handbook" serves as a practitioner's manual andhas limited circulation, the committee reviewing StudentDevelopment Services proposes that the statement ofpm-pose for tip SGA, as written in the "StudentActivities Handbook", and a statement noting studentinvolvement on college committees should be added tothe SVCC Cats lg & Studen t HandbookTheinclusion ofthese statements should increase access to information bythe student body at large, thereby possibly resulting instudents' being more informed about their role andparticipatory options in institutional decision making.

STUDENT PUBLICATIONS

In the Student Development Services area, the CollegePublications coordinator facilitates the development of twoprinted documents: a student newsletter, For YourWOrmation: A Newsletter of Student Information (FYI), aboutonce a month, and a college newspaper, The Charter,periodically each semester. Students also write, produce, andbroadcast bimonthly a video newscast, the "SVCC NewsEdition." Although any student may contribute to thepublications, many of the staff members enroll inIntroduction to Journalism (ENG 121-122). The College'swritten and published statement, "Southwest VirginiaCommunity College Student Publications Policy," places theresponsibility of supervising student media within the role ofthe journalism instructor. This statement also clarifies thatstudents hold primary responsibility for writing and

Section 5.4 Studet Development services . 251

copyediting the newsletter and newspaper, that studentmedia are not statements of policy for SVCC, and thatstudent media will not reveal the identity of victims ofsexual assault. This statement, published in its entirety, isaccessible at all on-campus and off-campus locations, andstudents enrolled in orientation classes receive copies. Italso appears in abbreviated form in student publications.However, this committee found that the studentpublications policy had inadvertently been omitted from theSVCC Catalog & Student Handbook and proposed that theoversight be corrected.

Institutional Since the committee noted this omission, a brief statementResponse with further reference to the policy has been added to the

1994-95 Catalog & Student Handbook (39).

STUDENT BEHAVIOR

A thorough statement of student rights and responsibilities,which provides an overview of judicial procedures and theresponsibilities of judicial bodies, including a grievanceprocedure, is widely disseminated through the SVCC Catalog& Student Handbook (39-45). The Dean of StudentDevelopment Services assumes responsibility for enforcingdisciplinary procedures. Any dissatisfied student mayinstitute a grievance procedure, which will normally be heardby the Judicial Board. The Catalog & Student Handbookclearly defines membership and jurisdiction of the JudicialBoard (42).

STUDENT RECORDS

As exemplified by each student's permanent record file, theOffice of Admissions and Records prepares and maintainsadequate records for students enrolled in credit courses.These records include a completed SVCC admissionsapplication, "Advisor's Help Sheet," high school transcriptsor GED scores, and placement testing results.

The Office of Continuing Education and Community Servicescoordinates and maintains student records for non-creditcourses. Each student registers on a non-credit, multi-carbon registration form. Then Continuing Education andCommunity Services personnel forward the originalregistration form, along with a transmittal, to the BusinessOffice. Of the remaining two copies, one remains in theOffice of Continuing Education and Community Services,and the student receives the other. Data from the


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so Continuing Education and Community Services Office copyis then entered into the computer, and the original is storedin secured file cabinets or in archives.

According to the "1993 Student Development ServicesInternal Survey Related to SACS Criteria,' the institutionhas adequate student records for both credit and non-creditcourses. Of the 17 respondents, 14 rated the "adequacy ofcredit and non-credit student records" in the "exemplary" or"adequate" categories. The actual documentation system forcredit and non-credit courses further supports theseassertions.

Security and Confidentiality

Southwest Virginia Community College complies with therequirements of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Actof 1974 regarding confidentiality and access to personalrecords. Procedures to preserve confidentiality are outlined inthe SVCC College Catalog & Handbook (5-6).

The storage and maintenance of student records according toCommonwealth of Virginia policy confirms the College'scommitment to incorporate the security and confidentialityof such records. Records are stored in a fue-proof vault inthe Office of Admissions and Records, which is located onthe first floor of Tazewell Hall. Until processed, newapplications are stored in locked file cabinets.

For accessing student records, a computerized local areanetwork system, SVCCNet, has been established for facultyand staff use. This LAN, part of a larger wide area network(WAN) established for the VCCS, operates as part of theSystem's information services department providing access tothe student information system (SIS). The operationalsoftware, NetwayTM, has built-in security through a set ofpersonal and system passwords, which the individual usermust change every 60 days.

Accounts which provide WAN access are given on a need-to-know basis through a system established by the Dean ofStudent Development Services and the Dean of Instruction.Training workshops, held several times a year usually duringinservice sessions, are conducted jointly by the Computer-Assisted Instruction coordinator and the EnrollmentServices Coordinator. Training provides the basics of thesystem, how to operate, who to call, etc., but also focuses onconfidentiality issues and procedures. Once training iscomplete, individuals are then cleared for accounts by the


appropriate dean. Those having access include SVCC'sStudent Development. Services professionals, faculty,division chairs, administration, and some classified staff,such as office clerks in Admissions, Records, and FinancialAid and secretaries in division offices. The computer,generates student records through various inquiry screens:student inquiry screen, high school degree/GED inquiryscreen, class status inquiry screen, selected class rolls, andstudent tracking inquiry. For example, the student inquiryscreen includes anyone who has taken classes since winterquarter 1985, as well as individuals who have applied but. notattended the College, or pending applicants. Using thisscreen, an authorized individual can access student testscores, courses, and grades for each registered course,withdrawal information, transfer credits from, other colleges,and credits received through advanced placement. WhenNetway is down, qualified staff may access records in theOffice of Admissions and Records.

Retention and Disposal

The Library of Virginia, Division of Archives and Records,dictates the College's policy concerning retention anddisposal of records. Under the direction and permission ofthe Virginia State Library and Virginia Community CollegeSystem, the College creates electronic back-ups of studentfiles. The files, made nightly, are retained on the StudentInformation System through the Virginia Community CollegeSystem. SVCC stores such records in a leased, off-campusfacility.

The procedure for disposal of a students permanent record isas follows: "Retain in electronic form or microfilm accordingto SVLA Standards for the Microfilming of Public Records forArchival Retention' after inspection and approval ofmicrofilm. Destroy hard copy, if any, by burning, shreddingor pulping. Retain electronic record or microfilmpermanently" ("Records Retention and Disposition Schedule"No. 261-GS-1).

FINANCIAL AID

In conjunction with federal and state established practicesand philosophy of financial aid for education, the Director ofAdmissions, Records, and Financial Aid coordinates theinstitution-wide administration of scholarship programs,federal and state grants, federal and state work study, andstudent loan programs. The governing policies and

254 . Section V: Educational Support Services

4Z

procedures of this office, mandated by Congress and the USDepartment of Education, can be found in the FederalFinancial Aid Handbook and the Federal Register. To ensurethat funding is not duplicated, the Financial Aid Officeexchanges lists of financial aid applicants with on-campusgrant programs offering financial aid, county JTPArepresentatives, and other such outside agencies. To ensurethat SVCC's Financial Aid Office complies with regulations,either VCCS or Virginia state auditors conduct annualaudits.

SVCC continually seeks additional money and scholarshipsto assist students and makes every effort, within thelimitations of its available financial aid resources, to ensurethat no qualified student will be denied the opportunity toattend the College for lack of adequate funds to meet collegecosts. SVCC believes the primary responsibility for providingeducational expenses rests with the student and thestudents parents. However, students who cannot provide theentire cost and demonstrate such need may be able to obtainthe necessary funds to meet their expenses.

Financial aid may consist of a grant, scholarship,employment, loan, or any combination of these whichaddresses each students circumstances and which meets hisor her financial needs. An approved needs analysis systemdetermines all federal and state financial aid.

In 1993-94, 2,779 students received financial assistanceamounting to $4.835,800. This was an 8 percent Increase inrecipients over 1992-93 and a 23 percent increase over 1991-92. Financial assistance through two work-study programsprovided 228 students $271,386. A total of 1,277 studentsreceived institutional, state, and local scholarships totaling$912,145. Federal and college loans assisted 303 students fora total of $118,392. In 1993-94, the Office of Financial Aidreported an overall 8 percent increase in the number offinancial aid recipients and a 14 percent increase in fundsadministered over 1992-93.

As of 1994-95, the College no longer participates in theFederal Family Education Loan Program. Students interestedin this program are now referred to independent loansources, such as the New England Loan. In addition, severalyears ago, the Local College Board established policies for ashort-term loan fund to assist students in need of emergencyloans.


Veterans benefits supply an additional source of educationalassistance for qualified students. Informational brochures,press releases, posters, direct mailings, and radioannouncements help make veterans aware of the educationalbenefits available to them under the G1 Bill. The SVCCVeterans Affairs Office assists students receiving benefits incompleting all necessary requirements. During the 1993-94academic year, 241 veterans and qualified dependentsreceived $308,369 in direct benefits.

The following charts provide detailed information regardingfinancial aid dollars and number of recipients assistedthrough the administration of various support programs atSouthwest Virginia Community College. Charts 5.4.02 and5.4.03 show a 1993-94 program comparison of financial aidrecipients and dollars administered. Charts 5.4.04 and5.4.05 show a fifteen-year comparison of dollarsadministered for financial aid and students assisted byfinancial aid at Southwest Virginia Community College.

25s Section V: Educational Support Services

3 50 0 0 0 0

30 00 0 0 0

2 5 0 0 00 0

2 0 00 0 0 0

1 5 00 0 0 0

1 0 0 00 0 0

5 0 0 0 00

0

Chart 5.4.021993-94 Financial Aid Dollars Administered by Program

U,CsiC:1

InCr)

0:o

i.._CI=

PROGRAMS:LoansVWSPCWSSTLCSAPSEOGSCHUGFAPSLEOPFTAPvccsPELLPERKINS

Stafford, Plus. SLS EdvantageVirginia Work-Study ProgramCollege Work-StudyShort Term LoanCollege Scholarship Assistance ProgramSupplemental Educational Opportunity GrantLocal ScholarshipUndergraduate Financial Aid ProgramState Law Enforcement Educational Opportunity GrantPart-Time Tuition Assistance ProgramVirginia Community College Scholarship GrantPell GrantWIT, Homemakers


Chart 5.4.03R1993-94 Financial Aid Recipients by Program


224

1979

-198

0

1980

4981

1981

-198

2

1982

-198

3

1983

-198

4

1984

-198

5

1985

-19

86

1986

.198

7

1987

-198

8

1988

-198

9

1989

-199

0

1990

-199

1

1991

-199

2

1992

-199

3

1993

-199

4

i I g

iii

I i i

§ §

§§

§ §

§§

§

3000-

2500-

2300-

1500-

1000-1

500-

0

Chart 5.4.05

Fifteen-Year Comparison of Students Assisted by Financial Aid(1 979-1 994)

549 583

§ § E

596783

105311321168

141314321492

g E

16351795

2119

2779

2570

thOf O7

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Other outside agencies, such as JTPA and VocationalRehabilitation, also assist eligible students with financialaid.

Students receive advice on the most efficient use of financialresources for educational expenses primarily throughworkshops, in which the Office of Financial Aid presentscomprehensive information about educational financing andbudgeting. At the request of faculty and certainconstituencies. staff members also conduct specializedfinancial aid workshops, The Office of Financial Aid alsoregularly distributes The Student Guide to Financial Aidpublished by the US Department of Education.

HEALTH SERVICES

To address health needs for sick or injured students oncampus, the campus security staff, who are also trained inmedical techniques, work in conjunction with StudentDevelopment Services. The primary first aid station islocated in the Nusing Lab on the second floor of TazewellHall. Limited first aid can also be sought in the Library inRussell Hall, the front lobby in Buchanan Hall, and K-227in King Hall. All campus security vehicles have trauma kits.First-aid kits can also be found in labs, shops, the BusinessOffice, and the Office of Student Development Services.

If injuries require more than minor first aid, the campussecurity staff arrange either to transport the injured party toThe Clinic at Claypool Hill in a campus security vehicle or tocontact the Richlands Rescue Squad or the Lebanon Life-Saving Crew for assistance in transportation. The SecurityOfficer Supervisor maintains records to document reports ofstudent injuries and services.

To promote a wellness environment on campus, thecounseling staff at SVCC facilitate workshops and seminarsdealing with health related topics as needs indicate. Theseseminars may invite community experts or staff members tospeak on such topics as alcohol/drug abuse prevention andcurrent social/health problems. The College's Audio-Visualand Distance Education Services Department houses severalvideos which are sometimes used in conjunction with theseseminars and which counselors show to freshmenorientation classes. These videotapes include "Alcohol--TheSocial Drug: The Personal Problem" and The Drug Problem:What do you think?" Additional brochures relating to

Section 5.4 Student Development Services ,261

alcohol and drug abuse prevention are displayed on the firstfloor of Tazewell Hall. To address individual needs, adesignated counselor serves as a resource for studentconcerns and problems with substance abuse and, whennecessary, counselors make referrals to CumberlandMountain Mental Health Services.

In 1990, in collaboration with area hospitais, medicalclinics, and health departments, the College begansponsoring an annual Health Fest to increase studentawareness of the many health services and organizations inthe community. At the Health Fest, a community healthcare team administers health screening tests, which includeblood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose readings. Awellness-lifestyle management station features a fitnessquestionnaire, materials on nutrition and diet, and a checklist for stress, health risks, and skin cancer. In addition,registered nurses interpret concerns participants indicate on"Health Risk Appraisal" forms. Other stations displaysamples of nutritious drinks, snacks, and a variety of healthfoods, plus literature on the nutritional content of foods andhealthier alternatives to high-fat and high-cholesterol foods.Other features of the Health Fest include a presentation bythe regional epidemiologist for the Virginia Department ofHealth on the topics of AIDS and Sexually TransmittedDiseases and a display listing of services a county healthdepartment offers.

In conjunction with the Tazewell County HealthDepartment, the College offers flu immunization shots to allSVCC students, faculty, and staff. Since 1991, these shotshave been made available in late September or early Octoberin an effort to prevent the spread of the influenza virus oncampus.

Also, if having a healthy faculty and staff encourages ahealthy student body, then it is significant that, in the 1993.94 academic year, Southwest Virginia Community Collegejoined the state Common Health Plan, which fosterspreventive wellness. Even though membership for individ-uals is voluntary, participation is highly encouraged andthus far has been excellent.

The self-study committee assigned to evaluate StudentDevelopment Services at SVCC determined that the College'shealth services are sufficient.


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STUDENT ACTIVITIES

Southwest Virginia Community College has developedpolicies and procedures governing the supervlsory role of theinstitution over student activities. These are published inthe "Student Activities Handbook." Supervision of studentactivities is the responsibility of the Co-Curricular Activitiescoordinator, who reports to the Dean of StudentDevelopment Services. The coordinator's job description,published in the SVCC Faculty Handbook (PD 026),enumerates the functions of the position, which includeplanning and supervising co-curricular activities,coordinating campus organizations and all sports programs,advising the Student Government Association, and servingas a liaison between student organizations and faculty oradministration.

The Student Activities Program at SVCC appeals to a widerange of student interests and provides a wealth of studentactivities. Student clubs and organizations, which aresponsored by a member of the faculty, staff, oradministration, and which allow like-minded students tomeet and engage in special interests, usually fall under oneof the following classifications: social and recreational,service. academic area, special interest-hobby, and athletic.A list of clubs may be found in the Catalog and StudentHandbook (1994-95, 38) and the "Student ActivitiesHandbook." The "Student Activities Handbook" (Section:"SVCC Clubs/Organizations") also delineates the proceduresfor organizing and chartering new clubs.

In addition, the Student Activities Program offers co-curricular events, such as the SVCC Series: entertainment,such as comedians, singers, the Holly Ball, Spring Formal,and SGA Dance; fun days and cookouts: parties, such as theSGA Halloween Party: and political events, such as the SGAMock Election.

Activity Announcements

The Office of Co-Curricular Activities publishes the 'StudentActivities Calendar" as its primary source of communication.Events are also included in the weekly College Bulletin.


Budget

The approximateiy $30,000 annual budget for SGA activitiescomes from a student comprehensive fee of 50 cents percredit hour, 25 cents of which goes to student activities, andfrom game-room vending machine profits. In addition tousing funds to support regular SGA activities. studentmembers determine which other college events, such as theFun Fest, Spring Festival, and Fa li Foliage Festival, tosupport.

The student government budget and all club budgets must beprocessed through the College's Business Office followingestablished procedures.

Athletics

Southwest Virginia Community College sponsors health,physical education, and recreational intramural programs oncampus and/or off-campus in community facilities. The Co-Curricular Activities coordinator, assisted by a Health andPhysical Education instructor, plans and supervises theintramural program comprised of activities that promote thephysical well being of the individual student and thedevelopment of recreational skills. The inclusion of anintramural program open to all SVCC students demonstratesthe comprehensiveness of student activities, which includebowling, chess, foul-shooting contests, fun run, softball,basketball, three-on-three basketball, track and field, flagfootball, volleyball, and co-ed softball.

The State Board for Community Colleges authorizes clubsports competition with the approval of the Local CollegeBoard, providing that non-state funds pay all directs expensesand all such programs adhere to the general requirements forstudent activities. SVCC club sports compete with manyother clubs at community colleges throughout the State.Currently, club sports teams exist in the areas of basketball,baseball, and rugby, with the hope of expanding to co-edvolleyball, golf, and women's softball in the near future.

A major emphasis was added to sports activities on campusin fall of 1993 with the completion of the first phase of amajor recreational complex including a track, a combinedfootball-soccer-rugby field, and a baseball field. This additiontc campus facilities exemplifies the College's commitment tophysical activities and sports as a contributor to the well-being and development of students. Further evidence of acommitment to holistic education for SVCC's students can


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be seen in the proposed new Center for Health andCommunity Development, which will include a gymnasium,weight-training room, and racquetball courts, and should beoperational by the fall of 1996. As is true of the recreationalcomplex, the new facility will be open to students, alumni,faculty, staff, and community residents.

The facilities described above *will enhance the sportsprogramming and development of new opportunities for thestudent body and address the student needs which wereidentified by the "Student Questionnaire 1993-94." Accordingto the survey, the needs certain groups of students expressedabout recreational facilities for student activities and aboutintramural participation and personal development are asfollows: "Students in the 35-44 age group had the lowestsatisfaction ratings on both questions, 29 percent on thestudent activities question and 30 percent on therecreational facilities question. This group had a highdissatisfaction rating on the recreational facilities question

." Simultaneously, "the 35-44 age group reported thelowest opportunity to participate in intramural sports. ...On the question of whether the intramural program helpedwith personal development and was integrated into theCollege's total program, all groups, except the 35-44 group,had 'Yes' responses in the 42-47 percent range" (Office ofPlanning and Development, "Analysis of On-campus StudentSurvey").

Various college organizations offer numerous on- and off-campus activities, and the future expansion of a wellnessfacility will further strengthen the student activities programto address student concerns. Expanding student activities'opportunities and facilities even further to an unreachedsegment of the student body and the community wouldprovide lifelong health development and maintenance forstudents, faculty, and the community-at-large. Significancecan be found in the profound impact of exercising throughnon-impact sports and physical activities such as swimmingand aqua aerobics from neo-natal to geriatric populations.The development of no impact sports and activitiesconstitutes a foundation for students, faculty, and thecommunity-at-large to develop recreational pursuits thatcontinue into retirement, such as golf. Furthermore, classescan be offered to students, faculty, and the community-at-large, thus enriching not only the College's offerings but thelives of residents in the service area. Also, such anexpansion would provide additional activities and facilitiesto develop health maintenance for people with injuries.


Since swimming is the best exercise for all ages andambulatory and some non-ambulatory health conditions,and no public year-round swimming facility exists in thefour-county area, this committee proposes planningstudent and community activities that includeexpanding activity opportunities for nontraditionalstudents (especial within the age range if 35-44),student and employee families, and developmentallydisabled or otherwise disadvantaged segments of thestudent body including community residents notenrolled at the College. 'Ilk committee further proposesadding a swimming pool and putting green in futurerecreation-facility planning in order to expand servicesto a growing diverse student body, a segment of thestudent population not currently being served. andcommunity residents not enrolled at the College.

CONCLUSION

As a partner with the College's academic programs, theStudent Development Services Division promotes a holisticeducational environment germane to student success withSDS goals which reflect consistency with the College'spurpose. Although needing some improvement, all areasmeet or exceed SACS Criteria

A comprehensive admissions process exists.

An effective multifaceted orientation program addressesthe diversity of the student body.

Continual offerings of academic and personal counseling,career development, tutoring, and specialized workshopsevolve within a focal theme of student success andretention determined by an assessment of students'strengths and weaknesses.

An interdisciplinary intervention of academic advisementguides students through educational programs.

A new partnership, Career Centers of Southwest Virginia,expands services to the adult learner.

Veterans receive assistance through the Veterans AffairsOffice.

Multifaceted co-curricular and extra-curricular offeringssupplement students' education.


232

Students have means to participate in studentgovernance.

Health services are sufficient.

An Alumni Program offers vital informational linkagesbetween the College and its alumni.

Qualified students have access to many Financial Aidsources.

Specialized services provide the following grant fundedprograms: Gender Equity, Student Support Services,Talent Search, and AmeriCorps. USA.

Therefore, comprehensive services successfully address thediversity of the College's student body, and thiscomprehensiveness itself demonstrates the College'scommitment to provide quality student development services.However, the extent of the campus community's diversitycreates challenges in addressing needs: primarily, the strainon personnel to meet this diversity and the College'sextensive use of grant funds to support many of theprograms in the Division of Student Development Services.


EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES: STUDENTDEVELOPMENT SERVICES


. The committee recommends that the College continue toreview the placement issue and provide appropriate staff.

. The committee recommends the development of anallocation plan to determine needs and predict whenadditional positions are justified.

. The committee recommends that the College review inthe annual budget review process the role of grant fundedand grant restricted positions and services for possibleinclusion in the College's non-grant plans and budgets.

. The committee recommends that the College review thespace problem in the Student Support Services area andprovide sufficient space allocation to address the needsfor tutorial services.

. The committee proposes that the statement of purposefor the SGA, as written in the "Student ActivitiesHandbook," and a statement noting student involvementon college committees should be added to the SVCCCatalog & Student Handbook

. The committee proposes planning student andcommunity activities that tnclude expanding activityopportunities for nontraditional students (especiallywithin the age range of 35-44), student and employeefamilies, and developmentally disabled or otherwisedisadvantaged segments of the student body includingcommunity residents not enrolled at the College.

. The committee proposes adding a swimming pool andputting green in future recreation-facility planning inorder to expand services to a growing diverse studentbody, a segment of the student population not currentlybeing served, and community residents not enrolled at theCollege.


Pat BussardChair

Mary Lawsonwriter

Dan Bowling

Ted Dingier

Richard HudsonLiaison

Frances Lowdermilk

Bill LuttrellRecorder

COMMITTEE

Instructor, College Publications Coordinator

Instructor, Institutional Advancement Officer

Professor, Electricity/Electronics

Assistant Professor. Physics

Professor, Dean of Financial & AdministrativeServices

Instructor, Student Support Services TransferCounselor

Accountant, Business Office

Robert Sutherland Professor, Director of Learning Resources

Joe Stevenson Associate Professor, Business Management

Section 6.1 6.2 & 6.5 6.6 Administrative Resources 273

INTRODUCTION

In 1966, an act of the Virginia General Assembly establishedthe State Board for Community Colleges. This authorizationcharged the Board with the responsibility to establish,control, administer, and supervise all community collegeswithin the Virginia Community College System (Code ofVirginia, Title 23, Chapter 16, Sections 23-214 through 23-231). In 1977, the General Assembly changed the role of theSkate Board for Community Colleges from a state agencyboard to a governing board for a statewide institution ofhigher learning. Therefore, the Virginia Community CollegeSystem (VCCS) is a single statewide institution of highereducation over which the State Board for CommunityColleges is the policy-making body. Within this state system,there are 23 established community colleges (TheEstablishment and Operation of Virginia's ComprehensiveCommunity Colleges, 1993).

The State Board for Community Colleges appoints as chiefexecutive officer of the Virginia Community College System achancellor, who reports bimonthly to the State Board andserves as its secretary (VCCS Policy Manual, Section 2A-13).Heading each of the community colleges within the statesystem is a president who reports directly to the chancellorand to a local college board. The organizational chart on thefollowing page shows the relationships within the VCCS.

The purpose of this self-study committee assigned toevaluate part of the administrative processes at SouthwestVirginia Community College [SVCC) was to study the organi-zation and administration of the institution as a singlecollege within the context of a state system in order todetermine whether or not SVCC brings together and allo-cates resources effectively to accomplish its purpose andgoals. This study led to the exploration of the following com-ponents of the administrative processes: Organization andAdministration (SACS Criteria 6. 1), Institutional Advance-ment [SACS Criteria 6.2). Grants and Contracts (SACSCriteria 6.5) and Related Corporate Entities (SACS Criteria6.6).


Chart 6.1.01Organizational Chart

Virginia Community College System

State Board for Community Colleges

Chancellor's Staff

System Office

Chancellor

College President

College Board

College Faculty, Staff,and Students

ORGANIZATIONAND ADMINISTRATION

Descriptive Titles and Terms

SVCC recognizes that clarity, accuracy, and appropriatenessof the institution name, titles of administrative heads anddivisions, academic divisions, and programs and degreesoffered are necessary for clear communication between theCollege and its constituents.

The first Local College Board selected the name SouthwestVirginia Community College for the comprehensivecommunity college established to serve the southwest part ofVirginia, including the counties of Buchanan, Russell,Tazewell, and part of Dickenson. Thus the name of theinstitution accurately and appropriately describes theCollege's service area.

A brief history of the origin of Southwest VirginiaCommunity College is in the 1994-95 College catalog &Student Handbook (1). More extensive information isavailable in the Office of the President and the SVCC276 Section VI: Administrative Processes

237

e Library. The Library also retains copies of annual reports,minutes of college committees, minutes of the Local Boardand State Board meetings, faculty directories, yearbooks,college bulletins, and official memoranda.

Titles of administrative heads and position descriptions forthe President, Administrative Assistant to the President,deans, directors, and coordinators are clearly and conciselydetailed in the Faculty Handbook (Section Al -29: AppendixPD001-PD028).

The College Catalog & Student Handbook lists and identifiesacademic offerings and programs throughout. The Cataloglists the programs of study and delineates the degreeprograms: lists and defines degrees, diplomas, andcertificates; and gives a concrete and accurate description ofcollege courses, complete with course number, coursecredits, course hours, course prerequisites, and generalusage courses (174-240). Very clear guidelines chart the pathfor achieving the award of associate degrees and for receivingcertificates and diplomas. In addition to course offeringslisted in the Catalog, there are specialized courses offered byvarious offices on campus, such as the Office of ContinuingEducation and Community Services and the Office ofEvening Offerings.

Since the needs of the community have varied over the years.changes have been appropriately made to meet those needs.Academic offerings may be added, deleted, and/or expandedwhich may require changes in administrative andfaculty/staff positions. As changes are made, information isupdated in appropriate college publications. Thesepublications provide evidence that clear and accuratedescriptions of the titles and terms necessary to identify thecomponents needed to implement a successful educationalprogram to meet institutional goals are in place at SVCC.

State and Local Boards

How well the governing board of an institution is organizedand functions to carry out its responsibilities in regard tothe administrative process helps determine the success orfailure of that college in meeting institutional goals. InVirginia, guidelines are clearly set for both state and locallevel responsibilities for the governance of the VirginiaCommunity College System and the individual membercolleges.

Section 6.1 6.2 & 6.5 - 6.6 Administrative Resources . 277

The State Board consists of 15 members appointed by theGovernor and subject to confirmation by the GeneralAssembly. The charge of the State Board is to serve the bestinterest of the State as a whole. The VCCS Policy Manualclearly states that "no member of the State Board shall actas the representative of any particular region or of anyparticular institution of higher education" (Section 2A- 10).

In order to ensure a non-biased governing board, the StateBoard shall be comprised of persons selected from the Stateat large. "No officer, employee, or member of the governingboard of any public institution of higher education, or of anyschool subject to the control of the State Board, or anymember of the General Assembly, or any member of the StateBoard of Education, shall be eligible for appointment to theBoard." All members of the Board shall be consideredmembers-at-large. Their charge is to serve the best interestsof the whole State (VCCS Policy Manual Section 2A- 10).

The responsibilities of the State Board for CommunityColleges are clearly outlined in the Virginia CommunityCollege System Policy Manual (Section 2A-11). Theresponsibilities and duties of the State Board are alsodefined in The Establishment and Operation of Virginia'sComprehensive Community Colleges (10). a VCCS reportprepared for visiting committees of the Southern Associationof Colleges and Schools, and, in general terms, in the SVCCFaculty Handbook (Section 2.02). The Faculty Handbookexplains that the State Board establishes the policiesproviding for the creation of the local community collegeboard and the procedures and regulations under which suchlocal boards operate. Because it is information that would beuseful to individuals employed at all levels within theinstitution, the self-study committee evaluating thissegment of Administrative processes proposes that thesame statement about the State Board which is wdathe SVCC Faculty Handbook be added to the SVCCClassified Staff Handbook.

The VCCS Policy Manual describes the organization of theState Board in detail, including the following informationconcerning State Board members' appointments. terms, etc.:

The number of members is set at fifteen.

After initial staggered appointments, appointmentshall be made for terms of four years each, except

278 Section VI: Administrative Processes

appointments to fill vacancies which will cover theterm only.

No one who has served on the State Board for twosuccessive four-year terms shall be eligible forreappointment to the State Board for two yearsthereafter.

The State Board will meet at least every other month,except when, by a majority vote, the Board shall deemthat a meeting is unnecessary.

Seven members of the State Board must be present toconstitute a quorum for making decisions. (Section2A-10-11)

The VCCS Policy Manua/(Section 2A-10) states that the firstappointments of the fifteen-member State Board will includeappointments for four members for one year, four membersfor two years, four members for three years, and threemembers for four years. After these initial appointments, allappointments shall be made for terms of four years each.However, appointments to fill vacancies will be for the timeof the unexpired term only. This system ensures appropriatecontinuity in board membership.

The Governor appoints and the General Assembly confirmsState Board members (VCCS Policy Manual Section 2A-10).In its perusal of requirements for State Board membership,this committee noted that no policy on dismissal with dueprocess for State Board members existed. Upon furtherexploration. the committee learned that this situation hadbeen brought to the attention of the State Board as theresult of other community colleges' self-study processes. OnNovember 21, 1994, the State Board met and approved adismissal policy with due process (VCCS Policy Manual Article1, Section 1.2, "Composition," 2C-3).

The State Board sets specific, broad institutional policiesaccording to guidelines outlined in the VCCS Policy Manual(Section 2A-11-12). Financial resources are appropriated bylaw. and the State Board is responsible for the control andexpenditure of funds and the establishment of tuition feesand charges. The State Board is also authorized, with theGovernor's approval, "to accept from any government orgovernmental department or agency or any public or privatebody or from any other source, grants or contributions ofmoney or property which the Board may use for or in aid ofany of its purposes" (VCCS Policy Manual, Section 12A-12).

Section 6.1 6.2& 6.5 6.6 Administrative Resources . 279

240

The State Board is responsible for monies appropriated bythe General Assembly and other sources to provide basicfinancial support for community colleges in Virginia (VCCSPolicy Manual Section 12A-26).

The State Auditor of Public Accounts annually audits allfinancial reporting. The VCCS Director of Audit provides theState Board with audit findings and financial reports on anannual basis. In addition, the president of each of themember community colleges reports directly to theChancellor. This organization allows for a free-flowingcommunications system. The SVCC Annual Report, whichincludes financial information, is distributed to, amongothers, the VCCS State Board.

"The State Board and each community college reserve theright and prerogative at all times to repeal, revise, or adoptpolicy." Policy remains in effect until revised or repealed(VCCS Policy Manual, Section 2A-11).

In addition to the VCCS State Board, each individualcommunity college has its own local college board. Tocomprise the ten-member SVCC Local Board, each Board ofSupervisors for the counties of Buchanan, Russell, andTazewell appoints three members, and the Dickenson CountyBoard of Supervisors appoints one. The Southwest VirginiaCommunity College Board is given the general task ofperforming such duties with respect to the operation of acommunity college as the State Board for CommunityColleges delegates to it. The Local College Board isresponsible for assuring that the College is responsive tolocal needs as they apply to statewide policies, procedures,and regulations of the State Board for Community Colleges(SVCC Board Policies and Procedures Manual, Section 2.400;VCCS Policy Manual, Section 2A 15-16).

Thus State Board policy confines the Local Board to thepolicies and procedures set by the State Board. Within thiscontext the Local Board has the responsibility of assistingwith the selection of the chief executive officer andafterwards provides a valuable role by offering a mediumfrom which the President may solicit advice.

The Local Board makes the official request to county Boardsof Supervisors for funds for site development and approvesexpenditures from the local budget designated for expensesnot met through State Maintenance and Operation funds. Tohelp meet other college needs, the Board is actively involved280 Section VI: Administrative Processes

10 in the fundraising efforts of the SVCC EducationalFoundation.

Advisory Committees

Local lay advisory committees have been successfully used atSouthwest Virginia Community College since its beginningin 1967. The SVCC Board Policy and Procedures Manualmandates the use of such committees and lists theirfunctions (Section 2.400).

These committees assist in developing and upgrading of alloccupational-technical and selected transfer curricula. Thepurposes and specific functions of these committees areoutlined in Procedures for Curriculum Advisory Committees,which the Office of the President distributes to each advisorycommittee member or designee.

As listed along with their membership In the "Directory ofCurriculum Advisory Committees" available from the officesof the President and the Dean of Instruction, SVCC currentlyhas 24 lay advisory committees.

A survey of teaching faculty members who are Involved witha lay advisory committee helped to measure the effectivenessof advisory committees at SVCC. Responses from all activecommittees were received with multiple responses fromseveral. The average response of each committee was used todetermine a composite average for all questions. TheInstrument sent with the composite average of the results foreach question may be found in the Office of Planning andDevelopment.

On a scale from 1 to 5. with 5 being high and 1 low, therange of responses ran from 2.89 to 4.75. The 4.75 rated theappropriateness of the professional position of the members,and 2.89 rated the group sessions between members andstudents about information on the "Real World" they areabout to enter.

The item "establishing and keeping a regular schedule ofmeetings" received a 3.71 rating, indicating that while allcommittees do not meet regularly, they meet as needed. Alow 3.29 rated the record keeping of meetings, includingincoming and outgoing correspondence.

Using information from publications and from the results ofthe questionnaire. the self-study committee evaluatingAdministrative Resources readily concluded that the role of

Section 6.1 6.2 & 6.5 6.6 Administrative Resources ,281

advisory committees is clearly defined and that thecommittees are actively performing their function asoutlined.

Official Policies

As shown earlier, the State Board for Community Collegesestablishes the policies and procedures which govern SVCC.A copy of the VCCS Policy Manual, which contains thesepolicies and procedures, is available in the College Library.State academic auditors test periodically for adherence tothese policies.

These regulations are the basis for the establishment of thefollowing handbooks and manuals: College Catalog & StudentHandbook Local Board Policy 111:ezze Faculty Handbook,Classified Staff Handbook, and Educational Foundation PolicyManual, as well as various other policy manuals governingplant operations, including the business office, food service,data processing, physical plant, human resources, andhealth and safety.

These manuals and handbooks, which are revised andupdated throughout the year to provide current informationabout the College and the procedures involved in its dailyoperations, list the duties and responsibilities of the variouscollege administrative officers. This descriptive informationis found in the Appendix of the Faculty Handbook (SectionAl -29). The publications also include, but are not limited to,college organizational charts: due process for handlinggrievances: local curriculum advisory committees:appointment, reappointment, promotions, and reductions inforce; and classroom responsibilities of instructors.

Additionally, the Commonwealth of Virginia has issued anEmployee Handbook, which provides a variety of informationcovering conditions of employment, benefits, employeegrievance procedures, standards of conduct, and variousmiscellaneous subjects. This handbook is available toemployees of the College through the Office of HumanResources.

SACS Criteria specifically identified tenure as an example ofofficial policies which must be published in officialdocuments. In 1972, the State Board adopted multi-yearappointments in lieu of tenure. All those on tenure had achoice of keeping their tenure or moving to multi-yearappointment.

282 . Section VI: Administrative Processes

243

Administrative Organization

The administrative structure clearly defines the lines ofresponsibility and authority for the College. As a means ofmeeting the educational needs of its community, the Collegeassigns appropriate administrative responsibility, as shownby the Administrative Organizational Chart on the followingpage, and job descriptions, which are printed in the FacultyHandbook 7' h e organizational structure and jobrequirements of the administrative staff ensure thateducational program responsibility is administered accordingto the stated purpose of the College.

Section 6.1- 6.2 & 6.6 - 6.6 Administrative Resources. 283

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Reporting directly to the President are the Dean of StudentDevelopment Services, the Dean of Financial andAdministrative Services, the Dean of Instruction, theAdministrative Assistant to the President, the Coordinator ofPlanning and Development, and the Director for the Centerof Economic Development.

The Dean of Student Development Services supervises thefollowing areas: Admissions and Records, Financial Aid,Counseling Services, Student Support Services, TalentSearch, AmeriCorps, Veterans Affairs, Southwest VirginiaCareer Centers, Inc., Student Activities, Alumni Affairs, andSingle Parents Programs/WIT.

The Dean of Financial and Administrative Servicessupervises the Business Office, Physical Plant, HumanResources, Information Services, Telecommunications, FoodServices, and Bookstore.

The Dean of Instruction has primary responsibility for alleducational programs. Reporting directly to the Dean ofInstruction are the chairs of the four academic divisions(Business, Engineering, Humanities and Social Sciences,and Natural Science and Mathematics), which are directlyresponsible for administering all college transfer andoccupational-technical programs of the College. Within eachacademic area, instructional staff report directly to thedivision chair. Division chairs unanimously agreed that theywere adequately involved in administrative organization andconsideration of educational offerings and related activities.

Also responsible for administering instructional programs, aswell as providing instructional support services for theacademic divisions, are the Learning Resources Center (LRC)and the Office of Continuing Education and CommunityServices (CECS). Directors for both areas report directly tothe Dean of Instruction. The Director of the LRC supervisesthe Library, Learning Laboratory, and Audio-Visual andDistance Education Services. The Office of ContinuingEducation and Community Services works in conjunctionwith the four academic divisions and the LRC to provide on-and off-campus instructional services for business, industry,and special groups. These services include credit and non-credit programs, cultural events, workshops, lectures,conferences, seminars, and special events. An assessment ofthe CECS Division may be found in Section 4 of this self-study document.

Section 6.3 Financial Resources 285

The administrative organizational chart of the College isdisseminated to specific groups of citizens in the serviceregion through the Local College Board, lay advisory boards,committees with comprehensive memberships, and theFaculty Handbook.

The duties of the President and all other administrative staffresponsible to the President are clearly defined and madeknown to faculty and staff through the faculty and classifiedhandbooks. At the time of employment, the President's Officeassigns each member of the teaching and administrativefaculty an individual Faculty Handbook, which is thereafterupdated as changes occur. The classified handbook is alsoupdated in a similar fashion.

An organized employment process and Affirmative ActionPlan are in place at the College to ensure that administrativeofficers possess the appropriate credentials anddemonstrated competencies to assume responsibilities forassigned areas. The Office of Human Resources maintainsrecords for all full-time faculty and classified employees.Part-time faculty records are maintained in the Office of theDean of Instruction. The credentials of non-creditCommunity Services instructors are housed in the Office ofContinuing Education and Community Services. Theeducational degrees of administrators and faculty membersare printed in each edition of the SVCC Catalog & StudentHandbook.

Policies and procedures for evaluating the performance andcompetence of the President and other administrative officersare in effect at Southwest Virginia Community College. Alladministrative personnel are evaluated on an annual basisunder the policies and procedures for evaluation covered inthe VCCS Policy Manual and in the SVCC Faculty Handbook

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Southwest Virginia Community College has in place acomprehensive institutional advancement programcomprised of the Coordinator of Planning and Development,the Institutional Research Officer, and InstitutionalAdvancement Officer, who also serves as the ExecutiveDirector of the Southwest Virginia Community CollegeEducational Foundation, Inc. They work in cooperation withthe Alumni Affairs coordinator and with the CollegePublications coordinator, who report respectively to theDean of Student Development Services and theAdministrative Assistant to the President. The SVCC Faculty286 Section VI: Administrative Processes

248

Handbook reflects the organization of this institutionaladvancement team (Section 2-01).

The purpose statements of the components of theinstitutional advancement staff are found in the SVCCAnnual Report for 1992-93 in the respective division reports:"Planning and Development," "Institutional Research andAssessment" (Section VI-7) and "Institutional Advancement"(Section V-2).

The Office of Planning and Development has beenresponsible for securing external tax-generated public fundsto assist the College in fulfilling its mission. Research andassessment are integral components of this program todetermine how the College is meeting its goals and, if not,what changes need to be made to do so.

The purpose of the SVCC Educational Foundation, Inc.,which seeks funding from the private sector to meet theneeds of the institution which are not met through tax-generated funding sources, is stated in the 1993-94 SVCC"Educational Foundation Annual Report." The charter andbylaws of the Foundation are filed in the Foundation Office.

The newly created position of Alumni Affairs coordinator,who reports to the Dean of Student Services, was establishedto reinstate an aggressive alumni development program,following an earlier successful alumni organization effort. Arecent capital campaign provided an excellent "cultivation"opportunity for alumni.

The Office of College Publications assists in creating apositive institutional image for the community since such anImage is vital for achieving the goal of institutionaldevelopment.

Administrators of the institutional advancement staff atSouthwest Virginia Community College are well qualifiedboth through educational training and through years ofexperience in their related fields of expertise.

Alumni Affairs

Realizing the tremendous resources available through SVCCalumni, as well as other former students, the Collegeinitiated a formal alumni affairs program in the fall of 1993.The Alumni Affairs coordinator, guided by a missionstatement, will expand the present alumni program.


Responsibility for alumni affairs rests with the Dean ofStudent Development Services. The Alumni Affairscoordinator directs the publication of an alumni newsletterto serve as a means of two-way communication between theCollege and former students. In each issue a request forinformation from alumni effectively acts as a survey. Almost100 percent of the over 7,000 SVCC graduates receive thenewsletter, and the response from the request forinformation vanes from issue to issue. Last year the Office ofAlumni Affairs obtained over 800 address changes for SVCCalumni, who are encouraged to include in the request forinformation updates on career and education as well asaddress changes. This information is relayed to alumnireaders through the newsletter under the title, "Alumni onthe Move."

The newsletter also serves as a means to keep alumniinformed about and interested in what is developing at theCollege. This is one way in which the College encouragesformer students to participate in the growth anddevelopment of the institution.

Faculty and staff involvement with former students is alsoan effective means of keeping alumni in touch with theCollege. Students often come back to seek advice, letters ofrecommendation, and other assistance from faculty andstaff, thus providing a strong means of forming a bondbetween alumni and the institution.

Special events, such as the Mountain Foliage Festival, SVCCDinner Series, and events specifically for alumni, also createopportunities for alumni to stay in touch with the College.

A survey of all alumni was one of the first goals of the newAlumni Affairs coordinator. The results of the surveyprovided positive reinforcement that SVCC graduates are`*satisfied" or "very satisfied" with the academic and studentservices the College provides. Over 70 percent of therespondents who had attended another college reported thatthey felt a stronger attachment to SVCC than to the othercollege. Also, the majority of the graduates surveyed hadobtained employment in their current field after leavingsvcc.SVCC realizes the valuable resource that graduates andother former students are to the institution in recruitment,in an advisory capacity, in development efforts, and asvolunteers. In order to create a mutually beneficialrelationship between the College and its alumni, it is first

288 Section Administrative Processes

necessary to know who they are, where they are, and whattheir interests and feelings are about SVCC. The alumnisurvey helped answer some of these questions.

Publications

The College Publications coordinator, under the direction ofthe Administrative Assistant to the President, hasresponsibility for supervising college publications. The dutiesand responsibilities for this position are listed in the FacultyHandbook (Appendix A-8, Section PD008). The CollegePublications coordinator is responsible for the development,planning, organization, and implementation of college mediarelations as well as many of the publications targeted foreither internal or external markets.

Southwest Virginia Community College distributesnumerous such materials and publications. The time andfrequency of publication of marketing/media material varydepending on the purpose and goals of individualpublications. Each year the College publishes annual reportsand the College Catalog & Student Handbook. The Collegealso publishes special catalog editions, as needed to provideregistration and program information, and descriptivebrochures about academic and/or special programs, as theneed arises or as program changes occur. Other publicationsprovide information relating to the services offered and therequirements needed to enter and complete variousprograms. Divisions, program areas, and offices of theCollege also publish material relating to their particular areaof interest and service.

The College Catalog & Student Handbook contains andaccurately depicts all of the areas listed in the Commissionon Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools'document: Institutional Advertising, Student Recruitment andRepresentation of Accredited Status Every effort is made toensure that the College Catalog is an accurate representationof the College.

Fundraising

In this time of limited state funds, it is imperative thatinstitutions engage in fundraising in order to help meetinstitutional needs and thus achieve the purpose for whichthe College was established.

Southwest Virginia Community College has beensuccessfully raising funds from the private sector since 1981,

Section 6.1 - 6.2 & 6.5 - 6.6 Administrative Resources *289

when the Southwest Virginia Community CollegeEducational Foundation, Inc., was founded. As stated in the199394 AmzualReportthe purpose of the Foundation is "tosupport the mission and goals of Southwest VirginiaCommunity College." Governed by a Board of Directors, theFoundation has established policies as indicated in the"Foundation Policy Manual." Policy revisions are made asneeded. The manual is distributed to Foundation Boardmembers and is available from the Foundation Office.

Needs and goals in the SVCC 1982-1 992 Educational MasterPlan (60) indicated that the SVCC Educational Foundationwould play an Integral part in securing assets to help meetdetermined needs. These needs prompted a $5.1 millioncapital campaign with funds to be raised from the privatesector for capital development, financial aid/scholarships,equipment. faculty and staff development, and college/community cultural and special events programs. As ofNovember 1994, $4.9 million of this goal had been reached.Funds from this campaign will be expended for theconstruction of the Center for Health and CommunityDevelopment.

The Foundation will continue to be aggressively involved inhelping meet future needs of the College as they aredetermined and as priorities are set. Support from theprivate sector to meet these needs comes from gifts of cash,real estate, personal property, securities, estate planning,and deferred gifts. In addition, valuable in-kind gifts ofequipment, supplies, labor, and service are important inachieving goals of the College and of the Foundation. Anexcellent example is the Virginians for Virginia Project todesign and develop recreational facilities for the College andcommunity.

As the newly appointed Alumni Affairs coordinator continuesthe alumni program in an aggressive manner, alumni willplay a prominent role in fundraising as they did in thecapital campaign.

EXTERNALLYFUNDED GRANTSAND CONTRACTS

Realizing that funds from external sources can make a vitaldifference to an institution in reaching its goals andpurpose, SVCC has been actively and successfully seekingexternal funds and contracts for many years and has beenrecognized both statewide and nationally for its success inthis area. A "Policies and Procedures Manual for CampusGrants for Southwest Virginia Community College" is on file290 Section VI: Administrative Processes

252

in the Office of Planning and Development and is distributedannually to faculty and staff who are monitoring grants.

Southwest Virginia Community College is not a researchinstitution and does not pursue external grants for thepurpose of faculty research. Therefore, the College does nothave written guidelines with regard to faculty research.

The College's success in securing external grants andcontracts for programs, equipment, scholarships, etc., isconveyed in Table 6.5.01, which lists all grants SVCCreceived in 1993-94 by type of grant. Excluding Financial Aid($3,431,339), the balance of $3,181,591 represents 21.8percent of the 1993-94 college expenditures of $14587,030.

Table 6.5.01External Funds from AU Sources

July 1, 1993 -June 30. 1994

Source Amount

Financial Ait:Y63e11, SEOG. CSAP) $3,431,339

State Appropriations 756,528

State Grants 3.060

Federal Grants 2,089,650

Private 151,711

Federal Work Study 151.463

Virginia Work Study 29.179

Total $6.612.930

Source: Virginia Community College System FRS reportsFBMOQ2, FBM070. and FBM043: and CommonwealthAccounting and Reporting System (CARS) ACTR 0402Option B 1 (Trial Balance)

Although the College does not depend upon grants for itsbasic operations, the College does seize upon opportunitiesgrant funds offer to support various college programs whichmight not exist without external funding, such as thoseshown in the following table:

Section 6.1- 6.2 & 6.5- 6.6 Administrative Resources *291

Table 6.5.02

Grant Funding Amount

LTTPA Nursing $279,245

Talent Search 211,815

Student Support Services 205,012

Defense Procurement Technical Assist. 111,715

Center for Innovative Technology 89.086

Small Business Development Center 43,809

Total $940,682

Source: Virginia Community College System FRS reports FBM092, FBM070,and FBM043: and Commonwealth Accounting and Reporting System(CARS) ACTR 0402 Option B 1 (Trial Balance)

These grants provide funding for 14.5 full-time positions.Advertisements for these positions always state thatemployment is contingent on the availability of funding fromthe granting agency.

The two most recent grant-funded programs at SVCC areTech Prep and AmeriCorps. SVCC is one of three communitycolleges nationwide (out of 1700 applications) to receive theAmeriCorps grant.

External grants have provided SVCC with the opportunity topursue curriculum development, purchase equipment, andprovide additional counseling services. A five-year $2,500,000Title III project provides funds for programming to developlong-term institutional goals and objectives.

RELATED CORPORATE ENTITIES

While Southwest Virginia Community College does not relyupon related corporate entities, one such organization doesprovide valuable assistance to the College in achieving itspurpose. As shown earlier in this section, the Southwest

292* Section VI: Administrative Processes

254

Virginia Community College Educational Foundation, Inc.,was established in 1981 to support the mission and goals ofthe College. The Board of Directors. which governs theFoundation, is made up of representatives from thecommunity in the SVCC service region and from the College.

The table below reflects the growth in annual gifts to theFoundation since 198 1:

Table 6.6.01

SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGEEDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC.

CASH AND NON-CASH CONTRIBUTIONS*

1981 - 85 368,1091985 86 108,4731986 - 87 111,1441987 - 88 100,3401988 89 582,5411989 90 462,0161990 - 91 753,4781991 - 92 1.009.648"1992 - 93 987.820 "1993 - 94 451,281 "

`Does not include $1,691,614 in local funds account forthe Center for Health and Community Development

**Includes Virginians for Virginia National Guard Projectand other in-kind donations for the Recreation Project

The Foundation records are audited annually, and the Officeprepares and distributes an annual report. Funds areinvested in FDIC insured institutions following theguidelines of the Investment Policy, as approved by the Boardof Directors. Copies of the financial audits are in theFoundation Office and in the Office of the President ofsvcc.

Officers and employees of the Foundation are bonded, andthe Foundation secures adequate liability insurance.Guidelines for expenditures, as approved by the board,require two signatures on all disbursements. Thesesafeguards, along with annual audits, provide adequateinternal controls and risk liability containment.

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Section 6.1 - 6.2 & 6.5 6.6 Administrative Resources 293

255

A report submitted to the President in the "Annual Report"documents the mutual benefits. However, many benefitscannot be measured. While the "dollar" value can be placedon gifts of cash and other assets, the value of what thesegifts help provide for the institution cannot be as easilyvalued. An accurate figure for the amount of scholarshipassistance provided can be documented, but the value to thestudent recipients cannot be measured. Facilities andequipment which the Foundation provides expand andenhance SVCC programs, the value of which cannot bedetermined. Other activities which the Foundation sponsorsprovide immeasurable benefits to the College. They areexcellent resources for enhancing the quality of life for thecommunities and provide excellent "good-will."

The many resources the Foundation provides have made amajor impact on the College and readily and visiblycontribute to the institution. It is clear that the activities ofthe Foundation complement those of the College and do, infact, assist SVCC in achieving the purpose for which it wasestablished.

CONCLUSION

The governance of the College by the Commonwealth ofVirginia ensures compliance with rules and regulationsenacted by the General Assembly. The challenge the Collegefaces is to remain flexible and creative within the bounds ofthis governance.

The facts and figures speak for themselves. They are anobvious indicator that Southwest Virginia CommunityCollege has in place the administrative processes necessaryto use available resources effectively to achieve itsinstitutional goals and purpose. Growth in full-time studentenrollment and the steady growth in the number of academicprograms, as well as in faculty and staff, and the outreach ofWCC, as it has responded to the needs of its service regionfor over 25 years, are clear indicators of the College'ssuccess. Since 1985, when the VCCS began keeping thisstatistic, SVCC has ranked number one of the 23 colleges inthe Virginia Community College System in service to thepopulation. While the percentage rate of the VCCS's serviceto population was 1.89 percent in 1994, SVCC served 3.71percent of its population (Office of Planning andDevelopment, SVCC Fact Book). According 10 a fall 1993report prepared by the SVCC Office of Planning andDevelopment, 70 percent of the individuals in the SVCCregion who attended college in the fall of 1991 were enrolled294 Section VI: Administrative Processes

at SVCC (State Council of Higher Education for Virginia,Document R- 1).

The success of fundraising from both the private sector andfrom other tax revenue sources, the success of SVCCgraduates in the work place and in transfer institutions, theawards won by both faculty and students/student clubs, andthe ranking of SVCC students on State licensureexaminations are all measurable factors, from which onemust conclude that Southwest Virginia Community Collegevery successfully uses available resources to accomplish itsinstitutional purpose.

Section 6.1 6.2816.5 - 6.6 Administrative Resources . 295

ADMINISTFtATIVEPROCESSES:ADMINISTRATIVERESOURCES


. The committee proposes that the same statement aboutthe State Board which is now in the SVCC FacultyHandbook be added to the SVCC Classified Staff'Handbook.


Larry DavisChair

Teresa Woodardwriter

Lee Anne AddisonRecorder

Doug Branton

Sue W. CaptainLiaison

Garry Damron

Paul Hess

James C. Humphrey

Christine K. Keene

Kay Lockhart

Kathy Mitchell

Donna Musick

Windell L. Turner

COMMITTEE


Instructor, Mathematics

Fiscal Assistant. Business Office

Assistant Professor. Arts and Crafts

Associate Professor. Librarian

Associate Professor, Automotive Technology

Buildings and Grounds. Highway EquipmentOperator

Assistant Professor, Mine Health and Safety

Accountant. Business Office

Assistant Instructor, Talent Search Advisor

Professor, Tricollege Nursing

Office Services Specialist. Admissions Office

Information Services Director


INTRODUCTION

The primary objective of the self-study committee assigned toevaluate Financial Resources of Southwest VirginiaCommunity College (SVCC) was to assess the adequacy ofthe College's financial resources to support its basicpurpose, the scope of its programs, and the number of itsstudents.

The accomplishment of this objective required anexamination of the following areas of operations specified inCriteria for Accreditation of the Southern Association ofColleges and Schools (SACS): evaluating financial resourcesfor adequacy and stability; reviewing the organization for theadministration of financial resources; assessing theadequacy of budget planning, evaluation, and control:evaluating the system and effectiveness of accounting,reporting, and auditing; reviewing the organization of andprocedures for purchasing, inventory control, and cashiering;assessing the refund policy; and reviewing investmentpolicies and risk-management programs.

In evaluating how well SVCC meets the SACS Criteria, thecommittee examined factual data and figures from recordslocated in the Office of the Dean of Financial andAdministrative Services: reviewed local and state policymanuals, handbooks, and procedures relating to financialresources; interviewed personnel in the Financial andAdministrative Services area; and compared tuition rates andrefund policy to similar institutions.

INCOME AND EXPENDITURES

Sources of Income

As a part of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS),Southwest Virginia Community College receives its operatingmoney primarily from state funds. These are made up ofgeneral funds [tax dollars) and non-general revenue (studenttuition and fees and miscellaneous income). Other non-general funds include federal funds, local funds (county taxdollars), other contracts and grants, and auxiliaryenterprises.

The VCCS distributes the targeted budgeted amount toindividual colleges on both a formula and experience basis ofwhich projected FTES is a major factor. Recognizing that

260Section 6.3 Financial Resources 30 1

larger colleges operate more efficiently and with lessoverhead costs, the VCCS uses a redistribution formulawhich incorporates a productivity cluster basis. As shown inTable 6.3.01 below, Southwest ranks in the 1.0781 clusterand, therefore, receives funds on a pro rata basis that is lessthan a college ranked at a lower productivity cluster.

Table 6.3.01Efficiency Factor in Budget Model

Community College rank Community College rank

T1 %

Eastern Shore 0.7809 Danville 1.0454

Paul D. Camp 0.8264 Piedmont Virginia 1.0509

Rappahannock 0.8634 Central Virginia 1.0537

Southside Virginia 0.9495 New River 1.0601

Dabney S. Lancaster 0.969a John Tyler 1.0614

Patrick Henry 0.9884 J. S. Reynolds 1.0667

Germanna 0.9995 Southwest Virginia 1.0781

Lord Fairfax 1.0050 Virginia Western 1.0934

Blue Ridge 1.005b Tidewater 1.0953

Virginia Highlands 1.0126 Thomas Nelson 1.0989

Wytheville 1.0154 Northern Virginia 1.1004

[Mountain Empire 1.0309

SVCC does not borrow money for the purpose of obtainingstability nor does it depend upon external funding, such asfederal, state, or local grants or private sources as a primaryfunding source. SVCC uses these sources totally as supportfor special projects and services.

The following tables show state income. Table 6.3.02 listsState Maintenance and Operation (M860) revenue for 1984-85 through 1993-94. Table 6.3.03 shows current fundsrevenue by source for 1986-87 through 1993-94.


1984

-85

App

ropr

iatio

ns S

tate

Gen

eral

Fun

d$4

,030

,228

Add

: Gen

eral

Fun

d In

crea

se14

9,62

0D

elet

e:G

ener

al F

und

Dec

reas

e

Tot

al A

ppro

pria

tions

Sta

te G

enet

s F

und

4,17

9,84

674

.1%

Stu

dent

Fee

s1,

421,

549

Less

:R

efun

dsT

otal

Stu

dent

Fee

s

Sal

es a

nd S

ervi

ceso

f Edu

catio

nal

Dep

artm

ents

)Oth

er E

&G

inco

me

Com

mun

ity E

duca

tion

indi

rect

Cos

t Rei

mbu

rsem

ent

Tra

nsfe

r fr

om P

oole

d R

even

ue

Tra

nsfe

r E

quip

men

t Tru

st F

und

Leas

eP

aym

ent

Ren

tal

Mis

cella

neou

s R

even

ues

TO

TA

L R

EV

EN

UE

Ful

l-Tim

e E

quiv

alen

t Enr

ollm

ent

Do

Ilars

/FT

E

Tab

le6.

3.02

Sta

te M

a 0

Rev

enue

1985

-86

198

8-87

198

7-88

198

8-89

198

9-90

1990

-91

1991

-92

1992

-93

1993

-94

$3,9

00,8

15 $

5,00

4,01

4 $5

,034

,556

$60

0,29

632

8,55

6 1,

454,

515

4,70

1,11

1.5.

332.

570

6,48

9,07

174

.0%

74.3

%76

.6%

1,78

2,52

11,

857,

821

2,00

6,23

8

(58,

905)

(56

.596

) (5

7,21

8)(6

1.57

0)1.

362.

644

1,72

5,92

51,

800,

603

1,94

4,66

824

.2%

27.2

%25

.1%

22.9

%

6,06

75,

661

39,8

5627

,671

15,3

3315

,759

29.8

06(1

33,4

93)

8,51

5,27

7 $6

,562

,162

$7,

736,

561

$ 7.

7 8

5. 6

9 2

$6,

561,

223

1,02

0,49

21.

006.

623

9.14

151

4,41

451

3.73

5

(245

,703

) (1

,346

,639

)(6

7,13

3)7,

535.

769

7.56

8.78

57.

499.

99s

6.95

3.46

76.

987.

825

7.32

3.24

178

.4%

77.1

%74

.3%

694%

2,13

6,86

72.

319.

917

(71,

981)

(88,

167)

2,06

4,88

62,

231,

750

21.5

%22

.7%

2.62

3.91

6

(72.

886)

2,55

1,03

C25

.3%

3,15

8,28

0(9

0,02

3)3,

068,

257

30.6

%

65.3

%64

.0%

3,59

7,13

7(7

1,94

5)3,

525,

192

3.72

8.78

432

.9%

32.6

%

1,45

43.

840

2,07

515

00

0

4,59

26,

712

8.04

95,

734

5,48

06.

175

9,47

39,

473

23,4

7725

,697

24,0

3023

,166

28,4

0333

.119

87,6

4955

.076

11,2

7722

,634

17,4

0319

,655

23.0

2522

.350

29,6

2556

,057

(25,

000)

(36.

621)

(41,

752)

(15,

400)

(22,

500)

66.6

50

(42,

586)

8,39

38,

298

4,04

99,

702

3,25

42,

539

647

389

12 8527

1,73

1

$5,6

41,9

45 $

6,35

0,93

2 $7

,176

,569

$8,

473,

684

$9,6

16,2

25 $

9,81

3,51

7 $1

0.09

5,25

8 $1

0,02

0,82

1 $1

0,70

6,51

1 $1

1,44

4,36

4

1,94

92,

112

2,34

72,

502

$2,8

95$3

,007

53,0

56$3

.367

2.54

12,

723

2,75

72.

906

2.89

72,

856

53,7

84$3

,604

53,6

62$3

,448

$3,6

96$4

,007

Sect

ion

6.3

Fina

ncia

l Res

ourc

es30

3

.?B

EST

CO

PY A

VA

ILA

BL

E2

6 3

Tab

le 6

.3.0

3So

uthw

est V

irgi

nia

Com

mun

ity C

olle

geC

urre

nt F

unds

Rev

enue

by

Sour

ce19

88 -

87 to

199

3-94

1988

437

1987

-88

1988

-89

1989

-90

1990

-91

1991

-92

1992

-99

1993

-94

Tui

tion

and

Fees

$1,8

44,3

39$2

.049

,920

$2,1

22,8

25$2

66,3

72$2

.651

.448

$3.1

64,

228

$3.7

10,2

14$3

.819

.411

17.5

%17

.5%

16.0

%16

.1%

18.6

%20

.9%

22.5

%21

.1%

App

ropr

iatio

ns S

tate

5,50

2,57

2L

ocal

6.34

0,80

155

.000

7.57

0.76

1.

55 8

067,

604.

753

56.3

187.

375,

863

57 4

7,15

1.18

245

.323

6.58

2,17

357

.500

7.10

6.12

459

,294

trpr

iatio

nsA

ppro

pria

tions

=V

i2.2

%6.

33A

4.5.

%7

626,

557

57.5

%7.

661.

0-71

54.6

%7.

43.3

.52

.2%

7.19

.6.,5

0547

.6%

6,63

9..6

7340

.2%

7...l

,fi.5

..A18

39.7

%G

over

nmen

t Gra

nts

& C

ontr

acts

Eft

Ate

eral

2.34

-.g4

§2.

445.

670

94.5

052,

517,

728

203,

235

2,97

1,44

731

9.96

12,

945.

927

190.

749

3.61

5.85

515

4.52

84.

945.

719

639.

824

5.63

7.66

984

8.41

656

.729

Priv

ate

Gif

ts, G

rant

s, &

Con

trac

ts65

,040

99,3

4474

436

.69

182

208.

720

201.

373

189,

274

152.

806

Tot

al G

over

nmen

t Gra

nts

& C

ontr

acts

2d5

4.6%

2 62

2.5%

2795

_399

3 36

0 59

03.

345.

395

3.97

1 75

65

774

817

6538

891

21.1

%24

.0%

23.5

%26

.3%

3 4

. 9 %

36.7

%

Sale

s &

Ser

vice

s of

Edu

catio

nal A

ctiv

ities

1,45

53.

640

2,07

515

00.

0%0.

0%0.

0%0.

0%

Atu

dlia

ry E

nter

pris

es54

8.93

160

7.53

564

5.85

171

7.13

573

9.96

068

8.07

728

2,69

427

9.18

75.

2%5.

2%4.

9%5.

1%5.

2%4.

4%1.

7%1.

5%

Oth

er S

ourc

es43

526

47,6

5880

.188

28,5

0676

.383

103.

671

117.

705

163.

258

d.4%

0.4%

0.6%

0.2%

0.5%

0.7%

0.7%

0.9%

Tot

al C

urre

nt F

unds

Rev

enue

s$1

0,53

3,31

5$1

1.74

0.43

8$1

3.27

2.28

5$1

4.02

7.31

4$1

4.24

8,60

4$1

5.10

4,38

7$1

6.52

5.10

3$1

8,06

6,16

5

Full

Thn

e E

quiv

alen

t Enr

ollm

ent

2,34

72.

502

2.54

12,

723

2.75

72.

906

2,89

72.

856

Dol

lara

/FT

E$4

,488

$4,6

92$5

.223

$5.1

51$5

.168

$5.1

98$5

.704

$6.3

26

264

BE

ST

CO

PY

AV

AIL

AB

LE

263

304

Adm

inis

trat

ive

Proc

esse

s

In addition to appropriated state funds, VCCS policy permitsindividual colleges to secure, when possible, non-statefunding for local college budgeting. The sources of theserevenues are generally the local political subdivisions thatan institution serves, donations and gifts, auxiliaryenterprise revenues, and selected fees. The formula used todetermine the local M&O share of each political subdivision(i.e, county) is based on population, assessed valuation ofproperty, and the number of students from each county.Local campus construction and development funds areshared; each of three counties contributes one-third. Tables6.3.04 and 6.3.05 list local maintenance and operationsfunds and local campus development and construction fundsfor the last 10 years.

Section 6.3 Financial Resources 3 0 5

Cou

nty

Buc

hana

n C

ount

y

Dic

kens

on C

ount

y

Rus

sell

Cou

nty

Taz

ewel

l Cou

nty

1984

-85

$17.

839.

00

4.37

0.00

11,0

98.0

0

18,6

93.0

0

Tot

al$5

2.00

0.00

1984

-85

Cou

nty

Buc

hana

n C

ount

y$1

6.66

0.00

Dic

kens

on C

omity

0.00

Rus

sell

Cou

nty

16.6

66.0

0

Taz

ewel

l Cou

nty

16,6

66.0

0

Tot

al$4

9.99

8.00

Tab

le 6

.3.0

4L

ocal

Mai

nten

ance

and

Ope

ratio

ns F

unds

1985

-86

1986

-87

1987

-88

1988

-89

1989

-90

1990

-91

$17.

839.

00$1

8,38

2.00

$18,

382.

00$1

9.00

0.00

$20.

660.

00$2

0.47

5.00

4.30

6.00

4.30

6.00

4,30

6.00

4.30

6.00

4.40

0.00

5.06

9.00

12,1

71.0

012

.171

.00

12,1

71.0

013

.000

.00

12,4

24.0

012

.410

.00

20.1

41.0

020

,141

.00

0.00

39,6

41.0

0*18

.834

.00

19.5

25.0

0

$54.

457.

00$5

5,00

0.00

$34.

859.

00$7

5.94

7.00

$56.

318.

00$5

7,47

9.00

Tab

le 6

.3.0

5L

ocal

Cam

pus

Dev

elop

men

t and

Con

stru

ctio

n Fu

nds

1985

-86

1966

-67

1987

-88

1988

-89

1989

-90

1990

-91

$16,

666.

00$7

9,03

2.00

$79,

032.

50$6

7.00

0.00

$50,

000.

00$1

00.0

00.0

0

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

16.6

66.0

016

,666

.00

141.

399.

0067

.000

.00

50.0

00.0

070

.590

.04

16.6

66.0

079

.032

.00

30.0

00.0

011

6,03

2.50

50.0

00.0

010

0.00

0.00

$49,

998.

00$1

74.7

31.0

0$2

50,4

31.5

0$2

50.0

32.5

0$1

50,0

00.0

0$2

70.5

90.0

4

Thi

s fi

gure

incl

udes

the

paym

ent f

rom

the

prev

ious

yea

r.

1991

-92

1992

.93

1993

-94

$20.

475.

00$1

8,08

81.0

0$1

7.09

1.00

5.06

9.00

5,52

1.00

6.64

5.00

12.4

10.0

012

,534

.00

13.1

25.0

0

19.5

46.0

021

.357

.00

22.4

33.0

0

$57,

500.

0055

7.50

0.00

$59.

294.

00

1991

-92

1992

.93

1993

-94

$75,

000.

00$7

7,38

7.00

$65,

000.

00

0.00

0.00

0.00

70,5

90.0

480

.466

.00

79.8

75.0

0

74,9

79.0

065

,168

.00

70,5

67.0

0

$220

.569

.04

$223

.021

.00

215,

442.

00

306

Adm

inis

trat

ive

Proc

esse

s

267

BE

ST

CO

PY

AV

AIL

AB

LE16

8

Expenditures

e

As shown in Table 6.3.06, a comparison of SVCC with SACSdata for the year 1992-93 indicates that the College is aboveQuartile 2 for all expenditures. The College is near themedian percentile of total expenditures for instruction,academic support, student services, and plant but issignificantly above the median for scholarships. Additionally,SVCC expenditures exceed the median for peer institutionsfor the period 1987-88 through 1989-90 except for studentservices and physical plant. Tables 6.3.07 and 6.3.08 provideadditional information regarding expenditures,

Section 6.3 Financial Resources 3 0 7

Tab

le 6

.3.0

6

LE

VE

L I

--FY

199

1-92

*FT

E S

TU

DE

NT

EN

RO

LL

ME

NT

S 2,

001

TO

2,9

00N

=59

Ins

titut

ions

FAL

L 1

992

FTE

S: S

AC

S of

2,8

53 (

used

in th

ese

calc

ulat

ions

); V

A F

TE

= 2

,555

Func

tion

of E

&G

Exp

endi

ture

E&

G

Qua

rtile

Exp

endi

ture

in

Qua

rtile

Z

S's

per

FIE

Stu

dent

Qua

rtile

S V

CC

Perc

enta

ge o

f

Med

ian

Tot

al E

&G

Exp

endi

ture

SVC

C

Inst

ruct

ion

1,45

E1,

750

2,00

02,

231

44.7

%44

.1%

Res

earc

h0

00

00.

0%0.

0%Pu

blic

Ser

vice

028

:12

042

0.8%

0.8%

Aca

dem

icSu

ppor

t20

829

036

44

3 3

7.2%

8.6%

Lib

rary

Acq

uisi

tions

1'5

2.5

z14

260.

6%1.

5%St

uden

t Ser

vice

s17

926

134

53

1 8

8.6%

6.3%

Inst

itutio

nal

Supp

ort

364

422:

589

6 8

111

.89

13.4

%Pl

ant

277

341

428

3 1

98.

6%6.

3%Sc

hola

rshi

ps &

Fel

low

ship

s26

742

564

21,

034

10.7

%20

.4%

Man

dato

ry T

rans

fers

03

780

0.1%

0.0%

Non

-Man

dato

ry T

rans

fers

324

0.0%

0.1%

Tot

al E

&G

3,18

13,

951

4 59

15,

062

100.

0%*L

ast y

ear

of c

ompa

rativ

e da

ta p

rovi

ded

by S

AC

S.

Com

pari

son

data

sup

plie

d by

Sou

ther

n A

ssoc

iatio

n of

Col

lege

s an

d Sc

hool

sC

urre

nt F

unds

199

1-92

IPE

DS

RE

POR

T u

sed.

Stu

dent

Dat

a: A

dmis

sion

s O

ffic

ePr

epar

ed b

y Pl

anni

ng &

Dev

elop

men

t Feb

ruar

y 24

, 199

4

270

271

308

Adm

inis

trat

ive

Proc

esse

s

Tab

le 6

.3.0

7

Sout

hwes

t Vir

gini

a C

omm

unity

Col

lege

Cur

rent

Fun

ds E

xpen

ditu

res

and

Tra

nsfe

rs 1

986-

87 to

199

3-94

1986

-87

1 9

8 7-

8 8

1988

.89

1989

-90

1 9

9 0.

9 1

1 9

9 1

-9 2

1992

-93

1993

.94

Inst

ruct

ion

$4,7

39,2

62$5

,281

,737

$5,7

53,0

05$6

,353

,715

$6,5

64,3

04$6

,366

,429

$7,4

37,5

89S7

,964

,840

47.8

%46

.7%

46.5

%47

.5%

48.7

%44

.1%

44.2

%44

.7%

Publ

ic S

ervi

ce41

,705

121,

560

126,

793

122,

759

134,

586

118,

899

133,

773

135.

614

0.4%

1.1%

1.0%

0.9%

1.0%

0.8%

0.8%

0.8%

Aca

dem

ic S

uppo

rt1,

011,

814

1,07

8,73

91,

181,

475

1,24

6,36

61,

178,

920

1,23

6,54

81,

407,

853

1,53

2,56

810

.8%

9.5%

9.5%

9.3%

8.7%

8.6%

8.4%

8.6%

Stud

ent S

ervi

ces

709,

049

797,

444

862,

084

901,

165

889,

178

907,

973

83 1

,626

797,

674

7.2%

7.1%

7.0%

6.7%

6.6%

6.3%

4.9%

4.5%

inst

itutio

nal

Supp

ort

1,25

1,63

11,

558,

636

1,74

9,58

91,

723,

116

1,78

8,59

71,

942,

276

1,90

2,90

42,

060,

527

12.6

%13

.8%

14.1

%12

.9%

13.3

%13

.4%

11.3

%11

.6%

Ope

ratio

n an

d M

aint

enan

ce o

f Pl

ant

709.

601

942.

371

849,

793

900,

941

800.

834

908.

863

975,

250

1,11

0,83

67.

1%8.

3%6.

9%6.

7%5.

9%6.

3%5.

8%6.

2%

Scho

lars

hips

and

Fel

low

ship

s1,

435,

178

1,50

8,10

41,

820.

765

2,08

0,67

92,

076,

010

2,94

9,80

23,

748,

787

4,18

5,27

314

.5%

13.3

%14

.7%

15.6

%15

.4%

20.4

%22

.3%

23.5

%

Man

dato

ry T

rans

fers

(38.

078)

22,3

7529

,542

50,6

6159

.190

11,1

7339

0,22

633

,981

-0.4

%0.

2%0.

2%0.

4%0.

4%0.

1%2.

3%0.

2%

Tot

al E

duca

tiona

l & G

ener

al$9

,915

,162

$11,

310,

966

$12,

373,

046

$13,

373,

402

$13,

491,

619

$14,

441,

963

$16,

828,

008

$17,

821,

313

Exp

endi

ture

s

Full-

Tim

e E

quiv

alen

t Enr

ollm

ent

2.34

72,

502

2,54

12,

723

2,75

72,

906

2,89

72,

856

Dol

lars

/FT

E$4

,225

$4,5

21$4

.869

$4.9

13$4

,894

$4,9

70$5

,809

$6,2

40

272

BE

ST C

OPY

AV

AIL

AB

LE

273

Sect

ion

6.3

Fina

ncia

l Res

ourc

es30

9

Aca

dem

icIn

stru

ctio

n

Com

mun

ity S

ervi

ces

Aca

dem

ic S

uppo

rt

Stud

ent S

ervi

ces

Inst

itutio

nal S

uppo

rt

Phys

ical

Pla

nt

TO

TA

L E

XPE

ND

ITU

RE

S

Full-

Tim

e E

quiv

alen

t Enr

ollm

ent

Dol

lars

/FT

E

274

Tab

leSo

uthw

est V

irgi

nia

Stat

e M

&O

6. 3

. 08

Com

mun

ity C

olle

geE

xpen

ditu

res

$2,8

86,5

50$3

,432

,506

$3,7

50,1

58$4

,355

,647

$4,9

75,7

46$5

,236

,931

$5,4

57,9

30$5

,232

,818

$5,3

98,8

76$5

,729

,467

51.3

%54

.0%

52.3

%51

.6%

52.6

%53

.4%

55.0

%52

.8%

52.6

%52

.3%

30,6

5921

.286

18,0

5919

,767

18,4

8436

,042

40,5

9726

,460

32,0

8631

1,47

90.

5%0.

3%0.

3%0.

2%0.

2%0.

4%0.

4%0.

3%0.

3%0.

3%

992,

708

958,

507

1,05

1,07

61,

048,

337

1,20

1,94

41,

238,

970

1,17

0,76

21,

238,

617

1,36

5,36

11,

515,

259

17.6

%15

.1%

14.6

%12

.4%

12.7

%12

.6%

11.8

%12

.5%

13.3

%13

.8%

320,

964

364.

721

490,

133

564,

240

651,

046

673,

849

662.

730

652,

101

607.

336

616.

006

5.7%

5.7%

6.8%

6.7%

6.9%

6.9%

6.7%

6.6%

5.9%

5.6%

933.

044

1,03

6,67

21,

180,

448

1,50

2,44

51,

756,

349

1,71

0,37

81,

793,

579

1,86

8,58

91,

871,

565

1,99

9,97

716

.6%

16.3

%16

.4%

17.8

%18

.6%

17.4

%18

.1%

18.8

%18

.2%

18.2

%

465,

773

537,

240

686,

627

943,

650

859.

609

908.

79I

804,

880

896,

900

997,

989

1.07

0,96

98.

3%8.

5%9.

6%11

.2%

9.1%

9.3%

8.1%

9.0%

9.7%

9.8%

$5,6

29,6

97$6

,350

,932

$7,1

76.5

01$8

,434

,086

$9,4

63,1

78$9

,804

,960

$9,9

30,4

79$9

,915

,485

$10,

273,

213

$10,

962,

157

1,94

92,

112

2,34

72,

502

2,54

12,

723

2,75

72 2,

906

2,89

72,

856

$2,8

8953

.007

$3,0

58$3

,371

$3,7

24$3

,601

$3,6

02$3

.412

$3.5

46$3

,838

275

310

. Adm

inis

trat

ive

Pro

cess

es

BE

ST C

OPY

AV

AIL

AB

LE

The previous tables demonstrate the financial stability ofWCC. Revenues have increased annually according tobudget requirements of the College, and the dollars per FTEhave increased each year. The previous tables also show thatthe proportion of state General Funds revenue has decreasedwhile the proportion of student fees has increasedsignificantly since 1990-91. These increases in studenttuition have no doubt had some negative impact on studentenrollment, particularly part-time enrollment.

As shown in Table 6.3.07, the large increases in scholarships(SVCC expends over twice the median for comparableinstitutions) have helped maintain enrollment, but theCollege constantly needs to encourage state officials tocurtail tuition increases. Tuition for attending Virginia'stwo-year colleges is higher than all but one (Maryland] of the15 states of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB),and community college tuition in Virginia for 1993-94 wasmore than 50 percent higher than the median for SREBstudents (Office of Planning and Development, "Summary ofSREB State Data Exchange Report). The Governor of Virginiahas proposed that future increases in tuition not exceed therate of inflation, thus hopefully limiting future increasesduring his tenure. This committee proposes that theCollege support a policy to limit tuition increases andencourage state officials to oppose significant increasesin tuition costs.

As illustrated in Table 6.3.09, grant income has increasedsignificantly over the past few years. SVCC has been veryaggressive and successful in securing federal and othergrants, private donations, and funds to enable the College tocontinue to expand services and facilities. However, a changein emphasis has occurred whereby a larger portion of grantincome is awarded directly to students as financial aid (PellGrant, work-study, and scholarships) rather than to theCollege for projects, positions, staff development, etc.

Section 6.3 Financial Resources 3 11

2 +

2 V

ocat

iona

l Tra

inin

g in

Hea

lth E

duca

tion

1984

-85

Tab

le 6

.3.0

9

Gra

nt E

xpen

ditu

res

1985

-86

1986

-87

1987

-88

1988

-89

8,20

1989

.90

16.5

45

1990

.91

0,96

()

1991

-92

( I

1992

-93

1993

-94

Aca

dem

ic A

llian

ce58

042

0A

RC

- A

llied

Hea

lth33

.617

AR

C -

Pro

ject

Gra

duat

ion

44,9

9728

.773

7,49

04,

140

AR

C -

Smal

l Bus

ines

s A

ssis

tanc

e C

ente

r37

,792

12,2

08A

RC

Sm

all B

usin

ess

Incu

bato

rFe

asib

ility

Stud

y14

,773

12.7

84A

RC

Tec

hnol

ogy

Tra

nsfe

r9,

328

29,1

86A

TL

AS

3,09

54.

722

Car

Che

k12

218

78,

122

Cen

ter

for

Inno

vativ

e T

echn

olog

y61

,850

69,7

0068

,560

80,5

9091

,673

94,0

3389

.086

Cha

ngin

gV

iew

s of

App

alac

hia

4,98

8C

hild

Car

e M

edia

Res

ourc

es C

ente

r37

4

Collpgr Work Study

136.

171

144.

666

132.

646

146.

661

137,

395

143.

411

143,

139

144,

632

142.

257

151,

463

Coo

pera

tive

Fdlic

atio

n51

488

523

3

CSA

P30

,000

53.3

2859

.486

94.5

0511

9.14

611

7,09

011

6,66

011

0,00

010

8,00

086

,000

Dru

g Fr

ee S

choo

ls a

nd C

omm

unity

Act

3,43

61.

067

Dru

g E

limin

atio

n Pr

ogra

m H

UD

1,34

0E

cono

mic

Dev

elop

men

t Con

trac

t28

Edu

catio

nal I

nter

pret

er T

rain

ing

1,29

985

6E

isen

how

er M

ath

and

Scie

nce

Inst

.48

,712

2,83

7E

PIC

26,1

482.

082

FIPS

E I

nter

pret

er T

rain

ing

4,00

4FS

ET

67,1

2063

,713

63,9

7762

,205

Gov

erno

r's F

unds

for

Exc

elle

nce

34,9

0835

.828

17.8

6321

.130

34,5

9331

,072

40,6

4340

,913

28.1

1134

,818

Gua

rant

eed

Stud

ent L

oans

524,

125

501,

034

313,

590

68,4

48In

tern

atio

nal E

duca

tion

59,2

721,

315

IPC

Gra

nt V

irgi

nia

Dep

artm

ent o

f E

nerg

y9.

750

68,3

62JT

PA -

A.A

.S. N

ursi

ng P

rogr

am79

,402

78.1

5751

.943

87.5

7090

.306

90.2

591

11,6

4311

2.18

518

4,82

427

9,24

5JT

PA -

Aut

omot

ive

Tra

inin

g23

,354

JTPA

Loc

aliti

es71

,489

90.1

5210

6,91

176

,895

56,3

4857

.553

42,1

5311

,198

JTPA

- O

n Jo

b T

rain

ing

1.95

03,

419

JTPA

-Sm

all B

usin

ess

Ass

ista

nce

Cen

ter

3,63

2M

ine

Hea

lth a

nd S

afet

y4,

513

76,5

5310

4.57

620

5,75

274

,062

185.

950

47,5

6724

.168

7,12

1

PEL

L87

4.98

01.

100.

223

1,29

5,93

91,

350,

665

1.62

5,63

71,

903,

218

1,88

5,36

82,

445,

445

3,00

9,35

23,

223,

947

Pow

ell R

iver

Pro

ject

1,81

13,

663

2.81

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Based on income and expenditures as shown in the previousinformation, Southwest Virginia Community Collegedemonstrates that it has adequate and stable financialresources to support its basic purpose, the scope of itsprograms, and the number of students.

ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION

The purpose of Financial and Administrative Services is toprovide physical. fiscal, human, and information resourcesto students, faculty, staff, and community. As shown by theorganization chart in Section 6.1, the person responsible forall business and financial functions relating to these areasat Southwest Virginia Community College is the Dean ofFinancial and Administrative Services, whose appointmentcomes from the State Board for Community Colleges uponthe recommendation of the President of SVCC. The Dean isfully qualified with a bnchclor'a dcgrcc in BusinessAdministration and both doctor's and master's degrees inEducation. He also has five years experience as a stateemployee in the dean's position and twenty-one years ofexperience in higher education.

The Dean is a major participant on the President's seniormanagement team and a leader and manager of the part ofthe organization that provides essential business andfinancial services. His responsibilities as chief businessofficer include supervision of administrative and financialaffairs, physical plant, legal affairs, information services,human resources, and auxiliary enterprises. A complete listof the duties and responsibilities of the Dean may be foundin the Faculty Handbook (Appendix PD 002).

Reporting directly to the Dean is the Business Manager, whois responsible for the overall functions of the Business Officeincluding the receipt, custody, and disbursement of fundsbelonging to SVCC; procurement of supplies and equipmentand the control of inventories; and administration ofpersonnel policies in the areas of payroll and leave. TheBusiness Manager also has responsibility for the supervisionof an audit system of accounting and financial reporting.

The design of the Business Office organization hasundergone significant changes in recent years due todecentralization by the Virginia Community College Systemand the State of Virginia. For example, responsibility forstorage keeping shifted from state offices to SVCC. Thesesystem-mandated changes have altered standard operationsand procedures for handling various types of transactions314* Section VI: Administrative Processes

281

and have had a significant impact on the number ofpersonnel needed and the storage requirements of theBusiness Office. Therefore, the self-study committee assignedto evaluate Financial Services proposes that the BusinessOffice analyze cm-rent operations to determine theadequacy of personnel and storage facilities to meetcurrent demands.

BUDGET

Planning

Budget planning for SVCC begins with preparation of thebiennial budget request for the VCCS, which is included inthe budget bill for General Assemby action. Staffingguidelines, enrollment levels, and program offeringsdetermine the preparation and planning activities tocomplete the biennial budget request based on the StateCouncil of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV)guidelines, known as Appendix M, which all public collegesand universities in Virginia use in preparing biennial budgetrequests.

After the Virginia Legislature passes the funding bill eachyear, the VCCS distributes funds to the community collegesbased on the redistribution formula. SVCC usually receivesnotification in March of its M860 budget allocation (which isnever 100 percent of the budget request) for the next fiscalyear. From March to the first of July when the fiscal yearstarts, SVCC administrators make budget decisions based onInput from department heads and deans. They issue facultyrank and salary appointments to conform with guidelines:adjust allocations to departments and divisions to conformto the VCCS appropriation: break down all budgetallocations into appropriate budget codes, enter them intothe mainframe computer in VCCS offices, and distribute thebudget information to the individuals responsible formanaging the funds.

State guidelines and the historical record of expenditures atSVCC control much of the planning activity for the budget.For example, personnel budgets account for more than SOpercent of the total funds available. Although the totalbudget increases each year, personnel costs also rise withcost-of-living and merit increases, plus additional staff. Inaddition, some benefits, such as health care Insurance costs,have risen. Furthermore, the historical record ofexpenditures determines funds needed for heating fuel,electricity, water and sewer, and telephone service. Records


282

show increasing use of these utilities and a correspondingrise in costs.

There are two important budget planning and reviewcommittees. The first, the Budget Planning Committee, iscomposed of the President, Dean of Financial andAdministrative Services, Dean of Student DevelopmentServices, Dean of Instruction, and Coordinator of Planningand Development. This group makes decisions concerningallocation of funds to deans, divisions, and departmentsbased on budget review, program expansion, and divisionchair requests, as well as the SVCC Master Plan and otherplanning documents.

The second, the Budget Review Committee, is composed ofthe President, Dean of Financial and AdministrativeServices, the Administrative Assistant to the President,Director of Information Services, and Business OfficeManager. This committee meets regularly during the year toreview and monitor expenditures and make adjustments tomeet unanticipated needs or unexpected occurrences duringthe year. This committee's review of expenditures alsoinfluences planning for the next fiscal year.

One important aspect of SVCC's planning process stemsfrom the fact that state funding is based primarily onenrollment projections. Each college in the VCCS receives abase budget and then beyond that receives a dollar amountper FTE equal to the revenue from tuition that is above thebase FTE. Each college initially receives its funds based onprojected FTE. Then, if an enrollment shortfall occurs, thecollege must return the difference between actual enrollmentand the projected enrollment to the State. At SVCC,administration has chosen to delay spending a portion of thefunds derived from the FTE allocation until the actualnumber of FTE is known toward the end of the year.

Since the college budget model is heavily enrollment drivenand subject to major reductions if targets are not met, alongwith other uncertainties, such as the deletion or addition ofother sources of revenue including grants and contracts,equipment trust funds, changes in state allocations, etc.,the President requires funds to be earmarked to cover suchsituations. The funds also assist in meeting the costs ofunforeseen disasters and uncontrollable costs. Whenappropriate, the remaining funds are distributed for use asthe budget picture clears later in the year.

This requirement leads to sound budget planning. WheneverSVCC does not meet its enrollment projection, the money is

3 16 Section VI: Administrative Processes

available to return to the State without seriousconsequences, such as a loss of staff positions, divisionalbudget cuts, etc. This aspect of the budget planning processhas helped to enable SVCC to manage funds effectively.There has never been a shortfall of funds, all previousobligations have been met, and there have been very fewincidents that required a callback of departmental funds.

This process also allows for more flexibility in planning.When the College meets its projected enrollment,departments, divisions, and individuals submit requests andproposals for possible funding. Those projects that receivefunding are deemed to meet the educational goals of SVCCand have the greatest impact on serving students, faculty,and staff.

For a while some confusion existed on campus becausemany faculty did not understand details associated withbudget planning. To make college personnel moreknowledgeable about budget processes, the Presidentpresented an m-depth explanation of the VCCS and SVCCbudgeting process during the faculty and staff meeting onMay 4, 1994. Through the use of transparencies, thePresident showed the relationship between FTES andteaching faculty and staff positions and prcscntcd acomparison of the 1993-94 and 1994-95 budgets.

One problem not as yet addressed is that the self-studycommittee on Financial Resources could find no evidencethat the procedures for SVCC's part of the planning processare evaluated, on a regular basis. Therefore, the committeerecommends that the administration establish a policywhich would require review on a regular basis of thebudgeting process.

PreparationThe Dean of Financial and Administrative Services isresponsible for preparation of several different budgets andrequests representing funds from a variety of sources. Themain budgets are the State Capital Outlay Request, theState Maintenance and Operations Budget (M860 Budget),special initiatives budgets, and local budgets. Grants andcontract budgets are also developed based upon fundsawarded.

State Budgets

Capital Outlaw Request. The Administration of the Collegeuses many criteria to prepare the Capital Budget request:state guidelines, the educational master plan, architectural


and educational specifications, the Master Site Plan, andconsiderations of educational priorities and needs. The timeset for budget preparation is biennially in the spring of thefirst fiscal year of the current biennium preceding thebiennium for which funds are requested.

Colleges must submit for General Assembly approval projectswhich do not require state funding. Such capital outlayprojects are required to follow the same procedures as thoserequiring state general funds, However, since they do notrequire state funding, these non-state funded projects aregenerally approved by the VCCS and other state agencies andthe Virginia General Assembly. At SVCC the Center forHealth and Community Development to be funded by privatedonations and other non-state funds is a good example, asis the recently completed first phase of SVCC's outdoorrecreational/athletic complex.

The following major capital outlay projects presentlyunderway are at different stages in the budgetary process:

Local funds have been raised for the Center for Healthand Community Development. Ground breaking is due totake place during spring 1995.

SVCC received funding through a state bond to renovatethe following on-campus buildings: Russell, Tazewell,Buchanan. and King halls. In addition, SVCC receivedfunds for a new roof for Tazewell Hall.

SCHEV guidelines have justified a Learning ResourcesCenter/Allied Health building. For this project SVCCcompleted a state pre-planning study. The total estimatedcost of the building and site development is $5,052,400,and the estimated cost of movable equipment is $975,000.Upon occupancy of the new building, the projected costfor renovations of the present LRC and Allied Healthareas is $660,000.

Maintenance and Operations Budget (M860). The State M860Budget cycle begins with the preparation of a biennial budgetrequest that the VCCS includes with all of the highereducation budget requests, consisting of appropriatedgeneral funds and anticipated non-general funds.

Special Initiatives Budget. The Commonwealth specialinitiatives budget request guidelines allow individual collegesto submit special college initiatives for budget consideration.An example of funding for such an SVCC initiative is theSouthwest Virginia Telecommunications Network. For the

318 Section VI: AdministsativeProcesses

285

first year of the 1994-96 biennium, SVCC received $60,000,one-fourth of which goes to Southwest Virginia CommunityCollege and one-fourth each to MECC, VHCC, and WCC.Also the Southwest Virginia Advanced ManufacturingCenter, in which SVCC is a participant, was funded for$200,000 during the 1994-96 biennium. It should be notedthat funding for special initiatives is generally a very minorpart of the total biennial budget.

In addition to the state biennial budget picture, there arelimited opportunities for seeking funds from the GeneralAssembly during the Short Session of the Assembly for thesecond year of the biennium. However, this Short Sessiongenerally does not deal with major money matters.

Local Budgets

SVCC operates three major locally-funded budgets: localM&O, local site development and construction, and revenuefunds. Additional budgets include a Student GovernmentAssociation (SGA) Budget and an auxiliary enterprise budgetfor parking lot maintenance that has become a staterequirement.

In some instances, whenever the College secures a specialgrant or contract, the institution appropriates state funds tomatch or go with the special grant or contract funds. Everyspecial grant or contract has a project budget. The BusinessOffice provides the project director a copy of the budgetshowing expenditures on a monthly basis. In general, thespecific grant or contract awarded specifies the budgetcategories and amounts.

Auxiliary Enterprises

The College currently has three auxiliary enterprises: thebookstore, food services, and parking.

The bookstore is operated by Barnes and Noble, which wasawarded the contract after competing with other nationalcontractors. SVCC receives a percentage of sales each monththat is bracketed depending on sales volume. Barnes andNoble also paid for all the renovations to the bookstore andgives a scholarship each year to the Southwest VirginiaCommunity College Educational Foundation.

The food services area is a self-operating state auxiliary withone full-time and several part-time employees. The goal ofthe College is to break even on the operation of food services.Over the past ten years the College has had both profit and


loss years. The Local Board has invested significant funds inthe auxiliary, and the College has performed some majorrenovations to the food service area. Two consulting groups(Service Master and Kwik Kafe) have reviewed the operationin the past year to give advice on refining the operation tomake it as effective and efficient as possible.

The parking auxiliary is in its first year at SVCC. Revenuefor this auxiliary comes from a student comprehensive fee of50 cents per credit hour, 25 cents of which is used forreplacement and improvements of parking lots. A repairschedule designates that these funds will be used to paveone lot area every other year.

The College's auxiliary enterprises are operated in a fiscallyresponsible manner, and documentation concerning theoperation of the bookstore and food services has beenprepared to analyze the operation of these enterprises indetail.

Budget Preparation Process

The Dean of Financial and Administrative Services preparesthe institutional budget in accordance with the uniformChart of Accounts, which uses codes to identify alleducational and general functions and ensures adherence tobudgetary guidelines and allocations.

At WCC, administrative officers prepare the PersonnelBudget, which historically has consisted of over 80 percentof the annual budget. After development of the PersonnelBudget, the administration develops the Other ThanPersonal Services (OTPS), which includes contractualservices, travel, materials and supplies, equipment, andeducational aid. Funds are distributed through the offices ofthe President and deans. Each dean is responsible formeeting with the department heads to allocate the budget:and, as explained earlier, the administration makes budgetadjustments periodically during the year based on need.

Once the detailed college budget is developed, it is reviewedby the Local College Board and entered into the VCCSbudget file for the new fiscal year beginning July 1. Prior toand throughout the new fiscal year, the deans, divisionheads, and other budget centers are provided periodic reportsfor their areas of responsibility. As explained above, budgetadjustments and changes may be made to individual lineitems as necessary. Such adjustments are normallyaccomplished through mini-budget reviews and requests bythe deans through divisional/departmental budget centers.

320 *Section VI: Administrative Processes

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All local funds budgets are under the approval andgovernance of the Local College Board. As secretary to theBoard, the President, using approved formulas andguidelines, is authorized to have local budgets prepared forapproval. Procedurally, each local funds budget is preparedbased upon identifiable needs established through theplanning process in light of projected revenue. Local fundsbudget reports are reviewed regularly at college boardmeetings. Unexpended local funds may be carried forward tothe next fiscal year.

The Appropriation Act and state policies allow institutionswho meet Management Standards, as set by the Auditor ofPublic Accounts, to carry forward unexpended M&O fundsfrom one fiscal year to the next. The maximum carryover istwo percent of the total appropriation from all funds foreducational and general programs. SVCC can use carry-overfunds prior to the end of the following fiscal year. TheVirginia Community College System must meet theManagement Standards on an annual basis for any collegeto carry over funds. State statutes do not allow budgetdeficits.

Internal Control

The control of expenditures and details of the budget are theresponsibilities of college officials under the jurisdiction ofthe State Board and within the framework of mandatededucational policies and procedures. The governing boardsapprove college budgets as recommended by the President.Neither the State Board nor Local Board concerns itself withdetails of the budget.

The system of budgetary control at SVCC consists of externaland internal components designed to maximize effective useof all money. Some of the external controls consist of rules,regulations, and procedures established by federal and stateagencies for the utilization and expenditure of funds. Theseagencies usually are generous in the provision of handbooksand manuals detailing established procedures.

Another form of control is provided by the Financial RecordsSystem m (FRS) software in the VCCS computer systemwhich mandates accounting procedures and provides thebackbone for organizing and reporting all campus budgets.

Internal controls consist of procedures firmly establishedand occasionally reviewed and modified to meet the needs oflocal conditions. The duties of Business Office personnel forbudgetary control are as follows:

Section 6.3 Financial Resources 32 1

At the beginning of each fiscal year communicate to eachdean, division chairman, and department head the budgetcodes and budget amounts for the support of academicprograms and support services.

Expeditiously process the paper which accompanies theactivities of purchasing, travel, professional development,salaries, and other activities which support the academicprograms and needed support services.

Monitor the expenditure of funds through the use of theVCCS computer accounting system and other internalcontrols and processes.

Provide bimonthly reports to keep "budget centers"apprised of expenditures in each budget code.

At the conclusion of the fiscal year, close and balance thebudgets within the limits of the established budget andstate and local appropriations.

This system of control has worked well for SVCC during allits years of operations. All college personnel have workedcooperatively to expend educational funds according to thebudget established by the local administration, approved bythe Local Board and the VCCS, and appropriated by stateand local government.

Beginning with the 1993-94 fiscal year, all the budget codenumbers changed from a three-digit designation to a six-digit code, and the monthly report of expenditures sent tothe divisions was modified. These changes have no impact onthe overall system of control; they were made primarily foraccounting purposes.

During the usual course of most fiscal years, administratorsmake minor modifications to department budgets when localconditions require it. Individuals must obtain approval inwriting from the appropriate authorities to transfer fundsamong budget codes before Business Office personnel willprocess the request. Also, Business Office personnel are notauthorized to encumber or pay for goods or services in aninappropriate budget code. These prohibitions represent partof the budget control system.

Historically, all departmental, divisional, and programbudgets have often received supplemental funds, butoccasionally state policy has required budget reductions. Inthe history of SVCC, the State has experienced shortfalls ofexpected revenues four times. Only when there was a major


289

statewide monetary crisis did the President andadministrative officers drastically modify the budget. Thestate-generated budget difficulties required several differentmethods to meet the deficit: a five-percent return of theentire college budget, a two-percent return, a two-percentfaculty salary cut, a cancellation of all raises for a three-yearperiod, and a cancellation of all cost-of-living raises. Duringeach of these crises, the President freely discussed the budgetsituation in the weekly meetings of the College Council, indivision meetings, and in open General Faculty/ Staffmeetings. Information Services provided appropriatedocumentation to each person with responsibility formanaging budgets.

Overall, the system of budget control at SVCC meets thestandards required by SACS Criteria. Business Officepersonnel exercise internal procedures of control,administrative officers review and monitor orders andexpenditures to assure compliance, and SVCC meets orexceeds the audit requirements for the budget each fiscalyear.

External Control

Budgetary laws are enforced. Neither budgetary techniquesnor financial officials outside the institution control theinstitution's educational function.

Southwest Virginia Community College administrativeofficers are responsible for responding to a large number ofauditing organizations or programs. Audits are a continuousprocess at SVCC and include audits from State, federal, andinternal organizations, as shown in the following section.

RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

Accounting, Reporting, and Auditing

The design of the accounting system at SVCC meetsgenerally accepted principles of institutional accounting asset forth in College and University Business Administration,which is published by the National Association of Collegeand University Business Officers.

The chief business officer prepares financial reports for thePresident, the local Board, the Virginia Community CollegeSystem Office, and the Office of the State Comptroller.Written reports to the President encompassing financial andinformational data are an integral part of the College'sAnnual Report.


Personnel from the State Auditor of Public Accounts (APA)perform annual fiscal year audits based on generallyaccepted accounting principles. These auditors are notdirectly connected to SVCC, either professionally orpersonally. Personnel from the State APA completed the mostrecent audit in January 1995. Copies of audit reports arefiled on campus, and these are available for public view.

In addition, auditors assigned by the VCCS perform internalaudits. In order to avoid duplication of the APA audits, theVCCS performs audits on the functional operations of theCollege. The Business Manager also performs ongoinginternal audit procedures to ensure that all procurement,expenditure, and payroll documents meet VCCS, State, andfederal compliance mandates.

Purchasing And Inventory Control

Purchasing Procedures

Upon receipt of signed internal purchase requisitions, theBusiness Office prepares purchase orders for all collegedepartments and divisions. Business Office personnelcontrol ordering, receiving, and distribution of all materials,equipment, and supplies. Staff Services houses anddistributes commonly used office supplies. To obtain othersupplies or equipment, an employee must prepare aninternal purchase requisition indicating the appropriatestate contract or bid procedure, secure signatures fromdivision or department head and dean, and forward it to theBusiness Office for processing.

Regulations from the 1993 edition of Agency Procurementand Su/plus Property Manual apply both to state and localfund procurement transactions for obtaining materials,supplies, services, or equipment. Other purchasingprocedures control the purchase of emergency services orequipment and the purchase of used equipment. Theseregulations are on file in the Business Office.

The State Central Warehouse in Richmond purchases,stores, and distributes staple food products, frozen foods,

janitorial supplies, paper products, and other selected itemsto state agencies. An agency may not use its localpurchasing authority to obtain from another source an itemwhich is available from the Central Warehouse in Richmond,unless that item is out of stock and the agency's need iscritical. The SVCC Business Office issues purchase ordersdirectly to the Central Warehouse.

324 . Section VI: Administrative Processes

291

For items not available from the Central Warehouse, theBusiness Office maintains a master list of all contract itemsand ensures that purchase orders go to the contract vendorwhen the order meets the minimum order requirements.

Inventory Control

Under the supervision of the Dean of Financial andAdministrative Services and the Business Office, and withInformation Services and Physical Plant support, SVCCmaintains a master inventory. For inventory purposes theCollege uses a sequential numbering system for equipmentwith a life expectancy of two years or more and a value of$2,000, unless an item is purchased with grant funds, inwhich case the amount is $500. As items are received, theReceiving Department marks each item with permanentmetallic stickers, and the Business Office lists it on themaster inventory list.

Department heads are accountable for all equipment in theirareas, and semi-annual reconciliations ensure that theitems located in each department agree with the masterinventory listing. Written authorization is necessary totransfer items from one area of the College to another.

Items which are non-repairable, obsolete, or no longer usedare surplus property. As an item is declared surplus, thePhysical Plant completes a surplus property report anddisposes of it as mandated by state guidelines.

Campus Security receives reports of items lost or suspectedstolen and files a report. The SVCC Security Office reportsall unrecovered items to the Human Resources Officer, whoreports to the Office of Risk Management in Richmond.

Student Tuition Refund Policy

Every college catalog published at. SVCC has contained thetuition refund policy, and the Admissions Office andBusiness Office have established firm procedures to followthe policy, which is reproduced below as published in the1994-95 Catalog & Student Handbook

Students shall normally be eligible for tuition refundfor credits dropped during the add/drop period of eachterm.

Written notification of the student's intent to dropclasses or withdraw from the college must reach theAdmissions Office no later than the last day of the

292


add/drop period in order for the student to be eligiblefor a refund.

The add/drop and refund period for academicsemesters of normal length will extend no longer thanthe 14th calendar day of the term (unless extended dueto weather conditions and closings), although coursesmay be dropped without academic penalty through the10th week of the semester. Refund deadlines for shortterm classes will vary as published.

Students are advised to check with the AdmissionsOffice for specific refund deadlines prior to making thedecision to withdraw. Deadlines for withdrawal withrefund from regular sessions are shown elsewhere inthis publication and in the semester class schedule.

To be eligible for refund under any of thecircumstances set forth above, the student mustexecute an official drop form or written and signednotification.

Official student withdrawal shall become effective onthe date that written notification of intent towithdraw is received by the Office of Admissions andRecords and not the date of the last class attended,unless the two dates coincide. (4-5)

In addition, both the "Academic Year Calendar" published inthe front pages of the Catalog and schedules for each termclearly indicate the last day each semester to receive atuition refund.

The SVCC policy for refunds is similar to the policies ofother community colleges and four-year colleges. SVCC usesthe fourteenth calendar day for regular terms as a cut-offdate, while another school uses the third week of classes asthe refund period. One other policy examined listed a slidingscale beginning with 100 percent refund to a 33 percentrefund depending on the length of time. The SVCC policymeets the SACS standard.

CashieringCash receipts are controlled internally by a division of theduties of billing, receipting, making bank deposits,reconciling bank statements, disbursing, and recording cashitems. The Business Office maintains control over cashcollected throughout the College, and the Business Managerapproves all disbursements and accounts for all cashreceived.

326. Section VI: Administrative Processes

293

Management of funds includes the following methods:

. The Treasurer of Virginia disburses state funds whenSVCC submits state invoice forms.

. The US Department of Education sends a wire transfer toa local bank.

. Other federal agencies mail checks to SVCC.

For disbursement of local funds of less than $20,000, eitherthe Dean of Financial and Administrative Services, thePresident, the Administrative Assistant to the President, orthe Business Manager must sign a pre-numbered check.Larger check amounts require two signatures. Externalauditors make checks of records and cash-handlingprocedures at various places on campus where cash iscollected.

According to Southwest Virginia Community Collegeaccounting records, small cash items are paid out of theBusiness Office Petty Cash Fund of $3,500 distributedamong the Cashier, Library, campus Security,Purchasing/Accounts Control Clerk, and a local bankaccount.

The Business Office staff receives all funds, makes a dallybank deposit, and keeps a petty cash fund in a safe locatedin the Business Office vault area. Designated BusinessOffice employees place all money in a locked bag, which asecurity guard takes each day to a local bank. Duringregistration, an officer makes deposits twice daily to reducethe amount of cash handled at one time.

Food Services, Office of Continuing Education, Office ofAdmissions and Records, the Library, Physical Plant, andstudent organizations write receipts for money collected andremit money to the Business Office, along with a transmittalform.

In the cafeteria, cashiers receive payment for food items andservices. The Food Service Manager is accountable for a pettycash fund, for cash in the amount of transactions recordedon cash register tapes, and for vendor invoices received inFood Services. The Food Service Manager prepares invoicesfor sales both to on-campus individuals or groups and tooutside agencies.

The Office of Continuing Education and Community Servicesand the Office of Evening Offerings receive registration fees


for non-credit courses and submit the money withtransmittal forms to the Business Office. During theevenings when the Business Office is closed, the AdmissionsOffice receives cash for tuition/fees for credit classes fromon-campus students and from off-campus coordinators. TheAdmissions Office places money in a locked box inside theAdmissions Office vault until it is remitted to the BusinessOffice the following morning.

The Library staff maintains a petty cash fund for givingchange, writes receipts, and deposits money with theBusiness Office. All student organizations deposit andexpend funds through the Business Office. Security officersmake deposits for cash received for payment of parking feesand other miscellaneous items. The bookstore operation isunder contract to a private vendor which pays a monthlycommission.

All SVCC employees (thus including those handlinginstitutional funds) are adequately bonded by a $500,000Faithful Performance Bond provided by the VirginiaDepartment of Risk Management.

Investment ManagementThe written investment policy of Southwest VirginiaCommunity College Board includes specific elements. TheCommonwealth of Virginia maintains State M&O budgets ina statewide account and generates interest statewide asgeneral revenue. The College must invest local funds receivedfrom the local service region. The Dean of Financial andAdministrative Services provides advice on investments forthe College. The Business Office Manager invests local fundsin six-month certificates of deposit and determtnes if eachaccount will have sufficient funds to carry it through thesix-month period; otherwise, the manager uses passbooksavings and redi-access. The interest from these investmentsis an addition to the accounts and goes back to the originalfund. All checking accounts are interest-bearing exceptGrant Funds. The Local Board and the President advise theDean of Financial and Administrative Services aboutdirections for investments within the established guidelines.Where possible, SVCC invests funds in banks that are inSVCC's service region.

Educational Foundation

The Southwest Virginia Educational Foundation, Inc.,chartered in 1981, is a non-profit, charitable organization

328 , Section VI: Administrative Processes

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designed to foster and promote the growth, progress, andwelfare of SVCC.

The Investment Committee of the Foundation establishesobjectives and directs the investments of financial assets.The Investment Committee's overall goal is to maximize thetotal return of all financial assets consistent with prudentmanagement, taking into account preservation and safety ofprincipal, as well as long-term growth and a reasonablecurrent income return in light of economic conditions.Maintaining liquidity sufficient to meet projected cash needsis also an important consideration. Policy governing theFoundation states that the Committee can only invest fundsof the Foundation in US Treasury Bills, US Treasury Notes,US Federal Agency Obligations, and federally insuredaccounts and deposits, unless the Board of Directorsauthorizes a specific alternative investment. The Committeemust secure any amounts exceeding the $100,000 FDIC limitin any one financial institution by marketable investmentspledged by the depository institution and evidenced byperiodic reports detailing the pledged securities. TheCommittee must convert donated marketable securities andreal estate to cash as soon as economically feasible. TheCollege utilizes or disposes of other tangible property, suchas equipment and computers, within the guidelines of theInternal Revenue Service. The bylaws authorize theFoundation secretary (or designee) to invest funds asspecified in this investment policy. The secretary (ordesignee) will determine the amounts to be invested, specificinstruments to be purchased, and maturities. Wheninvestments mature, the secretary (or designee) will selectnew investments and maturity dates based on projectedneeds and a comparison of rates of various alternatives. Thechoice of investment sources ensures that there are noconflicts of interest.

Risk Management

The Commonwealth of Virginia through the Division of RiskManagement self-administers all Workers Compensation andTort Liability claims. The Commonwealth of Virginia coversits departments, agencies, institutions, boards,commissions, offices, agents, and employees in accordancewith the Virginia Tort Claims Act. The limit is currently$100,000 per claim. Workers Compensation, establishedunder the Code of Virginia, covers employees of theCommonwealth and its agencies. The limit of coverageprovides medical expenses, including rehabilitation costs,and pays for two-thirds of salary for 500 weeks, limited to amaximum of $45 1 per week.


Coverage provides protection for loss of all real and personalproperty as well as loss of revenue and extra expenses relatedto the loss. The limits of loss are $300,000,000 peroccurrence with a $250,000 per occurrence deductible. Stateagencies retain the first $1,000, $5,000 or $25,000 of eachloss. The deductible is negotiated with agencies periodicallyprior to loss. At SVCC the deductible is $1,000 peroccurrence.

The Commonwealth of Virginia also requires Contractor'sLiability Insurance for contractors performing work orservices in or on state facilities. The Department of GeneralServices, Division of Risk Management, establishesminimum limits for various types of coverage.

CONCLUSION

Southwest Virginia Community College's historydemonstrates that it has adequate and stable financialresources to support its basic purpose, the scope of itsprograms, and the number of students. Revenues haveincreased according to budget requirements, and the dollarsper FTE are adequate to meet the goals of the College.Increases in student tuition over the last four years mayhave had a negative impact on enrollment, but SVCC hassignificantly reduced the impact of tuition increases by largeincreases in scholarships and other types of financial aid.

The governance of the College ensures compliance withpolicies and procedures established by the State Board forCommunity Colleges and the SVCC Local Board. Withinthese guidelines, SVCC has developed administrativeprocesses and procedures to utilize and control effectivelythe funds made available to achieve its institutional purposeand goals. The College has also been aggressive andsuccessful in securing funding from a large number of specialgrants and contracts and has been highly successful inacquiring funds through the Southwest Virginia EducationalFoundation. These funds have further enhanced SVCC'sability to foster and promote the growth and progress of theCollege.

3 3 0 Section VI: Administrative Processes

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ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES: FINANCIAL RESOURCES

4110 Recommendations, Suggestions, and Proposals

6

. This committee proposes that the College support a policy to limit tuitionincreases and encourage state officials to oppose significant increases intuition costs.

. The committee proposes that the Business Office analyze currentoperations to determine the adequacy of personnel and storage facilities tomeet current demands.

. The committee recommends that the administration establish a policywhich would require review on a regular basis of the budgeting process.

Section 6.3 Financik Resources 331

a

S

PCarishair

Lester

Patricia MartinWriter

Andy Bruck

Hillard Carr

Patty Edwards

Ralph Gibson

Fredericka Goodman

Mike Henry

Larry Hughes

Diann Owens

Joan WysorRecorder

COMMITTEE


Administrative Staff Assistant. President's Office

AV&DES. Television Systems Engineer

Instructor, Health & Physical Education

SDS, Veterans Affairs Officer

Physical Plant Superintendent

Instructor, Radiology

Assistant Professor, Student Support ServicesProject Director

Assistant Professor, Mine Health & Safety

Secretary Senior, Office Evening Offerings

Secretary Senior, Division of Natural Science andMathematics

299

Section 6.4 Physical Resources 335

INTRODUCTION

The primary objective of the self-study committee on PhysicalResources was to assess the adequacy of the physicalresources at Southwest Virginia Community College (SVCC).including buildings and equipment used both on and offcampus, to serve the needs of the institution in relation toits stated purpose, programs, and activities.

The accomplishment of this objective required anexamination of the following areas of operations specified inCriteria of Accreditation of the Southern Association ofColleges and Schools: the physical environment and itscontribution to an atmosphere for effective learning; spaceallocation effectiveness; property maintenance plan: safetyplan: health, safety, and security of campus environmentand equipment; and physical facilities master plan.

In evaluating how well SVCC meets the SACS Criteria, theCommittee reviewed written plans and policies provided bythe Office of the Dean of Financial and AdministrativeServices, Campus Security Supervisor, and the Building andGrounds Superintendent: examined factual data and figuresas well as survey results, provided by the InstitutionalResearch Officer, the Information Services Department, theDean of Instruction's Office, and the Office of ContinuingEducation and Community Services: and interviewedadministrators, faculty, and staff.

DESCRIPTION OF BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS

As visitors arrive on the campus of Southwest VirginiaCommunity College, they become aware of a change in theenvironment. The natural beauty of what was once 100 acresof pasture land has been enhanced to create a campuslandscape that is aesthetically pleasing to individualswalking or driving around the campus. Numerous varieties ofdeciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs border the roadsand sidewalks; the lawns and hillsides are well-groomed: andbenches and picnic tables for student and staff use areplentiful.

Not only has the College created a pleasant environmentconducive to effective learning for students as well as thecommunity it serves, but it has addressed recreational needsas well. In the spring of 1994, the College celebrated thecompletion of the first phase of a recreational complex


located at the rear of the campus. Students, faculty, staff,and members of the community have access to a paved 400meter track, a marked grass field with regulation goal poststhat may be used for football, soccer, rugby, etc., a fencedbaseball field with backstop and dugouts, several picnicshelters, and a comfort station. At the front of the campus apicnic shelter, tennis courts, basketball courts, volleyballcourts, and a jungle gym are available, and there arenumerous picnic areas, including a shelter, located in thevicinity of Buchanan Hall.

In 1968, SVCC began fulfilling its purpose as acomprehensive community college in a single building,Buchanan Hall. Currently the College houses classrooms,laboratories, and offices in five major buildings: BuchananHall, Dickenson Hall, Russell Hall, Tazewell Hall, and KingHall. In addition, a small facility located to the rear ofBuchanan Hall has been used primarily as a musicclassroom, and a physical plant building serves as a base forhousekeeping, maintenance, and security staff. The followingcampus map shows the layout of the SVCC campusincluding buildings, recreational facilities, parking lots, andsome idea of the landscaping.

rHysicAL PLANT

WEAD START

OOP ROAD

fARKING

FOOT BALL.

CAf3cOSE

SAELTERS pAalc.i

TA2EYVaLL HALL BASEBALL vi&tri

RANGE.

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91CXENSoN NALLTA.Li

- 1IVIMeamaigal- PARIc I NO..111..111,4,`147._.,_

PARKIN&

HALL.---

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U.S. RTE

BEST COPY AVAILABLE


301

a

elBuchanan Hall

Buchanan Hall was the first building erected on campus.Occupied in 1968, this one-story building houses 9 regularclassrooms: laboratories for computer-assisted instruction,arts, and crafts: 34 faculty/ staff offices: a multi-purposeroom: a large conference/classroom (also serving as theBuchanan Hall Art Gallery]: a small conference/classroom:cafeteria; faculty lounge; student lounge/game room;bookstore: and boiler room/storage room. The Humanitiesand Social Sciences Division, the Continuing Education andCommunity Services Division, and Student Support Servicesare housed in Buchanan Hall.

Numerous renovations have recently been completed inBuchanan Hall. New carpet, wall coverings, and furniturehave been added to the large and smallconference/classrooms. The hallways have been updatedwith a coat of light gray paint with a burgundy border andburgundy doors. One new student restroom has been addedand two others modernized with new tile, fixtures, and walltreatments. The cafeteria has undergone major changes,including new wall treatments, seating, kitchen furnishings,and a "homestyle" serving area. All the color changesthroughout the building have been made in gray andburgundy, which are the school colors. The SVCC bookstore(operated by Barnes & Noble) has also been renovated and isnow a modem, spacious retail outlet for books, supplies, andclothing.

Dickenson Hall

Dickenson Hall, a one-story building constructed in 1973,currently houses the SVCC Administration of Justiceprogram and the Southwest Virginia Law EnforcementAcademy. There are two classrooms, a conference room, fourfaculty/staff offices. a photo laboratory with print room andfilm room, and a boiler room in this building.

Russell Hall

Constructed in 1973, Russell Hall, a two-story building,houses the Learning Resources Center (LRC) which includesthe Library, Learning Laboratory, Audio-Visual and DistanceEducation Services, Physical Education Department,Business Division, and offices for the Tech Prep, AmeriCorps,and Talent Search programs. There are 11 regularclassrooms/laboratortes, a 200-seat auditorium that isdividable and used as instructional space and large meetingroom, a distance education classroom, 28 faculty/staff

Section 6.4 Physical Resources *339

offices, a television studio with control room and work room,physical education weight room, and a boiler room in thisbuilding.

Creation of the distance education classroom permits SVCCto offer 21 telecourses and 5 electronic broadcasts tostudents at 4 high schools in the service region, as well as toprovide the Old Dominion University Teletechnet Program forstudents seeking a baccalaureate degree in 6 programs ofstudy. This up-to-date "electronic classroom" permitsInstructors and off-campus students to interact. The Collegerecently helped to create the Southwest Virginia Educationand Training Network, which provides the same interactivetwo-way video and two-way audio Instruction but with anupgrade to 45 megabits, which gives the capabilities of fullbroadcast quality image.

Tazewell Hall

Constructed in 1975, Tazewell Hall is the only three-storybuilding on campus. The most recent addition to thisbuilding has been a new roof. A parapet surrounding the roofparameter will provide greater fortitude for the buildingduring the high winds that are common to this area andwhich have damaged the roof several times. Also new lightingInstalled on all corners of the roof will be an additionalsafety feature for this area of the campus.

The first floor contains the offices of the Dean of StudentDevelopment Services, Admissions, Records, and FinancialAid, Career Centers of Southwest Virginia, Inc., 2 regularclassrooms, a large lecture classroom that also serves as amini-auditorium, and a boiler room. Major remodeling in theAdmissions/Financial Aid and Career Center areas wascompleted during 1993. This floor has also received newsignage, which includes Braille for the visually impaired.

The second floor of Tazewell Hall houses the Radiology,Respiratory Care, and the Nursing program and primarilyconsists of laboratory/classrooms for chemistry, biology,physics, anatomy, radiology, respiratory care, mathematics,and nursing. There are ten faculty/staff offices on this floor.

The third floor of Tazewell Hall houses offices for thePresident and his staff, the Dean of Financial andAdministrative Services and his staff, the Dean ofInstruction and his staff: the Business Office: InformationServices; Staff Services: Planning and Development:Institutional Advancement: Publications Office: Center forEconomic Development: Human Resources; and the Office of


303

ir)the Division of Natural Science and Mathematics. Alsolocated on this floor are two faculty offices, one classroom,one conference room, the telephone room, and switchboard.

King Hall

Constructed in 1988, King Hall is the newest structure oncampus. Home to the Engineering Division, the first floor ofthis building contains laboratory/classrooms for drafting,Computer Aided Drafting (CAD), welding, machine tooloperations, diesel, automotive technology, geology andenvironmental science, and miner training. There are also 13faculty offices and a large lecture hall on the first floor. Thesecond floor of King Hall houses 5 electronicslaboratory/classrooms, 9 faculty offices, and a conferenceroom.

The following table provides a detailed analysis of each on-campus building:

Table 6.4.01

., ,,,, ...

Buchanan Hall 1968 35.720 26,867 $3,392,275

'Music Building 1971 742 742 39,397

Dickenson Hall 1973 3.950 3.032 391,834

Russell Hall 1973 36,736 28,340 3,742,477

Physical Plant 1975 5.262 4,842 293,469

Tazewell Hall 1975 33,423 26.825 3,628,101King Hall 1988 32,867 24,612 3,627,536

1

TOTALS: 1 148,700 115,260 $15.115,0891

Off -Campus Facilities

In addition to on-campus facilities, the College usesnumerous sites throughout the four-county service region forinstructional purposes. Schools, businesses, and community

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Section 6 .4 Physical Resources . 341

facilities, as well as on-site employee training at localindustries, are major locations for the College's outreachefforts.

ADEQUACY OF ON-CAMPUS EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES

Oa-Campus Facilities

In spring 1993, the Office of Planning and Developmentconducted a survey of on-campus students, faculty, and staffto determine the degree of satisfaction with certain aspectsof the facilities they use on a regular basis. The results ofthe survey, as reported in Trends to Wate (1993, 6), apublication of the Office of Planning and Development,showed that the majority (75 percent) of faculty and staffwere "satisfied with the general appearance, cleanliness,comfort and maintenance of the campus facilities" they useregularly. The same survey, when administered to 203students, showed that of the 198 respondents, a vastmajority (95 percent) indicated satisfaction.

In the self-study survey completed in September 1994,faculty and staff rated the areas of lighting, cleanliness,telephones, utility outlets, outside appearance, and overallinside appearance as good but did show concern for airquality in part of King Hall, a problem which the College hasbeen addressing. According to the Campus Haste. Plan:Future Construction Projecto$1.5 million dollars has beensubmitted to the VCCS for inclusion in the majormaintenance budget request for replacement of HVAC(Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) equipment thathas exceeded its life expectancy. An engineering study forthis project has been conducted.

In addition, according to the same document, the GeneralObligation Bond (GOB) has secured funding to renovatesections of five buildings. This project is currently in thedesign stage with construction slated to begin duringsummer of 1995. Buchanan Hall will get a remodeled lobbyand art room, acoustically improved classroom walls, andHVAC added to the rear section of the building. TazewellHall will have a new information center with switchboardlocated on the first floor, HVAC improvement in theadmissions area, and modification and remodeling of StaffServices, the Business Office, and the Office of the Dean ofFinancial and Administrative Services on the third floor.Russell Hall will get a new front door and a glass frontexpansion. Four new classrooms and six new offices will beconfigured from the physical education area when this


305

curriculum is relocated to the proposed Center for Healthand Community Development. King Hall will acquire 5,000square feet of new instructional space when the now vacantarea above the automotive laboratory is renovated.

In an effort to provide an atmosphere for effective learningfor students with disabilities, the College is in the process ofcomplying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).Southwest Virginia Community College complies with federaland state mandates by providing facilities that do notdiscriminate against any individual with disabilities whetherthat person is an employee, an applicant for employment, ora student. The College has provided elevators, ramps, and anappropriate number of accessible parking spaces locatedadjacent to the respective campus buildings and has fundsto make further changes, such as automated doors.

Through the grant-funded program, Project EPIC (EnhancingPaths to Independent Citizenship), the College has activelyrecruited students with disabilities. The project director hasassisted with the establishment of policies and proceduresfor making accommodations for students, faculty, and staffwith disabilities and works with the Human ResourcesOfficer to address needs of Individuals with disabilities asthey become apparent.

The self-study committee on Physical Resources determinedthat the on-campus physical environment more thanadequately contributes to an atmosphere for effectivelearning.

Off-Campus Facilities

As the user of others' facilities, the College has littlejurisdiction over the physical aspects of these sites, such asheat, air, lighting, parking, and cleanliness, but does try tosuggest needed changes and strives to obtain the bestpossible facilities for off-campus classes.

The committee did identify one site with problems which theCollege could effectively address since the building is ownedby the SVCC Educational Foundation. The Harold SmithTraining Center In Grundy is basically an excellent off-campus facility, to which the College is proud to haveaccess. It houses the College's Buchanan County NursingProgram as well as other off -campus classes. However, someproblems arose as the facility was transformed foreducational use. Interviews with nursing Instructors at theCenter revealed that maintenance problems were notaddressed in a timely manner. In confirmation of the

Section 6.4 Physical Resources . 343

interviews, in the off-campus student self-study survey datedDecember 20, 1993, several students at the site includedwritten comments concerning a need for improvement ofclassrooms, blackboards, pa-king, and more control of heatand air conditioning. These comments were similar toresponses made by nursing instructors and support staff whotook part in the "SVCC Facilities Management Survey,"which was reported in Trends to Watch (1993). Writtencomments received then reflected concerns abouttemperature control, outside lighting, blackboards,directional signs both inside and outside the building,improvement of the building's exterior, timely repairs, andsecurity.

Because of these interviews and survey responses, the self-study committee on Physical Resources deemed that anexpression of student, staff, and faculty concerns to theSVCC Educational Foundation, Inc.. would be in the bestinterest o f the College a n d, therefore, made arecommendation to that effect.

Institutional Since the time of that recommendation, representatives ofResponse the College, JTPA [Jobs Training Partnership Act, a federal

program housed at the Center), the Educational Foundation,ServiceMasterTM, and Curt's Refrigeration (a tenant whoselease agreement with the Foundation specifies upkeep andrepair of the building), met in January 1994 at the HaroldSmith Training Center to discuss these concerns. Theparticipants proposed solutions Lo the problems, many ofwhich have been resolved. A roof leak and broken windowshave been repaired, fluorescent lights, carpeting, and anHVAC unit have been installed, ceilings have been dropped,and the garage doors have been removed and window panelsinstalled in their place. These improvements have amountedto more than $60,000. Since the College has addressed theconcerns of students and staff at the Harold Smith TrainingCenter, the Physical Resources Committee no longer sees aneed for a recommendation in this area.

Space Management

According to self-study survey results, SVCC students aresatisfied with the educational space allocated to them. Asreported in Trends to Watch (1993, 8), 88 percent of on-campus students expressed a rating of "very satisfied" or"satisfied" with the statement "space needed: work areas-classroom/office." In a more detailed survey of 754 on-campus students during fall 1993, 83 percent agreed that

344 section VI: Administrative Processes

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0"classroom space is adequate for effective teaching andlearning": and 66 percent agreed that "space allocated forstudy areas is sufficient for effective learning."

On the other hand, faculty and staff are not as confidentthat space needs are adequate. In the same self-study survey,when full-time and adjunct faculty were asked whether ornot classroom space was adequate for effective teaching andlearning, a smaller majority (57 percent) agreed with thestatement. These results correlate with the needs ofindividual teachers as indicated when the same group wasasked to rate the size of their current office space, and only30 percent responded "good." In addition, division chairsidentified a need for more equipment storage space.

With the major functions of the College being to provideeducational opportunities to members of the community andto administer the policies and procedures of a state-supported institution, space allocated to classrooms andlaboratories is awarded the highest priority, with office spaceand storage space receiving lesser priority respectively. Thus,in deference to the educational needs of students. facultyand staff are the first to feel the space crunch.

The need for additional space on campus has been furtherverified by a National Association of Colleges andUniversities Business Officers' study entitled "Virginiaspecial Analysis." Using fiscal-year (FY) 1993 data tocalculate building gross square feet per total credit 1, it,student, SVCC has 58.66 square feet per FTE, as comparedto the national median of 111 square feet/FTE, VCCSmedian of 56 square feet / FTE, regional median of 71 squarefeet/FTE, and peer median of 108 square feet/FIB.

At SVCC, total student unduplicated headcount enrollmenthas increased from 710 students in 1968 to 4,785 full-timeand part-time students in fall 1994, and the number of full-time faculty, administrators, and staff has grown from 47 in1968 to 192 in fall 1994. As the numbers increase, so doesthe need for space. As shown earlier, the last new buildingon campus was occupied in 1988, and before that time. ithad been 13 years (1975) since a new building was added tothe campus. Once again, student and faculty growth havemandated the need for additional space.

In addition to the renovation project scheduled to begin insummer of 1995. which will provide additional classroomspace in Russell Hall and King Hall, college administratorsare working to address the need for additional buildings oncampus. Plans for three new buildings have been submitted


to state offices, and all are in various stages of planning andreview. The proposed Learning Resources Center/AlliedHealth Building (when constructed) will free one floor inboth Tazewell Hall and Russell Hall as it absorbs the AlliedHealth programs and the Library and Learning Laboratory.Additional classroom and office space for the Administrationof Justice Program will be gained when an on-campusNational Guard Armory (joint-use facility) becomes a reality.This 40,000-square-feet will house classrooms, laboratories,and a gymnasium.

The SVCC Educational Foundation successfully completed a$5.1 million dollar "Fulfill the Vision" campaign to fundconstruction of a multi-purpose building. This building, theCenter for Health and Community Development, which is infinal design stages with construction slated to begin spring1995, will house SVCC's Physical Education Department andthe Educational Foundation Office, as well as provide spacefor campus and community special events. The major fea-tures of this building will be state-of-the-art conferencerooms, a 400-seat theater/auditorium, a 2000-seat gymna-sium with multi-purpose floor, an art gallery, a fullyequipped teaching kitchen, racquetball courts, and indoorand outdoor weight and exercise rooms.

Facilities Master Plea

SVCC has always had a plan which anticipated futurebuilding needs. This plan was updated and formalized inJune 1994, when Harry McKinney Architects of Abingdon,Virginia, completed SVCC's comprehensive Master Site Plan.This Plan contains narrative detail of State Council ofHigher Education for Virginia [SCHEV) requirements,existing conditions, and future expansion and development,as well as maps and drawings of topographical site plans,utility site plans, and future development site plans.

This Plan was prepared using the College's "StrategicPriorities for the Vision" as stated in Giving Direction to theFuture, SVCC's Master Plan (1992, 19) and thus relates toother institutional planning efforts and provides for theorderly future development of the institution.

The Master Site Plan addresses the strategic planning andplacement of future buildings, recreational areas, roads,parking lots, and pedestrian paths. In addition to theLearning Resources Center/Allied Health Building, theNational Guard Armory, and the Center for Health andCommunity Development mentioned above, the proposednew and altered buildings include Physical Plant Building,


Virginia Employment Commission Building, Student Union(second floor addition to Buchanan Hall), AdministrativeSupport Building (existing Physical Plant Building), anoutdoor theater, an outdoor classroom, and an observatory.

The Master Site Plan also provides a blueprint of the utilityplants and systems and the sanitary sewer and storm drainsthat supply the College's present needs as well as thoseplanned to accommodate the expanded future needs of theCollege. A new fiber optic underground loop system, asshown on the plan, is currently being installed to servetelephones, teleconferencing, and data networking.

The Master Site Plan Is located in the Office of the Dean ofFinancial and Administrative Services. The Plan has receivedapproval of both the Local College Board and the StateBoard for Community Colleges.

Additionally, the Dean of Financial and AdministrativeServices has prepared a document, Campus Master Plan:Future Construction Projects, that will be available to theSACS visiting committee.

Equipment Resources

Another physical resource of the College is the equipmentused to teach students, provide administrative support, andotherwise assist with the daily operation of the institution.The VCCS Fixed Asset inventory System is used to maintaina computerized record of equipment on hand. Each divisionchair and/or instructor is responsible for the equipment inhis or her respective area and is required to verify theaccuracy of the inventory listing bi-annually. The fixed assetinventory department verification listing dated November 1,1993. is available for review.

In order to ascertain whether or not equipment is adequateto serve the needs of the institution, members of the self-study committee on Physical Resources interviewed divisionchairs, who reported that the equipment in classrooms andlaboratories was adequate to serve student needs, butbecause of extremely heavy student use and ever-changingtechnology, computers and printers need to be constantlyupgraded, and sufficient storage space for equipment is anongoing concern.

The self-study survey administered to on-campus studentsduring fall 1993 revealed that a majority of students (70percent) believed that instructional and laboratoryequipment in classrooms operates on a consistent basis.

Section 6.4 Physical Resources s 347

This high approval rating from the 723 studentsparticipating in the survey indicates the degree of theirsatisfaction with the equipment the College provides.

Computer access for students is available in eight computerlabs located conveniently throughout the campus. A varietyof Macintosh and DOS machines are networked foradditional resources, and students have access to laserprinters, image scanners, color inkjet printers, and CD-ROMs. Special arrangements are made to accommodatestudents' computer use into the SVCCNet environment: arouter set up in the Humanities Computer Writing Centerrestricts student access to the College's network (Technologyon the Campus. 1994).

In the area of administrative support, the College is proud tobe a leader in computer technology. The SVCC local areanetwork is a fiber backbone, ethernet-protocol system withapproximately 240 Apple Macintosh and 180 DOS-basedPCs. Most of the faculty and staff have a computer on theirdesks, with 75 percent of the computers less than four yearsold. There are 10 file servers and CD towers, which provideeverything from electronic clip art, administrative data book,and electronic forms management to the Colliers'Encyclopedia. SVCC has QuicliMaill'm for the local e-mailservices and shares the VCCS OfliceVIslonTM for the widearea connection (Technology on the Campus1994).

The committee concluded that the equipment portion of theCollege's physical resources is more than adequate to servethe needs, programs, and activities of the College.

BUILDINGS, GROUNDS. AND EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE

The Dean of Financial and Administrative Services providedthis committee with a "Physical Plant Procedures Manual,"dated January 1994, which provides for emergency,corrective, and preventive maintenance of the College'sproperty. The physical plant maintains all of SVCC'sbuildings, grounds, utilities, equipment, and mechanical andelectrical systems. This maintenance is divided into twocategories: physical plant services and departmental services.Physical plant services are rendered to state buildings andstructures and are budgeted directly by the physical plant.This includes all offices, classrooms, the Library,roads/streets, and general utilities. Departmental servicesare rendered by special request through a work order system,and the material involved may be charged to the departmentmaking the request for services.


311

Routine Maintenance

Routine maintenance of equipment, buildings, and groundsis the responsibility of the Building and GroundsSuperintendent and is scheduled through a Campus ServiceCenter, which transmits work orders to the Physical PlantOffice, which schedules them based upon prioritiesestablished by physical plant management. Supervisorsassign these work orders to maintenance employees, whosubmit a daily report on completed items. This daily report isentered into the ServiceMasterm C+ Work Order System,where a monthly compilation of work orders is produced forthe Dean of Financial and Administrative Services and theBuildings and Grounds Superintendent to review. An on-going survey is sent each Monday to 10 randomly selectedfull- and part-time employees in order to evaluate services.

SVCC maintenance employees complete utility distributionand regularly recurring repair work, or else the Collegecontracts the work to the lowest bidder pursuant to theCommonwealth of Virginia's Division of Purchase andSupply regulations. The cost for this service, as well as allother expenses related to the operation and maintenance ofthe College, has for the past eight years (1986-94) generallyincreased (except for 1988-89 and 1990-91) as shown by thefollowing:

1966-67 1967-66 1988-89 1989-90 1990-91 1991-92 1992-93 1993-94

$704,601 $942.371 $849.793 $900.941 $800,834 $908,863 $975.250 1.070,969

According to a National Association of College andUniversity Business Officers' 'Virginia Special Analysis"reported to SVCC's Dean of Financial and AdministrativeServices by the Office of Planning and Development on July26, 1994, SVCC's utility costs per building gross square footis $1.50, as compared to the VCCS median of $1.42, regionalmedian of $.96, national median of $1.20, and peer medianof $1.21. This same report shows SVCC's plant operationand maintenance costs without utilities per building grosssquare foot to be $4.24, as compared to the VCCS median of$3.46, regional median of $3.01, national median of $3.20,and peer median of $3.6 1.

312Section6.4 PhysicalResources.

Preventative MaintenanceIn April 1993 the ServiceMasterTm Company put into effect acomprehensive plan for the HVAC system on the SouthwestVirginia Community College campus. All HVAC equipmenthas been placed on a preventive maintenance schedule asdetermined by manufacturer's standards and requirements.Either a ServiceMasterTM technician or SVCC maintenanceemployee performs the maintenance as scheduled. Throughthis contract with ServiceMasterrm, the College is assured ofan annual institutional maintenance plan for the HVACsystem.

The College has received funds through Virginia's Division ofEnergy Institutional Conservation Program to install energymanagement systems and new room sensors and to convertlighting from incandescent to more efficient fluorescentballasts and lamps in both Buchanan Hall and Russell Hall.A new boiler has been installed in Buchanan Hall, and plansare to bring these energy conservation measures to all majorbuildings on campus. Also, as a result of this grant, theCollege established, and now maintains, a recycling programfor metal, paper, plastic, cardboard, aluminum, glass, andmotor oil.

Deferred Maintenance

Addressing deferred maintenance has been a major emphasisover the past five years. Major funding from existing collegebudgets has been used to repair HVAC equipment and othernon-operable items. Southwest Virginia Community Collegehas received some outside funding from the VCCSMaintenance Reserve Fund to replace sidewalks, roofs, andother major capital items. The Campus Master Plan: FutureConstruction Projects outlines the College's future plans toaddress such deferred maintenance items as remodeling,additions, major mechanical upgrades, and general campusdevelopment.

SECURITY AN) SAFETY

Security

The College provides a full range of security services for itsstudents, staff, and campus visitors. The responsibility forthese services lies with the Security Department, which isunder the overall direction of the Dean of Financial andAdministrative Services. A brochure titled "SVCC CampusSecurity Information: 1994, Educating in a Safe & Secure

360* Section VI: Administrative Processes

313

Environment" was distributed to all students during fallsemester 1994 and is available for review. This publicationassures the College's full compliance with the federallymandated Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act,which became effective July 1, 1994.

The College's Security Officer Supervisor oversees three full-time and four part-time security officers. The full-timeofficers (as are all employees who handle funds) are bondedby the Commonwealth of Virginia, are sworn in under theCampus Police Act (recognized by Tazewell County), and aresubject to the State's law enforcement training standards.

SVCC's Security Department provides comprehensive campussecurity support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The majorroles of security officers are parking and traffic control,vehicular assistance, crime investigation, safety evaluation,-pus patrol, off-campus bank deposits, and lawenforcement. After hours, building checks and campuspatrols form an integral part of the security officer's shiftduty. An officer conducts random checks of each building forsecurity purposes and for boiler room malfunctions.

Security opens campus buildings each morning, andhousekeeping secures them at 11 p.m. After hours, personnelhave access to their own areas by the "Best Lock" system,which permits an employee to enter an outside door, his orher office, and classrooms. Additional lighting is scheduledfor installation atop Tazewell Hall, which will greatlyIncrease visibility in that area.

Additionally, the College has provided immediate access toCampus Security through the installation of four "HELP"phones available outside buildings across campus that canbe activated with the push of a button. Faculty and staffalso have immediate access to Campus Security Officerswhile in their offices by dialing "HELP" (4357) on their desktelephone. Such phone calls are patched directly to the radioof the security officer on duty. In emergencies, 9-911 may bedialed to contact the Russell County Rescue Squad.

safetyWhen the present self-study began, the committee reviewingPhysical Resources discovered that SVCC's safety plan wasout. of date. To correct. this oversight, the Office of the Deanof Financial and Administrative Services published a plan(January 1994). which presents the College's responsibilityfor providing a secure area for student activities in theclassrooms, laboratories, and other places where student


attendance is required and permitted. The plan calls forannual review (on June 1) and revision as required by theSecurity Officer Supervisor. The College's Health and SafetyCommittee will also review the plan each year and sendwritten recommendations to the Dean of Financial andAdministrative Services.

The plan addresses accident prevention in classrooms,laboratories, and shops and lists appropriate emergencyresponse actions in the event of an accident. The planspecifies safety rules for automotive maintenance areas,mechanical rooms, the operation of power mowers andrelated equipment, ladder usage, storage of flammableliquids, walking surfaces, construction areas, and laboratorykilns. It also provides a contingency plan for generalemergencies and disaster (Section 16.0).

According to the section entitled "General Policies,"

Accident prevention should be practiced and taught asan objective of any shop or laboratory program.Faculty members must inspect classrooms,laboratories and other areas for which they areresponsible, to see that acceptable standards for safetyare met. If appropriate, safety manuals should bedistributed to students. Acceptable standards in theclassroom or on the athletic field include the removalof any known hazard, proper instruction and adequatesupervision for the activity at hand. The facultymember should report any potential hazard to theSecurity Officer Supervisor immediately. He will takethe necessary actions to correct the hazard.

Students are required to wear shoes, approved eyeprotection in potentially hazardous laboratories andshops, and other appropriate clothing or protectivedevices in laboratories, shops, darkrooms, and anyother place where there is danger of injury. Studentsare expected to follow safe practices in their classactivities. Faculty and staff members should set aproper example.

The college is not liable for accidents to studentsunless the college allows unsafe conditions to exist oris negligent in supervision of its activities.

During this committee's study of laboratory safety in KingHall, instructors voiced the following concerns: lack ofproper temperature controls and poor ventilation creating an


o


uncomfortable environment in the electronics labs:improperly working exhaust system in the machine shoparea (which in turn contributes to the air quality problem inthe electronics lab on the second floor): noise levels duringthe grinding operation in the welding lab: lack of a fireblanket and emergency shower in the environmental sciencelaboratory (a new program which must meet for the timebeing in a classroom not originally designed for thispurpose): lack of an eye wash station and emergency showerin the automotive/diesel laboratory; and improper storage ofoil.

When this committee brought these concerns to theattention of the Dean of Financial and AdministrativeServices, he instructed the Buildings and GroundsSuperintendent to make corrections. Accordingly, theemergency showers and emergency eye wash stations havebeen installed and are operational in the geology laboratory,automotive/diesel laboratory, welding laboratory, andmachine shop. Fire blankets have also been placed in theseareas.

To improve the overall air quality and temperature control inKing Hall, a coal furnace was converted to an oil furnace toachieve better temperature regulation, and a consultant,Johnson Controls, is currently studying the air balance inthis building. Also, three 8,000 CFM fans have been installedin the machine shop to help alleviate the exhaust fumes inthis laboratory, and the solvent used in operations has beenchanged to a water-based emulsion. According to theSuperintendent of Buildings and Grounds, any otherinadequacies identified will be promptly addressed.

In addressing the concern about recycled oil products in themachine shop area, the Physical Resources Committeelearned that this oil is stored in a 55-gallon drum and isperiodically removed by an outside contractor. According toServiceMasterTM officials, this method of handling recycledoil products meets both federal and state guidelines. Withreference to the noise levels in the welding laboratory, theinstructor was advised to enforce the use of ear plugs, sincea separate grinding room is not a feasible alternative.

The Dean of Financial and Administrative Services hasappointed the Security Officer Supervisor to be the fire safetycoordinator with responsibility for implementing andmonitoring SVCC's fire safety plan. Each academic chair is afire warden and is responsible for certain duties within his orher respective building. These duties include making surethat instructors are aware of fire extinguisher locations and


receive training on the evacuation of the building, thelocation and use of fire extinguishers, and fire alarms(`Safety Plan," Section 2.0).

The Fire Safety Plan calls for the annual testing of firealarms by a fire alarm safety testing company undercontract. The plan states that during the summer the firesafety coordinator will conduct an unannounced fire drill,that he will keep a record of all tests, and that fire escaperoutes will be posted in each area. It further states that eachfire extinguisher will be maintained by work orderssubmitted by ServiceMasterTm.

The Fire Safety Plan lists the following responsibilities of thefire safety coordinator:

a) coordinate a comprehensive fire inspection of allcollege facilities on a semi-annual basis (Januaryand July) to detect and eliminate fire hazards

b) correct all simple fire hazards on the spot

report the findings to the Superintendent ofBuildings and Grounds, who will take anycorrective measures necessary

d) conduct a monthly inspection of all fireextinguishers to insure that they are in theirdesignated places, to insure they have not beenactuated or tampered with and to detect anyobvious physical damage, corrosion or otherimpairments

e) assure that a fire exit sign is posted in eachhallway and that exit lights are replacedimmediately. ("Safety Plan" Section 2.4)

The self-study committee on Physical Resources, whilestudying the results of the self-study surveys of faculty, staff,and students, decided that the faculty needed to becomemore aware of the safety plan and the locations of the fireextinguisher and safety kit for their work area and thatstudents needed to become more familiar with emergencyevacuation procedures and the location of fire extinguishersin the areas they were in most.

Based on the survey results, the Physical ResourcesCommittee initially recommended that the Dean of Financialand Administrative Services make provisions for training


both employees and students in fire safety and emergencyevacuation procedures.

Institutional The Dean of Financial and Administrative ServicesResponse responded by distributing the "Safety Plan," "Crisis

Management Plan," and "Contingency Plan" to all facultyand staff, and the Security Officer Supervisor informedfaculty and staff during an inservice meeting that he wouldsupply fire extinguishers and first-aid kits to thoserequesting the same. The Dean further informed thisCommittee that students receive safety information duringtheir orientation as entering freshmen when the SecurityOfficer Supervisor gives an oral presentation on the aspectsof campus security and safety. Thus, this committee believesthat the administration is adequately providing safetyinformation to both students and staff. and individuals havea responsibility to themselves to become familiar with thisinformation.

CONCLUSION

As a whole, the Southwest Virginia Community College'sphysical resources, including buildings and equipment usedboth on campus and off, are more than adequate to serve theneeds of the institution in relation to its stated purpose,programs, and activities, and the physical environment ofthe College certainly contributes to an atmosphere foreffective learning.

Space allocated to institutional functions is adequate, eventhough the College has identified a need for additional office.classroom, and storage space to keep up with the demands ofan ever expanding campus community. Future expansionand development of the campus are ongoing effortsspecifically addressed in the Master Site Plan. but beingdependent upon state and local funding, they do not keep aneven pace with the College's growth.

The SVCC Master Site Plan (June 30, 1994) providesnarrative detail of SCHEV requirements, existing campusconditions and future expansion and development plans, aswell as maps and drawings of topographical and utility sites.This committee found that the Master Site Plan relates toother institutional planning efforts and provides for theorderly development of the institution.

The College has established a preventative maintenance planfor the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems

318


through a contract with ServiceMastertM, while maintenancestaff adequately provide for routine maintenance ofequipment, buildings, and grounds. Deferred maintenance isbeing addressed in part through a Renovation Plansubmitted to the Office of the Virginia Community CollegeSystem. SVCC maintenance staff complete all utilitydistribution and regularly recurring repair work, or else theCollege contracts the work to the lowest bidder pursuant tothe Commonwealth of Virginia's Division of Purchase andSupply regulations.

The College provides a healthful, safe, and secureenvironment for all members of the campus community, hasassigned administrative responsibility for environmentalhealth and safety programs, and has developed acomprehensive safety plan which includes provisions forannual review.

During the self-study process, the administration quicklyaddressed the weaknesses which the committee evaluatingPhysical Resources identified.


The Steering Committee has reviewed the entire self-studyreport and sought to relate its findings to those of pastlong-range strategic planning efforts. During 1990-91,SVCC's Planning Council identified the following collegestrengths:

SVCC has well qualified, caring, dedicated faculty andstaff who are committed to service.

SVCC's president and other leaders have a vision formeeting the postsecondary educational needs of theregion.

There is a strong bond of cooperation between SVCC andthe communities of its service area.

The College provides quality educational programs thatare varied, flexible, and inexpensive.

SVCC programs are accessible due to financial aid, basiccost, proximity, and the availability of transportation.SVCC serves a higher percentage of its service areapopulation than any other community college in Virginia.

Special provision is made for the unique needs of astudent body with a wide range of academic abilities,ages, and life circumstances.

Good teaching is a hallmark of the College; students areencouraged to be active partners in learning.

International/intercultural activities and other culturalenrichment efforts broaden student appreciation for theworld beyond the region.

The campus is attractive and well-equipped to support theinstructional and student development services of theCollege.

SVCC provides significant leadership for economicdevelopment efforts in the region.

In the estimation of the Steering Committee, the self-studyconfirms that SVCC has maintained these strengths and has

Self-Study Summary and Action Plans 359

made significant progress on several of the strategicpriorities stated in SVCC's master plan, Giving Direction tothe Future( 19). Among these are the following:

SVCC has strengthened many -of its curricula through anincreased emphasis on and availability of new work-related technologies.

Through distance learning technologies, SVCC hasdeveloped educational opportunities that provide greateraccess to quality instruction.

The creation of the Southwest Virginia Tech PrepConsortium, the Southwest Virginia Public EducationConsortium, Southwest Virginia Education and TrainingNetwork. Southwestern Virginia Advanced ManufacturingTechnology Center, Career Centers of Southwest Virginia,Inc., and National Guard collaboration demonstrates thatpartnerships with business, labor, and government havegrown in recent years to meet educational needs of thearea.

Assessment and planning efforts have expanded toinclude nearly all employees on a regular basis in order toimprove college services and programs for SVCC students.

SVCC has successfully pursued the external funds neededto enhance programs and, services and pursue newinitiatives.

Personal and professional development opportunities havebeen sustained and enhanced at SVCC as illustratedthrough the resources in the Professional DevelopmentDirectory. of special significance is the creation of theCenter for Teaching Excellence, Provision for individualdevelopment plans, and the SVCC Foundation's supportfor professional development activities.

While these strengths and successes provide a basis forcelebrating SVCC's accomplishments and institutionalcharacter, the sefl-study also confirmed some challengesthat will require the creativity and diligent work of facultyand staff. Some of these involve factors in the externalenvironment that are beyond the direct control of theCollege, yet their impact could be very significant. Amongthese are the following:,

The population of the four counties served by SVCCdeclined 12 percent between 1980 and 1990 (140,067 to

360 Self-Study Summary and Action Plans

e

123,580) and is projected to drop a total of 22 percentbetween 1980 and 2010 (140.067 to 109,383) according tothe US Census and the Virginia Employment Commission(VEC).

Between 1990 and 2010, in this four-county area, thepopulation under 20 is projected by the VEC to decline by31 percent to 25,107, those between 20 and 49 areexpected to drop by 29 percent to 38,923, and those 50and over are estimated to increase by 39 percent to45,353.

Among the VCCS, the College's success in recruiting thehighest percentage of the population in its service regionmeans there are no major untapped student markets toattract in an effort to sustain enrollment levels: this is aparticularly painful reality because most of highereducation in Virginia is anticipating enrollment growthduring the next decade.

High unemployment and very gradual diversification andgrowth of the local coal-based economy make it difficultfor graduates to find employment in the region.

Pressures to reduce higher education budgets and fundingat the state and federal levels will make it increasinglydifficult to secure the support needed to maintain andupdate services and equipment at WCC. State approvedVCCS restructuring plans are part of the answer, butSVCC's unique context will require even more creativeinitiatives.

In addition to challenges that emerge primarily from theCollege's external environment, the self-study has revealedothers that are based substantially on SVCC's internalcircumstances. Among these are the following itemssummarized from the recommendations, suggestions, andproposals in the Self-study:

The College's processes for institutional effectivenessrepresent a good-faith effort and have in some instancesfunctioned exceptionally well as the College proceeds intoan uncertain future. Planning and assessment efforts,however, need to become more fully integrated elementswithin the cultural values and social structures of theinstitution.

Due in part to the isolation and mountainous nature ofthe region, SVCC has had difficulty securing part-time

Self-Study Summary and Action Plana . 361

faculty with the credentials required to teach transfercourses.

. Although SVCC has aggressively promoted personal andprofessional development, the College has had difficultyfinding means to monitor faculty efforts and to celebratethem as a college community.

. Due to the purpose of SVCC as a comprehensivecommunity college, faculty and staff will continuouslystruggle to balance the many, often conflicting yetlegitimate, demands on their time.

. Attempts to make classroom instruction readily availableacross the College's service area have made it verydifficult to provide students the learning resources andother services they need.

. Delays in anticipated new construction and campusrenovation projects, along with the emergence of newpartnerships and programs that require existing space,have resulted in cramped quarters for several collegeoperations.

. At a time when current staffing and funding levels maynot be sustainable on a college-wide basis, several self-study committees believed the College needs to consideradditional personnel and increased budget allocations inselected areas.

ACTION PLANS

College personnel have in many cases already addressed thefindings of the self-study committees. Those preparing thefinal report have underlined such items in the body of thetext followed by an "institutional response." Other self-studyfindings that had not been addressed by the end of January1995 are summarized below with action steps, assigned

responsibility, a target completion date, and in some cases abrief status report. As the heading of each page of ActionPlans states, these responses are a part of the College'sannual operational planning for 1994-95. Those that requireattention into future years will be presented annually to theappropriate administrative officer by the Office of Planningand Development, and progress will be monitored by theSteering Committee of the Planning Council and by thePresident.

362 Self-Study Summary and Action Plans

323

The recommendations and suggestions of the VisitingCommittee will be addressed in the same manner. Theannual operational planning process for 1995-96 will includeassignments for follow-up. The College looks forward to theindependent insights the Visiting Committee will provide inresponse to SVCC's Self-Study. To ensure the College's long-range, strategic planning processes will benefit from the self-study, the Steering Committee has scheduled meetings of thePlanning Council in August and September 1995. In thesesessions, administrators, faculty, and staff will review theCollege's internal and external environment, the strengthsand weaknesses identified through the self-study, challengesfor the future, and the VCCS restructuring plans. Out ofthese sessions the College will devise a refined vision for thefuture, a new set of strategic priorities and college-wide goalsto guide annual operational planning for the next few years.The Steering Committee will also play a role in reviewinginstitutional responses to the Visiting committee report.Informed by annual operational and long-range planning,the Office of Planning and Development will complete theresponses due to the Commission on Colleges by October 13,1995.

Self-Study Summary and Action Plans . 363

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nnua

l ope

ratio

nal

plan

s be

ginn

ing

this

Jun

e.

unit

head

s

The

com

mitt

ee r

ecom

men

ds th

at,

inA

for

m w

as d

istr

ibut

ed in

Dec

embe

r 19

94 to

coor

dina

tor

orde

r to

incr

ease

SV

CC

's e

ffec

tive

use

of p

rovi

de a

mea

ns f

or f

acul

ty p

rogr

am h

eads

toof

Pla

nnin

g5/

95as

sess

men

t dat

a, e

ach

prog

ram

hea

d an

dre

port

ass

essm

ent r

esul

ts to

div

isio

n ch

airs

.& D

evel

op.'In

pro

ces:

0al

l pro

gram

per

sonn

el m

eet w

ith th

eD

ivis

ion

chai

rs w

ill s

ched

ule

mee

tings

as

&di

visi

on c

hair

at l

east

ann

ually

to d

iscu

s;ap

prop

riat

e fo

r th

e fa

culty

and

pro

gram

s in

Div

isio

ith

e st

reng

ths

and

wea

knes

ses

of th

e th

eir

prog

ram

and

topl

anpr

ogra

mim

prov

emen

ts. T

hese

dis

cuss

ions

sho

uld

rela

te to

the

stat

ed g

oals

and

obj

ectiv

es c

the

prog

ram

and

ass

essm

ent r

esul

ts (

59).

divi

sion

s to

dis

cuss

the

stre

ngth

s an

dw

eakn

esse

s of

eac

h pr

ogra

m a

nd to

pla

nm

prov

emen

ts b

y A

pril

15 e

ach

year

bas

ed o

nf

the

stat

ed g

oals

and

obj

ectiv

es o

f pr

ogra

ms

and

asse

ssm

ent r

esul

ts.

Cha

irs

327

328

Self

-Stu

dy S

umm

ary

and

Act

ion

Plan

s36

5

1994

-95

Ann

ual O

pera

tiona

l Pla

nnin

gSel

f-St

udy

Act

ion

Plan

s

Sect

ion

ofR

ecom

men

datio

ns. !

In g

estio

ns,

Act

ion(

s)A

ssig

nmen

tC

o m

ple

tion

Dat

the

Cri

teri

aan

d Pr

opos

esMatto)

III

Me

com

mitt

ee p

ropo

ses

that

the

:ons

iste

nt w

ith p

ast p

ract

ice.

the

rese

ard:

-

Inst

it.2/

96In

stitu

tiona

lad

min

istr

atio

n, f

acul

ty. a

nd S

taff

of

the

'unc

tion

of th

e O

ffic

e of

Pla

nnin

g an

cR

esea

rch

Eff

ectiv

enes

sco

llege

con

tinue

to a

sses

s th

e ac

tiviti

es o

fbe

Off

ice

of I

nstit

utio

nal R

esea

rch

on a

Dev

elop

men

t will

be

eval

uate

d ev

ery

othe

r ye

a):o

ens

ure

that

the

Off

ice

is r

ealiz

ing

its f

ulle

sO

ffic

er

[con

tinue

d)re

gula

r ba

sis

to e

nsur

e th

at th

e O

ffic

e is

x)te

ntia

l in

cont

ribu

ting

to in

stitu

tiona

:re

aliz

ing

itsfu

llest

pote

ntia

li n

:ffe

ctiv

enes

s.1.

.ont

ribu

ting

to in

stitu

tiona

l eff

ectiv

enes

s63

).

(be

com

mitt

ee p

ropo

ses

that

the

Off

ice

of[l

ie n

ewly

for

med

Res

earc

h an

d Pl

anni

ng:..

00rd

inat

or1/

95ns

titut

iona

l Res

earc

h m

ake

prov

isio

ns f

or"o

re f

acul

ty in

volv

emen

t in

inst

itutio

nal

:orm

nitte

e ha

s al

read

y pr

ovid

ed f

or in

crea

ser

acui

ty in

volv

emen

t I"

inst

itutio

nal r

esea

rch.

)f P

lann

ing

Sr D

evel

op.

: com

plet

e,bu

t will

rese

arch

(63

).D

ther

mea

ns in

clud

e th

e m

ore

regu

lal

&re

quir

eiis

trib

utio

n of

enr

ollm

ent a

nd o

ther

dat

a tc

Inst

it.on

goin

gac

uity

, tas

k fo

rces

suc

h as

the

mar

ketin

gre

sear

ch a

nd p

lann

ing

grou

ps. a

nd s

uppo

rt o

:ac

uity

ass

essm

ent a

ctiv

ities

.

Res

earc

hO

ffic

erA

ttent

ion)

[he

com

mitt

ee p

ropo

ses

that

the

Off

ice

ofM

e O

ffic

e of

Pla

nnin

g an

d D

evel

opm

ent w

ilIn

stit.

4/95

nstit

utio

nal R

esea

rch

heig

hten

fac

ulty

ssue

a o

ne-p

age

'Tre

nds

to W

atch

" an

cR

esea

rch

in p

roce

ss]

Ind

staf

f aw

aren

ess

of in

form

atio

nm

aila

ble

I" th

e O

ffic

e (6

3).

)cca

sion

al b

rief

res

earc

h no

tes

in th

e C

olle

ge's

wee

kly

bulle

tin. a

nd m

ake

peri

odic

res

earc

hO

ffic

er

)res

enta

tions

at F

acul

ty/ S

taff

mee

tings

tcie

ight

en f

acul

ty a

nd s

taff

aw

aren

ess

o:nf

orra

atio

n av

aila

ble

in th

e O

ffic

e.

366

Self

-Stu

dy S

umm

ary

and

Act

ion

Plan

s

329

330

1994

-95

Ann

ual O

pera

tiona

Plan

ning

- S

elf-

Stud

y A

ctio

n Pl

ans

Sect

ion

ofth

e C

rite

ria

Rec

omm

enda

tions

. Sue

stio

ns.

and

Prop

osal

sggA

ctio

n(s)

Ass

ignm

ent

Com

plet

ion

De

(Sta

tatu

s)

IVT

he c

omm

ittee

rec

omm

ends

the

Col

lege

AU

stu

dent

s co

mpl

etin

g de

gree

s in

tran

sfer

Div

isio

n5/

95E

duca

tiona

lPr

ogra

ms

esta

blis

h pr

oced

ures

for

the

eval

uatio

nco

mpe

tenc

y in

ora

l com

mun

icat

ion

and

ofcu

rric

ula

are

requ

ired

to c

ompl

ete

SPD

100

,Pr

inci

ples

of

publ

ic S

peak

ing.

To

ensu

reC

hair

s(c

heck

-lis

tha

s be

enco

mpu

ter

use

for

stud

ents

gra

duat

ing

from

ass

ocia

te d

egre

e pr

ogra

ms

(87)

.co

mpe

tenc

e in

ora

l com

mun

icat

ion

amon

got

her

degr

ee r

ecip

ient

s. a

n or

al p

rese

ntat

ion

will

be

inco

rpor

ated

into

cap

ston

e pr

ojec

ts in

each

deg

ree

prog

ram

. Spe

ech

and

Eng

lish

facu

lty w

ill d

efin

e cr

iteri

a fo

r ac

cept

able

leve

lsof

ora

l com

mun

icat

ion;

thes

e cr

iteri

a ca

n be

deve

lope

d in

to a

che

ck-l

ist f

or in

stru

ctor

ste

achi

ng th

e ca

psto

ne c

ours

es to

use

inde

term

inin

g st

uden

t com

pete

ncy

in o

ral

com

mun

icat

ion.

Maj

or p

rogr

am f

acul

ty m

aysu

pple

men

t the

se c

rite

ria

with

oth

ers

asap

prop

riat

e. A

lso,

they

will

be

resp

onsi

ble

for

defi

ning

cri

teri

a fo

r ac

cept

able

leve

ls o

fco

mpu

ter

use

and

the

mea

nsfo

rde

mon

stra

ting

them

with

in p

rogr

am c

ours

es.

com

plet

ed)

The

com

mitt

ee r

ecom

men

ds th

at d

ivis

ion

A r

evie

w o

f ex

peri

men

tatio

n w

ith te

achi

ngD

ivis

ion

4/96

chai

rs,

dire

ctor

s,co

ordi

nato

rs.

and

prog

ram

head

sw

ork

clos

ely

with

inst

ruct

ors

tode

fine

a n

dev

alua

teex

peri

men

tal

met

hods

toim

prov

e

met

hods

is in

clud

ed in

the

facu

lty p

erso

nnel

eval

uatio

n. T

he r

esul

ts o

f in

divi

dual

eff

orts

will

be

iden

tifie

d an

d us

ed b

y di

visi

on c

hair

sto

enco

urag

eex

peri

men

tatio

n by

oth

er

Cha

irs

(in

proc

ess)

inst

ruct

ion

and

obta

in d

ata

for

anal

ysis

inst

ruct

ors.

in s

uppo

rt o

f th

ese

effo

rts

(99)

.In

stru

ctor

s w

ill b

e en

cour

aged

tosh

are

succ

esse

s w

ith th

eir

colle

ague

s to

the

exte

nt th

at in

telle

ctua

l pro

pert

y an

d ot

her

acad

emic

rig

hts

and

priv

ilege

s ar

e pr

eser

ved.

331

BE

ST

CO

PY

AV

AIL

AB

LE

Self

-Stu

dy S

umm

ary

and

Act

ion

Plan

s36

7

332

1994

-95

Ann

ual O

pera

tiona

l Pla

nnin

gSel

f-St

udy

Act

ionP

lans

sect

ion

ofth

e C

rite

ria

Rec

omm

enda

tions

, Sug

gest

ions

and

Prop

osal

sA

ctio

n(s)

Ass

ignm

ent

Com

plet

ion

Dat

e(S

tatu

s)

NT

he s

elf-

stud

y co

mm

ittee

pro

pose

s th

atU

nlik

e m

any

com

mun

ity c

olle

ges

in a

fflu

ent

Pres

iden

tin

defi

nite

Edu

catio

nal

SVC

C e

ncou

rage

the

Vir

gini

a C

omm

unity

regi

ons.

SV

CC

doe

s no

t use

non

-cre

dit

Prog

ram

sC

olle

ge S

yste

m to

exp

lore

with

sta

tefu

ndin

g ag

enci

es th

e po

ssib

ility

of

fund

ing

prog

ram

s as

a p

rofi

t cen

ter

but a

s an

alte

rnat

ive

to h

ighe

r co

st c

redi

t cla

sses

. The

(con

tinue

d)no

n-cr

edit

cour

se o

ffer

ings

(11

9).

adm

inis

trat

ion

has

activ

ely

purs

ued

non-

cred

it fu

ndin

g fr

om S

tate

sou

rces

; how

ever

,fi

scal

lim

itatio

ns h

ave

prev

ente

d th

is e

ffor

tfr

om g

oing

for

war

d. T

he C

olle

ge w

ill c

ontin

ueto

pur

sue

this

cou

rse

of a

ctio

n th

roug

hap

prop

riat

e ch

anne

ls.

The

com

mitt

ee r

ecom

men

ds th

at th

eC

urre

ntly

em

ploy

ed p

ar-t

ime

facu

lty m

embe

rsD

ean

ofen

d of

Off

ice

of th

e D

ean

of I

nstr

uctio

n co

ntin

uear

e re

min

ded.

ver

bally

and

in w

ritin

g, o

f an

yIn

stru

ctio

nea

ch te

rmto

pre

ss f

or a

ll ap

prop

riat

e do

cum

ents

outs

tand

ing

docu

men

ts [

alth

ough

, fol

low

ing

inst

ruct

orfr

om p

art-

time

facu

lty a

nd. w

hen

all s

uch

docu

men

ts a

re in

pla

ce, t

hat w

ritte

ndo

cum

enta

tion

just

ifyi

ng th

e ex

cept

ions

be a

dded

to th

e fo

lder

s of

thos

e fa

culty

for

who

m th

ey a

re n

eede

d an

d ap

prop

riat

e(1

40).

the

maj

or e

ffor

ts to

obt

ain

thos

e do

cum

ents

,fe

w, i

f an

y. a

re s

till o

utst

andi

ng).

Any

par

t-tim

e fa

culty

mem

bers

who

hav

e ou

tsta

ndin

gdo

cum

ents

are

bein

g in

form

ed a

t the

begi

nnin

g of

the

term

that

thei

r co

ntin

ued

empl

oym

ent w

ill b

e co

ntin

gent

on

rece

ipt o

Ith

ose

docu

men

ts.

is n

otif

ied

The

com

mitt

ee r

ecom

men

ds th

at in

the

All

par-

time

facu

lty f

iles

are

kept

"op

en"

and

Dea

n of

It th

e tim

efu

ture

all

facu

lty f

iles

be k

ept c

urre

nt a

ndco

mpl

ete

whi

le m

akin

g su

re th

at a

ll ne

wly

hire

d fa

culty

, bot

h fu

ll- a

nd p

at-t

ime.

mee

t the

cri

teri

a fo

r th

e co

urse

s th

ey a

rehi

red

to te

ach

(141

).

unde

r co

nsta

nt r

evie

w u

ntil

com

plet

e. T

hecr

eden

tials

of

all n

ewly

hir

ed a

djun

cts

are

revi

ewed

by

the

appr

opri

ate

divi

sion

cha

ir, t

heD

ean

of I

nstr

uctio

n an

d, if

app

ropr

iate

. the

Coo

rdin

ator

of

Eve

ning

/Off

-Cam

pus

Off

erin

gsan

d/or

the

Dir

ecto

r of

Con

tinui

ng E

duca

tion

for

adhe

renc

e to

cri

teri

a.

Inst

ruct

ion

of h

irin

g

BE

ST

CO

PY

AV

AIL

AB

LE

366.

Sel

f-St

udy

Sum

mar

y an

d A

ctio

n Pl

ans

333

334

1994

-95

Ann

ual O

pera

tiona

l Pla

nnin

gSel

f-St

udy

Act

ion

Plan

s

Sect

ion

ofth

e C

rite

ria

Rec

omm

enda

tions

, Sug

gest

ions

,an

d Pr

opos

als

Act

ion(

s)A

ssig

nmen

tC

ompl

etio

nD

ate

(Sta

tus)

IVT

he c

omm

ittee

pro

pose

s th

atth

eSi

nce

the

facu

lty a

lrea

dy c

ompl

ete

the

TE

-3D

ean

of5/

95E

duca

tiona

lad

min

istr

atio

n an

d th

e O

ffic

e of

Hum

anfo

rm a

s a

part

of

eval

uatio

n In

non

-tea

chin

gIn

stru

ctio

nPr

ogra

ms

Res

ourc

es e

ncou

rage

fac

ulty

to c

ompl

ete

appr

opri

ate

docu

men

tatio

n (f

or f

acul

tyar

eas

and

the

form

incl

udes

a p

rofe

ssio

nal

deve

lopm

ent c

ateg

ory,

div

isio

n ch

airs

will

(con

tinue

d)de

velo

pmen

t act

iviti

es)

(161

1.su

bmit

this

info

rmat

ion

to th

e O

ffic

e of

Hum

an R

esou

rces

. If

poss

ible

the

TE

-3 f

orm

shou

ld b

e m

ade

avai

labl

e on

the

Col

lege

'sL

AN

: and

, whe

n th

e in

form

atio

n is

sub

mitt

edto

the

Off

ice

of H

uman

Res

ourc

es. i

t sho

uld

not i

nclu

de th

e nu

mer

ical

sco

re a

ssig

ned

inth

e ev

alua

tion

proc

ess.

The

com

mitt

ee p

ropo

ses

that

the

Col

lege

The

Pro

fess

iona

l Dev

elop

men

t Com

mitt

ee a

ndD

ean

of3/

95de

velo

p a

publ

ic f

orum

to r

ecog

nize

and

the

Dea

n of

Ins

truc

tion

will

pro

pose

new

inst

ruct

ion

cele

brat

efa

culty

acco

mpl

ishm

ents

,,in

clud

ing

sign

ific

ant c

ontr

ibut

ions

toth

eir

fiel

d,th

e in

stitu

tion,

or

the

com

mun

ity (

163

)

mea

ns f

or th

e C

olle

ge to

pub

licly

rec

ogni

zean

d ce

lebr

ate

facu

lty a

ccom

plis

hmen

ts.

The

com

mitt

ee s

ugge

sts

that

the

Off

ice

ofT

he w

ritte

n po

licy

stat

emen

t sug

gest

ed in

the

Div

isio

n3/

95th

e D

ean

of I

nstr

uctio

n re

view

the

curr

en:

proc

edur

e fo

r as

sign

men

t of

facu

ltyne

xt it

em w

ill b

e us

ed a

s a

basi

s fo

r di

visi

onch

airs

ann

ually

to e

nsur

e th

at f

acul

tyC

hair

s

resp

onsi

bilit

ies

and

reco

mm

end

way

s in

whi

ch r

easo

nabl

e in

tern

al a

ssig

nmen

tsm

ight

be

prov

ided

so

that

fac

ulty

teac

hing

load

s m

ight

be

cons

iste

nt w

ith th

enu

mbe

r of

adv

isee

s, th

e am

ount

of

com

mitt

eew

ork,

the

num

ber

ofpr

epar

atio

ns. t

he n

umbe

r of

stu

dent

sta

ught

, the

nat

ure

of th

e su

bjec

t, th

e le

vel

ofin

volv

emen

tw

ithst

uden

tor

gani

zatio

ns,

and

the

amou

ntof

assi

stan

ce a

vaila

ble

from

sec

reta

ries

and

wor

k-st

udy

stud

ents

(16

7).

assi

gnm

ents

are

rea

sona

ble.

335

BE

ST

CO

PY

AV

AIL

AB

LE

Self

-Stu

dy S

umm

ary

and

Act

ion

Plan

s36

9

336

1994

-95

Ann

ual O

pera

tiona

l Pla

nnin

g -

Self

-Stu

dy A

ctio

n Pl

ans

Sect

ion

ofth

e C

rite

ria

NE

duca

tiona

lPr

ogra

ms

(con

tinue

d)

Rec

omm

enda

tions

, Sug

gest

ions

,an

d Pr

opos

als

Act

ion(

s)A

ssig

nmen

tC

ompl

etio

nD

ate

(Sta

tus)

The

com

mitt

ee s

ugge

sts

that

adm

ini-

The

stra

tion

wri

te a

sta

tem

ent a

nd a

dd it

toth

e Fa

culty

Han

dboo

k th

at w

ould

ass

ist

facu

lty in

wei

ghin

g th

eir

exis

ting

inte

rnal

and

exte

rnal

res

pons

ibili

ties

prio

r to

pri

mar

yta

king

on

new

ass

ignm

ents

(16

7).

Dea

n's

inst

ruct

iona

l sta

ff h

ave

prep

ared

the

follo

win

g st

atem

ent t

o be

incl

uded

in th

eFa

culty

Han

dboo

k un

der

the

head

ing

"Non

-In

stru

ctio

nal A

ctiv

ities

": I

n ad

ditio

n to

the

resp

onsi

bilit

y of

teac

hing

, fac

ulty

are

also

exp

ecte

d to

par

ticip

ate

activ

ely

inco

mm

ittee

wor

k.st

uden

tac

tiviti

es,

com

mun

ity a

ctiv

ities

,st

uden

t adv

isin

g. a

ndpr

ofes

sion

al a

ctiv

ities

.Fa

culty

are

str

ongl

yen

cour

aged

. how

ever

, to

exer

cise

app

ropr

iate

prof

essi

onal

judg

men

t and

con

trol

inco

nsid

erin

gad

ditio

nal

inte

rnal

and/

orex

tern

al r

espo

nsib

ilitie

s th

at m

ight

enc

roac

hup

on e

ither

the

qual

ity o

r qu

antit

y of

the

wor

k th

ey a

re e

mpl

oyed

to p

erfo

rm.

Dea

n of

Inst

ruct

ion

3/95

370

Self

-Stu

dy S

umm

ary

and

Act

ion

Plan

s

337

338

1994

-95

Ann

ual O

pera

tiona

l Pla

nnin

g Se

lf-S

tudy

Act

ion

Plan

s

Sect

ion

ofth

e C

rite

ria

Rec

omm

enda

tions

,Su

gges

tions

,an

d Pr

opos

als

Act

ion(

s)A

ssig

nmen

tC

ompl

etio

nD

ate

(Sta

tus)

VT

he c

omm

ittee

rec

omm

ends

that

the

C s

taff

pre

pare

d a

plan

for

reg

ular

ly a

nd C

oord

inat

or(c

ompl

eted

]E

duca

tiona

l 1.,i

brar

yan

d L

earn

ing

Lab

sta

ff s

uppl

emen

syst

emat

ical

ly s

urve

ying

fac

ulty

. on-

cam

pus

of L

ibra

rysu

ppor

tSe

rvic

esth

e gr

adua

tion

ques

tionn

aire

with

reg

ular

and

syst

emat

ic e

valu

atio

n of

res

ourc

esan

d se

rvic

es to

ens

ure

that

they

are

mee

ting

the

need

s of

all

gene

ral u

ser

grou

ps a

nd a

re s

uppo

rtin

g th

e pr

ogra

ms

and

purp

ose

of th

e C

olle

ge (

191-

192)

.

stud

ents

. and

off

-cam

pus

stud

ents

.Se

rvic

es

The

com

mitt

ee p

ropo

ses

that

the

LR

C L

RC

mis

sion

sta

tem

ents

will

be

forw

arde

d to

Dir

ecto

r of

3/20

/95

mis

sion

sta

tem

ents

be

incl

uded

in th

e th

eFa

culty

Han

dboo

k (1

93).

Pres

iden

t's O

ffic

e w

ith a

req

uest

that

they

be in

clud

ed in

the

Facu

lty H

andb

ook

LR

C

The

com

mitt

ee p

ropo

ses

that

the

LR

CM

embe

rs o

f th

e L

RC

sta

ndin

g co

mm

ittee

w.1

1D

irec

tor

oftw

o w

eeks

Stan

ding

Com

mitt

ee m

embe

rs p

artic

ipat

ebe

invi

ted

to m

eet w

ith th

e L

RC

sta

ff to

LR

Cpr

ior

toin

the

annu

al r

evie

w a

nd p

lann

ing

for

the

Prov

ide

thei

r in

put i

n th

e re

view

and

pla

nnin

gen

d of

LR

C (

193)

.pr

oces

s.sp

ring

sem

este

r

The

com

mitt

ee p

ropo

ses

that

AV

&D

ES

LR

C s

taff

has

pla

ns in

pla

ce f

or L

earn

ing

Lab

LR

C s

taff

(pla

n

and

the

Lea

rnin

g L

ab w

ork

with

the

and

AV

&D

ES

staf

f to

add

rec

ords

to th

eco

mpl

ete.

Lib

rary

to in

clud

e L

earn

ing

Lab

and

AV

&D

ES

mat

eria

ls in

the

Lib

rary

'sau

tom

ated

cat

alog

(19

4-19

5).

NO

TIS

Lib

rary

Cat

alog

.pr

oces

son

goin

g)

339

Self

-Stu

dy S

umm

ary

and

Act

ion

Plan

y43O

1

1994

-95

Ann

ual O

pera

tiona

l Pla

nnin

g Se

lf-S

tudy

Act

ion

Plan

s

Sect

ion

ofth

e cr

iteri

aR

ecom

men

datio

ns,

Sugg

estio

ns.

and

Prop

osal

sA

ctio

n(s)

Ass

ignm

ent

Com

plet

ion

Dat

e(S

tatu

s)

VE

duca

tiona

lSu

ppor

tSe

rvic

es

(con

tinue

d)

The

com

mitt

ee p

ropo

ses

that

the

spac

e D

eans

need

s fo

r A

V&

DE

S el

ectr

onic

cla

ssro

oman

dne

wly

dev

elop

ed te

leco

urse

s be

Cin

clud

ed in

the

reno

vatio

n pl

ans

(198

1.

The

com

mitt

ee s

ugge

sts

that

dia

logu

e he

cont

inue

d be

twee

n th

e lib

rary

sta

ff a

nd th

ery

the

Eng

inee

ring

Div

isio

n to

enc

oura

ge p

robl

ems

grea

ter

facu

lty in

volv

emen

t in

plan

ning

mat

eria

ls a

nd s

ervi

ces

for

the

use

ofE

ngin

eeri

ng D

ivis

ion

stud

ents

(20

1).

The

com

mitt

ee p

ropo

ses

that

con

side

r-at

ion

be g

iven

to in

crea

sing

libr

ary

fund

ing

as in

stitu

tiona

l res

ourc

es b

ecom

eav

aila

ble

(204

).

The

com

mitt

ee p

ropo

ses

that

SV

CC

The

Dea

nad

min

istr

atio

n ev

alua

te th

e ad

equa

cy o

fst

affi

ng f

or th

e L

ibra

ry (

205)

.

of A

dmin

istr

atio

n an

d In

stru

ctio

n w

illm

eet w

ith th

e L

RC

Dir

ecto

r an

d A

V&

DE

Spo

rdin

ator

to r

evie

w r

enov

atio

n pl

ans

for

Rus

sell

Hal

l and

to c

onsi

der

addi

tiona

l spa

ceto

be

assi

gned

to d

ista

nce

educ

atio

n ef

fort

s.

Dia

logu

e is

con

tinui

ng b

etw

een

LR

C s

taff

and

Eng

inee

ring

Div

isio

n to

fin

d so

lutio

ns to

that

. exi

st in

the

user

fre

quen

cy o

fZ

ngin

eeri

ng s

tude

nts.

The

Dea

n of

Ins

truc

tion,

Dir

ecto

r of

LR

C, a

ndC

oord

inat

or o

f L

ibra

ry S

ervi

ces

will

mee

t to

revi

ew tr

ends

in li

brar

y ex

pend

iture

s an

dst

affi

ng a

nd to

pro

ject

fut

ure

need

s w

ithco

nsid

erat

ion

for

all p

ossi

bilit

ies

for

incr

ease

dfu

ndin

g.

of I

nstr

uctio

n. D

irec

tor

of L

RC

, and

Coo

rdin

ator

of

Lib

rary

Ser

vice

s w

ill m

eet t

ore

view

tren

ds in

libr

ary

expe

nditu

res

and

staf

fing

and

to p

roje

ct f

utur

e ne

eds

with

cons

ider

atio

n fo

r al

l sta

ffin

g.

Dea

n of

Inst

ruct

ion

Coo

rdin

ator

of L

ibra

rySe

rvic

es

Dea

n of

Inst

ruct

ion

Dea

n of

Inst

ruct

ion

3/ 1

5/95

ongo

ing

3/15

/95

3/15

/95

372

Self

-Stu

dy S

umm

ary

and

Act

ion

Plan

s

341

342

1994

-95

Ann

ual O

pera

tiona

l Pla

nnin

g Se

lf-S

tudy

Act

ion

Plan

s

Sect

ion

ofth

e C

rite

ria

Rec

omm

enda

tions

. Sug

gest

ions

,an

d Pr

opos

als

Act

ion(

s)A

ssig

nmen

tC

ompl

etio

nD

ate

(Sta

tus)

VT

he c

omm

ittee

pro

pose

s th

at L

RC

sta

ffL

RC

ori

enta

tion

is in

clud

ed in

ST

D 1

00L

RC

sta

ffon

goin

gE

duca

tiona

lim

plem

ent a

pla

nto

ensu

re th

at a

llw

hich

all

stud

ents

mus

t tak

e to

gra

duat

e.su

ppor

tse

rvic

es(c

ontin

ued)

degr

ee-s

eeki

ng s

tude

nts

have

acc

ess

toL

RC

ori

enta

tion

(211

).T

his

orie

ntat

ion

is a

par

t of

regu

lar

clas

ses,

the

vide

o co

urse

. and

the

inde

pend

ent s

tudy

cour

se.

The

com

mitt

ee r

ecom

men

ds th

at th

eT

he C

oord

inat

or o

f L

ibra

ry S

ervi

ces

will

. as

aC

oord

inat

or3/

15/9

5C

oord

inat

or o

f L

ibra

ry S

ervi

ces

eval

uate

repr

esen

tativ

e of

the

LR

C. w

ork

with

per

tinen

tof

Lib

rary

& o

ngoi

ngan

d im

prov

e su

ppor

t ser

vice

s to

off

-ca

mpu

s si

tes

(2 1

21.

colle

ge a

dmin

istr

ativ

e un

its, t

o fo

rm a

nev

alua

tion

inst

rum

ent t

hat w

ill s

uppo

rtsu

itabl

e an

d ap

prop

riat

e go

als

and

obje

ctiv

esto

enh

ance

and

impr

ove

supp

ort s

ervi

ces

toof

f -c

ampu

s si

tes.

Serv

ices

The

com

mitt

ee s

ugge

sts

that

the

The

thre

e de

ans

will

mee

t with

inte

rest

edD

ean

of3/

15/9

5ad

min

istr

atio

n of

SV

CC

eva

luat

e st

affi

ngfo

r co

mpu

ter

serv

icin

g an

d as

sist

ance

part

ies

and

form

ulat

e a

wri

tten

polic

y an

staf

fing

pla

n.In

stru

ctio

n

(216

).

The

com

mitt

ee p

ropo

ses

that

cle

ar a

nd T

he th

ree

Dea

ns w

ill m

eet w

ith in

tere

sted

Dea

n of

3/ 1

5/95

cons

iste

nt p

olic

ies

deal

ing

with

com

pute

rs p

artie

s an

d fo

rmul

ate

a w

ritte

n po

licy.

be p

ut in

wri

ting

(216

).In

stru

ctio

n

The

com

mitt

ee p

ropo

ses

that

the

thre

e T

he D

ean

of I

nstr

uctio

n w

ill m

eet w

ith th

eD

ean

of3/

15/9

5co

ordi

nato

rsw

ork

with

the

LR

C D

irec

tor

and

Coo

rdin

ator

s an

d fo

rmul

ate

adm

inis

trat

ion

to in

clud

e te

chno

logy

in 1

. wri

tten

plan

.th

e L

RC

bud

get f

or a

ll th

ree

area

s (2

17)

.

Inst

ruct

ion

The

com

mitt

ee p

ropo

ses

that

the

Col

lege

An

ad h

oc c

omm

ittee

of

acad

emic

div

isio

nD

ean

of8/

95ev

alua

te th

e co

mpo

nent

s of

inst

ruct

iona

l sec

reta

ries

, one

teac

hing

fac

ulty

mem

ber

from

Inst

ruct

ion

supp

ort i

nclu

ding

labo

rato

ry s

ervi

ces,

eac

h di

visi

on, a

nd a

div

isio

n ch

airp

erso

n w

illeq

uipm

ent,

and

the

decl

ine

in a

vaila

bilit

y ex

plor

e cr

eativ

e m

eans

of

addr

essi

ng th

ese

of c

leri

cal a

ssis

tanc

e re

sulti

ng in

par

t fro

m c

once

rns

with

in th

e co

nstr

aint

s of

exi

stin

gth

e in

crea

se in

tech

nolo

gica

l dev

ices

and

res

ourc

es. P

ropo

sals

fro

m th

e co

mm

ittee

will

the

chan

ging

rol

e of

div

isio

n se

cret

arie

s 1

e co

nsid

ered

by

the

Dea

n of

Ins

truc

tion,

and

(219

).a

fina

l cou

rse

of a

ctio

n w

ill b

e re

com

men

ded

to th

e Pr

esid

ent.

343

Self

-Stu

dy S

umm

ary

and

Act

ion

Plan

s37

3 344

1994

-95

Ann

ual O

pera

tiona

l Pla

nnin

g-Se

lf-S

tudy

Act

ion

Plan

s

Sect

ion

ofth

e C

rite

ria

Rec

omm

enda

tions

. Sug

gest

ions

,an

d Pr

opos

als

Act

ions

)A

ssig

nmen

tC

oD

am

plte

e tio

n

(Sta

tus)

VT

he C

omm

ittee

rec

omm

ends

that

the

cont

inue

d ef

fort

s w

ill b

e m

ade

to s

ecur

e gr

ant

Dea

n. S

tu01

/96

Stud

ent

Col

lege

con

tinue

to r

evie

w th

e pl

acem

ent

unds

to s

uppo

rt h

irin

g pe

rson

nel t

o co

nduc

tD

evel

.(p

artia

llyD

evel

opm

ent

Issu

e an

d pr

ovid

e ap

prop

riat

e st

aff

(238

)., l

acem

ent.

Cur

rent

use

of

team

s of

Stu

dent

Svcs

.;ad

dres

sed)

Serv

ices

)eve

lopm

ent S

ervi

ces,

Con

tinui

ng E

duca

tion,

Ind

Min

er T

rain

ing

pers

onne

l to

esta

blis

hint

erns

hlp

site

s w

ill h

elp

gene

rate

pla

cem

ent:

letw

orki

ng o

ppor

tuni

ties.

Par

t-tim

e as

sis-

tanc

e w

ill b

e pr

ovid

ed d

urin

g su

mm

er 1

995

thro

ugh

a V

eter

ans

Adm

inis

trat

ion

wor

k-

Coo

rd.

Tan

ning

8D

evel

.

;turf

y pr

ogra

m.

refo

rmat

ion

rega

rdin

g pl

acem

ent o

f re

cent

grad

uate

s is

cur

rent

ly b

eing

gat

here

d.A

lum

niPr

o. C

oord

07/9

5

The

Com

mitt

ee r

ecom

men

ds th

edev

elop

-3i

visi

on s

taff

will

sur

vey

othe

r co

llege

s w

ithin

iD

ean,

Stu

.04

/95

wen

t of

an a

lloca

tion

plan

to d

eter

min

ean

d ou

tsid

e th

e st

ate

to d

eter

min

e if

sui

tabl

e!D

evel

.ne

eds

and

pred

ict w

hen

addi

tiona

lpo

sitio

ns a

re ju

stif

ied

(239

).3r

oced

ures

for

dev

elop

ing

an a

lloca

tion

plan

tex

ists

. Mea

sure

s an

d in

dica

tors

of

wor

ldoa

dlvi

ll be

est

imat

ed a

nd m

onito

red.

Svcs

.

The

Com

mitt

ee r

ecom

men

ds th

at th

e3r

ant f

unde

d, g

rant

res

tric

ted

posi

tions

and

Dea

n. S

tu05

/95

Col

lege

rev

iew

in th

e an

nual

bud

get r

evie

wse

rvic

esW

illbe

rev

iew

ed f

or b

udge

tD

evel

.pr

oces

s th

e ro

le o

f gr

ant f

unde

d an

d gr

ant

rest

rict

ed p

ositi

ons

and

serv

ices

for

poss

ible

incl

usio

n in

the

Col

lege

's n

on-

gran

t pla

ns a

nd b

udge

ts (

241)

.

:ons

ider

atio

n an

nual

ly a

s pa

rt o

f th

e bu

dgel

)fan

ning

pro

cess

.Sv

cs.

374

Self

-Stu

dy S

umm

ary

and

Act

ion

Plan

s

345

BE

ST C

OPY

AV

AIL

AB

LE

34 b

19 9

4 9

5 A

nnua

1 O

pera

tiona

l Pla

nnin

g-Se

lf-S

tudy

Act

ion

Plan

s

Sect

ion

ofth

e C

rite

ria

Rec

omm

enda

tions

. Sug

gest

ions

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d Pr

opos

als

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Self

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349

350

LI

U.S. Department of EducationOffice of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI)

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