Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
MASTER ACADEMIC PLAN
2016-2020
COLORADO MOUNTAIN COLLEGE
CONTENTS Colorado Mountain College Strategic Plan .................................................................................................................... 1
Master Academic Plan Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. 2
Overview ............................................................................................................................................................... 2
Purpose ................................................................................................................................................................. 2
Process .................................................................................................................................................................. 2
Master Academic Plan Vision and Mission................................................................................................................ 3
Guiding Principles ...................................................................................................................................................... 3
One College Culture .............................................................................................................................................. 3
Academic Excellence ............................................................................................................................................. 3
Responsiveness and Responsibility ....................................................................................................................... 4
Prioritization and Fiscal Sustainability .................................................................................................................. 4
Five Major Academic Tenets ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Priority Short Term Goals: 2016-2018 .................................................................................................................. 5
Priority Long Term Goals: 2016-2020 ................................................................................................................... 5
Next Steps ................................................................................................................................................................. 5
Summary ................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Master Academic Plan Team Members .................................................................................................................... 6
From December 2015 – August 2016 ................................................................................................................... 6
Academic Tenets and Goals ........................................................................................................................................... 7
Tenet 1: Programming............................................................................................................................................... 7
Tenet 2: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion .................................................................................................................... 7
Tenet 3: Academic Management and Governance ................................................................................................... 8
Tenet 4: Student Engagement ................................................................................................................................... 8
Tenet 5: Professional Development .......................................................................................................................... 8
Priority Goals: Planning and Process ........................................................................................................................... 10
Programming .......................................................................................................................................................... 10
Review, revise, and develop a clear, inclusive and collaborative academic program review process ............... 10
Review, revise and develop as needed the new program and program discontinuation processes.................. 11
Develop solid program location strategies ......................................................................................................... 12
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion ............................................................................................................................... 14
Ensure a teaching and learning environment that promotes the strengths and knowledge of a diverse,
tolerant, and respectful student population and faculty .................................................................................... 14
Promote partnerships that address and serve dynamic community needs ....................................................... 14
Ensure that all CMC environments, including classrooms, administrative offices, and experiential learning
environments, are safe, equitable and empathetic to all individuals across the race, gender, age, and
socioeconomic spectrum .................................................................................................................................... 14
Academic Management and Governance .............................................................................................................. 17
Establish a robust, functional committee structure that maximizes collaboration, prompt and informed
decision-making, and shared governance .......................................................................................................... 17
Assign clear, intentional roles to all employees, based on accurate and current job descriptions in order to
maximize performance and job satisfaction ....................................................................................................... 17
Student Engagement .............................................................................................................................................. 22
Establish concurrent enrollment coordination and collaboration college-wide ................................................ 22
Implement student open registration design ..................................................................................................... 25
Develop support structures and guidelines for student engagement beyond the classroom including credit
and non-credit opportunities .............................................................................................................................. 26
Professional Development ..................................................................................................................................... 30
Develop more concurrent enrollment adjunct faculty professional development opportunities ..................... 30
Develop adjunct faculty tiered pay structure allowing compensation, recognition, and professional
development opportunities ................................................................................................................................ 31
Appendices .................................................................................................................................................................. 33
Appendix A: Summary of Short and Long Term Priorities ....................................................................................... 33
Appendix B: Employer Survey Results ..................................................................................................................... 34
Appendix C: EMSI Report ........................................................................................................................................ 35
Appendix D: Academic Affairs Design Team (AADT) Proposal ................................................................................ 36
Appendix E: Economic Overview and Program Demand Analysis (Draft) ............................................................... 37
Appendix F: Colorado Mountain College Performance Metrics, 2014-17 .............................................................. 38
1
COLORADO MOUNTAIN COLLEGE STRATEGIC PLAN
2
MASTER ACADEMIC PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
OVERVIEW
With the support and leadership of President Carrie Besnette Hauser, Academic Affairs has been working diligently to improve academic access, success and quality at Colorado Mountain College over the 2015-16 academic year. The improvement process began with shared representation between faculty and administrators on the Academic Affairs Design Team (AADT). The team worked over the summer of 2015 to analyze, assess and recommend structural shifts and alignment with academic processes across the college. The Academic Affairs Design Team submitted a proposed structure for review providing an opportunity to collect feedback from college stakeholders and solicit recommendations from College Council in the fall semester of 2015.
The Academic Affairs Design Team discovered during the development process that there was the absence of a strategic direction for Academic Affairs. In order for a new structure to be effective, it required the creation of a Master Academic Plan (MAP). It became critical to the success of academics at the College that a MAP be established to ensure appropriate criteria, stability, quality measures and implementation of academic priorities. In the fall semester of 2015, college leadership requested Academic Affairs create a process for the development of a Master Academic Plan. A college-wide team was assembled representing college campuses, faculty, staff and departments. The first meeting of the MAP team was convened in December 2015.
PURPOSE
The Master Academic Plan (MAP) provides context and criteria for the development of specific college and department plans which align with academic initiatives and college strategic goals. The MAP drives and manages academic growth by connecting planning efforts to an overall academic design, purpose and objectives.
The MAP establishes a strategic vision for Academic Affairs, providing stable planning, recognized processes based on priorities, effective resource allocation, curriculum review, and quality improvement. The Master Academic Plan is designed to provide strategic and operational direction for CMC’s Academic Affairs. The MAP enhances and supplements current methodologies and focuses on comprehensive high quality instruction. Under the guidance of the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the oversight of academic departments, faculty and staff will engage in a collaborative process designed to elicit innovative thinking, best practices, and evidence-based inquiry. The MAP informs capital planning, facilities master planning, strategic enrollment management, information technology and Student Affairs initiatives in alignment with academic priorities.
PROCESS
The Master Academic Plan team met for five sessions with considerable research and development homework assigned to team members from December 2015-April 2016. The team determined a vision, mission and guiding principles for Academic Affairs at Colorado Mountain College. The team created goals and tenets with targeted areas of concentration over the next four years, establishing short term (1-2 years) and long term goals (3-4 years). It was determined the MAP should parallel the college’s strategic plan process and be on the same evaluation cycle
3
of every four years. However, the MAP is a living document which requires evaluation and review each year in order to assess progress and goal completion. An employer survey was created with recommendations from the MAP team assisting the academic goal determination process. The survey was distributed to employers across the College’s service area in April 2016. The team prioritized goals based on a matrix of criteria which aligns with the college strategic plan, president’s priorities and criticality to student success. A draft of the Master Academic Plan will be disseminated to College stakeholders for review and recommendations before finalized, including College Council and The Board of Trustees.
MASTER ACADEMIC PLAN VISION AND MISSION
Vision: Colorado Mountain College provides academic excellence in teaching and learning grounded in dynamic and challenging educational programs and opportunities that foster student success in and beyond the classroom.
Mission: The Master Academic Plan places student learning at the center of its mission by cultivating an inclusive and dynamic learning environment that prepares students from diverse backgrounds to be informed, engaged, responsible and successful learners. Colorado Mountain College’s academic courses and programs foster student learning that is locally and globally relevant. We prepare our graduates to be lifelong learners, skilled workers and engaged citizens in a rapidly changing world. The Master Academic Plan (MAP) drives academic decisions by aligning initiatives and resources to the College’s overarching purposes, priorities and objectives.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
ONE COLLEGE CULTURE
Align with the CMC mission, vision and values statements and create pathways to bring the CMC strategic
plan to life.
Encourage collaboration across disciplines at the College to promote students’ critical thinking and
problem solving skills relevant to engaged citizenship and employment.
Promote program quality, consistency, and coherence across the College.
Engage college-wide in rigorous, meaningful, and actionable assessment of courses, programs, and
priority initiatives.
Nurture diversity, equity, and inclusivity among students, faculty, and staff.
Foster a culture of collaboration between faculty, staff, and administration.
Encourage and support inclusion of all faculty members, including adjuncts, in realizing the academic
vision and goals for the College.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Align academic programs and courses with pressing societal needs and innovative approaches to
addressing those needs.
Contextualize learning so that it is meaningful and relevant to meeting student, community, societal, and
business needs.
4
Promote appropriate and innovative use of technology and course delivery media to enhance student
learning.
Foster student learning through strengthening relationships between curricular and co-curricular
initiatives and programs.
Create and support high impact experiential learning and research opportunities for students.
Promote lifelong learning and engagement of community members in credit and noncredit based learning
opportunities.
Foster academic excellence through prioritizing faculty professional development and fostering a culture
of academic engagement among faculty.
Foster a culture of academic excellence among faculty.
Promote innovation and global perspectives in academic programming.
RESPONSIVENESS AND RESPONSIBILITY
Prepare students to be responsible and engaged local and global citizens.
Adapt to changing needs of learners and local communities.
Enhance college readiness in our communities.
Meet business and community needs.
Offer academic programming that intentionally supports College strategic goals.
PRIORITIZATION AND FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY
Prioritize resource allocation to efficiently and effectively foster program development and target priority
initiatives.
Focus program development and support efforts to promote program excellence at specific CMC locations
(as opposed to offering programs college-wide without sufficient support).
Ensure CMC signature learning outcomes align with priorities for student academic success.
Engage in strategic student recruiting and retention efforts that promote diversity, inclusion, and
academic excellence.
Priority areas for academic initiatives and program development/support/enhancement will be identified through
initial and ongoing MAP development and implementation processes. Priority areas will change and evolve over
time in response to assessment findings, the reaching of targets set, and the emerging needs of students, CMC
communities, the college, and the wider society.
FIVE MAJOR ACADEMIC TENETS
Programming
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
Academic Management and Governance
Student Engagement
5
Professional Development
PRIORITY SHORT TERM GOALS: 2016-2018
Programming o Review, revise, and develop a clear, inclusive and collaborative academic program review
process. o Review, revise and develop as needed the new program and program discontinuation processes. o Develop solid program location strategies.
Academic Management and Governance o Establish a robust, functional committee structure that maximizes collaboration, prompt and
informed decision-making, and shared governance. o Assign clear, intentional roles to all employees, based on accurate and current job descriptions in
order to maximize performance and job satisfaction.
Student Engagement o Establish concurrent enrollment coordination and collaboration college-wide. o Implement student open registration design. o Develop support structures and guidelines for student engagement beyond the classroom,
including credit and non-credit opportunities.
Professional Development o Develop concurrent enrollment adjunct faculty professional development opportunities. o Develop adjunct faculty tiered pay structure allowing compensation, recognition, and
professional development opportunities.
PRIORITY LONG TERM GOALS: 2016-2020
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion o Ensure a teaching and learning environment that promotes the strengths and knowledge of a
diverse, tolerant, and respectful student population and faculty. o Promote partnerships that address and serve dynamic community needs. o Ensure that all CMC environments, including classrooms, administrative offices, and experiential
learning environments, are safe, equitable and empathetic to all individuals across the race, gender, age, and socioeconomic spectrum.
NEXT STEPS
A finalized Master Academic Plan will be available to all Colorado Mountain College stakeholders in the summer of 2016. Feedback will be solicited during the fall semester 2016 through a survey, Town Hall conversations, Faculty Senate, and Academic and Student Affairs committees. The MAP is a guiding document informing decisions, process improvements and initiatives in Academic Affairs, embedded within the processes of College Resource Allocation, Facilities Master Planning, Capital Planning, Enrollment Management, Academic Governance, Diversity
6
and Inclusion efforts, Student Engagement work, Academic Professional Development and Strategic Programming. The MAP has an established cycle of review annually. The assessment of the MAP goals and priorities will be measured against established criteria evaluating rationale, relevancy, benchmarks and results. The first evaluation of the Master Academic Plan will occur in the summer of 2017.
SUMMARY
The work of the Master Academic Plan Team has been excellent throughout the entire creative and development
process. The attention, focus and detail brought to discussions concerning goals for the Master Academic Plan
highlighted potential opportunities and further development of our strategic focus in Academic Affairs at Colorado
Mountain College. Matrices for each goal were discussed with prioritization criteria developed. The team’s
creation of an academic vision, mission, values and goals will assist the college in moving forward with critical
academic priorities that impact and influence broader decisions, such as capital planning, as Colorado Mountain
College moves towards a future that is inclusive and innovative while elevating academic quality at the institution.
MASTER ACADEMIC PLAN TEAM MEMBERS
FROM DECEMBER 2015 – AUGUST 2016
Dave Askeland-Vice President, Summit Campus; Margaret Clement-Assistant Dean of Instruction, Aspen Campus; Larry Dutmer-Counselor, Edwards Campus; Linda English-Vice President of Finance, Central Services; Tina Evans-Faculty, Steamboat Springs Campus (Sustainability Studies); Heather Exby-Dean, Roaring Fork Campus; Jamie Kruis-Executive Administrative Assistant, Academic Affairs, Central Services; Renee Kuharski-Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs-Career and Technical Education, Central Services; Susie Leeson-Adjunct Faculty, Steamboat Springs Campus (English, Developmental Education), Vice President Faculty Senate; Shane Larson-Registrar/Assistant Vice President of Enrollment Services; Deb Loper-Assistant Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness/Institutional Research, Central Services; Cooper Mallozzi-Assistant Dean of Instruction/Faculty, Leadville Campus (Outdoor Education); Yvette Myrick-Dean of Developmental Education, Central Services; Kathryn Regjo-Vice President, Edwards Campus; Lin Stickler-Vice President, Student Affairs, Central Services; Jane Szucs-Assistant Dean of Instruction, Roaring Fork Campus; Brian Tinker-Faculty, Roaring Fork Campus (Career and Technical Education, Graphic Design); Bob VonAchen-Faculty, Rifle Campus (English), Faculty Senate President; Rob Wang-Faculty, Roaring Fork Campus (Science) , Daryl Yarrow- Assistant Vice President of Online Learning, Central Services
Kathy Kiser-Miller, Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs-Team Lead
7
ACADEMIC TENETS AND GOALS
TENET 1: PROGRAMMING
Short-term goals: (1-2 years)
Review, revise and develop a clear, inclusive and collaborative program review process.
Review, revise and develop as needed the new program and program discontinuation processes.
Develop solid program location strategies.
Develop Master Course Library Resource.
Align Strategic Enrollment plan with Master Academic Plan and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
efforts.
Establish resource criteria for program support.
Develop, assess and analyze learning outcomes for all programs.
Long-term goals (3-4 years)
Expand programs and improve cross-program collaboration.
Improve marketing and communication strategies for academic programming.
Support academic programs and excellence.
Encourage and foster innovation and creative programming.
Develop meta-major programming opportunities (Guided Pathways Initiative).
TENET 2: DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
These goals are ongoing and in conjunction with the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee’s work.
Short and Long-term goals (1-4 years)
Ensure a teaching and learning environment that promotes the strengths and knowledge of a diverse,
tolerant, and respectful student population and faculty.
Promote partnerships that address and serve dynamic community needs.
Ensure that all CMC environments, including classrooms, administrative offices, and experiential learning environments, are safe, equitable and empathetic to all individuals across the race, gender, age, and socioeconomic spectrum.
Establish learning communities that support diverse learners.
Support the diversity of our learning environments, such as campuses, locations, experiential learning and
classroom experiences.
8
TENET 3: ACADEMIC MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE
Short-term goals (1-2 years)
Align the MAP with college master plans, such as Facilities, Student Affairs, Business Office, and
Sustainability.
Establish a robust, functional committee structure that maximizes collaboration, prompt and informed
decision-making and shared governance.
Assign clear, intentional roles to all employees, based on accurate and current job descriptions in order to
maximize performance and jobs satisfaction (Human Resources in collaboration with Academic Affairs).
Develop academic assessment protocol.
Ensure employee evaluation processes are equitable and effective.
Long-term goals (3-4 years)
Ensure faculty evaluation processes are rigorous, equitable and effective.
TENET 4: STUDENT ENGAGEMENT
Short-term goals (1-2 years)
Establish concurrent enrollment coordination and collaboration college-wide in alignment with CMC,
Higher Learning Commission (HLC), state guidelines and contractual commitments with school districts.
Implement student open registration design – Student Affairs/Student Affairs Leadership Team, Academic
Affairs.
Develop support structures and guidelines for student engagement beyond the classroom including credit and non-credit opportunities.
Long-term goals (3-4 years)
Build a focused and robust Study Abroad program enriching the CMC student experience toward a global
education.
Develop a robust incoming international student program enriching the CMC learning environment and
the local communities (incoming and outgoing student experience).
Develop international exchange programs and partnerships with Fulbright institutions.
TENET 5: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Short-term goals (1-2 years)
9
Develop more concurrent enrollment adjunct faculty professional development opportunities.
Develop adjunct faculty tiered pay structure allowing compensation, recognition, and professional
development opportunities.
Provide support for faculty who are pursuing grants and/or sponsored programs.
Long-term goals (3-4 years)
Develop and standardize consistent support for faculty degree advancement in terms of compensation.
Enhance discipline and program-focused professional development opportunities aligned with a
discipline-based structure.
10
PRIORITY GOALS: PLANNING AND PROCESS
PROGRAMMING
REVIEW, REVISE, AND DEVELOP A CLEAR, INCLUSIVE AND COLLABORATIVE ACADEMIC PROGRAM
REVIEW PROCESS
Background
Program Review is conducted by a current Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) Action team project with a specific focus on the Arts and Sciences (A & S) and Bachelor’s programs. This team is also reviewing the existing program review guidelines and process. This will positively impact the Certificate, Technical Education and Bachelor’s programs. The AQIP team has been meeting since fall 2015 and is making progress. Highlights include:
o Comparatively reviewing other schools’ A & S programs. o Reviewing and updating the existing Program Review Guidelines.
Arts & Sciences specific review guidelines will be added to this document. o Developing assessment within a degree review process, as currently there are no assessments at
the degree level. o Working towards effective and efficient evaluation of existing programs. o Evaluating faculty, resources and funding.
Timeline and Process
Summer 2016: o Determine Arts & Sciences review and measurement for evaluation.
Associate of Arts/Associate of Science degree or discipline approach. Pilot in fall 2016/spring 2017.
o Review Career and Technical Education program criteria.
o Collaborate with Institutional Research to request data needed for a comprehensive program
review.
o Evaluate the existing Career and Technical Education form for updates based on recent program reviews (may require slight revisions to the guidelines).
o Contact peer institutions for a demonstration of their design (such as Proview software) and their model which includes a peer review process.
o Campus leaders will develop the plan on how the Master Academic Plan drives their future campus facilities plan as part of the overall college capital planning process.
Fall 2016: o Develop a Bachelor criteria review form and/or adapt the existing form, updating based on
recent program reviews. o Pilot Arts & Sciences program review in fall 2016/spring 2017. o Identify and/or design digital tool that can integrate with Colleague.
Determine costs associated for next budget cycle.
11
Spring 2016:
Develop a comprehensive program review page on Basecamp, the college’s internal portal, under Academic Affairs, and include the following:
o Details for review. o Forms for submission. o Assistance for program review completion. o Indication of a clear decision making group and process that has the authority to
recommend and approve programming in a systematic and college-wide approach, with
representation of both faculty, administrators, and program leads.
2016-2017: o Develop a rubric and system to evaluate program reviews. o Develop a one page document used for program checkups either every year of every other year.
Data driven review. Include course and program review, relevance and processes. Classes offered (last time a class was offered).
o Develop a clear process with guidelines on program closure. Program “checkup” monitoring in a consistent cycle to evaluate data from program
review.
Collect data and submit to the college-wide decision-making group.
Benchmarks
By the spring of 2017, a clear decision making group will be established for program review.
By the fall of 2018, the new and innovative process and tools for program review will be fully established
and ready to apply to the upcoming programs ready for their cyclical review.
Ultimate Goal
Develop and integrate cutting edge tools and methods for establishing a consistent, college-wide program
review process in order to elevate academic quality at Colorado Mountain College.
REVIEW, REVISE AND DEVELOP AS NEEDED THE NEW PROGRAM AND PROGRAM DISCONTINUATION
PROCESSES
Timeline and Process
Summer 2016/fall 2016: o Review and update the existing Program Review Guidelines.
2016-2017: o Review of existing processes – December 2016.
Develop evaluation forms that fit the needs of specific program areas, namely:
New Associate of Arts & Sciences degree.
New Career and Technical Education degree.
New Certificate of Occupation.
New degree to existing Certificate of Occupation.
12
New certificate to existing Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree.
New emphasis area in existing Associate of Arts/Associate of Science and/or Bachelor’s degrees.
o Develop a form that documents data and other factors for the addition of an existing degree or certificate at a campus.
o Identify and/or design a digital tool to assist in the design of a new program. Determine costs associated for next budget cycle.
o Incorporate EMSI (www.economicmodeling.com) data to assist in identifying opportunities and trends for business and industry within our service area and state.
o Establish a cycle of program “checkup” monitoring that includes a data review every other year, possibly every year, using a simple one page form.
Collect data and submit to the college-wide decision-making group that has the
authority to recommend program discontinuation/phasing out.
??
o Convene a task force to connect the new program process and the deactivation process to the
capital planning process, with representatives from Academic Affairs, the Business Office, and
faculty members.
Develop a specific list of parameters that would drive new facilities projects.
Develop a specific list of parameters that would drive major remodeling.
Develop a specific list of parameters that would drive new housing.
Benchmarks
By the fall of 2017, the tools, forms, process and college-wide decision-making group will be established
for approving new programs and deactivating/phasing out programs.
By the fall of 2018, specific parameters will be developed that will clearly establish how the Master
Academic Plan informs the capital planning process.
Ultimate Goal
Develop an innovative, college-wide process that drives new programs, deactivates existing programs that
are no longer viable or relevant, and ties to program review by systematically looking at demographic
data, national trends, local workforce projections, employer surveys, and student/graduate surveys in
order to keep the college on the cutting edge of community and employer needs.
DEVELOP SOLID PROGRAM LOCATION STRATEGIES
Timeline and Process
2016-2017 and beyond.
o This action item follows the more formal redesign of the new program and program review processes. By improving and revising the existing program review process, considerations of
13
college-wide program coherence and potential synergies with other academic programs can be considered.
o Invite key program faculty and Assistant Deans of Instruction to be on the team. o Develop a set of criteria for undertaking a review of programs by site in order to focus
instructional offerings at the most appropriate site(s) college-wide – this review should also include consideration of developing potential synergies and support structures across sites, programs, and instructional platforms.
Include the following elements:
Discipline review and approval of placement of a program.
Peer review by other campuses. o Work with campuses to identify core areas or priorities for academic programs.
o Develop a process for evaluating the locations of academic programs.
Programs identified as core to the identity/purposes of particular campuses
may be excluded from this initial review.
Develop rationales for programs at specific locations.
Tie the rationale to the Master Academic Plan and college strategic priorities.
Develop a plan through which the Board of Trustees and campus leaders can
align facilities and capital planning as well as the college’s overall planning
processes.
Develop criteria that drive construction, major remodeling and new housing
requests, indicating impact for programming with academic priority alignment.
Benchmarks
By the fall of 2017, a team will be established with key program faculty and administrators for
determining strategic program locations.
By the fall of 2018, the above team will establish a plan and criteria for evaluating locations of academic
programs and informing the long range capital planning process.
Ultimate Goal
Develop a consistent and systematic process for evaluating the locations of academic programs in order
to stay responsive, relevant and innovative to our communities and employers.
14
DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
ENSURE A TEACHING AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT PROMOTES THE STRENGTHS AND
KNOWLEDGE OF A DIVERSE, TOLERANT, AND RESPECTFUL STUDENT POPULATION AND FACULTY
PROMOTE PARTNERSHIPS THAT ADDRESS AND SERVE DYNAMIC COMMUNITY NEEDS
ENSURE THAT ALL CMC ENVIRONMENTS, INCLUDING CLASSROOMS, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES, AND
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, ARE SAFE, EQUITABLE AND EMPATHETIC TO ALL INDIVIDUALS
ACROSS THE RACE, GENDER, AGE, AND SOCIOECONOMIC SPECTRUM
Background
Diversity, equity, and inclusion reflects the vision, mission, and values of Colorado Mountain College (CMC). Through teaching and learning, CMC strives to move beyond tolerance and toward embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of social, cultural, gender and economic diversity contained within each student, employee, and community member. Inclusion is manifested through involvement and empowerment, where the inherent worth and dignity of all people are recognized. Through equity, CMC values the treatment of all people with civility, dignity, and respect. In prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion, CMC will increase the diversity of its students, faculty and staff to reflect the communities in which it operates, knowing that embracing diversity is the basis on which our college will thrive. Diversity improves enrollment, persistence and success of students through diversifying curriculum and professional staff.
Timeline and Process
Several Academic Affairs related recommendations for diversity, equity, and inclusion will be focused on over the next four years to ensure a teaching and learning environment that promotes the strengths and knowledge of a diverse student population and community partnerships (please see MAP prioritization spreadsheet and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan for process details). The timeline for the following process will take place over the next 3-4 years, with specific outcomes achieved by 2020 (see Benchmarks below). Academic Affairs related recommendations are:
Review and enhance instructional materials for representation and relevance of underrepresented populations.
Provide professional development to staff and faculty that allows them to be culturally confident, inclusive and effective in working with diverse student populations.
Increase diversity and enrollment of under-represented students within academic programs where diversity is not reflective of the community population.
Include a graduation requirement in all academic programs that each student take a course that incorporates cultural competency.
15
Identify and schedule at least two courses in academic areas such as women’s studies, world religions, Chicano studies, ethnic studies, history of immigration, Spanish and other language acquisition and development classes at each campus.
Schedule and promote Heritage Spanish classes to show that the CMC community supports and values the diverse language skills of all students.
Create writing, math and tutoring labs at all campuses that are staffed by culturally diverse, professional staff.
Cultural diversity in classes will be reflected in content, syllabi and access to course materials.
Promote presidential scholarships to our community more effectively.
Develop best practices to regularly meet and discuss concurrent enrollment offerings with local school districts.
Improve equitable outcomes by increasing Latino student enrollments and eliminating gaps in
performance between Latino and non-Latino students.
Reach out to underserved populations by increasing ESL and GED student enrollments.
Benchmarks
Several benchmarks must be met to effectively foster diversity, equity and inclusion at CMC and ensure
that these priorities are realized.
o Faculty will meet in discipline committees to review instructional materials for representation of
underserviced populations.
o The Vice President of Academic Affairs will meet with the discipline chairs to outline program
plans for increasing enrollment of underrepresented populations.
o All campuses will have writing, math, and tutoring labs that are appropriately staffed with
culturally diverse staff.
There are several ways that Academic Affairs will measure its progress:
o Currently, Colorado Mountain College measures headcount and FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) of
Hispanic/Latino students with performance metrics:
Goal: Increase the headcount of Hispanic/Latino students to more closely reflect the
demographics of the county in which the campus is located.
Measure 4.1 Increase Hispanic/Latino students over the previous year’s levels
(number and percentage) until the campus’ figures meets or exceeds the
diversity found in the county in which the campus is located.
Measure 4.2 The annual increases in Hispanic/Latino FTE meet or exceed the
overall campus figure.
Measure 4.3 The proportion of Hispanic/Latino students enrolled in concurrent
enrollment courses meets or exceeds 20 Percent of 11 & 12 Grade Students in
Campus Service Area.
Measure 4.4 The proportion of Hispanic/Latino students passing credit-bearing
courses in English and Math (# completing/# attempting) meets or exceeds the
overall college figure.
Measure 4.5 Annually increase the number of credit hours earned by
Hispanic/Latino students to meet or exceed the overall college figure.
16
Measure 4.6 Annually increase the production of certificates and degrees
earned by Hispanic/Latino students (degrees earned by Hispanic/Latino
students/total Hispanic/Latino Student FTE) until the rate meets or exceeds the
overall college figure.
o By 2018, Academic Affairs will create a report in collaboration with Institutional Research using
Colorado Mountain College’s new reporting system, CROA (Colleague Reporting Operations and
Analytics) that will pull a headcount of ethnic identification, gender identification and
socioeconomic status so that these dimensions of diversity can be measured at each campus
and/or within each program.
o By 2020, there will be 25% increase, since the 2015-16 Academic Year, in ethnic, gender
identification and socioeconomic diversity of student populations, faculty and staff at each
campus.
o By 2020, a cultural competency related class will be offered in every associate’s degree and at
every campus.
o By 2020, all campuses will schedule and offer a Heritage Spanish course at least once a year.
Ultimate Goal
CMC will achieve its mission to offer a dynamic and innovative teaching and learning experience serving a diverse population in a student-centered, inclusive, and personalized learning environment.
We will know when we reach the goal through the data that verifies the diversity of the student, faculty and staff population, as well as a teaching and learning environment that demonstrates the strengths and knowledge of a diverse student population, faculty, and staff. Also, we will know that we have reached the goal through the number and diversity of partnerships that CMC forms to address and serve dynamic community needs.
17
ACADEMIC MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE
ESTABLISH A ROBUST, FUNCTIONAL COMMITTEE STRUCTURE THAT MAXIMIZES COLLABORATION, PROMPT AND INFORMED DECISION-MAKING, AND SHARED GOVERNANCE
ASSIGN CLEAR, INTENTIONAL ROLES TO ALL EMPLOYEES, BASED ON ACCURATE AND CURRENT JOB
DESCRIPTIONS IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE PERFORMANCE AND JOB SATISFACTION
Background
The Academic Affairs Design Team (AADT) Executive Summary, dated August 2015, states that CMC’s
“Faculty and administrators have difficulty in determining where authority for process and decisions
resides, impacting effectiveness and efficiency beyond the campus” (p. 1).
CMC’s former Vice President of Academic Affairs wrote in his “Proposal for a Dean and Faculty Chair
Model…College-Wide,” dated May 2014, that CMC “has a huge disconnect in governance [and]
communication” and that its committees (including those in Academic Affairs) consist of “five different
disjointed groups.”
A review of the recent Academic Affairs organizational chart, dated April 2015, indicates that the working
dynamic among the Academic Program Resource Committee, Instructional Leadership Team, and
Curriculum Advisory Committee – to name the three key Academic Affairs committees currently serving
CMC – needs to be more clearly delineated on paper. The Curriculum Advisory Committee, in particular,
requires stronger connectivity to the Academic Program Resource Committee and Instructional
Leadership Team, while those two need to be mapped out in a way that indicates whether one is a
subcommittee of the other, how their memberships align or overlap, or how their roles interact. See
Figure 1. below for a partial view of the abovementioned chart:
18
FIGURE 1: SECTION OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS ORGANIZATIONAL CHART APRIL 2015
According to the Instructional Leadership Team’s standing charter, the team “supports, enhances and
promotes institutional effectiveness within Academic Affairs and the College President's priorities.” The
Instructional Leadership Team “will also provide collaborative input into strategic academic resource
decisions (e.g. which programs and positions the college might have) via the Academic Program Resource
(sub-) Committee (APRC).” The chart, however, needs to more clearly indicate that the Academic
Program Resource Committee is a subcommittee of the Instructional Leadership Team. The decision-
making dynamic between the Curriculum Advisory Committee (CAC) and Instructional Leadership
Team/Academic Program Resource Committee needs further clarification. Those who serve on these
committees generally express a need for further clarity in terms of the working relationships among them,
both in actual practice and on paper.
The history above points to the need for CMC prioritize reconfiguring its Academic Affairs committees to
help ensure that college-wide academic policies and procedures are carried out uniformly, transparently,
and consistently, all under the authority of the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
Timeline and Process
Determining how to arrive at a committee structure that supports collaboration and effective decision-making is more difficult than identifying the need to do so. Any future Academic Affairs committee structure depends greatly
19
on what kind of Academic Affairs structure CMC eventually adopts. If CMC’s future Academic Affairs structure resembles the model proposed by the Academic Affairs Design Team in the fall of 2015, then its committee structure will be headed by an Academic Council, an academic counterpart to College Council, just in the same way that – again, according to that proposed model – the Chief Academic Officer would be an academic equivalent to the Chief Operations Officer (both level 1). See Figure 2.
FIGURE 2: SECTION OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS DESIGN TEAM ORGANIZATIONAL CHART FALL 2015
If, on the other hand, CMC adopts an Academic Affairs structure more in line with a recent “modified proposal” made by College Council, we might consider a committee structure that compartmentalizes decision-making roles and doesn’t appear to put forth an academic equivalent to College Council. See Figure 3.
FIGURE 3: CLIP OF COLLEGE COUNCIL ORGANIZATIONAL CHART APRIL 26, 2016
In short, the process will depend on what kind of Academic Affairs structure is adopted. Ultimately it will be the President’s decision to approve a final academic affairs structure. However, a few specific steps or action items might prove useful regardless of the leadership piece of Academic Affairs.
20
Over the summer of 2016, Academic Affairs will:
o Convene a task force that consists of members of all current Academic Affairs committees,
including Instructional Leadership Team, Curriculum Advisory Committee, and Academic Program
Resource Committee, but also including those not directly governed by Academic Affairs, such as
the Quality Team and Faculty Senate. Let that task force begin to determine the obstacles that
stand in the way of convening well-aligned, interactive committees. The task force will map out
decisions that need to occur and responsible parties. If, prior to this action, a redesign of
Academic Affairs installs an Academic Council or its equivalent, let the Council convene said task
force and coordinate its actions.
o Examine recent (past 18 months) minutes and agenda items for all Academic Affairs committees
and track/cross reference specific action items and key discussion points. This might help
determine when and where a given committee’s actions have been disconnected with its mission
or with the actions of other committees. Also, tracking action items and key discussion items
across the several committees might help to identify omissions, dead ends, and duplication in
academic decision making.
o Profile appropriate membership represeentation of each committee – or prospective committee
– and identify their roles on that committee in terms of their current job descriptions. The job
descriptions will also identify the range of suitable committees on which someone holding that
position might serve. It would be possible or desirable in the future to peg specific duties
mapped out in one’s job description to the roles performed, more broadly, by the committees on
which that employee might serve.
Benchmarks
Establishment of a discipline-based, centralized Academic Affairs structure.
Establishment of an overarching Academic Council, or its equivalent, headed by CMC’s Vice President of
Academic Affairs.
Publication of a set of clear, up-to-date, intentional job descriptions in collaboration with Human
Resources – including those for full-time faculty -- that incorporate all key duties, including roles and
responsibilities when serving on Academic Affairs committees. This would be especially important for
those in higher administrative roles, including School Deans, Faculty/Discipline Chairs, or the like.
Improvement of productivity (impact of dollars spent) by decreasing average costs per completion,
increasing average credits earned, and increasing the overall number of graduates. This is currently
addressed by CMC’s performance metric 5.1:
o Goal: Annually reduce total cost per completion.
Measure 5.1: Reduce the total cost per completer from the previous year (*Calculation =
total expenditures/total completions).
Ultimate Goal
When employees – including but not limited to faculty – know that they are fully empowered to do their
jobs and carry out all the duties that are delineated in their job descriptions, they’ll know that they are
21
operating in a well-aligned, effective organization. The same can be said in the more limited context of
committee service.
22
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT
ESTABLISH CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION COLLEGE-WIDE
Background
Concurrent enrollment programs provide a critically important pathway for high school students to
accelerate their education by earning college credits prior to high school graduation. Research has found
students who have earned college credits prior to high school graduation through concurrent enrollment
have an increased rate of college matriculation and a higher likelihood of college degree completion than
those without advanced college credits.
CMC has promoted concurrent enrollment opportunities throughout its service area as a response to
Colorado’s Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act (CEPA, 2009) and as an important way to serve the needs
of its communities. CMC’s concurrent enrollment program provides high school students with the
opportunity to enroll in postsecondary courses and earn credit at no cost to them for tuition. Qualified
students can take courses at CMC or enroll in CMC courses taught by qualified instructors in their high
schools. In addition, a 2014 CMC Presidential initiative established an ambitious goal for a partnership
with all regional high schools to graduate ALL students ready to enroll in college without the need for
remediation. In addition to college level courses offered through the college’s concurrent enrollment
program, CMC delivers developmental studies courses to at-risk students.
Concurrent enrollment processes differ from campus to campus as result of varying levels of partnership
history, resource support, coordination, and collaboration between campuses. In order to “ensure
consistency in procedures and systems across CMC” (Strategic Plan 2014-2018), CMC will prioritize
resource allocation for concurrent enrollment coordination and provide standard protocols to ensure
comparability among campuses. Some progress has been made through new policies designed to
streamline processes, however, continued efforts toward comparability and common processes among all
campuses are essential for concurrent enrollment program quality management and improvement.
College leadership’s vision of diversity and inclusivity, including the goal of a rising percentage of students
graduating from high school with a certificate or Associate’s degree, will be positively impacted with a
concurrent enrollment program that provides leadership and effective collaboration, and defines a clear
and efficient pathway for students to matriculate to CMC.
Colorado’s Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act supports and encourages concurrent enrollment opportunities for all high school students, but it does not specify the exact nature of how local education providers (LEP) and institutions of higher education (IHE) will work together. As such, concurrent enrollment partnerships are voluntary, and each partnership developed between local education providers and institutions of higher education has flexibility to be individually tailored to meet local needs and take advantage of opportunities in unique ways.
Timeline and Process
Over the next 1-2 years, Academic Affairs will:
Identify senior-level functional responsibility for college-wide concurrent enrollment practices
and procedures.
23
o Responsibilities:
Maintain concurrent enrollment and First Ascent Youth Leadership contracts
between CMC and partner school districts – including annual fiscal addenda.
Facilitate the annual reporting of concurrent enrollment statistics to the
Colorado Department of Education, the Colorado Department of Higher
Education, and the college community.
Coordinate a system of student admission and registration, teacher
credentialing, course approval, course programming, and course evaluation for
concurrent enrollment college-wide.
Identify campus level responsibility at each campus for concurrent enrollment partnerships with
local school districts.
o Responsibilities:
Establish and maintain partnership with local school districts and respective
high schools.
Together with appropriate academic and student affairs departments, facilitate
the course approval, teacher credentialing, course programming, course
evaluation, and student admission and registration with partner schools.
Facilitate instructional delivery and relationships with high school instructors
regarding curriculum, syllabi, grading, registration processes, etc.
Establish comparable college-wide processes for:
o Instructor credentialing and professional development requirements.
o Instructor academic and departmental involvement and support.
o Student admission and registration process.
o Concurrent enrollment student matriculation.
o Grading and withdrawal policies.
o Grant coordination and support (where appropriate).
o Faculty onboarding.
o Canvas use requirement and faculty training.
o Professional development opportunities for concurrent enrollment faculty.
Benchmarks
The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) oversees the administration of the Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act and acts to ensure compliance with state regulations, as well as providing guidance for program quality and growth. Colorado Mountain College will assess its concurrent enrollment program using the requirements and guidelines provided by the Colorado Department of Education.
Additional benchmarks for determining concurrent enrollment program progress: o Identified college-wide concurrent enrollment coordinator. o Identified concurrent enrollment coordinator at each CMC campus. o Establishment of concurrent enrollment guidelines for:
Partnership relationships including 5 year agreements to include financial responsibilities, annual financial updates, and key contacts.
Consistent and clear faculty credentialing processes.
24
Student application, registration, testing, placement, withdraw, and matriculation processes clarified.
Competency based options developed. Career pathways articulated.
o Annual partner meetings. o Annual departmental meetings among concurrent enrollment instructors and
appropriate CMC faculty. o Annual internal concurrent enrollment coordination meetings. o Concurrent enrollment that addresses the needs of the community as determined by
the partnership. o Annual review and reporting of concurrent enrollment activity by campus and college-
wide. o Assessment of satisfaction with concurrent enrollment program to include concurrent
enrollment instruction, local education providers, CMC administration, and students. o Concurrent enrollment partners may choose to align their programs with quality
standards established by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP). Colorado Mountain College will look to these standards as a way to voluntarily benchmark its concurrent enrollment program and will determine the efficacy of this voluntary accreditation in light of the complex nature of its relationships with local education providers.
An annual report of concurrent enrollment activity by campus and college-wide will be the
vehicle for analysis and evaluation of the progress toward the goal of a comprehensive and
comparable concurrent enrollment system. The report will include enrollment, completion, and
financial data, as well as additional outcomes assessment compared to on campus courses.
Colorado Mountain College currently measures the level of concurrent enrollment through a
series of Performance Metrics. Metric 2.1 assesses concurrent enrollment.
o Goal: Concurrent enrollment participation is equal to or greater than 20 percent of all
11th & 12th grade students in service area high schools. This is measured annually with
an expectation for each campus to meet or exceed the measure.
o The assessment measure will be evaluated periodically and modified as necessary
CMC measures the degree to which the college and campuses are diversifying their student
enrollment; the concurrent enrollment program is an important part of that goal with our high
school partners to ensure equitable access. Metric 4 addresses diversity.
o Goal: Increase the headcount of Hispanic/Latino students to more closely reflect the
demographics of the county in which the campus is located.
Measure 4.3: The proportion of Hispanic/Latino students enrolled in concurrent
enrollment courses meets or exceeds 20 percent of Hispanic/Latino 11th &
12th grade students in campus service area.
o The assessment measure will be evaluated periodically and modified as necessary.
In order to improve the impact of developmental education courses through redesigned
offerings that result in higher pass rates in introductory English and mathematic courses,
Colorado Mountain College has a strategic initiative to eliminate the need for remediation for
graduates of service area high schools. To that end, Performance Metric 6 addresses
25
developmental studies. The effectiveness of developmental studies delivered through the
concurrent enrollment program is also a necessary quality assessment.
o Goal: Annually increase the number of students successfully completing developmental
education and successfully completing their first college level course commensurate
with their initial enrollment in English or math developmental course.
o These would be subsets of the larger total campus/college population enrolled in
developmental studies and measured in Metrics. 6.1.1, 6.1.2, 6.2.1, and 6.2.2.
o These assessment measures will be evaluated periodically and modified as necessary
Longitudinal analysis of concurrent enrollment student success after matriculation to institutions
of higher education, specifically CMC. Ideally this would include data from all institutions of
higher education that enroll concurrent enrollment students in addition to CMC, but access to
full and complete data for all concurrent enrollment enrolled students may not be feasible.
Ultimate Goal
Colorado Mountain College’s concurrent enrollment program will ensure that students earning credits
through concurrent enrollment experience a college course with the same rigor and requirements as
matriculated students experience through standard enrollment at CMC. Achievement and continual
improvement on the benchmarks and measurements noted earlier are measures of concurrent
enrollment program progress toward this goal.
IMPLEMENT STUDENT OPEN REGISTRATION DESIGN
Background
CMC class registration historically has been conducted in two very short registration periods. The first
period lasts approximately three weeks and is for continuing students only. The second is about four
weeks and open for all. During these registration periods, students must typically accomplish the
following:
o Apply if they have not done so.
o Send transcripts for evaluation, if applicable.
o Take placement testing.
o Meet with an academic advisor and/or support service.
o Meet with a financial aid advisor or arrange payments.
o Buy books.
Many students can find this process overwhelming. The short time frame can create frustration, and
some students cannot navigate the process.
26
Timeline and Process
Phase one of our new process is already in place. Fall registration opened on May 9, 2016, and will be
open all summer.
Phase two incorporates priority registration and will be implemented for the spring 2017 semester.
Priority registration allows students to register based on their cumulative credits. This allows those who
are closer to graduating to register first. This change will allow us to expand registration periods for all
semesters.
Benchmarks
The changes to open registration should allow for more students to navigate the process and successfully
register for classes, which will increase enrollment and student satisfaction.
Colorado Mountain College currently measures FTE (full-time equivalent), headcount, number of degrees
conferred, persistence and retention through performance metrics 1.1, 3.1, and 3.2:
o Goal: Increase FTE enrollment to meet or exceed peak levels during the previous five years
(College goal = sum of campus peak enrollments) .
Annually increase FTE to exceed the previous year’s level or meet or exceed the peak
FTE level.
o Goal: Annually improve college completion (degrees & certification per FTE) Persistence &
retention goal determined at a later date.
Measure 3.1 Meet or exceed the previous year’s retention level.
Measure 3.2 Meet or exceed the previous year’s persistence level.
Either an existing or a new student satisfaction survey will request feedback on open registration and
priority registration after phases one and two are implemented in the 2016-17 Academic Year.
Ultimate Goal
Optimize enrollments by increasing enrollments and student satisfaction with the registration process.
DEVELOP SUPPORT STRUCTURES AND GUIDELINES FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT BEYOND THE
CLASSROOM INCLUDING CREDIT AND NON-CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES
Background
Two major efforts have already begun toward this goal in both Academic Affairs and Student Affairs. The first
effort focuses on co-curricular efforts and is addressed by the Strategic Enrollment Management Plan in Student
Affairs, as well as a 2016 Faculty Summer Project. The 2013 Higher Learning Commission’s (HLC) Systems Portfolio
Report provided the following feedback on CMC’s co-curricular learning:
While CMC sponsors co-curricular learning activities such as film festivals, international travel, theater, archeological digs, health fairs, and ski team competitions, it is not clear how co-curricular development goals align with established learning outcomes. Identification of co-curricular goals could provide the basis for alignment with established learning outcomes.
27
While the institution relies heavily on faculty recommendations, identifying additional measures that could be tracked and monitored for academic success could help. It is also not clear how student global support services (e.g. libraries, labs) are determined and addressed.
While summary results are described from Individual Development and Educational Assessment (IDEA), Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE) and Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE), the specific performance results are not reported. The college has the opportunity to map its learning outcomes relating to student engagement onto its processes, events, and courses in order to better connect data with the area being measured.
It is not clear from the AQIP systems portfolio if the orientation program is mandatory. Requiring participation could ensure that all new students have at least a basic understanding of the tools and resources that CMC provides to help them succeed. Technology could be used to insure participation through platforms such as WebEx.
The above feedback pointed out the need for focusing on assessment of co-curricular activities.
The second major effort is the creation of challenge exams for all gtPathways courses (generally transferrable
courses that are part of the Colorado Department of Higher Education’s Statewide Transfer Articulation
Agreements). This process will enable students to test out of the courses that they are already competent in for
free. Other alternatives currently cost the student extra, such as CLEP (College Level Examination Program).
Challenge exams will make a considerable contribution toward increasing access and optimizing enrollments (CMC
Strategic Plan, Goal C).
Timeline and Process
Starting in 2014 through fall of 2016, the focus of the Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Plan has been on
the front-end and foundational barriers to student access and building data integrity. The projected focus for the
future Strategic Enrollment Management Action Plans will shift to retention, cultural enrichment, and increased
guided pathways (meta-majors), including the assessment and documentation of co-curricular outcomes and
alignment with established learning outcomes, as well as alignment with the Master Academic Plan.
Step 1: Identify existing and desired co-curricular activities.
Step 2: Rank by highest impact to students using the same process listed in the Strategic Enrollment Management Plan to rank the top two action items (SEM Plan Appendix 3).
Step 3: Select the top two activities and refresh or develop expected outcomes and alignment with CMC learning outcomes.
Step 4: Develop or refresh assessment rubric for the activity.
Step 5: Follow the Strategic Enrollment Management Action Plan process and make more consistent across campuses (SEM Plan Appendix 4).
A sampling of co-curricular programming at CMC includes:
Step One Orientations: One hour session for incoming first time college students. Topics covered include: placement testing, tuition, registration process, financial aid and scholarships. These sessions can be
28
provided in different mediums for accessibility with the use of technology, such as WebEx, CMC’s web-conferencing tool.
Student Orientation: Half day to full day orientation for new students. Offered in August and January
Student Advising: CMC college counselors provide sessions for students. o Types of counseling/advising:
Academic: getting started in college, selecting classes, life balance, funding, graduation, transferring.
Career: self-discovery, career exploration, resume creation, job search. Personal: counselors identify when a personal issue is affecting a student. In-depth
personal counseling is referred out to the local mental health provider.
Campus tours and introduction to CMC & college: Host groups of local middle and high school students. o Introduce students to CMC: offerings, access, funding, quality, etc. o Give tour of facilities. o Discuss the transition to college in general: preparation, opportunities, process.
Campus Clubs: o First Generation Club: sponsored by the Student Support Services Coordinator. o Phi Theta Kappa: Honorary club for students with distinguished GPA.
Veterans Yoga: Meets once per week and is open to any vet students or community members.
Veterans Mentor Program: A community vet is paired up with a current CMC vet student.
Student Success Team: Several student affairs staff members meet to discuss and reach out to students who have been identified by faculty as needing assistance within the first five weeks of the semester.
The Green Team: Students from the Sustainability Studies program meet to discuss and take action on effective ways to make the CMC Edwards campus greener.
Kiosks are in the lobby to assist students with self-registration and course planning.
Sponsored Speaker Series. Examples of topics included: o Nepal relief through the Sherpa Foundation in partnership with a CMC instructor. o Colorado water issues. o Suicide awareness and prevention. o Sustainability. o Theater. o Ski Team.
Student Residential Life Activities.
Student Ambassador Programs.
The faculty working on developing challenge exams for all gtPathways courses began in June of 2016 in alignment with the faculty summer project process.
64 challenge exams have been proposed by faculty members to complete in June, 2016.
In the fall and spring of 2016-2017, the next 60+ challenge exams and their faculty creators will be identified for faculty summer projects in June, 2017.
In the fall and spring of 2017-2018, the remaining challenge exams that are still needed will be identified along with the faculty members who will create them through faculty summer projects in June, 2018.
29
Benchmarks
The Curriculum and Instruction Manual Chapter 20, Work Experience, is revised in collaboration with CMC’s General Council and Risk Management in order to ensure compliance, standardization, and consistency in summer and fall, 2016.
The 2016 faculty summer project focusing on MAP Student Engagement will provide a consistent set of criteria to enhance the ease of access to internship and volunteerism opportunities for the August 2016 College-wide Faculty In-Service, so that the information may be distributed to faculty before the start of the fall 2016 semester.
64 new challenge exams for CMC’s gtPathways courses will be created before the start of the fall 2016 semester.
All of CMC’s gtPathways courses (currently totaling 185 courses) will have a challenge exam by the fall of 2018.
Ultimate Goal
Recruit, retain, and develop culturally competent students who are well-prepared to participate in local and global communities through co-curricular activities (both credit and non-credit), and ensure consistency and quality throughout co-curricular opportunities across the college.
Ensure that Academic Affairs provides connectivity and quality assurance measurements for experiential
learning, non-credit and co-curricular opportunities.
30
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
DEVELOP MORE CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT ADJUNCT FACULTY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITIES
Background
At Colorado Mountain College, adjunct faculty teach 72% of college-wide credit hours. This is a national trend.
Many colleges rely on adjunct faculty to meet the demands of enrollment and provide flexibility in course
offerings. It is, therefore, important to develop and retain qualified and committed adjunct faculty in order to
provide quality education to our students. One way to do this is to develop more concurrent enrollment
professional development opportunities for adjunct faculty, as this also contributes to the Master Academic Plan’s
priority goal of “establishing concurrent enrollment coordination and collaboration college-wide” (p. 18), and
reaches a broader range of students, thereby also making a possible contribution to the Diversity, Equity and
Inclusion benchmark of increasing ethnic, gender identification and socioeconomic diversity of student populations
(p. 13).
Timeline and Process
Over the next 1-2 years, Academic Affairs will: o Create a college-wide orientation program for concurrent enrollment adjunct faculty. This can
be an online and/or face-to-face format. o Assign each concurrent enrollment adjunct faculty member a discipline based college mentor
that can communicate and facilitate professional development opportunities. o Establish resources (funding) for external professional development opportunities specifically for
concurrent enrollment adjunct faculty to the extent practicable. o Invite concurrent enrollment adjunct faculty in departmental meetings and college-wide in-
services. o Invite and include ESL/GED faculty in discussions integrating Developmental Education and CEPA.
Benchmarks
Benchmark Measures
Concurrent Enrollment Adjunct Satisfaction Survey/Focus Group
Concurrent Enrollment Adjunct Retention/Attrition Survey/Focus Group
Ultimate Goal
Recruit, develop, and retain high quality part time faculty.
31
DEVELOP ADJUNCT FACULTY TIERED PAY STRUCTURE ALLOWING COMPENSATION, RECOGNITION, AND
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Background
As highlighted through numerous adjunct faculty surveys and previous CMC studies, some CMC campuses are
better than others at supporting their part time faculty. The process for training and retaining adjunct faculty
continues to be inconsistent, with an opportunity for improvement toward a clear strategy for quality. In addition,
the evaluation processes across the campuses and the support networks for communication and collaboration are
inconsistent.
Timeline and Process
Over the next 1-2 years, Academic Affairs will: o Create a tiered compensation structure, which will be modeled from the full-time faculty
portfolio process for advancement as described in the Curriculum and Instruction Manual. Criteria may include:
Longevity (as established with supervisor or campus lead and measured by credit hours).
Evidence of professional development (both internal CMC trainings and external apply). Evidence of innovative elements – incorporation of online tools and other innovative
teaching techniques. Publications or other demonstration of professional advancement.
o Develop adjunct faculty recognition: Create academic rank (adjunct/associate) for part time faculty. Rank will be tied to
compensation and job duties. Continue adjunct “faculty of the year” awards. Initiate a mentorship program utilizing senior faculty “master instructors” as mentors to
new adjunct faculty. o Enhance professional development opportunities:
Develop a reporting structure for part time faculty based on academic disciplines, which can facilitate professional development in subject matter mastery and teaching
Increase opportunities and resources (funding) for external professional development opportunities (i.e., conferences, etc.).
Conduct teaching and learning workshops, share best practices, and sponsor guest speaker series.
Utilize the Office of Innovations for Teaching and Learning to provide training for faculty each semester in CANVAS, smart boards, Virtual Library, pedagogy, etc.
Continue to invite part time faculty to participate in departmental meetings and college-wide in-services.
32
Benchmarks
Benchmark Measures
Adjunct Satisfaction Survey/Focus Group
Adjunct Retention/Attrition Survey/Focus Group
Ultimate Goal
Develop pathways for qualified part time faculty to advance within the college.
33
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A: SUMMARY OF SHORT AND LONG TERM PRIORITIES Short Term Goals: 2016-2017 Long Term Goals: 2016-2020 Programming
Review, revise and develop a clear, inclusive and collaborative academic program review process.
Review, revise and develop as needed the new program and phase out/deactivation processes for programming.
Develop solid program location strategies.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Ensure a teaching and learning environment that promotes the strengths and knowledge of a diverse, tolerant and respectful student population and faculty.
Promote partnerships that address and serve dynamic community needs.
Ensure that all CMC environments, including classrooms, administrative offices, and experiential learning environments, are safe, equitable and empathetic to all individuals across the race, gender, age, and socioeconomic spectrum.
Academic Management and Governance
Establish a robust, functional committee structure that maximizes collaboration, prompt and informed decision-making, and shared governance.
Assign clear, intentional roles to all employees, based on accurate and current job descriptions in order to maximize performance and job satisfaction.
Student Engagement
Establish concurrent enrollment coordination and collaboration college-wide.
Implement student open registration design. Develop support structures and guidelines for
student engagement beyond the classroom including credit and non-credit opportunities.
Professional Development
Develop more concurrent enrollment adjunct faculty professional development opportunities.
Develop adjunct faculty tiered pay structure allowing compensation, recognition, and professional development opportunities.
34
APPENDIX B: EMPLOYER SURVEY RESULTS Double-click the cover page below to open the entire document.
35
APPENDIX C: EMSI REPORT Double-click the cover page below to open the entire document.
36
APPENDIX D: ACADEMIC AFFAIRS DESIGN TEAM (AADT) PROPOSAL Double-click the cover page below to the open entire document.
37
APPENDIX E: ECONOMIC OVERVIEW AND PROGRAM DEMAND ANALYSIS (DRAFT) Double-click the cover page below to the open entire document.
38
APPENDIX F: COLORADO MOUNTAIN COLLEGE PERFORMANCE METRICS, 2014-17
Double click the cover page below to open up the entire document
