AQIP Systems Portfolio - Cowley College · 2019. 12. 13. · AQIP Systems Portfolio June 2010 Submitted for Reaffirmation of Accreditation to the Higher Learning Commission A Commission

AQIP Systems Portfolio June 2010

Submitted for Reaffirmation of Accreditation to the Higher Learning Commission

� A Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Board of Trustees Donna Avery

Albert Bacastow, Jr. Ron Godsey

Lee Gregg, Jr. Mark Paton

Dennis Shurtz

AQIP Steering Committee Heather Allen Donna Avery Tony Crouch Slade Griffiths Kelly Johnson

Shannon Massey Rhoda MacLaughlin

Dr. Pat McAtee Amy McWhirt

Sue Saia Michelle Schoon, Chair

Administration Dr. Patrick McAtee

Tony Crouch Slade Griffiths

Charles McKown Sue Saia Tom Saia

Cover Design Diana Dicken

Cowley County Community College and Area Vocational-Technical School 125 South Second Street, Arkansas City, KS 67005

(620) 442-0430 www.cowley.edu

Table of Contents

Institutional Overview ................................................................................................................. 0.1

Cowley College Organizational Chart .................................................................................. 0.10 Glossary of Terms and Acronyms ........................................................................................ 0.11

Category One: Helping Students Learn

Processes ............................................................................................................................... 1.1 Results .................................................................................................................................... 1.7 Improvements ....................................................................................................................... 1.11

Category Two: Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives Processes ............................................................................................................................... 2.1 Results .................................................................................................................................... 2.2 Improvements ......................................................................................................................... 2.5

Category Three: Understanding Students’ and Other Stakeholders’ Needs

Processes ............................................................................................................................... 3.1 Results .................................................................................................................................... 3.8 Improvements ....................................................................................................................... 3.12

Category Four: Valuing People

Processes ............................................................................................................................... 4.1 Results .................................................................................................................................... 4.4 Improvements ......................................................................................................................... 4.7

Category Five: Leading and Communicating Processes ............................................................................................................................... 5.1 Results .................................................................................................................................... 5.7 Improvements ......................................................................................................................... 5.8

Category Six: Supporting Institutional Operations


Category Seven: Measuring Effectiveness Processes ............................................................................................................................... 7.1 Results .................................................................................................................................... 7.6 Improvements ......................................................................................................................... 7.8

Category Eight: Planning Continuous Improvements


Category Nine: Building Collaborative Relationships


Appendices

Appendix A: Common Student Learning Outcomes ............................................................... A.1 Appendix B: Assessment of Learning Skills Plan of Action .................................................... A.2Appendix C: Focus 20/20 Program Review ........................................................................... A.3 Appendix D: Personal Quality Improvements Plan (Job Target) ............................................ A.4 Appendix E: Degree and Certificate Graduate Survey ........................................................... A.5

Cowley County Community College � Spring 2010

Institutional Overview 0.1

Cowley County Community College and Area Vocational-Technical School (Cowley) is a publicly supported, not-for-profit, two-year college located in south-central Kansas. The College encompasses a service area of approximately 2,955 square miles and serves a population of nearly 68,000 people. The College was founded in 1922, as Arkansas City Junior College, and is accredited by the state of Kansas; The Higher Learning Commission, a Commission of the North Central Association (NCA) of Colleges and Schools; and is a member of the National Junior College Athletics Association. Cowley’s affiliation with NCA has been continuously authorized by the board of Trustees since the College was granted correspondent status by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education in 1967. The College first was accredited in 1975 for five years. In 1979, the College was granted a 10-year accreditation, which was renewed as a result of the 1989 self-study. In a 1999 self-study, the College was given the option of a “special emphasis” self-study using the Baldrige Criteria, and again was granted a 10-year accreditation based on that study. In 2002, the College became a member of AQIP and was granted reaffirmation in 2009. The Board continues to support Cowley’s affiliation with the Commission.

Figure 0.1 Cowley achieves its mission through the use of College-wide work teams and action projects, as well as other initiatives. Cowley has a history in quality management principles that began with Business and Industry training and led to College-wide training in the 1990s. The College received a 1999 Kansas Excellence Award Level III (the highest level) from the Kansas Award for Excellence Foundation, a quality award program based on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Criteria. In 2000, the College applied for the Pacesetter Award through CQIN (Continuous Quality Improvement Network). Cowley College utilized these principles and teamwork in the development of the College Mission Statement,

Institutional Overview

Mission Statement Cowley County Community College and Area Vocational-Technical School is committed to learning excellence and personal enrichment in an open access environment. Statement of Institutional Purpose We are committed to maintaining a quality institution by meeting and exceeding the expectations of customers through the following:

Academic and Personal Enrichment The college will provide accessible curricula in an environment that promotes individual growth and personal enrichment. Support Services The college will facilitate academic growth and the development of life skills. Community Development The college will foster development of the community through public service programs and partnerships with business and industry. Fiscal Soundness The college will secure financial support from various resources and maintain a financially stable institution. Ethics The college will emphasize a sense of fairness, citizenship, and tolerance for the views of others.



Statement of Institutional Purpose (Figure 0.1) and Core Values (Figure 0.5). The Mission, Institutional Purpose Commitments and Values are the guiding focus used in the development of new program ideas and initiatives.

0.1 Goals for Student Learning Cowley County Community College serves a diverse student population; consequently, learning objectives are intentionally designed to support the varying individual goals of the student population. All degree-seeking students are expected to meet Common Student Learning Outcomes based on a general education curriculum, which promotes acquisition of foundational knowledge and the development of academic discipline and integrity. Upon graduation from Cowley, all degree-seeking students should demonstrate competency in the areas of communication, computation, critical thinking and problem solving, technology, community and interpersonal skills (Appendix A). General education requirements for degree-seeking students are outlined in the College catalog and include basic skills, humanities, social science, and natural science courses. Instructors in these areas include specific course outcomes in their course procedures. Learning objectives for technical and vocational certificate programs are developed in accordance with state and professional requirements established for these areas of study by their licensing agencies and are available from each program’s lead instructor and through the Academic Affairs office. Individual course objectives are outlined in the course procedure of each course required for the attainment of a vocational certificate or technical degree. Key Credit Instructional Programs One instructional focus is on individual courses and how they can successfully prepare students for continued academic study and/or entry into the workforce. Supporting this focus are four associate degree programs (Figure 0.2). As part of the commitment to ensure an open-access environment for its students, the College offers required courses in a variety of formats, provides flexible scheduling options, and maintains a low student-to-teacher ratio. Each course has a maximum capacity that is determined by the instructional office in coordination with the course’s department and instructor(s) with the average class size being15 students. Associate degrees and certificates are awarded based upon a credit hour system. Most general education courses are offered in a variety of formats including traditional classroom, Interactive Distance Learning (IDL), video hybrid, electronic hybrid, computer-assisted learning, and online environments. In addition, scheduling options are continually expanded in an effort to meet the needs of a dynamic student population.

Academic Programs by Percentage of Total Graduates

2008-2009

Degree n % of Total Graduates

Associate of Arts 267 48% Associate of Applied Science 91 16% Associate of Science 109 20% Associate of General Studies 17 3% Vocational Certificate 73 13%

Total 557 100% Figure 0.2

Cowley is a community college and vocational/technical school that supports more than 70 majors and degrees and prepares students to transfer to a four-year program or enter the workforce with a two-year job-ready degree. Opportunities for student success are provided through key instructional programs. Student goals may be met by one or more of the following:

1. acquisition of an associate of arts degree, associate of science degree, or associate of general studies degree in transfer programs, including the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities;

2. completion of career-technical education in applied science degrees or certificate programs, including automotive, graphic arts, mobile intensive care technician, criminal justice and service technology;

3. completion of course work for transfer to another institution; 4. continuing education studies in a variety of areas;



Key Non-Credit Instructional Areas The College offers many programs and activities in non-instructional areas, including training for business and industry and the Cowley Golden Tigers. The business and industry training occurs in both credit and non credit format, depending on the needs of the customer. The Cowley Golden Tigers program offers non credit classes in computer, fitness, travel and areas of personal development for community members over the age of 50. Shaping an Academic Climate Maintaining a climate that celebrates intellectual freedom, inquiry, reflection, respect for intellectual property, and appreciation for differing and diverse opinions is important to the College. The Academic Freedom Policy, based upon the American Association of University Professors’ Handbook and as stated in the negotiated Master Agreement, exists to provide protection for faculty opinions and intellectual property. Benefits for faculty include the fact that the instructor is given full freedom in research and in the publication of the results, subject to the adequate performance of other academic duties. The instructor is entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing appropriate subject matter. (Academic Affairs Policy 206) In order to ensure protection of the intellectual property rights of faculty, students and copyright holders, academic honesty and integrity in the classroom are identified as clear expectations at Cowley. Expectations of students are supported and enforced through the Academic Integrity policy and Code of Academic Misconduct, which outline definitions of, and consequences for, plagiarism, cheating, fabrication and falsification, multiple submissions, misuse of academic materials, and complicity in academic dishonesty. The Academic Integrity statement was developed by the Student Government Association, and the XF grade policy was student initiated. These policies are provided to students during new student orientation and included in all course syllabi. In addition, when students log on to campus computers, they view a pop-up window referring them to the College’s academic policies. The critical thinking component of Common Student Learning Outcomes encourages the development of mutual respect among students, administration, faculty and staff, and is emphasized through in-class discussions, projects, and written assignments that focus on the process of critical evaluation. Critical thinking components of the curriculum are supplemented by student activities such as those offered by Academic Civic Engagement through Service (ACES), the College’s service learning organization. ACES provides opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds to interact with one another through service projects and the concept of service learning is reinforced throughout the curriculum in sociology and psychology courses. Also available is the campus newspaper, which provides a forum for students to publicly express their views on topics that are significant to the student body. The College also offers a variety of clubs, organizations and campus activities so that all students are afforded the opportunity to participate in campus activities that help meet their individual interests and needs. Supporting Student Learning Several key areas of academic support have been recently expanded at Cowley College. Electronic library services, available to all students, have increased accessibility to library resources. Tutoring services are available in both face-to-face and online formats. In response to the growth in online students, the College has recently hired a third party 24/7 helpdesk to support students and faculty members using the online course management system. Technology use and technological innovation are significant components of Cowley’s instructional focus and critical to academic support. Most classrooms are equipped with a presentation computer and projector, audio-visual equipment, and a SMARTboard or school pad. All courses are provided with e-learning course shells through a course management system, and individual faculty members are encouraged and supported in their efforts to pilot and institutionalize technology that is appropriate for their curricular areas. In addition, a faculty development and training program coordinated by the Director of Organizational Learning and Academic Advising in conjunction with the Chief Academic Officer, ensures that full-time, and part-time faculty continue to receive training in effective, research-based, technological and pedagogical instructional approaches. All students are strongly encouraged to use the Campus Connect enrollment management system, which provides access to instructor e-mail addresses, financial aid information, current schedules, and enrollment options. In addition, all students are required to use their institutional student accounts to access any on-campus computer as well as their student e-mail accounts to contact College faculty and staff.



0.2 Key Organizational Services and Programs Cowley College has identified three key organizational services, in addition to instructional programs, that are critical to the mission of the College. They are maintaining quality athletic programs, supportive leadership and supporting the community through cultural programs and shared facilities. These objectives help to define the College’s focus. Cowley’s athletic programs and support services are attractive to the students and encourage student success in the classroom as well as in athletic endeavors. Quality athletic programs allow the College to recruit and retain student athletes. Once the students are on campus, they can take advantage of the support services available. Cowley has an academic reporting system (SARS) that notifies coaches and advisors of potential academic and attendance problems that can then be addressed to help the student’s academic success. Caring coaches, instructors, advisors and student services representatives are focused on helping the student athlete. In addition, many athletes participate in the Foster Parent Program, which matches them up with a community or college staff member, with the goal of making the student-athlete feel more comfortable with college life. Many student athletes come to Cowley with the goal of being recruited to a four-year institution. Through a collaborative effort of faculty, staff and coaches, some student athletes are achieving this goal. Through strong leadership, the College has developed quality instructional programs and support services to serve the needs of students. The leadership structure of the institution, explained in Category 5, allows College employees to have the resources they need to be successful, whether in the classroom or on the athletic field. The focus of the institution and institutional resources is on helping students learn through instructor support and student support services (Category 6). Community involvement has long been one of Cowley’s other organizational services. When looking at community arts programs, business and industry ventures and other community opportunities, the Administrative Council, along with the Board of Trustees (BOT), check to see how the possible endeavor relates to the mission and vision of the College. Community involvement is accomplished through providing programs for and with community groups. Many students are also involved in these programs, which include plays, concerts, art exhibits and other special events. Being located in a small town in a rural area, providing students opportunities to be involved in and to attend cultural events helps foster student learning through cultural awareness and appreciation. These events also provide a valuable service to the community and help to promote positive community/college relationships. 0.3 Short- and Long-Term Requirements and Expectations of Students and Stakeholders The average student age at the College in Fall 2009 was 24 years, consisting of 40 percent male and 60 percent female. From summer 2008 to spring 2009, 30 percent of the students enrolled during that period received some form of federal need-based financial aid. Pell Grants were awarded to 23 percent of the College’s student body with an average award amount of $2,576. The student population has grown from 58 students enrolled in 1922 to 5,654 enrolled during the 2008-2009 academic year. The Cowley student body consists of 38 percent full-time and 62 percent part-time students. The customers of Cowley College demand flexible, timely, appropriate, and integrated learning opportunities in order to meet their goals. Cowley regularly assesses the needs of students and stakeholders (Figure 0.3) and strives to offer services that are competitively priced and of the highest quality. Competitive Factors Competition for students has increased dramatically during the last decade; however, Cowley has remained competitive through collective marketing and recruitment efforts. According to 2007-2008 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) academic year data, Cowley ranks as the fourth-largest among the 19 community colleges in Kansas based on full-time equivalency (FTE) enrollment and the sixth-largest based on 12 month unduplicated headcount enrollment. Enrollment is a significant factor that is monitored closely. Directly or indirectly, approximately 65 percent of Cowley’s revenue is based on enrollment.

Traditional competitors in the area include Butler Community College, Pratt Community College, Hutchinson Community College, Southwestern College, Wichita State University, Wichita Area Technical



College, Friends University, Newman University, Oklahoma State University, and Northern Oklahoma College. In addition, other competitors include private organizations such as Phoenix University, Disney, Microsoft, and Sylvan that utilize technology to reach beyond traditional boundaries.

Key Stakeholders

Students Who come primarily from three counties within the College’s service area but also move into the area from all around the state, the nation, and from numerous foreign countries.

Educational feeder

institutions

Who require coordination of educational programs to allow their students the opportunity to continually move toward their educational goals.

Educational receiving

institutions

Who require coordination of educational programs to allow Cowley’s students the opportunity to continually move toward their educational goals.

Business and industry Who require assessment, training, and retraining for their employees.

Cowley employees Who need the opportunity to function in a quality environment.

Figure 0.3 Technology and student diversity are guiding educational change. Colleges and universities must look toward technology and new concepts to stay competitive. Concepts such as accelerated degree programs and integrated curriculum have been implemented at Cowley. Distance delivery of courses continues to expand the College’s place in the competitive market. Cowley offers courses in various distance delivery modes, including IDL, telecourses, and hybrid and online courses using the ANGEL learning management system. Online delivery is currently the second largest segment of Cowley College enrollment. The community college concept is a strong factor in Cowley’s recent success. Student success as well as reasonable cost and multiple learning sites are key reasons students choose to attend Cowley. Data from the Kansas State Department of Education indicates that approximately 60 percent of all freshmen and sophomores enrolled in higher education in the state are enrolled in community colleges. Business and industry leaders see the College’s local authority, and ability to move quickly in establishing new training and retraining, as essential to their partnership. 0.4 Administrative, Faculty, and Staff Human Resources Based on Integrated Post-Secondary Educational Database System (IPEDS) reports for Fall 2009, Figure 0.4, shows College employees by assigned position.

Employees by Assigned Position IPEDS Data - Fall 2009

Employee Category

Number Employed Breakdown by Employee Type

Full-time 48 29 Tenured 13 on Tenure

Track 6 without

Faculty Status Faculty Full-time

121 6 Administrators 115 Staff Staff

Part-time Employees 205 151 Adjunct

Instructors 54 Staff

Figure 0.4 Cowley is fortunate to have a stable full-time teaching faculty with each major field of study having at least one full-time faculty member. In an effort to maintain consistency of instruction, full-time faculty offer support to adjuncts throughout the semester. The core process of the school is instruction, with the



largest number of full and part-time employees directly involved with that function or its support. Faculty and staff work together in a combination of teams, committees, and councils to accomplish the tasks of the institution. The bargaining unit for the professional faculty is the College Education Association. Organization and Use of Resources The College has shown, through recognition, professional development opportunities and job benefits, the level of commitment to valuing people. To continue the efforts of the institution, the College employees a Director of Organizational Learning and Advising to help coordinate many of the processes and programs related to employee professional development and mentoring that were developed and institutionalized by one of the original action project teams. Cowley College has a full-time Director of Employee Services that works with supervisors when defining job qualifications and job descriptions. This position is also responsible for tracking employee evaluations and surveys. Full-time faculty are employed under a negotiated Master Agreement. All other employees work under a letter of employment, with the exception of members of the administrative team, who are employed by the Board of Trustees on two-year contracts. The recommendation for the addition or removal of a position is determined at the program level through annual program reviews, and then sent to the Administrative Council for consideration and approval.

0.5 Alignment of Strategies with Leadership In fall 2005 an inservice was held to discuss the mission and values for the College. The result of that meeting included the evolution of four core values for the institution. While these values had always been an integral part of the College culture, this workshop allowed all employees to have a voice in determining which values were the most important to the College. These four core values help guide the College and the employees in decision making and process development. The values are revisited annually and every new employee is now trained on the core values. All employees are expected to use these values as a guide to work by on a daily basis. Figure 0.5 summarizes the four values and the College purpose statements for each.

Figure 0.5 The top leadership group at the College is the Administrative Council, which includes administrators from all areas of the College. For a complete list of areas of responsibility for each administrator, refer to the Organizational Chart, Figure 0.6. The council meets twice a month and information from the meetings is shared with workgroups in monthly PACE (Procedure and Administration Enhancement) meetings. Agenda items include employee suggestions and input, strategic planning initiatives, communications, budget issues, and other items important to the College systems. Each council member is charged with the duty to communicate the College direction and other important information back to their respective areas. Since the council is comprised of administrators that are responsible for all different areas of the College, all employees have equal access in the communication system. All employees are encouraged

Cowley’s Core Values (PAIL) People

� We emphasize the importance of human relationships, diversity, and a sense of community. � We provide student-centered instruction. � We provide a safe learning environment where joy, humor, and teamwork are embraced. � We encourage open communication and the sharing of ideas

Accountability � Our students will receive a quality education. � The College will provide students the opportunity to take an active role in their success. � All employees are responsible and committed to excellence. � We are accountable to the community to educate students and to sustain and improve society.

Integrity � We regard honesty, trust, and respect as essential principles in our academic, personal and

professional standards. Leadership

� We provide a positive atmosphere that fosters personal and professional growth. � We empower students and employees to be innovative and visionary. � We are an ethical leader in the field of education.



to offer ideas for process improvement and communication systems and every employee is invited to participate in the AQIP action projects. Institutional Values and Expectations Cowley College encourages both students and employees to participate in service learning opportunities and the College promotes social engagement. One such program at the College is ACES, a volunteerprogram that places students in service opportunities throughout the area. Yearly activities include Habitatfor Humanity, Operation Happy Holiday, reading and tutoring in the elementary schools, the annual College blood drive, Bowl for Kids Sake, Manna Ministries, and volunteering at Goodwill and the Salvation Army. Additional projects which have been added this year are the Creative Community Living fundraiser night (a program for developmentally disabled individuals) and partnering with the local hospital in various volunteer capacities. The Administrative Council has authority relationships which provide guidance and oversight to the College operations. The institution functions under the governance of a local elected Board of Trustees and under the coordination of the Kansas Board of Regents. The College operates under numerous federal laws and regulations, ranging from the Title IV Higher Education Act, to various civil rights laws, regulations and executive orders, numerous wage and hour laws, labor and employment rights laws, and safety and health laws. State statutes and local board policies also apply. These entities help align the College practices with our leadership system and serve as good examples of checks and balances. 0.6 Alignment of Strategies with Administrative Support Cowley has identified key administrative support service processes related to five major areas within the College. They are Fiscal and Facilities Support (Figure 6.1), Student Support (Figure 6.2), Administrative Support (Figure 6.3), Human Resources (Cat. 4) and Computer Support (Cat. 7). To align these processes with the mission and goals of the College, each key process is outlined in terms of process needs, process management, process measures and how the results are used to improve the process. Each area has key process measures that are included in the AIM (Accountability and Institutional Measures) document for review on a regular basis and indicate which mission/commitment of the College they measure. The ultimate goal of all of the support processes is to help students reach their academic and career goals and to improve student learning. The College’s main campus is located in the heart of downtown Arkansas City. The 18-building site is spread out over 13 acres with an additional 17 acres at the track facility. Key off-campus sites include two centers in Mulvane and one in Winfield, and two enrollment/advising centers in Wichita. Several smaller sites in Argonia, Caldwell, Cedar Vale, Conway Springs, Oxford, South Haven, and Udall have classrooms located in Unified School District (USD) facilities linked to Cowley by Interactive Distance Learning (IDL), a full-motion interactive television video for delivery of services/education. Cowley serves a regional market involving three rural primary service-area counties and the metropolitan Wichita area. The curriculum, in both general education and career-technical education, addresses the needs of a diverse student population and provides key training to business and industry partners.

0.7 Data and Information Collected and Distributed In spring 2007, a Strategic Planning Action Project Team was formed to develop and implement processes to utilize organizational data to best meet the College vision, mission and goals. After reviewing the current strategic planning process, team members determined that a new process was needed. Working closely with the President, the team developed a new strategic planning process that integrates the presidential vision/goals, organizational data, AQIP action projects, Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) Performance Agreements and Perkins/capital expenditures. During the 2007-2008 academic year, the team collected feedback from stakeholders, identified and trained cross-functional groups to develop strategic plans at the departmental level, and developed a new strategic planning process that was approved by members of the College’s Administrative Council. The new strategic planning process guides the College in the use of several instruments as tools for measuring institutional processes. One major tool, the AIM document, was developed to help consolidate data and to provide a tool to measure effectiveness through the ongoing development and refinement of the strategic planning process.

http://www.cowley.edu/aqip/AIM_May_2010.pdf

http://www.cowley.edu/aqip/perfagreement.html



Cowley’s primary system for collecting and storing information is the People Oriented Information Systems for Education (POISE) computer database management system (Cat. 7). This system has been in place since 1991, although modified and enhanced throughout the years to meet changing needs, the consistency of the underlying structure allows for over 15 years of comparative data and trend analysis. Data and information collected and distributed is dependent on the duties of the employees utilizing it. The College uses other principle systems in areas like the bookstore, library, endowment office, and instruction. Standard Microsoft Office application documents (such as word processing documents, spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, etc.) are stored on centralized Microsoft Windows-based servers. All full-time employees (and selected part-time employees) have access to the information—which is relevant to their job—via a variety of methods. The use of Internet interfaces to obtain selected data continues to be expanded to give access to adjunct instructors, students, and the general public whereverthey might be. 0.8 Alignment of Strategies with Mission Cowley College is committed to its mission and institutional purpose (fig. 0.1) and to the needs of the various stakeholder groups. Like most colleges, Cowley College relies on growth in FTE to help fund college operations. Constraints generally include funding issues, as well as providing services for students outside our service area. Outreach sites help to serve the surrounding communities as well as provide the College with an additional student base. Cowley College is currently facing several challenges due to major off-campus restructuring. During the 2007-2008 school year, Cowley was informed that a major off-campus center was going to be closed due to Kansas state regulations regarding service areas. The College looked at these challenges as a chance to refocus resources on the mission and goals of the institution and to strengthen presence in the Arkansas City community. Other key opportunities involve the development and offering of new programs and courses for allied health, business and industry training, career-technical education, and general education. The College is also exploring ways to be more involved in the economic development of Cowley County. 0.9 Partnerships and Collaborations Healthy partnerships with regional and state universities and colleges are vital to Cowley. These partnerships include the six major state universities, the other 19 community colleges, technical colleges, and private schools in the area. Cowley also has ties with Oklahoma State University, which is only 75 miles south of the Arkansas City campus and Pioneer Technical College which is located 30 miles south of the College, in Oklahoma. The primary cooperative agreement partnerships are with Wichita State University, Iowa State University, Pittsburg State University, Kansas State University-Salina, Friends University, Pratt Community College, Butler Community College, Hutchinson Community College, and Wichita Area Technical College. Cowley College also is a member of the South Central Kansas Higher Education Consortium with three other regional community colleges, a four-year state university, and a technical college. Cowley has collaborated with other universities through specific programs, such as the Kansas Academic Quality Improvement Project (KAQIP). Cowley recognizes the vital importance of strong relationships with regional unified school districts (USDs) that supply students to Cowley, with other regional colleges that cooperate with Cowley to deliver services, and with transfer universities throughout the state. Cowley College has worked with area USDs to provide concurrent enrollment classes onsite, as well as through distance learning. Important business partnerships include aircraft industries like General Electric Aircraft Engine Maintenance Center (GE), Spirit Aerosystems (formerly Boeing Aircraft), Bombardier, Cessna, and Raytheon, and plastics industries like Rubbermaid, KSQ, and CalMar. Cowley has entered into several new business alliances in the past few years, including Kan Pak, Creekstone Farms, and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM). Cowley College is a leader in providing customized training directly to business and industry with courses to upgrade skill levels of workers and retrain workers who have been laid off or desire to change occupations.



Additionally, advisory committees work closely with the Career and Technical Education Department Chair and instructors in acquiring state-of-the-art equipment for use in labs and classrooms. The committees also serve as an information resource, notifying them when to update equipment and modify facilities to enhance student learning and safety. Advisory committees also provide letters of support for outside funding sources. Through the nationwide contacts of many of the advisory committee members, thousands of dollars worth of equipment has been donated for training and instruction. An important supplier/customer relationship exists between Cowley and various government agencies, such as the Arbor Education Training and Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS), and the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program (TAA). Cowley is in the position of both supplier and customer, meeting the educational needs of the agencies while at the same time receiving students through the agencies. The College has supplier needs and relationships similar to most businesses. Cowley annually does business with approximately 1,800 vendors. Many items are purchased via competitive bid. In addition to price, many other factors are evaluated when awarding a contract, such as prior history with the vendor, date of availability, method of shipment, and the ability to service the product. As a government entity, Cowley has the right to purchase items via the state purchasing contract. Several programs and agencies operating within the College organization strongly affect Cowley’s relationship with other schools, organizations, and stakeholders. These include:

1. The Endowment Association, a foundation which is the focal point for community support and enthusiasm.

2. The Cowley College Golden Tigers, a program providing opportunities for senior citizens to keep abreast of a changing world and to enrich their lives socially, spiritually, artistically, and physically.

3. Two TRIO programs, funded by the U.S. Department of Education and serving disadvantaged students in regional middle and high schools as well as the College.

Cowley College makes every effort to empower individuals to create innovations through partnerships and collaboration in each service area by encouraging and supporting quality initiatives.



Figure 0.6

Exec. VicePresident of

Business Services

Vice Pres. of Academic

Affairs

VicePresident of

Student Affairs

Vice Pres. of Research

and Technology

Athletic Director

Fiscal Operations

and Business Services

Employee Services

Outreach Centers and

Distance Education

Department Chairs and

Faculty

Recruitment, Admissions, Placement

Testing, and Financial Aid

Retention, Enrollment, Advisement, and Career

Services

Records Management/

Registrar

Data Processing and Institutional

Research

Men’s Sports

Women’s Sports

Board of Trustees

President

Citizens of Cowley

Administrative Assistant/ Board Clerk

Executive Director, Alumni and Development

Director of Institutional Communications/PR

Administrative Council

Bookstore GED/ABE

Instructional Support/ Library

Services

Housing and Food Services

Student Activities/

Intramurals

Student Services and Trio Programs

Technical Support Services

Web Services

Tiger Booster Club

Spirit Squad, Dance Line, and Athletic

Trainers

Transportation

Campus Facilities and

Security

Business & Industry Training

Technology Management

Wellness Center

Cowley College Organizational Chart Rev. 1/1/2008



Glossary of Terms and Acronyms ABE Adult Basic Education

ACES Academic Civic Engagement through Service

ACT American College Testing

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act

ADM Archer-Daniels Midland

AIM Accountability and Institutional Measures

ANGEL A New Global Environment for Learning, the College’s online learning management software

AQIP Academic Quality Improvement Program

BOT Board of Trustees

CAAP Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency

CAO Chief Academic Officer

CAT Cowley Action Team

COMPASS Comprehensive, Computer-Adaptive Testing System

CONNX Name of a software product and the name of the company that created it

Cowley Cowley County Community College and Area Vocational-Technical School

CQIN Continuous Quality Improvement Network

EMPAC Cowley College’s Employee Assistance Program

FTE Full-Time Equivalent (15 credit hours = 1 full-time equivalent)

GE General Electric Aircraft Engine Maintenance Center

GED General Equivalency Diploma

GPA Grade Point Average

IDL Interactive Distance Learning (full-motion interactive video)

IPEDS Integrated Post-Secondary Educational Database System

KAQIP Kansas Academic Improvement Project

KBOR Kansas Board of Regents

NCA North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

NISOD National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development

OAT Outcomes Assessment Team

POISE People Oriented Information Systems for Education

PRAIRY Professional Renewal Approach (which activates) Innovative Resources for Youth

SARS Student Academic Report System

SGA Student Government Association

SRS Social and Rehabilitation Services

SSEC Southside or Southside Center – Southside Education Center

TAA Trade Adjustment Assistance Program

USD Unified School District


Category One � Helping Students Learn 1.1

Helping students learn is the primary focus of the institution. Cowley College has implemented such items as common learning objectives, common course procedures and common final exams in some subject areas to help with quality and consistency. The College has also developed many different course schedule options to help meet the diverse needs of students. 1P1 Determining Common Student Learning Goals The (OAT) Outcomes Assessment Team at Cowley has identified Common Student Learning Outcomes that are reinforced throughout the curriculum (Appendix A). These learning outcomes were developed using feedback from a study by the Pew Charitable Trust and published in “Learning College for the 21st Century,” as well as other published sources and faculty input. These skills include communication, computation, critical thinking and problem solving, technology, community and interpersonal skills. The Outcomes Assessment Team includes a faculty or staff member from each of the College’s academic departments. The outcomes are assessed in various ways as outlined on the assessment schedule (Appendix B.) 1P2 Determining Program Learning Objectives Cowley has a process for program review, Focus 20/20 (Appendix C), in which the faculty for each program, under the guidance of the department chair, annually review the program curriculum, course outlines and objectives, and revise them accordingly. Input is always sought from advisory council members and students. Program course objectives also are reviewed by other institutions to ensure transferability of courses. 1P3 Designing New Courses and Programs Cowley faculty members are encouraged to propose new courses or programs to meet the needs of students, the community, and the business sector. A proposal for a new course is presented to the Academic Affairs Council by the department chair or lead instructor, along with a statement justifying the need for the course. Members of the Academic Affairs Council review the proposal and if the course is favorably received, submit it to the appropriate department for input. After the proposal has been reviewed by the departments, the proposing party develops a course procedure and syllabus and resubmits to Academic Affairs. The council reviews the final proposal and makes the final determination regarding adoption of the course. If the course is adopted, the Registrar evaluates the course for transferability. For vocational programs, additional documentation is required to comply with state guidelines. 1P4 Designing Responsive Academic Programming Each department has an advisory board that includes students and representatives from business and industry as well as other educational institutions. The advisory board meets with the department at least once each academic year to review existing programs, processes, and objectives, and to provide feedback on proposed changes and additions. The annual program review is shared with the advisory board and input is sought prior to submission to the Chief Academic Officer (CAO.) In addition, stakeholder input into the effectiveness of academic programs is tabulated in the stakeholder survey which is administered annually. Results from this survey are tabulated and included in the Accountability and Institutional Measures (AIM) document. 1P5 Determining Required Student Preparation Prerequisites for college-level courses are determined by the faculty in each academic area and based on national and local trends, as well as the faculty member’s experience in that area. Preparation requirements for technical courses are specific to the program of study and determined by faculty in that area along with state or professional requirements. Course prerequisites are included in the Course Procedures available in the current schedule as well as the College catalogue. College readiness is

AQIP Category One Helping Students Learn



determined based on ACT scores and/or the Compass assessment administered through the admissions office. 1P6 Communicating Expectations to Students Expectations regarding student preparation and learning objectives are communicated to prospective students in various ways. Cowley admission representatives communicate these expectations at high school visits, college planning conferences, and career fairs. The Upward Bound program also works with high school students to communicate expectations and to assist students in meeting these expectations. Additionally, these expectations are printed in the course schedules and College catalog, which are accessible through the College website and updated as needed. This resource provides students immediate access to the most current information. Admission representatives and advisors discuss with entering students the benefit of initial assessment for appropriate placement. It is reinforced by assessment personnel who discuss assessment results and course placement with the students. Course placement and proper sequencing of courses are reinforced by the student’s academic advisor. Course prerequisites are published in the College catalog and course schedules and are enforced by academic advisors. Also, each instructor provides students syllabi outlining the prerequisites, objectives, and other expectations for each course. 1P7 Choosing a Program of Study First-time students are offered assistance in selecting a program of study through the Office of Admissions. Full-time students receive assistance through their academic advisors. The College has advisors specifically assigned to students who are undecided on a major. These advisors work together to form strategies that will help students define realistic and attainable goals. Students with declared majors are assigned an advisor in the appropriate content area. Qualified students may also receive advising and career assistance through the Student Support Services program (IMPACT). The IMPACT program provides academic advising and career selection assistance to 160 students from academically disadvantaged backgrounds, and job shadowing is available to all students. Career Services helps guide a student to career options by exploring interests, strengths, and abilities. Through the Discover program, students can learn about suitable careers as well as research colleges that offer the programs. All the students enrolled in New Student Orientation complete the Discover Program as a workshop. In this workshop, students are taken through the program and then discuss how it can be used to research careers and colleges. In 2007, the College declared an AQIP Action Project regarding career and transfer exploration. Through the efforts of this team, several new initiatives were developed. The Future Space Career Fair was started in 2008. As part of this Career Fair each department invites professionals from its area of study to conduct a question and answer session with interested students. 1P8 Assisting Under-Prepared Students Cowley serves a diverse population whose preparation for college-level work is widely disparate. Students who enroll for the first time are assessed in reading, writing, and math; unless they have ACT scores that indicate readiness for college-level work or they are transferring in credits in these areas from another institution. The College has a mandatory assessment and placement policy that requires assessment upon entry as well as initial placement in the course level indicated by the assessment. Students in math and writing courses are required to pass each course with a grade of “C” or higher before advancing to the next level. Prerequisites for college-level courses are determined by the course instructors and the departments and are based on course objectives and objective alignment with other institutions. Students entering industrial technology programs complete the Work Keys assessment, which measures current skills in comparison to the skill level needed for the specific vocation. This assessment gives students a clear indication of the learning gap that will need to be bridged prior to entering the job market.



In addition to course pre-assessments, the College assists the under-prepared student through monitoring academic progress and providing resources for academic assistance. Instructors communicate academic progress through maintaining current grades in the Faculty Access site and through Student Academic Reports (SAR) submitted at set times throughout the semester. 1P9 Incorporating Learning Styles Incorporating diverse learning styles into the teaching and learning process is addressed at both the student and instructor level. All students enrolled in New Student Orientation complete a learning styles inventory as part of that course. This inventory classifies students as auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learners and provides them with detailed information on ways to maximize their learning based on their individual learning styles. This information is available to students in the New Student Handbook. Instructors receive training on ways to incorporate activities that appeal to diverse learning styles as part of their professional development program. 1P10 Addressing Special NeedsThe College is committed to providing services to stakeholders with special needs. The Disability Services Program provides accommodations for students with documented disabilities. The coordinator serves as a liaison between Cowley College faculty, staff and the student population. The office is also instrumental in maintaining compliance with ADA guidelines. Accommodations provided include:

� Textbooks in alternate formats � Note takers � Record lectures � Mobility guides � Interpreters (deaf or hard of hearing) � Transcribers � Modified test taking � Extended time for testing � Assistive technology � Coordination with instructors

The Cowley College Golden Tigers program is offered to community members who are 50 years of age or older and provides educational opportunities that promote social, spiritual, artistic, and physical enrichment to its members. Short-term classes, hands-on workshops, exercise sessions, and day trips are offered throughout the fall and spring semesters each year. Needs of commuters are addressed by offering online and hybrid course options as well as block scheduling to reduce travel expenses. 1P11 Documenting Teaching and Learning Effectiveness All course objectives have been approved by the Academic Affairs Council to align with institutional goals. Many considerations are taken into account when establishing these objectives, such as successive course requirements, job skill requirements, requirements of four-year institutions, knowledge needed for successful certification testing, and necessary life skills. Cowley does not prescribe particular activities for instructors, but instead expects instructors to use their knowledge and creativity to achieve course objectives. A critical component of teaching and learning effectiveness is hiring qualified instructors. Current qualifications include a preferred master’s degree with 18 graduate hours in the subject area to be taught. A bachelor’s degree is required for vocational program instructors. Refer to Category 4 for information on the hiring process.



Annually, all full-time instructors complete a job target (Appendix D) to establish goals and specify methods for assessing goal attainment. Prior to the end of each academic year, instructors meet individually with the Chief Academic Officer (CAO) to discuss the concluding year and to begin to develop objectives for the upcoming year. Besides the job target process, instructor evaluations occur regularly. All full-time instructors are evaluated once each semester for the first three years; once each year for the next three years; and once every three years thereafter. Instructors are evaluated by a) self, b) department chairperson, c) the College’s chief academic officer and/or other instructional administrator, and d) students. The CAO reviews evaluations to determine if any action or further discussion is necessary. All part-time instructors are required to be evaluated by students at the end of each semester, have an in-class evaluation the first semester they teach, and an in-class evaluation every two years after by an instructional director or department chairperson. Along with the opportunities to evaluate instructors and courses, student satisfaction is determined through survey instruments, such as the Noel-Levitz Survey of Student Satisfaction, Student Evaluation of Courses, and the Graduate Survey (Appendix E). Student success in achieving each course and program’s expectations exemplifies effectiveness. The College does not depend on course grades and program requirement completion as the only indicators of this effectiveness. Other indicators include DFW rates, student success in subsequent courses, success on certification tests, and feedback from four-year institutions, along with feedback from departmental advisory committees. Final exams in English and math areas are standardized to help determine that outcomes for the courses are being met. Additionally, the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) assessment is administered to all associate of arts, associate of science, and associate of general studies graduates and WorkKeys is administered to all associate of applied science graduates during their final semester to provide additional information regarding student skills. 1P12 Instructional Delivery Processes Although a majority of Cowley courses (1,818 offered in 2008-2009 for a total FTE of 5,281) continue to be offered in a face-to-face classroom setting, Cowley’s alternative delivery methods continue to expand. These learning environments include Interactive Distance Learning (IDL) (since 1991), video hybrid (since 1998), electronic hybrid (since fall 2006) and online (since fall 2000). The fastest growing non-traditional learning environment is found online. Cowley’s first online classes were offered in fall 2000 with eight different courses available. In fall 2007, an e-learning college was created to provide support to all students involved with e-learning either through supplemented face-to-face courses, electronic courses, or online courses. In addition, faculty support was expanded to include a Director of Instructional Design and a Director of Instructional Support. In Spring 2008, the College developed a Center for Online Education and hired a Director of E-Learning, which is housed in Wichita. In 2008-2009, online courses accounted for 1565 FTE, and electronic hybrids accounted for 440 FTE. Targeted faculty training and the provision of e-learning shells to all faculty regardless of primary delivery mode are currently being utilized to encourage integration of e-learning into all Cowley courses and to provide support to instructors using electronic delivery modes. Another alternate delivery mode offered by the College is Interactive Distance Learning. In 2008-2009, IDL accounted for 175 FTE. There were 144 different classes offered from 17 IDL locations. Since its inception at Cowley, IDL classes have grown from being primarily general education classes to more specialized classes. With this growth, classes that have low enrollment numbers at one site can still be offered to students. The method of course delivery is determined by the CAO in conjunction with the academic department, and/or instructional director and the course instructor. Regardless of delivery process, courses adhere to common course outcomes and utilize common projects or finals as required.



1P13 Curricular Currency and Effectiveness Cowley utilizes various processes that assist in curricular review and maintain the currency and effectiveness of programs. A program review, Focus 20/20, is completed by each area of study annually. Information in the document is reviewed by the CAO, recommendations are considered, and necessary or desired changes are made. This serves as an opportunity for each department’s areas of study to provide statistics regarding programs and to identify areas of strength and weakness. The process involves analyzing data in various programs to help determine if the College is meeting the needs of students and other stakeholders. Additionally, each department has an advisory council that meets once each academic year (twice each year for the Career and Technical Education Department.) This council includes the staff and faculty in the department, students, and members from business and industry and the community that can provide advice and suggestions for improvement in the discipline areas. Input is gleaned from the council and used when determining the direction of the department. Vocational programs make use of an employer survey to assess the training level of their graduates and their performance in the workplace. To help ensure current curriculum, Cowley has been an active participant in the Kansas Core Competencies Project, allowing Kansas higher education institutions to discuss courses and develop common course outcomes for general education courses. Additionally, Career and Technical curriculum is reviewed and updated on a regular basis using feedback from key stakeholders. 1P14 Discontinuation of Programs and Courses Program Review is completed for every program and degree on an annual basis. This is completed by the faculty and department chairs along with the CAO. At the conclusion of the process, the CAO prepares a summation and makes recommendations to the Board. These recommendations may result in either course changes or program discontinuation. For course and program changes, the College utilizes data from the fall strategic planning survey that is completed by faculty, staff, administration, students, business leaders, and the general public. When making course changes, national, regional, and state trends are followed in an attempt to keep curricula current. The CAO, Board, and President also consider the unique features of a particular course. For instance, if a course is critically needed but the enrollment is not high, the impact of the course as filling a need in society is also taken into consideration. If it is determined that a program should be discontinued, the process outlined in the Program Discontinuance Policy is followed. According to the policy, a program may be considered for discontinuance if it meets the following criteria: insufficient enrollment for an extended period of time, loss of instructional staff qualified to teach said program, loss of sufficient financial or material support to continue said program, or other extenuating circumstances meeting the President and the Board of Trustees’ needs for college stability and governance. The President and Board have final authority regarding discontinuance of any program. Once the decision has been made to discontinue a program, the following steps occur: 1) all affected personnel are notified of the discontinuance as soon as possible and treated according to their individual employment agreement, contract, or other binding document; 2) no new students are added to the program; and 3) current students are informed of the teach-out plan for the program. Cowley will make every effort to teach out discontinued programs but reserves the right to transfer teaching to outside sources. If so determined, a comprehensive teach-out plan is developed by the instruction office and made available to the Board of Regents. Equipment, supplies, curriculum, teaching materials, and all other items pertaining to the program are disposed of in a manner according to their funding source. The instruction office is responsible for the implementation of this policy. 1P15 Determining Student and Faculty Support Needs The College uses feedback from various student and stakeholder surveys to help assess student and faculty support needs. Students’ academic support needs are met in several ways. The Renn Memorial Library is a central place on campus for students to have access to computers and to career and transfer information. Free peer



tutoring is available in the library. The tutoring schedule is based on student demand, and faculty members provide input regarding specific subject area needs. Needs are assessed through tracking usage of the tutors throughout each semester. Additionally, IMPACT provides tutors and smaller classes in core subject areas, such as English and math, for its members. Category 6 includes additional information regarding academic support processes. The Student Academic Reporting System (SARS) and attendance reporting process also provide valuable information to advisors, staff and faculty who have a connection to the students to help alert them to emerging needs of the students. Through these computerized reporting methods, those concerned with specific students’ progress are notified of problems or changes. This has become an effective method of teamwork between faculty and others concerned with student success. Through these programs Cowley has become proactive rather than reactive in problem areas. The Disability Services Coordinator provides information and guidance for students and faculty regarding the assessment of needs and assistance to students in order to help them be successful in the classroom. Along with student support, Cowley provides faculty support through technology training, professional development workshops, and encouragement of innovation within the classroom (Category 4.) Needs are assessed through individual faculty members’ job targets, departmental program reviews, and tracking of student enrollment and DFW rates. 1P16 Alignment of Curricular and Co-Curricular Goals Cowley College’s mission is to provide every student with the skills to be successful in today’s global economy. The Outcomes Assessment Team (OAT) was formed to gather information about the skills and abilities of Cowley’s students when they graduate from the institution. The interdisciplinary approach strengthens communication and cooperation between the OAT and faculty members of each department and shows Cowley’s commitment to student goals. The College recognizes many areas involved in student goal attainment. Category 6 gives a more detailed account of these areas, including student life and counseling. 1P17 Student Preparation for Further Study or Employment Cowley recognizes that almost every student who attends classes at the College intends to either transfer to a four-year institution or enter the work force. Accordingly, every effort is made to develop competent and effective students and employees so that students attain their goals. Cowley’s Common Student Learning Outcomes go beyond course content to embrace those skills that will foster responsibility and productivity in the classroom or the workplace. To assess student preparedness for further study, the College uses comparative data from the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR). Student success of Cowley transfer students is measured in comparison to the success rates of transfer students from other Kansas community colleges. This report provides valuable information on students’ preparedness for future study and is evaluated and shared with faculty and staff to develop response strategies as needed. Many Cowley students also learn workplace skills through work-study experience. Approximately 1,250 hours per week are allocated to approximately 160 students. These students attend an orientation at the beginning of the year to provide them with an overview of workplace etiquette and responsibilities. Each position has a job description, and students rely on their direct supervisor for guidance and feedback on their performance. Each year, a survey is administered to employers of Career and Technical Education graduates. The survey results provide valuable feedback that the department utilizes to enhance efforts to produce world-class employees.



1P18 Student Assessment Processes The Outcomes Assessment Team (OAT) has identified a process to assess the six Common Student Learning Outcomes (Appendix A) that the College believes every student should demonstrate proficiency in before graduating. This process was developed based on feedback from other institutions and past experiences with assessment at the College. Every student graduating from Cowley with an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or Associate of General Studies degree is required to take the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) in the areas of English, computational skills, and reading. The results from each area are recorded on the student’s permanent record. If a student achieves a score on any portion of the CAAP at or above the national average, a certificate of achievement, signed by the College President, is awarded. Every student graduating from Cowley with an Associate of Applied Science degree is required to take WorkKeys assessments in applied mathematics, locating information and reading for information. The results from each area are recorded on the student’s permanent record. If a student achieves a score at or above a prescribed level, a certificate of achievement is awarded Assessment times are designated throughout the academic year to accommodate students’ schedules. To simplify the process for students, each session of the CAAP and WorkKeys is listed as a non-credit course that students can access and sign up for using their Campus Connect account. The assessment time and location are printed on the students’ class schedules. In addition to the CAAP data on computational skills, the Natural Science Department collects data from comprehensive math final exams, which are given to all elementary, intermediate and college algebra students and are based on the competencies for each course. Also, English personnel in the Humanities Department review the results from the writing and reading sections of CAAP to determine if any action is necessary and/or desired. Results from these processes are shared at department and advisory meetings. The OAT has developed an assessment schedule to address the Common Student Learning Outcomes that are not assessed by CAAP or WorkKeys. Along with an assessment schedule, the team has developed the process on how the data will be analyzed and used to improve student learning (Appendix B). 1R1 Measures of Student Performance Although instructors have the primary responsibility for measuring and analyzing student performance in individual courses, Cowley’s outcome assessment process provides an overall assessment in key areas, which allows feedback and, if needed, action in academic areas (Appendix D). The results from the data collected are disseminated through inservice presentations, faculty meetings, and department meetings. Through these discussions, it is decided what action, if any, should be taken to improve the academic success of Cowley students. In addition, results are included in the Accountability and Institutional Measures (AIM) document. 1R2 Student Learning Achievement The College measures student learning achievement using course-based performance assessments, standardized assessment results, course completion rates, graduation rates and institutional persistence rates. Student performance in each course is evaluated based upon the students’ mastery of stated course outcomes. In addition, as a result of initiatives developed and implemented by the Outcomes Assessment Team, student performance in each of the Common Student Learning Outcomes is evaluated through specifically targeted assessments. This data is compiled in the AIM document and made available to stakeholders via the Cowley website. 1R3 Performance Results The WorkKeys standardized assessment, which evaluates student proficiency levels in applied mathematics, locating information and reading for information is used to monitor student learning for those students completing Associate of Applied Science ( AAS) degrees (Figure 1.1). The current




institutional goal for all areas of the WorkKeys assessment is 50% at level five or above. This institutional target is currently being met in all areas except locating information. CAAP test results (Figure 1.2) are also monitored as a measure of student learning for student completing the AA, AS, and AGS degrees. The Outcomes Assessment Team (OAT) is in the process of setting institutional targets for the CAAP assessment, but relies on the national mean for comparative data.

Figure 1.1

Another method used to monitor student achievement is evaluation of course completion rates. This information can easily be accessed through the AIM document. Overall, Cowley’s course completion rates are very high; however the DFW average has been steadily increasing over the past two academic terms and is now above the College’s target percentage of 21.33%. The DFW rate was 22.92% as of spring 2008. In an effort to address this issue an Academic Quality Team has been created which will look at trends in DFW rates and propose areas for targeted intervention.

Figure 1.2

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Least � � � Skill Complexity � � � Most




The College also looks at annual graduation rates as an indicator of student goal achievement. Based on IPEDS 2007 cohort results, Cowley had a cohort graduation rate of 38%, compared to the comparison group median of 29% (Figure 1.3). This number has held fairly constant over the past four years. Cowley is currently exceeding its institutional target in this area which is to meet the group median rate.

Figure 1.3

Student persistence rates reflect retention rates from fall-to-fall and from fall-to-spring. Figure 1.4 shows a seven-year trend in persistence rates. The fall to spring rate for 2007 was 76.3% while the fall to fall rate was 46.2%. Cowley is currently below institutional goals of 78.93% for fall to spring retention and 54.37% for fall to fall retention. In an effort to address this issue one of the College’s AQIP action projects will focus on retention issues.

Figure 1.4

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1R4 Student Competence Evaluation Multiple measures are employed to monitor and ensure that students have acquired the knowledge and skills base required by the institution and its stakeholders. One method used to evaluate students’ preparation for transfer to four-year institutions is careful review of the KBOR Transfer Feedback Report (Figure 1.5). Based on this report, new Cowley College students are not performing at expected levels, compared with the average of all new community college transfer students. A newly formed Academic Quality Team will address possible causes for this trend as well as other areas. In order to ensure that students graduating from Cowley’s technical programs have attained the competencies required by their future employers, the Career and Technical Education Department conducts periodic surveys of former students and their employers. Data from completed surveys indicate that it is very rare for any student to be rated below satisfactory in the skill areas addressed by the survey.

Figure 1.5

1R5 Learning and Support Services Performance Results Learning support processes including advising, the library, and tutoring are analyzed for effectiveness annually, and results can be found in the AIM document. Results are also shown in Figures 3.4, 3.5, and 3.6. The spring 2009 Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory showed that academic advising effectiveness exceeded its target. As of August 2009, current indicators show that the library services usage per FTE has also exceeded its target. Finally, tutoring services usage per FTE exceeded its target as well. 1R6 Comparative Results Cowley uses summary national and statewide statistics for public, two-year institutions as one basis for analysis when evaluating student performance. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) provides national student persistence and success averages. IPEDS offers graduation rates for other community colleges in Kansas (Figure 1.3). The KBOR Transfer Feedback Report (Figure 1.5) provides comparative data for transfer students, and CAAP and WorkKeys results referenced in 1R1 allow the College to assess student achievement levels in specific skill areas by comparing their scores to those of college students nationwide.

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Transfer Student PerformanceNew Cowley College Transfer Students All New Kansas Community College Transfer StudentsReturning Cowley College Transfer Students All Returning Kansas Community College Transfer Students




1I1 Improving Processes and Systems Several recent improvements have been made in the Helping Students Learn category. The majority of these improvements have occurred in the area of distance education because it is the fastest growing segment of the College. Based on recommendations from AQIP Action Project 6 (Assuring consistency and quality in online delivery) and leadership from the CAO and Director of Online Learning, the College received accreditation approval from the Higher Learning Commission for its online degree programs. In addition, the College contracted for 24 hour helpdesk services for online students thereby enhancing services to students and drastically reducing student complaints in this area. In order to ensure quality and consistency in online course delivery, a Best Practices for Online Teachers document was developed for instructors. In addition, master courses have been developed in all curricular areas. An upcoming improvement to the e-learning College will be a reorganization of the online education department. Improvements were also made in instructor training. Web-enhanced training was provided to all instructors through the e-learning College and faculty provided peer training in the areas of Latino learner success strategies, classroom management and behavior and attendance issues. Improvements made to student academic support included moving the tutoring program to the library to improve accessibility. Identified areas of concern in this category are student persistence and success. In an effort to address these areas, a new Academic Quality Team has been developed and an action project specifically addressing retention issues will be added for the upcoming assessment cycle. 1I2 Targets for ImprovementThe College strives to set goals that are learning-centered and data-driven. Targets for improvement are identified through systematic data collection in the AIM document which is made available to all stakeholders through the College’s AQIP site. By accessing this document stakeholders can easily assess whether a given area is meeting or failing to meet an institutional target. This document identifies the Helping Students Learn measures as they relate to the institutional purpose and records institutional targets for each goal. Institutional targets for the Helping Students Learn indicators are determined by the CAO in conjunction with faculty, staff and teams responsible for collecting and analyzing data for specific indicators. In addition to the AIM document, the College reviews recommendations from government and accrediting agencies to which it reports. One of the areas targeted for improvement through this process is student success rates. In response to this concern an Academic Quality Team has been created to evaluate and address student success issues. Another area targeted for improvement is overall student retention. In response to this issue an AQIP Action Project team will be developed to identify causes and propose solutions for this issue. Results and improvement priorities are communicated through the College website and internal publications. Information is also communicated at faculty and staff inservice sessions and Board of Trustee meetings. The action grids for all AQIP Action Projects, including improvement priorities and results, are accessible on the College’s intranet. In addition, the AIM document is updated monthly and made available to all stakeholders through the College’s website.

Cowley County Community College � 2010

Category Two � Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives 2.1

To help define the institutions explicit objectives, employees of the College were asked “What makes Cowley unique?” As a result of feedback to this question and other institutional data, three objectives, Leadership, Athletics, and Cultural/Community Involvement, were identified as critical to the mission and goals of the institution. These objectives make Cowley unique as an educational institution and help to define the College’s focus.

2P1 Design and Operation of Key Non-Instructional Processes The mission, vision and institutional commitments, as stated in Figure 0.1, are the guiding principles for the development of College objectives. The Administrative Council looks at the mission of the College when adding new programs. For example, a new athletic program was recently added to help maintain fiscal soundness, with the goal of increasing on-campus enrollment. Cowley’s quality athletic programs and support services are attractive to students and encourage student success in the classroom as well as in athletic endeavors. Through strong leadership, the College has developed quality instructional programs and support services to serve the needs of students. Community involvement has long been another Cowley objective. When looking at community arts programs, business and industry ventures and other community opportunities, the Administrative Council, along with the Board of Trustees (BOT), check to see how the possible endeavor relates to the mission and vision of the College. 2P2 Determining Other Distinctive Objectives Determination of other distinctive objectives is done through college-wide inservice activities. College employees are divided into cross-functional teams that include about 20 people from each College division. One of the teams is assigned Category 2. During this meeting, the team is asked, “What makes Cowley College unique?” and, “Why do you chose to work at the College?” Using the employee responses, along with the College Mission statement, the other distinctive objectives are determined. The process has been held twice, with similar results both times. These distinctive objectives are also identified by allocation of resources. A significant amount of College resources are invested in these other distinctive objectives. Besides the cross-functional teams, the BOT and Administrative Council review these objectives, and other strategic objectives of the institution, as described in Category 8. 2P3 Communicating Expectations Regarding Other Distinctive Objectives Strategic objectives are communicated in several ways. One is through Board of Trustees meeting minutes, which help inform employees of major decisions. As described in Category 8, part of the strategic planning process includes the President sharing goals and objectives with College employees. Another method of communication is through workgroup and PACE meetings. Each vice president holds meetings with his/her directors and supervisors, who then hold meetings with their workgroups. During these meetings, goals and objectives are communicated to all employees. The people directly involved in these other distinctive objectives are aware of their importance through these group meetings as well as through focus meetings involving College administration. 2P4 Reviewing and Assessing Other Distinctive Objectives Each distinctive objective has an administrative member that oversees the implementation, assessment and accountability of the objective. Quality athletic goals are set by the Athletic Director, in conjunction with the coaching staff. The Athletic Director is responsible for assessing and reviewing this objective and reports results to the President. Goals for supportive leadership are developed by the Administrative Council, which is under the guidance of the President. The community/cultural objective is under the guidance of the Executive Director of Endowment who oversees the goal development, assessment and review process, with reports to the Administrative Council and, ultimately, the President.

AQIP Category Two Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives



2P5 Faculty and Staff Needs The Administrative Council examines faculty and staff needs when working on strategic planning. Needs are determined when the objective is developed. When a new objective is proposed, a cost analysis is completed along with a review of existing staff and future staff needs. This information is reviewed at the annual Administrative Retreat and if new employees are needed to complete the objective, then a job listing is submitted to Human Resources and the hiring process, as outlined in Category 4, is followed. 2P6 Incorporating Information on Faculty and Staff Needs Each employee of the College is involved in annual job targets and workgroup action projects. If an employee has an idea on how to improve an existing process, or an idea for a new action project, he/she will submit it to his/her immediate supervisor, who then compiles the job targets and makes a workgroup action project for submission to the annual strategic plan (Category 8). 2R1 Measures Collected and Analyzed Regularly The athletic department has several goals and measures on which data is collected and analyzed regularly. Success of athletic teams, degree completion rates and post season honors are reviewed annually. Credit hour completion for all sports is recorded and analyzed annually (AIM document GM2) The community/cultural measurement of goals include tracking of attendance, ticket sales, and community feedback. The goals involving leadership include measurements through the employee survey, program review (Focus 20/20) reports, input from advisory boards and level of employee involvement on teams and committees. 2R2 Results in Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives The Athletic Department has set goals and has two goal measures, GPA of student athletes and percentage of attempted credit hours, which are collected and analyzed systematically (Figure 2.1). The results are published in the AIM document, Goal Measure 1 (GM1), and are available for all employees to access.

Academic Performance of Student Athletes

Average GPA Fall

2005 Spring 2006

Fall 2006

Spring 2007

Fall 2007

Spring 2008

Fall 2008

Spring 2009

Fall 2009 Goal Current

Performance

Athletic Training 2.73 3.14 2.98 2.68 2.82 2.33 3.73 2.50 1.23

Baseball - Men 2.84 2.93 3.16 2.99 2.74 2.64 3.08 2.64 2.99 2.50 0.49

Basketball - Men 2.88 2.72 2.94 2.35 2.54 2.87 2.93 1.89 2.49 2.50 (0.01)

Basketball - Women 2.76 2.85 3.03 2.80 3.01 2.96 2.58 2.59 3.00 2.50 0.50

Cheerleading 2.84 2.44 3.10 2.86 2.73 2.42 2.67 2.71 2.56 2.50 0.06

Cross Country 2.84 2.77 3.08 3.07 3.04 3.09 2.89 3.01 2.50 0.51

Dance Line 2.91 2.86 3.03 3.46 3.38 3.40 2.88 2.99 3.14 2.50 0.64

Soccer - Men 2.64 2.82 2.46 2.50 (0.04)

Soccer - Women 2.60 2.86 2.77 2.50 0.27

Softball - Women 3.46 3.25 3.24 3.12 3.39 3.34 3.49 3.43 3.24 2.50 0.74

Tennis - Men 3.25 2.56 3.06 2.94 3.29 3.69 3.04 2.65 3.17 2.50 0.67

Tennis - Women 3.46 3.03 3.48 2.99 2.80 3.70 3.73 3.63 3.51 2.50 1.01

Track - Men & Women 2.74 2.73 2.65 2.65 2.48 2.30 2.49 2.76 2.99 2.50 0.49

Volleyball - Women 3.12 2.60 3.18 2.94 2.65 2.62 3.09 2.49 3.33 2.50 0.83

All Athletes 2.92 2.81 3.02 2.83 2.87 2.85 2.87 2.75 2.93 2.50 0.43

All Students 2.84 2.74 2.73 2.68 2.55 2.61 2.67 2.78 2.69 Figure 2.1




The College tracks attendance and ticket sales at various College hosted events as one measure of meeting of whether or not it is meeting community needs. Figure 2.2 shows the attendance number for events sponsored by the College’s Endowment Association during the past two years.

Figure 2.2

Measuring College leadership is done in several ways. One is through feedback on community surveys. Figure 2.3 shows the advisory committee satisfaction for the past two years. Based on the target of 85% overall approval rating, the goal was not reached in the 2008-2009 survey year. The area that appeared to lower the results was in facilities supporting the programs. Many of the comments suggested the facilities in the physics area needed updating. As a result, the physics classroom was remodeled during the 2009-2010 academic year. Figure 2.4 shows the results from the latest stakeholder survey. 2R3 Comparative Results Due to the diverse nature of the distinctive objectives, comparative data is not easily found. Instead, trend data and internal benchmarks have been used and are recorded in the AIM document. For example, grade point average of athletes is compared to GPA of all students and in other areas, target goals are set by the appropriate parties. Other sources of comparative data exist and are used as an indicator of successful programs. The NATYCAA (National Alliance of Two-Year College Athletic Administrators) Cup, which was formerly known as the Pepsi Cup, recognizes excellence in two-year college athletics. Cowley College has placed in the top-10 in the standings in each of the past three years. Cowley placed second in 2006-2007, ninth in 2007-2008 and fourth in 2008-2009. For the second time in the past three years, Cowley finished as the top junior college athletic program in the state of Kansas based on the standings. Currently, Cowley is tied for first place in the NATYCAA Cup standings with Johnson County after the completion of the fall sports schedule. 2R4 Strengthening and Enhancing the Institution Athletic results provide recognition to the institution through press releases in local newspapers and through recruitment, therefore enhancing the image of the College. Attendance and ticket sales for community events are reviewed annually and used in the planning of offerings for the coming year. The results from the advisory boards and community feedback are used in setting direction for new programs and to guide the direction of the College.

218Second City

505A Christmas Carol

436John McCutcheon-

College Performance

563Rockapella

707African Footprint

821John McCutcheon-USD

465 Performance

715Vince Papale

157Ensemble Gallelei

632The Ten Tenors317

John Bul Dau

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009

Attendance at Endowment Association Sponsored Events




Advisory Committee Survey Results

All Departments Combined

2007-2008 (n=93) 2008-2009 (n=69)

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I have adequate contact with

program representatives.

1% 9% 32% 58% 90% 1% 1% 4% 38% 55% 93%

Program representatives

request my input. 0% 11% 33% 56% 89% 1% 1% 16% 32% 49% 81%

Advisory committee

recommendations or suggestions are implemented.

1% 12% 39% 48% 87% 1% 1% 14% 38% 45% 83%

The program curriculum is relevant in

today's industry.

3% 4% 38% 55% 92% 1% 1% 4% 35% 58% 93%

The program is meeting the needs of the community.

1% 5% 49% 44% 94% 1% 1% 10% 33% 54% 87%

There is adequate market

demand to support

graduates of the program.

0% 6% 37% 57% 94% 1% 1% 17% 23% 57% 80%

The program is marketed effectively.

3% 19% 48% 29% 77% 1% 1% 14% 30% 52% 83%

The program facilities are

adequate to meet course and

program objectives.

3% 11% 38% 48% 86% 1% 1% 19% 33% 45% 78%

The program technology is

adequate to meet and course and

program objectives.

1% 4% 12% 46% 37% 83% 3% 3% 13% 41% 41% 81%

The program equipment is

adequate to meet and course and

program objectives.

3% 10% 40% 47% 87% 1% 1% 17% 39% 41% 80%

Average Overall Approval Rating 88% Average Overall Approval

Rating 84%

Figure 2.3



2I1 Improving Current Processes and Systems The College annually collects and analyzes the data results and uses them to set yearly targets. For example, when attendance numbers were reported for the past years community events it was determined that certain nights and offerings were more attended than others and that data was used in planning the next year’s offerings. The physics lab facilities needing updating is just another example of how the College uses the information obtained. The information was obtained through the advisory council survey, and then sent as a departmental action project to the Strategic Planning process. It was determined by the Administrative Council to approach the Endowment Office about starting a capital fund raising campaign to support the remodeling project. Donations were then accepted through the Endowment Office to be used for the physics lab. 2I2 Setting Targets for Improvement As mentioned in 2I1, the targets are set by the appropriate vice president using multiple feedback measures. Once the targets are set, they are communicated through council reports (Administrative Council, Academic Affairs, PACE and Board of Trustees) and minutes, published on the College intranet, and shared through all College inservice events. Current targets for other distinctive objectives include increasing number of offerings and attendance numbers for community events, increasing post-season honors for athletic teams, and improving communication through leadership.



Fall 2009 Strategic Planning Survey Results All Responses (n=541)

Rating Scale Student College Employee

Community Member

Business or

Industry Leader

No Response Total

Demographic Information: Which most aptly describes you today?

387 95 19 39 1 541

71.53% 17.56% 3.51% 7.21% 0.18% 100.00%

Rating Scale Not

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Activities/Clubs: Is change needed? 46.03% 2.22% 8.69% 32.72% 6.47% 2.22% 1.66%

Athletic Programs: Does the college need more athletic teams or offerings? 38.26% 4.07% 13.49% 27.54% 10.91% 3.70% 2.03%

Business/Industry Partnerships: Does the college need to have more partnerships? 27.17% 1.29% 4.62% 28.65% 24.77% 11.83% 1.66%

Communication to all Stakeholders: Does the communication process need change? 24.03% 1.85% 14.60% 39.56% 13.12% 5.55% 1.29%

Cultural Arts: Does the college need to provide more cultural arts? 25.69% 1.85% 12.38% 37.34% 15.34% 5.73% 1.66%

Cultural Diversity: Is change needed at the college? 17.19% 4.07% 19.22% 44.92% 9.24% 4.07% 1.29%

Current Practices: Do any of the current practices at the college need change? 15.90% 1.85% 15.16% 48.24% 9.98% 5.73% 3.14%

Housing: Is change needed at the college? 47.87% 1.48% 10.72% 24.21% 9.80% 4.07% 1.85%

Marketing of College: Is change needed at the college? 15.53% 2.03% 18.30% 43.62% 12.20% 5.18% 3.14%

New Classes or Programs: Are any new classes or programs needed at the college? 8.32% 0.55% 8.69% 39.93% 27.54% 12.38% 2.59%

Online Education: Does the college online education practice require change? 13.31% 2.96% 20.52% 35.86% 16.82% 7.95% 2.59%

Student Services: Does the college need change in admission practice, student life or other areas that affect students?

56.56% 2.22% 7.39% 23.11% 6.10% 3.14% 1.48%

Rating Scale Not

A

pplic

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Overall Satisfaction: What is your overall satisfaction with the services provided by the college? 0.00% 0.74% 2.03% 19.41% 51.94% 24.77% 1.11%

Last Strategic Process (please respond only if you participated in the process last year): How satisfied are you with the strategic planning process at the college?

0.00% 0.18% 0.92% 13.68% 13.12% 4.62% 67.47%

Figure 2.4


Category Three � Understanding Students’ and Other Stakeholders’ Needs 3.1

Cowley College strives to collect feedback from its stakeholders. Understanding the needs of students and other stakeholders is important to any higher education institution. This information is used in planning for continuous improvement. Student needs are typically easier to identify than the broad needs of other stakeholders.

3P1 Identifying, Analyzing, and Meeting the Changing Needs of Student Groups Current students are grouped into four main categories: degree-or certificate-seeking, non-degree-seeking, special student populations and developmental. Degree-and certificate-seeking students have varied needs, each determined by outside constituents. Transferability is key to the degree programs. Both student groups have needs that are determined by the transfer institution or other stakeholders (employers) that will be the recipients of the students. In order to maintain smooth transferability and to ensure that the College is providing needed course content, Cowley has been participating in yearly core competency meetings with the other regent institutions (two-and four-year), to discuss course content and transfer issues. Student groups are further analyzed based on placement assessments and ACT scores, which are used to determine course readiness and to help identify the students needing remediation. Special student populations’ needs are determined at an individual level through the Disability Services Coordinator, International Student Advisor, IMPACT, and other entities. Concurrent students’ needs are determined in conjunction with the area USDs, the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR), and the Technical Education Authority (TEA). Student needs also are determined using a variety of feedback mechanisms. The online application form requests information such as degrees or majors of interest. If a prospective student comes to the campus to apply for admission or for a personal tour, they are given an evaluation form to fill out about their campus visit experience. These evaluation forms are reviewed by the Admissions Office and the VicePresident of Student Affairs. Prior to completing an application, many other scenarios might have occurred, such as high school visits, campus days, coach contacts, e-mailings, print mailings, phone calls, etc. These results may not be formally documented but are invaluable information-gathering processes that help identify needs. During the enrollment process, other documentation is collected which is related to student needs. Formal documentation of needs is gathered through ACT scores, previous grades, individualized educational plans from public secondary schools, COMPASS tests (college administered placement tests), FAFSA (financial aid information), and business office paperwork, including payment arrangements and housing applications. Most service areas on campus conduct annual and semi-annual surveys that ask questions regarding the quality of the services and customer satisfaction. Surveys are used in the Admissions Office, bookstore, Financial Aid Office, Business Office, and New Student Orientation on a regular basis. For some activities, such as parent participation in New Student Orientation, parents also are surveyed. Faculty members and assessment personnel work together to revise math and English placement scores to help ensure accurate course placement. In addition to the local surveys administered, Cowley also participates in various Noel-Levitz Surveys. Course satisfaction is evaluated by conducting course evaluations each semester. These evaluations are now administered online and are connected to each student’s individual course schedule through their Campus Connect account. Online students also are required to fill out online evaluations over their courses taken at Cowley. Instructors fill out computerized Student Academic Reports (SARS) on students who become academically at-risk (based on grades and attendance). Both the student and the advisor receive an academic report. The advisor then follows up on the academic reports which indicate “at risk” situations (low grades or attendance) with his/her advisees. Besides just following up on SAR reports, advisors have additional one-on-one time with students to personally discuss options and interests, majors, transfer issues, etc.

AQIP Category Three Understanding Students’ and Other Stakeholders’ Needs



Renn Memorial Library serves as the primary academic support service area to main campus students. The library coordinates a variety of academic services, including research assistance, print and online access to educational materials, supplemental course software, computer applications access, Internet access, make-up testing, instructor reserves, student account password resets, and more. Peer tutoring and career and transfer services are also offered by the College. The peer tutoring services are free and available to all students. Tutoring is offered thirty-nine hours a week, five days a week at the main campus. Peer tutoring is also offered at Cowley’s major academic outreach centers as well. The tutoring programs are assessed regularly, both by subject inclusion and hours offered. In the fall of 2009, Cowley County Community College was approved by the Higher Learning Commission to offer degrees fully online. In 2007, an action project was created that dealt specifically with assuring consistency and quality in online delivery. This action project continues to examine instruction, course competencies, retention, learning outcomes, and student support services for online students. The College employs an e-learning staff which provides technical and online instructional assistance to Cowley’s faculty and staff. In January 2009, the College began contracting with Presidium, an outside company to provide “help desk” services for our educational-technical needs. As a result of implementing the new help desk, solution times have been cut down to less than one day. Cowley promotes online orientations to familiarize students with the processes and expectations of online learning. The College bookstore, the Sid Regnier Bookstore, also recognized this increase in online students and recently added a virtual bookstore to partner with the physical location. Students can now purchase their books online and have them shipped to any location. The library has an extensive collection of electronic resources that can be used remotely from any location with Internet accessibility. Although Cowley does not currently pay for an online tutoring system, students are supported and encouraged to access HomeworkKansas, which is a free-to-Kansas-students online tutoring resource offered by Kan-Ed. HomeworkKansas offers online tutoring assistance in all general education college courses, a proof-reading option for essays and papers, resume assistance, and GED prep. Campus life is one more area where students’ needs are always changing, and it is a very important piece of the college experience. The College has a Director of Student Life who works closely with student organizations and offices to enhance student life. An active Student Government Association (SGA) and campus clubs and organizations provide activities to enhance student life outside of the classroom. SGA meets regularly and solicits input from students about what type of activities to conduct. The most formal method of assessing College-sponsored events is by taking attendance. Another area directly related to campus life is security. As Cowley’s student population continues to increase so does the number of students who live in the College’s dorms. Within the last few years Cowley has drastically increased its security in both manpower and safety equipment. Cowley offers 24/7 security and currently employees four full-time and one part-time security officers and has numerous security cameras in every building on campus except one, both inside and outside of the buildings. Cowley students have the option of signing up for emergency text messages sent from the College that include safety situations, school closings, emergency weather alerts, etc. In addition, in August 2009, Cowley implemented a state-of-the-art IP based intercom system that allows instant communication to any or all buildings on the Arkansas City campus from any computer on campus. While the system will continue to evolve, this was the last major piece of equipment to be implemented. 3P2 Building and Maintaining Relationships with Students Relationships with prospective students are built through a variety of means. They include College admissions representatives visiting local high schools, established campus days at the College, established Principal Counselor Days, print mailings, e-mails, phone calls, campus tours given by admission representatives, student ambassadors, or coaches, and personal discussions with parents, either with admissions representatives, faculty, coaches, or activity directors. Coaches often attend high school sporting events and meet with possible recruits. The Cowley website also is used for recruitment. In January 2008, Cowley College was recognized as having the best admissions web site among all community colleges in a study conducted by the National Research Center for College & University Admissions (NRCCUA). Along with having the top-ranked community college admissions web site, Cowley was also the only school in Kansas to have its admissions web site ranked among the top-10 institutions in the Midwest.



Upward Bound, a federally-funded program within the College, also endeavors to build strong relationships with prospective students. This program meets regularly with its participants through planned events and school visits. Upward Bound serves students who have completed the eighth grade but who have not yet entered the 12th grade. Upward Bound provides participants with a wide range of free services, including tutoring, counseling, classroom instruction, college and career guidance, and improvement of their academic skills and their motivation and determination to pursue a postsecondary education. For current students, relationships are built through a variety of College processes. The process of enrolling involves direct contact and communication with the Admissions department, an assigned advisor based upon student major, financial aid assistants, business office assistants, bookstore staff, and dorm managers (if applicable). As soon as a student enrolls at Cowley he/she is assigned a student ID. With this new identification number he/she has access to personalized student account information. Every student is also given a Cowley student email account for sharing pertinent school information. Cowley understands how important it is for new students to feel welcomed and comfortable as quickly as possible. Therefore New Student Orientation is strongly promoted to all new college students. In 2004, the College implemented a new mentoring system known as Cowley Compass, based on the philosophy that students who feel a sense of belonging in their campus community are more successful in obtaining their academic goals. Through this program students were originally matched with a Cowley administrator, faculty or staff member who served as the students’ guide (or compass) during the orientation class. After reviewing feedback from this program, which indicated students wanted more peer involvement, it was modified three years later to include a student Captain, instead of an employee Compass leader. Academic success and strong student retention are major goals of the College. Student Academic Reports based upon grades and attendance, are regularly submitted by the instructor to the student and to the student’s advisor. Advisors follow up on the academic reports with their advisees. Students visit with their advisors to enroll, drop or add courses; discuss transferability, career options, and other issues. Instructors provide students with a listing of office hours along with the class syllabus. Office hours also are posted outside instructors’ doors. As mentioned previously, the College offers free, on-campus, peer-tutoring services five days a week that are open to all Cowley students. Students who are accepted into the IMPACT program have an even more individualized plan for success. IMPACT is a federally-funded, Student Support Services TRIO grant designed to assist eligible students in successfully reaching their goal of graduation from Cowley College. IMPACT students work closely with the program’s personnel to develop a Personal Success Plan. They must be planning to graduate from Cowley with a degree and show an academic need for services. Besides meeting these criteria, the students also must meet one of the following situations: be a first-generation college student (neither parent graduated with a bachelor’s degree), meet specific income guidelines, or have a documented disability (learning or physical). The Disability Services Program provides accommodations for any student with a documented disability. Services include assistive technology, books on tape, note takers, tape recorders, readers, mobility aides, interpreters (deaf or hard of hearing), transcribers, alternative testing, and placement testing accommodations. The Disability Services Program coordinator works closely with students who have documented disabilities and want intervention. Beyond academic success, the overall well-being of each student is important to Cowley College. Cowley employs a full-time Student Life Counselor, who is available for students to talk to in a confidential, one-on-one environment. Cowley also hosts a Health Center and employs a registered nurse who is able to provide a variety of services, including treatment for minor illnesses, emergency care, health tests, and informative talks or health literature, etc. Most health services are available free of charge. A physicians’ assistant from our local clinic makes visits to our College and meets with students, at no cost to the students. There are various clubs and organizations on campus that allow students and College personnel to meaningfully interact in a non-classroom setting. Many of the activities that are featured seek both student and staff involvement. One example is the annual Puttin’ On the Hits, which is a lip-sync contest



with both student and staff acts. Various clubs and organizations plan fun activities throughout the semester that all students are invited to participate in, such as the Back to School Bash, Homecoming Week activities, Spirit Days, Spring Fling, Movie Night, Bowling Night, Turkey Bowling, and Mr. Cinderfella. Intramural sports are hosted by the Student Life Department, and are always popular, involving both College personnel and students. After a recent performance from a touring improv group, several students showed interest in creating their own improv group, and a new student club was formed. Another very successful program at Cowley is the Adopt-A-Player Program. This program is designed to make out-of-town athletes feel at home. Anyone within the community can participate in this program. Local families are paired with an (or a few, depending upon their choice) out-of-town college athlete. Many College employees are “foster parents” to student athletes. In Fall of 2009, more than 40 athletes participated in the Adopt-A-Player program. The College encourages employee support at all College activities. Employees are granted free or discounted passes to most athletic events and cultural arts performances. During an inservice in 2006, College employees participated in an appreciative inquiry activity. One area that quickly gained support was cultural diversity and the desire to positively promote more of it within the College and the community. Several employees volunteered to support the cause, and a new Cowley Action Project was created. The mission of this team is to assist Cowley College in celebrating the diversity of cultures among students, staff, and faculty. The goal is to provide an opportunity to educate and embrace individual uniqueness which ultimately leads to global unity. This committee has already created a new club on campus for students and hosted several activities, some of which include the Listening Project, African Footprints, Salsa lessons, cultural cuisine nights in the College cafeteria, features in the Cowley Press (the student newspaper), and more. There are currently more than 150 students participating in the work study program. Work-study positions within the College allow students to work in various College offices and departments and are another way that the College develops relationships with students. The student earns money, practices a skill, and often develops close relationships with College employees. A listing of off-campus job offerings is kept up-to-date and posted online and on a job board on campus. Another (perhaps less obvious) way of making a positive impact on campus life is the amount of time, effort, and care that goes into maintaining the College grounds and facilities. The grounds are always kept attractive, manicured, and safe. Dorms also are kept clean and regularly maintained. Students report any problems to their dorm manager, who either fixes the problem or reports it to the maintenance department. Some Cowley students never set foot on campus. Developing relationships with students who only take online classes is one of the College’s newest challenges. Instructors stay in contact with their online students through personal e-mails, group discussions, phone calls (if necessary), etc. Most online instructors make group discussions and individual posts mandatory for online course offerings. Every student at Cowley is given an email account, locally referred to as “c-mail.” Students are encouraged to check their c-mail regularly to receive pertinent academic and social Cowley news. In 2007, a new committee at the College was created and charged with the task of ensuring that typical student services are available and marketed to online students just as they are to students who physically attend classes on campus. The College webmaster takes an active role in this task as well. 3P3 Identifying Changing Needs of Key Stakeholder Groups The College has identified several key stakeholder groups, including prospective students, government and taxpayers, community, the Cowley Board of Trustees, the Kansas Board of Regents, parents, educational entities, and employers and businesses. (Table 3.1) Parents are invited to attend New Student Orientation with their college-age child who is enrolling at Cowley for the first time. There are several sessions specifically for parents that address topics of interest to guardians. Parents also are given an evaluation form to fill out at the end of the day to rate their experiences on campus. Cowley graduates are given a graduate survey. Success rates of Cowley students are measured at select universities such as Wichita State University and Emporia State University.



Student and Stakeholder Groups Requirements and Expectations

Current Student GroupsFace-to-Face Students

Online Students, & other Distance Education Students Degree/Certificate-Seeking

Program Completers Transfer

Non-Degree-Seeking Lifelong Learning

Job/Skill/Personal Enrichment Business and Industry Training

Guests Special Student Populations

Non-Traditional Special Needs

Concurrent International

At-risk Developmental

Course availability ● Transferability of coursework Relevance

of coursework to employment requirements Effective academic advising Instructional effectiveness Current and adequate

facilities, technology, and equipment Current and accessible library materials Learning support services and resources ●

Timely, clear, and accurate information ● Successful and quick registration ● One-stop service for essential functions

(admissions, registration, financial aid, business office) ● Varied time and date offerings of courses ● Positive

institutional image Continuing learning opportunities ● Effective placement testing ● Assistance with job placement ●

Accommodation of special needs, when required ● Support services for special populations ● Learning assistance/tutoring

Safety ● Health services ● Food services Campus life activities

Prospective Student GroupsGeneral Education

Career/Technical Education Student Athletes

Customized Training

Available textbooks ● User-friendly application process

Ease of admissions process ● Available courses Financial aid/affordable tuition ● Affordable housing Campus

life activities ● Clear and accurate information provided in a timely fashion ● Campus information readily available ● Effective new student orientation ● One-stop service for

essential functions ● Attractive and user-friendly web site

Other Stakeholders

Government and Taxpayers Legislators

Government Agencies—Federal, State, Local Community

Alumni/Friends Community Leaders

College Board of Trustees Kansas Board of Regents

Technical Education Authority Parents

Industry Partners Academic Partners

Compliance with federal, state, and local laws/guidelines Fiscal

responsibility ● High standards of quality Cost effectiveness ● Accountability ● Student success

Employee success ● Positive institutional image Connection with campus ● Healthy enrollment

Enthusiastic support of College initiatives ● Connections with other alumni and faculty ● Opportunities to give back to the

College through donations, time, mentoring, etc ● Safe campus ● Affordable education package

Academic Integrity

Educational Entities Transfer Institutions

School Districts/Feeder Schools

Well-prepared students ● Timely and helpful information and interactions ● Articulation agreements ● Collaboration and

partnerships

Employers and Business Relationships

Ready to learn interns ● Well-prepared graduates ● Quality

workforce ● Collaboration and partnerships ● Technical skills ● Ability to work on a team ● Opportunities for continuing

education ● Recognition for support

Figure 3.1



Pertaining to feeder schools, prospective student needs are determined through direct communication with high school counselors, providing insight about secondary school needs. High school counselors also are invited to visit the campus once a year for counselor/student sessions. During these sessions, counselors can meet with their previous high school students and discuss various issues, including college transition. The needs of taxpayers and those of governing boards are determined by College administrators and board members who attend state and national meetings to keep current with legislation, funding, and reform. Each Cowley board member is assigned a College e-mail account. Likewise, all College employees, full and part-time, College faculty, and adjunct faculty, also have College-assigned e-mail accounts. Through the e-mail system, everyone, including board members, is able to stay current with College happenings and events. Through this direct communication, board members truly do have a sense of what is going on at the College on a daily basis. Board members also are invited to all College functions such as the annual College Christmas party, inservice activities, retirement celebrations, etc. Employer and business needs also are strongly sought and recognized through Advisory Councils. Community needs are determined through feedback from formal and informal correspondence with the Board of Trustees, administration, faculty and staff. College administrators and public relations personnel attend Chamber of Commerce sponsored community coffee meetings and a stakeholder survey is conducted every year to gather feedback from community stakeholders. Cowley continues to offer training for business and industry, and is active in an effort to advance economic development within the community. The monitoring and tracking of Community Development is publicized in the College’s AIM document. The College has defined the role of “Community Development” as fostering development of the community through public service programs and partnerships with business and industry. Goal number ten listed in the AIM document is “Community Service and Partnerships” and “Satisfaction of Stakeholders.” Transfer institution needs are varied, based upon each individual institution. Communication between the registrar and the transfer institutions gives input into the transferability of courses and programs. In addition, correspondence with transfer students, reported in the Program Review, gives departments feedback regarding possible transfer issues. Cowley’s Director of Organizational Learning and Academic Advising maintains a transfer information website which links “plan of study degrees” offered at Cowley directly with numerous other four-year institutions. Cowley College advisors encourage students to be proactive in their plans of studies and coordinate and communicate with their intended transfer colleges while they are still taking classes at Cowley. 3P4 Building and Maintaining Relationships with Key Stakeholders The College strives to develop a strong relationship with the community and accomplishes this in various ways with lifelong learning opportunities. The outreach to the community is evident by offering several non-credit classes for personal enrichment and growth, including providing an up-to-date health and wellness center that is open to the community for a minimal fee, and through the creation and ongoing offerings of the popular “Golden Tigers” for men and women age 50 and older. The College definitely plays a vital role in enriching the community through arts and cultural events. Major shows and events are regularly sponsored by the College. Just in the last few years “African Footprint,” “A Christmas Carol,” “Ten Tenors” and John Bul Dau, a lost boy from Sudan, were all brought in by the College and open to the public. Recently the College started the “Gold Card” program. Gold Cards are freely offered to Cowley County residents age 65 and older. Gold Card members may attend Cowley College sporting events and Cowley College performances in the Robert Brown Theatre at no charge. Another important outreach by the College is the opportunity for the public to reserve some of the College facilities such as the Earle N. Wright Community Room and the Robert Brown Theatre inside the Brown Center. Numerous informational city meetings are held each year on the College campus. Cowley strongly promotes service learning. Our ACES (Academic Civic Engagement through Service) program is an opportunity for students to apply academic concepts to real-world situations and gain transferable skills and make an impact on the community. Scholarships are given each academic year to students for the purpose of service learning. Beyond the scholarship awardees, any students that are enrolled in psychology and sociology classes are required to complete a minimum of 5 hours of service.



Other courses that actively promote civic engagement are economics and various social science and art classes. Communication is a key ingredient in any relationship. Much of the College’s communication to key stakeholders is in the form of publications. Cowley’s website is updated regularly with information, current happenings, news releases, contact information, and future events. The Cowley journalism department publishes The Cowley Press, which is sent to many county residents and various high schools across the state. The Alumni and Development personnel print a newsletter called The Tiger Alumni News that is sent to more than 13,000 College alumni. Both the newspaper and the alumni newsletter can be found online as well as in print. The city newspaper, the Arkansas City Traveler, often features noteworthy College happenings, upcoming events, and sports information. The Advisory Councils also use newsletters and mailings as a way of building relationships. Cowley’s Athletic programs serve as one of strongest community tie-ins. Community support is evident by attendance at all of the College’s major sporting events. The College also maintains a very active and supportive Tiger Booster Club. The Booster Club is very successful in seeking and obtaining donations to help support the athletic program. Members of the Tiger Booster Club are also invited to meet and socialize with College representatives, athletes, and other club members throughout the year. Fun events such as the Tiger Skins Golf Tournament are highly attended and allow for relationship building between the College and the community. In 2000, the athletic department began a Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame. Each year, new inductees are accepted into the Hall of Fame. Recently some of the sporting programs (baseball, danceline, etc.) have held reunions for former and current players. 3P5 Determining if New Student and Stakeholder Groups should be Addressed within

Educational Offerings and Services All services and offerings of the College must meet the school’s overall mission. Often, community issues can dictate a certain path to follow. For instance, within Cowley County, several industries closed within a short period of time in the mid-1990s (Binney & Smith Crayola Plant, Total Petroleum Refinery, and Winfield State Hospital & Training Center). Suddenly, a large number of unemployed people sought new training, job skills, and a formal education. The College took an active role to assist these displaced workers by working with state and federal agencies and local organizations to serve the community by developing an integrated workforce that is prepared for future changes. Another example of meeting changing community needs occurred when a new meat packing plant began operations in Arkansas City. With it, came an influx of non-English-speaking residents to the community. The College, as well as several other organizations in town, now offers English as a Second Language courses. Students’ needs and wants often influence offerings. During the past five years, there has been an increase in the number of developmental students enrolled at the College. Cowley has devoted fiscal and human resources in the form of faculty and grant money to develop alternative methods of delivery, competency-based learning, and computer-aided instruction to increase student success and promote student retention. Enrollment trends also influence offerings of services. For example, Cowley has a continually growing outreach center located in Mulvane and two student service centers in Wichita. All three of these locations are approximately 45-60 miles north of the main campus. With the population trends rising in the northern locations and in response to student feedback, Cowley opened a new College bookstore location in Wichita, so area students would not have to travel the distance to the campus to purchase their textbooks. The College recently partnered with Pratt Community College to provide a Licensed Practical Nurse program and an Associate’s Degree in Nursing program. This was in response to both student demand and community need to provide qualified health care providers for the community and job retraining and health care career options for students. Cowley also maintains allied health partnerships with Wichita State University and Southwestern College so health students can continue in their health care educational and career choices seamlessly once they have completed their Cowley coursework. Nursing is just one of the many partnership programs embraced by Cowley.



For a new program or course to be offered, the Board of Trustees, the President, and the administration must agree that the offering is both needed and would be cost efficient. Economic trends, predictions, and impact are examined. Another area of consideration is the availability and existence of the program at other nearby collegiate institutions. The College’s strategic plan allows for input at every level. Each department is responsible for prioritizing its needs. These shared needs and visions are then reported to the next appropriate level, which then presents the needs to the Administrative Council. After the council’s approval, the next step is Board of Trustees approval. 3P6 Collecting, Analyzing and Communicating Complaint Information from Students and

Stakeholders Online through the College website, feedback can be given to the College President. A button labeled “Tell it to the President” is present on the home page of the College’s web site. The form was recently updated to include the following categories: compliment, complaint, suggestion, report an unsafe or inefficient condition, or request for information. There are 21 different departments listed, and an “other” category. The various breakdowns of information within the form allow feedback to be better utilized by more effectively channeling the request to the appropriate vice president, and ensuring a follow-up response with tracking. The College has an annual strategic planning survey. It is available to all students, employees, and community members. The results are analyzed and used for decision-making purposes. The results are also shared at a College-wide inservice and available online for public viewing. The Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory, classroom evaluations, and the surveys used throughout the campus (discussed in 3P1) are very important to the College for gathering complaint information. The results are examined, shared throughout the College, and used to target areas of improvement. Advisors have a vested interest in each one of their advisees. Advisors often serve as liaisons between students and administration. If, for any reason, a student is not satisfied with his/her current advisor, he/she can request a different advisor by filling out the “Change of Advisor” form. The College is presently looking at means of advisees evaluating advisors in addition to the Noel-Levitz student survey. Students also have an open-door policy with the Director of Student Life and the Vice President of Student Affairs. The College has a set policy for student grievances that appears in its entirety in the student handbook and College catalog. Policy number 404.00 Student Grievances states: Any student receiving disciplinary action or required to pay any fine or penalty as a result of a violation other than appeal of course grades or withdrawal from class may appeal that action according to the procedure listed below. The steps of the appeal are then followed by student and administration. 3R1 Measuring and Analyzing Student Satisfaction with Performance Cowley conducts and analyzes many internal surveys. Standard classroom evaluations are conducted regularly. Most departments on campus conduct, analyze, and develop plans of action based on their own customer satisfaction surveys. Some of the local surveys include Admissions, Employer Needs, Workforce Development, Career/Technical Students, Dorm, Business Office, Accounts Payable, Tutor, Food Service, Graduate, Orientation, Parent Survey at Orientation, Bookstore survey, etc. In addition to the Cowley surveys, the College participates in national surveys and assessments. The College utilizes the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction survey and uses the data obtained in many decision-making processes (Figure 7.3). 3R2 Student Satisfaction Performance Results The Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory is administered each spring by the Director of Organizational Learning and Academic Advising. The results are analyzed by student affairs personnel, and changes in processes are made accordingly. The College’s gap between importance and satisfaction has remained consistently smaller than the national gap in each category (Figure 7.2). In December 2007, the College also began administering the Noel-Levitz’s Online Learners Survey (Figure 3.2) seeking information to guide process improvement efforts for online learners.



Figure 3.2

All business service areas conduct customer satisfaction surveys each spring. Figure 3.3 shows comparison data from the Accounts Receivable Internal Surveys for spring 2008 and 2006. As a result of feedback received from the survey, accounts receivable staff members created a detailed payment information sheet and a contact information sheet for distribution on campus and at outreach sites. The Admissions Office also conducts customer service surveys with prospective students and the data indicates a steady improvement in a variety of areas. 3R3 Performance Results for Building Student Relationships Student satisfaction levels are slightly easier to measure than relationships. However, numerous other measures can be taken and inferred upon relationship building. The number of students served through disability services continues to rise (Figure 3.4) and total number of student clients served by counseling services has remained steady over the last few academic years. Usage reports for service areas such as the library (Figure 3.5) and tutoring (Figure 3.6) continue to rise. Usage statistics for financial aid, health services, computer labs, and student life have also remained steady or risen. However these surveys that are conducted seek information about satisfaction levels and usage, not the quality of relationships built while utilizing the College services. Therefore no concrete numbers regarding relationships will be given in this section. Cowley does try to use student feedback to initiate changes if needed. One recent example of change directed from student feedback is evident in the Compass Mentor Program (3P2). The program was modified to include student mentors instead of faculty/staff mentors and became known as “Captain and Crew.” Feedback suggested that students would prefer more contact with other students than with faculty/staff members. The Cowley Adopt-a-Player program, as written about previously, is another prime example of relationship building with students. This program fosters relationships between College employees, community members, and student athletes.

6.42

Gap

= 0

.31

6.55

Gap

= .5

4

6.47

Gap

= .5

4 6.63

Gap

= .4

5

6.52

Gap

= .6

2

6.45

Gap

= 1

.04

6.3

Gap

= .6

7

6.39

Gap

= .6

8

6.42

Gap

= .5

9

6.31

Gap

= .7

6.116.01

5.93

6.18

5.9

5.725.63

5.71

5.83

5.61

5.20

5.40

5.60

5.80

6.00

6.20

6.40

6.60

6.80

Institutional Perceptions Academic Services Instructional Services Enrollment Services Student Services

Noel-Levitz Online Learners SurveyDecember 2007

Cowley College Importance National ImportanceCowley College Satisfaction National Satisfaction



Cowley College Cashier/Accounts Receivable Customer Service Survey

Spring 2006

Spring 2008

Agr

ee

Neu

tral

Dis

agre

e

Agr

ee

Neu

tral

Dis

agre

e

Phone/Mail Contacts

I received helpful information by phone/mail (please circle phone or mail). 78% 9% 13%

77% 19% 4%

I was treated courteously by campus staff. 86% 8% 6% 90% 10% 0%

My phone call was returned promptly. 74% 12% 14% 73% 21% 6%

I was able to obtain needed information without a campus visit. 75% 10% 15% 84% 15% 1%

I was able to resolve any problems without a campus visit. 70% 16% 14% 75% 20% 5% Campus Visits

I was treated courteously by campus staff. 87% 6% 7%

91% 9% 0%

I received the information/help I needed. 85% 10% 6% 88% 13% 0% Staff members were able to answer my questions quickly and accurately. 83% 8% 8% 90% 9% 1%

Staff members were able to direct me to the appropriate source. 85% 7% 7% 91% 9% 0%

Staff members were able to resolve my problems quickly. 80% 10% 10% 92% 8% 0%

Staff members were willing to go beyond the routine services I would expect. 76% 15% 10% 77% 20% 3%

Office hours were convenient for me. 85% 10% 5% 78% 17% 5% Cashier / Accounts Receivable

Paying my bill was quick and easy. 82% 9% 9%

85% 14% 1%

My bill was accurate. 84% 5% 11% 85% 11% 4%

My bill was easy to understand. 77% 14% 10% 87% 11% 2%

I was able to pay my bill without a campus visit. 81% 12% 7% 74% 22% 4%

I understand refunds are not processed for schedule changes until after the drop/add period. 88% 11% 1% 89% 8% 3%

I received my refund from a change in schedule (drop, canceled class) in a timely manner. 81% 11% 7% 78% 17% 5%

I received my refund of an outside scholarship in a timely manner. 84% 10% 6% 86% 13% 1% Figure 3.3

Figure 3.4

125

0.019visitsperFTE

113

0.016visitsperFTE

130

0.019visitsperFTE

120

0.018visitsperFTE

113

0.021visitsperFTE

103

0.015visitsperFTE

137

0.020visitsperFTE

118

0.017visitsperFTE

146

0.022visitsperFTE 65

0.012visitsperFTE

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009

Counseling and Disability Services Usage in Total Visits and Visits per FTE Counseling ServicesDisability Services



27,619

4.04 visitsper FTE

24,367

3.62 visitsper FTE

22,451

3.19 visitsper FTE

21,830

3.15 visitsper FTE

27,598

4.17 visitsper FTE

30,758

5.82 visitsper FTE

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009

Library Usage in Total Visits and Visits per FTE by Academic Year

1208

0.18 visitsper FTE 738

0.10 visitsper FTE 302

0.04 visitsper FTE

816

0.12 visitsper FTE

871

0.16 visitsper FTE

2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009

Tutoring Usage in Total Visits and Visits per FTE by Academic Year

Figure 3.5 3R4 Performance Results for Stakeholder Satisfaction In addition to student surveys, the College strives to collect feedback from internal customers. Figure 3.3 shows a sample of the Accounts Receivable Internal Survey for spring 2008. Academic departments at the College annually conduct surveys of their respective advisory committees to ensure that the program is meeting and/ or exceeding expectations.

Figure 3.6



3R5 Results for Building Relationships with Key Stakeholders Regarding relationships with stakeholders, Figure 2.3 shows compiled data for all academic departments from the Advisory Council Surveys and Figure 2.4 show stakeholder feedback from the Strategic Planning Survey. 3R6 Comparative Performance Results Many of the in-house stakeholder surveys currently being used are not normed, with the exception of the Noel-Levitz (Figures 3.2 and 7.3). The College is working on setting internal benchmarks for all of the institutional Key Measures through AIM. 3I1 Recent Improvements in Understanding Needs of Students and Key Stakeholders Cowley encourages and strongly supports internal feedback and suggestions for improvement, from its employees. After participating in an AQIP Strategy Forum in 2007, the original College AQIP steering team decided to redirect AQIP mission and outreach to the College, desiring more input from employees. The group was renamed the CAT Team (our mascot is a tiger). CAT stands for Cowley Action Team. The intention of this team is to solicit improvement suggestions at all levels of the College. Action Project ideas or suggestion submissions must meet at least one of the following criteria: improve the quality of work and/or the educational environment, enhance customer services, improve cost effectiveness, or meet our mission and or educational commitments. For ease of use, an online submission form has been created and made available to all employees. Once a suggestion has been submitted and accepted, a mentor from the CAT team is assigned to the project. This process has been used for two years, however, with changes in the strategic planning process, many of the CAT initiatives are now submitted as strategic plan initiatives and the CAT process may be phased out. The results from the numerous College surveys are analyzed by the appropriate department, committee or board. If deficiencies are noted, the responsible party will then make a plan for improvement to take to an immediate supervisor, the Academic Affairs Council, or the Administrative Council. 3I2 Setting Targets for Improved Performance in Understanding Students' and Other

Stakeholders' Needs?Administrators take the results of the local and national surveys very seriously. If there is an area that indicates a decline or lower-than-average ranking, best practices are reviewed, challenges defined, and a plan of action and research is devised. This plan may involve a few key players or an entire College effort.

Continual improvement is encouraged on an individual level as well as within departments. Every employee is required to develop an individual plan of improvement. Each employee meets with his/her supervisor annually to create a job target for the upcoming year and discuss the prior year’s target completion. Employee job targets focus on areas of professional developmental improvement. In most internal surveys given, communication has been evident as a common area of concern. College administrators are working diligently to help solve the communication discrepancies that might exist. Most recently defined and initiated are PACE meetings. Departments hold regular departmental meetings. Likewise, staff have one day each semester when all offices are closed and all employees meet for inservice. Then throughout each semester a few mandatory training times are scheduled for all employees that involve topics such as identity theft, emergency situation management, etc. Faculty and staff meet jointly at the beginning of the fall semester for an overall general session where pertinent information is shared. During this session the President always gives an outlook of the College as well as a “charge” of direction for the upcoming year. Throughout the year, committees meet frequently to work on projects and tasks. Besides the College’s public website, there also is the Intranet which is username/password protected. It hosts valuable information, including Mission Statement, Core Values, AQIP information, policies, calendars, forms, and other pertinent information.



Category Four � Valuing People 4.1

Cowley College has many dedicated faculty, staff and students that call the institution home. The College has shown, through recognition, professional development opportunities, and job benefits, the level of commitment to valuing people. To continue the efforts of the institutionalized valuing people AQIP Action Project and Professional Development team, the College has hired a Director of Organizational Learning and Advisement to oversee and coordinate many of the processes and programs developed by the teams. 4P1 Identifying Specific Credentials, Skills and Values Required of Employees Supervisors write a job description detailing the specific credentials (both those required and desired), the skill set and the duties of the position in collaboration with other colleagues and by using the Core Values that have been established by the College. Faculty credentials are in line with suggested qualifications as determined by the position. 4P2 Ensuring New Employees Meet Requirements Core Values have been established by the College, and during the interview process, questions may be asked to determine a prospective employee’s personal alignment to these values. References are also checked by the Director of Employee Services or the supervisor. Transcripts are also checked for faculty positions to ensure credentials and training. 4P3 Recruiting, Hiring, and Retaining Employees The College uses a multi-step process to recruit for open positions. An application for approval to hire, accompanied by an updated and reviewed job description, is approved by the administrator of the workgroup and the President. The Director of Employee Services advertises the position by posting a brief description of the job and the qualifications on the College’s website, placing ads in a variety of local newspapers, and using the Kansas State Job Service. To increase the diversity of the applicant pool, the College may need to consider additional marketing efforts that would reach outside the 50-75-mile radius it currently advertises within. The College believes in promoting from within, however, internal candidates are held to the same standards as outside candidates. The Director of Employee Services prescreens applicant resumes for minimum requirements before a copy of the application is given to the chair of the interview team for that position. The chair of the interview team chooses members to review resumes, selects applicants to interview, and participates in the interview process. The team asks specific questions in a face-to-face interview, including job-specific questions and behavioral questions with regard to previous job experience, of all the candidates. For faculty positions, the candidate is required to conduct a classroom demonstration, in addition to the regular interview questions. For administrative interviews, applicants are asked to provide portfolios and respond to problem-solving case studies demonstrating writing and decision-making skills, in addition to the face-to-face interview. The chair of the interview team or the Director of Employee Services checks references. The applicant then is recommended to the administrator who supervises that department. The administrator sends the recommendation to the President, and the President takes it to the Board of Trustees for approval. The College continually tries to improve this process. The College retains employees by offering excellent benefits, compensation, secure work environment, up-to-date facilities, and an atmosphere of continuous improvement. Employees of the College take advantage of new employee orientation, training, and mentor programs when they are newly hired. Employees also have the opportunity for professional development, training, and lifelong learning while employed at the College. 4P4 Employee Orientation There is an Orientation Team that continually improves the process of new employee orientation. The staff and faculty hired at the beginning of the academic year receive two full days of orientation with

AQIP Category Four Valuing People



various employees of the College. Topics covered are: Cowley Culture, Orientation, Policies & Benefits, and Resources. The organization’s history, mission, and values are all covered in the Cowley Culture section. Employees hired during the academic year receive one-on-one orientation from a member of the Orientation Team. They are also scheduled for necessary training with departments. Each new employee is also assigned a mentor. The mentor acts as a resource when the new employee has questions or needs more information on processes during the employees first two years at the College. The College is in the process of producing a video to be used during orientation to acclimate new employees to the Cowley family. 4P5 Meeting Changing Personnel Needs Cowley’s administration develops needs analysis studies used to handle personnel changes and projections. Needs analysis for administrative, staff, and/or faculty positions are based on new hire needs, retirement projections for positions to be re-hired, and recommendations from faculty program reviews. 4P6 Design of Work Processes Cowley College uses a job target form to help focus employees on work processes. Through this form, employees, along with their supervisor, develop a plan of action for job improvement. Improvement efforts are based on process efficiencies and can also target new initiatives. In addition, the College is currently focused on an Action Project that will provide more job cross-training so that normal college processes can continue, even if key employees are absent. Giving employees the ability to identify their own improvement initiative leads to improved employee satisfaction. 4P7 Ensuring Ethical Practices by Employees Ethical standards have been addressed by the College’s policies and procedures, including the Employee Code of Ethics, the Academic Integrity Policy, and the commitment of employees to the Core Value of Integrity. The College also addresses ethics in its Statement of Institutional Purpose, which accompanies the Mission Statement. Policies are in place to handle disciplinary procedures for both employees and students. The academic tracking and disciplinary procedures for students is done through the Vice President of Academic Affairs office. The tracking and disciplinary procedures for employees is done through the Human Resources office. 4P8 Determining, and Designing Employee Training Training needs are identified in several ways. Needs are determined by annual personnel evaluations, job targets, surveys, recommendations from Administration, the Technology Advisory Group and often by the Director of Employee Services. Once personnel evaluations and job targets are completed with employees, supervisors ensure that their employees receive or attend needed training. Training needs are discussed by the Administrative Council so needs can be coordinated and offered to employees. Training needs are also addressed in coordination with needs analysis based on strategic planning, development requirements, and College goals. Employee training increases the College’s focus on helping students learn and accomplishing other objectives and goals by keeping current with technology and teaching strategies for use in the classroom, offering faculty and staff continued skill set development, and providing professional enrichment to improve the performance of employees in the classroom and support service workgroups. 4P9 Training Employees to Effectively Contribute to the Organization and its Changing Needs The College reinforces professional development and training by providing opportunities and funding for in-house workshops, conference participation, and by encouraging staff and faculty to be life-long learners. The College offers a full calendar of professional development and training opportunities with a variety of topics including: technology, health, safety, mental health, customer service, advising, and online technology. Most training is optional, but mandatory training sessions are done once per semester and topics include new technology, new processes and procedures or information that is pertinent to most



employees. Faculty and staff members also have the opportunity to attend sessions during Summer Academy where teaching and learning of new and current technology in the classroom is presented along with a variety of other personal and professional development topics. 4P10 Design and Usage of Personnel Evaluation System All efforts of the College are aimed at enriching faculty and staff’s ability to enhance student success and perform their jobs more effectively and efficiently. Faculty follow recommended procedures for evaluations as outlined in the negotiated agreement, including self-evaluations, student evaluations, department chair evaluations, and administrative classroom observations. Administrators are evaluated by employees who work for them, and those evaluations are given to the President to use along with his evaluations. Supervisors evaluate staff on an annual basis through job targets. Training is conducted on how to complete job targets. Job targets encourage employees to be proactive with new ideas, processes, and goals. Employees meet with their supervisors annually to review performance and develop plans of action for the coming year. Through the job target process, employees take ownership in the College’s objectives and goals and have the ability to make change in their own areas and departments. 4P11 Design and Organizational Alignment of Employee Recognition, Reward, Compensation, and Benefit Systems Cowley believes in recognizing its employees in several ways (Figure 4.1). Employee Services Office staff and the recognition committee at the College are continually looking at additional programs to reinforce employees who go “above and beyond.” Employees who serve on teams and action projects are recognized publicly for hard work during inservice and each team is listed on the Cowley intranet website. New employees and mentors are also recognized during inservice. The Cowley website plays a major role in acknowledging employees who have received recognition for conference presentations, community or volunteer activities, and recognizing the activities of student programs and groups.

Employee Recognition

Award Recognition Criteria Recipient Group

Years of Service Awards Completion of 5 or more years of

service and awarded in 5 year increments

Full-time faculty and staff

"Paw on the Back" Cards Going above and beyond and doing something great for other employees

or students

Employees (sent by other employees)

Paul Stirnaman Memorial Award

Dedication to CEA (College Education Association) and excellence in

teaching

Full-time faculty members of CEA

Endowed Chair for Teaching Excellence and Student

Learning

Teaching excellence and student learning

Full-time faculty nominated by the instructional

departments

NISOD Excellence Award Teaching excellence Full-time faculty

Figure 4.1 4P12 Determining Key Issues Related to Employee Motivation Cowley continually strives to provide an excellent working environment and “family” atmosphere for employees. This is done through providing the best working conditions and proper equipment for all employees. Administration has an open door policy and employees have the opportunity to discuss any new ideas or concerns one-on-one with administrators. The College also encourages employees to get involved in committees and teams to have a voice in decision making. Employees can also get involved



with other activities that take place throughout the campus. Examples include student club sponsorship; attendance at cultural and sporting events on campus; involvement with new student orientation; attendance at conferences, training or other professional development events; and community volunteer work. Employee feedback is sought for training efforts and for inservice activities. The Academic Affairs Council provides input to the Vice President of Academic Affairs regarding issues relating to faculty members. 4P13 Providing for and Evaluating Employee, Satisfaction, Health and Safety, and Well Being Cowley College offers activities and workshops throughout the year that benefit the health and well being of its employees. Figure 4.2 lists many of the health, safety, and wellness activities provided. A Director of Security and four officers have been hired to maintain security on campus. All stakeholders can view the campus crime statistics report and crisis management plan on the College’s website. A text messaging system is in place to alert students and Cowley employees of a variety of situations that may arise on campus. A recent enhancement to campus safety and security was the installation of a campus wide intercom system that provides emergency notification to all campus buildings simultaneously. Cowley has also implemented an online reporting form for employees to report safety concerns directly to the Site Safety Team. In addition, the College was the site for a simulated shooter scenario in summer 2008 that brought together emergency personnel from several entities and educational personnel in an all-day activity designed to improve actual response protocol.

Health and Wellness Activities

College-Wide Employee Specific

Drug and Alcohol Awareness Week Workshops featuring Mental Health Topics

Bloodmobile Free Use of the Wellness Center

Flu Vaccines EMPAC Workshops and Counseling Services

Great American Smoke Out Monthly Safety Newsletter

Mental Health Counseling Safety Training on Topics such as Fire Extinguisher

Training, Weather Awareness, Disaster Preparedness Training, CPR, and Basic First Aid

Health Services Wellness Center on Campus Nutrition and Aerobic Classes

Mental Health Assessment Days College Wide Site Safety Team meets periodically to review safety procedures, safety concerns

and reviews all accident reports for safety issues/improvements Figure 4.2

4R1 Measures Collected and Analyzed Regularly The College measures its value in people through participation of employees in activities and feedback from employee surveys. Measures collected on how the College values people include the Employee Satisfaction Survey ((Figure 4.3) and departmental quality surveys based on satisfaction, accountability and service (individual and customer). 4R2 Performance Results in Valuing People In addition to the employee survey, job target meetings are held with every employee for discussion of performance results. Since these are individual plans of improvement, no quantitative data is collected. The Employee Satisfaction Survey addresses specific area, such as communication, having resources needed to perform your job, and clarity of processes and goals.



Noel-Levitz Employee Satisfaction Survey Results - Spring 2009 (n=91)

Section 1: Campus Culture and Policies

Importance Scale: 1 = Not important <----->5 = Very important Satisfaction Scale: 1 = Not satisfied at all <-----> 5 = Very satisfied

Importance Satisfaction Gap Mean Mean

Staff take pride in their work 4.76 4.10 0.66 This institution treats students as its top priority 4.73 4.24 0.49 Faculty take pride in their work 4.72 4.15 0.57 Administrators take pride in their work 4.71 4.10 0.61 This institution promotes excellent employee-student relationships 4.66 4.23 0.43 This institution does a good job of meeting the needs of students 4.63 4.11 0.53 There is a spirit of teamwork and cooperation at this institution 4.58 3.92 0.66 The reputation of this institution continues to improve 4.56 3.88 0.68 The leadership of this institution has a clear sense of purpose 4.56 3.72 0.84 There is a spirit of teamwork and cooperation at this institution 4.55 3.57 0.98 This institution plans carefully 4.53 3.62 0.90 There is good communication between staff and the administration at this institution 4.48 3.42 1.06

Efforts to improve quality are paying off at this institution 4.47 3.86 0.61 This institution makes sufficient budgetary resources available to achieve important objectives 4.45 3.75 0.70

Administrators share information regularly with faculty and staff 4.44 3.38 1.06 There is good communication between the faculty and the administration at this institution 4.41 3.53 0.88

The goals and objectives of this institution are consistent with its mission and values 4.41 3.85 0.56

This institution does a good job of meeting the needs of staff 4.41 3.67 0.73 This institution makes sufficient staff resources available to achieve important objectives 4.40 3.59 0.81

This institution has written procedures that clearly define who is responsible for each operation and service 4.35 3.47 0.88

Most employees are generally supportive of the mission, purpose, and values of this institution 4.33 3.80 0.54

This institution does a good job of meeting the needs of its faculty 4.33 3.73 0.60 This institution involves its employees in planning for the future 4.32 3.54 0.78 This institution consistently follows clear processes for orienting and training new employees 4.30 3.57 0.73

Employee suggestions are used to improve our institution 4.29 3.45 0.84 This institution does a good job of meeting the needs of administrators 4.27 4.04 0.23 There are effective lines of communication between departments 4.27 3.26 1.01 The mission, purpose, and values of this institution are well understood by most employees 4.27 3.70 0.58

This institution consistently follows clear processes for recognizing employee achievements 4.27 3.57 0.70

This institution consistently follows clear processes for selecting new employees 4.23 3.46 0.77

Section 2: Institutional Goals

Importance Scale: 1 = Not important at all <-----> 5 = Very important Mean

A) Increase the enrollment of new students 4.80 B) Retain more of its current students to graduation 4.73 G) Improve the quality of existing academic programs 4.42 I) Improve employee morale 4.41 C) Improve the academic ability of entering student classes 4.25 F) Develop new academic programs 4.09 H) Improve the appearance of campus buildings and grounds 3.80 D) Recruit students from new geographic markets 3.76 E) Increase the diversity of racial and ethnic groups represented among the student body 3.57



Choose three goals that you believe should be this institution's top priorities First Second Third A) Increase the enrollment of new students 46 19 6 B) Retain more of its current students to graduation 14 34 15 G) Improve the quality of existing academic programs 10 15 17 I) Improve employee morale 10 5 10 C) Improve the academic ability of entering student classes 5 2 7 F) Develop new academic programs 4 12 21 D) Recruit students from new geographic markets 1 2 7 E) Increase the diversity of racial and ethnic groups represented among the student body 1 1 3

H) Improve the appearance of campus buildings and grounds 0 1 4 J) Other 0 0 1

Section 3: Involvement in Planning and Decision-Making Importance Scale: 1 = Not important <----->5 = Very important

Satisfaction Scale: 1 = Not satisfied at all <-----> 5 = Very satisfied Mean

How involved are: Senior administrators (VP, Provost level or above) 3.47 How involved are: Trustees 3.24 How involved are: Deans or directors of administrative units 3.21 How involved are: Deans or chairs of academic units 3.00 How involved are: Faculty 2.70 How involved are: Alumni 2.46 How involved are: Students 2.41 How involved are: Staff 2.38

Section 4: Work Environment Importance Scale: 1 = Not important <----->5 = Very important

Satisfaction Scale: 1 = Not satisfied at all <-----> 5 = Very satisfied Importance Satisfaction Gap

Mean Mean I am proud to work at this institution 4.71 4.43 0.27 My supervisor pays attention to what I have to say 4.67 4.18 0.49 I have the information I need to do my job well 4.66 4.02 0.64 The employee benefits available to me are valuable 4.64 3.84 0.80 The work I do is valuable to the institution 4.63 4.14 0.48 My department has the staff needed to do its job well 4.61 3.32 1.30 My job responsibilities are communicated clearly to me 4.58 4.06 0.52 It is easy for me to get information at this institution 4.55 3.87 0.68 The type of work I do on most days is personally rewarding 4.53 4.19 0.34 I am paid fairly for the work I do 4.52 3.36 1.16 My department has the budget needed to do its job well 4.50 3.48 1.02 I am empowered to resolve problems quickly 4.48 3.99 0.49 The work I do is appreciated by my supervisor 4.44 4.21 0.23 I have adequate opportunities for training to improve my skills 4.38 3.87 0.52 My supervisor helps me improve my job performance 4.36 4.06 0.31 My department meets as a team to plan and coordinate work 4.25 3.78 0.47 I learn about important campus events in a timely manner 4.25 3.88 0.37 I have adequate opportunities for professional development 4.18 3.88 0.30 I am comfortable answering student questions about institutional policies and procedures 4.11 3.93 0.18

My department or work unit has written, up-to-date objectives 4.08 3.78 0.30 I have adequate opportunities for advancement 3.98 3.66 0.32

Overall Satisfaction Rate your overall satisfaction with your employment here so far: 4.29

Section 5: Demographics

How long have you worked at this institution? Count Position? Count Less than 1 year 13 Faculty 19

1 to 5 years 24 Staff 66 6 to 10 years 16 Administrator 5

11 to 20 years 30 Total 90 More than 20 years 7

Total 90 Figure 4.3



4R3 Evidence of Employee Productivity and Effectiveness in Goal Achievement Job targets, which indicate specific goals and how each employee plans to measure and achieve those goals, are completed by all employees each year. Results of completed goals and plans of action for new goals are reviewed by supervisors, department heads, and administrators during the employee evaluation process each May. Departmental strategic plan goals are also submitted yearly. These goals are based on the College Mission Statement, Statement of Institutional Purpose, Core Values, President’s Vision, and President’s Goals. The goals, submitted to the Strategic Planning committee and then Administrative Council for review, explain how the goal will be achieved and the results measured. Once the goal is achieved, the outcomes are reported back to the Strategic Planning Committee and Administrative Council. 4R4 Comparing Results with Other Organizations In the spring of 2009 the Employee Satisfaction Survey was changed from an in-house survey to the Noel-Levitz Employee Satisfaction Survey to allow open and confidential input from all employees. With successive use, this survey should provide comparative and trend data. 4I1 Recent Improvements and Comprehensive Process Results Processes and systems are being evaluated and adjusted for improvement continually throughout the year by the Director of Organizational Learning and Advisement, Employee Services staff, the Administrative Council, and various teams. This is done by analyzing the employee survey, evaluations from new employee orientation, summer academy, professional development & training, inservice speakers, mentor program, etc. These results help to guide the many entities that make decisions regarding valuing people at the College. The College has also used inservice and College learning days to gain feedback from employees by doing SWOT analysis, appreciative inquiry, strategic planning group discussions, and AQIP category discussions. Improvements have been made each year to new employee orientation and the team is currently developing an online training component so participants can complete assignments, interact through the discussion board, and refer back to presentations in an easy to use format. The Employee Service Awards are now being presented at the spring inservice to ensure awardees can attend and be recognized by the entire College in a celebratory atmosphere. 4I2 Setting Targets for Improvement Every employee of the College is responsible for coming up with his/her own job targets each year, with their supervisor’s input. These job targets reflect goals that will improve their own job, their department, or the College as a whole. Departmental strategic plan goals are completed in a similar fashion with the College mission, purpose, core values, President’s vision, and President’s goals in mind. Specific processes and areas for improvement are arrived at by employee and supervisor decision. Each individual employee may have different priorities based upon their work duties and skill levels. Current results and priorities for improvement are communicated to students, faculty, staff, administrators and appropriate stakeholders via the following methods:

� Faculty department program reviews � Reports on individual and department job targets � Marketing, advertising, publications and press releases from the Public Relations office � Advisory Council communications � Employee involvement in economic development task force, chamber of commerce groups, and

participation in many other civic and community activities � Board of Trustees meetings � Website (both internet and intranet) � Strategic planning survey


Category Five � Leading and Communicating 5.1

5P1 Defining and Reviewing the Organizational Mission and Values The Mission of the College, as stated in Figure 0.1, is the guiding force for institutional action projects, individual job targets, departmental goals, and used in planning by both the Administrative Council and the Board of Trustees. The mission is reviewed annually as part of the strategic planning process by the Administrative Council and the Board. In addition, the crafting of the AQIP Systems Portfolio also provides an opportunity for review. The last update to the mission occurred during the fall of 2005 at an all-college inservice activity. At that time, the administrative team at Cowley College led an inservice in which all employees met to discuss the mission and values for the College. The results of that meeting included the evolution of four core values and their related purpose statements for the institution, Figure 5.1. While these values had always been an integral part of the College culture, this workshop allowed all employees to have a voice in determining which values were the most important to the College.

Cowley College’s Core Values

Core Value Purpose Statements

People

� We emphasize the importance of human relationships, diversity, and a

sense of community. � We provide student-centered instruction. � We provide a safe learning environment where joy, humor, and teamwork

are embraced. � We encourage open communication and the sharing of ideas.

Accountability

� Our students will receive a quality education. � The College will provide students the opportunity to take an active role in

their success. � All employees are responsible and committed to excellence. � We are accountable to the community to educate students and to sustain

and improve society.

Integrity � We regard honesty, trust, and respect as essential principles in our

academic, personal, and professional standards.

Leadership

� We provide a positive atmosphere that fosters personal and professional

growth. � We empower students and employees to be innovative and visionary.

Figure 5.1

These four core values help guide the College and the employees in decision making and process development. The values are revisited annually and communicated to every new employee. All employees are expected to use these values as a guide to work by on a daily basis. 5P2 Setting Directions Several methods and instruments are used to help determine the direction of the College so that it aligns with its mission and purpose. Input from both internal and external stakeholders is collected through surveys, forums, process improvement suggestions, various committee reports, and team meetings. The Administrative Council reviews all of the feedback and sets the course of action for the College. The direction for the College is then communicated by the administrative team members back to their respective areas.

AQIP Category Five Leading and Communicating



5P3 Considering Needs and Expectations of Students and Key Stakeholder Groups The Administrative Council has authority relationships which provide guidance and oversight to College operations. In addition to the College President, the authority relationships include the Cowley Boardof Trustees, community members, the Kansas Board of Regents, the Kansas Governor, and the State of Kansas. These entities help align College practices with our leadership system and serve as a good example of checks and balances. Figure 5.2 demonstrates the various constituencies and communication methods utilized on campus. 5P4 Guidance in Seeking Future Opportunities while Focusing on Students and Learning Cowley College encourages both students and employees to participate in service learning opportunities and the College promotes social engagement. One of the programs at Cowley College is the Academic Civic Engagement through Service (ACES) organization. This is a volunteer program that places students in service opportunities throughout the area. Yearly activities include Operation Happy Holiday, reading and tutoring in the elementary schools, the annual College blood drive, Bowl for Kids Sake, Manna Ministries, and volunteering at Goodwill and the Salvation Army. Additional projects which have been added this year are the Creative Community Living fundraiser night (a program for developmentally disabled individuals) and partnering with the local hospital in various volunteer capacities. The College also promotes social responsibility by encouraging the Cowley employees to participate in community and service organizations. Many employees are members of the Rotary, the Lions Club, and the VFW. Employees also serve on area boards such as the city commission, the human relations board, Soroptimist, the chamber board, and the Cowley First initiative. Several employees and students have participated this year in Habitat for Humanity. Serving the community through projects such as these further enhances the “family” atmosphere of the College among its employees and the students. Within the walls of the College, ethics and equity are enhanced by emphasizing the College’s four core values. Through professional development, the College is constantly working to bring relevant and meaningful training opportunities to employees. All employees have an opportunity to provide suggestions to the team for future inservice and training topics. An annual professional development training calendar is created, updated and training sessions promoted throughout the year. Feedback from these trainings is used to improve and develop offerings for the future. 5P5 Making Decisions, Using Teams The concept of cross-functional teams involves many employees and students in decision making at the College. The teams provide input and recommendations on key issues and have been a part of the Cowley culture for more than a decade. Recommendations from teams provide fact-based, cross-functional input for the Administrative Council. Most key processes of the College have an oversight team that analyzes data and makes suggestions to the appropriate administrator. In fall 2007, the Cowley Action Team (CAT) was established. The purpose of the cross-functional CAT is to provide a forum for any student, employee, or community member to submit ideas for College improvement. Mentors are assigned to the action projects suggested and the team provides support for the submission of ideas to Administrative Council for action. The Administrative Council has the ability to make decisions. However, the College President has the final say in decisions regarding the College.



Cowley College's Leadership and Communication Systems

Constituency Leadership Communications Intent

Senior Leadership Administrative Council

PACE Meetings

Bi-Weekly

Monthly

Ensure communications and synchronization across functional areas of responsibility

Students

Student Government Association Monthly Serves as the student governing body and presents initiatives to

the Student Affairs Committee

Noel-Levitz Survey of Student Satisfaction Annually Provides the College with student satisfaction feedback

Cowley Press Bi-Weekly Informs the College community about College events

Faculty

Academic Affairs Council Bi-Monthly

Provides the faculty an organized structure for working with administration in the development of policies and procedures

and resolves issues of concern

Department Meetings Monthly Addresses issues within each academic department

College Education Association Monthly Provides faculty a voice in issues relating to the Master

Agreement Focus Teams Monthly Commission committees to address specific concerns

Support Staff

Student Affairs Monthly Review and synchronization of operational issues; conduct planning for upcoming activities

Business Services Monthly Reviews processes that affect the fiscal management of the College

Drug and Alcohol Task Force Bi-Monthly Reviews processes associated with drug and alcohol policy

Student Life Committee Monthly Reviews processes that related to student activities and housing

Instructional Team Monthly Reviews processes that deal with instructional issues and strategies

Athletic Department Monthly Discusses issues related to student athletes Technical Support

Staff Monthly Reviews processes that affect technology both in the classroom and the office

President

Ongoing administrative interaction and

centralized control of system policies and

procedures

Ongoing with active participation on

Administrative Council, publishing of President's Annual Report, Tell it to the President, Strategic Planning Survey, PACE

Establishes a liaison with the Board of trustees, the Kansas Board of Regents, the Kansas Legislature, other post-secondary

institutions, institutional support committees and teams to ensure communication flow, and that the interests of Cowley are

addressed.

Board of Trustees

Meeting Attendance

Periodic Reporting

Monthly meetings and an annual retreat

Maintains a presence with the Board of Trustees which creates trust between the College Board and community and enhances

communication

Advisory Committees Department Chairs Twice annual meetings

and newsletters

Provides input to each program's curriculum, budgets, and focus; committees aid programs in keeping current with the

needs and expectations of employers, the community, and other institutions

State Legislature and

KAACT

Monitoring and continuous awareness

activities to keep members apprised of

College activities

Continuous Enacts legislation

Other Stakeholders:

Parents, Alumni, Donors, Media,

General Public, Tiger Booster

Club, Prospective

Students

Endowment Office Public Relations

Office Student Life Office

Community Members Admissions Office

Students of the Month, Senior Day,

College Planning Conference

Annual Endowment Meeting/Dinner,

Outstanding Tiger Alumni, Tiger Alumni News, President's Annual

Report, Tiger Hall of Fame

Community and financial support

Figure 5.2



5P6 Using Information and Results The Administrative Council uses a variety of information and data sources to provide ongoing monitoring and assessment of institutional progress in sustaining success in meeting the mission of the College, as well as the goals and objectives outlined in the strategic plan. Figure 5.3 illustrates the Goal Measures used in meeting our mission. Category 7 gives more information on the AIM document and its use by the Administrative Council.

Figure 5.3 5P7 Communicating Between and Among Institutional Levels Cowley uses a variety of methods to ensure communication exists between and among all institutional levels. Forms of communication are used to create a multi-directional flow between all levels that stimulate valuable input and build relationships (Figure 5.4). The College’s goal is to encourage honest and open communication that ensures meaningful discussion, mutual respect, and a focus on mission and goals.

Statement of Institutional Purpose We are committed to maintaining a quality institution by meeting and exceeding the expectations of

customers through the following:

Academic and Personal Enrichment:The College will provide accessible curricula in an environment that promotes individual growth and personal enrichment.

Goal Measure 1: Student Goal AttainmentGoal Measure 2: Academic preparednessGoal Measure 4: Satisfaction with instruction

Support Services: The College will facilitate academic growth and the development of life skills.

Goal Measure 5: Effectiveness of support servicesGoal Measure 6: Use of ServicesGoal Measure 7: Satisfaction with support servicesGoal Measure 8: Financial Aid AwardsGoal Measure 9: FTE and Student Recruitment

Community Development:

The College will foster development of the community through public service programs and partnerships with business and industry.

Goal Measure 10: Community Service and PartnershipsGoal Measure 11: Satisfaction of stakeholders

Fiscal Soundness:

The College will secure financial support from various resources and maintain a financially stable institution.

Goal Measure 12: Cash Carryover/Financial ImpactGoal Measure 13: Endowment Funding and Support

Ethics:

The College will emphasize a sense of fairness, citizenship, and tolerance for the views of others.

Goal Measure 14: Safe and Secure Campus EnvironmentGoal Measure 15: Ethical Behavior



Figure 5.4

These forms of communication have worked well. One of the key groups that helps facilitate effective campus-wide communication is the Marketing Committee. It is a group of about a dozen College employees representing faculty, staff and administration. The committee meets monthly to discuss specific marketing efforts, as well as ways to improve communication internally and externally. At the beginning of each semester, all Cowley employees meet and the President provides information about the College, introduces new personnel, and generally gives an overall picture of the coming semester. This time is also used to present strategic initiatives as part of the strategic planning process, and to report progress on the AQIP Action Plans. Monthly PACE meetings, hosted by members of the Administrative Council and attended by all College Directors, provide operational updates and a venue for ongoing discussion throughout the year/ The College uses electronic communication extensively during day-to-day operations. It has proven to be an efficient way for all employees to communicate. Many items that once were reserved to typed memos, class announcements, and/or delayed until meeting times are now transmitted electronically immediately. The News Peek side-bar on the College website provides a current list of College events for the coming week. Although it mirrors the monthly calendar produced by the same office, often times it includes events that may have been scheduled at the last minute. All press releases produced by the PR Office are available on the College’s website. At times, specific press releases are linked directly from the home page, depending on the story. It is important to note that all key elements of information are often repeatedly communicated, whether it be through the all-college meeting, distribution to department chairs, e-mail, or bulletin boards. By repeating information in a variety of communication formats, items are communicated throughout the College. 5P8 Communicating a Shared Mission, Vision and Values The use of annual Job Targets by all employees strengthens the mission of the College. The Job Target process has the employee or workgroup develop plans for improvement based on the Mission of the College. These are shared annually with workgroup supervisors and at all-college inservice activities. The Strategic Planning process also develops strategic initiatives based on the mission, vision and values. These are reviewed by College leaders at annual retreats. 5P9 Encouraging and Developing Leadership Abilities The leadership at Cowley College works to see continued growth among faculty and staff. Each month, employees have the opportunity to improve their skills through various workshops conducted by

Cowley College's Communication Systems

Board/Council/Committee Meetings Minutes from Board/Council/Committee Meetings

PACE Meetings Newsletters (print and electronic)

Campus Wide Email Campus Wide Inservice Meetings

Employee Luncheons Personal Contact

Websites – Intranet and Internet Electronic Signs

Cable Channel 20 Main Campus Switchboard



colleagues. Subjects covered range from the use of new technology in the classroom to specificsupervisory issues. The majority of the College’s Administrative Council has earned master’s degrees and others are working to complete doctoral programs. Faculty and staff interested in attending conferences or professional development seminars are encouraged to do so by the administration. The College also has a Tuition Reimbursement Policy that provides additional incentive for faculty and staff to further their education. In addition, faculty members can apply for professional development funds, as allowed by the negotiated agreement. 5P10 Planning Succession The President is the only staff member directly hired and supervised by the Board of Trustees of Cowley County Community College. The Succession Plan is intended to be a framework for minimizing disruption of operations and insuring continuity of services in the event of planned or unplanned departure of the President. The plan addresses both types of departure: 1) unplanned and/or untimely due to termination, resignation without notice, illness or death; and 2) planned transition of leadership due to relocation, retirement or similar event. It provides a possible framework for the process, but it is up to the Board of Trustees to make all decisions regarding implementation of the plan. There are essentially six (6) steps to consider in selecting and hiring a President. These steps are the same whether the transition is planned or unplanned. Suggestions to minimize disruption and ensure that essential functions are continued are outlined separately. Planned Transition:

1. Decide what experience, skills and personal attributes are needed a. Use a worksheet to gather information from individual board members b. Use the worksheet to gather information from all or selected staff members c. Seek input from other constituent groups as desired d. Reach consensus or agreement on the experience and attributes that are most important

2. Craft the job description to reflect Board vision for the position a. The job description is crucial to selection, monitoring and evaluation b. List job responsibilities c. Outline required and desirable qualities and skills d. The job description may not require experience/skills/personal attributes that are not relevant

to the job 3. Set salary/benefit range and contract forms

a. The Board sets the salary for the President b. Pension, insurance & other benefits must be considered c. Initial agreement or contract could include: 1) salary and benefits, 2) method of determining

raises, 3) contract buy-period, 4) performance standards and evaluation, 5) pay-back of relocation allowance, if any, 6) training provisions and expectations, 7) any other board expectation or restrictions during the initial contract period.

4. Adopt and follow a process of interviewing/hiring a. Notify selected constituents of vacancy/anticipated vacancy. b. Decide on composition of a search committee

� Board and Staff representatives � Appointed by Board Chair or selected by the Board

c. Decide on duties of search committee � Content/dissemination of advertising � Reviewing resumes � Initial interviews of qualified candidates � Selecting finalists for interviews by full Board � Reference checks on finalist prior to interviews

d. Role of administrative staff � Placing advertising, scheduling interviews



� Executive director/staff involvement as directed by Board e. Interview arrangements – search committee and Board

� Places/time/format � Paid travel for finalists if desirable � List of standard interview questions for all interviews � Final interviews – Board or Board & selected staff � Confidentiality must be strictly maintained throughout the process

f. Selection of top (2 or 3) candidates � Exclusively the decision of the Board of Trustees � Consensus if possible

g. Offer position/set start date 5. Adopt and follow a process for training/transition

a. Interim training period with current President if desired b. Formal training period c. Timeframes

6. Monitor and evaluate performance a. Board role/oversight b. Role of staff

7. Other considerations as outlined by Board Unplanned Transition: While the search and interview process is the same for planned or unplanned transition, an unplanned transition requires immediate action in order to minimize disruption and make certain essential services are continued.

1. Assess/control damage 2. Board/key staff work together to assess damage

a. Assure computer records, files and legal documents remain intact and accessible b. If necessary change locks c. Decide who speaks for the College and what message will be given d. Notify constituents e. Appoint Interim President f. Provide for continuation of services and operations g. Begin search process for new President (follow format for Planned Succession)

5R1 Measuring Leadership and Communicating and Analyzing Results Job targets (Appendix D) are completed by each of the College’s employees. They list the goal, the plan of action, the measurement device, a timeline, and then analyze the results at the completion of the annual cycle. These institutional effectiveness forms provide an opportunity for both the supervisor and the employee to share their perceptions of key successes through the rating period and are discussed with the employees supervisor at the beginning and end of each academic year. These processes allow needs to be discussed and professional development areas targeted to ensure capabilities in relation to goals. Members of the administration are evaluated, not only by the President, but also by the employees they directly supervise or work collaboratively with. The President is evaluated in a slightly different format. The Board of Trustees conducts an annual review of the President during an executive session of the Board. This provides the President an opportunity to articulate the goals and objectives of the College and provides the Board with an opportunity to provide input and clarification if necessary. 5R2 Results Cowley College is recognized nationwide for its accomplishments. To maintain our level of leadership, the College must continually work on improving systems, especially in the area of communication. Communication is not a component that is easily managed. With improved technology, continual growth, and an increasingly diverse population, the College must continue to find ways to communicate effectively



with students, employees, and the community. The College annually measures communication effectiveness through surveys, meetings, community and student forums, and evaluations. The results and data obtained from the Fall 2009 Strategic Planning Survey (Figure 2.4) of stakeholders is one example of data used to suggest where change or improvement may be needed in various areas. The AIM document is a valuable tool for the Administrative Council in displaying data on key measures. One example of how the communication plan is working is the addition of the “News Peek” web page that highlights campus events and announcements. This has become a favorable method of communicating to employees. The implementation of PACE meetings has also proved to be a very effective method of communication between the administration and staff at the College. Another example of improved communication is the increased distribution of the annual report. This report is sent to every home in the county as well as several other College contacts. The report highlights successes for the year and has been instrumental in producing positive relationships with community members. Some of the accomplishments communicated in the 2009 report were:

� Tina Wolhford, a student at Cowley’s Mulvane Center, was named a prestigious Coca-Cola Bronze Scholar. Selection was based on scores earned in the All-USA Academic Team competition.

� Cowley students are exceeding the national average on the CAAP in reading, and writing

compared to last year. Cowley student’s scores on the CAAP test have risen each year since they began taking the assessment.

� Charles McKown, Cowley College Vice President of Research and Technology, received two

awards at the annual South Central POISE Users Group Conference in Addison, Texas.

� Cowley College instructors Rae Dale and Dr. Jafar Hashemi received Master Teacher Awards from the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development from the University of Texas.

A third example of communication data that resulted in a change of process was the creation of the Cowley College emergency alert system involving text messaging and a campus wide intercom system implemented in fall of 2009. These were developed in response to feedback from our security team. The team desired an efficient and modern way to notify students and employees of weather cancellations and other College emergency bulletins. The technology department, along with the security team, created a service which allows students and employees to sign up for text message alerts. So far, the student and faculty feedback has been extremely positive. As the College continues to grow, the importance of communication also grows. Cowley is actively seeking feedback from its constituents so that communication streams remain effective. 5R3 Results Comparisons The College currently has no comparative information regarding leadership results but is seeking comparative opportunities. The College does collect trend data on Employee Satisfaction, as reported in the AIM document, but with repeated use of the Noel-Levitz Employee Satisfaction Inventory will have comparative data. 5I1 Improvement of Current Processes The College’s primary processes for continued improvement and systems refinement are centered on team structures. The teams are commissioned to provide input and recommendations to the Administrative Council on the issues impacting their respective areas. Faculty, staff, students, and community members are encouraged to take part on these teams. The College team recommendations provide data-based, cross-functional input for the Administrative Council and eventually the Board of Trustees. To provide student input to College decisions, the Student Government Association (SGA) takes an active role in voicing student concerns. The SGA group coordinates several student led ad-hoc teams to provide input for numerous student issues and then the officers meet with the President of the College




four times a year to discuss the team recommendations and concerns. The quarterly meetings with the President were a direct result of feedback from student surveys regarding communication on campus. The students had indicated in the past that there needed to be a continuous forum for issues to be heard. This new communication tool has proven to be quite effective in providing students with a “voice” on campus. Recent SGA initiatives include proposal of the XF policy and the designated smoking zone policy. When the College began the AQIP process, four action projects were created. In 2007, four additional projects were implemented while the previous ones were retired (institutionalized). In the spring of 2010, four more action projects were initiated. The new action projects were determined though the data collected from an inservice activity and also survey feedback from employees and students. The action projects for the next AQIP cycle are:

� Maintaining consistency and quality in an online learning environment � Student retention � Improving and reviewing enrollment services from new students to graduates � Ensuring an academic environment during times of college crisis

The action projects have provided a forum for all interested parties to be actively involved in College improvement. Monthly meetings and quarterly reporting keep the project teams accountable. As a result of feedback, a new customer service initiative was implemented and the College returned to a live operator option on the automated answering machine. The College also assigned web editors for accountability of web pages. 5I2 Targets, Improvement Priorities and Communications Key internal processes are critical in the quest for continuous improvement. Teams are formed to develop and implement the tasks/processes deemed necessary to improve instruction and the overall operation of the College. The Administrative Council, working cooperatively with its respective teams, establishes strategic goals to guide the College. Multi-directional communication is a success factor in this process. Representation of individuals from all instructional and service departments is assured through the involvement of the teams. Communication and support is conveyed to all personnel through open meetings and through individuals representing the AQIP Project Teams. The central role of the Administrative Council connects the AQIP Project Teams with all other teams through communication and facilitation of the processes. Although the strategic plan is reviewed annually, the Administrative Council monitors progress more frequently. When progress fails to meet projected standards, or analysis shows potential problem areas, specific actions are formulated and implemented as needed. For example, when it was determined by student feedback that the wait time for technology support extended over one day, the College acted quickly to hire Presidium to assist with the help desk. Also, when the H1N1 virus affected a large number of students, health services hours were increased. The College offers various forms of communication between workgroups and administration, however, it has been determined that the most effective form is the personal, direct approach. As a result, the Administrative Council is looking at implementing open discussion meetings for the sharing of information.

Cowley County Community College Spring 2010

Category Six Supporting Institutional Operations 6.1

Supporting institutional operations is the main goal of many divisions of the College including technology

support, student services, facilities support, and administrative support. The College could not function

without the integration of these areas. Student and stakeholder satisfaction is strongly tied to these areas

of the institution.

6P1 Identifying Support Service Needs for Students

The College uses a variety of tools to identify student support service needs. Student surveys and other stakeholder surveys provide the institution with key insight to the needs of the students. The most widely utilized instrument is the Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI). This survey is administered annually to the student body and the data is utilized by a variety of departments on campus to make process improvements or program enhancements. The Inventory is also used by administration and in the strategic planning process. Within the instrument, the College has tailored the question base to be specific to the student service areas and this has allowed a much more detailed analysis of student services. In addition, all student service areas conduct in-house surveys and utilize the data in making process improvements each year. The annual stakeholder survey also seeks input from students, as well as other stakeholders. Any needs that continue to appear in the various surveys are addressed at the department level and brought to the Administrative Council if funding is needed. The Council then reviews the information provided and decides on a plan for improvement at the institutional level. An exciting improvement in College process analysis was the creation of the Accountability and Institutional Measures (AIM) document. The AIM document was developed by the AQIP Steering Committee in February of 2009. This instrument is an interactive database which compiles all relevant evaluation data used by the College for ongoing and annual analysis and planning. The instrument has data for the current year as well as trend data from at least two years, is updated monthly, and is available to every employee at Cowley College. The Steering Committee believes it will serve as a useful tool in identifying the needs of the College and in developing strategic plans for the future. Cowley also relies on federal regulations and laws in the day-to-day management of the fiscal support process.

6P2 Identifying Administrative Support Service Needs

Because the Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory has been successfully utilized the past fourteen years with students, the Noel Levitz Employee Satisfaction Inventory was implemented by the College in the 2008-2009 year. This instrument is similar to the student version but is administered to all employees. The information gathered from this is a valuable resource in identifying administrative support service needs for the College (see figure 4.3.) Another key tool in collecting administrative support service needs is the creation of the PACE (Process and Communication Enhancement) meetings. These meetings are hosted by the administrative staff and all director level employees are invited to attend. The meetings are informal and designed to give the employees a direct communication line to administrators regarding College processes and student services. Other methods of identifying administrative support service needs include the Tell It to the President forum, departmental advisory meetings, and the alumni and endowment functions. The Tell it to the President forum is an online access forum where employees and other stakeholders can submit comments, concerns, or compliments directly to the president. Departmental advisory meetings provide the community an opportunity to meet with employees and address ideas or issues. The Alumni and Endowment Program offers several functions throughout the year which encourage local stakeholders to get involved with process improvement ideas for the College.

AQIP Category Six

Supporting Institutional Operations


Category Six � Supporting Institutional Operations 6.2

6P3 Safety and Security Support Processes The College strives to maintain a safe and secure environment through the collective efforts of several entities. The campus security staff is on duty 24/7, and works with local law enforcement agencies. Members of the security staff will be receiving basic fire fighting and fire code training in the coming year. One of the first quality teams on campus, the Site Safety team, meets monthly to discuss current policies regarding campus safety and safety rules and regulations. For campus security, emergency phone numbers are posted throughout campus with contact information for both campus and city security personnel. Evacuation plans are also posted throughout the campus, with fire and tornado drills conducted each semester for dorm students. The Housing Handbook addresses security issues and is reviewed with all dorm students. Due to recent nationwide campus disturbances, the College has initiated an emergency text system and a building to building intercom system (ERIS). The ERIS system is tested on a monthly basis, with an annual campus-wide test. In addition, an Emergency Preparedness plan has been developed, communicated, and used during a mock disaster drill. Cowley has recently added an Action Project dealing with Emergency Academic Preparedness. As part of this Action Project, review is currently being done on the existing emergency plan and how it relates to maintaining an instructional environment. Figure 6.2 outlines the process measures associated with safety and emergency response.

Administrative Support Services

Key Process

Process Needs(What are the main

components or steps of the process?)

Process Management(How is the process managed

on a day-to-day basis that ensures the meeting of student

and stakeholder needs?)

Process Measures(How do we assess our

processes, where can data be found on the assessment

of this process?)

Use of Results(Who looks at the

information and what is done with it? How do we improve our process?)

Institutional Information and

Marketing

Radio, newspaper and television advertising

Publication of schedules, program fliers, etc.

Press releases

Publication deadlines determined by the CAO,

Registrar, Marketing Board Web page design and

communication

Student and stakeholder satisfaction

Marketing Board reviews results and plans for new

strategies

Grants and Endowment

Endowment Newsletter Fund Raising Scholarships

Updated Alumni contact lists Plan events

Determine Scholarship requirements

Annual funds raised Number of Scholarships

given

Analyzed by the Director of Alumni Relations and

the President

Information Systems See Category 7, Measuring Effectiveness

Technology Services

Provide support for student computer labs

Provide support for employee work stations

(computer, tele-communications and

audiovisual) Classroom technology

Ordering computers/software

Work request ticket system Assignment of request

Email follow-up on work completed

Technology rotation plan

Feedback from employees and students

Feedback analyzed by Vice President of

Research and Technology; recent

improvements include consolidation of ordering

to one person and implementation of the

Wonderdesk work request system

Figure 6.1



Fiscal and Facilities Support Processes (Business Operations)

Key ProcessProcess Needs

(What are the main components or steps of the process?)

Process Management(How is the process

managed on a day-to-day basis that ensures meeting student and stakeholder needs?)

Process Measures(How do we assess our processes, where can data be found on the assessment of this

process?)



Budget Development

Yearly priorities Departmental program

review Employee survey

Community survey

Cash carryover Collected by CFO, analyzed

by Board of Trustees and Administrative Council in determining yearly budget

Available funding

Prioritization of needs Annual audit

Tuition and fees Percentage increase in tuition and fees Projected FTE

Accounting

Tracking expenditures Legal issues Monthly reports

Collected by CFO, analyzed by Board of Trustees,

Administrative Council, and Board of Regents

Federal guidelines Income statement

Recordkeeping Management of budget Comparative data

Annual audit

Payroll, Workstudy, Full-Time and Part-

Time Employees

Set pay period for employees Timesheets Payroll on schedule

Verification by direct supervisor, then to payroll

office, CFO

Special payroll Contracts and letters of employment

Direct deposit Instructional support

programs Annual audit Cafeteria 125 plan Federal regulations

Fee Collection through the

Business Office

Courses coded Student coding processes deadlines

Financial aid deadlines Rate of information

processing

Low accounts receivable Business Office collects information, reviewed by the CFO and discussed in the

appropriate workgroup; proposed changes are taken to the Administrative Council

Financial aid posted Unpaid fees

Payment method determined Business Office survey

Billing dates set Student satisfaction

Purchasing

Vendor approval Purchase Order (PO)

request submitted PO approval PO tracking

Vendor survey

Reviewed by the Business Office on a semester basis and results posted on chart

Funds available Timely pay to vendors

Purchase order amount (bids) Approval time measures

Major repairs Closure dates of PO and invoices Remodeling projects

Facilities Maintenance

Preventative maintenance Electronic work order

request ticket Prioritizing requests

Budget Management software

Number of jobs completed Facilities and maintenance

supervisors, reviewed within the department and shared

with the CFO

100% complete on critical work orders

Daily work orders Customer satisfaction

Facilities Management:

Buildings, Grounds,

Transportation

Facility request forms

Facility request received

Prioritization of request Request confirmation

Internal and external complaints

Information reviewed by facilities coordinator, then to

the CFO (not routinely collected and reviewed)

Time of use?

Who is requesting (internal or external group)? Size of group?

Number of times facilities are unavailable

(chartered transportation)

Which facility is being requested? Alternative facilities available?

Miles driven

Safety and Emergency Response

Prepare federal reports Site Safety Team Publication of policies in housing handbook Evacuation drills and

tests

Comparative data on federal reports

Dorm managers and Director of Student Life

review data and share it with the Board of Trustees and

Director of Safety

Posting of emergency phone numbers and evacuation plans

College housing reports Publication of security information

ERIS System Time on evacuation

drills Figure 6.2



Student Support Services Processes

Key Process

Process Needs(What are the main components or

steps of the process?)

Process Management(How is the process managed

on a day-to-day basis that ensures meeting student and

stakeholder needs?)

Process Measures(How do we assess our processes, where can data be found on the assessment of this

process?)



Enrollment and Advising

Admissions application Pre-assessment

Enrollment Advisor assignment

Successive enrollment

Student satisfaction survey Advisor survey

Transfer institution

Goal attainment Graduate survey

Student satisfaction

Collected by CAO and VP of Student Affairs, analyzed by

various teams and committees

Recruitment

High school contacts Faculty letter to students

Senior Day Program specific recruitment

activities

Feedback from counselors Set high school visit schedule

Phone calls Computer database of

students

Enrollment trends by high school and program area

Program review Admissions monthly

update Number of students

receiving awards

Program areas review program review data, FTE monitored by the Board of Trustees, monthly reports reviewed by admissions staff, Vice President of Student Affairs and the

President

Scholarship and Financial

Aid

Federal grants and loans Endowment scholarships

Academic/activity scholarships

Student application/selection Award notification

Semester review/renewal of award

Number of aid suspensions

Number of student appeals

Student satisfaction

Reports viewed by the VP Student Affairs, Scholarship

Committee and Administrative Council

Course Placement

Administration of placement exam (Compass, work keys)

Establish placement scores

Enrollment in appropriate course

Annual review of cut scores

Student success in developmental courses Success in successive

course Number of students incorrectly placed

Program review data discussed by instructional department, review of data by Student Success Team

Cam

pus Life

Housing Dorm application

Payment plan Assignment of room, roommate

Roommate questionnaire Coach and student requests Number of rooms available

Dorm occupancy rates Student and housing

surveys Participation numbers

Collected by housing and activity directors, shared

with Dorm Managers; reviewed by Vice President of Student Affairs; reviewed

by various teams and committees, and the

President and Board of Trustees

Activities SGA meetings

Club participation Campus special events

Student input Budget concerns

Attendance records Student satisfaction

Food Service Contracted service

Tiger Deli Campus special events

Monthly student meeting Deli Director responsible for

menus and supplies

Cafeteria survey Daily usage

Profit

Athletics Promote programs

Provide opportunities for student athletes to compete

Practice/event scheduling Eligibility reports Academic needs

Team/individual success Annual audit

Budget balance

Student Services Bookstore Maintain store supplies

Order books from faculty requests Textbook request forms

Project enrollment

Customer service survey Annual audit

Books provided on time

Reviewed by the Director of Bookstore Operations and

the Exec. Vice President of Business Services

Library Services

Student access to reference materials

Orientation on library use

Feedback from faculty and students

Student satisfaction Productivity rating

Reviewed by Director of Library Services and CAO

Health Services

Assessment and treatment of physical and mental health

Health promotion Maintain records

Referrals from students/employees

Referral to outside agencies Federal and state guidelines

Satisfaction survey Referral numbers

Submitted to Director of Student Life and shared with

the Board of Trustees in monthly report

Tutoring Provide tutors and tutorials for most subjects

Establish need and assign tutor

Monitor usage and academic progress

Usage records Academic records of

users

Information shared with VP of Student Affairs and CAO

Figure 6.3



6P4 Managing Student and Administrative Support Services The key student and administrative services are managed on a day-to-day basis by processes outlined in the Process Management column found in Figures 6.1 and 6.3. The support services have well defined processes, including time frames that allow efficient management. The work request ticket for maintenance and technology repairs has been instrumental in serving both student and employee needs. The hiring of Presidium online support was another initiative designed to streamline and improve technology services to students and staff. The College’s intranet has been expanded for employees and job specific forms and process outlines are available to all employees via this internal avenue. 6P5 Documentation of Support Processes Depending on the process, the College utilizes several forms of documentation. The Intranet site is used for sharing of minutes from support area meetings. More recently, monthly PACE meetings have been initiated to allow information sharing from different support areas. The minutes of these meetings are then shared with employees through workgroups. The administration at Cowley encourages workgroup initiatives. Through shared documentation of AQIP Action Projects and strategic plan initiatives, employees are informed of current processes targets and are encouraged to participate on Action Project teams. The AQIP Systems Portfolio is also a form of documentation of support processes. It is reviewed by employees during all-college inservice activities, and updated based on employee feedback. 6R1 Collecting and Analyzing Measures of Student and Administrative Support Services The new AIM document serves as the main tool for data analysis at the College. Every employee has access to view the document and utilize the information to make improvements and changes. The AIM document is an interactive document that is updated as information is collected throughout the year and is available to all employees at a protected location. Many of the process measures in Figures 6.1 – 6.3 are recorded in this document. To help with the analyses of student academic data, an Academic Quality Team was recently established to evaluate academic needs and refine academic processes. 6R2 Results of Student Support Processes Based on the results of the 2009 NOEL Levitz Student Satisfaction Survey and the 2009 Graduate Survey, students indicated improved satisfaction in all but two service areas at the College. The highest rates of satisfaction were in the business office (95%), the Tiger Deli (94%), and the Underground academic support area (94%). These percentages are calculated by determining the percent of student responses in the Very Good and Good ratings categories. The highest rates of improvement as compared to the previous year were in the Health Services (+ 16%), Housing (+14%) and Tutoring (+ 15%) areas. Eighteen of the 19 service areas evaluated scored above 80% (this is the minimum target goal for each area). The only area which scored below the 80% mark was Food Service (63%). While this low number is a concern for the College, it should be noted that Food Service is the only service area not staffed by Cowley employees but instead is outsourced to another company. Another consolation is that specific surveys in the dining hall indicate students are basically satisfied with the food – just not at a high level. To assist with communication and improvements in this area, the College has revived the Food Service Committee meetings which are held monthly. The SGA officers, Student Resident Assistants, Dorm Managers, SGA sponsor and the Vice President of Student Affairs’ meet with the Director of Food Service in an informal setting to discuss food service issues, special dining hall events, and menu plans. So far, the meetings have proved to be a great forum for open and positive dialogue. The Graduate Survey is another source of data for the improvement of student support processes. Comparative data from the 2008 and 2009 Graduation Surveys is illustrated in Figure 6.4.




Figure 6.4 6R3 Results for Administrative Support Processes Administrative support processes focus mainly on the financial status of the institution. Cash carryover, a key component of AIM Goal Measure 13, is comprised of a percentage of student fees and mill levies (Figure 6.5). Cash carryover as a percent of the total budget should exceed a standard of 12 percent. The 2008-2009 unaudited cash carryover was 27.61%. Current cash carryover represents 33.42 percent of the current budget.

Cash Carryover Data

Academic Year 2005-2006 Audited

2006-2007 Audited

2007-2008 Audited

2008-2009 Unaudited

Cash Carryover $4,257,451 $4,741,764 $5,459,076 $6,916,679

Percentage of Current Budget 22.33 23.84 27.61 33.42

Figure 6.5

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Cash Carryover Percentage




The College also values stakeholder satisfaction in the areas of administrative support. Three process measures tracked in the business services area are the age of paid invoices, age of purchase orders, and age of purchase requests. In 2008-2009, a new purchase order process was introduced and all employees were trained on the process. In 2007-2008 there were 7,003 purchase orders issued by the institution. At that time, the average number of days required to issue a purchase order, pay it, and close it, was 29.82 days, and the average days required to pay an invoice was 22.66 days. The new process has shown improvements in these areas. The 2008-2009 data shows 7,082 purchase orders issued, with 29.57 days average to issue, pay and close a purchase order, 21.87 days needed to pay an invoice, and an average of 3.98 days needed to approve a request (AIM 5.1). The new system is definitely improving the time required to process purchase orders.

6R4 Using Information and Results to Improve Service The key support areas use information and results to improve their services. This is illustrated in Figures 6.1 to 6.3 under the column labeled Process Measures. Processes at the College have committees or a Presidential appointee who oversee each key process. The tables demonstrate how each area utilizes the information collected in making process changes. In addition, many of the College’s service areas submit reports to be reviewed at the Board of Trustees meeting each month. Counseling, health services, housing, and student activities are some of the student services reviewed at each Board meeting. Depending on the service area, other time frames for analysis are more appropriate. For example, the bookstore works on a semester cycle, so a bi-annual review works best in their area.

6R5 Comparative Performance Results AIM document Goal Measure 14 includes results regarding campus security. The Noel-Levitz performance gap for safety and security, as well as the campus crime incidents reports, both provide comparative data. Other Noel-Levitz questions regarding student support services are also collected and analyzed on a yearly basis. In addition, national values are used for comparative financial aid reports. Where no comparative data is used, Cowley uses three-year trend data. 6I1 Improvement of Current Processes The College routinely collects and analyzes all goal measures contained in the AIM document. Once the data is collected, it is analyzed by the responsible party, committee, director, or administrator, as shown in figures 6.1 – 6.3, and process improvement discussions are initiated as needed. 6I2 Setting Targets for Improvement Improvement targets are developed by the appropriate committee and individuals and, if needed, presented to the Administrative Council and the Board of Trustees for approval. Workgroups are also encouraged to submit projects to address targeted areas for improvement for inclusion in the annual strategic plan. Current targets include Emergency Academic Preparation, student access to online resources and helpdesk support, dorm and campus safety, and a new action project to improve enrollment services.



Category Seven � Measuring Effectiveness 7.1

7P1 Selecting, Managing and Using Information and Data to Support Programs and Services The collection, management and analysis of data is essential to any institution seeking to improve processes. Cowley College uses one main computer system for data tracking, a series of accountability measures, and departmental and individual strategic plans to assist in the identification of data that is important to the College. Cowley’s primary system for collecting and storing information is the People Oriented Information Systems for Education (POISE) computer database management system, which includes the following components:

� Student registration and academic history � Student admissions and recruitment � Financial aid � Student billing (accounts receivable) � Fiscal (general ledger and accounts payable) � Payroll and personnel

These systems have been in place since 1991. Although they have been modified and enhanced throughout the years to meet changing needs, the consistency of the underlying structure allows for over 20 years of comparative data and trend analysis. Other principle systems used by the College include:

� KayCee’s College Store Manager system by the bookstore � Follett’s Library Manager system by the library � Blackbaud’s Raisers Edge fundraising software system by the Endowment Association � ANGEL Learning Management System for course management � Ad Astra’s Astra Scheduling system for facility management

Standard Microsoft Office application documents (such as word processing documents, spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, etc.) are stored on centralized Microsoft Windows-based servers. All full-time employees (and selected part-time employees) have access to the information, which is relevant to their job, via a variety of methods:

� Using a virtual private network (VPN) to connect to individual office computers from home and other off campus locations

� Using the CONNX system to query the data and pull it directly into Microsoft Office applications such as Word or Excel

� Using various internet interfaces that have been developed The use of internet interfaces to obtain selected data continues to be expanded to give access to adjunct instructors, students, and the general public wherever they might be.

To support student learning (Category 1), the College has implemented mandatory assessment of all degree-seeking students. This assures that all students are placed in the correct sequence of courses (in reading, writing, and mathematics) necessary for them to succeed. Successful progression through the developmental course sequence and through the associated college level courses is closely monitored. Prior to graduation, all students, dependent on course of study, must take the standardized CAAP or WorkKeys assessment. Student persistence and success rates are measured and reviewed with the goal of improved student retention, goal attainment, and graduation rates. Students’ attendance and academic performance in every class are reported to the student, advisor, and other relevant parties (such as coaches and activity sponsors) on a regular basis throughout each semester.

AQIP Category Seven Measuring Effectiveness



An institutionalized AQIP action project requires every employee to develop an individual job target annually. These specify the employee’s goals, plans of action, and measurements. Moreover, the work of the Strategic Planning Action Project Team continues to assist the College in developing a functional strategic planning process and in moving towards a systematic approach to managing and using information and data for continuous improvement. 7P2 Selecting, Managing and Using Performance Data for Planning and Improvement With guidance and feedback from all College employees and extensive work by members of the AQIP Steering Committee, the College’s nine Key Measures were transformed into the Accountability and Institutional Measures (AIM) project over the course of the 2008-2009 academic year. The AIM project is directly tied to the institution’s mission and commitments and provides the College community with updated performance data on a monthly basis. Project measurements are updated at various times during the academic year with several updates occurring on a monthly basis. The Director of Institutional Research is responsible for the maintenance of the AIM project document and distributes an updated version via email and publication on the College’s website on the third Monday of each month. This date was selected to correspond with the monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees. Data from the project is reviewed by members of the Administration and AQIP Steering Committee on a monthly basis, feedback sought from College employees at regular intervals, and measurements revised as needed. At present, the AIM project is comprised of 71 individual measurements divided into fifteen goal categories and five sections corresponding to the College’s commitments. Figure 7.1 lists measurements currently included in the project. As part of the planning and improvement process, all instructional areas complete an annual program review process, Focus 20/20. These reviews ensure programs continue to function at a high level and meet the needs of the institution. As part of this process, the Director of Institutional Research provides a dataset for each program at the beginning of the fall semester. Faculty members work together to analyze the data and develop recommendations to present to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.



Figure 7.1

Accountability and Institutional Measures (AIM) Overview

� College Commitment: Academic and Personal Enrichment � Goal Measure 1: Student Goal Attainment

� WorkKeys Applied Math Assessment Percentages � WorkKeys Locating Information Assessment Percentages � WorkKeys Reading for Information Assessment Percentages � Graduation Rate, IPEDS Percentage � KBOR Overall Placement Percentage � KBOR Overall Completion Percentage � Academic Performance of Student Athletes

� Goal Measure 2: Academic Preparedness� Transfer Success of Students: WSU GPA Comparison for New Community College Transfer Students � Transfer Success of Students: WSU GPA Comparison for Returning Community College Transfer Students � CAAP Writing Assessment Percentages � CAAP Mathematics Assessment Percentages � CAAP Reading Assessment Percentages � Developmental English Course Retention Rate Percentage (Fall to Spring) � Developmental Math Course Retention Rate Percentage (Fall to Spring)

� Goal Measure 3: Persistence and Success Rates� Student Academic Reporting System Usage (percentage of courses with current grades posted) � Retention Rate: Fall to Spring Percentage � Retention Rate: Fall to Fall Percentage � DFW Percentage

� Goal Measure 4: Satisfaction with Instruction� Student Evaluation of Instructors � Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory: Instructional Effectiveness Perf. Gap

� College Commitment: Student Services � Goal Measure 5: Effectiveness of Support Services

� Vendor Cycles: Age of Paid Invoices in Days � Technology Work Order Completion Rate

� Goal Measure 6: Use of Services� Library Services Usage per FTE � Tutoring Services Usage per FTE � Health Services Usage per On Campus FTE � Student Life Counseling Services Usage per FTE � Dorm Utilization Percentage

� Goal Measure 7: Satisfaction with Support Services� Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory: Student Centeredness Perf. Gap � Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory: Campus Climate Perf. Gap � Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory: Academic Advising Effectiveness Perf. Gap � Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory: Campus Services Perf. Gap � Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory: Admissions/Financial Aid Effectiveness Perf. Gap � Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory: Registration Effectiveness Perf. Gap � Satisfaction with Dormitories � Food Service Survey Overall Satisfaction Percentage � Employee Survey Overall Satisfaction Percentage

� Goal Measure 8: Financial Aid Awards� Student Loan Cohort Default Rate � Average Student Loan Debt Compared to Financial Aid Cost of Attendance � Percentage of Federal Work Study Funds Utilized

� Goal Measure 9: FTE and Student Recruitment� FTE: General Education � FTE: Career-Technical Education � Marketing Dollars Spent per FTE � Overall Admissions Application Receipts � Overall Campus Visits � Monthly Scholarship Acceptance Percentage � Scholarship Discount Percentage on Tuition and Fees



Figure 7.1 (cont.) 7P3 Determining Data Collection, Storage, and Access Needs Department needs relating to information and data collection, storage and accessibility are determined in a variety of ways. Each spring, the Vice President of Research and Technology develops a technology upgrade plan based on input from all the College departments. The goal is to have all computer equipment put on a rotating four-year replacement plan while placing the newest equipment in the most advantageous locations. This includes not only desktop computers, but also centralized data collection and storage servers. The College collects a $2 per credit hour technology fee from students to partially fund these upgrades. This is combined with other budgeted College funds and various state and federal grant monies to assure that the technology remains current. Accessibility to data is provided through a variety of methods. The Vice President of Research and Technology and the Computer Services Department are charged with balancing the easy accessibility of the data with the requisite security of the information. This is managed through “access control lists,” passwords, and PIN numbers. The Director of Institutional Research assists all members of the College community in obtaining data needed for decision making, works one-on-one with departments to streamline and automate data processes, and assists with other related needs. 7P4 Analyzing and Sharing Information and Data Regarding Overall Performance Members of the Strategic Planning Action Project Team, formed in January 2007, continue to review current processes and to develop and implement new processes that utilize organizational data to best meet the College vision, mission and goals. Working closely with the President, members of the team have achieved the following goals:

� College Commitment: Community Development � Goal Measure 10: Community Service and Partnerships

� ACES Volunteer Community Service Hours per FTE � Golden Tigers Enrollment: Total Enrollment in All Courses (duplicated) � Number of Course Sections Provided to Companies in Service Area (KBOR Performance Agreement) � Number of Companies for which Training is Provided (KBOR Performance Agreement) � Number of Business and Industry Course Sections Offered to Companies within the Service Area � Number of Students Enrolled in Business and Industry Course Sections Offered to Companies within the

Service Area� Goal Measure 11: Satisfaction of Stakeholders

� Cultural Arts Dollars Spent per FTE � Community Satisfaction Percentage (Stakeholder Survey Question) � Advisory Committee Survey Overall Satisfaction Percentage

� College Commitment: Fiscal Soundness � Goal Measure 12: Cash Carryover/Financial Impact

� Cash Carryover Percentage � Increase in Student Tuition/Fees � Mill Levy Change � Audit Report Exceptions

� Goal Measure 13: Endowment Funding and Support� Net Change in Endowment Assets � Endowment Support to Cowley College � Number of Endowment Scholarships Established � Number of Endowment Scholarships Awarded � Total Endowment Scholarship Dollars Awarded to Students Annually � Total Tiger Booster Club Scholarship Dollars Awarded to Students Annually

� College Commitment: Ethics � Goal Measure 14: Safe and Secure Campus Environment

� Campus Security Reportable Crimes � Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory: Safety and Security Performance Gap � Workmen’s Compensation Claims: Number of Claims � Workmen’s Compensation Claims: Lost Work Days

� Goal Measure 15: Ethical Behavior� Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory: Ethical Behavior Performance Gap � Academic Integrity Incidents per FTE



� Ascertained cross-functional teams at the departmental level who are responsible for developing plans to meet the overall vision of the College

� Obtained data from internal and external stakeholders that addresses the future of the College � Facilitated cross-functional teams at the departmental level to develop plans to meet the overall

vision of the College � Received departmental strategic requests that meet strategic requirements � Developed and piloted a strategic planning process during the 2008-2009 academic year � Submitted proposed strategic plan goals to the Administrative Council for development of

strategic plan to present to the Board of Trustees for approval � Assisted the administration in presenting the strategic plan to all College personnel � Reviewed the effectiveness of the 2008-2009 plan process and revised the process as needed

for the upcoming academic year. Key institutional measures in aggregate such as the FTE measurements, the persistence and success rates of students, the student satisfaction survey results, the employee satisfaction survey results, and AIM project results continue to be updated and available to all employees via the College’s internet and intranet. Information submitted to state and federal agencies, as well as comparative data, are available to anyone on those agencies’ websites. More individualized data that needs to be limited to certain departments or employees is protected either by passwords or PIN numbers. Instructors can see the individual assessment scores of only students enrolled in their classes. Others, such as the Vice President of Academic Affairs or the Director of Institutional Research, can see all the individual scores in order to analyze the overall effectiveness of the assessment. 7P5 Determining Needs and Priorities for Comparative Information and Data The College has identified potential sources for comparative information and data through its participation in a number of federally and state mandated surveys and voluntary data collections. These include the U.S. Department of Education’s IPEDS reports and the Campus Crime surveys, the Kansas Board of Regents’ Core Indicators of Effectiveness surveys, the Kansas Higher Education Enrollment Reports, the Post-Secondary Common Database submissions, and its Perkins monitoring system reports, the Kansas Study (a national study of instructional costs and productivity for community colleges conducted by Johnson County Community College), and the Kansas Association of Community College Business Officers’ (KACCBO) annual enrollment data survey. The College also utilizes several other standard comparison tools such as the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Survey; the National Student Loan Clearinghouse; and various assessments by American College Testing (ACT), Inc. that provide sources for reliable comparative data. In addition, the College looks for other opportunities to benchmark against comparable institutions. These sources often are suggested by members of the Board of Trustees, the administration, faculty, or staff based on information obtained at conferences or meetings attended. 7P6 Aligning Information Analysis with Institutional Goals The ongoing work of the AQIP Steering Committee and Strategic Planning Action Project Team continues to provide the groundwork necessary for the College to move forward in the area of data analysis and goal alignment on an institution wide level. Alignment with organizational goals is encouraged across campus during the development of individual job targets by each individual employee and in the departmental goals developed through the strategic planning process. Administrative review and approval of individual and departmental goals assists the College in focusing globally to meets its objectives. The academic program review process, Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory results, Noel-Levitz Employee Satisfaction Survey results, and data from the annual survey of stakeholders provide data needed to analyze areas of the College related to student learning; student life; instruction; and student, employee, and community member satisfaction. Information derived from these processes is shared with members of the Administrative Council, instructional committees, employees, and other stakeholders. Secure access to data stored in the College’s student information system is available to all College employees as needed to provide them with the data needed to perform their specific job functions. In



addition, information is shared during College inservice activities, email communications, web page postings, and workgroup meetings. 7P7 Ensuring Effectiveness of Information Systems and Processes The Computer Services Department utilizes a Windows based online work order request system that ensures the effectiveness of the College’s information systems. This allows any employee to submit requests for equipment upgrades, installation of software, new data reports, or other assistance from any location via the internet. These requests are closely monitored by the Vice President of Research and Technology. Employees of the Computer Services Department continue to be customer focused through regular involvement with various employee and student user groups on campus. As a result of their involvement, user needs are identified and solutions developed to provide information and enhance processes. For example, through a relationship with members of the Student Government Association the need for a College provided email address for students was identified and a system developed to provide this service to all students. The Vice President of Research and Technology and key personnel in the Computer Services Department manage access to information and insure the security of information systems through the use of “access control lists,” passwords, and PIN numbers. The technology upgrade plan insures that information system components are replaced regularly and equipment is kept up to date. 7R1 Measures of Performance and Effectiveness of Information System Collected and

Analyzed Regularly Through the ongoing efforts of the Administration, the AQIP Steering Committee, and the Strategic Planning Action Project Team, the institution is moving forward in its efforts to regularly collect and analyze its performance and effectiveness. The transformation of the Key Measures into the Accountability and Institutional Measures (AIM) project (refer to 7P2) has provided the institution with a systematic method for reviewing performance and effectiveness, including the performance of information systems, across a wide range of institutional areas. The number of hits to the AIM web link are collected and analyzed to determine the level of usage (Figure 7.2). According to the data collected to date, usage is highest at the end of semesters. The document was also highlighted in the fall inservice, leading to an increase in hits in September.

AIM Document Web Hits by Month

Month Totals

May 2009 27 June 2009 45 July 2009 60

August 2009 86 September 2009 91

October 2009 76 November 2009 51 December 2009 146 January 2010 39 February 2010 29

March 1 - 22, 2010 23 Figure 7.2

In addition, the revised strategic planning process, now entering its second year, utilizes the President’s vision and goals, integrates organizational data, and incorporates AQIP action projects, the performance agreement and Perkins/capital expenditures. This new process begins with a web-based survey that is administered to all stakeholder groups to gather data related to the perceived future needs at the College (Figure 2.4). The results are shared with all stakeholder groups. Cross-functional teams are established within appropriate areas of responsibility and action plans developed at the departmental level each spring. Plans are compiled into a single document and submitted to the Administrative Council for review,




revision, and refinement. This document is then presented to the Board of Trustees for approval during the summer and the finalized strategic plan presented to all employees in early fall each year. Individual departments are charged with writing objectives, creating action and implementation plans, and determining appropriate measures to assess the effectiveness of their assigned goals once the complete plan is finalized. Members of the Strategic Action Project Team continue to review the effectiveness of the process, implement revisions as needed, and communicate process changes to all stakeholders. In addition, team members continue to provide guidance to individuals and groups on campus in all areas of the strategic planning process. 7R2 Measuring Effectiveness and Meeting the Institution’s Needs Cowley’s use of the same database system since 1991 provides a consistent source of data for long-term trend analysis when required and Research and Technology Department personnel provide data and reports in a timely manner when requested. User requested enhancements to Campus Connect and the Faculty Access websites are a regular occurrence and improve access to data in these user-friendly environments. A wide variety of applications that merge database information with Windows applications via CONNX, a middleware application, provide end users with data and the ability to use the data in a familiar and flexible environment. Computer Services personnel consider security and confidentiality a top priority and work diligently to maintain such an environment at the College. Combined, these systems effectively assist the institution in accomplishing its mission and goals. The implementation of the strategic planning process and the continued development of the Accountability and Institutional Measures (AIM) project have both assisted the College in beginning to address many of the issues it faced in the area of measuring effectiveness and formulating an evidentiary plan to accomplish its mission and goals. 7R3 Comparing Results With Other Higher Education Institutions The College reviews benchmark data from a variety of sources, including the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI), the Kansas State Postsecondary Database, and The Kansas Study, and IPEDS. In spring 2009, the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) released a new report on the performance of community college transfer students within the Kansas postsecondary educational system. Figure 7.3 highlights community college transfer student performance at four-year institutions in Kansas as reported in the KBOR report. This new source of comparative data will be reviewed annually. The Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) is administered each spring to approximately 250 Cowley students. The Vice President of Student Affairs is responsible for sharing results of the survey with stakeholders, including the Board of Trustees, Administrative Council, Advisement Team, Enrollment Services Team, Student Success Team, Marketing Team, and faculty and staff. Results of the survey are also posted on Cowley’s intranet site. Identified areas of strength are considered for marketing of the College and its various programs. Identified challenges are addressed as priorities for action by the various teams and an appropriate plan of action is developed for those challenges deemed most important and immediate. In addition, the SSI is used to measure progress toward several institutional goals and objectives. Institutional Summary results from the April 2009 survey are shown in Figure 7.4 and compare the College to all community colleges in Kansas administering the SSI from 2005 through 2008. Cowley performed well in comparison to its peers, achieving a higher student satisfaction rating in six of the seven categories and a lower gap between student importance and satisfaction in five of the seven focus areas.




KBOR Transfer Feedback Report Competitor Comparisons New Students - Fall 2006

Average Term GPA at Transfer Institution

Student Counts Originating Community College

Transfer Institution Cowley County

Community College

Butler Community

College

Coffeyville Community

College

Hutchinson Community

College

Pratt Community

College

Emporia State University 2.78 2.97 2.10 3.13 2.19

27 55 12 21 12

Fort Hays State University 2.57 2.73 2.73 2.16

9 17 1 31 22

Kansas State University 2.31 2.31 1.97 2.46 2.62

33 91 15 76 21

Pittsburg State University 3.10 2.66 2.70 3.23

8 8 21 14 3

University of Kansas 2.78 2.39 2.33 2.30 3.14

22 54 15 47 10

Washburn University 2.71 3.41 3.38 3.36

5 5 5 9 1

Wichita State University 2.55 2.64 2.49 2.72 2.40 166 239 13 80 9

Average Overall GPA 9.45 19.16 7.00 16.76 7.41 Total Students 270 469 82 278 78

Figure 7.3 Data from the Kansas Study provides comparative figures on program costs, faculty loads, and credit hours taught by discipline. Figure 7.5 compares the College’s instructional cost per student credit hour to the national refined means over the past three data collection years. These statistics are reviewed annually and assist the College in determining staffing needs and cost-effective program offerings. It is important to note that some program areas are difficult to report instruction cost per student because several programs may be grouped under one departmental budget. 7I1 Improving Current Processes and Systems for Measuring Effectiveness Although the institution has a long history with quality improvement, the College continues to strive to achieve more comprehensive and systematic processes for measuring effectiveness. The development and continued refinement of the Accountability and Institutional Measures (AIM) project is Cowley’s most recent improvement in measuring effectiveness. The AIM project provides detailed data across several key institutional measures and delivers the data in a format that is quickly and easily comprehended by all stakeholders. The continuation of individual and departmental job target processes provides the College with methods for goal setting, attainment, and measurement across the institution. All employees develop job targets, which include their individual goals, plans of action, measurements, and timelines for the year. During the spring semester, employees conduct an analysis of the results and prepare new goals for the coming year. The individual job target process also serves as a base for employee evaluation and continued growth. In addition, departmental goals are also developed and submitted each spring as part of the strategic planning process. These are reviewed by the Administrative Council and used to set the College’s priorities as part of the strategic planning process. The Vice President of Research and Technology meets on a regular basis with the Vice President of Academic Affairs, the Vice President of Student Affairs, department chairs, other key personnel, and students to obtain feedback on current processes. This information is used to improve processes. As a result of feedback from faculty and students, the College has implemented a new email system for



students and made numerous improvements to the Campus Connect and Faculty Access sites to meet the needs of both students and staff.

Figure 7.4

6.25Gap = .40

6.23Gap = .47

6.01Gap = .53

6.27Gap = .62

5.98Gap = .44

6.00Gap = .30

6.27Gap = .39

5.855.76

5.48

5.65

5.54

5.70

5.88

5.00

5.50

6.00

6.50

Student Centeredness

Instructional Effectiveness

Safety and Security

Academic Advising

Effectiveness

Admissions and Financial

Aid Effectiveness

Campus Services

Registration Effectiveness

Cowley College SSI Results - Spring 2009 ImportanceSatisfaction

5.99Gap = .46

6.11Gap = .77

5.93Gap = .47

6.15Gap = .51

5.82Gap = .72

5.95Gap = .40

6.13Gap = .58

5.53

5.34

5.49

5.64

5.10

5.55 5.55

5.00

5.50

6.00

6.50

Student Centeredness

Instructional Effectiveness

Safety and Security

Academic Advising

Effectiveness

Admissions and Financial

Aid Effectiveness

Campus Services

Registration Effectiveness

All Kansas Two-Year Institutions Administering SSI - 2005-2008 ImportanceSatisfaction



Kansas Study: Instructional Cost per Student Credit Hour by Academic Discipline

2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007

Academic Discipline Cowley College

National Refined Means

Difference from

Refined National Means

Cowley College


Difference from


Cowley College


Difference from


Accounting $ 97 $ 95 $2 $ 67 $ 97 ($30) $ 103 $ 96 $7 Art $ 53 $ 68 ($15) $ 93 $ 78 $15 $ 107 $ 85 $22 Automotive Technology $ 81 $ 117 ($36) $ 83 $ 142 ($59) $ 80 $ 133 ($53) Biological Sciences $ 48 $ 68 ($20) $ 55 $ 70 ($15) $ 69 $ 73 ($4) Business Admin./Mgmt. $ 89 $ 87 $2 $ 95 $ 86 $9 $ 125 $ 89 $36 Chemistry $ 64 $ 84 ($20) $ 80 $ 89 ($9) $ 78 $ 85 ($7) Communications $ 64 $ 71 ($7) $ 74 $ 66 $8 $ 69 $ 64 $5 Computer/Information Sciences $ 79 $ 106 ($27) $ 72 $ 118 ($46) $ 54 $ 108 ($54) Cosmetology $ 106 $ 105 $1 $ 167 $ 138 $29 $ 138 $ 104 $34 Criminal Justice $ 75 $ 72 $3 $ 77 $ 67 $10 $ 102 $ 83 $19 Developmental English/Reading $ 98 $ 77 $21 $ 105 $ 75 $30 $ 58 $ 74 ($16) Developmental Math $ 100 $ 70 $30 $ 70 $ 65 $5 $ 51 $ 72 ($21) Drafting Technology $ 136 $ 168 ($32) $ 180 $ 151 $29 $ 110 $ 165 ($55) Drama-Theatre Arts $ 48 $ 104 ($56) $ 69 $ 98 ($29) $ 86 $ 125 ($39) Economics $ 58 $ 59 ($1) $ 65 $ 69 ($4) $ 77 $ 64 $13 English Language/Literature $ 53 $ 69 ($16) $ 62 $ 73 ($11) $ 64 $ 71 ($7) Graphic Arts $ 177 $ 145 $32 $ 143 $ 146 ($3) $ 176 $ 160 $16 History $ 49 $ 51 ($2) $ 63 $ 53 $10 $ 60 $ 55 $5 Journalism $ 129 $ 104 $25 $ 164 $ 181 ($17) $ 210 $ 243 ($33) Mathematics $ 67 $ 78 ($11) $ 63 $ 78 ($15) $ 70 $ 79 ($9) Music $ 143 $ 91 $52 $ 160 $ 88 $72 $ 152 $ 97 $55 Philosophy and Religion $ 55 $ 52 $3 $ 67 $ 55 $12 $ 72 $ 54 $18 Physical Sciences $ 102 $ 85 $17 $ 124 $ 91 $33 $ 108 $ 97 $11 Psychology $ 34 $ 48 ($14) $ 43 $ 48 ($5) $ 55 $ 53 $2 Sociology $ 31 $ 47 ($16) $ 33 $ 48 ($15) $ 54 $ 52 $2

Welding Technology $ 83 $ 140 ($57) $ 102 $ 117 ($15) $ 94 $ 135 ($41) Figure 7.5

7I2 Setting Targets for Improvement The annual survey of all stakeholder groups provides data for improvement targets for individual employees, departmental groups, and the College as a whole. Monthly reviews of the AIM document provide a basis for the discussion of processes, their effectiveness, and pathways to improvement. In addition, individual and departmental job targets are reviewed and the results measured, indicating the effectiveness of the targets. On a college-wide basis, the Administrative Council annually reviews the goals and objectives of the strategic plan and measures the effectiveness of each, thus setting new targets for continuous improvement. During the annual fall inservice, the President reviews the strategic plan with all employees and outlines priorities for the upcoming year. The President also prepares an annual report that is shared with all stakeholders: employees, students, alumni, and community members. In addition, day to day operation measures, such as FTE, are updated daily (or in some cases in “real-time” on demand) on the College’s intranet.


Category Eight � Planning Continuous Improvement 8.1

8P1 Key Planning Processes The College carries out strategic planning based on the Mission and Statement of Institutional Purpose. Using these as a guide, the strategic planning process involves all areas of the institution and is shared annually with stakeholders.

College Mission Statement: Cowley College and Area Vocational-Technical School is committed to learning excellence and personal enrichment in an open access environment.

The institution’s long-term vision is encapsulated in the Statement of Institutional Purpose: I. Academic and Personal Enrichment: The College will provide accessible curricula in an

environment that promotes individual growth and personal enrichment. II. Support Services: The College will facilitate academic growth and the development of life skills. III. Community Development: The College will foster development of the community through public

service programs and partnerships with business and industry. IV. Fiscal Soundness: The College will secure financial support from various resources and maintain

a financially stable institution. V. Ethics: The College will emphasize a sense of fairness, citizenship, and tolerance for the views of

others. 8P2 Selecting Short- and Long-Term Strategies As a component of the strategic planning process, the President develops short-term vision and goals for the upcoming year as shown in Figure 8.1. These strategies were submitted through work-group supervisors, prioritized by the Administrative Council, and will be discussed in greater depth later in this section.

Figure 8.1

Currently, many of the short-term goals are in direct support of the longer term vision of growing or adding enrollment opportunities.

AQIP Category Eight Planning Continuous Improvement

Vision The college will maximize current resources, maintain fiscally responsible and effective operations and explore other opportunities to best meet all stakeholder needs. Goals

• Develop virtual college that provides effective online education and has increased enrollment. • Enhance awareness of cultural diversity on campus and in the community. • Develop effective student transfer process. • Enhance career exploration services and real-world learning experiences. • Explore and capitalize alternative revenue streams. • Increase student recruitment. • Increase student retention rates. • Create and expand partnerships. • Expand effective and viable programs. • Improve functional learner outcomes for reading, writing and mathematics. • Increase the availability of main campus housing and maintain adequate occupancy rates. • Increase effectiveness of marketing campaign.



In addition to the President’s goals, the College has a Performance Agreement with the Kansas Board of Regents that directs short- and long-term strategies. This agreement is built around annual performance targets, with a three-year range of vision for the targets. The current agreement provisions are shown in Figure 8.2.

Kansas Board of Regents Performance Agreement Goals and Measures (2009-2011)

Institutional Goal 1: To improve the success of students in the core skills of reading, writing, and mathematics and those taking classes via online access.

1. Percent of students exceeding the national average in reading on the CAAP test. 2. Percent of students exceeding the national average in writing on the CAAP test. 3. Percent of students exceeding the national average in mathematics on the CAAP test. 4. Success rate gap between mathematics courses and all other courses. 5. Success rate gap between online courses and all other courses.

Institutional Goal 2: To expand Cowley’s Business and Industry training in our service area.

1. Number of course sections provided to companies in our service area. 2. Number of students who successfully complete those courses. 3. Number of companies for which training is provided. 4. Implement and then expand a Cooperative Education program. 5. Number of students who successfully complete leadership and/or customer service skills

training. Institutional Goal 3: To increase the recruitment of Hispanic students and to expand the cultural diversity of our campus.

1. Increase the number of Hispanic students successfully completing courses on the Arkansas City campus.

2. Increase the number of Hispanic graduates on the Arkansas City campus. 3. Increase the number of International students successfully completing courses on the

Arkansas City campus. Institutional Goal 4: To improve the utilization of campus resources during the summer.

1. Increase the number of credit hours taught on the Arkansas City campus during the summer. 2. Increase the number of course sections (both credit and non-credit) provided on the

Arkansas City campus during the summer. 3. Increase the number of events on the Arkansas City campus during the summer.

Figure 8.2

8P3 Developing Key Action Plans to Support Organizational Strategies The College has a defined strategic planning process to fulfill strategic planning needs of the College. At the institution, the strategic plan process follows a similar course of action as that used by Jack Welch at General Electric. The strategic planning process committee assists in the facilitation of the process. The steps of the process are as follows:

� Review the current strategic planning process. � Obtain College vision and goals from the President. � Integrate organizational data and incorporate AQIP action projects, KBOR Performance

Agreement and Perkins/capital expenditures. � Obtain data from internal and external stakeholders that address the future of the College.



� Facilitate cross-functional teams at the departmental level to develop plans to meet the overall vision of the College.

� Receive departmental strategic requests that meet strategic requirements. � Prepare draft strategic plan based on information obtained from cross-functional groups. � Submit strategic plan to the Administrative Council for approval. � Administrative Council then develops a College-wide strategic plan and presents it to the Board of

Trustees for approval. � Administration presents the final strategic plan to all College personnel. � Effectiveness of the previous year’s strategic plan process is reviewed and revisions made as

needed. � Subsequent years’ plans are developed with continued evaluation and modified as needed.

The current strategic planning process was revised in 2008-2009 as part of an AQIP Action Project, and is in its second year of implementation. Prior to this time, the planning process was not followed systematically and needed review. Key components of the new plan include the integration of the President’s vision and goals, organizational data, incorporation of AQIP action projects, the KBOR Performance Agreement and Perkins/capital expenditures. Although the process has many facets, ease of utilization has contributed to its success at the institution. 8P4 Coordinating and Aligning Planning Processes To develop plans at the departmental level, the new process relies heavily on College employees establishing cross-functional teams within their areas of responsibility. Cross-functional membership enables each team to view a broader picture and develop more appropriate plans. One key improvement was the development and implementation of a web-based survey to gather data for the perceived future needs at the College. This data is compiled and supplied to all cross-functional teams for use in plan development and is shared with all employees as general information. Initially, the AQIP Action Project team members held educational sessions with each of the departmental level team leaders to explain the process and address any questions or concerns. The team leaders then provided process training for members within their teams. Each departmental team is charged with the responsibility of submitting their strategic plan to the AQIP team. A completed electronic form for each main departmental plan is submitted to the Institutional Research office where it is compiled for submission to the Administrative Council.

8P5 Defining Objectives, Selecting Measures, and Setting Performance Targets After the departmental plans are compiled into one document, it is presented to the Administrative Council. The Council either approves and/or modifies the document as needed. It is then submitted to the Board of Trustees for approval during the summer and the final document presented to all employees in early fall. Once a plan is approved, the individual departments are then charged with writing objectives, and action and implementation plans. If a particular departmental plan is approved by the Council, it is the responsibility of each team to follow through and implement their plan. There are many ways to accomplish this task and it is assumed that the team leaders are well-versed and accomplished in this aspect of leadership. Plan approval means that immediate implementation action is required. Strategic Planning Timeline Figure 8.3 illustrates the annual timeline that has been established for the strategic planning process.



Strategic Planning Timeline

Summer Obtain vision and goals from President

Early Fall Establish cross-functional departmental teams

Mid-Fall Provide necessary training for departmental team leaders and start preparing plans

Mid-Late Fall Obtain data from internal and external stakeholders

Mid-Spring Departmental plans are due March 14 to AQIP 5

Late Spring AQIP 5 will prepare one comprehensive College plan based on departmental plans by May 1

Late Spring/Early Summer

Submit strategic plan to the Administrative Council for consideration by May 1

Early Summer Administrative Council will develop strategic plan for College – due July 15

Mid-Summer The President will present the strategic plan to Board of Trustees for approval (July meeting)

Early Fall Administration shall present strategic plan to all personnel when faculty return to duty

Early Fall Review effectiveness of plan and revise as needed

Early Fall Communicate any plan changes to the departmental level teams Figure 8.3

Vision Goal Correlation Goal development is only as good as the relationship to the vision. While each goal has a direct connection to the vision, there also exists a correlation between goals. As such, this connection is better displayed in Figure 8.4. 8P6 Linking Strategy Selection and Action Plans while Accounting for Current Resources and Future Needs The inclusion of institutional data is of paramount importance when preparing the plan. It is assumed that the departmental teams are very knowledgeable of the data related to their areas of responsibility and will determine and use the data to draw appropriate conclusions. Through departmental program review, employee feedback, stakeholder surveys, and outside agency requirements, the College looks at data and determines the appropriate plan of action for the next year and future planning cycles. 8P7 Assessing and Addressing Risk in the Planning Processes When strategic initiatives are submitted in the strategic planning process, financial costs and anticipated benefits are submitted as well. These are submitted by the workgroup that is proposing the initiative. The Strategic Planning Team then submits the reports to the Administrative Council for review. The Administrative Council uses the submitted information to determine the short-term and long-term goals of the College. If a proposed initiative is not cost effective, more information might be needed regarding the need for the proposal. If it is determined that the possible benefits outweigh the initial risks, then the plan is developed as a goal for the coming year. 8P8 Ensuring Faculty, Staff and Administration are Nurtured The faculty, staff and administration are provided education and training on job targets and strategic planning. This training occurs at an all-college inservice, within specific department workgroups with additional training available from the strategic planning committee chair on request. The training focuses on all aspects of the strategic planning process. Nurturing of employees is started during the all-college inservice and is continued at all departmental levels. Classes are available on an as-needed basis each



summer for all employees that address job targets and strategic planning. Open and full communication processes are essential to the processes to be success.

College Vision The College will maximize current resources, maintain fiscally

responsible operations and explore other opportunities to best meet all stakeholder needs.

Applicable

Vision Category(ies)

Goal Key Word(s)

Finance Operations

Growth

Develop virtual college that provides effective online education and has increased enrollment. Online Education

Operations Enhance awareness of cultural diversity on campus and in the community. Cultural Awareness

Operations Develop effective student transfer process. Student Transfer

Operations Enhance career exploration services and real-world learning experiences. Career Development

Finance Explore and capitalize alternative revenue streams. Alternative Revenue

Operations Increase student recruitment. Student Recruitment

Operations Increase student retention rates. Student Retention Finance Growth Create and expand partnerships. Partnerships

Finance Growth Expand effective and viable programs. Expand Programs

Operations Improve functional learner outcomes for reading, writing and mathematics. Outcomes

Operations Increase the availability of housing on the main campus and maintain adequate occupancy rates for on-campus

housing. Housing

Finance Operations

Growth Increase effectiveness of marketing campaign. Marketing

Figure 8.4 8R1 Measuring Effectiveness of the System for Planning In addition to the strategic plan process document, its implementation and revision, the planning process has been evaluated based on the following criteria: 1) were goals for both department and individuals established?, 2) were measurable results identified?, and 3) did the College move closer to its short- and long- term goals through implementation of the strategic plan? 8R2 Results for Institutional Strategies and Action Plans The continuing goals and results as outlined the in KBOR Performance Agreements are published on the College website. Individual job target results are kept with each supervisor for their workgroup. 8R3 Projections of Performance 1-3 years The KBOR Performance Agreements are based on three year plans with anticipated performance for each measure, but it is evaluated on a semester-to-semester basis to track progress towards goals. Action Projects are also planned on a 1-3 year cycle, with annual submission and updates as needed.

http://www.cowley.edu/aqip/perfagreement.html



8R4 Comparison of Projections Figures 1.1 through 1.3 show comparative data for the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP), WorkKeys assessment and IPEDS graduation rates and are directly related to recent KBOR Performance Agreements. 8R5 Evidence of an Effective System for Planning Continuous Improvement Twenty-six departmental strategic plans were submitted to the Strategic Planning Action Project team and the Administrative Council approved 22 plans during the 2007-2008 cycle. Upon review of the results, it was found that 17 (77.3%) were fully completed as approved and planned, and another 3 plans (13.6%) were partially completed. For the approved plans, 2 (9.5%) were not completed. Interestingly, the four plans that were not approved were submitted by senior management. Job targets (institutionalized AQIP 2 project) continue to be completed by all employees on an annual basis and provide input into the operation of the College. 8I1 Recent Improvements As outlined in 8P5, the strategic planning process is in its second cycle. One need identified at the year-end review was a tool to educate all stakeholders of the changes implemented as a result of the process. While the team did a good job of tracking the statistics of the process, the actions of the projects were not seamlessly filtered back to all employees. As a result, the team is looking at ways to improve the communication of selected strategic initiatives to all employees. Another recent improvement was the development of the AIM document, giving employees easy access to institutional measures and comparative data. 8I2 Selection of Processes to Improve As noted above in the process description, the culture of Cowley College allows all departments to submit processes for improvement. Assuming these suggestions fall within the institution’s short- or long-term vision or support the KBOR Performance Agreement, the process improvement suggestion is approved and included in the strategic plan. The strategic planning team will continue to monitor the process and make improvements as needed.


Category Nine � Planning Continuous Improvement 9.1

Cowley College began as a rural community college that depended on local partnerships. However, the mission and service area have grown with the development of outreach facilities in several other locations and the development of instructional delivery through distance learning modes such as IDL/ITV, telecourses, hybrid, and online courses. Due to the commitment and expansion of the College to provide educational services to all in the service area, collaborative relationships have also expanded. The institution is a community college that must help meet the needs of those it serves; collaborative relationships are essential to fulfill the mission. The current economic atmosphere has also caused the College to place a greater emphasis on building collaborative relationships to better meet stakeholder expectations and needs.

Key Collaborative Relationships, Figure 9.1, reveals the relationship of collaborative partnering that supports the mission of the College “to provide learning excellence and personal enrichment in an open access environment,” either directly or indirectly. While quality instruction is essential, a beautiful campus, friendly and supportive staff, state-of-the-art equipment, and superior student support services contribute to the best possible learning environment. All this would not be possible without understanding the needs of the students and, ultimately, the needs of those with whom the College has established working relationships.

Input from these relationships, obtained through both formal and informal methods, helps improve the quality of services provided for the students and community. Shared information communicates future needs and trends, allowing the College to act informatively and in a timely manner. Without this information, it would not be possible to develop a long-term vision to support the mission. 9P1 Building Relationships with Supplying Organizations Relationships between the College and educational institutions are formal in nature and are vital to the stability, credibility, and growth of the College. The President and Vice President of Academic Affairs meet with officials from the Kansas Board of Regents to ensure that relationships are in place to allow for effective learning. Funding must be available to support all processes. The quality of education offered by the institution is verified by accrediting and licensing agencies, as well as four-year transfer institutions. Enrollment and recruiting successes are a direct result of relationships and articulation agreements with secondary schools. These partnerships are prioritized by need and the ability to affect the highest number of organizations and stakeholders. In many cases, College employees serve (and vice versa) on other college’s advisory committees when collaborative programmatic partnerships are formed (e.g. Butler Community College and Pratt Community College), and also on area high school advisory boards. Campus activities such as Senior Day, Principal/Counselor Day, Math and Science Day, Fine Arts Day, Career and Technical Education Day, Business Day, Home School College Experience Day, Medical Careers Day and Technology Day draw high school students, counselors, and members of the community to campus. In addition, each semester nearly 550 high school juniors and seniors take advantage of dual/concurrent credit learning opportunities in which they obtain Cowley credit prior to graduating from high school. Concurrent offerings are a direct result of collaborative agreements and relationships with area high school superintendents, principals and counselors. Communications and membership on advisory committees with two- and four-year schools helps the College to develop and offer courses that transfer or articulate to these schools, and facilitate the students’ transfer process. 9P2 Building Relationships with Transfer Organizations Business and industry provides feedback to departments through advisory boards, which review curricula and support recruiting and placement of students. The direct result of developed business partnerships includes providing cooperative education opportunities for students while attending school.

AQIP Category Nine Building Collaborative Relationships



Key Collaborative Relationships Partner Nature of Relationship

Institutions State colleges, universities and community

colleges Transfer articulation, information sharing,

consortia, partner programs Unified school districts -

Superintendents/principles, area high schools and middle schools

Distance learning partnerships, recruitment, concurrent enrollment, articulation agreements,

TRIO programs, partners in grants Community

College Board of Trustees Elected officials, policy approval Workforce Solutions, Cowley First, Workforce

Alliance of South Central Kansas Training opportunities, placement, economic

development, skills assessment Alumni, Athletic Department boosters (Tiger

Booster Club), Endowment Association members, community members

Financial support, participation at College events, committee membership, strategic planning

Area associations and civic organizations, e.g. Chambers of Commerce, Rotary, art councils, etc.

Joint community projects, service learning initiatives

City and county government and social agencies Support, public safety, health services

Business and Industry

Advisory committees Guidance in curriculum development, support, information sharing, student employment

Key business and industry partnerships, e.g. General Electric, Rubbermaid, GKN Aerospace,

Ponca City Kawaski and numerous financial institutions

Customized training, credit/non-credit training, providing equipment and/or facilities, student placement, curriculum and equipment review,

internships, advisory committee representation Governmental and Regulatory Agencies

Kansas Board of Regents Governance, program approval Licensing Boards - State Board of Cosmetology,

State Board of Emergency Medical Services, State Board of Nursing, Kansas Department of Health

and Environment

Accreditation, certification of programs

State and federal agencies Budgeting, governance, grants and funding

Higher Commission on Learning Accreditation, AQIP Figure 9.1

Relationships have been developed within the service area community to provide certificate of training programs or specialized training classes. The Director of Business and Industry, along with department chairs or others as needed, meets with business and industry leaders to ascertain their needs and to develop plans to fulfill those requests. This communication is essential for knowing what they want – listening and acting is crucial. Businesses such as banks and city organizations rely on the College to provide ongoing computer skills training for employees. Manufacturing businesses depend upon the College to provide job skills training to improve and enhance the local workforce. The Cowley College Business and Industry Training Center provides a variety of resources for all types of businesses and industries from entrepreneurs to corporations. Advisory boards are another example of valuable collaborative relationships. They are a source of information for instructors seeking guidance concerning needs of business and industry, student competencies desired by employers, curriculum updates, or technological changes in the field. Members are chosen by College program directors from business and industry managers and personnel working in a field related to the College program of study. Advisory board members often provide placement



opportunities for graduates. Membership is for a minimum of three years but is renewable if the member is active and is willing to serve for a longer period of time. Board members are surveyed to assure they feel their input is valued and their recommendations are implemented. College employees serve on many advisory committees and boards, such as Cowley First, the Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas, etc. where two-way dialogue between the College and the business and industry sector occurs. A vast amount of information is gained from serving in this capacity. Requests are prioritized by need, instructor certification requirements and the ability to affect the highest number of organizations and stakeholders. The College attempts to meet all the business and industry training needs in a timely fashion and rarely is unable to provide the requested specialized training. 9P3 Building Relationships with Student Service Organizations The College surveys students to ascertain their needs and prioritizes these based on the reported priority if valid. To gain data, the College uses formal and informal methods that include the Noel-Levitz survey; “Tell It to the President” web communications; interactions with the Student Government Association, student ambassadors, and academic and student social clubs; as well as student communications with employees. Data gleaned from these groups helps focus the efforts of the College to better meet student needs. Relationships with internal and external groups who provide services to students are maintained by departments or work units that work most closely with that service area. Communication occurs on a regular basis and change is made when needed. 9P4 Building Relationships with Organizational Suppliers These relationships are fostered by those employees who work frequently with the specific organization. As an example, the Executive Vice President of Business Services maintains close relationships with contractors, builders and others who provide services at the College. These types of relationships are maintained by frequent and open communications. When possible, these organizations are provided information by the College so they better understand and meet the organization’s needs. Our purchasing agent maintains close working relationships with all vendors. This close contact saves the College a substantial amount of money each year. In addition, this close contact has provided the institution with information on industry equipment changes before the information was released to the public. Like all aspects of collaborative relationships, frequent and effective communication between parties seems to be a cornerstone of success. 9P5 Building Relationships with External Stakeholders The College utilizes both formal and informal methods to maintain and build these relationships with external stakeholders. The College, as part of the strategic planning action project, developed and utilized a community survey to gain information and help meet stakeholder’s needs. It is imperative that all stakeholders feel that they can provide input and have a say in the direction of the College. The survey results have been very informative and are publicized along with the resulting institutional changes. The College believes that seeking and receiving input requires a response in order to maintain vital relationships. Although not all suggestions can be implemented, Cowley attempts to comply with requested changes or provide valid reasons why it cannot do so. College employees, at all levels, serve on many advisory committees and boards that help to establish, maintain and build relationships. Additionally, most employees attend a wide variety of external local, regional and State meetings to foster relationships. Academic collaborative partners meet annually to discuss issues, progress and make constructive changes as needed. 9P6 Meeting Partnership Needs Cowley often uses surveys to provide data to ensure stakeholders’ needs are being met. Surveys are administered to advisory board members, employers of graduates in technical programs, students, administration and members of the community in regard to the following: quality of instruction, perception



of the College, and various interoffice topics. Qualitative data is obtained through informal anecdotal methods such as telephone conversations, and visits. This data, while quantitative in nature, provides a great avenue for stakeholders to express their true opinions without placing their concerns on a formal written survey or evaluation. Advisory boards have been instrumental in bringing about changes in curricula and the selection of equipment. Evaluation of instruction indicates to an instructor whether changes should be made in delivery methods. Businesses that hire graduates assess the skills these students possess after graduation, and recommend instruction in areas where skills or performance could be enhanced. All instructional programs complete an annual program review that is summarized by the Vice President of Academic Affairs and presented for review to the College administration, advisory board, and the Board of Trustees. Information obtained in these documents is evaluated and recommendations are made for improvement. 9P7 Building Relationships Among Internal Stakeholders Since good communication is a key aspect of improving relationships within the College, better communication continues to be a priority and a work in progress. Numerous academic departments and selected programs communicate to internal and external stakeholders via the News Peek web page that lists upcoming activities, achievements, activity and sports highlights, and other pertinent information about happenings at the College. The Cowley Action Team (CAT) includes personnel from all areas of the College. Faculty & staff are encouraged to submit ideas and proposals to the team. The team follows up and investigates further to determine if suggested idea and/or proposals should become action projects. Through this team, any employee can suggest an action project to improve a College process. The online education department has an extensive training program for full-time faculty and adjunct faculty that addresses all the aspects of teaching a distance education course. Online pedagogy and best practices are reviewed and discussed in detail. To help introduce our adjunct faculty to the Cowley family, the online department is in the process of developing a video that reveals many aspects of the College’s culture. Cowley’s website continues to grow and develop, providing students, employees, and other interested parties with valuable information about the College and its functions. The internal intranet website, which is exclusive to Cowley employees, provides resources helpful in day-to-day functions. The Faculty Access Site hosted on the intranet also provides resources and information to all instructors, both full-time and part-time. Anyone who visits the website can find the “Tell It to the President” tab that allows them to send any concern, comment, or accolade directly to the President. This form of feedback is very beneficial and an appropriate member of the College follows up with each person who initiates a submission. All employees are encouraged to grow and develop by participating in professional development opportunities. Topics for training are determined through one-on-one employee interviews, employee questionnaires and surveys, and feedback from department chairs and supervisors. Training geared toward College processes is presented by employees in the office area that handles those processes. In this way, employees learn the proper methods of submitting required information to improve the day-to-day business systems of the College. Action Projects that have been institutionalized are helping in this area as well. As an example, the Cowley Mentoring program developed from an action project for all new employees has been institutionalized, yet it continues to have a great impact on the College. Mentors are assigned to new employees for a two-year period to help them acclimate to Cowley’s daily processes and procedures and to provide support during the learning process. Employee surveys have revealed that communication at all levels is a perceived area in need of improvement. As such, mechanisms such as PACE (Procedure and Communication Enhancement) meetings were implemented to improve communication between and among departments. In these monthly meetings, administrators meet with all directors to share and discuss college issues. This two-



way dialogue helps keep all informed and provides a method for all to work together to meet the institutional mission. Another way the College builds relationships is through recognition programs. Special recognition is given monthly to employees who have birthdays that month by way of the published monthly calendar. Special events are held to honor years of service and retirements. The President and other members of the administration meet with each department during the year to share information and answer questions. 9R1 Collecting and Analyzing Relationship Measures Measurement of relationships with other educational institutions is based on enrollment trends and the student’s ability to transfer to other institutions. Cowley continues to build its recruiting base and additional partnerships with other institutions. The sharing of information is a natural occurrence as articulation agreements are developed. Community partnerships are initiated and improved as new training opportunities through business and industry are created to effectively meet community needs. Economic development is pursued through College representation as an interactive partner on many advisory committees and boards. Advisory committees share and provide guidance within their fields of expertise through student placement, review of programs, review of graduates skills and internships. Government agencies provide support and funding to assist in developing relationships that directly benefit the student base. In conjunction with the KBOR, the College developed an institutional goal to expand partnerships. This goal was measured by monitoring new partnerships established, with a target of five new partnerships per year and an increase in courses offered in conjunction with new partnerships. This performance agreement was tracked over a three-year period and successful results were submitted in February 2009 (Figure 9.2.) Cowley stresses the importance of partnerships and making positive contributions to the communities it serves; however, measuring and analyzing results can be problematic. Results from available surveys are analyzed and reviewed by the appropriate College officials. Graduation success rates and enrollment data are used to measure results from articulation agreements and concurrent student enrollments. 9R2 Results in Building Relationships The results from collaborative relationships are measured in several ways. The College seeks partnerships and continues to build relationships in all areas. The positive gain from these relationships is a growing and productive college environment and community. Cowley will continue to develop tangible measures for these relationships that can provide information for strategic planning and goal attainment within this area. Figures 9.2 and 9.3 show the results of our collaborative partnership initiatives.

Figure 9.2

3654 49

86

0

20

40

60

80

100

Goal Outcome Goal Outcome

2007 2008

Number of Course Sections Offered in Conjunction with Cowley Partners



Figure 9.3

9R3 Comparison of Performance Results with Other Entities As a long term goal, Cowley seeks to develop tangible measures and comparison data to determine the net impact that successful collaborative relationships have on the College as a whole. Due to the diverse nature of these measures, results of these efforts will be difficult to compare to other institutions and benchmarking data difficult to obtain. The recent development and ongoing analysis of the Accountability Institutional Measures (AIM) document serves as an improved resource and includes benchmarking data when available. However, besides transfer data (Figure 7.3), obtaining benchmarking data on select key measures continues to be problematic. In time, hopefully more institutions will be willing to share data and results. 9I1 Improvements in Building Relationships Upon review of the performance over the last year it can be determined that the current process of developing relationships has created positive change. The College is now communicating better with stakeholders and changes in practice and personnel have occurred as a result. The College has refocused efforts on economic development and business and industry training. A plan for this process was developed, implemented and will be evaluated on a yearly basis. Long-term viability of current relationships will be evaluated and enhanced to provide additional positive impact whenever needed. In addition, new relationship needs will be defined through strategic planning and pursued by Cowley to provide the most positive impact possible in collaborative relationships. 9I2 Determining Targets for Improvement The culture at Cowley allows employees to provide input into all aspects of the College vision. These are tied to the strategic planning process where employees are encouraged to change the face of the institution when changes are needed and supported by data. The College frequently reminds all employees that their input is valuable and that they can shape the future of the College and improve their work processes. For example during the 2008-2009 strategic planning phases, all but four plans were approved by the administration. In addition, a goal has been set of adding two additional collaborative academic partnerships in the 2009-2010 academic year. While it is recognized that Cowley has made progress in this area, the College will continue to evaluate opportunities for collaborative relationships, monitor existing relationships, and make changes as needed.

232

400 361

581

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Goal Outcome Goal Outcome

2007 2008

Number of Students Enrolled in Course Sections Offeredin Conjunction with Cowley Partners



A.1

Communication Skills

Demonstrate the ability to: � Comprehend written information and analyze, summarize, and apply what has been read to a

specific task � Write in an accurate, correct, and understandable manner � Listen for critical and aesthetic content � Speak in an accurate, correct, and understandable manner

Computation Skills

Demonstrate the ability to: � Apply mathematical concepts and reasoning by analyzing and using numerical data

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills

Demonstrate the ability to: � Recognize and define problems � Devise and implement solutions

Technology Skills

Demonstrate: � Computer literacy skills � The ability to retrieve and manage information through the use of the internet

Community Skills

Demonstrate: � An awareness and appreciation of cultural, social, and artistic diversity � Ethical principles such as honest, integrity, and tolerance

Interpersonal Skills

Demonstrate the ability to: � Work together in a group to reach a common goal � Maintain positive relations with others and resolve conflicts

Appendix A Common Student Learning Outcomes


A.2

Assessment of Learning Skills Plan of Action

Implementation Plan

Assessment Tools

Assessed Degrees

Target Implementation

DateAction Outcomes

Communication Skills

Work Keys AAS Spring 2007 Collecting and interpreting baseline data and in the process of setting goals and standards for student outcomes.

CAAP AA, AS, AGS Fall 2004 Disseminated scores during inservice, department meetings,

Academic Affairs, Administrative Council and Board of Trustees

Computation Skills




Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills




Technology Skills Skill

Assessment Manager

AAS, AS, AA, AGS Fall 2006

In the process of collecting baseline data. Will begin to disseminated scores during inservice, department meetings, Academic Affairs, Administrative Council and Board of Trustees

Community Skills Community

Skills Assessment

AAS, AS, AA Fall 2007 Collecting and interpreting baseline data and in the process of

setting goals and standards for student outcomes.



Assessment

AAS, AS, AA, AGS Fall 2007 Collecting and interpreting baseline data and in the process of

setting goals and standards for student outcomes.

Policy for Review and Dissemination of Assessment Data

The process for review of assessment data is as follows:

1. Team chairs will gather assessment data, compile results, and present the information to the Outcome Assessment Team following each semester’s testing.

2. The Team will review the data for trends, concerns and will organize the methods of dissemination of the data.

Criteria for dissemination of assessment data is as follows:

1. If results indicate that Cowley is meeting its goals and/or is ranked well according to our comparison data, the following steps will occur:

� The appropriate team member will take the data to his/her department to be presented at a department meeting and to be reviewed by department chair and faculty in the area assessed.

� Team chairs will present the assessment data inservice or faculty meetings when applicable.

2. If there are negative trends or concerns that arise from the data, the following steps will be taken:

� The appropriate team member will take the data to his/her department to be presented at a department meeting and to be reviewed by department chair and faculty in the area assessed.

� A written response to the information will be provided by the department to the Outcome Assessment Team regarding recommendations for improving outcomes.

� Team chairs will take data, concerns, and departmental recommendations to Academic Affairs Council for analysis and review. They will then provide department with any feedback.

� Team will monitor results and trends to verify if further change is needed, or if outcomes have improved.

Appendix B Assessment of Learning Skills Plan of Action


A.3

The following are included in the program review that is submitted by faculty and Department Chair for each of the programs within the six (academic and CTE) departments:

� Introduction Section � Unique Accomplishments � FTE by Faculty Status (FT versus adjunct) � Headcount (Duplicated) by Faculty Status � Percentage of Sections by Faculty Status � FTE by Campus Site � FTE Percentage by Campus Site � Headcount (Duplicated) by Campus Site � Percentage of Sections by Location by Faculty Status � Average Course GPA by Faculty Status � Average Course GPA by Campus Site � FTE by Student Gender � FTE by Student Ethnicity � FTE by Student Objective � FTE by Student Degree � Grade Distribution Percentage � Number of Courses Offered and Cancelled by Site � Number of Courses Closed by Site � Average Course Capacity Percentages by Site � Facilities Review � Transferability and Articulation Area � Budget � Student Success/Completion Rates � Equipment/Technology Area � Stakeholder Satisfaction � Strengths of Area � Concerns/Weaknesses of Area � Conclusion Section � Recommendation Section

When the review is completed at the faculty or chair level, many also include the following:

� College Mission Statement � Department Mission Statement � Program Mission Statement � Feedback Summary � Advisory Committee Information (members, minutes, etc.) � Other Unique Aspects Specific to Program

An executive summary is then completed by the Vice President of Academic Affairs based on this information (and other data when possible) that includes necessary changes for the college.

Appendix C Focus 20/20 Program Review


A.4

Cowley County Community College Institutional Effectiveness

Personal Quality Improvement Plan Job Target 2009-2010

Name: Department: Title: Initial Conference Date: Supervisor: Follow-up Conference Date:

Goal What do you want to

accomplish? Who will it benefit?

Plan of Action How are you going to accomplish this goal?

Measurement How will you know that

you have accomplished it?

Timeline When will major pieces of the Plan of Action

take place?

Analysis of Results What were the results and how can you use

them for improvement? (Attach summary of

data collected) Instructional Focus:

College Focus:

Specific CourseFocus:

Appendix D Personal Quality Improvement Plan (Job Target)


A.5

Spring 2009 (n=212)

Gender: Ethnicity: 29.72% Male 2.358% American Indian/Alaskan Native 70.28% Female 8.019% African American Age Range: 1.887% Asian/Pacific Islander 71.226% 16-25 6.132% Hispanic 16.509% 26-35 79.245% Caucasian 6.132% 36-45 2.358% Other 5.660% 46-55 0.472% 56 or over Do you consider yourself disabled or handicapped? Have you received services from the ADA program? 3.302% Yes 2.358% Yes 97.170% No 97.170% No 0.472% No Response 0.472% No Response Are you an IMPACT student? Do you live in the Cowley dormitories? 14.151% Yes 29.717% Yes 94.906% No 70.283% No 0.943% No Response At which campus did you most of your classes? Which degree or certificate will you be earning? 67.453% Arkansas City 53.774% Associate of Arts 8.491% Mulvane Bloomenshine Ctr. 22.170% Associate of Science 1.415% Mulvane Industrial Tech. Ctr. 5.660% Associate of General Studies 11.792% Southside Education Center 11.321% Associate of Applied Science 0.472% Winfield Allied Health 7.705% Certificate 3.302% Winfield Industrial Tech. Ctr. 5.660% Online 1.415% No Response What is your current status? If employed, how many hours per week do you work? 22.642% Employed in a field related to training 24.057% 20 or less 44.340% Employed in a field not related to training 27.358% 21 to 39 24.057% Full-time student, not employed 22.170% 40 or more 2.358% Full-time homemaker 26.415% No response 6.604% Unemployed

What is the main reason you chose to attend Cowley College? 5.660% Quality of institution 15.094% Financial aid/scholarships 27.358% Location 8.491% Course/program selection 28.774% Affordability 10.377% Other

4.245% Class size

Appendix E Degree and Certificate Graduate Survey


A.6

Degree and Certificate Graduate Survey Spring 2009 (n=212)

Evaluation of Instruction Very Good Good Fair Poor Very

Poor Did Not

Respond Quality of instruction 61.32% 33.96% 3.77% 0.47% 0.47% 0.00%

Instructors' knowledge of subject(s) 66.51% 30.19% 2.83% 0.00% 0.47% 0.00%

Course objectives and requirements made clear 62.26% 33.49% 3.77% 0.00% 0.47% 0.00%

Content of courses 60.38% 36.32% 2.36% 0.47% 0.47% 0.00%

Methods of instruction 53.30% 38.68% 6.60% 0.47% 0.94% 0.00%

Testing and grading 53.77% 37.74% 7.55% 0.47% 0.47% 0.00%

Class size 78.77% 19.34% 0.94% 0.00% 0.47% 0.47%

Availability of courses at convenient times 56.60% 28.77% 12.26% 1.89% 0.47% 0.00%

Evaluation of Services Very Good Good Fair Poor Very

Poor Did Not

Use Did Not

Respond

Admissions and registration procedures 56.60% 34.91% 7.55% 0.00% 0.47% 0.47% 0.00%

Assistance to disadvantaged 20.76% 13.21% 2.83% 0.00% 0.94% 61.79% 0.47%

Bookstore 52.83% 33.02% 8.49% 2.36% 0.94% 2.36% 0.00%

Business Office 57.55% 31.60% 3.77% 0.94% 0.47% 5.66% 0.00%

Cafeteria 16.98% 14.62% 16.04% 0.00% 2.83% 49.53% 0.00%

Career planning and guidance 35.38% 27.36% 10.85% 0.00% 2.36% 24.06% 0.00%

Counseling services 27.83% 18.40% 3.30% 0.94% 2.36% 46.70% 0.47%

Course advising 50.47% 30.19% 7.55% 2.36% 3.30% 6.13% 0.00%

Financial aid 55.19% 18.87% 4.72% 0.94% 0.94% 19.34% 0.00%

Health services 28.30% 15.57% 3.30% 0.00% 0.47% 52.36% 0.00%

Housing 25.47% 14.62% 3.30% 0.00% 0.47% 56.13% 0.00%

Library/Learning resources center 51.42% 23.59% 4.72% 0.47% 0.47% 18.87% 0.47%

Scholarship Services and Communication 52.36% 24.06% 3.77% 2.36% 1.42% 16.04% 0.00%

Student activities 43.40% 18.87% 3.77% 0.00% 0.94% 32.08% 0.94%

Student Success Center (Underground in Arkansas City) 39.62% 15.09% 2.36% 0.47% 0.47% 41.98% 0.00%

Tiger Deli 34.91% 17.93% 1.42% 1.42% 0.47% 43.40% 0.47%

Tutorial services 30.66% 11.79% 3.77% 0.00% 0.47% 52.83% 0.47%

Veteran's services 15.57% 9.91% 2.83% 0.00% 0.47% 71.23% 0.00%

Web site services 50.00% 37.26% 4.72% 0.94% 0.47% 6.60% 0.00%

Satisfaction with your growth in the following areas as a result of your educational experience at Cowley

Very Satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Very

Dissatisfied Did Not

Respond

Ability to organize ideas 55.66% 43.40% 0.47% 0.47% 0.00% Ability to think critically 58.02% 41.04% 0.00% 0.47% 0.47% Ability to write with clarity 57.08% 42.45% 0.00% 0.47% 0.00% Ability to speak with clarity 59.91% 39.15% 0.47% 0.47% 0.00% Ability and skills in problem solving 59.91% 38.21% 1.42% 0.47% 0.00% Knowledge of methods and problems in the social sciences 57.08% 41.98% 0.00% 0.47% 0.47% Knowledge and skills in mathematics 55.19% 41.51% 2.36% 0.94% 0.00% Awareness and appreciation of the arts and humanities 56.13% 42.93% 0.00% 0.47% 0.47% Awareness and understanding of ethics 57.08% 40.57% 0.47% 1.42% 0.47% Awareness of cultural diversity 64.62% 33.96% 0.94% 0.47% 0.00% Awareness and understanding of computer technology 59.43% 37.26% 1.89% 0.47% 0.94%

Your overall experience at Cowley College 70.76% 25.94% 1.89% 0.47% 0.94%


Systems Portfolio Criterion Index CI.1

Index to the Location of Evidence relating to the Commission’s Criteria for Accreditation found in Cowley College’s

Systems Portfolio

Criterion One: Mission and Integrity. The organization operates with integrity to ensure the fulfillment of its mission through structures and processes that involve the board, administration, faculty, staff, and students.

Core Component 1a. The organization’s mission documents are clear and articulate publicly the organization’s commitments.

� Cowley mission statement, “Cowley County Community College and Area Vocational-Technical School is committed to learning excellence and personal enrichment in an open-access environment,” [0.1]

� The College carries out strategic planning based on the Mission and Statement of Institutional Purpose. Using these as a guide, the strategic planning process involves all areas of the institution and is shared annually with stakeholders. [8P1]

� Cowley’s Institutional Purpose III. Community Development: The College will foster development of the community through public service programs and partnerships with business and industry. [0.1]

� Besides the College’s public website, there also is the Intranet which is username/password protected. It hosts valuable information, including Mission Statement, Core Values, AQIP information, policies, calendars, forms, and other pertinent information. [3I2]

� Using the employee responses, along with the College Mission statement, the other distinctive objectives are determined. [2P2]

� The Mission is reviewed annually as part of the strategic planning process by the Administrative Council and the Board. In addition, the crafting of the AQIP Systems Portfolio also provides an opportunity for review. [5P1]

Core Component 1b. In its mission documents, the organization recognizes the diversity of its learners, other constituencies, and the greater society it serves.

� Cowley’s Core Values: People – We emphasize the importance of human relationships, diversity, and a sense of community. [0.5]

� Cowley’s Core Values: Accountability – We are accountable to the community to educate students and to sustain and improve society. [0.5]

� Cowley College’s mission is to provide every student with the skills to be successful in today’s global economy.[1P16]

� As a result of feedback to this question and other institutional data, three objectives, Leadership, Athletics, and Cultural/Community Involvement, were identified as critical to the mission and goals of the institution. These objectives make Cowley unique as an educational institution and help to define the College’s focus.[2P1]

� The critical thinking component of Common Student Learning Outcomes encourages the development of mutual respect among students, administration, faculty and staff, and is emphasized through in-class discussions, projects, and written assignments that focus on the process of critical evaluation. [0.1]

Core Component 1c. Understanding of and support for the mission pervade the organization.

� The Mission and Values of the College, as stated in Figure 0.1, are the guiding force for institutional action projects, individual job targets, departmental goals, and used in planning by both the Administrative Council and the BOT. [5P1]



� The use of annual job targets by all employees strengthens the mission of the College. The job target process has the employee or workgroup develop plans for improvement based on the Mission of the College. [5P8]

� These four core values help guide the College and the employees in decision making and process development. The values are revisited annually and every new employee is now trained on the core values. All employees are expected to use these values as a guide to work by on a daily basis. [0.5]

� When looking at community arts programs, business and industry ventures and other community opportunities, the Administrative Council, along with the Board of Trustees (BOT), check to see how the possible endeavor relates to the mission and vision of the College. [2P1]

� Several methods and instruments are used to help determine the direction of the College so that it aligns with its mission and purpose. [5P2]

� The Administrative Council uses a variety of information and data sources to provide ongoing monitoring and assessment of institutional progress in sustaining success in meeting the Mission of the College, as well as the goals and objectives outlined in the strategic plan. [5P6]

Core component 1d. The organization’s governance and administrative structures promote effective leadership and support collaborative processes that enable the organization to fulfill its mission.

� The College recently partnered with Pratt Community College to provide a Licensed Practical Nurse program and an Associate’s Degree in Nursing program. This was in response to both student demand and community need to provide qualified health care providers for the community and job retraining and health care career options for students. [3P5]

� The concept of cross-functional teams involves many employees and students in decision making at the College. The teams provide input and recommendations on key issues and have been a part of the Cowley culture for more than a decade. [5P5]

� Relationships between the College and educational institutions are formal in nature and are vital to the stability, credibility, and growth of the College. The President and Vice President of Academic Affairs meet with officials from the Kansas Board of Regents to ensure that relationships are in place to allow for effective learning. [9P1]

� Figure 9.1, reveals the relationship of collaborative partnering that supports the mission of the College “to provide learning excellence and personal enrichment in an open access environment,” either directly or indirectly. [9P1]

� The College annually collects and analyzes the data results and uses them to set yearly targets. For example, when attendance numbers were reported for the past years community events, it was determined that certain nights and offerings were more attended than others and that was used in planning the next year’s offerings. [2I1]

Core component 1e. The organization upholds and protects its integrity.

� While these values had always been an integral part of the College culture, this workshop allowed all employees to have a voice in determining which values were the most important to the College. [5P1]

� State statutes and local board policies also apply. These entities help align the College practices with our leadership system and serve as good examples of checks and balances. [0.5]

� The College has a set policy for student grievances that appears in its entirety in the student

handbook and College catalog. [3P6]



� Supervisors write a job description detailing the specific credentials (both those required and desired), the skill set and the duties of the position in collaboration with other colleagues and by using the Core Values that have been established by the College. [4P1]

� Core Value, Integrity – We regard honesty, trust, and respect as essential principles in our

academic, personal and professional standards. [5P1]

Criterion Two: Preparing for the Future. The organization’s allocation of resources and its processes for evaluation and planning demonstrate its capacity to fulfill the mission, improve the quality of its education, and respond to future challenges and opportunities.

Core Component 2a. The organization realistically prepares for a future shaped by multiple societal and economic trends.

� Each year, a survey is administered to employers of Career and Technical Education graduates. The survey results provide valuable feedback that the department utilizes to enhance efforts to produce world-class employees. [1P17]

� The needs of taxpayers and those of governing boards are determined by College administrators and board members who attend state and national meetings to keep current with legislation, funding, and reform. [3P3]

� For a new program or course to be offered, the Board of Trustees, the President, and the administration must agree that the offering is both needed and would be cost efficient. Economic trends, predictions, and impact are examined. [3P5]

� The College offers a full calendar of professional development and training opportunities with a variety of topics including: technology, health, safety, mental health, customer service, advising, and online technology. [4P9]

� This agreement is built around annual performance targets, with a three-year range of vision for the targets. The current agreement provisions are shown in Figure 8.2., KBOR performance Agreement Goals. [8P2]

Core component 2b. The organization’s resource base supports its educational programs and its plans for maintaining and strengthening their quality in the future.

� For a new program or course to be offered, the Board of Trustees, the President, and the administration must agree that the offering is both needed and would be cost efficient. [3P5]

� Our purchasing agent maintains close working relationships with all vendors. This close contact saves the College a substantial amount of money each year. [9P4]

� Cash carryover, a key component of AIM Goal Measure 13, is comprised of a percentage of student fees and mill levies (Figure 6.5) [6R3]

� The goal is to have all computer equipment put on a rotating four-year replacement plan while

placing the newest equipment in the most advantageous locations. The College collects a $2 per credit hour technology fee from students to partially fund these upgrades. This is combined with other budgeted college funds and various state and federal grant monies to assure that the technology remains current. [7P3]

� When strategic initiatives are submitted in the strategic planning process, financial costs and

anticipated benefits are submitted as well. These are submitted by the workgroup that is proposing the initiative. [8P7]

Core component 2c. The organization’s ongoing evaluation and assessment processes provide reliable evidence of institutional effectiveness that clearly informs strategies for continuous improvement.



� Cowley has a process for program review, Focus 20/20 (Appendix C), in which the faculty for each program, under the guidance of the department chair, annually reviews the program curriculum, course outlines and objectives, and revises them accordingly. Input is always sought from advisory council members and students. [1P2]

� The College has a mandatory assessment and placement policy that requires assessment upon entry as well as initial placement in the course level indicated by the assessment. [1P8]

� The continuing goals and results as outlined the in KBOR Performance Agreements are

published on the College web site. Individual job target results are kept with each supervisor for their workgroup. [8R2]

� Through the ongoing efforts of the Administration, the AQIP Steering Committee, and the

Strategic Planning Action Project Team, the Institution is moving forward in its efforts to regularly collect and analyze its performance and effectiveness. [7R1]

� On a college-wide basis, the Administrative Council annually reviews the goals and objectives of

the strategic plan and measures the effectiveness of each, thus setting new targets for continuous improvement. [7I2]

Core component 2d. All levels of planning align with the organization’s mission, thereby enhancing its capacity to fulfill that mission.

� The College’s strategic plan allows for input at every level. Each department is responsible for prioritizing its needs. [3P5]

� The purpose of the cross-functional CAT is to provide a forum for any student, employee, or community member to submit ideas for College improvement. [5P5]

� Alignment with organizational goals is encouraged across campus during the development of individual job targets by each individual employee and in the departmental goals developed through the strategic planning process. [7P6]

� This instrument (AIM) is an interactive database which compiles all relevant evaluation data used

by the College for ongoing and annual analysis and planning. [6P1]

� As part of the planning and improvement process, all instructional areas complete an annual program review process, Focus 20/20. These reviews ensure programs continue to function at a high level and meet the needs of the institution. [7P2]

Criterion Three: Student Learning and Effective Teaching. The organization provides evidence of student learning and teaching effectiveness that demonstrates it is fulfilling its educational mission.

Core component 3a. The organization’s goals for student learning outcomes are clearly stated for each educational program and make effective assessment possible.

� The (OAT) Outcomes Assessment Team at Cowley has identified Common Student Learning Outcomes that are reinforced throughout the curriculum (Appendix A). [1P1]

� General education requirements for degree-seeking students are outlined in the College catalog and include basic skills, humanities, social science, and natural science courses. [0.1]

� Learning objectives for technical and vocational certificate programs are developed in accordance with the state and professional requirements established for these areas of study by their licensing institutions and are available from each program’s lead instructor and through the Academic Affairs office. [0.1]



� The OAT has developed an assessment schedule to address the Common Student Learning Outcomes that are not assessed by CAAP or WorkKeys. Along with an assessment schedule, the team has developed the process on how the data will be analyzed and used to improve student learning (Appendix B). [1P18]

� Course pre-requisites are included in the Course Procedures available in the current schedule as well as the college catalogue. College readiness is determined based on ACT scores and/or the Compass assessment administered through the admissions office. [1P5]

Core component 3b. The organization values and supports effective teaching.

� Cowley does not prescribe particular activities for instructors, but instead expects instructors to use their knowledge and creativity to achieve course objectives. [1P11]

� Annually, all full-time instructors complete a job target (Appendix D) to establish goals and specify methods for assessing goal attainment. [1P11]

� Faculty and staff members also have the opportunity to attend sessions during Summer Academy where teaching and learning of new and current technology in the classroom is presented along with a variety of other personal and professional development topics. [4P9]

� Maintaining a climate that celebrates intellectual freedom, inquiry, reflection, respect for

intellectual property, and appreciation for differing and diverse opinions is important to the College. [0.1]

� Instructors receive training on ways to incorporate activities that appeal to diverse learning styles as part of their professional development program. [1P9]

Core component 3c. The organization creates effective learning environments.

� The College has a mandatory assessment and placement policy that requires assessment upon entry as well as initial placement in the course level indicated by the assessment. [1P8]

� Students entering industrial technology programs take the Work Keys assessment, which measures current skills in comparison to the skill level needed for the specific vocation [1P8]

� The key student and administrative services are managed on a day-to-day basis by processes outlined in the Process Management column found in Figures 6.1 and 6.3. The support services have well defined processes, including time frames that allow efficient management. [6P4]

� Course placement and proper sequencing of courses are reinforced by the student’s academic advisor. [1P6]

� Student surveys and other stakeholder surveys provide the institution with key insight to the needs of the students. The most widely utilized instrument is the Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI). [6P1]

Core component 3d. The organization’s learning resources support student learning and effective teaching.

� Data from the Kansas Study provides comparative figures on program costs, faculty loads, and credit hours taught by discipline. Figure 7.5 compares the College’s instructional cost per student credit hour to the national refined means over the past three data collection years. These statistics are reviewed annually and assist the College in determining staffing needs and cost-effective program offerings. [7R3]



� Students’ academic support needs are met in several ways. The Renn Memorial Library is a central place on campus for students to have access to computers and to career and transfer information. Free peer tutoring is available in the library. [1P15]

� The Disability Services Program provides accommodations for students with documented disabilities. The coordinator serves as a liaison between Cowley College faculty, staff and the student population. [1P10]

� Cowley employs a full-time Student Life Counselor, who is available for students to talk to in a confidential, one-on-one environment. Cowley also hosts a Health Center and employs a registered nurse who is able to provide a variety of services, including treatment for minor illnesses, emergency care, health tests, and informative talks or health literature, etc. [3P2]

� The hiring of Presidium online support was another initiative designed to streamline and improve

technology services to students and staff [6P4]

Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge, The organization promotes a life of learning for its faculty, administration, staff, and students by fostering and supporting inquiry, creativity, practice, and social responsibility in ways consistent with its mission.

Core Component 4a. The organization demonstrates, through the actions of its board, administrators, students, faculty, and staff, that it values a life of learning.

� Faculty and staff interested in attending conferences or professional development seminars are encouraged to do so by the administration. [5P9]

� The College also has a Tuition Reimbursement Policy that provides additional incentive for faculty and staff to further their education. In addition, faculty members can apply for professional development funds, as allowed by the negotiated agreement. [5P9]

� The outreach to the community is evident by offering several non-credit classes for personal enrichment and growth, including providing an up-to-date health and wellness center that is open to the community for a minimal fee, and through the creation and ongoing offerings of the popular “Golden Tigers” for men and women age 50 and older [3P4]

� To continue the efforts of the institution, the College employees a Director of Organizational Learning and Advising to help coordinate many of the processes and programs related to employee professional development and mentoring that were developed and institutionalized by one of the original action project teams. [0.4]

Core Component 4b. The organization demonstrates that acquisition of a breadth of knowledge and skills and the exercise of intellectual inquiry are integral to its educational programs.

� The College offers many programs and activities in non-instructional areas, including training for business and industry and the Cowley Golden Tigers. [0.1]

� To help ensure current curriculum, Cowley has been an active participant in the Kansas Core Competencies Project allowing Kansas higher education institutions to discuss courses and develop common course outcomes. [1P13]

� Employee training needs increases the College’s focus on helping students learn and accomplishing other objectives and goals by keeping current with technology and teaching strategies for use in the classroom, offering faculty and staff continued skill set development, and providing professional enrichment to improve the performance of employees in the classroom and support service workgroups. [4P8]

� Learning objectives for technical and vocational certificate programs are developed in accordance with state and professional requirements established for these areas of study by their licensing agencies and are available from each program’s lead instructor and through the Academic Affairs office. [0.1]



� All degree seeking students are expected to meet Common Student Learning Outcomes which promotes acquisition of foundational knowledge and the development of academic discipline and integrity. [0.1]

Core Component 4c. The organization assesses the usefulness of its curricula to students who will live and work in a global, diverse, and technological society.

� Input is gleaned from the council and used when determining the direction of the department. Vocational programs make use of an employer survey to assess the training level of their graduates and their performance in the workplace. [1P13]

� The process (Focus 20/20) involves analyzing data in various programs to help determine if the College is meeting the needs of students and other stakeholders. [1P13]

� One method used to evaluate students’ preparation for transfer to four-year institutions is careful review of the KBOR Transfer Feedback Report (Figure 1.5). [1R4]

� Multiple measures are employed to monitor and ensure that students have acquired the knowledge and skills base required by the institution and its stakeholder. [1R4]

� In order to ensure that students graduating from Cowley’s technical programs have attained the competencies required by their future employers, they conduct periodic surveys of former students and their employers. [1R4]

Core component 4d. The organization provides support to ensure that faculty, students, and staff acquire, discover, and apply knowledge responsibly.

� The Academic Freedom Policy, based upon the American Association of University Professors’ Handbook, exists to provide protection for faculty opinions and intellectual property [0.1]

� In order to further ensure protection of the intellectual property rights of faculty, students and copyright holders, academic honesty and integrity in the classroom are identified as clear expectations at Cowley. [0.1]

� Along with student support, Cowley provides faculty support through technology training, professional development workshops, and encouragement of innovation within the classroom (Category 4.) [1P15]

� These policies are provided to students during new student orientation and included on all course syllabi. In addition, when students log on to campus computers, they view a pop-up window referring them to the College’s academic policies. [0.1]

� These students (work study) attend an orientation at the beginning of the year to provide them with an overview of workplace etiquette and responsibilities.[1P17]

Criterion Five: Engagement and Service. As called for by its mission, the organization identifies its constituencies and serves them in ways both value.

Core Component 5a. The organization learns from the constituencies it serves and analyzes its capacity to serve their needs and expectations.

� Statement of Institutional Purpose, “We are committed to maintaining a quality institution by meeting and exceeding the expectations of customers through: academic and personal enrichment; support services; community development; fiscal soundness; and ethics,” guide the strategic planning process at Cowley. [Figure 0.1]

� Learning support processes including advising, the library, and tutoring are analyzed for effectiveness annually, and results can be found in the AIM document. [1R5]

� Along with the opportunities to evaluate instructors and courses, student satisfaction is determined through survey instruments, such as the Noel-Levitz Survey of Student Satisfaction, Student Evaluation of Courses, and the Graduate Survey (Appendix E). [1P11]



� The Tell it to the President forum is an online access forum where employees and other stakeholders can submit comments, concerns, or compliments directly to the president. [6P2]

� Additionally, each department has an advisory council that meets once each academic year

(twice each year for the Career and Technical Education Department.) This council includes the staff and faculty in the department, students, and members from business and industry and the community that can provide advice and suggestions for improvement in the discipline areas. [1P13]

� The Administrative Council reviews all of the feedback and sets the course of action for the

College. The direction for the College is then communicated by the administrative team members back to their respective areas. [5P2]

Core Component 5b. The organization has the capacity and the commitment to engage with its identified constituencies and communities.

� One of the programs at Cowley College is the Academic Civic Engagement through Service (ACES) organization. This is a volunteer program that places students in service opportunities throughout the area. [5P4]

� This program is designed to make out-of-town athletes feel at home. Anyone within the community can participate in this program. Local families are paired with an (or a few, depending upon their choice) out-of-town college athlete. [3P2]

� The report (Annual Report) highlights successes for the year and has been instrumental in producing positive relationships with community members. [5R2]

� College employees serve (and vice versa) on other college’s advisory committees when collaborative programmatic partnerships are formed (e.g. Butler Community College and Pratt Community College), and also on area high school advisory boards. [9P1]

� College administrators and public relations personnel attend Chamber of Commerce sponsored community coffee meetings and a community survey is conducted every two years to gather feedback from community stakeholders. [3P3]

Core Component 5c. The organization demonstrates its responsiveness to those constituencies that depend on it for service.

� With the population trends rising in the northern locations and in response to student feedback, Cowley opened a new college bookstore location in Wichita, so area students would not have to travel the distance to the campus to purchase their textbooks. [3P5]

� Cowley faculty members are encouraged to propose new courses or programs to meet the needs of students, the community, and the business sector. [1P3]

� This report provides valuable information on students’ preparedness for future study and is evaluated and shared with faculty and staff to develop response strategies as needed. [1P17]

� The College recently partnered with Pratt Community College to provide a Licensed Practical Nurse program and an Associate’s Degree in Nursing program. This was in response to both student demand and community need to provide qualified health care providers for the community and job retraining and health care career options for students. [3P5]

� Another example of meeting changing community needs occurred when a new meat packing plant began operations in Arkansas City. With it, came an influx of non-English-speaking residents to the community. The College, as well as several other organizations in town, now offers English as a Second Language courses. [3P5]

� Recently the College started the “Gold Card” program. Gold Cards are freely offered to Cowley County residents age 65 and older. Gold Card members may attend Cowley College sporting events and Cowley College performances in the Robert Brown Theatre at no charge. [3P4]



Core Component 5d. Internal and external constituencies value the services the organization provides.

� Cowley College encourages both students and employees to participate in service learning opportunities and the College promotes social engagement. One of the programs at Cowley College is the Academic Civic Engagement through Service (ACES) organization. [5P4]

� The Admissions Office also conducts customer service surveys with prospective students and the data indicates a steady improvement in a variety of areas. [3R2]

� Academic departments at the College annually conduct surveys of their respective advisory committees to ensure that the program is meeting and/ or exceeding expectations. [3R4]

� Based on the results of the 2009 Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Survey and the 2009 Graduate Survey, students indicated improved satisfaction in all but two service areas at the College. [6R2]

� Surveys are administered to advisory board members, employers of graduates in technical programs, students, administration and members of the community in regard to the following: quality of instruction, perception of the College, and various interoffice topics. [9P6]

Documents

AQIP Systems Portfolio - Cowley College · 2019. 12. 13. · AQIP Systems Portfolio June 2010 Submitted for Reaffirmation of Accreditation to the Higher Learning Commission A Commission