2013 STRATEGIC PLANNING
RETREAT REPORT
Prepared by SPPE
Strategic Planning and Performance Excellence
(210) 485-0750
www.alamo.edu/planning
1
Table of Contents
Page
Executive Summary………………………………….……………………………. 3
Recommended Strategies Based on 10 Charges from the Board of
Trustees’ Charge to the Chancellor………………………………….…………..
6
Recommended Strategies Based on 22 Imperatives from the Chancellor’s
Call to Action………………………………….………………………………….… 9
How Can We Help Each Other to Improve Trust? …………………………….
14
How Can We Help Each Other to Improve Collaboration? …………………... 19
How Can We Help Each Other to Improve Communication? ………………..
22
Top Results of Baldrige Survey “Are We Making Progress?” ………………..
25
Retreat Evaluation Results……………………………………………………….. 27
Alamo Colleges Strategic Plan…………………………………………………...
34
Board of Trustees’ Charge to the Chancellor ………………………………….. 36
Chancellor’s Call-to-Action Imperatives………………………………………....
37
Chancellor’s Call to Action - Group Discussion Responses by Theme
(December 2012 Meeting)……………………………….……………………….
39
2
ALAMO COLLEGES
2013 STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT REPORT
Executive Summary
This report includes the background, methodology, strategy recommendations, next steps, and evaluation
results from the 2013 Alamo Colleges strategic planning retreat*.
BACKGROUND
The Alamo Colleges organizes periodic strategic planning retreats to ensure the participation of all
stakeholders in strategy development and deployment.
The 2013 Alamo Colleges strategic planning retreat was held at the Rosenberg Sky Room at the
University of the Incarnate Word on February 18, 2013. There were 161 participants from the colleges and
district support operations, including students, community members, faculty members, staff, and
administrators. This broad stakeholder representation ensured the participatory aspect of strategic
planning at the Alamo Colleges.
The information provided to retreat participants included the online environmental scan, a SWOT analysis
report, including Alamo Colleges priorities and competitive factors, the Alamo Colleges Board of Trustees’
Charge to the Chancellor, the Chancellor’s Call to Action, and a copy of the Alamo Colleges strategic plan.
This information was provided to ensure realistic, fact-based retreat discussions leading to the formulation
of new strategies.
METHODOLOGY
The retreat started with a presentation by the Chancellor on a Call to Action delineating action imperatives
based on environmental facts and current trends facing the Alamo Colleges. Progress reports on
organizational activities/initiatives were also presented to the audience by several Alamo Colleges leaders.
The strategic planning retreat’s purpose was to collect feedback from all Alamo Colleges stakeholders and
develop new/modified strategies for the subsequent review and update of the Alamo Colleges strategic
plan by the senior leadership (PVC). Three retreat working sessions were conducted during the retreat.
The first two working sessions produced recommended new strategies or proposed modifications for
existing strategies in the strategic plan based, respectively, on both the 10 charges from the Board of
Trustees’ Charge to the Chancellor and the 22 imperatives from the Chancellor’s Call to Action. SWOT
Analysis results as well as environmental scan information were used as reference for making fact-based
decisions.
The third working session produced strategies and tactics to improve trust, collaboration, and
communication between units across the Alamo Colleges.
Finally, retreat participants completed the Baldrige survey “Are We Making Progress?” using clickers for
immediate response and data collection.
RESULTS
The first working session based on the 10 charges from the BOT Charge to the Chancellor produced 63
recommended strategies. Their frequency distribution by charge was as follows:
3
10 Charges
7. Cost to Achieve Student Success
Number of
Recommended
Strategies
14
6. Alamo Colleges Culture
11
2. Modify Strategic Plan
9
10. Public School Relations
6
8. Personnel
6
9. Community Relations
6
5. Operational / Structural Weaknesses
6
1. Operational Improvements
4
3. Student Success and Retention
1
63
Total
These 63 strategies classified by charge and their linkage to the strategic plan are presented below (page 6).
The second working session based on the 22 imperatives from the Chancellor’s Call to Action produced 117
recommended strategies. Their frequency distribution by Call-to-Action imperative was as follows:
Number of
Recommended
Strategies
22 Imperatives
17. Collaboration
12. Flipped Teaching/Classroom
10. Alignment
16. Alamo Way
21. Alternate Revenue
13. Globalization
5. College Readiness
6. Access
2. Students as Customers
7. Advising
20. Cost Efficiency/Reduction
15. Completion
14. Distance Learning
3. Competition
9. Student Support
8. Quality of Programs
11. Innovation and Technology
22. Accountability
1. Leadership
19. Reduced Funding
18. Agility
4. Employer Demands
10
9
9
8
8
8
6
6
6
5
5
5
5
5
4
3
3
3
3
3
2
1
117
Total
4
These 117 strategies classified by imperative and their linkage to the strategic plan are presented below
(page 9).
Also below are the recommendations and tactics collected from the third working session on how to help
each other to improve trust (page 14), collaboration (page 19), and communication (page 22), result
highlights from the Baldrige survey “Are We Making Progress?” (page 25), and retreat evaluation results
(page 27).
NEXT STEPS
The Alamo Colleges PVC (Chancellor, five college Presidents, and five district Vice Chancellors) will
review and update the strategic plan based on the retreat’s results. Their strategic plan update proposal
will be submitted to the Board of Trustees. Once the updated strategic plan is approved, the PVC will
create aligned organizational action plans that the colleges and district support operations will use to
create their own strategic plans and unit action plans.
Progress reports on adopted strategies and corresponding action plans will be presented by district
support operations and the colleges at the 2014 Alamo Colleges strategic planning retreat.
____________________________
* Made possible with the support of all Alamo Colleges stakeholders, including the University of the Incarnate Word’s Extended
Academic Programs and the Alamo Colleges Information Technology Services department.
5
Recommended Strategies Based on 10 Charges from the
Board of Trustees’ Charge to the Chancellor
2013 Alamo Colleges Strategic Planning Retreat
ORIGINATING
CHARGE
1. Operational
Improvements
2. Modify
Strategic Plan
3. Student
Success and
Retention
RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES FROM 10 CHARGES
External Organizational Communication: Conduct regular focus groups with
customers (students, graduates, employees, citizens) to gather qualitative
feedback; Create a centralized repository for customer feedback available 24/7
(online) for entire system; Gather qualitative and quantitative feedback from
current students at various milestones
Determine baseline and targets for key operations using metrics to monitor
progress.
Deploy the Alamo Way using data to build a culture of evidence toward improved
operational effectiveness and student success.
Systematically review business processes and supporting personnel to achieve
effectiveness and efficiency.
Revisit and assess the intent/purpose of our current strategic plans to verify their
effectiveness.
Modify the strategic plan by considering operational/structural opportunities for
growth and improvement.
Operationalize, deploy, and communicate the strategic plan. Through the
strategies, consistently provide a consistent message that is proactively and
timely delivered.
Review strategic plan and ensure alignment with mission, vision, and value
statements.
Constantly monitor and modify strategic plan to ensure that we are meeting
student and stakeholder needs and striving to be the best in the nation.
V
IV.H
IV.A
IV
IV
IV
IV
IV
IV.H
Use data strategically to identify the organization's opportunities and challenges.
IV
Internal Organizational Communication: Inculcate the mission, vision, and values
in all employees; create opportunity for stakeholders to participate in the bottomup creation of the strategic plan.
Continue the examination of the strategic plan for necessary modifications and
new strategies.
(Add "leadership development" to II.B)
V.C
Provide contextualized learning and workplace and continuing education training
that result in opportunities to enhance workplace skills and further education.
Ensure operational improvement based on metrics and targets.
Identify a SWOT for each strategy to determine baselines and targets.
Conduct audits on operational/structural weaknesses and address complaints.
5. Operational
/ Structural
Weaknesses
RELATION
TO
STRATEGIC
PLAN
Identify and correct operational and structural weaknesses leading to an
organizational culture of performance excellence.
Review existing structural relationships within departments, colleges, and district
divisions.
Identify and act upon current barriers and processes that affect student access
and completion based on continuous student input.
6
IV
II.B
III.G
IV.A
IV.A
IV.A
IV.C,D,E,F
IV.I
II
Collaborate across Alamo Colleges to strengthen system operations and
programs, while reducing costs.
Utilize employee feedback (e.g., PACE survey) and encourage collaboration
through a unified Alamo Way.
Develop a clear definition/description of the Alamo Colleges' culture and how it
embodies the organization's mission, vision, and values.
Promote a culture of innovation.
6. Alamo
Colleges
Culture
Systematize the organizational culture by embracing the individual culture of the
colleges; Hold regular small-scale Mission-Vision-Values retreats.
Foster unification while valuing/recognizing the colleges' diversity.
Deploy the Alamo Way using data to build a culture of evidence, a culture of
leadership, and efficient and effective systems to ensure sustainability.
The Alamo Colleges culture should be the desired outcome of all strategies.
Develop and enhance an internal plan committed to creating a collaborative
culture focusing on transparency, transformation, and excellence.
Develop and deploy a communication strategy to promote both internally and
externally the Alamo Colleges culture.
Develop and deploy and internal and external communication plan focusing on
transparency and two-way communication.
Develop an operational cost-benefit analysis for Alamo Colleges to utilize.
Create a standard procedure for re-evaluating both the cost and the methods for
achieving student success.
Search for innovative strategies and respond to market shifts to reduce the cost
of textbooks and enhance the learning experience of students.
Assess textbooks purchase/cost and ensure that textbooks purchased are
actually used; explore other avenues, such as book rentals, for student cost
savings.
Develop and integrate uniform procedures among all colleges to benefit students
by reducing cost.
Measure cost to achieve student success and value.
Measure each strategic plan through the lens of costs and benefits to the
student, community, and institution, and the alignment with the institution.
Identify successful programs and their cost per student.
7. Cost to
Achieve
Student
Success
Strengthen strategy to add more of a specific fiscal component to quantify cost
outcome of student success.
(Expand strategy, specifically addressing cost to the student and the best
allocation of funds to maximize completion outcomes.)
Address the Cost to Achieve Student Success by developing and utilizing data;
implementing cheaper textbooks (eBooks); reducing the cost of classes; tracking
career goals/achievement, implementing innovative scholarships; developing a
tracking system with associated timelines and defined metrics to determine the
cost to achieve student success.
"Ensure sound financial management" is too broad. Consider including the cost
to achieve student success and revenue generation.
Market cost-effective, affordable programs geared to those looking for second
career points.
Ensure sound financial management, including strengthening revenue
development and grants.
7
IV.C
IV.A
IV
IV
V.C
IV.A, V
IV.A
I, II, III, IV,
V
V.C
V
V
IV.C
IV.C
IV.C
IV.C
IV.C
IV.C
IV.C
IV.C
II.J
IV.C
II.C,H, IV.C
IV.C
I.D
IV.C
8. Personnel
9. Community
Relations
Develop measures for workplace performance and integrate with evaluation for
career path opportunities.
Build talent and engage employees with a focus on learning, collaboration, and
performance management through development and evaluation.
Enhance steps to salary increases for staff based on levels of education, and
focus on innovation.
IV.A, III.A
Include Faculty Ownership/Accountability in the strategies to ensure full
stakeholder engagement.
Build talent and engage employees with a focus on learning, collaboration, and
performance supported by quality evaluation systems.
IV.A,B
Team-building and cross-training to ensure that knowledge across areas is
consistent, thorough, and able to respond quickly.
Scale up pockets of excellence throughout the community and share across the
Alamo Colleges.
(Join overlapping charges 9 and 10).
IV.H
Define/distinguish partnerships (university partners, workforce partners,
community partners)
Strengthen community relationships and partnerships.
III, V
Develop, deploy, and maintain the image and visibility of the Alamo Colleges as
a critical element of the community.
(Change the Charge name "Community Relations" to "Community Impact."
Consider the impact of senior leaders. This is not addressed in any of the current
strategies.)
Provide articulated academies for high school students to enter into careers
such as Aerospace, Information Technology Security Assurance, Nursing, Cloud
Computing, Biotechnology, and Finance.
Strengthen advising to include peer advising.
Collect and analyze transfer data to track from FTIC to bachelor's degree.
10. Public
School
Relations
Academic curriculum charge involving core curriculum/degree plans, completion,
distance education, area universities, workforce, and economic growth.
Create a comprehensive outreach program with K-12 (private schools, homeschooled) partners to address financial aid, academic offerings, and career
pathways for students.
Summer Academies/Seminars to introduce MS/HS students to workforce
(STEM) programs.
8
IV.A,B
II.E, III.G,
IV.B,D,F,
IV.B
V
V
III, V
V.D
III, V
III. F
II
II.H
III.B
I
III.F
Recommended Strategies Based on 22 Imperatives
from the Chancellor’s Call to Action
2013 Alamo Colleges Strategic Planning Retreat
CHANCELLOR'S
CALL-TO-ACTION
IMPERATIVE
1. Leadership
RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES FROM 22 IMPERATIVES
RELATION TO
STRATEGIC
PLAN
Students are job one.
I,II,III,IV,V
Lead by first listening.
I,II,III,IV,V
Create a shared vision.
I,II,III,IV,V
Use technology as a tool, not the driving force, by balancing technology and
people to deliver services, developing a mobile site, and providing virtual
career/welcome center.
Minimize process change through thoughtful planning utilizing realistic timelines
(core management approach; holds on student accounts should be an exception;
eliminate counters for service; register and complete process within 24 hours).
IV.D
2. Students as Create a comprehensive staff performance-based program (pay more attention to
Customers
frontline employees; adequate training and merit pay).
IV.B
Program a systematic feedback throughout a student's years at Alamo Colleges
and beyond, and a resolve to act on needs identified by this feedback.
IV.A
Benchmark with students at other institutions.
IV.A
Provide customer service training for all employees and "a shot of Dale Carnegie"
for students about to graduate.
IV.A
Understand our external competition to develop strategies and strengths that will
leverage every college to be a market leader.
IV.A
Launch Alamo Colleges Online to provide students with further opportunities.
Conduct needs analysis to identify high careers and develop curricula for those
3. Competition areas.
Develop a student expectation-based profile that collects data on who they are
(certification, degree-seeking, individual personal growth) and allows us to align
programs to those needs.
Identify competitors and their advantages and create appropriate marketing
strategies.
Through two-way communication, work with employers to assess needs and
4. Employer
requirements, setting as a priority the need for responsiveness and flexibility, with
Demands
a focus on non-traditional structures.
Thoughtfully develop a true ABE program to help students to be ready for transition
into college or career/I-Best+.
Accelerate DE courses, such as RSG, 1301 Plus, Math PASS.
Establish more partnerships with middle and high schools.
5. College
Readiness
IV.A
I.C
III.A,B
II.H, III.B
IV.A
III
II.C
II.C
I.B, II.F
For traditional students, start the college culture earlier than high school.
I.B
Ensure students are advised to the correct developmental education path.
II.B
Incorporate Math into other courses.
II.D
9
Reevaluate MyMAP
II.A
Increase the number of early colleges.
6. Access
Focus on intake and pathways.
I.A,B, III.A
Set up modules with key benchmarks for every major.
II.A, IV.A
Establish a non-traditional scheduling format (include a fast-track format; credit for
work experience; CLEP offerings; cross-train faculty/staff on non-traditional
processes/models; self-pace courses; more hybrid course offerings).
Structure advising to correlate with …
7. Advising
8. Quality of
Programs
Charge STEM departments with focused recruitment and retention objectives and
responsibilities for program success.
Look at best practices for tutoring and advising within and without of Alamo
Colleges and standardize methods across all colleges.
Incorporate more supplemental instruction.
10. Alignment
11. Innovation
and
Technology
II.A
II.B,I
I.A, II.A
II.A,B
II.E
Fully deploy a faculty-advising model.
II.A,B
Assign a caseload of students to advisor in manageable numbers.
II.A,B
Identify best practices among proprietary schools (online delivery, marketingintake).
Consider the interest of business/industry partners in programming needs as they
change.
Conduct cost-benefit analysis of internal programs without enrollment.
Exploit (right-brain) technologies to advise, inform, and meet students.
9. Student
Support
II.C, II.F
II.A, IV.A
III.A,B,E
IV.C
IV.D
Provide centralized, consistent, and robust tutoring services for both online and
F2F.
Develop a solid program for career advising before entry into colleges.
I.C, II.A
Value career tech and other programs with emphasis upon students finding their
best fit.
Develop a plan for standardization across the five colleges to ensure course
alignment via an Academic Summit model.
III.A,B
II.B
II.A, III.B
Review processes to ensure alignment.
IV.A
Establish a pilot program that includes one discipline to test the effectiveness of
alignment.
Focus on continued faculty enrichment (student learning outcomes, engagement,
learning strategies).
II.A
Reexamine program mix for cost efficiency.
IV.C
Provide contextualized career courses, core courses, and development courses.
III.B
II.E
Create cross-district Career Pathways with student learning outcomes.
II.D, III.A
Make advising available from start to finish and train advisors to pathways.
II.B, III.A
Ensure that core courses reinforce career clusters.
III.A
Build the Alamo Colleges Online.
I.C
Strengthen sharing of best practices to get technology to support our needs or
those of the students.
IV.D
Create and support a fluid learning environment.
IV.D
10
Educate faculty about new models (open entry/exit, XED, MOOCs, soft-skill
models, universal curriculum, and multiple delivery methods).
Solicit pioneers from faculty.
IV.B
Educate faculty about the requirements of Amazon.com-students.
12. Flipped
Teaching/
Classroom
II, III, IV.D
Develop a hybrid-blended model that requires 50 percent of courses to be offered
for students. This will reduce brick-and-mortar costs, may increase full-time
students, and gradually increase percentage over the next two years.
IV.C,D
Determine accessible and cost effective technologies available.
Identify methods that offer higher student success rates.
Expand the Alamo Colleges' vision of the community.
Identify for our students their global impact and responsibilities.
Encourage study abroad and exchange programs for our students.
14. Distance
Learning
IV.C,D
I.C, IV.D
IV.C,D
II.A, IV.D
IV.A
II.G,H,I
II.B, III.B
Produce graduate students who are marketable to our global society (academic
STEM skills; leadership/soft skills; foreign language skills).
II, III
Establish a marketing plan that has a broader audience and wider net (workforce
alignment and distance education classes).
V.A
Expand international partnerships (with San Antonio's sister cities).
I.B
Expand and enhance study abroad opportunities for our students.
II.B, III.B
Bring international components into the curriculum.
II.B, III.B
Expand PR, offer more courses, contact alumni, provide
materials/tutorials/testimonies from different perspectives, establish mandatory
online and in-person orientation, advertise outside Texas, provide a chat room,
send software/tools to students, and select the right format so that students feel
connected with teachers and other students.
I.C
Continue investment in IICs.
I.C
Provide ongoing training for faculty specific to distance education with evaluation of
courses as a component.
Make eBooks available for all students enrolled in distance courses.
II.E
Ensure that all distance students have equal access to all online resources (e.g.,
databases) for student success
15. Completion
IV.B,D
Pilot a plan to explore ideas, programs, and best practices related to flipped
teaching to guide the redesign of the curriculum. The model should promote a
culture of innovation and support and active/collaborative learning environment.
Encourage and help instructors to use more open source materials to reduce the
need and cost for traditional textbooks.
Increase the Virtual College branding for the Alamo Colleges. This will need a
support structure in place and retention specialists.
13.
Globalization
I.C, IV.D
Complete the implementation of IT applications (e.g., Alamo GPS) and
systematized faculty advising to create a more self-sufficient student leading
towards academic completion. Enforce accountability on procedures that evaluate
the quality of implemented IT products for competitive and efficient transitions into
future academic institutions.
II.A, IV.C
I.C
IV.C
Create a combination of modularized courses with tracks and/or pathways to help II.A,H, III.A,
student chart progress, goals, and benchmarks that feed into majors (common)
IV.A
and are fast tracked.
Create advising checkpoints for students and advisors that force students to verify
II.A,B
their scheduling of courses are aligned with degree plans, timelines, and goals.
11
Integrate modularized course information and pathways into student orientations.
II.A, III.A
Cross-train faculty and staff to ensure collaboration on all non-traditional models,
pathways, progress, and benchmark points.
Integrate our Baldrige efforts to create an intentional and unified approach to
solidify the Alamo Way.
II.E
Share the Alamo Way message city-wide (all stakeholders fully engaged in order
for us to become the best).
Embrace and communicate our successes.
Deploy the new Alamo Colleges message focusing on value and excellence.
IV.A
IV.A
IV.A, V
IV.A
16. Alamo Way Develop a culture of collecting and sharing best practices and information both
inside and outside the educational environment.
IV.A
Ensure the availability of valid data on student achievement and organizational
performance.
Establish an improvement tracking system for measuring student success
accomplishment.
Integrate business processes with Banner.
IV.A
Improve communication from colleges to district by establishing a culture of "we"
and recognizing opportunities for collaboration across colleges.
Standardize/align processes across colleges (e.g., Welcome Centers, Add/drop).
II.A
The Board of Trustees and the PVC create/develop the vision and strategies for
identifying and establishing a culture of positive collaboration, infused throughout
all stakeholder levels.
Identify strategies to assist students in ownership/commitment/responsibility
regarding their own learning to actively engage throughout the "process."
Provide collaborative leadership training for everyone.
Create teams to work collaboratively to resolve issues and attend functional/crossfunctional summits.
Senior leadership needs to communicate the importance and expectations of
working and communicating collaboratively.
Add strategy II.J: Strengthen strategy to add more of a specific fiscal component to
quantify cost outcome of student success.
19. Reduced
Funding
Add strategy IV.H: Foster teambuilding and cross-training to ensure knowledge
across areas is consistent, thorough, and able to respond to change quickly.
I.B, II.F,
III.C, V
IV.A, V
II.H,I
II.A
II.A, IV.A
II.A
V, IV.A
IV.C, II.J
II.J
Analyze and streamline every business process and student interaction processes
to become more efficient and effective.
II.A, IV.A
Implement massive open online courses (MOOCs) to compete nationally for online
student population.
I.C, IV.D
Establish 501(c)3 for workforce training to increase revenue and compete with
proprietary schools.
20. Cost
Efficiency/
Reduction
V
IV.A
Establish a common purpose for process areas to provide a framework for
developing cohesive and consistent operating procedures that are workable across
colleges for the support of student success.
18. Agility
IV.A,D
Internalize proactiveness, effectiveness, and efficiencies.
Improve collaboration between high schools and colleges.
17.
Collaboration
II.H, IV.A
III.G, IV.C
Develop self-serve models for student services to improve cost efficiencies.
IV.C
Formulate deliberate strategies to learn and understand best practices down to
department level.
12
IV.C
Look and learn from what other like-systems are doing in other parts of the
country.
Study our online education and organize to collaborate without duplication
IV.C,D
Embrace a systematic commitment to leading-edge technological advances.
IV.C,D
Reduce tuition to increase enrollment and achieve economies of scale. Do costbenefit analysis.
Expand distance learning.
Increase degree completion rates through online offerings. Compete with the
University of Phoenix by being more cost effective to students. Use social media.
Do more advertising. Define articulation programs.
Pursue grants, K-12 partnerships, and workforce partnerships.
21. Alternate
Revenue
IV.C
I.C, IV.D
I.C
I.B, III.C,D,
IV.C
Secure funds from the private sector for graduates/transfers. Utilize private donors
IV.C
to "support a student." Reimburse tuition for student interns.
Raise additional funds through an alumni association (membership fees,
fellowships from alumni class).
IV.C
(Modify strategy IV.C to include revenue development and grants.)
IV.C
Add strategy III.H: Develop new entrepreneurial initiatives through the use of
internal talent and resources.
22.
Accountability
IV.C
Include student centeredness in every job description and develop evaluation
criteria.
Develop a tiered student case management system based on success criteria.
Build talent and engage employees with a focus on learning, collaboration, and
performance to increase student relationships and innovation.
13
IV.C, III.H
IV.B
II.B,C
IV.B
How Can We Help Each Other to Improve Trust?
2013 Alamo Colleges Strategic Planning Retreat
1A. How the colleges can
improve trust with the
district (DSO):
1B. How the district (DSO)
can improve trust with the
colleges:
1C. How a college can
improve trust with the
other four colleges:
1D. How a district (DSO)
unit can improve trust
with other district units:
Follow through on what they
said they would do.
Give district the benefit, be
open-minded and accepting.
Assure policies and
procedures are congruent
with district policies /
procedures/ goals / vision.
Employees should submit
ideas and Alamo Ideas.
Be transparent in all things.
Work together to solve
problems.
People in like jobs should
meet regularly.
Be transparent.
Be transparent.
Get input from colleges before
finalizing a procedure.
More collaboration.
Forget past mistakes.
Photo directory with
organizational directory.
Be on same page about
communications.
District solicitation of feedback
prior to changes made.
Agree to do things the same
way instead of 5 ways.
Approach issues through what
is best for all.
Be open to change and
implementing best practices.
Accountability by District to
provide timely feedback.
Welcome new employees in.
Meetings quarterly to
exchange best practices /
processes.
Program collaboration /
meetings between colleges
(ex: Allied Health).
Inter dept. meetings between
colleges.
More collaborative efforts in
student success.
View each other as partners
not competitors.
Inter district meetings to
exchange best practices /
procedures.
Active listening with noncritical bias.
Implement agreed practices
upon strategies.
Incorporate agreed upon
recommendations into
developed strategies.
Don't be dictatorial.
Openness to collaboration.
Focus on how best to serve
colleges.
Disclose changes in planned
initiatives.
Integrate "like" processes.
Ease into / out of change.
Do not be territorial.
Collaborate on development
of new processes.
Listen to concerns at very
lowest level.
Recognize we're all in this
together.
Develop solutions rather that
complaint.
Share goals with colleges.
Respond through less of what
is good for the whole.
Reciprocal trust to reach
common goals and vision.
Willingness to engage in open
discussion without judgment.
Achieve best practice (not as a
threat).
Deliver on expectations.
Acknowledge and respect
differences.
More inclusion on decisions.
Consider goals / best practices
as a positive.
Collaborating better with
follow college counterparts to
share best practices.
Focus on "bigger picture: and
shared goals and values.
DSO should be open to new
ideas and being responsive to
each other's needs.
Understand how each unit's
goals/ charge relate to other
units.
Understand accountability.
The college can improve
transparency of projects and
outcomes.
Develop ways to solicit
feedback in order to increase
trust.
Establish ground rules for
initiatives (time, effort, etc.).
Listen.
Solve problems college
identified.
As what colleges need and how
DSO is doing at meeting needs.
14
Communication (seems like it
never improves).
More collaboration.
Deliver messages without bias.
Team-building across units /
colleges.
Act integrated / not
segregated.
Understand better what each
other does.
Prioritize goals.
Improve / enhance
communication efforts and
tools (i.e. Targeted messages,
feedback loops, consistent
messaging).
1A. How the colleges can
improve trust with the
district (DSO):
1B. How the district (DSO)
can improve trust with the
colleges:
1C. How a college can
improve trust with the
other four colleges:
1D. How a district (DSO)
unit can improve trust
with other district units:
Improve / enhance
communication efforts and
tools (i.e.. Targeted messages,
feedback loops, consistent
messaging).
Keep commitments.
The district can improve
communication and report on
objectives / projects / decisions
prior to board approval.
Improve / enhance
communication efforts and
tools (i.e. targeted messages,
feedback loops, consistent
messaging).
Keep commitments.
Keep commitments.
Be open about problems
(transparency).
Be consistent.
Encourage more faculty, staff,
and administration social
contacts.
We need a "who is our
student" all employees should
be required to take this as a
culture / compliance
development (campus / DSO)
Unified DSO forums hearing /
listening, informing g
(updates) "Road Show"
Understand the roles; see the
big picture.
Be open about problems
(transparency).
Don't be afraid to ask for
assistance.
Campus administrators need
to filter important message to
campus level.
United group of staff councils
(one voice) to district
administrators.
Trust district employees.
Improve feedback loop (Why
are decisions made: What is
end goal?).
Improve / enhance
communication efforts and
tools (i.e. targeted messages,
feedback loops, consistent
messaging).
Keep commitments.
Be open about problems
(transparency).
Be open about problems
(transparency).
Rotate key faculty and campus
personnel. (every 3-5 years)
Increase transparency.
Create Best Practice Forums.
Pursue knowledge level sharing
forums at campus (what needs
/ connections to student) and
job shadowing.
Create more networking
opportunities, innovative
workshops around district-wide
initiatives.
Give access to systems.
Recognize common focus;
student success.
Improve team building and
morale.
Reduce competitive attitude.
Work together to improve
practices and inform one
another of their processes..
Share ideas and successes;
what works and doesn't work.
Positive feedback to district.
Enhance procedures and
communication.
Assume good intent.
Appreciate uniqueness and
support it.
Don't create committees if they
are not going to have any
impact.
Strengthen systems and have
service mentality.
Work together as partners; be
open to other ways of doing
things; celebrate similarities.
Stand by agreements.
To improve trust,
understanding of all processes
and functions must occur on
all levels to ensure mutual
transparency and
accountability through open
communication.
Let loose of so much
centralized control - less red
tape / fewer processes.
All aspects of district should
communicate openly.
Be at one location.
District needs to become
transparent in all they do.
Look at the district as
individuals.
Engage in dialogue regarding
strengths, as well as the
support.
Communicate openly with
district employees.
To improve trust,
understanding of all processes
and functions must occur on
all levels to ensure mutual
transparency and
accountability through open
communication.
Listen to college
recommendations.
Be humble; ask for help.
Win-win mentality.
To improve trust,
understanding of all processes
and functions must occur on
all levels to ensure mutual
transparency and
accountability through open
communication.
15
Establish metrics; monitor /
share across units / provide
data.
Establish regular round table
sessions.
1A. How the colleges can
improve trust with the
district (DSO):
1B. How the district (DSO)
can improve trust with the
colleges:
1C. How a college can
improve trust with the
other four colleges:
1D. How a district (DSO)
unit can improve trust
with other district units:
Be willing to admit mistakes.
To improve trust,
understanding of all processes
and functions must occur on all
levels to ensure mutual
transparency and accountability
through open communication.
Be willing to admit mistakes.
Joint processes / meetings
Communication with common
goal of serving our customers.
Open communication meetings - sharing.
Respect differences.
Move all district offices to one
building.
More collaboration and less
competition.
Cross-college committees for
implementation of initiatives /
activities.
Have a common goal.
Establish metrics; monitor /
share across units / provide
data.
Increase subject-matter
diversity on cross-college
committees.
Have joint fun staff activities.
Appreciate each group's
expertise.
Healthy attitude about
competition.
Work together on shared or
targeted projects and share
best practices.
Use expertise in classroom as
guest.
Crucial conversations with
honesty.
Be more inviting to the district
- welcome them.
Have dialogue before saying
no. Be open-minded to
district ideas.
Provide regular - consistent
information.
Establish metrics; monitor /
share across units / provide
data.
Establish regular round table
sessions.
Direct access with date
(transparency).
Tell colleges honest reasons
behind decision. - Change the
appearances / control (top
down management).
Survey.
Bottom-Up vs. Top-down Support vs. "Takeover."
More communication and
exchange ideas.
During decision making,
involve S/H's other than PVC
(end users).
Colleges treat the district as
partners.
Model effective
communication and maintain
authentic relationships
beginning with PVC.
Open communication.
Establish metrics; monitor /
share across units / provide
data.
Walk in college shoes.
District treats the colleges as
peers.
Respect individual uniqueness.
Team-based approach from all
the colleges.
Engaging in vision and planning
for all Alamo Colleges.
Networking.
Take accountability: followup! Follow through! Observe
deadlines!
Establish more BPAs.
Following all district policies.
Engage in job shadowing
between district / college
employees.
Time to transition and adapt to
(new) policies.
Communicate a context;
"Why?"
Employee Development Day
(All together 4 colleges).
Cross-training with other
units.
Team Building for all the
colleges.
Encourage sustainability.
Dialogue, sharing
understanding!
Communication of old / new
processes.
Improve communication and
transparency.
Drop adversarial perspective:
Not "Us" vs. Them.
Embrace overall strategies and
initiatives.
Transparency (everyone can see
facts).
Committees for like
disciplines.
Shared celebrations / team
building.
Shared responsibility and
accountability or projects such
as MyMAP, Banner.
Collaborate with other DSO's
to identify, understand and
resolve issues.
No secrecy.
Embrace uniqueness.
Empathic listening.
Collaboration from everyone
for decisions.
Communication.
Foster healthy competition.
Communication.
Partner with each other.
See ourselves all as one
system.
College collaboration.
Celebrate each other's
success.
Clear and open
communication that fosters
"safe speak"
Communication and
transparency.
Quicker and constructive
feedback.
Embracing unity.
Fewer inconsistencies from DSO
divisions.
16
Sharing faculty members
between all Alamo depts.
1A. How the colleges can
improve trust with the
district (DSO):
1B. How the district (DSO)
can improve trust with the
colleges:
1C. How a college can
improve trust with the
other four colleges:
1D. How a district (DSO)
unit can improve trust
with other district units:
See that it’s for "greater
good".
Crucial conversations with
honesty.
Have crucial conversations
with honesty.
Embrace ownership of
common goals.
College leaders taking
responsibility to share
information and updates from
district with college campus.
To help those who do not sit in
face to face meetings to
understand.
Shared responsibility and
accountability or projects such
as MyMAP, Banner.
Communication and
transparency.
Drop adversarial perspective.
Practice consistent processes
when possible.
Openly sharing of ideas.
Understand compliance as an
institution; not only as a
department.
Come up with "win-win"
solutions.
Collaboration, open
communication.
Be consistent and uniform with
all colleges.
Enforce policies and procedures
at district like at colleges.
Get over the competitiveness.
No "we", "they", "us", "them"
- change language / verbiage.
Recognize that colleges and
district generate funding.
Empathic listening.
Consistent and standardize.
Empathic listening.
Recognize everyone's role in
Success!
Be resource, instead of
barrier.
Communication.
Would be beneficial to conduct
the same exercise with
relationship with the student
and Alamo Colleges.
Timely and open
communication. Specifically
related to updates that directly
impact how we serve students
at the campus.
Taking input and implement
recommendations from
colleges or give updates if ideas
not chosen to implement at the
time. Feedback on suggestions.
Credibility by experiencing the
campus experience.
Shared responsibility and
accountability or projects such
as MyMAP, Banner.
Communication and
transparency.
Taking care of our crossenrolled students and working
with one another to help with
seamless transitions.
Supporting one another.
Establish publicized and
acknowledged standard
procedures for common
college processes that affect
all college relations.
Fellowship within Alamo
Colleges (i.e. Fulbright) Faculty
Employee, and Administrator
exchange.
Sharing best practices with
each other.
Indirectly, we are all here for
Student Success.
Fellowship within Alamo
Colleges (i.e. Fulbright) Faculty
exchange - Employee
exchange.
Create summits for
disciplines/ work areas
(college and DSO)
Foster understanding between
colleges and DSO.
Come up with "win-win"
solutions.
Collaboration, open
communication.
Shared responsibility and
accountability or projects such
as MyMAP, Banner.
Communication and
transparency.
No "we", "they", "us", "them"
- change language / verbiage.
Empathic listening.
Consistent and standardize.
Communication.
Be resource, instead of
barrier.
Foster understanding between
DSO and college.
Knowing who to contact.
Developing Service Level
agreements between DSO and
colleges.
Asses your effectiveness and
act on it (continuous
improvement).
Being part of the decisionmaking process.
Focus on shared values.
Remember we all want the
same thing.
Come up with "win-win"
solutions.
Collaboration, open
communication.
No "we", "they", "us", "them"
- change language / verbiage.
Consistent and standardize.
Be resource, instead of
barrier.
17
Knowing who to contact.
1A. How the colleges can
improve trust with the
district (DSO):
1B. How the district (DSO)
can improve trust with the
colleges:
1C. How a college can
improve trust with the
other four colleges:
Come up with "win-win"
solutions.
Collaboration, open
communication.
No "we", "they", "us", "them" change language / verbiage.
Knowing who to contact.
Consistent and standardize.
Be resource, instead of barrier.
Communication.
Appreciate each college's
uniqueness.
Seek first to understand.
Knowing who to contact.
Even though it may be more
indirect, district, too, is here for
Student Success.
Seek first to understand on
both sides (District / College).
Create a clear understanding
the roles we have.
Open lines of Communication.
18
1D. How a district (DSO)
unit can improve trust
with other district units:
How Can We Help Each Other to Improve Collaboration?
2013 Alamo Colleges Strategic Planning Retreat
2A. How the colleges can
improve collaboration with
the district (DSO):
2B. How the district (DSO)
can improve collaboration
with the colleges:
2C. How a college can
improve collaboration with
the other four colleges:
2D. How a district (DSO)
unit can improve
collaboration with other
district units:
Don't rush to judgment and
listen actively (Seek first to
understand and then be
understood).
Ask district to consult with
college when making decisions
and designing processes,
innovations.
Various councils (Dean's
workforce council).
Open communication.
Focus on common goals and act
on highest priorities.
Establish shared approach.
Ask college to participate in
designing processes, changes,
etc.; innovations.
Like responsibilities, meet to
discuss ways to doing things,
partnering etc.
Cross-district task forces.
Need written procedures for
responding to college
requests.
Cross-campus takes force / user
groups.
Colleges need to understand
need for standardization.
District needs to better
communicate requirements of
colleges.
Trust that colleges know the
issues.
Work together as a team: not
silos.
Visit colleges and get to know
them.
Faculty collaboration on best
practices.
Know the contacts - resource
list - meet the contacts. Know
who the people are.
Satellite campuses and learning
academies. Consistent
processes and application of
the processes.
Use Alamo Share - transparent
sharing.
Learn more about what each
dept. and unit do so that
everyone is well informed and
not left out.
Each dept. assign a liaison to
other dept. staff meetings to
learn what others do.
"Internships" in other
departments.
Work together on best
practices.
Open house within
departments to get to know
one another.
Open communication - share
Recognize bigger picture exist.
Invite district to colleges.
Strengthen relationships.
Find champions at district and
connections to work with
different people in different
areas (minimize do overs).
Know the contact - resource
list - meet the contacts.
Global Statement - Open
communication will facilitate
collaboration other naturally
occurring and directed in turn
trust will follow.
More than a 2 way street multi-directional collaboration
interdependence.
Keep access information /
policies - procedures
consistent. Update from
district to colleges.
Global Statement - Open
communication will facilitate
collaboration other naturally
occurring and directed in turn
trust will follow.
Include partners / colleges /
district to events / meetings.
Inclusiveness
Remove the silos.
Provide increase collaboration
opportunities for more Alamo
Colleges employees.
Include partners / colleges /
district to events / meetings.
Inclusiveness
Build more college teams
district-wide.
Interact with those in same
roles.
See the relationship as a
partnership.
Exchange program with in
colleges.
Consistency in department /
area naming.
Knowledge of other operations
(satellite campuses) ex: "Just in
time".
Global Statement - Open
communication will facilitate
collaboration other naturally
occurring and directed in turn
trust will follow.
Include partners / colleges /
district to events / meetings.
Inclusiveness
19
Open Chancellor's newsletter
to district areas and satellite
campuses - get information
about what everyone is doing.
Promote where to find action
plans.
Global Statement - Open
communication will facilitate
collaboration other naturally
occurring and directed in turn
trust will follow.
Include partners / colleges /
district to events / meetings.
Inclusiveness
Provide increase collaboration
opportunities for more Alamo
Colleges employees.
2A. How the colleges can
improve collaboration with
the district (DSO):
2B. How the district (DSO)
can improve collaboration
with the colleges:
2C. How a college can
improve collaboration with
the other four colleges:
2D. How a district (DSO)
unit can improve
collaboration with other
district units:
Provide increase collaboration
opportunities for more Alamo
Colleges employees.
Establish intranet or other
communication device to
share ideas and invite
opportunities for
collaboration.
Key decision makers need to
be accessible.
Provide increase collaboration
opportunities for more Alamo
Colleges employees.
Build more college teams
district-wide.
Build more college teams
district-wide.
Establish intranet or other
communication device to share
ideas and invite opportunities
for collaboration.
Have regular meetings across
work groups (ex: IT).
Invite a DSO rep at each First
Friday meetings at colleges for
Q & A.
Open communication.
Provide feedback loop and
closure on collaborative
projects.
Fulfill promises made.
Establish intranet or other
communication device to share
ideas and invite opportunities
for collaboration.
Have regular meetings across
work groups (ex: it). (With or
without DSO's).
Cross-training among colleges
(ex: when recruiters / advisors
visit high schools).
Share best practices openly.
Establish intranet or other
communication device to
share ideas and invite
opportunities for
collaboration.
Single location for all DSO's.
Build more college teams
district-wide.
Share best practices openly.
Ask Everyone for decisions.
Actively engage district
personnel in college strategic
planning.
Use resources in collaboration.
Recognize success and
communicate it internal and
external.
Showcase college and district
initiatives.
Recognize best practices.
Consult / Seek input from
colleges before major
decisions are made.
Attend meetings at colleges to
learn more about needs and
increase lots of interaction.
Work groups with crossfunctional teams.
Use in-house expertise to take
advantage of cost-savings.
Invitations to dialogue with
one another - express interest
and desire to help.
Work groups with crossfunctional teams.
Shared understanding of
purpose.
Metrics to award / recognize
work with one another for
common denominators.
Develop a system to foster
collaboration as opposed to
competition.
Communication.
Shared understanding of
purpose.
Metrics to award / recognize
work with one another for
common denominators.
Communication.
Develop a system to foster
collaboration as opposed to
competition.
Ensure appropriate contacts.
Work together on shared
projects.
Sharing databases / data
sources.
Do something similar to
colleges - All college meetings
(All DSO meeting).
More interface between key
departments.
Less Competition.
Seek opportunities for
collaboration. Ex: NLC no
workforce can do 1 + 1 with
other Alamo Colleges. PAC has
2 such collaborations.
Serve as pipeline for each
other's unique programs CE and
credit.
Enhance consortiums already in
place.
One building needed!
Be informed about each other's
programs and initiatives.
Share best practices.
Ask to visit other campuses to
view best practices Acknowledge / recognizing
what is done really well.
Work groups with crossfunctional teams.
Work groups with crossfunctional teams.
Shared understanding of
purpose.
Metrics to award / recognize
work with one another for
common denominators.
Communication.
Metrics to award / recognize
work with one another for
common denominators.
Communication.
20
Learn about each other's
processes.
Use economics to save
money.
Shared understanding of
purpose.
Develop a system to foster
collaboration as opposed to
competition.
2A. How the colleges can
improve collaboration with
the district (DSO):
2B. How the district (DSO)
can improve collaboration
with the colleges:
2C. How a college can
improve collaboration with
the other four colleges:
2D. How a district (DSO)
unit can improve
collaboration with other
district units:
Build new processes together.
Be a resource.
Support in being better than
where we are now.
Trust that what's being done is
for the best interest of Alamo
Colleges.
Establish multiple modes of
communications and stronger
relationships to support
initiatives by each party.
District should be sensitive to
the colleges' limitations.
Develop a system to foster
collaboration as opposed to
competition.
Continue cross college
committees.
Compete in a healthy way while
collaborating.
Develop articulation
agreements / partnerships.
Town Hall meetings.
Celebrate each other's "win".
Communicate how we can
support each other.
Provide incentives. Focus on
common goals.
Treat each other like valuable
customers - not impediments
to the success of others.
Sharing information that can
benefit both units.
Invite DSO to college events /
activities.
Ensure colleges have all
information that affects a
decision.
Input on high level decisions
that affect overall
performance.
Make sure feedback is
acknowledged and discussed.
Develop policies / procedures
that foster collaboration.
Deliver better on
expectations.
Interdepartmental meetings
between colleges.
Define goals in which they all
come out ahead.
Communicate better.
Share end game and benefit
for all.
Shared programs to increase
enrollment.
Be open to feedback and
share strategies for success.
Assume clear expectations and
goals are addressed.
Listen to the specific needs
each presents.
Listen, share ideas and best
practices.
Focus on understanding the
needs of district units.
Sharing best practices.
Be decisive and respond
quickly to problems /
questions.
Share best practices to create
a unified standard.
Have "like" departments meet
to discuss goals.
Establish multiple modes of
communications and stronger
relationships to support
initiatives by each party.
Colleges should be sensitive to
district requirements.
Participate in DSO outcomes
oriented meetings.
Win-win.
Take issues from committees
to college personnel for
feedback.
Do not be afraid of change.
Listen better to ideas for
improvement / change.
Invite district officials to
campus events / include
district officials in
programming / events.
Sharing of best practices /
processes via quarterly
meetings.
Cross-college meetings of
Deans.
Define shared goals in which
they all come out ahead.
Be open to feedback.
Get to a common starting point
for discussions.
Get over themselves; stop
being internally competitive.
Collaborating and partnering
for similar events. Each
campus should share successes
and stumbling blocks.
21
Information sharing across
units.
Meet regularly on common
strategies.
How Can We Help Each Other to Improve Communication?
2013 Alamo Colleges Strategic Planning Retreat
3A. How the colleges can
improve communication
with the district (DSO):
3B. How the district (DSO)
can improve
communication with the
colleges:
3C. How a college can
improve communication
with the other four
colleges:
3D. How a district (DSO)
unit can improve
communication with other
district units:
Utilize information by sharing
other than board meeting.
Listen.
Build relationships and sharing
information needed.
Cleary communicate results
needed for students.
More 2-way communication.
Use cross-college teams as
means of improving
communication.
Interact with colleagues more
regularly.
Include us on your RSS feed.
Share information more
promptly and more
comprehensively.
Encourage meetings of collegelevel professional across the
district.
Have regular meetings (like
Monday meetings) for college
leadership, president and vice
president to attend and
provide college / student
issues.
Photo directory / org. charts
(share point).
Determine how work
processes relate to colleges
and capitalize on the districts
core competencies to enhance
trust.
Photo directory / org. charts
(share point).
Have quarterly communication
meeting at each department
level and updates are given.
District should be located in
the same physical location to
reduce proximity barriers to
communication.
Photo directory / org. charts
(share point).
Enhance culture throughout
overall colleges concerning
district attributes.
Determine how work
processes relate to colleges
and capitalize on the districts
core competencies to enhance
trust.
Change the paradigm; Rather
than top → down leadership,
employ a customer - focus
paradigm where the
professionals who have direct
contact with the customers /
student are allowed to provide
feedback and contribute to the
development of new
programs, initiatives, etc.
Photo directories / org. charts
(share point).
Weekly reports need to be
redesigned and posted on
share point.
PVC meeting minutes on share
point.
Rotate meeting locations.
User groups.
User groups.
Sharing newsletters.
Sharing newsletters.
Recognize needs of your
customer.
Make sure the right people are
involved to facilitate sharing.
Cross-college / district
communication opportunities
at all levels of organization.
Share best practices - Become a
learning community.
Recognize we are each other's
customer.
Schedule regular meetings with
counter parts.
EWD should share information
about activities.
Cross-college meetings of
Deans.
Inter-district meetings to
exchange best practices /
procedures.
Rotating meeting locations.
Interdepartmental meetings
between colleges.
More BPAs.
Provide feedback to district both Good and Bad!
Anonymous way to provide
feedback.
Look at ourselves, don't
always blame district.
Colleges should nominate
people at district for Gold
Star. Gold Stars Website.
Be inclusive.
Utilize feedback loop develop a comprehensive
communication plan, Utilize
innovative methods to
communicate use various
methods to deliver message,
think out of the box.
Include district administration
at key campus meetings.
22
Provide timely updates.
3A. How the colleges can
improve communication
with the district (DSO):
3B. How the district (DSO)
can improve
communication with the
colleges:
3C. How a college can
improve communication
with the other four
colleges:
3D. How a district (DSO)
unit can improve
communication with other
district units:
By building trust; lack of
trusts prohibits honest
communication.
Share proactively information
in timely fashion (before
something is done not after).
PR and college president will
be the consistent vehicle used
for communication for this
scenario.
Improve communication
reporting procedures to
district.
Communicate program
changes to district in a timely
manner.
Be open to ideas that are
being discussed.
Good exchange with PVC.
Have meetings at rural
campuses.
Quarterly joint leadership
meetings.
Sharing newsletters.
Bring forth ideas and
suggestions in a proactive
manner.
Speak openly.
Setting standards for returning
communication.
Post leadership agendas and
results for colleges to see.
Bring forth ideas and
recommendations proactively.
Remember campuses are the
client.
Be open to implementing
agreed upon processes.
Be engaged.
Involve the campus at all
discussion levels.
Like minds need to meet Counterparts across colleges
should meet and share ideas.
Pro Active
Be team player to achieve
overall goals.
By building trust; lack of trust
prohibits honest
communication.
Share proactively information
in timely fashion.
Transparent communications.
Do not be defensive.
Departments need to be
available to other
departments.
Pro Active
Feedback on changes made in
a timely manner.
District solicitation of feedback
prior to changes made.
Timely communication.
Systematic updates.
Honest and respectful
communication.
Timely communication.
District news updates available
up log-on. (Improve ease of
information retrieval in ACES)
Post PVC and VC agendas and
minutes.
Listen with an open-mind.
Seek to understand.
Honest and respectful
communication.
Be transparent.
Seek to understand.
Use technology.
Be transparent.
Do not be defensive.
Look at things from a "boots
on the ground".
Be judicious and accurate in
the information we provide.
Use technology.
Accountability to the district
and one another. 1) Attend
meetings - Show up; 2)
Communicate updates with
teams.
Systematic updates.
Be open to their level inputs.
Communicate that all of our
Focus is to meet the needs of
our students no matter where
they go.
Be judicious and accurate in
the information we provide.
Communicate in various ways:
often emails; paper; meetings.
Understand what
communication really means.
Everyone needs to do 7 Habits
Training.
Timely communication.
Assume colleges don't know in
an effort to keep them as
informed as possible.
Pro Active
Share best practices and be
open to try new ideas, even if
they're not yours.
Everyone needs to do 7 Habits
Training.
Understand what
communication really means.
Standardized reporting on
various aspects.
Come to district directly.
Be open to implementing
best practices.
Make sure all are
communicating in same
language / terms /
definitions.
Invite district to campus
events.
Have district participate in
campus events.
Be proactive.
Honest and respectful
communication.
Seek to understand.
Video / record PVC meetings.
Invite and participate in
campus events.
Systematic updates.
Honesty and open
communication.
See things from others
perspectives.
First meet each other.
Do not be defensive.
Focus is on the needs of our
students.
Develop platform to capture
the customer and employee
thoughts and feelings about
process and procedures.
23
3A. How the colleges can
improve communication
with the district (DSO):
3B. How the district (DSO)
can improve
communication with the
colleges:
Be transparent.
More face-to-face
communication.
Use technology.
Do not be defensive.
Be judicious and accurate in
the information we provide.
Multiple methods of delivery.
Everyone needs to do 7
Habits Training.
Same positions within colleges
and district meet (monthly).
Understand what
communication really means.
Consistent.
Systematic updates.
Be a resource for
communication.
Seek first to understand (ask
before action).
Honest and respectful
communication.
Seek to understand.
3C. How a college can
improve communication
with the other four
colleges:
3D. How a district (DSO)
unit can improve
communication with other
district units:
PVC - people at table need to
write paragraph and all sign
(clarify results / decisions).
Timely communication.
Be transparent.
Use technology.
Be judicious and accurate in
the information we provide.
Everyone needs to do 7 Habits
Training.
Understand what
communication really means.
Consistent.
Be a resource for
communication.
Be transparent (don't just say
you are transparent)
24
1. I know the mission of the Alamo Colleges
53%
2. I know the Vision of the Alamo Colleges
64%
5. Senior Leaders (PVC) share information about the organization
35%
6. The Alamo Colleges asks what I think
32%
7. As it plans for the future, the Alamo Colleges asks for my ideas
41%
8. The Alamo Colleges encourages totally new ideas (innovation)
32%
9. I know the parts of the Alamo colleges plans that will affect me and my work
24%
10. I know how to tell if we are making progress on my work group’s part of the plan.
29%
38%
11. The Alamo Colleges is flexible and can make changes quickly when needed
85%
13. I regularly ask those whom I serve what they need and want
40%
14. I ask if those whom I serve are satisfied or dissatisfied with my work
43%
15. I am allowed to make decisions to solve problems for those whom I serve
38%
16. I also know who the Alamo Colleges’ most important customers are
78%
43%
17. I know how to measure the quality of my work
44%
19. I know how the measures I use in my work fit into the Alamo Colleges overall measures of
improvement
40%
20. I get all the important information I need to do my work
33%
21. I know how the Alamo Colleges as a whole is doing
40%
22. The people I work with cooperate and work as a team
38%
23. My boss encourages me to develop my job skills so that I can advance in my career
42%
36%
24. I am recognized for my work
40%
25. I have a safe workplace
37%
26. My boss and the Alamo Colleges care about me
80%
27. I am committed to the success of the Alamo Colleges
28. I can get everything I need to do my job
33%
29. We have good processes for doing our work
33%
30. I have control over my own work processes
34%
31. We are prepared to handle an emergency
30%
32. My work products meet all requirements of those whom I serve
43%
33. Those whom I serve are satisfied with my work
56%
34. I know how well the Alamo Colleges is doing financially
42%
25
Strongly
Disagree
22%
4. Senior leaders (PVC) create a work environment that helps me to do my job
18. I can use this information to make changes that will improve my work
Disagree
32%
3. The PVC (senior Leaders) use our organization’s values to guide us
12. I know who my most important customers are
Undecided
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Top Results of Baldrige Survey “Are We Making Progress?”
41%
38. The Alamo Colleges practices high standards and ethics
46%
39. The Alamo Colleges helps me help my community
39%
34%
40. The Alamo Colleges is a good place to work
26
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
40%
36. The Alamo Colleges removes things that get in the way of progress
37. The Alamo Colleges obeys laws and regulations
Undecided
Agree
Strongly
Agree
34%
35. The Alamo Colleges has the right people and skills to do its work
Retreat Evaluation Results
2013 Alamo Colleges Strategic Planning Retreat
Very Poor
Deficient
Fair
Good
Excellent
Evaluation Results
1
2
3
4
5
Good +
Excellent
1. Organization of this retreat
1% 2% 14% 50% 32%
82%
2. SWOT/Priorities/Competitive Factor Analysis report
1% 2% 10% 60% 27%
87%
3. Online environmental scan
1% 2% 18% 54% 26%
79%
4. Opening presentation
1% 1% 17% 52% 29%
81%
2% 5% 25% 42% 25%
67%
6. Methodology used in the working sessions
1% 5% 19% 43% 32%
75%
7. Performance of table leaders
1% 1%
35% 55%
90%
8. Pace/dynamics of retreat
1% 4% 17% 46% 32%
78%
9. Working sessions with colleagues
1% 1% 11% 37% 51%
88%
10. Use of clickers for voting (Baldrige Survey)
3% 5% 18% 45% 29%
74%
11. Facilities
2% 4%
51% 35%
85%
12. Food
1% 6% 25% 48% 20%
68%
13. Beverages
2% 7% 26% 48% 17%
65%
14. Overall strategic planning retreat experience
1% 4% 12% 60% 24%
83%
15. Significance (Was it worth your time?)
1% 7% 18% 46% 28%
74%
5. Action plan progress reports
(Stewart/Silva/Claunch/Sides/Joseph/Morgan/Cleary/Leslie)
8%
9%
What did you find most beneficial about this strategic planning retreat?
1
Interaction/discussion with table
2
I really enjoyed the spirited discussion!
3
Validation of the Baldrige Method to keep an organization on track
4
Work on the building of collaboration, communication and trust
5
The variety of topics discussed and variety of approaches. The diverse working group and openness of all individuals.
27
6
Table Discussion/Conversation
7
We won't know if results do not turn into action
8
The 3rd work session was a really great discussion/dialogue.
9
Interaction with peers.
10
Good discussions with colleagues. SWOT before session was great.
11
Interaction with colleagues.
12
Diversity at the tables, networking with colleagues
13
Learning about colleges and meeting new people
14
The collaboration/discussion at the table
15
Trying to align the various elements.
16
Sharing of ideas, thoughts and recommendations.
17
Collaboration with peers.
18
The interaction of District, Colleges and Community members.
19
Learning the mandates and imperatives.
20
Opportunity to reflect.
21
Collaboration and articulation of ideas.
22
Review of overall processes and strategy.
23
Learning from others.
24
I liked the progress report/briefings. Short yet informative
25
30,000 view of the A.C.
26
Communication, meeting new employees
27
Talking with other employees
28
Networking, table diversity
29
Meeting other colleagues from the college
30
Meeting new people. Table discussions.
31
I find the networking, brainstorming to be most beneficial
32
Working in groups.
33
Great working sessions.
34
Interacting with colleagues across the district
35
Colleague engagement
36
Stayed on time. "Updates" had good information to share.
37
Input from community and students.
38
Discussing and recording important college issues.
39
I appreciate being able to participate in this process.
40
I liked meeting new colleagues and students.
41
Colleague contact.
42
The flow of ideas and topics.
43
I know the focus of the Chancellor and Board
44
Updates
45
The various perspectives and contributions.
46
Sharing with all colleagues and including everyone.
47
Bonding and Meeting new people. Sharing ideas.
48
Lots of great information; networking
49
Candid dialogue
28
50
Exchange of ideas
51
Learning about the new SWOT analysis
52
Meeting new people - making connections.
53
Collaboration with a wide-range of Alamo representatives, community leaders and students.
54
Clicker survey
55
Meeting with colleagues/community members/students
56
Working with my table group
57
Lots of discussion with different employees
58
Networking with colleagues; learning about all the excellent work within the Alamo Colleges.
59
Thank you
60
The working sessions with colleagues gave a new perspective of campus concerns.
61
Collaborating with Alamo family
62
Timely, needed; great interaction
63
Everything
64
Meeting new members of Alamo as well as students/community
65
Understanding of Alamo College overall visions.
66
Vision
67
The opportunity to work with colleagues from different colleges
68
The discussions
69
Pace of the event
70
Discussions
71
The networking was invaluable
72
Insight from other colleagues around the District
73
Spending time with others. Hearing Chancellor's message together
74
Hearing overall opinions
75
Meeting others - Staying updated
76
Employee contributions
77
Working with co-workers from across the District
78
Being able to hear different perspectives college and district
79
Working with people from different campuses.
80
The individual working sessions are productive
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
Networking- Feeling that I am a part of a larger community
The focus areas were manageable in a day. Wasn't overloaded with activities.
Table discussions
Discussion of charge and "Call to Action" brought it to people's attention
Meeting colleagues from other areas of the district
Working with colleagues from other colleges
Team sessions - collaboration with personnel
The discussions across the colleges.
Open discussion, a safe environment
90
91
92
93
94
95
The exchange of thought processes and ideas over topics. The ability to speak freely and honestly without judgment.
Virginia Stewart's presentation was great! Engaging, informative - good demonstration of using technology to tell the story
Networking
Meeting colleagues from other colleges
Meeting colleagues from different colleges.
Networking, reconnecting and meeting new people; having conversation around board charges; breaking bread together
29
What Should have been better?
1
Great job!
2
Microphone volume was generally too low.
3
Lunch food. Not enough food
4
Do the Baldrige survey ahead of time.
5
Screens at front of room and not on sides. Had to turn away from speaker
6
Comments at table: We discuss the same thing each year and nothing changes
7
Have someone lead simple stretching in between sessions (since we're sitting for long periods of time)
8
Table was stacked with district employees, making it difficult to feel safe in presenting opposing ideas. Reports right after lunch
not the best idea - very sleepy people! Would have liked a report of last year's clicker questions to see if there has been
movement on the trust issue.
9
10
The choice of the first exercise could have been modified for better productivity. Continental breakfast is bad in a region noted
for diabetes.
The Baldrige Survey - it was too much at one time. Maybe you could spread it out throughout the day.
11
Bottled water. Should have proper briefings/reports before sessions, it allows a frame of the topic
12
Avoiding operational aspects- where true problems and disconnects and inconsistencies exist- avoids true problems/issues. "The
devil is in the details"
13
Interaction with more than just table group
14
No breakfast
15
I think there are more important issues we should have discussed.
16
Provide more water.
17
Really did not understand what we did will affect strategic plan
18
So many ideas, that more time needed to iron out better recommendations.
19
Room temperature too cold. Location- with reconstruction; size of the campus; parking took longer than expected
20
Parking (which is a nice complaint).
21
Be sure organized in prepping for event:
Plan who needs to help prior to event. Send invites earlier. Way to wordy with everything!
22
Some of the slides were hard to read.
23
Communication. More time for workshops
24
Implementation of last year’s ideas
25
Collaboration
26
The "call" is to revamp the system, but no time set aside for brainstorming this task.
27
1st working session too short, too complex
28
Temperature
29
Bottled water
30
Food, acoustics, outcomes of the day
31
Shorter lunch and breaks
32
Why were we asked to come @ 8:00, confirmed to come early, but didn’t start until 9:00?
33
The clicker survey should've been paper.
34
More hot regular coffee
35
What was the point of Baldrige Survey? Only opinions
36
Seemed unorganized - no name tags for SAC employees
37
Parking/Drinks/Pace of presentation- disjointed
38
Need to be more organized in the morning at sign-in table. Not all name tags were printed and they ran out. Coordinate
volunteer tasks/instructions ahead of time.
30
39
Explanation of Baldrige
40
Motivational moments- Always Inspire!
41
It was well done.
42
Working session 1
43
Nothing, everything was good
44
End at 2:30 PM - leave out Alamo Colleges Briefings, Baldrige Survey and Chancellor's final remarks.
45
Need to discuss more alignment of college and District goal
46
Timing for and between activities
47
Technology and preparation of updates. Dr. Cleary was excellent
48
Not read aloud survey questions.
49
Lots of great info; networking
50
Food quantity, snacks, mints needed
51
Food
52
Too much redundancy in some of the themes
53
A way to be more inclusive in activities in activities with students and community members. No water!!
54
Organization - what a chaotic process!! From all your complicated emails to SAC having no name tags, to muddy instructions.
Keep it simple!! Food was even disorganized.
55
Written snapshot of initiatives
56
57
58
Water bottles
Time
Show data bout student outcomes. Where are we? How are we doing?
59
Working with the clickers!
60
Instructions. Acoustics need improvement
61
Location
62
Clickers
63
Food both breakfast and lunch
64
Let’s see some action on these findings. We talk about the same thing all the time.
65
Too slow to start in the AM. Show progress from last retreat.
66
Coffee for afternoon. Turn air down.
67
Food
68
Work group after lunch then presentations.
69
Food and drinks, snacks and breakfast
70
Very good conference
71
More interaction among the table to show more immediate results off the work sessions
72
Call to action was not developed - defined
73
Report out - should include some of the work session outputs
74
Report out on what was done with last year's work
75
Would have been helpful to have student/community person at every table
76
Drinks other than coffee
77
Room could have been warmer
78
79
More organization to College Baldrige presentations. More data from the IT/IR person Tom Cleary. How can you make the point
about importance of data if leader in this area gives verbal data - no evidence.
Instructions for work sessions
80
Facility lighting not bright enough
81
More substantive and meaningful tasks. Clearer directions for the tasks we were given.
82
Breaks too long, hard to bring group back together. Need Bell? Chimes?
31
What suggestions do you have for the next planning retreat?
1
Avoid reports immediately following lunch
2
At the beginning of next year's event we need a report on what improvements and efficiencies were a direct result of this year's
event. Need to know specifically how this event makes a difference.
3
Showing us if any of our comments/recommendations were taken.
4
Have coffee available after lunch.
5
Chancellor's opening remarks should be shorter.
6
45 minutes is enough time for breakfast and lunch. This would save a half hour
7
Provide me protein-based food for breakfast or indicate on emails to participants that breakfast would be more continental.
8
Keep the table groupings.
9
Rotate members on table to increase interaction.
10
Less superficial. Survey needs to be given to staff to take as well, not just leadership team.
11
More overview of environmental scanning summary info not sure haw SWOT is directly integrated into strategy sessions.
12
Provide more water.
13
Actually use and review our strategic plan between annual sessions. Establish targets/evaluate progress/results.
14
More time perhaps 1 1/2 days
15
Please provide notice/email earlier. Provide computer to write down information at the table.
16
The work sessions need to be a bit longer. Have a copy of the agenda at each table. Why ask the student and community people
to after lunch? What is DSO?
17
Start on time. Signs on campus to include info about event, location, parking.
18
Use the strategic plan in the meeting
19
Ask for new ideas.
20
Board and PVC should choose clearer, selected focus for the retreat: What items do you really need input on?
21
Temperature control
22
Smaller group
23
Do not have it on President's Day. Have it at one of the colleges.
24
Defined outcomes
25
If possible, not on a holiday. If children or spouse if off from school/work I may want to take the day off.
26
Don't start an hour later than start uptime
27
Provide update of strategic plan from previous year - How did strategies work?
28
Dismiss external stakeholders before doing and going over an Organization survey
29
Do an opening icebreaker. Show outcomes/successes of last year's retreat
30
Better planning
31
No printed name tags needed. Ask people to wear theirs. Consider a "grab and go" boxed lunch. Put this session in Alamo Learn
(even though there were students/community members) most were employees. Evaluation in Alamo Learn too or survey point
(saves paper).
32
Get info out to participants earlier that needs to be read. Also, provide a copy of the agenda.
33
Keep it the same
34
Allow more time for some activities
35
Have update presenters better prepared! Include entry, hourly employees and advisors.
36
Like the clickers, just slow
37
Simpler planning exercises/better worksheets
38
More time to discuss in groups and really define strategies
39
New topics
32
40
Be better prepared, name tags, morning setup and prevent those who are available to assist before it starts.
41
Long day. Breakfast selection needs to improve, consider individuals who cannot eat pastries. Need to have fruit, water and
coffee throughout the day.
42
Water. PVC in charge
43
Smaller groups - This is way too big - you go through the same thing year in and year out with the same results! Read the call to
action! Simplify and create solid results. Very annoying to see top leaders texting, laptops, emails create their agenda for the
day. They set no example, by noon, students at table doing the same thing. Sent a great message! Have people leave laptops at
the office. Maybe we would improve communication and collaboration if they spoke to each other! Why use CAPS on slides and
power point, and handouts - have an English expert look at your work to establish some credibility
44
9 to 3; 1/2 lunch
45
Very balanced
46
The lunch provided was good but portions were too small.
47
Need more of them targeted to various important aspects of our progress.
48
Fruits or snacks
49
Continue having annual meeting
50
Turn temperature up!
51
Don’t take too long for next planning retreat.
52
Better location
53
A step in the right direction.
54
55
Gather input online. Get a lot more input from students. We're asking ourselves the same questions (survey retreat). We have
to ask the students. The students at my table said colleges stop competing but we didn't listen.
Last exercises - Trust/Collaboration/Communication- trying to break down into too fine categories each on affects the other two.
56
All was good!
57
It should be at one of the Alamo Colleges
58
Verify if ideas or topics are being followed.
59
Better food with more selections. Bottled water
60
District, how each department aligns with Strategic Plan
61
Review measures and targets for identified key processes/strategies
62
63
Look at data and discuss. What has been done on strategies and is impacting results. Discuss pressures on our work and how to
respond.
Relevancy - give context. Why was this important?
64
More community/student involvement
65
Shorter time period - more on strategies
66
Overall well done - We need more of a report on what we have done to achieve strategic priorities.
67
Room temperature. Adjust it where it is more comfortable.
68
Have better instructions for participants
69
Consider how to better use community participants.
70
Possibly have budget in A.M. too dry a topic and people are dozing! Plus, sets the tone for the strategic goal/objectives
conversation.
33
Alamo Colleges Strategic Plan
Mission
Vision
Empowering our diverse communities for success.
The Alamo Colleges will be the best in the nation in Student Success and Performance
Excellence.
Values (how we act)
INTEGRITY: We act ethically, building a culture of trust and respect.
COMMUNICATION: We engage in open and transparent communication, information sharing, and
collaboration.
COMMUNITY: We collaborate through a culture of learning and service, where unity in diversity occurs
with mutual respect, cooperation, and accessibility.
ACADEMIC FREEDOM: We value creativity, growth, and transformation through vigorous inquiry and a
free exchange of ideas.
ACCOUNTABILITY AND INNOVATION: We accept responsibility for our actions and strive for
continuous learning and improvement through a safe and secure environment in order to achieve our
vision.
5 Goals and 29 Strategies
I. ACCESS
I.A. Recruit and enroll students from the eight-county service area with an outreach focus on underrepresented populations, such as low income students of color
I.B. Leverage K-12 partnerships to facilitate the smooth transfer of students into the Alamo Colleges
I.C. Continue to expand and strengthen all distance education courses and programs
II. SUCCESS/COMPLETION
II.A. Engage in improvement and alignment of institutional systems and practices to improve student success
(Achieving the Dream, Foundations of Excellence, MyMAP)
II.B. Provide students with degree planning and academic advising, resulting in roadmaps for success
II.C Provide a comprehensive approach to developmental instruction and support that accelerates the
completion of requirements and ensures the movement of students toward their academic goals, such as
flexible options and integrated occupational/DE program (I-Best)
II.D. Identify, implement, and continuously improve student learning outcomes for each course and program
offered
II.E. Provide professional development for faculty and staff to create greater student engagement and learnercentered instruction
II.F. Continue to collaborate with secondary school partners on issues of joint interest (i.e. testing, advising,
instructional offerings, etc.)
II.G. Continuously measure and improve outcomes as outlined in the student success policy
II.H. Develop a student-tracking and intervention system to monitor and promote student academic progress
from enrollment to completion
34
II.I. Redesign the student "orientation" model, develop a peer mentoring program, and implement an early alert
process to better support student completion and success
III. PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS
III.A. Create coherent, structured pathways to certificate and degree completions based on high demand
occupations
III.B. Provide a core curriculum that ensures students will gain the knowledge and skills required for success in
college, in careers, in their communities, and in their lives
III.C. Collaborate with area universities to provide transfer programs that align with baccalaureate degrees
III.D. Build internship and practicum experience into all workforce programs
III.E. Strengthen the advisory committee relationship between business and industry partners and the colleges
III.F. Provide articulated academies for high school students to enter into careers such as Aerospace,
Information Technology Security Assurance, and Nursing
III.G. Provide workplace and continuing education training that results in opportunities to enhance workplace
skills and further education
IV. PERFORMANCE EXCELLENCE
IV.A. Deploy the Alamo Way using data to build a culture of evidence and efficient and effective systems to
ensure sustainability
IV.B. Build talent and engage employees with a focus on learning, collaboration, and performance
IV.C. Ensure sound financial management
IV.D. Maximize technology for student and employee success with a focus on innovation
IV.E. Develop long- and short-term facilities plans for colleges and district, including upgrades to master plans,
deferred maintenance, and scheduled maintenance
IV.F. Develop safety manuals, plans, and protocols and the associated student and employee training
IV.G. Identify and implement strategic environmental sustainability procedures and initiatives throughout the
district
V. ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION
V.A. Develop and deploy a marketing plan for the Alamo Colleges that addresses dual credit curriculum,
transfer curriculum, workforce curriculum, continuing education curriculum, and developmental education
curriculum
V.B. Develop, measure, track, and improve communication approaches and outcomes
V.C. Develop and deploy an internal communication plan focusing on transparency and two-way
communication
35
Board of Trustees’ Charge to the Chancellor
(10 Charges)
1. Operational Improvements
(metrics, targets, customer satisfaction)
2. Modify Strategic Plan
(new or modified strategies, new metrics/targets, alignment with Mission, Vision, and
Values)
3. Student Success and Retention
(MyMAP implementation, metrics reports, student outcomes assessment, student success
new initiatives)
4. Northeast Lakeview College Accreditation
(actions, targets, problems/challenges, support)
5. Operational/Structural Weaknesses
(identify weaknesses/strategies, determine baselines and targets)
6. Alamo Colleges Culture
(improve collaboration/communication, align culture to strategic plan, baselines, targets)
7. Cost to Achieve Student Success
(metrics, measure cost to achieve student success, cost-benefit analysis, standardize
textbooks)
8. Personnel
(faculty-staff evaluations, ID deficiencies, policies, faculty filling administrative positions)
9. Community Relations
(community/business outreach, communication, partnerships, revenue generation, Alamo
Colleges image/visibility, senior leaders public profile)
10. Public School Relations
(relations with ISDs, improve college readiness, test preparation, SDEV courses,
academic/career advising, counselor support, expand dual-credit, grow Alamo Academies
and Early College high schools, improve success and transfer data collection/analysis)
36
Chancellor’s Call-to-Action Imperatives (22)
1. LEADERSHIP: Change how we lead in this New Era (p16)
2. STUDENTS AS CUSTOMERS: Compete for students by understanding and meeting their
changing customer expectations. Increase the quality of our customer service. Students now
demand an Amazon.com, technology-based experience. (p3,11,16)
3. COMPETITION: Compete with expanding number of private competitors in our market.
Compete in the market by replacing our traditional operational ways with competitive
practices and better education offerings (p16)
4. EMPLOYER DEMANDS: Develop better learning techniques using technology that are
responsive to the needs of local employers for successful students who are skilled workers.
Change the nature of the degree. Employers want national certifications, performancebased “badges” that affirm graduate’s skills. Implement a competency-based model for
students and employers, including emergent stackable certification and degree options
(p13,15,17)
5. COLLEGE READINESS: We must radically change (starting from scratch) how we prepare
students to be college ready. We must radically change developmental education to ensure
positive student outcomes (p20)
6. ACCESS: Change our approaches to access. Restructure student access processes and
systems. Redesign our pathways, core offerings, curricula, and support systems. Realign
focus on STEM and high-demand workforce programs. Develop clear academic pathways
(p17,20,21,23)
7. ADVISING: Change our approaches to advising. Restructure the advising system. Realign
focus on STEM and high-demand workforce programs (p17,20,21,23)
8. QUALITY OF PROGRAMS: Increase the quality of our programs. Deliver academic programs
that make sense (p3)
9. STUDENT SUPPORT: Increase the quality of academic and student support (p3)
10. ALIGNMENT: Deliver an aligned, relevant, and efficient academic experience across the
Alamo Colleges (p3)
11. INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY: Leverage technology and 21st Century approaches to
deliver much more, more rapidly, and at a much lower cost while complexity continues to
increase (p7,8)
12. FLIPPED TEACHING/CLASSROOM: Redesign the curriculum model using the advantages of
technology. Faculty act as coaches. More use of suppliers (Khan Academy). More content
uniformity to reduce costs. Leaders include University of Phoenix, Western Governors
University, XED (p12)
13. GLOBALIZATION: Meet the demand to develop greater student success so our students and
community can compete globally. (p11)
37
14. DISTANCE LEARNING: Implement a competitive distance learning model for distance
learning. Become a competitive force in distance education and increase market share in this
rapidly growing sector (p16,20,21)
15. COMPLETION: Redesign our general education programs so that student graduation rates
match those of workforce students (p3,17)
16. ALAMO WAY: Become a high-performance organization. Focus on operational performance
and student success. Everyone must contribute to ongoing assessment and continuous
improvement of our strategies, systems, and processes. Abandon what does not work,
quickly implement better solutions, and take some risks. Contribute to continuous
improvement at a lower cost. Redesign ourselves proactively and learn better tools to
extend our efficiency and sustainability (p4,18,22)
17. COLLABORATION: Exert collaborative leadership organizationally, operationally,
strategically. Develop a culture of positive collaboration and community where everyone is
focused on faster, better solutions for students (p19,21)
18. AGILITY: Act swiftly, surely, effectively. Act differently with agility and efficiency. Develop a
culture of adaptability, agility, and supporting skills, as the public expects us to act differently
(p9,22,23)
19. REDUCED FUNDING: Face the disinvestment in education and the “let-the-user-pay” political
philosophy that shifts investment from the taxpayer to the student/user (p9)
20. COST EFFICIENCY/REDUCTION: Understand/acknowledge post-secondary education shifts
and participate in new cost-efficient models to aggressively expand our reach. Maintain our
cost competitive position in the market as competitor costs are reduced Leverage
technology to drive operating cost and student costs down. Prices are being driven down by
the advent of the educational entrepreneur and the use of technology. The State calls for
$10,000 baccalaureate degrees. Education may be free to larger audiences in 10 years
(p8,9,10,14)
21. ALTERNATE REVENUE: Become entrepreneurs to create new revenues to offset traditional
funding sources (p22)
22. ACCOUNTABILITY: Create an efficient, innovative, customer proficient, collaborative
organization where every employee embraces each student as his/her personal
responsibility. The State calls for funding based on performance. The “Student Success
Points” initiative is to immediately replace our traditional enrollment-based funding model.
There is increasing external accountability (p10,18,20,22)
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Chancellor’s Call to Action
Group Discussion Responses by Theme (December 2012 Meeting)
Invitees: Board of Trustees, Presidents, Vice Chancellors, Associate Vice Chancellors, Vice
Presidents (Student and Academic), Deans, Faculty Senate Representatives, Staff Council
Representatives
Question #1 - Do you agree with the call to action?
1. Why?
2. Why not?
ANSWER: Overall response was yes.
Flexibility
1. Group agreed that there are a lot of changes going on in industry, education and how
students learn. Everything is moving very fast and we need to find ways to keep up.
2. This is not just about distance education. We need to be aware of our changing
environment. Be nimble, flexible.
3. We need to consider the flex schedule and if we are to change the entire district
programs and or courses to this system.
4. Embrace change and opportunities.
5. Build momentum for change we have to- no choice- reality of change/ environment.
Operations
1. We need to promote efficiency.
2. Our actions need to be deliberate.
3. Maintain relevancy.
4. Survival.
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Internal Competition
1. There is a big internal competition within each Colleges and Colleges probably,
because this is the only way to be promoted. We need to find an alternate system of
promotion.
2. We need to change the Colleges perception that they function individually this is a
collective effort.
3. We need to promote team building.
External Competition
1. NLC shared a story about a family who lives close to campus but out of district, and
who has opted for online classes at El Paso CC rather than NLC due to cost. People
in our own backyard now have many options. EPCC is cheaper and convenient.
2. Question is how do we leverage to our advantage? We need to consider competitors
our collaborators.
3. There is a large number of external competition and we need to be prepared to
survive.
Classroom
1. Text books – there is a big difference in book prices within the same classes some
are $50 and others $200.
2. For how we teach/technology.
3. Teach how to learn vs. what to learn.
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Innovation
1. We have to improve and be more innovative with customer service if we want to
retain. Moving things take so long, slow processes.
2. We need to stop trying to go it alone. Employers need quicker response, a different
landscape.
Marketing Communication
1. Build community.
2. We need to promote our strengths; whether we recognize it or not the Alamo
Colleges is a business.
Responsiveness to our Students
1. We need to think more about the student.
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Question #2 - How do we initiate dramatic changes?
Innovation/Rethink Standards
1. Come to realization that this is not a passing phase.
2. Revisit the why’s…Why are semesters 16 weeks, why are courses 3 hours, why do
we have 3 semesters?
3. All we think we do “right” right now that may be broken-why do we do? Require?
Etc.
4. Have a plan, understand impacts, bridging, prototypes, axn, “Apple Store” it’s okay
to try new things.
5. We are dinosaurs!
Students/Classroom
1. Be mindful of diverse student population.
2. There are elements in the classroom that when changed, could lead to greater
success and completion. What shifts need to be made in the classroom?
3. Empowerment to suggest change implement work smarter focus on BOTH current
AND future student needs.
4. Incorporate students in planning-start with the end in mind.
Infrastructure
1. Change mentality-ok to fail.
2. Infrastructure must support implementation.
3. Trickle down- “Sell” vision/ “Buy-in” at all levels know what “Successful
Student” looks like.
Clear Strategic Focus
1. Purposeful actions.
2. Have a clear changes and concrete deadlines.
3. We must accept reality!
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Empowerment
1. Empower for decision-making and be willing to move.
2. Trust in all of our people to give them authority to make decisions.
Human Capital
1. Handle not hiring individuals must change.
2. Hiring needs to be transformative as well vs. traditional skill sets, etc. (redefine)
Fundraising
1. Raise more private money.
Technology
1. We are not utilizing technology to its full extent, nowhere close.
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