Quality Improvement Project Commitment Proposal
Proposal submission date: July 2007
Planned project kickoff date: September 2007
Target project completion date: September 2009
A. Title of Project
Valuing People – Adjunct Faculty Professional Development.
B. Description of Project
The purpose of this project is to provide professional development for adjunct faculty.
Measurable goals include:
 Adjunct faculty participation in training for the following topics:
o in-class conflict resolution (also to be available to full time faculty)
o designing learning experiences
o classroom technology
 Adjunct faculty policy development and implementation in the following areas:
o course assignment load
o evaluation
o mentoring
 Improvement in student success for courses taught by adjunct faculty
 Adjunct faculty being valued by the College
C. Key Quality Indicator(s)
NC State Strategic Initiatives
□ Enrollment Development
X□ Achieving the Dream
□ Workforce/Economic Development
□ Core Learning Outcomes
□ Health Care Education
NC State Strategic Tasks
□ Accreditation
□ Administrative Systems Implementation
X□ Performance Evaluation System
AQIP
□ Helping Students Learn
□ Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives
□ Understanding Students and Other Stakeholders Needs
X□ Valuing People
□ Leading and Communicating
□ Supporting Institutional Operations
□ Measuring Effectiveness
□ Planning Continuous Improvement
□ Building Collaborative Relationships
Achieving the Dream
Proposals are required for projects or activities a) that require budgetary resources beyond the sponsor's usual
operating budget, b) those that impact processes and people from more than one operational area, and/or c) those
that directly support the strategic plan/strategic initiatives of the institution.
X□ Develop strategies to close performance gaps among students
○ Successful completion of remedial courses and progression to college-level courses
○ Enrollment in and successful completion of “gatekeeper” courses.
○ Productive grades (C- or better) in all courses.
○ Improve term-to-term persistence.
○ Improve graduation rates.
□ Use data to drive strategies, monitor progress and evaluate outcomes
□ Involve faculty, students, staff and communities in developing and implementing
□ Report data and outcomes broadly, both on and off campus; advocate for state and national
policy
□ Form partnerships with communities, local businesses and others
D. Project Relevance and Legitimacy
A large portion of the College’s courses are taught by adjunct faculty (128 adjunct faculty in
Fall 2006), therefore adjunct faculty have a significant impact on the success or failure of
students at the College. Providing adjunct faculty with training/development and
improving/implementing policies affecting their work at the College should improve their
effectiveness in the learning environment. This supports AtD’s goal to close performance gaps
among students as well as the strategic tasks related to the performance evaluation system.
This project would help the College to better value its adjunct faculty and to meet the
requirements of AQIP Category 4 -- Valuing People. This was an area of weakness revealed by
the Systems Portfolio project. (Valuing People “explores your institution’s commitment to the
development of your faculty, staff, and administrators since the efforts of all are required for
institutional success” p. 8, AQIP’s Principles and Categories for Improving Academic Quality.)
The project has the support of the AQIP Steering Committee and the Adjunct Faculty advisory
group led by Stephanie Kreisher.
The training for designing learning experiences will be based on a workshop offered by Michael
Renock-Welker titled “Designing Effective Learning Experiences.” The workshop has been
offered as part of the instructional technology certificate program and has received good
reviews.
E. Organizational Impact
The organizational areas most affected by this project are the adjunct faculty as participants in
training/development and policy implementation; full time faculty as possible mentors and
trainers; Faculty Caucus, Adjunct Faculty advisory group, Academic Administration, and
Human Resources as part of the development/approval process; the entire College as partners
sharing limited resources; and students as primary partners in learning.
Resources needed include funding for 07/08 as follows:
1. Stipends for adjunct faculty to attend Designing Significant Learning Experiences workshops
= $13860 ($45 for 3 hours for Steps 2-3 level adjuncts, and $90 for 6 hours for Step 1 level
adjuncts; Alternative = $9240 if $30 and $60 stipends).
2. Stipends for adjunct faculty to attend Conflict Management workshop -- $5760 ($30 stipends).
NOTE #1: Calculations based on number of adjuncts for 06/07.
NOTE #2: Fulltime Faculty also should have the opportunity to participate in the Conflict
Management workshop.
Proposals are required for projects or activities a) that require budgetary resources beyond the sponsor's usual
operating budget, b) those that impact processes and people from more than one operational area, and/or c) those
that directly support the strategic plan/strategic initiatives of the institution.
F. Key Processes
Key processes that will be improved are those that affect adjunct faculty course assignment,
evlauation, mentoring and training.
G. Timeline/Milestones
For 2007/08:
 Offer Designing Significant Learning Experiences workshops quarterly to adjunct
faculty.
 OfferIn- Class Conflict Management training quarterly to adjunct and full-time faculty.
 Determine how to offer technology training (part of mentoring?) and plan
implementation.
 Plan and implement evaluation of effectiveness of workshops/training, looking for
evidence of:
o Participant satisfaction,
o Change in teaching/learning environment,
o Improvement in student outcomes.
 Develop policies for adjunct faculty course assignment, evaluation and mentoring.
For 2008/09:
 Submit budget requests.
 Continue workshops/training and evaluations.
 Implement technology training.
 Implement policies for adjunct faculty course assignment, evaluation and mentoring.
 Plan and implement evaluation of impact of project on adjunct faculty’s perception of
being valued.
H. Project Monitoring
An AQIP Action Project Team will be created and will report on a quarterly basis to the AQIP
Steering Committee and the Adjunct Faculty advisory group.
I. Assessment
Outcome measures include:
 Accomplishing the project milestones (See part G).
 Evaluation reports on the effectiveness of workshops/training and the impact of project
on adjunct faculty’s perception of being valued (See part G).
J. Other Information
None.
K. Project Leader/Contact Person (First Name, Middle Initial, Last name, Title, Email,
Telephone)
The project leader has not been identified. In the interim, please contact Kate Peresie, AQIP
Coordinator.
Date
Received
Fwd
To
Date
Sent
Date
Returned
Recommended
By PAC?
Proposals are required for projects or activities a) that require budgetary resources beyond the sponsor's usual
operating budget, b) those that impact processes and people from more than one operational area, and/or c) those
that directly support the strategic plan/strategic initiatives of the institution.
Planning
Advisory
Committee
□ AQIP
□
□
□ AtD
□
□
□Assessment □
□
□ Curriculum
□
□
□ Other
□
□
Date
Received
from PAC
Date
Returned
To PAC
□ Yes
□ No
Date:
Recommended
To PAC?
AQIP
Steering
Committee
Achieving the
Dream Core
Team
Assessment
Committee
□ Yes
□ No
Curriculum
Committee
□ Yes
□ No
□ Yes
□ No
□ Yes
□ No
Proposals are required for projects or activities a) that require budgetary resources beyond the sponsor's usual
operating budget, b) those that impact processes and people from more than one operational area, and/or c) those
that directly support the strategic plan/strategic initiatives of the institution.