Category Improvement Worksheet
Institution: North Central State College
City & State: Mansfield, Ohio
Identify one AQIP Category that your institution would like to target for focused improvement (in
the form of a campaign consisting of one or more Action Projects.
Category 4 Valuing People
Within this Category, identify a significant challenge — one or two processes or performance
results data that you consider targets for change.
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Training and development of faculty and staff to better meet the needs of a
changing student population
Professional development plans to assist in budget development and tied to
strategic plan
Graduate education for adjunct faculty to qualify them to teach in their fields
Which specific opportunities for improvement (identified as O or OO in your Systems Appraisal)
are core to this challenge?
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4P4b is an OO that states, “There is no comprehensive policy or developmental
goals that address professional development.”
4P3c is an O that states, “Historically, the strategic planning process has not
encouraged high performance or empowerment for each employee.
4P5 is an OO that states, “The College has an opportunity to accrue immense
benefits (e.g. satisfying critical needs) from using a more evidence-based,
inclusive process for creating professional development plans. Without evidence
professional development plans can be viewed as uncertain and unclear leading
to an environment without trust.
What feedback from other external sources (consultant reports, other accreditation reports,
research studies, etc.) reinforce your conclusion that this Category represents a key challenge for
your institution?
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The University System of Ohio strategic plan directs community colleges to serve
more students, including those requiring remediation, and increase retention and
graduation rates.
The HLC faculty credential requirements
Program specific accreditation requirements related to faculty credentials
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What feedback from internal sources (performance results data, complaints, system breakdowns,
etc.) reinforce your conclusion that this Category represents a key challenge for your institution?
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2007 email survey on professional development expressed dissatisfaction
AQIP Strategic Issues Survey Report May 2008 – professional development
identified as a priority
Manager’s Advisory Council, Faculty Caucus, Staff Caucus, Planning Advisory
Council, President’s Staff, AQIP Steering Committee, Achieving the Dream Core
Team, Council of Deans all independently supported Category 4
Valuing People – Adjunct Faculty Professional Development, an Action Project
launched 12/07 has yielded some success, provides an opportunity to build on
that success
Identified as area needing improvement at annual Board of Trustees planning
retreat
Focus groups conducted by Foundation informally identified need for
improvement in professional development plan/processes
Achieving the Dream data identified student cohorts that are underserved
1998 NCA accreditation report indicated that some NC State faculty did not meet
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credentialing requirements. In 2008-09, 100% of full-time faculty meet
requirements, 60% of adjunct faculty meet requirements.
When did you become aware of the need to develop a strategy to address this challenge? What is
stimulating you to confront it now?
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The Achieving the Dream Core Team discussed this challenge from the
perspective of 1) possible development of a faculty development curriculum
similar to the one at Brazosport and 2) the need for in-service professional
development to help further the vision, mission and institutional priorities of the
college.
We continue to see inconsistent frequency, content and quality of professional
development and training of faculty and staff.
The AQIP Strategic Issues Survey Report May 2008 identified professional
development as a top priority for improvement.
Training efforts of the instructional technology/distance learning group have
extended into pedagogy, have identified a need for a more systematic training
and professional development for faculty.
New hires who will be replacing retiring faculty and staff will need orientation and
training.
The HLC faculty credentials audit is pending – the challenge is for the College to
hire/retain qualified adjunct faculty, especially with the launching of the AA and
AS degrees.
Which specific needs of your students, other external stakeholders, faculty, or staff could you
meet better if you addressed this challenge? How?
Improve the student learning experience and student success through better
development of faculty and staff as facilitators of learning; support those adjunct faculty
with a record of good service to the college.
How might addressing this challenge change or strengthen your institution’s quality culture and
infrastructure?
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Addressing this challenge can strengthen the quality culture if there are
expectations and measurable outcomes tied to completion of professional
development objectives.
High quality professional development program empowers faculty and staff,
especially if incentives and rewards are built in based on post-training
performance.
It will be important that we also understand stakeholders’ needs as we pursue
this challenge, and align planning for this project/initiative with the College’s
strategic plan.
It will prove that the College values its people by valuing their professional growth
and development
What enthusiasm and support exists among your leadership and employees for addressing this
challenge now?
The faculty has shown some interest in this. Adjunct faculty has been supportive of the
current Adjunct Faculty Professional Development project and are interested in pursuing
their graduate education. Staff is not as vocal about it but is not opposed either. Senior
leadership is excited about it.
Identify two processes or performance results measures included in this Category that you
consider significant current strengths (e.g., identified as S or SS in your Systems Appraisal) that
might prove useful in addressing this challenge.
The technology training program, the Valuing Adjunct Faculty Professional
Development project.
What ideas have you already come up with for potential Action Projects that might help address
this challenge? (Provide 3- 6)
Develop a comprehensive policy addressing professional development at the College.
Create a professional development program.