Valencia Community College
College Planning Council
BIG MEETING
March 19, 2010
Plenary Session Notes
April 13, 2010 DRAFT for CPC
Participants
Ed Ames
Beverlee Andrews
Remy Ansiello
Shauna Anstey
Alys Arceneaux
Julie Balassa
Joe Battista
Andrea Bealler
Mary Beck
Nicholas Bekas
Joel Berman
Joe Bivins
Karen Blondeau
Melody Boeringer
Danielle Boileau
Sonja Boles-Melvin
Mark Bollenback
Karen Borglum
Michael Bosley
Lucy Boudet
Shirley Boyette
Joanna Branham
Roberta Brown
Dave Brunick
Valerie Burks
Tullio Bushrui
Jerry Cochran
Marcelle Cohen
Jacquelyn Cole
Helen Clark
Victor Collazo
Jenelle Conner
Julie Corderman
Ilia Cordero
Jeff Cornett
Karen Cowden
Scott Crosby
Jeff Danser
Daryl Davis
Akos Delneky
Wendi Dew
Carmen Diaz
Suzette Dohany
Lynn Dorn
Linda Downing
John Edwards
Kurt Ewen
Michal Ewing
Kimberly Finley
Shelby Fiorentino
Kimberly Foster
Michelle Foster
Ed Frame
Barbara Frazier
Frances Frierson
Jean Marie Fuhrman
Mary Ann Gagen
Geraldine Gallagher
Claudia GenoveseMartinez
Jill Geraghty
Robert Gessner
Jeffrey Goltz
Liz Gombash
Elisha GonzalezBonnewitz
Randall B. Gordon
Carin Gordon
Tim Grogan
Cristy Hardin
Gaby Hawat
Nasser Hedayat
Jeff Hogan
Deidre Holmes Dubois
Keith Houck
Todd Hunt
Dale Husbands
CoCintheane Hutchinson
Debi Jakubcin
Anthony Jansen
Tyron Johnson
Gerald Jones
Sonya Joseph
Elizabeth Jusino
Celine Kavalec-Miller
Sam Kannamplave
Chris Kingler
Donna Kosloski
Jackie Lasch
Maryke Lee
Helene Loiselle
Kim Long
Joe Lynn Look
Patti Lopez
Tom Lopez
Suzanne Lynch
Lisa Macon
Adrian Manley
Donna Marino
Bruce Marshall
Nemir Matos-Cintron
Michele McArdle
Robert McCaffrey
James McDonald
John McFarland
Marjorie McKillop
Carolyn McMorran
Chris Moore
Jessica Morales
Kevin Mulholland
Brent Nakagama
Sonia Navarro-Milano
John Niss
Allison Noe
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Joe Nunes
Ron Oliver
Della Paul
Melissa Pedone
Cathy Penfold Navarro
Christie Pickeral
Louise Pitts
Lana Powell
Ruth Prather
Sunni Prevatt
Melanie Price
Gerald Reed
Jennifer Robertson
Cheryl Robinson
David Rogers
Joyce Romano
Larry Rosen
Joseph Sarrubbo
Bobbie Sartor
Liza Schellpfeffer
Brenda Schumpert
Bob Seal
Regina Sequin
Barbara Shell
Sanford Shugart
Heidi Shugg
Michael Shugg
Renee Simpson
Patti Smith
Erin Smith
Susan Stone
Stan Stone
Katherine Suarez
David Sutton
Leesa Sward
Jill Szentmiklosi
Chanda Torres
Todd Treece
Angela Trujillo
Nicole Valentino
Linda Vance
Myrna Villanueva
Rachel Waite
Kaye Walter
Betty Wanielista
Dennis Weeks
Bill White
Jane Wiese
Falecia Williams
Martha Williams
Sally Witkamp
Lisa Yenke
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GOALS 1 and 2 – Morning Plenary Session
One comment was offered that applies to the measures and targets generally:
We will know the data are robust when the same process that produces good data for the college
can also be used by the learner to measure his or her own progress.
Goal 1
Objective 1.1: Transition to College
Partner with others to increase the college-going rate of students from every high school
and the percentage of district high school graduates who apply and enroll at Valencia.
(Note that the team discussed changing the objective to read “the number of those graduates.”)
Participants agreed with the measures and targets as written by the Goal Team.
Participants agreed that current and planned activities will “move the needle.”
Areas of Concern/Interest:
- The message must get to parents regarding the support that students need.
- Develop the Valencia brand so that we are students’ first choice.
- Vet our marketing so we put forth a professional presence.
- Explore social networking; engage!
- The Enrollment plan focus should include a consideration of workforce degrees.
- Do we have capacity to meet needs?
- We did not mention access for veterans, and should consider how best to address that.
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Objective 1.2: Persistence
Increase the percentage of students who persist at Valencia through key academic
thresholds.
Participants agreed with the measures and targets as written by the Goal Team, and with the need
to name the thresholds.
Currently, the team has named these thresholds:
- Retention from Fall to Spring, and Fall to Fall.
- Achievement of 15, 30, and 45 credit hours within one, three, and four years.
- Degree completion within four years.
Participants agreed that current and planned activities will “move the needle.”
Areas of Concern/Interest:
- We should celebrate and offer incentives as students reach thresholds, and use LifeMap
tools to connect to meeting thresholds.
- Are LifeMap tools as effective as they can be? For example, might we have pop-up
alerts, or live chats synchronous with counselors? Grade awareness, pilot withdrawal
program in which student must work with faculty or counselor?
- We need more networking among discipline faculty, to support connecting with
students.
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Objective 1.3: Goal Achievement
Increase the course and program completion rate of Valencia students by decreasing the
withdrawal rate.
Participants agreed with the targets as written by the Goal Team, but would add to the short-term
targets the need to discover why students withdraw.
Participants agreed with the measures as written by the Goal Team, but would ask that
qualitative measures be added.
Participants agreed that the current and planned activities will “move the needle.”
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Objective 1.4: Economic Development
Align plans for the Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degree programs, and the
resources to support them, with the economic development needs of the region.
Participants agreed with targets and measures as written by the Goal Team.
Participants agreed that the current and planned activities will “move the needle.”
Areas of Concern/Interest:
- Continue environmental scan of emerging industries.
- Establish strong affiliations between industry and Valencia, in both directions. They come to us
and we go to them.
- Align economic development needs and our degree programs. Move beyond AS model alone,
and look at AA degrees and transfer plans and how they connect to employment.
- Align AA transfer plans and the Baccalaureate programs into which people are transferring.
- Campus branding of AS programs. Some confusion exists among students and staff about
where programs are offered and specific program sequences. Better communication and branding
about campus-based programs would help.
- Workforce development outcomes. All deans should hear those at the viability meeting. Use as
a stepping stone to build those programs to meet workforce needs.
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Objective 1.5: Access
Increase access to associate degree and higher programs through university partnerships,
scholarships, and financial support, and through the addition of Valencia campuses and
locations in growing service district areas that are relatively distant from existing
campuses.
The participants agreed with the targets and measures as written by the goal team.
Participants agreed that the current and planned activities will “move the needle” for this goal,
but expect that capacity will be constrained to the extent that facilities funds are not made
available and by the extent to which funding for new faculty and staff is available.
Areas of Concern/Interest:
- Financial literacy is missing and is critical. Build on what we are already doing in that regard.
- The costs of college must be addressed. Can we reduce costs (book costs, for example) in
addition to giving students access to financial aid?
- Increase faculty development so that faculty know what they can do to help students obtain
scholarships.
- Add online courses (connect to goal 2) and do it in a way that preserves quality.
- Have articulation agreements been maxed out, or can we still add to these? Can we have other
Direct Connect-type agreements with other four-year colleges?
- Geographic access is a challenge. Some parts of district are removed from our campuses. Can
we offer courses in non-Valencia sites in hard to reach locations?
Several issues were raised related to an expressed desire to expand on-line offerings:
- We should measure by monitoring and tracking online.
- Focus on an enrollment plan, faculty development, and tech support for faculty
delivering on line.
- Address comfort level of faculty, certification, and coordination and strategic planning
of on-line.
- Can we package an AA on line?
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GOAL 2
Objective 2.1: Learning Outcomes
Develop, align, and review program learning outcomes to assure a cohesive curricular and
co-curricular experience that enhances student learning.
Participants agreed with the proposed targets and measures as written by the Goal Team, but
noted that 2013 is too late to create the list, and would expect that to be finished at an earlier
date.
Participants agreed that current and planned activities will “move the needle” for this objective.
Areas of Concern/Interest:
There are several challenges in implementing this objective:
-
Remaining current – this requires continuous update
Reaching diverse students, including those with disabilities
Involving students
Including all faculty (including part-time)
Encouraging more cross disciplinary collaboration and conversation.
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Objective 2.2: College-level Writing
Increase the percentage of students writing at the college level.
Participants agreed with the proposed targets and measures as written by the Goal Team.
Participants agreed that current and planned activities will “move the needle” for this objective.
Areas of Concern/Interest:
- We need to establish levels for writing in various programs, but also have a need for writing
across the curriculum, including defining writing levels in college level work.
- Support full-time and adjunct faculty in teaching writing skills.
- Do we need to develop discipline based writing outcomes? There is a possible need for this, in
part due to the increase in certificate completers.
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Objective 2.3: Completion of Mathematics
Increase the percentage of students who complete the math sequence within two years.
(Completion is defined as successfully completing the highest level math course required
for a program of study. The two-year measurement period begins upon entrance to the
College.”
The participants agreed with the targets and measures as written by the Goal Team, but noted that a
definition is needed for “program of study.” The definition is needed for the long-term target, which is:
“All students will complete at least the mathematics courses that satisfy Gordon Rule or the
highest program requirement for their program of study within two years of entrance.”
Participants agreed that current and planned activities will “move the needle” for this objective.
Areas of Concern/Interest:
We need to address tactics. How can we help students maintain momentum?
- Need to define and provide appropriate academic support.
- Need related faculty development and advising.
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Objective 2.4: Completion of 15 college credits
Increase the percentage of students mandated into developmental courses who complete
within three years the first 15 college level hours of their programs of study.
(Developmental courses are defined to include MAT1033C.)
Participants agreed with the proposed targets and measures as written by the Goal Team.
Participants agreed that current and planned activities will “move the needle” for this objective.
Participants noted, however, that uniform training of advisors is needed to help students schedule
courses appropriately. Goal 3 activities should reflect this.
Areas of Concern/Interest:
- Tactics are needed for the development and expansion of LINC courses. The Student Success course
might be the core class for LINC. A longer-term pairing of the SL staff with faculty should create a bond.
How can we expand LINC?
- We need to address how we will use new technology in pursuing this objective.
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Objective 2.5: Close achievement gaps
Close achievement gaps among students from diverse backgrounds in completing six key
courses, leading to increased persistence and program completion rates. (MAT 0012C,
MAT0024C, MAT1033, ENC1101, POS 2041, MAC 1105)
Participants agreed with the proposed targets and measures as written by the Goal Team, noting
the importance of using data to understand changes in the gap and examine trends.
Participants responded with a cautious and hopeful yes regarding whether current and planned
activities will “move the needle” for this objective.
Areas of Concern/Interest:
- Expand the definition of diversity. It is important to be broad in that definition.
- Coordinated, intentional research is needed, to include affective assessment, and to go beyond
the anecdotal. We should not let data sit on shelf. Share it and use it to shape strategies, and
those in turn will generate more data. We need to use the information generated to evolve our
culture.
- How do we best define diversity? What unique challenges does each group have?
- What are our limitations in capturing this information? We should have a plan to use what we
capture, or else why capture it?
- Are we being too specific in focusing on lab courses and college level courses with labs?
Reading impacts student performance in ALL courses. Should we be a bit broader?
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Goal 3
Objective 3.1: Collaboration
Strengthen Valencia’s collaborative culture through learning and leadership development
opportunities through the effective use of collaborative approaches, and through regular
review and evolution of our shared governance system.
Participants agreed with the proposed targets and measures as written by the Goal Team, but
noted that the long-term target is not fully articulated.
Participants also agreed with the goal team that current and planned activities will not
“move the needle” for this objective. They agreed that current work on collaboration at the
college is not centralized in any one area and therefore has no direct leadership or accountability.
They agreed that there is not sufficient focus and direction related to comprehensive internal
communication efforts. They agreed that an infrastructure for the ongoing development and
maintenance of collaboration at Valencia should be developed as part of the above mentioned
work and would “move the needle” on the goal.
Areas of Concern/Interest:
- Collaboration among committees and councils should be addressed. A breakdown of
communications occurs within our shared governance system. . An infrastructure for the
ongoing development and maintenance of collaboration at Valencia should be
developed as part of the above mentioned work and would “move the needle” on the
goal.
- We should review communications tools and converse about responsibility to collaborate. Can
WeaveOnline help? How can we train collaborative leaders?
- A communications audit should be conducted, with thought to the Valencia web site for external
and internal communications needs. Note that Email volume is challenging.
- Part-time staff and employees need to be developed, and mentoring should be considered.
- We have a pressing need for more thoughtful new employee orientation.
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Objective 3.2 - Career Growth
By 2013, Valencia will have a robust system of career growth and planning in which all
Valencia employees will participate. (Note: This does not include faculty, who have a
separate faculty development program.)
Participants agreed generally with the proposed targets and measures as written by the Goal
Team, but noted that we should seek to complete much of this work prior to 2013, and
questioning whether the measure should define success in relation to budget size. Is this appropriate?
Participants agreed with the Goal Team that once the PDP system is in place and clearly
understood, and once a plan for Staff and Professional Development has been completed, we will
move the needle on this objective.
Areas of Concern/Interest:
Participants agreed with the need for succession planning, but expressed concerns:
- 1.e was not found to be written clearly regarding supervisor training. (1.e reads as follows:
Evaluation supervisors against essential competencies and then provide training to assist
all in meeting or exceeding expectations.)
- Regarding the PDP, are employees going to be prepared and know what to expect? Is there a
link between the PDP and professional development?
- We should focus on enrichment in current jobs and not only performance or advancement to a
new position. Some people want to stay and grow in their current job. Are we setting people up to
think a job will be there if they progress along their professional development path?
- Succession planning should be addressed. The Tiller to Williams transition was a great model.
Centralize training – in one area – many cooks in the broth right now.
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Objective 3.3: Employee Wellness
Increase the percentage of those in our college community who are engaged in self-reported wellness
practices.
(This is a recommended edit to the original objective that read: Increase the percentage of
employees who are engaged in self-reported wellness practices.)
Participants agreed with the proposed wording change to the objective submitted by the Goal Team, as
noted above. Participants agreed that while including students is a good idea, it can complicate targets and
measures. It was also noted that privacy issues must be taken into account.
Participants agreed with the proposed targets and measures as written by the Goal Team.
Participants agreed that current and planned activities will move the needle on this objective.
Areas of Concern/Interest:
- Inconsistency as to when people can participate. Are employees allowed to participate in wellness
activities during work hours or not?
- Access to activities varies by college location. For example, some lack a gym on site.
- Is it possible for our food services to be included in wellness planning?
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Goal 4
Objective 4.1: Community Investment
By 2013, Valencia will emerge as a first-tier investment for the philanthropic community,
supporting the missions of the Valencia Foundation and the College.
Participants agreed with the proposed targets and measures as written by the Goal Team, but noted that
unless directly involved in the Foundation and Valencia Enterprises, it is hard to fully understand what is
reasonable. Therefore, the College should look to those staff for guidance.
Regarding measures:
- There was an interest in focusing on the giving of time and talent, not just money, including the time of
employees.
- How might we include donors who are not in the top 100, and include orgs with similar missions to ours
but not in the top 100?
- Consider how we might use a variety of approaches to capture qualitative measures, relying not only on
focus groups.
- Can we define what constitutes a top tier gift? Should we consider adding being among the first few gift
recipients of any donor, not tied to the amount, but as to where we rank among those to whom the donors
give?
Participants agreed that the current and planned activities will move the needle on this objective.
Areas of Concern/Interest:
- Given the competition among higher educational institutions, how do we set ourselves apart and
compete? Educate our faculty and staff about the role we each can play to increase giving and build
relationships?
- What can we learn from what other top tier organizations do?
- How can we connect our message to the personal interests and needs of the givers, improving our story
telling. Also, we might consider the kind of story – one that resonates with donors, and show a return on
investment. We want to increase awareness, but also sustain communications with current donors.
- If we change our name, how might that impact giving and top tier relations?
- Clarify what enables a donor to have something named for them? Only buildings? What other ways can
we recognize gifts?
- When we talk about fund raising, we should also talk about friend raising.
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Objective 4.2: Alumni Involvement
By 2013, significantly increase the membership and the active involvement of alumni in giving of
their time and resources to support Valencia.
Participants agreed with the proposed targets and measures as written by the Goal Team.
Participants agreed that the current and planned activities will move the needle on this objective.
Areas of Concern/Interest:
- While there is consensus as to how we define alums (anyone who has taken a class here), it was noted
that this complicates data collection.
- We should be clear about why we want alums to be more involved, and note that it is not just for money.
We need and want their continued interest in Valencia, and we want to continue to serve their needs as we
can, as they progress through life.
- Resources from professional organizations and societies might be helpful, as well as from some 4-yr
alumni associations, since we share alums.
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Objective 4.3: Community Engagement
Significantly increase documented college engagement with community organizations and
businesses, contributing to meeting community needs and increasing community awareness
of the College’s mission and service, authentically raising our profile in the community and
leading to Valencia becoming an investment of choice.
Participants agreed with the targets and measures as written by the goal team, with one slight wording
change: increase yield in active participation.
Participants agreed that the current and planned activities will move the needle on this objective.
Areas of Concern/Interest:
- Focus and surface service learning. It is happening collegewide, but we don’t have a clear and
comprehensive picture of what it looks like. We need to consider how to institutionalize service learning.
- It is challenging to collect data on engagement. Some areas already collect, such as Take Stock in
Children. We have pockets of data, but no system to collect it comprehensively for all service learning
efforts.
- The College should hold an event to celebrate our involvement and collect data at the event.
- Consider whether we need a service learning and a community engagement advisory committee?
- Should we have a General Education course that includes service learning as a part of the course? This
could be in the Honors Program, as well.
- We need a centralized location or source of information on what is happening, perhaps an office of civic
engagement.
- We can take advantage of what other colleges are doing and learn from them. How are they organized?
- We should list the top 100 opportunity providers who can offer students internships and service
learning.
- Recruit advisory board members.
- Community involvement by staff should not be part of our evaluation of our job performance.
- Partnering with our retirees should be included.
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Objective 4.4: Workforce Development
Increase reported satisfaction by Valencia graduates with their preparedness for upper
division studies and the workforce, and increase the numbers of companies and individuals
served by Valencia Enterprises, contributing to meeting key workforce needs of the
community.
Participants agreed in general with the targets and measures as written by the goal team with the
following edits suggested:
- Address the disconnect between “institution of choice” language in the long term target and the
language of the objective, which is limited to the student’s perspective. This can be addressed by
changing short term targets. We should collect the same information from the workforce and from
students.
- CJI and short term may have been overlooked.
- There was concern about the multiple points of time at which we propose to gather information for the
measures.
- There was concern regarding how we define “satisfaction.” Consider using student learning outcomes
as a measure of assessing this. That method would demonstrate whether an employee can do what the
university or employer needs or expects him or her to do.
Participants agreed that the current and planned activities will move the needle on this objective.
Areas of Concern/Interest:
No additional concerns were noted.
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Issues Bin
Cross-Cutting Issues
1. Capacity – how do we balance access, growth and quality?
2. How can we develop a means of staying on task, monitoring progress,
saying NO when needed?
Issues Related to Goal 1
1. Distance learning – how do we expand offerings, and preserve quality? Do
we know who is successful in each mode of delivery?
2. Tie distance learning to the evolution of enrollment planning, and also tie
enrollment planning more tightly to workforce needs, both AS and
AA/baccalaureate
3. Who are we NOT serving, and why?
Issues Related to Goal 2
1. Understand the achievement gaps and their fluctuation. Is it possible to close
them?
Issues Related to Goal 3
1. How can we best advance our work under collaboration and shared
governance? How can we nurture and grow our collaborative culture and
develop collaborative leaders? Avoid the “silo-ing” of decisions, especially
regarding resource allocation. Involve stakeholders.
Issues Related to Goal 4
1. How will we meet our capital needs?
2. How can we institutionalize service learning?
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Needs Action
Cross Cutting
Exploit social networking in support of our goals.
Related to Goal 1
Involve parents in helping students succeed.
Address veterans’ needs.
Related to Goal 2
Involve parents in helping students succeed.
Pilot test a withdrawal project to involve interactions with faculty/advisors.
Stress financial literacy.
Establish the writing levels appropriate for programs and across the curriculum.
Plan to expand LINC and use technology in support. Plan to expand SL.
Related to Goal 3
More networking among FT and PT faculty and among all faculty in each
discipline. Also staff.
Consolidate professional development under a central plan, renewed each year, and
consider a central organizational location.
Celebrate our success. Hold a Big Celebration in 2013!
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Related to Goal 4
Branding – make Valencia the first choice, vet the marketing campaigns so they
remain consistent with our values and the image we want to project, develop
campus branding (for ex: Arts on East), explore the opportunities in the potential
name change and in the addition of baccalaureate programs.
Design a means to document our engagement with the community.
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Conversations to be Held
Cross-Cutting
How do we define diversity?
Related to Goal 1
Can LifeMap tools be further developed? How can we use technology in
support of meeting LifeMap goals?
How can we expand and/or deepen articulation, given the success of Direct
Connect?
Can we reduce costs as a means of making college more affordable?
Related to Goal 2
Why do students withdraw, and what is the relationship between withdrawal
and completion?
How do we define “program of study” for the math objective?
What support services will improve student momentum?
Related to Goal 3
How can we improve our use of data in ways that lead to improved practice?
How can we move toward capturing college data that are useful to us as well
as our students, relating clearly to students and their needs? (Placed here to
relate it to our collaborative processes of making decisions based on data.)
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Related to Goal 4
How can we use the program viability studies to strengthen the linkage of
programs to workforce and economic development?
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