Santiago Canyon College
Educational Master Plan 2012-2016
Planning Process
Introduction
The Educational Master Plan at Santiago Canyon College serves as the college’s primary
planning document. As such, it provides direction for future activities within the broader
context of district strategic directions and local, regional, and national trends that affect the
practice of postsecondary education. It is a carefully considered document that relies upon
consultation and dialogue from college constituent groups.
Over the years, the college has engaged in two types of educational master planning processes
– one based upon external and internal data (inclusive of consultation with constituent groups)
as well as one that was more descriptive and program-based. In 2002, the college utilized a
planning process which included external and internal data as well as consultation with key
stakeholders to develop strategic directions and goals. In 2007, the college employed a more
descriptive, program-based approach to identify planning priorities. The educational master
planning process proposed for 2012-16 is more closely aligned with the 2002 process and
represents a return to utilizing external and internal data as well as dialogue among constituent
groups to develop strategic planning goals and directions; a process last utilized in developing
the 2002 Educational Master Plan.
The entire educational master planning process for 2012-2016 is expected to encompass an
entire academic year, beginning in summer 2011 and concluding with a final plan in fall 2012.
The steps in the planning process are outlined below.
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First, an assessment will be made of the prior educational master plan.
Then, the environmental and internal scans will be conducted.
The scans will be followed by the development of findings and conclusions.
Finally, the process will culminate in the identification of institutional goals, responsible
parties, and timelines for implementation and evaluation of progress and effectiveness.
What follows is the proposed project timeline for the institutional scanning process; a project
that will include an environmental scan as well as an internal scan.
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Santiago Canyon College
Institutional Scan
Project Framework
Background
In preparation for the development of the Educational Master Plan 2012-2016, Santiago
Canyon College (SCC) will conduct an examination of its external and internal environments, or
institutional scan. Through both an environmental and internal scanning process, the college
expects to develop an understanding of trends in the external landscape, which may impact
future operations at the college, and the internal practices and operations, which position the
college to achieve its mission, given a specific set of conditions.
Conceptually, environmental scanning reflects an external focus, as its broad purpose is to
understand the surrounding landscape and the effects that projected trends may have on the
future ability of the college to attract students and fulfill its stated mission. Consequently,
internal measures, such as persistence, successful course completion rates, and transfer and
degree completion, although important, are not represented in an environmental scan.
Internal measures are typically represented in an internal scanning process where questions of
institutional effectiveness, strengths, and weaknesses are paramount.
As mentioned above, an internal scan reflects an internal focus, as its broad purpose is to
understand the effects of college practices and operations within the context of institutional
strengths, weaknesses, and effectiveness. Consequently, qualitative measures, such as key
internal stakeholder perceptions of institutional strengths and weaknesses in relation to
student outcomes and the college mission, are of principal concern. Quantitative measures,
such as persistence, successful course completion rates, and transfer and degree completion,
are also vitally important to an internal assessment process.
This proposed framework for the first institutional scan at SCC deals with both the external and
internal environment. As such, it represents common measures associated with the external
and internal landscapes that may impact the ability of the college to achieve its mission over
the course of the next four years.
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Environmental Scan
Purpose
The purpose of the environmental scan is to develop an understanding, at a specific point in
time, of changes in the external landscape in which Santiago Canyon College operates; and how
these changes may impact college programs and services in the near future. Results from the
environmental scan, in addition to results from an internal scanning process, will be used to
inform the college’s major planning effort – the Educational Master Plan 2012-2016.
Timeline
The project is expected to begin in late spring 2011. The expected completion date is late fall
2011.
Proposed Domains of Inquiry, Data Types, and Sources
Table one presents the proposed domains of inquiry, the types of data collected, and the
potential sources for the proposed data elements1. At this stage in project development, the
proposed domains and data sources are not meant to be exhaustive nor inflexible; but rather,
they are intended to represent common domains of inquiry utilized in environmental scanning
and the typical data elements and sources of data associated with them. The proposed
domains of inquiry reflect the external focus of the environmental scan.
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Inclusion of proposed data elements is subject to timely availability of data.
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Table 1. Environmental Scan Proposed Domains of Inquiry, Data Types, and
Sources2
Domain
Data Type and Source
Trends
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Economy and Workforce
Education
Instruction
Political and Legislative
Social and Technological
Service Area /County Growth and
Demographics
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Service Area/County population
distribution
Service Area/County population
distribution by ethnicity
Service Area/County Population
Projections
Mostly qualitative; usually information is a
synthesis of relevant articles and other
literature
Mostly quantitative; US census data
Business and Industry Data
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Major Employers in County
Largest and Fastest Growing
Occupations in OC/California
Projected openings by job title in
OC/California
Selected employment and wage data
by job title
Quantitative and qualitative; from California
Employment Development Department, Labor
Market Information, Orange County Business
Council, and OC Workforce Investment Board
Public School/College Enrollment Data
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Service Area/County K-12 Enrollment
Projections
Feeder High School enrollment by
ethnicity
Feeder High School Yield Rates
CPEC Enrollment Demand Projections
for CCC’s
Competitor colleges and universities
Mostly quantitative; California Department of
Finance, California Basic Educational Data
System, SCC Management Information
System, California Postsecondary Education
Commission (CPEC), US Department of
Education – National Center for Education
Statistics
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Elements included in Table 1 reflect those elements that are typically included in environmental scans. These
elements can be customized as needed.
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Internal Scan
Purpose
The purpose of the internal scan is to develop an understanding, at a specific point in time, of
the effects of college practices and operations within the context of institutional strengths and
weaknesses; and how perceptions and practices may impact college programs and service
delivery in the near future. Results from the internal scan, in addition to results from the
environmental scan, will be used to inform the college’s major planning effort – the Educational
Master Plan 2012-2016.
Timeline
The project is expected to begin in late spring 2011. The expected completion date is late fall
2011.
Data Collection Methods
Qualitative Data: Focus Groups
In order to gather data related to the college’s perceived strengths and weaknesses, a series of
focus groups is planned. A mixed, purposeful sampling strategy will be employed to insure that
the range of perceptions held by key constituent groups is discovered and described in
sufficient detail. The proposed framework for conducting the focus groups will utilize a
sampling strategy that is stratified based upon specific criteria for inclusion within a group. For
the purpose of understanding strengths and weaknesses from the perspective of key
constituent groups, it is proposed that the criteria for inclusion within a group be based upon
employment status. For example, focus groups will be constructed so that the representation
within a group is homogeneous. In this way, groups will be comprised of all classified staff, all
administrators, all students, or all faculty. A total of five focus groups, with approximately 5-7
participants each, are proposed as follows:
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Classified staff
Administrative staff
Student Leaders -- ASG
Faculty group one: Library, AHSS, Math
Faculty group two: Business, CTE, Counseling, and Science
This framework should allow key stakeholder perceptions of college strengths and weaknesses
to emerge and be described in sufficient detail. It is anticipated that focus group results will be
confirmed through a process of triangulation which will involve the broader campus
community.
Qualitative Data: Student Satisfaction Surveys
Although the data from the student satisfaction surveys is primarily quantitative, it will be
examined thematically and longitudinally, over a period of three years, in an effort to
understand the results within broad categories. This thematic examination and summary of
emerging themes is a qualitative analysis.
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Quantitative Data: Proposed Domains of Performance Indicators and Data Sources
Table two presents the proposed domains of performance indicators3 and the potential sources
for the proposed indicators for the quantitative component of the internal scan. At this stage in
project development, the proposed indicators and data sources are not meant to be exhaustive
nor inflexible; but rather, they are intended to represent common domains utilized in internal
scanning processes and the typical sources of data associated with them. The proposed
domains of performance indicators reflect the internal focus of the environmental scan.
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Inclusion of proposed performance indicators will be based upon timely availability of data.
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Table 2. Internal Scan Proposed Domains of Inquiry, Data Types, and Sources4
Domain
Data Type and Source
Student Success
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Successful Course Completion Rates
Fall to Fall Persistence
Completion (Degrees, Certificates,
Transfer)
Basic Skills Improvement Rates
Mostly quantitative; Chancellor’s Office
Management Information System Data
(COMIS)
Student Preparation
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Placement levels of entering students
Enrollment in basic skills classes
Number of sections offered
Mostly quantitative; COMIS and Placement
Test Data
Scheduling Data
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Number and type of sections offered
Distance education
Average section size
Efficiency – FTES/FTEF
Mostly quantitative; COMIS Data
Support Services
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Indicators under development (likely to
be drawn from DPPs, Program
Reviews, and Assessment Plans)
Qualitative and Quantitative
Institutional Effectiveness
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Administrative/institutional processes
(indicators under development and
likely to be drawn from DPPs, program
reviews, and assessment plans and
include items such as budget/planning
process, institutional assessment of
SLOs )
Qualitative and Quantitative
Educational Resources
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Indicators under development and will
likely be drawn from DPPs, Program
reviews, assessment plans and include
library, ITS, staffing, etc.
Qualitative and Quantitative
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Elements included in Table 2 reflect those elements that are typically included in internal scans. These elements
can be customized as needed.
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