Speccial Committee – Strrategic Plan DRAFT MIN
D
NUTES: M
Meeting of O
October 4,, 2013 – 2::00 PM – 4
4:30 PM ABS ABS ABS Dean Kathleen Rentsch, co‐chair
Dean Clarence Ates, co
o‐chair
Dean Leslie
e Horton Professor D
Donald Morrin Professor C
Charlene Maara Professor Je
ean McLean
n Professor B
Betsy Zueggg Professor K
Kathy Frede
erickson
Professor M
Maureen W
Woolhouse
Professor B
Bill McCarth
hy Professor K
Ken Wong Professor C
Colleen Kirle
ey Professor B
Betty Lauer Professor SSheiba Mas‐‐Oud
Registrar, TTara Fitzgerald‐Jenkinss
Coordinato
C
or of Transfe
er/Articulattion, Daniell de la Torree
Director of Financial A
Aid, Karen G
Grant
Director of Career and
d Academic Planning, M
Maria Addisson
Ex Officio M
E
Members: Dr. Ingrid S
D
Skadberg, D
Director of In
nstitutionall Research aand Plannin
ng Susan Lapra
S
ade, Assista
ant Vice Preesident for PPolicy and G
Governancee 1. Minu
utes Minutes had been sh
hared before
e the meetin
ng and are avvailable on tthe sharepoiint site. Witth no objection
n, the Minuttes of the me
eeting of October 1, 20113 were approved. 2. Agenda Topics a. Working Groups: Dean Ates and Dean Rentsch referred to the Agenda for the day, wherein they had proposed two working groups consisting of both program and discipline areas. The work would then be divided by the group members.  Concern was raised about particular voices that will need to be part of each group’s discussion (e.g., financial aid); decided that this will be accomplished during the plenary sessions.  Concern was raised that the Transfer Coordinator is on sabbatical; however, he is working half time and has agreed to participate on the Committee. Similarly, the health care representative was unavailable and we are awaiting confirmation about whether or not she will be available to continue on the committee. b. Colleges to be Researched: Discussed which colleges to include in the review and decided to identify two within Massachusetts and two from out of state. The colleges selected are: Springfield Technical Community College: http://www.stcc.edu/academics/ Bristol Community College: http://bristolcc.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2013‐
2014/Catalog Kirkwood Community College (Iowa): http://www.kirkwood.edu/pdf/uploaded/630/spring_2013_credit_schedule.pdf Monroe Community College (NY): http://www.monroecc.edu/depts/mcchome/catalogtoc.htm c. Definitions/Terminology:  “EXIT EXAM” – agreed to change this term back to Departmental Exam, as stated in the original charge. It was noted that a passing grade on the Departmental final permits entrance to the next level, but a failing grade does not preclude exit from the course. o QCC ‐ Developmental English – the score on the departmental final is pass/fail and a pass allows the student to move to the next level o QCC ‐ Developmental Math – the departmental final is computed as part of final grade for the course, and the student must achieve a 73% grade on the departmental final to move to the next level  X GRADE OR EQUIVALENT: Discussed that X grades are issued when the faculty member has insufficient information to evaluate the student (usually for non‐
attendance); other colleges may or may not issue an X grade. Decided that the X Grade or Equivalent will mean how colleges deal with non‐participating students (administrative withdrawal, X grade, etc.) professor Jean McLean will share the information she has gathered on this topic while serving as chair of the Grading Policy Committee. d. Research Methods: a. English: Will review the course descriptions and course syllabi (if necessary). If that information is insufficient, the working groups will decide if they need to also place a call to the program coordinators for additional information/ clarification. b. Degrees: Will research a mix of AAS/AS/AA degrees 3. Sharepoint Site: Reviewed the items posted on the Sharepoint site, including several studies by Dr. Skadberg as well as the calendar of meetings, meeting minutes, etc. In addition, the Undergraduate Experience Document is available on this site. The site is located at: http://sharepoint.qcc.mass.edu/SCSP/ 4. Research Grid: A document template/grid will be created to guide the research project. 5. Programs to be Studied: Agreed that each group will study ten programs at each of the colleges: 
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Business General Studies/Liberal Arts Early Childhood Education Computer Information Systems Criminal Justice Automotive Technology (or other AAS program) Nursing Human Services (or Fire Science or other Public Service program) Two other programs selected by the group 6. Work Plan: Set the following work schedule: a. Phase 1: Using the “Questions to Answer from Documented Evidence” as a guide, each working group will first review the following: i. College‐level English course sequencing and requirements ii. Utilization of departmental exam criteria, particularly in dev. English & Math iii. Withdrawal and grading policies, emphasis on the “X” or comparable grade Each Working Group is developing their respective workplan relative to the review of comparative community colleges. Working Group 1 is reviewing Springfield Technical CC and Kirkwood Community College. Working Group 2 is reviewing Bristol Community College and Monroe Community College. The deadline for this review is October 18th (or the agreed upon alternate date for that meeting). The following 8 questions, drawn directly from the charge ("Questions to Answer from Documented Evidence") to the Strategic Plan Trustees' Special Committee, will guide this review: ˉ As compared to QCC’s curriculum, are there any reportable differences in the English courses used to fulfill graduation requirements? ˉ What are the total number and the breadth of English courses listed within the college curriculum that satisfies the general education language skills component of an Associate Degree at community colleges studied with IPEDS 3‐ year graduation rates at or above 19%? ˉ Do the English course requirements for graduation at colleges with IPEDS completion rates at or in excess of 19% differ among transfer‐ and career‐ focused Associate Degree programs of study? ˉ How many of the colleges studied that have IPEDS graduation rates at or above 19% require one literature enriched composition course prior to graduation for all Associate Degree majors? How many colleges studied require two or more literature enriched writing courses prior to graduation? How closely do the ENG 101 and ENG 102 courses equate with the same courses at the baccalaureate level to which a majority transfer? ˉ To what extent is a research paper required of all students within the colleges studied? ˉ What are the prerequisites for any English departmental language skills courses that focus on workplace communications skills (e.g. Technical and Workplace Writing, Business English, or similar contextual communications) that are included in the college curriculum for satisfaction of English requirements? ˉ To what extent are “X” grades used at QCC and to what extent are “X” grades or the equivalent used at colleges studied in this review? ˉ To what extent are stand‐alone departmental exams used at the colleges included in the study? b. October 11 ‐ Working groups will meet to share research Working Group 1 Meeting in Room 123A Maria Addison, Career & Academic Advising Leslie Horton, School for Math & Science Tara Jenkins, Registrar Charlene Mara, Early Childhood Education Don Morin, Automotive Technology Kathy Rentsch, Business, Engineering & Technology Ken Wong, Liberal Arts Maureen Woolhouse, Mathematics Betsy Zuegg, Developmental English/English Working Group 2 Meeting in Room 107A Chip Ates, Humanities & Education Dan de la Torre, Transfer Services Kathy Frederickson, English Karen Grant, Financial Aid Colleen Kirley, Radiologic Technology Betty Lauer, Computer Systems Engineering Technology Sheiba Mas‐Oud, Mathematics Bill McCarthy, Criminal Justice Jean McLean, Business Administration c.
d.
e.
October 18 – end of Phase 1 October 25 – Phase 2 – entire Committee to meet Phase 2: Using the “Questions to Answer from Documented Evidence” as a guide, each working group will then review specific campus‐based questions and previous research conducted i. Alignment of QCC English curriculum with WSU ii. Relevance and validity of QCC departmental exam criteria in developmental courses November 1 – Phase 3 – write the report Phase 3: Using the “Summary Report” guidelines, both working groups will draft a series of recommendations for consideration by the President & Board of Trustees November 8 – complete the report f.
Adjourned at 4:30 p.m.