Periodic Review Report
Presented by: Fulton-Montgomery Community College
June 1, 2011
Chief Executive Officer: Dr. Dustin Swanger
Date of the most recent decennial evaluation team’s visit:
April 2006
Section 1 – Executive Summary
Introductory overview of Fulton-Montgomery Community College
On March 21, 1963, Fulton-Montgomery Community College (FM) became the 27th campus
of the State University of New York (SUNY), serving Fulton and Montgomery counties. It is
located on a 194 acre campus at the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, halfway between
Johnstown and Amsterdam, New York, and is approximately forty miles northwest of the New
York State Capital, Albany. The College commenced offering classes in the 1964 semester and
moved to the current campus in 1968.
FM offers a total of 44 two-year associate degree and one-year certificate programs. In Fall
2010 enrollment was 2833 (1863 full-time 970 part-time). The total number of noncredit
students served was 157. Students from the two sponsoring counties totaled 2250. Of note are
the 115 international students who attend the College. The average age of the student in Fall
2010 was 24 years.
The College has 88 full-time faculty members of which 55 are teaching faculty. There are 20
administrators.
In addition to the campus in Johnstown, FM operates an instructional site at Riverfront
Center in Amsterdam, Montgomery County. FM offers a distance learning program with three
associate degree programs and 24 courses available online.
FM’s mission of providing quality education, accessible transfer and career programs,
economic development, and cultural and intellectual enrichment guides the College in all
initiatives. The mission statement was modified during the 2007 Strategic Planning process to
clearly articulate our primary focus on education.
More information about the College can be found in the College catalog online at
http://www.fmcc.suny.edu/PDF/2010_11FMCatalog.pdf . The catalog includes course
descriptions (page 134), and programs of study (page 81). Courses that meet SUNY General
Education Requirements are listed on page 84.
Preparation of the Periodic Review Report
Preparation of the PRR is the purview of the Institutional Assessment Committee (IAC), a
standing committee of the College Senate. That committee is comprised of the Director of
Institutional Research (DIR) (ex officio) and elected representatives from teaching and nonteaching faculty, clerical and maintenance staff, administration, and students. The chair is
elected by the committee.
The DIR, the Vice President and Provost for Academic Affairs, the Director of Business
Affairs, and the current Chair of the IAC all attended recent (2009-2010) MCHE workshops on
PRR preparation. Early in the Fall 2010 semester, the IAC developed a timeline for completion
of the PRR. Using the Handbook for Periodic Review Reports as a guide, the IAC divided into
subcommittees that completed drafts of sections 2-6 including supporting documentation.
The drafts were combined and edited by the Chair and the DIR and then sent to the
Leadership Team. After incorporating their comments, the draft was sent to the SUNY
Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) for review. The ALOs suggestions were incorporated into
the report. That version was presented for campus-wide review in March and April. A hard
copy was placed in the library along with a virtual copy in e-reserves. A wiki was created to
encourage all members of the college community to respond. A copy was given to the SGA
Senators for the students to review. Finally, two public forums were held to garner feedback.
Section 1 – Executive Summary
Page 1
Feedback was accepted through email and interoffice mail as well. All feedback was considered
during the final editing. The final draft was sent to the College senate for approval.
Summary of Major Changes Since 2005
There have been many initiatives at FM since 2005. Details can be found throughout the
PRR. A list of the more significant changes are listed below.
 Moved to a comprehensive culture of Academic and Institutional Assessment.
 Completed the strategic 2006-2011 plan “Path for Renewal” which required a
modification of the college mission
 Hired Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Vice President of Student
Services, Chief Advancement Officer, Director of Information Technology, Dean of Arts
and Science, and Dean of Business Technology and Health Professions.
 Implemented the online course management system: ANGEL and expanded online
course and program offerings.
 Implemented a syllabus management system (Concourse).
 Began migration to a new Management Information System (PowerCampus).
 Formed a Sustainability Committee to address strategies to lower environmental impact
and reduce resource use.
 Obtained and utilized a variety of grants: the federally funded HEALTH – USDOL
grant, TRiO grant (US Dept. of Education), NASA, US Department of Energy, FIPSE,
NYSDOL (nursing), NYSERDA, SUNY Workforce Development, National Science
Foundation
 Opened a Center for Engineering and Technology.
 Created positions and hired a DHR, a Coordinator of Public Relations & Marketing, and
a Director of Public Safety.
 Developed a new brand for FM.
 Added faculty in Nursing, Criminal Justice, Radiologic Technology, and Biology
 Revitalized the Honors Program
 Added a Clean Room to Campus for nanotechnology and other curricula
 Conducted a Capital Campaign raising over $1.5 million
 Transitioned the library to a “Learning Commons”
 Opened an instructional site (Riverfront Center) (September 2008)
 Renovated the HVAC system in the classroom building.
 Replaced classroom furniture and renovated both instructional and gathering spaces.
 Implemented a campus-wide Emergency Notification System
 Increased Public Safety staffing.
 Purchased student housing adjacent to the campus and obtained funding to expand
student housing.
 Transitioned to a Shared Governance Model.
 Implemented an administration salary system and promotion policy
 Created an Academic Integrity Committee
 Implemented a Conflict of Interest Policy.
 Created a Civility Committee.
 Implemented a new orientation procedure for new employees and adjuncts.
 Re-negotiated the ratio of full-time instructional faculty to adjunct instructional faculty.
Section 1 – Executive Summary
Page 2
Summary of the Periodic Review Report
FM followed the outline provided in the Handbook for Periodic Review Reports. Section
one is the Executive Summary.
Section two addresses the recommendations and suggestions from the 2005 self-study. The
visiting team had presented the College with 54 recommendations that, after conversations
between Middle States and President Swanger, were reduced to 16 recommendations. In
addition, the self-study identified 69 recommendations that were distilled down to 20 major
recommendations. The College responded to all recommendations in this section.
Section three identifies major challenges and opportunities in the upcoming years. The
subcommittee completing this section used an environmental scan and SWOT analysis to
identify population trends, economic and business trends, technology trends and organizational
trends. Included here is the major shift of the College culture to one of assessment. The impact
of these trends on the College is discussed in this section.
Section four addresses enrollment and finance trends and projections. Here we discuss
enrollment in light of changing demographics, the budget preparation process, and funding of the
College (grants, tuition, state and county contributions).
Section five discusses the College’s organized and sustained process to assess institutional
effectiveness and student learning. Here we provide an overview of academic and institutional
assessment and how those assessments are linked. We show how assessment is tied to the
budget preparation procedure and strategic planning. And we show that the assessment
procedures themselves are assessed and modified to improved institutional effectiveness.
Lastly, section six shows how we link institutional planning and budgeting. Here we
describe the strategic planning process and how that process is tied to the College mission and
assessment. We discuss how the budget preparation process is linked to the strategic plan (SP),
and therefore, necessarily to assessment. We also discuss assessment of implementation of the
SP.
Section 2 - Response to recommendations
FM included 69 recommendations that were distilled to 20 major recommendations in its
2005 self-study. The visiting team gave the College 54 recommendations. Through discussion
with the Middles States staff, an agreement was reached that reduced the number of
recommendations to 16.
FM addressed all of the visiting team recommendations and all of the major
recommendations resulting from the self-study. Only six self-study recommendations were
either not addressed or deemed inappropriate at this time. The IAC analyzed the
recommendations in the context of the Characteristics of Excellence.
Chapter 4 of the self-study was divided into 14 sections, each addressing on of the Standard
for Accreditation as presented in the Characteristics of Excellence.
Section 4.1 covered Standard 1 (Mission and Goals).
Both recommendations from MSCHE and one of the three recommendations from the selfstudy were implemented. One of President Swanger’s first priorities after arriving at FM was the
development and implementation of a five year SP. A strategic planning team composed of
Administrators, Teaching Faculty and Non-teaching Professionals developed a process which
Section 1 – Executive Summary
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included input from the Boards of Supervisors, the Board of Trustees (BOT), Students, and
College Staff. They also considered recommendations from the 2005 Self-Study, SUNY
Mission Review II, an Environmental Scan and a SWOT analysis. The information collected
and organized by that team was processed through a strategic planning retreat attended by the
Academic Deans, DIR, Director of Business Affairs and the Leadership Team. The resulting
plan, “A Path for Renewal”, is composed of seven goals directly tied to the mission and vision of
the College. Goal 4 specifically addresses the need to increase the diversity of faculty and staff
on campus. Each goal has specific and measurable strategic objectives tied to it. The strategic
objectives were divided into eight sub-plans (Academic, Administrative, Enrollment, Facilities
Master, Information Technology, Marketing and Student Affairs). During the development of
the SP, the College mission was modified to clarify that education was a part of the mission.
Because this mission modification was a clarification of a recent mission review (April 2004), a
mission review taskforce was not established. The SP, sub-plans and modified mission were
adopted by the BOT in March 2007 and are used as a basis for all college decision making.
Section 4.2 addressed Standard 2 (Planning, Resource Allocation, and Institutional
Renewal).
All recommendations for this Standard were implemented. As indicated in our response to
Standard 1 (above), the development of the SP employed a variety of supporting research
developed through an Environmental Scan and a SWOT analysis. These analyses relied on NY
State Public School Report Card Comprehensive Information Report, US Census Bureau
Reports, Nation Center for Education Statistics, and Montgomery County Department of
Planning and Development statistics among others. A comparison of FM retention performance
with our 11 peer colleges was also completed.
The SP specifically states that a “report card” will be developed and shared with the campus
community annually. To this end, the DIR has been working to develop such a report. This has
been a dynamic process. In 2005-2006 the report card came out as a bound hard copy document.
Beginning in the 2006-2007 academic year, the report came out as a web-based document linked
to the SP. That document was housed on the new website: http://ir.fmcc.suny.edu. Each
measurable objective in the plan was hyperlinked to the data needed to assess that objective. In
2007-2008, the report card was divided into “chapters”, each with a hyperlink to the data
required for assessment. The 2008-2009 report card came out as a separate hyperlink with the
pertinent chapters hyperlinked to their data. Regardless of format, the annual report card is
presented to the campus community in the fall of the following year (as an example: the 20082009 report being conveyed in fall 2009) at a campus-wide meeting. Constituents with need to
access the report card can easily do so by using the website. We continue to work on an
effective means to both link pertinent data directly to the SP and disseminate that data on
campus.
For data for the report card, the College uses two main peer groups. The first includes the 11
(including FM) small SUNY community colleges. FM used this peer group for the Student
Opinion Survey, Community College Survey of Student Engagement, when considering changes
to its probation policy and reviewing its use of the COMPASS (the company ACT's Placement
Test for English and Math) test. The second is a group of eight small, rural community colleges
from states other than New York. This group has been used in evaluating the services we
provide to non-traditional populations.
Section 2 – Response to recommendations
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On-going monitoring of progress toward working the SP is done monthly by the Leadership
Team at a meeting dedicated to reviewing the SP.
Assessment to determine if meeting the SP Objectives leads to an improved ability to meet
the College’s mission is done through the Institutional Assessment process described in Section
5 of this PRR.
Our approach to Standard 3 (Institutional Resources) was described in section 4.3.
All recommendations have been achieved. The 2007-2009 Financial Plan (FP) was
developed with reference to the SP and the Facilities Master Plan. The FP has been implemented
and continues to be updated on an annual basis. Periodically, the Joint Committee meets and
reviews a two-year projection in light of the SP. That projection is used by the College as a
foundation for budgeting. The FP includes a plan to eliminate reliance on the College’s fund
balance when it reaches the 5% floor.
It is important to note that the Joint Committee as a concept is a good one but that even
though the Boards of Supervisors for the sponsoring counties have routinely agreed with the
projections they do not commit to the FP. In addition, the plan relies on state funding which has
been unreliable due to the economy.
In November 2007 the BOT met with the Foundation Board of Directors to discuss the SP
and how The Foundation could support that plan. Following that meeting, the Foundation
created a comprehensive fundraising plan to raise $2 million. The plan, launched in Spring
2009, listed four strategic areas for support: Funding Innovative Teaching and Learning
Facilities, Expanding Academic Healthcare Facilities, Increasing Scholarship Support, and
Expanding the Cultural and Intellectual Enrichment of the Region.
Standard 4 (Leadership and Governance) was addressed in Section 4.4.
All recommendations except one from the self-study were implemented. In Spring 2007,
President Swanger presented a draft of an alternative Articles of Governance for FM. That draft
clarified the roles of the BOT, President, Leadership Team, Vice President for Finance and
Administration, and the College Senate. This draft initiated a two-year process to reform FM’s
governance structure beginning with establishment of a committee to examine different models
of and to suggest changes to the FM governance structure that would make it more inclusive.
This committee researched governance models at 13 other campuses and reviewed pertinent
literature about college governance. In addition, they held numerous campus-wide meetings for
input from all college constituents. This extended process resulted in Articles of Governance
that were approved in May 2009 and implemented in Fall 2009. With the implementation of the
shared governance model in Fall 2009, representatives of all constituent groups meet together
monthly as the College Senate. In addition, the President holds monthly “Discussions with the
President” meetings that are open to the entire campus community.
The document clarifying the roles of various college constituencies is currently being worked
into a revision of the Professional Staff Handbook to reflect the new governance structure.
Assessment of the new shared governance model has yet to be established.
The self-study recommended that the Trustees avail themselves of “numerous opportunities
for trustee orientation and development.” At FM, education of the BOT happens by way of two
modes. Multiple Trustees have attended both the Fall and Spring meetings of the New York
Community College Trustees (NYCCT - a not-for-profit organization of community college
trustees from across the state) each year since 2006. In addition, beginning in 2007, the BOT
Section 2 – Response to recommendations
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holds an annual retreat. The retreat is designed to reflect on strengths and weaknesses of BOT
operations with the purpose of improving BOT function.
Formal assessments have included the use of a self-assessment survey as developed and
implemented by the NYCCT. Informal assessments have included discussions during the retreat
of how the BOT operates. These have been open and honest discussions often facilitated by the
President of the College. As a result of these formal and informal assessments, the BOT has
made several changes over the past five years. These include the following:
Elimination of BOT Committees. In the Fall of 2006, during the retreat the BOT, along with
the President, discussed the purpose of the BOT Committees, since, operationally, the
committee meetings took place immediately prior to the BOT meeting and included each
member of the BOT. By holding committee meetings with the entire BOT followed by
the BOT Meeting, effectively, the BOT conducted its meeting twice in the same night.
The BOT decided to act as a “Committee of the Whole” rather than appoint separate
committees. This required a bylaws change which was subsequently made to
accommodate this decision. BOT members are now appointed by the Chair to act as a
liaison to the administration for topical areas including: Finance, Buildings and Grounds,
Personnel, Policy, and Education.
Setting of Goals. The BOT has, for the first time, set goals for itself. This too came from
assessments/discussions conducted at a BOT retreat. The BOT appointed subcommittees
as needed to address its goals. Progress on these goals was discussed at the Fall 2010
BOT Retreat along with a formal assessment conducted by the NYCCT. One goal was
to complete an entire review of the BOT Policy Manual. This was completed in
December 2006.
Modification to BOT Orientation. The orientation of new BOT members was conducted by
the President of the College. As part of its goals, the BOT reviewed this process and
determined that it was inadequate and that it should include, at least, the BOT Chair as
part of the process. A subcommittee, along with the President, drafted a new process for
BOT Member Orientation that included the President, the Leadership Team, and the BOT
Chair. It also established that the BOT would conduct a mini-reception for the BOT prior
to the new member’s first meeting. At the reception BOT members would be able to
welcome the new member and introduce themselves in a less formal way than might have
been practiced during an open forum. This has allowed the BOT to discuss the
importance of the BOT as a leadership body and team for the policy setting of the
College.
As indicated in our self study, assessment of leadership occurs during the five- and ten-year
evaluations by Middle States. We have yet to implement a more on-going assessment of
leadership at the College.
Section 4.5 covered Standard 5 (Administration).
There were no recommendations from the visiting team for this standard though the selfstudy recognized seven. All of these either have been achieved or are currently being moved
Section 2 – Response to recommendations
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forward. To address stability and reduce turnover in administration, administrative salary and
rank levels were reviewed (Spring 2010). This led to an administrative promotion system that is
now in place.
Two new positions were added: Director of Human Resources (DHR) and Coordinator of
Public Relations and Marketing. Lisa Corbitt was appointed as the new DHR in December 2008.
She soon went out on medical leave for an extended period and ultimately left the College.
Jason Rausch was appointed in the position in October 2009. Amy Radik was appointed to as
the new Coordinator of Public Relations and Marketing in September 2010.
Our attempt to house all campus job descriptions in one central location has been delayed as
this is to be completed by the DHR. Even though that position has been filled since December
2008, it was essentially vacant until October 2009. The current DHR is working on this
recommendation now. In addition, each job description is being updated as there is turnover in
that position.
In the context of Fundamental Element 5, FM identified a need for a comprehensive
management information system (MIS). An analysis of possible systems resulted in a decision
to implement PowerCampus. The process to identify funding for the new MIS occurred through
a series of Leadership Team meetings. Minutes are not kept for those meetings; however it is
listed as an agenda item frequently during 2009. Ultimately, the Leadership Team identified four
sources of funding: 1. The Foundation of FM ($100,000); 2. County Contribution ($200,000); 3.
Matching State Technology Funds ($155,000); 4. Operating Funds ($450,000). Ultimately, the
counties decided not to contribute, so the Foundation increased their contribution to $155,000
and the College funded the rest.
In the absence of a comprehensive, integrated MIS, The DIR developed a large database
including enrollment, retention and graduation data back to Fall 1995. In addition, he used the
National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) to obtain transfer data back to 1999. The DIR is
responsible for disseminating information from this database to those requiring that information.
Our approach to Standard 6 (Integrity) was described in section 4.6.
All three self-study recommendations have been achieved. There were no visiting team
recommendations. The concerns about composition of search committees (Fundamental
Element 2), is being addressed by the DHR who will oversee establishment of search committees
to ensure diverse representation.
In response to Fundamental Element 3: while there is currently no comprehensive
institutional ethics policy, the campus has been working on updating policies currently in place
as well as implementing new policies. Those reviewed, revised, and BOT approved since the
Self Study include the Finance/Ethics in Public Contracting/Conflict of Interest section (7010)
which was updated in October 2006 and the Personnel/Conflict of Interest section (4240) which
was updated in April 2009. Recently added and approved ethics policies include Suspected
Misconduct and Dishonesty (4230) approved in October 2006 and Nepotism (4210) which was
adopted in April and revised in August of the year 2006.
Many, though not all, campus documents are now available via Public Folders (accessible
through the campus email system.) Though this is not ideal, further action on making all
documents available in electronic format has been deferred until after PowerCampus
implementation.
Section 2 – Response to recommendations
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Section 4.7 covered Standard 7 (Institutional Assessment).
The visiting team recommendation and two of the three self-study recommendations were
addressed. Over the last five years, FM has worked hard at establishing an Institutional
Assessment Plan (IAP). Immediately following the visiting team’s report, the College embarked
on developing and implementing an IAP. The IAP was approved by the Professional Staff in
April 2007. Progress on the IAP was described in the October 2007 monitoring report. The new
Articles of Governance (see Standard 4 above) calls for the creation of the IAC, comprised of
members from the campus community at large. The IAC’s first meeting was October 1, 2009
with the following charges:
a. To review and make recommendations to the College's institutional assessment activities.
b. To monitor institutional assessment activities and make recommendations for
improvement.
c. To benchmark other colleges' institutional assessment activities in order to adapt and
adopt best practices to FM.
d. To monitor changes in institutional assessment standards from accreditation agencies
and recommend changes to FM's policies and practices.
The Committee worked throughout the academic year to determine a timeline for assessment
and the parameters by which institutional reports would be evaluated. In March 2010 the
committee received thirty-one reports from twelve institutional departments. These reports were
read by eleven committee members and recommendations were made to the DIR for follow-up
with each department.
Based on the variety of formats and content, it was determined that guidance in the creation
of the yearly department reports was needed. Such a document would assist the IAC in a timely
and comprehensive review and assessment of all campus annual reports. The “Institutional
Assessment Template” was therefore developed in Spring 2010 and reported to the Senate in
September 2010. The IAC Chair and DIR discussed the template with all department chairs and
the senate and recommended its use.
Because the IAC monitors all institutional assessment activities, it also monitors the
assessment of administrative structure though, because of its recent formation, it has not
specifically addressed this recommendation to date.
Section 4.8 addressed Standard 8 (Student Admissions and Retention).
All recommendations for this Standard were implemented. To initiate institutional
“branding”, a consultant’s report was commissioned in December 2007 and a Brand Personality
Strategy was adopted. This led to a new College brand and slogan (FM: Futures Made. Here)
being created and approved (2009). All recruitment and promotional materials now include this
brand and slogan. To continually build our brand the College has invested advertising dollars in
television ads, radio ads, billboard promotions, and direct mail, web and “text” promotions. The
efforts to build the brand are ongoing.
As indicated in the October 2007 report, the College’s enrollment plan set an enrollment
growth goal of 2% per year. It also established goals for specific populations (Latino,
Montgomery County residents, and out-of-service area). Persons within the Admissions and
International Student and English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs have been assigned
responsibility for meeting these targets. However, the recent record levels of enrollment have
Section 2 – Response to recommendations
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forced FM to revise its plans. Based on an analysis of past enrollment trends, the College is now
planning for steady enrollment over the next five years. Enrollment at FM, and SUNY
community colleges, has traditionally fallen after rapid increases in enrollment over the past
thirty years. FM expects its new enrollment efforts (Riverfront Center, increased emphasis on
out-of-service area students) will allow it to retain its recent enrollment growth.
The SP identified an enrollment increase goal of two percent per year and an enrollment plan
was developed. The College has far exceeded its enrollment goals for this time period. A new
enrollment plan for 2011-2016 is currently being developed.
Reporting of enrollment is accomplished as follows: Each day, the Associate Dean of
Enrollment Management (ADEM) and the Vice President of Student Affairs (VP-SA) check
benchmark reports which compare last year’s enrollment to the same time period this year.
Every Monday, the ADEM provides an update via email to the President, the VP-SA,
Admissions staff, the Registrar, the Bursar, the Financial Aid team along with the Director of
Advisement, Counseling and Testing and other related staff as to current FTE count and where
we stand verses the goal. The ADEM gives an enrollment report at the monthly Student Affairs
Division meeting. The President reports on enrollment at both the monthly BOT meeting and the
Discussions with the President meeting that are open to the entire College community.
The recommendation to assess the effectiveness of placement tests and course placement
procedures is being accomplished through the IAP. The Student Services office evaluated the
possibility of waiving the placement test in English and math for students who had an 85 or
above on the regents. After analysis, they found that all students who had an 85 or above on the
regents successfully passed EN103 with a grade of C or better. This information has led to the
drafting of a policy which will be presented to the College senate in the near future..
Standard 9 (Student Support Services) was addressed in Section 4.9.
All recommendations were implemented. FM has developed a student support services plan
for all departments based on the SP. The SP is derived from the mission and vision of the
College. As indicated in the October 2007 report, the Student Affairs Plan covers the student
support system through strategic Goals 1, 4, and 6. Advising, counseling, and student activities
are addressed here. Each area is required to provide annual goals and action plans to assess the
services they provide. These goals must be linked to the College’s SP. The DIR provides
retention rate and transfer data. There are monthly Division meetings devoted to assessment
review. Final reports are submitted and included in the College’s assessment report for the year.
Due to an increasing demand for college housing, in the spring of 2009, the College explored
the possibility of leasing 50 rooms to house an additional 100 students at a local hotel, America’s
Best Value, located in downtown Amsterdam. The proposal included upgrades to the rooms to
accommodate students, along with a meal plan and transportation to and from the College. The
plan also included residence life support on site for the students. After much negotiation with
the owners of American’s Best Value, an agreement could not be reached. As a result, the
College was unable to proceed with this plan.
Campus View Student Housing was owned independently since it was built. In the fall of
2007, the new owners agreed to allow the Fulmont College Association (FCA) to manage the
property, and for the first time, entered into a management agreement. This allowed for a fulltime live-in Residence Life Director, a full-time maintenance person, and public safety. In
August 2010, the FCA was successful in the purchase of Campus View Student Housing.
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Further, the FCA has secured funding and plans to build additional housing (144 additional
beds) which is scheduled to open in the Fall 2012 semester. Once complete, the housing
capacity will be 288 students.
In the interim (Fall 2011), a committee was formed to identify off-campus housing for an
additional 50 students to fill the anticipated housing shortage FM will face in the upcoming
academic year. This committee is researching possible housing options in Johnstown,
Gloversville and Amsterdam.
In 2009 the College website was enhanced with a new homepage format
(http://fmcc.suny.edu). This new format provides a designated area for campus events/news.
New digital signs were installed at the main entrance that provide ongoing information about
upcoming campus events. In Fall 2010, flat screen TV’s were installed to provide news to
students campus-wide. In June 2011 the College will convert to a new student information
system, PowerCampus. This system will include a student portal that will enable students to
access a variety of information currently not accessible online. Plans are underway to provide
students with an FM email account. This will greatly enhance our ability to communicate with
students. In addition, PowerCampus will provide computerized degree audits.
In response to the recommendation to hire a mental health counselor and to develop a
comprehensive student support services plan, the College has entered an agreement with St.
Mary’s Hospital. St. Mary’s provides a mental health counselor on our campus Monday through
Friday available to students with mental health issues.
Section 4.10 covered Standard 10 (Faculty).
All recommendations were implemented. The hiring of the DHR position has enabled FM to
address a number of the recommendations concerning faculty and diversity. Our goal is to pursue
different recruiting resources than have been used in the past and change recruiting procedures
by experimenting with different recruiting sources as well as by broadening those resources to
include some targeted at minorities. The DHR has used "Affirmative Action" blasts via
Higheredjobs.com which help recruit a diverse applicant pool by including postings on their
Affirmative Action Email (sent weekly to 147,462 job seekers who have asked to receive job
listings from employers actively recruiting candidates in accordance with affirmative action or
diversity plans.) The DHR has reached out to the Albany County Division of Affirmative Action
and to the Capital District "100 Hispanic Women" group. All job postings go to the Department
of Labor. The DHR is currently seeking legal counsel regarding FM’s obligations to develop a
formal affirmative action plan since we are not a federal contractor and have learned that
according to SUNY guidelines, we are required to begin working on such a plan.
FM has taken steps to reduce the FTE student to faculty ratio by:
i.
Negotiating expansion of full-time to adjunct faculty ratio to 65-35 to accommodate
growth
ii. Hiring an additional full-time Criminal Justice faculty member in 2007 (initially on a
grant but transitioned to College funding)
iii. Hiring an additional full-time Nursing faculty member in 2007 (grant-funded)
iv.
Hiring an additional Electrical Technology/Engineering Science faculty member in
2010 (grant-funded)
v. Hiring an additional Biology faculty member in Fall 2010 (grant-funded)
Section 2 – Response to recommendations
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New faculty members receive an individual employee orientation from the DHR. Each
faculty member is given a binder of information that includes policies and procedures related to
the BOT and administrative services. This information also includes an organizational chart and
information related to Institutional Technology (IT) services, accessing email, campus safety
procedures, and FERPA. New faculty members receive sexual harassment training and are given
the link to Right to Know training. The Provost’s Office provides each new faculty member
with a copy of the Professional Staff Handbook and the adjunct handbook. All new college
employees participate in a welcome breakfast along with the Leadership Team and the Academic
Deans facilitated by the DHR (previously facilitated by the Provost). Immediately following the
breakfast the Academic Deans provide new full time faculty with a formal orientation program.
Following the policy training, the Academic Deans provide new faculty with an overview of the
following: Senate Governance structure, the role of the Academic Division Chairs, faculty
evaluation, policies regarding syllabi development, academic assessment practices, student
attendance, student evaluations, classroom management, student affairs and academic support
services (a tour of the Student Development Center and Library & Learning Commons is
included in the orientation), clerical support, the Honors program, bookstore information and
procedures, administrative services, and public safety procedures. In addition, a beginning level
overview of the campus course management system, Angel, is presented by a member of the IT
staff. New employee breakfasts were initiated in 2007 and occur on a monthly basis throughout
each employee’s first semester. In addition, beginning in Spring 2010, the College has provided
ongoing Angel training sessions facilitated by an IT staff member to assist new faculty with
continued skill development and to facilitate their knowledge of alternative modes of curriculum
delivery.
The Academic Division Chairs representing each of the academic disciplines (Business,
Technology, HPER, Nursing, Radiologic Technology, Math, Science, Social Science, and
Humanities) serve as faculty mentors for new and adjunct faculty.
Hiring of adjunct faculty begins when the Dean receives their curriculum vita from the DHR
or from a faculty member. The Dean discusses the credentials with the Division chair and, if
necessary, a faculty member from the relevant discipline. The Dean and the Division Chair
conduct an interview and share responsibility for checking references.
Adjunct faculty members are invited to participate in the monthly Division meetings, College
Development Days, campus picnics, and fall Convocation. With the development of the College
Senate Governance structure adjunct faculty are represented on Senate committees and have an
opportunity to elect a Senate representative. In addition, adjunct faculty participate in Nursing
and Radiologic Technology program advisory meetings. Faculty adjuncts in the Business and
Technology divisions are invited to participate in the advisory council meetings.
The achievements and services of full time and adjunct faculty are included on a monthly
basis in the Academic Affairs report to the BOT. Achievements and services are included in the
FM’s Annual report which is distributed to the BOT, the campus community, and the
surrounding area communities.
Section 4.11 covered Standard 11 (Educational Offerings).
The recommendation from the visiting team was accomplished as were four of the five selfstudy recommendations.
Section 2 – Response to recommendations
Page 11
A comprehensive Academic Assessment Plan was approved by the Professional Staff in
April 2009. With the change to a College Senate Governance structure, Academic Assessment
was included as a standing committee with the following charge:
i. reviewing and making recommendations to the College’s academic outcomes
assessment activities.
ii. benchmarking other colleges’ academic assessment activities in order to adapt and
adopt best practices to FM.
iii. monitoring changes in academic assessment standards from accreditation agencies and
recommending changes to FM’s policies and practices.
A complete description of Academic Assessment is included in Section 5 of this PRR.
As discussed on page 73 of the 2005 self-study, FM recognized that students who could only
take evening courses, primarily adult learners, were unable to complete most programs.
Beginning in Fall 2005, FM made four associates degrees available to this population. These
programs were designed to be completed in three years by taking exclusively evening classes.
However, due to a lack of interest, these programs are no longer available. Despite this,
enrollment in evening courses continues to grow (unduplicated enrollment grew from 665 in Fall
2006 to 726 in Fall 2010).
The College also expanded its efforts to reach out to underserved populations in the 20062011 strategic plan. The plan includes objectives aimed at identifying and addressing barriers to
higher education experienced by local citizens (2.b) and expanding quality non-traditional modes
of delivery by offering relevant programs of study in non-traditional formats (2.c). As part of
these efforts, FM is expanding its online courses and is now is able to offer five programs,
General Studies A.A., Social Science A.A., Media Communications A.S., Business
Administration A.A.S., and Business Administration A.S., completely online. The College also
began offering hybrid courses in Spring 2008. These courses give students more flexibility by
reducing the amount of time they have to spend on campus but still ensure they meet with faculty
on a regular basis. They also allow students to transition to online only classes. FM also opened
the Riverfront Center in Amsterdam to better serve Montgomery County residents. The College
is now in the process of assessing how effective these measures have been.
An addition full time position, Electronics Technician (Kyle Bonfry, November 2010) was
created to support academic computing. In addition, Gregg Roth was hired as Director of IT as
of September 2009. His time has been spent primarily on implementing the new MIS system.
Because of this and the turnover in the position, no formalized plan for computer upgrades has
been developed.
Many advisory boards (AB) either continue to be active or have been reinvigorated. The
following ABs meet annually: Nursing, Radiologic Technology, Business, Human Services,
Criminal Justice, and Technology (which includes every department with technology programs).
In addition, the Perkins Local Advisory Council meets twice each year (fall and spring).
Currently, both Early Childhood Education and Physical Education (PE) do not have ABs. The
PE program did not find a functional use for the AB so it was discontinued.
Section 4.12 addressed Standard 12 (General Education).
The visiting team made no recommendations for this standard though the self-study
identified three. We have made progress on all three. A new history instructor (Fall 2010) was
Section 2 – Response to recommendations
Page 12
hired and will be working to develop courses in other world civilizations. Since 2005 we have
added the following courses in order to enhance student exposure to diversity, values and ethics:
 AR160/ART106: Survey of Non-Western Art History
 HU200/HUM170: Myth, Story, and Symbol
 HU280/HUM180: Survey of American Popular Music
 HU260/PHI260: Introduction of the Philosophy of the Arts
 SS225/SOC225: Professional ethics
 SOC285: Gender and Society.
We also have reviewed EN127/ENG127: Technical English as an option in some AAS
degree programs. Programs that have reviewed this option include Nursing, Criminal Justice,
Human Services, Automotive Technology and Early Childhood Education. Pending reviews
include Construction Technology and Radiologic Technology. In general, the EN127/ENG127
requirement is being reviewed in conjunction with the developing a curriculum (DACUM)
process for each program.
Section 4.13 covered Standard 13 (Related Educational Activities).
The visiting team made no recommendations for this standard. The self-study recognized
two under Basic Skills (both were accomplished), five under Non-credit Offerings (one was
deemed inappropriate and the other four were addressed), one under other Instructional Sites
(this was completed) , three under Distance Learning (all three addressed) and one under
Contractual Relationships and Affiliated Providers.
The College uses the ACT product placement test entitled: COMPASS. This is an untimed,
computerized test that helps to evaluate student skills for course placement. COMPASS offers
tests in reading, writing, math, and English as a Second Language (ESL). An essay is also part of
the testing procedure.
The ESL part of the exam was routinely administered to international students. However, it
was discovered that resident non-native speakers of English (such as immigrants, refugees and
heritage speakers who speak a native language in their homes) were not given the ESL portion of
the exam and therefore were over placed in EN 020, a developmental class which was the lowest
choice for English language speakers.
Starting in Fall 2005, the College changed the procedure for these students.
1. Students were asked if English was a second language for them at the time of testing.
If they answered “yes”, they were given the ESL version of COMPASS.
2. The paper application for admission to the College was also updated in Fall 2008.
The application process includes a review by a professional staff member and an
attempt to call every student is made. The staff member can then identify if they are
non-native speakers that did not disclose on their application. Those students are also
scheduled for the ESL version of COMPASS.
3. Electronic registration for the COMPASS test includes the ESL option.
If students’ test scores indicate an ESL placement, they are enrolled in appropriate courses
within the Intensive English Language (ESL) Program on campus. All students in the ESL
program re-take the COMPASS test before they are placed in college level English. This not
only tests student readiness but also provides assessment data for the program. ESL course
learning objectives and program crosswalk were developed January 2007.
A full-time Workforce Development Specialist was hired in January 2008 to provide the
additional staffing. This position was responsible for surveying the community for potential
Section 2 – Response to recommendations
Page 13
program offerings. Industry was solicited through personal visits. An email distribution list was
maintained for industry to receive communications from us and to provide input back. Human
Resources Group meetings on campus were utilized to receive direct feedback from Human
Resources professionals in the area. Google survey tools were employed to solicit interest in
programming. The position was maintained for two years, but a downturn in the economy and
lack of demand for workforce training led to the position being eliminated.
In conjunction with the SP, the Director of Workforce Development (DWD) worked toward
diversifying programming. A ServSafe food-safety training program was implemented in
response to a new New York State (NYS) Law. When NYS decided not to enforce the law,
interest in this program waned and it no longer is offered. A Green Training Program for
Building Analysts as an opportunity to be one of five colleges to work with NYSERDA (NYS
Energy Research and Development Authority) and HVCC (Hudson Valley Community College).
The program was implemented in 2009, is currently being expanded, and is working toward
accreditation. Community non-credit programs were also expanded to include a cooking school,
ghost stories, and psychic stress management.
While Continuing Education exceeded its revenue targets the last year, the College decided
to dissolve the office. One position has been left unfilled and the other was moved to the
Admissions Office.. The increased revenue was due to grant funding obtained by other offices.
For example, funding for the increased number of Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) courses
came from the College’s Bridge program while the grant for the NYSERDA training was
obtained by the Provost and Dean of Business and Technology. Without these efforts,
Continuing Education would have lost money as it had in previous years. A level of
cancellations was another issue. In recent years, a majority of scheduled courses were cancelled
due to lack of enrollment. The College feels that the time and effort devoted to setting these
courses up can better be used elsewhere.
In response to this, a new part-time position in the Admissions Office was created. Its
responsibilities include:
 Maintain the business outreach efforts of the Office of Workforce Development.
 Be the first point of contact for the College. Under the current system, a person calling
FM for information on our programs is often shifted from extension to extension before
getting an answer. This position will be in-charge of assessing what a person wants and
directing him/her to the correct office(s).
The redirection of efforts will help FM achieve its enrollment and revenue goals by
improving retention rates among evening students, improving access to the College by
streamlining the inquiry process about what FM has to offer and eliminating the waste associated
with cancelled courses.
The DWD did move to more effective, economical ways to market non-credit programs
suspending direct mail in favor of utilizing inserts in local newspapers. Email distribution was
expanded for program promotion. Program materials were delivered during personal visits rather
than through the mail. BOCES school delivery service was utilized for youth programs. Web site
and press releases expanded to provide more information.
The College has undergone an assessment of non-credit programs and concluded that the
recommendation to “Consider consolidating several (if not all) non-credit programs under one
office” is no longer relevant. The College has refocused non-credit activities to be responsive to
industry needs and workforce training, specifically through corporate contract training, CNA.
Section 2 – Response to recommendations
Page 14
and EMT training, and Energy Smart training. These activities have been consolidated under the
leadership of the Vice President for Student Affairs and managed by the ADEM and the Director
of TRiO/HEALTH Programs.
FM has opened an instructional site in Amsterdam (Riverfront Center) (September 2008)
which offers a variety of courses primarily in the afternoons and evenings. The College has also
developed a list of potential future instructional sites. In conjunction with exploring site options,
we have held preliminary conversations with the following agencies and organizations: The
Fulton County Economic Development Corporation, The Greater Johnstown Area School
District, and Frontier Communications.
Delivery of online and hybrid courses continues in SUNY Learning Network (SLN) with the
College fully migrating to ANGEL in Fall 2009. Since our last self study 26 distinct online
courses have been offered. Beginning Fall semester 2010, students may pursue three degree
programs full online: A.A.S. Business Administration, A.S. Business Administration, and A.A.
Liberal Arts & Sciences: General Studies.
The College is currently implementing a new student information system which will allow
secure, on-line registration for credit and non-credit activities. The go live date for the new
system is June 20, 2011. On-line registration is expected to go live at some point during the
2011-2012 academic year.
Section 4.14 addresses Standard 14 (Assessment of Student Learning).
All recommendations were implemented. As explained in Standard 11 (above) and in
Section 5 of this PRR, FM has fully implemented an academic assessment process. With the
change to a College Senate governance structure, an Academic Assessment Committee became a
standing committee with representatives from each facet of the campus community. SLOs for all
courses and PLOs for all programs were developed as were the crosswalk documents that link
them. That information is housed in the Public Folders area of our email system so that they are
available to the entire campus.
Capstone courses and/or internships were developed and/or became a focus for program
assessment. These tools have been put into place in the following programs: Computer
Information Systems (on-going), Human Services (on-going), Multimedia (beginning 20072008), Visual Communications (2007-2008), Office Technology (2009-2010), and Automotive
Technology (2011).
To nurture the campus culture of academic assessment, administration has provided funding
(through the office of the Provost) and encouragement for staff to attend various conferences.
Dr. Paula Brown-Weinstock (Social Sciences), Terry Conaway (English), Mary Donohue
(Librarian), Dr. Shirlee Dufort (Dean), Charlene Dybas (Business), Laurie Freeman (Science),
Paul Giudilli (Criminal Justice), Pat Grande (Math), Dr. Marlene Guiffre (Social Science), Dan
Jarvis (Physical Education), MaryAnn Johnson (Technology, retired 2010), Robert Jones
(Foreign Language), Susan MacLeod (Science), Diana Putnam (Dean), Ken Vennette (English),
Martin Waffle (Computer Science), Michael Youngs (English), and Larry Zuckerman (Business)
have been among the attendees.
Section 3 - Major Opportunities and Challenges
The Institutional Assessment team consulted a number of internal and external reports,
documents, and studies to understand the opportunities and challenges for FM in the next five
years. When available and relevant we have provided further details of those references in the
Section 2 – Response to recommendations
Page 15
appendices.
Population Trends
Estimates from the U.S Bureau data indicates 2009 population estimates of 55,033 and
48,616 for Fulton and Montgomery counties respectively, representing an aggregate decrease of
1%. In both counties nearly 95% of the population was white and 2% was black. The largest
disparity in racial profiles between the two counties arises in the percentage of Hispanic or
Latino heritage; in Fulton County this represents 2% of the population and in Montgomery
County it represents almost 10% of the population. As of Fall 2010, the College had exceeded its
goal of increasing enrollment from Montgomery County by 5% but was still working on its goal
to increase Hispanic enrollment to 8% of enrollment in order to better reflect the demographics
of its service area. As the College moves toward diversifying its student and staff the sizable and
growing Hispanic or Latino population in Montgomery County presents an opportunity to meet
this challenge.
The expected long-term decline in local High School graduations will create a challenge into
the next decade for the College to maintain traditional age student enrollments from local county
students. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the projected percentage
change in the number of public high school graduates, by state for 2005 through 2019 will
decrease in New York State between 5% and 15%. The New York State Education Department
report “Projection of High School Graduates 2007-09 to 2018-19” uses U.S. Census data to
predict a 16.5% decrease based on current enrollments statewide in elementary schools. On a
more micro-level, Table 5 “New York State High School Graduate Projections By Region and
County” shows a projected decrease change for 2008-2019 of 6.3% for Fulton County and
17.9% for Montgomery County.
An emphasis has also been placed on international student enrollments. As of October 6,
2010, the following statistics were available:
International Student Enrollments at FM Comparisons to previous year enrollments:
 Fall 2006- Fall 2010 over 12% increase. (Fall 2006 was the previous largest enrollment
year)
 Fall 2008- Fall 2010 over 54% increase
 Fall 2009-Fall 2010 over 40% increase
The latest data from IIE's (Institute of International Education) "Open Doors" publication on
national enrollment trends for 2009- 2010 shows that total foreign student numbers increased
nationally 2.9% over the prior year; however, growth was seen primarily in Graduate programs.
Associate-degree programs dropped seven percent in 2009-10 as stated in the November 15,
2010 article “China Props Up Foreign Students’ Numbers in the U.S” The College continues to
aggressively seek international student enrollments and has implemented some new strategies
which yielded a 40% increase in enrollment for Fall 2010 compared to the previous year. Those
strategies include
 a revision of the marketing materials for international students,
 diversification of the international student body via. four recent overseas recruiting trips
(to Hong Kong, Vietnam, China and Europe)
 the exploration of new markets through summer camps for international high school
students.
Section 3 – Major Opportunities and Challenges
Page 16
Even with our success due to these efforts, the 7% decrease of international students at
associate degree institutions in the 2009-2010 academic year nation-wide cannot be ignored and
presents a specific challenge. FM will need to continue to dedicate resources for international
student marketing and recruitment efforts to maintain and grow future enrollments.
Both the local and international student population trends create a challenge for us to develop
an Enrollment Management Plan for 2011-2016 in which the College attracts and retains a
population whose diversity mirrors and represents that of our supporting counties and the world.
The recent purchase by the FCA of the Campus View Housing complex as well as the secured
funding through an $11.3 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to build
additional housing for residential students puts FM in an advantageous position to market itself
to wider populations. The expansion of College housing to double the number of oncampus students to nearly 300 resident students will present more challenges for student social
space and activities. The College President and Leadership Team are meeting this anticipated
need by doing preliminary work with architects to re-purpose existing underutilized space so
that, as financing opportunities become available, they will be ready to implement a plan for
expansion.
Economic and Business Trends
Like many colleges and universities the recent downward spirals in national, state and local
economies have had a growing adverse affect on FM's operations. Even before the recent
economic downturn, Fulton and Montgomery counties have historically been among the most
economically challenged in New York State. Compared against the state average of $55.580 the
median household income for Fulton and Montgomery counties in 2009 was $45,360 and
$41,708. The unemployment rate for the two counties as of October 2010 stood at 9.1% for
Fulton county and 8.5% for Montgomery county, exceeding the state unemployment rate (8%)
for the same time period. The challenge to remain an affordable educational alternative for
people in our sponsoring counties while remaining a financially solvent institution looms as one
of the biggest challenges facing the College in the next five years. Although contributions from
our two sponsoring counties are still being met, supplemental funds used to support capital
projects in the past are not expected to be allocated for the next three years. With uncertain
contributions from traditional sources of funding, the College is challenged to seek alternative
sources of revenues in the coming years. While numerous institutional advancements have been
made possible through the efforts of the FM Foundation, in the future more emphasis will be
placed on the Foundation to seek out and secure additional grant allocation and private sector
donations. While the College has, to this point, not sought an increase in tuition to offset
shrinking revenues the option remains a potential income source.
The surges in enrollment at the College over the past five years follow a pattern at
community colleges nation-wide. From the Fall of 2006 to the Fall of 2010 the College has seen
an increase in FTE of over 32%. Some of this growth can be attributed to the downturn in the
economy, i.e.: displaced workers returning to school to augment or reinvent their skill-sets or
'students of choice' who traditionally may have chosen four-year institutions now attending their
local community college. These factors provide FM with the opportunity to continue to recruit
from groups of students it did not have access to in the past.
The increase in enrollment has come at a time of decreasing state support. Since the Fall of
2006, contributions from the state of New York have fallen 15.5% and the 2011-12 Governor’s
Section 3 – Major Opportunities and Challenges
Page 17
Budget proposes another 10% reduction. This latest proposal is expected to stand, and, if so, this
would reduce the state aid rate to $2,034 for a total reduction of $641. This represents
approximately a $1.5 million reduction in state aid. Additionally, recognizing the impact of this
severe economic climate, the President has pledged not to request additional operating or capital
funds from either of its two county sponsors. Given the many political necessities that bear down
on the working relationship between a community college and its local county sponsors, this was
a necessary tactical action on the President’s part. However, this will limit the College’s revenue
increase choices to some combination of tuition increases and withdrawals from the College’s
fund balance, neither of which are desirable options. However, as we are in extraordinary times
this will be the reality going forward along with the curtailing of expenses. Table 3.1 below
shows New York’s reimbursement rates per FTE since 1997/98.
Table 3.1 New York State Reimbursement Rates per FTE
1997/98
$1,900
1998/99
$2,050
1999/00
$2,125
2000/01
$2,250
2001/02
$2,250
2002/03
$2,300
2003/04
$2,300
2004/05
$2,235
2005/06
$2,350
2006/07
$2,525
2007/08
$2,675
2008/09
$2,675
2009/10
$2,675 first quarter; $2,545 other
three quarters
2010/11
$2,260
2011/12
$2,034 (proposed)
Though there are certainly challenges related to growing demands in enrollment (such as
limited or no growth in instructional and support staff), the opportunity to put FM in the
forefront of many people's minds and fulfill the College's vision for being the "preferred resource
for post-secondary education" in the area remains a strong possibility. The College's decision to
launch a re-branding effort in 2009 was well-timed. Moving forward marketing efforts adhering
to the 'FM Brand' should work to ensure that the brand remains consistent with the College's
identity and focus. There also lies a challenge for the College to seek out alternative marketing
efforts; the rise of social media tools and platforms offers a ready and relatively inexpensive
opportunity to augment existing marketing efforts. The newly created position of Coordinator of
Public Relations & Marketing provides space for FM to continue to grow its external identity.
The job forecast for the Mohawk Valley (including Fulton and Montgomery counties)
through 2016 suggests a shifting expectation in terms of the skills employers are seeking in
employees. While FM has traditionally excelled in providing students with the tools necessary
to compete in job markets related to human service professions (Criminal Justice, Nursing,
Radiological Technology, Early Childhood and Early Childhood Education) a new demand is
rising. The trend toward jobs requiring more in-depth understanding and experience with
Section 3 – Major Opportunities and Challenges
Page 18
science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) applications presents a challenge to FM to
ensure that current course offerings and student success accurately meets the needs of the local
and regional job market. The opportunity within this challenge comes in the ongoing and
essential discussions with local community business leaders. In addition to programmatic
reviews (through DACUM), these discussions should provide FM with a deeper appreciation and
understanding of the local and regional economies function and the opportunities for
collaboration between the College and businesses. Two examples of the College's seizing this
opportunity are already visible. The growth of "Tech Valley," in particular the multi-billion
dollar semi-conductor facility being built by Global Foundaries in Malta, NY (thirty-five miles
from FM) stands as the single biggest economic and business opportunity for FM and the
surrounding region. Capitalizing on the growth potential within this project will help secure
FM's role as being an "economic catalyst" for the region. The creation of FM’s Center for
Engineering & Technology which included building a working clean room on campus, indicates
the College’s dedication to sustained economic growth. Implementing and building courses and
curricula that offer students ready skills for these high-tech jobs is a great opportunity. As an
example, the College award of a $2.9 million federally funded Nursing Health Grant to train
CNAs and RNs for employment in local health care facilities enhances an already strong Health
Professions Division. Programs similar to these should be sought out and brought to fruition.
Technology Trends
The need to remain consistent and up-to-date with the technologies supporting teaching and
learning is not lost on FM. There is the possibility that decreased support from local and state
sponsors may jeopardize maintenance and enhancement of the College's information technology
infrastructure. The high-rate of turnover in the position of Director of IT (three within the past
nine years) has placed FM at a disadvantage in terms of developing a comprehensive plan to
monitor the campus' needs and emerging technological trends. The current Director of IT was
hired in the Fall of 2009 and has spent the majority of his time planning a migration to a new
information management system (Power Campus). The College's decision to proceed with the
purchase and migration of PowerCampus despite a withdrawal of funding by sponsoring counties
demonstrates a commitment to bringing FM current. The opportunities within the new system to
enhance all aspects of information sharing are numerous. From the student perspective,
providing a portal of access to register for classes, view grades, and conduct degree audits as
well as have a FM email account place them more in charge of their learning. From an
administrative standpoint the new MIS allows for greater sharing of information among campus
constituents. Data that may have previously been warehoused or silo-ed in one location will now
be accessible to all. As with any new software platform the major challenge comes in effectively
training users. The increase in enrollment has placed many stresses on faculty and staff, namely
time. Finding time to properly train all users on the new MIS presents as an ongoing challenge.
As with the College's launch of the course management system, ANGEL (September 2008),
internal as well as external support should be available in anticipation of problems or concerns
with the new MIS. Moving forward, leveraging the power of the MIS to foster effective,
efficient work flow has the potential to minimize the time demands currently felt by many
people.
With a small IT staff for an institution of our size, transitioning classrooms and learning
spaces to accommodate the latest technologies and computing needs is a large but necessary task
if FM is to continue to meet the demands of the global marketplace. Despite the obstacles, IT
Section 3 – Major Opportunities and Challenges
Page 19
has been able to convert 39 classrooms to smart classrooms over the past five years. Continued
demand for smart classrooms and changing technologies coupled with limited resources will
continue to present a challenge for the College. In addition, the increased use of mobile devices
increases the demand placed on the campus wireless network. A "Technology Satisfaction
Survey" given to FM staff in the summer of 2010 showed that only 20.45% were satisfied with
the College's current support of wireless accessibility and access on campus. Identifying and
securing funds to enhance the College's wireless computing capabilities stands as a major
challenge.
In the Fall of 2010 the College began offering fully-online degree associate programs in
Business Administration and Liberal Arts and Sciences: General Studies. While these programs
afford a chance for place-bound students to complete their college coursework, they also require
technological competencies from instructional faculty, academic support services and students
themselves. Creating an atmosphere where online learning and degree completion mirrors the
educational expectations and support in traditional classrooms will be a challenge.
Organizational Trends
A large trend at FM in the last five years has been change - in terms of personnel, physical
improvements to the campus and the number of students choosing FM to begin or continue their
college education. Over the last five years the College has experienced a large percentage of
turnover within Administrative and Leadership positions. Our current President arrived on
campus five years ago. Since then the College has conducted successful searches for Provost
and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Vice President for Student Affairs, Chief
Advancement Officer, Dean of Arts and Sciences, Dean of Business Technology and Health
Professions, Director of IT, and DHR. Some of these positions were filled with well-qualified
internal candidates resulting in some continuity of institutional knowledge. Other positions
brought new faces to FM who bring with them exciting ideas, programs and visions. However
the number of new administrators, together with the number of new BOT members, new
teaching faculty, new academic and student services personnel and new support staff has created
a challenge of forming a cohesive and consistent team. With turnover in personnel, FM is faced
with the additional challenge of hiring a staff whose diversity mirrors the diversity of both our
local community and the student body. The opportunity exists for the College to market itself as
a viable place of employment for all persons.
In the Fall of 2009, the College incorporated a new model of governance. Replacing the
Professional Staff model, the Shared Governance system finds strength in that all constituencies
on campus are now formally included in decision-making through elected representatives to the
College Senate. Like many new ventures, the challenge of the Shared Governance model arises
in how communication to and from the constituencies occurs. As the shared governance process
is implemented and developed, new challenges may emerge.
Since the last Middle States report, FM has worked to implement and monitor a
comprehensive Facilities Master Plan. This allows the College to readily address needs such as
HVAC, plumbing and mechanical systems. Infrastructure planning not only brings FM's
buildings and structures into the 21st century, it affords FM the opportunity to plan in advance
for major repairs and upgrades, a process which helps solidify necessary budgetary requirements
and sound fiscal decisions. As FM has made changes and implemented plans for improvements
on its main campus, it has also sought out opportunities to grow within the counties it services.
The creation of an Instructional Site (January 2008) located at the Riverfront Center in
Section 3 – Major Opportunities and Challenges
Page 20
Amsterdam, NY allows the College to offer numerous day and evening classes while serving
geographical area important to the College's effort toward diversifying the student population. As
an added benefit, as the College's enrollment has increased in the last three years the Riverfront
Center Instructional Site has been beneficial in lessening classroom space issues on the main
campus.
Like many Community College across the country, FM has seen the downturn in the
economy over the last three years parallel with a rapid increase in enrollment figures. From
2006 to 2010 FM experienced an increase in total enrollment of close to 23%. While enrollment
and population projections do not forecast this rise in enrollment to sustain the current situation
has presented the College with numerous challenges. The increasing number of students and
classes places unprecedented demands on instructional spaces and teaching faculty. FM has met
this challenge head-on, re-purposing spaces on campus for instructional purposes, increasing the
number of sections offered while still maintaining a balance of course taught by full-time
teaching faculty and adjuncts. Within this spike in enrollment lies an opportunity for more
people to become aware, first-hand, of the resources and services available at FM. The College's
challenge becomes then to leverage this growing awareness into greater continued community
support and demand for quality educational offerings.
Meeting the Standards
FM can cite progress in all of the standards described in the Characteristics of Excellence since
2005.
Standard 1: Mission and Goals
 Revised the College Mission as part of the process related to SP "A Path for Renewal"
2006-2011.
 Re-evaluated the Mission, Vision and Goals as part of the strategic planning process.
 Served the community by hosting political events, speakers, art, music and theatrical
performances, job fairs, college transfer fairs, and alumni events.
Standard 2: Planning, Resource Allocation and Institutional Renewal
 Created a Strategic Plan ("A Path for Renewal") for 2006-2011.
 Initiated planning for the next Strategic Plan, 2011-2016.
 Reviewed and revised the institutional assessment process.
 Purchased and began migration to a new course management system (PowerCampus).
 Formed a Sustainability Committee to address strategies that lower the environmental
impact of the College and save money.
 Obtained a federally Funded Healthcare Grant.
 Obtained an NSF grant to build clean room facilities.
 Completed technology upgrades to make "smart" classrooms.
 Reallocated personnel and positions on campus to optimize resources.
 Opened a new Instructional Site at Riverfront Center in Amsterdam, NY.
Standard 3: Institutional Resources
 Received an unqualified opinion on financial audits for every year since 2005 with no
management comments on audits.
 Increased and maintained strong fund balance.
Section 3 – Major Opportunities and Challenges
Page 21








Gained support from both supporting county Board of Supervisors and New York State
for capital projects.
Implemented and monitored a Facilities Master Plan and a Financial Plan that are tied to
the Strategic Plan.
Developed a comprehensive $2 million fundraising plan and campaign.
Addressed infrastructure needs as relating to HVAC, asbestos abatement projects, water
infiltration/drainage improvement, lighting and roof repairs.
Renovated student instructional and gathering spaces in both Classroom and Annex
buildings.
o Established "Books & Bytes" Cafe outside entrance of Evans Library.
Improved the presence of higher level of emergency preparedness and security on
campus
o Implemented an Emergency Notification system and security camera system.
o Implemented an Emergency Management Plan.
o Created and filled the position of Public Safety Coordinator and increased Public
Safety Staff from 3.2 full time equivalent employees in 2005 to 4.7 in 2010.
o Formed an Incident Command Team (ICT Team) in keeping with the National
Information Management System (NIMS). This team consists of all members of
the Leadership Team, Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds, Director of
Public Safety and Director of IT.
o Instituted quarterly table top exercises to drill on responses to a variety of campus
emergencies.
o Held two “active shooter drills” during August 2010. Drill one included both the
ICT Team and local law enforcement authorities. Drill two included only local
law enforcement authorities.
o Relocated the fire alarm notification system to the Public Safety’s Office
effective.
o Installed security cameras in designated areas throughout the campus.
o Installed additional "Blue Light" safety alert phones throughout campus.
Improved general communication by partnering with Verizon to install a cell phone tower
on campus affording enhanced cell phone coverage.
Purchased former Campus View Housing, two previously privately owned apartment
buildings, used solely for student housing. This enhanced services offered to residential
students and provides a potential funding resource for future upgrades and improvements.
Standard 4: Leadership and Governance
 Transitioned to Shared Governance in Fall of 2009
 Modified the Board of Trustees orientation process.
 Developed a tracking mechanism using dashboard monitors to monitor progress on the
Strategic Plan.
 Reviewed and revised Board of Trustees Conflict of Interest Policies: Finance/Ethics in
Public Contracting and Personnel.
 Created and approved Board of Trustees Ethics Policies: Suspected Misconduct and
Dishonesty and Nepotism.
Standard 5: Administration
Section 3 – Major Opportunities and Challenges
Page 22











Conducted successful search for positions of Provost and Vice President for Academic
Affairs and Vice President of Student Services. Both positions were filled internally
offering a quicker, more seamless transition of duties and responsibilities.
Conducted successful search for position of Dean of Arts and Sciences.
Established and successfully filled the position of Direction of Human Resources.
Established and successfully filled the position of Public Safety Coordinator.
Established and successfully filled the position of Coordinator of Public Relations and
Marketing.
Upgraded secretaries in the Vice President's offices to Confidential/Exempt status
employees .
Changed the position of Comptroller to Staff Account to meets the needs of the Financial
Services Department.
Requested and received approval from Montgomery County Civil Service Department to
upgrade positions: Financial Aid Office to Financial Aid Clerk, Bursar's Office to
Principal Account Clerk and Senior Account Clerk. This provides both operational areas
with higher-level skilled educational support staff.
Implemented Staff Recognition program during the annual campus-wide meeting on
Founder's Day.
Implemented an administration salary system and promotion policy.
Began the transition to a new MIS system, PowerCampus.
Standard 6: Integrity
 Created an ad-hoc Academic Integrity Committee to address College policy and
educational efforts concerning student understanding of plagiarism and cheating.
 Purchased a campus license for Turnitin.com, an anti-plagiarism tool for use in courses
across curricula.
 Integrated a service learning component into Radiological Technology courses.
 Created an ad-hoc Civility Committee.
Standard 7: Institutional Assessment
 Reviewed, revised and implemented the Institutional Assessment Plan.
 Created a standing Institutional Assessment Committee as part of Shared Governance.

Linked Institutional Assessment with the Strategic Plan.
Standard 8: Student Admissions and Retention
 Posted all course syllabi on the College website.
 Developed and implemented an Enrollment Management Plan that is tied to the Strategic
Plan.
 Revamped the College logo and revised all College material accordingly.
 Reviewed and revised course placement procedures for English and Math.
 Maintained relatively small increase in average class size over last six years despite spike
in enrollment (2006/22 to 2010/23.5).
Standard 9: Student Support Services
 Developed a Student Support Services Plan for each department that is based on the
Strategic Plan..
Section 3 – Major Opportunities and Challenges
Page 23



Created and filled the position of Director of Athletics.
Entered into an agreement with a local hospital to provide mental health services to
students.
Implemented Online Tutoring.
Standard 10: Faculty
 Developed an adjunct faculty hiring protocol.
 Implemented new orientation procedures for adjunct faculty.
 Remodeled space for adjunct faculty offices.
 Provided on-going training in the course management software, Angel.
 Re-negotiated the ratio of full-time instructional faculty/adjuncts with the faculty union to
maintain emphasis on consistent, quality instructors.
 Created and filled (with existing faculty) the position of Division Chair for each
academic division This position specifically addresses monitoring of adjunct faculty
performance, mentoring of that faculty, and coordination of academic assessment.
Standard 11: Educational Offerings
 Ensured that all syllabi contain student learning outcomes and appropriate program
learning outcomes.
 Created a Center for Engineering and Technology.
 Reinvigorated advisory boards in Nursing, Radiologic Technology, Business, Human
Services, Criminal Justice, and Technology.
 Began offering hybrid courses.
 Established fully online programs in Business Administration AS, Business
Administration AAS, Liberal Arts & Science: General Studies AA, Liberal Arts &
Science: Social Science AA, and Media Communications AS.
 Implemented 24/7 Online Reference Library support.
 Received program accreditation for Nursing and Radiological Technology.
Standard 12: General Education

Created courses that enhance student exposure to diversity, values and ethics
(AR160/ART106: Survey of Non-Western Art History, HU200/HUM170: Myth, Story,
and Symbol, HU280/HUM180: Survey of American Popular Music, HU260/PHI260:
Introduction of the Philosophy of the Arts, SS225/SOC225: Professional ethics, SOC285:
Gender and Society)
 Ensured that all syllabi contain appropriate general education learning outcomes.
 Included assessment of general education outcomes in the academic assessment plan.
Standard 13: Related Educational Activities
 Revised English placement procedures for resident non-native speakers.
 Revised English and Math placement procedures.
 Migrated to a new course management system (ANGEL) with support from SUNY
Learning Network (SLN) for online, hybrid and course supplement opportunities.
Standard 14: Assessment of Student Learning
 Reviewed, revised and implemented the Academic Assessment Plan.
Section 3 – Major Opportunities and Challenges
Page 24



Created a standing Academic Assessment Committee as part of Shared Governance.
Linked Academic Assessment with Institutional Assessment.
Created program crosswalks that link all program learning outcomes with courses in the
program.
Section 4 - Analysis of Enrollment and Finance Trends and Projections
FM is entering one of the most challenging periods in its history. As illustrated in Figure
4.1, enrollment is growing while funding per student has been falling. The revised planning and
assessment efforts will enable the College to continue to meet its mission of being our service
area’s partner for quality education, accessible transfer and career programs, economic
development, and cultural and intellectual development during these challenging times.
Enrollment Trends
The College sets separate goals for credit and continuing education enrollment. For the
purposes of planning, some non-credit remedial courses are included with the credit enrollment
because they are eligible for reimbursement from New York State.
Credit Enrollment
FM set three enrollment goals in its 2006 – 2011 SP. They are:
 Increase enrollment at the College by at least 10%.
 Increase enrollment of the citizens of Montgomery County by 5% through
improved access to FM.
 Increase the Latino student population to better reflect the counties’
population (6%i).
FM added a goal to grow out-of-county (including international students) by 8% over
five years in February 2010 to respond to the demographic trends described below. To
achieve this goal, the College plans on doubling its housing capacity to 288 beds in Fall
2012. While FM did not set specific goals for other populations, it has increased its
efforts to enroll non-traditional aged students (25 or older).
The efforts are based on an analysis of the demographic trends in Fulton and
Montgomery Counties. As shown in the figure below, the College’s service area
population has been declining since FM first opened its doors in 1964. Overall, despite
the growth in Fulton County, the College’s service area population has fallen by 4875
(4%) during this period (1117 in the last ten years alone). Of particular importance to the
College, both counties have experienced a decline in school aged population since 1990
totaling 3754. The New York State Department of Higher Education (NYSED) projects
that the number of high school graduates will fall by 6% and 18% from 2008 to 2019 in
Fulton and Montgomery Counties respectively.
The demographic data also point to some areas of potential enrollment growth for the
College from within the two counties. The Hispanic population has grown nearly four
times in the last 30 years to 6043 residents. The census data also show that a smaller
percentage of two counties 25 or older population have earned a bachelor’s degree than in
neighboring counties and the state as a whole. As many of today’s jobs require a college
Section 3 – Major Opportunities and Challenges
Page 25
education, this suggests that there may be a demand for FM’s services from this
population.
Table 4.1 below shows that FM has already met most of its 2011/2012 targets. Annual
Average FTE (AAFTE) and fall FTE grew by around 30% from 2006/07 to 2009/10 while fall
full and part-time headcount enrollment rose by over 26% during this period. The table also
shows that growth in enrollment from Montgomery County (28.8%) exceeded the 2011/12
targets. Also, enrollment of students 25 or older kept up with enrollment as a whole. The one
target the College has yet to meet is the Latino enrollment of 6%.
Figure 4.1 Service Area Population
60000
58000
57240
55883
56000
55153
54000
53439
55077
55053
54191
52637
51981
52000
51304
49709
50000
48616
48000
1960
1970
1980
Fulton
1990
2000
Est. 2009
Montgomery
Source: Census Bureau, New York Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to
1990 and Census Bureau Quick Facts reports.
Table 4.1: 2011/12 Enrollment Targets
Target Group 2006/07 2011/12
Target
2009/10
Target
Actual
Fall
%
Change
#
Over/Under
Target
Full-Time
1406
+10%
1547
1784
26.9%
237
Part-Time
751
+10%
826
948
26.2%
122
Total
2157
+10%
2373
2732
26.7%
359
Section 4 – Analysis of Enrollment and Finance Trends and Projections
Page 26
Academic
Year
Total FTE
1667
+10%
1833
2155
29.3%
322
Montgomery
Total
691
+5%
726
890
28.8%
164
Hispanic Total
5.4%
+.6%
6%
5.3%
-2.0%
-0.7%
Other
Counties/States
Full-Time
229
+8%
248
351
53.3%
103
GT 24 Total
544
+10%
599
689
26.7%
90
AAFTE
1708
+10%
1879
2222
30.1%
343
Figures 4.2 and 4.3 show the trends in fall enrollment and AAFTE. As the reader can
see, the rapid growth in enrollment began in Fall 2008 (7% in FTE) and accelerated
through Fall 2009 (15% in FTE). Early indications are that FTE enrollment grew by 3%
in Fall 2010.
Figure 4.2 Fall Total Headcount, Total FTE and Full-Time Enrollment
3000
2500
2000
1500
2732
2420
2157
2235
1657
1667
1750
1400
1406
1453
2005
2006
2007
2203
2155
1872
1784
1552
1000
Total
FTE
2008
2009
Full-Time
Section 4 – Analysis of Enrollment and Finance Trends and Projections
Page 27
Figure 4.3 Fall Part-Time Enrollment
948
1000
900
868
803
800
782
751
700
600
500
400
300
471
435
332
276
316
257
2005
2006
413
369
294
471
397
327
487
461
2008
2009
368
200
Total
2007
FTE
Concurrent
College
However, it is also important to note that AAFTE enrollment was either flat or declining the
previous four years for the SUNY peers on average, suggesting that the sudden surge in
enrollment may be due, at least in part, to external factors like the economy. Figure 4.4 below
supports this. It plots the lagged percent change in fall FTE excluding concurrent enrollment
against the change in the annual unemployment rate in Fulton and Montgomery counties. Fall
FTE was lagged as students often decide which school to attend during the previous year.
Concurrent enrollment was excluded because high school students may not react to changes in
the economy the way other students do.
Figure 4.4 Change in Unemployment Rates and Lagged % Change in Fall FTE*
20%
4%
15%
3%
2%
10%
1%
5%
0%
0%
-1%
-5%
-2%
-10%
-3%
Lagged % FTE
Mont Unem
Fult Unem
*excludes concurrent enrollment
As the reader can see, changes in local unemployment do vary with changes in fall lagged
FTE. The correlations between changes in Fulton and Montgomery County unemployment and
Section 4 – Analysis of Enrollment and Finance Trends and Projections
Page 28
FTE changes are 0.51 and 0.62 respectively. The graph suggests that enrollment will fall when
unemployment does.
Figure 4.9 below reinforces this. As the reader can see, past periods of enrollment growth
have been followed by drops in enrollment at FM and the SUNY/CUNY community colleges as
a whole.
Figure 4.5 FM and SUNY/CUNY CC Total Fall Enrollment 1964 - 2007
230,000
2,800
210,000
2,300
190,000
170,000
1,800
150,000
Total
130,000
1,300
FM
110,000
90,000
800
70,000
50,000
300
1964
1969
1974
1979
1984
1989
1994
1999
2004
In preparation for this, the College’s future plans are based on flat enrollment as shown in
Figure 4.6 below. Figure 4.10 shows FM’s Average Annual FTE (AAFTE) over the last seven
years and the projected AAFTE for the next three years. This is based on the following
assumptions:
 New initiatives, like the Riverfront Center, and increased recruiting efforts will help
maintain enrollment from FM’s service area after the economy recovers. The College
currently enrolls around 30% of graduating seniors from the two counties so there is
room to grow enrollment despite the decline in the number of graduates.
 FM’s affordability will attract both traditional and older students to the College.
 Expanded housing will enable the College to increase enrollment from outside its service
area. As Table 4.1 shows, full-time, out of county enrollment grew by 53% following
improvements to FM’s current housing capacity.
Section 4 – Analysis of Enrollment and Finance Trends and Projections
Page 29
Figure 4.6 FM AAFTE
2300
2222
2222
2222
2222
2200
2100
2000
1914
1900
1800
1769
1709
1702
1690
1708
1700
1600
1500
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
Proj.
Proj.
Proj.
2010-11 2011-12 2012-13
Continuing Education Enrollment Trends
Due to financial considerations and a high level of class cancellations, FM closed its
Office of Workforce Development in 2010. While the Office did exceed its revenue targets in
some years, this was mainly due to grant funding obtained by other offices. Responsibility for
these programs was shifted to the Admissions and TRIO/Bridge Programs Offices. The College
is planning on maintaining revenue at 2009/10 levels for the next three years.
Year
Table 4.2 Continuing Education Hours, Revenue and Expenses
Total
Vocational Remedial
Other,
Total
Total
and
Instruction
includes
Revenues
Expenses
Professional
personal
Training
enrichment
and
community
service
Difference
2004/05
39270
21542
1167
16561
2005/06
40030
26718
2949
10363
2006/07
22657
12710
729
9218
$240,748
$298,777
-$58,029
2007/08
33582
29356
756
3470
$345,967
$369,040
-$23,073
2008/09
44276
40168
531
3577
$465,199
$453,011
$12,188
2009/10
39939
28146
252
11541
Section 4 – Analysis of Enrollment and Finance Trends and Projections
Page 30
Overview of finance trends and projections
Budget Preparation
FM has two separate funds which are budgeted and accounted for separately within its
financial system: an operating fund and a restricted fund. Budgets are prepared annually with the
fiscal year beginning September 1 of each year. The budget process normally begins in January,
with the college’s BOT approving the budget in May followed by approval by the two sponsor
counties in June or July and final SUNY approval in August.
Operating fund departmental allocations are provided to department supervisors based upon
the current year’s adopted budget and a preliminary percentage change for the upcoming year.
Detailed budgets are generated by department supervisors and grant managers based upon
operating department allocations and approved grant funding. The detailed budgets are
submitted to the supervising vice president who evaluates each request for reasonableness and
alignment with the goals and objectives that are outlined in the college’s strategic plan. Revenue
projections are generated by a revenue committee that includes representatives from several
student services and administrative offices. The college President and vice presidents review and
modify the draft budget to ensure that strategic goals and objectives are funded and a prudent
unreserved fund balance is maintained. After the BOT approves the budget, the college’s two
sponsor counties must vote on both the total budget and their contribution.
Multi-Year Projections
The college utilizes a rolling three year operating fund financial plan in conjunction with its
annual budget process. The three year financial plan provides the college with a broader
financial context within which to make decisions for its annual budget. The plan is created based
upon projections for enrollment, funding rates, and key expenses and incorporates the impact of
the implementation of the college’s strategic goals and objectives. A five year financial plan was
also developed during 2010. The following chart depicts the summarized components of the five
year plan.
Table 4.11 FIVE YEAR PROJECTION FY 2011 TO FY 2015
FY 2011
Budget
Revenue
State Aid
Revenues
Tuition Revenues
Chargeback
Revenues
Fulton County
Share
Montgomery
County Share
FY 2012
FY 2013
FY 2014
FY 2015
$5,207,835 $5,450,298 $5,387,298 $5,589,298 $5,866,498
7,074,000
7,356,960
7,651,238
7,957,288
8,275,579
436,080
348,507
742,774
795,266
820,962
1,395,821
1,395,821
1,395,821
1,465,612
1,538,893
1,395,821
1,395,821
1,395,821
1,465,612
1,538,893
Section 4 – Analysis of Enrollment and Finance Trends and Projections
5 Year
%
Chang
e
12.65
%
16.99
%
88.26
%
10.25
%
10.25
%
Page 31
Other Revenues
Applied Fund
Balance
Total Revenue
Expenses
Personnel
Services
Employee
Benefits
Equipment
Contractual
Expenses
Total Expenses
1,966,000
2,167,020
2,192,791
2,219,334
2,246,674
235,183
404,340
117,024
192,949
144,738
17,710,740 18,518,767 18,882,767 19,685,359 20,432,236
$10,195,35 $10,638,52 $10,802,67 $11,196,75 $11,522,66
8
3
8
9
1
3,781,500
4,247,119
4,337,970
4,634,218
4,939,560
388,550
412,979
425,368
438,129
451,273
3,345,332
3,220,147
3,316,751
3,416,254
3,518,742
17,710,740 18,518,767 18,882,767 19,685,359 20,432,236
14.28
%
38.46
%
15.37
%
13.02
%
30.62
%
16.14
%
5.18%
15.37
%
Effective and Efficient Use of Resources
The College maintains strong fiscal controls to ensure that funds are used effectively.
Reports that compare department and account level budgets to actual spending are provided to
budget managers, the college’s Leadership Team and the BOT on a monthly basis. Most
changes in account level budgets must be approved by the President while certain changes must
be approved by the BOT. The Leadership Team and BOT are provided with monthly listings of
changes to account level budgets.
Financial projections for the current year are provided to the Leadership Team, generally
beginning in February. Spending plans are updated based upon anticipated needs and the
projected surplus or deficit. In recent years the college has funded a variety of critical
maintenance and renovation projects utilizing reallocated operating budget funds, while
increasing its unreserved fund balance.
Several new initiatives have been implemented in recent years to further strengthen the
College’s control environment. The BOT has adopted new policies related to risk management,
whistleblowers, identity theft and fraudulent activities. The College has established internal
control guidelines, created risk assessment plans and conducted internal control reviews. The
College has implemented new internal controls related to online banking access and automated
withdrawals from its bank accounts.
Audited Financial Statements
The College’s annual financial statements are audited by an independent accounting firm that
reports to the BOT. The College has received an unqualified opinion on its financial statements
in each of the past eight years and has been cited for only three audit findings during that time.
The College submits its annual financial statements to its sponsor counties, SUNY and the New
York State Office of the State Comptroller.
Section 4 – Analysis of Enrollment and Finance Trends and Projections
Page 32
Operating Revenues
The College’s operating fund is supported by four general revenues sources that are
summarized as the state share, the sponsor share, the student share, and revenues offset to
expense. The state share is comprised of state operating aid. The sponsor share is comprised of
contributions by the College’s two sponsor counties and chargeback payments from other New
York State counties whose residents attend the college. The amount that each sponsor county
contributes to the College has increased from $1,245,821 in 2005-06 to $1,395,821 in 2009-10.
The student share is comprised of student tuition and fees. The significant increase in enrollment
in recent years has resulted in large increases in tuition and fee revenues. Revenues offset to
expense represent self-sustaining activities, such as continuing education and student service and
course lab fees.
The following Table 4.12 summarizes the College’s operating revenues by source for the past
five years:
Table 4.12 OPERATING REVENUES BY SOURCE, FY 2006 TO FY 2010
FY 2006
FY 2007
FY 2008
FY 2009
FY 2010
$
$
$
$
$
State Share
4,026,940
4,315,358
4,808,317
4,968,487
5,162,560
$
$
$
$
$
Sponsor Share
3,484,699
3,751,871
3,639,715
3,700,615
3,783,879
$
$
$
$
$
Student Share
5,104,757
5,198,920
5,583,049
6,190,708
7,305,164
Revenues Offset to
$
$
$
$
$
Expense
919,545
854,065
907,864
1,021,165
994,817
Total
$13,535,941 $14,120,214 $14,938,945 $15,880,975 $17,246,420
State operating aid is comprised of base state aid, facilities rental reimbursements, additional
funding for high cost programs, and a small college adjustment. Base state aid is calculated as
the prior year’s final state aidable FTE enrollment multiplied by the base state aid rate. The base
state aid rate increased from $2,350 per FTE in fiscal year 2005-06 to $2,675 per FTE in fiscal
years 2007-08 and 2008-09, but dropped to $2,545 in 2009-10 and to approximately $2,200 per
FTE for 2010-11.
Sponsor county funding is determined annually by Fulton and Montgomery counties. The
counties are effectively mandated to maintain their funding levels; hence, the college does not
see a decrease in sponsor county funding even during years of difficult county budgets. Sponsor
county funding has increased modestly during the past five years.
Other New York State counties are charged when their residents attend the college. These
chargebacks are calculated based upon the number of credit hours for which the students are
enrolled multiplied by the chargeback rate. The chargeback rate is impacted by differences
between budgeted and actual activity and may vary greatly from year to year, but its impact is to
provide county contributions to the college for all New York State resident students.
Tuition and fees are established by the BOT and approved by the SUNY Board of Trustees.
The college carefully considers all tuition rate increases, balancing the need to funds necessary
operations with the goal of providing affordable higher education. The tuition rate increased
modestly from $2,975 in fiscal year 2005-06 to $3,194 in fiscal year 2009-10. Tuition and fee
Section 4 – Analysis of Enrollment and Finance Trends and Projections
Page 33
rates for a typical full-time in-state student are indicated in Table 4.13, comparing the College
with other SUNY community colleges:
Table 4.13 SUNY COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN-STATE TUITION AND FEES, FY
2006 TO FY 2010
FY
FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010
2006
Dutchess Community College
$
$
$
$
$
2,977
3,067
3,217
3,292
3,320
Monroe Community College
$
$
$
$
$
2,915
3,041
3,209
3,309
3,339
Schenectady County Community
$
$
$
$
$
College
2,868
3,010
3,095
3,262
3,402
Adirondack Community College
$
$
$
$
$
3,062
3,207
3,357
3,352
3,528
Rockland Community College
$
$
$
$
$
3,050
2,895
3,318
3,421
3,549
Columbia-Greene Community
$
$
$
$
$
College
2,832
3,256
3,352
3,496
3,600
Erie Community College
$
$
$
$
$
3,200
3,327
3,327
3,327
3,640
Jefferson Community College
$
$
$
$
$
3,294
3,333
3,479
3,601
3,694
Finger Lakes Community College $
$
$
$
$
3,160
3,360
3,482
3,642
3,706
Genesee Community College
$
$
$
$
$
3,380
3,490
3,590
3,690
3,720
Broome Community College
$
$
$
$
$
3,081
3,319
3,483
3,597
3,721
Fulton-Montgomery
$
$
$
$
$
Community College
3,240
3,265
3,468
3,518
3,738
Niagara County Community
$
$
$
$
$
College
3,096
3,470
3,506
3,634
3,750
Herkimer County Community
$
$
$
$
$
College
3,130
3,250
3,410
3,550
3,760
Mohawk Valley Community
$
$
$
$
$
College
3,294
3,484
3,554
3,664
3,774
Hudson Valley Community
$
$
$
$
$
College
3,355
3,364
3,504
3,614
3,844
Clinton Community College
$
$
$
$
$
3,040
3,306
3,466
3,682
3,845
Orange County Community
$
$
$
$
$
College
3,218
3,328
3,438
3,648
3,894
Westchester Community College
$
$
$
$
$
3,150
3,703
3,813
3,913
3,913
Onondaga Community College
$
$
$
$
$
Section 4 – Analysis of Enrollment and Finance Trends and Projections
Page 34
Nassau Community College
Corning Community College
Cayuga County Community
College
Sullivan County Community
College
Jamestown Community College
Fashion Institute of Technology
Ulster County Community
College
Tompkins Cortland Community
College
Suffolk County Community
College
North Country Community
College
3,490
$
3,140
$
3,480
$
3,327
$
3,306
$
3,680
$
3,494
$
3,200
$
3,556
$
3,288
$
3,690
3,563
$
3,534
$
3,580
$
3,524
$
3,496
$
3,660
$
3,571
$
3,596
$
3,772
$
4,244
$
3,940
3,641
$
3,658
$
3,730
$
3,706
$
3,736
$
3,810
$
3,732
$
3,841
$
3,920
$
4,836
$
3,940
3,762
$
3,857
$
3,900
$
3,848
$
3,904
$
3,975
$
3,854
$
4,012
$
4,040
$
4,956
$
4,220
3,922
$
3,927
$
4,000
$
4,031
$
4,080
$
4,140
$
4,164
$
4,214
$
4,231
$
4,256
$
4,460
Operating Fund Expenses
SUNY classifies expenditures by function (type of service) and object (general type of
expense). The College’s operating fund expenses for the past five year are summarized in Tables
4.14 and 4.15:
Table 4.14 OPERATING EXPENSES BY FUNCTION, FY 2006 TO FY 2010
FY 2006
FY 2007
FY 2008
FY 2009
FY 2010
$
$
$
$
$
Instruction
6,346,960
6,297,775
6,341,933
6,446,937
7,149,297
$
$
$
$
$
Public Service
325,552
$
$
$
$
$
Academic Support
431,408
1,436,836
2,022,701
1,817,487
1,568,480
$
$
$
$
$
Student Services
2,120,159
1,297,243
1,368,330
1,488,239
1,903,201
$
$
$
$
$
Institutional Support
2,242,132
2,445,592
2,744,251
3,012,702
3,346,819
Operations & Maint.
$
$
$
$
$
of Plant
2,182,023
2,295,388
2,548,571
2,465,655
2,811,709
$
$
$
$
$
Total
13,648,234 13,772,834 15,025,786 15,231,020 16,779,506
Table 4.15 OPERATING EXPENSES BY OBJECT, FY 2006 TO FY 2010
Section 4 – Analysis of Enrollment and Finance Trends and Projections
Page 35
FY 2006
FY 2007
FY 2008
FY 2009
FY 2010
$
$
$
$
$
Personal Service
8,326,958
8,275,444
8,762,453
9,150,927
9,806,583
$
$
$
$
$
Equipment
84,270
181,243
328,475
337,610
280,796
$
$
$
$
$
Contractual Expenses 2,363,069
2,457,222
2,713,861
2,673,719
3,436,553
$
$
$
$
$
Employee Benefits
2,873,937
2,858,925
3,220,997
3,068,764
3,255,574
$
$
$
$
$
Total
13,648,234 13,772,834 15,025,786 15,231,020 16,779,506
Regarding expenses by function, the College’s increases in operating expenses for instruction
have been tempered by grant funding for new academic initiatives. Institutional support
expenses have increased as technology enhancements and initiatives have been expanded, most
recently with the current implementation of a new MIS. The majority of the new MIS system is
being funded using operating funds. Operations and maintenance of plant expenses have
increased as fuel prices have increased and also as operating fund surpluses have allowed the
College to fund more critical repairs and renovations. Changes in academic support, public
service and student services have been impacted by changes in classifications for certain
departmental expenses.
Regarding expenses by object, the College is impacted most by contractual salary increases
and changes in health insurance and retirement expenses. Two retirement incentives were
offered during the five year period, which reduced the overall personal service costs but skewed
the year to year fringe benefit expenses as the retirement expenses are recorded as fringe
benefits. Operating fund surpluses have allowed the College to routinely fund the purchase of
new equipment in recent years, while increases in contractual expenses have been impacted most
by the expansion of technology including the implementation of the new MIS.
Unrestricted, Unreserved Fund Balance
Through a combination of an increase in enrollment and sound financial planning the College
has been able to increase its unrestricted, unreserved fund balance in each of the past four years
(net of the College’s obligation of post retirement health insurance benefits). The unrestricted,
unreserved fund balance denotes the College’s operating fund balance net of reserves for
encumbered purchases. The College’s fund balance currently stands at $2,049,527, which is
equivalent to 11.57% of its 2010-11 operating fund budget. Further cuts in the state operating
aid rate are expected for 2011-12, and the College anticipates possibly using a portion of its fund
balance to cover operating costs for each of the next several years. However, expenses will be
planned and monitored carefully to ensure that the fund balance remains within acceptable limits.
Currently the College considers a range of 5% - 15% of the operating budget to represent
acceptable limits for the unrestricted, unreserved fund balance.
In 2008-09 the College implemented the Governmental Accounting Standards Board
Statement No. 45, which relates to liabilities for post retirement expenses other than pensions
(OPEB). The College offers health insurance to retirees who meet certain minimum
qualifications, and the net present value of those benefits is several million dollars. The College
is recognizing the liability over 30 years. The liability has the impact of reducing the
unrestricted fund balance on the College’s financial statements. However, the College is not
Section 4 – Analysis of Enrollment and Finance Trends and Projections
Page 36
allowed under New York State law to fund the liability. In addition, retiree health insurance
benefits exist at the discretion of the BOT and can be changed or discontinued by the BOT. As
such, the unrestricted fund balance in the College’s financial statements is not very meaningful,
and will become less meaningful as years progress and the retiree health insurance liability is
recognized. The unrestricted fund balance is therefore generally presented for operational
purposes net of the OPEB obligation. The College’s unrestricted fund balance for the previous
five years is listed below in Figure 4.11.
Figure 4.11 Unrestricted, Unreserved Fund
Balance
(Net of OPEB Obligation)
$2,500,000
$2,000,000
$1,500,000
$1,000,000
$500,000
$0
FY 2006
FY 2007
FY 2008
FY 2009
FY 2010
Grant Funding
The College relies upon its operating budget to fund the large majority of its operations and
activities. However federal, state, local and private grants are used to assist the College in
achieving its mission and implementing its strategic goals and objectives. The College currently
administers a U.S. Department of Labor health grant to provide certified nursing assistance and
registered nursing instruction (3 years, $2.8 million), a TRIO student support services grant to
provide tutoring and academic counseling services to at risk students (5 years, $1.2 million), a
TRIO Upward Bound grants to provide services to local high school students (4 years, $1.0
million), and various other smaller grants.
The College has also been the recipient of three grants totaling $935,000 to create a Center
for Engineering and Technology. The Center utilizes existing building space for nanoscale
technology and flexible manufacturing equipment for use in its science and technology curricula.
Financial Statement Revenues and Expenses
The College’s financial statement revenues and expenses include all of the activities of
the College including its operating and restricted fund activities, its plant fund activities, and the
nominal activities related to its historic endowment fund. The plant fund activities include a
reclassification of operating and restricted fund expenses as plant fund expenses (such as
capitalized equipment purchases and other capital project expenses that were funded using
operating or grant funds). Plant fund activities also include the state and sponsor county debt
service payments and related debt activity. The College does not hold or service any debt;
however, the College must report on its financial statements the debt that is held by others
Section 4 – Analysis of Enrollment and Finance Trends and Projections
Page 37
related to its assets. Below (Table 4.16) is a summary of the overall revenue and expense
activity recorded in the college’s financial statements during the past five years.
Table 4.16 TOTAL REVENUES AND EXPENSES, FY 2006 TO FY 2010
FY 2006
FY 2007
FY 2008
FY 2009
FY 2010
UNRESTRICTED AND
RESTRICTED FUNDS
Net Student Tuition and
$
$
$
$
$
Fees
3,790,226
3,781,893
3,893,305
5,033,808
4,179,820
Federal Grants and
$
$
$
$
$
Contracts
674,690
546,378
931,332
1,148,175
1,486,982
State and Local Grants and
$
$
$
$
$
Contracts
810,310
1,027,578
743,545
1,041,160
937,910
$
$
$
$
$
Other Operating Revenues 312,605
278,336
198,540
159,156
117,267
Total Operating
$
$
$
$
$
Revenues
5,587,831
5,634,185
5,766,722
7,382,299
6,721,979
Federal Financial Aid
State Financial Aid
State Aid and
Appropriations
Local Aid and
Appropriations
Total Nonoperating
Revenues
Total Revenues
Instruction
Academic Support
Student Services
Operations & Maintenance
of Plant
General Administration
Institutional Support
Scholarships &
Fellowships
Auxiliary Enterprises
$
2,118,877
$
1,530,122
$
4,026,940
$
3,054,775
$
10,730,714
$
16,318,545
$
2,208,576
$
1,548,044
$
4,315,358
$
3,316,378
$
11,388,356
$
17,022,541
$
2,750,360
$
1,596,639
$
4,808,317
$
3,305,800
$
12,461,116
$
18,227,838
$
3,500,340
$
1,830,968
$
4,968,487
$
3,414,350
$
13,714,145
$
21,096,444
$
5,492,394
$
2,210,246
$
5,162,560
$
3,443,995
$
16,309,195
$
23,031,174
$
6,555,361
$
98,016
$
3,106,461
$
2,175,911
$
2,004,659
$
273,307
$
1,419,228
$
$
6,435,104
$
1,205,221
$
1,947,542
$
2,302,888
$
1,353,134
$
1,122,910
$
1,435,592
$
$
6,534,956
$
1,854,950
$
1,980,007
$
2,537,219
$
1,466,761
$
1,228,245
$
1,623,150
$
$
6,905,055
$
1,528,674
$
2,330,567
$
2,748,306
$
1,629,437
$
1,339,252
$
3,195,119
$
$
7,565,975
$
1,374,073
$
2,609,560
$
2,671,524
$
1,955,560
$
1,188,501
$
3,473,478
$
Section 4 – Analysis of Enrollment and Finance Trends and Projections
Page 38
Public Service
Total Operating
Expenses
$
435,475
$
329,391
$
16,397,809
77,640
$
401,656
$
78,644
$
16,360,331
45,270
$
406,706
$
478,547
$
18,155,811
125,252
$
371,223
$
329,702
$
20,502,587
40,437
$
394,246
$
394,502
$
21,667,856
PLANT & ENDOWMENT
FUNDS
Capital & Financing
Revenues
Capital & Financing
Expenses
Net Capital & Financing
Activities
$
1,226,792
$
1,186,547
$
40,245
$
1,523,411
$
1,400,654
$
122,757
$
2,224,090
$
1,980,168
$
243,922
$
2,485,419
$
2,768,134
$
(282,715)
$
1,410,152
$
1,932,558
$
(522,406)
Total College Change in
Net Assets
$
(39,019)
$
784,967
$
315,949
$
311,142
$
840,912
Libraries
Capital Expenses
The theme of the College’s 2005 SP was “Renewal”. During the past five years nearly $4.9
million was expended on numerous projects identified in the SP. Below is a summary schedule
of these expenditures. Almost all significant capital projects are funded 50% by the state. The
state approves capital funding on a year to year basis and requires that the sponsor counties
approve the capital projects before state funding will be considered. Generally the sponsor
counties fund the remaining 50% of the capital projects; however, private and even federal
sources can be used to match the state funding. The College has enjoyed sponsor county funding
for much of its capital improvements during the past five years; though in 2009-10 the College
utilized private and federal funding for its capital projects.
The College’s capitalization policy requires the capitalization of all individual pieces of
equipment with a value of $2,500 or more. As such, operating and grant funds are also used to
fund certain capital expenses. The chart below summarizes the College’s capital expenses for
the past five years:
Table 4.17 CAPITAL EXPENSES FY 2006 - FY 2010
PROJECT
FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008
FY 2009
BUILDINGS RENOVATIONS & REPAIRS
Classroom & Library Building Renovations
51,920 1,857,516 1,053,745
Student Service & Library Building Roof Repairs
5,998 202,579
Water Infiltration & Drainage Improvements
5,569
17,820
354,454
86,866
Wastewater Treatment Plant
48,070
408,384
47,179
Subtotal
$11,567 $320,389 $2,620,354 $1,187,790
COLLEGE WIDE SYSTEM INSTALLATIONS
& RENOVATIONS
Integrated Fire Alarm System
224,348
38,847
Section 4 – Analysis of Enrollment and Finance Trends and Projections
FY 2010
740,570
$740,570
Page 39
Emergency Notification System & Security
Cameras
HVAC & Boiler Controls
Subtotal
EQUIPMENT & SOFTWARE PURCHASES
Equipment Purchases
Management Information System Conversion
Subtotal
GRAND TOTAL
113,171
158,000 262,237
$382,348 $301,084
81,180
364,060
117,652
$117,652
$0
146,108
349,331
$113,171
397,334
553,732
$81,180 $364,060
$146,108
$349,331
$951,066
$475,095 $985,533 $2,884,114 $1,537,121 $1,804,807
Section 5: Organized and sustained processes to assess institutional effectiveness and
student learning.
Academic Assessment
History
The visiting team found that the College did not meet Standard 14. They found that while
there was a General Education Assessment Plan, Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) on
randomly audited syllabi were inconsistent with both FM and SUNY learning statements, and
they were inconsistent with each other. Following that visit the Academic Assessment
Committee (AAC) developed an Academic Assessment Plan (AAP) that was approved by the
Professional Staff. (Oct 2007 Monitoring Report supporting documents). The AAP is based on
the College’s continuous Assess-Plan-Budget (APB) cycle (Oct 2007 report) and lays the
foundation for sustainable and effective academic planning and assessment at FM. In April
2009, the Professional Staff approved a revision of the AAP. The AAC became a standing
committee in the new shared governance model at FM in fall 2009. The committee members
represent a cross section of the College academic community including faculty, non-teaching
professionals, administration and students. The committee specifically is charged with:
o reviewing and making recommendations to the College’s academic outcomes
assessment activities.
o benchmarking other colleges’ academic assessment activities in order to adapt and
adopt best practices to FM.
o monitoring changes in academic assessment standards from accreditation agencies
and recommending changes to FM’s policies and practices.
Academic Assessment Process
The AAP outlines the College’s Academic Assessment process and timeline. Program
Learning Outcomes (PLOs) for all programs (including ESL) are clearly stated and linked by
crosswalk to the courses that support the program outcomes. SLOs are clearly identified and
consistent between all sections of the same course. In addition SUNY General Education
Learning Objectives (GELOs) are clearly stated for courses that meet SUNY General Education
requirements. Other goals (e.g., enrollment, retention, graduation, transfer, and post-FM
success) as outlined in the ‘Guide for the Evaluation of Undergraduate Academic Programs’
(published by the SUNY Faculty Council) have been determined. Based on this, key
performance indicators (KPIs) tied to the goals of the SP have been developed. The KPIs
Section 4 – Analysis of Enrollment and Finance Trends and Projections
Page 40
include overall enrollment (Goal 2.a, increase enrollment by 10%), enrollment from
Montgomery County (increase enrollment from the county by 5%), Latino Enrollment (increase
to 8%), retention rates (Goal 1.d, retention rates greater than or equal to those of community
college peers) and transfer rates (Goal 2.e, transfer and career placement rates that meet or
exceed peer averages) The program faculty developed an assessment plan for each program as
laid out in the AAP Checklist. An Annual Academic Assessment Report for each program is
issued by the DIR showing where each program stands in regards to its KPIs by November 10.
Each program issues an Academic Assessment Report by March 1. This includes a summary of
the assessment results carried out that year and what changes, if any, will be based on them.
These may include changes to curriculum, delivery methods, or outcomes among other things.
The Deans review the Report and attach a response if needed. The budget is reviewed to
determine if it still meets the programs needs. This report is delivered to the Provost. The
Leadership Team develops a budget based on the action plan. This process may lead to revisions
of the action plan if the College is unable to dedicate the resources required by the action plan.
This requires that the administration commit to the full three years of funding. Finally, the
planning/assessment process itself is assessed to see if it addresses the needs of the program and
the College as a whole. Changes have already been made to facilitate assessment. Based on
feedback from the process described above, a standard syllabus template was created and
completed for all course syllabi. Those templates include course SLOs, PLOs and GELOs.
They also contain the catalog description of the course and information on the academic
integrity policy and student’s with disabilities policy. The template also includes suggested
language promoting the FM Writing Center and tutoring facilities (to assist with retention).
Adjunct faculty are required to use these templates. The College also changed the timing of the
assessment cycle from an academic to calendar year. Assessment reports were due on June 1 of
each year to meet a SUNY assessment deadline. However, faculty found that this deadline did
not give them enough time to prepare useful reports following the end of classes. Following
changes in SUNY’s assessment polices, the College was able to move the assessment report
deadline to March 1 to better accommodate the schedules of the faculty.
The Business and Technology divisions have added an additional step to their assessment
plans, the Designing a Curriculum Process (DACUM). The DACUM process is a three-step
approach to curriculum development that ensures students will learn the skills most sought after
by industry. It is a unique process where the professors become the students and industry
becomes the teacher. The three stages are:
Stage I: Tech Scan
A group of industry professionals are brought on campus to discuss the types of jobs that
are currently in the industry. They discuss the job titles, initial training needed for the job and
continued training to remain successful in the position. They talk about trends in the industry
and the skill set needed to be a qualified candidate for entry level and intermediate level
positions in the industry. Faculty may observe the process but they do not actively
participate.
Stage II: Occupational Analysis
A group of expert workers who actually perform one of the job types described in the
tech scan are brought to the campus for one-two days of intense dialogue. The group creates
a definition statement that explains their core skill set. They then describe the specific duties
Section 5 – Organized and Sustained Processes to Assess
Page 41
and tasks they do every day. These duties and tasks are organized into a formal Occupational
Analysis Chart. Faculty may observe the process but they do not actively participate.
Stage III: Curriculum Development
This conference brings together two participants from each of the first two conferences,
and faculty. Together, they decide how to best teach the duties and skills the expert workers
need to be successful in their jobs. Each duty and task described in the Occupational Analysis
Chart is grouped and is either placed into an existing course or organized into a new course.
DACUMS ensure that FM’s career degree programs are up-to-date and graduating students
with the skills needed by future employers. Since FM’s last decennial self-study, the Graphic
Communications (2006), Electrical Technology (2007), Hospitality Management (2008), Office
Technology (2009), Automotive Technology (2009), Construction Technology (2010), Media
Communications (2010) and Computer Information Systems (2011) have held DACUMs.
An important focus of the College’s current AAP is professional development. The College
has both sent staff to conferences and workshops and also brought experts on assessment to
present during development and founder’s days. The College also set aside blocks of time
during faculty convocation days (formerly development days) for faculty to meet to work on
assessment. Because of the change in College Governance, the revised AAC structure now
includes non-teaching faculty and new members who were not familiar with the academic
assessment process and associated reporting. Last spring (2010) the Chair of the AAC worked
with the Academic Deans to provide the committee members with some training in these
processes using a recent Radiologic Technology six year program review report as an example.
The AAC has been conducting an ongoing review of the assessment process. The AAC
began with a review of the six-year template and a recent six-year report (Radiologic
Technology). The six-year template was then revised and submitted to the AAC for ongoing
review and updates. In spring 2010 two sub-committees of the AAC were developed with
two charges. The first committee is reviewing data that is proved by the DIR for use in the AAP
(both the annual assessment report and the six-year program review.) The second committee is
charged with reviewing the templates (3-year assessment plan, course assessment template,
annual assessment report, and the six year program review report). To date, the six-year
template has been redeveloped, reviewed, and accepted by the AAC (this includes a series of
data charts/graphs). The template committee has redeveloped the 3-year plan and is working on
the course and annual reports. The assessment cycle map has also been redeveloped. The
template sub-committee is expected to finalize the templates and forward them to the AAC this
academic year (2010-2011). Template/data work of the committees will be ongoing as the AAC
continues to evaluate current practices and templates.
Changes to curriculum from assessment results begin at the program level. They are then
brought before the appropriate division for approval. If they are approved by the division, the
changes are sent to the curriculum committee, and, if approved there, to the College Senate. If
the changes are substantial enough, they then garner approval from the New York State Higher
Education Department (SED).
This was the case with changes to three Office Technology programs following a 2009
DACUM. Administrative AAS, Medical Administrative Assistant AAS, and Clerical Certificate,
were revised to bring them in-line with industry standards. The request to reregister these
programs with the SED included the results from the DACUM and SLOs for each of the new or
Section 5 – Organized and Sustained Processes to Assess
Page 42
revised courses. For example, the Administrative AAS dropped eight courses (two electives),
added ten courses and revised six courses. The new program content for these courses was
introduced in Fall 2010.
A DACUM (2006) also led to changes in the Graphic Arts programs. These changes, that
took effect in the Fall 2008 semester, are outlined in the May 2009 Visual Communications:
Graphic Arts Printing, Graphic Communications Sales & Marketing Assessment of Student
Learning Report. $59,000 was allocated to these programs to support of these changes. Since
the updates, enrollment in these programs has grown by 82%.
Changes to programs are also made outside the DACUM process. Faculty in the Criminal
Justice program found that students in the existing AAS and Certificate programs intended to
transfer to a baccalaureate program and that employers are increasingly requiring a baccalaureate
degree for entry or career advancement. Based on this assessment, the faculty developed the
Criminal Justice AS degree program. The College hired a new full-time faculty member to
support the new program in Fall 2007. The new program now enrolls 70 students. It is
important to note that enrollment in the AAS program has held steady with approximately 80
students.
Important changes have been, and are being made to the College’s General Education
courses. One of the challenges the College faced in assessing General Education learning
outcomes was that those outcomes occurred in many programs. The solution has been to align
General Education assessment with the assessment of the Liberal Arts and Science: General
Studies program under the supervision of the Dean of Arts and Sciences. This has changed the
nature of how the College assesses General Education outcomes from assessing courses as
dictated by SUNY to assessing it as a program. The College is also changed the way it assesses
the Information Literacy competency. This had been done using a survey. However, response
rates were poor as the survey was optional. Going forward, assessment of student’s competency
in understanding basic research techniques and evaluating information will be under the direction
of librarians and take place in EN103/ENG103 and EN104/ENG104 information literacy
sessions utilizing a web-based survey too. This is expected to provide more useful results than
the survey.
Other changes arising from the AAP include:
1. New offerings introduced to satisfy General Education Requirements
a. AR106/ART106 Nonwestern Art History (Other World Civilizations)
b. EN150/ENG150 Reading and Writing Poetry (Humanities)
c. EN210/ENG210 Popular Fiction (Humanities)
d. HU200/HUM170 Myth, Story and Symbol (Humanities)
e. HU260/PHI260 Introduction to Philosophy of the Arts
f. HU280/HUM180 Survey of American Popular Music
g. MA156/MAT165 Survey of Calculus
Revised offerings to satisfy General Education Requirements
a. Dropped EN132 Speech and CO171 Writing for the Mass Media as Basic
Communication General Education Courses. The assessment of the Basic
Communication outcomes formerly included here is now assessed in
EN103/ENG103 and EN104/ENG104.
b. FL241-242/FRE201-202 Intermediate French
c. FL243-244/SPA201-202 Intermediate Spanish
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d. Anatomy and Physiology I and II were from General Education list to allow
courses to focus more specifically on content required for Health Professions.
The Mathematics and Humanities departments held norming sessions to ensure
that faculty members set the same standards for the General Education outcomes.
The content of English and Math remedial courses were revised to better match
those of more advanced courses. Also, following an analysis of success rates, students
now need to earn at least a C in remedial courses before moving on to college level
courses.
Based on the assessment of Anatomy and Physiology I and II, a new course,
SC136/SCI136 Anatomy and Physiology, was created to serve the needs of students in
the Office Technology programs that do not need to take the higher level Anatomy and
Physiology courses. It is also an introductory course for Health, Physical Education,
Recreation or Health Professions majors with weak science backgrounds prior to
enrollment in the required Anatomy and Physiology courses.
The Humanities and Math majors we deactivated due to low enrollments and the
fact that both degrees were subsets of the General Studies AA. This reduced
administrative overhead.
The Hospitality Management degree was deactivated following a DACUM. It
was determined that a program at a neighboring community college fulfilled the regions
needs in this area.
The Electrical Technology programs were revised to meet the needs of a
computer chip manufacturer newly arrived to the area.
The Social Science division created new offerings to support curriculum
revisions.
a. SS210/PSY270 Forensic Psychology
b. SS212/SOC212 Sociology of Law
c. SS220/HIS220 New York State History
d. SS225SOC225 Professional Ethics
e. CJ123/CRJ123 Probation, Parole, Community Corrections
f. CJ289/CRJ289 Professional Development Seminar
10. The Social Science Division created a new transfer Criminal Justice degree for student
looking to further their studies at a higher level.
11. The Criminal Justice AS program added an internship and capstone course.
Assessment results are part of the budget process. Increases to division budgets occur only
with documented need either tied directly to initiatives related to assessment or contractual
obligations. Strategic initiatives and unplanned expenses related to assessment that occur after
the budget is developed are funded through a combination of institutional-level budget sources,
specifically the Academic Deans’ account, the Information Technology budget, and the Strategic
Initiative fund. The funding from the Perkins grants is also typically prioritized to support
initiatives related to assessment, curriculum change and the SP. New expenses are prioritized and
allocated accordingly to these various sources after reviewing the assessment outcomes and the
relationship to the SP, including the various action plans associated with the SP. Other grant
opportunities are also pursued where applicable.
Institutional Assessment
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History
The visiting team found that the College did not meet Standard 7 as the institution had not
developed and implemented an assessment plan and process that evaluates its overall
effectiveness. Following that visit, the College developed the “FMCC Framework for
Institutional Planning and Assessment”. (Oct 2007 Monitoring Report supporting documents)
Assessment is built into each action plan (Academic, Enrollment, Student Affairs, Marketing,
Facilities, IT and Administration). That assessment relies on input from each department in the
College. A matrix was developed which combines all the objectives from each action plan and
progress on each objective. That matrix is reviewed monthly by the Leadership Team. In April
2009, the Professional Staff approved the Academic Support Assessment Plan (ASAP). The
IAC became a standing committee in the new shared governance model in fall 2009. The
committee members represent all facets of the College including faculty, non-teaching
professionals, clerical staff, buildings and grounds staff, administration and students. The
committee specifically is charged with:
o reviewing and making recommendations to the College’s institutional assessment
activities.
o monitoring institutional assessment activities and make recommendations for
improvement.
o benchmarking other colleges’ institutional assessment activities in order to adapt and
adopt best practices to FM
o monitoring changes in institutional assessment standards from accreditation agencies
and recommend changes to FM’s policies and practices.
Institutional Assessment Process
The ASAP outlines the College’s Institutional Assessment process and timeline. Each
department completes one or more annual assessment reports that are due to the IAC by March 1
of the following year. The reports specifically identify department objectives that are tied to the
College strategic goals. Rationale for addressing the issue is given and the action or actions
taken are described. Assessment measures are reported along with conclusions drawn from this
data. Finally, future activities and recommendations are suggested if appropriate. The reports
are reviewed and commented on and ultimately approved by the IAC. Those reports are
delivered to the DIR (by June 1) who combines them with those from AAC to create the
College’s Institutional Effectiveness Report (IER). The IER is delivered to the Leadership Team
(by June 30). This year the report was pushed back to the November 2010 so that the DIR could
incorporate changes in the data that the new academic assessment report template required and to
give the new Dean of Arts and Science (hired January 2010) time to review the academic
assessment reports. The IER is being used by the current strategic planning committee and will
impact the 2012-2017 college SP. As in Academic Assessment, changes have already been
made to facilitate institutional assessment. During the 2010 review of department reports the
IAC found a great deal of variability in effectiveness of the reports. They developed a template
that is suggested for use this year. The template will help focus the reports in such a way that
facilitates documentation of “closing the loop”.
Summary
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FM has made tremendous strides in assessment. Unlike the self-study report in 2005, we can
now show that we fully meet the Middle States Commission’s expectations for institutional
assessment as noted in the PRR handbook,
 Clearly articulated institutional and unit-level goals.
 Strategies to achieve those goals.
 Usage of the results of those assessments to improve programs and services.
 Usage of the results to inform planning and resource allocation.
Section 6 – Linked Institutional Planning and Budgeting
FM’s planning process begins with its five year SP. Once the SP is in place, the members of
the leadership team (President, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Vice President
for Student Affairs, Vice President for Administration and Finance, and Chief Advancement
Officer) develop action plans derived from the SP for their areas. The action plans are
incorporated into the budgeting process. The College then assesses the effectiveness of its
efforts. The assessment results feedback into future planning.
The Planning Process
In the Fall of 2006, the College underwent developing a SP. The President and a Strategic
Planning Team consisting of the Leadership Team and other administrators (academic deans,
DIR, director of budget, etc.) participated in two retreats that developed a SWOT analysis and
drafted the goals and objectives for the plan. During that process minor modifications were made
to the Vision, Mission, and Values of the College.
During a Fall 2006 BOT Retreat, the BOT hosted a joint meeting with the Board of Directors
of the Foundation. The purpose of this retreat was to review the SP draft and comment on its
development, goals and objectives, and make suggestions for improvement.
The work done by the team identified above was then shared with the College community for
comment. This was done at a Professional Staff meeting and during the March 2007 Founders’
Day. Everyone was able to provide comments and ideas to be included in the final draft of the SP
which was then approved by the BOT in the Spring of 2007.
In the Fall of 2010, the College began the process of developing its next SP (2011 - 2016).
There has been some feedback from the College community that the process conducted in 2006
was not as inclusive as it should be for such an important aspect of goal setting for the College.
Thus the process has been modified to provide more opportunities for campus wide inclusion on
a more sustained basis.
A Strategic Planning Committee has been formed consisting of the President, the Leadership
Team, the DIR, the Academic Deans, Director of Business Affairs, Associate Dean for
Enrollment Management, and faculty representation.
The Vice President for Student Affairs conducted several strategic planning sessions during
the fall 2010 semester which were open to the campus community. A number of questions were
developed by the Leadership Team to facilitate discussion at these sessions. The questions were
e-mailed to every member of the College Community with an invitation to prepare responses to
these questions at the sessions. If they could not attend the sessions, or would like to respond to
the questions in writing, they were encouraged to send their responses to the Vice President for
Student Affairs. The Vice President for Student Affairs also conducted a specific session with
students for input as well as sessions with representatives from the community. These included
Section 5 – Organized and Sustained Processes to Assess
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representatives from the Chambers of Commerce, area not-for-profit organizations, and others to
hear their feedback about the College.
In January of 2011, the Strategic Planning Team participated in a retreat to review the input
provided through the on campus sessions as well as those in writing. During the retreat, the DIR
provided data from IER that informed the SP.
In the Fall of 2010, the President conducted a BOT Retreat that provided the BOT an
opportunity to respond to questions similar to those asked of the College community. The results
of the retreat were shared with the Strategic Planning Team.
Upon completion of a draft SP, the plan was shared with the College community for
comment. This was done by e-mailing the plan to everyone on campus. Additionally, during the
2011 FM Founders’ Day activities, sessions were provided for people to comment on the draft
SP.
Based on the comments provided by the College community, the Strategic Planning Team
will finalize the SP for review by the BOT. The BOT will then approve the SP at a meeting in
the Spring/Summer of 2011.
The next step in the process of strategic planning at FM is the development of the action
plans (Academic, Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, Marketing, Administrative,
Administrative Operations, and IT). The action plans include measurable outcomes that can be
assessed and included in the budget where appropriate. Each member of the Leadership team is
held accountable for the progress made on the action plans.
The Leadership Team reviews and assesses the progress made on the goals and objectives of
the SP once a month. Due to the size of the College (155 full-time employees), this team is able
to represent all sectors of the College. However, anyone within the FM community can voice
any concerns they may have directly to the President at monthly meetings he holds that are open
to all employees and students. The Leadership Team also holds an annual retreat to review and
assess the progress towards the goals and objectives of the SP. Additionally, the President meets
weekly with the DIR to discuss, in part, the FM’s assessment efforts. The DIR is responsible for
coordinating the College’s assessment efforts.
The new strategic planning process has had a dramatic impact on the College. To begin with,
it focused FM’s activities on fulfilling its mission. All of the goals and objectives in the plan are
tied to the mission, vision and values of the College. The action plans, drawn from the plan, are,
therefore, also tied to the mission.
The plan also ushered in a culture of continuous improvement based on data. Goal 2.b is that
the College develops a College wide assessment plan. As previously described, FM has
developed, and is implementing, an academic and institutional plans that assess all areas of the
College. While there is still work to be done in this area, FM is assessing its institutional
effectiveness and incorporating this into planning and budgeting.
It is important to note that the SP provides a basic framework for the College’s efforts but is
not a static document. Results from assessing the current plan has already lead to significant
changes to FM. For example, Goals 5.b and 5.c are:
 Expand the Workforce and Continuing Education Office in order to expand
programs and enrollments
 Expand enrollment in community and workforce education by 15%
While Continuing Education exceeded its revenue and enrollment targets last year, the
College decided to dissolve the office and shift its personnel to the Admissions Office because
Section 6 – Linked Institutional Planning and Budgeting
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the revenue and enrollment growth were due to grant funding obtained by other offices. For
example, most of the growth came from CNA and NYSERDA courses funded by grants obtained
by the President, the Provost and the Dean of Business, Technology and Health Professions.
Without these efforts, Continuing Education would have lost money as it had in previous years.
The College also revised its fundraising goal down from $6.5 million to $2 million based on an
assessment.
Assessment of the Strategic Plan
Assessment of the overall SP is carried out by the Leadership Team. The Leadership Team
developed key performance indicators as part of the action plans. The DIR compiles these
indicators in an annual assessment report. As indicated in the Academic and Institutional
Assessment plans, the Leadership Team receives input from four assessment committees, the
Academic, Institutional, Administration/Finance/Foundation and Provost/Student Affairs.
Budgeting Linked to Planning and Assessment
As discussed in Section 4, the College uses a three year operating fund FP to inform its
annual budget. The plan is based on forecasts of revenue and key expenditures. The annual
budgeting itself is incremental. Expenses from each division are brought forward from the
previous year. The previous year’s expenditures are then adjusted according to the priorities of
the SP. Any increases in funding or requests for new funding have to show how they are linked
to the SP. This is also the case for vacant positions. The relevance of the position towards the
College achieving the SP goals and objectives are assessed before filling the position or
reallocating money elsewhere.
Expenditures are broken down into three categories, Academic, IT and Strategic Planning.
As suggested by the name the Strategic Planning funds are purposed to fund new strategic
initiatives tied to the SP.
As shown above, the College has moved to an integrated assessment, planning and budgeting
cycle. For example, the College set a goal of growing enrollment by 2% each year from 2006 to
2011. To achieve this, it sought to bring in more students and retain a greater percentage of the
students already enrolled by:
1. Purchasing student housing adjacent to the campus after previous owners had let the
facilities fall into disrepair. The poor housing conditions were, in part, responsible for
the drop in international enrollment experienced through Fall 2009. FM is now looking
to double its housing capacity to meet its out-of county and international enrollment
goals.
2. Increasing its efforts to recruit students from outside Fulton and Montgomery Counties.
The Admissions Office now has an admissions councilor dedicated to out-of-service area
recruiting and the Director of International Student and ESL Programs travelled abroad
on four recruiting trips during Spring 2009 – Fall 2010 (China, Hong Kong, Vietnam,
Europe).
3. Increasing its on-line offerings to better serve non-traditional students.
4. Opening the Riverfront Center in Amsterdam to increase Montgomery County and Latino
enrollment.
5. Adding Public Safety personnel based on an analysis showing that the number of
incidents requiring a response by the Office of Public Safety was increasing.
Section 6 – Linked Institutional Planning and Budgeting
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6. Creating a Freshmen Year Experience course. However, assessment results indicated
that it did not work and that full-time faculty lost interest in it. FM stopped offering the
course in Spring 2011. It is now looking to expand the services offered by its TRIO
program beyond TRIO program members as it has increased retention.
At this point, FM has not been able to assess the effectiveness of most of its enrollment
efforts. While enrollment has exceeded targets substantially over the last four fall semesters,
suggesting that our efforts paid off, enrollment throughout the SUNY community college system
as a whole has also grown in response to the poor economic conditions. Therefore, it is has been
impossible to determine how much of this growth was due to the College’s own efforts and how
much is due to the economy. As discussed in Section 4, community college enrollment tends to
rise during tough economic times and fall when the economy recovers. Because of this, the
College has limited increases in personnel and is developing budget scenarios that include both
increase and declines in enrollment.
Assessment
Overall institutional assessment is tracked by the Leadership Team. The Leadership Team
updates progress on the SP once a month on a SP grid that ties FM’s activities directly to the
plans goals and objectives. This ensures that the College remains focused on the SP. This also
ensures that the SP drives the budget process as the Leadership team also puts the budget
together .
In general, the College is now in a better position to effectively allocate resources with its new
institutional assessment processes. These processes provide results that are used by the
College’s leadership to seek new funding or divert funding to areas that will help the college
achieve its mission.
Section 6 – Linked Institutional Planning and Budgeting
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