Rock Valley College

Rock Valley College

Master Plan

FY 2007- 2010

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Contents:

1.  Introduction and Our Belief p-4

2. Our Values p-5

3. Vision and Mission p-6

4.  Strategic Directions p-6

5.  College Wide Initiatives p-7

6.  Facilities Master Plan,

Master Technology Plan,

Enrollment Management Plan,

Marketing Plan p-8

To: All Faculty and Staff and the Board of Trustees

From: Mike Mastroianni and Jack Becherer

Re: Updating the College Master Plan

Date: January 23, 2007

We began the process of revising the College Master Plan this fall with the development of College-wide initiatives and the Board’s approval of new strategic directions. Toward this end we defined a limited number of College-wide initiatives at the Fall 2006 semester all staff development day. In addition, we have committed to simplifying and clarifying our College’s processes and procedures. The six College-wide initiatives, fewer than in prior years, reflect this emphasis. These initiatives comprise our College’s agenda for growth.

Equally important to the initiatives are the strategic directions approved by the

Board of Trustees in November 2006. These directions provide a long-term focus that guides all programs and services offered by the College. While the strategic directions are not expected to reflect all that we do at the College, they highlight our priorities and what, above all else, we commit to accomplish as an educational institution.

Our ultimate goal is to be a performance-driven College, with clear and meaningful policies and procedures, accompanied by efficient and relevant organizational processes that guide our work and serve our students. Granted, we have a way to go before organizational clarity is achieved, all the more reason to dedicate this revised Master Plan to this intent.

Our proposed Master Plan for FY2007 to FY2010 is our first revision since the approval of our current plan in December 2004. President John Anderson, in the introduction of our existing plan, states that the document must reflect the College’s vitality, effectiveness and resolve, while determining how we must change to address regional and global challenges that will exist five, ten or twenty years from now. Dr. Anderson’s comments are as valid today as they were in 2004.

This proposed Master Plan is one of the key planning documents of the College. It must be linked to and augmented by our annual budget, our Facilities Master Plan and our plan to assess student academic achievement and conduct non-instructional program review. When all of these core planning documents are integrated, the College will effectively identify our priorities, fund them adequately to insure their success, support them with appropriate facilities, and assess their impact on student learning.

I would appreciate your review of this document. Meet with your colleagues to discuss its contents and let us know how it can be improved. It has been discussed by the President’s Council on January 17 and it will be the focus for a College-wide forum in Spring 2007. This forum will be an opportunity for College-wide discussion on the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed master plan. Please come and participate.

Introduction

Our College Master Plan is a long range endeavor that strives to guide the College toward excellence under strategic directions that address important areas of need both internally and in the community. The Master Plan promotes the College’s leadership role as an important catalyst in the community, helping its constituents to realize their potential through lifelong learning.

Each College-wide initiative presents an opportunity for College growth and falls under one or more of the strategic directions. The College community and administration review and revise these initiatives annually, so that they are reflective of internal and external environmental changes. Once the administration reviews the plan, a College forum is held to elicit feedback from the College community, and appropriate revisions are then made. The board receives the plan for approval, and also receives quarterly updates in the form of a vital signs report on College progress in achieving the initiatives.

Rock Valley College is an outstanding institution of higher learning, offering excellent education, sound planning, economic efficiency, and positive community impact. The College Master Plan outlines the direction of the College in a number of areas, and sanctions the work of faculty and staff.

Our Belief

We believe that people, without exception, should be encouraged to fully develop their potential and to become active participants in the affairs of society. We further believe that they have the privilege of:

·  Actively directing their own lives

·  Learning about the laws and principles which explain the physical and social worlds

·  Experiencing diversity

·  Openly communicating beliefs, values, and emotions

·  Developing an understanding and appreciation of beauty

·  Enjoying the benefits of lifelong learning

·  Being responsible for the product of their actions

Our Values

1.  Learner-centered community {we are dedicated to providing lifelong learning opportunities that foster student success}

2.  Mutual respect {we uphold the dignity of each individual by being ethical, respectful, fair, and courteous in our communications and actions}

3.  Excellence {we promote excellence in teaching and learning by setting high expectations. We are service-centered and hold ourselves and each other accountable}

4.  Diversity {we promote, celebrate, and accept diversity, including cultural and ethnic diversity, diversity of thought, and diverse views of others}

5.  Collaboration {we encourage working together and with the community in innovative, enriching partnerships}

6.  Innovation {we anticipate change and explore creative approaches to address the future}

7.  Public trust {we honor the trust placed in us by the public and uphold it through quality of service, integrity of actions and efficient use of resources}

Vision

As our community’s College, we make a difference through teaching, learning, and leading.

Mission

Rock Valley College is an educational leader in providing quality, accessible life long learning opportunities, cultural enrichment, and support for economic and technological development.

We accomplish our mission by providing the highest quality programs and services to:

·  Prepare our students for successful transfer, competitive employment and professional and personal growth

·  Foster innovative, collaborative relationships to advance a seamless educational system, an appreciation of the arts, and economic and technological development

·  Provide leadership in developing a nurturing culture that values learning, honors and respects each individual, and uses resources responsibly

Strategic Directions

·  Increase student success

·  Raise educational aspirations and achievement

·  Establish public and private partnerships and connections

·  Respond to community needs

·  Optimize institutional resources

·  Enhance institutional effectiveness

College Wide Initiatives

[These initiatives fall under one or more strategic directions]

1.  Participate in the Foundations of Excellence Program to increase first year student retention and persistence (Dr. Ricky Streight)

2.  Create a Strategic Enrollment Management Plan that defines enrollment priorities and describes strategies to increase student enrollment (Amy Diaz)

3.  Create a Community Wide Literacy Program to raise reading levels in our region (Mike Mastroianni)

4.  Implement an Honors Program to provide excellent students an opportunity to be challenged beyond the norm (Dr. Ricky Streight)

5.  Initiate partnerships to increase connectivity with K-12 education

(Dr. Ricky Streight)

6.  Prepare students for careers in manufacturing (Dr. Ricky Streight)

7.  Revise the College Facilities Master Plan and develop a strategy to implement the plan in a responsive time frame (Sam Overton)

Other Major College Planning Processes

This proposed Master Plan is one of the key planning documents of the College. It must be linked to and augmented by our annual budget, our plan to assess student academic achievement, our Facilities Master Plan and other major institutional planning tools, which are outlined below.

·  The Facilities Master Plan is currently being updated to include all campuses and learning centers. It is targeted for completion by December, 2007.

·  The College Technology Plan was completed in June, 2006. A new Technology Plan will be developed once a permanent Managing Director of Information Technology is hired, with an anticipated completion by June, 2008.

·  The Enrollment Management Plan, will establish recruitment and retention goals, along with strategies to achieve these goals. A draft should be complete in the Spring of 2007.

·  College Marketing Plan completed in January 2007, establishes College-wide marketing objectives with strategies to meet those goals, along with responsibility, estimated costs, anticipated time frames, and methods of evaluation. The Marketing Plan is now complete, andportions of implementation are in progress.

·  The Financial Planning Model is updated annually in preparation for the upcoming fiscal year budget. The historical past two years provide reality parameters, while the "out-years", the next fiscal years plus 1 and plus 2 are utilized in re-allocating resources for the attainment of theStrategic Initiatives.

·  The Security Plan prepared in 2003 is utilized as a guide to implement increased security measures to enhance a safe learning environment for our students and staff.

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