My comments upon review of the “Reviewable Draft” of our Strategic Plan
My process for reviewing the strategic plan was to identify each goal by broad topic and look to see how many overlaps occurred. For instance, under the general notion of technology, there are three goals from the separate areas that address technology. Not sure that’s a bad thing, but it looks like technology will get a lot of attention.
Of significance, I think is that Teaching and Learning have two separate goals emphasizing instruction while counseling has four separate goals emphasizing student services. Food for thought.
Goal topic / Goals falling under each topicTechnology / Student Access Goal 1; Efficient and Effective College Practices Goal 3
Economic Growth Goal 4
Matriculation / Student Access Goal 2
Customer Service / Student Access Goal 3
Physical Campus / Student Access Goal 4; Efficient and Effective College Practices Goals 1 and 2
Culture of Achievement / Student Success Goal 1
Achievement of educational goals / Student Success goal 2, Economic Growth Goal 1
Careers / Student Success Goal 3; Economic Growth Goal 1
Resource Allocation / Basic Skills goal 1
Basic Skills / Basic skills goal 3
Pre-COS / Basic Skills Goal 23
Teaching and Learning / Efficient and Effective College Practices Goal 4; Basic Skills Goal 3
International Awareness / Global Community Goal1
Diversity / Global Community Goal 2
Community Involvement / Global Community Goal 3; Economic Growth Goals 2 and 3
Culture / Global Community Goal 4
Student Services / Student Access Goals 2 and 3; Student Success Goal 1; Basic Skills Goal 2
Other observations:
STUDENTS’ SUCCESS IN COMPLETING THEIR EDUCATION
Goal 3. Improve alignment between certificate/degree requirements and job/transfer opportunities.
Strategies
1. Provide educational options for student learning and career planning (internships, job shadowing, immersion developmental education, flexible scheduling/terms).
2. Inform students on how their education transfers to real-world experience and knowledge.
3. Provide more student jobs on campus funded by local businesses.
Strategies do not match goal.
Additional info for Economic Growth of Tulare and Kings Counties
I looked back through the Charrettes, student input, etc. to be sure we’ve included key ideas. Under each goal you’ll see strategies entered in a blue font. These are ones I’ve added back in. My comments/concerns are in red.
ECONOMIC GROWTH OF TULARE AND KINGS COUNTIES
Definition:
College of the Sequoias provides an educated workforce that meets or exceeds the expectations of local businesses and industries, creating an educated community that attracts new and diverse businesses and industries to the counties.
Goal 1. Ensure that those who complete our programs, certificates, and majors are employed or go on to higher learning.
Strategies
1. Expand the COS Transfer/Career Center.
2. Develop and deploy a tracking system to follow and support all students and graduates in job placement. This one is huge! Why track all graduates in job placement? Initial placement or first job after college maybe. Don’t know what purpose is served to track them ad nauseum.
3. Develop and deploy a tracking system to follow and support all students and graduates in academic transfer placement, including both public and private senior and technical institutions. See #1
4. Provide job placement services for graduates. ….in their initial job? Forever?
5. Develop an inventory of regional jobs and projected industry needs to be disseminated to students, staff, and community.
6. Establish a job placement referral service including an online service that provides job information to current students and graduates. ….in their initial job? Forever?
7. Ensure that each student with a declared major has developed a career plan, using the Achieving the Dream model of Student Educational Plans.
8. Encourage local agencies to create trade-specific scholarships
9. Create job shadowing opportunities at COS and other colleges
10. Career seminars for all students
11. Coordinate all counseling, care plan, classes to have measurable tools in portfolios by end for 1st week of class – Resume, cover letter, interview talking points, etc. Hire full time instructors to coordinate this.
12. Place at least 10 students/year in local businesses as paid interns. (9-12 from convocation)
13. Provide more low/no cost childcare options for students; which, in return, would help students complete education and increase economic status in future.
14. Establish a program that allows students with a declared major to visit different unive5rsities. Students can see what schools offer their majors.
15. More room for work areas. (13 – 15 from student comments.)
Measureable Outcomes
· By Spring 2015, job referrals for students and alumni will increase by 10% over base year (calendar year 2010)
· By Spring 2011, the district will develop a job placement and referral system for current students.
· By Spring 2012, the district will develop the capacity and methodology to track students from entry to ultimate employment
· By Spring 2013, the COS Job Placement Service will be available to current and former students both in person and online.
Goal 2. Create a culture of innovation and support for new enterprise among the COS community.
Strategies
1. Disseminate data from Goal 1 Strategy 5 to all divisions and deans for use in annual Program Review planning.
2. Expand advertising of the resources and opportunities available at COS (for example, through movie theaters, other sites, radio, web, industry, and Facebook and other social networking sites).
3. Utilize expanded advertising to thank the community for support of COS*
4. Host brainstorming conferences with businesses and transfer institutions to learn how we can meet their needs annually.
5. Develop an equivalent of CTE advisory boards for “transfer” disciplines, such as English, chemistry, music, etc., to advise in need for curriculum innovation, changing discipline requirements, and for networking among all faculty.
6. Expand the annual college Career Fair to include all businesses and Industries in the county, including a variety of businesses that change from year to year.
7. Make COS a center of public activities, such as a designated voting facility*
8. Empathize openness and transparency in school business.*
9. Expand cultural opportunities, e.g. Theater and Tourism (“The Defining Moment”)
*Education, the Economy, and the Changing World, Richard G. Sims, Ph.D., NEA Chief Economist.
Measureable Outcomes
· By 2012, the district will sponsor an annual Economic Development Conference.
· By 2015, COS will be identified as a center of innovation and new enterprise.
Goal 3. Upgrade skill sets of COS graduates needed to serve local/regional employers.
Strategies
1. The COS Office of Research, in conjunction with Instructional Council, will conduct an annual survey of employers on projected skill needs and submit these identified needs to the responsible division(s). (Use employer data from Goal 1, Strategy 5)
2. Create a fast-track curriculum approval mechanism that supports course updates to upgrade skill sets.
3. Establish local business internships for students, bridging the gap between academics and “The World.”
4. Provide rewards/incentives/acknowledgements for business and industry mentors who support our students.
5. Increase the number of students participating in work experience by 10% annually.
6. Develop a service learning culture at COS.
7. Increase ongoing, regular connections to the community through outreach to community venues in all service area locations.
8. Invite employers to give presentations in various classes, focusing on skills needed for success.
9. Create a 100% faculty reassigned position for coordinating service learning and work experience.
10. Ensure that all certificates meet the needs of the job for which the certificate was designed.
11. Create an Industry Clust6eer Advisory Group that interfaces with Economic Development professionals to ensure new curriculum meets community needs. (10-11 from convocation)
12. Keyboarding/Computer skills class in Corcoran
13. Vocational education classes in Corcoran, i.e. Mechanic, Electrician, Welder, etc.
14. Offer computer classes to both high school and the community; offer more basic computer/Tech classes in all communities (these 2 from Corcoran) (12-14 from Corcoran)
15. Offer classes to complete high school equivalency.
16. Evaluating industry needs and creating educational programs to match
a. Coordinating curriculum to industry needs
b. Creating areas that are attractive to new industries and people.
17. Turn out students that have basic skills – job ready. (16 - 17 from The Defining Moment)
Measureable Outcomes
· By Fall 2014, the number of students engaged in internships or work experience shall be increased by 5% per year over the 2010 base.
· By Fall 2013, Service Learning will be integrated into 10% more classes than in 2009, and increase by 10% annually.
· By 2015, all entering freshmen will be required to perform community to service in order to graduate.
Goal 4: Increase technological literacy of COS graduates.
Strategies
1. The COS Office of Research, in conjunction with Instructional Council, will conduct an annual survey of employers on changing/advancing technology and submit these identified needs to the responsible division(s). (Use employer data from Goal 1, Strategy 5)
2. All divisions will include the yearly within Program Review updates identified needs for technological updates and plans to achieve those needs.
3. Ensuring that all students develop computer skills necessary for success in their chosen fields.
4. Support faculty in technologically-intense disciplines with stipends to remain current in the latest technology. An example is the need for nursing faculty to be proficient in high-fidelity simulation.
Measureable Outcomes
By Fall 2013, 10% more of entering freshmen will demonstrate competence in technological literacy. This number shall be increased by 10% annually.