Academic Quality Improvement Program Systems Portfolio

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1 Real Life. Real Learning. Academic Quality Improvement Program Systems Portfolio

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3 NORTHCENTRAL TECHNICAL COLLEGE Academic Quality Improvement Program 2010 Systems Portfolio Submitted To: AQIP and The Higher Learning Commission June 1, 2010 Submitted By: Northcentral Technical College 1000 West Campus Drive Wausau, WI NTC Official Contact: Beth Ellie, AQIP Liaison Accreditation and Evaluation Coordinator Northcentral Technical College 1000 West Campus Drive Wausau, WI ntc.edu

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5 Table of Contents Front Matter Table of Contents...i List of Figures...iii Institutional Overview Overview Category 1 Helping Students Learn Processes (Questions 1P1-1P18) Results (Questions 1R1-1R6) Improvement (Questions 1I1-1I2) Category 2 Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives: K-16 Programs and Partnerships Processes (Questions 2P1-2P6) Results (Questions 2R1-2R4) Improvement (Questions 2I1-2I2) Category 3 Understanding Students and Other Stakeholders Needs Processes (Questions 3P1-3P6) Results (Questions 3R1-3R6) Improvement (Questions 3I1-3I2) Category 4 Valuing People Processes (Questions 4P1-4P13) Results (Questions 4R1-4R4) Improvement (Questions 4I1-4I2) Category 5 Leading and Communicating Processes (Questions 5P1-5P10) Results (Questions 5R1-5R3) Improvement (Questions 5I1-5I2) Front Matter i

6 Category 6 Supporting Institutional Operations Processes (Questions 6P1-6P5) Results (Questions 6R1-6R5) Improvement (Questions 6I1-6I2) Category 7 Measuring Effectiveness Processes (Questions 7P1-7P7) Results (Questions 7R1-7R3) Improvement (Questions 7I1-7I2) Category 8 Planning Continuous Improvement Processes (Questions 8P1-8P8) Results (Questions 8R1-8R5) Improvement (Questions 8I1-8I2) Category 9 Building Collaborative Relationships Processes (Questions 9P1-9P7) Results (Questions 9R1-9R3) Improvement (Questions 9I1-9I2) Appendix List of Abbreviations Higher Learning Commission Criteria for Accreditation ii Front Matter

7 List of Figures Institutional Overview Figure OV1-1 NTC Vision, Mission, Core Beliefs, Community Benefits Statement, Strategic Directions... 1 Figure OV1-2 NTCs Associate Degrees and Technical Diplomas... 3 Figure OV2-1 NTCs Key K-16 Partnership Activities... 4 Figure OV3-1 NTCs Student and Stakeholder Needs and Expectations... 5 Figure OV9-1 NTCs Key Partnerships Category 1 Helping Students Learn Figure 1P1-1 NTCs Core Abilities Figure 1P2-1 NTCs Performance-Based Learning Model Figure 1P3-1 NTCs Product Development Plan Process Figure 1P11-1 NTCs Curriculum Development Process Figure 1P13-1 First Year of Academic Quality Review Process Figure 1P16-1 Student Organizations at NTC Figure 1R2-1 NTC Academic Course Completion Figure 1R2-2 NTCs 2005 and 2008 Employer Satisfaction Survey Results Figure 1R3-1 NTC Technical Course Completion Rates Figure 1R3-2 NTC Graduation Rates Figure 1R3-3 NTC Graduate Satisfaction Figure 1R3-4 NTC Five-Year Follow-Up Placement Results Figure 1R4-1 NTCs External Assessment Pass Rate Figure 1R5-1 NTC Noel-Levitz SSI Results: Learning Support Services Figure 1R5-2 NTC TRiO Annual Performance Report Figure 1R5-3 NTC Course Completion of Courses Targeted by Nursing Tutor Program Figure 1R5-4 NTC Library Database and Index Usage Figure 1R5-5 NTC Graduate Employment Placement Figure 1R5-6 NTC AEFL Scorecard Comparisons Figure 1R6-1 NTCs External Assessment Rate Comparison Figure 1R6-2 NTC Noel-Levitz SSI: Instructional Effectiveness Category 2 Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives: K-16 Programs and Partnerships Figure 2R2-1 K-16 Performance Results Front Matter iii

8 Category 3 Understanding Students and Other Stakeholders Needs Figure 3R1-1 NTC Student and Stakeholder Measures Figure 3R Noel-Levitz SSI Overall Results Figure 3R Noel-Levitz SSI Results: Building Student Relationships Figure 3R4-1 NTCs Employer Surveys and WLS Post-Contract Training Surveys Figure 3R5-1 NTCs College Partners and Guides Representing Transfer Agreements Figure 3R5-2 WLS Businesses Served Figure 3R5-3 WLS Short-Term Continuing Education Enrollments Figure 3R5-4 WLS Customized Training Contract Enrollments Figure 3R5-5 NTC Regional FTE and Enrollment Growth Figure 3R5-6 NTC Collaboration with Governmental Bodies and Business Communities Category 4 Valuing People Figure 4R2-1 NTC Employee Turnover Rate Figure 4R2-2 Ergonomic Reviews Figure 4R2-3 NTC Worker s Compensation Figure 4R2-4 Gender Diversity in the NTC Workforce Figure 4R2-5 Ethnic Diversity in the Workforce Figure 4R2-6 Criminal Offenses on the NTC Campus Figure 4R4-1 Percentage Increase in Family Plan Health Insurance for Faculty Figure 4R4-2 Worker s Compensation Mod NTC vs. WTCS Category 5 Leading and Communicating Figure 5P5-1 NTC Organizational Chart Figure 5R2-1 Top Five Average PACE Scores at NTC Compared to National Average Figure 5R2-2 Comparative Analysis of College Climate with PACE Norm Base Figure 5R3-1 Sixteen Statistically Significant Questions Comparing NTC with the PACE Norm Base Mean Figure 5I1-1 Comparative Mean Responses to Five Questions Regarding Communication within Climate/PACE Surveys to Category 6 Supporting Institutional Operations Figure 6P1-1 NTCs Support Services-Enrollment, Student, IT, Business and Campus Figure 6R2-1 FTE Growth Over Five Years Figure 6R2-2 Five-Year Financial Aid Application and Award Results Figure 6R2-3 NTCs Perkins IV Report Card Figure 6R3-1 NTC Employee Giving Figure 6R3-2 Property Tax Mill Rates iv Front Matter

9 Figure 6R Noel-Levitz SSI Comparison Results for Supporting Institutional Operations Category 7 Measuring Effectiveness Figure 7P1-1 Performance Information Supporting Planning and Improvement Figure 7P1-2 Sample 2009 Quality Review Process Scorecard for Nursing Figure 7P4-1 NTC Board of Trustees Year-End Dashboard Figure 7P7-1 Data & Information Integrity Factors Figure 7R2-1 PACE Results for Measuring Effectiveness Figure 7R2-2 Quality Review Process Evaluation Results Figure 7R3-1 Cost per FTE Results Category 8 Planning Continuous Improvement Figure 8R1-1 Annual, Biennial and Triennial Board Reports Figure 8R4-1 NTCs Rank Among the 16 Wisconsin Technical Colleges Figure 8R4-2 NTCs 2008 Noel-Levitz SSI Overall Student Satisfaction Results Category 9 Building Collaborative Relationships Figure 9P6-1 Coordination Efforts with NTCs Key Partners Figure 9R2-1 NTC Foundation Scholarships Figure 9R WTCS Foundation Net Assets Comparison Figure 9R3-2 NTC Grant Growth Front Matter v

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11 Overview of Northcentral Technical College Figure OV1-1 Vision, Mission & Core Beliefs Vision Northcentral Technical College: Building futures one community, one workplace, one learner at a time. Mission Northcentral Technical College is the customerfocused, accessible provider of innovative life-long learning that builds a globally competitive workforce. Core Beliefs Learner Focus Continuous Learning Ingenuity Access Service to Community Diversity Culture of Professionalism OV College Overview. Northcentral Technical College (NTC) enriches the communities of north central Wisconsin by offering educational opportunities that allow students to attain or enhance marketable job skills, obtain degrees and certificates, or prepare for transfer to four-year baccalaureate colleges under the guidance of industry savvy faculty and the support of a caring campus community. NTC fills a critical and growing need for a skilled Wisconsin workforce by providing quality education and training for the residents of its 10-county service District in north central Wisconsin. Established in 1912, NTC is a public educational unit of government. NTC is 1 of 16 two-year postsecondary colleges in the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS). NTC serves 22,100 students, offering 33 associate degrees, 24 technical diplomas, 114 certificates and 9 apprenticeship programs. Figure OV1-2 lists NTCs associate degree and technical diploma programs. One opportunity and challenge for NTC is the size of the 5,900-square mile District (comparable to Connecticut). The primarily rural District has a total population of 235,667. NTCs District is comprised of all or parts of Clark, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Menominee, Portage, Price, Shawano, Taylor and Waupaca Counties. NTCs main campus is located in Wausau. Six regional sites are strategically located in Antigo, Medford, Merrill, Phillips, Spencer and Wittenberg, providing most students a 20-minute or less drive to one of NTCs campuses. In FY 2009 NTC ranked 8th in headcount served of the 16 WTCS colleges. The College serves 7% of the District population, ranking second in the WTCS. Community Benefits Statement 1. Communities have the capability to foster economic growth. 2. Workplaces have an available and skilled workforce. 3. Learners have the knowledge and skills necessary to explore, maintain or advance in employment or higher education. Strategic Directions Growth Innovation Strategic Partnerships Organizational Development Continuous Quality Improvement Fiscal Strength Sustainability NTCs vision and mission statements (Figure OV1-1) fulfill the statutory requirements of the WTCS. Core beliefs define the manner in which the College pursues its goals. Community Benefits Statements (CBS) further clarify what communities realize through the College s existence today and in the future. To achieve the College's vision, mission, CBS and core beliefs, the College identified seven strategic directions: Growth, Innovation, Strategic Partnerships, Organizational Development, Continuous Quality Improvement, Fiscal Strength and Sustainability. NTC reconfigured its strategic directions in spring In fall 2009, a single-focus performance goal of 4,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) by 2014 was set. To enable the College to grow in excellence, NTCs Board sought to reaccredit the College as an Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) institution in The College joined AQIP in 2001 and today NTC benefits from nearly a decade of positive improvements directed through action projects such as Listening Sessions Capturing Stakeholder Needs for Setting Strategic Directions, Increase Online Course Completion and Retention and Enhancing Flexibility and Accessibility of Learning. In 2006, Dr. Lori Weyers became NTCs president. Since NTCs last portfolio, a significant cultural shift occurred resulting in re-focused mission and vision statements, a change from operating principles to core beliefs and new strategic directions based on Presidential Listening Sessions. A restructuring of the College aligned with these goals. The College s information-gathering focus changed as well, replacing Key Quality Indicators with focused measurements of quality. As evidenced in Categories 1, 5 and 8 these changes were well-received as indicated by the higher student and employee satisfaction rates and significant increases in headcount and FTEs. Category 1 Helping Students Learn 1

12 OV1 Goals for Student Learning, Key Credit and Non-Credit Instructional Programs, Educational Support Services. In support of NTCs mission to build a competitive workforce, the goals for student learning are occupational skill attainment and student mastery of core abilities. NTC faculty measure student attainment of knowledge, skills and abilities to provide insights for course and program improvements. At NTC, assessment is used as a conceptual framework to measure evidence of learning and to meet the changing needs of the stakeholders including learners, employers and the community at large. NTC continues on a journey to build a culture of evidence related to student learning by ensuring that faculty use both direct and indirect assessment tools to document learning. This culture includes early and frequent feedback (formative) to students as well as evaluation of levels of mastery (summative). NTC believes students shall take responsibility for their learning. Learning is measured by a student s demonstration of course competencies and core abilities at the end of each course and the attainment of program outcomes at the conclusion of their program. The process by which program outcomes are established and reviewed for workforce relevance is crucial to building and supporting a competitive workforce. The use of industry experts, via advisory committees, in the determination of learning outcomes assures that occupational duties and tasks required for workforce proficiency are embedded within each of the College s programs. NTCs instructional offerings include programs determined as essential to the District s workforce and those required or recommended in order to serve the communities greater needs. Diploma and degree programs resulting from workforce needs are approved through a rigorous process including both the NTC Board of Trustees and the WTCS Board. The process requires clear evidence of training needs in the occupational area and support for local employment of graduates. Short-term certificates are created at the discretion of the institution and allow for rapid response to workforce needs. Figure OV1-2 contains a list of NTCs degree and diploma offerings. Non-credit offerings are approved by the WTCS and include state-mandated programs such as Fire Service Training and continuing education offerings for professionals and the general public. NTC also provides offerings in partnership with entities such as the Department of Transportation s Traffic Safety and the Wisconsin Motorcycle Safety programs. Adult Basic Education is also offered by the College supported mostly by Adult Education and Family Literacy Funds. Within the College s Learning Division, there are six academic divisions that encompass NTCs credit programs. These divisions include Agriculture and Community Services, Business and International Studies, General and Adult Basic Education, Health, Public Safety and Technology and Trades. Additionally, the College has a Workforce Learning Solutions Division dedicated to serving the needs of employers through on-site contract training and continuing education in support of workforce development. Due to NTCs geographic size, outreach areas are served by regional campuses which function as educational systems within the larger organization. Educational Support Services (ESS) serves a foundational role within the College s Learning Division by providing support for learning through the oversight and management of curriculum, assessment, online course development, instructional innovation and flexible delivery including Weekend College. The ESS team supports the day-to-day function of teaching and learning within the College while helping to introduce new instructional tools and technologies that increase the effectiveness of instruction at NTC. ESS provides leadership in the applicability of new ideas and technologies and their utility with the instructional process. An Innovation Team was created to bring people from across the College community together in order to examine practices that support innovative ideas and processes. NTC aligns key resources to provide infrastructure and support services to the Learning Division. Student Services provides support through the enrollment process via a one-stop concept. The department coordinates services for students with disabilities, transfer and placement, K-16 partnerships, testing, counseling, advising, financial aid, student activities and student government. While NTC continues to grow in the use of technology and innovative delivery methods, the primary instruction within the College continues to take place within the walls of physical campuses including a central campus and six regional sites. The Facilities Team supports the delivery of instruction by overseeing building projects, renovations and maintaining the campus resources including classrooms and other space that supports the work of students and staff. Given the geographical size of the NTC District, instructional technologies are integral to the delivery of instruction to the residents and communities in outlying areas. Technology necessary for instruction is supported from a hardware and software perspective by the Information Systems and Instructional Technology (ISIT) Team 2 Overview

13 who oversee Interactive Television (ITV), web-conferencing, electronic delivery, all networking services and information and communication technologies. Another key service within the College relates to the management of institutional communication with students and stakeholders through marketing and public relations functions. The Marketing and Public Relations Team provides analysis of market segments served by the College and leads the evolution of NTCs marketing campaigns in written and electronic formats as well as within television, newspaper and radio media markets. Human Resources provides crucial support to the delivery of learning by coordinating the hiring of all instructional and support staff within the College. In addition, Human Resources encompasses the NTC Foundation, Grants, Organizational Development and Continuous Improvement activities including accreditation, state reporting and campus security. NTC learners have access to financial support for their education beyond typical financial aid resources. The NTC Foundation manages student scholarship opportunities funded by individuals and businesses primarily within the NTC District. The NTC Foundation annually distributes scholarship funds to students in excess of $250,000. Figure OV1-2 NTCs Associate Degrees and Technical Diplomas NTCs Associate Degrees and Technical Diplomas AGRICULTURE & COMMUNITY SERVICES Dairy Science Early Childhood Education Sign Language Interpreting in Education Human Services Associate Instructional Assistant BUSINESS PROGRAMS Accounting Accounting Assistant Administrative Professional Business Management Health Care Business Services IT Computer Support Specialist IT Microcomputer Applications Specialist IT Network Specialist IT Programmer/Analyst IT Web & Digital Media Development Marketing Marketing Business-to- Business Medical Coding Specialist Medical Transcription Office Assistant Supervisory Management HEALTH Clinical Laboratory Technician Dental Assistant Dental Hygienist Medical Assistant Medication Assistant Nursing Assistant Nursing Associate Degree Radiography Surgical Technologist PUBLIC SAFETY Criminal Justice Law Enforcement Criminal Justice Law Enforcement Academy EMT Basic EMT Intermediate EMT Intermediate Technician Paramedic Technician TECHNOLOGY & TRADES Air Conditioning, Refrigeration & Heating Applied Engineering Technology Environmental, Industrial or Safety Architectural-Residential Design Auto Collision Repair & Refinishing Technician Automotive Technician Automotive Technology Electromechanical Technology Electronics Computer Systems Technician Graphic Communication Technologies Machine Tool Operation Machine Tooling Technics Mechanical Design Technology Manufacturing Electronics Maintenance Residential Building Structural Steel Detailing Technical Studies Journey Worker Welding GENERAL STUDIES Individualized Technical Studies OV2 Key Organizational Services-K-16 Programs and Partnerships. NTC is committed to establishing and maintaining strong collaborative relationships with K-16 educational institutions. The commitment is demonstrated by Strategic Partnerships being one of the College s strategic directions, with a goal of Developing relationships with institutions of higher education for new transfer agreements. NTCs Executive Leadership Team (ELT) also has three goals on their Team Action Plan related to establishing strategic educational partnerships. Figure OV2-1 lists NTCs key K-16 partnership activities. Overview 3

14 Figure OV2-1 NTCs Key K-16 Partnership Activities K-12 Activities with District Schools Advanced Standing Agreements Alternative High School Career Coach Distance Education Contracted Coursework Educational Equipment Donation High School Academies International Student Activities NTC Campus Events Pathways Newsletter Pre-College Experience Special Needs Transition Services Staff Professional Development Transcripted Credit TRiO Educational Talent Search Youth Apprenticeship Program Youth Options Northcentral Technical College June 2010 AQIP Systems Portfolio NTCs Key K-16 Partnership Activities Activity Description Student earns college credit for approved course upon entrance to a technical college. High school completion program for at-risk students age 16 and older. Individual student meetings at high schools for career/program exploration. Classroom presentations. College courses taught by college instructors to high school students via distance education networks delivered in the high schools. Educational equipment no longer used by NTC is donated to local high schools. College courses and work-based learning experiences for high school students in specific content areas. NTC International students provide presentations and participate in cultural events with K-12 students. Campus visit days/career Days; College Career Camp (middle school students); Pre-College Experience (minority students); Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) workshops for middle school students. Monthly communication to K-12 partners regarding programs and activities. Parent information for high school newsletter distributed monthly. Summer program for middle and high school disadvantaged youth, focusing on basic skills and career exploration. Assistance for students with disabilities to transition from high school to the College. Organizational and program planning meetings for administrators, counselors, and instructors; Tech Prep Summer Institute 3-day workshop; Externship Program educators experiences in business settings. College classes taught by high school instructors for dual credit. College exploration activities for alternative high school and correctional facility students. High school junior & senior paid work experience program with related coursework. High school junior & seniors enroll in college in courses for dual credit. NTC Staff Responsible Associate Dean, Administrative Assistant Associate Dean 2 Career Coaches Associate Dean Vice President of Student Services K-12 Programs Coordinator, Associate Dean Associate Dean, Business & International Programs K-12 Programs Coordinator, Marketing Administrative Assistant K-12 Programs Coordinator Minority Recruitment & Retention Advisor 2 Career Coaches Associate Dean, K-12 Programs Coordinator, Administrative Assistant Associate Dean, Administrative Assistant Director, Educational Talent Search K-12 Programs Coordinator Associate Dean Educational partnerships are critically important to the College for a number of reasons including recruitment and learner preparedness of prospective students, opportunities for students to continue their education after completion of an NTC program and overall public image of the technical college. Opportunities for graduates to continue their education after NTC allows NTC to be viewed as a first step in higher education rather than a second choice for students. NTC becomes a start to a bachelor s degree, which enhances public perception of what can be achieved by attending a technical college. NTC operates a number of unique programs and activities with District high schools. High schools are NTCs suppliers of future students. The partnerships NTC develops can strengthen the high schools as well as NTC as preparedness for college and knowledge of opportunities for NTCs graduates is critical to the success of NTC as a college of choice. NTC is committed to providing services and resources to keep District K-12s strong. NTC offers learning options allowing students to explore opportunities that support the technical college. The Career Coach concept, which allows NTC staff 4 Overview

15 to work with all students in high schools on career exploration and post-secondary planning, does not specifically focus on just recruiting students into NTC programs. As a service, the College is committed to working with all students needing assistance to support the limited resources of the high schools in the area of career exploration. As NTC updates its equipment, the College has started a program of Educational Equipment Donation to the K-12s. During the current school year, 17 schools have received equipment and/or office supplies through the school donation program. During the school year Transcripted Credit allowed more than 2,000 students to earn college credit tuition-free while in high school. College courses are offered in the high school and taught by certified high school instructors. Working collaboratively, students are enrolled in a college course and given a final grade on a college transcript. The credit can be transferred to most colleges the student may choose to attend following high school graduation, not just NTC. Expanded transfer agreements with NTCs post-secondary partners allow students and the public to appreciate that a degree from NTC does not have to be a stopping point; rather, students can easily be life-long learners and transfer their NTC credits into a bachelor s degree program. The College s commitment to expanding transfer opportunities is demonstrated in the creation of the Transfer and Placement Office in the summer The office helps students as they are transitioning out of the College, either to enter employment or continue their education. A full-time transfer advisor is available to assist students with their transfer options. College resources have been dedicated to updating NTCs transfer agreements with existing educational partners as well as developing additional agreements with new and existing partners. Currently, NTC has agreements with 23 four-year colleges, and has developed unique strategic partnerships that bring four-year college instruction to the NTC campus which allows students to earn their bachelor s degree in Wausau. Information regarding transfer is on the comprehensive, student-friendly website. It contains transfer guides that show how NTC credits transfer to another college, lists location of the college program, tuition and scholarship information and process information to help students maximize their transferability. A number of activities have been developed to help students get additional transfer information including an annual Transfer Fair with college partners, college partner program area meetings and transfer workshops. OV3 Short- and Long-Term Requirements and Expectations of Current Students and Other Key Stakeholder Groups. Current students at NTC have individual educational and career goals with a wide variety of requirements and expectations for NTC to assist them in meeting their goals. NTC acknowledges and strives to meet its responsibility to be receptive and responsive to the various stakeholders it serves. Figure OV3-1 highlights NTC student and stakeholder needs and expectations. Figure OV3-1 NTCs Student and Stakeholder Needs and Expectations NTC Student and Stakeholder Needs & Expectations Group Alumni Board of Trustees Donors Employers Northcentral Technical College June 2010 AQIP Systems Portfolio Short- and Long-Term Requirements and Expectations Value of degree; lifelong learning opportunities; positive image of the College; career and placement services. Fiscal responsibility; attainment of strategic goals. Resource stewardship; positive College image; worthy purpose; donation outcomes/ tangible results. Well-trained workforce reflective of local needs; partnership opportunities; access to training/ retraining for existing employees; access to recruit students; advisory committee participation. Institutions of Higher Learning Quality of instruction; transfer agreements and transferability; space allocations; internship opportunities. K-16 Educational partnerships; Career Coaching; Transcripted Credit; equipment donation. Government Students Taxpayers/ Community Fiscal responsibility; workforce development; information and data sharing with state, county and local government entities. Approved curriculum; accessible technology and facilities; degree offerings reflective of workforce need; affordability; transferability; state-of-the-art technology and facilities; diversity of program offerings; safety; counseling and advising; lifelong learning opportunities; career placement; opportunities for development outside of the classroom; active Student Life program; positive image of College; degree completion and graduation. Fiscal responsibility; rapid response to community needs (lay-offs, retraining, etc.); controlled property taxes; value. Overview 5

16 Primary Competitors NTC has many competitors, challenging the College to remain focused on its mission. However, the College also recognizes that it is mutually beneficial to collaborate with these entities to benefit NTCs students. NTCs willingness to do this enhances what the College is able to offer students, thus increasing its effectiveness. Competition comes from public and private colleges and universities offering degree programs that operate within the NTC District, particularly UW-Marathon County (UWMC), UW-Wood County and UW-Stevens Point. Rasmussen College opened a campus in Wausau in January 2010 and Globe University opened a campus in Wausau in April Competition also comes from an increase in popularity of online colleges and universities marketing themselves to learners with barriers preventing them from pursuing their degrees in a more traditional setting. These institutions appeal to many of the same students NTC recruits. Examples of online institutions serving the area include University of Phoenix, Capella University and Kaplan University. NTC also collaborates with institutions providing life-long educational opportunities operating within the NTC District, particularly, UWMC and the College of the Menominee Nation. NTCs strategic partners that offer courses on campus are UW-Stout, Upper Iowa University, Silver Lake College and Lakeland College. NTC recognizes the competition facing NTCs Workforce Learning Solutions (WLS) Division from educational and non-educational entities offering training and continuing education to District businesses. Local Chambers of Commerce, UWMC, UW-Stevens Point and private firms all offer ongoing educational opportunities. OV4 Administrative, Faculty and Staff Human Resources. NTC operates under a shared governance between the WTCS Board and the NTC Board of Trustees (NTC Board). The strategic directions of the College are set by the NTC Board. The President reports to the NTC Board, and the College s ELT reports directly to the President. The ELT is responsible for the strategic actions that fulfill the mission, vision and strategic directions. Members include the President, Vice President for Learning, Vice President of Human Resources and College Advancement, Vice President of Student Services, Vice President of Finance, Chief Information Officer, Director of Facilities and Director of Marketing and Public Relations. This team meets weekly to set direction and provide communication. NTC is comprised of structured teams supporting the learners of the College. Teams are comprised of many different employee groups such as administration, faculty and support staff. All teams are charged with supporting the vision, mission, community benefit statements and strategic directions of the College. The core beliefs indicate how a team will function to support the College. Strategic directions are reviewed on a continuous basis to ensure progress and alignment. The ELT and individual teams complete a Team Action Plan which includes specific goals in support of the current strategic directions. Team Action Plans are developed for a two-year period and are an important piece of NTCs commitment to continuous improvement and provide a mechanism to react to changing needs. The support teams provide services to students and academic teams. The teams within the support function include Student Services, Human Resources, Finance, Information Systems, Marketing and Public Relations and Facilities. Vice presidents and directors serve as leaders for these support areas and serve on the ELT. Several academic teams support the learner in the classroom. Specific functions include instruction, curriculum, flexible delivery, international education and workplace learning. Faculty, deans, associate deans, learning coordinators and support staff comprise the Learning Division. The Vice President for Learning serves as the leader of the Learning Division and is a member of the ELT. The Human Resource office works in conjunction with College leaders and teams to identify the skills necessary to successfully perform work. Technical skills and soft skills are equally important for employee success. All faculty and instructional supervisors meet the certification requirements of the WTCS Board. The majority of employees are represented by one of four bargaining units. Bi-monthly union/administration meetings are held to foster cooperative relationships and identify potential problems before issues become grievances. To promote collegewide communication, the College has also implemented several groups which comprise a crosssection of teams. For example, the Learning Team is comprised of deans, associate deans, learning coordinators and directors from service teams such as Human Resources, Finance, Grants, Marketing and Public Relations and Student Services. This team primarily focuses on communication and improvement of processes that cross multiple areas of the College. A second example of this effective model is the team of learning coordinators. This team 6 Overview

17 represents the learning coordinators from various academic divisions. The group develops processes and procedures that extend across multiple areas for purposes of efficiency, consistency and continuous improvement. OV5 Leadership, Decision-Making and Communication Processes. At the heart of NTCs institutional alignment is the focus on student learning and NTCs close connection to the community it serves. This focus begins with the mission of the WTCS that was developed by the state legislature who originally formed WTCS colleges. Wisconsin State Statutes Chapter 38 directs NTC to be responsible and accountable to the communities it serves and to be respectful stewards of taxpayer funds and the public trust. NTC operates under a unique blend of shared governance between the Wisconsin Technical College System Board and the NTC Board of Trustees. NTC aligns with the WTCS (oversight entity) through participation in WTCS associations and state-called meetings. The College is a locally governed higher education institution with a nine-member appointed Board of Trustees whose composition is legislated to be representative of the geographic communities it serves. The primary goal of the NTC Board is in the management of the College s societal responsibilities to comply with all of the state, federal and accreditation requirements placed upon it. This in turn safeguards the long-term viability and value of the institution for stakeholders. The WTCS Board and the NTC Board approves all new academic programs. The representative nature of the NTC Board ensures an ongoing close connection with all of the local communities being served. Under policy governance practice for governmental boards, the NTC Board delegates the overall leadership of the College to the President. The College President, in turn, delegates leadership for instruction and operations to various vice-presidents (Learning, Human Resources, Finance and Student Services) and other ELT members. The President also acts as the predominant communication liaison between the stakeholders of the College and the NTC Board. The organizational chart (Figure 5P5-1) illustrates NTCs formal leadership and communication structure. NTCs ELT serves as the main coordinating and communicating group for the College. This leadership group creates an environment grounded in NTCs core beliefs. These values foster both legal and ethical behavior on the part of College employees. ELT members model these values, provide leadership to teams, act as communication liaisons and facilitate interaction within the various employee teams for strategic as well as day-to-day operations. The communication and feedback loop is completed when information from various committees, charter groups and employee work teams is conveyed to the ELT via its members. The mission statements of the WTCS and NTC define why the College exists as an institution and the WTCS Board and NTC Board put forward a structure to ensure that the College adheres to the policy requirements of its oversight entities and its social, ethical and legal responsibilities to the community it serves. The strategic planning process of the institution provides the overall structure for aligning the work of the College. The strategic directions are developed using feedback from triennial Presidential Listening Sessions held with groups of community business and industry leaders, K-12, employees and students. These forums provide valuable feedback as to what information stakeholders believe to be most important to consider as the NTC Board and ELT develop the strategic directions of the College. Once the strategic directions are developed and approved, the ELT then develops a Team Action Plan that incorporates action items for each of these strategic directions. These goals are then shared with all teams at the College which in turn develop their own Team Action Plans consistent with these goals and strategic directions. OV6 Identifying Student Support Services. Student support and administrative support service needs are identified, considered and prioritized through student feedback, requests for service and enrollment trends and finalized via the College s annual planning and budget development process by the NTC Board of Trustees, the ELT, and through Team Action Plan developed by divisions within the organization. This process links directly to NTCs mission and values through the strategic directions identified by the College. Overall, support services can be organized into five major categories (Figure 6P1-1). The College has identified two major categories of student support: Enrollment Services and Student Support Services. Three major categories of administrative support are Business Services, Campus Services and IT Support Services. Components within these categories fulfill a specific purpose within the organizational divisions. Enrollment Services includes essential activities that support students throughout their educational journey at NTC. Whether a student is taking only one continuing education course or enrolling in an associate degree program, services within this category support knowledge of, and access to, NTC offerings. Student Services includes activities that focus on supporting the success of NTCs learners toward their educational goals. Students may access these services on an as-needed basis on their own or may be referred by College faculty/staff. Business Support Services aid administrative activities that help maintain NTC as a stable, fiscally sound and responsive institution. Campus Support Services includes services that are visible and Overview 7

18 accessible collegewide and support students, staff and visitors to the College. IT Support Services provide technical support and integrate the use of technology to facilitate teaching and learning. Facilities: NTC is a commuter college with no residence halls, although the College maintains a partnership with UW- Marathon County to provide students with residence rooms. The highly functional, well-maintained grounds, classrooms and labs, and online learning infrastructure reflect NTCs approach to learning and workforce development. The College encompasses 549,533 square feet of space in seven sites in the District: Antigo 45,357 sq. ft.; Medford 18,470 sq. ft.; Merrill 9,488 sq. ft.; Phillips 17,500 sq. ft.; Spencer 5,589 sq. ft.; Wausau 455,723 sq. ft. and Wittenberg 9,600 sq. ft. There have also been recent additions to College facilities. NTC and Langlade County are establishing a Wood Technology Center of Excellence (approximately 21,000 sq. ft.) on the Antigo campus that will include a welcome center, classrooms, office space, research testing and workshop space. To establish the Agriculture Center of Excellence, in summer 2010 the College will be gifted a 110-acre farm in Marathon County that will include a shop/classroom, a cow barn, a milking parlor and a calf and heifer barn. Finally, in spring 2010 NTC added a 5,000 sq. ft. one-story building at the Phillips campus to triple classroom and lab facilities for additional program offerings. The College is also expanding offerings at the College of the Menominee Nation. The District also rents additional space in public school buildings and other facilities throughout the District to provide instruction. Equipment: NTC purchased and implemented PeopleSoft, USA (PST) Enterprise Resource Planning software in 2000, with a major web-based upgrade in In October 2008, the PST platform underwent a second major upgrade which incorporated a new version with many improvements. Examples include enhancements to the self-service functionality of the student and faculty portals, a new staff view of the student self-service center which provides quick access to all of the student s information, enrollment features such as a shopping cart and a validation function, an interactive degree progress report, the ability to provide student 1098-T forms online, enhancements to load scholarships and student financials to the financial aid screens, a new communication generation function, a new report writer feature and improved time and labor efforts for HR/payroll processing. The College has established standardized technology throughout using a Five-Year Technology Plan that replaces all PCs on a three-year cycle in labs and a four-year cycle for all employees. NTC uses a variety of electronic methods to provide and increase access to data and information. NTC has made a major investment in a sophisticated ITV system to maintain NTCs close connection to the learners in the regional campuses. To support ITV and other instructional technology, 96 rooms were converted to smart classrooms over the last four years. An updated comprehensive ISIT plan for innovation and infrastructure was developed and presented to the NTC Board of Trustees in fall This plan outlines the following parameters: 1. Provide customers with access to information worldwide. 2. Support systems for effective utilization of resources. 3. Provide training and support for existing and emerging technologies. 4. Maintain compliance with local, state and federal mandates and standards. 5. Provide services that are responsive, reliable and available to anyone from anywhere. 6. Cultivate an environment that develops partnerships with other organizations. 7. Nurture continuous process improvement to anticipate and meet customer requirements. 8. Organize and protect knowledge assets. Dynamic Campus Solutions (DCS) was chosen as a technology partner and the capital equipment budget includes funding for DCS consultants to collaborate with staff on projects supporting ISIT parameters to customize PST. Many of the projects fall under ISIT parameters of providing services that are responsive, reliable and available to anyone from anywhere and supporting systems for effective utilization of resources. Examples include streamlining NTCs online registration process, integrating PST and Blackboard systems and the automation of request for instructional pay process. OV7 Determining Data and Information Collected and Distributed and the Information Resources and Technologies Managing and Using Data. The data and information collected at NTC are determined by the mission, vision and strategic directions of the College, state (WTCS) and federal requirements, accreditation guidelines and individual Team Action Plans and goals. As a college in the WTCS, state reporting requirements are at the core of the College s data collection and reporting requirements. In addition to standard systemwide reporting requirements expected of all WTCS colleges, the WTCS also awards grants that require performance measurement and accountability. The College is a recipient of significant grants provided through the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins IV) and the Adult Education and Family Literacy (AEFL) Act that evaluate College performance levels based on a Perkins report card and an AEFL report card collected through state 8 Overview

19 reporting. These reports are part of the analysis used to develop specific strategies for collegewide performance improvement. Program level data is collected and distributed as part of the Quality Review Process, a collaborative effort between the WTCS and its colleges to evaluate the quality of the College s educational programs, apprenticeships and basic and general education teams. As part of this evaluation process, Quality Review Process scorecards are distributed annually using data collected through state reporting. The Quality Review Process scorecards include indicators based on priorities of the College as well as WTCS and strategic directions related to grant requirements. The College s mission, vision and strategic directions, which are set by the NTC Board, determine other specific data and information needed by the College. In support of the strategic directions, Team Action Plans are developed at the ELT level and at each individual team level identifying specific team goals. The review and measured progress of these goals lead to specific reports needed by the College and by individual teams. In addition to the WTCS data requirements, the College complies with federal and state requirements through the Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS) reporting and affirmative action. Data collection and reporting needs are also driven by accreditation guidelines, most importantly The Higher Learning Commission s (HLC) Annual Institutional Update and the College s current Key Action Projects. The College s ability to govern the management and use of data through information resources and technology is mainly retained by the College itself. However, WTCS state reporting does operate under nine aligned data systems. NTC complies with the WTCS reporting guidelines and processing procedures by designing its data management system (PeopleSoft) to electronically submit student, staff, financial and survey information through each of the nine data systems and different performance edits. OV8 NTCs Key Commitments, Constraints, Challenges and Opportunities. The economic, political and logistical environment NTC operates in helps the College to identify its key commitments, constraints, challenges and opportunities with which it must operate. A comprehensive three-year strategic planning cycle provides the framework for identifying and analyzing the College s key commitments, constraints, challenges and opportunities. The College s key commitments are expressed in its newly adopted strategic directions: Growth The College achieves growth through innovation, flexibility, access and the strategic analysis and marketing of competitive and environmental information. Innovation The College implements new products or services to meet current and future stakeholder needs. Strategic Partnerships The College becomes the preferred strategic partner of K-12 districts, local communities, area businesses and industries, entrepreneurs and other institutions of higher education to support learning and economic development, establishing NTC as an educational leader. Organizational Development The College encourages and supports professional growth throughout the organization. Continuous Quality Improvement The College develops innovative ways to continually improve learning and support systems, processes and resources that enhance organizational effectiveness. Fiscal Strength The College prudently manages and strengthens its financial resources in order to thrive in a complex and changing environment. Sustainability The College demonstrates a responsible use of natural resources within College operations and learning. NTCs self-identified constraints: Northcentral Technical College June 2010 AQIP Systems Portfolio Accounting for reduced funding from stagnating property values Adhering to WTCS statutory requirements Increasing competition from for-profit educational facilities Managing unpredictable levels of state aid from year-to-year Meeting unfunded/underfunded government mandates Overcoming the image of a technical college education Providing an equal level of service across the District Providing services in a largely rural 10-county District Rising health insurance costs for employees Overview 9

20 These constraints have cross-cutting effects throughout the College. Given these constraints, the College is challenged to: Account for the limited Internet bandwidth or lack of access to high speed Internet in rural portions of the District Balance the expectations of four bargaining units while functioning as a flexible and accessible institution Budget with decreased funding while maintaining the same level of service, especially with no additional financial support to serve a significant influx of dislocated workers Maximize finite financial resources with ever-increasing cost demands Meet the differing expectations/attitudes/skills of a multi-generational student body Meet the increased demand for services due to the influx of dislocated workers, underprepared learners and people seeking a more economical education Provide a balance of high and low cost program offerings while meeting the job market demand Provide appropriate course delivery technology to reach students due to the size of the District Understand and respond to the economic struggles affecting students in an era of high unemployment, wage stagnation and economic recession These commitments, constraints and challenges have presented NTC with many opportunities. To develop and implement varied and innovative course delivery offerings To empower an engaged staff at all levels to achieve shared goals To expand partnerships with government, K-12 and other higher education institutions, business and industry To identify and cultivate alternative resources to support educational offerings, enhance or expand facilities and increase services for growth To nurture the change of the College s image as a key player in regional economic development efforts, providing additional opportunities for the College in the future OV9 NTCs Key Partnerships and Collaborations. NTC places a high value on building and maintaining strong partnerships within its 10-county region as well as within the walls of each of its seven campuses. As President Weyers states, Without collaboration, none of us can be successful. The partnerships listed in Figure OV9-1 are key in providing excellent, pertinent and cost-effective educational services to the communities served by NTC. Through these partnerships, NTC is able to leverage additional resources, expand services, support economic development and grow its educational programs and services. Figure OV9-1 showcases the dynamic collaborative partnerships that NTC has recently fostered. These entities have shown commitment to the vision and mission of NTC as they each have played a vital role in enhancing learning to provide successful experiences for students. NTCs K-16 partnerships are listed in Category 2. Figure OV9-1 NTCs Key Partnerships Business & Industry Community & Regional Government Higher Learning NTCs Key Partnerships Practicum/clinical sites; training consortia; industry consortia; Tech Connect; unions; individual businesses; advisory committees. Economic development; agriculture; Chambers of Commerce; non-profits/community-based Organizations (CBOs); NTC Foundation; local foundations. Workforce Development; Wisconsin state departments; correctional facilities; federal departments; WTCS; sister colleges; city/county agencies; tribal government; K-12. HLC; AQIP; third-party accreditation; Continuous Quality Improvement Network (CQIN); educational partnerships; post-secondary institutions (2 & 4 year); international learning Community Colleges for International Development, Inc. (CCID), Georgetown Center for Intercultural Education and Development (CIED), Midwest Institute for International/ Intercultural Education (MIIIE), Illinois Consortium for International Studies and Programs (ICISP). 10 Overview

21 Category 1 Helping Students Learn 1P1 NTCs Common Learning Objectives. Common learning objectives represent overall employability skills and knowledge graduates need to be successful in the workplace. Common learning objectives, called core abilities at NTC, were established in 1998 and follow the core ability model adopted by the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS). NTCs core abilities were reevaluated in 2002 resulting in a more focused list of learning objectives created and validated by internal and external stakeholders. In 2003, 75 key stakeholders (consisting of business leaders, community, student panels, faculty members and curriculum support staff) assisted in the creation of core ability indicators that may be used to measure student attainment of these common learning objectives. Core abilities, listed in Figure 1P1-1, are embedded in curricula in general education, associate degrees, technical diplomas, certificates and stand alone courses. They are annually reviewed at a program and course level through the Curriculum Modification Process. Figure 1P2-1 NTCs PBL Model NTCs Core Abilities Act responsibly Communicate clearly Demonstrate integrity Develop global awareness Think critically and creatively Work cooperatively Work productively Figure 1P1-1 Core Abilities 1P2 Program Learning Objectives. College programs have specific learning objectives called program outcomes and courses have learning objectives called course competencies that represent occupation-specific abilities graduates need for occupational success. Programs that have an external credentialing body that has direct or indirect oversight of educational outcomes (for credentialing or certification purposes) have established learning outcomes that align with the credentialing authorities requirements. These credentialing authorities include, but are not limited to, the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission, National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences and the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation. NTCs Performance-Based Learning Model DACUM Industry Exit Learning Outcomes + = Occupational Analysis Standards Core Abilities Link Competencies & Performance Criteria/Conditions Programs offered in response to local workforce and industry needs are established using the DACUM (Designing a Curriculum) process. A DACUM team includes employers and practitioners in the occupational field along with educators. The process begins with the end in mind, as DACUM team members work to identify duties and tasks required for the profession. Faculty use DACUM results to design program and course outcomes, which are endorsed by program advisory committees. Programs that are offered at most of the 16 WTCS schools often have a statewide curriculum development and modification process for the purpose of aligning curriculum across the system. The alignment process, facilitated by a WTCS curriculum specialist, assists the technical colleges to align program outcomes and course competencies. Program outcomes are reviewed on an annual basis by program advisory committees to ensure outcomes remain relevant to workforce needs. Figure 1P2-1 shows how NTCs performancebased learning (PBL) model determines program learning objectives. Learning Objective Learning Activity What will I teach? Learning Objective How will the student learn the content to perform the skill? Learning Activity Learning or Assessment Learning Objective Learning Activity How will I know if the student learned? Performance Standards Criterion Criterion Criterion Condition How will the student prove their learning? Performance Assessment Task Category 1 Helping Students Learn 11

22 1P3 New Program and Course Design. NTC has a sequential Product Development Plan process. Development phases include: Expansion, Investigation, Development, Implementation and Review. Figure 1P3-1 illustrates this process. New learning opportunities identified by the Learning Team based on workforce and community demands are preliminarily investigated through secondary research methods (DACUMs). Once the investigation is completed, a decision is made to advance the product to the next phase, development or end the process. After development the product goes to the implementation phase. The implementation phase begins with offering courses or programs. Each dean is able to review and update the Product Development Plan on a monthly basis through the Product Development Database. New programs are subject to the program implementation process set forth by the WTCS Office. This process includes extensive research into the employability and wage potential of graduates, uniqueness of the offering within the system and program cost to taxpayers. Both the NTC and WTCS Board of Trustees are involved in approving new opportunities. To ensure workforce readiness and the competitive advantage of program graduates, NTC involves local workforce representatives on New Program Implementation Teams. These participants represent the unique needs of the District s employers for a given sector and assist with aspects of implementation including program content and outcomes, integration of core abilities, structure, format and delivery method. In addition, local business and industry assist the College in identifying the global economic needs of new programs to ensure graduates are prepared for their integration into the ever-evolving global market. Figure 1P3-1 NTCs Product Development Plan Process 12 Category 1 Helping Students Learn

23 1P4 Designing Responsive Academic Programming. NTC recognizes that each learner and every industry are unique. Students come to the College with specific learning and career goals, which may or may not change during their learning journey. Similarly, industry needs for skilled workers continue to progress and transform as their business evolves. Offerings range from courses, certificates, short-term technical diplomas, one- and two-year technical diplomas to associate degrees designed for completion in two years. Recognizing that one size does not fit all, NTC provides learning in different formats, modes and timeframes. The College works to ensure that each offering provides as many academic and career laddering opportunities as possible to meet the dynamic goals of NTCs students. These laddering opportunities are accessible via the transfer section located on the NTC website. The design and implementation of most courses and certificates are at the discretion of the NTC District. These offerings allow the College to rapidly respond to employee and employer needs within the communities it serves. The short-term nature of these offerings allow for swift design and implementation of curriculum that can provide entry-level or continued training. For example, coursework may include ways to enhance technology skills, such as competence in the use of new software or introduce the use of a new technique or skill within the profession. NTC continues to grow its offerings in the area of short-term certificates as the demand for post associate and bachelor s degree skills rise. These offerings allow students to enhance and update their knowledge and skills to meet the dynamic requirements of the workplace and help them demonstrate their unique skill set and capacity to positively impact the workplace. Short-term, one- and two-year technical diploma and associate degree programs are designed to assist in the development of workforce skills that require hands-on acquisition of skills. In partnership with industry, the College strives to deliver academic content in a format that encourages the greatest achievement of competence in a short period of time. This recognizes not only the need of employers, but the goals of students who wish to gain experience in a skilled trade that will quickly allow them to enter the workforce and also keep the investment in education relative to the earning potential of their career. 1P5 Preparation Required of Students. Although testing of the preparation requirements of students for specific courses and programs is administered by Student Services, these requirements are determined by the Learning Team in conjunction with program teams. To determine required student preparedness, academic deans meet with teams to review and recommend entry-level program admission requirements using a variety of external criteria and internal information including success rates of current and past students, state and federal statutes, peer institution admissions criteria, advisory committee input and statewide curriculum project team recommendations. Criteria are established during the program development process and annually reviewed to avoid turning away potential students or ensure enrolling prepared students. In addition to successful completion of their high school degree or GED/HSED, potential students complete admissions testing to assess their preparation for program courses. Students not meeting the required scores do self-paced remediation in the Learning Center as described in 1P8. Utilizing the general education courses common to all programs, the College is determining the appropriate general education entrance criteria for programs. Program teams are asked to use the admissions score recommendations set forth by the general education faculty related to the courses they have selected for their program requirements. To further ensure successful retention of students, NTC program teams carefully evaluate course sequencing and course prerequisite and co-requisite requirements within the curriculum. Keeping flexibility in mind at all times, program teams layout the progression of courses ideal for student attainment of competence and ultimately student success. 1P6 Communicate Expectations to Students. NTC utilizes a variety of methods to share information about the College with current and prospective students including print media, face-to-face communication strategies and electronic marketing incorporating radio, television, web and social-networking components. This communication focuses on general College information along with preparation needed to enroll at NTC, support services available to assist in that preparation, learning objectives and outcomes for programs and pathways for education beyond NTC. The Student Services team provides integral connections with prospective students including those who are leaving the K-12 systems in our communities and returning adults wishing to retool their career or expand their knowledge related to a current position. Career Coaches work within the K-12 schools to provide students and parents with information on the array of courses, certificates and programs available. In addition, they assist students in gaining the appropriate academic preparation required for their career path while still in high school. While often focusing more broadly on supporting student s pathways to higher education, the Career Coaches utilize the College s website and print media to attract future learners and provide clear communication about program requirements and objectives. Enrollment advisors work with all other prospective NTC students to assist in the enrollment needs Category 1 Helping Students Learn 13

24 of traditional and non-traditional students. The enrollment advisors also work with the unique needs of returning adults who often balance their academic work with their family life along with part or full-time employment. Once students make their program or course selection, they are directed to a new student orientation which assists them with course registration. Students can register online or in-person at all campuses. 1P7 Selection of Programs of Study. While academic preparation is of vital importance, NTC believes that determining a career path and being successful in the completion of a program often involves more than academic ability. Students have access to a number of opportunities aimed at ensuring appropriate career selection and successful progress toward a certificate, diploma or degree. Each certificate and program at NTC identifies the competencies and skills that are linked to student success. Prospective students are provided this information via the catalog. In their conversations with members of the Student Services Team, students gain a better understanding of the demands of the program academically and career options following graduation. They are also offered information on tuition fees and book costs. Program teams also provide prospective and entering students with information and orientations that outline program details and career information. For students who are undecided or unsure about their career path, Student Services offers Career Decisions workshops. These courses are designed to provide students with a series of aptitude, personality and lifestyle tools that help students establish focus and determine a career path that is a good fit. NTC has created a Rapid Response Team, in collaboration with area Job Centers/Concentrated Employment Program (CEP) offices, to provide immediate onsite career services in the case of mass layoffs, business closings or reorganizations. The Rapid Response Team includes individuals from the Student Services team as well as staff from local and state entities. 1P8 Underprepared Students. Upon application, prospective students are asked to complete admissions testing if they have not previously completed any other higher education or have not taken an entrance exam such as the ACT, SAT or Compass. Students who do not demonstrate adequate preparation through the administration of admissions testing meet with Admissions Team members to discuss concerns and develop a remediation plan. Students are referred to Learning Center services where they can receive additional training and support to raise their level of competence and, ultimately, confidence in those academic areas. These services include GED/HSED preparation; skill building in basic reading, writing, math and science; study skills; preparation for college entrance exams; English Language Learners (ELL) and computer and financial skill development. Upon completing the required remediation, students are eligible for acceptance into a program. 1P9 Students Learning Styles. The College provides training in detecting and addressing various student learning styles for faculty through their required WTCS instructor certification course in teaching methods, through the new faculty orientation program and ongoing College professional development. This training helps faculty identify multiple learning styles, create a variety of learning activities to address learning styles and detect students learning styles through observation and student feedback. NTC pro-actively designs courses to address a variety of learning styles through learning activities. NTC provides faculty tools to present course materials through multiple means and modalities such as video (Intelecom, Films on Demand), instructor-created videos and interactive tools (blogs, wikis, discussion boards, podcasting, Adobe Presenter). NTC also addresses differences in students learning styles by offering courses in differing modes of delivery to allow students to choose their best path of learning. Learn Your Way courses allow students to select delivery methods that best accommodate their learning style while offering flexibility. Courses are designed using learning techniques, including brain-based, that appeal to all learning styles through multiple approaches to learning such as group work, visual interaction and audio. Instructional supervisors have a tool in which to provide the faculty feedback on addressing multiple learning styles through classroom evaluation utilizing a faculty evaluation rubric. 1P10 Special Needs of Student Subgroups. NTC is committed to providing reasonable accommodations that allow students with disabilities to fully participate in the technical college environment. It is the policy and practice of NTC to comply with Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act as well as the Americans with Disability Act of Accommodations appropriate to the disability shall be provided to qualified individuals who provide documentation to the College. Services available include: interpreting, note taking, testing accommodations, textbook and materials in alternative format, assistive technology and other accommodations according to need. The College TRiO Student Support Services program provides assistance to first generation students, low income students and students with a disability. TRiO is a federally funded program providing enhanced support services and utilizing a care management approach for students who meet eligibility requirements. This program allows TRiO students 14 Category 1 Helping Students Learn

25 access to technology they could not purchase on their own, by offering a technology loan program for the following items: Digital tape recorders Laptops Pocket PCs Northcentral Technical College June 2010 AQIP Systems Portfolio Any person needing basic education services has access to non-tuition bearing courses at the Learning Center to support their learning and remediation. Students can improve basic reading, writing and math skills, study for tests such as the GED/HSED, work on job skills, receive one-on-one counseling about careers, prepare to go back to college, learn English as a second language and take GED/HSED, placement and employment tests. NTC provides incarcerated individuals with basic education services and GED testing, offering the same programs as the Learning Center at all NTC District county jails including the Menomonee Tribal Detention Center. NTC welcomes international students and provides specific support services tailored to encourage their success with international education staff linguistically and culturally familiar with the students' countries. Students have a dedicated student services counselor and frequent student guidance meetings are held for international students. NTC also helps international students integrate into the community through engaging them in community service and identifying unpaid internship opportunities with businesses, non-profit organizations and government agencies. Connecting with community members as host families and mentors is another significant service offered to the students. A minority student coordinator/advisor aids in recruiting and provides a linguistic match to Asian students and parents. The specialist provides minorities assistance with selection of career and program areas, advisement of admission requirements, orientation to College activities, explanation of program resources and procedures, assistance with financial aid and assistance with other educational-related issues for minority students. Also, NTC seeks additional funds to do specific programming for special populations. For example, NTC sought out grant funding to support minority nursing assistant students who were struggling to complete the traditional nursing assistant program. In NTC provided a customized course for these students where ELL content was integrated with nursing assistant course content. One hundred percent of the first cohort completed the program compared to an average 62% course completion rate for minority nursing assistant students from To accommodate the needs of students in its large, rural District, NTC has focused attention on providing outreach service to outlying areas by increasing the amount of programs and courses offered at regional campuses. This expansion includes investments in technology infrastructure and instructional technologies such as Adobe Connect, Camtasia Relay and podcasts to increase opportunities for our regional learners. Enrollment and academic advising is available to students at the regional campuses. NTC is also investing in the regional infrastructure, adding classroom space to five of six regional locations in the last three years. The services available to students on the main campus are being made available to students at regional campuses. For example, a regional campus student needing counseling can meet with a counselor via video conferencing. Career Decisions classes are also taught by instructors on regional campuses at various times of the year. Due to stakeholder need and rapidly changing economic conditions, displaced workers coming to regional campuses have increased significantly. NTCs Regional Planning Charter Team examined these issues and the College responded by increasing adult basic education services, career counseling services and enrollment advising at regional campuses to meet this growing need. In response to this growing population, regional campuses have increased course offerings for short-term certificates, general education classes and technical diplomas. 1P11 Expectations for Effective Teaching and Learning. As a performance-based learning institution, effective teaching and learning is central to NTC. The College s expectations for teaching and learning are defined, documented and communicated through several processes including: instructor training and certification courses, orientations, faculty evaluations, the Worldwide Instructional Design Software (WIDS) curriculum model and the curriculum development process. Figure 1P11-1 shows NTC s Curriculum Development and Delivery Format process. Instructors are expected to define performance standards at the course and program level. Instructors are expected to document learning objectives and performance standards and communicate learning objectives and performance standards to students. Organizational Development facilitates training on collegewide policies, tools and initiatives through staff development in-service days, specialized training and instructor certification opportunities. All full-time and adjunct Category 1 Helping Students Learn 15

26 faculty are required to participate in statewide certification courses which include learning experiences in curriculum and course construction and educational evaluation. Educational Support Services (ESS) provides individual and group faculty training on curriculum design, teaching best practices, use of technology for instruction and online course facilitation and development. New full-time faculty participate in the new faculty orientation process through which they learn about the institutions beliefs and practices related to teaching and learning. Figure 1P11-1 Curriculum Development Process The College evaluates effective teaching using the performance-based model outlined in the Evaluation Handbook. The handbook, given to all full-time faculty, outlines the evaluation process and provides structured planning to improve instruction. The formal faculty evaluation process has four inputs: student evaluation of instruction, self-analysis by the individual faculty member, classroom observation and supervisor evaluation. According to NTCs Evaluation Handbook the faculty evaluation process is meant to be flexible, incorporating a broad variety of methods in which each faculty member can demonstrate their commitment to excellence. The College defines its expectations for effective teaching and learning through the development of performance-based course curriculum using WIDS. Curriculum is developed in WIDS through the curriculum development process for all new and updated courses. These courses include required content and delivery guidelines. Learning and performance expectations for all courses are presented in individual course syllabi at the start of each course. Online course curriculum is developed following online learning course standards which were created by NTCs online learning committee. These standards are applied to all new and revised fully online and hybrid (mix of in-person and online) courses through the curriculum development process. Curriculum that is developed in WIDS, representing all modes of delivery is published and accessible to all instructors, administrators and support staff within a curriculum repository site on the College s intranet. 1P12 Course Delivery System. NTC is a performance-based institution, meaning that students must demonstrate competency on identified performance-based tasks within each course in order to receive a passing grade. Therefore, all curriculum standards include performance-based outcomes that identify what standards students must master. The College uses an innovative approach in order to meet the organization s requirements of a flexible and accessible course delivery system for the District. The Learning Division has the responsibility for the care and custody of an effective and efficient course offering and delivery system. NTC embraces and is founded on a performance-based competency curriculum. Performance standards, conditions and criteria are established to ensure that the curriculum meets the District and state requirements. Additionally, the College works to integrate innovative approaches to ensure that advancements in technologies are embedded into the instructional design and delivery process in order to respond to NTC learners diverse geographic and demographic needs. This is critical as the College s learners range from high school graduates to adults returning to school after many years in the local work force. Also, NTCs learners are spread out over a District that is geographically large, primarily rural and prone to extremes of weather, especially in the winter months. The Learning Team has identified six key elements in building an effective and efficient course delivery system that ensures a synergy between organizational and student needs. These six key elements are identified in the NTC 16 Category 1 Helping Students Learn

27 Course Utilization Policy. This policy allows the College to identify the criteria for making solid and evidence-based decisions regarding the viability of running a course during a specific term. These six key elements are identified below: 1. Do the students need to complete a certificate or degree to graduate? 2. Does the location of the course and the availability meet the needs of regional students? 3. Does the availability of multiple modes of delivery ensure a flexible environment for NTCs learners? 4. Does the course meet a specialized request that has come from a District stakeholder and/or to meet student needs? 5. Is this course being offered as part of the implementation of a new initiative? 6. Is the course likely to recover its cost? To meet organizational requirements, NTC has designed, developed and implemented an Office for Educational Support Services (ESS). ESS provides the institutional framework for the instructional design and delivery of curriculum and courses in the College. NTC created the ESS office by strategically assembling resources from across the College to form this team, believing that by combining what was a series of disconnected resources the College could enhance its ability to provide both a systematic and comprehensive approach to meet the organizational requirements of NTC. 1P13 Ensuring Program and Course Currency and Effectiveness. Feedback is essential in ensuring program and course effectiveness and currency. Semi-annual advisory committee feedback drives program improvement through curriculum updates, program feedback, assessment/ evaluation tools and through evaluation of the summative assessment. Graduate feedback, formal (Graduate Follow-Up Survey) and informal, is a second key element in maintaining program and course effectiveness. Recent graduates provide feedback regarding employment readiness and skills or competencies the graduate is utilizing or is lacking and should be incorporated or emphasized in the program. Additionally, regular course evaluations and instructor evaluations provide feedback to instructors and deans regarding individual courses and instructors. These evaluations are another way of ensuring effectiveness in the classroom. Lastly, program accreditation agency feedback reports also serve to inform programs of necessary improvements. Figure 1P13-1 The First Year of Academic QRP In addition to feedback, NTC educational programs, general education programs, basic skills areas and apprenticeship areas participate in a comprehensive program review, the Quality Review Process, on a four-year cycle. Each year, 25 percent of programs are reviewed as part of the continuous improvement process. Reviews focus on a self-study, analysis of WTCS scorecard data, and identifying future trends that may impact the program. Figure 1P13-1 illustrates the First Category 1 Helping Students Learn 17

28 Year of Academic Quality Review Process (QRP). During the self-study, programs examine point-in-time data elements, curriculum documentation, program-specific Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) survey results, Instructional Vitality Process findings and stakeholder feedback from students and advisory committees to further understand program performance. Each program s WTCS scorecard focuses on the following quality indicators: course completion, retention, graduation, job placement, enrollment, FTEs and number of graduates. The WTCS provides scorecards to all programs for systemwide benchmarking. Programs also collect industry future trends from their advisory committees. Programs submit recommendations and a quality plan based on datainformed analysis of scorecard results, future trends and self-assessment results. Quality plans are also aligned with collegewide initiatives, grant projects, Team Action Plans and capital requests. Quality plans are housed in a database and updated yearly. On an annual basis all programs, certificates and general education courses participate in the curriculum modification process. Using advisory committee feedback and Quality Review Process findings, the curriculum modification process systematically examines curriculum structure and sequence, course descriptions, course credits, course configurations and pre/corequisites for each program to ensure accuracy and potential transferability. The curriculum modification process gives learning divisions a framework to ensure programs have all necessary courses in place and sequenced to give students the best learning experience. The deadlines for the process are set to ensure that information is available for students to complete an accurate and smooth registration process. Advisory committees review any changes involved in the curriculum modification process. Programs gather advisory committee feedback and develop recommendations for improvement, expansion and innovation. To address the effectiveness of curriculum development dollars, NTC evaluates Curriculum Return on Investment data annually. All paid curriculum projects are tracked measuring enrollments and FTE generated by the course. Through both quantitative and qualitative analysis, curriculum projects are reviewed for productivity (Figure 1P3-1). 1P14 Program/Course Change or Discontinuation. The Instructional Vitality Process used by the College ensures the instructional offerings are aligned with District workforce needs. Instructional offerings are reviewed and analyzed in accordance with the following categories: Graduate placement Instructional area cost per FTE Instructional area enrollment and FTE Program applications Program credit breakdown Program enrollment and FTE Program term-to-term retention Labor market projections Based on Instructional Vitality Process data, instructional areas develop strategies to address any concerns arising from the Instructional Vitality Process. In some cases program expansion or enhancement is driven by Instructional Vitality Process findings, while in other cases Instructional Vitality Process findings initiates program or course discontinuation. Operational objectives for the Instructional Vitality Process include creating a culture of evidence whereby systematic analysis can be continually conducted and shared with instructional areas to identify and communicate best practices, early challenges, and corrective actions. Best practices are shared to help other programs improve. In addition, Instructional Vitality Process findings are included in instructional Team Action Plans and Quality Review Process plans. NTCs Instructional Vitality Process aligns with the College s second community benefits statement Workplaces have an available and skilled workforce. 1P15 Learning Support Needs. NTC uses a variety of different methods to determine the learning support needs of its students and faculty. Students and employees participate in Presidential Listening Sessions every three years as part of the College s strategic planning process. The College began using the Noel-Levitz SSI to collect information on the satisfaction and importance of services offered throughout the College and plans to distribute the survey every three years. Support needs of students and faculty are also determined through feedback collected as part of the College s service team Quality Review Process. The Student Governing Board (SGB) plays a role in 18 Category 1 Helping Students Learn

29 determining and addressing student needs relative to learning support as it provides a forum for discussing campus affairs that concern students. Learning support of students and faculty are further established through analysis of data trends, including the Perkins Performance Scorecard, use of current support services, advancements in educational technology and a variety of other feedback methods. Student Services addresses the learning support needs of students through guidance and support from the time a student inquires about or applies to NTC until after the student graduates or reaches his/her identified goal(s). To ensure students are academically prepared, NTC Student Services provides admissions testing (1P8) and if needed, remediation through its Learning Centers (1P8). A Career Decisions class is offered to students to aid in the selection of a career path (1P7). To further address the learning support needs of NTCs students, the following support is provided through Student Services: Academic Advising provides academic support for learners regarding program qualifications, course selection, prerequisites, recommended credit loads, scheduling, registration and graduation. Counseling assists individuals for career indecision and personal concerns and workshops focusing on stress reduction, test anxiety, time management and study skills. Peer Tutoring supports students through a tutor-led study group or individual tutor. Placement assists students stepping into the workforce with one-on-one career advising, employment opportunities, job seeking skills classes, registration for job postings and assistance with job applications and resumes. Transfer helps students explore the many possibilities for continuing their education after NTC. TRiO Student Support Service offers academic, personal and financial support to eligible students (1P10). Through analysis of the Perkins Performance Scorecard, the College determined a need for additional support focusing on online students. To address this need, NTC began piloting an Online Learning Specialist position in with the primary goal of increasing online course completion and retention for Information Technology (IT) and Marketing program students (6I1). This position provides case management and advisement support to online students, in addition to an orientation to the virtual learning environment, educating students on the time and resource commitments necessary for successful online completion. The College provides a Help Desk for both students and staff that supports learning through technical assistance. Faculty and staff are provided assistance with any computer hardware, software or network issue. Students can receive support with issues ranging from log-in problems, browser settings and software or download issues. The Help Desk is available 24 hours a day and students and staff can submit a work request by phone or . ESS provides faculty and staff with pedagogical resources to support learning. ESS supports and advises faculty in the integration of current and emerging technologies within the learning environment. This support includes: Blackboard training and support Curriculum development and management Instructional design Library services Online course development Multimedia development The library provides students, faculty and staff with resources in various formats including print, AV and electronic as well as guidance in the use of available resources. The library selects resources to support NTC program offerings, provide one-on-one support in response to specific user needs or questions and develops support materials/processes based on frequently asked questions, direct observation and to encourage use of newly available materials. Category 1 Helping Students Learn 19

30 The College also provides learning support to faculty through the Organizational Development (OD) office. OD is responsible for internal employee orientation, training and ongoing development. The OD office addresses the learning support needs of faculty and staff through two in-service days, Think Tank sessions, new employee and adjunct orientations, certification courses and the Learning Management System (LMS). Further explanation of OD services and support processes are provided in Category Four (4P3-4, 4P8-9). The College has adopted a standard smart classroom, which has an array of instructional technologies. The latest-generation smart classroom includes an instructor desk with a touch-panel control, a desktop computer, a connection point for a laptop, a document camera, a DVD/VHS player, speakers and a ceiling mounted LCD projector. Some of the smart classrooms are also equipped with lecture capture equipment for later use in a digital form. By summer % of classrooms identified for smart technology use will be smart classrooms. In NTC had 30 smart classrooms districtwide, while in NTC had 126 smart classrooms districtwide. 1P16 Co-curricular Development Goals. NTC provides students with co-curricular opportunities that align with the mission and vision of the College. NTCs Student Life department works with staff throughout the College to offer social, educational, leadership and diversity programming that compliments what is learned in the classroom and aligns with NTCs core abilities. By participating in Student Life organizations, students can be introduced to career opportunities, develop special interests and talents, acquire leadership skills and work with other students to accomplish mutual goals. Student Life programs offers participation in SGB, student organizations, intramural athletics and recreational sports. Being involved with Student Life enriches an individual s educational experience by supplementing the occupational component of technical education. The SGB represents the entire NTC student body (day, evening, regional campuses, online). The purpose of the organization is to provide students with a forum for discussing campus affairs that concern students, to promote school morale, to foster good staff-student relations and to promote public relations between the College and the community. The NTC Student Governing Board/Student Life Office manages a $400,000 yearly budget which is funded through student activity fees. Many educational programs have developed student organizations aligned with their program objectives. Since 2008, more than 30 student organizations have been created at NTC (Figure 1P16-1). Each organization has a faculty advisor and provides educational experiences for its members. Organization activities to promote career awareness such as trips to conventions and conferences, skill-related competitions and visits to business and industry benefit NTC students. For example, the Human Services Club sponsors an annual trip to Jamaica that reinforces curricular learning objectives and NTCs core abilities and provides community service. Figure 1P16-1 Student Organizations at NTC Accounting Business Professionals of America (BPA) Beta Rho Zeta Campus Crusade for Christ Computer Club (AITP) Criminal Justice Delta Epsilon Chi Dental Hygiene Diversity Club Early Childhood Education Electromechanical Electronics Student Organizations at NTC Human Services Print Club Human Services-Jamaica National Association of Home I-Sign Builders (NAHB) Instrumentation Systems and Residential Design Automation Society (ISA) Student Governing Board International Club Student Nurse Club Machine Tool Welding Mechanical Design/SME ANTIGO Auto Collision Medical Assistant Repair Non Traditional Student ANTIGO - Business Education Association ANTIGO - Machine Tool Post-Secondary Ag Students ANTIGO - Welding (PAS) 20 Category 1 Helping Students Learn

31 1P17 Student Learning and Development Expectations. NTC uses multiple measures to discover how wellprepared students completing occupational programs (degrees) and certificates are for employment, further education or meeting their goals: 1) At a course level learners successfully complete all program courses and competencies (Figures 1R2-1, 1R3-1). 2) At a program level (degree), learners must complete a summative assessment where learners are required to demonstrate mastery of program outcomes. The assessment could be a national registry exam, a capstone project, a portfolio, an internship or a combination of major assessments completed throughout the program. Employers also provide the external feedback for the summative assessment on core abilities (Figure 1R2-2). At this time programs are aligning current summative assessments with WTCS summative assessments. 3) In addition to the direct measures of learning, NTC uses a variety of ongoing and follow-up measures of learning to discover how well NTC students are meeting the educational goals of the institution: Advisory committee/community stakeholder dialogue Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins IV) performance standards/wtcs Quality Review Process (Quality Review Process scorecard) (Figures 6R2-3, 7P1-2) Five-Year Graduate Follow-Up Survey Conducted five years after graduation (Figure 1R3-4) Graduate Follow-Up Survey The yearly survey conducted six months after graduation to determine graduate placement (Figures 1R5-5) and graduate satisfaction (Figure 1R3-3) Licensure/certificate exam pass rates/scores (Figures 1R4-1, 1R6-1) Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) survey results (Figures 1R5-1, 1R6-2) NTC graduation rates (Figure 1R3-2) Program accreditation agency feedback reports Quality Review Process self-study conversations and subsequent quality plans 4) NTC monitors transfer information on students who have continued their education as an outcome of collaborative partnerships and relationships (Results in Figure 2R2-1). Although college transfer is not NTCs primary mission, a consistent number of students transferred to public and private baccalaureate institutions over the past two years. 1P18 Assessment of Student Learning. Entry level assessment: NTC identifies the remediation needs of entrylevel students by administering the Accuplacer prior to student program enrollment. ACT scores or credit for prior learning is also taken into account. If the student is not ready for the classroom, additional diagnostic testing using the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) further identifies the specific remediation needs of the student. To ensure the attainment of needed skills, the TABE is administered again following remediation to determine if students attained the skills needed to enter program courses. Ongoing Assessment: NTC is a performance-based learning (PBL) institution. At a course level, learners complete ongoing formative assessments as well as performance assessment tasks that demonstrate their mastery of course competencies. General Education Outcomes are defined as the College s core abilities (Figure 1P1-1). The General Education Outcomes are embedded within general education and program course competencies. Exit Assessment: At a program level (associate degree or technical diploma), learners complete a summative assessment to demonstrate mastery of program outcomes. The assessment takes various forms such as a national registry exam, a capstone project, a portfolio, an internship or a combination of major assessments. In fall 2009, NTC began collecting a summary of NTCs summative assessment results in an internal database to track results and continuous improvement measures. The database streamlines work for faculty and for staff supporting the assessment processes. In addition, the database assists in the creation and maintenance of benchmarks and historical data for assessment activities. A cross-functional assessment committee, chaired by a dean with faculty representation, facilitates the assessment process at NTC. Category 1 Helping Students Learn 21

32 NTC is participating in a WTCS initiative to create statewide summative assessments for programs. Summative assessment data will be reported to the WTCS and benchmarked. At this time the summative WTCS assessments (Technical Skill Attainment) is a program-wide aligned summative assessment with one or more common rubrics. According to the WTCS website, The Technical Skills Attainment project is a major systemwide initiative required by the federal government under Carl Perkins IV legislation. The System Office's role is to implement and manage this requirement for the over 349 programs impacted. The project started in FY2008 and will continue for the next five years. WTCS programs will assess the attainment of program outcomes to ensure graduates have the technical skills needed by employers. Program faculty from designated colleges throughout the WTCS are configuring summative assessments. NTC program faculty are represented on statewide program Technical Skills Attainment committees. 1R1 Measures of Student Learning and Development. NTC collects both direct and indirect measures of student learning and development that are analyzed regularly. Direct measures of student learning include program summative exit assessment. Examples include licensure/certificate exam pass rates/scores (Figures 1R4-1, 1R6-1). Employers provide the external feedback for the summative assessment on program outcomes, competencies and core abilities. NTC uses a variety of measures of learning to discover how well students are prepared to meet their educational goals: Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins IV) performance standards (Figures 1R2-1, 1R3-1, 6R2-3) Employer Satisfaction Survey (Figure 1R2-2) Five-Year Graduate Follow-Up Survey conducted five years after graduation (Figure 1R3-4) Graduate Follow-Up Survey results conducted six months after graduation (Figure 1R5-5) Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) results for NTC (Figures 1R5-1, 1R6-2) NTC graduation rates (Figure 1R3-2) Successful completion of course competencies (course completion rates) (Figures 1R2-1, 1R3-1) WTCS Quality Review Process and scorecard (scorecard sample in Figure 7P1-2) 1R2 Performance Results for Common Student Learning Objectives. NTC defines its common student learning and development objectives as its core abilities, program outcomes and competencies. NTC gathers performance results for its common student learning and development objectives through employer and graduate surveys. Every three years NTC conducts an Employer Satisfaction Survey (Figure 1R2-2). NTC collects data on employer s perceptions of recent graduates and how well they meet the employer s expectations in three major areas: 1. technical work skills 2. people skills 3. attitude Comparing 2005 to 2008 survey results, NTC graduate performance improved or was maintained in 18 of 19 categories. NTC programs continue to link core abilities to course curriculum throughout the College. NTCs General Studies course completion scores serve as a measure of NTC student achievement for common student learning and development objectives (Figure 1R2-1). When measuring the percentage of the entire student body passing their General Studies courses in , NTC ranked second among the 16 WTCS colleges with an 82% academic course completion rate. NTC also uses placement results from the Graduate Follow-Up Survey (Figure 1R5-5) and from the Five-Year Follow-Up Study (Figure 1R3-4) as another measure of the common student learning and development objectives of core abilities. Figure 1R2-1 NTC Academic Course Completion NTC Academic Course Completion NTC Average 85% 84% 84% 84% 82% WTCS Average 77% 77% 76% 76% 76% Source: WTCS Perkins Post-Secondary Report Cards 22 Category 1 Helping Students Learn

33 Figure 1R2-2 NTCs 2005 and 2008 Employer Satisfaction Survey Results NTCs 2005 and 2008 Employer Satisfaction Survey Results % Meets or Exceeds Expectations Survey Question Occupational knowledge related to job. 93% 88% 2. Application of occupational knowledge related to job. 90% 90% 3. Use/operation of equipment, tools and materials. 86% 87% 4. Problem solving skills. 78% 83% 5. Reading and writing skills. 92% 93% 6. Completes work in accordance with quality standards. 86% 91% 7. Organizational skills. 79% 84% 8. Computer skills. 69% 76% 9. Math skills. 76% 77% 10. Listening and speaking skills. 90% 91% 11. Interpersonal skills. 86% 89% 12. Work effectively in a team or group. 84% 90% 13. Customer focused. 91% 92% 14. Seeks to continuously improve performance. 86% 89% 15. Demonstrates good work ethic. 88% 89% 16. Accepts advice, supervision and constructive criticism. 87% 90% % Satisfied or Very Satisfied 17. Satisfaction with graduate's technical college education. 95% 95% % Yes 18. Recommend graduates of this program to another employer. 91% 92% 19. Hire a technical college graduate again. 95% 96% Total Responses Source: NTC 2005 and 2008 Employer Satisfaction Survey Results 1R3 Performance Results for Program Learning Objectives. NTCs performance results for specific program learning objectives (outcomes) include course completion, graduation rates and placement data. Annually each program reviews these outcomes through the Quality Review Process. NTC is a performance-based learning institution and uses course completion as a measure of students acquiring program learning outcomes. Figure 1R3-1 NTC Technical Course Completion Rates NTC Technical Course Completion Rates NTC Average 84% 84% 82% 79% 83% WTCS Average 82% 81% 80% 79% 81% Source: WTCS Perkins Post-Secondary Report Cards Category 1 Helping Students Learn 23

34 Technical course completion rates (program-related courses) are shown on the previous page in Figure 1R3-1. NTC improved its technical course completion over the past year and continues to exceed the WTCS average. NTC students that graduate from their program have successfully demonstrated program competencies. Figure 1R3-2 shows the College s overall graduation rates over the past five years using the WTCS Perkins Post- Secondary Report Card. NTC has surpassed the WTCS average in each of the past five years. Figure 1R3-2 NTC Graduation Rates NTC Graduation Rates NTC Average 49% 53% 60% 58% 63% WTCS Average 44% 46% 44% 44% 45% Source: WTCS Perkins Post-Secondary Report Cards The Graduate Follow-Up Survey is conducted annually to collect information regarding the activities and opinions of students approximately six months after their graduation. The most recent survey results indicated that NTC met the WTCS average in graduate satisfaction with education and training (Figure 1R3-3) and exceeded the WTCS average of graduates employed in a training related field (Figure 1R5-5). Figure 1R3-3 NTC Graduate Satisfaction NTC Graduate Satisfaction NTC Average 96% 95% 95% 97% WTCS Average 97% 97% 97% 97% Source: NTC Graduate Follow-Up Survey NTC also conducts a Five-Year Graduate Follow-Up Survey on an annual basis to study the opinions and activities of graduates who are further into their careers. Figure 1R3-4 depicts employment information of students five years after completing their degree. Figure 1R3-4 NTC Five-Year Follow-Up Placement Results NTC Five-Year Follow-Up Placement Results Overall Placement 98% 97% 97% 96% Training Related Placement 78% 81% 78% 76% Source: NTC Five-Year Graduate Follow-Up Survey 1R4 Evidence Students Acquired Knowledge and Skills Required by Stakeholders. NTC collects employer satisfaction data for all programs as evidence that the students completing programs, degrees and certificates have acquired the competencies, skills and knowledge required by stakeholders (Figure 1R2-2). The Employer Satisfaction Survey serves as a measure of student skills both technical skills and core abilities. A portion of NTCs programs utilize a standardized third-party summative assessment as evidence that students completing those programs meet stakeholder expectations (Figures 1R4-1, 1R6-1); however, there are many programs collaborating with WTCS statewide Technical Skills Attainment committees to establish a summative assessment. The WTCS is in the process of establishing Technical Skills Attainment statewide measures for summative assessment of programs and degrees. 24 Category 1 Helping Students Learn

35 Figure 1R4-1 NTCs External Assessment Pass Rate NTCs External Assessment Pass Rate Program Name/Assessment Year Pass Rate Program Name/Assessment Year Pass Rate ADN Nursing % EMT-Basic %* National Council Licensure % NREMT Registry Exam %* Examination (NCLEX) % %* Clinical Lab Tech % *Cumulative pass rate within 6 attempts. ASCP Board of Registry % Medical Assistant % % CMA (AAMA) Exam % Criminal Justice % Nursing Assistant (CNA) % Simulation Testing % Pearson Vue CNAN % % Written Exam % Dental Hygiene % Nursing Assistant (CNA) % Central Regional Dental % Skills Test % Testing Service (clinical) % % Dental Hygiene % Radiography % National Board Dental % ARRT National Registry % Hygiene Examination % % Source: Results from various national registry examination boards 1R5 Performance Results for Learning Support Processes. NTCs support services work closely with academic programs to ensure student success within the classroom and to meet the academic goals of each student. In 2008, NTC began using the Noel-Levitz SSI to measure how the College is meeting the expectation of its students. Figure 1R5-1 shows the results for several of the College s primary learning support processes. Figure 1R5-1 NTC Noel-Levitz SSI Results: Learning Support Services NTC 2008 Noel-Levitz SSI Results: Learning Support Services Item NTC WTCS National* My advisor helps me apply my program of study to career goals ~ 5.24 My academic advisor is knowledgeable about transfer requirements of other schools My academic advisor is available when I need them ~ 5.29** My academic advisor is knowledgeable about my program requirements ** 5.48** Tutoring services are readily available Counseling services are available if I need them ~ 5.34 I receive ongoing feedback about progress toward my academic goals ~ 5.06** Library resources and services are adequate Computer labs are adequate and accessible The equipment in the lab facilities is kept up to date ** * 2 year satisfaction rate based on group mean of 33,191 national community colleges. ** Mean difference statistically significant at the level. ~The question was not asked at all participating WTCS schools. Source: 2008 Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) The TRiO Student Support Services provides academic, personal and financial support to eligible students pursuing their first associate degree. The College monitors the impact of these services through the TRiO grant s Category 1 Helping Students Learn 25

36 Annual Performance Report shown in Figure 1R5-2. NTC served 170 students in 2008 and improved each measure compared to the previous two years. Figure 1R5-2 NTC TRiO Annual Performance Report NTC TRiO Annual Performance Report Students Served Advanced Standing 82% 82% 85% Retention/Transfer 87% 85% 91% Graduation/Transfer 43% 41% 46% Source: NTC TRiO Annual Performance Report Peer Tutoring in NTC classes is offered at no charge to students. Students who need help are matched with a tutorled study group or individual tutor who has excelled in the same subject. NTCs nursing program, NTCs largest associate degree program, was provided a grant to offer professional tutoring to its students led by recent program graduates currently working in the field of nursing. The tutoring program began during the fall 2008 semester and provides tutoring help within the nursing program s theory-based courses. Figure 1R5-3 shows the results of courses targeted by the grant. Figure 1R5-3 NTC Course Completion of Courses Targeted by Nursing Tutor Program NTC Course Completion of Courses Targeted by Nursing Tutor Program Courses Spring 2008 Fall 2008 Spring 2009 Fall Nursing Fundamentals 79% 84% 86% 88% Nursing Pharmacology 65% 81% 67% 85% Nursing Health Alterations 84% 96% 95% 84% Nursing Health Promotions 74% 82% 91% 75% Nursing: Complex Health Alterations 1 80% 84% 87% 76% Nursing: Complex Health Alterations 2 78% 91% 83% 67% Source: PeopleSoft Query NTCs library plays an essential role in helping students learn. The library assists students, faculty, staff and area residents with their information needs. Library resources allow users to begin the research process, locate and evaluate online and print resources, view a video or check out a book. To provide more flexible and accessible information to students and stakeholders, the College s library has significantly expanded its electronic items available in its collections and has provided more training, within the library and in classrooms, to students and faculty on the resources available. In the last five years library database and index usage (Figure 1R5-4) has increased more than five-fold from 28,407 to 148,744 searches. Figure 1R5-4 NTC Library Database and Index Usage NTC Library Database and Index Usage Number of Searches 28,407 36,875 39,848 64, ,774 Source: PeopleSoft Query Northcentral Technical College June 2010 AQIP Systems Portfolio The College's Transfer and Placement Office assists students in taking the next step into the work force. Specific activities to assist students are: creating job shadow and information interview opportunities, assisting with career advising and employment goals and establishing job seeking skills workshops and mock interview experiences. A survey is sent out to graduates each year six months after they graduate. Placement results are reported in Figure 1R5-5 on the next page. 26 Category 1 Helping Students Learn

37 Figure 1R5-5 NTC Graduate Employment Placement NTC Graduate Employment Placement NTC Overall Placement 94% 94% 94% 90% WTCS Overall Placement 92% 92% 93% 91% NTC Training Related Placement 79% 79% 77% 78% WTCS Training Related Placement 76% 76% 77% 77% Source: NTC Graduate Follow-Up Survey results and WTCS Graduate Follow-Up Survey Results The role of the Transfer and Placement Office also expanded recently to provide more services to those students interested in continuing their education to obtain advanced degrees. Figure 2R2-1 shows the number of NTC students who transferred to another college a year after completing their degree at NTC the previous year. NTC provides Learning Centers throughout its District and at its main regional campuses offering Adult Basic Education (ABE) and ELL instruction to adult learners. Instruction in the Learning Centers include: GED/HSED instruction and basic skills instruction in reading, writing and math to prepare for college courses, obtain or retain employment or for self-improvement. Services are tuition-free and additional class fees may be covered under the Adult Education and Family Literacy (AEFL) grant. As part of the AEFL grant the College is evaluated on a core set of measurements within the AEFL Scorecard. The AEFL Scorecard is listed below in Figure 1R5-6. Figure 1R5-6 NTC AEFL Scorecard Comparisons NTC AEFL Scorecard Comparisons NTC WI NTC WI NTC WI NTC WI OUTCOME 1: EDUCATIONAL GAINS ABE: Beginning Literacy 36% 43% 51% 51% 55% 55% 79% 70% ABE: Beginning Basic 37% 44% 45% 49% 56% 53% 62% 65% ABE: Intermediate Low 42% 43% 53% 49% 56% 49% 70% 64% ABE: Intermediate High 42% 42% 46% 46% 63% 49% 75% 66% ASE: Low 33% 44% 42% 54% 65% 62% 77% 65% ASE: High 51% 47% 78% 55% 67% 68% 3% 6% ELL: Beginning Literacy 24% 38% 31% 41% 22% 44% 69% 57% ELL: Beginning Basic 15% 43% 36% 53% 37% 56% 63% 58% ELL: Intermediate Low 19% 48% 30% 55% 71% 61% 75% 66% ELL: Intermediate High 25% 44% 64% 57% 73% 58% 57% 73% ELL: Advanced Low 0% 46% 67% 47% 50% 50% 50% 62% ELL: Advanced High NA 37% 100% 63% 100% 67% NA 51% OUTCOME 2: ENTERED EMPLOYMENT 39% 40% 61% 58% 66% 67% 77% 66% OUTCOME 3: RETAINED EMPLOYMENT 0% 60% 100% 78% 94% 86% 100% 61% OUTCOME 4: GED/HSED COMPLETION 77% 66% 61% 59% 93% 66% 81% 66% OUTCOME 5: CONTINUE EDUCATION 55% 61% 64% 63% 82% 71% 71% 65% Source: AEFL NRS Scorecard, WTCS Citrix Workbook 1R6 Comparative Results. Comparisons of NTC performance results with WTCS and national benchmarks are included throughout the results section. The WTCS provides numerous opportunities for comparisons through the Perkins and AEFL Report Cards, Quality Review Process scorecards (Figure 7P1-2), placement reports and open accessibility to systemwide client reporting databases. Academic Course Completion (Figure 1R2-1), Technical Course Completion (Figure 1R3-1) and Graduation Rates (Figure 1R3-2) are core measurements which are part of the WTCS Perkins Post-Secondary Report Card NTC reviews annually. Each figure shows the College exceeding the WTCS average. Category 1 Helping Students Learn 27

38 Comparisons for academic programs using external assessments show NTC students perform at a comparable rate to the national averages (Figure 1R6-1). Figure 1R5-5 shows NTC graduate placement over the past four years and how it compares to the WTCS. The College s placement has declined over the past year and has fallen below the WTCS overall average. The College attributes this decline to the recent economic conditions. However, training-related employment has remained consistent and slightly above the WTCS average. Additionally, Figure 1R3-3 shows NTC matching the WTCS average for graduate satisfaction in , with 97% of graduates satisfied with their education and training. Using the AEFL Report Card (Figure 1R5-6) NTC is able to compare with WTCS colleges and Wisconsin Community Based Organizations. In , the College equaled or exceeded the Wisconsin benchmark on 11 of 16 measures. Figure 1R6-1 NTCs External Assessment Rate Comparison NTCs External Assessment Rate Comparison Program Name/Assessment Year NTC Score National Score Clinical Lab Tech ASCP Board of Registry Dental Hygiene National Board Dental Hygiene Examination % 88.53% Dental Hygiene Central Regional Dental % 86.00% Testing Service (clinical) % 85.83% % 83.00% Radiography ARRT National Registry % 83.00% % 83.00% Sources: ASCP Board of Registry, National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, Central Regional Dental Testing Service and ARRT National Registry. As mentioned in 1R5, NTC began administering the Noel-Levitz SSI in 2008 to assess the satisfaction of its students and to benchmark against WTCS schools and two-year community colleges throughout the country. Figure 1R5-1 shows results which focus on learning support processes and Figure 1R6-2 shows results for each item focusing on instructional effectiveness. NTC compared well to the WTCS and at the national level, showing significantly higher scores on most items. Figure 1R6-2 NTC Noel-Levitz SSI: Instructional Effectiveness NTC Noel-Levitz SSI: Instructional Effectiveness Item NTC WTCS National* The quality of instruction I receive in most of my classes is excellent Faculty are fair and unbiased in their treatment of individual students Faculty provide timely feedback about my academic progress Faculty use a variety of technology and media in the classroom ~ 5.60** Faculty are usually available to students outside of class Most classes deal with practical experiences and applications ** 5.59** There are sufficient courses within my program of study available each term ~ 5.33** * 2 year satisfaction rate based on group mean of 33,191 national community colleges. ** Mean difference statistically significant at the level. ~The question was not asked at all participating WTCS schools. Source: 2008 Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) 1I1 Recent Improvements. With the arrival of NTC President Dr. Lori Weyers in 2006, NTC has undergone significant improvements for Helping Students Learn. A Learning Team composed of people from Learning, Human Resources, Student Services, Finance, Marketing and Public Relations and Grants was formed to promote communication and ensure all stakeholders were present when discussing the implementation of learning initiatives. Many learning processes were systematized, recalibrated or created including: the Curriculum Modification Process, Quality Review Process, Instructional Vitality Process, Product Development Planning and Curriculum Return on Investment. The documentation and communication of the Product Development Plan provided a 28 Category 1 Helping Students Learn

39 framework for how each process aligns together to enhance the learning division. The end result of these processes is cost-effective, sharply focused educational products for students. NTC has also been responsive to stakeholder feedback regarding flexible and accessible courses and programs. In the past three years NTC has expanded classroom space and course offerings at each of its regional centers through new construction or remodeling and has provided learners with additional course options through Weekend College, Learn Your Way and other alternative delivery modes. To ensure new offerings promoted student success, NTC started a professional development initiative called Bootcamp providing faculty and staff a set of tools to improve their knowledge, skills and abilities to diversify the delivery modes in online formats that better meet the learning styles and needs of today s learners. Each team within the Learning Division is expected to incorporate the same processes (discussed above) and performance results to drive continuous improvement. For example, each program completes the Curriculum Modification Process during the fall semester to ensure the accuracy and value of its curriculum. Programs submit information by the end of the fall term to guarantee information is accurately reported to the WTCS and is current. This ensures marketing publications can be completed in time for registration and advising that begins each spring. Individual course curriculum is presently housed in an online curriculum library, an additional improvement created recently to more easily view and track each program s curriculum and to provide ease of access. This is done so that program staff have access to curriculum and can plan for the future in terms of upgrading, writing and developing curriculum. All Learning Teams also participate in the comprehensive Quality Review Process (1P13) every four years, conducting a self-assessment, scorecard analysis, gathering advisory committee feedback and developing a quality plan. Teams monitor and update their annual progress through the standardized scorecards and WTCS level benchmarks when not participating in the four-year comprehensive review. The Instructional Vitality Process (1P14) incorporates performance indicators and snapshot data reports (academic weeks 10, 21, 43, and year-end) that are embedded into the operation of all programs and certificates. All teams are asked to analyze and discuss the indicators during the time the snapshot is taken to identify and discuss best practices, early challenges and possible corrective actions that may impact performance prior to the end of the academic year before a challenge(s) becomes too great and would impact program success. Recently NTCs link with the community has been strengthened as NTC has improved its ability to network and actively seek out opportunities to partner with business, industry and local government. To meet local and state needs for trained dairy technicians, NTC is opening the Agriculture Center of Excellence where dairy science students will have a farm learning laboratory to deepen their learning of the dairy industry through hands-on activities. Marathon County donated $1 million towards the purchase of a 110-acre farm. No institution in Wisconsin offers a two-year dairy science degree replete with hands-on training and classroom instruction in agricultural and business methods that prepare a student to establish a farm of his or her own, or seamlessly matriculate to a fouryear degree from UW-River Falls. Case IH, headquartered in Racine, Wisconsin, is partnering with NTC to provide direct access to the latest farm equipment and technology for the education of dairy science students. In spring 2010 Case IH Agriculture, in partnership with Service Motor Company, agreed to offer NTC a long-term commitment to provide farm equipment for the NTC Agriculture Center of Excellence. Case IH and Service Motor have committed to 10 years of providing state-of-the-art Case IH equipment to meet the annual needs of the Agriculture Center of Excellence. The lease equipment is worth approximately $1.5 million per year. Another example of education, government and business partnering together is NTCs regional Wood Technology Center of Excellence at the NTC Antigo Campus. The Center of Excellence is possible due to a strong collaborative effort between Langlade County wood manufacturing representatives, the Langlade County Board of Directors, the City of Antigo and NTC to support the wood products industry in north central Wisconsin. The Langlade County Board of Supervisors approved $2,546,200 for the construction of the Wood Technology Center of Excellence. The U.S. Department of Commerce is using the project model as a national best practice of cooperation between higher education, business and government. 1I2 Targets, Improvements and Priorities. With the arrival of Dr. Weyers in 2006, NTC established a culture where learning is at the center of College operations. To enable learning to be central, the College reorganized its infrastructure to maximize efficiencies. The College also allocated resources and capital funds towards learning. Because of the clearer structure and organization, NTC is better able to collect data to evaluate and improve Category 1 Helping Students Learn 29

40 programs and define student success. The College s Quality Review Process and Instructional Vitality Process uses established year-end and point-in-time indicators to evaluate performance and to develop plans that identify improvement processes, resource needs and tangible or measurable goals. As plans are developed, teams are asked to provide evidence for decisions, deliverables and resources needed through the analysis of current indicators and to document which indicators will improve and the target level for the improvement. Teams are encouraged to set stretch targets to allow for innovation, creativity and calculated risks without the repercussions of failure. To ensure continuous improvement, teams are asked on an annual basis to review their indicators and progress. If program indicators are not at desired levels, the program re-examines their plans and updates or develops new plans if necessary. To ensure accountability and that appropriate resources are allocated, each plan is approved by the program s division dean and by the Vice President for Learning. 30 Category 1 Helping Students Learn

41 Category 2 Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives: K-16 Programs and Partnerships 2P1 Design and Operation of Key K-16 Processes. NTCs K-16 services and staff provide non-instructional processes that contributes to the fulfillment of the College s mission and strategic directions and are key to meeting the needs of stakeholder groups and in distinguishing NTC from other higher education institutions. NTCs K-16 initiatives are designed to meet the goal of providing seamless educational transition for students transferring both in and out of the College. Processes, programs and staffing are developed to best support this goal. The activities listed in Figure OV2-1 help students prepare to be successful in college, understand their multiple options, and give them opportunities to get started on college credits in high school and successfully transition to NTC. As students later complete their NTC degrees, processes and programs have been developed that assist students with transitioning to additional degrees with as much academic preparation and transferrable credits as possible. The process that exists develops and maintains the partnerships and facilitates the framework of services for students to transition from high school to technical college and on to a baccalaureate institution. Staff working on the partnership activities share common leadership in student services, which ensures a single vision and consistency of transitions for students. Other non-instructional processes, such as NTC Foundation and Workforce Learning Solutions, are described in Categories 3 and 9. 2P2 Setting Major K-16 Objectives. As described in OV2, dialogue between K-12 and NTC administrators and staff occurs on a regular basis via monthly School-To-Career Partnership meetings, an annual Administrator Breakfast, ongoing regional administrator meetings and triennial Presidential Listening Sessions. These meetings frame the organizational objectives for K-12 partnerships. Students and business partners are the main stakeholders in determining NTCs strategic direction for postsecondary transfer. The Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) survey conducted in fall 2008 found that roughly 27% of respondents indicated they plan to transfer at some point in the future. From the Presidential Listening Sessions (5P2) and other conversations with business leaders, NTC determines which programs are in high demand for graduates. Based on that information, the College works with other educational partners that offer the bachelor s degrees that are needed and desired in the District. An example is the Engineering Technology agreement with University of Wisconsin-Stout. Business indicated a demand for more engineers. NTC developed a transfer agreement with UW-Stout to develop a 2+2 agreement with the second two years of the program offered by UW-Stout on the NTC Wausau campus. UW-Stout agreed to offer this program once it was determined that there was enough student interest to support the program. All transfer services are provided in the Transfer and Placement Office from working with the partner colleges on writing the agreements to working with the students on determining their transfer options. This allows for constant feedback from students as to what programs are in-demand for transferring out or to which schools are colleges of choice. This feedback helped the Transfer and Placement Office create the NTC transfer website. Transfer Office staff are able to quickly add information to the website as they hear common questions or requests for information. NTCs K-16 initiatives are guided by the College s strategic directions and operationalized in the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) Action Plan and K-16 Team Action Plan (5P2). For all educational partnerships, goals are set at the Board level and ELT level, based on the information gathered from parents, students, the business community and K-12 stakeholders. 2P3 Communicating Objectives. Information is primarily communicated to NTCs stakeholders via the College website (ntc.edu), which has specific sections for K-12 and transfer out. In addition, the College communicates with K-16 stakeholders via a monthly Pathways newsletter, prospective parent newsletters, campus events, Career Coach visits to high schools, student transfer advising and program advisory meetings with faculty and business representatives. The K-16 Annual Report to School Districts is distributed to K-16 partners and College staff. The report shows the number of students served in K-16 initiatives. Staff meetings are held regularly to communicate goals and initiatives. Internal communication regarding objectives is facilitated by Presidential Briefings to staff, ELT and Team Action Plans and internal posting of external communication pieces mentioned above. Category 2 Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives 31

42 2P4 Assessment and Review of Objectives. Feedback is solicited in much the same way objectives are set. Activities have participant evaluations at their conclusion. A K-16 Annual Report to School Districts demonstrates for the partners their participation level in desired activities. NTC staff meetings allow for internal evaluation of events and participation rates for continual improvement. The transfer website is constantly reviewed and updated based on inquiries and feedback received by students. Student and participant feedback quickly leads to improvement since the administrators of the programs and those delivering the services are part of the same team, communicating and working closely together. The information flow makes for a best practice with practitioner and administrator working in tandem. 2P5 Determining Faculty and Staff Needs. Staffing is determined by student/participant demand for services, again keeping in mind the primary goal of providing a seamless educational transition for students. Programs and activities are designed and implemented based on feedback, participation and measured results (matriculation into college from identified activities); continuous improvement is ongoing. Access to K-16 partners helps employees maintain partnerships that provide services which will help students succeed at NTC and gain skills to make them employable or to advance to four-year institutions. Career Coaches conduct individual student meetings at high schools for career/program exploration as well as classroom presentations. Career Coaches attend Career Development Facilitator Training and all K-16 staff attend national conferences to learn about best practices in educational partnerships. 2P6 Readjusting Objectives or Processes. As part of ongoing improvement, the College annually analyzes K-16 activities and job responsibilities in relation to resources. Feedback from K-16 partners helps determine progress on goals in the Team Action Plan. Many of NTCs activities are grant funded (Tech Prep, Perkins Grant, WI Youth Apprenticeship Grant, Educational Talent Search), so the College is mindful of meeting its grant requirements. The College also needs to ensure activities benefit as many students as possible and that the College is sharing resources with all partners. Evaluating needed changes to staffing and staff training based on resources and outcomes is an ongoing activity. Team Action Plans are reviewed quarterly to ensure goals are met. Adjustments are made to enable staff to meet the goals in the Team Action Plan. 2R1 K-16 Measures. The K-16 team is helping to achieve the single-focus performance goal of 4,000 FTE by 2014 by encouraging students to enroll at NTC and providing a post-secondary education option to complete a bachelor s degree. There are a number of measures that NTC collects annually and analyzes regularly related to K-16 initiatives. The K-16 Annual Report to School Districts lists measures of student and staff participation rates by partner high schools and other post-secondary institutions. This report includes measures such as: The number of distance education courses delivered to high schools The number of high school student enrollments direct entry and three years out of high school data, provided annually by the WTCS office The number of NTC Foundation Scholarships awarded to high school students The number of hits on the transfer website The number of matriculations from participation in K-12 activities, including Career Coach contacts The number of students and schools participating in the Alternative High School program The number of students participating in Transcripted Credit and corresponding matriculations The number of students transferring to other colleges after program completion The number of transfer agreements written with other colleges and additional transfer agreements with current post-secondary partners The number of pre-college experience activities The number of students served by Educational Talent Search Data on Tech Prep activities 32 Category 2 Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives

43 Data on Youth Apprenticeship participation Data on Youth Options student participation 2R2 K-16 Performance Results. The K-16 partnership activities have been expanded during the last two years, and NTC continues to monitor the outcomes with the goal of increasing College enrollments. For some activities, tracking has just begun and it will be another year before results are evaluated. For example, NTC is now counting the number of colleges with transfer guides. The base year of the measure is , with 21 colleges providing a total of 113 transfer guides for programs (Figure 3R5-1). Figure 2R2-1 outlines NTCs K-16 performance results for Career Coach contacts, hits to the NTC transfer website, Transcripted Credit and transfers out of NTC. Figure 2R2-1 K-16 Performance Results NTC K-16 Performance Results 2007-Present Activity # of Schools # of Students Results Career Coach Contacts 25 high schools in-district : : : 1,208* Increase in applications from students under age 19 from 32% to 37% of all College applications in NTC Transfer Website : 21 colleges, 113 transfer guides for programs : 9,993 hits : 22,229 hits Access to transfer guides doubled in the last year Transcripted Credit : : : : : : 2, : 23% matriculation (enrollment in technical college following year) Transfers Out of NTC Transfers to 27 colleges : : 267 Transfers out of NTC increased 13% in * Data through the end of April Source: NTC K-16 Annual Report to School Districts 2R3 Comparative Results. In comparing NTCs K-16 partnerships to other technical colleges in Wisconsin, NTC is a leader in a number of areas, based on participation. For example, NTC has the largest number of Youth Apprenticeship program participants in the WTCS, with four additional high schools joining the consortium in Despite ranking 8 th in overall size, the College was also 4 th out of the 16 WTCS institutions in the number of high school students taking Transcripted Credit courses in The feedback the College has received on the NTC transfer website for students is that it is an excellent site for student information. Two neighboring technical colleges are developing their transfer sites to replicate NTCs information. One partner college asked if NTC could become the model for the state because it is user-friendly. In 2005 NTC won an award from the National Tech Prep Network for having an Exemplary Worksite Learning program. In April 2006 a team from the College presented Preparing Students for the Future: Successful K-14 Partnerships at the annual meeting of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). 2R4 Performance Results for Strengthening NTC and Enhancing Stakeholder Relationships. A stronger relationship has been developed between the business community and College, with the expanded offerings in NTC s communities for additional education to meet workforce needs. This is demonstrated by the engineering partnership with UW-Stout and a nursing partnership with Silver Lake College. The activities associated with K-16 partnerships have had a very positive impact on the College and the communities it serves. The focus on transfer has lead to over half of the NTC programs changing their General Studies requirements to courses that have better transferability to other colleges. The math curriculum has been enhanced to meet the needs of students wanting to transfer after NTC. Programs that were difficult for students to transfer from are now much easier due to expanded agreements. Residents of north central Wisconsin have more options to earn their bachelor s degree with the developed strategic partnerships bringing more college options to Wausau. Silver Lake College, Lakeland College, Category 2 Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives 33

44 Upper Iowa University and UW-Stout are four strategic partner colleges that now offer expanded coursework at NTC for students wanting to earn a bachelor s degree. In working with District K-12 schools, Transcripted Credit has allowed students from 28 high schools to earn college credit while in high school. Classes are offered at no expense to the high school or parents. Career Coach services have helped young people explore their career options, helping them find a good fit before spending money as an undeclared program college student. Professional development activities help middle and high school educators learn about the future workforce needs of local industry without costs to the school districts. NTC donated equipment such as computers and other equipment to 23 K-12 districts, allowing for expanded curriculum options to the high schools without the equipment expense to the school district or taxpayers. All of these activities have demonstrated the strong partnerships NTC has fostered with educational institutions. 2I1 Recent Improvements. Recent improvements have resulted from the change in NTC leadership four years ago. The change led to a paradigm shift in NTCs interactions and relationships with other educational institutions. Changes include: The addition of the Career Coaches and their services The creation of the Transfer & Placement Office The expansion of Transcripted Credit for high school students The formation of a K-16 team The College now works collaboratively on K-16 programs and activities, considering connections to high schools and transfer. Seamless opportunities which have been created are seen as a benefit to NTCs learners. The results of this K-16 emphasis are telling. In , 41 high school students took Transcripted Credits through NTC. In , 939 high school students took Transcripted Credits through NTC. Tuition savings for high school students taking NTC Transcripted Credit courses in was more than $267,000. In the school year NTC registered more than 2,000 students for Transcripted Credit, with a potential tuition savings of $565,510. Moreover, the College is meeting the needs of the District by providing these and other K-16 educational opportunities. 2I2 Targets, Improvements and Priorities. Educational partnerships are one of NTCs strategic directions. With the reorganization of the College, NTC has placed greater emphasis on building and strengthening K-16 relationships. Feedback from K-16 partners and the District is a primary determinant for deciding the services offered. The K-16 area systematically collects information from the business community, high schools and postsecondary partners. Every three years Dr. Weyers conducts Presidential Listening Sessions throughout the NTC District. In September/October 2009 K-16 partners were specifically invited to the listening sessions. The College's strategic directions and ELT Action Plan are based on feedback from the Presidential Listening Sessions. Specific Team Action Plan goals stem from information gathered at Presidential Listening Sessions as well as external feedback from K-16 partners. Once specific goals are defined, NTCs College culture helps to continue to evaluate and improve targets due to the involvement of the College President and ELT in the activities. A number of College goals are specifically related to K-16 programs and activities, which guide the K-16 area in monitoring performance on desired outcomes. 34 Category 2 Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives

45 Category 3 Understanding Students and Other Stakeholders Needs 3P1 Identify the Changing Needs of Student Groups and Analyzing and Selecting a Course of Action. NTC employs a variety of tools to collect and analyze the changing needs of our students and stakeholders. These tools and the information collected and used throughout the College to better understand the needs of our students and stakeholders are listed below. Admissions testing Advisory committee meetings Course and instructor evaluations Course completion reports Customer comment/complaint information Districtwide Presidential Listening Sessions Enrollment reports Financial aid reports and requests Graduate Follow-Up Surveys Internal referrals for services (Counseling/Student Success/Minority Services) K-12 recruiting activities, college visits and open houses Program application reports Student Governing Board Student retention reports Student surveys and listening sessions Training needs assessments and analysis of District business and industry Transfer reports The information collected is analyzed by appropriate teams as part of the College s key evaluation, improvement and planning processes (1P13-14, 7P1-2, 8P1, 8P3-4) in addition to the development of student policies. Many of the tools above provide the ability to receive feedback from all student groups, view trends over time, identify patterns or commonalities and dissect information by specific student demographics and other characteristics. Conducting the analysis and selecting a course of action to address the changing needs of student groups may vary depending on the information collected, area of the particular need and number of students impacted. However, strategies or courses of action addressing student needs are incorporated into the Team Action Plans at the individual team and Executive Leadership Team (ELT) level. For example, at the program level the College s Information Technology (IT) and Marketing programs focused on low course completion rates and particularly the additional needs of online learners (6I1) during the Quality Review Process (1P13). Using Perkin s grant funding the IT and Marketing programs, along with Student Services, are piloting an action project which provides online students an orientation to online learning and case management and advisement support by an Online Learning Support Specialist. An example on a broader collegewide level was the use of student feedback collected during Presidential Listening Sessions and from the Student Governing Board (SGB) indicating a demand for bachelor degree opportunities and transfer services. The creation of the Transfer and Placement Office and its focus and services are discussed further in 2P2. 3P2 Building and Maintaining Relationships with Students. NTC values and works to build strong relationships with students. NTC understands that a relationship with a student begins from the moment they pick up NTCs marketing materials or meet one of NTCs Career Coaches at their high school (OV2). Career Coaches are assigned to every high school in the NTC District. These Career Coaches are a vital link between K-12 systems and the College and offer a perspective that may otherwise be missing when making programmatic and other service-related decisions. Further, NTC strives to have a process of seamless transition, with the Career Coaches acting as a bridge to NTCs Enrollment Services. Category 3 Understanding Students and Other Stakeholders Needs 35

46 In March 2010 NTC implemented a one stop shop Student Services area. The one stop shop allows students to have a majority of their questions answered by their first point of contact, instead of being passed from person to person. As a student applies and enrolls at NTC, the College gathers information which is used to assess educational program and support service planning including any entrance testing data, application forms, financial aid forms and other referrals for services. Once a student is accepted, they are invited to a New Student Information Session. At the New Student Information Session, students are advised on putting together a plan and schedule to allow them to successfully complete their chosen program. Student Services utilizes an intrusive advising process to identify and connect with students in need of academic support. Services are promoted and explained through faculty/team leader meetings, classroom visits and presentations. A learner preparedness survey is completed by new program students to identify potential at-risk students and a Student Referral Form can be completed by students or referred by faculty to connect struggling students to counseling, advising, tutoring, disability services and possibly the TRiO program (1P10). NTC students are also given the opportunity to evaluate their experiences through course and instructor evaluations. These evaluations help Learning Teams to assess and change courses or teaching styles to better complement the needs of their students. Through these evaluations students are given the opportunity to provide input into future learning options at the College. As students prepare to graduate, NTC continues the connectivity to students by helping them plan for their lives after college. The NTC Transfer and Placement Office works with students who are interested in continuing their education at a four-year college. For those students interested in entering the workforce, the Placement Office assists them with resume development, interview skills and job retention skills. NTC also reaches out to local businesses to measure their needs for education and training, while conducting needs assessments for other continuing education opportunities. Using this information, Workforce Learning Solutions (WLS) conducts a SWOT analysis (a strategic planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) to determine needs and develop a plan that is tailored to the individual needs of the customers it serves. Additionally, WLS surveys all learners receiving their services at the end of every training or workshop session. Individuals are sent regular communication via electronic newsletters and announcements. Contact information is always included for learners who want to interact with the WLS team. From a co-curricular standpoint, Student Life offers opportunities to students that meet the needs for learning outside of the traditional classroom. SGB meets twice-monthly with representatives from each student organization in an effort to gather feedback and make decisions that affect the quality of students lives at NTC. Armed with that feedback, SGB communicates with College administrators regarding issues important to students. For example, a survey was recently completed asking students about their interest in an intercollegiate athletics program at NTC and their willingness to pay for it. Based on that feedback, the College will implement intercollegiate athletics beginning in fall NTC strives to create a culture that is inclusive to all students. Increased emphasis has been placed upon recruiting and retaining minority students. The College s minority student counselor/advisor is specifically assigned to develop relationships with minority students and assist in their success through academic and personal advisement, grant and scholarship assistance and referral to community services. Further, the College puts a great deal of emphasis on hiring and training staff to engage the students and be intuitive regarding their needs. Over the past year the Office of Organizational Development has had multiple sessions for full-time faculty and staff focusing on sensitivity and awareness of NTCs Southeast Asian population. Through NTCs Office of Student Relations multiple programs for students and staff focusing upon diversity issues within NTCs student population were offered. The College, in collaboration with student groups, offers multiple opportunities for staff and students to interact outside of the classroom including educational speakers, intramural athletics, movie nights and many other activities offered throughout the academic year. Further, the opinions of the students are valued, and they are often consulted on issues surrounding security, wellness and overall satisfaction of their experiences at NTC. Other opportunities to gather this type of information occur through the Student Complaint Process as well as the Noel- Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) survey. Concrete actions arise out of these surveys and are a tangible reminder that NTC values students. For example, NTC established a student security force based directly upon feedback received via student and staff surveys. 36 Category 3 Understanding Students and Other Stakeholders Needs

47 Finally, NTC places great emphasis on celebrating student achievement throughout the school year with events recognizing scholarship recipients, leadership accomplishments and club involvement. This all culminates with a twice-yearly commencement celebration. 3P3 Analyzing the Changing Needs of Key Stakeholder Groups and Selecting Courses of Action. NTC utilizes various ways of collecting input from its stakeholders. The College president conducts Presidential Listening Sessions throughout the District every three years, soliciting feedback from community members and business leaders, students and College staff. Comments and information gathered at these community visits are analyzed using an affinity process to determine predominant themes and concerns. NTCs advisory committees provide input on current and emerging trends within their respective workplaces and industries. Advisory committee and community input is used to modify services or update program curriculum. The Learning Leadership Team engages businesses in meetings to determine needs. The WLS team regularly surveys area businesses to assess specific educational needs of their employees. Individual learning and service teams review pertinent information relative to their area and identify actions and/or innovations that could be utilized to meet the identified needs. Specific actions are decided in a data-informed manner and account for an evidence-based process to ensure that actions and results are aligned. These actions are then weighed against potential budgetary, human and facility resources required. The actions are incorporated into the Team Action Plans and passed on to the Learning Leadership and Executive Leadership levels for further review, discussion and approval. 3P4 Building and Maintaining Relationships with Key Stakeholders. NTC values the relationship it has with its key stakeholders throughout the District. NTCs key stakeholders include students, employees, community members, business and industry, government and other educational institutions. NTC builds and maintains relationships with these key stakeholders in one-on-one and group settings, gathering feedback to better meet stakeholder needs. From an individual calling to express a concern to large town hall-style Presidential Listening Sessions, NTC builds these relationships to be effective in curriculum and product development to meet the District s diverse needs. At NTC a priority is to provide a qualified, well-trained workforce to local business and industry. NTC also strives to be the first choice for customized, short-term training and education. Advisory committees, comprised of members from the District s business communities, assist with developing and maintaining NTCs programs. NTC recognizes its responsibility to tailor program policies and requirements to reflect current trends in industry by placing students in educational sites in workplaces throughout the District. The overall flexibility and convenience of NTCs educational offerings (evening, weekend and online programs) are extremely attractive for those looking to enhance their employability. Displaced workers coming to regional campuses have increased significantly, so the College responded by increasing adult basic education services, career counseling services and enrollment advising at regional campuses. In addition, the College increased course offerings for short-term certificates, general education classes and technical diplomas offered at regional campuses. NTC realizes that many students have interests beyond the traditional technical diploma and associate degree programs. To that end, the College vigorously pursues transfer agreements with four-year colleges to enhance the value of a degree received by a student at NTC. The College also works with its K-12 partners to ensure that there is a dynamic link between the two systems. Career Coaches work with students in the K-12 system to explore potential careers and assist them in developing a plan to meet their goals. The College provides K-12 students nontuition bearing college credits through programs such as Transcripted Credit and the Specific Production Academics of Regional Knowledge (SPARK) Program. The SPARK Program offers students the opportunity to obtain skills and knowledge offered at NTC in the areas of manufacturing, welding, machine tool and wood manufacturing. For example, in fall 2009 NTC began offering production welding training at Spencer High School along with welding equipment purchased with funds from the SPARK program. The new partnership provided the opportunity for high school students to earn college credit in welding while still in school through Transcripted Credit opportunities as well as opportunities for adult students to earn a Production Welding Certificate in the evenings and weekends. The College s responsibility to taxpayers and the community at-large is an important one, and NTC works tirelessly to be a good steward of community resources. Priority is placed upon keeping tax levies low and maximizing the money collected to ensure programs at the College are vibrant and sustainable. The College also works with legislators to ensure that they understand the importance of the College and have an accurate view of the needs and mission of the College. Feedback from the community is important and frequent visits to citizen groups offer Category 3 Understanding Students and Other Stakeholders Needs 37

48 valuable insight into how NTC can be a good partner. The College closely monitors conditions in local communities and tailors its response to the District s specific needs. NTC welcomes opportunities to engage and interact with the community. Many events hosted by NTC are open to the public, including some club activities. For example, 640 community members attended NTCs International Education Week celebration. Students and student organizations are active in community service activities. International students alone totaled more than 6,000 documented community service hours in the District in the academic year. NTC also hosts open house activities to encourage the community to come to NTC to see the College s services and how NTC can help individuals reach their goals. The College also works to meet under-met needs in the community. NTCs Dental Clinic offers low-cost dental services to those who need it. WLS builds and maintains relationships with key stakeholders through the Private Sector Committee (WTCS required advisory committee) and through involvement on various boards and committees throughout the District (chambers of commerce, economic development, business groups and partners in education). Additionally, WLS hosts a Manufacturing Training Consortium that meets regularly to discuss specific needs within the manufacturing sector. Finally, WLS learning managers pro-actively call on individual companies to help determine how NTC can assist them in meeting their training needs. WLS sends a monthly electronic newsletter to key stakeholders to update them of WLS learning events, grant opportunities and other relevant information. 3P5 Target Selection for Educational Offerings and Services. One of the most important indicators of whether NTC should target new students and stakeholders with its educational offerings comes from looking at local conditions and trends. As events occur in the District, NTC welcomes the responsibility to mobilize and serve the District. This has never been more true than today, as the College meets the economic challenges of the District and serves a multitude of dislocated workers. NTCs Rapid Response Team provides immediate onsite career counseling in the case of mass layoffs, closings or reorganizations. NTC listens to the expressed needs of students and stakeholders through Presidential Listening Sessions, needs assessments, direct feedback and other interactions. This information is used to determine how to better align service to meet student needs. NTCs Instructional Vitality Process ensures the instructional offerings are aligned with District workforce needs by qualifying, analyzing and assessing the feasibility of expressed stakeholder needs for courses or programs (1P14). During the academic Quality Review Process, a comprehensive academic program review (1P13), key stakeholders (students, staff and advisory committee) provide feedback on academic program quality, content and effectiveness. This feedback is utilized to make program improvements. Service teams utilize internal and external feedback to make process improvements during the Service Quality Review Process. 3P6 Collection, Analysis and Communication of Complaint Information. NTC values the feedback offered by its students and stakeholders. A central complaint process is accessible on the NTC website. Once a person submits a comment or opportunity for improvement, it is entered into a central database and forwarded to the Help Desk. That individual forwards the complaint to the individual responsible for the area in question. If a comment is conveyed in person or over the phone, the staff member taking the complaint enters it into the online system. Complaints are tracked to ensure satisfactory resolution. The internal expectation is that all complaints are resolved within two weeks. Individuals submitting complaints can choose to remain anonymous or share contact information and request a staff member to follow-up with them regarding their comment. NTC employees can provide feedback via the online employee comment form. Employees also can speak directly with NTC administrators informally. Stakeholders from throughout the College s District can share concerns by speaking during the public comments section of the monthly Board of Trustee meetings or contacting College administrators directly or submitting comments through the NTC website. Students are encouraged to communicate directly with staff and faculty regarding their concerns. Often, these concerns can be resolved informally, through direct communication. In collaboration with Student Government, NTC has developed a list of student rights and responsibilities outlining not only what is expected of each student (Student Code of Conduct and academic policies), but also what the student can expect from NTC (Student Bill of Rights). This information is posted on the NTC website and included in the Student Handbook/Planner. NTC has a formal academic appeal process for students to appeal grades they deem to be unfair. This process is outlined in the Student Handbook/Planner and on the NTC website. The process is a three-step approach and progresses from (1) speaking with the instructor to (2) speaking with the Dean to (3) requesting a five-person board of review. This process offers the student multiple opportunities to be heard and have the complaint resolved. 38 Category 3 Understanding Students and Other Stakeholders Needs

49 NTC has a centralized behavior process (Student Code of Conduct) for nonacademic discipline housed in Student Life. This behavior process is included on the NTC website and in the Student Handbook/Planner. All behavior violations are documented and submitted for review. A strong model of student due process is in place, offering students a two-step process for resolving issues. The first step is a meeting with the Director of Student Relations to discuss alleged policy violation and offer the student the opportunity to present their perspective of the situation. If dissatisfied with the outcome, the student can request a five-person Board of Review to address the situation. 3R1 Satisfaction Measures for Students and Other Stakeholders. NTC understands the importance of student and stakeholder satisfaction. The main method for collecting data regarding student satisfaction is the Noel-Levitz SSI. The College uses a variety of other methods to determine student and other stakeholder satisfaction and these are listed in Figure 3R1-1. Figure 3R1-1 NTC Student and Stakeholder Measures NTC Student and Stakeholder Measures Group Measure Frequency Course and Faculty Evaluations Every semester Student Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory Every 3 years (SSI) Select College Initiative Surveys Per request/need Alumni Five-Year Follow-Up Survey Annually Graduate Follow-Up Survey Annually Advisory Committee Meetings Twice a year Employer Follow-Up Survey Every 2 years Employers WLS Contract Training Survey Per contract WLS Learner Survey Per training session/workshop WLS Business Survey Per customized training/technical assistance project Employees PACE Survey Every 3 years Service Team QRP Surveys As teams complete QRP every 4 years K-12 Administrators Breakfast Annually Student/Employers/K-12 Presidential Listening Sessions Every 3 years Partners/Government/ Select College Initiative Surveys Per request/need Employees STC Partnership Meeting Monthly 3R2 NTCs Performance Results for Student Satisfaction. NTC has gathered student satisfaction data using the Noel-Levitz SSI. In fall 2008 the Noel-Levitz SSI was administered randomly to 1,073 NTC students or 25% of the fall 2008 post-secondary enrollments. The gender, age and ethnic breakdowns were compared to overall fall 2008 post-secondary enrollment demographics and showed a very close representation in each area. Figure 3R2-1 is an institutional summary by Noel-Levitz SSI category with comparisons to other two-year community colleges throughout the country. Of the eight categories, NTC had five categories with significantly higher scores when compared to national scores. Figures 1R5-1, 1R6-2 and 6R5-1 contain detailed 2008 Noel- Levitz SSI results comparisons. Figure 3R Noel-Levitz SSI Overall Results 2008 Noel-Levitz SSI Overall Results NTC 2-Year Mean SAT SAT* Difference Academic Advising Effectiveness ** Admissions and Financial Aid Effectiveness Campus Climate *** Campus Source: 2008 Services Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory Results Instructional Effectiveness *** Registration Effectiveness Safety and Security *** Student Centeredness *** * 2 year satisfaction rate based on group mean of 33,191 national community colleges. ** Mean difference statistically significant at the level. *** Mean difference statistically significant at the level. Source: 2008 Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory Results Category 3 Understanding Students and Other Stakeholders Needs 39

50 The 2008 NTC Graduate Follow-Up Survey also showed a high level of satisfaction (Figure 1R3-3). Of students surveyed after graduation, 97% reported being either very satisfied or satisfied with their NTC education. A fiveyear graduate satisfaction comparison of NTC and the WTCS is located in Figure 1R3-4. 3R3 Performance Results for Building Relationships with Students. NTC values the relationship it has with students. Data collected from individual questions in the Noel-Levitz SSI indicates that in relationship-building categories, NTC scores higher than the satisfaction rates of participating WTCS colleges and are near or above the satisfaction rates of the national community colleges. Figure 3R3-1 shows NTC Noel-Levitz SSI results for building student relationships in comparison to the WTCS and national community colleges averages. Figure 3R Noel-Levitz SSI Results: Building Student Relationships 2008 Noel-Levitz SSI Results: Building Student Relationships Building Student Relationships NTC WTCS 2-Year SAT SAT SAT* The campus staff is caring and helpful ** 5.58** Faculty are fair and unbiased in their treatment of individual students Students are made to feel welcome here ** 5.75** Administrators are available to hear students concerns * 2 year satisfaction rate based on group mean of 33,191 national community colleges. ** Mean difference statistically significant at the 0.01 level. Source: 2008 Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory Results In addition, information gathered during the fall 2009 Presidential Listening Sessions with students showed favorable results similar to Noel-Levitz SSI results in fall Overall, students reported that the College offers a positive atmosphere, with quality faculty and staff, and continues to be learner-focused and student friendly. 3R4 Performance Results for Stakeholder Satisfaction. WTCS employer surveys and WLS post-contract training surveys indicate a high level of satisfaction with the quality of NTCs graduates and with the training and services provided by the College. Figure 3R4-1 shows the results of District employer and WLS customer surveys. Figure 3R4-1 NTCs Employer Surveys and WLS Post-Contract Training Surveys Employer and WLS Post-Contract Training Surveys Employer Satisfaction Survey Satisfaction with graduates of technical college education 95% 95% Recommend graduates of this program to another employer 91% 92% Hire a technical college graduate again 95% 95% WLS Post-Contract Training Survey Employers satisfied or very satisfied with services provided N/A 100% Employers would definitely or probably use NTC services again N/A 100% Sources: NTC Satisfaction Employer Survey, Workforce Learning Solutions Post-Contract Training Survey A feasibility study was conducted by the NTC Foundation in September 2008 to determine the probability of success for a proposed major gifts campaign. Of the 60 community leaders interviewed, 100% had a favorable impression of the College. None expressed a mixed or unfavorable viewpoint. Additionally, stakeholder feedback received from the 11 Presidential Listening Sessions conducted in fall 2009 indicated strong approval of the direction and image of the College. Key strengths cited include: The College is commended on the direction it is headed and what it has accomplished the past few years. The College s focus and proactive efforts to collaborate and develop partnerships has been excellent. NTCs relationship with K-12 districts has improved dramatically due to the College s efforts to reach out and collaborate. NTC has been responsive to meeting the needs of local business and industry through WLS. 40 Category 3 Understanding Students and Other Stakeholders Needs

51 Aggressive grant services have brought needed assistance and training. The College presents a very positive image to the public and provides a healthy campus atmosphere. Increased offerings/flexible delivery options have made it easier for students to attend and enroll in classes. Businesses continue to value NTC graduates and feel they are well-prepared. 3R5 Performance Results for Building Relationships with Key Stakeholders. NTCs results for the building of relationships with key stakeholders and in becoming a preferred strategic partner are demonstrated through key K-16, WLS and regional performance measurements. The College s efforts to improve its relationships with K-12 districts and with other institutions of higher education are described in Category Two and data demonstrating positive relationships with K-12 districts are shown in Figure 2R2-1. A key result in Figure 2R2-1 is the increase in the number of Transcripted Credit partnerships with K-12 school districts and the number of high school students who enrolled in Transcripted Credit courses. In , 21 high school districts and 746 students participated in Transcripted Credit, a sizable increase compared to 19 high schools and 259 students in The College has 28 high school districts currently participating in and expects to enroll more than 2,000 high school students by the end of the academic year. Figure 3R5-1 NTCs College Partners and Guides Representing Transfer Agreements NTCs College Partners and Guides Representing Transfer Agreements Bellevue University Online 0 6 Cardinal Stritch University 6 12 Concordia University Wisconsin 4 4 Franklin University 1 4 Lakeland College Marian University 1 2 Michigan Tech University 0 1 Milwaukee School of Engineering 1 1 Minnesota State University-Mankato 0 1 Rasmussen College 0 2 Silver Lake College University of Phoenix 1 1 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire 0 1 University of Wisconsin-Green Bay 3 3 University of Wisconsin-La Crosse 3 3 University of Wisconsin-Madison 0 1 University of Wisconsin-Marathon County 1 1 University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 0 3 University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh 8 9 University of Wisconsin-Parkside 0 1 University of Wisconsin-Platteville 1 1 University of Wisconsin-River Falls 2 2 University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point 3 3 University of Wisconsin-Stout University of Wisconsin-Superior 1 1 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater 2 2 Upper Iowa University Viterbo University 1 1 Western Governors 1 1 Total College Partners Total Guides Representing Transfer Agreements Source: K-16 Annual Report, Transfer and Placement Office data Category 3 Understanding Students and Other Stakeholders Needs 41

52 Additionally, the growth in transfer agreements with 4-year schools has been a result of key relationships with other institutions of higher education, providing NTC students more transfer opportunities and choices. Data presented in Figure 3R5-1 indicates the growth in the number of colleges NTC has transfer agreements with, and the number of program choices or transfer opportunities available through these agreements. NTCs WLS division promotes lifelong learning opportunities through its business and industry relationships and professional development and training opportunities (3P4). Results of building stakeholder relationships through WLS are measured by the number of businesses served (Figure 3R5-2), short-term continuing education enrollments (Figure 3R5-3) and customized training through contracts with businesses (Figure 3R5-4). Figure 3R5-2 WLS Businesses Served WLS Businesses Served Businesses Served Source: Workforce Learning Solutions data Figure 3R5-3 WLS Short-Term Continuing Education Enrollments WLS Short-Term Continuing Education Enrollments FTEs Enrollments 10,179 10,336 12,087 14,224 12,846 Source: WTCS Citrix Workbook and NTC FTE by Aid Code Reports Figure 3R5-4 WLS Customized Training Contract Enrollments WLS Customized Training Contract Enrollments Contract Training Enrollments 2,076 2,394 4,148 5,841 6,265 Source: WTCS VE215620D Collaborations and partnerships with local governmental bodies and business communities (Figure 3R5-6) have allowed NTC to increase its services and offerings throughout the District and particularly its smaller rural regions. This increased presence has resulted in consistent growth at the College s regional campuses (Figure 3R5-5). Figure 3R5-5 NTC Regional FTE and Enrollment Growth Regional Campus* Antigo Medford Phillips Spencer Wittenberg NTC Regional FTE and Enrollment Growth Measurement FTE Enrollments 1,605 1,657 1,967 1,754 1,943 FTE Enrollments 1,581 1,169 1,346 1,247 1,516 FTE Enrollments 1,500 1,385 1,345 1,229 1,134 FTE Enrollments FTE Enrollments *The Merrill site was approved in August 2009 and no data is available. Source: NTC FTE by Region Reports 42 Category 3 Understanding Students and Other Stakeholders Needs

53 Figure 3R5-6 NTC Collaboration with Governmental Bodies and Business Communities NTC Collaboration with Governmental Bodies and Business Communities Campus Collaborative Partners Relationship Results Antigo Medford Merrill Langlade County, City of Antigo, K-12 schools, local manufacturers Taylor County, Medford Area Development Foundation Merrill Area School District, Merrill Adult Diploma Academy Development of new wood manufacturing curriculum in support of area industry; construction of 18,000 sq. ft. Wood Manufacturing Center of Excellence; recognized at national level with $1.28 million Economic Development Administration grant. Contribution of building and land for development of education programs in green technologies, horticulture and transportation (dependent on EDA Grant approval). Expanded Adult Basic Education services, GED/HSED and career and employment counseling services. Phillips Phillips Plastics, Inc. Donations of building for new classroom and flex lab facility and to expand offerings in general education, management, manufacturing and welding. Spencer Spencer School District NTC welding equipment housed at Spencer High School serves Transcripted Credit high school students during the day and NTC students during evenings and weekends. Wausau Dairyland State Academy, Extension Office of Marathon Co., Marathon County, UW-Marathon County, UW-River Falls Development of Agriculture Center of Excellence, a production farm/learning lab, for dairy science degree. This program is articulated with UW-River Falls B.S. in dairy science. Wittenberg City of Wittenberg Expanded facilities enabled additional on-site program offerings in general studies, degree programs and certificates. 3R6 Comparative Results. The Noel-Levitz SSI results provide information for comparison of NTCs results with other WTCS schools and community colleges outside the WTCS. Of the eight college categories in Figure 3R2-1, NTC has significantly higher scores in five of the categories when compared to national scores. NTC also ranks positively against WTCS and national comparisons with questions relating to student relationships (Figure 3R3-1). NTCs results in 3R5 also compared favorably when compared to WTCS schools. In , NTC ranked 4th out of 16 WTCS colleges in the number of high school students taking Transcripted Credit courses. The College ranked second in the number of employees served from business and industry contracts (Figure 3R5-4) and was first in growth of contract enrollments over the last five years. Additionally the College ranked 7th in the number of FTEs generated by short-term continuing education training (Figure 3R5-3) when compared to the 16 WTCS schools. 3I1 Recent Improvements. NTC is always looking for opportunities to improve services to students. Presidential Listening Sessions, held in 2006 and again in 2009, have signaled a shift to a more focused effort to meet student and stakeholder needs. Gathered through sessions with current staff, students, local business and other stakeholders, this feedback drives new initiatives at the College. Concrete steps are taken based on feedback received. In the 2006 sessions, the issue of accessibility and flexibility for learners was emphasized across groups. This issue was addressed in a highly successful AQIP Action Project. NTC has taken on a multi-year project to implement multiple educational formats that are accessible and provide strong learning experiences for students. NTCs combination of traditional courses, synchronous Adobe Connect courses and asynchronous Blackboard courses open opportunities for students with diverse learning styles. For example, innovations such as the use of narrated slide shows benefit visual and auditory learners. This, Category 3 Understanding Students and Other Stakeholders Needs 43

54 as well as similar initiatives, has allowed NTC to increase its FTE count by 22% (574 FTE) in the last three years. NTC continues to make strides in this area as the College recognizes community needs in accessibility for online content; however, when designing courses the College understands that some communities in the NTC District still do not have high-speed internet access. In recognizing this issue and to improve accessibility to District residents, the College s Chief Information Office (CIO) is currently working on a Marathon County Taskforce that is investigating how to use and bring newer technology into the regions. The CIO is also chairing a Community Area Network committee with local educators, business and industry and government officials to explore grant funding for the development of a community Fiber Optic Network to connect the above entities together around the city of Wausau. Significant improvements have been made in developing and strengthening strategic partnerships. This focus has been seen in many areas, including WLS. In reaching out to local businesses, WLS increased the numbers of employees served and developed new and innovative training opportunities that meet the needs of local business and industry. Other improvements, outlined in Category 2, include strengthening of NTCs relationship with our K-12 partners and in the number of transfer agreements NTC has with four-year partners. These partnerships increase the opportunities for NTC students to continue their studies and improve their prospects in a competitive job market. Improvements have also been made to address to the needs expressed by students and stakeholders. In response to a comprehensive safety and security survey, NTC established a student security force to be a presence at the College. Paid for by Student Activity Fees and staffed by students in NTCs Criminal Justice Program, it has created a safe environment for staff and students. Students expressed satisfaction with NTCs response as indicated by the Noel-Levitz SSI safety and security ratings in Figure 3R2-1. The student security force also provides opportunities for Criminal Justice students to gain experience pertinent to their career. Student survey feedback also was a catalyst for NTC to establish intercollegiate athletics. Approximately 90% of students supported the idea of establishing an athletics program, with 67% agreeing that student activity fees should pay for it. This feedback is the direct reason NTC will have intercollegiate soccer and women s volleyball beginning in fall NTCs use of the Noel-Levitz SSI is reflective of the College using both quantitative and qualitative data to guide decision-making. Feedback drawn from the survey guides NTCs initiatives and has a direct impact on what initiatives the College selects. For example, the results from the 2008 Noel-Levitz SSI reflected student concerns regarding financial aid and bookstore processes. This prompted the College to put both of these crucial student services through a Quality Review Process to gather feedback to enhance services to students. 3I2 Targets, Improvements and Priorities. NTC has a multifaceted approach to collecting data and strives to create a culture of improvement and customer service. Everything the College does seeks to fulfill the strategic directions of the College. There is a philosophy at the College that not only encourages change to improve services, but demands it. The ELT evaluates the strategic directions of the College by reviewing pertinent data and the needs of NTCs students and stakeholders. Each team is given the responsibility and autonomy to set the plan of action to meet those strategic goals. This allows everyone at the College to be innovative and allows for people to feel connected and invested in meeting the goals of the College. Each team compiles a Team Action Plan with action items that directly impact the strategic directions. These plans are reviewed quarterly, allowing teams to reflect progress, communicate barriers and change directions based on the student and stakeholder feedback. This fosters a sense of collaboration and shared vision to move the College forward towards its goals. Information is shared with ELT, who review the data and recommendations to give support and resources to achieve proposed results. Ongoing feedback is solicited and utilized through surveys, Presidential Briefings and Presidential Listening Sessions. This model has allowed NTC to progress tremendously in the last three years. By setting aggressive goals for growth and serving students and stakeholders, the College has committed itself to continuous improvement, and has developed a culture where innovation and improvement is expected. The single-focus goal established by President Weyers three years ago to increase FTEs to 3,000 and total students served to 30,000 over three years was ambitious, but simple enough to get everyone involved. Everyone was encouraged to find ways to meet that goal. The success of reaching 3,000 FTE was attributed to the work of everyone and created a sense of optimism about the future at the College. 44 Category 3 Understanding Students and Other Stakeholders Needs

55 Category 4 Valuing People 4P1 Identifying Employee Requirements. NTC places great emphasis on hiring the most qualified employees to fill any position within the organization. Each employee function is important and essential to the success of the College. Because the cost of payroll and benefits represents 86% of the operational budget at the College, all positions are reviewed by the President and/or the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) before the recruitment begins. It is important to evaluate each position to determine if the position is still needed, if the position has changed in scope or if those funds should be allocated to another area in the College. The job description for the position is updated to assure the competencies, experience and education are current. The Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) staff certification is also reviewed to assure compliance. Education and training requirements are frequently specified by the WTCS certification guidelines based on the position. The hiring supervisor assembles a screening committee representing a cross-section of College employees to review applications and conduct interviews. It is recommended that committee members participate in formal hiring process training to serve on the hiring committee. Hiring supervisors are encouraged to have a diverse representation on the committee. The Certification Officer is involved in the screening of applications for certified positions requiring state certification and monitors provisionally certified employees. A representative from the Human Resources (HR) office works with hiring supervisors to assure compliance with legal and ethical standards and to assure that new hires possess the requisite characteristics. 4P2 NTCs Hiring Processes. The use of a screening committee is an important piece of NTCs hiring process. NTCs Hiring Process Handbook guides the screening committees in their practices and procedures. The committee evaluates applications and provides input into the selection process. Several documents are developed by the committee including a criteria sheet which outlines the requirements of the position such as education, experience and soft skills. The application rating sheets use an objective process to determine who will be interviewed. NTC uses behavioral questions for the interview process. Behavior-based interviewing focuses the selection process on essential knowledge and behaviors and helps determine whether the applicant has the competencies to do the job. Also, behavior-based questions go beyond stated values to what they have actually done; focuses on what people do that is most important for job success; gathers highly detailed and specific information and promotes objectivity through a common language and common criteria for selection. Faculty and instructional supervisors must meet the requirements set by the WTCS. The Certification Officer is a member of the HR team and works closely with hiring supervisors to assure all applicants meet the requirements. 4P3 Employee Recruitment, Hiring and Retention. NTC uses a systematic approach to recruit new employees. The HR office assists the hiring supervisor to assure standard practices are followed. The Hiring Process Handbook was developed in April 2009 to guide hiring supervisors and committee members through the process. NTC uses a variety of media for recruitment. Examples include electronic postings (College website, WTCS website, higheredjobs.com and local Job Service websites), local and regional newspapers, trade journals, diversity job fairs and the Chronicle of Higher Education. Clerical, paraprofessional and custodial positions are typically recruited within the local market area. The College does employ faculty and managers that live outside the District boundaries for hard-to-fill information technology positions or online instruction. Advertisement/announcements are placed in minority and women s publications such as: Chicago Urban League, Council Spanish Speaking, Hispanic Association of Colleges, Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education, National Alliance of Black School Educators, Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, Women in Higher Education, Lao Family Community Center, Milwaukee Urban League, Minnesota Hmong Chamber of Commerce and Tribal Nations to ensure that the employee pool and new hires represent the diversity of the community workforce. The role of the committee is advisory to the hiring supervisor. The committee s recommendation is then forwarded to a member of the ELT for final approval. The Equal Opportunity Officer reviews all hiring materials to ensure that an equitable process is used. The Equal Opportunity Officer also reviews the hiring process for adverse impact and the potential for meeting Affirmative Action goals. The HR office will conduct a pre-employment criminal background check. In addition, civil and financial background checks are conducted for candidates for Executive Leadership, Financial Services and those positions with budget authority. Retention of top performers is as important as recruiting the appropriate talent. All new employees participate in an orientation program called New Employee Welcome (N.E.W.) which is an interactive program designed to engage participants through activities like meet-and-greets and one-on-one opportunities. All new full-time employees Category 4 Valuing People 45

56 receive a N.E.W. kit on their official start date. The kit is designed to welcome the new employees. All new employees are required to read the book Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box, answer a series of questions, and participate in a discussion about how to relate the material to their daily work. Online orientation modules have been created and are also available for faculty, staff and adjunct faculty. NTC has maintained an internal, year-long leadership program available to employees desiring a leadership role in the College since The Leadership Institute focuses on the competencies required of leaders such as team building, professionalism, mentorship, interviewing/hiring, motivation techniques, delegation and managing priorities. Because of the re-structuring of the College in , a variety of new middle leaders took on new roles at the College. These new middle leaders participated in a professional development program during the academic year. The program, known as Leadership for Middle Leaders, included sessions that focused on professional development and leadership needs of these employees like organizational strategy, resource management, communication and collaboration. Building on the success of both the Leadership Institute and Leadership for Middle Leaders programs, the College has developed a two-phase leadership program for employees scheduled to begin in The Leadership Institute will continue with revisions, and an ongoing Phase II program will build upon the competencies developed during the initial leadership program. NTC has a formal mentoring program for all new employees administered by the Office of Organizational Development. The main goal of the mentoring program is to serve as a resource for new staff members in comprehending and utilizing the systems/services within the College. It is also a goal to provide the new employee with a relationship that is separate from their supervisor. All mentors participate in a training session designed to define and explore the mentoring relationship and offers suggestions and insights into developing a rich and rewarding experience for both participants. The Office of Organizational Development has also begun to utilize and assign situational mentors for people who may need mentoring for a specific task or project. These mentors are available to help solve a quick problem, uncover a hidden talent or learn a new skill or behavior. The College employs several strategies to address employee retention including ongoing professional development (4P9) and employee recognition (4P11) to aid in the retention of employees. 4P4 Employee Orientation. Because we have employees joining the organization throughout the year, the College wants to ensure all new employees learn about the College through online learning modules. All new employees to the College are required to complete an online learning module concerning the vision, mission, community benefits statements, core beliefs and strategic directions of the College. This learning module is also available to all employees via NTCs Learning Management System (LMS). In addition, information about NTCs history as an institution is available on the New Employee Welcome website. All faculty members and instructional supervisors are required to complete a two-credit course entitled Philosophy of Vocational, Technical and Adult Education, which includes much of the history of the WTCS, as a part of their five-year teaching certification. 4P5 Planning for Personnel Changes. The College has put emphasis on succession planning to assure sustainability of the workforce. Each key position has a designed back-up position that can take responsibility during absences. The College is continually working toward cross-training and documentation of procedures. The College is working towards a more formal process throughout the entire College. As part of the succession plan, the College supports multiple leadership programs. The College has developed an internal Leadership Institute for all employees that desire a leadership role in administration or within their own team. The College also supports participation in the State of Wisconsin Leadership Development Institute (WLDI) and local leadership programs. Employees that participate in these programs are strongly considered for advancement opportunities. In an effort to assure retention of most experienced employees in the IT area, the College has entered into a partnership with Dynamic Campus Solutions to supplement the current IT staffing by providing expertise to automate key functions throughout the College. This outsourced service will allow the College to develop a data warehouse, implement electronic timesheets and automate many manual processes within financial aid. Whenever a position becomes vacant, an analysis is completed to assure the position continues to be needed. Funding may be allocated to another area of the College or the description is simply updated to reflect the current nature of the work. The College reviews and assesses each new position to assure it will meet the mission and goals established. 46 Category 4 Valuing People

57 4P6 Work Process and Activity Design. The College operates under a team philosophy. The College consistently uses the charter team process to revamp processes or to implement new goals and objectives. A charter team is comprised of members from all employee groups. The team is accountable and supported by a member of the ELT. The team researches the issues, identifies challenges, develops budget needs and resources and provides recommendations to ELT. Once the ELT approves the work of the charter team, the recommendations are implemented. The College has also relied on outside resources to make improvements. As an example, Wipfli LLP, a professional services firm, was hired to complete an process review and interview internal stakeholders regarding financial services and financial aid. The review and interviews provided recommendations for improvements in processing and staffing to increase efficiency and effectiveness. Many process improvements have resulted. A process was implemented to increase customer service and customer response time. In addition, a position was dedicated to address the administration of veteran s benefits. 4P7 Ensuring Employee Ethical Practices. NTC has adopted core beliefs which are guiding principles of values that are inherent in the institution. The core belief of a Culture of Professionalism indicates that the College believes in a culture that models professionalism, treating internal and external customers with respect and integrity. This core belief is also a component of the performance evaluation system. The employee completes a self analysis and the supervisor provides a rating regarding the employee s adherence to this principle. The ELT annually completes a Conflict of Interest Questionnaire. The questionnaire requires employees to commit to ethical practices and disclose any conflicts of interest that may affect the College. The College has polices related to ethics, political activities, discrimination and harassment, sexual harassment, and computing, networking and information resources. These policies clearly define the College s expectations regarding appropriate ethical behavior. The Administrative/Operating Guidelines are listed on Lotus Notes. When Administrative/Operating Guidelines policies change, all staff receive an notification with the new policy language. 4P8 Determining Employee Training Needs. Determining the training needs for NTCs employees is accomplished through a variety of feedback mechanisms. The Office of Organizational Development solicits input regarding the different training needs from supervisors, union leaders, executive leadership and individual employees. Each year the College commits to two in-service days during which a variety of different sessions are available for employees. The content of in-service is based on the strategic directions of the College to provide specialized training to all employees in areas such as technology, safety, and personal health and well being. Surveys are sent to all employees after the event soliciting feedback on the effectiveness of the sessions and also soliciting ideas for future training sessions. Employees have self-assessment tools available such as the Technology Assessment to help determine what training they should seek. Requests for funding of professional development activities, conferences, seminars and other learning opportunities are reviewed against the strategic directions of the College by a team of independent reviewers. This ensures that the training is aligned with both the short-range and long-range organizational plans. 4P9 Training and Developing Employees. There are several processes in place to reinforce professional development of NTCs employees throughout their careers at the College. All new employees are assigned a mentor to assist in their acclimation to the work environment at NTC. During this past academic year, 82 new employees participated in one of two different orientation programs coordinated by the Office of Organizational Development. Each year, two days are allocated as all College in-service days, where a large number of instructor-led training sessions are held for all levels of employees at the institution. Full-time faculty members are eligible for pay advancement by continuing their education up to and including the terminal degree. More than 40 different training sessions on a variety of topics were held for employees during the academic year. More than 400 online learning modules are available for employee enrollment at no cost through the LMS implemented during the summer of Resources are budgeted to support employee attendance at professional development conferences, seminars and other learning opportunities. More than 150 employees take advantage of this annually. Category 4 Valuing People 47

58 Special pay provisions for continuing education are included in the collective bargaining agreements for other associations. Special pay provisions for continuing education are included for Middle Leaders. 4P10 Personnel Evaluation System. Northcentral Technical College, as an institution, is committed to the concept of continuous improvement as a means of providing the highest quality learning opportunities possible. One of the key components of any continuous improvement cycle is evaluation. Evaluation provides a means of determining what is being done, how well is it working and if it should (could) be done more effectively. Perhaps the most valuable product of an effective evaluation process is the structured planning that occurs to improve instruction performance. It is commonly accepted that any institution or organization with a commitment to improvement must also have valid and effective evaluation processes in place. At NTC, our most important service is creating learning opportunities and environments. The key producers of these opportunities and environments are NTCs faculty members. As it is the faculty member who is pivotal to NTCs achievement of offering students and communities the highest quality service possible, it is through evaluation of the instruction process that NTC can have the greatest impact. The faculty evaluation process is also addressed in 1P11. Since a wide range of classes are taught at NTC, the evaluation process is intended to recognize and support a multitude of approaches faculty members apply to meet the unique needs of nontraditional as well as traditional students and programs. The instructional evaluation process is founded on NTCs faculty s commitment to professional growth and professional service and as such has the following three focuses: To provide a means for faculty to demonstrate their professional experience and competence To provide a means of identifying the need for, and support of, professional growth To focus on the educational needs of students, faculty and the College as a whole In order to accomplish the above, the College s evaluation process includes several methods of collecting data, documenting activities and analyzing that information in a structured manner. This includes Classroom observation by the supervisor Dialogue and feedback between the faculty member and the supervisor Self-analysis by the faculty member Student evaluation of instruction and instructional methods Probationary faculty members are evaluated annually during their first three years of employment. Nonprobationary faculty members are evaluated every other year. The evaluation process for non-faculty contains similar components of self-analysis, customer feedback and supervisory feedback. The evaluation is competency-based and is customized for each employee group. The evaluation process focuses on improvement in the employee s position and the established core beliefs. These evaluations are conducted annually. 4P11 Recognizing and Rewarding Employees. The Office of Organizational Development maintains responsibility for the non-monetary forms of employee recognition. This office facilitates the yearly NTC Employee Family Picnic where more than 315 employees and their families participate. Each year there is also an employee recognition celebration where a variety of different recognition presentations are made. Retiring members of the NTC community are recognized for their valuable contributions to the College. Employees with 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 or 35 years of service are also recognized with a gift. In addition, two different teams in the College are awarded the Exemplary Service Award ($2,500 in professional development money). During the celebration the contributions of NTC Leadership Institute participants, NTC mentors, NTC Faculty Association award recipients and the Altman Award winner are also recognized. The HR team monitors the compensation against state comparables on an annual basis. Non-represented employees are evaluated yearly and are compensated based upon the level of performance as exceeds 48 Category 4 Valuing People

59 expectations, meets expectations, generally meets expectations and below expectation. Compensation for represented employees is determined by the specific labor contract. The College provides a comprehensive and competitive range of benefits to attract, retain and motivate employees. The package includes health, well-being and retirement benefits. NTC offers several services on campus such as banking, free flu shots and professional and personal development. The College recently implemented a formal wellness program to improve employee health and reduce health insurance costs. The program includes educational programming and on-site assessments. An employee survey was conducted with 307 respondents. The survey indicated 78% were in favor of a Wellness Center. The College implemented a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), with corresponding Health Savings Account (HSA), which is intended to promote consumerism in employee health decisions. This will provide employees an opportunity to retain employer and employee contributions for future medical expenses. The College is piloting a program to support employees that may not live within the state that are hired to teach online or are in hard-to-fill Information Technology positions. The College has created a Telecommuting Request Form, Telecommuting Guidelines and a Telecommuting Agreement to identify the communication channels, technology needs and performance expectations of these employees. 4P12 Determine Key Motivational Issues. NTC takes a proactive approach to listening to faculty, staff and administrators to determine key issues of importance. Regularly, the College seeks feedback from all employee groups. Three years ago, the Office of Organizational Development was created as a result of employee feedback regarding employee morale, recognition, professional development and leadership succession planning. In fall 2008, the College conducted an employee climate survey through use of a national feedback tool, the Personal PACE, as described in 4R1. The PACE results significantly improved since the last time the survey was conducted in A charter team was enacted to review the results and provide recommendations to the ELT. Recommendations included continuing of the Presidential Briefings (two-way communication between the President and staff), Target newsletter (a monthly employee communication) and other communication strategies. During the Presidential Briefings or prior to the meetings, questions can be submitted for response by the President. 4P13 Employee Satisfaction, Health and Safety and Well-Being. The College monitors employee satisfaction by administering the PACE climate survey every three years and internal staff surveys related to specific initiatives as needed. The information is reviewed by a cross-functional team to make recommendations for improvement. NTC promotes employee satisfaction, health, safety and well-being through participation in a state Risk Management Committee. This committee provides recommendations regarding workplace safety, ergonomics and public health issues such as the H1N1 virus. The College hired a full-time security director to focus on learner and employee security throughout the entire District. Student employees from the Criminal Justice Program are employed and provide additional security during the operating hours of the College. The Security Director has conducted security audits at each regional campus. NTC students, employees and community are safe on campus as evidenced by the crime statistics listed in 4R2-6. A Wellness Center has been created and staffed in response to an internal climate survey. Further information is included in 4R1 and 4I1. In May of 2009, the College participated in a functional exercise with other public safety agencies. Two hundred fifty people participated in the event which included victim/actors, media, controllers and evaluators. The College received a letter of recognition from the Wausau Fire Department for its participation. During this exercise the College was able to engage its Incident Management Team and was able to test a communication system that contacts all employees and students at work and home and by cell phone. 4R1 Valuing People Measures. NTC employs several measures to collect and analyze data regarding valuing people. In fall of 2008, the PACE was administered to 435 employees. Sixty-eight percent of the employees completed and returned the instrument for analysis. The purpose of the survey was to obtain the perceptions of employees concerning the College climate and to provide data to assist NTC in promoting a more healthy campus climate. NTC monitors several indicators within the HR office such as turnover, diversity of new hires and worker s compensation claims. Information from these reports is analyzed and as part of the continuous improvement process, changes are made in procedures. For example, when a significant increase in slips and falls was reported, a campaign for safety in the workplace was implemented. Category 4 Valuing People 49

60 NTC also conducts audits and surveys issues that arise in the workplace. Audits have been completed in the area of ergonomics, safety, security and wellness. As a result of the audit, a Security Director was hired and students are employed as the Student Security Team. A Wellness Center has been created and staffed to improve employee and student health and reduce health insurance claims. As shown in Figures 4R2-2 and 4R2-3, NTCs ergonomic audits have resulted in a decrease in worker s compensation claims regarding ergonomic issues. 4R2 Valuing People Performance Results. In November 2008 the College administered the PACE survey to obtain the perceptions of personnel concerning the college climate and to provide data to assist NTC in promoting a more healthy campus climate. Overall results from the PACE instrument yielded an overall 3.66 average score, indicating a healthy campus climate. The PACE Norm Base Average is NTC had 16 of the 46 standard PACE questions with a statistically significantly higher average than the PACE Norm Base Average and only one item was below the national average by a 0.01 margin. Means were also compared to the PACE results from the last time the survey was administered at the College in Although too much time has passed to draw definitive conclusions from the data, mean increases were recorded in 36 of the 38 comparable questions from 2002 to See 5R2 and 5R3 for more detailed PACE results. NTC generally has low turnover rates, less than 10% over the past five years. The employee turnover rate declined by 3% in the last five years, as shown in Figure 4R2-1. This demonstrates NTCs ability to retain qualified staff through competitive benefits and compensation, current technology and a satisfactory work climate. As NTC has remodeled areas of the College, ergonomic furniture has been purchased and reviews completed, thus decreasing issues. Currently, the majority of reviews are done in areas not yet remodeled. Figure 4R2-2 illustrates the number of ergonomic reviews conducted by NTC the past three years. Figure 4R2-3 shows Worker s Compensation rates at the College. NTCs workforce diversity mirrors the community workforce diversity based on the Equal Employment Opportunity categories. Figure 4R2-4 illustrates how NTCs gender workforce diversity percentage compares with the community percentage. Figure 4R2-5 shows how NTC has exceeded the community ethnic workforce diversity in the past two years. Figure 4R2-1 Turnover Rate NTC Employee Turnover Rate Year Turnover % % % % Source: Human Resources Data Figure 4R2-3 NTC Worker s Compensation Source: Human Resources Data Figure 4R2-2 Ergonomic Reviews NTC Ergonomic Reviews Date # of Reviews Source: Human Resources Data NTC Worker s Compensation Year Claims Filed Mod Paid to Resulting in Rate Date Payment $10, $57, $11, $12,532 Figure 4R2-4 Gender Diversity in the NTC Workforce 70% 60% Figure 4R2-5 Ethnic Diversity in the Workforce 7% 6% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% NTC Female Workforce NTC Male Workforce NTC Geographical Area/Female Workforce 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% NTC Ethnic Workforce NTC Geographica Area Workforce 0% % Source: 2000 Census, VE Source: 2000 Census, VE Category 4 Valuing People

61 Maintaining a safe campus for NTC students, employees and community is a priority. The full-time Security Director ensures learner and employee security throughout the entire District, overseeing a Student Security Team. The Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) survey conducted in the fall of 2008 indicated a 5.39 average for NTC student satisfaction with safety and security as compared to the national community college average of 5.14 (Figure 3R2-1). Figure 4R2-6 lists the criminal offenses on the NTC campus. Figure 4R2-6 Criminal Offenses on NTC Campus Criminal Offenses on the NTC Campus Criminal Offenses on Campus NTC VIOLENT CRIME TOTAL NTC PROPERTY CRIME ARSON BURGLARY MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT ROBBERY NTC CRIME TOTAL Source: Local police reports 4R3 Employee Productivity and Effectiveness Measures. The College Board of Trustees reviews the Dashboard on a quarterly basis. The Dashboard in Figure 7P4-1 provides an indicator of productivity and effectiveness by measuring progress toward the strategic directions of the College. Additionally, annual and biennial updates are provided to the board emphasizing the productivity and effectiveness of faculty, staff and administrators in achieving collegewide goals. A description of each report is provided in Figure 8R1-1. The Quarterly Dashboard targets a new goal of 4000 FTEs by Two new measures or quality indicators have been added under Organizational Development including the number of professional development hours completed by employees and the percent of minority employees working at the College. 4R4 Results Comparisons. NTCs overall results from the PACE instrument indicate a healthy campus climate, yielding an overall 3.66 average score in comparison to the PACE Norm Base of At NTC the PACE instrument yielded 16 of the 46 standard PACE questions with a statistically significantly higher average than the PACE Norm Base Average and none that were significantly below the average. Comprehensive PACE results are listed in 5R2 and 5R3. Figure 3R2-1 compares NTCs Noel-Levitz SSI student satisfaction rates with the satisfaction rates of national community colleges. The mean difference of the two satisfaction rates shows that NTCs satisfaction rates are significantly higher than national community college rates in five of eight categories. In three of eight satisfaction categories NTC is similar to the national community college rate. Figure 4R4-1 shows the percentage increase in family plan health insurance from through for NTC faculty and other WTCS faculty. To address NTCs high health care costs, the College implemented a High Deductible Health Insurance Plan with an emphasis on education and wellness in January Because of this emphasis and the College s willingness to provide an upfront contribution to each account, 83% of employees opted to participate in the High Deductible Health Insurance Plan. Category 4 Valuing People 51

62 Figure 4R4-1 Percentage Increase in Family Plan Health Insurance for Faculty Percentage Increase In Faculty Family Plan Health Insurance Years Compared: to % 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% Chippewa Valley (POS) Madison (WPS) Southwest Indianhead (PPO I) Northcentral Mid-State Northeast (PPO) Waukesha Blackhawk (Unity) Lakeshore Milwaukee (PPO) Fox Valley Western Nicolet (POS) Gateway Moraine Park AVERAGE % Increase Premium % Increase Board Payment Source: Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP via WTCS-HR Net NTC also compares its worker s compensation experience, turnover and health insurance increases with other colleges within and outside the field of education. Figure 4R4-2 illustrates NTCs Worker s Compensation rates compared to the WTCS. NTCs goal is to be at or below the WTCS average for worker s compensation mod rate. The College has narrowed the performance gap in the last three years. NTC generally has low turnover rates less than 10% during the past four years. This demonstrates NTCs ability to retain qualified staff through competitive benefits and compensation, current technology and a satisfactory work climate. Figure 4R4-2 Worker s Compensation Mod NTC vs. WTCS Northcentral WTCS Average The Central Wisconsin Society for Human Resource Management indicated that Source: Human Resources data 52 Category 4 Valuing People

63 58% of employers in 2006 had a higher turnover rate than NTC. It was also higher in 2007 (62%) and 2008 (74%). 4I1 Recent Improvements. NTC recognizes that employees are one of the greatest resources in achieving the mission and strategic directions of the College. The College invested in a Learning Management System designed to enhance performance of employees throughout the District. This system allows employees to engage in learning anytime, anywhere with more than 400 online learning modules available for employee enrollment at no cost. The employee and the supervisor develop a professional development plan which is supported by this system. NTC has a need to employ many adjunct instructors to meet the needs for additional classes throughout NTCs District. The Human Resource office has dedicated staffing to increase recruiting efforts. In addition, the Organizational Development Office has developed an orientation and continuing education program designed specifically for adjunct staff. In 2006 the College completed a safety and security audit of all NTC campuses. In addition, a student and employee survey was conducted. Results of the information indicated a need for security on the Wausau Campus. As a result, resources were dedicated from Student Activity Fees and the College s operational budget to fund a Security Director and Student Security Team from the students enrolled in the Criminal Justice Program. The Student Satisfaction Survey conducted in fall 2008 indicated the student rating for satisfaction with safety and security as significantly higher than the WTCS average. In fall 2008, a charter committee was convened to develop a recommendation for a wellness program on the campus. The committee created a business plan to reduce health insurance costs, increase employee morale, increase health, prevent accidents in the workplace and increase productivity. A survey was conducted which indicated that 78% of employees favored a Wellness Center on campus. As a result of the survey, a wellness program was instituted on campus with a Wellness Coordinator. The Wellness Coordinator has established wellness programming at all NTC campuses. A Wellness Center was established in spring NTC has one of the highest health insurance premiums within the WTCS. In January 2009, the College implemented a High Deductible Health Insurance Plan designed to encourage employees to become better health care consumers. The College funds a significant portion of the plan to encourage participation. Employees have the option to benefit from wise health care choices by personally retaining the savings in the plan for future healthcare expenses. With an emphasis on education and wellness, combined with the College s willingness to provide an upfront contribution to each account, 83% of employees opted to participate in the High Deductible Health Insurance Plan. 4I2 Targets, Improvements and Priorities. NTC employs many vehicles to improve its current processes and systems of valuing employees. Academic programs and service teams participate in the Quality Review Process which includes self evaluation, customer feedback and the development of improvement plans. The President of the College conducts listening sessions every three years to assess what is working and what needs improvement regarding the services NTC provides to learners and the community. The College distributes a satisfaction survey to both learners and employees every three years to obtain input for continuous improvement. Bi-monthly, the President and the Vice President of Human Resources and College Advancement meet with union association presidents to discuss concerns and common issues. The information obtained from the above sources is addressed at the ELT level. A charter committee is convened as needed to dissect an issue and make recommendations for improvement to ELT. A member of ELT serves as a liaison to the group to provide guidance. Recommendations approved by ELT are implemented and the appropriate resources are dedicated. Category 4 Valuing People 53

64 Category 5 Leading and Communicating 5P1 NTCs Mission and Values. As stated in OV5, the organization s mission and values are aligned with the mission of the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS). The WTCS mission was developed by the state legislature which originally formed WTCS colleges. The original and continuing mission of the College is thereby significantly impacted by the mission for the WTCS, but there is still ongoing review. During the NTC Board of Trustee s annual retreat, the members review information collected from stakeholder feedback and revise or reaffirm the organization s mission and values (core beliefs). Any changes or revisions are then communicated with the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) which subsequently shares these with the entire College. 5P2 Setting Directions in Alignment with Mission, Vision, Values and Commitment to High Performance. The NTC Board sets the direction for the College through the development and review of the institutional mission, vision and strategic directions. Every three years feedback is solicited through Presidential Listening Sessions held with groups of K-12, government, business and industry leaders, employees and students. Once this feedback is tabulated, it is reviewed by the ELT and recommendations for changes/revisions are brought to the NTC Board. The NTC Board decides upon any changes/revisions to the mission, vision, core beliefs or strategic directions and communicates these to the College. Once the strategic directions have been revised/re-affirmed by the NTC Board, individual teams at the College develop Team Action Plans based upon them, and forward these to the ELT. The ELT then develops an Action Plan based upon the strategic directions set by the NTC Board and the suggestions forwarded from individual teams. Once the ELT Action Plan has been shared with the College, individual teams review and revise their plans to reflect the priorities established by the ELT Action Plan. 5P3 Stakeholders and Setting Directions. The needs and expectations of key stakeholders are solicited through a variety of different processes. As stated previously, the use of Presidential Listening Sessions held with groups of community leaders, employees and students provides valuable feedback in the development of the overall direction of the College. Additional feedback is solicited from program advisory committees, accrediting organizations, leaders and employees from all levels at the College. NTC Board members and College leaders pay close attention to national trends, the geographic areas served, community businesses, partnerships and environmental scanning. They are also actively involved with and attend professional associations which help them keep apprised of future opportunities. NTCs participation in the Continuous Quality Improvement Network (CQIN) provides an opportunity to review, on location, the best practices of world-class organizations and implement those ideas as appropriate for the College. 5P4 Future Opportunities. Through continuous environmental scanning, College leaders consistently seek out new opportunities for growth as a College. NTC Board members also conduct environmental scanning and discuss the results of these scans and opportunities for growth at monthly board meetings. Board meetings are held at regional campuses to assure the entire District has a voice. Community feedback drives NTCs new initiatives that enhance student learning opportunities. New programs, classes and initiatives are influenced by NTCs close connection to its communities community feedback, advisory committee feedback, employee feedback, student feedback and board member feedback. The College also actively seeks out partnerships with local businesses, industries and other educational entities, and consistently explores ways to enhance opportunities for student learning and engagement through these partnerships. In addition, the College s Grants Office continuously monitors the opportunities available from local, state and federal grants to enhance both student opportunity and College growth. 5P5 Making Decisions. Decision-making occurs at all levels of the organization using a collaborative and consultative approach. Customer-focused decision-making is every employee s responsibility at NTC. Depending on the impact and costs, employees are empowered to resolve customer questions, inquiries or complaints. NTCs strategic leadership decision making is completed by the ELT within parameters set by the NTC Board. Individual teams, committees and charter groups provide the opportunity for all employees at NTC to participate in planning and share in the decision-making for the College on a variety of topics and process improvements. Committees are usually longstanding and made up of a representative group of employees with well-defined, ongoing tasks integral to the functioning of the College. Charter teams are generally short-term problem-solving teams made up of a cross-functional group of employees specifically tasked with responsibility for dealing with emerging problems or issues. See the Organizational Chart (Figure 5P5-1) on the next page. 54 Category 5 Leading and Communicating

65 5P6 Using Information and Results in Leadership Decision-Making. As a part of the decision-making process, the NTC Board in conjunction with the ELT, has developed a College Dashboard of indicators (Figure 7P4-1). These indicators are meant to provide the Board with data points that coincide with the strategic directions of the College and are reviewed quarterly by the NTC Board. The dashboard indicators are designed in such a way that board members can quickly review data in a variety of areas and make well-informed decisions based upon that data. In addition to the NTC Board Dashboard, annual reports (Figure 8R1-1) are also submitted to the NTC Board for their review and use. Each month, one or more reports are submitted to the Board for review. Institutionally, there are also a variety of performance updates that occur. Each quarter the ELT Action Plan is updated and adjustments are made if necessary. Twice per year individual Team Action Plans are reviewed and updated. Each year 25% of all programs are also engaged in the Quality Review Process (1P13). A Quality Review Process for Service Teams has also been piloted with five teams in and will begin a regular schedule in Every three years both a student climate survey and an employee climate survey are conducted by the College. The results of these surveys are reviewed by a charter team which makes specific recommendations for continuous improvement to the ELT based upon those results. The survey results and the resulting recommendations are shared with the NTC Board and the College as a whole. Figure 5P5-1 NTC Organizational Chart NTC Board of Trustees Paul L. Proulx, Chairperson NTC President Dr. Lori Weyers Executive Leadership Team Vice President for Learning Douglas Jensen Instruction Flexible Delivery International Education Regional Campuses Scheduling Workforce Learning Solutions Vice President of Human Resources and College Advancement Jeannie Worden Accreditation Continuous Improvement Foundation Grants Human Resources Organizational Development Payroll Security Strategic Planning Wellness Vice President of Student Services Laurie Borowicz Admissions Athletics Bookstore Enrollment Services Financial Aid Food Service K-16 Initiatives Placement Student Life Student Success Testing Transfer Vice President of Finance & Chief Financial Officer Jane Kittel Business Contracts/ Agreements Credit Union Financial Services Insurance Chief Information Officer Chet Strebe Distance Learning Network Electronic Delivery Information Management Printing/ Duplicating Technical Services Unified Comm. Director of Facilities Rob Elliott Custodial Grounds Maintenance Safety Shipping/ Receiving Director of Marketing & Public Relations Katie Felch Strategic Marketing/ Branding Presidential & Institutional Public Relations Dean of Agriculture & Community Services Dean of Business and International Education Dean of General Education, ABE/ELL & Educational Support Services Dean of Health Occupations Dean of Public Safety Dean of Technology & Trades Dean of Workforce Learning Solutions Regional Campus Deans Category 5 Leading and Communicating 55

66 5P7 Communication Between and Among Institutional Levels. The College has designed several processes to promote communication across all levels of the organization. Monthly during the academic year, Presidential Briefings are held for all employees. The College President shares information and outlines activities, strategies and goals with all employees during these briefings. Employees are encouraged to ask questions directly to the President during the sessions. The sessions are also available via streaming video so that there is access for all employees. The College has also recently re-instituted a collegewide newsletter known as the Target, which keeps employees updated on the latest happenings at the institution. In addition, team meeting times have been set aside for employees to meet and discuss current issues relevant to the College and individual teams. Different areas of the College have regular meetings such as dean meetings, learning team meetings, student services meetings and so forth. The College holds bi-monthly meetings with union association presidents. 5P8 Communicate Institutional Expectations and Direction. The College has thoughtfully integrated a number of different processes and aligned these processes with the College mission and strategic directions. The entire Team Action Plan process was designed around the strategic directions of the College. Teams develop goals around each of the different strategic directions and the resulting Team Action Plan is forwarded through the chain of command. It is tied directly to the employee performance evaluation process, capital equipment procurement process, Quality Review Process, curriculum modification process and individual employee professional development process. Each of these processes are managed through the Team Action Plans and directly linked to the College mission, vision, core beliefs and strategic directions. The College leadership also communicates individual responsibilities for ethical practices and values via policies and manuals, the College s vision and mission statements, the Student Handbook and the College website. 5P9 Encourage, Develop and Strengthen Leadership Among Staff. Leadership abilities are encouraged, developed and strengthened among faculty, staff and administrators in a variety of ways. Each year, NTCs annual Leadership Institute, Leadership Wausau (Chamber of Commerce leadership program) and the Wisconsin Leadership Development Institute (WLDI) are available to all levels of staff within the College. Also available to employees are professional development funds to attend leadership development workshops and conferences, online leadership modules, ongoing instructor-led workshops and seminars and in-service day breakout sessions held twice per year. Each employee is required to complete a professional development plan in alignment with the strategic directions of the College. Leadership knowledge, skills and best practices are communicated and shared throughout the College through such things as Target, Presidential addresses on in-service days, Presidential Briefings held monthly during the academic year and individual team, divisional, advisory committee and crossfunctional team meetings. 5P10 Leadership Succession Planning. NTC follows the Wisconsin Statutes in Chapter 38 for the board appointment process to ensure the College s mission, vision, core beliefs and commitment to high performance are passed on during NTC Board leadership succession. College President succession planning is carried out by the NTC Board. NTCs succession planning of College leaders is developed by ELT. While the College cannot deliberately select future leader successors due to federal and state affirmative action guidelines, NTCs environment encourages current employees to consider leadership positions by frequently posting vacant positions internally before posting externally. The College has put emphasis on succession planning to assure sustainability of the workforce. Each key position has a designated back-up position that can take responsibility during absences. 5R1 Leading and Communicating Measures. NTCs primary measurement of leading and communicating that is collected and analyzed every three years is the Personal Assessment of College Effectiveness (PACE) survey. The purpose of the survey is to obtain the perceptions of personnel concerning the college climate and to provide data to assist NTC in promoting a healthier campus climate. NTC also uses brief surveys following each in-service day and various charter teams may collect data (related to leading and communicating) and convey the results. In addition, the College consistently monitors the NTC Board Dashboard indicators (Figure 7P4-1) and shares them through open sessions of the Board of Trustees and ELT. 5R2 Leading and Communicating Results. Researchers at the National Initiative for Leadership and Institutional Effectiveness (NILIE) and representatives of NTC collaborated to administer a survey (PACE) that would capture the opinions of personnel throughout the College. In November 2008, the PACE survey was administered to 435 employees at NTC. Of those 435 employees, 296 (68%) completed and returned the instrument for analysis. Employees completed a PACE instrument that was specifically designed to compare the existing climate at NTC to a Norm Base of colleges across North America. Of the 46 standard PACE questions, the top five mean scores identified at NTC are listed in Figure 5R2-1. It should be noted that all of the means are higher than the PACE Norm Base, and that four of these means were statistically significantly higher than the PACE Norm Base. 56 Category 5 Leading and Communicating

67 Figure 5R2-1 Top Five Average PACE Scores at NTC Compared to National Average Source: 2008 PACE Results Northcentral Technical College June 2010 AQIP Systems Portfolio Top Five Average PACE Scores at NTC Compared to the National Average List highest to lowest NTC NORM MEAN BASE The extent to which I feel my job is relevant to this institution s mission The extent to which students receive an excellent education at this institution. 4.21* 3.97 The extent to which this institution prepares students for a career. 4.18* 3.96 The extent to which this institution prepares students for further learning. 4.06* 3.95 The extent to which student ethnic and cultural diversity are important at this institution The extent to which students are satisfied with their educational experience at this institution. 3.99* 3.81 *Statistically significant difference between NTC Average and PACE Norm Base. The PACE instrument is divided into four climate factors: Institutional Structure, Supervisory Relationships, Teamwork and Student Focus. A customized section developed by NTC was also included in the administration of the instrument. A total of 53 items were included in the PACE survey, as well as a series of questions ascertaining the demographic status of respondents. Respondents were asked to rate the various climate factors through their specific statements on a five-point scale from a low of 1 to a high of 5. The mean scores for all items were obtained and compared. Items with lower scores were considered to be high priority issues for the institution. The areas in need of improvement were ranked in order of priority, thereby assisting in the process of developing plans to improve the overall performance of the institution. The overall results of the survey found that NTCs climate is classified as one based on a consultative management style (ratings between 3 and 4). A comparative analysis of the climate as compared with the PACE Norm Base is demonstrated in Figure 5R2-2. The mean for the College climate was higher than the norm base in three of the four categories examined by the survey. Figure 5R2-2 Comparative Analysis of College Climate with PACE Norm Base Comparative Analysis of 2008 NTC PACE Results Supervisory Relationships Institutional Structure Teamwork Student Focus NTC PACE Norm Base Source: 2008 PACE Results Category 5 Leading and Communicating 57

68 In reviewing each of the survey items separately, the data shows that of the 53 mean scores: No items fell within the Coercive management style (i.e., a mean score rating between 1.0 and 2.0) No items fell within the Competitive management style (i.e., a mean score rating between 2.0 and 3.0). Forty-nine fell within a Consultative management style (i.e., a mean score rating between 3.0 and 4.0) Four fell within a Collaborative management style (i.e., a mean score rating between 4.0 and 5.0) The preponderance of Consultative (n=49) scores indicates that the institution has a relatively high level of perceived productivity and satisfaction. 5R3 Results Comparison. NTC compares favorably with the NILIE PACE Norm Base, which includes approximately 65 climate studies conducted at two-and four-year institutions since NTCs overall results from the PACE instrument indicate a healthy campus climate, yielding an overall 3.66 average score (PACE Norm Base Average 3.56). NTC had 16 of the 46 standard PACE questions with a statistically significantly higher average than the PACE Norm Base Average and none that were significantly below that average. Figure 5R3-1 outlines the 16 statistically significant PACE questions. Figure 5R3-1 Sixteen Statistically Significant Questions Comparing NTC with the PACE Norm Base Mean Sixteen Statistically Significant Questions Comparing the NTC Mean with the PACE Norm Base Mean PACE QUESTION NTC MEAN NORM BASE The extent to which the actions of this institution reflect its mission The extent to which decisions are made at the appropriate level at this institution The extent to which the institution effectively promotes diversity in the workplace The extent to which information is shared within the institution The extent to which institutional teams use problem-solving techniques The extent to which open and ethical communication is practiced at this institution The extent to which this institution has been successful in positively motivating my performance The extent to which a spirit of cooperation exists at this institution The extent to which institution-wide policies guide my work The extent to which this institution is appropriately organized The extent to which I have the opportunity for advancement within this institution The extent to which students receive an excellent education at this institution The extent to which this institution prepares students for a career The extent to which this institution prepares students for further learning The extent to which students are assisted with their personal development The extent to which students are satisfied with their educational experience at this institution Source: 2008 PACE Results 58 Category 5 Leading and Communicating

69 5I1 Recent Improvements. Based on survey and employee feedback, communication was identified as an area of weakness in the College. During the fall semester of 2007, a Communication Charter Team was established at NTC. Its purpose was to evaluate methods of internal communication and to make suggestions and implement changes to improve internal communication to better meet faculty and staff needs. An open call for volunteers to be members of the charter team was conducted in early November, and the team was formed shortly thereafter. The team included a cross-functional group of employees from different classifications, positions and areas of the College. This charter team conducted an internal survey of employees on communication and developed a series of recommendations for improvement to the ELT listed in the Communications Charter final report. The ELT evaluated these recommendations and subsequently implemented the majority of them. Communication Charter Team Recommendations Implemented at NTC 1. Continue Presidential Briefings on a monthly basis. The popularity of this type of forum was evident in the survey. More employees cited these briefings as being helpful than any other type of communication. It is suggested that a consistent format be used, and that the opportunity for two-way communication be maintained. 2. Re-design the NTC Intranet to be more user-friendly, easier to navigate and easily searched a one-stop-shop for internal employees. 3. Provide an all-college newsletter that is distributed monthly, electronically, to all employees (Target). 4. Post minutes from meetings (NTC Board of Trustees, advisory, charter, divisional, committee, etc.) in a central location for others to review on the NTC S (shared) drive. Communication Charter Team Recommendations In Progress at NTC 1. Clean up the S (shared) drive. Set timelines for completion of content and review by department. Have regularly scheduled reminders to delete unnecessary documents. 2. Create an expectation that employees change their voice mail/ to indicate they are out of the office. All employees should have their electronic calendars up to date as well. When making a historical comparison on items relating to communication within the PACE Survey, positive results were seen. Mean responses on all items relating to communication demonstrated increases as noted in the following table. No data is available between 2002 and 2007 due to the use of a different survey instrument. Figure 5I1-1 provides comparative mean responses to five questions regarding communication within the climate/pace surveys ranging from to Figure 5I1-1 Comparative Mean Responses to Five Questions Regarding Communication within Climate PACE Survey to Comparative Mean Responses to Five Questions Regarding Communication within Climate/PACE Surveys to Source: 2008 PACE Results Item 2000 Mean 2001 Mean 2002 Mean 2007 Mean* The extent to which I receive information related to my work * Mean The extent to which information I receive is useful in my work * ** The extent to which open and ethical communication is practiced at this institution * 3.29 The extent to which I receive adequate information regarding important activities at this institution * 3.58 The extent to which information is shared within this institution * 3.14 * Mean collected via Communication Charter Survey. ** Question no longer exists on PACE Survey Category 5 Leading and Communicating 59

70 5I2 Targets, Improvements and Priorities. As evidenced in 5R2, 5R3 and 5I1, the change in leadership fostered improved relations and communication within the College. This improved culture cultivated a more professional atmosphere which in turn helps to create a more conducive learning environment. The infrastructure at the College provides for the continuous improvement of procedures and processes in a variety of ways. Each year the College participates in the Continuous Quality Improvement Network (CQIN), an organization committed to continuous quality improvement, which helps the institution focus efforts on specific processes to target and improve during the upcoming year. Leaders from the College meet with a cross-functional team of volunteers to select various projects to be acted upon. In summer 2007 the College studied the best practices of business and industry that support their suppliers. The College created initiatives to support their suppliers, K-12 schools. This change allowed for better communication with K-12 professionals and created an opportunity for shared resources. The new infrastructure of the College emphasized a commitment to continuous improvement and encouraged all levels of the College to seek out and change processes to be more efficient and user-friendly. The Team Action Plan process (referenced in 5P8) encourages greater alignment with the strategic directions of the College, and one of these strategic directions is continuous improvement. Presidential Listening Sessions (as referenced in 5P2) also provide valuable feedback from the College stakeholders as to strategic directions and continuous improvement of processes. Because of NTCs close ties with the District it serves, the College values the feedback of its stakeholders business owners, community leaders, taxpayers, students, parents, employees and school districts and considers this feedback pivotal in guiding the strategic planning process. In addition, charter teams are established throughout the year in response to ongoing issues of importance to the College. The charter teams are designed to respond quickly to challenges and changes, and engage employees in problem solving for the good of the institution. 60 Category 5 Leading and Communicating

71 Category 6 Supporting Institutional Operations 6P1 Identify Student and Stakeholder Support Service Needs. NTCs strategic directions are the direct result of community, student, and employee feedback. This feedback shapes the directions set by the Board, as well as goals outlined by the Executive Leadership Team (ELT). Other feedback is gathered within divisions or specific departments, which result in specific Team Action Plans. The College is strongly learner-focused, and actively participates in activities to identify the support service needs of students and other key stakeholder groups, including: Academic Appeal and General Grievance Processes provide an opportunity for students to question fairness of all College policies and procedures. The processes are outlined in the student handbook and are also available online. Customer Comment Feedback monitored daily, this is a link from NTCs website and is forwarded directly from the Help Desk staff to appropriate individuals throughout the College. External Audits financial audits of NTC are conducted annually. Additional external evaluations or reviews have been done within the last two years for both the financial services and financial aid departments, providing external feedback for process improvement. External Partnerships built yearly, through community agencies and associations (e.g., Job Centers, Fresh Start, Hmong Mutual Association, Women s Center, Chamber of Commerce, etc.) See category 9. Feedback informal feedback continuously gathered from stakeholders. Focus Groups and Surveys conducted on an as-needed basis, these may be done as part of the Quality Review Process or to solicit feedback on a service, process or change within the College. Graduate and Five-Year Follow-Up Surveys conducted every year. Information from these surveys helps the College understand employment needs and trends in the District as well as provides information to program areas and prospective students. Grant Data Analysis an in-depth annual analysis of Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins IV) and Adult Education and Family Literacy (AEFL) grant performance scorecards. Internal Reports an analysis of point-in-time and year-end trends focusing on application, admission and enrollment data. K-12 Relationship Building K-12 annual administrators meetings, monthly school-to-career partnership meetings, high school counselor workshops and the work of the Career Coaches and high school visits. See category 2. Legislative Meetings formal conversations between the College president and legislators to provide updates and receive feedback. Needs Analysis the financial needs of students are analyzed annually and supported by state and federal financial aid and by the NTC Foundation. Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Survey (SSI) conducted every three years. Students complete a 78- item instrument in which 40 items are classified into 7 areas including instructional effectiveness, registration effectiveness, campus climate, academic advising effectiveness, campus services, admissions and financial aid effectiveness and safety and security. The instrument measures student satisfaction in these areas and helps the College understand student needs and set improvement goals. Presidential Listening Sessions (community, student and employee) conducted every three years (first in fall 2006 and again in fall 2009). The input received from community visits directly impacts the strategic directions of the College. Category 6 Supporting Institutional Operations 61

72 Program Area Advisory Committee Meetings occur twice annually and provide feedback for continuous program improvement. Research market research studies conducted as needed to gain insight into the needs/wants/desires of NTCs target markets and prospective learners. Service Quality Review Process conducted every four years, the process includes team self-evaluation and customer feedback. Student Discussion Board staff regularly monitor the student discussion board to identify issues about which students are posting comments. Student Governing Board an important link between students and the College, student representatives are able to voice concerns, provide feedback and participate in legislative processes on student issues. Student Referral Forms student referrals to support services (Student Referral forms) continually provide an opportunity for faculty to identify student needs (e.g., counseling, advising, tutoring). Figure 6P1-1 depicts the categories of support services established as a result of identified student and stakeholder need. Figure 6P1-1 NTCs Support Services-Enrollment, Student, IT, Business and Campus Service Admissions/Enrollment Advising Cashiers Financial Aid Foundation Learning Center Marketing & Public Relations Minority Recruitment, Retention and Transition Records/Registration Recruitment (K-12) Testing and Assessment Center Enrollment Support Services Function To assist students with selecting courses/programs that match their interests and coordinating the application and enrollment processes. To provide billing services and to collect and reconcile all accounts receivable for the College. To assist students in accessing federal and state grants, loans and scholarships and to distribute funds to make education affordable with minimal financial burden. To provide privately-funded financial support (scholarships, grants, loans) for students. To provide individualized and classroom learning and support to meet educational goals in a variety of locations including all NTC campuses, as well as outreach centers in Merrill, Park Falls, Bowler, Marathon County Job Center, Wausau Salvation Army and several county jails. To create awareness of NTC programs and offerings through creation and placement of marketing campaigns and web-based marketing (ntc.edu). Provide information aiding current and prospective students in the career and program decision-making processes through creation of collateral marketing materials. To increase the number of minority students who will successfully enroll in, be retained in and graduate from associate degree or vocational-technical programs or courses which offer high earning potential for graduates. To effectively manage student records, credit for prior learning and degree progress processes. Maintain compliance with state and federal regulations and reporting requirements. Provide course registration processes that meet the needs of students. To provide programs and activities promoting K-12 partnerships and offering learning options that allow for students to explore opportunities that support the technical college. See category 2. Provide admissions testing for applicants to NTC programs as well as a variety of assessment services to students and the public (e.g., GED/HSED, test proctoring, specific certification exams, College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)). 62 Category 6 Supporting Institutional Operations

73 Service Academic Advising and Counseling (also Minority Retention) Career and Placement Services Personal and Career Counseling Student Life Student Success Center (Disability Services, Tutoring & TRiO Student Support Services) Transfer Services Student Support Services Function To guide students who are at-risk in their learning journey to ensure academic success and program completion. To provide case management to program students including: setting up individual meetings, assisting with required/elective course selection, prerequisites, recommended credit load, monitoring grades, tutoring referrals, monitoring progress towards graduation and making referrals to other College services as needed. To provide services to graduating students to assist with their employment and career needs, including job seeking skills workshops, mock interviews, informational interviews, job shadows and other activities that would assist NTC students with their employment search. To provide services to students enrolled in an NTC program. Services are provided in one-on-one and group settings. These services include career counseling, personal advising, referrals to outside agencies, referrals to other services on campus, teaching career decisions classes, facilitating student success workshops. To make all students feel included in the college experience. The department works to offer opportunities for students to engage with one another and form a connection to their programs, the College, staff and each other. In 2010 NTC will offer intercollegiate athletics. To meet the requirements of state and federal law to provide appropriate services to students with disabilities and allows them to fully participate in the technical college environment. Services provided include counseling, interpreting, assistive technology, testing, note-taking and other accommodations according to the students need and identified disability. Tutoring helps students increase comprehension of course material and improve their learning strategies in order to promote success and independence. Services may include individual or small group academic assistance. The TRiO program is a federally funded program which provides support services similar to those listed under advising and counseling to students who meet eligibility requirements. The TRiO program also provides a technology loan program. To provide accessible, up-to-date information and advising on transfer of NTC credits/diplomas/degrees to other colleges via transfer agreements, web/print resources and visiting college representatives. Service Electronic Delivery Information Management Technical Services IT Support Services Function To utilize technology to provide education opportunities to NTC students, staff and stakeholders without time or distance barriers. To provide and support synchronous and asynchronous learning programs and platforms. To provide and support unified communication. To offer general or major equipment set up and training services. To collect and provide information to facilitate informed decision-making and reporting. This includes system and end user support and providing reports to meet requirements of federal, state and other agencies. To provide the foundation for all of the College s technology to enhance student learning, including server administration, network maintenance, desktop maintenance, Help Desk services and technology planning and purchasing. Category 6 Supporting Institutional Operations 63

74 Service Continuous Improvement Financial Services Foundation Grants Human Resources Marketing & Public Relations Organizational Development Scheduling Bookstore Service Food Service Library Facilities Security Business Support Services Function To promote and coordinate collegewide evaluation, continuous quality improvement, reporting and accreditation standards. Responsible for analyzing and disseminating College information in support of institutional decision-making, planning and reporting. To build fiscal strength through effective use of financial resources to meet market challenges and opportunities. Financial services is responsible for all dollars coming into the College, all dollars going out of the College and all accounting functions of the College. To augment financial resources outside of federal, state and local taxing authority. To promote the goals of NTC and its service area through identification of needs, pursuit of funding and efficient management of grant funds. To develop high performing employees that will embrace and support the College's mission, vision and core beliefs. Human Resources is responsible for benefit and compensation administration, recruitment/employment, employment relations, employee development and evaluation. To create internal collateral marketing materials to provide information that supports internal processes and policies. To promote learning, personal development, skill acquisition, and a positive attitude among all employees of NTC; Organizational Development helps employees apply these skills to their professional and personal lives. Organizational Development is responsible for internal employee orientation, training and ongoing development for both full- and part-time employees. To provide course scheduling based on customer need and in formats to accommodate learning styles. Campus Support Services Function To provide students with all items needed for their classes including new and used textbooks, e-books and other alternative textbooks, educational tools and important supplies. Service involves coordination with instructors to order current and relevant materials and offers other items of use to staff, students and outside customers. To provide a convenient, on-site option for students, staff and visitors who want to eat on campus. Food service emphasizes cleanliness, speedy service and enhanced quality to increase value for the College s students, staff and guests. To provide access to information resources in physical and electronic formats and to support information needs of users by providing research assistance, guidance and instruction. To serve the students and academic and administrative College community through planning, design, construction, operation, custodial, maintenance, shipping and receiving and safety of its facilities and grounds in a responsive, professional, ethical and courteous manner. Services are provided at Wausau and regional campuses. Buildings are kept in good repair, landscapes are groomed and safe and healthy environments are created and maintained for students, staff and visitors. To provide campus security services. Students in the criminal justice program are employed as members of the Campus Security Team supervised by the Director of Security and are responsible for establishment and implementation of several programs, i.e., Crisis Management, Mass Emergency Notification System. 64 Category 6 Supporting Institutional Operations

75 6P2 Identifying Support Service Needs. NTC identifies the service needs of College faculty, staff and administrators through formal and informal methods, including: Analysis and direction from ELT and monitoring of the ELT Action Plan as well as support for new initiatives. Employee Satisfaction Survey, Personal Assessment of College Effectiveness (PACE) conducted every three years, first in fall Feedback from deans, Learning Team, Enrollment Management Team, Quality Review Process and specific charter teams. Feedback from faculty and staff evaluations. Feedback and requests from faculty and staff. Presidential Listening Sessions (community, student and employee) conducted every three years, in fall 2006 and fall Employee feedback was gathered face-to-face and by questionnaires. Daily support needs are identified through informal communication and formal Help Desk and workspace requests and work orders. 6P3 Physical Safety and Security. To contribute to everyone s physical safety and security, NTC has designed, maintained and communicated the following support processes: NTCs three-year Facilities Plan ensures that campus buildings are kept in good repair, landscapes are groomed and safe and healthy environments are created and maintained for students, staff and visitors. The Facilities Plan is shared with the Board and with the ELT. Projects are communicated through Presidential Briefings, the Target newsletter and employee s. The Campus Security Team is responsible for the Wausau campus and all regional campuses. It is made up of a full-time Security Director and part-time student security officers. The security team has been in existence at the College since October of A full-time director, hired in October 2008, manages the student employees and oversees the operation of the department. The director conducts safety and security audits at the main and regional campuses and works with the campus facilities department to implement the necessary changes that are recommended to ensure a safe and secure environment for staff and students. Campus security contact numbers are displayed on TV monitors throughout the campus. NTC has an Incident Management Team that is made up of College executives and other key staff. They are responsible for overseeing and implementing the College Incident Management Plan in the event of an emergency or crisis. The College has implemented and tested a collegewide emergency messaging system that alerts and notifies staff and students of a crisis or emergency at the College. Safety and security guidelines have been developed and published in the student handbooks and NTC website as a reference for staff and students. The Quick Reference Guides to Emergency Response Procedures has been published and are by each telephone at the Wausau and regional campuses. This is a guide for emergency phone numbers and what to do in the event of specific emergencies. In addition, training for safety is offered through Organizational Development s in-person Think Tank sessions as part of the Learning Management System (LMS). The Wausau and regional campuses are smoke-free campuses other than specific designated smoking areas. Signage is posted on each campus to communicate this policy. 6P4 Managing Key Student, Administrative and Organizational Support Service Processes. Key support service processes are managed by department leadership and supported by area coordinators and other faculty and staff. Day-to-day activities are aligned to accomplish annual goals set within each department s Team Action Plan. The Team Action Plan is developed based on the information collected listed in 6P1 and 6P2. Team Category 6 Supporting Institutional Operations 65

76 members use formal and informal meetings, membership on collegewide teams and departmental meetings to problem solve, make process improvements and monitor progress of work goals. 6P5 Documentation of Support Processes. Support processes are documented and shared with students through internal and external publications, through College open houses and new student orientation activities, via the College website, student s, student discussion board, Student Governing Board and through student, faculty and staff referrals. Some processes are governed by College, state or federal policies and procedures. Various departments have a manual that guides employees while WTCS, state and federal policies and procedures direct them. College policies are systematically reviewed and updated by the appropriate divisions. Departments capture and document procedures to ensure continuity of services. College policies and procedures are available online. Information is shared and documented for staff and faculty through fall and spring in-services, Presidential Briefings, College s, the employee bulletin board, shared (S:) drive and Target newsletter. Processes are also shared through training (including training documents and manuals) with teams and individuals. The office of Organizational Development (OD) is the support service responsible for internal employee orientation, training and ongoing development. In-person Think Tank sessions are provided by knowledgeable staff and faculty on a variety of topics. OD arranges mentoring of all new full time employees and situational mentoring for current employees. Online learning modules provide easy access to information on many support processes and procedures including hiring new employees, Quality Review Process, safety and crisis management procedures and NTC strategic directions. Best practices such as scheduling, enrollment management and budgeting are shared throughout the College. 6R1 Student, Administrative and Organizational Support Service Measures. The College identifies quality indicators that support the strategic directions set by the NTC Board of Trustees. Regular measures of student, administrative and organizational support service processes are collected and analyzed quarterly, semiannually or annually and reported to the Board through the quarterly dashboard report. The Year-End Dashboard is listed in 7P4-1. In addition to the board quality indicators, divisions within the College provide annual reports to the NTC Board. Report descriptions are located in Figure 8R1-1. Divisions within the College also collect and analyze data in support of processes and activities identified on their Team Action Plan. Other key indicators are enrollment data, financial aid data, grant outcomes, service referrals, Foundation data, financial, external audits, charter team findings and internal and external feedback. 6R2 Student Support Service Results Noel-Levitz SSI results are used to determine student support service areas of improvement. Figure 3R2-1 outlines the 2008 Noel-Levitz SSI results by category, comparing NTCs Noel-Levitz SSI student satisfaction rates with the satisfaction rates of national community colleges. Of the eight categories, NTC rated significantly higher than the national community college average in five of the categories. Additional Performance Results Figure 6R2-1 FTE Growth Over Five Years Enrollment at NTC has steadily increased over the last three years, due in part to new leadership, program FTE Growth Over Five Years development, improved flexibility for learners and the downturn of the economy. Figure 6R2-1 illustrates the 3500 College s total FTE growth over the past 3000 five years. Total FTE s and unduplicated 2500 headcount data is also included on the Year-End Dashboard Report 2000 (7P4-1). As a result of increasing 1500 enrollments financial aid applications and 1000 awards have grown significantly. In NTC disbursed $9.4 million in 0 financial aid awards, compared with $6.2 million in Financial aid applications have also grown. In NTC processed 4,435 applications, Source: PeopleSoft Query compared to 3,558 in Fiveyear application and award results are listed in Figure 6R Category 6 Supporting Institutional Operations

77 Figure 6R2-2 Five-Year Financial Aid Application and Award Results Five-Year Financial Aid Application and Award Results Total Financial Aid Applications Total Financial Aid Dollars Awarded ,558 3,540 3,522 3,907 4,435 $6,255,116 $5,842,025 $6,545,094 $7,912,613 $9,433,657 Source: NTC Financial Aid data The NTC District applies for and receives grant funding from the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins IV) Grant. Examples of College services impacted by Perkins IV funding include recruiting (Career Coaches), Tech Prep, counseling and advising, nontraditional occupations (NTO), transfer and placement and the Student Services Center. NTCs Perkins IV Report Card, Figure 6R2-3, contains five-year performance indicators being reported for The indicators measure all students enrolled in one- and two-year programs or apprenticeships. In the past year the College improved in three of six indicators. Figure 6R2-3 NTCs Perkins IV Report Card NTC Perkins IV Performance Indicators Indicator Technical Skill Attainment 84% 84% 82% 79% 83% Academic Skill Attainment 85% 84% 84% 84% 82% Degree Attainment (Graduation), Student Retention and Transfer 78% 80% 83% 81% 84% Student Placement 92% 92% 90% 92% 95% Nontraditional Participation 12% 11% 10% 11% 11% Nontraditional Completion 11% 12% 9% 9% 7% Source: WTCS Perkins Post-Secondary Report Cards Placement success for NTCs graduates is evident from the 2008 NTC Graduate Follow-Up (Figure 1R5-5) and fiveyear follow-up survey (Figure 1R3-4). Results show that 90% of the graduates of the class of 2008 were employed within six months of graduation and 67% of those graduates are working within the NTC District. The complete Graduate Follow-Up Report is located on the NTC website. The Office of Civil Rights completed a compliance review of NTC in summer The purpose of the review was to evaluate compliance with the U.S. Department of Education regulations implementing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Vocational Education Program Guidelines. NTC received the following commendation: Northcentral's efforts at partnering with the College of the Menominee Nation on activities to make students more comfortable with transferring to Northcentral Technical College are to be commended. The cost of providing services at the College of the Menominee Nation are high for Northcentral but the long term benefit of encouraging the Native American population to comfortably transfer to Northcentral should pay off for Northcentral in the future. Category 6 Supporting Organizational Operations 67

78 6R3 Administrative Support Service Process Results. NTC Year-End Dashboard results are listed in 7P4 and Noel-Levitz SSI performance results for administrative support services are listed in Figure 6R5-1. The following are additional results supporting NTCs institutional resources and fiscal strength. The NTC Foundation serves to provide privately-funded financial support (scholarships, grants and loans) for students. Though the economic recession caused a decrease in 2009, Foundation assets have steadily increased during the last decade. NTC employee giving increased significantly in the last two years (Figure 6R3-1), demonstrating the commitment of employees to student success. Financial Services supports NTCs financial capacity. Performance results indicating financial strength are reflected in the Moody Investor Service rating, Reserve Fund balances, property tax mill rate and cost per Full Time Equivalent student (FTE). Figure 6R3-1 NTC Employee Giving NTCs Moody Investor Service rating was upgraded from Aa3 to Aa2 in 2005 and has been reaffirmed at Aa2 for the past four years since then. The Aa2 rating reflects the Districts sound financial operations supported by healthy operating reserves, ability to generate additional revenue under the state imposed operating mill cap, substantial and growing tax base and average debt burden with aggressive principal amortization. NTCs District operating reserves are budgeted to be $10,541,688 at June 30, 2010 totaling 24% of budgeted operating expenses. This Source: NTC Foundation Financial Statements includes an estimated amount designated by the Board of $4,479,587 for OPEB (other postemployment benefits) liability. The remaining undesignated operating reserve is planned to be $6,062,101. As stewards to the taxpayers, NTC sets the mill rate to avoid fiscal jeopardy, meet stakeholder requirements and to be within Board parameters as prescribed by Wisconsin Statute From fiscal years the College increased headcount by 25%, from 17,728 in FY 2006 to 22,100 in FY 2009 (Figure 8R4-1). The College s FTE grew by 22% during this same time. Due to this growth NTCs 2009 mill rate was adjusted to , the first increase in six years. NTCs mill rate for the last five years is listed in Figure 6R3-2. NTC has utilized revenue dollars to offset the costs of new initiatives and mitigate the impact on District taxpayers. NTC monitors the cost of services provided to students and stakeholders. The performance results of NTCs aidable operational cost per FTE were $10,519 per FTE student for fiscal year-end This was down from $10,689 in , and $12,085 in Due to unprecedented enrollment growth, in FY NTCs cost per FTE increased to $11,339. WTCS comparative results are outlined in section 6R5. A cost per FTE comparison for the WTCS is located in Figure 7R3-1. Figure 6R3-2 Property Tax Mill Rates Source: Tax Levy documents Mill Rate Over Five Years Tax Year Debt Service Operations 68 Category 6 Supporting Institutional Operations

79 Figure 6R Noel-Levitz SSI Comparison Results for Supporting Institutional Operations 2008 Noel-Levitz SSI Comparison Results for Supporting Institutional Operations Category/SSI Question 1 NTC SAT WTCS SAT 2-Year SAT* Academic Advising Effectiveness 14. My academic advisor is knowledgeable about my program requirements *** 5.48*** 35. I receive ongoing feedback about progress toward my academic goals ~ 5.06** 16. My advisor helps me apply my program of study to career goals ~ My academic advisor is available when I need help ~ 5.29** 22. My academic advisor is knowledgeable about transfer requirements of other schools. Admissions and Financial Aid Effectiveness 23. This institution helps me identify resources to finance my education ~ Financial aid awards are announced in time to be helpful in college planning Financial aid counseling is available if I need it ~ Admissions staff provide personalized attention prior to enrollment ~ Admissions counselors accurately portray program offerings in their recruiting practices. Campus Climate 36. Tuition paid is a worthwhile investment ~ Students are made to feel welcome here *** 5.75*** 13. The campus is safe and secure for all students *** 5.74*** 1. The campus staff is caring and helpful *** 5.58*** 39. On the whole, the campus is well-maintained ** 5.80*** 37. I seldom get the run around when seeking information on this campus Administrators are available to hear student concerns Campus Services 24. The equipment in the lab facilities is kept up to date ** 5.48*** 18. Computer labs are adequate and accessible This campus provides online access to services I need ~ The assessment and course placement procedures are reasonable There are adequate services to help me decide upon a career Tutoring services are readily available Library resources and services are adequate Counseling services are available if I need them ~ 5.34 Registration Effectiveness 9. I am able to register for the classes I need with few conflicts Classes are scheduled at times that are convenient for me Registration processes and procedures are convenient ~ I am able to take care of college-related business at times that are convenient There are convenient ways of paying my school bill Safety and Security 13. The campus is safe and secure for all students *** 21. The amount of student parking space on campus is adequate *** 10. Parking lots are well-lighted and secure *** 4. Security staff respond quickly to calls for assistance Questions listed by ranked order of importance by NTC students. *National community colleges mean average for student satisfaction. ** Mean difference statistically significant at the 0.01 level. *** Mean difference statistically significant at the level. ~The question was not asked at all participating WTCS schools. Source: 2008 Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory results Category 6 Supporting Institutional Operations 69

80 6R4 Utilizing Information and Results for Improvements. Overall, information and results that are gathered and analyzed for support service areas help shape the specific goals and action items set by the NTC Board, the ELT and by divisions within the College. Gap data from the Student Satisfaction Inventory are used to identify areas where the College may not be meeting students expectations. That information may directly point to process improvements or may identify areas where the College may want to gather more data. For example, the College hired an independent consulting firm to examine NTCs processes and make recommendations for improvements in financial aid. Those recommendations have been incorporated into the Team Action Plan for research and implementation. A similar audit was done for the Financial Services department as a result of feedback from internal customers. Support areas also utilize Quality Review Process information and use data from such sources as internal and external customer feedback, Noel-Levitz SSI data, internal reports and measures, Team Action Plans and charter team findings to improve services. Gaps in information are identified and steps are taken to create reports that can be analyzed and used to improve services. In , the College identified a need to create a strategic enrollment management plan. A charter team was formed, and the team s primary goal was to identify important enrollment management measures. As a result, the Application Status Summary report was created which provides teams across the College with data that can help drive activities and decisions related to marketing, recruitment, admissions, enrollment and scheduling. Internal feedback from stakeholders also is used to improve services. For example, this year the Marketing and Public Relations Team responded to feedback from the Learning Division and hired a new staff person primarily responsible for working with new learning initiatives. In addition, information from Perkins IV and other grant reports highlight areas which require improvement in order to achieve identified outcomes. Districts must annually submit a plan for continuous improvement of all Perkins IV performance indicators and an improvement plan if the College has missed the performance outcomes for any indicator. Grant funds to support the staffing and services are impacted by required improvement plans and failure to meet outcomes could jeopardize funding. 6R5 Results Comparisons. Performance results for support processes at NTC are compared primarily with the other 15 colleges within the WTCS and, when available, to community colleges outside the WTCS. The College s Cost Per FTE (Figure 7R3-1) ranked 12 th in Additionally, Figure 8R4-1 shows how the College compares in enrollment and FTE within the WTCS over the past four years. The NTCs Perkins Post-Secondary Report Card results are listed in Figure 6R2-3, with WTCS performance benchmarks provided in Figures 1R2-1, 1R3-1 and 1R3-2. Figure 6R5-1 on the previous page outlines NTCs overall SSI category results compared with WTCS and national community college averages. 6I1 Recent Improvements. Processes and performance results for supporting institutional operations are systemic and comprehensive in that the strategic directions set by the NTC Board drive the operational goals set by the ELT and each division s Team Action Plan which encompasses the entire organization. The NTC Board, ELT and each departmental team have processes to measure performance results and utilize data to set improvement goals. Several improvements have been made recently across the support service areas, and some of the major improvements are detailed in this section. As was mentioned in the overview, many physical and technological improvements have been made to the main campus as well as regional campuses in the last three years. In response to community feedback and to better serve students, many support service areas were remodeled and restructured. Areas at the main campus include Human Resources, ISIT, Financial Services, Cafeteria, Bookstore, Marketing and Public Relations, the NTC Foundation, the Learning Center, the Student Success Center (formerly separate departments of TRiO and Center for Students with Disabilities), Student Life, Grants, Organizational Development, Continuous Improvement and Student Services. The remodel for Student Services incorporated a Welcome Center/Call Center, a new Transfer and Placement Office and a new Testing Center. The Student Success Center, Cashiers areas, Bookstore, Student Life and the Cafeteria are conveniently located in the same area. In response to feedback from students and staff about security, NTC implemented a Campus Security Team in October 2007 that is made up of a full-time Security Director and part-time student security officers. The Security Director conducts safety and security audits at the main and regional campuses and works with the campus Facilities Department to implement the necessary changes that are recommended to ensure a safe and secure environment for staff and students. 70 Category 6 Supporting Institutional Operations

81 NTC has an Incident Management Team that is made up of College executives. They are responsible for overseeing and implementing the College Incident Management Plan in the event of an emergency or crisis. The Director of Security is reviewing the Colleges' current plan and will make changes and revisions that are deemed necessary to ensure the College is prepared in the event of an emergency or crisis situation. In May 2009 NTC participated in a Marathon County Emergency Government sponsored tabletop, functional and live exercise in which NTC was the target of a biological attack. The College collaborated with the local police, fire, emergency services and emergency government. The College was able to practice their incident management plans and identify deficiencies and improvements needed. As a result, the College has implemented a collegewide emergency messaging system that notifies staff and students of a crisis or emergency. Safety and Security guidelines have been developed and published in the student handbooks and NTC website as a reference to staff and students. Quick Reference Guides to Emergency Response Procedures were published and are located by each telephone at the Wausau and regional campuses. This is a guide for emergency phone numbers and what to do in the event of specific emergencies. Several improvements have been made over the last couple of years in Enrollment Services. In response to long waitlists, a team collaboratively researched and designed a new procedure for enrolling students into their core health program courses. Through the new petition process, students who are prepared and ready to begin core program courses will have an opportunity to start sooner than they might have otherwise. Having students enter programs when they are ready is expected to improve student retention in some of NTCs most costly programs. Early results indicate that the new process has had the intended effects on first semester student retention. The team s effort resulted in one of the College s Exemplary Service Awards in spring Improvements have been made in the area of financial aid as a result of student feedback and the external process review conducted in early Financial aid collaborated with the NTC Bookstore to create an electronic process whereby students can charge their textbook costs to their financial aid account. This has been favorably received by students and has improved staff productivity. Other examples of improvements are in group financial aid application help sessions, a shift from financial aid to Human Resources providing payroll services to students receiving work-study funds, and process improvements made in collaboration with IT staff. The team s effort resulted in one of the College s Exemplary Service Awards in spring Financial Services has also made improvements based on internal stakeholder feedback and the external process review conducted in The department recognized the need for collaboration with deans and other College managers and has implemented better processes for communication and training. A significant internal control risk was identified in the use of many accounting records maintained outside of the PeopleSoft system. These rogue systems included QuickBooks and many spreadsheets. An integrated accounts receivable and collections system in PeopleSoft was created, implemented in March Other improvements have been made in cash handling procedures, purchasing card processes, a procedure for backing up daily reconciliation data, updating and communicating the capital procurement policy and the development of standard accounting procedures. Many other improvements are in progress and customer service has become an important focus of the Financial Services department. In attempting to track enrollment goals during , the College found that it did not have good systems to gather specific information about prospects, program applicants and the conversion rate. A cross-functional enrollment management charter was formed to identify needed measures and create a comprehensive application status report that is distributed weekly to key staff and faculty throughout the College. For example, a program area can identify the number of students who have applied to their program but have not completed all admission requirements. Faculty may reach out to students to connect with them and encourage them to complete the admissions process. For high demand programs that have a waitlist, the admissions staff can track whether accepted students have taken the step to enroll in classes. They contact students who have not registered and determine their commitment to attending. Staff can assist by enrolling or inactivating the student s application. Staff can also admit a student from the waitlist. The report has helped the College recognize that many applicants do complete all requirements to be admitted to their program of choice. A need to better track students progress after being referred for basic skills remediation led to the creation of an automated process used by admissions staff, enrollment advisors and the Learning Center. In the area of Student Success, one major improvement was the Increase Online Course Completion and Retention Action Project. To address the Technical Skill Attainment indicator for the Perkins IV grant, NTC implemented an Action Project in 2008 which included hiring an Online Learning Specialist. The primary goal of this new position Category 6 Supporting Institutional Operations 71

82 was to pilot an initiative to increase online course completion and retention for the IT and marketing programs. The Online Learning Specialist position provides case management for online students using innovations such as a Facebook advising site for participating students. Other initiatives included the development and implementation of the following actions: Classroom visits Course matrix (schedule of course offerings) Help center Innovative advising model to orient new students including face-to-face & online formats Mid-semester grade report requests to case manage at-risk students more effectively Periodic s sent to students (advising services & registration) Student referral form to identify at-risk students Student referral to gauge student strengths & areas of improvements Student survey for advising feedback Systematic review of student performance data Tutoring initiatives Northcentral Technical College June 2010 AQIP Systems Portfolio Welcome letter to all incoming IT program students Because of this Action Project, many of the processes listed above have been implemented that were previously non-existent. For example, the Online Learning Specialist has overseen the development of an electronic Student Referral Form, pre-arranged tutoring services for first semester courses, and a help center that aids students with technical, course-related questions. The impact of the project initiatives will be more assessable upon program completion by the core cohort of students who began in the fall NTC exceeded required grant performance levels in the first year of the project. The team s effort resulted in one of the College s Exemplary Service Awards in spring I2 Targets, Improvements and Priorities. Continuous Quality Improvement is a strategic direction and part of the culture at NTC. The College constantly develops and implements innovations to improve learning and support systems, processes, procedures and resources that enhance institutional effectiveness. NTCs culture encourages innovation and creative thought, allowing teams to select processes for improvement. For example, teams select manual processes that can be converted to automated processes. In the Service Quality Review Process the College relies on stakeholder feedback to determine processes to improve such as utilizing 2008 Noel-Levitz SSI data and outside consulting feedback. Once actions are determined, the College utilizes the Team Action Plan to set specific, measurable operational targets and goals that align with the College s strategic directions. For example, the Student Services Team identified the Enrollment Management System for continued development to improve the conversion rate, but more importantly to offer more targeted and just-in-time services to students using an efficient data system. Perkins IV grant data also directs the school in ways to provide services that promote student success. 72 Category 6 Supporting Institutional Operations

83 Category 7 Measuring Effectiveness 7P1 7P2 Data and Performance Information Selection, Management and Distribution. Figure 7P1-1 Performance Information Supporting Planning and Improvement Performance Information Supporting Planning and Improvement Performance Data Selected by or Managed By Description Collected Primary User* AEFL Report Card Learning Team Continuous Improvement Annual monitoring of performance of students served with AEFL funds. Board Dashboard Course Completion Reports Board of Trustees ELT Learning Team Student Services Continuous Improvement Continuous Improvement Monitors progress of strategic directions on quarterly basis. Monitors course completion trends by course, department, program and student demographics. Curriculum Projects Learning Team Curriculum Status of current curriculum projects. Curriculum Return Learning Team Curriculum Return on Investment analysis of curriculum projects. on Investment Enrollment Management Student Evaluation of Faculty Student Services Learning Team Continuous Improvement Monitors program application status on a weekly basis. Learning Team HR Student evaluations of faculty performance within a course. Instructional Vitality Learning Team Continuous Improvement Graduate Follow-Up K-16 Annual Report Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) Personal Assessment of the College Environ ment (PACE) Survey Perkins Report Card Presidential Dashboard Presidential Listening Session Results Quality Review Process Scorecards Regional Dashboard Student Headcount and FTE Term-to-Term Persistence Northcentral Technical College June 2010 AQIP Systems Portfolio Learning Team Student Services Collegewide Learning Team Student Services ELT ELT HR OD Student Services Learning Team ELT Learning Team Collegewide Learning Team Learning Team ELT Learning Team Student Services Learning Team Continuous Improvement Student Services Continuous Improvement Continuous Improvement Continuous Improvement Continuous Improvement ELT, Continuous Improvement Continuous Improvement Continuous Improvement Continuous Improvement, ISIT Continuous Improvement Program and course instructional indicators analysis. Monitors graduate employment results six months after graduation. Annual report highlighting current partnerships between K-12, NTC and 4-Year College Transfer Partners. Monitors College s effectiveness related to meeting students needs and student satisfaction. Monitors perceptions of College staff concerning College climate. Annual monitoring of Perkins scorecard indicators. Monitors progress of strategic directions and specific institutional goals on a monthly basis. Feedback collected every three years from District K- 12, business and industry and government to assess College performance and set new strategic directions. Performance reports and benchmarks for programs and academic teams. Monitors progress of regional campus goals on a monthly basis. Monitors enrollment and FTE trends on a weekly basis. Monitors persistence status of program students by semester. *Please note the table lists the primary user or the initial source for the request; however, each report listed within the table is available or distributed collegewide. Category 7 Measuring Effectiveness 73

84 7P1 7P2 Data and Performance Information Selection, Management and Distribution. The selection of performance information to support the planning and improvement efforts of programs and service teams is driven by strategic initiatives set forth by the College s Board of Trustees and Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and by Team Action Plans addressing these initiatives at the individual team level. As strategies are developed and goals identified, teams select performance information needed to monitor progress. In addition, WTCS initiatives, College and program accreditation requirements and grant reporting also determine what information is selected and distributed throughout the College and to teams. The management and distribution of performance information on a collegewide level is coordinated through the Continuous Improvement Office and Information Systems and Instructional Technology Office (ISIT). Additional information, if unique to a team, may be managed and distributed by the individual team or department. Figure 7P1-1 provides a sample of the variety of performance information used and distributed to programs and service teams to support planning and improvement efforts. Data used for planning and improvement efforts is selected and distributed as part of the College s Quality Review Process (1P13, 1I1). WTCS Quality Review Process Scorecards are distributed annually to the College s academic programs, apprenticeships, basic education and general education teams. Program deans discuss information with staff and program advisory committees, identifying overall trends, performance gaps, improvement strategies and the possible need for further analysis. Figure 7P1-2 shows a sample academic Quality Review Process scorecard for the nursing program. The scorecard shows the WTCS benchmarks (threshold and target) as well as the program s actual performance. In the example below, NTCs nursing program is near or above the WTCS performance target for each indicator. Additional information can be requested through the Continuous Improvement Office and ISIT. Figure 7P1-2 Sample 2009 Quality Review Process (QRP) Scorecard for Nursing NTCs 2009 WTCS Associate Degree Nursing Program QRP Scorecard Indicator Code Name Threshold Actual Target Course Completion 52% 82% 83% Special Populations Course Completion 48% 79% 79% Minority Course Completion 42% 76% 73% Second Year Retention 56% 87% 85% Third Year Retention 43% 74% 76% Third Year Graduation 7% 47% 46% Fifth Year Graduation 28% 65% 65% Job Placement - All Employment 94% 100% 100% Job Placement - Related Employment 90% 97% 100% Non-Traditional Gender 6% 7% 12% Source: WTCS Cognos 74 Category 7 Measuring Effectiveness

85 Service Teams also participate in a Quality Review Process in which customer feedback information is collected and reviewed (6P1). Both academic and service teams participate in a comprehensive Quality Review Process every four to five years and use the information collected and reviewed to identify opportunities for improvements and to develop improvement plans which contain goals and performance measurements to monitor the progress of each goal. 7P3 Determining Data and Performance Information Collection, Storage and Accessibility. As mentioned in 7P1 and 7P2, departments determine their data needs based on institutional and WTCS initiatives, team goals and strategies, accreditation and reporting requirements. Once information and data needs are determined, requests are submitted through either individual meetings with ISIT or through the IT Help Desk. ISIT maintains the College s PeopleSoft database. As a member of ELT, the Chief Information Officer (CIO) works closely with the President, Vice President for Learning and service team leadership to address the collection, storage and accessibility needs collegewide and within individual teams. The storage and accessibility of information is determined based on the type of information being collected or requested and value of the information to other departments and teams. Other data needs and requests are obtained from the Continuous Improvement Team. As the College works toward the development of a data warehouse in conjunction with PeopleSoft, Continuous Improvement currently maintains several databases outside of PeopleSoft to store point-in-time application, matriculation, enrollment, and FTE information in addition to databases for specific surveys such as the Noel-Levitz SSI that are not entered into PeopleSoft. The Continuous Improvement Team is responsible for the College s client and grant reporting and works closely with appropriate departments to determine what performance information is needed, how often it is needed and who should receive the information. Additionally, as WTCS required surveys are planned each year, Continuous Improvement meets with departments with specific accreditation requirements to confirm information currently being collected fulfills accreditation requirements, what additional information is needed, when is the information needed and who should receive the information. The collection, storage and availability of information is also determined by the facilitation of Quality Review Process, membership on the Learning Team and charter teams, individual meetings and requests. The Continuous Improvement Team works with ISIT if data collection or accessibility changes are needed within PeopleSoft for any federal or state reporting initiatives. 7P4 Performance Data and Information Analysis and Distribution. At the institutional level, the College analyzes data and information through regular weekly, monthly, quarterly and year-end reports. The Board Dashboard (Figure 7P4-1) is monitored quarterly by the College s Board of Trustees and ELT indicating the current progress of key quality indicators aligned with the College s strategic directions. In addition to the dashboard, annual reports are presented to the Board throughout the year providing a more indepth summary and analysis of performance results for selected initiatives and institutional goals. Figure 8R1-1 lists and defines the Annual, Biennial and Triennial Board Reports. The Board Dashboard and annual reports are placed on the College s shared (S:) Drive for all employees to share and view the information. On a monthly basis, a Presidential Dashboard and Regional Dashboard are shared with the ELT and academic deans providing a current picture of key indicators in relation to year-end goals and previous year s performance. Figure 7P4-1 displays the NTC Board of Trustees Year-End Dashboard. Each dashboard shows a breakdown of indicators within a variety of selected areas, with the Regional Dashboard (not shown) focusing on information concerning NTCs regional campuses. The dashboards are discussed and analyzed by ELT and deans, guiding them on decisions and possible adjustments to strategies and goals if areas are not on track to meet yearend goals. On a weekly basis, detailed enrollment reports are sent out collegewide through the College electronic bulletin board showing weekly point-in-time comparisons to previous academic years. These reports allow faculty and staff to filter and sort information by course and program to pinpoint areas that are not on track to meet year-end goals or have declined compared to previous years. Category 7 Measuring Effectiveness 75

86 Figure 7P4-1 Board Dashboard Northcentral Technical College June 2010 AQIP Systems Portfolio Board Quality Indicator NTC BOARD OF TRUSTEES YEAR-END DASHBOARD 3000 FTEs ~ 30,000 Headcount ~ 3 Years Annual Goal Quarterly Goal Trend Data Actual Past Year-End Data Strategic Direction: Growth and Innovation Community Benefit Statement: Communities have the capability to foster economic growth. Total FTEs Total (#) FTEs generated Total Unduplicated Headcount Total (#) students enrolled (includes Transcripted Credit students) Flexible Delivery Course FTEs # Online, evening, weekend FTEs New Products (Programs/Certificates) New (#) programs/certificates are counted when 40% of curriculum is new 30,000 30,000 22,101 22,314 19,849 1,071 1,071 1,254 1, No Data When Reported to Board Quarterly Oct, Jan, Apr, July Quarterly Oct, Jan, Apr, July Quarterly Oct, Jan, Apr, July Semiannually January, July Regional Products (Programs/Certificates) Semiannually Credential not offered previously at a Regional No Data Campus, Online, or Evening/Weekend January, July Strategic Direction: Strategic Partnerships Community Benefit Statement: Workplaces have an available and skilled workforce. Total Businesses Served Quarterly Total (#) of businesses served through contracts Oct, Jan, Apr, July Total Employees Served 6,075 6,075 7,005 5,841 4,148 Quarterly Total (#) employees served through contracts Oct, Jan, Apr, July Total Transcripted Credit Enrollment Semiannually No Data Total (#) HS students enrolled in Transcripted Credit January, July New Articulation Agreements with 4 Semiannually Year Colleges No Data No Data New (#) Articulation Agreements with 4-Yr Colleges January, July Strategic Direction: Continuous Quality Improvement Community Benefit Statement: Learners have the knowledge & skills necessary to explore, maintain or advance in employment or higher education. Degrees Awarded (#) Semiannually Associate Degree, Technical & Short-term Diploma Certificates Awarded (#) Certificates Awarded Program QRP Completion % of programs scheduled (10 per year) for QRP that complete QRP Service QRP Completion % of service departments scheduled (5 per year) for QRP that complete QRP % 100% 100% 100% No Data 100% 100% 60% No Data No Data April, July Semiannually April, July Annually July Annually Strategic Direction: Organizational Development Community Benefit Statement: Learners have the knowledge & skills necessary to explore, maintain or advance in employment or higher education. Professional Development Commitment # of full-time staff participating in NTC funded professional development opportunities No Data Quarterly Ethnic Workforce Employed % of minority employees 6.50% 6.50% 6.12% 6.00% No Data Quarterly Strategic Direction: Fiscal Strength Community Benefit Statement: Communities have the capability to foster economic growth. Contract Gross Revenue ($) Revenue gained through contracts (contracts only) Grant Development Total applications submitted/awarded for Formula & Competitive Grants aligned with Strategic Directions No Data = Point-in-time data was not collected in past years. Full Green Arrow= Results are meeting or exceeding expectations. $944,242 $944,242 $1,005,848* $899,278 $476,554 35/25 35/25 66/52 36/34 No Data July Oct, Jan, Apr, July Oct, Jan, Apr, July Quarterly Oct, Jan, Apr, July Semiannually January, July * Contract Gross Revenue final is unaudited. Partial Green Arrow= Results are progressing, but not at expected levels. 76 Category 7 Measuring Effectiveness

87 7P5 Selecting and Determining Needs and Priorities for Comparative Data and Information. The methods and criteria for selecting sources of comparative data depend on the indicator s relevance to institutional needs and priorities, availability, value and external requirements. As a WTCS College, NTCs academic programs, general studies areas and adult basic education participates in the Quality Review Process and are asked to annually review performance scorecards with comparative information, targets and thresholds. These performance scorecards provide statewide comparisons (Figure 7P1-2) among similar academic programs and educational activities on a variety of quality measurements. In addition to the Quality Review Process scorecards, the College uses available WTCS data to benchmark areas regarding costs, energy consumption, enrollments, business and industry contracts and student demographics. WTCS comparisons provide valuable information as data definitions are the same across all 16 colleges through WTCS reporting guidelines. NTC can compare its results systemwide or against selected colleges such as those of similar size or location within the state. The College uses the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) for its comprehensive data tools and the ability to compare with colleges outside the WTCS of similar size and characteristics on graduation rates, enrollment growth and persistence. The College selects and uses the nationally normative surveys PACE and Noel-Levitz SSI as it allows comparisons of employee and student satisfaction ratings on a national level with other two-year colleges. The Noel-Levitz SSI was also selected as it allows the College to compare its student satisfaction ratings with other WTCS schools that participate in the survey. 7P6 Aligning Data and Information with Institutional Goals. Departmental goals and Team Action Plans are aligned with the College s strategic directions and support the College s ELT Action Plan and the Board of Trustees Annual Goals and Board Dashboard. The goals developed at each level drive the data and analysis used by departments to monitor the progress of each goal. Teams are asked to review their goals and analyze their progress throughout the year to determine if they are on track or if plans need to be updated or adjusted. A more comprehensive analysis is done by teams every four to five years through the College s Quality Review Process. Team Action Plan updates are submitted to the Office of Organizational Development, reviewed by ELT and made available on the College s shared drive. For teams who participate in the Quality Review Process each year, their quality plans are shared with the College s Board of Trustees during an annual report each year. To ensure alignment, update and completion of plans, teams that submit their Team Action Plan are eligible for capital equipment, curriculum development and professional development funds. 7P7 Information System Timeliness, Accuracy, Reliability and Security. ISIT provides all administrative and instructional technology planning, supporting and evaluating and ensures that hardware and software are reliable, secure and user friendly. ISIT has a Five-Year Technology Plan that includes replacing all PCs on a three-year cycle in labs and a four-year cycle for all employees. The College s Computing, Networking and Information Resources Policy located on the website and intranet, informs all employees and students of their obligation to use NTCs technology resources responsibly, professionally, ethically and lawfully. Data, information and organizational knowledge quality/integrity factors are the target work of ISIT (Figure 7P7-1). Figure 7P7-1 Data & Information Integrity Factors Factors Accuracy Confidentiality Integrity Reliability Security Timeliness Data & Information Integrity Factors Activities/Processes Audit reports on selected data entry fields, data reasonableness checks, controlled data fields, single data entry point, data scrubbing routines, data entry training FERPA guidelines/confidentiality best practices, data field protection (SSN, DOB), new passwords every 30 days/quarterly, passwords not given over the phone/ , DES/RC5 algorithms to encrypt data, disposed media is erased using degasser Reasonableness checks, data scrubbing Data scrubbing, high end hardware, monitor progress and equipment Servers secured in climate controlled/monitored room; web accessible cameras; electronically monitored heat, humidity, water, and sound levels; server operating systems patched frequently/configured with security guidelines, best practices; anti-spam & virus tools; network password protected; wireless access locked down; VPN installed; firewalls; periodic network security risk assessment from independent security firm Online real-time query/reports, high-end hardware, data caching, report only servers Category 7 Measuring Effectiveness 77

88 To assure data and information integrity, ISIT: 1) Tests software 30 days before deploying into production 2) Trains employees in technology and practices 3) Provides ongoing Help Desk and technical assistance 7R1 Information and Knowledge Management Measures. Several specific measures are reviewed to measure the effectiveness of NTCs information and knowledge management systems. ISIT Key Measurements 75% of all student computers no more than 3 years in age 100% mission critical data back up 100% federal and state reports completed by designated deadline(s) Authorized software usage will not exceed 100% of software licensing IT infrastructure up time will be 99.9% Timelines for completing work tickets closed within service level agreement (90%) Smart classroom replacement cycle In addition, the measures below are used by the College to assess the performance and effectiveness of the system for information and knowledge management: Noel-Levitz SSI PACE climate survey results Service Team Quality Review Process customer feedback results 7R2 Measuring Effectiveness Evidence. A variety of sources and feedback are used by the College to provide evidence of effective processes focused on data collection, analysis and use. The PACE survey is used to determine the overall climate of the College within specific areas of the College. Figure 7R2-1 shows questions and results categorized as most relevant to measuring effectiveness. Each measure improved compared to 2002 and exceeded the national comparisons. Figure 7R2-1 PACE Results for Measuring Effectiveness PACE Results for Measuring Effectiveness NTC Question 2008 NTC 2002 National 2008 The extent to which institutional teams use problem-solving techniques. 3.26* The extent to which decisions are made at the appropriate level at this institution. 3.14* The extent to which the college is committed to continuous improvement NA *Significantly higher than the national average. Source: 2002, 2008 PACE survey results As part of the College s Quality Review Process, program teams and deans are asked to complete an evaluation of the review process with the questions and results shown in Figure 7R2-2. Evaluation results from service teams are not available as the Service Team Quality Review Process is currently finishing its pilot year. 78 Category 7 Measuring Effectiveness

89 Figure 7R2-2 Quality Review Process Evaluation Results Quality Review Process Evaluation Results Question-Rated on a scale of 1-5 (5=excellent) Rate the training/facilitation your team received about the Quality Review Process Our team found the materials provided for Quality Review Process to be helpful The improvement plans our team wrote will improve the educational product our program offers to students Source: Zoomerang QRP survey results 2008, 2009 Collegewide goals are reviewed to ensure effective processes, including the College s Board Dashboard (Figure 7P4-1) which indicates the College is meeting the majority of its three-year goals, including total FTE, flexible delivery FTEs, new products, Transcripted Credits and grant development. As part of an annual board report, the College also looks at Cost per FTE, how it trends over time and how it compares to other WTCS schools. Figure 7R3-1 shows the College improvement in Cost per FTE in three of the past four years. 7R3 Results Comparison. As stated in section 7R2, the College s PACE survey results provide evidence of effective processes and comparative National Norm data from other two year colleges to determine appropriate levels of performance. Figure 7R2-1 shows the College exceeds the Norm Base in all items listed. The College s Cost per FTE results and comparison to the other 16 WTCS colleges is shown in Figure 7R3-1. Figure 7R3-1 Cost per FTE Results Cost per FTE Results Year NTCs Cost per FTE WTCS Rank $11, th $10,519 7 th $10,689 8 th $12, th Source: Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, WTCS 7I1 Recent Improvements. In an effort to simplify the board monitoring process and to better align measurements with the College s mission, vision and strategic directions, the College developed the Board Dashboard that is distributed to the Board of Trustees on a quarterly basis. Each measure is annually reviewed and approved by the College s ELT and Board of Trustees for alignment with the College strategic directions and annual goals. The Dashboard provides a point-in-time snapshot of the College performance replacing year-end metrics used on the previous Board Monitoring Reports. To improve data analysis at the College and at department level, the College has created standard enrollment reports that allow faculty and staff the ability to analyze program, course and regional enrollment trends on a weekly basis. The weekly enrollment reports provide point-in-time comparisons to previous years and align with the college-level metrics on the Board Dashboard. The Instructional Vitality Process (1P14) and Quality Review Process (1P13) use these reports to evaluate performance and make corrective actions when necessary. The College s ability to understand the student and employee climate and to benchmark performance results has improved as the College administered the Noel-Levitz SSI to students for the first time and the PACE survey (Figure 5R3-1, 5I1) to employees for the first time in seven years. Using both standardized instruments the College is able to use valid and reliable tools to assess the College s climate and to compare its results to other college s throughout the WTCS and nationally. Each survey will be conducted every three years and results broken down and shared with College leadership, faculty and staff and the College s Board of Trustees. The results are integrated into each program and service team s Quality Review Process for discussion, analysis and future planning efforts. Category 7 Measuring Effectiveness 79

90 To enhance the technology services used by faculty, staff and students, the College has partnered with technology consultant Dynamic Campus Solutions. As part of this partnership the College has begun offering 24/7 Help Desk assistance to faculty, staff and students and have installed CISCO IPCC software that allows the College to track several key Help Desk statistics including the number of calls received, the number of abandoned calls and average wait time per call. These metrics have been incorporated into ISITs overall Information Technology Plan and within its annual Team Action Plans. 7I2 Targets, Improvements and Priorities. The College embraces a culture based on evidence to select appropriate processes to improve and set targets for performance improvement. ELT promotes this culture by using feedback from community, employee and student forums, employee and student climate survey results and direction from the Board of Trustees to adjust and set the College s strategic directions and annual goals and targets. Targets are adjusted annually by ELT and approved by the Board of Trustees. Targets are set and based on a variety of factors including past performance, environmental scanning, budget, state aid and tuition projections and market demands. Selection of process improvements at the program and service team level are made through evidence uncovered during charter team participation and discussions and within each teams Quality Review Process and annual Team Action Plan discussions. As teams review their action plans, they discuss and analyze existing evidence that warrant process changes. Teams select specific processes to improve, including metrics and targets to justify their decisions. Targets are set at the department or program level with the Board Dashboard and ELT Action Plans serving as tools to assist with this task. Improvement targets are also driven by benchmarks collected through Noel- Levitz SSI and PACE, and by established performance levels through the Perkins IV and AEFL grants, Quality Review Process and program accreditation. 80 Category 7 Measuring Effectiveness

91 Category 8 Planning Continuous Improvement 8P1 NTCs Key Planning Processes. NTCs key planning processes are Strategic Planning: A three-year plan establishing strategic directions aligned with the College s mission and vision informed by environmental scanning and stakeholder feedback. Three-Year Budget Process: An overarching three-year plan supported by annual resources and aligned with the implementation of the College s strategic directions. Product Development Process: The Learning Division s comprehensive process for determining the potential for new learning products at the course, certificate and programmatic level. This process is key to helping other areas of the College understand and support the Learning Division s growth strategies. Team Action Plans: Team Action Plans contain operational activities that define the program of work for individual teams within the College. Five-Year Information Technology Plan: A plan outlining the process for maintaining and upgrading the College s Information Technology infrastructure. Three-Year Facilities Plan: A plan describing the process for maintaining and upgrading the College s physical infrastructure. Human Resources Succession Planning: A process which identifies back-up support to each key position within the organization to assure continuity of service and knowledge transfer. 8P2 Selection of Short- and Long-Term Strategies. The College evaluates community needs every three years through Presidential Listening Sessions with business and community leaders as well as College employees and students. When addressing key factors in the development of strategic directions, the Board considers environmental scans of local, state and national economic and workforce trend data, market needs, competition, the state political climate as it relates to technical college funding and the local political climate as it relates to property taxes. Long-term strategies are selected based on an analysis of the data in relation to the College s commitments, challenges, constraints and opportunities. Short-term strategies are derived from the long-term strategies. The short-term strategies are a logical progression of action steps needed to achieve the long-term strategies. The Executive Leadership Team (ELT) develops an annual Action Plan outlining the College s short-term strategies. 8P3 8P4 Key Action Plans. Once College strategic directions are developed and approved by the Board, individual teams at the College develop Team Action Plans based upon them, and forward these to the ELT. The ELT develops an Action Plan based upon the strategic directions set by the NTC Board and the suggestions forwarded from individual teams. The ELT Action Plan is finalized and shared with all teams at the College which in turn align individual Team Action Plans to be consistent with ELT goals and strategic directions (5P2, 5P6, 5P8). Team Action Plans are a living document reviewed and revised twice yearly by individual teams. Team Action Plans are an important piece of NTCs commitment to continuous improvement and provide a mechanism to respond to changing needs. At the ELT level the Team Action Plan helps organize the strategic directions and goals into operational priorities and identifies the person responsible. Members of the ELT further operationalize the Team Action Plan by taking it to the departments or divisions within their area of responsibility. The net result is that the College s operational departments or divisions create or adjust their Team Action Plan to support the strategic directions which are linked and connected to the ELT Action Plan. 8P5 Select Measures and Set Performance Projections for Strategies and Action Plans. The annual operational objectives are defined through the ELT Action Plan. Measureable objectives are written with performance targets and listed in the ELT Action Plan. Key measures are selected based on the defined objectives stated and function as a way to monitor that the College is on target to meet those objectives. NTC President Dr. Lori Weyers sets a three-year single-focus performance target that is met by fulfilling the objectives on the ELT Action Plan. The previous single-focus performance target was 3-3-3, meaning 30,000 learners and 3,000 FTE in Category 8 Planning Continuous Improvement 81

92 3 years. The current single-focus performance target is 4,000 FTE by The Dashboard also provides quarterly and annual data on the progress of the single-focus performance target and key indicators for fulfilling the strategic directions as well as past point-in-time comparative trend data. Dashboard goals are aligned by strategic direction. 8P6 Resource Needs Match Strategy Selection and Action Plan Implementation. In the past three years the economic environment for post-secondary institutions has been more difficult to navigate. NTC has responded to these constraints and challenges by not letting current or dwindling resources negatively impact the implementation of the growth initiatives. By developing multi-year budget, capital, product development, IT, facility and human resources plans, needs are identified, resources are aligned and unfunded items are identified so additional funding approaches can be explored. Executive leadership team members align and adjust the operational and capital budgets with College strategies. Besides current financial resources, the College also seeks out creative ways to gather resources through partnerships, grant opportunities and a business model that funds growth initiatives. For example, the College developed a business model to fund new educational offerings, partnered with county and local government for new facilities and collaborated with business and industry for equipment donations. The close monitoring of the operational dollars and the leveraging of additional external resources has helped the College to reach its singlefocus performance target of 3,000 FTEs in 3 years. 8P7 Assessing and Addressing Risk in Planning. Assessing risk in planning is a balance between the increasing educational needs of NTCs District stakeholders and the available resources to deliver those needs. The President and Chief Financial Officer prepare three to five year budget projections that consider level of state funding, growth in property tax values, projected increases in salaries and benefit costs, as well as maintaining a minimum reserve of 16% of annual expenses, projecting monies available and what, if any, growth or decline there will be in the College s mill rate. Currently the College must plan knowing potential revenue resources are being negatively impacted, while at the same time the need for services is increasing. The ELT discusses possible financial scenarios and helps finalize the budget based on this information. The Board is then presented the budget goal and a public budget hearing is held prior to final board approval. Once the Board approves a final budget, it is implemented. Risk is assessed in other key planning processes by the ELT member responsible and the President. Those plans requiring Board approval are presented to the Board for action. 8P8 Employee Capabilities Match Strategies. More than 86% of NTCs resource allocation as an institution is in human resources. Recognizing the significance of developing this resource, the current administration identified Organizational Development as a strategic direction and established an office charged with the responsibilities for professional development, employee training, employee recognition and mentoring. The role of the Office of Organizational Development was enhanced in 2006 when it became an AQIP Action Project to Advance College Renewal through Organizational Development. Organizational Development (OD) reconfigured the Leadership Development Institute to offer greater accessibility, ongoing learning and different levels of leadership programming to promote leadership at all levels of the College. OD facilitates the funding of professional development activities that align with individual and Team Action Plans. OD facilitates a variety of learning opportunities throughout the year including two in-services that develop and nurture employees while advancing organizational strategies (See 4P8-9). The Faculty Development Grant funds learning and technology initiatives as well as special projects related to the integration of technology into the teaching process. This grant, administered by Educational Support Services (ESS), helps fund specific positions within the ESS team. The primary function of this team is to support, train and consult with instructional staff therefore allowing instructional staff to integrate new teaching methodologies and strategies in the classroom. To further enhance the quality of online offerings, the College is creating structures and processes which focus on providing instructors with information and tools that upgrade online instructional delivery in this mode. This includes the formation of a Learning Innovation Team, faculty release time to facilitate specific training sessions (Bootcamp), Blackboard training improvements and the creation of the NTC Geek Blog which provides valuable technological hints and how to s to faculty and staff. 82 Category 8 Planning Continuous Improvement

93 The College is also focusing on a process and tools for reviewing the quality of online courses as they are being developed. This includes a revamping of the online standards, reinventing how the courses are evaluated and standardizing specific aspects of the course shell itself. 8R1 Effectiveness of Planning Measures. Key continuous improvement and strategic planning measures collected and analyzed at NTC correspond to the College s achievement of long-term and short-term strategies and goals. NTCs strategic directions provide a framework for the Board Dashboard which includes the measures for NTCs distinctive objectives. The NTC Board Dashboard is listed in Figure 7P4-1. Please note the College adopted new strategic directions in spring 2010 (Figure OV1-1). Measurements for the new Board Dashboard indicators will be formulated in summer Below is a list of the primary measures/distinctive objectives assessed on the Board Dashboard: Growth and Innovation FTEs Flexible delivery course FTEs Headcount New products Regional products Strategic Partnerships Businesses served Employees served New businesses served Continuous Quality Improvement Certificates awarded Degrees awarded Organizational Development Diversity of workforce Professional development hours Fiscal Strength Contract revenue Northcentral Technical College June 2010 AQIP Systems Portfolio Grant applications submitted The Board Dashboard indicates the status of goals-at-a-glance and is monitored quarterly by the NTC Board and the ELT. In addition, there are comprehensive annual reports presented to the Board. On the next page Figure 8R1-1 lists the annual, biennial and triennial reports provided to the NTC Board. Category 8 Planning Continuous Improvement 83

94 Figure 8R1-1 Annual, Biennial and Triennial Board Reports Annual, Biennial and Triennial Board Reports Date Name Report Description September October December January March April May May June June August Summer Spring Spring Instructional Vitality K-16 Annual Report NTC Foundation Cost per FTE International Affirmative Action Graduate Employment Follow-Up Report Organizational Development Fund Balance Reserves & Bond Rating Workforce Learning Solutions Program/Service Team Quality Review Process Employer Satisfaction Student Satisfaction Employee Satisfaction An annual report analyzing instructional indicators of programs and certificates to identify the effectiveness of the instructional area. An annual report on the activities and the results of K-12 (School-to-Career, Transcripted Credit, Tech Prep Activities, Youth Apprenticeship, Career Coaches, Youth Options and Alternative High School) and College Articulation and Transfer (Transfers, Transfer Agreements). An annual report on the activities and the results of the Foundation for the past year (fundraising, investments, scholarships and projects) and any pertinent plans for the future. An annual report monitoring the aidable operational cost per Full Time Equivalent student (FTE). The report includes WTCS comparisons. An annual report listing the number of international students at the College, number of students studying abroad, other international program activities (sister school exchanges and professional program visitors) and a detailed cost benefit analysis. The Affirmative Action Report is a summary on the progress of the past school year's initiatives and activities as stated in NTCs Affirmative Action Plan. The annual report contains a workforce analysis and compares the data to the District's workforce along with student enrollment and completion data by program area. An annual report listing students employed six months after graduation by program. An annual summary of the activities centered on employee development coordinated by the Office of Organizational Development (employee training sessions, in-services, recognition activities, onboarding/orientation, mentoring, professional development programs, etc.). An annual report stating the fund balance reserves at the end of the fiscal year and the bond rating assigned to the College by Moody s Investors Services. An annual report on the activities and results of the Workforce Learning Solutions division over the past year as well as a synopsis of plans for the upcoming year. Report includes metrics on businesses served, new businesses served, FTEs, headcount, new products developed, partnerships established and other key performance metrics for the WLS division attained through Contract Training and Continuing Education. An annual report on the specific quality plans enacted by academic programs and service teams through the Quality Review Process. A biennial report listing the results of an Employer Satisfaction Survey of workplaces employing NTC graduates. A triennial report listing the results of the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory survey. A triennial report listing the results of the Personal Assessment of the College Environment (PACE) survey. 84 Category 8 Planning Continuous Improvement

95 8R2 Organizational Strategy and Action Plans Performance Results. The year-end Board Dashboard (Figure 7P4-1) lists goals NTC met and goals that were partially fulfilled. The College reached 3,167 FTEs, a historical high in , and met the 3-year goal set by Dr. Weyers in Growth and Innovation goals were also met through a 70% increase in flexible delivery FTEs and through successful efforts to increase offerings through new programs and at regional campuses. The College did not meet the aggressive goal of 30,000 students served (unduplicated headcount) in ; however, headcount did increase 25% between and The College fulfilled each Strategic Partnership goal in Workforce Learning Solutions served 222 businesses and more than 7,000 employees and increased each category in each of the past 3 years. In addition, the K-16 team exceeded its goals by enrolling nearly 750 District high school students into Transcripted Credit courses and adding four new transfer agreements with four-year colleges. Progress was made in the support of Continuous Quality Improvement. Due to the successful expansion of offerings throughout the District, the College awarded more than 460 certificates, exceeding the annual target. The College also successfully completed the third year of the academic program Quality Review Process with 39 programs setting performance targets and working on four-year improvement plans. To support the strategic direction of Organizational Development, professional development funding applications were monitored. The number of full-time staff participating in NTC-funded professional development opportunities increased from 218 in FY to 256 in FY , meeting the annual target. Within Fiscal Strength each target was reached in Although the College s gross revenue from contracts was impacted by current economic conditions, it did meet the annual target. Efforts by the Grants Office and program leadership throughout the College resulted in an increase in grant applications and awards. Fifty-two grants were awarded meeting the annual target. 8R3 Performance Projections or Targets for 1 3 Years. NTC sets targets for performance projections to align with resource planning and to set three to five year budget projections. Using multi-year strategic directions, financial and human resource needs are identified and budgeted. The ELT sets annual targets based on the Board Dashboard and long-term targets based on the single-focus performance target. The current single-focus performance target is 4,000 FTE by NTC has set new strategic directions based on 2009 community, learner and employee feedback from the Presidential Listening Sessions (Figure OV1-1). 8R4 Results Comparison. NTC utilizes data provided through the WTCS state office to compare its performance relative to the 16 districts within the system. Since the new president began in 2006, NTC has increased its FTEs by 22%, which ranks second among the 16 technical colleges and ranks third in total FTE gained within the WTCS during the same time period. NTCs total unduplicated headcount growth was first in the WTCS for both increase in FTE and percentage increase from NTCs Online Course FTE growth from was fifth in the WTCS in total FTEs gained and third in the WTCS for percentage increase. The growth in number of employees served through contracts from by NTCs Workforce Learning Solutions ranked first in the WTCS in the increase in the number of participants and percentage increase in the number of participants. NTCs rank for degrees awarded was 10th in the WTCS for both percentage of change and total number increase. Figure 8R4-1 shows how NTC compares within the WTCS in several key indicators. A ranking of 1 st is the best, most desirable ranking. Figure 8R4-1 NTCs Rank Among the 16 Wisconsin Technical Colleges NTCs Rank Among the 16 Wisconsin Technical Colleges WTCS # Change WTCS Rank # Change % Change WTCS Rank % Change Total FTE rd 22% 2 nd Total Unduplicated Headcount 4,372 1 st 25% 1 st Online Course FTEs th 178% 3 rd Employees Served Through Contracts st 162% 1 st Degrees Awarded th 2% 10 th Source: WTCS Citrix Workbook Northcentral Technical College June 2010 AQIP Systems Portfolio Category 8 Planning Continuous Improvement 85

96 WTCS Cost Comparisons: The WTCS calculates and compares the actual instructional cost per FTE by each college. The College s Cost per FTE results and comparison to the other 16 WTCS colleges is shown in Figure 7R3-1. Although the College did see an increase in its overall Cost per FTE in , the amount is still an improvement compared to the amount. Personal Assessment of the College Environment: In November 2008 the College administered the Personal Assessment of the College Environment (PACE) survey with overall results indicating a healthy campus climate, yielding an overall 3.66 average score (PACE Norm Base Average 3.56). NTC had 16 of the 46 standard PACE questions with a statistically significantly higher average than the PACE Norm Base Average. Additional PACE results are listed in 5R2-3, 5I1. Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory: The Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) survey was administered to students at NTC in fall NTC had 21 of 28 standard questions with a significantly higher average than the WTCS average. Figure 8R4-2 illustrates NTCs overall student satisfaction equals WTCS rates and is higher than the national community college average. Additional 2008 Noel-Levitz SSI results are listed in Figures 1R5-1, 1R6-2, 3R2-1, 3R3-1 and 6R5-1. Figure 8R4-2 NTCs 2008 Noel-Levitz SSI Overall Student Satisfaction Results NTCs 2008 Noel-Levitz SSI Overall Student Satisfaction Results SSI Survey Questions NTC WTCS NAT* Satisfied with overall college experience. 82% 82% 79% College experience has met expectations. 89% 89% 87% *National community colleges mean average for student satisfaction. Source: 2008 Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory Survey 8R5 Results Effectiveness. The College was successful in making significant progress or exceeding established goals as indicated on the dashboard (Figure 7P4-1). In , the College exceeded its three-year goal of 3000 FTEs and had 13 of 17 Board Dashboard indicators meet or exceed targets overall. In addition to the dashboard providing an assessment of the College s planning processes and activities, NTC also monitors progress with monthly updates at the ELT level. NTC reviewed external stakeholder feedback collected through Presidential Listening Sessions as well as PACE survey results and 2008 Noel-Levitz SSI survey results. These results serve as additional measures for evaluating the effectiveness of planning processes and activities. Presidential Listening Sessions are conducted every three years and began in 2006, Dr. Weyers first year at NTC. In 2009, Dr. Weyers started the next three year strategic planning cycle by conducting listening sessions throughout the District. The Presidential Listening Sessions held in 2009 served to close the feedback loop begun in 2006 (the initial threeyear cycle) with District stakeholders by assessing how the College understood and acted on the expressed needs from initial listening sessions while also collecting input on how the College can better serve stakeholders in the future. NTCs three-year planning process has proved successful as evidenced by goals accomplished (See Board Dashboard Figure 7P4-1.) as well as positive community feedback. The 2009 Presidential Listening Sessions have indicated that the District is on track and significant changes are not needed. Minor changes were made to the strategic directions such as separating growth and innovation into distinct strategic directions and adding the strategic direction of sustainability. Themes from the 2009 Presidential Listening Session included: NTC is moving in the right direction. The College presents a positive image and should stay on course. NTC has been responsive to the needs of local companies and K-12 relationships have greatly improved. The College is more accessible through flexible learning options. Online, Weekend College and regional campus expansions were all received very positively. 86 Category 8 Planning Continuous Improvement

97 As further qualitative evidence of the positive relationships created with stakeholders under Dr. Weyers leadership, Dr. Weyers was named the 2009 Person of the Year by the Wausau Daily Herald. The article stated: Her hard work in collaborating with a range of businesses and others put NTC in a position, when the worst of this year's recession hit, to be uniquely responsive to the issues the economy posed in our community. And it's for this work that the Wausau Daily Herald's Editorial Board named Lori Weyers the 2009 Person of the Year (Robert Mentzer Wausau Daily Herald December 27, 2009). The article also quoted Mark Bradley, a member and former board president of the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents, saying, Lori is the consummate collaborator. She sees what our region of the state needs from her institution, and she goes about getting buy-in from everyone whose involvement is necessary to achieve that goal often leaving others with the impression that it was their idea in the first place. 8I1 Recent Improvements. With the arrival of Dr. Weyers, student, stakeholder, employee and external feedback is regarded as pivotal in setting the College s strategic directions. The collection of feedback is systematic, including formal student and employee surveys with national benchmarks (Noel-Levitz SSI and PACE) and informal surveys for students and employees as well as community, student and employee Presidential Listening Session responses. In fall 2006 the single-focus performance target of (30,000 learners with 3,000 FTEs within 3 years) gave employees a clear objective. This much-needed narrowing of focus proved successful, helping the College to grow in FTE and headcount. To help the College align planning with the strategic directions, the Team Action Plan concept was implemented in spring See 8P3-8P4. All Team Action Plans are kept in a single location so they can be accessed by other teams, allowing for collaboration. While operational plans have existed previously, the present process is that goals are written, reviewed, adapted and integrated to align with the greater goals of the College and the ELT Action Plan. Designated staff are asked to monitor and evaluate the progress of Team Action Plan results and are held accountable for the achievement of the goals. There is a greater linkage between the planning process and other major processes. For example, budgeting is now aligned with the strategic directions and Team Action Plans. Professional development has also been linked to Team Action Plans, ensuring funds are disbursed to activities supporting the strategic directions. These changes have resulted in a sharper focus and greater alignment of College activities. Therefore, the College has moved to an increasingly systematic, comprehensive process for setting College goals, monitoring goal progress and measuring results. 8I2 Targets, Improvements and Priorities. The culture and infrastructure have been impacted by the improvement of the planning process, the level of engagement of staff and the improved level of communication and openness. With the arrival of Dr. Weyers, issues affecting the College good and bad are discussed in an open forum. People are given the opportunity to ask questions, clarify points, offer opinions and provide constructive feedback in an environment that accepts those things as what is good for the College. For example, monthly Presidential Briefings provide employees with an opportunity to ask questions directly to the president. Charter teams representing all parts of the College are established to address campus concerns. Teams develop findings and recommendations. These are reported to the ELT. The ELT reviews recommendations, provides additional recommendations and gives support and resources to accomplish those recommendations. The College has not only improved feedback mechanisms for internal stakeholders, but also for external stakeholders. Stakeholder feedback is formally and systematically collected at Presidential Listening Sessions every three years. Student, stakeholder and employee feedback is collected regularly and plays a vital part in setting the College s strategic directions. Culture and infrastructure play a huge role in the selection of processes to improve; however, that wasn t always the case. Because the planning process encompasses communication and staff engagement, the planning process had to be improved. The planning process was improved through the ELT Action Plan, Team Action Plans and single-focus performance target. By having infrastructure that clearly defines and communicates goals, employees feel like their work matters because of the visible link between College goals and team goals. Employees have a greater sense of ownership over their role and task, which provides motivation to stay on target and complete actions towards stated goals and objectives. The planning processes support the culture where goals are set and progress is measured. The culture has a problem-solving orientation. People now see the results of their work. This is evidenced in the fact that as the College s operational goals were developed and results were produced, employees saw that goals can be accomplished. The changes impacted employee perception that things can get done. The success is infectious in the sense that more and more employees believe that things can get done as they have seen the results. Morale, as evidenced by PACE results, improved (Figure 5I1-1). Since the planning process became more effective and the culture improved, the planning process is even further enhanced by the employees that are now engaged. Now employees feel they can select and identify the processes for improvement, which in turn aids the College in affecting true continuous improvement. Category 8 Planning Continuous Improvement 87

98 Because Continuous Quality Improvement is a strategic direction at NTC, the College constantly develops and implements innovations to improve learning and support systems, processes, procedures and resources that enhance institutional effectiveness. Innovation and creativity are encouraged, allowing employees to take informed risks without the repercussions of failure. Employees are allowed to explore innovative solutions and new ideas. If the innovation is deemed plausible, it is acted upon. The management also models risk taking by setting stretch goals such as the single-focus performance target of (30,000 learners with 3,000 FTEs within 3 years) that may or may not be reached. NTC did not reach the goal of 30,000 headcount, but the College had a significant increase in FTE and students served. 88 Category 8 Planning Continuous Improvement

99 Category 9 Building Collaborative Relationships 9P1 Creating, Prioritizing, and Building Relationships with Educational Organizations and Other Organizations. The NTC vision to build futures one community, one workplace, one learner at a time is based on serving the needs within the District. To understand the needs of the District NTC has several strategies for creating, prioritizing and building relationships. It is essential to understand the needs of those it is working with in order to form meaningful, dynamic relationships. One way NTC gauges the needs of the District is by obtaining information through triennial Presidential Listening Sessions held throughout the District. The College routinely and systematically collects information on community needs through employer representation on advisory committees, attendance at county, city and school board meetings and individual meetings with employers and the Workforce Learning Solutions (WLS) team. NTC President Dr. Weyers and the Board of Trustees uses honest input from these interactions with community stakeholders to prioritize College goals and set strategic directions. NTCs strategic directions are growth, innovation, strategic partnerships, organizational development, continuous quality improvement, fiscal strength and sustainability. These strategic directions support NTCs mission to be the customer-focused, accessible provider of innovative life-long learning that builds a globally competitive workforce. Regional deans assist with improving communication and services to District stakeholders and regional partners. Under the College strategic partnerships goal, NTC has established the following action item to develop relationships with organizations from which students are received: The College will become the preferred strategic partner of K-12 districts, area businesses and industries, and other institutions of higher education to support learning and economic development. The attainment of this goal is measured through key performance outcomes of working proactively with NTCs 26 K-12 districts, business and industry, higher education, community agencies and the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS). For example NTCs Transcripted Credit offerings served 259 students in and more than an estimated 2,000 students in Additional K-16 performance results are listed in Figure 2R2-1. NTCs Executive Leadership Team (ELT) members carry these objectives to their separate Team Action Plans where departmental strategies are developed to carry out each goal. Through Team Action Plans, individuals are assigned responsibilities for developing and maintaining these partnerships. NTCs K-16 division plays the key role of creating, prioritizing and building relationships districtwide with primary and secondary schools and statewide post-secondary educational institutions, public and private. NTCs dynamic K-12 partnerships are highlighted in Category 2. NTCs educational partnerships grow from a genuine desire to promote learning at every level of the spectrum. For example, NTC partners with the College of Menominee Nation (CMN), a tribal college within NTCs service area. The College located a learning lab at CMN. NTC offers joint vocational programs, shares program curriculum and has donated program equipment for CMN student use. NTC has provided technical assistance in the form of Information Technology and Disability Services consulting. Employers provide a consistent source of students who need to update and/or learn new skills. Incumbent workers are sent for retraining to meet a variety of specific needs. NTCs Workforce Learning Solutions (WLS) team actively works with companies throughout NTCs service area, meeting and listening to leaders to determine training needs. Consistent efforts are made to keep communication open as employers work through economic and workforce challenges. Regular meetings with industry sectors, workforce development boards, economic development organizations and chambers of commerce allow for individual and consortium partnerships through contracts and state workforce advancement training grants. NTC works closely with four workforce development boards to provide general education and program training for dislocated and unemployed workers. Customized training and career classes are scheduled to meet the workforce development boards clients needs. This partnership allows targeted training to be offered when and where it s convenient for clients. NTCs president and regional deans are represented on area workforce development boards to allow continuous communication and insights on how to work together to strengthen the workforce. NTCs International Department partners through grants with Georgetown University's Center for International Education and Development (CIED), Community Colleges for International Development (CCID), and the NAFSA: Association of International Educators to bring students and exchange programs from all over the world to NTCs communities. Working with these partners allows international and local students to experience an array of cultures and climates and for American s to learn about cultures from around the world. These partnerships are nurtured as similar goals to impact global relationships are met. NTC enrolls international students who account for approximately 3.2% of total NTC FTE, the highest percentage of the 16 technical colleges in Wisconsin. The Category 9 Building Collaborative Relationships 89

100 Wausau area is positively impacted by NTCs international students. In fall 2009, 640 community members attended NTCs annual International Education Week celebration. NTCs President and Associate Dean of Business and International Education are members of key international organization boards in order to strengthen partnerships and programming that impact global awareness. 9P2 Creating, Prioritizing, and Building Relationships with the Educational Organizations and Employers Depending on the Supply of NTC Students and Graduates. NTCs Board of Trustees strategic directions and the corresponding action plans developed by ELT and each department are linked to building relationships with educational organizations to create seamless educational transitioning for students. The partnerships offer learners an array of opportunities for those desiring programs not offered at NTC through its General Studies Transfer program and advanced levels of learning that ladder from NTC programs. NTCs Transfer and Placement Office works closely with higher learning institutions to provide seamless transition to other colleges and universities. The College coordinates these efforts through close relationships with many post-secondary representatives to constantly explore opportunities for new agreements driven primarily by expressed student interest. Agreements which offer NTC graduates the opportunity to transition into a four-year university with junior status and/or can be completed within or near NTCs service area are given priority. The Transfer and Placement Office sponsors an annual transfer fair to highlight these partnerships for students. See Category 2 for further information. NTC has developed significant relationships with local workforce development boards and employers to advance regional economic development opportunities that provide learners access to relevant workplace technologies and create a mutual relationship of collaboration and engagement. Advisory committees and WLS use outreach as the primary mechanism to develop and grow partnerships with business and industry. The Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) requires every technical college program to have an employer-driven advisory committee. These groups meet at least twice per year to review curriculum, discuss trends, review graduation and student data, discuss program needs (including equipment) and provide insights to soft and hard skills required by employees. An example of how these partnerships benefit learners is a recent collaboration with Phillips Plastics, a critical employer in Price County that is headquartered near NTCs north region campus. In spring 2009, Phillips Plastics gifted a warehouse and adjacent land to the NTC campus so the College could expand programming and relevant workplace technologies to area learners. This is an example of how partnerships are used to advance regional and economic workforce development opportunities. Another illustration is occurring near NTCs east region campus in Antigo. The Youth Apprenticeship program, which allows high school students the opportunity to work in local businesses, has students working at Waukesha Bearing. These learners are receiving hands-on training on stateof-the-art manufacturing equipment while learning the importance of teamwork, troubleshooting and company ethics. NTC scans the environment for new and evolving trends in business, educational institutions and learner needs. These results influence program mix and the relationships NTC pursues with institutions of higher education. Through deliberate compression planning sessions, employers discuss hard and soft skills needed by employees. This open sharing provides the base information needed to determine if training will be integrated into existing programs or will lead to further research and application to WTCS for new programs. This lays the foundation for NTC to provide graduates that can support community industries. By meeting with schools, workforce development boards and business partners to monitor advancing technologies and desired training competencies, NTC is able to anticipate educational training required to support workforce needs. Gaps between skills and training are effectively addressed through these strong partnerships either through established credit programming or customized WLS training for companies. NTCs graduating class of 2008 proves these efforts are working as follow-up results show that 78% of students are employed in occupations related to their post-secondary education. 9P3 Creating, Prioritizing and Building Relationships with Organizations Providing Services to Students. NTC explores and builds relationships with businesses and non-profit organizations which directly support the student experience and enhance the mission of the College. Priority is given to organizations that provide services most closely linked to student success and achievement. When possible, NTC works with organizations to offer services to students at the College s campuses. This provides students with easily accessible services that help remove challenges many students experience, especially for those that commute. Examples of these on-site partnerships include Job Center, Workforce 90 Category 9 Building Collaborative Relationships

101 Investment Act (WIA) and Department of Vocational Rehabilitation offices; local YWCA childcare services; Connexus Credit Union on-site branch and ATM machines; local literacy volunteers; on campus dental clinic; Veterans Administration services and food service offerings. NTC makes a concerted effort to provide students with access to community services. NTCs partnership with UW- Health allows students to receive basic health services. The College is an active partner on the Rapid Response Team (a group of several local government agencies and non-profit organizations) to develop strategies to meet the immediate needs of employees affected by company closings and layoffs. NTC works closely with the University of Wisconsin-Marathon County (UWMC) to provide dormitory access to NTCs students. This strong mutually beneficial relationship has led to joint college activities and events that support student interaction. NTC is also in discussions with UWMC to consider collaboration with intramural sports to broaden NTCs student experiences. NTC representatives work with other Wisconsin technical colleges to enhance the student experience through joint grant applications, traveling faculty, process brainstorming, best practices, shared curriculum and programs. NTC has built strong relationships with local agencies to provide disability services, financial aid and inkind support to its students. Collaboration allows for focused and efficient student support. The College is served by four workforce development boards. NTCs President and deans regularly attend area workforce development board meetings as members. These strong alliances have led to positive federal grant and economic stimulus awards. The final results have positively impacted hundreds of learners. NTC works cooperatively with businesses and other post-secondary institutions to provide its students with opportunities through job fairs and transfer fairs. The Vice President of Human Resources and College Advancement strategically aligns business leaders philanthropic missions and goals with student needs for financial support and program needs for donated equipment. NTCs President is a member of NTCs Foundation Board. Community and NTC leaders, Foundation Board members and College staff work collaboratively to develop relationships with donors. 9P4 Creating, Prioritizing and Building Relationships with Organizations Supplying Materials and Services to NTC. NTCs Board of Trustees fiscal strength strategic direction states that the College will prudently manage and strengthen its financial resources in order to thrive in a complex and changing environment. All purchases by NTC employees are made with the intent of providing the best value possible to the College. Purchasing decisions are made after considering price, quality and the intent to provide an equal opportunity for all vendors to participate. Purchases are made within established budget limitations and in accordance with State law and good purchasing practices. All purchases, whether by competitive bid or otherwise, take into consideration the quality of the article or service provided; conformity with developed specifications; stability to the requirements of the educational system and deliverable terms. Purchases of $50,000 or more require Board of Trustee approval. The College has joined some purchasing consortiums with the other technical colleges in the state to leverage the buying power of all 16 districts Districts Mutual Insurance is one example. The NTC Foundation and staff also solicit donations of supplies and equipment through advisory committee relationships and from vendors who supply goods and services in support of learning initiatives. An example is the Residential Building house that is built by program students with donated materials. Profits from the sale of the house go to the NTC Foundation. 9P5 Creating, Prioritizing and Building Relationships with Education Associations, External Agencies, Consortia Partners and the General Community. Priorities are determined by NTC Board s strategic directions and via internal Team Action Plans which have specific action items to forge partnerships with organizations such as chambers of commerce, school districts, higher education, local government and workforce development boards. Priorities are developed though the Team Action Plan process and where necessary budgets allocated by the College administrative leadership. College leadership meets regularly with these agencies to determine areas of mutual interest and set future goals. The College participates in several groups to work on educational preparedness to meet employer workforce needs including Partners in Education (a group comprised of employers, economic development leaders, NTC and school districts), Centergy (an economic development agency in Marathon, Wood, and Portage Counties made up of business, economic development, community and educational leaders), Alliance of World Languages (a local area group of K-12 foreign language instructors from several school districts to bring international programming to the community) and Rapid Response. NTCs International Department works diligently in creating and maintaining partnerships with agencies that provide students from across the globe to north central Wisconsin s culture. This allows families across NTCs District the opportunity to host these international students in their homes, schools and communities. International students completed more than 6,000 documented community service hours in the District in the academic year. Category 9 Building Collaborative Relationships 91

102 The guest students and host families become aware of each others traditions and customs, recognizing the world s differences and similarities. Past successful programs allow grants to be written to build on best practices with established partners and reach out to new ventures. Understanding these various organizations allows NTC to convene collaborative groups for grant development and opportunities for shared objectives. Leadership at the College hosts community visits to understand community needs with regard to graduates and services. Additionally, NTC staff network with community members and community leaders through involvement in service clubs, chambers of commerce, civic groups, community fund raising events and other community organizations. 9P6 Ensuring Partnership Relationships Needs are Met. Figure 9P6-1 Coordination Efforts with NTCs Key Partners Coordination Efforts with NTCs Key Partners Partner NTC Liaison(s) Relationship Feedback Efforts Auxiliary Services for Students Director of Student Relations Noel-Levitz SSI surveys conducted every third year to provide feedback on all student support services, auxiliary services and instruction. Two-way Student Governing Board forum feedback on all student-related issues. Customer comment process to track concerns and information routed to appropriate supervisor. County Boards/ Local Government Economic Development Organizations Employee Union Presidents Employers Higher Education President President, Vice President for Learning, Dean of Workforce Learning Solutions Vice President of Human Resources and College Advancement, President Program Deans, Vice President for Learning, Workforce Learning Solutions Staff, Placement Director Vice President of Student Services Annual meetings with county boards and other local government as needed. Participation on economic development boards and attendance as invited. Monthly meetings with College union leaders to discuss new and pending issues. Follow-up survey with employers after each WLS contract; annual meetings with all major employers in NTCs District; bi-annual meetings with program advisory committees to get feedback on curriculum, graduate skills and industry needs; and Employer Follow-Up Surveys to obtain feedback on curriculum, quality of graduate knowledge and skills and overall satisfaction. Transfer opportunities are highlighted in Category 2. K-12 Schools Vice President of Student Services K-12 partnerships are featured in Category 2. NTC Foundation Regional Communities Workforce Development Boards (WDB) Vice President of Human Resources and College Advancement Regional Deans President, Director of Grants, Regional Deans Participation in all Foundation Board meetings and individual meetings with NTC Foundation Board Chairperson. Involvement in community activities and regular meetings with local business, government and K-12 leaders. Membership on local workforce development boards to determine ways NTC can support WDB clients allowing for flexible and accessible learning opportunities. 92 Category 9 Building Collaborative Relationships

103 The College ensures feedback from all partners through Presidential Listening Sessions which provide an opportunity for community, employer and K-16 leaders to give direct feedback to College administration. The NTC Board of Trustees monthly meetings also provide an ongoing forum for public comment. Further community and partnership feedback is facilitated through the NTCs Board of Trustees assigned duties which include the responsibility to represent their respective communities. The Board s representation plan assures a wide range of representation across the District. To coordinate activities and maintain relationships, the College identified staff liaisons and departments responsible for managing key partnerships. The coordination efforts with NTCs key partners are listed in Figure 9P6-1. 9P7 Creating and Building Relationships within NTC. Integration and communication among departments is facilitated by the Team Action Plan process. Once the strategic directions have been revised/re-affirmed by the NTC Board, individual teams at the College develop Team Action Plans based upon them, and forward these to the ELT. The ELT then develops an Action Plan based upon the strategic directions set by the NTC Board and the suggestions forwarded from individual teams. Once the ELT Action Plan has been shared with the College, individual teams review and revise their plans to reflect the priorities established by the ELT Action Plan. The ELT Action Plan is cross-functional and assigned to multiple ELT members. Cross-functional roles and responsibilities are identified as needed in the ELT Action Plan. The ELT Action Plan is then used as the basis for revisions to the departmental Team Action Plans ensuring that the board-established strategic goals are communicated and acted upon throughout the College. Individual Employee Professional Development Plans are also linked directly to the strategic directions articulated in the Team Action Plans. Another means of creating and developing internal communication and relationships among departments is through the College s charter process. Charters follow an inclusive process employing cross-functional teams with members from various departments, ELT and the four negotiation units. These short-term resolution teams investigate and craft solutions to internal challenges. The collaborative nature of the charter process enhances communication, builds relationships and assures integrated solutions. Communication and relationship building occurs through the function of many cross-departmental and crossdivisional groups at NTC including ELT, Learning Team, deans and Student Services meetings. Monthly Presidential Briefing Sessions provide opportunities for all NTC employees to hear about major issues affecting the College and to discuss concerns and ideas directly with the President. Regional deans are involved with numerous cross-functional/cross-divisional meetings to ensure the unique needs of the regional campuses are considered in College decision-making. Formal collegewide communication includes the electronic bulletin board and monthly Target newsletters. Several departments also publish and widely share newsletters specific to their areas to keep customers and employees informed, including Pathways (K-12), WLS and Student Governing Boards. Internal social events such as annual picnics, winter holiday socials, in-services and employee recognition events build morale and strengthen the sense of teamwork and community among employees. NTC uses technology to create and build relationships between and among departments. This technology allows for integration and communication across groups by utilizing such tools as: Electronic bulletin board Intranet website Northcentral Technical College June 2010 AQIP Systems Portfolio Lotus Quickr sites (to share information much like a discussion board or a Wiki) Lotus Sametime for Instant Messaging and video conferencing Social networking tools such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and other networking tools Video conferencing (available at all regional campuses) 9R1 Building Collaborative Relationships Measures. The NTC Board of Trustees Dashboard (Figure 7P4-1) and related annual reports provide the Board with a high level measure of the impact of College partnerships. The Dashboard and reports include measures such as: FTEs, businesses served, K-12 Annual Report (See Category 2) and grants received. Category 9 Building Collaborative Relationships 93

104 In addition to the information reported to the NTC Board, College administration monitors the following measures as evidence of partnership strengths: Advisory committee minutes and participation Amount and value of donations (capital, operating, cash and in-kind) from external partners Amount and value of donations (capital, operating, cash and in-kind) to external partners Charter creation Climate surveys Clinical contracts and internships/externships Dislocated workers served Foundation funded projects Graduate Follow-Up Surveys Intergovernmental agreements Letters of support and letters of commitment for grant applications NTC Foundation scholarships awarded Number of businesses and students served through Workforce Learning Solutions Program development data Shared program agreements Service contracts 9R2 Key Collaborative Relationships Performance Results. NTC has recently experienced some extraordinary results from the partnerships it has built. These collaborations are allowing more students to be served in a greater capacity. For example, NTCs growth in Transcripted Credit students increased to more than 2,000 this year. NTC served no Transcripted Credit students four years ago. Other examples include significant transfer agreements (Figures 2R2-1, 3R5-1), clinical sites for student learning, high job placement percentages for students (Figures 1R5-5, 1R3-4) and regional campus program expansion (Figure 7P4-1). In spring 2010 Case IH Agriculture, in partnership with Service Motor Company, agreed to offer NTC a long-term commitment to provide farm equipment for the NTC Agriculture Center of Excellence. Case IH and Service Motor have committed to a term of 10 years of providing new Case IH equipment to meet the annual needs of the Agriculture Center of Excellence. Case IH has committed approximately $15,000,000 in agriculture equipment and technology to the College over the next 10 years, worth approximately $1.5 million per year. Case IH, headquartered in Racine, Wisconsin, is partnering with NTC to provide direct access to the latest farm equipment technology for the education of dairy science students. NTC also has a machine tool equipment partnership worth $30,000 per year and a printing program equipment agreement. NTC also garnered a $1.98 million Department of Labor grant focused on manufacturing. NTC Foundation scholarships are available to all NTC students, but are particularly significant for returning adults who make up the majority of the student body at NTC. The average age of the NTC student is 32 and, unlike their recent high school graduate counterparts, do not have access to a variety of scholarships outside the NTC Foundation. Scholarships provide students opportunity and access to a higher education. NTC Foundation scholarships nearly doubled since 2003, with 55.8% growth in number of grants awarded (Figure 9R2-1). In 2009 the NTC Foundation awarded more than $275,000 in scholarships for NTC students. Figure 9R2-1 NTC Foundation Scholarships Source: NTC Foundation Financial Assets 94 Category 9 Building Collaborative Relationships

105 In addition to the evidence cited above, feedback from fall 2009 Presidential Listening Sessions overwhelmingly indicated that NTCs collaboration with businesses, K-16 and community agencies should be commended and that the College should continue its proactive actions (8R5). A fall 2008 survey conducted by the NTC Foundation and the Clements Group showed a unanimous level of support among businesses, philanthropists and community leaders for the College s pending multi-million dollar capital drive. Personal Assessment of the College Environment (PACE) employee climate survey shows substantial positive gains in internal relationships from previous years (Figure 5I1-1). The Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Survey (SSI) in fall 2008 shows NTC students are generally pleased with the College climate in most areas, with 21 of 28 standard questions significantly higher than the WTCS average (Figures 1R5-1, 1R6-2, 3R2-1, 3R3-1, 6R5-1). Other evidence of NTCs partnering successes include a $2.5 million dollar donation from Langlade County to construct a Wood Technology Center of Excellence at its East Region Campus in Antigo; $1 million donation from the Marathon County Board to help develop an Agriculture Center of Excellence for NTCs agriculture program; donation of the Southwest Region Campus leased facility in Spencer by the Southwest Campus Community Corporation; donation of land and a warehouse adjacent to NTCs North Region Campus in Phillips from Phillips Plastics to support program expansion; collaboration with UW-Marathon County to expand educational services to the Merrill community; partnership with several rural high schools in NTCs western region to expand welding training to high school students during the day and NTC adult students during evening and weekend. Many smaller, but no less important, partnerships support NTCs students. In addition, Figure 3R5-6 outlines results of NTCs collaboration with governmental bodies and businesses by regional campus. 9R3 Results Comparison. NTCs Workforce Learning Solutions division ranks third out of 16 in the WTCS for businesses served (Figure 3R5-2) outranking the metropolitan areas of Madison and Milwaukee. In 2006, it was ranked 14th in the WTCS. Additionally, the College ranked first within the WTCS in the increase in the number of employees served through contracts and percentage increase between 2006 and 2009 (Figure 8R4-1). The NTC Foundation develops relationships that enable individuals, businesses and the community to advocate for and provide resources in support of NTC and its mission. Figure 9R3-1 shows that in FY 2008 the NTC Foundation ranked 5th out of 16 colleges in the WTCS in total assets. Figure 9R WTCS Foundation Net Assets Comparison $8,000,000 $7,000,000 $6,000,000 $5,000,000 $4,000,000 $3,000,000 $2,000,000 $1,000,000 $ 2008 WTCS Foundation Net Assets Comparison Source: Form 990 reported assets Category 9 Building Collaborative Relationships 95

106 To maintain international partnerships, the College belongs to Community College for International Development (CCID). NTC President Dr. Lori Weyers was recently selected to serve on the 25-member CCID Board of Directors. NTC is committed to international education partnerships and enrolls international students who account for approximately 3.2% of total FTE, the highest percentage of the 16 technical colleges in Wisconsin. NTCs additional emphasis on partnerships, coupled with the need for additional funding sources, caused the College to focus on grants. The one key element in NTCs grants is an emphasis on leveraging the resources/needs of partners to create mutually beneficial grant proposals to stimulate the economy through job creation and training. Figure 9R3-2 NTC Grant Growth NTC Grant Growth Source: Internal grant office records Submitted Awarded NTC is now submitting more grants applications to seek out additional funding. Figure 9R3-2 illustrates NTCs growth in grant applications and awards. In , 36 grants were submitted with 34 funded; in , 67 were submitted with 53 funded. NTC also seeks grant opportunities that support services for students, especially with increasing enrollment and expanding regional offerings. Additional partnership results include: As NTC reconfigured its educational offerings FTE student count has increased by 22% over the last four years and the number of students served has increased 25% over the same period of time. For more FTE comparison information see Figure 8R4-1. The president of NTC serves as the President of the Wisconsin Technical College s President s Association. The United States Economic Development Administration recognizes the collaboration to develop the NTC Wood Technology Center of Excellence as a best practice among business, higher education and government partnerships and awarded the partnership $1.23 million to support the project. In 2008 NTC was 1 of only 60 colleges across the country to receive a Department of Labor Grant ($1.98 million for three years). NTC was the only recipient in the state of Wisconsin. Reviewers cited the strength of NTCs collaborations as a key factor in the award. 9I1 Recent Improvements. Many of the successes NTC has experienced over the past three years directly correlates with the Board of Trustees hiring of Dr. Lori Weyers. Since that time, processes and procedures have been implemented to enhance partnerships across NTCs 10-county District. Dr. Weyers Presidential Listening Sessions allow for direct feedback and input from employers, educational partners and community leaders. Feedback from the initial listening sessions led to a collegewide reorganization in 2007 and continuous improvement to date. Examples of reorganization successes that demonstrate NTCs commitment to partnerships include: Creation of a K-16 department to coordinate service and partnership with higher education and K-12 districts Creation of the Workforce Learning Solutions department to service and build relations with area business and industry Hiring of Career Coaches to provide career and educational guidance to all District high school students Promotion of regional deans to ensure service to regional partners Shift of auxiliary services to the Director of Student Relations to increase student support and satisfaction 96 Category 9 Building Collaborative Relationships

107 Joint board meeting with College of Menominee Nation to re-establish academic program and grant partnerships NTCs commitment to partnerships is evident in its investment in regional campus program and facility expansions, as well as facility renovations, to support student learning. Services are continuously monitored and evaluated to provide seamless support to students. Feedback is sought, evaluated and implemented when appropriate. The College has made outreach efforts to its minority communities over the past three years. This includes the use of state grant funds to hire a Minority Student Advisor, closer relationships with cultural agencies and emphasis on English Language Learners (ELL) and academic team teaching. NTC has also focused on diversifying its personnel to better represent the minority populations throughout its service area. 9I2 Targets, Improvements and Priorities. Once NTCs Board of Trustees sets its annual strategic directions, individual teams at the College develop Team Action Plans based upon them and forward these to the ELT. The ELT then develops an Action Plan based upon the strategic directions set by the NTC Board and the suggestions forwarded from individual teams. Each ELT member works with department personnel to revise divisional team action plans and individual professional development plans. Each of these plans supports the Board s strategic directions, including the development of strategic partnerships, allowing for each NTC staff member to impact the goals and objectives. This ownership of supporting collegewide initiatives has proven successful. President Weyers initial goals of 30,000 learners with 3,000 FTEs within 3 years (3-3-3), led College staff to break through challenges, work as cross-departmental teams and reach out to community partners to benefit students. These initiatives were not only mandated, but adequately staffed and funded. NTCs collaborative culture with internal and external partners allows departments to be creative and innovative in setting and strengthening targets for improving relationships. This sensitivity to different needs provides support in being flexible and accessible to the partners. President Weyers leads by example and continuously reminds the NTC faculty and staff, as well as community members, that collaboration is vital in meeting all of the College s goals. We can t do it alone, is her often quoted statement, reminding everyone of the need to help each other. NTCs Board of Directors and ELT believe in a culture of responsiveness and the necessity to increase the College s pace of change to partners needs. NTC believes in being attuned to the needs of its various communities by systematically collecting and responding to feedback in order to create more vibrant and effective partnerships. Category 9 Building Collaborative Relationships 97

108 List of Abbreviations ABE: Adult Basic Education AEFL: Adult Education and Family Literacy AQIP: Academic Quality Improvement Program CMN: College of Menominee Nation CBO: Community-Based Organization CBS: Community Benefit Statement CCID: Community Colleges for International Development, Inc. CEP: Concentrated Employment Program CIED: Center for Intercultural Education and Development CIO: Chief Information Officer CQIN: Continuous Quality Improvement Network DACUM: Develop a Curriculum DCS: Dynamic Campus Solutions ELL: English Language Learners ELT: Executive Leadership Team ESS: Educational Support Services FERPA: Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act FTE: (Full-Time Equivalent) An enrollment measure, which in the WTCS is equivalent to 30 credits per year. GED/HSED: General Education Diploma/High School Equivalency Diploma HDHP: High Deductible Health Plan HLC: Higher Learning Commission HR: Human Resources HSA: Health Savings Account ICISP: Illinois Consortium for International Studies and Programs IPEDS: Integrated Post-Secondary Education Database System ISIT: Information Systems and Instructional Technology IT: Information Technology ITV: Interactive Television IVP: Instructional Vitality Process LMS: Learning Management System MIIIE: Midwest Institute for International/Intercultural Education N.E.W.: New Employee Welcome NTC: Northcentral Technical College NTO: Nontraditional Occupations OD: Organizational Development PACE: Personal Assessment of the College Environment 98 List of Abbreviations

109 PBL: Performance-Based Learning PST: PeopleSoft QRP: Quality Review Process SGB: Student Governing Board SSI: Student Satisfaction Inventory STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math TABE: Test of Adult Basic Education TRiO: Federal TRiO Programs TSA: Technical Skill Attainment UWMC: University of Wisconsin-Marathon County WDB: Workforce Development Boards WIDS: Worldwide Instructional Design System WLDI: Wisconsin Leadership Development Institute WLS: Workforce Learning Solutions WTCS: Wisconsin Technical College System List of Abbreviations 99

110 Index to Evidence for the Criteria for Accreditation Criterion One Mission and Integrity The organization operates with integrity to ensure the fulfillment of its mission through structures and processes that involve the board, administration, faculty, staff, and students. Core Component 1a The organization s mission documents are clear and articulate publicly the organization s commitments. The College s vision and mission, which reflect NTCs commitment to identified student and stakeholder needs, are published annually in all major institutional publications and presented on the College s web site [OV, 5P1] ( NTCs objectives align with the mission, vision and philosophy of the Wisconsin Technical College System found in Wisconsin State Statute Section 38. This section defines the mission and purpose of the WTCS [OV, OV5, 5P1]. The College s Executive Leadership Team Action Plan is guided by the College s mission and vision. The ELT Action Plan fulfills the strategic directions that were formulated by feedback from the Presidential Listening Sessions and approved by the Board of Trustees [5P2]. In 2006 NTC revised its mission and vision statements [OV]. NTC s mission and vision statements emphasize learning services to residents of the District [OV1]. Core Component 1b In its mission documents, the organization recognizes the diversity of its learners, other constituencies, and the greater society it serves. Presidential Listening Sessions held every three years throughout the NTC District provide pivotal feedback from students, staff and taxpayers throughout the District and guide the College in setting strategic directions that fulfill its mission and vision [5P2, 5I2, 8P2, 8R5, 9P1, 9P6]. NTC s mission and vision statements emphasize learning services to residents of the District [OV1]. In keeping with the College s mission and vision, NTCs instructional offerings include programs determined as essential to the District s workforce and those required or recommended in order to serve the communities greater needs [OV1, 5P4, 9P1]. NTC provides non-credit offerings including continuing education offerings for professionals and the general public and state-mandated programs to serve the District and fulfill the College s mission and vision [OV1, 5P4]. NTC is committed to establishing and maintaining strong collaborative relationships with K-16 educational institutions, realizing the College s strategic direction of partnerships to fulfill the College s mission and vision. This action serves District students in K-12 as well as NTC students transferring to four-year institutions [OV2, 9P1-2]. In NTCs mission documents one of the core beliefs is diversity, defined as We believe in diversity of thought, culture, opinion, economic status, age, gender and physical capabilities. To fulfill its mission, the College also supports the continuance of the minority student specialist position and a robust international education department. NTC seeks to address the needs of diverse student sub-groups such as economically and academically underprepared students, minority students, international students, regional students and displaced workers [3P2, 1P10, 9P1]. The core ability develop global awareness, defined as learner respects cultural diversity and pluralism, is integrated into all program curriculum [1P1]. The behavioral expectations of students, faculty, staff, administrators, and trustees are congruent with the mission values. They are operationalized in the Student Code of Conduct ( hiring policies (i.e., Affirmative Action, etc.) [ College by-laws, and human resource policies [4P3, 4P7, Index to Evidence for the Criteria for Accreditation

111 Core Component 1c Understanding of and support for the mission pervade the organization. To fulfill the mission and vision of the institution to serve the District, community feedback drives NTCs new initiatives that enhance students learning opportunities. Presidential Listening Sessions held every three years throughout the NTC District provide pivotal feedback from students, staff and taxpayers throughout the District and guide the College in setting its strategic directions [5P2, 5I2, 8P2, 8R5, 9P1, 9P6]. New programs, classes and initiatives are influenced by community feedback, advisory committee feedback, employee feedback, student feedback and board member feedback [1P2, 1P13, 1I1, 3P1, 3P3, 3P4, 3P5, 5P4]. All new employees to the College are required to complete an online learning module concerning the vision, mission, community benefits statements, core beliefs and strategic directions of the College [4P4]. The College s Executive Leadership Team (ELT) Action Plan, guided by the mission, vision and community benefit statements, articulates the institution s core beliefs and provides the framework for their implementation. At the core of the ELT Action Plan are seven strategic directions that were formulated by feedback from the Presidential Listening Sessions and approved by the Board of Trustees. Individual teams then develop Team Action Plans that are in alignment with the mission, vision, core beliefs and strategic directions as set forth by the NTC Board and the ELT [5P2, 8P3-4]. The entire Team Action Plan process is tied directly to the employee performance evaluation process, capital equipment procurement process, Quality Review Process, curriculum modification process and individual employee professional development process. Each of these processes is managed through the Team Action Plan and is directly linked to the College mission, vision, core beliefs and strategic directions [5P8]. The selection of performance information to support the planning and improvement efforts of programs and service teams is driven by strategic initiatives set forth by the College s Board of Trustees and Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and by Team Action Plans addressing these initiatives at the individual team level [7P1-2]. Departmental goals and Team Action Plans are aligned with the College s strategic directions and support the College s ELT Action Plan and the Board of Trustees Annual Goals and Board Dashboard. The goals developed at each level drive the data and analysis used by departments to monitor the progress of each goal [7P6]. To fulfill the college s mission, measureable objectives are written with performance targets and listed in the ELT Action Plan. NTC President Dr. Lori Weyers sets a three-year single-focus performance target that is met by fulfilling the objectives on the ELT Action Plan. The Board Dashboard also provides quarterly and annual data which fulfills the strategic directions. [8P5]. Core component 1d The organization s governance and administrative structures promote effective leadership and support collaborative processes that enable the organization to fulfill its mission. To help NTC fulfill its mission to the District, Presidential Listening Sessions provide valuable feedback from the College stakeholders as to strategic directions and continuous improvement of processes. Because of NTC s close ties with the District it serves, the College values the feedback of its stakeholders business owners, community leaders, taxpayers, students, parents, employees and school districts and considers this feedback pivotal in guiding the strategic planning process [5P2, 5I2, 8P2, 8R5, 9P1, 9P6]. NTC operates under a shared governance between the Wisconsin Technical College System Board and the NTC Board of Trustees. NTC aligns with the WTCS (oversight entity) through participation in WTCS associations and state-called meetings. The College is locally governed by a nine-member appointed Board of Trustees whose composition is legislated to be representative of the geographic communities it serves. The strategic directions of the College are set by the NTC Board of Trustees. The President reports to the Board, and the College s Executive Leadership Team reports directly to the President [OV4, OV5]. Leadership abilities are encouraged, developed and strengthened among faculty, staff and administrators in a variety of ways. Each year NTCs annual Leadership Institute, Leadership Wausau (Chamber of Commerce leadership program) and the Wisconsin Leadership Development Institute are available to all levels of staff within the College [4P5, 5P9]. Building on the success of both the Leadership Institute and Leadership for Middle Leaders program, the College has developed a two-phase leadership program for employees scheduled to begin in [4P3]. NTC has a formal mentoring program for all new employees administered by the Office of Organizational Development [4P3]. Index to Evidence for the Criteria for Accreditation 101

112 During the academic year monthly Presidential Briefings are held for all employees. The College President shares information and outlines activities, strategies and goals with all employees during these briefings. The sessions are also available via streaming video [5P7, 9P7]. The selection of performance information to support the planning and improvement efforts of programs and service teams is driven by strategic initiatives set forth by the College s Board of Trustees and Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and by Team Action Plans addressing these initiatives at the individual team level [7P1-2]. Departmental goals and Team Action Plans are aligned with the College s strategic directions and support the College s ELT Action Plan and the Board of Trustees Annual Goals and Board Dashboard. The goals developed at each level drive the data and analysis used by departments to monitor the progress of each goal [7P6, 8P3-4, 8P5, 8R1, 8R3]. Regional deans are involved with numerous cross-functional/cross-divisional meetings to ensure the unique needs of the regional campuses are considered in College decision-making [9P7]. To encourage collaboration, cross-functional roles and responsibilities are identified as needed in the Executive Leadership Team Action Plan [9P7]. Core component 1e The organization upholds and protects its integrity. NTC has a central complaint process accessed on the NTC website. Complaints are tracked to ensure satisfactory resolution. The internal expectation is that all complaints are resolved within two weeks [3P6]. NTC has a formal academic appeal process outlined in student publications and on the NTC website. The process is a three-step approach and progresses from speaking with the instructor to speaking with the Dean to requesting a five-person board of review. This process offers the student multiple opportunities to be heard and have the complaint resolved [3P6]. NTC has a centralized behavior process for nonacademic discipline outlined on the NTC website and in student publications. A strong model of student due process is in place, offering students a two-step process for resolving issues [3P6]. The primary goal of the NTC Board is in the management of the College s societal responsibilities to comply with all of the state, federal and accreditation requirements placed upon it [OV5]. NTC has adopted core beliefs which are guiding principles of values that are inherent in the institution. The core belief of a Culture of Professionalism indicates that the College believes in a culture that models professionalism, treating internal and external customers with respect and integrity. This core belief is also a component of the performance evaluation system [4P7]. The ELT annually completes a Conflict of Interest Questionnaire. The questionnaire requires employees to commit to ethical practices and disclose any conflicts of interest that may affect the College [4P7]. NTCs Administrative/Operating Guidelines includes polices related to ethics, nepotism, political activities, discrimination and harassment, sexual harassment and Computing, Networking, and Information Resources. These policies clearly define the College s expectations regarding appropriate ethical behavior [4P7]. Examples include Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Information and a sexual harassment brochure. The Office of Civil Rights completed a compliance review of NTC in summer NTC received a commendation for partnering with the College of the Menominee Nation [6R2]. External audits of Financial Services and financial aid processes are conducted annually [6P1]. The College s Computing, Networking and Information Resources Policy located on the website and intranet, informs all employees and students of their obligation to use NTCs technology resources responsibly, professionally, ethically and lawfully. Information Systems and Instructional Technology ensures data confidentiality by adhering to the following: FERPA guidelines/confidentiality best practices, data field protection (SSN, DOB), new passwords every 30 days/quarterly, passwords not given over the phone/ , DES/RC5 algorithms to encrypt data, and disposed media is erased using degasser [7P7]. 102 Index to Evidence for the Criteria for Accreditation

113 Criterion Two Preparing for the Future The organization s allocation of resources and its processes for evaluation and planning demonstrate its capacity to fulfill the mission, improve the quality of its education, and respond to future challenges and opportunities. Core Component 2a The organization realistically prepares for a future shaped by multiple societal and economic trends. Presidential Listening Sessions provide valuable feedback from multiple perspectives. Input from District business owners, community leaders, taxpayers, students, parents, employees and school districts is pivotal in guiding the strategic planning process [5P2, 5I2, 8P2, 8R5, 9P1, 9P6]. To ensure academic program currency, the College relies on semi-annual advisory committee meetings, graduate feedback [1R3, 1R5], employer feedback [3R4] and a comprehensive program review, the Quality Review Process [1P13]. The content of in-service is based on the strategic directions of the College. Professional development funding requests are reviewed against the strategic directions of the College, ensuring training is aligned with both the short-range and long-range organizational plans [4P8, 8P8]. NTC Board members and leaders pay close attention to national trends, the geographic areas served, community businesses, partnerships and environmental scanning [5P3, 5P4, 8P2]. The President and the Chief Financial Officer prepare three to five year budget projections that consider level of state funding, growth in property tax values, projected increases in salaries and benefit costs, as well as maintaining a minimum reserve of 16% of annual expenses, projecting monies available, and what, if any, growth or decline there will be in the College s mill rate [8P7]. NTCs Workforce Learning Solutions (WLS) team actively works with companies throughout NTCs service area, meeting and listening to leaders to determine training needs. WLS attends meetings with industry sectors, workforce development boards, economic development organizations, and chambers of commerce. The College is an active partner on the Rapid Response Team that develops strategies to meet the immediate needs of employees affected by company closings and layoffs [9P1, 9P3]. Core Component 2b The organization s resource base supports its educational programs and its plans for maintaining and strengthening their quality in the future. The NTC Course Utilization Policy provides criteria for making evidence-based decisions regarding the viability of running a course during a specific term [1P12]. NTC generally has low turnover rates, less than 10% over the past five years. In the last five years there has been a 3% decline in the employee turnover rates (Figure 4R2-1). This demonstrates NTCs ability to retain qualified staff through competitive benefits and compensation, current technology and a satisfactory work climate [4R2]. Instructional Vitality Process used by the College ensures the instructional offerings are aligned with District workforce needs [1P14]. In keeping with the College s mission and vision, NTCs instructional offerings include programs determined as essential to the District s workforce and those required or recommended in order to serve the communities greater needs [OV1, 5P4, 9P1]. Professional development funding requests are reviewed against the strategic directions of the College, ensuring training is aligned with both the short-range and long-range organizational plans [4P8, 8P8]. WTCS colleges receive most of their funding from the District s ability to levy property taxes. The President and the Chief Financial Officer prepare three to five year budget projections that consider level of state funding, growth in property tax values, projected increases in salaries and benefit costs, as well as maintaining a minimum reserve of 16% of annual expenses, projecting monies available, and what, if any, growth or decline there will be in the College s mill rate [8P7]. NTCs Moody s Investors Service rating has been Aa2 for the past five years [6R3]. NTCs District operating reserves are budgeted to be $10,541,688 at June 30, 2010 totaling 24% of budgeted operating expenses [6R3] ( NTC Budget budget.pdf). Index to Evidence for the Criteria for Accreditation 103

114 Core Component 2c The organization s ongoing evaluation and assessment processes provide reliable evidence of institutional effectiveness that clearly informs strategies for continuous improvement. The selection of performance information to support the planning and improvement efforts of programs and service teams is driven by strategic initiatives set forth by the College s Board of Trustees, Executive Leadership Team and by Team Action Plans addressing these initiatives at the individual team level [7P1-2]. Board Dashboard targets are set and based on a variety of factors including past performance, environmental scanning, budget, state aid and tuition projections and market demands. The goals developed at each level drive the data and analysis used by departments to monitor the progress of each goal [7P6, 7I2, 8P3-4, 8P5, 8R1, 8R3]. Continuous Quality Improvement is a strategic direction at NTC. The College joined AQIP in 2001 and benefits from nearly a decade of positive improvements [OV1]. NTC has a sequential Product Development Plan process coupled with a program implementation process set forth by the WTCS Office. These processes include extensive research into the employability and wage potential of graduates, uniqueness of the offering within the WTCS, and program cost to taxpayers. To further gauge program performance, the College also studies Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins IV) performance standards, Employer Satisfaction Survey results, Graduate Follow-Up Survey results, Five-Year Graduate Follow-Up results, Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory results, NTC graduation rates, course completion rates, and WTCS Quality Review Process program scorecard results [1P3, 1R1]. Annually a summary of NTCs summative assessment results is collected in an internal database to track results and continuous improvement measures [1P18]. Presidential Listening Sessions provide valuable feedback from the College stakeholders as to strategic directions and continuous improvement of processes. District business owners, community leaders, taxpayers, students, parents, employees and school districts provide feedback pivotal in guiding the strategic planning process and assessing the actions taken as a result of the success of previous Presidential Listening Sessions [5P2, 5I2, 8P2, 8R5, 9P1, 9P6]. Non-academic teams participate in the Service Quality Review Process every four years for continuous improvement. Regular measures of student, administrative and organizational support service processes are collected and analyzed quarterly, semiannually or annually [6P1, 6R1, 6R4]. The College sets a three-year single-focus performance target that is met by fulfilling the objectives on the Executive Leadership Team Action Plan. The Board Dashboard also provides quarterly and annual data on the progress of the single-focus performance target [8P5]. In , the College exceeded its single-focus performance target of 3000 FTEs and had 13 of 17 Board Dashboard indicators meet or exceed targets overall. The College reached 3,167 FTEs, a historical high in Headcount increased 25% between and [7P4, 8R2]. The 2008 Personal Assessment of the College Environment (PACE) survey results indicated a healthy campus climate, yielding an overall 3.66 average score (PACE Norm Base Average 3.56). NTC had 16 of the 46 standard PACE questions with a statistically significantly higher average than the PACE Norm Base Average [8R4, 5R2, 5R3, 5I1]. The Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory survey administered in fall 2008 had 21 of 28 standard questions with a significantly higher average than the WTCS average [1R5, 3R2, 6R5, 8R4]. Instructional Vitality Process used by the College ensures the instructional offerings are aligned with District workforce needs [1P14]. In keeping with the College s mission and vision, NTCs instructional offerings include programs determined as essential to the District s workforce and those required or recommended in order to serve the communities greater needs [OV1, 5P4, 9P1]. To ensure academic programs quality and currency, the College relies on semi-annual advisory committee meetings [1P13], graduate feedback [1R3, 1R5], employer feedback [3R4] and a comprehensive program review, the Quality Review Process [1P13]. 104 Index to Evidence for the Criteria for Accreditation

115 Core Component 2d All levels of planning align with the organization s mission, thereby enhancing its capacity to fulfill that mission. The Executive Leadership Team (ELT) Action Plan fulfills the College s strategic directions. Individual teams then develop Team Action Plans that are in alignment with the mission, vision, core beliefs and strategic directions as set forth by the NTC Board and the ELT [5P2, 8P3-4]. The selection of performance information to support the planning and improvement efforts of programs and service teams is driven by strategic initiatives set forth by the College s Board of Trustees, Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and by Team Action Plans addressing these initiatives at the individual team level [7P1-2]. Departmental goals and Team Action Plans are aligned with the College s strategic directions and support the College s ELT Action Plan and the Board of Trustees Annual Goals and Board Dashboard. The Board Dashboard is aligned with NTCs strategic directions [7P6, 7I2, 8P3-4, 8P5, 8R1, 8R3]. Instructional Vitality Process used by the College ensures the instructional offerings are aligned with District workforce needs [1P14]. In keeping with the College s mission and vision, NTCs instructional offerings include programs determined as essential to the District s workforce and those required or recommended in order to serve the communities greater needs [OV1, 5P4, 9P1]. Non-academic teams participate in the Service Quality Review Process every four years for continuous improvement. Regular measures of student, administrative and organizational support service processes are collected and analyzed quarterly, semiannually or annually [6P1, 6R1, 6R4]. Presidential Listening Sessions provide valuable feedback from the College stakeholders as to strategic directions and continuous improvement of processes. District business owners, community leaders, taxpayers, students, parents, employees and school districts provide feedback pivotal in guiding the strategic planning process [5P2, 5I2, 8P2, 8R5, 9P6]. In-service content is based on the strategic directions of the College. Professional development funding requests are reviewed against the strategic directions of the College, ensuring training is aligned with both the short-range and long-range organizational plans [4P8, 8P8]. The 3-Year Budget Process is an overarching 3-year plan supported with annual resource alignment to support the implementation of the College s strategic directions (See pages 6, 10, 11 of the NTC Budget [8P1]. Criterion Three Student Learning and Effective Teaching The organization provides evidence of student learning and teaching effectiveness that demonstrates it is fulfilling its educational mission. Core component 3a The organization s goals for student learning outcomes are clearly stated for each educational program and make effective assessment possible. Core abilities are the common learning outcomes at NTC [1P1, 1R2]. NTC is a performance-based instruction institution, meaning that students must demonstrate competency on identified performance-based tasks within each course in order to receive a passing grade [1P12]. College programs have specific learning objectives called program outcomes that represent occupationspecific abilities graduates need for occupational success. Program and course outcomes are endorsed by program advisory committees. Program and course outcomes are reviewed on an annual basis by program advisory committees to ensure outcomes remain relevant to workforce needs [1P2, 1R3, 1P13, 1I1, 3P1, 3P3, 3P4, 3P5, 5P4, 7P2]. NTC shares program outcome and course outcome information with current and prospective students including print media, face-to-face communication strategies and on College website ntc.edu [1P6]. Instructors are expected to define performance standards at the course and program level and to document learning objectives and performance standards and to communicate learning objectives and performance standards to students. Learning and performance expectations for all courses are presented in individual course syllabi at the start of each course [1P11]. Assessment occurs at a course level and a program level. Learners must complete a summative assessment where they are required to demonstrate mastery of program outcomes. The summative assessment could be a national registry exam, a capstone project, a portfolio, an internship or a combination of major assessments Index to Evidence for the Criteria for Accreditation 105

116 completed throughout the program. An annual summary of NTCs summative assessment results is collected in an internal database to track results and for continuous improvement measures [1P17, 1P18, 1R4, 1R6]. A cross-functional assessment committee, chaired by a dean, facilitates the assessment process at NTC [1P18]. To monitor program effectiveness, a Graduate Follow-Up Survey is conducted annually to collect information regarding the activities and opinions of students approximately six months after their graduation [1R3] and an Employer Satisfaction Survey is conducted every three years [1R2]. To ensure academic programs quality and currency, the College relies on semi-annual advisory committee meetings [1P13], graduate feedback [1R3, 1R5], employer feedback [3R4] and a comprehensive program review, the Quality Review Process (QRP) [1P13]. Core component 3b The organization values and supports effective teaching. NTC is a performance-based learning institution. The College s expectations for teaching and learning are defined, documented and communicated through several processes including: instructor training and certification courses, faculty evaluations, the WIDS curriculum model and the curriculum development process. The College evaluates effective teaching using the performance-based model outlined in the Evaluation Handbook [1P11, 4P10]. Course evaluations and instructor evaluations provide feedback to instructors and deans regarding individual courses and instructors [1P13, 3P2]; instructional supervisors have a tool in which to provide the faculty feedback on addressing multiple learning styles through the faculty evaluation rubric [1P9]. All full-time and adjunct faculty are required to participate in statewide certification courses which include learning experiences in Curriculum and Course Construction and Educational Evaluation [1P11]. The learning support needs of faculty and staff are also met through two in-service days, Think Tanks, new employee and adjunct orientations, certification courses and more than 400 courses on the Learning Management System [4P9, 4I1]. Educational Support Services (ESS) provides individual and group faculty training on curriculum design, teaching best practices, use of technology for instruction, and online course facilitation and development [1P11]. ESS provides faculty and staff with pedagogical resources to support learning. NTC Geek Blog is a source of technological training ( [1P15]. The College started a professional development initiative called Bootcamp providing faculty and staff a set of tools to improve their knowledge, skills and abilities to diversify the delivery modes in online formats that better meet the learning styles and needs of today s learners [1I1]. New full-time faculty to the organization participate in the new faculty orientation process through which they learn about the institutions beliefs and practices related to teaching and learning [1P11]. From an academic freedom perspective, Figure 1P11-1 Curriculum Development Process shows items below the performance assessment tasks learning plans (learning and assessment activities) are at the discretion of the instructor. NTCs policy on Academic Freedom (254 Administrative/Operating Guideline) is The Northcentral Technical College District believes that academic freedom is important and necessary to all areas of instructional activities. When controversial subjects are pertinent in a course or program area, faculty shall have the right to express their personal views Faculty have the responsibility to expose students to controversial ideas and issues within occupational fields. One of NTCs core beliefs is diversity, defined as We believe in diversity of thought, culture, opinion, economic status, age, gender and physical capabilities ( [OV1]. Results of effective teaching are measured through data on student success, including course completion rates, graduation rates, licensure rates, job placement rates, retention rates, summative program assessment results, employer satisfaction rates, and student satisfaction rates [1R1-6, 3R2-3, 3R4-6]. Instructors can request funding for professional development activities, conferences, seminars and other learning opportunities [4P8, 4P9]. The Faculty Development Grant funds learning and technology initiatives as well as special projects related to the integration of technology into the teaching process [8P8]. Outside program accreditation reviews provide evidence on the quality of NTCs programs that reflect effective learning practices [1P2, 1P13, 1P17]. 106 Index to Evidence for the Criteria for Accreditation

117 Core component 3c The organization creates effective learning environments. The following results of effective teaching are studied by the College to identify areas of improvement: data on student success, including course completion rates, graduation rates, licensure rates, job placement rates, retention rates, summative program assessment results, employer satisfaction rates, and student satisfaction rates [1R1-6, 3R2-3, 3R4-6]. The Quality Review Process is a comprehensive program review that ensures all academic programs are reviewed every four years [1P13]. To ensure academic programs quality and currency, the College also relies on semi-annual advisory committee meetings [1P13], graduate feedback [1R3, 1R5] and employer feedback [3R4]. NTC completes student and employee climate surveys every three years to understand students and employees needs and expectations to maintain effective learning environments [1R5-6, 5R2-3, 6R5]. NTC seeks to create effective online learning environments for students by designing courses specifically for online environments, setting up online course standards and piloting an online learning specialist position [1P9, 1P11, 1P15, 6I1, 8P8]. In response to stakeholder feedback regarding flexible and accessible courses and programs, in the past three years NTC has expanded classroom space and course offerings at most of its regional centers through new construction or remodeling and has provided learners with additional course options [1I1, 6I1]. NTC pro-actively designs courses to address a variety of learning styles through learning activities that present course materials through multiple means and modalities such as video, instructor-created videos and interactive web tools [1P9]. Course and instructor evaluations help learning teams to assess and change courses or teaching styles to better compliment the needs of their students [3P2]. To ensure a safe and effective learning environment for all students, NTC has a centralized behavior process for nonacademic discipline housed in Student Life [3P6] ( also has a Campus Security Team [6P3, Figure 6R5-1, 6I1]. To provide effective learning environments for all students, 96 rooms were converted to smart classrooms over the last three years. By summer 2010 all classrooms throughout the District identified for smart classroom conversion will be smart classrooms [OV6, 1P15]. NTC has a Five-Year Technology Plan that replaces all PCs on a three-year cycle in labs and a four-year cycle for all employees [OV6, 7P7]. Core component 3d The organization s learning resources support student learning and effective teaching. NTC provides Learning Centers throughout its District and at its main regional campuses offering Adult Basic Education and English Language Learning instruction to adult learners. Instruction in the Learning Centers include: GED/HSED instruction and basic skills instruction in reading, writing and math to prepare for college courses, obtain or retain employment or for self-improvement [1P8, 1R5]. Students with disabilities have access to the following services: interpreting, notes, testing accommodations, textbook and materials in alternative format, assistive technology and other accommodations according to need [1P10]. Peer Tutoring for NTC classes is offered to students at no charge. Students who need help are matched with a tutor-led study group or individual tutor who has excelled in the same subject [1R5]. Student Services completes an assessment at the beginning of each semester to identify students in need of academic support. Students have the opportunity to utilize academic support services through the NTC Learning Center or the Student Success Center. Faculty may refer students for academic support through the Student Referral Form [6P1]. Educational Support Services (ESS) provides training on curriculum design, teaching best practices, use of technology for instruction and online course facilitation and development [1P11]. ESS provides faculty and staff with pedagogical resources to support learning. NTC Geek Blog is one source providing technological training [1P15]. The College started a professional development initiative called Bootcamp that provides faculty and staff a set of tools to improve their knowledge, skills and abilities to diversify the delivery modes in online and Index to Evidence for the Criteria for Accreditation 107

118 other alternative formats [1I1]. The Faculty Development Grant funds learning and technology initiatives as well as special projects related to the integration of technology into the teaching process [8P8]. The College provides a 24/7 Help Desk for students and staff to support learning through technical assistance. [1P15]. By summer % of classrooms selected as smart classrooms districtwide will be converted to smart classrooms [1P15]. The NTC Library provides students, faculty and staff with resources in various formats including print, AV and electronic as well as guidance in the use of available resources [1P15, 1R5]. Instructors and staff can request funding for professional development activities, conferences, seminars and other learning opportunities that support student learning and effective teaching [4P8, 4P9]. NTC has a Five-Year Technology Plan that replaces all PCs on a three-year cycle in labs and a four-year cycle for all employees [OV6, 7P7]. NTC arranges clinical sites for student learning [OV9, 9R2]. NTC regularly evaluates the use of its learning resources to enhancing student learning and effective teaching by examining Presidential Listening Sessions data, Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory data, service team Quality Review Process results, and Student Governing Board feedback. Learning support of students and faculty are further established through analysis of data trends, including the Perkins Performance Scorecard, use of current support services, advancements in educational technology and a variety of other feedback methods [1P15]. In 2009 the Marathon County Board donated $1 million to help develop a hands-on farm learning laboratory for NTCs agriculture program students ( [9P2]. Case IH is partnering with NTC to provide direct access to the latest farm equipment technology for the education of dairy science students at the learning laboratory [1I1]. Criterion Four Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge The organization promotes a life of learning for its faculty, administration, staff, and students by fostering and supporting inquiry, creativity, practice, and social responsibility in ways consistent with its mission. Core Component 4a The organization demonstrates, through the actions of its board, administrators, students, faculty, and staff, that it values a life of learning. NTCs mission is Northcentral Technical College is the customer-focused, accessible provider of innovative lifelong learning that builds a globally competitive workforce [OV1]. NTC provides Learning Centers throughout its District and at its main regional campuses offering Adult Basic Education and English Language Learning instruction to adult learners. Instruction in the Learning Centers includes: GED/HSED instruction and basic skills instruction to prepare students for college courses, obtain or retain employment or for self-improvement [1P8, 1R5]. To encourage innovation and learning by staff, two different teams in the College are awarded the Exemplary Service Award ($2,500 in professional development money) on Recognition Day [4P11]. The Altman Award honors outstanding instruction [4P11]. The faculty evaluation process is intended to recognize and support a multitude of approaches faculty members apply to meet the unique needs of nontraditional as well as traditional students and programs [1P11, 4P10]. All full-time and adjunct faculty are required to participate in statewide certification courses [1P11]. Faculty and staff are equipped through two in-service days, Think Tanks, new employee and adjunct orientations, certification courses and more than 400 courses on the Learning Management System [4P9, 4I1]. The employee and the supervisor develop a professional development plan [4I1]. In addition, instructors can request funding of professional development activities, conferences, seminars and other learning opportunities [4P8, 4P9]. The Faculty Development Grant funds learning and technology initiatives as well as special projects related to the integration of technology into the teaching process [8P8]. NTC has a formal mentoring program for all new employees. Situational mentors are utilized for employees who may need mentoring for a specific task or project [4P3]. 108 Index to Evidence for the Criteria for Accreditation

119 Each year NTCs annual Leadership Institute, Leadership Wausau (Chamber of Commerce leadership program) and the Wisconsin Leadership Development Institute are available to all levels of staff within the College [4P5]. To promote life-long learning in the District, Workforce Learning Solutions Division is dedicated to serving the needs of employers through on-site contract training and continuing education in support of workforce development [OV1, OV3, 3P3, 3P4, 3R4, 3I1, 9P1, 9P2]. Full-time faculty members are eligible for pay advancement by continuing their education up to and including the terminal degree [4P9]. Full-time faculty members are eligible for sabbaticals per the faculty contract. NTCs policy on Academic Freedom (254 Administrative/Operating Guideline) is The Northcentral Technical College District believes that academic freedom is important and necessary to all areas of instructional activities. When controversial subjects are pertinent in a course or program area, faculty shall have the right to express their personal views Faculty have the responsibility to expose students to controversial ideas and issues within occupational fields. Core Component 4b The organization demonstrates that acquisition of a breadth of knowledge and skills and the exercise of intellectual inquiry are integral to its educational programs. NTC celebrates intellectual freedom, inquiry, reflection, and respect for differing and diverse opinions by stating its importance and necessity to all areas of instructional activities in the College s Academic Freedom Policy. Students are encouraged to use inquiry and reflection in their learning experiences and the Student Bill of Rights ( further guides students on their rights and responsibilities. Core abilities are the common learning outcomes at NTC [1P1, 1R2]. These outcomes are integrated into all courses curriculum throughout the student s program NTC faculty measure student attainment of knowledge, skills and abilities to provide insights into opportunities for course and program improvements, as well as opportunities to improve the services that support student learning. Faculty use both direct and indirect assessment tools to document learning [OV1, 1P2, 1P17-18]. NTC pro-actively designs courses to address a variety of learning styles through learning activities that present course materials through multiple means and modalities such as video, instructor-created videos and interactive web tools [1P9]. Educational Support Services (ESS) provides training on curriculum design, teaching best practices, use of technology for instruction, and online course facilitation and development [1P11]. ESS provides faculty and staff with pedagogical resources to support learning. NTC Geek Blog is one source of technological training [1P15]. The College started a professional development initiative called Bootcamp that provides faculty and staff a set of tools to improve their knowledge, skills and abilities to diversify the delivery modes in online formats [1I1]. The Faculty Development Grant funds learning and technology initiatives as well as special projects related to the integration of technology into the teaching process [8P8]. NTCs Student Life department works with the College to offer social, educational, leadership and diversity programming that compliments course work and aligns with NTCs core abilities [1P16]. NTCs K-16 initiatives are designed to meet the goal of seamless educational transition for students transferring both in (Transcripted Credit) and out of the College (transfer to 4-year institutions) [2P1-2, 2R2-4, 2I1]. Student achievement used to evaluate student learning within programs include course completion rates, graduation rates, licensure rates, job placement rates, retention rates, summative program assessment results, employer satisfaction rates, and student satisfaction rates [1R1-6, 3R2-3, 3R4-6]. Core Component 4c The organization assesses the usefulness of its criteria to students who will live and work in a global, diverse, and technological society. Course competencies and program outcomes are determined by using the DACUM (Designing a Curriculum) process to identify duties and tasks required for the profession [1P2]. NTC is a performance-based instruction institution [1P12]. Assessment occurs at a course level and a program level [1P17, 1P18, 1R4, 1R6]. Index to Evidence for the Criteria for Accreditation 109

120 NTCs Instructional Vitality Process used by the College ensures the instructional offerings are aligned with District workforce needs. Instructional offering currency is reviewed and analyzed each year [1P14]. Program advisory committees review programs to ensure content remains relevant to workforce needs in the District [1P2, 1P13, 1I1, 3P1, 3P3, 3P4, 3P5, 5P4, 7P2]. The core ability develop global awareness, defined as learner respects cultural diversity and pluralism, is integrated into all program curriculum [1P1]. One of NTCs core beliefs is diversity, defined as We believe in diversity of thought, culture, opinion, economic status, age, gender and physical capabilities ( [OV1]. The College has a minority student specialist position. NTC seeks to address the needs of diverse student subgroups such as economically and academically underprepared students, minority students, international students, regional students and displaced workers [3P2, 1P10, 9P1-2]. NTC has a Multicultural Student Club that promotes the cultural awareness, career awareness, educational enrichment, student alumni activities, student leadership development, educational and employment tours and peer mentoring activities for minority students at Northcentral Technical College [ studentlife_clubs.htm]. NTC promotes a greater understanding of the Hmong culture through Hmong 101 courses offered for staff through Organizational Development. NTCs workforce diversity mirrors the community workforce diversity based on the Equal Employment Opportunity categories. NTC has exceeded the community ethnic workforce diversity for the past four years [4R2]. NTC also monitors several indicators within the Human Resources office including diversity of new hires [4R1]. In summer 2009 NTC received a commendation from the Office of Civil Rights for partnering with the College of the Menominee Nation, a tribally controlled community college in the District [6R2, 9P1]. NTC is committed to international education partnerships and enrolls international students who account for approximately 3.2% of total NTC FTE, the highest percentage of the 16 technical colleges in Wisconsin. NTC provides international students with specific services tailored to support their success. In fall 2009, 640 community members attended NTCs International Education Week celebration [1P10, 3P4, 9P1, 9P5, 9R3]. The International Education Office provides quality resources for building global competency in District learners and businesses through strong educational curricula and international opportunities. NTCs current international education projects include Scholarships for Education and Economic Development, Middle Eastern Partnership Initiative, Youth for Understanding, Community College Program, Open World, Community College Initiative Program, and Eurasian Undergraduate Exchange Program ( programs.asp). NTC President Weyers was recently selected to serve on the 25-member Community College for International Development Board of Directors [9R3]. NTC pro-actively designs courses to address a variety of learning styles through learning activities that present course materials through multiple means and modalities such as video, instructor-created videos and interactive web tools [1P9]. The professional development initiative called Bootcamp that provides faculty and staff a set of tools to improve their knowledge, skills and abilities to diversify the delivery modes in online formats [1I1]. The Faculty Development Grant funds learning and technology initiatives as well as special projects related to the integration of technology into the teaching process [8P8]. To ensure academic program currency, the College relies on semi-annual advisory committee meetings [1P2, 1P13, 1I1, 3P1, 3P3, 3P4, 3P5, 5P4, 7P2], graduate feedback [1R3, 1R5], employer surveys [3R4] and a comprehensive program review, the Quality Review Process [1P13]. NTCs Student Life department works with the College to offer social, educational, leadership and diversity programming such as service learning trips abroad [1P16]. Core Component 4d The organization provides support to ensure that faculty, students, and staff acquire, discover, and apply knowledge responsibly. NTC has adopted core beliefs which are guiding principles of values that are inherent in the institution. The core belief of a Culture of Professionalism indicates that the College believes in a culture that models professionalism, treating internal and external customers with respect and integrity. This core belief is also a component of the performance evaluation system [4P7]. 110 Index to Evidence for the Criteria for Accreditation

121 The College s Computing, Networking, and Information Resources Policy located on the website and intranet, informs all employees and students of their obligation to use NTCs technology resources responsibly, professionally, ethically and lawfully ( [7P7]. NTCs policy on Academic Freedom (Administrative/Operating Guideline 254) states Faculty have the responsibility to expose students to controversial ideas and issues within occupational fields In expressing a personal viewpoint, faculty shall not interfere with the political or religious opinions of students; in fact, they will seek to clarify opposing positions on an issue and will make no attempt at political or religious indoctrination of the students under their supervision. NTCs Administrative/Operating Guidelines list policies and procedures defining ethical conduct in instructional activities. The College leadership communicates individual responsibilities regarding ethical practices and values via policies and manuals, the College s vision and mission statements, the Student Handbook, catalogs, and the College website [4P7]. NTC Administrative/Operating Guideline 254 addresses academic integrity and outlines possible sanctions for plagiarism and cheating. Both the NTC website and Student Handbook outline various policies and expectations, including academic integrity expectations, the student code of conduct and policies for students with disabilities. Educational Support Services (ESS) provides training on curriculum design, teaching best practices, use of technology for instruction, and online course facilitation and development [1P11]. ESS provides faculty and staff with pedagogical resources to support learning [1P15]. NTC pro-actively designs courses to address a variety of learning styles through learning activities that present course materials through multiple means and modalities such as video, instructor-created videos and interactive web tools [1P9]. The College started a professional development initiative called Bootcamp that provides faculty and staff a set of tools to improve their knowledge, skills and abilities to diversify the delivery modes in online formats [1I1]. The Faculty Development Grant funds learning and technology initiatives as well as special projects related to the integration of technology into the teaching process [8P8]. Data, information and organizational knowledge quality/integrity factor are the target work of the Information Systems and Information Technology Office (Figure 7P7-1) [7P7]. Criterion Five Engagement and Service As called for by its mission, the organization identifies its constituencies and serves them in ways both value. Core Component 5a The organization learns from the constituencies it serves and analyzes its capacity to serve their needs and expectations. NTC s mission and vision statements focus the institution on providing learning services to residents of the District [OV1]. Presidential Listening Sessions held every three years throughout the NTC District provide pivotal feedback from students, staff and taxpayers throughout the District and guide the College in setting its Strategic Directions [5P2, 5I2, 8P2, 8R5, 9P1]. Program advisory committees review programs to ensure content remains relevant to workforce needs in the District [1P2, 1P13, 1I1, 3P1, 3P3, 3P4, 3P5, 5P4, 7P2]. NTC is committed to establishing and maintaining strong collaborative relationships with K-12 educational institutions in the District. Based on District feedback, NTC also serves graduates by providing increased opportunities to transfer to four-year institutions [OV2, 2P1-3 2R3-4, 9P1-2]. NTC routinely and systematically collects information on community needs through employer representation on advisory committees, attendance at county, city, and school board meetings, and individual meetings with employers and the Workforce Learning Solutions (WLS) team staff. NTCs WLS team actively works with companies throughout NTCs service area, meeting and listening to leaders to determine training needs [9P1]. NTC works closely with four workforce development boards to provide general education and program training for dislocated and unemployed workers [9P1]. NTC leverages the resources/needs of partners to create mutually beneficial projects and grant proposals to stimulate the economy through job creation and training [9R3]. Partnership results include: a $2.5 million donation to construct a Wood Technology Center of Excellence, a $1 million donation to develop a farm learning laboratory, the Agriculture Center of Excellence, and a 10-year farm equipment lease (valued at approximately $1.5 million per year) through Case IH Agriculture, in partnership with Service Motor Company. Index to Evidence for the Criteria for Accreditation 111

122 Core Component 5b The organization has the capacity and the commitment to engage with its identified constituencies and communities. Presidential Listening Sessions held every three years throughout the NTC District provide pivotal feedback from students, staff and taxpayers throughout the District and guide the College in setting its strategic directions [5P2, 5I2, 8P2, 8R5, 9P1]. NTC President Dr. Lori Weyers was named the 2009 Person of the Year by the Wausau Daily Herald ( [8R5]. Under the College strategic partnerships goal, NTC has established the following action item to develop relationships with organizations from which students are received: The College will become the preferred strategic partner of K-12 districts, area businesses and industries, and other institutions of higher education to support learning and economic development [2P1, 2P2, 2I1, 5P4, 9P1]. NTCs Workforce Learning Solutions (WLS) team actively works with companies throughout NTCs service area, meeting and listening to leaders to determine training needs. WLS attends meetings with industry sectors, workforce development boards, economic development organizations, and chambers of commerce. NTC works closely with four workforce development boards to provide general education and program training for dislocated and unemployed workers. The College is an active partner on the Rapid Response Team to develop strategies to meet the immediate needs of employees affected by company closings and layoffs. [1P7, 3P2, 3P3, 3P4, 3P6, 3I1, 9P1]. Employees completed a PACE instrument in fall All of NTCs PACE category averages were higher than the PACE Norm Base, with four scores statistically significantly higher than the PACE Norm Base [5R2-4, 5I1]. The Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory survey administered in fall 2008 had 21 of 28 standard questions with a significantly higher average than the WTCS average [1R5, 3R2, 6R5, 8R4]. Core Component 5c The organization demonstrates its responsiveness to those constituencies that depend on it for service. NTC has created a Rapid Response Team, in collaboration with area Job Centers/CEP offices, to provide immediate onsite career counseling in the case of mass layoffs, closings or reorganizations. The Rapid Response Team includes individuals from the Student Services team as well as staff from local and state entities [1P7]. NTC is committed to establishing and maintaining strong collaborative relationships with K-16 educational institutions. This action serves District students in K-12 as well as NTC students transferring to four-year institutions [OV2, 2P1-3 2R3-4, 9P1-2]. In response to stakeholder feedback regarding flexible and accessible courses and programs, in the past three years NTC has expanded classroom space and course offerings at most of its regional centers through new construction or remodeling and has provided all learners with additional course options [1I1, 3P4, 6I1]. Program advisory committee feedback [1P2, 1P13, 1I1, 3P1, 3P3, 3P4, 3P5, 5P4, 7P2, 9P1], graduate feedback [1R3, 1R5], and employer surveys [1R2] help improve and strengthen academic programs. Course evaluations and instructor evaluations help instructors and deans to identify successes and areas of improvement regarding individual courses and instructors [1P13, 3P2]. NTC Foundation scholarships for students nearly doubled since 2003, with 55.8% growth in number awarded [9R2]. Core Component 5d Internal and external constituencies value the services the organization provides. NTCs Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) survey administered in fall 2008 had 21 of 28 standard questions with a significantly higher average than the WTCS average [1R5, 3R2, 6R5, 8R4]. NTCs 2008 Noel- Levitz SSI results showed two areas in Instructional Effectiveness to be statistically significantly higher than both the WTCS and the national two-year community college averages: quality of instruction and classes deal with practical experiences and applications [1R6]. 112 Index to Evidence for the Criteria for Accreditation

123 NTCs graduate placement rates, based on the Graduate Follow-Up Survey, revealed 90% of NTC graduates were employed. Seventy-eight percent of students responding to the survey reported employment in fields directly related to their degree [1R5]. NTCs Five-Year Graduate Follow-Up Survey revealed 96% of NTC graduates were employed, with 76% of these respondents employed in their field of study [1R3]. NTCs 2008 Employer Satisfaction Survey Results showed 96% of employers agreed with the statement that their business would hire a technical college graduate again [1R2]. In 2008 NTC had 16 of the 46 standard Personal Assessment of College Effectiveness (PACE) questions with a statistically significantly higher average than the PACE Norm Base Average and none that were significantly below that average [5R1, 5R2, 5R3]. In fall 2009, 640 community members attended NTCs International Education Week celebration [9P1]. In summer 2009 NTC received a commendation from the Office of Civil Rights for partnering with the College of the Menominee Nation, a tribally controlled community college in the District [6R2, 9P1]. In spring 2009, District employer Phillips Plastics gifted a warehouse and land adjacent to the campus so that NTC could expand programming and relevant workplace technologies to area learners [9P2]. In 2009 Langlade County donated $2.5 million to construct a Wood Technology Center of Excellence on-site at NTCs East Regional Campus in Antigo ( [9R2]. In 2009 the Marathon County Board donated $1 million to help develop a farm learning laboratory for NTCs agriculture program [9P2]. NTC President Dr. Lori Weyers was named the 2009 Person of the Year by the Wausau Daily Herald [8R5]. Index to Evidence for the Criteria for Accreditation 113

124 1000 W. Campus Drive Wausau, WI NTC.7144 or Northcentral Technical College Northcentral Technical College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in employment, admissions or its programs or activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the College s nondiscrimination polices: Equal Opportunity Officer, Northcentral Technical College, 1000 W. Campus Dr., Wausau, WI, 54401, phone