Faculty,
Administration, Trustees, Students
of
by
An
Evaluation Team representing the
Commission
on Institutions of Higher Education
of the
Prepared
after study of the institution’s
self-evaluation report and a visit
to
the campus
|
Introduction | Standard One - Mission & Purposes
| Standard Two - Planning & Evaluation |
| Standard Three - Organization & Governance |
Standard Four - Programs & Instructions |
| Standard Five - Faculty |
Standard Six - Student Services | Standard Seven -
Library & Information Resources |
| Standard Eight - Physical Resources |
Standard Nine - Financial Resources |
Standard Ten - Public Disclosure |
| Standard Eleven - Integrity |
The members of the team:
Dr. Jack Barocas, Dean of Math, Science & Engineering Transfer,
Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield, MA
Ms. Judith Campbell, Director of Learning Resources,
Ms. Cheryl A. Dorfman, Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs,
Dr. Richard A.
Hillier, Dean of Administrative Services,
Dr. Paul E. Raverta, Vice President for Student Development,
Dr. Kathleen Schatzberg, President,
Chairperson
Working with
the Team: Dr. John
Walters, Connecticut Department of Higher Education,
This report represents the views of
the evaluation team as interpreted by the Chairperson; it goes directly to the
institution before being considered by the Commission. It is a confidential document prepared as an
educational service for the benefit of the institution. All comments in the report are made in good
faith, in an effort to assist
Visiting Team Report –
Quinebaug Valley Community College (QVCC) is one of the
smallest of the 12 community colleges in
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC),
and specifically its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE),
assigned a Visiting Team of community college professionals to review QVCC’s Self-Study Report and related institutional
documents, and then to visit the College in order to ascertain the degree to
which QVCC’s self-report reflected actual practice
and conditions at the College, and to determine whether the institution is
meeting each of CIHE’s eleven standards for
accreditation. This report reflects the
work of that team, whose members were:
·
Dr. Kathleen Schatzberg,
Chair of the Visiting Team and
President,
·
Dr. Jack Barocas, Dean of
Math, Science and Engineering Transfer,
·
Ms. Judith Campbell, Dean of Library Services,
·
Ms. Cheryl A. Dorfman,
Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs,
·
Dr. Richard A. Hillier, Dean of Administrative
Services,
·
Dr. Paul Raverta, Vice
President for Student Services,
In addition, serving as an observer was Dr. John Walters,
Senior Associate for Evaluation and Planning for the Board of Governors of the
Connecticut State Department of Higher Education. Dr. Walters also provided assistance to the
team with information on the organization of
Because of QVCC’s small size, the
visiting team was able to visit, individually or in groups, with the vast
majority of faculty, administrators and staff, as well as with substantial
numbers of students, members of the community, the community college system
chancellor, and a member of the community college system’s Board of
Trustees. What emerged was a picture of
a collegial culture that emphasizes teamwork, cross-functionality, ongoing
self-assessment and continuous quality improvement. Repeatedly, the visiting team heard two
phrases: “Every voice counts” and
“Learners First.” The former reflects
the active participation of every member of the staff in shaping the goals and
activities of the institution, while the latter is Quinebaug’s
fundamental institutional philosophy, from which flows
all decisions.
The community members with whom the Visiting Team met
(including more than a dozen legislators and local leaders from business and
other sectors) reflected in overwhelmingly positive terms the central role the
College plays in the life of its region.
In great detail, they outlined the ways in which the College provides
higher education access, serves as a cultural center in the region, and reaches
out to its community whenever education or training needs become apparent. QVCC is “the hub of the wheel,” they
said. It is notable that all three
legislators and many of the other leaders at this meeting had taken classes at
or graduated from QVCC.
The Visiting Team found that
The mission of the institution is stated broadly in the
mission statement of
QVCC will be a center for intellectual and cultural
enrichment that serves as a source of pride for our students and the community.
By providing high quality, and
continuing education in a learner-centered environment, the College will foster
accomplished, well-rounded, employable graduates and lifelong learners.
The College will be an active
partner with the community in local economic, social and cultural
development.
QVCC pledges to reaffirm and
revitalize its vision through continual self-examination, purposeful change,
and innovation.
These three source documents reflect a mission that is
appropriate to higher education and complies with the operating authorities of
the Board of Trustees of the Community-Technical Colleges of
QVCC undertakes planning and evaluation consistent with its
mission and purpose. All planning and
evaluation operate under the guiding principle of “Learners First.” This principle was adopted by the college in
1997 and exemplifies a shift in focus from a teaching centered focus to a
student-centered focus. In addition, QVCC places planning and evaluation within the
framework of Total Quality Management (TQM) principles (or “Total Quality
Service” (TQS) as it was called when promoted and implemented by the
community-technical college system.
There are system-wide strategic goals for the twelve
Individual faculty and staff establish annual goals as well,
consistent with the goals of their particular division. Each person then produces a year-end report
that describes how her/his goals have been met and how those goals contributed
to the broader divisional and institutional goals. This report is part of the individual’s
evaluation. The President and other
senior administrators lead this process and a system-wide process of evaluation
is used to include their performance in the planning and evaluation cycle.
In addition to this broadly based planning system, several
other more focused planning systems are in place. In compliance with state requirements, the
College annually develops an Affirmative Action Plan. The College also has a Facilities Master Plan
and a Faculty Development and Review Plan.
The college planning processes are data driven, as are a
broad variety of evaluation tools with which the results of planning are
assessed. Information from graduate
evaluation surveys, employer surveys and the five-year cycle for academic
program review are all used to develop the goals established by the Lead
Planning Team, divisions and individuals.
Progress toward goal attainment is reported to the college community at
monthly staff meetings. Programmatic
self-studies and a system of discipline review are used to continually
re-examine and improve the curriculum.
The college received the Connecticut Award for Excellence at
the Nutmeg level partially based on the strength of the institution’s
operational planning. QVCC is the only
higher education institution to be granted this recognition. .
As a TQM institution, QVCC uses Process Improvement Teams (PIT’s) whenever a need is identified to improve specific
problems. For example, PIT’s have been formed to improve course scheduling,
streamline disbursement of financial aid awards, one stop registration,
advisement, policies related to students with disabilities and library services
for the Willimantic campus.
On the institutional level, the President is the chief
administrative officer. All
constituencies are advisory to her.
There is a clear understanding of the relationship between the governing
board and the institution. There is also
a clearly defined channel of communication between the system and institutional
levels, as well as between the President and the various internal
constituencies.
The 16-member Connecticut Community College Board of
Trustees includes 2 students. The Board
has 4 committees: academic policies, budgets and facilities, personnel, and
planning and assessment. This Board
appoints local citizens to the Regional Advisory Councils that in turn advise
the Board as well their local institutions.
There has been an attempt in the system to develop shared
governance. However, a statewide
initiative to form a Community College Senate representing all constituencies,
full and part-time faculty, professional staff, classified employees and
students was chartered in 1998 but has organizational issues and has not been
recognized by Board of Trustees.
At the institutional level, shared governance is embedded in
the college’s organizational structures.
Each division of the College is organized according to its
functions. The merger of the Academic
and Student Services divisions into the division of Learning and Student
Development has facilitated the college’s new guiding principle of Learners
First. Monthly general staff meetings
are central to the advisory role of all the college constituencies. Virtually
all matters affecting the institution are discussed at these meetings, which
are required for all QVCC staff.
Committee and divisional units review matters before they are brought to
the all-staff meeting.
The President’s Cabinet is comprised of the Dean of
Administrative Services, the Dean of Learning and Student Development, the
Director of Continuing Education, and the President’s Executive Assistant. The Director’s role in the president’s
cabinet ensures that off campus continuing education evening and weekend
programs are clearly integrated and incorporated into the governance system of
the institution.
Faculty assure the academic integrity of the
institution’s educational programs by participation in a series of committees
designed to move issues and concerns through the institutional governance
structures towards resolution. The Learning
and Student Development Division has an elected Division Council with two
committees. The Academic Issues
Committee is responsible for making recommendations regarding courses,
programs, and distinctly academic issues.
A second committee, the Division Planning and Policy Committee makes
recommendations regarding divisional issues not specific to academic matters
and curricula. Committees, either
standing committees or task groups with appointed or elected members, carry out
much of the work of the college.
Voluntary ad hoc committees are created when a need is seen. The Total Quality Steering Committee oversees
the work of voluntary short-term task groups called Process Improvement
Teams. All committees report back to the
general staff meetings. Committees are assessed annually. Included in committee
assessments are recommendations for the coming year.
Students are provided a voice in QVCC’s
organization and governance at the system and College levels. Student
representatives serve at the system level as members of the Board of Trustees.
At the local level the Student Government Association is also an advisory
body. There is a seat on the Division
Council reserved for a student elected for the SGA although it is difficult to
get students to serve on college committees. Students from both campuses
participate in the organization.
Meetings are held using the compressed video system so students at both
campuses can attend, although the degree of visibility of student government at
the Willimantic campus is variable from year to year, depending upon the
particular students elected to office and their connections to the Willimantic
campus or willingness to spend time there.
1.
QVCC is an institution that values
opinions from all segments and facilitates the participation of all constituencies
in the governance process. Everyone has a voice, can raise a concern and
propose an idea.
2.
Assessment is built into the
governance structure to ensure that committees are productive.
3.
The governance of the college
provides for student participation in College committees and other governance
groups.
4.
The all-staff monthly meetings serve
an important informational and community purpose.
1.
There is a need to find ways to
encourage more student participation on committees. This would provide the institution with
another perspective and the students with more insight into the governance of
the college.
2.
The number of direct reporting
relationships for some managers creates a substantial challenge for management
effectiveness.
·
Given the size of the institution and the workload of
committees and other components of the governance system, consideration might
be given to streamlining the multiple layers of the governance system. There may be too many committees for the
number of full-time faculty and staff.
·
To facilitate student participation in college
governance, the Student Government Association should strive for equitable
visibility on both campuses.
Programs are consistent and serve the mission of the
college. The career programs all have
Advisory Committees that provide feedback to the program coordinators about
student performance, appropriateness of the curricula, and student preparation
for employment. Although laboratory space
is limited, the labs are fairly well equipped and the faculty makes good use of
the available space and equipment.
Each program has clearly defined student outcomes and
learning objectives that are compiled in the Learning Outcomes Assessment
Record. This document outlines linkages
between intended program outcomes and program requirements with a curriculum
map for each program. It also lists the
assessment processes that are employed to assess the program outcomes in each
course.
QVCC has a clearly defined academic planning and evaluation
process for all academic programs. The
College is implementing a new five-year program review cycle for each program
that will include the results from the Learning Outcomes Assessment
Record. The Lead Planning Team (the
President, Learning and Student Development Dean and representatives of major
offices on campus) establishes a set of goals and objectives for the
institution. Each division then prepares
a set of objectives and goals for the year that are supportive of the
institution’s goal. Each department or
program in the division then prepares its report. The Lead Planning Team regularly monitors
activities and progress is reported back to Faculty and Staff at the monthly
staff meetings. A final report on the
attainment of the goals is prepared in April and is related (or will be
related) to the program reviews and the Learning Outcomes Assessment
Record. A new set of revised goals and
objectives are then prepared for the next year.
There are no programs slated for discontinuance at this
time. The college makes every effort to
ensure that students who enroll in a program will have an opportunity to
graduate from that program. If it were
to be discontinued, or if a course necessary for
graduation could not be offered because of low enrollments, appropriate courses
may be substituted or Tutorials (directed studies) would be offered.
The Center for Community and Professional Learning (CPL) is
responsible for the administration of credit offerings on weekends and summer
and for non-credit offerings to businesses and the community. All offerings are
consistent with courses and programs offered during the regular semester and
are offered in consultation with the appropriate faculty. The CPL offerings are supported by the
administration and have adequate resources to maintain quality. The CPL is also
responsible developing, scheduling, and administering conferences and other
instructional or enrichment activities.
Undergraduate Degree Programs
Although the college is small and has few full-time faculty, an amazing variety of courses are offered. This is achieved primarily through the
liberal use of adjunct faculty, innovative teaching, multi-discipline
instructors, and use of technology. The
wide variety of courses available to the student allows for in-depth study in
the major and the opportunity to take interesting electives. All programs have the proper requirements for
general education. The general education
requirements are reasonable and balanced to provide a good foundation for an
educated person.
In addition to the general education requirements and the
Learning Outcomes Assessment Record, every student must write a ten-page
research paper in order to graduate. The
research paper is evaluated using a rubric for content, writing and information
literacy.
Scholarship And
Research
The scholarship and research conducted by the QVCC Faculty
focuses primarily on student learning and pedagogy. The college provides support for these
activities in several ways. Depending on
the availability of resources, supplies, computers, support personnel, funds
for professional development, release time and sabbaticals are used to
encourage scholarship and research.
Contract funds are available for professional development
averaging approximately five hundred dollars per award. Applications are made to the Sabbatical Leave
and Professional Development Committee with recommendations then made to the
President for funding. The college has a
decentralized budgeting process, so each faculty member has a set budget to
manage for such things as supplies, copying, speakers, trips, etc.
Instruction
Instructional techniques and delivery systems are
appropriate and compatible with the mission and purposes of the institution. The faculty have embraced and adapted for
their needs many new technological and innovative methods of instruction
including modular courses, web based instruction, compressed video and
web-based instruction using a portable cart with twenty-four wireless
computers. The institution has
encouraged these endeavors and supported them financially whenever possible.
The college has 1,455 students and 21 full-time faculty who act as advisors.
Professional staff and the Dean also advise students, but the load per
advisor is quite large, a continuing challenge for the college.
In an effort to improve advising, the college sets aside two
days each semester for registration when all faculty and staff are available
for advising. It is difficult for all faculty
and staff to be sufficiently familiar with all of the programs at the college
to effectively advise every student although the advisement and transfer manual
should be very helpful. Also, the two
days only address registration and not all of the other advisor functions.
Admissions And
Retention
The college’s admission policy is clearly stated in the
catalog. All students are required to
take placement exams in reading, writing and mathematics. Students who do not score at college level
are required to take the appropriate developmental courses. The College collects data that show most
students who successfully complete developmental courses are successful in
subsequent college courses.
The college has clear policies for awarding transfer and experiential
learning credits. These policies are
consistent with the academic level and quality of programs at QVCC. A student who wishes to be granted
experiential credits must take a course on portfolio presentation that teaches
the student how to present his case for the award of credit in the most
effective way.
The QVCC faculty qualifications and performance are
sufficient to accomplish the mission of the college and both the preparation
and qualifications of faculty are suited to the field and level of faculty
assignments. The faculty is particularly
committed to continual self-examination, purposeful change and innovation as
demonstrated by the individual action plans that address faculty fulfillment of
the institutional goals and their own professional development planning and
implementation. The institution is quite
clearly a source of pride for students and the community reflecting the high
quality of education and the climate of intellectual enrichment provided by
faculty. Faculty live
by the “Learners First” principle adopted several years ago by the college
community as evidenced by the learner centered focus in classroom instruction
and curricular development. QVCC is one
of only 61 colleges nationally recognized by the League for Innovation as a
Learning Champion that formally designated the QVCC faculty as committed to
learners and professional development.
The number of full-time faculty may not be sufficient to
carry out functions beyond teaching such as student advisement, academic
planning, participation in policy making, course and curricular development and
college governance. The faculty appears
to face major challenges to carry out their commitment to adequate
instructional planning as they strive to serve on numerous committees and
handle large numbers of student advisees. A review of “Faculty Additional
Responsibilities Forms” reveals an enormous amount of scholarly and research
activity, community service and liaison activity and other responsibilities
that enhance the progress and reputation of the college but extend the workload
of the faculty. The faculty
are dedicated to wearing many hats and serving in multiple roles, but as
the college strives to meet community needs through the development of
additional program and course offerings, the ability of 21 faculty to handle
those growing academic planning demands will further tax the human resources of
the College.
There is a high dependence on adjunct faculty who currently
are responsible for 56% of course sections.
While the college has been able to retain many adjuncts over a long
period of time, the applicant pool in this region is not sufficient to support
diversified course offering. The
reliance on adjuncts to support more than half of the curricular offerings
impacts the availability of faculty support to students and places a large
burden on the already taxed full-time faculty who are responsible for selection
and evaluation of adjuncts.
The institution maintains printed guidelines pertinent to
the faculty selection process via the publication “Guidelines for Recruitment,
Selection and Hiring of Personnel”.
Faculty members are actively involved in search committee processes and
national searches attempt to attract candidates who will bring diversity of
background to the campus. For the small
size of the college, the selection process has managed to bring a adequate range of faculty diversity to the campus.
The collective bargaining agreement between the CCTC Board
of Trustees and the Congress of Connecticut Community Colleges outlines
extensively all contractual aspects of faculty employment such as appointment,
evaluation, workload, promotion, grievances and other pertinent working
condition issues. Salary and benefits
for both full-time and adjunct faculty are competitive and even exceed those of
neighboring states, thus aiding in the recruitment and retention of qualified
faculty.
The college has policies governing the role of adjunct
faculty. It maintains a comprehensive
adjunct faculty handbook that covers a wide range of topics to assist the
adjuncts in learning about the college policies and procedures as well as
helping them develop effective teaching strategies, course objectives and
course documents. Adjunct faculty members
are each assigned a full-time faculty liaison to aid in their orientation to
QVCC. Policies for full-time faculty
are clearly delineated in the Learning and Student Development Division
Handbook that is also available via the college web site.
There is an effective procedure utilized by the Connecticut
Community Technical College (CCTC) system for faculty evaluation that is based
upon classroom observations and student evaluation as well as
self-appraisal. The evaluation
philosophy addresses both evaluation and development of teaching
performance. At QVCC, the evaluation
process supports and is an extension of the “Learners First” philosophy of the
college.
Professional development support is clearly visible
throughout the campus. Using a combination
of union and system funds, the college has been able to nearly double its
financial support for professional development activity over the past couple of
years. An active professional
development committee meets throughout the year to recommend faculty requests
to the president. The committee has
surveyed faculty to assess how processes related to application and awarding of
funding can be improved and used the feedback to modify procedures.
A full-time faculty member is given a release time to serve
as the Teaching and Learning Consultant.
This individual has the willingness and the skill to assist colleagues
in addressing professional development needs and there is evidence that faculty
are availing themselves of this service.
Additionally the statewide Center for Teaching Excellence (CFTE) has
awarded money to individuals who wish to pursue CFTE initiated projects. The
CCTC system offers free professional development workshops throughout the year
on system-wide basis and supports an annual statewide seminar run by faculty
for faculty that is open to both full-time and adjunct faculty.
The college Foundation has been supportive of college-wide
professional development initiatives also.
Faculty Development and Review Plans are created when a faculty member
is evaluated. Additional
Responsibilities, which equate to 20% of load or 9 hours per week, are
developed annually. These relate to
division, college and system goals and may list objectives for professional
development. As this system evolves,
greater need for professional development funds may occur.
Faculty members made a commitment to the innovative use of
instructional technology and have placed QVCC at the forefront of web-based
instructional support, distance learning and computer technology to support
classroom instruction. The college
shares an instructional technology specialist with two other colleges. This individual is highly committed to
supporting faculty in their instructional endeavors and is in high demand by
the QVCC faculty. Based upon usage of
the specialist’s services, it appears that the college could use and benefit
from an additional time commitment by this individual.