Environmental Analysis Task Force Executive Summary

1
Environmental Analysis Task Force Executive
Summary

• Arapahoe Community College
• November 24, 2008

2
Process for creation of analysis

• Product of approximately two months of effort by
  the Environmental Analysis Taskforce at Arapahoe
  Community College.
• Aim of the Taskforce
• To Provide
• An initial structure
• Systematized access to data
• Tentative analysis
• A foundation for the articulation of the
  Strategic Plan.
• This is a work in progress.
• The Environmental Analysis is but one component
  of the culmination of the entire Strategic Plan
  creation process.

3
Task Force Members

• John Ratliff (FT Faculty SOC POS Faculty
  Tri-chair) Christi Maes (Admin Assistant,
  Automotive Classified Tri-chair) Mary
  Sherman (Manager, Institutional Research
  Administrative Tri-chair) Dave Castro (Chief
  Operating Office)Joe Lorenzo (Chief Financial
  Officer)Darcy Briggs-Jackson (Registrar)Deb
  Goldberg (Student Success Center
  Coordinator)Linda MacMackin (Admin Assistant,
  Advising)Michael McManus (Academic Advisor/New
  Student Programs)Linda Whitehouse (Director,
  Univ. Center at Chaparral)

4
Task Force Responsibilities

• 1) Study the list of strategic planning questions
  provided by the Presidents Council (Glandon,
  Shellberg, Hegeman) to determine relevant
  qualitative and quantitative data that can be
  identified or generated that will assist ACC in
  addressing these questions.
• 2) Obtain the data identified and share it among
  members of the Environmental Analysis Task Force
  for discussion, with the aim of developing a
  narrative description that analyzes ACCs and the
  external communitys situation, focusing on
  needs, defined as gaps in results gaps with
  regard to service to students, service to ACC
  employees, and service to society as a whole
  (Kaufmans Model).
• 3) Report Task Force progress to ACCs Strategic
  Plan Content Council.

5
Task Force Responsibilites (cont)

• 4) Collaborate with the Strategic Plan Content
  Council to write the narrative for the
  environmental analysis and to present the
  analysis and relevant data on which it is based
  to the entire College at the Fall Connections
  meeting on November 24, 2008.
• 5) Share a draft of the narrative with the
  Values, Vision, Mission Task Force and the
  Strategic Plan Content Council in advance of the
  presentation to the entire College on November
  24.
• 6) Assist in the evaluation of the work of the
  Environmental Analysis Task Force, documenting
  the work of the Task Force as part of the
  planning process archives.

6
Methodology and Data Gathering

• Gather data and information to help interpret the
  four internal and four external questions
  outlined at the start of the Strategic Planning
  process.
• Each of these eight questions would, in turn,
  align itself with one or more of the five
  Institutional Goals.
• In order to obtain the best information possible
  for each of the questions, we chose members of
  the task force whose work areas were geared most
  specifically toward the question(s). The
  knowledge and expertise of the members, and those
  in their field, guided the information gathering
  process to address each of the questions.

7
Methodology and Data Gathering (cont)

• Focus Gather information that was currently
  available.
• Interpret what we have, and add questions for
  further consideration.
• Resources are listed on ACCs Intranet
• Members of the Environmental Analysis Task Force
  will be available to assist other committee
  members as the process continues, and further
  data is requested/required.

8
Taxonomy for Interpreting Internal and External
Data

• Evolution of the task force
• We looked at all of the Internal and External
  questions as they tied to the Institutional
  Goals.
• Goal was to provide pertinent information to back
  up each question and make that information
  available to other task force members for
  evaluation.
• All information gathered is currently available
  on the ACC Intranet http//campus.arapahoe.edu/st
  rategic-planning/environmental/environmental-analy
  sis.pdf

9
ACCs Institutional Goals

• Continually Increase enrollment and retention.
• Implementation process of the P-20 model.
• Assure and expand our programs of excellence.
• Continue to strengthen institutional
  communication and culture.
• Increase community engagement and responsiveness.

10
Internal Question 1 How does ACC currently
invite or restrict access to higher Education?

• Contributor Darcy Briggs-Jackson (Aligns
  w/Inst. Goals 1 and 2.)
• INVITE ACCESS
• Advising and Admissions/Records working with
  several small cohorts to help promote success for
  at-risk populations
• Promoting Diversity within the college
• Support Services available to all students
  (Student Success Center, TRiO, Disability Svcs,
  New Student Orientation, Pre-Enrollment
  Workshops, Student Affairs, Career Center,
  Library)
• Recruitment Efforts (College Ready, PSEO, College
  Fairs, HS Recruiting)
• Open Enrollment/Low Cost
• Flexibility within Instruction (Online, Distance
  Ed, UCC)
• Non-Traditional Learning (Community Ed, Corporate
  Learning)
• NSF Grant

11
Internal Question 1 How does ACC currently
invite or restrict access to higher Education?
(cont)

• RESTRICT ACCESS
• Marketing restrictions (budget, service area,
  website)
• Course Scheduling Conflicts
• Higher Education Environment in Colorado (funding
  formulas, COF, HB1023)

12
Internal Question 1Questions to Consider

• How can we adequately evaluate all the ways we
  invite access and find and expand the approaches
  that work best?
• How do we effectively transition from simply
  inviting access to long term retention?

13
Internal Question 2 What are the perceptions of
students (current and prospective) about access
to the college and their experiences in attending
ACC?

• Contributor Debra Goldberg (Aligns with
  Institutional Goals 1, 2 3.)
• STUDENT SURVEYS SHOW
• POSITIVE
• Quality of classes and programs
• Instructors
• Feel Safe and Welcome
• AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT
• Course Offerings/Schedule
• Teaching Methods
• Increase Awareness of Services

14
Internal Question 2Questions to Consider

• How can we increase the response rate of the
  student surveys and thus increase the validity
  and reliability of the results?
• How can the College more effectively respond to
  concerns of the students?

15
Internal Question 3 How do the experiences and
characteristics of successful and unsuccessful
students differ, beginning with their initial
contact with ACC? To what extent can we
demonstrate value added, and what measures of
learning are available to us?

• Contributors Mary Sherman, Michael McManus,
  Christi Maes, Debra Goldberg (Aligns with
  Institutional Goals 1, 2 3.)
• Working definition of success Retention and
  Graduation (measurable)
• Worked primarily with FALL 2006 to compare
  overall population to smaller cohort groups
• Data shows
• Declining Graduation Rates
• Retention rates low compared to other Community
  Colleges
• Value Added (also see Internal Question 1)
• Student Success Center
• Specialized Programs
• Online Instruction increasing

16
Internal Question 3Questions to Consider

• As an institution, how can we more effectively
  measure our overall rate of success (other than
  state and federal mandates)?
• How do we move to make our college atmosphere
  more diverse given the limitations of our service
  area?

17
Internal Question 4How do our fiscal, facility,
technological, student affairs, and human
resource capabilities, policies and strategies
support and/or hinder students in meeting their
learning goals?

• Contributors Joe Lorenzo and David Castro
  (Aligns with Institutional Goals 1 4).
• Data Available to Analyze 6 Year Fiscal Trends,
  Master Plan (coming in December 2008), Technology
  Replenishment Plan
• 2006 MSEC employee survey ACC employees had a
  neutral overall response to questions (4th
  lowest) showing relatively low satisfaction.
• 2008 MSEC employee survey initial results just
  obtained Showing improvement in employee
  satisfaction (David and Diane to present)
• Conversation Day results available on ACC
  Intranet.
• Vital Focus accomplishments
• Instructional Expansion Task Force

18
Internal Question 4Questions to Consider

• Are there new/others sources of information that
  could be examined to broaden our perspectives?
• How are non-student members of the ACC community
  impacted by these issues?

19
External Question 1 What are the potential
changes to our community its needs between 2008
2013? What are the most significant changes
that will impact the programs services ACC
delivers to the community to meet those needs?

• Contrib. Linda Whitehouse (Aligns with
  Institutional Goals 1 5)
• Research areas of government regulations,
  financial aid, state funding, higher education
  trends, student and population demographics,
  global issues that directly affect college
  campuses (politics, going green, security, global
  warming, etc.)
• Use community leaders, local business
  organizations, local, state and national
  information providers to gather economic and
  demographic information and rely upon data-driven
  higher education analysis sites to provide
  trends, connections and reliable information for
  higher education decision making.

20
External Question 1 What are the potential
changes to our community its needs between 2008
2013? What are the most significant changes
that will impact the programs services ACC
delivers to the community to meet those needs?
(cont)

• Environmental Scan shows areas for growth in
  Arapahoe/Douglas County to be in the areas of
  technology, business and education.
• Build educational relationships and partnerships
• Seven K-12 school districts within ACC service
  area
• Develop articulation agreements between ACC and 4
  year Colleges and Universities (within the state
  and across the country, public and private)

21
External Question 1 What are the potential
changes to our community its needs between 2008
2013? What are the most significant changes
that will impact the programs services ACC
delivers to the community to meet those needs?
(cont)

• Instructional Expansion Task Force
• New goal for each academic dean
• Increase community engagement and responsiveness
• STEM Education Coalition
• NSF Grant
• P-20 Model
• CAP4KIDS (Curriculum Alignment Program)
• Collaborate with College Outreach/Corporate
  Learning Division as a support for promotion of
  academic programs that will reach beyond the
  college.

22
External Question 1 What are the potential
changes to our community its needs between 2008
2013? What are the most significant changes
that will impact the programs services ACC
delivers to the community to meet those needs?
(cont)

• Build business, non-profit and community
  partnerships
• Actively participate in Chambers of Commerce,
  Economic Development Councils.
• Non-profit organizations that may have common
  goals of serving the community.
• Work closely with government agencies that
  support/regulate ACC activities and coursework
  (CO Dept. of Ed., etc.)
• Engage businesses that can support academic
  programming and internships (hospitals, auto
  dealerships, etc.)
• Rely upon accrediting and regulatory agencies
  that govern external certificate and program
  accreditation.

23
External Question 1Questions to Consider

• What are the research tools available to ACC to
  determine the most significant changes that will
  impact ACC programming and services?
• Who are the consistently dependable higher
  education resources that will be able to
  determine changing social conditions and global
  issues that will affect students and strategic
  planning?
• What technology changes will be necessary to
  continue to produce and deliver trustworthy
  programming and services?
• What training and re-education of existing
  faculty and staff may need to occur to
  effectively function during this time period?

24
External Question 2 How might our relationships
with community partners (including business,
non-profit and government) support, enhance, and
detract from our ability to meet needs arising
from community changes?

• Contr. Linda Whitehouse (Aligns w/Institutional
  Goal 5.)
• The framing of this question is somewhat narrow
  because state, national and international
  concerns form a community with demanding and
  immediate needs that require planning and
  consideration that affect programming,
  operations, faculty and staff.
• Community needs to be defined as global and our
  approach to this question should encompass
  partnerships that ACC should engage to enhance
  strategic planning and direction as well as our
  foundational educational goals.

25
External Question 2 How might our relationships
with community partners (including business,
non-profit and government) support, enhance, and
detract from our ability to meet needs arising
from community changes? (cont)

• Prepare ACC to be positioned to take advantage of
  upcoming trends.
• Provide ACC students with the most current
  information and research.
• Financial support for programs and learning
  experiences for ACC students.
• Position ACC as a leading knowledge provider and
  problem solver within the community.
• Provide learning and research experiences for
  faculty that will translate to enhanced classroom
  instruction.
• Detract
• Some partnerships may be cost prohibitive.
• Lack of interested staff or lack of follow up may
  damage ACC reputation in the community.
• Changes of personnel on either side of a
  partnership may bring different expectations that
  may not be able to be met.

26
External Question 2Questions to Consider

• How does ACC engage and partner with 4 year
  institutions?
• What Advisory Councils are set up? What work
  comes before them? How may Advisory Councils be
  best used to support and enhance partnerships
  within the community?
• Which entities will be able to notify the ACC of
  community needs or changes?
• What role could/does, the ACC Foundation bring to
  this work?
• Which community entities can provide data to
  support ACC decision making?
• What process within ACC should be used to
  consider worthy opportunities for partnerships?
• Who should initiate or investigate partnerships?
  Should inviting partnerships and relationships
  with businesses, etc. become part of the culture
  of ACC? How would this be managed?
• Should there be a clearing house of sorts to
  list and familiarize staff with ACC partnerships?

27
External Question 3 Who are our current
competitors and how might they change by 2013?
What are our competitors targeted populations
programs, who are their successful recruits, and
what is the volume of their enrollment?

• Contributors Darcy Briggs-Jackson, Mary Sherman,
  Michael McManus (Aligns with Institutional Goal
  3.)
• IPEDS Data Collection comparing college data
  (enrollment, retention, etc)
• Environmental Scan showing growing areas in
  health care, technology and education.

28
External Question 3 (cont)Marketing views these
to be our primary competitors

• Metro State College
• Johnson Wales
• Webster Univ.
• Univ. of Phoenix
• Colo. Technical Univ.
• Art Institute of Colo.
• Columbia College
• Everest College (Parks)

• Westwood College
• Colo. Free University
• CC of Aurora
• CC or Denver
• Red Rocks CC
• Front Range CC
• Pikes Peak CC

29
External Question 3Question to Consider

• How can we more critically define and evaluate
  our competition?

30
External Question 4 What is our current and
projected public policy environment, our strategy
for navigating that environment, and the results
we wish to achieve in garnering resources to
serve our employees, clients and students?

• Contrib. Darcy Briggs-Jackson (Aligns with all
  Institutional Goals)
• State funding formulas (community colleges
  generally receive less than 4 years)
• Amendment 50 When will this trickle down?
• Current State of economy
• 4 year colleges working to get COF for
  Developmental Ed
• CDHE considering additional funding to help
  improve graduation rates

31
External Question 4 What is our current and
projected public policy environment, our strategy
for navigating that environment, and the results
we wish to achieve in garnering resources to
serve our employees, clients and students? (cont)

• STRATEGY TO NAVIGATE PUBLIC POLICY ENVIRONMENT
• Maintain a strong relationship with CCCS
• Seek out ways to increase cash-funded programs
  with partner agencies
• Be proactive in addressing any new legislative
  mandates
• Maintain current and accurate data to facilitate
  appropriate decision-making

32
External Question 4Questions to Consider

• How do we address unexpected changes (economic
  and other) that may impact state and federal
  funding / stimulus proposals?
• While economic downturns result in decreased
  funding for colleges, which negatively impacts
  the ability to serve increased student
  populations, how do we balance these opposing
  forces?

33
KEY POINTS IN SHAPING ACCS FUTURE

• We operate in an environment of great
  uncertainty, which presents both challenges and
  opportunities
• Global externalities
• Health of the economy
• state budget considerations
• proactive policy moves by government at the
  local, state and federal levels
• Technological and emerging career developments in
  the local economy
• Emerging P20 model
• All will require an agile, flexible and creative
  response on the part of our College.

34
KEY POINTS, contd.

• Demand for Community College education should be
  expected to grow in our service area
• Continuing population increase Changes in the
  employment market
• While high school graduates will increase, the
  proportion earning a standard diploma will
  decline.
• Research indicates that harder economic times
  should result in increased community college
  enrollments.
• Tightened budgets make community college a more
  attractive choice.
• A more difficult economic environment should give
  us a competitive advantage over our more
  expensive competitors.
• Discouraged job seekers should be returning to
  school to upgrade their job skills
• The newly passed GI Bill will result in more
  returning GIs and their families seeking college
  education, many at the CC college level.

35
KEY POINTS, contd.

• 3. The changing economy will affect the needs and
  expectations of our students
• Colorados economic future is unpredictable
• Dependent on market conditions
• Severity of current recession being impossible to
  predict.
• Emerging hi-tech sectors with new career
  opportunities will create new demand for lifelong
  education as adults increasingly retool for new
  careers.

36
KEY POINTS, contd.

• 4.Evolving budget and policy environment will
  create both challenges and opportunities for ACC
• Legislative issues and 2008 ballot initiatives
  that may impact funding in the fairly near
  future.
• The passage of Amendment 50 will eventually
  provide increased funding directly to the
  community colleges it will be some time before
  that money will actually be available.

37
KEY POINTS, contd.

• 4. (cont)
• Defeat of Amendment 59 will result in TABOR
  refunds being reinstated if funding is lost for
  P-12 education, it is highly likely that funding
  will be taken from higher education and given to
  P-12 to make up for the funding loss .
• Private funding becoming more critical.
• Governor Ritters state stimulus proposal
  contains potential funding to set up job training
  at community colleges.

38
KEY POINTS, contd.

• 4. (cont)
• The new Obama Administration has already pledged
  immediate passage of a stimulus package which
  should include increased federal funding for job
  retraining as well as possible direct financial
  aid to hard hit state and local governments.
• Longer term initiatives should include targeted
  investment in new technologies, especially
  renewable energy, which could directly impact
  ACCs future trajectory.
• Changes in the health care system could increase
  demand for health care related fields. It is
  important that the College continues to cultivate
  ties with community and governmental
  organizations involved in these initiatives.

39
KEY POINTS, contd.

• 5.Working to improve learning results, and to
  document those improvements, will continue to
  challenge the College and our students.
• The College should encourage increased community
  interest to improve college readiness, as well as
  to provide developmental education for entering
  students.
• As students move on to their first experiences at
  ACC, a large number will struggle, and we will
  need to make informed decisions about why this is
  the case and what to do about it.
• As learning technologies evolve, the College will
  need more information about which students will
  be successful with different learning modalities,
  such as online courses.

40
KEY POINTS, contd.

• 6. The communitys needs and related expectations
  are changing
• Employers are seeking employees who can readily
  learn and adapt to new technologies, who work
  effectively with people from a variety of
  backgrounds and cultures, and who contribute to
  solving societal and global problems (NSF Grant).
• Employment in the health care and high technology
  fields, especially emerging renewable
  technologies, should experience increased local
  demand.
• Demands for public accountability will intensify,
  adding to the need to collect, analyze and report
  to the public, and to continuously improve our
  assessment of learning.