College Name: NorthWest Arkansas Community College
1. Describe the Local Recipient
Institution/Consortium Name
NWACC
President/Chancellor Name
Becky Paneitz
Email of Fiscal Agent Institution
dbuckley@nwacc.edu
Chief Financial Officer Name
Debi Buckley
Email of Fiscal Agent Institution
dbuckley@nwacc.edu
Perkins Coordinator Name
Lynda Lloyd
Perkins Coordinator Email
llloyd@nwacc.edu
Phone of Fiscal Agent Institution
479-619-4248
2. Describe the Consortium
Institution Name:
none
President/Chancellor Name:
none
President/Chancellor Email:
none
Chief Financial Officer Name:
none
Chief Financial Officer Email:
none
Perkins Coordinator Name:
none
Perkins Coordinator Email:
none
Perkins Coordinator Phone:
none
3. Describe the process used to develop the local transition plan.
The Perkins Coordinator and the CAO met with the Dean’s Council (each department is represented by a Dean) to discuss use of Perkins funds. The Perkins Coordinator confers with the Executive Vice President for Development regarding the initial draft of the local transition plan. Cabinet representatives and Dr. Paneitz will be briefed regarding the transition plan and will review a copy.
The comptroller, a business office representative and the Perkins Grant Coordinator have attended state training relating to Perkins IV and fiscal matters.
An institutional research representative from the College will attend additional state training regarding data requirements and collection.
4. Describe how career and technical education programs will be carried out using activities designated as required and permissive use of funds.
Required Use of Funds
NWACC will continue to offer more than 20 AAS degrees in which core academic classes such as English, math, psychology, science and history are requirements for degree completion. Additionally, NWACC has developed “Math for AAS Students” which is designed for CTE students who will not be transferring on to a Baccalaureate Degree. This course can be compared to AAS students, but is designed for immediate entry into the workforce.
NWACC continues to explore learning communities and linked classes as a method to integrate academic and CTE courses.
NWACC will continue to offer articulated credit to secondary CTE students. This allows secondary students to transfer, at no cost, specific courses towards competition of an AAS degree at NWACC.
NWACC has a pathway for secondary students into the AAS degree in nursing. Secondary students who participate in the program can complete prerequisite courses while in high school in order to directly enter the nursing program and receive articulated credit for classes. Upon completion of Phase I secondary can take the CNA exam and upon completion of Phase II the secondary student receives their PCA (Patient Care Assistant) certification.
NWACC recently acquired a Secondary Area Center, RTC, where secondary students throughout northwest Arkansas can complete CTE programs as well as obtain dual credit during their regular high school day.
The NWACC Regional Technology Center (RTC) has established a pathway in pre engineering through Project Lead the Way for articulated college credit at the Rockefeller Institute of Technology.
NWACC will provide opportunities for CTE faculty at the secondary level to attend professional development meetings at NWACC. Additionally, NWACC will host a day camp for secondary students who are interested in learning more about CTE careers.
Multiple programs at NWACC have advisory boards made up of members of business and industry representatives from their specific area of study. These advisory boards meet on a semester basis to review degree requirements and course work and evaluate their success and preparation for the workforce. Advisory boards give input of changes or enhancements needed for relevant workforce preparation.
NWACC will continue to offer/require internships for students and opportunities for Service Learning, that are incorporated into degree completion. Additionally, the College will seek to expand and improve Service Learning and develop a new coordinator position.
NWACC will continue to expand online learning and to incorporate the use of relevant technology in the classroom. Student support services will continue to offer online registration, orientation and advising in an effort to use technology as a method of increasing student accessibility.
NWACC will continue to host “Celebrate Learning Day” each semester for faculty and staff. This provides an opportunity for on campus professional development opportunities.
NWACC has a department dedicated to Professional Development for the purpose of supporting faculty and staff towards career development and increased learning.
NWACC CTE program chairs and Deans will continue to conduct ongoing departmental evaluations of their curriculum and programs and will implement changes as necessary in order to meet industry standards and requirements so that NWACC students may be hired and retained in the workforce.
NWACC is participating in the AQIP accreditation process. The Academic Quality Improvement Program infuses the principles and benefits of continuous improvement into the culture of colleges and universities by providing an alternative process through which an already-accredited institution can maintain its accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. With AQIP, an institution demonstrates it meets accreditation standards and expectations through sequences of events that align with those ongoing activities that characterize organizations striving to improve their performance. Participation in this process will ensure ongoing evaluations and improvements in all CTE programs.
Students in the majority of CTE programs are required to participate in certification and licensure processes that are recognized at the state and national level.
NWACC seeks to provide the community with innovative career and technical education in numerous fields, such as, health care, electronic technology, forensic science, homeland security, banking and finance, computer science, and environmental regulatory science. New programs are continuously added and existing programs are updated in order to remain competitive in teaching and training our students.
NWACC will continue to conduct an Economic Summit as part of an overall strategic plan to partner with business and industry in CTE program development
NWACC serves a for credit student body of 6,000, yet we continue to maintain classes of no more than 28 students in maintaining quality and student/instructor relationships. NWACC recently dedicated a new building designed for student support services and student life. NWACC will continue to value the student and seeks to meet their needs by setting standards of excellence.
NWACC has a Disability Services department and will continue to provide assistance to individuals with disparities towards degree/certificate completion towards employment in these types of occupations.
NWACC recently became a Career Pathways Initiative College in order to better serve the economically disadvantaged.
During the 2007-2008 transition year, NWACC will research and seek ways that faculty and staff can learn about non traditional career opportunities and how to identify and encourage students who are interested in pursuing non traditional careers. NWACC will continue to serve as the regional hub for an annual Girls of Promise Conference that introduces 8th grade girls who excel in math and science to professional women in nontraditional careers.
NWACC will continue to partner with the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Benton County towards educating single parents, including pregnant women and preparing them to enter high wage, high demand and high skill careers.
Many of our displaced homemakers will be part of our single parent initiative, while others will seek career assessment and counseling in the Learner Development Center.
NWACC will continue to offer a College Intensive English Program for our students with limited English proficiency.
The institutional research department is currently exploring ways to gather and measure disaggregated data for these special populations.
Permissive Use of Funds
NWACC will continue to host active advisory boards for CTE programs while seeking to expand stakeholder involvement across campus.
NWACC will works towards expanding their services through offering the MBTI (Meyers Briggs Type Indicator) as an additional resource for career assessment. The Director of Career Center will attend professional development conferences for the purposes of providing increased career guidance and advising for students. This is activity 5P1 in the annual plan.
NWACC will continue to conduct an Economic Summit as part of an overall strategic plan to partner with business and industry in CTE program development. This is activity 2P6 in the annual plan.
NWACC will continue to offer a First Year Experience class in order to support and transition special populations into a successful educational experience.
During the transition year the Perkins Coordinator will seek to identify current CTE student organizations available to students.
NWACC provides a Learning Lab free of charge for student tutoring. Also available is a writing center and math cafe for assistance with coursework. Advisors/Counselors are available daily for student support and guidance. The Learner Development Center is support by activity 3P1 in the annual plan.
NWACC will seek to support CTE and other Perkins eligible programs with equipment needs in order to provide students with necessary learning tools.
NWACC will continue to host annual Celebrate Learning Days for professional development and seeks opportunities to increase opportunities to provide professional development for secondary CTE teachers.
NWACC continuously evaluates the need for expanding programs as well as offering new programs. The College will offer a new program of study in Entrepreneurship and is developing studies in Geographic Inforamtion Systems, (GIS).
NWACC provides an extensive transfer division with a full time dedicated advisor who works to continuously update and expand baccalaureate degree programs.
NWACC has initiated plans to open an Entrepreneurship Center and offer an Associate of Science degree in Entrepreneurship. Curriculum will be developed and necessary software and equipment purchased to support this new and innovative program that will also support small business development.
Note previous comments on Entrepreneurship and GIS. The College is also working to expand courses offered in Hospitality.
The College will seek to identify resources, including Professional Development that will assist faculty and staff in developing learning communities.
The College will continue to offer the Virtual Career Center as a resource for students and employers to connect. Staff in the Career Center will continue to provide individual assistance with resume building and interview skills.
The Director of the Career Center and the Career Advisor will attend the annual ACTE conference in order to build relationships and expand knowledge of how to assist students in successful job placement.
During the transition year NWACC will look for opportunities to increase understanding and awareness of nontraditional students including expanding/improving Career counseling in the Career Center. This activity is supported by 5P2 in the annual plan
NWACC will seek opportunities for on campus professional development opportunities that can include multiple stakeholders as well as faculty and staff. NWACC plans to invite other institutions in our region to participate in these programs for professional development.
NWACC will use the state core indicator charts as a base measurement from which to build. Activities funded by the grant will expand across departments and will include faculty and staff with a goal of meeting our state goals. Particular focus will be given to programs of study that currently fall below state targets.
5. Describe how CTE activities will be carried out in order to meet state and local levels of performance. (See Appendix B for description of accountability measures.)
NWACC will use the state core indicator charts as a base measurement from which to build. Activities funded by the grant will expand across departments and will include faculty and staff with a goal of meeting our state goals. Particular focus will be given to programs of study that currently fall below state targets.
6. Describe how the institution will offer the appropriate courses of not less than one of the CTE programs of study. Identify and describe any existing secondary to postsecondary linkages and how Perkins funds will be used to improve or expand such programs.
NWACC currently supports 24 AAS degrees, 17 Certificates and a multitude of transfer degrees. All career and technical programs require significantly more than one CTE course as a requirement. Transfer degrees and course articulation extends to many baccalaureate and higher degrees.
NWACC current offers articulated CTE courses with area high schools that are individually correlated with each school. The College will continue to support these agreements and seeks to expand these programs. Through the Bienestar Grant we have been able to develop articulated credit and pathways towards Nursing in area high schools. Completion of phase I results in CNA certification and completion of phase II results in PCA certification. Programs of study in place: Nursing 51-1601
Additionally, each year the College hosts a professional development event for area secondary counselors and CTE faculty. Grant funds will be used to support this event as it relates to the CTE faculty.
NWACC will host Girls of Promise Conference in the spring of 2008. This conference brings 8th grade girls onto the campus for a day to introduce them to women in non traditional career fields and to promote the studies of math and science for girls. Perkins funds will be used to help support this event. This is activity 7P1 in the annual plan.
NWACC will continue to offer training for secondary counselors and CTE teachers for administration of the KUDER Career Assessment and will work as a partner with KUDER and Arkansas Workforce to provide this tool to both secondary and post secondary students
7. Describe how the academic and technical skills of students participating in CTE programs will be improved and how CTE students will be taught to the same standards as are all other students.
At NWACC, all students are considered equally. CTE students are held to the same high standard as all other students. Our division and programs chairs follow continuous program evaluation and improvement that allows the College to maintain accreditation under AQIP guidelines. AQIP is support by activity 6P5 in the annual plan. Academics are integrated into CTE courses and these classes are attended by a mixture of AAS/CTE and other students. NWACC is in the process of implementing an academic standing policy in order to evaluate student performance in the classroom. CTE/AAS division and program chairs stay current with industry needs and work to prepare all students for success in national and state licensure as well as the ability to compete in the workforce.
8. Describe how activities will provide students with strong experience in and an understanding of all aspects of an industry.
Multiple programs of study at NWACC require or offer internships for degree completion. AAS/CTE programs work in collaboration with advisory boards consisting of representatives and professionals from particular industries and fields. Many faculty members also work in these fields in addition to teaching in the related coursework. An example of degree programs that incorporate internships into completion are: Computer Automated Drafting & Design (CADD), Paramedic/EMT, and Environmental Science. Nursing students participate in clinically based courses facilitated in area hospitals.
The College seeks to improve communication and collaboration with area business and industry in curriculum and program development. Perkins funds will be used to support an Economic Summit between educators, community members and leaders of business and industry.
NWACC offers Service Learning to all students and is in the process of exploring expansion of this program.
9. Describe how comprehensive professional development for CTE, academic, guidance and administrative personnel will be provided.
Professional development will receive a considerable amount of focus with Perkins IV. During the transition year, NWACC will use Perkins funds to support professional development on campus through the Student Services Institute for Community Colleges, Academic Quality Improvement, iStream, and Webinars available through the League for Innovation and other reputable higher education associations. Off campus activities in professional development will include a retreat for all academic and career advisors, qualification in career counseling for the career center advisor/director, national conferences for the new disabilities coordinator, the director of retention services, and the director of transfer services. Two groups of faculty and staff will also attend the League for Innovation CIT conference in the fall and the Learning College Summit in June of 2008. These activities were selected based on the ability of the professional development to be far reaching and sustained through activities in the classroom and in student support services.
10. Describe how a wide variety of stakeholders are involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of CTE programs, and how such individuals and entities are informed about, and assisted in understanding the requirements of Perkins, including CTE programs of study.
Stakeholder involvement is ensured through the guidelines followed in AQIP accreditation, through regular advisory board meetings in each CTE program for course development, through recommendations received from staff and faculty senate groups, and student organizations. Economic Summit and the AQIP Conversation Day provide an all encompassing opportunity for discussion and suggestions regarding development and implementation of CTE programs.
11. Provide assurances that the recipient will provide CTE programs that are of such size, scope and quality as to bring about improvement in the quality of CTE programs.
NWACC is continuously evaluating all programs for size, scope and quality as part of the AQIP accreditation process. NWACC is participating in the AQIP accreditation process. The Academic Quality Improvement Program infuses the principles and benefits of continuous improvement into the culture of colleges and universities by providing an alternative process through which an already-accredited institution can maintain its accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. With AQIP, an institution demonstrates it meets accreditation standards and expectations through sequences of events that align with those ongoing activities that characterize organizations striving to improve their performance. Participation in this process will ensure ongoing evaluations and improvements in all CTE programs.
12. Describe the process that will be used to evaluate and continuously improve performance of CTE programs.
During the transition year the College will work towards establishing a system to evaluate the CTE programs based on student performance in technical attainment, completion and placement. This may involve using Perkins funds to research and design evaluation methods.
13. Describe how the institution will address the needs of special populations enrolled in CTE programs.
NWACC will use the transition year to work with Institutional Research and Banner specialists to develop a tracking method for these students that will allow the College to address a – d. This may involve the purchase of additional software or the use of a data analyst funded with Perkins funds. This is supported by activity 8P1 in the annual plan.
The Perkins team on campus will research data measurements practices in order to effectively serve the needs of special populations as they relate to high skill, high demand or high wage occupations.
The College will continue to work closely with the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Benton County in serving the single parent, pregnant women and displaced homemaker populations.
The College recently received a grant to begin a Career Pathways Initiative. The Perkins Coordinator will work closely with the Director of Career Pathways to identify and serve special populations. Perkins funds will be used to provide professional development for faculty and staff to increase support and understanding of the economically disadvantaged.
NWACC has an active disabilities service division and hopes to hire a new Disabilities Director/Coordinator. Perkins funds will be used for professional development of this new position during the transition year.
14. Describe how funds will be used to promote preparation for nontraditional fields. (See Appendix D for nontraditional fields.)
The College will use the transition year to develop a plan to identify nontraditional fields that correlate with existing AAS and transfer (baccalaureate) programs. Faculty and staff may need on site professional development in order to focus on the importance of student support and education towards enrolling in courses that lead to degrees in nontraditional fields.
The Perkins Coordinator recently attended a NAPE (National Association for Partnerships in Equity) for professional development in understanding and identifying gender equity as well as exploring other best practices and resources.
Additionally – note the reference to Girls of Promise in #6 as it refers to introducing 8th grade girls to professional women in non traditional fields.
15. Describe how career guidance and academic counseling will be provided to CTE students, including linkages to baccalaureate and above education or other training opportunities.
NWACC will continue to provide CTE students with student support services particularly in the area of career guidance and academic counseling. The College has on staff several full time advisors who are available to students on a walk in or appointment on a daily basis. The College also offers advising online and through AOL instant messaging. These advisors are knowledge in all degrees including transfer degrees. Perkins funds will be used to provide professional development for the entire advising staff and will be used to provide professional development to the Associate VP of Learner Development who supervises the advising process.
As part to the advising center the College maintains a transfer services division that works with students towards transferring on to numerous colleges in and out of state towards baccalaureate degrees (and higher). Transfer services works to continuously expand partnerships with other Colleges and Universities towards transfer and articulation. Currently the University of Arkansas offers two baccalaureate degrees on the NWACC campus in partnership with NWACC.
NWACC recently dedicated a new Career Center where students can take the Kuder Career Assessment, get help with career counseling and practical advice on resumes and interviewing. Perkins grant funds will be used to qualify and then certify the Director of the Career Center and the Career Advisor in administering the MBTI career assessment as a supplement to Kuder in career counseling. Funds will also be used to provide the Career Center staff with professional development in partnering with NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) and ACTE (Association of Career& Technical Educators) by attending these national conferences as a resource for building skills and relationships in career counseling and assessment.
16. Describe efforts to improve the recruitment and retention of CTE teachers, faculty, and guidance and academic counselors, including under-represented groups, and the transition to teaching from business and industry.
Due to the amount of time involved in preparing for and learning about Perkins IV this will need to be further explored during the transition year. During the transition year the Perkins Coordinator will work with division Deans in order to identify and become familiar with how CTE faculty are recruited.
17. Describe how funds will be distributed among consortium members, if appropriate.
not applicable
18. Describe how the local recipient will report data that is complete, accurate, and reliable.
During the transition year NWACC will continue to abide by ADHE guidelines regarding collection and reporting of data. The College will explore new methods in data collection that represents definitions of special populations as defined by Perkins IV. The NWACC institutional research staff is in frequent communication with Ron Harrell at ADHE regarding data requirements.
