College Name: University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM)
1. Describe the Local Recipient
Institution/Consortium Name
University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM)
President/Chancellor Name
Dr. Jack Lassiter
Email of Fiscal Agent Institution
lassiter@uamont.edu
Chief Financial Officer Name
Jay Jones
Email of Fiscal Agent Institution
jonesj@uamont.edu
Perkins Coordinator Name
Vickey Haycox
Perkins Coordinator Email
haycox@umont.edu
Phone of Fiscal Agent Institution
870-460-1022
2. Describe the Consortium
Institution Name:
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President/Chancellor Name:
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President/Chancellor Email:
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Chief Financial Officer Name:
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Chief Financial Officer Email:
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Perkins Coordinator Name:
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Perkins Coordinator Email:
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Perkins Coordinator Phone:
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3. Describe the process used to develop the local transition plan.
The team is composed of representatives from all three campuses including the UAM Perkins Coordinator, Academic Affairs, Admissions, Registrar, Financial Aid, Finance and Administration, and Institutional Research.
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
UAM offers 11 Certificates of Proficiency; 19 Technical Certificates; 19 AAS in General Technology, 1 AS and 1 AAS degrees. All technical certificate programs require academic courses in math and English; language arts, reading, and writing are incorporated into the curriculum. Depending on the course of study, either Fundamentals of English and Introduction to Algebra or other approved math and language courses are mandatory for program completion. The AAS also requires English, Mathematics and other general education courses. UAM will continue to explore learning communities and linked classes as a method to integrate academic and CTE courses. UAM will continue to address and provide assistance to faculty for the integration of academics and CTE.
Plans are underway to offer concurrent credit to area high school students in selected technical programs. Beginning in the fall 2007 semester, UAM College of Technology-McGehee (UAM-CTM) will be offering Welding Technology (48.0508) and Automotive Technology (47.0604) concurrently. UAM College of Technology-Crossett (UAM-CTC) is scheduling Hospitality Services (52.0901) courses, Computer Maintenance/Networking (15.1202) courses, and Electromechanical Maintenance (15.0499) for inclusion of high school seniors. High school students in area high schools will be taking courses at the respective high school and will receive both secondary and post-secondary credit for the course. When the student transitions to one of the UAM Colleges of Technology, he/she will not have to retake the course taken in high school if it was successfully completed.
UAM, through the Tech Prep program, has developed articulated courses with 13 area high schools. UAM will continue to offer the articulated credit to secondary CTE students, which allows secondary students to transfer, at no cost, specific courses towards completion of a Technical Certificate, leading to a seamless transfer toward an AAS in General Technology and the BAS.
UAM will provide opportunities for CTE faculty professional development and is exploring the possibility of a day camp for secondary students interested in learning more about CTE careers.
The Business Technology Program and Automotive Technology - McGehee, the Administrative Information Processing Program - Crossett, and the Hospitality Program and Welding Technology on both campuses have internships; the Child Development Associate on both campuses and Early Childhood Education program – McGehee each has a practicum; EMT, Nursing Assistant and Practical Nursing programs have clinical requirements; and Heavy Equipment has field work. All programs encourage and recruit guest speakers to talk to the students in the respective fields.
All CTE programs have advisory boards which are composed of business and industry representatives from their specific area of study. These advisory boards meet twice a year and are used as resources for curriculum development and updates as well as a means of preparing the students for the competitive workforce.
UAM will develop a distance learning tutorial and assessment for online classes and provide professional development for instructors through Perkins funds. UAM will provide professional development for instructors to use technology to improve instruction using Perkins funds. UAM will provide training for instructors and students when purchases of modern, industry-specific equipment are made through Perkins funds. UAM will provide professional development through Perkins for instructors to incorporate English and mathematics across the curriculum and advising in integrating academics and CTE. UAM will purchase a network tutorial program for the Practical Nursing and the LPN to RN Programs.
UAM will continue to search for professional development opportunities on recruiting and retaining students in non-traditional fields and special populations and investigate data collections solutions for the special populations and provide the professional development through Perkins funds.
UAM will provide professional development for effective integration of academics and CTE. UAM provides professional development on parental and community involvement annually. UAM offers opportunities for faculty members to attend professional development in areas of effective teaching skills and technology to improve instruction.
Both campuses conduct student evaluations every semester for each course and instructor. Also students who have internships and clinicals are evaluated by the respective employer. Advisory committees for each program play a significant part in the evaluation of the programs by reviewing the curriculum being taught, the type of software and equipment used, and making suggestions and recommendations for updates of the programs on a semi-annual basis for meeting industry standards for student placement and retention in the workforce. Program reviews are conducted through the annual assessment report, the Annual Plan and COE and/or NCA. UAM also conducts annual faculty evaluations and assesses the programs.
UAM provides the community with innovative career and technical education in the fields of Administrative Information Process, Automotive Technology, Business Technology, Computer Maintenance/Networking, Early Childhood Education, Emergency Medical Technology, Electromechanical Technology, Industrial Equipment Maintenance, Practical Nursing, and Welding Technology. UAM assesses each program annually to determine the effectiveness of the program as part of its Strategic Plan through the recommendations of the Advisory Committees and faculty. To meet the demands of the area, UAM surveys the community to determine if new programs are needed or if existing programs need to be updated.
UAM serves a CTE student body of approximately 600 in 21 different programs. An average class size is 30 students, maintaining the student/instructor relationship. UAM consistently seeks to meet the needs of the student by setting high standards of excellence. UAM anticipates that 450 students will be affected by the use of tutoring, online technology and professional development.
UAM, through its Admissions Office, has Special Student Services that will continue to provide assistance to individuals with special needs who enroll in a certificate of proficiency, technical certificate or employment program. UAM will research professional development opportunities and partner with Career Pathways Initiative to identify and encourage students to pursue non-traditional fields as well as to identify and encourage other special populations. UAM may partner with the Career Pathways Initiative (CPI) for delivery of professional development to prepare faculty to recruit special populations and non-traditional students for high skill, high wage, high demand occupations. UAM will continue to partner with the Single Parent Scholarship Funds towards educating single parents, including pregnant women and preparing them to enter high wage, high demand and high skill careers. UAM partners with NAFTA to enroll students who have been dislocated. UAM will continue to offer English as a Second Language for students with limited English proficiency.
Permissive Use of Funds
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.)
a) Not yet determined
b) UAM will continue to encourage the students to test using ASE for the Automotive Technology Program, the NCLEX for the Practical Nursing Program, the AWS for the Welding Technology, the National Registry for the Emergency Medical Technology, the Long Term Care test for the Nursing Assistant, the CDA test for Child Development Associate and other such tests. These are not mandatory, but are encouraged.
c) UAM will use professional development to assist faculty and staff on ways to retain students in programs that lead to a baccalaureate degree. UAM will provide tutoring to assist all CTE students, as well as provide tutorial assistance in the areas of note taking, study skills, stress management, time management, test taking/anxiety skills, goal setting and math and reading skills, etc. A series of videos on these types of skills will be purchased with Perkins funds for the tutoring labs, as well as to partner with existing programs that have developed PowerPoint’s on these areas.
d) UAM works closely with the advisory committees, student services, instructors, business and industry partners and coordinators and other community partners to assist students in job placement and/or the advancement of an AAS. Students who have a practicum, internship, field work and related type work experience outside the college have opportunities with the business and industry and community partners to show what they have learned and many times get job offers.
e) UAM will provide professional development for faculty and staff using Perkins funds to increase non-traditional participation.
f) UAM will provide professional development for faculty and staff using Perkins funds to increase non-traditional credential attainment.
UAM will use the state core indicator charts for 2005-06 as a base measurement of like indicators 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 core indicators that currently fall below the state targets.
UAM will use tutoring, online technology for online course, network program for Practical Nursing and LPN to RN programs and/or Professional Development to meet each of the above indicators.
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.
UAM has individually articulated CTE courses with each of the 13 area high schools. These were developed through the Tech Prep Program which gives credit in the TC, AASGT and BAS programs. These courses articulate into the following programs: Administrative Information Processing, Business Technology, Welding Technology, Agriculture Technology, Automotive Technology, Industrial Equipment Maintenance, and Electromechanical Technology. Each year UAM College of Technology McGehee hosts a College of Technology Day with skills competition for area high school seniors. UAM is a new Career Pathways Initiative institution and is partnering with CPI to develop career pathways in the health care professions and welding. UAM will work as a partner with KUDER and Arkansas Workforce to provide KUDER assessments/activities to both secondary and postsecondary students to assist in the placement of students in the correct program of study. UAM will partner with CPI in the professional development of KUDER for eligible students with the possible use of Perkins funds.
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.
Depending on the program, technical students are required to take Fundamentals of English or technical language skills course and Introduction to Algebra or advanced technical math that includes binary and hexadecimal number systems. Each program’s requirement for math and language is based on input from business and industry representatives and employers who serve in an advisory capacity for each program of study.
8. Describe how activities will provide students with strong experience in and an understanding of all aspects of an industry.
Technical instructors are encouraged to work for an industry in their occupational field during their off time. New faculty members in the field are placed with a mentor to assist in the day-to-day planning and teaching.
Students in Administrative Information Process, Business Technology, Automotive Technology, Agriculture Technology and Welding Technology programs have the opportunity to participate in internships. The EMT and Practical Nursing programs are required to complete clinical assignments. The CNA, CDA, Early Childhood Education, Heavy Equipment and the Hospitality program each has a practicum.
9. Describe how comprehensive professional development for CTE, academic, guidance and administrative personnel will be provided.
Professional development will be provided for non-traditional recruitment and retention activities to develop skills needed for instruction for special populations, and to develop processes for the collection and reporting of data that will analyze achievement gaps. Through the Perkins funds, UAM will partner with CPI to provide staff development for the promotion of integration of coherent and rigorous content alignment of academic standards with CTE programs and increase instructor understanding of industry standards and improve instruction for special populations with the use of the gap analysis. Tutoring and training using on-line technology will be provided for students through the Perkins Funds. UAM utilizes the Competency Based Teacher Development Program which assists technical instructors who are entering the teaching profession from the industry gain the knowledge and teaching skills needed for the classroom.
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.
Both Colleges of Technology have advisory committees for every CTE program as well as an Advisory Board for each campus. These committees/boards are comprised of business and industry partners, parents, faculty, administrators, counselors and former students. The advisory committees make recommendations for updating existing programs and the need for new programs. The recommendations are formulated and a Curriculum and Standards form is prepared for University approval. The advisory committees are comprised of approximately seven members and are selected by invitation of the program chair making a recommendation to the Vice Chancellor of the campus.
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.
Tutoring, online technology and professional development will be provided. All faculty will be involved in the professional development for online technology as well as students who are preparing to take online courses. Tutoring will be available through Perkins funds for all CTE students in all CTE programs. Approximately 450 CTE students will benefit from the tutoring and online technology as well as get the benefit from the professional development through improved instruction.
12. Describe the process that will be used to evaluate and continuously improve performance of CTE programs.
Each campus utilizes end-of-course evaluations for each program and instructor. Professional development will be provided through Perkins funds for improving instruction. Additionally, each campus has two advisory committee meetings per year for each program. The program advisory committee reviews each program and curriculum and offers guidance that assists administrators to adjust the curriculum and equipment based on the recommendations of the advisory committee.
13. Describe how the institution will address the needs of special populations enrolled in CTE programs.
UAM will work with Institutional Research and Admissions to develop a tracking method for these students. This may involve the development or purchase of additional software or the assistance of a data analyst to be funded with Perkins. The Perkins team will research data measurement practices for collecting and reporting special populations as well as work with the CPI team for this collection and reporting. The possibility of partnering with CPI for professional development will be researched. UAM partners with the single parent scholarship funds to assist these students to attend school. UAM has Special Student Services which prevents students from discrimination. UAM also has an ADA compliance officer that works with the student and faculty member for any modifications necessary to be successful, such as wheelchair accessibility, tape recorders, extra time on test, someone to help with note and test taking, and readers.
14. Describe how funds will be used to promote preparation for nontraditional fields. (See Appendix D for nontraditional fields.)
UAM will use the transition year to develop a plan to identify nontraditional fields that correlate with the existing technical programs offered. Faculty and staff may need on site professional development to focus on student advising and support in enrolling the student in these courses, which would be provided with Perkins funds.
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.
Each campus employs a full-time counselor who advises CTE students in the areas of goal setting, career exploration, selection of a major and course requirements. UAM faculty members also serve as academic advisors to assist students with academic advising. Additionally, the two Colleges of Technology were recently awarded Arkansas Career Pathways grants that will partner with the school to help advise students. Academic advisors as well as the counselor and the Career Pathways counselors and advisors encourage students to continue the path from Certificate of Proficiency to Technical Certificate to AAS to BAS. Carl Perkins and Career Pathways grant objectives are parallel in several aspects, thus enabling coordinated efforts to advise and guide special populations. UAM will also be using the KUDER Assessment to help students understand the importance of choosing the correct career and to help with employment skills.
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.
Many technical instructors, such as in Welding and Automotive Technology programs, are recruited with strong skills and experience directly from a business or industry setting without the completion of educational credentials. These instructors receive professional development in the art and science of teaching through the Competency Based Teacher Development program and through mentoring from colleagues and supervising administrators. CTE instructors are encouraged to attend professional development that will improve instruction, the integration of academics, effective teaching skills and the use of technology to improve instruction.
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.
UAM Perkins coordinator will continue to work with Academic Affairs, the Institutional Research Officer and Registrar to insure that data needed is being collected and through various mechanisms available via the student database system will obtain the necessary information for Perkins reports. UAM pays particular attention to report deadlines, thus the reports will be timely and will provide the necessary reports required by Perkins. Also see answer to #13 above.
