2015 college day discussion questions responses ecc excels/20… · web view2016 – 2021...

2016 – 2021 Strategic Plan – College Day

Standard I: Mission and Goals

The institution’s mission defines its purpose within the context of higher education, the students it serves, and what it intends to accomplish. The institution’s stated goals are clearly linked to its mission and specify how the institution fulfills its mission.

ECC’s Mission Statement

SUNY Erie Community College meets the needs of a diverse student body and contributes to regional economic vitality by providing excellent, flexible, affordable and accessible educational programs in a multi-campus environment committed to continuous improvement.

Does ECC meet the standard? Respondents should answer “No” if they believe any part of the standard is not met.

Begin your discussion by recording the vote of the table and write the number of votes here: Yes_20_ // No __5__. Record any follow-up comments.

Total Number of Responses for Standard I: 5

Excellence may depend on dept/campus & makeup of faculty & administration. A better word might be consistent – with transfer requirements in mind

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- Respect of others who are “different”- Campus – not physically accessible- Not enough resources- to assist students who have issues to succeed- Engaging faculty-instructors – qualification/presentation of how they

teach/philosophy_manner/style/teaching modalities/methodology- Collaboration wanting between departments/offices of academic and student affairs

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Esteem, access

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Dorms would help. More classes in non-traditional times – nights and weekends. Greater support for evenings and weekends.

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No response SUNY Excels Categories: Access Completion Success Inquiry Engagement

Affordability ® Diversity Graduation ® Transfer Employment ® Service Grants ® Research StartUp NY ® Cultural Impact


Identify strengths relative to the standard that could become building blocks over the course of the next strategic plan.

Accessibility – easy place to start but at a cost to students; need for prerequisites = success? Affordable – compared to 4 year schools.

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- Dedicated- Movement towards making blog accessible- Awareness of need to address- Toilet/seats- Garbage_outside/where egress not clear

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Esteem, great programs, access needs of students, faculty accessibility

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Contact with local industry is robust

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Multi-campusRegional economic

Identify weaknesses relative to the standard that could be addressed over the course of the next strategic plan.

Schedule – take into consideration student needs

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- Wider doors – at each campus- Snow removal – policy needed- Not built in the planning process / not central addressing needs / diverse - Color/carpeting – should permit life

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Facilities are not equal; city campus gets the short end of the stick, outdated SUNY Excels Categories: Access Completion Success Inquiry Engagement



equipment at City, questionable customer service (needs improvement for students), excessive part-time staff hard for student to get in touch with adjunct processors

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More accessible classesBetter handling of financial aidHave a human answer the phone in Admissions

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Need to be more flexible/affordable

SUNY Excels Categories: Access Completion Success Inquiry EngagementAffordability ® Diversity Graduation ® Transfer Employment ® Service Grants ® Research StartUp NY ® Cultural Impact


Are the College’s current priorities successfully serving the needs of a diverse student body?

Not sure focus on best interest of students

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No response

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Need improvement in the area of language and communication; the breakdown of communications

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Easier transportation between campusesFew women in technologies

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YesIs the College successfully providing excellent, flexible, affordable, and accessible educational programs? Explain why or why not.

No – affordability Yes – access OKNo – flexible

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- The college is very interested in improving; however, ideas/material submitted do not seem to reach the top of the pile and be prioritized

- Policy/plan/program regarding _________________________?

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Yes. Need to implement mini-courses for latecomers. Students need to be obligated to take a “College Success” course



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Financial aid takes too much time and aggravationStudents aren’t aware of the variety of programs or are overwhelmed by itDepartments don’t have data on student interests

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Depends on programTextbook costs

Is the College successfully responding to regional and national pressures in the higher education environment?

Let’s educate the governor’s office

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- There are beginning efforts particularly in student affairs to augment some of the existing gaps in structure; interest among higher-ups has been shown in signage committee

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Yes

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It’s responding

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Yes. Changing programs and certs. Brainstorm ways to assess the effectiveness of ECC’s mission and goals. Guide yourself by the following question: what measurable outcomes should we adopt in order to demonstrate to an outside observer that our

Student-centric schedulinglate start semester

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mission and goals are appropriate to the current higher education environment?

Try to refer to the SUNY Excels measures listed below in your responses.

- Incorporate diversity / and responding to this in policy / plans / procedures / resource allocation

- Systematic rather than piecemeal

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Mandatory review of ECC mission and goals. For instance the way the Promissory Note question airs. This is to make sure they understand what our mission and goals are. If not all financial aid if frozen until these topics are addressed by student.

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No response

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Survey: Ask students directlyAffordabilityAsk employees if students are ready



Standard II: Ethics and Integrity

Ethics and integrity are central, indispensable, and defining hallmarks of elective higher education institutions. In all activities, whether internal or external, an institution must be faithful to its mission, honor its contracts and commitments, adhere to its policies, and represent itself truthfully.


Begin your discussion by recording the vote of the table and write the number of votes here: Yes_0_ // No __7__. Record any follow-up comments.

Total Number of Responses for Standard II:2

Contracts! With faculty and staff

Contracts with students

Math Technology


Building success programs / retention


Treat everyone with integrity



Does ECC have “a climate that fosters respect among students, faculty, staff, and administration from a range of diverse backgrounds, ideas, and perspectives?”

Absolutely

NO!

Kindness and civic responsibility Collegiality

Does ECC adhere to its policies? Provide specific examples if you identify policies that are not followed. Brainstorm ways to assess the effectiveness of ECC’s mission and goals. Guide yourself by the following question: what measurable outcomes should we adopt in order to demonstrate to an outside observer that our mission and goals are appropriate to the current higher education environment?


There should be an ethics rubric given to presidents and vice-presidents. Start at the top.



Standard III: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience

An institution provides students with learning experiences that are characterized by rigor and coherence at all program, certificate, and degree levels, regardless of instructional modality. All learning experiences, regardless of modality, program pace/schedule, level, and setting are consistent with higher education expectations.


Begin your discussion by recording the vote of the table and write the number of votes here: Yes_1_ // No __38__. Unsure 1 Record any follow-up comments.

Total Number of Responses for Standard II: 7

NO Students are passing EN110 with porr writing skills Discrepancy in curricular content and coverage in anatomy & Physiology

across different campuses Inconsistency between instructors – tests viewed by DSS – are widely

different for the same course

It is difficult to assess the institution as a whole.

NO

Dental Hygiene and Dietetic All health sciences courses are outstanding due to the high accreditation standards. The courses feeding into our programs don’t meet the dame standards and therefor do not meet the needs of our students i.e. transfer

Instruction is inconsistent between campuses and instructors.School needs more options for class times for working adults.

YES: based on the breadth of curriculumUNSURE: How are we measuring it?NO: worried about course drift for evening classes, lack of evaluation / assessment for online.


CWCC – more specific in course outlines, to build consistency. Math department feels they do this well.

Math department has an adjunct committee – this is another possible support model.



Math department used to have a mentor programMeet standards that are currently in placeDevelop early signs that students might be struggling and create or assess course delivery methodology. Should be with persistence, retention and graduation.

All accredited programs are meeting the rigor and coherence standards national / state wide / local.Not all certificate /degree programs.

Did not have time to discuss

Core set requirementsStudents generally older with helpful life experience.

Course outlines are standardized.All three campuses work to design course outlines.

Offer a large variety of courses and programsRelatively small calss size and individual attentionFaculty focused on teachingSense of missionAcademics reinforce student leadershipSubstantial improvement in Program Review


Adjunct faculty – we must work harder to help them fully view their responsibilities and develop consistency.

Lack of willingness to appropriate funds for support staff.

Do not know what help students receive through retention and mentoring.A system to better track students course, grading, and instructor.

General Education course are not held to oversight by accreditation standards in Health sciences. Some courses campus to campus do not hold to same rigor or coherence. Lack of grading standard across all disciplines.



Part-time faculty do not adhere to any rigor or coherence as they are not required to attend college day / opening day. Lack of knowledge of strategic plan.

1. Lack of transferability of certain courses into particular degree programs2. Accountability for online courses is lacking3. Students’ feedback from Blackboard is negative4. Academic freedom should still follow guidelines of the course.

Late admission does not allow students time to be prepared (Sets them up to fail more easily.)Students have issues with childcare, job schedules, and transportation to name a few.

Faculty at each campus may choose, as individuals, to ignore course outlines at times.Difficult to maintain consistent rigor among campuses and within each campus.Coherence of content in continuation courses is inconsistent which frustrates students and can result in negative effects academically.

Need better assessment and evaluation of alternative course delivery methodsBetter communication and more opportunities for staff and faculty development (We need to talk about these issues)Financial resources! Impact everything from full-time faculty hirse to students service programs to instructional resources.

How can ECC improve student completion rates such as persistence, retention, and graduation?Definitions: Persistence is the number of students who stay enrolled from fall to spring; retention is the number of students who stay enrolled from fall to

Support the staff – spend more on folks working directly with students

ADVERTISE widely: tutoring, student services, GS Study Skills class

Develop curriculum assessments that identify struggling students earlier.



fall; graduation is the number of students who complete their degree program.

More full-time faculty accountable to uphold the college’s mission and goals.

Student accessibility to faculty outside of instructional periods (office hours)

Increase access by offering more weekend, evening, and online classes in science and nursing related courses.

“Weekend College for the Working Adult.”

Admissions – students should be accurately advised and advisement should be mandatory.

Textbook costNeed to build student confidenceStudents struggle with the Financial aid processNeed to develop ways to be flexible and accommodate student’s complicated lives and still maintain academic rigor.

ECC granted over 2100 associate degrees and over 300 certificates in the 2012-2013 academic year. How can ECC achieve a 205 increase in each of those figures without increasing funding, with flat enrollment, and without lowering academic standards?

GS – set counselors for students for accountability / facetime relationship

Utilization of support services

Impossible!!! Need to invest in FT faculty. Perhaps: Open access textbooks.

See aboveQuicker turnaround with admission decisions to start. (Students go elsewhere if they are accepted before we respond.) Potential students think the nursing department has a waiting list – complain they are never contacted – poor communication presently to our potential nursing students.

Service learning in final semesterHave a graduating student mentor an entering studentMandatory meeting with an advisor



Advisors need better trainingBrainstorm ways to assess the effectiveness of ECC’s mission and goals. Guide yourself by the following question: what measurable outcomes should we adopt in order to demonstrate to an outside observer that our mission and goals are appropriate to the current higher education environment?Try to refer to the SUNY Excels measures listed below in your responses.

See above boxes for suggestions.Assessment would be:

Retention Graduation rates / degree completion

Pre-test assessment of knowledge base-line.Post-test assessment of learning.

Show concrete statistics between the academic programs and job attainment.

In order to ENGAGE students early – each program should have an intro night (for example monthly or every other month) for students to attend – make them want ECC more than any other school (best school for them)



Standard IV: Support of the Student Experience

Across all educational experiences, settings, levels, and instructional modalities, the institution recruits and admits students whose interests, abilities, experiences, and goals are congruent with its mission and educational offerings. The institution commits to student retention, persistence, completion, and success through a coherent and effective support system sustained by qualified professionals, which enhances the quality of the learning environment, contributes to the educational experience, and fosters student success.


Begin your discussion by recording the vote of the table and write the number of votes here: Yes 2 // No 45. Record any follow-up comments.

Two groups did not record yes or noOne group answered YES and one group NO without any number.

Total Number of Responses for Standard IV: 13

Working towards!

For the two that said yes, we meet the standard but lack the evidence.

Low retention rate. Lack of tracking contributes to compare if we are improving

Short duration at two year college make tracking difficult

RECRUIT (Admit) Academic Advisement weak inconsistent Lack of familiarity with retention plan Late admissions are unfair and predatory

Support system: Issue with developmental prerequisite Lack of familiarity new student support structures

We don’t believe there is a coherent and effective support system for advisement.

There is not a full service for the evening students; food, labs, childcare, disability services, occasionally registration

Our group believes that effort is being made, but more innovative ideas need to be implemented to recruit and retain students.

NO SUNY Excels Categories: Access Completion Success Inquiry Engagement



We do not meet the standard according to the data we saw today but on a higher level we are by the initiative we have put forward. EX counseling, mentoring, reverse transfer agreements, student leadership programs.

No Poor communication between departments.Lack of familiarity of all departmentsToo many SILOsA union divided collegeLow staff moralePoor customer service


Access is a strength

New systemic Examples: STARFISH/ Non Cognitive assessment, START

Instant admissions ECC has many articulation agreements Accessibility (3 campuses) Class sizes Affordability

Awesome Director of AdmissionsAwesome Student Service CentersDedicated individuals put student firstCreative thinking

Persistence, conducting surveys contributes to measurements of satisfaction levels. Opportunity to address new issues

Library is diverse, adequately funded, conscientious but lacking tools to measure student success.



Good recruiting of students who plan to move on to a 4-year school.

Services are adequate for the evening students.

Dedicated staff members who care about student success.Excellent programs offered to entice applicants and keep students.

Recognize the departments that are successful and identify best practices, models, and find ways to replicate.

College wide retention committee, implementing STARFISH, also the above mentioned programs.

New Welcome centers; Improvement in call centersNew Website is more user friendly / student related

Improve with student Access Center / departmental collaborationFirst Departmental START session effort at department level to establish personal contact with concentrated effort near registration times including those not currently enrolled some individuals in some 45 Oak offices very caring and helpful.


Access is strength and also a weakness. We need supports in place in all areas of the college to serve the diversity of students’ needs.

Do not have above strengths yet in place and there is not social mobility network in the communications to attract and engage students to become informed. (Example: using the ECC Portal)Involvement of staff and faculty trained will maintain a level of consistency (ex. Through Blackboard). The “working together” involvement becomes enhanced through consistent repeated performance first established in an orientation that begins for new staff / faculty since day one employment with duties to teach/advise and retain students.

Weaknesses – all campuses: SUNY Excels Categories: Access Completion Success Inquiry Engagement



Answer phones Streamline application process Easier change of major (currently must repeat entire application) Students need to be advised Increased offering of sports/clubs Dropping courses due to low enrollment\union needs to be more

supportive of excellence in teaching and less supportive of teachers who do not do their job

Google chrome on all computersWeaknesses North Campus:

Temperature control (cold classrooms) Classrooms not cleaned Work orders not responded to Trash not empties Maintenance / housekeeping / grounds subpar Dirty and potentially unsafe\things left in hallway Revisit job descriptions because work orders don’t Maintenance housekeeping supervisors have scheduled

maintenance rather than just responding to work orders Supervisors need to be held accountable for ensuring work is done

Weaknesses South: None listedWeaknesses City:

Parking Safety of walking on icy sidewalks

Office that do not put student first!!!Weed out non-dedicated. Whose needs are being met?Need to be investigated

Standard structure formality among three campuses Unity More student centeredness

Admissions policies – late admit / orientation Lack of familiarity with workforce development



Lack of student supports outside of academics

Need a unified advisement processAdvisors need better training and more information

As an institution we tend to be more reactive, rather than proactive. We should focus more on retaining students vs bringing in students.Need to improve communication between offices; updates about what is going on in the institution.

Specific instructors, departments and offices have traditionally known to alienate students without any obvious efforts for improvements. Faculty, staff, and students need to be heard and responded to without fear of repercussions.

We are all still learning the assessment process, it is difficult to progress without a full understanding of the process.

Need more tech accessible for today; students (text & email)Training & awareness of departments / student services in the college.

Students are not notified of acceptance into ECC until acceptance into program, get stuck in “waiting for the counselor assignment.” Late admits, students sent for advisement without Placement tests, inconsistency between XAPM report, list of registered students and departmental records. Multiple complaints about student treatment at financial aid office. When changing majors students receive “Welcome to ECC letter – take placement test.” (who already have EN110, EN111, MT181 on transcript) inconsistent information given to student RE: financial aid resulting in student being able to attend in a semester.

How can ECC improve the support structures available to underprepared students?

Communication to everyone who is involved with advisement.Assessment of the current support structuresReach out to students who do not graduate

Identify underprepared students earlier SUNY Excels Categories: Access Completion Success Inquiry Engagement



Implement findings from Program ReviewSpend the 11 million dollars on the students.

Better communications to suspects, prospects and studentsCreate better and increasing the number of relationships with high schools, organizations, community agencies, etc.

We need to know why students are leaving. Late start program.

We need more TRIO programs.Staff and faculty need to know about existing programs, diversity training, and respect towards diverse populations.

Tech accessibilityAwareness of each department / student serviceStudent focused – case management, mentoring, and counselingLanguage – make about “service” rather than “support”

They need to be taught the whole “college experience” process because they don’t know it.

The College could undertake several steps in order to try to improve retention. Discuss these or brainstorm other ideas:

Require all new students to participate in orientation prior to being allowed to register for classes;

Stop admitting new students one or two weeks prior to the start of the semester

Offer free or reduced tuition to students who make satisfactory academic progress.

Do not allow students in after the first day of classes Have a mandatory orientation during the first week for students

who register at the last minute Have high expectations.

Appropriate pre-nursing advisement on all three campuses – advise re looking at datatel image now. Access and use what

The department does this Currently the department does this Will not help if not advised correctly Need a tighter academic plan

Follow deadlines! EG: academic appeals



Make orientation more of a welcomeScenario #1: Engage students while providing positive and important informationScenario #2: That would create an admissions deadline. Is this possible?Scenario #3: How would this be handled with our current budget situation?

Mandatory general skills, info lit

Student affairs retention plan, early alert program, redefingin probation and dismissal for students, reverse transfer. Stop admitting students after semester has begun. Free textbooks. Improved access to technology, allow students to use aid to buy computers. ECC could sell them to students at cost.

Scenario #1: Yes – make it mandatory, include social and mentoring and teambuilding events – make component of ambassador program.Scenario #2: Yes – sets students up to fail / money grabScenario #3: Yes – with defined criteria / success / progress.

Scenario #1: Especially at the departmental level- fall and spring NOT divisional. Scenario #2: YES – and no more first week of classScenario #3: Scholarship – yes!

Brainstorm ways to assess the effectiveness of ECC’s mission and goals. Guide yourself by the following question: what measurable outcomes should we adopt in order to demonstrate to an outside observer that our mission and goals are appropriate to the current higher education environment?Try to refer to the SUNY Excels measures listed below in your responses.

Give them a survey asking them questions such as: Do you know your advisor? Do you know where the financial aid office is?

Survey students that they look at outcomesAssess the availability of a tutor to all students that need a tutorAssess the availability of lab NTTP to meet student (adequate personnel)

Transparency in assessment

Clear concise information for students re: where to get help. All staff SUNY Excels Categories: Access Completion Success Inquiry Engagement



should know where to direct students. Make mentoring and tutoring services accessible to all students including evening students. Create a roadmap to completion, graduation. Celebrate diversity, promote our won diversity

Follow-up / student contact – talk afterwards with studentHave students come back to present progress to current students.

Short survey after every encounter at 45 Oak Survey monkey sent to phone? Who did you see? Which office? Were they nice? Did they give correct information? Was the problem solved?



Standard V: Educational Effectiveness Assessment

Assessment of student learning and achievement demonstrates that the institution's students have accomplished educational goals consistent with their program of study, degree level, the institution's mission, and appropriate expectations for institutions of higher education.


Begin your discussion by recording the vote of the table and write the number of votes here: Yes____ // No _____. Record any follow-up comments.





In what ways can academic assessment be improved at ECC?

Consider the connection between faculty development and academic assessment. What types of assessment training or support should be offered to faculty or departments that are weak in assessment?

Brainstorm ways to assess the effectiveness of ECC’s approach to academic assessment that leads to better teaching and learning. Guide yourself by the following question: what measurable outcomes should we adopt in order to demonstrate to an outside observer that we are improving the quality of our instruction?




Standard VI: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement

The institution’s planning processes, resources, and structures are aligned with each other and are sufficient to fulfill its mission and goals, to continuously assess and improve its programs and services, and to respond effectively to opportunities and challenges.


Begin your discussion by recording the vote of the table and write the number of votes here: Yes__ // No ____. Record any follow-up comments.

Total Number of Responses for Standard VI:1Identify strengths relative to the standard that could become building blocks over the course of the next strategic plan.


Many smart classrooms are ill planned and built inconsistently

1. Non-expandable2. Different screens3. Multi logins



Do planning and improvement processes consistently engage affected individuals? Provide specific examples if possible.

What can be done to improve ECC’s planning processes?

Brainstorm ways to assess the effectiveness of ECC’s planning and institutional improvement processes. Guide yourself by the following question: what measurable outcomes should we adopt in order to demonstrate to an outside observer that we are meeting this standard?




Standard VII: Governance, Leadership, and Administration

The institution is governed and administered in a manner that allows it to realize its stated mission and goals in a way that effectively benefits the institution, its students, and the other constituencies it serves. Even when supported by or affiliated with governmental, corporate, religious, educational system, or other unaccredited organizations, the institution has education as its primary purpose, and it operates as an academic institution with appropriate autonomy.


Begin your discussion by recording the vote of the table and write the number of votes here: Yes 0 // No 15. Maybe 2 Record any follow-up comments.

Total Number of Responses for Standard VII: 4

Some goals are unattainable because of financial constraints. Erie County has influence, which is not always positive (facilities)

We are getting closer to being beholden to our outside constituents

Hiring of facultyBuilding of STEM building$3 million for assessment?


Passion of staff and faculty.Input from all staff is being received by administration.

Strong administrative leadership and guidance

College has a strong image and ability to do well.Identify weaknesses relative to the standard that could be addressed over the course of the next strategic plan.

Not student-centeredEducation is not primary goalNot sufficient fulltime staffing, esp Professions …Impossible to have shared governance without governance.

Lack of resources for growth*staffing!!

Funding – County funding – i.e. we are forced to raise tuition in order to balance our budget, if we don’t we have to cut services; that may take us



away from our mission.

Who is minding the store?What could be done to improve the assessment of administrative units at ECC?

Better and more transparent job searches integrated into Planning and Assessment.Are Administrative units even assessed?

Honest feedback and output from other areas of the college.

Weekly/ monthly report up. Holding areas accountable for their departments.

Do the Board of Trustees and Office of the President have appropriate policies in place to oversee the quality of teaching and learning?

No. No Evidence of such

We don’t know what policies are in place.

The Bot is becoming too involved in day to day actions about the college (e.g. the Bot approves the academic calendar)Why do appointments go through the BOT? They should have faith in their administration.

Brainstorm ways to assess the effectiveness of ECC’s mission and goals. Guide yourself by the following question: what measurable outcomes should we adopt in order to demonstrate to an outside observer that our mission and goals are appropriate to the current higher education environment?Try to refer to the SUNY Excels measures listed below in your responses.

What are senior executives doing to address enrollment, academic quality, retention?

We did not get to this.


2015 college day discussion questions responses ecc excels/20… · web view2016 – 2021...

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