Chapter One Introduction, College Profile and Accreditation History Cloud County Community College I 2010 Self Study i Table of Contents Introduction, College Profile, and Accreditation History 1 Self-Study Process 17 Criterion One | Mission and Integrity 23 Cloud County Community College operates with integrity to en- sure the fulfillment of its mission through structures and processes that involve the Board, administration, faculty, staff and students. Criterion Two | Preparing for the Future 45 Cloud County Community College’s allocation of resources and its processes for evaluation and planning demonstrate its capacity to fulfill its mission, improve the quality of its education, and respond to future challenges and opportunities. Criterion Three | Student Learning and Effective Teaching 77 Cloud County Community College provides evidence of student learning and teaching effectiveness that demonstrates it is fulfilling its educational mission. Criterion Four | Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge 105 Cloud County Community College promotes a life of learning for its faculty, administration, staff, and students by fostering and supporting inquiry, creativity, practice, and social responsibility in ways consistent with its mission. Criterion Five | Engagement and Service 123 As called for by its mission, Cloud County Community College identifies its constituencies and serves them in ways both value. Federal Compliance 149 Credits, Program Length, and Tuition Change Request for Approval of Online Degrees 155 Summary and Request for Continued Accreditation 167 Glossary 171 Table of Contents ii Cloud County Community College I 2010 Self Study Appendix A 177 Institutional Snapshot Appendix B 189 Response to Suggestions | 2001 HLC Site Team Visit Report Appendix C 201 Steering Committee Membership Appendix D 207 Organizational Structure Appendix E 213 Board of Trustees Appendix F 217 Physical Facilities Changes From 2001–2010 Layout & Design: Jenny Acree | Director of Marketing Nick Jones | Graphic Design Instructor Stacey Martin | CCCC Graphic Design Student Opinions: Kim Krull, Nancy Zenger-Beneda, Lou Frohardt, Lucas Brown Cloud County Community College I 2010 Self Study 1 Introduction, College Profile, and Accreditation History Chapter Overview This self-study is presented by Cloud County Community College as part of the application process for continued accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission, a Commission of the North Central Colleges and Schools (HLC). It documents the comprehensive study Cloud County Community College (CCCC) has conducted to provide a thorough review of the College. The mission and goals of the College provide the framework for all teaching, learning, student services, resource allocation, institutional advancement, and outreach efforts by the College. The self-study presents evidence CCCC meets the five criteria to merit accreditation by the HLC, fulfills the expectations for approval of associate degrees 1 online, and analyzes the College’s strengths and action items for improvement. Organization of the Self-Study The self-study report is organized around the HLC’s five criterion. It also includes chapters which present background about the College, the self-study process, federal compliance, change request for approval of online degree programs, closing summary, request for continued accreditation, glossary of terms, and appendices. Chapter 1: Introduction, College Profile and Accreditation History Chapter 1 provides a profile of CCCC including the College’s historical background, stu- dent and College demographics, and its accreditation history. Major changes since the 2001 and 2003 site team visits are described. Challenges from the 2001 and 2003 site team visits are also presented. Chapter 2: Self-Study Process Chapter 2 describes how CCCC organized and conducted the self-study process. The organization of the Steering Committee and subcommittees is described as well as data collection, writing, review and revision processes, and methods used to communicate information to College constituents. Chapters 3 through 7: The Criterion Chapters Chapters 3 through 7 address each criterion and are organized by core components. For each criterion area, narrative, charts, tables, and reference materials support the College’s assertions that each criterion has been met. Each chapter also includes an analysis of strengths as well as action items for improvement. The criteria are addressed as follows: • Chapter 3 – Criterion 1: Mission and Integrity • Chapter 4 – Criterion 2: Planning for the Future • Chapter 5 – Criterion 3: Student Learning and Effective Teaching • Chapter 6 – Criterion 4: Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge • Chapter 7 – Criterion 5: Engagement and Service Chapter 1 Introduction, College Profile, and Accreditation History 2 Cloud County Community College I 2010 Self Study Chapter 8: Federal Compliance This chapter describes CCCC’s compliance with federal regulations such as credits, program length, tuition, compliance with the Higher Education Reauthorization Act, advertising and recruitment materials, and records of student complaints. Chapter 9: Change Request for Approval of Online Degrees This chapter addresses the six questions as posed in the HLC Handbook on pages 7.2-3 to 7.2-4 regarding a change request. CCCC is seeking approval to offer its Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and Associate of General Studies degrees in an online format. Chapter 10: Summary and Request for Continued Accreditation Chapter 10 provides a summary and request for continued HLC accreditation for a period of ten years. Chapter 11: Glossary of Terms Chapter 11 serves as a reference and provides definitions for the terms and acronyms used throughout the self-study. Appendices: • Appendix A: Institutional Snapshot • Appendix B: Response to Suggestions from the 2001 and 2003 Site Team Visits • Appendix C: Steering Committee and Subcommittee Members • Appendix D: Organizational Charts • Appendix E: Board of Trustees Biographical Information • Appendix F: 2001-2010 Facilities Changes College and Service Area Demographic Profile Cloud County Community College was originally founded as the Concordia Junior College in 1965 as a part of the Concordia Public Schools. Classes first met on February 8, 1965, using Concordia High School facilities. On July 1, 1965, the Concordia Junior College became a member of the state system of community Colleges under the name Cloud County Community Junior College. Classes began in the “Commons” building on campus in the fall of 1968. The College was renamed in 1980 and is now known as Cloud County Community College. The Concordia classroom building is comprised of three levels and houses administra- tive, business, faculty, advising, student services, and foundation offices. Classrooms, laboratories, the Library, Cook Theatre, the Learning Skills Center, fitness center, and the gymnasium are also included. A new addition to the original classroom building was constructed in 1999-2000. The addition houses the cafeteria, Admissions and Registrar offices, the College Bookstore, and classrooms. The Technical Education Building houses the Art, Journalism, Graphic Design, and Nursing departments, the Children’s Center, Adult Basic Education and General Education Diploma (ABE/GED) programs. The Chapter 1 Introduction, College Profile, and Accreditation History Cloud County Community College I 2010 Self Study 3 greenhouse, fifteen on-campus apartment buildings, Thunder Heights student housing complex, Hillside Apartments, LaBarge Honors House, and the Earl Bane Observatory comprise the remaining facilities on Campus Drive of the Concordia campus. In 2008, the College leased classroom space a few blocks from the Concordia campus for the Wind Energy Technology program. In 1994, Cloud County Community College opened the Grandview Plaza Attendance Center in Junction City to better meet the needs of the population of the southeastern portion of Cloud’s service area. In January 1998, the College moved from Grandview Plaza to a location on the west edge of Junction City that parallels US Highway 77. This campus is composed of three buildings and offers a full range of academic programs and student support services. The College’s ABE/GED program and the Early Childhood Resource and Referral programs have classroom and office space at the Geary County Campus (GCC) as well. The Geary County Campus is an integral part of Cloud County Community College, although its campus is distinguished by its own architecture and campus plan, is separated by 90 miles from Concordia, and serves a more diverse student population. Cloud County Community College is one of 26 public two-year community and technical colleges in Kansas and is coordinated by the Kansas Board of Regents. CCCC’s service area encompasses a 12-county area primarily in north central Kansas with its two campuses in Concordia and Junction City. It encompasses Smith, Jewell, Republic and Washington counties to the north that border the Kansas – Nebraska state line, and includes Osborne, Lincoln, Ottawa, Dickinson, Clay, Mitchell, and Geary counties to the south. Concordia Campus Geary Campus According to the 2008 census figures, CCCC’s service area includes 105,840 or 3.78% of the state’s population and 9,043.72 square miles or 11.05% of the state. From April 2000 to June 2008, Clay (0.4% increase) and Geary (11.9% increase) were the only counties in the College’s service area to have shown population