Elgin Community College - IL - Assurance Argument - 12/9/2019 Assurance Argument Elgin Community College - IL Review date: 12/9/2019 Page 1 Elgin Community College - IL - Assurance Argument - 12/9/2019 Introduction Elgin Community College (ECC) is a comprehensive community college, one of 39 within the Illinois Community College System. Located in Elgin, Illinois, the college serves Illinois Community College District 509, a 360 square mile area in northwestern suburban Chicago, encompassing portions of five counties and 25 incorporated municipalities, rural areas, and four public school districts with 11 high schools. The District’s service population is estimated at 457,915. ECC’s 217-acre main campus is located in southwest Elgin. The Center for Emergency Services is located in Burlington in the western portion of District 509, and the Education and Work Center is located in Hanover Park to the east. Currently, the college offers 138 degree and certificate programs in 33 university transfer and career education fields. It also offers dual credit high school instruction and a large adult education program, which provides pre-collegiate high school equivalency (GED/HiSET) and English as a Second Language courses. In the 2018-19 academic year, the college enrolled over 14,547 credit students (FTE=6,470), and the current fall 2019 headcount is 9,931 (FTE = 5,451). Approximately 54% of enrolled students are women, and the average age is 26. Just over 42% of students are Latino or Hispanic, with the remainder 40% White, 8% Asian, and 5% African-American, and 5% two or more races or non-responding. The majority of students attend in person, with about 21% wholly or primarily online. A majority also attend part-time (69%). The college offers an array of high school dual credit courses and non-credit courses and corporate training. It also hosts student athletics programs in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference and a vibrant performing arts program with several musical ensembles. ECC is recognized nationally for its outstanding initiatives in equity and inclusion. A designated Hispanic Serving Institution by the US Department of Education, ECC is also a Military Friendly School, a member of Illinois Equity in Attainment Initiative, an Achieving the Dream Leader College, an Aspen Top 150 Institution, and a Bellwether Award recipient for its Alliance or College Readiness partnership and a nominee for its Financial Smarts Financial Literacy Program. The college employs 122 full-time faculty, 402 part-time faculty, 48 administrators, and 478 staff and has been led since 2007 by Dr. David Sam, the college’s eighth president. Page 2 Elgin Community College - IL - Assurance Argument - 12/9/2019 1 - Mission The institution’s mission is clear and articulated publicly; it guides the institution’s operations. 1.A - Core Component 1.A The institution’s mission is broadly understood within the institution and guides its operations. 1. The mission statement is developed through a process suited to the nature and culture of the institution and is adopted by the governing board. 2. The institution’s academic programs, student support services, and enrollment profile are consistent with its stated mission. 3. The institution’s planning and budgeting priorities align with and support the mission. (This sub-component may be addressed by reference to the response to Criterion 5.C.1.) Argument Mission statements of Elgin Community College (ECC) are broadly understood and guide all college operations. Together, they consist of the Mission, or why the college exists; the Vision, a statement about the future and where we are headed; the Philosophy on Learning, which clarifies our stance on empowerment and why we operate as we do; and seven Share Values, or core beliefs that guide our work. Key concepts contained within these statements are discussed every day in classrooms, offices, and meeting rooms across campus. Mission: The Mission of Elgin Community College is to improve people’s lives through learning. Vision: We will pursue our Mission by focusing all our efforts on making Elgin Community College a national leader in promoting success for all students. This Vision will be attained through a commitment to provide innovative and affordable learning opportunities for all constituencies and to promote cultural competence and community partnership in our decisions and actions. Philosophy on Learning: Learning is the primary driver behind our Mission and Vision. We believe learning is a lifelong process of intellectual and interpersonal growth that occurs when individuals expand their depth of knowledge, skills, and experiences. We further believe that learning empowers individuals to improve their lives and the economic, social, and cultural conditions of local and global communities. Page 1 Elgin Community College - IL - Assurance Argument - 12/9/2019 Shared Values: Excellence, Freedom of Inquiry, Equity, Diversity, Ethical Practice, Accountability Collaboration 1A1. Mission statements form the foundation of every goal, strategy, action, and decision we make. They were jointly crafted with students, community partners, and employees and -- together with the goals and strategies of the ECC Strategic Plan -- were approved on October 10, 2017. We consider them and the entire ECC Strategic Plan to be our pledge to deliver high- quality learning experiences to nearly half million individuals who live and work in Illinois Community College District 509. These statements and the ECC Strategic Plan were enacted on January 1, 2018 and will remain in effect until December 31, 2022. The college’s mission documents are ideally suited to culture of the institution and District 509 as a whole. ECC is proud to be one of the most diverse colleges in Illinois with the largest proportion of Hispanic students of any Illinois community college outside Chicago and higher percentages than peer college of students who are the first in their families to pursue higher education. At the same time, District 509 is home to communities where educational attainment and annual incomes exceed the state median. At ECC, we truly value diversity as reflected in strategic goals around equity for all students. Examples are cited throughout the Assurance Argument -- including contextualized models for developmental and career-technical education, innovative programs for students of color, programs to support globalization, an Honors Program, and strong partnerships with business, community, and educational partners. The link between mission and operations is evidenced by growth in each of these areas. It is also recognized by ECC employees as evidenced by responses to the Ruffalo Noel-Levitz College Employees Satisfaction Survey (CESS), a national survey that asks employees about their satisfaction with institutional commitment and pursuit of mission. On the handful of survey items related to the college's ability to meet students' needs (e.g., "this institution treats students as the top priority"), ECC employees report satisfaction levels that are significantly higher than national peer benchmarks. 1.A.2. The college’s programs, services, and enrollment directly reflect the ECC Strategic Plan. In fact, no program or service is ever delivered at ECC without careful consideration of how it improves people’s lives through learning. The ECC Environmental Scan, prepared during the strategic planning process in 2017, exemplifies this fact. In this document, we point out changes to the population of our service district, citing increases in median age and the diversity among residents. In turn, ECC’s programs respond to these trends. In Operating Plans for 2018 through 2020, we focus on the development of adult-friendly online and flexible options and the addition of services, such as the Triumph Program and culturally responsive teaching, which promote equity for diverse learners. The ECC Environmental Scan also highlights increased demand for skilled workers in technology-focused careers. In turn, ECC responds by adding certificate and degree programs in cybersecurity, supply chain management, and advanced manufacturing. In sum, all ECC programs and services are consistent with the ECC Strategic Plan and Operating Plan, and our mission documents ensure we advance student learning and remain agile in responding to community needs. Page 2 Elgin Community College - IL - Assurance Argument - 12/9/2019 1.A.3. Processes by which ECC prioritizes budgeting needs are described fully in Core Component 5C. Means by which this happens are the purview of the Strategic Planning and Budget Council, which ensures alignment of budgets to Operating Plan actions through deliberations on the delivery of operations and outcomes. Recent results demonstrate success in this regard. Survey responses from the CESS, described above, also reveal that ECC employees report higher satisfaction on items related to planning and clarity of purpose than national peer benchmarks. When asked about the level of involvement of administrators, faculty, students, and staff in planning processes, employees also consistently rated each group as more involved at ECC than national benchmark average ratings. In sum, operations at ECC are well planned -- budgets follow closely from goals, and goals follow closely from examinations of processes as they unfold. Sources ECC Environmental Scan 2017 ECC Map - D509 Municipalities ECC Operating Plan 112219 ECC Strategic Plan 2018-2022 Empl Survey_2018 Compare to 2-yr Public Inst