Strategic Plan
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Eastern Arizona College Five Year Strategic Plan 2014-2018 Eastern Arizona College does not discriminate in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs and activities on the basis of race, creed, color or national origin, sex, disability, or age. Approved for veterans benefits. College Vision, Mission, Purposes, and Values Vision Values The College shall be the premier resource for higher education • Continuous Improvement in eastern Arizona. • Diversity • Institutional Quality Mission • Integrity • Learning-Centered Education The mission of Eastern Arizona College is to provide quality • Partnership Development higher education. The College is accountable to its stakeholders for • People educational results, fiscal responsibility, and cultural development. • Scholarship Purposes The College shall provide: • Associate degree programs and courses for university transfer. • Programs that meet workforce needs of business, industry, and government. • Opportunities for Adult Education. • Support services to assist students in identifying and achieving personal, educational, and career goals. • Services which meet the community’s diverse cultural and economic needs. • Activities and programs which promote general student welfare while fostering an environment in which students can develop leadership, citizenship, and character. • Activities and programs that foster lifelong learning. The College will help individuals acquire knowledge and skills that will enhance their abilities to think, feel, act, and enjoy. College Overview and History stablished in 1888, Eastern Arizona College (EAC) is the oldest Ecommunity college in Arizona, and among the oldest in the United States. Located in the town of Thatcher, approximately 160 miles east of Phoenix and 125 miles northeast of Tucson, EAC was founded by Mormon pioneers as the St. Joseph Stake Academy. In 1917, the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools first accredited the Academy’s courses. The school, known later as the Gila Academy, began offering college courses in 1920 and established a transfer relationship with The University of Arizona (U of A) in 1926. In 1933, ownership of the College transferred to the citizens of Graham County, and allocations from the Arizona Legislature began to contribute to the operation of the institution. EAC became the first member of the new state junior college system in 1960 and received substantial funding for expansion. EAC now provides service to two neighboring counties, expanding EAC’s service area to approximately 18,000 square miles. Historically, financial pressures necessitated careful stewardship. In 1985, the Arizona Legislature equalized revenues among state community colleges, giving EAC adequate financial support to plan for the future and greatly increase the scope of its programs. However, the habits of economy formed during the lean years persist. Several recent construction projects—the $2.2 million McGrath High Technology Center in 2005, the $16.25 million Middle Campus expansion in 2002 and in 2007, the Nursing Education Center—were all completed debt-free. EAC Profile 2014 Area Graham Greenlee ADC State EAC Totals Gila County Population 37,926 8,742 46,668 53,416 Population: Age 18 or Older 26,072 6,040 32,112 41,071 Land Area in Square Miles 4,629 1,847 6,476 4,768 Population Density per Square Mile: Age 18 or older 5.6 3.3 8.6 Principal Industries Agriculture Agriculture Rehabilitation Agriculture Agriculture Mining Mining Mining Government Ranching Ranching Ranching Mining Retail Trade Tourism Rehabilitation Ranching Services Retail Trade Recreation Tourism Services Retail Trade Tourism Tourism High Schools 6 3 n/a 9 10 High School Seniors (May 2013) 293 46 n/a 339 454 Enrollment Students 4,592 175 943 5,710 2,529 Distribution 80% 3% 17% 100% n/a Full-Time Student Equivalents (FTSE) 2,415.6 28.5 662.9 3,107.0 703.4 Distribution 78% 1% 21% 100% n/a Ratio: Students to FTSE 1.9 to 1 6.1 to 1 1.4 to 1 1.8 to 1 3.6 to 1 Personnel Full-Time Faculty 77 0 5 82 12 Full-Time Professional Support Staff 116 0 1 117 8 Full-Time Administrative Staff 10 0 0 10 13 Total Full-Time Faculty and Staff 203 0 6 209 33 Total Estimated Part-Time Faculty 113 15 27 155 112 Total Estimated Part-Time Staff 181 2 0 183 59 Total Estimated Part-Time 384 0 0 384 0 Student Employees Programs University Parallel Curricula 38 0 0 38 0 Career Curricula 25 0 0 25 0 Certificate Curricula 62 0 14 76 0 Facilities Community Areas Served 3 3 3 9 9 Building Owned and Leased 61 6 8 75 28 Acres Owned 418 0 0 418 61 Acres Owned by EAC Foundation 23 0 0 23 0 Classrooms (including labs) 130 18 18 166 98 Residence Hall Capacity 418 0 0 418 0 Budget Budget All Sources $62,591,685 EAC Expenditure Overview Operational Cost Per Full-Time Student Equivalent $7,553 Expenditure Tax Capacity Limit Used 98% Graham County Tax Support Actual Assessed Valuation $192,240,653 Actual Tax Rate $2.7401 Actual Tax Support $5,267,653 Tax Support as a Percent of Budget 14% Constitutional Tax Capacity Limit Used 98% Service Area Graham, Greenlee, and Gila Counties Gila Greenlee Hayden Graham Campus Locations Thatcher Graham County Greenlee County Discovery Park Gila Pueblo Payson and Surrounding Areas Opportunities 1. Completion, Transfer, and Student Success 2. Retention 3. Student Development 4. Leadership and Entrepreneurship 5. Lifelong Learning 6. Financial Stability Opportunity 1: Completion, Transfer, and Student Success Assumptions One of the functions of community colleges is to offer the first two years of a bachelor’s degree. Officials in the state of Arizona have recently undertaken several studies concerning Higher Education in Arizona. Results of these studies indicate that Arizona is falling behind in the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded, compared to the number of degrees that are needed in the state. In the spring of 2011, the Arizona Community College Presidents’ Council adopted student completion and student transfer from the community college to the university as one of their priorities. Eastern Arizona College also embraces student transfer as an important part of the College’s responsibility. At the same time, we must also keep in mind that there are many other reasons for student attendance. Success at the community-college level can be simply defined as accomplishing the educational goals an individual sets for himself or herself. We realize that at the community- college level, student completion has various meanings. For many, completion means earning an associate degree then transferring successfully to a university. Some choose to transfer after successfully completing the General Education component. Others may have no desire to eventually attend a university but are attending a community college in order to upgrade skills for employability or to earn a certificate or Applied Science degree leading to immediate employment. Some come to EAC simply for the joy of lifelong learning. EAC stands willing and able to facilitate education for students in any and all of these categories. Objectives EAC continues to work with the statewide articulation programs to facilitate seamless transfer of courses to the universities. Advising is a major factor in student success, and EAC is committed to the highest levels of advising to assist students in identifying their educational goals and striving to accomplish them. Students are not limited to advising from the counseling office but are encouraged to develop a rapport and receive advising from instructors in their chosen field. The EAC catalog and other printed materials are presented in a straightforward, easy-to-understand way, so students can have a clear picture of what is required for any degree or certificate. EAC will strive to maintain levels of student success at or above the 85th percentile when compared to peers, which is considered a best practice indicator. We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world Ralphis all gates, Waldo all opportunities. Emerson Opportunity 2: Retention Assumptions Current retention rates for first-time, full-time students are in line with retention rates of our sister institutions; even so, we feel we owe it to our students to work harder and do better. Retention is important for several reasons including potential for increased earnings for graduates and additional opportunities to learn and apply life skills. Eastern Arizona College recognizes the increasing cost of higher education, and we pledge to keep costs as affordable as possible to enable students to continue their education. Objectives Because involvement plays such a critical role in retention, we continue to make every effort to promote student clubs and other inclusive activities on campus. Currently, EAC has 32 different student clubs. These clubs are not restricted to traditional-aged students. More clubs are added as students request them and are willing to lead them. Opportunities for classroom interaction and inclusiveness abound at EAC with caring instructors and a student body who take learning seriously. EAC will strive to maintain levels of retention and persistence at or above the 85th percentile when compared to peers, which is considered a best practice indicator. EAC has recently implemented additional measures to improve retention, such as: 1. The appointment of a full-time retention specialist to contact students at risk and work with them to stay in school. 2. Mandatory attendance-taking in the classroom with a reporting chain to the newly-hired retention specialist. 3. Enhanced advising wherein more students have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with a qualified faculty member or counseling office advisor. All students are encouraged to seek advising. We must be intentional, proactive, and intrusive. We cannot leave the education of our studentsVincent to chance.Tinto Opportunity 3: Student Development Assumptions Learning at college is not limited to the classroom setting.