Dawson Community College, Year Seven Self-Evaluation Report TABLE OF CONTENTS Institutional Overview ................................................................................................................................ 2 Basic Institutional Data Form ..................................................................................................................... 3 Preface........................................................................................................................................................11 Chapter One: Mission, Core Themes, and Expectations ...........................................................................13 Chapter Two: Resources and Capacity ......................................................................................................22 Chapter Three: Institutional Planning ........................................................................................................66 Chapter Four: Core Theme Planning, Assessment, and Improvement ......................................................70 Chapter Five: Mission Fulfillment, Adaptation, Sustainability .................................................................93 Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................................103 References ...............................................................................................................................................104 Appendix A: Analysis of Gaps between NWCCU Standards and College Performance ........................106 Appendix B: Response to Recommendation 2 from Year Three Peer Evaluation Report ......................125 B1: Academic Program Review...................................................................................................125 B2: General Education Program Review Process ........................................................................128 Appendix C: Dawson Community College 2015-2018 Strategic Plan ....................................................131 Appendix D: Balanced Scorecard Operational Definitions and Formulas ..............................................134 Dawson Community College, Year Seven Self-Evaluation Report INSTITUTIONAL OVERVIEW Dawson Community College is a two-year, residential, public, community college district located in Eastern Montana. In 1940, Dawson County voted to establish a junior college as an extension of the Dawson County High School, and the State of Montana approved the formation of the college. In 1966, the Dawson County High School Board passed a resolution to form a separate district for the junior college, and voters elected the first board of trustees to govern Dawson College. The College’s campus has been located continuously on a 300-acre parcel in Dawson County purchased in 1967. Dawson College received accreditation from the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges in 1969. In 1976, the College name changed to Dawson Community College. A seven member Board of Trustees, elected by citizens living in Dawson County High School District One, governs Dawson Community College. Additionally, pursuant to the Constitution of the State of Montana, the Board of Regents of Higher Education supervises and coordinates community colleges. The College offers courses and programs leading to a variety of associate degrees and certificates in academic transfer and career and technical fields. The College also offers developmental and adult basic skills programs, and a range of continuing education noncredit courses for professional growth and personal enrichment. The College employs 16 full-time teaching faculty, 1 library director, approximately 13 adjunct faculty, 23 classified and exempt staff, 4 regular part-time staff, and 4 administrators. Demographic and economic trends in Montana have affected the College’s enrollment. High School enrollment in Montana fell by 13 percent from 2002 to 2012 (Montana Office of Public Instruction, 2012), which corresponded to declining numbers of traditionally-aged prospective students. Meanwhile, employment in the nearby Bakken oilfield grew by 35.9 percent and average annual pay increased by 53.1 percent from 2007 to 2011 (Feree & Smith, 2013). Declining high school enrollments and the Bakken oilfield employment boom contributed to the College’s enrollment decreasing by 31.4 percent from 2004 to 2014. The College is in the process of developing workforce training and technical programs in collaboration with business and industry partners to meet regional human capital demand and reverse the negative enrollment trend. To serve the emerging needs of the region and to modernize College organizational structures, functions, and programs, the College has entered a period of renewal and reorganization. The College Board of Trustees appointed Dr. Michael J. Simon as president in July 2013. Since the President’s appointment, the College administration has undergone a complete turnover. In addition to reorganization, the renewal process included (a) a detailed analysis to identify performance gaps vis-à-vis the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities accreditation standards, and (b) the launch of a new institutional effectiveness system in August 2014 that emphasized shared governance, provided a framework for assessment and continuous improvement, and promoted evidence-based practice in all aspects of the College. In order to begin the renewal process in Spring 2014, the President appointed two action teams. An action team comprising faculty and staff conducted a gap analysis and produced a detailed 20-page report identifying potential performance gaps (Appendix A). Meanwhile, the transition action team comprising faculty, staff, and administrators planned and facilitated the launch of the institutional effectiveness system. Through the work of these action teams, the College began to address performance gaps and to operate in the new institutional effectiveness model in Fall 2014. 2 Dawson Community College, Year Seven Self-Evaluation Report NORTHWEST COMMISSION ON COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES BASIC INSTITUTIONAL DATA FORM Information and data provided in the institutional self-evaluation are usually for the academic and fiscal year preceding the year of the evaluation committee visit. The purpose of this form is to provide Commissioners and evaluators with current data for the year of the visit. After the self-evaluation report has been finalized, complete this form to ensure the information is current for the time of the evaluation committee visit. Please provide a completed copy of this form with each copy of the self-evaluation report sent to the Commission office and to each evaluator. To enable consistency of reporting, please refer to the glossary in the 2003 Accreditation Handbook for definitions of terms. Institution: Dawson Community College Address: 300 College Drive City, State, ZIP: Glendive, MT 59330 Degree Levels Offered: Doctorate Masters Baccalaureate X Associate X Other If part of a multi-institution system, name of system: N/A Type of Institution: X Comprehensive Specialized Health-centered Religious-based Native/Tribal Other (specify) Institutional control: X Public City County State Federal Tribal Private/Independent ( Non-profit For Profit) Institutional calendar: Quarter X Semester Trimester 4-1-4 Continuous Term Other (specify) Specialized/Programmatic accreditation: List program or school, degree level(s) and date of last accreditation by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. (Add additional pages if necessary.) Program or School Degree Level(s) Recognized Agency Date N/A N/A N/A N/A Revised February 2011 3 Dawson Community College, Year Seven Self-Evaluation Report Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Enrollment (Formula used to compute FTE: Total SCH /15) Official Fall 257.7 (most recent year) FTE Student Enrollments Current Year One Year Prior Two Years Prior Classification Dates: Fall 2014 Dates: Fall 2013 Dates: Fall 2012 Undergraduate 257.7 289.8 258.8 Graduate N/A Professional N/A Unclassified N/A Total all levels 257.7 289.8 258.8 Full-Time Unduplicated Headcount Enrollment. (Count students enrolled in credit courses only.) Official Fall 336 (most recent year) Student Headcount Enrollments Current Year One Year Prior Two Years Prior Classification Dates: Fall 2014 Dates: Fall 2013 Dates: Fall 2012 Undergraduate 336 377 312 Graduate N/A Professional N/A Unclassified N/A Total all levels 336 377 312 Numbers of Full-Time and Part-Time Instructional and Research Faculty & Staff and Numbers of Full-Time (only) Instructional and Research Faculty & Staff by Highest Degree Earned. Include only professional personnel who are primarily assigned to instruction or research. Total Number Number of Full Time (only) Faculty and Staff by Highest Degree Earned Full Part Less than Rank Associate Bachelor Masters Specialist Doctorate Time Time Associate Professor Associate Professor Assistant Professor Instructor 17 15 1 2 13 0 1 Lecturer and Teaching Assistant Research Staff and Research Assistant Undesignated Rank 4 Dawson Community College, Year Seven Self-Evaluation Report Mean Salaries and Mean Years of Service of Full-Time Instructional and Research Faculty and Staff. Include only full-time personnel with professional status who are primarily assigned to instruction or research. Rank Mean Salary Mean Years of Service Professor Associate Professor Assistant Professor Instructor $45,951.76 14.4