Annual Partnership Report 2007 WYOMING COMMUNITY COLLEGE COMMISSION 2020 CAREY AVENUE, 8TH FLOOR CHEYENNE, WYOMING 82002 (307) 777-7763 www.communitycolleges.wy.edu Casper College • Central Wyoming College • Eastern Wyoming College • Laramie County Community College Northwest College • Northern Wyoming Community College District • Western Wyoming Community College EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Annual Partnership Report catalogs all partnerships that Wyoming community colleges established and maintained for each fiscal year. Each community college maintains numerous partnerships for the development and provision of academic, occupational-technical, workforce development, and enrichment educational programs. These partnerships assist the colleges in meeting the higher educational needs of Wyoming’s citizens and communities. In 2007, Wyoming community colleges partnered with many public and private firms, educational institutions, and state agencies. These diverse partnerships were cultivated in all areas of community college education including: remedial education, adult basic education (ABE), English as a second language (ESL), business, health sciences, fine arts, technical education, workforce training, education, language arts, social sciences, physical sciences, biological sciences, family skills/studies, personal enrichment and leadership studies. The information provided in this report indicates that the partnerships initiated and maintained by the seven community colleges, the University of Wyoming, and the Wyoming Community College Commission are relevant to the educational programs offered at each institution. This information also indicates that these programs are beneficial to students, staff, faculty, and community stakeholders in each respective community college service area. ~ Wyoming Community College Commission Partnership Report~ 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION NAME PAGE Community College Partnerships with the University of Wyoming 4 Casper College Partnerships 7 Central Wyoming College Partnerships 31 Eastern Wyoming College Partnerships 47 Laramie County Community College Partnerships 56 Northwest College Partnerships 89 Northern Wyoming Community College District Partnerships 122 Western Wyoming Community College Partnerships 136 Wyoming Community College Commission Partnerships 146 Published March 2008 Contact: Nicole Novotny, Policy Analyst Wyoming Community College Commission 2020 Carey Avenue, 8th Floor Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002 (307) 777-7763 www.communitycolleges.wy.edu ~Table of Contents~ 3 UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING Wyoming’s seven community colleges are engaged in several different types of partnerships with the state's only four-year institution, the University of Wyoming (UW). The community colleges and UW have positive and highly effective relationships with each other making a strong voice for Wyoming higher education. A few of the partnerships between Wyoming community colleges and the University of Wyoming: Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) Degree: In collaboration with all seven Wyoming community colleges and the Wyoming Community College Commission, UW developed and launched a new baccalaureate degree track designed specifically for students holding an Associates of Applied Science (AAS) degree with some experience in the workforce. The BAS was designed to provide qualified students additional career opportunities provided both through breadth from general education essential to the baccalaureate and depth in organizational leadership and management from upper division UW courses. The BAS is delivered by the UW Outreach School through Online UW, making it available statewide and beyond. Libraries at UW and the Community Colleges: The college and university libraries collaborate to form a critical network for teaching, learning, and research within Wyoming. UW Libraries work closely with the community college libraries to provide local support for UW students throughout Wyoming. The academic libraries also cooperate in joint purchasing of academic resources and share collections with all Wyoming libraries stretching Wyoming funding among the academics and sharing resources with public and school libraries. The academic librarians annually meet to assess their efforts in providing information for university and college students. College of Business at UW and the Community Colleges: The Student Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants has initiated a program to invite LCCC— Laramie students to all its educational meetings. Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative: As a result of a grant from the Daniels Fund, the Bill Daniels Distinguished Professor of Business Ethics has collaborated with the state’s seven community colleges to increase the amount of business ethics education in the state and has made available resources to help with teaching ethics, including classroom teaching by the Daniels Professor. The initiative has also awarded grants to faculty at the community colleges to develop teaching modules for ethics. The initiative provides a yearly Teaching Business Ethics Workshop for both community college faculty and University faculty, and is in the process of reaching articulation agreements for business ethics courses. Birth to Five Early Childhood Endorsement Program: The Departments of Elementary and Early Childhood Education, Family and Consumer Sciences, and early childhood community college faculty at all seven sites collaborated to develop and deliver a Birth to Five Early Childhood Endorsement Program to address a statewide need for certified pre-school teachers. ~ Wyoming Community College Commission Partnership Report~ 4 Distance Delivery of Elementary Education Program: A partnership involving the UW College of Education, the UW Outreach School and the Wyoming community colleges has resulted in a pilot program to deliver the final two years of the elementary education degree throughout the state using distance delivery options and the community colleges as regional support centers. The community colleges deliver the first two years of the program. The new cohort-based program, set to launch in the fall 2008 semester, is a direct response to ongoing requests by community college personnel and site-bound students interested in earning an education degree from UW. Graduates of the three- year pilot program will earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education. They also will have an opportunity to complete an endorsement in early childhood through a six-hour internship at the conclusion of the elementary education program. University of Wyoming/Casper College Center (UW/CC): Casper College, BOCES, the Outreach School, and UW are engaged in a unique partnership that allows students in central Wyoming to pursue four-year degrees in a traditional classroom setting. Three complete undergraduate education degree programs are offered at UW/CC: elementary education, secondary technical education, and secondary biology education. UW/CC and UW faculty from the College of Education are housed on the Casper College campus, which helps ensure that the educational experience for students who move from the community college setting to UW/CC is seamless. UW has permanent, full-time faculty on campus working closely with their counter-parts at Casper College. The partnership was further expanded for the College of Education programs in 2006-07 with a formal Partner School agreement with Natrona County School District #1 to facilitate concentrated field placements for student teachers. In addition, complete graduate degree programs are available in school counseling and mental health counseling at UW/CC. Department of Counselor Education faculty members offer weekend courses for these nationally accredited, Master of Science programs. The fifth cohort of 24 students will graduate May 2008 with the new cohort of selected students beginning the three- year program fall 2008. Transfer Student Recruitment: In addition to a coordinated recruiting tour around Wyoming every fall and coordinated colleges fairs, the community colleges assist UW in their recruiting of transfer students by hosting UW recruiters on the community college campuses. The recruiters have open information sessions with students interested in transferring to UW. UW also hosts Transfer Orientations on the UW campus that draw high participation from Wyoming community college transfer students planning to attend UW. UW faculty also recruit by speaking to community college classes. Wyoming Planning Days: Wyoming Admissions Officers Organization, which is made up of UW and community college admissions people also coordinates Wyoming Planning Days which is the three week series of college fairs that are held for high school students throughout the state in late September and early October. As part of the Planning Days program, a booklet is distributed to students at all Wyoming high schools that promotes college options, college preparation, and various financial aid and scholarship opportunities Building the College Pipeline: Community college and UW Admissions representatives, along with UW Outreach staff, have worked collaboratively to ~ Wyoming Community College Commission Partnership Report~ 5 coordinate programming aimed at promoting college options and accessibility to high school and non-traditional students. One significant project has been planning for a web- based portal on planning for college. The UW Alumni Association offers one new Wyoming community college transfer student scholarship per year, for two years at a value of