Please submit your ideas for MCC's strategic priorities for the next three years related to the Core Principle of "Accessibility" by posting a comment below.
Accessibility - To provide learning opportunities and supportive services that meet the needs of our diverse population
The use of the benchmark survey (presented at the opening meeting, SP10 semester) might give us an idea of how to anticipate the needs of our diverse population.
ReplyDeleteAs a noble goal under the accessibility core principle, I think for every course offered, we should increase the number of seats until we meet or exceed the student demand. Some of our courses are inaccessible because they fill so rapidly.
ReplyDeleteProvide flexible access to instruction, services and resources.
ReplyDeleteImprove access to special needs testing for returning adult students
ReplyDeleteIncrease availability of Children's Learning Center (i.e. additional hours, services for additional ages, etc.)
ReplyDeleteNeed for additional space with growing enrollment and increased demand for services and programs
ReplyDeleteMore personnel in student services to support growing enrollment (i.e. additional counseling services).
ReplyDeleteNeed for full-time reading specialist (full-time faculty member).
ReplyDeleteMore scheduling options (short-courses), blended (hybrid, online), etc.
ReplyDeleteAdditional student workers to serve as peer-tutors (cost-free to students).
ReplyDeleteAdditional tutors in Sage Learning Center (including additional subjects) as well as Saturday hours.
ReplyDeleteAdditional support staff in academic areas to help with student questions and inquiries.
ReplyDeleteProvide opportunities to excel in classes to serve as tutors ("pay" for services with credit hour waivers).
ReplyDeleteProvide diverse DE opportunities (don't get rid of telecourses, but work to improve them - including the adminstrative end).
ReplyDeleteProvide faculty with the ability to post grades directly on-line.
ReplyDeleteProvide classrooms and laboratory space that meet ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) rules and guidelines.
ReplyDeleteWe need to use more online resources and move toward less reliance on textbooks in order to make content more current, engagning, and affordable.
ReplyDeleteTelecourses need to include interaction and therefore a schedule (not self-paced) -- need to be supplemented with ANGEL and therefore hybrid.
ReplyDeleteFor Distance Education, I think there needs to be more to the orientation process to truly prepare students for the online/hybrid/telecourse experience. Most students don't seem to fully realize what they are getting themselves into.
ReplyDeleteCourse offerings should not be limited by parking, if a certain time of day is popular and we are limiting the classes due to parking are we not limiting access to classes when student want to take them.
ReplyDeleteServe as a central focal point to enhance the district's economic development
ReplyDeleteSupport the success of students that place in developmental courses
ReplyDeleteActively support the transition of students who complete Adult Education and ESL programs into credit programs.
ReplyDeleteIncrease recruitment and retention of minority students so that the percentage of minority students and graduates is at least as high as the percentage of minority residents in our county.
ReplyDeleteWork with district high schools so that fewer students place into developmental courses. High school curricula could/should be aligned with college curricula. Furthermore, work with guidance counselors so that students are encouraged to take math in their senior year of high school, particularly if they are planning to come to MCC.
ReplyDeleteDevelop programs in support of students with disabilities. This could include an expansion of Special Needs services, but could also be broader (students with autism, physical disabilities, etc.)
ReplyDeleteI agree that we need to evaluate the way we offer courses, start dates and delivery options, in order to accomodate the students we serve. It is unfair to expect our students to adhere to a strict calendar when their lives can be in such turmoil and upredictable. Offering late start options, programs where classes are done in 8-10 week formats, and other flexible options would better serve the working students, adult students, and other students who take coursework with us as fill-in for the other programs they might be enrolled in elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteEd Hall, former AVP of Buildings & Grounds, had one simple policy: NEVER ALLOW YOURSELF TO SAY "THAT'S NOT MY JOB". Ultimately, his mission was about service; service to his Dept., service to his fellow colleauges, and above all service to the students.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as we disallow ourselves the opportunity to serve the needs of the internal & external communities, we separate ourselves with a pre-conceived notion of what our job is supposed to entail. Usually, this notion either proves to be wrong, or exhibits a virulent or uncooperative attitude.
In my mind, MCC has an excellent variety of staff & student services, groups, and facilities to meet their ever-changing needs. This is not to say that we have everything our students & staff would want to meet their personal and professional goals. However, it's my feeling that it has much more to do with whether or not they are informed of such services, etc. That said, we should make an extra effort (even if it takes a little time out of our day) to be helpful, courteous, and responsible stewards for the MCC community-- and if you can't help the person in front of you, show them personally to someone who can.
Do we have an internal review board for evaulating/introducing such services/programs? If not, it might be worthwhile to put one together that would include Student Services, Public Relations, Multi-Cultural Affairs, and perhaps Career Services.
I agree with the ideas above that we should work proactively with our local high schools to help ensure that students are ready for college-level work when they finish high school.
ReplyDeleteWe should also look at ways to optimize our accessibility for nontraditional students, both in terms of scheduling (including distance ed options) and in terms of 'refresher' courses to help them with skills that may have just gotten rusty.
Cafeteria hours and staffing should be expanded to enable a decent meal for those students, faculty, and staff here in the later afternoon and early evening. As it is now, junk food from the snack bar or picked-over soup or salad are the only choices later in the day. They have been understaffed in the cafeteria for several years now ... yet enrollment continues to go up.
ReplyDeleteIncrease the number of science laboratories and lecture halls available. Currently the labs are outdated and their are not enough lecture halls to hold large classes of students.
ReplyDeleteExpand nursing program by taking in an additional cohort of 27 students in January of each year.
ReplyDelete