Documentation to support change from research-based planning

A variety of research and data from both external agencies and internal analyses have affected significant change and continuous improvement efforts at Craven Community College in recent years.

An example of the use of research and data from external sources is the North Carolina Community College Critical Success Factors, a system of performance measurement tied to performance-based funding for all 58 colleges in the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS).  The system has, as a critical success factor, a requirement that all curriculum-degree programs have an average of 10 enrolled students over a three-year period. Other critical success factors impacting curriculum-degree programs include student pass rates on licensure exams, student subsequent progress after developmental courses as well as within developmental courses and basic skills programs, retention rates from fall of one year to fall of the next, and performance of transfer students at the university-level.

Beginning with the 2001-02 NCCCS report, Craven has been designated a Superior Performing College, one of 11 out of the state's 58 community colleges to have achieved the measure for five straight years. Craven has met the state requirement for at least five of six measures tied to funding and 10 of 12 total critical success factors.  In 2002, Craven developed an action plan to deal with four measures (two were not met; two showed significant improvement and thus fulfilled the 10 of 12 requirement for Superior Performing).  Later in that academic year, to support informed change from the data, the Board of Trustees approved a biennial objective for the college to "meet or exceed legislative mandated Performance Measures and take active steps to monitor and enhance performance toward those measures."  Examples of performance on standards that prompted college actions include:

1. 2001-02 data:  Developmental students did not achieve the state average success rate in subsequent classes.

Change:  Developmental studies instructors began giving the ASSET placement test as a post-test in their classes to measure whether students were meeting course-entry requirements for the next level of study. (Note, the developmental program became a Bellwether finalist in 2003 for their efforts to develop workplace skills in developmental studies, and the Dean was named National Developmental Educator of the Year in 2006).

2. 2001-02 data:  Program enrollment in real estate, industrial maintenance technology, and auto body repair fell below the 10-student average.

Change:  As a result of research-based planning fostered by this measure, and recommendations from an invited Program Review by the Academic and Student Services Programs staff of the North Carolina Community College System Office, short-term measures were initiated to market and improve the quality of instruction in the real estate program.  Ultimately, a decision was made in 2003 to move the program from certificate-level to a continuing education series of courses to prepare individuals to take the real estate exam. This decision was affirmed by continuing declining enrollment in the program.

Auto body repair enrollment rebounded with the targeted use of high demand/low enrollment scholarship funds from the NCCCS assistance program. 2003-05 and 2005-07 goals to upgrade the program have been somewhat successful as indicated.  However, with continued low enrollment, the program remains a major college focus which is why it will be among the first to undergo the new program review process in 2007.

Industrial maintenance technology (now industrial systems) enrollment also has exceeded the 10-student measure for the past five years. However, the program continues to have students who change their degree intention to General Occupational Technology to meet employment requirements of the college's major industrial employer, the Naval Air Depot at Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station.

3. 2001-02 data:  College transfer students, while showing significant improvement over prior-year measures, did not have a sufficient percentage scoring a 2.0 or higher at the University of North Carolina system schools after transfer as associate degree graduates or students with at least 24 hours' credit from CCC.

Change:  Based on concerns over transfer student performance and a task force initiative led by the new president upon his arrival, the college began in 2002-03 placing increased emphasis on transfer advising.  This included the creation of a College Transfer Advising Center on campus and the addition of a part-time Advising Center Coordinator.  While the 2002 student performance was one of the catalysts behind the creation of the advising center, it is difficult to determine if these efforts had true impact on scores of college transfer students. College transfer scores have improved three out of the four past years, and Craven was the only college in the North Carolina Community College System to achieve a 100% score on the most recent measure for the percentage of graduates scoring greater than a 2.0 at a UNC System institution.

4. 2001-02 data:  Curriculum student retention and graduation did not meet the state average in 2002, although Craven again showed significant improvement from the prior year.

Change:  Catalyzed by this Critical Success Factors data as well as recommendations from the 2002 Program Analysis by North Carolina Community College System staff, retention has been a focus of the Student Services staff since 2002. As an example, one of the 2003-05 enhancement goals for Student Services led to the creation of the Student Telecounseling and Recruitment Specialists.  As indicated in the initiative proposal, " telecounseling is. . .a valuable retention tool in contacting those students who do not have time for on-campus activities, counseling, and advising."

Based on NCCCS programs staff recommendations from a Curriculum Program Analysis provided to the college, Craven emphasized both correct coding of student's program areas and the creation of shorter goal-completion steps (i.e. certificates) to increase completion points for students by adding certificates and diplomas to associate degree courses. A biennial objective for the college as part of its 2003-2005 Strategic Plan emphasized "development of competency-based training programs" and access to "occupational and certification assessment."  Several program units responded to this overall college objective by proposing and creating certificate programs as part of their unit enhancement goals for the period (Accounting; Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration; Auto Body; Automotive Systems; Criminal Justice,; Electrical, Electronics, Computer Engineering, Industrial Systems Technology; Information Systems; Machining;, and Welding).  Based on increased emphasis on certificate programs in a number of applied program areas, Craven's certificate enrollment increased 7.5 percent from 2004-05 to 2005-06; and completions increased 7 percent from 2005 to 2006. The emphasis on increasing certificates was also a concern from Craven's IPEDS reporting, which shows a very low percentage of completers.

5. 2003-04 data: Although Craven students averaged acceptable pass rates for Critical Success Factor reporting, the Associate Degree Nursing class did post a 74 percent overall pass rate.

Change: Craven nursing faculty underwent a program review and determined to change admissions policies to rank order students based on entrance test scores, rather than accept them on a first-come, first-served basis. Faculty added NCLEX simulations to the nursing lab and encouraged students to take practice tests. In 2005, Craven had an 86 percent pass rate on the ADN exam.

[Note: Craven has had two incidences of "below-70" average scores on certifying tests for non-credit programs: EMT (2002-03) and real estate (2004-05). The EMT program now has a high school diploma or equivalency or ninth grade reading pre-entry requirement and college standards require students to average 80 percent on all tests before taking the certifying exam. The real estate program is also adopting the 80-percent cutoff score for all in-course tests as a prerequisite for students' sitting for the state exam.]

Internal analyses have further guided significant change at Craven Community College, particularly since 2002.  Much of this change was catalyzed by the organizational scan undertaken by new President Scott Ralls in 2002, and the work of college task forces to prompt change (See Planning History).  The changes have been further guided, reinforced, and monitored through data from the college's Services Review surveys. Results of some of these changes are reflected in the services review data from 2003 to 2005.

For example, the college has increased its marketing budget fourfold since the arrival of President Ralls in 2002. Services review scores indicate that more students and staff believe the college is adequately marketed (Spring 2005 data show an increase in dissatisfaction, but most television and radio advertising occurs in the sumer prior to fall enrollment periods.) Two marketing surveys were conducted in fall 2002 and spring 2004 to help the college choose media for advertisement placement. In addition,  the college has been attempting to make the Web page more dynamic, particularly in the past 15 months. The fall 2006 Services Review Survey will directly address aspects of the Web page to determine if students are more satisfied with the Web page.

The off-site committee commented on the college's change of the bookstore based on services review data. Service Reviews in recent years have consistently shown greater student dissatisfaction in three specific areas:  the bookstore, parking and security.  The college has made significant efforts to address these issues including building new parking lots during each of the past two years on both Havelock and New Bern campuses and changing its security/policing strategy.

Changes with respect to privatization of the bookstore have been driven by two main factors, a primary one being financial concerns associated with the costs of equipping and financing a new bookstore on campus, and the second being significant student concerns regarding book and food service provided at the college. During the discussions regarding changes to the bookstore, negotiations were very much influenced by student concerns expressed during student focus groups and indicated in Service Reviews.  One issue dealt with the lack of food service on campus, and as a result, the College negotiated a unique arrangement with the bookstore contractor that allowed for continuation of the provision of food service through the bookstore for students.  Responding to student concerns, continual food service upgrades from a canteen-like snack bar in 2002 to vending machines to hot food in the bookstore have caused a gradual increase in student satisfaction. As indicated by data from the Services Review, dissatisfaction scores dropped from 32 percent to 26.1 percent to 23.7 percent.

Secondly, the college was keenly aware of student concerns regarding the continued rising cost of textbooks, and as such was influenced in its decision to contract to an outside company by the fact that the contracting company had a much higher used to new book ratio (35%:65%) than available through a college operated store.  Estimates provided suggested that students would be able to achieve approximately $134,000 in savings over the three-year period due to the greater availability of used books, thus providing one avenue for addressing significant student concerns.  Transition to the new bookstore was difficult, with a lack of preparedness by the contractor to provide initial technology, thus significantly affecting service and student satisfaction expressed in the most recent fall Services Review.  Attention will be paid to this year's Services Review to see if these concerns have been addressed.

Selected services review responses from service areas in which dissatisfaction rates were higher than 10 percent for 2005 are attached for further review. Several of these areas of concern are already being addressed.  For example, the college has added a full-time person in the distance education area to help both students and instructors. The 2006 survey will be adjusted to reflect changes suggested in a summer 2006 brainstorming.

Strategic Change Driven by Research-based Planning

Significant strategic changes have taken place at Craven Community College since 2002 and research-based planning has been a cornerstone for much of the change.  Two primary examples have been the impact on the college organizational structure, and the program emphasis on new health care programs

College Organizational Structure

Data/Analysis:   In early 2003, President Ralls requested that the Management Section of North Carolina's Office of State Budget and Management conduct a Management Review of Craven Community College.  The review encompassed significant data gathering and research that encompassed extensive review of data and resources including, but not limited to:  past financial statements; NCCCS statistical, financial, critical success factors, and planning reports; fiscal policy and procedures; internal reports and forms; employee resource allocations sheets completed by all management and staff at the college; interviews with staff, on-the-job observation, and analysis of various data.

As part of the research analysis, the Management Review used normative comparisons with similar North Carolina community college institutions, and these research comparisons served as guideposts for indicating areas of attention for the college in pursuit of a new organizational structure.  For example, the report indicated that "the area of spending that would appear to present the greatest challenge is the low per FTE spending on the instruction purpose versus the higher levels on academic and institutional support."

Response:  The report provided by the Office of State Budget and Management indicated that the college was implementing organizational changes that "would help in addressing the issues identified in the previous section," and identified several additional organizational issue areas with specific recommendations.  The college has used these recommendations as a guide for planning its significant organizational changes including the reorganization of the college's Information Technology Services under the Office of the President to emphasize the "strategic importance of information technology," and delivery of services including a recent reorganization of the Word Processing Unit.

Specific attention has been paid to the "greatest challenge" presented by the report and the corresponding recommendation to eliminate levels of management and increase expenditures on instruction.  This data-driven research was the catalyst for an overall college biennial objective, approved by the Board of Trustees as part of the Accountability/Budget Management strategic goal, contained in the 2003-2005 Strategic Plan: "Restructure the College organizationally to promote efficiencies in administration to allow hiring of additional instructional faculty with a particular emphasis on full-time faculty."

Results:  Targeted efforts at the college have led to significant restructuring of positions and resources to address the challenge and recommendations from the Management Review.  Levels of management have been significantly reduced including the following:

• The number of Vice Presidents has been reduced from three to two.
• The number of Associate Vice Presidents have increased from two to three, reflecting a change of the chief student services officer from a Vice President to an Associate Vice President position reporting to the Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer.
• The number of Dean positions at the college have been reduced by 50% from a high of eight in 2002 to four under the current organizational structure, with academic deans assuming responsibilities for workforce continuing education programs in addition to curriculum-degree programs.  A "Dean-level" Executive Director of Development and Outreach position was added to the organizational structure to oversee the college efforts in development (Foundations) and outreach programs (Lifetime Learning, Public Radio).
• Both Associate Dean positions were eliminated and new positions were created at lower classifications to address their programs.

Simultaneous with the reduction in management (non-instructional positions), the college significantly increased the number of full-time instructional positions as was recommended in the Management Review and then reflected in the College biennial objective.  In one year alone during the biennium period, the number of full-time faculty employed by the college increased by 19% (62 to 74).  This deliberate effort, based on research-based planning and organizational goal setting, stands in contrast to previous growth in full-time instructional resources at the college.  Craven Community College Fact Book information for the period from 1999 to 2002 shows that the percentage of full-time faculty out of all employees maintained around 36 percent (between 58 and 62 curriculum instructors and three continuing education instructors) during the pre-2002 period.  Today, while the current North Carolina Community College state percentage of employees who are full-time faculty is at 44 percent, roughly half a percentage point higher than in 2002-03, Craven Community College now has 41.5 percent of its full-time employees teaching full-time versus 35.8 percent in 2002-03.

Health Care Program Emphasis

Data/Analysis:  A strategic new emphasis for the college to foster additional health care programs was heavily based on data indicating the continuing growth of the New Bern region as a health care hub for Eastern North Carolina, and bolstered by its destination as a growing retirement center.  Initial concerns of the health care community regarding their workforce development needs were made aware to President Ralls, prior to his assuming the role of President of Craven Community College, based on correspondence between the Vice President of Human Resources from Craven Regional Medical Center and the Associate Vice President for Planning and Research for the North Carolina Community College System that included data regarding job vacancies.

The lack of breadth in health care programs at Craven Community College, relative to the needs of our service area and the growth of such programs at neighboring institutions with fewer health care jobs, was clearly evident to staff and employees at Craven Community College as indicated by President Ralls' internal surveys/interviews.  The need for new programs, particularly in health care programs, was the third most mentioned issue facing the college according to Dr. Ralls' analysis based on survey and interview sessions with staff. Example comments included the following two representative statements:

• We need to ask the community what they need, but my gut reaction is that we need more medical programs.  I thought this when I arrived in 1985.
• I believe we need some new programs, especially in the medical fields.  We have more requests for these than most anything else.

The workforce data, and the staff responses, was bolstered by the research-based Program Analysis conducted by the NCCCS programs staff.  Looking at the college service area's workforce demographics and trends from an external perspective, along with health program offerings compared to similar colleges, they made a key recommendation to broaden health care offerings.  Knowing the challenges faced in finding additional clinical sites given the use of county health organizations as clinical space by neighboring colleges, they even recommended the college look into pursuing two specific programs, surgical technology and central sterile processing.

Response:  The need for new health care programs was a general concern by the Board of Trustees, and they enthusiastically included a college objective to plan for new academic programs "with particular emphasis given to fostering collaboration and resources necessary for enhanced program offerings in health care.

Building off of the work of a previous New Programs Task Force, a  subcommittee of a New Programs Committee that included the President, Dean of Service Technologies, Director of the Nursing Program, and Director of Planning met with major health employers in the community to determine their anticipated workforce development needs.  Particular attention was given to the largest health employer in the region, Craven Regional Medical Center.  Based on collaborative exploration and data available, the College set priority targets for program expansions and potential new programs that included:  expansion of the current nursing program (identified by Craven Regional Medical Center as their priority need), radiography, surgical technology, central sterile processing, and medical assisting.

The N.C. Community College System (NCCCS) requires that community colleges scan potential student demand and workforce needs prior to beginning a new program.  Efforts were initiated to plan for two new programs, surgical technology and central sterile processing, using this data-driven framework.  Neither program has yet been implemented due to judgments that the local job base has yet reached the threshold for supporting new programs.  In addition, the college aggressively pursued a collaboration arrangement with a neighboring community college to support radiography needs, but these efforts were temporarily halted due to the lack of additional available clinical sites in the area.

Two specific efforts have been very successful in fostering new health care program opportunities:  nursing expansion and medical assisting.

Nursing Expansion:  Based on the 2003-2005 Strategic Planning process, the nursing program set a goal to continue with a second entry point in summer (nurses typically begin the five-semester program in the fall). The college was approved by the North Carolina Board of Nursing to expand its nursing program by approximately 40%, and the first summer-starting class of Associate Degree Nurses from Craven Community College graduated in December 2004.

Medical Assisting:  Community scans indicated a need for at least 10 medical assistants in Craven County as well as student demand for the program, both within the college and from the high schools.  The initiation of a medical assisting program was a goal of the health programs area for the 2003-2005 Strategic Planning Period, was approved in 2004 for 2005 startup and was successful, with a starting enrollment of 41 students.

Results:

Since 2002-2003 when initial data gathering, community scanning and college planning began, the nursing program at Craven Community College has been significantly expanded to the point where it is now the eighth largest community college nursing program in the state, and the Medical Assisting program was added to the College's curriculum degree programs.  As a result, enrollment in health care programs has been one of the highest growth areas for the college, growing by 41 percent since the 2002-2003 period.

Part IIa - Documentation to support change from research-based planning

Part IIb - Institution-wide Planning

Part III - Services and Program Review Processes

Part IV - A history of planning and data-driven decision making

Part VI - Future direction of planning and assessment

Back to Focused Report CR2.5