Glendale
Community College
NCA
Self-Study Report, January 2002
Chapter Five
Criterion One
|
The
institution has clear and publicly stated purposes consistent with its
mission and appropriate to an institution of higher education |
Glendale Community
College fulfills Criterion One.
This section reviews District and College Missions and examines their
relationships to institutional and community understanding of GCC’s
sincere intention to keep abreast of the changing needs of its students and
public to provide the most effective programs possible.
MCCCD Vision and Mission
The mission of the
ten-college/two Skill Centers Maricopa County Community College District
(MCCCD) was first adopted January 28, 1997, after a process that included
District-wide discussions through Strategic Conversations held by the Governing
Board.
MCCCD Vision
“The
Maricopa County Community Colleges strive to serve the changing needs of our
many communities for effective, innovative, student-centered, flexible, and
lifelong educational opportunities.
Our employees are committed to respecting diversity, continuous quality
improvement, and the efficient use of resources. We are a learning organization guided by our shared
values” (amended July 22, 1997).
MCCCD Mission
“The
Maricopa County Community Colleges create and continuously provide affordable,
accessible, effective, and safe learning environments for the lifelong
educational needs of the diverse communities we serve. Our colleges fulfill their mission through:
University Transfer Education, General Education, Developmental Education,
Workforce Development, Student Development Services, Continuing Education, and
Community Education” (amended July 27, 1999). The complete listing of the District’s vision, mission,
and values is available on the web at
http://www.dist.maricopa.edu/gvpolicy/policies/vismisval.pdf
GCC Vision and Mission Statements
The College
Vision and Mission and Purposes Statements have guided the College for many
years.
GCC Vision Statement
“Glendale
Community College will be an innovative educational provider of quality
lifelong learning experiences for all members of the community.”
GCC Mission and Purposes Statement
“The mission
of Glendale Community College (GCC) is to address the higher education needs of
its community. Through its diverse
programs and services, GCC assists students in meeting their educational goals.
“We fulfill
this mission as an institution of higher education by preparing students:
- To participate responsibly in a
culturally diverse, technological and global society
- To successfully transfer to colleges
and universities
- To secure employment and advancement
within chosen careers (General Catalog, 2001-02, p. 4).”
The Governing
Board formally approved GCC’s mission and purposes statement on October
23, 2001. Prior to the change in
Higher Learning Commission requirements, the Board did not formally approve
individual college mission statements.
Decision Making and the Mission
The Mission and
Purposes Statement has been adhered to in a methodical fashion. Over the past10years, the College has
reviewed and developed programs and services responsive to key words in the Mission
and Purposes Statement.
Key Word(s)
|
Examples of Programs or Services Directly
Responsive to Mission
|
|
“higher
education needs” |
·
UCC
at ASU West ·
GCC
North ·
Dual-Enrollment
Programs with feeder high schools ·
Articulation
agreements with surrounding colleges and universities ·
Continuing/credit
education for registered nurses ·
Honors
programs and organizations ·
University
Transfer Center ·
AZTEC
Program (for education majors) |
|
“assists
students” “assists
students” cont’d |
·
Advisement
Center ·
Testing
Center ·
Disability
Resources and Services ·
Veterans
Services ·
Student
Life Programs/Clubs and Activities ·
Math
Solution; Physics Assist; Chemistry Assist; Accounting Assist (specialized
faculty-led tutorial services) ·
Center
for Learning (tutorial center) ·
Life
101 Program/Counseling Department ·
Developmental
Education courses and services ·
Financial
Aid, Loans, and Scholarship programs ·
ACE
Plus (Achieve a College Education: high school, GCC and universities
partnership) ·
Children's
Center ·
GCC
101 “New Student Orientation”/Advisement Program ·
Mentoring
Program |
|
“culturally
diverse” |
·
Multicultural
Affairs Services ·
International
Students Program ·
International
Festival ·
Black
History Month ·
Hispanic
History Month ·
Native
American Program |
|
“technological
society” |
·
No
cost "universal access" to technology for all credit students ·
Instructional
Palette (word processing, spreadsheet, presentation software, e-mail, storage
on server) ·
Over
1,000 student computer workstations ·
High
Tech Centers open 110 hours per week ·
Support
for faculty and students using technology for learning ·
Staff
development/training opportunities, including the Desktop Project |
|
“global
society” |
·
Creation
of the International Students Program ·
Faculty
participation in teaching/trips to Southern China, Costa Rica, Mexico, and
Australia ·
International/technology-based
courses with partners in Australia, Hong Kong, and mainland China ·
GCC
faculty-led international student study trips |
|
“successfully
transfer” |
·
Arizona
General Education Curriculum agreements ·
Statewide
Articulation Task Forces ·
Transfer
data obtained from state universities via ASSIST data warehouse ·
Transfer
Center Services (ASU, UofA, NAU) ·
Course
Equivalency Guide ·
AzCAS |
|
“employment
and advancement” |
·
Career
Services and Placement Center ·
The
Maricopa Recruiter ·
The
Institute
(workshops and non-credit programs) ·
Ford
ASSET/GM ASEP, Daimler Chrysler, GM Training Centers ·
John
Deere training partnership ·
Extensive
IT training programs, certificate, and degree options ·
Fire
Academy · Police Academy |
Understanding of GCC’s
Vision and Mission and Purposes
The Vision and
Mission and Purposes Statements appear in the General Catalog, the Faculty Staff Handbook, and The Student Handbook.
These statements guide the work of various College committees and
councils and are taken into consideration as new programs and services emerge
and as assessment processes apply to continued student learning and
institutional effectiveness.
The key concepts
of the District and College missions are also integral to GCC’s planning
and budgeting processes, evidenced in the software the College developed and
now uses in its reallocation and budget-request processes. GCC Budget Development Committee,
Planning and Budget 2002-03 workbooks are available in the Resource Room.
Community Understanding of
GCC’s Vision and Mission and Purposes
Community members
can visit the GCC web site or pick up a catalog or schedule to read its
mission, but the most visible evidence of understanding the mission is the
support the community shows at the polls.
In 1994, 62% of the voters approved a $398 million bond issue, a repeat
of the successful 1984 bond vote.
The Governing Board is planning another bond initiative for Fall 2004.
Team Analysis
Team 1 conducted
an initial analysis of factors likely influencing areas of improvement and
their relationship to the measures of success, concluding that the current
mission has guided College operations well for many years. GCC’s strategic planning process
is underway and will use the findings of this Self-Study to develop a
“Futures Plan.” A
possible outcome of the self-study and strategic planning processes may be a
revision of the College Vision and Mission and Purposes Statements. In accordance with current College
practices, recommended revisions will be forwarded to the Governing Board for
approval.
Areas for Improvement
· Ensuring that the strategic planning
process currently underway addresses the vision, mission, and purposes in the
context of the District statements
· Strengthening the use of the vision,
mission, and purposes in the ongoing planning and budgeting processes
· Evaluating the institutional performance
processes that reflect the College’s vision and mission and purposes
Recommendations
· Strengthen the dissemination of GCC’s
vision and mission and purposes to the general community, to business and
industry, and to government entities through the newly created Office of
Community and Public Relations
· Expand communication mechanisms to the
various stakeholders, including print, web, and other appropriate media
· Forge strong linkages with the District
strategic-planning efforts, linking to their Vision and Mission and Purposes
Statements
Content Area Validation
Processes are in
place to ensure that the College’s vision, mission, and purposes remain
responsive to community needs and are appropriate for an institution of higher
education. On-going support of those statements is made
apparent through increased enrollment and public approval of College
initiatives.
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Last revised 1/8/02. Direct feedback to l.hawbaker@gcmail.maricopa.edu. See Legal Disclaimer.