Organization-wide Change Initiatives for Creating an Academic Master Plan

1. Organization-wide Change Initiatives for Creating an Academic Master Plan Dr. Frank Wetta and Dr. Daniel Duffy Ocean County College AAC&U�s Network for Academic Renewal Conference November 13, 2004

2. Objectives� To discuss organization-wide change initiatives creating an academic master plan and academic advising plan To outline, through a case-study approach, strategies for strengthening �Intentional Learner� outcomes of becoming empowered, informed, and responsible. To introduce an action research approach to describe the cycles of the change process.

3. Greater Expectations� Panel calls for higher education to help students become Intentional Learners who are: Empowered through the mastery of intellectual and practical skills, Informed by knowledge about the natural and social worlds and about forms of inquiry to these studies, and Responsible for their personal actions and for civic values.

4. Greater Expectations� Report called for college students to become Intentional Learners who can� Adapt to new environments, Integrate knowledge from different sources, and Continue learning throughout their lives.

5. Purpose of the Academic Master Plan� Guide faculty and administration as they seek to: Ensure that the academic mission, goals, and success strategies connect to OCC�s values, vision, mission, and strategic planning, Translate the college mission into effective programs, and Set priorities for the use of college resources.

6. The Academic Mission� Academic Affairs will provide an educational environment of distinction for the Intentional Learner. We commit ourselves to: Creating high quality instructional and cultural programs for a diverse population, Preparing students for a rewarding life, Developing informed and engaged citizens, and Encouraging lifelong learning and personal growth.

7. The Academic Goals� Academic Affairs, through the Academic Master Plan, seeks to create Intentional Learners... through the following goals: A. Provide a challenging, coherent, and integrated curriculum for both transfer and career students. B. Establish a shared commitment to high and meaningful educational and ethical standards for students, faculty, and administration.

8. The Academic Goals� Academic Affairs, through the Academic Master Plan, seeks to create Intentional Learners... through the following goals: C. Prepare students for success as they transfer to other educational institutions, or enter the workforce. D. Encourage lifelong learning. E. Develop a responsive culture based on assessment, review, and accountability.

9. The Academic Strategies� The Academic Strategies necessary to accomplish each goal are as follows: Goal A. Challenging, coherent and integrated curriculum� Develop required �College Experience� modules, Ensure continuing curriculum review, Initiate Writing across the Curriculum and Writing to Learn pilot programs, Promote experiential learning opportunities, Initiate reviews of mathematics and English programs, Enhance online course development and delivery, and Develop learning-focused budget priorities.

10. The Academic Strategies� The Academic Strategies necessary to accomplish each goal are as follows: Goal B. Establish shared commitment � Collaborate with public school administrators and faculty, Expand professional development activities, Develop a faculty-mentoring-faculty program, Initiate orientation and professional development programs for adjunct and new faculty, Nurture a culture of faculty professional development, Encourage, support, and recognize faculty and/or administrative technology initiatives, and Create a plan for academic leadership development.

11. The Academic Strategies� The Academic Strategies necessary to accomplish each goal are as follows: Goal C. Prepare students for success � Incorporate college-level reading, writing, speaking, research, and information literacy appropriate to the discipline in all courses, Create a coherent and effective system of academic advising for both full-time and part-time students, Review, systematize, and enhance the current procedures for awarding educational credit for prior life experience, Define basic student information technology competencies, and establish an information technology graduation requirement based on these competencies.

12. The Academic Strategies� The Academic Strategies necessary to accomplish each goal are as follows: Goal D. Encourage lifelong learning� Promote activities sponsored by the OCC Center for Peace, Genocide, and Holocaust Studies, and the Office of International Education.

13. The Academic Strategies� The Academic Strategies necessary to accomplish each goal are as follows: Goal E. Develop a Responsive Culture� Introduce various classroom assessment techniques, Establish a college-wide Faculty-Administrative Classroom Design Committee focusing on emerging classroom technologies, Develop a system for assessment of organizational effectiveness in Academic Affairs, Develop a comprehensive system to assess each strategy in the Academic Master Plan to ensure accountability and follow-up.

14. A Case Study�Improving the Academic Advising Process Plan, implement, and analyze an academic advising initiative, strengthening collaboration: The academic advising process encourages student interaction with faculty and administrators in the exploration of academic plans, clarification of educational requirements, and selection of suitable courses (Burton & Wellington, 1998; CAS, 1998; Grites & Gordon, 2000).

15. Action Research Approach to Cycles of Change Cycle I: Assess (Sept 2002-Dec 2002) Conducting Reconnaisance Engaging in an Organizational Scan Administering Noel-Levitz SSI and IPS Surveys

16. Action Research Approach to Cycles of Change Cycle II: Plan (Plan 2003-April 2003) Co-Chair Academic Advising Taskforce Creating Academic Advising Survey Administering Academic Advising Survey

17. Action Research Approach to Cycles of Change Cycle III: Act (May 2003-Sept 2003) Analyzing Quantitative and Qualitative Data Targeting Faculty and Adminstrator Follow Through Interventions Facilitating Academic Advising Task Force Priorities

18. Action Research Approach to Cycles of Change Cycle IV: Observe and Evaluate (Oct 2003-Dec 2003) Conducting and Analyzing Faculty Interviews Furthering Faculty Suggestions as Academic Advising Initiatives Developing Academic Advising Professional Development Program

19. Lessons Learned� Organization-wide change efforts require academic and student affairs collaboration from both the top-down and bottom-up, Action research methodology promotes individual and organizational change, A systematic approach to continuous improvement strengthens interdepartmental processes and enhances communication, and Discussion and sharing of knowledge can support learning and building relationships to facilitate improvement and change.

20. The Learning Students Need for the 21st Century� �Faculty across the country are beginning to adopt new practices that raise the level of student engagement, effort, and achievement.� Greater Expectations