Surry Community College - Distance Education

Objective 3: Reform Organizational Culture

Narrative

The College will cultivate an organizational culture in which policies, programs, practices, and personnel support learning as the major priority.

Since the entire institution bears the responsibility of becoming a learning college, the Enhancing Systems and Processes Team met on January 21, 2003, to discuss how information could be gathered from faculty and staff to improve systems and processes with the goal of enhancing learning. The group decided to organize informal forums to gather information from faculty and staff. The ESP Team organized and facilitated these forums.

The forums were mandatory for all faculty and staff and were held the week of February 4, 2003. Sessions were offered Monday through Thursday afternoons 2:00 to 4:00. Opening remarks were given by Dr. Steve Atkins to introduce the QEP and the Learning Initiative; heterogeneous groups of four to six were formed for informal brainstorming sessions.

Each small group was asked to offer strengths and challenges in three major areas of the college: Processes, Programs, and Policies. Participants were asked to think about how current processes, programs, and policies hindered or enhanced learning. Open-ended topics were suggested as cues in each area. After this discussion, each group presented its list of strengths and challenges to the group at-large.

The data was collected, organized, and distributed to members of the ESP Team on February 26, 2003. The Team met in early March to summarize the findings. Meeting regularly throughout the spring semester, the Team analyzed the data and made its official recommendations to CISL on June 5, 2003.

The ESP Team organized forum data into the following areas of concern:

Discipline
Attendance
Student Scholarships
Drop-Add Policies
Grading Policies
Placement Testing, Orientation, and Advising
Wellness
Secretarial Support
Technological Support
Special Needs Population
Orientation/Mentoring of New Faculty
Safety
Special Events
Continuing Ed
Student Activity Fees
Academic Calendar

On June, 29, 2003, the CISL met to discuss the first two categories: Discipline and Attendance. Throughout the fall, CISL continued discussing the ESP recommendations, concluding at their October meeting. CISL’s actions were presented to the College in issues of The Exchange, November, 2003, through February, 2004.

As a result of CISL discussions, two sub-committees were formed as part of the ESP Team: Calendar Committee and Sub-committee on Cheating and Plagiarism. The Calendar Committee was asked to develop an ideal academic calendar devoted to enhancing student learning, and the Sub-committee on Cheating and Plagiarism was asked to create a more comprehensive definition of cheating and plagiarism as well as clearly outline faculty and student responsibilities

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Table Summary

Expected Outcomes	SCC Progress to Date
The College will conduct a thorough assessment of its organizational culture and determine features that support or hinder the move to become a more learning-centered institution.	February, 2003: Faculty and staff forums held to discuss processes, programs, and policies that support or hinder student learning. March-June, 2003: ESP Team analyzes data and reported recommendations to CISL. June-October, 2003: CISL discusses ESP recommendations; two sub-committees established. November, 2003-February, 2004: ESP chair reports results to the college via the QEP newsletter, The Exchange.
College leaders, both academic and administrative, will symbolically and substantively demonstrate support of learning-centered initiatives.	August 11, 2003: In a mandatory college-wide meeting, Dr. Sells comments on the SCC Learning Initiative, stating, “I believe the learning college journey is the right thing to do—even without SACS to push us.” In his remarks, Dr. Sells clearly affirms his support for the Quality Enhancement Plan.
The College will revise academic policies (e.g., late registration, admission deadlines, attendance, probation, and suspension) to reflect priorities placed on learning.	In Progress: Spring, 2003: Ad hoc committee is formed from early ESP focus group results to focus on improving advising and registration processes and policies. In Summer, 2003, a new-student orientation is held with strong faculty involvement. In 2004, the committee continues its work on shaping a "first-year experience" program for SCC, meeting with ASU representatives in February. Fall, 2003: Calendar revisions that enhance student learning are proposed: College-wide plagiarism policy emphasizing student learning drafted. November, 2003: Instructional Deans are asked to investigate the use of “W,” “D,” and “I” on attendance forms and final grade sheets. February, 2004: Steering Committee on Attendance is formed to investigate attendance policies and recommend changes.
The College will create decision-making structures to ensure involvement of all key stakeholders.	No action has been taken.
The College will create plans and implement practices to involve all appropriate stakeholders in facilitating learning.	October, 2003: Vice-President for Instruction presents a QEP overview and shared progress to-date at a meeting for College trustees. February, 2004: Student representatives attend their first SCC Roundtable. February. 2004: Plans are underway for inviting trustees to SCC Roundtables. March, 2004: College faculty share critical thinking projects in a poster session; the session is followed by a faculty meeting in which business leaders and a UNC representative explain the kind of employees and transfer students they hire/accept. College trustees, local media, and community college administrators attend the meeetings.
The College will revise the language in all appropriate documents (e.g., mission statements, program descriptions, job descriptions) to reflect the new emphasis on learning.	Spring, 2003: Sections of the College Catalog are revised to include references to the learning college model and SCC’s Learning Initiative; approved by Academic Council in April, 2003. See the following: “Learning College Philosophy” on page 13, “General Education Competency Requirements for All Degrees” on pages 33-35, “Learning Communities” on page 39. Spring, 2004: Revisions of “Students’ Rights & Responsibilities” and “Cheating and Plagiarism Policy” are revised for College Catalog to reflect the learning college focus; are presented to Academic Council.

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