QEP Findings

The quality enhancement planning process is moving right along. As you know, there have been many analyses to establish a baseline for the College's QEP. The resulting ideas were consolidated and five focus groups (people, places, policies, programs, processes) prepared recommendations for the Quality Enhancement Team (QET). The QET reviewed the recommendations and studied all other data and findings. The following conclusions form the basis for the College's Quality Enhancement Plan:

• 1. "Comfort" items, including food offerings, parking, designated smoking and non-smoking areas, cleanliness/maintenance of bathrooms and buildings, and places to gather and study, while important issues, should be referred to the President's Council for further study and action, rather than be included in the QEP.
• 2. Since "Educational and Career Advisement" is a college-wide activity, each person needs quick and easy access to current, correct and reliable information.
• 3. In order to achieve our mission, A-B Tech employees must cordially summon students and each other to success through our People, Places, Programs, Policies and Processes.
• 4. To become a true "Invitational College," A-B Tech must provide structured invitational education training to all employees.
• 5. A-B Tech must improve the capabilities and knowledge of its academic advisors.
• 6. A-B Tech must make the advising and registration process easier for its students.
• 7. For students to be successful, they must know where to go and whom to see. Therefore, A-B Tech must clearly identify the location of its roads, buildings, departments and employees.
• 8. A-B Tech must empower its part-time instructors through information and training, so that they may become fully effective in their positions.

College-Wide Quality Enhancement Plan

The following strategic initiatives and tactical objectives are still subject to refining; however, they have been approved by the SACS Leadership Team and the President's Council as reflecting the essence of the College's QEP for July 2004 - June 2007. The next important step is the development of annual quality enhancement objectives by the College's planning groups. The action plans for these objectives will be implemented during the 2004/2005 fiscal year.

Strategic Initiative:

1. In order to assist students in making sound educational decisions, A-B Tech will develop and institute a process to ensure that they have timely and easy access to correct and updated information.

• a. Improve A-B Tech's website so that it contains complete, current and accurate information for prospective and current students in order that their questions may be answered promptly and accurately.
• b. Improve A-B Tech's intranet so that it contains complete, current, and accurate information to keep employees consistently informed.
• c. Expand employee training programs regarding how to utilize A-B Tech's website and intranet so that employees may effectively share information with each other and students.
• d. Establish a process for ensuring that printed materials provide accurate and complete information about curriculum and continuing education programs so that students are referred appropriately to and between them.

This QEP Strategic Initiative directly supports the following College Strategic Goals:

• #1 Utilize comprehensive research, planning and marketing to ensure the effectiveness of college programs and services.
• #4 Ensure the success and stability of the college through efficient administrative processes and diversified financial resource development.
• #5 Enable prospective and current students to achieve their educational goals in an environment that focuses on meeting their needs.

Strategic Initiative:

2. The tenets of invitational education will be embraced and incorporated into the work of so many A-B Tech planning groups that the College overall will be considered an Invitational College.

• a. Develop and provide an instructor training program that encourages and supports the implementation of invitational teaching methods to assist students in achieving learning outcomes
• b. Develop and provide a comprehensive "Invitational Education" training program for administrative planning units and employee groups so that employees may be "intentionally inviting" with each other as well as prospective and current students.
• c. Develop and provide a structured, customized "Invitational Education" training program for the Student Government Association so that the leaders of the student organizations can be "intentionally inviting" with prospective and current students.
• d. Clearly identify locations, both inside buildings and across the College's campuses to help students find buildings, rooms, and employees on each campus and to help both employees and students to be safe in the event of an emergency.
• e. In order to continue to provide a safe, healthy, and inviting environment, address cleanliness/maintenance issues and ensure that all buildings/grounds are clean, well maintained, and safe.
• f. Creatively address the need for additional parking on the Asheville Campus during peak periods.
• g. Identify and equip a physical location on both the Enka and Asheville campuses where prospective and current students can access information about all college programs and services.

This QEP Strategic Initiative directly supports the following College Strategic Goals:

• #2 Attract, develop and retain qualified employees who are dedicated to student success.
• #3 Utilize college facilities to effectively accommodate increasing enrollment and facilitate the efficient delivery of programs and services.
• #5 Enable prospective and current students to achieve their educational goals in an environment that focuses on meeting their needs.
• #6 Offer educational opportunities that promote academic excellence and complement community development.

Strategic Initiative:

3. Streamline and improve the advising and registration processes for both curriculum and continuing education students to better support their educational decision-making.

• a. Study organizational issues related to advising (i.e. cross-functional responsibilities, teaching/workloads relative to number of advisees, alternative assignments, rewards, and consequences) and prepare a plan for Senior Leader Team consideration.
• b. Improve the capability of advisors through written supervisory and advisor guidelines, established advising standards, and required training.
• c. Develop a method for tracking and improving advising outcomes.
• d. Improve the advising and registration processes so that students can complete them more easily.

This QEP Strategic Initiative directly supports the following College Strategic Goals:

• #2 Attract, develop, and retain qualified employees who are dedicated to student success.
• #3 Utilize college facilities to effectively accommodate increasing enrollment and facilitate the efficient delivery of programs and services.
• #4 Ensure the success and stability of the college through efficient administrative processes and diversified financial resource development.
• #5 Enable prospective and current students to achieve their educational goals in an environment that focuses on meeting their needs.

Strategic Initiative

4. Facilitate the inclusion and development of curriculum and continuing education part-time instructors so that they are better equipped to help students achieve their educational goals.

• a. Prepare written guidelines, an orientation program, and on-going "teacher training" for part-time instructors.
• b. Develop a system for responding to part-time instructor questions and concerns at all times that classes are in session.
• c. Provide part-time instructors with access to email, voicemail, and other electronic resources that will enable them to provide accurate information and quality instruction to students.

This QEP Strategic Initiative directly supports the following College Strategic Goals:

• #1 Utilize comprehensive research, planning, and marketing to ensure the effectiveness of college programs and services.
• #2 Attract, develop and retain qualified employees who are dedicated to student success.
• #3 Ensure the success and stability of the college through efficient administrative processes and diversified financial resource development.
• #5 Enable prospective and current students to achieve their educational goals in an environment that focuses on meeting their needs.
• #6 Offer educational opportunities that promote academic excellence and complement community development.

If you have comments or questions regarding these QEP conclusions, strategic initiatives and tactical objectives, please contact Deborah Lonon, Team Leader for the Quality Enhancement Plan, ext. 339.

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Tech Talk is published for employees of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College by the Communications Office.

Executive Editor: Mona Cornwell

Managing Editor: Jodi Ford

Send submissions to Mona Cornwell, Director of Communications, at mcornwell@abtech.edu Publication of the next issue is scheduled Sept. 1. The deadline for submissions is Aug. 18.

A-B Tech is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution.

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