Preface

Chapter One, Introduction

Summary Statement

The self-study process was initiated in 1997 with the appointment of two self-study co-coordinators and the naming of a steering committee, the members of which would also serve as chairs and co-chairs of self-study subcommittees and teams. Goals and objectives were established for the self-study process, and the Guidebook was written to serve both as the plan submitted to NCA and a set of guidelines for carrying out the self-study.
More than 140 people served on teams and subcommittees, and their efforts resulted in subcommittee reports that formed the basis for the self-study report itself.

Chapter Two, Institutional Change

Summary Statement

Mott Community College has a history spanning more than three-quarters of a century of growth and change. The College has been accredited continuously by NCA since 1926. MCC has evolved considerably since the 1990 NCA site visit with the creation of a branch campus, an extension center, distance learning advances, and campus renovations and construction. The economy and demographics of the area have also changed during that period.

The College addressed all the concerns expressed in the 1990 NCA team report and also responded to all of the report’s advice and suggestions.

Chapter Three, General Institutional Requirements

Summary Statement

Mott Community College meets all twenty-four General Institutional Requirements for accreditation by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Chapter Four, Criterion One

The institution has clear and publicly stated purposes consistent with its mission and appropriate to an institution of higher education.

Summary Statement

The College has had several mission statements, approved by its Board of Trustees, over the years. Changes in need and responsibility have been the major forces behind mission revisions. In 1993, a mission charrette was held with more than 150 people from the College and community participating. The charrette’s recommendations were compiled and edited, and that mission statement was adopted by the Board and remains today.
Surveys were conducted by the self-study subcommittee charged with evaluating Criterion One, and the responses, along with the subcommittee’s analysis, reveal a mission statement that is appropriate and publicly states the College’s purposes.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

· It is an all encompassing document.
· It addresses many of the interests of diverse groups at the College.
· It addresses important issues pertaining to open admission for all students, including students with disabilities.
· It shows pride in the institution.
· It incorporates sound ideals.
· It is widely disseminated throughout the College.

Weaknesses

· It does not prioritize students as learners or emphasize teaching and learning first.
· It does not place importance on student outcomes/assessment.
. It sometimes loses its focus in bureaucratic terminology/educational jargon.
· It may be too long and cumbersome.
· It does not address issues of the global community including distance learning programs/offerings.
· It does not reflect the institutional commitment to the use of technology.

No Opportunities or Threats were identified.

Chapter Five, Criterion Two

The institution has effectively organized the human, financial, and physical resources necessary to accomplish its purposes.

Summary Statement: Governance

Mott Community College is governed by a seven-member Board of Trustees, elected at large from the College’s District, which is identical to the Genesee Intermediate School District. Board members are elected to six year terms, with two or three elected during the June school elections every other year, thus ensuring staggered terms and continuity on the Board. In the most recent election, the three incumbent candidates ran unopposed, the first such election in the College’s history. Members of the Board work well together and enjoy good rapport. They set policy but do not interfere with the administration of the College.

The current administrative structure has a chief executive officer, the President, two vice presidents, several deans, associate deans, directors, and other administrators. The structure is well publicized. There are currently two vacancies at the dean level. Academic governance is led by the VP for Academic Affairs, and curricular and academic affairs matters are handled by the College Professional Study Committee and its subcommittees. Information Systems has undergone major changes over the past few years as the College has experienced greater computerization. The Human Resources Office is rated much more highly than at the time of the 1990 NCA visit.

Communication throughout the College appears good but less than ideal. The Office of Institutional Research was rather dormant during the mid-1990s but has been restructured with a new executive director and is functioning very effectively.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

· The Board of Trustees is dedicated to the College and committed to helping the community while enjoying a positive relationship with the community.
· The MCC Board has excellent working relationships among its members.
· The MCC Board makes having an excellent relationship with the President a priority.
· There is a strong working relationship between the MCC Board members and the administration.
· The Board regularly scans for the future needs and opportunities related to the community, higher education, and Mott Community College.
· Upper level administrators are experienced, effective, and work well together.
· Communication within divisions is very good among faculty, staff, and immediate supervisors.
· The recently developed campus-wide email/Internet system contributes significantly to communication throughout the College.
· The Institutional Research Office is now functioning effectively as is the Data Collectors Network, greatly enhancing the College’s ability to measure its effectiveness.
· A College-wide Data Collectors Network brings together staff from a variety of functions to coordinate research efforts and share information.
· A Reports Database is accessible by all College computer users so that information is available when and where it is needed.

Weaknesses

· Although Board membership has remained quite stable over the past several years, there has been considerable and ongoing change in administrative structure and personnel, sometimes creating a feeling of institutional instability.
· Some erroneous data exist due to the information systems conversion from the Prime System.

Opportunities

· The new Regional Technology Center affords a wide array of opportunities for new programs, economic development for the community, creation of new job options, and new partnerships with business and industry.
· The College community is becoming increasingly “data hungry” as it develops a climate of decision making based on data analysis. Increased data collection efforts College-wide lead to a program and service development based on facts and information.
Threats

· The economic base of the region is changing rapidly. This situation poses a threat to the College if it does not adapt to new needs, but it is also a huge opportunity for growth and greater service to those in our service area.
· The Institutional Research function was not fully developed and supported by the College in the past. Continuity of data collection methods and a centralized data repository can be undermined if institutional changes are not carefully planned and executed.

Summary Statement: Human Resources

The College’s most important resources are its people, the students it serves, and the employees who provide those services. In Fall, 1998, the College had over 9,000 students enrolled taking more than 84,000 contact hours of credit courses as well as thousands of others taking continuing education courses.

Full-time College employees number approximately 425. They are divided among seven groups, six of which are collective bargaining units, with the remaining group being exempt from collective bargaining. There is also a large number of part-time employees, almost all of whom are either faculty or students. Collective bargaining agreements are settled in a timely fashion, with ongoing bargaining playing a significant role. Both the employees and the students represent considerable diversity. Evaluation procedures exist, and there are extensive opportunities for professional development. Faculty and other employees are well prepared by education and experience for the positions they fill and the responsibilities they hold.

SWOT Analysis:

Strengths

· The faculty and staff reflect considerable diversity.
· Employees are involved in most aspects of Mott’s operation, such as CPSC, CETL, collaborative bargaining, the Leadership groups, and collaborative problem solving.
· Significant resources are devoted to professional development.
· There is a generally positive labor relations climate, marked largely by a productive, collaborative problem solving approach to bargaining.
· Overall student evaluation of their experiences at Mott are very positive; 87% would recommend MCC to others, and 84% would choose MCC again.
· There is an overall positive employee evaluation of MCC – 81% agree and strongly agree that Mott is a good place to work.
· MCC has a well qualified, experienced, and committed faculty who enjoy excellent rapport with their students.

Weaknesses

· Job performance evaluation is an area still needing attention for non-faculty employees.
· There has been a decrease in Southern Lakes Branch Campus enrollment.
· There has been a decrease in full-time faculty positions with a commensurate increase in reliance on part-time and adjunct faculty, thus creating problems with carrying out adequate evaluation of part-time faculty.

Opportunities

· The opening of the new Regional Technology Center provides huge potential.
· Branch campus/extension sites provide the opportunity to increase enrollment, particularly at Southern Lakes, which is closer to the more intensive growth of Oakland and Livingston Counties.
· Discussions are underway regarding how to increase flexibility for students even further using modularized curriculum and open entry approaches.
· MCC will need to address the impact of the closure of the Buick City plant and recent changes in Michigan welfare requirements.

Threats

· Although the faculty is evenly distributed when viewed from the perspective of years of service at Mott, 59% of faculty are age 50 or older, suggesting extensive faculty turnover in the next several years.

Summary Statement: Student Services

Student Services at MCC are part of Student Development and Instructional Support (SDIS). The purpose of Student Services is to improve students’ performance, satisfaction, and goal attainment while they are at Mott. Student Services include a wide array of resources for students, beginning with pre-enrollment advisement, admissions and financial aid, academic advising, and counseling. Services continue throughout the students’ attendance at the College with Student Life events and opportunities, counseling, academic advising, registration and records, athletics, campus recreation, and numerous other support activities to enhance student success and enjoyment of their experience at MCC. Exit services include assistance with transfer to four-year colleges and universities and assistance with job placement.

Data reveal that the services provided by SDIS have enjoyed a marked improvement in student satisfaction over the past few years, reflecting the success the College has had with re-organizing and redirecting many student services activities.

SWOT Analysis:

Strengths

· Considerable improvements have been made in student services resulting in increased student satisfaction.
· Improved efforts to disseminate information about available services include use of the Info-Channel and production and distribution of numerous brochures.
· Excellent strides have been made in improving College intake services and enhancing enrollment management. PERSIST Committee recommendations are being implemented.
· Where practicable, student services have been consolidated into one location in the middle of the campus.
· Technological advances have placed many traditional services such as registration, orientation, admissions, and other services on the Internet, allowing personal, private advising and counseling for distance learning, branch campus, and extension site students.
· Funding of more than $100,000 a year for student activities and clubs provides huge opportunities for events and speakers on campus, student travel, computer equipment, improved recreational facilities, and other educational, social, and cultural benefits for students.

Weaknesses

· Student surveys still point out some dissatisfaction with services, the time required to obtain them, and lack of courteous treatment by student and staff employees. These problems will continue to be addressed.
· Many responses on the Fall 1998 Student Survey continued to be, “I have never used this service,” or “I didn’t know about this service.” Faculty and staff should routinely refer students who would benefit from these services. Discussion is underway as to how to better inform faculty and staff and encourage referrals.
· There seems to be a perennial shortage of trained temporary staff during periods of heavy registration.

Opportunities

· Expanding the number of articulation agreements MCC has with high schools and four-year colleges enhances opportunities for seamless transitions for students from high school to Mott to the workplace and/or university.
· The Kearsley Park Project, formed in conjunction with the City of Flint and Flint Public Schools, offers expanded athletic and recreational opportunities for Mott students and for the community.

Threats

· Pending legislation could create educational time limits for welfare recipients and, if passed, may negatively affect enrollment of older female students and those with dependents receiving assistance.
· Financial Aid staff is concerned that the rapidly increasing demand for student loans will increase the default rate and endanger future federal awards.
· The turnover of students each semester makes maintaining a stable enrollment a daunting task. During 1997-98, 5339 new students enrolled, but the head count remained nearly even.

Summary Statement: Physical Resources

Physical resources at MCC include the buildings on the main campus: the Curtice-Mott Complex, a large classroom and laboratory building that also houses the main administrative offices; the Gorman Building that houses laboratories for both the sciences and applied sciences; the Mott Memorial Building, a classroom facility that also includes the University Center and the Mott Middle College; the Prahl College Center where student services are mainly located along with the ballroom, meeting rooms, the bookstore, and food services; the Mott Library, which also houses drafting and the College’s TV studio; the Trade and Technical Building; the Facilities Management Building; the Durham Natatorium; the Ballenger Field House; the President’s Conference Center, and parking ramps and lots. Several of these buildings have been extensively renovated, and one is scheduled to be razed, the Trade and Technical Building, when the Regional Technology Center is built. There are several computer facilities for student use located in Curtice-Mott, the Mott Library, and the Mott Memorial Building.

In addition, the Southern Lakes Branch Campus has two buildings, and the College uses a significant portion of the Oakdale Center building in Lapeer as an extension center. The Fine Arts Area holds most of its courses at the Flint Institute of Arts in the College and Cultural Center adjacent to MCC. The College’s facilities are attractive and functional.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

· The survey results indicate that a majority of the students and employees of the institution are satisfied that the physical resources are in place to satisfy the mission of the College.
· The community has demonstrated its financial support for improvement of physical resources by the approval of bond issue requests.
· There is a clear and evident commitment to improving existing programs, such as culinary arts, dental hygiene, cosmetology, graphic arts, music, computer aided design (CAD), geographic information systems (proposed).
· The College is demonstrating its leadership to meet future economic development needs in the community by constructing innovative college facilities, most notably the RTC.
· The College has demonstrated its commitment to stay current with computer technology.

Weaknesses

· Historically there appears to be an over-reliance on bond money to meet the maintenance and replacement needs of the major physical resources.
· There is no apparent means of planning for required maintenance, depreciation, repair, and future improvements to existing facilities.
· No formal and on-going mechanism exists to analyze survey results and develop a plan of action to remedy concerns about physical resources.
· The inability to pass the last millage request has an adverse effect on many elements of the institution including physical resources.

Opportunities

· To develop in the financial plan a method to meet physical resource needs on an annual and on-going basis
· Develop a process that identifies strengths and areas of concern and proposes specific action plans to improve quality of physical resources
· The Regional Technology Center (RTC) provides a showcase for the College to demonstrate a commitment to meeting present and future community needs.

Threats

· Since there is a reliance on bond issue monies for physical resource support, withdrawal of community support would place the College in jeopardy.
Summary Statement: Fiscal Resources

Mott Community College’s operating revenues derive from three major sources: student tuition, state appropriations, and local property taxes. The College also has financial resources from the sale of bonds used for capital improvement projects. These sources are augmented with grant funding, endowments, and a few other revenue sources. The College adheres to the requirements of the Manual for Uniform Financial Reporting, Michigan Community Colleges, and accounting procedures fulfill all legal and professional principles. MCC has an external audit carried out each year by a CPA firm, and budgets are developed annually.

Shortfalls in accounts receivable and a leveling off of property tax revenues place some constraints on the College’s budget that are currently being addressed.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

· MCC’s financial strength is in its diversity. Outside the General Fund, the College has a healthy base of scholarships and endowments. In addition, the community’s support in passing the bond issues for capital projects is a vital strength for the future of the College. Indirectly, MCC’s flexibility and commitment to community needs contribute financial stability in terms of tuition and donations.

Weaknesses

· The most obvious financial weakness is the College’s balance sheet. The General Fund’s fund equity is less than 3%, well under the Board’s set target of 5%. Fund equity is needed for cash flow purposes, as well as the ability to meet unexpected emergencies, and plan for future strategic initiatives. In a less tangible manner, negative feelings about financial matters as indicated in the survey are also a weakness.

Opportunities

· Financial opportunities for public educational institutions are quite limited in general. However, MCC has been able to get additional capital and curriculum development funding at the state and federal levels. These are the results of administrative leadership and faculty collaboration. As the community college system changes with the times, new financial opportunities do exist with closer ties to business and industry in meeting their training needs.

Threats

· Financial threats usually come from two dimensions: revenue shortfalls and expenditure overdraws. Revenue shortfalls are very real in terms of decreases in enrollment, smaller increase or even a decrease in local property values, federal and state grant cuts. Expenditure overdraws are equally real in terms of inattention to be budget and budget managers’ deficient knowledge of accounting in a semi or fully decentralized budgeting environment.

Chapter Six, Criterion Three

The institution is accomplishing its educational and other purposes.

As stated in the MCC Assessment Plan, “The single most important purpose of this College or any other institution of higher education is the education of its students.”

MCC is fulfilling that purpose and the most fundamental aspects of its mission through its educational programs, which include the liberal arts and sciences, career and occupational programs, developmental education, distance learning courses and programs, the Honors Program, and Continuing Education. The College actively works to assess student learning and provide means for improving teaching and learning. There is also a wide array academic services supporting the educational programs and a variety of community alliances.

Summary Statement: Liberal Arts and Sciences

The College’s mission statement has as one of its primary goals the provision of a sound general and liberal arts education for the people in Genesee and surrounding counties. The primary goals of the Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) area is to provide college level instruction for personal enrichment and to prepare students for transfer to four-year institutions as well to provide general education for students enrolled in career and technical programs. LAS courses and programs are offered through the Divisions of Humanites, Fine Arts, Science and Mathematics, and Social Sciences.

SWOT Analyis

Strengths

· Enrollment in Liberal Arts and Sciences has remained relatively constant with an overall increase of 5%.
· Thirty-one percent of MCC graduates transfer to four-year colleges or universities.
· Faculty play an integral role in the development of curriculum in LAS programs.
· Assessment is done on several levels and the data are used for improvement.

Weaknesses

· Faculty express concerns over issues such as the ratio of part-time to full-time faculty.

Opportunities

· Several factors, such as new technology and faculty control of curriculum, make it possible for the development of new and creative courses and programs.

Threats

No threats were identified.

Summary Statement: Career and Occupational Programs

Career programs offered at MCC are developed in collaboration with business, labor, and government to serve existing and anticipated community needs. A major part of the mission is to “create and work force to attract and sustain businesses that contribute to the community’s economic well-being and quality of life.”
Each career program has an advisory committee that meets regularly. Career programs are available through almost all of the College’s academic divisions, but most are offered by the Divisions of Technology, Health Sciences, Information Technology, and Business.

There is a wide range of programs, including Associate Degree, one year certificate, and special short programs (such as the Nurse’s Aide Program), and many enjoy program accreditation, especially in the health sciences area. Current career programs are reviewed and revised regularly, and new programs are added as needs or changes occur in the community. Clearly, the new Regional Technology Center will provide extensive opportunities for new and enhanced career programs. maintain a highly-trained

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

· Advisory committees provide valuable information regarding the direction and currency of occupational programs.
· Many forms of assessment are in place to provide a means of checks and balances to safeguard the integrity and quality of occupational programs.
· Career and occupational programs at MCC are responsive to the changing employment needs of the community.

Weaknesses

· Current begin and end dates may prove to be inconvenient to the needs of businesses.
· Employers needing to retrain workers may not always require all of the objectives covered in a full semester course.
Opportunities

· Labor and management are working closely with MCC to provide educational opportunities for workers displaced from the current changes in the General Motors facilities in Genesee County.
· With the building of the new Regional Technology Center, programs are being revised to include more flexibility in begin and end dates and length of study, as well as the modularization of courses.
· Cooperative programs, such as BelCap, could be started at other area high schools.

Threats

· The need to pass a millage in order to fund the operation of the new Regional Technology Center could pose a threat its successful completion.

Summary Statement: Developmental Education

Part of MCC’s mission is to “create a smooth transition for students from high school to the community college and then to other educational institutions or the work place.” Developmental education is one of the ways the College addresses this task through serving the needs of under-prepared students. Mott provides new student assessment, individualized counseling and academic advising for high risk students, learning support services and courses, and updated curriculum to support changes in technology and student/community needs.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

· The developmental curriculum undergoes continuous review and updating to reflect changing student needs, abilities, and skill levels. The ultimate objective is twofold: to improve student learning and to enhance the manner in which instruction is delivered, especially by taking advantage of the technology now available. MCC’s faculty is committed to the ongoing development, delivery, and improvement of developmental courses.

Weaknesses

· Additional full-time faculty are needed to meet the needs of under-prepared students. Although the quality of part-time instruction is equal, it is the full-time faculty that are responsible for curriculum revision and development, new course delivery methods, and one-to-one contact with students.
· The Writing Center equipment has not kept pace with the technology available. A computer facility dedicated to developmental writing classes is needed.
· There has been a lack of organized and centralized data collection and evaluation. Student tracking and data available about the effectiveness of developmental courses has been dependent on available time and informal record keeping by individual faculty. (This weakness is currently being addressed by the Executive Director of Institutional Research and the PERSIST Committee.)
· The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) recommends that developmental courses be limited to 15 students per class. Current MCC developmental courses admit 28 students.

Opportunities

· The expansion and addition of new computers, printers, and a scanner would allow ENGL 098 students to print and publish a book of their writings. This book, The Neighborhood, currently is produced by the instructor. Enabling students to produce this book would provide an opportunity for them to meet several of the developmental course goals such as seeing their own ideas, expressed in written form, appear in print, and knowing that others will be reading their work.
· More texts are accompanied by computer mediated instruction, allowing students to work at their own pace and at a time most convenient to them.
· An expanded Reading Center could enable MCC to offer developmental courses (ENGL 020 Reading Improvement, ENGL 030 Reading Improvement and Study Skills) on campus to assist high school students preparing for ACT and SAT tests.

Threats

· Rising need for developmental courses could pose a threat to the current program.

Summary Statement: General Education

Mott has a coherent general education core of requirements for all degrees. The requirements include English composition, political science, and humanities/social science courses. There is also a requirement that each student take a course that uses the scientific method of inquiry and a course that is designated multi-cultural/ethnic, one focused on non-Eurocentric culture or history. Further, there are computer use requirements and a requirement for at least one class with a writing across the curriculum designation plus a basic level of mathematics competency. The general education requirements were developed in the late ‘80s, and the College’s program was considered exemplar when it was initially created, and MCC presented at the 1991 NCA Annual Meeting. Since the requirements are now nearly 10 years old, the College has, through the CPSC process, begun a re-evaluation with the goal of carrying out any needed revisions.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

· It is possible to compile a long list of courses open to students from which they can choose in order to satisfy the general education requirements. This richness of opportunity, in itself beneficial, also indicates a healthy commitment by a majority of faculty to the process of general education.

Weaknesses

· One area of concern among faculty involves the lack of preparation with which some students undertake general education courses. Perhaps better advising and more emphatic catalogue description of prerequisites would help to alleviate this problem.

Opportunities

· Plans are in place to review and revise the general education requirements in 1999-2000.

Threats

· No threats were identified.

Summary Statement: Distance Learning

One of the components of MCC’s mission statement is the commitment to eliminate barriers to learning. Distance learning is one of the ways the College fulfills that goal. Mott began offering distance learning courses in 1981 and now has nearly twenty years of experience. Planning and careful monitoring have characterized the program since the beginning, and for years MCC has offered more classes and had a greater distance learning enrollment than any of the other 27 community colleges in Michigan. Originally, offerings were generally limited to telecourses, but now the College offers on-line courses, and MCC faculty have produced 42 distance learning courses. College in the Workplace provides courses and degree programs to employees of manufacturing companies both locally and outside the College’s service area. MCC received NCA approval to offer degree programs via telecourse in 1993, and Chapter Nine of this report requests the status be changed to allow the College to offer degree programs using other distance learning modalities.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

· Degrees, not courses: One of the most obvious strengths of the distance learning program is the ability of students to actually earn degrees from Mott and not just take a few scattered courses. Mott graduated the first fully distance learning graduate in the nation in May 1998 through its totally campus-free program, College in the Workplace. This first graduate was a full-time employee of a General Motors plant in Dayton, Ohio, and this student had never come to campus until her graduation. She earned her Associate Degree in Applied Science in General Business with a high grade point average while maintaining her full-time position as a supervisor in a GM plant as well as being a parent and spouse.
· Campus-Free Program: Mott’s ability to successfully deliver its distance learning program to an expanded geographical area has been of tremendous benefit to manufacturing employees in Genesee County and elsewhere. The College in the Workplace program began in 1992 and has grown almost every semester since then.
· Courses Offered Per Semester: Mott has enjoyed a steady increase in the number of course available to students since 1981. Students can choose from a wide range of courses including math and science, business, humanities, social science, computer, and technical courses.
· Courseware Production Capability: The ability to produce courseware is essential to the development of full degree programs. Mott has the capability to produce both online and video courses and has a proven track record in the development of new courseware since 1989.
· Distance Learning Student Services: Another very important strength built into the distance learning program is the support service provided by the Distance Learning Office and the Viewing/Listening/Testing Center.
· College in the Workplace Student Services: The Distance Learning Office staff provides a number of additional services for CWP students, such as help with admissions, registration, and ordering textbooks.

Weaknesses

· The tremendous growth of distance learning at MCC and the number of staff available to perform necessary support services for these students is a potential problem.

Opportunities

· As more students acquire computers at home, online courses and video courses with an online component will become more attractive to those whose schedules make it difficult to come to campus. Enrollment possibilities are endless for institutions that have developed quality distance learning programs. Mott is currently in a good position to become a major player in Michigan and beyond in the deliver of quality distance learning education for adult learners.

Threats

· Distance learning programs are proliferating at an alarming rate. Many of these programs are offered by unaccredited schools or those who have not carefully thought through the entire process of delivering quality programs. These schools can become a threat to every institution offering distance learning and give the whole concept a negative image.
· Also, since so many schools are offering distance learning, all institutions, including Mott, are in danger of becoming just one more online provider among many. Offering only the highest quality in courses and support services is the best way for Mott to maintain its position as a leader in distance learning.
Summary Statement: MCC Honors Program
The Honors program enhances and becomes part of a qualified student’s academic program. MCC also has a chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

· The Honors Program has been revitalized in the last two years with the appointment of a new Honors Coordinator and with improved marketing efforts.
· Enrollment in honors sections has increased from a low of three in 1997 to the current 54 in 1999.
· An Honors Program Scholarship that covers tuition and fees for any honors sections was approved in March 1997 and implemented in the fall of 1997.
· Unlike many four-year college honors programs, the MCC Honors Program serves the needs of non-traditional students.

Weaknesses

· Some area high school counselors, faculty, and students are unaware of the Honors Program and scholarship opportunities at MCC. Many still perceive MCC as a “second choice” for students pursuing a high-level academic college career.
· Students want more confidence that participation in the Honors Degree Program will be recognized and will aid in transfer to a prestigious four-year institution.
· Late posting of grades after the fall semester makes prompt notification of eligibility difficult for winter semester.

Opportunities

· Negotiations with the University of Michigan-Flint are taking place to help provide a smooth transition for students from the MCC Honors Program to the UM-Flint Honors Program.

Threats

No threats were found at this time.

Summary Statement: Continuing Education

The Continuing Education (CE) Division of Mott Community College provides linkages between the College and the overall community through the delivery of training and educational, recreational, and cultural classes, programs and activities. The CE Division enables the College to carry out its mission using flexible, non-traditional methods that complement the overall College educational programs.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

· Continuing Education’s ability to respond swiftly and effectively to the needs of the community in innovative ways continues to be an asset to Mott Community College. This flexibility is based largely upon CE’s access to experts, many of them in-house, and its capability to respond to specific problems.

Weaknesses

· The Continuing Education Division has been marked by a series of turnovers among their top leadership. This, in turn, has produced a sense of discontinuity with respect to its short and long term direction.
· The unit’s heavy dependence upon grants to underwrite customized training also has created operational challenges that must be met.
· While the division faces increased competition from external sources, there is a recognized need to increase the visibility of programs and services in the marketplace to be cost-competitive, and to continually focus on adding value for the customer.

Opportunities

· The division received authorization to award Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for CE courses. Plans include providing cell credits for those individuals employed in health-related occupations in order for them to fulfill ongoing requirements, certifications, and licensures.
· Due to local demand, training in Maintenance and Repair is being piloted on Sundays this year.
· We anticipate that the creation of the Regional Technology Center will provide increased opportunities to interact more closely with faculty and use RTC facilities for the benefit of local businesses.
· The division also expects to provide services and leadership in the areas of technology transfer, international business, and workforce development/retraining.
· Continuing Education and the academic side of the College are involved in exploring the connection between credit and non-credit classes. The shared objective is to develop course offerings through Continuing Education that could be “packaged” for actual college credit ultimately to be applied toward a certificate or degree. To this end representatives of both parts of the college community are attempting to create course “modules” that would effectively promote the educational process as a whole, and for MCC as a single entity.

Threats

No threats were identified.

Summary Statement: Assessment of Student Learning

In 1992, the Committee for the Assessment of Student Achievement was established, made up of faculty members from every academic division as well as several academic administrators and representatives from counseling and institutional research. Since that time, the assessment committee (now known as The Committee for the Assessment of Student Learning, CASL) has met monthly to continuously monitor and improve assessment activities on campus. Membership now involves staggered three- year terms to assure continuity on the committee and give more faculty the opportunity to give input and take ownership of assessment efforts. CASL is chaired by the Assessment Coordinator, a faculty member.

The committee has the following goals:
· To better inform the faculty about assessment techniques.
· To increase the number of faculty members participating in assessment.
· To continually increase the number of ways assessment results are used on campus to improve student learning.

MCC’s assessment plan was approved by NCA in April 1995 and implemented over the following three years. The assessment plan was extensively rewritten in the winter of 1999. The original plan focused on course-imbedded assessment. Although classroom assessment remains significant, assessment has been extended to disciplines and programs, and another focus of concern now is on the assessment of general education. Mott’s mission statement states that the College “will continually assess student’s needs upon admission and throughout their stay at MCC… to ensure student success.”

Numerous training and professional development activities have been provided to faculty regarding assessment, and Mott Community College has made a major commitment to assessing student learning and using the data to improve teaching and learning.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

· The assessment committee at MCC is ongoing and actively pursuing continuous improvement.
· The assessment coordinator is a member of the faculty.
· Strong support exists from the Office of Academic Affairs for the assessment efforts.
· The Office of Institutional Research has a new director with a commitment to assessment.
· Faculty regularly use assessment results to make changes in their courses to improve student learning.

Weaknesses

· The assessment of general education at MCC needs revision in order to make the results more useful in improving student learning.
· Although results of the assessment of general education are distributed and discussed to some extent, actual evidence of changes made in response to those results is not currently available.
· Summative assessment as is currently used in assessing general education does not allow for identifying weaknesses and improving upon those weaknesses before students graduate.

Opportunities

· The assessment of general education is currently under revision. The assessment committee is carefully considering various options before making changes.
· The need for more systematic use of data collected in the assessment of general education has been identified and steps are being made to correct the problem.
· The piloting of the portfolio type of assessment in the Honors Program provides the opportunity to work out any problems on a small scale before trying it with a much larger population.

Threats

· If changes are made too frequently in the assessment plan, faculty may become confused or less committed. In order to ensure faculty ownership, faculty need to be involved and informed, and changes have to be made with emphasis on consensus.

Summary Statement: Library Services

The Mott Library is located near the southeast corner of the campus and serves students, faculty, staff, and the community. It has an excellent collection of nearly 100,000 volumes and is a participant in FALCON (Flint Area Cooperative On-Line Network) and thus provides students and others with access to the resources of several other libraries with more than 500,000 books and materials. The library also provides services at the SLBC. Students, faculty, and staff demonstrated through their responses to surveys that they are pleased with library resources, personnel, and services.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

· The expertise and positive attitudes of all staff members are consistently mentioned as the Library’s greatest strength.
· The response to faculty requests for materials and for library instruction is a priority.
· Students’ needs are at the forefront of library planning
· The Library maintains a strong positive reputation on campus and in the community.
· FALCON membership provides technological connectivity, ready access to Mott Library resources in real time, and cooperative support among the FALCON members.

Weaknesses

· The physical building itself, while maintained well on a daily basis, is the Library’s biggest weakness. The building design limits convenient electrical outlet additions, lighting fixture changes, and other possible upgrades in use or appearance. There has been no serious remodeling or refurbishing in the library, except for a coat of paint, in more than twelve years.

Opportunities

· No opportunities were identified.

Threats

· Rising prices for new books, especially academic and reference materials, and the increasing subscription costs for periodicals are an ongoing threat.
· Technological updates require a monetary investment, as well as a huge commitment in staff time and training. The rate of technological change may seriously outpace available resources.

Summary Statement: Academic Services & Learning Center/DisAbility Services

Mott Community College offers a wide range of academic services, including those offered for students with disabilities, professional tutoring for students with limited English proficiency, the WICAT Computer Lab, peer tutoring, the Writing Center, and program-related tutoring opportunities.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

· Almost all students surveyed report satisfaction with the academic services and learning resources at MCC.
· On-going surveys continue to monitor satisfaction with services and recommendations for improvement.
· Staff is considered well qualified and helpful.
· Location of services is easily accessible for students.

Weaknesses

· Many areas of academic services and learning resources report the need for additional staff or additional hours to meet the needs of MCC students more effectively.
· Some areas express concern about the reliance on grants or federal funding. Others express a need for additional funding.
· The Writing Center and Biology Study Center report the need for more space.
Opportunities

· Technological advances have made it possible to reach more students with academic services using the same amount of resources.

Threats

· The possibility of funding or budget cuts is seen as a threat.

Summary Statement: Community Alliances

Mott Community College is an integral part of the Flint and Genesee County community. Embedded in the College’s mission statement is the phrase, “building and sustaining community alliances.” MCC takes this purpose very seriously. The College works with the Flint Cultural Center, and art courses are taught at the DeWaters Art Center. The College has developed a strong relationship with the Flint and Vicinity Action Community Economic Development Corporation (F.A.C.E.D.) with national attention being given to this alliance’s faith-based health team concept. Mott hosted a five county Workforce Summit in April 1999, and several programs are in place to help build and maintain strong alliances with K-12 community school districts. School-to-Work/Tech Prep programs and activities at MCC are designed to improve transitions for students from secondary to post-secondary education and the workplace. The College has signed articulation agreements with high schools in Genesee, Lapeer, and Shiawassee Counties.

Chapter Seven, Criterion Four

The institution can continue to accomplish its purposes and strengthen its educational effectiveness.=

Summary Statement

The Mott Community College of 2000 is considerably different in many ways from the MCC of 1990, and there is no doubt but that it will be even more different in 2010. The College is planning for the future and attempting to identify the challenges and needs ahead, but Mott has avoided adopting a rigid agenda. To do so would be to eliminate the flexibility so essential to making the types of changes necessary to meet unexpected or unforeseen needs and opportunities.

In the midst of major change, MCC remains a stable institution with a solid base. Numerous major planning efforts have taken place since the previous NCA site visit, including the Alfred/Carter Strategic Planning Study, Gennett and Gay, and the 2005 Initiative. Major emphasis has been placed on assessing student learning and finding ways to turn assessment into improved learning. A new system of program review has been implemented, and the new Regional Technology Center will provide the College with even greater opportunities to serve the needs of business, industry, and the community.

Advances in distance learning have allowed the College to serve a larger and more diverse constituency and enhance programs offered locally. MCC is positioning itself not only to continue but to strengthen its ability to fulfill the College’s mission.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

· Mott 2005 provides for environmental scanning so the Board and the College can detect and respond to changes in the community while being flexible and allowing for enhancements to planning to take place regularly.
· The Alfred/Carter Strategic Planning Process has proven workable and effective as a tool for continuous improvement.
· Focused planning for the RTC and distance learning has been successful.
· Professional development is intrinsic to MCC’s operation and supports the College’s commitment to meeting its mission.
· Academic Planning allows for both careful analysis and quick response to changing needs.
· MCC is committed fully to assessment and appropriate data gathering and analysis.
· MCC is a stable institution that accepts the necessity of change and is identifying and meeting challenges.

Weaknesses

· There was a period, during the middle 1990s, when the College did not do extensive data gathering and analysis, and that resulted in a gap in the school’s ability to assess its effectiveness.

Opportunities

· The service area is changing rapidly and radically, offering the College extensive opportunities for leadership and educational innovation and service.
· Expansion and diversification opportunities related to curricula, delivery of instruction, and use of technology are extensive throughout the College and especially with the RTC.
· Partnerships with business, industry, and labor can be increased significantly to better serve the changing needs of the community.

Threats

· The College has not had an increase in property tax since it became a county-wide institution 31 years ago. An increase is imperative in order to equip and operate the RTC fully as well as maintain and increase offerings and services College-wide.

Chapter Eight, Criterion Five

The institution demonstrates integrity in its practices and relationships.

Summary Statement

Mott Community College maintains a high level of integrity in its practices and relationships both internally and externally.

Internally, the College maintains a high level of accurate communication using a variety of means. Board policies are clear and widely disseminated. There is a student complaint procedure that ensures due process, and collaborative bargaining works successfully with adequate provisions for conflict resolution. Freedom of academic inquiry is guaranteed contractually, and course syllabi are updated and submitted to associate deans each term. The College’s student population and its faculty, staff, and administration reflect considerable diversity. Fiscal resources are reviewed and audited annually.
External practices and relationships include the legal authority to conduct business and grant degrees and certificates. Public information, including the catalog, student handbook, brochures, and WWW site are checked regularly and revised to ensure accuracy and fairness. Student services and financial aid are extensive and fulfill all governmental and ethical requirements. Hiring practices are consistent with job descriptions and clear requirements regarding faculty credentials. MCC’s relationships with other institutions and organizations include articulation agreements with K-12s and other educational institutions, as well as positive relationships with the University Center, Mott Middle College, and distance learning students (including College in the Workplace). College athletics’ standards and commitment to academic excellence and sportsmanship are exemplar.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

· There is a collaborative labor relations environment.
· Cooperation exists among the various unions.
· MCC has increased its cooperation with the community, especially K-12 school boards and local government.
· Information about the College is widely published and accurate.
· Policies and procedures are spelled out fully and are readily available.

Weaknesses

· There is a need to clarify due process in the Student Complaint Procedure because of changes in the academic structure.

Opportunities

· Increased dialogue between administration and union leadership could lead to greater mutual understanding and cooperation for the benefit of everyone at the College.
· Further clarification and consistency in administrative structure and academic reporting lines is worth pursuing.

Threats

· None identified

Chapter Nine, Request for Institutional Change

Summary Statement

In 1981, Mott Community College began offering distance learning classes, almost entirely by telecourse. Over time, the distance learning program became so successful that the College applied to the North Central Association for a change in status to allow us to offer degree programs via telecourse late in 1992, and that approval was granted in March, 1993. The College has continued to offer degree programs, and last year the first student in the nation to complete the PBS Going the Distance Associate Degree program graduated from Mott Community College with a 3.8 GPA, coming on campus for the first time when she came for graduation ceremonies.

Throughout the development of MCC’s distance learning program, the College has planned carefully and kept student success and welfare as the main focus. Counseling services, academic advisement, instructional support, other student services, and course and program integrity have been at the forefront. Faculty involvement and oversight have always been extensive. The Distance Learning Advisory Subcommittee (originally the Telecourse Advisory Committee) of CPSC has continued to be the major guiding force behind distance learning activities. Its membership is largely faculty, and through the efforts of this committee, a set of “Standards and Practices for Distance Learning” was established and approved and has been subsequently revised. In addition to the DLAS requiring certification of distance learning instructors and maintaining close scrutiny over whether courses are current, the College has provided strong technological support for faculty and students. MCC faculty have produced 42 distance learning courses thus far, and thus the College is not reliant on other institutions or vendors for its distance learning courses. Mott degree programs are tailored to what we perceive are the students’ needs and those of the community we serve rather than a patchwork of courses available commercially.

Through the use of collaborative, on-going bargaining, the College and the faculty union negotiated an intellectual property agreement that has become a national model. This agreement spells out faculty and College ownership rights to any course developed by Mott faculty.

During the past few years, the College has developed a new service called “College in the Workplace” (CWP) which provides courses and programs both locally and in other areas and states to the employees of manufacturing companies. MCC deals directly with the companies and offers programs related to manufacturing, thereby complementing the offerings available to the employees and companies involved in manufacturing in our own College’s district. The vast majority of distance learning students live within the College’s traditional service area, and that situation is expected to remain constant.

For the past several years, MCC has offered more distance learning courses and had a larger enrollment than any other community college in Michigan. The success of the program comes from careful planning and strong quality control, both carried out largely by faculty. In 1992, when the College applied for and was granted status allowing us to offer programs by telecourse, that medium was the only major one available. Now, with the proliferation of computers and the availability of the Internet, the College is offering courses on-line and requesting a change in status to replace the word “telecourse” in the Statement of Affiliation Status with the phrase “distance learning,” thus allowing Mott Community College to offer Associate Degree programs via other distance learning modalities, such as Internet based programs.

Chapter Ten, Federal Compliance

Summary Statement

Mott Community College meets all federal compliance requirements, including those regarding credits, program, length, and tuition. The College also maintains full compliance with the Title IV requirements of the Higher Education Reauthorization Act. Default rates for the past five years have not exceeded 11.2%. All College publications and other communications efforts that reference MCC’s accreditation status include the
the Commission’s address and telephone number. Several College programs have earned program accreditation, but the College itself does not hold any institutional accreditation status other than with the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Chapter Eleven, Conclusion and Request for Continued Accreditation and Status Change

Summary Statement

The MCC/NCA 2000 Self-Study process began in 1997 and continues through the present. MCC is in the midst of change, but its history over the past three-quarters of a century has been filled with change and adaptation. That the school is changing now does not indicate lack of stability or uncertainty. Greeting change and addressing it has been the hallmark of Mott’s history and will continue in the future.
The self-study process resulted in many SWOT analyses, and the report concludes with the following recommendations for action, based on the findings of this process.

Recommendations for Action

Criterion One, Mission and Purposes

· Extrapolate two or three ideas from the current mission statement to form a broad overarching statement that focuses on teaching and learning.
· Use some of the ideas from the student and employee surveys expressed as additional bulleted points.
· Communicate the mission statement more effectively to the campus staff, student body, and the community.

Criterion Two, Effectively Organized Human, Physical, and Financial Resources

· Work toward maintaining a more stable administrative structure with longer retention of administrative personnel.
· Continue to strengthen the College’s information gathering and analysis to ensure ongoing decision making that is data driven.
· Make a concerted, well-coordinated effort to increase student enrollment at SLBC to reach at least previous levels and achieve the potential growth possible from the branch’s close proximity to population and business growth in the southern Genesee and northern Livingston County region.
· Develop a practical, workable plan focused on replacing the large segment of the full-time faculty likely to retire within the next several years.
· Continue to use advances in technology to improve student services, particularly for the increasing numbers of distance learning students and for students at the branch campuses. Continue to install adequate hardware and software to meet burgeoning computer needs.
· Improve student retention rates. Continue PERSIST and strengthen other efforts that provide instructional support and otherwise work to ensure student success at MCC. Frequent surveys can provide insight into students’ changing needs and expectations.
· Continue to provide a variety of student life opportunities and activities. Improve advertising of upcoming events with posters, flyers, newspaper articles and InfoChannel announcements. Do a more successful job of letting students know that funds are available for travel, speakers, and new equipment.
· Use the business plan currently under development in the food services area to provide adequate, cost effective food services for day and evening students on at least a break-even basis so that the general fund does not have to continue to subsidize these services.
· More effectively communicate to students the wide array of services available to them at MCC.
· Create incentives for early registration to alleviate the last minute crunch every fall and winter semester.
· Assess physical resources adequacy regularly by surveying students and employees and make appropriate plans and adjustments as a result of the findings.
· Develop a reliable means of planning for required maintenance, depreciation, repair, and future improvement to existing facilities, e.g. the Mott Library Building.
· Create a maintenance fund to cover routine repairs, painting, and replacement of office/laboratory equipment.
· Carry out a millage campaign to enhance the College’s ability to operate the RTC fully.

Criterion Three, Accomplishing Educational and other purposes

· Continue to study possibilities for more flexible scheduling, including flexible begin and end dates, lengths of study, and modularization of courses.
· Continue work on a student tracking system to help assess the success of developmental as well as other courses in preparing students for subsequent coursework.
· Continue to review and evaluate better assessment tools in the area of general education objectives.
· Re-evaluate for revision the College’s current general education requirements.

Criterion Four, planning for the future

· Increase partnerships with business, industry, labor, and community organizations.
· Balance efforts to include solid strategic planning with the flexibility and agility to anticipate needs and opportunities.

Criterion Five, Institutional Integrity

· The College and the faculty union need to review and revise the student complaint procedure to eliminate any confusion or problems that exist as the result of the reorganization of the academic administrative structure.
· Continue to ensure that all College publications are consistent in their messages about Mott Community College and its mission and purposes.

Request for Continued Accreditation

Charles Stewart Mott Community College has been accredited continuously by the North Central Association since 1926. MCC remains a strong, vital institution. Its faculty, staff, administration, and Board are experienced and dedicated to the College and its mission. As this self-study report reflects, the institution recognizes it faces challenges and obstacles, but the people affiliated with the College, including the more than 140 individuals who participated in the MCC/NCA2000 self-study process, have no doubts about the College’s ability to meet the challenges and overcome the obstacles.

We believe we have established that Mott Community College meets the twenty-four General Institutional Requirements and fulfills the Five Evaluative Criteria for membership and can and will continue to do so. Thus the College requests that the Commission grant MCC continued accreditation for the next ten years and approve the College’s offering of degree programs via other distance learning modalities in addition to the already approved programs offered by telecourse.

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Mott Community College - North Central Self-study
Created: 6/1/98   Updated:01/10/2000