MEETING OF PRESIDENT’S CABINET

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 – 12:15 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Southeastern Community College West Burlington Board Room

Video Conference with Keokuk Campus

Present: Barb Altheide, Becky Rump, Beverly Simone, Bill Meck, Chuck Chrisman, Dana Chrisman, Elisabeth Snipes, Jan Wolbers, Jeff Ebbing, Joan Williams, Kim Tracy, Lee Skeens, Michelle Foster, Pam Bradley, Sherry Zeller, Verlyn Fick, Recording Secretary Debbie Smith. Absent: Deb Dowell.

I. Approval of Agenda:

Becky Rump moved to approve the agenda. Chuck Chrisman seconded the motion and it passed with all members present recorded as voting aye.

II. Wellness Committee – Information on Existing Health and Wellness Committee (Pam Bradley/Michelle Foster):

Pam Bradley reported that there is an existing Wellness Committee but it hasn’t met for at least 1 ½ years. The proposal Pam had made at the last cabinet meeting to create a new Health and Wellness Committee is rescinded. Instead, Pam will contact members of the existing Wellness Committee and ask if they would like to continue to serve. Pam will chair this committee.

III. AQIP (Dr. Simone and Jan Wolbers):

In preparation for the AQIP Strategy Forum, SCC must present five lessons learned. Based on comments from Cabinet members at the last meeting, Jan Wolbers summarized five lessons learned. They include how we communicate, infusing AQIP-related activities into a culture of quality throughout the institution, documenting and continuously updating our processes, making the Continuous Process Improvement projects less onerous for participants by using internal facilitators/trainers, and the method that worked the best for writing the categories for the Systems Portfolio. The document was reviewed and all were in agreement with it as presented.

A document titled Category Improvement Worksheet was reviewed. It summarizes employee feedback received at Professional Development Day where 80% of those in attendance affirmed that Category 1, Helping Students Learn, should be our focus. Within this category, we recognize assessing student learning as a significant challenge. In the Systems Appraisal, some specific opportunities for improvement are identified for this challenge. Designing processes to assess learning, determine objectives, and address differing learning styles are some of the areas we need to improve. There is feedback from internal and external sources that reinforce the conclusion that this is a key challenge for our institution. After review of the entire Category Improvement Worksheet, potential Action Projects were discussed. Suggestions include starting with a pilot project; refining the existing assessment plan to be more systematic; creating a team to obtain feedback from 4 year colleges on our transfer students and work with businesses on CTE (Career Technical Education) students getting appropriate education for the workplace; and reviewing our current nine general education outcomes for potential revision.

Discussion was held regarding who should attend the AQIP Strategy Form. Dr. Simone and Jan Wolbers are required attendees. We can take six more people. It was suggested that Susie Messer, Mary Ann Philp, Tim Ahern, and Ross Teal be invited. Others suggested are Verlyn Fick, Mary Ellen Ellyson, Larry Shacklett, Beth Oldfield, and Carl Snipes.

IV. SII Process (Strengths, Improvements, Insights):

A strength of today’s meeting was being able to admit our shortcomings. An insight is that we don’t all speak the same language.

V. Next Meeting:

The next meeting is November 10, 2009 from 12:15 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

VI. Adjournment:

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.