1. Community Colleges of Spokane Research Report Cher Desautel & Casey Fielder February 15, 2011

2. Gather feedback to inform the strategic plan
Research Goals
Gather feedback to inform the strategic plan
Understand stakeholder perceptions of CCS
Understand how CCS can better serve and prepare students

3. Methodology – Focus Groups
Diverse cross-section of internal audiences
Used discussion guide designed to facilitate general discussion and touch on key focus areas
Faculty: 3 groups with 23 total participants
Staff: 4 groups with 36 participants
Students: Four groups with 9 participants
Total of 68 participants

4. Methodology – Insight Interviews
One-on-one phone interviews
Used discussion guide designed to facilitate general discussion and touch on key focus areas
20 business and industry leaders
10 K-12 system partners
10 higher education partners
Total of 40 respondents

5. Methodology – Student Surveys
Survey tool created from focus group questions
Supplement student audience
Total of 58 students across institutions
22 SFCC
20 SCC
5 Pullman Center
5 Newport Center
3 Colville Center
3 Magnuson Building

6. SWOT - Strengths
3 distinctive institutions unified by a common mission
Strong community reputation
Quality programs
Quality graduates
Quality staff and faculty
Diverse programs and degree offerings
Access
Wrap-around support services for students
Strategic alliances with regional industry/business

7. SWOT - Weaknesses
Current district structure and differing processes and procedures
Inconsistent processes that aren’t student-centric
Staff spread thin
Support services
Advising
Registration
Grants – lack of support
Communication
Disconnect around math placement/requirements
Lack of visibility with new district leadership

8. SWOT - Opportunities Grants and support for these
Strengthen industry connection and partnerships
New leadership
Strengthen support services such as advising
Fully utilize facilities through rentals and evening/afternoon classes
Expand online capabilities
Expand class offerings including non-traditional dates/times

9. SWOT - Threats Budget cuts
Online classes – investment, competitiveness, orientation
Too many adjunct faculty – needs to be balance
Not being able to respond to demand
Cynicism or distrust with process
Students’ dependence on financial aid as there may be cuts to this

10. Overall Key Findings
CCS is a critical component of the higher education landscape in our region.
CCS does its job well and serves as an accessible and important platform for educating people of varying backgrounds.
CCS needs to continue to build partnerships and focus on collaboration with external audiences.

11. Overall Key Findings
Internal audiences need support from CCS by streamlining processes and student support services.
CCS offers and needs to continue offering an education that is not only academic, but focuses on creating well-rounded and well-supported graduates.

12. Overall Key Findings
The three institutions under CCS act independently and not as one district, causing inconsistency and creating barriers for most stakeholder groups.
Ongoing, targeted and relevant communication with CCS stakeholders is important and needs continued emphasis.

13. Overall Key Findings
CCS has opportunities to leverage existing resources to manage through budget constraints.

14. Next Steps and Engagement Recommendations
Share the research results
Post on the website
Thank you to all who participated with link to information
Continue to share information and invite feedback
Forums throughout strategic plan development and again once the plan is complete

15. Key Findings – Business Leaders
Business leaders view CCS as a vital part of our region’s higher education landscape.
CCS is well-known for providing a quality and accessible education to diverse populations throughout the region.

16. Key Findings – Business Leaders
CCS graduates are perceived as high-quality and prepared with the skills unique to their program of study, but need ongoing and additional training in non-technical skills.
CCS should have a close and ongoing relationship with the region’s industry organizations to maintain a clear understanding of workforce needs.

17. Key Findings – Business Leaders
Future workforce needs will be highly focused on manufacturing and health care industries.
When dealing with the challenges of budget constraints, CCS needs to focus on its mission and core strengths, as well as improving student experiences and outcomes.

18. Key Findings – K-12 Partners
K-12 partners viewed CCS as providing high quality programs that prepare students well for their selected pathways.

19. Key Findings – K-12 Partners
K-12 partners viewed CCS as a strong partner in our region’s education but feel it needs to focus on providing a collaborative/coordinated approach to support student success.
One key example of this was the disconnect in math education from high school to CCS.

20. Key Findings – K-12 Partners
Information about CCS institutions can be unclear or confusing for K-12 partners and students as details and information vary from one institution to the other.
Transitions from K-12 to CCS are a key part of students’ success in education and CCS should continue to focus on helping make transitions seamless.

21. Key Findings – K-12 Partners
Partnerships and communication between the K-12 schools and CCS are critical for student success and should continue to be an area of focus.
CCS can navigate current challenges by looking for ways to increase partnerships and find efficiencies in processes and class offerings.

22. Key Findings – K-12 Partners
Steps for improving quality and access of programs as well as completion rates should be well-rounded, touching on all areas of the student path, and align with the workforce needs of our region.

23. Key Findings – K-12 Partners
In looking to the future, CCS and K-12 partners will face challenges in education with a changing landscape around state standards and budget constraints, but need to focus on ways to continue preparing and serving students.

24. Key Findings – Higher Education Partners
Higher education partners credit CCS with offering students less expensive training options, with smaller class sizes, in a less intimidating learning environment than universities can provide.

25. Key Findings – Higher Education Partners
Higher education partners want CCS to focus advising efforts on helping every student look at the bigger picture of his/her education and long-term goals, including the possibility of becoming a transfer student.
Partners valued the diversity, determination and life experience that CCS transfer students bring and want more opportunity to promote their universities with CCS students.

26. Key Findings – Higher Education Partners
Opportunities abound for CCS advisors and advisors from higher education institutions to share data and build stronger partnerships.
CCS has opportunities to find efficiencies and improve student experiences by focusing on student support services.

27. Key Findings – Higher Education Partners
Higher education partners are pleased with the variety of programs offered.
Dual enrollment, including offering summer courses, was the idea mentioned most as a way for CCS and higher education partners to work together to generate new revenue.

28. Key Findings – Higher Education Partners
Higher education partners suggested taking a hard look at course offerings and what will be needed to be successful in the jobs of the future as the lead ideas for reducing costs.
Ongoing, frequent communication touch points are critical to ensuring students don’t slip through the cracks and are helped as they navigate the systems.

29. Key Findings – Staff
CCS provides flexible, important and quality education for our region.
The lack of consistency throughout the district is a significant weakness and barrier for CCS staff.

30. Key Findings – Staff
Clear access to education and supporting resources are important components in providing quality services and educational experiences for students.
Streamlined and clearly defined processes across institutions for staff and students are needed to better serve students, remove barriers, improve quality and help manage limited budgets.

31. Key Findings – Staff
Communication is vital and needs continued improvement and emphasis to ensure there is a clear process and exchange of information.

32. Key Findings – Faculty
CCS faculty felt a sense of pride in their institution and that CCS provides a quality educational environment focused on meeting the needs of those it serves.
The difference in systems and procedures among CCS institutions is confusing and often a source of frustration for CCS faculty.

33. Key Findings – Faculty
Graduates of CCS are well-prepared for their next step, but face barriers in getting to graduation.
Identifying metrics to measure program effectiveness and student preparedness is important, but metrics need to be tailored and flexible.

34. Key Findings – Faculty
Leveraging existing CCS resources can be a way of managing CCS’ limited budget.
Frequent and open CCS communication is important but needs to be deliberate, focused and relevant to the intended audience.

35. Key Findings – Students
Students viewed CCS’ breadth of program offerings and accessible education options as key strengths.
Advising services play an important role in student success.

36. Key Findings – Students
Students felt that they receive a quality education at CCS and are satisfied with the support they get from their instructors.
Students would like to see improvements in support services and communication from CCS.

37. Key Findings – Student Surveys
The majority of students sampled indicated they are attending CCS for two years to transfer to a four-year university.
Available programs of study, proximity to home and affordability were the major factors that brought students to CCS.

38. Key Findings – Student Surveys
Most students believe CCS is doing a good or excellent job in supporting students to reach their goals.
Most students believe CCS is doing a good or excellent job preparing them for their next level of education.

39. Key Findings – Student Surveys
Most students believe CCS provides good or excellent value for their money.
Most students believe CCS is doing a good or excellent job of communicating information students need to know.
Most students indicated that tuition increases won’t have a negative impact on them.

40. Key Findings – Student Surveys
Most students prefer to receive information from CCS via online mediums.
Students identified advising, expanded classes and times and financial aid as areas for improvement.

41. Key Findings – Student Surveys
Students identified the program and class offerings as well as quality instructors as key strengths of CCS.
Students identified the lack of flexibility in available classes and class times as key barriers.

42. Questions?

43. Thank You!