1. Regionalizing CTE Programs: Yours, Mine, or Ours?
Zerryl Becker, College of the Desert
Kimberly Schenk, Diablo Valley College
Melynie Schiel, Copper Mountain College

2. What is regionalization??
Organizing and presenting CTE curriculum through cooperative arrangements among colleges within a common geographical region

3. Why is regionalizing CTE being considered?
Budget
Potential economies of scale
“Doing what is best for jobs and the economy”
Reducing redundancy based on LMI
More options for students
CTE programs are expensive not because of the faculty cost but because they require dedicated buildings and expensive supplies.
We have a really top notch digital design classroom - with all the Adobe software and a plotter and a two screen overhead system and plenty of desk space for students around wide screen monitors and high end computers. It is not used all day/night every day. We could add more classes but don't have enough students finishing the program to justify a bigger program. Two of the entry level classes are offered both classroom and online; Copper Mountain could add more online entry level classes without the expense of setting up the lab; students continuing through the second year could make the trek down the mountain for the advanced courses which we usually offer on one long Friday.
And what do they mean by "not maxed out" in multimedia - obviously we can keep growing a program if there is enough demand, but again, does that mean you can't start a program but we can expand ours? Your question about expanding is interesting. Once a program is approved by the vocational deans I would look at expansion two ways. 1.
Adding an additional degree or certificate which requires regional approval or 2. Adding sections and serving more students.
If you mean expansion in terms of 2, then yes, the current regional approval structure leaves colleges that already have programs the autonomy to expand without having to share the pie. With degrees and certificates already in place, expansion is a local decision.

4. Why is regionalizing CTE being considered?
Able to respond to labor market demand/retraction
Politics
Partnerships required for grants
Larger service area for specialized programs
CTE programs are expensive not because of the faculty cost but because they require dedicated buildings and expensive supplies.
We have a really top notch digital design classroom - with all the Adobe software and a plotter and a two screen overhead system and plenty of desk space for students around wide screen monitors and high end computers. It is not used all day/night every day. We could add more classes but don't have enough students finishing the program to justify a bigger program. Two of the entry level classes are offered both classroom and online; Copper Mountain could add more online entry level classes without the expense of setting up the lab; students continuing through the second year could make the trek down the mountain for the advanced courses which we usually offer on one long Friday.
And what do they mean by "not maxed out" in multimedia - obviously we can keep growing a program if there is enough demand, but again, does that mean you can't start a program but we can expand ours? Your question about expanding is interesting. Once a program is approved by the vocational deans I would look at expansion two ways. 1.
Adding an additional degree or certificate which requires regional approval or 2. Adding sections and serving more students.
If you mean expansion in terms of 2, then yes, the current regional approval structure leaves colleges that already have programs the autonomy to expand without having to share the pie. With degrees and certificates already in place, expansion is a local decision.

5. How would regionalization of CTE benefit colleges?
Cost savings
Keep programs open for students that otherwise may not be viable
Consistent alignment of curriculum that meets industry need
Greater collaboration
More robust and effective advisory committees
Student's perspective
provides a much richer set of options than can be offered at any one college
students can get GE and other courses at home college and then take specialty classes elsewhere
better employer recognition of program provides greater value to the certificate/degree
Easier to engage regional scale employers with regional scale programs
would have been hard to get Kaiser other big employers to table approaching them one college at a time
engagement with bigger employers can increase access to direct support from industry and indirect support through their advocacy on our behalf with state government

6. What effect would/does this have on curriculum?
Models:
Certain courses offered at specific college
Ensuring progressive learning in sequenced courses
Consistent prerequisite policies
Curriculum approval in CO
Partner colleges offer different “Specializations”
How do we determine who offers what?
Ongoing dialogue/collaboration as demands change
Other???
Both these models are possible, among others.

7. Example of a regional CTE program (Mature)
Respiratory Therapy
Ohlone/DVC
Keeping it going
Who are the players?
What details need to be in order?
Direct impact on curriculum committee work?
Once the program is established, scheduling, marketing, student referrals and advisement are all areas that require ongoing collaboration.

8. Example of a regional CTE Program (under development)
Program under development: Industrial Machine Maintenance Mechanic
Laney/Solano/DVC
Getting it started
Who are the players?
What details need to be in order?
What lessons have been learned?
Direct impact on curriculum committee work?
In program development, considerations center around developing MOUs (horizontal articulation) for course equivalencies, scheduling, developing a conjoint application, common advisory committee, etc.
Students will have catalog rights at one or more colleges, depending on their course taking patterns.

9. Issues with “regionalization”
Local control
Time/interest/will
Small, rural colleges are unable to capitalize on economies of scale
Distance education?
Lower socioeconomic areas have reduced access to DE options (slow internet)

10. Issues with “regionalization” (continued)
Registration concerns
How will registration policies ensure that students who are interested in a program can begin and continue the sequence (especially if they have to navigate multiple colleges)?
Who gets credit for “completion”?
Impacts on our ability to respond to industry

11. What does all of this mean for the curriculum committee?

12. Questions
Would these models change the local curriculum approval process?
Faculty purview
Potential conflicts of interest
Assessment of program viability/cost
Other??
Could this model be accommodated within existing processes?
Does the system program approval process exist to pursue these agreements?
New curriculum forms for example