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Strategic Plan: Purpose
In the Spring of 2006, The Maine Community College System created a
process entitled “Envision the Future” for the purpose of establishing
a vision for each community college and the System as a whole for the
next five to eight years. As part of this process, Southern Maine
Community College engaged in an inclusive process with a rich dialogue
within the college community and among external partners to achieve
broad consensus on the key components of an operational plan to achieve
our college’s vision.
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Strategic Plan: Process
Following the transformation from a technical to a community college
in the summer of 2003, Southern Maine Community College established a
strategic planning committee with all areas of the College represented
and developed a strategic direction for the College for 2004-2009. With
the announcement of the System-wide "Envision the Future" process in
2006, SMCC's President and executive staff agreed that this was an
opportunity to review and assess the College's current strategic plan
and update it to reflect the overall of vision and direction of the
Maine Community College System as presented in the 2006 Report of the
Governor's Community College Advisory Council. Throughout the six-month
planning process, the College's stakeholders were provided multiple
opportunities to provide feedback to this report. Southern Maine
Community College is confident that the Envision the Future report
presented here was developed through a comprehensive and inclusive
process.
In preparation for developing the Envision the Future report, the
College's executive staff held a two-day planning retreat in June 2006.
Executive staff reviewed the College's current strategic plan,
including mission, vision and core values. Three years have passed
since these statements were developed and it was necessary to review
them to ensure that they hold true today and are specific, yet
comprehensive enough, to carry the College to the year 2014. The
executive staff planning retreat was also an opportunity to review the
goals, objectives and strategies of the College's 2004 Strategic Plan,
identify the successes of the past two years as well as the challenges
still facing the College, and align, where possible, the College's
goals with the System's eight strategic goal areas. At the end of the
two-day retreat, the executive staff team made recommendations for
updating the eight goals from the 2004 Strategic Plan and drafted new
objectives and strategies to be reviewed by the broader college
community.
Throughout the summer and early fall of 2006, the draft goals,
objectives and strategies were presented to internal and external
stakeholders to ensure that the report reflected the vision of the
entire college community - not only that of the College's leadership.
Executive staff met with the College's managers, staff, students,
faculty and department chairs to discuss the strategic planning process
and obtain their feedback and recommendations to the draft goals,
objectives and strategies. In September 2006, the College's strategic
planning committee was convened to conduct a detailed review of each
component of the report and come to consensus on the final product.
Members of the 2001 strategic planning committee were invited to return
and serve on the committee and the meetings were open to all members of
the college community to attend.
In October, the College hosted a breakfast for the College's
strategic partners, including business and industry leaders, K-12
educators, members of the President's Advisory Council, local
non-profits, and state and local government officials, to share the
draft report and obtain the perspective of organizations outside of the
College.
Executive staff reviewed and approved the final Envision the Future
draft in December 2006. The report presented here is the result of a
six month planning process which provided opportunities to engage all
members of the College community in creating a vision for Southern
Maine Community College and developing a focused, comprehensive plan
for moving towards that vision over the next five to eight years.
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Strategic Plan: Environmental Scan
To meet the goal set forth in the Report of the Governor's Community
College Advisory Council to achieve the national average in community
college enrollment - 30,000 credit student or 3% of the State's
population - within ten years, the Maine Community College System will
require growth across all seven community colleges. The bulk of this
growth is likely to occur in southern Maine and at Southern Maine
Community College. SMCC's central service area includes Cumberland and
Sagadahoc Counties; however, SMCC broad array of programs draw students
from all 16 counties in Maine. Cumberland County is the most populous
county in the state and is likely to experience continued growth over
the next decade. According to the U.S. Census, in 2005 the population
of Cumberland County was 274,950, a 3.5% increase over 2000. Cumberland
County experienced a 9.2% population increase from 1990 to 2000.
Sagadahoc County has a much smaller population - 36,962 in 2005, a 5%
increase over 2000 - but with the decline in employment at Bath Iron
Works and the impending closure of Brunswick Naval Air Station is
likely to experience changes in employment that require a strong
community college presence.
Southern Maine Community College's executive team agreed that the
enrollment goal for the next five to eight years would drive the goals
set in all other areas of the Envision the Future report. Enrollment of
credit students at Southern Maine Community College has increased from
3,505 in the fall of 2003 to 4,785 students in the fall of 2006. This
represents a 36% increase in the number of students from fall 2003 to
fall 2006 or a compound annual growth rate of 10.87%. If SMCC is to
continue to experience a 10% annual growth in enrollment, there are
implications for all other areas of the college including facilities,
instructors and student services.
Twenty-three percent of SMCC students take courses at off-campus
sites or through distance learning. To accommodate the increasing
demand for community college programs, SMCC has expanded to several
satellite campuses including the Bath campus, the Professional
Development Center at the Maine Mall, Portland and Bonney Eagle High
Schools and the Bridgeton Learning Center. With the impending closure
of Brunswick Naval Air Station, and the demand for access to advanced
technology programs throughout the mid-coast region, SMCC continues to
work with the Town of Brunswick and the Brunswick Local Redevelopment
Authority to establish an Advanced Technology Center - in partnership
with University of Southern Maine, University of Maine and other
colleges in the Maine Community College System - on the Base as part of
the redevelopment plan.
There is a significant evidence to support the need in Southern
Maine Community College's region to increase access to community
college programs. As discussed in the Report to the Governor's
Community College Advisory Council, job growth in Maine is expected to
be fastest among occupations requiring some level of post-secondary
education. The recently published report, Charting Maine's Future, by
the Brookings Institution, supports the demand for a higher-skilled
workforce if Maine's economy is to make a successful shift from a broad
natural resource and manufacturing-based economy to an innovation and
knowledge-based services economy. Residents of SMCC's region who do not
already have a degree - and many of those who do - will require access
to community college programs if they are to acquire marketable skills,
prepare for higher education and help the Maine economy remain
competitive. In Cumberland County alone, over 26% of the population
between ages 18 and 65 (49,433 residents) only have a high school
diploma or equivalency while over 15% of the population have some
college experience but no degree making for 78,430 potential community
college students. In Sagadahoc County, over 35% (8,533 residents) of
the working-age population only have a high school diploma or
equivalency; while over 19% have some college experience but no degree
making for 13,145 potential community college students.
According to the Report to the Governor's Community College Advisory
Council, 80% of those who will be working in Mane a decade from now are
already on the job. Southern Maine Community College has already
established significant partnerships with business and industry
including health care, insurance, construction, composites, boat
building and advanced technology manufacturing. Discussions between the
College and leaders from these industries demonstrate a critical need
for a workforce with advanced education. To support the demands of
industry in a changing economy, and enroll more students into community
college programs, SMCC will continue to expand outreach to Maine
businesses and enroll those Mainers who are already working into degree
and certificate programs.
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Strategic Plan: S.W.O.T Analysis
Strengths
- Improved the internal decision making process to be more inclusive.
- Focus on expanding and enhancing partnerships, especially with industry groups and the University system.
- Created a balance between career and liberal arts programs and enhanced transferability for all programs.
- Creating
an entrepreneurial culture that embraces change and provides
opportunity for self-reflection and continuous improvement.
- Increased outreach to area high schools to encourage more students to plan for and pursue higher education.
Weaknesses
- The complexity of the culture of a rapidly changing institution makes communication a challenge.
- Because the decision making process is inclusive (strength), the process tends to be very slow.
- Lack of broad participation in College governance and on committees – the same people participate repeatedly.
- The bureaucracy that comes with being a public institution.
- Insufficient financial resources.
Opportunities
- The impending closure and redevelopment of Brunswick Naval Air Station.
- SMCC is recognized in the community as an economic driver.
- The
goals and recommendations in the Governor’s Community College Advisory
Report and the Brookings Report position Community Colleges to be
leaders in increasing the skills of Maine people.
- Demand
from Mainers for higher education – people want to attend SMCC, and for
many, SMCC is THE option for their education and training needs.
- Availability of enhanced technology for instructional delivery.
- Increasing demand for enhanced worker education to keep companies competitive.
Threats
- Need and demand for tax reform and need to decrease spending across state-funded organizations.
- Competition for finite state dollars.
- Perception
that SMCC is still a “tech college.” It is a challenge to get the
message out that SMCC can provide both technical and academic programs
and courses.
- Demand and expectation that distance
education can replace traditional “bricks and mortar” education
delivery. There are costs and limitations to distance education that
are not always discussed or recognized.
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Strategic Plan Goals
STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL 1: ENROLLMENT
Southern Maine Community College will increase enrollment by at
least 10% per year for the next eight years. SMCC's enrollment will
reflect the diversity of the College's service area. (This assumes
sufficient fiscal support from the Maine Community College System)
Objectives
- Be viewed as a regional college, increasing enrollment at
all SMCC campuses and satellite sites and through distance learning to
10,250 students by the fall of 2014.
- Eighty-percent of enrollment growth will occur at campuses other than the Spring Point campus and through distance learning.
- Achieve diversity in SMCC's students that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve by the fall of 2014.
Recommended Strategies
- Develop and utilize a database to track the diversity of
applicants to SMCC and continue to conduct an annual review of the
diversity of student populations.
- Identify specific barriers to students coming to college and develop strategies to address these barriers.
- Review
how individual programs are currently marketed and develop a plan to
market programs to specific target audiences and non-traditional
students - women, minorities, incumbent workers. For example,
recruiting women into the automotive program; marketing this program as
"computer diagnostics."
- Increase offerings at and recruitment of students to satellite campuses and explore opening additional campuses.
- Assess current college capacity to support increased enrollment growth and add additional resources as needed.
- Conduct registration on-site at local companies to increase enrollment of students currently employed.
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STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL 2: EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS AND DELIVERY
As a comprehensive community college, SMCC will provide programs
that meet the educational and workforce preparation needs of our
students and the State of Maine; and ensure that all students, as well
as incumbent workers and employers, have access to these programs
through a variety of service delivery methods.
Objectives
- Retain and expand programs that prepare students to go on to a baccalaureate degree and to enter employment.
- Maintain quality and currency of academic and technical programs.
- Improve and increase access to all programs for all students.
- Create and implement innovative and relevant curriculum delivery systems.
- Create a “college community” identity to maintain connectedness during this time of rapid growth and change.
Recommended Strategies
- Provide a sufficient infrastructure (building, classrooms,
labs, equipment) to support current and expanded programs and student
learning.
- Ensure that every SMCC program has an articulation agreement with a four-year college or university by the fall of 2008.
- Develop
educational and workforce preparation goals, objectives and strategies
for each credit and non-credit program area by fall 2008 and update
annually.
- Lower workloads for Department Chairs to allow
greater participation on community and industry advisory boards and
with other college/community partnerships.
- Develop a distance education infrastructure and delivery plan by the fall of 2007.
- Identify
high growth/high demand industries in the region and annually convene
representatives from these sectors to determine educational programs
needed to provide skilled workers.
- Expand credit and
non-credit program offerings in high growth/high demand sectors such as
advanced health and technology occupations to upgrade the skills of
Maine’s current workers to meet the needs of the Maine economy. Develop
a timeline to implement as well as faculty, curriculum, and
infrastructure needs. Potential program offerings include:
- Broaden market for business management certificate
- Implement advanced technology certificate
- Develop a degree in composite technologies
- Develop and provide more advanced certificates in advanced manufacturing, health and business (and Para-professional) programs.
- Develop an applied engineering program
- Strengthen
partnerships with University System and Industry Associations to
deliver a continuum of curriculum through all SMCC campuses.
STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL 3: STUDENT SERVICES
SMCC will create an environment in which all students are informed, involved and engaged members of the College community.
Objectives
- Retain 60% of full-time, first-time degree/certificate
seeking students annually and maintain a retention rate higher than the
average for IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) peer
institutions.
- Increase retention of part-time, first-time
degree/certificate seeking students to equal the average for IPEDS peer
institutions.
- Graduate 35% of full-time, first-time
degree/certificate seeking students annually and maintain a graduation
rate higher than IPEDS peer institutions.
- Fifteen percent
of SMCC’s full-time, first-time degree/certificate seeking students
will transfer to a four-year college annually to pursue a baccalaureate
degree.
- Develop additional methods (in addition to IPEDS)
to define, measure and track student engagement and success and use the
results of the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE)
to promote improvements in student learning and retention.
Recommended Strategies
- Assess current student services and capacity (staff and
technology) to provide services at all College locations and adjust to
meet the need of enrollment growth at individual campuses.
- Develop
and implement strategies to support the findings of the Community
College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE), including service
learning, externships, internships, and greater involvement by the
business community on campus.
- Review data from exit
interviews from students who withdraw from the College to identify why
they are leaving and if their barriers can be addressed.
- Enhance the adaptability and customer service of all student-related services (more students, more changes, more demand).
- Develop and implement improved systems to track retention, graduation, transfer and employment rates for students.
STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL 4: FACILITIES
Assuming sufficient financial support, SMCC will have up-to-date,
energy efficient facilities to meet all college needs and the
increasing demand of enrollment growth.
Objectives
- Assess capacity (number of seats, percent utilization,
scheduling) of all campuses annually to determine the need for
additional, updated and appropriate space.
- Develop a facilities master plan for each campus by December 2007 in order to identify capacity and maximize space.
- Establish
an interim Advanced Technology Center in Brunswick by February 2007 and
a permanent facility – in partnership with industry and the University
system - on-site at the Brunswick Naval Air Station by 2011.
Recommended Strategies:
- Determine target markets, number of potential students and types of programs for the Brunswick Advanced Technology Center.
- Partner with the town of Brunswick to transform the former Times Record building into the Brunswick Advanced Technology Center.
- Continue
to partner with the Brunswick Local Redevelopment Authority to identify
a permanent location on the Brunswick Naval Air Station site for the
Advanced Technology Center.
- Utilize “green” technology and materials in new and upgraded facilities whenever possible.
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STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL 5: TECHNOLOGY
SMCC will have technology that supports operations and educational programs.
Objectives
- SMCC will be 100% wireless on all campuses by the fall of 2008.
- SMCC
will have integrated information systems that are flexible and dynamic
and able to respond to the changing demands of programs, students,
faculty and staff.
Recommended Strategies
- Review and update the College’s technology plan annually (includes information systems, hardware, web pages and equipment).
- Conduct
an equipment audit by program to determine what equipment is currently
in use, when it will need to be replaced, and what equipment will need
to be added to provide in-demand technical training.
- Assess current information technology staffing capacity and hire additional support as needed.
- Leverage partnerships to secure advanced technology equipment.
- Identify administrative functions that could become “paperless.” (i.e. – assign requisitions tracking numbers.)
- Align information technology systems with the Maine Community College system to reduce redundant functions.
- Align department websites with College website and ensure overall website functionality as a communications vehicle.
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STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL 6: FINANCES
SMCC will secure financial resources through a proactive,
multifaceted strategy to successfully support a 10% annual growth in
student enrollment.
Objectives
- Develop a long-range financial plan to support annual enrollment growth.
- Determine
appropriate mix of fiscal resources - tuition, appropriations,
partnerships, grant, donors, etc. – to support enrollment growth.
- Increase revenue from private donors and other sources to support additional budgetary requirements on a yearly basis.
Recommended Strategies
- Allocate 3% of the budget annually to maintain and upgrade buildings and building components.
- Work with the MCCS to develop a policy that all additional appropriations are based on an enrollment formula.
- Develop
a strategic financial plan that details the cost of each goal in the
strategic plan and the estimated source for funding.
- Create a fiscal balance between programs that run at or above cost and those which earn revenue.
- Design and implement a capital campaign in partnership with the College Foundation to support implementation of the Master Plan.
- Actively
engage the College Foundation and other stakeholders in the support and
implementation of the recommendations of the Governor’s Community
College Advisory Council.
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STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL 7: HUMAN RESOURCES
SMCC will attract and retain highly qualified and diverse faculty
and staff as well as provide professional development to ensure that
College employees have the skills needed to support our mission and
vision.
Objectives
- Develop and implement a Human Resources plan to address
and measure recruitment, retention and capacity issues and update this
plan annually.
Recommended Strategies
- Develop and implement recruitment strategies including:
- Assess the staffing needs of individual departments to address future growth.
- Annually
review staff, faculty and administrator compensation and compare with
IPEDS peer institutions. Share findings with MCCS.
- Develop a system to track retirement projections.
- Review
job descriptions and titles to ensure that they accurately reflect the
true needs of the position and the core values of the College.
- Provide guidance to the MCCS to revise collective bargaining agreements to reflect the vision, mission and goals of the College.
- Develop and implement retention strategies including:
- Revise
recognition criteria for staff, faculty and administrators to include
more than “length of service” and continue to host an annual
recognition event.
- Develop new hire orientation programs specific to each department.
- Implement a new hire mentoring program.
- Identify
appropriate technical competencies required for faculty, staff and
administrators and provide professional development plans and
opportunities to ensure that students will have access to
technologically competent faculty and staff.
- Assess the College’s capacity to provide Human Resources and increase staff and programs as needed.
- Develop online professional development opportunities.
- Enhance web services for employees.
- Hire additional Human Resource staff.
- Develop
a process to ensure that all faculty (including adjuncts) and staff
have financial support and access to participate in relevant training.
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STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL 8: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
As a premier provider of an educated workforce, SMCC will develop
and sustain the human capital necessary to strengthen the economy of
Southern Maine and be viewed as the partner of choice for workforce and
education needs.
Objectives
- Develop an outreach strategy to increase partnership opportunities with business, industry and associations by the fall of 2007.
- Develop
a definition of “partnership” and share with all faculty and staff to
ensure that partnership development is an accepted and understood part
of the college culture and imbedded in faculty and staff activities.
- Develop measures to determine SMCC’s short and long term economic impact on the region.
- Support
the State’s need to prepare workers for an innovation and
knowledge-based economy through the creation of an Advanced Technology
Center.
Recommended Strategies
- Transition business “customers” to “partners” who provide
assistance with program development, adjunct faculty, equipment, space,
internships, etc.
- Participate in business attraction activities to support the workforce needs of companies looking to relocate to Southern Maine.
- Outreach
to businesses to determine their human capital needs and use that
information to develop new programs and revise current curriculum.
- Assess the capacity of College staff, faculty and administration to manage partnerships.
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