REPORT OF A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION … OF A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION VISIT ASSURANCE SECTION TO Tulsa Community College Tulsa, Oklahoma January 26-28, 2009 FOR The Higher Learning

REPORT OF A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION VISIT

ASSURANCE SECTION

TO

Tulsa Community College Tulsa, Oklahoma

January 26-28, 2009

FOR

The Higher Learning Commission

A Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

EVALUATION TEAM Dr. Marty Bachman, Department Chair/Program Director, Front Range Community College, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526 Dr. Norma Goonen, Provost for Academic and Student Affairs, Miami Dade College, Davie, Florida 33331 Dr. Charles Guengerich, President, City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College, Chicago, Illinois 60634 Dr. Leo Hirner, Director-Distance Education Services, Metropolitan Community College, Kansas City, Missouri 64111 Ms. Kathie House, Program Coordinator for Cooperative Education and Internship, Oakland Community College, Detroit, Michigan 48221 Mr. David McShane, CIO/Vice President Information Technology, William Rainey Harper College, Palatine, Illinois 60067 Mr. James Ratliff, Librarian, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49003 Dr. Susan Murphy, Vice President for External Affairs, Central New Mexico Community College, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87106

Assurance Section Tulsa Community College/1101

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Contents I. CONTEXT AND NATURE OF VISIT.............................................................................1 II. COMMITMENT TO PEER REVIEW.............................................................................5 III. COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS...................................................6 IV. FULFILLMENT OF THE CRITERIA............................................................................6

CRITERION ONE: MISSION AND INTEGRITY. ..........................................................6 CRITERION TWO: PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE. ................................................8 CRITERION THREE: STUDENT LEARNING AND EFFECTIVE TEACHING............10 CRITERION FOUR: ACQUISITION, DISCOVERY, AND APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE.............................................................................................................12 CRITERION FIVE: ENGAGEMENT AND SERVICE. .................................................14

V. STATEMENT OF AFFILIATION STATUS .................................................................15 VI. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS AND EXPLANATIONS .................................................17


I. CONTEXT AND NATURE OF VISIT

A. Purpose of Visit This visit was conducted as a comprehensive visit for continued accreditation at Tulsa Community College (TCC), a comprehensive public institution of higher education

B. Organizational Context

TCC is a mature urban multi-campus institution located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Established in 1970, the college has grown to serve the metropolitan area with transfer, career, technical and developmental education as well as various workforce training programs.

C. Unique Aspects of Visit The team visited two of the college’s four campuses; inclement weather prevented additional campus visits. The college was closed on the second and third day of the visit although the team was on site at the Southeast campus and did visit with college staff, faculty, select council members, self-study coordinators and others who came to campus for scheduled interviews. The team included an experienced SACS consultant-evaluator who complemented the visiting team and brought new insights and experiences to bear.

D. Sites or Branch Campuses Visited Team members visited the college’s Southeast and Metro campuses; at both campuses, members toured facilities and held meetings with students, staff, and faculty. An open meeting with college administrators below the cabinet level was held at the Southeast campus.

E. Distance Education Reviewed Programs and services in distance education were reviewed as a part of the comprehensive visit; the college had received a focused visit culminating in approval to offer full degree programs online in 2004. Since this approval, the college has developed the capacity for students to earn a number of certificates and degrees online and has goals to increase its online offerings and programs, both to grow its enrollment and to address the needs of identified populations. Students report satisfaction with and confirmed the rigor of current online courses. Headed by the Dean of Distance Learning, this office provides support for faculty interested in designing and offering online courses. Predominantly full-time faculty teach TCC online courses, and both faculty and administrators recognize this as a potential barrier to planned growth. Work on a new Intellectual Property policy will also be critical to expanded offerings, and the faculty indicated that they had a very active role in drafting a proposal.


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The college utilizes Blackboard Enterprise for its course management system and this system is capable of supporting the anticipated growth; completion of the SunGard Banner student system should provide seamless interaction between both systems. The Distance Learning program will be greatly augmented by the opening of the Center for Creativity later this year. Interviews, facilities toured, and documents reviewed before and during the site visit indicate that the college has made the necessary investment in infrastructure to meet current and future goals.

F. Interactions with Constituencies

Associate Vice President of Human Resources

Acting Associate Vice President for Student Affairs

Associate Vice President for Student Affairs

Director of Financial Aid

Artistic Director Performing Arts Institute

Associate Dean Allied Health

Acting Associate Dean Nursing Program

Executive Vice President and CFO

President

Students at Metro/Southeast Campus

Staff at Metro/Southeast Campus

Faculty at Metro/Southeast Campus

Provosts at all Campuses

Academic Vice President

Acting Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs

Board of Regents

Learning and Instructional Designers

Distance Learning Committee – including online faculty

Provosts

Interim Chief Technology Officer

Telecommunications Supervisor

Dean, Distance Learning

Dean, Student Services-Southeast Campus

Institutional Effectiveness Committee

Dean of Workforce Development

Dean of University Transfer

Dean of Student Services – Metro Campus

Media/ITV Manager

President’s Cabinet

Self-Study Chairs

Associate Deans

Group meeting with Administrators

Group meeting with students Conference Call, Advisory Committee Members

Director, Academic and Campus Services (ACS), Northeast Campus

Director, Institutional Research


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Group meeting, Institutional Effectiveness Council and Achieving the Dream Committee

(administrators and faculty)

Dean of Learning Resources Center

Campus Police Officers

Director of Campus Police

Vice President for External Affairs

Allied Health Faculty Members

Community business and service representatives phone conference.

Librarian

Bookstore Manager

Bookstore clerk

Custodian

Food service clerk

G. Principal Documents, Materials, and Web Pages Reviewed

1999 NCA visit report 2003 Request for Institutional Change – online degrees (Resource Room) 2004 Computer Efficiency 2004 HLC Report of a focus visit 2006 Effective Communications 2008 Class Schedule 2008 Engaged Learning Achieving the Dream (Website, data, articles) Achieving the Dream Score Card (Resource Room) Annual Financial Audit Reports – 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 (RR 145) Annual Planning and Budget Forms (RR 149) Annual Technology Program Plan (Online Resource Room) Articulation agreement examples (RR 138) Assessment – Discipline Goals / Program Competencies Assessment Academy Application Auditor Report, June 2007 bb.tulsacc.edu (online courses) College Catalog Connection, issue 410, v56 (2) Convocation speech by Pres. McKeon Credits, Program Length, and Tuition (RR 142) Curriculum Committee Handbook and minutes Discipline Goal/Program Competency Assessment Discipline Self-Study Reports Diversity Council Charter Diversity Council Five-Year Plan Fall 2007 Diversity Dialog Mission Statement Diversity Stats Educational and General Budgets – 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2008 (RR 146) Faculty Appraisal Form


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Faculty Association Minutes Faculty Handbooks – full and part-time Faculty Innovation Grants Awarded 2001-2009 (Online Resource Room) Financial Records Summary Reports (RR 148) Financial Statements June 30, 2008 and 2007 First Stop Project Plan Full Time and Part time Faculty Human Resources Files Full time teaching load matrix General Ledger by Account – July 2004 through September 2008 (RR 148) Goals and Competencies by Discipline/Program Fall 2007 Institutional agreement examples (RR139) Institutional Data file #205 Institutional Snapshot; Institutional Data; Organization Chart IR Web site (assessment.tulsacc.edu/IRAWeb) IT Tactical Plan LRC Mission LRC Policy Notebook Marketing Surveys Online Courses, random, total of 5 Planning_and_Budgeting_Business_Process_Transformation_Step1_Team Report

(Online Resource Room) Policies, Practices, and Procedures Handbook for:

Full time Professional Staff Full time staff handbook Part time Instructors Part time staff handbook

Previous comprehensive accreditation reports, including focus visit (2004) Process and Criteria for Using Student Activities Funds Public Disclosure Documents (Cleary, FERPA, HLC affiliation) (RR 143A) Roster of all Faculty Teaching Assignments, Fall 2008 and Spring 2009 Salary schedules Sample Transcripts Self-Study Self-Study addendum Spring 2009 Course Schedule Staff Development Policies Student Compliant Log (RR 143B) Student Newspaper Student Policy and Resources Handbooks Student Service Benchmarking Taskforce Report and Recommendations Student Services and Activities Survey Report on Leadership 101 Syllabi for On-line Courses Syllabi for Regular Classes TA Task Force Meeting 5-21-2008 – Criterion 2


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TCC Board of Regents Policy Manual (RR 102A) TCC Connection Newspaper TCC Course Catalog TCC Faculty Association Constitution (RR 101A) TCC Information Technology Strategic Plan (RR 150A) TCC Newsbytes electronic newsletter TCC Organization Chart Jan 2009 Technology Master_Plan_2005 (Online Resource Room) Technology Plan (Online Resource Room) The Eighth Floor Spring 2009 Course Catalog Third Party Comment Notices and Comments received (RR 144) Title III documents (RR 140) Title IV and Default management plan (RR 141) TJC(TCC) Charter and Original Accreditation Legislation (RR 100) Subjective Metrics site - http://www.subjectivemetrics.com/index.cfm TCC Assessment Site - http://assessment.tulsacc.edu/IRAWeb/ TCC Web site - http://www.tulsacc.edu/ TCC’s Learning Resources web site – http://lrc.tulsacc.edu TCC’s Lotus Notes site – http://notes.tulsa.cc.ok.us Vision 2025 (www.vision2025.info/page.php?page=aboutvision2025)

II. COMMITMENT TO PEER REVIEW

A. Comprehensiveness of the Self-Study Process The team found the self-study document to be a well-written and comprehensive document. The college’s self-study process involved all constituent groups and campuses of the college. The team had access to many additional documents in electronic form to assist their preparation. Access to documents, websites and online courses was particularly helpful to the team.

B. Integrity of the Self-Study Report

The self-study report accurately reflected the state of the institution, its practices and policies. The report was candid, descriptive and evaluative even as the college objectively critiqued its operations and conduct. In some cases where the college identified opportunities for improvement there have already been efforts to improve.

C. Adequacy of Progress in Addressing Previously Identified Challenges

The institution has responded to all previously identified challenges. However, the team notes that the college still faces some of these same issues now, due to very different circumstances. The issues of concern, communication and organizational structure and assessment, are addressed in the body of this report.


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D. Notification of Evaluation Visit and Solicitation of Third-Party Comment

Requirements were fulfilled

III. COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS The team reviewed the required Title IV compliance areas and student complaint information. All materials were in order and no areas of concern are noted.

IV. FULFILLMENT OF THE CRITERIA

CRITERION ONE: MISSION AND INTEGRITY. The organization operates with integrity to ensure the fulfillment of its mission through structures and processes that involve the board, administration, faculty, staff, and students.

1. Evidence that Core Components are met.

a) Recent review and re-statement of the college’s vision mission and values statement has already served to reinforce the college’s new direction of “one college” intended to eliminate internal competition and instill a sense of common purpose across the institution. TCC’s mission statement is prominently displayed throughout the college, serving as a reminder to employees and the public at-large of the college’s mission. Interviews confirmed that the mission is embraced by both internal and external constituencies aiding in the success of accomplishing the goals of the institution.

b) The recently signed agreement among the president, Faculty Association and the College Staff Council regarding shared governance is a notable accomplishment that underscores the collective interest at the college to move forward positively on the college’s mission while acknowledging differences in perception. The team recognizes that the college will still debate various issues but is moving beyond previously identified barriers.

c) A committed Board of Regents devotes its time and talents to support the mission of TCC. Their support as advocates for the institution is increasing the visibility of TCC as an institution of higher learning in the community.

d) Advisory Board members actively contribute to TCC’s occupational programs to keep the curriculum current and to ensure that the curriculum meets the workforce needs of the community.

e) TCC’s comprehensive online course offerings provide opportunities for place bound


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students and thus expand the mission of the institution beyond physical boundaries of the campus locations.

f) TCC responds rapidly to the expressed needs of the community (e.g., the creation of the resource center for veterans). This ability to respond to the needs of the community serves to make TCC a community focal point.

g) The development of First Stop Centers is designed to streamline and improve student services and provide consistency of information so as to help TCC better achieve its mission and goals.

h) The existing partnerships with public agencies, not-for-profit organizations, local school districts, and private businesses aid TCC in both publicizing and accomplishing its mission and goals.

i) TCC’s human resources provide polices, practices and procedure handbooks for each of the various staffing units for the mutual benefit of individuals and the institution. Handbooks provide clarity for employees in terms of organization, general policies and procedures, salary, and benefits. Such handbooks and materials are available in electronic form via TCC’s portal “MyTCC.”

2. Evidence that one or more specified Core Components need organizational

attention a) Recent changes in the college’s administrative structure combined with new hires in

the executive ranks have left some uncertainty in the mid-management ranks as to extent of authority or the appropriate channels for reporting and making requests. Though different efforts have been undertaken to improve the situation, difficulties persist. TCC needs to assess the effectiveness of the administrative reorganization in terms of its impact on its own identified problems of internal communication. TCC needs to determine if the changes effected in organizational structure are accomplishing the intended purposes. The team perceives that the college’s issues in administrative structure and communication are related.

b) Conversations with internal constituents confirmed the Self-Study findings that internal communication at TCC was uneven and at times this inhibited the ability of staff to serve students adequately. TCC needs to develop internal mechanisms to improve communication at all levels in the institution. Failure to improve internal communication especially on developing initiatives, will compromise services to all stakeholders.

c) The absence of comprehensive faculty evaluations (full-time and part-time) conducted by supervisors through class visits, review of student evaluations, etc. compromises the college’s ability to fulfill its obligation to maintain and strengthen quality. The college has not created a formal process evaluating part-time and full-time faculty teaching effectiveness.

3. Evidence that one or more specified Core Components require Commission


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follow-up.

4. Evidence that one or more specified Core Components are not met and require

Commission follow-up. (Sanction or adverse action may be warranted.)

Recommendation of the Team Criterion is met; no Commission follow up recommended.

CRITERION TWO: PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE. The organization’s allocation of resources and its processes for evaluation and planning demonstrate its capacity to fulfill its mission, improve the quality of its education, and respond to future challenges and opportunities.

1. Evidence that Core Components are met

a) TCC’s effort to provide increased access to higher education through the Tulsa Achieves initiative serves the community and is forward thinking. This effort has increased community awareness of the mission of TCC and can only have a positive impact in the community.

b) The decision to participate in the Achieving the Dream program will aid the college in analyzing data and using data to make decisions for future planning efforts.

c) TCC has adequate financial resources to support current operations and fund future development of programs and facilities; prudent management will allow the institution to continue to improve programs and services.

d) Active program advisory councils comprised of professionals from various fields provide advice on future trends to aid TCC in planning for curriculum improvements; this participation helps TCC meet the workforce needs of Tulsa County.

e) The recent lease agreement of computer equipment with Dell will allow TCC to replace computer equipment on a regular schedule while eliminating the high disposal costs, thereby lowering the college’s environmental impact, and providing the latest technology for teaching and learning.

f) Institutional planning occurs at many different levels involving internal constituents from across the college. Recent planning efforts support the institution’s move to increased shared governance.

g) The annual budget planning process secures input from faculty and staff and then through the administrative structure. Stakeholder input is gathered and prioritized for the allocation of available resources.

h) The new Center for Creativity located on the Metro Campus will provide new learning opportunities for students throughout the college with facilities for teaching arts, multimedia communications, and journalism.


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i) In preparing for growth and improved services to employees and students, TCC is replacing its business systems, human resources, finances, and student services, with the SunGard Banner system. This change will provide “enhanced self-service” opportunities to students and employees and improve business process efficiency. Additionally, to help support students and employees with these changes, the college has established a Help Desk which has already served to reduce frustrations.

j) A significant investment has been made in updating existing facilities and building new facilities, such as the new Health Sciences and Biotechnology Learning Center. These new facilities increase learning opportunities that integrate technology for students in Nursing and Allied Health programs, support the implementation of new academic programs such as Biotechnology, and provide opportunities for new educational partnerships with local high schools for teacher technology training and enrichment activities for high school students.

k) Good financial planning and fiscal management practices are evident in the strong fiscal position of TCC as reflected in the reports of the external audits. The financial strength of the TCC will allow it to continue to fulfill its mission well into the future.

l) The Student Recruitment Office measures effectiveness of its efforts to shepherd students from their initial contact with TCC through to enrollment. The office tracks its progress with weekly reports on recruitment. TCC is able to tally the number of students who are asking for information about the college then monitor and track students through the registration. Results are then used to improve the contact management system.

m) Significant accomplishments have been made in the area of student support services. The “First Stop” model at the Northeast, Metro and West campuses has provided students with a menu of enrollment and support services giving them a streamlined enrollment experience of admission, registration, financial aid and more.


attention a) The survey data collected from students participating in the Tulsa Achieves Program

needs to be used to strengthen the program through increased staff knowledge, improved service in financial aid, and most importantly in developing a system of consistent information to students.

b) Although the college has developed a participatory budget process, there is a lack of a feedback loop that informs internal constituents of the decision making priorities used to fund various projects and defer funding of others. The lack of this feedback loop may result in fewer individuals participating in the process, thereby frustrating TCC’s efforts to move to shared governance through improved communication.

3. Evidence that one or more specified Core Components require Commission follow-up. a) The college gathers planning information from various sources including campus

Provosts, various councils, associate deans, and others. These individual unit plans,


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however, are not merged into an overall strategic plan that sets the priorities for the college in its three to five year planning cycle. These plans are not tied to future budget planning needs and recent cycles have left internal stakeholders with a sense of wasted time and effort. The college needs to develop a system to integrate these individual documents into an overall blueprint for the future while also defining how it will disseminate strategic planning information, who the pertinent membership is for the planning team and how the topic of planning will regularly be addressed by the college in annual cycles of budgeting and updating of the document. Important changes in this arena should simultaneously contribute to improved communication overall.

4. Evidence that one or more specified Core Components are not met and require Commission follow-up. (Sanction or adverse action may be warranted.)

Recommendation of the Team

Criterion is met; Commission follow up recommended. (Progress Report due by April 2, 2012)

CRITERION THREE: STUDENT LEARNING AND EFFECTIVE TEACHING. The organization provides evidence of student learning and teaching effectiveness that demonstrates it is fulfilling its educational mission.


a) TCC has demonstrated its commitment to creating an effective learning environment through its continued support of current and new instructional technology and learning spaces such as the new Health Sciences & Biotechnology Learning Center, the Math & Science Building at West Campus, and the Center for Creativity. The TCC facilities toured and interviews with key support staff, administration, faculty and students indicated the value of modern facilities and equipment to instruction. The learning environments created and maintained at TCC are generally state-of-the-art and provide students with every opportunity to prepare themselves for the university learning environment upon transfer or the work place.

b) To encourage the development of self-awareness and greater understanding of students’ relationship to the world and its people, the General Education goals of civic responsibility and global awareness were incorporated into a new goal: engaged learning. This change required involvement from TCC’s faculty, students and administrators demonstrating concern for student learning and program improvements at the course level.

c) One example of Tulsa Community College’s committed to the creation of effective learning environments can be found in its distance learning program. TCC’s Self-


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Study provided an overview of faculty training, learning support, and student service infrastructure needed for an effective online program. The online course sites and support service links reviewed by team members, interviews of students, staff and faculty, and the imminent opening of the new Center for Creativity demonstrated that TCC is well-positioned and has planned appropriately for the future.

d) TCC supports student learning and effective teaching through the range of services and resources provided by the Learning Resource Center at each campus. The range of physical and electronic services – including the new digital video resources – is a clear asset for all students and faculty.

e) The state-of-the-art laboratories at TCC provide student learning environments that are nearly equivalent to the work spaces they will encounter upon graduation. Faculty teach in real world environments and has access to the resources needed to meet their instructional goals.

f) In interviews and satisfaction surveys, students say that they have been consistently pleased with the degree of knowledge the faculty hold and are able to convey. Students told the visiting team that they have had positive experiences with both full-time and part-time faculty members. Students note that they connect with faculty members easily outside of class for consultation.

g) Interviews with faculty and staff and a visual inspection of the TCC facilities substantiate that the college is committed and is supportive of the utilization of technology in the classroom. Consistently, classrooms are equipped with the necessary multimedia hardware and software required to enhance effective learning environments for students. Faculty and staff are please with the level of support from the college that is provided to implement technology in the classroom. Additionally, faculty members stated that they had participated in developing labs and special use rooms and are excited about using these spaces for their classes.

h) Student Activities Offices at all four campuses host several activities, events and programs to foster student development and success. Additionally, students are encouraged to plan and facilitate student led workshops.

2. Evidence that one or more specified Core Components need organizational attention


follow-up. a) The absence of measurable program and learning outcomes assessment is a barrier

to making effective assessment of student learning possible. Without the implementation of an intentional, systematic, and overarching assessment plan, the college will be unable to evaluate the acquisition of learning outcomes by the conclusion of the students' program of studies. The college should measure, through


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all delivery methods (face-to-face, distance learning, etc.) the degree to which the student learning outcomes have been achieved upon completion of a student’s program.

b) Currently, TCC’s assessment of student learning is focused on course-embedded assessments managed by individual faculty though it is clear that this approach is not taking place regularly in classroom-based instruction; it is unclear whether it is taking place in online instruction. Assessment expectations for online and other distance instruction delivery formats needs to be defined clearly conducted by faculty and managed within the larger assessment plan of measuring the achievement of learning outcomes. Similarly, distance education needs to collect and examine feedback on student services and support.

c) The team recognizes that the college is an active participant in the HLC Assessment Academy. The team’s observations cited above are offered to assist TCC in better understanding the issues that need attention and improvement so that Academy activities might be optimally focused to position the college to accomplish its goals in assessment.



Recommendation of the Team Criterion is met; no Commission follow up recommended.

CRITERION FOUR: ACQUISITION, DISCOVERY, AND APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE.

The organization promotes a life of learning for its faculty, administration, staff, and students by fostering and supporting inquiry, creativity, practice, and social responsibility in ways consistent with its mission.


a) TCC offers a variety of formal and informal learning experiences for its constituencies. The college's policies, procedures, and training opportunities promote inquiry, creativity, and social responsibility for its students, faculty, and staff. Specifically, the college makes available professional development programs such as the Academy for Teaching Excellence for new faculty, a sabbatical leave policy for faculty and administrators, the Leadership Development Academy, the Staff,


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Professional, and Organizational Development (SPOD) classes, opportunities for travel to conferences, the Planned Academic Studies/Developmental Leave for faculty and administrators, course tuition waivers for TCC courses, and technology-oriented training such as "The Eighth Floor" and Soft Skill classes. Faculty members also organize informal learning programs, such as reading clubs on various campuses, and discussion meetings on and off-campus. In addition to classroom experiences, TCC also offers students other educational opportunities. Through the Student Activities Office, students can request funds for special projects to travel to local, state, or national events, such as the annual conferences of the National Collegiate Honors Council, in addition to participation in more than sixty-five student organizations, student activities, and study abroad opportunities. Many students have taken advantage of both conference and national competition opportunities with the college. Faculty and staff try to emphasize to students how these experiences fulfill both the college’s mission and its general education objectives.

b) TCC has agreed upon four college-wide general education goals to be taught and assessed throughout each student's program of study as well as through co-curricular activities. The college is working on a comprehensive assessment plan that will ensure that the four college-wide goals as well as the program objectives are being acquired by TCC students. Students are provided with support and encouragement to exercise their intellectual curiosity while providing a rich cultural environment that reinforces their place in a global society. Support is provided by various tutoring opportunities, the Learning Resources Center, and faculty mentors.

c) The college is still in the process of developing a systematic assessment of the usefulness of its curricula. Participation in programs such as Achieving the Dream, Tulsa Achieves, and the HLC Academy for the Assessment of Student Learning is indicative of TCC's commitment to support faculty, students, and staff to acquire, discover, and apply knowledge responsibly.

d) Through the Learning Resource Center (LRC), TCC students have access to a wealth of online and print source material in support of college-level research.

e) The team found that TCC values and supports effective teaching by implementing uniform and improved procedures in hiring, offering competitive salaries, recognizing excellent teaching publicly and financially by offering teaching awards and by promoting professional development opportunities.


attention

3. Evidence that one or more specified Core Components require Commission follow-up.




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Criterion is met; no Commission follow up recommended.

CRITERION FIVE: ENGAGEMENT AND SERVICE. As called for by its mission, the organization identifies its constituencies and serves them in ways both value.

1. Evidence that Core Components are met

a) Community members verbalized -- with enthusiasm -- that the organization's outreach responds to identified community needs. In reviewing copies of surveys to alumni and programs developed in response to identified needs (Veterans Services, Hospitality & Gaming, Biotechnology), it is clear that TCC is a valued asset in the Tulsa community.

b) Many formal and informal opportunities exist to forge communication between Tulsa Community College and the community. Faculty, staff, and administration actively participate in community service organizations, boards, and schools.

c) The introduction of the Tulsa Achieves initiative whereby high school students are guaranteed access to higher education for two years at no cost was an effort the college put forth recognizing the need in its community stakeholders. In conjunction with Tulsa Achieves, students who need assistance for textbooks can obtain assistance through the TCC Foundation Text Book Trust.

d) TCC demonstrated its value to local constituencies through special programs and services exemplified by the Performing Arts Center for Education (PACE), the range of music/arts outreach initiatives at local schools, and its partnership with Tulsa Tech leading to the “Eighth Floor” faculty training facility. The importance of these contributions was reinforced through interviews with members of the Board of Regents and community leadership.

e) Interviews with students and community leaders revealed that Tulsa Community College responds to their needs to have alternative delivery methods for courses and programs. The significant growth of online courses and programs provides access to courses for students with work and/or life schedules incompatible with the traditional academic calendar.

f) The TCC Foundation, with support from the local community, demonstrates the active involvement of the community in providing funds to furnish and acquire the necessary technology for the Health Sciences and Biotechnology Learning Center.

g) The decision to create a Dean of Diversity and Civic Engagement coupled with TCC’s willingness to support/host programs such as the TCC/NAACP Youth Helping Youth leadership conference, Hispanic Outreach Program, and the Day of Vision


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illustrates how TCC both learns from its constituencies and has the capacity to serve those needs. Information provided in the Self-Study and links to local media articles praising TCC for these and more initiatives were reinforced by letters of support and recognition from local organizations and in conversations with community leaders. The college’s support for these initiatives demonstrates that it is more than an educational resource to the Tulsa community.

h) TCC utilizes both internal (PACE) and external (benchmarking survey and prospect tracking) measures to identify needed services and the college plans to implement the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE). These efforts are evidence that the college seeks to learn from its colleagues and constituents. A Student Services Benchmarking Task Force is responsible for researching best practices in operational procedures and processes by comparing TCC’s operations to those of neighboring colleges and universities in the areas of admissions, registration, advisement, assessment, recordkeeping and international student services. Recommendations made by the members will support the college’s goal of providing students with the most effective learning environments while demonstrating “best practices” in operational procedures and processes. New initiatives, such as Every Encounter Counts, are the results of such self-analysis, and the college has shown it is willing to continue examining how to better serve its constituencies through self-examination.

2. Evidence that one or more specified Core Components need organizational attention


follow-up. 4. Evidence that one or more specified Core Components are not met and require



Criterion is met; no Commission follow up recommended.

V. STATEMENT OF AFFILIATION STATUS

A. Affiliation Status: Accredited


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B. Nature of Organization

1. Legal status: Public, not-for-profit 2. Degrees awarded: Associate degree

C. Conditions of Affiliation

1. Stipulation on affiliation status-None 2. Approval of degree sites- Prior Commission approval required

3. Approval of distance education degree-No prior approval required

4. Reports required

Progress Report Topic(s) and Due Date: April 2, 2012 regarding Strategic Planning TCC will report on its efforts to create a Strategic Planning document and system

that at minimum will define the planning group’s membership, planning cycles, the conduct of annual reports and updates to the Strategic Plan, the plan’s link to the budget and the methodology the college has chosen to disseminate this information to the college at-large. Rationale and Expectations The team does not see that the college has a strategic plan or planning process in place. The team acknowledges that the college does have a variety of planning efforts across its campuses and councils but the lack of a synthesized plan clearly articulated to the college is absent. Currently, planning is not transparently linked to the budgeting process. Lastly, how the college updates or amends the strategic plan is not understood. The planning culture at TCC is unit-based and campus-based and though these pieces are needed, college stakeholders cannot see the overarching strategic plan and direction for the college but only fragments. TCC recognizes the need to create an institutional perspective that employees can embrace and understand. TCC needs a strategic plan that assesses internal and external environments, interprets the information, develops a direction and measures progress while creating a culture of data-driven decisions.

Monitoring Report- None


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Contingency Report- None

5. Other visits scheduled-None

6. Organization change request-None

D. Commission Sanction or Adverse Action

On Notice-None Probation-None Denial or Withdrawal of Status-None

E. Summary of Commission Review Timing for next comprehensive visit: 2018-2019

Rationale for recommendation: Tulsa Community College demonstrated to the visiting team that it fulfills the criteria for accreditation and has the talent, planning and policies necessary to manage the human, financial and physical resources required to move the college forward. TCC enjoys strong board and community support for the important role that it plays in the workforce and economic development of the city. TCC is stable financially, has excellent physical resources and despite organizational changes that have caused internal stress is mature and capable of moving through the changes, addressing issues competently while focusing on its core mission.

VI. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS AND EXPLANATIONS

ADVANCEMENT SECTION

REPORT OF A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION VISIT

TO

Tulsa Community College Tulsa, Oklahoma

January 26-28, 2009

FOR

The Higher Learning Commission

A Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

EVALUATION TEAM Dr. Marty Bachman, Department Chair/Program Director, Front Range Community College, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526 Dr. Norma Goonen, Provost for Academic and Student Affairs, Miami Dade College, Davie, Florida 33331 Dr. Charles Guengerich, President, City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College, Chicago, Illinois 60634 Dr. Leo Hirner, Director-Distance Education Services, Metropolitan Community College, Kansas City, Missouri 64111 Ms. Kathie House, Program Coordinator for Cooperative Education and Internship, Oakland Community College, Detroit, Michigan 48221 Mr. David McShane, CIO/Vice President Information Technology, William Rainey Harper College, Palatine, Illinois 60067 Mr. James Ratliff, Librarian, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49003 Dr. Susan Murphy, Vice President for External Affairs, Central New Mexico Community College. Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87106

Advancement Section Tulsa Community College/1101

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Contents

I. Overall Observations about the Organization

Tulsa Community College has undergone significant organizational changes in the recent past. The installation of a new president, the retirement or departure of a number of key personnel, the adoption of new initiatives and the re-organization of the college’s administrative structure have created a new feel for the college overall. These changes have set the stage for a paradigm shift within the college as new ideas and approaches are explored. These changes notwithstanding, this urban multi-campus college is mature and stable with a keen focus on its mission. Supported by a community-based Board of Regents, TCC enjoys exceptional physical resources across its four campuses and skilled financial management ensuring its future.

II. Consultations of the Team

A. Organizational Structure/Communication Over the past several years many organizational and key personnel changes have taken place at TCC. Accompanying these changes have been significant new initiatives for the college including the implementation of shared governance, re-designed budgeting processes, Tulsa Achieves, First Stop, Every Encounter Counts, and Achieving the Dream. However, the organizational changes, targeted to advance the college and to better serve students, actually are playing a role in the institution’s concern, acknowledged in the self-study, about a breakdown of the horizontal and the vertical communication chain within the organization. Exchanges during meetings with some groups and interviews with individual TCC employees convinced the team that there is confusion regarding how communication is expected to flow and how responsibilities for staff have changed in the new organizational structure. Meetings with students confirmed the team’s perception that this issue must be addressed. Students indicated that front line employees seem ill-informed causing students to be sent from place to place seeking accurate information. The team is concerned that unresolved internal communications during this culture shift due chiefly to organizational changes, will negatively impact the college’s new initiatives. The college needs to examine the impact of the recent elimination of the campus Dean of Instruction position on the vertical communication chain. It is not yet clear how communication occurs at the campus through the duties reassigned to Campus Provosts and Associate Deans. The college should pursue a discussion about intra-campus communication with an approach that is something other than “trickle down communication” seeking a more proactive role of making sure every employee full and part-time has the necessary information to serve students with confidence and excellence.


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Each campus might consider having an individual assigned the role of communications contact to coordinate the dissemination of accurate and timely information at each campus and to off-campus partner sites. There are many possible approaches and potential solutions; the team’s interest on behalf of the college is that the issue receive time and attention from college membership with insight in order to improve communication overall on the campus. Additionally, the college should consider more frequent use of its intranet site that gives information updates to employee groups (full and part-time) across the institution. During the visit, TCC displayed its effective use of the internet to communicate campus closing information to all constituencies; that same use of technology could be used to promote internal communication even more assertively. Employees may need to be encouraged to check online information for new programs and initiatives, updates of previous projects, information on college events, and other items that help faculty and more importantly front-line staff members serve students. Training is another key to effective institutional communication. In meeting with both support staff and with students, the issue of adequate training of part-time employees was raised. Both groups perceived that not enough investment was made in training and communicating with part-time employees (including work study students) in areas related to college information in general or in specialty information related to the office where they were assigned. Students referred to the front-line staff in the “First Stop Centers” as the workers “in front of the glass wall” and stated that they often did not receive accurate information from the first individual they encountered. The students do not experience that the “Every Encounter Counts” initiative is working. Staff perceived that the college has not taken the time necessary to train employees, especially part-time employees. The team suggests that TCC work on employee training programs for all employees. Managers indicated that training did not occur because of frequent part-time employee turnover. A possible correlation exists between part-time employees who do not feel qualified or empowered to do the job and quit out of frustration, thus, creating the staff turnover problem. Additionally, part-time staff stated that they do not have college assigned e-mail addresses. The team later came to understand that they do have access through a portal but this approach is not proving effective. E-mail is an effective way to communicate with all employees with new information on programs, policies, and procedures. TCC should investigate the possibility of providing (or collecting) e-mail address of all part-time employees for efficient and effective communication to this constituency. If the Every Encounter Counts initiative is to work, then employees must have the information necessary to serve students. The team noted conflicting published information at TCC. For example, various flyers and the website describing the Tulsa Achieves (TA) Program present different information. One publication states that TA allows for 63 credit hours, another document states that it allows for 60 credit hours. TCC must ensure a consistency of information in all of its documents and on its websites. Old flyers and brochures must be collected and recycled when updated publications are distributed. Removing old information, especially that in print format, is essential to good internal communication.


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TCC is a rapidly changing and innovative institution, and for its new programs, initiatives, policies and ideas to be effectively implemented and communicated to students and the community at large, the college administration must examine its internal organizational structures, training policies, and communications to empower front-line employees to provide the service excellence that the institution seeks to achieve. B. Strategic Planning During the current president’s four-year tenure, significant strides have been made in institutional planning. Moreover, his introduction of the “One College” concept establishes the underpinnings for an institutional focus on Strategic Planning. Having a multi-campus institution creates challenges in institutional strategic planning that require a focus on the institution holistically while permitting individual campuses to focus on their own identities. Many units have developed planning documents in preparation for the future. Further, significant investment has been made in securing professional, specialized consulting expertise to conduct environmental scanning, focus groups and community surveys to assist TCC in identifying needs and proposing solutions. Underway during this HLC visit was a survey by the physical plants at each campus to develop a deferred maintenance plan and a review of each campus security and police department. These plans provide evidence of direction and purpose that served as a gauge for day-to-day functions and decision-making regardless of the absence of a strategic plan. However, these plans should serve as the basis in the development of an institutional strategic plan. It is evident that many initiatives and various planning efforts are underway, and it is important that these planning activities and documents are brought under the broader umbrella of the institution’s needs and priorities and communicated appropriately to the college’s internal constituents. In various group meetings and in discussion with individual employees concerns were raised as to the perceived lack of involvement in overall strategic planning and more succinctly in strategic initiatives that were implemented with little or no input or communication leading to employees feeling ineffective in implementing the initiative(s). TCC’s priorities and new initiatives are not fully disseminated or understood by the wider college community. An array of planning documents exists but they fail to present a coherent statement of direction for the next three to five years and beyond. Most of these documents reflect a campus-based approach or program planning in isolation of the rest of the college. Planning for a “one college” strategy is particularly challenging when units do not see or understand the larger planning context. A transparent and inclusive process for developing a Strategic Plan and formulating the annual budgets has not yet been accomplished. This point of view was articulated in interviews with various campus groups and through concerns identified in the Appendix of the Self-Study report. The strategic planning process needs to be defined and communicated to its internal audience and a concise and accessible version needs to be widely disseminated to the college community. This


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sharing of the document has the potential to create understanding of the plan in driving the decision-making process for budget allocations. Since technology infusion into the fabric of the organization has significantly transformed the operations of the college, using this vehicle to communicate strategic planning efforts could improve institutional communication efforts and keep planning more top of mind, even vital, to the larger community. Regular review and updating/presentations at college meetings are also advised to keep this effort front and center. Overall, the strategic plan and related functional area plans (e.g. Technology, Academic, Facility Master Plan(s), etc.) should be viewed as living documents, not static blueprints. Review and updating should occur regularly; moreover, the review should be completed in sufficient time to permit incorporating planning goals into annual budgeting process. It is the team’s perception that by pulling together and aligning the planning processes and documents, including the budgeting processes, TCC will establish a clearly defined and well-communicated vision. C. Assessment The team is aware of TCC’s participation in the HLC Assessment Academy and offers the following advice suggesting that the college take a renewed approach to dealing with its: 1) overall assessment plan and cycle, 2) expectations and requirements of faculty, 3) desired outcomes for this work and 3) need to invest in training, tools and data interpretation to make this work successful and meaningful. The team does not see that the college has made assessment vital and relevant to its ongoing work. Resistance by faculty, organizational changes and personnel changes have contributed to create the problem. Although TCC has made significant progress in its assessment activities since the last accreditation visit in 1999, the institution has not adequately addressed concerns noted in this area. Although the Institutional Effectiveness Committee (IEC) has provided the necessary mechanism to oversee ongoing activities in assessment, the process needs attention and reinvigoration. In order for the assessment effort to be effective, this work needs to have an office or individual(s) accountable for process and results; the team does not see that assessment has a leader and a champion. With an organizational change that would identify a leader or champion and with the established standing college committee (IEC) to lead the activities related to assessment, TCC would demonstrate a systematic commitment to improved student learning and outcomes assessment. Because of the work already completed on outcomes assessment in a variety of areas, renewed efforts by the IEC would not require starting over, but the committee instead would need to refocus and re-align its efforts. Faculty groups understand that assessment is important, but they need an inspirational leader who will spark their interest in assessment and the expected improvements that would come from measuring and studying the achievement of curricular outcomes. The college itself needs more structure in this effort and the faculty need assurance that the tools and methods applied to assessment will be a value-added experience. The team recommends clearly defining educational program goals for all programs to reduce confusion among college constituencies about the distinctions among program


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goals, general education goals and course objectives. General education, business and transfer students interviewed had little awareness of learning outcomes or the assessment of learning. Of 18 students in a session with team members, one student was able to identify filling out end-of-class evaluations of instructors as the only assessment-like activity they were aware of. Follow up conversations with students indicate they are not familiar with learning outcomes or assessment. Faculty can help address this in their courses by stating the learning outcomes more clearly to their students and testing accordingly while focusing students’ attention on the college’s interests on their behalf. TCC would benefit from studying the assessment of general education at a macro, formalized level. TCC seems good at discussing this topic, but cross-college discussions over the years have not yet yielded a final product.

The team recommends that TCC make a greater effort to inform students of the general education outcomes the college is attempting to instill. Although course outcomes are sometimes listed in syllabi, the college’s own general education outcomes for all degree programs were not understood by any of the students interviewed during the visit. When students are aware of what outcomes are covered and assessed within their courses and programs, they can more intentionally participate in their own learning.

Continuing efforts have been made by TCC to document course-embedded assessment of the four general education outcomes. However, the reporting by faculty into a database (Assessment Wizard) is voluntary and with less than one third of the faculty sharing their results, this approach seems ineffective. Some of the “Assessment Wizard” entries relate to the four general education outcomes, and some simply assess a course or a program objective. The team suggests that the college consider the value of a curriculum mapping strategy by major/program/discipline, and that faculty receive training/professional development in course-embedded assessment as well as the curriculum mapping initiative and its value. The curriculum mapping could provide a consistent, systematic, and overarching look across all courses in each of the majors/programs. TCC would be able to identify, for each major/program, where the outcomes are taught and reinforced, and if any gaps exist in the presentation and reinforcement of the outcomes. In the measures of learning, it is imperative that the college define and measure at the end of a student’s program, the degree to which the student learning outcomes have been mastered. Measuring mastery success could be accomplished by a variety of methods: pre-post testing (at entry and exit points in a student’s program), capstone courses/experiences, implementation and evaluation of student e-portfolios, or annual random group testing of the graduating class (most likely a percentage thereof). Authentic assessment is highly recommended as it involves practical application of the outcomes to everyday situations and issues. The results of the annual assessment could then be analyzed, disseminated, and utilized, along with the results of the curricular mapping, to evaluate the degree to which the present curricula (and co-curricula) are successful in instilling in students the desired outcomes. Additionally, TCC’s Distance Education program needs to consider how it will participate in assessment of student learning in its online program. The assessment of student learning in online courses was addressed during the Request for


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Institutional Change application in 2003; however, assessment specific to online and blended learning must be included in any institutional plan for assessment. Since TCC is already engaged in embedded assessment projects, the online course data should be available and could be analyzed by extracting appropriate statistics. A requirement of regular reporting of assessment results will also serve to ensure that online faculty members participate. Assessment is not limited to student learning and some additional planning is needed for the assessment of online services provided in support of Distance Learning at TCC. One approach TCC could consider is an online surveying instrument to electronically collect data about student experiences and recommendations on services, especially critical services such as the Help Desk and Online Enrollment. Services such as Survey Monkey or Zoomerang allow for easy development and delivery of surveys through URLs and/or broadcast e-mails. Sampling student and faculty feedback on training and services will not only identify what is working or not, but will also provide insight into how these services are used and what services may be missing. D. Faculty issues: Credentials Audit An audit of randomly selected full-time and part-time faculty files revealed that each contained an original transcript of the highest academic degree attained. However, when the academic degrees reflected in the transcripts of the seven full-time faculty files selected were compared with the courses/disciplines they were teaching, three faculty members did not appear to possess the academic credentials that matched the disciplines and/or level they were teaching. In one case, a faculty member teaching Journalism and Mass Communication (transferable courses) had a graduate degree in Business Administration. In another case, a faculty member without a Master's degree was teaching transferable Accounting and Business courses, and in the third case, a faculty member with a Master's in Math/Science Education was teaching Physics courses. Of the six part-time faculty files reviewed, two prompt questions. In one case, Speech courses were being taught by a part-time faculty member without a Master's degree, and in the second case, a person without a master's degree was teaching Chemistry courses. The hiring official for one of the full-time faculty members stated that the faculty member had unique experience and demonstrated competence in the discipline he was teaching. This experience however was not documented in the file. It is strongly recommended that the institution document relevant unique experience, demonstrated competence, or special licensure for each faculty member whose academic preparation does not strictly match the discipline taught, and for those who lack a graduate degree or sufficient hours in the liberal arts field in which they are teaching.

Regarding hiring difficulties for science faculty, TCC may want to place job postings in discipline specific professional publications for future searches and conduct recruitment efforts at universities outside Oklahoma. Tulsa CC could also investigate a “grow your own” program supported through professional development and partnerships with regional institutions.


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Annual Performance Review Currently faculty are evaluated by their respective associate deans only through student feedback instruments, i.e., course/instructor evaluations administered at the end of the course and the annual performance review which includes goals for the next year. Currently, classroom visits are not a part of annual performance review for either full-time or part-time faculty. The team sees the class visit as a common and conventional element of faculty review and believes its absence at TCC contributes to inadequate communication between faculty and associate deans. The team recommends the adoption of class visits and further recommends that a joint faculty and administration committee develop guidelines for how visits could take place and how the annual review process can be made more substantial and relevant to both parties. A formal process of evaluating part-time and full-time faculty teaching effectiveness in the classroom would allow the college to better meet its goal of strengthening and reinforcing positive teaching methods. Professional Development The team noted that the college awards tuition waivers for faculty (and staff) who take TCC offerings, and provides special training for new faculty (Academy for Teaching Excellence), and ongoing opportunities for faculty and administrators, such as the Leadership Development Academy, the SPOD classes, opportunities to travel to conferences, and technology-oriented training (“The Eighth Floor” and Skill Soft classes). The college has also recently commenced awarding sabbaticals (half an academic year at full pay, or a full academic year at half-pay), and a Planned Academic Studies/ Development Leave (faculty must still teach 8 credit hours per semester). Although few faculty members have applied for sabbaticals or the Planned Academic Studies leave, the college expects the number of interested faculty to grow as more faculty become aware of these opportunities. Although TCC supports a variety of professional development activities, it does not defray, even partially, the cost of tuition at an institution outside TCC. In order to encourage faculty to acquire new/current content knowledge and higher academic degrees, the team suggests that the college consider defraying or subsidizing coursework at other institutions of higher education provided the coursework meets TCC’s needs and approved faculty development goals. The lack of a tuition assistance program at TCC may in fact hinder developing new programs or providing faculty incentive to maintain currency in their field. A simple tuition assistance model could be based upon an equivalent to either of the state flagship universities. A partial subsidy or reimbursement policy dependent upon final grades, progress towards a needed degree, or additional education in a program meeting the needs of the college are all conditions that should be weighed. In the area of online instruction, the team congratulates TCC on incorporating the Quality Matter’s (QM) Applying the Rubric course into their Developer Certification. Now, the team recommends TCC complete the implementation by including the Peer Review process. The QM Peer Review process is designed to help faculty improve and re-invigorate their online instruction every 3 to 5 years, ensuring that content and pedagogy evolve with the medium. QM Peer Reviews are completed by peer faculty that teach online (at least one content expert and an external representative are


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included), and the goal is to improve online instruction. TCC faculty would be well-served to experience the honest and constructive feedback of the Peer Review and to participate as a Reviewer, especially as an external reviewer for other institutions. Implementing the Peer Review process can be facilitated through a pilot phase where one or two online faculty leaders submit courses for review, then share their experiences through Professional Development activities on campus such as convocation. Lastly, TCC could benefit from developing a succession plan that would create a systematic process of identifying critical roles within the institution, assess the strengths of possible successors and provide them with development opportunities. E. Prior Learning

TCC currently awards credit for prior learning for credit by exam, e.g., Advanced Placement [AP], CLEP, advanced courses (International Baccalaureate [IB]), and up to 18 credit hours for life experience. However, TCC self-reports that no uniform process exists for awarding AP, IB, and life experience credit. As to the latter, the college reports that “sometimes” a portfolio is required of the student. The team recommends that the college conduct a review of existing AP guidelines and create its own guidelines for awarding credit for the International Baccalaureate and for Life Experience. The college’s membership in the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) will serve them in creating a system for such credit.

III. Recognition of Significant Accomplishments, Progress, and/or Practices

The team applauds TCC for its creation and funding of the Tulsa Achieves program. Tulsa Achieves allows for student attendance at TCC tuition-free once all other avenues prove inadequate. The college’s effort to fund a free college education for the neediest students merits special mention and recognition. Secondly, the team would like to commend the TCC security force for their efforts in allowing the visit to go forward despite the college’s closure and inclement weather. All of the individuals with whom the team interacted conveyed their genuine concern for safety while escorting us to sites and assisting in bringing TCC employees to campus. It is largely due to their assistance that the visit was able to continue.