CPC First Goal Team Meeting

November 10, 2009

Joint Goal Team Meeting Table Commentson Goal OneEssay

Key Themes

  • Focus on subcategories of students transitioning to college, define student groups and needs
  • Valencia should be a first choice.
  • Think of access more broadly – to resources, programs, not just being able to enter.
  • Allocation of resources – must decide how these decisions impact access.
  • Collaboration is required to accomplish all of this. Not just with students but with all internal and external stakeholders.
  • Help all members of the community to develop common understandings.
  • Develop and train staff in their roles in support of Goal 1.
  • Why can’t we apply the pathways concept to ourselves, and not only to students?
  • Investing in employees as well students – wellness could expand for students and employees, and communicate broadly to involve as many as possible.
  • “Transition assured” – make sure expectations are clear to K-12 partners and to students as to what enables you to be college-ready.
  • Help make sure our students are ready for the institutions into which they transfer.
  • Visioning and planning – high school students need to have a vision and plan for post-high school, and once here, post-Valencia.
  • Utilizing community relationships – who loves us already? Build those relationships!
  • Economic impact is not spoken about enough – brand ourselves in terms of our economic impact.
  • Momentum is an important component of a pathway – and the community can be a starting point and ending point for the pathway.
  • What drives us? Community needs or student needs?
  • Are we proactive or reactive with the community?
  • How do we know we are effective?
  • How do we connect to and get partners involved with us?
  • Need more personal development programs for employees – on finances for example – to show we care about their lives?
  • We are not starting from scratch here! Many great programs are in place, and we can expand and improve, build on the foundation we have.
  • Parent involvement – how do we get them to buy into our brand and understand what we offer to their young people?

Ways to encourage dialogue around the college about the goal essays

  • Email from Dr. Shugart – it’s actually something interesting to read and catches attention – people may not be used to open culture.
  • Consider adding survey or feedback component at the end of the essay – engage two way communication
  • Bulletin?
  • Blog? Use technology – something online or in Atlas where employees can post their ideas and thoughts to spark discussion
  • Forums?
  • Some deep in the organization don’t know that the forum for discussion exists and that they are welcome and encouraged to participate (supervisors, councils can encourage all to participate)
  • Establish multiple avenues for people to engage
  • Make it clear that no punitive action will occur for participation
  • Engage adjunct faculty – make it accessible during short campus visits, establish a meaningful route for their participation, develop an active outreach program to connect and solicit feedback (consult deans, faculty council, and adjuncts themselves)
  • Use organizations that are already in place – department meetings, councils, etc. Set aside time to discuss each essay in meetings that are already scheduled.
  • Serve Food  YUM! (ice cream was suggested)
  • Get students involved through surveys to Atlas email accounts – their input is important – be careful with messages sent from Valencia to all students – may be viewed as spam. If students don’t open it, it’s not communication.
  • Communicate our good results from strategic planning processes of years past will encourage conversation.
  • Consult and engage retirees and alums – they are key stakeholders
  • Establish relevance to stakeholders
  • May need to be more prescriptive and direct in encouraging engagement from staff (supervisors may need to cause the conversation to happen)
  • Generate excitement for the plan!
  • Include part time staff – many of our full time staff started as part time and many are deeply invested in the institution (though they may not be full time)
  • Consider bi-lingual presentations/conversations
  • Invite stakeholders outside of the college to participate in our conversations
  • Take it on the road…the Strategic Plan Road Show…the musical!
  • Shine spotlight on feedback on plan – make it for a short time but intense (when it’s drawn out or sporadic, it loses impact)
  • Make sure we have one central location for collecting feedback
  • Establish or choose a methodology for communicating ideas and results (balanced scorecard suggested)
  • Don’t force participation, encourage it and appreciate those who don’t want to weigh in
  • Ambassadors on campus to shed light and bring clarity to documents – bridge gaps, deepen and broaden conversation
  • Tap into community partners
  • Goal teams will help keep conversation going
  • Consider how to translate the high-context language of the plan into low-context communication that others can “bite onto” and begin to understand
  • Round robin idea (ask Amy)

Questions or Issues