1
2
President’s Message Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow. - William Pollard
Jacqueline Claunch, President, Northwest Vista College
strength and creativity needed as a devoted father of 11 children to complete his college degrees and become an inspiring math and science teacher. Read about the work of our faculty and students who are engaged in national research projects that in some instances have resulted in transformations. Read about how faculty and staff members are improving sustainability for the future by During the 2009 and 2010 period covered by reducing printing and preserving our natural this report, the NVC community has continued environment. to address learning quality amidst a growing The quote from William Pollard reminds us scarcity of resources. This President’s Report highlights stories that showcase innovations that past success will not be sufficient for tomorrow. Even as we present this Northwest in working toward three Northwest Vista Strategic Objectives: Degree Completion, Vista College 2009-2010 President’s Report that focuses on innovation, we are having Learning, and Sustainability. discussions about innovations required for the future. I invite you to take the time to meet NVC alumnus, Russell Willis, who found the Every day I observe Northwest Vista College students, faculty and staff embracing learning and innovation. That spirit is evident in our collaborative learning methods which empower students and challenge them to think critically together. I see similar innovation occurring in approaches to student support services and resource management.
Mission,Vision & Values
Northwest Vista College Mission Creating Opportunities for Success
Northwest Vista College Vision To become responsible members of our world community, we create exemplary models for: Learning to Be... Learning to Work... Learning to Serve... Learning to Lead... Together.
Northwest Vista College Values Learning Community Caring
Synergy Diversity Creativity
Openness Integrity Joy
Alamo Colleges Mission Empowering our diverse communities for success.
Alamo Colleges Vision The Alamo Colleges will be the best in the nation.
Alamo Colleges Values Integrity Communication Community
2
Academic Freedom Accountability
NVC Strategic Plan 2010 - 2015 Objective I.
Completion: In order to support our students and community, we provide college-wide support for completion. Strategy I.A. Strategy I.B.
Objective II.
Learning: We enhance engagement, success, and learning for all. Strategy II.A. Strategy II.B.
Objective III.
Support Underrepresented Populations Degree Completion
Learning Quality and Effectiveness Employee Learning and Engagement
Sustainability: We develop sustainability models to support the NVC vision. Strategy III.A. Strategy III.B. Strategy III.C. Strategy III.D. Strategy III.E. Strategy III.F.
Financial Sustainability Community and Partnership Development Internal Relationships Other Sustainability Systems Environmental Sustainability Quality Initiatives
3
Cha pt
er 1: mp Co o leti n
4
“For the last five years, I’ve been telling my students to go to NVC because it’s a good start and it’s a quality education. If I did it while raising a large family and working full time, I know they can do it too.” Russell Willis Math-Science Teacher NVC Graduate, 2004
Working Father with 11 Children Earns Degrees and Becomes an Inspiring Teacher Northwest Vista College alumnus Russell Willis is surrounded by young people all day long. He teaches math and science in middle school and high school at a boot camp in the Southwest Independent School District (SWISD) in San Antonio. The boot camp program where Russell teaches becomes a heaven for kids who get in trouble or face juvenile detention. It’s a place that nurtures them and gives them a second chance. When Willis goes home, he is greeted by his wife, Jenny, and their 11 children, ranging in ages from 9 months to 17 years. A devoted father, Willis rises early to prepare breakfast for seven of his oldest children. He exhibits pride in both his family and the students he teaches. The SWISD boot camp where Willis teaches uses military-style training and classroom instruction to help put students on a more positive path. Willis said it’s amazing to see the change in students when they leave the program successfully after 45 days. He feels that by being a part of this program, he’s making a difference in the lives of students who are considered “troublesome.” Instead Willis helps them succeed. “Many of my students have not been given the confidence in their lives to say they can do it or have someone say to them, ‘I believe that you can succeed.’” Willis encourages his students and tells them that attending a community college such as NVC is the first step toward a degree. Just recently, Willis contacted NVC to pick up promotional items for his class to persuade his students to go to college. Willis also tells his students that he, too, came from the same neighborhood as they did, so he understands how easy it can be to get caught up in gangs and misbehavior. Like his students, Willis’s route to college was very untraditional. After graduating from
6
Russell Willis teaches 6th-12th grade students at the Southwest Independent School District Boot Camp.
Southwest High School, he joined the Navy for nine-and-a-half years and then left due to medical reasons to pursue his college education. He said NVC was the logical step because it was close to home. In just two years while at NVC, Willis received an associate degree in biological sciences. He achieved his goal while working full time and raising six kids with his wife. After NVC, he continued on to the University of Texas at San Antonio and received a bachelor’s degree in multidisciplinary science with a teacher’s certification.
Russell Willis uses his military experience, and a bit of humor, to explain difficult science concepts to his students. Willis is pictured here with students and fellow instructor Jason Gil who teaches personal conduct and discipline. “I’m glad I first went to NVC before going to a university. NVC has small classes and the faculty and staff are always willing to help. This made my transition to UTSA a lot easier.” Willis also added that NVC gave him a good foundation in learning and studying. With the
experience at NVC, he was able to manage his first large class at UTSA which had over 100 students. “For the last five years, I’ve been telling my students to go to NVC because it’s a good start and it’s a quality education. If I did it while raising a large family and working full time, I know they can do it, too.”
Russell pictured with his family. From left, back row: Cody holding Micah, Brittany, and Russell holding Dinah. Middle row: Lydia, Simon, Jacob, Savannah holding Abigail, and Jenny. Front row: Naomi and Isaac
7
Degree Completion Major Priority for the College One of the strategic objectives for Northwest Vista College is completion for students who are trying to obtain associate degrees and certificates. We’re working to improve our college-wide systems and processes to fully support NVC students in their degree attainment.
Data also show that individuals with additional education are more likely to be employed. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Spotlight on Statistics 2010 indicates that the unemployment rate for people 25 years and over who have a high school diploma and no college was 9.7 percent between the years of 1992 to 2009. The unemployment rate goes down to 8 percent for someone who has an associate degree or some college.
National data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that adults 25 years of age and older who have an associate degree earn higher wages than those who have only a high school diploma. A working adult who has an associate degree or some college earns about $100 more per week than someone who has only a high school diploma.
Students who have attained their associate degree before transfering to a four-year university have a better chance of success because they have already completed one goal. They are also more likely to get a better job to support their continued studies.
Median Usual Weekly Earnings Less than a high school diploma
$454
High school graduate, no college
This Graphs shows the median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers 25 years and over by educational attainment, 2005-2009 annual average
$626
Some college or Associate degree
$726
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Spotlight on Statistics 2010
Unemployment Rate no high school diploma
14.6%
high school diploma no college
9.7%
associate degree or some college
8.0%
bachelor’s degree or some college
4.6%
0
5
10
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Spotlight on Statistics 2010
8
This graph shows unemployment rates for people 25 years and over by educational attainment 19922009 annual averages
15
In the 2009-2010 academic year, Northwest Vista College awarded 1,102 associate degrees to include associate of arts, associate of science, and associate of applied science. The college also awarded 169 certificates of completion. The total number of degrees and certificates for the past academic year was 1,271 compared to 989 total degrees awarded the previous year. Three-Year Graduation Rates Full-Time First Time in College
College to Improve Graduation Rates The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) measures graduation rates for full-time students who are in college for the first time. The most recent data available for Northwest Vista College for this cohort group who acquired an associate degree within three years of study shows a 10.1 percent graduation rate for those who started in 2004 and completed in 2007. The goal for the college is to raise these numbers to the benchmark of Texas state best which currently is at 20.9 percent. The ultimate goal for NVC is to reach a 25 percent graduation rate by 2015.
Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
9
Integrated Communication Program One of the initiatives to improve degree completion is our marketing and communication program. A research study conducted in 2010 revealed students’ attitudes and perceptions regarding degree completion. This information was used as a baseline to develop an integrated public relations campaign that appealed to NVC students. The results of the study showed that the majority of Northwest Vista College students want to obtain their associate degrees but are not exactly sure how to get there. Research also showed that 18 percent of students surveyed said no one—including family members, friends or NVC employees—had talked to them about completing their degree from NVC. To address this issue, the Public Relations team at NVC introduced an integrated plan that incorporates partnerships across college areas such as Student Services, Facilities, Institutional Research and Information and Communication Technology to engage students and employees in knowledge and action toward degree completion, with the ultimate outcome of increasing graduation rates.
Innovative New Tool To Enhance the Process Towards Degree Completion The Alamo Colleges are in the process of implementing DegreeWorks©, a comprehensive software developed by SunGard Higher Education, that provides a set of Web-based academic advising, degree audit, and transfer articulation tools to help students and their advisors improve the process toward degree completion. DegreeWorks© will replace the basic Curriculum Advising and Program Planning (CAPP) system. James Searles, a Student Success Team Leader, says this is the “Cadillac” version when compared to the CAPP system. “This program allows students to see the degree broken down into an easy-to-read format and automatically see what requirements are needed. It basically takes out the guesswork and helps prevent taking wrong classes.”
10
DegreeWorks© has a planning feature to help students map out future semesters and visualize how changing a major will affect their class selection and timeline to pursue an associate degree. The software also helps faculty estimate how many students plan to take a certain class in upcoming semesters. Other services possible through this tool include: • • • • •
Streamline and speed the process toward graduation. Provide real-time academic advice and counsel. Reduce paperwork and manual checks. Provide easy Web access and self-service. Allow direct access to multiple services and hyperlinks to catalog information, class schedules, transcripts, help desk, and FAQs.
Adjunct instructor Jesse Diaz helps students in the state-of-the-art multimedia lab try the latest software to illustrate, paint, and integrate digital design.
Support for Students in Technical Programs Over the last few years, the Workforce Education & Training team which supports students in technical fields, has increased the number of students who declared a major. The team has also aligned students’ degree plans with their appropriate major. National data indicate that college students are much more likely to succeed and strive toward degree completion if they have academic goals and declare a major. An NVC Institutional Research report shows a continuous increase of declared majors in Workforce programs.
•
One-on-one faculty advising for students in the intermediate level courses who have not declared a major. Growth of Declared Majors In Technical Programs
In fall 2007, there were 739 declared majors. In fall 2010, the number of declared majors almost doubled to 1321. The success of this effort can be attributed to some of the following initiatives by staff and faculty: •
Recruitment and awareness about technical degrees.
•
Welcome letters for those enrolled in introductory courses, emphasizing the importance of declaring a major, obtaining and following a degree plan, staying in the course and persisting to the next semester.
•
Reminder letters about registering early for consecutive semesters and alerts about upcoming courses in the student’s degree plan
Source: Northwest Vista College Institutional Research
11
Cha pt
er 2: a Le
in rn g
12
“Innovation to me is about being interdisciplinary, crossing boundaries, looking at different fields and pushing what you know to the edge. What really inspired me to go into marine biomedicine -- which is using materials from the sea to make pharmaceuticals -- were NVC faculty, their different stories and their work.� Theresa Cantu Former NVC Student
Science Professors Encourage Innovation Through a Research Project After graduating from Earl Warren High School, Theresa Cantu enrolled at Northwest Vista College in spring 2007, where she met her mentor, NVC biology professor Brian Stout, Ph.D. Upon recognizing her interest in the field, Stout urged Cantu to consider a career in scientific research and invited her to collaborate with him on a U.S. Department of Education grant-funded research program called Sustaining Talent in Education to Launch Learning and Research (STELLAR) in Science, Engineering and Math. Cantu assisted Stout who was researching the correlation between the brain’s serotonin 2C receptors and obesity, anxiety and depression. “Dr. Stout gave me the push I needed to go into science,” she says. “I stayed with the program for a year and a half. It was a really good experience, and we learned how to create an experiment,”
said Cantu. She was also inspired by another instructor, Chris Harrison’s, research experience with scorpions. The STELLAR program offered students stipends, tutoring, mentorship and hands-on experience in science and math. Sixty-eight students who participated in the research chose one of five projects in areas such as molecular biology, brain/ psychophysical, environmental impact, animal populations and habitat, as well as economic botany. Additional students benefitted from the tutoring offered through the STELLAR program. In 2008, Cantu participated in the Summer Research Experience for Pre-Meds, a program funded by the San Antonio Area Foundation’s Semp Russ Foundation. Under supervision, she performed research in the infectious diseases
Theresa Cantu was inspired and urged to pursue science by her mentor, Brian Stout, Ph.D., associate professor of biology. Cantu assisted Stout in researching the correlation between the brain’s serotonin 2C receptors and obesity, anxiety and depression. She was one of 68 students who participated in the STELLAR (Sustaining Talent in Education to Launch Learning and Research) in Science, Engineering and Math research project.
14
Former NVC student Theresa Cantu with NVC Instructor Chris Harrison setting up turtle traps at the Northwest Vista College Lago Vista. The turtles are trapped and marked to monitor turtle populations. This is also done to learn about the health of the college lake. laboratory on anthrax toxin receptors and their role in anthrax toxin entry. “I was able to network with scientists from around the world and gain technical skills needed for graduate school,” says Cantu. “It definitely gave me an edge over the competition.”
In December 2010, 22-year-old Cantu received a bachelor’s degree in biology from UTSA. She has accepted a position as a graduate student at the Medical University of South Carolina Marine Biomedicine and Environmental Sciences Center in the Ph.D. program.
Cantu transferred to the University of Texas San Antonio in fall 2008, where she was accepted to the UTSA MARC-U*STAR (Minority Access to Research Careers - Undergraduate Student Training for Academic Research) program. The program helps students gain research and leadership skills to prepare for doctoral programs. As a participant, she attended research conferences in California, Florida and San Antonio.
“Innovation to me is about being interdisciplinary, crossing boundaries, looking at different fields and pushing what you know to the edge. What really inspired me to go into marine biomedicine -- which is using materials from the sea to make pharmaceuticals -- were NVC faculty, their different stories and their work.”
In summer 2010, Cantu was accepted into the Mote Marine Laboratory Summer Research Program and was placed in a marine biomedical research laboratory at the Mote Center for Shark Research in Sarasota, Fla. While at Mote, Cantu researched human cells and shark cells to understand why shark cells are more effective at providing immunities against tumors.
Perhaps that inspiration is why Cantu is considering applying for an associate degree, even though she already has a bachelor’s under her belt. She has recently learned that although she transferred from Northwest Vista College without a degree, she can obtain one through a “reverse transfer” agreement which honors courses after they have been completed at a four-year university. “I had such a good experience at NVC; I would love to have a degree from this college.” Portions of this story and the cover photo were reprinted with permission from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
15
College Outreach Program Draws Hundreds of Students Towards Robotics In the last few years, state and national leaders from Governor Rick Perry to President Barack Obama have called for the strengthening of education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). One way by which Northwest Vista College has answered the call is through an outreach community program that draws hundreds of students from local middle and high schools to participate in robotics competitions and workshops as a way to motivate students to pursue STEM related careers. In the last two years, the Texas Institute for Educational Robotics (TIER) at Northwest Vista College has promoted robotics and recruited teams for tournaments from almost every high school in San Antonio. The TIER program also identifies teams in other central and south Texas schools and trains new college and university partners to host tournaments. Weekend competitions have attracted as many as 400 students who chose to participate on teams that build 30- or 120-pound robots. TIERalso offers workshops, competitions, special events and support for educators, schools and community groups participating in youth robotics curriculum. The competitions are sponsored by FIRST, a not for profit group that was created to administer grants and fund local tournaments across the state.
Robotics tournament at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio.
In November 2009, TIER hosted a competition qualifier for 14-area teams in partnership with Central Texas First Lego League (FLL). A year later, TIER hosted the same event at Our Lady of the Lake University and had 31 teams compete. This spring, TIER is helping to spin off a new FLL region that will stretch from New Braunfels all the way south and west to Eagle Pass, Laredo, Brownsville and up to Corpus Christi.
Business and Community Support for the Robotics Program: Time Warner Cable Connect a Million Minds provided scholarships to NVC’s TIER program to fund summer camps as well as volunteers and mentors to help teams and tournament organizers. JCPenney committed to have all of their stores paired with a FIRST robotics team within the next three years. They will provide mentors and financial support to teams. They have also committed to provide a significant number of volunteers to help with an upcoming tournament. BioMed SA developed the support of companies such as KCI, Medtronic, InCube, Methodist Healthcare Ministries. These companies have either provided mentors, financial support to teams, sponsored tournaments, and/or provided TIER with scholarship funds to operate summer camps.
16
Sarah Page, a student in the GEMS program, is looking at a bryophyte (a moss) through a microscope in a biology class.
College Creates a Pipeline for Future Female Scientists In fall 2009, Northwest Vista College began a new program called GEMS which stands for Gender Equity in Mathematics and Science. The goal is to increase the number of minority females in and create a pipeline for future scientists, mathematicians and engineers. The GEMS program identifies and recruits female students who are traditionally underserved and require financial aid. The students enter the program in the ninth grade and will continue until they complete high school. The 70 students currently participating in the GEMS program attend Northwest Vista College on Saturdays and during the summer, where they are introduced to courses in statistics, algebra, geometry, pre-calculus, biology and chemistry. They also receive mentoring, hear speakers and participate in field trips that further emphasize math and science. “When we asked the students to reflect on what they get out of the program, it was mind blowing, emotional and humbling,” said J.L. Egremy, GEMS project director and principle investigator. He and the co-principle investigators—Claudia
Verdin, Manuel Escobar, and Javier Guerra— make the project possible for the students. So far, the students learned the connection of chemistry and the cosmetic industry by making lip balm in a makeshift lab. They also learned about magnetism and the creation of nanocrystalline solar cells, and also built a weight-bearing bridge using only straws. The program is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, which awarded Northwest Vista College a total of $995,125. The college is among 13 groups to receive the prestigious four-year grant and the only grant recipient in the state of Texas. The project also incorporates training and professional development workshops for math and science instructors in high school and college. Egremy says it’s too early to evaluate the results of the program. “But the long-term goal is to keep motivating participants for the next four years. We are bending over backwards to make sure these students are learning and mastering the skills.”
17
College Joins National Collaboration to Improve Results in Developmental Math Northwest Vista College has been selected as one of 19 community colleges in the nation to join The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in a program to improve student success in mathematics. The project is funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and Lumina Foundation.
Another program, The Mathematical Literacy Pathway (Mathway), is a one-semester course designed to replace elementary and intermediate algebra, followed by completion of a college-level math course. Northwest Vista College began the project in August 2010 and is expected conclude in 2013.
The vast majority of community college students who take developmental math do not successfully complete the required courses and often leave college early. This new project aims to double the proportion of students, who, within one year of continuous enrollment, are mathematically prepared to succeed in higher education. The $14-million nation-wide initiative will build a community network that will develop two new math pathways. NVC is participating in The Statistics Pathway (Statway) program to move developmental math students to transferable college statistics in one year and complete it.
Northwest Vista College Statway team: From left: Eliza Hernandez, Ph.D., Anna Harwin, Wesley Anderson, Anthony Coppin and Eddie Bishop
Northwest Vista College Developmental Math program has achieved the Distinguished Level Certification by the National Association for Developmental Education. The program has also been recognized as a Best Practice Institution by the National Community College Benchmark Project (NCBP).
18
Northwest Vista College students in the engineering club discuss research with their faculty sponsor, assistant professor Thomas Pressly, Ph.D.
Engineering Students Participate in a Frito-Lay Research Project Students in the engineering program have recently completed an environmental research project for the food company Frito-Lay, which funded the study. Students analyzed the breakdown of compostable SunChips® bags in the South Texas environment. SunChips® multigrain chips is a brand of Frito-Lay North America, based in Plano, Texas.
about 14 weeks when placed in a hot, active compost bin or pile.
Currently, the outer layer of packaging on 10½ ounce size SunChips snacks bags is made with a compostable, plant-based renewable material. These new bags are designed to fully decompose in
This is the first time NVC has partnered with a corporate entity for undergraduate research. The majority of NVC research projects are funded by the U.S. government and educational entities.
Northwest Vista College is one of three colleges in the U.S. doing this type of research for FritoLay along with Purdue University in Indiana and California State University in Chico, California.
“This is a great opportunity for our students to perform industrially important research. The more undergraduate research that we complete at NVC, the more interest industry and other funding organizations may have in future collaborations.” - Thomas Pressly, Ph.D., engineering coordinator and assistant professor, the principle investigator for the Frito-Lay research project at Northwest Vista College
19
in sta Su
lity abi
20
er 3: Cha pt
“Our student team has adopted a proven technique used in the business world to drive towards a higher level of accountability. This allows us to coordinate our activities and help our fellow team members. Most of all, it prepares us for our professional careers!� Matt Kalinec (pictured first from the left)
Student Employee
Student Workers Embrace Innovative Project Management Techniques Student employees have always been a part of Northwest Vista College’s culture, but one area of the college is trying something more innovative by allowing their student workers to take on leadership roles. The Information & Communication Technologies team (I&CT) calls its student employees -- the I&CT Student Support Team. These students have daily 15-minute meetings where they huddle each morning to communicate accomplishments, plan duties and assess road blocks – just like the I&CT management staff. I&CT director, Bryant Bonner, says this management approach drives a higher level of self and team accountability while enhancing communication across the group.
“This strategy is a best practice that many great organizations like Microsoft, Google, 3M, etc. have employed to enhance the communication rhythm.” The student team provides support with help desk, networking, application development, inventory management, and many other issues within the I&CT department. The support team comprises of Matt Kalinec, Marco Blancas, Vincente Rivera, Joshua Barrera and Larry Trejo. During peak registration times, the student support team takes on even larger responsibility by answering the help desk hotline and resolving registration problems, in some cases preventing students from dropping out of classes.
Student employee Marco Blancas quickly solves Information & Communication Technology Help Desk questions for students and employees.
22
Student employees Vincente Rivera, Matt Kalinec, and Larry Trejo collaborate to improve the management of hardware and software inventory.
“We can relate with students over the phone because we also experience what they are going through,” said Kalinec.
implementing a digital inventory project. The students logged all college hardware and software electronically.
The I&CT Student Support Team appreciates the benefits of working for an Information & Communication Technology department. Vincent Rivera says that his team gets to see as well as use the newest and latest software and hardware technology. The student team was the first group at the college to use the Apple® iPad® as part of a pilot project test on Remedy®, an electronic inventory system for Alamo Colleges. The student team created an integrated process for tracking approximately 5,000 pieces of inventory and electronically managing help desk requests coming from employees.
This electronic inventory of all college technology assets has greatly improved tracking and contributed to greater accountability. Furthermore, it decreased the college’s reliance on paper by reducing the printing of paper reports by 1,500 sheets per month, or 18,000 sheets per year. As a result paper costs decreased by $2,160 per month, or almost $26,000 a year, said Laura Alvarez, supervisor for I&CT student employees. This project directly contributed to the success of one of the college’s strategic objectives of sustainability and resource management.
The I&CT Student Support Team received a special recognition by the college in fall 2010 for
Pictured on the cover of this chapter are: From left: Matt Kalinec, Joshua Barrera, and Larry Trejo.
23
Participation in Baldrige Journey Strengthens College Performance Northwest Vista College participates in the national Baldrige Program, dedicated to performance excellence in public and private organizations. As part of the process, the college applies annually for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, which measures organizational performance in seven areas that include: • Leadership • Strategic planning • Customer (stakeholder) focus • Measurement, analysis, and knowledge management • Workforce focus • Operational focus • Results Northwest Vista College voluntarily undergoes this rigorous process to continually improve the quality of our performance. The most recent overall results show improvement in the process area from a score of 4 in 2009 to a score of 5 in 2010. Our results section has remained flat for the last three years with a score of 3 (see graph). Malcolm Baldrige Scores
One of the areas that signified improvement in the latest application is strategic development. Noted strengths for the college include a systematic, well-deployed strategic plan that aligns with that of the Alamo Colleges and includes key stakeholders such as students, employees, business/government, suppliers, community and business partners. The college has also expanded its environmental scan, added stakeholder focus groups and aligned the strategy matrix. Another area of excellence noted in the Baldrige results is the increased market share for Northwest Vista College. Our penetration into the San Antonio market has grown from 12.5 percent in 2005 to 18.6 percent in 2009. This is due in large part to our college’s continued enrollment growth from 10,000 to nearly 16,000 in fall 2010.
Source: Baldrige Examiners
24
The Baldrige report also noted that the college’s increased tuition revenues from market growth as well as other cost saving initiatives may partially offset the declining state funding for education.
Student Online System Revolutionizes Advising and Saves Resources The Hands On-Line Advising, or HOLA, system was created and launched by Northwest Vista College in December 2009. This self-paced program provides a virtual academic advising experience for students 24 hours a day. Majority of students who want to study at Northwest Vista College are required to receive advising prior to their enrollment at. To meet the demand of our growing student body which reached almost 16,000 students in fall 2010, the Student Services department collaborated with other areas of the college to revolutionize the advising process. The first step toward that innovation was to institute a Group Advising model which realized a 56 percent cost reduction over a one advisor to one student approach.
The HOLA system has the potential to create an additional 63 percent cost reduction over Group Advising, once it becomes automated and connects to the current student system, Banner. This new tool decreases staffing costs by having one advisor respond to multiple students simultaneously through a live chat feature. HOLA is visually appealing, contains student narratives, campus photography and helpful links. One of the modules is dedicated to helping students choose career options. There is also an “Educational Plan” module where students find information on various degrees and certificates. Each section concludes with a short quiz to measure mastery of important topics.
HOLA Contains Nine Modules: • • • • •
Welcome to NVC Exploring Your Educational Opportunities Choosing Your Educational Plan Understanding Your Educational Plan How Your Placement Exam Scores Affect Your Plan
• • • •
Building Your College Schedule Paying for College Staying Informed and Getting Involved The Importance of Academic Advising
25
Reduced Paper and Printing Costs Despite Major Growth in Enrollment Sustainability is one of NVC’s strategic objectives. As the college grows, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to manage costs for printing, copying and paper use. The Print Reduction Initiative, spearheaded by NVC’s Information and Communication Technologies department, has yielded positive results in only one semester after its launch in fall 2010. The goals were to:
One reason for the cost reductions in printing is the recent implementation of a student pay-perprint solution known as GoPrint. The system offers students the ability to print in both black and white and color while also driving a fully electronic, and cash free, payment process. Early results from the project indicate reductions in student printing from last year and budget savings of at least $25,000.
• • •
Additional support for this project can be attributed to faculty members who are increasingly encouraging students to submit class assignments via email and thumb drives as well as through the online teaching tool, Blackboard Vista.
Reduce the number of printers on campus. Cut printing usage and costs. Reduce paper consumption.
In fall 2009, Northwest Vista College faculty, staff and students made over three million printouts. The following year, after instituting the print reduction initiative, the number of printouts went down to 1.8 million a reduction of 37 percent. During that same period, the college also cut printing costs by over 50 percent.
26
It should be noted that these drastic cost savings come at a time when college enrollment has grown by 33 percent since 2008.
Fall Year-to-Year Printing Usage
Fall Year-to-Year Printing Costs
Source: Northwest Vista College Information and Communication Technologies
Source: Northwest Vista College Information and Communication Technologies
Employee Team Recognized for Natural Conservation Efforts on Campus In fall 2010, a group of college employees known as the Natural Heritage Conservation Committee (NHCC) was recognized with an award for exemplifying the college’s value of “caring.” The group formed in 2007 with the mission to preserve and conserve the natural habitat of the Northwest Vista College campus. Recent NHCC Projects include creating: No-Mow Zones to allow certain areas to revegetate naturally and provide a sanctuary for campus fauna and wildlife. An added benefit is the reduction of maintenance costs. Adopt-a-Spot Program to pick up trash and care for a specified campus area on a regular basis. Added benefits include reducing campus clean up costs and building a sense of community pride. Namesake Tree Planting to designate a namesake tree for each campus building. Educational signs at each tree educate the community and enhance campus beauty. Lake Management Consulting to create a sustainable plan to keep the campus lake clean. A low dosage herbicide (diquat dibromide)
controls weeds, has only a 48-hour life span and is potentially less damaging to the environment. Another successful technique is the addition of triploid grass carp fish to control weeds. Other NHCC accomplishments included: • • •
•
•
Worked to minimize the impact of construction. Consulted with the landscape architect to create a jogging trail and outdoor facilities. Developed Wildlife Rescue and Relocation protocol for campus wildlife threatened by construction. Conducted plant surveys and rescues to transplant vegetation to public areas off campus. Spearheaded the Environmental Research setaside to preserve the natural habitat, provide an outdoor laboratory, and create a place for environmental research in human ecology, zoology, botany, and environmental geology.
NHCC’s future goals include ensuring responsible stewardship, and educating the NVC community on the value of environmental responsibility and diversity of plant and animal life.
27
Facts, Ach iev e
ts & en m
esses Succ
28
Northwest Vista College Facts BEST VALUE1 $1,890 – Northwest Vista College/Alamo Colleges 2
$6,557 – Public Universities
2
$19,679 – Independent Universities
STUDENT SUCCESS Best in San Antonio for retention and student 3 success among public higher educational institutions Top 5 highest transfer rate in the state from community colleges to four-year institutions2
STUDENT SATISFACTION 97 percent of students surveyed would 5. recommend Northwest Vista College to others 4
Students rate instructors highly (4.41 out of 5)
IDEAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Average class size = 23 students Top in the nation for active and collaborative learning 5 among large colleges (above 7,000 students)
1
Average costs in Texas tuition/fees for students who enroll in 15 credit hours in both fall and spring for the 2009-2010 academic year
2Data
from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
3Web sites of various institutions and Alamo Colleges’ Key Performance Indicators 4Alamo Colleges’ instructional survey 5Community College Survey of Student Engagement
Achievements & Successes Advanced Technical Certificates In fall 2010, NVC’s Workforce Education & Training area began to offer Advanced Technical Certificates - similar to graduate training – in Nanotechnology and Clinical Research. With the new transfer program, Workforce students can also get their Associate of Applied Science and continue on to get a Bachelor of Science at UTSA. NVC Nanotechnology students can continue at UTSA to get a BS in Physics and then go directly into UTSA’s PhD Nanotechnology program. . EBSCO Community College Learning Resources Program Achievement Award The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Recognized Northwest Vista College Library with the 2010 Community and Junior College Libraries Section (CJCLS) EBSCO Community College Learning
Medallion Award The NVC Public Relations team received a District 4 Silver Medallion Award from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations in October 2009. NVC won a Silver Medallion for La reVista, our employee newsletter. Military Friendly School Northwest Vista College has been named by “G.I. Jobs” magazine as a Military Friendly School for 2011 - the second year in a row. This honor ranks NVC in the top 15 percent of all colleges, universities and trade schools nationwide. As a Military Friendly School, NVC was included in the “2011 Guide to Military Friendly Schools,” which published in September 2010, as well as online. National Cesar Chavez Blood Drive Challenge In 2010, Northwest Vista College ranked fourth in the nation for the National Cesar Chavez Blood Drive Challenge for having the most people sign up to give blood for this event. The challenge was organized nationally by MigrantStudents.org, in collaboration with the American Red Cross and America’s Blood Centers.
Resources Program Achievement Award. NVC faculty created a diverse approach to library instruction, including innovative uses of technological resources to develop new approaches to information literacy efforts. The $500 award and plaque was presented in June 2010 at the ALA Annual Conference in Washington D.C. Hermes Platinum Award The Northwest Vista College Public Relations team received a Platinum Hermes Award from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP) in April 2010 for the “Growing Creatively” Annual Report.
Lone Star Award Northwest Vista College Public Relations team received a Lone Star Award from the Houston Press Club in May 2010 for the “Growing Creatively” Annual Report.
30
National Endowment for the Arts The NVC Dance program in summer 2010 produced a concert titled “MURAL,”made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. This project brought the NVC Repertory Dance Ensemble and La Escuela Nacional de Danza Contemporanea students together to work and study for five weeks. Nationally acclaimed dancer/choreographer, Jim May, worked with the students to re-create the historical dance piece by the famous choreographer Anna Sokolow. President Obama’s Service Honor Roll Northwest Vista College was named to the 2009 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal recognition an educational organization can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement. NVC students helped nonprofits build websites, took part in recycling efforts and partnered with Junior Achievement to teach local school children entrepreneurial skills. NVC was among 700 colleges and universities recognized by The Corporation for National and Community Service.
Achievements & Successes Red Hat Academy In spring 2010, Northwest Vista College added a Red Hat Academy to its Information Technology training programs offered through the Workforce Education and Training area. Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of opensource solutions and one of the top vendors in enterprise software. NVC has offered course work in Linux and UNIX for the last 10 years, but it migrated to a Red Hat sponsored curriculum that leads students directly to the Red Hat Certified Technician certification, and eventually to RHCE (engineer) certification. U.S. Department of Education Grant The U.S. Department of Education announced in September 2010 that Northwest Vista College – Interdisciplinary Studies was awarded $396,596 from the Strengthening Institutions – Hispanic Serving Institutions Program. The five-year grant has the potential to reach a little more than $2 million. This is the second time in Northwest Vista’s 15-year history that it has received the grant as the sole recipient.
Roberto Gonzales, Ph.D., associate professor of Biology, has been named vice chair of Science Education for the Texas Academy of Science for 20092010.Gonzales is also the program coordinator for the U.S. Department of Education’s STELLAR Project, faculty advisor for pre-nursing majors and chair of the NVC Institutional Review Board.
William Keith, art faculty, has had two of his art pieces acquired by the Telfair Museum of Art in Savannah, Georgia.
Beth May, music faculty, received a grant for $5,000 from Yale Alumni Ventures for the 2009-2010 academic year. The grant was used to conduct a national community college composers contest.
Lisa McDaniel, Public Relations Coordinator of Communication, received a Gold Hermes Award from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP) in April 2010 for the “Vista Guide.”
Paul Northway, art faculty, was invited to the Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts in Newport, Maine in spring 2010 for an internationally recognized residency.
Philip Rodriguez, geography instructor, won the Journal of Geography “Best Article for Teaching at the Secondary Level” award for 2009 with colleagues in the Texas State University geographic education doctoral program.
Refugio “Ito” Romo, Ph.D., English Coordinator, has been appointed to the board of directors of the Artist Foundation of San Antonio. The purpose of the foundation is to enrich San Antonio’s artistic and economic fabric by providing monetary awards to individual artists across diverse disciplines. Romo received an Artist Foundation of San Antonio award for his collection of short stories, “Interstate 35,” in 2009.
Paul Vallejo, Public Relations Senior Mulitmedia Specialist, received a Gold Hermes Award from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP) in April 2010 for “Lago Vista” photograph.
31
Credits Northwest Vista College Administration Jacqueline Claunch, Ph.D., President Jimmie Bruce, Ed.D., Vice President for Academics Diana Muniz, Ph.D., Vice President for Student Success Julie Pace, M.S., Vice President for College Services John Carnes, Ph.D., Dean of Instructional & Extended Services Christine Crowley, M.A., Dean of Learning Resources Mary Dixson, Ph.D., Dean of Interdisciplinary Programs
Advisory Team Lydia Beaver Bryant Bonner Pat Fontenot Laura Lawrence Manny Martinez Diane Mazur Judy Mc Millan Melissa Monroe-Young Prakash Nair Ph.D. James Searles Renata Serafin, APR
Patrick Fontenot, M.A., Dean of Workforce Education & Training Debi Gaitan, M.A. Dean of Student Success
Alamo Colleges Board of Trustees Joe Alderete, Jr. Gary Beitzel Anna Uriegas Bustamante
Content Writing Jacqueline Claunch Ph.D. Melissa Monroe-Young Renata Serafin, APR Cover Layout Paul Vallejo Lisa McDaniel Editing Jacqueline Claunch Ph.D. Manny Martinez Melissa Monroe-Young Renata Serafin, APR
Marcelo Casillas Blakely Latham Fernandez
Layout and Design Lisa McDaniel
Denver McClendon James Rindfuss Gene Sprague, Ph.D. Roberto Zarate Bruce H. Leslie, Ph.D., Chancellor
Northwest Vista College, one of the Alamo Community Colleges, opened in 1995 with 12 students. Currently enrollment exceeds 15,000 students pursuing associate degrees, certificates and marketable skills achievement awards. Located in Westover Hills, near SeaWorld San Antonio, Northwest Vista College’s expanding agreements with business and higher education partnerships provide a wealth of opportunities for students and the community.
Cover Painting “Trapped” (2006) by Diane Mazur, NVC Art Faculty 32
Photography Ray Perez (except where noted) Photo Coordinator Melissa Aguirre Project Leader Renata Serafin, APR Research Eliza Hernandez Ph.D. Carla Kaylor Elizabeth Lopez Julie Pace Jerry Schott Special Thanks UTSA Public Relations for permission to reprint and revise article/photo on Theresa Cantu.
32
33
34