Welcome to the 2008–2009 edition of the Rockford College Fact Book. An institutional fact book provides a centralized location for valuable information about the College . Data within this document are available to facilitate analysis of trends, decision-making and reporting . Existence of the Rockford College Fact Book helps institutionalize the collection, dissemination, and use of standardized information
The fact book project was initially developed through the Rockford College Assessment Seminar (RCAS) and has been implemented by the Office of Institutional Research . Every effort is made to include the most accurate, currently available data along with historical trends Data in this edition reflect the 2008–2009 academic year
The Rockford College Fact Book is updated annually by The Office of Institutional Research . If you have questions or suggestions, please contact Heather Snider, Coordinator of Institutional Research, at (815) 226-4186 or hsnider@rockford .edu .
Mission and Vision
Our mission is to educate men and women to lead responsible and productive lives by means of a curriculum grounded in liberal arts learning and complemented and extended by professional and practical experiences . Through the total academic and co-curricular experience, Rockford College strives to prepare students for fulfilling lives, careers, and participation in a modern and changing global society
Our vision is to be Jane Addams’ college in the 21st century .
Strategic Direction
The Rockford College Board of Trustees approved Phase I of the College’s two-phase strategic plan at its December 2008 meeting . Phase II of the process is underway and will provide more advanced, long-term goals for the College . Until Phase II is adopted, the following strategies guide the College’s work
Strategy 1: WE WILL enhance academic quality through curriculum review, faculty development, and learning assessment
Strategy 2: WE WILL define and improve our student experience from recruitment through graduation
Strategy 3: WE WILL develop and support our Rockford College faculty, staff, and trustees
Strategy 4: WE WILL improve our organizational skill and culture .
Strategy 5: WE WILL support and enhance our physical, technological, and informational infrastructure
Strategy 6: WE WILL be an active and collaborative partner with our external community
Strategy 7: WE WILL be a trustworthy partner with all of our stakeholders in order to strengthen our development and fundraising and prepare for a capital campaign
Strategy 8: WE WILL be successful and realistic in our fiscal planning and budgeting .
Honor Societies and Programs
• Phi Beta Kappa
• Chi Alpha Sigma (Athletics)
• Omicron Delta Epsilon (Economics)
• Phi Alpha Theta (History)
• Phi Delta Kappa (The Professional Association in Education)
• Phi Sigma Iota (Foreign Languages)
• Psi Chi (Psychology)
• Sigma Xi (Scientific Research)
• Honors Program in Liberal Arts
• Honors Program in Economics, Business, and Accounting
Dr Robert L Head, President
President’s Executive Council
Dr Stephanie Quinn, Executive Vice President and Dean of the College
Ms Christina Anderson, Vice President for Business and Chief Financial Officer
Mr . John McNamara, Vice President for College Development
President’s Administrative Council
Mr Ray Baker, Division Chair, Social and Behavioral Science and Education & Professor of Economics, Business and Accounting
Dr Chuck Brown, Director of Communications
Mr Jeff Fahrenwald, MBA Director & Associate Professor of Economics, Business and Accounting
Dr . Matthew Flamm, Division Chair, Arts and Humanities & Assistant Professor of Philosophy
Mr Todd Free, Assistant Vice President for Student Administrative Services
Dr Fred Hadley, Division Chair, Science, Math, and Nursing & Bergmann Professor of Chemistry
Ms Anna Jattkowski-Hudson, Registrar
Ms . Bonnie Johnson, Director of Information Technology
Ms. Kristyn King, Interim Athletic Director & Head Softball Coach
Mr. Brad Knotts, Dean of Students
Dr Michelle McReynolds, MAT Director
Ms . Jennifer Nordstrom, Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Admission and Strategic Marketing
Dr Colleen Page, Faculty Chair & Department Chair, Associate Professor of English
Mr Matthew Phillips, Associate Vice President of Operations
Ms . Teodora Phillips, Assistant to the President
Ms Heather Snider, Coordinator of Institutional Research
Mr Bern Sundstedt, Director of Alumni and Development
Ms Cassie Swanson, Director of Marketing and Special Events
Ms . Ginnie Weckerly, Human Resource Manager
Ms Dianne Young, Executive Assistant to the President
Distinctions
Rockford College has many distinctions of which to be proud Some of the most notable are described here: Phi Beta Kappa. One of 11 colleges in Illinois and 280 in the country with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter, the oldest and most prestigious liberal arts academic honor society
Best in the Midwest. One of 158 colleges in the Midwest to receive the designation, which is based on student opinion data compiled by The Princeton Review and the Review’s standards for academic excellence within each region Rockford College has received this distinction each of the past six years
College of Distinction. Named to the prestigious Colleges of Distinction group of 200 institutions recognized by Student Horizons for their ability to add value for students through a broad commitment to enhancing student achievement Colleges of Distinction are noted for their strong focus on teaching, wide variety of innovative learning experiences, opportunities for personal development, and their high value to graduate schools and employers for students’ outstanding preparation
College with a Conscience. One of 81 U S colleges and universities in the Princeton Review book, Colleges with a Conscience, recognizing Rockford College’s strong ethos of civic engagement and the opportunities for community service offered to our students
Community Partner. One of 189 colleges and universities to receive a Community Engagement Classification for outreach and partnerships from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
Community Service. Named to the 2008 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction, one of only 83 colleges in the U S to receive this honor, based on innovative and effective community service and service learning programs
Student Engagement. According to the 2008 National Survey of Student Engagement, Rockford College scores as well or better than participating colleges and universities on all five benchmarks of effective educational practice (Level of Academic Challenge, Active and Collaborative Learning, Enriching Educational Experiences, Student-Faculty Interaction, and Supportive Campus Environment) .
Accessibility Ranked among the top 15 Midwestern Master’s Universities for economic diversity by US News and World Report (2009) This important ranking recognizes our long-standing and successful effort to promote access for qualified students to excellent higher education, irrespective of the financial means of those students and their families
Accreditations
Rockford College is a private, independent, coeducational college providing courses of study leading to baccalaureate and master’s degrees The academic programs of students are based on a foundation of learning in the liberal arts and sciences The College emphasizes excellence in teaching and has a strong commitment to scholarly activity, creative expression, and community service The educational program is characterized by a concern for the needs of all students and reflects the basic human rights and responsibilities of a democratic society Rockford College is accredited by the following:
The Higher Learning Commission
A Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
www .higherlearningcommission .org
312 .263 .0456
American Chemical Society
www acs org
800 227 5558
Illinois State Board of Education
Professional Preparation and Recruitment
www isbe state il us
217 782 2948
International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education
www iacbe org
913 631 3009
National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission
www nlnac org
212 363 5555 ext 153
EnrollmentTrends
Full-timeUndergraduateEnrollment
Enrollment Trends
Full-Time Undergraduate Enrollment: Average Headcount for Fall and Spring
Average Headcount
Full-time Undergraduate Enrollment: Average Headcount for Fall and Spring
The following crime statistics are in accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (formerly the Campus Security Act)
By participating in the Campus Activities Board (CAB), Rockford College students have a voice in planning their own events CAB is a student group that brings musicians, comedians, and other performers to campus CAB also programs Homecoming, Family Weekend, April Weekend, and dances
Students also play an important role in college governance through the Student Government Association (SGA) Student representatives hold memberships on the Board of Trustees and its Student Affairs Committee, as well as being members of the four standing committees of SGA; Academic Affairs, Allocation Committee, Campus Activities Board (CAB), and Residence Hall Council (RHC)
Rockford College has 22 registered student clubs and organizations
Alpha Helix
Black Student Union (BSU)
Cheerleading Colorguard
Dance Team
Democrats Encouraging & Motivating Students (DEMS)
Rockford College competes in the NCAA Division III, Northern Athletics Conference Approximately 25% of the full-time undergraduate population participates in intercollegiate athletics each year . During the 2008-2009 academic year, nearly 200 students were members of at least one of the College’s 17 varsity teams .
Adult Accelerated B.S. in Management Studies The Bachelor of Science in Management Studies (BSMS) degree program is designed to provide a quality educational experience for adult learners in the area BSMS is an accelerated undergraduate degree completion program specifically designed for the adult learner who has an associate’s degree or equivalent and wants to complete a quality bachelor’s degree program .
English Language Institute. The English Language Institute (ELI) helps students learn English for the purposes of transferring or beginning studies at an American college or university, improving career opportunities and growing professionally, and fully experiencing cultural exchanges in the United States The Rockford College ELI offers an intensive day program, evening program, customized courses for businesses, and private tutoring
English Language Institute
Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence. The Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence (NICNE) works to build the management capacity of nonprofit organizations The numbers reported here represent unduplicated enrollments in the Center’s core programs including the Proposal Writing Workshops, Leadership Café, Leadership Certification Program, Board Training, Nonprofit Dialogue, Economic Impact Dialogue, and Nonprofit Summit Other offerings include agency assessments and technical assistance, a foundation directory, and an annual business plan competition
Northern Illinois Center for Non-Profit Excellence
Music Academy of Rockford College. The Music Academy of Rockford College is a not-for-profit community school of music dedicated to providing high quality, affordable instruction, and performance opportunities to academy students, regardless of age or ability Private lessons include instruction in violin, viola, cello, guitar, piano, voice, and flute Offerings go beyond the private lessons to include musicianship and theory classes as well as large and small ensemble coaching
Rockford College Learning Center. The Rockford College Learning Center (RCLC) offers academic support to members of the community . The RCLC emphasizes quality teaching with a strong commitment to aid each student in attaining academic potential while directing the student towards independent learning and improved personal achievement Programs and services include diagnostic testing; reading, writing, math, and study skills courses; private tutoring; ACT, GRE, and GMAT preparation, and academic summer camps In addition to providing diagnistic testing services and community programs to 322 students, the RCLC administered the ACT to 1,407 individuals in FY09
Community-Based Learning (sometimes called sevice-learning) links the classroom to the community in an experiential learning process Professors, students, and community agencies learn collaboratively while benefiting the wider Rockford community Percentage of Faculty Participating in Community-Based Learning
Percentage of Students Engaged in Community-Based Learning
Percentage of Students Participating in Community-Based Learning
Percentage of Faculty Participating in Community-Based Learning
Standardized Institutional Assessment
Rockford College participates in two standardized assessments of student learning: the Collegiate Learning Assessment and the National Survey of Student Engagement These two assessment tools are administered in alternate years
Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA)
The CLA measures student learning outcomes related to critical thinking, analytic reasoning, written communication, and problem solving First-year and senior students complete either the Performance Task or the Analytic Writing Task through an interactive website The CLA Performance Task requires students to answer a series of open-ended questions about a realistic situation . In order to answer the questions successfully, students must synthesize information provided in a virtual document library . The CLA Analytic Writing Task consists of Make-an-Argument and Critique-anArgument subtasks The Make-an-Argument subtask requires students to write an essay in response to a verbal prompt, and the Critique-an-Argument subtask requires students to evaluate the strength or weakness of an existing argument The CLA allows the College to determine whether our first-year and senior students are performing well above, above, at, below, or well below expectations based on their general aptitude General aptitude was measured by ACT scores for first-year students and Scholastic Level Exam scores for senior students The following table shows average scores and performance levels of first-year and senior students who participated in the 2008–2009 CLA
Collegiate Learning Assessment Scores 2008-2009
Collegiate Learning Assessment Scores 2008–2009
First-Year Students Senior Students
Average CLA Score
Performance Levels by Task PerformanceTaskAtAbove AnalyticWritingTaskAtWellAbove Make-an-ArgumentAtWellAbove Critique-an-ArgumentAtWellAbove
Based on the average Entering Academic Ability score of Rockford College first-year students, we would expect the average CLA score to be 1097 . The actual average was 1098, which is at the expected level .
Based on the average Entering Academic Ability score of Rockford College seniors, we would expect the average CLA score to be 1187 Or seniors scored 1261, which is well above the expected level
2008-2009 CLA results should be interpreted with caution due to small sample sizes. Please contact Heather Snider, Coordinator of Institutional Research, at hsnider@rockford.edu for additional information. Keepthesameintroductorytextasthepreviousfactbook.
2008-2009 CLA results should be interpreted with caution due to small sample sizes. Please contact Heather Snider, Coordinator of Institutional Research, at hsnider@rockford.edu for additional information.
Standardized Institutional Assessment
National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)
The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) is an indirect measure of student learning based on five benchmarks of effective educational practice: Level of Academic Challenge, Active and Collaborative Learning, StudentFaculty Interaction, Enriching Educational Experiences, and Supportive Campus Environment . Benchmark scores are calculated on a 100-point scale, but do not represent percentages Comparisons with reference groups and trends over time are more informative than isolated scores The reference groups with which Rockford College compares itself include a group of selected peers, colleges in the same Carnegie Classification, and all schools that participated in NSSE
According to the NSSE 2008 results, first-year and senior students at Rockford College scored as well or better than all three reference groups for each of the five benchmarks Additionally, the College’s benchmark scores have generally improved over the past five years The following information is reproduced from Rockford College’s NSSE 2008 Executive Snapshot, Benchmark Comparisons Report, and Multi-Year Benchmark Report
The first table summarizes benchmark results for Rockford College and its three comparison groups A plus sign (+) indicates that Rockford College scored significantly higher than the respective comparison group (p < 05), a minus sign (–) indicates that Rockford College scored significantly lower than the comparison group, and a blank space indicates no significant different between Rockford College and the comparison group . After the summary table, benchmark comparisons and trend information are presented separately for each of the five benchmarks .
Executive Snapshot
Comparison Groups
Benchmark Class Rockford College Selected Peers Carnegie Class NSSE 2008
Challenging intellectual and creative work is central to student learning and collegiate quality . Colleges and universities promote high levels of student achievement by emphasizing the importance of academic effort and setting high expectations for student performance
Students learn more when they are intensely involved in their education and asked to think about what they are learning in different settings Collaborating with others in solving problems or mastering difficult material prepares students for the messy, unscripted problems they will encounter daily during and after college
Students learn more when they are intensely involved in their education and asked to think about what they are learning in different settings . Collaborating with others in solving problems or mastering difficult material prepares students for the messy, unscripted problems they will encounter daily during and after college
Standardized Institutional Assessment
Student-Faculty Interaction
Student-Faculty Interaction
Students learn firsthand how experts think about and solve practical problems by interacting with faculty members inside and outside the classroom As a result, their teachers become role models, mentors, and guides for continuous, life-long learning
Complementary learning opportunities enhance academic programs . Diversity experiences teach students valuable things about themselves and others Technology facilitates collaboration between peers and instructors Internships, community service, and senior capstone courses provide opportunities to integrate and apply knowledge
Students perform better and are more satisfied at colleges that are committed to their success and cultivate positive working and social relations among different groups on campus
The College can better understand what contributes to its overall NSSE benchmark scores by examining results from individual questions . This section features the five questions on which Rockford College first-year and senior students scored the highest and lowest, relative to the College’s selected peer group
