educational master plan - allegany college of …...aspects—functioned as the primary planning...

EDUCATIONALMASTER PLAN:A Roadmap for Success

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Message from the Senior Vice President of Instructional and Student Affairs..............................................3

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................5

Institutional Planning ............................................................................................................................................6Strategic Plan ....................................................................................................................................................7EDMP Core Themes Alignment with Strategic Plan ..................................................................................7Instructional and Student Affairs Annual Initiatives................................................................................14

Who We Are ..........................................................................................................................................................15

Allegany College of Maryland Institutional Statements ................................................................................18

From Where We Have Come ..............................................................................................................................20An Overview of the Original “Academic” Master Plan ..........................................................................20

Where We Are ......................................................................................................................................................22Long Term Institutional Initiatives ..............................................................................................................22Learning Centered College ..........................................................................................................................22Teaching and Learning Community (TLC) ................................................................................................24The Democracy Commitment (TDC) ..........................................................................................................25Service Learning/Civic Engagement Center (SL/CE) ............................................................................25Advising Center ............................................................................................................................................25All College Formation ..................................................................................................................................25Academic Innovations ..................................................................................................................................26

Where We Are Going ..........................................................................................................................................27Educational Master Plan (EDMP) 2015-2018 ............................................................................................27EDMP Themes ................................................................................................................................................28

Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................31

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Tectonic shifts are occurring in higher education.Skyrocketing student debt coupled with theemergence from the historic recession hasstudents and parents laser-focused on collegecompletion, job preparation, and “return oninvestment” metrics. Politicians and theireducational policies view a highly educatedworkforce as a means to rejuvenate the middleclass. Yet, decreased public funding of highereducation paradoxically reveals that a collegedegree is no longer viewed as a public good andfor the collective betterment of our society.

Historically, two-year open access colleges, orcommunity colleges, were referred to asdemocracy’s schools for their open access policiesand willingness to accept all who apply.Community colleges have possessed dual publicmissions: a civic mission devoted to educatingstudents for participation in democracy and aneconomic one in which students are prepared fortheir future vocations. Currently, the economicmission has come to dominate to the detrimentof the civic.

In graduate school, one of my professorsadmonished his students who were educationalprofessionals not to lose focus on the ultimate

purpose of our work despite these stronggravitational forces: “it’s all about the learning.”Despite the instability and change that alsoaffects the college; a strong commitment to theeducational needs and goals of our students atAllegany College of Maryland remainsparamount. ACM is an institution comprised offaculty, staff and administrators that placestudents at the center of all they do. Aninstitution committed to meaningful interactionswith students in order to prepare them fortransfer, work, or life. An institution reconcilingthe historical dual public missions of communitycolleges: educating for work as well as educatingfor democratic participation and engagement.Simply put, we are in the business of helpingpeople to positively transform their lives as wellas their communities. And we take this chargevery seriously. We collectively and constantlyremember that “it’s all about the learning.”

This document aims to provide the educationalroadmap for these ultimate successes of ourstudents and stands as the educationalaspirations for the institution. We haveidentified five planning themes for thisdocument and for the next three years of theinstitution’s educational efforts:

MESSAGE FROM THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTRUCTIONAL AND STUDENT AFFAIRS

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• Learning: ACM assists students in theireducational success in preparation fortransfer, work or life in a diverse andglobal society.

• Teaching: ACM cultivates a climate thatsupports every employee, fosters thelearning centered college, and enhancesdiversity in teaching and learning.

• Programs and Courses: ACM ensuresquality and academic integrity of coursesand curriculum.

• Educational Support Services: ACMseeks to ensure quality educationalservices and infrastructure that areaccessible, support student retention, andenhance the learning success for thestudent.

• Resources: ACM seeks to ensure qualityeducational programs while maintainingfiscal responsibility and allocatingresources to support the InstitutionalPriorities.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kurt HoffmanSenior Vice President of Instructional and Student Affairs

EDUCATIONALMASTER PLAN:A Roadmap for Success

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This Educational Master Plan: A Roadmap forSuccess 2015-2018 is the first comprehensiveacademic planning document created in the 54year history of Allegany College of Maryland(ACM). Until recently, the Strategic Plan and theAnnual Initiatives—which included academicaspects—functioned as the primary planningdocuments for the college. The institutionrecognizes the importance of a separate plan thatsolely focuses on the long-term educationalgoals. The purpose of this Educational MasterPlan is to identify the instructional priorities ofthe college, assist the college in makingdecisions that support student learning for thepresent, and serve as a guide in setting theacademic direction for the future. Ultimately theEducational Master Plan will inform the decisionmaking and resource allocation of the college.

INTRODUCTION

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INSTITUTIONAL PLANNING

The Educational MasterPlan will obviouslyalign with and beinformed by the

Strategic Plan. TheInstructional and

Student Affairs AnnualInitiatives will providethe action plan for theEDMP and provide

necessary linkages tothe institution’sStrategic Plan.

Likewise, the EDMPwill inform and requirealignment by the Fiscal

Plan, Facilities Plan,Technology Plan,

Strategic EnrollmentManagement Plan, and

the Marketing Plan.Discussion of the

operational linkages tothe Educational Master

Plan is beyond thescope of this documentand they can be foundwithin the numerous

plans themselves.


Strategic PlanThe College’s strategic planning decisionmaking process is based on the Vision, Mission,Values, and Guiding Principles of the College aswell as input collected from internal andexternal constituencies. This data are used todevelop the Institutional Priorities and StrategicGoals to guide the college’s planning. Asdescribed in greater detail below, theEducational Master Plan is symbiotic with theStrategic Plan – along with other planningdocuments which are reviewed regularly andupdated appropriately. These visionarydocuments are implemented both operationallyand strategically via the Annual Initiatives. TheVision, Mission, Values, Guiding Principles, andInstitutional Priorities are reviewed periodicallyfor relevancy. External trends and internal datainformation are used in Strategic Goaldevelopment. Annually there is a review ofvarious planning documents and changes are

made as appropriate. A companion document,the Annual Initiatives, gives a more detaileddepiction of important initiatives andoperational activities during a particular year;initiatives are driven by the Strategic Prioritiesand Goals.

The Strategic Plan Institutional Priorities are:

1. Student Success and Access

2. Organizational Development andSupport

3. Community

4. Resource Management

5. Planning and Assessment

It is important to note that the EDMP themes donot stand alone and are interconnected to theStrategic Plan priorities. The following tableillustrates the connection between the StrategicPlan and the Educational Master Plan.

EDMP CORE THEMES ACM STRATEGIC PLAN INSTITUTIONAL PRIORITY

LEARNING: ACM assists students in IP One: Student Success and Access. ACM developstheir educational success in preparation and delivers quality academic offerings, services and for transfer, work or life in a diverse and activities that are accessible, affordable and flexible to global society. help students achieve their goals.

• Strategic Goal One: foster a learner-centeredculture throughout the College.

• Strategic Goal Three: identify and diminishbarriers that impede student success.

• Strategic Goal Four: maximize financialopportunities and resources for students whoattend ACM.

• Strategic Goal Five: increase employability ofgraduates within today’s regional and globaleconomy.

• Strategic Goal Six: enhance quality instruction,academic support and student services for alldelivery methods.

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IP Two: Organizational Development and Support.ACM enhances the learning and workingenvironment by valuing, supporting and recognizinga diverse and highly qualified faculty and staff.

• Strategic Goal Two: invest in hiring andretaining a diverse and highly qualified facultyand staff.

• Strategic Goal Five: increase the culturalcompetency within the College community.

IP Three: Community. ACM leads and collaborateswith business, educational, non-profit andgovernmental agencies to enhance studentopportunities and contribute to workforcedevelopment for the region and the global economy.

• Strategic Goal One: expand educational,governmental and community partnershipsthat strengthen educational solutions for localeconomic and social issues.

• Strategic Goal Two: support service and civicengagement of students, faculty and staff.

IP Four: Resource Management. ACM prudentlyapplies resources to enhance teaching, learning, andworking.

• Strategic Goal Two: proactively plan for theinfrastructure needs of the college.

• Strategic Goal Three: utilize data to alignresource allocation with institutional plans.

TEACHING: ACM cultivates a climate IP One: Student Success and Access. ACM develops that supports every employee, fosters the and delivers quality academic offerings, services and learning centered college, and enhances activities that are accessible, affordable and flexible to diversity in teaching and learning. help students achieve their goals.






IP Two: Organizational Development and Support.ACM enhances the learning and workingenvironment by valuing, supporting and recognizinga diverse and highly qualified faculty and staff.

• Strategic Goal One: promote positive employeeengagement, wellness and work-life balance.


• Strategic Goal Three: expand and promoteprofessional development opportunities.



• Strategic Goal Two: support service and civicengagement of students, faculty and staff.




IP Five: Planning and Assessment. ACM integratesplanning and assessment of programs, services, andresources to continuously improve student learning,student success and institutional effectiveness.

• Strategic Goal One: expand strategic planningprocess to ensure systematic and sustainableplanning, using student learning assessmentand institutional effectiveness data.


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• Strategic Goal Three: complete the assessmentcycle of student learning outcomes followingthe guidelines of the Academic AssessmentPlan and ensure the information collected isanalyzed and used for decision-making,resource allocation and initiative development.

PROGRAMS AND COURSES: ACM IP One: Student Success and Access. ACM develops ensures quality and academic integrity of and delivers quality academic offerings, services and courses and curriculum. activities that are accessible, affordable and flexible to

help students achieve their goals.




IP Two: Organizational Development and Support.ACM enhances the learning and workingenvironment by valuing, supporting, and recognizinga diverse and highly qualified faculty and staff.


• Strategic Goal Three: expand and promoteprofessional development opportunities.



• Strategic Goal One: expand educational,governmental and community partnershipsthat strengthen educational solutions for localeconomic and social issues.




• Strategic Goal Two: support service and civicengagement of students, faculty and staff







EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES: IP One: Student Success and Access. ACM develops ACM seeks to ensure quality educational and delivers quality academic offerings, services and services and infrastructure that are activities that are accessible, affordable and flexible to accessible, support student retention, help students achieve their goals. and enhance the learning success for the student. • Strategic Goal One: foster a learner-centered

culture throughout the College.

• Strategic Goal Two: optimize enrollment.

• Strategic Goal Three: identify and diminishbarriers that impede student success.

• Strategic Goal Four: maximize financialopportunities and resources for students whoattend ACM.


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RESOURCES: ACM seeks to ensure IP One: Student Success and Access. ACM develops quality educational programs while and delivers quality academic offerings, services and maintaining fiscal responsibility and activities that are accessible, affordable and flexible to allocating resources to support the help students achieve their goals.Institutional Priorities.





IP Four: Resource Management. ACM prudentlyapplies resources to enhance teaching, learning andworking.






Instructional and Student Affairs Annual InitiativesThe Educational Master Plan sets the strategicfocus of Instructional and Student Affairs (ISA).Each year, specific strategies towards theadvancement of the goals in the EducationalMaster Plan are identified and written as theAnnual Initiatives plan. These initiatives areconnected to the priorities of the college’sStrategic Plan. The initiatives are informed bythe College planning documents as well asthrough the program and administrative unitassessment results and recommendations. Othersources which may inform the ISA AnnualInitiatives are recommendations of committeesacross campus such as the Learning DesignTeam, Advising Steering, Diversity, CompletionAgenda, and Academic Innovations Committee(previously known as the Academic MasterPlanning Committee).

The Annual Initiatives are developed at the startof each academic year in order to inform thevarious committees and task forces which maybe charged with execution of the initiativesthroughout the year. The annual timeline of thedevelopment of the ISA Annual Initiatives allowsthe previous assessment cycle to be completed inorder to provide an evidenced-based foundationfor further identification of necessary strategies(please consult timeline below). Such strategieswill then be included in the Annual Initiatives toremain focused on achievement of the ISA goalsoutlined in the Educational Master Plan.

The annual ISA initiatives are aligned to budgetand resource allocation in order to advance theEducational Master Plan goals as well as thoseinitiatives collected through the assessmentprocess. The annual initiatives are developedahead of the College’s budget process and reflectthe practical implementation of the strategicgoals of ISA in advancing the College’s mission.

Student LearningOutcomes (SLO)

Student Services LearningOutcomes (SSLO)

Program Action Goals

Unit Action GoalsBudget Allocation Process

Annual Initiatives ofInstructional & Student

Affairs

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Previously, the president and the seven vicepresidents produced a college-wide documentcontaining Annual Initiatives which functioned as ayearly action plan to advance the Board of Trustees’and the President’s goals which demonstratedprogress toward the five year Strategic Plan. Thecurrent “Annual Initiatives Spring 2016 to Spring2017” will be the first time Instructional and

Student Affairs will produce its own documentwhich aligns, instead, with the inauguralEducational Master Plan. Due to the extensiveEducational Master Planning process, Instructionaland Student Affairs Annual Initiatives weredelayed in their creation and implementation untilSpring 2016; thus necessitating the plan to extendfor one calendar year ending with Spring 2017.


SettingAppalachian Maryland consists of the state’sthree westernmost counties: Allegany, Garrett,and Washington. The physiographic setting ofthis area has been critical in influencing itseconomic development, and it continues to befundamental to understanding AppalachianMaryland’s barriers to, and opportunities for,future growth.

Allegany County has a population of 75,087 asof the 2010 Census. This represents an increaseof 0.2% from the 2000 Census. Cumberland isthe county seat and is the largest city, with apopulation of 20,859 in 2010. The CumberlandMetro area in which Allegany College ofMaryland resides has been designated by

various media outlets as one of the top tenpoorest cities in the country: one quarter of thepopulation is below the poverty line, with amedian household income less than $40,000, anunemployment rate over the national average,and a population decrease of 50% since the1950’s. The outmigration over the previousdecades from the area has resulted in a youthdrain and a greying of the local population: thecounty has one of the highest percentages ofpopulation 65 years or older (18.4%) comparedto the rest of Appalachia. Paradoxically,Cumberland has also been listed by numerousmedia sources as one of the ten most affordableplaces to live in the United States. Thecomparison of Allegany County to Bedford andSomerset counties reveals a similar story.

WHO WE ARE

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The College offers comprehensive continuingeducation, workforce development, and lifelonglearning opportunities through its ContinuingEducation Division. ACM’s academic programsinclude more than 40 credit programs, offering22 associate degrees and 21 certificate choices.ACM also offers six statewide-designatedassociate degree and certificate programs,including 16 degree and certificate curricula thatare part of Maryland’s Health ManpowerShortage Programs effort. There are 21 transferprograms and 18 letters of recognition. TheCollege strives to provide high-quality highereducation at a reasonable cost for the residentsin the tri-state area (Maryland, Pennsylvania andWest Virginia).

Student ProfileLocated in Cumberland, Maryland, the maincampus enrolls two-thirds of the students, withBedford and Somerset Pennsylvania campusesan hour-drive away that enroll the other third.Most students live within 30 miles of their localcampus. The Cumberland campus offersstudent housing in which 236 students live inon-campus residence halls. Students residing inthe student housing are primarily African-

American drawn from urban areas of Marylandand Washington D.C. and include a significantAfrican diaspora population (approximately10% of student housing depending on thesemester). Student housing is the primarysource of racial and ethnic diversity on campus;14% in 2014 which was the College’s highest rateever. The student population of all threecampuses is comprised predominantly ofCaucasian/white students with 83% of the totalstudent population.

Forty-three percent of ACM students currentlyenrolled are first generation—the first in theirfamilies to attend an institution of highereducation. Females comprise about 68% ofenrollees, and over 89% of students have adocumented collective financial need in excessof $11 million.

An overview of the educational attainmentstatistics for individuals over 25 years of age inthe American Community Survey reveals similarstatistics among the three counties that ACMserves: an average of 14% do not have a highschool diploma, less than two-thirds havegraduated from high school, and less than 10%have earned an Associates or Bachelor’s degree.

Statistics by County

% OF POP. % OF PERSONSPOPULATION CHANGE MEDIAN 18+ UNDER UNEMPLOYMENT

COUNTY IN 2014 IN 5 YRS. INCOME POVERTY RATE

Allegany 72,952 -2.8% 39,293 24.5% 7.1%

Bedford 48,946 -1.6% 43,290 17.4% 6.0%

Somerset 76,218 -2.0% 43,597 18.6% 6.7%

Educational attainment remains a real andpressing regional need. Inherent in theeconomic situation is the critical necessity tocreate a skilled, globally competitive workforce,

and to develop the area into a geographic regionthat attracts new and growing businesses.Education remains a critical priority in all thecounties ACM serves.

Educational Attainment

POPULATION LESS THAN HIGH SCHOOL25+ HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE ASSOCIATE BACHELOR GRADUATE+

Allegany County 12.70% 62.00% 8.50% 9.40% 7.40%

Bedford County 14.80% 65.10% 7.50% 9.00% 3.50%

Somerset County 14.40% 63.50% 7.70% 9.40% 5.10%

From 2009-2013 American Community Survey 5-year estimate


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Our Vision: We will be the college of choice where lives are transformed, communitiesstrengthened, and learners are the center of everything we do.

Our Mission: Allegany College of Maryland is a lifelong learning community dedicated toexcellence in education and responsive to the changing needs of the communitieswe serve. Our focus is the preparation of individuals in mind, body, and spirit forlives of fulfillment, leadership, and service in a diverse and global society. We arecommitted to engaging students in rich and challenging learning opportunitieswithin a small college atmosphere that is known for its personal touch.

Our Values: Quality We improve through assessment.

Integrity We promote honesty and trust.

Respect We foster dignity and worth.

Opportunity We provide innovative choices.

Wellness We promote healthy lifestyles.

ALLEGANY COLLEGE OF MARYLAND INSTITUTIONAL STATEMENTS


Instructional and Student Affairs MissionThe mission of Instructional and Student Affairs is to support and promote student and facultyengagement in a culture of learning and service to help students meet their educational goals.

General Education Goals for StudentsAllegany College of Maryland’s General Education Goals and Outcomes have been developed inconjunction with Allegany College of Maryland’s mission, vision, values and institutional priorities.All degree graduates of Allegany College of Maryland will be able to demonstrate proficiency at thetime of graduation (or at other key points) in each of the following Goals and Outcomes:

Written and Oral Communication Use reading, writing, speaking, and listening tocommunicate effectively.

Scientific and Quantitative Reasoning Use fundamentals of scientific investigation and/ormathematical concepts to explain or to solve problems.

Critical Analysis and Reasoning Analyze, synthesize, and evaluate data and text.

Technological Competency Use discipline-specific technologies effectively.

Information Literacy Locate, evaluate, and use information ethically andeffectively.

Personal and Civic Responsibility Explore and develop understanding for oneself andothers, the community, and other cultures, and engagewith issues of local, national, and global significance.

Arts and Humanities Inquiry Explore and interpret expressions of human ideals,values, and creativity across cultures.

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An Overview of the Original “Academic” Master PlanAcademic Master Planning (AMP) has taken avery circuitous route at Allegany College ofMaryland. Even though the work has beenconstant, some efforts diverged from trueacademic master planning; some accidental andsome by design. Additionally, numerouschanges in leadership further complicated thefocus of the AMP work. Yet, all of this laborwould eventually become the foundation for thiscurrent document. A brief history will helpillustrate this path.

Since 2011, four individuals have held theposition of Vice President of Instructional Affairs(VPIA), with two as interim. Over the last twoyears the position title has changed twice: in2014 to Senior Vice President of InstructionalAffairs (SVPIA) and to Senior Vice President ofInstructional and Student Affairs (SVPISA) in2015. The latter change a reflection of anadministrative restructure with a reduction ofcollege vice presidents from seven to three. Twopositions were eliminated, while two werereclassified as deans within the new structure.The Instructional Affairs (IA) office wasrenamed the Instructional and Student Affairs

(ISA) office to reflect the inclusion of ContinuingEducation, Student and Legal Affairs,Admissions, Financial Aid, Registration, Library,Information Technology and Multi-MediaServices (ITMMS), and Student Services areas. Itis important to note this incredible turnover inleadership and its obvious overall hindranceupon the master planning process.

Discussions concerning the creation of anAcademic Master Plan at the college began inthe fall of 2009. Faculty and staff in theInstructional Affairs area held forums andcollected surveys concerning the needs of thecollege, and a SWOT analysis was completed.The data were discussed and analyzed duringnumerous meetings of the steering committee,and four themes emerged that would providethe framework for this early AMP process:

• Faculty: recruitment and retention, salary,job responsibilities, professionaldevelopment, division chairs, adjuncts,mentoring.

• Programs and Courses: new programs,student learning assessments, earlycollege, developmental education, modesof delivery, program review system,scheduling, marketing.

FROM WHERE WE HAVE COME


• Academic Support Services: instructionaltechnology, library, tutoring and testing,disability services, advising, counseling.

• Technology: academic or instructional.

In 2011 work proceeded on initiatives within thefour original themes listed above as five teamswere created and directed to deeply examine theissues within the themes in order to developrecommendations that would be vetted by theAMP Steering Committee. Successful initiativeswould be forwarded to the president forimplementation. The five teams mirrored thefour themes above with an additional teamconcerned with faculty pay and workload issues. In2012 the steering committee added students as atheme. The theme of faculty pay and workloadissues was dropped due to a successfulrecommendation that had already been written,vetted and submitted to the president.

The efforts of these original AMP teams resultedin other noteworthy innovative initiatives: thecreation of an Advising Center with Title IIIgrant monies, implementation of on-campuscounseling services, a program reviewcoordinator, an updated faculty evaluationsurvey, blended course trainings and offerings, apilot of a Teaching and Learning Community,and dedicated tutoring spaces for reading, math,writing, and science. Though successful, thework did not reflect true academic masterplanning. Efforts continued in this vein untilspring 2015, with a true planning documentnever having been completed.

In the fall of 2015 a new committee for AMP wascharged with creating a true academic masterplan document. This group proceeded with anambitious goal to have a visionary document byDecember 2015. The committee decided AMPwork must occur along two tracks: a newlytitled Academic Innovations group that wouldcontinue the work in faculty-generated newcollege initiatives, and the second specialcommittee that would create a true academicmaster plan document.

The focus of the plan would reflect an emergingcultural shift at ACM to a learning collegemodel. The committee deliberated and titled thecurrent document an Educational Master Plan(EDMP) to reflect these changes: to include theunification of instructional affairs and studentaffairs, and to reflect the cultural shift at thecollege of becoming a learning centeredinstitution where “students are the center” of allwe do. This current EDMP document is theresult of this new group’s work, which was builtupon their AMP colleagues’ years of work, andsustained through the institution’s perseverancein the process.

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Long-Term Institutional InitiativesIn the past five years, faculty and staff havecreated ground-breaking initiatives that haveinfluenced the culture of the College. For thepurpose of this document, it is assumed thatthese initiatives will continue and be supportedby the institution through the Office ofInstructional and Student Affairs. Mentioningthese initiatives in the Educational Master Planacknowledges their impact upon the college.However, as they are “in-progress” and haveachieved various levels of success, they will notspecifically be referred to in the EDMP goalswhich look three years ahead.

Learning Centered CollegeCurrently, work is being done to take a statementfound in numerous SWOT analyses thatAllegany College of Maryland promotes “thepersonal touch” in its “student first focus” andoperationalize these sentiments into a culturalshift of becoming a learning centered college: thatlearning occurs in every interaction withstudents, in academic and non-academic settings,during curricular and co-curricularpresentations. This shift necessitates that the

college will embrace Dr. John Roueche’sphilosophy that “student success is everyone’sbusiness.” The entire Educational Master Plan iscouched in this vision of ACM creating a cultureof a dedicated learning centered college. ACM’sinstitutional guiding statements are establishedon a student centered mission of preparingindividuals in mind, body, and spirit for lives offulfillment, leadership, and service in a diverseand global society. By making learners the centerof everything we do, we are also emulating thephilosophy of Terry O’Banion who states: “Thelearning college places learning first andprovides educational experiences for learnersanyway, anyplace, anytime. The model is basedon the assumption that educational experiencesare designed for the convenience of learnersrather than for the convenience of institutionsand their staffs.” A student at ACM will receiveeducational experiences not only in theclassroom but in every interaction with faculty,staff, and administration.

A learning college:• Creates a substantive change in individual

learners.

• Engages learners as full partners in thelearning process assuming primaryresponsibility for their own choices.

WHERE WE ARE


• Creates and offers as many options forlearning as possible.

• Assists learners to form and participate incollaborative learning activities.

• Defines the roles of learning facilitators bythe needs of the learners.

• Succeeds when improved and expandedlearning can be documented for learners.

• Encourages all employees to identify theirrole in supporting learning at all levels.

• Builds a strong sense of community andconnection.

• Utilizes ongoing assessment to guidedecision-making and continually improve.

At the heart of a learning centered college, ACMis a community of faculty and staff focused onstudent success and teaching excellence.Honoring the value of what each of us in thatcommunity contributes to the successful learner,faculty and staff professional development is akey driver for ensuring that the vision forstudent success becomes a reality. Assessmentresults will guide decisions about where changesneed to be made and then strategically designedprofessional development initiatives areessential to make this happen.

The learning centered college will alsonecessitate numerous infrastructural changesthat will need to be identified as it continues tounfold. Learning centered practices and policiesconcerning hiring, orientation, evaluation, andpromotion will have to be constructed for allemployees. These new practices and policieswill have to be integrated with the current ones.Additional assessments to capture excellence inteaching through these new instructionalmethodologies will also have to be created. Inaddition to individual evaluations completed bysupervisors, peer review and peer based teamswill need to be utilized. Instead of operating insilos, collaborative cross-unit, cross-departmental, and cross-constituency initiativeswill be necessary and the support of leadershipis required. Finally, it must be acknowledgedthat the continuance of this paradigm shift to thelearning centered college will require multipleyears for full implementation. Though theAnnual Initiatives will regularly focus on andadvance the cultural change, it is still expectedthat the learning centered efforts will most likelycontinue into the subsequent educational masterplan.

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Teaching and Learning Community (TLC)In the fall of 2015 a year-long experiment beganin fostering the learning centered culture withthe start of an inaugural cohort for the Teachingand Learning Community (TLC). The TLC wasdesigned to establish a “community of practice”(learning community) focused on teaching and

learning in the classroom. Sixteen facultymembers applied and thirteen were able tocommit to the year-long process. Five principlesare guiding participants in distinguishingbetween the learning centered vs. instructioncentered framework, with three outcomesexpected from the TLC cohort:

The TLC model of building open, supportiverelationships and cross-disciplinary connectionswill be examined for all-college adoption of

learning communities of practice that wouldinclude staff and administrators for academicyear 2016/2017.

FIVE GUIDING PRINCIPLES THREE OUTCOMES

Educating the whole person for life-long Create and actively participate in an interdependentlearning: self-responsibility, “community of learners” that promotes self-motivation, self-management, self-reflection and scholarly reflection based uponinterdependence, self-awareness, inquiry and critical exchange.self-confidence, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and self-expression.

The creation of community to provide a Promote and support a college wide shift to a safe place for students to grow, learner-centered culture.experiment, and collaborate.

Active, transformative experiences that Use and evaluate learning practices to facilitateengage students in reflection, critical continual improvement in student success in orderthinking, and the application of learning to maximize the learning and personal potentialsto solving real world problems. of students.

The sharing of power and decision-making to foster creativity, learner autonomy, and student motivation.

Ongoing assessment to improve student learning outcomes and curriculum design.


The Democracy Commitment (TDC)Service Learning/Civic Engagement Center(SL/CE)In the fall 2011, Allegany College of Marylandbecame one of the original signatories of TheDemocracy Commitment (TDC). The TDC is anational consortium of community collegesdedicated to civic and democratic engagementof community college students to their localcommunities. From the fall 2013 to the present,the TDC at ACM has conducted 29 co-curricularevents for close to 1200 attendees. Research hasdemonstrated that these presentations haveincreased participants’ civic attitudes, civicbehaviors, global understanding—and to alesser extent—political engagement. Proud of itsinstitutional value of preparing students forparticipation in democracy, ACM remains one ofonly three rural colleges in the TDC network.

In conjunction with the TDC, a curricularpathway for service learning and civicengagement has been promoted by the Service-Learning/Civic Engagement Center. Originallythe center was staffed with ever-changingAmeriCorps volunteers who supported threefaculty and 30 student volunteers. Currently thecenter is staffed part-time by a faculty memberand a full-time AmeriCorps volunteer. The mostrecent statistics reveal greaterinstitutionalization of civic engagement: 245students through 24 faculty performed 1664hours of service learning at eight communitypartner sites and during four campus charityevents during the 2014-15 academic year.

Advising CenterThe Advising Center is a result of the U.S.Department of Education. Title III, Part A,Strengthening Institutions Program projectcalled “Centralized Academic Advising in RuralAppalachia: Ensuring Student Success andCompletion.” Advising is an individualizedteaching and learning experience dedicated tothe achievement of a student’s educational,career and life goals. ACM recognizes advisingto be an essential component of the educationalexperience. The Advising Center embraces thephilosophy that advising is teaching. The Centeris transforming advising from a transactionalprocess to a relational practice based on researchand current trends in advising.

All College FormationFormation reinforces a core component of thelearning centered college – building communityacross disciplines and roles. As a form ofprofessional development, Formationemphasizes “we teach who we are,” providingthe opportunity for self-reflection on one’spractice and the renewal of passion for teachingexcellence and student success, whether one isfaculty or not. This approach recognizes thatwhile continual improvement in our skills andknowledge is vital, we must also “refill our cup”and reconnect to ourselves, our students, andour profession in order to fulfill the mission of alearning centered college. Learning involves thewhole person-- which is the core of Formationpractice. Formation began at the college in 2003initially as a faculty professional developmentactivity. All academic departments andprograms have had faculty attend a formationretreat. In 2014, formation became open to allemployees and achieved the goal of being trulyall-college formation. Since 2003, approximately450 employees have participated in 32 retreatsand formation events.

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Academic InnovationsAs mentioned previously, this work was initiallydone by the original AMP steering committee.In its current incarnation, this is a group offaculty and staff who are working to research,analyze and offer recommendations to theSVPISA for presentation to the president forapproval. Current projects “in-progress” for thisgroup include:

Course Material AffordabilityInvestigate ways in which ACM faculty mayfind alternatives to current course materials withthe intent of lowering the cost of attending ACMfor students. The outcome/goal is to lower costsof course materials for students attending ACM.

Education Advisory Board (EAB) Research Assess the research services to determinewhether they match the needs of the institutionand whether EAB subscription is an efficient useof resources by conducting a cost/benefitanalysis.

The outcome/Goal is to recommend whether tocontinue the purchase of EAB membership foranother three years.

LMS Review Review current Learning Management System(Blackboard) to ascertain the degree to which itmeets current needs. Investigate three otherLMS’s and make a recommendation forchange/upgrade. The outcome/goal is to usean LMS that gives ACM the best student/facultyexperience at an affordable cost.

Service Learning/Civic EngagementInstitutionalization CommitteeInvestigate ways to integrate and embed servicelearning and civic engagement opportunities inall aspects of college life. To include integrationin: student activities and clubs, class outcomes,curriculum development, faculty applications,

independent study, transfer goals, studentsuccess objectives, developmental activities, andinternships. The outcome/goal is to developservice learning and civic engagement bestpractices at ACM, increase engagement andassessment of engagement, create a civicpathway for students transferring to FrostburgState University, develop a transcriptdesignation for civic engagement scholars.

Faculty MentoringAs stated in the original SWOT analysis of“AMP” and the Team Report from Middle StatesSelf Study, explore the current system andresearch other mentoring systems used incommunity colleges. The outcome/goal is touse the most effective faculty mentoring systemthat fits our culture at ACM.

Common Meeting Time / Scheduling As stated in the original SWOT analysis of“AMP,” explore a dedicated common meetingtime for ACM employees. The outcome/goal isto establish a common meeting time forfaculty/staff to schedule meetings.

Classroom Technology Explore affordability, usage, and technologicalusability of emerging classroom technologies.The outcome/goal is to use current and/oremerging technologies in the classroom that willallow ACM students/faculty to be globally-prepared for the new-knowledge economy.

Teaching ExcellenceDefine “teaching excellence” for ACM. Thisimportant outcome/goal is to create aninstitutional definition of teaching excellencethat can be measured, is understood by all ACMemployees, and fits the culture at ACM.


Educational Master Plan (EDMP) 2015-2018The Educational Master Plan 2015-2018 is thevisionary document that sets the instructionalpriorities of the College, assists the College inmaking decisions that support student learningfor the present, and serves as a guide in settingthe academic direction for the future.

The Educational Master Plan provides a three-year framework for decision-making andresource allocation in instruction and studentservices areas of the College which link bothdirectly and indirectly with other institutionalunits. Functionally, this plan aligns with andsupports the College’s Strategic Plan 2015-2020.Other institutional plans align with theEducational Master Plan and assist in achievingits stated purposes and goals.

Thus, the framework will be used to achieve thefollowing purposes across the College:

● Cultivate a climate that supports thelearning centered college and enhancesdiversity in teaching and learning.

● Establish priority initiatives that enhanceand expand instruction and studentlearning to meet the needs of the region.

● Align work and resources across thecollege with the priority of studentlearning as the college’s central purpose.

● Provide a focus for planning in academicprograms of the college.

● Provide guidance for developing thecollege budget.

The committee that participated in thedevelopment of the EDMP recognizes that it,like all strategic plans, will always be a “work inprogress” as new trends emerge and futureevents occur. Out of necessity, midcoursecorrections will have to occur. As such, thisEducational Master Plan will be a livingdocument that will change and grow with theneeds of the institution and our students.Nevertheless, the plan should provide theCollege with a framework to continue andexpand its leadership position in the delivery ofquality educational services to the citizens,businesses, and agencies of our tri-state servicearea.

As a three-year plan it is expected that someaspects will necessarily be implemented after thefirst year. In years two and three, we anticipateadding the following purposes to further definethe EDMP:

WHERE WE ARE GOING

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● To guide other units of the College todevelop plans that support achievementof the Educational Master Plan wheretheir responsibilities link to learning.

● To provide ongoing assessment,accountability, and continuousimprovement measures that will guide allfuture decisions affecting student learningat every level throughout the college.

The EDMP committee examined the work fromthe previous AMP groups. Numerous SWOTanalyses were consulted. Extensive discussionswere held within the group in order to synthesizethe previous work with the current work and toencapsulate current college initiatives. New

themes were identified that reflected theseinitiatives and changes in the administrativestructure at the college. Finally, from this workfour goals emerged that will guide the collegeeducationally for the next three years.

EDMP ThemesFive core themes were identified in the originalSWOT analyses and in the original work donewith AMP. These five themes remainedunchanged until this current committee. Thechanges may appear minor and editorial innature, but reveal a more substantivemodification.

Educational Master Plan Themes

ORIGINAL THEMES CURRENT THEMES

Students Learning

Faculty Teaching

Programs and Courses Programs and Courses

Academic Support Services Educational Support Services

Technology Resources

The change from “students” to “learning”reflects that the focus is less about the role orperson and more about the process of learningitself. The point is that learning can occur nomatter the role: students, teachers, staff, andadministrators can find themselves in learningsituations and as learners. Likewise, “faculty”are not the only ones who are responsible forinstruction. At a learning college, anyone can bea source of “teaching”—even students. While“programs and courses” remained unchanged,“academic support services” was expanded to“educational support services” to reflect thechange in structure and the inclusion of student

services with academic affairs, and the fact thatnot all teaching and learning occur in anacademic setting of a classroom. Finally,“technology” became “resources” in the updatedlist. Technically, “resources” should be includedin all the other themes as it is crucial to each oneand necessary to ensure that resource allocationis directed towards educational priorities.

These core themes will drive the Instructionaland Student Affairs area in organizing andplanning for the future. The descriptionstatements are as follows:


Learning ACM assists students in their educational success in preparationfor transfer, work or life in a diverse and global society.

Teaching ACM cultivates a climate that supports every employee, fostersthe learning centered college, and enhances diversity in teachingand learning.

Programs and Courses ACM ensures quality and academic integrity of courses andcurriculum.

Educational Support Services ACM seeks to ensure quality educational services andinfrastructure that are accessible, support student retention, andenhance the learning success for the student.

Resources ACM seeks to ensure quality educational programs whilemaintaining fiscal responsibility and allocating resources tosupport the Institutional Priorities.

The core theme of learning focuses on assuringthat students leave ACM with the preparationthat they need for their next step which may becareer, transfer, or achieving a personalenrichment goal. Assessment of this theme willcome from data obtained through programassessment, student learning assessment,evaluation of general educational goals, and unitreviews from areas under the ISA office.Additional data from external sources such asMaryland Higher Education Commission andMaryland State Department of Education will bereviewed.

The core theme of teaching focuses on creatingthe cultural shift of becoming a learningcentered college: that learning occurs in everyinteraction with students, in academic and non-academic settings. Allegany College ofMaryland’s mission statement describes that weare preparing individuals in mind, body, andspirit for lives of fulfillment, leadership, andservice in a diverse and global society. A varietyof learning experiences and/or service learningand civic engagement opportunities arepromoted to enhance diversity in theeducational process. This requires ongoing

professional development for faculty and staff.Assessment of this theme will come from dataobtained from employee performanceevaluations, student service learning/civicengagement reflections, and in satisfactionsurveys of employees and students.

The core theme of programs and courses focuseson delivering innovative and successfulprograms in the academic and continuingeducation arena. As appropriate, curricula willbe aligned with professional, third partyaccrediting criteria, economic needs, andindustry standards. Alignment of the generaleducation outcomes with all courses andcurricula promote program offerings that requireall graduates of ACM to obtain these goals. Thisrequires professional development for faculty toimplement best practices in the classroomsetting. Assessment of this theme will comefrom data obtained from external accreditors ofprograms, program assessments, surveys of areaemployers, transfer data, and success oftransferring students. In addition, internalsurveys of student and employee satisfactionwill contribute valuable information.

30

The core theme of educational support servicesfocuses on access to educational resources,correlating student activity with success,retention, and completion. Assessment of thistheme will come from data obtained through theuse of student services and correlation withsuccess, retention, and completion. The resultsof the analysis of the assessment data will becommunicated to the college community withthe expectation that feedback will be utilized toevaluate the effectiveness and provide directionfor revision of the educational master plan andthe annual initiatives.

The core theme of resources focuses on theresponsible use and stewardship of all resources,including fiscal, personnel, and naturalresources with the goal of supporting a learningcentered college. This requires ensuring thateducational programs and administrative unitshave adequate resources to function effectivelywith the priorities of educational excellence andstudent learning as our primary foci.Assessment of this theme will come from dataobtained through program and functional unitassessments. The budget process will be tied tostrategic goals and program needs.

The results of the analysis of the assessment datafor all five themes will be communicated to thecollege community with the expectation thatfeedback will be utilized to evaluate theeffectiveness and provide direction for revisionof the Educational Master Plan and the annualinitiatives.


This first-ever Educational Master Plan isdesigned to guide the College’s academic andstudent affairs decision making and budgetprocesses. This document will also guide all theeducational aspirations of the college. TheEducational Master Plan is designed to be aliving document, and as it grows through itsimplementation, changes and alterations will benecessary. The plan will be reviewed andupdated on a periodic basis to address feedbackfrom students, faculty and staff. The goal is tohave a strong planning document, yet flexibleenough to be responsive.

As an institution of higher learning, an employerand a training provider for new and incumbentworkers, Allegany College of Maryland is one ofthe region’s most significant economic engines.As new information becomes available and asneeds in the region change, the College’sEducational Master Plan will be revised toreflect such changes, address any additionalchallenges, and take advantage of newopportunities.

To this end, the three year implementation andplanning cycle for the Educational Master Planfrom Fall 2015 to Spring 2018 follows.

CONCLUSION

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TIMEFRAME ACTION: YEAR ONE PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE

September 2015 Educational Master Plan (EDMP) SVPISACommittee Convened

Review of previous ACM AMP documents, EDMP Committeeresearch of other institutions AMP reports, extensive discussions amongst the committee.

Draft preparation: EDMP Committee

• data from original SWOT from the original AMP were examined, � original themes from AMP were examined,� initial drafts of original AMP were examined,

• drafts of current EDMP were reviewed by all EDMP Committeemembers of the committee� all members either authored sections of the

plan or offered detailed editing suggestions

• dissemination of the plan for feedback by the SVPISAcollege consisted of the plan being emailed to employees and four follow-up focus groups on all three campuses.

December 2015 Conducted a report-out of academic and student SVPISAservices program goals by deans, program directors, program coordinators and chairs.

January 2016 Consulted with VP of Finance (Fiscal Plan, EDMP CommitteeFacilities Master Plan, Technology Plan) and the SVPISA

Consulted with VP of Advancement and Community Relations (Marketing and Recruitment Plan)

Consulted with President and the Strategic Master Plan concerning plan alignment.

Obtained faculty and staff feedback by email concerning final draft of EDMP

February 2016 Presented to ACM Board of Trustees for feedback SVPISAand approval.




TIMEFRAME ACTION: YEAR ONE PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE

February 2016 Published Educational Master Plan(continued)

December report-out of academic and student EDMP Committeeservices program goals by deans, program directors, program coordinators and chairs will be used to inform the Annual Initiatives.

Consultation with Committee on Assessment for alignment with December report-out and data reported by programs and units.

Create the Annual Initiatives Document Spring 2016-Spring 2017

Obtain faculty and staff feedback on draft of Annual Initiatives through open forums, and personal conversations.

Publish Annual Initiatives Spring 2016-Spring 2017.

June 2016 Conduct an assessment of academic and student Committee on Assessmentservices program goals for the semester that address the Annual Initiatives.

• Data dissemination to program directors, EDMP Committeeprogram coordinators, division chairs and deans.

• Data analysis by program directors, program SVPISA and the Divisioncoordinators, division chairs and deans. of Instructional and

• Discussion of gaps between program and unit Student Affairsgoals and data.

• Unfulfilled goals are analyzed to determine whether to include in next Annual Initiatives

• Recommendations for any alterations or additions to the current Annual Initiativesbased upon this data offered by deans, program directors, program coordinators and division chairs.

Annual Initiative progress report created. EDMP Committee

34

TIMEFRAME ACTION: YEAR TWO PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE

August 2016 Previous Annual Initiative Progress Report given SVPISA and the Divisionto Board of Trustees and to the president. of Instructional and

Student AffairsPrevious Annual Initiative Progress Report to the college.

Alterations and corrections to the Annual Initiativesbased upon feedback from Board of Trustees, the president, president’s staff, and the college at large.

September 2016 Consultation with VP of Finance concerning EDMP Committeechanges/alterations in Fiscal Plan, Facilities Master Plan, Technology Plan.

Consultation with VP of Advancement and EDMP CommitteeCommunity Relations concerning changes/alterations in Marketing and Recruitment Plan.

Consultation with President concerning changes/ SVPISAalterations in the Strategic Master Plan

Review of previous Annual Initiatives EDMP Committee

• Unfulfilled goals from previous plan are analyzed.

• Data from the Committee on Assessment are examined.

• Recommendations from June are considered.

December 2017 Progress report on Annual Initiatives to the SVPISApresident, Board of Trustees, the president’s staff, and the college at large.

June 2017 Conduct an assessment of academic and student Committee on Assessmentservices program goals for the semester that address Annual Initiatives.

• Data dissemination to program directors, EDMP Committeeprogram coordinators, division chairs and deans.

• Data analysis by program directors, program SVPISA and the Divisioncoordinators, division chairs and deans. of Instructional and

• Discussion of gaps between program and unit Student Affairsgoals and data.




TIMEFRAME ACTION: YEAR TWO PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE

June 2017 • Unfulfilled goals are analyzed to determine (continued) whether to include in next Annual Initiatives

• Recommendations for next year’s Annual Initiatives Fall 2017-Spring 2018 based upon the data.

Final assessment of data for Annual InitiativesSpring 2016-Spring 2017

Final report created.

July 2017 Identify unfulfilled Annual Initiatives goals. SVPISA and the Divisionof Instructional and

Identify emerging program goals Student Affairs

Draft Annual Initiatives Fall 2017-Spring 2018

TIMEFRAME ACTION: YEAR THREE PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE

August 2017 Begin work on Educational Master Plan for fall SVPISA2018

• Create new EDMP committee.

• Consider 3 year or 5 year plan. EDMP Committee

• Review previous EDMP document.

Previous Annual Initiative Progress Report given to Board of Trustees.

Previous Annual Initiative Progress Report to the college.

Alterations and corrections to the Annual Initiatives.

Faculty and staff feedback Draft Annual InitiativesFall 2017-Spring 2018

36


September 2017 Review of previous Annual Initiatives EDMP Committee

• Unfulfilled goals from previous plan are analyzed.

• Data from the Committee on Assessment are examined.

• Recommendations from June are considered.

Consultation with VP of Finance concerning changes/alterations in Fiscal Plan, Facilities Master Plan, Technology Plan.

Consultation with VP of Advancement and Community Relations concerning changes/alterations in Marketing and Recruitment Plan.

Consultation with President concerning changes/ SVPISAalterations in the Strategic Master Plan

January 2018 Examine previous EDMP EDMP CommitteeSVPISA

Solicit data from vice presidents, deans, program directors, program coordinators, division chairs.

Solicit data from the president and the Board of Trustees.

Write draft EDMP document.

April 2018 Obtain faculty and staff feedback through forums, EDMP Committeefocus groups, and personal communications. SVPISA

Incorporate suggestions into final edits.

May 2018 Final draft of EDMP is ready for implementation EDMP Committeein fall 2018 SVPISA

June 2018 Conduct an assessment of academic and student EDMP Committeeservices program goals for the semester that Committee on Assessmentaddress Annual Initiatives.

• Data dissemination to program directors, SVPISAprogram coordinators, division chairs and deans.




June 2018 • Data analysis by program directors, program Division of Instructional(continued) coordinators, division chairs and deans. and Student Affairs

• Discussion of gaps between program and unit goals and data.

• Unfulfilled goals are analyzed to determine whether to include in next Annual Initiatives

• Recommendations for next year’s Annual Initiatives Fall 2017- Spring 2018 based upon the data.

Final assessment of data for Annual InitiativesFall 2017- Spring 2018

Final report created.

July 2018 Identify unfulfilled Annual Initiatives goals EDMP Committee

Identify emerging program goals SVPISA

Draft Annual Initiatives Fall 2018-Spring 2019 Division of Instructionaland Student Affairs

38

Special thanks go out to the Educational Master Plancommittee for all their hard work in creating thisdocument.

Dr. Renee Conner, Dean of Student and Legal Affairs

Mr. Scott Harrah, Associate Dean of Institutional Effectiveness, Planning, and Research

Ms. Thea Hosselrode, Associate Professor, Office Technologies

Mr. Jeff Kirk, Dean of Continuing Education and Workforce Development

Ms. Fran Leibfreid, Associate Dean of Instruction

Ms. Stacy Rohrbaugh, Faculty Senate Vice Chair

Dr. Kurt Hoffman, Senior Vice President of Instructional and Student Affairs

SPECIAL THANKS

Cumberland Campus12401 Willowbrook Road, SE • Cumberland, MD 21502-2596

301-784-5000

Bedford County Campus 18 North River Lane • Everett, PA 15537-1410

814-652-9528

Somerset County Campus6022 Glades Pike, Suite 100 • Somerset, PA 15501-4300

814-445-9848

Bedford County Technical Center195 Pennknoll Road • Everett, PA 15537-6946

814-623-2760

School of Hospitality Management and Culinary ArtsThe Culinaire Café / Gateway Center

110-114 Baltimore Street • Cumberland, MD 21502-2302301-784-5410

Allegany College of Maryland does not discriminate against any individual for reasons of race, ethnicity, color, sex, religion or creed, sexual orientation,gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, familial status, disability or veteran status in the admission and treatment ofstudents, educational programs and activities, scholarship and loan programs, or to terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to,hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leave of absence, compensation and training. Allegany College of Maryland complieswith applicable state and federal laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination and Maryland prohibits retaliation in any form against any person whoreports discrimination or who participates in an investigation.

Allegany College of Maryland prohibits sexual misconduct and sex discrimination by or against all students, employees, and campus guests. If you haveany questions or concerns or if you need to make a complaint, contact ACM’s Title IX Coordinator, Dr. Renee Conner in CC-152, by emailat [email protected], or by phone at (301) 784-5206. For detailed information about policy, procedures, and prevention education, seewww.allegany.edu/titleIX.

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