C H A N G I N G PROMOTE EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

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1 President s Report C H A N G I N G L I V E S Board of Regents Meeting March 9-10, 2006 KCTCS System Office, Versailles OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT Dr. Michael B. McCall The following information provides updates on the efforts to accomplish the KCTCS GOALS as outlined in the Strategic Plan , July 2005 Edition. PROMOTE EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING Core Indicators: Productivity/Effectiveness Remediation/Developmental Education Student Engagement (P A G E) Community College Survey of Student Engagement (P A G E) Six colleges are administering the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) during March and April. The CCSSE survey instrument asks students questions about college practices and student behaviors linked with improved student learning outcomes and higher retention rates. KCTCS colleges participating in the spring 2006 CCSSE administration are Bluegrass Community and Technical College, Hazard Community and Technical College, Henderson Community College, Somerset Community College, Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College, and West Kentucky Community and Technical College. The remaining colleges will participate in CCSSE during the 2007 or 2008 administrations. Systemwide CCSSE results will be used to measure progress toward the promote excellence in teaching and learning goal of the KCTCS Strategic Plan SmarThinking Online Tutoring Offered By KCTCS Barnes & Noble Bookstores (P A G E) KCTCS colleges continue to experience increased enrollments with e-learning; and SmarThinking online tutoring is coming to KCTCS colleges through Barnes & Noble Bookstores. SmarThinking s 24/7 online tutoring will support KCTCS online, web-enhanced, and on-campus courses and promote student retention and success. Faculty may choose to require SmarThinking through the textbook adoption form procedure or recommend to students as part of the syllabus. Advisors may also recommend SmarThinking based on student Compass scores and/or class performance indicators. B r i n g i n g y o u r f u t u r e i n t o f o c u s 300 North Main Street Versailles, Kentucky Fax: or KCTCS is an equal opportunity employer and education institution.

2 The student cost of $49.95 can be covered by financial aid; and the student will receive up to five hours of tutoring, eight essay submissions for writing assignments, or four months of availability in any one of SmarThinking subjects. SmarThinking is offering orientation sessions online and onsite throughout March and April for all KCTCS colleges. To learn more about SmarThinking, click Kentucky Collaborative Online General Education Core (K-CORE) Writing and Math (P A G E) KCTCS K-CORE spring 2006 writing pilot involves four faculty members from West Kentucky, Maysville, and Jefferson with nearly 140 currently enrolled students in the K-CORE ENG 101 SmarThinking pilot course. The K-CORE writing pilot faculty are working with SmarThinking estructors to support student feedback and faculty grading, using a common, agreed upon grading rubric. SmarThinking egrade Guidance support is expected to allow faculty to have more time to spend assisting individual students, as the program assists with grading and feedback to students. The continuing K-CORE Math course delivered from Jefferson and West Kentucky uses MyMathLab, which provides access to multimedia content, including videos, animations, and ebook references that support student mastery of challenging math concepts. These K-CORE general education courses are competency-based, student-centered, and designed to be delivered online for high enrollment courses. Courses are developed through course redesign principles, including alternative staffing/support models and efficient delivery of content. The pilots will inform K-CORE Phase 2 when 23 additional general education courses will be redesigned New Horizons Conference The fifth annual New Horizons Conference on Teaching and Learning will be held May at the Lexington Convention Center and Hyatt Regency Hotel. As the popularity of the conference has grown, so has the competition among KCTCS faculty and staff to be accepted as a presenter. Of the 110 proposals from faculty and staff from 15 KCTCS colleges and the System Office, 80 were accepted. The conference is a professional development opportunity highlighting "best practices" of the college faculty and staff over two days. The theme of this year's conference is "Defining the Roles of Learning Facilitators," one of the six principles of a Learning College. Attendance for the 2005 conference exceeded 650, and a record number of KCTCS employees and guests are expected in Online Historic Information Management Certificates listed at UNESCO KCTCS Historic Information Management (HIM) online certificates delivered through Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College are listed at UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization). Additional information is posted at the UNESCO website the HIM certificates are listed twelfth (12 th) : _training_courses/index.shtml Teaching Consultation Program The Teaching Consultation Program (TCP) consultants met in the fall for their semiannual meeting to review clients and to discuss strategies for working with clients. The spring meeting was held March 3-4 with seven colleges represented. The method for tracking accountability of clients at each college and at KCTCS since TCP is based on the anonymity of the client(s) was discussed. On May 17, a one-day training session is being planned for new TCP consultants. At this point, three colleges have expressed interest in the training. A needs survey will be sent to the Professional 2

3 Organizational Development Coordinators and Chief Academic Officers at the 16 colleges to determine further interest. KCTCS/Center for Rural Development (CRD) e-learning Partnership KCTCS and the Center for Rural Development (CRD) are partnering to plan, develop, and support the Blackboard (Bb) Course Management System (CMS) infrastructure for KCTCS distance learning. Contract negotiations with Blackboard, a course management system for delivering online and web-enhanced courses, are final for a summer 2006 launch to include all CMS supported courses, online and web-enhanced. The CRD and Blackboard (Bb) are working toward a Kentucky umbrella license pricing structure that supports the statewide initiative to move postsecondary toward one CMS (Bb) and to involve the secondary schools by June 30, The goal is to leverage resources, including training and helpdesk, to support the growing demand for online courses and programs and to transition students from secondary to postsecondary. Internet2 (I2) Awareness Group KCTCS Distance Learning and Information Technology staff are participating in an Internet2 Awareness Group comprised of postsecondary, secondary, ConnectKentucky, and Commonwealth Office of Technology representatives. Currently, the group is in the process of completing and planning four spring pilot projects to showcase Internet2 capability and content. On February 8, the I2 group, in collaboration with ConnectKentucky s Legislative Technology Day, sponsored an I2 event at Frankfort, Independent Schools and KEN (Kentucky Education Network). Educators, students, and legislators participated in an interactive I2 experience with Mote Marine Laboratory via I2 and the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration through commodities Internet (I1) for a sharp-contrasted effect for audio and video. The remaining pilots include both urban and rural areas involving: 1) northern Kentucky (18 counties) with Northern Kentucky University and KPEN; 2) Jefferson County Public Schools with University of Louisville and KPEN; and 3) fourteen (14) public schools in southeast Kentucky, Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College, and KPEN. The group will present outcomes of these pilot projects at the April 24-26, 2006, Internet2 conference. Kentucky Virtual University (KYVU) Focus Results and Recommendations The Kentucky Virtual University, the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) Distance Learning Advisory Committee (DLAC), and the CPE Distance Learning Steering Team (DLST) are in the process of evaluating the KYVU Mission, Goals, and Services based on feedback from a daylong facilitated focus group meeting at the KCTCS System Office on November 18, The results of the focus meeting include a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, trends) analysis of the current KYVU roles and services and emerging opportunities for KYVU as a statewide educational technology utility. The Focus Group data is assisting the DLST in framing responses to recommendations stemming from the May 2005 SACS visit to KYVU. This KYVU evaluation of services is perceived as a pivotal event in the evolution of statewide support of educational technology. KCTCS Distance Learning Coordinators Peer Team members were included in the meeting. The Distance Learning Advisory Committee (DLAC), in fulfillment of its statutory requirement to make recommendations to CPE regarding the Kentucky Virtual University, has been charged with formulating a clear and comprehensive KYVU Mission Statement to guide the continuing operations 3

4 and development of the KYVU and with assuring the activities, priorities, and goals of KYVU are consistent with the new KYVU mission and the CPE Public Agenda. Kentucky Council on Economic Education (KCEE) Investor s Education Toolkit (P A G E) The Kentucky Council on Economic Education (KCEE) has invited KCTCS colleges to assist with implementation of an Investor Education Toolkit, a module supporting investment awareness and knowledge that can be incorporated into selected KCTCS courses on a voluntary pilot basis. Participating colleges and faculty will receive stipends for this work. Development/design team members have been identified from Madisonville, Bowling Green, and Southeast; and following completion of the toolkit in early May, KCEE plans to offer the toolkit, along with additional supporting resources, to KCTCS pilot sites for implementation of the module in fall Eleven colleges have indicated interest in participating in the fall 2006 pilot. Potential courses include BA 120 Personal Finance, ECO 101 Contemporary Economic Issues, GE 101 Strategies for Academic Success, or other courses faculty may think appropriate. The Investor Protection Trust Module will be available online. Distance Learning Collaborative Peer Program Spring 2006 Over 50 KCTCS faculty members requested to participate in the Distance Learning Collaborative Peer Program during spring Seventy-five (75) mentor faculty members have provided permission for these peer faculty to have the opportunity to observe online teaching and learning. The online teaching faculty benefit from objective input from peer faculty for continuous course improvement. Selected peer faculty are assigned and enrolled in an online course and have the opportunity to observe experienced online faculty during online course delivery. Lean for Service Support System staff continue to support implementation of Lean for Service at Big Sandy Community and Technical College. Current initiatives include conducting process mapping to align resources and develop planning models within Student Services and Business Services (financial aid). This process will highlight the processes and deadlines for each functional unit within the college and, by reviewing the overall process map, will show college personnel the impact their offices make on the functions and deadlines of other offices, increasing efficiency and developing a framework of communication and collaboration. Ad Hoc Committee on SACS Curriculum Recommendation Update In spring 2005, Jefferson Community and Technical College and Bluegrass Community and Technical College each received a SACS recommendation concerning SACS standard This standard states: The institution places primary responsibility for the content, quality, and effectiveness of its curriculum with its faculty. The KCTCS President appointed an ad hoc committee in April 2005 to make a recommendation which underscores the primary responsibility college faculty have for the content, quality, and effectiveness of curriculum. The committee comprised of three college presidents, five representatives from the KCTCS Senate/Faculty Council (current/former members), and two chief academic officers began meeting in April KCTCS Chancellor Keith Bird serves as the Cabinet Liaison, and two Chancellor s Office staff were appointed as committee support. Four additional Council members also met with the committee in December and February. 4

5 Best practices were researched in the following states: Texas, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. A preliminary conceptual curriculum model was drafted and shared with approximately 160 senators and curricula chairs as well as the KCTCS Council at the August 3, 2005, KCTCS Senate meeting. With the involvement of the college faculties, chief academic officers, college presidents, the KCTCS Rules Committee, and the KCTCS Council, a revision of Section I of the Rules of the Senate was approved by the KCTCS Council on February 9, 2006, which delegates curriculum approval to the local colleges, retains the KCTCS Council and the KCTCS Curriculum Review Committee as System curriculum peer review bodies, and sets fall 2006 as the implementation date. Section I key curriculum revisions (excerpts) approved by the KCTCS Council to ensure SACS curriculum compliance include: [KCTCS Senate] to delegate authority for approving courses and curricula to the local college approval body. [KCTCS Curriculum Review Committee] serve as a peer review and advisory body by providing feedback on curriculum and course proposals to the submitting entity. Work continues on revising curriculum procedures to align with the approved revision of Section I of the Rules of the Senate. Accreditation Update The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) met in Atlanta, Georgia, on December 3-6, 2005, and took the following actions in regard to KCTCS colleges: Substantive Change Request (Consolidation): Bluegrass Community and Technical College approved. Follow Up Reports (Consolidation): Ashland Community and Technical College (Second Monitoring Report) probation. A Third Monitoring Report addressing Comprehensive Standard (Faculty) is due April 7, Big Sandy Community and Technical College (Second Monitoring Report) accepted. Maysville Community and Technical College (First Monitoring Report) accepted. The following accreditation visits are anticipated: Ashland Community and Technical College SACS, May 2006 (tentative). Gateway Community and Technical College COE, April 11-14,

6 INCREASE STUDENT ACCESS AND SUCCESS Core Indicators: Affordability Completers/Attainers (P A G E) Enrollment Enrollment Management Official fall 2005 headcount not only showed a 3.6 percent increase over fall 2005, but the number of high school students enrolled in KCTCS colleges increased from 12,251 students in fall 2004 to 13,694 in fall Spring 2006 enrollment will be determined on April 1, the formal reporting date to the CPE. The current spring 2006 enrollment is 64,829 as of March 2, The spring 2005 official headcount was 70,029. elearning Courses and Programs Status Report 2005 Preliminary e-learning growth for spring 2006 shows KCTCS colleges offering more than 2,000 online, hybrid, and web-enhanced courses with over 47,000 students as compared to fall 2005 when KCTCS colleges enrolled over 40,000 students in just over 1,600 courses. A student enrollment increase of 7,000 from fall 2005 to spring 2006 represents an 18 percent increase from one semester to the next. Currently, over 1,760 faculty are using course management software to support teaching and learning, up from 1,360 faculty in fall 2005, an increase of 29 percent from fall 2005 to spring From spring 2005 to spring 2006, enrollments in complete online courses increased 39 percent to over 17,100 (spring 2006) as compared to just under 12,400 (spring 2005). The online courses support over 70 online associate, associate to bachelor, and certificate programs in business, communications, information technology, criminal justice, office systems, nursing, early childhood, human services, computer aided design, and historic information management. National Governors Association (NGA) Grants (P A G E) The Kentucky Virtual High School is partnering with KCTCS distance learning to develop and deliver online developmental math and English modules to at-risk students. The online developmental courses are part of the a-risk students preparation for graduation to reduce the need for remediation at the college level. The project is connected to Kentucky s having received three, one-year grants from the National Governors Association (NGA), totaling $750,000 and designed to improve high school graduation and college readiness rates. The three grants include $500,000 for expanding advanced placement course participation, $100,000 to increase virtual learning, and $150,000 to develop a statewide longitudinal K-16 data system. Pike and Fayette Counties have been identified as the two areas which will pilot the Expand Advanced Placement Program. The KCTCS colleges in these areas are developing plans for an Early College. Expanding participation in the Advanced Placement Program would aid the high school student in obtaining an associate degree within the five-year goal of Early College. The K- 16 data system will give Kentucky the ability to track student progress across the education spectrum. Beginning fall 2006, the Kentucky Department of Education will have assigned every student a unique identifier. 6

7 Student Administration Unit Peoplesoft Applications (P A G E) Academic advisement setup for the Associate in Arts degree and the Associate in Applied Science in Accounting Technology was completed on January 20, An educational session was held on January 24, in which a sample academic advisement report was used to demonstrate how PeopleSoft evaluates a student s courses against credential requirements. PeopleSoft s course substitutions and what-if analyses were also demonstrated in the session. This functionality was rolled out to the college users for testing on January 30. The Student Administration (SA) Unit has been addressing, troubleshooting, and redesigning the report setup based on input from the testing group. Users tested this functionality through February 13; and, after addressing additional issues, the SA Unit requested migration of the academic advisement setup of these two credentials to the PeopleSoft Production database for all users. The go live date was February 20, This greatly expedites the processes colleges currently use to evaluate students records and determine credential completion. The SA Unit will continue with setup of additional KCTCS credentials based on the priority list presented to the President s Leadership Team in September and, subsequently, agreed to by college deans. The admission checklist (3Cs) functionality was constructed as part of the online admission application project and was expanded to include applicants who submitted paper forms. The admission checklist process that was rolled out to college users for testing on January 31, 2006, was preceded by an educational session on January 27 to demonstrate usage and to gather feedback on additional setup. The SA Unit explored the capabilities of using processes to automatically update some admission checklists and tested this functionality with college users. The go live date for the PeopleSoft admission checklist functionality was February 20, Since November 21, 2005, 2,000 students have applied using the online application process. College volunteers are assisting SA Unit staff in setting up additional data elements in the PeopleSoft prospect tables to enable more efficient use of this data for recruiting purposes. The SA Unit continues to evaluate and test ongoing Peoplesoft updates and fixes to its current version (8.0) as well as review, evaluate, and test new 8.9 Peoplesoft functionality, which is scheduled for rollout to the college users in summer The SA Unit continues to collaborate with the student financials, student financial aid, and information technology units in developing procedures that maximize database usage. The SA Unit continues to setup prerequisites, course updates, and curriculum updates that flow through the curriculum approval processes. Ready-to-Work (P A G E) The Ready-to-Work (RTW) program served 1,616 low-income student parents in fall The number of students participating in a RTW-funded work-study job totaled 756. An additional 205 RTW students participated in a federally-funded work-study job, resulting in a 59 percent participation of KCTCS RTW students in work-study. The number of present and former RTW participants that graduated in the fall 2005 semester totaled 128. One hundred eighty-two (182) students transferred to four-year colleges to continue their education. The RTW students who were retained and completed the fall semester reached 94 percent. Retention rates for RTW students for spring 2005 semester compared to fall 2005 semester was 73 percent, and 63 percent were retained from fall 2004 to fall In fall 2005 the average overall GPA for RTW students was 2.53, with an average of 50 percent of the total number of RTW students meeting or exceeding the average overall college GPA of

8 The Work and Learn (WL) initiative served 339 Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (KTAP) recipients who attended adult education classes from July 1, 2005, through December 31, The number of participants working toward a General Education Diploma (GED) totaled 249. Of the 249 pursuing GEDs, 62 or 25 percent passed the GED examination. Eighty-nine (89) WL participants with existing high school credentials took remedial education through adult education in preparation for college. Eighty-three (83) of the 339 WL participants, or 24 percent, transitioned into college. Two hundred four (204), or 60 percent, of the WL participants were placed into a work-study job. Ashland Community and Technical College s EastPark Campus Dedication KCTCS President Michael B. McCall joined Dr. Greg Adkins, President of Ashland Community and Technical College, Representative Rocky Adkins, and other community leaders for a dedication ceremony for the college s EastPark Campus on December 19, The facility, located in a 1,000 acre industrial park, houses industrial maintenance, welding, machine tool, and industrial electricity programs in a 42,000 square foot building. Planning for the second phase of the project is under way and has been funded at $18 million by the Kentucky General Assembly. Owensboro Community and Technical College s Advanced Technology Center Groundbreaking Governor Ernie Fletcher joined Dr. Jackie Addington, President of Owensboro Community and Technical College, and other community leaders for a ground breaking ceremony for Owensboro s Advanced Technology Center on February 2, The first phase of the 80,000 square foot facility has a total scope of $15.5 million, including $2 million of college funding, and is estimated to be complete in October The facility will house advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, and information technology programs. EXPAND DIVERSITY AND GLOBAL AWARENESS Core Indicators: Enrollment Diversity Global Awareness (P A G E) Martin Luther King Day Celebration In honor of the birthday of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, KCTCS sponsored a forum featuring music and a lecture for KCTCS employees in which Dr. King s life and work as a U.S. civil rights leader were commemorated. Black History Month Activities In recognition of Black History Month, KCTCS and the colleges sponsored various activities during February, including historical commentary presentations, group discussions, musical performances and concerts, literature and poetry readings, photography and art exhibits, awards and recognition ceremonies, and multi-cultural feasts. Kentucky Association of Blacks In Higher Education (KABHE) State Conference The 23 rd annual Kentucky Association of Blacks in Higher Education will hold their state conference in Lexington April 23-25, The conference will bring together more than 200 higher education administrators, faculty, and staff from all Kentucky colleges to discuss and educate 8

9 members on issues impacting Kentucky institutions. The conference, to be held at the Marriott Griffin Gate Resort, is the premiere conference in the state for African-American educators and rotates from region to region; the regions are divided into quadrants consisting of Southwest, Southeast, Northeast, and Northwest regions. In support of this effort, KCTCS is participating as a sponsor of the April 25 breakfast buffet and providing supplies for printing conference booklets. KABHE will make note of these contributions in signage and in the program. The Council on Postsecondary Education s Committee on Equal Opportunities KCTCS presented a report to the Committee on Equal Opportunity (CEO) concerning the status of implementing recommendations contained in the CEO report prepared as a result of the September 27, 2005, meeting with the KCTCS President s Leadership Team. KCTCS progress was reviewed; and updated information as of January 2006 was provided reflecting the progress toward Kentucky Plan goals. The updated information indicates that 14 of the 16 KCTCS colleges would now have automatic eligibility. The report indicated that several measures have been implemented as a part of the KCTCS Strategic Plan relative to the KCTCS goal to enhance diversity and global awareness. KCTCS received a satisfactory response from the committee. In light of the lack of African- American members on the KCTCS Board of Regents, the CEO voted to send a letter to the Governor s Office addressing this matter. ENHANCE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITIES AND THE COMMONWEALTH Core Indicators Business/Industry Served (P A G E) Licensure/Certification Workforce Development KCTCS Center for Excellence in Automotive Manufacturing (P A G E) KCTCS has been notified by the National Science Foundation (NSF) that the application for an Advanced Technological Education (ATE) grant for a National Center of Excellence in Automotive Manufacturing, named AMTEC, will be funded as a two-year NSF Project. Final revisions in the project scope and budget are being completed so the $800,000 grant can be awarded. The project will support 13 colleges and 18 auto companies in eight states in widely disseminating the most successful automotive training program content and methods required by the industry. The NSF Planning Grant for the Automotive Manufacturing Center of Excellence has been completed, all of the $68,000 expended, and the final report submitted. KCTCS has also been awarded a three-year $2.49 million grant for high growth job training by the U.S. Department of Labor for the Advanced Technology Center for Scott County. The Scott County Center will focus on innovative education and training for the Kentucky automotive industry. 9

10 The major implementation site for this model learning lab for automotive training will be a joint project between Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, KCTCS, and the Georgetown community. These partners are announcing the design for the facility at a press conference on Monday, March 13. One purpose of the center is to house the skilled trades training for Toyota; to that end, Toyota is donating equipment, learning materials, and technical expertise. Toyota has also agreed to provide temporary space in the newly expanded North American Global Production Center to conduct the training until the new facility is constructed. The goal is to expand the training to other companies and the public in phases. Phase I will be for Toyota personnel; Phase II will be for automotive suppliers; Phase III will be open to the public, including some limited general education offerings. Toyota, Bowling Green Metalforming (MAGNA), and the Bowling Green Technical College s Transpark facility are in active discussion about partnering in Tool & Die training. The companies representatives have been meeting at the college regarding the partnership. Toyota s North American Engineering Support group is actively recruiting multi-skilled technicians from KCTCS colleges. They recently hired two of three candidates from the robotics and automation program at Big Sandy s Pikeville Campus. Visits at West Kentucky, Owensboro, and Jefferson Community and Technical College campuses are scheduled for the Toyota technical staff conducting the interviews. On Monday, March 13, 2006, President McCall will join Mr. Gary Convis, Executive Vice- President of Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America Inc. and Georgetown-Scott County community representatives at Toyota s Visitor s Center in Georgetown for a celebration announcement of their partnership created to implement the Center for Excellence. Additionally, the design for the Bluegrass Community and Technical College s future Advanced Technology Center and Scott County Campus will be unveiled at the celebration KCTCS and KnowledgeWorks Foundation - Joint Policy Summit in Cincinnati (P A G E) KCTCS and the Ohio-based KnowledgeWorks Foundation partnered to convene a group of educational experts on February 23-24, 2006, at the Hyatt Regency in Cincinnati to explore policy issues for adult learning and the impact on the regional economy. President McCall joined fellow educators from Kentucky and Ohio at the summit to advance the Ford Foundation-sponsored Bridges to Opportunity Initiative. The meeting included presentations and facilitated conversations addressing questions regarding the link between education and economic development, as well as regional efforts to increase access to education for underserved populations through a career pathways model. Construction Education Training Partnership (P A G E) On December 15, 2005, KCTCS signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Kentucky Department of Labor, the Office of Occupational Safety and Health, Division of Education and Training Construction Partnership, and the Associated General Contractors of Kentucky, Inc. The partnership provides high school and postsecondary school construction teachers/instructors the opportunity to become certified to teach students and construction industry personnel OSHA courses and to improve existing safety training currently being provided to participating students and also improve the safety within the construction industry as many students seek eventual employment in the industry. 10

11 Kentucky Coal Academy (P A G E) As announced in a January 4, 2006, press conference by Governor Ernie Fletcher, KCTCS received $120,000 from the Kentucky Commerce Cabinet to implement the Kentucky Coal Academy at five of its community and technical colleges located in the Commonwealth s mining regions. This is in addition to a $3 million legislative appropriation that KCTCS received last year to spearhead the Kentucky Coal Academy s creation at Big Sandy Community and Technical College, Hazard Community and Technical College, Madisonville Community College, and Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College. Currently, 2,168 students are enrolled in mining training programs through the Kentucky Coal Academy. The Kentucky Coal Academy is also expanding to include classes at Henderson Community College. Kentucky Manufacturing Skills Standards (KMSS) Online Piloted at High Schools KCTCS KMSS Online Level I modules are currently being piloted through KCTCS and Bluegrass Community and Technical College at Bourbon County and Paris High Schools. There are five high school facilitators, 17 students from Bourbon County, and five students from Paris. The purpose of the pilots is to receive feedback and input from learners and administrators on process improvement as well as design and effectiveness of the 28 Level I content modules. Each KMSS module has three areas: 1. Getting Started (same in each module) 2. Learning Strategies (same in each module) 3. Building Blocks (28 content modules, Level I) Other pilots being planned will include colleges and adult education centers working together to support business and industry needs. American Technical Education Association s 43 rd National Conference on Technical Education, Louisville KCTCS and Jefferson Community and Technical College are hosting this conference in Louisville on March 15-17, 2006, with President McCall serving as the keynote speaker. His presentation, entitled Meeting the Needs of the Workforce Through Career Pathways: An Integrated Approach, will discuss the role KCTCS has played as a pioneer in the creation of a seamless educational system in Kentucky. President McCall will join several nationally-recognized authorities on higher education who will also make presentations at the conference, including Michael Brustein, an expert on education and workforce development law, who will discuss the current status of federal funding for technical education. His presentation, entitled Will Perkins Be Left Behind, will address President George W. Bush s proposal to phase out Perkins funding for career and technical education in the 2006 federal budget. Additionally, Paul Perkins, president of Amatrol, a producer of skill-based technical learning systems, will moderate a panel on Using Emerging Technologies to Develop Intellectual Capital. Members of the panel include: Michael E. Lillig, CEO and co-founder of 3DR; Dr. Demetrio Zourarakis, Remote Sensing/GIS Analyst for Kentucky s Division of Geographical Information; and Dean Hughes of the Kentucky Dataseam Initiative. 11

12 This year's conference will showcase various discipline areas including: Electronics, Allied Health, Industrial Maintenance and Manufacturing, IT/GIS, Business Systems Technology, Transportation Technology, Construction Building Trades, and Aerospace. It also will include a business and industry panel, trade show, and general sessions on Distance Education, Best Practices, Curriculum Development, and others. OTHER HIGHLIGHTS American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Meetings As Chair of the AACC, President McCall has been involved in the following activities: Louisiana Community and Technical College System s Leadership Seminar - On January 12, 2006, President McCall presented the topic Having the Courage to Lead to the Louisiana Community and Technical College System s Leadership Seminar in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Des Moines Area Community College Facility Planning Seminar On January 20, 2006, President McCall presented Capital Planning Leadership to the Des Moines Area Community College s Seminar on Facility Planning, Design, and Construction. AACC Executive Committee Meeting On February 4, 2006, President McCall chaired the AACC Executive Committee meeting. ACCT Legislative Summit On February 5-7, 2006, President McCall was accompanied by Board Chair Richard Bean to Washington, D.C., for ACCT meetings and visits to the Kentucky delegation. Institute for Community College Development On February 13, 2006, President McCall was the keynote luncheon speaker on the topic of Entrepreneurship: The National Focus at The Entrepreneurial President: CEO Leadership Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Future Leaders Institute (sponsored by AACC) On February 21, 2006, President McCall participated in a panel entitled The President and the Board: Developing and Maintaining Positive Relationships in Savannah, Georgia. AACC Board Retreat On March 1-3, 2006, President McCall chaired the AACC Board retreat meeting and led the board in a goal setting exercise General Assembly - Legislative Activity At the start of the legislative session, President McCall contacted each member of the General Assembly to apprise them of the 2006 KCTCS Legislative Agenda. Each legislator received a customized KCTCS Legislative Agenda detailing the potential impact that full funding of the KCTCS budget request would have on the college(s) in their districts. President McCall has made regular visits to several legislators to discuss a variety of issues, including the KCTCS Legislative Agenda and bills of interest, in greater detail. During February, President McCall made presentations to the House Budget Review Subcommittee on Education and the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee. During these presentations, President McCall highlighted KCTCS accomplishments, the KCTCS Strategic Plan goals, and the budgetary requests outlined in the 2006 KCTCS Legislative Agenda. At the conclusion of these presentations, President McCall expressed the need for full funding to significantly close the funding gap between KCTCS and its benchmark states. 12

13 The Woodford County Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year Award President McCall was honored by the local Chamber of Commerce with the Educator of the Year Award at their annual dinner on January 26, 2006, at Midway College. The Federalist Group Update In February 2006, the Employment and Training Administration at the Department of Labor announced that KCTCS was awarded $2,480,000 to support the Center of Excellence in Automotive Manufacturing. This award was two years in the making and was the result of many continued efforts from both KCTCS staff and Capitol Hill. President McCall and Chair Richard Bean visited with the Kentucky Congressional Delegation in February to discuss issues important to KCTCS. In addition to issues related to the Congressional budget for two-year colleges, the delegation from KCTCS also made a number of funding requests before the Congressional delegation for 2006 (Fiscal Year 2007). These requests include: Continued funding to support the Center of Excellence in Automotive Manufacturing. This request is before Representative Ann Northup in support of activities at Jefferson Community and Technical College. Funding to support continued renovation of the KCTCS facilities in Versailles. This request is before Representative Ben Chandler. Funding to support the Community-based Research Education in Eastern Kentucky (CREEK) project at Hazard Community and Technical College. This request is before Representative Hal Rogers. Funding to support the continuation of the Allied Health Facility project (funded in FY 05) at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College. This request is before Representative Hal Rogers. Funding to support the Kentucky Highlands Entrepreneur Center at Big Sandy Community and Technical College. This request is before Representative Hal Rogers. Funding to support the campus development plan at Somerset Community College. This request is before Representative Hal Rogers. Funding to support the Northern Kentucky Center for Manufacturing at Gateway, Ashland, and Maysville. This request is before Senator Jim Bunning and Representative Geoff Davis for the Small Business Administration. Homeland Security KCTCS is currently organizing a Homeland Security/Emergency Management associate degree program. The KCTCS Criminal Justice Curriculum Committee and the Kentucky Fire Commission Curriculum Committee met with System Office staff and the Center for Rural Development to begin the process of defining the curriculum and to explore putting the entire curriculum online. Plans include career pathways and certificates embedded in the curriculum. Courses will be offered as a pilot program beginning fall At a meeting in the offices of The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) in Washington, DC, KCTCS was recently highlighted as an example of how community and technical colleges should approach Homeland Security related issues. Following a presentation about KCTCS efforts and successes, community college systems from Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina expressed an interest in collaborating with AACC and KCTCS to form a new consortium to address homeland security issues on a national level. 13

14 KCTCS and the Center for Rural Development in Somerset are collaborating on several homeland security initiatives. The Center has developed an online homeland security training certificate for first responders with cooperation of the Naval Post Graduate School. KCTCS is assisting in the continued development and delivery of the training nationally through Prepare America. The Center will also host the online associate degree in Homeland Security/Emergency Management. KCTCS and the Center are exploring an opportunity to collaborate with Louisiana State University s (LSU) Homeland Security Department to deliver cutting edge first responder training. The plan is to deliver Train-the-Trainer classes at eight colleges and the Center over two days in late spring. Three hundred (300) trainers would then be able to deliver the training for LSU to first responders in Kentucky and surrounding states. This will be the first time LSU has ever delivered training in this way. If successful, LSU wants to do a new course every quarter. Prepare America continues to be recognized as a potential national training delivery source for first responders. Prepare America has been asked to address statewide two-year college conferences in Illinois, February 2006, and North Carolina, March KCTCS and the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security (KYOHS) continue to collaborate on several fronts. KCTCS staff and members of the Kentucky Fire Commission serve on the Governor s Homeland Security Exercise Team and the Training Consortium. KCTCS and the Kentucky Fire Commission will administer the KYOHS Training Consortium, Citizens Corps Program, and the Homeland Security Exercise Program for the state, planning and directing training exercises throughout Kentucky over the next year. KCTCS and the Fire Commission are also assisting KYOHS to deliver training for the National Incident Management System (NIMS) through regional workshops. The Fire Commission is now Kentucky s Point of Contact for all Department of Homeland Security Training delivered in the state. KCTCS, through the Kentucky Fire Commission, is continuing to provide Kentucky s first responders with the latest national training. Examples include: Kentucky Emergency Management, Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) - This program is in the 10-county area potentially affected by leakage of nerve gas from the Bluegrass Army Depot. Eastern Kentucky University - Two Fire Commission instructors have been trained to teach the pilot program for Eastern Kentucky University s Center for Rural First Responder Preparedness. A class in a medical response to natural disasters and terrorist events will be taught initially. Kentucky Fire Marshall s Office KCTCS is developing Underground Pipeline Safety Training for fire departments. Texas A&M Class Offerings KCTCS and the Fire Commission will host Texas A& M s Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Threat Assessment classes in Somerset (April) and the Kentucky Fire School (June). Texas A&M is one of five universities receiving a $25 million annual federal grant to develop and operate such programs. These classes will train first responders and civic leaders how to assess the threat to their communities critical infrastructure. 14

15 National Hometown Security Consortium - Funding for Years Two and Three has been approved by the U. S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Hometown Security Consortium for a grant with the University of Louisville (U of L), Murray State, and KCTCS to test a communications system for use during and after disasters. Planning is now underway for submissions for 2006 grants. KCTCS will submit four to six grant proposals, including a large proposal to include KCTCS, the Center for Rural Development, U of L, Murray State University, a hospital system, financial institution, and a rural electric cooperative that will address a national issue of business continuity following disasters of a natural or man-made nature. KCTCS will also participate in several other grant proposals as a partner with other higher education institutions. The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) National Policy Network on Adult Learning KCTCS has been invited to serve on the CAEL National Policy Network on Adult Learning. The network is part of a national effort by CAEL to increase learning opportunities and economic success of adults across the country. Members of the Network will guide and assist in the development, dissemination, and statewide use of two policy resources: the State Adult Learning Policy Review and Comparison of State Performance on Adult Learning. Southern States Energy Board Committee on Clean Coal and Energy Technologies Collaboration Mr. Bill Higginbotham, Director of the Kentucky Coal Academy, was a guest speaker at the Southern States Energy Board Committee on Clean Coal and Energy Technologies Collaboration on March 1, 2006, in Atlanta, Georgia. Mr. Higginbotham also serves as a member of this committee, which is partially funded through the U.S. Department of Education. Kentucky Association for Institutional Research Dr. Christina Whitfield, KCTCS Director of Research and Policy Analysis, has been named President for the Kentucky Association for Institutional Research. Her term as president is for the 2006 calendar year. American Council on Education (ACE) KCTCS participated in a concurrent panel session at ACE's Annual Meeting, Working in the Public Interest: Exploring Solutions, which was held in Los Angeles on February 11-14, The concurrent session, "The Academy's Role in Ensuring College Preparedness: Steps We Must Take," explored the complex challenge of ensuring that students complete high school prepared to succeed in college-level work and creating a more seamless transition between high school and college. League for Innovations Conference KCTCS made presentations at the Innovations 2006 Conference sponsored by the League of Innovations in the Community Colleges held in Atlanta, Georgia. The presentations were entitled Removing Silos and Creating Efficiency: Implementing the Lean Manufacturing Process into the College Setting and Enrollment Management Best Practices at Community and Technical Colleges: Strategies You Can Take Home and Implement. Similar topics have been approved for the ACT Strategic Enrollment Planners Conference in Chicago, Illinois, and the Noel-Levitz National Conference on Recruitment and Retention in Denver, Colorado. Both conferences are scheduled for summer

16 Presidential Search for Hopkinsville Community College The search process has been initiated for the president of Hopkinsville Community College. The local search advisory group has been formed to participate in the search process. The review of candidates will begin in late March; and it is anticipated that the position will be filled by July 1, Pre-employment Background Checks KCTCS has implemented the administration of systemwide pre-employment background checks, which include an identity check and a criminal record check on final candidates for designated positions to help ensure the suitability of applicants and the safety of our students, employees, and the public. Prior to an employment offer being extended, background checks shall be administered for the following positions: The final candidate for all regular (full-time and part-time; contract and non-contract) faculty and staff positions. The final candidate for all positions (temporary and regular; full-time and part-time; contract and non-contract) which have duties that involve coming into contact with minors. KCTCS Contract for Central Depository Banking Services KCTCS recently completed an RFP for its central depository banking services. The systemwide services to be supplied include transactional banking services, such as check writing and cash management, credit card processing, and investment services for collected balances held. Since KCTCS began managing its own fiscal affairs July 1, 1999, it has had one central depository banking contract with Fifth Third Bank. The contract for these services expired, necessitating the RFP process. Five banks responded to the RFP, with these responses being evaluated based on the banking institution s experience and ability to provide all services required, lowest fees for transactional banking services and credit card processing, and highest investment rate proposed. National City Bank was selected since it clearly demonstrated the ability to provide all services necessary and proposed the lowest fees and the highest investment rate of all respondents. It is anticipated that this contract will be fully implemented by April 1, Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) Update CPE met January 30, 2006, with the following agenda items of interest to KCTCS: Tuition Policy CPE approved the policy and parameters for higher education institutions establishing tuition and fees where tuition and fees cannot exceed maximum parameters set unless expressly granted and exception by CPE. Performance Funding Component CPE approved the Performance Funding Component for implementation in fiscal year based on performance in and on the five focused indicators selected which include: Productivity Degrees, Efficiency/Production (total public funds/undergraduate FTE), Number of Degrees (or Transfers for KCTCS), Number of Minority Degrees (or Transfers for KCTCS), and Improving Institution Choice Key Indicator (Undergraduate Enrollment for KCTCS) Accountability Report CPE reviewed a final draft of the report to be finalized for distribution. Academic Program Productivity Review CPE approved an amendment to the guidelines for academic program review to specify a four-year cycle with an interim productivity consultation Educational Attainment Projections CPE staff has projected the levels needed for each institution to ensure education attainment level of the Commonwealth to at least the 16