Strategic Plan 2005

PDF Version of the Plan

Governing Board
Planning Process
Planning Assumptions
Vision, Mission, and Values
Student Success
Teaching and Learning Excellence
Organizational and Professional Development
Facilities Improvement
Resource Management
Strategic Planning Task Force
Strategic Planning Committee
Strategic Planning Council
Strategic Planning Council Role, Products, and Reporting Relationships
Publication Production

Governing Board

Nancy C. Chadwick, M.S.W., M.P.A. President	Michele T. Nelson, Ph.D. Vice President	Mark R. Evilsizer, M.A. Secretary
Ruth Larson, M.D. Trustee	Darrell L. McMullen, M.B.A. Trustee

Palomar Community College District was founded in 1946. The District covers over 2,555 square miles and has grown to include the 200-acre San Marcos Campus and eight Education Centers located in Escondido, Rancho Penasquitos, Poway, Fallbrook, Ramona, Pauma Valley, Borrego Springs, and Camp Pendleton. Palomar College is the largest of the eight community colleges in San Diego County, with a population exceeding 30,000 students. The College generates over $100 million each year for the North County economy. Palomar offers 256 degree and certificate programs in five academic divisions: Arts and Languages; Human Arts and Sciences; Mathematics and the Natural & Health Sciences; Career and Technical Education; and Media, Business, and Community Services.

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Planning Process

Palomar College initiated a strategic planning process to set priorities for action in serving its community. The Strategic Planning Task Force was assembled in September, 2001, from established constituent planning committees at the College. Individuals who wanted to participate were welcome to be part of the process. The 73 members met throughout the fall and spring semesters. There were two primary components in the planning process. One element addressed the development of a vision, mission, and values for the College. The other component was information gathering in nature and included an internal and external scan. The internal scan included student demographics; internal and external student success; Partnership for Excellence outcomes and goals; student satisfaction survey data; and staff, faculty, and administration priorities survey data. The external scan included projected population growth and forecasts for San Diego’s North County from the San Diego Association of Government (SANDAG). There were also presentations from business and industry representatives addressing the types of improvements Palomar College could undertake in order to better prepare its students. Topics included cluster studies to identify economic growth and development and feedback on company requirements and training necessary in small and large businesses/organizations throughout North County. A presentation from educational partners from high schools and four-year universities was the last component of the external scan process. Issues pertaining to improving and expanding Palomar’s relationship with educational partners were discussed.

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Planning Assumptions

1. Over the next ten years, as the lower northern part of San Diego County builds out, the unincorporated areas around San Marcos and the areas in the upper northern part of the county will probably experience the strongest population growth.

2. Over the next ten years, traffic volume on the I-15 corridor is expected to increase by approximately 22%.

3. State funding resources will continue to decrease while the demands placed on community colleges will increase. Therefore, community colleges must increase their efforts to secure alternative funding sources such as grants, partnerships, and fundraisers.

4. The community college environment encompasses a diverse student population with diverse needs; therefore, flexibility and variety in offerings and services are important while maintaining a focus on quality instructional programs.

5. Student services should be maximized to address the needs of Palomar’s diverse student population.

6. Based on age, students falling within the 18-21 year old age category are the most “at risk” when considering academic performance and retention.

7. An emphasis on student outcomes and learning (e.g., Partnership for Excellence, new accreditation standards) will require all educational institutions to provide evidence of student learning.

8. Basic employer skill requirements include the following: computation skills, computer skills, reading skills, workplace attitudes, and writing skills.

9. In addition to the basic skill requirements, employers emphasize the value of life-long learning, general business acumen and ethics, and interpersonal skills.

10. San Diego County has comprehensive post-secondary options for high school graduates including community colleges, public universities, and private universities; however, some high schools focus on sending their graduates to four-year universities and do not place a high value on attending a community college.

11. An opportunity exists for the community college to facilitate transition of students from high schools to the universities because some of the San Diego County public and private universities (in particular UCSD) accept a smaller number of freshman applicants.

12. The demand for community college vocational programs and basic skills courses may increase when the high school exit exam is finally implemented.

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Vision, Mission, and Values

Vision

Learning for Success

Mission

Palomar College is an educational leader committed to quality learning. We provide our community the knowledge, information, skills, and aesthetic appreciation necessary to live responsibly, effectively, and creatively in an interdependent and changing world.

Values

Palomar College is a learning community dedicated to achieving student success and cultivating a love of learning. We strive to improve performance and outcomes based on evidence. To provide the highest quality learning and cultural experiences, we are guided by our core values of

• achieving excellence in teaching, learning, and service;
• fostering integrity as the foundation for all we do;
• providing access to our programs and services;
• ensuring equity and fair treatment in all policies, processes, and procedures;
• celebrating diversity in people, philosophies, cultures, beliefs, programs, and learning environments;
• supporting inclusiveness of individual and community viewpoints in collaborative decision-making processes;
• promoting mutual respect and trust through open communication and actions; and
• supporting innovation to enhance and enrich learning environments and services.

The Strategic Planning Task Force established five primary goals based on the planning assumptions derived from the internal and external scanning process. Over 350 faculty, staff, and administrators attended a half-day planning session to provide input in setting objectives for the College’s strategic goals. This feedback was used in determining questions for a campus-wide survey. The results of the survey were used to identify and prioritize the objectives for the strategic plan.

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Student Success

Facilitate student learning and goal attainment by providing comprehensive educational programs and services in diverse, accessible formats and locations.

• Increase scholarship recipients and donors through improved processes and procedures.

• Provide comprehensive and innovative class scheduling options to improve accessibility and timely program and degree completion.

• Create and implement a system to improve student fee collection and related services.

• Improve articulation with area high schools at the discipline level and within student services.

• Increase the number of students who develop a formal education plan.

• Develop and implement policies and procedures that use technology to communicate relevant information to existing and potential students.

• Develop and implement a comprehensive plan to increase the options for and availability of counseling and advising.

• Develop options for increasing child care capacity.

• Develop and implement programs and services to increase persistence, completion, and transfer.

• Identify key skills necessary for employment and incorporate them across the curriculum.

• Improve processes for identifying and responding to the educational needs of business and industry.

 

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Teaching and Learning Excellence

Provide exemplary teaching and learning environments and experiences to meet student needs through relevant curricula, innovation, partnerships, technology, research, and evaluation.

• Foster a learning culture that promotes institutional and student expectations, responsibilities, and respect.
• Implement a user-friendly curriculum process.
• Develop and implement standardized course syllabus content.
• Develop and implement strategies to assure accuracy and continuity in counseling.
• Integrate information competency skills across the curriculum.
• Initiate a program to encourage, support, and evaluate the use of innovative learning strategies.

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Organizational and Professional Development

Improve internal operations through effective communication and inclusive governance structures; strengthen and maintain professional development programs.

• Implement a more timely process for approval and filling of new and replacement positions.

• Establish and fund on-going employee training programs that assess needs, assure competencies, and use appropriate delivery methods.

• Formalize a governance process that assures appropriate evaluation of, and response to, committee recommendations.

• Promote a culture of inclusiveness, participation, collaboration, and mutual respect that recognizes and celebrates the value of contributions.

• Establish the standards to create a service-oriented institutional climate.

• Promote cross-functional training and education to improve institutional understanding and teamwork.

• Continue efforts to achieve a 75/25 full-time to part-time faculty ratio.

• Develop and implement guidelines for identifying and distributing necessary and useful information to staff.

• Delineate and integrate the District’s organizational and governance structures.

• Pursue professional development grant opportunities.

• Develop and implement a plan to address staff safety and security concerns.

• Expand professional development opportunities for using new learning techniques in the classroom.

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Facilities Improvement

Enhance the aesthetic appearance, functionality, cleanliness, accessibility, and safety of current facilities, while effectively planning for future needs based on educational programs and services.

• Develop and fund an on-going maintenance plan throughout the District for buildings and grounds that demonstrates the commitment to a clean, attractive learning environment.
• Complete and begin implementation of the Educational and Facilities Master Plan.
• Develop and implement a flexible parking plan that accommodates the needs of students, faculty, staff, and the community.
• Evaluate and improve facilities-related safety and security throughout the District.
• Complete and implement a Master Signage Plan for all District facilities.
• Develop a schedule, based on the Educational and Facilities Master Plan, to remodel and renovate buildings.
• Create and implement a District Landscape Plan.
• Develop strategies to address adjunct faculty office space needs.
• Develop and implement uniform Facilities Use Policy and Procedures.

*$3 Million Student Union Addition * 15,000 Sq. Ft. * Spring 2003 Completion

*$25.4 Million High Technology Laboratory and Classroom Building * 100,000 Sq. Ft. * Spring 2005 Completion

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Resource Management

Utilize existing human, physical, technological, and fiscal resources efficiently and effectively and increase external funding.

• Explore options for flexible, multi-year departmental budget planning.

• Continue efforts to make budget reports user-friendly.

• Develop and implement institutional strategies to lobby for community college interests and funding.

• Develop and implement a long-range budget plan for computer hardware and software upgrades and/or replacement.

• Strengthen business and community partnerships and relationships to increase funding sources and support.

• Develop protocols to allow departmental flexibility in achieving efficiency goals.

• Centralize facilities budgets for classroom standardization, maintenance, and repairs.

• Update and implement the Technology Master Plan.

• Define and provide the appropriate level of services at all Education Centers.

• Develop protocols for maximizing the efficiency of classroom utilization.

• Create a full-time grant writer position with appropriate support.

• Evaluate and address resource requirements and impacts prior to hiring personnel.

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Strategic Planning Task Force

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Strategic Planning Council

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Strategic Planning Council Role, Products, and Reporting Relationships

The Strategic Planning Council, representing all constituent groups of Palomar College, implements the strategic plan, develops or revises governance policies, and communicates with the respective groups. The strategic planning process guides budget priorities. Recommendations made by the Strategic Planning Council will reflect the values and support the mission of the College and be in the best interest of improving student success and serving the community.
Role: The Strategic Planning Council, as the recognized participatory governance body of the College, creates the processes for recommending College policies and governance committee structures. The Strategic Planning Council reviews actions, recommendations, and requests of planning groups and task forces. The Strategic Planning Council amends and guides the planning processes and recommends policies and procedures to respond to the changing needs of the student population and the internal and external environments. The Strategic Planning Council develops, implements, evaluates continuously, and revises (if necessary) the District’s plans and initiatives, both long-term and short-term. A three-year planning cycle is used to implement the Strategic Plan. An Annual Implementation Plan outlines the tasks and actions to be accomplished during the upcoming year. Communication with individual constituencies and participation in the Council meetings are the primary responsibilities of the Strategic Planning Council members.
Products: Palomar College’s Strategic Plan, Annual Implementation Plans, Criteria for Annual Evaluation of the Planning Outcomes, Annual Progress Report, and Policies and Procedures Recommendations.
Reporting Relationship: Superintendent/President

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Publication Production