YORK TECHNICAL COLLEGE

THE 2004 INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS REPORT

SUMMARY ON INSITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

AS SUBMITTED TO THE COMMISSION HIGHER EDUCATION

AUGUST 2004

Introduction

York Technical College is committed to preparing students to enter the workforce of South Carolina. Program offerings are largely determined by the needs of businesses and industry in the upstate area, and these businesses and industries are active in the planning of programs and the employment of graduates. In the 2003-2004 academic year, York Technical College offered approximately 80 programs which prepared students to directly enter the workforce and three programs which prepared students to transfer to senior institutions or to programs at other technical colleges. These academic programs and support activities are evaluated on a regular basis. Through the various programs offered, the College is training new workers, re-training workers, and preparing students to pursue additional education. The educated, technologically skilled workforce is of major importance to the economic welfare of the State and is supported by the academic progress and support activities of York Technical College.

The following components evaluated in the 2003-2004 academic year are included in this report:

Majors or Concentrations

Academic Advising

Success of Transfer Students

Majors or Concentrations

A. Definition of Outcomes of Component

The purpose of the major at York Technical College is to carry out the intent of the college mission to provide accessible, relevant, high-quality education with emphasis on marketable job skills and economic development. The goals are to maintain program relevance, to meet student needs, and to meet employer needs for marketable job skills or for further education. (York Technical College)

A major is an orderly, identifiable sequence of courses leading to a degree with a minimum of 16 semester hours of instruction in one or more related fields of study which provide students with specialized knowledge and skills. (State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education) There are currently 18 active associate degree majors offered at York Technical College - seven in the Business, Computer, Arts and Sciences division, six in the Industrial and Engineering Technologies division, and five in the Health and Human Services division.

B. Measures Used to Assess the Major

To assess the major, local findings for all degree majors are compared to state standards for the Annual Program Review, with an in-depth review scheduled once every five years. A team approach includes evaluation and feedback from students, business/industry, faculty, department managers, deans, and the Executive Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs. Procedures and standards follow:

1) Program Outcomes: Data is gathered and analyzed to determine the extent to which standards established by the South Carolina Technical College System are met for enrollment, graduation, and job placement.

2) Instructional Development: Program and course competencies are identified based on DACUM analysis, faculty input, Advisory Committee input, student feedback, graduate feedback, and accrediting agencies.

3) Program Planning/Other Factors: A college-wide Institutional Effectiveness process is conducted annually to include mission, intended outcomes, assessment methodologies, and statement of impact. Results are used to evaluate and plan for improvements in program accessibility, relevancy, quality, and/or other areas identified through the study.

C. Findings

Follow-up studies from 2002-2003 were conducted for Computer Technology, Radiologic Technology, and General Technology. Follow-up goals were included in the appropriate 2003-2004 Institutional Effectiveness Outlines.

1. Computer Technology: The follow-up goal for this program involved improvement of online courses to bring the courses in compliance with the College’s quality standard checklist criteria. Six courses are being developed in online format and will be evaluated by the dean and department manager regarding compliance with the criteria included on the Course Quality Checklist.
2. Radiologic Technology: The follow-up goal for this program was improvement of the retention rate for the 2004 graduating class. The Department did not achieve the retention goal due to several different student circumstances, but the faculty will continue to monitor retention and seek ways to retain students in the program.
3. General Technology: The follow-up goal for this degree included monitoring student progress and recommending changes if needed. Based on number of students seeking General Technology degrees, one department gained approval to offer a degree in the technical program.

Assessment Studies for 2003-2004

Sixteen active program degree majors at York Technical College met the standards established by the South Carolina Technical College System for enrollment, graduation, and job placement. Based on data submitted to the South Carolina Technical College System, these degree programs should receive a "good" status on the 2002-2003 Program Evaluation College Exhibit, Associate Degree Programs (not published at this time). The Associate in Public Service with a major in Early Care and Education degree was not subject to evaluation since this associate degree was awarded for the first time in 2002. Enrollment and placement in the Automotive Technology degree program exceeded state standards, but additional graduates are needed in this program to meet standards in that category. An in-depth study was conducted for Dental Hygiene, Computer Engineering Technology, Associate in Arts, and Associate in Science based on program evaluation data for 2000-2001, 2001-2002, and 2002-2003.

1. Program Outcomes:

Enrollment, job placement, and graduation averages exceeded state standards for all three years for Computer Engineering Technology, Dental Hygiene, Associate in Arts, and Associate in Science degree majors. Placement was 100 percent for two of the last three years for Dental Hygiene graduates and was 100% for Computer Engineering Technology graduates in 2003.

2. Instructional Development

Instructional development activities were followed for all programs to update courses and maintain program relevancy. Activities included a DACUM occupational analysis for Computer Engineering Technology in 2001. Following the ABET accreditation process, the department revised the entire curriculum and will begin implementation of the new curriculum in Fall 2004. A DACUM was conducted for Dental Hygiene in 1997, and the entire Dental Hygiene curriculum was revised the following year. An updated DACUM is planned for 2004-2005. General education knowledge and skills related to the Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees included identification of reading competencies required for college success. These competencies were identified through a Reading DACUM in 2000 followed by college-wide implementation of reading requirements. Other major initiatives during the three-year rating period involved improving advising for college transfer students and transitioning course content in college transfer courses from a traditional delivery format to alternate delivery format.

New and revised courses reflect a response to industry needs for program relevancy. Course syllabi for all courses offered at York Technical College are available in an electronic shared file accessible at the “Course Syllabi” link on the College webpage www.yorktech.com . The following totals reflect instructional development updates and include the number of new courses, revised courses, and courses developed in alternate delivery formats during the three-year evaluation period:

Program/Department New courses Revised courses Alternate Delivery

Dental Hygiene 0 2 2

Computer Engineering Technology 9 12 3

A.A. /A.S. (College Transfer) 3 60 26

3. Program Planning and other factors

r Institutional Effectiveness and Annual Departmental Planning

Department Managers and faculty plan annually with deans to identify goals, implementation strategies, and assessment methodologies. Results are reported each spring for the Annual Program Review and IE Outline process.

q Advisory Committees

Advisory committees for Computer Engineering Technology and Dental Hygiene met throughout the evaluation period. The departments utilize Advisory Committees to identify workplace expectations for graduates and make recommendations for improvements in programs, equipment needs, and related curriculum revisions. Advisory committee minutes are available from department managers. In addition, faculty in general education departments serve on technical program advisory committees and provide feedback to general education departments regarding program needs.

r Instructional Technology Applications
The College installed and/or updated 70+ Smart Classrooms to improve teaching and learning. Alternate instructional delivery methods included distance learning via the Internet (120 online courses), three, two-way audio/video classrooms, telecourses (videotapes), and hybrid (combinations of technology/traditional. Faculty utilize Smart Classroom technology to deliver classes in all instructional divisions.

r Professional Accreditation

The Dental Hygiene program was re-accredited by the American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation in 1999 for 7 years. The next self-study and the site visit are scheduled for 2006. The Computer Engineering Technology program has applied for accreditation by the Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, Maryland 21202-401200. The process is expected to be finalized in 2004 based on the committee’s approval.

r Transfer to Senior Institutions

One indicator of effectiveness of the College Transfer program is the number of students who transfer from the College to senior colleges/universities and demonstrate success at that level. A report entitled "Migration of First-time Undergraduate Transfers, Fall 2003" indicated that 106 students transferred from York Technical College to public four-year colleges in South Carolina in Fall 2003. Data is not available to confirm success rates of these students.

D. Use of Findings

All degree majors included for in-depth study exceeded state standards. Therefore, results of local College Institutional Effectiveness Outlines will serve as guides for improvement:

1. Dental Hygiene

The Dental Heath Professions Department identified several goals to improve performance of graduates. Department faculty administered graduate and employer surveys, implemented technology-enhanced teaching methodologies, participated in professional development opportunities, and focused on improving student performance on licensure exams.

Follow Up:

Based on feedback and implementation of the above strategies, the department will implement use of additional software products for students, provide additional web-enhancements and other computer-based assistance (e.g. CDs) for students, and will incorporate additional teaching/learning strategies for students (e.g. case-based questions). The Department is also planning to conduct a DACUM before the next accreditation cycle.

2. Computer Engineering Technology

Goals of the Computer Engineering Technology Department included the following:

(1) revision of the program curriculum to respond to SC Technical College System requirements and recommendations from ABET and local Advisory Committees and

(2) development, implementation, and evaluation of two hybrid courses.

Follow Up:

Program changes were approved and will be implemented beginning Fall 2004. Impact of changes will be measured beginning Spring 2005 through 2008. The two hybrid courses were developed, taught, and evaluated. Based on evaluation data, several changes will be made prior to offering the hybrid versions again.

3. College Transfer Department - Associate in Arts/Associate in Science degrees

The College Transfer Department identified a goal of increasing the graduation rate of AA/AS students by 5%. Targeted activities were completed throughout the academic year. As a result, the number of students who earned AA/AS degrees increased almost 5% as compared to the previous year.

Follow Up:

The Department will continue to work toward improving the graduation rate of students enrolled in the AA/AS degree programs.

Analysis of Academic Advising 2000-2004

A. Definition of Outcomes of Components

The emphasis to increase uniformity in advising through better communication has been the focus of student advising during the past four years, 2000-2004. The aim of the project was to create open communication between all advisors both campus-wide and at our satellite centers which would result in establishing better communication of advising information to students.

B. Measure Used to Assess this Component

1. Pre-registration advising update sessions:

· Electronic Advisors’ Bulletin Board (ABB)

· Faculty survey of ABB effectiveness

· Update advising sessions held in START Center

2. Freshmen START Center:

· Freshmen advising satisfaction survey

· Satellite Centers procedure for assigning faculty advisors

3. Quality Learning Council advising initiatives

4. WebAdvisor availability for students, faculty and staff

C. Findings

1. Pre-registration advising update sessions: In an attempt to distribute updates to all advisors prior to registration each semester the college has initiated the following:

· The electronic Advisor’s Bulletin Board which consists of e-mailing advising updates to all advisors a week or two prior to the opening of registration each semester.

· The faculty was surveyed in spring 2003 regarding the effectiveness of sharing information via the ABB and the results were overwhelmingly positive.

· 57 faculty members responded to ten questions regarding their use of the ABB. On a four-point scale, 8 of the 10 questions received a rating above 3.0. The remaining two questions, received a 2.72 and 2.90 respectively.

· The START Center holds advising update sessions on programs, course, or procedures that directly affect first-time freshmen. These hour-long sessions are held at varying hours for the convenience of teaching faculty.

2. Freshmen START Center: All entering first-time freshmen are oriented, advised, and registered in the START Center.

· All freshmen advised in the START Center are asked to complete an advising satisfaction survey.

· In spring 2004, 253 START Center students filled out an Assessment of Services survey. These students gave overwhelming approval to the START Center advisors and services. The student satisfaction of services ranged from 84% to 100%, with 12 of the 20 questions receiving a satisfaction rating of 100%.

· Both satellite centers, Kershaw-Heath Springs and Chester, were able to assign a permanent advisor to all students being advised at their centers via email to the START Center counselors. The students’ names, along with their assigned advisor names, were entered into the College’s administrative software system, Datatel, and the results were e-mailed back to the satellite centers.

3. The York Technical College Quality Learning Council identified goals for two years related to advising. During 2002-2003, an ad hoc committee developed information to assist advisors with advising students in alternate delivery courses. The resources were developed in electronic format and included details about requirements for each alternate delivery course and digital training videos for using Datatel, the College administrative software. During 2003-2004, an Advising Ad Hoc Committee was appointed for the purpose of improving and strengthening the advising process and expanding the advisor training initiative to address the advising process for (1) first-time, full-time freshmen (START Center), (2) returning students (program advisors), and (3) students enrolled in distance learning courses. The implementation plan follows:

1. Develop/revise web-based resources for new students (START Center), returning and transfer students, and advisors.	Fall 04
2. Launch websites via the York Technical College webpage	Spring 05
3. Provide training for optimal use of web resources for students and advisors	Spring 05
4. Consider separation of advising and registration.	Fall 05

4. WebAdvisor by Datatel was made available for faculty, staff, and students on the College’s

website (www.yorktech.com) during the 2002-2003 academic year. This software is another step in advising communication with students. It provides students password-protected access to their academic and financial information. A variety of student services are available through WebAdvisor such as registration, program evaluation (Degree Audit), and student forms.

· In spring 2003, 319 students responded to a Survey of Student Satisfaction with Advisor Availability. 86% of those responding said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the availability of their advisor.

D. Use of Findings

The advising system at York Technical College remains a major and active focus on-campus, at our satellite centers, and in distance learning. As a result of many of our findings, procedures have been strengthened in terms of advising uniformity and in procedures for training new advisors. The college will use the findings as building blocks in its need to further establish one-on-one advising communication with its students via web access in the future. The Quality Learning Council/Advising Ad Hoc Committee recommended that the College strengthen and improve advising by improving web access to advising information for both students and advisors during 2004-2005. An additional improvement initiative involving separation of advising and registration processes will be considered during the 2005-2006 year. Outcomes will be included in the 2004-2008 report.

Achievement of Students Transferring from Two-year to Four-year Institutions

A. Definition of Outcomes of Component

The purpose of this report is to determine specific patterns and trends in the acceptance and achievement rates of students who transferred from York Technical College to senior institutions within the State. York Technical College expects to maintain a transfer success rate that is at least equal to past transfer rates. The College also expects that transfer students will demonstrate academic success at the senior institution at a rate at least equal to that of students native to the senior institution.

B. Measures Used to Assess this Component

This report was prepared using Fall 2003 Transfer Data collected from senior institutions by the Commission on Higher Education for Institutional Effectiveness Reporting. The report provided the following data: 1) changes in percentages of transfer students, 2) academic success of transfer students at senior institutions, and 3) transfer patterns of students.

C. Findings

Traditionally, York Technical College has experienced success with the transfer of students to senior institutions. According to the Fall 2003 CHEMIS Data, a total of 203 students from the College applied for admission to senior institutions within the State. Of the 203 students who applied, 147 (72%) were accepted. According to Fall 2001 CHEMIS Data, 276 students applied and 158 (57%) were accepted. The 2003 data indicates that, while the number of students applying decreased, the overall acceptance rate improved by 15%.

Because of York Technical College’s close proximity to Winthrop University, approximately 96 of the College’s transfer population applied for admission to Winthrop; 78 (82%) of those who applied were accepted. The current data seems to indicate a developing diverse transfer pattern among students transferring from York Technical College to State senior institutions. For example, 50 students applied to USC-Columbia with 54% accepted, 18 applied to USC-Spartanburg with 78% accepted, and 16 applied to Clemson University with 81% accepted. The data also indicates an increase in the number of York Technical College students seeking to transfer to Coastal Carolina. According to current data, 10 students applied with 60 percent being accepted.

The 2003 data indicates that students who transfer from York Technical College to senior institutions have GPA’s that are slightly lower than those of students who are native to the given institutions. On average, the Fall 2003 GPA for York Technical College transfer students was 2.41, compared to 2.75 for the native student populations. Although in past years, the transfer student’s GPA has always been equal to or higher than that of the native student’s, caution must be used in interpreting this data. The number of York Technical College transfer students analyzed at individual institutions ranged from one to 60, with seven of the eight institutions reporting less than 20 students, and five of the eight institutions reporting less than ten students. In comparison, the native populations used for comparison ranged from 402 to 14,301 students.

D. Use of Findings

While the percentage of students who apply and are accepted by senior institutions appears to have increased, further study to determine why students are not accepted should be conducted by the College.  In addition, research should be performed to identify the factors influencing the difference between the GPA’s of transfer students and those of the native populations.  Using the results of these investigations, the College can identify and implement strategies to improve transfer acceptance and academic success rates at State-supported, four-year institutions.