2. 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 17 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 four in the Health and Human Services division.

B. Measures Used to Assess this Component

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, the instructional developer, 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 are met for enrollment, graduation, job placement, and retention, as established by the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education.

2) Instructional Development

Program and course competencies are identified based on DACUM analysis, faculty input, Advisory Committee input, student feedback, and graduate feedback.

3) Program Planning

A college-wide Institutional Effectiveness process is conducted annually to include goals, objectives, assessment methodologies, and review of results. 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 for 1997-98 Report

Follow-up studies were conducted for Computer Technology, Radiologic Technology, and General Technology. All objectives identified in the 1997-98 report were met for the departments and documented in the local 1998-99 Institutional Effectiveness Outlines.

Assessment Studies for 1998-99

All seventeen active program degree majors at York Technical College met the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education standards for enrollment, graduation, and job placement and were assigned a "good" status in the Program Evaluation 97-98 College Exhibit. In addition, an in-depth study was conducted for Dental Hygiene, Computer Engineering Technology, Associate in Arts, and Associate in Science degrees based on data for 1995-96, 1996-97, and 1997-98.

1. Enrollment, graduation, and job placement rates exceeded state standards for all three years for Computer Engineering, 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 exceeded eighty percent for all three years for Computer Engineering Technology graduates. Placement was 100 percent for graduates of Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees for all three years.

2. State retention rates are based on the state cohort tracking system (Roper) reports which reflect retention of first-time, full-time students. Cohort statistics are reported for technical program majors. Retention rates based on statistics from the cohort beginning Fall 1995 as of Fall 1998 indicate that local retention rates exceeded state rates for Dental Hygiene (local 100%, n=2; state 54%, n=24) and Computer Engineering Technology (local 25%, n=20; state 18%, n=34). Cohort retention statistics must be interpreted carefully because students who transfer among programs are not counted as first-time students, and typically the number of students included in the cohort is much lower than the total number of students enrolled in programs.

3. Instructional development guidelines were followed for Dental Hygiene and Computer Engineering Technology including a DACUM occupational analysis for Dental Hygiene in 1997 and Computer Engineering Technology in 1994. General education knowledge and skills related to the Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees were identified through DACUMS for Communications (1997), Mathematics (1992), Biology (1991), and Chemistry (1991). In addition, each technical program DACUM identified general education knowledge and skills needed for success in the occupation. These skills were included in the program evaluation, and updates were designed to incorporate general education competencies identified by industry. The Dental Hygiene Department completed an accreditation self-study for the Commission on Dental Accreditation and hosted a site visit from the Commission during the academic year. Reaccreditation status is scheduled to be announced in July, 1999.

New and revised courses, another component of instructonal development, 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 cabinet accessible through the local area computer network. The following totals reflect instructional development updates and include the number of courses included in each major which were added as new courses or revised during the three-year evaluation period:

Program/Department New Courses Revised Courses

Dental Hygiene 1 23

Computer Engineering Technology 1 22

College Transfer 8 29

4. The Annual Program Review and the annual Institutional Effectiveness Outline process for the college are followed for each of the program majors and for the College Transfer program. Feedback from both internal and external sources is incorporated into programs to better meet needs of students.

5. Effectiveness of the AA/AS degree majors is also evaluated through other factors:

A) Advisory Committees - Members of the College Transfer faculty serve on program advisory committees and provide feedback to general education departments regarding needs for course revisions and/or additions.

B) Reading Requirements - The College implemented a plan to improve reading skills for students entering courses in the AA/AS degrees as well as courses offered for technical program degrees. The plan included computer blocks for courses based on minimum reading levels required for success in college transfer and technical courses. Results of implementation for one year have been compiled, but conclusions are incomplete due to the limited time period for data collection.

C) Student Access - Increasing student access to courses in the AA/AS curriculum is one means of improved effectiveness. Twelve college transfer courses were added in alternate delivery formats during the evaluation period, including teleclass, online, and telecourse options. Other increased access options include providing college-level courses to high school juniors and seniors through cooperative efforts with local school districts; i.e. multiple sections of six college transfer courses were offered to students at two local school districts through distance learning, the EXCELS program, and on-site classes at one of the high schools. John Deere began a cooperative arrangement with the College to offer courses for AA/AS degrees to their employees at the industrial sites. Other efforts to expand access include increased cooperative efforts with Winthrop University to offer college transfer courses.

D) Transfer to senior institutions - Data from senior institutions is not available to confirm transfer of graduates to four-year colleges/universities and/or graduation of those transfers from a four-year institution. However, a report entitled "Migration of First-time Undergraduate Transfers, Fall 1998" indicated that 20 students transferred from York Technical College to colleges outside the technical college system during Fall 1998. This data is inconclusive.

D. Use of Findings

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

1. Dental Hygiene

The dental faculty will use the accreditation site visit recommendations to guide future planning efforts. Program faculty will also use results of the Summer Dental Clinic to make recommendations to the Dental Community and the College regarding the future of the Tri-County Dental Clinic program. Continued efforts to improve program retention will be implemented, including tutoring of students who perform below acceptable standards. Improved teaching methodology will be incorporated into courses such as adding case studies to courses.

2. Computer Engineering Technology

The program goal of 85% placement of graduates was met. The department will continue to work toward at least 85% placement. Two courses, EET 241 and EET 243, were revised. The laboratory book for EET 241 will be revised for Spring 2000, and a laboratory book will be available for EET 243 during the Spring 2000 semester.

3. Associate in Arts/Associate in Science degrees

College transfer faculty will continue to serve on program Advisory Committees in order to provide input regarding needed changes. Reading requirements will continue to be evaluated related to success of students, and changes will be made if needed based on results of data collection. Student access will be increased via distance learning and other alternative delivery options. Student transfer data, when available from senior institutions, will serve as the foundation for improvements.

4. Achievement of Students Transferring from Two to Four-Year Institutions

Report will be available after November 1, 1999.