President’s Report

Board of Regents Meeting September 20, 2013 Owensboro Community and Technical College – Owensboro, Kentucky

___________________________________________________________________________

The following information provides updates on President McCall’s annual

leadership initiative, 2013-14 MOMENTUM.

GOAL - Momentum to impact student access, retention, and success will be sustained systemwide by further implementing the Transformation Business Plan Strategies: Student Services, Transfer, and Financial Aid. The implementation of these strategies will support the ongoing KCTCS Transformation Business Plan for 2010-16 and the achievement of the goals, performance measures, and targets outlined in the KCTCS Strategic Plan 2010-16 and the three KCTCS mission areas of:

• Workforce Education • Transfer Education • College and Workforce Readiness

Target Measurement - The KCTCS President will provide executive leadership, service, and support for the following Transformation Business Plan Strategies: Student Services

Implement an early alert software system that monitors student-related data to identify academically at-risk students and manage outreach efforts to them utilizing communication tools such as phone calls, emails, and instant messages.

Transfer

Host a statewide Transfer Partnership Summit between KCTCS and its four-year institutional transfer partners (public and private) to build awareness, knowledge, and skills that increase access, retention, and success of KCTCS transfer students.

Financial Aid

Begin implementation of the Financial Aid strategy as outlined in the KCTCS Transformation Business Plan to establish unified financial aid standards at all KCTCS colleges based on industry-wide best practices.

2013-14 MOMENTUM Update Preliminary planning has been completed for the Student Services and Financial Aid components of MOMENTUM. The next step is for President McCall to formally assign teams and resources to authorize the planned projects in advance of an official kick-off session which will mark the beginning of project execution. A project charter has been developed and approved for the Transfer component of MOMENTUM. The next step next step is for President McCall to formally assign a project team and resources to authorize the planning and execution of the project.

The following information provides updates on the efforts to accomplish the GOALS as outlined in the KCTCS Strategic Plan 2010-16.

ADVANCE EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION IN TEACHING, LEARNING, AND SERVICE. Performance Measures:

• Engagement • Licensure, Certification Pass Rate

Accreditation Update KCTCS colleges are independently accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), the recognized regional accrediting body in the 11 southernmost states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia). Accreditation is typically for a 10 year period with a report due during the fifth year of the cycle (a Fifth-Year Interim Report). SACS may also ask a college to submit a monitoring report or a follow-up report related to a specific SACS requirement during the cycle. Continuing accreditation at the end of the 10 year cycle involves the college submission of a Compliance Certification Report and the college hosting of a SACS Visiting Team. Based upon the results of the review/visit, the Commission on Colleges may reaffirm the accreditation of the college for another 10 year period.

2

The following actions were taken by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools at the June 2013 Commission meeting:

• Gateway Community and Technical College – Response Report to October 23-25, 2012, Visiting Committee for Reaffirmation – accepted; accreditation reaffirmed.

• Hopkinsville Community College – First Monitoring Report (Reaffirmation) – accepted. • Jefferson Community and Technical College – Monitoring Report (Substantive Change) –

accepted. • Madisonville Community College – Referral Report from Fifth-Year Interim Report – accepted.

The following reports have been submitted to the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools:

• Ashland Community and Technical College – Fifth-Year Interim Report – September 15, 2013. • Big Sandy Community and Technical College – Fifth-Year Interim Report – September 15,

2013. • Hazard Community and Technical College – First Monitoring Report – September 6, 2013. • Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College – Focus Report and Quality

Enhancement Plan – August 15, 2013. • Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College – Referral Report from Fifth-Year

Interim Report – September 9, 2013. • West Kentucky Community and Technical College – Fifth-Year Interim Report – September 15,

2013. Advanced Manufacturing Technician (AMT) Program - Career Pathways Partnership Excellence Award Bluegrass Community and Technical College’s and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky’s Advanced Manufacturing Technician (AMT) program in Georgetown won first place for the Career Pathways Partnership Excellence Award. They will be honored at the 2013 National Career Pathway Network (NCPN) Conference Member Luncheon on October 15 in San Antonio, Texas. The AMT program began in fall 2010. Its goal is to produce technicians for advanced manufacturing that are as capable as those from the best technical education programs in the world. This will ensure that U.S. manufacturing has a human talent stream that is better than the toughest global economic competitors. The AMT program has three major phases: K-12 engagement and recruiting, a two-year college associate degree, and a one to two year internship. Those who successfully complete the program may continue directly into high paying jobs. Toyota visits schools, promotes Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs, and arranges special tours to the manufacturing plant and campus for those in 5th grade, middle, and high school. The AMT program has expanded to include 8-10 additional area manufacturers who are sponsoring students this fall. Toyota and other manufacturers visit more than 25 high schools each year to promote and recruit for the program. Sponsored students attend class full time two days a week and work at their respective sponsoring manufacturer three days a week. The National Career Pathways Network (NCPN) assists its education and business members in implementing, evaluating, and improving Career Pathways initiatives by providing a communication network. NCPN strives to compile and share information on exemplary practices; collaborate to develop implementation resources; and foster communication about Career Pathways and other workforce

3

education programs. The Career Pathways Partnership Excellence Award, sponsored by Kuder, Inc., emphasizes the importance of career guidance and advising, professional development for educators and employers, and the employer role in providing work-based learning opportunities for students. Kuder, Inc.’s mission, to raise student aspirations and provide career options for students and adults through self-assessment and education, aligns with the purpose and qualifications of this award. KCTCS Learn on Demand/Direct2Degree Course Improvement Workshop KCTCS Learn on Demand College Program Team Leaders, Administrative Leads, and Faculty Subject Matter Experts/Developers attended a Direct2Degree (D2D) Course Improvement Workshop in June. The workshop focused on sessions that provided information about course improvement centered around a review of basic course design and flow of learning within the current Learn on Demand courses to be used for the D2D grant project plus Learn on Demand Quality Assurance processes and Blackboard functionality. The Faculty Subject Matter Experts/Developers met with content providers (Cengage, McGraw-Hill, or Pearson) to explore enhanced digital content that includes adaptive learning techniques. With the Direct2Degree grant project, the existing, competency-based Learn-on-Demand model is being adapted to the D2D program; each associate degree obtained through this program will be transferable to every Kentucky public university. The Direct2Degree project will accomplish three primary goals: 1. Reorient the flow of courses from the concurrent course model used in the existing, competency-

based Learn on Demand model to a sequential course model. 2. Deploy a new tuition that incentivizes and rewards progress and early completion. 3. Implement an alternative financial aid model to remove traditional schedule barriers and support the

reconfigured delivery and tuition models.

The D2D project is funded by a Gates Foundation grant ($1 million) from the Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC), an initiative dedicated to improving college readiness and completion rates. Partners in the grant include the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS). KCTCS Teaching & Learning with Technology Mini-Conference In conjunction with Lead Innovators’ Network (LINKS) from the KCTCS Online Innovation Learning Series (KOILS), KCTCS eLearning Services hosted a regional KCTCS Teaching & Learning with Technology Mini-Conference in August. The conference was held at three locations across the state (Madisonville Community College, Hazard Community and Technical College, and Bluegrass Community and Technical College) to kick-off the fall 2013 semester and offered the same tracks and sessions to ensure consistent information was shared among all faculty and staff. The sessions offered were appropriate for all faculty and were designed to encourage creative ideas for courses – online and face-2-face. The event was free for all KCTCS faculty and staff. Approximately 350 faculty participated at the three locations.

4

The four Teaching and Learning tracks offered were: • Pedagogy - Sessions on pedagogy included topics like Engaging Students, Learning Styles, and

Modes of Instruction. • Enhancing Your Existing Course - Sessions in this track covered tools, technology, and ideas

to spice up current courses. • Assessments - These sessions gave ideas and tools for improving course assessments and

managing grading tools, such as rubrics and online grade centers. • A La Carte - This track provided a variety of topics to help you manage courses, use engaging

content, and go further with web 2.0 and social tools. KCTCS Blackboard Managed Hosting Representatives from KCTCS eLearning, and Technology Solutions worked with members of Blackboard Managed Hosting to plan and move the KCTCS Blackboard environment to a Blackboard Managed Hosting site. The migration occurred July 29-August 1, 2013, without incident; communications were sent to all faculty and students. The move supports the continued growth of e-learning and will improve the user experience for faculty and students. Idea Festival Scholarships Hopkinsville Community College (HCC) was awarded 2013 Idea Festival Scholarships by the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE). For the second year in a row, CPE has provided scholarships for Kentucky colleges and universities, including KCTCS. Mathematics faculty member Ms. Meha Darooka and five HCC students will be attending the Idea Festival through these scholarships. 2013 President’s Leadership Seminar The 2013 President's Leadership Seminar (PLS) has been completed; the 18 participants from across the System had an exciting year learning about leadership from state, regional, and national leaders. During the course of the program, the class had the opportunity to interact with:

• State legislators regarding the legislative process and current policy issues. • KCTCS leadership concerning System priorities and their leadership skills. • National community college leaders regarding issues facing higher education leaders and

leadership skills that are needed for success. • Community college leaders about their individual career plans. • KCTCS Board Chair Peeples, regarding Board Leadership and KCTCS. • President McCall with his perspectives on leadership and KCTCS strategic priorities.

The PLS is recognized as one of the premier leadership development programs for current and future community college leaders and will make a significant difference in the careers of the participants. These leaders are now part of a network throughout KCTCS that have a new perspective on the contributions they can make to the continuing success of KCTCS and their professional development and career plans. Plans are underway for the next PLS class with candidates for the program to be selected this fall. The next PLS will begin in January 2014.

5

2013 Acorn Award Dr. William J. Loftus, professor of psychology at Big Sandy Community and Technical College (BSCTC), was selected as a recipient of the 2013 Acorn Award. The award was presented during the luncheon program for the Governor’s Conference on Postsecondary Education Trusteeship on Friday, September 13 in Louisville. The annual Acorn Awards recognize outstanding teachers at Kentucky’s public and independent colleges and universities. The program is sponsored by the Kentucky Advocates for Higher Education, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of postsecondary education in Kentucky. Recipients receive a $5,000 honorarium and are selected based on information they provide about their reasons for selecting college teaching as a profession, their teaching philosophy, and their professional achievements. Dr. Loftus has taught psychology for more than 20 years at BSCTC. He has also served as the Phi Theta Kappa advisor during this time, working with Phi Theta Kappa officers and members to help them attain their goals. Dr. Loftus holds 10 Phi Theta Kappa Kentucky Regional Outstanding Advisor Horizon Awards from 1993-2013 and was honored with Phi Theta Kappa Advisor of the year award in 2013. He has also received numerous awards for his unique and innovative teaching methods during his tenure at BSCTC. Some of these accolades include: University of Kentucky Alumni Association’s Great Teacher Award; three BSCTC Great Teacher Awards; and four National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence Awards. Dr. Loftus studied at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa where he received a bachelors and a master’s degree in psychology. He attended Florida State University for his doctorate degree, which he received in 1989.

INCREASE STUDENT ACCESS, TRANSFER AND SUCCESS Performance Measures:

• Developmental Education Success Rate • Participation Rate • Credentials • Persistence Rate • Transfer

University of Kentucky Transfer Event – September 7, 2013 KCTCS and the University of Kentucky (UK) jointly hosted an event for KCTCS students who plan to transfer to UK in conjunction with the UK/Miami University, Ohio, football game activities on September 7, 2013. More than 250 students representing 14 of the 16 KCTCS colleges participated in this program which included an admissions workshop, campus tour, breakfast, and half-time

6

introduction on the football field. President McCall, Board Chair P.G. Peeples, Sr., and UK President Capilouto were on hand to welcome the students and to encourage them in their educational journey. KCTCS Academic Advising Summit A KCTCS Academic Advising Summit was held August 7, 2013, at the Embassy Suites in Lexington, Kentucky. The agenda included Advising the Undecided to a Credential, Phase II Update on the Go KCTCS! Student Service Center, First Year Experience, FERPA and Advising, New Initiatives in Learn on Demand and Direct2Degree, and Retention—Starfish Functions. The summit brought faculty and staff together to share best practices and gain knowledge to equip them to better serve students. Go KCTCS! Student Service Center From July 1, 2013, until August 22, 2013, the Student Service Center had responded to 77,589 calls, 3,508 web tickets, and 4,960 chats. Of these communications, 12 percent (11,228) were escalated to the colleges to respond. More than 100,000 outbound calls have been made to students for reasons which include: students missing documents who cannot be awarded aid until all items are received, students awarded aid but are not registered, students who are financial aid eligible with a positive balance, and students with an outstanding balance. KCTCS and University of Phoenix Agreement In June 2013 KCTCS and University of Phoenix renewed the partnership to provide online pathways for KCTCS students who complete an Associate in Applied Science degree to transfer 57-60 credit hours to the University of Phoenix. Specific pathways include Business Administration, Computer Information Technology, and Criminal Justice. Bachelor degrees at the University of Phoenix require a total of 120 credit hours to complete. Approximately 1,000 former KCTCS students are enrolled each year in the University of Phoenix. Additional pathways and a reverse transfer partnership are under development. KCTCS and Southern Illinois University (SIU) Agreement In June 2013 KCTCS and SIU established an agreement to provide a pathway for KCTCS students who complete an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in any area to transfer to SUI’s Bachelor of Science in Technical Resource Management, Capstone Option. Students can transfer 60-68 credit hours from the AAS degree to the Technical Resource Management program and complete a remaining 57 credit hours at SIU to meet the requirements for the bachelor’s degree. KCTCS Transfer Peer Team Meeting On June 17, 2013, the KCTCS Transfer Peer Team met to establish new goals and identify strategies for enhancing transfer communication, partnerships, and related policies across KCTCS. Building on the June meeting, the KCTCS Transfer Peer Team reconvened in Versailles on September 6, 2013, to finalize a new team charter and to develop specific next steps on strategies for communicating with transfer students across KCTCS and engaging transfer partners in communication planning and events. Specific discussion included a framework for launching CollegeFish, GoUK Transfer Event, and other communication-related activities.

7

KCTCS and Indiana Institute of Technology (Indiana Tech) Agreement In August 2013 KCTCS and Indiana Tech established a new partnership to facilitate the transfer and success of KCTCS graduates with Associate in Applied Science degrees to Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees in several areas across Business Administration, Criminal Justice, and Organizational Leadership. Ready to Work Spring 2013 Report Ready to Work (RTW) is a partnership between the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) and the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (KCHFS), Department for Community Based Services (DCBS). RTW is designed to assist low-income parents participating in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)/Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (K-TAP) to enroll and be successful students in Kentucky’s community and technical colleges. In 2003, Ready to Work services were expanded to include adult basic education students who are working toward their GEDs and high school graduates who are brushing up on some basic skills before entering college. • RTW served 1,200 K-TAP clients in spring 2013 and 1,694 clients year-to-date, which represents a 5

percent increase over spring 2012 enrollment and a 12 percent increase in year-to-date enrollment over spring 2012.

• K-TAP funded work-study enrollment was 18 percent larger than spring 2012 with year-to-date work-study enrollment 26 percent higher than the same time last year.

• KCTCS RTW served 1,014 K-TAP work-study students in spring 2013 and 1,405 year-to-date. • Hazard (38), Bluegrass (30), and Jefferson (30) had the largest overall caseload increases from

spring 2012 to spring 2013. • Jefferson (111), Hazard (41), and Bluegrass (33) had the largest RTW work-study increases from

spring 2012 to spring 2013. • Statewide, 85 percent of the spring caseload was placed in a TANF-funded work-study position with

nonprofit and private sector employers. • The reported number of DCBS referrals this fiscal year was 1,996, generating a reported 1,617 RTW

enrollments. • DCBS referrals appeared to be especially strong this program year in the Jefferson (376), Bluegrass

(215), Gateway (184), Hazard (167), and Maysville (162) areas. • Eighty-eight current and former RTW students graduated from the 16 KCTCS colleges in spring

2013 with degrees, certificates, and/or diplomas (bringing the FY13 year-to-date total of RTW graduates to 121).

• Seventy percent of the RTW graduates earned associate degrees, and many of them earned additional embedded certificates.

KCTCS Work and Learn Year Summary (July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013) The goal of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) Work and Learn Initiative (WL) is to recruit and serve Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (K-TAP) participants who are enrolled in Kentucky Adult Education (KYAE) programs seeking a General Equivalency Diploma (GED) and desiring to enter college or who already have a high school credential but are not college ready. A customized package of case management, career planning, job readiness services, and transitional jobs (including work study and work experience) are among the strategies used to support these students in their transition to college and family sustaining employment.

8

• WL enrollments increased 25 percent (175 students) in the second half of FY 13. • The largest enrollment growth occurred in Maysville Community and Technical College (MCTC)

(76 percent), Ashland Community and Technical College (ACTC) (63 percent), and Hazard Community and Technical College (HCTC) (48 percent).

• These colleges had the largest overall WL caseloads: HCTC (142 students), ACTC (109 students), and MCTC (93 students).

• In FY 13, the Work and Learn Program enrolled and served 836 K-TAP participants, including 806 DCBS referrals.

• Referrals who do not test high enough to qualify for WL services were referred to KYAE providers, Vocational Rehabilitation, and other community services.

• WL Coordinators reported making over 427 referrals to other agencies this program year. • The colleges’ WL outreach and recruitment efforts year-to-date include over 3,018 individuals.

Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Dedication, Leitchfield Campus – July 16, 2013 President McCall and Dr. Thelma J. White, Elizabethtown Community and Technical College President were joined by a delegation of state, local, and college officials for the open house and dedication of the new facility in Leitchfield. ECTC’s newest campus is the result of an innovative partnership between Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center, the Grayson County community, and the college. Construction began in June 2012 The 11,450-square-foot Walter T. Kelley Building houses four general classrooms, a computer classroom, a science lab, faculty and administrative offices and a student lounge. ECTC is offering 27 general education classes during fall 2013 at this location. The facility formally opened August 1st and classes began on August 19th. Maysville Community and Technical College Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, Mt. Sterling - August 5, 2013 The Montgomery Extension of Maysville Community and Technical College was officially opened on Monday, August 5 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the newly renovated building in Mt. Sterling. President McCall and Dr. Ed Story, Maysville Community and Technical College President, were joined by numerous officials from the college, state, city and county to participate in the event, including Mr. Andy Barr, United States Congressman; Mr. Rocky Adkins, Kentucky House of Representatives Majority Floor Leader; and Mr. Arthur Walker III, The Walker Company. The 30,000 square-foot, newly-renovated building houses start-of-art classrooms and technical laboratories for programs, including Industrial Maintenance, Electrical Technology, Commercial HVAC, Residential HVAC, Practical Nursing, Nurse Aid, Construction Technology, Information Technology, Plumbing, Office Systems Technology, Manufacturing Technology, Early Childhood Education, and Criminal Justice.

9

CULTIVATE DIVERSITY, MULTICULTURALISM, AND INCLUSION

Performance Measures: • Student Diversity Index • Employee Diversity • Persistence Rate Diversity

Super Sunday – February 23, 2014 The fourth annual Super Sunday event is scheduled for February 23, 2014. The goal for 2014 is to reach 50 churches in 2014. Super Sunday is an annual student recruitment initiative that targets African-American students and their families with information and resources about admissions and financial aid provided in conjunction with Sunday church services and activities. The KCTCS Super Sunday is patterned after a highly successful program at California State University now in its seventh year that is credited with substantially increasing the college-going rate of African-American students in California. 2013 Diversity Plan Assessment CPE recently released guidelines for developing the 2013 diversity plan assessment. Each college will assess their performance during academic year 2012-13 in the following areas: (1) Student Body Diversity, (2) Student Success/Closing the Achievement Gap, (3) Workforce Diversity, and (4) Campus Climate. Each college is requested to submit their final report to the KCTCS Office for Cultural Diversity by November 27, 2013. KCTCS Diversity Peer Team Retreat – August 8-9, 2013 The KCTCS Diversity Peer Team convened an annual retreat to discuss and develop plans to implement the third year of Beyond the Numbers: KCTCS 2011-16 Diversity Action Plan for Inclusion, Engagement, and Equity. In addition to annual planning, the retreat included a six-hour professional development workshop that provided team members with skills and knowledge to enhance their capacity to lead the continued development, assessment, and execution of KCTCS Beyond the Numbers. Dr. Damon Williams, the Senior Vice President of Program, Training & Youth Development Services for the Boys and Girls Club of America (BGCA), facilitated the workshop. Prior to accepting this role with the BGCA, Dr. Williams was an Associate Vice Chancellor, Vice Provost, Chief Diversity Officer, and faculty member in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has recently authored two new books: Strategic Diversity Leadership: Activating Change and Transformation in Higher Education, and The Chief Diversity Officer. KCTCS International Workgroup Update During this past academic year, KCTCS colleges held numerous international and cultural events at their colleges for students, faculty, and staff. Highlights include: • KCTCS colleges are members of the Kentucky Institute for International Studies (KIIS). KIIS is a

leading study abroad consortium with programs in over 20 countries in Asia, Europe, Latin America,

10

and Africa. This past summer KIIS offered special short-term study abroad classes to attract KCTCS students. Overall, 13 KCTCS students applied to enroll in study abroad courses; one student from Elizabethtown Community and Technical College received a KIIS scholarship. Additionally, nine KCTCS faculty applied to teach other KIIS programs.

• Hopkinsville Community College and the KCTCS International Workgroup jointly hosted Tsering Phuntsok, a practicing Buddhist monk from Nepal. Meetings, presentations, and open discussions were held over 28 days across KCTCS colleges and the Commonwealth. These events attracted approximately 340 attendees.

• Four members of the KCTCS International Workgroup attended the NASFA: Association of International Educators International Convention in St. Louis. Representatives attending were from Big Sandy Community and Technical College, Jefferson Community and Technical College, Owensboro Community and Technical College, and West Kentucky Community and Technical College.

ENHANCE THE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH

Performance Measures • High Wage/High Demand Completions • Workforce Conversion Rate • Wage Index

Kentucky Workforce Investment Board (KWIB) Meeting – August 15, 2013 President McCall attended the KWIB meeting in Frankfort in August. The agenda included the following topics and issues: Work Ready Community Certifications, High Impact WIB Certification, Strategic Plan Review and Performance Indicator Dashboard, Perkins State Leadership Fund; Culture of Entrepreneurship Recommendations, Branding Rollout, Earn & Learn Marketing, and Competency- Based Education and the Workforce. Kentucky Workforce Investment Network Systems (KY WINS) To date, KY WINS has funded 1,426 projects; 1,310 are completed and 116 remain active. The average wage for trainees is $23.84; and 224,033 participants are projected to be served through training and assessment. Kentucky Department of Insurance Since May 2001, KCTCS colleges, through its partnership with the Kentucky Department of Insurance (DOI), have administered 50,140 insurance licensure assessments. Of that amount, 1,700 insurance licensure assessments were administered May–July 2013.

11

Accelerating Opportunity Initiative To date, 777 students have participated in the Accelerated Opportunity (AO) program with more than 750 credentials earned. Colleges are reporting that AO students are being successful. For example, Maysville Community and Technical College had 11 AO students on the spring 2013 Dean’s List and one student on the President’s Honor list. This is a great achievement considering AO students are low-skilled students. An Orientation for the Phase II College Coordinators was held at the System Office on August 2, 2013. (Phase II colleges include Ashland Community and Technical College, Big Sandy Community and Technical College, Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, Hazard Community and Technical College, Henderson Community College, Hopkinsville Community College, Somerset Community College, and Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College.) The orientation was also attended by the local AO Lead and/or Adult Education Director. The goal of the training was to provide an overview of AO to the coordinators, share best practices and lessons learned from Phase I, and answer questions. The feedback from the training was positive. Three Phase II colleges will start their AO programs this fall semester: Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, Hazard Community and Technical College, and Somerset Community College. Introduction to Team Teaching training was provided to these colleges and their team teaching instructors to give them an overview of the initiative, explain team teaching and the various models, and share lessons learned and best practices from the Phase I colleges. The State AO Coordinator and the Coordinator of Special Projects for Adult and Continuing Education, Jefferson County Public Schools conducted the August training. Jobs for the Future (JFF) convened an AO strategy meeting for state leadership teams on August 8, 2013, in Boston, MA. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss strategies that will promote the long-term goals of sustaining and expanding the initiative, discuss the strengths and challenges of the initiative, determine specific action steps to achieve the initiative goals, promote sustainability, and address challenges. The meeting was attended by Reecie Stagnolia, Vice President of Kentucky Adult Education, and the State AO Coordinator. Below is a list of the AO pathways that will be offered for the fall semester: Pathway College Air Conditioning Technology Jefferson Community and Technical College Allied Health/Nursing Jefferson Community and Technical College

Madisonville Community College Maysville Community and Technical College Owensboro Community and Technical College Somerset Community College Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College

Automotive Technology Gateway Community and Technical College Jefferson Community and Technical College

Culinary Arts Somerset Community College Construction Technology Bluegrass Community and Technical College Data Entry Operator Elizabethtown Community and Technical College

12

Heavy Equipment Operator Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College Health Science Technology West Kentucky Community and Technical College Industrial Maintenance Maysville Community and Technical College

Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College West Kentucky Community and Technical College

Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education

Gateway Community and Technical College Jefferson Community and Technical College West Kentucky Community and Technical College

Manufacturing Industrial Technology Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Marine Technology West Kentucky Community and Technical College Office Systems Technology Bluegrass Community and Technical College Welding Technology Hazard Community and Technical College

Madisonville Community College Maysville Community and Technical College Somerset Community College Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College

CampusCE – Non-Credit Course Management Software In order to support continuous improvement, the System Office CampusCE Project Manager coordinated with CampusCE software engineers to improve the functionality of the system for the 16 community and technical colleges and supported extending the application of the enrollment management system for tracking college employee professional development initiatives at Bluegrass Community and Technical College. In response to both College Business Office and Workforce Solutions CampusCE users, recent system updates were requested to improve the readability of CampusCE-delivered finance reports. The updated finance reports improved the accuracy of recorded financial payment transactions that are processed daily within CampusCE. As a result, the financial reports are expected to improve the efficiency and ease of daily transaction deposit processes and strengthen the audit trail and reconciliation of all financial transactions that are processed within CampusCE. As user knowledge capacity for CampusCE functionality has grown over the first two years of implementation, Bluegrass Community and Technical College is serving as a model for extending the use of the enrollment management system to support additional college processes. Specifically, the Human Resources area of Bluegrass Community and Technical College will be working with Workforce Solutions CampusCE system users to develop the process to implement the use of CampusCE’s registration system to process and track college employee professional development training. Current support from the System Office CampusCE Project Manager is being provided to outline and document the software procedures which will support the extended use of the system. The desired outcome is to develop a model that can then be shared with the remaining 15 college Workforce Solutions CampusCE points of contact as an example of leveraging the capabilities of the enrollment management system to support college needs.

13

Workforce Transitions and Lumina Adult Degree Completion On July 12, 2013, the Workforce Transitions Project Manager met with the systemwide Registrars at the System Office to discuss credit for prior learning and industry-based credentials the college might be recognizing and awarding credit for, beyond those that are listed in the Rules of the Senate. A template was provided to them, with the help of System Registrar, to cull standardized information. This information has been added to the list of prior learning credit recognized by the colleges. By understanding what is currently accepted, the System can look toward ways to expand that credit to the benefit of our students. Additionally, an initial framework has been created for developing a prior learning assessment handbook that will have information for students, faculty, and staff, so that everyone understands the credit that is accepted at KCTCS and the process through which that credit can be accessed. All 16 colleges have submitted their Year 3 plans to the System Office, and those plans have been reviewed. Using information included in those plans as discussion points, the Director of Workforce Solutions and the Workforce Transitions Project Manager will be holding site visits at those colleges who currently sit below 50 percent of their total matriculation goal for the FY11 cohort, which will close on June 30, 2014. These site visits will not only include discussion with the Workforce Transitions Coordinator but also the Leadership Team members, comprised of representatives from Academics, Student Services, and Workforce Solutions. Kentucky Institute for Economic Development (KIED) KCTCS had representation from 10 colleges and the System Office at the 28th Annual Kentucky Institute for Economic Development Course held in Lexington, Kentucky, on August 19-22, 2013. KIED educates participants in the fundamentals and emerging concepts of comprehensive economic development and is accredited by the International Economic Development Council. This course offers intensive training in the basic principles of economic development and counts towards the requirements for the IEDC Certified Economic Developer designation. The institute’s objective is to meet the needs of persons working in the economic development field in both the public and private sectors. The faculty is composed of practitioners and academicians of recognized, long-standing experience in economic development. The course is designed to equip participants with the tools necessary to compete aggressively and successfully for new development in their communities. Topics covered in the course include:

• Business Retention and Expansion • Entrepreneurial and Small Business Development • Marketing and Attraction • Workforce Development • Strategic Planning • Community Development • Economic Development Finance • Real Estate Development • Managing an Economic Development Organization • Ethics in Economic Development

14

The 60 attendees represented local government, education, elected officials, local and state economic development, and Workforce Investment Boards. Ashland Community and Technical College, Big Sandy Community and Technical College, Bluegrass Community and Technical College, Gateway Community and Technical College, Henderson Community College, Hopkinsville Community College, Maysville Community and Technical College, Madisonville Community College, Owensboro Community and Technical College, West Kentucky Community and Technical College, and KCTCS System Office were represented. 35th Annual Mountain Firefighters Association Hazard Fire School The Hazard Fire School was held August 24-25, 2013, at Hazard Community and Technical College. Approximately 1,000 certificates were issued for completion of classes in the following categories: fire, rescue, medical-related services, administration, traffic incident management, meth lab awareness, weather-related emergencies, response to suicide bombing, and hours required for firefighter certification. Kentucky Propane Council Rodeo State Fire Rescue Training (SFRT) Area 2 of the Kentucky Fire Commission and the Propane Council hosted the council’s annual rodeo, a training event for new drivers, at the KCTCS System Office August 28, 2013. KCTCS provided a classroom and a portion of the parking lot for the class and the driving course. Twenty students attended.

PROMOTE RECOGNITION AND VALUE OF KCTCS

Performance Measures

• Financial Contributions • Media Focus

Sponsored Projects – Grants and Contracts For fiscal year 2014 (July 1, 2013-June 30, 2014) through August 31, 2013, the KCTCS Office of Sponsored Projects and Contracts has received $40,165,946 in grants and contracts (excluding federal financial aid). Noteworthy awards include: • Ashland Community and Technical College – a $50,000 Entrepreneur Center grant funded by the

USDA Rural Development Office. • Bluegrass Community and Technical College – a $1,018,162 Perkins Technical Education grant

funded by the U.S. Department of Education through the Kentucky Office of Career and Technical Education.

• Gateway Community and Technical College – a $164,719 Mechatronics for Rural Technicians grant funded by the National Science Foundation.

15

• Jefferson Community and Technical College – a $974,612 National Geospatial Technology Center grant funded by the National Science Foundation.

• Madisonville Community College – a $145,362 Workforce Connection grant funded by the West Kentucky Workforce Investment Board.

• Somerset Community College – a $465,138 Migrant Education grant funded by the U.S. Department of Education.

• Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College – a $60,000 Kentucky Coal Museum and Portal 31 Exhibition Mine grant funded by the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet.

• West Kentucky Community and Technical College – a $175,000 Innovation and Commercialization Center grant funded by the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation.

Gifts from the Private Sector From July 1, 2013, through September 6, 2013, $1,318,168 has been realized in gifts and pledge payments. Included in this total are the following gifts: • A pledge payment of $100,000 from Baptist Health Paducah to the foundation (PJC, Inc.) at West

Kentucky Community and Technical College. These funds provide additional Nursing faculty to increase the student capacity for admission to the Associate Degree Nursing program.

• A gift-in-kind valued at $77,500 from Bruce Chestnut to Somerset Community College. The gift includes a Champion Twin Engine Lancer One, two Lycoming TIO-541 engines, two Lycoming turbo units and fuel systems, and miscellaneous Lycoming parts. This equipment will be used by the Aviation Maintenance Technology program to train their students.

• A gift or $75,000 from Darrell West to the College Foundation, Inc. (the foundation for Henderson Community College) for the Henderson Rotary Club Colonels-2-College Scholarship Endowment. The income from the endowment will be used for graduates of public high school in Henderson County. Students must enroll in the program at the beginning of their freshman year in high school and must obtain a GPA of 2.5. The scholarships are to be used as a “last dollar” benefit for participants.

• A gift of $74,352 from the Jesse V. Keith Educational Trust to Hopkinsville Community College. Fifty percent of the funds will be used for student scholarships, 25 percent for academic and instructional support, and the remaining 25 percent for the library.

• A pledge payment $50,000 from the R.C. Durr Foundation to Gateway Community and Technical College. The funds support the Gap Funding Memorial Scholarship for student tuition, books, and fees. Recipients must maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher and reside in Northern Kentucky.

• A gift of $50,000 from the Quinn Family Foundation to the College Foundation, Inc. (the foundation for Henderson Community College) for the Union County Braves-2-College Scholarship Endowment. Students must enroll in the program at the beginning of their freshman year in high school and must obtain a GPA of 2.5. The scholarships are to be used as a “last dollar” benefit for participants.

Statewide Branding Campaign In response to requests from the colleges to partner with other four-year institutions in the state, this year the statewide sports media buy will include Morehead State University, Murray State University, Western Kentucky University, University of Kentucky, and the University of Louisville. The media buy includes both TV and radio in addition to on-site promotional activities. Additionally, KCTCS will be sponsoring transfer events during featured ball games. Scheduled featured games to date include

16

University of Kentucky – September 7, University of Louisville – September 21, Murray State University – October 5, and Western Kentucky University – November 30. The statewide college sports media campaign allows KCTCS to reach all targeted audiences, including traditional and non-traditional prospective students, workforce/business partners, legislators, and policy makers across the entire state. Additionally, it directly aligns KCTCS with higher education partners and the transfer mission. Sports media coverage continues to be one of the most effective media buys because it is one of the few venues audiences watch in “real time,” increasing its advertising power. Because of the partnerships with the state’s postsecondary institutions, it was possible to more than double the media buy. Local Marketing/Recruitment Cafeteria Plan For the past two years we have offered the colleges a cafeteria plan to choose from to assist with their local marketing and recruitment needs. This year the plan allows colleges to choose from the following options: • Home Team Marketing (high school athletic program – both fall and winter sports). • Facebook Event Ads. • Cinema Advertising. • ACT Direct Mail Program. • Bowling Alley Advertising. As part of the ongoing effort to provide the colleges with professional photography and videography, the KCTCS Marketing and Public Relations Department will be visiting colleges this fall to update their photo libraries and shoot recruitment and program videos. The recruitment and program videos will be useful tools the colleges can use to promote themselves and what they do best on their websites, during high school visits, college fairs, and more. The recruitment video will tell the story of each college through the eyes of their students in a fun, fast-paced, upbeat video featuring each colleges’ students and faculty. The program videos will feature five of each college’s high wage, high demand programs in an informative and interesting video that also showcases classrooms and faculty. Additionally, this fall each college will be filming updated “day in the life” videos. A traditional student and non-traditional student will each be given a camera to capture a day in their life as a KCTCS college student. The videos will be shared on KCTCS YouTube. College Websites Updated On August 12 the KCTCS Web Marketing group launched a refresh of the Ashland Community and Technical College website. This refresh was done as a first-step towards bringing college websites into alignment with the recruitment branding that is being used on all college viewbooks and other marketing materials. For a majority of prospective students, the websites are the front doors of the institutions and how it looks says a lot to these students. The latest Noel-Levitz E-Expectations report stated that 70 percent of traditional prospective students said that an institution’s website affected their perception of that institution. Jefferson Community and Technical College, Hazard Community and Technical College, and Owensboro Community and Technical College will be the next KCTCS colleges to receive a website refresh.

17

Culinary Arts Faculty and Graduate –“Next Food Network Star” Jefferson Community and Technical College Culinary Arts faculty member and graduate Damaris Phillips was named TV’s “Next Food Network Star” in August after completing a 10-week competition and voting by viewers and supporters. As a winner of the program, Phillips will receive her own program on the national network, which will premier fall 2013. Media Tracking - July 1, 2012-June 30, 2013 KCTCS continues to receive strong media coverage. From July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2013, media citations for all KCTCS colleges and the System Office totaled 16,630. The citations by college and System Office for 2010-11 and 2011-12 compared to 2012-13 are as follows:

Media Tracking

College

Total Hits to Date

(July 1, 2010 - June 30, 2011)

Total Hits to Date

(July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012)

Total Hits to Date

(July 1, 2012 - June 30, 2013)

Popular Stories/Topics (July 1, 2012 - June 30, 2013)

Ashland 987 1,349 1,414

Theatre productions, Black History Programs , Dean's List, Drinking Water Treatment, ACTC begins president search, college camp, job & career fair, scholarship donors/recipients, Phantom of the Opera, Smithsonian exhibit, graduation

Big Sandy 219 352 602

Big Sandy Singers, KY Chautauqua coming to BSCTC Campus, Dean's List, adult college fair, transfer fair, scholarship reception, Hannah & May, regional college fair, graduation

Bluegrass 445 526 222

Building for adult education, Biden/Solis visit, 12 KY Colleges Sign Partnership Agreement, Super Sunday, Go2College events, BCTC summer session registration, BCTC Dean's List, blood drive, Newtown Campus, equine academician, graduation

Elizabethtown 493 573 628

Training for soldiers, College Goal Sunday, Super Sunday, Morrison Gallery exhibit, ECTC Dental Clinic, ECTC students to study abroad, transfer fair, green group to host fair, cardboard outing, Workforce Solutions classes, Odyssey Day event, graduation

Gateway 575 677 1,158

New campus, benefactor of the year, Super Sunday, manufacturing must be a national priority, plumbing CEU classes, veteran and student technical fair, achieve global leadership series, graduation

Hazard 1,120 965

2,759 (1,770 hits for

campus shooting)

Distance learning, New Horizon awards, Super Sunday, Martin Luther King, Jr. event, HCTC's Leslie Strong, sports talk, an evening with poets, hot metal series, HVAC/plumbing courses, HCTC career fair, ACT prep, graduation

Henderson 547 766 1,018

Dr. Williams, HCC film series, job fair, Colonels 2 College, mining classes offered this spring, Go2College, transfer fair, Little Shop of Horrors musical, spring registration, adult education, Workforce Solutions classes, graduation

Hopkinsville 322 504 412 Young Masters exhibit, CPE President visit, Biden/Solis visit, regional education summit, textbook scholarship recipients, Criminal Justice Convention,

18

Rotary Auction benefits Rotary Scholars and HCC, new Ag building, anniversary of Constitution, enrollment down, graduation

Jefferson 147 199 235

Local college completion plans, Metropolitan College, financial aid, adult education, JCTC, Toyota expand technician training, adult college fair, foster care transition bill, NCAA Tournament, graduation

Madisonville 798 1,252 1,387

CPE President visit, College Goal Sunday, Glema Center concerts/programs, Life and Legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., county gets $4 million in coal severance funds, adult college fair, Student of the Month, back to school bash, regional college fair, concerts, graduation

Maysville 435 436 747

Cox building restoration , Hayswood Foundation Grants, Annual Farm & Family Night, cosmetology program, Rowan Campus classes, Institute of Culinary Arts, graduation

Owensboro 605 692 878

National Chemistry Week, better workforce aim, A to Z Kids Zone, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, OCTC Chorus, Go2College events, Earth Day, Bank of Owensboro, rooster booster, vet tech program, graduation

Somerset 663 656 689

$1.1 million grant, SCC CPR training program, Biden/Solis visit, Super Sunday, Lineman skills show, joint admissions agreement with WKU, adult education, respiratory care week, graduation

Southcentral Kentucky 626 714 969

Fastest growing community colleges, Workforce Solutions, Super Sunday, Best Places to Work in Kentucky, Dean’s and President’s List, BGTC Earth Day event, transfer fair, Going Barefoot raises awareness, Hodges Announces Retirement, adult literacy classes, automotive tech program NATEF certified, graduation

Southeast Kentucky 282 541 566

SKCTC 50th anniv. celebration, Super Sunday, water treatment workshop, Miss Southeast pageant, college fairs, SKCTC mock disaster, SKCTC to offer Funeral Service program, fall registration, KY Coal Mine Museum, Top 10 by Aspen Institute, graduation

West Kentucky 1,099 1,076 840

WKCTC study abroad program, academic tournament, WKCTC Named in Top 5, Paducah School of Art, adult education program, adult college fair, art students recognized, Coca-Cola academic scholar, Top 10 by Aspen Institute, opening of Scholar House, inaccurate student data testing, graduation

System Office *1,897 *2,371 *2,106

Achievement awards, Community College Tours, Biden/Solis visit, Super Sunday, financial aid, Upike, graduation ceremonies, KCTCS colleges among top 10, KCTCS takes home Paragon Awards, increase in credentials awarded, KCTCS ready to serve veterans, graduation

TOTAL: 9,363 13,649 16,630

* = Audio News Release (ANR) included

1 ANR = 200 hits

19

U.S. Representative Andy Barr Meeting - July 15, 2013 President McCall hosted U. S. Representative Andy Barr of Kentucky's Sixth Congressional District to the System Office on Monday, July 15, 2013. President McCall and Rep. Barr discussed various higher education issues facing KCTCS today, with Barr pledging his full support of the System during his current tenure in Congress. Governmental Affairs – Thorn Run Update In addition to the normal discussions with congressional staff on KCTCS priorities (see below), recent efforts on behalf of the System have focused on grant opportunities that individual colleges are pursuing. System officials are working to prepare an unsolicited grant proposal to the Department of Labor on a new program focused on training returning military veterans for new job opportunities. This idea has been introduced to the congressional delegation, and this proposal should be well received by the Department of Labor. The Kentucky delegation has been continually briefed and updated on the following priority issues for KCTCS: • Efforts to lead on college affordability. • KCTCS Learn on Demand and Learn by Term programs: the delegation is continually educated on

how they can assist the System with the request to the Department of Education for a competency-based waiver.

• The Federal Pell Grant Program. • Reauthorizing the Higher Education Act. • Passing the Reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act.

Kentucky Chamber Business Summit Annual Dinner - July 22, 2013 KCTCS served as an Associate Sponsor of the Kentucky Chamber Business Summit Annual Dinner on July 22, 2013, at the Louisville Marriott Downtown. The dinner highlighted the Kentucky Chamber’s key accomplishments and partnerships throughout the past year, along with a keynote given by CNN Senior Political Analyst David Gergen. President’s Forum and Constitution Day – September 17, 2013 On September 17, 2013, President McCall held a President’s Forum in the System Office Conference Center for all System Office employees where he unveiled his KCTCS President’s Momentum Initiative. The President also observed Constitution Day by delivering remarks concerning the importance of the day and by showcasing a video on the creation of our United States Constitution. Tennessee Fire Chiefs Conference The Division Director of the State Fire Rescue Training (SFRT) and the SFRT Area 3 Industrial Training Specialist participated in the Tennessee Fire Chiefs Conference July 12-16, 2013, in Nashville. Exhibiting at the conference provided an opportunity to market all training opportunities available at the National Responder Preparedness Center (NRPC) in Greenville, Kentucky, outside the confines of the borders of the Commonwealth. This increased the NRPC’s presence as a national training facility and offered the Kentucky Fire Commission, State Fire Rescue Training, and KCTCS the ability to grow student numbers and expand training programs.

20

Kentucky Firefighters Association (KFA) Conference and Hall of Fame The annual KFA Conference was held in Ashland, Kentucky, August 3-6, 2013. This year’s inductees into the KFA Hall of Fame included Michael “Howdy” Kurtsinger, Kentucky Fire Commission Legislative Liaison and Jamia Skaggs, State Fire Rescue Training (SFRT) Area 14 Office Coordinator. Mr. Kurtsinger was recognized for his years of service in support of firefighter and fire service issues and legislation, and Ms. Skaggs was recognized for her 19 years of service to SFRT and KFA. Firefighter Combat Challenge The annual Firefighter Combat Challenge was held in Lexington on August 10-11, 2013, and was attended by approximately 300 firefighters from the U.S. and Canada. The event is a physical ability competition, which is coordinated by the Kentucky Fire Commission’s Candidate Physical Ability Testing (CPAT) Division. Kentucky State Fair The State Fair was held in Louisville at the Exposition Center August 15-25, 2013. The Kentucky Fire Commission and State Fire Rescue Training partnered with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture to showcase programs offered by both entities, including grain safety, fire service history, volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention, education opportunities, and training at the National Responder Preparedness Center. Kentucky Fire Commission Staff Address West Virginia State Fire Commission The Executive Director of the Kentucky Fire Commission and the Kentucky Fire Commission Legislative Liaison addressed the West Virginia State Fire Commission on August 21-22, 2013, at the invitation of Bob Sullivan, State Fire Commissioner. Ideas were presented and information exchanged on leadership, fire prevention, and life safety for citizens by legislation, education, training standards, and resource allocation.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS The Jack Burch Legacy Award 2013 – P.G. Peeples Chair P.G. Peeples was presented the Jack Burch Legacy Award that is given annually at the Community Action Council’s Poverty Forum. The forum was recently conducted in Lexington on August 8, 2013. The award is given to someone who has built and/or left a legacy in the fight for economic justice and security for all. Mr. Jack Burch has been the Executive Director of the Community Action Council for more than 34 years and has raised the profile of poverty through statewide leadership that insists every politician, community leader, staff member, human services professional, and others respect and understand the rights and needs of people with low-income. Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College’s New Leadership President McCall announced the appointment of Dr. F. Lynn Moore as the next President of Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College, effective July 8, 2013. Dr. Moore has served as the Vice President for Student Development at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, since 2008 and took on an additional role as Vice President of Administrative

21

Services in 2011. Prior to that she was the Dean of Students and an Adjunct Instructor at Hill Community College District in Texas and the Supplemental Education Services Director at Texas State Technical College. In addition to her experience in higher education, Dr. Moore has also held positions with the Texas Comptroller’s Office and the Texas Department of Corrections. She is a former co-owner and manager of a private dental clinic. Dr. Moore earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in Educational Administration from the Community College Leadership Program at The University of Texas at Austin. She holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Baker College with a concentration in Human Resource Management and a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. Dr. Moore is a member of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC) and has experience in community service and fundraising for a variety of organizations. Hopkinsville Community College Presidential Search A national search has been initiated to select the next president for Hopkinsville Community College. President McCall met with the college board of directors, faculty, staff, students, and community leaders to develop a profile for the position that will be used throughout the selection process. Candidate materials will be received thorough September, with the review of candidates being conducted in October. Finalists will be invited to the campus for interviews during November, with the new President to begin by January 2014. Southern Regional Education Board’s (SREB) Community College Commission – June 20-21, 2013 President McCall was asked to serve on the SREB Community College Commission and attended the first meeting in New Orleans, June 20-21, 2013. The Community College Commission was established to assist member states and their community college systems in harnessing the potential of their institutions to better serve students with access to quality educational experiences and increase educational attainment levels in SREB states. The Commission’s charge is to recommend effective statewide policies and practices that increase student’s college and career readiness through effective community college/K-12 pathways. A report with recommendations will be produced by Jun 2014 for consideration by SREB Board. The commission is supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Summer 2013 Personalized Learning Network Meeting – July 22-24, 2013 President McCall was invited to participate in the summer 2013 Personalized Learning Network (PLN) Meeting of the Gates Foundation in Berkeley, California. The goals for the meeting were: • Determine next steps for the PLN Governance and Sustainability planning. • Establish working group goals and priorities for 2013 and 2014. • Take time to meet, network, and co-create the next phase with sub-themes of:

o Cross institutional experimental research on personalization at a modular level. o Role of big data analytics in personalization and the student experience.

The PLN is a group of innovative higher education institutions committed to improving student learning outcomes through personalization of the learning process. The group believes that through collaboration they can have a greater impact on U.S. higher education. The PLN acts to:

22

• Educate the academy on what learning personalization is, why it is beneficial and how it can be realized through research and success stories.

• Collaborate to identify and test promising approaches, models, and technologies. • Foster widespread adoption of approaches, systems, and technologies that enable scalable and cost

effective learning personalization in the postsecondary marketplace. • Identify barriers to the widespread implementation of learning personalization and seek ways to

overcome them. Morehead State University’ President’s Leadership Academy – August 9, 2013 President McCall delivered a presentation to the Morehead State’s President’s Leadership Academy on August 9, 2013. KCTCS has been a part of this leadership program for Morehead’s faculty and staff since it started in 2009. This academy event involves a trip to Frankfort with stops at CPE, Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU), and KCTCS. American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Retreat – August 6-7, 2013 President McCall attended the AACC Retreat held in Washington, D.C. Topics addressed included Trends in Online Learning and Social Media, College Safety and Security, Understanding the Importance of Cybersecurity, Legislative Updates, Serving Veterans, and Leadership and Professional Development. Kentucky Fire Commission and KBEMS Open House – July 31, 2013 The Kentucky Fire Commission and Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services (KBEMS) hosted an open house July 31 at their new location in Lexington. The new, multi-tenant office building, shared by both the Kentucky Fire Commission and KBEMS, is located at 118 James Court, off Winchester Road. The new facility means improved service to statewide firefighters, EMS, paramedics, as well as new amenities for employees and room for growth.

Since 1972 the mission of the Kentucky Fire Commission and the State Fire Rescue Training agencies has been to train and certify the volunteer and career firefighters of Kentucky. KBEMS certifies First Responders and Emergency Medical Technicians, provides licenses to Paramedics and Ambulance Services, and establishes standards for education and training of Emergency Medical Services personnel. KBEMS is also a participant in the EMS for Children (EMSC) Program. The Kentucky EMSC project encourages providers to improve their pediatric skills and increase public awareness regarding the health and safety of children. New Division Director of Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) Sabine Gumm was named Division Director for Homeland Security’s HSEEP beginning July 1, 2013. Ms. Gumm served as Interim Division Director from September 1, 2012, through June 30, 2013, and was previously a Disaster Exercise Coordinator for HSEEP. HSEEP is funded by a federal grant through the Kentucky Department of Homeland Security (KOHS). The grant was renewed by KOHS August 1, 2013, and is administered by KCTCS, the Kentucky Fire Commission, and State Fire Rescue Training to provide training, exercises, and evaluations for disaster planning across the Commonwealth.

23

New Coordinator for Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment and Retention Jacob Warren was hired July 16, 2013, for the position of Coordinator for Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment and Retention, funded by a federal grant to the Kentucky Fire Commission and State Fire Rescue Training. The Education Advisory Board’s Community College Forum KCTCS has joined the Community College Forum, a service of the Education Advisory Board that provides research, analysis, benchmarking, and services to more than 800 college and university members across the United States. Membership in the forum will provide KCTCS access to a growing set of content resources and customize research organized into the highest priority issues for community colleges. KCTCS will have access to consultation, networking, and on-demand inquiry with customized projects to address questions and issues specific to KCTCS and its colleges. KCTCS 2010-16 Performance Measures Updated information is available for four performance measures adopted as part of the KCTCS 2010-16 Strategic Plan. For detailed information see attached table. Goal: Increase Student Access, Transfer, and Success • Participation Rate - The KCTCS participation rate measure assesses the percentage of adults aged

18-64 enrolled in a KCTCS college. Between fall 2011 and fall 2012 the rate decreased from 3.7 percent to 3.3 percent. The performance target established for fall 2015 is 3.5 percent.

• Credentials - The number of credentials (associate degrees, certificates, and diplomas) awarded by KCTCS decreased from 28,544 in 2011-12 to 28,469 in 2012-13. The performance target established for 2015-16 is 30,942 credentials. The number of associate degrees awarded decreased from 8,953 in 2011-12 to 8,875 in 2012-13. The 2015-16 performance target for associate degrees awarded is 10,435.

Goal: Cultivate Diversity, Multiculturalism, and Inclusion • Student Diversity – The student diversity performance measure compares minority representation

in the KCTCS student body to the proportion of minorities in the state’s population. An index above 100 indicates KCTCS enrollment is more diverse than Kentucky’s population; a score below 100 indicates KCTCS enrollment is less diverse than the state. Between fall 2011 and fall 2012, the student diversity index rose from 108.4 percent to 110.0 percent. The 2012 rate exceeds the performance target established for fall 2015 (106.7 percent).

Goal: Enhance the Economic and Workforce Development of the Commonwealth • Wage Index - The wage index compares the median wage of KCTCS graduates to the state’s

median wage; an index of 100 indicates graduates’ median wage is equal to the state’s median wage. The 2011-12 index remained unchanged from the previous year, at 83.3 percent. The target for 2015-16 is 100.0 percent.

24

Kentucky Community and Technical College System

College 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2012 2013 2014 2015

Ashland 4.2% 4.5% 4.7% 4.9% 4.0%Big Sandy 4.3% 4.6% 4.9% 4.8% 4.7%Bluegrass 2.0% 2.2% 2.3% 2.4% 2.2%Elizabethtown 3.0% 3.5% 3.9% 3.9% 3.6%Gateway 1.2% 1.5% 1.7% 1.6% 1.5%Hazard 5.7% 6.7% 7.0% 6.9% 5.6%Henderson 4.1% 4.8% 4.7% 4.3% 4.0%Hopkinsville 3.3% 3.9% 4.1% 4.4% 3.5%Jefferson 2.1% 2.2% 2.2% 2.1% 2.0%Madisonville 5.4% 5.5% 5.8% 5.3% 5.2%Maysville 2.7% 3.1% 3.4% 3.5% 2.6%Owensboro 6.1% 6.6% 6.8% 6.7% 4.5%Somerset 3.3% 3.7% 4.1% 4.4% 3.5%Southcentral KY 2.1% 2.5% 2.6% 2.9% 2.7%Southeast KY 5.4% 5.9% 6.0% 6.0% 6.2%West KY 4.4% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0% 4.7%System 3.2% 3.5% 3.7% 3.7% 3.3% 3.5% 3.5% 3.5% 3.5%

Source: Official data as reported to CPE; US Census Bureau Archived Population Estimates and Census 2010; KPR Projections April 2009

Compiled by: Office of Research and Policy AnalysisValue increased since previous year.

Measure Updated: 09/19/13 Value decreased since previous year.No change from previous year.

75% - 99% 50% - 74% 25% - 49% 0% - 24%

Increase Student Access, Transfer, and SuccessPerformance Measure 2010 - 2016 Strategic Plan

Target (Fall Term)

Definition: KCTCS fall credit enrollment from colleges' enrollment clusters divided by the population aged 18-64; KCTCS participation rate includes all Kentucky resident students.

Target: Assumes college enrollment holds steady at Fall 2009 levels, except Southcentral KY and Gateway which are projected to grow by 5% annually. Used straight-line interpolation between Kentucky Population Research (KPR) 5-year projections; KPR projections available for 5-year age groups, assumed 18-19 year olds make up 40% of the 15-19 cohort. System enrollment assumption - the percentage of KCTCS students who are from KY will

Actual (Fall Term)

Participation Rate

Attachm

ent

College

Total# of

Associate Degrees

Total# of

Associate Degrees

Total# of

Associate Degrees

Total# of

Associate Degrees

Total# of

Associate Degrees

Total# of

Associate Degrees

Total# of

Associate Degrees

Total# of

Associate Degrees

Total# of

Associate Degrees

Ashland 1,030 336 1,348 393 1,236 410 1,532 463 1,606 423Big Sandy 677 267 947 340 1,060 324 1,134 326 1,364 380Bluegrass 3,161 1,055 3,203 1,029 3,694 1,138 3,570 1,287 3,389 1,276Elizabethtown 2,110 518 1,863 527 1,837 649 2,179 829 2,076 781Gateway 785 234 925 234 1,244 290 1,307 365 1,340 332Hazard 1,091 345 1,139 363 1,618 411 1,247 372 1,344 374Henderson 413 145 479 185 613 191 522 178 555 203Hopkinsville 624 345 957 390 1,159 430 1,305 531 1,267 525Jefferson 2,817 933 3,234 883 3,473 955 3,099 1,080 2,892 1,122Madisonville 1,089 412 1,086 474 1,122 432 987 444 1,158 437Maysville 1,379 182 1,472 241 1,660 266 1,652 344 1,729 302Owensboro 1,118 391 1,732 491 1,853 569 1,867 613 1,773 650Somerset 2,075 633 1,991 554 2,156 614 2,398 685 2,795 771Southcentral KY 1,294 177 1,292 198 1,853 261 1,982 342 1,550 267Southeast KY 1,044 399 1,022 467 966 402 1,071 433 981 374West KY 2,037 489 2,148 501 2,269 557 2,692 661 2,650 658System 22,744 6,861 24,838 7,270 27,813 7,899 28,544 8,953 28,469 8,875 28,533 9,027 29,372 9,498 30,171 9,965 30,942 10,435

Definition: Annual count of total credentials (associate degrees, certificates and diplomas) awarded and the annual count of associate degrees awarded

Target: Assumes steady growth of associate degrees and diplomas will remain constant (3-yr average), and a conservative growth in certificates

Source: Official data as reported to CPE.Compiled by: Office of Research and Assessment

Measure Updated: 9/19/2013

Kentucky Community and Technical College System

Performance Measures 2010 - 2016 Strategic PlanIncrease Student Access, Transfer, and Success

Total Credentials Awarded

Actual Targets2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-20162008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2012-2013 2012-20132011-2012

Kentucky Community and Technical College System

College 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2012 2013 2014 2015

Ashland 68.5% 77.2% 74.6% 85.9% 80.6% 90.3%Big Sandy 115.7% 66.3% 58.2% 69.4% 80.4% 63.6%Bluegrass 125.3% 117.9% 124.2% 123.4% 123.1% 123.3%Elizabethtown 124.6% 134.9% 122.2% 116.6% 114.4% 114.2%Gateway 129.5% 141.7% 162.4% 169.4% 196.2% 180.6%Hazard 54.5% 62.4% 48.6% 76.9% 78.7% 81.1%Henderson 71.6% 81.1% 73.0% 87.8% 92.8% 98.6%Hopkinsville 149.4% 151.4% 143.2% 144.8% 149.5% 135.3%Jefferson 130.4% 126.4% 130.7% 130.0% 134.8% 136.0%Madisonville 89.9% 100.2% 97.8% 104.2% 105.9% 103.5%Maysville 95.2% 91.7% 98.5% 84.4% 93.6% 92.6%Owensboro 87.0% 92.1% 110.7% 103.8% 106.0% 90.7%Somerset 54.1% 58.4% 78.5% 79.3% 78.4% 86.6%Southcentral KY 81.0% 107.7% 116.9% 121.3% 135.1% 129.2%Southeast KY 90.9% 103.5% 121.1% 123.5% 124.1% 123.3%West KY 102.8% 124.6% 100.6% 117.4% 113.7% 113.0%System 103.3% 104.0% 103.8% 104.9% 108.4% 110.0% 106.0% 106.3% 106.5% 106.7%

Compiled by: Office of Research and Policy Analysis. Value increased since previous year.Value decreased since previous year.

Measure Updated: 09/19/2013 No change from previous year.

100% Plus 75% - 99% 50% - 74% 25% - 49% 0% - 24%

Student Diversity

Cultivate Diversity, Multiculturalism, and InclusionPerformance Measures 2010 - 2016 Strategic Plan

Actual (Fall Term)

Definition: Percent of students with known ethnicity in all racial/ethnic categories excluding white and nonresident alien, based on fall unduplicated headcount, compared to percent minority population aged 18-64 in enrollment cluster.

Target: 100% or maintain/exceed three-year average. Time trend to Fall 2015 - straight-line interpolation (assumes three-year average as baseline). System target assumes growth in measure; growth diminishes over the time period.

Source: Official data as reported to CPE; National Center for Health Statistics. Postcensal estimates of the resident population of the United States for July 1, 2000-July 1, 2009, by year, county, age, bridged race, Hispanic origin, and sex (Vintage 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) - http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/bridged_race.htm#data; Census 2010; US Census Bureau Archived Population Estimates

Target (Fall Term)

Kentucky Community and Technical College System

College 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

Ashland 101.9% 108.5% 98.8% 95.2% 74.0% 98.9% 99.2% 99.4% 99.7% 100.0%Big Sandy 95.4% 80.1% 78.9% 84.1% 77.4% 97.8% 98.3% 98.9% 99.4% 100.0%Bluegrass 92.6% 90.5% 83.9% 79.0% 83.5% 99.0% 99.3% 99.5% 99.8% 100.0%Elizabethtown 80.3% 75.3% 85.0% 80.4% 79.3% 93.0% 93.9% 94.8% 95.8% 96.7%Gateway 102.1% 81.8% 81.6% 83.7% 86.3% 99.1% 99.3% 99.5% 99.8% 100.0%Hazard 92.2% 88.9% 91.8% 93.1% 95.0% 93.1% 94.1% 95.0% 96.0% 96.9%Henderson 97.8% 113.6% 107.0% 87.4% 83.2% 108.6% 108.6% 108.6% 108.6% 108.6%Hopkinsville 84.8% 95.3% 75.9% 79.8% 87.2% 99.5% 99.6% 99.8% 99.9% 100.0%Jefferson 101.3% 95.9% 91.6% 90.4% 90.5% 104.4% 104.4% 104.4% 104.4% 104.4%Madisonville 103.4% 101.7% 86.7% 96.1% 104.1% 114.2% 114.2% 114.2% 114.2% 114.2%Maysville 79.7% 75.9% 91.6% 89.9% 89.1% 83.2% 84.1% 84.9% 85.8% 86.6%Owensboro 85.2% 81.1% 72.0% 79.8% 74.6% 89.6% 90.5% 91.4% 92.3% 93.2%Somerset 89.5% 80.0% 84.4% 77.8% 75.8% 92.2% 93.1% 94.0% 95.0% 95.9%Southcentral KY 86.3% 79.5% 84.9% 80.7% 81.2% 93.0% 93.9% 94.8% 95.8% 96.7%Southeast KY 83.5% 91.5% 91.3% 85.4% 73.0% 84.5% 85.4% 86.2% 87.1% 88.0%West KY 83.4% 80.5% 80.4% 79.2% 81.3% 92.1% 93.1% 94.0% 94.9% 95.9%System 91.5% 87.5% 85.1% 83.3% 83.3% 97.5% 98.1% 98.7% 99.4% 100.0%

Compiled by: Office of Research and Policy AnalysisValue increased since previous year.

Measure Updated: 09/19/2013 Value decreased since previous year.No change from previous year.

100% Plus 75% - 99% 50% - 74% 25% - 49% 0% - 24%

Source: Official CPE data; UI wage match (2nd quarter post-graduation); Office of Employment and Training's Occupational Wagees (OES)

Technical notes: Graduation is assumed to be in the 3rd quarter for summer term, 4th quarter for fall term, and 2nd quarter for spring term; wages matched to the 2nd quarter post-graduation term; for those students who graduated from two different KCTCS institutions in one academic year, the summary data for the system level reflects the average of the wages earned.

Target (Academic Year)

Performance Measures 2010 - 2016 Strategic PlanEnhance the Economic and Workforce Development of the Commonwealth

Wage Index

Target: Three-steps: 1) If the three-year average (2005-06 to 2007-08) is above 100%, maintain target, 2) if not, target is to grow by 1% annually, unless target will surpass 100% in 2015-16, 3) set target to 100%; same logic applies to system wide target (not

Definition: Median quarterly wage of all graduates making at least $2,500 in the 2nd quarter post-graduation divided by the Kentucky median occupational wage (occupational wage divided by four for comparison to quarterly wage).

Actual (Academic Year)

Notes: Graduates who return to KCTCS in the following academic year are excluded from this analysis; LCC summer term graduates are not included in 2005-06.

60 Change • May/June 2013

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

ARTICLE TITLEAUTHOR

QUERY SHEET

This page lists questions we have about your paper. The numbers displayed at the left can be found in the text of the paper for reference. In addition, please review your paper as a whole for correctness. Please specifycolumn number with query responses.

AQ

60 Change • May/June 2013

As founding president and chief executive officer of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS), Michael B. McCall (president@kctcs.edu) over-sees a system of 16 individually accredited comprehensive community colleges with nearly 70 campuses serving more than 100,000 students annually. He thanks the KCTCS staff who contributed to this article: Jay K. Box, chancellor; Sandra L. Cook, system director of KCTCS Online–Learn on Demand & Learn by Term; and Kim Calebs, grant- development specialist.

When colleges turned to online learning, they opened the door for a number of stu-dents who might have only dreamed of pursuing a degree or credential. In 2006, the Kentucky Community and Technical

College System (KCTCS) surveyed prospective adult stu-dents without a college degree and discovered that they were three times more likely to enroll in an entirely online college course than they were to attend a traditional in-person class.

These responses made it clear that a desire to attend col-lege is not enough to initiate enrollment. The primary barri-ers between prospective adult students and college courses are life’s routine challenges, including transportation, family obligations, and financial resources.

With this in mind, KCTCS created a delivery model, called Learn on Demand, that offers college courses at any time of day and year and that students can attend from anywhere. This online, competency-based model increases college completion rates and affordability while reducing time to completion. Its distinguishing characteristics include student selection of a start date, self-pacing, modularization, competency-based assessment, 24/7 student-support ser-vices, and enhanced quality-control processes.

The development of Learn on Demand incorporates sev-eral important tenets of college leadership: Articulate a com-pelling vision, focus on value for both the student and the institution, include input from constituents at all levels of the organization, recognize the importance of continuous quality improvement, and acknowledge that innovation takes time. Learn on Demand demonstrates the success that derives from applying these principles.

History

Learn on Demand started with the 1999 inauguration of the Kentucky Virtual University (KYVU), a statewide initia-tive that organized all of Kentucky’s public higher education online offerings into a single website. Within a few short years, KCTCS established itself as the state’s largest devel-oper and provider of online learning. By 2006, the system had six times the number of online course enrollments than the next-largest deliverer among Kentucky public postsec-ondary institutions.

Early efforts were highly decentralized. Individual col-leges used local resources to develop courses. They assumed all delivery costs and were free to decide whether their courses were “local online” (available only to students regis-tered at their college) or “web online” (available to any stu-dent, regardless of home college). Enrollment counts were

By Michael B. McCall

THEKENTUCKY

COMMUNITY

LEARN ON DEMAND MODEL

AND TECHNICALCOLLEGESYSTEM

Learn on Demand increases college

completion rates and affordability

while reducing time to completion.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Ow

ensb

oro

Com

m &

Tec

h C

olle

ge],

[D

r M

icha

el B

. McC

all]

at 1

0:15

01

Aug

ust 2

013

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

www.changemag.org 61

determined by the college in which the students were regis-tered, while the college in which the student took the course received the tuition.

Because each of KCTCS’s 16 colleges used its own re-sources, despite growing student interest its offerings were restricted by the number of faculty it could recruit and train. This curtailed its ability to use a student-demand analysis to plan its online offerings.

Realizing the need to address this issue strategically, in 2006 KCTCS began exploring the creation of a centrally administered online portal. The yearlong analysis included a compilation of historical and existing online offerings; a re-view of national online education offerings that had analyzed the effects of online instruction on student success and re-turn on investment; focus groups with various stakeholders, including current and future students, college faculty and staff, and external partners such as the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education; and a market study of the demand for online education at local, state, and national levels.

The outcome was the KCTCS Virtual Learning Initiative (renamed Learn on Demand when KCTCS colleges began enrolling students in 2009), a framework whereby consortia of colleges and faculty would compete for three-year loans to create online programs. The consortia were required to include a plan for return on investment and sustainability, agree to share tuition revenues, and use best-practice guide-lines that had been developed during the analysis phase.

Several key factors helped create institutional buy-in. Meetings were held at all KCTCS campuses, and each col-lege’s president was appointed to the Learn on Demand’s board of directors. The new model was voluntary and did not supplant other online offerings across the system. Institutions whose students took classes at sister colleges could share revenue, even if the home college was not a member of a consortium.

The consortial format helped spread the administrative burden across multiple institutions while giving them access to centralized support for faculty training, a call center and help desk, a website, technology contracts, and marketing. It made online learning a scalable and self-sustaining enter-prise that used the latest, most appropriate technologies and was sensitive to first-time enrollees, returning adult students, and employers with training needs for prospective and in-cumbent workers.

Formal requests for proposals (RFPs) were released, and applications were accepted in phases over a two-year period. The first round (in 2007) called for the development of two associate of applied science (AAS) degree programs, one in

business administration and another not specified, as well as general education courses. Subsequent rounds focused on nursing programs and transitional courses in developmental math, reading and writing.

Recipients of funds included Big Sandy, Bluegrass, Elizabethtown, Hazard, Jefferson, Owensboro, Southeast Kentucky, and West Kentucky Community and Technical Colleges and Hopkinsville and Somerset Community Colleges. By the end of the competition, Learn on Demand was fully realized, with completely online degree programs in business administration, information technology, and nursing; a nursing aide assistant certificate program; and modules and courses to address gaps, including remedial educational needs.

tHe Program

Each of the distinguishing characteristics of Learn on Demand (student-selected start date, self-pacing, modular-ization, competency-based assessment, 24/7 student-support services, and enhanced quality-control processes) plays an integral role in helping students succeed.

Start Date and PacingCollege can be a challenging, chaotic environment for

students as they juggle work, school, and social and family responsibilities. Academic work too often takes a back seat to these conflicting demands. In the KCTCS model, stu-dents choose their start date and progress at their own pace. Courses have no enrollment caps, so there is no need to wait for a course because it is full. A student can apply and be taking courses within a few days.

ModularizationAlthough flexible in terms of start date and pacing,

courses are built around a traditional 15-week course frame-work. But each is divided into three to five subunits (“mod-ules”), each of which earns a portion of the full course’s credit. The modules typically take three to five weeks to complete, and students may take as much time as they need between modules.

Students have the option of registering for one module at a time or signing up for an entire course, in which case they work through the modules back-to-back. There are no lim-its on the number of modules or courses students may take concurrently. The modularized structure allows students to

The consortial format made

online learning a scalable and

self-sustaining enterprise.

College can be a challenging,

chaotic environment for students

as they juggle work, school, and

social and family responsibilities.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Ow

ensb

oro

Com

m &

Tec

h C

olle

ge],

[D

r M

icha

el B

. McC

all]

at 1

0:15

01

Aug

ust 2

013

62 Change • May/June 2013

complete their education in smaller or larger pieces, as their life circumstances allow.

AssessmentTo minimize the amount of time students spend on con-

tent they have already mastered, Learn on Demand employs an integrated assessment system. Explicit competencies are expected to result from every module, verified by correlated pre- and post-tests. Students who demonstrate mastery on the pre-test can progress directly to the post-test and earn credit for the module, enabling them to move quickly on to the material they still need to learn. Even if they fail to dem-onstrate enough competency to move on, the opportunity to attempt it has proven a great draw for students with multiple demands on their time and energy.

Student Support Perhaps the biggest barrier online students face is the lack

of advising, mentoring, and tutoring. Extensive research and interviews with institutions with successful online advising models led KCTCS to implement a network of student-success coaches, following the standards of the National Academic Advising Association and the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education.

The team of coaches uses scheduling software, instant chat, remote sharing with video and audio capabilities, new-student interactive orientations, course/career planning tools, and digital session storage capabilities to support students. These innovations allow for real-time interactions—a key to helping students build bridges between concepts and compre-hend information that might otherwise baffle or swamp them.

To complement the suite of coaching services, 24/7/365 access to online tutoring in mathematics, writing, science, business, information technology, and nursing keeps stu-dents on the path to completion. Most of the technical ques-tions raised by online students can be quickly addressed with a telephone call, instant message, or e-mail. An around-the-clock help desk ensures there will be someone available to respond immediately when students reach out, thereby pre-venting the lag time that can hinder their progress.

To date coaches are working with 89.8 percent of the ac-tive Learn on Demand students from the point of application to enrollment to completion. Since the advent of the coaches, the average credit hour taken per student has increased from 3 to 4.8.

Quality ControlIn addition to closely monitoring student progress through

standard performance measures such as persistence and completion rates, KCTCS uses a formal quality-assurance procedure to evaluate course content and delivery. All courses are peer reviewed before they are offered to students. Faculty must apply to teach online courses and complete training on how to facilitate learning in an online environ-ment. Student course evaluations are administered at mid-term and course completion, and interviews are conducted with students who drop classes.

If the quality-assurance review indicates problems, KCTCS takes corrective action, such as improving content, requiring further instructor training, or addressing technol-ogy issues. This attention to quality has paid off in improved student performance; the rate of Learn on Demand students finishing a module with a passing grade is 88 percent, higher than the 86 percent rate for students on the physical campus.

Funding model

Learn on Demand was initiated with a $460,000 interest-free loan from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education’s Kentucky Virtual University Revolving Loan Fund. The loan was repaid within three years, and the pro-gram is now a revenue generator supported entirely by tu-ition income.

Revenue for FY 2012 was $1,077,550; because some colleges were paying back development costs, net profit was approximately $120,000. In FY 2013, projected rev-enue is $3,795,120, with an estimated net profit of around $2,300,000.

Present and Future

Kentucky has the fifth highest poverty rate in the nation, with many rural pockets of limited postsecondary access. According to the American Community Survey, 17 percent of Kentuckians (520,000 adults) live in poverty, and just over 80 percent of the KCTCS student population is Pell-eligible.

The AA/AS degree addresses this problem by narrowing the completion gap between lower-income, rural students and their more privileged peers. Since the launch of Learn on Demand in 2009, KCTCS has tallied 3,214 unduplicated students and 13,065 enrollments. More than 150 credentials have been awarded to Learn on Demand students, including 69 associate degrees, 58 certificates and 30 diplomas.

Programs such as Connect Kentucky—a public-private partnership to lead technology-based initiatives and increase access to computers and broadband technology—are bridg-ing the digital divide and improving access to higher educa-tion. With more targeted communications strategies, KCTCS will be able to address the completion problem even more effectively and, with the state’s lowest tuition rates, improve affordability.

This project also has the potential to fill labor-market shortages. A 2010 study by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce predicts that between 2008 and 2018, Kentucky will create 617,000 job vacancies. Of these, 330,000 will require postsecondary credentials. To this end, KCTCS established a statewide target of 15,564 certificates of labor-market value by 2016.

Direct2DegreeRecognizing that Learn on Demand’s modularized courses

and comprehensive online support mechanisms are impor-tant but by no means final steps in a continuous improve-ment process, KCTCS is planning additional innovations that will enable dramatically increased student success and affordability. Direct2Degree (D2D) is a five-year project to

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Ow

ensb

oro

Com

m &

Tec

h C

olle

ge],

[D

r M

icha

el B

. McC

all]

at 1

0:15

01

Aug

ust 2

013

www.changemag.org 63

The team of coaches uses scheduling software,

instant chat, remote sharing with video and audio

capabilities, new-student interactive orientations,

course/career planning tools, and digital session

storage capabilities to support students.

ComPetenCies For tHe Business administration Core

Students should prepare for twenty-first century challenges by demonstratingGeneral Education Competencies:

1. Knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural worlds through study in the sciences and mathematics, social sciences, humanities, history, languages, and the arts

2. Intellectual and practical skills, including •inquiryandanalysis •criticalandcreativethinking •writtenandoralcommunication •quantitativeliteracy •informationliteracy •teamworkandproblemsolving3. Personal and social responsibility, including •civicknowledgeandengagement(localandglobal) •interculturalknowledgeandcompetence •ethicalreasoningandaction •foundationsandskillsforlifelonglearning4. Integrative and applied learning, including synthesis and advanced accomplishment across general and specialized

skillsTechnical Education Competencies:

1. An understanding of the operation of the economic system and how it affects individuals, organizations and society2. An understanding of basic financial accounting concepts for decision-making, planning, and control3. Knowledge of the legal environment of business4. An understanding of the role of the marketing and customer focus in all organizations5. The capacity to create an error-free employment portfolio using computer technology6. The capacity to explain and operate current software packages, including operating systems, databases, spread-

sheets, and word processing to develop solutions to common business problems7. An understanding of the use of technology and its impact on business and operations8. An understanding of the functions of management: planning, organizing, leading, staffing, and controlling9. An understanding of team building, employee empowerment, business ethics, decision-making, problem solving,

and qualityManagement Track Competencies

1. The capacity to set goals, formulate plans, and utilize resources2. The know-how to accomplish objectives, assign work, and delegate authority3. The ability to design jobs, incentive systems, and training programs to improve productivity4. The ability to assess progress by utilizing qualitative and quantitative techniques5. An awareness of trends and their impact on management decisions

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Ow

ensb

oro

Com

m &

Tec

h C

olle

ge],

[D

r M

icha

el B

. McC

all]

at 1

0:15

01

Aug

ust 2

013

64 Change • May/June 2013

produce more degree completers more quickly through inno-vative instructional, tuition, and student-aid models—with-out increasing instructional, physical facility, or maintenance costs or compromising academic rigor or retention.

The model has three primary goals:

• To reorient the flow of courses from the concurrent course model used in KCTCS’ existing Learn on De-mand program to a sequential-course model,

• To deploy a new tuition model that motivates and re-wards progress and early completion without penalizing extended learning times, and

• To implement an alternative financial-aid model that will remove traditional schedule barriers and support the reconfigured delivery and tuition models.

Sequential-course model. In September 2012, KCTCS heard from Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC)—an initiative dedicated to accelerating innovation through applied technology in order to dramatically improve college readiness and completion in the US—that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation would be granting $5.4 mil-lion for 13 innovative models of personalized blended learn-ing. KCTCS was among the awardees.

In partnership with the Southern Regional Education Board and the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, KCTCS plans to use its $1 million award to decrease students’ time to degree by reconfiguring the Learn on Demand courses into a linear-sequential path of 20 modularized courses taken one at a time.

Because typical courses last 15 weeks, full-time students must manage now at least four concurrent courses each term. Research supports the contention that when full-time students take one course at a time in a block-style format, success and retention can increase. KCTCS has already redesigned 20 courses into a linear sequence of 81 discrete modules, each with its own pre- and post-tests and learning activities.

With D2D, students will enter the program in module 1 and proceed one module at a time to graduation, working at their own pace and accelerating progress by demonstrating mastery whenever possible. They will complete the same

number of courses per term but be able to concentrate fully on one topic at a time.

Course design includes a combination of personalized content, embedded assessment, interactivity, and immediate student feedback to increase engagement and improve learn-ing outcomes through deeper learning experiences. In con-junction with stronger student awareness of progress toward degree completion, these approaches promote a significant shift toward learner-centered responsibilities.

Studies of linear-sequential models suggest that, with suitably designed learning activities, students are more engaged but also may have a need for increased support. Direct2Degree will incorporate proven Learn on Demand instructional supports. KCTCS expects to expand the cadre of student-success coaches and begin enrolling students in the program in fall 2013.

Successful completion of the program will confer an asso-ciate’s of arts or science (AA/AS) degree designed to trans-fer to all Kentucky universities. Kentucky’s transfer policy guarantees that if students complete an AA or AS degree at a KCTCS college, any Kentucky public university will accept general education credits as meeting its lower-division gen-eral education requirements.

Investment in faculty development plays a crucial part in enabling the online education paradigm to generate deeper learning outcomes, while carefully designed assessment and evaluation tools enable faculty to monitor and validate stu-dent learning and program performance. Planned activities include authentic assessment workshops led by nationally recognized experts; quality-assurance workshops on the use of rubrics, including standards of evidence for authentic as-sessments; multimedia and applied-learning techniques; in-structional design workshops on techniques that tie content, learning activities, and assessments to expected outcomes; and ongoing training on the uses of technology across a vari-ety of instructional media.

Alternative tuition model. D2D pairs the sequential-course model with a new tuition model that motivates progress and rewards early completion. Currently, Learn on Demand provides the opportunity to reduce the time to de-gree but does not alter the credit-hour-based cost structure. KCTCS tuition is $140 a credit hour; education and related (E&R) costs average $3,883 per student per year. Students pay per hour attempted, and there are no incentives or re-wards for early completion.

Learn on Demand provides the

opportunity to reduce the time

to degree but does not alter the

credit-hour-based cost structure.

Studies of linear-sequential

models suggest that, with suitably

designed learning activities,

students are more engaged but

also may have a need for

increased support.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Ow

ensb

oro

Com

m &

Tec

h C

olle

ge],

[D

r M

icha

el B

. McC

all]

at 1

0:15

01

Aug

ust 2

013

www.changemag.org 65

D2D will change the tuition framework to a monthly sub-scription with a cap on the total time a student can take and the total tuition a student will pay. This will motivate stu-dents to complete faster and reward them for doing so—but not penalize those who require extended time. Under this tuition model, students who reduce time to completion from 24 to 20 months could reduce the cost of their degree by al-most $1,400.

Alternative financial-aid model. Continuous student progress hinges on uninterrupted access to economic sup-port, including financial aid. Self-paced students require grants and loans matched to their progress, not to a rigid academic calendar. Determining how to optimize a tuition model for student incentives and rewards – and balance those with college costs – will be an early focus of the D2D business-practices development.

With input from the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) and Western Governors University, KCTCS will assess alternative financial as-sistance models under different tuition, student-aid, and college-savings scenarios. For example, Western Governors University currently uses a six-month term that matches fi-nancial aid to individual rates of progress. Research on this and other models will inform the construction of a sharable data-modeling tool that other colleges and systems can use to test and optimize the cost, price, and subsidy balance of their competency-based courses and programs.

The biggest obstacle to scaling Learn on Demand has been federal financial-aid regulations that do not favor pro-grams in which students can move through courses based on mastery faster (or sometimes more slowly) than their tradi-tional counterparts who sign up for 15-week semesters and are awarded financial aid accordingly for that “term.” Non-term-based delivery is possible, but the restrictions are ex-tensive and make the awarding of financial aid a completely manual process. The Code of Federal Regulations allows for the awarding of credit through direct assessment, but that approach is as yet untried by any US college.

Other challenges include adapting current term-based op-erations for the student information system and changing pro-cedures to accommodate a competency-based delivery model. Additionally, effectively communicating to the public and to the colleges about how Learn on Demand differs from tradi-tional term-based operations has been an ongoing challenge.

Analytics model. The Direct2Degree program will use learning analytics and performance-management systems to ensure quality, affordability, and continuous improvement. It will measure student activity and interaction, as well as the individual rates of progress achieved by students when learn-ing at their own pace. These data, coupled with information on pre- and post-assessments for each module and formative assessments on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes devel-oped in the courses, will provide a robust understanding of the variables that accelerate or decelerate student progress in the D2D program.

The analysis comparing D2D to traditional programs will focus on two components: time and costs to students and costs to institutions. The Delta Cost Project sets the standard in national discussions surrounding college affordability. However, since its calculations are based on a fixed-time definition of a credit hour, they are not designed to show the fiscal implications of reduced time to mastery and degree.

Using baseline data on the current Learn on Demand program (which contains some of the features of D2D) and traditional KCTCS programs, NCHEMS will calculate the costs to students, given certain price structures. For tra-ditional delivery, drivers are the cost per credit hour and credit hours required for program completion. For D2D, cost comparisons for students are driven by the flat cost per time period and the number of time periods required for program completion. The new model also includes a component for persistence and completion.

The analysis will also compare institutional costs for online and face-to-face delivery. We expect that cost differ-ences will be a function of different combinations of activi-ties, such as content/course development, content delivery, and support services; the level and nature of resources (par-ticularly faculty and staff) deployed to these different activi-ties; and scale (the number of students enrolled per section or course).

In short, KCTCS will address the critical question: What combination of price to students (including measures by time) and services provided by institutions maximizes af-fordability to students and institutions, as well as student persistence and completion?

ConClusion

Colleges are now routinely asked to meet challenges and take advantage of opportunities that would have been un-imaginable in earlier days of public education. For KCTCS, that means that we are giving a great deal of attention to the transformative changes that will allow us to serve the grow-ing needs of students better and with fewer resources.

Learn on Demand offers lessons that go far beyond deliv-ery methods, funding mechanisms, or policy constructs. It is a model for what organizational success can look like when institutions commit to a vision, to their colleagues, to their partners, and to their students. C

To learn more about KCTCS Learn on Demand, visit:http://learnondemand.kctcs.edu/

Continuous student progress

hinges on uninterrupted access

to economic support, including

financial aid.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Ow

ensb

oro

Com

m &

Tec

h C

olle

ge],

[D

r M

icha

el B

. McC

all]

at 1

0:15

01

Aug

ust 2

013