The Crestmont Council in coordination with our prior Training Principal Major Steve Smith and staff identified seven strategic goals worthy of attention during the second year (2010-2011) of the plan. These seven goals were in the six areas of academic excellence, campus master plan, physical plant, information technology, finance and institutional effectiveness. This report details progress in these areas and also documents additional progress made at the college during the last year. Finally, the eight Crestmont Council focus goals for 2011-2012 as espoused by Major Tim Foley, our current Training Principal, are presented.
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Academic Excellence Objective(s):
CFOT will ensure the proper integration of technology and library services in the teaching, learning, training and assessment process.
Progress: The Library during this past year has added a third data base entitled NewsSource, a new additional website link to diversity instructional materials and information, a link to PDF transparency collections in the Library, five hundred new books, all new computers, and an online tutorial on information literacy. In addition, the Library Director and the staff took steps to organize and vitalize our museum policies and collection. The staff has provided added access for museum visitation and has conducted several tours of the facility for public and Army groups.
A course on Information Literacy has been added to the curriculum and all members of the first year cadet class completed the course in the fall. This course was successful in teaching cadets the skills needed to effectively gather information from online and print resources, how to develop a research topic and the creation of effective strategies for finding relevant information. The course focused on effective use of Web search engines and CFOT electronic resources to find information. |
CFOT will provide tutorial and academic assistance services to cadets experiencing academic difficulties in their coursework, e.g. writing, comprehension, study skills, etc.
Progress: The Center continues to provide tutoring and writing services to cadets who need assistance. The Director developed a guide for faculty to teaching and learning assistance, and presented sections of the manual in the Faculty Development Program. In addition, the staff continues to present workshops on time management, research paper writing, learning styles and effective study skills for students who need this assistance. The staff assisted in the identification of selected students with learning difficulties and developed a process for involving faculty in supporting the learning needs of these students. The staff has been very helpful in conducting exam review sessions and meeting individually with any student who needs assistance. The staff has also facilitated exam-taking for cadets with special needs who may require additional time to complete the examination.
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Campus Master Plan Objective(s):
CFOT will develop and implement a comprehensive master plan, including capital plant replacement and enhancement and grounds and landscaping, to protect and enhance the physical learning environment and applicable ADA standards. CFOT will emphasize energy conservation, recycling and doing what we can to green the campus.
Progress: The College has active Property and Finance Committees that engaged themselves in full-fledged program reviews during this past year. The staff in business has made considerable progress in assessment of energy conservation, assessment of solar energy options and costs, a revised television cabling contract, development of an effective capital budget and significant improvements to the campus recycling program and vendor services. At the same time steps have been taken to clarify the budget schedule and process and to engage staff in providing input to the process. The current Master Plan revisions have been placed on hold due to the economic realities facing all colleges. At the same time the college is converting conference space to cadet housing and making plant adjustments as necessitated by the cadet enrollment.
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Physical Plant Objective(s):
CFOT will do a life cycle replacement analysis to determine the deferred maintenance needs of the College.
Progress: The Property Committee has made progress with long range deferred maintenance projections and has shared that data with the Property Committee. Such data has been shared with the Crestmont Council at their May meeting. The data provides a basis for calculating a deferred maintenance projected budget on a multi-year basis, and is especially useful in projecting such needs financially.
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Information Technology Objective(s):
Update classroom applications and uses for technology, software and hardware applications, and ensure proper infrastructure support and backup.
Progress: This area continues to be a challenge even though we are generally up-to date on computer replacements and have not had as many major network problems this year. This issue is a major priority for Major Foley and the Executive Council; our current approach has not produced a technology plan and cadets on a multi-year basis have rated the technology services and support as an area that needs attention. The Director of Business Administration is committed to taking steps to formalize a technology plan and document problems related to technology on an on-going basis.
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Accounting/Finance/Budget Objective(s):
Strengthen internal financial budgeting communication between departments and the finance area.
Progress: The College working with the Crestmont Council and THQ has developed a budget timeline and has asked unit budget directors to consult their respective staff regarding unit needs and fiscal areas of concern. Such steps are resulting in more communication and understanding of financial matters at the college. This spring Major Tim Foley and Major Cindy Foley convened the primary budget directors at the College and members of the Crestmont Council Finance Committee to review with the directors their financial needs for 2011-2012 and to examine the Strategic Plan goals that required resources in 2011-2012.
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Institutional Effectiveness Objective(s):
CFOT will define and allocate added resources to support institutional research, student learning outcomes and assessment.
Progress: The College has funded a new research analyst position for the assessment and accreditation activities. This is welcomed and needed support as we approach our self study and upcoming visit. Mr. Duncan Sutton, a soldier in a LA area corps and a member of the instructional staff with extensive knowledge of The Salvation Army and experience at the Training College was selected and has started the new position this summer.
The College has also made significant progress in these areas: WASC approval of our comprehensive mid-term report, approval of an exemption from substantive change on our off-site hybrid program, scheduling of Self-Study Training in October of 2011, publication of our data-based Fact Book for CFOT, full implementation of our SLO data collection in 2012, development of a Virtual File Cabinet for evidence document retrieval, initial efforts to strengthen the culture of evidence and research involving the institutional research committee, efforts to expand the research agenda, creation of a tool to Assess the Strategic Plan, collection of suggestions regarding new strategic goals for the next three years, revision of the Institutional SLOs, implementation of a six elements faculty teaching assessment program, selection of new Registrar software and a vendor, expansion of on-line data bases, computerization of campus-wide schedule and calendar, new course in information Literacy, revised testing programs for entering cadets, enhanced completion of the Cadet Pre-Training Program, implementation of revised minimum qualifications to include experienced Bachelor’s credentialed officers in applied courses, expansion of classroom facilities to accommodate the increasing cadet enrollments, improvements to the campus recycling program, modifications to the Business course curriculum, completion of the life cycle replacement project, beginning work done on a technology plan, completion of programs reviews in Family Care, Property, Human resources and Finance, and enhanced use of Crestmont Council members as lecturers and committee members.
Finally, Major Tim Foley and the Crestmont Council have identified eight new goals for 2011-2012 in the areas of linking the curriculum and co-curriculum to the world beyond Crestmont, ensuring that students gain global and territorial perspectives; exploring staffing levels, reassignments and redistribution of duties in support of the academic program of the college; further integrating and streamlining Field Training with the academic curriculum; assessing student life satisfaction levels with their Crestmont experiences and incorporating changes as needed; reassessing our master planning needs; updating classroom applications and uses for technology, software and hardware applications, and ensuring proper infrastructure support and backup; strengthening further our internal financial budgeting communication between departments and the finance area; and increasing the focus on student learning outcomes and clarifying implications for courses, programs and degree learning.
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