|
Standard Six: Student Services
Description
As cited in the NMTC Student Handbook, the student affairs area "is committed to the delivery of quality support programs and services. Our goal is to promote an environment in which students feel welcome, important and cared about. Student satisfaction and success are the
measures by which we judge our work performance. From admission through
graduation, the needs of students are our primary concern, and we strive toward continuous improvement in meeting these needs...." NMTC recognizes the vital importance of co-curricula activities and support services which enhance the personal and professional development of each student. The institution?s wide array of support services
include student records management, financial aid, counseling, residential living facilities, campus bookstore, library/media center and food service. Following is a list of services provided outside of the area of academic instruction:
Financial Aid - The financial aid office administers a wide-ranging program including scholarships, grants and loans. All entering students
are encouraged to apply for financial assistance, as the guidelines for different categories need to be assessed on an individual basis. On average, some 85 percent of full-time students utilize this service which is also available for part-time students.
Residential Life - Both dormitory and apartment style living accommodations are available on campus, and both dormitory and apartment facilities can be adapted for individualized accessibility. The department of residential life is responsible for fostering and maintaining an environment that is conducive to the intellectual and social development of resident students. The resident staff is trained
to be alert and responsive to potential student problems, and staff members are encouraged to make referrals to the campus counselor when appropriate. In addition, the residential life staff, in cooperation with the student government organization on campus, coordinates a wide variety of extra-curricular activities, both on and off campus. Counseling - Academic, career and personal counseling are provided for
students by the three professionals who comprise the counseling staff. They are also responsible for substance abuse assessment, referral, and education services, often in conjunction with the campus disciplinary process. Counselors monitor student academic progress through an ?early
alert? warning system and ongoing faculty referrals. They also maintain
regular contact with area social service agencies on behalf of students and assist students in their efforts to access community resources. The counseling staff offers students a wide-variety of personal development programs within and outside of the classroom, including workshops on study skills, stress management, personality assessment, alcohol free alternatives, job search skills, etc. A Student Support Services grant
through the Federal TRIO program has enhanced counseling services for low income, first generation and disabled students on campus. Eligible participants now receive comprehensive and individualized counseling, including an individualized Student Success Plan, personalized tutoring support, basic skills assessment and additional financial aid assistance. Food Service - Meals and snack bar services are available during the school year, and special meal plans are offered for commuters and employees. Books and Supplies - The campus bookstore carries textbooks and school supplies, as well as a range of miscellaneous items for the convenience of students and staff.
Library/Media Center - NMTC maintains a competently staffed library with a wide-variety of reference materials, fiction, periodicals and professional journals. Computer access terminals are available for
patrons and provide several databases for student use.
Health Care - The NMTC Health Center is open weekdays and one evening per week for student health care needs. It is staffed by a licensed
nurse practitioner, who provides a wide range of services, including the monitoring of immunizations requirements.
Student Organizations - Student Senate, honor societies, VICA, non-traditional student society, and the Student Nurses Association are among the student groups that are active on campus.
Athletics - NMTC provides a substantial agenda of sporting events, including varsity sports as well as intramural athletic programs, fitness programs, a well-equipped exercise and free weight facilities, racquetball court and access to the gymnasium for walking, running, etc. Veterans? Affairs - The student affairs office provides financial and academic counseling for students who are military veterans. Alumni Affairs - The development office coordinates both social and fund-raising activities and provides informational updates and other services for NMTC graduates. The student affairs division maintains a
graduate referral program for employers called TecNet.
Academic advising for part-time and evening students is provided by the evening advisor, who is also a member of the full-time counseling staff. She is present on campus two evenings per week and visits the evening classes on a regular basis to familiarize students with campus resources. Academic and career counseling, as well as course registration, consultation regarding tutoring services/financial aid/employment opportunities, and coordination with daytime campus staff are among the essential services she provides to the part-time student population.
Off campus centers employ an evening advising professional to assist students with academic questions that arise. Students who take courses
at an off-campus site are also invited to take advantage of the resources available on the main campus.
The director of counseling is also responsible for the implementation of special accommodations for students with physical or learning disabilities. Students are required to submit a request for such accommodations in writing, along with supporting documentation. All requests are reviewed by the director and approved or denied by the dean of students. The counselor is also responsible for informing faculty of necessary adaptations to the classroom environment and for any necessary follow-up.
In recent years increased efforts have been made to encourage women to enroll in non-traditional trade and technical programs. A promotional radio ad was developed and aired in 2000, and a television ad featuring women in trade programs at NMTC was filmed in 2002 and is currently part of the ad series that is broadcast throughout Aroostook County. The gender equity coordinator works closely with the Center for Women, Work and Community to plan Women?s History Month activities that celebrate the achievements of women. She also provides individual and small group
support services to women and men in non-traditional programs. The director of counseling works closely with the local staff of the ASPIRE Program, a branch of the Maine Department of Human Services which assists disadvantaged parents who are enrolled in post-secondary educational programs. Most ASPIRE clients are women, typically single
parents, and are in need of a broad range of support services, including career counseling, tutoring, childcare referral, transportation assistance, personal and social support, and academic monitoring. NMTC campus publications include non-traditional students, students of color, and students with disabilities as a means of encouraging prospective applicants from these under-represented groups. A focus for the college?s newest admission representative is the recruiting of under-represented groups. As such, the college has increased its
commitment to recruiting in areas more ethnically diverse than Maine, such as Boston, Hartford and Providence.
The college is committed to the ideal of a diverse campus environment and strives to make the college community a warm and welcoming place for all students. Under the direction of the campus strategic planning
committee, an ad hoc committee was formed to examine how NMTC students are learning to deal with and live in an increasingly global society. This committee researched diversity-related issues, and some members attended related professional development activities. With input from all campus constituencies, including students, faculty, staff and interested others, a campus definition of diversity was formulated in order to provide other campus committees with a starting point to see how these issues were being addressed across the curriculum and throughout the campus. Additionally, the campus development office was
assigned the task of combining area diversity action plans into a comprehensive diversity plan. Simultaneously, a number of activities
occurred on campus, which kept the issue alive in a real sense throughout the campus community. These activities included speakers,
visits to cultural centers, and change-related professional development activities for employees
The director of counseling reviews the academic and admissions records of all entering full-time students. Placement in developmental or
preparatory courses is determined by secondary school achievement and performance on pre-admissions tests. In addition, approximately thirty
percent of students in the entering class will be identified as ?at risk? and in need of counseling and/or other support services. Students in this group will be referred to one of the college counselors. Counselors contact students early in the semester to discuss issues related to their academic success and to coordinate appropriate support services, such as tutoring. Many of these students will be monitored
throughout the first year and, if necessary, into the second year of their enrollment at the college.
An ?early-warning? system is in place to identify any additional students who may be experiencing difficulty at the fourth week. The faculty are asked to list the names of students who are having academic, attendance or other problems in their classes. The counseling staff
will contact these students and attempt to assist them with whatever problems exist so that they may meet the college?s academic standards. The counselor works closely with faculty and tutoring staff to coordinate support services, to provide academic and personal counseling, to assist with childcare and transportation needs, to resolve financial crises whenever possible, and to refer students to community resources. In October 2001, the college received a four-year
grant from the U.S. Department of Education to provide low or no-cost childcare for students attending evening classes. Students attending the spring 2002 semester were the first who were able to access this new service.
In addition, the counselor, in conjunction with the tutoring staff and the activities coordinator, conducts workshops on such topics as study skills, time management, note taking, test taking/test anxiety, resume writing and interviewing skills.
Financial aid at the college is administered by a competent, experienced staff. The financial aid department oversees the awarding of all federal student Title IV funds, including Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, College Work Study, Stafford Loans and Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students. Approximately three million
dollars is awarded to eligible students annually.
Since staff size is limited, computerization has helped to ensure and increase the efficiency and speed of student requests for financial assistance. PowerFaids, Edconnect, EDE Express, Common Origination and
Disbursement, and Nteract software and web-based programs all contribute to a cutting edge financial aid program.
The college's financial aid programs are audited in compliance with all federal requirements. PriceWaterhouseCoopers is the firm contracted by the Maine Technical College System to do compliance and A133 audits. To date, the college has been deemed compliant in all financial aid areas. As measured by the 2001 Student Satisfaction Inventory,Ô the statement, ?Financial aid awards are announced to students in time to be helpful in college planning.? ranked 37th of 89 in order of importance to NMTC respondents, but more importantly, the performance gap between importance and satisfaction has closed 0.52 since first measured in 1994. The financial aid staff maintains professional relationships with others in the industry and regularly receives professional development via their association with the following professional organizations, National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, Eastern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, and the Maine Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Other financial
aid organizations / vendors also contribute to the staff's professional development including: United States Department of Education, USA Group, Finance Authority of Maine and others.
The college's business office works closely with the financial aid office staff and is responsible for the disbursement of all financial assistance to students.
All full-time entering students are required to attend an all-day orientation program which takes place prior to their first semester. This orientation session includes a wide variety of activities, including procedural necessities such as issuing student ID cards, registering vehicles, reviewing immunization requirements and distributing schedules to more in-depth sessions on study skills, the financial aid process, an introduction to campus media resources, an affirmative action awareness / campus safety program, etc. Students are typically introduced to their academic advisors during the first week of classes. Each of the departments handles this process in
a slightly different way, but a concerted effort is made to facilitate contact between student and advisor as early as possible. A recommendation of the student satisfaction committee to the department chairs of both the business technology and general education departments led to the re-introduction of first day faculty advisor meetings with first year students in fall 2002.
Professional health care is provided through the campus health center. Crisis intervention assistance is available through the counseling office. Students in need of diagnostic mental health services are referred to the community mental health center.
Career exploration and assessment are available through the counseling office. Aptitude and interest measures are utilized to guide students through the career decision-making process. The counseling office also
provides workshops to assist students with job search efforts, the writing of cover letters, resumes and interviewing skills. The career counselor coordinates with the Maine Career Advantage program to develop internships and job shadowing opportunities for students within the surrounding communities. Transfer counseling and visits to the
four-year colleges in our area are also available to students whose career goals may include earning a four-year degree.
The college has historically chosen to employ a less conventional approach to career placement services. Many of the conventional
services offered by career planning and placement offices as walk-in services are offered as a regular part of the college's academic curriculum. Resume preparation, cover letter writing, and interview skills are covered in various English classes. Additional assistance is
offered in seminars and programs offered campus wide with assistance from area employment and training agencies. The college's ABG honor
society now holds an annual career fair which employers from throughout the state attend. Academic programs often take field trips to various
employers in the state. Often contacts are made that result in
employment.
In addition to the traditional jobs bulletin board, the college maintains a computerized job listing on its web page and has been an innovator in providing names, addresses and phone numbers of willing graduates to prospective employers through the TecNet program. TecNet has saved many employers thousands of advertising dollars and has been credited with helping businesses attract qualified skilled workers into available positions.
The college hosts a number of employers on campus and provides students with opportunities to meet with these employers; examples of these include Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Cianbro Corp. and MBNA, to name but a few. Perhaps the most effective tool with respect to job placement has been the close relationship with area employers maintained by the college's faculty. These relationships encourage and provide networking
opportunities for faculty, students and employers and often result in jobs for NMTC students. The bonds formed in the classroom and out
between student and faculty often have past graduates calling faculty and asking for referrals of interested students for positions they are now responsible for filling. Area one-stop employment centers also
encourage students to avail themselves of the employment services they provide at no cost. There are a variety of opportunities for students to exercise and develop leadership skills while attending NMTC. The student senate
provides the student a formal introduction to participatory democracy and offers the most direct route to influencing campus policy. The student senate is asked to provide student membership to a wide variety of standing college committees.
In addition to the student government, a number of clubs and organizations exist on campus and provide additional opportunities for student leadership. These include Phi Theta Kappa honor society (a
national 5 star award winning chapter in 1998-99), Alpha Beta Gamma honor society, a newly-formed organization for non-traditional students, Student Nurses Association, and a student chapter of the Instrumentation Society of America formed in 2001.
Substantial opportunities for leadership exist within the competitive athletic arena. Under the leadership of the college's athletic
director, the college competes in the following intercollegiate sports: soccer, golf and basketball. Club programs exist in ice hockey and, as
of last year, cross-country running. The college successfully launched
women?s basketball in 2000 and was able to continue that momentum through its second season. Since the college?s attendance at the NSCAA
national invitational in March 1999, the men?s basketball team was selected to and participated in two additional post-season national invitational tournaments.
The college?s intramural athletic program also provides students an opportunity for leadership and self-governance. A wide variety of
sports allows most students an opportunity to participate in a sport of choice and also to try several new activities.
An area of student leadership that should not go unnoticed lies within the department of residential life. Resident assistants are among the
most highly trained, selective group of students on campus. They are entrusted with much authority and responsibility in areas as diverse as peer counseling, safety and security, recreational, social and educational programming, and facilities. Although having a role in the
student disciplinary process (reporting), it is through role modeling that RAs are best able to exert their leadership capabilities. Student internships and preceptorships afford students an additional chance to exhibit their personal leadership capabilities within their chosen academic discipline.
NMTC provides opportunities and facilities for both male and female students with regard to their recreational and athletic needs. Located on campus are two fitness facilities (cardiovascular equipment and weight machines and free weights) as well as three tennis courts, indoor basketball court, outdoor basketball court, racquetball court, and a lighted soccer /softball field that are open to all students. Golf, soccer, cross country and ice hockey teams/clubs are coeducational. In the fall of 1998 cross-country running was introduced as a club sport to increase the number of opportunities available to all students. Currently, both male and female students are participating in
intercollegiate cross-country events as members of the college's cross-country running club.
NMTC?s intercollegiate athletics are conducted in a manner consistent with sound educational policy, with standards of integrity and with the institution?s purposes. The administration and faculty are responsible
for the control of these programs, and they also have control of the financial aspects of the programs. The college is a member in good
standing of the Maine Small College Conference (MSCC), Unites States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) and the Yankee Conference. Student athletes are required to maintain minimum academic standards in order to compete. The MSCC and USCAA have established guidelines and compliance procedures regarding academic eligibility. Additionally, the college's athletic director closely monitors the academic performance of all varsity athletes throughout the sport's season. Student athletes
are expected to the meet the same course requirements as non-student athletes.
Staff in all areas of student services are highly qualified, experienced and dedicated to their work, students and the college. Continuing professional/personal development is valued by and practiced by all members of the department.
Unsolicited comments regarding the staff often reflect the caring nature of the individuals and parents often speak of the fact that they felt safe and relieved that their children were in such competent hands. An annual campus characteristics survey administered to graduating seniors consistently rates student services highly (workroom document). Additionally, the annual Student Satisfaction Inventoryä reflects that the overall level of student satisfaction at the college is high and that they are treated in a pleasant and courteous manner by most areas of the college.
The college catalog and student handbook provide students and others with open access to the college's policies, procedures and mission. Additionally, the student handbook includes the student services vision statement. These documents are also available and easily accessed via the college's web page.
In addition to written materials, students are given a working knowledge of college policies and procedures through new student orientation programs and via other campus meetings and groups. Residential life
staff communicate regularly with students and often act as a conduit for information between administration and students.
The institution has policies regarding the kinds of information that will be included in the permanent record of students as well as policies regarding the retention, safety, security, and disposal of records. Its information-release policies respect the rights of individual privacy, the confidentiality of records, and the best interests of students and the institution.
Information included in the permanent record of students consists of: Application
High school and previous college transcripts Recommendations
Disciplinary correspondence Test scores (pre-admissions) Veteran?s correspondence Attendance (warning/dismissal from class) Mid-term academic warning forms Letters of acceptance Miscellaneous correspondence Financial aid records (financial aid office) Financial records (business office) Health records (health center) Although the dean of students is responsible for the overall maintenance, care, and confidentiality of student records, daily care is provided by:
Financial aid records ? financial aid office Health records ? health center Financial records ? business office Academic records ? registrar?s office Pre-admissions records ? admissions office Placement records ? dean of students? office Student records are used by the dean of students, student affairs staff, and others on a need to know basis. This data is used in the admissions
process, placement, and advising and is maintained throughout a student?s attendance at NMTC to assist in evaluating the individual?s progress.
Safety and security of student records:
Student records are confidentially maintained in locked fireproof files. Only designated student affairs staff members have access to these files. No staff member may remove or inspect an individual student?s file without the dean of students? or designee?s permission. If a student folder is removed from the file, the staff member must fill out a sign-out sheet. All computerized student records are backed up
nightly on tape. Mid-semester (fall census date of October 15 and
spring census date of March 15) backups are stored off campus in a safe deposit box. The registrar and administrative computing department are charged with overseeing this process.
Confidentiality is protected by the Student Records Policies and Procedures for Northern Maine Technical College and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act as amended (FERPA).
Disposal of records:
Student records are transferred to permanent files in the student affairs file room after graduation, dismissal, or withdrawal. Warning letters and miscellaneous correspondence are removed and destroyed, but all other records are retained for five years after graduation or date of last attendance. Student transcripts are maintained permanently.
The college regularly assesses the effectiveness of its student affairs programs and goals. This is accomplished in several ways, most notably
via student survey. The college participated in the national pilot
study on student satisfaction and has continued assessing its effectiveness ever since. The primary instrument used is the Student
Satisfaction Inventoryä. The data is evaluated by a standing committee
of the college, the student satisfaction committee, and recommendations are forwarded to the college president. This committee also serves as
the college retention committee.
The student affairs staff also assesses student satisfaction via the administration of the campus characteristics survey which is given to graduating seniors. This group was chosen because it was felt that they
would be among the least threatened by giving honest feedback to the college. Resident students are asked to provide evaluative data annually on staff and programmatic effectiveness. Students also provide feedback via evaluation instruments at various campus events such as new student orientation (workroom document). Program modifications are made as a
result of such feedback
Appraisal
The institution uses several methods to regularly assess the effectiveness of its student services activities. This is accomplished
in several ways, most notably via the Student Satisfaction InventoryTM. The college participated in the national pilot study used to norm this instrument and has continued use of the survey ever since. It provides both formative and summative data on a broad array of issues of concern to our students. This data is analyzed by student
affairs staff, administrators and the student satisfaction committee. This committee has suggested and implemented several policy and program changes resulting in increased student satisfaction. Several other
tools and instruments are used to assess and enhance program effectiveness and to address student concerns. Maintaining close
student contact still remains the best method of assessing program effectiveness. Students are typically unabashed when asked for their
opinion. This close contact and open communications results in program and service improvements. Resident students are asked to provide
evaluative data annually on staff and programmatic effectiveness. Students also provide feedback via evaluation instruments at various campus events. Program modifications are made as a result of such feedback.
Since the staff size is limited, computerization has increased the efficiency and speed by which student requests for financial assistance are processed. PowerFaids, Title IV Wan, EDE Express, electronic PELL
payment, and Whiz-Kid software programs all contribute to a cutting edge financial aid program. NMTC was one of the first colleges in Maine to
successfully complete the U.S. Dept. of Education's Y2K compliance testing. The college's financial aid programs are audited in compliance with all federal requirements. PriceWaterhouseCoopers is the firm
contracted by the MTCS to do compliance and A133 audits. To date, the college has been deemed compliant in all financial aid areas. Staff in all areas of student services are highly qualified, experienced and dedicated to their work, students and the college. Continuing professional/personal development is valued by and practiced by all members of the division. Unsolicited comments regarding the staff often
reflect the caring nature of the individuals working in the division. Parents often speak of the fact that they felt safe and relieved that their children were in such competent hands. An annual campus
characteristics survey administered to graduating seniors consistently rates student services highly (workroom document). Additionally, the
annual Student Satisfaction InventoryTM reflects that the overall level of student satisfaction at the college is high. For the past three
consecutive years, students at NMTC reported higher satisfaction levels in all areas measured than did students in the national comparison group (workroom document).
Projection
The student services area, in accord with the student satisfaction committee, expects that the demand for asynchronous delivery of student services will increase. To that end, it has requested funds to
implement an Internet-based delivery system for routine paper-based processes such as class registration, grade reports, admissions, transcripts, scheduling, billing and financial aid information. This will enable students to access information at times and locations convenient to them.
As the population of NMTC students continues to age, the need for additional sections of evening classes in a wider variety of areas will continue to increase. This will place greater demands upon the faculty
to deliver the classes at times convenient for working adult learners. The need for remedial education and counseling services will continue to increase, not decrease. The efforts to increase the number of area
residents receiving college degrees will place increased burdens upon an already under-supported area. Institutional budgetary commitments to
counseling and remedial education are non-existent and wholly supported by grant funding. The college remains vulnerable to the whims of the
legislative process with respect to these vital services. Plans to
include these services as part of the college service mission have yet to be recognized by the board of trustees.
The competitive environment to deliver post-secondary education will continue into the foreseeable future. This means that the ability to
capture the attention of our target audience will become increasingly difficult as the number of mediums vying for that attention increases. The college needs to define its target audience and aggressively defend and increase its market share. The approach that appears to make the
most sense for this institution is to shift marketing efforts from a shotgun approach to more of a one-to-one individualized service approach. Campus investments in web, e-mail and targeted direct mail need to be increased. Infrastructure improvements including
technological enhancements to work flow will increase efficiencies and free up personnel to increase the quantity and quality of
staff-to-student contacts. Without attention being paid to work flow
efficiency through technology, staff will experience an unhealthy level of stress.
The competitive environment also heightens the demand for data. Both ready data access and convenient, supportive analysis are lacking. Institutional leadership needs data, trends and other information to adequately make decisions. A learning organization requires that data
be readily available and shared with all members of the institution in order that appropriate decision making be made. By sharing information
and learning from each other, the college staff will be able to see and respond to challenges coming from as yet unforseen areas. It must be recognized that all aspects of the college's business are inter-related and that student success is our primary business.
A major strength of this institution lies in its people. Attention to the personal and professional development of these people and an open recognition of the contributions they all make toward the success of our students needs to be articulated. Likewise, student successes need to
be celebrated as the inspirations they may be for the next generation of students. A certain level of risk needs to be accepted as a normal part of doing business. When things do not occur as planned, lessons learned
need to be shared but the attempt must not be considered a failure. Additionally, the college must rely upon its allies and supporters to weigh in on issues important to it.
|
 |
||||||||||
|
