6730:02

Policy #: 6730:02

Subject: College Standing Committee Operational Guidelines

Section: Administrative (6700-6799)

Effective: 8/96

 

MEMBERSHIP

 

Typically, service on one or more committees is based upon the employee’s expressed preference. Exceptions may occur to this preferred service under such special needs as an individual’s expertise and/or the position the individual holds. It is preferred that committee service and the employee’s expertise and position coincide in most cases. Exceptions may also occur as attempts are made to assure that there is appropriate departmental/area representation on specific committees. Typically, individuals will be consulted if the committee assignment for which the individual is being considered is not included in the expressed preferences of the individual.

 

There should be student representation (at least one individual) on each standing committee. Typically, the invitation for such service has been via the Student Senate to designate individual students to serve on the various standing committees. This will continue to be the first avenue to solicit student participation. Should additional student representatives be needed, by the beginning of the fifth week of the fall semester, to assure student representation on each committee, Phi Theta Kappa, the college-wide honor society, will be invited to designate representatives for committees where student representatives have not been designated.

 

CHARGE

 

The charge to the standing committees is relatively the same from year to year. However, there may be specific needs for a given committee in a given year which may require a revision to the standing charge. In such cases the committee will receive clarification of any adjustment to its charge at or prior to the committee’s first meeting. The Vice President or the President will, schedules permitting, attend the first meeting of all standing committees to welcome new members and to assure that there is a clear understanding of the committee’s charge.

 

Accompanying the specific charge to each standing committee is the general charge to all committees. This general charge is to:

 

• Consider all deliberations/actions of the committee in fulfilling its charge in light of the college’s vision, mission, goals, objectives, policies and procedures as well as the collective bargaining agreements and the MCCS policies and procedures.

 

• Make recommendations consistent with the committee’s charge at times most effective to address the issue

 

• Post/publish on college e-mail meeting notes of committee meetings within ten days of the meeting

 

• Members are requested to provide summary reports of committee meetings and actions at department or area meetings on a monthly basis, solicit feedback from department/area members on committee agenda items, and

 

• Provide a summary report of the committee’s activities to the president by May 5th of each year. Please include in the report any suggestions for enhancing the committee’s operation.

 

OPERATION

 

The meetings should “generally” follow Robert’s Rules of Order. A chair and recording secretary should be identified—volunteers accepted or elected by the committee at the first meeting. A routine meeting schedule should also be selected at the first meeting of the committee. It would be helpful if the group would establish the agenda items for the next meeting before the committee adjourns each of its meetings. Please feel free to request assistance/guidance from the administrator serving as the liaison to the committee,

 

STANDING COMMITTEES AND THEIR CHARGES

 

Equal Opportunity Committee

 

Created from the Affirmative Action Committee, this committee advises the president on matters of equal opportunity and affirmative action as needed. The committee also prepares recommended revisions to data tables reflecting the demographic statistics of the College’s service area and recommends professional development activities that will enhance the College’s service to underrepresented groups. This committee addresses a number of other activities as outlined in the Affirmative Action Plan.

 

 

Assessment Committee

 

The charge of this committee is to develop and implement a comprehensive assessment plan for determining institutional effectiveness. The committee will examine existing assessment practices and strategies, and will explore, propose,

implement and analyze new ones. A primary function of this committee is to communicate ongoing and proposed assessment activities to the campus community.

 

 

 

Campus Communications Committee

 

This committee is charged to facilitate smooth, efficient and collaborative operation between the various campus offices, and to communicate necessary revision to the appropriate campus constituency.

 

 

Curriculum Committee

 

This committee considers curriculum or course proposals generated by department chairs/faculty or by the academic dean in response to unique service area needs, and recommends to the academic dean action on the same.

 

 

Discipline Committee

 

Serves as the hearing board on student discipline matters and makes recommendations or confirms action(s) that constitute appropriate sanctions to the dean of students. Hears appeals and makes recommendations regarding the appeal of the sanction to the dean of students.

 

 

Environmental Health and Safety Committee

 

Composed of representatives from each department/area of the college, this committee conducts safety audits as needed of all areas of the college and reports findings to area managers with a copy to the president and vice president. Recommends to the vice president health and safety training and/or professional development activities, and engages in other action as appropriate to recommend actions to assure a healthy and safe environment for our students and employees.

 

 

Facilities, Campus Appearance and Access Committee

 

Advises the administration (president and/or director of finance) on major projects (with an estimated cost of more than $12,000.00) facilities renovations, capital building projects, means of enhancing the appearance of the college’s grounds, winter access to parking lots and buildings, enhancing energy efficiency, and other actions that can enhance the overall operation of the college’s campus. The NMCC long range facilities plan serves as a guide in recommending various actions.

 

 

Graduation Committee

 

Advises the dean of students on issues associated with the graduation ceremony and coordinates graduation activities.

 

 

Professional Development Committee

 

Advises the vice president on college-wide professional development activities. Recommends methods and procedures to enhance professional development activities and opportunities. Reviews and recommends funding of various professional development requests using grant funds.

 

 

Strategic Planning Committee

 

Comprising representatives from all areas of the college, students, and the General Advisory Council, this committee is responsible for developing the college’s five-year strategic plan and updating the plan as needed, typically annually. The work of the committee is generally accomplished through subcommittees that work on such assignments as conducting an environmental scan and drafting planning assumptions for adoption by the committee prior to recommending the assumptions to the president. The committee reviews the college vision statement, develops college goals and objectives with associated priorities and budget impact, develops guidelines for departments and areas to use in developing action plans, and receives reports on action plan accomplishments for review, offering recommendations to the president. Because of the impact that the budget has on the accomplishment of the plan, this committee also advises the president on recommended ways to address budget shortfalls. This may include the various objectives of the plans and the associated budget impact statements.

 

 

Student Satisfaction Committee

 

Composed of members from all departments/areas of the college and a minimum of two students, this committee focuses on students’ satisfaction with their total college experience. An annual satisfaction assessment utilizing the Student Satisfaction Inventory ™ is conducted and analyzed by the committee with the follow up data collection and assessment completed as necessary. The committee is responsible for receiving and sharing input from and with all campus sectors and for making recommendations for improvement, where needed, to the college president. The committee will work closely with the campus MIS staff to monitor campus retention efforts as outlined in the MCCS retention benchmarking report and to coordinate campus-based retention activities. Committee assignments shall be for a period no shorter than two years (students excepted) due to the volume and complexity of data to be acted upon. This committee will utilize a discrepancy-based decision making model as its action philosophy and, due to the process nature of the committee’s focus, will seek consensus versus majority rule. The dean of students will act as the committee liaison to the management team.