Guided by institutional goals, Rogue Community College divisions established objectives and wrote action plans in 1999-2000, which assisted them through a tumultuous year. Unprecedented growth and major changes in administrative leadership offered a range of challenges. Yet RCC divisions not only accomplished the day-to-day tasks required of a comprehensive two-year college, but also met the challenges of change with innovation and courage.

Today, we celebrate our successes and look forward to new challenges on the horizon. The college's five divisions recently reported to President's Council a summary of their achievements for the current fiscal year, and today I share a few of those successes with you that we might all enjoy the pride and satisfaction of a job well done.

In Student Services, the Counseling Department worked with Computer Services to develop a program that better studied the number of students using the ACCESS Center per quarter. Refining the student log-in system to provide demographic information, reason for visit, length of stay and counselor seen allows counseling to track patterns of use and length of time spent for personal counseling, academic advising, general information, etc. Data will be used as the base line for successive years’ use.

When Enrollment Services experienced a 64 percent increase in the number of requests for degree evaluation, the department reorganized and retrained employees to do degree evaluations and spread workload, thereby reducing to two weeks the turn-around time for evaluating students' progress toward degree completion

The Financial Aid Department provided an early awareness program in conjunction with the Winema Girl Scout Council, providing a taste of college life to 4^th to 7^th grade children who might not otherwise have that exposure and whose parents may be unfamiliar with the financial aid options available to pay for their children’s education. More than 100 girls and adults participated in the day event.

The Art Galleries held an annual RCC Art Student Exhibit at both RWC and RVC that provided art students with the opportunity to learn appropriate preparation of their work for an exhibit. The Galleries staff also participated in International Week by setting up exhibits at three RCC locations and by being an integral part of the International Education Committee that planned the week activities.

Responding to feedback from students, the Skill Center implemented basic computer literacy classes and marketed them through classified advertising campaigns in the "Help Wanted" section of a local newspaper. The results were so successful that most basic computer literacy classes now have wait lists.

Working with a committee of instructional advisors and counselors, Computer Services designed an advising tool that would complement the new on-line registration system. The product, which is being implemented summer term, provides the ability to view and update most student demographics, register for classes, develop dual program-planners, and grant permission for the student to self-register using the on-line registration system.

Auxiliary Services, working in cooperation with the Internet Department, provided Web-based book ordering system for students beginning winter term 2000. The system allows students to order books using their credit card to either be shipped directly or reserved for pick up at a later date.

In Plant Services, a plan has been developed to have staff trainings every two weeks on procedures and equipment and safety training. Some of the training is mandated and will be implemented on a yearly basis. Additional sessions will cover basic maintenance items and will cross-train staff between Josephine and Jackson counties to cover staff shortages in Jackson County.

Business Services, in collaboration with Financial Aid and the President developed a new student credit line policy, which enables students to make a $50 down payment and then weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly payments. The new policy, developed in support of student retention efforts, eliminated the drop for non-payment. As a result of this policy, 309 students were not dropped during spring term, which had a positive affect on FTE.

Business and Community Learning Services worked with the VA Domiciliary to improve access into the campus and signage at the Workforce Training Center on Crater Lake Highway.

In pursuit of developing a new Technical Training Center in White City, an Enhanced Use Agreement business plan was completed and is currently under federal review, while promotional materials were developed for the Technical Training Center. In the meantime, programs were expanded and enrollments were increased to achieve full use of the existing Workforce Training Center, including expanding services to VA residents.

BCLS staff moved forward on the Workforce Development/Workforce Investment Act Initiatives, collaborating with other organizations to help complete a local unified plan with that cast the college as a major service provider. Additionally, the division obtained a $600,000 grant for a major Skills Gap Assessment Project, which positions RCC as a primary party in research issues of labor market information and economic and workforce development for our region.

Lastly, BCLS developed a computer-training lab for workforce development services in

Josephine County at the Downtown Center in Grants Pass, which increased workforce training deliveries in Josephine County significantly for 1999-00.

Developmental Studies programs generated 11 percent more FTE in Jackson County and 3.5 percent in Josephine County. Tutoring services were expanded at the Riverside Campus, and department staff laid plans to increase tutoring space from 1,300 square feet in A Building to 2,756 square feet in the newly remodeled Wards Building.

In an effort to enhance student recruitment and promote institutional growth, Community Relations worked with Counseling to promote placement testing and developed an insert for the general brochure that described counseling programs. The CR Team also produced a series of post cards as a marketing tool for the Dental Technician classes offered by Business and Community Learning Services. The postcards not only won a silver Medallion award from District VII of the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations but also led to increases in enrollment. Another successful effort was a series of radio advertisements for the Women in Trades show held at the Crater Lake Center, which draw over 300 attendees to this event.

To promote institutional growth the Community Relations Team developed an annual schedule of newspaper ads, coordinating important academic calendar events—such as placement testing and registration—with special sections and editions that offered optimum readership. To foster collegiality and better accommodate students' needs, Community Relations team members worked closely with other departments on such publications as the Schedule of Classes and college catalog, and collaborated with the Internet Department to design the college's home page and other departments' Web sites.

To better inform our community, the department included bilingual statements in several publications, sent press releases to Hispanic radio stations, and advertised in a Hispanic directory. Additionally, three members of the department serve on the Cultural Diversity Task Force.

Human Resources developed a Web paged on which job announcements are posted and which links to on-line forms such as the job application form. Most job applicants now utilize the Web site.

Human Resources also implemented a new Employee Assistance Program, which provides employees and their families free access to counseling for such issues as substance abuse, emotional and psychological stress, family problems, and other personal concerns.

The HR Department improved new employee orientations to include a broad range of information from several departments, and used the staff and faculty newsletter, The LOG, to publicize significant staff and faculty accomplishments. Finally, members were key players and provided administrative support for the Staff Development Committee.

By reallocating staffing dollars, the Instructional Division exceeded its goal of providing 200 new tuition-bearing FTE in 1999-2000. The division enjoyed an increase of 360 FTE—with 75 percent of its programs showing growth.

In an effort to improve training for new faculty, the Teaching and Learning Center developed a faculty-training course in which 16 faculty members participated. The 30 hour course, offered between Sept. 15 and November 5, was a significant step forward for Rogue, providing a coherent process for sharing knowledge about Rogue's values and instructional processes.

Instructional Services collaborated with Student Services and other areas of the college to better welcome, counsel and retain students—increasing to 95 percent the number of full-time teaching faculty engaged in student advising during 1999-2000. Additionally, teams from Instructional and Student Services met throughout the year to streamline student intake processes and better integrate them with the new on-line registration system.

Efforts to strengthen the Educational Media and Library departments in distance learning, teleconferencing, and public access were successful. Telecourses increased 27 percent, with a growth in student headcount from 1,787 to 2,009, while the number of on-line students increased from 55 to 224. Library services saw an increase of 40% in research classes served at Riverside Campus and despite limited space, a 40% increase in student users. A Distance Learning Strategic Plan also was developed, which defines RCC goals and priorities in this important area for the next several years.

Another Instructional Division objective was to involve program advisory committees more directly in institutional goal setting and feedback by meeting more frequently. By year's end, 13 of the 16 professional technical programs will have completed or scheduled two advisory committee meetings, providing valuable input about program goal setting, new industry directions and standards.