STRATEGIC PLAN AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

1. Prepare students for careers and opportunities that stimulate sustainable economic and workforce development.

A. Identify and respond to regional market needs with focused career education and training programs built for existing and emergent careers.

1. Expanded North Carolina Manufacturing Institute collaboration to include Iredell County. NCMI is now engaged with 36 manufacturing partner firms and is recognized by the Manufacturing Skills Standards Consortium’s Executive Council as a national model program.
2. Concluded the educational programming process for the Advanced Technology Center.
3. Graduated first class of truck drivers from the new training program developed in conjunction with Caldwell Community College.
4. Received $5,000 grant from AT&T to provide digital literacy classes throughout Rowan County.
5. Launched program for initial paramedic certification with bridge program for current paramedics to obtain associate degrees.
6. Provide clinical experience to students and dental care to 3,000 people in need, with students and faculty giving nearly 170 hours of community service over two days in partnership with NC Mission of Mercy.

B. Improve accessibility and eliminate barriers to student success.

1. Ranked sixth in the 2015-2016 Digital Community Colleges Survey Top Ten-Ranking Winners by the Center for Digital Education for the use of digital technologies to improve services for students, faculty, staff and the community.
2. As an element of North Campus Additions and Renovations project, completed the reconfiguration of the lower courtyard at North Campus, bringing North Campus into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility requirements.
3. Increased dental program enrollment by 20 percent, as a result of the new dental assisting facility to meet the market demands.
4. Completed the five-year Title III, Strengthening Institutions Program grant and met 100 percent of the established goals while far exceeding expectations for numbers of students served. Served more than 16,500 students by Academic Advisors and increased retention rates from baseline 50 percent in 2010-2011 to 54.4 percent during the five-year Title III, Strengthening Institutions grant. During the grant period, Title III matched gifts to the RCCC Foundation to create an endowment totaling nearly $290,000.
5. Awarded $100,000 from Rowan County Commission to extend outreach to underserved communities with employability, foundation and occupational skill training programs and scholarships.
6. Addressed more than 84,000 calls and visits through the College’s call center and Navigation Station.
7. Launched the Maxient student behavior management system to assist the College in maintaining records for federal compliance with laws such as Clery and Title IX.
8. Released NAVsync, an enhanced communication and collaboration software program to improve the student experience.
9. Delivered seminars and online learning for newly-admitted students to optimize performance on placement testing.
10. Provided nearly $33,000 in emergency funding from the RCCC Foundation to assist 61 students.
11. Awarded 165 academic scholarships through the RCCC Foundation totaling over $175,000.
12. Awarded continuing education scholarships through the RCCC Foundation totaling $10,000.
13. Provided nearly 300 GED test vouchers through the RCCC Foundation.
14. Implemented an enhanced document imaging and workflow management system allowing for the creation of simplified processes and forms for use by students, faculty, and staff.
15. Began offering manicure and teacher trainee courses to evening classes, increasing the enrollment in both classes.
16. Upgraded the College’s telephone system to support the ongoing mass notification project.

C. Provide learning options that lead to certifications, diplomas, and degrees by participating in the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) National Completion Agenda.

1. Celebrated a grand total of 1,413 awards including 733 degrees, 130 diplomas and 550 certificates at graduation.
2. Grew the number of students enrolled in High School Equivalency programs by 10 percent and increased the number of these graduates by 11 percent.
3. Recognized 95 students for earning their high school diplomas as part of the College’s two early college high school programs.
4. Started the Cabarrus County Schools Early College of Technology, a third early college, at the Cabarrus Business and Technology Center.
5. Awarded 172 free Microsoft certifications to Rowan-Cabarrus students and participants in the community at the Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) Test Fest.

D. Accelerate degree completion by leveraging prior learning assessment.

1. Developed pathways by creating noncredit certification-based courses in Emergency Medical Science and Mechatronics to degree
   and diploma programs.
2. Proctored over 9,100 tests in the College’s testing centers including 2,046 academic tests for online students and student missing
   in-class exams; 3,572 placement tests for new or returning students; 35 Credit for Prior Learning CLEP or DSST exams; 2,007 Pearson
   VUE exams; 1,427 high school equivalency exams; and 460 TEAS/Kaplan (Allied Health Admissions) tests.
3. Awarded an additional 30 students associate degrees as part of the Reverse Transfer program with the UNC system.

E. Lead local and regional Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics (STEAM) initiatives.

1. Hosted STEM Open House at RCCC@NCRC for more than 1,000 members of the community and local K-12 public and private students; awarded the Cosmetology program the 2016 Best Booth Award.
2. Selected as one of only four colleges to participate in the N.C. Space Grant Team Design Challenge and Competition with NASA.
3. Developed one of 42 NSA nationally accredited cybersecurity programs.

2. Foster a culture of learning that inspires academic excellence and promotes student success.

A. Deliver innovative, technology-enabled and high-quality instruction.

1. Earned the 2016 Online Learning Consortium’s Digital Learning Innovation Award (DLIAward) funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The faculty-led (Jenny Billings) award was for the e-Text initiative resulting in $10,000 for the College.
2. Earned a Quality Matters (QM) certification for two additional courses: ACA-122 and ENG-112.

B. Enhance learning outcomes by developing expertise in effective teaching practices, curriculum pathway design, instructional technologies, learning assessment and student development.

1. Provided a three-day training and professional development program to 175 individuals in 37 sessions through the Center for Teaching
   and Learning focused on advising, campus initiatives and updates, copyright, retention, SACSCOC & QEP, career and technical education programs and student engagement resulting in over 100 certificates being awarded to faculty and staff.
2. Assisted 20 Pre-College Studies instructors to complete CORE certification in advanced adult education practices.
3. Integrated classroom flipping software to help drive instructional learning to the digital student. Software programs such as Kahoot, Polleverywhere and Zaption allow faculty to use live data driven assessments.
4. Celebrated Welding Instructor Mike Huffman’s Teacher of the Month award from A.L. Brown High School.
5. Completed QEP/SEEK evaluation design to assess learning outcomes.

C. Reaffirm accreditations from SACSCOC and other accrediting bodies through successful completion of required self-study, Quality Enhancement Plan, and other accrediting agency requirements.

1. Received final reaccreditation from SACSCOC after years of diligence, resulting in kudos from the on-site committee.
2. Continued promotion of and execution of the College’s Quality Enhancement Plan, SEEK, the Student Education Empowerment Kit.
3. Received Letter of Review from Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions for the Paramedic program.
4. Continued the planning process for the Occupational Therapy Assistant and Physical Therapist Assistant programs.

D. Continuously improve programs and services through focused, systematic and ongoing unit reviews and annual planning.

1. Simplified Program Review process for continuing education.
2. Completed 10 program reviews in the 2015-2016 review cycle in support of the three-year comprehensive program review processes. Of these, nine program reviews were within the academic areas emphasizing the focus on learning outcomes.
3. Implemented a new smart classroom design incorporating state-of-the-art technology, and support for the growing number of mobile devices, enhancing the educational experience in new and renovated classroom spaces.
4. Completed revision of curriculum programs revising 20 Associate Degrees and eliminating 65 outdated credentials.

E. Improve achievement on Performance Measures established by the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS).

1. Adapted admissions and on-boarding processes for Pre-College Studies programs to ensure student success.
2. Focused on improving state-wide performance measures, which resulted in the College improving its scores in three of seven areas as compared to 2014-15 performance: Student Success in College-Level English Courses, Student Success in College-Level Math Course, and First-Year Progression.

F. Continuously improve completion rates.

1. Embarked on the development of an online New Student Orientation Program to help students succeed in their educational goals.
2. Coordinated the academic probation program and successfully helped 54 percent of participating students improve their academic standing (total of 1,913 students served).
3. Modified post-testing protocol for Adult Basic Education programs.
4. Launched new retention programs in both radiography and dental assisting through a tutoring program to master positioning, improve writing and ultimately improve program completion.

3. Provide excellent service to current and prospective students, colleagues, businesses, industries, and the community.

A. Enhance access to academic support, technology and financial services for students.

1. Created a new Division for Student Success and Service Excellence focused on improving student success by eliminating barriers to persistence of students’ journeys to completion. The new division fosters a culture designed to enhance student recruiting, on boarding, and enrollment processes within the framework of four transformational themes: proactivity over reactivity, simplicity over complexity, students’ needs over institutional needs, and generalization over specialization.
2. Awarded financial aid totaling $12,795,312 to 4,598 students in academic year 2015-2016, including almost $11 million in Pell grant awards to 3,361 students.
3. Served 230 veteran students with Veterans Affairs awards totaling $395,240 in academic year 2015-2016.
4. Removed a financial barrier for students who are required to purchase expensive supplemental materials, tools, or kits by allowing the costs for these items to be included in student payment plans.
5. Expanded GAP Scholarship assistance program to provide financial support for tuition and books for students who either do not qualify for Pell Grants or who qualify for some financial aid but need helping filling the financial gap between aid and cost of books or tuition.
6. Reduced processing time of student financial aid refunds by approximately one week by improving and streamlining  processes.
7. Implemented a new scholarship management software that simplified the scholarship application process and selection resulting in a 35.8% increase in total applications.
8. Created a “short application” to streamline the re-admission process for returning students to the College.

B. Engage students in planning and developing their educational goals and career pathways, including co-curricular experiences.

1. Combined internship staff with business services team to consolidate employer contacts and leverage placement opportunities.
2. Merged academic and career advising group with counseling and career services to enhance advising and career services support for
   students.
3. Celebrated Roa Saleh, the statewide winner of the 2016 North Carolina Governor Robert W. Scott Student Leadership Award.
4. Developed program advising “wheels” for all programs for enhanced scheduling and advising.

C. Foster a culture of inquiry, improving the use of data and technologies to strengthen service.

1. Utilized Civitas predictive analytics to identify financial aid students who were at-risk for not persisting and launched a  proactive, outbound calling effort to help these students find solutions to help them persist and succeed.
2. Integrated digital textbooks with assisted software to support tutoring and curriculum enhancement.
3. Updated the College’s Fact Book and developed a comprehensive set of standard reports on enrollment available on the internal and external websites.

4. Acquire, develop, and manage human, fiscal, and physical resources essential to the development and delivery of technology-enriched, high value education and service.

A. Plan and optimize resources in a fiscally responsible manner.

1. Developed Phase II of Fire Training Grounds building plan to enhance services for fire, EMS and law enforcement training programs.
2. Selected as one of five finalists by the Southern Association of College University Business Officers (SACUBO) for Best Practices Award for the College’s work with routable forms.
3. Received exemplary audits of financial statements and internal control compliance for both the College and the Foundation, as well as two consecutive, commendable Veterans Affairs audits of the College’s veterans’ financial aid awards processing.
4. Received excellent compliance review audit of the College’s Purchasing and Contracts department by North Carolina Department of Administration Purchasing and Contracts division.
5. Implemented changes that significantly improved payment processing of Continuing Education courses by implementing Pay-By-Course for 100 percent non-credit course offerings taught by part-time faculty.
6. Implemented new bulk transaction processing for budget and general transactional journal entry to significantly reduce the amount of
   time required to process these entries.
7. Implemented direct deposit for employee travel reimbursements, thereby reducing processing time and expenses and using technology to improve services.
8. Worked with the student refund card vendor, Bank Mobile, to establish a new process for assisting students who lose their cards so they
   can continue to access their funds without waiting for a new card to be received and activated.
9. Went live with new donor software to enhance the Foundation’s financial reporting and recordkeeping, as well as enabling the Foundation to respond quicker to donor inquiries and gift acknowledgements.
10. Acquired access to The Foundation Center’s online grant resource database, enabling the College and Foundation to conduct more thorough and better-defined grant opportunities.

B. Secure public and private funding in support of the college’s mission.

1. Raised more than 90 percent of the $7.1 million goal for the Foundation’s Building a More Prosperous Community Major Gifts Campaign in support of the College.
2. Completed the first-ever challenge grant from The Leon Levine Foundation for $300,000, raising $1.2 million prior to May 31, 2016.
3. Celebrated the success of the Connect NC Bond initiative and secured $7.2 million in state bond funding for capital improvements through the state’s bond campaign that was approved by voters in March 2016.
4. Received a special appropriation of $65,000 from the Rowan County Board of Commissioners to support health sciences programs and as a match for the Leon Levine Challenge Grant.
5. Received several significant in-kind donations from generous partners including Nissan North America, Inc., Fire-Dex, Food Lion, Vulcan Materials Company, Carolinas Healthcare System HealthWorks, NC Petroleum & Convenience Marketers,  Integro Technologies Corporation, and Practicon, Inc.
6. Secured more than $1.3 million in grant funds to support student success through instruction, scholarships and academic support.
   7. Secured donation of land by David Murdock for the Advanced Technology Center (ATC) supported by the successful Cabarrus County
   Bond passed in 2014.
7. Secured $221,000 in funding through the RCCC Foundation to support the College’s highest priority needs and student scholarships from the Annual Fund, Golf Tournament and the Scholarship Luncheon.
8. Secured a $17,500 donation to the Foundation from Wells Fargo to support the College’s mission of advancing workforce development
   in the local area and student scholarships.

C. Provide facilities that are safe, welcoming, sustainable, and flexible to support the college’s mission.

1. Executed a 315 kilowatt rooftop and carport solar array on the North Campus thanks to a generous $1 million donation from Fred and Alice Stanback.
2. Completed North Campus HVAC upgrades, funded by a special allocation for energy efficiency improvements by Rowan County.
3. Completed the North Campus Additions and Renovations Project, which was funded by the 2010 Rowan County Bond and other state/
   local funds. As a new “front door” to Salisbury, the space provides state-of-the-art healthcare classrooms and labs as well as a flexible atrium for students and events.
4. Began North Campus security enhancements project which will include video surveillance, electronic access controls and voice mass notification.

D. Be the employer of choice.

1. Earned excellence recognition from Prevention Partners achieving the highest standards in workplace health and prevention. Scoring straight “A”s in all four Work Healthy categories, tobacco cessation, physical activity, nutrition, and culture of wellness.
2. Conducted walking challenges, in spring and fall, in support of our wellness focus, growing total participation to more than 170 employees and gaining recognition at the state level for participation.
3. Identified as a Worksite Wellness Champion by the State Health Plan earning the opportunity to offer employees additional wellness services through Rival Health.
4. Implemented diversity and inclusion recruiting, as well as a new online recruiting search tool to enhance opportunities to capture a diverse workforce and increase visibility.
5. Enhanced the employee learning management system with free popular professional, management, and leadership books.
6. Provided onsite vaccination clinics and health checks in both Rowan and Cabarrus counties for employees.

E. Build an inclusive, performance-based culture aligned with core values.

1. Held all employee meetings and Q&A sessions for College faculty and staff at the beginning of both the spring and the fall terms to facilitate communications and build relationships.
2. Enhanced communication with employees by sending five President’s Messages outlining the College’s latest updates and priorities.
3. Strengthened the role and support of the Faculty and Staff Association.

F. Strategically support leadership and professional development opportunities.

1. Managed over 9,703 hours of individual professional development of employees.
2. Hosted numerous regional trainings, including multiple FEMA trainings, and provided the opportunity for faculty and staff to receive new and ongoing professional development locally and nationally.
3. Sponsored college employees for Leadership Rowan & Cabarrus and the North Carolina Community College System Leadership Program.

5. Serve as a catalyst for advancing the region.

A. Build, cultivate, and maintain excellent relationships locally and state-wide with leaders and innovators to increase support and influence practices and regulations affecting community colleges.

1. Appointed to the Centralina Workforce Development Board.
2. Executed strategic conversations with the Board of Trustees and the Rowan-Salisbury School System Board of Education, local Fire, Police and Emergency Services leadership, and the Rowan County Crosby Scholars Community Partnership.
3. Named as a member of the North Carolina Community College System Workforce Development Leadership Council, a statewide policy and regulatory advisory group for workforce continuing education.
4. Promoted participation by staff, faculty, and administrators at the local, state, and federal levels. College employees serve as officers on
   local Chamber Boards, within Rotaries in both counties, numerous boards, and in national higher education organizations.
5. Led and hosted both conferences and meetings for state-wide groups including the North Carolina Community College Fine Arts  Conference, the North Carolina Dental Assisting Association Winter meeting, and the Emergency Management Higher Education Consortium.
6. Named to the North Carolina Student Success Advisory Board.

B. Expand the region’s workforce by attracting, retaining, and developing high quality talent.

1. Worked with several local employers on new initiatives to help facilitate the testing, screening, training and employment of local individuals.
2. Coordinated and managed 9 customized training projects and served 17 others through customized training business and industry services, expending more than $147,700 to train 1,641 employees for business expansion/retention.
3. Offered 297 courses in criminal justice continuing education with students completing 58,534 hours of training and awarding 5,608 certificates.

C. Partner with employers to establish seamless transitions between education and work.

1. Provided 64 free Small Business Center seminars for local small businesses with 661 attendees.
2. Hosted employer spotlights to assist expanding businesses to promote employment opportunities and connect with prospective candidates.
3. Placed over 250 student interns through Work-Based Learning.

D. Collaborate with economic development partners to promote entrepreneurial opportunities and job growth within the region.

1. Helped create 27 jobs and assist with 17 business start-ups through advising and coaching provided through Rowan-Cabarrus Small Business Center.
2. Collaborated with local chambers of commerce to provide on-site Small Business Center counseling to existing and emerging small business ventures.

E. Expand the college role as a community partner in developing citizens who work to improve the quality of life.

1. Hosted two job fairs for students with community partners including NC Works Career Center Cabarrus, and other community agencies, which had a total of 100 employers and 663 job seekers, students and community members who participated in the event.
2. Raised over $1,000 through the English team’s Books-a-Million fundraiser to purchase new books for children in local elementary schools. Volunteered at Kannapolis Cruise-In and other campus, community and non-profit events, offering free haircuts from the Cosmetology program.