STRATEGIC PLAN 2015-2018
AND 2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

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

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

1. Launched Light Construction Building Trades as a public-offering course (previously only offered in the immured facility, Piedmont Correctional Institute) in both counties during 2018 in response to the high demand for local construction workers.
2. Improved and expanded the paramedic continuing education program, resulting in enrollment which more than doubled during the most recent cohort.
3. Held Taste of Industry event funded by the Duke Foundation, which was attended by English, Computer, Science teachers, and Career Technical educators from local high schools to learn more about the College’s Engineering, Information Technology, and Industrial programs.
4. Coordinated and held the first Health and Education programs Interprofessional Education Day, in which 120 students, 30
   faculty members and several volunteers participated in four simulated realistic medical emergency scenarios.
5. Completed more than 3,000 hours of community service, including service learning, by the Health and Education programs.
6. Reinvigorated the Motorsports Technology program based on extensive industry analysis, hired a new program chair, and revised the curriculum.
7. Held four truck driver training classes in 2018, graduating 57 out of 67 students.
8. Celebrated 65 graduates from the North Carolina Manufacturing Institute with 49 (75 percent) graduates obtaining employment.

B. Improve accessibility and eliminate barriers to student success.

1. Provided over 390 students with scholarship assistance totaling more than $330,000.
2. Provided 200 GED test vouchers through the RCCC Foundation.
3. Started Therapeutic and Diagnostic Services diplomas for Career & College Promise students to provide a pathway for high school students into healthcare programs.
4. Held weekly open studio hours for the Department of Fine & Applied Arts to accommodate students’ need for access to
   programmatic equipment, materials, and technology outside of class time, providing the opportunity for one-on-one tutoring in art and design.
5. Graduated the first cohort of Advertising and Graphic Design certificate students at A.L. Brown High School in spring 2018.
6. Recorded 166 reference transactions as a part of the library’s new campus outreach program, Mobile Mondays, in which pop-up librarians appeared at various campuses in locations with high student traffic to assist with finding books, articles, and information for assignments.
7. Awarded the Traveling Archivist Program (TAP) Grant by the State Library of North Carolina, which provides free consulting services to organize, catalog, and make the archive collection accessible.
8. Collaborated with the Tutoring Center and Academic Programs to provide student workshops on discipline-specific research in the library.
9. Developed and offered 26 workshops that served 100 students in the library.
10. Implemented an integration with the College’s Blackboard courses, which provides students with seamless access to the library’s online subject and course guides, providing point-of-need access to all of the library’s resources and services.
11. Implemented the RISE Developmental Redesign in collaboration with the North Carolina Community College System and NROC.
12. Ranked fourth in the national 2017-2018 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.
13. Rolled out single sign-on for all online student services including registration and records systems.
14. Recognized by the Hyland Corporation for innovation through the OnBase student short application system.

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. 2017 graduates Added a Bridge Program option for Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) students to seamlessly enter the Associate Degree Nursing AAS degree program.
2. Added the Associate in Engineering degree program and the Associate in Engineering Career Transfer Pathway.
3. Added the Associate in Fine Arts in Visual Arts Career Transfer Pathway.
4. Added the Automotive Light-Duty Diesel Technology Diploma and Certificate.
5. Added the Mechatronics Engineering Technology AAS, Diploma and CTE Certificate.
6. Added Physical Therapist Assistant (2-year program) to begin in spring 2019.
7. Added new Therapeutic & Diagnostic Service Nurse Aid diplomas for pre-health students in Associate Degree Nursing, Radiography, Occupational Therapy Assistant, and Physical Therapist Assistant (2-year program).
8. Updated the Early Childhood Education North Carolina Community College Curriculum Standard, adding three AAS degrees: Early Childhood Education Career Ready (Non-Transfer) AAS, Early Childhood Education Transfer B-K Teacher Licensure AAS, and Early Childhood Education Transfer Non-Licensure AAS.
9. Implemented new curriculum for CSC-134 and 234 (C++ Programming Courses) in order to meet the needs of the new Associate in Engineering degree program.
10. Started the new Healthcare Management Technology degree to reflect the more modern needs of electronic health records and working with insurance claims and coding in a digital environment.
11. Streamlined the curriculum by revising 16 associate degree programs, five diplomas, and six certificates.

D. Accelerate degree completion by leveraging prior learning assessment.

1. Proctored over 9,200 tests in the College’s testing centers including 1,979 academic tests for online students and students missing in-class exams; 3,402 placement tests for new or returning students; 101 Credit for Prior Learning CLEP or DSST exams; 1,993 Pearson VUE exams; 1,468 high school equivalency exams; and 630 TEAS/HOAE/Kaplan (Allied Health Admissions) tests.
2. Awarded an additional 18 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 Hosted STEM Open House at RCCC@NCRC for more than 300 local K-12 public and private students and more than 400 members of the community.
2. Completed a major renovation project of outfitting a school bus into a STEM bus, which had been purchased by the Rowan-Salisbury School System and funded through a $30,000 donation, by the Auto Body Repair class at Piedmont Correctional Institute to be used for Rowan-Salisbury School System students.
3. Hosted “The Masters of Metal” summer camp, funded by Nuts, Bolts and Thingamajigs and the Foundation of Fabricators and Manufacturers Association, for kids between the ages of 12-16.
4. Competed in the North Carolina Space Grant High Altitude Weather Balloon Competition and was awarded Best Team Work and Best Picture/Video.
5. Participated in the first STEM EXPO held at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which was attended by 15,000 students, in  September 2018.
6. Hosted the fifth annual statewide North Carolina Community College Fine Arts Conference, the lead professional development opportunity for faculty teaching visual arts, music, and theater across North Carolina’s institutions of higher education.

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

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

1. Identified, ordered and secured advanced simulation technology manikins for the paramedic program.
2. Secured an ambulance for use by the EMS education programs through a partnership with Cabarrus County EMS.
3. Recognized Advertising and Graphic Design student Corrin Skinner as the winner of the statewide community college design contest for the North Carolina Community College System Conference program cover.
4. Celebrated Associate in Fine Arts in Visual Arts graduate Bailey Wingler for her selection as one of the “Class of 2018 Artists” to be highlighted in the esteemed ArtPop public art program in the greater Charlotte region.
5. Updated the two digital studios serving the Advertising and Graphic Design and Associate in Fine Arts in Visual Arts programs with brand new Mac computers on the North and South Campus.
6. Implemented a new faculty portal in Tutor.com, enabling faculty to have instantaneous access to online tutoring reports and session transcripts between their students and the tutors, as well as receive early alerts for students who have been flagged as struggling.
7. Expanded the new smart classroom standard to more than 20 new spaces and upgraded the classroom technology for more than 100 classrooms.

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

1. Began implementation of Paideia.
2. Began a curriculum revision of the Advertising and Graphic design program to ensure the course content is relevant to students and delivered consistently across the department.
3. Provided a three-day training and professional development program through the Center for Teaching and Learning focused on accessibility, classroom impact, and college initiatives. Over 1,300 hours of professional development were completed by faculty and 156 certificates were earned in the areas of student support, safe instructor, and Title IX.
4. Delivered 231 in-service courses for 66,288 training hours for Criminal Justice Law Enforcement personnel, with students earning 5,362 certificates.

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. Completed the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP) letter of review period and site visits for accreditation of the paramedic program.
2. Received acceptances/approvals from SACSCOC for the following substantive changes for new programs: Associate in Applied Science in Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA), the Associate in Engineering, the Associate in Applied Science in Mechatronics, and the Diploma in Light-Duty Diesel.
3. Received approval from SACSCOC for North Rowan High School as an off-campus instructional site offering 50 percent or more of a program and the relocation of the Cosmetology program to College Station.
4. Received candidacy status for accreditation for the Physical Therapist Assistant program and enrolled the first cohort of 20 students.
5. Completed year four of the Quality Enhancement Plan: SEEK.

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

1. Updated the Online Instructor Certification (OIC) course with enhanced accessibility content and was re-certified by Quality Matters with a score of 95 out of 98 possible points on the first review (no changes requested).
2. Facilitated four library focus groups across North, South, NCRC, and CBTC campuses comprised of students, faculty, staff, and administrators to identify patterns and themes which could become common discussion points among stakeholders  regarding strategic planning and the future direction of the library, and develop the 2018-2021 Library Strategic Goals.

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

1. Received a pass rate of 98 percent for the AND NCLEX, which was above the North Carolina pass rate of 84 percent and the national pass rate of 88 percent.
2. Received a 100 percent pass rate for PN NCLEX, which was above the North Carolina pass rate of 82 percent and the national pass rate of 86 percent.
3. Implemented the Office Hour Initiative in English and Math, and faculty reported a 31 percent increase in student contacts (1,529 to 1,996) from fall 2017 to spring 2018.

F. Continuously improve completion rates.

1. Improved on completion rates with the Associate in Fine Arts in Visual Arts and succeeded in raising the graduation rate by over one percent compared to 2017, achieving a total completion rate of over 20 percent for Advertising and Graphic Design students.
2. Achieved a 100 percent pass rate for the seventh consecutive year in the College’s Radiography program.

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

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

1. Expanded tutoring services into a larger location at CBTC, accommodating an increased number of students and topics.
2. Developed a partnership between Tutoring Services and the Math and English departments on the RISE pilot for the developmental redesign to offer all corequisite students for MAT-052, MAT-071, and ENG-011 opportunities for weekly tutoring assistance.
3. Conducted approximately 500 hours of tutoring support for ENG-011 students during fall 2018 and 2,675 hours for MAT-052 and MAT-071 support.
4. Collaborated with the Center for Teaching and Learning for the library to host the Listen First project and guest speaker at North and South Campus.
5. Successfully partnered with an online bookstore provider to implement an initiative to lower the cost of textbooks for students.
6. Opened the Beacon’s Nest Spirit Store on North and South Campus, creating an experience that truly supports students, empowering them to make deeper connections with the College, their friends, and instructors, and ultimately succeed academically.

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

1. Celebrated the College’s national SkillsUSA winner in Dental Assisting, Heidi Swinson and the College’s first female National Skills USA winner in Masonry, Ashton White.
2. Led at least two campus visits to transfer institutions to assist students in the transfer research process by the Department of Fine & Applied Arts.
3. Integrated the first student member into the Rowan-Cabarrus delegation attending the annual Appalachian Energy Summit where schools with the UNC and North Carolina Community College Systems gather to share sustainability initiatives and celebrate successes.

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

1. Implemented TimeClock Plus, which is a time and attendance solution that integrates with Colleague to process payroll and human resources data.
2. Installed new wireless networks at CBTC, NCRC, College Station, and parts of North Campus.
3. Completed technology implementation for the construction of College Station and CBTC Annex/Motorsports.
4. Released a new accessibility checking system for all online courses.
5. Implemented a new student survey tool for all courses.
6. Upgraded the bandwidth for all campuses and modernized the networking infrastructure at CBTC, NCRC, and College Station.
7. Upgraded the student engagement system, NAVsync, to enhance connectivity and collaboration between the College and students.
8. Completed 13 OnBase application development projects to enhance workflow capabilities and efficiency in processes for the College.
9. Released an upgraded version of the College’s interface to the enterprise resource planning system.
10. Partnered with Microsoft to deploy server environments and disaster recovery technology into the Cloud.
11. Released a new video conference solution for use throughout the College.
12. Implemented a new point of sale system and inventory system for the new spirit store.
13. Built a new connection tool/API for applications to more easily work with one another, simplifying the technology experience for students and staff.

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

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

1. Received exemplary audits of financial statements and internal control compliance for both the College and Foundation.
2. Collected a total of $303,796.79 in outstanding monies owed to the College.

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

1. Managed an awarded amount of $114,000 from the North Carolina Community College System dedicated to short-term training to develop the Light Construction Building Trades program and purchase necessary equipment and supplies.
2. Awarded a $1.1 million National Science Foundation Grant with funding for 15 students to each receive a $6,000 scholarship annually.
3. Awarded a $400,000 National Institute of Health grant to support undergraduate research in biology.
4. Awarded a $10,000 grant from Mapping Upward for “Industry Informed Stackable Credentials” with a focus on involving local industry and advisory board members in the credentialing process and professional certifications.
5. Awarded Open Education North Carolina Faculty Adoption grants to pilot OpenStax textbooks in biology.
6. Received several significant in-kind donations from generous partners, including Dr. Francis Koster, F&M Mafco, Clinical Engineering, and more.
7. Secured $3,223,002 in funding through the RCCC Foundation to support the College’s highest priority needs and student scholarships from the Annual Fund, Family Campaign, Golf Tournament and the Scholarship Luncheon.

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

1. Completed Began construction of the Advanced Technology Center, which will be located at the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis.
2. Completed construction of College Station in partnership with the City of Kannapolis, which allowed relocation of the College’s Cosmetology program to the newly renovated facility at 489 Cannon Boulevard.
3. Completed remodel of spaces in the CBTC Annex, which house the Light Diesel program.
4. Completed remodel of spaces within Building 200 at North Campus, which house the Mechatronics program.
5. Completed a major refresh of Building 2000 at South Campus, which included new paint, new flooring, new ceiling tiles, and enhancements to the air conditioning system.
6. Completed a renovation of the Student Center at South Campus.
7. Completed fitting out of spaces within Building 600 at North Campus, which houses the Physical Therapist Assistant Program.
8. Completed LED lighting upgrades in Building 400, 700, 800, and North Campus parking lots which will improve lighting quality and energy efficiency.
9. Completed the College’s first mass notification system at College Station, which will allow audible, visual and text messaging of safety directives during emergencies.
10. Completed installation of electronic access controls at South, CBTC, and College Station campuses, which will allow remote lock down of the campuses in emergencies, but also scheduled locking and unlocking of the buildings as well as key card access which tracks individuals who access buildings after hours.

D. Be the employer of choice.

1. Hosted a College Health Fair with more than 100 employees and students approximately 30 external partners in attendance.
2. Offered onsite vaccination clinics and health checks for employees in both Rowan and Cabarrus counties.
3. Conducted walking challenges, in spring and fall, in support of the College’s wellness focus.
4. Participated in the “58 Strong Community College 2018 Keep Pounding 5K Run” in support of Pediatric and Adult Cancer.
5. Promote women’s wellness through on-site Mobile Mammography Units for both North and South campus.

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 fall terms to facilitate communications and build relationships.
2. Enhanced communication with employees by sending six President’s Messages outlining the College’s latest updates and priorities.
3. Held focus group meetings for College employees to facilitate communications, build relationships, and understand professional development needs.
4. Implemented Diversity and Inclusion committee, joined the Higher Education Recruiting Consortium (HERC), and the North Carolina Universities and Colleges Consortium for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
5. Implemented diversity training for all College employees as part of a College-wide focus on diversity and inclusion for the 2018-2019 academic year to help the College foster a work environment in which all individuals are treated fairly and with respect, while also having equal access to opportunities and resources.

F. Strategically support leadership and professional development opportunities.

1. Managed 2,875 hours of individual professional development of employees.
2. Offered multiple public safety seminars for students, faculty and staff, which resulted in over 900 hours of instruction on topics ranging from Managing Crisis in the Classroom, Incident Reporting, CPR/AED/Opioid Overdose, and Winter Weather Safety (including driving simulator sessions).

5. Serve as a catalyst for advancing the region.

Objectives:
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. Executed strategic conversations with the Board of Trustees, the College’s legislative delegation, representatives of the University of North Carolina System, and other community stakeholders.
2. Recognized as one of ten finalists for the prestigious national Bellwether awards in the planning, governance, and finance category for the e-textbook initiative.
3. Planned, created, and hosted the first-ever training symposium focused on interviewing persons with intellectual disabilities, which brought together subject matter experts and community partners to educate law enforcement officers on the best practices of interviewing victims.
4. Led the technology sub-committee for the state ERP RPF project.
5. 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.

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

1. Offered 231 courses, completed 66,288 training hours, and awarded 5,362 certificates in the Basic Law Enforcement Training program.
2. Conducted multiple advisory committee meetings with public safety stakeholders to address local needs.
3. Coordinated and managed 17 customized training projects, served 24 companies, and trained a total of 2,251 people in customized training projects.

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

1. Provided 52 free Small Business Center seminars for local small businesses with 400 attendees and counseled 67 individuals.
2. Hosted four agripreneur networking events through the Small Business Center to connect business and agriculture.
3. Graduated 45 BLET students with 41 of 45 graduates (91.1 percent) securing employment within six months of their graduation date.

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

1. Helped create 50 jobs and assist with 13 business start-ups through advising and coaching provided through the Rowan-Cabarrus Small Business Center.
2. Served over 495 students in Work-Based Learning, with 178 students being placed in 133 businesses.
3. Developed student placements with 24 new businesses for Work-Based Learning opportunities.

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

1. Partnered with the City of Salisbury and the City of Kannapolis to provide student sponsorships for their city residents to take the Light Construction Building Trades program. Additionally, through this partnership, the City of Salisbury sponsored City residents to take the Medical Coding and Billing Specialist and Forklift courses.
2. Launched the Agripreneur Academy & Network in partnership with the College’s Continuing Education Training Services Department and in collaboration with Elma C. Lomax Incubator Farm.
3. Held a small business summit in partnership with Downtown Salisbury, Inc.
4. Participated in the tenth annual Salisbury Sculpture Show by hosting a professional sculpture on campus.
5. Partnered with East Cabarrus Historical Society where history and humanities faculty served as docents for The Way We Worked, a Smithsonian traveling exhibit.
6. Visited and lectured at Trinity Oaks Retirement Center in Salisbury, engaging residents in a series of lectures and book discussions.
7. Provided multiple disaster training opportunities to better prepare the public safety community for local and state level response.
8. Delivered multiple instructor level courses to enable public safety partners to further train staff.
9. Celebrated the sixth year of the annual “Reading Across Rowan & Cabarrus Counties” book drive by sending over 50 volunteers (faculty, students and staff) to nine elementary schools, donating 806 gift-wrapped books.