| September 2006 | Volume 9, Number 9 |
Growing Enrollments and Creating Sustainable Partnerships
Vickie Cook
Kaskaskia College in Centralia, Illinois, was one such institution that explored new paradigms for driving economic development within a rural area that had experienced massive layoffs and economic downturn in a five-county area. Leadership within the institution, including faculty members and administrators, worked with a group of like-minded postsecondary education providers to expand opportunities for completion of four-year degrees within a rural area of south-central Illinois.
Rural areas of Illinois continue to find delivery of needed educational programming challenging. Although residents and businesses within the rural areas of Illinois continue to ask community colleges to consider offering baccalaureate degree programs in certain fields that are in high demand locally, the Illinois Community College Board released a statement in May 2004 opposing the offering of baccalaureate degrees at an Illinois community college. The Illinois Community College Board felt that this function was not a part of the mission of a comprehensive community college and would dilute already stressed local and state funding available for certificate and associate degree programs. Still, residents in rural areas who need or want a baccalaureate program and whose employment, family, or other responsibilities preclude traveling or relocation do not have access to baccalaureate education.
The president and board of trustees at Kaskaskia College felt strongly that a comprehensive community college should maintain its identity through offering only associate degrees and certificate programs. However, they recognized that the mission of the community college to address the needs of the district residents must also be considered in the development of four-year programming. The Kaskaskia College University Alliance was created to bridge the comprehensive community college concept with the needs of the district residents for baccalaureate programs.
In keeping with the basic definition of an alliance that focuses on partnerships and formal agreements, the process of developing and implementing a university alliance began through a series of steps that included research, development of a model, aligning partners through a formal agreement process, and program structure. Because of the outreach efforts required and the partnerships that would need to be developed and sustained, the decision was made to assign the program to the Dean of Continuing Education. The job title and office were changed to Dean of Continuing Education and University Alliance to demonstrate a significant commitment to the program. Responsibilities included creating partnerships, establishing guidelines for those partnerships, coordinating facilities, establishing evaluation and assessment of programs, and advising students.
Visits to University Centers. While the vision for the University Alliance was to use existing facilities to host partner institutions, the university center concept was explored. Contacts were made with administrators at university centers across the country. A visit to the University Center of Lake County, Illinois, provided much information to build on best practices at that facility. The Lake County facility is located in a heavily populated area of northern Illinois near the Chicago area, and Kaskaskia staff received valuable support and assistance from Lake County staff in the development of a model that would be replicable in a rural area.
Through the development of a mission statement, core values, and ethical practices, the University Center offers more than 60 degree programs serving 5,000 students at six locations. The University Center website (www.ucenter.org/index.html) exemplifies best practices in connecting partnering institutions with prospective students.
Development of a Mission Statement. Information gathered from the University Center of Lake County and through phone conversations with other university centers across the country provided a foundation to construct a solid mission for the Kaskaskia College University Alliance program. This mission and vision were developed with input from administrators, faculty members, staff, and trustees:
Kaskaskia College will continue to be a dynamic comprehensive community college offering programs up to the associate degree and will coordinate with colleges and universities the expansion of upper division and graduate program educational opportunities to the residents of District #501. These programs will be offered through partnerships with other college and university baccalaureate and graduate degree completion opportunities by creating university alliances both inside and outside of Illinois’s borders.
Needs Analysis of Community and Employers. With this mission and vision in hand, partners were sought who believed in the creation of collaborative partnerships that would boost enrollments for both institutions, provide needed four-year program completion opportunities at the community college facility, and provide needed four-year programming that would drive the economic development of a struggling region. Employers who had positions requiring baccalaureate and graduate degrees provided valuable input into existing employment opportunities that had proven consistently hard to fill with qualified individuals, and into anticipated future employment opportunities requiring baccalaureate and graduate degrees. Employer advisors included healthcare professionals, K-12 educators, special education district administrators, and business leaders. Economic development directors were also included in the discussions for future needs identified in the five-county area. Targeted employer needs were identified and included in the planning processes.
Creating Desired Partnerships. After the needs were identified, a plan to establish sufficient but noncompetitive degree programs was developed. Universities and colleges that had been strong partners in 2 + 2 initiatives and those where a number of students chose to transfer were included in initial visits to discuss possible collaborative partnerships and to determine the possibility of offering an off-campus program. Eastern Illinois University and Greenville College were already offering off-campus programs in the rural area served by Kaskaskia College and were very helpful in strengthening collaborative partnerships and encouraging community college students to complete four-year programs. Both institutions were also open to working with nontraditional students and providing the necessary support for successful completion of high-quality academic programs. An agreement template was created and approved by the Kaskaskia College Board of Trustees. Both institutions were invited to attend a trustees meeting where the formal agreement was signed. The local print and radio media interviewed the partnering institutions after each agreement was signed, and this media coverage resulted in positive press for both the community college and the four-year partners. It also created a communication pipeline for local residents to request specific information regarding four-year degree completion opportunities.
Determining the Financial Impact. Financial impacts were identified for Kaskaskia College, which pledged facilities, including computer labs, science labs, and other special facilities; support through marketing programs; and program overview information to be provided in response to student and prospective-student inquiries. Partners were expected to provide faculty members, recruitment within the Kaskaskia College district, and supplies for their classes. Students who were deficient in meeting the college or university admission requirements were encouraged to complete credits at Kaskaskia College. Negotiated agreements with partnering universities and colleges allowed for accumulation and transfer of community college credits above the degree requirement. In some cases, as many as 80 credit hours could be taken at the community college level and transferred to the four-year partner. This potential for increased enrollments at Kaskaskia College was attractive as plans were made to implement the University Alliance concept.
Developing Mutually Beneficial Partnerships. Within a few months, other colleges and universities expressed interest, ultimately resulting in 52 baccalaureate and master’s degree-completion partnerships being created with McKendree College, Southern Illinois University, University of Illinois at Springfield, Lakeview College of Nursing, University of St. Francis, and Lindenwood University. Online degree-completion partnerships provided programming, discounts, or other concessions for students to allow for online degree completion through Capella University, Franklin University, and Antioch University McGregor. These partnerships allowed community college students to move from their community college studies into a university degree program smoothly and with little inconvenience.
Coordination Efforts in Critical Areas. Coordination efforts are critical to the maintenance and sustenance of partnerships. Facility management in a community college where evening classrooms and labs are well used created necessary collaboration between community college faculty and staff and the employees of the partnering institutions. Lab accessibility and technical support became critical in many classes, and classrooms with technology capabilities were in high demand. The Continuing Education and University Alliance office coordinated the events and acted as a facilitator among the constituents. University and college programs that provided advisement with students currently enrolled at Kaskaskia College became the most successful in enrollment and most sustainable in resource allocation. Students wanted the personal contact either in person, via PolyCom distance advising sessions, or through consistent email contact during the completion of their associate degree programs. This strong advisement model strengthened the sustainability of partnerships.
Sustaining Partnerships. Partnerships were maintained through strong collaboration on marketing and recruiting efforts. A University Alliance Fair was held in the spring and in the fall each year to create an opportunity for prospective students to explore the partnering institutions. Representatives from each partnering institution were invited to participate and recruit students at the event. Other shared events were made available to partnering institutions, as well as printed class schedules and website links. Partnering institutions were highlighted and advertising was placed in the community college marketing materials at little or no cost to the university or college partner. Qualified adjunct faculty were shared between partners to help fill staffing roles in classes offered on campus. Other adjunct faculty were recruited through extensions of the community college partnerships within the district. Each semester a follow-up and assessment of available programs was completed and a University Alliance advisory board met to discuss current trends and future needs. Changes to marketing and program offerings resulted within the partnerships. Perhaps one of the most critical components was that each program was chosen for its ability to meet local need. Private and public universities and colleges were not put into a competitive situation. Programs were chosen for the strength they would bring to the area and their potential to attract students. As students requested information and inquired about types of jobs that would be available after degree completion, partnering institutions were highlighted and programs were presented to prospective students using a noncompetitive approach. The need of the student was the primary focus.
Creating the Future. As funds for education at all levels continue to require more student financial investment, students will look for colleges and universities to provide opportunities for education in their local areas or through distance learning technologies. As our educational systems focus less on sorting individuals into predetermined roles, transferability, or vocational studies and more on learning across life spans, partnerships will be able to build strong, viable learning institutions that are willing to meet the needs of the students. These factors and others create the momentum for community colleges and universities to grow strong partnerships.
Vickie Cook served as Dean of Continuing Education and University Alliance for Kaskaskia College from 2001 to 2006, and is now teaching in the educational leadership program at the University of Illinois at Springfield. Growing Enrollments and Creating Sustainable Partnerships ©2006 Vickie Cook
Cynthia Wilson, Editor