Press release:
The Genesee Community College Board of Trustees received a proposed College strategic plan for the 2013-2018 period on Monday. The plan, if approved by trustees, will commit the College to six strategic priorities: Student readiness and access; student success and completion; economic development and impact; faculty and staff success; college culture of collaboration and excellence; and sustainability.
In addition to the broad strategic priorities, the proposed plan includes a variety of outcomes the College would like to achieve in the five-year period beginning Sept. 1.
Executive Vice President for Planning and Institutional Effectiveness William T. Emm told trustees that the strategic plan would be used as the basis for annual College work plans.
"This is intended as a 'living plan'," he said. "Every year, circumstances change, so each year we will develop an annual plan of achievements and implement a 360-degree evaluation process to help assess what we do each year."
Rigorous higher education accreditation standards mean that strategic planning and assessment are more important than ever, said President James M. Sunser. "This strategic plan is a 50,000-foot guiding document," he said. "It will demonstrate to accrediting bodies that we are using data to inform our planning and decisions, to assess, and then to continuously improve."
The Board of Trustees is slated to discuss and consider adoption of the plan at its April meeting.
The proposed strategic plan is the result of the efforts of a 25-member steering committee which examined College programs and activities, as well as emerging student and community needs. Implementation will be a college-wide effort, Emm said.
In other business, the Board of Trustees:
• Heard President Sunser report that the State University of New York and New York State Education Department have approved the College's new Supply Chain Management academic concentration.
• Heard Trustee Diane D. Torcello, Chair of the Board's Finance Committee, report that the Committee had reviewed the College's financial statements through February 28. Torcello reported that actual expenses are holding to budget estimates, and that staff members are doing a "very good job" managing expenses.
• Heard Sunser report that Kathleen Schieffen, Ph.D., will join the College as Provost/Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs July 1. Schieffen currently serves as dean of Academic Services at Monroe Community College's Damon City Campus. She has more than 20 years of experience in higher education, including service as an administrator and instructor at Monroe Community College and Pima Community College District in Arizona. She holds an A.A.S. degree from Trocaire College; a B.S. degree from Roberts Wesleyan College; a M.S. degree from The University at Buffalo; and a Ph.D. from Capella University.
• Heard Sunser report that Reid Smalley will join the College's staff as executive director of Workforce Development at The BEST Center on April 15. He comes to Genesee with more than 30 years of experience in higher education, with extensive involvement providing services to business and industry. He currently serves as dean of Workforce Development at Middlesex Community College in Connecticut. He holds a B.S. degree from Michigan State University and a M.Ed. degree from Pennsylvania State University.
• Heard Sunser report that Sammy Naji joined the College's staff February 25 as academic advisor. Naji was a member of the advisement staff at Buffalo State College, and has experience in the banking industry. He holds a B.S. degree from The University at Buffalo and a M.S. degree from Buffalo State College.
• Heard Vice President for Student and Enrollment Services Virginia M. Taylor report that 80 students enrolled for "Winterim" courses this academic year, up from 30 students last year. Winterim is a "mini-term" between the fall and spring semester. Students may complete courses over an intensive three-week period during Winterim. Taylor noted the students had excellent academic outcomes.
• Heard Taylor report that prospective students may still register for eight-week courses, which begin March 18.
• Heard Taylor report that the College is gearing up for the Genesee Promise Plus program this summer. Under this program, juniors and graduating seniors in area high schools receive a full scholarship for up to two summer courses at GCC. Credits earned during the summer may be used toward degrees from Genesee Community College or other colleges and universities across the nation.
