Category Three: Understanding Student and Stakeholder Needs

Processes

3P1 Identifying Student Needs

The Vice President of Academics, the Vice President of Student Affairs and Institutional Research, and the Director of Students act on recommendations for improvements associated with instruction and support services for students. Table 3.1 indicates some of the sources of information regarding student needs and the process used to analyze and select a course of action to address these needs. Detailed actions are further documented in STI’s Action Database .

Table 3.1 Identifying Student Need

3P2 Relationship Building

• Faculty and the Classroom: The classroom, whether traditional, hybrid or online, is the central point for engaging students and building relationships. The majority of full-time STI faculty have 100% teaching workloads and teach over 75% of STI classes. STI believes this teaching focus provides the greatest opportunity for student-faculty interaction. With STI’s small class sizes, faculty get to know students personally and are thus more able to respond effectively to student needs. This faculty interaction with students begins even before the student steps into the classroom through student visitation and orientation days. Over the years, STI administration has had the advantage of hiring faculty from a large pool of applicants and is able to recruit highly qualified and experienced faculty. STI program faculty are experts in their fields and are required to have a minimum of three years’ field experience. Additionally, faculty are credentialed through the State of South Dakota with the majority having bachelor’s or master’s degrees (see 04 ).
• Student Advising/Conferencing: Faculty use conferencing and advising to build and foster relationships with students. All faculty are expected to maintain five or more office hours weekly either in person or online for the purpose of assisting students. Faculty also use STI’s Learning Management System (LMS) and the STInet Advising Module to keep students updated on course progress as well as to facilitate additional communications with students. The system allows students to check their progress daily.
• Student Success Advisors: In fall 2009, STI hired three full-time Student Success Advisors who teach STI’s Student Success Seminar course and who become their student’s institutional-level advisor throughout the time the student remains at STI. Each success advisor is responsible for giving personal attention to students and helping to ensure that any academic or personal issues are addressed early. In fall 2010, STI hired an Evening and Online Enrollment Coordinator who also functions as a Student Success Advisor to strengthen STI’s support of evening and online students.
• Student Success Seminar Course: Students who have not demonstrated prior success at the college level are required to take a two-credit Student Success Seminar course. The goal of the course is to help students develop general academic skills, provide STI specific institutional information and requirements, introduce students to STI resources, and foster a feeling of connectedness between the students and STI. The course addresses goal setting, study skills, financial literacy, and where to find resources such as the library, personal counseling, and outside community resources.
• Personal Counselors: STI maintains three licensed professional counselors on staff who are available to meet student counseling needs. Their primary role is to provide intervention, helping students address issues which may interfere with their learning. Counseling sessions are offered in person, online, and via telephone – accommodating the individual needs of the student. Two counselors hold a Distance Certified Counselor (DCC) designation. Counselors also provide psychological screenings and referral services. The Non-Traditional Student Advisor focuses primarily on career counseling and testing.
• Disability and Tutoring Services: STI provides accommodations as needed for students with documented disabilities. Additionally, a tutoring coordinator organizes tutoring services for students requesting assistance. Both services are available to all STI students free of charge. Instructor-led tutoring services are also available for some courses, such as Ultrasound Physics.
• Learners to Leaders Program: STI offers a Learners to Leaders program in conjunction with the Sioux Falls School District high schools. The program allows at-risk high school students to take classes on campus and earn high school and STI credits in the Business Administration program at STI. A halftime Learners to Leaders facilitator provides support for these students and the program is funded by Smithfield Foods.
• On Campus Events: Special events on campus foster the feeling of community. Students are introduced to the campus during spring and fall campus picnics featuring entertainment and activities. Graduation ceremonies in December and May include graduation receptions for graduates and their families and friends. Throughout the school year, the Student Government Association sponsors movie and pizza, dances, talent show, and other all-campus student activities.
• Intramural Sports: All credit students and STI employees have the opportunity to participate in organized intramural sports – basketball, volleyball and bowling. The SGA Advisor coordinates the program, and individual faculty or staff are paid to supervise.
• Student Organizations: STI has fifteen student organizations, which offer an opportunity for students to participate in professional organizations in their field while attending STI. Through these organizations, students can also compete in local, regional, and national competitions, or attend various professional conferences. Many organizations also provide opportunities to learn leadership skills or participate in service-oriented activities, such as the HelpLine Referral Service. All student organizations have an STI employee as an advisor, providing additional opportunities to develop relationships (see 1P 16  for listing). It is an institutional requirement that all student organizations must be directly related to programs.
• In-Service Training: Each year STI hosts five mandatory in-service days for faculty professional development. Depending upon the subject, some of these sessions are also attended by STI staff. Topics have included engaging students in the classroom, advising tips, using learning styles to improve student performance, understanding millennial students, using technology in the classroom, assessment techniques, identifying and helping disabled students, suicide prevention, and understanding poverty. A faculty and staff led In-Service Committee organizes the events.
• Communication: STI understands that using a variety of communication methods with students greatly increases the opportunity to build a lasting relationship. Therefore, STI communicates with students through the STI web and STInet sites, phone calls, texting, emails, postcards, in person and online chats, YOUTUBE, and Facebook. The STI Marketing Department coordinates print and web communications.
• Customer Service Training: STI’s Business and Industry Training division offers a five-week Customer Service course for high school students. The program trains students on computer skills, communication in the workplace, and customer service. Students completing the course have the opportunity to test out of STI’s Introduction to Computers and Communication in the Workplace diploma classes as well as receive high school credit.
• Career Center Office: The Career Center Office assists students in developing job seeking skills and writing effective resumes and cover letters. The office also assists employers in finding qualified candidates to meet their employment needs. Representatives from a variety of employment settings contact the office to recruit STI students for both full and part-time job openings, which are posted on the STInet Campus Life tab. Students are able to meet with the Career Center Officer to discuss job opportunities either by walk-in, phone or email. In addition, the Career Center Officer visits STI classrooms to meet and work with students. Two job fairs are also conducted on the STI campus each year: a part-time job fair in August and the Medical Job Fair in May.
• On-Campus Housing through the Housing Foundation: STI builds a relationship with the 200 oncampus housing students through the efforts of the housing staff and their connection to STI’s Student Success Center. The on-site Housing Manager and Assistant Housing Manager work directly with the Success Center to identify and assist housing students who may be struggling, either academically or personally. Housing staff also hold housing events to help build a community and connect students with each other and with the staff.

3P3 Stakeholder Needs

Table 3.2 Key Stakeholders and Potential Need/Expectations

*External regional or national accrediting agencies

3P4 Building and Maintaining Stakeholder Relationships

Table 3.2 Key Stakeholders and Potential Need/Expectations

*External regional or national accrediting agencies

3P5 New Student and Stakeholder Groups

Furthermore, STI’s BIT department determines target audiences and programming by reviewing other successful regional programs, surveying area businesses and industries, and developing open enrollment training programs that are indicated by strong interest.

Industry Advisory Committees for each program are very active, meeting with faculty a minimum of two times a year. The participation of administrators in Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce, Forward Sioux Falls, and other regional and state organizations, allows STI to be informed about new industries moving into the region that may need training. The STI Council, with representatives from business and the Sioux Falls School Board, provides an additional source of strategic planning regarding new students and stakeholders. All of these business and industry connections provide a direct link to the changing needs in the workplace.

STI reviews its recruitment methods frequently and through the Marketing Committee adjusts STI’s marketing plan. Changes in advertising type (radio, television, billboard, Facebook, YouTube, STI website), advertising group (traditional or non-traditional students or other subgroups), and advertising focus (evening, day, weekend) are determined through these meetings.

3P6 Complaint Information and Actions

Written complaints routed to an administrator are documented through the Vice President of Student Affairs and Institutional Research and addressed by the appropriate administrator. Other stakeholder complaints are gathered through various communications with administrators, faculty, and staff and are handled by the appropriate department or administrator. STI has developed a complaint process policy to guide the institute in this area.

The STI Catalog  explains the process for student appeals, complaints and grievances. Student complaints are addressed at the lowest level possible and directed to higher levels if necessary. For non-academic complaints, the majority are resolved by the Vice President of Student Affairs and Institutional Research, the Director of Students, and the Director of Business and Industry. Academic complaints are resolved by the Vice President of Academics, Director of Health, or the Director of Academic Support. In rare cases, students take concerns to the President.

When a complaint is beyond the scope of a given department’s authority, requires more analysis and response than can be given by an individual, or is one where an administrator or department would like to request a change in STI policy, rules or regulations, the complaint is brought to the Administrative Team for further discussion.

Actions are communicated back to the students or stakeholders either orally or in writing.

Results from the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory indicate that STI students are very satisfied with STI’s complaint process. STI’s rating of 5.02 is statistically significant when compared to the national 4.88 rating.

Results

3R2 Performance Results for Student Satisfaction

Table 3.3 SSI Category Score Results Above National Mean (2008)

Table 3.4 indicates the SSI areas where STI falls significantly below the national mean:

Table 3.4 SSI Category Score Results Below National Mean (2008)

STI has worked to improve the understanding among faculty and staff regarding diverse populations by holding in-service training on diversity issues, particularly with respect to students with disabilities. Recently, an entire in-service day was dedicated to the topic of Understanding Poverty, another on Students as Customers, and a third on Generation Next. To better assist part-time, evening, weekend and online students, STI has hired an Evening and Online Enrollment Coordinator.

STI also uses student enrollment, retention and graduation rates as indirect measures of student satisfaction. Student enrollment numbers have been strong with a large increase in fall 2009, moving the institute from 2,138 students in fall 2008 to 2,489 students in fall 2009. STI’s retention rate from fall to fall semesters for new (first time and transfer) students was 63% for fall 2009. STI’s graduate rates after three years was 53%. STI’s full-time, first-time, degree seeking graduate rate of 47% is in line with the 46% graduate rate average for South Dakota public higher education (IPEDS 2005 Cohort).

In fall 2009, STI implemented an Exit Interview process for students who leave STI prior to graduation to gather additional information regarding student satisfaction. The first results of this process will be available in fall 2010.

STI uses an Employer Survey to measure the satisfaction of our external stakeholders and a Campus Climate Survey to measure the satisfaction of internal stakeholders.

3R3 Performance Results for Relationship Building

Table 3.3 SSI Category Score Results Above National Mean (2008)

Table 3.4 indicates the SSI areas where STI falls significantly below the national mean:

Table 3.4 SSI Category Score Results Below National Mean (2008)

STI has worked to improve the understanding among faculty and staff regarding diverse populations by holding in-service training on diversity issues, particularly with respect to students with disabilities. Recently, an entire in-service day was dedicated to the topic of Understanding Poverty, another on Students as Customers, and a third on Generation Next. To better assist part-time, evening, weekend and online students, STI has hired an Evening and Online Enrollment Coordinator.

STI also uses student enrollment, retention and graduation rates as indirect measures of student satisfaction. Student enrollment numbers have been strong with a large increase in fall 2009, moving the institute from 2,138 students in fall 2008 to 2,489 students in fall 2009. STI’s retention rate from fall to fall semesters for new (first time and transfer) students was 63% for fall 2009. STI’s graduate rates after three years was 53%. STI’s full-time, first-time, degree seeking graduate rate of 47% is in line with the 46% graduate rate average for South Dakota public higher education (IPEDS 2005 Cohort).

In fall 2009, STI implemented an Exit Interview process for students who leave STI prior to graduation to gather additional information regarding student satisfaction. The first results of this process will be available in fall 2010.

STI uses an Employer Survey  to measure the satisfaction of our external stakeholders and a Campus Climate Survey to measure the satisfaction of internal stakeholders.

3R4 Performance Results for Stakeholder Satisfaction

Table 3.5 Employer Survey Results Above Expectations (2009)

Based on a five point scale: 5-excellent, 4-very good, 3-satisfactory, 2-Unsatisfactory, 1-Unacceptable

Employers also rate STI as part of the survey. Table 3.6 shows the ratings for 2009 as compared to the 2007 employer survey.

Table 3.6 Employer Survey Ratings of STI (2009)

Based on a five point scale: 5-excellent, 4-very good, 3-satisfactory, 2-Unsatisfactory, 1-Unacceptable

Currently, employers did not rate STI low on any portion of the survey. Information from the survey, however, is disaggregated for further analysis by program faculty at the program level and used in program planning and review.

When STI’s employees rate performance results for stakeholder satisfaction and building relationships, the results are very positive. Table 3.7 indicates that 90% or more of employees believe that the learning environment STI has created for students, the reputation in the community, and the delivery of technical programs are excellent.

Table 3.7 STI Campus Climate Survey – 2008 and 2010

For more information regarding STI’s Campus Climate Survey results see 4R1 .

3R5 Performance Results for Building Relationships

Table 3.5 Employer Survey Results Above Expectations (2009)

Based on a five point scale: 5-excellent, 4-very good, 3-satisfactory, 2-Unsatisfactory, 1-Unacceptable

Employers also rate STI as part of the survey. Table 3.6 shows the ratings for 2009 as compared to the 2007 employer survey.

Table 3.6 Employer Survey Ratings of STI (2009)

Based on a five point scale: 5-excellent, 4-very good, 3-satisfactory, 2-Unsatisfactory, 1-Unacceptable

Currently, employers did not rate STI low on any portion of the survey. Information from the survey, however, is disaggregated for further analysis by program faculty at the program level and used in program planning and review.

When STI’s employees rate performance results for stakeholder satisfaction and building relationships, the results are very positive. Table 3.7 indicates that 90% or more of employees believe that the learning environment STI has created for students, the reputation in the community, and the delivery of technical programs are excellent.

Table 3.7 STI Campus Climate Survey – 2008 and 2010

For more information regarding STI’s Campus Climate Survey results see 4R1 .

3R6 Comparative Results

Table 3.8 SSI Ratings Higher than the National Mean (2008)

Scale: Ratings are based on a 7 point rating sytem with 7 meaning “very satisfied” and 1 meaning “not satisfied at all.”
* ** *** indicates the difference to the national mean is statistically significant.

Students report a strong sense of feeling welcomed, safe, and supported. They report high satisfaction with a majority of support services including career, child care, Veterans, and displaced homemaker services. The comfortable physical environment may also contribute to their overall satisfaction.

Areas falling below the national mean, and areas STI is working to improve, include:

Table 3.9 SSI Ratings Lower than the National Mean (2008)

In many of these instances, STI provides the necessary services for students; however, some of these services are underutilized either due to lack of student knowledge regarding availability, communication of services, the time services are offered, etc. Several of these areas have been or are currently being addressed with changes described in 3I 1 .

Improvements

3I1 Improvements

Success Center and Advisors: STI’s latest improvement in meeting student needs is the creation of a Student Success Center in fall 2009 and the hiring of three full-time success advisors. These advisors, as stated in section 3P2, teach a two-credit Student Success Seminar course (mandatory for all students who have not demonstrated prior success in college). They then become advisors for those students throughout the student’s time at Southeast. The designation of a specific physical location for the Student Success Center and an institutional-level advisor for the student is intended to build student connectedness to the institution and improve retention and success to graduation. The Success Center and Success Advisors will improve services to all students, but will especially be helpful for older students, returning learners, under-represented populations, and students with disabilities. In fall 2009, an Evening and Online Enrollment Coordinator was added to the staff and fulfills the role as the evening and online student Success Advisor.

Faculty Technology Advisors: Another significant improvement, which impacts STI’s ability to meet stakeholder needs, is the creation of two positions for instructional support. One position focuses on how to use STI’s Learning Management System (LMS). The other, an Instructional Facilitator, helps faculty incorporate technology tools into instruction. Both travel to the instructor labs and classrooms to provide one-on-one hands-on support.

Expanded Hours: Additional support service and Bookstore hours allow students to have access to these services until 6:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The offices close at 4:00 p.m. on Fridays. The change in office hours was made to better meet student needs and provide services at times they would prefer.

Evening and OnLine Enrollment Coordinator: To better meet the needs of evening students, STI hired an Evening and Online Enrollment Coordinator to advise and assist evening and online students and faculty.

Helpdesk Support in Mickelson and Sullivan Centers During First Week of Classes: The majority of students in STI’s Mickelson Center have STI laptops, and the number is growing in the Sullivan Center, but the Helpdesk is located in Technology Center. To assist these students, Helpdesk staff set up a temporary location in the Mickelson and Sullivan centers to solve the increased number of student computer issues during the first week of the semester.

IT Upgrades: STI continues to increase the number of laptop-required programs, which has greatly improved student computer and program-specific skill attainment. STI has also implemented a networked printer/copier solution that provides more access to printing and copying for students as well as allowing STI to better track use and improve efficiencies. Beginning in fall 2010, STI will further improve its wireless network and increase bandwidth for its Internet service.

Library Online Resources: In the spring of 2009, 750 unique titles were added to the Library’s e-book collection bringing the total to 6,359. These titles include commercially published books in the arts, humanities, social sciences, life and physical sciences, business, computers & more. The Library will continue to purchase additional e-books each year. These titles are accessible on or off campus through the online catalog or by going directly to netlibrary.com.

Besides belonging to the SDLN statewide consortium and having access to multiple online databases, the Southeast Library has three databases that are available only to Southeast Library patrons: Global Road Warrior; Facts on File and Newsbank. In spring 2010 STI will be reviewing these and other available databases to determine which will be most beneficial for our students and make any necessary changes to its collections. The Librarian has convened a Library Advisory Committee to develop strategies for improvement of services.

Mickelson Center Renovation: The renovation project of the Mickelson Center will expand student learning spaces, improve access to computers, consolidate support services, and improve Library and tutoring services. This construction project started in spring 2010 and is on target for completion in fall 2011.

Housing Roommate Preference Survey: To better match roommates in STI’s on-campus housing, a Housing Roommate Preference Survey was developed, which surveys incoming housing students on a variety of likes and dislikes to help housing management during the roommate selection process.

Project-Based Learning and Career Tech Academy: Through its partnership with the Sioux Falls School District, STI hosts the Project-Based Learning initiative on its campus and sold land just south of the institute for the construction of the school district’s Career Tech Academy. Both initiatives opened fall 2010 and will provide STI an opportunity to build stronger connections with area high school students as well as develop additional high school articulation agreements.

3I2 Culture and Infrastructure Role in Setting Targets and Selecting Processes for Improvement

Program teams rely on bi-annual Advisory Committee meetings and contact with their Advisory members between these meetings to keep a pulse on current industry developments. In programs where there is an industry accreditation, licensure or certification option for students, faculty reference the standards of their field to validate industry needs and standards. This up-to-date information gathering has been very effective in helping STI maintain relevant employer-based education.

The philosophy of continuous quality has also been developed in STI’s service departments, and these areas function in a team environment as well. Each department works hard to improve the services of the department and uses team meetings to discuss and improve these services. Annual department goals are established and acted upon. In addition to department teams which develop those goals, institutional teams, AQIP Campus Climate and AQIP Student Success teams, focus on particular stakeholder areas.