Southeast Technical Institute Systems Portfolio November 2010

Apr 25, 2024

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Southeast Technical Institute Systems Portfolio November 2010 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Category Four: Valuing People

Processes

4P1 Employee Credentials, Skills and Values

Throughout the hiring process, STI’s Human Resource Department and the STI supervisor who oversees the position being hired work together to complete the hire. Staff and faculty frequently have input in the position job descriptions and participate in the interview and selection process.

Identification of Skills: STI begins the hiring process with a review and update of the current job description or the creation of a new job description. The purpose of this step is to assure that STI is hiring individuals with the appropriate qualifications for the position and that the job description accurately states the duties of the position. In developing or revising job descriptions, STI reviews the specific credentials and skills required by other technical institutes, as well as changes that have occurred in the field.

Faculty Skills: STI full time faculty are required to meet the following criteria:

Hold a degree appropriate to their field and/or appropriate work experience (3+ years) as determined by STI. (General Education instructors teaching transferable courses must have a master’s degree and 18 credits in the specific field.)
Have three years of relevant work experience as determined by STI
Maintain instructor credentials as determined by the State of South Dakota (renewed every five years)

Part-time faculty have appropriate work experience and/or a degree but are not required to participate in state credentialing.

STI places a strong emphasis on the ability of its faculty to be effective teachers, particularly for teaching the two-year technical student. Therefore, during the interview process, STI strives to find those individuals who not only know the technical aspects of a given field but also have the ability to effectively communicate this information to others. The hiring process therefore includes a demonstration of teaching by the candidate.

Staff Skills: Qualifications for staff are outlined in the job description for the particular assignment as identified by the supervising administrator. As indicated above, these qualifications are compared to qualifications and requirements used by other institutions as well as the specific needs of STI.

The Human Resources Department and administration assure that all hires meet the qualifications and requirements for the positions for which they are being hired.

STI’s focus on the student is a central tenant in the interview process for all hires. During this process, administrators consider how each potential employee will blend with the culture of teaching and learning and student success at STI.

4P2 Hiring Processes

Faculty Skills: STI full time faculty are required to meet the following criteria:

Hold a degree appropriate to their field and/or appropriate work experience (3+ years) as determined by STI. (General Education instructors teaching transferable courses must have a master’s degree and 18 credits in the specific field.)
Have three years of relevant work experience as determined by STI
Maintain instructor credentials as determined by the State of South Dakota (renewed every five years)

Part-time faculty have appropriate work experience and/or a degree but are not required to participate in state credentialing.

The Human Resources Department and administration assure that all hires meet the qualifications and requirements for the positions for which they are being hired.

4P3 Recruiting, Hiring, and Retaining Employees

Recruitment: STI recruits faculty and staff through advertisements in local and regional newspapers, on the Sioux Falls School District and STI web sites, and through other appropriate venues such as district bulletin boards, job search web sites, etc. STI has also found that direct recruitment through business and industry contacts, Advisory Committee connections, professional organization memberships, and word-of-mouth significantly increases the opportunity for finding potential candidates for positions.

Hiring: Hiring follows a specified process with the following steps:

Review and revision of the current job description or creation of a new job description
Placement of new positions on the appropriate salary schedule
Advertisement of the position
Review of all applicants for required credentials, certifications, degrees and/or work experience
Determination of final applicants to be interviewed
Determination of the appropriate members for the interview panel
Development of interview questions
Interviews of the candidates
Final decision of the review panel
Reference checks and communication of decision to all applicants, including offering the position
Acceptance of the person for the position

Employee Retention: STI retains its employees by:

Offering competitive salary and benefit packages
Developing a culture of participation and input through teams and committees
Communicating campus-wide information, recognizing employees, and building the STI community through monthly meetings for all employees (offices closed during meeting time)
Providing opportunities for continued employee training both on and off campus to allow employees to develop their skills
Providing opportunities for advancement, when possible
Opening communication between employees and administration through STI’s “open door policy” and yearly employee evaluations
Holding campus wide employee events
Providing mentoring opportunities for faculty
Creating a positive, professional climate where individuals can use their strengths in contributing to the success of STI’s students
Providing opportunities for employees to share their knowledge with others through training sessions, presentations, mentoring sessions and team assignments.

By creating an environment that is team-oriented and team-supported, STI is able to collaboratively deliver an excellent education to its students.

4P4 Employee Orientation

Orientation to STI begins in the interviewing process. Each interviewee is given an STI information sheet and a short overview of the institute, including STI’s mission and values. Additional information may also be provided during the interview itself.

All New Employees: New employees are given an Employee Handbook that contains information including:

A Welcome Letter from the President
STI’s mission, vision, and core values
STI’s organizational chart
A campus map
Key policies and regulations
Employee benefit plan
Telephone listings and voice mail user guide
Payroll and calendars
Collective bargaining agreement or employment rider
STI Viewbook

New employees also have a meeting with STI’s Human Resource Officer to discuss the handbook and any questions the new employee may have.

New Faculty: New full-time faculty have orientation sessions during which institutional practices and policies are reviewed. Additionally, they take a four credit, year long, mentoring class taught by the Academic Administrative Team. This class includes discussions and presentations on AQIP, STI history, mission and values, teaching techniques, etc.

Part-time faculty have similar orientation sessions that are conducted before the beginning of each fall and spring semester and involve all part-time faculty, both new and returning. Individualized part-time faculty training is provided by the Academic Administrative Team.

Both new full-time and part-time faculty receive additional support and orientation from other faculty within their program area. These faculty members assist new instructors with course syllabi, lesson planning, course management techniques, STI policies and procedures, etc.

New Staff: New staff are oriented through the administrator in charge of their assigned area as well as other employees in the area. This orientation is completed through direct meetings with the administrator, shadowing experiences with other employees, and meetings with various STI departments as needed.

STI provides continuing orientations for all faculty and staff during monthly faculty and staff meetings, in-services, and department, committee and program meetings. Administrators, faculty or staff review various aspects of organizational culture, mission, values, and policies during these meetings. When individual employees participate in these institutional in-services, committees, and other meetings, the institutional culture is re-enforced, discussed, and sometimes modified.

4P5 Planning for Personnel Changes

Administration uses institutional data and information gathered from fall budget and planning meetings with programs and departments to plan for future personnel needs. Requests for new personnel are submitted to the Vice President of Finance and Operations who includes the request as part of the budget review. The STI Administrative Team then meets to determine which positions will be brought to the STI Council for consideration. The process allows for all positions to receive equal consideration as well as the opportunity to combine or adjust requests prior to final submission. Decisions are based upon the needs of the institute, the current goals and direction of the institute, and available funding. Those positions not moved forward in the budget can be submitted again in following years.

STI also recognizes the need to be prepared for personnel changes that occur due to retirements. To help better prepare for these unexpected job changes, STI administration continually works with faculty and staff to determine what changes may be coming in the near or distant future so that the institute can better meet these challenges. For example, STI is expecting that within the next two to three years, a significant change in faculty, due to retirements, will take place. STI is already preparing for this.

Sudden changes, such as long term illnesses, death, or employee terminations, create additional institutional challenges. To meet these challenges, STI relies on its stakeholders to help the institute.

This has included:

hiring previous employees to fill positions temporarily
reassigning job responsibilities and calling upon current employees to assist in other areas
working with Advisory Committees to find outside resources to provide support
hiring part time assistance through temp agencies

To assist with the orientation of new employees that results from changes in personnel, STI is working to document more of its processes and procedures. This will help STI maintain better consistency in its services and reduce the amount of time required to orientate new employees.

4P6 Employee Productivity and Satisfaction

In-service and Monthly Meetings: STI begins each new fall semester with an all-staff and faculty meeting during in-service. During this time, STI’s President sets the stage for the coming year, including the institute’s yearly action projects and goals. STI often invites guest speakers to attend the session to motivate staff and faculty and to get all STI employees focused on students. After the semester is underway, STI continues to hold all staff meetings on a monthly basis, as well as monthly faculty meetings, giving faculty and staff the opportunity to communicate with each other and build stronger working relationships.

Employee Involvement in Work Processes: STI involves faculty and staff in the design of work processes for their assigned areas to provide employees the opportunity to contribute to their own success and to become a vital part of the organization. Most of STI’s continuous improvement initiatives have been employee, not administrator, driven. Whether it is the creation of a new form or a new process, STI believes that input from those involved in that process is critical to the success of the institution. That involvement also leads to improved productivity and employee satisfaction.

Teams and Committees: The development and use of teams and committees has played a major part in STI’s continuous improvement process. Most program and department teams and institutional committees meet monthly, if not more, to discuss concerns, develop processes, and build a working community. This team-based approach has helped STI move many of its action projects forward and has helped the institute become more productive.

4P7 Ensuring Ethical Practices

Policies regarding ethical behavior are described in policies and procedures and posted on the STInet. Specific policies, including FERPA guidelines, are also reviewed yearly with all employees during fall in-service training. By reviewing these policies, STI has communicated expectations for ethical standards and assures that all employees are aware of them. The STI Policy Committee reviews and revises policies and submits recommendations for changes to the Sioux Falls School Board for approval.

STI administrators are charged with the responsibility of assuring that their employees follow ethical practices. Should a question regarding ethical practices come up, that administrator investigates the situation and makes recommendations for changes or disciplines individuals, if necessary.

The Student Conduct section of the STI Catalog defines a code of ethics for students. Conduct violations are handled by STI administration.

4P8 Determining Employee Training and Alignment to Organizational Plans

As noted in Category 3, the Campus Climate Survey and surveys conducted during in-service workshops provide some of the information on training needs of faculty and staff. Additionally, program and department teams recommend training areas during the budget and planning process. The AQIP Campus Climate Team and Administrative Team review Campus Climate Survey results and discuss ways to address training needs. A summary of key results is shared during the monthly meetings.

The In-Service Committee plans all in-service workshops and activities and bases decisions on recommendations of staff, faculty and administrator input. Topics have included STI’s Learning Management System, diversity, sexual harassment, and teaching techniques.

STI has made a strong commitment to several continuing and long-term training needs and has provided yearly funding to support this training. Each year STI sends employees to the Jenzabar Annual Meeting, a national training program for STI’s campus management system. STI also has committed to sending individuals each year to the Higher Learning Commission annual meeting as well as retention and enrollment training conferences such as Noel-Levitz. STI recently became a member of EDUcause and had an employee attend the national conference.

Training needs are also identified through program and department team meetings and planning and budget meetings. Final decisions on the allocation of training funds are based on a prioritization according to STI’s strategic goals. The STI Administrative Team has made a stated commitment to allocate training funds toward strategic areas, in particular technology training and infrastructure. Because STI directly connects training to its goals and objectives, the training has a direct impact on instructional and non-instructional services. As a result, STI has positioned itself to better meet student needs and provide the kinds of educational programs and services our students need.

4P9 Employee Training

New full-time faculty receive initial training through the mentoring program, from their administrator, and other faculty and staff peers. Staff receive initial training from their supervisor and through meetings and interactions with fellow employees within their department and with other departments.

STI continues to develop its employees through:

negotiated in-service days
monthly faculty and staff meetings
commitment to continued training for STI’s campus management system
training for enrollment, retention and other campus goals and objectives
commitment to continued professional growth for its employees
employee evaluation process

4P10 Employee Evaluation System

The faculty evaluation system is a carefully negotiated process which clearly delineates the procedure for faculty evaluation. Essentially, for the first three years, faculty are on probationary status and are observed in their classrooms by administrators three times each year. Pre and post-observation forms are completed by the faculty member and discussed with the evaluator as part of the process. Faculty who have taught for more than three years are evaluated on a three-year cycle:

Cycle 1: Formal Evaluation

Classroom Observation – an administrator observes the instructor in a class, and
Student Survey of Instruction – a survey completed by the instructor’s students evaluating the classroom experience, and
Survey of Involvement – a form completed by the instructor indicating how the instructor participates in STI activities outside of the classroom, promotes STI within the community, and helps to meet STI’s goals and objectives

Cycle 2: Alternate Evaluation

Classroom Observation, or
Survey of Involvement, or
Peer Coaching –a process where two instructors work together to improve in a specific area, or
Peer Mentoring – a process where a veteran instructor assists a probationary instructor

Cycle 3: Non-Evaluation

No required evaluation

A supervisor may also perform an Informal Evaluation - a visit to the classroom that is not scheduled with the instructor prior to the observation.

The purpose of the classroom evaluations is to help instructors improve delivery of course content and improve student learning. The Survey of Involvement may include professional contributions such as work on program enrollment and retention, professional growth, contributions to the community, etc.

General Education faculty who teach transfer classes are evaluated by the South Dakota university system in every class every year. Results are shared with STI administrators and the faculty member.

During faculty negotiation sessions, faculty and administration review the faculty evaluation process and make any necessary adjustments.

Staff and administrators are evaluated according to negotiated agreements or STI developed evaluation systems. Evaluation occurs yearly and provides administration the opportunity to meet individually with employees to discuss concerns and develop professional growth opportunities, changes in job duties, and goals for the coming year. New staff and administrators are reviewed after the first 30 and 60 days of employment. An optional 90 day evaluation may also be performed. All staff are to be evaluated every year. Administrators in their first three years are evaluated yearly; veteran administrators are evaluated every three years.

Evaluations are directly related to the employee’s job position and are therefore designed to help the employee improve job performance. However, these evaluations also provide opportunities to directly connect employee performance to STI objectives, both instructional and non-instructional. STI administrators are able to connect the evaluation process to the institute’s objectives and therefore use the process to improve instruction, services to students, and student learning. Employee professional growth and goals are directly related to the institute’s goals and objectives.

Results

4R1 Measures of Valuing People

STI’s Campus Climate Survey, which is conducted every two years, provides the key survey data used by the institute to determine how valued the institute’s employees feel. Table 4.1 reflects STI’s survey questions and results that directly relate to Valuing People. (In 2010, 60% of faculty and 54% of staff responded to the survey.) As indicated by the survey, STI has experienced excellent improvements in how employees feel toward the institute.

Table 4.1 Campus Climate Survey Valuing People Results

	% Indicating Agreement
Question	Group	2004	2006	2008	2010
I have the opportunity to be involved in decision-making processes that pertain to me.	*Faculty	44%	69%	64%	73%
	*Staff	53%	61%	64%	76%
At Southeast I feel a sense of camaraderie/social support.	*Faculty	71%	79%	70%	85%
At Southeast I feel a sense of camaraderie/social support.	*Staff	76%	77%	63%	71%
As an employee of STI I feel a sense of personal satisfaction.	*Faculty	96%	90%	93%	96%
	*Staff	85%	93%	88%	92%
I have the opportunity to make a positive contribution.	*Faculty	96%	94%	91%	98%
I have the opportunity to make a positive contribution.	*Staff	97%	93%	93%	96%
I am able to experience/receive recognition at STI.	*Faculty	74%	76%	76%	70%
I am able to experience/receive recognition at STI.	*Staff	69%	79%	64%	70%
I receive recognition for my job performance from my supervisor.	*Faculty	74%	76%	73%	83%
	*Staff	74%	68%	76%	79%

*indicates upward movement in agreement

Less formal surveys are conducted after every in-service to determine satisfaction and identify new areas which faculty would like to have addressed or in which more training is desired.

4R2 Performance Results of Valuing People

Table 4.1 Campus Climate Survey Valuing People Results

	% Indicating Agreement
Question	Group	2004	2006	2008	2010
I have the opportunity to be involved in decision-making processes that pertain to me.	*Faculty	44%	69%	64%	73%
	*Staff	53%	61%	64%	76%
At Southeast I feel a sense of camaraderie/social support.	*Faculty	71%	79%	70%	85%
At Southeast I feel a sense of camaraderie/social support.	*Staff	76%	77%	63%	71%
As an employee of STI I feel a sense of personal satisfaction.	*Faculty	96%	90%	93%	96%
	*Staff	85%	93%	88%	92%
I have the opportunity to make a positive contribution.	*Faculty	96%	94%	91%	98%
I have the opportunity to make a positive contribution.	*Staff	97%	93%	93%	96%
I am able to experience/receive recognition at STI.	*Faculty	74%	76%	76%	70%
I am able to experience/receive recognition at STI.	*Staff	69%	79%	64%	70%
I receive recognition for my job performance from my supervisor.	*Faculty	74%	76%	73%	83%
	*Staff	74%	68%	76%	79%

*indicates upward movement in agreement

Less formal surveys are conducted after every in-service to determine satisfaction and identify new areas which faculty would like to have addressed or in which more training is desired.

4R3 Employee Productivity and Effectiveness

STI believes that the following are strong indicators that employee productivity and effectiveness have directly impacted the institute’s goals:

STI graduates continue to be employed at a high rate. For the 2009 graduates, 93% of graduates who returned the survey were employed within the first six months of graduation, with 91% working in field, meeting the mission of the institute.
Even with increased enrollments, STI has been able to control institutional costs, thereby continuing to offer programs at tuition and fee rates about $100/credit hour less than other higher education organizations in Sioux Falls.
STI’s Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory results indicate that students believe they are receiving excellent educational, support, and academic services as indicated by ratings above the national mean.
Instructional surveys, conducted each semester in the classroom, indicate that students are satisfied with their instructors and the services their instructors provide.
STI has achieved and maintains 14 specialized program accreditations, and STI students have national pass rates above the national average (see 1R 6 ).

4R4 Comparative Results

According to a study conducted by STI, the institute’s pay and benefits schedules are among the best offered in the area and are higher when compared to the other state technical institutes.

STI employees frequently stay with STI to retirement. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, when compared with other educational services, STI’s average employee departure rate of 8.9% over the past four years is significantly below the four-year average in other educational institutions at 13.25% per year.

Improvements

4I1 Improvements

STI has made the following recent improvements in Valuing People:

Improved communication opportunities through Monthly Meetings, Good News Reports, and Jeff’s Corner emails (President’s monthly email to employees).
Increased sharing of information to all employees through the use of STInet.
Improved campus security through the implementation of security officers, an emergency alert system and campus security cameras.
Recognition of faculty and staff with pins for years of service, public acknowledgement, and awards.
Open campus for faculty, providing additional flexibility for instructors.
Development of teams and committees to provide opportunities for involvement of employees from all areas of the institute.

Although STI has made significant gains in improving faculty, staff and administrative relationships and overall satisfaction, STI still believes it is important for the institute to continue to improve in this area.

4I2 Culture and Infrastructure Role in Setting Targets and Selecting Processes for Improvement

STI uses the Campus Climate Survey as an initial step in determining specific processes to improve and to set targets for improved performance results. This information provides the institute with internal benchmark data that can be used to set direction and measure any process changes. STI’s Human Resources Department provides additional input in identifying potential improvements based on the needs and concerns that office receives from various employees. Through the AQIP Campus Climate Team and program and department meetings with administrators, STI is able to determine additional action items to address. All of this information is provided to the Administrative Team which prioritizes and determines courses of action.

The 2010 Campus Climate Survey indicates that improvements are being made in this area. As indicated on the Key Performance Indicators , STI has set as a target to have 85% of all survey questions at or above the 70% agreement mark. During the last survey, STI was at 90%. Reaching this level is one indicator that STI has improved in the area of valuing people.