4P1 Mission and Vision

Mission and Vision focuses on how the institution develops, communicates, and reviews its mission and vision. This includes, but is not limited to, descriptions of key processes for:

Developing, deploying, and reviewing the institution’s mission, vision, and values (1.A.1, 1.D.2, 1.D.3)
Ensuring that institutional actions reflect a commitment to its values
Communicating the mission, vision, and values (1.B.1, 1.B.2, 1.B.3)
Ensuring that academic programs and services are consistent with the institution’s mission (1.A.2)
Allocating resources to advance the institution’s mission and vision, while upholding the institution’s values (1.D.1,1.A.3)
Tracking outcomes/measures utilizing appropriate tools

Developing, Deploying and Reviewing the Institution’s Mission, Vision, and Values (1.A.1, 1.D.2, 1.D.3)

Southeast Tech’s 2016 Strategic Planning process (4P 2 ) included another revision of its mission, vision and values and established the Institute’s formal review process.

This formal mission, vision and values review and development process occurs with every new Strategic Plan development, which now occurs a minimum of once within every AQIP reaccreditation process. Additionally, on an annual basis, the Southeast Tech Futures and Administrative teams review the mission, vision and values statements to determine if there is a need to reopen these statements for review consideration prior to the creation of the new Strategic Plan. If these teams believe that such a review is warranted, the Southeast Tech Council and Southeast Tech Board must approve the formal review, and a process similar to the one described in the Strategic Planning process is used (4P 2 ). Such a review may even result in the development of a new or revised Strategic Plan that is directly related to and supports the statement revisions. Both the Council and Board may also initiate a mission, vision, or values review, as desired, and any adjustments to the mission, vision or values requires approval by the Council and Board (1.A.1).

While deploying the mission, vision and values is the responsibility of all employees, the Southeast Tech President and the Administrative Team are responsible for assuring that successful deployment occurs. Therefore, throughout the decision-making process, the President and Administrative Team assure that Institutional decisions support the mission, vision and values by internally monitoring decisions and establishing integrated processes across the Institute that support the Strategic Plan and the mission, vision and values of the Institute. The following integrated processes help the Institute maintain deployment focus toward the mission, vision and values (1.D.2):

Strategic Planning Process - reviews and revises the mission, vision and values, and develops a plan for the future that is directly based upon these statements (see 4P 2 );
Annual Planning Process - integrates the strategic plan, mission, vision and values into the formal resource allocation (budgeting) process (5P3) by assuring data, targets, revenues and expenditures are directly aligned with these statements (4P 2 );
Planning and Assessments Documentation Process - requires that Institutional targets and assessments be directly linked to the Strategic Plan and Institutional mission, vision, and values and are documented in the Planning and Assessments database (4P 2 );
Employee Evaluation Process - directly links employee goals to the Strategic Plan and the mission, vision and values of the Institute (3P 2 );
Culture of Quality - Southeast Tech has developed a continuous quality improvement (CQI) framework designed to assure CQI efforts directly relate to the mission, vision and values of the Institute (6P 2 ).

Ensuring that Institutional Actions Reflect a Commitment to its Values

Establishing policies that reflect commitment to the Institute’s values is the first step to ensuring values commitment. Southeast Tech has established policies that cover the areas of Personnel, Students, Governing Board, etc. These policies provide the commitment framework that Institutional leadership uses to assure Institutional values are met.

Value policies are reviewed annually (fall semester) with all employees to assure that they are communicated and reviewed. The review requires employee signatures, which are collected and maintained by the Human Resources Officer, who assures all employees complete the review. Employee Handbooks provide a resource for related policies and expectations. Review of policies occurs through a Policy Committee, which includes the President, a member of the Board, and representatives from administration and employees. Each policy is reviewed on a rolling three-year timeframe. The policies are accessible to all stakeholders through the Southeast Tech website.

When a situation arises where Institutional actions are not reflecting a commitment to values, it is the responsibility of the Administrative Team to address the issue using the appropriate process as outlined in policies, negotiated agreements, etc.

Communicating the Mission, Vision and Values (1.B.1, 1.B.2, 1.B.3)

Southeast Tech’s new mission statement (adopted Fall 2107):

To educate individuals for dynamic and rewarding careers that promote lifetime success and meet the workforce needs of our region (1.B.2).

Southeast Tech’s new vision statement (adopted Fall 2017):

Educational excellence for tomorrow’s workforce.

Southeast Tech’s current core value statements:

Student Learning: Southeast Tech provides an environment for student mastery of academic and technical skills.
Student Centered: Student satisfaction and success are valued by Southeast Tech and have a high priority among all the stakeholders.
Respect: Southeast Tech fosters a climate in which the dignity and worth of all persons is respected.
Excellence: Southeast Tech strives for excellence and quality in all of its endeavors.
Innovation: Southeast Tech values creative solutions and continuously seeks new, flexible and responsive ways to achieve its mission and goals.
Collaboration: Southeast Tech fosters collaboration with all stakeholders in the delivery of its mission and goals.
Accountability: Assessment and evaluation of student learning, programs and Institutional effectiveness are an integral part of assuring student success.

Southeast Tech’s communication of its dedication to the mission, vision and values is shared with stakeholders through the communication methods listed below. In particular, in-service days have provided a direct opportunity for administrators to promote and communicate the mission, vision and values internally. Externally, Southeast Tech shares its mission, vision and values through various media, including the Southeast Tech Catalog, the President’s Report, and the Southeast Tech website (1.B.1). The most effective way the Institute shares its mission, vision and values, however, is through daily commitment - a continual display of the mission, vision and values through daily actions and decisions. Finally, the performance of the Institute and the communication of its results provide proof that the Institute is meeting its mission, including graduate employment rates and employer satisfaction results (4R 1 ).

Mission/Vision/Values Communication Methods (1.B.1) (1.B.3)

External Stakeholder Informal/Formal Communications
In-Service Days (August and January)
Administrative Team Meetings
Weekly Campus Notes
President and Department/Program Meetings
Institute Print Publications
Institute Website
New Employee Orientation
Employee Evaluations/Goal Setting
Planning, Goal-Setting and Budgeting

Ensuring that Academic Programs and Services are Consistent with the Institution’s Mission (1.A.2)

Ensuring academic programs and services are consistent with the Institutes’s mission begins with the proper vetting and development of the programs and services that are offered. This is accomplished through specific and well-defined processes for the development of academic programs (1P 3 ) and the establishment of academic support and student support services (2P 1 ). As part of these development processes, the Institute evaluates mission alignment. Once established, annual review of these programs and services by the appropriate Institutional committee or team (Education Design and Delivery, Celebrating Learning, Student Success, etc.) assures that consistency to the mission continues for these programs and services (1.A.2).

This assurance is strengthened through the Institute’s Annual Planning process, which includes a review of all programs and services. Adjustments are made through the process for those programs or services that no longer appear consistent with the mission, and all new services must be approved through this same Annual Planning process to assure alignment (4P 2 ) (1.A.2).

Further program review occurs from the South Dakota State Board of Education, which oversees all four state technical institutes and reviews programs annually for viability and consistency with state-level mission, vision and values. Program approval also stems from this state oversight (1P 3 ).

Allocating Resources to Advance the Institution’s Mission and Vision While Upholding the Institution’s Values (1.D.1, 1.A.3)

The Annual Planning process (4P 2 ) is used to assure that the allocation of resources directly aligns and supports the Institute’s mission and vision, and upholds Institutional values. This is first accomplished by directly involving employees in the budgeting process (5P3), allowing them to provide input and requiring that expenditures be directly related to the strategic plan and the Institute’s mission and vision. The budgeting process then provides opportunities for further clarification of resource allocation through Administrative Team, Council and Board budget review. Over half of Southeast Tech’s annual operating budget is directed to instructional costs, including salaries and benefits, capital improvement and capital equipment, employee professional development, program supplies and other related program needs, indicating the allocations directly align with the Institute’s mission of “educating for employment” (4R 1 ) (1.A.3) (1.D.1).

Tracking Outcomes/Measures Utilizing Appropriate Tools

Southeast Tech’s mission is all about educating for employment; therefore, measuring how well the Institute fulfills this mission is as important as how well the Institute develops, communicates and reviews its mission statement. In fact, fulfilling the mission is a form of communicating the mission. Therefore, Southeast Tech uses the following measures associated with its mission:

Key Performance Indicators (KPI)

Student Learning
Graduate Placement
Enrollment
Retention/Graduation Rates
Employer Survey
Student Satisfaction Survey
Employee Satisfaction Survey

Mission Statement Support

Employers
Employees, Strategic Planning Committee, Southeast Tech Council, Southeast Tech Board