Fall 2007 Quarterly Report
Action: Continue annual support to move base salaries to median of peer institutions by discipline.
Objective: A.1
Category: a. Competitive Faculty Salaries
Responsible: Provost
Rank: 0
Oregon Institute of Technology developed and adopted a Faculty Compensation Plan and Policy (Oregon Tech 20-015). This plan called for the incremental movement of faculty salaries to the median of those of peer institutions by rank and discipline. During the second biennium of this plan, the university would like to reach 91% of these median values. During the fall of 2007 Acting Provost Gary Naseth and School Academic Council Chairs Brad Burda and Charlie Jones developed a plan that would accomplish this goal by the end of the biennium. This plan was presented to Interim President Woodall and approved.
Action: Secure funding for Oregon Tech marketing activities.
Objective: A.2
Category: a. Marketing
Responsible: President
Rank: 1
Funding in the amount of $200,000 has be identified as one-time support to implement marketing activities during AY 2008.
Action: Develop a strategy for marketing activities and implement.
Objective: A.2
Category: a. Marketing
Responsible: Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management
Rank: 1
Executive staff allocated funds for test marketing taglines and talking points during the winter term. The Associate Vice President for Strategic Partnerships completed a draft marketing plan and began its implementation for Portland programs.
Action: Develop a plan to market/recruit students not currently served by Oregon Tech.
Objective: A.2
Category: b. Enrollment Management
Responsible: Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management
Rank: 1
In addition to ongoing development and implementation of the Oregon Tech Strategic Enrollment Management Plan, several initiatives have been completed this year such as; increased out-of-state recruiting, augmenting staff travel with use of Alumni Recruitment Volunteers, to California, Washington, Hawaii, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Colorado. New recruiting literature was developed and is in use, including View Book, Search Piece and program brochures.
Action: Create Classroom Improvement Advisory Committee to develop standards for classrooms.
Objective: A.3
Category: a. Educational Program Infrastructure
Responsible: Provost
Rank: 1
Oregon Institute of Technology plans to apply for a Title III grant during the current round of the grant cycle. The focus of this grant will be on classroom modernization, instrumentation, etc. A committee has been appointed to gather information and, using this information, help write to Title III grant proposal.
Action: Develop and present a plan for a Renewable Energy facility.
Objective: A.3
Category: Educational Program Infrastructure
Responsible: Oregon Renewable Energy Center Director
Rank: 1
The OREC Director and the Director for Grants Developing are preparing a Case Statement for a campus renewable energy facility, which is being called the Green Technology Center (GTC) in this early development phase. The first draft has been complete. The Case Statement will describe the GTC, its purpose, activities, potential benefits, and estimated cost. One avenue for the development of the GTC is to tie it to the plan for hot geothermal well and power plant, which, if successful, would make the Oregon Tech Klamath campus completely powered by renewable energy.
Action: Publish student learning outcomes for each academic program. Update data on achievement of outcomes annually on Web site.
Objective: A.4
Category: a. Student Learning Outcomes
Responsible: Director of Assessment
Rank: 1
During the fall term the Director of Assessment worked with the Executive Committee of the Assessment Commission and department assessment coordinators to ensure that assessment and evaluation processes are occurring for every academic program. As of the end of fall term, all programs have reviewed their purpose statements, objectives, and student learning outcomes; have planned a three-year cycle of assessment, including measures to be done this year; and have completed at least one assessment activity for the program.
Action: Charge the Director of Assessment with ensuring that the Assessment and Evaluation process is occurring in each academic department and program.
Objective: A.4
Category: a. Student Learning Outcomes
Responsible: Provost
Rank: 0
Beth Murphy was appointed the Director of Assessment in September 2007.
Action: Annually update a transfer course database with Oregon community colleges and feeder schools.
Objective: A.5
Category: a. Industry Partnerships
Responsible: Registrar
Rank: 1
In December of 2007 a real time date base that shows how credits from other colleges transfer to Oregon Tech was posted on the Registrar's web page. In the past 5 years the data has been entered into a data base as courses are transferred. The Registrar's Office is now working diligently to articulate all courses from the feeder schools. Catalogs from peer schools have been collected and the course offerings are being entered manually into the database. The courses from KCC, RCC and PCC have been entered. All of the general education and elective courses are shown on the articulation tables within the database. The Registrar's Office is working with the departments to articulate the technical courses correctly to make sure that they match OIT's offerings.
Action: Publish mission statement, educational objectives and student learning outcomes for each academic program.
Objective: A.7
Category: a. Regional and Professional Accreditation
Responsible: Director of Assessment
Rank: 1
The Director of Assessment has created a web site that will be under construction during the 2007-08 academic year. As of December 2007, the web site displays, for all programs, program mission statements, educational objectives, and student learning outcomes. Evidence of student learning will be added to the site during the year. The site is located at www.oit.edu/provost/learningoutcomes.
Action: Offer Assistanships to attract graduate students.
Objective: B.1
Category: a. Develop Graduate Programs
Responsible: Department Chairs
Rank: 0
The Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering and Technology Department is currently able to offer five graduate assistantships at the Klamath Falls Campus. For the 2007 - 2008 academic year only three of these assistantships have been filled. Although only 3 of the 5 available assistantships are filled, they are the main reason the three graduate students came to Oregon Tech. With further advertising, we hope to have all five assistantships filled for next year.
Since Civil Engineering has not yet implemented a graduate program, no assistantships are being offered. Estimated implementation date for Civil Engineering graduate program is fall 2009.
Action: Provide faculty productivity grants annually for the exploration of new graduate programs.
Objective: B.1
Category: a. Develop Graduate Programs
Responsible: Provost
Rank: 0
During the summer of 2007 Summer Productivity Grants were awarded to Sean St. Clair, Maria Lynn Kessler, and the Dental Hygiene Department. These grants were for researching and/or writing proposals for Master's degrees in, respectively, Civil Engineering, Applied Psychology and Dental Hygiene Education. A full proposal has been received from Civil Engineering. A pre-proposal has been received from Applied Psychology and Dental Hygiene. Additionally, Wangping Sun was awarded a grant to integrate the MFG Masters with globalization, but had to withdraw for personal reasons.
Action: Develop the process for review and approval of graduate degree proposals, including an external review process.
Objective: B.1
Category: b. Graduate Program Review Process
Responsible: Graduate Council
Rank: 0
Oregon Tech Graduate Council has approved a comprehensive process for review and approval of graduate degree proposals, including an external review component. Documents detailing this process are posted to a new Graduate Council page on the Oregon Tech Web site.
Action: Appoint task team to explore appropriate models for Oregon Tech centers and publicize results.
Objective: B.2
Category: a. Fund Interdisciplinary Research Centers
Responsible: Provost
Rank: 1
Little action has been taken on this item. The Provost recently asked the SAC Chairs for nominations to this Task Team. The team will be formulated by the beginning of winter term, 2008.
Action: Identify research centers in region and models that are appropriate for Oregon Tech.
Objective: B.2
Category: a. Fund Interdisciplinary Research Centers
Responsible: Task Team
Rank: 1
The Task Team has not been appointed at this time.
Action: Appoint a director for the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR) and publicize services of OSR.
Objective: C.1
Category: a. Enhance Office of Sponsored Research
Responsible: Provost
Rank: 0
In October Donna LaBudda was appointed the Director of the Office of Sponsored Research. In this position she will work with faculty in applying for grants, publicize the availability of grants and names of grant recipients, among other things.
Action: Create an international program Web page with links.
Objective: C.2
Category: a. International Partnerships
Responsible: Coordinator
Rank: 1
The coordinator has not been appointed at this time.
Action: Appoint international program coordinator.
Objective: C.2
Category: a. International Partnerships
Responsible: President
Rank: 1
The international program committee has recommended the creation of the international program coordinator position. A funding plan has been developed to support the development of international program activities and a trip to India to recruit technology students has been funded.
Action: Identify funds for research initiative by faculty and matching funds for federal and state grant proposals.
Objective: C.3
Category: a. Faculty Applied Research
Responsible: Provost
Rank: 1
No action has been taken on this action at this time. However, Donna LaBudda does publish a request for proposals (RFP) on a regular basis. She reports that there has been no follow through on these grant requests. More action is needed here.
Action: Clarify role of the Oregon Tech Foundation for support and its relationship with the Office of Sponsored Research.
Objective: D.1
Category: a. Oregon Tech Foundation
Responsible: President
Rank: 1
Discussions were held in November 2007 with the Board of Directors of the Oregon Tech Foundation on Oregon Tech 2017. The list of high priority actions was presented to them, but no decision has been made on OTF support for the Office of Sponsored Research.
Action: Explore new industry relationships for on-site training activities.
Objective: D.2
Category: a. Industry Partnerships
Responsible: Associate Vice President for Strategic Partnerships
Rank: 1
During the Fall Term, the Associate Vice President for Strategic Partnerships met with the following industry groups and businesses to explore on-site training opportunities and recruitment strategies to increase enrollment: OMEP, Manufacturing 21, NW Food Processors Association, NW College of Construction, Gunderson, ESCO, PacifiCorp. Working with companies, marketing materials that describe Oregon Tech services and programs are being drafted for company managers, and partnerships are being explored through the City of Hillsboro and the Northwest High Performance Enterprise Consortium.
Action: Hire Alumni Relations Director.
Objective: D.3
Category: a. Alumni Relations
Responsible: Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management
Rank: 1
Completed. Robin Thompson was hired in this capacity, and began on January 2, 2008.
Action: Create program to enhance student knowledge of the alumni experience.
Objective: D.3
Category: a. Alumni Relations
Responsible: Alumni Relations Director
Rank: 1
The Director of Alumni Relations was vacant until January 2, 2008.
Action: Encourage use of external Foundation funds to support campus initiatives.
Objective: D.4
Category: a. External Foundation Grants
Responsible: President
Rank: 1
A number of proposals have been submitted for external foundation grant support of the Oregon Tech campus initiative to complete the Dow Center. A $2 million grant was received from the Ford Family Foundation and a $525,000 grant was received from the Murdock Foundation for echocardiography equipment for that facility.
Appoint Sustainability Committee to serve as a consulting body for OREC and to identify campus sustainability recommendations.
Objective: E.1
Category: a. Sustainable Campus
Responsible: President
Rank: 0
The Sustainability Committee has been appointed (October 2007) and it is currently working on sustainability recommendations.
Action: Provide support to faculty to include sustainability in curricula.
Objective: E.2
Category: a. Sustainability in Education
Responsible: Provost
Rank: 1
No specific action has been taken on this initiative at this time. Tom Chester, Director of OREC, should be contacted to meet with department chairs and discuss how faculty can integrate sustainability into the curriculum.