Winter 2008 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
No update from the previous quarter.
Action: Secure funding for Oregon Tech marketing activities.
Objective: A.2
Category: a. Marketing
Responsible: President
Rank: 1
Marketing activities are now on-going campus-wide under the leadership of Vice President Joe Holliday and in Portland under Associate Vice President Lita Colligan.
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
Three RFPs were produced by Portland programs, for Web site re-design, a public relations retainer relationship, and promotion of health informatics. Lita Colligan and Michael Kirshner are coordinating these. A fourth RFP is nearing completion, for test marketing of Oregon Tech brand, taglines, and talking points. Valeree Lane and Ray Setters are working on this one. It should be released by April 1. A full year of rotating radio ads was purchased, to be played on two Klamath Falls radio stations (one country station and one top forty station) continuously for one year.
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 light of the decision of the California State University system to restrict admissions due to budget cuts next year, our Admissions Office purchased 4,000 additional names and contact information for California high school seniors expressing interest in majors in engineering, computer science and health programs. A mailing will be going out to these students shortly. In addition, 400 prospective Oregon Tech students from California who have not completed their application process will be contacted by telephone. VIP Weekend for high school and community college "very influential persons" will be expanded this year to include representatives of schools previously not represented at the event, and the number of Alumni Recruiting Volunteers invited to the VIP event will expand as well. Joe Holliday and Lynda Baker will be making a two-week recruiting trip to India, attending 7 recruitment events throughout the Indian sub-continent in April. Recruiting literature and a DVD were developed for this trip. The SEM Team is developing recommendations for how to best allocate $200,000 ($50,000 this year, and $150,000 in 08-09) to further implement the SEM Plan in the areas of university image, recruitment of new students, affordability, and student success/retention. I will in turn make recommendations to Dr. Woodall during the budget build-up, and can report on these activities in the spring term report.
Action: Create Classroom Improvement Advisory Committee to develop standards for classrooms.
Objective: A.3
Category: a. Educational Program Infrastructure
Responsible: Provost
Rank: 1
No update from the previous quarter.
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 Green Technology Center (GTC) will be the focus of OIT's activities in renewable energy and sustainability on the Klamath Falls campus. It will comprise testing laboratories, offices and classrooms, information center, and educational unit to coordinate energy conferences and workshops. The GTC building will serve as a technological showcase of sustainable and green building principles in changing engineered "galleries" and as an interpretive center for all renewable energy activities on campus, such as the geothermal power plant An initial version of a case statement summarizing the purpose, benefits, and cost of the center has been completed and is being used to prepare proposals and as the basis for refinement of the GTC concept.
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
No update from the previous quarter.
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
The Registrar's Office continues to work diligently to articulate all courses from feeder schools. Catalogs from those schools have been collected and the course offerings are being entered manually into the database. In addition to courses from KCC, RCC and PCC we have added the general education course articulations for Central Oregon Community College, Chemeketa Community College, Clackamas Community College, Mt. Hood Community College, Eastern Oregon University, Oregon State University, Southern Oregon University, University of Oregon and Western Oregon University. General education course work articulation determination for Portland State University is currently in progress. How all the general education and elective courses transfer from these schools 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. There are still large lists of technical courses that are not articulated pending faculty determination.
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
No update from the previous quarter.
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
No update from the previous quarter.
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
No update from the previous quarter.
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, hence it has not been possible to accomplish this task.
Action: Appoint international program coordinator.
Objective: C.2
Category: a. International Partnerships
Responsible: President
Rank: 1
The first search for an international program coordinator was not successful, and the search has been started again.
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 update from the previous quarter.
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
Budget discussions will be held with the OTF board in May about the allocation of board resources to support Oregon Tech initiatives.
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 Winter 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: Manufacturing 21 Coalition, Voice of Oregon Manufacturing, Software Association of Oregon, Oregon Healthcare Workforce Institute, Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, American Electronic Association, Semiconductor Workforce Consortium, Oregon Solar Energy Industry, NW High Performance Enterprise Consortium, Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition, Gerding Edlen Development (green buildings), and Boeing. Oregon Tech is currently negotiating with the Boeing Company to offer a condensed manufacturing short course for Boeing employees at the Metro East Campus. Oregon Tech is also offering the use of a classroom at Portland West Campus for the NW High Performance Enterprise Consortium in exchange for marketing exposure to their members.
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
Robin Thompson's initial focus has been on alumni events, including the upcoming Alumni Awards Banquet April 5th. Two activities she has collaborated with Career Services on that will be ongoing components of the program to enhance student knowledge of the alumni experience are the Business Etiquette Dinner held in February, and the upcoming Attributes of Success program that features alumni panelists. A third event that relates to this objective is the annual Beach Bash, a barbecue Robin will sponsor for graduating students the day prior to commencement. This is one of Robin's main objectives this year. We will have a plan in place during spring term and will report on it in the Spring 2008 Quarterly Report.
Action: Encourage use of external Foundation funds to support campus initiatives.
Objective: D.4
Category: a. External Foundation Grants
Responsible: President
Rank: 1
Proposals continue to be submitted to external foundations to support the Oregon Tech campus initiative to complete the Dow Center. This includes a $1.2 million proposal to the Kresge Foundation. A $1 million grant was obtained from the federal government to support the drilling of a deep geothermal well for the Oregon Tech Green Technology Center.
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. Recommendations have not yet been forthcoming, although there is growing interest from the State Board of Higher Education for a major sustainability effort that runs across all OUS universities.
Action: Provide support to faculty to include sustainability in curricula.
Objective: E.2
Category: a. Sustainability in Education
Responsible: Provost
Rank: 1
No update from the previous quarter.