Glen Oaks Community College strives through its policies and operations to meet the expectations of the Higher Learning Commission’s Federal Compliance Program. This narrative with linked supportive documentation has been assembled as evidence of compliance with the following issues:
During the Quality Checkup visit, appropriate institutional leaders will answer questions or clarify the interpretation of the information presented here.
Student Loan Default Rate and Title IV Compliance
Glen Oaks Community College has had great success in maintaining a low student loan default rate in recent years. The Financial Aid Office monitors the rate frequently and is proactive in contacting former students who may be delinquent in repaying their student loans. The rates for 2004, 2003, and 2002 respectively were 6.7%, 5.3%, and 0%. These rates are available on the Federal Cohort Rate Search website http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/COHORT/search_cohort.cfm.
The Participation Agreement (PPA) which allows the College to administer Title IV funds was reapproved on 10 April 2001; it will expire on 30 June 2007. The current PPA, along with recent Eligibility and Certification Renewals (ECARs), is available for electronic review.
The Department of Education has not conducted a program review in this accreditation period, nor has the Department placed any limitations (LSTs) on the College.
The A133 audit for the 2005-2006 Award Year is not yet completed. However, a hard copy will be available for review during the February 2007 Quality Checkup Visit.
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Credits, Program Length, and Tuition
Programs at Glen Oaks are developed through the instructional area which follows Policy 4.20 of the College’s Policies and Procedures Manual. Most occupational programs seek Perkins approval and funding and, therefore, are developed using a Perkins program development model. This model begins with a needs study and includes consultation with experts from the particular program field or national associations for accreditation. Furthermore, the State or appropriate accreditation bodies conduct a site visit prior to program approval. The Curriculum Committee of the College must approve all program development, and the Glen Oaks Board of Trustees grants final approval and implementation of all programs.
Glen Oaks Community College does not charge any program specific tuition. A tuition and fee cost comparison for Michigan community colleges can be found at http://www.michigancc.net/data/tuition/tf.taf. Specific search criteria for Glen Oaks may be selected and displayed at this searchable Tuition and Fees Database. Also, through the State reporting system, each program offered by Glen Oaks is reported by Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) through a Program Inventory. At the searchable Program Inventory Database, http://www.michigancc.net/data/sd/pi.taf, the cost, credit, and evaluation schedules of programs offered by all community colleges in Michigan can be viewed. Glen Oaks is identified on this site as “05,” and specific search criteria for Glen Oaks may be selected and displayed at this database.
Glen Oaks Community College reports all programs, enrollment, and financial activity to the State of Michigan through the Office of Postsecondary Services, Community College Services Unit, Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth (MDL&G). The State of Michigan compiles this information annually. The State also coordinates with the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) by directly sending to that system individual college information used by the State and required by the federal government. Glen Oaks Community College sends all required reporting, for example, data on enrollment, financial aid, finances, and human resources, to the IPEDS system. Searchable Databases (program offerings, awards conferred, program enrollments by Michigan community college), Activity Classification Structure (ACS), Perkins Core Indicators, and the Demographic Enrollment Profile for Glen Oaks and other Michigan community colleges may be found at http://www.michigancc.net/data/index.tml.
Glen Oaks grants one academic credit hour for each 15-week, 1-hour class meeting. Laboratory, studio, and clinical classes have additional contact hours beyond the number of credits assigned by the lecture component, as illustrated in the Glen Oaks Community College Catalog 2006 – 2007. Associate degree program graduation requirements are fulfilled after the successful completion of an average of 62 – 64 credits, with the exception of the Associate of Applied Science in Nursing Degree, which requires 73 credits. Certificate programs range between 16 and 63 credits, depending on the area of specialization, also outlined in the College Catalog.
The Office of the Registrar follows Policy 3.05 of the College’s Policies and Procedures Manual for transferring in credit. Glen Oaks will accept credits from institutions currently recognized by the American Council on Education in the directory Accredited Institutions of Postsecondary Education.
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Nursing and Allied Health Programs: Licensed and Accredited
Nursing Program
The Glen Oaks Associate of Science Nursing Degree Program is a laddered program. Level I of the ladder is a certificate program which leads to a license in practical nursing. Level II of the ladder is an associate degree program leading to the registered nurse license.
Throughout the summer and fall of 2005, the entire nursing program was revised by the nursing administration and the nursing faculty with the assistance of a consultant. In December 2005, the resulting changes were submitted to the Michigan Board of Nursing (MBON) for approval. The revision was approved by the MBON in January 2006. Implementation of the Level I ladder was initiated in May 2006. The Level II ladder will be implemented in May 2007. A part-time program for Level II (LPN to RN) is planned for May 2008.
The Michigan Board of Nursing requires a major self-study every eight years. In April 2006, The Laddered Associate of Applied Science in Nursing Degree Program Self-Study Report was submitted for approval. It was reviewed and approved by the MBON in
Medical Assistant Program
The Medical Assistant Certificate Program was created from the Competency-Based Curriculum Grant approved by the Michigan Department of Career Development in June 2001. The program was implemented in August 2003. The first class graduated in May 2004. The Medical Assisting Program Self-Study for Initial Accreditation was submitted in June 2004, andthe program was awarded initial accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) in February 2006. The full report, as well as the Annual Statistics Reports and the December 1, 2006 Second Progress Report, will be available for review on site during the Quality Checkup visit.
Emergency Medical Services Education
Emergency Medical Services Education courses and programs are licensed through the State of Michigan Department of Community Health. Glen Oaks offers the following licensed courses and programs: Medical First Responder (MFR) course, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Program, MFR to EMT Matriculation course, EMT Specialist course, and the Instructor Coordinator course. Most recently, in December 2006, the Paramedic Program received a site visit; licensing was granted. The first course in that program is scheduled to be offered in the winter semester 2007. These Emergency Medical Services Education courses and programs, with the exception of the Paramedic Program, are currently licensed through April 30, 2007. Licensing documentation will be available for review on site during the Quality Checkup visit.
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Advertising and Recruitment Materials
Sample advertising and recruitment materials are accessible through the Glen Oaks Publications link provided on this site. The Glen Oaks Community College 2006 – 2007 Catalog, the class schedule for fall 2006, several print advertisements, and a number of program brochures are among the samples.
Additional advertising and recruitment materials will be available for review on site during the Quality Checkup visit. Available examples will include additional program brochures, recruitment materials used by Admissions, recruitment and informational materials used by the Nursing Program, College Foundation materials, and radio, television, billboard, and telephone book advertisements.
Glen Oaks Community College clearly and prominently provides its own contact information in advertising and recruiting materials. However, the College is in the process of revising current literature on which HLC/NCA Accreditation is noted so that the URL of the Commission’s Web site and its local telephone number will be included.
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Organizational Records of Student Complaints
FORMAL AND STRUCTURED METHODS OF COMPLAINT: POLICY and PROCEDURE
The Organizational Record of Student Complaints varies depending upon the nature of the student complaint. The principal formalized procedural areas for which complaints would be registered are determined by Policy and are located in the following areas of the Policies and Procedures Manual:
Grade Appeal (Procedure 3.24)
Grievance Procedure for Nursing Students (Procedure 3.21B)
Code of Conduct (Policy 3.42)
Student Concern Procedure (Procedure 3.65)
Students may appeal the resolution of complaints through the Due Process (Policy 3.43) protocol if the complaint deals with violations of college codes, rules, regulations, policies or procedures.
Another way for students to express concerns is through narrative comments on the Graduate Survey that is conducted annually. These results are summarized by the Director of Grants and Institutional Research and given to each Dean and to the President. Results are discussed at the Leadership Council. Students may also make comments or complain on the Student Satisfaction (Noel-Levitz) Questionnaire. This questionnaire has been administered twice over the last 3 years and is planned for the future to be done every other year. The summative results of this questionnaire are again provided to the Leadership Council and the College Council to be discussed for possible changes and projects.
In addition, students and community volunteers may voice concerns through the annual process for review of selected Occupational Programs called “Program Review of Occupational Education” or PROE. Each year, 5 or 6 of the college’s occupational programs undergo a review that includes student, faculty and advisory committee questionnaires. Over the course of 5 years, all occupational programs will be reviewed at least once. This is to comply with legislation requiring these reviews when Perkins funds are used. The results of these surveys are given to the Dean of the College and the lead faculty in the program. These results also go to the Program Review Committee of the College.
Another avenue for students to express concerns anonymously is the Student Opinion Questionnaire. This questionnaire is given to students each semester. A sampling of courses taught by part-time, non-tenured, and tenured faculty is evaluated each semester. Results of this survey are summarized and then reviewed by an academic team that includes faculty involved by course. Individual results are shared with each professor.
In the distance learning area, students may post a complaint on-line to, telephone, complete a Distance Learning Evaluation form or see in-person the administrator in charge of the area. The complaint is then channeled back to the appropriate person. Students enrolled in courses (often customized and shorter in length) through the Director of Business Services complete an evaluation form at the completion of each course. Evaluations are summarized and the instructor is given a copy. Students may complain to the Director or the Dean of Students and Community Services in writing or face-to-face as well. Currently, the Director is collaborating with two other agencies to develop an approach to identifying the needs of businesses in the college service area. Part of this process will likely result in opinions being expressed on past and present college services. Whether this becomes an annual or bi-annual exercise is yet to be determined.
There are other ways a student may submit a complaint. One of these is the “Student Opinion” card system outside of Student Services. These comments/concerns/complaints are directed to the appropriate employee who presides over the area. A record of the complaints is kept by the secretary to the Director of Student Services/Registrar.
Another method for students to be heard is the “Request for Refund” procedure as outlined on page 14 of the 2006-2007 College Catalog. This process enables a student, through use of forms provided by the Director of Student Services and Registrar, to request a refund of tuition. At times, the reason for refund request is in the form of a complaint. Three persons review these requests: the Director of Student Services, the Director of Financial Aids, and the Controller. The student receives a letter describing the decision.
A new method of collecting student complaints implemented in 2004-2005 was to contract with an outside company to do student, citizen and business surveys on their perceptions of the College. These studies were done by Clarus Corporation and were called “Scans.” These results were shared with the Leadership Council and the College at-large with a presentation by Clarus officials. The College has not at this time committed to repeating this study in the future so comparisons could begin to be made.
INFORMAL METHODS OF COMPLAINT
Another complaint avenue is for the student to request to see a presiding official (usually the President or one of the College’s three Deans.) Complaints of a significant nature may also be brought to the Deans by other employees whom students have contacted. Each Dean keeps files on the nature of the complaint and follows through with a resolution which is shared with the student.
Community members (who may be students) at times choose to write letters to the editor expressing their concerns or complaints. These are responded to by the College President in writing and with an invitation to a personal conference to further discuss their opinions.
RECORDS OF COMPLAINTS
Location of the record would depend on the nature of the complaint. This is often indicated in the Policy or Procedure instructions for formal complaints. Each semester, the Leadership Council plans to review a summary of the complaints received by each of the four major areas of the College – President’s Office, Dean of the College (Instructional), Dean of Students and Community Services, and the Chief Operations Officer (Financial/Buildings and Grounds) – and their resolution. Areas of repeated complaint (patterns) or areas of great concern are addressed to make sure proper recourse has resulted.
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In the future, the College needs to be more attentive to including in its literature, websites, and other forms of student and public information more specific information on how to register a complaint. The name of the office (or organization in the case of NCA), the address and the contact person name (or title) need to be included. Admissions information, student orientation materials, the semester class schedule, the College Catalog, and course syllabi are all examples where more complete information on student complaints/concerns is needed.
NOTE: The above summary outlines a new approach overall to the on-going handling of Student (and Community) complaints. The sections of the Systems Portfolio (3P6, 3P7, 3R1-5) are expanded upon above with new and additional information.
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