Educational Programs

3.4  Educational Programs: All Educational Programs (includes all on-campus, off-campus, and distance learning programs and course work)

3.4.1 The institution demonstrates that each educational program for which academic credit is awarded (a) is approved by the faculty and the administration, and (b) establishes and evaluates program and learning outcomes.

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€  Partial Compliance         
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NARRATIVE:

Educational Programs Approved by Faculty and Administration

Educational programs are generated and developed by the faculty at Trinity Valley Community College. Several policies and documents address the faculty's role in designing, implementing, and approving educational programs. TVCC Board Policy DNA (Local) addresses faculty qualifications, duties, and responsibilities. This policy delineates that faculty members are responsible for the content, quality, and effectiveness of the curriculum. TVCC Board Policy EBA (Legal) states that “courses and programs must be developed and operated with the ongoing assistance and involvement of faculty.” TVCC Board Policy EE (Local) describes the process for developing curriculum. The primary responsibility for curricular development and the improvement of the educational program resides with the faculty.  TVCC Board Policy EF (Regulation) specifically addresses the role of faculty in curriculum design, stating that “[t]he major responsibility for the preparation of course syllabi shall remain that of the instructors.” 

Curricular changes, for the most part, are initiated at the faculty level, and in all cases faculty are consulted in the revision process. Division chairpersons, in conjunction with faculty in the division, develop and revise curriculum which are then presented to the appropriate dean.  The dean presents this information to the vice president of instruction on the behalf of the faculty. The Deans' Council then reviews the recommendations for curriculum revisions. Before final approval, curricular changes are reviewed and considered by the Curriculum and Instruction Committee. After the Curriculum and Instruction Committee reviews and approves it, the new or revised curriculum is implemented.  If curricular changes are major, they are presented to the president for final approval as described in TVCC Board Policy EFAB (Legal). When revising curriculum for an existing Certificate or Associate of Applied Science Degree program, TVCC personnel must complete the procedures outlined in the Guidelines for Instructional Programs in Workforce Education (Chapter 6, Program Revisions). All new programs require approval by the TVCC Board of Trustees. See Comprehensive Standard 3.4.12 for more details on this process.

Establishment and Evaluation of Program Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes have historically been established and assessed for programs and courses according to the requirements of The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM), which  requires a review of the Core Curriculum and Field of Study curriculum on a 5-year cycle. See Comprehensive Standard 3.5.1 for information on evaluation of general education. Learning outcomes are a distinguishing feature of each state-approved workforce education (WECM) course, which includes specific competencies for student attainment that are meant to be taught and measured for the award of either semester credit hours (SCHs) or Continuing Education Units (CEUs).  TVCC WECM courses adhere to these specific competencies, and in some cases, enhance or add learning outcomes for the benefit of students.  Enhancements are not so extensive that they result in a substantially different course. 

TVCC, like all public community and technical colleges in Texas offering approved workforce education programs, is evaluated using the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Institutional Effectiveness (IE) process. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's State-Level Institutional Effectiveness Process is a comprehensive initiative designed to encourage continuous improvement of Texas community and technical colleges.  The IE process permits colleges to make systematic use of evaluation results to continuously improve institutional performance, services, and the quality of workforce education programs. The Coordinating Board produces and publishes the Annual Data Profile that contains a summary of college programs and services to establish baseline information to self-assess the progress and achievements of TVCC workforce programs (Annual Data Profile 2003, 2004, 2005). The Annual Data Profile includes the following program-level assessment measurements: program content, graduate employment and education outcomes, degree attainment, and percentage of non-traditional students and graduates. In addition, the Annual Data Profile also provides the following measurements: completion rates of full and part-time students, access and equity of women, minorities, and special populations to workforce education programs, remediation and retention rates, and student attainment (GIPWE Chapter 8).

TVCC utilizes this information in its annual planning and evaluation processes for its workforce education programs. Once every four years, the Coordinating Board conducts either an on-site peer review or an information and data review (desk review) of each public community and technical college and other public institutions of higher education offering workforce education programs. The information and data review process is conducted by the Coordinating Board staff using data previously reported by the colleges and from other sources. The intent of the desk review is to evaluate the most critical factors indicative of institutional effectiveness. Critical success factors include the following:

• Workforce education programs must produce at least 15 graduates in the three-year period under review.

• Each workforce education program must place in the workforce at least 90 percent of program graduates within one year following graduation.

• If a license or other professional credential is required for entry into an occupation, the number of students who take and pass the license or other required credentialing exam must be at least 90 percent, or the number of students who take and pass the exam must be no more than five percent lower than the number of students who took and passed the exam statewide for the preceding three years for which complete data are available (THECB TVCC Institutional Effectiveness Report, 2002).

TVCC has an industry-based advisory committee for each workforce education program. The broad purposes of each advisory committee are to help the College document a need for workforce education programs and to ensure that the program has both adequate resources and a well designed curriculum to provide students with the skills, knowledge, and behaviors necessary to successfully meet the needs of business and industry.

The use of an advisory committee is one of the principal means of ensuring meaningful business and industry participation in program creation, revision, and evaluation. The workforce education advisory committees are required to meet at least once annually (Workforce Education Advisory Committee Minutes, available in the dean of workforce education's office).

TVCC is required by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to evaluate its core curriculum every five years [TVCC Board Policy EFAA (Legal)]. The following items were included in TVCC's last Core Curriculum Evaluation Report to the THECB: 

• The extent to which the core curriculum is consistent with the elements of the core curriculum recommended by the Coordinating Board.

• The extent to which the core curriculum is consistent with the Texas Common Course Numbering System.

• The extent to which the core curriculum is consistent with the elements of the core curriculum component areas, intellectual competencies, and perspectives as expressed in Core Curriculum: Assumptions and Defining Characteristics adopted by the Coordinating Board (Core Curriculum Evaluation Report, fall 2004). 

Additionally, TVCC is in the process of reviewing and evaluating its procedures for complying with Field of Study curricula at intervals specified by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (Field of Study Review Report).

During the 2005-2006 academic year, TVCC enhanced its processes for developing, assessing, and reporting student learning outcomes for academic programs to document student learning across the college.  In spring 2005, learning outcomes workshops designed to allow faculty, instructional deans, and division chairs to develop a collective understanding of student learning outcomes were held campus wide. Since that time, all academic programs have developed Learning Enhancement Annual Plans (LEAPs), which specify the desired student learning outcome, the implementation strategy, the assessment method, and the assessment criteria.  Each LEAP relates specifically to at least one of the general education competencies of oral communication, written communication, reading comprehension, computer literacy, critical thinking, or mathematics.  LEAPs, at the end of the assessment period, will include a narrative of the observed results compared to the intended learning outcome(s), as well as a description of changes made based upon those results.  LEAPs results will be provided to the Curriculum and Instruction Committee, as well as the General Education subcommittee to help the Committee make decisions about future curricular revisions.  The LEAPs process is discussed more fully in Core Requirement 2.5 and Comprehensive Standard 3.3.1.  Specific examples of LEAPs for 2005-2006 are included here for the biology, English, and math programs. All 2005-2006 LEAPs are available on the Office of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness Website [Learning Enhancement Annual Plans (LEAPs) Online].

The Curriculum and Instruction Committee, a standing committee of the College, is responsible for "the continuous evaluation and improvement of instruction." The Committee meets annually or as needed to discuss, evaluate, and approve course offerings and curricular changes. Information learned from the above described processes will be used by the Committee to make decisions. Additionally, changes may include revisions to general education goals, as well as the core competencies and objectives. The Committee consists of faculty, counselors and administrators. In the 2005-2006 academic year, the Curriculum and Instruction Committee approved the addition of DRAMA 2361, 2362, and 2366 to the program curriculum, the addition of HIST 2327 and 2328 to the history curriculum, the addition of PSYC 2308 and PSYC 1300 to the psychology curriculum, the addition of EMSP 1355 to the emergency medical services curriculum, the deletion of the computer science- networking associate degree and certificate program, and the approval of a new Associate of Arts in Teaching degree .

Beginning fall 2005, a new General Education Committee began to function as a sub-committee of the Curriculum and Instruction Committee. This sub-committee is charged with reviewing and evaluating the general education component of the curriculum, including general education goals and competencies.

DOCUMENTATION:

3.4.2 The institution's continuing education, outreach, and service programs are consistent with the institution's mission.

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NARRATIVE: 

Trinity Valley Community College's community services department provides continuing education and outreach and service programs which are consistent with the College's mission as a "learning-centered college that provides quality academic, workforce, and community service programs to meet the educational needs of our students and citizens of our service area."   The service area includes 28 public school districts and extends into all parts of Henderson, Anderson, Kaufman, and Rains counties, and part of Van Zandt County (TVCC Community Services Service Area Demographics Profile).

The diverse population demands a variety of training needs. These needs are identified and prioritized through consultation with advisory groups, agencies, organizations, and community leaders.  To meet these needs, TVCC reaches out to numerous constituents for collaborative opportunities.  The most recent and active collaborations include independent school districts, other educational entities, medical facilities and organizations, workforce boards, economic development corporations, and governmental agencies (TVCC Community Services Collaborations, 2005-2006).

Training needs are marketed, delivered and evaluated by TVCC community services staff and are coordinated according to three operating areas: (a) continuing/adult education, (b) non-credit programs offered at various locations, including the Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison units, and (c) services offered to the community through the Small Business Development Center.  In general, TVCC provides continuing education training in workforce preparation skills, personal enrichment, pre-college basic academic training, and other training to meet specific needs of business, industry and to support professional individuals and career groups in obtaining updated skills (TVCC Community Services, Types of Programs). 

Training is delivered through classroom presentations, hands-on experiences, distance learning, tutoring, guided clinical opportunities, and contract training. Training occurs on four TVCC campuses, at business and industry sites, within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison system, at community centers, at faith-based facilities, at sites provided by area economic development corporations, at local public and private school facilities, and at other appropriate sites as needed.  The TVCC Continuing Education Schedule (Fall 2005, Spring 2006) demonstrates the variety of offerings provided by TVCC.  This schedule is published in print and on line three times annually. This publication outlines policies, procedures, course descriptions, and course schedules for training provided directly through the TVCC community services department.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice continuing education offerings are described in the TDCJ Guidebook, which is distributed by the TVCC-TDCJ training department. This publication outlines the policies and procedures for continuing education training offered at the prison sites.

The program offerings and a description of the Small Business Development Center are available on the web (TVCC Small Business Center Website, Regional Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Website).

The Adult Education (AE) program provides basic literacy skills to adults, including ESL training. The basic information about AE programs is found in the TVCC Continuing Education Schedule (Fall 2005, Spring 2006).

DOCUMENTATION:

3.4.3 The institution publishes admissions policies consistent with its mission. 

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NARRATIVE:

Trinity Valley Community College maintains an open-door admissions policy as stated in the TVCC Catalog (pp.13-20; Admissions Policy) and on the TVCC Admissions Website.  Any person who wants or can benefit from higher education is admitted.  This policy is consistent with the College mission as a “learning-centered” college designed “to meet the educational needs of the students and citizens of our service region in East Texas.”

Admissions policies for TVCC and admissions requirements for specific TVCC programs are listed in the TVCC Catalog (p.13 -16) and the TDCJ Guidebook (pp. 6-9).  A brief version of these policies is published in all TVCC Academic Schedules (Spring 2005, Fall 2005). Hard copies of the TVCC Catalog and course schedules are distributed to current and potential students who express an interest in attending TVCC. Examples of recruitment materials for specific programs are included in the documentation table below.

DOCUMENTATION:

3.4.4 The institution has a defined and published policy for evaluating, awarding, and accepting credit for transfer, experiential learning, advanced placement, and professional certificates that is consistent with its mission and ensures that course work and learning outcomes are at the collegiate level and comparable to the institution's own degree programs. The institution assumes responsibility for the academic quality of any course work or credit recorded on the institution's transcript.

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NARRATIVE:

Trinity Valley Community College has published policies for the evaluation and acceptance of academic credit.  All polices meet the standard set forth in the Academic Course Guide Manual [(pp. 197-205) THECB Rule 4.24 (c), "Transfer of Credit"], which states “[i]nstitutional policies regarding acceptance of credit for correspondence courses, credit-by-examination, and other credit-earning instruments must be consistent with Southern Association of Colleges and Schools guidelines and must treat transfer students and native students in the same manner.” Policies are published in the TVCC Catalog under Transcript Evaluation Procedure (p.17), Advanced Placement (pp. 24-27), and Credit by Evaluation (p. 27). 

To ensure that transfer course work is of the same standard as required by TVCC, the College only accepts courses based on the semester or quarter hour systems from regionally accredited colleges. The evaluation of courses completed at Texas colleges is facilitated by the use of the Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS), the Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM), and Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM). The TCCNS is a common set of numbers and courses that are used statewide to enhance transferability of university-transfer courses. The ACGM describes what academic courses may be taught at community colleges in the state of Texas, and each course description includes the Texas Common Course Number (if applicable). WECM is the manual that indicates what vocational courses may be taught at the community college level and includes a state-wide listing of numbers for ease of transferability of workforce education courses between institutions. The ACGM and WECM are produced by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, which governs course-work offered at community colleges in Texas. Other courses from colleges that do not participate in TCCNS, including out-of-state institutions, are evaluated through a transcript evaluation process. In this process, course descriptions from the originating institution are compared for content with TVCC course descriptions. Evaluations are verified by TVCC instructors in the appropriate content area.

Beyond the above-described process, the justification and rationale for program equivalency are included in the TVCC Catalog (pp. 24-27).  Up to 30 semester credit hours are awarded for associate degree level work for military training based on the American Council on Education's  Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services and The National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs (publications are on file in the registrar's office).  Credit awarded using this method is only counted as elective credit and is not substituted for specific course requirements.  Qualified faculty, the vice president of instruction, and the vice president of student services evaluate and approve the credit awarded for course equivalency.  Credit earned through the course equivalency process is recorded on the student's transcript after the completion of 12 semester credit hours in residence at TVCC.  Although the above guidelines have been in place for many years, there has never been a request for credit using this procedure.

Thirteen semester credit hours may be awarded to students who completed a law enforcement training program after 1983 that was approved by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards Examination and demonstrate that they have passed the Texas Basic Peace Officer Licensing Examination.  Nine semester hours may be awarded to students who pass the State of Texas Basic Firefighters Examination.  Qualified faculty, the dean of workforce education, the vice president of instruction, and the dean of enrollment management/registrar determine the course equivalency credit awarded through this process [TVCC Catalog (p. 27), TCLEOSE Basic Police Academy Course Equivalency Forms, Firefighters Course Equivalency Forms]. TVCC processes between 10 and 15 such requests per semester.  The complete files are available in the registrar's office. 

Policies on course and program equivalency related to advanced placement for ACT, SAT, CEEB, CLEP, Emergency Medical Technology, and Associate Degree Nursing are published in the TVCC Catalog (p.24-27).  Credit earned through ACT, SAT, CEEB, and CLEP is based upon cut-scores that are determined by evaluating the tests against course learning outcomes.  Decisions on the appropriateness of a given test and the cut-score established for that test are determined by qualified faculty, the dean of academic education, the director of testing, the dean of enrollment management/registrar, and the vice president of instruction.   Students requesting credit through advanced placement must complete admissions requirements for TVCC and pass the sections of the Texas Success Initiative test that relate to the course for which credit is requested.  Credit is awarded only after the student successfully completes three semester credit hours at TVCC. The practices for awarding credit using this method are consistent with common practices at other colleges, as well as with recommendations from the respective testing companies.  A student must complete a Credit by Examination Course Equivalency Form in order for the credit to be awarded using this procedure.  TVCC processes between 10 to 15 of these requests per semester.  The complete files are available in the registrar's office.

Beginning spring 2006, students may earn credit for Computer Science 1301 by passing a placement test developed by the computer science faculty. The COSC 1301 placement test was developed by TVCC computer science faculty to determine if students meet the computer science competencies required in COSC 1301 (COSC 1301, Microcomputer Applications Syllabus). There is no CLEP exam or nationally recognized test available for COSC 1301. The same Credit by Examination Course Equivalency Form will be used to document credit received using this method, with complete files being housed in the registrar's office.

Credit may be awarded to students entering certain health occupations programs for prior completion of Emergency Medical Technology or Certified Nurses Aide programs as outlined in the TVCC Catalog (pp. 25-27).  Credit awards are determined by qualified faculty, the dean of health occupations, the vice president of instruction, and dean of enrollment management/registrar (EMT Course Equivalency Forms & ADN Course Equivalency Forms). TVCC processes between 10 and 20 such requests per year.  The complete files are available in the registrar's office.

TVCC participates in the Advanced Technical Credit (ATC) program as a member of the East Texas Tech Prep Consortium. ATC is a statewide articulation program that uses established common standards and guidelines for awarding college credit for select high school courses.  Agreements between secondary schools and TVCC specify a six-year Tech Prep educational pathway that is approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.  Students who successfully complete approved secondary courses and meet the requirements outlined in the Standard Articulation Agreement are eligible to receive articulated credit for corresponding college courses offered by TVCC.  Credit is given for non-transferable workforce education courses. Instructors in the ATC program must have a baccalaureate degree or higher in the teaching discipline or an associate degree and three years of work experience related to the teaching discipline (ATC Faculty Qualifications).  Instructors must also be certified to teach in Texas public schools by the State Board for Educator Certification. The dean of workforce education, vice president of instruction, and registrar determine the student's eligibility to receive credit through the ATC process (ATC Course Equivalency Forms). TVCC processes between 10 and 15 of these requests per semester.  The complete files are available in the registrar's office. 

TVCC awards up to twenty-four hours of course-specific college credit in subject-appropriate areas for students who score with at least four on related International Baccalaureate Diploma exams (TVCC Policy for Awarding Credit for International Baccalaureate Diploma Exams).  This policy was adopted by TVCC in December 2005 and will appear in the TVCC Catalog 2006-2007. This adoption was prompted by a bill passed by the state legislature (Senate Bill 111 International Baccalaureate Diploma). To date, no student has been awarded credit using this method.

Based upon the policies and procedures in place for evaluating, awarding, and accepting credit, TVCC assumes responsibility for the academic quality of any coursework or credit displayed on a TVCC transcript.  TVCC Board Policy EGA (Legal) guarantees transferability of courses listed in the Academic Course Guide Manual that are identified by the Texas Common Course Numbering System.  Students are informed of methods for resolving transfer disputes in the TVCC Catalog (p. 73).

DOCUMENTATION:

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€  Partial Compliance         
€  Non-Compliance

NARRATIVE:

Trinity Valley Community College disseminates several publications that represent the College's adherence to principles of good educational practice.  The mission statement and goals of the College are published in TVCC Board Policy AE (Local) and the TVCC Catalog. TVCC Board Policies AD (Legal) and AD (Local) describe the role and mission, programs and services, and responsibilities of the College. TVCC Board Policy BI (Local) describes the planning and institutional effectiveness processes by which TVCC establishes the goals and objectives that reflect its learning-centered philosophy of the institution. The Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) reviews the TVCC Policy Manual on an annual basis. This review includes a legal review to ensure that local board policy is in line with current state law. Additionally, any new policy is reviewed by TASB attorneys before becoming official.

The mission statement specifies that TVCC is “a learning-centered college,” and the official goals further enforce the College's commitment to providing quality instruction and educational experiences for students. The catalog includes information on admissions, student services, academic requirements, degree programs, graduation requirements, testing requirements, course descriptions, faculty, and additional relevant information for students, faculty, and other interested parties.  The TVCC Catalog is reviewed and updated annually by faculty and administrators. Course and degree changes are reviewed by the Curriculum and Instruction Committee before inclusion in the catalog [see Comprehensive Standard 3.4.1 for more details]. Print copies of the TVCC Catalog are mailed to interested parties and are available at any campus location and online (TVCC Catalog Online).

Academic schedules also include notifications regarding TVCC practices. Academic schedules include the times and locations of course offerings, testing and admission information, calendar of  important dates,  registration information, tuition, fee and refund schedule, accreditation statement, and financial aid and health related information. The TVCC Academic Schedule is available in print and online for each semester (Spring 2005, Fall 2005). The TVCC Distance Education Schedule is also available in these formats. 

Additionally, when distance education students register, they are directed to the Help Desk where they receive their syllabus, Distance Education Fact Sheet, and information on orientation and tutorials.  Students who enroll for courses through the Virtual College of Texas (VCT) follow the same procedure and receive the same information except for syllabi (see Comprehensive Standard 3.4.7 for a description of the VCT Host-Provider Model).  VCT students are given directions for linking to the syllabus for each course.  The various syllabi can be accessed on the TVCC Distance Education Website.

Schedules of non-credit, continuing education, and adult education classes are printed each semester and contain information similar to the schedule of credit courses (TVCC Continuing Education Schedule). This schedule contains a campus map and information regarding registration, Continuing Education Units (CEUs), transcripts, financial aid, and refunds. Schedules are updated each semester.

The Faculty Procedural Handbook includes information on a variety of topics that assist the faculty in the delivery of quality instruction, as well as providing directions on the use of institutional resources and rules and regulations for the classroom.  A TVCC Resident Life Handbook is available for residential students. 

Several other sources of information are published to help students prepare for a positive learning experience. These sources include, but are not limited to, the TVCC Website, TVCC Factbook, information on the honors program, grade expectations, course syllabi, and workforce education.  The student newspaper, The News Journal, is published every two weeks during the fall and spring semesters. TVCC maintains and staffs an office of public information.  The public information officer serves as the liaison to the College's service-area newspaper and media sources, providing articles, photographs, and advertising to inform the public of the College's programs and services. Publications and the TVCC Website are updated on a timely basis.

DOCUMENTATION:

3.4.6 The institution employs sound and acceptable practices for determining the amount and level of credit awarded for courses, regardless of format or mode of delivery.  

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NARRATIVE:

Trinity Valley Community College employs sound and acceptable practices for determining the amount and level of credit awarded for all courses, regardless of the method of delivery or format -- on-campus, distance education, advanced placement, credit by evaluation, and credit by examination. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, by legislative authority, establishes the amount and level of credit awarded for courses. The Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM) and the Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM) are guiding documents distributed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to reflect the regulations for awarding credit. The amount and level of credit awarded for courses is consistent with guidelines established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in the ACGM and WECM.

The Guidelines for Instructional Programs in Workforce Education provides specific guidelines for effective design, development, operation, and evaluation of workforce education programs. Credit-based [semester credit hour (SCH)] workforce education courses are described in the WECM. This manual identifies the acceptable range of contact hours necessary to master minimum learning outcomes while affording a choice of instructional strategies via lecture/lab components.  TVCC follows the guidelines for SCH credit described in WECM (Chapter 4).  Workforce education credit courses, course descriptions, and semester credit hours (SCH's) are listed in the TVCC Catalog (pp. 124-175) and the TDCJ Guidebook (pp 16-33). Specific course requirements can be found on the WECM Course Search Tool Website.

The Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM) serves as the generic academic course inventory for all community and technical colleges in Texas.  With this course inventory, individual community colleges in the state are not required to maintain separate general academic course inventories in order to receive state funding for these credit courses.  The ACGM contains a list of common course prefixes and numbers, a 10-digit approval number for the course, the matching content descriptor, and information about maximum SCH's per student, maximum SCH per course, and maximum contact hours per course. Institutions must request prior approval to offer "unique need" courses, which are courses that are not included in the ACGM or courses that are to be offered at a different level of credit than what is outlined in the ACGM. University-transfer credit courses, course descriptions, and SCH's are listed in the TVCC Catalog (pp. 124-175), and the TDCJ Guidebook (pp 16-33).

TVCC Board Policies EFA (Legal) and EGA (Legal) reflect the Coordinating Board's guidelines that address the awarding of credit. TVCC Board Policy EFA (Legal) emphasizes transferability, specific length of courses, and criteria for offering courses through traditional and nontraditional formats. TVCC Board Policy EGA (Legal) guarantees transferability of courses listed in the Academic Course Guide Manual that are identified by the Texas Common Course Numbering System.

TVCC awards course credit for military training, law enforcement peace officer training, firefighter training, emergency medical technology training, and Associate Degree Nursing training.  Additionally, credit is awarded for advanced placement through nationally administered tests including ACT, SAT, CEEB, CLEP, International Baccalaureate, and a locally administered placement test for COSC 1301-Microcomputer Applications.  Students are informed of these policies in the TVCC Catalog (pp. 24-27).  TVCC participates in the Advanced Technical Credit Program (ATC), a statewide articulation program based on common standards and guidelines for awarding college credit for selected secondary school courses.  In all cases, a student must be accepted for admission to TVCC prior to credit being awarded.  Details of the processes used to award  credit under the policies described above are discussed extensively in Comprehensive Standard 3.4.4.

DOCUMENTATION:

3.4.7 The institution ensures the quality of educational programs/courses offered through consortia relationships or contractual agreements, ensures ongoing compliance with the comprehensive requirements, and evaluates the consortia relationship and/or agreement against the purpose of the institution.  

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NARRATIVE:

Trinity Valley Community College ensures the quality of educational programs and courses offered through consortia relationships or contractual agreements. TVCC Board Policy ECF(Legal) delineates that the administration ensures that courses and programs offered through contractual agreements are consistent with the educational purpose, mission, and goals of TVCC; are offered under its direct control; and are approved through the established procedures of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). The policy further states that all contractual agreements must be executed by designated officers of TVCC and their counterparts in the contracting organization. In all cases courses and programs eligible under contractual agreements are consistent with the educational purpose, mission, and goals of the institution. Courses and programs remain under the sole and direct control of TVCC.

TVCC has partnership agreements with public secondary schools to offer dual college credit courses. The partnership agreement includes guidelines for student eligibility, faculty qualifications, location and student composition, eligible courses, grading criteria, transcription of credit, and tuition (Partnership Agreement Example, Mabank High School). These agreements follow the rules and guidelines for such partnerships as established by the THECB.
 
TVCC is a member of the Virtual College of Texas (VCT), a consortium of accredited public Texas community and technical colleges designed to provide distance learning access to all Texans regardless of geographic, distance, or time constraints.  Member institutions of the VCT share distance learning courses under the terms of a statewide VCT Memorandum of Understanding. The Texas Association of Community Colleges (TACC), an organization of community college presidents, is the VCT's governing authority. The Virtual College of Texas' Host-Provider Model of Operations (VCT Operations Manual), provides a description of VCT's operational model that has been approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Students may enroll at TVCC for courses provided by other colleges throughout Texas while receiving support services from TVCC (Host). TVCC also serves students of other colleges as a provider through the VCT.  In this mutual relationship, TVCC ensures qualified faculty teach and supervise courses, that students are provided with a course syllabus, and that instructors provide support comparable to support available to the TVCC's distance learning and on-campus students.  TVCC has agreed to the VCT Memorandum of Understanding and follows the VCT Operations Manual. 

Before a VCT course is approved to be offered (or hosted) for TVCC students, the instructor's credentials and course syllabus must be approved by the director of distance learning, the appropriate dean, and division chairperson.  ACGM courses offered through VCT are approved by the academic dean and the appropriate academic division chairperson. Workforce education courses offered through VCT are approved by the dean of workforce education and the appropriate workforce education division chairperson (VCT Course Approval Form).  Once the course is approved, it is added to the TVCC local schedule, and students may enroll. The review of courses offered through VCT occurs every semester.  Evaluations of each course and instructor are conducted for feedback on the quality of the course (VCT Course Evaluation). VCT courses completed by TVCC students appear on the students' transcripts as TVCC credit. 

TVCC also has a contractual agreement to provide academic and workforce education programs and courses in four Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) facilities for inmates. Instruction is provided by TVCC instructors, and facilities are provided by TDCJ.  TVCC has 18 full-time faculty devoted to teaching at the prison units. Four of these faculty provide instruction for continuing education credit with the remainder providing instruction in credit-based Certificate and AAS workforce education programs.  Additionally, TVCC faculty teach university-transfer courses at TDCJ. These faculty are primarily based at the Athens or Palestine campuses. The director of TDCJ educational programs, a TVCC employee, is responsible for the supervision and evaluation of TDCJ workforce and continuing education programs and courses. Faculty who teach university-transfer courses are evaluated by their appropriate supervisor from their base campuses.  Faculty providing instruction in TDCJ units follow the same credentialing guidelines, evaluation procedures, and curricular revision processes as do faculty at other TVCC locations. This contract is approved bi-annually by the director of TDCJ educational programs, the president, and the Board of Trustees.

DOCUMENTATION:

3.4.8 The institution awards academic credit for course work taken on a noncredit basis only when there is documentation that the noncredit course work is equivalent to a designated credit experience. 

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€  Partial Compliance         
€  Non-Compliance

NARRATIVE:

Trinity Valley Community College awards credit for military training, law enforcement peace officer training, firefighter training, emergency medical technology training, and Associate Degree Nursing training.  Additionally, credit is awarded for advanced placement through nationally administered tests including ACT, SAT, CEEB, CLEP, International Baccalaureate, and a locally administered test for COSC 1301-Microcomputer Applications.  Students are informed of these policies in the TVCC Catalog (pp. 24-27).  In all cases, a student must be accepted for admission to TVCC prior to credit being awarded.  The processes used to award  credit using these policies are discussed extensively in Comprehensive Standard 3.4.4.  

DOCUMENTATION:

R Compliance          
€  Partial Compliance         
€  Non-Compliance

NARRATIVE:

Trinity Valley Community College provides a variety of academic support services designed to assist students in achieving their educational goals regardless of the location of the student or the instructional delivery method. These services include the learning resource centers (LRC), academic assessment, academic advising, tutoring, distance education support services, counseling services, and intervention for students experiencing academic difficulties.

The learning resource centers located on the four TVCC campuses provide academic support systems for students. Each LRC provides students with access to information in print, audio-visual, and electronic formats. A description of LRC resources and services is available on the LRC Website.  This information is also available in a brochure and handouts that are available at the circulation desk of each LRC. A brief description of the LRC is also found in the TVCC Catalog (p. 42). The LRC resources and services are regularly evaluated to determine that student needs are being met. Learning resources and services are described in further detail in Core Requirement 2.9 and Comprehensive Standard 3.8.1. Students have access to several computer laboratories. For a description of student access to computer labs, please see Comprehensive Standard 3.4.14.

Tutoring services are available on the Athens, Terrell, and Palestine campuses.  In Athens, an intensified tutoring assistance program is offered without charge to eligible students through Student Support Services located in the Study Skills Center (Student Support Services TRIO Brochure).  The Student Support Services (TRIO) Study Skills Center served 350 students during the fall 2004 and spring 2005 semesters.  Student progress is tracked in a variety of ways including the number of sessions attended for each course, the academic progress made, and the retention and withdrawal rates.  For example, students in the tutoring program in the fall 2004 semester made significant progress, as 44% of the students improved one letter grade from the entry grade, 26% improved two letter grades, 9% improved three letter grades, and for 21% the entry grade and final grade remained the same.  Monthly reports outlines both collective data and individual student progress, is sent to academic deans and division chairs (Student Support Services Monthly Report). An end-of-semester report provides collective data on students participating in the program, as well as data from evaluations of the tutoring program by both tutors and tutees (Student Support Services Statistical Data). 

The tutoring program on the Athens campus is currently in the process of seeking certification through the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) International Tutor Certification Program (ITCP). Tutors are required to attend in-service classes and workshops before working in the Study Skills Center. The program has applied for three levels of certification including regular, advanced, and master.  Each level requires 10 hours of training and 25 hours of tutoring experience.   Gaining  CRLA ITCP certification will be a valuable achievement and will acknowledge the training and proficiency of tutors participating in the program. 

Students on the Athens campus who do not qualify for free tutoring assistance may receive help in the Study Skills Center by participating in group tutoring sessions, provided at least two qualified students are attending the session.  The center also provides a contact list of qualified tutors in the various academic areas as a resource for students who do not qualify for free tutoring.

On the Palestine and Terrell campuses, tutoring services are provided without charge through a Carl Perkins grant.  Students must meet the eligibility criteria specified by the grant in order to receive these services.  For the spring 2005 semester, 35 students received tutoring on the Palestine campus, and 55 students were tutored on the Terrell campus. 

Students enrolled in developmental reading, writing or mathematics courses are provided additional assistance in the laboratory component of the course. This occurs through a student enrolling in a laboratory course (a one-credit-hour course) at the Athens, Palestine, or Terrell campuses. Due to security concerns and the contract with TDCJ, this occurs during the regularly scheduled classes at TDCJ units.

A spring 2005 survey of graduating students revealed that 98.4% of students surveyed indicated that they were “very much” or “somewhat” satisfied with college sponsored tutoring activities (Graduating Student Survey-Learning Environment).

As an outgrowth of planning and institutional effectiveness processes, TVCC has embarked on a new initiative to develop innovative ways to increase engagement among students in order to enhance their reading abilities. This project was spawned by the quality enhancement plan requirement of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools' reaffirmation effort; however, it is becoming embedded in the TVCC culture as a means to improve the College's ability to create an environment that enhances learning. The project provides a systematic assessment of student engagement and reading ability, the exploration of the influence of student networking groups on learning, and professional development of faculty through the Learning Academy. TVCC created two full-time positions including a director and a secretary to facilitate the efforts of this project. See the Learning Initiative Website for more details on this project.  

Students enrolled in distance education courses have access to the same academic support services as traditional students, along with additional technical services needed to receive education at a distance. Distance education students are provided technical assistance through the distance learning office. Most TVCC distance education courses run on the WebCT platform, and a WebCT tutorial is available to assist distance education students. This tutorial is provided in a CD format at registration and is also available online at the TVCC Distance Learning Website. The testing center at each campus is available for proctored testing of distance education students. Testing service to distance education students is provided at the LRC's when the testing center is closed or is otherwise unavailable.

Students who are placed on academic probation or suspension are provided special consultation and advising through the Admissions Committee and Admissions Sub-Committees (Admissions Committee Membership). These committees operate on the Athens, Palestine, and Terrell campuses. Students meet individually with the committee to discuss their academic standing and progress. Students are advised on ways to improve their academic performance, including the number and types of courses for which they should enroll. Some students are assigned monitors who check the student's academic progress and schedule several meetings each semester to discuss that progress. In addition, some students are required to enroll in a Personal Development course (DEVL 0305, Syllabus) designed to assist students in developing skills which they will need to be successful in college.

For information on academic advising, testing, and counseling, see Core Requirement 2.10 and Comprehensive Standard 3.9.3.

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NARRATIVE:

Trinity Valley Community College outlines and publishes general education requirements and programs of study suggestions and requirements in the TVCC Catalog. General education core requirements for the Associate of Arts degree and the Associate of Applied Science degree are outlined in the TVCC Catalog (pp. 65-66), and the suggested and required curricula for the various programs of study are located in the TVCC Catalog (p. 75-121).  The general education requirements of TVCC are discussed in detail in Core Requirement 2.7.3.

The Associate of Arts (AA) degree, the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree, and Certificates of Completion at TVCC are approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and follow the standards, policies, and guidelines established by the THECB. These standards and guidelines are published in the THECB rules, Chapter 9, Program Development in Public Community/Junior Colleges and Technical Colleges, Subchapter E, Certificate and Associate Degree Programs, and subchapter J, Academic Associate Degree Programs.

THECB standards for the AA degree require a minimum of 60 to a maximum of 66 semester credit hours. The THECB also requires a core curriculum of 42 to 48 semester credit hours for the AA degree. TVCC requires the completion of 64 semester credit hours for the AA degree, including 44 semester credit hours of core courses [TVCC Catalog (pp. 65-66)].

THECB standards for the AAS degree require the completion of 60 to 72 semester credit hours. To meet SACS guidelines, the THECB also requires the completion of 15 semester hours in general education for the AAS degree. TVCC requires the completion of 64 semester credit hours for the AAS degree, including the 15 hours of required general education courses.

Trinity Valley Community College offers 28 suggested programs of study for the AA degree, 13 programs of study for the AAS degree, and 40 programs of study for the Certificate of Completion, including nine at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. General education core courses are clearly outlined in each AA and AAS program of study. Course substitutions for core courses are not allowed. The various programs of study provide students with a semester-by-semester suggestion of courses, including core courses and courses specific to that program of study. Courses specific to each program of study are included based on recommendations from faculty who teach in the program areas. These recommendations come after careful analysis of the degree requirements established by various senior colleges and universities in Texas. For the AAS degree, suggestions from advisory committees, consisting of professionals working in the field, are also considered when determining courses to be included in each program of study. Some courses in the various programs of study are offered through distance education, including telecourses, Internet courses, interactive video courses, and courses hosted through the Virtual College of Texas (VCT). The standards and requirements are the same for traditional and distance education courses, including those courses hosted through VCT.

3.4.12 The institution places primary responsibility for the content, quality, and effectiveness of its curriculum with its faculty. 

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The faculty of Trinity Valley Community College is primarily responsible for the content, quality, and effectiveness of the curriculum. TVCC Board Policy DNA (Local) specifies faculty responsibility for developing curriculum and TVCC Board Policy EE (Local) describes the curriculum development. According to this policy, “curriculum changes…are initiated at the faculty level.”  Faculty and division chairs develop and revise curriculum, which is presented to the appropriate dean, who submits the recommendations to the vice president of instruction.  The Deans' Council and the Curriculum and Instruction Committee review and approve changes to the curriculum.  If the changes involve the addition of a new program, radical redesign of a course or program, or changes to the core curriculum, recommendations are submitted to the president and the TVCC Board of Trustees.

The evaluation of the content, quality, and effectiveness of the curriculum is facilitated by the activities of the Curriclum and Instruction Committee. All curricular changes, including course and program and degree changes, distance education courses, honors courses, policies related to curriculum, and other appropriate issues are presented to the Committee members for their consideration at an annual meeting prior to the publication of the TVCC Catalog.  Changes approved through the Curriculum and Instruction Committee are included in the catalog (for more details on this process see Comprehensive Standard 3.4.1). A specific example of a decision of the Committee is the addition of a drama course. The recommendation originated when a professor in the drama department requested the inclusion of Drama 2366 in the curriculum as a course that benefits students who plan to transfer to a university. The Committee considered the request and voted to add the course to the curriculum. The course now appears in the TVCC Catalog (p. 144). In cases where the Committee believes an issue should be discussed further or an issue arises between meetings, a subcommittee is appointed to address the concern and make a recommendation to the Committee. Committee members are notified of the subcommittee's recommendation, and they have the opportunity to vote by telephone, e-mail or correspondence. For example, after the 2005 Committee meeting, the social science division proposed that Geography 1303 be added to the curriculum. The description was sent via e-mail to the members of the Curriculum and Instruction Committee for approval. Eighty percent of the Committee members responded in the affirmative. The course was added to the curriculum TVCC Catalog (p. 153). These examples are documented in the Curriculum and Instruction Committee Minutes (February 23, 2005). Other such changes are contained in the Curriculum and Instruction Committee Minutes (February 25, 2004) and in the Curriculum and Instruction Committee Minutes (March 1, 2006).

The General Education Committee is a subcommittee of the Curriculum and Instruction Committee.  This Committee evaluates the effectiveness of the core curriculum and makes recommendations on issues or changes related to the instruction and curriculum of the core courses that comprise the general education components of the AA and AAS degrees. General Education Committee Minutes (October 3, 2005) and General Education Committee Minutes (February 21, 2005) reflect the activity of this committee.

In line with TVCC Board Policy EF (Regulation), faculty and division chairpersons are primarily responsible for the preparation of course syllabi.  Faculty are required to adhere to the established course syllabi to facilitate consistency and ensure coordination between campuses and methods of delivery.  Course syllabi are on file in the academic and workforce dean's offices as well as in the vice president of instruction's office.  Samples can be viewed online (Online Syllabi).

Division chairpersons and faculty jointly determine student learning outcomes for each course and program, the method of implementation, assessment, and documentation of outcomes.  The learning outcomes are reviewed by the appropriate dean and the vice president of instruction.  Assessment results will be available for review by the Curriculum and Instruction Committee. For a discussion of the formal processes used to evaluate learning outcomes and samples of learning outcomes, see Comprehensive Standard 3.3.1 or Core Requirement 2.5. For a link to Learning Enhancement Annual Plans (LEAPs) that are currently being implemented, see LEAPs Online.

TVCC participates in the Virtual College of Texas (VCT) as a host college.  Before a VCT course is posted on the TVCC  local schedule,  the instructor's credentials and course syllabus must be approved by the director of distance learning, the appropriate dean, and division chairperson.  ACGM courses offered through VCT are approved by the academic dean and the appropriate academic division chairperson. WECM, or workforce education courses, offered through VCT are approved by the dean of workforce education and the appropriate workforce education division chairperson (VCT Course Approval Form). 

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3.4.13 For each major in a degree program, the institution assigns responsibility for program coordination, as well as for curriculum development and review, to persons academically qualified in the field. In those degree programs for which the institution does not identify a major, this requirement applies to a curricular area or concentration.

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NARRATIVE:

The Associate of Arts (AA) degrees offered at Trinity Valley Community College do not identify a specific major; however, numerous programs of study are offered which relate to specific curricular areas. In each program of study, a faculty member who is academically qualified in the field is assigned the responsibility for program coordination, curriculum development, and review.

The instructional programs at TVCC are organized by divisions and programs of study. Each division, except kinesiology, includes several programs of study.  Division chairpersons are responsible for the overall supervision of the division. Most division chairs also serve as a program coordinator in their area of instruction. A listing of persons responsible for the eight divisions and each program of study is included in the TVCC Catalog (pp. 70-71).  Coordinators for academic transfer programs have a minimum of a Master's degree and 18 graduate hours in the academic discipline which they coordinate. Coordinators for workforce education programs have the required educational qualifications, work experience, and/or licensure as established by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Coordinator qualifications and competencies are outlined in the Roster of Instructional Staff (password required). The roster is organized by academic and occupational programs, with the program coordinator listed at the beginning of each program.

Coordinators work with faculty in their program area to annually review courses and program curricula to determine if changes are needed. Changes which involve major revisions such as course additions or deletions are reviewed by the appropriate division chair and dean before being submitted to the vice president of instruction. After the administrative review process is completed, the suggested revisions are submitted to the Curriculum and Instruction Committee for final review and action. The curriculum review and development process is explained fully in TVCC Board Policy EE (Local) and is detailed in Comprehensive Standard 3.4.1 and Comprehensive Standard 3.4.12.  

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