NWCCU MSU Billings Self-Study Report
October 2008
Standard 2 -
Educational Program & Its Effectiveness
Introduction
 With one eye on its past and the other on the future, MSU Billings has embraced
policies and processes that continually assess the effectiveness of its educational
programs to maximize teaching opportunities and student-learning outcomes. This
has enabled the University to build a culture that embraces the concept of Access& Excellence at all educational levels, provide a wealth of opportunities for student
engagement with faculty and continue exceptional service to all constituents. Standard
Two presents a review of the instructional programs at the University, with special
attention given to what is delivered, analyses of how the various instructional units
and supporting programs contribute to the delivery of the University’s instructional
mission and how program effectiveness is assessed through the Continuous Quality
Improvement (CQI) process.
Program review and departmental assessment, while mandated by the Montana
Board of Regents (BOR), are a way of life at MSU Billings. In 2007, the Board
of Regents modified the policies and procedures that govern reviews (Policy 303.3
http://mus.edu/borpol/bor300/303-3.pdf). Program review now occurs on a sevenyear
cycle and includes all programs listed in the “degree and program inventory”
maintained by the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education and includes
options, minors not associated with a major, and certificates of more than 30 credits
listed in the inventory.
At the University level, the major purposes of program review are the
following:
- To foster academic excellence at all levels
- To determine ways to improve the quality of every unit, and
- To provide guidance for decisions regarding future directions for the
University.
Program review is meant to identify and direct attention to program areas
in which excellence can be achieved and assure the most efficient use of available
resources. The intent of the reviews is evaluation and a forward-looking appraisal of
a unit’s strengths and weaknesses for continuing improvement and integrity.
In order to foster a University culture of excellence and integrity, to guide
internal decisions and to address the BOR mandate, MSU Billings has implemented
processes outlined throughout this standard report.
Strategic Planning
To foster a University Culture of Excellence and Integrity, in summer 2004, the
University developed its second strategic plan document for the period 2005-2010.
During a day-long Strategic Planning Retreat, University Strategic Initiatives
and Academic Goals were collaboratively developed with active faculty and staff participation. The Retreat was moderated by an external facilitator. Eighty-nine
individuals representing the various constituencies in the University (56 faculty, 18
staff, 13 administrators and two students) participated in the Retreat. The University
Strategic Initiatives and Academic Goals document (exhibit 2.41) was distributed
to all participants and subsequently presented to all academic departments. The
Academic Master Plan was implemented in fall 2005 as the University instituted a
Continuous Quality Improvement concept in all its practices.
Continuous Quality Improvement Steering Committee
The CQI Steering Committee, through Annual Program Reviews, has promoted
the integration of student learning outcomes assessment into the organizational
culture of MSU Billings as well as into the existing policies and procedures for the
continuous improvement of the curriculum and services. Development of faculty
ownership and understanding of assessment is critical to the institutionalization of
assessment. Consequently, the Faculty Administration Collaborative Committee
(FACC) recommended that assessment become a meaningful part of the regular
faculty annual review process, position descriptions and all advertisements for
faculty and staff positions. All new faculty Position Descriptions and advertisements
for faculty recruitment include a statement of expectation that the new hire will
participate in CQI activities.
The Continuous Quality Improvement Steering Committee (CQI Steering
Committee) is a team with faculty, staff and student representation, appointed by the
Cabinet in fall 2005. The Committee serves as a clearinghouse for program reviews
and consists of the following members: two Co-chairs (Dean, College of Arts and
Sciences, and Interim Dean, College of Education), Chief Information Officer, faculty
from each of the six colleges, Director of Library, Director of Facilities Services,
Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs, Director of Graduate Studies, representatives
from the Academic and Staff Senate, two students and the Interim Provost. Its
charge directs it to:
- Coordinate Continuous Quality Improvement activities
- Position MSU Billings for fall 2008 Northwest Commission on Colleges
and Universities (NWCCU)accreditation campus visit
- Position MSU Billings for Programmatic Accreditations and the Board of
Regents program reviews
- Develop operational guidelines to Integrate the University’s mission (Who
is MSU Billings), vision (What does MSU Billings intend to be in the future?)
core values (How does MSU Billings conduct its business?) evaluation and
effectiveness (How well is MSU Billings doing it?).
- Understand the needs of the people who are served by MSU Billings
- Identify and define measures of success
- Brainstorm potential change strategies for improvement
- Plan, collect, and use data for facilitating effective decision making
- Gather evidence (review objectives/goals and collect data) and conduct
analysis (What do the data tell us?) for current action and future planning
(What are we doing as a result?)
The committee has made concerted efforts to share information and receive
feedback through the newsletter CQI-FYI, the CQI website http://www.msubillings.edu/cqi/, presentations at the Back-to-School Conference, at the annual faculty
meetings, in open public forums, at department meetings, at the meetings of the
advisory boards, and through reviews of IR drafts by faculty.
Assessment Activities
The University follows a decentralized approach to assessment, with departments
responsible for assessing specific academic programs and appropriate faculty groups
responsible for assessing general education. The administration’s role is to coordinate
and document assessment activities taking place at the department level, as well as
to conduct surveys and provide data of institutional scope. The goal of outcomes
assessment is program improvement.
For assessment to be effective, faculty must document program weaknesses, as
well as strengths, and use their findings to make program improvements. To ensure
that assessment proceeds in accordance with this goal, deans and department chairs
are expected to recognize and acknowledge faculty participation in assessment
activities through the annual review process at all levels.
It became incumbent upon the University, however, to define policies and
procedures which maximize faculty opportunity to document student outcomes
assessment activities; to engage in the continuous improvement of teaching and
learning; and to promote faculty ownership, curricular integration, and campuswide
communication concerning assessment activities. To this end, MSU Billings
implemented several policies and procedures to address assessment that are described
in the text that follows.
The CQI Steering Committee has coordinated a number of activities promoting
the integration and institutionalization of educational assessment into the teaching
and learning equation. The Committee has sponsored a number of university-wide
assessment activities with the potential to impact overall assessment of teaching and
learning. Professional development opportunities have included webinars, program
consultants and the opportunity to attend assessment workshops.
The following activities have been carried out systematically on a regular basis:
A. Annual Reports. Every unit prepares an annual report that includes a
thorough and systematic plan for improvement over the next several years. The
process is meant to help faculty, staff and administrators in an academic unit to
understand the unit’s current status so that they can establish clear priorities for
achieving excellence and promoting teaching, scholarship and service.
The co-chairs of the CQI Committee work closely with departments to
develop learning outcomes and assessment plans for each of the academic majors.
Departments were asked to develop assessment plans for each of their undergraduate
degree programs that address the following:
- Degree objectives.
- Strategies for assessing discipline-specific knowledge.
- Methods for soliciting feedback from internal and external stakeholders.
Complete plans for all undergraduate degree programs are posted on the Web
http://www.msubillings.edu and accessible to all stakeholders.
In the second year of the assessment cycle, departments submitted a summary of
the results of their assessment activities. In their assessment summaries, departments also identified short- and long-term strategies for program improvement based on
the data gathered through assessment activities.
The third year of the cycle has expanded on the second-year report, and
departments measured program effectiveness and program efficiency using the
previously established outcome measures. The report also included an evaluation
of whether or not the programs met the specific accreditation standards unique to
the discipline and the Board of Regents requirements for the cyclic program review
mandated by policy 303.3.
B. Surveys. A schedule of recurring surveys to gather data for assessment
was developed. These include the Student Satisfaction Survey (SSI), Community
College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE), National Survey of Student
Engagement (NSSE), Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE), Community
College of Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (CCFSSE), Employee Morale,
Library, General Education opinion survey, Career Services survey and the Alumni
survey. More information on the surveys and the results obtained and used can be
found in Standard 3, Standard 5, and other pertinent sections.
C. Academic Foundations Assessment. The Academic Foundations Committee
is charged by the Academic Senate with assessing the general education component
of MSU Billings’ degree programs. The strategies and results are described in detail
in the General Education section of Standard 2.
D. Beyond the Classroom. Opportunities are provided for students to succeed
beyond classroom instruction. These include internships, undergraduate research
opportunities, independent studies, capstone experiences and service learning
through community involvement. Data on these activities are systematically collected
and shared with the University community and beyond through press releases,
the publication Connections, and Alumni outreach and at the Annual Emeritus
Luncheon, the Annual Retirees Luncheon, the Co-operative Education Luncheon,
and other events. Co-operative Education internships for students in all Colleges
(except Education, which manages its own field experiences) are coordinated through
Career Services. Each internship requires completion of both learning objectives
and a learning agreement, signed by student, employer, and faculty supervisor, which
complies with best practices in the field. At the conclusion of each semester, the
experience is assessed through a self-evaluation by student and evaluations by the
faculty supervisor and the employer. A report is sent to each dean at the end of each
semester. The evaluation results are used to address concerns and make necessary
changes for the improvement of the program.
The University, students, and employers are committed to the value of these
experiences. With assistance from Career Services and Cooperative Education,
237 students earned 900 internship credits in 2006-2007; they were supervised by
53 faculty. Spring 2008 saw a 25% increase over spring 2007 in internship credits
earned due to recent partnerships with the College of Allied Health Professions and
the College of Technology.
Career Services conducts an annual survey to compile statistics about graduates’
employment or continuing education status. For the Class of 2007, 97% of BA/
BS survey respondents declared themselves “placed,” and graduates employed full time in their major field of study earned, on average, $31,928/year. COT graduates
employed full time in their major field earned, on average, $30,266/year; 96% of
respondents were “placed.” Results of this survey are used extensively by New Student
Services and other offices in promoting the value of an education at MSU Billings.
MSU Billings has embarked on an aggressive internationalization agenda. The
University recognizes the importance of students gaining a larger world view and
experience. With that in mind, Global Engagement was added to the University
Strategic Initiatives. Although a search for an International Studies Director failed,
the University hired an experienced coordinator as it continues both the international
programs and efforts to hire a director.
 E. Student Success: The acceptance of students in graduate schools and
professional schools and the successful completion of those continuing education
programs is used as an indirect measure of program effectiveness. Each department
reports the placement of its graduates in the annual reports. Specific information on
each college is contained in the college reports. The University Relations regularly
shares the information on student success in competitions, conferences and other
areas through press releases that are posted on the University website for the
current year and archived in the Library for previous years. MSU Billings also has
a longstanding tradition of celebrating student success through the Outstanding
Alumni Awards. Each year through the deliberations of five Outstanding Awards
Committees, MSU Billings’ Outstanding Alumni are recognized at a brunch for
exceptional contributions in their field, commitment of professional expertise and
professional and civic contributions that bring pride and recognition to the University
community.
Use of Assessment Data
The Student Satisfaction Survey (SSI) conducted during spring 2006, the
Retention Consultant’s report and the other survey results indicated that while MSU
Billings ranked high in many areas, a focused study in some areas was warranted.
These included advising, recruitment, retention and e-learning. To effectively use
the assessment data, address student concerns and create a user-friendly learning
environment that will attract students, keep them engaged and allow them to
graduate with the knowledge and skills they need, in August 2006, a retreat was
held that resulted in the formation of four task forces in fall 2006, each charged with
specific short-term and long-term goals. The strategies developed and implemented
by each of these task forces have resulted in significant improvements in the above
areas.
Details on each Task Force are described below.
Partners for Change
Advising Task Force. This task force consists of 15 members representing all
colleges, faculty, staff, administration and students. It is co-chaired by the Director of
Advising and a faculty member, and has met several times since its inception. It was
charged by the CQI Steering Committee, Provost, and Vice Chancellor for Student
Affairs with identification of all advising-related issues and recommendations for
improvement of the existing model. The task force reports to the CQI Steering Committee on a yearly basis or when information is needed. Students rated Academic
Advising of higher importance than did students at the 22 peer institutions. A gap
was identified between students’ level of importance for advising and their rating of
satisfaction with the service. While the mean for this difference is not statistically
significant, it does provide the opportunity to improve advising services in order
to increase student satisfaction. The second survey (SurveyMonkey.com) showed
that 18% ranked the Advising center “Excellent” (the highest category) while only
7% ranked it “Poor” (the lowest category). Similarly, faculty advising was ranked
“Excellent” by 25% while only 7% ranked faculty advising “Poor.” Some of the
written comments about advising were harsh, but it should be noted that only those
ranking the question “Poor” were asked to provide written comments. Had students
who ranked advising “Excellent” been asked to give written comments, we feel
confident that we would have seen (at least) an equal number of positive statements
about advising at MSU Billings.
While the Advising Task Force is reviewing peer institutions for comparison of
advising structures, services and website features, the Advising Center has responded
to the recommendations made by the Advising Task Force and to issues raised by
the SSI and students’ individual concerns by adding more walk-in advising hours,
instituting advising and registration weeks in both fall 2007 and spring 2008,
presenting workshops for students and faculty, and adding more information to
the updated website: www.msubillings.edu/advise. Faculty have responded to the
student advising concerns by adopting mandatory advising prior to registration for
classes for every major. Recommendations by the Advising Task Force include:
- Updating the features in Banner to improve the degree audit information available to students and their advisors with Degree Works (part of the
Banner system)
- Providing comprehensive training for staff and faculty advisors to ensure
complete, accurate knowledge of requirements, options, and expectations of
students
- Organizing structured
Advising Week
activities (completed
November 2007)
- Providing an Advising
Manual as a resource
for faculty, staff and
students.
Therefore, the focus on
improving advising has resulted
in statistically significant student
advising satisfaction from 2006 to 2008 as evidenced by the spring semester 2008
Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) that provided dramatic evidence of how well
we serve our students. MSU Billings scored above the national mean on 78 of the
79 survey questions and the mean scores on academic advising (one of the 12 SSI
student satisfaction scales) were significantly higher than 2006 SSI scores and the
2008 Noel-Levitz national data base. The probability of increase between the 2006
and 2008 MSU-Billings means for academic advising occurring by chance was less
than .001.
Recruitment. This Task Force was created to develop a holistic approach to
recruitment with campus buy-in from all constituents involved. It consists of 14
members representing all colleges, faculty, staff, administration and students, cochaired
by the Director of New Student Services and a faculty member, and has met
several times since its inception. It was charged with identification of various issues
related to recruitment of traditional, non-traditional and international students. The
Recruitment Task Force met several times, working in concert with the Enrollment
Management Team, and created an initiative called Team 5200. The Team 5200
initiative reflects a goal of 5,200 students in Fall 2007. The team and administrators
developed a series of recruitment activities and recommended incorporating those
into the Retention Task Force to help consolidate everyone’s efforts.
The Recruitment Task Force felt strongly that faculty play a key role in
recruitment. Therefore, it initiated a Faculty support plan to help the on-campus
recruitment efforts so that Faculty representative(s) from each of the Colleges on
campus are represented at luncheons and other events when students and parents are
on campus. Several faculty in key disciplines agreed to participate in these activities.
The strategies used and the hard work of the enrollment management team, the
student affairs team and the dynamic faculty resulted in a significant increase in fall
2007 enrollments. Although the University did not achieve its 5,200-student goal,
Fall 2007 enrollment of 4,912 reflects an 11% increase since 2002. At the College
of Technology, an increase of 70 students from fall 2006, set a new record for the
West Campus.
Retention. The objective was to establish retention as a critical component of
student success at MSU Billings by examining and improving the existing situation.
The Task Force, which consisted of 15 members and was co-chaired by the Director
of the Academic Support Center and a faculty member, identified the reasons why
students leave the institution and created an intervention strategy for addressing
those reasons. Data currently available show that MSU Billings’ retention rate is
lower than the national average for public four-year universities. Approximately
53-56% of the University’s freshmen re-enroll for a second year, compared to a
national average of 66-70%. Faculty and staff came together as members of the
Retention Task Force, gathered information on current practices at MSU Billings
and discovered many departments contributing to the University’s retention efforts.
Preliminary Recommendations to increase retention were made in spring 2007 and
implemented immediately. These included:
- Know our students better as individuals, especially their expectations of
MSU Billings
- Know ourselves better. What are our “pride points” that will attract students
and involve them in the University community? In effect, retention starts
with the institution, at the point of recruitment.
- Recognize that retention involves all areas of University life: faculty,
academic programs, staff, student services and social activities
- Improve early identification of and intervention with students who
demonstrate characteristics of those who do not persist
Options include mandatory advising; an increased emphasis on A&SC 101,
College Success Strategies; the creation of an academic recovery program; focus
groups, interviews, and surveys to determine students’ expectations; the hiring of a retention counselor; increased faculty involvement; increased retention tracking by
course, department and program; peer mentors; midterm grades for all students; and
living-learning communities.
These efforts have resulted in increased retention of freshmen by 4% (from 2006
to 2007) while Fall 2007 enrollment increased by 2.1% (compared to fall 2006).
Refer to Section 3.B and 3.D for more details on improvements made to academic
advising, recruitment and retention.
e-Learning. Comprising 16 members and co-chaired by the Chief Information
Officer and a faculty member, this Task Force has as its objectives to fully integrate
the planning, implementation, and assessment of e-learning programs and services
into the existing University infrastructure and to develop a Center for Excellence
in e-Learning to cultivate research and application of best practices in e-learning,
hybrid learning and alternative delivery models.
The Task Force formed subcommittees to define and develop 1) a Needs
Assessment Survey and 2) an eLearning Organization for Teaching and Learning.
A needs survey was distributed to all faculty in spring 2007. Information
gathered from the survey assisted the eLearning Organization for Teaching and
Learning subcommittee to recommend a design for development of the eLearning
environment.
MSU Billings has been a leader in online education in Montana for a decade and
has used eCollege platform for delivery with its assessment tools. In fall 2008, the
University will be transitioning from eCollege to a new platform, Desire to Learn.
MSU Billings recognizes the huge impact of technology on education, academic
support to students and faculty for development and delivery of online courses and
programs and is positioned for a seamless transition.
To strategically advance the University’s online mission, an office of eLearning
Operations was established in spring 2008 with a specialist hired as a Director of
eLearning Operations, along with a pedagogical instructional designer to help
with online program development and faculty advancement. The Director and the
designated faculty member mentor faculty for e-learning and online teaching, and
provide assistance in curriculum redesign, course development, quality measures and
technology.
Provost Council Discussion Groups
MSU Billings recognizes the multifaceted 21st century challenges imposed by
the Collective Bargaining Agreement, VTEM contract, BOR policy and procedures,
the increasing adult population of 25-45 years, declining high school graduates,
shortage of skilled workers, and decreasing state support for education.
In summer 2007, MSU Billings began to proactively and collaboratively address
the above challenges by promoting discussions and generating and implementing
action plans that impact the campus. MSU Billings Faculty, staff and administrators
gathered at the Downtown Campus for a two-day Retreat on July 5 and 6, 2007, to
discuss Revenue Streams, College of Technology as a Community College, Program
Development, and Creative Scheduling. To continue the dialogue and develop action
plans, four ad hoc Discussion Groups were organized. These committees have met
several times during AY 2007-2008. The proceedings of the Retreat and the follow
up meetings are contained in Exhibit 2.32.
Faculty Administration Collaborative Committee (FACC) Work Groups
Faculty rights, responsibilities, compensation, evaluation and assessment are
established in the Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA and VTEM) at MSU
Billings. In fall 2007, as collaborative bargaining negotiations for the 2008 contract
on the East Campus began, four Faculty Administration Collaborative Committee
(FACC) study Groups were formed to address issues related to Faculty Evaluation,
Salary Compaction, Academic Support Center Instructors and Online Delivery.
Each work group consisted of three faculty, three administrators and three students.
Each work group had two co-chairs (one faculty and one administrator). FACC
charged each work group to identify problems, address issues and come up with
solutions. A final report was issued at the end of Fall 2007.
Procedurally, assessment is now being integrated into the established curriculum
review cycle, which is conducted by each department every year in conjunction with
the CQI Steering Committee Co-Chairs and the biennial catalog publication. The
Co-chairs of the CQI Committee meet with each departmental chair to discuss the
program reviews. By pursuing this model, student outcomes assessment becomes an
integral part of the curriculum cycle rather than an “add-on” to faculty responsibilities.
Annual program reviews are conducted, and each college and each department within
each college review and assess their compliance with the University’s overall mission.
The CQI process ensures an ongoing evaluation of the University’s mission and
role within this region and a continuous attempt to match our offerings to regional
needs.
 Chart 2.1 - Student Satisfaction Index
Evidence:
Summary & Analysis
General Requirements
The core values of the University on integrity, educational excellence and
student engagement as well as a commitment to Continuous Quality Improvement
are embedded in delivery and assessment of educational programs offered by MSU
Billings. Combined with the expertise of 155 full-time instructional faculty, a qualified
pool of part time faculty and strong support from the community, the institution’s
programs enhance student-learning outcomes. The common body of knowledge of
Academic Foundations and the depth of professional, discipline-specific knowledge
enable our students to make connections between the acquisition of knowledge and
the generation of knowledge.
MSU Billings students relate their roles as stakeholders in their education to their
roles as socially responsible, reflective citizens. MSU Billings’ instructional mission
is further refined by the emphasis on the centrality of the liberal arts and sciences
as an academic foundation to undergraduate and graduate education, integration
of instruction with research and creative activity, promotion of interdisciplinary
educational opportunities, and development of critical thinking and effective
communication skills, and multicultural and global engagement.
Program review and departmental assessment are mandated by the Montana
Board of Regents “in order to ensure program quality and effective stewardship
of resources.” The university follows a decentralized approach to assessment and
employs a variety of outcomes assessment formats described earlier in this section.
MSU Billings had contracted with eCollege to provide the shell for our program
assessment system and is now transitioning to Desire2Learn. These systems,
employing online course shells, allow course instructors to link program/course goals
with course assessment strategies and grading procedures.
This linkage assures that enrolled students are achieving the expected performance
outcomes. A University-wide systematic approach to assessment of student outcomes
provides ongoing data for making data-informed decisions regarding program and
course effectiveness. In addition, the system provides a common language for discourse
among faculty as they review/revise existing programs and propose new programs.
The system was implemented spring 2007, but discontinued due to vendor changes
as described in Standard 2.B.1. In spring 2008, as a result of a two year review of
IT contracts in the State of Montana, the 4 campuses of Montana State University
(MSU) collaborated to adopt a single system, Desire2Learn (D2L).
Use of Assessment
MSU Billings, in various levels throughout individual divisions and departments,
understands that student success and student learning takes place inside and outside
the classroom. The ability to assess and measure that success is imperative. The
University has embraced the concept of Continuous Quality Improvement, but the
evolving process is not mature in all areas.
The challenge now and in the future is for the University to identify/refine its
desired outcomes, develop a systemic process that is valid and reliable to collect the
appropriate data and then aggregate/disaggregate that data. From that point, MSU
Billings can use that data to make informed decisions.
Undergraduate Program
The Academic Foundations (AF) program and program assessment implemented
Fall 2007 grew as a response to faculty, student, and accreditation reviewers who
called for a cohesive general education foundational package and ongoing assessment
of effectiveness. The MSU Billings AF program consists of five areas determined
by a committee of faculty, staff and students to be the necessary foundation for an
educated person. The Academic Foundations program is aligned with the MUS
general education requirements and has been continually assessed. Faculty and
IT collaboratively designed a user-friendly interface in Spring 2008 for Academic
Foundations assessment from Fall 2007 and Spring 2008 semesters. Assessment of
the new Academic Foundations program is in progress as the university gets more
sophisticated in collecting data and making changes.
To meet the needs of the Teacher Education Program undergraduate candidates,
the CAS enhanced all content teaching minors to major status. With acceptable
performance on the PRAXIS II examination, this assures that our elementary and
secondary education majors graduating with one or more content area majors meet
the federal definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher.
Continued interaction of faculty at the departmental level with Advising Center
Advisors ensures advising accuracy and current knowledge of requirements, options,
and expectations of students.
Part-time faculty are formally mentored by the departments through peer
reviews of their performance and are provided with a part time faculty hand book,
an orientation at the beginning of each semester and evaluated by the students at
the end of term. The University re-hires only part-time faculty who have proven to
provide quality instruction. Maintaining quality requires continuing evaluation at
the department level of part-time faculty and continuing review of the ratio of parttime
to full-time faculty by the Academic Senate.
International Education
MSU Billings recognizes that the world is shrinking due to immediate
communication, the increasing speed of travel, and complex, increasingly
interconnected economies. Graduates of the University have to be prepared for
global citizenship. Therefore, MSU Billings has set Global Awareness as one of the
institutional strategic initiatives. Faculty and students participate in this initiative
through Fulbright Scholar Program, Study Abroad Programs, the International perspectives offered in the curriculum, the international students on campus and
other cultural events. The College of Business has organized several student trips to
Japan, India, China and other countries. The College of Arts and Sciences has taken
students to Mexico, France, Greece, England, China and Ireland. The College of
Education has embarked on international service learning with the initial trip being
planned for Costa Rica.
eLearning
Faculty who teach online courses have the opportunity for continuing professional
development. The continually improving eCollege platform dictated a continuing
and increased training and preparation as eCollege continued to provide updates
for the campus. A trainer of trainers model was used for eAssessment through
which selected faculty received instruction from eCollege and served as both trainers
and mentors for faculty in their respective departments. With the change of online
platform to D2L, new training opportunities for faculty exist.
In response to increasing student demand for online course and program
delivery, MSU Billings implemented the eLearning Task Force through the
Partners for Change process in Fall 2006. The eLearning Task Force recommended
establishment of a University eLearning Center with pedagogical support for
faculty. Technical assistance was transferred from the CPSLL to IT fall 2006. With
these two University initiatives, faculty teaching online have the opportunity for
both pedagogical and technical support at their campus and electronically through
eCollege until Dec. 31, 2008 when D2L will replace the current e-platform.
Students require guidance for online learning as well. The eCollege platform
provides a student tutorial that most faculty require at the beginning of each class.
Similar activities are anticipated for D2L. Faculty teach online etiquette to students
used to the anything-goes anonymity of electronic communication. Faculty have
to scaffold student learning to encourage students to take responsibility for their
personal course schedule and ultimate course completion. As a University, MSU
Billings must develop a process of assuring student honesty and integrity for their
own online as well as onsite work.
Graduate Program
The graduate programs have grown significantly during the past
decade. Beginning in the College of Education, graduate education is now a part of
the College of Arts and Sciences and the recently-formed College of Allied Health
Professions. Graduate enrollments grown in most programs and new programs
have demonstrated continued growth patterns. Indeed, graduate education is a
foundation for sustained enrollment across the university and will be a focal area for
future enrollment management plans.
Several graduate programs have recently undergone curricular revisions to ensure
excellence, quality, and to meet accreditation standards from national entities. For
example, the Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program received
accreditation from CORE. The Athletic Training program was accredited by their
national organization. The graduate faculty are constantly refining and enhancing
their programs to provide leading-edge, relevant advanced education. Balanced between on-site and on-line delivery modes, the graduate programs meet the needs
of a diverse student community with high quality programs.
Continuing Education and Special Learning Activities
Programs offered through the College of Professional Studies and Lifelong
Learning (CPSLL) have expanded in both breadth and scope over the past 10
years. As an incubator for program development the college has been involved in
the creation and spin off of what is now the College of Allied Health Professions
and the E-Learning Hub. CPSLL has expanded and strengthened its partnerships
and is now involved in program development and delivery with virtually every other
collegiate unit at MSU Billings. This might include development of new concepts
for adult learners, offering of Kids Camps in the sciences, an educator’s workshop
on classroom management, a conference on autism spectrum disorders or a licensing
workshop for tax practitioners. Partnerships with local and regional organizations
have permitted the college to extend its resources and draw on the expertise and
contacts of those in our community and surrounding region.
Strengths
- Access through flexible schedules.
- Efficient packaging of courses in interdisciplinary programs.
- Continuous Quality Improvement as an assessment model.
- Assessment based new Academic Foundations Program.
- Adoption of an Information Literacy Category in the Academic
Foundations.
- Online courses and programs.
- Highly qualified faculty.
- 21:1 student faculty ratio.
- 81% of classes with fewer than 30 students.
- 95% of classes with fewer than 50 students.
- Active learning experiences through capstone seminars, internships,
community service, class presentations and service learning opportunities.
- Use of advisory Boards for effective curriculum planning.
- Mentoring and training of faculty and students for online education.
Commitment to student learning.
- High success rate of students in professional programs.
- Placement of students in professional and graduate programs.
- Grant support for improvement of infrastructure for research, instruction
and tutoring.
- Diversity of continuing education opportunities.
- Mentoring and evaluation of part time faculty.
- Program coherence.
- A resource rich indigenous knowledge base from four American Indian
Reservations in the region and their associated tribal colleges.
- Undergraduate research experiences.
- Mandatory advising.
- Growth and expansion of graduate programs over the past decade.
- Active engagement – faculty are actively engaged with graduate students
(advising, mentoring, research).
- Response to community needs through graduate internships, student
teaching, clinics as well as producing new professionals, many of whom stay
in the greater Billings area.
Challenges
- Ability to continue to offer the level of quality appropriate for graduate
programs.
- State support for education.
- Programs for adult learners.
- Implementation of MUS mandates (transferability of courses, Learning
outcomes Councils and General Education).
- Unfunded BOR mandates.
- Indian Education for all.
- Seamless transition from eCollege to D2L.
- Dual Credit programs.
- Transition of COT to Community College.
- Prioritizing investments to ensure the continuation of quality
programs.
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