The initial Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education plan was developed through collaboration between the Southwest Grant’s office and the CTE faculty, department chairs and coordinators. The subsequent 2008-2010 Base Grant is the result of their efforts revised by the Dean of Business, Career and Technological Studies, Executive Director of Institutional Planning and Analysis, Perkins Grant Coordinator, Interim Executive Director of Grants, and the Department Chair for Office Administration, Information Technology and Hospitality Management. The latter group’s suggestions and expertise determined the best fit scope and uses of the requested funds as detailed in this proposal.

Technical skill attainment will be monitored through annual testing of program graduates. Major field exit exams provide proficiency scores that are used to ensure student capability and identify needs for program improvement. (College expense only)

Graduation rates will be improved through helping CTE students become more familiar with actual practice in their respective career fields. Symposia will be conducted that will bring students together with panels of industry professionals.

Retention and transfer rates of CTE concentrators will be improved through faculty development on career pathways. Prospective and current CTE students will learn valuable career preparation options.

The job placement of CTE graduates will be strengthened by improving student written communication skills and student interaction with employers in their fields of study. Training on industry writing techniques and career symposia will broaden student competitiveness for employment.

The participation of students in gender non-traditional CTE fields will be enhanced through orienting students to diverse career pathways and providing extensive support to students once enrolled. (Perkins IV will support orientations; college funds will support student services.)

The graduation rates of gender non-traditional students in CTE programs will be enhanced through increasing faculty and college support to students in non-traditional fields. Faculty will work with guidance and administrative personnel to learn how to identify student needs and provide appropriate support.

Writing Skills (Perkins Activity 4P1-01) Faculty members will develop an English skill writing model for CTE students to ensure that industry required writing techniques are learned. The CTE English writing model will then be incorporated into the syllabi of the CTE programs. (Perkins IV funds used for faculty stipends)

College-LEA Communications (Perkins Activity 7P-01) Southwest will strengthen the communications between college and LEA personnel in order to increase secondary students opportunities for dual enrollment, joint enrollment, and dual credit. Activities will include workshops, publications, web-based information, faculty development and secondary student assessments. (Perkins IV funds will be used to cover the associated cost.)

Female Student Recruitment (Perkins Activity 5P1-01) Summer institutes and active recruitment by female faculty member will be planned for 2009 to encourage female high school students to enroll in CTE programs. (Perkins IV funds will be used to develop career pathway orientations and marketing campaigns targeted to the underrepresented genders in nontraditional occupations.)

Career Preparation Symposia (Perkins Activity 4P1-02) Southwest CTE departments will hold career symposia where college and secondary students will have the opportunity to interact with career and technical professionals in their related fields. Information concerning internships, co-opportunities and career services will be disseminated to the students at these events. (Perkins IV funds will be used to cover the cost of the symposium.)

Career Practice Symposia (Perkins Activity 2P1-01) Career symposia will be held in each of the four departments of the Business, Career Studies, and Technologies division. At these symposia, students will participate in panel discussions with industry professionals that describe their work and careers. Panel leaders will be identified among program advisory committee members, local employers, and college personnel. These symposia will be made available to appropriate CTE high school students within Southwest’s service area.

Emerging Technologies (Perkins Activity 8P-01) CTE faculty will identify emerging technologies that can be infused into their programs by acquiring evaluation equipment, materials and training related to their programs. This could include, but not be limited to, the following technologies; Renewable Energy Sources, Network Security Software, Nano-Technology, and Hybrid Automotive technologies. (Perkins funds will be used only for purchases not possible from limited college funds)

Gender Non-Traditional Support (Perkins Activity 5P2-01) The CTE program will host three seminars per semester for two semesters for the CTE faculty, counselors, and administrative personnel to discuss how to create a stronger collaboration between the faculty and career services area to better serve the gender non-traditional students. (Perkins IV will support cost of the seminar.)

Program Evaluation (College Activity-Not Perkins) All CTE programs at Southwest are evaluated extensively and routinely to assure high quality of instruction and identify opportunities for improvement. At the institutional level, faculty credentials and student learning outcomes are reviewed by SACS, the regional accrediting body. At the program level, most AAS program are reviewed regularly and in-depth by program accreditation agencies, such as ABA, ABET, and ACBSP. Non-accredited AAS programs receive state-sanctioned academic audits, peer reviews, or other governing board reviews on a five-year cycle. At the institutional level, all AAS programs conduct course-based student feedback surveys of instruction, major field exit exams of graduates, and goal achievement monitoring for institutional effectiveness purposes. (Southwest expenses only)

Modernize Classroom Technology (College Activity-Not Perkins) The CTE programs at Southwest are continuously monitored and evaluated for adequate and up-to-date laboratory and classroom equipment by program Advisory Committees, Academic Audit reviews, and National Accreditation reviews. The Technology Access Fees (TAF) collected from student fees funding for the expansion and modernization of equipment. (Southwest funding is used to cover the costs of equipment.)

Student Services (College Activity-Not Perkins) Southwest provides extensive student services to all students, including CTE students, to support their enrollment, learning, continuation, and graduation. The major services are provided through key college departments: Admissions and Records, Advising and Counseling, Career Services, Child Care Centers, Financial Aid, Library, Student Activities, Student Disability Services, Testing, and Veterans Affairs. Additionally, special student support programs are provided by other departments for students in special circumstances, such as those on probation or suspension. All departments and services participate in annual institutional effectiveness reviews to ensure the quality of their service. (Southwest funding is used for all student support services.)

Special Population Support (Perkins Activity 8P-02) The Perkins Coordinator will work closely with Crossroads program to identify “special population students.” Upon their identification, the Perkins Coordinator will help them seek and obtain training and employment in CTE areas. Additionally, collaboration between the Coordinator and Southwest’s Department of Career Services will support student job searches both during their college studies and after graduation. (Perkins funds will be used to cover the cost of information handouts and sessions.)

Career Planning Video (Perkins Activity 9P-01) Educational and instructional videos will be designed by graphic art students to increase awareness of the CT programs. The videos will be duplicated and distributed to the Career Services, Advising and CTE departments. (Perkins funding will be used to produce and duplicate the videos.)

Career Planning Symposium (Perkins Activity 9P-02) Southwest CTE departments will hold career symposium where LEA career counselors and students will have the opportunity to interact with CTE professors to learn about the CTE program and career possibilities. (Perkins funds will be used to cover the cost of the symposium.)

Perkins Program Maximization (Perkins Activity 6P-01) Perkins program scope of service and effectiveness will be enhanced by the employment of a full-time project coordinator and support staff. The Coordinator will increase communication with LEAs and students, expand the provision of support to CTE programs and students, monitor program effectiveness, and guide program improvements. (Perkins funding will support cost of personnel.)

Career Pathway Training (Perkins Activity 3P1-01) The Perkins IV Grant Coordinator and support staff will attend the National Career Pathways Network conference to become certified in career pathways. Upon return, the Perkins IV grant Coordinator will conduct faculty retreats and professional seminars to increase knowledge of career pathway and student retention in the CTE area. (Perkins funds will be used to cover the associated costs.)

Hybrid Course Development (Perkins Activity 9P-03) CTE faculty will develop hybrid courses (half in-class, half on-line) for the purposes of flexible scheduling for our non traditional students, providing more accessible and available avenues of CTE instruction. (Perkins funding will be used to provide stipends to faculty for developing hybrid courses.)

Southwest has active Dual Enrollment agreements with Fayette County Schools, Memphis City Schools and Articulation with Shelby County Schools
Perkins funding will be utilized to expand dual enrollment and dual credit to new course areas at all LEAs through the use of marketing materials, retreats, and local travel.

Currently, Southwest has Two-Plus-Two (2+2) arrangements with the University of Memphis (UPAS/Business), University of Tennessee at Martin (UPAS/Business), Christian Brothers University (UPAS/Business), and Lemoyne Owen College (BS/Graphic Arts).

Southwest Tennessee Community College is a regionally accredited institution under the auspices of the Commission on Colleges for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and is a state supported institution in Tennessee under the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC). As such, the College makes no differentiation between traditional “academic” students, programs, or courses and their career/technical counterparts. In fact, all faculty are considered academic faculty at Southwest since all those courses are offered for academic credit.

In upholding the College’s SACS Principles of Accreditation Comprehensive standard 3.4 through 3.7 (The Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement, www.sacscoc.org) there is differentiation between career/technical programs and “academic” programs. There is only a differential in the faculty credentialing requirement for courses that are intended to transfer to baccalaureate institutions. That differential is intended to give the two-year institution the ability to recruit, hire and utilize technically proficient and industry recognized leaders as full and part time faculty. In all other ways, Southwest holds all courses, students and programs to the same standards. For example, all courses and faculty are evaluated utilizing the same instrument, the IDEA course evaluation. Per TBR policy, all courses meet a minimum of 750 minutes each week per credit hour of instruction or document equivalence in online instruction. Additionally, all curricula at the College is approved by the faculty via one curriculum committee that is composed of an intentional mix of “academic” and career/technical faculty. Finally, all faculty go through the evaluation, promotion and tenure process.

To summarize, Southwest does not differentiate between academic and career/ technical faculty in maintaining standards. The only differential the institution allows relates to the credentials of a faculty member in transfer versus non-transfer courses. In fact, almost every career/ technical Associate of Applied Science degree program at the Institution is also accredited by a Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) recognized accrediting body such as the American Bar Association (ABA), the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) to name a few.

Southwest will use Perkins IV support to create and deliver several new learning opportunities for both secondary and postsecondary CTE students to discover the “real world” of CTE-related careers. Symposia will bring the students together with industry and college professionals to share information on actual career responsibilities and benefits and on college-sponsored opportunities for pre-graduation contact with employers, such as field experiences and co-ops.

The Perkins IV program will sponsor seminars that bring together CTE faculty with guidance counselors and administrators for the express purpose of determining how CTE faculty can best link students to the services they need, how CTE students can best utilize the college’s student services, and how services can be improved. Particular emphasis will be placed upon support to students entering gender non-traditional fields.

All AAS Degree programs at Southwest are required to have a program advisory committee that meets as a group at least once per academic year. Committee members are recruited from local businesses, industry stakeholders, and alumni who are employed in related fields. Prospective member are contacted via faculty members, Career Services referrals, and Southwest Foundation board members.

The purposes of advisory committees include developing of admission standards for the selection of qualified applicants for the program, assisting in securing competent instructors, assisting the program staff in keeping abreast of changes and trends occurring within the Business Community, assisting program officials in job market assessments and in the exploration and development of career opportunities for our graduates, assisting with publicizing the program and securing community cooperation and interest, and evaluating the total program in terms of its curriculum and objectives, the needs of the business community and performance of graduates. Program Advisory committees aid full-time faculty within the program areas in complying with Southwest Policy 2:00:00:00/21, specifically “the continuous review of curriculum to ensure that it is current [and] it meets or exceeds the standards of good practice.”

All career and technical programs receive extensive qualitative reviews on a regular basis. Annually, every AAS program is monitored by its advisory committee and reviewed by the administration using institutional research data and institutional effectiveness evaluations. Following a state-defined cycles, all programs receive Performance Funding, post-approval monitoring, and low-producing program reviews that consider major field exit test scores, enrollment rates, graduation rates, and graduate job placement rates. Additionally, the programs receive either program accreditation agency reviews or, in the case of unaccredited programs, formal academic audits or peer reviews. Any weaknesses identified during the reviews are examined by faculty and the college administration to determine appropriate improvement actions.

All programs receiving Perkins IV funding will receive the extensive and routine monitoring described under question 10 above. In addition, Southwest will monitor the key performance indicators listed on FAUPL chart of indicators: technical skill development, credentials earned, student retention or transfer, student placement, nontraditional participation, and nontraditional completion. These statistics will be compiled annually and reviewed by both the institution and the state to determine quality of performance. Any inadequate performance will result in corrective action plans to ensure quality of performance.

Southwest offers extensive support to special populations on a routine basis. Several departments and programs provide direct advice and assistance to students with diverse challenges.

• Individuals with disabilities – Office of Student Disability Services
• Individuals from economically disadvantaged families, including foster children – Professional Re-Entry Education Program (PREP), Crossroads, Upward Bound, Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPS), Child Care Centers
• Individuals preparing for non-traditional fields – Counseling and Advising Center
• Single parents, including single pregnant women – Child Care Centers, Crossroads, PREP
• Displaced homemakers – Crossroads, PREP
• Individuals with limited English proficiency – Advising and Counseling Office, ESL Program

Southwest will use Perkins IV support to recruit underrepresented genders into non-traditional programs and occupations through high-interest summer institutes and direct contact by faculty. CTE faculty will be oriented to new career pathways for non-traditional students. Additionally, new Perkins-sponsored videos about the CTE programs will emphasize opportunities for non-traditional careers.

Currently, Southwest offers career and academic support services in the Career Services Office, Advising and Counseling Office, and the Office of the Provost. The services available to students include, but are not limited to, Business etiquette, job availability information, resume development support, career fairs, student interest assessments, and academic intervention plans. Additionally, the Financial Aid office provides informational seminars for secondary personnel and students to explain financial aid resources and processes.

Southwest utilizes program advisory committee members to help identify and recruit and qualify faculty. Recruitment advertisements are targeted and placed in appropriate trade publications, professional journals and organizations. Faculty have the opportunity to apply for tenure and promotion which results in retaining qualified faculty. As State of Tennessee employees, all permanent faculty, staff, and administrators earn longevity bonuses as incentives for continued service.

Because of the program evaluation and documentation activities described under question 10 above, Southwest collects extensive data about its programs and students. Using these and other institutional research sources, the college will track the enrollment and progress of CTE students, including any students specifically identified by the programs as special population students.

However, not all special population students want to be identified as such because of privacy concerns. For example, only students who register with the Office of Student Disability Services can be identified as “disabled,” and their identification must be kept confidential from all persons except instructors or counselors with a need to know. As a consequence, the tracking of special population students in particular will be limited to those students who allow their situation to be documented.

To strengthen instruction and support for special and underserved populations, the Perkins IV program will utilize its many contacts with the faculty (through workshops and special initiatives) to increase awareness of student situations and needs and to ensure that special needs students are linked to the college’s extensive student support services. Additionally, program faculty meetings will be used to increase faculty awareness of special needs issues and resources.