Product/Instruction

Vision Statement: The College will strive for the highest quality educational products and a commitment to excellence in the delivery of education and training opportunity.

• Appoint a district committee to look at the high cost of textbooks.
  • First meeting is scheduled for April 7. The goal is to have a plan to take effect fall 2010.
• Standardize academic course syllabi.
  • Hinds’ academic courses will reflect, at minimum, the core topics identified in the recent state-wide course alignment process. A template will be designed and used in all courses across the district. This one document will replace the need for a policy sheet and a course syllabus.
• Include more faculty on the College Annual Planning meetings.
• Reevaluate the current practices for our transitional students. Explore ways to promote student success and retention among that segment.

Technology/Innovation/Progress

Vision Statement: The College will achieve a global impact through web-based educational, training and administrative processes, modern facilities, technologically-enhanced delivery of instruction and student-centered Internet accessibility to address the educational, communication and social needs of students and faculty.

• Improve network
• Increase and enhance training for faculty and staff
• Improve emergency communications system

Campus Climate/Personality/Student Focus

Vision Statement: The College will foster an environment designed to enrich the lives of students and faculty through a traditional collegiate atmosphere and contemporary student activities, progressive employee benefits, competitive salaries, environmentally-aware management practices, life-long wellness opportunities, and a nurturing climate of expectations and personal accountability.

• Customer Service — every college employee should feel as though they are the most important person in conveying the college’s image to its customers (prospective students, current students, other employees, the general public). Therefore, employees should be trained and held to the highest standard of accountability in the area of customer service, thereby developing a nurturing climate for all. The college has information from the SSI as well as a survey conducted of students who applied but chose not to register, which provide baseline from which to build.
• Wellness Challenge — realizing that the health and well-being of our employees and students should be a major concern for the college and the individuals who make up this college, emphasis will be placed on developing an overall wellness program to include fitness opportunities and education for healthy eating, etc. Wellness is a concept that embraces overarching lifestyle behaviors and activities designed to improve upon one’s physical, mental and spiritual health. Hinds Community College has developed this concept by providing a variety of opportunities to empower our employees and students to take responsibility for their personal development and well-being. Some examples of these opportunities include: The Wellness Complex membership and free fitness assessments; group exercise classes; staff/faculty teams with intramural activities; and sponsoring a Weight Watchers program. Other program ideas include a ‘weight loss competition’ - a fitness challenge program which will utilize distance traveled, healthy eating classes, lifelong sports opportunities, and lifelong wellness concepts.
• Non-Monetary Employee Affirmation — budget cuts have precluded the college from making monetary increases in salaries, fringe benefits, etc. However, non-monetary ways may be employed whereby employees may be compensated for jobs well done. During times as these where salaries are frozen, it becomes even more important to explore additional ways to help build positive morale.

Community Focus

Vision Statement: The College will embrace change to meet the needs of our expanded community in teaching, training and service while cultivating independent support to provide scholarship and educational enhancements to become a national leader in community college education.

• Develop a “Community Partners” program, as a means of recognizing existing community partnerships and encouraging new partnerships between the college and the following groups:
  • Business/Industry with Instructional Programs
  • Community Non-profit Organizations
  • Public Schools
  • Local Chambers of Commerce and professional organizations
• Re-examine the Preview Night concept and work in conjunction with Enrollment Services to design an event or series of events that encourage more prospective student and community participation.
• Develop and pilot a method of measuring community awareness of and support for Hinds Community College.
  

Sound Operations/Fiscal Responsibility/Facility Management

Vision Statement: The College will implement sound fiscal management practices, creatively develop our auxiliary profit centers, strategically maintain facilities, conserve resources and energy and effectively use staff to produce a world class educational and residential environment.

• Sharing Resources
  • Discussions have begun to have PDI sessions which “Cross-Train” Financial Aid, Counseling, Business Office, and Admissions Personnel this summer. In addition, the college is considering inviting other “background” staff to attend the training for availability during peak registration times.
  • Information Technology is working with Purchasing to purchase a fax server to eliminate a number of phone lines and will complete a study of how the college can reduce the number of printers and computers in the district.
• Consider Programs and Processes for Elimination or Consolidation
  • As positions open, the President’s Cabinet is considering consolidation or elimination of departments and programs. On the instructional side, student enrollment and market demand are being discussed. On the support side, we are considering part-time seasonal replacements.
  • Consideration has been given to reducing contractual services. For example, the President’s Cabinet has considered offering the “SSI” every other year and the Cabinet is considering moving to an online catalog to provide better customer service and to reduce the rising printing costs.
• Consider “Small“ Tuition Increase*
  • The Board will consider at their April meeting a $150/semester increase for full time students, and a $20 per hour increase for part-time students beginning in the Fall of 2010.
  • The Board will consider at their April meeting a $150/semester increase in the meal plan charged to student residents beginning in the Fall of 2010 to allow for unlimited choices and quantity at the cafeterias in Raymond and Utica.

* The Board of Trustees did approve tuition and fee increases in April 2010. The above noted changes were approved with one exception: part-time per credit hour increased by $15 per hour, from $85 to $100 per credit hour.