Continuing Education Accountability and Integrity Plan

Procedure

Accountability within the North Carolina Community College (NCCCS) System Workforce Continuing Education areas encompasses a broad range of concepts including governance, institutional values, programs, industry sectors, and community partners. The State Board of Community Colleges Code (SBCCC) mandates that Durham Technical Community College (Durham Tech) review its programs to ensure that provided training is relevant to the workforce, responsive to training needs, and fiscally responsible. External organizations, including the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and grant and state credentialing agencies, also require the College to document its programs and processes.

The purpose of developing a Workforce Continuing Education Accountability Framework is two-fold: to define a system of checks and balances that prevents and detects errors or irregularities when reporting hours for FTE purposes; and to establish a framework for defining program quality and improvement. Durham Tech’s plan is monitored by an internal team and reviewed for approval every three (3) years by the College’s Board of Trustees. The accountability and integrity planning framework establish goals and objectives in three (3) areas:

1. Governance Priorities
2. Academic Integrity and Program Accountability 
3. Market Forces

Governance Priorities

Goal #1: Demonstrate accountability and credibility of operational functions

The College is responsible for ensuring that its Workforce Continuing Education operations are effective, utilize resources efficiently, and satisfy NCCCS requirements.

• Objective: Use standard business intelligence reports to manage program integrity and encourage data-informed decision making.

  The College uses data query builders and reports from information management systems to track student enrollment and to understand data trends. Program leaders supplement locally-created reports with information on the public-facing dashboards on the NC Community College System’s web site. Program leaders can request data reports from the college’s Research, Evaluation, Assessment and Planning (REAP) department when further information is needed.

Goal #2: Demonstrate operational accountability for data reported for state budget

The College is responsible for adhering to North Carolina General Statutes and State Board of Community College Code relevant to hours reported for state budget resources.

• Objective: Ensure there are no material findings identified in the biennial review of records.

  The Curriculum Development, Assessment, and Compliance department conducts an internal compliance review of course files each term. The compliance review results are communicated to Vice President/Chief Academic Officer and the appropriate dean, including any compliance issues/risks noted and plans for targeted training to ensure continuous improvement. CCR program directors and the Assistant Registrar conduct internal audits to ensure accurate reporting of course membership hours. The results of these reviews are communicated to the CCR executive director, including any compliance issues/risks noted.

• Objective: Conduct class visitations each term, and document visitations in the Class Visitation Report.

  Visits will be conducted to verify that students are properly registered and enrolled and that the instructional activity is taking place in accordance with the approved course outline. Course sections offered with waiver eligibility, through online learning technologies, at non-College facilities, or offered with irregular or non-traditional schedules will be visited. Course sections of twelve (12) contact hours or less, self-supporting courses, and community service courses are excluded from this class visitation plan. Guidelines for class visitations can be found here [add hyperlink to CE Class Visitation Guidelines].

  • On-Campus Class Visits – On-campus classes are class sections held at official campus locations. Deans and program directors conduct visits to at least twenty-five (25) percent of all continuing education on-campus classes each term. The deans and directors who conduct these visits are the supervisors of the instructors assigned to teach these on-campus classes. A designee may conduct the visits with prior approval from their direct supervisor.
     
  • Off-Campus and Online Learning Class Visits – Off-campus classes are course sections held at locations that are not official campus locations (e.g., courses provided at community centers, churches, or other facilities not owned or operated by the College). Online learning classes are class sections delivered via the internet. Deans and program directors conduct visits to at least fifty (50) percent of all continuing education off-campus and online learning classes each term. The Vice President, Chief Academic Officer or a designee appointed by the Vice President/CAO, visits a randomly selected sample of ten (10) percent of off-campus class sections defined above.
     

• Objective: Respond effectively to non-compliance issues, both material and non-material, identified in the NCCCS biennial compliance review.

  Corrective action taken will include process review, documentation correction, and specific employee training. 

Goal #3: Demonstrate accountability to performance benchmarks aligned with state and federal agencies

The College is responsible for meeting performance benchmarks as defined by state or federal agencies.

• Objective: Pass all external credentialing agency audits and program assessments.

  Program directors and program specialists conduct internal audits according to credentialing requirements where applicable (e.g., North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners, North Carolina Office of the State Fire Marshal (NCOSFM), North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services (NCOEMS), Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), North Carolina Division of Health Service Regulation (NCDHSR), and North Carolina Board of Nursing).

• Objective: Meet or exceed College and Career Readiness (CCR) and English as a Second Language (ESL) state and federal performance measures.

  CCR program directors have developed processes for data collection and evaluation to improve program outcomes utilizing Literacy Education Information System (LEIS) and Power BI reports as helpful data monitoring tools.

Academic Integrity and Program Accountability  

Goal #4: Students will meet specific course criteria to attain relevant licenses and credentials and demonstrate course completion requirements

The College is responsible for aligning and demonstrating student learning outcomes with actual student learning culminating in demonstration of competency and/or attainment of licensure or credentials.

• Objective: Students will successfully meet student learning outcomes described in course syllabi. Student learning outcome assessment results will be stored in the college’s assessment platform alongside learning assessment results of Curriculum programs
  • Registration processes include determination of enrollment into courses requiring specific prerequisites or skill levels.
     
  • College personnel and a variety of student services and resources are available to support students as they matriculate through courses and programs.
     
  • All workforce continuing education programs are required to have a syllabus with relevant learning objectives and a course outline.
     
  • Instructors are selected according to course and program requirements/standards and based upon credentials, experience, and expertise.
     
  • Student performance and progress are monitored by instructors and program directors and evaluated for planning and improvement.
     
  • Course evaluation and course withdrawal data is used to assess student satisfaction and make revisions as appropriate.
     
  • Research, Evaluation, Assessment, and Planning (REAP) assists in developing rubrics, assessments, and reports as needed.
     

• Objective: Students will successfully attain industry licensure and credentials.

  State performance data and College-specific metrics are used to assess student performance, goal completion, and employment success.

Goal #5: Instructional programs will demonstrate student success, rigor, relevancy, and viability.

The College is responsible for providing quality training that is relevant to student learning and workforce needs.

• Objective: Utilize yearly learning and success outcomes assessment process to show program planning strategy, emphasizing student success in the classroom and measures designed to strengthen the program

  Durham Tech utilizes the same assessment and planning process for Workforce Continuing Education academic programs as it does for Curriculum programs: Learning and Success Outcomes assessment as well as Academic Program Review.  Learning Outcomes focus on what students take away from their instruction at a program and institutional assessment level.  Workforce Continuing Education areas that meet the college’s definition of an academic program (see Curriculum Development, Evaluation, and Response policy for “academic program” definition) will submit Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs) in alignment with their pathways in each academic year. Success Outcomes focus on goals and projects in an academic program that are designed to change and improve that program, and Workforce Continuing Education academic programs will complete these annually as well as part of the college’s annual assessment process.  In addition to outcomes assessment, all Workforce Continuing Education areas that meet the definition of an academic program will also undergo the college’s Academic Program Review process at least once every five years in order to remain compliant with state requirements.

Goal #6: Faculty qualifications will support program relevancy and student success.

The College is responsible for ensuring that faculty are appropriately qualified (experience, credentials, licensure, etc.) to deliver relevant, quality training.

• Objective: Utilize the Employee Credentialing procedure to ensure that faculty hold appropriate qualifications for credential programs.

  Instructors are selected based on a combination of education, professional experience, and appropriate credentials as required by program and teaching standards. Instructor qualification and credential documentation is maintained by Human Resources and verified by program directors and division leadership to ensure instructors meet standards and maintain current credentials and licensure. Basic Skills faculty will hold and maintain National Reporting System (NRS) recognized credentials.

Market Forces

Goal #7: Demonstrate development or enhancement of connections with workforce and economic development entities to leverage resources and strengths

The College is responsible for ensuring that education and workforce partners collaborate to identify strategic solutions for current and future workforce needs.

• Objective: Collaborate with workforce partners on grant projects.
  • The College will seek input from internal and external stakeholders, i.e., Center for Workforce Engagement, meta major programming, NC Works Center, workforce boards, etc., to better understand local workforce needs, trends, etc. 
     
  • Finance and Administrative Services and the Durham Tech Foundation maintain grant documentation.
     
  • The Executive Director, Center for Workforce Engagement, coordinates partnerships with external community agencies.
     

• Objective: Collaborate with workforce boards and economic development groups to plan and develop training programs that support industry growth and industry sectors identified in labor market data.

  The President serves and/or designates representatives to serve on regional workforce development boards.

Goal #8: Demonstrate proactive and reactive response to industry training needs

The College is responsible for developing workforce training programs based on industry standards and documented business needs.

• Objective: Develop training programs in response to specific businesses or industry sector needs.
  • Data provided by REAP, Center for Workforce Engagement, and other stakeholders is used to determine regionally appropriate programming. 
     
  • Center for Workforce Engagement (CWE) is the first stage of the approval process for new training program proposals; CWE reviews and evaluates new training programs based on the following criteria: alignment with industry demands, strong labor market data to support job growth, promote in-demand high-wage job engagement for local and regional employment, and provide stable credentials with pathways to greater academic and career opportunities.
     
  • The Academic Program Review process includes analyses of local employment trends, program outcomes, credential attainment, and labor market data.

Goal #9: Demonstrate development of a quality state workforce that is prepared to succeed

The College is responsible for developing workforce employability programs to support the development of a talent pool.

• Objective: Develop training programs that positively impact workforce employability.
  • Pathway goals are aligned with Career Services resources. Programs partner with external agencies to increase student internships and on-the-job training opportunities.
     
  • The Workforce Development program (HRD) collaborates with Career Services to provide career preparation resources and support.
     
  • College and Career Readiness (CCR) programs collaborate with Career Services and Workforce Development (HRD) to improve students’ employability skills by introducing them to online resources during the orientation and enrollment process. 

Definitions

Programs – Coherent courses of study leading to a credential (degree, diploma, certificate, or other generally recognized credential).