GET SEMESTER READY – JANUARY 2011 NEWS!

For back issues of the news, go to http://www.mtc.edu/semesters/news

”Nineteen months! That is how close(!) we are to MTC’s historic moment of starting a semester calendar. If August 2012 sounds too close for comfort, the best advice I can provide is to talk to your area manager about placing “semester transformation” on every one of your department meeting agendas beginning immediately. However, the overwhelming majority of faculty and staff have not only talked about semesters but are providing strong evidence (work products) each week that they are well along the way to “Get Semester Ready”. I am sure it is clear that to be ready means to transform operations for which you are accountable to the world of semesters. And more often than not, each of you must be ready well ahead of August 2012 to guide students from quarters to semesters, and to serve your MTC colleagues with the vital services your department provides.”
 -- Dennis Budkowski

Calendar Committee (Jim Lavery, Chair)

The 2011-2012 Academic Calendar has been approved. A draft of the 2012 – 2013 calendar has been put together and is now in the review process with the semester dates.

Information Technology (IT) Committee (Bob Haas, Joy Moore, Co-Chairs)

In the testing phase of the conversion from Quarters to Semesters. Only 143 out of 108,000 records for students need to have GPA validation. This committee has been looking at the GPA credit conversion and showed a sample of what the semester transcript might look like. IT stressed the fact that 2011-13 plan format needs to be finalized.  Will they be in the quarter of hybrid format?  It was suggested that a “Curriculum Cheat Sheet” be formed to identify those courses that will change completely under semesters and have a new name with no matching course under Quarters.

Communication Committee (Nikki Workman, Chair)

The communications committee will be putting final touches on the Semester Conversion Student Handbook after the advising committee gets the information the way that it needs to be for students. Once it is finalized from both committees and approved the handbook will be placed on the semester conversion site. The communications committee is also going to add some “student responsibility” language to the “promise” that is on the web site to let students know that they will have some steps to take, such as developing and following an advisor-approved degree completion plan, to ensure that this transition does not cost more time or money. These statements are true, as long as students meet with their advisors and take some steps to stay on track!  Don’t forget that we have business cards to pass out to students that has the web address.  These are available to anyone in the college that would like to provide them to students, come and see myself or Diana to pick up a stack!

Curriculum Committee (Jay McCreary, Chair)

Policies have been the focus for this committee.  All semester courses have been given a course equivalency, where appropriate, and placed in an excel spreadsheet for use by Joy and Jim.  All degrees and certificates have been converted into the semester format.  Almost all degrees have all been put into the transition hybrid format for use next year.  All will be completed by February 15.

Advising & Transfer (Mike Stuckey, Chair)

MAPS has been launched to a pilot group of 100 advisors/advisees.  There are three major functions to MAPS: 1) communications and dashboard information, 2) alerts, and 3) planner feature. The tools are being reviewed and refined and the committee is gaining valuable feedback that is improving functionality. MAPS is scheduled to be rolled out in phases by different departments over the period of late February through late April.  As departments are trained on the software, students served by those specific advisors will be activated.  Business/IT Department and Help Desk personnel will be the first to be trained February 18th.

Critical Processes (Alita Phillips & Joel Liles, Co-Chairs)

Departments are still documenting processes and this committee will be working on policy revisions.

Policies & Procedures (Teresa Parker)

Status document has been created and placed in the Semester Conversion Folder on the W: drive – feel free to review progress and find policies that need further updates/review

Budget & Financials (Doug Boyer)

The budget and financial committee is converting business office practices to the new model for Quarters to Semesters. Reports from the advising committees pilot group will help finalize projected expenditures.

Go here to view past issues of Get Semester Ready Updates: http://www.mtc.edu/semesters/news/

Everyone is doing a great job with this challenge! Thanks for all of your continued hard work and dedication.