See the Victory Flag photoessay
Daytona State President Carol W. Eaton kicked off three days of Fall Planning activities on Aug. 14 by welcoming faculty and staff to a new academic year and focusing her brief remarks on the college’s reaffirmation initiative with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
(During the Welcome Back event, fundraisers for animal rescue and other causes collected supplies, continuing a community tradition. Not shown, SGA students raised funds with home-made parfaits and goodies after the talk.)
“We have been working on our reaffirmation for over two years now and the results are amazing,” she said, comparing the reaffirmation effort to mining and polishing diamonds. She then relinquished the podium to a presentation of song and video related to the college’s quality enhancement plan (QEP) dubbed Learn to SOAR, followed with an update by Associate Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness Nancy Morgan.
The QEP is part of the reaffirmation effort that takes a forward look at fostering student success. Learn to SOAR (Students Optimizing Academic Resources) will take the form of a one-credit hour, first-year freshman seminar called College Resources (SLS1101). When the course is piloted on the Daytona Beach Campus in spring 2014, it will be taken concurrently with Freshman Composition (ENC1101) by students who are at risk of failing the gateway English writing course. SLS1101 will introduce students to ways of effectively using the Academic Support Center, library and College Writing Center.
Nancy briefed the audience on what to expect during the SACSCOC on-site visit Sept. 24-26 and encouraged everyone to look for updates on FalconCentral. The reaffirmation concludes in June 2014, when the SACSCOC Board of Directors makes a final vote on the college’s reaccreditation.
Members of Dr. Eaton’s senior staff also provided updates to the college community:
COO and Provost Tom LoBasso noted that the college’s QEP becomes even more significant in light of legislation this summer that prohibits colleges from requiring most students to take placement tests.
He also said the State Board of Education is expected to review the college’s Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Technology and Bachelor of Science in Nursing proposals by mid-September, and announced a groundbreaking for a new building on the Flagler/Palm Coast Campus on Oct. 10.
Vice President of Enrollment and Student Development Buck James announced that as of Aug. 14, enrollment was 4.9 percent below the same period last year, putting the college in a positive position in terms of the budget, which was developed based on a projected 9 percent decrease in enrollment.
Executive Vice President and General Counsel Brian Babb provided an update on the college's health-care plan. As of Jan. 1, 2014, the college will join other institutions in the Florida College System in a health-care consortium. Employees can expect announcements with more details in September, with open enrollment taking place in October.
Senior Vice President of Information Technology Roberto Lombardo said the college is interviewing consulting firms to guide its new ERP selection process. Thus far, four firms are being considered to assist the college with a needs analysis and develop a request for proposals.
More than two dozen workshops and breakout sessions are scheduled during Fall Planning, from constituent group meetings and academic department updates to student services and instructional technology workshops.
Falcon Victory Flag award ceremonies will take place on all campuses Friday, Aug. 16, at 8:30 a.m. ###
(Aug. 15, 2013)
