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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

Provost Town Hall Summary


Last week, Provost and Vice President, Academic Services, Dr. Andrea Wade, held a Town Hall to share her vision and priorities for the Academic Services Division. Dr. Wade's statement that "Monroe Community College transforms the lives of our students by providing a high-quality, relevant education taught and supported by excellent faculty and staff in a learning and working environment characterized by innovation, collaboration, sustainability, and integrity" framed her comments. The priorities Dr. Wade shared were transformation in an environment of innovation, collaboration, sustainability, and integrity.

Dr. Wade indicated that change in higher education has become a key issue in teaching and learning; while MCC is undergoing various changes, they are interrelated. The interconnectedness of what we do is a driver, and, in the midst of transformation, MCC's Mission remains a solid and central guiding statement. The most significant transformation the institution will be facing is the implementation of the Schools Model this coming fall.  In considering the impact of change, Dr. Wade highlighted various targets including focusing on at-risk students, especially those who place into one developmental education course; expanding and supporting non-traditional opportunities for students through initiatives such as the Virtual Campus and experiential learning; supporting the move to the new Downtown Campus; and reforming the Academic Services Leadership Team as new Deans are selected for that team.

In order to support innovation, Dr. Wade's priorities include providing students with diverse pathways to achieve their goals, supporting faculty in piloting and assessing new instructional techniques, providing faculty and access to professional development, and seeking grant funding that supports MCC's Mission.

When discussing collaboration, Dr. Wade discussed breaking down silos by increasing collaboration among individual faculty members, departments and divisions, and working with various internal and external groups including the MCC Foundation and Association, Regional Consortia and institutions, local four-year institutions, SUNY, the American Association of Community Colleges, and the Pathways Institute, among others.

In order for MCC to continue offering quality teaching and learning, the institution needs to develop sustainable practices, including "right sizing" the master schedule, selecting specific electives consistent with the pathways model, examining programs with low enrollment, evaluating processes and functions to determine if any need to change or be eliminated, seeking to streamline effort with value, and leveraging data to make decisions when possible.

Dr. Wade encouraged improvement of communication processes and transparency as one facet of integrity. Looking for ways to shorten students' pathways to degree completion; providing accurate and accessible electronic resources such as an online catalog, promotion materials, and department chair resources; reviewing policies and procedures; and supporting a culture of assessment are all facets of Dr. Wade's focus on integrity.

Although the process of transformation may seem challenging, the rewards to MCC's students and to the institution itself will help advance our universal goal of supporting student success. 


Holly Wheeler
Academic Services
05/18/2016