Chapter 6

Chapter 6
Mission and Governance
Mission and Function Focus at Seminole State College
History of the College Reflected in its Mission Statement and Goals
With community support and financial incentives from the City of Seminole, Oklahoma, Seminole State College was founded in 1931 as Seminole Junior College. The two-year College began as an outgrowth of the local high school. After it separated from the high school in 1969, the College borrowed a building in the city until the start of the construction of the present campus in 1970.
In 1995, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the State's governing entity for public institutions of higher learning, approved the name change, Seminole State College. Seminole State College now continues as a two-year institution of higher education under the auspices of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. The College operates with a local, seven-member governing board called the Seminole State College Board of Regents. In 1998, a local community referendum continued the community's endorsement of the College by approving a sales tax to help build a new Residential Learning Center.
The educational mission and purpose of the institution was initially post-secondary and transfer. The College later added associate-degree programs in nursing, criminal justice, computer science, and other technical programs and was fully incorporated into the state system of higher education.
In recent years, following the recommendation of the last NCA visiting Team on updating the mission statement to reflect the College's current role, SSC modernized that mission statement to reflect the changing nature of the institution, the growth of the student body, and the development of its educational programs.
Rewriting the Mission Statement of Seminole State College
From 1994 through 1995, the previous administration conducted a study to define more accurately the school's mission and purposes. With support from campus constituency groups, faculty, staff, and students, the College established its rewritten mission. As discussed in preceding sections, the SSC Board of Regents approved proposed changes in 1995 and in 1999. These mission statements have been widely disseminated in handbooks, catalogs and other documents.
The 1996-1998 Catalog published these statements along with the newly revised mission statement and institutional functions, all of which detailed learning experiences and services to meet SSC's mission (see below). The statements were also disseminated in handbooks and internal documents. With their approval of SSC's re-accreditation process and the NCA Self-Study Plan in 1997, the Regents reaffirmed these updated statements.
Publication and Dissemination of the Mission Statement
The SSC Board of Regents approved this change at its July 15, 1999, meeting. The most recently revised mission statement is contained in the: Catalog, page 3, updated manual, Board Policies manual, Section I-3-1, revised 2000-2002 edition of the Student Handbook, Seminole State College, 1999-2000 Academic Plan, Assessment Plan, and Student Guide to Academic Success at SSC, (see copies in Self-Study Resource Room).
The College constituencies believe this mission statement is clear and understandable and evidences the dialog leading to the most recent mission re-writes. The mission statement, educational programs, student services, and institutional goals, both short term and long term, are delineated, proclaimed, and disseminated in internal and in the public documents indicated above. These factors satisfy NCA's Criterion 1 for Accreditation. Various chapters of the Self-Study Report, including this one and the discussion of assessment, describe how SSC's mission and purposes are measured and how decision-making processes are appropriately organized to evaluate results, processes learned that satisfy additional elements of NCA's Criterion 1.
Strengths
Continuing community support for mission and purposes of SSC
Constituencies' input in recent re-writing of mission statement
Strong commitment of faculty, staff, Regents to mission and purpose
Challenges
Seeking different ways to inform community of institutional mission/services
Vigilant inclusion of mission and purposes statements in all College publications
Measurability of Mission Statement in its General Coursework & Programs
The mission statement of SSC supports each level of accountability and outcome measurement. Seminole State College answers to the executive branch of state government that nominates and the legislative branch that confirms the state and local boards of Regents. As a result, College constituents have adopted measurable mission, purpose, function, institutional commitment, and vision statements. Measuring, evaluating, and reshaping these beliefs and claims keep the institution conscientiously and consistently building on information gleaned through varied assessments of College functions and student outcomes.
In capsule, Seminole State College directs its courses, workshops, seminars, business training programs, Temporary Assistance to Needy Family (TANF) offerings, and short courses toward "the needs of the varied communities it serves," while maintaining high College standards. These offerings support the mission codicil, "to enhance the capabilities" of persons enrolling in diverse programs. Seminole State College's Assessment Program evaluates what happens in these classes. Through various course-embedded and other assessment tools, the formal program evaluates successes, makes progress upon this record, and changes to accommodate needs.
Seminole State College published its Assessment Plan in 1992. Through the aegis of the Assessment Committee, faculty and administrators participated in drafting and discussing the document. The completed plan received an exemplary award of achievement by the North Central Association. Courses, students, and faculty dictate the ongoing Assessment Program. Since 1993, the program has had a teaching director.
Assessment ranges from tests of prospective students to student reviews of instructors, from ACT course testing to community and graduate satisfaction surveys. Seminole State College applies scores from standardized devices such as the Nelson-Denny Reading Test and the ACT COMPASS and ACT ASSET tests. Functioning as an academic standards and curriculum committee, the Division Chair Council makes final evaluations, course adjustments, and program changes. The Administrative Council, the President's cabinet, also participates as an oversight body.
Other external oversight reviews and evaluations exist in several programs. Advisory Committees operate in SSC's nursing, medical lab technology, and business and computer science programs. State and national accrediting bodies assist in guaranteeing the measurement of student learning on SSC's campus. Evaluation and accreditation of these programs emerge from Oklahoma Board of Nursing visits, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education peer team reviews, the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences reviews, and the National League for Nursing site visits (see Self-Study Report, Chapter 8 for an in-depth presentation; also, see Self-Study Resource Room for Assessment Reports and Program Accreditation Reviews).
Measurability of Mission in Our Specific Institutional Functions
Seminole State College is a fully accredited member of the Oklahoma State System for Higher Education that authorizes its granting of associate degrees. By the same token, the College adheres to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education policies for establishing and conferring degrees. The OSHRE, the coordinating authority, controls the state system and is empowered to grant degrees through the state system by the Oklahoma Constitution, Article XIII-A-2. Seminole State College is a member of this system as specified in Oklahoma Statute 70-4423.
The OSHRE further authorizes Seminole State, as a two-year college of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education, to deliver the following important educational functions to its service area:
General Education and other university-parallel coursework. One and two-year programs of collegiate-level technical-occupational education to prepare individuals to enter the workforce. Programs of remedial and developmental education. Formal and informal programs of study especially designed to serve community needs for continuing education. Programs of institutional research to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Special support and activity programs which assist and enrich students' educational experience. Programs of economic development, in conjunction with colleges and universities, which serve the needs of the service area.
The Oklahoma State Regents authorizes SSC to offer these student learning experiences and services as functions or operations meeting its mission. Put another way, the College's functions are the institution's short-term and long-term goals directly related to the mission statement and are measurable. Evidence below indicates that SSC is fulfilling its mission through the exercise and operations of these functions.
General Education
The College offers coherent "General Education and other university-parallel coursework," Function #1. It provides 21 areas of concentration of study, with Associate of Applied Science degrees in four occupational-technical program areas. All programs display balance through courses required for the degree major and a broad range of General Education courses. Degree programs leading to both the Associate in Science and the Associate in Arts require a minimum of 62 hours, 47 of which are non-major General Education courses. These requirements are appropriate to an institution of higher education and indicate SSC is accomplishing educational purposes and fulfilling NCA's Criterion 3 for accreditation.
Consistent with mission and philosophy, SSC's degree programs prepare students for further study at four-year institutions. The College tracks transfer success at institutions within Oklahoma and conduct surveys of graduates regarding their four-year academic work. Seminole State College also receives transfer students' status reports from East Central University, the University of Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, and the University of Oklahoma (see below, see Self-Study Report, Chapter 8, and see Self-Study Resource Room).
During the 1990s, personnel made strides in defining and strengthening the College's General Education philosophy, offerings, and requirements. In line with the evolving mission statement, this work also satisfies NCA Criterion 3 in the areas of the Humanities, Fine Arts, and Business. The Vice President for Academic Affairs and Division Chair Council thus responded to the last NCA Team visit to better define and focus Seminole State's General Education philosophy and to schedule more courses in the Fine Arts and Humanities. Hence the response is measurable. In 1999, the Business and Computer Science Division increased its General Education requirements for its technical programs from 6 to 18-19 hours (see Catalog, p. 54).
Over the past 10 years, the Division Chair Council twice reviewed the campus philosophy of General Education and the Catalog's General Education requirements with the academic vice president. Initial discussions led to an internal document, "General Education Requirements," revised in 1999. These findings, coupled with discussions among faculty, administrators, and other constituencies over the next few years, resulted in adopting a policy statement on General Education and accompanying institutional beliefs. Seminole State College's Regents approved this policy statement, the most updated of which is published in the Catalog
Most important, this philosophy is published in the Student Guide to Academic Success (1999) distributed to students: "The… faculty believes it… important to instill in students the desire and skills to become life-long learners… that the well-educated person should be introduced to a variety of subject areas that will enable him or her to make informed choices in today's society." In the belief that "General Education is designed to broaden exposure to diverse areas of knowledge," SSC adopted a series of 23 individual, classroom, and general expectations, including student-learner prescriptions to "make use of the College library" and "take advantage of the technology available across campus."
Oklahoma State Regents policies strengthen General Education in public colleges. In the mid-1990s, Regents mandated that students enrolled in AA and AS degree programs complete a three-credit course in mathematics; formerly, such programs required only a basic entry-level, zero-level course. The Regents also replaced the general physical education course requirement, by having instead students enroll in at least one course in wellness and human development.
In addition, the Regents approved a statewide articulation arrangement that eased transferability problems of students moving from the two-year to the four-year college or university. This agreement also supports the place General Education plays in Seminole State's curriculum:
Students who complete an Associate Degree at a state-supported two-year college will not be required to complete the General Education requirements of the state four year institution to which the student transfers as long as the student transfers into a program in the university's college of arts and sciences and has completed all requirements for the Associate in Arts or Associate in Science at the two year college from which they are transferring.
By the same token, the Regents instituted the Student Transfer Initiative. Public-college faculty members meet with peers to standardize course learner outcomes, titles, numbers, descriptions, all of which enhance smoother transferability for students in Oklahoma (see Catalog, p. 37, and other documents in Self-Study Resource Room).
Occupational-Technical Education
The availability of "programs of collegiate-level occupational-technical education to prepare individuals to enter the work force" is another measurable function of the institution. Seminole State College maintains six occupational-technical programs in business, computer information systems, and health sciences.
All of these programs have national and state accreditation. For example, in 1995 the Nursing Program received maximum eight-year reaccredidation from the National League of Nursing and in 1998 reaccredidation from the Oklahoma Board of Nursing. The Medical Laboratory Technology Program earned reaccredidation for the seven-year maximum from the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences in 1993. The Business Program gained reaccredidation from the Oklahoma State Regents in 1999.
These accrediting bodies use benchmark criteria scrutinizing areas such as national standardized assessment tests, licensure and certification test results, graduation and attrition rates, job placement, and student and employer satisfaction surveys. In addition, the College enforces a "Technical Education Graduate Performance Guarantee" (SSC Regents policy) which states:
If an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) graduate is judged by the initial employer to be lacking in either academic or technical job skills identified as exit competencies by Seminole State College for the specific degree program, the graduate will be provided up to nine credit hours of additional education at and by Seminole State College.
Graduate/graduate-employer surveys, standardized assessment tests (e.g., the Nursing Mosby Assess Test) and NLN licensure and certification test results, retention and attrition rate statistics, and responses from various accrediting bodies measure the achievement of mission criteria (see Self-Study Report, Chapter 8). Program Advisory Committees for occupational-technical curricula also provide an avenue for measurable feedback from businesses and industries that employ Seminole graduates. Community advisory committee members are actively involved in developing exit competencies for each of these programs (see Self-Study Report, Chapter 7).
The occupational-technical programs make evaluation plans aligned with established benchmark measurements that assess effectiveness in terms of qualitative and quantitative information. Faculty members continually search for creative ways to evaluate student progress and demonstrate student achievement, for example, using student professional portfolios, videotaping, and capstone courses in medical laboratory technology and computer science. Faculty also employs various instructional methods to present educational concepts. Methods of classroom delivery include lecture, lab, small and large group work, case studies, multimedia presentations, interactive television, and computer-aided instruction. Teaching methodologies supplied outside the classroom include accessibility to Internet research, individual and computer-assisted tutoring, presentations of case studies, peer evaluation, field trips, and clinical practicums.
Seminole State College is proud of the high quality of these occupational-technical programs, the various internal and external evaluative checks and balances that measure program quality and student achievement, and the commitment of faculty and community to program excellence. Seminole State College programs afford students the opportunity to succeed thereby satisfying NCA's Criterion 2 for accreditation. These programs are clearly defined and academically rigorous, meeting NCA's Criterion 3 for accreditation (see Self-Study Report, Chapter 7).
In addition to formal, technical-degree programs, Seminole State College offers Employment Readiness (ER) programs designed for TANF recipients. This Federal and State Grant program applies higher education to workplace preparation. The number and quality of pre-employment offerings and successful placement measure TANF success. ER students take classes in communication and self-esteem as well as developmental courses in mathematics, English, reading, literacy, and other basic skills, which prepare them for employment opportunities. Currently, the employment rate of SSC's TANF students is higher than the State average. The ER program affords students the opportunity to succeed, further evidence that the College satisfies NCA's Criterion 2 for accreditation.
Developmental Education
Seminole State offers "programs of remedial and developmental education" (Function #3) related to the College mission in terms of measurable efforts and results.
Seminole State College is an open-access public institution with special programs of study that specifically targets preparation for college-level work. As one of its institutional functions, the College accepts the responsibility to provide a variety of quality remedial courses, the main goal of which is personal small-group assistance for those students who need more basic preparation that increases chances for success in traditional, college-level work. There are also reading, writing, and math labs to assist in these endeavors. Seminole State College's commitment to developmental education, however, needs to be strengthened, particularly for adult students who require still more individual attention and daily feedback. In response to this need, the institution applied for and received a Title III grant for the purpose of student retention and student success with particular emphasis being placed on individual students and developmental education.
As they stand now, available, diverse zero-level course offerings at Seminole State College frequently appear on the schedule. These courses include Basic Math, Beginning Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, Fundamentals of Reading, Fundamentals of English, and Transitional Science. Seminole State College offers these courses in developmental English, math, and reading for students needing basic preparation in fundamental skills in these areas. The College takes pride in results of developmental student success (see Self-Study Report, Chapter 7).
Remedial courses at SSC are classified zero-level since they do not count toward degree attainment. Upon admission to the College but prior to course enrollment, each student is assessed to determine his or her projected ability to succeed in college-level work. This pre-enrollment assessment combines ACT score evaluation and student testing. Students who score below the standard are placed in zero-level courses to prepare them for college-level work (see Self-Study Report, Chapter 8).
Continuing Education
The availability of "formal and informal programs of study designed to serve community needs for continuing education" is the fourth measurable function of Seminole State College and also relates to fulfilling the institution's statements of mission and functions.
Seminole State College seeks a positive impact on the economic development efforts in its five-county service area. Economic development is a strategic planning priority of the College's President Jim Utterback, a specialist in this field. Backed financially by an award-winning Department of Commerce grant, the College participates in business and industry training and helps encourage economic development in several nearby communities supporting the key areas on which Seminole State focuses its resources and personnel. These initiatives support NCA Criteria 2 and 5.
This institutional commitment to continuing education led to the creation in July 1998, of Seminole State College's Business and Industry Training Program. Ms. Lana Reynolds, an administrator and adjunct faculty member became Associate Vice President for Business and Community Relations and heads this program. Through it the College more aggressively addresses training certification and professional requirements by offering college credit-classes in various subjects. Non-traditional formats of these classes accommodate area businesses.
With resources, faculty, and staff from the Business and Computer Science Division, SSC's Business and Industry Training Program cooperates with businesses to develop courses in computer competence such as PowerPoint and in various aspects of business management designed for specific employer needs. Through this program, the College offers special courses specifically designed for professional and personal development. Examples of these offerings include financial management and childcare. In addition, the College makes available traditional courses in wellness, recreational areas, and physical activities through the Business and Industry Training Program in cooperation with the resources, faculty, and staff from the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Division.
The Business and Industry Training Program of Seminole State College stands as evidence of innovative, creative, and cooperative projects initiated with the partnership of four area public school systems. For example, SSC conducted a weeklong leadership workshop during which outstanding high school seniors learned about local business and discussed economic development opportunities with community leaders.
The College operates an Upward Bound program in downtown Seminole at the John Massey Building. Federally-funded, Upward Bound is designed to identify, recruit, and prepare a maximum of 50 disadvantaged high school students, helping them succeed at post-high school education through special programs and activities. Upward Bound recruits come from among 11 target schools within a 15-mile radius of SSC. The College also supports a Veterans Upward Bound Program and Educational Talent Search Program. In 1999, VUB moved its headquarters to the Boren Learning Resources Center.
These efforts are well received by the community, especially the Seminole Chamber of Commerce, which applauded these different initiatives and has advertised them free of charge in their promotional literature. Moreover, these programs show the College fulfilling its mission statement by providing "training, resources, and services designed to benefit the community and region," (NCA's Criterion 1). Additionally, the programs reflect how SSC uses its resources to accomplish its purposes (Criterion 2); how it accomplishes its educational and other purposes (NCA Criterion 3); and how it demonstrates integrity in its practices, partnerships, ventures, and arrangements through diverse community relationships (Criterion 5).
Institutional Research to Improve Institutional Effectiveness
In addition to sustaining programs in General, Vocational-Technical, Developmental, and Continuing Education, the institution operates "programs of institutional research to improve the College's effectiveness," (Function # 5), and the results of such efforts are measurable, again in compliance with NCA Criteria 2 and 3. Seminole State College evaluates the institution's success through the collection of data regarding its operation and specifically measures student success as the standard benchmark for effective, efficient delivery of knowledge.
The following sample summarizes the College's ongoing research activities, which are covered more fully in Self-Study Report, Chapters 7 and 8. Specific materials and documents related to SSC's research function are located in the Self-Study Resource Room.
Institutional research areas and activities include, but are not limited to:
Surveys of current students, transfer students, and alumni. These provide evaluation data for all aspects of the institution's operation. Survey results guide development and expansion of educational offerings.
Program reviews for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education: a function of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Annual internal program reviews. Faculty and staff of individual programs undertake these (see "Program Review" processes in Board Policies manual, Part II-7-2).
Demographic data reports prepared every semester by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. These research reports supply student enrollment information used by departments as a guide in developing efficient operation in the College's academic functions.
Seminole State College Faculty Biographical Report. The VPAA office prepares this report.
Tracking and monitoring reports of the retention of students by the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. These also involve enrollment information and graduation rate reports.
Assessment reports by the Office of Assessment Coordinator. This office investigates ongoing, instructional effectiveness by gathering, compiling, and examining assessment data. This information generates institutional progress reports that reflect mission-related information regarding demographics, attrition, student transfer rates and after transfer-success, student and alumni satisfaction, and community interest and concerns.
Seminole State College's Community Needs Assessment Survey. This determines area, site, school, or community interest in offering Seminole State course offerings.
Using this research information, Seminole State College measures and evaluates the over-all effectiveness of its efforts. Participating with the academic and student services' offices other SSC departments and divisions generate reports used in overall planning. Documents that demonstrate institutional research and short-term planning and that attest to long-range planning include the SSC Three-Year Strategic Plan, the Facility Management Plan, and the Resource Development Plan. These efforts illustrate the development of a current resource base, which the College uses to make decisions, supportive of a process that fulfills NCA Criteria 3 and 4.
Special Support and Activity Programs
The exercise of its sixth, public measurable function also gives ample evidence that Seminole State is accomplishing its mission: the offering of "special support and activity programs which assist and enrich student educational experiences." The College believes that activities outside the classroom enrich, supplement, and prepare a testing ground for classroom learning. All students are encouraged to participate in and support cultural, recreational, and social events sponsored by various campus organizations and student clubs. The College is proud of the number and quality of its enrichment programs bringing together staff, students, faculty, and members of the community, and these programs adequately fulfill NCA Criterion 3.
The Student Government Association (SGA) of Seminole State College allows students a voice in the administration of the College and, through its budget sponsors and supports cultural and social events on campus. In biweekly open meetings and a suggestion box soliciting opinions, students give feedback to the Vice President for Student Affairs, a member of the President's Administrative Council. The SGA annually plans and sponsors a variety of cultural, recreational, and social events, such as blood drives, a Student Organization Fair each semester, Kid's Night Out (for older students), ice cream socials, dances, homecoming activities, Student Olympics, Drug Awareness Week activities, and a Martin Luther King Day observance.
Other student organizations in accord with SGA by-laws can organize student activities that plan and subsidize campus classroom learning or field study. For example, SSC's leading student organizations--The Native American Student Association, Student Nurses Association, Phi Theta Kappa, Psi Beta, and Sigma Kappa Delta--enrich the quality of campus life by sponsoring events and activities. The College supports competitive teams in intercollegiate athletics, a benefit to the student-athlete and the rest of the student body as social events that enrich the collegiate experience (see Self-Study Report, Chapter 7).
Still more avenues of "special support and activity programs which assist and enrich student educational experiences" are open at Seminole State, including:
A Cultural Exchange Program with China
The Foreign Studies Program of the Art Department promoting an appreciation of international study of the arts with trips to Mexico and Italy
Cooperative enrichment efforts with local and regional groups, co-sponsored by the Oklahoma State Arts Council, Phillips Petroleum, and the Oklahoma Foundation for the Humanities – putting on concerts, exhibits, lectures, programs on law, history, heritage, and cultural diversity for students, faculty, staff, and community citizens
SGA-sponsored, ongoing community service projects such as food drives
Sponsorship of Permanent Issue (The College's musical performance group/band)
A partnership with the state's 14 community colleges in ECCO, the Electronic Community College of Oklahoma, enabling SSC students to register for courses delivered through alternative methods
Seminole State College's arrangement with area vocational-technical centers, such as Gordon Cooper Technology Center, broadcasting Seminole courses to these sites to benefit students who choose to take courses off-campus in their own communities
Mutual program arrangements with Jasmine Moran Children's Museum
Programs of Economic Development
Finally, Seminole State College offers "programs of economic development, in conjunction with area colleges and universities that serve the needs of the service area" (Function # 7), with measurable efforts and results which are all directly related to our mission of benefiting the community and region. Seminole State College has cooperative relationships and resource sharing with our sister private and public institutions, which have a definite economic development impact in the area and also fulfill NCA Criterion 5.
For example, the Lead Program of Mid-America Bible College and Seminole State College offers our students and staff as well as area businesspersons the opportunity to enroll in a Bachelor of Science degree program in Management and Ethics or Criminal Justice and Ethics. For the convenience of enrollees, registrants can take on-site or interactive TV courses in business and economics.
Diverse other SSC partnerships serve the needs of the five-county service area and promote economic development impact in the community:
Cooperative arrangements with public post-secondary, vocational-technical centers such as the Gordon Cooper Technology Center and Wes Watkins Area Vocational Technical School lead to the awarding of college credit for specific skills courses and make programs available to area businesses and industries
Consortial relationships with area public colleges, East Central University and University of Central Oklahoma, use interactive TV to bring economic development, business, and industry courses to campus for residents
The Virtual College of Oklahoma (VCO) uses interactive TV and OneNet to supply two-year college courses to area residents
Partnership with three Southeastern Oklahoma cities and their Chambers of Commerce, through an award-winning economic development grant, names SSC the lead agency in the Seminole County Coalition of Partners which advocates the regional benefits of higher education (Seminole State College, East Central University, and the University of Oklahoma) as an attraction for business. The President of SSC serves as a member of the Steering Committee guiding these economic development efforts. He is also a member of the Seminole Economic Development Council and will serve as president of the Seminole Chamber of Commerce in 2001.
Strengths
Formally reviewing and updating mission statement with broad campus and community support
Consistently striving to measure functions of mission statement
Revisiting the General Education philosophy to refine, to strengthen, and to add to coursework in the area
Seeking academic excellence through program accreditation and partnerships, a priority of the current administration
Taking the lead to foster economic development initiatives

Challenges
Continuing to formally review the mission and obtain more institutional research to verify mission-related student successes
Strengthening and expanding specialized industry and business training programs
Promoting global education
Having more individual learning experiences for non-traditional students
Securing ample state appropriations and tuition revenue for growth
Governance and Decision-Making Structures at SSC
Part I, I-1-1, of the Board Policies manual, explains SSC's status as a state institution of higher education. To summarize: "Seminole State College is a member of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education pursuant to the Oklahoma Constitution." More especially, Article XIII-A., Section 1, in the Higher Education Code reads:
All institutions of higher education supported wholly or in part by direct legislative appropriations shall be integral parts of a unified system to be known as "The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.
As part of this system under the Oklahoma Constitution, SSC is responsible to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education which constitutes "a coordinating board of control for all State institutions."
Article XIV, Section 180, of the Higher Education Code authorizes OSHRE "to establish and maintain two-year colleges," one of which is in Seminole, where the College shall "serve Seminole County and surrounding area." All two-year institutions of higher education, including Seminole State College," shall have seven-member local governing boards referred to as the Boards of Regents."
Seminole State College Board of Regents
The Seminole State College Board of Regents governs this institution with the advice and consent of the Oklahoma State Senate. The Governor of the State of Oklahoma appoints local members as SSC Regents, who serve as a Board for renewable seven-year terms. The term of one member of the seven-member Board expires each year.
The Seminole State College Regents hold nine, regularly scheduled meetings each calendar year and report meeting dates to the Office of the Secretary of State of Oklahoma no later than December 15 each preceding year. The Regents meet in open, public session to exercise full prerogatives as a policy-making and governing body, but also conducts closed executive sessions. With appropriate public notice, the Board may call special meetings.
The Board Policies manual provides rules regarding appointment of Regents, oaths of office, training, filling of vacancies, and conflict of interest. Chapter 1, of the document lists the bylaws and rules of procedure for the Board are provided to the public. To ensure the Board's responsiveness as a public body to the citizens of the State of Oklahoma and to all College constituencies, it operates according to the Oklahoma Open Meetings Act, which sets down strict guidelines regarding public notice of meetings, keeping of minutes, and requirements for executive sessions.
The membership of Seminole State College's governing Board of Regents, as prescribed by Oklahoma statute, consists of three representative persons from a cross-section of communities and four members within the immediate area. Members bring a wide range of experiences and endeavors to the Board. Current Board members are: Chair William Harrison, Jr., of Wewoka, Oklahoma, school principal and superintendent; Thelma Lilly of Seminole, civic leader and homemaker; Dorothy Forth, of Prague, Oklahoma, CPA, SSC alumna and former College adjunct faculty member; Dale Nichols of Wewoka, bank president; Ben Walkingstick of Chandler, Oklahoma, bank owner and entrepreneur; Derrill Cody of Norman, Oklahoma, attorney; David Wilson, Seminole, Oklahoma, insurance company executive. Five of these Board members were appointed since the arrival of Dr. Utterback.
Diversity in gender, residence, occupation, and background on the Board helps ensure fair representation of public interests in all deliberations and decision-making rather than advancement of any personal interests. During their terms of office, Regents may not be employees of the College or, by state law, receive any financial benefit from the institution.
Seminole State College's Board Policies manual delineates the duties and responsibilities of the Regents. The Board approves policy for the College operation, certifies the mission statement, employs staff, monitors monthly financial statements and claims reports, and sanctions contracts, partnerships, consortium arrangements, and financial audits (see Board Policies manual, II-1-1 through II-1-4). The Regents understand their responsibilities, take them seriously, and fulfill them according to NCA Criterion 2. On-going committees that research and handle Board of Regents matters between meetings include the Executive and Audit committees.
One principal responsibility of the Seminole State College Board of Regents is to appoint the College President as chief executive officer of the College. The Board, at their regular meeting in October 1996, formally employed the current President, Dr. James W. Utterback following the resignation of Dr. James J. Cook. In January 1997, Dr. Utterback assumed office as the Board's designated chief executive officer on campus. The President's job performance and contract are reviewed and awarded on a yearly basis.
The duties of the President of Seminole State College are detailed as Board Policy Number II-3-1 and published in the Board Policies manual. While these duties are more specifically listed in Board Policies manual, the Board gives "the President the authority to guide and direct all operations and activities of the College" to fulfill the school's mission and functions. The policy holds the President "accountable directly to the Board." Board policies outline presidential power to develop lines of responsibility, to review administrative decisions, and to recommend the hiring of all faculty members, administrators, and professional staff.
At Regents meetings throughout the academic year, the President reports on all areas under his purview. Through this mechanism of regular administrative reporting to the College's governing Board, the President's chief officers also have the opportunity to submit reports, provide information, and discuss issues at the highest decision-making level (see SSC Regents Files in Self-Study Resource Room).
The Administrative Council
An Administrative Council is made up of the principal division vice presidents or designated directors of main College areas--academic, student services, and financial--functions as prescribed in the Board Policies manual. Members include the chief administrative officers of the College: Dr. Jack Medlock, Vice President for Academic Affairs; Dr. Sean Fox, Vice President for Student Affairs; Ms. Zora Fowler, Vice President for Fiscal Affairs; Ms. Lana Reynolds, Associate Vice President for Business and Community Relations; Mr. Jack Whisennand, Director of Management Information Systems; and Mr. Rusty Beene, Athletic Director. This group advises and counsels Dr. Utterback. As an administration arm in the College, the Administrative Council is effectively organized and qualified to fulfill its operation and to satisfy NCA Criterion 2 (see Administrative Chart and Self-Study Report, Chapter 9).
The Administrative Council meets weekly or at the will of any member of the Council. The President chairs the group. The Council either convenes as a whole or, on occasion, the President meets with select officers and directors on matters not concerning the entire membership. This body affords administrators the regular opportunity to report and advise at this level of governance. The Administrative Council assists as the College positions itself for the future, called for in NCA Criterion 4. This positioning involves both limited short-range and long-range planning for future physical, human, and financial resources. This Council has been actively involved in the development of plans for the Technology and Industry Training Center and Residential Learning Center (see SSC Administrative Council files in Self-Study Resource Room).
Strengths
Strongly committed and diverse Board of Regents members governing Seminole State College supportive of the functions and mission of the College
Open, public meetings of Regents, fostering opportunities for constituency input
Delegating authority to the chief executive without micro-management
Promotions of faculty to responsible administrative posts, some of whom continue to teach, and the long-standing tenure of administrators

Challenges
Stabilizing the effect of the rapid turnover of Board of Regents members to improve their ability to assist the College in its fund-raising and public relations efforts
Improving formal communication to ensure up and down communication throughout the organization
Constituency Groups at Seminole State College and Their Representation
Other groups facilitate the participation of campus constituencies in Seminole's broad decision-making process, thus providing opportunities for campus input and so satisfying NCA Criterion 2. College constituencies represented on these bodies include division chairs, faculty, professional and classified staffs, and students. The formal names of constituency groups are the Division Chair Council, the Faculty Senate, the Professional Staff Council, the Classified Staff Association, and the Student Government Association.
The Division Chair Council represents interests of six division chairs and the Director of Learning Resources at Seminole State College. All six academic program chairs sit on the Division Chair Council; the Vice President for Academic Affairs chairs the group, and the Vice President for Student Affairs joins as a non-voting member. This body performs or, in effect, serves as curriculum, assessment, and academic standards committees.
Members on the Division Chair Council make recommendations to the Administrative Council regarding important academic matters such as new programs, new courses, course and program changes, special projects, and other considerations such as recommendations for release-time. Each semester the Division Chair Council works on a master course schedule as well as the academic budget. The latter two cases demonstrate clear chain-of-command routing from faculty through the division chair to the Academic Vice President to the Administrative Council. The Administrative Council then makes final decisions. Communication between the Administrative Council and the Division Chair Council transmits through the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
The Division Chair Council responded to prior NCA Team concerns by revamping General Education requirements with additional courses in humanities and fine arts. It conducts an annual review of each major academic program of the College, gathering anecdotal information and statistics in order to make informed choices about hiring instructors. The Division Chair Council studies DWF grade rates and recommends proactive retention strategies to the departments.
This Council acts as a support group for its members regarding concerns within their respective academic divisions. The Division Chair Council meets approximately two times per month (see Academic Division Chair Council files in Self-Study Resource Room).
Strengths
Existing long service of Division Chair Council members and their subsequent grasp of the institution
Members in-depth knowledge concerning the academic staff and programs
Council members recognized for their program expertise

Challenges
Developing more organized strategies to recruit academic personnel, facilitate academic program development, and determine MIS and budgeting needs
Enhancing Council's communication to constituency groups such as Faculty Senate and Administrative Council
The Faculty Senate is the representative body organized out of Seminole State College's entire full-time faculty. However, part-time faculty members may join the association and pay dues. Part-time faculty who wish not to pay dues may attend meetings as non-voting members of the Senate. The Faculty Senate meets regularly and serves as a forum for discussion where any member may bring an issue to the floor.
Senate officers, including a president, are selected through an annual election open to dues-paying members. According to the Faculty Senate Constitution, the purpose of the body is to promote academic freedom, provide direction to the College's policies, and coordinate SSC faculty activities. Standing committees include Executive, Academic Issues, Faculty Welfare, Scholarship, Nominating, and Social committees. Committees usually focus on issues brought before the entire Faculty Senate. An exception is the Scholarship Committee, which annually selects two or three recipients for the faculty scholarships funded by membership dues. The Senate has been a particularly effective representative body, particularly on matters involving faculty welfare matters.
The Faculty Senate president attends every Board of Regents meeting in a non-voting capacity and receives materials, such as financial statements, agendas, and minutes of prior meetings, for use in reporting meeting results to the Faculty Senate. Whenever the need arises, the Senate president meets with the College President as well as with chairs of standing Faculty Senate committees. The Senate President also meets with the College President prior to Faculty Senate meetings in order to ensure the flow of up and down communication.
Faculty Senate recommendations carry considerable weight at the institution, such as its tenure proposal supported by the administration and approved by the Board of Regents. Although the group has little power per se, it has enjoyed a long history of good relations with all College administrations (see Faculty Senate files in Self-Study Resource Room).
Strengths
Faculty Senate history of free pursuit and expression of ideas
Faculty Senate participation in the selection of the new President of SSC
Faculty Senate influence in recommending and pursuing pay increase proposed in the 1997-1998 Academic Year and in establishing dialog with the new College President
Faculty Senate formal representation at Board of Regents meetings, President's receptions, College functions
Faculty Senate promoting SSC and its members interests through lobbying, community involvement, and student scholarship initiatives

Challenges
Recent uncontested elections of Faculty Senate officers
Low attendance at Faculty Senate meetings
Non-binding nature of Faculty Senate recommendations
Obtaining institutional information in a timely fashion needed to make decisions
The Professional Staff Council (PSC) constitutes the representative body and organizational group for the professional staff members of Seminole State College (i.e., employees of the College whose primary duties do not include classroom instruction, but whose duties are specialized tasks for which college degrees are required).
The stated purposes of the PSC are to promote College mission and philosophy; to facilitate communication between professional staff, administration, and faculty; to encourage members' professional development; and to develop opportunities for interaction between staff, faculty, administration, and students.
The PSC meets monthly and membership is open to all persons classified as professional staff by SSC. Officers include a chair, chair-elect, and secretary. Either the Professional Staff Council chair or a designated representative attends Board of Regents and Faculty Senate meetings. A portion of the PSC membership fees supports two summer scholarships to assist a student in attending the College each year.
The Professional Staff Council also makes recommendations and requests to the administration related to personnel issues involving staff. One such issue recently involved re-defining the holiday schedule. Furthermore, the Professional Staff Association helps organize events and activities on the campus for personnel and students. The PSC, through its chair, is represented in committees for selection of the College President.
Strengths
Networking and affording connections conducive to developing collegiality among PSC members
Promoting a healthy group process to talk out problems and to think collectively
Providing unfiltered interaction with administration
Supporting College efforts to expand enrollment, increase funding, and act in concert with external community constituencies

Challenges
Gaining status and voice for PSC members equal to instructional staff
Recognizing organizational limitations due to PSC's small membership
Varying work schedules preventing a convenient meeting-time schedule
The Classified Staff Association (CSA), newest of SSC's constituency-based organizations, was established January 23, 1997. As the by-laws state, the CSA serves full-time, permanent part-time and auxiliary part-time staff not designated as student hourly workers. Annually elected officers representing the group are the president, president-elect, secretary, and the treasurer. Committees include Nominating, Executive, Activities/Social, Salary/Fringe Benefits, and Scholarship.
The Classified Staff Association proposes in its by-laws:
To provide opportunity for improvement of qualifications of the members for the mutual benefit of the individual members and the institution; To cultivate a professional relationship between the classified staff and the College; To promote the welfare of classified staff members through suggestions to the College administration for improvements in working conditions and/ or benefits; To promote fellowship among the staff members through enhanced social contact and service opportunities.
Even in a short history, the CSA has provided staff with training opportunities on such issues "How to Manage Conflict, Anger, and Emotion"; "Safety in the Workplace"; and "Self Defense." The Association established a CSA scholarship fund and awarded scholarships to children of members attending SSC. It has also conducted community service programs such as Adopt-A-Family for TANF participants in SSC's Employment Readiness Program while participating in two College planning retreats and serving on all of NCA's Self-Study Steering and sub-committees. Finally, the CSA submitted its first salary proposal to the current administration which was funded.
Strengths
Members of CSA committed to the College and its mission and functions
Long tenure of service of CSA members
Fund-raising and charitable works showing CSA support of the institution

Challenges
Researching ways to increase attendance due to work-schedule interference with meeting times
The Student Government Association (SGA) represents all SSC students to promote their interests in College improvement by presenting ideas to the administration. The aims of the SGA are: to encourage and promote student participation in planning and implementing College activities; to serve as an open forum for the discussion of issues that affect students; to plan, conduct, and fund activities and programs of an educational, cultural, or recreational value to students; and to establish the responsibilities of SGA members and make recommendations to the administration on SGA make-up and functions.
Any currently enrolled student carrying nine semester hours or more and having a GPA of 2.0 or above is eligible to seek appointive or elective membership in the SGA. As a deliberative body, the Student Government Association meets biweekly with officers president, vice-president, and secretary, fourteen senators and a representative from each active student club or organization in attendance. Two standing committees are the Executive Committee, which meets between regular sessions to plan, and the Judiciary Committee, which meets on a case-by-case basis to render decisions involving individual or groups of students.
As described beforehand, the Student Government Association plans and sponsors, annually, cultural, recreational, and social events, such as blood drives, a Student Organization Fair each semester, Kid's Night Out (for older students), dances, homecoming activities, Drug Awareness Week activities, and Martin Luther King Day presentation.
Strengths
Involved, active, and loyal SGA leaders
Providing leadership experiences for SSC students
Frequent, positive SGA involvement with faculty and administration
Long-term, committed, professional-staff advisor to SGA
Challenges
Encouraging higher attendance at SGA events
Working SGA around time constraints and diverse schedules as well as human issues such as harmony and compatibility
The Seminole State College Educational Foundation, Inc.
Finally, the Seminole State College Educational Foundation, Inc., is composed of 19 trustees, who provide the broad, important spectrum of community involvement with Seminole State College. As an organized body of volunteers, the Foundation guarantees interested individuals, business and community leaders, and alumni the opportunity to participate and contribute both literally and figuratively to SSC and its development.
Established in 1972, the Educational Foundation is not only a community conduit for support but is also an organized means to raise financial support for the College to update technology or to endow scholarships. Over the last three years, the Foundation's assets have increased to $700,000, an increase of approximately 200% since January 1997.
The current chair of the Seminole State College Educational Foundation is SSC alumnus Larry Smith, District Manager of the Oklahoma Gas & Electric Corporation (OG&E). Vice-chairs are two additional alumni, Jim Smart, prominent Wewoka and regional businessman, and Sue Snodgrass, owner of TS&H Shirt Co. Other trustees include alumna Karen James, Bob Swearingen, Jack Barrett and Harvey Robinson and other members of the community. Staff persons include Judy James, secretary-treasurer, and
Dr. Carmen A. Notaro, president.
Seminole State College Educational Foundation committees include the Executive, Investment, Nominating, Building, and Resource Development. Through this committee structure since 1997, the Trustees rewrote the by-laws and investment policy guidelines. As a result, assets are deposited with a professional bank trust. The Foundation was also involved in the planning and the funding of the new Residential Learning Center (see SSC Educational Foundation, Inc. files in the Self-Study Resource Room).
Strengths
A loyal group of local College supporters and boosters in the community
Active fund-raisers for SSC Foundation and College-related projects
Committed trustees fostering sound investment strategies and making wise financial decisions

Challenges
Increasing Foundation membership and widening the range of supporters, including the broadening of on-campus support
Getting more alumni involved in Foundation activities
In summary, Seminole State College, a mission-driven institution, serves students through the exercise of its state-supported functions, fulfilling NCA Criterion 1. The mission of SSC is clearly stated and widely disseminated in College publications, including the Catalog and handbooks. Students, who in ever-growing numbers enroll in well-designed academic programs and courses taught by qualified faculty, understand SSC's functions. These students, by in large, are satisfied with their education. They transfer successfully to senior institutions or obtain jobs and work well as determined by exit interviews, reports, and surveys. Seminole State College's faculty, staff, and other constituents are dedicated to students and thus to mission, educational, and other College functions. As this Self-Study Report chapter indicates, SSC has had widespread involvement in reshaping the mission statement and has vigilantly ensured that institutional mission and function statements appear in all publications.
Furthermore, Seminole State College is recognized for long-standing partnerships and loyalty of the local community. Seminole State College is known for the quality and diversity of its offerings. The College is respected for its programs and for doing what it proposes and claims. This recognition is paramount in the delivery and caliber of educational and other programs in consortium with other institutions: the Seminole County Coalition of Partners, East Central University, Gordon Cooper Technology Center, Wes Watkins Area Vocational Technical School, the Mid-America Bible College, and the Jasmine Moran Children's Museum. Moreover, this recognized success is validated by increased access to services and facilities and continued local support, from courses offered for seniors in the Field House to citizens who recently voluntarily taxed themselves to pay for the construction of new campus facilities.
Representative-group constituencies made up of administrators, faculty, staff, students, and persons in the community have chances to participate in broad, collegial, and professional governance at Seminole State College.
	This process provides appropriate structures for input through the Faculty Senate and Division Chair Council, which influence decision-making. Some constituency relationships are pressed and challenged, so SSC must strive to improve these relationships, keeping established lines of communication open and allowing all groups and individuals better access to decision-makers. These challenges, pointed out by the NCA process, need to be (and are beginning to be) addressed and are examined here and in the Self-Study.
Individuals who influence the governing and academic administration of Seminole State College, from Board of Regents members to administrators to faculty members ,are dedicated to accomplishing SSC's functions, which fulfill NCA Criterion 2 (see SSC organizational chart). Seminole State College's instructors are well qualified and degreed. Their professional preparation and responsibilities are linked to achieving the mission statement of the College, especially since the College is primarily a teaching-student learning institution (Criterion 2). For example, SSC's faculty members engage in teaching General Education and transfer-oriented courses, technical and occupational courses, various laboratory courses, along with developmental and continuing education, business and industry training seminars, all work related to mission fulfillment. Faculty efforts affect student learning and symbolize mission-driven experiences: to "enhance the capabilities of individuals," "achieve goals for student personal development," "provide quality learning experiences," and "assist students in continuing their education." Faculty are the College's most valuable recognized human resource, and their work in and out of the classroom at Seminole State College accomplishes the institution's mission and state-mandated functions. This Self-Study Report chapter recognizes this strength but cites as challenges the necessity for faculty members to obtain and more readily access information needed to reach informed decisions affecting students, teaching methods, and other academic demands.
Seminole State College's financial resources are dedicated to teaching and instruction and account for approximately 60% of the College's budget; the figure increases to beyond 60% when considering other academic costs, such as registrar and transcript functions and expenses devoted to the physical plant to enhance instruction, learning, and academic resources. These resources help accomplish Seminole's institutional purposes as well. Other costs accrue, such as curriculum development and preparation for regional and program accreditation. Resource budgeting, plus maintenance and security costs to ensure a safe and healthy learning environment, indicate that Seminole State is organizing its human, physical, and financial resources to accomplish its educational and other purposes (NCA Criterion 2). In brief, all these resources are dedicated to fulfilling the mission and public functions of Seminole State College.
Seminole State College also carries out NCA Criterion 3 by fulfillment of its stated institutional mission and functions, validated when certain mission and function links illustrate that SSC is accomplishing its academic and other purposes. For example, "providing for quality learning experiences and services that respond to both individual and community needs" epitomizes SSC's mission while strategies, such as program review carried on by the Division Chair Council, are identified in the Self-Study Report as crucial to revitalization. This Self-Study Report chapter recognizes its human-resource strength as well as the urgent challenges to develop organized strategies to recruit academic personnel, perform program development, determine MIS and budgeting needs, and enhance communication among its constituency groups.
The Self-Study Report chapter also illustrates how appropriate programs of study and courses of higher education at Seminole State College, whether in nursing, business, other occupational technical fields, General Education, or business and industry training, point out a need to focus on the mission of the institution. Also, programs and courses must support the seven functions mandated by the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education, all traceable to the varied purposes of any two-year college. For example, the work done by the College since the last NCA Team visit gave the institution impetus to re-define, refine, and strengthen its General Education philosophy in the 1990s by adding courses of two-year college-level general studies and humanities, a strength recognized in this chapter of the Self-Study Report. In 1999, after a technical program review by the State of Oklahoma, the Business and Computer Science Division strengthened the General Education component in its curriculum. This investigation responds to a challenge raised in this Self-Study Report chapter calling for SSC to strengthen General Education in its occupational and technical education programs.
All Seminole State College offerings support the mission of the institution, "to enhance the capabilities" of learners enrolling in diverse programs. Seminole State College's Assessment Program evaluates what happens in these classes. Through various course-embedded assessments and other tools such as the Graduate Opinion Survey, the formal program of assessment evaluates successes, builds upon this record, and makes changes to accommodate needs. Specific examples of changes in individual instructors' classes and departmental emphasis based on assessment scores are covered in other chapters of the Self-Study Report.
As this chapter of the Self-Study Report indicates, the planning of institutional and academic programs is directly related to Seminole State College's mission and functions which fulfill NCA Criterion 4. For instance, the Academic Plan is contingent on the quality learning experiences of the institution. Developed at each academic year's end by the Vice President for Academic Affairs in consultation with the faculty and the Division Chair Council, the Academic Plan becomes part of next year's Strategic Plan of the institution. The Resource Development Plan, especially portions pertaining to the cultivation of resources and grants for scholarships and educational equipment, directly relate to the mission statement and its components, "enhancing the capabilities of individuals" and "providing for quality learning experiences." The maintenance and budget plans of SSC and the use of Oklahoma State Section 13 off-set funds, help foster quality instruction and support for educational and other programs related to mission and functions. Financial plans also assist in organizing the resources needed to support the institution and its varied offerings. The Annual Retreat, organized by the President and attended by representatives of all constituencies, specifically requests that planning sessions relate to SSC's mission statement and functions. Two recent developments emerged from the 1997 and 1998 annual retreats: the creation of the College's Business and Industry Training Program and the decision to consider ordering POISE software. Both relate directly to fulfilling the mission statement of SSC, "providing training, resources, and services designed to benefit the community and region" and for "providing quality learning experiences and services."
Finally, Seminole State College carries out NCA Criterion 5: the institution demonstrates integrity in its practices and relationships by completing its stated institutional mission, meeting its purposes, and performing its state-supported functions. This chapter of the Self-Study Report recognizes as institutional strengths the loyalty of Seminole's citizens toward their community college. This loyalty is validated in various ways described in this chapter, and by the long-standing partnerships entered into with educational and other institutions, which have strengthened the quality of SSC's educational program, also a goal of the institution's mission.
Student evaluations of instructors, graduate opinion surveys, exit interviews, and increasing graduation rates attest that SSC has enhanced higher educational access, which supports appropriate policies and procedures practiced and carried out in the College's varied activities and programs. The updated Board Policies manual of SSC is available in the Learning Resources Center, in the offices of administrators and division chairs, and in the President's Office. Recent developments in information technology that led to campus kiosks and the Web-site inform students and prospective enrollees of Seminole State College, its academic programs and other services as those concepts relate to the mission and the seven, publicly supported functions of the institution.