The Hutchinson Collegian

There is one item every college in the nation wants, and each works to keep: accreditation. It is a way for schools to show the public that it has qualified faculty, addresses student needs, and meets its goals.

Hutchinson Community College has always used traditional methods to maintain accreditation. But last year, HCC was accepted into an alternative program called the Academic Quality Improvement Project.

AQIP is special because it allows schools to maintain accreditation and be held to higher standards. The project allows schools to identify areas to improve and then holds them accountable for making needed changes.

Carolyn Fitzmorris, business instructor, is on HCC’s AQIP steering committee. She said that AQIP is different because it doesn’t focus just on the past.

“This accreditation process allows us to work on projects that will affect our quality in the future,” she said.

Action projects

HCC is focusing on three main areas to improve. Each of the three “action projects” have a group of faculty members guiding improvement.

Star Gipson, executive director of academic support, is chairing the math action project. The project’s goal is to increase success in math courses to a 60 percent pass rate. The committee will use strategies such as early alert systems and curriculum revision. Gipson likes AQIP.

“It enables an institution to choose challenging goals, then report on progress made toward those goals every year, rather than waiting until 10 years down the road to take a look at your institution,” she said.

Dr. Steven Howey, coordinator of advising, is chairing an effort to help advisors be more effective. His project will train new advisors and keep experienced advisors informed.

“Plans also include the development of an advisor evaluation form, completed by students, to develop a systematic and continuous system to evaluate advising services,” Dr. Howey said.

The third area is still under discussion, but it will probably focus on customer satisfaction according to Chairperson Mike Tonn, research coordinator.

The goal of AQIP is to make HCC more effective, and there are major benefits to it.

“This method of accreditation allows institutions to choose quality projects that will help the institution grow as well as maintain accreditation,” Fitzmorris said.

Hutchinson Community College - 1300 N Plum, Hutchinson KS 67501
Lockman Hall Room 29 - Phone: 316-728-8159 - Email: montgomerya@hutchcc.edu
This page maintained by the Collegian Online Staff - collegianstaff@yahoo.com
Site Designed by Jarod Wannamaker - Copyright © The Hutchinson Collegian