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The Institution
employs qualified personnel to ensure the quality and effectiveness of
its student affairs programs.
X
Compliance ___Partial
Compliance ___Non-Compliance
Narrative
St. Petersburg
College is in compliance with this comprehensive standard because it has
established hiring, evaluation, and training procedures that have
developed a highly qualified student development staff.
Position
Descriptions
St. Petersburg College maintains
comprehensive Position Descriptions on the Human Resources Web site, as
described in Board Rule 6Hx23-2.20 Employment –
Administrative/Professional Personnel. Position Classification
Descriptions identify the duties and responsibilities of the position
along with the minimum qualifications that are required by the
position. A comprehensive review and updating of the College’s Position
Descriptions is conducted periodically, with the last review in 2006
(Previous review was in 1998). When a vacant position is advertised,
the minimum qualifications for the position are posted on the
advertisement. Applicants are screened based upon their meeting or
exceeding the minimum qualifications.
A master’s degree
in relevant fields is required for the College Registrar, Baccalaureate
Specialists, Learning Specialist in the Office of Services for Students
with Disabilities, Counselors, Director of Student Success, Athletic
Director and the Director of Scholarships and Student Financial
Assistance. A Bachelor’s Degree is required for the campus coordinators
of Admission and Registration, Academic Advisors, Coordinators of
Student Activities, Assistant Directors of Scholarships and Financial
Assistance, Financial Assistance Officers, and the Career Development
Specialists.
According to Board
Rule 6Hx23-2.02, General Employment Rules, educational and experience
qualifications listed in a position description are used as a guideline
to hiring. Other comparable qualifications of a candidate may be
considered by the president in lieu of those suggested in a position
description.
Qualifications
of Student Support Programs and Services Staff
St. Petersburg
College carefully considers all hiring decisions for student development
personnel to ensure the quality and effectiveness of all its programs
and services. Job descriptions are reviewed prior to advertisement for
any open position and revised as appropriate to recruit qualified
professionals. A review of the roster of SPC Student Support personnel
shows that all members of the student development areas have the
educational background, knowledge, and work experience for the position
they hold.
Evaluation of
Student Affairs Staff
St. Petersburg
College conducts annual evaluations of all Administrative and
Professional (A&P) staff using criteria specified in the District Board
of Trustees’ Rule 6Hx23-2.10. Administrative and Professional Staff
meet annually with their supervisors to evaluate their own performance,
receive feedback, and discuss and finalize an individual professional
development plan for the next two-year period proposed by the A&P staff
person being evaluated. Each A&P staff member must complete at least
one major or two minor activities described in District Board of
Trustees’ Procedure P6Hx23-2.022 during the two-year period. At the
time of evaluation, each A&P person completes the narrative sections of
the evaluation relating to success or progress toward meeting
job-related goals and objectives from the previous year and proposed
goals and objectives for the coming year. The supervisor evaluates
those areas as well, and adds an evaluation of the evaluatee’s areas of
strength and needed improvement. Together the supervisor and evaluatee
review the evaluation and complete the sections on mutually-agreed goals
for the coming year and professional development goals.
Counselors have a
unique evaluation form similar to the Faculty evaluation form, with an
area for numeric self-assessment and supervisor’s ratings and a
narrative section for goals, written by both the supervisor and the
counselor. Ratings are given in five areas: effectiveness in role as a
counselor, organization and time management, attitude towards students,
Faculty, and staff, professional growth and development, and
contribution to institutional effectiveness. As with the Faculty and
A&P evaluations, there is a section for professional development goals.
Each counselor must complete at least one major or two minor activities
described in Board of Trustees’ Procedure P6Hx23-2.022 during the
two-year period.
Continuing
Professional Development Requirements
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Category I
(one activity required per two year period)
a)
Appropriate comprehensive educational experiences related
to the Administrative/Professional responsibilities of the
evaluatee subject to mutual agreement.
b)
Demonstrated completion of graduate or upper division
undergraduate coursework, earning one or more official college
credits in areas relevant to education, technology, or
discipline-specific topics. Non-related coursework must be
pre-approved by the program director or supervisor.
c)
Demonstrated completion of coursework to meet licensure and/or
certification requirements related to College employment.
d)
Taught graduate or upper-division undergraduate courses at a
regionally accredited college or university, courses that are
not part of the St. Petersburg College curriculum.
e)
Completed development of an existing course for online delivery,
including completion of the online training course.
f)
Completed development of a new course.
g)
Completed or co-authored or fully revised discipline-related
publications, including a text, workbook, article in a refereed
journal, or materials related to instructional strategies.
h)
Completed one-year of service in an official capacity for a
state or national professional organization, such as service as
president, or chair of an on-going committee, i.e.,
participation that requires a significant amount of time.
i)
Participated actively in the College’s C & I Committee.
j)
Completed creative work, such as research or development of
products, appropriate to the academic and scholastic setting
that required a significant commitment of time and effort, as
well as prior approval of the program director or supervisor. |
Category II
(two or more activities must be completed per two year period)
a)
Appropriate professional development activities related
to the Administrative/Professional responsibilities of the
evaluatee subject to mutual agreement.
b)
Demonstrated completion of a continuing education course.
c)
Demonstrated, with documentation, participation in professional
activities, e.g., seminars, workshops, conferences, lectures.
d)
Developed a new presentation and presented it at a regional, state,
or national professional organization’s meeting, with approval
of the program director or supervisor.
e)
Published an article or a book review in a non-refereed
professional journal or a newspaper.
f)
Demonstrated participation in juried art shows, including fine
arts, music, or in community groups related to one’s discipline,
e.g., the Community Band, Mainsail Art Show.
g)
Demonstrated completion of independent study, including
instructional technology skill enhancement courses offered
through Instructional Technology, SPD, or Corporate Training
Services that are at least 8 hours in length.
h)
Demonstrated completion of Information Literacy training
opportunities.
i)
Demonstrated completion of a grant proposal wherein a statement
of need, program components to address the need, and an
evaluation component are all presented.
j)
Served on a Collegewide standing committee or a campus
committee, or special focus group, with prior approval of the
program director or supervisor.
k)
Participated in an Industry Exchange Program.
l)
Engaged in community service activities that reflect goals or
directions of the College, with prior approval of the program
director or supervisor.
m)
Other activities, e.g., serving as an advisor for PTK or the
Student Nurses’ Association, that are approved by the provost
and the program director or supervisor. |
At the time of
evaluation, the counselor must bring supporting materials or
documentation of the professional development activities completed.
Career Staff
employees are also evaluated annually on their performance. Career
Staff evaluations cover effectiveness as a career staff member,
contribution to college effectiveness, and formal corrective action
during the rating period. As with all Faculty and administrator
evaluations, career staff personnel first complete the self-evaluation
ratings on the form and two areas of continuous improvement. The
supervisor then completes the supervisor’s ratings and completes
specific expectations/goals/objectives and progress towards those goals
as needed and identifies two areas of continuous improvement for the
employee.
Professional
Development opportunities for Student Affairs staff
Faculty (Counselors
and Learning Specialists) and most Administrative and Professional (A&P)
personnel associated with Student Affairs (Provosts, Associate Provosts,
and Directors of Student Success) are required to have graduate level
credits in or be able to document knowledge of the topics of “history
and philosophy of community colleges” and “college teaching.” St.
Petersburg College provides two options for achieving that requirement:
(1) SPC pays for full-time Faculty and A&P to attend six hours of
graduate level courses at the University of South Florida or University
of Central Florida) within the first two years of employment (2) SPC has
developed a comprehensive, noncredit online course covering both areas
that is available to Faculty or A&P who already have their doctorates
and must be completed within the same timeframe.
Counselors,
advisors, A&P, and career staff involved in student affairs meet
quarterly to discuss student affairs issues. These regular meetings
afford SPC the opportunity to provide in-house training on
(FERPA) and other informational topics. In addition, Staff and
Professional Development (SPD) and Title III have provided professional
development opportunities specific to counselors and advisors, including
workshops on the Fall Professional Development Day.
Counselors and
advisors. As new and
innovative programs are implemented in the Counseling and Advising area,
SPC has hosted day-long professional development events to train staff
and discuss implementation. In March 2006, all SPC counselors and
advisors met for an all-day retreat to kick off the new Advising model
implemented in Fall 2006. In addition to providing training on the new
model and discussing the goals of the College in the area of counseling
and advising, SPC brought in an outside trainer to deliver professional
development training in How to Deal with Difficult People,
Improving Customer Service, and Health, Stress, and Wellness.
A similar professional development program was held four years ago.
Counselors and
Advisors have had an opportunity in recent years to become members and
attend conferences of NACADA, funded by Title III. The National
Academic Advising Association (NACADA)
promotes and supports quality academic advising in institutions of
higher education to enhance the educational development of students. The
theme of the 2006 conference was “Diverse
Advising for a Diverse World”. Counselors also may use campus
Staff and Program Development (SPD) funds to attend conferences.
At the 2005 Fall
Professional Development Day, Title III scheduled two sessions with a
nationally-known speaker, Alicia Harvey-Smith, on Aligning Student
Services Practices with Learning Principles.
Examples of
Counselor Professional Development on Fall Professional Development Day
2006
SPC – “Keeping it REAL”
Working Together to Retain Students
Summary:
Student Development team members who have served on the Keeping it
REAL model committee will present this initiative. The program
focuses on "Advising as Teaching," with a threefold goal: 1)
engagement of students in more strategic ways to increase retention,
2) collaboration with the learning community, and 3) professional
development initiatives. The main focus will be on goals 1 and 2.
Panel:
Dolores Teter, Counselor, HEC
(Moderator)
Jeffrey Cesta, Director of
Student Success, TS
Cynthia Jolliff-Johnson, Director
of Student Success, SP/G
Joe Dvoracsek, Director of
Student Success, SE
Jean Corey, Counselor, SPC
Downtown
P.E.T. – Enhancing the
Teaching and Learning Environment
Summary:
This workshop presents an overview of P.E.T. (Personal Empowerment
through Type), the online assessment instrument available to the
Faculty and students of SPC. P.E.T. empowers the educator with a
validated instrument that helps recognize individual student and
class learning profiles and provides real strategies that will
facilitate learning in today’s classrooms.
A
supplemental companion text will be provided during this session.
Speaker:
Mike Cormier, President, and Nola Chiasson, CEO – both of Vital
Knowledge Software, Inc. and Atoya Learning Inc.
Discipline-Specific Meeting
Room Schedule – 11:30-2:30 (Working Lunch)
Counseling
SS139
Financial aid
staff. Scholarships &
Student Financial Assistance staff participated in numerous annual and
semi-annual events in 2005 and 2006:
Professional
development conferences attended by SPC Financial Aid staff
Annual conferences:
·
FSA Conference
Federal Student Aid Conference: Federal updates and training
·
NASFAA National
Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators: Federal updates
and training
·
SASFAA Southern
Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators: Federal updates
and training
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FASFAA Southern
Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators: Federal and
State updates and training
·
HEUG Higher
Education Users Group: PeopleSoft annual updates and training
·
VA Veterans
Administration Conference: Veteran Education Benefits yearly
updates
Additional training:
·
FASFAA –Southern
Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators: New Aid
Officers workshop
·
SASFAA –Southern
Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators: Spring and Fall
workshop
·
State of Florida
Department of Education workshops - Spring and Fall: Updates and
training
·
USAFunds Financial
Aid Spring and Fall workshops: Updates and training
·
EdFunds Financial
Aid Spring and Fall workshops: Updates and training
In addition, in
2006 Financial Aid staff attended workshops at the SPC Faculty
Professional Development Day and participated in a half-day retreat at
the SPC Collaborative Lab.
All staff.
Staff and Program Development (SPD) coordinates skills development
workshops open to all Faculty and staff delivered by Corporate Training,
by campus trainers, and through online short courses (provided by an
outside company, Element K) in topics such as communications, computer
skills, and personal development. Among the workshops delivered by SPD
in recent years are Creating Time/Reducing Stress, Conflict
Resolution, Customer Delight, and three levels of
Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Access. In
the week prior to the start of Fall 2006 classes, SPD and Title III
teamed up to offer workshops on Personal Empowerment through Type
(PET) and Meet the Millenials. These workshops were offered
at individual campuses and centrally at Corporate Training. Element K
online courses include the Harvard Manager Mentor series with
topics such as Teambuilding and Giving Feedback, and, for
those who cannot get to the traditional workshops offered by SPD
throughout the year, Office Productivity courses such as Excel
and Access are available.
Ethics Tip of
the Week. St. Petersburg
College has been a leader in the field of Ethics, having established a
General Education requirement in the 1980s for an Applied Ethics course
for all students seeking an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science
degree. The College’s Applied Ethics Institute (AEI) was established by
the Board in 1999. In 2006, as additional, periodic professional
development, the AEI developed a series of Ethics Tips that are
distributed collegewide by email on a weekly basis. These tips include
practical scenarios and guidance on such issues as copier use, sexual
harassment, and computer use, and include appropriate excerpts from the
Board Rules.
Sample Ethics Tip of the Week
Assessment
The Professional
Development Advisory Committee reviews survey data from senior
management and instructional staff (including counselors), and
coordinates the delivery of Professional Development opportunities to
meet training needs. The effectiveness of workshops, seminars, classes,
and retreats are assessed via participant surveys and results are
reviewed in the Professional Development Advisory Committee meetings or
in Student Development staff meetings, depending on the training
provider.
The Title III
Steering Committee is another avenue for identifying professional
development needs. As a result of their needs analysis, Title III has
brought in numerous speakers to address student affairs staff on
subjects such as the First year Experience and Personal Empowerment
through Type (P.E.T.).
The Student
Services Oversight Group is an ad hoc working group whose focus is to
review key information concerning the effectiveness of student
services. The group leader/chairperson is the Vice President of
Educational and Student Services. As one component of a college-wide
assessment system to ensure the delivery of quality academic and student
support services, the College administers the Enrolled Student Survey,
which contains questions on all aspects of student services. Other
components include campus-level surveys of counseling and advising
services, financial aid surveys, and data captured during retreats. The
Student Services Oversight Group uses the data to establish quality
improvement initiatives, including professional development needs.
References
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