Green River College Strategic Planning Charette Comment Form

Thank you for attending the Green River College Strategic Planning Charrette. If you have additional comments you would like to make regarding any of the eleven discussion themes, please provide them below in the section for that theme. Please note that your comments will be anonymous.

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* 1. First, could you identify your role at the College? This will not identify you personally, but will help provide context for your comments.

Student

Faculty

Staff

Admin

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* 2. How many years have you been associated with the college?

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* 3. Theme A. Closing the Opportunity Gap and Removing Barriers to Student Success, Including Access, Technology, Finances and Preparedness

Opportunity Statement:
The community that surrounds Green River College is very diverse, and many potential students will need a broad range of support services to be successful and overcome barriers to their college success. And while programs are in place to address specific needs of low-income students, students of color, and other underserved groups, an educational gap - and subsequently, an opportunity gap - persists within these groups. The move to online learning due to COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted disadvantaged students who may not have digital access or skills, and made it less likely that they will achieve success in meeting their educational goals.

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* 4. Theme B: Increasing Faculty and Staff Diversity and Retention

Opportunity Statement:
It is important students of color and other members of underserved groups see staff that are reflective of their communities. A diverse faculty and staff will increase the educational richness of the institution. At Green River College, the racial diversity of faculty and staff is not generally reflective of the student body, particularly as this relates to African American and Latino students.

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* 5. Theme C: Creating a Welcoming Environment for all Students (People, Facilities, Sense of Belonging, etc.)

Opportunity Statement:
The people that new students see as well as the colors, language, symbols, landscaping, architecture, public art, and every element of the College’s physical environment conveys both intentional and unintentional meanings. Green River College’s main campus is a beautiful and scenic academic setting, but for students that don’t have an academic tradition in their family or that are the first in their family to attend college, that setting can be often daunting and intimidating. In addition, if all campuses and programs do not have equally high-quality learning environments, that sends a message. A campus that feels welcoming to everyone will support every student and prepare them for their educational journey.

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* 6. Theme D: Connecting with Underrepresented Communities, Including Communities of Color, Low Income and Multilingual Communities

Opportunity Statement:
Reaching and recruiting the most underserved students from the College’s service district and the surrounding areas is challenging. Often, a viable approach mentioned is for the College to engage directly with the community to understand the needs and concerns of the potential students and the broader community. Community members and local community-based organizations want to connect with the College on a personal level, but those relationships have not always been fully developed. Community connections could open new opportunities to enrich College programs and provide valuable points of entry for all students.

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* 7. Theme E: Deepening the Connection Between the College and Local Business and Industry

Opportunity Statement:
Regional and local businesses and industries want to connect with the College but cannot always determine how to establish clear and sustainable working partnerships amidst myriad academic departments and support programs. Skilled workers are needed for a variety of businesses and industries, including logistics, cybersecurity, aerospace, health care, and many more. To be successful, students need flexibility and a range of options for pursuing these career / technical pathways.

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* 8. Theme F: Strengthening the Identity of Green River College

Opportunity Statement:
Local community members have expressed difficulty in identifying a “brand” or identity for Green River College. What makes Green River College different and the clear “college of choice” compared with other institutions?

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* 9. Theme G: Reimagining and Improving GRC Policies, Processes and Procedures

Opportunity Statement:
Improve organizational effectiveness, internal communication, collaboration, and decision-making within the college through greater transparency and inclusiveness. Engage faculty and staff to document, streamline, and simplify processes and systems. Evaluate structures and processes on the degree to which they support student success.

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* 10. Theme H: Ensuring all Green River College Students have a Smooth Transition to their Educational, Professional, Personal, Career and Job Goals

Opportunity Statement:
Community colleges are increasingly valued as an affordable pathway to earn a certificate, degree, transfer and/or to prepare for a viable career. To support this vital role, Green River College must strategically assess programmatic offerings and support services at every step of a student’s academic journey to provide them with the skills and knowledge to successfully transfer or move into the workforce.

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* 11. Theme I: Expanding, Ensuring Access and Connecting all Students to the Support Services They Need for Success

Opportunity Statement:
National research suggests that student support services play a role in promoting successful outcomes for community college students. Effective support services have an integrated network of academic, social, and financial supports. When implemented in a coordinated, targeted, and comprehensive structure, these initiatives have been shown to improve student achievement.

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* 12. Theme J: Creating a Culture of Continuous Staff and Faculty Learning and Improvement

Opportunity Statement:
To serve the needs of Green River College students and increase student success, faculty and staff need access to the latest tools, research, and technology. Effective professional development takes place within a continuous “Cycle of Learning” that includes targeted instruction, planning, application, and assessment. Ongoing, sustained professional development models—including theory, modeling, practice, and coaching—substantially increases the transfer of new knowledge into actual classroom practice.

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* 13. Theme K: Identifying and Applying Lessons Learned from COVID-19 Adaptations

Opportunity Statement:
Green River College had to rapidly pivot from primarily in person learning to digital learning, teaching, services provision, meetings, and operations to 100% digital operations. How can the campus put in place metrics to measure whether the new systems have been successful at improving outcomes for students? What changes should be kept, what changes modified and what changes dropped as soon as in person activities are possible again?

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* 14. Do you have any additional comments on the Green River College Equity-Centered Strategic Visioning and Planning process?