SWD Final HVAC Assoc Program Review

The Mission/Purpose The Mission/Statement of Purpose Data/Information: Enter mission statement Prepare students for employment in HVAC occupations and for higher education by providing l

Grand Rapids Community College Program

Review

Report: HVAC

The Program Profile

A The Mission/Purpose

The Mission/Statement of Purpose

Data/Information: Enter mission statement

Prepare students for employment in HVAC occupations and for higher education by providing learning

opportunities that establish required foundational skills and are in line with industry standards

Evaluation (using criteria & tactics):

The Mission/Statement of Purpose is current and relevant It is consistent in our catalog, brochures, and website

ACTION NEEDED? NO

B The Faculty & Staff

Full & Part Time Faculty

List the names and credentials of your full and part time faculty:

Name Highest Degree PT/FT

Staff

List the names and credentials of your staff:

OperationsEvaluation (using criteria & tactics):

The program has adequate the faculty and staff to meet its needs

Ron Stevenson has begun work on his Master’s Degree Program

ACTION NEEDED? NO

1 Accomplishments of Faculty

List/Describe the accomplishments of your faculty for the past year (awards, publications, curriculum

development, etc):

Don – Published first book: “Alternative Energy, Sources & Systems”

Achieved IGSHPA certification in Geothermal Heat Pump Installation

Ron – Successfully completed first year teaching orientation program

Attended AHR Exposition which netted substantial donations to the program from industry vendors including controls for ER128 & ER230, as well as various testing equipment

2 Faculty Professional Development

List/Describe the faculty professional development activities for the past year:

Both Don & Ron Successfully completed HVAC Instructors Workshop in Colorado At the workshop both Don and Ron attended various sessions that covered new industry trends and concepts in the areas of refrigeration, temperature controls and in material joining (brazing & soldering) One new industry that was introduced is in variable refrigeration control which was offered by Daikin AC – the largest manufacturer of HVAC equipment worldwide

Grand Rapids Community College Program

Review

Report: HVAC

In addition, sessions were attended on how to teach and reach new generation students who want to enter the HVAC industry

Evaluation (using criteria & tactics):

Because of continuing trends toward alternative energy, there will be a need for ongoing training in the areas of geothermal heating and cooling, and in solar thermal storage Also, new concepts in energy management and system controls will require ongoing training for Ron in these areas Fortunately, there are training opportunities inthese areas offered by such organizations as the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) and by the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA) This training can be Perkins funded

The new concepts in variable refrigeration control can be learned by attending training sessions by “Daikin AC”, who is the largest manufacturer of HVAC equipment worldwide

ACTION NEEDED? YES – Professional development is an ongoing process.

3 Number of PT/PT Faculty & % contact hours taught by each

Enter data summary

2) Full time = 65% of contact hours

3) Part time = 35% of contact hours

Evaluation (using criteria & tactics):

The faculty ratio currently meets the needs of the program If there is a substantial increase in enrollment, this ratio should be revisited

ACTION NEEDED? NO

C The Students

1 Program Enrollment



Evaluation (using criteria & tactics):

The data shows in increase in enrollment over the past 3 years, however it does not support an expansion in the program at this time

With a decrease in Michigan Works students, enrollments will continue to decline This will require additional recruitment, especially among high school students It is suggested that the School examine a full time recruitment person who can meet the needs of future enrolment

ACTION NEEDED? YES

Evaluation (using criteria & tactics):

Although the data suggests that our graduation level is low, the majority of these students are part time and will take more than 2 years to graduate Also, some of the students are in workforce training and are not degree seeking

ACTION NEEDED? NO

4 Demographic Profile

Enter data summary

Because of the small number of students in the program, there was insufficient data to profile

Evaluation (using criteria & tactics):

The HVAC industry is open to all people regardless of race, ethnicity or gender Despite the fact that HVAC is a maledominated industry, women are welcome to participate and learn

ACTION NEEDED? NO

Grand Rapids Community College Program

Review

Report: HVAC

Program Content

A Admissions/Target Population

1 Target Student Population

Describe for whom this program is intended

The target student population consists of High School graduates, Skills Center Graduates, Industry Workers in need of job training, and potential non-traditional students looking for careers in the HVACEvaluation (using criteria & tactics):

Improvement has been made in reaching out to the existing workforce in need of ongoing training by working through area vendors Improvement needs to be made in the area of new student recruitment – especially to area high schools Job placement assistance is improving and an ongoing endeavor More area HVAC contractors are inquiring into hiring graduates, and that number will grow as the area employment picture becomes brighter The marketing of our graduating students has improved by attending area trade organization meetings and by reachingout to area businesses These practices improve our exposure

There have been inquiries into starting an internship program, and that subject will need to be reviewed

ACTION NEEDED? YES

2 Admissions Criteria

Describe criteria for admissions and waitlist trends for the program (if any)

Enrollment into the HVAC program is open to high school graduates and GED recipients Students are asked to submit high school transcripts and their ACT test scores, if available General entrance requirements are: An ACT sub score of 18 or higher in each category of reading, math and English proficiency; and a high school GPA of 2.0 orhigher If a student does not meet any of these segment requirements, they will be required to take the

Accuplacer placement test for that segment Students scoring below a specific level on the Accuplacer test in math

or English will be required to take a remedial class as dictated by the test score Currently there is no mandatory placement into remedial classes for low reading test scores; however students with low scores are encouraged to take a remedial reading class A cut score of 18 on the ACT is sufficient as the entrance requirement into the HVAC program

Evaluation (using criteria & tactics):

Our recent Program of Study review has shown that there is a direct link between low reading comprehension and below average grades There needs to be a review of the admissions criteria to determine if mandatory remedial reading classes are required for below level Accuplacer scores

ACTION NEEDED? YES – Both introductory reading and math skill levels should be further reviewed.

B Curriculum History

1 Program/Curriculum Changes

Document the following for the last 8 years If something does not apply, indicate N/A:

 New Courses- EG110 Industrial Graphics with CAD as a substitute for EL144 – Basic Electronics

 New Programs-none

 New Certificates-none

 New Degrees-none

 Significant modifications of any of the above-none

 Closure of any of the above-none

 Remediation of courses or programs as a result of Core Indicator or industry related requirements – Our ER250 Basic Boiler Operation course needs to be reviewed based on industry trends away from conventional boiler operation licensing

 Curricular history may also include any partnership, grant, or other efforts that have significantly impacted curriculum and how

 Also include Advisory Board recommendations that influenced curriculum change

The HVAC curriculum at GRCC has been in existence for well over 30 years It continues to be a very popular and current program due to the fact that there will always be a need for qualified service people to install, repair and maintain heating, cooling, and refrigeration equipment I entered the program as a non-traditional student in the fall of 1985, and received my Associates Degree in 1992 I began teaching as an adjunct instructor in 1999, and became full time in 2007.

The advisory committee has been an excellent source of guidance regarding our curriculum development They continue to provide input that reflects industry trends which ultimately enhances our graduate’s level of

qualification into the industry



2 External Accreditation

Document the following related to external accreditation:

 name/address of the accrediting agency;

 PAHRA – Partnership for Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Accreditation

 2111 Wilson Blvd., Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201-3001

 (Re-accreditation form has been submitted – waiting for reply)

 date of the most recent site visit: Pending for summer 2012

 date for the next re-accreditation - 2012

 number of years in the accreditation cycle - seven



3 Distance education offerings and use of technology

 Document the following related to distance education offerings:

 Courses within the program that are offered online or in hybrid format

 TE 103 Technical Mathematics



 Names of faculty certified to teach in the distance education and hybrid formats:

 Margaret Sesselmann – (Not part of the HVAC faculty)





4 Experiential Learning Opportunities

 Document the following related to experiential learning opportunities

 ASL courses offered within the program

 honors courses offered within the program

 Study Away course offered

 Co-ops/Internships/Practical/Clinical courses offered

 Names of faculty certified to do ASL:

 Enter professional standards with which the program is or should be aligned

 EPA 608 refrigerant handling certification, ACCA (Air Conditioning Contractors of America), ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers) AHRI (Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute)

Grand Rapids Community College Program

Review

Report: HVAC

 ACCA standards for load calculations………Taught in ER174 – Blueprint Reading & Design

 ASHRAE - Indoor air quality standards………Taught in ER136 – Air Conditioning Theory

 AHRI – Proper metal joining techniques and sheet metal fabrication………Taught in ER121 & ER221



 ACTION NEEDED? NO

2 Institutional Learning Outcomes

 Evaluation (using criteria & tactics):

 Communication Skills: This topic is covered by requiring students to perform written reports for various

lab projects (writing skills), and by presenting lab findings in front of class (speaking skills)

 Critical Thinking Skills: Students are required to perform exercises in problem solving as part of lab work.

These tasks are evaluated by the instructors and reviewed with the student

 Social Responsibility Skills: Topics such as climate change and ozone depletion are discussed in various

classes and students are required to understand the roll that HVAC Technicians play in the proper sustainability of natural resources; and in being good stewards of the environment This topic plays into our EPA Refrigerant Certification

Personal Responsibility Skills: In all classes, students are expected to act professionally in the work environment

and are taught how to resolve conflict This area relates to what we refer to as “soft skills” and translates to professional treatment of customers in the HVAC field upon graduation This is also an area that needs

improvement

 ACTION NEEDED? YES - We need to continually develop and incorporate employability skills into various courses.

3 General Education

 Evaluation (using criteria & tactics):

 The general education portion of the degree program is relevant and is an important part of the overall education of the student

 ACTION NEEDED? NO

4 Experiential Learning

 Evaluation (using criteria & tactics):

 This area is covered by all instructors through sharing and relating to real world issues that each instructorhas encountered in their own field experiences In addition, students with prior field experience are encouraged toshare in classroom discussions

 Experiential learning is also conveyed through the use of field trips, where students receive exposure to HVAC opportunities and to different types of employment

 An area that needs to be explored is the incorporation of internships into the program This will allow students to include work experience on their resumes

 ACTION NEEDED? YES – We need to explore the potential for incorporating an internship program.

5 Distance Education Offerings

 Evaluation (using criteria & tactics):

 Distance Education Offerings are currently not available within our curriculum

 ACTION NEEDED? YES – We need to explore the opportunity for hybrid courses.

6 Program Student Learning Outcomes

 Evaluation (using criteria & tactics):

1 Prepare students for employment in HVAC occupations by providing learning opportunities that are in line with and meet industry standards.

Students are exposed to HVAC industry standards and practices as outlined by various trade organizations Proper equipment fundamentals and service techniques are taught in both classroom and lab, and then evaluated through testing, homework assignments and examinations

2 Prepare students for higher education by providing learning opportunities that establish required foundational skills.

The core curriculum as well as general education classes has been developed to fully transfer to partnering Universities that offer higher educational degrees

3 Prepare students how to act professionally in the work environment.

Students are taught “soft skills” that include proper appearance, as well as effective written and verbal communication skills that will be used when dealing with customers in the HVAC field

 ACTION NEEDED? YES – We need to continually develop and incorporate soft skills into various courses.

7 Course Sequences

 Evaluation (using criteria & tactics):

 A curricular map should be developed to review the program course sequences and see if they are viable and current

 ACTION NEEDED? YES



Program Data

A Perkins Indicators

2011 Performance Standards

State Performance Level Expected

GRCC Program Performance

Standard Met?1P1: % of CTE concentrators who passed technical skill

assessments that are aligned with industry-recognized standards 91.50% N/A N/A

2P1: % of CTE concentrators who received an industry-recognized

credential, a certificate, or a degree during the reporting year 33.85% 45.83% YES

3P1: % of CTE concentrators who remained enrolled in their

original postsecondary institution or transferred to another 2- or

4-year postsecondary institution during the reporting year and

who were enrolled in postsecondary education in the fall of the

previous reporting year

65.55% 75.00% YES

4P1: % of CTE concentrators who were placed or retained in

employment, or placed in military service or apprenticeship

programs in the 2nd quarter following the program year in which

they left postsecondary education

62.27% 0.00% NO

5P1: % of CTE participants from underrepresented gender groups

who participated in a program that leads to employment in

nontraditional fields during the reporting year

23.60% 2.88% NO

5P2: % of CTE concentrators from underrepresented gender

groups who completed a program that leads to employment in

nontraditional fields during the reporting year

20.60% 0.00% NO

Evaluation (using criteria & tactics):

More data is needed to determine the outcomes of these indicators

ACTION NEEDED? YES

B Transfer Student Success Rates (if data available)

Enter Transfer Success Data

This would be data that determines how many students transfer successfully to Ferris

Evaluation (using criteria & tactics):

More data is needed to determine transfer success rates

ACTION NEEDED? YES

C Licensure/Certification Pass Rates

Enter Pass Rate Data for the last three years

Following is data for the past 3 years of EPA 608 Certifications:

Certification requires a passing score for the core exam and at least one or more of the 3 category types