New-Mexico-State-U-Alamogordo-Final-Report

Executive: President, VP for Business and Finance, VP of Student Success, VP Academic Affairs Directors: Online Quality Assurance, Institutional Effectiveness, Curriculum and Assessment,

New Mexico State University Alamogordo - NM

HLC ID 1505

Dr Kenneth Van Winkle

Context and Nature of Review

Visit Date

2/13/2017

Mid-Cycle Reviews include:

The Year 4 Review in the Open and Standard Pathways

The Biennial Review for Applying institutions

Reaffirmation Reviews include:

The Year 10 Review in the Open and Standard Pathways

The Review for Initial Candidacy for Applying institutions

The Review for Initial Accreditation for Applying institutions

The Year 4 Review for Standard Pathway institutions that are in their first accreditation cycle after attaininginitial accreditation

NMSU-A has experienced a substantial enrollment decline in the past few years but appears to be adapting well tothe decline by carefully managing expenses and exploring opportunities for reaching out to new sources of potentialstudents NMSU-A has created reasonable enrollment projections, and as a result has developed a realistic budgetbased on the "new normal" enrollment

NMSU-A's current President Dr Kenneth Van Winkle, has been in the position just over 15 months He replaced apresident who served for 8 years Dr Van Winkle is highly regarded by both internal and external constituencies ofNMSU-A, and the substantive changes he has implemented in the NMSU-A organizational structure have broadsupport across the College

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The site team met with the following individuals during a series of 21 meetings held from Monday, February 13 at8:00 AM - Tuesday, February 14 at noon

Executive: President, VP for Business and Finance, VP of Student Success, VP Academic Affairs

Directors: Online Quality Assurance, Institutional Effectiveness, Curriculum and Assessment, Financial Aid, Career

and Technology Division, Assoc VP of Extended Programs, Fiscal Assistant, Marketing, Facilities, InformationTechnology, ALO/Institutional Research

Faculty: Arts & Sciences, English, Government, Philosophy, US History, Chair of Faculty Assembly, Business,

Adjunct, C&T, Basic Skills Instructor, Digital and Fine Arts, Psychology, Education, Allied Health, Marketing

Staff: Financial Aid advisors, HR Admin Staff Assistant, Accessibility Services Coordinator, HR Coordinator,

Administrative Assistants, Tutoring Coordinator, Lab Tech, Facilities Assistant, Library Assistant, Recruiter,

Academic Advisors, VPAA Admin Assistant, Accounts Payable, Purchasing

Advisory Board: Alamogordo School Board members, Alamogordo School Superintendent

Community: Chamber of Commerce President, Holloman Air Force Base Mission Support Group Commander

The team met formally with a group of 16 students who represented a variety of majors Four students were involved

in student government and several were a part of NMSU-A's work study programs The team also interacted

informally with several students

Additional Documents

The team reviewed the following additional documents:

NMSU proposed changes to rules impacting distance education

NMSU credit hour policy (6.20)

Printed copies of the Campus Connection Newsletter

Student artwork displayed in campus buildings

Posters of upcoming events

1 - Mission

The institution’s mission is clear and articulated publicly; it guides the institution’s operations

1.A - Core Component 1.A

The institution’s mission is broadly understood within the institution and guides its operations

1 The mission statement is developed through a process suited to the nature and culture of the

institution and is adopted by the governing board

2 The institution’s academic programs, student support services, and enrollment profile are

consistent with its stated mission

3 The institution’s planning and budgeting priorities align with and support the mission (This

sub-component may be addressed by reference to the response to Criterion 5.C.1.)

Rating

Met

Evidence

New Mexico State University Alamogordo (NMSU-A) is an open-access community college, one of

four community college campuses in the New Mexico State University (NMSU) system NMSU-A's

chief executive is the NMSU-A President, who was selected by the NMSU system chancellor after a

national search NMSU-A is autonomous from a mission, vision, values, and strategic planning

perspective, but the NMSU system has substantial oversight and NMSU-A's mission must align with

the NMSU system's mission

The mission of NMSU is to: serve the educational needs of New Mexico’s diverse population through

comprehensive programs of education, research, extension education, and public service.

The mission of NMSU-A is: to provide quality learning opportunities for individuals in the diverse

community we serve.

A's mission, vision, and most of the values statements were adopted in 2004 In 2016,

NMSU-A reviewed and updated the mission as a part of the College's Learning Signature Implementation

Plan The Learning Signature was developed in response to a desire of the College to improve its

assessment processes The College describes a learning signature as:

the institution’s definition of an educated person, and articulates the intended unique qualities of

the campus learning environment that enrich and support student learning toward development of

the values and skills considered important for all students at the institution

NMSU-A's assurance argument and site visit team interviews with faculty, staff, and administrators at

the College confirm that appropriate stakeholders were involved with the development and review of

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NMSU-A offers programs in engineering, renewable energy, information technology, automotive,

education, business, criminal justice, health, and arts and sciences The programs are an appropriate

combination of transfer programs and programs that lead directly to careers and are appropriately

aligned to NMSU-A's mission of providing quality learning opportunities

NMSU-A's student demographics show the College's enrollment profile is consistent with its stated

mission The proportion of Hispanic enrollment at the College exceeds the 2015 U.S Census

estimates for the College's service area; other student demographics are of similar proportion to U.S

census data NMSU-A recognizes an opportunity to attract a higher number of American Indian and

Alaskan Native population and emphasized outreach efforts and limitations with attracting this

population The College provides a variety of educational opportunities, including high quality online

courses which are available to all students and are especially suited to the Military and Veteran

population The value of the online offerings to military students was reinforced by interviews with

NMSU-A's Advisory Board Ex-Officio Member, an Air Force Colonel who represents the Holloman

Air Force Station In support of immediate workforce needs, NMSU-A, in partnership with NMSU,

offers baccalaureate programming in Nursing and Education

NMSU-A serves students and the local community by providing face-to-face tutoring through

the Academic Support Center, library services through the Townsend Library, and other services in

support of NMSU-A student success Services are provided online as needed The tutoring center and

library are open to the Alamogordo community members, whether or not they are registered students

The site visit teams' interview with the Vice President for Business and Finance, President, and

Strategic Planning Team indicate that budgeting is aligned with the Strategic Plan as evidenced in

financial commitments allocated to the retention plan and Learning Signature Implementation plan

Interim Monitoring (if applicable)

No Interim Monitoring Recommended.

1.B - Core Component 1.B

The mission is articulated publicly

1 The institution clearly articulates its mission through one or more public documents, such as

statements of purpose, vision, values, goals, plans, or institutional priorities

2 The mission document or documents are current and explain the extent of the institution’s

emphasis on the various aspects of its mission, such as instruction, scholarship, research,application of research, creative works, clinical service, public service, economic development,and religious or cultural purpose

3 The mission document or documents identify the nature, scope, and intended constituents of the

higher education programs and services the institution provides

Rating

Met

Evidence

NMSU-A clearly articulates its mission The statements are included in the 2016-2017 NMSU-A

Strategic Plan, the Vision 2020 Strategic Plan alignment document, the College website, the printed

and online course catalogs, the student handbook, and course syllabi Interviews with various

stakeholder groups confirmed the College mission and strategic plan is widely understood

NMSU-A’s purpose, vision, values, goals, plans and institutional priorities are defined in the

College's Strategic Plan, which includes key performance indicators

The strategic plan includes four goals:

Recruitment/Student SuccessCommunity Engagement and Economic DevelopmentResource Stewardship

Diversity and Internationalization Each strategic goal identifies specific strategies to achieve the goal and key performance indicators

which are used to measure progress towards attaining the goal

NMSU-A's intended constituents are explicitly stated in the mission documents; the College serves

individuals in the communities in NMSU-A's service area Goal 2 of the strategic plan states the

College will support economic development of the region and offer courses that address local

workforce demands During on-site interviews, the site team was provided clear evidence that the

College works closely with local economic development entities and aligns services the College

provides to meet workforce and community needs

Interim Monitoring (if applicable)

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1.C - Core Component 1.C

The institution understands the relationship between its mission and the diversity of society

1 The institution addresses its role in a multicultural society

2 The institution’s processes and activities reflect attention to human diversity as appropriate

within its mission and for the constituencies it serves

Rating

Met

Evidence

NMSU-A addresses its role in a multicultural society in several ways At the highest level, the

College's mission statement, To provide quality learning opportunities for individuals in the diverse

communities we serve [emphasis added] provides clear evidence that NMSU-A understands its

relationship between its mission and the diversity of society

NMSU-A understands the unique needs of various groups among its student population and

employees The College's initiatives are designed in part with the needs of different populations in

mind For example, the College sponsors a Native American student group, a Latin American student

group, and offers course sections at the local high school and at Holloman Air Force Base NMSU-A

addresses age diversity by offering courses for senior citizens and high school students Senior

Citizens can take courses for $5.00/credit hour

Another initiative related to diversity is the College's outreach to American Indian students Although

currently underrepresented, NMSU-A is working to reach this population through recruitment

strategies NMSU-A also has a representative who meets with the Tribal Education office to

determine how they can meet the needs of American Indian students

NMSU-A is in the final year of Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) grants These grants helped the

College design strategies to assist first generation Hispanic students and enabled the improvement of

STEM programs to provide students with the equipment needed to prepare for in-demand careers The

College also created a program for the German military and their families housed at Holloman Air

Force base The program, ABITUR, is designed to bridge the differences between the German and

U.S educational systems

NMSU-A offers dual credit courses to high school students Students can take classes offered on their

high school campus, taught by NMSU-A faculty, on-campus, or online The involvement with the

high schools also include a staffed kiosk at the local high school to offer educational support High

school students can also use the NMSU-A’s tutoring center at no cost Evidence of the success of

these initiatives is shown by the accomplishment of four dual credit students in the past two years

who received an Associate degree at the same time they graduated from high school

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Interim Monitoring (if applicable)

No Interim Monitoring Recommended.

1.D - Core Component 1.D

The institution’s mission demonstrates commitment to the public good

1 Actions and decisions reflect an understanding that in its educational role the institution serves

the public, not solely the institution, and thus entails a public obligation

2 The institution’s educational responsibilities take primacy over other purposes, such as

generating financial returns for investors, contributing to a related or parent organization, orsupporting external interests

3 The institution engages with its identified external constituencies and communities of interest

and responds to their needs as its mission and capacity allow

Rating

Met

Evidence

NMSU-A's Strategic Plan includes four specific goals; goal 2 relates to community and states:

Community Engagement & Economic Development: To engage the local community in activities

that supports the mission of the community college and serves the needs of the local citizens of

the region In addition, the community college will offer appropriate courses to enrich the lives of

its students and in turn supply the region with a highly trained workforce

This strategic plan goal includes several specific strategies related to improving the College’s

outreach by enhancing communication, increasing community engagement by offering noncredit

training, supporting the area’s businesses, and advancing student engagement in the local community

The College has identified a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) related to this goal, hired a marketing

director, and started a College Bound program to encourage elementary school students to think about

attending college

By New Mexico State statute, the NMSU-A budget is approved by the Alamogordo Public School

Board, which is NMSU-A's Advisory Board A meeting with representatives from the board provided

clear evidence that NMSU-A works closely with the local public schools to create programs that serve

the public interest

NMSU-A works closely with the local Chamber of Commerce and the College President is a member

of the local economic development board The President is also involved with the “Committee of

Fifty” in the Alamogordo area; the committee is a group of community leaders who address the

unique community needs of the Holloman Air Force base

NMSU-A is also collaborating with several area health care providers to create certificate and degree

pathways for health-related programs which are in high demand This includes partnering with other

community colleges to provide degrees such as the Surgical Technologist degree and four-year

college partners to provide the BSN on the Alamogordo campus

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No Interim Monitoring Recommended.

1.S - Criterion 1 - Summary

The institution’s mission is clear and articulated publicly; it guides the institution’s operations

Evidence

NMSU-A has developed a clear, publicly articulated mission through a process involving the entire

campus community The mission guides NMSU-A's operations and the College's Strategic Plan The

Strategic Plan includes four explicitly stated goals, strategies for achieving the goals, and Key

Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure progress towards achieving the goals

NMSU-A has acknowledged a need to develop and publish program learning outcomes for every

program, and has taken steps to complete this in a timely manner As program learning outcomes are

finalized, The College is encouraged to continue its progress in developing measures to determine the

degree to which graduates achieve the program learning outcomes

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2 - Integrity: Ethical and Responsible Conduct

The institution acts with integrity; its conduct is ethical and responsible

2.A - Core Component 2.A

The institution operates with integrity in its financial, academic, personnel, and auxiliary functions; it

establishes and follows policies and processes for fair and ethical behavior on the part of its governing

board, administration, faculty, and staff

Rating

Met

Evidence

NMSU-A follows the business and financial policies and procedures established for NMSU, which

enable the institution to operate with integrity in its financial, academic, personnel and auxiliary

functions These policies are found in the NMSU Regents Policy Manual (RPM) (Chapter 2),

Administrative Rules and Procedures (ARP), and the Business Procedures Manual NMSU-A uses a

conservative budgeting philosophy and budgets for a reserve of 10%-15% of the annual operating

budget

NMSU-A develops and administers its budget, but purchase orders, payroll, checks to vendors,

financial audits, and other fiscal services are managed centrally in the NMSU system office

Historically, approximately 60% of NMSU-A's budget has been allocated to academic and student

services

The integrity of academic learning is evidenced by the institution's academic freedom policy The

academic freedom policy is outlined in the RPM and applied in the ARP with respect to freedom of

expression and academic freedom Students must also follow the student code of conduct as described

in the student handbook in the section on Academic Misconduct This information is also available in

the catalog, online at the college website, and shared at student orientation

Statements of the seriousness of plagiarism are located in the student handbook, catalog, and course

syllabi Disciplinary and grievance procedures for both academic and non-academic behavior are

described in detail in the student handbook under the section for both social conduct and academic

misconduct

NMSU-A also has a well-established and widely publicized student complaint process The process is

clearly available on the website NMSU-A uses ethicspoint.com for students, staff, or members of the

general public who want to confidentially report an issue

Student services and the financial aid office are transparent in the disclosure of student fees, which are

clearly displayed on the website along with a cost calculator Students are made aware of their rights

and responsibilities through student right-to-know information published on the website, and

discussed during financial aid advising and public recruiting events

Interim Monitoring (if applicable)

No Interim Monitoring Recommended.

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2.B - Core Component 2.B

The institution presents itself clearly and completely to its students and to the public with regard to its

programs, requirements, faculty and staff, costs to students, control, and accreditation relationships

Rating

Met

Evidence

NMSU-A clearly, completely, and transparently presents itself to its students and the public by

disclosing information about its programs, tuition, fees, and book costs, transfer policies, and

accreditation relationships in the catalog and on the website This information is also published

through social media outlets, marketing materials, the Campus Connection newsletter, and the student

handbook

All student right-to-know information, student outcome data, and net price calculators are published

on the college website The HLC’s mark of affiliation is also displayed on the website

NMSU-A provided the site visit team a database of all full-time and part-time faculty with their

course assignments The team randomly chose four full-time and four part-time faculty names from

the list and reviewed credentials of those faculty The reviews showed that the faculty were qualified

to teach the courses assigned

A need for improvement recognized by NMSU-A is that program learning outcomes are in various

stages of development for each program, and are not yet included in the catalog or on the program

pages of the College's website

Interim Monitoring (if applicable)

No Interim Monitoring Recommended.

2.C - Core Component 2.C

The governing board of the institution is sufficiently autonomous to make decisions in the best

interest of the institution and to assure its integrity

1 The governing board’s deliberations reflect priorities to preserve and enhance the institution

2 The governing board reviews and considers the reasonable and relevant interests of the

institution’s internal and external constituencies during its decision-making deliberations

3 The governing board preserves its independence from undue influence on the part of donors,

elected officials, ownership interests or other external parties when such influence would not be

in the best interest of the institution

4 The governing board delegates day-to-day management of the institution to the administration

and expects the faculty to oversee academic matters

Rating

Met

Evidence

NMSU-A is governed by a Board of Regents for the New Mexico State University (NMSU) System

The Board includes four members of the general public and one student member, all of whom are

appointed by the governor The NMSU Board of Regents oversees operations at the five New Mexico

State University campuses NMSU-A prepares a budget which is approved by a local advisory board,

develops its budget, and tracks its spending using a monthly budget variance report prepared by

NMSU-A's CFO The site visit team confirmed that the NMSU-A administration works closely with

the NMSU system but is sufficiently autonomous to make decisions in the best interest of NMSU-A

Approximately 75%-80% of NMSU-A's operating revenue comes from the state system; NMSU-A

remits 4% of its revenue to the system to offset administrative expenses

NMSU-A's President reports directly to the NMSU system Chancellor The NMSU-A Advisory board

is made up of the five-elected members of the Alamogordo Public School Board of Education The

Advisory Board approves the annual operating budget of NMSU-A and also approves the NMSU-A

local property tax levy request The current property tax is collect at 1 mill and generates

approximately $600,000 per year for NMSU-A The relationship between NMSU-A and the

Alamogordo Public School Board is codified in an Operating Agreement

Day to day management is overseen by the NMSU-A administration The President oversees the

entire campus activities and exercises shared governance through the Administrative Council and

other committees on campus Faculty, staff and students have the opportunity to be involved in this

process by belonging to a committee on campus, and participating in the shared governance process

Faculty oversee academic matters on NMSU-A's campus This is accomplished through the Faculty

Assembly consortium, which meets monthly and provides a forum to address institutional concerns

Representatives to the Faculty Assembly Consortium are elected by NMSU-A faculty and adjunct

faculty and advise the administration on all academic policies Faculty also oversee academic matters

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Affairs Through the NMSU-A Academic Council, faculty also make recommendations concerning

administrative polices and rules and procedures for the College

Two members of the NMSU-A faculty also hold seats on the NMSU Faculty Senate This

system-wide committee approves all academic changes before the proposed changes are sent to the NMSU

Academic Council and the NMSU Board of Regents for consideration

Interim Monitoring (if applicable)

NMSU-A ‘s policy and procedures reflect good practice in the acquisition, discovery, and application

of knowledge by the faculty, staff, and students The college has an IRB that is responsible for

overseeing all research conducted at NMSU-A involving human subjects

Students at NMSU-A are trained in library resources and research tools in classes as well as part of

their classroom instruction, online classes, library, and academic support center Specific references to

ethical use of information are also found on Academic Misconduct and Standards for Student Social

Conduct in the student handbook Policies on plagiarism are included in course syllabi, the College

catalog, and the student code of conduct NMSU-A has detailed policies for ensuring that students

maintain academic honesty and integrity NMSU-A also follows the NMSU guidelines and policies

which describe the expectations for the ethical and honest use of information sources, and has

communicated expectations to students in the NMSU-A Institutional Learning Outcomes

Interim Monitoring (if applicable)

No Interim Monitoring Recommended.

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2.E - Core Component 2.E

The institution’s policies and procedures call for responsible acquisition, discovery and application of

knowledge by its faculty, students and staff

1 The institution provides effective oversight and support services to ensure the integrity of

research and scholarly practice conducted by its faculty, staff, and students

2 Students are offered guidance in the ethical use of information resources

3 The institution has and enforces policies on academic honesty and integrity

Rating

Met

Evidence

NMSU-A provided evidence the College is committed to the responsible acquisition and discovery of

knowledge in several ways The College demonstrates an unwavering commitment to freedom of

expression through the academic freedom policies outlined in the NMSU system Administrative

Rules and Procedures (ARP) Discussions with faculty and staff confirmed that faculty embrace their

commitment to academic freedom and the pursuit of truth in teaching and learning

Faculty have a strong voice in managing policies related to the oversight of scholarly practice The

Faculty Senate is a system-level body with two elected faculty representatives from each college The

Faculty Senate approves recommended changes to academic policies prior to consideration by the

Board of Regents At the NMSU-A local level, faculty elect representatives from both full- and

part-time faculty to a Faculty Assembly, which addresses issues of direct interest to faculty at NMSU-A

Students are offered guidance in the ethical use of information Plagiarism and other academic

misconduct policies are stated clearly on NMSU-A's website, in the College Catalog, and in the

Student Handbook An Academic Appeals Board, whose members include three faculty and two

students, hears academic-related grievances and provides a recommendation to the VPAA for

resolution of the grievance

Interim Monitoring (if applicable)

No Interim Monitoring Recommended.

2.S - Criterion 2 - Summary

The institution acts with integrity; its conduct is ethical and responsible

Evidence

NMSU-A operates with integrity and conducts itself in an ethical and responsible manner This is

evidenced by NMSU-A's policies, transparent and inclusive planning processes, governance structure,

and communication with students regarding disclosures of tuition and fees The College also

publishes appropriate information related to FERPA, Title IX, and student code of conduct on its

website and communicates with students regarding its mission, strategic planning, and goals

The site team recommends that NMSU-A continue efforts to develop program learning outcomes for

every program, and publish the learning outcomes and assessment of student progress towards

achieving the program learning outcomes on the website

The site team also recommends that NMSU-A update the operating agreement with the Alamogordo

Public School System The copy provided in the evidence file was dated 2012 It is possible the

agreement renews automatically but this was not clear in the agreement

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3 - Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support

The institution provides high quality education, wherever and however its offerings are delivered

3.A - Core Component 3.A

The institution’s degree programs are appropriate to higher education

1 Courses and programs are current and require levels of performance by students appropriate to

the degree or certificate awarded

2 The institution articulates and differentiates learning goals for undergraduate, graduate,

post-baccalaureate, post-graduate, and certificate programs

3 The institution’s program quality and learning goals are consistent across all modes of delivery

and all locations (on the main campus, at additional locations, by distance delivery, as dualcredit, through contractual or consortial arrangements, or any other modality)

Rating

Met

Evidence

Review of the curriculum review process and interviews with faculty, administrators and Director for

Curriculum and Assessment validated the rigor in NMSU-A's new course and program development

and substantive course and program change processes Programs undergo a program review on a

5-year cycle and program assessment annually to validate efficiency, currency, resources and

sustainability Program advisory boards exist to support currency of programmatic offerings,

primarily in the career and technical side

Student Learning outcomes are included in syllabi and applied consistently in all modalities including

online and dual credit Dual credit offerings are NMSU-A courses offered on campus, with limited

offerings in Alamogordo High School, and utilize College syllabi, expectations, and faculty Distance

Education offerings are consistent with face-to-face offerings; faculty who teach distance education

courses are required to complete multiple layers of training prior to assignment to the courses,

ensuring quality and consistency NMSU-A makes extensive use of the Quality Matters rubrics and

several faculty members are qualified as reviewers Interviews with students confirmed a consistent

level of quality of courses, programs and support services

NMSU-A faculty have developed program-level goals/learning outcomes for most programs but these

are not currently listed in the College catalog or on the website and are not generally available to

students It is highly recommended that the program goals be finalized for all programs and made

publicly available by way of the college catalog and other communication methods

Interim Monitoring (if applicable)

No Interim Monitoring Recommended.

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3.B - Core Component 3.B

The institution demonstrates that the exercise of intellectual inquiry and the acquisition, application,

and integration of broad learning and skills are integral to its educational programs

1 The general education program is appropriate to the mission, educational offerings, and degree

levels of the institution

2 The institution articulates the purposes, content, and intended learning outcomes of its

undergraduate general education requirements The program of general education is grounded

in a philosophy or framework developed by the institution or adopted from an establishedframework It imparts broad knowledge and intellectual concepts to students and develops skillsand attitudes that the institution believes every college-educated person should possess

3 Every degree program offered by the institution engages students in collecting, analyzing, and

communicating information; in mastering modes of inquiry or creative work; and in developingskills adaptable to changing environments

4 The education offered by the institution recognizes the human and cultural diversity of the

world in which students live and work

5 The faculty and students contribute to scholarship, creative work, and the discovery of

knowledge to the extent appropriate to their programs and the institution’s mission

Rating

Met

Evidence

General Education is a core requirement specified by the New Mexico Higher Education Department

(NMHED) and requires five areas including communication, mathematics, laboratory sciences, social

and behavioral sciences, and humanities and fine arts These requirements are applicable to each

associate degree program

NMSU-A participated in the HLC Assessment Academy in 2014, which resulted in the development

of the NMSU-A Learning Signature including Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILO), which are

embedded outcomes in all degree and certificate programmatic offerings for the institution NMSU-A

has developed course outcome alignments, which map course learning outcomes to NMHED general

education core outcomes and now NMSU-A Institutional Learning Outcomes

NMSU-A identifies its institutional learning outcomes as follows:

Diversity and Ethical Principles

An interview of the ILO committee, faculty and Director of Curriculum and Assessment validated the

utilization of Institutional Learning Outcomes in all programmatic offerings and embedding

assessment of meeting these outcomes into the program assessment process

NMSU-A recognizes the importance of cultural diversity of the world on which students live and

work, and codify this into the Institutional Learning Outcome "Diversity and Ethical Principles."

Faculty, Administrator, Staff and Student interviews validated engagement in scholarly work Faculty

obtained competitive grants which afforded students the opportunity to apply learned concepts in the

field Students in Allied Health programs provide community services including first-aid and medical

support in various sponsored events Displayed art in campus buildings demonstrated the College's

appreciation for student and faculty scholarly work

Interim Monitoring (if applicable)

No Interim Monitoring Recommended.

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3.C - Core Component 3.C

The institution has the faculty and staff needed for effective, high-quality programs and student

services

1 The institution has sufficient numbers and continuity of faculty members to carry out both the

classroom and the non-classroom roles of faculty, including oversight of the curriculum andexpectations for student performance; establishment of academic credentials for instructionalstaff; involvement in assessment of student learning

2 All instructors are appropriately qualified, including those in dual credit, contractual, and

consortial programs

3 Instructors are evaluated regularly in accordance with established institutional policies and

procedures

4 The institution has processes and resources for assuring that instructors are current in their

disciplines and adept in their teaching roles; it supports their professional development

5 Instructors are accessible for student inquiry

6 Staff members providing student support services, such as tutoring, financial aid advising,

academic advising, and co-curricular activities, are appropriately qualified, trained, andsupported in their professional development

Rating

Met

Evidence

NMSU-A demonstrates that it has sufficient faculty to fill its instructional and non-instructional

needs In meetings with faculty, the site visit team learned faculty are taking on additional duties as

the budget is getting tighter due to lower enrollment numbers Faculty are appropriately credentialed

for credit courses, including faculty teaching dual credit courses The institution provided a database

of all full-time and part-time faculty with their course assignments The team randomly picked

four full-time and four part-time faculty names from the list and reviewed credentials of those faculty

They were all qualified to teach the courses assigned. 

Policies are in place for regular evaluation for faculty and instructors per the ARP of NMSU and

NMSU-A Promotion and Tenure procedures manual All regular faculty members are evaluated

annually Part-time faculty members are evaluated at least once every two years by the Assistant

Division Head Similar policies are in place for staff hiring and evaluation A review of randomly

selected personnel files confirmed evaluations are being completed regularly

Professional development opportunities are a part of NMSU-A's standard budgeting each year

Faculty can apply for sabbaticals, which grant up to a year of time off to participate in

discipline-related research In addition, several professional development opportunities exist for both faculty and

staff in the form of on-campus seminars, brown bag lunches, guest speakers, and off-campus live and

recorded video events These are advertised in various ways including the Campus Connection

publication Additionally, divisions and departments have professional development travel funds

where faculty travel to state, regional, and national meetings

Interim Monitoring (if applicable)

No Interim Monitoring Recommended.

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3.D - Core Component 3.D

The institution provides support for student learning and effective teaching

1 The institution provides student support services suited to the needs of its student populations

2 The institution provides for learning support and preparatory instruction to address the

academic needs of its students It has a process for directing entering students to courses andprograms for which the students are adequately prepared

3 The institution provides academic advising suited to its programs and the needs of its students

4 The institution provides to students and instructors the infrastructure and resources necessary to

support effective teaching and learning (technological infrastructure, scientific laboratories,libraries, performance spaces, clinical practice sites, museum collections, as appropriate to theinstitution’s offerings)

5 The institution provides to students guidance in the effective use of research and information

resources

Rating

Met

Evidence

NMSU-A provides several support services suited to the needs of its student populations, including

online students These services include career services, counseling, financial aid, academic support,

and disability services Information regarding these is published in the catalog and on the College’s

website NMSU-A provides co-curricular student activities that contribute to the development of

students These activities include programs related to health and wellness and student clubs and

organizations Students expressed a concern about the lack of a bookstore on campus and also

expressed a desire for additional student activities that would provide connections to other students

As stated on the admissions webpage for NMSU-A, new students are required to have a high school

diploma or GED and complete appropriate placement tests A student is directed to appropriate

courses based on placement test scores Newly admitted students are required to consult with an

academic adviser and participate in either a face-to-face or online orientation session prior to

registering for classes

Advising services are offered on campus, online, and at Holloman Air Force Base NMSU-A

hired Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL) as a consultant to help identify challenges with decreasing

enrollment RNL found that the current advising structure was not effective and NMSU-A

implemented specific changes as a result In spring 2017, NMSU is implementing Ellucian CRM

(Customer Relationship Management) Advise to improve student engagement

NMSU-A uses embedded tutors in developmental reading and some English and math classes, and

provides informal regular tutoring sessions within various academic programs The Learning

Technology Center (LTC) provides instruction and support for students in computer skills and

technology usage

Based on the institution’s student code of conduct policy, which addresses plagiarism and academic

dishonesty, and its acceptable use of technology policy, there is sufficient evidence that NMSU-A

provides students guidance in the effective use of research and information resources

Interim Monitoring (if applicable)

No Interim Monitoring Recommended.

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3.E - Core Component 3.E

The institution fulfills the claims it makes for an enriched educational environment

1 Co-curricular programs are suited to the institution’s mission and contribute to the educational

experience of its students

2 The institution demonstrates any claims it makes about contributions to its students’ educational

experience by virtue of aspects of its mission, such as research, community engagement, servicelearning, religious or spiritual purpose, and economic development

Rating

Met

Evidence

NMSU-A gives students the opportunity to participate in co-curricular activities that complement

their coursework Students are given the opportunity to develop leadership skills by participating in

student government or other student organizations Examples of student organizations include:

STEM ClubPhi Theta Kappa-for students with a GPA over 3.5Campus Christian Fellowship

League of United Latin American CitizenSocial Science Club

National Society of Leadership and SuccessNMSU-A also has examples of co-curricular activities in the classroom A biology class visited

elementary students to encourage them to develop gardening skills They then worked with the

students to clean up an established garden and to help plant vegetables Another example is illustrated

by the Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Students project with the Forest Rangers to determine age, rate

and disease in trees

Six students also participated in the Summer Community College Opportunity for Research

Experience in 2016, which is a statewide program for students in STEM fields This program helps

community college students find research opportunities

Other examples of co-curricular activities include:

Allied Heath provides students and faculty with first aid and medical support for the annualBataan Memorial Death March This is an activity that honors WWII Bataan Prisoners of Warand the suffering they endured The students who participate through training in the lab settingfor identifying environmental factors that affect health They also offer blood pressure, bloodglucose and body mass index checks at health fairs

Health and Wellness day was hosted at NMSU-A with the community to give informationabout health and wellness

Alamogordo Aggie Cupboard distributes food to those with needs

Take Back the Night Alamogordo is an event to support people who have experienced abuseConstitution Day featuring discussion about the first amendment right to free speech.

Black History Month-including exhibit at the Library and a movie available to the publicTurtle habitat assistance to re-establish a healthy population

Native American Heritage DayVeteran’s Day

Diversity and Inclusion Fair to bring awareness to Americans with disabilities and mentalhealth

Summit on Hunger and Homelessness in Otero County, co-sponsoring with the Otero HungerCoalition

Earth Day gave students the opportunity to learn about the university’s renewable energyprogram and learn ways to recycle

Banned Book DayMilitary Appreciation DayVolleyball camp for local sixth to twelfth grade studentsPokemonGo

Interim Monitoring (if applicable)

No Interim Monitoring Recommended.

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3.S - Criterion 3 - Summary

The institution provides high quality education, wherever and however its offerings are delivered

Evidence

There is considerable evidence to support that NMSU-A provides instruction, educational activities,

and support services that are consistent with its mission The College offers co-curricular

programming, internships, and service learning opportunities for students It is clear that the College

provides an adequate infrastructure and resources that align with expectations for high quality

services

The site visit team sensed a high level of cooperation among academic and administrative

departments, despite budget challenges Educational quality and student learning are the prime

considerations for decision making across NMSU-A

4 - Teaching and Learning: Evaluation and Improvement

The institution demonstrates responsibility for the quality of its educational programs, learning

environments, and support services, and it evaluates their effectiveness for student learning through

processes designed to promote continuous improvement

4.A - Core Component 4.A

The institution demonstrates responsibility for the quality of its educational programs

1 The institution maintains a practice of regular program reviews

2 The institution evaluates all the credit that it transcripts, including what it awards for

experiential learning or other forms of prior learning, or relies on the evaluation of responsiblethird parties

3 The institution has policies that assure the quality of the credit it accepts in transfer

4 The institution maintains and exercises authority over the prerequisites for courses, rigor of

courses, expectations for student learning, access to learning resources, and facultyqualifications for all its programs, including dual credit programs It assures that its dual creditcourses or programs for high school students are equivalent in learning outcomes and levels ofachievement to its higher education curriculum

5 The institution maintains specialized accreditation for its programs as appropriate to its

educational purposes

6 The institution evaluates the success of its graduates The institution assures that the degree or

certificate programs it represents as preparation for advanced study or employment accomplishthese purposes For all programs, the institution looks to indicators it deems appropriate to itsmission, such as employment rates, admission rates to advanced degree programs, andparticipation rates in fellowships, internships, and special programs (e.g., Peace Corps andAmericorps)

Rating

Met

Evidence

Interviews with the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA), Director of Curriculum and

Assessment, Division Heads, Assistant Division Heads, Institutional Learning Outcomes Team and

Faculty confirmed the implementation and utilization of program reviews, with a 5-year cycle The

Program reviews address need, sustainability and resources for the program; where academic

assessment of programs is part of a different process ‘Program Assessment’ which is an annual

assessment of program outcomes Review of sample program assessments document reflection on

prior year results, recommendations for the changes to improve results in the upcoming year, and a

reflection of the results from prior recommendations

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and Credit by Examination The evaluation of the credits occurs at NMSU, where the registrar is

housed The NMSU-A Course Catalog clearly denotes course pre-requisites

NMSU-A ensures that faculty are qualified to teach a course by maintaining a database with all

full-and part-time faculty The faculty assure course rigor full-and expectations by way of common course

objectives, which are evaluated annually through the course assessment forms Distance Education

courses are Quality Matters approved; online faculty must undergo an online teaching course and

Canvas training prior to course assignment to ensure quality of instruction

To validate quality, rigor and integrity of distance education offerings, NMSU-A has partnered with

ProctorU as documented in their argument, validated with interviews with faculty and syllabi

presented to the site visit team

NMSU-A does not currently have any specialized accreditations

NMSU-A, in partnership with the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (labor

department) and data from the NMSU Banner data system, tracks student completion, transfer and

employment data The three-year average employed or continued education for NMSU-A graduates is

85.6%

Interim Monitoring (if applicable)

No Interim Monitoring Recommended.

4.B - Core Component 4.B

The institution demonstrates a commitment to educational achievement and improvement through

ongoing assessment of student learning

1 The institution has clearly stated goals for student learning and effective processes for

assessment of student learning and achievement of learning goals

2 The institution assesses achievement of the learning outcomes that it claims for its curricular

and co-curricular programs

3 The institution uses the information gained from assessment to improve student learning

4 The institution’s processes and methodologies to assess student learning reflect good practice,

including the substantial participation of faculty and other instructional staff members

Rating

Met

Evidence

NMSU-A engages in academic assessment at the course and program level, addressing course-level

outcomes and some program-level outcomes Sample Program Assessment reports and the

relationship of course level outcomes and program outcomes were provided These assessments

document findings and recommendations for improvements The program assessments occur

annually, and reflect on prior recommendations at each iteration of the assessment

Student Learning Outcomes are clearly articulated in all course syllabi and are assessed every term the

course is offered Faculty submit assessment plans that include two learning outcomes being assessed,

as well as an appropriate assessment tool The assessment includes a reflection of outcomes and

recommendations for improvement NMSU-A modified the process from individual faculty

submissions to team submissions for multi-section courses This was evidenced by sample

submissions during the site visit

A review of the Canvas LMS demonstrates the presence of template course assessment and program

assessment documents as well as program outcomes for most programs Submission of course

assessments and program assessments were reviewed by the site visit team, and confirmed NMSU-A's

processes for documenting the reflection of assessment outcomes Feedback is provided to faculty by

the Director of Curriculum and Assessment, including recommendations for improvement and in few

cases, reflection of outcomes of change implementation The Canvas workspace is made available to

faculty to review assessment outcomes Recommendations are documented in the annual assessment

report

NMSU-A has defined Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs) and has mapped them to New Mexico

Core competencies Interviews with Faculty, the ILO committee, the VPAA, and the Director of

Curriculum and Assessment confirmed that ILO’s are being mapped to existing courses in all

programming and embedded into the program assessment process This is a relatively new process for

NMSU-A but is embraced by the faculty

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curricular activities Interview of Faculty, Staff and Administrators reinforced the value of service

learning, experiential experiences, including internships, grant funded experiences and field work in

support of student success

Interviews with the Director of Curriculum and Assessment, VPAA, Division Heads and Assistant

Division Heads and Faculty indicate participation of all layers of the institution in the assessment of

student learning

Interim Monitoring (if applicable)

No Interim Monitoring Recommended.

4.C - Core Component 4.C

The institution demonstrates a commitment to educational improvement through ongoing attention to

retention, persistence, and completion rates in its degree and certificate programs

1 The institution has defined goals for student retention, persistence, and completion that are

ambitious but attainable and appropriate to its mission, student populations, and educationalofferings

2 The institution collects and analyzes information on student retention, persistence, and

completion of its programs

3 The institution uses information on student retention, persistence, and completion of programs

to make improvements as warranted by the data

4 The institution’s processes and methodologies for collecting and analyzing information on

student retention, persistence, and completion of programs reflect good practice (Institutionsare not required to use IPEDS definitions in their determination of persistence or completionrates Institutions are encouraged to choose measures that are suitable to their student

populations, but institutions are accountable for the validity of their measures.)

Rating

Met

Evidence

NMSU-A defines goals for retention, persistence, and completion in three separate but aligned plans:

the Strategic Plan, Retention Plan, and the Learning Signature Outcomes plan NMSU-A uses a

combination of IPEDS data, NMSU system data, and locally developed metrics to measure the

success of improvement efforts

NMSU-A's Strategic Plan is aligned with the NMSU system plan Goal 1 of the strategic plan

addresses recruitment and student success, and NMSU-A has identified the specific metrics of

enrollment growth, retention rate, and transfer rate (among others) as KPIs tracked to measure

retention, persistence, and completion

NMSU-A's Retention Plan includes detailed goals for major enrollment KPIs NMSU-A has

established a goal of 50% for fall-to-fall retention rate for fall 2015 student, 52% for fall 2016

students, and tracks students by appropriate sub-groups to facilitate the development of group-specific

strategies NMSU-A has provided clear evidence the College analyzes data to develop improvement

strategies, and updates the retention plan each year

NMSU-A's Learning Signature Plan is designed to guide the College's efforts to improve the campus

learning environment in four key areas: institutional learning outcomes, student learning experiences,

co-curricular learning outcomes, and student support services NMSU-A's Learning Signature Plan

narrative and on-site interviews confirm that College employees at all levels understand that

improving student success requires a coordinated effort among departments across the College

Further evidence of NMSU-A's commitment to educational improvement through attention to

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instruction by implementing Quality Matters reviews for online courses, requiring Quality Matters

training for faculty teaching online courses, and the development of specific strategies to improve

advising and other non-academic services which impact retention and persistence NMSU-A is also

investigating the impact of course scheduling and co-requisite/pre-requisite course sequences

NMSU-A reported the current status of KPI's in a summary report For example, the current

fall-to-spring retention rate is 72% compared to a goal of 79.8%; the fall-to-fall rate was 48.9% compared to

a target of 60% The College also identified a need to improve data collection in a few KPIs such as

employment data for graduates

The College has identified timelines and assigned specific parties responsible for the execution of

action plans Interviews with faculty, staff and administrators collectively indicated awareness of

student success measures and a commitment to using data to inform improvements in student

retention, persistence, and completion

Interim Monitoring (if applicable)

No Interim Monitoring Recommended.

4.S - Criterion 4 - Summary

The institution demonstrates responsibility for the quality of its educational programs, learning

environments, and support services, and it evaluates their effectiveness for student learning through

processes designed to promote continuous improvement

Evidence

NMSU-A clearly demonstrated responsibility for the quality of its educational offerings The College

sets learning outcomes for courses and most programs, publishes course learning outcomes, and uses

assessment results to improve courses

The site visit team offers these suggestions for consideration:

Engaging faculty at a higher level in additional facets of the assessment process could improvefaculty understanding of how program learning outcomes, course learning outcomes, and ILO'sare interrelated and could improve the alignment of course and program learning outcomes

NMSU-A has made important strides in developing program learning outcomes As the processcontinues, the College could consider publishing program learning outcome results on theNMSU-A website

The site visit team also noticed a slight discrepancy in the transfer credit policy between NMSUand NMSU-A regarding acceptance of credit from non-accredited institutions Both policiesstate these credits will be considered after a student completes two successful terms, but theNMSU-A policy indicates the students must be full-time; the NMSU policy does not includethis limitation

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5 - Resources, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness

The institution’s resources, structures, and processes are sufficient to fulfill its mission, improve the

quality of its educational offerings, and respond to future challenges and opportunities The institution

plans for the future

5.A - Core Component 5.A

The institution’s resource base supports its current educational programs and its plans for maintaining

and strengthening their quality in the future

1 The institution has the fiscal and human resources and physical and technological infrastructure

sufficient to support its operations wherever and however programs are delivered

2 The institution’s resource allocation process ensures that its educational purposes are not

adversely affected by elective resource allocations to other areas or disbursement of revenue to

a superordinate entity

3 The goals incorporated into mission statements or elaborations of mission statements are

realistic in light of the institution’s organization, resources, and opportunities

4 The institution’s staff in all areas are appropriately qualified and trained

5 The institution has a well-developed process in place for budgeting and for monitoring expense

Rating

Met

Evidence

NMSU-A is one of the four community colleges in the New Mexico State University (NMSU)

system Budgets are developed and managed locally at each community college Payroll, purchasing,

vendor payments, and similar functions are processed centrally by the university NMSU-A remits 4%

of its revenue to the NMSU system office to compensate the system office for these services

NMSU-A receives 75% - 80% of its revenue from the state system, 15% - 20% from tuition, and 5% - 6%

from a local property tax

NMSU-A projects a revenue decrease of approximately $900,000 in 2016-17 compared to 2015-16,

but is managing this decline through careful planning and managing payroll expenses by carefully

considering if vacant positions need to be replaced The budgeting process at NMSU-A is well

developed and understood by budget managers and employees During meetings with various

employee groups, the site visit team confirmed the budget process is collaborative and transparent

The budget process begins in February when NMSU-A's Vice President of Business and

Finance (VPBF) presents each division with a draft budget for the upcoming fiscal year The budget

managers make recommendations for their division through discussions with employees in the

division The unit heads meet with the VPBF and President and collectively decide which areas of the