Northwest College

Institutional Transformation

Phase 2

External & Internal Scanning

December 2020 - April 2021

Scan the external & internal environment to test core idea options and ways to position NWC

  • Community and alumni surveys
  • Interviews and focus groups
  • External and internal data analysis
  • Check-in meetings with administrators, staff, and faculty on information gathered and collected

Phase 2 Presentations, Documents, Raw Data and Feedback

1. Advisory Group Kick-off Meeting

January 28, 2021

Introduction and orientation of new group members, brief update on Phase 2 timeline and group discussion on a draft of potential core idea models developed from Phase 1 activities and data.

Links:

2. Board of Trustees work session with CampusWorks

February 8, 2021

The February 8 work session of the Northwest College Board of Trustees took place with Liz Murphy, Justin Norris and Chrissy Coley of CampusWorks to update the Board and public on the Institutional Transformation project plan.

Links:

3. Phase 2 Surveys and Focus Groups

February & March 2021 (dates TBD)

Two surveys:

  • Student Surveys
  • Business and Community Needs Survey

Five student focus groups:

  • Enrolled Traditional, In-Service/In-State Student
  • Enrolled Traditional, Out-of-State Student
  • Enrolled Adult Student
  • Prospective Student (Traditional)
  • Prospective Student (Adult Learner/Non-Traditional)
4. Advisory February 11 Meeting (optional)

February 11, 2021

Continued discussion of potential core idea models developed from Phase 1 activities and data.

Links:

5. Advisory February 25 Meeting

February 25, 2021

Continued discussion of potential core idea models developed from Phase 1 activities and data. Conversation about the NWC competition and market.

Links:

6. Board of Trustees work session with CampusWorks

March 8, 2021

The March 8 work session of the Northwest College Board of Trustees took place with Liz Murphy, Justin Norris and Chrissy Coley of CampusWorks to update the Board and public on the Institutional Transformation project plan.

Links:

7. Advisory March 10 Meeting

March 10, 2021

Continued discussion of potential core idea models developed from Phase 1 activities and data. Conversation about the NWC competition and market.

Links:

8. Advisory March 25 Meeting: Academic Delivery Ideas

March 25, 2021

The advisory group discussed flexible academic delivery ideas, the opportunities/challenges of specific strategies and what ideas we think would have the largest impact on the enrollment success of the College.

Guiding questions for the group:
  1. Thinking from the perspective of each of your future student segments (e.g., dual/concurrent enrollment, traditional residential, traditional commuters, adult learners in transfer programs, adult learners in CTE programs, etc.), are there different needs that each of these student populations have when it comes to delivery? What are these needs?
  2. How has the College's response to COVID-19 with flexible courses helped/supported opportunities for more flexible academic program options?
  3. How can the College build on its recent roll-out with the bachelor's degree to offer more accelerated course options?
  4. What role does Guided Pathways play into building flexible academic options? How has this been a guiding feature of the College's work? (see https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/media/k2/attachments/What-We-Know-Guided-Pathways.pdf)

Links:

9. Advisory April 1 Meeting: Academic Delivery Ideas (continued)

April 1, 2021

The advisory group continued the dialogue about flexible academic delivery ideas and discussed/prioritized what we consider the top ideas for Northwest College. These ideas will be passed along to the administration for consideration in the transformation project planning phase (Phase 3).

Links:

10. Advisory April 8 Meeting: Guided Pathways

April 8, 2021

The advisory group began a discussion of Guided Pathways – where we've been, are now and where we could go.

Links:

11. Board of Trustees work session with CampusWorks

April 10, 2021

The April 10 work session of the Northwest College Board of Trustees took place with Liz Murphy, Justin Norris and Chrissy Coley of CampusWorks to update the Board and public on the Institutional Transformation project plan.

Links:

12. Advisory April 29 Meeting: Marketing and Enrollment

April 29, 2021

CampusWorks provided their findings from the focus groups, surveys and other research completed during Phase 2 and their recommendations for the future. The advisory group broke out into small groups to discuss the findings.

Links:

13. Advisory May 6 Meeting:

May 6, 2021

The outcome of the May 6 session is to draft the top 3 high level action steps that will advance the institutional transformation priorities

Links:

14. Board of Trustees work session with CampusWorks

May 10, 2021

The May 10 work session of the Northwest College Board of Trustees took place with Justin Norris and Chrissy Coley of CampusWorks to update the Board and public on the Institutional Transformation project plan.

Links:

15. Advisory May 13 Meeting:

May 13, 2021

A continuation of the May 6 (to start drafting the top 3 high level action steps that will advance the institutional transformation priorities)

Links:

Contact

Lisa Watson
Lisa.Watson@nwc.edu
President
307-754-6200

Steering Committee
  • Alejandra Gonzales
  • Amanda Enriquez
  • Carey Miller (Chair)
  • Michael Cuddy
  • Michaela Jones
  • Shelby Wetzel
Phase 2 Advisory Committee
  • Brad Bowen
  • Dave Erickson
  • Dean Bruce
  • Dee Havig
  • Elaine DeBuhr
  • Greg Thomas
  • Lisa Smith
  • Marneé Crawford
  • Robert Becker
  • Shaman Quinn
  • Uko Uodong
  • West Hernandez