Strategic Planning Events

Over the past three years, hundreds of members of our community have shared their ideas and insights on the challenges and opportunities facing EvCC as part of our on-going strategic planning process.  This spring brought the eleventh event in a series of interactive events that have allowed us to collect valuable information which has helped shape the direction and goals of the college.The participants in each event have represented a diverse collection from all areas of the community, including city government and organizations, public schools, small local businesses, larger industries, college administration and personnel, and students, from all walks of life. Additionally, planning teams, councils, and task forces have collected information on key trends that have an impact on our future. 

One of the key results of these events has been the development of an official Strategic Plan. The initial formal process to develop a solid strategic plan for the college took about nine months, starting from the hiring of a consultant to help facilitate each event, and ending with the approval of the strategic plan by the Board of Trustees (October, 2011 – July, 2012). With the help of consultant Pam Posey , the college engaged employees, students, and community members to serve on the following planning teams*:

Each event embodied a highly interactive, professionally facilitated process, in which a large and varied number of community members shared, discussed, and analyzed the information and insights presented during this process.  Using that information, the results of group discussions in working sessions, and event feedback, participants have helped identify important strategic themes for EvCC that have already begun to be implemented. Although the official strategic plan was developed as a result of the first several events, the College continues to hold events to further encourage feedback from the community toward meeting other needs and focusing EvCC on its mission: "We educate, equip, and inspire each student to achieve personal and professional goals, contribute to our diverse communities, and thrive in a global society."

The various events each had a particular focus. 

 Event #1- Shaping the Future:  Changing Roles for Community Colleges
On February 8, 2012, Everett Community College hosted its first of a four-event strategic planning series. The theme for this event was “Shaping the Future:  Changing Roles for Community Colleges.” A group of 82 representatives from the college and the community met at the Everett Community College main campus to present thoughts and ideas through a structured process for discussion and feedback. 

Participants were asked to respond to a video and a presentation  focused on roles of community colleges and the challenges of today. They learned more about EvCC and community colleges in general. Although the group was diverse, many had the same concerns and similar comments. As they listened and discussed, some realized that challenges the college faces are similar to challenges they face. Several participants remarked about how great it was to see so many people who cared about the college and to work together as a community.

After a discussion of the information presented, participants were asked to list out key factors and trends that they felt would help shape the role of EvCC in the future and what EvCC needs to do to prepare for these. They were asked to leave a column in front of the list empty so that they could vote on the most important items in the list. Voted the most important by participants were partnerships and financial areas. Partnerships included relationships with included businesses, industries, other colleges, K-12 school districts, and community, while financial areas included cost, affordability, financial aid, and funding. 

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 Event #2- Serving a Diverse Student and Community Population
On February 9, 2012, at the Tulalip Resort, Everett Community College held the second of a four-part, strategic planning event. The theme for this part of the event was “Serving a Diverse Student and Community Population.” A diverse group of 77 representatives of the college and community attended to discuss how to reach the underrepresented population of EvCC. 

In an open forum format, participants were asked to bainstorm "how we would know" if the college and community were successful at better understanding and supporting the increasing number of underrepresented populations at Everett Community College. They were asked to leave space on the paper to vote on which of the items listed they felt was most important. This task was followed up with a final task of addressing what it would take to ensure success and voting on what would be most important to them.

Responses and votes varied; however, the focus clearly remained on the topic of diversity and culture. Specifically, within diversity, most responses centered around diversity of staff, all groups being represented, and awareness/ acceptance of diversity. Many also reponded regarding cultural representation of the arts and culturally relevant studies. Other areas that received high responses were related to instruction, character, and environment/ campus. 

Overall feedback following the first two events demonstrated a successful feeling of unity toward a common goal, setting the stage toward guiding the direction of the next events leading up to, and including, the visioning event. Participants were asked to relay the most important things they learned. The majority enjoyed connecting with other members of the community and realized that much support for the college exists within and without the campus. It was noted that connections to the community through partnerships and public relations is vital. Many felt validated by commonalities, summed up with the quote, “We are all coming at this from different perspectives but it is clear that we have many of the same goals and ideas.”  A collection of all feedback was presented to the Strategic Planning Council in preparation for the next set of events. 

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 Event #3- Defining Student Success in Community Colleges
On March 13, 2012, Everett Community College held the third event of a four-event strategic planning event series. The event was held at the Monroe High School Commons, and the theme for this event was “Defining Student Success in Community Colleges.” Participants were invited to share their ideas and perspectives on the changing definition of student success and its implications for education and employment. There were 40 in attendance.

To help participants understand the concept of student success in relation to Everett Community College, a presentation  was given focusing on the importance of success, what that looks like, and what EvCC is doing to improve student success. Unlike public four-year colleges, EvCC has a low completion rate. Although success for some students does not include completing a degree, pressure on a federal level has incited EvCC to implement the following strategies: participation in Achieving the Dream, revision of math curriculum and stronger K-12 partnerships to improve pre-college math completion, mandatory faculty advising for third year students, expansion of the tutoring center, adoption of a First Year Experience course, and education about the importance of graduation.

Following the presentation, participants were presented questions to garner some feedback. When asked what student success at EvCC would look like, participants emphasized increases in student support system, enrollment and graduation rates, attendance, student goals reached, and career/ job placement. For EvCC to ensure student success participants suggested more intensive advising, collecting reliable data, more funding available, and better academic preparation.

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 Event #4- Enhancing Community Partnerships and Relationships
March 15, 2012, marked the last day in a four-event, long-range strategic planning process. This event took place at the Port of Everett Waterfront Center. The theme for this event was “Enhancing Community Partnerships and Relationships.” Participants, over 60 representatives of the college and commmunity, were invited to share their ideas about developing and supporting community partnerships for education. The information and ideas gathered at this and the previous three community events led to a larger, two-day event in April, which would be used to develop the college’s strategic plan for the next three to five years.

After listening to the information presented, participants listed some of what they had learned about community partnerships and relationships in education. Leadership was one topic mentioned; trust, focus on needs, diversity, and long-term commitment were others.

Participants were asked questions regarding what successful community partnerships would look like and how to put that into practice at EvCC.  Most mentioned regarding partnerships were: giving back to the community, bridging the gap k-20, and working with businesses to achieve a well trained workforce and high job placement. Other high areas of focus were financial areas, programs, and diversity.

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Visioning Event 
On April 20 and 21, 2012, 150 representatives of the entire EvCC community, both inside the College and external to it, worked together to help create a joint vision for the future of the College. This important event was the culmination of a seven-month effort, involving over 250 people including planning teams, councils, and task forces, to identify key trends that will have an impact on the future of Everett Community College.

The Agenda for Day 1 included breakfast, the purpose of the event, telling our stories, presenting information, and looking toward the future. Day 2 began with a review and feedback from the day before. Participants viewed presentations that focused on the future of the college and then offered thoughts and input to help move the college toward shaping strategies and priorities of the future. Lunch was also included.

Similar to the other events, participants were asked to respond to a few key questions, sharing feedback in groups that would later be used toward development of an overall strategic plan. The questions asked participants to focus on personal perspective and information presented to determine the most significant events, developments, and trends that the College would need to address to ensure a successful future. They were also asked to share information to create combined descriptions of what success would look like. Responses from participants indicated the most important topics were job concerns/ workforce-related and financial issues. Also deemed important were the areas of partnerships, technology, and skills.

Many participants presented feedback  following the event. Approximately 76% of those who attended expressed a desire to participate in future events. The most frequent comments from participants noted the power of working together with a large group of committed stakeholders. Participants also felt the importance of being able to hear multiple perspectives, the strong networking that came out of the event, and gaining a more in-depth understanding of the challenges facing Everett Community College. 

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 2012/ 13 Winter Event- Improving Educational Pathways: A Next Step in Implementing EvCC's New Strategic Plan
On January 24, 2013, Everett Community College held a community engagement event entitled "Improving Educational Pathways." The focus of the event was to explore how best to support student transitions between high school, college, and career. The 80 participants were encouraged to provide input into the challenges students encounter along their educational pathways  and ideas on how to move toward a more seamless alignment of educational systems.

A student panel presented some personal stories along with keys to success and advice for future students. After the information was presented, participants had a chance to provide their own ideas, in answer to a few open forum questions. The first question asked "how would we know” if EvCC and its partners are successful in creating and supporting seamless educational pathways. Many suggested helping students navigate college resources. Other suggestions included accountability, flexibility, communication, and engagement. Some referred to partnering with K-12 schools, especially high school.

The final and most important question invited participants to tell what it would take for EvCC to build and sustain seamless educational pathways for its students. They were asked to vote for the reponses they thought would be the most important. Responses to this question were similar to the previous one, and areas that recieved the highest votes overall related to high school preparation and partnerships, support, and transfers to four-year colleges.

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 2013 Spring Event- How Higher Education Can Drive Economic Vitality
Our strategic planning event on May 10th, 2013, focused on one of the college’s new strategic goals: “We actively develop strategic networks and partnerships to advance institutional innovation, strengthen student learning, and drive workforce and economic vitality for our region.” This event explored how higher education can serve as a catalyst to drive economic vitality in Snohomish County. It was held on the Everett Community College Main Campus in the Henry M. Jackson Conference Center. Lunch was included. The 70 people attending the event included Marysville mayor, Jon Nehring.

The event was kicked off with a keynote from Steve VanAusdle, president of Walla Walla Community College. VanAusdle spoke about the role of community colleges in driving regional economic vitality.  Following the keynote was a panel discussion with Ben Hampstead of Electroimpact, Kim Williams of  Providence Regional Medical Center, Tom Hoban of Coast Properties, and Mark Harmsworth of Microsoft, facilitated by Regional Labor Economist Anneliese Vance-Sherman.  After the panel discussion, everyone in attendance was asked to provide some input, which was facilitated by Dr. Pam Posey.

The panel discussion centered on the improvement of Snohomish County unemployment and jobs. The goal of the discussion was to show the importance of education-business partnerships and the future outlook for growth in Snohomish County. After the discussion, participants were invited to share input on how EvCC can collaborate with the community to advance economic development and to "identify at least three steps the College and community could take to make this happen." Answers to these questions contained similar themes, such as partner with industry to provide basic needed skills and internships, work with K-12 to provide better transitions, develop merntorships, and evaluate ideas based on employer needs.

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 2013 Fall Event- Valuing Difference: Inclusion and Equity in Education
On November 5th, 2013, EvCC held a special event entitled “Valuing Difference: Inclusion and Equity in Education.” This event was part of a multi-faceted process to develop and implement the Strategic Priority of Cultural Pluralism and Global Readiness.  This process began at previous events with community input. The purpose of the event was to listen, learn, and grow our understandingof equity and inclusion, individually and collectively, and to share our ideas to strengthen inclusion and equity at EvCC. The plan was for the approximately 100 participants to explore the opportunities for improving student success for all by including marginalized populations at every level, valuing each person’s unique experience and contributions, and preparing all students to engage as citizens in a world without boundaries.

At the previous event focused on serving diverse populations, community participant feedback included ideas to increase diversity of staff, make physical changes that would make the campus more welcoming, increase the cultural competency of curriculum, and increase retention and completion. As a result, EvCC adopted Cultural Pluralism and Global Readiness as a Strategic Priority. A plan for increasing staff diversity included a contract with a nationally-known consultant and a hiring fair. Physical changes included the designation of neutral-gender bathrooms around campus.

During the event, participants contributed by submitting feedback to a few important questions, such as, “What does inclusion and equity mean to us?” This was followed by the questions, “What could be done to achieve this?”  and “How would you know EvCC has achieved its goals?” Responses to these questions addressed issues of diversity and culture, specifically respect, value, acceptance, and understanding associated with staff, curriculum, and student success. In addition, priorities, partnerships, and character were also deemed important factors to consider. Final feedback at the end determined that accountability, investing financially, and continuing discussion were most important to ensure success.

We want to thank Everett and Marysville Public Schools for co-sponsoring the event and especially Chris Nation, president of President of the Marysville School Board, and Gary Cohn, Superintendent of Everett Public Schools who spoke at the event. Thanks also to all the participants who contributed valuable information that will help EvCC achieve its vision.

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 2014 Spring Event- Innovation and Leadership in Education: Changing Individual Lives and Growing Dynamic Communities
On April 29, 2014, Everett Community College held an interactive community engagement event entitled Innovation and Leadership in Education:  Changing Individual Lives and Growing Dynamic Communities.  The purpose of the event was to explore thoughts and ideas about education as a source of leadership and innovation, the significance of the impact it has on individual lives and on the building and shaping of our community. The hope was that input from the over 70 attendees would help Everett Community College to implement one of its strategic priorities and also help the college to better understand the needs and expectations of our community, students, and employees. 

This event, held at the Tulalip Resort, began with a meal catered by the resort. An Alumni spotlight presentation and IGNITE presentations were heard, and participants were asked to respond to what they heard and to answer the question: "What impact has EvCC had on me and my community?" Answers included: Opportunities, economic development, diversity, cultural focus, engagement with the community, connection to industry, great place to work.

The second question was a follow up to speaker from the Economic Alliance, Chris Knapp, asking participants to tell what they heard and relate their reactions to the information. They felt that while the future looks bright, there is still work to do. Some realized that change is happening and that it is embraced on different levels, but others felt that some needs still needed to be addressed, such as increased higher education, maintained diversity, and a plan for continued growth over several years.

The final, perhaps most important question, was: “...what else can Everett Community College do to prepare new leaders to address these challenges and directly serve the community?” This question was followed up by assigning participants to affix a sticky dot to the list of items they created, marking the most important, and noting which got the most votes at each table.  Several areas received a high number of votes overall, such  as globalization, business and industry concerns, and innovation/ creativity,  followed closely by financial areas and partnerships, and focus on community.

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2014 Fall Event- Beyond the Textbook: Engaging Students for Future Success
On October 3, 2014, over 60 members of the community attended Everett Community College's event, Beyond the Textbook: Engaging Students for Future Success. The focus of this event was to present strategies and ideas regarding quality experiences that would truly support student success, along with how the community could contribute to these expereinces.

The afternoon began with lunch, followed by the first discussion, which asked participants to discuss their stories and what they felt was most important for student success. The most common responses reflected a sense of connection, support, and accomplishment. In follow up, a panel of current and post-graduates shared their unique perspective of success. The panel discussion was moderated by instructor Jo-Ann Sickles and EvCC Director of Institutional Research Alec Campbell. Participants were asked to respond to the student panel presentation and compare the current student perspective to the post grad perspective. The most common similarities mentioned were mentorships; the most common important experiences included forming connections and getting involved. Respect and diversity were also considered important points by many.

The final question of the event asked participants to go back over their notes and tell how to ensure that EvCC students could engage in experiences that would support success and how the community could contribute to this. Many people focused on creating partnerships with businesses and community, including service learning that would give students graduation credit. Partnerships in terms of PR, especially for marketing and sales purposes were also discussed as important for student success.

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2015 Spring Event - Spotlight on East County: Education for Economic Vitality
On May 12, 2015, 64 members of the college and the community came together at the Rock Church in Monroe to discuss in an interactive format how Everett Community College can best serve the richly diverse East County students and employers. Dinner was included.

The event began with a video representing the cities of Monroe, Sultan, and Snohomish. Each city's mayor walked the participants through their town to describe the economic situation there. A panel of varied business representatives also shared their perspectives. Debbie Brown, Chief Clinical Officer at Evergreen Health, represented the field of healthcare. Amy Spain, Executive Director of the Snohomish County Tourism Bureau, shared her perspective from the tourism industry. Todd Huotari, a business owner, represented the field of information technology, and Dave Parsons, president of Advantage Manufacturing Technologies, shared his perspective, responding with the others to thought-provoking questions regarding what employers are looking for and what EvCC students can bring to the East County community workforce.

Pam Posey was the facilitator for the group discussion following the presentation. Three assignments were given to participants to elicit thought regarding the best way to connect East County and EvCC. First, participants recognized that opportunities are still available in regard to growth, access, training, and skills. After the video and panel discussion, participants noted the issues with transportation and the impact and importance of connecting business and community. When asked to contribute ideas, the majority focused on the importance of connecting, especially with the youth preparing for college, and also the importance of character and life skills.

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2015 Winter Event - Engaging Family and Community to Support Student Achievement and Success
On December 2, 2015, the largest group in attendance, aside from the visioning event, came together at the Everett Community College main campus to discuss how to better support our students. The Jackson conference room was full with 100 participants, 25% from Communities of Color. Childcare was provided for those who needed it, as well as interpretation headsets. There were 17 children who played games, watched movies, and ate pizza.

The evening started off with a choice of meal, welcome, and facilitator Pam Posey got everyone started on telling their stories. Particpants kept track of responses on chart paper. Adie Simmons was the guest speaker, followed with a discussion, and then participants listened to a panel of students, moderated by Laurie Franklin. Table groups received the final question, asking what they would do toward supporting student success, and wrote their answers on the charts.

The responses for the question regarding what would help students feel more connected and what we could so to support a whole-person approach to success fell into three top categories: support of students on a mental/ emotional level, communication, and parent/ family involvement. Of all the responses at the event, the highest was 24/ 141 responses, relating to support of students on an emotional/ mental level. 

Thank you to all who participated in these strategic community events. We gathered many ideas about how EvCC can collaborate with the local and regional community to advance such economic development and your input continues to guide our next steps in this effort. It was in a large part due to your efforts that we were able to create a long-term vision for 2032 . We hope that you will continue to support EvCC through participation at future planning events. 

 

*The planning teams change; individuals posted were not necessarily on the team at the time of the initial strategic planning process.