HLC Assurance Argument

The rigor of the institution’s academic offerings is appropriate to higher education.

1. Courses and programs are current and require levels of student performance appropriate to the credential awarded.
2. The institution articulates and differentiates learning goals for its 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 dual credit, through contractual or consortial arrangements, or any other modality).

3.A.1.

Courses and programs at Iowa Lakes are reviewed regularly (23-0352) and improved to ensure appropriate content, rigor, and opportunities for students’ success on their chosen pathways. Learning outcomes are developed with guidance and approval from the Curriculum Committee (23-0441). The Assessment of Student Learning and Program Review Committee (ARC) (23-0451) ensures that learning outcomes are systematically assessed, and programs engage in ongoing analysis and improvement.

Curricula at Iowa Lakes are generated by highly qualified faculty (23-0244) in consultation with an advisory board composed of current practitioners in their fields to ensure learning outcomes and experiences align with current practices. Program faculty meet twice annually with the advisory board per Iowa Code 258.9 (23-0573) to review and update the curriculum based on student performance data and changes in the field or industry. This process is documented in Advisory Board minutes (23-0118), which the Program Review Committee also examines during the program review (23-0443). The quality of Iowa Lakes curricula is further evidenced by high levels of post-graduation placement in the field after completing programs or successful transfer to institutions offering baccalaureate degrees (23-0397).

Transfer Agreements (23-0047) with other institutions of higher education further demonstrate evidence of appropriate rigor in Iowa Lakes’ curricula. In Iowa, the Liaison Advisory Committee for Transfer Students (LACTS) (23-0270), Transfer in Iowa (23-0309) has developed statewide articulation agreements between Iowa community colleges, the Regent Universities, the State of Iowa, and the Iowa Department of Education (IDOE). These agreements are reviewed annually by the LACTS Committee and have been revised over time to enhance clarity and improve transferability. The Chief Academic Officer (CAO) and Executive Dean of Students attend the annual LACTS meeting and work closely with the Registrar to ensure that all AA and AS requirements meet LACTS articulation agreement requirements, which the IDOE approves. In the 2022 Community College Transfer Report, prepared by the Iowa Board of Regents, 78.3 percent of Iowa Lakes students who transferred to a regent institution earned a bachelor’s degree or enrolled for a third year (23-0446, 23-0447).

Iowa Lakes follows Iowa Code 281, Chapter 21.2(12) (23-0332) when defining course credit and the minimum length of instructional time for a credit hour (23-0009, p.13). Programs with additional accrediting bodies (23-0193) also meet the established requirement as with the following programs: Nursing, Aviation, Cosmetology, Electrical Technology, Massage Therapy, Medical Assistant, Practical Nursing, Surgical Technology, and Veterinarian Technology.

Iowa Lakes, internally and through review by outside governing bodies, ensures that courses and programs are current and require levels of student performance appropriate to the credential awarded. Ongoing internal evaluation of courses and programs involves the Curriculum Committee (23-0441) and the ARC (23-0451). Outside governing bodies include the IDOE, the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP), the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Program Advisory Boards, transfer meetings with Regent universities, and third-party accreditors. The Iowa Board of Nursing reviews nursing education program statistics to ensure levels of student performance are appropriate. Iowa Lakes’ Associate Degree Nursing documents an NCLEX-RN of 92.31 percent first-time exam passing rate for 2021 (23-0594).

The process for updating curricula may begin with assessment data reviewed by faculty or recommendations by the Advisory Board. Faculty review potential changes with the department, seek the support of their Advisory Board and Executive Dean, and present rationale to the Curriculum Committee. An affirmative vote by the Curriculum Committee is passed on to Academic Council for final approval (23-0014, 23-0369, 23-0545). Modifications are submitted to the IDOE and HLC for approval. This process ensures that careful consideration is given to maintaining a current and rigorous curriculum.

The Curriculum Committee (23-0441) is composed of both Arts and Sciences faculty and Career Technical Education (CTE) Programs faculty, with at least two members from each category for a committee total of seven voting members. Membership on the Curriculum Committee involves an election by peers, and special consideration is given to ensuring members are able to advocate for all programs and disciplines. This committee oversees the curriculum and seeks final approval by the State of Iowa Curriculum System (STICS) (23-0452) for any new courses or course modifications.

ARC (23-0451) is composed of fifteen voting representatives from each of the following areas: Arts and Science (4), CTE (5), Continuing Education (1), Developmental and Preparatory Education (1), Support Services (2), Distance Education (1), High School Partnerships (1), The CAO serves as an ad hoc member and will vote during ties. Additional non-voting ad hoc members: the Campus Executive Deans, Campus Supervisor/Directors, Institutional Researcher, one staff member from Planning & Development, and the Assessment & Compliance Coordinator. The objectives of this committee support core component 3.A.1 in the ongoing review of courses and programs for rigor, current relevance in the field or discipline, and assessment practices that demonstrate appropriate levels of student performance. Subcommittees of ARC include the Assessment of Student Learning and Program Review. The Assessment of Student Learning Subcommittee oversees ongoing assessment practices and the continual improvement cycle at the course, program, and institutional levels. Program Review Subcommittee leads program and discipline reviews (23-0443) on a five-year review cycle in addition to ongoing follow-up and assistance with goals identified for enhancement or improvement.

The Concurrent Enrollment Program (23-0311) at Iowa Lakes is fully accredited by NACEP (23-0312) as mandated by the IDOE’s Postsecondary Course Audit Committee (23-0405, 23-0406). This organization ensures that high school students taking college-level courses receive instruction from highly qualified faculty and experience learning opportunities that allow credits to transfer seamlessly to college after graduating high school. The Concurrent Enrollment Program courses are overseen and supported by Iowa Lakes’ lead faculty. All learning objectives and assessment practices are aligned with Iowa Lakes courses. Funding from the IDOE through Regional Planning Partnerships (23-0448) and Perkins ensures that high school students enrolled in CTE courses have access to the same equipment and resources college students experience in the same course.

All learning outcomes are reviewed and recommended for approval by the Curriculum Committee (23-0025). The Curriculum Committee also approves all course and program learning outcomes changes proposed by faculty. The Curriculum Committee evaluates learning outcomes using Bloom’s Taxonomy and provides feedback for revisions to ensure a rigorous and appropriate curriculum. This process is outlined in the Curriculum Committee’s bylaws (23-0441). Through Program Review and Advisory Board meetings, ongoing review of learning outcomes and curricula is conducted to ensure courses and programs are current and ensure students are prepared to meet industry standards for successful performance as well as successful transfer to baccalaureate degree issuing institutions.

Based on the Systems Appraisal Feedback Report (23-0557), in 2018, Iowa Lakes implemented an initiative to align learning outcomes and assessment. Professional development opportunities to select conferences were sought and attended (23-0409). The HLC articulated the same concern in the June 2018 letter (23-0267).  Continued professional development opportunities were sought and invested in for faculty and administrators (23-0268). Through professional development and intensive workshops, faculty have developed clear, ongoing processes for developing and reviewing learning outcomes (23-0548). One step Iowa Lakes has taken to ensure alignment of all courses with approved outcomes is to adopt Simply Syllabus (23-0356). Simple Syllabus is an application within Canvas, a learning management system (LMS) that automatically populates the approved learning outcomes for all syllabi. This ensures that the enacted curriculum is consistent with the intended goals. A lead faculty member monitors courses taught by multiple faculty members through the multi-section course assessment process (23-0088), and collaboration is ongoing in the selection and review of assessment practices. Furthermore, the Assessment of Student Learning Subcommittee of ARC reviews assessment reports and offers feedback to peer faculty who have prepared them (23-0326).

Students at Iowa Lakes have access to an extensive online course selection through the Iowa Community College Online Consortium (ICCOC) (23-0279). “The objectives of the ICCOC are to establish resources, train instructors, establish standards of quality, coordinate student services support, communication and implement an informational website. The ICCOC successfully completes these objectives through the commitment of all Consortium partners to provide quality online educational opportunities to students.” These courses are designed with rigorous standards (23-0310) developed among partnering community college representatives.

Previously noted in 3.A.1, the statewide LACTS (23-0270) ensures that Iowa community colleges and Iowa Regent universities maintain seamless transfer opportunities for students seeking baccalaureate degrees. Additionally noted in this section is the role of the IDOE in maintaining general oversight for programs, including concurrent enrollment, for which it requires accreditation through NACEP (23-0312).

3.A.2.

Iowa Lakes has identified learning outcomes at every level of the institution’s goals for student achievement. Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILO) are broad goals all students achieve as part of their program, whether in a diploma-seeking program, Associate in Applied Science, Associate in Arts, or Associate in Science. The General Education Learning Outcomes, as required by the IDOE (23-0019), support ILO. Each program has identified Program Learning Outcomes (PLO) and mapped the progression of PLO across program courses with supporting Course Learning Outcomes (CLO). Co-Curricular Learning Outcomes (CCLO) support and complement the academic curriculum with learning activities outside of the formal academic curriculum.

Iowa Lakes’ ILOs are related to the following concepts: Professionalism and Civility, Oral and Written Communication, and Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving (23-0364). All faculty participate in assessing each of these outcomes utilizing common rubrics. Data are analyzed by faculty and administration for continuous improvement of institutional-level practices for student learning (23-0264). ILO data is collected for all credit-seeking students. While Iowa Lakes has only collected five semesters of ILO data thus far, the initial analysis indicated that students tended to score lower in Written Communication. One improvement strategy identified to address this was the college’s investment in Grammarly (23-0186), a tool for real-time writing feedback. Initial indicators suggest a potential improvement in student writing; further monitoring is in progress (23-0537), and additional discussion is being facilitated around strategies for improvement. Most recently, a slightly lower Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving score caused the ARC committee to question instructors’ confidence in fostering this outcome through learning. While it was only a single semester of data prompting the question, it has been explored through publications in the “Assessment Proud” newsletters (23-0358, 23-0538) and a faculty development workshop (23-0465).

The general education program has identified the outcomes specific to each discipline that further define and support students’ general education (23-0363). These, too, are assessed in a continuous cycle and analyzed in discipline meetings. General Education requirements for each diploma or degree are specified in the course catalog (23-0009).

PLOs are specific to each program as well as the degree or certificate. For example, PLO for Early Childhood Education AAS degree differentiates from the Early Childhood Diploma (23-0453). Accounting Specialist PLO are differentiated from the Accounting Diploma. PLO data are reviewed in department meetings and at each program’s advisory board. Review of PLO data is also part of the Program Review process (23-0443).

All course learning outcomes are mapped across programs to ensure sufficient spiraling of the curriculum and appropriate learning progressions. (23-0361) Program faculty also map courses each term so that CLOs support alignment. All academic learning outcomes are noted in each course syllabus, which are prepopulated for each course using Simple Syllabus (23-0356) in Canvas. PLO are listed on each program webpage (23-0190) for prospective students, industry, and other stakeholders. ILO, General Education, and Diversity Outcomes are described on the Assessment webpage (23-0463) for a broad view of outcomes supporting Iowa Lakes’ overall mission.

CCLO (23-0589, p. 3) outcomes have been mapped across a number of learning activities, including student leadership, College 101, TRIO-SSS, clubs, athletics, counseling services, and the Iowa Lakes’ Convocations (23-0134) series, among others. These support ILO and diversity outcomes, which allows students to hone skills they can apply within the classroom and beyond.

3.A.3.

To ensure Iowa Lakes program quality and learning goals are consistent across all modalities, the institution begins with careful communication. New faculty participate in the New Faculty Training Workshop in which Iowa Lakes’ standards of program quality, rigor, and assessment practices are reviewed (23-0095). New faculty are also required to complete an online course within Canvas, which prepares them to understand community colleges' history, classroom management, assessment, use of Canvas, and student accommodations. (23-0454) Mentors are assigned to new faculty from among their colleagues to guide them throughout the first years with these important standards. This process is described in the Quality Faculty Plan (QFP) (23-0244). All faculty can take the online course Iowa Lakes Faculty Training as part of their professional development for their QFP. The course fulfills the professional development requirement for adjunct faculty.

All faculty (including full-time, part-time, adjunct, and high school instructors), regardless of instructional modality, participate in professional development workshops regarding learning outcomes and assessment, as well as attend program and discipline meetings to review outcomes, assessments, and best practices (23-0110). Participation is mandatory, and attendance is taken at workshops and meetings. As well, presentations are recorded and made available for all faculty within the course Assessment at Iowa Lakes (23-0550). Suggestions are sought, and faculty share suggestions and successes regarding clear communication about learning outcomes and assessment as well as ongoing support (23-0459).

During the HLC site visit in 2018, concern was raised about the consistency of course learning outcomes across all modes of delivery. Significant work was immediately launched to address this concern. Professional development around writing quality learning outcomes occurred and is ongoing (23-0548, 23-0461). All learning outcomes are approved through the Curriculum Committee and prepopulated in course syllabi through Simple Syllabus (23-0356) in Canvas. Simple Syllabus ensures that all courses contain the same learning outcomes as well as course and institutional policies through the common syllabus generated and used by all faculty teaching a course regardless of modality or location.

Whenever two or more faculty are teaching a course, form C-4 Multi-Section Course Assessment Plans/Reports are compiled by a designated lead faculty. The assessment and scoring instruments are common regardless of the instructional modality, and all faculty teaching the course are in communication about expectations (23-0531). Additionally, if one instructor is teaching a course in more than one modality, that instructor completes the C-4 Multi-Section Course Plan/Report to ensure consistency.

High school teachers teaching concurrent enrollment courses for Iowa Lakes college credit are introduced to the process of ensuring consistent program quality and learning goals through the Career Connect Guidance Counselor and Instructor Handbook (23-0343) in addition to the New Faculty Workshop (23-0095). In this resource, instructor credentials, expectations, and consequences of non-compliance with policies about professional development, maintaining consistent learning goals, syllabus requirements, and grading are outlined. Iowa Lakes’ concurrent enrollment program is accredited by NACEP (23-0462), which conducts site visits every seven years to review courses, content, and materials.

Iowa Lakes’ program quality is also supported through the hiring practices of instructors. Credentials for teaching meet the requirements for The Iowa Community College Guideline for Faculty Qualifications: A Resource for Administrators and Accreditation Reviewers (23-0157). This work serves as the basis for Iowa Lakes’ QFP (23-0244).

Program success is measured in persistence, completion and graduation rates, post-graduation placement, and Advisory Board feedback. These data (23-0389) are reviewed during Program Review and Discipline Review processes.

Sources

• 23-0009 Resource- Course Catalog 2022-2023.pdf
• 23-0009 Resource- Course Catalog 2022-2023.pdf (page number 13)
• 23-0014 Minutes- Curriculum Committee 11-20-20
• 23-0019 IDOE Program Approval Guidelines 2014
• 23-0025 Minutes- Curriculum Committee 12-6-18
• 23-0047 Website- Transfer Agreements
• 23-0088 Resource- Faculty Guide to Multi-Section Course Outcome Assessment
• 23-0095 Resource-New Teacher Workshop.pdf
• 23-0110 Agenda- Faculty Prof Dev Assessment Workshop 1-11-22
• 23-0118 Resource- Program Advisory Boards.pdf
• 23-0134 Resource- Convocations.pdf
• 23-0157 Resource- Iowa Comm Colleges Faculty Qualifications Guide.pdf
• 23-0186 Resource- Grammarly.pdf
• 23-0190 Website- Degree Option Webpages.pdf
• 23-0193 Website- Accreditation.pdf
• 23-0244 Policy- QFP- Board approved FY21.pdf
• 23-0264 Report- Annual Assessment Report.pdf
• 23-0267 Letter- HLC Letter-Iowa Lakes CC 6.18.18
• 23-0268 Assessment- Conferences and Workshops Attended 2018-2021
• 23-0270 Resource- LACTS.pdf
• 23-0279 Resource- ICCOC.pdf
• 23-0309 Website- Transfer in Iowa.pdf
• 23-0310 Resource- ICCOC Course Quality Checklist.pdf
• 23-0311 Website- Concurrent Enrollment Program.pdf
• 23-0312 Website- NACEP.pdf
• 23-0326 P-6 Program Discipline Feedback Report.pdf
• 23-0332 Policy- Iowa Code Chapter 21.2(12)
• 23-0343 Resource- Career Connect Instructor Handbook.pdf
• 23-0352 Resource- Program Review Schedule
• 23-0356 Resource- Simple Syllabus Template.pdf
• 23-0358 Assessment- Assessment Proud Newsletter
• 23-0361 Resource- Curriculum Map- sample.pdf
• 23-0363 Resource- Faculty Guide for Gen Ed Learning Outcomes Assessment.pdf
• 23-0364 Resource- Faculty Guide for ILO Assessment.pdf
• 23-0369 Resource- Wind AAS program modification.pdf
• 23-0389 Data- FY22 Program Review Data.pdf
• 23-0397 Data- Profile_Analytics_Iowa_Lakes_Community_College_in_20_Counties
• 23-0405 Resource- Iowa Code 256.17 Senior Year Plus
• 23-0406 Resource- Senior Year Plus Audit Plan 2022-23
• 23-0409 Assessment- PD Workshops- Assessment
• 23-0441 Policy- Curriculum Committee Bylaws.docx
• 23-0443 Resource- Comprehensive Program Review Template P-5
• 23-0446 Report- Transfer Report (University)
• 23-0447 Report- Transfer Report (Iowa Lakes)
• 23-0448 Website- IA DOE Regional Planning Partnerships
• 23-0451 Policy- ARC Bylaws
• 23-0452 Resource- State of IA Curriculum System (STICS) Application Documentation
• 23-0453 Resource- Iowa Lakes College-wide PLO
• 23-0454 Resource- Iowa Lakes Faculty Training Spring 23 Canvas Screenshop (homepage)
• 23-0459 Resource- ARCNewsletter-OctoberNovember
• 23-0461 Agenda- Professional Development - Penn 1-11-22
• 23-0462 Website- NACEP Accredited Programs
• 23-0463 Website- Assessment Page
• 23-0465 Agenda- Professional Development Agenda 8-18-22
• 23-0531 Email- Multi-Section Assessment Communication - Johnson
• 23-0537 Resource- Grammarly Usage Data
• 23-0538 Resource- Assessment Proud Newsletter Oct Nov 2022
• 23-0545 Minutes- Curriculum Committee Meeting and Supporting Documents 1.20.23
• 23-0548 Resource- Baehr Faculty Workshop 8.20.2020
• 23-0550 Professional Developement Materials Available in Canvas
• 23-0557 Report- SA feedback report 2017
• 23-0573 Policy- Iowa Code 258.9
• 23-0589 Minutes- ARC Minutes 12-2-21
• 23-0589 Minutes- ARC Minutes 12-2-21 (page number 3)
• 23-0594 Resource- NCLEX-RN First-time Pass Rates

The institution offers programs that engage students in collecting, analyzing and communicating information; in mastering modes of intellectual inquiry or creative work; and in developing skills adaptable to changing environments.

1. The general education program is appropriate to the mission, educational offerings and degree levels of the institution. The institution articulates the purposes, content and intended learning outcomes of its undergraduate general education requirements.
2. The program of general education is grounded in a philosophy or framework developed by the institution or adopted from an established framework. It imparts broad knowledge and intellectual concepts to students and develops skills and attitudes that the institution believes every college-educated person should possess.
3. The education offered by the institution recognizes the human and cultural diversity and provides students with growth opportunities and lifelong skills to live and work in a multicultural world.
4. The faculty and students contribute to scholarship, creative work and the discovery of knowledge to the extent appropriate to their offerings and the institution’s mission.

3.B.1.

Iowa Lakes’ general education program supports all learners’ goals of preparing for a career or transferring to a baccalaureate or graduate program. It is appropriate to the mission “To provide opportunities for quality lifelong learning and promote economic development for our communities.” At the core of its philosophy is the belief that all community members must possess qualities that allow them to adapt and thrive in a complex and ever-changing world. The general education program supports Iowa Lakes’ three degrees (AA, AS, AAS), 20 diploma programs, and two certificates in developing the core competencies of communication; critical thinking; numerical data; scientific inquiry; ethical, global, historical and social issues; appreciation for the fine arts; and technology.

Iowa Lakes follows guidelines from the IDOE for general education components within transfer AA and AS degrees, CTE programs, and diplomas. Modifications to degrees or diplomas, including changes to the general education program, are approved by the Curriculum Committee, the IDOE, and the HLC as needed. Iowa Lakes determines applicable coursework to fulfill career and technical general education requirements. In some instances, CTE programs exceed the minimal general education credit requirements. Iowa Lakes also adheres to general education standards established by the State of Iowa’s LACTS (23-0270), which defines statewide articulation agreements between Iowa’s community colleges and public universities for Iowa Lakes’ transfer AA and AS. Additionally, nine programs have external accrediting bodies (23-0193), which guide the appropriate general education requirements of those programs.

The Iowa Lakes’ General Education statement is reviewed and approved by faculty every three years. Most recently, the general education definition was reaffirmed by the collegewide, faculty-led ARC (23-0464) in 2021. The purpose of the general education program and general education requirements are articulated in the course catalog (23-0009, p. 15). General Education Learning Outcomes are listed on the website (23-0463).

3.B.2.

General education at Iowa Lakes is grounded in the framework established by the IDOE (23-0019) and based on the philosophy of the HLC. Iowa Lakes faculty have established a general education program based on that framework and reevaluated/approved the definition every three years (23-0009, p. 15). Should this definition no longer fit the beliefs of the institution regarding the value of general education, a faculty-led committee would propose changes requiring approval by ARC. The current definition was most recently approved by ARC (23-0464) in 2021 when a diversity component was added to the general education definition and outcomes.

Iowa Lakes follows guidelines from the IDOE for the general education component of Associate in Arts and Associate in Science transfer degrees as well as career and technical programs and diplomas (23-0019). If warranted, all modifications to degrees or diplomas, including the general education program, must be approved by Iowa Lakes’ Curriculum Committee, the IDOE, and the HLC. Iowa Lakes determines applicable coursework fulfilling career and technical programs that meet or exceed the State requirements.

3.B.3.

The diversity statement of Iowa Lakes is “to create a culture in which all people are valued and supported and to celebrate the similarities and differences among us” (23-0039). In doing so, Iowa Lakes prepares students to live, learn, and work together in a diverse society. All programs have courses designed to support this mission.

During the 2019-2020 academic year, Iowa Lakes faculty began to discuss adding a diversity component to the general education program. The ARC and Curriculum Committees approved a diversity statement, goals, and outcomes in 2020 (23-0040). Beginning fall of 2021, a diversity component was added to all AA, AS, AAS, and diploma programs (23-0009, p. 16). During the fall of 2022, diversity outcomes were mapped to courses. A subcommittee began meeting to discuss the assessment of these outcomes to ensure that Iowa Lakes’ commitment to diversity would enter a process for continual improvement of students’ learning.

In CTE programs, students have opportunities to participate in a work-based component in the workforce, and coursework prepares them for the experience. Additionally, the college plans a series of Convocations (23-0134) for all students to expose students to diversity and culture that is not possible within the curriculum structure. These Convocations aim to expand awareness and sensitivity to diversity issues and other cultures. Iowa Lakes’ Diversity Committee plans activities and events on campus to honor and celebrate our heritage and diversity within our student body (23-0038). The Diversity Club is comprised of students, faculty, and staff who meet to participate in activities reinforcing learning concepts around diversity.

The Campus Climate Survey (23-0160) provides evidence of student participation in educational co-curricular activities that allow them to develop skills in working with diverse populations (survey question 2). Additionally, this survey demonstrates that students perceive the campus climate as embracing cultural diversity (survey question 6) and welcoming to all students regardless of background or identity. This survey is reviewed annually at the Campus Administrators/Student Services meeting (23-0372), and action is taken through implementing changes to students’ experiences and/or allocation of resources.

3.B.4.

Iowa Lakes faculty engage in scholarship, creative work, and discovery of knowledge through study, earning additional degrees (23-0551), and attending or presenting at conferences. For example, the professor of Environmental Studies recently completed his master’s degree and researched the endangered turtles (23-0334) in Iowa. During this research, the professor was able to involve Presidential Scholars’ students and other students in his course. Students learned about turtles, how to log tracking data, and the use of radio frequency transmitters and receivers. Iowa Lakes supported this effort through funding for the technology used.

In 2021, faculty involved with defining processes for improving the effectiveness of collecting assessment data and improving communication around assessment practices recognized that Canvas, currently used by the institution for instruction, also served as a helpful tool in designing solutions for assessment needs. These faculty presented their idea at the Assessment Matters Regional Community College Assessment Conference hosted by Johnson County Community College (23-0407).

In 2021-2022, an Iowa Lakes graduate assistant engaged in a study of the research questions: 1. Are on-campus residential status, athletic participation, socioeconomic status, gender, and degree program significant predictors of overall GPA? 2. Is the mean overall GPA significantly different across on-campus residential status, athletic participation, and the interaction of on-campus status and athletic participation?  3. Is the difference between in-season academic success (GPA) and out-of-season success (GPA) statistically significant across student-athletes?  This research (23-0569) was supported by Iowa Lakes with resources such as collaboration with the Institutional Researcher and Management Information Systems Director. Data set dashboards were developed through the software Informer by Ellucian Colleague (Colleague).  This work contributed to the discovery of knowledge within higher education regarding students’ general feelings of belonging to their academic success, the role of athletics in fostering this feeling of belonging, and athletes’ general academic success in college.  Because previous research in this area was done primarily at four-year institutions, this study conducted at Iowa Lakes Community College provided another lens through which to test these theories.  The results of this research diverged from studies cited in the literature review and, as such, warrant additional research at community or junior colleges.  For Iowa Lakes, this study has sparked conversations about current and future resources available for students.

Iowa Lakes’ Engineering Technology program students engaged in a study with Iowa State University to collect data on the optimal charging cycles of battery cells (23-0221). The purpose of the study was to create a pilot training program about battery storage consisting of a training hub on battery testing and a short course on battery modeling. Additionally, the students will develop a software tool to accelerate predictions of battery lifetimes and create a rich knowledge base comparing the long-term reliability of various battery chemistries and suppliers.

Engineering Technology instructors were also involved in a project at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic involving a partnership between Iowa Lakes and local businesses to create medical face shields and ear savers using 3D printing technology (23-0158). Local healthcare professionals used personal protective equipment on the front lines of the pandemic in the Iowa Lakes district and throughout Northwest Iowa.

Faculty and staff share expertise and knowledge from conferences or other learning experiences during professional development activities at the college. For example, some faculty and staff attend the annual HLC conference, and information learned is brought back to the Assessment Committee work and professional development activities with other faculty. A recent example involved several rotating sessions for small groups of faculties during a Professional Development Day (23-0465), during which topics such as designing quality assessments, implementing the Outcomes tool in Canvas, and exploring interrater reliability in assessments were explored.

Iowa Lakes students engage in scholarship, creative work, and the discovery of knowledge through projects and performances. For example, Presidential Scholars (23-0136) engage each semester with honors projects and are mentored by faculty. A Chemistry faculty member mentored students pursuing projects related to future goals, such as applying to medical and pharmacy schools. One student was interested in becoming a Math/Chemistry teacher and designed a lab demonstration, administered pre-post testing, and reflected on the results.

The Music Department (23-0084) contributes opportunities for students to participate in creative work consistent with Iowa Lakes’ mission regarding lifelong learning and community engagement. Many opportunities for students to interact with community members are offered in creative endeavors. For instance, in the spring semester of 2022, Iowa Lakes students, members of the faculty and staff, and community members came together to launch the musical production of Mamma Mia! The Musical (23-0467). Students regularly perform in the Handbell Ensemble in concerts and community events such as the Veterans Day Program (23-0444). In 2019, two Iowa Lakes students were selected to perform in the Great Christmas Ring at Carnegie Hall (23-0470) in New York City, which provided the added learning experience of travel and participation in cultural experiences outside the campus region. Additionally, many music students perform renditions of original works at “Night at the P.A.C.” (23-0468, 23-0469), formerly known as Coffee House events. Individuals, groups, ensembles, and choirs offer performances showcasing their talents and contributions.

The Digital, Social, and Broadcast Productions program engages in hands-on, authentic learning experiences through student coverage of Iowa Lakes’ events, athletics, and other interest stories as class projects. The second-year Construction Technology students (23-0579) design and generate blueprint renditions for future building projects. Each student designs a house plan to specifications and a 3D version of their design. Each student presents their design to a client panel. The panel reviews each design and selects the one they will contract with the Construction Technology program to build the next academic year.

Students in many programs interact with community members through services provided in labs throughout the programs. Examples include service to customers’ vehicles in the Automotive, Powersports, and Marine programs as well as service to clients in the Cosmetology and Hotel & Restaurant Management programs. These opportunities engage students with real-life clients in authentic settings and situations through which knowledge is acquired and constructed. The 2020 Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) (23-0303) indicates that Iowa Lakes students perceive their work in classes and programs promotes personal growth in applying theories and concepts to practical problems, argumentation, and dissemination of knowledge to others.

Sources

• 23-0009 Resource- Course Catalog 2022-2023.pdf
• 23-0009 Resource- Course Catalog 2022-2023.pdf (page number 15)
• 23-0009 Resource- Course Catalog 2022-2023.pdf (page number 16)
• 23-0019 IDOE Program Approval Guidelines 2014
• 23-0038 Resource- DEI Committee Matrix Goals.pdf
• 23-0039 Resource- Div Mission Goals Outcomes
• 23-0040 Resource- Diversity Curriculum Guidelines.pdf
• 23-0084 Website- Music Dept.pdf
• 23-0134 Resource- Convocations.pdf
• 23-0136 Resource- Presidential Scholars.pdf
• 23-0158 News- 3-D Printed Face Shields- EngTech.pdf
• 23-0160 Report- Campus Climate Survey Results (Pie and Bar Charts).pdf
• 23-0193 Website- Accreditation.pdf
• 23-0221 News- Engineering Tech.pdf
• 23-0270 Resource- LACTS.pdf
• 23-0303 Data- CCSSE
• 23-0334 Resource- EVS Turtle Tracking Project.pdf
• 23-0372 Minutes- CASS Meeting 2022 10-6.pdf
• 23-0407 Assessment- Assessment Matters Conf 4-30-21
• 23-0444 Resource- Veterans Day Flyer
• 23-0463 Website- Assessment Page
• 23-0464 Minutes- ARC Summer Summit 7-14-21
• 23-0465 Agenda- Professional Development Agenda 8-18-22
• 23-0467 Resource- Music Department Program
• 23-0468 Resource- Music Department Program Night at the PAC 2021
• 23-0469 Resource- Music Department Program - Night at the Performing Arts Center 2022.docx
• 23-0470 Website- Music Department Handbell Students Carnegie Hall
• 23-0551 Form- Faculty Course Approval Form - Pay Advancement
• 23-0569 Resource- Comm Coll and Athletics thesis
• 23-0579 Resource- CT Floor Plan- duplex

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

1. The institution strives to ensure that the overall composition of its faculty and staff reflects human diversity as appropriate within its mission and for the constituencies it serves.
2. 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 and expectations for student performance, assessment of student learning, and establishment of academic credentials for instructional staff.
3. All instructors are appropriately qualified, including those in dual credit, contractual and consortial offerings.
4. Instructors are evaluated regularly in accordance with established institutional policies and procedures.
5. 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.
6. Instructors are accessible for student inquiry.
7. Staff members providing student support services, such as tutoring, financial aid advising, academic advising and cocurricular activities, are appropriately qualified, trained and supported in their professional development.

3.C.1.

Iowa Lakes’ Hiring Guide details the process for hiring faculty and staff, including a Non-Discrimination and Affirmative Action policy (23-0170). Advertising for faculty and staff positions indicates that the college is “An Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action Employer.” The Affirmative Action Officer of Iowa Lakes works with supervisors and screening committees to promote opportunities for the advancement of people of a protected class (23-0403, 23-0471). All applicants are scored using the applicant matrix, which promotes equitable hiring practices (23-0159). Applicants with military experience are given a weighted score through an added five percent and minority status (23-0159).

Iowa Lakes posts open positions on multiple hiring platforms to encourage a diverse pool of applicants. Among these are the college website, social media, higheredjobs.com, indeed, and traditional print media (23-0403, 23-0471). Specialty positions, such as a veterinarian for the Veterinary Technician program, are posted to platforms specific to the program or discipline. In addition, Advisory Boards and Regional Partnership Boards are used to promote the advertisement of positions to ensure a diverse and qualified pool of applicants is solicited.

In 2021 racial minorities represented 4.4 percent of the faculty and staff at Iowa Lakes. (23-0472, p. 10) As noted in 1.A.4, the enrollment profile (23-0103) identifies 14 percent of students are minorities.

Iowa Lakes promotes diversity and inclusion through its professional development practices for faculty and staff. During the fall of 2022, all faculty and staff professional development, speaker Ken Nwadike Jr. from the Free Hugs Project (23-0473) spoke about his work in de-escalating violence at protests, riots, and political rallies. His presentation explored themes of homelessness, racial tension, the criminal justice system, and empathy. Also, in October of 2022, all non-faculty staff attended a workshop conducted by Joel Pedersen (23-0162, p. 2), the Superintendent of Schools for the Cardinal Community School District in Eldon, Iowa, regarding Emotional Intelligence. These presentations serve as a reminder that students and faculty at Iowa Lakes come to the work of promoting inclusion with a wide array of experiences and perspectives. Iowa Lakes embraces the richness of this diversity.

Iowa Lakes’ desire to embrace human diversity is further evidenced by its membership on the Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee at the Community Colleges for Iowa. Two Iowa Lakes staff members, the Executive Director of Human Resources and the Executive Dean of Students, serve on the statewide DEI Committee (23-0150).

3.C.2.

Iowa Lakes employs approximately 70 full-time instructors, 115 part-time or adjunct instructors, and two lab assistants. The ratio of Iowa Lakes students to faculty is 15:1 (23-0195). Per Iowa Code 281.24.5 (23-0276), a teaching load for full-time arts and sciences faculty is 15-16 credit hours per semester or the equivalent. Arts and Science faculty may accept an additional seven credits per semester for overload pay. The maximum instructor workload for a semester is 22 credit hours or equivalent. CTE instructors’ workloads are based on student contact hours. Iowa Code (23-0276) referenced previously identifies 30 contact hours per week, with option three credit hours. A faculty member is expected to dedicate the necessary hours per week to meet their schedule and additional responsibilities. The CTE faculty contract varies per faculty member and program. Contract days include teaching days, activities related to student orientation, professional development, class preparation, and summer term duties if applicable and if program coordinator duties are assigned.

The Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE) (23-0304) reports that Iowa Lakes’ students scored the institution at 59.2 compared to the top-performing schools’ score of 58.9 in the category of Academic and Social Support Network (2020). According to the CCSSE (23-0303) survey, full-time students score student-faculty interactions at 55.7 compared with other cohort schools’ average of 55.5.

Student surveys of courses are one factor in evaluating faculty members’ ability to carry out classroom roles. Probationary faculty must collect surveys from students in at least two courses during the fall term and one in the spring. Continuing faculty collect surveys from at least one course in either fall or spring. Supervisors consider these surveys part of a comprehensive evaluation described in the Faculty Handbook, Section 4.11: Evaluations (23-0171, pp. 43-45).

Iowa Lakes has an 8.5 percent average faculty turnover rate from 2018-2022. Longevity at the college averages 13 years for faculty tenure. The continuity of faculty members and the new faculty mentor program (23-0173, 23-0176) ensures effective, high-quality programming.

Five faculty-led committees ensure oversight of a variety of non-classroom roles. The Curriculum Committee (23-0441) is responsible for reviewing all curriculum propositions made by faculty with administrators’ support. Proposals are recommended by the Curriculum Committee to the Academic Council or returned with proposed modification recommendations. Seven faculty members serve a rotating three year-term. The ARC Committee (23-0451) is responsible for assessing student academic achievement and program review as essential components of evaluating overall institutional effectiveness. The committee is comprised of 15 voting representatives from the following areas: Arts and Science (4), CTE (5), Continuing Education (1), Developmental and Preparatory Education (1), Support Services (2), Distance Education (1), High School Partnerships (1), ARC members serve a three-year term.

The Academic Policies and Standards Committee (23-0474) reviews and creates academic policies and procedures at Iowa Lakes. Recommendations are referred to the Academic Council. The Chair of this committee is elected by the committee members, comprised of seven faculty members serving three-year terms. The Academic Council (23-0251, pp. 6-7) is the overarching academic committee composed of the chairs of each faculty-led committee and chaired by the CAO. This committee makes the final recommendations to senior-level administrators in the Cabinet and the Board of Trustees (Board) as needed.

The QFP Committee (23-0244) is co-led by the Executive Director of Human Resources and a faculty member. The committee reviews the QFP and proposes any amendments to the Board for approval as required by Iowa Code 260C.48(4) (23-0004). The code states each community college must establish a quality faculty committee consisting of administrators and instructors who develop and maintain a QFP to hire and support quality faculty. The QFP Committee is composed of eleven members. Of these, five are administrators appointed by the college President, and six are faculty members determined by the bargaining unit. The role of the QFP Committee (23-0244) is to plan and ensure all faculty have a QFP plan (23-0592) and are progressing to remain current in their respective discipline areas.

3.C.3.

Iowa Lakes complies with the requirements of HLC and the IDOE Faculty Qualifications Guide (23-0157). The IDOE guidelines set specific minimum standards for faculty teaching transfer-level courses. These faculty must have a minimum of a master’s degree in the discipline they teach or at least 18 graduate hours in the field where the instructor is teaching. Iowa Lakes complies with NACEP faculty requirements detailed in the Iowa Lakes’ QFP (23-0244).

All faculty qualifications are reviewed by Human Resources, Executive Deans, and the CAO to ensure all faculty teaching in all modalities and at all locations are qualified. Upon hire, Human Resources completes the Faculty Qualifications Review Form (23-0476, 23-0477, 23-0478) listing faculty credentials and areas/courses approved for teaching. As noted previously, the Executive Director of Human Resources, the appropriate Executive Dean, and the CAO all review credentialling sheets (23-0476, 23-0477, 23-0478) and sign off to ensure instructors meet credentialing requirements before instructors are assigned courses to teach.

In CTE, faculty must be certified and/or registered with the appropriate credentials for their teaching discipline. They must have earned a bachelor’s or associate degree with 3,000 hours of verified work experience or at least 6,000 hours of related employment, as noted in the IDOE Faculty Qualifications Guide (23-0157). Official transcripts and/or documented verified work experience accompany the CTE Faculty Qualifications form and the Alternative Credentialing/Tested Work Experience form (23-0477, 23-0478). These guidelines assist the college in the demonstration of consistent procedures and careful consideration of qualifications for all instructional faculty. The CAO for Iowa Lakes participates on the statewide committee, which reviews recommendations for potential modifications to the guidelines. Revisions and guidelines are released and published on the IDOE website upon committee approval.

The institution uses Colleague (23-0258) software to maintain credentials and match faculty with courses they may teach at Iowa Lakes. This ensures a faculty member can only be assigned to teach a class in their approved area of study and/or specific courses identified during the credentialing review. Ongoing education to ensure faculty remain qualified and grow in their discipline is described in detail in 3.C.5.

3.C.4.

The evaluation process for all faculty is outlined in the Faculty Handbook (23-0171, pp. 43-45). All faculty, full-time, part-time, online, adjunct, or concurrent enrollment, are evaluated by their immediate supervisor. Probationary faculty, those newly hired through year three, are evaluated at least twice per academic year. All non-probationary full-time faculty are evaluated at least once every three years. Adjunct faculty are evaluated in each term they teach for Iowa Lakes. The faculty evaluation process reviews faculty members’ performance related to the roles and responsibilities outlined in their job descriptions. All evaluations include a classroom instructional observation component as appropriate.

Additionally, faculty are required to elicit student feedback using the Student Evaluation Survey outlined in the Faculty Handbook, Section 4.11.B (23-0171, p. 44). The Executive Dean’s office collects the student surveys, tabulates, and summarizes the results. The aggregated results are shared with the respective faculty members and are points for discussion as needed. Student surveys and progress with the QFP are reviewed during evaluations.

Executive Deans, as supervisors, have access to online courses to observe a faculty member or course through Canvas (23-0156). Online courses are subject to be reviewed by supervisors using a special role type with permission to observe course content, student grading, feedback, and student/instructor interactions.

Concurrent enrollment faculty (adjuncts) are evaluated as outlined in the Career Connect Instructor Handbook (23-0343, pp. 6-7). Supervising professors and Career Connect staff conduct site visits utilizing the Faculty Site Visit Form (23-0343, p. 19) in accordance with NACEP standards.

3.C.5.

Per Iowa Code section 260C.48(4) (23-0004), the Continuing Professional Development for Faculty section of the QFP (23-0244, pp. 21-22) outlines the expectations for full-time and adjunct faculty. Full-time faculty complete an annual professional development plan, which the supervisor reviews and approves. Suggested activities include taking courses, workshops, conferences, industry internships, cooperatives and exchange programs, curriculum development, committee work, and self-directed studies. Adjunct faculty are expected to complete one module of the Iowa Lakes Faculty Training course each semester they teach.

A professional development budget allows faculty and staff to attend conferences such as the HLC Annual Conference, workshops, and state or collaborative meetings, as well as a weekly professional development series from Monday Morning Mentor (23-0357) for all faculty on best practices in higher education.

In addition, Iowa Lakes offers at least two professional development workshop days per year for faculty (23-0162, 23-0110, 23-0465). Full-time faculty are required to attend, and adjunct faculty are invited and encouraged as their schedules allow. Adjunct faculty must attend at least one professional development workshop each term they teach for Iowa Lakes (23-0480) via the face-to-face session offered to full-time faculty or a virtual offering at a different date and time. Recent examples include guest speakers and facilitators on assessment practices and capacity, student retention, and other topics (23-0481). Many sessions are recorded and shared to ensure all faculty can access training activities (23-0482). Iowa Lakes' goal is to offer professional development workshops allowing 100 percent of faculty and adjunct faculty to participate. Flexible options for participation allow for that goal to be realized. Full-time faculty must attend professional development workshops offered on campus, usually three to four times yearly. Three offerings were scheduled during the 2021-2022 academic year (23-0483, 23-0484, 23-0485). As indicated on the agendas, many faculty offer to lead professional development workshop sessions to share content learned from attending conferences or from personal experience.

New faculty attend additional professional development sessions in assessment practices and other processes that prepare them for teaching at Iowa Lakes (23-0095). The Faculty Training course in Canvas (23-0487) is a resource for new faculty on topics such as the history of community colleges, Iowa Lakes’ mission and vision, classroom management, curriculum and assessment, Canvas, and accommodations for students' needs. Peer mentors are also assigned to new faculty to assist with onboarding.

Some faculty participate in ongoing professional development to maintain certifications within their professional field. An example of this is the Electrical Technology Program. To stay current and hold certifications as a “master electrician,” the instructor participates in ongoing continuing education. Nursing, Veterinary Technician, Cosmetology, and Aviation are more examples of program instructors maintaining certifications (23-0580).

Concurrent enrollment (adjunct) faculty follow Iowa Lakes’ adjunct faculty guidelines and must attend at least one professional development workshop offered by Iowa Lakes each term in which they teach a course for Iowa Lakes (23-0488). Like all new faculty, they also attend the required new teacher training workshop and select in-person professional development workshop days as identified, specifically our January professional development workshop day (23-0461). Many of these sessions combine topics that meet Iowa Lakes’ requirements and those of NACEP. A valued outcome of these joint sessions is the opportunity for all faculty teaching in a specific discipline to have time to meet and discuss student learning, assessments, course content, and sharing of experiences. All adjunct faculty are invited to attend any in-person professional development workshops at Iowa Lakes. Further, to meet NACEP guidelines, concurrent enrollment (adjunct) faculty receive a peer visit from their Iowa Lakes faculty liaison to facilitate department communications and ensure course alignment (23-0343).

Iowa Lakes is a partnering school with the ICCOC (23-0279). Online courses are shared among community colleges participating in the consortium. Instructors teaching online courses can participate in professional development through the ICCOC Spring Conference, Lumen Learning Circles, as well as Lunch and Learn meetings. Iowa Lakes’ online instructors are also invited to attend on-campus professional development activities.

Iowa Lakes partnered with the other fourteen community colleges in Iowa to form The Iowa Faculty Development Collaborative. The consortium of community colleges applied for the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Funds (GEER) Component 2 (23-0286) grant to establish a high-quality, online professional development repository that supports growth for community college faculty statewide.

The Community Colleges for Iowa website displays the Iowa Faculty Development Collaborative (23-0489), which includes two components: 1) a catalog of asynchronous online professional development modules formatted for downloading into various LMS and 2) a platform for synchronous professional development courses and events that facilitate dialogue among faculty across institutions. Courses will be designed for credit, non-credit, concurrent enrollment, adult literacy, and adjunct faculty and will address various instructional strategies and best practices.

3.C.6.

All instructors maintain published office hours (23-0492, p. 4). Hours are posted outside faculty offices along with their regular schedules. Instructors include this information in their course syllabi and online companion courses. All students are assigned a faculty advisor. During Orientation Days, instructors are available for student inquiry during several sessions, including advising and registration (23-0490). On Visit Days, instructors are available for student inquiry and advising (23-0491). Many instructors include their cell phone numbers on syllabi and respond to text messages during non-office hours or class time. Most student clubs have a faculty advisor. This additional level of engagement with students strengthens students’ confidence in seeking communication with instructors.  

3.C.7.

The Advising and Success Centers (23-0520) at Iowa Lakes provide free access to qualified tutors, resources, and computers on each campus. Licensed Educational Counselors are available to assist students with personal, academic, and career guidance (23-0521).

Individuals assigned full-time Advising and Success Center duties are considered faculty and must meet the standards incorporated in Iowa Code section 260C.48 (23-0004) and Iowa Code 281.24 (23-0276). Additionally, Educational Counselors are considered faculty and meet these standards. Individuals with tutoring included in their assigned duties hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and/or specific industry-recognized certification within the field of study. Iowa Lakes utilizes its faculty members as academic advisors, ensuring appropriately qualified individuals (23-0564, 23-0565) are employed.

All employees active in oversight within co-curricular activities have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and/or specific training directly aligned to the co-curricular activity. For instance, athletic coaches all have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and direct experience and training within the sport they coach and conduct co-curricular assessments (23-0523). Iowa Lakes Director of Libraries holds a Master’s in Library Science degree (23-0522), and the Educational Technologist holds an advanced degree in curriculum and instruction (23-0524).

Student Support Services personnel participate in monthly Support Services meetings (23-0529), professional development workshops, Continuing Education Leadership Courses, and statewide work-alike group meetings (23-0547).

Sources

• 23-0004 Policy- Iowa Code Chapter 260C
• 23-0095 Resource-New Teacher Workshop.pdf
• 23-0103 Data- Profile Analysis.pdf
• 23-0110 Agenda- Faculty Prof Dev Assessment Workshop 1-11-22
• 23-0150 Resouce- ICC Alliance- MOU.pdf
• 23-0156 Resource- CANVAS Homepage.pdf
• 23-0157 Resource- Iowa Comm Colleges Faculty Qualifications Guide.pdf
• 23-0159 Resource- Applicant Matrix.pdf
• 23-0162 Resource- Professional Development.pdf
• 23-0162 Resource- Professional Development.pdf (page number 2)
• 23-0170 Resource- Hiring Guide 2021.pdf
• 23-0171 Resource- Faculty Handbook.pdf
• 23-0171 Resource- Faculty Handbook.pdf (page number 43)
• 23-0171 Resource- Faculty Handbook.pdf (page number 44)
• 23-0173 Resource- Eval of Mentor mentee Process
• 23-0176 Resource- Mentor-Mentee Checklist.pdf
• 23-0195 Report- IPEDS.pdf
• 23-0244 Policy- QFP- Board approved FY21.pdf
• 23-0244 Policy- QFP- Board approved FY21.pdf (page number 21)
• 23-0251 Resource- Academic Organization.pdf
• 23-0251 Resource- Academic Organization.pdf (page number 6)
• 23-0258 Resource- Ellucian Colleague.pdf
• 23-0276 Policy- Iowa Code 281
• 23-0279 Resource- ICCOC.pdf
• 23-0286 Resource- Grant Activity Spreadsheet
• 23-0303 Data- CCSSE
• 23-0304 Data- SENSE
• 23-0343 Resource- Career Connect Instructor Handbook.pdf
• 23-0343 Resource- Career Connect Instructor Handbook.pdf (page number 6)
• 23-0343 Resource- Career Connect Instructor Handbook.pdf (page number 19)
• 23-0357 Resource- Monday Morning Mentor Schedule and Topics.pdf
• 23-0403 Resource- 2021 Head Wrestling Coach Completion Specialist
• 23-0441 Policy- Curriculum Committee Bylaws.docx
• 23-0451 Policy- ARC Bylaws
• 23-0461 Agenda- Professional Development - Penn 1-11-22
• 23-0465 Agenda- Professional Development Agenda 8-18-22
• 23-0471 Website- Grant Writer Job Posting HireEdJobs
• 23-0472 Report- IA DE Iowa Lakes Community College Profile 2021
• 23-0472 Report- IA DE Iowa Lakes Community College Profile 2021 (page number 10)
• 23-0473 Website- Ken Nwadike Jr - Free Hugs Project
• 23-0474 Policy- Academic Policy and Standards bylaws.docx
• 23-0476 Resource- Faculty Qualifications Review Documentation - Arts and Sciences
• 23-0477 Resource- Faculty Qualifications Review Documentation - Career and Technical Education
• 23-0478 Resource- Faculty Qualifications Review Documentation - Tested Work Experience
• 23-0480 Agenda- Adjunct Faculty Workshop Agendas
• 23-0481 Resource- Penn Presentation
• 23-0482 Resource- Professional Development Materials Available Via Canvas
• 23-0483 Agenda- Professional Development Agenda 8.19.21
• 23-0484 Agenda- Professional Development Agenda 5.6.22
• 23-0485 Agenda- Professional Development 2.18.22
• 23-0487 Resource- Iowa Lakes Faculty Training Course Spring 2023
• 23-0488 NACEP Faculty Development Agenda 10.12.22
• 23-0489 Website- About _ Community Colleges for Iowa
• 23-0490 Resource- Orientation Day Flyer
• 23-0491 Resource- College Visit Day Flyer
• 23-0492 Resource- Collective Bargaining 2021-2023
• 23-0492 Resource- Collective Bargaining 2021-2023 (page number 4)
• 23-0520 Resource- Job Description Student Advising and Success Center Instructional Assistant
• 23-0521 Resource- Job Description Educational Counselor
• 23-0522 Resource- Job Description Library Director
• 23-0523 Resource- Job Description Athletic Coach
• 23-0524 Resource- Job Description Educational Technologist
• 23-0529 Campus Administrators_Student Services Meeting 2.2.23
• 23-0547 Agenda- Statewide AAWG
• 23-0564 Resource- Registrar Job Description
• 23-0565 Resource- Fin Aid Assoc Director Job Description
• 23-0580 Faculty Certification Requirements
• 23-0592 Resource- QFP Faculty Plan Examples.pdf

The institution provides support for student learning and resources for 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 and programs for which the students are adequately prepared.
3. The institution provides academic advising suited to its offerings 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 and museum collections, as appropriate to the institution’s offerings).

3.D.1.

Iowa Lakes’ students have a wide variety of services designed to meet the needs of a diverse student population. One of the significant needs of students is financial aid. The institution provides assistance to students in navigating this process. Financial Aid, grants, scholarships, and work-study opportunities make paying for college less burdensome. During the 2021-2022 academic year, 48 percent of Iowa Lakes students graduated debt-free (23-0534).

The Future Ready Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship (23-0082) was implemented to help support the State of Iowa's goal to have 70 percent of Iowans in the workforce having education or training beyond high school by 2025. The Last-Dollar Scholarship Program (23-0495) helps students cover expenses related to attending college. As the name suggests, this scholarship opportunity may be awarded to qualifying students to close the gap between financial aid awards and the costs associated with attending college.

Persisting to graduation can be a challenge for many students. To assist with identifying barriers to students’ success in academic programs, Iowa Lakes employs Dropout Detective (23-0071) within Canvas. Advisors can identify at-risk students based on their attendance, performances within their courses by their grade, attendance number of missing assignments, the last time the student accessed the class, and their latest assignment submission. Instructors can communicate directly with advisors by submitting “Notes” (23-0069) within Dropout Detective. Advisors are alerted when Notes (23-0072) are available, allowing them to follow up with students. Notes also let advisors communicate with instructors about assistance provided to the student to remove barriers and enable student persistence with learning.

Students needing additional support in the form of tutoring can access the Completion Specialist (23-0403) and Educational Counselors (23-0521). Free professional tutoring in math or science is available to all students on a drop-in basis in the Advising and Success Centers. Iowa Lakes’ professional tutors (23-0501) have bachelor's or master’s degrees in the content area where they tutor students. Peer tutoring is also free to students and available by request through the campus Advising and Success Centers or the TRIO-SSS (23-0288) program for students who qualify. Additionally, all students have access to 15 free hours of Smarthinking (23-0075), an online tutoring resource for a wide variety of content areas. Students can interact with a live tutor, submit a question for a tutor’s response, or submit papers to the Writing Center.

Advising and Success Centers (23-0349) are available on all campuses. In addition to tutoring services, Advising and Success staff assist with developmental studies coursework, placement testing, tutoring, advising, and registration. Educational Counseling offices are located on Emmetsburg, Estherville, and Spencer Campuses and assist all students enrolled in credit courses to meet their academic, career, and personal goals.

TRIO-SSS (23-0288) is a federally funded grant program assisting first-generation, income-eligible, and/or disabled students navigate toward graduation and/or transfer to baccalaureate institutions. This is accomplished through various academic services, including advising, course scheduling, financial literacy, workshops, transfer assistance, and transfer campus visits. The TRIO-SSS office creates access to higher education and promotes equity and inclusion.

Veterans Affairs (VA)/Veteran Centers support veteran student success in postsecondary education by coordinating services to address academic, financial, physical, and social needs. Veterans, VA, and Iowa Lakes VA liaisons coordinate services such as transfer credit or prior learning experience to ensure seamless enrollment, persistence, and completion. The VA reviews Veterans VA-ONCE or Tungsten Network requests to certify Veteran student status, program, and additional information as needed. Iowa Lakes has a dedicated Veterans Center with access to the internet, computers, CAC Card Reader, Roku TV, snacks, and drinks. Additionally, Iowa Lakes holds student Veteran social events such as appreciation dinners and Veteran’s Day Ceremony (23-0444) on the Estherville and Emmetsburg Campuses. Veterans are recognized during events and graduation ceremonies (23-0466). 

Accommodations are provided for students with physical, emotional, or learning disabilities through the Educational Counseling Offices for credit and non-credit courses. Iowa Lakes is committed to providing support and services to students with disabilities. These services are offered at no cost to qualified students and ensure that all students have equitable access to educational opportunities. Students seeking reasonable accommodations must self-identify and complete an application that is reviewed, approved, or denied by Iowa Lakes Educational Counselors. Iowa Lakes offers free Mental Health Services through online teletherapy for all students and staff 24/7/365 (23-0390). Teletherapy provides timely attention for students in need. The mental health and teletherapy services the college offers help students get back on track academically and socially. Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation (23-0073) delivers an education and employment program for individuals who experience a disability. Whether individuals have a physical, emotional, or mental disability that prevents them from entering or staying within the workforce, Vocational Rehabilitation assists participants in preparing for, obtaining, retaining, and advancing in employment.

The Federal Food Assistance Employment and Training (FAE&T), previously Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (23-0083), provides nutrition assistance to low-income college students. FAE&T is critical because food insecurity is one of the greatest threats to health, well-being, and academic success for low-income college students. Food insecurity should not be a reason for determining the success of college students. Students are referred to the Department of Human Services to apply for food assistance. They receive help from the Educational Counselors with the application process when needed. In addition, all students receive communication containing dates and locations of Iowa Food Bank distribution sites (23-0008). 

Students for whom English is their second language may take non-credit English as a Second Language (ESL) (23-0109) classes designed to teach a variety of English language skills. These classes improve students' reading, writing, and speaking English competency. Additionally, ESL classes promote improved math skills, grow skills for the workforce, and allow students to acquire an understanding of the American system of government, individual freedom, and the responsibilities of citizenship. Iowa Lakes offers free High School Equivalency Diploma classes to assist students in completing the five HiSET (High School Equivalency Test) (23-0094) discipline areas in English and Spanish. The discipline areas include Math, Reading, Science, Social Studies, and Writing. The HiSET offers students the same High School Equivalency Diploma from Iowa as GED® has in the past. Additionally, the college provides courses for students where English may not be their first language.

International students (23-0079) are another population with specific needs. Iowa Lakes offers an international student orientation, during which they are given information regarding services available to them by Iowa Lakes, including but not limited to educational counseling, advising, accommodations, and mental health support through TalkCampus (23-0390) and Synergy eTherapy (23-0429). Additionally, they are provided with resources provided by government agencies such as the Department of Human Services, Student Exchange Visitor Program (23-0493), Internal Revenue Service, and the State Department. International students are encouraged to join and attend Diversity Club meetings where they can interact with other students (23-0035). Iowa Lakes employs an International Student Liaison who works closely with these students. International students are also assigned a faculty advisor.

The Diversity Club’s mission is to create a culture where all people are valued and supported and celebrate the similarities and differences among us. All students, staff, and faculty are invited to participate (23-0080). The club also meets asynchronously via a course in Canvas through which resources are shared, and discussion posts build understanding and allow students to share experiences (23-0494).

The Convocation series (23-0134) aims to expose our students to diversity and culture that is not possible within the curriculum structure. These presentations are provided to expand awareness and sensitivity to diversity issues and other cultures. They also serve as a way for students to learn about different heritages, mental health, sexual awareness, diversity, different cultures, and so much more. Convocations provide students the chance to become more familiar with themselves and the world around them.

Students enrolled at Iowa Lakes have access to the entirety of the library resources (23-0243) offered at all campuses and online. The library has tens of thousands of physical materials to lend, located at the various Iowa Lakes Libraries. Access is provided to these resources through the catalog, and materials are sent between campuses when necessary. Interlibrary loan access is available, and the college purchases new materials based on patron needs and recommendations. Students are provided access to the online database resources through a proxy server, ensuring that Iowa Lakes students, faculty, and staff have access to those resources. Access to these resources does include concurrent enrollment. Access to ebook databases, periodical databases, and video databases is provided to all users, ensuring that all students at Iowa Lakes have access to the tools and resources they need to succeed.

3.D.2.

Students take placement tests in math, reading, and writing. Accuplacer, ACT, or SAT scores are used to determine placement (23-0497); however, students may request a waiver if they believe their score is not indicative of their ability. A waiver can be completed with the student’s advisor following an advising session on the risks and benefits of enrolling in a course the placement test would have otherwise precluded the student from taking. Options such as resources available in Advising and Success Center (23-0349) and tutoring are a part of the advising session. Some programs, such as Nursing and Veterinary Technology, require an Accuplacer or ACT cut score for admission to the program. Developmental education courses are offered in math, writing, and reading. Each course aids in providing the foundational framework for students to be successful in subsequent college-level courses.

Qualified faculty develop courses and determine course prerequisites. Developmental education courses, such as math MAT-054 and English ENG-035 or assessment scores, serve as prerequisites for select courses. Course prerequisites are programmed into Colleague so that students are not allowed to register for a course unless prerequisites are met. Only faculty that teach the course may make exceptions to override registration rules for students who have not met course prerequisites. Course descriptions contain prerequisites, and students are able to find descriptions in the catalog (23-0009). They can also access descriptions while choosing sections as they register for courses.

Select programs have course prerequisites (23-0498) that must be completed successfully before a student is accepted into the program. Those are indicated in the catalog (23-0009) and program webpages (23-0190) (Associates Degree Nursing, Practical Nursing, Veterinary Technician). Students meet with program advisors prior to enrollment to discuss any preparation needed to be adequately prepared for the program.

Successful Learning (23-0496) is required for all AA and AS students. Students are advised to take the course during their first semester to support student success. The course teaches successful study and learning strategies and informs students about Iowa Lakes and available resources.

Iowa Lakes is committed to providing support and services to students with disabilities (23-0499, 23-0500). These services ensure that students have equal access to educational opportunities. Students seeking consideration for reasonable accommodations at Iowa Lakes self-identify their need for an Educational Counselor. Educational Counselors act as liaisons for students with disabilities and the institution. Qualified and dedicated staff develop individualized plans to meet any accommodations needed for each student.

Professional (23-0501) and peer tutoring are available to all students through each campus's Advising and Success Centers. Students participating in TRIO-SSS also have 24-hour, seven days per week access to a free tutoring platform via tutor.com (23-0543). All students have access to 15 free hours of Smarthinking (23-0075), an online tutoring resource for a wide variety of content areas. Students can interact with a live tutor, submit a question for a tutor’s response, or submit papers to the Writing Center.

In analyzing assessment data related to ILO Oral and Written Communications, it was noted that students scored lower than expected or benchmarked in grammar and mechanics. In response, Grammarly (23-0186) was purchased for all students to access as a resource. Students get real-time feedback on their writing and are able to make adjustments and improve their writing. Faculty encourage the use of this 24/7 online resource, and ILO assessments have shown student improvement in grammar and mechanics (I-2 Grammar and Mechanics).

All degree-seeking students are assigned an academic advisor to guide their educational journey. Advisors serve as a resource for plan development, registration assistance, transfer planning, and general guidance support. Campus-attending students are introduced to their advisor during College 101 (23-0141), a required first-day orientation for all new, incoming students. In addition to connecting with their academic advisor during College 101, students receive training in technology and other mandatory training and become familiar with the campus and their class schedule. Iowa Lakes also has a College 101 course in Canvas for new students who are unable to attend the face-to-face version or online students. This course has the same content as the face-to-face course. It is available for students to drop into at any time to access information concerning student ID information, technology training, Title IX, advising, and student services. In addition, an online course, Canvas Orientation, is available to all students as soon as they register for a course. Topics in this orientation include student resources, the use of Canvas, grades, and best practices in online learning.

Orientation and Registration days are offered to students planning to attend Iowa Lakes. Students learn more about what the college provides for student services and the financial aid process and register for classes (23-0490). Laker Visit Days (23-0491) are held for prospective students interested in Iowa Lakes. Students who attend tour the campus, meet instructors and advisors and learn about academic programs available at Iowa Lakes. Laker Visit Days allow prospective students to recognize options, understand the path to enrollment, and identify resources such as financial aid.

Career Resources Center (23-0143) provides individualized career coaching services and assistance in registering for appropriate courses or training that align with students’ career paths. Each year, they host campus job fairs (23-0142) and assist students with resume-building and interviewing skills.

Pathway Navigators (23-0574) serve both credit and non-credit students with career coaching. Navigators assist students who are undecided on their career path or wish to change academic programs.

Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation (23-0073) is an employment program for individuals who experience a disability. Whether individuals have a physical, emotional, or mental disability that prevents them from entering or staying within the workforce, Vocational Rehabilitation assists participants in preparing for, obtaining, retaining, and advancing in employment.

High School Partnerships (HSP) holds six career exploration days (23-0125) each year for the five-county K-12 school districts. These events are open to 9th–12th-grade students. High School Partnerships employs a College and Career Transitions Counselor (23-0502) to assist high school students interested in enrolling in higher education in navigating the process.

3.D.3.

All degree-seeking students are assigned faculty advisors to help guide them through their educational journey (23-0518, 23-0519). Advisors provide advising, academic plan development, registration assistance, transfer planning, and general guidance. Academic Advisors use the Colleague’s Self-Service Student Planner (23-0386) to assist with advising and registration. Students can also use this system to look at course offerings for each semester and view their current transcript and degree audit. Non-degree-seeking online students work with Distance Education staff who direct these students to the Records office if a faculty advisor is requested, if the student plans to enter a program with an advisor assigned, or if the online student indicates they plan to complete a degree as a part-time student. Advising and Success Center staff on each campus provide drop-in advising for any student.

Faculty who lead a college program advise their program students. If indicated, transfer students in an Associate of Arts or Science are assigned faculty advisors based on their area of interest. Students with a transfer major are assigned an advisor that works within the transfer major. For example, Transfer Business students all have the same advisor. A select group of faculty and staff advisors are designated to work with international students due to Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) requirements, assuring they meet face-to-face course requirements (23-0503). Veterans Affairs staff are available to provide additional advising assistance to veterans or active duty military. Students unsure of an academic direction can work with Educational Counselors or Pathway Navigators before choosing a program or courses.

An Advising and Success Center (23-0349) is located on each campus to assist with developmental studies coursework, placement testing, tutoring, advising, and registration. Virtual advising is an option for all students. Sessions are held one-on-one with a faculty advisor, an Advising and Success Center professional, or an academic coach. These are conducted in person by phone, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams.

Fifty-five percent of Iowa Lakes students plan to transfer to another college (23-0591). Students interested in transferring to a four-year college or university are encouraged to meet with a Transfer Planning advisor to discuss educational goals, college majors, and schools transfer students are considering. Meeting with an advisor helps students establish an academic pathway at Iowa Lakes to ensure a successful transfer to their chosen four-year college or university. Iowa Lakes has many articulation or transfer agreements (23-0047) with area colleges and universities. These agreements verify the transferability of Iowa Lakes credits to that institution (23-0446, 23-0447). Advisors connect transfer students with advisors at the baccalaureate degree-issuing institution early in advising sessions to ensure their program meets the institution’s transfer requirements (23-0047).

Iowa Lakes also offers Reverse Credit Transfer advising (23-0445). The Completion Specialist identifies students who have few credits left to complete a degree and have transferred to a four-year college or university. Students eligible for Reverse Credit Transfer begin the process while working with faculty advisors, transfer advisors (TRIO), or Educational Counselors. In addition, the Completion Specialist encourages students to take advantage of reverse transfer to earn a degree from Iowa Lakes.

Students taking Iowa Lakes courses through HSP (23-0099) also receive advising and registration support. Staff in the HSP department meet with any student at least two times per year or more often based on the high school counselor’s recommendations. The HSP staff review degree audits with the student during the advising session. HSP administers placement testing to all high school students taking dual credit courses and assists with registrations two times per academic year. HSP student registrations are entered into Colleague, then rosters are verified with the high schools.

TRIO-SSS (23-0288) staff serve as secondary advisors to the participants in the program. They assist with course scheduling, developing a path to graduation, transfer assistance, and referrals to other student services. Enrollment Coaches in the Admissions department are available to meet with prospective students on or off campus. They provide information about the college and assist with the admissions process. Educational Counselors also support students’ academic and career goals and coordinate with both the Advising and Success Center and Academic Advisors to support students’ goals.

3.D.4.

Iowa Lakes is well-equipped to support effective teaching and learning with excellent facilities, technology, and resources that support programs, students, and instructors. Iowa Lakes supplies wireless network access on campus. Central to this support are ideal spaces for hands-on, authentic learning. Iowa Lakes’ investment in laboratory (lab) spaces is evidence of this.

There are four Science labs on the Estherville Campus, two on the Emmetsburg Campus, and one on the other three campuses (23-0510, 23-0513). Each of these has received recent updates and renovations. Ongoing follow-up from the Science discipline review documents progress and future goals for these labs (23-0507). The Art classroom in Estherville was also recently renovated and continues to be updated as more students opt for studio art courses. In the spring of 2022, a dedicated space was renovated and retrofitted for the Digital, Social, and Broadcast Production program. Space and equipment for a webcast and radio station lab are available to apply student learning, and additional planning is in progress for further resources (23-0504).

The Nursing Simulation Lab (23-0211) offers students opportunities to focus on learning and applying knowledge. Simulation scenarios begin with basic assessment and communication focus and evolve to more critical thinking by the end of the program. Students initially work as a team with other students and progress to independent simulation for PNN-107 and ADN-415. Faculty developed scenarios, with consultation from Laerdal® trainers, as new technology was purchased and utilized. Using a medication administration machine (Pyxis®) enhances medication administration skills. The Certified Nursing Assistant program has fully equipped classrooms on all five campuses. The program has recently purchased new advanced manikins for the hands-on training of our students with grant funding and partners with multiple facilities for clinical training.

Iowa Lakes has exceptional facilities for training in agriculture (23-0220). Those facilities include a modern swine production center (23-0515) and a four-year-old beef learning center (23-0511). The latest improvement consists of a 7,500 square feet machinery lab, which houses a sprayer, planting simulators, and precision AG/GPS equipment. The 360-acre farm allows students to apply skills in the classroom to actual field applications.

The Aviation program has numerous resources to help meet the needs of aviation students. The program utilizes classrooms on campus for classroom instruction and to conduct Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) written examinations within the approved testing center located in the Estherville Campus library (23-0505). Students also use facilities located at Estherville Airport. It has common study areas with access to four computers with test preparation software and four flight simulators. There is a pilot prep workspace where students use Jeppesen Learning System ground school software. The facilities include space to park seven aircrafts and perform pre and post-flight checks and actual flights. Online Flight School Management Software with syllabi, student progress tracking, and financial tracking also support this program, students, and instructors (23-0273, 23-0292 p. 3, 23-0306 p. 2, 23-0575).

In Criminal Justice, the highest liability and risk to practitioners are use-of-force decisions, including dealing with people in a mental health crisis and de-escalating potentially volatile situations. In order to safely simulate these situations, the Criminal Justice program utilizes an interactive training simulator and a virtual reality (VR) simulator that improves students’ understanding of use-of-force, de-escalation techniques, and mental health calls. Several law enforcement agencies around the country have started using this kind of system. Iowa Lakes’ Criminal Justice program is the first in Iowa to have this technology. The VR simulator is platform-based, which allows instructors to place students in an environment where the instructor is the voice and controls the suspect’s actions. Iowa Lakes has dedicated space for these technologies and learning laboratories (23-0442).

The Sustainable Energy Resources and Technology (SERT) Building (23-0449) provides a state-of-the-art hands-on learning environment to prepare students for careers in the energy and environment fields. Students in the SERT programs learn from discipline experts as they pursue careers in Engineering Technology, Electrical Technology, HVAC, Environmental Studies, Water Quality, and Wind Energy and Turbine Technology. Iowa Lakes’ wind turbine provides wind energy students with hands-on activities to build confidence and test learned skills in real-life situations. The robotics lab within the Engineer Technology program at Iowa Lakes allows students to test their problem-solving and troubleshooting skills. The labs support students’ learning by adding a hands-on component to the classes. Students achieve a higher level of learning through applying technology in the robotics lab.

CTE Programs have dedicated lab spaces for hands-on learning. Equipment in these spaces is kept up to date through various funding sources, including the Technology and Equipment (T&E) Committee (23-0277, 23-0590) and grant funding (23-0286). These resources are reviewed at least every five years during each program’s Program Review process and subsequent follow-up meetings to ensure students work with appropriate, up-to-date resources.

The Performing Arts Center is a premier new facility and training center/lab that provides, nurtures, and develops our students' passions for music, theatre, and dance at Iowa Lakes (23-0450). It is a catalyst bridging the academic community to the surrounding local community and allows students to explore the mechanisms and technology of state-of-the-art equipment. The Performing Arts Center also provides cultural and artistic opportunities for all Iowa Lakes students (23-0198, 23-0468, 23-0469, 23-0117).

Students have access to computers at every campus. There are open labs in the library areas in Estherville and Emmetsburg and the Advising and Success Center areas at the other campuses. Program-specific computer labs are on every campus. The computers are upgraded regularly to keep up with performance needs. Additionally, Surface tablet mobile carts allow a computer lab to move wherever needed. The mobile carts allow technology to reach students wherever the class is taught. The Surface tablets are upgraded regularly to meet performance needs. Most faculty also have a Surface tablet assigned to them. The Surface allows the faculty member to move about the classroom, annotate, and conduct “Live” classes from anywhere. (23-0576)

Active learning classrooms were added with institutional funds. The rooms offer Surface tablet compatible, high-definition projectors and portable wireless monitors. The Title III grant  (23-0508) upgraded instructional technology in highest-need rooms, replacing 60 projectors. More than 70 rooms were impacted beyond new projectors: cost efficiencies and options presented by new instructional technologies provided greater and more varied impact.

The focus of the Title III grant (23-0508) was to enhance student engagement and active learning. The Educational Technologist position (23-0524) was added to assist employees with technology instruction. The grant-funded Educational Technologist sought, promoted, and trained on active learning strategies which challenged the traditional classroom arrangement. Newer instructional technologies, such as the Clevertouch interactive monitor and virtual or augmented reality devices, further promote active learning and immersion in course concepts (23-0509).

The Iowa Lakes Library (23-0415) assists students with information literacy skills and needs including by not limited to research instruction, citation assistance, and a semester-long information literacy course. Students have access to computers and study spaces, as well as access to resources both physically and digitally. These resources include many periodicals, books, and audiovisual materials. If any resources are needed that the library does not possess, those items are acquired through purchase or interlibrary loan. Iowa Lakes libraries host online databases that provide users access to digital materials from any location at any time of day. Students can access periodicals, newspapers, magazines, journals, books, audiobooks, and video resources. With Iowa Lakes’ proxy server, students can access the resources anytime, from any location, without needing to come to campus.

Canvas (23-0156) supports teaching and learning at Iowa Lakes. For every credit course offered at Iowa Lakes, a course shell is created to share the syllabus, resources, learning objects, communication, and more. All students and faculty have access to Canvas, which is used for various co-curricular, continuing education, and student services needs.

Students’ mental and physical health is critical to engage in learning experiences. Iowa Lakes’ facilities support this as well. The weight room, cardio room, and Christensen building (23-0516) in the Estherville Campus are open during posted hours of the week for general student use. This allows students to exercise and engage in intramural activities. The Smith Wellness Center (23-0512) on the Emmetsburg Campus provides opportunities for students to participate in various health and wellness programs and classes. The Spencer Campus has a fitness center available for students (23-0577).

Student lounges are available to students, with secure access required to enter, on the Emmetsburg and Estherville Campuses (23-0513, 23-0517). A full kitchen is available with cooking utensils. An 80-inch flat-screen television with blu-ray for movies, Netflix, and other streaming services is available. Five 85-inch flat-screen televisions are also available for gaming. PS4s are provided with limited games. Many other board games and puzzles with soft seating make this space perfect for taking a break and recharging.

Dining halls also support the health and nutrition of students. Dining Services (23-0568) provide space for students to engage in the campus community, and on-campus meals play an important part in that process. Dining Services’ goal is to offer a wide range of healthy menu choices and meet the nutritional needs of the student body. The staff works one-on-one with students with food allergies or special dietary needs.

Sources

• 23-0008 Emails- Iowa Food Bank Information
• 23-0009 Resource- Course Catalog 2022-2023.pdf
• 23-0035 Resource- Diversity Club.pdf
• 23-0047 Website- Transfer Agreements
• 23-0069 Resource- Dropout Detective Case Notes.pdf
• 23-0071 Resource-Dropout DetStudent Dashboard Example.pdf
• 23-0072 Resource-Dropout Det Stdt Notes Exmpl.pdf
• 23-0073 Website- DVRS.pdf
• 23-0075 Report- SmartThinking Tutoring Log
• 23-0079 Website- International Students.pdf
• 23-0080 Report Diversity Club Goals and Activities.pdf
• 23-0082 Resource- Last Dollar Scholar.pdf
• 23-0083 Website- Mental Health -SNAP.pdf
• 23-0094 Resource- HiSet.pdf
• 23-0099 Resource- High School Partnerships.pdf
• 23-0109 Resource- ESL.pdf
• 23-0117 Website- Music Camps Contests Festivals.pdf
• 23-0125 Resource- HSP Events-Activities.pdf
• 23-0134 Resource- Convocations.pdf
• 23-0141 Resource- College 101.pdf
• 23-0142 Resource- Job Fairs.pdf
• 23-0143 Website- Career Resource Center.pdf
• 23-0156 Resource- CANVAS Homepage.pdf
• 23-0186 Resource- Grammarly.pdf
• 23-0190 Website- Degree Option Webpages.pdf
• 23-0198 Resource- Musical- program.pdf
• 23-0211 Resource- Nursing Sim Lab.pdf
• 23-0220 Resource- College Farm.pdf
• 23-0243 Website- Find Resources (Library).pdf
• 23-0273 Resource- Aviation Program T-E Request
• 23-0277 Resource- T-E Committee.pdf
• 23-0286 Resource- Grant Activity Spreadsheet
• 23-0288 Website- TRIO-SSS.pdf
• 23-0292 Resource- Board Meeting PO List 3-15-22
• 23-0292 Resource- Board Meeting PO List 3-15-22 (page number 3)
• 23-0306 Resource- Board Meeting PO List 5-17-22
• 23-0306 Resource- Board Meeting PO List 5-17-22 (page number 2)
• 23-0349 Website- Advising and Success Center.pdf
• 23-0386 Resource- Colleague Student Planning
• 23-0390 Email- TalkCampus Mental Health Service
• 23-0403 Resource- 2021 Head Wrestling Coach Completion Specialist
• 23-0415 Website- Iowa Lakes Library
• 23-0429 Website- Synergy E-Therapy
• 23-0442 Resource- CJ Map
• 23-0444 Resource- Veterans Day Flyer
• 23-0445 Resource- Reverse Transfer Flyer
• 23-0446 Report- Transfer Report (University)
• 23-0447 Report- Transfer Report (Iowa Lakes)
• 23-0449 Resource- SERT Map
• 23-0450 PAC Map
• 23-0466 Resource- Graduation Program
• 23-0468 Resource- Music Department Program Night at the PAC 2021
• 23-0469 Resource- Music Department Program - Night at the Performing Arts Center 2022.docx
• 23-0490 Resource- Orientation Day Flyer
• 23-0491 Resource- College Visit Day Flyer
• 23-0493 I-17 Resource- Immigration and Customs Enforcement for Iowa Lakes
• 23-0494 Resource- Diversity Club Moduals in Canvas
• 23-0495 Resource- Last Dollar Scholarship Programs and Allocations
• 23-0496 Data- Successful Learning Annual Report
• 23-0497 Resource Placement Test Cut Scores
• 23-0498 Website- Iowa Lakes Associates Degree Nursing Program Qualifications
• 23-0499 Disability Services Student Handbook 2022-2023
• 23-0500 Disability Services Faculty Handbook 2022
• 23-0501 Resource- Professional Tutor Log
• 23-0502 Report- College and Career Transition Counselor Report
• 23-0503 Website- SEVIS Course Delivery Requirements
• 23-0504 Minutes- DSBP Program Review Action Plan
• 23-0505 Resource- FAA Testing Center Approval and Certificate
• 23-0507 Minutes Science Discipline Review Follow-up Action
• 23-0508 Report- Title III Grant
• 23-0509 Report- Instructional Technology Summary
• 23-0510 Map- Emmetsburg Science Lab
• 23-0511 Map- Cattle Building Plans.docx
• 23-0512 Map- Wellness Center Map
• 23-0513 Map- Estherville North End Map
• 23-0515 Map- Swine Multipurpose Barn
• 23-0516 Map- Christensen Building Map.docx
• 23-0517 Map- Emmetsburg Main Map.docx
• 23-0518 Resource- Advisor Assignment 2022-2023
• 23-0519 Resource- Program-Advisor Change Template.docx
• 23-0521 Resource- Job Description Educational Counselor
• 23-0524 Resource- Job Description Educational Technologist
• 23-0534 Resource- Do Your Homework Flyer
• 23-0543 Website- Online Tutor
• 23-0568 Website- Dining Services
• 23-0574 Career Pathway Navigator
• 23-0575 Resource- Iowa Lakes Airplane Fleet
• 23-0576 Resource- ComputerInventory
• 23-0577 Resource- Spencer Campus
• 23-0590 Resource- FY22 T-E Request Action
• 23-0591 Resource- Intent Question Trends

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

Summary

Iowa Lakes awards AA, AS, AAS, diplomas, and certificates based on the academic standards of its accrediting agencies, the Iowa Department of Education, and HLC. Graduates leave with the knowledge, skills, and abilities for the workforce or to continue their education. Examples include the nursing program NCLEX pass rate and the transfer success data shared by Regent universities. The college ensures the quality of its courses and programs through processes such as assessment, program reviews, and assistance from Advisory Boards. The simple syllabus template and multi-section course assessment assure consistency regardless of modality.

The general education program is appropriate for the college’s mission, course and degree offerings. Learning outcomes are reviewed regularly and in conjunction with the program review to ensure courses meet or exceed appropriate levels of rigor. Concurrent enrollment faculty are held to the same standards as Iowa Lakes faculty to ensure they possess the necessary qualifications and courses are at a college level. Co-curricular activities complement program offerings and provide skills application opportunities for students.

Iowa Lakes boasts a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Faculty are qualified in their respective subjects and reviewed regularly. Faculty attend professional development on advising to meet the needs of its students. Iowa Lakes offers various support services provided by staff members who are appropriately qualified and trained. The college has the necessary employees, resources, and infrastructure to support effective teaching and learning.

Sources

There are no sources.