Ivy Tech Community College, IN

2018 Governance Institute for Student Success
GISS-Ivy Tech Community College, Indiana – August 1, 2018
Lafayette, IN

                                     

GETTING OUR BOARDS FOCUSED ON STUDENT SUCCESS & WORKFORCE PREPARATION

Sponsored by our state systems grant with Strada Education Network, the GISS for Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana was comprised of several major parts and two visits to the state over a period of five months. A unique state system, Ivy Tech has a central office in Indianapolis, and as of 2018, 19 separate district locations headed by chancellors throughout Indiana. Ivy Tech’s State Board, comprised of 15 members, holds their monthly meetings in these different campus site locations, and GISS staff traveled to two different meeting sites for different parts of the institute:

• Observation Visit and Report, April 5, 2018 in Muncie, IN: GISS staff observed the State Board in action during a morning of committee reports, a luncheon with student performances and engagement, and an afternoon formal meeting. Thirteen board members were present, including two student trustees. An observation report was submitted to the Chair of the Board and Ivy Tech President Sue Ellspermann following the visit.
• Chancellor’s Campus Board Survey: By request of Ivy Tech, GISS staff developed and conducted a survey of the 19 chancellors regarding their Campus Boards, many of whom were existing but were getting new members and other local boards that were being developed for the first time. Survey reports were compiled and distributed at the August 1st institute.
• State Board Self-Assessment: The Ivy Tech Board completed their board-self assessment (BSA). Several members (4) were fairly new (attending only two meetings), and on the day of the institute, two new members attended. The GISS Director met with the board and Ivy Tech president to discuss the survey results which were distributed in a separate meeting from the chancellors and board staff.
• One-day GISS institute August 1, 2018 in Lafayette, IN: Over 22 executives participated in the training which focused on the roles and responsibilities of the college’s Campus Boards, including a review of the Ivy Tech Campus Board of Trustees by-laws by board staff and college counsel.

High performing boards
At the beginning, GISS Specialist Jennifer Nunez reviewed board development materials and educational and economic profiles of the College and the state on thumb drives provided to participants at the institute. Chancellors were then able to review the results of their survey about their roles and concerns about working with their Campus Boards. GISS Director Norma Goldstein then set the stage for the one-day campus board development event and engaged participants in a variety of activities to help them keep their board’s focus on student success.

Later, all attendees discussed topics such as moving the success agenda forward through data-informed policy and shared best practices with each other, a highlight being engaging their entire campus faculty and staff to take responsibility to assist and support students. At the end of the institute, chancellors were given guidelines for a Board development Plan to use (or modify) with their local Campus Boards. Some of the institute focused on the changing dynamics in learning and in the upcoming workforce.