Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Non-Credit Integration

Now that we have entered a One College for Equitable Student Success model, which includes integrating credit and non-credit programming into our Pathways structure, this project will focus on aligning the institutional infrastructure with the values of an integrated non-credit/credit model. This model centers our students and elevates the importance of non-credit programming as an integral part of the community college mission. To enable more students to achieve their educational and career goals, we will create seamless onramps and transitions to and between academic non-credit and credit programs. PCC will be better able to offer students the right opportunity at the right time to help students further their goals, regardless of where they are in their career trajectory. By promoting access to education and training, we’ll advance economic development in our region.

Workplan

To fully integrate our Academic Non-Credit programs and courses into the administrative structure of Academic Affairs and College systems, the project focuses on alignment and integration in the following areas:

• Curricular Standards and Processes
• Student Systems/Experiences
• Business/Financial Planning and Processes
• Instructor Pay/Onboarding Processes
• Pathways Integration
• Technology Systems Alignment

Phases

The project is structured in three major phases: (1) integration design, (2) implementation planning, and (3) implementation. We are currently working on phase 1/integration design, where we are assessing our current systems and identifying the structures, processes, and systems necessary to integrate noncredit training.

Once phase 1 is complete, we will work with our technology teammates and NCI leaders engaged in this project to examine the interdependencies of the design model and map out an implementation plan. We hope to launch the implementation stage of the project by the end of fall of 2023.

Below are the major focus areas for Phase I of this project: Integration Design, with updates in each area related to our progress on the project.

Summer – Fall Term 2022

• Review of stated criteria for non-credit learning and beginning assessment and visioning around how to distinguish the different types of non-credit learning (e.g., personal enrichment, academic non-credit) to integrate effectively into a guided pathways model.
• An interdependency mapping process was implemented by team leads for all sub-projects to identify the sequencing of non-credit integration activities. This project management approach shaped the project design strategies, including project phases, milestones, and outcomes.

Fall 2022 – Winter 2023

• Develop design proposals and make decisions about:
  • Outcome 1: Design Academic Non-Credit Course Model
    • Design proposals and decisions completed 12/19/2022 for: Course Contact Hours, Course Grading, Recognition of Learning.
  • Outcome 2: Design Academic Non-Credit Instructor Model
    • Design proposals and decisions will be completed by 2/6/2023 for: NC Instructor Requirements and NC Instructor Workload
  • Outcome 3: Design Academic Non-Credit Curricular Oversight Model
    • Design proposals to be completed by 2/6/2023 and decisions made by 3/20/2023 for: Curricular Oversight Model for Non-Credit Class Development & Revision, Instructor Qualifications, Program Evaluation, Course Evaluations, and Technological Systems Integrations.

Summer – Fall Term 2022

• Beginning conversations with HR around onboarding for non-credit areas and the challenges associated with a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach given the diversity of our non-credit areas and the audiences they serve.

Winter 2023

• Develop design proposals and make decisions about:
  • Outcome 2: Design Academic Non-Credit Instructor Model
    • Design proposals and decisions to be completed by 2/6/2023 for: NC Instructor Pay and NC Instructor Onboarding.

Summer – Fall Term 2022

• Visioning around possible models to bridge credit and academic non-credit programs into alignment, thereby creating stronger pathways from academic non-credit to credit programs.

Winter 2023 – Spring 2023

• Develop design proposals and make decisions about:
  • Outcome 5: Design Online Learning Instructional Model for Academic Non-Credit Programs
    • Design proposals and decisions to be completed by 3/20/2023 for: Develop Online Learning Integration for Academic Non-Credit Courses & Programs.

Summer 2023 – Fall 2023

• Develop design proposals and make decisions about:
  • Outcome 4: Design Academic Non-Credit Pathways Integration
• Design proposals and decisions to be completed by December 2023 for: Course Integration, Room Scheduling & Use Agreements, PDT & CWT Integration, CWD & Opportunity Center Onramps.

Summer – Fall Term 2022

• Introduction of the noncredit integration initiative to student affairs senior leadership. Key questions were gathered and barriers were identified to inform the next steps.

Winter 2023 – Spring 2023

• Develop design proposals and make decisions about:
  • Outcome 7: Design Integrated Student Systems for Academic Non-Credit Students
    • Design proposals and decisions to be completed by 6/5/2023 for: Enrollment Services, Academic & Career Pathways Guidance, Student Belonging & Wellbeing, Student life and Engagement, Learning Support, Student-Facing Websites, Accessible Education/Disability Resources, K-12 & Community Partnerships, Transportation Services.

Summer – Fall Term 2022

• Finance partnered with non-credit leaders to do a deep dive forensic analysis of profit/loss statements for these areas.
• Finance developed a template for leaders to use for financial projections and cost-modeling.

Summer 2023

• Develop design proposals and make decisions about:
  • Outcome 6: Design Non-Credit Marketing Integration & Strategic Alignment
    • Design proposals and decisions to be completed by 6/26/2023 for: Non Credit Marketing Roles & Strategy Development and Non Credit Marketing Financial Model.
  • Outcome 8: Identify Baseline Funding & Business Planning Processes for Non-Credit Programs.
    • Design proposals and decisions to be completed by Fall 2023 for: Designing Funding Tools & Funding Model for Non-Credit.