Advisory Committees

Purpose:

To describe the policy for the establishment and operation of advisory committee practices to serve the college’s academic programs.

Definitions:

New program concept proposal: the first of two (2) phases for academic program development to be prepared when the need arises to create a new academic program, using JSRCC Form No. 05-0030, Concept for New Program, to provide a justification for the new program, the formats in which the program will be offered, enrollment projections, budget estimates, and how costs will be funded.

Program advisory committee: a committee composed of professional individuals and citizens at large who are interested in and have expertise in the programmatic and curricular aspects of a program, including job market supply and demand relative to the program’s occupational objectives.

Special topics advisory committee: a committee to serve specific educational functions offered through a particular academic school, office, or center, such as school advisory boards and advisory committees for outreach, disciplines such as English as a Second Language (ESL), job placement, and the Teacher Education Program.

Policy:

The college shall establish and maintain advisory committee practices to achieve involvement of professionals and citizens at large in the community with the design and delivery of academic programs, particularly occupational-technical programs, and educational services, and to serve as a source for various forms of support.

School deans are responsible for ensuring that all occupational-technical AAS degree, certificate, and career studies certificate programs offered by the college have a designated advisory committee. The same advisory committee may serve more than one academic program, depending upon the relatedness of the programs. While this policy requires that occupational-technical programs establish and maintain advisory committees, programs designed for transfer may also have advisory committees, but are not required to do so.

An advisory committee for a particular academic program shall be comprised of local professionals and citizens at large who, while without legal authority for decision-making, are asked to play an important role as advisors to the academic staff responsible for the administration of the program. Each advisory committee shall exist to serve the college, its students, and the business community in the continuing effort to keep instructional standards, curricular content, and instructional resources current and functional with respect to the requirements of the local job market and to the requirements of senior institutions, if transfer is an issue.

The minimum number of persons serving on an advisory committee shall be five (5); the maximum number may vary with the nature of the program served. No fewer than 80% of members must be currently employed industry representatives. Members shall be selected for their expertise in a particular program area, their commitment to community college education, and their expressed willingness to devote sufficient time to the required tasks of the advisory committee. The school dean, who is administratively responsible for the program, and the program head, shall serve as ex officio, non-voting members of the advisory committee. Additional full-time faculty or staff at the college may serve on an advisory committee, but also in an ex officio, non-voting status.

Program advisory committees are established after the decision is made by the President’s Executive Cabinet to approve a new program concept proposal.

School deans and the vice president of academic affairs (VPAA) shall be responsible for ensuring that the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE) is provided with the following items in a timely manner: current, accurate lists of advisory committee members; complete contact information for advisory committee members; and copies of the minutes of all advisory committee meetings. OIE shall be responsible for maintaining current lists of advisory committees (including names, titles, and organizational affiliations) and an up-to-date file of the minutes of all advisory committee meetings. Special topics advisory committees shall follow the recordkeeping practices established for program advisory committees.

OIE shall establish a process for the annual review and evaluation of the college’s advisory committee practices. The process shall be recommended by the director of OIE to the President’s Executive Cabinet for approval.

Procedures:

1. Committee functions

   The primary functions of an advisory committee will be as follows, with the scope dependent upon the particular program or emphasis of each committee:

   1. Curriculum design and revision: to assist in curriculum design for new programs and provide guidance in curriculum validity and revision for existing programs.

   2. Course content and skill mastery levels: to offer advice on the content of courses in a curriculum including the information to be transmitted, the skills to be taught, the instructional materials and equipment required for the courses, and the level of mastery students should achieve to meet the needs of local employers.

   3. Recruitment of faculty: to offer advice and assistance in the recruitment and identification of faculty for the program.

   4. Establishing network with business community: to assist in creating contacts with the business and professional community, identifying sites for educational enrichment experiences, obtaining additional program resources (e.g., equipment, facilities), establishing scholarships, and informing the public about the program.

   5. Assessment of need for new programs/courses: to assist the college in assessing the need and demand for new programs as these factors relate to the needs of business, industry, the community, and students.

   6. Assistance with curriculum review: to participate in the required process for reviewing the curriculum and instruction aspects of programs on a five-year cycle and the ongoing assessment of student learning outcomes.

2. Other services that may be performed by advisory committees include:

   1. Recruitment of students: to offer advice and assistance in attracting new students to the program.

   2. Placement of graduates: to assist the college in connecting with the business and professional community and building relationships that will lead to employment opportunities for program graduates.

   3. Ambassadors for fundraising: to assist with obtaining resources to support the program in coordination with the Office of Institutional Advancement. Resources may include funds or in-kind gifts for faculty positions, student scholarships, equipment, and improvement of facilities.

   The college recognizes that an advisory committee is a source of public counsel and that the collective judgments of committee members commonly reflect sound business practices, reliable technical thinking, experiences in the related disciplines, and an understanding of the role of community college education.

3. Selection of advisory committee members

   Virginia Community College System (VCCS) policy charges the College Board with the responsibility “for eliciting community participation in program planning and development, establishing local citizens’ advisory committees for specialized programs and curricula, and approving the appointments of all members of these committees” (VCCS Policy Manual, 2A.2.9.D3.h.g). The following steps will be taken to facilitate this role of the College Board:

   1. Once the decision is made to approve a new program concept proposal for a program that requires the formation of a new advisory committee, the college president or designee informs the College Board of this action.

   2. As vacancies occur on existing advisory committees, the college president or designee informs the College Board.

   Advisory committee members, where qualified, may serve as adjunct instructors for the college and, while so employed, will retain full voting privileges on the committee. Although in no way obliged by virtue of their membership on the committee to teach in an adjunct capacity, the college recognizes that these individuals can bring an array of enriching real-world experiences to the classroom; therefore, the potential value of such arrangements should not be overlooked. The number of advisory committee members serving as adjunct instructors will be limited to no more than 40% of the total membership, except when appropriate and with permission of the VPAA.

   Recommendations for membership on the advisory committee will be initiated by the program head and the school dean who completes and submits JSRCC Form No. 60-0004, Advisory Committee Member Proposal, to the VPAA for each new or reappointed advisory committee member. The VPAA presents the proposed advisory committee membership to the president. If approval is recommended by the president, the VPAA presents the advisory committee membership to the Academic and Student Affairs Committee of the College Board for recommendation to the full College Board. Upon approval by the College Board, appointment letters are generated by the school dean and sent to the office of the president for signature. The school dean’s office sends out signed appointment letters with a copy of Reynolds Policy No. 2-11, Advisory Committees, enclosed. A copy of each appointment letter is sent to OIE.

4. Terms of membership

   Members will be appointed for two-year terms. One-year appointments may be made to stagger replacements in order to assure experienced members on each committee at all times. Members may be re-appointed for additional terms of office. Re-appointments must follow the same recommendation and approval process as in the case of initial appointments. (See Item IV, B, last paragraph.)

5. Organization of advisory committees

   Each advisory committee will elect a chairperson from its membership. Faculty or staff of the college may not serve as chair except during the advisory committee formative phase, during which time the school dean, program head, or other designee may serve as the interim committee chair. The school dean or program head will be responsible for calling meetings, preparing agendas, and ensuring that a record of the proceedings has been made. The chair is expected to preside at all committee meetings, working closely with the school dean and program head to ensure the committee’s effectiveness.

   The program head will serve as the secretary of the advisory committee. The secretary will support the chairperson by notifying members of meeting times and places, securing the meeting places, preparing meeting agendas, and providing necessary data to facilitate the advisory committee’s work. The secretary will also be responsible for the accurate recording and electronic dissemination of committee proceedings.

6. Schedule of meetings

   Each advisory committee will meet a minimum of once each academic year. The nature of the program and the particular circumstances that may arise will dictate the frequency of meetings in addition to the one meeting per academic year.

7. Proceedings of meetings

   The secretary for each committee will use JSRCC Form No. 05-0017, Template for Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes, to record and submit all committee proceedings within forty-five (45) days of the meeting. The minutes must include the following:

   1. a current listing of officers and members including names, professional titles, and business affiliation for each;
   2. names of members present;
   3. names of special guests present;
   4. date, time, and location of the meeting;
   5. approval of the minutes of the previous meeting;
   6. review of status of previous recommendations;
   7. specific new recommendations;
   8. date of next meeting.

   Additional agenda items may be included at the discretion of the committee. The proceedings of advisory committee meetings will be distributed to each committee member electronically with copies to be placed in the official permanent file.

8. Committee recommendations

   The secretary to the advisory committee will submit committee recommendations to the school dean. The school dean will forward the recommendations to the VPAA for review and action.

   When a committee's recommendations are accepted by the college, the members will be so informed by the school dean who will provide the committee with a follow-up report on the status of the recommended actions. The school dean will also advise the committee of recommendations that were not accepted by the college, including the reason(s) the recommendation(s) were not accepted.

9. College responsibility to advisory committees

   The college, through the school dean, will seek to advance and facilitate the progress of each advisory committee through appropriate means, including the following:

   1. Informing members of significant college developments as these relate to, or impact the area of interest for the committee;

   2. Providing members with information regarding the purpose and functions of the advisory committee; the operational guidelines for the committee; and the mission, goals, and strategic priorities of the college;

   3. Providing appropriate opportunities for each advisory committee to make reasonable recommendations and meaningful contributions to the college's programs and services; and

   4. Making available, where possible, the staff and facilities of the college to assist with committee functions and duties.

10. Evaluation

    OIE initiates the evaluation process each year by completing designated elements of JSRCC Form No. 05-0018, Advisory Committee Annual Report, and emailing the report template by May 15 to the VPAA for distribution to school deans. The school deans complete designated elements of the annual report for their respective schools: dates of advisory committee meetings held and changes under consideration or implemented from advisory committee recommendations. School deans submit the completed report electronically to OIE by July 15.

    By August 1, the director of institutional effectiveness completes and submits a summary analysis of advisory committee activity to the VPAA, addressing the extent to which the following criteria have been met during the academic year:

    • Each occupational-technical program offered by the college has a designated advisory committee
    • Advisory committees meet at least once per year
    • Advisory committees have minutes of meetings on file in OIE
    • Advisory committees meet the college’s criteria for membership by having at least five (5) qualified members

    The VPAA presents the Annual Advisory Committee Report to the President’s Executive Cabinet and to the College Board at the first fall meeting.

Other Information:

JSRCC Form No. 05-0017, Template for Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes

JSRCC Form No. 05-0018, Advisory Committee Annual Report Template (contact OIE)

JSRCC Form No. 05-0019, Template for Advisory Committee Member Appointment Letter

JSRCC Form No. 05-0030, Concept for New Program

JSRCC Form No. 60-0004, Advisory Committee Member Appointment Proposal Form