Themes and Strategies

Based on the collective work of the SEM Council 2022, the KCKCC SEM Plan is presented around five key themes.

The SEM Council identified over 100 potential strategies to support the themes. The Council recommends elevating several strategies for broader consideration and resource allocation. 

The strategies listed below in bold were identified by the SEM Council as the most critical to initially prioritize during the 2023-2024 academic year.

• Create a student-facing website for recruitment that is integrated with the Admissions CRM.
• Simplify and streamline the admissions application process.
• Develop a best-in-class campus visit program.
• Expand more alternative course modalities and micro-credentials to meet student and employer demands.
• Increase the conversion of workforce and GED students to academic programs.
• Actively promote and identify signature academic and workforce programs as partners of choice in the Kansas City metropolitan region.

• Develop a robust new student orientation and onboarding process.
• Develop a guided pathways advising framework for the entire College.
• Improve and expand student early alert services under a case management approach.
• Enhance developmental education and tutoring services.

• Establish a one-stop-shop model for enrollment services at all locations.
• Expand student mental health services.
• Expand food services across the College.
• Support more resources to improve trauma-informed practices that bolster student success. 

• Develop and sustain an annual recruitment plan.
• Develop better entry tracking to identify student intent when entering KCKCC.
• Champion a college-wide data governance framework to support data-driven decision making.
• Improve and expand timely transfer credit processing.
• Leverage withdrawal reason history for planning purposes.

• Develop new scholarship programs that reduce student costs and debt to drive enrollment.
• Establish a student financial wellness engagement and communication plan.
• Establish an athletics scholarship policy.
• Establish a performance/activities-based scholarship policy.
• Streamline the financial aid application process.

Through the Title III grant and existing resources, develop a holistic student support system to address financial insecurity, barriers towards education, higher completion rates, and improved outcomes in development education by May 30, 2024. 

1. Team Expansion: The Project Director and second career services coordinator are onboard, with the technology/web developer search nearing completion. Budget approval for the Tutor Coordinator and Student Tutors positions is pending.
2. Implementation Progress: Monthly meetings of the Title III Steering Committee engage faculty and staff. A Student Success Workshop is planned for Spring welcome week, and the "Course Mapping" project is complete for core programs, expanding to certificates and pre-professional tracks in Spring 2024.

Lead the development and deployment of a simplified and more automated application for admission and student on-boarding system to facilitate faster response and a time to enroll upon admission by May 1, 2024. 

1. Phase 1 Success: On December 11th, the simplified application for admission launched, streamlining the process and continuously improving through bi-weekly task force meetings. This dedication resulted in a more user-friendly experience with reduced complexity: the dual/concurrent application was integrated, 11 unnecessary fields were removed, and automated guidance was implemented, saving time and simplifying navigation. Efficiency was also enhanced, with the Admissions team's workload halved thanks to a reduction in manual verifications from 20 to 10. Additionally, data collection has been improved with the inclusion of new fields like "primary location of interest" and "primary academic goal," providing valuable insights into prospective students. Finally, the application offers a personalized experience by dynamically displaying program options based on applicant type, ensuring a more relevant application journey. These advancements are a testament to the ongoing efforts of the task force and pave the way for further enhancements in Phase 2.
2. Phase 2 Development: Phase 2 development promises ongoing refinement of the application until May. The dedicated task force will tackle troubleshooting Phase 1 hiccups, closely monitor improvements in incomplete application rates and backlog reductions. They'll delve into the remaining manual verifications, analyzing which can be automated for further efficiency. Integration of international and continuing education applications will be carefully evaluated, alongside the development of a maintenance calendar and additional data validations. The team will also explore the creation of more automated notifications and communication, while assessing the inclusion of Perkins Funding data collection to gain deeper insights into prospective students. This comprehensive approach ensures the application continues to evolve and thrive in its second phase.

Develop, deploy, and maintain a standard operating procedures system and updated position descriptions for all SAEM staff not hired within a year by February 1, 2024. 

1. Standard Operating Procedures: Prioritizing development of clear procedures for SAEM departments during Spring 2024. Documentation will be accessible on the Division's SharePoint site.
2. Position Descriptions: Significant progress made on updating descriptions for 85 SAEM staff positions, with completion expected by semester's end. Remaining updates include:

2. • 6 Student Success Advisor and 4 Student Success Center staff positions.
   • 5 faculty and 5 staff positions in Student Services (pending finalization of director descriptions).
   • Review of Athletic Trainer, Coach, and Assistant Coach descriptions for accuracy and consistency.