• Mihaela Chapter
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• Strategic Human Resource Planning in Higher Education
• Washington State University Human Resource Strategy
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• HR Strategy for Community College X
• Elite University: The Recruitment Strategy

MARIH5: Human Resources Management

 

By

Melissa Gonzalez Soto

Yibeltal Ayalew Mengistu

Altynay Mustafina

 

HR Strategy for Community College X

Introduction

The community colleges are an indispensable part of American higher education system. The importance of community colleges (CC) has been addressed by the President of the US Barack Obama in his speech at Miami Dade College, April 29, 2011(NationSwell, 2011) where he presented a plan to offer a community college education free of charge to every American so that they will access the university level and will secure stable work and decent payment. Thus, it is noticeable importance of human capital theory for development of a meritocratic community.

To understand the goal, it is essential to scrutiny a role of HR unit at that important element of the overall educational system of the US.

The emergence of CCs returns to the beginning of the 20th century, when American economy needed trained workers to operate the nation’s expanding industries and the drive to social equality enhanced through a greater access to higher education (Cohen & Brawer, 2003).

In other words, CCs serve to the local civil community satisfying its needs, interests and expectations in being an intermediary link between high schools and universities. They provide two-year education after high school graduation, and the graduates are awarded associate degrees. There are many types of associate degrees, but the most important distinguishing factor is whether or not the degree is transferable. Usually, there are two primary degree tracks: one for academic transfer and another prepares students to start a professional pathway immediately upon graduation (Fulbright Commission, n.a.). As of February 2016, there are 1108 (AACC, 2016) community colleges in the United States, whereas 982 CCs are public, 90 colleges are private (independent), and 35 colleges established for native Americans which are controlled and operated by American Indian tribes (Journal of American Indian Higher Education, 2016).

Community College X

Community College X was founded in 1965 and for its 50 years of history proved to be a leader of educational services and becoming one of 34 community and technical colleges in Washington State. Its prime goal is teaching and learning activities with innovative technologies taught by highly qualified academic staff and application innovative ICTs in teaching and learning methodologies.

The college offers over 50 transfer areas of study and 25 career-oriented certificate and degree programs. The two-year public college is fully accredited by the local Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NCCU). It offers associate degrees for university education transfer that is resulting with an American bachelor's degree as well as professional and technical programs in 15 areas of study as healthcare, computing and technology, business and management, social sciences and other that enables graduates to choose any profession.

The college is operating with a clear direction, which is demonstrated in vision, mission, values, and institutional strategies:

Mission

CCX is recognized as a dynamically developing and growing public non-profit community college specialized in applied sciences with a focus on vocational education that train professionals for the emerging service and private production sectors in the USA.

Vision

To be positioned in a market niche as a public non-profit institution with an applied sciences orientation (and specialized vocational training) both at the national and international educational markets within its identified area of expertise. Additionally, CCX aims at commitment to innovation and excellence, and technology integration which will be achieved through purely multidisciplinary programs. By offering unique and much needed programs, CCX unique selling point will attract type A and B scholars and students, that is domestic and international students and scholars.

Values

Liberal values such as individualism (society is composed of free individuals), Freedom of citizens’ choice, Humanism, Democracy, Social responsibility, Social relevance of education.

Strategic Plan 2016-2020

Hence CCs are a key player of American higher education system, the strategic plan of the institution is based on the Practical Guide to Strategic Planning in Higher Education (Hinton, 2012). The key factor determining CCs is their focus to the environmental needs, so that CCX always looks ahead to the next level to meet current and future requirements and needs of the stakeholders. They are the best education and excellent job and university entrance opportunities.

Any strategic plan needs a comprehensive and complex strategic analysis and planning. Therefore, PEST analysis is presented with the intention to provide an in-depth external environment scanning that enables to foresee future implications:

Political:	-            Decentralisation of education; -            Public funding; -         Considerate institutional autonomy (financial, academic, staffing and organizational) (Estermann, Nokkala, & Steinel, 2011; Estermann & Nokkala, 2009).
Economic:	-          Highly developed economy[1]; -            Total Washington Exports 86,353 (2015) and % Share of U.S. Total 5,7%[2]; -           GDP per capita 54 710$ as of 2014[3]; -           Employment rate 3,418.1 thousand people[4]; -           Unemployment rate 5,8%4; -           Key industries: state aerospace, forest products, agriculture & food manufacturing, ICTs, health sciences & global health[5].
Social:	-            Population rate is about 7 mln people[6]; -            GDP spent on HE 5,6 % in 2012[7]; -           Gross enrolment in tertiary education in the United States was 94.28 as of 2012[8]; -            Birth rate decline as of 2014[9];  -        Diversification of labour market according to a demand for a new kind of expertise to work in the emerging service-oriented public sector.
Technological:	-            Student-centred teaching and learning methodologies; -            Modern learning and teaching infrastructure and equipment; -            Wide Internet access in the campuses; -            Wide use of ICTs in teaching and learning.

 SWOT analysis is of paramount importance in order to be able to identify the extent to which the strengths and weaknesses are relevant to the changes taking place (Johnson et al., 2008). Thus, to come up viable strategy, strengths and weaknesses as opportunities and threats are analysed. 

SWOT analysis

Strengths Geographical location, The niche leader in educational services of the region Strong interaction with labour market Student-centred learning/teaching Equal employment opportunities and diversity policies Comprehensive social engagement Two tracks leading to either direct employment or continuation of higher education.	Weaknesses Lack of basic research; Low commercialisation of research outputs In the top 150 CCs of the US[10] Weak internationalisation programs Lack of foreign faculty/students Narrow oriented strategy on satisfaction the local communities.
Opportunities Development basic research paradigm Marketization of educational services abroad Participation in international rankings Diversification of funding model of CCX Entrance to the global educational market.	Threats High competitiveness both at national and international levels Insufficient funding resources for internationalization and marketization of services New QA and accreditation requirements, policies.

 The Strategic Plan of CCX for 2016-2020 is based on four concepts that are represented in the table below:

Human Resource Management Strategic Plan (2016-2020)

	Four key concepts
	Create learning environment	Achievement of equity	Community engagement	Embracing discovery
1	Foster a Learning-Centred Environment focused on student’s academic and workforce goals achievement: -                       Annual enrichment of stock of library on all disciplines taught at CCX and updating licensing to databases Springer, Elsevier, Scopus, Times Higher Education, PubMed, etc.; -          Renovation of students hostels once per year; -          Contracting out students’ cafeterias around the campus; -          Incorporation of modern teaching and learning methods in learning process at all degree programs (ICTs, smart board, computer labs, etc.) -          Realisation of physical and mental health of students, faculty and staff through recreation facilities(swimming pool, fitness club, and a stadium);	Ensure equal opportunities for all members of the community regardless of gender, race, religion, social background, physical capabilities, ethnicity, especially  among low-income either domestic or foreign students and underrepresented racial/ethnic groups (African American, Hispanic/Latino and Native American);	Internationalization of study programs to attract and retain qualified foreign academic faculty and outstanding foreign students;	Increase implementation of internationalisation policies within CCX:  -  Increase of MoUs number -  To increase a number of visiting lectures from universities-partners -  Exchange programs for students of both tracks and for academic faculty - Realisation of joint programs one year at home university and  two years at a foreign university;
2	Students’ attainment of Degree Learning Outcomes (DLOs) (Nunley, Bers & Manning, 2011): -          Core of Knowledge, -          Communication, -          Information/Information Technology, -           Living & Working collaboratively -          Valuing Diversity, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, and Responsibility & Ethics;	Revision and establishment a flexible tuition fee payment system taking into account students’ academic and sport performance, social and financial background in both college education tracks;	Engage local employers on advisory committees to meet industry standards and respond to workforce needs;	Nurturing long-lasting networks with CCX graduates:  alumni association, community volunteers and sponsors for funding diversification;
3	Support student success through enhanced readiness, persistence, and retention along CCX's pathway to completion, contributing to the Complete College America national goals[11]	Attract, support and retain exceptional and diverse both domestic and foreign faculty and staff;	Marketization of degree programs and college’s services to attract potential students via high school visits, participation in international educational fairs, updating the website, mass media resources, etc.;	Ensure accreditation and QA system of study programs every 5 years by by NCCU
4	Correspondence of college curricula to the needs of main stakeholders (students, parents, labour market, industry, and HEIs).	Increase completion rates for diverse populations in all academic programs, with emphasis on high university entrance rates as well as graduates employment rates growth.	Invest in faculty and staff personal and professional growth designed to enhance institutional capacity and improve student achievement.	To be in the Top 100 community colleges ranking by 2020 organized by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).

According to Strategic Plan 2016-2020, HR department is responsible for three key elements in overall institutional strategy. They are: Attract, support and retain exceptional and diverse both domestic and foreign faculty and staff, and Invest in faculty and staff personal and professional growth designed to enhance institutional capacity and improve student achievement, as well as assistance to International Department in attraction and retention foreign faculty. These targets will be described in details in the chapter devoted to HR strategy.

HR Department and its functions

Since the largest cost in HEIs is produced by staff, and their motivation and productiveness which are critical to academic performance and institutional reputation (Hall, 2009), HR departments play a substantial role in the whole organizational performance and management. In other words, recruiting and retaining highly qualified and well trained individuals is crucial for success of any organization.

According to Clark et al. (1998) any efficient (entrepreneurial) university is characterized by four essential features: strong leadership and decision-making model that is core management, academic heartland with options for career promotion, developmental periphery that is to establish top-down and bottom-up communication, and institutional entrepreneurialism. However, these characteristics can be easily achieved within deliberate and comprehensive strategic planning where the HR functions take a crucial part. In this regard, HR activities have to be decentralized. Any entrepreneurial university possesses a considerate amount of institutional autonomy. The decentralized HR activities are distributed downward throughout the organization that increases job satisfaction resulting in high self-motivation affecting performance management and organizational commitment (Sheehan, 2009). Considering a new role obtained by HR, its functions interact with central and peripheral units of the organisation differently. The new role of HR is positioned now as “business partnership” with the rest of the organisation (Dowds, 2009, p. 6). The in-depth functions of HR unit are represented in the HR strategy that aligns to the overall institutional strategic plan in the consecutive chapter.

Contribution of HR Strategy to Strategic Plan of CCX for 2016-2020

HEIs are large complex organisations that need planning and implementation strategies. In this regard, to build an efficient and effective HR strategic plan, it is crucially important to think of three key questions (Bryson, 2004, 6): 1) Where are we now? 2) Where do we want to be in the future? and 3) how to get there?

Hall (2009) states HR strategy should be consistent with the overall strategy of the organization. The present HR strategy of CCX is not only consistent with but also supports overall institutional mission, vision, values and strategies and takes part in the institutional strategic implementation.  Generally, the major HR functions comprise in solving key issues emerging while employment: the skills the staff have to possess; where they will come from and how they will be recruited; how they will be paid and rewarded within available resources; how they will be managed; and other related issues (Hall, 2009, p.12) that enables to manage physical and intellectual capacities of faculty and staff. 

Key HR tasks	Activity	KPIs	Time	Responsible person
HR Planning & Analysis	Update a graph of vacations of faculty & staff; Update a list of people on sick leaves in departments, divisions; Update a list of people on parental leave on departments, divisions; Update  a list of vacancies across departments, administrative divisions	No. of president’s orders for  the vacation Official medical certificates  Official medical certificate  No. of terminated employment contracts	Throughout the year 2016-2020	Heads of departments (Ds), administrative divisions (ADs), HR department (HRD)
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) & Diversity	Equal recruitment, selection, promotion, and tenure possibilities regardless race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation/identity, & disability.	Revision and actualisation of legal & administrative regulations on the base of EEO &D	Once per year	Vice-President for HR & Legal affairs
Staffing	Assurance with job supply of qualified individuals to fill the jobs; Job analysis (job descriptions and specifications) for job openings.	List of vacancies and terminated employment contracts;   Updated job descriptions and specifications	Once per 3 years	Heads of Ds, AD, HRD
HR development	Onboarding new employees; HR training & development	No. of probation period contracts, joint lunch breaks, team-building activities Training certificates of all HR staff	Throughout the year 2016-2020	Vice-President for HR & Legal affairs
Compensation & Benefits	1. Revision & development basic wage & salary systems  for compensation & benefits of faculty/staff	Protocol of BoTs	Once per 3 years	Members of BoTs
Health, safety & security	1.  Medical examination for mental and physical health during recruiting while it doesn’t limit employment of disabled people along with background check & criminal records; 2.  Employees assistance programs (EAP)    3. Employee Wellness Programs	Official medical certificates, background checks, criminal records   Number of attendants of workshops on Workplace Security, Fire Safety & Prevention, etc. Vouchers to visit college sport facility & medical premises	Upon recruiting new employees           Upon extension of employment contract after probation period completion	HRD, engineer for Occupational Security and Emergency             HRD, Dean for Health Sciences, Head of Sport Campus
Employee and Labour/Management Relations	Update HR policies and rules: Code of Faculty/Staff/Students Conduct, Use of IT Systems & Services, Administrative Procedure on Academic Dishonesty, Nondiscrimination, Harassment Policy and Grievance Procedure, Tobacco & Smoke Free Campus Policy.	Updated HR policies and rules	Once per 3 years	BoTs, Deans, heads of Ds, AD, HRD

The present HR strategy harmoniously aligns with the institutional strategic targets up to 2020 by vertical integration into achievement the highest standards in recruiting, selecting, staffing, and retention, equipping them with necessary skills, knowledge and abilities with trainings and team-building activities to enhance job satisfaction and nurturing organizational culture among faculty, staff and even students. Moreover, since HR strategy puts attention to human capital, it fosters the institution to take care of graduates’ well-being offering recreation facilities, living, studying, and career opportunities. As for horizontal integration of HR strategy, it is observed through tight collaboration of it with International Office to recruit foreign professionals to CCX and to promote internationalization initiative; with Financial department to revise and adopt a new system of staff and faculty financial motivation to increase performance and strategic goals attainment; with IT department to enhance bottom-up and top-down interaction of employees without bureaucracy within the college; with QM department to evaluate academic and administrative staff performance management to retain the best personnel via HR surveys and students’ questionnaires.

Conclusion and reflections

Community College X is a college located in Washington State in the eastern-north part of the US. The ultimate goal of this college is teaching and learning activities with innovative technologies and highly qualified staff. Research and community engagement are also imperative. In doing so, CCX devises strategic plan every five years to improve its core services. Human resource development is one of the overarching strategic goals among others. With the understanding of its importance, the college has given a considerable emphasis to HRM department and so developed a separate strategic plan, HR strategic plan.

After environmental scanning via PEST and SWOT analyses, and taking into account the overarching institutional strategic plan, this paper attempts to give practicable HR strategy for a community college. The college aspires to be positioned in a niche market as a public institution with an applied sciences orientation (and specialized in vocational training) with possessed liberal values such as individualism (society is composed of free individuals), freedom of citizens’ choice, humanism, democracy, social responsibility, social relevance of education. Having these values in mind, the college devised a strategic plan to be implemented from 2016 to 2020.

Given the above mentioned vision and values, the college developed HR strategy. To make the strategy clear, key HR tasks, actions to be taken, KPIs, time of implementation and responsible personnel are identified. Furthermore, in order to be more effective and efficient, this strategic HR management plan takes into consideration the interaction between human resource department and other departments.

In sum, CCX envisioned to improve its services by focusing more on the human resources management as it is gaining prominence for the overall achievement of a given organization’s goals.

 

References

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