WNCC 2010 Self-Study Report - Western Nebraska Community ...

materials for acquisition to the Library, attending faculty meetings (Division/Program, and
College), cooperating with and assisting Student Services with regard to student needs, and
attending graduation ceremonies (RR 73).
Awards and Recognition
Effective instruction is not only mandated by the job description, but students, colleagues, and the
College demonstrate an appreciation for instructors who succeed in the classroom. Faculty
members are recognized for excellence in instruction through Teacher of the Year Awards at all
three campuses (recipients selected by Phi Theta Kappa members). Attached to the nomination
of a candidate for the award is a letter detailing how the instructor provides exemplary learning
opportunities for students. Phi Theta Kappa members then determine the award winner based
upon a review of the nomination letters. At the annual Student Awards Ceremony, a plaque is
presented to the winner by a representative of the Phi Theta Kappa society.
A Shades of Color award is presented at the same ceremony, recognizing an instructor for
contributions toward furthering diversity or inclusiveness within the WNCC system. Annually, a
Faculty and Staff Awards luncheon is held, at which a Faculty Member of the Year award is given
for each campus. Normally, the criteria for this award are linked to teaching excellence.
In the past three years, seven faculty members have attended Master Teacher conferences, nine
have gone to specialized training in Iowa for business and IT instructors, and two faculty members
have been nominated each year for Excellence Awards through the National Institute for Staff and
Organizational Development (NISOD). The instructors from WNCC are designated by the
President, and they are sponsored to attend the NISOD conference in Austin, Texas.
Membership in Professional Associations
Expenditures for all categories of institutional memberships and professional associations are
carried in an institutional budget. These totals encompass obligations or memberships on the part
of the institution, and individual faculty members are able to subscribe to professional associations
or to professional journals within their field. The request comes through a Division Chair, but the
account resides within the institutional budget line.
Faculty members may also recommend to the Library Director that professional journals be
included in the library inventory. The chart below details the total expenditures for memberships
(excluding library subscriptions of all types, since they are accounted for in a budget line linked to
instruction) for the past three years:
Table 7-37 Institutional Membership & Professional Association Expenditures
2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008
$57,190 $63,703 $58,327
Professional Development Funds
To support quality teaching and professional engagement, the College makes professional
development funds available in each of the seven division budgets to provide access to external
education and/or training activities. Each Division is allocated $550 per faculty member (current
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Western Nebraska Community College