League Reaffirmation - Johnson County Community College

Johnson County Community College
Learning Comes First at JCCC
Institutional Self­Evaluation
Presented to the
League for Innovation in the Community College
2008

Table of Contents
Chapter 1 | Commitment to the League ......................................................................2
Chapter 2 | Institutional Excellence and Effectiveness ..............................................8
Chapter 3 | Leadership ..............................................................................................16
Chapter 4 | Innovative and Experimental Programs ..............................................20
Chapter 5 | Resources to Share with Member Colleges ..........................................40
Chapter 6 | State and National Recognition ............................................................46
Chapter 7 | Institutional Stability ..............................................................................60
Chapter 8 | Looking to the Future..............................................................................66
1

Chapter 1
Commitment to the League
In 1978, Johnson County Community College joined the board of the League for Innovation
in the Community College. Over the years, the college has benefited greatly from its participation in
the League. We’ve hosted meetings; sent hundreds of faculty and staff to League conferences as
presenters and attendees; written Innovation, Learning and Leadership Abstracts; welcomed League
visitors to campus; and shared ideas and innovations, to our benefit and the benefit of others.
2

Dear League Board Members:
I am proud to present this institutional self­evaluation of Johnson County Community
College to the board members of the League for Innovation in the Community College.
Since becoming JCCC’s new president, I have found this institution to be dedicated to
offering the highest quality education programs and opportunities to the students and
residents of Johnson County, Kansas. I have been impressed by the quality of the
instruction offered by our professors, by their openness to new ideas, their focus on
innovation, their enthusiasm for developing innovative methods and their willingness
to share their ideas with others.
JCCC has long been honored to serve as a League board member. Indeed, our board
membership has drawn outstanding faculty and staff to our halls, eager to be affiliated
with a League board school and live up to its expectations. You’ll find their ideas and
statements in these pages, as well as thoughts of many of our community supporters,
who attest to the college’s importance to the economic well­being of the community
and its quality of life.
Our hope, indeed, our goal, is to continue as a League board member so that, with
renewed enthusiasm, we can continue to experiment, dream and develop new ideas
for the classroom and the community. Thank you for your consideration of JCCC’s
reaffirmation request. I look forward to your visit to campus, introducing you to our
faculty and staff and showing you in person all the ideas we have to share.
Sincerely,
Terry A. Calaway
President
3

Dear League Board Members,
I began life in the community college world
as a faculty member at a small rural school in
Iowa. My first contact with the League
for Innovation came in the form of League
publications, especially the Learning
Abstracts, which I always eagerly read.
The advice shared by other community
college teachers contained in these
Abstracts was dynamic and exciting,
and I always tried to incorporate these
teaching strategies in my classes whenever
possible. Later when I became a dean at the
college, I received the League’s Leadership Abstracts with just as much
anticipation. One of my highlights as an administrator there occurred
when the faculty member hired to replace me as an instructor (and he
was also a former student) published a particularly effective classroom
practice of his as a Learning Abstract. Needless to say, I proudly touted
this accomplishment throughout the campus for quite some time.
It was during these days in Iowa as a dean that I began to learn about
Johnson County Community College. Very soon in my research, I became
so impressed with the school that I held it in my esteem as one of the best
community colleges in the country, very possibly the best. A visit to the
campus confirmed in my mind Johnson County Community College’s
position as a board member for the prestigious League for Innovation.
I was in my fifth year as academic vice president at a community
college in Illinois when I learned that the executive vice president for
academic affairs position at JCCC was being advertised. With great
enthusiasm I applied for the post and thereafter was named to it.
I was beyond elation to have attained such an exceptional job at
such a remarkable institution. And when President Carlsen asked me
to consider being JCCC’s representative to the League for Innovation
board, I could not accept quickly enough. I had come far from
reading those Learning Abstracts in the cornfields of Iowa.
I think you will find documented in this report before you Johnson
County Community College’s full commitment to the League for
Innovation. I, too, am dedicated to the League and its activities.
When recently asked by League staff if I could engineer JCCC’s
involvement in a League project, I responded, “I’d run through hell
in a gasoline suit for the League!” An exaggeration? Well, maybe.
The leadership that Johnson County Community College and the
League for Innovation provide for two­year schools on this continent
and throughout the world is sterling. I thank both institutions for giving
me the opportunity to participate in initiatives that in the future will
improve the course of higher education.
Sincerely,
Dana Grove
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
4

Commitment from the JCCC board of trustees
The board of trustees of Johnson County Community College enthusiastically supports
the college’s continued participation in the League for Innovation in the Community
College. As a long­time board member, JCCC has worked long and hard with other
League members to further community college education and support services.
JCCC’s League membership is further evidence that, as a college, we are devoted
to the ideal of learning through experimentation, discovery and innovation.
We welcome the innovative ideas and practices that have been effective elsewhere,
and we are happy to share our own programs and practices with others. The access
and connections the League provides allow us to help others and improve both
ourselves and the education we offer our students and the community.
We are honored to be considered for continued League participation. On behalf of
the JCCC board of trustees, I strongly encourage the relationship to continue. If you
need further assistance during your discussions of this matter, please don’t hesitate to
call on the JCCC trustees.
Sincerely,
Lynn Mitchelson
Chairman, JCCC board of trustees
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League activities
JCCC has participated in many League activities throughout the years, including the examples listed below:
Innovation of the Year
2000 – Carolyn Kadel, Intercultural Semester
2001 – Dr. Jim McWard, British Writers Online
2002 – Donnie Byers, Lynne Beatty, Kevin Cannell, Johanna Foster, John Hanson, Collaborative Science Initiative
2003 – Dr. Luanne Wolfgram, Biotechnology Certificate and Associate Degree Programs
2004 – Lois Hardenbrook and Tracy Newman, Orientation for Science Adjunct Faculty on a CD
2005 – Mike Martin, Steve Wilson, Dynamic Web Tools for Computation and Visualization
2006 – Mike Martin, Calculus Concept videos
2007 – Birgit Love, Microsoft Access Database Containing Information on Full­time and Adjunct Faculty
League Publications: Leadership Abstract, Learning Abstract, Innovation Showcase
2002 – Susan Lindahl, Learning Options and Readiness: High School Partnerships in the 21 st Century
2006 – Dr. Wayne Brown, The Two­Year College Chief Information Officer Study
2006 – Julie Haas, Art at the Heart of Overland Park
2006 – Donna Duffy, Entrepreneurship Activity at Johnson County Community College
2007 – Kathy Yeager, Benchmarking Workforce Development: Setting the Standard
2007 – Dr. Wayne Brown, Selecting Your Next Technology Leader
League Conference on Information Technology
2000 – Jonathan Bacon, Dirty Little Secrets of Online Instruction
2000 – Educational Technology Center Staff, The Web Wizard Workshop: Web Authoring in a Day
2000 – Dr. Dick Vallandingham, Student Services for the 21 st Century: Planning for the Future
2000 – Julane Crabtree, Learning Styles and the Virtual Learner
2002 – Donnie Byers, Collaborative Science
2002 – Dr. Joseph Gadberry and Dr. Luanne Wolfgram, The Birth of a Biotechnology Program
2002 – Susan Lindahl, Certification of Skills: CAP and Community Partnerships
2002 – Mike Martin, Biomathematics: Curriculum, Models and Technology
2004 – Donnie Byers and Dr. Marilyn Shopper,
Integrating Web­based Information into Instruction with Microsoft Producer
2005 – Donnie Byers, OWL (Online Web Learning) for Your Students in Chemistry
2006 – Donnie Byers and Dr. Marilyn Shopper, Clickers in the Classroom
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League Innovations Conference
1999 – Dr. Sally Winship, Mediation Programs and Community Partnerships
2000 – Jonathan Bacon and Julane Crabtree, Learning Styles and Online Courses
2000 – Dr. Sally Winship, Making Money in Contract Training . . . Running It Like a Business
2001 – Dr. Joseph Gadberry, Adjunct Certification Training (ACT) in the Learning College
2001 – Dr. Steve Gerson, Building Virtual Learning Communities and
Bringing Order Out of Chaos in Distance Learning
2001 – Dr. Ed Lovitt, Building Virtual Learning Communities
2002 – Dr. Ted White and Dr. Marilyn Rhinehart,
Skills, Objectives, Outcomes and Competencies: Accountability in the 21 st Century
2002 – Dr. Joseph Gadberry and Dr. Amy Pennington,
Migrating JCCC’s Adjunct Certification Training (ACT) to WebCT
2003 – Lynne Beatty, Kevin Cannell, Johanna Foster and John Hanson, Collaboration Between a Community
College and School District to Improve Science Education
2004 – Dr. Joseph Gadberry and Lois Hardenbrook, Alternate Means to Faculty Orientation
2004 – Donna Duffey and Cheri Streeter, Bridging the Credit­Noncredit Gap for Johnson County Entrepreneurs
2005 – Dr. Joseph Gadberry and Dr. Helen Burnstad,
One Faculty: Strategies for Integrating Full­time and Part­time Faculty
2006 – Mike Martin, Mathematical Biology: Advancing Interdisciplinarity
2007 – Donnie Byers, Active Learning: A Must for Today’s Students
2007 – Dr. Marilyn Shopper, The Gray Side of the Brain: Using Brain Research in the College Classroom
Executive Leadership Institute
2000 – Dr. Marilyn Rhinehart
2002 – Dr. Dana Grove
2004 – Susan Lindahl
2005 – Dr. Wayne Brown
2007 – Dr. Joseph Sopcich
Hosting
1983 – JCCC hosted representatives from League board schools.
1993 – JCCC hosted representatives from League board schools.
2000 – JCCC Foundation hosted representatives from League school foundations.
2003 – JCCC hosted representatives from League board schools.
2003­2004 – JCCC hosted the League Student Art Contest.
2008 – JCCC will host the League Learning Summit.
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Chapter 2
Institutional
Excellence and
Effectiveness
Johnson County Community College has
been described as the “crown jewel”
of Johnson County for the quality of
its educational programming, its
responsiveness to the community
and its impact on the entire
metropolitan area.
The Vision, Mission and
Values of Johnson County
Community College
Vision
JCCC will enhance its leadership role among community
colleges in the United States. The college will continue
to enrich the quality of life for those it serves through
creative solutions to educational, economic and
community challenges.
Mission
Learning comes first at JCCC. The college
• delivers lifelong educational programs and
services that are convenient and accessible
• provides professional training opportunities
• provides opportunities for personal growth
and cultural enrichment
• maintains a caring, supportive environment
• stimulates economic development
• is accountable to its stakeholders
8

Values
As an institution of higher education, Johnson County Community
College supports a statement of values identified by the Carnegie
Commission as applicable and enduring for all communities of
learning. More specifically, we believe that Johnson County
Community College should be:
• a place where all faculty, students and staff share goals
and work together to strengthen teaching and learning;
• a place where freedom of expression and civility are practiced,
encouraged and protected among all groups;
• a place where every person is respected and where
diversity is pursued;
• a place where individuals accept their obligations to the
group and where well­defined governance processes guide
behavior for the good of the institution;
• a place where the well­being of each member is supported and
where service to others, internally and externally, is encouraged;
• a place whose ideas and resources are shared with other
members of the educational community — locally, regionally,
nationally and internationally; and
• a place in which the institution’s rituals affirming both
tradition and change are shared and where the
accomplishments of its staff and students are recognized.
We believe in the dignity and worth of each individual and
the fundamental right of each person to realize his or her
fullest potential; therefore:
• JCCC programs and services should be affordable and
accessible to all who can benefit from them;
• programs and services need to be comprehensive in
order to meet the diverse lifelong educational needs
of the community; and
• high quality should be the hallmark of all programs and services
and should not be compromised by growth or reduction.
We believe that the college is held in trust for the people of
Johnson County; therefore:
• the college assets are a community investment and
accountability and responsibility must be exercised in
fiscal management and in maintaining those assets for
future generations;
• the college must exercise prudence in the management of the
nonmonetary assets entrusted to it, seeking maximum return on
the community’s investment of time, trust and intellectual capital;
• the college should assure quality, continuous improvement,
currency and the achievement of defined purposes and
outcomes through continuous assessment of all programs
and services;
• the student learning goals established by the college
instructional programs should be continuously refined
and measured;
• the college should assure that students achieve the learning
outcomes established by its instructional programs; and
• JCCC should provide leadership in making Johnson County
a better place to live and work.
“It is my firm belief that most
citizens, business leaders and visitors
consider Johnson County Community
College to be the jewel of Overland
Park. Its commitment to educational
excellence is well ­known in this
community, and the ever ­increasing
course offerings and enrollment
have come to be greatly appreciated
by residents. But more than that,
from the Carlsen Center and
Yardley Hall to its top ­notch music
programs, permanent art collection
and now the Nerman Museum of
Contemporary Art, JCCC has
become the hub of cultural activity,
as well as education, in the county
and beyond.”
– Carl Gerlach,
Mayor, City of Overland Park
9

“Johnson County
is justifiably
proud of its
community college.
Its excellent
educational offerings, its faculty
and staff, and its facilities have
brought the college state and
national recognition. The college
is truly one of the driving forces
behind the county’s economic
growth, as it sets the pace in
an ever ­changing economy with
new ideas and responsive
programs.”
– Rep. Dennis Moore,
D ­3 rd District; former JCCC trustee
Profile of Johnson County, Kansas
Johnson County, the Kansas City metropolitan area’s growth
engine, lies at the heart of the nation and possesses all the
ingredients necessary for economic growth and success.
The county boasts nationally ranked schools, low crime rate,
high­quality neighborhoods, low cost of living and a variety
of cultural and entertainment amenities. This high quality of life
and unsurpassed business environment attracts nearly 10,000
new residents and more than 11,000 new jobs each year.
Johnson County also accounts for more than six of 10 new
businesses in the Kansas City Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).
Johnson County’s population and economic growth rank in the top
one­third of Forbes’ rapidly growing premier counties and in the
top two percent of all counties in the U.S. It is not surprising, then,
that half of the Fortune 100 and one­third of the Fortune 500 firms
have operations in Johnson County.
Kansas City Metro Area
Johnson County is one of several counties making up the Kansas
City Metropolitan Area. Between 2000 and 2030, the population
of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area will grow from 1,695,764
to 2,248,933, or 32.6 percent. At the same time, the number of
households will grow by 42.8 percent and the number of jobs
will grow by 52 percent.
Population
Johnson County’s current population is estimated to be more than
506,562 and is projected to reach 584,983 by 2015. Between
1995 and 2005, Johnson County accounted for 49 percent of the
increase in the 15­county Kansas City MSA.
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Income
Earnings of those working in Johnson County grew 113 percent between 1993 and 2003 and accounted
for 39 percent of the total earnings of Kansas workers and 41 percent of earnings in the Kansas City MSA.
Johnson County’s per capita personal income was $43,912 in 2003, the highest in the state. The median
household income in Johnson County in 2005 was $68,400.
Education
In its annual “Education Quotient” ranking of the nation’s 2,800 school districts with enrollments of at least
3,300 students, Expansion Management magazine ranked Johnson County’s public school districts among the
best. The educational attainment of Johnson County’s population ranks among an elite few nationally, making
the local labor pool one of the best in the United States. Of counties in the United States with populations
above 250,000, Johnson County ranks first in percentage of adults with at least a high school education,
sixth in percentage with at least a bachelor’s degree, and 16th in percentage with a graduate or professional
degree. Nearly 95 percent of Johnson County residents age 25 years or older have earned at least a high school
diploma, 48 percent have a bachelor’s degree and 16 percent have earned a graduate or professional degree.
There are currently 29 four­year colleges and universities and 11 two­year colleges offering classes in the area.
Employment
Employment opportunities are unusually good in Johnson County. The Johnson County economy has sustained an
average annual job growth rate of 3.5 percent, compared to 1.4 percent in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area
and 1.8 percent for the United States. This corresponds to an average net increase of 11,072 new jobs per year.
Unemployment in Johnson County remains below the state and national average and stood at 4.5 percent at the
end of 2005.
Johnson County’s unsurpassed business environment and quality of life are the fuels that power one of the Midwest’s
principal economic engines. Johnson County’s sustained population and economic growth are testament to the
fundamentally superior characteristics that make up the “Johnson County Advantage,” and help explain why
Johnson County’s population and economic growth rank the county in the top two percent of all counties nationally.
11

History of JCCC
In the 1960s, residents of Johnson County began to seriously consider the creation of a local college. The area
had a rapidly growing population and a good school system from which a local college could draw students,
and it was hard to ignore the community college movement emerging in California, Florida, Illinois and Texas.
The idea was not unopposed, however; some residents felt the county didn’t need to assume the increased
expenses of maintaining a college.
Then, in June 1963, the nation’s leading experts in community college education gathered in Kansas City for
the Midwest Junior College Conference to discuss the potential of community colleges in the U.S. Residents in
Kansas City, Mo., were considering forming a large district that would probably include three community colleges.
The movement was hard to resist.
Across the state line, the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners formed a committee of 18 residents
to study the feasibility of a community college for Johnson County. The chairman of that committee was
Dr. Wilbur T. Billington, a prominent banker with the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank and a member of the
board of education of one of the local school districts. With the help of the League of Women Voters and the
American Association of University Women, the feasibility committee conducted a county­wide needs assessment
that demonstrated a greater need for a local college than had been suspected. The committee began to build
the case for a community college in Johnson County.
A citizens action committee was mobilized to implement the recommendation of the feasibility committee.
A petition signed by all school boards in the county requested the formation of a community junior college
district to be governed by six trustees elected at large. Johnson County Community College became the first
new college recommended for creation under the Kansas Community Junior College Act of 1965. A special
county­wide election was held in March 1967, and the proposed community college was approved by a 3­1
majority. The district was formally established in June 1967, and voters were asked to elect college trustees in
September. Thirty­six people filed for the election. Among the six elected to the new board was Dr. Wilbur Billington.
In 1968, the board obtained a “no­fund warrant” to provide for interim financing until the first tax levy could be
established. The board also selected the first president for the college, identified the site that would eventually
become the permanent campus and developed the first mission statement for the college.
In 1969, county residents voted approval of $12.9 million in general obligation bonds to purchase more than
200 acres in Overland Park, which would turn the idea for a college campus into a reality. In the meantime,
the first JCCC classes were conducted in leased facilities in Merriam that fall. Initial enrollment was 1,380 students.
12
History highlights
1973 | The Johnson County Community College Foundation is formed.
The college is fully accredited by the Kansas State Department of
Education.
1975 | JCCC is granted accreditation from the North Central Association of
Colleges and Schools.
1977 | The world’s only four­year college for the deaf, Gallaudet College, education.
establishes its first Regional Extension Center on campus to serve the
hearing impaired in a five­state region.
1978 | JCCC becomes a member of the League for Innovation in the
Community College.
1984 | The board authorizes the college to join area school districts in
applying for a cooperative Johnson County Area Vocational Technical
School.
1985 | The Small Business Administration funds JCCC’s Small Business
Development Center to provide training and counseling services to
area small businesses.
JCCC sponsors Project Finish, which conducts literacy programs for
adults living in Johnson County who have less than a high school
1986 | JCCC receives the maximum 10­year accreditation from the North
Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
1988 | JCCC enters into a unique agreement with Burlington Northern Santa
Fe Railway and builds the Industrial Training Center on campus to
1980 | The college’s accreditation is continued by the North Central house BNSF’s national training programs and provide significant
Association of Colleges and Schools.
additional office and classroom space for the college.
1983 | JCCC creates the Business and Industry Institute to provide professional 1995 | JCCC agrees to assume responsibility for postsecondary vocational
development and job training for area businesses. (The institute is
education in Johnson County. The local school districts enter into an
renamed the Center for Business and Technology in 2000.)
interlocal agreement to develop secondary programming as part of
the newly created JCTEC.

“Nearly 40 years ago, a
Three years later, in the fall of 1972, classes and all
operations were moved to the permanent campus at
College Boulevard and Quivira Road. Nearly 100
full­time faculty members were teaching more than
3,600 students.
Over the years, JCCC has continued to expand its
student enrollment, instructional program, faculty and
staff, and physical facilities to meet the needs of the
community. Today, more than 19,000 credit students
and about 15,000 continuing education students enroll
at JCCC each semester, and more than 2,500 full­ and
part­time staff are employed there. A full range of
undergraduate credit courses is available, forming
the first two years of most college curricula. In addition,
more than 50 one­ and two­year career and certificate
programs are offered to prepare students to enter the
job market in high employment fields.
JCCC’s continuing education program is the largest,
most comprehensive in the Kansas City area. Professional
development opportunities are provided through courses,
workshops and contract training for individuals seeking
workforce training, skills enhancement and recertification.
Personal enrichment opportunities are offered through
educational courses, recreational programs and an
extensive array of cultural events in the visual and
performing arts.
JCCC is now the state’s third­largest institution of higher
education and the largest of its 19 community colleges.
small group of Johnson
County citizens organized
to seek creation of a
contemporary community college. As one
of several citizens promoting the proposal,
I believed in the concept of a broad ­based
community college offering a course catalog
rivaling the best public higher education
institutions in this region. Partnerships with
various businesses and professions provide
graduates with important skill sets. Arts and
entertainment venues and events enrich the
local quality of life. In my opinion, JCCC is
the most dynamic common ­denominator,
unifying entity in this county of over a
1996 | JCCC again receives the maximum 10­year accreditation from the North
Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
1998 | Rolling Stone magazine names JCCC as one of the “most respected”
community colleges in the country.
1999 | The Kansas Senate passes Senate Bill 345, placing all of the state’s
community colleges under the coordination of the Kansas Board of
Regents.
2003 | JCCC wins the Kansas Excellence Award, the third and highest level of
recognition for quality given by the Kansas Award for Excellence
Foundation.
2005 | JCCC qualifies for the Academic Quality Improvement Project (AQIP) for
maintaining accreditation through the North Central Association of
Colleges and Schools.
2007 | JCCC opens the new Regnier Center, housing credit and noncredit classes
in computer applications, information technology and biotechnology, and
the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art.
The college concludes its capital “Campaign for the Community” by
raising $20.2 million, surpassing its $15 million goal.
half ­million citizens. The generous public
financial support validates the original
vision and the reality existing today.
There is no doubt in my mind that JCCC
long ago surpassed the most optimistic
expectations of its founders.”
– Ben Craig,
chairman, Metcalf Bank;
one of the college founders
13

“Johnson County Community
College serves as a vital pillar in
supporting the excellent quality
of life in Johnson County by
providing outstanding higher
education, personal enrichment
and career training opportunities
for present and future
generations. It is a regionally
respected mecca for the fine
arts through the Carlsen Center
for the Performing Arts and
the Nerman Museum of
Contemporary Art. A strong,
vibrant community college
always plays an important role in
a community. JCCC does that and
more in making Johnson County
a community of choice to live, to
learn, and to appreciate and
enjoy a legacy of the arts.”
– Annabeth Surbaugh,
chairman, Johnson County
Board of County
Commissioners
About students
JCCC credit students include traditional undergraduate students
who are recent high school graduates as well as nontraditional
adult students. In fall 2006, 55 percent of all JCCC students were
female, 67 percent were part­time students and 77 percent lived
in Johnson County. The average age of JCCC students was 25.6.
Each year, about 22 percent of local high school graduates
attend JCCC.
Degrees and certificates
JCCC offers four associate of arts, two associate of science and
52 associate of applied science degrees, an associate of general
studies degree and more than 100 career program certificates and
transfer courses.
Continuing education
Continuing education students at JCCC include those seeking
workforce training through public seminars or contract training,
people seeking personal enrichment courses on topics from
gardening to money management and audiences for performances
at the Carlsen Center.
Accreditation
Johnson County Community College is officially accredited by the
Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of
Colleges and Schools and is a participant in the Academic Quality
Improvement Program. In addition, individual programs are
accredited by associated professional organizations:
• Accounting, Business Office Technology, Entrepreneurship,
Business Administration and Marketing and Management,
Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs
• Dental Hygiene, American Dental Hygienists Association and
American Dental Association
• Fire Service Administration, International Fire Service
Accreditation Congress
• Hiersteiner Child Development Center, National Association
for the Education of Young Children
• Hospitality Food and Beverage and Chef Apprentice,
American Culinary Federation
• Mobile Intensive Care Technician, Joint Review Committee
on Educational Programs for the EMT­Paramedic
• Nursing, Kansas State Board of Nursing and National
League for Nursing
• Paralegal and Legal Nurse Consulting, American Bar Association
• Basic Police Academy, University of Kansas
• Respiratory Care, Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health
Education Programs upon recommendation of the Committee on
Accreditation for Respiratory Care
14

Chapter 3
Leadership
Johnson County Community College is proud
of the accomplished individuals who provide
leadership for faculty, staff and students.
16

Board of trustees
Although the Kansas Board of Regents is the coordinating board for community colleges in
the state, a six-member board of trustees governs Johnson County Community College and
sets the budget and the local tax levy. The trustees are elected at-large from the community
to four-year terms; three trustees are elected every other year, in odd-numbered years.
Shirley Brown-VanArsdale, vice chairman
Chairman of Facilities Committee and the Audit Committee
Shirley Brown-VanArsdale is the owner and president of Bruce Funeral Home Inc.,
Gardner and Spring Hill. She has been president, legislative committee chair, and
District 2 director of the Kansas Funeral Directors Association, a member of the National
Funeral Directors Association and a member and chair of the national association’s
Government Affairs/Political Action Committee. She was a member of the Gardner-
Edgerton-Antioch USD 231 school board for 20 years and of the advisory committee for
the Johnson County Vocational School for 16 years. A member of the Gardner Chamber
of Commerce, she served as the president and as a board member for six years. She has
been named the Citizen of the Year by the city of Gardner and has received the Kansas
Department of Commerce Award of Merit, the Business of the Year Award, from the
Gardner Chamber of Commerce (2002) and the Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce
(2005), as well as the Rotary Centennial Service Award for Professional Excellence.
She is on the board of the First Kansas Bank and Trust and president of the Gardner
Cemetery Association and the Gardner Historical Museum and served as chair of the
Gardner Historical Celebration. Mrs. Brown-VanArsdale has served on the JCCC board
of trustees since 1997.
Benjamin Hodge, trustee
Member, Human Resources Committee
A life-long Kansan, Ben Hodge grew up in northeast Johnson County, where he attended
the Shawnee Mission public schools. He graduated from Kansas State University in
2003 with a degree in journalism. He will soon complete a master’s degree in business
from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. In 2004, Mr. Hodge worked on the staff
of the Republican U.S. Congressional nominee, Kris Kobach. He was elected to the
JCCC board of trustees in April 2005. In early 2006, Johnson County Commissioner
John Toplikar appointed him as chairman of a special committee on eminent domain.
Mr. Hodge was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in November 2006.
His public policy record has been recognized by Americans for Prosperity, the Kansas
Chamber of Commerce, the Kansas Taxpayers Network, Kansans for Life and the
Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE).
17

Virginia Krebs, trustee
Member of the Facilities Committee
After serving as a member of the task force charged in 1963 with studying the feasibility
of building a community college in Johnson County, Virginia Krebs became JCCC’s first
employee in 1967, serving as the assistant to the board. In 1969, she was the college’s
first director of community services, creating a department recognized nationally for
excellence. Retiring from the college in 1984, Mrs. Krebs was elected to the board of
trustees in 1985 and has served as the board’s clerk, treasurer, vice chairman and
chairman. She received the American Association of Community College Trustees
Regional Trustee Leadership Award in 1993. She has also been a member of the Merriam
Community Center Foundation, helped establish the first Shepherd’s Center in Johnson
County, served on the executive committee of the county’s Eldernet Coalition, and is
active with the advisory committee for the Johnson County Foundation on Aging. She has
received the Women’s Resource Network Award for Excellence in Leadership, a Paul Harris
Award from the Shawnee Mission Rotary International Club and the Woman of the Year
Award from the American Association of Women in Community Colleges. In 2001, the
Visitors Center at JCCC was renamed the Virginia Krebs Community Room in her honor.
Lynn Mitchelson, chairman
Chairman of the Human Resources Committee
Lynn Mitchelson was a commercial banking executive for 35 years in the Kansas City area,
retiring as chairman and CEO of Western National Bank. He became a member of the
JCCC board of trustees in 1996. He has been president of the JCCC Foundation, chairman
of the Community Foundation of Johnson County, chairman of The Learning Exchange,
president of the K­10 Association, chairman of the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce,
president of the Overland Park Rotary Foundation, chairman of the Kansas State Affairs
Committee of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, a member of the board
of trustees and moderator of Humana Hospital, and a director of the Kansas City chapter
of the American Red Cross, the Kansas City Philharmonic Orchestra and KCPT public
television station. He has been honored as the Kansas Volunteer of the Year by the state
of Kansas, is a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow, and has received the Hugh Speer
Award from the JCCC Foundation and the K­10 Corridor Association Service Award.
Jon Stewart, treasurer
Chair of the Finance Committee, member of the Audit Committee
An alumnus of JCCC, Jon Stewart is chairman, CEO and a member of the board of directors
of Metcalf Bank, Overland Park. In addition to serving on the college’s board of trustees
since 2004, he is a member of the Olathe Medical Center board of trustees, the board of
directors of the JCCC Foundation, the Overland Park South Rotary Club, the Overland Park
Heritage Foundation board of directors, the United Community Services board of directors
and TLC Charities Foundation board of directors. He is a Rotary International Paul Harris
Fellow and has received the Johnson County Housing Coalition Sunflower Award for
Community Service and the Open Petal Award from the JCCC Foundation.
Don Weiss, trustee
Member of the Finance Committee
Don Weiss is the dean of evening, weekend and graduate studies for Keller Graduate
School of Management of DeVry University in Kansas City, Mo. He is also a senior
adjunct faculty member at Keller Graduate School of Management, teaching both business
plan writing and information technology courses. Previously, he was founder, CEO and
president of a Kansas City­based information technology training company that was listed
at 172 on Inc. Magazine’s Inc. 500 fastest­growing private companies, the information
services manager for the city of Olathe, and the chief operations officer for two other
companies in the area. He is a member of the Olathe Chamber of Commerce and the
Kansas Cavalry, an organization dedicated to encouraging business relocation and
expansion in the state. He was elected to the JCCC board of trustees in 2007.
18

Administration
Dr. Terry A. Calaway, president
Dr. Terry A. Calaway became JCCC’s fifth president in June 2007. Dr. Calaway has more than 30 years of
progressively responsible experience in community colleges and universities. Among his achievements are:
• Recognition by faculty and staff for a collaborative and dynamic leadership style
• Assessment and development of new degree programs
• Revision and revitalization of curriculum
• A focus on learner success resulting in increased enrollment and student completion/retention rates
• Design of innovative marketing strategies
• Creative fund raising
• Fiscal responsibility
• Dramatic improvements in organizational culture
• Development of significant partnerships with local employers
As president of Central Arizona College, Coolidge, Ariz., from January 2003 to June 2007, Dr. Calaway was
responsible for three campuses and four educational centers serving 14,500 students, 350 full­time employees and
700 part­time employees. He also served as vice president, academic and student services, at Central Arizona from
March 1999 to January 2003.
Dr. Calaway also served as assistant vice president, workforce and economic development; dean/district director,
division of continuing and professional education; academic division head, mathematics and technologies; assistant
dean, division of continuing education; and campus director, credit and noncredit instruction, at Cuyahoga
Community College, Cleveland, Ohio, from 1977 to 1989 and from 1993 to 1999. He was assistant dean,
college of continuing studies, at Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, from 1993 to 1995.
His honors include being named a finalist for CEO of the Year by the Association of Community College Trustees,
2005; the Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction, Phi Theta Kappa, an international honor society for two­year
colleges, 2005; the Executive Leadership Award, United Way of Pinal County, 2004; and Distinguished Graduate,
the University of Texas at Austin Community College Leadership Program and College of Education, 2004.
Dr. Calaway holds an Ed.D. in education administration from the University of Texas at Austin.
Members of the president’s Executive Council:
Dr. Gerald W. Baird, executive vice president,
Administrative Services
Dr. Wayne Brown, executive vice president,
Administration
Dr. Dennis Day, vice president, Student Services
Dorothy Friedrich, vice president,
Policy and Strategic Initiatives
Dr. Dana Grove, executive vice president,
Academic Affairs
Julie Haas, executive director,
Marketing Communications
Dr. Judy Korb, vice president, Human Resources
and Organizational Development
Sue Kuder, executive assistant to the President
Dr. Marilyn Rhinehart, vice president, Instruction
Dr. Joseph Sopcich, vice president,
Institutional Advancement and Government Affairs
Janelle Vogler, director, Auditing Services
Dr. Sally Winship, vice president,
Continuing Education and Community Services
Awards and recognition received by JCCC faculty, staff and students, noting their leadership in their respective
fields, are listed in Chapter 6.
19

Chapter 4
Innovative and
Experimental
Programs
At Johnson County Community College,
learning comes first. JCCC’s dedication
to teaching and learning is demonstrated
in its innovative programs, such as the
ones shown here, that respond to the
needs of the community, the region
and – at times – the nation.
Burlington Northern
Santa Fe Railway and
the National Academy
of Railroad Sciences
Johnson County Community College first entered into
partnership discussions with Burlington Northern
Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) in 1986. The result was
the largest railroad training facility in the country,
founded on the college campus. Originally intended
to train only BNSF employees, the training center
over the years has come to serve other railroads
as well. As many as 14,000 railroad employees
come to JCCC each year for training from the
United States and Mexico.
As part of its agreement with BNSF and the city of
Overland Park, JCCC built the Industrial Training
Center on campus (the ITC, dedicated in 1988) to
house the railroad’s national training programs and
provide additional office and classroom space for
the college. The $2.9 million building was financed
through city revenue bonds, with the college
assuming one­third of the cost of construction and
receiving ownership of the building after 10 years.
BNSF exercises its option to lease the facilities on
a five­year basis. The college initially received
nine classrooms, warehouse space and laboratory
access in addition to the responsibility for building
maintenance. An expansion to the ITC that opened
in 1993 expanded space for both BNSF and JCCC.
20

“Johnson
County
Community
College’s
record
of innovation with BNSF
Railway Company and
its predecessors goes back
more than 20 years to the
establishment of the rail
industry’s first ­ever training
The college was awarded a presidential citation by Vice President
George Bush in 1987, recognizing the partnership as a successful
model of cooperation between education and industry.
In 1993­94, the college and BNSF established the National Academy of
Railroad Sciences (NARS) at JCCC, leading to the first associate­degree
programs in railroad operations in the nation. More than 140 students
are enrolled each year in credit programs leading to associate of applied
science degrees and vocational certificates in railroad electronics, railroad
industrial technology and railroad operations. NARS and JCCC also offer
a welder training program to supply railroads with highly qualified and
technically trained welders. Individuals who successfully complete the
program receive 15 semester hours of college credit and a vocational
certificate in maintenance­of­way welding and are top candidates for
employment in the railroad industry.
JCCC’s railroad technology program was named “program of the year”
by the Kansas Association for Career and Technical Education in August
2002.
The economic impact on the community and the city of Overland Park as
a result of the partnership created between JCCC and Burlington Northern
Santa Fe is about $70 million, created by the thousands of students who
come to campus for training and who need to book hotel rooms, take
their meals in restaurants and shop at local stores.
BNSF has supported the college in other ways as well. In 1986, the
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Foundation instituted a grant to support
faculty awards for research and teaching excellence; five professors are
honored each year. In 2004, JCCC received a gift of $750,000 from
the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Foundation. The gift, one of the largest
ever given by the BNSF Foundation, was used to help construct the new
Regnier Center on the JCCC campus.
center on a college campus
in 1986. The innovative
training programs developed
in partnership with the
college have continued to
set the standard for railroad
training, and are generally
acknowledged to be the
top programs in the rail
industry. And through
the National Academy of
Railroad Sciences, those
training programs are
now available to potential
employees of all railroads.”
– Matt Rose, chairman,
president and chief
executive officer, BNSF
Railway Company
21

Hospitality management
“JCCC’s hospitality management
program has been around for
27 years. It was one of the first
such programs to be accredited
by the American Culinary
Federation for apprenticeships.
While in school, our apprentices
work 6,000 hours under a
supervising chef at country clubs,
full ­service hotels, fine ­dining
restaurants, casinos, hospitals
and assisted ­living facilities.
We have approximately
125 employers in the metro
area. According to the U.S.
Department of Labor,
apprenticeships like ours help
build a skilled workforce for
the 21st century. It’s the best
way to learn anything.”
– Lindy Robinson,
assistant dean,
design and hospitality
One­third of all adults in the U.S. have worked in the restaurant
industry at some time during their lives. As the public’s interest in food
and food service continues to grow, so does the demand for trained
professionals in the hospitality industry. JCCC’s nationally recognized
hospitality management program helps meet those needs.
JCCC’s hospitality management program offers associate of science
degrees in chef apprenticeship, food and beverage management,
and hotel and lodging management. Certificates are also offered
in pastry/baking, pastry/baking entrepreneurship, hospitality
management entrepreneurship, sustainable agriculture, bed and
breakfast entrepreneurship, and food and beverage management.
JCCC’s chef apprenticeship program was the first program in the
United States to receive American Culinary Federation Educational
Institute accreditation. The program is also sponsored by the Greater
Kansas City Chefs Association and the U.S. Department of Labor.
The three­year program consists of 6,000 hours of training under
an American Culinary Federation chef member as well as formal
course work with a heavy emphasis on food preparation. Students
also receive a solid background in management, with courses in
supervisory management, hospitality accounting, menu planning,
purchasing, beverage control and advanced hospitality management.
Pastry shop
Melt­in­your­mouth, freshly­baked pastries are on sale every Friday
during the fall and spring semesters at the JCCC pastry shop.
The cakes, tortes, chocolate candies, tarts, eclairs, mousse, cookies
and pies are freshly made by students in JCCC’s pastry/baking
certificate program. Specialty pastries, like Thanksgiving pies
and noel logs, are available at the holidays.
Proceeds from pastry sales support the students in the pastry/baking
program at JCCC. The one­year, 30­credit­hour pastry/baking
certificate program is for students who are seeking employment as
pastry cooks in pastry/bake shops, hotels, restaurants or other areas
that produce pastry and baked products. Students may also have an
entrepreneurial interest in opening their own operation.
Culinary team
JCCC’s culinary team has traveled the globe to take part in – and
win – international competitions. In August 2006, JCCC’s culinary
team was the overall winner and best of show, winning the only gold
medal awarded at the Festival Gastronomico Guatemala competition
in Guatemala City. The JCCC team was the only U.S. team invited
to participate in the junior chef team competition. As the winner, the
team was featured in the January 2007 issue of The National
Culinary Review.
22

Five students from JCCC traveled to St. Augustine, Fla.,
in January 2006 to compete in the American Culinary
Federation’s Winterfest 2006 competition. The team
returned to Kansas with a gold medal for the Student
Hot (foods) Team competition.
In September 2004 the culinary team was the overall
winner and best of show with a silver medal in the
Festival Gastronomic Guatemala. The JCCC team was
the only U.S. team invited to participate in the junior
chef team competition. Student Chris Eis was named
the American Culinary Federation Student Culinarian
of the Year for the central region at the ACF regional
conference.
In April 2008, the culinary team travels to Singapore
for its next international competition.
Sustainable agriculture
One of JCCC’s newest programs is in sustainable
agriculture (market farming) entrepreneurship.
Consumer demand for locally grown food is increasing,
spurred by concerns about food quality, safety and the
sustainability of the U.S. food system. Such demand is
encouraged by chefs who recognize the importance
of freshness and a connection with farmers and the
land. This demand is not currently met, however, largely
due to the structure of the food system, which relies
on efficiencies of scale and centralized production
and distribution.
Nevertheless, opportunities to successfully respond
to the demand for local food are on the rise with
continuing development of market outlets, including
farmers markets; farm stands; community­supported
agriculture; online cooperatives; and grocery stores,
institutional dining services and restaurants that
feature local products.
JCCC’s sustainable agriculture (market farming)
entrepreneurship program helps students realize their
dream of opening their own sustainable agriculture
business. Farmers who grow produce on the side,
depending on crops like wheat or soybeans for the
bulk of their livelihood, can learn how to develop
a sustainable agriculture business based upon that
produce.
This program is a partnership among JCCC’s
hospitality management, horticulture and
entrepreneurship programs and Kansas State
University. Three semester­long practicum courses
require the student to work at K­State’s Horticulture
Research and Extension Center in Olathe, Kan.
Culinary initiatives
New culinary initiatives for spring 2008 include a
master chef series that brings master chefs (including
JCCC’s own graduates) to campus for demonstrations
and dinners, a “Cooking with Class” series of culinary
videos shown on the JCCC cable channel, and an
“edible schoolyard” program to be piloted at the
college’s Hiersteiner Child Development Center, where
the children in the center will learn to grow the fruits
and vegetables that will be used to prepare their meals.
“Each year, JCCC’s hospitality management and chef apprenticeship programs produce well­trained
graduates who are ready and able to participate in the dynamic food, lodging and entertainment
industries in the Kansas City area and throughout the nation. Graduates work as managers in the city’s
top hotels, head chefs at local restaurants, and pastry chefs for country clubs. Their award­winning
culinary teams travel the globe to participate in – and usually win – culinary competitions, and the
competitors come home to brighten the city’s restaurant scene.”
– David Wysong, Kansas senator
23

“The
simulation
lab provides
a dynamic
setting for
our nursing and allied health
students to learn the art of
their discipline and apply the
scientific basis. We are the
leader in simulation in the
state of Kansas, and every
other school has followed
JCCC’s lead. Through the use
of simulation and under the
watchful eye of an instructor,
students can focus on their
patient care as they would in
a real setting but without the
fear of harming the patient
as they learn. Our students
have often stopped me in
the hallway or come to my
office and thanked me for
the opportunity to learn
through simulations. It is
one of the most exciting
methodologies I have been
involved with in my more
than 35 years of nursing.”
– Jeanne Walsh,
assistant dean, nursing
Nursing
Like many parts of the country, Kansas is experiencing a serious nursing
shortage. To help satisfy the demand for more nurses, JCCC has five
nursing programs: licensed practical nurse, registered nurse, an RN
refresher, an articulation program for licensed practical nurse to
registered nurse, and an RN perioperative nursing program.
In July 2006, JCCC received $470,445 from the Kansas Board of
Regents to support the nursing program. Of that total, $144,200 was
used to hire five part­time nursing faculty members, and $326,245 was
used for patient simulators and related equipment needed to expand the
Healthcare Simulation Center on campus. The grant to JCCC was the
second largest in the state. The college received a second grant in 2007
of $144,200 to continue to fund part­time instructors. A supplemental
grant of $32,000 was also used for nursing faculty.
Healthcare Simulation Center
The grants support a lead gift of $750,000 that JCCC received in
May 2006 from the Educate, Enrich and Enable Fund of the Greater
Kansas City Community Foundation to fund a state­of­the­art Healthcare
Simulation Center, which became operational for the spring 2008
semester. With the Healthcare Simulation Center, the nursing program
will be able to increase the number of registered nurses entering the
profession each year. Additional courses can be offered in phlebotomy
certification, post­anesthesia care, acute and emergency care, operating
room nursing certification and RN first assistance, as well as a transition
course for paramedics wanting to become nurses.
The 1,500­square­foot center has the look, feel and equipment of four
general medical­surgery rooms and a large suite that can function as
an operating room, labor/delivery room, emergency room or
multi­bed recovery room. Each of the four rooms has infusion pumps
for intravenous fluids and medications; vital sign monitors, including
telemetry capability to measure abnormal heart activity; lines with real
gases like oxygen; human waste disposal systems; sinks; power columns;
and communication lines for calling hospital codes. The main hallway
has a secured Pyxis Medstation, an automated drug dispensing unit for
controlled substances, and refrigerators for IV fluids and dietary services.
Even ambient sounds for a hospital, such as operator pages, are
programmed into the center. Playing the parts of the patients will be
sophisticated patient simulators that can be programmed with hundreds
of symptoms of acute and chronic diseases/disorders and respond
physiologically to treatment. An audiovisual system films students in
every aspect of their work so faculty can evaluate their progress.
24

Endowed chair
In November 2006, the board of
trustees accepted a pledge of
$750,000 from Drs. David and
Mary Zamierowski for the first
endowed chair in the history of the
college. The gift created and helped
fund the Zamierowski Family
Endowed Professorship for Nursing
and Medical Simulation. Kathy
Carver, professor, nursing, was
designated to fill the endowed
position.
In addition, this gift qualified JCCC
to participate in the Kansas Board
of Regents Faculty of Distinction
program. Under this program, the
state annually contributes a
percentage (currently five percent)
of the total award to supplement
the faculty salary and to provide
additional operating support for
assistance, travel, equipment or
other expenses of the endowed
professorship. The purpose is to
increase private gifts and attract
and retain professors of distinction
for eligible educational institutions
in Kansas. JCCC was one of two
community colleges in Kansas to
become part of the Faculty of
Distinction program.
“The application of simulation training to nursing education is a relatively new
endeavor. The faculty here have become pioneers in the development of this field,
from authoring copyrighted scenarios for the first available nursing manual to
authoring chapters in upcoming textbooks to mentoring development of other labs
in the region to organizing and presiding over regional societies for advancement
of this technique. The faculty here have been committed to the development and
utilization of this new methodology for the last half ­dozen years or so. I have been privileged to
watch this as medical adviser to this project for the last three years. And in that time, in my opinion,
the recognition of what is needed for the advancement of this field, and then the development of
that particular technology to the point that two separate patent applications have been filed for the
solutions worked out in this cutting ­edge laboratory, goes beyond the standard implication of the
word ‘innovative.’ I believe that this level of inventiveness is very remarkable for a community college.”
– Dr. David Zamierowski, physician, donor
25

Biotechnology
The greater Kansas City area, and specifically Johnson County, is
attracting biological­, pharmaceutical­ and chemical­related formulating,
manufacturing, research and testing companies. Many of these facilities
employ scientific technicians to support the endeavors of their professional
scientists and engineers.
JCCC’s biotechnology program is designed to develop scientific support
personnel for such companies in the metropolitan area through a one­year
vocational biotechnology certificate as well as two­year associate of
science and associate of applied science degrees in biotechnology.
Students learn in the college’s state­of­the­art biotechnology lab on campus.
The 5,400­square­foot biotechnology suite houses a teaching lab, research
lab, classroom, prep room, tissue culture room and faculty office, as well as
sophisticated equipment, including a DNA sequencer, a thermocycler and
high­pressure liquid chromatograph.
In 2006­2007, JCCC was among several local institutions that shared in a
$15 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor through an initiative
called the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED).
For JCCC, approximately $667,000 in OneKC WIRED funds supported
the creation of the biotechnology lab, which opened in August 2007.
The funds were used to purchase and develop simulation modules for
career preparation/education, redesign the curriculum for online
delivery and help promote career awareness activities in biotechnology.
The college provided $500,000 as leveraged support for the purchase
of the equipment; these funds were available through the $1.5 million
grant the college received in fall 2005 from the Kansas Department of
Commerce Workforce Solutions Fund.
In 2007, JCCC, working in conjunction with the Kansas City Area Life
Science Institute and bioscience industry employers in Kansas, conducted
an evaluation of the job­related competencies and skill sets required for
specialized career and technical training in the bioscience industry.
The evaluation was funded, in part, by a $72,300 Carl D. Perkins
Postsecondary State Leadership grant. The information will be used to
expand biotechnology career awareness and improve secondary and
postsecondary biotechnology education.
“Johnson County Community College is well positioned to supply
skilled graduates to bioscience industries in the greater Kansas
City area. With best­in­class facilities and equipment, a continued
emphasis on teaching and learning, and strong connections to
business and industry, JCCC will be a key player in supporting
the high­wage/high­skill innovation economy.”
– Dr. Blake Flanders, vice president of workforce development,
Kansas Board of Regents, and director of workforce training and
education services, Kansas Department of Commerce
“Johnson County
Community College
is very fortunate to
have this state ­of ­the ­art
biotechnology facility
that supports our
biotechnology certificate
and degree programs.
The JCCC biotechnology
program and supporting
facility train and prepare
students in the job skills
required by the bioscience
industry in the greater
Kansas City metropolitan
community. The
biotechnology suite
gives the students an
opportunity to train in a
simulated environment
before they enter the
workforce on the same
types of equipment they
will use there.”
– Dr. Joseph Gadberry,
assistant dean,
sciences
27

Entrepreneurship
JCCC’s business entrepreneurship program teaches
aspiring and existing entrepreneurs how to launch
new ventures and strengthen the managerial and
business skills they need to make a small business
succeed. The program offers a unique partnership
between credit and noncredit programming.
With the help of a grant from the Ewing Marion
Kauffman Foundation, in 2003 the college’s
for­credit business entrepreneurship program
and the Small Business Development Center
located on campus joined forces to develop
a joint program emphasizing “3 Steps for
Entrepreneurial Success at JCCC.”
As steps 1 and 2, students and community members
who master a skill through one of JCCC’s career
programs, such as interior design or automotive
technology, are encouraged to add entrepreneurship
courses to their schedule to help them develop the
business acumen needed to start – and grow – their
own business.
Once they graduate and go into business for
themselves, the students and community members
can take advantage of the services offered through
the Small Business Development Center, housed on
the college campus as part of the Center for Business
and Technology, to expand their business skills –
that’s step 3.
JCCC now offers 22 certificate programs combining
education in entrepreneurship with the curriculum of
existing career programs, ranging from automotive
technology entrepreneurship to Web design
entrepreneurship. Students in these programs learn
28

“Johnson County Community
College has a significant
and positive impact on the
educational, economic and
cultural excellence of Johnson
County and the entire Kansas
City area. From the arts to its
zeal for innovation, JCCC is a
major factor in the creation of
the outstanding quality of life
Johnson County enjoys. As a
member of the Kansas Board
of Regents, the governing
and coordinating body of
the Kansas system of higher
education, I have seen
first ­hand how JCCC impacts
Kansas through quality and
creative workforce development
both the skills required within an industry and the business knowledge
needed to run a small business in that field.
Coursework covers preparing a business plan, obtaining financing,
financial management, market research, marketing a product or
service, and developing an accurate accounting system. Students can
earn an associate of applied science degree or complete the
entrepreneurship vocational certificate or business plan certificate.
The credit entrepreneurship studies and the college’s Small Business
Development Center are now housed together in the Center for
Entrepreneurship, where students, prospective entrepreneurs and small
business owners can find instruction, professional consulting and
management training. Plans for the 2008­2009 academic year call
for the college to offer the entrepreneurship program as a model for
the state of Kansas.
and training programs. I am
proud to be a supporter of such
an important and outstanding
Kansas asset.”
– Gary Sherrer,
Kansas Board of Regents,
senior vice president,
economic development,
Overland Park Chamber
of Commerce
29

International Education
“As I look at my colleagues
who have participated in
international programs, there
is clearly a passion in them
that spurs their professional
development – a development
that makes them better
teachers (or counselors, or
librarians, or administrators).
Such experiences are
transformative, and our
worlds are literally and
figuratively expanded.
Overseas experiences can
rejuvenate, revitalize and
redirect academic interests
for students and faculty alike.
My academic career has been
affected profoundly by my
participation in international
programs.”
– Bob Perry,
professor, sociology
The International Education program at Johnson County Community
College works collaboratively with departments across the campus
to increase faculty expertise on international and intercultural issues,
to give students opportunities to experience cultures and languages,
to enhance the curriculum and to provide linkages to colleges and
scholars throughout the world.
Programs for students include well­developed study abroad
opportunities that feature short­term, faculty­led programs as
well as semester­ and year­long opportunities in 30 countries,
an award­winning international service­learning program in Mexico
that sends 60 faculty, staff and students on a health and development
project each year, and an intercultural semester program that allows
students to “go global” in the local community through service to the
immigrant community, interaction with international students and
targeted course work.
A faculty international grants program sends 30 faculty members
to international conferences and exchanges each year, and
curriculum development projects encourage and assist with faculty
initiatives. In the last few years these initiatives have included an
NEH exemplary grant for Japanese studies, a Title VI­A grant to
increase attention to Islamic cultures, and a Fulbright Visiting
Scholar grant.
JCCC is a regional center for the Asian Studies Development
program at the East­West Center and the University of Hawaii
and has institutional partnerships with colleges and universities
in China, Russia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Japan.
Representatives participate each year in the Dutch­USA Exchange
program, and faculty exchanges in this program have led to new
student opportunities in the health care area.
New initiatives underway include projects to increase opportunities
for online students to interact with students from other countries
in various classes, including Intercultural Communications,
British Literature, Composition and International Business.
The development of a full two­year curriculum in international
business is underway, and the expansion of partnerships to
South America, Thailand and Morocco are planned. In addition,
the International Education program will increase attention to
international development opportunities for faculty and students
in science, math, health care and technology for global issues
such as environmental challenges, HIV/AIDS, world health,
global technology and conflict resolution. This new initiative will
be accomplished through grants, visiting scholars and workshops.
30

“The Carlsen
Center at JCCC
is one of a
handful of
presenters
in the nation that annually
commissions or co ­commissions
new works from composers and
choreographers. This commitment
is grounded in two synergistic
beliefs: that a critical component
to the education and development
of future audiences is an
appreciation for and
understanding of contemporary
works, and that the arts ­
presenting field plays a vital
role in nurturing creativity by
providing artists a venue in
which to perform their new
works. The additional innovation
and benefit for our college and
community is having creative
artists such as Sierra and Varone
in residence for a few days in the
classroom describing the creative
process, then leading the class
through that process, introducing
a new approach to thinking
for the students and faculty.”
– Charles Rogers,
director, Carlsen Center
Carlsen Center for
the Performing Arts
JCCC’s Carlsen Center for the Performing Arts offers the largest multidiscipline
performing arts series in mid­America and is recognized
internationally as a leader among presenting organizations in
supporting new artistic works in dance, music and theater through
commissions and premieres. The series offers performances by
nationally and internationally known artists and companies in the
center’s 1,250­seat Yardley Hall and 400­seat Polsky Theatre. The
Carlsen Center also houses a 50­seat Recital Hall as well as a Black
Box for academic theater productions.
Highlights of the 2007­2008 Carlsen Center Series are mid­America
premieres of 3 Mo’Divas, Cirque­Work’s Birdhouse Factory and an
entire concert of music by a living composer, Roberto Sierra, including
a piano concerto commissioned by the Carlsen Center and performed
by Ian Hobson and Sinfonia da Camera; the mid­America debut of
the Helsingborg Symphony with Andrew Manze; and the world
premiere of a new work by the Paul Taylor Dance Company,
commissioned by the Carlsen Center. In 2007, Doug Varone and
Dancers conducted their final technical rehearsal and premiere of a
new work, Dense Terrain, co­commissioned by the Carlsen Center, on
stage in Yardley Hall in advance of a New York debut.
Introduced in 2006­2007 was a program titled “Creativity to
Innovation,” which uses creative artists to examine and develop
creativity among students, particularly in classes outside the
performing arts. The initial project took place in May 2007 when
Doug Varone and Dancers came to campus for a week of dress
rehearsals of Dense Terrain before its premiere at the Brooklyn
Academy of Arts later that month. Varone led a creativity workshop
for JCCC students in English, psychology and early childhood
education classes. The program’s goals are to enhance student
learning by having artists lead students through various creative
processes, foster creativity by building basic problem­solving skills and
facilitate faculty growth through a multidisciplinary approach,
communication and participation.
32

ArtsEducation
The Carlsen Center’s ArtsEducation program presents
performances, lecture demonstrations, workshops and
master classes for area school children and teachers at
local schools and in the Carlsen Center. The program is
both comprehensive (including all performing arts) and
sequential (progressively increasing the depth of
information at each age level). The performances are
complemented by age­appropriate educational packets
to be used in classroom teaching.
In 2006­2007, the ArtsEducation program presented
10 performances for children by six professional
touring companies and 197 classes and
lectures/demonstrations for more than 15,200 children
and adults throughout the greater Kansas City area.
In addition, the Carlsen Center continued its long­term
artist residencies to perform and work with local
students and teachers as part of the ArtsEducation
program.
“My experience with JCCC’s commitment to innovation comes from my service as chairman of the Carlsen
Center Program Advisory Committee. I have the privilege of working with Charles Rogers, who continues
to shape the programming in the Carlsen Center into one of the very best programs in the entire country.
No higher praise can be given for the work Charles Rogers is doing than that of his professional
colleagues in the North American Performing Arts Managers and Agents Association, who have
presented him the association’s Award for Excellence.”
– Mark S. Gilman, chairman, Gill Studios Inc.
33

“The museum’s primary focus is on education through temporary exhibitions and the
permanent collection. By focusing on contemporary artists – many of whom address
challenging issues – students and visitors are engaged intellectually and visually. In
addition, the museum’s collection and exhibition program contribute greatly to the
college’s diversity initiatives. The Nerman Museum (as was the former Gallery of Art)
is at the forefront of area institutions in its support, through exhibitions and art
acquisitions, of artists of varying ethnicities. And a new focus area in the college’s Regnier Center will
feature more than 50 works by contemporary Native American artists – a JCCC commitment perhaps
unique among American colleges and universities.”
– Bruce Hartman, director, Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art
34

Nerman Museum of
Contemporary Art
Recognizing the important role that JCCC could play in cultivating an
awareness and appreciation of the visual arts, in 1980 the college’s
board of trustees approved a yearly art acquisition program. A guiding
principle for the acquisitions was that the works be installed in a variety of
locations throughout the campus. Accessibility and visibility were deemed
vital to ensuring that art would be readily available to students and the
community. Ultimately, the trustees thought, a permanent collection best
enables students to directly engage with art on a daily basis. For many
students, the works of art they encounter on college campuses are their
first exposure to the richness and diversity of artistic expression.
Since then, JCCC has been collecting contemporary art from around the
world, each year adding new pieces to the collection. Today, the work
of more than 600 local, regional, national and international artists is
represented in JCCC’s prestigious collection, which features a diverse
range of painting, photography, clay, sculpture and works on paper.
The college’s collection is installed in “focus” areas in the corridors,
dining halls and other highly visible and accessible locations around
campus, sparking a spontaneous engagement with art for students,
faculty, staff and visitors.
In April 2006, Public Art Review magazine named JCCC as one of the
top 10 university/college campuses for public art in America, citing the
outdoor sculpture and the paintings, ceramics, photography and works
on paper installed throughout the campus.
In 1990, JCCC opened a Gallery of Art in its new Cultural Education
Center (renamed the Carlsen Center in 1998). In its 3,000 square feet of
exhibition space, JCCC’s Gallery of Art offered many of the region’s most
important exhibitions focusing on contemporary art. Drawn from museums,
galleries, studios and private collections throughout the country, five
annual exhibitions featured a broad spectrum of artistic expression and
endeavor.
The gallery closed in early 2007 in anticipation of the October opening
of the new Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art. Measuring more than
38,000 square feet, the Nerman Museum is the largest contemporary art
museum in the four­state region and the only contemporary art museum
in Kansas. The Nerman Museum features more than 12,000 square feet
of exhibition space, including major temporary exhibition galleries,
permanent collection galleries, a new media gallery and an intimate
“focus” gallery. In addition, a project gallery is devoted to area artists,
a unique commitment.
The museum is named for Jerome and Margaret Nerman and their son,
Lewis, in recognition of their lead gift in 2003 to help found an art
museum for JCCC. The Nermans are among the region’s most prominent
collectors of contemporary art.
The museum also houses Café Tempo, a 200­seat auditorium, two art
education classrooms for children and adults, art storage and preparation
areas and a museum shop.
“My wife, Marti, and I have
been involved with JCCC for
more than 15 years and have
been directly involved with its
art program by funding the
Oppenheimer Collection on
campus and at the new
Nerman Museum of
Contemporary Art. We have
been impressed with the
college’s quality of education
and with the impact JCCC has
had on our community.
Without question, JCCC is the
most important institution in
Johnson County. With the
opening of the Nerman
Museum, Johnson County has
become an attraction and
destination point for art and
culture nationally.”
– H. Tony Oppenheimer,
managing director at The
Private Bank, president of
the Oppenheimer Brothers
Foundation; donor
35

“At JCCC, we do not implement technology for technology’s sake. Our technology plans
are built and implemented in collaboration with our constituents. We have a very mature
technology governance process and structure. If a technology initiative doesn’t tie back
to the college plan, we aren’t going to have it on the project list. Those projects that
contribute to our mission are the ones that get approved, funded and implemented.”
– Dr. Wayne Brown, executive vice president, administration
36

Information Services
JCCC’s Information Services branch and the functional areas
associated with the college’s enterprise resource planning (ERP)
system, Banner, began working in January 2005 on migrating
from Sun hardware and operating system to a more costeffective
and efficient hardware and software solution. At the
same time, the network was reconfigured to place ERP traffic
into a separate network segment as part of an ongoing effort to
secure database traffic.
This monumental undertaking required institutional strategic,
budget and technical planning over the course of two years.
The design was implemented and tested in the test environments
over a two­month period. It was then implemented and has
resulted in a number of processing efficiencies for the business
areas. The amount of time saved in these processes totaled over
72 hours.
Furthermore, there was an immediate $60,000 savings in
hardware and software costs for the existing environments and
a projected savings of at least $450,000 as the branch builds
its disaster recovery environments. The upgrade, which affected
more than 40,000 people, resulted in only six help desk calls
on the first business day it went live.
As JCCC has continued to increase the use of technology, the
college has seen the demand for additional servers increase.
Ordering, receiving and deploying a physical server can take
several weeks and costs an average of $5,000 per server. In
addition, the servers use electricity, produce heat, and require
maintenance and eventually disposal. Over the past two years
the college has implemented server virtualization software that
has reduced the ordering, receiving and deployment time from
weeks to less than an hour. In addition, the cost of a virtual
server is less than $1,000. Across the college, the virtualization
of servers has produced an annual energy savings of
approximately $56,350. Furthermore, the college has saved
approximately $467,705 on the 115 physical servers that
would have been bought without server virtualization.
Other initiatives from
Information Services
include:
• The use of control objectives for
information and related technology
(COBIT) to conduct self­audits for
technology department processes.
This proactive approach, which is
based on technology audit guidelines,
produces processes that are
streamlined and audit­ready.
• Document imaging across various
departments, ranging from student
services to financial services and the
president’s office, was implemented.
Approximately 2,100,000 documents
were migrated from a legacy system to
an electronic format that is searchable,
available and linked to the enterprise
resource planning (ERP) system.
The initiative eliminated rooms of
filing cabinets, giving needed space
back to college.
• An integrated test plan process
transitioned large technology project
testing from ad hoc/one­off test plans
to a well­orchestrated, reliable test
method. This process shaved weeks
off of project testing and improved
results.
• An online access request process has
been an innovation from an efficiency
perspective. The process moved IS’
system account creation time from
an approximate two­week turnaround
time for access requests to a two days
or fewer turnaround time.
“Johnson County Community College has one of the most systematic and strategic approaches
to supporting its institutional mission through technology that we have seen. It focuses on student
service, operational efficiency and collaboration inside and outside its walls. JCCC has been a
leader in responding to the constantly evolving constituent needs, and its model has been copied
by other institutions. JCCC’s rigorous and thorough approach toward technology implementation,
which incorporates significant project review and planning, is unusually well­considered.
JCCC has participated in a number of our software development beta programs and freely offers
implementation advice to other clients. We are proud to support JCCC and to call them our partner.”
– Brian Madocks, CEO, Sungard Higher Education
37

“Polysomnography is
rapidly evolving as a
discrete health profession
requiring specially
trained technologists. A
local sleep study center brought the
need to the attention of the college,
triggering the subsequent formal
needs assessment and curriculum
development. Even as this was
occurring, the Board of Registered
Polysomnography Technologists was
changing eligibility requirements to
more formal education pathways. It
is a great example of responding
to a community need and creating
yet another option for students
interested in the health care
profession.”
– Dr. Clarissa Craig,
assistant dean, respiratory care
Polysomnography/sleep
technology
In 2008, JCCC will initiate a polysomnography/sleep
technology program leading to an AAS degree. JCCC’s is the
first polysomnography degree program to be offered in either
Kansas or Missouri.
PSG technologists are employed in sleep disorder centers, which
may be located in medical centers, hospitals or clinic/office
settings. There are 16 sleep disorder centers and labs in Kansas
and 12 in Missouri. More than 80 different types of sleep
disorders have been identified, with obstructive sleep apnea
symptoms occurring in one out of every 10 people. Historically,
most sleep technologists receive informal training in a sleep
laboratory or center via an apprenticeship method of instruction.
However, sleep centers prefer to hire registered technologists
credentialed by the Board of Registered Polysomnographic
Technologists.
PSG technologists perform sleep diagnostics working in
conjunction with physicians to provide comprehensive clinical
evaluations required for diagnosis of sleep disorders. By applying
non­invasive monitoring equipment, the technologist
simultaneously monitors EEG (electroencephalography), EOG
(electro­occulography), EMG (electromyography), ECG
(electrocardiography), multiple­breathing variables and blood
oxygen levels during sleep.
Beginning in spring 2008, the college will hire a program
coordinator to refine curriculum, recruit students and formalize
and acquire clinical and physical resources. A full­time
coordinator will be hired in the fall, and the first two
polysomnography courses will be offered: Introduction to Sleep
Medicine and Physiology of Sleep Medicine.
Application for program accreditation will be made to the
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
(CAAHEP). Graduates of the program will enter the field as
polysomnographic technicians and be prepared to sit the national
exam given by the Board of Registered Polysomnographic
Technologists to gain the Registered Polysomnographic
Technologist (RPSGT) credential.
38

Second Life
In 2007, JCCC bought an island in Second Life, a
3­D world imagined and created by its residents.
Twenty pioneering JCCC faculty and staff are working
with analysts in the Educational Technology Center
(ETC) to build a virtual JCCC. Class activity is slated
for spring­fall 2008.
JCCC’s Second Life campus features artwork and
brick sidewalks familiar to first­world JCCC students.
What students won’t find as familiar are the beach,
the Spanish­speaking coffee shop and a museum of
modern art showcasing students’ digital artwork.
Parts of the island are public, parts private.
ETC is building a library of basic classroom
components so instructors can pick and choose things
they want in their classrooms – from a traditional
chalkboard for showing PowerPoints to an elaborate
science lab complete with Bunsen burners and test
tubes for performing chemistry experiments.
Dr. Michael Robertson, professor of classics and
humanities, will use his fall 2008 sabbatical to create
guidelines and institutional policies for faculty and
student users of JCCC’s island. He will also develop
ways to incorporate Second Life into the college’s
learning management system or as an alternative to it.
ETC analysts, if not evangelists, are enthusiastic
proponents of Second Life. They point out that a Second
Life avatar can attend class from anywhere and argue
there are some things better taught in Second Life than
in the classroom, such as things that are too dangerous
or too expensive to reproduce in the real world.
Examples already developed in Second Life include
how to repair an off­shore oil rig, replace tanks under
a gas station, and negotiate diplomacy between two
countries that share a river near a nuclear power plant.
At this point, Second Life is meant to supplement, not
supplant, Web­based or face­to­face learning. Not all
of the Second Life activity has to be scheduled real time.
Just like in a traditional class, a Second Life class can
be a mix of live lectures, student discussions and
assignments completed at the students’ convenience.
“Right now, Second Life is a pilot project at JCCC to see if there is a valid educational use for this
technology. Second Life has the potential to encourage students and reinvigorate faculty who
want to look at it as an additional learning management system.”
– Jonathan Bacon, director, Educational Technology Center
39

National Community
College Benchmark Project
Chapter 5
Resources to Share
with Member Colleges
Johnson County Community College is
always eager to share with other institutions
new programs and processes such as the
ones listed here and in chapter 4.
Within the last two decades, community colleges
have come under increasing pressure to become
more accountable to their various constituencies.
The ability to gauge themselves against comparable
peer institutions is a critical component of colleges’
response to these mandates. In fact, the Higher
Learning Commission’s Academic Quality
Improvement Program (AQIP) and the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools Quality
Enhancement Program (QEP) require that institutions
provide comparability data as a part of the
accreditation process.
However, until quite recently, there were no
comprehensive national processes to assist colleges in
those efforts. In response to this set of circumstances,
the Office of Institutional Research at Johnson County
Community College, with the assistance of national
experts in community college research and policy,
took on the responsibility to create and support two
such comprehensive benchmarking efforts – the
Kansas Study of Community College Instructional
Costs and Productivity and the National Community
College Benchmark Project.
The National Community College Benchmark Project
(NCCBP), begun in 2004, provides comparative data
on 124 performance indicators for community
colleges. Performance indicators include institutional
information (service area total population, IPEDS
enrollment, tuition and fees per credit hour), transfer
and performance information, and student
satisfaction and goal attainment data, as well as
student retention and success rates. Other data
elements focus on market penetration, student/faculty
ratio, and instructional faculty load.
40

“The National Community College
Benchmark Project has been
integrated into multiple research
and reporting efforts at Nashville
State. We have used it for
documenting/benchmarking in
our general education review
and in our student services
staffing plan, our college
“Participation in these national benchmarking efforts
affords colleges the opportunity to compare themselves
with peer institutions across a wide array of critical
variables necessary for both continuous quality
improvement and reliable demonstration of
institutional effectiveness.”
– Dr. Jeffrey Seybert,
director, Institutional Research
strategic plan, accreditation
documentation, in reports to
our foundation and employees,
and in our workforce training
business plan. In addition,
NCCBP data have been
integrated into Tennessee’s
Performance Funding program.
NCCBP allows identification of
strengths and weaknesses with
For the NCCBP, 178 public community colleges participated in
the 2007 data collection. When benchmark data have been
verified and updated, the following reports are provided to
subscribing institutions:
• a national aggregate report, customized for each institution,
showing benchmark data and the institution’s percentile rank.
• a subscriber directory, including information about the
subscribing institutions’ enrollments, service areas and
demographics.
• best practices institutions, identifying institutions that scored
above the 80 th percentile on benchmarks.
Peer comparisons are also available through the NCCBP Web
site: http://www.nccbp.org.
A second project, the Kansas Study of Community College
Instructional Costs and Productivity, developed with support of a
FIPSE grant, provides comparative data on instructional costs and
faculty productivity at the academic discipline level of analyses.
Data from these studies enable JCCC and other participating
two­year colleges to compare performance against similar
institutions on a national basis.
credible data. The innovative
efforts of JCCC give Nashville
State easy access to comparable
data and the ability to benchmark
with appropriate peers.”
– Ellen J. Weed,
vice president for academic
affairs, Nashville State
Technical Community College
41

Entrepreneurship
Many rural areas are caught in a cycle of population
loss and job loss, as young people leave for career
opportunities and employment elsewhere. Encouraging
people to stay in their communities and start their own
businesses could positively affect this trend. JCCC’s
entrepreneurship program is poised to serve as a
model for entrepreneurship education in Kansas.
To this end, JCCC’s entrepreneurship program
(described in chapter 4) is a model replicable at
other community colleges. The college has offered
to provide community colleges throughout the state
curriculum and curriculum development, certificate
and program approval as well as faculty training for
three entrepreneurship credit courses. The concept
was presented in 2006 at a Network Kansas meeting
attended by 10 Kansas community colleges and to
the Kansas Council of Instructional Administrators.
The initiative proposes a unique method of curriculum
approval through the Kansas Board of Regents, in that
colleges could adopt and offer the entrepreneurship
courses created by JCCC faculty. Representatives from
colleges adopting the program would come to Johnson
County for training in the delivery of these courses.
Noncredit education would be offered through the
statewide network of Small Business Development
Centers using a curriculum titled “The Entrepreneurial
Effect,” developed by the Ewing Marion Kauffman
Foundation, that teaches economic development
agencies to become more “entrepreneur friendly.”
These two­day sessions would provide the education
for attendees to return to their region to effectively
“spread the word” on fostering entrepreneurship as
a strategy for economic development.
Once the execution and outcomes of the initiative
are measured, it could become a model that could
be replicated by any state in the nation.
“We know that entrepreneurs comprise 99 percent of employers, employing
approximately 50 percent of the private sector workforce. The more educated those
entrepreneurs are, the more likely their businesses are to succeed. Our goal with the
grant is to weave entrepreneurship education throughout the curriculum, be it for ­credit
classes or noncredit, to help make that happen.”
– Donna Duffey, professor and career program facilitator, Entrepreneurship
42

Adjunct Certification Training
JCCC offers all adjunct faculty members the opportunity to participate
in the Adjunct Certificate Training (ACT) program; more than 275
adjuncts have completed the program so far. The goal of ACT is to
provide adjunct faculty with tools and resources to assist them in
becoming more effective educators in the classroom.
Certification requires an adjunct faculty member to complete nine
required modules on topics such as assessment and test construction,
designing an effective syllabus, legal issues, classroom diversity issues,
classroom technology, teaching to the whole student, and instructional
design, and at least one optional module on subjects ranging from
teaching techniques and learning styles to strategies to reach students.
Participants are videotaped giving a lecture and then receive a critique
to help them improve their skills.
Upon completion of ACT, the adjunct faculty member should be
cognizant of the college’s mission, aware of policies and procedures of
the academic branch, comfortable in the college’s learning community,
and equipped with more resources to enhance student learning in the
classroom. Adjunct faculty who complete the program receive a
one­time stipend of $800.
Since 2002, JCCC has also provided an annual Semester Refresher
for adjuncts who have taught at the college for seven or more semesters.
These professional development sessions have included teaching and
learning strategies for the classroom, active classroom learning and
advice about crossing the frontier from adjunct faculty to full­time faculty.
“Adjunct Certification Training has given adjuncts at JCCC the
opportunity to participate in professional development activities
that help them develop teaching skills and techniques that will
engage their students in the learning process. ACT has proven
to be a very positive professional development experience for
participants; indeed, full­time faculty have asked if they can
attend these modules.”
– Dr. Joseph Gadberry, assistant dean, sciences
“The Adjunct
Certification
Training
program
offers
well ­constructed, meaningful
modules and great facilitators.
While the coursework is
precisely what new (and
experienced) faculty need, I
think the best part of the
program is the support and
camaraderie that develops
among the participants.
One of the biggest drawbacks
to adjunct status is the lack of
a feeling of community and
little access to peers. The ACT
program gives you a chance
to share ideas and create
solutions with those you
might otherwise never meet.”
– Leslie Quillen,
adjunct professor,
philosophy
43

“JCCC’s leadership program
is unique. Our class was able
to deal with real ­life situations
in higher education that are
usually reserved for
hypothetical interactions. During this leadership
program I redefined leadership for myself
as ‘a process of influencing, mobilizing and
protecting others as the group shares and
struggles to attain the dreams and aspirations
of many.’ A leadership situation is born of
many complex aspirations and dreams.
It might be an understatement, but we had
numerous complex situations presented to the
group. As we discussed dreams, aspirations
and fears, a ‘rally point’ for the group was
the idea that positive changes have to occur
Leadership Institute
At JCCC, leadership development is a dynamic
process whereby personal and professional
development are blended with a strategic plan.
This ensures the organization continuity of operations,
stability and long­term success throughout inevitable
leadership changes. To develop those future leaders,
JCCC offers employees a new Leadership Institute
based on the AACC’s Competencies for Community
College Leaders, developed by the “Leading
Forward” project.
The institute’s format encourages participants to
identify personal strengths and growth opportunities
as targets for goal­setting. Using feedback from
multiple sources, participants complete an individual
development plan and use a system of goal­setting,
action plans and colleague support to achieve goals
throughout the year. Participants may individualize
the program to give them the greatest opportunity
for success. Training is delivered using spaced
repetition, an approach that allows participants to
discuss, internalize, apply and process leadership
material on an ongoing basis.
Sessions cover such topics as organizational
strategy, communication, resource management,
civic engagement/community college advocacy,
professionalism, collaboration, professional
development and life balance.
within the administration of the college in
order for the college to move forward.”
– Dr. David Burgess,
assistant dean, Health, Physical
Education, Recreation and Wellness
44

”For many students, the adventure
that is a college education can be
a scary and challenging step along
the road to success. The JCCC
Success Center is a resource for
students who need assistance with meeting those
academic and personal goals.
“The Success Center features the Career Center, where
students can go for help preparing for or getting a job.
The Success Center also features our Add/Drop Desk,
where students can sign up for or drop classes and
it is the place for students to receive their transcript
Student Center
Within the community college environment,
student services must be multifaceted to
meet the needs of the 21 st ­century student.
Ideally, the various components of student
service functions should support the
educational objectives of students and
the college. Students are sophisticated
consumers and require coordinated quality
service and an environment that leads to
their successful educational experience.
The Student Center, which opened in March
2000, is the physical structure that serves
as the “front door” to the campus for new
students and the “swinging door” for
continuing students. The building houses
all of JCCC’s student services, including
counseling, admissions, registration, student
activities, testing services and financial aid,
as well as the bookstore and dining facilities.
Within the Student Center is the Student Success
Center, which provides students a place to
engage in a coordinated set of student services,
from admission and career selection to financial
aid and academic advising. This setting allows
students to complete necessary enrollment
activities and receive holistic counseling
involving their academic, career and financial
choices in one location. Instruction in selfservice
opportunities also occurs to allow
students to complete many of the required
enrollment processes via electronic methods.
in ­hand or to have it sent off to a different school
for consideration. Students may also check in at
the information desk on a walk ­in basis if they would
like to meet with a personal or academic counselor.
“For students concerned about paying for school,
our financial aid desk is also located in the Success
Center. The staff is always willing to help students
with scholarships, loans and grants with available
information on the many types of deadlines.
“Last, but not least, the Success Center houses our
Intercultural Center, where students from around
the world receive assistance acclimating themselves
to JCCC. It’s always exciting to meet new people from
outside Johnson County and learn something about
a different part of the world.
“In conclusion, no student wants to confront what can
be a daunting challenge – going to college – without
some type of assistance and guidance along the way.
Many students are unsure about a lot of things, and
the Success Center is a helping hand for students as
they continue on their own path to success.”
– Benjamin Herron, Student Ambassador
45

Chapter 6
State and National Recognition
The college as a whole and its faculty, staff, students and
programs have been honored locally, regionally and nationally.
Program awards
Kansas Award
of Excellence
In October 2003, JCCC was
one of four recipients of the
2003 Kansas Excellence
Award, the third and
highest level of recognition
for quality given by the
Kansas Award for
Excellence Foundation.
The KAE award is
presented to organizations
that have demonstrated
through their practices and
achievements the highest
and most consistent level of
excellence. Organizations
recognized at this level are
considered role models for
other Kansas institutions.
In addition, sections 1 and 2
of the document the college
submitted for the award
were named best of
category. Section 1 dealt
with leadership, section 2
with strategic planning.
Higher Education Community
Service Honor Roll
In March 2007, JCCC was named to the President’s Higher Education
Community Service Honor Roll, a program designed to encourage and
increase public awareness of community service by college students and to
recognize and promote exemplary programs and effective practices in higher
education community service. JCCC was recognized for these projects:
• Las Pintas, where students in the nursing, respiratory care, dental hygiene
and early childhood education programs work with the residents of an
impoverished community outside Guadalajara, Mexico.
• The civic honors programs, whereby students are honored at graduation
for their civic education and community experience.
• A project for SafeHome, in which interior design students volunteered
their skills to design five rooms for the shelter’s new facility.
• A project for City Union Mission, in which interactive media
students created a Web site for the mission’s thrift store.
• Hurricane relief, for which the college’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, an
international honor society for two­year schools, organized a fund­raiser
that raised more than $2,000. In addition, 11 students traveled to New
Orleans over spring break 2006 to help with the city’s rebuilding process.
JCCC provides students with service­learning opportunities, a method of
experiential education that combines practical experience in the community
with the academic theory of the classroom. Since JCCC’s service­learning
program began in fall 1993, more than 6,000 students have provided more
than 90,000 hours of service at more than 100 community sites in the
metropolitan Kansas City area.
“Student volunteers consistently report increased self­confidence,
empowerment, achievement and a greater understanding of diverse
and often unfamiliar segments of the community. They learn they
can make a difference.”
– Marcia Shideler, coordinator, Community­Based Learning
46

Las Pintas project wins national award
Since 1998, JCCC students, faculty and staff have given
medical, dental, social service and construction assistance to
the impoverished town of Las Pintas, Mexico. In recognition of
this life­changing work, the Community College National Center
for Community Engagement awarded its first­ever International
Service Learning Award to JCCC in May 2005.
The first JCCC team to Las Pintas in 1998 helped build a
community clinic and classroom, made home health visits,
installed electricity, repaired a water pump and solar heater,
and distributed 300 pairs of children’s shoes and school
supplies. Since then, the emphasis on construction has been
replaced by dental/health care and education. In 2004,
the nursing team saw more than 1,000 patients; the dental
hygiene team evaluated and treated more than 500; 150
young children participated in schoolroom activities; and
scholarships allowed 50 students, ages six to 19, to attend
school rather than go to work to help support their families.
The impact of this project is also evident in the increased
participation by Las Pintas residents, of whom 50 are now
trained to help as health promoters. JCCC students’ lives have
been changed by the experience, which has influenced their
personal development, career decisions and commitment to
social and civic outreach.
“JCCC faculty,
staff and students
have performed
significant service
in this Mexican
community from the beginning.
But over the past 10 years, we
have formed a true ‘learning
community’ with our Mexican
partners. Sometimes we are teachers
and helpers, but more often we
are the students who learn humility,
generosity and determination from
the residents of Las Pintas.”
– Carolyn Kadel,
professor, political science,
and director, International
Education
47

“It’s a great honor to be recognized by
experts as one of the best in the country.
The college’s high ranking is a tribute to
faculty, staff and administrators who
have collaborated to use technology in
the classroom and via the Internet to
improve teaching, learning, access
and student support.”
– Dr. Wayne Brown,
executive vice president, administration
“We have a very mission­driven group of
IT professionals who are committed to the
college and our students, faculty and staff.
The college community recognizes the
power of technology to improve processes
for the good of our constituents, and the
IT department has done an outstanding
job of implementing changes that benefit
the college. All of these things have come
together to make JCCC an outstanding
place to work in IT.”
– Dr. Wayne Brown,
executive vice president, administration
Top 10 digitally­savvy
community colleges
In 2007, JCCC was again listed among the top
10 digitally­savvy community colleges in the large
college category by the Center for Digital Education
and the American Association of Community Colleges
(AACC). The ranking was established based on the
third national Digital Community Colleges Survey,
which examined how colleges deploy technology to
streamline operations and better serve students, faculty
and staff. The survey is conducted every two years.
Nearly 200 community colleges across the country
participated in the survey. Colleges were grouped into
three categories based on student enrollment: small
(less than 3,000 students), mid­sized (between 3,000
and 7,500 students) and large (more than 7,500
students). Community college officials responded to
a set of survey questions that addressed online services
and the provision of technology for students, faculty and
communities. Colleges provided Web site addresses and
background data for final verification and validation.
Best place to work in IT
In June 2007, JCCC was selected by IDG’s
Computerworld, the “Voice of IT Management,”
as one of the top workplaces for information technology
(IT) professionals. This honor was part of the weekly
IT publication’s 14th annual Best Places to Work in IT
survey, which was published in the June 18 issue of
Computerworld and online at Computerworld.com.
Since 1994, Computerworld’s annual “Best Places
to Work in IT” feature has ranked the top 100 work
environments for technology professionals, based on
a comprehensive questionnaire regarding company
offerings in categories such as benefits, diversity,
career development, training and retention. In addition,
this year Computerworld surveyed IT workers for the
list, and their responses factored heavily in determining
the rankings.
JCCC was ranked 47 th out of 100 in the Best Places
to Work listings. JCCC has 95 IT staff members.
48

Counseling is an exemplary
practice program
JCCC’s Counseling Services Center was recognized as an exemplary
practice program by the National Academic Advising Association.
The program will be included in the organization’s 2007 advising special
populations monograph. In identifying exemplary practices, the selection
committee sought programs that possess distinctive characteristics, were
representative of a variety of institutional types, and had the potential to
be replicated at other colleges and universities.
“Because students go through transitions as they journey along their
higher education path, staff in the Counseling Services Center has
followed student development theory in their approach to students’
decision­making needs. The Counseling Center provides a ‘holistic’
approach to addressing what the students need when the students
need it. Understanding that students develop at various levels,
sometimes unrelated to chronological age, the counselors seek to
meet them at the point they are and create a learning environment
that allows them to move on to the next level of decisions.”
– Dr. Dennis Day, vice president, Student Services
Exemplary initiative award for EAP
JCCC was named the recipient in 2005 of an Exemplary Initiative Award
from the National Council of Instructional Administrators. JCCC was
named winner in the “curriculum innovation” category for its English for
Academic Purposes program. Mary Grace Foret, associate professor,
English; Maggie Ackelson, professor, learning strategies; and Roslyn
Bethke, professor, reading/Academic Achievement Center, initiated the
EAP in fall 2004. EAP offers integrated courses in reading/vocabulary,
writing/grammar and speaking/pronunciation at two levels in a
learning­community format with additional stand­alone courses.
“Seeing the EAP grow from a vision to a reality has been one
of the most fulfilling experiences of my career. I am humbled
by the immensely positive support that continues from all parts
of the campus to ensure that we are providing the best learning
environment for adult English language learners, many of whom
have given up almost everything in their home countries to come
to the U.S.”
– Mary Grace Foret, associate professor, English
Kansas adult
education program
one of nation’s best
In November 2005, the Kansas
Board of Regents announced that
Kansas had been selected by
the U.S. Department of Education
as a “Best Practice” state for its
adult education program, one
of only three states in the nation
to receive this distinction. Project
Finish, co ­sponsored by JCCC
and the Johnson County Library,
is the largest adult education
program in Kansas, serving
25 percent of the ABE students
in the state. Adult education
programs serve persons age
16 and older who are in need
of basic skills to assist them in
the workforce, community
participation and family life.
“For 25 years, Project Finish
has educated illiterate adults,
taught English as a second
language, prepared learners
for the high school
equivalency test (GED)
and delivered big doses of
confidence to people who
lacked necessary academic
skills. More than 40,000
adults have received
instruction at Project Finish.
Today Project Finish is the
largest ABE program in
the state and recognized
as one of the best ABE
programs in the nation.”
– Susan McCabe,
program director,
ABE/GED/ESL
49

“Johnson County Community College was one of
the first community colleges to be accredited for its
College Now programs. Their participation in the
program and partnership with secondary schools
has provided an invaluable opportunity for high
school students seeking college credit. Their presence
in the community has had a direct impact on the
success of many area high schools.”
– Dr. Tom Trigg,
superintendent, Blue Valley School District
“The ‘Intercultural Assimilation and Conflict in East
Asia’ project was a fantastic opportunity for our
adjunct faculty colleagues. So often, adjunct faculty
do not have the time or support for professional
development, and this project was designed
specifically to address their desire to understand
Japan. The foundational knowledge they garnered
from the project has been instrumental in their ability
to incorporate information on Japan in their classes.
Those of us who seek to infuse Asian studies are often
asked why we teach it and why it’s important for
students to study Asia. Our students are very likely
to pursue careers in which they will have interaction
with Asian businesses. They may even be assigned
to live in Asia for their jobs. At the very least, a
good portion of their retirement dollars will be
invested in Asia. They can’t afford not to know
about Asian cultures.”
– Sheilah Philip,
professor, theater
College Now program is
nationally accredited
JCCC’s College Now concurrent enrollment
program was accredited in 2006 through the
National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment
Partnerships (NACEP). The college is one of
the first 20 schools in the nation to achieve
this accreditation. College Now is a credit
program for county high school juniors
and seniors or 9 th ­ ­ and 10 th ­grade students
identified as gifted with a current Individual
Education Plan. College Now students
enroll in selected college classes, such
as composition or U.S. history, offered
at and in cooperation with the high
school. The courses reflect JCCC’s content,
objectives and assignments and are taught
on the high school campus by qualified
high school teachers.
During fall 2006, College Now enrollment
totaled 2,423 students in 23 different
locations. In spring 2007, 1,481 high
school students were enrolled in College
Now. The credits students earn through
College Now transfer to most four­year
colleges and universities, so students can
enter college with several hours of credit
behind them.
Asian studies
In 2003, the National Endowment for the
Humanities awarded $135,650 to JCCC for
a project titled “Intercultural Assimilation and
Conflict in East Asia,” one of 16 Exemplary
Education Grants awarded that year from a
field of 172 applicants. JCCC was the only
institution in Kansas and the only community
college in the country to receive such a grant.
The grant allowed JCCC and the Community
College of Philadelphia to cooperate in an
ambitious two­year program that provided
intensive workshops on Asian studies to
adjunct liberal arts faculty at community
colleges in the two cities. The workshops in
Overland Park concentrated on Japan, those
in Philadelphia on China. JCCC is an active
member of the Associated Regional Center
of the Asian Studies Development Program,
a major program of the East­West Center at
the University of Hawaii, Manoa.
50

Faculty and staff awards
Lindy Robinson, assistant dean, design and hospitality, serves on the
American Culinary Federation’s National Apprenticeship Committee.
The committee looks at all culinary apprenticeship throughout the USA
and three international apprenticeships with the charge of making sure the
apprenticeship is addressing any necessary changes to stay current with
the industry. It also looks at any changes from the Department of Labor.
Stephanie Sabato (pictured above), associate professor, graphic
design, was named a recipient of a 2007 Fellow Award by the American
Institute of Graphic Artists. The Fellow Award program is a means of
recognizing mature designers who have made a significant contribution
to raising the standards of excellence in practice and conduct within their
local or regional design community as well as in their local AIGA chapter.
In August 2006, Kathy Carver, professor, nursing, received the Kansas
Council for Workforce Education’s Excellence in Teaching Award. This
award recognizes a post­secondary faculty member who demonstrates
outstanding teaching abilities and dedicated commitment to career and
technical students. Recipients of this award exemplify exceptional teaching
and student engagement skills within and/or outside of the classroom.
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius appointed Jeanne Walsh, assistant dean,
nursing, to the Kansas State Board of Nursing for the term September 14,
2006, through June 30, 2010. Walsh is one of three nurse educators
who serve on the board. This was the first time a JCCC nurse educator
has been appointed to the state agency.
The National Council for Continuing Education and Training (NCCET) has
honored JCCC’s leadership in continuing education. Dr. Sally Winship,
vice­president, continuing education, received the President’s Leadership
Award in 2006 for her strategic vision and dedication to NCCET as its
midwest regional director. Winship has also been elected to the NCCET
board for a three­year term as president­elect, 2007­2008; president,
2008­2009; and past president, 2009­2010. Kathy Yeager, business
solutions consultant for the Center for Business and Technology at JCCC,
was elected to the NCCET board as director, Midwest region, for the
2007­2009 term. Christy McWard, marketing coordinator for the
Center for Business and Technology, received the Midwest Regional
Leadership Award in 2006 for her role in marketing and event
management of the first annual NCCET Midwest Spring Alliance,
hosted by JCCC in June 2006.
“JCCC is fortunate in the
quality of its faculty and
staff. They are recognized
regionally and nationally
by professional organizations
and academic associations.
Their work is published
in books, journals and
monographs, on paper and
online, so that others can
benefit from their ideas,
experiments and
innovations.”
– Dr. Marilyn Rhinehart,
vice president, Instruction
51

Bobanne Kalkofen, associate professor, interior design,
received the Chapter Educator Medalist Award in recognition
of outstanding service and significant contributions to her
chapter and to the body of knowledge that supports the
profession of interior design. Diana Ingham, associate
professor, interior design, received the national ASID Chapter
Medalist Award. She was one of 11 people in the United
States to be presented with this award in 2007. The Medalist
Award is second only to becoming an ASID Fellow, the
highest award bestowed by ASID.
In December 2007, Charles R. Rogers, artistic director of
the Carlsen Center, received the sixth annual North American
Performing Arts Managers and Agents Award for Excellence
in Presenting the Performing Arts. The NAPAMA Award is
given each year to a distinguished presenter in recognition of
the awardee’s dedication to the future of presenting the
performing arts, professionalism, respect for colleagues and
high ethical standards. The award includes a citation for
excellence, and the recipient’s organization receives $1,000
toward its endowment for presenting – the only such monetary
award in the presenters’ industry.
At the annual National Association of Student Personnel
Administrators IV­West Regional Conference held in 2006,
Dr. Dennis Day, vice president, Student Services, was
awarded the Distinguished Service Award, presented to the
individual who provided exceptional service to the region and
enhanced the professional organization.
Julie Pitts, program director, Intercultural Center, and
Dr. Judy Korb, vice president, Human Resources and
Organizational Development, have received International
Exemplary Leadership Awards from the Chair Academy, an
organization committed to academic and administrative
leadership for post­secondary institutions globally.
Ruth Randall, interim dean, Liberal Arts, was selected as a
Faculty Scholar for both the 2006 and 2007 Phi Theta Kappa
Faculty Scholar Conference and Phi Theta Kappa
International Honors Institute. In addition, in 2007 she
received the Distinguished Chapter Advisor Award at the Phi
Theta Kappa International Convention. Phi Theta Kappa is the
international honor society for two­year colleges.
Larry Thomas (pictured, left), professor of fine art, was
selected by the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City
and the Charlotte Street Foundation to participate in the
Creative Capital Professional Development Program in
2007. Thomas was one of 24 artists chosen from a field of
74 artists working in multiple disciplines from the Kansas City
area. Thomas was also one of six Kansas City artists selected
for the eighth annual public art display at six intersections
between 9 th and 16 th streets on Central Avenue, Kansas City,
Mo., Avenue of the Arts. He was also the only community
college art faculty member to be selected for inclusion in an
art exhibition titled, “AD ASTRA PER ASPERA: To the Stars
Through Difficulties.” The exhibit is a juried exhibition of
Kansas university and college art faculty.
52

JCCC faculty members have received the National
Institute for Staff and Organizational Development
(NISOD) Excellence Award at the annual NISOD
conference. This award recognizes faculty who
epitomize “the importance of teaching in open­door
settings.” Recipients in 2006 were Brenda
Edmonds, associate professor, mathematics; Samira
Hussein (pictured with students, above, second from
left), associate professor, business administration;
and Susan Johnson, professor and career program
facilitator, engineering technology. Recipients in
2007 were Janalee Isaacson, professor, nursing;
Kathy Carver, professor, nursing; and Theresa
McChesney, assistant professor, mathematics.
Jill Stinson, head volleyball coach, received the
NJCAA Division II Coach of the Year award in 2005
and was also named the AVCA Coach of the Year in
2005 (the first for a JCCC head volleyball coach) and
again in 2007. In 2006, she was inducted into the
NJCAA Volleyball Coaches Hall of Fame.
Anita Tebbe, professor and career program
facilitator, paralegal, is chair of the American Bar
Association Approval Commission, which automatically
makes her a member of the ABA Standing Committee
on Paralegals. The role of the Approval Commission is
to foster high­quality paralegal education, which is
accomplished through the review of self­evaluation
reports and onsite inspections of programs seeking ABA
approval or reapproval.
In 2005­2006, John Courtney, professor, hospitality
management (now retired), was awarded a Lifetime
Achievement Award from the American Culinary
Federation Greater Kansas City Chefs Association.
Julie Haas, executive director, Marketing
Communications, was named Communicator of the
Year for 2005 by District 5 of the National Council for
Marketing and Public Relations.
Carolyn Neptune, professor, mathematics (now
retired), was one of five recipients of a teaching
excellence award given by the American Mathematical
Association of Two­Year Colleges (AMATYC) in 2005­
2006. She received an AMATYC medallion, which
recognizes educators who have made outstanding
contributions to mathematics education at two­year
colleges.
Dr. Doug Patterson, associate professor, astronomy
and physics, received the Ulysses Achievement Award
from the European Space Agency in 2005­2006 for his
contributions to the joint ESA/NASA Ulysses Project,
which is a spacecraft that has been circling the sun for
15 years.
Timothy Lednicky, associate professor, metal
fabrication, was named the Teacher of the Year in
2005­2006 by the Kansas Association for Career and
Technical Education.
Mary Grace Foret, associate professor, English,
received the 2003­2004 Houghton Mifflin Award for
Dedication to Community College ESL Teaching,
awarded by Teachers of English to Speakers of Other
Languages (TESOL). Foret helped develop JCCC’s credit
ESL program, assisted in the creation of the noncredit
Intensive English Program and co­wrote the curriculum
for the English for Academic Purposes courses that
began in fall 2004 for non­native speakers.
In April 2004, Dr. Marilyn Rhinehart, vice
president, Instruction, received the Instructional
Leadership Award from the National Council of
Instructional Administrators. The Instructional Leadership
Award recognizes an active instructional administrator
at a two­year college who demonstrates creativity and
innovation, commitment to instructional issues and a
positive influence on the college organization.
53

Virginia Krebs, JCCC trustee, the first college
employee and the first director of Community Services,
was inducted into the Mid­America Education Hall of
Fame at a gala dinner and ceremony in November
2004 at Kansas City Kansas Community College.
Steve Wilson, professor, mathematics, and
Mike Martin, associate professor, mathematics, were
selected to receive the 2004 International Conference
on Technology in Collegiate Mathematics Award for
Excellence and Innovation with the Use of Technology
in Collegiate Mathematics. Wilson and Martin received
the award for their innovation, “Dynamic Web Tools
for Undergraduate Mathematics.” They spent two years
developing interactive Web pages that allow students
and faculty to compute and visualize mathematical
results directly from a Web browser.
In 2004­2005, Anita Pankalla, coordinator of the
cosmetology, esthetics and nail technology programs,
was appointed by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to a threeyear
term on the Kansas Board of Cosmetology, which
licenses individuals and enforces standards of practice
in cosmetology professions.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of
Teaching and the Council for Advancement and
Support of Education named Dr. Steve Gerson
(pictured with student, above), professor, English, the
2003 Kansas Professor of the Year. Gerson was
selected from among nearly 400 top professors at
U.S. colleges and universities.
In October 2003, the National Council of Staff,
Program and Organizational Development
renamed its National Leadership Award in honor
of Dr. Helen Burnstad, who served as director
of Staff and Organizational Development at JCCC,
retiring in 2003. In changing the name to the
Helen Burnstad Leadership Award, the NCSPOD
board of directors cited Burnstad’s leadership,
mentoring and willingness to share her expertise
with colleagues.
54

Student awards
Interior design
In 2006­2007, 20 JCCC interior design students
volunteered their services to assist SafeHome, Johnson
County’s shelter for domestic abuse, with the design of
five rooms in their new facilities. Students took field
measurements, interviewed employees about the use of
each room and made presentations of design solutions,
which were accepted and used in the new facility. In
the spring, interior design students designed rooms for
the Junior Women’s Symphony Alliance Designer’s
Showhouse.
“Student community involvement is an important
component of learning for our students. We can
teach theory in the classroom and reinforce the
importance of the information in real­life
situations.”
– Jan Cummings, professor and career
program facilitator, interior design
The Campus Ledger
JCCC’s student newspaper, The Campus Ledger, has
received a number of awards:
• For 2007­2008, the Campus Ledger won second
place in the Best of Show contest at the National
College Media Convention in Washington D.C.
The convention was sponsored by the Associated
Collegiate Press and College Media Advisers. The
Campus Ledger placed second in the division for
two­year schools with 17 or more pages per issue.
• In April 2007, The Campus Ledger was named the
best student newspaper in its division at a state
journalism conference in Wichita. The newspaper
was given the All­Kansas award by the Kansas
Associated Collegiate Press. To receive the award,
the paper scored outstanding marks in all categories
judged, including writing, visuals and design, based
on three issues from the 2006­2007 academic year.
Members of The Ledger staff also received 26
individual awards, including seven first­place
certificates. Miguel Morales, news editor, was
named first runner­up in the College Journalist of the
Year contest, and collected seven individual awards.
• Students Miguel Morales and Kevin Mimms and
the newspaper staff received a First Amendment
Award from the Society of Professional Journalists in
August 2006 for their coverage of allegations and
investigations at the college. The Society’s First
Amendment Award recognizes individuals and
groups for extraordinarily strong efforts to preserve
and strengthen the First Amendment.
• The Ledger was one of 55 newspapers chosen
from 234 entries across the country, and the only
newspaper from Kansas, as a 2006 Pacemaker
finalist by the Associated Collegiate Press.
• In October 2006, the newspaper received a Gold
Medalist rating from the Columbia Scholastic Press
Association in a critique of its 2005­2006 issues
and won second place in the “Best of Show” contest
at the National Media Convention.
• In November 2006, The Campus Ledger was
awarded a $1,000 Louis E. Ingelhart Grant to
promote the First Amendment on campus and within
the community. The grant is administered by College
Media Advisers, a national organization whose
membership includes advisers in college print,
broadcast and new media.
“The journalism and media communications program at JCCC offers students both classroom
interaction with other journalism students and real ­world experience. With the program’s
extensive internships, the largest internship program in the metro Kansas City area,
students further develop their skills by working with professionals in the mass media,
giving students a true introduction to their careers, all in their first two years of college.”
– Mark Raduziner, professor, journalism and media communications
55

Model UN team
For fall 2007, the JCCC Model United Nations team
received an Outstanding Delegation Award for its
portrayal of New Zealand at the American Model
United Nations International Conference. In addition,
the team also received certificates of accomplishment
for representing both the countries of New Zealand
and Ukraine.
Sixteen JCCC students competed with other colleges
and universities from across North America. In particular,
student Jared Hedge played a key role in the team’s
success. Hedge represented New Zealand on the
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific and received exceptional scores for global
dialogue, diplomacy and multilateral negotiations.
The team adviser is Dr. Brian Wright, associate
professor, political science.
The team has won awards at the last eight conferences
attended. The conferences help students to further
understand global issues and international relations in a
forum that allows them to discuss global concerns in an
atmosphere that is similar to that of the United Nations.
The JCCC Model UN team is planning to attend the
Mid­West Model United Nations in St. Louis in February
2008, where they will represent Peru and Cuba.
In addition, they will attend the National Model United
Nations Conference held in New York at the United
Nations in March 2008, where they will, along
with Wichita State University, be representing the
Philippines. The team will be running the Metro Kansas
City Model United Nations conference for area high
school students in April 2008.
“Model United Nations are simulations of the
real United Nations in which student delegates
assume the roles of diplomats of the countries they
represent in attempting to reach solutions to the
major problems facing the world today. Model
United Nations provides JCCC an opportunity
to highlight its academic excellence and for the
students an out­of­the­classroom opportunity to
expand their knowledge of the United Nations
and to broaden their perspective on the world.”
– Dr. Brian Wright,
associate professor, political science;
team adviser, Model UN
56

Debate team
In fall 2007, JCCC’s debate team placed in the top six at
four of the five tournaments they attended. In the recent
fall rankings by the Cross­Examination Debate
Association, JCCC was the highest­ranking competitive
community college, ranked 34 out of 138 schools,
including four­year institutions. JCCC earned a finalist
award at the Baylor University Tournament this fall. There
the team of Zac Hartkopp and Brad Jacobs went
undefeated in prelimination rounds with a record of 7­0,
which earned them top­seed honors. The team proceeded
to win their semifinal round on a 3­0 decision, earn a
spot in the finals, and come home with a second­place
finish. Terri Easley, assistant professor, speech, is the
team’s adviser.
During the 2006­2007 year, the JCCC debate team
travelled and competed at 11 tournaments and won
awards or placed at all of those.
“It is quite the accomplishment for a
community college to be ranked so high
compared to four­year institutions. Since
there is not a separate division for
community colleges, JCCC’s debate team is
constantly competing against universities
across the country. The students’ consistent
competitive success in the fall has placed
them higher than schools such as Michigan,
Johns Hopkins and Georgetown.”
– Terri Easley, assistant professor,
speech, and debate coach
57

All­USA Academic
First Team
In 2007, Tren Qu was named to the All ­
USA Academic First Team for Community
and Junior Colleges. He was presented with
a medallion and a $2,500 check at the
AACC’s convention in April and was
featured in a full ­page article in USA Today.
Qu was also a New Century Scholar, the top
scholar in Kansas selected in a state ­level
competition, earning him $2,000 from the
Coca ­Cola Foundation, as well as a 2006
Congressional Award Gold Medalist. At
JCCC, Qu was Student Senate president,
Phi Theta Kappa vice president and 2006
Men’s Athletic Academic Champion.
“While each student is unique, and Tren
certainly qualifies in that category, the
majority of the students in Phi Theta
Kappa and the Honors Program have
two things in common. They tend to be
a year or two older than our average
college students, and they seem to be
more diverse. Tren is a prime example
of the ‘typical’ English ­as ­a ­second
­
language student who not only enters
college in the first two years in the
United States, but excels in all classes.
Phi Theta Kappa and Honors Program
students seem to have an unlimited
amount of energy, often displaying their
leadership abilities in the program and
throughout the campus. Tren was not
only a PTK officer and an Honors
Program student, but he was the
Student Senate president and
consistently volunteered for service
projects on and off campus.”
– Ruth Randall,
interim dean, Liberal Arts
Graphic design
Students from JCCC’s graphic design program were award
winners in the third annual AIGA Kansas City Chapter
graphic design competition. The A3 Awards were juried by
nationally acclaimed design leaders. JCCC’s student award
recipients were Preston Brigham, Michael Casey
DenBleyker and Carnise McIntosh (pictured above).
In addition, when the Advertising Club of Kansas City
presented the 2006 OMNI awards, several JCCC students
were honored. The OMNI awards are the local level of
competition in the American Advertising Federation’s
National ADDY Awards competition.
Nine of the 25 awards given to graphic design students from
regional Kansas and Missouri colleges and universities went
to JCCC’s graphic design students.
In May 2004, students in JCCC’s communication design
program won 10 awards, including Best of Show, in the STEP
ONE Student Design Awards, sponsored by Osborn & Barr
Communications, a marketing communications firm in Kansas
City, Mo. In addition to Best of Show, JCCC students won Best
in Category in three of the eight categories – ad campaign,
packaging and outdoor advertising.
Eight graphic design students had posters selected for yearlong
exhibition by SIGGRAPH (Special Interest Group on
Computer Graphics) at its international conference in May
2003. Thirty­one posters were selected for exhibition from
335 international entries from college, university and art
institute students.
58

The Pepsi Cup
For 2006­2007, JCCC
finished third in the nation
in the Pepsi/The National
Alliance of Two­Year College
Athletic Administrators Cup
Award, which recognizes
program excellence in twoyear
college athletics at the
national level. JCCC has a
sixth­place, second­place
and two third­place finishes
in the four­year history of
the award.
JCCC has won these
national championships in
athletics: 2000, women’s
basketball and women’s
cross country; 2001,
men’s basketball; 2003,
women’s half­marathon;
2005, women’s halfmarathon
and volleyball;
and 2006, women’s
half­marathon.
“The Pepsi Cup is a
tribute to the athletes
and coaches for their
hard work and
dedication to JCCC.
They lived up to the
expectations and
mission of the school.”
– Carl Heinrich,
athletic director
59

Chapter 7
Institutional Stability
60

Finance
For fiscal year 2006­2007, the college’s management
budget, representing the actual amount available to spend
in a year, was $168,446,734. It was composed of the
operating budget, totaling $126,300,569, and the budgets
for all other funds such as capital outlay, auxiliary and
restricted funds, totaling $42,146,165.
Because the college anticipated an increase in both state
aid and assessed valuation in the county, the 2006­2007
budget reflected a decrease in the mill levy of .1 mill,
dropping it to 8.860 mills. This was the lowest the college’s
mill levy had been since 2002. The reduction meant the
average homeowner in Johnson County paid about
$234 a year to support the college.
In 2006­2007, about 58 percent of JCCC’s operating
funding came from county taxes; the rest came from student
tuition, motor vehicle taxes, state aid and out­of­district tuition.
2006­2007 GENERAL FUND REVENUES
52% | Ad Valorem
Taxes
6% | Local Motor
Vehicle Taxes
16% | State Aid
8% | Other
18% | Tuition
AAA rating
According to a report published in
October 2006 by Standard & Poor’s titled
AAA­Rated Credits in U.S. State & Local
Government Finance, JCCC continues to
maintain the highest bond ratings, AAA.
Only 21 school districts in the nation,
including five community college districts
and one technical college district, had their
government obligation debt rated AAA.
According to the report, general
characteristics of AAA districts include
growing tax bases and proximity to
economic centers, very high wealth
indices, strong management practices
with a focus on multi­year planning,
strong financial position, management
of debt burden and appropriate ratios
and rankings for average overall net
debt per capita, average per capita
market value and average general fund
balance as a percentage of operating
expenditures.
According to Standard & Poor’s, an
organization rated BBB or higher is
regarded as having financial security
characteristics that outweigh any
vulnerabilities and is highly likely
to have the ability to meet financial
commitments. An organization rated
AAA has “extremely strong” financial
security characteristics; AAA is the
highest rating Standard & Poor’s assigns.
2006­2007 GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES
68% | Salaries and
Benefits
20% | Current
Operating
12% | Capital
In 2008­2009, students will likely see an increase in tuition
of $2 per credit hour for in­state students and $5 per credit
hour for out­of­state students. Johnson County residents will
pay $65 a credit hour, Kansas residents outside the county
will pay $80 a credit hour and non­Kansas residents will
pay $149 a credit hour.
“These high ratings are testimony
to JCCC’s financial responsibility.
By funding capital projects now,
we can take advantage of low
interest rates and save the
taxpayers money.”
– Lynn Mitchelson,
chair, JCCC board of trustees
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”The recent opening of the Regnier
Center (pictured, right) has had a
significant impact on local workforce
training and economic development in
the greater metropolitan Kansas City
area. The inclusion of state ­of ­the ­art
wet labs will significantly enhance
the ability of the community college
to stay up with the demand for lab
technicians for the burgeoning
bioscience industry. The Regnier
Center also provides significant new
computer labs. Training and updating
on new software will be a continuous
need in the future. A significant
amount of the college’s effort
surrounds retooling individuals from
nontechnical positions to technology ­
oriented jobs. As the country evolves
toward a knowledge ­based economy,
having these strong technical skills
is critical to our success.”
– Bob Regnier,
president and CEO, Bank
of Blue Valley; chair of the
college’s Campaign for the
Community; donor
Facilities
Twenty major buildings on the JCCC campus house
classrooms, labs, studios, a library, student services, dining
services, faculty and staff offices, warehouse space and a
printing plant. The newest are the Regnier Center and the
Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art. The Regnier Center
houses classrooms and labs for credit courses in computing
systems and information technology, interactive media, game
development and animation; a biotechnology laboratory suite
and classrooms; the Center for Business and Technology’s
offices, classrooms and computer labs; the Capitol Federal
Conference Center; the Small Business Development Center;
a center to support local entrepreneurs; and offices for the
college’s Information Services staff, who provide computer
network, academic and administrative support to students
and faculty. The museum houses galleries for permanent
and temporary exhibitions, Café Tempo, the M.R. and
Evelyn Hudson Auditorium, the Tearney Art Education
Center and a museum shop.
In addition, classes are offered in more than 40 sites around
the county, including high schools, the University of Kansas
Edwards Campus two miles to the south, business sites, and
local community centers. The primary off­campus sites are
in Olathe, a suburb to the south where classrooms and the
offices for the college’s adult basic education program are
housed; West Park Center in the heart of the county where
the programs for cosmetology and massage therapy are
housed; and Bishop Miege North in the northern part of the
county, where a variety of general education and computer
classes are offered. Beginning in spring 2008, the college
also offers vocational courses in Douglas County to the west.
62

Fund raising
At the conclusion of its four­yearlong
capital campaign in September
2007, the JCCC Foundation
surpassed its goal of $15 million
by raising $20.2 million to support
construction, scholarships, programs
and events, faculty and curriculum
at the college.
This was the first time in the college’s
history that JCCC asked for private
dollars to help fund construction at
the college, specifically the Regnier
Center and the Nerman Museum
of Contemporary Art. The campaign
also helped students pay for classes
and buy books, and supported
programs and events on campus
and college faculty and curriculum.
“The campaign succeeded because of the
collective effort of nearly every department
on campus, as countless members of the
college family ‘stepped up’ when needed
to help with prospective donors. They say it
takes a village to raise a child; well, at JCCC,
it took a campus to successfully execute a capital campaign.
Ultimately, the campaign created so much philanthropic energy
that it positively influenced all areas of fund raising. For the
fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, every fiscal measurement
achieved an all­time high as annual revenues total more than
$6.6 million, the endowment reached $14.6 million and total
assets hit $24.5 million.”
– Dr. Joseph Sopcich, vice president, Institutional
Advancement and Government Affairs
Enrollment
Final enrollment figures for spring 2007 were 17,873, a decrease of 0.9 percent from the spring 2006 total
of 18,030. Final enrollment figures for summer 2007 were 8,569, down 3.9 percent from the 8,919 enrolled
in summer 2006. For the fall 2007 semester, preliminary figures show that 19,937 students were enrolled at
JCCC, an increase of 0.9 percent over the final total of 19,759 enrolled in fall 2006.
JCCC served more than 80,000 county residents in 2006 ­2007 through the areas that compose Continuing
Education and Community Services — the Center for Business and Technology, Community Services and the
Carlsen Center.
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Center for Business
and Technology
JCCC’s Center for Business and Technology offers continuing
education, workforce development and economic development
to businesses in Johnson County and the greater metropolitan
area. The center initiates strategic partnerships with businesses
and educational institutions on a countywide, regional and
national basis.
The center differs from other training services in that it is a
“one­stop shop” serving all employees within a business, from
executive training for the CEO to computer classes for the
administrative assistant to grant applications and
administration for the company as a whole. Its offerings
include:
• Continuing education: Licensing and CEUs for
professionals in health and human services, real estate,
mediation, education, payroll and human resources,
police, fire, emergency medical technology and audio
engineering
• Workforce development: Customized contract training and
development with key companies, including solutions for
leadership, management, mentoring and coaching at
various levels
• Computer training: Public and contract training in
computer applications and information technology
• Small Business Development Center/Entrepreneurship
Center
• Special events: Executive Speaker Series, Administrative
Professionals Day TM , National Council for Continuing
Education and Training
In addition to supporting industry training needs, the center
also assists local companies in applying for grants available
from the Kansas Department of Commerce to pay for
workforce training for newly created jobs or jobs requiring
new skills. Through this partnership, companies have accessed
more than $106.6 million from the Department of Commerce
since 1983 to support local workforce development.
In 2006­2007, more than 17,800 people enrolled in one of
the center’s 2,000 public seminars on topics ranging from
management skills to computer applications. Nearly 500
companies and organizations took advantage of contract
training courses specifically tailored to fit their organizational
needs, either on the JCCC campus or at their location.
“JCCC has been extremely responsive in
providing resource recommendations
for all of our employee development
requests. The contract sales staff
understand how to build a quality
training organization from the ground
up and have helped Community
America Credit Union build a
competency­based organization
through a customized job analysis
initiative. We are also looking to JCCC
to support our new leadership
development curriculum upon its
completion. All of the resources they
provide are of the highest professional
quality and are reasonably priced. The
level of customer service they provide
is exceptional. They are even helping
us explore gaming simulations in our
new­hire courses. JCCC is a partner
that will continue to support our
diverse and growing employee
development needs.”
– Marsha Moore,
employee development director,
Community America Credit Union
65

Chapter 8
Looking to the Future
In this ever­changing society, Johnson County Community College
foresees future opportunities for new methods, approaches and programs.
Kansas Technical
Education Authority
In 2007, the Kansas legislature
established a Technical Education
Authority which, under the auspices
of the Kansas Board of Regents,
coordinates all career and technical
education programs and activities
of state community and technical
colleges. Since JCCC prepares
16 percent of all career and
technical education graduates in
Kansas, the college has positioned
itself to be both a leader and model
for state technical programming.
The primary issue that the
Technical Education Authority
faces is whether to establish
standards for collegiate technical
programs. Originally, the Authority
favored standardization, which
sought common outcomes for
programs that state colleges
operated. However, JCCC
argued that this approach would
lead at best to mediocrity in
program quality. On the other
hand, establishing and maintaining
high standards for technical
education activities would best
serve area employers seeking
highly trained and qualified
employees. The Authority was
impressed with JCCC’s argument
and is currently working with
JCCC to determine ways of
implementing high standards for
technical education state­wide.
66

Johnson County
Education and
Research Triangle
JCCC also looks forward to supporting the
Johnson County Education and Research Triangle
offering bioscience research and education at
existing and planned educational facilities in the
county. The county partners include the University
of Kansas Edwards Campus, a proposed food
security research facility to be developed by
Kansas State University, and the Johnson County
locations of the University of Kansas Medical
Center. JCCC’s biotechnology program (see
chapter 4) prepares the technicians needed for
these programs and allows budding scientists
to earn an associate’s degree in biotechnology
as the first step toward further education.
Its biotechnology facilities support the research
and education taking place in the county.
“Bioscience research has an amazing potential for
new treatments and cures. We want those cures to
be discovered here in Kansas. That’s why we’ve
made the recruitment of bioscience companies a
top priority and why we’ve invested in bioscience
research and education at our universities. There
are also good jobs created by bioscience research,
so there’s an economic benefit as well. The triangle
will help bring cutting­edge research to this area,
which will then benefit the entire state.”
– Kathleen Sebelius, Governor of Kansas
Diversity
Johnson County has demographically been a
middle ­class Caucasian community, and the student,
faculty and staff populations at JCCC have reflected
this homogeneity. Over the last decade, as Johnson
County has increasingly become more diverse,
the college employee base has fallen behind.
Two initiatives have been implemented to address
this gap. The college has adopted diversification as
an institutional strategic initiative and has established
two strategic initiative teams to improve percentages
of students and faculty and staff. The current percentage
of minority students enrolled in JCCC credit classes
(14.6 percent) has already exceeded its annual
target (14.3 percent). However, the current percentage
of minority JCCC faculty/staff (10.4 percent) is still
below the annual target (11.1 percent). To facilitate
increasing both percentages, a new executive assistant
to the president, diversity initiatives, will work with
student recruitment and instructional and student
programming. The college is also piloting an intern
faculty program for minority candidates.
67

Sustainability
This spring Terry Calaway, president, JCCC, will sign the American
College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, demonstrating
the college’s commitment to sustainability by becoming climate neutral.
The college is already using green energy sources on this all­electric
campus, as well as higher­efficiency lighting, modern computer­based
HVAC systems, and Energy Star­compliant computer hardware and
printers that reduce the energy consumption of equipment in labs and
classrooms. Global warming and sustainability are two of the defining
issues of the 21st century; JCCC intends to be a leader in addressing
climate change through practice and education.
“We believe colleges and universities must exercise leadership
in their communities and throughout society by modeling ways
to minimize global warming emissions, and by providing the
knowledge and the educated graduates to achieve climate
neutrality. Campuses that address the climate challenge by
reducing global warming emissions and by integrating
sustainability into their curriculum will better serve their students
and meet their social mandate to help create a thriving, ethical
and civil society. These colleges and universities will be providing
students with the knowledge and skills needed to address the
critical, systemic challenges faced by the world in this new
century and enable them to benefit from the economic
opportunities that will arise as a result of solutions they develop.”
– from the American College & University Presidents Climate
Commitment
Entrepreneurship
The more educated small business owners are, the more likely their
businesses are to succeed. Entrepreneurs don’t fail because they don’t
know how to create original designs, install an air conditioner or cook
a restaurant meal. They fail because they don’t know how to keep books,
work with employees or market their product or service. According to the
U.S. Small Business Administration, a major factor in a small company’s
survival is the education level of the owner. JCCC is already weaving
entrepreneurship education throughout its curriculum, be it with credit
or noncredit classes, and is working to take that education into the
local high schools and to other community colleges throughout the state
(see chapters 4 and 5). With such education, small business owners –
in Kansas and nationwide – improve their chances of success.
68

A new operational
philosophy
While JCCC has always been deeply committed to
the practices of collegiality, the institution is taking
its methods of operation to a new level.
Shared governance
Most educational institutions practice shared
governance. JCCC is exercising shared governance
more than it ever has. Faculty in particular are
given more opportunities for input into college
decision­making. A cross­section of faculty has been
working with administrators to engineer a major
restructuring of the instructional area. In addition,
faculty­chair positions (not existent before at JCCC)
will be established and a faculty senate created.
For the college as a whole, all students and employees
can offer open and frank comments at the president’s
regular Town Hall meetings.
Continual Quality
Improvement (CQI)
JCCC committed to the principle of CQI in its
operations in 2004 when it joined the Higher
Learning Commission’s Academic Quality Improvement
Project (AQIP). In November 2007, JCCC completed
an institution­wide systems portfolio, which revealed
not only areas of strength where CQI is practiced but
also areas where operations demand improvement.
Because of this re­energized commitment to CQI, the
college is benchmarking activities across campus to
ascertain how student learning may be improved in
the future.
Institutional planning
Beginning March 2007, JCCC mapped out a new
way of institutional planning, calling for the construction
and maintenance of both an annual operational plan,
built by the college’s operational units, and a multi­year
strategic plan developed by cross­functional teams from
across the campus. More than 100 volunteers sit on six
strategic initiative teams addressing college priorities:
• Increasing graduation rates
• Increasing the percentage of Johnson County
high school graduates who attend JCCC
• Increasing civic engagement activities
• Increasing the percentage of minority students
• Increasing the percentage of minority JCCC
faculty and staff
• Increasing general education learning outcomes
assessment activities
Both the strategic and operational plans flow
into the institutional plan, which then informs the
budget process, ensuring that planning does indeed
precede budgeting.
Data and evidence
Underscoring this new operational philosophy at
JCCC is the notion that data and evidence must be
intimately involved in decision­making at all levels.
Data and evidence are necessary to monitor planning
initiatives and to establish the internal benchmarks that
are necessary for CQI. And for shared governance to
be worthwhile, evidence is needed to support and test
new ideas and opinions. Always highly regarded,
JCCC’s Institutional Research department produces
and interprets data for all these efforts and groups.
With these and other initiatives, JCCC intends to serve
as a national model for other community colleges.
69

Johnson County Community College
12345 College Blvd.
Overland Park, Kansas
www.jccc.edu