North Island College - Ministry of Advanced Education - Government ...

Draft Last Updated: July 11, 2012Release Date: July 11, 2012Cover Photo: Totem pole at NIC Comox Valley Campus, carved by Coast Salish artist Richard Krentz

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Table of ContentsAccountability Statement ................................................................................................................................................. 5Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................ 6Institutional Overview ...................................................................................................................................................... 72011/12 Highlights ......................................................................................................................................................... 9Our Vision, Mission, and Values .............................................................................................................................. 11Our Vision for the Future ..................................................................................................................................... 11Our Mission .............................................................................................................................................................. 11Our Values ................................................................................................................................................................ 11Programs & Partnerships ........................................................................................................................................... 12Over 70 programs and 900 courses ................................................................................................................... 12Our Partnership Network .................................................................................................................................... 13Student Population ...................................................................................................................................................... 14Aboriginal Students ................................................................................................................................................. 15International Students ............................................................................................................................................ 15Planning and Operational Context .............................................................................................................................. 16Regional Demographics .............................................................................................................................................. 16Population Growth ................................................................................................................................................. 16Primary and Secondary School Enrolment Trends ......................................................................................... 18Labour Market Outlook ............................................................................................................................................. 19Overall Employment Demand .............................................................................................................................. 19Employment Demand By Occupation ................................................................................................................ 19Socio-Economic Indicators ........................................................................................................................................ 20Educational Attainment .......................................................................................................................................... 20Income – Resource Dependency and Income Levels ..................................................................................... 20Income Assistance and Cost of Living ................................................................................................................ 20North Island College Student Enrolment .............................................................................................................. 21Students’ Region of Origin .................................................................................................................................... 21Student Enrolment Trends .................................................................................................................................... 22NIC’s Response: Building on Success ..................................................................................................................... 24Academic Programs ................................................................................................................................................ 25Health and Human Service Programs ................................................................................................................. 26Trades and Technology Training ......................................................................................................................... 273

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Developmental Programs ...................................................................................................................................... 28Continuing Education and Training ..................................................................................................................... 28Aboriginal Education ............................................................................................................................................... 30International Education .......................................................................................................................................... 33Institutional Goals and Objectives ............................................................................................................................... 34Strategic Plan 2011 – 2015: Participation, Partnership & Pathways ................................................................ 34Strategic Direction #1: Responsive Curriculum .............................................................................................. 35Strategic Direction #2: Student Success ............................................................................................................ 37Strategic Direction #3: Active Community Partner ....................................................................................... 40Strategic Direction #4: Strategic Partnerships ................................................................................................. 43Strategic Direction #5: Raising Awareness ....................................................................................................... 44Strategic Direction #6: Employee Engagement ................................................................................................ 46North Island College Alignment with Ministry Objectives ................................................................................ 49Performance Measure, Targets, and Results for 2011/12 .................................................................................. 50Ministry Strategic Objective: Capacity ............................................................................................................... 52Ministry Strategic Objective: Access .................................................................................................................. 55Ministry Strategic Objective: Quality .................................................................................................................. 57Ministry Strategic Objective: Relevance ........................................................................................................... 61Financial Information ....................................................................................................................................................... 63Appendix A – Accountability Framework Performance Measure Results ......................................................... 644

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Accountability StatementJuly 2012The Honourable Naomi YamamotoMinister of Advanced EducationGovernment of British ColumbiaDear Minister Yamamoto,We are pleased to provide you with North Island College’s Institutional Accountability Plan and Report forthe 2011-2012 Reporting Cycle.This document has been prepared in accordance with the advice and guidelines provided by yourMinistry. As you view its contents, we trust that you will conclude that North Island College is a wellmanaged,fiscally-responsible, community-responsive and innovative institution.Providing access to high-quality, relevant education and training options for the residents of our regionremains the College’s highest priority. We have built a strong reputation for creating pathways for ourstudents to enter employment, transition to new careers, upgrade their skills for further education, andtransfer to other post-secondary institutions. North Island College continues to respond to the diverseand changing learning needs of the residents and employers in our communities.The success of individuals, families and businesses depends on their ability to gain the knowledge andskills they need to participate and prosper in both the provincial and global knowledge-based economy.As a public BC post-secondary institution, North Island College prepares students to become leaders,innovators, entrepreneurs and highly-skilled workers. North Island College’s ability to compete andsucceed in the global knowledge economy is dependent upon its ability to create a highly-skilled, flexibleand adaptable workforce.North Island College is responsible for meeting the educational needs of the communities it serves.From fundraising for new initiatives to delivering diverse, accessible programming, we strive to respondto community needs in a manner that is socially, economically and environmentally beneficial – not onlyfor today, but the future. In light of these goals, we hold ourselves to the highest standards ofaccountability, and as such we are accountable for the results as reported within this document.We look forward to discussing the content of this plan with you in greater detail at a future meeting.Sincerely,Bruce CalderChairBoard of GovernorsDr. Jan LindsayPresident and CEO5

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12IntroductionBritish Columbia’s Ministry of Advanced Education in consultation with public post-secondaryinstitutions, has developed a results-based Accountability Framework for the public post-secondarysystem. The framework is a set of planning and reporting processes for British Columbia’s public postsecondaryeducation system and has two purposes:To ensure individual public post-secondary institutions are accountable to the Ministry ofAdvanced Education and the public for their performance related to ensuring students receivequality educational opportunities relevant to their needs and the needs of the labour market;and, To ensure the Ministry is accountable to the public for the performance of the public postsecondaryeducation system in BC, with the aim that it should benefit all residents of theprovince by ensuring the system’s ongoing contribution to social and economic development.As participants in the Accountability Framework, all public post-secondary institutions in BritishColumbia, including North Island College (NIC), prepare annual, publicly available accountability plansand reports. NIC’s Institutional Accountability Plan and Report for the 2011/12 Reporting Cycle includes corecontent that aligns institutional efforts with Ministry objectives. Context for the environment in whichthe College works to achieve its vision and mission is provided alongside this information. It is theCollege’s wish that this breadth and depth of information about our students and communities will serveto enrich the reader’s understanding of NIC and its unique place in British Columbia’s post-secondarylandscape.Our accountability to the Ministry of Advanced Education and to our residents is also represented inthis document. Contained herein are North Island College’s achievements in 2011/12 measured againstthe Ministry of Advanced Education’s required performance indicators. As such, this report indicateshow NIC’s results compared with the Ministry’s targets, and how our achievements contributed tothose of British Columbia’s public post-secondary system as a whole.6

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Institutional Overview“Now, more than ever, we are focused on working creatively with industry, organizations, and educationalpartners to meet community needs.”Dr. Jan Lindsay, President, North Island CollegeThe story of North Island College is one of innovation and change, challenge, and success. For 35 years,North Island College has grown and adapted to serve the educational needs of the people andcommunities of the North Island region. Our vision of North Island College as a premier communityand destination college, that inspires and prepares students for success in a rapidly changing world isambitious and future-focused. We want to expose not only students from our region, but also thosefrom elsewhere in Canada and from throughout the world to the excellence and spectacular learningenvironment that is North Island College.No other college in British Columbia serves a region asvast and diverse as North Island College. Our region ishome to approximately 159,000 residents widelydispersed within a geographic region of 80,000 squarekilometres. This includes northern Vancouver Island andthe BC mainland coast from Desolation Sound to Klemtu.Our unique West Coast location gives North IslandCollege students an uncommon opportunity to choose ahighly sought-after alpine to ocean lifestyle with both ahigh quality education and a tuition rate that is among thelowest in the province.To meet the diverse needs of our communities, we offerover 70 credit programs and more than 900 courses inthe following areas: adult basic education (upgrading),business, health care, fine arts, interactive media,community care, human services, tourism and hospitality,Aboriginal education, international education, and IndustryTraining Authority approved trades, technology, andapprenticeship training as well as university transfer nationwide and dual admission with top BCuniversities. By actively expanding our post-secondary network, we are working to pioneer seamlesspathways for North Island students so that they may reside longer in our communities be it for theirfamily, friends, or work while still reaching their educational goals.In addition, hundreds of non-credit courses and programs are offered each year through our ContinuingEducation and Training department, which includes not only personal and professional development, butalso first aid, industry, and marine training that is so vital to our coastal communities. These include faceto-face,distance, and on-line options, as well as custom training services and in-community coursedelivery for groups in remote areas, particularly our region’s First Nations communities.7

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Our main campus is located in the Comox Valley, which is also home to a new $8.2 million TradesTraining Centre, the only facility of its kind on the North Island. NIC also has campuses located inCampbell River, Port Alberni, and Mount Waddington (Port Hardy), each with their own unique facilitiesand programming tailored to serve local demand. In 2011/12, the College employed approximately 470full-time, part-time or seasonal regular employees and served approximately 9,700 students throughoutthe region.Our commitment to student success also includes a full range of services, from educational, financial aid,and Aboriginal student advising, counseling, and disability services to a dedicated student EmploymentResource Centre which also supports our nationally accredited Co-operative Education programs. Also,through the generosity of our donors, the NIC Foundation provides scholarships and bursaries tostudents each year.8

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Second First Nations Gathering Place Opens. In May 2012, our Campbell River campuscelebrated the opening of NIC’s second dedicated Gathering Place to honour First Nationsculture, learning, and friendships on campus.Expanding facilities. NIC’s new teaching kitchen in Port Alberni will open for classes inSeptember 2012. This facility provides an enhanced opportunity to target the needs of regionalcommunities and hospitality businesses. New courses in Aboriginal cooking are planned, applyinglocal First Nations knowledge in preparing foods with historic and cultural significance in theAlberni Valley and West Coast regions.10

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Our Vision, Mission, and ValuesOur Vision for the FutureNorth Island College holds a vision of being a premier community and destination college, in aspectacular west-coast environment, that inspires and prepares students for success in a rapidly changingworld. North Island College will fulfill its vision by being:A vibrant community of learners – embracing their goals and shaping their worlds;A gateway to education, work and life;A central force in improving the cultural and socio-economic well-being of the communitieswe serve; and, A respectful steward of our unique natural setting.Together we will create a workplace that inspires personal growth and delivers results to our students,partners and citizens.Our MissionNorth Island College is committed to meeting the education and training needs of adults within itsservice region by: providing high quality, affordable higher education and skills training, collaborating withour partners to create pathways to learning, and empowering individuals to achieve their full potential.Our ValuesAt North Island College, our values frame everything we do and express our commitment to ourstudents, communities, residents of our region and ourselves.Student success - We empower students to become self-reliant, lifelong learners capable ofintegrating what they learn with how they live and work.Access – We ensure access to learning opportunities, regardless of geographic, technological,financial, social, educational or historic barriers.Accountability – Our individual and organizational performance fosters public trust andcommunity confidence.Quality – We are committed to continuous improvement and achieving the highest qualitypossible.Relevance and responsiveness – We provide learning opportunities that are relevant to thelives and work of our students and delivered in a creative, flexible, timely, and collaborativemanner.Positive organizational culture – Ours is an organizational culture that operates in an openand honest manner, is based on mutual trust and respect, values creativity and risk taking,encourages innovative, strategic thinking and affirms excellence.Social and environmental responsibility – We are actively engaged in the economic andsocial development of our communities and are active stewards of the unique naturalenvironment in which we reside.11

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Programs & PartnershipsOver 70 programs and 900 coursesIn addition to 15 dual and guaranteed university admission opportunities, North Island College offerseducation and training in 9 Red Seal trades, over 50 certificates, 14 diplomas, 1 advanced diploma, 2associate degrees, 3 applied bachelor’s degrees, 2 collaborative baccalaureate degrees, and 5 post degreediplomas in the following areas:Aboriginal EducationApplied Business TechnologyApprenticeship Technical TrainingBusiness AdministrationCommunity CareFine Arts + DesignInteractive MediaHealth Care and NursingHuman ServicesTourism and HospitalityTrades and TechnologyUniversity Studies and TransferUniversity Dual and Guaranteed AdmissionUpgrading (Adult Basic Education)One-year transfer plans are offered in arts, commerce, dental hygiene, education, engineering,kinesiology, science, social work, medicine, and pharmacy.To increase accessibility throughout the College region, many NIC courses and programs are offered ina variety of distributed learning formats, including distance, on-line, and interactive television - a type ofscheduled distance offering which allows students to remotely access a live classroom-based lecture atone campus (e.g. Comox Valley) and interact in real-time from a classroom at a different campus (e.g.Port Alberni).North Island College also serves its local and global communities by providing in-community contracttraining services, continuing education for personal and professional development (distance and face-toface),industry as well as marine training, first aid, and international education programs.For detailed descriptions of all our programs, please visit www.nic.bc.ca/programs.12

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Our Partnership NetworkExpanding pathways throughout the education system is a key priority at North Island College. Byworking collaboratively with school districts, post-secondary institutions, professional associations, andgrowing our partnership network internationally, we are creating new opportunities and seamlesspathways for our students to further their education and training.A complete list of partnership agreements is available on-line athttp://www.nic.bc.ca/about_us/Partnership_Agreements.Community Agreements Department of National DefenceHuu-ay-aht First Nations (with the University of Victoria)Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations‘Namgis First NationCanadian Post-Secondary Institutions British Columbia Institute of TechnologyCamosun CollegeEmily Carr University of Art and DesignMount St. Vincent UniversityRoyal Roads UniversityUniversity of ManitobaUniversity of New BrunswickUniversity of VictoriaVancouver Island UniversityInternational Agreements Developing Environmentally Sensitive Hospitality Managers in Canada, Mexico, and the UnitedStates (DESHM)Duoc UC (Santiago, Chile)Foundation College of China Scholarship Council (Beijing, China)International School of Management (Dortmund, Germany) and NICPortland State UniversityUniversity College Sjaelland (Denmark)University of California, Berkeley, ExtensionUniversity of California Riverside Université Paris 1313

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Professional Associations Certified Management Accountants Association of BCSchool Districts School District 70 Alberni (Port Alberni, Tofino, Ucluelet)School District 71 Comox Valley (Comox, Courtenay)School District 72 Campbell RiverSchool District 84 Vancouver Island West (Gold River, Zeballos)School District 85 Vancouver Island North (Port Hardy, Port McNeill)Student PopulationIn 2011/12, 9,695 students took courses at NIC; of these, 4,570 students were enrolled in creditcourses and 5,125 were enrolled in short duration courses such as community education, first aid,marine or industry training. The chart below shows a breakdown of this activity by campus, includingdistributed learning enrolments offered via on-line, distance and interactive television delivery.Student Headcount by LocationCentresMount Waddington RegionalPort Alberni CampusDistributed LearningCampbell River CampusComox Valley CampusCollege-wide Total Unduplicated*College-wideTotalUnduplicated*0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000ComoxValleyCampusCampbellRiverCampusDistributedLearningPort AlberniCampusMountWaddingtonRegionalShort Duration Headcount 5,125 1,809 1,489 298 697 559 496Credit Course Headcount 4,570 2,255 982 1,269 690 175 68Total Headcount 9,695 4,064 2,471 1,567 1,387 734 564Centres*Unduplicated Headcount is the number of unique students in a respective category and will not equal the sum ofcampus headcounts because students may be taking courses at more than one campus.14

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12The median age of students in credit courses in 2011/12 was 25 years - 64% were female and 36% weremale. The median age of students in continuing education courses was 47 years - 53% were female and47% were male.Aboriginal StudentsNorth Island College’s service region is home to the traditional territories of 35 First Nations from theCoast Salish, Kwakwaka’wakw and Nuu-chah-nulth traditions, with approximately 12% 1 of thepopulation represented by Aboriginal peoples. In the 2011/12 instructional year, 1,286 students (381FTEs) of self-declared Aboriginal ancestry took courses at North Island College comprising 13% of thestudent population.International StudentsNorth Island College has hosted international students from over 25 countries, including 116international students (76 FTEs) in 2011/12 from South Korea, India, Nigeria, Japan, China, Mexico, andmany others.1BC Stats. (2010) Socio Economic Profiles College Regions.15

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Planning and Operational ContextThe environmental factors described in the sections that follow represent important considerations forstrategic and short-term planning and operations as North Island College works to achieve its missionand vision over the coming years. Guided by well-established organizational values and the six overarchingstrategic directions defined in the 2011-2015 Strategic Plan, the College operates within a fluidenvironment of trends, conditions and forces. The 2011/12 reporting cycle finds the College withengaged employees working with a common purpose in mind and a greater awareness of Collegepriorities and the strategies required to achieve them.Regional DemographicsPopulation Growth 2The population of the North Island College region is expected to increase by 7.9% from 2012 to 2021.Within the regional districts, population growth is anticipated for the Comox Valley, Strathcona, andCentral Coast Regions (with increases of 14.6%, 6.7%, and 4.0% respectively). The Alberni-Clayoquotand Mount Waddington regions are expected to see a moderate decrease in population of around 1%each.Historical and Projected NIC Region Population Levels by Age Group (2005 – 2021)Like the rest of the province, the North Island College region’s population structure is shifting: there isan increasing proportion of the population in retirement age (65+), and a decreasing proportion in allother age groups.Projected % of Population100%90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%0%18.2% 23.3%15.7% 19.4%54.1%51.7%56.6% 55.5%8.9% 6.9% 9.4% 7.4%18.8% 18.1% 18.3% 17.7%2012 2021 2012 2021Ages 65+Ages 25-64Ages 18-24Ages 0-17NICRBC2BC Stats. PEOPLE 36 and PEOPLE 35. PEOPLE 36 used for population estimates 2005-2010. PEOPLE 35 used for population projections 2011-2020. PEOPLE 36 only allows for 5-year age groupings on projected data (Retrieved fromhttp://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/StatisticsBySubject/Demography/PopulationProjections.aspx on February 8, 2012)16

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/1218-24 Age GroupThe traditional post-secondary age population of18-24 year olds is projected to decrease by 16.5% inNIC’s region between 2012 and 2021. The ComoxValley and Central Coast regions expect thesmallest decreases.18‐24 2012 2021 % ChangeAlberni‐2771 2084 ‐24.8%ClayoquotStrathcona 4236 3339 ‐21.2%Comox Valley 5699 5270 ‐7.5%Mt Waddington 1222 903 ‐26.1%Central Coast 305 284 ‐6.9%Total 14233 11880 ‐16.5%Table 1 NICR Population Change By Regional District(2012 to 2021), Ages 18-24150001000050000Ages 18-24NICRBC (000s)6005004003002001000Figure 1 NICR Projected Population Change (2012 to2021), Ages 18-2465+ Age GroupThe age 65+ age population is projected to increaseby 37.9% in NIC’s region between 2012 and 2021, aslower rate than the projected 39.6% provincialincrease.Table 2 NICR Population Change By Regional District65+ 2012 2021 % ChangeAlberni‐Clayoquot 5909 7613 28.8%Strathcona 7494 10960 46.3%Comox Valley 13754 18557 34.9%Mt. Waddington 1436 2289 59.4%Central Coast 470 670 42.6%Total 29063 40089 37.9%50000400003000020000100000Ages 65+NICRBC (000s)15001000500Figure 2 NICR Projected Population Change (2012 to2021), Ages 65+0(2012 to 2021), Ages 65+Other Age GroupsBetween 2012 and 2021, the 0-17 and 25-64 age groups are projected to increase slightly within NIC’s regionwith increases of 4.0% and 3.1%, respectively. The Comox Valley Regional District projection indicates apercent increase in both age groups (around 11%) that is higher than the provincial increase (around 10%). The Strathcona region will see a slight increase in both age groups (around 1%). The Alberni-Clayoquot and Mount Waddington regions expect a decrease in both age groups, while theCentral Coast region expects a decrease (4.7%) in the 25-64 age group and an increase (6.0%) in the 0-17age group.17

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Primary and Secondary School Enrolment Trends 3While the size of the NIC region 0-17 age group is projected to remain stable in the coming years,traditional age secondary school enrolment levels (i.e. grades 8-12) are projected to decline in NIC’sregion by 8.5% between 2010 and 2020. Most of this decline occurs by 2015 (decline of 9.4% from 2010to 2015). Marginal growth is expected in the remaining five year period (1.0% from 2015 to 2020).NIC Region Grades K-12 (Non-Adult) Projected Enrolment Growth (2010 – 2020)15.0%10.0%5.0%Grades K-70.0%Grades K-12-5.0%-10.0%Grades 8-12-15.0%2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020Grades K-7 -0.2% 0.0% 1.1% 2.3% 3.3% 4.7% 6.1% 7.5% 9.2% 10.6%Grades 8-12 -2.4% -4.3% -6.4% -8.4% -9.4% -10.1% -10.3% -10.0% -9.5% -8.5%Grades K-12 -1.2% -2.0% -2.3% -2.6% -2.5% -2.1% -1.4% -0.5% 0.6% 1.8%By 2020 grades K-7 should see an increase of 10.6% over the 2010 enrolment, representing about 1,100more students in K-7. The 8.5% decrease in grades 8-12 enrolments represents a decrease ofapproximately 780 students.3 BC Ministry of Education (May 2011). Report 1558B-2010 Projection Report for Public School Headcount Enrolments (excludes adults) 2010/11.Retrieved February 20, 2012 from http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/capitalplanning/resources/databasesreports/enrolment/1558b-2010.pdf.18

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Labour Market Outlook 4Regional labour market demand is a key driver for post-secondary institutions to develop relevantprogramming that will help prepare the workforce and strengthen local economies.Overall Employment DemandThe North Island College region is projected to see a slight growth in employment demand over the fiveyear period from 2010 to 2015, with an average annual percent change of 1.3%. This is an improvementover last year’s projected 0.3% growth over the period 2009 to 2014.Employment Demand By OccupationIt is estimated that trades, transport and equipment occupations will be growing the fastest (2.4%) in NIC’sregion between 2010 and 2015, and will encompass about one-third (33.6%) of new jobs. Occupationalareas that account for most of the remaining new jobs are sales and service (21.9%), health (11.7%), andbusiness, finance and administrative (11.3%).The occupational area expected to shrink in size is occupations unique to processing, manufacturing, andutilities (-2.0% annual change). 5Projected Annual Growth Rates in Occupational Demand for NIC Region(Ranked in descending order by Actual Change)Estimated EmploymentActualChange% Share of TotalGrowthAvg. Annual %ChangeOccupation 2010 2015 2010‐2015 2010‐2015 2010‐2015All occupations 71050 75580 4530 100.0% 1.3%Trades, transport and equip 12490 14010 1520 33.6% 2.4%operators and relatedSales and service 19000 19990 990 21.9% 1.0%Health 5020 5550 530 11.7% 2.1%Business, finance and10520 11030 510 11.3% 1.0%administrativeSocial sciences, education, 5840 6270 430 9.5% 1.5%gov't service and religionManagement 6420 6790 370 8.2% 1.2%Arts, culture, recreation and 1660 1860 200 4.4% 2.4%sportNatural and applied sciences 3050 3190 140 3.1% 0.9%and relatedPrimary industry 4180 4310 130 2.9% 0.6%Processing, manufacturingand utilities2850 2570 ‐280 ‐6.2% ‐2.0%4BC Stats. (October 2011). British Columbia Regional Employment Projections, North Island College Region, 2010 to 2015. Accessed athttp://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/StatisticsBySubject/LabourIncome/OtherData/RegionalEmploymentProjections.aspx on February 28, 2012.5Ibid.19

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Socio-Economic IndicatorsEducational Attainment 6While approximately 78% of projected total job openings in the future are expected to require somepost-secondary education, both high school graduation rates and post-secondary completion rates arelower in North Island College’s catchment area compared with provincial rates.NIC’s region has a higher percentage of 18 year olds who did not graduate (35.5% for 2007/08 to2009/10) compared to BC (29.0%). Within NIC’s region, the secondary school non-completion rate isthe highest in the Mt. Waddington and Alberni-Clayoquot Regional Districts (44% each).The NIC regional trend of lower educational attainment levels continues in the post-secondary settingas the percentage of 25-54 year olds without post-secondary completion (45.9%) also comparesunfavourably to BC (37.2%).Income – Resource Dependency and Income LevelsThe North Island College region’s traditional dependence on resource-based industries has declined. Asof 2009, the dominant basic income source across the region was the public sector. For the ComoxValley and northern Central Coast regions this dominance has held steady for over 15 years, while theforestry and wood processing sector has been dominant in the other island regions. Fishing and trapping,and personal investments have dominated in the southern Central Coast. 7Resource dependency remains a factor in our region, with dependence on forestry and wood processingranging from 12% to 26% depending on the district. 8Total income reported by tax filers in 2009 is relatively low in the North Island College region. TheCentral Coast and Alberni-Clayoquot regional districts have an average income per capita of $24,419and $32,977 respectively, the lowest two regions in the province. Tax filers in Mount Waddington andComox-Strathcona fare better (ranked 19 th and 15 th of 27 regions), with average total incomes of$35,388 and $37,444 respectively. 9Income Assistance and Cost of LivingPercentages of individuals receiving income assistance and employment insurance benefits in the NorthIsland College region are among the highest in BC, with NIC’s region ranking fourth and fifth highest outof the province’s fifteen college regions (as of September 2010). This is an improved ranking from the2009 data, from which the region had been ranked third highest for both indicators.6BC Stats. (2010) College Region 11 – North Island; Statistical Profile and the associated Socio-Economic Profiles 2010 Regional DistrictBackground Data.7Horne, Gary (March 2009). British Columbia Local Area Economic Dependencies: 2006. From graph on page 46, prepared by BC Stats, January2009. Retrieved from http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/Files/788c0316-83ee-45e3-81ce-3352b9d3a76a/BCLocalAreaEconomicDependencies2006.pdf on June 13, 2012. And from appendices to Horne, Gary (February 2009). 2006Economic Dependency Tables for Forest Districts, same graphs prepared by BC Stats in March 2009.8Appendices to Horne, Gary (February 2009). 2006 Economic Dependency Tables for Forest Districts, graphs prepared by BC Stats in March 2009.9BC Stats (August 2011). Labour Force Income Profile. Retrieved fromhttp://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/StatisticsBySubject/LabourIncome/OtherData/IncomeTaxation.aspx on June 13, 2012.20

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12North Island College Student EnrolmentStudents’ Region of OriginThe vast majority (90%) of North Island College students originate as local residents of the College’scatchment area followed by those coming from other regions within the province of British Columbia.NIC Students’ Region of Origin – Percent Distribution of 2011 Fall Enrolment 10Other Van Isl, 3.6%North IslandCollege Region,90.5%Other, 9.5%BC Mainland, 2.3%Out-of-Prov, 1.7%Int'l, 1.8%10 North Island College Office of Institutional Research & Planning.21

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Student Enrolment TrendsIn the 2011/12 instructional year, North Island College served approximately 9,700 students (2,504FTEs), including 116 international students (76 FTEs) and 1,286 students of self-declared Aboriginalancestry (381 FTEs). Overall enrolment remains at historical highs despite a slight softening from notableincreases seen in 2009/10 and 2010/11. Specifically, strong Academic Division and Health and HumanServices enrolments contributed to an 85% utilization in Ministry funded programs, maintaining highsfirst seen in the 2009/10 enrolment year. Economic factors contributed to reduced demand for Tradesand Technical Division programs although apprenticeship FTEs were higher in 2011/12 than 2010/11.Enrolment also declined moderately for Developmental and Access Division programs in 2011/12although FTE targets were at 100% utilization. The College continues to see strong enrolments in bothAdvanced and Provincial level Adult Basic Education (ABE) courses as well as increased enrolment at theintermediate ABE level. Healthy enrolment at the upper ABE levels supports the College’s goal ofpositioning ABE as a pathway to further studies at NIC as well as supporting the institutional goal ofenhancing enrolments in Trades and University Studies. With the implementation of a new regionalservice model and signing of educational agreements with First Nations partners, the College anticipatesstronger enrolments in rural/isolated communities in the next several years.Enrolment at NIC’s four campuses reflects the trends seen for the program areas mentioned above withincreased enrolment at the Comox Valley campus, where academic and health programs form aproportionately larger part of the program mix, and lower enrolment at the Campbell River, PortAlberni and Mount Waddington Regional campuses where trades and developmental programs are morehighly concentrated. Distributed learning enrolments continued to increase at North Island College in2011/12 with expanded distance, on-line and interactive television delivery options providing flexibleaccess for students.22

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12NIC Fiscal Year Headcount in Credit Programs by Instructional Division 11Headcount350032503000275025002250200017501500125010007505002500Academic Dev & Access Health & HumanSvcsCont. Ed &TrainingTrades &Technical2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12NIC Fiscal Year Headcount in Credit Programs by Location 122,5002,2502,0001,750Headcount1,5001,2501,0007505002500Comox Valley Campbell River Port AlberniMountWaddingtonCentresDistributedLearning2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/1211North Island College Office of Institutional Research & Planning.12Ibid.23

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12NIC’s Response: Building on SuccessEnvironmental scanning, including town hall meetings and community feedback, has revealed thefollowing priorities for the College going forward:New curriculum, programs and services that align with the shifting occupational structure of theNorth Island region will continue to be developed. These will be aimed at meeting the needs ofthe region’s communities and businesses, especially toward training and transitioning primaryindustry workers as regional economies and labour market demands continue to shift. A newregional delivery model to optimize community-based program delivery has been developed andprograms will continue to be offered on a rotational basis at different campuses to meet locallabour force development needs.Ongoing expansion of NIC’s foundation in distributed learning recognizes the learning andservice needs of the region’s growing mature student population and the College’s vastgeographic service area. Growing demand for on-line and blended access options for coursesand, entire programs, is expected going forward.In recognition of the region’s low secondary school and post-secondary completion rates, lowpost-secondary participation rates and declining youth populations, NIC will continue to focuson increasing access to post-secondary education and training through the flexible delivery ofprograms and services.NIC will seek to attract and engage non-participating populations by educating its communitiesabout the value of post-secondary education. Pathways from secondary school to college,further education, training and employment will continue to be developed on an ongoing basisto illustrate this value.NIC will continue to partner with the region’s Aboriginal communities to provide localeducation and training opportunities that recognizes their history and culture. Services designedspecifically to promote Aboriginal student success accompany program development.Increased service learning, internship, cooperative education and practicum training will providegreater opportunity to increase student connections to the region’s communities.Program advisory committees with representation from local business and communities willcontinue to ensure primary program relevancy to local employment needs.Connections to our local communities will continue to be strengthened through partnershipswith community agencies and businesses.Applied research activities in conjunction with community and industry partners will beimportant to enhance NIC’s role in community economic development and growth.The financial health of NIC will be critical to its ability to meet the learning needs of its students.Careful resource stewardship, expansion of revenue generation activities and increasingfundraising capacity will support the institution’s development. Industry and researchpartnerships linked to funding are viewed as key initiatives for increasing revenue in the future.The following sections provide tactical and operational updates that demonstrate how the College’seducational divisions have been working toward these priorities over the 2011/12 planning year,including key educational and service initiatives planned going forward. Divisional tactical plans for yearone and year two of the 2011-2015 strategic planning process can be viewed in full detail on-line athttp://www.nic.bc.ca/about_us/strategic_plan/view.aspx.24

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Academic ProgramsThe Academic Division saw a continued increase in program FTEs in 2011/12, with a notable increase of14% in Mathematics & Sciences and 11% in Humanities & Social Sciences. Strong interest in Engineeringand Criminology programs contributed to the increase in FTEs. Curriculum initiatives, such asdevelopment of a first-year English course to provide better articulation for students bound for theUniversity of British Columbia or Simon Fraser University; a first-year Chemistry course for Engineersto articulate with the University of Victoria’s Engineering first-year program; and, a second-yearPsychology course to fulfill requirements for flexible pre-majors in Psychology all contribute to moreoptions and better pathways for students. Extracurricular events provided a positive atmosphere forstudents and a connection to the local community. The Fine Arts Department hosted six publicexhibitions of student works for public viewing and these were all well attended. In addition, the ReadingSeries, funded through Canada Council, provided local community with access to BC and Canadianwriters and the hosting of Story Slams, writing contests, and math contests also brought communityfocus to the College.North Island College’s Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program continues to have highenrolments and proves to be attractive for International students. With the addition of new courses,students are now able to complete all of their BBA General Management at NIC, and this will alsoprovide greater opportunities for International students. A two-year Post Degree Diploma (PDD) inGlobal Business Management and a PDD in Human Resources were developed in early 2012 and areslated for delivery in September 2012. Student numbers are increasing in third- and fourth- year coursesand remain very strong in first and second year, with over 463 students registered in the program in2011/12.The Tourism and Hospitality Certificate and Diploma programs were revised to provide three secondyearoptions for students (Sustainable Tourism, Hospitality, and Adventure Guiding) as well as provideopportunity for students to ladder into the BBA program.Applied Business Technology (ABT) continues to have high student enrolments. The ABT model of onlinedelivery makes this program accessible for students in remote parts of the College region. Forexample, eight students from the ‘Namgis Band in Alert Bay were able to complete several ABT coursesin their community. The experience provided the students with confidence and an interest to furthertheir studies. It is hoped this model can be used in other communities in the College region.Furthermore, the ABT mode of delivery is being examined for its application to other program areas,notably second-year Sciences.College agreements with the universities for dual admission and with school districts for dual credit(available in University Transfer, Pre-Nursing, Applied Business Technology, and Trades and Technologyprograms) have been well-received by the student population. Both initiatives provide a pathway forstudents to use NIC to obtain at least part of their undergraduate education and keep their end goal insight.25

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Health and Human Service ProgramsAs the demand for Health and Human Service programs continues to outpace available resources,North Island College has been responding to community demand by adding new intakes for fullysubscribed, waitlisted programs, particularly in programs of a year or less in duration.In 2011/12, NIC provided a Health Care Assistant (HCA) program for Homalco First Nations studentsin Campbell River under a contract with the First Nations Employment Society. Delivery of this intakewas structured to allow needed time for students to meet the program’s prerequisite educationrequirements. Additionally, the start date for the Practical Nursing Access (PNA) program in the MountWaddington region, funded by the Ministry with one-time funding for short health programs, was movedforward to March 2011 in order to ensure adequate student numbers. This program was offered over12 months and was designed to enable individuals to continue to work part-time as Health CareAssistants while upgrading to Practical Nursing. This model of delivery enabled the College to meet theneed for Practical Nursing graduates in that region while ensuring continued availability of HCA workersduring the length of the PNA program. Students graduating from this program will have a profound,positive impact on health care delivery in the Mount Waddington region.Based on extensive waitlists, another cohort of the evening intake of the Practical Nursing program wasoffered at the Comox Valley campus in winter of 2011, providing space for 20 more students in additionto the regular daytime streams offered at Port Alberni and Campbell River. These students completed inFebruary 2012. Our Practical Nursing program in Campbell River is completing a cohort of the former(certificate program) curriculum in August 2012 and will begin the new provincially mandated diplomacurriculum in September 2012 to be offered over two years. The new Practical Nursing curriculum wasoffered in January 2012 following completion of the former curriculum in December 2011. In order tosynchronize offerings between Campbell River and Port Alberni, this program is being offered in acondensed format over 1.5 years and, in September 2013 Port Alberni will offer the program over twoyears. This will ensure a viable program in both regions with alternating years of entry and graduationacross the two communities. Our program has been reviewed by the College of Licensed PracticalNurses of BC and has been granted Phase I recognition. NIC’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing programcontinues to be in high demand.NIC’s Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programs have been fully subscribed in Port Alberniand Comox Valley in 2011/12; in addition, based on demand from non-credentialed child care workersand their employers in Campbell River, we have been offering a part-time evening program. As well, torespond to continued demand in the Mount Waddington region, we have offered two fully subscribedECCE courses which lead to an “Assistant Status” with the British Columbia Early Childhood EducatorRegistry. Many of these students are committed to continuing their certification and will be admitted toa part-time program in fall 2012. A blended design of our part-time ECCE Diploma with continuousentry has been highly successful in reaching learners across four campuses and has facilitatedrecruitment and retention of students. The three-year cycle for this program ends in June 2012 and anew cycle will being in September 2012.NIC has restructured the Human Services/Social Service stream in order to better respond to employerentry level requirements and ensure a better transition to the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Degree.A Social Service Diploma, replacing the Social Service Certificate program, was developed with a dual26

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12pathway to a BSW. The response to this re-structuring of the program has resulted in a significantwaitlist for the diploma and students who then choose the university transfer path to the BSW. OurEducation Assistant/Community Service Worker streams in Comox Valley and Port Alberni continue tobe well subscribed.Trades and Technology TrainingNorth Island College offers a broad mix of trades & technology programming, which included expandingour apprenticeship offerings in Carpentry in 2011/12. With our first full year in the new SkillsDevelopment and Trades Training Facility at the Comox Valley campus we were able to expand ourCarpentry Apprenticeship training to seven intakes with a total of 99 apprentices enrolled. Additionally,working with NIC’s Continuing Education and Training Division and the Developmental Department,funded via the Employment Skills Access Program, we were able to develop and start our firstCarpentry Access program in January at Fort Rupert. Combining contextual upgrading with tradestraining has proven to be a successful model to bridge many individuals into trades training.We were pleased to receive confirmation of funding in 2011/12 for a new teaching kitchen in PortAlberni. It has been exciting watching this new facility evolve through concept and design, withconstruction having begun in January 2012. We expect to take occupancy of the building in early August,with our first intake of Professional Cooks in September 2012. This facility provides an opportunity tore-examine how we can best meet the specific needs of communities and hospitality businessesthroughout this region. Early in the new fiscal year, we will arrange an advisory committee to refine ourprogramming. New courses in Aboriginal cooking applying local First Nations knowledge in preparingfoods with historic and cultural significance in the Alberni Valley and West Coast regions are planned.In response to demand for Professional Cook apprentices to complete their training, we offered ourfirst intake of Professional Cook 3 at the Campbell River campus in 2011/12, where we saw graduatessuccessfully complete their Interprovincial (Red Seal) examination. This represents a significantmilestone for NIC as it is the first time that Professional Cooks were able to complete their trainingwithout having to go out of region.While the aerospace industry is experiencing increased demand for Aircraft Structures Technicians,both licensed and non-licensed, we are seeing a reduction in training capacity in Western Canada, withboth NAIT and BCIT suspending their programs. To provide training for non-licensed technicians wehave developed an Aircraft Sheet Metal program for those individuals desiring to working primarily inthe area of aircraft manufacturing; we are offering the first intake of this program in September 2012.In response to industry developments, North Island College has partnered with Camosun College, BCITand Vancouver Island University to contract development of an entry level program for the ship buildingindustry. This was in direct response to a request for proposal from the Resource Training Organizationto support the forthcoming training requirements on this coast, resulting from regional industries’ awardof a federal ship building contract. NIC is also very pleased to have developed a partnership with SchoolDistrict 85 (Port Hardy), to enable us to develop a facility to offer trades training at the Fort RupertElementary School.27

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Developmental ProgramsAs regional student preparedness levels continue to remain markedly below provincial averages, theCollege’s future is with students who require ever greater learning and life support throughindividualized attention in the classroom, in community and with Student Services.Demand for Adult Basic Education (ABE) programs remains strong at North Island College as is evidentby the enrolment patterns both on campus and offsite within our outlying communities. The College hasstructured its ABE offerings at the campuses to meet growing student demand by offering prerequisitelevel ABE courses that support students’ transition to further post-secondary studies. To meet thisneed, NIC’s Developmental Department has timetabled courses in scheduled, continuous intake anddistance formats to allow for greater flexibility and choice for students.The College has also increased its ABE offerings through the delivery of on-site ABE courses within ourrural communities. The Carpentry Access program (described further in the previous section) allowsstudents to complete preparatory courses that transition students directly into a Carpentry Foundationprogram. The College will continue to explore and develop similar trades and career program upgradingpathways to increase access to education and employment options for people living in our region. Onsiteprogramming is also being promoted through the development and signing of educationalagreements with First Nation communities. During the course of the 2011/12 instructional year,educational agreements have been signed with the Mowachaht/Muchalaht and Nuxalk First Nations. Inaddition, ABE courses are being offered in Alert Bay at the Cormorant Adult Learning Centre and theDevelopmental Department has been working with Ahousaht to offer ABE courses once again in thatcommunity.The College’s Access for Students with Disabilities Department continues to provide strong service tostudents in both instructional and service capacity. The Department has been working in collaborationwith community partners in Port Alberni to develop an Employment & Educational Transition programfor students with disabilities, including individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. The goal is tooffer this unique program during the 2012/13 academic year. The Department continues to holdcommunity advisory meetings to ensure that instructional programming meets the needs of futurelearners within the community. Demand for Access Services continues to rise for students with specialneeds seeking educational planning and adaptive technology support.Continuing Education and TrainingNIC’s Continuing Education and Training Division has seen an increase in programming over the lastthree years, with FTE’s varying according to the degree of program development versus programdelivery in any given year. As a cost-recovery division, staff is engaged in ongoing program developmentaligned with industry and regional labour market considerations. Program development has specificallyincreased beyond contract training and cost-recovery, non-credit certificates to now include costrecoverycredit programming.During 2011/2012, NIC’s Continuing Education and Training (CET) Division developed industry-specificoccupational skills training to address labour shortages across specific sectors. Programs weredeveloped to meet the needs of industry while providing students with an opportunity to access timelyoccupational skills training leading to employment. The majority of the programs were delivered on a28

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12contract basis with industry sponsored programming in addition to funds secured through the Ministryof Jobs, Tourism and Innovation. Programs included:In partnership with Bladerunners and BC Hydro, the Division has developed and delivered threecohorts of Integrated Core Resources Training to serve 30 First Nations learners focused ontransitioning to contract and employment opportunities with BC Hydro in the North IslandRegion. These program intakes were funded by BC Hydro and the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism andInnovation.In collaboration with Natural Resource Sector Employers, Integrated Core Natural ResourcesTraining was delivered to 30 students with the career goal of transitioning into the NaturalResources Sector. Cohorts were funded through Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation.Industry based training was developed to prepare individuals for entry to mid-level employmentwith the Mining and Forestry sectors (i.e. Underground Mining and Woodland Harvesting).Working directly with industry, program curriculum was developed in launched across theNorth Island region with delivery of multiple cohorts being directed to individuals experiencinglong-term displacement from the workforce. Training funds were secured through a competitiveapplication process through the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation.NIC’s CET Division is advancing Marine Training through increased delivery in remote regions of BC,and development and delivery of Simulator Training (Simulated Electronic Navigation) per TransportCanada guidelines. Additional instructional experts have been recruited to join the North Island Collegeinstructional team. With NIC being the only public post-secondary institution on Vancouver Island,other than Camosun, authorized to deliver Transport Canada approved training, NIC is moving forwardwith increased programming to serve the West Coast and Northern Vancouver Island Region.The Division is collaborating with provincial colleagues to foster collaboration, program developmentand enhanced programming across public post-secondary institutions. The mechanism supporting thisprogressive development is the Provincial Continuing Education and Training Consortium. Consortiumdevelopments include a range of dynamic initiatives which assist in positioning public post-secondaryinstitutions as the lead provider of training across the province, with Continuing Education Divisionsbeing positioned to engage with Industry for the timely development and delivery of contract andspecialized programming. Through the consortium, the provincial institutions have launched EssentialSkills and Workplace Training across the province in partnership with the retail and food and beveragesectors. Serving three employers during the pilot phase (spring/summer 2012), training is being providedto over 40 students with additional intakes expected for summer 2012.The CET Division is currently working in partnership with Vancouver Island University and CamosunCollege, and has delivered Leadership and Capacity Building programming across Vancouver Island withprogramming serving over 75 students. In 2011/12, the Division has also invested in the development ofthe cost-recovery Metal Jewellery Design Certificate program for launch in fall 2012; reviewed andupdated the NIC Activation Assistant program, with the revised Activity Assistant program beingmarketed for launch in fall 2012; and, supported industry liaison and communications aligned withstrategic development of research and programming. This work has led to the submission of research29

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12applications and new program development opportunities which has been very significant for NorthIsland College as a regional college serving a vast region and diverse industry needs.Aboriginal EducationNIC is committed to quality and excellence in educational programs, services and relationships withAboriginal people. Our goals and objectives for Aboriginal education are directly linked to provincial andAboriginal community priorities to increase access, retention, completion and transition opportunities ofAboriginal learners; to increase the receptivity and relevance of NIC and our programs for Aboriginallearners; and, to strengthen partnerships and collaboration with Aboriginal community stakeholders inthe College region. Aboriginal Education forms a key part of NIC’s 2012-2015 Education Plan and the2011-2015 Strategic Plan.Internally, NIC works within an Integrated Model for Aboriginal Education with instructional Deans andDirectors having individual regional/operational responsibilities and the College’s Senior Education Team(SET) guiding college-wide planning/implementation processes. As a member of SET, the College’sDirector of Aboriginal Education develops and evaluates strategies that encourage Aboriginal communityparticipation in the development of Aboriginal Education programs and services. The College isfortunate to have one current Aboriginal Board member from the West Coast Region on our Board ofGovernors, with continuous Aboriginal representation since the 1990’s. The Aboriginal EducationAdvisors at each of the four campuses and the Elder-in-Residence to the Bachelor of Science in Nursingprogram will continue to support student access, retention, transition and completion, and provision ofcourses and programs on campus and through outreach to Aboriginal communities to enhancereceptivity and relevance of programming.Aboriginal Education ProgrammingNorth Island College has a well-established core of ongoing Aboriginal Education offerings that includean Indigenous Focus Certificate in Education Assistant/Community Support, an Aboriginal AdministrativeSkills Certificate, a First Nations Associate of Arts Degree, a Cultural Heritage and ManagementCertificate, and a First Nations Transition Program. The College works with Aboriginal communities,organizations, funding agencies, and First Nations economic development entities to provide access toeducational programs and training that integrate cultural awareness and Indigenous ways of knowing andbeing with outcomes that are relevant to meeting local labour market needs and regional First Nationscommunity needs. Continuing Education contract and custom program offerings are especially importantin this regard, including the following programming offered to First Nations communities in 2011/12:Across Vancouver IslandHesquiaht HeadstartHomalco First Nation, Cape MudgeFirst Nation, BC Hydro & NaturalResource EmployersHuu-ay-aht First NationHuu-ay-aht First Nation, Parks CanadaLeadership and Capacity BuildingEmergency Child Care First Aid with CPR Level BIntegrated Core Resources Training ProgramRetail TrainingTraffic Control PersonIntroduction to GPS and Orienteering training30

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12‘Namgis First NationNuu-chah-nulth EconomicDevelopmentNuu-chah-nulth Employment andTrainingPort Alberni Friendship CentreQuatsino First NationSmall Vessel Operator ProficiencyMarine Emergency Duties Basic Safety CourseRestricted Operator Certificate – MaritimeForklift Operator TrainingFoodSafe Level 1Hazard Recognition and Control with Confined Space,Fall ProtectionOccupational First Aid Level 1Occupational First Aid Transportation EndorsementRetail TrainingWHMISAboriginal Training and Employment ProgramCPR Level C with AED trainingFoodSafe Level 1 trainingOccupational First Aid Level 1Retail TrainingCPR Level A with AEDMarine Basic First Aid & CPR CMarine Emergency Duties Basic Safety CourseRestricted Operator Certificate – MaritimeSmall Vessel Operator ProficiencyNIC was also active providing on-site, community-based Adult Basic Education and credit programmingofferings; providing staff and community member training; and, increasing awareness on campus and incommunity in 2011/12 as follows:Adult Basic Education and Credit Programming Adult Basic Education courses and Cultural Heritage Resource Management Program at theMowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations near Gold River Adult Basic Education courses at the Ahousaht First Nation near Tofino Adult Basic Education courses at the ‘Namgis First Nation adult learning center in Alert Bay Adult Basic Education courses at the First Nations adult learning center in Bella Coola Full-time Home Care Assistant Program for the Homalco First Nation in Campbell River Completion of Home Care Assistant Program for Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council cohort in PortAlberni Practical Nurse Access Program at Mount Waddington Campus in Port Hardy Greenhouse Management Program for the Komoks First Nation in CourtenayStaff and Community Member Training Aboriginal Family Literacy Training for Aboriginal Literacy Outreach Coordinators (LOC’s) andnon-Aboriginal LOC’s working with Aboriginal communities Two professional development and strategic planning opportunities: one for support staff andone for faculty Presentation of initial findings of a NIC supported Social Sciences and Humanities ResearchCouncil project designed to bring Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal educators into dialogue and31

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12networks to promote Aboriginal student educational success with respect to Aboriginal heritageand English language usageIncreasing Awareness on campus and in community Aboriginal student dialogue sessions in Campbell River and Port Alberni as part of a provincialresearch project documenting Aboriginal student voices in public post-secondary institutionsacross British Columbia Indigenous writers’ series in Port Hardy (four writers over a four month period) - the writersvisited Port Hardy Senior Secondary during the day and were hosted by a local café in theeveningAboriginal Service PlanNIC has received Phase I Aboriginal Service Plan funding from the provincial government since 2008/09and this funding was renewed in 2011/12 under Phase II with the following objectives identified as keypriorities for the College’s Aboriginal Education Division:Mount Waddington Region (Port Hardy, Port McNeill, Alert Bay, Bella Coola)A continuation of Adult Basic Education in one community and university level electives for aFirst Nations language cohort/degree program in a second First Nations community involvinga total of four First NationsRegular Transitions Forums for high school students, adult learners in community, and forcurrent NIC Aboriginal students to support transitions from senior secondary to postsecondary;from adult learning centers in First Nations communities to public post-secondary,and from post-secondary to employmentCentral Region (Gold River, Campbell River, Cortes Island and Courtenay)Expanded tutorial support and increased Elder-in-Residence programming in the ComoxValley and Campbell RiverAll RegionsOn-site assessment service for remote First Nations communitiesContinuation of Indigenization processes, including curriculum development/revision, HumanResources training about the Aboriginal Inclusion in the Workplace Continuum, and variousother professional development opportunities for NIC employeesCulturally welcoming outreach activities and events that promote Aboriginal culture andencourage potential Aboriginal students to attend post-secondaryActivities and initiatives to engage with Aboriginal communities, organizations and other postsecondaryinstitutions, including identifying ongoing community education and training needsAboriginal Advisory meetings across the college region and community liaison relating todeveloping working relationships/partnerships32

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12International EducationNorth Island College is committed to supporting students in their development of the globalcompetencies and cultural intelligence needed to live and work in an increasingly connected world. TheCollege has hosted international students from over 25 different countries and in 2011/12 welcomed itsfirst students ever from Burundi, Rwanda and Russia. Exchange partners sent students from the UnitedStates and Mexico, while NIC students participated as exchange students in Poland, Germany, Mexicoand the US.Increasing partnership agreements with international universities and colleges to support student andemployee exchange and development of joint curriculum and research projects is an ongoing strategicpriority for the College. In 2011/12, NIC continued to build long-term exchange agreements withformer Developing Environmentally Sensitive Hospitality Managers (DESHM) partners, includingUniversidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Universidad Autonoma de Chihuahua, Utah Valley University,Kapi’olani Community College, and Mount Saint Vincent University. New long-term agreements werealso established with the International School of Management in Germany and with Duoc UC in Chilewith the first students arriving in 2012. These relationships have supported the exchange of students,sharing of curriculum, and joint research activities.NIC International has established a working consortium with the international departments of SchoolDistricts 70, 71 and 72 which has resulted in the creation of www.vancouverislandschools.com, anorientation website for potential international students who may be interested in studying on VancouverIsland.33

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Institutional Goals and ObjectivesStrategic Plan 2011 – 2015: Participation, Partnership &PathwaysNorth Island College’s 2011-2015 Strategic Plan was launched almost two years ago in September 2010,setting an ambitious and future-focused path for the period ahead. Strategic directions were linked toevery level of daily operations across every organizational unit, from registration and instruction tofacilities and payroll. Across the College, the level of participation and engagement in the planningprocess was exceptional. Ideas were shared and developed in campus town halls, departmental planningsessions, and cross-divisional collaboration events which were held throughout the year. Althougheveryone has different jobs at NIC, the College has become a highly coordinated team, all focused ondelivering measurable results for the community.Spring 2012 sees the College more than half way toward completion of five of the six over-archingstrategic directions defined in the 2011-2015 Strategic Plan with the following notable outcomes:a very efficient and user friendly annual planning system;an annual Cross Divisional Planning Day held each spring;greater awareness of College priorities and requirements across the College to achieve them;higher profile of the College within the community;engaged employees working with a common purpose in mind;better understanding of deficiencies and gaps that need to be filled to achieve our goals;enhanced processes for developing and revising curriculum;enhanced access to the College with revised admission and prior learning assessment andrecognition policies;enhanced pathways into the College, including high school dual credit, and guaranteed pathwaysto university, such as dual admission and guaranteed admission partnerships; and,greater understanding of the need and way forward for increasing distributed/flexible learningoptions.In this context, NIC’s Strategic Plan remains a living, breathing document, subject to review and changeas new developments occur in the operating environment. Without losing sight of our major goals, theCollege is flexible and ready to respond to new opportunities as we move closer to achieving ourcollective vision of becoming “a premier community and destination college that inspires and preparesstudents for success in a rapidly changing world.” The sections that follow outline the six over-archingstrategic directions that form the core of North Island College’s 2011-2015 Strategic Plan (on-line athttp://www.nic.bc.ca/PDF_docs/NIC_StrategicPlan_issuu.pdf) and provide a summary of highlights forthe 2011/12 reporting cycle.34

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Strategic Direction #1: Responsive CurriculumNIC will develop dynamic and responsive curriculum and educational services to attract,engage and retain a diverse range of students to be successful in a rapidly changing world.Establish a Program Development and a President’s Strategic Activity Fund to supportcurriculum, program and service development.A New Program Development Fund was established in 2010 to provide a mechanism for theCollege to develop curriculum that responds to community needs. This Fund has been verysuccessful in supporting development of new programming. In the 2010/11 academic year, the Fundwas used to develop a new Post Degree Diploma in International Business, pathway programming tosupport entry into trades and health programs, and exploratory reviews of tourism and allied healthprogramming. In 2011/12 the Fund was used to support development of an Exercise and WellnessProgram and a Professional Pottery Advanced Certificate.The President’s Strategic Activity Fund ($20,000) was created to support implementation of the sixstrategic directions in the College’s 2011-2015 Strategic Plan. Faculty and staff are able to apply forfunding to support implementation of an activity or project that aligns with one or more of the sixstrategic directions; these applications are reviewed through a competitive adjudication process.Funding was allocated to six projects in 2011/12, including a registered nurse and licensed practicalnurse preceptorship program, a Sustainability Lecture Series for the Math/Science Department, aHumanities and Social Science conference, a Write Here Readers’ Series, a wireless printing system,and workshops for clients of community agencies. The College has earmarked a portion of this fundto support the conversion of face-to-face courses to on-line or blended delivery formats in 2012/13.The ongoing allotment of these funds supports the College’s efforts to continually develop newprograms and services in an employee-driven, adjudicated process.Increase connections at the program level with community agencies, employers,articulation and professional bodies to advise on program relevancy. NIC continues to maintain strong relationships with community economic developmentorganizations, employment agencies, literacy groups, municipal governments, school districts, healthauthorities, and chambers of commerce, to name a few. Throughout 2011, NIC has made aconscious effort to connect with key forums, organizations and representatives related to the BCJobs Plan.Three regional First Nations advisory committees were developed in 2011, and membership for theNIC Aboriginal Advisory Committee was established.All of NIC’s professional programs, both existing and under development, are to have advisoryboards made up of local professionals and employers. At present, advisory committees are active innine programs in the following areas: Health, Human Services, Early Childhood Education,Interactive Media and Design, Business Administration, Aircraft Structures and Professional CookTraining. Employer consultation has been implemented as part of the process for new programdevelopment.35

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Internationalize curriculum and increase international programs to expand the globalawareness of our students.New post degree diplomas in Global Business Management (two year) and Human ResourcesManagement (one year) were developed in early 2012.NIC offered a year-round English Language Program at the Comox Valley Campus in 2011/12 forthe first time.Greece Field School (Anthropology, English and History) ran in spring 2011 and Nepal (Nursing)international practicum ran in spring 2011.Students in NIC’s Globalization and International Business course have, in each of the past 3 years,worked in partnership with European students to research export opportunities for businesses inCanada and Europe. NIC’s Interactive Technology Department facilitates the internationalvideoconferences used throughout the course.Exploring Difference seminars have taken place on two campuses involving participation fromapproximately 100 front line support staff and faculty. Internationally recognized experts onintercultural influences on teaching and learning delivered workshops to faculty and staff on theComox Valley Campus on how to support an inclusive campus and how to effectively manageintercultural classrooms in 2011/12; these explored the issues raised the previous year in muchmore depth.North Island College International supported the use of NIC as a site for a Master’s thesis titledExploring ways to Enhance Attitudes, Skills and Knowledge at the Faculty Level of a Canadian CommunityCollege.Create centres of excellence aligned with NIC program strengths that promote regionalinterests and economic activity.NIC has invested in developmental work to lay the foundation for a new Centre of Excellence inNatural Resource Education and Applied Research. The Centre is intended to advance NIC’scommitment to strengthen the communities of the North Island, acting as a catalyst to accelerateknowledge development and innovation and supporting key industries that interact with the naturalenvironment of the North Island, as targeted within the BC Jobs Plan. Critical linkages with naturalindustry firms and community partners will facilitate solutions to challenges and increase access toskills and knowledge. Centre activities will also extend opportunities for student learning and futureemployment while providing College faculty with access to current knowledge in their area ofpractice.The completion of the new, state-of-the-art Skills Development and Trades Training Facility in theComox Valley opens the door to the creation of community focused programming emphasizingexcellence in sustainable building practices. A feasibility study for a Centre of Excellence in GreenTechnology and Sustainable Trades at the facility is underway. As a centre of excellence, NIC willexpand our contributions to both the sustainability and economy of our region.36

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Establish a schedule of base and rotational program offerings for each campus that serveslocal community needs.NIC continues to focus on providing responsive programming on a when needed, where neededbasis. Over the past year, several programs have been offered on a rotational basis across theCollege region including Health Care Assistant, Early Childhood Care and Education, and a newCarpentry Access program which commenced in January in our Mount Waddington region.Additionally, a specific community need in the Mount Waddington region was met with the PracticalNursing Access program established in March 2011, bridging six local health care professionals intothe program.NIC has adopted a new service model for delivery of direct instruction to remote communities. It isthe College’s hope to provide more effective, demand driven service through the development ofpartnerships with local groups and organizations involved with community education. NIC partneredwith the ‘Namgis First Nation in 2011/2012 to offer Applied Business Technology, Adult BasicEducation (ABE), Marine Training, and Small Vessel Operation; the Nuxalk Nation to offer ABE inand around Bella Coola; and, with the Mowachaht/Muchalaht Nation to provide the CulturalHeritage Resource Management Program in Gold River. NIC hopes to build on the success of theseprograms and, with the support of the Aboriginal Service Plan funding, expand our rotationalprograms.Strategic Direction #2: Student SuccessNIC will improve our ability to support the diverse needs of our students and theirengagement in learning.Increase access to post-secondary education through flexible delivery of services andprograms.NIC continues to be a leader in the use of classroom based interactive television (ITV) coursedelivery. Over the 2011/12 academic year, we worked with Vancouver Island University, and EmilyCarr University to provide students across our region and throughout the province with access toan effective alternative to direct face-to-face course delivery.Ongoing development of on-line, hybrid, and blended versions of courses and programs, continuesto improve the quality of our offerings and access for students. Innovative upgrading pathwayprogramming is being developed that will enhance the relevance of education for upgrading learnersworking towards their educational goals.Many departments at NIC provided increased flexibility to students by offering part-time andevening programming, such as the part-time delivery model of the Practical Nursing Access programin Mount Waddington. This access program, along with the blended upgrading and trades trainingCarpentry Access program, focuses on the need to provide support to both students andcommunity in meeting regional employment needs.NIC is working to broaden the mandate of the Distributed Learning Department with the goal ofdeveloping an Educational Technologies Centre of Excellence that pioneers, educates and supports37

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12distributed learning technologies. A plan for upgrades and increased integration of the College’slearning management system has been established, including upgraded remote access options.Regular faculty and student training to use the learning management system are in place.A number of faculty development workshops have been held to support blended learningdevelopment; these workshops are being assembled in a blended learning course.Recently North Island College undertook an extensive study to look at the future of distributedlearning at the College. Over 130 faculty and staff and 950 students participated in a consultativeprocess to gather information about the distributed learning needs, both present and future, atNorth Island College. This information is being used to develop plans for supporting growth in theuse of distributed learning at North Island College.North Island College has always been a leader in delivery of distance education due to the necessityof serving learners living in remote areas of our region. We are continuing to lead in this field withthe ongoing development of remote, web-based technology designed to allow students to completescience labs and ultimately, an associate or baccalaureate science degree through on-line learning.Recently scientists and post-secondary curriculum designers from across North America gathered atNorth Island College’s Comox Valley campus to learn about the remote web-based sciencelaboratory technology. The prototype that has been developed is central to the North AmericaNetwork of Science On-line (NANSLO) project that has been awarded a $750,000 grant from theBill and Melinda Gates and William and Flora Hewett Foundations.Expand services specifically designed to promote the success of Aboriginal students.North Island College’s second Aboriginal Gathering Place celebrated its opening in May 2012 inCampbell River; an Aboriginal Gathering Place at the Port Alberni campus has been open since 2010.These achievements recognize and support the important cultural significance of the region’s FirstPeoples.In-community programming will continue to be a focus of NIC’s Aboriginal programming. NICrecognizes that Aboriginal learners have significant community, family, employment and culturalobligations that support in-community learning. Community-based programming allows for greaterrelevance to First Nations learners and also requires intensive program development to ensurelearners achieve all levels of required coursework.North Island College is committed to continued support for language revitalization programming inFirst Nations communities. The Fort Rupert Language Revitalization Program is being offeredthrough 2015 in conjunction with the Quatsino First Nation, the Kwakiutl First Nation, theGwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw, and the University of Victoria (UVic) providing students with theopportunity to continue with the UVic Bachelor of Education Degree. North Island College has alsoentered into partnership with the Huu-ay-aht First Nations to revitalize the Nuu-chah-nulthlanguage.New ABE programming in Alert Bay began in January 2012, following a three-year planning cycle ofMath and English, Science, and advanced levels offered progressively; in Fort Rupert, university levels38

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12of English and Math will be offered for students continuing to the University of Victoria’s Bachelor ofEducation degree.To help reduce financial barriers to enrolment, NIC has created and is working to expandAboriginal specific information sources about financial aid and funding opportunities; these includeaccessible, up-to-date handouts, binders, websites, and information links. Improving and expandingassistance and services to students as they go through the funding process is an ongoing priority forthe College. NIC has also set aside emergency funds to aid with assessment and application fees.The College has continued to develop relationships with Aboriginal support staff in high schoolsthroughout the region. Participation in Aboriginal community events is also a priority for increasingNIC’s engagement with Aboriginal communities and building relationships of trust.NIC hosted an Aboriginal reference services library workshop in May 2011 with attendees fromVancouver Island Regional Library and the school district libraries. A library guide on First Nationstudies was also published in April 2011.Implement strategic enrolment and retention strategies.NIC has actively developed and implemented college-wide strategies to increase and retain studentenrolment. New initiatives include a prior learning assessment and recognition policy that isdesigned to open doors for mature learners in our communities. A tuition free policy for seniors tofurther support participation in credit programs has been implemented.A program for military students that recognizes previously obtained skills and knowledge has beendeveloped, with focus on the unique learning needs of the Canadian Forces, particularly themembers and families of 19 Wing Comox. Like the University of Manitoba, NIC will recognizemilitary education and experience giving PLA credit for rank to eligible students.New post-secondary pathways for students through dual admission opportunities are being pursuedon an ongoing basis as detailed in the “Programs and Partnerships” section of this document,including two new major post-secondary pathways for students with the University of Manitoba andthe University of Victoria.Work with our students and community partners to enhance campus life at each of ourcampuses.The College has opened a student lounge at the Comox Valley campus. This space, adjacent to thecafeteria, provides a gathering place and informal study space for students.The new Trades Training facility which opened on the Comox Valley Campus in January 2011 wasdesigned to provide space for events and informal student study and gathering space. Options forincorporating student green spaces, including recreational areas, within the site’s landscapingplanning are being explored.In partnership with our community organizations, local government and our post-secondaryeducation partners on Vancouver Island the College is working to develop and increase student39

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12access to recreation opportunities in our region. NIC completed two terms of campus recreationopportunities for students in 2011/12. Some of the activities featured were surfing, scuba diving,hiking, soccer, and fitness boot camp. The College plans to continue offering recreationopportunities to our students in the future.NIC continues to work with the North Island Students’ Union (NISU) to organize and promotesocial events for students, including an end-of-year celebration and a NISU sponsored welcome backevent.Work with community partners to improve public transport to and between campuses.The College is working with local governments to increase public transportation options forstudents and working with the Ministry of Transportation to develop better transit choices forstudents.Assess the feasibility of and develop opportunities for on-campus and off-campus studenthousing options.A Request for Proposal has been issued for a feasibility study to assess student demand and thefinancial sustainability of a student residence for domestic and international students at the ComoxValley Campus. The feasibility study is a critical step which will enable the College to determine thefinancial sustainability of a student residence.Strategic Direction #3: Active Community PartnerNIC will work with our communities as an active partner to increase opportunities forinvolvement and participation, and for proactively sharing resources for mutual benefit.Increase our connection to community by expanding use of service learning, internship,co-op and practicum training.In recognition of the growing importance of service to our communities and work experience forour students, we have expanded our co-operative education options to include a co-op option forour Bachelor of Business Administration degrees and attained national accreditation of our existingco-op program options.NIC has provided responsive programming to create more internship and practicum opportunitiesfor students and employers across the North Island including Health Care Assistant, PracticalNursing and Early Childhood Care and Education. The new Post Degree Diploma in Global BusinessManagement program, created to meet the needs of international students, includes an internshipcomponent to support students entering the Canadian work environment after graduation.Service learning also continues to grow at NIC as programs such as Interactive Media and BusinessAdministration provide credit earning opportunities to students undertaking service projects in ourcommunities.40

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12The NIC Employment Resource Centre (ERC) surveyed over 150 local employers to solicitfeedback on the College’s current and potential co-operative education and work experienceofferings. Employer survey results revealed a need for more marketing of services provided toemployers, a desire for financial assistance to hire NIC students, and an interest in expanding co-opin healthcare related programs. Employers provided individual suggestions toward making the ERCmore valuable to them and were pleased to know about the free NIC job posting board.Enhance financial sustainability through careful stewardship of our resources andexpansion of revenue generation activities that support our educational goals.We continue to strive to maximize both the efficiency and relevance of our offerings through NIC’sregular education planning processes. Program enrolments are monitored throughout peakenrolment periods to ensure effective utilization of our financial and instructional resources andCollege programs are reviewed on an annual basis. In addition to our base funded activities, wehave also been proactive in seeking out contract training and cost-recovery opportunities that fitwith our educational goals and directions as a community based college.The Continuing Education and Training Division has seen an increase in programming over the lastthree years. As a cost-recovery educational unit, staff are engaged in ongoing program developmentaligned with industry and regional labour market considerations. During 2011/2012, industry-specific,occupational skills training was developed to address labour shortages across specific sectors,including utilities, mining and forestry. The majority of the programs were delivered on a contractbasis, with training funds secured through industry sponsors as well as through the Ministry of Jobs,Tourism and Innovation.NIC International has also taken on a significant role in supporting educational activities at NIC.Through international tuition and partnership grants, NIC has been able to expand learningopportunities and internationalize curriculum across a wide range of programs in business, healthand university studies. NIC International together with Comox Valley Economic Development andSchool District 71 produced a report titled Economic Impact of International Education in the ComoxValley, highlighting some of the present and potential impacts on the local economy and jobs.Seek to involve a broader base of community members in College activities.Over the past year, NIC has continued to offer a broad range of speakers’ series and presentationsin global health, humanities, fine arts, literature and social sciences. The College has also been activein our communities, organizing and delivering a variety of creative writing contests, health careinitiatives, art exhibits and other community events, including:oooAuthor Reader Series, involving presentations by many local and nationally recognizedauthors;Global Learning Initiative presentations of overseas practica; and,Grand Opening of the First Nations Gathering Place at the Campbell River Campus.In April 2012 the Culinary Arts Program hosted the fourth annual Dancing & Tapas fundraiser withthe Campbell River rotary club to raise funds to distribute wheelchairs to those in need in SouthAfrica.41

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12In the Comox Valley and Campbell River, industry employers worked with the EmploymentResource Centre for the annual Mock Interview Event for co-operative education students in theBusiness and Tourism programs. The second annual Community Science Celebration took place in Port Alberni on February 11,2012. Sponsored by North Island College and the Mid-Island Science Technology & InnovationCouncil (MISTIC), Science World was joined by several local, science-based organizations includingGenome BC and Milner Gardens, and was able to offer the free family event thanks to funding fromthe BC’s Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation. Science World OnThe Road brought its engagingactivities further afield to schools in Tofino, Ucluelet, Ahousat and Bamfield.NIC International (NICI) has established a working consortium with the international departmentsof School Districts 70, 71 and 72 which has resulted in the creation of:www.vancouverislandschools.com, an orientation website for potential international students whomay be interested in studying on Vancouver Island. NICI also supported and delivered together withSchool District 71, the Comox Valley Immigrant Services Society, Comox Valley Regional Districtand three municipalities an international student and new immigrant welcome picnic in September.Work with our communities to promote awareness of the beauty of our natural settingand support implementation of environmentally sustainable practices.The Math/Science Department’s “Sustainability Lecture Series”, made possible by the President’sStrategic Activity Fund and a grant from the Mid-Island Science Technology & Innovation Council(MISTIC), has hosted a series of free public lectures by visiting speakers. Topics including “InvasivePlants”, “Sustainable Vancouver 2032”, and Taina Uitto’s “A Year without Plastics”. Ernie Sellentin’s“Invasive Plants” lecture inspired one NIC biology instructor to host two follow-up presentations toTimberline Secondary School Biology students.The College has established a cross-college Environmental Sustainability Team comprised of studentand employee representatives from each campus. The team’s role is to model sustainabilityleadership at the College by increasing awareness of sustainability issues and supporting practicesthat reduce the College’s environmental impact. They will also assist in the development andimplementation of sustainability policies and provide recommendations on prioritization ofsustainability initiatives.The College’s Skills Development & Trades Training Facility at the Comox Valley campus has beendesigned and constructed to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED gold standards inenergy efficient design. Installation of solar panels on the roof has been completed, including a realtime“energy dashboard” metering system in the lobby of the building displaying the impact of thesolar panels.The Port Alberni campus has upgraded to multi-stage, high-efficiency boilers that will provide betterclimate control and comfort and significantly reduce energy costs and emission.42

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Strategic Direction #4: Strategic PartnershipsNIC will strengthen and expand partnership opportunities with Aboriginal and businesscommunities, and educational organizations locally and internationally to deliveroutstanding results.Partner with Aboriginal communities to address their local education and training needsthrough programming that recognizes their history and culture.NIC continues to Partner with the University of Victoria to provide a language revitalizationprogram. NIC’s Cultural Resource Heritage program, which supports Aboriginal history and culture,continues to be offered in the Mowachaht/Muchalaht community. A new initiative is underdevelopment to offer the Aboriginal Education Assistant program with the Ahousaht First Nations,in community. In addition, a number of Continuing Education & Training initiatives have beendelivered in partnership with local First Nations communities and industry.NIC partnered again with the Wuikinuxv First Nation in Rivers Inlet to deliver a unique field schoolopportunity in a remote coastal First Nations community. Faculty in the Nursing and HumanServices departments coordinate this unique program of study, which involves visiting theWuikinuxv First Nation for an extended period to learn about its culture and history and to developa critical awareness of the relationship between aboriginal health and ways of knowing. This hascreated excellent opportunities to address curriculum design and learner-based pedagogy to bettersupport Aboriginal learners. The Elder in Residence at Comox Valley campus co-facilitates thistransformational learning experience.Increase degree and diploma opportunities through expansion of partnerships withVancouver Island and Emily Carr Universities and development of new partnerships withother universities or institutes.NIC continues to provide access to an ever-growing network of university partnerships and degreepathways, including options for guaranteed and dual admission at top universities in BC. By workingcollaboratively with school districts, post-secondary institutions, professional associations, andgrowing our partnership network internationally, we are creating new opportunities and seamlesspathways for our students to further their education and training. In addition, North Island Collegeand the University of Manitoba have worked together to give credit for military training and rank.More detail about NIC’s partnership network is covered in the “Programs and Partnerships” sectionof this document and a complete list of all partnership agreements is available on-line athttp://www.nic.bc.ca/about_us/Partnership_Agreements.Increase partnership agreements with international universities and colleges to supportstudent and employee exchange and development of joint curriculum and researchprojects.New long-term exchange agreements were established with North Island College’s formerDeveloping Environmentally Sensitive Hospitality Managers (DESHM) partners in 2011/12, includingUniversidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Universidad Autonoma de Chihuahua, Utah Valley University,Kapi’olani Community College, and Mount Saint Vincent University. A new long-term agreement43

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12was established with the International School of Management in Germany and a new general longtermexchange agreement with Duoc UC in Chile was also signed with the first students arriving in2012.NIC students participated as exchange students in Poland, Germany, Mexico and the US; exchangepartners sent students to NIC from the US and Mexico. NIC welcomed the first students ever from Burundi, Rwanda and Russia in 2011/12.Work with community partners to expand applied research that enhances developmentand growth of our communities.In 2011, NIC met the requirements for National Sciences and Engineering Research Council(NSERC) eligibility and has, subsequently, been working with members of the aquaculture industryto submit a number of proposals for NSERC research grants.NIC is currently completing an application to obtain Social Sciences and Humanities ResearchCouncil (SSHRC) eligibility.NIC continues to be involved in a variety of community applied research partnerships and is amember of the Vancouver Island Community Research Alliance.Applied research has been identified as one of four key priorities in the NIC 2012-2015 EducationPlan.Strategic Direction #5: Raising AwarenessWorking with our communities NIC will explore new and innovative ways to effectivelypromote post-secondary education throughout our region.Collaborate with regional organizations to promote North Island College and the regionas a quality education and outdoor lifestyle destination.NIC, in collaboration with the Comox Valley Economic Development Society, is working with theDepartment of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to promote and recruit students andimmigrants internationally. Additionally, formal agreements with local school districts to jointlypromote and recruit students internationally were established, culminating in a familiarization tourfor international education representatives. NIC actively promotes dual admission agreements withRoyal Roads University and other post-secondary partners on Vancouver Island when recruitingstudents internationally.NIC has entered into resource/facility sharing relationships with many local organizations, such asMount Washington Alpine Resort and Vancouver Island Music Fest, in exchange for promotion ofNIC during events. In 2011/12, the College also partnered with other local businesses, includingShaw Cable, the Comox Valley Art Gallery, AIDS Vancouver Island, Home Depot, and Roger’sWireless.44

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Engage North Island College students and alumni to connect with our community and toparticipate in promotional activities.The North Island College Alumni Association was launched in fall 2010, inviting over 4,000 formerstudents to re-connect with the College via social media, on-line, and in-person and has continuedto be a success in 2011/12. Staying connected with NIC offers former students networking andprofessional development opportunities as well as continued involvement with the College and itsstudents through the North Island College Foundation. Employment resources, including individualcoaching with job search, resume and interview tips are available to NIC alumni through theCollege’s Employment Resource Centre.In August and September 2011, North Island College representatives from the Mount WaddingtonRegional campus attended the Orca Fest and Logger Sports event in Port McNeil and the MountWaddington Fall Fair in Port Alice. Representatives provided information on the College andconnected with former and future students and the community.Develop a comprehensive educational campaign, inclusive of social media technology, toraise awareness in the North Island region of the value of post-secondary education.A comprehensive promotional campaign and media plan were executed throughout entire Collegeregion in 2011/12 in accordance with NIC’s annual Marketing Plan.Social media, including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube continue to form an important componentof Marketing’s efforts. NIC’s Twitter followers grew by 60% from October 2011 to May 2012 andFacebook “Likes” grew by 78% from September 2011 to May 2012.In 2012 NIC formalized its YouTube channel by bringing the look and feel in line with otherbranding materials. Ten new videos highlighting special events and unique aspects of NIC programssuch as the Anagma ceramic kiln used by Fine Arts students were produced. Eight new videospromoting NIC programs will also be launched during summer 2012. The channel has been receivingover 1,300 views per month and can be viewed athttp://www.youtube.com/NorthIslandCollege?feature=watch.Work with community partners to promote pathways from high school to college,further education, training and employment.NIC continues to support a successful high school transitions program. The College has developedpartnerships with five school districts to deliver a wide range of dual credit college level courses tohigh school students. Programs include ACE-IT trades training, applied business technology, tourism,and university level courses. In 2011, 219 students participated in Dual Credit courses across theregion, 42 of these within Trades & Technology programs and 177 within other divisions.Our Employment Resource Centre partnered with Crown Isle Resort to offer a career fair for NICgraduates, students and community. Preparation workshops were offered in advance to students onresume writing, interview skills and how to get the most out of a career fair. Additionally, our45

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Employment Resource Centre partnered with 19 Wing, Comox to deliver a workshop to militaryemployees and NIC students on marketing themselves on social media.Work with ElderCollege to inspire and support lifelong learning.ElderCollege continues to play a significant role within the College community. With one of thelargest active ElderCollege organizations in the Province, NIC provides facilities, promotions andpartnering opportunities to support ElderCollege.In 2011 NIC expanded its ElderCollege offerings and opened a new branch in Port Alice.Strategic Direction #6: Employee EngagementNIC will strengthen and develop employee skills and enhance employee engagement.Integrate the College’s values into all aspects of hiring, performance management andprofessional development planning.Human resources staff has continued to provide and support workshops, orientation sessions, teammeetings and one-on-one training sessions introducing all staff to the direct linkage between hiring,performance management and development. Health and wellness has been a focus of employee engagement efforts. Activities in 2011/2012included conducting voluntary health screening clinics for employees on campus to assist inidentifying health risk factors and encourage employees to take proactive measures to improve theirhealth. On-campus flu clinics were also provided in 2011.A review of HR-related policies is underway to ensure all policies are up-to-date with respect torelevant legislation and best practice and are aligned with College values. Revised and new policieswill be brought forward for consideration and approval in 2012.Increase employee involvement in decision making through open sharing of informationand use of inclusive consultation processes.North Island College undertakes an open and inclusive strategic planning process. Members fromacross the College community actively participate in the development and delivery of annual tacticalplans supporting departmental objectives. This active participative process brings together faculty,staff and administrators from across the institution to review and provide input into all of our coreactivities.Over 130 faculty and staff and over 950 students participated in the College’s most extensiveconsultation on the future of distributed learning at NIC in 2011/12. The consultation processincluded face-to-face meetings at department, division and campus levels; a faculty survey; and, astudent technology use survey. Emerging from the consultation process is a series ofrecommendations on topical areas for the College to consider as it movesforward. Recommendations span a broad range of areas including social media, interactive television(ITV), blended learning and the College’s learning management system. To guide the College in the46

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12implementation of recommendations emerging from the consultation, a cross-college, interdivisionalcommittee on educational technologies has been struck. One of the first initiatives arisingfrom the distributed learning consultation is a major upgrade to our interactive televisionsystem. This upgrade allows high definition (HD) broadcasting, increased capabilities at the campuslevel, a dual screen dual monitor delivery system as well as the ability to provide instruction,instructional support and student services to desktops, laptops tablets and eventually mobiledevices. Other related initiatives include an emphasis on increasing distributed learningopportunities for students in the 2012-2015 Education Plan.Expand training offerings for employees through an institutional model that links trainingto skill development, career paths and College strategic directions.Human Resources staff has continued to promote the use of on-line training resources introducedin 2011 to allow employees to access self-development opportunities in a cost-effective and efficientmanner.On a demand-driven basis, departmental workshops, coaching and facilitated training were providedto assist teams in developing conflict resolution and communication skills to support productive andsupportive work environments.Through joint committee processes with both unions, professional and career developmentguidelines/handbooks have been reviewed and revised to ensure the processes for applying for andreceiving funds to support employee development activities are efficient, clear and well understoodby all eligible employees.Exploration of training and development options in the areas of diversity, inclusiveness and crossculturalawareness is underway to further support the College’s strategies of improving accessibilityfor the communities the College serves and supporting internationalization activities.Use a comprehensive performance management approach to provide timely and usefulfeedback to employees.The Performance Objects on-line evaluation tool has been upgraded to allow for the establishmentand measuring of objectives for each individual employee, in addition to measuring demonstration ofjob competencies, within the performance planning and review cycle. Training on this newfunctionality will be provided in 2012 in advance of re-commencing the performance planning cyclefor Admin and Support employees in fall 2012.Human Resources staff is working with the North Island College Faculty Association and Deans toinput approved and established performance evaluation forms for faculty into an on-line format in2012 to facilitate a timely and efficient faculty review process while adhering to the terms of thecollective agreement.47

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Enhance recruitment and orientation of employees through improved communicationand use of technology.People Admin, the on-line recruitment tool continues to be utilized for all aspects of hiring at theCollege. Support and training in its use is provided on an as-required basis. Following its initialimplementation year, we are now examining our hiring processes and the ability to utilize thesystem to gather metrics to assess our recruitment activities (i.e. develop metrics for time-to-fill,turnover and other key recruiting statistics).Human Resources is working collaboratively with Payroll and other departments to review andstreamline the post-hire documentation process, utilizing technology to provide a more efficient andeffective methodology of getting new employees documented and entered into our variousinformation systems.48

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12North Island College Alignment with Ministry ObjectivesThe Ministry of Advanced Education has developed five strategic objectives as part of the AccountabilityFramework planning and reporting processes for British Columbia’s public post-secondary educationsystem:MinistryObjectiveCapacityAccessQualityRelevanceEfficiencyDescriptionThe public post-secondary system is of sufficient size to meet the needs of theprovince.All citizens have equitable and affordable access to public post-secondary education.The public post-secondary system is of sufficient quality to meet the needs of students,employers and citizens.The public post-secondary system is relevant and responsive to the needs of theprovince by providing the appropriate scope and breadth of post-secondary education.The public post-secondary system is able to deliver education programs to students ina timely and cost effective manner.Each Ministry system objective has associated performance measures that indicate whether strategicobjectives are being achieved. The table below illustrates how North Island College’s six strategicdirections, as described in the North Island College 2011 – 2015 Strategic Plan, align with the Ministry’sstrategic objectives and related performance measures. Although each NIC strategic direction can beviewed to align with one or more Ministry objective, only alignment with the primary Ministry objectiveis shown.Ministry Objective and Performance MeasuresCapacityNIC Strategic Direction Student spaces Credentials awardedAccess Students who are Aboriginal Aboriginal student spacesQuality Student satisfaction with education Student assessment of quality of instruction Student assessment of skill developmentRelevance Student assessment of the usefulness of knowledgeand skills in performing job Unemployment rateExpanding opportunities through regional andinternational partnershipSupporting student successIncreasing participation through active communitypartnershipEnhancing employee engagementDeveloping responsive curriculum and servicesPromoting awareness of the value of education49

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Performance Measure, Targets, and Results for 2011/12 13This section includes NIC’s 2011/12 performance targets and results for each applicable performancemeasure included in the Ministry’s Accountability Framework for public post-secondary institutions inBC.The Ministry assesses actual performance relative to target performance based on the following scale:Target Assessment CategoryExceededAchievedSubstantially AchievedNot Achieved% of Target Performance110% or more100% - 109.9%90% - 99.9%Less than 90%The performance results are not assessed if they are based on sample sizes less than 20 or if the marginof error is +/- 10% or more.Below is an overview of NIC’s performance assessment for each Ministry performance measure:Ministry Objective and Performance MeasuresCapacity Student spaceso Total student spaceso Nursing and other allied health programso Developmental Credentials awardedAccess Students who are Aboriginalo Numbero Percent Aboriginal student spaceso Ministry (AVED)o Industry Training Authority (ITA)Quality Student satisfaction with educationo Diploma, associate degree and certificate studentso Apprenticeship graduateso Baccalaureate graduates Student assessment of skill developmento Diploma, associate degree and certificate studentso Baccalaureate graduates Student assessment of quality of instructiono Diploma, associate degree and certificate studentso Apprenticeship graduateso Baccalaureate graduatesNIC Target Assessment►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►Not AchievedExceededAchievedSubstantially AchievedAchievedAchievedNot AssessedNot AssessedAchievedAchievedExceededSubstantially AchievedExceededAchievedAchievedExceeded13Please consult the 2011/12 Standards Manual for a current description of each measure. Seehttp://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/framework/docs/standards_manual.pdf.50

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Relevance Student assessment of the usefulness of knowledge and skills inperforming jobo Diploma, associate degree and certificate graduateso Apprenticeship graduateso Baccalaureate graduates Unemployment rateo Diploma, associate degree and certificate graduateso Apprenticeship graduateso Baccalaureate graduates►►►►►►Substantially AchievedExceededExceededAchievedAchievedExceeded51

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Ministry Strategic Objective: CapacityMinistry Performance Measure: Student Spaces 14NIC’s Achievement:2010/11ActualHistory & Current2011/12Target2011/12ActualStudent Spaces2012/13TargetFuture2013/14Target2014/15TargetTotal student spaces(85.3% of target)1,980 2,224 1,8982,188 2,188 TBDNursing and other allied health programs(140.9% of target)225 159 224159 159 TBDDevelopmental(100.2% of target)589 572 573572 572 TBD14 Results from the 2010/11 reporting year are based on data from the 2010/11 fiscal year; results from the 2011/12 reporting year are basedon data from the 2011/12 fiscal year.52

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Performance ContextNorth Island College achieved an 85% utilization rate of Ministry funded FTEs in 2011/12, maintaininghighs first seen in the 2009/10 enrolment year (i.e. 85% in 2009/10 and 87% in 2010/11) based on strongAcademic and Health program enrolments, and exceeding Health FTE targets, most notably in theHealth Care Assistant and Practical Nursing programs.To increase FTE utilization going forward the College has developed a new Education Plan for the 2012– 2015 period that is closely aligned with strategic directions, clearly establishing the educationalframework and priorities of our core business: providing education and training to the residents andcommunities of the North Island Region. The College has also been actively working toward optimizingenrolments at NIC via implementation of a comprehensive product audit that will guide new programdevelopment and marketing efforts going forward, while providing indicators for new, potentialpartnership and pathway opportunities for students. The College’s commitment to serving its localcommunities through the provision of a broad range of programming at four campuses increases thechallenge of optimizing FTE production. The significantly lower secondary school completion rate ofNorth Island residents in comparison to the provincial average, the part-time nature of our studentpopulation, the sheer size of our geographic region (80,000 square kilometres), as well as ourcommitment to providing responsive programming as close to home as possible for our regionalcommunities also serve to heighten the complexity of increasing FTE utilization rates.It is also noteworthy that North Island College annually produces a substantial number of FTEs notcountable toward Ministry targets. Specifically, in 2011/12 NIC produced 531FTEs in Trades, Technologyand Apprenticeship programs funded by the Industry Training Authority (ITA). An additional 76international FTEs and 64 domestic FTEs were also produced at NIC in 2011/12 using College facilitiesand resources, thus representing an educational commitment and financial investment for the College.Domestic InternationalNIC - International Education 76NIC - Vancouver Island University, Bachelor of Science in Nursing(fourth-year) 20NIC - Vancouver Island University, Bachelor of Liberal Studies 23NIC - Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts 17Applied Business Technology BCcampus FTEs (Teaching notRegistered) 4Total 64 7653

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Ministry Strategic Objective: CapacityMinistry Performance Measure: Credentials Awarded 15NIC’s Achievement:2010/11ActualHistory & Current2011/12Target2011/12ActualCredentialsAwarded(99.8% of Target)2012/13TargetFuture2013/14Target2014/15Target454 503 502 ≥ 505 TBD TBD15 Annual performance is measured using a rolling three-year average of the most recent fiscal years, e.g., the results for the 2011/12 reportingyear are a three-year average of the 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11 fiscal years. This is the first reporting cycle using the new credentials targetformula and a fiscal year basis.54

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Ministry Strategic Objective: AccessMinistry Performance Measure: Number and Percent of Students Who AreAboriginal 16NIC’s Achievement:2010/11ActualHistory & Current2011/12Target2011/12ActualStudents Who Are AboriginalNumber(106.4% of target)2012/13TargetFuture2013/14Target2014/15Target1,320≥previousyear1,404≥previousyearPercent(106.0% of target)13.4%≥previousyear14.2%≥previousyear16 Results from the 2010/11 reporting year are based on data from the 2009/10 academic year; results from the 2011/12 reporting year arebased on data from the 2010/11 academic year.55

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Ministry Strategic Objective: AccessMinistry Performance Measure: Aboriginal Student Spaces (Full-TimeEquivalents) 17NIC’s Achievement:2010/11ActualHistory & Current2011/12Target2011/12ActualAboriginal Student Spaces (FTEs)Ministry (AVED)2012/13TargetFuture2013/14Target2014/15Target330 N/A 400Not AssessedN/AIndustry Training Authority (ITA)76 N/A 90Not AssessedN/APerformance ContextAboriginal Student Spaces (FTEs) has been added as a descriptive measure for the 2011/12 reportingcycle and, therefore, targets are not assessed for this cycle. The 2011/12 results (actuals) are based ondata from the previous fiscal year (i.e. fiscal year 2010/11) to incorporate data matching with systemlevel data sources.17 Aboriginal student spaces (full-time equivalents) has been added in 2011/12 as a descriptive measure to incorporate data from the annualStudent Transitions Project data match. Results from the 2010/11 reporting year are based on data from the 2009/10 fiscal year; results fromthe 2011/12 reporting year are based on the 2010/11 fiscal year. Results are presented as total Aboriginal student spaces (AVED + ITA full-timeequivalents), Ministry (AVED), and Industry Training Authority (ITA).56

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Ministry Strategic Objective: QualityMinistry Performance Measure: Student Satisfaction with Education 18NIC’s Achievement:2010/11ActualHistory & Current2011/12Target2011/12ActualStudent Satisfactionwith EducationDiploma, assoc. degree andcertificate students(107.2% of target)2012/13TargetFuture2013/14Target2014/15Target93.3%+/- 1.5%≥ 90%95.1%+/- 1.4%≥ 90%Apprenticeshipgraduates(108.6% of target)88.6%+/- 5.0%≥ 90%95.1%+/- 2.7%≥ 90%Baccalaureategraduates(111.1% of target)100.0%+/- 0.0%≥ 90%100.0%+/- 0.0%≥ 90%18 Results from the 2010/11 reporting year are based on 2010 survey data; results from the 2011/12 reporting year are based on 2011 surveydata. For all survey results, if the result plus or minus the margin of error includes the target, the measure is assessed as achieved. In all cases,the survey result and the margin of error are used to determine the target assessment. Survey results are not assessed if the number ofrespondents is less than 20 or the confidence interval is 10% or greater.57

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Ministry Strategic Objective: QualityMinistry Performance Measure: Diploma, Assoc. Degree and CertificateStudents’ Assessment of Skill Development 19NIC’s Achievement:2010/11ActualHistory & Current2011/12Target2011/12ActualDiploma, Assoc. Degree and CertificateStudents’ Assessment ofSkill Development2012/13TargetFuture2013/14Target2014/15TargetSkill development(98.7% of Target)76.2%+/-2.8%≥ 85%81.1%+/-2.8%≥ 85%74.1%+/-3.5%N/A76.2%+/-3.5%Written communicationN/A66.7%+/-3.7%N/A74.3%+/-3.6%Oral communicationN/A76.9%+/-2.6%N/A85.2%+/-2.4%Group collaborationN/A82.6%+/-2.3%N/A84.8%+/-2.3%Critical analysisN/A73.4%+/-2.8%N/A80.9%+/-2.7%Problem resolutionN/A81.1%+/-2.4%N/A84.2%+/-2.4%Learn on your ownN/A78.9%+/-2.6%N/A82.2%+/-2.6%Reading and comprehensionN/A19 Results from the 2010/11 reporting year are based on 2010 survey data; results from the 2011/12 reporting year are based on 2011 surveydata. For all survey results, if the result plus or minus the margin of error includes the target, the measure is assessed as achieved. In all cases,the survey result and the margin of error are used to determine the target assessment. Survey results are not assessed if the number ofrespondents is less than 20 or the confidence interval is 10% or greater.58

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Ministry Strategic Objective: QualityMinistry Performance Measure: Baccalaureate Graduates’Assessment of Skill Development 20NIC’s Achievement:2010/11ActualHistory & Current2011/12Target2011/12ActualBaccalaureate Graduates’Assessment ofSkill DevelopmentSkill development(117.9% of target)2012/13TargetFuture2013/14Target2014/15Target90.4%+/-6.1%≥ 85%95.8%+/-4.4%≥ 85%81.0%+/-8.1%N/A95.8%+/-4.2%Written communicationN/A95.2%+/-4.4%N/A100.0%+/-0.0%Oral communicationN/A95.0%+/-5.0%N/A91.7%+/-5.9%Group collaborationN/A95.2%+/-4.4%N/A96.0%+/-3.8%Critical analysisN/A90.5%+/-6.0%N/A92.0%+/-5.3%Problem resolutionN/A85.7%+/-7.2%N/A100.0%+/-0.0%Learn on your ownN/A90.5%+/-6.0%N/A95.5%+/-5.1%Reading and comprehensionN/APerformance ContextStudents from North Island College’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, offered in collaborationwith Vancouver Island University, and Bachelor of Business Administration program were surveyed inthis cohort.20 Results from the 2010/11 reporting year are based on 2010 survey data; results from the 2011/12 reporting year are based on 2011 surveydata. For all survey results, if the result plus or minus the margin of error includes the target, the measure is assessed as achieved. In all cases,the survey result and the margin of error are used to determine the target assessment. Survey results are not assessed if the number ofrespondents is less than 20 or the confidence interval is 10% or greater.59

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Ministry Strategic Objective: QualityMinistry Performance Measure: Student Assessment of Quality ofInstruction 21NIC’s Achievement:2010/11ActualHistory & Current2011/12Target2011/12ActualStudent Assessment ofQuality of InstructionDiploma, assoc. degree andcertificate students(108.2% of target)2012/13TargetFuture2013/14Target2014/15Target94.7%+/- 1.3%≥ 90%96.2%+/- 1.2%≥ 90%Apprenticeshipgraduates(107.0% of target)94.3%3.7%≥ 90%93.1%+/- 3.2%≥ 90%Baccalaureategraduates(111.1% of target)100.0%+/- 0.0%≥ 90%100.0%+/- 0.0%≥ 90%21 Results from the 2010/11 reporting year are based on 2010 survey data; results from the 2011/12 reporting year are based on 2011 surveydata. For all survey results, if the result plus or minus the margin of error includes the target, the measure is assessed as achieved. In all cases,the survey result and the margin of error are used to determine the target assessment. Survey results are not assessed if the number ofrespondents is less than 20 or the confidence interval is 10% or greater.60

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Ministry Strategic Objective: RelevanceMinistry Performance Measure: Student Assessment of Usefulness ofKnowledge and Skills in Performing Job 22NIC’s Achievement:2010/11ActualHistory & Current2011/12Target2011/12ActualStudent Assessment of Usefulness ofKnowledge and Skillsin Performing JobDiploma, assoc. degree andcertificate graduates(97.6% of target)2012/13TargetFuture2013/14Target2014/15Target82.8%+/- 3.9%≥ 90%83.6%+/- 4.2%≥ 90%Apprenticeshipgraduates 23(110.3% of target)94.4%+/- 4.7%≥ 90%96.2%+/- 3.1%≥ 90%Baccalaureate graduates(111.1% of target)100%+/- 0.0%≥ 90%100%+/- 0.0%≥ 90%22 Results from the 2010/11 reporting year are based on 2010 survey data; results from the 2011/12 reporting year are based on 2011 surveydata. For all survey results, if the result plus or minus the margin of error includes the target, the measure is assessed as achieved. In all cases,the survey result and the margin of error are used to determine the target assessment. Survey results are not assessed if the number ofrespondents is less than 20 or the confidence interval is 10% or greater.23 The 2010/11 reporting cycle is the first time Apprenticeship (APPSO) survey results have been included.61

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Ministry Strategic Objective: RelevanceMinistry Performance Measure: Unemployment Rate 24,25NIC’s Achievement:2010/11ActualHistory & Current2011/12Target2011/12ActualUnemployment Rate2012/13TargetFuture2013/14Target2014/15Target10.1%+/- 2.8%≤ 14.5%11.8%+/- 3.3%Diploma, assoc. degree andcertificate graduatesAchieved16.9%+/- 6.4%≤ 14.5%19.4%+/- 5.2%ApprenticeshipgraduatesAchieved≤ Unemployment rate forindividuals with high schoolcredentials or less5.0%+/- 5.0%≤ 14.5% 0.0%BaccalaureategraduatesExceeded24 Results from the 2010/11 reporting year are based on 2010 survey data; results from the 2011/12 reporting year are based on 2011 surveydata. For all survey results, if the result plus or minus the margin of error includes the target, the measure is assessed as achieved. In all cases,the survey result and the margin of error are used to determine the target assessment. Survey results are not assessed if the number ofrespondents is less than 20 or the confidence interval is 10% or greater.25 Target is the unemployment rate for those aged 18 to 29 with high school credentials or less for the Vancouver Island/Coast region.62

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Financial InformationPlease see North Island College’s audited financial statements available atwww.aved.gov.bc.ca/gre/financial.htm for the most recent financial information.63

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Appendix A – Accountability Framework Performance Measure Results 26The following summarizes NIC’s 2011/12 Accountability Framework performance measure targets and results.Reporting YearPerformance Measure2010/11Actual2011/12Target2011/12Actual2011/12AssessmentStudent spaces 27Total student spaces 1,975 2,224 1,898 Not AchievedNursing and other allied healthprograms225 159 224 ExceededDevelopmental 589 572 573 AchievedCredentials awarded 28Number 454 503 502 Substantially AchievedAboriginal student headcount 29Number 1,3201,404 Achieved≥ previous yearPercent 13.4% 14.2% AchievedAboriginal student spaces 30Total Aboriginal student spaces 405490 Not AssessedMinistry (AVED) 330 N/A400 Not AssessedIndustry Training Authority (ITA) 76 90 Not AssessedStudent satisfaction with education 31 %+/‐ Margin+/‐ Margin%of Errorof ErrorDipl., assoc. degree and cert. graduates 93.3% 1.5%95.1% 1.4% AchievedApprenticeship graduates 88.6% 5.0% ≥ 90%95.1% 2.7% AchievedBaccalaureate graduates 100.0% 0.0% 100.0% 0.0% ExceededStudent assessment of quality ofinstruction 32 % +/‐ Margin % +/‐ Margin26Please consult the 2011/12 Standards Manual for a current description of each measure. See http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/framework/documents/standards_manual.pdf.27Results from the 2010/11 reporting year are based on data from the 2010/11 fiscal year; results from the 2011/12 reporting year are based on data from the 2011/12 fiscal year.28Annual performance is measured using a rolling three-year average of the most recent fiscal years, e.g., the results for the 2011/12 reporting year are a three-year average of the 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11fiscal years. This is the first reporting cycle using the new credentials target formula and a fiscal year basis.29Results from the 2010/11 reporting year are based on data from the 2009/10 academic year; results from the 2011/12 reporting year are based on data from the 2010/11 academic year.30Aboriginal student spaces (full-time equivalents) has been added in 2011/12 as a descriptive measure to incorporate data from the annual Student Transitions Project data match. Results from the 2010/11reporting year are based on data from the 2009/10 fiscal year; results from the 2011/12 reporting year are based on the 2010/11 fiscal year. Results are presented as total Aboriginal student spaces (AVED + ITAfull-time equivalents), Ministry (AVED), and Industry Training Authority (ITA).31Results from the 2010/11 reporting year are based on 2010 survey data; results from the 2011/12 reporting year are based on 2011 survey data. For all survey results, if the result plus or minus the margin oferror includes the target, the measure is assessed as achieved. In all cases, the survey result and the margin of error are used to determine the target assessment. Survey results are not assessed if the number ofrespondents is less than 20 or the confidence interval is 10% or greater.64

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Reporting YearPerformance Measure2010/11Actual2011/12Target2011/12Actual2011/12Assessmentof Errorof ErrorDipl., assoc. degree and cert. graduates 94.7% 1.3%96.2% 1.2% AchievedApprenticeship graduates 94.3% 3.7% ≥ 90%93.1% 3.2% AchievedBaccalaureate graduates 100.0% 0.0% 100.0% 0.0% ExceededDiploma, assoc. degree and certificategraduates’ assessment of+/‐ Margin+/‐ Marginskill development 33 % of Error % of ErrorSkill development (avg %) 76.2% 2.8%81.1% 2.8% Substantially AchievedWritten communication 74.1% 3.5% 76.2% 3.5%Oral communication 66.7% 3.7% 74.3% 3.6%Group collaboration 76.9% 2.6% 85.2% 2.4%≥ 85%Critical analysis 82.6% 2.3% 84.8% 2.3%Problem resolution 73.4% 2.8% 80.9% 2.7%Learn on your own 81.1% 2.4% 84.2% 2.4%Reading and comprehension 78.9% 2.6% 82.2% 2.6%Baccalaureate graduates’ assessmentof skill development 34 %+/‐ Marginof Error %+/‐ Marginof ErrorSkill development (avg %) 90.4% 6.1%95.8% 4.4% ExceededWritten communication 81.0% 8.1% 95.8% 4.2%Oral communication 95.2% 4.4% 100.0% 0.0%Group collaboration 95.0% 5.0% 91.7% 5.9%≥ 85%Critical analysis 95.2% 4.4% 96.0% 3.8%Problem resolution 90.5% 6.0% 92.0% 5.3%Learn on your own 85.7% 7.2% 100.0% 0.0%Reading and comprehension 90.5% 6.0% 95.5% 5.1%Student assessment of usefulness ofknowledge and skills in performingjob 35 %+/‐ Margin+/‐ Marginof Error % of ErrorDipl., assoc. degree and cert. graduates 82.8% 3.9% ≥ 90% 83.6% 4.2% Substantially Achieved32Ibid.33 Results from the 2010/11 reporting year are based on 2010 survey data; results from the 2011/12 reporting year are based on 2011 survey data. For all survey results, if the result plus or minus the margin oferror includes the target, the measure is assessed as achieved. In all cases, the survey result and the margin of error are used to determine the target assessment. Survey results are not assessed if the number ofrespondents is less than 20 or the confidence interval is 10% or greater.34 Ibid.35 Ibid.65

Institutional Accountability Plan and Report 2011/12Reporting YearPerformance Measure2010/11Actual2011/12Target2011/12Actual2011/12AssessmentApprenticeship graduates 94.4% 4.7% 96.2% 3.1% ExceededBaccalaureate graduates 100.0% 0.0% 100.0% 0.0% ExceededUnemployment rate 36, 37 %+/‐ Margin+/‐ Margin%of Errorof ErrorDipl., assoc. degree and cert. graduates 10.1% 2.8%11.8% 3.3% AchievedApprenticeship graduates 16.9% 6.4% ≤ 14.5%19.4% 5.2% AchievedBaccalaureate graduates 5.0% 5.0% 0.0% 0.0% Exceeded36Ibid.37 Target is the unemployment rate for those aged 18 to 29 with high school credentials or less for the Vancouver Island/Coast region.66