RVCC 2019 NECHE Self-Study

Committees for each Initiative met throughout the Spring of 2017 to develop objectives
and the measurements they would use to evaluate progress towards completion of each
objective. Due to leadership changes in Fall of 2017, work on the strategic plan slowed.
This was a necessary step due to the search for a full-time President. Under President
Williams, the 2018-2021 Strategic Plan was completed and approved by the college
community in late Fall 2018.
In the recent past due to instability in the offices of President and BAO, RVCC engaged in a
period of reactionary spending instead of proactive planning for budgetary needs. This
spending resulted in a deficit, and a workforce reduction in Spring of 2017. Under the
current administration, focus and organization of college finances has shifted significantly
to a strategic spending policy resulting in a balanced budget at RVCC. The BAO is
transparent in how budgets are created, the many factors that need to be considered in
budgeting, and most importantly, now involves each Department Chair, Division Director,
and Program Director in developing their own budgets. The budget process has been
clarified for the college community and is much more focused on creating a balanced
budget with regular evaluation of income and expenses, resulting in the College once again
operating in the black. This updated process of financial planning and evaluation is
explained in detail in Standard Seven.
An additional challenge in planning has been the expansion of the College through the
Academic Center in Lebanon. Previously, when the College consisted of the Claremont
campus and the Keene Academic Center, the roles of each location were clear. The
College has struggled to find an identity for the LAC, however. Original plans for the LAC
indicated that it would be the center for Business and Technology. After completion it was
discussed that the LAC would house some Allied Health programs. These plans were
discussed at the administrative level and did not include conversations with Program
Directors. When Program Directors were included in these conversations it was clear that
due to the lack of lab space at the LAC, national accreditation requirements, and
enrollment trends, it was not going to be feasible to duplicate these programs at the LAC.
President Williams’ administration has continued these open conversations to appropriately
plan and clarify the roles of the Academic Centers within the College as a whole. These
plans have included the expansion of non-credit offerings and eliminating duplication of
classes at the LAC that are offered in Claremont. The VPAA along with Department Chairs
and Program Coordinators have focused on classes that meet the needs of the Lebanon
area, and together they are working on identifying a major that is exclusive to the LAC.
The mathematics co-requisite project provides evidence of planning at the academic level;
outcomes of which are explained in greater detail in Standard Five. While this is only one
example of academic planning, it is one of the projects the College is proudest of and has
that impacted students at all levels. In 2016, the Chancellor of CCSNH signed on to
Complete College America, a non-profit organization that works with states to improve
access to quality career certificates and degrees. In March of 2016, the RVCC Math
Department Chair attended the National Academy for Scaling Co-Requisite Remediation in
Atlanta, GA with a team from CCSNH. There, the team heard about co-requisite projects
from colleges across the nation and began developing a system-wide co-requisite plan.
That plan was adapted at each of the CCSNH colleges independently.
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