Partnerships
Partnerships
Section 10
Developing partnerships with organizations that have overlapping interests can maximize the impact and success of two-year college programs. These partnerships can be strengthened by establishing a collaboration in curriculum development, faculty and institutional support, and in recruiting and placing students. These partnerships are especially important for chemistry based technology programs as they provide information regarding the skill set desired by employers, resources to develop the necessary program infrastructure, career opportunities for graduates, and student candidates for the program. Given that partnership personnel are subject to change, continuity of the partnership may be enhanced by having multiple contacts.
Essential Components
- Clear responsibilities and regular communications to help leverage resources and expertise have been established.
- The program responds to the changes occurring in education and the workforce.
Successful Practices
The program
- Provides partners with more than one point of contact at the department or division level.
- Maintains a current list of partner contacts for continuity in those relationships.
Aspirational Goals
- Curriculum content is augmented with input from program partners in industry.
- Program partners offer internships, social-networking, and mentoring opportunities to students to enrich the educational experiences and career opportunities of students.
Advisory boards
Section 10.1
Enriching the chemistry program, its curriculum, and opportunities for students are the primary goals of the advisory board.
Essential Components
- Representatives from local or national employers, transfer institutions, other local colleges and universities, professional or community organizations, or campus units are included in the advisory board.
- The board includes representatives with diverse backgrounds and from underrepresented groups, especially those groups that mirror the student population of the 2YC.
- Chemistry-based technology programs have an advisory board whose members have a vested interest in the program.
Successful Practices
The advisory board
- Participates in the assessment of classrooms, laboratories, storage areas, and other facilities.
- Ensures that the program and its curriculum keep pace with the changing needs of the partners, potential employers, and/or transfer programs.
- Reviews the program to ensure it is flexible enough to support a variety of employer or transfer program needs.
- Ensures students have transferable skills that can support a variety of career trajectories.
Aspirational Goals
- Advisory board provides employer-based mentorships, as appropriate.
Campus Units
Section 10.2
The quality and success of chemistry programs is dependent upon interactions with a variety of other academic and administrative units across campus.
Higher Education institutions
Section 10.3
Partnerships with other two-year and post-secondary programs foster student transfer, increase student retention, and enhance program offerings. Successful student transfer requires candid and ongoing conversations between faculties at two-year colleges and receiving institutions, especially when curricular changes are being made.
Essential Components
The program
- Engages in curricular alignment of content, both within the department and with other institutions.
- Chooses to match the first two years of an ACS-approved program in chemistry.
- Is familiar with the current ACS guidelines for bachelor’s degree programs.
- Uses the articulation agreement specifications in advising students planning to transfer.
Successful Practices
Relationships with other institutions of higher-ed include
- Faculty projects and group meetings.
- Articulation conferences and workshops for faculty.
- Undergraduate research opportunities that aren’t available at the 2YC.
The institutions involved
- Have a mechanism for coordinating and communicating to students, faculty, counselors, and advisers the terms of articulation agreements.
- Have agreements that specifically describe the courses and learning outcomes necessary for transfer.
Aspirational Goals
The program
- Provides opportunities for the exchange of ideas in delivering effective instruction.
- Leverages resources for enhancing and expanding offerings.
- Establishes cooperative agreements with others in the same geographical location, gaining access to libraries, laboratory facilities, and instrumentation on other campuses.
- Improves occupational courses via partnerships.
- Provides participation in research by faculty and students, as applicable.
K–12 institutions
Section 10.4
Partnerships with high schools can be a valuable mechanism for identifying and recruiting talented students early in the college-planning process.
Essential Components
- The arrangements between the institution and secondary schools offering courses resulting in college credit are regularly reviewed by the program and institution.
- Chemistry faculty members assess the secondary school curriculum to ensure consistent learning outcomes in courses taken for college credit.
Successful Practices
- Curricular alignment is developed that manages the expectations of and provides enrichment to both high school and college education.
- Early admission, dual enrollment, and even advanced standing for certain high school courses is established.
- The institution recruits students and increases the enrollment of first-generation and other students who are not otherwise likely to matriculate directly into college.
Aspirational Goals
- Information about careers in teaching chemistry is available to students.
- The institution participates in or hosts “science day” events and provides chemistry students an opportunity to volunteer.
Employers
Section 10.5
Since the needs of employers can vary greatly by region and industry, partnering with employers is critical for chemistry-based technology programs. By partnering with two-year college programs, employers can gain access to a more qualified workforce, assistance with the professional development of incumbent employees, and potential tax benefits.
Essential Components
- The institution fosters the development of cooperative agreements with industrial and government laboratories that provide access to libraries, laboratory facilities, and sophisticated instrumentation, while enhancing the curricular offerings and research opportunities of two-year programs.
Successful Practices
Employers
- Identify and continuously update skills they require.
- Provide employment trends and projections
- Ensure that curricula, course content, and programs meet their needs.
- Provide professional development to both faculty and students in the form of research positions, internships, and other experiential opportunities.
Aspirational Goals
Employers
- Provide valuable mentorships, guest speakers, laboratory tours, and other experiences that support students’ career development, particularly in chemistry-based technology programs.
- Provide funding, equipment, or part-time instructors for specialty courses.
- Assist with student recruitment, through both participation in career fairs and enrollment of current employees interested in expanding their skills.
Non-Academic institutions
Section 10.6
The ACS is a valuable partner to any 2-year college chemistry related program. Other nonacademic institutions such as laboratories, museums, and workforce development agencies, can also assist with student career development.
Essential Components
- The program fosters relationships with disciplinary societies like ACS to enhance the experiences and career development of students.
Successful Practices
- The institution disseminates information regarding student career opportunities at nonacademic institutions.
- The program maintains a current list of local institutions for reference by faculty and students.
Aspirational Goals
The program
- Organizes field trips for students to nonacademic institutions.
- Invites speakers from nonacademic institutions to deliver seminars.
