1. B.3 – The mission document or documents identify the nature, scope, and intended constituents of the higher education programs and services the institution provides.
The intended constituents of the higher education programs are taken primarily from the community. Internships in business and education curricula, as well as clinical experiences required as part of the nursing program, further define a life of learning as a key value at Miller College. Within the last year, internships within the Battle Creek community led to permanent employment for two Miller College students. Work Study programs, especially when working on campus; provide students with opportunities for continued learning. Examples of this can be seen through the assistance provided to faculty in the organization of research materials and other administrative functions, as well as through the interaction with staff and other students in customer service roles.
The Children’s Literature Project is a premier example of demonstrating a life of learning. Approximately 1,300 elementary students from Calhoun and Eaton Counties participate annually in a project by submitting stories and/or illustrations to create a “book.” A juried panel selects first through third place winners and all students and their families are invited to an awards dinner. This was the third year for the project. For the second time, a Children’s Theatre Project was included (See Children’s Literature Project Article (182 KB, PDF)).
Past and retired administrators continue to support and value a life of learning. The first President of The Robert B. Miller College, Arthur Angood, and his wife Judy, recently gave a monetary gift to the College for staff development, and is evidence of founding administrative beliefs continuing into current practice.
In addition to the actions of the board and administration, faculty and staff also demonstrate they value a life of learning. Staff members are strongly encouraged to continue with their education. This is fully funded if the courses are taken at Kellogg Community College or Miller College. Tuition is partially funded for those employees who are pursuing advanced degrees that are not offered at Miller College. Miller College formed a partnership with Davenport University to offer a master’s degree in business, and several Miller College employees/alumni are currently enrolled in this program. One staff member is currently taking Miller College classes with the goal of baccalaureate degree completion. Four other staff members are pursuing masters and doctoral degrees.
As referred to in the description of the board’s hiring preferences, faculty and staff value a life of learning as evidenced from multiple perspectives, the first of which is through the lives they have lived and model in the classroom.
Real life connections are established through conversation between students and faculty. Faculty-generated forums promote and value a life of learning, one example of which is The Trillium Society, a service hour group that promotes and makes available service learning opportunities. Many members of The Trillium Society offer peer reviewing of student papers before the papers are submitted in response to an assignment (See Trillium Society Brochure, College Website). Faculty initiatives created the Japan-American Society of Southwest Michigan Book Club. Faculty develop curriculum from a practitioner approach, helping students develop the practical, applicable, critical thinking and analytical skills necessary for professional success. They are also partially responsible for student advising; recruitment and retention, and participation in assessment and accreditation in support of the mission of Miller College.
Faculty serve on the following committees (See College Policy Manual, Committee Assignment (176 KB, PDF)):
Role: Meets once per month to communicate and coordinate matters pertaining to the operation of the academic programs and support services of the College.
Chair: Elected according to the by-laws
Membership: All faculty and staff who teach, Vice President and a representative from Student Services.
Role: Is convened by the Vice President to provide a sounding board and arena for discussion for ideas generated to be considered in terms of their impact on each school and on the institution as a whole, so numerous details can be worked out before presentation to other committees or the President’s Council.
Chair: Vice President
Membership: Deans of each school and the Vice President.
Role: The purpose is to make a recommendation regarding an appeal instituted by a student charged with academic dishonesty, providing rationale for the decision, and if a penalty is recommended, indicating the penalty and rationale for the penalty.
Chair: Vice President
Membership: Three voting members consisting of one faculty member from a school other than that of the course involved, one student (not in the class involved), and the Vice President.
Role: A subcommittee of the Academic Affairs Committee that meets as needed to consider recommended changes in the grading system and other academic policies.
Chair: Vice President
Membership: Dean of Student Services and two appointees of the Academic Affairs Committee.
Role: A subcommittee of the Academic Affairs Committee that meets regularly to coordinate continuing professional development and appreciation for adjunct faculty; to coordinate workshops, mentoring and resources; and to make recommendations to Academic Affairs Committee and President’s Council concerning methods of adjunct faculty management.
Chair: Rotating – appropriate co-chair selection by membership
Membership: School deans, one full-time faculty, one student services representative, two adjunct faculty, and one support staff person.
Role: A standing committee that meets regularly whose purpose shall be to oversee, evaluate and make recommendations to the Academic Affairs Committee related to the College’s instructional outcomes assessment activities.
Chair: Assessment Coordinator
Membership: Vice President, Dean of Student Services, Registrar, school deans, and three faculty members.
Role: Designed to foster a broad range of discussion and communication among all employees of Miller College, the College Forum will meet monthly for discussion, opportunity for input, and information sharing on institution-wide issues.
Chair: President of the College
Membership: Open to all employees of the College.
Role: A subcommittee of the President’s Council that meets annually to plan, organize, and direct the commencement activities.
Chair: President of the College
Membership: Director of Administrative Services, Registrar/Certification Officer, Director of Institutional Advancement, and the Vice President.
Role: A standing committee that meets periodically to plan and promote methods that improve the College’s retention of students, and also to assess recruitment materials, techniques, and schedules.
Chair: Director of Enrollment Management and one faculty member
Membership: Dean of Student Services, Director of Institutional Advancement, one school dean, one support staff, and one faculty member from each academic area, and a student representative, if available.
Role: Standing committees to survey needs, identify resource persons, and plan professional development opportunities for faculty.
Chairs: Vice President and Dean of Student Services
Membership: Vice President, Dean of Student Services, school deans, and one faculty member from each school of the College.
Role: A standing committee of the Student Services Council that meets periodically to review appeals from students on suspension from financial aid, or to revise financial aid policies.
Chair: Dean of Student Services and Financial Aid
Membership: Executive Director of Finance, Dean of Student Services, Director of Enrollment Management, Registrar, and a faculty member.
Role: This committee is appointed and convened as needed by the Vice President to hear grade appeals that have not been resolved by the student conferring with the instructor or school dean.
Chair: Vice President
Membership: Three voting members consisting of one faculty member from a school other than that of the course involved, one student (not in the class involved), and the Vice President.
Role: An ad hoc committee that meets as needed to review all proposed research to be conducted by students, faculty, or staff affiliated with Miller College prior to the initiation of the research. Its goal is to ensure that researchers protect the rights, welfare, and privacy of human subjects who participate in research.
Chair: Rotating, with selection by membership
Membership: One full-time faculty member, one student services representative, one adjunct or percentage-time faculty member, and one academic dean.
Role: An ad hoc group that is formed to provide a due process hearing in the event of a student grievance.
Chair: Dean of Student Services or Vice President as assigned by President
Membership: One administrator, two faculty members, and three currently-enrolled, full-time students selected by the President of the College as the need arises. Nominees must not be personally involved in the case.
Role: Meets at least monthly to communicate and coordinate matters pertaining to relationships with external agencies, internal organizations, funding proposals and budgetary matters, physical plant, and long-range development; and to establish guidelines for implementation of policies formulated by the Board of Trustees.
Chair: President of the College
Membership: President, Director of Administrative Services, Director of Institutional Advancement, Dean of Student Services, Vice President, Executive Director of Finance, and school deans.
Role: Standing committees of persons in a program area who regularly review and advise changes in curriculums, content, instruction and equipment.
Chair: Appropriate school dean or designee
Membership: Appropriate chairperson or coordinator, teaching faculty in the program, employers and employees.
Role: A standing committee that meets periodically to assess College publications and their image, impact, and cost.
Chair: Appointed by the President
Membership: Director of Institutional Advancement, Dean of Student Services, Director of Enrollment Management, one faculty member, Vice President, and a student representative.
Role: A subcommittee of the Student Services Council that meets periodically each term to review written appeals for tuition refunds from students who made a course drop after the refund deadline. Membership rotates annually.
Chair: Dean of Student Services
Membership: Dean of Student Services, Registrar, Executive Director of Finance.
Role: The Student Association of Miller College serves as a forum for discussion and recommendation on matters pertaining to student life at Miller College. This critical board serves as an advisory committee to the V.P. of Student Services and the College on student concerns, student activities and issues, college policies and support services. Student Association meetings are held monthly at announced times.
Chair: President of the Association elected by members annually
Membership: All current students. Staff advisors include representative from Student Services, and one faculty member.
Role: Meets once per month to communicate and coordinate matters pertaining to the operation of the Student Services Division.
Chair: Dean of Student Services
Membership: All Student Services staff members.
Role: To coordinate the identified technology needs of Miller College with Kellogg Community College, whose Information Services (IS) staff provides our technology support under our contract with them.
Chair: KCC Director of IS
Membership: Director of Financial Aid, Registrar, Director of Enrollment Management, and Executive Director of Finance from Miller College. IS staff member(s), Financial Aid Director, Student Services staff representative, Director of Enrollment Services/Management, and Business Services staff representative from Kellogg Community College.
Role: Assist students and alumni with career placement and counseling.
Chair: President of the College
Membership: President, Director of Institutional Advancement, Director of Enrollment Management, Dean of Student Services, appointed faculty and staff.
Role: To act as a professional development and research-based collaborative organization, as well as a mentorship program for students transitioning into the Binda School of Education.
Chair: President, who must be a student of Robert B. Miller College and admitted to the Binda School of Education. The President is elected by the membership for a one-year term.
Membership: All students of Robert B. Miller College who have been accepted into the Binda School of Education may participate as Full Members. Miller College and Kellogg Community College students who have applied for admission to the Binda School of Education may participate as Partial Members. Alumni of the Binda School of Education may participate as Alumni.
Role: The role and mission of The Robert B. Miller Literary Society is to support, discuss, encourage, and promote the creation and analysis of a variety of literary forms. Its goals include providing a forum in which to discuss various individual compositions, and to provide inspiration and analytical feedback in a welcoming environment in which to honor the writer’s voice.
Chair: The President is elected from members of the Literary Society.
Membership: All current students.
Role: Faculty Advisor and Mentor
Chair/President: An Elected Student
Membership: Approximately 7 members (current and past students of the School of Nursing)
Role: The Chapter seeks to provide personal and professional growth to its members through programs and activities designed to foster leadership and management skills development. Members will have access to a peer network for the exchange of information and ideas and will focus on the critical areas of teambuilding and facilitating decision-making.
Chair: The President is elected from members
Membership: Any Miller College student, alumni, faculty, staff, or community members seeking to improve his/her leadership or management skills shall be eligible for full membership in the Chapter. All members shall be members of NMA… THE Leadership Development Organization with which this chapter is affiliated, and to whose objectives and Code of Ethics this organization subscribes.
Staff regularly participates in service learning activities and professional development projects in support of the mission of the College. In order to report the most accurate information, the student member of the Criterion Three Committee designed a questionnaire to collect current information for this part of the report. The Questionnaire received input from the committee and then was sent to the Miller College Human Subjects Institutional Review Board where it was approved on April 20, 2011. It was sent to the faculty and staff on April 25, 2011. The parts of this process further evidence that the College values a life of learning (See IRB April 25, 2011 Survey).
Evidence:
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