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Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development

07:55:00 Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development

1. Introduction - Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development

   1. This booklet is intended as an informational and operational guide for the faculty and staff who develop and promote educational programs through the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development at Chattanooga State Community College. It is also intended as a policy and procedures manual for conducting noncredit continuing education programs once the programs are initiated.

2. Mission

   1. The Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development operates as the administrative unit within Chattanooga State Community College that is charged by the President with campus-wide responsibility for promoting, managing, and servicing nonprofit continuing education programs. Its purpose is to extend the educational resources of the College to clientele whose learning is usually built upon the knowledge and competence they have already acquired through a variety of means. As a delivery system, continuing education can improve access for adult learners and extend faculty and staff resources to a broader segment of the population.
   2. Its commitment to the development of the whole person is predicated on the concept that continuing education is a process of continuous learning, such as lifelong learning and organized instruction. The Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development encourages individuals to take advantage of the opportunity for intellectual stimulation, personal growth, technological skill development, and professional development.
   3. Programs are developed according to the educational needs of the businesses, industries, government agencies, professional groups, and individuals served. These programs, that range from technology updating to skills development to personal enrichment, may take the form of noncredit short-term courses, conferences, workshops, seminars, teleconferences, and in-house training courses.
   4. The staff of the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development includes the Director of Operations, Director of Programming, Director of Continuing Education, and other professional and support staff.
   5. The professional staff has expertise in planning, developing, coordinating, and managing continuing education and professional development programs. The staff meets on a frequent basis with representatives of business, industry, and professional groups to ascertain educational and training needs and to identify resource persons. The staff of the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development also meets with Chattanooga State Community College faculty and staff who can provide assistance in determining how those needs can be met and in identifying resource persons.
   6. This guide details the planning and operating procedures required for carrying a continuing education program through to its successful completion. This guide only outlines the typical situation; variations from these procedures should be by mutual consent.

3. Program Development

   1. Ideas for programs that meet the continuing education needs of adults in the Chattanooga State service area originate from several sources. A major source of ideas for programs is faculty who are aware of current issues and knowledgeable of subject content. Faculty and staff are encouraged to work with the departmental staff in developing continuing education programs and maintaining program quality. Representatives of businesses, industries, and professional organizations, and citizens within the community, are also important resources for identifying the educational needs of specific groups. The involvement of representatives of potential clientele in identifying educational needs is one of the most productive methods of procuring general ideas for successful continuing education programs.
   2. The individual or group who recognizes the educational need or identifies a specific clientele group should contact the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development and submit a written description or proposal (see the Continuing Education Course Proposal/ Approval form in the appendix). Continuing education staff members will review each course proposal according to the guidelines stated in the Program Feasibility section of this manual.

4. Program Feasibility

   1. The Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development understands that the noncredit continuing education programs that are being planned will have to compete with other modes of training and programs offered by other institutions and organizations.
   2. Because noncredit continuing education programs or activities are generally based on user demand, consideration should be given to the following criteria to determine whether the program being considered is needed and should be offered.
      1. Is there a need? Is there an issue, a problem area, or a new technology in a specialty area that needs addressing?
      2. Is there a felt need? Is the need recognized by the potential audience? Programs focusing on current issues, recognized problems, and technology that is immediately applicable will result in enhanced attendance and participation.
      3. Are the proposed discussion topics sufficiently descriptive to allow the potential participant to relate the program to his or her need?
      4. Is the need currently being met by other sources? If so, when, where, how often, and at what cost? Is the proposed program competitive?
      5. Will the potential audience recognize the program and resource persons as superior to others in the field? (Note: Program announcements will emphasize the competence of the resource person.)
      6. What teaching methods are planned? Will a variety of methods such as brief lectures with small discussions, films, case studies, simulations, and role playing be used?
      7. Can the potential audience be identified sufficiently to inform them about the program? What means of communication are available? Which means of communication should be employed?

5. Program Initiation

   1. After analysis of the need for the proposed program, and once the educational needs and target audience are recognized, the assigned staff member will work with the individual or group in planning and managing the program to assure that the program criteria (learning outcomes, instructional method, subject matter content, program operation, requirements for satisfactory completion, assessment of learning outcomes, and program evaluation) are met. The staff member assigned to review the proposal will provide the following services.
      1. Planning and development of the program and format with appropriate faculty or outside resources.
      2. Identification of resource persons, instructors, and/or speakers, and negotiation of contracts and/or agreements with same, including notification of the Instructor Guideline provisions.
      3. Program initiation and /or program operation phases which include the development of intended learning outcomes, selection of content and instructional methods, establishment of criteria for satisfactory completion, assessment, and evaluation.
      4. Contract negotiation for services provided and fees assessed when the program is provided for a specific group, company, or organization.
      5. Space negotiation and confirmation.
      6. Development of strategies for promoting the program.
      7. Development of promotional materials.
      8. Establishment of budget and financial management of program.
      9. Identification and preparation of mailing lists, if applicable.
      10. Arrangements for printing of educational materials.
      11. Program arrangements.
      12. Registration of participants.
      13. Evaluation and certification of program and participants for CEUs as appropriate.
      14. Follow-up of program as appropriate.

6. Learning outcomes, instructional methods, and subject matter content

   1. Clear and concise written statements of intended learning outcomes must be developed for each continuing education activity. These learning outcomes will specify the determined skills, knowledge, and/or attitudes that the learner should be able to demonstrate upon completion of the continuing education experience. Both the instructor and the learner must have a clear understanding of the intended outcomes and how these outcomes are to be achieved. Consequently, requirements for satisfactory completion of the noncredit continuing education program are mutually established prior to the offering of the program.
   2. Instructional methods should permit opportunities for interactive participation and feedback. The selected instructional methods must be supported by relevant subject matter content. Subject matter content should be sequenced in a logical manner to facilitate learning.
   3. The assigned staff member is responsible for the following.

7. Program Operation

   1. To ensure the consistency of the purpose and design of each continuing education program or activity, the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development is responsible for the following.

8. Requirements for Satisfactory Completion

   1. Both the instructor and the learner must have a clear understanding of the intended outcomes of the course and how these outcomes are to be achieved. Consequently, requirements for satisfactory completion of the noncredit continuing education program are mutually established prior to the offering of the program using the following guidelines.

d. The program leader, instructor, and/or resource person is primarily responsible for:

9. Assessment of learning outcomes

   1. When a formal assessment of learning outcomes is a part of a program or activity, guidelines for satisfactory completion should be followed. In addition, the purpose or nature of the assessment procedure and the requirements for satisfactory completion must be made known to the participant by the program leader, instructor, and/or resource person in advance. Assessment can take a variety of forms including performance demonstrations, written or oral examinations, completion of a project, written reports, self-assessment, and/or standardized examinations.

10. Program evaluation

    1. The assessment procedures established during the program initiation stage are used to measure the achievement of intended learning outcomes as they relate to changes in the learner’s knowledge, skills, or attitudes. However, users identify the success or failure of instruction on outcome measures such as the immediate value of the information and/or material received, or the extent to which users are able to do their job differently or more efficiently as a result of the educational experience. The processes established to evaluate major aspects of the continuing education experience are as follows.

11. The Continuing Education Unit (CEU)

    1. The Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is awarded to participants in organized continuing education programs that meet the established criteria and guidelines set forth by International Association for Continuing Education and Training (originally the Council on the Continuing Education Unit) and adopted by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in the publication The Continuing Education Unit Criteria and Guidelines (1994).
    2. The International Association for Continuing Education and Training defines the CEU as “ten contact hours of participation in an organized continuing education experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction.” That definition is nationally recognized and has been incorporated in the accreditation standards of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as stated on page 9 of the SACS publication The Continuing Education Unit Criteria and Guidelines (1994).
    3. As a nationally recognized unit for measuring participation in noncredit continuing education programs, the paramount value of the CEU is to the individual who needs or desires to document involvement in continuing education programs that meet nationally agreed upon criteria aimed at improved program quality. It is also a convenient unit of measurement for collecting, storing, analyzing, and presenting institutional and/or national data concerning continuing education activity.
    4. Chattanooga State Community College guidelines generally follow the guidelines enumerated by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in its publication The Continuing Education Unit Criteria and Guidelines (1994).
       1. Categories of CEU activity
       2. The Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development follows the CEU criteria and guidelines of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools that state, “Continuing education units may be used within an institution in at least three ways.

5. Administrative responsibilities
   1. The Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development has the authority and responsibility for establishing and implementing review procedures to ensure that continuing education programs or activities that offer continuing education units meet the criteria set forth by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development meets the following administrative and program criteria.
6. Administrative criteria
   1. The administrative criteria for establishing and implementing review procedures to ensure that continuing education programs or activities that offer continuing education units meet the criteria of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools are as follows.

7. Program criteria - The program criteria for establishing and implementing review procedures to ensure that continuing education programs or activities that offer continuing education units meet the criteria of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools are as follows.

5. Awarding of the CEU
   1. continuing education program must meet all the preceding administrative and program criteria before the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development makes the determination to award CEUs. The following statements assist in interpreting the criteria to determine if a program should have provisions for awarding CEUs to individuals.

6. Once the decision to award CEUs is made for a continuing education program, it is the responsibility of the instructor to assess whether an individual participant has or has not met the specified requirements for satisfactory completion according to the stated learning outcomes. When the final program roster is submitted by the instructor, it is the responsibility of the Director of Operations, the Director of Programming, or the Director of Continuing Education to verify that an individual participant has met the requirements for satisfactory completion so that the appropriate number of CEUs is awarded.
7. The number of contact hours and appropriate CEUs to be awarded are determined prior to conducting the continuing education program. A scale of 1 unit equals 10 contact hours of instruction is used and only the number of complete instructional hours is considered when determining the number of CEUs to be awarded. Continuing education activities that involve less than 10 contact hours of instruction (less than 1.0 CEU) are evaluated carefully in terms of the CEU program criteria before deciding to award fractional CEUs.
8. The conditions for satisfactory completion include proper registration and payment of fees prior to the continuing education program starting date, meeting minimum attendance requirements, and achieving a satisfactory rating from the instructor based on the following:

9. The reporting of CEU activities is subject to an annual audit to assure that there is uniform reporting and that policy procedures are being followed by the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development. For uniform collection and reporting of CEU activity, the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development uses the reporting capabilities and tools available in Peopleware software. Revenue reports are prepared monthly and are available for review by the Director of Operations, the Director of Programming, the Director of Continuing Education, and the Vice President of Economic Development.
10. Continuing education and CEU activities
    1. It is essential that continuing education activities offered through the College award CEUs in a manner that is consistent with The Continuing Education Unit Criteria and Guidelines (1994).
    2. Therefore, any Chattanooga State Community College division, office, or organization which plans to offer seminars, workshops, or other activities for which continuing education units are to be offered must coordinate their plans with the Director of Operations, the Director of Programming, and/or the Director of Continuing Education. The coordination of workshops or seminars and the review of course syllabi and learning objectives by the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development must occur prior to any public announcement of the activity. Individuals who propose activities for which CEUs will be awarded should contact the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development for a copy of the policy on awarding CEUs.
11. Maintenance and availability of records
12. For uniform collection and reporting of CEU activity, the database used by the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development contains the following participant information.

13. Transcripts are produced by using the participant’s social security number as the access key into the database to extract the participant’s cumulative record. Transcripts are produced on Chattanooga State Community College’s letterhead which contains the name and address of the institution. Transcripts are available by writing the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development and/or completing a transcript request form.
14. Information on an individual’s failure to qualify for the CEU is maintained only in the college’s program files and is not maintained on individual CEU records. Continuing education records are housed in a permanent storage facility. Records are dated so that no records will be destroyed inadvertently before expiration of the seven year retention period.

L. Other Noncredit Continuing Education Activities

1. Chattanooga State Community Technical College provides formal noncredit programs that do not offer academic credit or CEUs. These programs meet the needs of many constituent groups.
2. Annual reporting may be required of the College on noncredit education activities that do not award CEUs. This provides a record of the College’s total educational activity. A file of descriptive program materials is maintained for each such activity.

M. Continuing Education Policies

1. Continuing education policies include policies for course fees, registration, course confirmation, course cancellation, refunds, fee payment, use of personal checks, retention and release of records, payment for instruction, revenue reporting, and the procedure to obtain continuing education units (CEUs) for programs not offered by Chattanooga State Community College.
2. Course fee policies - Course fee policies address fees for faculty, staff, and senior citizens, and exceptions to standard fees.
   1. Continuing education course fee policy for faculty and staff
   2. Faculty and staff will pay the standard continuing education fee for classes.

3. Continuing education course fee policy for senior citizens

   1. No discounts are available for senior citizens unless otherwise specified in the Continuing Education catalog. Courses specifically designed for seniors and priced at reduced rate are offered each semester in the Continuing Education catalog.

4. Continuing education course fee policy - exceptions to standard fees

   1. Additional discounts on fees for continuing education classes may be granted with approval of the person coordinating the class and the Director of Operations. These discounts may include, but are not limited to, attending with a friend (AWF) and multiple registrations by individuals or companies for a specific course. All discounts will be considered on a case by case basis, ensuring that all costs of the course incurred by the Continuing Education department are recovered and minimum revenue requirements are met.

5. Registration for noncredit continuing education courses

   1. Registration is strictly on a first-come, first-served basis. Early registration is encouraged as classes may fill up or be canceled due to lack of enrollment. Registration for continuing education courses is accepted by telephone, mail, fax, e-mail, or in person. Payment is due at the time of registration. Accepted forms of payment include cash, check, VISA, MasterCard, Discover, or a company purchase order number. Fees for company-sponsored individuals may be considered paid when an authorization to bill the sponsoring company has been received by the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development.
   2. A registration form (see appendix) is completed on each program participant. The social security number is used as a unique identifier in the continuing education database for uniform collection and reporting of CEU activity. A continuing education transcript is not available unless this unique identifier is provided. Every effort is made to obtain each participant’s social security number; however, participants who refuse to provide their social security number are not denied access to the continuing education activity. The registration fee for each noncredit continuing education course is indicated in the course schedule. Course fees must be paid in full to reserve a space in the course. Late registration will be accepted after the first class session if space is available. If a class is closed, participants may request that their name be placed on a waiting list; should a space become available, the participant will be notified.

6. Course confirmation

   1. Participants who have registered and paid fees are considered enrolled in a course. Confirmation of class registration will be sent if registration is received in a timely manner, allowing for the processing time. Telephone calls are routinely made to inform registrants of course details or changes in the course.

7. Cancellations

   1. Each noncredit continuing education course requires a minimum enrollment. The Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development reserves the right to cancel, postpone, limit enrollment, split or combine classes, and change instructors and class locations when necessary. The Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause individuals. In the event that the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development cancels, postpones, splits or combines classes, or changes the instructor or class location, an effort will be made to notify each student registered for the course, provided a work and/or home telephone number is given at the time of registration. A participant has the option of applying course tuition to another course or receiving a complete refund for the course.

8. Refunds

   1. Failure to attend class does not constitute official withdrawal; the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development must be notified directly. Refunds for dropping a noncredit continuing education course for any reason will be granted only before the second class session, regardless of whether any classes were attended.
   2. Refunds for tuition will be made as follows:

• After a full review of the circumstances involved, exceptions to this policy may be granted at the discretion of the Director of Operations for Continuing Education.

9. Fee payment

   1. Noncredit continuing education courses are self-supporting. Course fees are included in the information about each of the course offerings listed in the promotional materials or can be obtained by telephoning the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development at 423.697.3100. Fees vary in accordance with the number of sessions, the nature of the course, and the length of time the class meets. All enrollment fees must be paid before the first class. Tuition fees for noncredit continuing education courses are stated with the information about individual offerings. Special interest courses are sustained by student revenues; therefore, class enrollment must meet the minimum number of students required to cover expenses.

10. Use of personal checks

    1.   If a personal check is returned to the College due to insufficient funds or stop payment, the individual will be required to immediately pay the face value of the check and, in addition, a penalty by cash, certified check, money order, or credit card at the Chattanooga State Community College business office.

11. Retention and release of records

    1. A seven-year record is maintained for each individual to whom CEUs are awarded; this record is readily available to the individual upon request in writing to the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development. Course files (including course proposal and approval, contracts, invoices, cash receipts, registration information, learning outcomes, rosters, evaluations, expenses, revenue reports, audit worksheets) and transcripts will be maintained for a period of seven years from the course completion date. Other records which are not a part of the course file will be maintained for a period of four years past the end of the fiscal year in which the transaction took place.
    2. Continuing education records are housed in a permanent storage facility. Records are dated so that no records will be destroyed inadvertently before the appropriate retention period has expired.
    3. In the event that the College discontinues its operation, all records housing continuing education information shall be filed pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated 49-7-2016.

12. Payment for instruction

    1. Payment for instruction will not be made until signed and graded rosters have been received by the Continuing Education office.

13. Revenue reporting

    1. For uniform collection and reporting of each noncredit continuing education activity, a summary of all activity associated with a course will be reported to the Director of Operations and the Director of Programming, and filed in the course file. Each month, Continuing Education Revenue reports will be generated. These reports will be reconciled, both monthly and by fiscal year to date, to the Financial Records System revenue account and will be available for review by the Director of Operations of Continuing Education, the Director of Programming of Continuing Education, and the Vice President for Economic Development.

14. Procedure to obtain continuing education units (CEUs) for program not offered by Chattanooga State Community College

    1. The Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is awarded for each ten (10) contact hours of instruction included in a specified continuing education program or activity. The number of contact hours of instruction and appropriate CEUs to be awarded are determined prior to conducting a continuing education program. The Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development has the authority and responsibility to determine if program criteria have been met before the decision to award CEUs and the number of CEUs is made.
    2. Program criteria include:

15. At least two weeks prior to the beginning date of the program or activity, the requester should submit the following to the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development:

16. The appropriate staff person will confer with the requester in determining if the criteria have been met and if CEUs can be awarded. If approved, the following procedures must be followed:

17. When the final program roster is submitted by the instructor, it is the responsibility of the Director of Operations, the Director of Programming, and/or the Director of Continuing Education to verify that an individual participant has met the requirements for satisfactory completion so that the appropriate number of CEUs is awarded.

N. Contractual Agreements: Procedures For Approval

1. The Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development initiates training contracts for business and industry for noncredit and college credit courses. Some contracts with an employer may involve both types of training offered by Chattanooga State Community College. All contracts must be signed and approved by the Chattanooga State Community College President.
2. Contracts for college credit courses - The College has entered into training agreements with employers in which college credit classes are contracted for a specific employee group. Tuition and fees at the rates set by the Tennessee Board of Regents are charged per trainee based upon the number of credit hours employees register for. All college credit course contracts reflect standard tuition and fee charges. There is no differential charge or discount for business and industry. Other related instructions and changes may be a part of the training agreements. The selection of appropriate college courses and assignment or hiring of faculty is directed by the academic deans and coordinated with department heads and continuing education staff.
3. Contracts for noncredit training - Pricing for noncredit training contracts differs significantly from course to course. The differences are due to costs of instruction, use of specialized facilities or equipment, the number of trainees, the length of training, and the subject matter. In all cases, noncredit training fees are substantially higher than regular college credit tuition and fees. The cost of training must be supported entirely by revenues received from the course in contract fees.
4. Continuing Education Course Proposal and Approval .
5. Billing Information Form  
6. Continuing Education Course Evaluation  
7. Registration Form Continuing Education