2014-17 Strategic Mandate Agreement: Loyalist College of Applied Arts and Technology

Ontario’s Vision for Postsecondary Education

Ontario’s colleges and universities will drive creativity, innovation, knowledge, and community engagement through teaching and research. They will put students first by providing the best possible learning experience for all qualified learners in an affordable and financially sustainable way, ensuring high quality and globally competitive outcomes for students and Ontario’s creative economy.

Loyalist College Vision/Mandate

Vision

• Loyalist will be Ontario’s premier community college for applied learning, innovation, and entrepreneurship, demonstrating excellence, sustainability, and responsiveness.

Mission

• Loyalist College offers a comprehensive range of career-oriented education and training opportunities to support and enhance the economic and social development of individuals and our communities.

Preamble

This Strategic Mandate Agreement between the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (the Ministry) and Loyalist College of Applied Arts and Technology (the College) outlines the role the College currently performs in the postsecondary education system and how it will build on its current strengths to achieve its vision and help drive system-wide objectives articulated by the Ministry’s Differentiation Policy Framework.

The Strategic Mandate Agreement (SMA):

• Identifies the College’s existing institutional strengths;
• Supports the current vision, mission, and mandate of the College within the context of the Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Act, 2002, and outlines how the College’s priorities align with Ontario’s vision and Differentiation Policy Framework; and
• Informs Ministry decision making through greater alignment of Ministry policies and processes to further support and guide the College’s areas of strength.

The term of the SMA is from April 1, 2014, to March 31, 2017. The SMA proposal submitted by the College to the Ministry has been used to inform the SMA and is appended to the agreement.

The agreement may be amended in the event of substantive policy or program changes that would significantly affect commitments made in the SMA. Any such amendment would be mutually agreed to in writing, dated, and signed by both signatories.

Loyalist College Key Areas of Differentiation

Loyalist is a regional, access-focused College supporting a ‘rurban’ region (largely rural, two small cities 18 km apart) of East-Central Ontario as the portal to postsecondary education. The College provides a comprehensive range of programs, and is a key driver of the social and economic health and prosperity of the area. Loyalist has a strong presence in customized training and technology-enabled learning, as well as full-time and part-time programs.

Alignment with the Differentiation Policy Framework

The following outlines areas of strength agreed upon by the College and the Ministry, and the alignment of these areas of strength with the Ministry’s Differentiation Policy Framework.

1. Jobs, innovation, and economic development

   This component highlights institutions’ collaborative work with employers, community partners, and regions, or at a global level, to establish their role in fostering social and economic development, and serving the needs of the economy and labour market.

   1. Areas of institutional strength

      Loyalist College focuses on jobs, innovation, and economic development in the areas of:

      • Community economic development through:
        • The Quinte Business Development Centre (QBDC), an on campus partnership that integrates training and economic development organizations.
        • The Loyalist Training & Knowledge Centre, which specializes in workplace learning and development, performance management, and productivity improvement.
        • The infiniteSpaces Virtual World Design Centre, which supports the creation of virtual environments for teaching, training, and simulations.
        • Applied research activity, as demonstrated through the integration of Simulation Lab technology into curriculum.
        • Commercialization projects with various industry partners through The Sustainable Skills, Technology and Life Sciences Centre, which includes skills training.
        • Active partner in local and regional organizations and centres.

   2. Additional comments

      • 2012-13 Ministry data confirms that Loyalist has strong employment rates (87.8%, in the top quartile among colleges and above the sector average of 83.1%) and employer satisfaction rates (94.0%, above the sector average of 93.2%), and is higher than the sector average in employment in a related field (48%, above the sector average of 45.1%).
      • Loyalist is a strong proponent and host of Employment Ontario programs, which bring $5M in value to clients, including many unemployed youth, and employers throughout the region, and form the foundation for the College’s Bancroft Campus.

   3. Metrics

      Institutional Metrics

      System-Wide Metricsfootnote 1[1]

      Level of collaboration and joint presentation with economic development to support new business investment attraction, business retention, and resulting funding to the area New workforce development or specialized programs created to meet workforce needs Training delivery – number of people trained and number of companies participating Number of applications developed and implemented Number and type of research projects, and impact on student learning Equipment donations and financial support Staff and student participation in community boards, agencies, committees, and organizations

      Graduate employment rates Employer satisfaction rates Number of graduates employed full- time in a related job

2. Teaching and learning

   This component captures institutional strengths in program delivery methods that expand learning options for students, and improve their learning experience and career preparedness. This may include, but is not limited to, experiential learning, online learning, entrepreneurial learning, work-integrated learning, and international exchange opportunities.

   1. Areas of institutional strength

      Loyalist College offers programs through a number of delivery methods, including:

      • Experiential Learning – 100% of Loyalist programs offer experiential learning through placements, simulation, and/or hands-on activities.
      • Technology-Enabled Learning – Loyalist is a leader with approximately 11,000 online registrations in 2012-13. Student learning is enhanced by numerous applications developed through Virtual World.
      • The Simulation Lab in Health Sciences is a best-practice model for students and used for training community health professionals.
      • The Centre for Teaching and Learning includes dedicated faculty experts.
      • Information Technology (IT) Services includes the Learning Technologies Office for support.

   2. Additional comments

      • 2012-13 Ministry data confirms that Loyalist has strengths in online learning, with 1,945 eLearning courses and 52 eLearning programs.
      • Loyalist’s graduation rate was 58.9% in 2012-13, which is below the sector average of 64.8%, and retention rates from first to second year were 77.4%

      Institutional strategies

      • The College has a goal to increase development and implementation of Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) through the implementation of portfolio-based assessments.
      • Loyalist has developed and is implementing College-wide strategies to address retention rates.
      • Both of these strategies, and others embedded in the College’s Strategic Enrolment Plan, are aligned with Loyalist’s mandate to provide access, excellence, and student success.

   3. Metrics

      Institutional Metrics	System-Wide Metrics
      Percentage of program hours dedicated to experiential learning, including simulations Number of Continuing Education registrations Number of programs exploring and adopting digital technology Participation in Wellspring In-service professional development sessions in May/June and ongoing sessions throughout the year Level of adoption/implementation of Learning Management systems.	Student Satisfaction Survey results Graduation rates Retention rates Number of students enrolled in a co-op program at institution Number of online course registrants, programs, and courses

3. Student population

   This component recognizes the unique institutional missions that improve access, retention, and success for underrepresented groups (Aboriginal, first generation, students with disabilities) and francophones. This component also highlights other important student groups that institutions serve that link to their institutional strength. This may include, but is not limited to, international students, mature students, or indirect entrants.

   1. Areas of institutional strength

      Loyalist College focuses on improving access and success for underrepresented groups in the areas of:

      • Loyalist is situated in a region of lower socioeconomic circumstances relative to provincial averages and serves a number of underrepresented groups, including:
        • Aboriginal Students – Loyalist has a close partnership with Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, the third largest Aboriginal community in Ontario; around 10% of the College’s full-time students are of Aboriginal background.
        • Students with Disabilities/Student Success Models – A multi-disciplinary team of practitioners provides these at-risk students with coordinated services.
        • Lower Income Students – increased financial support for students remains a key objective through the Loyalist College endowment (Foundation) for student financial assistance (totalled $8.346M at the end of March 2013).
        • First Generation Students – the College asks these students to self-identify early in the admissions process and receive a differentiated level of care. Close to one-third of the College population identifies as First Generation. Loyalist provides specialized supports, including peer mentoring, academic enhancement workshops, extra-curricular activities, and social events.

   2. Additional comments

      • The Ministry notes that Loyalist College has one of the highest rates of overall student satisfaction with the support services provided through disability services.
      • 2012-13 Ministry data supports Loyalist’s strength in enrolling Aboriginal students (in the top quartile of all colleges), students with a disability (higher than the sector average), and students accessing OSAP (in the top quartile among colleges). The College is working to support these students and maintain a comparable-to-system- average graduation rate, which it continues to work to enhance.

      Institutional strategies

      • A recently-approved Targeted Initiatives Fund (TIF) project is funding a unique Construction program designed to maximize access for Aboriginal students, with classes offered in the Tyendinaga Community in conjunction with the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte.
      • Extensive and inclusive support is offered to Aboriginal students and prospective students through on-campus programming and services, and outreach/support.
      • International Students: currently Loyalist serves approximately 100 students from 12 different countries, with a strategic focus on increasing numbers.
      • All students have access to the PLAR process referenced above.

   3. Metrics

      Institutional Metrics

      System-Wide Metrics

      Percentage/number of students who complete access programming and continue into postsecondary Success rates for Aboriginal students: Improved self-identification for Aboriginal students and level of accessing targeted services/ outreach services The progress of approximately 450 students with a disability is monitored through an on-line database. Cross referencing to track the number/type of interventions provides insight into the accessibility of the institution and feedback on high-risk students Enhanced level of student financial support through bursaries and work study Adoption of internally-developed seminars on Financial Literacy – will be integrated into the Career Development Certificate offered through the Career Centre

      Number and proportion of Aboriginal, first generation, students with disabilities, and francophone students at an institution Number and proportion of international students enrolled in Ontario (as reported in annual institutional enrolment reporting) Proportion of an institution’s enrolment that receives OSAP

4. Program offerings

   This component articulates the breadth of programming, enrolment, and credentials offered, along with program areas of institutional strength/specialization, including any vocationally oriented mandates. This component also recognizes institutions that provide bilingual and/or French-language programming for students.

   1. Areas of institutional strength

      Current program areas of strength include:

      1. Media
      2. Arts
      3. Graphic Design
      4. Human Studies
      5. Justice Studies
      6. Business
      7. Health Sciences– Nursing, Practical Nursing, Personal Support Worker
      8. Applied Sciences
      9. Skilled Trades and Technology
      10. Civil Engineering Technology

      Proposed program areas for growth include:

      1. Business – International Trade/Logistics
      2. Health Sciences – Practical Nursing/Personal Support Worker
      3. Applied Sciences – Biotech
      4. Welding and Fabrication, and Manufacturing Technician
      5. Media – Fine Arts

   2. Additional comments

      • The Ministry notes that Loyalist plans to expand in its areas of strength, which is generally supported by outcomes and program infrastructure, particularly in the areas of Business, Health, Applied Sciences, and Skilled Trades and Technology.
      • The Ministry notes Loyalist’s new media and journalism facility, and acknowledges the work underway by the College to adapt its media programs to improve student outcomes and respond to the labour market. If Loyalist submits new fine arts or media programming in the future for funding consideration, the Ministry will require additional evidence in support of the request (e.g., student demand and labour market analysis).
      • Loyalist is offering Welding Techniques/Technician and Mechanical Techniques/Manufacturing Technician programs in the new Skills Centre. The Ministry recognizes that the College is committed to strengthening Key Performance Indicator results for these programs, which have strong support from regional industry. The Skills Centre has allowed the College to generate strong interest in these areas, which are showing healthy increases in enrolment (2013-14) and applications (fall 2014).

      Institutional strategies

      • Loyalist has a long-standing process of program and service review and prioritization to ensure that all programs and services remain relevant and cost-effective. These processes will be supported to new levels of accuracy and refinement through the development of a Business Intelligence Model with funding awarded by the Ministry through the Financial Health and Sustainability Fund.

   3. Metrics

      Institutional Metrics	System-Wide Metrics
      	Proportion of enrolment at colleges by occupational cluster and by credential Institution’s system share of enrolment by occupational cluster and by credential Number of apprentices in each trade

5. Institutional collaboration to support student mobility

   This component profiles partnerships between institutions that ensure students have access to a continuum of learning opportunities in a coordinated system. This may include, but is not limited to, credit transfer pathways and collaborative or joint programs between or within sectors.

   1. Areas of institutional strength

      Loyalist College focuses on improving collaboration, pathways, and student mobility in the areas of:

      • Numerous articulation agreements with universities, providing pathways for Loyalist students and graduates who wish to continue their studies at the degree level.
        • Seamless “3 for 3” Bachelor of Science degree completion agreement with Royal Roads University.
        • Collaborative Nursing degree program with Brock University.
        • Collaborative Journalism program with Trent University.
        • Degree completion options with the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.
      • Loyalist uses PLAR to facilitate recognition and acceptance of learning acquired through other institutions and experiences, including military training.
      • Loyalist is a full participant in the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT), including projects such as the Heads of Business Pilot Implementation Project designed to facilitate college-college and college-university transfer. Loyalist will also be included in the next phase of ONTransfer’s “Course-to-Course” database.
      • The College has a strong focus on pathways to encourage students to participate in postsecondary education through active partnerships with regional school boards, including significant and growing participation in:
        • School College Work Initiatives (SCWI)
        • Dual Credit programs
        • Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Programs (OYAP)
        • Skills Competitions
        • ”Student for a Day” activities
        • Programs for Secondary School teachers

   2. Additional comments

      • Loyalist reports that graduates tend to successfully move directly into the labour market. Post-graduate pathways to degree education are well-promoted in the College’s marketing materials and on-campus events but precise provincial data is not available regarding specific numbers of Loyalist College graduates who continue to university.

   3. Metrics

      Institutional Metrics

      System-Wide Metrics

      The number/percentage of programs with articulation agreements designed to promote credit transfer and pathways The number of programs actively participating in PLAR and the number of assessments completed The number of students taking advantage of various ONCAT projects to transfer into/from Loyalist The number of students enrolling in Loyalist programs with partial or complete undergraduate degrees

      Number of college and university pathways and/or articulation agreements (college-college, college- university, university-college) Number of transfer applicants and registrants Number of college graduates enrolled in university programs

Aspirations

The Ministry recognizes the importance of supporting institutions to evolve and acknowledges the strategic aspirations of its postsecondary education institutions; the SMA is not intended to capture all decisions and issues in the postsecondary education system, as many will be addressed through the Ministry’s policies and standard processes.

Expanded credentials

The Ministry has noted Loyalist College’s aspirations to expand degree granting activity and this will be examined as part of the Ministry’s policy review of Ontario’s credential options.

Enrolment Growth

The strategic enrolment and planning exercise is in the context of a public commitment in the 2011 Budget to increase postsecondary education enrolment by 60,000 additional students over 2010-11 levels. This government has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to ensuring access to postsecondary education for all qualified students.

Loyalist College’s planned enrolment forecast as expressed in this baseline eligible enrolment scenario is considered reasonable and in line with Ministry expectations, based on the current and projected demographic and fiscal environments.

Baseline Projected Eligible Full-Time Headcounts

Financial Sustainability

The Ministry and the College recognize that financial sustainability and accountability are critical to achieving institutional mandates and realizing Ontario’s vision for the postsecondary education system. To this end, it is agreed that:

• It is the responsibility of the governing board and Senior Administrators of the College to identify, track, and address financial pressures and sustainability issues. At the same time, the Ministry has a financial stewardship role. The Ministry and the College agree to work collaboratively to achieve the common goal of financial sustainability, and to ensure that Ontarians have access to a full range of affordable, high-quality postsecondary education options, now and in the future; and
• The College remains accountable to the Ministry with respect to effective and efficient use of resources to maximize the value and impact of investments made in the postsecondary education system.

The Ministry and the College agree to use the following metrics to assess the financial health and sustainability of the institution:

1. Annual surplus/deficit
2. Accumulated surplus/deficit
3. Net Assets to Expense Ratio
4. Debt Servicing Ratio
5. Quick Ratio
6. Debt to Asset Ratio
7. Net Income to Revenue Ratio

Ministry/Government Commitments

Over time, the Ministry commits to align many of its policy, process, and funding levers with the Differentiation Policy Framework and SMAs in order to support the strengths of institutions and implement differentiation. To this end, the Ministry will:

• Engage with both the college and university sectors around potential changes to the funding formula, beginning with the university sector in 2014-15;
• Update the college and university program funding approval process to improve transparency and align with institutional strengths as outlined in the SMAs;
• Streamline reporting requirements across Ministry business lines with the goals of
  1. creating greater consistency of reporting requirements across separate initiatives,
  2. increasing automation of reporting processes, and
  3. reducing the amount of data required from institutions without compromising accountability.

  In the interim, the Multi-Year Accountability Report Backs will be adjusted and used as the annual reporting mechanism for metrics set out in the SMAs;

• Consult on the definition, development, and utilization of metrics;
• Undertake a review of Ontario’s credential options; and
• Continue the work of the Nursing Tripartite Committee.

The Ministry and the College are committed to continuing to work together to:

• Support student access, quality, and success;
• Drive creativity, innovation, knowledge, and community engagement through teaching and research;
• Increase the competitiveness of Ontario’s postsecondary education system;
• Focus the strengths of Ontario’s institutions; and
• Maintain a financially sustainable postsecondary education system.