Accomplishments for 2008-2009

Goal 1 – Student Success: Ensure student success by all employees assuming collective responsibility for placing the needs of learners first.

CPCC certified 1,292 associate degree and 105 diploma graduates, 370 recipients of certificates, and 269 Adult High School diploma graduates.

Culinary Art Program students won five bronze medals, three silver medals, two gold medals, Best of Category Pastry, and also Best in Show Culinary School Team at the 2009 Great Culinary Classic in Cleveland, Ohio.

Motorsports Program won the NC Motorsports Association’s Annual Two-Year School Award at its annual banquet.

Learning Unit developed new degree programs in Computer Technology Integration and Sustainability Technology; new certificates in Fire Protection-Fire Management, Construction Management-Entry Level Construction Supervision, Entry Level Estimating I, and Entry Level Estimating II.

Center for Sustainability submitted the new Sustainability Technologies Degree Program to the system office and added eight new Corporate and Continuing Education (CCE) course offerings dealing with green technologies or consumer- related sustainability topics.

CPCC’s International Community Outreach/English as a Second Language (ESL), in partnership with eLearning, completed the development and piloting of an online ESL Fast Track Teacher Training course for national dissemination.

English, Reading, and Humanities Division offered nine Learning Communities to increase student retention and success.

Students in the following programs can now receive their degree fully online: Fire Protection Technology, Information Systems Security, and Networking Technology.

Learning Unit collaborated with Student Support Services and Information Technology Services (ITS) to revise the Academic Standards of Progress to better track student performance and to provide better advising.

Health Sciences Division, Engineering Technologies Division, and Integrated Systems Technology Jumpstart Program each welcomed new program advisors.

Learning Unit expanded the Summer Bridge Program to include additional students, thus benefitting more students in their transition from high school to college.

Lifelong Learning Institute worked with Career Services to design and present free seminars and to promote career counseling.

Corporate Learning Sales Team worked with CCE’s Leadership, Management, and Professional Development to develop and market a Process Excellence Seminar Series and the Manufacturing Leaders’ Academy, resulting in revenue and increased exposure for the College.

International Learning offered French, Spanish, and German language immersion courses in Canada, Mexico, and Germany; and Culinary Arts offered a field trip experience in Paris, France.

International Business Division offered a newly approved course in China in conjunction with the Community Colleges for International Development Consortium.

English, Reading, and Humanities Division proposed four new Fast Track courses to provide opportunities for developmental students to complete their foundational reading and writing programs more rapidly.

Energy Task Force, with the help of ITS, developed a website for those interested in jobs and training in the energy industry.

Institute for Entrepreneurship introduced a teleseminar component to its 16-week Entrepreneurial Certificate Program.

Learning Unit collaborated with ITS and Compliance and Audit to implement a web-based attendance record.

Advertising and Graphic Design implemented student portfolios for students to document skills during their course work.

American Academy of Applied Forensics conducted training for all sworn personnel in the NC Division of Motor Vehicles.

Central Campus Administration identified sections across all departments that could be moved to other campuses or placed online to accommodate the loss of classroom space due to construction projects.

Cardiovascular Technology Program was awarded initial accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs for the Non-Invasive and Invasive concentrations.

Center for Sustainability added an Associate in Applied Science – Sustainable Technologies degree to its list of curriculum programs, making CPCC the only North Carolina community college to offer students this degree program.

Economic Recruitment and Career Readiness developed three hybrid and one online course to support NC Career Readiness Certificate candidates.

CCE Financial Services Institute teamed with The Federal Reserve and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools National Academy of Finance to have a free seminar for CMS teachers on the financial crisis.

CCE Financial Services Institute created four new continuing education courses to meet the changing requirements in real estate and banking and received approval to offer the Certified Financial Planner course.

ITS enhanced the student experience by providing easier access to student-specific information including a personalized calendar and class schedule through the new online student portal powered by iGoogle.

ITS supported the installation of new surveillance systems to improve the security and safety of the College.

ITS completed a Student Learning Commons consisting of an academic learning space with 23 computer-enhanced work areas, a wireless lounge, 4 computer-enhanced group study tables, 6 collaboration areas, a fast-lane computer, and print capabilities.

Facilities Services provided security coverage and continued implementation of the Enhanced Security Technology Plan including security cameras and emergency telephones to ensure a continued low rate of incidents on campuses.

Design and Construction established weekly construction update meetings resulting in accurate updates that enabled the departments to ensure timely delivery of construction schedules in support of student success.

Institutional Advancement/CPCC Foundation secured gifts to name the IT Building, the Construction Academy, equip new dental and automotive labs, and support performing arts.

CPCC Television produced high quality instructional and informational content on Channel 17 by increasing CPCC-related weekly programming from 85 to 99 hours per week, producing 85 new feature shows and 200 new promotional spots.

Design and Construction established a standard budget format for all construction projects in order to track all budgets in the same manner with increased accuracy and efficiency of budget management.

Enrollment Management established and piloted the Minority Male Mentoring Program involving 19 students and 17 faculty.

Enrollment Management developed the Follow-Up Program to support students in areas of life skills for college success.

Outreach and Recruitment created a computer tracking system to determine if graduates and prospective graduates are employed or need assistance in finding employment.

Outreach and Recruitment and the Graduation Office identified all prospective graduates to determine their need for job placement assistance.

Career Services offered the Refuel Your Job Search Program for students, 88% of whom indicated that they learned the tools to find a job.

Testing Center attained ACT Certification and 84% of its staff has completed the ACT Certification Program.

Admissions, Records and Registration initiated admissions letters to new students via email to reduce costs to the College and increase awareness to incoming students.

Counseling Services facilitated five Domestic Violence workshops in collaboration with the Family Resource Center and the Human Services Program.

Counseling Services created and produced Managing Holiday Blues and Healthy Relationships, the first public service announcements focused on students and made for CPCC-TV.

Advisement Services online student contacts increased from 355 in 2007-08 to 1,578 in 2008-09.

Family Resource Center offered 23 day and evening Healthy Lifestyle drop-in programs serving 2,656 students, and documented 4,299 visits, an 84% increase over the previous year.  

Service-Learning Center was named for a second consecutive year to the national President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.  

Student Life offered the Student Leadership Academy at 3 campuses with 28 students completing the program and coordinated over 200 programs and events to the benefit of over 27,000 students and staff.  

Community Relations and Marketing Services (CRMS) developed an image ad campaign for 2008-2009 to promote the College and focused on outstanding students and faculty, innovative programs, and alumni.

CRMS distributed almost 100 press releases to local, regional, and national media resulting in over 300 articles and/or mentions appearing in media outlets.

CRMS completed over 900 projects including brochures, posters, email distributions, fact sheets, folders, playbills, and programs.

CRMS developed and implemented registration advertising campaigns for each registration period using the Geographic Information System (GIS) to create targeted marketing campaigns to key audiences.

CRMS developed comprehensive schedules for fall and spring registration periods to provide information on College offerings.

CRMS wrote and distributed CPCC Today, the weekly student e-newsletter that provides important information and reminders to students.

Retention Services completed the assessment of the prerequisite pilot for Fall 2008, and documented double-digit percentage increases in student success and retention in His131 and HIS132.

General Education Committee proposed the adoption of a new General Education Goal, Information Literacy, which will be effective 2009-2010.


Goal 2 – Organizational and Professional Development: Foster an organizational culture that makes learning the primary value in every action of the College.

Professional Development Department successfully completed the Part-Time Faculty Certification Pilot Project and partnered with Planning and Research to document the positive impact of the project.

Professional Development Department created a process to access trainings electronically and obtain credit in Learner Web by successfully completing an associated assessment.

Learning Unit’s Five-Year Strategic Plan and a newly developed Quick Reference Contact Guide were handed out to all new employees at their first orientation session.

Learning Unit Fall Retreat included a discussion of Stephen M.R. Covey’s book The Speed of Trust and participants developed follow-up action plans.

CPCC's eLearning hosted its first annual "eLearning Conference" as a webinar during The Geek Fest 2008.

Corporate and Continuing Education (CCE) Leadership, Management, and Professional Development Department completed requirements for two instructors to be certified by Development Dimensions International.

Construction Technology Division offered Green Building and Remodeling professional development classes for full- and part-time instructors.

Culinary Technology Program was accredited by the American Culinary Federation Foundation Accrediting Commission.

Sciences had six faculty members attend conferences on biotechnology and three faculty members attend a conference on emerging “alternative” energy technologies.

Compliance and Audit worked with Information Technology Services (ITS) to implement the new web attendance system to monitor student eligibility.

Equal Opportunity developed Discrimination and Harassment II and Guidance for Teaching Students with Disabilities workshops.

Institutional Advancement/CPCC Foundation provided $75,000 to the College for faculty-staff development and innovation awards.

Charge to Service Excellence training was provided to 82% of all College areas and 95% of supervisors.

Design and Construction planned, designed, and constructed flexible facilities by coordinating with other areas of the College to support future technological changes and usage.

Finance and General Ledger Systems provided a multitude of Colleague training classes to 123 people for a total of 128 training hours.

Human Resources formally presented Discrimination and Harassment Avoidance training with the Equal Employment Opportunity Audit and Compliance officer so that managers will be more knowledgeable about employment law administration and interpretation.

Call Center director received certification in Call Center Management from Purdue University.

Student Success Services offered advisement training to new faculty to better meet student needs.

Student Life offered staff teambuilding days to Human Resources and Payroll staff.

Community Relations and Marketing Services (CRMS), in coordination with the Safe College Team and Information Technology Services, developed communication strategies and materials to create awareness of and participation in the new Critical Alert Emergency Notification System for faculty and staff.

Classified Staff Day emphasized training on campus and personal safety measures that can be practiced in daily life.

Diversity Committee worked with Student Life and Library Services to coordinate Black History Month activities and a program on the Hip Hop culture.

Diversity Committee partnered with Professional Development to offer diversity activities as icebreakers on all area campuses for May Daze.

Safe College Team revised and updated the Crisis Communication Plan and the All Hazards Emergency Response Plan.


Goal 3 – Community/Economic Development and Partnerships: Promote the health and economic vitality of the community through partnerships, coalitions, and collaborations.

Learning Unit collaborated with business partners offering Resources for Changing Times, an information day for individuals who plan or need to change careers.

Learning Unit has developed the Changing Careers website to provide information on training that can be completed within 18 months and on programs, certificates, and diplomas that are in high-demand industries.

The Center for Sustainability collaborated with the City of Charlotte to sponsor Charlotte Clean and Green, an Earth Day celebration.

Instructional Development and eLearning piloted three online courses in participation with the North Carolina Community College System’s Learn and Earn Online state initiative with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS).

Cooperative Education Department partnered with 287 businesses and public agencies to provide co-op work experiences for college credit.

Teacher Education Program collaborated with CMS to establish an alternative licensing plan for Career Technical Education teachers and worked with their Professional Development staff to inform teachers of course options available to them through the four-year university partnerships.

Geospatial Technology Center developed a new program and learning resources in which K-12 teachers are trained in geospatial technology.

Construction Technology Division developed field-based training opportunities for classes in partnership with Vulcan Materials Company and the Ramblewood neighborhood.

Halton Theater hosted the US Citizenship and Immigration Services during which 375 North Carolina residents from 83 different countries took the Oath of Allegiance and became United States citizens.

Community Development Division partnered with the Urban League of Central Carolinas to implement the new Career Readiness certificates.

Institute for Entrepreneurship formed an alliance with the Latin American Chamber of Commerce offering entrepreneurial seminars specifically for their Chamber members.

International Business Program partnered with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the Charlotte World Affairs Council to offer the Charlotte World Affairs Council Speaker Series to CPCC students at a minimal charge.

Cardiovascular Technology Program hosted a hands-on workshop utilizing the newest instruction technologies that the Philips Medical Systems’ echocardiography machines offer.

Non-Destructive Examination Technology Program partnered with Electric Power Research Institute in the development of skilled workers for nuclear power plant inspections.

Economic Recruitment and Career Readiness trained 611 new workers in Mecklenburg County for 8 companies through the Customized Training Program and awarded approximately 100 Career Readiness certificates.

Human Resource Development added new career advancement classes to meet the needs of the growing number of displaced workers in the community.

Construction Technology Division developed a collaborative arrangement with Habitat for Humanity for field lab experiences for students.

Institute for Entrepreneurship developed and delivered seminars regarding green issues and practices for small business owners.

Transport Systems Technologies Division filmed a segment on hybrid vehicles for CPCC-TV.

Center for Sustainability launched Spotlight on Sustainability to highlight College programs, classes, and events to promote the environment and sustainability.

CPCC Services Corporation approved three new projects - Workforce Development Consulting Services, Fast Track ESL course, and Grant Seekers.

The Colleague Training Center provided quality training and consultation with a current average evaluation of 4.5 out of 5.

CPCC Press published the works of five authors, four of whom are from the community, and their books were launched at the ArtsFest.

Harris Conference Center hosted approximately 15,000 meeting attendees this year.

CPCC Services Corp. increased the number of bookings of Pease Auditorium by 23% this year to 124 events that generated additional revenue to support College initiatives.

Institutional Advancement/CPCC Foundation raised funds to assist in constructing, renovating, and equipping facilities.

Center for Applied Research received contracts from several additional out-of-region and out-of-state colleges and agencies for assessment consulting and millennial training.

Human Resources (HR) designed and filled a new position, the Director of Employee Recruitment and Selection, in order to build highly strategic relationships with all College unit leaders.

HR implemented the tracking of four units’ full- and part-time applicants into the applicant tracking system in order to eliminate paper-based applications, provide an audited record of all applicants and hires, and bring the College into compliance with GS 128-15, allowing for the preferential treatment of veterans in hiring decisions.

Transfer Resource Center coordinated transfer talks with UNC Charlotte. A total of 93 students attended, a 24% increase in participation from Spring 2007.

Career Services counselors appeared live on FOX News Rising for five days to present job tips for community job seekers.

Career Services coordinated the 6th Annual North Carolina Association of Colleges and Employers Statewide Virtual Conference for corporate recruiters and career service professionals representing two- and four-year institutions.

Career Services created and implemented 2 day-long seminars attended by 389 community job seekers.

Career Services marketed free job posting services utilized by employers who posted 1,435 jobs online and 6,981 students registered to apply for openings.

Outreach and Recruitment partnered with CMS to provide classes for parents in the CMS Parent University curriculum.

Outreach and Recruitment organized effective Career and College Transitions Initiative at Phillip O. Berry Academy, including the 10th Grade Challenge Program.

Community Relations and Marketing Services (CRMS) provided a Report to the Community distributed through The Charlotte Observer outlining the programs and benefits of the College to our community.

CRMS partnered with the Arts and Science Council, Center City Partners, the Charlotte Chamber, and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority to promote the arts programs at CPCC and events at Halton Theater.

Classified Staff raised more than $1,500 and donated the money to the Buddy Kemp House, a facility that allows the relatives of cancer patients to be close to their loved ones during therapy.

CRMS developed and implemented a comprehensive marketing/public relations plan for the third annual ArtsFest at CPCC.

Goal 4 – Institutional Growth: Plan and coordinate student enrollment, programs, services, and facilities to meet community needs.

Learning Unit hired 24 full-time faculty members to teach classes supporting high- demand occupations in targeted industry clusters including healthcare and engineering.

Learning Unit saw a 12% curriculum enrollment growth over 2007-2008 as measured in assigned seats.

Learning Unit created the Gateway to Community College Program designed to improve performance of secondary students through a range of support services.

Curriculum and Basic Skills FTEs both increased approximately 10%, and Corporate and Continuing Education (CCE) Occupational Extension FTEs increased approximately 21% in Spring 2009 compared to Spring 2008.

Information Technology (IT) Division and the American Academy of Applied Forensics partnered in a National Institute of Justice grant opportunity.

IT Division, in collaboration with Stanley Community College, submitted an application to the state for a new Computer Technology Integration degree that will allow flexibility in responding to the quickly changing requirements of clients.

Fifteen Learning Communities were established for the 2008-2009 academic year to support retention efforts.

Math Division implemented and strengthened the fast-track developmental course and increased student retention and success in subsequent courses.

Engineering Technologies Division offered several classes in Integrated Systems Technology and Machining to support the state’s Customized Training Program and contract training clients.

Geospatial Technology Center collaborated with the North Carolina Rural Water Association in creating and teaching courses that lead to a specialized GIS Certificate, offered a contract training class for Carolina East Geotechnical, and conducted a data-collection project for Statesville, NC.

CPCC Television broadened its audience, community awareness, and viewership by partnering with the web development team to launch CPCC TV online, tracked YouTube traffic, and developed online survey instruments to gather viewer feedback and viewing patterns.

Information Technology Services (ITS) delivered a complete digital document imaging, storage, and archival solution for Grants and Contracts, Human Resources, Accounts Payable, Payroll, and Procurement.

ITS successfully upgraded all online credit card applications to Virtual Merchant and were made Payment Card Industry compliant.

ITS assisted with providing a consistently high level of customer service by upgrading Footprints (service management software) to the latest version and provided user training.

ITS replaced the existing anti-virus solution with the more comprehensive Microsoft Forefront to reduce costs and increase protection.

ITS provided 1 Gb/s WAN Internet connectivity guaranteeing bandwidth to handle continuing growth and new applications such as VoIP and streaming media.

ITS hired two Digital Media Services staff to convert analog to digital media, support the digital asset management system, and make audio and video editing capabilities available to faculty.

ITS implemented power management for all College desktop computers to enter low-power mode to save the College in energy costs.

Institutional Advancement/CPCC Foundation provided financial resources needed to address growth and change, including funds for faculty positions, facilities, and equipment; and $875,000 was awarded in need-based scholarships.

The Center for Applied Research completed work on 25 contracts.

Government Relations, Resource Development, and Grants provided technical assistance in the planning of new programs and services by researching best practice models, developing 33 proposals, and monitoring trends in funding agency awards.

Government Relations, Resource Development, and Grants had 19 proposals funded, a 58% award rate, and received $1,793,884 since July, 2008.

Enrollment Management developed a mentor program that assists the at-risk student population.

Enrollment Management created and filled a new Job Placement Specialist position to assist students in their careers.

Outreach and Recruitment developed an adult recruitment plan and an adult prospective student database to target the 22-and-over population.

Call Center proactively called 33,301 students to assist in the registration process.

International Office expanded marketing efforts via the International Guide for the American Association of Community Colleges and Hobson’s Integrated Marketing Solutions resulting in 8,039 inquiries since July, 2008.

Goal 5 – Institutional Advancement: Increase available public and private funds for educational programs, capital projects, and general operations.

Institutional Advancement/CPCC Foundation raised $4.24 million in commitments to support facilities, technology and equipment, instructional programs, and scholarships to meet the needs of students.

Vice President for Learning’s Office developed and implemented a business planning template to more strategically assess and pursue grant funding.

The Non-Destructive Examination Technology Program received a High Growth and Community-Based Training grant from the Department of Labor.

Business and Accounting Division awarded two Tommy Hall scholarships to students who were members of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) and who want to start their own businesses.

Business and Accounting Division’s SIFE group received additional funds to teach financial literacy to special populations at Midwood High School and CPCC’s Adult High School.

American Academy of Applied Forensics obtained a grant from the NC Offices of Emergency Medical Services to develop training for a unique new disaster response team – State Mortuary Operations Response Task Force.

Transport Systems Technologies Division secured contracts for training GM, BMW, Toyota, and International Trucking technicians.

Lifelong Learning Institute worked with the CPCC Foundation to offer The Cliff McCall Memorial Scholarship to Corporate and Continuing Education (CCE) students in aging studies or related courses.

American Academy of Applied Forensics co-wrote a grant proposal for the National Institute of Justice with the Information Technology Division for utilizing shared digital forensics resources.

Arts and Communication Division received an Arts and Science Council grant for a Charlotte Symphony Orchestra performance in the Halton Theater.

Foreign Languages and Academic ESL received $25,000 as a sub-grantee from the Latin American Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

International Learning developed a proposal to German businesses resulting in two student scholarships for study in Germany this summer.

Members of the Geospatial Technology Center obtained $10,000 of regional imagery from the GeoEye Corporation.

CCE Leadership, Management, and Professional Development Department launched the Manufacturing Leaders’ Academy in January 2009 that was developed through a grant awarded by Philip Morris USA.

CPCC Services Corporation projects operated with an increase of $18,000 added to the organization’s fund balance.

CPCC Services Corporation funded College priorities by approving an equipment funding request for $200,000.

Design and Construction held a Minority Outreach Program which yielded high Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise participation turnout benefitting CPCC by establishing a presence in the community and increasing minority participation within construction projects.

CPCC had two Congressional Awards included in the Omnibus Appropriations Bill:

$ 500,000 for Cyber Crime and Cyber Security Training Center and $95,000 for curriculum development at the Center for Integrated Emergency Response.

Financial Aid disbursed $15,160,379 in Pell Grants, a 17% increase from 2007-08.

Financial Aid increased the amount awarded from state grants to $3,390,142, a 54% increase over 2007-08.

Enrollment Management received a $30,000 state grant to support the Mentor Program and its academic components.

Community Relations and Marketing Services (CRMS) worked with the CPCC Foundation to host and promote a number of dedications and open house events including the Culinary Building groundbreaking, John Belk book signing, the advisory committee breakfast and the Cox Schepp Construction Academy press conference.

CRMS assisted the CPCC Foundation with printed materials and communication pieces to promote the CPCC Capital Campaign and various fundraising events.

CRMS assisted the Foundation with various publications including the CPCC Insider, Planning Matters, Annual Report, Levine Scholarship materials, and a scholarship booklet, among others.

Goal 6 – Institutional Effectiveness: Improve learning outcomes and College programs, processes, and services through a systematic and continuous process of planning, assessment, and improvement.

Learning Unit surveyed advisory committee members to determine what training needs CPCC might provide to business and industry employees.

Engineering Technology Division used the student opinion surveys and the advisory committee meeting feedback to be part of a continuous improvement cycle that supports the Technology Accreditation Commission-Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology Accreditation.

Compliance and Audit completed the annual FTE audit with no major concerns noted.

Institutional Advancement/CPCC Foundation worked closely with Financial Aid staff to develop a process regarding the awarding of all Foundation-funded scholarships.

Compliance and Audit updated and implemented the Internal Audit Plan for 2008-2011.

Compliance and Audit successfully achieved a two-business-day turnaround time for data requests and completed the annual System Office User Verification Audit.

Health and Safety assisted with updating and revising CPCC Crisis Communication Plan procedures.

Health and Safety conducted annual fire evacuation drills on all campuses to test and ensure emergency readiness of building occupants and life-safety systems.

Health and Safety offered influenza vaccinations to employees at College campuses to promote health, safety, and wellness.

Retention Services assessed the changes resulting from the revised withdrawal policy change showing a 2.5% increase in A-C passing grades for all curriculum courses.

Payroll increased direct deposit participation for part-time employees with positive employee feedback.

Cashiering and Accounts Payable successfully issued 1,700 Higher One debit cards for Spring 2009 tuition refunds to curriculum students totaling almost $370,000.

College Auxiliary Services and the Majors Bookstore management team successfully implemented the Book Now software that allows students to purchase their books online as part of the registration process.

Community Relations and Marketing Services (CRMS) conducted market research to determine brand awareness, perception, and current messaging effectiveness to appropriate audiences through appropriate mediums.

CRMS received two awards from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations 2008 Gold Medallion Award for District 2 for “Media Success Story” and “Promotion Campaign for a Special Event.”

CRMS used GIS Business Analyst software to profile current students in various curriculum and Corporate and Continuing Education (CCE) programs.

CRMS developed and distributed a survey regarding local business involvement and interest in Business Intelligence training for the CCE Computer Training Department.

Advisement Management Team implemented an online faculty advisor assessment process to improve services to students.

College Technology Team reviewed and adopted iStrategy, a strategic reporting and analysis tool.