Centers of Excellence High Impact Report

computer lab

A report demonstrating the CTC system support and value state Centers of Excellence provide was created and presented at the Workforce Education Council’s quarterly meeting in Vancouver, Washington on February 11, 2010.

The report includes an executive summary, and the eleven Centers of Excellence each provide a Center description, an initiative with system savings (or, the return on the investment), as well as a vision for 2010-2011.

The Center of Excellence

for Information

and Computing

Technology recruited

over 25 information

and technology

(ICT) industry professionals

to review six

current state CTC IT/CS

program degrees and certificates. Each review team looked at

the composition, title, course titles, and course descriptions

for each of the six degrees or certificates submitted. Bellevue,

Big Bend, Cascadia, Everett, Lower Columbia, and Seattle

Central Community College were not charged for this service

and received a report documenting methodology, detailed

suggestions for degree or certificate titles, course titles,

descriptions, and a high-level industry demand scan. Follow

up and evaluative activities will continue through May 2010.

The savings: $70,100.

“This is really helpful and will be put to immediate use as we are in the

process of writing program reviews. I am truly grateful and impressed.

I’ll be interested to see which of the suggestions we decide to incorporate

into our program over the next year.”

Sharon Buck, Dean of Business and Workforce Education

Everett Community College

Information and Computing Technology CTC Program Review

The Center of Excellence for Information and Computing Technology recruited over 25 information and technology (ICT) industry professionals to review six current state CTC IT/CS program degrees and certificates. Each review team looked at the composition, title, course titles, and course descriptions for each of the six degrees or certificates submitted. Bellevue, Big Bend, Cascadia, Everett, Lower Columbia, and Seattle Central Community College were not charged for this service and received a report documenting methodology, detailed suggestions for degree or certificate titles, course titles, descriptions, and a high-level industry demand scan. Follow up and evaluative activities will continue through May 2010. The savings: $70,100.

“This is really helpful and will be put to immediate use as we are in the process of writing program reviews. I am truly grateful and impressed. I’ll be interested to see which of the suggestions we decide to incorporate into our program over the next year.”

Sharon Buck, Dean of Business and Workforce Education at Everett Community College

Systems Savings and Impact:

The Centers of Excellence have created an impact report to demonstrate the state’s return on investment, highlight positive achievements, describe individual center impact on the community and technical college (CTC) system as a whole, demonstrate connections made between industry and educators, and report cost savings by showcasing Center events, products, projects, research and services.

The return on investment from these highlighted projects, services, research, or products from the eleven Centers’ approximates $1.792 million dollars. The annual core funding for the Centers is $1.2 million, with performance funding at a minimum of $0 to a maximum of $550,000. The Center initiatives have recovered the initial annual investment of $1.2 million. The aggregate return on the combined value of each Center’s projects and initiatives far exceed the annual core and performance funding.

Read the report. (opens in a new window)

The Center of Excellence for Information and Computing Technology compiled and funded the publication of the Impact Report on behalf of the Centers of Excellence. We would like to thank Dr. Boyum for the concept and Amy Smith-Rubeck for review guidance. Additionally, Robyn Bell-Bangerter and Dianne Harbolt are thanked for the design, printing, and graphics that made this report possible.