Summary
This section will provide a summary of the findings of the Self-Study, including some assessment of how the College rates its quality assurance processes using the Maturity Scale as described on Pages 28 and 29 of the Orientation and Training Manual.
The completion of this Self-Study Report in preparation for PQAPA has necessitated a careful review of academic policy and process in place at the College, and reflection on how quality measures are interpreted, implemented and measured. The exercise has been a valuable one, especially since the period since the 2009 Audit has been characterized by significant change at Mohawk College. Facilities renewal has provided the most visible and dramatic evidence of change. There have been numerous additions and reorganization of facilities at Fennell Campus, the oldest of the College’s campuses, and its administrative hub. Additional renovations are planned, both at Fennell and at the College’s other campuses.
However dramatic, the Fennell Campus renovations essentially are “bricks and mortar” manifestations of a deeper philosophical shift and commitment to quality that underlie all College operations. The new Strategic Plan, the Strategic Priorities of Quality, Innovation and Sustainability and the Academic Plan inform and drive continuous improvement in strategic enrolment management, the delivery of academic programming, the provision of advisement services and other student supports, employee engagement and performance, and administrative process.
The quality assurance processes and policies evaluated as part of this 2014 Audit are essentially similar to the structures in place for the first Audit. However, a newer and more robust version of the program development and review framework introduced as part of the Learning Excellence project in 2005 now provides the foundation for excellence in college programming. Significant technology enhancements have changed and will continue to alter the ways that courses and programs are delivered at Mohawk College. Support systems for students and faculty have also continued to evolve to keep pace with changes in teaching and learning methodologies. These are evidence of a commitment to continuous improvement that has characterized the last five years of Mohawk College operations. These changes have received very visible validation in the increasingly positive student, employer and graduate satisfaction results that emerge from the Key Performance Indicator Surveys.
Accountability is championed within the Strategic Plan as a College Value, and with accountability comes the requirement for continuous improvement. Mohawk College is committed to the identification and implementation of both short and longer-term quality initiatives that will build on the excellent foundation we have constructed. This report has referenced several new quality initiatives that have been implemented since the last Audit and has identified several others that are either already in progress or planned. We are confident that our next Audit Report will highlight additional new steps on the ongoing quality journey. On the basis of the progress we have already made, and the commitment to continue on that journey, we believe that quality assurance efforts at Mohawk College can be regarded as mature.