Section II

2.8. The number of full-time faculty members is adequate to support the mission of the institution. The institution has adequate faculty resources to ensure the quality and integrity of its academic programs. In addition, upon application for candidacy, an applicant institution demonstrates that it meets the comprehensive standard for faculty qualifications. (Faculty)

Northeast Alabama Community College demonstrates compliance in the provision of an adequate number of full-time faculty to support the mission of the institution. The goals within the NACC mission particularly requiring adequacy of full-time faculty and faculty resources are as follows:

Goal Two: General education at the freshman and sophomore levels that prepares students to continue their education through transfer.

Goal Three: Courses in transfer and career programs that are available, accessible, and affordable to students.

Goal Four: Recruitment and retention of qualified personnel who are afforded professional development opportunities and institutional support needed to provide quality postsecondary education.

Goal Five: Developmental education which assists individuals who need to improve their basic learning skills and supports individuals lacking college preparatory backgrounds.

Goal Six: Technical, vocational, and career education programs that prepare students for employment in occupational fields and which lead to certificates, diplomas, and/or associate degrees.

Goal Eight: Student services which assist individuals to formulate and achieve career, educational and personal goals through counseling and academic advisement services and provide opportunities to participate in social and cultural activities.

Goal Nine: Community services which support personal growth, cultural enrichment, and societal activities; provide access to college facilities for community activities; and promote community, social, and economic development.

Several indicators may be considered in determining that the number of full-time faculty is adequate to support these goals of the mission:

Indicator 1: Students find that coursework required for all programs, as well as developmental coursework, is offered with the frequency, number of sections, and scheduling (day, extended day, and online) necessary for students to schedule and complete their coursework within their desired time frames. Class size is kept within appropriate limits.

Indicator 2: Students find academic advising and instructor assistance outside of class to be adequate.

Assessment: Through the Graduated Student Survey, graduates attest to the adequacy of academic advisement, class scheduling, classroom instruction, and instructor assistance. The results of several applicable survey items for the past six years are summarized as follows (Table 1):

Northeast Alabama Community College
Graduated Student Survey
Surveys of 1998 to 2003
Average ratings on items relevant to sufficiency of full-time faculty
	Scale 3 – 1*						Scale 5 – 1*
	Year of Survey:	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Academic Advising	Average:	2.23	2.37	2.20	2.37	2.37	4.09
Academic Advising	n:	52	61	54	63	61	68
Class Scheduling	Average:	2.27	2.27	2.27	2.35	2.35	4.1
Class Scheduling	n:	59	73	64	68	71	70
Classroom Instruction	Average:	2.41	2.41	2.39	2.57	2.57	4.12
Classroom Instruction	n:	60	74	64	68	71	70
Individual Assistance from Instructors	Average:	2.49	2.43	2.52	2.64	2.57	4.26
Individual Assistance from Instructors	n:	57	74	62	69	66	72
* Scale changed in 2003 to a five-point instead of three. On the three-point scale, 3 = Excellent, 2 = Worked ok, 1 = Needs improvement; a fourth category was provided for “did not use.” For the five-point scale, 5 = Excellent, 4 = Above average; 3 = Average; 2 = Below average, 1 = Needs improvement, and N/A = Not used.
Source: Graduated Student Survey, surveys of 1998-2003, Office of Institutional Effectiveness

A study in Fall 2002 surveyed students who had not completed and had not attended for two consecutive terms. Survey items that could reflect on the adequacy of full-time faculty—academic advising and class scheduling—are reported in Table 2. The majority of respondents (82.5 and 84.1 percent, respectively) indicated that inadequate academic advising or class scheduling problems were not the reason for their leaving college. In each case, the percentage indicating that the item was a major reason was less than the national norm for public colleges, and no student indicated that either factor was the single most important reason for leaving.

Northeast Alabama Community College
ACT Withdrawing/Nonreturning Student Survey, Fall 2003

Suggested reason for leaving college:			Numbers and Percent rating impact of suggested reason on leaving before degree completion
Suggested reason for leaving college:			Major Reason	Minor Reason	Not a Reason	Blank	Total	Number/Percent rated this item Single Most Important Reason
Academic advising was inadequate.	NACC	N:	2	4	52	5	63	0
	NACC	%:	3.2	6.3	82.5	7.9	100	0.0
	Public Colleges	N:	871	1,454	9,720	1,300	13,345	71.0
	Public Colleges	%:	6.5	10.9	72.8	9.7	100	0.5
Experienced class scheduling problems.	NACC	N:	3	4	53	3	63	0
	NACC	%:	4.8	6.3	84.1	4.8	100	0.0
	Public Colleges	N:	941	1,482	9,650	1,272	13,345	129.0
	Public Colleges	%:	7.1	11.1	72.3	9.5	100	1.0

Source: ACT Withdrawing/Nonreturning Student Survey, Northeast Alabama Community College, March 11, 2003, Office of Institutional Effectiveness; Normative Data Report on Withdrawing/Nonreturning Student Survey (January 1, 1993 to December 31, 2002), American College Testing

Student comments on the graduated student surveys also give insight to student perceptions of

full-time faculty. Table 3 reports several comments from the 2003 Survey of Year 2002 graduates.

Northeast Alabama Community College

2003 Graduated Student Survey: Selected Student Comments

Everything is okay. I really liked the scheduling at Northeast. I almost always got the class I wanted when I wanted it.

I liked how the teachers made you feel comfortable with them and were more personal than at [another college].

Liked best -- "the one-on-one opportunity with professors. The closeness of the students and faculty."

"I enjoyed the small number of students in most of my classes. It felt very comfortable and friendly."

"I liked the professors best! Almost all were willing and wanting to go out of their way to help students learn better and understand."

Liked best -- "the personal attention by teachers and my advisor, Mr. Green. He helped me tremendously in planning for my move to JSU!"

"I had some of the greatest teachers known to man! Dr. Huntley, Ms. Gorham, Mrs. Banks, Mrs. Akins, Ms. Reeves, Dr. Ben Knox, Dr. Campbell (for sociology) and Mr. Webb. There are so many, it's hard to name them all. The faculty treated me like family . . . The atmosphere and the people make college seem less scary!"

Liked best -- "the close, personal interaction with the instructors and staff. The staff/instructors at NACC will go that 'extra mile' for the students."

Source: Graduated Student Survey, Year 2003 Survey of Year 2002 Graduates. Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

Class size in core courses has been kept stable and even lowered in some cases (BIO 103, HIS 101 and HIS 102) in spite of an overall fall semester credit headcount enrollment increase of 29% within the past five years (Table 4.) This stability and improvement in class size was planned and effected both through the hiring of full-time personnel and the judicious use of adjunct instructors.

	Fall Terms
	1999-2000		2000-2001		2001-2002		2002-2003		2003-2004
Credit Headcount	1,601		1,695		1,714		1,892		2,070
	Avg	No. Sec	Avg	No. Sec	Avg	No. Sec	Avg	No. Sec	Avg	No. Sec
BIO 103	42	3	41	7	46	7	36	10	30	13
BIO 104	14	1	18	2	37	2	19	4	20	4
ENG 101	23	14	26	14	22	16	23	17	23	18
ENG 102	26	6	26	6	31	5	24	8	22	9
MTH 112	28	5	40	4	47	5	35	5	32	5
PSY 200	39	9	39	8	46	7	43	9	41	9
SPH 107	30	7