Academic Master Plan Committee
Summary
The Montgomery College 2020 strategic plan is a seven-year effort that began in Fiscal Year 2013. In it, we charged ourselves “to develop a new academic master plan that responds to the economic and workforce development needs of the community.” In order to ensure student success and to thrive in a time of uncertainty, a plan that allows us to be nimble and responsive is vital.
Why does Montgomery College need an Academic Master Plan?
Our Academic Master Plan will be our roadmap for the future and help us to align our
energy and resources with programs and practices that foster success. A constellation
of challenges brings Montgomery College to a critical inflection point. Our core assumptions
are challenged by many factors: our rapidly changing, dynamic world; technological
innovation; our knowledge-based economy with its need for highly skilled workers;
calls for greater accountability; eroding tax payer support (and the associated need
for creative and flexible strategies to reduce dependency on tax dollars); and the
changing landscape of higher education. Having a master plan is both a “best practice”
and a requirement of external stakeholders such as the Middle States Commission on
Higher Education and the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Middle States and MHEC
want evidence that MC is thinking strategically about the future of our academic programs
and practices and that we are prepared to begin, adapt, or phase out programs in light
of new realities.
What will the Academic Master Plan include?
The Academic Master Plan will chart the course for the next ten years of academic
programming at MC—five years in some detail, and the next five more broadly. The Plan
is an opportunity for the Montgomery College community to engage in serious assessment
of what we do. It will include data, benchmarks, an environmental scan, and recommendations
in three thematic areas: Student Access, Student Success, and Academic Excellence.
These themes will address topics such as stackable credentials, achieving the promise,
academic program review, and globalization. Two sets of recommendations will emerge:
one for implementation in the next five years and another for the following five years
based on available resources.
What process will we use to create the Academic Master Plan?
Creating the Academic Master Plan will be an inclusive process involving participation
of dozens of faculty, staff, administrators, and students from the Academic Affairs
unit and all other units of the College. This fall, a steering committee will guide
the work of three thematic workgroups which will hold open meetings and campus forums
to encourage maximum participation beyond committee membership. In addition, focus
groups will be conducted for community stakeholders, including businesses, nonprofits,
and academia. A website and online resources will also be available. In spring semester,
we will draft the plan, solicit feedback, revise it, and present it for approval by
the end of the academic year.
Will there be any costs associated with the Academic Master Plan?
Some initiatives recommended in the Academic Master Plan will require resources, but
the Plan may also phase out programs or recommend reallocation of funds and personnel.
In addition to their efficiency and benefit to the academic program, all recommendations
will be evaluated on cost, scalability, and sustainability before they are adopted
into the final plan. Having an Academic Master Plan will help us to streamline programs
and initiatives, avoid inefficiencies and duplication of effort, and use data to evaluate
our success.
Academic Master Plan
Steering Committee Relationship
Deborah Preston
Dean for Visual, Performing, and Media Arts
Carolyn Terry
Associate Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Joan Naake
Interim Vice President and Provost for Rockville Campus
Student Access Co-Chair
David Anthony
Instructional Lab Coordinator at Germantown
Chair of Staff Council
Josev Aquino
Student Representative for Germantown Campus
Abdulai Barrie
Professor of Biology at Germantown Campus
Monica Brown
Senior Vice President for Student Services
Ernest Cartledge
Assistant Director of Enrollment Services and College Registrar
Student Access Co-Chair
Kathleen Dayton
Professor of Fire Science and Emergency Services Programs at Takoma Park/Silver Spring
Michael Farrell
Department Chair for Rockville and Germantown Art
Sandra Filippi
Campus Planner for Central Facilities
Ray Gilmer
Vice President of Communications
Claudia Greer
Assistant to the Deans at Rockville Campus
Donna Kinerney
Dean for American English Language for Workforce Development and Continuing Education
Dean Convener
Mary Lang
Chief Strategy Officer at The Universities at Shady Grove
Margaret Latimer
Vice President and Provost for Germantown Campus
Academic Excellence Co-Chair
Bob Lynch
Director of Institutional Research and Analysis
Bushra Miller
Student Representative for TP/SS Campus
Mike Mills
Vice President for E-Learning, Innovation, and Teaching Excellence
Katie Mount
Counselor, Germantown Campus
Angela Nissing
Chair of AELP, Linguistics, and Communication Studies at Takoma Park/Silver Spring
George Payne
Vice President and Provost for Workforce Development and Continuing Education
Carol Rognrud
Executive Director of the MC Foundation & Director of Development
Lori Rounds
Deputy CIO Campus Management Services
Student Success Co-Chair
Elena Saenz
Director of Academic Initiatives
Sherwin Collette
Associate Senior Vice President for Administrative and Fiscal Services
Academic Excellence Co-Chair
Brad Stewart
Vice President and Provost for Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus
Student Success Co-Chair
Monica Zhang
Part-time Faculty Member in World Languages
To Be Announced:
Student Representative for Rockville Campus
• Academic Master Plan Steering Committee Meeting #8 - February 1, 2015 (PDF, 
)
• Academic Master Plan Steering Committee Meeting #7 - December 21, 2015 (PDF, )
• Academic Master Plan Steering Committee Meeting #6 - December 7, 2015 (PDF, )
• Academic Master Plan Steering Committee Meeting #5 - November 23, 2015 (PDF, )
• Academic Master Plan Steering Committee Meeting #4 - November 9, 2015 (PDF, )
• Academic Master Plan Steering Committee Meeting #3 - October 12, 2015 (PDF, )
• Academic Master Plan Steering Committee Kickoff Meeting - September 28, 2015 (PDF, )
• Academic Master Plan Steering Committee Kickoff Meeting - September 14, 2015 (PDF, )
- September 14, 2:30-5:00 - Steering Committee Kickoff Meeting
- Week of September 21 - Work Group Kickoff Meetings
- September 28, 3:00-5:00 - Steering Committee Meeting #2
- Week of October 7 - Work Group Meetings
- October 12, 3:00-5:00 - Steering Committee Meeting #3
- Week of October 19 - Work Group Meetings
- October 26, 3:00-5:00 - Steering Committee Meeting #4
- Week of November 2 - Work Group Meetings
- November 9, 3:00-5:00 - Steering Committee Meeting #5
- Week of November 16 - Work Group Meetings
- Week of November 16 - Campus Forums
- November 23, 3:00-5:00 - Steering Committee Meeting #6
- Week of November 30 - Work Group Meetings
- December 7, 3:00-5:00 - Steering Committee Meeting #7
- Week of December 14 - Work Group Final Recommendations
- December 21, 3:00-5:00 - Steering Committee Meeting (??)
January 18, 3:00-5:00 - Steering Committee? New location?
- February 1, 3:00-5:00 - Steering Committee Meeting A
- Month of February - Campus forums and feedback period.
- February 29, 3:00-5:00 - Steering Committee Meeting B
- March 15, 3:00-5:00 - Steering Committee Meeting C
- Month of March - Feedback on final draft via web and email
- Steering Committee receives charge, develops criteria for initiatives, and begins planning forums and focus groups.
- Work Groups receive charges and begin reviewing initiatives for possible inclusion in AMP.
- Steering Committee co-chairs activate website, finalize memberships, and facilitate scheduling and communication.
- Steering Committee assists with structure of forums, plans and schedules focus groups, and begins reviewing workgroup recommendations.
- Work Groups begin reviewing initiatives and sending recommendations to Steering Committee for feedback.
- Dr. Rai issues memo announcing kickoff of AMP process, publicizing website and e-mailbox, and previewing campus forums.
- Steering Committee co-chairs maintain website, direct email and web feedback to appropriate committees, and schedule forums and focus groups.
- Work Groups continue reviewing initiatives and select likely recommendations for presentation at campus forums.
- Steering Committee continues to review recommendations, assists with campus forums, and completes focus groups.
- Steering Committee co-chairs maintain website, facilitate forums, organize feedback from forums, focus groups, website, and email, and direct feedback to appropriate committees,
- Workgroups finalize recommendations.
- Steering Committee finalizes initiatives to be included in AMP.
- Steering Committee co-chairs begin drafting introductory material for AMP.
- Writers prepare first draft and executive summary.
- Steering Committee meets if necessary to guide draft.
- Communication plan developed.
- Dr. Rai presents progress at Spring Opening Meeting and announces forums.
- Steering Committee approves first draft for release, assists with campus forums, and weighs feedback for revision of first draft.
- Steering Committee co-chairs schedule and moderate forums, gather and organize feedback from forums, website, and email, and present feedback to committee.
- Writers prepare final draft based on feedback.
- Steering Committee approves final draft.
- Dr. Rai releases final draft for additional feedback.
- Dr. Rai presents AMP to president and senior leadership for feedback and approval.
- Steering Committee meets as necessary to incorporate senior leadership feedback.
- Writers incorporate final changes.
- Academic Master Plan finalized.
- Communication plan finalized and final copies printed.
- Plans developed for Board presentation.
- Implementation plans begin.
All faculty and staff are invited to attend the Academic Master Plan meeting through the year.
Our Academic Master Plan will be our road map for the future and help us to align our energy and resources with programs and practices that foster success. Please attend one of four campus forums to provide your input on this draft of the Plan.
- Monday, March 21, 2016, TP/SS (ST 301), 1:00 - 2:30PM
- Tuesday, March 22, 2016, GT (BE 158), 10:00 - 11:30AM
- Wednesday, March 23, 2016, RV (GU 222), 10:00 - 11:30AM
- Thursday, March 24, 2016, GBTC (GBTC 401), 1:00 - 2:30PM
• AMP Student Focus Group - December 17, 2015 (PDF, )
• MC MCPS Focus Group Notes - December 14, 2015 (PDF, )
• AMP Business Industry Focus Group Feedback (PDF, )
• AMP Community Non-Profit Focus Group Feedback (PDF, )
• Written Feedback from Academic Master Plan Campus Focus Groups (PDF, )
• Feedback from Campus Focus Groups (PDF, )
Feedback Form
Please send us questions, comments, or any feedback you have regarding the Academic
Master Plan via academicmasterplan@montgomerycollege.edu, or fill out the form below.
- Academic Excellence References (PDF, )
- Student Access References (PDF, )
- Student Success References (PDF, )
- AMP PEC Slides Nov 2015 (PDF, )
- College and Career Readiness and College Completion Act of 2013 Senate Bill 740 (PDF, )
- Academic Master Plan Charges Final (PDF, )
- Academic Master Plan Summary (PDF, )
- Academic Master Plan Timeline Schedule (PDF, )
- 41000 Student Success (PDF, )
- Revised Resource Tool Kit v6 (PDF, )