2014-17 Strategic Mandate Agreement: Sir Sandford Fleming College of Applied Arts and Technology

Ontario’s Vision for Postsecondary Education

Ontario’s colleges and universities will drive creativity, innovation, knowledge, and community engagement through teaching and research. They will put students first by providing the best possible learning experience for all qualified learners in an affordable and financially sustainable way, ensuring high quality and globally competitive outcomes for students and Ontario’s creative economy.

Sir Sandford Fleming College Vision and Mission

Vision

Students succeeding through personalized learning.
Innovation and achievement powered by people.

Mission

Fleming champions personal and career success through applied learning. We contribute to community success and sustainability through programs, services, and applied research.

Core Promise to Students

At Fleming, you become part of a learning community. We engage you in personalized learning and provide personalized support. Set in welcoming communities, our smaller campuses provide a friendly environment where people know your name.

Close relationships, high expectations, and a hands-on, minds-on learning experience help you develop the knowledge and skills, attitudes, and values that lead to success at work and in life.

From here, you can go anywhere as you begin or change your career. Or, through well-developed educational pathways, you can pursue further educational opportunities.

You will experience first-hand our commitment to innovation in programs and practices, and to building sustainable, healthy futures for our people, communities, and environment.

Preamble

This Strategic Mandate Agreement between the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (the Ministry) and Sir Sandford Fleming College of Applied Arts and Technology (the College) outlines the role the College currently performs in the postsecondary education system and how it will build on its current strengths to achieve its vision and help drive system-wide objectives articulated by the Ministry’s Differentiation Policy Framework.

The Strategic Mandate Agreement (SMA):

• Identifies the College’s existing institutional strengths;
• Supports the current vision, mission, and mandate of the College within the context of the Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Act, 2002, and outlines how the College’s priorities align with Ontario’s vision and Differentiation Policy Framework; and
• Informs Ministry decision making through greater alignment of Ministry policies and processes to further support and guide the College’s areas of strength.

The term of the SMA is from April 1, 2014, to March 31, 2017. The SMA proposal submitted by the College to the Ministry has been used to inform the SMA and is appended to the agreement.

The agreement may be amended in the event of substantive policy or program changes that would significantly affect commitments made in the SMA. Any such amendment would be mutually agreed to in writing, dated, and signed by both signatories.

Sir Sandford Fleming College Key Areas of Differentiation

1. Fleming College offers a comprehensive program portfolio that provides access to postsecondary education for students in the region, and responds to the evolving demands of the regional labour market.
2. Fleming College serves as a regional hub for trades education and training.
3. Fleming College provides specialized programs that serve the province. In particular, the College is recognized as an Ontario leader in delivering environmental and natural science programs through the School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, and applied research through its Centre for Alternative Wastewater Treatment.

Alignment with the Differentiation Policy Framework

The following outlines areas of strength agreed upon by the College and the Ministry, and the alignment of these areas of strength with the Ministry’s Differentiation Policy Framework.

1. Jobs, Innovation, and Economic Development

   This component highlights institutions’ collaborative work with employers, community partners, and regions, or at a global level, to establish their role in fostering social and economic development, and serving the needs of the economy and labour market.

   1. Areas of Institutional Strength

      Fleming College focuses on jobs, innovation, and economic development in the areas of:

      • Career-relevant and labour-market ready programs and graduates.
      • Contributions to local social and economic development.
      • An established applied research program, including the Centre for Alternative Wastewater Treatment.

   2. Additional Comments

      • 2012-13 Ministry data notes a strong employment rate (84.1%), which is slightly above the sector average (83.1%), and employment rate in a related field (41.7%), which is below the sector average (45.1%).

      Institutional Strategies

      • The opening of the Kawartha Trades and Technology Centre in 2014 will see the College’s role as a regional hub for trades education and training expand.

   3. Metrics

      Institutional Metrics	System-Wide Metricsfootnote 1[1]
      Percent of graduates indicating Fleming education helped them obtain employment Regional economic impact Total annual revenues from grants and contracts Enrolments at Kawartha Trades and Technology Centre	Graduate employment rates Employer satisfaction rates Number of graduates employed full-time in a related job

2. Teaching and Learning

   This component captures institutional strengths in program delivery methods that expand learning options for students, and improve their learning experience and career preparedness. This may include, but is not limited to, experiential learning, online learning, entrepreneurial learning, work integrated learning, and international exchange opportunities.

   1. Areas of Institutional Strength

      Fleming College offers programs through a number of delivery methods, including:

      • The College’s Core Promise and Applied Learning Enhancement Strategy emphasize personalized learning and work-integrated learning.

   2. Additional Comments

      • 2012-13 data notes that Fleming’s graduation rate of 65.7% is above the sector average of 64.8%.
      • Retention from first to second year is 76.9%, on par with the sector.
      • Students in co-op programs numbered 446 in 2012-13.
      • The College offered 559 eLearning courses and 14 eLearning programs, and had 4,451 eLearning registrants in 2012-13.

      Institutional Strategies

      • The Ministry recognizes Fleming’s collaboration with Confederation College and Northern College to make unique elements of the College’s specialized curriculum in Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences available to students across the province through hybrid-remote delivery by 2017.

   3. Metrics

      Institutional Metrics	System-Wide Metrics
      Number of programs with a work integrated learning component Percent of students satisfied/very satisfied with the quality of field placements and other experiential learning opportunities Number of programs with applied projects Number of courses delivered remotely	Student Satisfaction Survey results Graduation rates Retention rates Number of students enrolled in a co-op program at institution Number of online courses registrants, programs, and courses at institution

3. Student Population

   This component recognizes the unique institutional missions that improve access, retention, and success for underrepresented groups (Aboriginal, first generation, students with disabilities) and francophones. This component also highlights other important student groups that institutions serve that link to their institutional strength. This may include, but is not limited to, international students, mature students, or indirect entrants.

   1. Areas of Institutional Strength

      Fleming College focuses on improving access and success for underrepresented groups in the areas of:

      • Fleming’s access agenda supports local, first generation, and Aboriginal students, as well as students with special needs, through alternative entry points and additional transition supports.
      • Fleming’s “Building Community Success” priority in its Strategic Plan emphasizes partnership with four First Nations communities.
      • The College forecasts an increase in international students.

   2. Additional Comments

      • 2012-13 data notes that the College had: 1,817 full-time first generation students (34.3% of total enrolment, which is higher than the sector average of 30.3%); 269 full-time Aboriginal students (5.1% of total enrolment, higher than the sector average of 4.2%); and 818 students with disabilities (15.4% of total enrolment, which is on par with the sector average of 15.2%).

      Institutional Strategies

      • Fleming reports significant growth in international enrolment in recent years, and the College is expanding its recruitment efforts into China and other markets.

   3. Metrics

      Institutional Metrics	System-Wide Metrics
      Number and proportion of international enrolment Percentage increase in international students by 2017	Number and proportion of Aboriginal, first generation, students with disabilities, and francophone students at an institution Number and proportion of international students enrolled in Ontario (as reported in annual institutional enrolment reporting) Proportion of an institution’s enrolment that receives OSAP

4. Program Offerings

   This component articulates the breadth of programming, enrolment, and credentials offered, along with program areas of institutional strength/specialization, including any vocationally oriented mandates. This component also recognizes institutions that provide bilingual and/or French-language programming for students.

   1. Areas of Institutional Strength

      Current program areas of strength include:

      1. School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences
      2. Haliburton School of the Arts, Museum Management, Cultural Heritage Conservation and Management, Sustainable Building Design and Construction
      3. Core programs in healthcare, community services, business, justice, and general arts that respond to the evolving needs of the regional labour market and provide access to postsecondary studies for local students.

      Proposed program areas for growth include:

      1. Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences
      2. Trades and Technology
      3. Healthcare and Community Services
      4. Arts and Heritage

   2. Additional Comments

      • The College will incorporate Integrated Program Planning and its new Product Development Office into enrolment planning and the evolution of its program portfolio:
        • A Centre of Excellence in Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences with a provincial, national, and international scope of program offerings.
        • The Kawartha Trades and Technology Centre as a regional hub for postsecondary programming, apprenticeship, and in-service training.
        • Healthcare and Community Service programs that meet the emerging needs of the region, and strengthen capacity for home and community care.
        • Niche program related to the Arts and Heritage that build on Fleming’s established reputation and facilities, and the economic impact of its Haliburton Campus.
      • The Ministry notes that the College is partnering with Seneca College at the Peterborough Airport and proposes to offer an Aviation Interior Techniques program, which would provide training for students in rebuilding aircraft.

      Institutional Strategies

      • The College will undertake targeted development and redevelopment in Business and Justice Studies, including Police Foundations, to respond to regional labour market needs and international applicants. The Ministry will require additional information if the College seeks to expand in these areas.

   3. Metrics

      Institutional Metrics	System-Wide Metrics
      Number of students enrolled in programs: Environmental and natural resource sciences Serving "niche" markets Aligned with the regional labour market Apprenticeship	Proportion of enrolment at colleges by occupational cluster and by credential Institution’s system share of enrolment by occupational cluster and by credential Number of apprentices in each trade

5. Institutional Collaboration to Support Student Mobility

   This component profiles partnerships between institutions that ensure students have access to a continuum of learning opportunities in a coordinated system. This may include, but is not limited to, credit transfer pathways and collaborative or joint programs between or within sectors.

   1. Areas of Institutional Strength

      Fleming College focuses on improving collaboration, pathways, and student mobility in the areas of:

      • Partnerships with regional school boards (Kawartha Pine Ridge, Trillium Lakelands, and Peterborough, Victoria, Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board), industry, other colleges (Centennial, Seneca, Confederation, Northern, Boreal), Trent University, and other universities.
      • Multiple pathways from General Arts and Sciences to five universities.

   2. Additional Comments

      The Ministry:

      • Acknowledges Fleming’s plans to develop a comprehensive credit transfer database via the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT).
      • Supports the commitment to build on agreements with Northern colleges (initially Confederation, Northern, and Boreal) in the areas of environmental and natural resource sciences.
      • Acknowledges that Fleming has established partnerships with Trent University and intends to build on those. The Ministry also notes that the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Trent University, and Durham College have a number of agreements with Fleming, and encourages further consideration of how these partnerships could develop to provide strong regional planning and complementary strengths.

   3. Metrics

      Institutional Metrics	System-Wide Metrics
      Number of students participating in dual credits Number of direct-entry students enrolled Number of articulation agreements Number of collaborative programs offered with universities Increased percentage of students continuing to university Increased admission of direct-entry students	Number of college and university pathways and/or articulation agreements (college-college, college-university, university-college) Number of transfer applicants and registrants Number of college graduates enrolled in university programs

Aspirations

The Ministry recognizes the importance of supporting institutions to evolve and acknowledges the strategic aspirations of its postsecondary education institutions; the SMA is not intended to capture all decisions and issues in the postsecondary education system, as many will be addressed through the Ministry’s policies and standard processes.

Other Policy

The Ministry and the College recognize that Fleming will continue to respond to the emerging needs of students and employers in the region, including through its programming. Fleming College seeks to strengthen areas of specialized programming that serve labour market demand across the province, particularly in Environmental and Natural Sciences. To this end, Fleming College is seeking formal recognition as a Centre of Excellence in Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences.

Enrolment Growth

The strategic enrolment and planning exercise is in the context of a public commitment in the 2011 Budget to increase postsecondary education enrolment by 60,000 additional students over 2010-11 levels. This government has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to ensuring access to postsecondary education for all qualified students.

The College’s planned enrolment forecast as expressed in this baseline eligible enrolment scenario is considered reasonable and in line with Ministry expectations, based on the current and projected demographic and fiscal environments.

Baseline Projected Eligible Full-Time Headcounts

Note: The College is planning significant recruitment of international students and this projected enrolment is not included above.

Financial Sustainability

The Ministry and the College recognize that financial sustainability and accountability are critical to achieving institutional mandates and realizing Ontario’s vision for the postsecondary education system. To this end, it is agreed that:

• It is the responsibility of the governing board and Senior Administrators of the College to identify, track, and address financial pressures and sustainability issues. At the same time, the Ministry has a financial stewardship role. The Ministry and the College agree to work collaboratively to achieve the common goal of financial sustainability, and to ensure that Ontarians have access to a full range of affordable, high-quality postsecondary education options, now and in the future; and
• The College remains accountable to the Ministry with respect to effective and efficient use of resources to maximize the value and impact of investments made in the postsecondary education system.

The Ministry and the College agree to use the following metrics to assess the financial health and sustainability of the institution:

1. Annual surplus/deficit
2. Accumulated surplus/deficit
3. Net Assets to Expense Ratio
4. Debt Servicing Ratio
5. Quick Ratio
6. Debt to Asset Ratio
7. Net Income to Revenue Ratio

Fleming is demonstrating its commitment to financial sustainability through its long- term enrolment and financial planning, and the Ministry is supportive of this continued work over the next three years.

Ministry/Government Commitments

Over time, the Ministry commits to align many of its policy, process, and funding levers with the Differentiation Policy Framework and SMAs in order to support the strengths of institutions and implement differentiation. To this end, the Ministry will:

• Engage with both the college and university sectors around potential changes to the funding formula, beginning with the university sector in 2014-15;
• Update the college and university program funding approval process to improve transparency and align with institutional strengths as outlined in the SMAs;
• Streamline reporting requirements across Ministry business lines with the goals of (1) creating greater consistency of reporting requirements across separate initiatives, (2) increasing automation of reporting processes, and (3) reducing the amount of data required from institutions without compromising accountability. In the interim, the Multi-Year Accountability Report Backs will be adjusted and used as the annual reporting mechanism for metrics set out in the SMAs;
• Consult on the definition, development, and utilization of metrics;
• Undertake a review of Ontario’s credential options; and
• Continue the work of the Nursing Tripartite Committee.

The Ministry and the College are committed to continuing to work together to:

• Support student access, quality, and success;
• Drive creativity, innovation, knowledge, and community engagement through teaching and research;
• Increase the competitiveness of Ontario’s postsecondary education system;
• Focus the strengths of Ontario’s institutions; and
• Maintain a financially sustainable postsecondary education system.