Since embarking on the journey through chaos and making the changes noted, college leaders are seeing decided improvements in communication, inclusion of staff in administrative processes, and overall commitment to student success. JCCC is now entering the fourth year of what will be a five-year employment contract. As a means of improving communication, the board of trustees, administration, and the faculty association meet monthly to discuss contract issues and other pertinent topics. A joint study group is considering extension of the contract for three more years. Dialogue is ongoing about productivity, workload, merit and incentive pay, and especially about how everyone at JCCC can help our students succeed.
People talk freely about learning.
The highest score in both areas was in the category assessing the college's focus on students. In addition, in the summer of 1998 the college applied Donald Fisher's instrument for measuring Baldrige quality initiatives in higher education institutions. A score of 250-499 was expected, which would indicate that JCCC had a good TQM process in place with opportunities for improvement. By following the path of chaos, JCCC has been applying principles of fractals and leverage to its management and leadership to make small changes that produce big results. This approach is reinforcing our values and fostering a more participative environment in which faculty, staff, students, board members, and administrators seek process improvements based on good data and communication.