This is the ninth of 9 weekly e-mails designed to share interesting and important ideas from the 2005 PVCC Self-Study Report. Each week will feature a different employee perspective and original art from our own David Bradley.

Today's Topic: Criterion Five:  Engagement and Service

Background

Criterion Five is new in that  never before has an accrediting body asked for evidence of service.  As a community college, this new criterion offers a tremendous opportunity for PVCC to showcase, examine, and evaluate the many programs and services that directly interact with the community on a daily basis.

Reflections by: Greg Silcox

What three things did Greg learn or find interesting?

1.   Fine and Performing Arts faculty have devoted their incredible talents and skills to grow the arts at PVCC.

 2.   PVCC employees have shown creativity and ingenuity in successfully acquiring external funds.

 3.   Many programs at PVCC are similar in that they began as pilots with soft funds and have grown to be stand alone programs completely funded by the college.

What are three important Ideas for a first time visitor to PVCC?

1.  In addition to traditional course offerings, there are numerous and varied course options available to students through the Center for Distance Learning and the choices@pvc distance learning program.

 2.  Programs such as  Student Life and Service-Learning offer myriad and diverse opportunities for student involvement in the community.

 3.  The college goes at great lengths to seek out, listen to, and respond to its constituents and their needs.

The Self-Study Report, including the complete text of Criterion Five, can be found at http://www.pvc.maricopa.edu/~selfstudy/report/index.htm

Please direct questions or concerns to the Self-Study Coordinator Rick Vaughn, or use the anonymous feedback form on the left side of the Self-Study website http://www.pvc.maricopa.edu/~selfstudy/ . A drop box for comments is also available on the second floor of KSC building.