Fall 2007 - Summary - Open Forum - Week One
1. Whom do we serve?
- Bergen serves a very broad community of students: young, old, prepared, under-prepared, special needs, top high school graduates, typical high school graduates, returning students, international students, EBS and ALP students, non-traditional adult students, online students, non-credit students (Continuing Ed.), early childhood, global students, senior citizens, degree holding students, BCC employees who are students, skill up-graders, career changers, corporate sector students
- Our students come from the county, northern NJ, the region (metropolitan area), and some are international
- Bergen has many categories of users: library users, theater goers, renters who use our facilities, alumni, the community for public issues/forums, health services users, corporate users, labor users, athletic program users, vendors/outsource users, video conference participants, Buehler Science Center users
- Parents
- Funding agencies – government, public, private
- Employers
To add your comments go to: http://dl.bergen.edu. (User ID: strategic, Password: planning)
2. What programs and services do we offer?
- Bergen provides: a broad range of academic, career, and cultural opportunities to meet the needs of our diverse students, a bridge to 4 year colleges, opportunity to the outside community, a marketable education, corporate and continuing education training, services for student success, external access, testing, assessment and placement, resources for special needs students, a resource for the community, transitions and gateways for our students, an economic impact
- Credit/non-credit programs
- Community & cultural events
- Bergen’s services include: specialized services, library, counseling, financial aid, small business development, co-op, learning assistance centers, clubs, athletics, the Foundation (scholarships), access to technology, grants, customized services, study abroad, child development center, ILR for senior citizens, distance learning, meeting center, art gallery, recital hall, teen arts festival, CSIU, crisis weather center, Ciarco learning center, GED assessment, ESL/ALP, film festival, bookstore, Wellness Center, cafeteria, hazardous waste program, community forum, professional development for faculty & staff, student life
- Some of the more unusual services Bergen provides are: an observatory, a broadcast studio, a dental clinic, and emergency space during weather crises
- Our programs and services have an economic impact
- Regional and national leadership
To add your comments go to: http://dl.bergen.edu. (User ID: strategic, Password: planning)
3. What are our assets (strengths)?
- Our diversity
- Our wonderful students
- The quality of faculty and staff
- Our community members
- Our size – growth
- The library
- The campus - its location, beauty, and safety; has mass transit (bus service) connections; free parking
- Technology – state of the art, accessible, distance learning (number of offerings)
- Affordable tuition – Bergen is a low cost provider, the Foundation and scholarship opportunities
- Transferability – transfer agreements
- Variety and quality of our programs offerings, special academic programs ( i.e. Honors, NJ Stars, study abroad), cultural programs, continuing education
- Bergen is a center for excellence
- Perception of high quality education
- Fine athletic offerings
- Ability to transform our students
- Student success here and post-Bergen
- Board of Trustee members
- Support services for all students – prepared, under-prepared, special needs, honors, children (via the CDC)
- Facilities – library, theater, fine arts
- Advisory committees
- Excellent benefit package for faculty and staff; unions
To add your comments go to: http://dl.bergen.edu. (User ID: strategic, Password: planning)
4. What challenges are we facing?
- Accommodating the growth of the college: this affects facilities, space, all services, budget considerations (i.e. state allocations, salaries), personnel, traffic/parking, competition for resources
- Technology – staying up-to-date
- Academic image – i.e. winning the mindset of HS counselors, marketing the college
- Graduation rate and retention
- Public profile
- Perils of prosperity
- Civic engagement
- Communication
- Ridding us of “The Bergen Way”
- Academic preparedness of students
- Involving students beyond the classroom
- Hiring qualified faculty; part-time faculty numbers
To add your comments go to: http://dl.bergen.edu. (User ID: strategic, Password: planning)
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