Results of "Draft Statement" Survey

Throughout the Summer of 2005, the college community participated in a survey evaluating the draft statements developed by the committee.  The results of that survey are provided below.

Our Mission
Rank Statement Edits
30 mail votes
 
19 on-line votes

Total: 49 		Statement #1:

CCRI’s mission is to provide open access, affordable, learning-centered, post-secondary educational opportunities to assist Rhode Islanders in becoming successful students, citizens and employees and to contribute to the quality of life and economic development of our state.
  • Delete: "and economic…..state".
  • Add: "and its diverse communities" at end of last sentence.
    What about the students from Massachusetts? There a quite a few, especially in Lincoln.
  • Delete: "open-access", "learning-centered" and "and to contribute…."
  • Omit "learning-centered". This is a current buzz word and will most likely be replaced with the latest buzz word in the future. Use of current "lingo" will date the mission statement. All education is learning centered.
  • Omit "open access" – with a 2 year waiting list for nursing, we are not truly open access.
  • Substitute "learner-centered" for "learning-centered"
  • Substitute: "and hope to students" for "to assist Rhode Islanders"; delete "students" after successful; substitute "for the student and for humanity" for "of our state".
  • change assist to enable. change order to students-employees-citizens (from specific to most general)
  • Seems the most logical of the three.
  • Besides being jargon-ridden and wordy, as well as mis-punctuated, why assume our students must become employees instead of employers?
  • remove learning-centered and replace with "diverse and flexible"
  • End the statement after the word employees. Rationale: Successful citizens contribute to the quality of life and economic development of our state; this phrase is redundant.
  • CCRI's mission is to provide open access, affordable, post-secondary educational opportunities in a nurturing and academically diverse environment that responds to the needs of the community and inspires learning and lifelong pursuit of personal and professional goals.
  • replace "Rhode Islanders" with "persons in Rhode Island and neighboring communities"
  •  ....assist Rhode Islanders in achieving academic success as students, citizens and employees which will contribute to advanced educational opportunities, the quality of life etc,
  • CCRI's mission is to provide open access, affordable, multi-culturally tolerant, student needs-centered post-secondary educational opportunities to assist students in becoming independent learners, successful citizens, skilled employees, and to thus contribute to a positive quality of life in our community.
  • CCRI does not only accommodate "Rhode islander's", maybe "Southern New Englander's"
  • Suggestion: CCRI's mission is to provide open access to affordable post-secondary educational opportunities to assist Rhode Islanders in becoming successful learners, citizens, and members of our state's workforce, thereby contributing to the quality of life and economic development of our state.
  • We have many students from other states, I don't think we should restrict the statement to just "Rhode Islanders"
    delete "post-secondary" change "Rhode Islanders" to "all individuals"
  • The mission of CCRI is to serve the changing educational needs of the greater Rhode Island community by providing an accessible and affordable college opportunity that stresses student success, promotes life-long learning, develops informed citizens, cultivates community service, embraces cultural diversity, contributes to economic development, and encourages the private and public pursuit of excellence.
  • The mission of CCRI is to provide open access to post-secondary educational opportunities for Rhode Islanders in a nurturing environment that supports innovative, comprehensive, diverse, student-centered opportunities that contribute to the quality of life and economic development of our state.
  • Statement #1 I feel that we should not include "economic development of our state."  This is quite self-serving and I feel inappropriate.  I would use this statement in combination with Statement #2 as follows
  • CCRI's mission is to provide open access, affordable, learning-centered, post-secondary educational opportunities for Rhode Islanders in a flexible environment that fosters individuality and creativity which leads to success while preparing the student to both personal growth and preparation for continuing education
  • Substitute "of our state" for "and to contribute…."
  • Substitute: "contributing" for "and to contribute"
  • Substitute "student-centered" for "learning-centered";Substitute "to enhance their lives, be successful and contribute to the economic development of the state" for "in becoming successful……"
9 mail votes

6 on-line votes   

Total:  15 		Statement #2:

The mission of CCRI is to provide open access to post-secondary educational opportunities for Rhode Islanders in an environment that salutes individuality, fosters creativity, encourages flexibility and celebrates success. This will lead to personal growth and community development.
  • Delete last sentence.
  • Delete everything after "Rhode Islanders".
  • Does "this" in the last sentence refer to mission or the mission outcomes?
  • Substitute "encourages" for "salutes"
  • Delete "salutes"
  • Substitute "opportunity" for "open access"; delete "for Rhode Islanders"; substitute "encourages" for "salutes"
  • Substitute: "salutes individuality" with "can be everything to the individual"
  • Salutes individuality, fosters creativity, encourages flexibility? That's dangerous ground to advertise.
  • Cut the last sentence and don't use salutes. 'Honors' would be better.
  • Please avoid this statement. It is a wastebasket statement full of jargon that makes nothing clear and embodies much of what is problematic in education today.
  • replace "Rhode Islanders" with "persons in Rhode Island and neighboring communities"
  • I abhor the second line. It should lead to academic growth, intellectual achievement, personal success, and community development. The first line should read "encourages scholastic achievement and celebrates success. My students are way too "flexible"
  • Just possibly change "Rhode Islander's
  • Suggestion: add "diversity and" after the word 'salutes'.
  • I'd remove 'encourages flexibility'.
  • delete "to post-secondary" delete" Rhode Islanders"
  • I would leave out the last line, I think the first makes a grand statement.
  • CCRI’s mission is to provide open access to post-secondary educational opportunities for Rhode Island, leading to personal growth and community development, in an environment that salutes individuality, fosters creativity, encourages flexibility, and celebrates success.
  • Delete "salutes individuality"
  • Substitute "promotes" for "salutes"
12 mail votes

14 on-line votes

Total: 28 		Statement #3:

CCRI’s mission is to provide a nurturing environment that supports innovative, comprehensive, diverse, student-centered post-secondary educational opportunities that enhance individuals’ lives, develop citizens, and serve community needs.
  • Delete "develop citizens….needs"
    Delete "nurturing"
  • Substitute "committed to" for "that" enhance…
  • Delete "nurturing"; substitute "education centered" for "student-centered"; Add "humanities" before last word.
  • Not just "Rhode Islanders"; don’t ignore educational quality.
  • Add "open access" after nurturing
  • Add "accessible"
  • Serve community needs is very vague.
  • Clumsy, touchy-feely, over-burdened, and wordy.
  • must keep the open access and affordable in the statement
  • CCRI's mission is to provide a nurturing environment that provides high quality post-secondary education for personal and civic enhancement.
  • must keep the open access and affordable in the statement
  • Where is scholarship mentioned? Our number one mission should be to provide and encourage scholastic achievement!
  • I do not like the word nurturing used for a college.
  • include "affordable education"
  • Suggestion: substitute the word "learning" for "nurturing"; perhaps add an "s" onto develop(s) and serve(s)
  • abhor the word "nurturing; add the word "affordable" before "innovative"
    On #3 I think some adjective should come before citizens - i.e., "thinking" or "educated". #1 I think should be "learner-centered" instead of "learning-centered".
  • I'd remove the word 'nurturing'.
  • delete "post-secondary"
  • CHANGE "NURTURING" TO SUPPORTIVE . ALSO CHANGE "SUPPORTS TO FOSTERS
  General Is this a joke? I expect my students to have a stronger grasp of the English language and the rules of grammar! Here is my suggestion – Proof read your writing prior to giving it to others! (no edits offered)
Our Vision
Rank Statement Edits
Total: 5 Statement #1:

An organization where everyone achieves by working together in a cooperative, collaborative environment
  • An organization where everyone achieves community and educational goals by working together in a cooperative, collaborative, and culturally tolerant environment.
  • An organization where all parties strive to work together in a cooperative and collaborative environment to enhance learning.
  • An organization where STUDENTS achieve
    An organization where everyone CAN achieve, by working together
  • A Coop?
  • Achieves what?
  • Too pie in the sky….
  • Quite a prediction!!!
  • Add "and competing" after "working together"
 
Total: 19 Statement #2:

A vibrant and versatile, student-and community-centered institution that puts learning and service at its core. 
  • Delete "and service"
  • A vibrant and versatile institution of faculty, students, and community working together in a cooperative and collaborative environment exploring new and diverse ways of learning, developing skills, and creating opportunities.
  • suggestion: A vibrant, versatile student- and community-centered educational institution..
  • A vibrant and diverse student and community-centered institution that puts learning and service at its core.
  • Substitute "achievement" for service
Total: 7 Statement #3:

A symbol of hope and opportunity, the bridge to intellectual development that individuals begin from their own unique place.
  • Lifelong learning and fulfill their definition of success
  • Do individuals begin a bridge? Or a symbol or an opportunity?
  • While the content is good, the wording is sentimental.
  • This is a "touchy-feely" statement that will not help us guide our students.
  • This is what CCRI has always meant to me.
  • An accessible institution of hope and opportunity, a bridge of intellectual development that allows individuals to progress from unique circumstances toward achievement of individual goals.
  • A symbol of hope and opportunity, the bridge to individual intellectual development.
  • A symbol of hope and opportunity, the bridge to individual intellectual development.
  • An institution where individuals are afforded opportunities to develop intellectually in a supportive atmosphere.
  • add "to cross" after the word "begin"
  • if it is a bridge what two things is it linking? I like the concept of beginning at own place and the symbol of hope, etc. Just not sure it comes across here.
Total: 3 Statement #4

An organization that works in productive partnership with community and state organizations to meet changing needs
  • Drop
  • A public, postsecondary educational institution that works…..
  • Add of its citizens at the end of statement.
    Boring.
  • This is another terrible statement. Changing needs for what?
  • This is the better statement of the 5 choices.
  • An institution that works in partnership with community and state organizations to meet changing needs.
  • Add individuals before community and state organizations…
  • No mention of students or learning
Total: 14 Statement #5

A community of diverse, life-long learners continuously exploring new and varied ways of building knowledge and skills to transform lives and create opportunities.
  • Add " to make the world a better place and others live a better life" after opportunities…
  • Best of the bunch!
  • Opportunities for what? Opportunities for economic advancement intellectual and cultural enrichment
  • This one works...but no hyphen in "lifelong" please
  • A community of diverse, life-long learners continuously exploring new and varied ways of facilitating the development of critical thinking, enhanced knowledge, and skills to create positive change and opportunity in the broader community.
  • suggestion at end of sentence: , while supporting the workforce needs of our state.
  • A community of diverse, life-long learners continuously exploring new and varied ways of building knowledge and skills to transform lives both professionally and personally.
  • I do not like this statement at all. I recommend it be deleted in its entirety.
  • maybe #3 could be worked in here some how?
  • rank 1; a combination of statements 2 & 5 would be ideal.
  • Delete "continuously"
  Others
  • Regarding Statements #2 and 4: #2 implies the ability to meet changing needs.
  • Get rid of the jargon and emphasize studying and work
  • a rich, diverse, continuously evolving learning community....
  • helping all students advance to the highest levels their abilities, dreams, and ambitions permit.
  • An college that supports a diverse population of students helps them to reach their goals and continue to build their knowledge for a lifetime.
  • I don't think we can improve on mission statement #2 above. It is excellent!
  • A vibrant and versatile institution of faculty, students, and community working together in a cooperative and collaborative environment exploring new and diverse ways of learning, developing skills, and creating opportunities.
  • An institution that responds to the cultural, educational, economic, and social needs of the community in a way that is consistent with our mission as a provider of educational opportunity.
  • A stepping stone to those who want to further their accomplishments as true leaders on a higher education level.
  • A community of diverse lifelong learners and educators who work cooperatively and collaboratively to build knowledge and skills and create opportunities to transform lives
  • the first place that individuals and the business community think of for their educational and vocational needs.
  • Acknowledged and supported by Rhode Island government as a vital contributor to the state's economic and social environment
  •  ...acknowledged as the region's premier community college as a result of its commitment to its diverse student population, dedicated staff, and the economic development of our state.
  • responding to the needs of the individuals to better their lives both professionally and personally.
  • a student and community-centered learning organization that attracts post-secondary students not because it dispenses credentials but because it truly facilitates learning, provides training and fosters citizenship.
  • too hard to do right now. I would like it to say something about encouraging employees to keep the focus on students and to become a place where the atmosphere is positive so employees look forward to coming to work.
  • an educational environment which teaches and enables an appetite for knowledge, intellectual curiosity,
  •  …a diverse community of life-long learners creatively serving the changing needs of society by promoting academic excellence, practicing professional collaboration and cooperation, offering innovative programs of study, engaging in productive partnership with business and government, and achieving significant student success.
Our Core Values
Value Statement Edits
Commitment to Excellence CCRI provides excellence in teaching and support services, enabling academic and personal success for all. We embrace change and innovation that creates new opportunities for learning – which is our highest priority. We devote ourselves to respecting and empowering individuals and strive to do whatever it takes to help our students and employees to reach their fullest potential.
  • Delete "which is". Delete last sentence.
  • Delete "which is our highest priority"
  • First sentence is ok. Second sentence is awfully clumsy as well as ambiguous. "Whatever it takes" is pretty amoral, don't you think?
  • CCRI is committed to excellence in teaching and support services. Delete the remaining sentences.
  • We really do not help employees to reach their fullest potential.
  • CCRI continually strives to provide excellence in teaching and support services, enabling academic and personal success for all. We embrace positive change and innovation that creates flexible and responsive opportunities for learning-which is our highest priority. We devote ourselves to cultural tolerance, and empowerment of all individuals and strive to the best our collective abilities to enable our students and employees to reach their fullest potential.
  • take out the word "to" in front of reach their fullest potential
  • to reach their fullest potential - to become college graduates.
  • First sentence okay. Delete everything else. The content of sentences two and three do not address excellence.
  • CCRI is committed to excellence in all its endeavors: creating new learning opportunities, embracing innovative change, promoting professional development, enabling student success with diverse support services, adopting high academic standards, exhibiting institutional integrity, recognizing exemplary teaching, and expanding information technology.
  • Delete "to do whatever it takes" – hyperbolic and unnecessary
  • Delete: "enabling academic and personal success for all", "do whatever it takes" – no institution can ensure success for all and at the same time maintain high standards
  • Punctuation? Perhaps new sentence? "This is our highest priority"
  • Delete "do whatever it takes to"; Delete "to", new phrase: help our students and employees reach their fullest potential.
  • Substitute "create" for "creates", delete "which is"
Community CCRI is committed to fostering an inclusive learning environment whereby diversity is valued and collaboration and collegiality among all stakeholders is highly regarded. CCRI provides an extensive breadth of quality and timely educational opportunities and services that are responsive to the communities in which we live and work. We value and nurture community partnerships in order to further enrich our programs and services.
  • Delete all but first sentence.
  • Leave out "stakeholders"
  • Stakeholders" sounds like the Gold Rush. "Community members" seems more appropriate
  • Change "whereby" to "where". Add "and rewarded" after highly regarded.
  • "Stakeholders" is jargon and the passive voice dreary. The second sentence borders on the illiterate.
  • The last sentence seems redundant and/or unnecessary.
  • Use first sentence as is. Delete the remaining statements.
  • Who is our target audience? Do the majority of our applicants/students know what "collegiality" means?
  • omit word "stakeholders" omit "an extensive breadth of"
  • First two sentences okay. Delete the last sentence: it is redundant.
  • "stakeholders"????? Prefer another word.
  • CCRI is committed to serving the changing needs of the community by cultivating an inclusive learning environment that values cultural diversity, practices collegial collaboration among all stakeholders, creates needed educational opportunities, and develops community partnerships that enrich our programs and services.
Responsiveness CCRI is committed to being responsive to the needs of students and to provide available resources in response to the variety of academic and personal challenges faced while pursuing higher education. In addition, the College provides timely and creative responses to the economic development and workforce training needs of the state. We are committed to embracing changes in education and instruction that benefit students and employers.
  • Delete last sentence.
  • Substitute "to assist with" for "in response to"
  • Delete "while pursuing higher education" – unnecessary
  • Responses to the needs of the state for economic development and workforce training.
  • Last sentence sounds redundant – already implied in previous sentence.
  • Too many "responses", not clearly written
  • CCRI is committed to being responsive to the needs of students as they face a variety of academic and personal challenges in seeking higher education. Cut the last sentence.
  • Again, I don't think the last sentence is needed. It seems to repeat the gist of the first two sentences.
  • CCRI is committed to responding to the academic and resource needs of its students. The second sentence is fine as is.
  • ......changes in education, instruction, service, and management that benefit students and employers.
  • Should the word "state" be capitalized?
  • Question: I believe I saw somewhere on the website that our "graphic standards" say we don't capitalize "C" in college, even though we are talking about a particular college.
  • that benefit both our students and their potential employers.
  • change "to provide" to "providing" in the first line
  • Sentences one and two are okay. Sentence three is redundant.
  • CCRI is committed to responding to the changing needs of students by creating professional resources for meeting the academic and personal challenges of pursuing a college education, and to the changing needs of employers by designing and implementing vocational training programs that contribute to the economic development of the state.
Integrity CCRI employees model the highest standards of professional conduct, ethical practice, and accountability for those we serve. Honest, open communication, while maintaining appropriate levels of confidentiality, is the cornerstone of a collegial environment where students and colleagues are treated with utmost dignity and mutual respect. Members of the college community exhibit prudent, responsible fiscal management over everyday operations and strive to maintain the highest level of public trust.
  • Delete last sentence.
  • Substitute "exhibit" for "model"; substitute "within" for "while maintaining"
  • Cut utmost and prudent - you protest too much here.
  • CCRI employees are committed to modeling the highest standards of professional conduct, ethical practice and fiscal accountability for those we serve. Delete the remaining sentences.
  • CCRI employees strive to model the highest standards.......Members of a the college community strive to exhibit prudent, responsible
  • Ideas are essential to ensure a healthy and changing educational community.
  • I think this statement boasts too loudly of virtues we do not, at this point in time, truly possess
  • CCRI is committed to the highest standards of professional accountability, ethical practice and institutional integrity by creating a collegial environment that values open communication, treats students and colleagues with the utmost dignity, promotes mutual respect between all stakeholders, practices responsible fiscal management, adheres to ethical and professional principles of conduct, and maintains the highest level of public trust.
General   I suggest that all of the core values be edited to 1 or 2 sentences. Appears too lengthy to have a forceful impact.

Draft Statement Survey - Administered Summer 2005