b'MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST COMMUNITY COLLEGEPhase #4Final SelectionFor listening, Question 4(r) of the CCSSE reads, HadWith confidence that it was acting in the best serious conversations with students who differ frominterest of the institution and its stakeholders, the you. Among respondents, 29.10% indicated thatcommittee moved into Phase Four: Final Selection. they never had a such a conversation.This resultBefore presenting the top three topics to the College indicates an opportunity for improvement amongPresident and Executive Council, the QEP Topic MGCCC students to listen, especially to differingSelection Committee verified that each of the topics points of view. were aligned with the colleges mission and Strategic Plan 2020 (2011).In addition, the committee used Several items on the CCSSE offered insight oninstitutional data to evaluate the importance and speaking.Question 4(a) examined whether studentsappropriateness of each of the final topics. asked questions in class or contributed to class discussions.Among students, 36% respondedRepresentatives from the committee met with the that they never or sometimes asked questions orCollege President and Executive Council on January contribute to class discussion, which is an opportunity12, 2018 and presented its recommendation.for improvement.Question 4(b) asked if students made a presentation in class.The results indicatedSoft Skills for Hard Work, a proposal that 25.80% never made a class presentation.Thissubmitted by a student organization, was statistic indicated a need to give students morethe first choice and recommendation of opportunities to present in class.Finally, question 11(c) asked students about speaking clearly andthe committee.effectively.Among students, 11.50% respondedAfter some discussion about how to define Career that they never spoke clearly and effectively, whileSoft Skills, the Executive Council suggested re-28.30% indicated that they sometimes spoke clearlynaming the topic Essential Skills in order to better and effectively.This response demonstrates thatmeet the needs of institutional constituencies as many students know they are not speaking clearlythey were articulated during listening sessions and and effectively, which offers an opportunity foron surveys.improvement. Even though MGCCC students generallyByusingthetermessentialskills outperform students at larger collegesinstead of soft skills, the Executive on many CCSSE metrics, the committeeCouncil sought to transform students and concluded that the college may fall shortemployees perceptions of the importance in producing students with the essentialof this particular set of skills.skills requested by employers.Other Institutional Data With this change in terminology, the College President and Executive Council accepted the committees The QEP Topic Selection Committee also consideredrecommendation and presented it to the Board of the Employer Satisfaction Survey, MGCCC employeeTrustees, who approved it unanimously on Januarysurveys, and Student Graduation Survey.The results17, 2018.While the topic selection process lasted indicated a stark difference between the essential skillsfor about four months, MGCCCs planning and active training needs indicated by students (self-assessment)engagement with stakeholders began long before, versus local employers and MGCCC employees.making the topic selection process effective and These results will be discussed in the next sectionefficient.titled Development of the QEP Including Literature Review.MGCCC QEP 2019 15'