The Key to Effective Advisory Committees

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• The Key to Effective Advisory Committees
• Guidelines for
• Professional-Technical
• Advisory Committees

2

• SBCTC Policy Manual - Chapter 4
• Advisory Committees for ProfessionalTechnical
  Programs
• Each college is required to have an industry
  advisory committee for each professional-technical
  program.

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What is the Purpose of an Advisory Committee?

• To promote collaboration between educational
  programs, business, industry, and labor in
  preparing individuals to enter and succeed in
  their chosen careers
• To assist the educational delivery system in
  responding to the needs of a constantly changing
  labor market

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Procedure Components

• Membership
• Formally appointed by the college in writing for
  a specific term (i.e., one, two, or three years)
• Recommended minimum of five members
• Strive for representation of gender and cultural
  diversity

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Procedure Components

• Membership
• Equal number of employees and employers,
  representing local business, labor, and industry
• If the occupation is apprenticeable, and a local
  JATC is active in the area, at least one labor
  and one management member of the JATC must be
  invited to participate.
• (Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee)

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Procedure Components

• Membership
• Committee chairs are elected from the lay
  members. Faculty are not to serve in this
  capacity.
• Members not attending at least 50 percent of the
  scheduled meetings should be replaced in order to
  maintain a viable committee.

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Committee Training

• College procedures should define training process
  for all advisory committee members, prior to
  serving as voting members, including information
  on Washington Ethics Law, as it pertains to their
  involvement with the college.
• Ethics in Public Service
• http//www.wa.gov/ethics/chapter42.html

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Some Audit Findings

• Private use of facilities, equipment and
  materials
• Limiting student projects to those recommended by
  advisory committee members
• Committee members with strong involvement in
  curriculum teaching the courses
• Vendors/sales reps of equipment used in programs
  assisting with equip design/purchase
• Faculty ownership/partnership with committee
  members in program related businesses

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Committee Functions

• Committees can advise in areas of
• Curriculum
• Facilities and equipment budget
• Instructional quality
• Instruction delivery
• Student employment

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So, what is an effective advisory committee?

• One that
• Understands the college and program mission
• Develops a work plan including assigned tasks and
  timelines
• Envisions the future
• Supports one another

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Resources

• Christy Doyle
• cdoyle_at_scc.spokane.edu
• [phone]
• Carol Riesenberg
• criesenberg_at_scc.spokane.edu
• [phone]