IV: Useful Terms

A

All-college meeting

Meetings are scheduled periodically during the year to inform college employees of new initiatives and keep everyone up-to-date on college events and issues.

Answers, Procedures, Guidelines

Answers, Procedures, Guidelines: Brookhaven College's Manual of Operational Memoranda is the college's policies and procedures manual. It is designed to complement the district's policies and procedures, which are found in the DCCCD's Board Policy Manual. Your dean has a copy of this manual and it is also available on the college's Web site.

Accuplacer – see also TSI

Accuplacer is a computerized untimed test of reading, math and writing and includes a writing sample. This test is given daily and is approved as an alternate assessment for the Texas Success Initiative.

ASSET

An alternate assessment for the Texas Success Initiative to be used only by Special Services at Brookhaven College.

B

BCFA – Brookhaven College Faculty Association

The Brookhaven College Faculty Association is an independent membership organization open to full-time faculty. The association is part of the larger organization, the Dallas Community College Faculty Association, DCCFA. Its purpose is to provide dialogue and liaison between faculty and administration in terms of instructional issues, benefits, rights and responsibilities and grievances. It also promotes and ensures academic freedom.

Board Policy Manual

The Board Policy Manual of the Dallas County Community College District is the district's policies and procedures manual. Web site: http://www.tasb.org/policy/pol/private/057501/

BSG – Brookhaven Student Government – see also SPAR

Students are elected to officer positions each fall.

C

Certification Date

The certification date is the last day for the college to report student enrollment figures to the state for reimbursement. For regular fall and spring semesters, the certification date is the 12th class day of the semester, and for regular summer sessions, the certification date is the fourth class day. For the May and winter semesters, the certification date varies, depending on the start/end dates of the semester.

Colleague – see Chapter 5

Committees

For a list of Brookhaven College committees, visit the Committee page on the Employee Intranet.

Compass - ESL

An assessment of English language skills for students whose primary language is not English.

Core Curriculum

Students can earn their college basics through the 48-hour DCCCD Core Curriculum.

Benefits include:

• Transfer guarantee: It is a state law that students who complete the DCCCD's Core Curriculum with at least a 2.0 grade point average are guaranteed that it will transfer to any Texas public college or university.
• General education completion: Successful completion of the Core Curriculum satisfies the students' general education requirements and receiving institutions cannot require additional Core courses.
• Money savings: Low tuition at DCCCD saves students money!
• Accomplishment: With another 13 hours beyond the Core, students can earn an associate degree.

Courtyard Chatter employee newsletter

The Courtyard Chatter is published monthly on the Brookhaven College Web site and includes campus news, events and feature articles. To access the Chatter, visit www.BrookhavenCollege.edu and click News in the Employees / News link at the top of the page. The Chatter Annex is published bimonthly especially for adjunct faculty and part-time employees. Send your story ideas, text and photos to bhcChatter@dcccd.edu or stop by the Marketing and Public Information Office, Building S, Room S241.

D

Division

Academic disciplines at Brookhaven College are administratively organized into instructional areas called divisions. For a listing of academic divisions visit http://www.brookhavencollege.edu/instruction/

Dual Credit

A course taken for dual credit earns the student college credit while simultaneously satisfying high school graduation requirements. Some dual credit courses are offered on the high school campus during the regular schedule of the school day. Students also may choose to get a preview of college life by attending classes on the Brookhaven College campus.

E

eCampus – see Chapter 5

eConnect – see Chapter 5

e-mail – see GroupWise

Emerald Awards

The Brookhaven College Emerald Awards is the annual employee awards program. At the program employees are recognized for their length of service to the college and for professional excellence.

EMGI – Ellison Miles Geotechnology Institute

Located in Building H.

ESOL

English for Speakers of Other Languages is available to credit and noncredit students. ESOL students see advisors in the Multicultural Center.

EXCEL

U.S. Department of Education funded program of services to first-generation college students or others that qualify under specific guidelines.

ExtPCAB – Extended President's Cabinet

This cabinet receives the president's report from the Chancellor's Cabinet and communicates information to the rest of the college. It serves as a sounding board for major college decisions and directions. This group also may discuss confidential matters. http://intranet.dcccd.edu/intranet/dcccd/bhc/committees/extpcab/

ExtPCAB for Planning & Budget

This team plans how the college will allocate its financial resources to advance Brookhaven College's mission. The team meets periodically to help determine funding priorities in preparation for the annual budget build, when additional funds are available or when reallocation is necessary due to loss of funds. http://intranet.dcccd.edu/intranet/dcccd/bhc/committees/extpcabbp/

F

FERPA –Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

https://www1.dcccd.edu/catalog/about/privacy.cfm?loc=2

Faculty Association – see BCFA

Fourth Friday – see Visions of Excellence

G

GroupWise

Novell GroupWise is the DCCCD's e-mail program.

H

HROG – Human Resources Operational Guidelines

Employment, benefits, compensation, retirement and other operational guidelines for Human Resources within the Dallas County Community College District. For a listing of these guidelines, including downloadable forms, visit: http://www.dcccd.edu/people/hr/hrog/toc.htm.

I

IA–Instructional Associate/Assistant

An instructional associate or assistant is a professional support staff employee whose primary responsibility is supporting faculty with instructional needs. Typically, an IA works in an instructional lab.

IAP–Individual Action Plan/Profile

The IAP is part of the faculty evaluation process. Read the Faculty Evaluation Process document that is available on the DCCCD Web site under Human Resources: http://www.dcccd.edu/people/hr/hrpdf/052802finalfacevaldoc.pdf.

IE–Institutional Effectiveness

Institutional Effectiveness is the assessment of the college's performance in light of its mission. IE involves the formulation of goals or expected educational results, the implementation of the means to achieve those goals, evaluation of results and the use of those results to improve the college's performance. In essence, it is a cyclical evaluation process that has as its purpose the continual improvement of all areas of the college's educational enterprise.

IEP–Intensive English Program

Designed to prepare international students on F-1 Visas for success in college-level courses conducted in English, the Intensive English Program combines American cultural studies with the English for Speakers of Other Languages program, or “ESOL.”

Internet

The college Internet site, www.BrookhavenCollege.edu, is maintained by the Marketing and Public Information Office. Requests for updates and additions require your dean's approval and may be made by following the MPI Services Request procedure outlined on the Quick Call Roster.

Intranet

The Employee Intranet is accessible to college employees by clicking on the Employees link at www.BrookhavenCollege.edu. Viewing the content requires a Novell login and password. Requests for updates and additions require your dean's approval and may be made by following the MPI Services Request procedure outlined on the Quick Call Roster.

IR – Institutional Research

This office provides official data reporting and analysis to support the mission of the college. http://www.brookhavencollege.edu/ir/

IT–Information Technology

Information Technology is the campus department responsible for installation and maintenance of computer hardware, software and networks for faculty, staff and students throughout the campus.

J

J-Lab

The Communications/College Learning Skills Lab in Room J122, often referred to as the J-Lab, is an open computer lab that provides computer access for students who need to type papers, do Internet research or access eCampus. It is also a learning support center for college learning skills courses, one-credit courses in which students receive one-on-one help in study skills, test preparation, note taking, etc.

L

League for Innovation

The League for Innovation in the Community College is an international alliance of colleges of which the DCCCD is an important participant. Its purpose is to encourage innovation and experimentation in community colleges. It sponsors a national student literature and art contest every year in which Brookhaven College participates, and a contest for faculty, administrator or staff “Innovator of the Year” in which both the college and district participate. Web site: http://www.league.org/

LENS – see Visions of Excellence

LRC–Learning Resources Center

The college's library, located in Building L.

M

Marketing and Public Information Office

This department is responsible for setting and protecting the public image of Brookhaven College. The department also provides services that benefit faculty, staff and students such as creating and maintaining the Web site, printing brochures, laminating and publicizing events. The MPI Office must review any printed material that is distributed on behalf of the college. The MPI Office also produces college course schedules and the employee newsletter, the Courtyard Chatter.

N

NISOD–National Institute of Staff and Organizational Development

NISOD is sponsored by the University of Texas at Austin for the support and recognition of excellence in teaching. Web site: http://www.nisod.org/

NTCCC–North Texas Community College Consortium

The North Texas Community College Consortium is a regional network of community colleges that collaboratively provides high quality, low cost and easily accessible professional development opportunities.

O

One Page Plans

One Page Plans relate to the cyclical college planning process that includes planning, budget and evaluation. Each workgroup in the college from instruction, student services, business services and administration completes a planning document that addresses the coming year's goals, activities to support the goals and any resources needed to accomplish the goals. These workgroup plans are channeled to the vice president and president levels. The Brookhaven College Extended President's Cabinet for Planning and Budget approves the various resources needed before the workgroups implement the plans. After the workgroup plans are implemented and activities completed, the goals are evaluated and appropriate changes are made. Again, the evaluations and changes are channeled to the vice presidents and president before the entire cycle begins again.

ORP–Optional Retirement Plan

The Optional Retirement Plan is an alternative plan to the Teacher Retirement System, TRS. Employees should look into both systems and choose carefully because the decision for this method of financial planning is made one time, at the beginning of the first full-time contract.

P

PCAB–President's Cabinet

This senior-level cabinet acts as a brain trust for the president, deliberates, and makes decisions concerning programs, personnel, buildings and committees. It is also the arena where potential problems and confidential, sensitive matters are discussed. http://intranet.bhc.dcccd.edu/intranet/dcccd/bhc/committees/pcab/

PI–See Marketing and Public Information

PSS–Professional Support Staff

This group of non-contract employees includes assistants, clerks, coordinators, maintenance workers, police and instructional associates/assistants. The PSS is the majority of the workforce at the college. These employees may belong to the Professional Support Staff Association, PSSA.

PTK–Phi Theta Kappa

A national honor society for students at two-year colleges.

S

SACS–Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is the agency that accredits Brookhaven College. It mandates an every-10-year comprehensive institutional self-study. Web site: http://www.sacs.org/

SSIS–Student Success Information System

A secure FERPA compliant student information system that provides faculty with student enrollment names, referrals, follow-up activities, students' learning styles, goals and more. To have access to this user-friendly “point and click” interface, prior training can be arranged through the Teaching & Learning Center. For details or to schedule training, contact 972-860-4212.

SPAR–Student Programs and Resources

SPAR offers extracurricular activities such as student government, student clubs and service learning. SPAR aims to help students develop leadership skills.

Success College

This is the topic Brookhaven College chose as the strategic focus for its alternative SACS self-study. It is an expression of the college's intention to focus on the success of students, to look honestly at how well it is doing, and to go through a systematic planning process to continually improve.

T

TCCTA–Texas Community College Teachers Association

TCCTA is the community college organization for teachers and administrators in Texas. TCCTA membership can include, for an extra fee, insurance liability coverage. The annual convention brings together faculty from all discipline areas for what is usually a high-quality conference. To encourage membership, the registration fee for the conference is paid for by the district for any member who wants to attend. Web site: http://tccta.org.cnchost.com/

THEA – Texas Higher Education Assessment

One of the tests approved by the state for TSI.

THECB – Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

TLC–Teaching & Learning Center

The TLC provides professional/staff development. The center offers classes, seminars and workshops for full-time faculty, adjunct faculty and staff.

TRS–Teacher Retirement System

The decision for financial planning/retirement is made one time, at the beginning of the first full-time contract. It is the alternative plan to the Optional Retirement Plan, ORP. Employees should look into both systems and choose carefully.

TSA–Tax Sheltered Annuity

This extra savings opportunity for retirement is available under both the ORP and TRS plans.

TSI – Texas Success Initiative

Program mandated by the state where students are tested in reading, writing and math, then placed in remediation according to their scores.

V

Visions of Excellence

Visions of Excellence, VOE, is an orientation program for new faculty members that offers 48 hours of learning activities. The program consists of a three-day retreat and seven workshops that occur throughout the academic year, most often on the fourth Friday of the month. http://www.dcccd.edu/people/sod/voe/voe_program.htm

“Fourth Fridays” occur throughout the academic calendar, most often on the fourth Friday of the month. Workshops are conducted on a variety of topics. The Fourth Friday activities offer additional work with the LENs materials as well as workshops that draw on the various expertise of the district faculty. Newer DCCCD faculty members have the opportunity to become acquainted with outstanding faculty from across the district and to establish networks that allow them to draw on the expertise of colleagues. Fourth Fridays are hosted by a different college or location each session, familiarizing faculty with district colleges other than their own. The leadership of the host college welcomes the group and introduces them to the culture of the campus location. http://www.dcccd.edu/people/sod/voe/friday.htm

Visiting scholars – see Faculty Handbook, Chapter 2:D Contracts

W

Wintegrate – see also Colleague

For those who have completed Colleague training, Wintegrate is a computer program that allows access to the DCCCD Colleague data server. Wintegrate may be used to look up financial, course and student information.