Sitting Bull College
Strategic Plan
2012-2017
Sitting Bull College’s (SBC) strategic planning process has been and will continue to be carried out through the College’s committee structure. All College faculty and staff serve on at least one committee, with the exception of daycare providers, janitors, lab technicians, and bus drivers. In addition, one Board of Trustees member and at least one administrator serve on each committee.
In the 2010-2011 academic year, Sitting Bull College (SBC) decided to align its strategic planning process with the new criteria for accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and to begin preparing for the upcoming accreditation visit in 2013-2014. The process began with the assistance of a strategic planning consultant who reviewed the criteria for accreditation with the assistance from the Vice President of Academics. They began to align the criteria with the responsibilities of each committee. The consultant met with each committee and helped establish a revised function and scope. In addition, it was determined through the criteria that Assessment, which was an ad hoc committee, needed to become a standing committee. Other committee structure changes that evolved through this process were the combining of the Finance and Facilities to Finances and Resources and a change back to a previous structure splitting College Life to Student Life and Iyuwaste (Employee Life). In addition, a Governance committee was revived that had been eliminated over 15 years ago. The Board of Trustees Chair, Administration, Committee Chairs, and Executive Assistant to the President serve on the revived committee. The Governance Committee was revived as a means to improve communication between committees and the Board of Trustees, thus giving all employees a voice.
Therefore the current committees include: Governance, Assessment, Community Relations, Curriculum, Finance and Resources, Iyuwaste, Student Life, and Technology. The Technology Committee is made up of information technology personnel and one selected member from each committee, along with a Board of Trustees member and one administrator and is used as a line of communication between committees, administration, and the Board of Trustees on technology needs of the college.
All new and revised policies for the college must originate from one of the standing committees. The committee chair is then responsible to bring the new or revised policy to the Governance committee for review and approval. Once the Governance has reviewed the policy it is then submitted to the Board of Trustees for final approval.
The new committee structure was put into place during the fall of the 2011-2012 academic year. The revised function and scope for each committee was reviewed by the board on May 6, 2011. The committees through the fall semester developed five year strategic goals along with yearly measureable objectives which were approved by Board of Trustees on November 4, 2011. The progress of the new five year goals and yearly objectives will be reported to the Board of Trustees on a quarterly basis.
THE HISTORY OF SITTING BULL COLLEGE
College classes were first offered on the Standing Rock Reservation in 1968 through the Division of Continuing Education at Bismarck Junior College (BJC). Many of the inaugural classes were held in the Douglas Skye Memorial Complex which, at that time, housed office space for Tribal Government agencies.
In 1971, the Director of the Bismarck Junior College Division of Continuing Education, representatives of the Standing Rock Community Action Program and educational personnel from the Bureau of Indian Affairs held several meetings to plan for the
development of a community college on the reservation. In November 1971, a Community College Committee (CCC) was formed with Tribal Council members from Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, officials from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and representatives from several Tribal agencies, including Headstart, Community Action, and Public Health Services.
The Community College Committee was formally recognized by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council on April 11, 1972 and began offering classes that same year, later that fall. Starting enrollment for the inaugural class was 95 students and included a total of eight course offerings. The CCC continued its development planning and because Bismarck Junior College already offered a variety of fully accredited academic courses and vocational programs on the Standing Rock Reservation, the CCC submitted a request to BJC to assist in the development effort on the Reservation.
In order to promote community support and interest among community members, the Standing Rock Tribal Council passed a Resolution, changing the name of the Community College Committee to the Standing Rock Community College (SRCC) Board of Trustees. This Tribal Resolution gave the SRCC Board of Trustees final authority over all matters affecting the institution, including administration of the college’s financial practices, development of academic programs and business relationships with state and federal government agencies.
Sitting Bull College began operating as Standing Rock Community College on September 21, 1973. On that date, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council approved a charter allowing SRCC to operate as a post-secondary educational institution at the associate degree level. At that time, there were three full-time employees.
A $100,000, Title III grant was used to fund the 1973-1974 academic year, which allowed the College’s Board of Trustees to double the number of classes offered from the previous year. In 1975, the BJC and SRCC partnership received a larger, multi-year Title III grant that allowed the college to continue its growth, including relocation to, at that time, a state-of-the-art Skills Center.
Standing Rock Community College’s first graduation was held May 14, 1976, for the seven students who received Associate of Arts degrees. The degrees were granted through Bismarck State College.
The process of seeking accreditation for the Standing Rock Community College began in 1975, with Candidate Status for accreditation granted in 1978 after a thorough evaluation by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Higher Education. This status meant the college was recognized as now providing Higher Education services and that it could be ready for full accreditation within six years. Standing Rock Community College eventually received full accreditation in 1984 and to mark this achievement, the college officially changed its name to Standing Rock College (SRC).
The college later received continued accreditation in 1987, 1991, and for a full ten years in 1996. Again to mark their success and at the urging of many community elders and college administrators, on March 6, 1996, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council voted to amend the charter, changing the college’s name to Sitting Bull College (SBC).
Sitting Bull College continued to operate out of the Skills Center (1341 92nd Street, Fort Yates, ND) until eventually breaking ground for a new campus in August 2000, along Hwy 24, approximately one-half mile west of the Skills Center. Between 2000 and 2011, Sitting Bull College raised over $23 million to build a new $40 million campus. Sitting Bull College’s entire operations is now located on the new campus (July 2011), which includes a $83,000 Cultural Center, a $1.3 million Student-Family Housing complex (18 units), a $6.5 million Science & Technology Center, $3.2 million Family Support Center, a $1.5 million Public Transit Center, a $3.6 million Entrepreneurial Center, a $2.6 million Student Support Center/Library, a $1 million Finance Center (business office), a $1 million Trades Center (building trades & maintenance), a large $980,000 and a smaller $100,000 Wind Turbines, renovation of the Cultural Center to a Visitor’s Center, and a $1 million Student Housing Complex (efficiency apartments). Current (Oct 2012) Capital Campaign projects include construction of a small office building and storage facilities. Future (after Oct 2012) Capital improvements for the campus include expansion of the Student Support Center to include a Cafeteria, additional student housing, and construction of Wellness and Recreation Center.
Sitting Bull College also owns sites in McLaughlin and Mobridge, SD.
VISION
Let us put our minds together and see what life we can make for our children.
Wakháŋyeža kiŋ lená épi čha táku waštéšte iwíčhuŋkičiyukčaŋpi kte.
MISSION
Guided by Lakota/Dakota culture, values, and language, Sitting Bull College is committed to building intellectual capital through academic, career and technical education, and promoting economic and social development.
STUDENT GOALS
1. Students will display technical and critical thinking skills through effective oral and written communication.
2. Students will display leadership skills that promote ethical, responsible, dependable, and respectful behavior.
3. Students will develop work ethics and skills to function independently and cooperatively within a diverse work environment.
4. Students will gain an understanding and appreciation for Native American cultures.
SITTING BULL COLLEGE
2012-2017 STRATEGIC PLAN
GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
FUNCTION: Oversee the institution’s committee functions; facilitate communication between committees and the Board; and formulate, review, and revise personnel policies and procedures.
SCOPE: Identify the appropriate communication path within the institution.
Goal # 1: To ensure SBC functions including policies and procedures reflect SBC Mission and Vision Statement through 2017.
Goal #2: To maintain open line of communication between Committees, Administration and Board through 2017.
ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE
FUNCTION: Review, report and make recommendations concerning student learning and institutional effectiveness for continual quality improvement for all our stakeholders.
SCOPE: To oversee all institutional data collection and recommend new data that will measure institutional effectiveness.
Goal 1: To review academic and student support data that demonstrates institutional effectiveness through 2017.
COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE
FUNCTION: To be the catalyst of change in identifying and recommending educational, cultural, social and economic activities. To increase the awareness and visibility of Sitting Bull College among the people we serve.
SCOPE: Make recommendations on ways to educate communities about Sitting Bull College resources and analyze community needs.
Goal #1: To facilitate a relationship between Sitting Bull College and the communities through 2017.
CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
FUNCTION: Recommend academic and instructional policy to the Board of Trustees.
SCOPE: Covers all matters of instructional policy, programs, and activities as they relate to the curriculum.
Goal # 1: To provide and refine a systematic evaluation of current academic and technical programs through 2017.
Goal #2: To explore and evaluate future academic and technical programs through 2017.
FINANCE & RESOURCES COMMITTEE
FUNCTION: To make recommendations that focus on perspective areas of internal and external stakeholders for Sitting Bull College.
SCOPE: To plan, analyze and make recommendations on institutional finances and resources that serve the internal and external stakeholders for the present and future.
Goal #1: Human Resources – To continually seek a cost effective working and learning environment for the campus, based on Sitting Bull College financial and personnel policies through 2017.
Goal #2: Physical Plant – To improve and continue Sitting Bull College financial practices that will support the upkeep and maintenance of the facilities, equipment and campus grounds through 2017.
Goal # 3: Funding – To seek new funding and maintain current funding sources, while managing operational expenses through 2017.
IYUWASTE COMMITTEE
FUNCTION: To promote harmony among employees of Sitting Bull College and to provide professional and social development, including cultural opportunities, for employees.
SCOPE: To have provided opportunities a minimum of three (3) times a year that support and enhance harmony, morale, and communication among Sitting Bull College employees.
Goal #1: To enrich the SBC Tiospaye through social & cultural opportunities through 2017.
STUDENT LIFE COMMITTEE
FUNCTION: To create opportunities which promote, support and enhance morale and communication among Sitting Bull College students, faculty and staff.
SCOPE: To have created opportunities for students to actively participate in student centered initiatives.
Goal #1: To have created opportunities for students to actively participate in student centered initiative through 2017.
TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE
FUNCTION: Research, analyze and make recommendations regarding strategies to promote the technological growth of Sitting Bull College and its stakeholders. Identify technology training needs for all stakeholders.
SCOPE: Research and recommend avenues to continually advance Sitting Bull College technologically.
Goal 1: To review, revise, and implement new and current technological policies and procedures through 2017.
Goal 2: To make recommendations for current and new technology including the college’s web site through 2017.
