District Initiatives

 

Northeast Higher Education District (NHED) Diversity Plan 2010 - 2012


Understanding that staff, faculty, student and community input is vital to the success of the Northeast Higher Education District (NHED) Diversity Plan 2010 - 2012, the NHED Diversity Task Force and I invite you to review and provide feedback regarding the Draft NHED Diversity Plan 2010 - 2012.

 

The draft plan below is the product of research, intense dialogue, enthusiastic brainstorming, and effort to build consensus on the part of the NHED Diversity Task Force. The Task Force convened from January to September 2009 to develop a strategic document that would help create and sustain a culture and environment of inclusivity and respect for difference within NHED colleges and the communities these colleges serve. The outcome of this transformative document is twofold:

 

1. To build upon the strategies identified in campus diversity plans by addressing perceived gaps in programs and services.
2. To increase diversity across NHED institutions and foster campus climates where each individual is valued, respected and supported within the learning organization.

 

While the Task Force endeavored to create a cohesive plan that would create strategic direction, it currently reflects a wide spectrum of diversity philosophies and strategies of the Task Force members. Some members have suggested that the draft document is too prescriptive while others have suggested that it is not prescriptive enough. The Task Force’s next goal is to review feedback, including yours, to identify competing priorities, to align priorities with NHED’s current workplan and educational goals, and create tangible strategies to move NHED’s diversity goals forward.

 

As you review the document, please be as concise as possible regarding your comments on the Strategic Directions, Measures, Responsible Parties and Timeline so we can develop the best framework to help NHED navigate and implement the district’s diversity plan and goals. Additionally, your comments should be educationally focused, and consider how your comments can enhance NHED’s ability to foster campus climates where the diversity of individuals is respected.

 

The draft diversity plan is available below in pdf format. Please use the form provided in the Northeast Higher Education District (NHED) Draft Diversity Plan 2010 – 2012 to review and provide feedback.  Completed form shall be returned by December 31, 2009 to:

 

Stacy Johnston
Diversity Investigator & Trainer
2101 Trinity Road Duluth, MN 55811
Phone 218-279-2682, Fax 218-279-2691
s.johnston@lsc.edu

 

I appreciate your contribution and service to the development of this plan.

 

Sincerely,

 

Sue Collins, Ed.D.
President

 

Download Northeast Higher Education District (NHED) Diversity Plan 2010 - 2012

 

 

 

IT Shared Services  

NHED President Sue Collins, in conjunction with MnSCU CIO and Vice Chancellor Ken Niemi, asked Insight Solutions Group, Inc. to conduct a high-level inventory and assessment of the District’s information technology (IT) assets. Insight made a number of recommendations including infrastructure centralization, combined purchasing, collaborative support, and standardization of hardware, software, and services.

 

Jim Dillemuth, System Director of the ITS Portfolio Management Office, was asked to serve as the MnSCU lead because of his prior work and familiarity with the colleges in the District. The district CIOs were then tasked with creating this workplan describing how these recommendations will be delivered, when they will be delivered, and the costs and benefits associated with each recommendation.

 

The CIOs identified ten recommendations. The workplan is divided into these ten sections, plus a Gantt chart giving a high-level schedule of activities.

 

 The workplan is available below in pdf format.

Please Send your feedback and comments to: scollins@nhed.edu 

IT Assessment Workplan

 

 

 

Applied Learning Institute (ALI)

Mary Witte, ALI Assistant

 

Applied Learning Institute (ALI) was formed in 2006 to enhance the curriculum in northeast Minnesota by providing experiential learning that combines hands-on training and technology. ALI's goal is to prepare students to be highly trained, knowledgeable workers who are equipped with the technical and problem-solving skills needed by employers everywhere.

 

ALI is a partnership connecting 16 northeastern Minnesota school districts, five colleges of the Northeast Higher Education District (NHED), Iron Range Resources (IRR), Range Association of Municipalities and Schools (RAMS), and Minnesota Center for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence (MNCEME). ALI currently offers courses in seven area: Industrial Technology, Construction Trades (carpentry), Healthcare, Pre-engineering, Advanced Automotive, Business and Entrepreneurship and Natural Resources.

 

ALI is funded through a Minnesota legislative appropriation to NHED, funds from Iron Range Resources, and membership dues from partner institutions. More information is available at www.alimn.org.

 

 

 

 

TRiO/SSS 

Annette Horvat, TRiO SSS Project Director

 

Hosted by the Northeast Minnesota Higher Education District, the Arrowhead Region Colleges TRiO Student Support Services (SSS) grant is funded 100% by the U.S. Department of Education and is currently at $1,389,934 for the 2008-2009 academic year. Having the distinction of being the only SSS grant in the nation of that magnitude, this regional grant has grown to serve 1,000 students annually for the past 20 years.

 

The goal of TRiO Student Support Services is to increase the college retention and graduation rates of its participants and help students make the transition from one level of higher education to the next. TRiO SSS is an integral component on each campus of the District, and by collaborating together, foster a campus climate supportive of student success and academic achievement.

 

Link to Regional Website for TRiO - SSS, Vermilion Campus

 

 

 

 

Campus Entrepreneurship

 Northeast Entrepreneur Fund

 

The mission of the Campus Entrepreneurship Initiative (CEI) is to create an entrepreneur culture on the campuses of the Northeast Higher Education District community and technical colleges by providing education and resources to foster innovation and inspire the spirit of entrepreneurship in our communities.

 

Through a partnership with the Northeast Entrepreneur Fund (www.entrepreneurfund.org), a campus entrepreneurship coordinator is working with each campus to develop a committee (or "E-team") comprised of faculty, staff, students and community leaders. Each campus E'team is responsible for identifying areas where entrepreneurship education can inspire students, developing new events and activities that help to increase awareness and knowledge about entrepreneurship, and instilling entrepreneurship education into existing programs.

 

The Campus Entrepreneurship Initiative will include community and business links, certificate programs and curriculum choices, events and activities, student-led entrepreneur clubs and alliances with K-12.