Back See this section in context: Criterion 5 Core Component 5C

5C.1: Collaborative Ventures

An important collaboration for Sauk is its working relationship with local K-12 schools. The primary responsibility is carried out by the Student Services Office through a variety of outreach initiatives. The Counseling staff has a long history of regular contact with local high schools, including administering on-site placement testing and registration. In addition, the Student Needs Coordinator cooperates with developing Individual Education Plans (IEP) to assist students transitioning to Sauk.

Sauk has historically maintained three staff positions to serve as liaisons with district schools, including Recruiter, Coordinator of High School Relations, and Tech-Prep Coordinator (2.5 FTE), to inform students and families about Sauk opportunities and to prepare students for college. Due to budget constraints, the positions were consolidated into one full-time position, Coordinator of High School Relations, whose duties are designed to accomplish the following objectives:

• Coordinate the Partnership for College and Career Success program (PCCS): Sauk provides the coordination for Illinois’ version of the federally-funded tech prep program, which transitions students from high school into a postsecondary institution in the student's chosen career program. Based on approval of high school course outcomes, certain high school courses are accepted as Sauk credits to students who satisfy criteria established by the college (see Figure 5vi).
• Maintain contact with area high schools: The Coordinator facilitates an annual consortium meeting with the district’s high school guidance counselors and monthly meetings with the high schools' PCCS program coordinators. In addition, Discover Sauk days, which are offered on campus, provide transition activities for local high school juniors and seniors.
• Provide career information: The Work in the Real World career conference has been held at Sauk for the past seven years, as a collaborative effort among Sauk, BEST Inc., Partners for Employment, and Whiteside Area Career Center. At the conference, high school students learn about a variety of career opportunities and meet with local employers. This popular conference has seen a 62% attendance increase from FY08 to FY10. The Coordinator also plays an important role in the programs for under-represented career events (5A.2).
• Coordinate dual enrollment: The Coordinator works with the ICCB dual enrollment program, which provides eligible high school students with opportunities to enroll in college-level courses while still in high school (see Figure 5vi). These classes may be offered at the high school or on Sauk's campus as either dual enrollment (college credit only) or dual credit (both college and high school credit).

Another vital collaborative area for Sauk is its partnerships with other higher education institutions that allow it to expand opportunities for study and degree attainment.

• Northern Illinois Online Initiative for Nursing (NIOIN): To address a shortage of nurses identified in numerous regional studies, Sauk cooperated in a collaborative partnership to provide an online nursing program for area students. Sauk’s NIOIN partners, including Highland, Kishwaukee, and Rock Valley Community Colleges; eight hospitals; and the Workforce Investment Board (WIB), began the process in 2005. Although rejected for a grant, the program received WIB and hospital partners' support to enable the hiring of a director. The program was approved by the IBHE in April of 2008 and by the Illinois State Board of Nursing the following September.
  • The degree has been articulated to Bachelor of Science (BSN) degrees at NIU, Rockford College, and OSF St. Anthony College of Nursing.
  • The first 31-student cohort graduated in May 2010 with degrees from their respective colleges. All eight of the Sauk cohort passed their NCLEX examination on the first attempt.
  • NIOIN received statewide recognition when it was awarded a 2010 Innovation Award by the Illinois Commission of Community College Administrators.
• Agriculture degree: In August 2008 Sauk partnered with University of Illinois' College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) to offer ACCESS, a collaborative initiative that offers an Associate of Science degree in Agriculture. Students who complete the prescribed transfer program at Sauk will be admitted to the College of ACES at the junior level in a relevant field of study. Enrollment in the three years of the program has varied from one to seven students, which is on target with expectations.
• Criminal justice partnership: Sauk and Highland Community College have a long-standing agreement by which the Sauk criminal justice faculty coordinate and teach for both colleges. For a number of years, shared courses were offered primarily via compressed video. However, in FY10, due to the high demand at the Highland campus, the program was expanded by offering more on-campus sections. Currently, Sauk’s Professor of Criminal Justice facilitates Highland's program by mentoring Highland’s adjunct faculty and coordinating internships for the Highland students, as well as teaching three credit hours at Highland. The program at Highland serves 40 to 45 students every semester.
• Out-of-district enrollments:  Sauk partners with other Illinois community colleges to enable students to enroll in an out-of-district community college to pursue a career program not offered in their home districts (see Figure 5vii for enrollment data):
  • Community College Career Education Cooperation is a state-wide practice for all Illinois community colleges.  Out-of-district students pay tuition to the college at which they enroll, and that college charges the student's college of residence a state-calculated "charge back" rate.
  • Community College Career Education Agreement, in which Sauk participates with 23 other Illinois community colleges, allows residents of any of those districts to enroll in selected career programs at the other partner college at in-district costs.  As a result, the home college does not incur the expense of the Cooperation arrangement described above.