Human Resource Needs, Assessment Example

Human Resource Needs Assessment- Dutchess Community College

The Present Situation

Dutchess Community College is a 54 year old 10,329 student enrollment two year 60 programs Associate Degree institution headquartered in Poughkeepsie, New York. The institution serves to prepare students for the 4 year degree courses as well as for the job market, and presently has 2691 fulltime males and 2754 females enrolled as well as a similar ratio 4881 part time students enrolled in its diverse programs (Dutchess Community College, 2011).

Academically, Dutchess Community is well staffed in all programs with professors and adjunct professors required to have at least a Masters Degree in their areas of expertise as well as relevant teaching experience at the community level. Successful applicants are often provided with a minimum of 1 year renewal and a maximum of 2 years renewal in their contractual offers by the college Human Resource Division, and must demonstrate understanding of course assessment and program development commitment and how they impact on learning and instruction during their tenure (Dutchess Community College, 2011).

The college Human Resource Department does not recruit staffing for the bookstore, cafeteria, day care centers or maintenance operations, and fills civil service clerical positions with the competitive civil class examinations. It also does not keep files of the exam results of applicants for these examinations. Advertising for all positions are done in the Poughkeepsie Journal and other publications (Dutchess Community College, 2011).

Comprehensive benefit packages are provided for all teaching positions in the college and strong commitment to diversity are expected from all these employees due to the highly flexible ways students are engaged in the process of completing their academic programs at its several venues in the State of New York (Dutchess Community College, 2011).

The college offers the most economical package for students pursuing Associate Degrees in the State, with fulltime undergraduate paying $ 3320, $6220, $1250, and $6400 for In State Tuition cost, Out of State Tuition cost, books and supplies, and off campus boarding respectively (Dutchess Community College, 2011).

The Dutchess Community College Administration has been able to procure Financial Aid, Federal Grants, Institutional Aid and Students Loan for 57%, 32 %, 4% and 23% respectively for its enrolled students, with many accessing more than one category to complete their two years of study (Dutchess Community College, 2011).

Additionally, the college has generated funds to provide 80 full time scholarships for students whose age range on graduation was between 18 and 67.

The institution has a comprehensive annual package for its students and the community in general in its drive to “Discover, Connect and Change”. The activities in 2010-2011 academic year includes Foundation Gala to raise funds for students scholarship, hosting of college transition programs for high school students, Filmmakers competition, Community Day, Art Gallery Exhibition, Constitution Day, hosting of visiting lecturers in Aeronautics, Annual Black Fair, Hispanic Heritage Month, College Events to celebrate Women’s History Month and Tax Preparation Courses for professional (Dutchess Community College, 2011)

The mandate for Dutchess Community College seems to be realized when it graduated 1201 students in 54 disciplines at its 52^nd Commencement which was simulcast to several sites during 2011.According to a recent New York State studies report, DCC students continuing their 4 year studieshave constantly demonstrated high rates of success, graduating with above average grades.

Students on graduating are provided with alumni benefits which include professional development opportunities, discounts on travel, insurance, bus trips, use of the campus athletic and other facilities, and online community and services.

Dutchess Community College is currently graduating  over 12000 students annually, and as such is serving the job market well in some areas especially in Business Administration, Advertising and Commerce, Architectural and Construction Technologies, Aviation Science, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Communication and Media Arts, Engineering Science and Technologies, Medical and Allied Health Technology, Early Childhood, but it is Nursing that the institution is really challenged(Dutchess Community College, 2011).

According to a July 2002 study from the department of Health and Human Services , there was a shortage of 110, 000 nurses or 6% of what is required in 2000, and if there is no change the study predicted that it will grow by 12% by 2010, 20%v by 2015 and 29% in 2020 (Herron, 2003).

The demand affected the admission rate at Dutchess since 2002, and it has only responded by raising the entry requirements for the two year course, which on completion guarantees graduates jobs which pays at least $44, 000.00 annually in the health industry.

Dutchess Community College graduates less than 100 nurses from it course annually, has an opportunity to address the shortage from a New York perspective, in that the state only produces 910 new positions overall when there are demands for 10,756 recruits as far back as 2002 (Herron, 2003)..

The college provides excellent security for its students on the dormitories, has adequate parking facilities at all times, wonderful study environment internally and externally, and supplement its energy requirements using solar technology. However severe constraints are experienced in the adequacy of computer facilities within the library, especially near and examination times, when students are having striving to complete their heavy workloads to graduate on time.  There are also constructions in progress to build a stadium to help the college fund its sport development programs, which are presently below national standards.

Change in Direction

A change in direction is needed by Dutchess Community College in terms of its tenure for new professors, its facility for computer training and use, maximizing its sporting facilities to earn greater revenues to more efficiently fund its expansion programs, recruitment strategies, diversity among its staffing, as well as in the expansion of the Nursing Department to meet state and national demands.

Training in facility management, diversity, recruitment strategies, sport management, marketing, broadcasting, energy management, and business strategies will be required for the institution to develop into a four year degree granting entity as well as one that can more efficiently meet the job demands in its locale.

The Human Resource Department also needs to conduct an audit of its annual production in terms of the number of graduates that are delivered straight to the job market annually compare to those transferred to New Paltz, New York University, Columbia University, Devry, Mercy College and other universities and colleges, and use the information to modify its productivity to the market demands, until it is able to change its present feeder programs relationship with these institutions.

Desired or Necessary Change

Dutchess Community College base on its performance in terms of the high level of enrollment, the rate of graduation, its ability to recruit top level staff, its diverse locations, outreach programs in high schools, as well as its annual activities, is capable of becoming a four year degree college institution. This gap which has prevailed for 52 years is depriving the college of revenues that a high percentage of it’s over 12,000 Associate Degree graduates is spending at other institutions within the state and nationally.

Dutchess Community College demand of its Professors strong and unbending commitment to diversity but the make of its staffing lacks the diversity required and the lecturing comes basically form a homogenous source to a student composition that is highly diverse. The college therefore needs to move to that point in terms of its recruitment strategies, where it will be able to more effectively help its students can receive their education from leaders that will constantly bring their different cultural background and experience to the classroom, as this enable more wholesomeness in delivery and better prepared mentality for the changing global job market environment.

In terms of security of tenure, the college administration, based on the benefits package advertized to attract highly qualified candidates, offers one year renewable contracts and a maximum of two years at the most. This reduces the prospect of qualified candidates seeking careers in education to come to the institution and grow and develop and contribute to the enhancement of the learning capacity of successive batches of students.

It also negatively impact the rate at which new approaching and learning techniques will be utilized by the institution to make itself more relevant to  societal demands, in that the  long standing tenured professors will remain in their positions  dispensing the same knowledge that may have become obsolete in the ever changing job markets.

The learning curves of newly recruited professors are not facilitated beyond two years in an environment that are otherwise highly conducive to learning, and the college deprives itself and the nation overall, of the possibility of higher intellectual achievements among its graduates who would definitely positively impact societal development at several levels, based on the knowledge and experience imparted to them.

Dutchess Community College have excelled in terms of its high level of recruitment, which is the highest among the 30 community colleges in the State of New York, but has not move to use the financial revenues generated from such a position to maximize its earnings from the sports and other recreational endeavors, like other colleges that engage themselves in football, basketball, athletics and baseball along with education, and have achieve great success that will only auger well for future generations of college bound students.

After 52 years of operation Dutchess Community College is only just expanding in this direction by building a stadium which will enable it to gain additional revenue from college games as well as other events.

It could be inferred that the leadership of the college are not sold to the concept that students come to the college for education as well as possible careers in sports, and as such a reinventing of the institution may be appropriate in this regards. According to Naisbitt and Aburdene (1985), the use of vision and visualization is better known in athletics tan in business, and research has shown that by picturing the successful completion of moves they want to make, athletes can improve their performance, especially if the mental picture is accompanied by physical practice.

Another problem within the administrative division of the college is its failure to use its best Human Resources to serve in the recruitment of all staff for serving the needs of students. Prospective employees for the bookstore, cafeteria, day care centers, maintenance and clerical positions are outsourced to other companies, and deprive the institution of the capacity to maintain the excellence demanded of recruits of higher standings.

Identifying Priorities and Importance

According to Milkovich and Boudreau (1997), plant, equipment and financial assets are resources required by organizations, but it is the human resources that are particularly important, in that they create the sparks within by designing, producing goods and services, allocate financial resources and set overall objectives and strategies for business entities.

Dutchess Community College through its Human Resource Department is the main agent of change for it to indentify its priorities and importance and move in the direction of successfully developing the strategies to successfully address them, while fulfilling its mission of providing education for its students so that they can “Discover, Connect and Change” in their professions of choice.

Training will be required for the Human Resource team to develop the frame work necessary for the institution to make the big leap to a four year degree granting entity, to develop the curriculum for expanding the nursing program, a management and leadership program and a legal department  to meet the job market as well as to provide counsel and strategy development  for future operations, developing the sports program to enable students to develop academically and scholastically, improve the benefits package for new recruited adjunct and full time professors to exceed the two year renewable contract that now prevails, and expand the responsibilities and staffing to recruit all personnel for the college, regardless of the status while ensuring diversity reflective of the college student population is reflected in the composition of the teaching staff.

The first priority the HRD should be to confront and remove the legal restrictions that mandate it to operate at the community level only, by applying to the state board for the change and then to seek the necessary accreditations so that within a three year time limit it can achieve this most coveted status.

Recruiting personnel for these departments will prove cost effective to the institution as their invaluable input will facilitate the synergy required to meet the challenges to build the organization as well as train students for the job market.

The entire institution then will require an entire make over to reflect what is expected from a university, with the development of work structure, training and development for all departmental staff, excellent compensation packages, and employee relations (Milkovich and Boudreau, 1997).

In terms of work structure, the college will engage consultants to develop job analyses, teaching teams, performance management criterions, and student involvement in course structures through end of term assessments, while the training and development programs will encompass career development, continuous learning among tenured professors, and mentoring, embracing diversity as organizational assets and succession planning (Milkovich and Boudreau, 1997).

Compensation for Dutchess Community College Human Resource Divisions under the guidance of the President for this reinventing program will be crucial as it will have to consider base pay on the markets, pay for performance, different aspects of benefit, as well as incentives for the tenure for highly qualified professors with excellent course records.

Employee Relations will challenge the existence of the institution when it is functioning at peak performance during each semester except the summer periods, and as such it will become prudent to invest proactively in training programs that involve communications, grievance handling and or dispute resolution, union relations, safety and security, and health awareness among present employees.

The Dutchess Community College Human Resource Division, at the end of these training programs, should then make it a policy to have an agreed orientation period for all new employees, so that the culture, traditions, and philosophy of the institution can be replicated across the organizations generationally. This will ensure the learning experience of graduates will be consistent with the time as well as ensure the enduring reputation will continue to attract freshmen of the highest quality.

The structure will now be in place for the development of the sports program which will be the income generator for the financing of projects that are not covered by Federal Funds as well as donations from cooperate entities, especially the marketing of the institutions as the education and scholastic centre of New York State. Multitasking then will become the new approach by the leadership of Dutchess Community College, as it seeks to complete the other components of the priority list that well accentuate the achievement of its goals and objectives.

Identifying Causes of Performance Problems and Opportunities

A Human Resource Information System, according to Milkovich and Boudreau (1997) is a systematic procedure for collecting, storing, maintaining, retrieving and validating data needed by the organization about its human resources, personal activities and organizational unit characteristics.

Dutchess Community College, by developing a Human Resource Information System that includes operating standards, principles, procedures, guidelines for each department, and by monitoring departmental performance on a semester by semester basis, will be able to monitor and identify performance problems and opportunities.

Leadership of the college will be able on receiving these information to revise, redesign, alter and develop strategies that will ensure the institution remain on track to achieve its objectives.

In order to improve the performance of the college, benchmarking, which is the approach of sending teams of marketing specialist to leading organizations to learn about their best practices, then comparing them and making changes where necessary to generate improvements (Milkovich, Boudreau, 1997), will help to enhance the drive to achieve the standards mutually agreed upon by all team members.

The college leadership will know whether its employees in all areas knows their jobs and are performing at the expected level of needs to be trained to raise their standards to meet the requirements. Indications also will be given by the performance appraisals developed whether to promote, terminate and or recruit new employees to meet the challenges presented at each departmental level during and in between semesters.

Training, which is a defined as a dynamic process, will need to be embrace departmentally on an ongoing basis, especially in an effort to adjust to the trends in the market place. It will also be prudent of the institution’s president and the Human Resource Director to ensure the necessary budgetary allocations are in place or this very vital organizational tool can decisively shape its future depending on the timeliness of critical actions that produces conformance to market standards.

Through this process Dutchess Community College will find that it has to undergo a name change to reflect its newly acquired status as a university, and will be able to realize that through its sports program, recruitment strategies, annual course audit, performance appraisals, and expansion of facilities project, will  realize the importance of these programs and maximize the opportunities they present to make it one of the most sought after educational institution on the Eastern Seaboard of the United States.

Key overall results like the number of student enrollments, dropouts, graduating, the attrition rates of professors, graduates obtaining jobs, attendance of employers and prospective employees at job fairs, the amount private sponsorship for scholarships, ratings in the media, the revenue generated for the sports department as well as the performance of each team representing the institution, will prove vital in determining the success rate of the college, as well as which areas to allocate more resources for greater levels of productivity.

Identifying Solutions and Growth Opportunities

Dutchess Community College will find solutions and growth opportunities simultaneously through team work, diversity, development of a Sports Psychology Programs, Seminars for coaches at all levels, Out of State Marketing of its Academic Programs, Expansion of Dormitories, and the rental of stadium facilities on a seasonal basis.

Team work will help to unify the efforts of the organization all the different lenses to bear upon the strategies that will be developed to find how best to educate students in disciplines, especially in instructional techniques. According to Naisbitt& Aburdene (1985(, the people who knows the best about any job is the one doing it, and to keep a business healthy , information has to be received and distributed throughout.

By applying the team concept in teaching, Dutchess Community College will not only elicit inputs from all its professors but from students as well, and will be able to develop and fine the best approach to achieve its educational objectives.

Additionally, the institution will be better served when participants at all levels becomes motivated, because the leadership engage them in its organizational plans and actually implement some of their suggestions.

Diversity in the recruitment process also provide solutions and growth opportunities, in that the intellectual capacity and experience brought to the institution by former graduate of universities, colleges and business organizations, becomes available source of wealth to be mined for immediate use, once the proper organizational climate, and benefits packages, including security of tenure as well as reduced accommodation and transportation expenses are provided.

Accommodation expenses for Out of State college students at Dutchess Community College is ranked the lowest in the State of New York, and by marketing this strength in carefully chosen states in combination with available scholarship packages, the college with its sporting , nursing and other programs, may be able to increase its enrollment  perhaps by as much as 10-15% annually.

This achievement will also lead to increase in the annual Federal capital injections into the institution and empower in a greater way to adequately finance all areas of operations as well as to have retained earnings for unexpected events that may threaten itsfuture existence.

Dutchess Community College, by its intention to expand into a four year degree granting institutions, will of necessity have to expand on the capacity of its dormitories to absorb the greater influx of students from diverse locations across the country. The funding for this will be easily achievable by the revenues generated from higher enrollments as well as those gained from private sponsorships, fundraising events, and other events.

The new stadium is also an excellent source of revenue growth opportunity for the institution, in that it can rented along with its sister locations for entertainment events, concerts, athletic meets, and by baseball  sporting teams across the  country especially those  seeking to find locations for Spring training.

In order to attract even greater level of candidates to the institution, the leadership could also add Spots Psychology, Sports Management, and increase its present Physical Education Course to  degree level, so that it not only provide venues for sporting activities , but also the training opportunities for students desiring to make careers in this discipline, which has provided significant job opportunities across the state, because it is no longer regarded as a game or recreational activities but as business that needs to be managed successfully to maintain dominance.

Finally the college should improve upon its strategy to increase the entrance requirement for nurses by adding classrooms and laboratory facilities for  students, as well as develop feeder outlets in places like Beacon, Newburg, Westchester, Spackenhill, Middleton, Fishkill and other surrounding areas to increase enrollment into the course in order to positively impact the increasing demands in the profession.

Conclusions

Dutchess Community College Leadership, base on this Human Resource Assessment conducted, will be well advised to pursue these recommend strategies in order for it develop in a sustainable manner and remain relevant to societal needs, especially from the jib market perspectives as well as the technological and intellectual advancement of the state and the nation overall.

Failure to do this may result in other institutions that it serves as feeders may negatively impact its enrollment as well as quality of teaching by tapping directly into its market segments.

The opportunities are on the table and the college is blessed with several areas of strengths despite its highlighted human resource and other weaknesses, to reinvent itself, especially with the number of annual events to celebrate and industrially educate the community as well as its students. These events provide ideal opportunities to make lasting impressions on the people who matters most, namely the students, parents and community members

However, in an era of fast changing global conditions, timing is essential because institutions and business can disappear overnight leaving many unemployed and without a future, due to failure to respond to threats in their operational environments.

Reference

Dutchess Community College (2011). News and Events www.sunydutchess.edu/ 11/03/11

Herron, J., A. (2003). Nursing rewarding but demanding Poughkeepsie Journalwww.poughkeepsiejournal.com/project/on-the-job/bu11060201.shtml , 11/04/11

Milkovich, G.T., Boudreau, J., W. (1997). Human Resource Management 8th edition Irwin, Chicago, Ill

Naisbitt, J., Aburdene, P., (1985). Reinventing the Corporation Warner Brothers New York, NY