Welcome Back

September 2023

As we return for Fall semester and approach NPC's 50th anniversary, Instructional Innovation has been diligently working to strengthen our offerings, support student success, and foster a culture of inclusivity and lifelong learning.

In Early College, we have seen staff reassignments and new hires to ensure we are aligned with our larger institutional goals. We have seen enrollment growth this semester in several programs and will soon complete final enrollments for dual classes. Several projects funded by FIPSE Grant are making great progress to streamline the Early College advising, registration, scheduling and faculty and student readiness efforts. With a dedicated team that includes new and familiar faces, Early College is looking at the future with optimism.

Our Library Services have expanded their outreach to include live and virtual information literacy sessions. They are also offering customized subject guides to assist instructors in course planning. Their September newsletter provides a glimpse into upcoming events and new book titles, making it a vital resource for our academic community. In addition, the Tech Hubs and laptop project will continue to provide learning support for students.

We have a new Interim Coordinator for OAI who has jumped right in to make processes more efficient for students seeking accommodations. The three-step process for accessing services is being refined and now includes an Intake appointment to ensure personalized service. While changes are underway, the core objective of the Office remains to support students in accessing a full education.

Our ITCS team is devoted to empowering faculty and staff through high-quality resources and training opportunities. They're providing several new learning opportunities this month, including workshops and webinars on a variety of topics from artificial intelligence in education to crafting exceptional courses. Our faculty mentors are providing mentoring to 17 new faculty members, and our ISW facilitators are ready to offer 6 Instructional Skills Workshops this semester. Orientation workshops were provided to about 30 dual enrollment instructors from our high school partners. The team also welcomes active participation from the faculty in the upcoming Instructional Council meetings as we start our “curriculum season.”

As we get ready to celebrate our 50th anniversary, the ITCS department has introduced Intellectual Bites: A Faculty & Staff Lunchtime Reading Roundtable aimed at fostering intellectual growth and dialogue. The first session is scheduled for September 18th, and I encourage everyone to participate.

I want to extend my deepest gratitude to my colleagues for their hard work, resilience, and commitment to our students and community. Our collective efforts make Northland Pioneer College the thriving academic environment it is today. Let's continue to innovate, collaborate, and celebrate the incredible legacy we are part of as we mark our 50th anniversary.

Wei Ma, PhD
Dean of Instructional Innovation
Read other Messages from the Dean