College of the North Atlantic
CNA
Modernization Plan
2019
April 2017
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CNA Modernization Plan 2019
1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In its 2016-17 Budget, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador directed the
College of the North Atlantic (CNA) to undertake an uncompromising review of the state
of the College and report on its current status, critical issues, and future opportunities. In
the last six months, the CNA executive has engaged its senior staff and worked with
Provincial Government officials to complete a preliminary review of the College’s
financial, academic, and general operations.
This report presents the initial findings of the six-month preliminary review, outlines
actions already taken to respond immediately to some of these findings, and presents the
College’s next steps towards achieving a modernized college system by 2019.
The preliminary review has identified areas of significant concern, including that the
College has operated with systemic and continuous deficits, teaching and learning have
not received an appropriate degree of attention, and quality and accountability are not
entrenched in the organizational culture. Notwithstanding that the College Act, 1996,
created CNA by amalgamating the province’s community colleges, today CNA is a 17campus entity whose operations and lines of business are not yet consistent or fully
integrated. The College has developed integrated systems for human resources and
financial management; however, teaching and learning, student services, community
outreach, and employer engagement remain largely the purview of each individual
campus. In addition, the evolution of the core teaching purpose of the College has not
kept pace with the emphasis on administrative and bureaucratic protocols.
The preliminary review has also identified that CNA lags behind other mature Canadian
college organizations that have evolved into learner-focused revenue generators,
catalysts of research and development, and contributors to community sustainability.
This finding confirms the need for a more comprehensive examination and an action plan
for all aspects of the College.
The CNA Modernization Plan 2019, as outlined in this document, will result in a
streamlined college system that maximizes opportunities, is efficient and sustainable,
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supports its employees, and offers labour market relevant programming that meets the
needs of the regional, provincial, national and international marketplace. A
comprehensive inventory and assessment of the College’s academic programs and
services, policies, processes, physical assets, technical systems, organizational structures,
and human resources will result in continuous modernization initiatives to be completed
by 2019.
Actions already taken to address immediate concerns include: developing a balanced
budget for 2017-18; aligning the College’s discretionary spending policy with the
Provincial Government’s recommendations; identifying priority areas for increased
revenue generation; and, enhancing staff professional development.
Next steps to achieve CNA Modernization Plan 2019 objectives include: creating an
Information Technology Strategy; improving Human Resource Management policies and
processes; creating a Strategic Facility Modernization Plan through collaboration with
Provincial Government partners; improving the academic planning process; and
centralizing enrolment management.
As the larger modernization initiative unfolds, the College will identify new
opportunities and challenges. College Management is confident that any issues identified
can be resolved through the hard work and dedication of College staff, faculty, and
management, as well as its stakeholders. Through semi-annual reporting to the
Provincial Government, CNA will demonstrate its commitment to continuous
improvement and remain accountable to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
The CNA Modernization Plan 2019: Plan and Purpose ......................................................... 5
The Changing Role of Canadian Colleges ................................................................................ 6
Overview of College of the North Atlantic .............................................................................. 7
Results of the Preliminary Review ............................................................................................ 9
Financial Operations ........................................................................................................ 12
Information Technology (IT) Systems ........................................................................... 16
Human Resource Management ...................................................................................... 18
Capital Planning and Plant Management ..................................................................... 20
Organizational Continuous Improvement Systems .................................................... 21
Admissions Processes and Student Information Systems .......................................... 22
Academic Planning .......................................................................................................... 23
Teaching and Learning .................................................................................................... 25
Online Learning ................................................................................................................ 26
Student Services ................................................................................................................ 27
International Business Development and Student Recruitment ............................... 27
Community and Industry Partnerships ........................................................................ 29
Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Activity ................................. 30
Conclusion: A Positive Journey Ahead .................................................................................. 31
References ................................................................................................................................... 34
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The CNA Modernization Plan 2019: Plan and Purpose
This document lays the foundation for a two –year modernization strategy for College of
the North Atlantic (CNA). Following a brief discussion of the Modernization Plan’s
purpose, the document sketches the context of Canadian colleges and provides an
overview of College of the North Atlantic in order to better appreciate the challenges the
College faces today.
With that background in mind, the document then discusses the preliminary review that
was conducted on the College in order to determine impediments to modernization. The
specific challenges that the preliminary review identified are discussed in terms of the
College’s immediate responses, as well as its next steps, both of which are concrete
measurable actions. The next steps, altogether, comprise a Modernization Action Plan
which includes deadlines for each action (Table 1). The action plan presented here is
merely the beginning of modernization. As we proceed towards our modernization goal
we may find that some steps require additions or modifications. This document
concludes with the College’s commitment to update the Government on a regular basis
on how it has implemented the action plan objectives in efforts to achieve modernization
by 2019.
The Government Renewal Initiative, launched by the Government of Newfoundland and
Labrador and executed by the College in 2016, provided the impetus and methodology
for College of the North Atlantic to examine its functions, operations, and resources. In
November 2016, the Government released The Way Forward: A Vision for Sustainability and
Growth in Newfoundland and Labrador. An integral part of the Newfoundland and
Labrador (NL) economy, the College has a responsibility to become economically
sustainable by 2019—an impossible goal if the College continues its current activities and
processes. A modernized College, however, has the potential to stimulate the economy
through innovative research and development that attracts entrepreneurs. It can generate
revenue through attracting relevant, market-feasible programs and more attractive
offerings for international students. Modernization can strengthen CNA’s teaching,
learning and academic capacities, and make the internal operations of the College run
smoothly. It can foster community development on a local level, while preparing its
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5
students for a global, technologically oriented workplace. Thus, the potential for
sustainability is within our reach, but it requires a plan to modernize the College.
In order to develop this Modernization Plan we undertook a six-month preliminary
review of the College. The scope of this preliminary review was broad, as it considered
the College’s financial operations, information technology systems, human resource
management, capital planning and plant management, organizational continuous
improvement systems, admissions and student information systems, academic planning,
teaching and learning, online learning, student services, international business
development and student recruitment, community and industry partnerships, and
applied research, innovation and entrepreneurship activity. This large-scale investigation
required the input of College stakeholders both within and outside the College (i.e., those
representing key external organizations, and strategic partners from the private,
community and public sectors). We recognize the importance of consultation for
understanding and articulating CNA’s role in the province, we will continue to engage
stakeholders as we proceed with the modernization planning process.
The Changing Role of Canadian Colleges
To better understand the importance of modernization for the College, it is helpful to
consider the changing role of colleges in Canada. In the last two decades, Canadian
colleges have transformed themselves in efforts to adapt to a complex global economy.
They have traded their primary emphasis on trades for a multifaceted approach to
educational offerings and services. In addition to offering some traditional programming
(such as trades), successful colleges also now serve as incubators of entrepreneurial
activity, centres of applied research, providers of broad and innovative programming,
and generators of significant earned income. Deemed positive alternatives to universities,
many colleges now have significant partnerships with the university sector.
Today a college education may lead to a university education and vice-versa, and fixed
careers in single locations are no longer normative. Indeed, for many learners, the
classroom is “in the cloud,” technology being central to the way people live, work and
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study in the modern world. The virtual (online) classroom is now as viable as the physical
classroom; and the physical classroom, laboratory and field site are transformed through
learner-centred technologies. Technology is not stand-alone, however, but is often
integrated within larger computerized management and learner systems, resulting in
efficiencies that correspond to high quality education. As most public colleges have
already modernized their learner and management systems, students in Canada have
many high quality educational options to choose from.
The renewal of college business models, proliferation of offerings, expanded reach and
seamless operations has increased inter-college competition for students. Given this
competitive environment, it is critical that CNA benchmark its performance against that
of other colleges. Now more than ever, the College needs to provide students with firstclass programming that facilitates their chosen attachment to the labour market and
creates additional pathways to desired educational pursuits. College of the North
Atlantic needs to be a viable alternative to other colleges.
Overview of the College of the North Atlantic
In order to modernize, the College must take into account its unique situation, history
and associated challenges. College of the North Atlantic is Newfoundland and
Labrador’s only public college, with a campus presence in 17 locations across NL, plus
one in Doha, Qatar. As a Crown Agency, CNA reports to the Minister of Advanced
Education, Skills and Labour. It was established through the College Act, 1996, which
amalgamated the province’s five community college organizations. Pursuant to the
legislation, CNA’s operations are directed by a Board of Governors.
The College derives its revenue from three main sources: the Provincial Government’s
grant-in-aid (50 per cent); the Federal Government’s Labour Market Development
Agreements with the Provincial Government (20 per cent); and earned income from
tuition and local and international contracts (30 per cent). In the 2015-16 fiscal year,
operating with a budget of $135 million, the College employed approximately 1,300
faculty and staff, enrolling and graduating 9,100 and 2,000 students, respectively.
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Historically, CNA operated as a multi-campus, face-to-face college system. Each campus
had relative autonomy serving its local communities and various iterations of regional
groupings. Program offerings have been campus-based, including, for the past 15 years,
its offerings in Qatar. The College now offers online courses and programs, a suitable
delivery option for NL students who are so geographically dispersed and often isolated
from physical campuses. Despite the unifying possibilities of distance learning, however,
and periodic attempts towards centralization, the College is still largely decentralized,
especially with regard to academic planning and student support. Integration of the
entire College system has begun through the consolidation of its financial and human
resources management, but significant challenges lay ahead.
Given its unique situation, history, and associated challenges, we recognize that CNA’s
renewal must focus on modernization initiatives that move the College towards an
integrated model of education. A networked college system with coherent, centralized
systems can eliminate duplication and inefficiencies in daily operations. Such
streamlining will strengthen the College’s ability to deliver quality education, foster
research, and attract new revenue. By minimizing bureaucratic and other constraints, the
College will be free to act as an economic development catalyst with respect to
entrepreneurship and innovation. An integrated model also supports multiple learning
centres in which training, innovation, and entrepreneurship combine to support
community development. Similar college models exist in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick,
Northern Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia. While responding to local needs,
an integrated College offers broad-based programming accessible through distance
learning, so that all learner needs may be met. Overall, an integrated model of college
education will help CNA realize its potential as an income-generating, teaching,
researching, and community development institution, which is crucial for the future of
NL as a whole.
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Results of the Preliminary Review
As previously noted, College of the North Atlantic completed the preliminary review of
its performance within a six-month period, through consultation with stakeholders.
However, due to the lack of comprehensive, reliable documentation and available data,
rigorous methodology could not be applied to all cases of enquiry. Nevertheless, the
results convey a general review and should be considered an initial step towards
achieving modernization by 2019.
The preliminary review found that the College meets or exceeds national standards in
some areas, such as unique trade offerings, industry collaboration, applied research
initiatives, and innovative program delivery (including blended learning). Specific
successes include:
•
Qualified, dedicated faculty and strong support staff and management;
•
Quality Matters Award for distributed learning;
•
Re-accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs,
of the College’s business programs;
•
Establishment (in process) of a Workforce Innovation Centre at the Corner Brook
campus;
•
Pilot project of the Industry Engagement Unit;
•
Wave Energy Research Centre in Lord’s Cove;
•
Centre of Excellence in Mining Support, Innovation and Industrial Research
Feasibility Study. This study is proceeding on schedule, with positive feedback
from stakeholders;
•
The provision of customized training, in consultation with the Labrador
Aboriginal Training Partnership, to assist with the labour needs of Nalcor Energy’s
Muskrat Falls project; and
•
Recognition by employers, including Memorial University, Eastern Health,
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Anaconda Mining, and NL Hydro, of CNA’s high
quality alumni. For example, Iron Ore Company of Canada stated that CNA
produces, “highly skilled graduates… who possess a combination of strong
academics and practical on-the-job experience.”
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Despite these successes, the review found that the College has not kept pace with other
Canadian colleges with respect to many of its systems, program offerings, and lines of
business. Specific findings in our preliminary review indicate the following areas require
improvement:
•
Systematic planning in many areas (e.g., strategic, workforce, financial, academic);
•
Quality assurance processes across financial, human resource, and academic
systems;
•
Information technology (e.g., outdated network platforms and support
programming);
•
Administrative processes (e.g., human resource policies are lacking or not
followed);
•
Physical plant (e.g., buildings need critical maintenance and equipment that is
outdated or in need of repair);
•
Alternative revenue sources (e.g., fundraising, contract and international training);
and
•
Applied research, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
In general, the College is not consistently applying systematic criteria and lacks
formalized policies outlining standard operating procedures in the areas of finance,
information technology, human resource management and physical plant management.
The College’s multiple systems and structures, which support academic planning and
student learning, also have been seriously neglected and are in a critical state. For
example, a national accrediting body has placed one of the College’s programs on
probation, citing deficiencies in all areas and failure to conform to standards. The
accreditor found nonconformity in 60 per cent of the elements reviewed, and partial
conformity in the rest. Deficiencies identified by this external body, which provided an
objective, evidence-based perspective, go beyond issues with the program itself and
include broader systemic gaps in CNA’s structures, policies, and processes. Performance
management processes for Deans and Campus Managers, and processes for evaluating
instruction and clinical placement performance, which are well established at other
Canadian colleges, are lacking at CNA, regardless of program area. Unlike Finance and
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Human Resources, where some checks and balances are in place, assessment tools to
evaluate Academics and Student Services at CNA are either unreliable or unavailable.
Failure to rectify these problems is likely to jeopardize the future viability of CNA as a
whole.
Based on its initial findings, the College identifies several foundational areas requiring
immediate attention. Our semi-annual reports to the Provincial Government will target
these areas with corresponding action items (see items and Table 1 below):
•
Financial Operations;
•
Information Technology (IT) Systems;
•
Human Resources Management;
•
Capital Planning and Plant Management;
•
Organizational Continuous Improvement Systems;
•
Admissions Processes and Student Information Systems;
•
Academic Planning;
•
Teaching and Learning;
•
Online Learning;
•
Student Services;
•
International Business Development and Student Recruitment;
•
Community and Industry Partnerships; and
•
Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Activity.
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Table 1: Modernization Action Plan 2019: Targeted Foundational Areas
CNA Next Step
Financial Operations
Financial Operations
Financial Operations
Financial Operations
Financial Operations
Information Technology
Information Technology
Information Technology
Information Technology
Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management
Capital Planning and Plant Management
Capital Planning and Plant Management
Organizational Continuous Improvement
Organizational Continuous Improvement
Organizational Continuous Improvement
Organizational Continuous Improvement
Admissions Process
Academic Planning
Academic Planning
Academic Planning
Teaching and Learning
Online Learning
Online Learning
Student Services
International Business Development
International Business Development
Customized & Continuous Learning (CCL)
Customized & Continuous Learning (CCL)
Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Balance budget
Maximize LMDA funding
Develop new Contract Training financial model
Review international student fees
Monitor spending for financial efficiency
Recruit Director of IT
Examine and optimize bandwidth
Renew network infrastructure
Develop a plan to upgrade PeopleSoft to version 9.2
Fill key vacant positions
Reduce volume of grievances
Improve relationship with NAPE
Develop a performance management system
Implement College wide wellness program
Develop chemical management program
Develop hearing conservation program
Achieve PRIME and receive rebate for 2017 calendar year
Engage DTW in deferred maintenance planning process
Engage DTW to create strategic facility modernization plan
Develop Continuous Improvement Department
Train Lean champions
Develop Lean framework for CNA
Begin performing Lean process reviews
Centralize enrolment management system
Publish academic calendar annually in December
Create an internal labour market information system
Establish renewed plan for academic process
Establish a Centre for Teaching, Learning and Academic Development
Develop action plan for Distributed Learning (DL)
Implement DL action plan
Review residence services
Develop a plan for offering applied degrees
Develop comprehensive plan for international business development
Finalize new CCL model
Operationalize new CCL model
Develop Applied Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship strategy
Timeline
Annually
Annually
2017 Fall
2017 Fall
Annually
2017 Spring
2017 Fall
2018 Winter
2018 Spring
Immediate
Continual
Continual
2018 Spring
2018 Spring
2018 Spring
2018 Spring
2018 Spring
2018 Spring
2018 Spring
2018 Spring
2018 Spring
2018 Fall
2019 Spring
2019 Spring
2017 Fall
2019 Fall
2019 Fall
2019 Fall
2017 Fall
2019 Fall
2017 Fall
2018 Fall
2019 Fall
2018 Summer
2019 Spring
2019 Spring
Financial Operations
A review of financial operations included a focus on “zero-based” budgeting, and an
analysis of revenue streams and discretionary spending.
Preliminary findings confirm that CNA has been living beyond its means. Since 2013,
the College has carried sizeable year-end deficits resulting largely from offering
additional programming that was not funded through its grant-in-aid, in an effort to
increase program offerings and minimize its waitlist in high demand areas. These
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decisions were made without due care or consideration for sustainability of the approach
or impact on the administrative staff and systems at affected campuses. To cover these
additional program expenditures, the College reallocated funding from salaries of
unfilled positions and funds that were not spent on supplies, equipment renewal, and
other operational costs. This reassignment of funds proved to have a wide range of
impacts on staff, services, and program delivery.
This lack of financial planning has resulted in the College no longer being able to cover
its operating deficit (see Table 2). As of March 31, 2016, the College had only $1 million
remaining in its accumulated surplus. If the pattern of deficit spending had been allowed
to continue, the College would negatively impact the Provincial Government’s already
serious deficit situation.
The College acknowledges the need to enhance financial oversight. As part of the 201718 budget process for the Provincial Government, CNA participated in a “zero-based”
budget exercise. CNA examined all costs and identified inefficiencies in order to
maximize budgets and programs. In addition, CNA identified opportunities to re-direct
funding to high priority, strategic areas.
In the longer term, CNA will continue to strengthen its financial and administrative
systems through ongoing reviews and analyses of:
•
Financial reporting;
•
Consistency of business practices across campuses;
•
Automation of travel claims and processes;
•
Travel policies and processes;
•
Financial models for contract training;
•
Purchasing processes;
•
Financial delegation of authority;
•
Cost per student;
•
Program costs;
•
Assets;
•
Instructional fleets;
•
Policy-processes; and
•
Business continuity planning.
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Table 2: CNA’s History of Accumulated Surplus (Deficit)
The College, in response to preliminary findings, has taken immediate action to
improve financial efficiency.
The College has adopted a zero-based budgeting process. This approach bases budgets
on actual needs rather than on prior year budgets or spending levels. For the first time in
several years, CNA involved Managers in the budgeting process, asking them to provide
detailed justification for expenses and anticipated revenue streams. Not only has zerobased budgeting promoted accountability, but it also has enabled CNA to complete the
budget within the Provincial Government’s timelines. Most importantly, it has helped
cut expenses, enabling CNA to balance its budget for the first time in almost 20 years.
Having trimmed almost $10 million from its original budget submission, CNA has played
a significant role in helping reduce the provincial deficit.
The College has increased its revenues. A review of CNA’s revenues has concluded that
revenue streams have not grown or diversified for approximately five years. In response,
CNA has identified various immediate and long-term opportunities to increase revenue.
Scrutiny of program costs, which were not thoroughly analyzed since 2010, resulted in
the discovery of untapped revenue generation through the Provincial Government’s
Labour Market Development Agreement (LMDA). Recalibration of rates to reflect actual
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costs resulted in an immediate $4 million dollars in additional revenues. Long-term
strategic planning is required to explore the revenue generating potential of various
contract training models. It should also help to realize the financial benefits of increasing
the enrolment of both domestic and international students.
The College has decreased its discretionary spending. The preliminary review
concluded that CNA’s policies and processes for discretionary spending needed
improvement, and recommended that CNA’s practices reflect those of the Provincial
Government. The focus on discretionary spending included, but was not limited to:
travel, professional fees, consultants, entertainment, marketing, non-instructional fleet,
electronic devices (e.g., cell phones, iPads), and leases. Accordingly, CNA reduced its
spending in discretionary expense categories by 29 per cent and identified savings of $1.6
million (see Table 3). Specifically, CNA has:
•
Maximized in-house expertise and minimized cost. Between February 2015
and August 2016, CNA paid $1.4 million to a single consulting agency for a rebranding campaign. Subsequently, College leadership realized that by
bringing marketing activities in-house and utilizing current staff, CNA can
regain control of its marketing and messaging, thereby maximizing the use of
internal resources and achieving savings of 45 per cent (2017-18 budget versus
2016-17 projected/revised budget).
•
Decreased costs related to its fleet. The review identified concerns with the
number and function of CNA’s non-instructional fleet (e.g., vehicles not
supporting teaching and learning). The College’s subsequent removal of 24
general purpose vehicles resulted in minimal impact on College operations and
student learning. The College expects to save 35 per cent in fleet operations in
2017-18 (as compared to its 2016-17 projected/revised budget).
•
Decreased costs related to travel. Given its vast territory, multiple campuses,
and international activities, the College’s travel budget is significant. The
review nevertheless identified concrete ways to achieve immediate savings.
The College adopted various measures such as: reducing conference
attendance, examining professional development expenditures, and increasing
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the use of Skype for business meetings and consultations. Through these and
other measures to reduce travel and eliminate non-essential travel, CNA is
achieving significant savings that can be re-directed to priority teaching and
learning activities. Indeed, the College has already reduced its travel costs by
27 per cent (2017-18 budget versus 2016-17 projected/revised budget).
The College has decreased expenditures through increased oversight. During the
preliminary review, CNA analyzed a spectrum of other expenditures including but not
limited to legal fees, cell phones, iPads and professional fees. The College has responded
by developing clear guidelines resulting in a 22 per cent reduction in these expenditure
categories (2017-18 budget versus 2016-17 projected/revised budget).
Table 3: CNA’s Reduction in Discretionary Spending (2015-2016)
The next steps for achieving CNA Modernization Plan 2019 objectives related to
Financial Operations include:
•
Balancing the College’s budget every year;
•
Continuing to maximize LMDA funding;
•
Developing an earned revenue model that emphasizes profit generation;
•
Reviewing international student recruitment; and
•
Continuing to monitor spending for financial efficiency.
Information Technology (IT) Systems
Preliminary findings confirm that the College’s IT systems are outdated and present
significant risk to the College’s data assets and systems, including the learning
management and student information systems. A recent external review concluded that
the College’s IT systems: are the most antiquated in Canada; were poorly executed at
their initial implementation; contain inadequate extraction and reporting tools that fail to
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meet user needs; and potentially compromise data integrity. In order to achieve a
delivery model that meets user needs, the College must invest in network infrastructure
that supports sufficient bandwidth at each campus, wireless networks, video capabilities,
and a modernized network platform.
In the longer term, the College will continue to strengthen IT systems through the
ongoing reviews and analyses of:
•
Website design;
•
Student self-serve portal;
•
Backup and recovery plans;
•
Desktop virtualization;
•
Governance;
•
Policies and procedures;
•
Print services;
•
CLOUD opportunities;
•
Document management;
•
Call centre;
•
Network security;
•
New software and applications (e.g., Yammer, Office 365);
•
Standardization of technology in the classroom;
•
Enterprise reporting and business intelligence; and
•
Technology fees.
Immediate Actions: The College has already taken immediate action to improve IT
systems and has identified the need for:
•
Network infrastructure redesign. The College will go to tender for a network
redesign. It will adopt an operating lease model which allows ongoing
technology renewal. The lease provides access to state-of-the-art technology
without requiring constant capital inputs, thus benefitting the College and all
of its users.
•
A Director of IT. The Director of IT position, the key leadership position with
respect to information technology, has been vacant for over two years and the
most recent search failed. Without dedicated leadership to champion the IT
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strategy the College is at risk. Recruitment is currently underway for this key
position.
The next steps to achieve CNA Modernization Plan 2019 objectives related to
Information Technology Systems include:
•
Renewing its network infrastructure by adopting an operating lease model;
•
Hiring a Director of IT;
•
Reviewing CNA’s PeopleSoft systems and developing a plan to upgrade and fund
updates;
•
Developing an IT strategy; and
•
Examining bandwidth to each campus.
Human Resource Management
Preliminary findings outline serious challenges regarding human resource management
at CNA. Challenges identified include: limited strategic workforce planning; low morale
throughout the organization; presence of grievances; a lack of professional development
opportunities; minimal performance management tools; vacancies in key positions; and
lengthy recruitment processes. Specific concerns related to the filling of vacancies
include: inflexibility in assessing the qualifications and experience required for positions;
challenges concerning the rate of pay at CNA (which in many instances is lower than
other Canadian colleges); an unwillingness of candidates to locate in Stephenville for
Headquarters positions; and a perception that working at CNA is challenging. Regarding
labour relations, preliminary findings indicate that union relations have lacked focus,
structure and effective communications. The preliminary review also identified serious
deficiencies related to Occupational Health and Safety. A key finding concerns
Workplace
NL’s
Prevention
and
Return-to-Work
Insurance
Management
of
Employers/Employees (PRIME) program. The PRIME program is an employer incentive
program through Workplace NL. Over the last five years, the College has forfeited
PRIME rebates equaling $379,000.
In the longer term, CNA will continue to strengthen its human resource management as
a result of ongoing reviews and analyses of:
•
Professional development;
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•
Succession planning;
•
Workforce planning;
•
Onboarding processes;
•
Recruiting (locations, equivalencies, processes);
•
Organizational reviews;
•
Absenteeism management;
•
Employee recognition programs;
•
Change management processes;
•
Emergency response plans;
•
OHS training;
•
OHS policies and procedures;
•
Residence operations and supports; and
•
Student services.
Immediate Actions: Improvements to human resource management have already begun.
The College has:
•
Engaged staff in professional development. In February 2017, the College
provided 60 faculty, staff and management personnel with “Chair Academy”
leadership training. This training promoted competencies required to support,
and become, leaders, thus empowering participants to serve and administer
their respective departments more effectively. This professional development
activity was the first time the College has ever made such a large, single
investment in its employees. Participants provided overwhelmingly positive
feedback on the training.
•
Committed to improving relationships. By embracing a holistic, inclusive
management approach, the College is improving employee relations. Its
personnel are addressing employee concerns, engaging with unions, and
working with stakeholders to resolve the backlog of grievances.
•
Formed a wellness committee. Having lacked a structured plan for enhancing
wellness of the College community, the College now has a wellness committee.
By promoting health and wellness, this committee, ideally, will foster college-
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19
wide wellbeing, increase job satisfaction, raise retention rates and improve
employment outcomes.
The next steps to achieve CNA Modernization Plan 2019 objectives related to Human
Resource Management include:
•
Filling critical vacant positions;
•
Improving relationships with the NL Association of Public and Private
Employees (NAPE) and reducing the number of grievances;
•
Providing change management training;
•
Developing a performance management system;
•
Implementing a college-wide wellness program;
•
Developing chemical management and hearing conservation programs; and
•
Achieving PRIME and receiving a rebate for 2017 calendar year.
Capital Planning and Plant Management
Preliminary findings confirm that CNA lacks sufficient plant management, capital
assets and capital planning processes. The College does not own or operate buildings and
associated utility infrastructure with the exception of its Prince Philip Drive campus,
where CNA maintains the buildings. The Department of Transportation and Works
(DTW) owns and operates CNA’s buildings, most of which are at end of their life cycle,
causing constant maintenance demands on DTW.
The College requires regular, planned maintenance to facilities and shops to address
health and safety issues, aging infrastructure, and equipment replacement and
upgrading. In response to Government and industry calls for increased trades and other
high priority training, CNA increased capacity in several locations over the last seven
years. This increased use has strained existing shop and laboratory infrastructure and
necessitated accelerated repair, upgrading, and replacement of facilities and equipment
at all campuses. The infrastructure issues are twofold. Firstly, there is a need to plan, cost,
and respond to the daily strain on aging and overstretched facilities. Secondly, if CNA is
to modernize effectively, then a detailed long-range planning and budgeting process is
essential and must be undertaken in collaboration with DTW. The current situation for
both DTW and CNA presents challenges given the necessity of modernizing CNA’s
facilities. It may require a new approach to building ownership and maintenance.
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In the longer term, CNA will continue to strengthen its physical plant as a result of
ongoing reviews and analyses of:
•
Service level agreements with DTW;
•
Building ownership opportunities;
•
Capital fundraising options;
•
Deferred maintenance plans and space issues (in St. John’s);
•
Energy conservation and demand management plans;
•
Safety concerns; and
•
Security.
Immediate Actions: To investigate the repercussions of, and potential solutions to, the
short-term approach to plant management.
The next steps to achieve CNA Modernization Plan 2019 objectives related to Capital
Planning and Plant Management include:
•
Assessing capital and equipment needs;
•
Enhancing the capital planning process;
•
Engaging DTW in an annual deferred maintenance planning process; and
•
Working with DTW to create a Strategic Facility Modernization Plan.
Organizational Continuous Improvement Systems
Preliminary findings confirm that CNA’s organizational systems and processes are
deficient, requiring a reset. Achieving efficiency and effectiveness at the College will have
a great impact on its organizational and financial stability and ensure that the College is
maximizing its efficiencies and using best practices to drive its business processes.
The College is taking immediate action by assessing the adoption of the Lean method.
Lean is a process improvement methodology that encompasses a value-oriented
approach to process improvement through waste elimination, flow, and performance;
aiming to achieve operational excellence.
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The next steps to achieve CNA Modernization Plan 2019 objectives related to
Organizational Continuous Improvement Systems include:
•
Developing a quality assurance and continuous improvement department;
•
Training Lean champions;
•
Developing a Lean framework; and
•
Implementing a Lean process review in key service areas (e.g., purchasing, travel,
enrolment, people planning, and student services).
Admissions Processes and Student Information Systems
Preliminary findings confirm deficiencies in the processes through which CNA
determines program offerings, recruits, admits and registers students, and continuously
updates and retains data. For example, the College lacks accurate information on
numbers of students per program. Furthermore, data on students is poorly tracked with
regard to: contact information, progression details and exit reasons. The reason for such
data gaps is the absence of a centralized and robust student information system (SIS). An
effective SIS that contains accurate and reliable information is crucial for statistical
analysis and resultant decision making, as well as for serving students.
Upon review, we recognize that the entire admissions, registration, and enrolment
system requires modernization. Online and early registration should be available,
enabling students and the College to plan ahead with regard to budgets and resource
allocation. Data systems should contain information on where students are registered,
their academic standing, and experiences after graduation.
In the longer term, CNA will strengthen its admissions processes and student
information possibilities through ongoing reviews of its centralized enrolment
management system. The College will implement PeopleSoft upgrades and associated
policies and processes.
Immediate Actions: CNA has embarked on a renewed academic planning process
(completed in January 2017), which has implications for a more robust, highly accessible,
and less redundant student information management system.
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The next steps to achieve CNA Modernization Plan 2019 objectives related to Admissions
Processes and Student Information Systems include:
•
A full analysis of current processes and practices;
•
Establishment of a transition and training plan for admissions personnel; and
•
Upgrades to hardware and software.
Academic Planning
Determining program offerings and where to offer them is a complex and timeconsuming process. While demands of the workplace are key factors, additional
considerations include program location and training modality (face-to-face or online).
Through responding to the training needs of stakeholders, moreover, the College may
discover untapped opportunities for partnerships and income generation, which, upon
successful review, could have long-term viability. Although such a liberal-minded
approach to program offerings is unfamiliar at this point, it may prove to have positive
outcomes for CNA’s future.
Preliminary findings confirm that CNA’s current processes cannot support a robust and
responsive, labour market driven academic plan. While other colleges constantly add
programs in response to emerging and changing occupations, CNA has added no such
program for over a decade. Even though new technologies affect all the trades, the
College has failed to examine this impact on the labour market and training needs. Failure
to anticipate technological advances will short change learners by developing out-of-date
perspectives and skills. However, even if trades instructors are technologically savvy and
want to foster innovation, their efforts are hampered by having to abide by national
standards which determine the trades’ curricula. This hampering effect is not limited to
NL, of course, but has a huge impact on colleges that mostly offer trades programming.
For several years, the program office that oversees academic programming has been
seriously neglected. The Chair has been left vacant for at least five years, various program
development positions have been allowed to lapse, and the Vice President Academic
position remained vacant for more than two years until June 2016.
The College’s program offerings are not necessarily informed by labour market
information (LMI), rendering them less relevant for students seeking related
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employment. Changes to existing programs, required by industry or policy direction,
take many months, even years to implement at CNA. Furthermore, the College’s
implementation of, and communication about, industry and academic timeframes are
often inconsistent or unclear.
Despite its indispensability for program planning, valid and reliable LMI is unavailable.
The College therefore uses ad hoc processes to establish program viability. Consequently,
it may produce too many or too few graduates for the market to bear. In order to improve
data quality, the College is now developing an internal LMI system that will feed into
that of the Provincial Government. This two-pronged approach should deliver more
accurate data so that the College can address labour market training requirements.
The College’s program offerings are limited, not only by poor LMI, but also by brokered
agreements with other institutions. According to these agreements, for example, the
College “must” offer university transfer and nursing courses on behalf of Memorial
University and the Centre for Nursing Studies, respectively. Required to meet the
standards of such third-party entities, CNA is not allowed to control costs by reducing or
cancelling these courses in order to reassign resources. Likewise, CNA has limited control
over Apprenticeship Training because the Department of Advanced Education, Skills
and Labour (AESL) completes class calls. As a result, CNA is often left with partially filled
classes, translating into lost revenue. The net effect of these third-party involvements is
to limit control over a large block of the College’s training resources. Such large-scale
limitation hinders the College’s ability to respond to other, potentially profitable, training
needs.
Immediate Actions: The College has embarked on a review of Academic Planning and
initiated development of an internal Labour Market Information system.
The next steps to achieve CNA Modernization Plan 2019 objectives related to Academic
Planning include:
•
Full assessment of academic program planning, including identification of specific
challenges and issues;
•
Development of an academic planning cycle that will ensure that the academic
calendar is published by December;
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CNA Modernization Plan 2019
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•
Full assessment of academic programming, modality and location;
•
Development of an internal Labour Market Information system to drive
programming; and
•
Working with the Provincial Government to feed our LMI data into its LMI data
processes.
Teaching and Learning
Teaching and learning are intensive practices at the heart of any college: what is taught
and how it is taught and received is a college’s core business. College teaching involves
the work of many faculty and staff in order to ensure: quality curriculum design and
updates, fair evaluation of instructors and course content, quality assurance procedures
with regard to instructor credentials and hiring, institutional supports for teaching
methods and technology, professional development opportunities; and appropriate
resource allocation to make learning meaningful for students.
Preliminary findings confirm that the College has neglected the importance of teaching
for several years. Initial assessments of teaching and learning demonstrate that the
College currently lacks clear and coherent processes for program development, program
review, evaluation of teaching, professional development planning for faculty and
support staff, and specialized training for on-line teaching and support.
Immediate Actions: The Chair of Program Development position, which was vacant for
five years, has been filled.
The next steps to achieve CNA Modernization Plan 2019 objectives related to Teaching
and Learning include:
•
Establishing a Centre for Teaching, Learning and Academic Development with a
mandate to establish and implement processes and programs for the
aforementioned items.
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Online Learning
Online learning offers many benefits to both learners and the College. It is particularly
attractive in NL, where weather conditions often require the cancellation of face-to-face
classes. From the College perspective, online programs offer consistent course content for
widely dispersed learners, and does not require the multiplication of resources (including
equipment and facilities) that localized face-to-face programs would. Online programs
allow for easier planning and content evaluation since one virtual location may house,
not only the course/program curriculum, but associated student assignments, assessment
tools, grades, student/teacher communications, calendars, contact information, and the
like. In-built statistical tools also facilitate planning, both by instructors and management,
enabling constant improvement in teaching and delivery. Allowing for expanded course
offerings, online delivery also enables higher quality instructors, who are not limited by
physical location, to compete for teaching jobs and ultimately, to exert greater influence
over NL learners. Finally, online delivery has the potential to expose students to
technological innovations that will help them compete in the modern workplace, a
workplace where technology skills are essential to career and entrepreneurial success.
Preliminary findings confirm that online learning is under-utilized at CNA resulting in
missed opportunities for program consistency, cost-reduction, planning, student service,
expanded offerings, high quality instruction, and technological innovation.
Immediate Actions: The College has begun a comprehensive review of its online learning
model.
The next steps to achieve CNA Modernization Plan 2019 objectives related to Online
Learning include:
•
Assessing the College’s current capacity for online delivery, developing an action
plan for growth, and increasing its online offerings.
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Student Services
While the college seeks to support all students, we also recognize the need to offer
specialized, dedicated supports for those students who experience exceptional
challenges. These challenges include physical, cognitive, learning, and mental health
issues that can jeopardize student success if they are overlooked. The College’s staff,
including counsellors and learning assistance personnel, and its resources, including
dedicated rooms for learning assistance activities, and residences that help students feel
secure, are important supports for students. Indeed, contemporary students (and their
parents) expect colleges to foster inclusive, positive and safe environments that promote
their educational and personal success. The college experience can be stressful for
students, regardless of ability; therefore, it is crucial that they have access to quality
support systems in a physical environment that does not exacerbate their stress.
Preliminary findings confirm that student and support services are not adequate to meet
the needs of CNA students. Of particular concern are the College’s student residences,
which merely exemplify the larger deficiencies in the student support system.
Immediate Actions: The College has taken immediate action by planning a cosmetic
refurbishment of priority residences.
The next steps to achieve CNA Modernization Plan 2019 objectives of Student Services
include:
•
A full review of all residence services.
International Business Development and Student Recruitment
In order to compete globally, the Province must leverage global talent, promote
innovation, and foster partnerships that drive new business opportunities. The next
decade will see labour shortages in many sectors, and immigration will help fill the gap.
Indeed, 75 per cent of Canada's workforce growth is expected to come from immigration.
This demographic trend, combined with NL’s out-migration of Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians, will have a dramatic impact on the local College’s enrolment. Having a
larger proportion of immigrant and international students in the classroom will enhance
the learning experience and foster more cosmopolitan perspectives for students. It will
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also inspire exciting professional development opportunities for faculty and staff,
especially if it is combined with visits to our overseas campuses. Building relationships
with international students and CNA’s overseas campus personnel will help the College
recruit, serve, and educate even more international students. These activities will
revitalize the College’s national and international reputation, and inform its marketing
and programming strategies. As other colleges have discovered, a strong educational
offering that attracts international students will improve the College’s financial stability.
Ultimately, the international students that CNA trains will serve as a critical source of
talent and entrepreneurial innovation for the Province's economic future.
At this point, the College does have international student enrolment but its main
international focus is on partnerships. The College’s international development projects
and education partnerships have seen modest growth over the past few years and
currently span several regions: China, the Middle East, South America, and Southeast
Asia. The College’s largest international presence is in Qatar where CNA offers technical
trades, English as an Additional Language (EAL), and other programming, which it
delivers through the State Technical College in Doha.
Preliminary findings confirm that the College fails to realize the potential benefits of,
and lacks a strategic approach to, its international activities. Despite providing significant
revenue stream (seven per cent) to the College, the Qatar contract is slated to end in
August 2019. It is critical that CNA management explore all possibilities to extend this
contract and, if possible, to build upon it. We have determined, for example, that CNA’s
future in Qatar is contingent upon offering applied degrees; unless CNA offers them, the
Qatar project will likely end. Despite the complexity of offering degrees, and the current
state of affairs in which the NL college system does not grant degrees, the College may
need to break new ground.
Preliminary findings reveal serious challenges with CNA’s other international offerings.
For example, CNA’s student enrolment in its China-based programs has fallen from a
high of 2,500 students in 2011-12 to 310 students (which is comparable to 2005-06
numbers). This sharp decline can be attributed to a number of factors: a change in Chinese
government policy that no longer allows degree granting institutions in China to partner
with diploma granting institutions in Canada; the elimination of CNA’s EAL program in
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2013; and, an increase in Chinese post-secondary institutes’ capacity. To counteract this
downward trend, CNA could introduce applied degrees, reinstate an EAL program, and
explore new partnership opportunities with vocational and technical colleges in China.
Immediate Actions: The College will begin to develop a comprehensive earned-revenue
strategy with regard to its international activities.
The next steps to achieve CNA Modernization Plan 2019 objectives related to
International Business Development and Student Recruitment include:
•
Develop a plan for offering applied degrees;
•
Work with the State of Qatar and other international stakeholders to explore
expanded learning opportunities;
•
Develop a comprehensive business plan which will address the following tasks:
o Internationalizing CNA policies and procedures and renewing
international student admissions policies;
o Leveraging best practices and learnings from existing operations (e.g.,
Qatar);
o Collaborating with stakeholders (including Memorial University, Grenfell
Campus, Marine Institute, Association for New Canadians, etc.) to
determine best offerings (e.g., EAL services) and avoid duplication in
programming and services.
Community and Industry Partnerships
The Office of Contract Training and Continuing Education offers campus-based contract
training and short-term continuing education. Business development staff are
responsible for developing, marketing, coordinating, implementing, and administering
all work related to contracts and community education.
Preliminary findings confirm a lack of overall integration of contract training/
continuing education activities within College operations. A new integrated Customized
and Continuous Learning (CCL) Division is required to shift services from a reactive to a
proactive approach, and to increase the focus on priority sectors, major contract
development, workforce innovation, and skills development. This new CCL model will
improve external relations as a result of increased outreach to the corporate sector. It will
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also ease access to federal and provincial government funding sources. Ultimately, the
CCL Division’s activities will increase the College’s revenue generation and foster a
renewed vision that regards CNA campuses as key hubs for the development of
community-based education and industry partnerships.
Immediate Actions: CNA is in the process of developing a CCL Plan.
The next steps to achieve the CNA Modernization Plan 2019 objectives related to
Community and Industry Partnerships include:
•
Finalizing the development of a new CCL model; and
•
Implementing the new model.
Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Activity
The College’s Office of Applied Research (OAR) was established in 2004 as a three-year
project with 66 per cent of its funding from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
(ACOA). Since that modest beginning, CNA expanded its applied research and
innovation activities, and is now regarded as a major resource and economic driver for
the Province. Given its resources, in-house expertise, and multiple-community presence,
the College is strategically situated to expand its research and entrepreneurial reach. A
province-wide service model would be market-driven, based on industry need, and span
the continuum from basic research to development to commercialization. Through
fostering business development, therefore, CNA will contribute to the revitalization of
local economies and NL as a whole.
Preliminary findings confirm that CNA requires a renewed applied research and
innovation strategy. This strategy should emphasize collaboration with key stakeholders,
including the Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation, and funding
and support agencies such as the Research & Development Corporation of
Newfoundland and Labrador, National Research Council, Springboard Atlantic, and the
National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Stakeholder collaboration
will be the immediate priority for the new Associate Vice-President of Applied Research
and Innovation.
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Immediate Actions: CNA has recruited an Associate Vice-President – Applied Research
(in March, 2017).
The next steps to achieve CNA Modernization Plan 2019 objectives related to Applied
Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurial Activity include:
•
Develop a comprehensive applied research, innovation and entrepreneurship
strategy.
Conclusion: A Positive Journey Ahead
The challenges uncovered in the six-month preliminary review of the College and
discussed in this document reveal the critical need for modernization by 2019. The
modernization project represents the College’s commitment to helping strengthen the NL
economy and its communities. We acknowledge that the College must improve its
stewardship of its resources so that it can offer better, more innovative results.
We envision a college for the benefit of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians that meets
or exceeds national standards—a viable competitor with other Canadian colleges. The
College must equip its students with the skills and knowledge to succeed in a global
marketplace characterized by change, innovation and portability. Our graduates must be
work-ready,
technologically
savvy,
digitally
literate,
adaptable,
innovative,
entrepreneurial, and mobile problem solvers.
In addition to producing successful alumni, the College must use its resources to develop
our communities and local businesses so that entrepreneurs and the general public look
to us as centres of excellence. We must increase our revenue generating (and saving)
activities. We should offer, for example, relevant, market-feasible programming that
attracts local and international students. We should stimulate entrepreneurship, research
and development and streamline our internal operations.
In order to achieve such modernization, the College must be organized effectively,
managed efficiently, and must engage in continuous improvement strategies. Its internal
infrastructure, including its Information Technology and Student Information System,
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31
must facilitate seamless processes of data and human resource management. Personnel
in all College departments, campuses, and international initiatives should participate in
the integration of processes, learning new skills that the modern workplace demands.
This participation will help us all to identify as one institution—one integrated, modern
and innovative College. The unification of the College identity, and thus its market
branding, will only strengthen the ability to attract more students and entrepreneurs and
will help secure local business and international partners.
The College is already working hard towards the modernization initiative. In response to
the challenges identified in the preliminary review, we have taken immediate action, and
planned strategic next steps. These steps are measurable time sensitive activities that will
move us, sometimes dramatically, from antiquated actions and values, to those that will
transform the College and inspire its stakeholders. The work is not being done in
isolation, but in response to iterative consultations with the college community and
stakeholders throughout the province.
The College recognizes its accountability to the Government and people of
Newfoundland and Labrador, and will work hard to accomplish its mission within the
timeframes outlined in Table 1. The College will report on progress semi-annually to the
Provincial Government according to the following schedule:
Date
Report
September 2017
Report #1
March 2018
Report #2
September 2018
Report #3
March 2019
Report #4
December 2019
Final Report: CNA Modernization Plan 2019
Although the Modernization Plan is ambitious, it is a work in progress. In that vein, the
identified action items (“next steps”) are subject to modification and addition due to
upcoming, unforeseen challenges, not in order to evade modernization, but to accelerate
and prepare for it.
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After years of stagnation, the College community is motivated to embrace change, having
already responded positively to recent modernization initiatives related to the
preliminary review’s findings. The planning process itself inspires College personnel to
suggest alternative ways of working, teaching and learning, and to engage more fully in
the College’s modernization activities. As the College begins to assess and reassign
resources, and provide the skills training required to do this work as a team, there will
be a significant shift in organizational structure and culture. We look forward to the day
that we, the Province, our partners, students and stakeholders, and even other colleges,
recognize CNA’s achievement of being a strong, unified, financially accountable and
innovative College, a college that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians can be proud of.
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College of the North Atlantic
432 Massachusetts Drive
P.O. Box 5400, Stephenville, NL
Canada, A2N 2Z4