PJC Institutional Committees

The Student Success Council is responsible for overseeing the student success initiatives including the Pathways Project and Achieving the Dream at Paris Junior College.  The college president chairs the Student Success Council. The Council will meet at minimum once per fall and spring semester and is composed of the president, vice presidents, deans, faculty leaders and institutional research. 

The Student Success Council Data Team gathers and analyzes the data to be used in measuring student success.  The Data Team presents the findings from the data analysis and presents recommendations to the Student Success Council.

The committee is responsible for advancing administrative applications in support of the institution. The committee will consider such items as interdepartmental workflows, institutional data warehousing, document management, on-line services, data security and e-payment services. The committee will consist of the Director of Information Technology as well as other technical staff, representatives from financial aid, business office, student records, and admissions. The chairperson of the committee will be the Director of Information Technology. The committee will meet at least once per fall and spring semester as well as when the need arises. The chairperson is responsible for calling a meeting; committee members may initiate a meeting by notifying the chairperson, who will call the meeting. Minutes will be kept by the secretary assigned to the committee or appointed by the membership. Minutes will be submitted to the College President and a complete set of minutes will be maintained by the chairperson.

The Admissions Committee functions in an advisory capacity to college administration regarding admissions issues. The committee regularly evaluates admissions policies and procedures and facilitates the institution-wide coordination of admissions concerns. In addition, the committee may also provide for a review board for student admissions. The committee shall consist of at least one representative from each of the following areas: Admissions, Records, Nursing, Jewelry Technology, Student Services, Adult Education, Support Services, Academic Studies, Workforce Education and a student representative from the Student Government Association. Other campus areas involved with student recruiting and admissions are also encouraged to serve. Members shall serve a three-year term, with new members added on a voluntary basis or on recommendations by the vice presidents and deans. The Vice President for Student Access and Success shall serve as chairperson. Meetings will be called as a need arises, but at least once each fall and spring semester. Meetings may be initiated by a committee member by notifying the chairperson, who will then call a meeting.

The Biennial Review Team (BRT) is responsible for reviewing annual data collected by the Director of Institutional Research, Chief of Police and Director of Student Life relating to drug and alcohol abuse and prevention and conducts the Biennial Review of the Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program at Paris Junior College. The BRT is chaired by the Vice President of Student Access and Success and membership includes, the Director of Student Life, Director of Human Resources, Chief of Campus Police, Director of Financial Aid, Veterans Affairs, Director of Institutional Research and the president of the Student Government Association. 

The Commencement Committee functions in an advisory capacity to college administration and is responsible for all arrangements pertaining to the annual spring commencement exercises. Membership of the committee is composed of one person from the following areas: records, maintenance, music, and the organization responsible for the reception (traditionally Phi Theta Kappa). Other members include President of the Student Government Association, and four or five other members representing various areas of the College. Term of membership is rotated among the faculty, with each from the faculty serving for a period not to exceed three years. A chairperson who has previously served on the committee will be appointed by the College President. An organizational meeting may be called in September of the fall semester. Meetings in the fall and spring will be called as necessary to plan commencement. The minutes will be kept by the secretary assigned to the committee and a copy of all minutes will be submitted to the College President. A complete set of minutes will also be maintained by the chairperson of the committee.

The Continuing Education Committee functions in an advisory capacity to the college administration and assists in the planning of short-term and non-credit courses. The committee makes recommendations concerning needs of the operation of the continuing education program and facilities. Membership is rotated among the faculty with each member from the faculty and staff serving for a period not to exceed three years. The Director of Continuing Education will serve as chairperson. The committee will meet as needs arise, but at least annually. Meetings may be initiated by a committee member notifying the chairperson, who will then call a meeting. The minutes will be kept by a secretary assigned to the committee and a copy of all minutes College President. The chairperson shall maintain a complete set of minutes.

The Curriculum and Instruction Committee functions in an advisory capacity to college administration and makes recommendations concerning the college curriculum and the instructional program. Curriculum changes must be approved by this committee and forwarded to the President’s Office. The committee also serves as a communications vehicle to foster planning by instructional areas for improvement of curriculum. Membership of the committee is composed of division chairpersons and coordinators, the Registrar, vice presidents, deans, and other selected faculty and administration. Membership is rotated among the faculty with each member from the faculty serving for a period not to exceed three years. A chairperson who has previously served on the committee shall be appointed by the College President. The committee will meet at least once during each fall and spring semester. Meetings may be initiated by a committee member by notifying the chairperson, who will then call a meeting. The minutes will be kept by the secretary assigned to the committee and a copy of all minutes must be submitted to the vice presidents and the President. A complete set of minutes will also be kept by the chairperson.

The Default Management Committee is responsible for developing default management procedures and propose policies to the College Administration and then communicate these policies and procedures to the college community. The Committee reviews the Default Management Plan on an annual basis and evaluates the college’s CDR performance and makes recommendations of changes. This Committee includes a representative from Financial Aid, Business Office, Counseling and Advising, Student Life, two faculty representatives and the Vice President of Student Access and Success.

The Financial Aid Committee functions in an advisory capacity to the college administration regarding financial aid policy and procedures. The committee evaluates financial aid policies and procedures and makes recommendations to the administration. Membership of the committee is composed of vice presidents, the Director of Financial Aid, the Director of Admissions, the Director of Student Life, representative of Advising and Counseling and members of the faculty. Membership is rotated among the faculty with each faculty member serving for a period of not more than three years. The Director of Financial Aid will serve as chairperson. The committee will meet as needed for evaluation of federal and state policy changes to be implemented into the college procedures. Minutes the committee will be kept by the secretary assigned to the committee with a copy submitted to the President. The chairperson of the committee shall maintain a complete set of minutes.

The Fringe Benefits Committee functions in an advisory capacity to the college administration concerning benefits for employees of Paris Junior College. The committee makes recommendations to the administration concerning the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) and tax-sheltered annuity carriers in accordance with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board guidelines. The Controller and the Director of Human Resources will act as ex-officio members. The chairperson of the committee will be appointed by the College President. The committee should meet at least once during each fall and spring semester and as otherwise necessary. The chairperson is responsible for scheduling meetings; however, other members may call a meeting by notifying the chairperson, who will then call the meeting. The secretary assigned to the committee will keep minutes and a copy of all minutes will be submitted to the College President. The chairperson of the committee shall also maintain a complete set of minutes.

The purpose of the General Education Committee is to ensure that the College identifies college-level general education competencies and evaluates the extent to which students have attained these competencies. The membership of the committee consists of faculty who represent core curriculum departments across campus. Ex-officio members are Vice Presidents, Deans and Director of Institutional Research. The Committee will establish a process for selecting courses for the core curriculum and will submit to the Curriculum and Instruction Committee the core curriculum proposal. Additionally, the Committee will identify college-level general educational competencies that align with the board-approved purpose, core objectives, and foundational component areas endorsed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Furthermore, the Committee will develop a general education assessment plan that includes assessment of general educational outcomes, collection of data, and implementation of changes to improve student learning of the general education outcomes. Proposed implementation changes will be submitted to the Curriculum and Instruction Committee for approval prior to actual implementation. Finally, assessment plans and reports are to be submitted to the Institutional Effectiveness/Quality Assurance Committee.  The Committee will be co-chaired by a faculty member and a Vice President.

The mission of the Instructional Distance Education Committee is to be consistent with the mission and purpose of Paris Junior College and provide access to higher education to the residents of the legislatively mandated service area of the college with quality instruction and support services via technologies wherever they may live, regardless of geographic distance or time constraints. Major emphasis will be to make college course available in a variety of off-campus locations and through a variety of available distance education technologies, to enhance collaboration and cooperation with other institutions of higher education, local school districts, hospitals, libraries, and municipalities, and to support college faculty in the development of innovative instructional approaches and encourage faculty use of technology both inside and outside the classroom. With the growth of the internet and greater access to computer technology, faculty will be encouraged to increase their technical skills to meet the emerging needs of students for internet-based online courses and to support the effort of the Digital Higher Education Consortium of Texas (DigiTex). The committee will consist of the Vice Presidents, division chairpersons and coordinators, the Director of Library Services, as well as representatives from Admissions, Records, Sulphur Springs Center, Greenville Center, technology and learning specialists, and designated faculty, as well as other ad hoc members. Membership is rotated among the faculty, with each member serving for a period not to exceed three years. The chairperson of the committee will be a Vice President with responsibility for quality of online courses and for distance learning of either academic or workforce programs. The committee will meet at least once during each fall and spring semester, with the chairperson responsible for calling the meeting. Meetings may be initiated by a committee member by notifying the chairperson, who will call a meeting. The minutes will be kept by the secretary assigned to the committee and a copy of all minutes will be submitted to the College President. A complete set of minutes will also be maintained by the chairperson.

The committee will be the primary advisory group for college instructional technology including network-based information resources, technology for instruction, distance education, and instructional telecommunications. The committee will be responsible for the development of plans, standards, and priorities for campus instructional technology for recommendation to the administration; recommend instructional technology policies and practices; consider issues relating to computer and a/v related proposals for annual cycle of funding; and develop a technology replacement plan. The Instructional Technology Resources Committee is comprised of representatives from academic studies, workforce education, distance education, library services, off-campus centers, and Information Technology. The committee meets every three weeks and is chaired by the college’s IT administrator.

The Publications and Marketing Committee functions in an advisory capacity to the administration in planning and execution of the College’s marketing strategies. The Publications and Marketing Committee oversees the ongoing process of developing and maintaining a coordinated marketing program encompassing community/public relations, advertising, media relations, publications, special events, internal communications, student recruitment/enrollment management, alumni relations, and development as well as institutional research. The chairperson of this committee is the Director of Marketing. The committee should meet at least once during each fall and spring semester and as otherwise necessary. The chairperson is responsible for scheduling meetings; however, other members may call a meeting by notifying the chairperson, who will then call the meeting. The secretary assigned to the committee will keep minutes and a copy of all minutes will be submitted to the College President. The chairperson of the committee shall also maintain a complete set of minutes.

The purpose of the Quality Assurance/Institutional Effectiveness Committee is to ensure that the College consistently strives to improve student learning, to meet accreditation requirements, and to have an administrative and educational support system that will meet the needs of students. The Committee is responsible for the periodic evaluation of the Core Curriculum. The membership of the committee consists of faculty, administrative and educational support members who represent various departments across campus. Ex-officio members are deans and vice presidents. Every three years, the membership will rotate until everyone on campus has had the opportunity to serve. Each educational program, administrative, and educational support unit must develop an assessment plan based on student educational outcomes, evaluate performance through means of program assessment and criteria for success, and use the results to review and improve programs and services (transfer, general education, technical degrees and certificate programs, developmental education, continuing education services, educational support services, financial and physical resources and administrative processes.) Assessment plans are submitted to the Quality Assurance Committee on a systematic basis according to the three-year plan of assessment. The plans are reviewed by the committee and returned to the departments for corrections/suggestions, if needed, and are filed in the office of the committee chair. The chairperson for this committee must have served on the committee for a three-year term and will be appointed by the College President. Committee meetings are held as called by the chairperson. Most of the meetings are with individual groups that are working together to critique the reports. Some members critique the reports on an individual basis (off-campus members). Most of the communication is done through e-mail. As membership changes, a formal meeting is required to train the new members on the purpose of the committee and the process used to critique the assessment reports. Minutes are kept of formal meetings and are maintained by the chairperson of the committee.

The Safety Committee meets at least once each fall and spring semester and is co-chaired by the Chief of Police and Director of Physical Plant.  The purpose of the Safety Committee is to assure a safe and secure campus.  The Committee will review safety practices in science labs, nursing labs, chemicals used, welding labs and other teaching labs throughout campus.  The Committee will review the results of questions on the Student Satisfaction Survey concerning safety on campus and college facilities.  The Committee co-chairs will meet with the President after each meeting of the Committee to discuss areas of concern.

The Scholarship Committee reviews scholarship applications and selects students that meet the criteria for each scholarship.  The Committee is responsible for making sure the donor restrictions are met in awarding Paris Junior College Memorial Foundation Scholarship. The Committee includes the Director of Institutional Advancement, Director of Financial Aid, President’s Administrative Assistant, Vice President of Student Access and Success, and a representative of the Foundation Board of Directors. The College President serves as an ex-officio member.

The purpose of the Support Staff Development Committee is to develop a program of personal and professional growth opportunities for the support staff. The committee will review, evaluate, and fund, as available, proposals for support staff development for individuals. The committee is responsible for providing, at least once per quarter, staff development opportunities through workshops, seminars, etc. Also, at least once per quarter, the committee should provide personal enrichment opportunities such as brown bag lunches with speakers, tours, etc. The committee will be composed of support staff representatives from various areas of the College. The Director of Human Resources shall serve as ex-officio member and will be responsible for coordinating activities with the Staff Development Committee as necessary. The chairperson shall be appointed by the President and will serve for one year. The vice-chair shall be appointed by the President and shall serve for one year as vice-chair and then one year as chair. The committee should meet at least once per quarter. Members of the committee may initiate a meeting by notifying the chairperson, who will call a meeting. Minutes of the meetings shall be kept by the secretary with a copy of all minutes submitted to the Director of Human Resources. The chairperson must maintain a complete set of minutes for the committee. Minutes should include a financial report of budget accounts.

The Technology Committee functions to make recommendations on the infrastructure of the computer network as technology changes, to develop a computer replacement plan, and to review procedures of the allocation of computer and other technology related resources. This task includes developing minimum standards for computer purchases including sufficient technical support, maximizing computer use and efficiency, remaining current on forces affecting computer resource planning, developing a plan for training, and recommending funding sources to support computing at the College. The Committee is chaired by the Director of Information Technology and its membership includes representation from the Administrative Computing Committee, Instructional Technology Resources Committee and the Instructional Distance Education Committee. The committee should meet at least once per quarter. Members of the committee may initiate a meeting by notifying the chairperson, who will call a meeting. Minutes of the meetings shall be kept by the secretary with a copy of all minutes submitted to the President. The chairperson must maintain a complete set of minutes for the committee.

The University Interscholastic League (UIL) committee functions in an advisory capacity to the administration recommending policies and procedures regarding the hosting of UIL events at the College. The committee also provides leadership for and assists as needed in the conduct of hosted events. The committee shall be composed of at least two faculty members from the division of Fine Arts as well as other faculty members from across the College. The chairperson of the committee will be appointed by the College President. The committee will meet at least once during each fall and spring semester, with the chairperson responsible for calling the meeting. Meetings may be initiated by a committee member by notifying the chairperson, who will call a meeting. The minutes will be kept by the secretary assigned to the committee and a copy of all minutes will be submitted to the College President. A complete set of minutes will also be maintained by the chairperson.