SELF STUDY 2002

STANDARD ONE:   INSTITUTIONAL MISSION

 

The institution has a statement of mission that defines the institution, its educational purposes, its students, and its place in the higher education community.

 

The College’s mission statement is published regularly in its catalogue.  In the view of the College’s faculty, administration and students, the mission statement is an accurate statement of the College’s major goals.

The District’s mission statement reads as follows:

Palo Verde Community College District is an open access, public educational district, dedicated to providing excellence in education, cultural enrichment, economic development, and services to assist members of the community to meet their educational goals.

The primary educational functions of the Palo Verde Community College District include:

1.                  Transfer Education:  The District will provide lower-division courses that include the complete range of general education courses needed for transfer as well as many of the specific courses needed for particular majors.

2.                  Vocational/Occupational Education:  The District will provide a variety of occupational programs to prepare students for employment as well as programs for retraining, economic development, or upgrading student skills.

3.                  Associate Degree and Certificate Programs:  The District will offer programs leading to the Associate in Arts or Associate in Science Degree, and Certificates of completion.

4.                  Developmental Education:  The District will provide developmental instruction, instruction in English as a Second (ESL), adult non-credit instruction, and support services to help student succeed in post-secondary education.

 

In support of its educational functions, the District will provide the appropriate level of:

 

1.                  Learning Services:  The District will provide library, media, instructional development, tutorial, instructional technology, and learning assistance services to support a lower division curriculum.

 

2.                  Student Services:  The District will provide a system of student support to ensure students enroll in courses which will facilitate retention and successful completion of their educational goals.  These services include assessment, financial aid, Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education (CARE), Educational Assistance Program (EAP), student activities, and academic, occupational, transfer, career, and personal counseling.

 

 

3.                  Basic Skills:  The District will provide developmental education and English as a Second Language course to prepare students for college-level work.

 

4.                  Continuing Education:  The District will provide course and programs to broaden the knowledge, understanding, and cultural activities of the people the District serves.

 

 

5.                  Adult Education:  The District will provide non-credit programs of lifelong learning in the areas of recreational and occupational pursuits, programs for the benefit of older adults, the disabled, legal immigrants, and GED testing.

 

6.                  Community Service:  The District will endeavor to enrich the community educationally and culturally by providing special programs as appropriately requested by community organizations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

The current Palo Verde Community College District’s mission statement and goals were adopted after a goal setting session and retreat in September 1997 which included all of the district’s stakeholder groups- administration, faculty, staff, board representation, student representation as well as community leaders.   The current mission statement was formally adopted by the District’s Board of Trustees in Fall Semester 1997.  The mission statement was reviewed more recently at an “institute day” during the Spring 2000 academic year.  The outcome of that review was clouded by the departure of the then Superintendent/ President, the appointment of an Interim Superintendent/President who served for seven months and the subsequent appointment of a permanent Superintendent/President who began his tenure in February, 2001.

 

The Mission Statement identifies the District’s broad-based educational purposes as Transfer Education, Vocational/Occupational Education, Associate Degree and Certificate Programs, and Developmental Education.  The mission statement describes additional educational purposes to include Continuing Education and Adult Education.

 

SELF EVALUATION

The Mission Statement is a more than adequate guide for the college and the district.  However, given the significant changes the District has undergone during the past two years (new leadership, the annexation of most of eastern San Bernardino County to the District with the resultant development of programs in Needles, and the commitment of the College to expand its programs to include education for inmates in prisons located within the District) the Mission Statement needs to be reviewed. 

 

PLANNING AGENDA

 

·        The updating of the college mission statement will take place as part of a strategic planning process in which the College.

 

 

 

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

As an open enrollment institution, the College has chosen not to describe any specific group of students in its mission statement.  Rather, the mission statement assumes that the College will have programs for all students who wish to avail themselves of the College’s services.  The mission statement recognizes the special needs of many of the residents of the District by referencing instruction in English as a Second Language as a particular part of its mission.

 

SELF-EVALUATION

 

The mission statement provides sufficient parameters to make decisions about which programs can be offered and how resources are to be allocated.  The former is a regular matter of discussion in Curriculum Committee meetings.  The latter is a primary concern during discussions in Budget Committee.

 

The District is concerned that its mission statement could better define its students and their needs.  Indeed, the mission statement does not explicitly refer to the College’s students.  Because of that, the College has recently begun an ongoing institutional assessment process.  As part of its commitment to institutional improvement, the District appointed Director of Institutional Research in Spring 2000 to better advise the District on the nature of its students and on their needs. 

 

The current mission statement does not refer to the different modalities of instruction that take place both on and off-campus.  Since substantial numbers of the District’s students study in off-campus locations this oversight in the mission statement will need to be corrected.  Likewise, the District’s recent move into distance education with a pilot program to provide instruction at a prison needs to be reflected in the review of the mission statement.

 

 

PLANNING AGENDA

 

The new Superintendent/President is committed to undertaking a needs assessment for the District, which changed substantially since the adoption of the current mission statement with the addition of eastern San Bernardino County and the City of Needles.  The needs assessment and subsequent updating of the mission statement to reflect different modalities and locations of students will be undertaken as a part of a larger strategic planning process to be undertaken by the college.

 

 

 

 

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

The College has developed a budget creation process, which has at its core a Budget Committee that includes multiple constituent groups.  That committee regularly reviews the College’s expenditures and recommends changes based upon the College’s mission statement.

 

Palo Verde Community is self-conscious in its role as a community college.  It has organized its instructional programs to meet the needs of its students.  For instance, over half the College’s courses start at or after 5:00 pm during most semesters.  Its development of the Spring Street Center was an explicit attempt to reach out to patrons who might be hesitant to attend on a regular college campus.  As noted above, mission is regularly considered in Curriculum Committee discussions.

 

SELF EVLUATION

 

The College has been self-consciously focusing its budgeting on student needs in light of its mission.  However, as elsewhere in California, budget processes are often more reactive to momentary needs and opportunities than plan driven.  Part of the objective in developing a new strategic plan will be to tie day-to-day decision-making more closely to the planning process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

Palo Verde College recognizes that is mission is dynamic reflecting the changing demographics of its district, the changing needs of the economy, and changing expectations of community colleges.  For those reasons, the mission statement is under continual review.

 

SELF EVALUATION

The mission statement is regularly reviewed and changed as appropriate.  Since the last full visit by the Commission the Mission Statement was thoroughly reviewed and was changed.  More recently and as outlined above, the College undertook a review of its mission statement during the 1999-2000 academic year.  The mission statement was not changed at that time because of turn over in leadership in the District.

 

PLANNING AGENDA

·        The new Superintendent/President is planning to undertake a thorough review of the College’s mission statement as part of a larger strategic planning process.

STANDARD TWO: INSTITUTIONAL INTEGRITY

 

The institution subscribes to, advocates, and demonstrates honesty and truthfulness in representations to its constituencies and the public; in pursuit of truth and the dissemination of knowledge; in its treatment of and respect for administration, faculty, staff, and students; in the management of its affairs and in relationships with its accreditation association and other external agencies.

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

The Palo Verde Community College District provides information regarding its mission, personnel, services, and activities to the public, its students, and the college community through a variety of media and methods.  These include print materials, community cable television, community newspaper, the World Wide Web, and an orientation program.  Printed materials include brochures, handouts, booklets, directories, the schedule of classes, and the Palo Verde Community College Catalog.  Of these, the college catalog represents the primary reference document for students and the general public.

In order to insure precise, accurate information is provided to the public, our students and other constituencies, the institution defined a new district position as “Public Information and Development Officer” was hired part-time in April 2000 and became full-time employee in June of 2000. The job responsibilities include:

·         coordination of all public information

·         development of new publications to appropriately reflect the mission of the institution

·        representation of the institution at City, County, state and federal levels related to the coordination of information and development activities.

·        Responsibility for editing the college catalog in conjunction with the Office of Instruction

·        Coordination of special activities to promote the college in its mission to the community.

 

 

SELF-EVALUATION

 

. The institution has recently revised and published a catalog for the 2000-2002 school year.  All entries are current and do reflect each of the items delineated in standard 2. The student handbook is periodically updated and but may at any time contain some out dated information.  It has recently (Fall 2001) been revised and accurately reflects school information and policies.  A variety of brochures, handouts, booklets, directories, and other material have been evaluated and do contain some information, which is no longer current.  In addition, the general orientation program, while thorough in its content, does not reach enough students to make it an effective vehicle for dissemination of information to the public.

 

Although it was the intent of the college to have Public Information and Development Officer reviews all public documents, this has not occurred.  It is evident that the responsibilities must be shared by the Office of Instruction, Student Services and all other constituents to insure that all public information is accurate.

 

The college is aware that it must be vigilant and timely particularly in the production of its catalog. It continues to grapple with how to reflect program and course availability more accurately because the size of the student body and therefore demand for certain courses dictate that the offerings must be periodic rather than each semester or each year. In addition, certain programs and certificates, such as Fire Science, are only available through the Riverside County Ben Clark Training Center.

 

An area that is not current or complete is our WEB site.  This resource is potentially one of the most useful ways of providing students with current information. Although there has been some attempt to provide more information in this manner, information technology resources have not been adequate to meet this need due to difficulties resulting from the move to a new campus, and the crash of the old system. A “Web Services Specialist” position was authorized and filled in Fall 2001 with responsibilities including development and maintenance of a College Web site.

 

In the Student Satisfaction Inventory (Published January 2001) students were asked the following question relating to the representation of the campus to the public:

SSI Q.33. Admissions counselors accurately portray the campus in their recruiting practices: students rated the institution at 4.79 (scale of 7 with 1 not satisfied and 7 very satisfied.)

 

PLANNING AGENDA

The college is developing a process that will insure that all printed materials will be updated and reflects current and relevant information about Palo Verde College. This process will include developing a data base of publications listing the items that are covered in each and the date of publication. In addition each item should have a date on it so that all out of date items can be easily identified and discarded.

 

·        The college will work to improve the catalog and student handbooks by more accurately addressing the limited nature of some offerings and making information available through other media. This might be accomplished by utilizing the institutional web site or possibly producing the documents on CD ROM.  The college also plans to use creative and innovative ideas in order to develop an orientation program that will have greater appeal to students with the goal of increasing attendance at the orientations.

 

·        The College will address the overall need to accurately reflect information through its shared governance structure. The College Council will assign appropriate committees to make recommendations for implementation.

·        Information Technology will continue to develop the college WEB site as an information resource for its students.

 

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

The college has an Academic Freedom policy which is explicitly stated in Governing Board Policies 6410-50, and is readily available in various locations on the campus.

 

 

SELF-EVALUATION

The Board Policy Governing academic freedom needs to be more visible to faculty and staff and a summary of it should be published in the catalog.  Copies of the entire policy should be made available to all faculty and staff.

 

PLANNING AGENDA

The Academic Senate will review the Board Policy governing academic freedom on a regular basis and will seek Board of Trustees’ approval of any revisions.  In addition, the college will publish the Academic Freedom Policy in the next revised edition of the faculty handbook.  Finally, the Academic Senate will review the impact of new learning technologies on questions of academic freedom to access how effectively the institution adheres to emerging guidelines.

 

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Palo Verde Community College has a number of declared policies and ongoing procedures designed to ensure that faculty and other staff maintain a distinction between personal conviction and proven conclusions and that they present relevant data fairly and objectively.  First, the hiring process, as outlined in the Board Policy Manual, promotes the hiring of full-time and part-time faculty who are competent in their fields and professional in their approach to teaching.  Second, the Board Policy Manual includes statements on academic freedom, controversial issues, and prohibited instruction.  Both documents outline procedures for developing responsible curricula, syllabi, and course policies.  Policies on professional growth and student and faculty grievance procedures also promote relevant and fair instruction.  Likewise, the faculty handbook details the mission and role of the Academic Senate and includes guidelines for committees on professional growth and academic standards.  The Senate’s Ethics Statement reaffirms many of the principles of fairness and professionalism outlined in the District’s statement on academic freedom.  In addition, 561 students and 91 faculty and staff completed a large-scale survey in November 2000.  The survey contained items pertaining to this component of Standard 2. 

 

SELF-EVALUATION

Based on the student survey referred to above there is a discrepancy between how students perceive the objectivity of the instructor and how the staff perceives the same.  Students indicated a general satisfaction with objectivity, impartiality and quality of instruction on the part of faculty, while the staff in general indicated a less satisfactory response regarding objectivity and quality of instruction.  Specific results regarding this issue can be found in items 29 and 37 of the student survey, and items 40, 18, and 13 in the institutional survey.  Copies of these surveys are available in the campus library and other locations.

 

PLANNING AGENDA

·        The college will continue to conduct surveys on a regular basis and the Academic Senate through shared governance and with the cooperation of the PVC chapter of the CTA as well as from administration, will strive to create an institutional framework that promotes responsible professional conduct on the part of faculty.  All aspects of the college will continually work towards fostering and maintaining professionalism and collegiality at Palo Verde College.

 

 

 

 

Section not applicable to this institution.

[LG1] 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

The procedures that describe and support academic integrity and honesty are codified in a number of District documents, including the catalog, student handbook, and Board Policy Manual.  The student handbook defines the norms of student behavior and possible consequences as a result of their violation and the process for grievance and action. 

 

SELF-EVALUATION

 

Documents detailing the policies and procedures regarding academic honesty are readily available and widely distributed.  The District, through the Academic Senate’s technology committee is currently in the process of developing a current computer use policy that will include statements of expectations of appropriate usage of the resources.  The issue of sanctions for violations of academic honesty is less clear. The District through it shared governance procedures has charged its constituencies with evaluating and revising the discipline policy.

 

 

PLANNING AGENDA

 

·        All revised policies will appear in the 2000-2002 catalogs and updated Student Handbook. 

 

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

The Palo Verde Community College District fosters a college environment that respects diversity.  It has an affirmative action and nondiscrimination policy, a sex discrimination policy and a sexual harassment policy that are strictly upheld in the hiring process and in the work environment.  A full-time District administrator serves as the Affirmative Action Officer.  A number of college publications contain information on the District’s nondiscrimination policy and sexual harassment, including each term’s schedule of classes, the student handbook, the college catalog, and the Board Policy Manual (sections 4000, 4010, 4011).

 

SELF-EVALUATION

 

Palo Verde Community College has an open admissions policy and does not discriminate on any basis.  Student clubs on campus reflect diversity and the opportunity for anyone to participate in college activities.  Some informational brochures are printed in Spanish as are the admissions applications and financial aid forms.  College staff has a number of bilingual Spanish speakers especially in student services.  The student survey conducted in November 2000 indicated a general satisfaction on the part of students as members of the college community, but also indicated that students are less satisfied with recognition of diversity in course curriculum (item 37-Student Services). 

 

PLANNING AGENDA

 

·        Palo Verde Community College will develop and implement additional courses which focus on diversity. 

·        In addition, it will continue to recruit and hire employees who reflect a diverse work force. 

 

 

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

This standard is not applicable at this institution since there are no athletic programs.

SELF-EVALUATION

Students have expressed a desire for athletic programs to be reinstated at Palo Verde College.

 

PLANNING AGENDA

• Palo Verde Community College District plans to develop an athletic program once the athletic facilities at the new campus are completed. 

 

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

The Palo Verde Community College District has taken the accreditation self-study process very seriously, planning months in advance, researching appropriate documentation, and training faculty to guide this self-study.  To obtain various perspectives, the committees have deliberately been made up of a cross section of tenured faculty, new faculty, and part-time faculty from a variety of disciplines, students, staff, and administrators.

 

SELF-EVALUATON

 

Palo Verde Community College adheres to commission standards, policies, guidelines, and disclosure and self-study requirements during its accreditation process.  Reports submitted to the Commission are the results of collaborative effort and are accurate.    Reports are also readily available in various locations on the campus. 

 

PLANNING AGENDA

• Palo Verde Community College plans to continue its organized systematic approach to meeting all requirements of the accreditation process.

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

Evaluation of college policies, practices, and publications occurs during institutional program reviews and accreditation self studies.  Some District programs undergo outside program reviews or accreditations, which require evaluation of policies, practices, and publications.  Institutional publications (such as the schedule of classes and the college catalog) are developed or revised as described above.  In addition, the District’s Educational Master Plan is designed to be reviewed and updated in line with the three-year program review process; such a review will result in regular evaluation of policies, practices, and publications to help ensure integrity in all representations about the college’s mission, programs, and services.

 

In general, institutional policies are developed and revised through the District’s shared governance processes.  For example, at Board committee meetings, the administration, faculty, and staff present proposals for new and revised Board policies or practices.  Ultimately, it is the job of all those affected to monitor policies and procedures for timeliness and relevance.

 

SELF-EVALUATION

Through regular committees meeting and evaluations Palo Verde Community College continually revises its policies, practices and publications to ensure integrity and consistency.  Curriculum is reviewed during regular monthly meetings, education plans and course requirements undergo revision as needed, the catalog is reviewed and revised bi-annually and practices are streamlined in order to reflect the college mission and facilitate access to programs and services.  As referred to above, Palo Verde Community College conducted an extensive survey in November of 2000.  The student survey was completed by 561 students and the institutional survey by 91 faculty and staff members.  Copies of the results are available in the college library as well as other locations on the campus.  Categorical programs on the campus also undergo individual program reviews on a chancellor’s office cycle, usually every 5 to 6 years.  [LG2] 

 

PLANNING AGENDA

• Palo Verde Community College will ensure that the regular review and revision of the District’s Educational Master Plan begins as the first cycle of program review concludes and will also ensure that regular evaluations and revisions of institutional policies, practices, and publications are therefore in place to guarantee integrity in all representations of the mission, programs, and policies of the college.

 

STANDARD THREE:  INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

 

The institution, appropriate to its mission and purposes as a higher education institution develops and implements a broad-based and integrated system of research, evaluation, and planning to assess institutional effectiveness and uses the results for institutional improvement.  The institution identifies institutional outcomes which can be validated by objective evidence.

 

A.      Institutional Research and Evaluation

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

The Institutional Research Office supports the institutional planning and evaluation needs of the college programs and services. PVC includes research, evaluation, and planning as explicit components of the planning process. This is done primarily through data collections, analyses and reports. Following recommendations of the previous accreditation site team, the college more clearly defined the role of research in the planning process and established a part-time institutional research position in Spring 2000.  The Institutional Researcher reports directly to the President for priorities and guidance in coordinating and conducting the research efforts of the college.  He is involved with Student Success, Partnership for Excellence planning as well as Accreditation and Program Review processes.

 

Data compiled by the Institutional Research Office, as well as college goals and related information, are regularly considered when the Planning and Budget Committees make decisions about funding or recommendations of Personnel to the President.  Forms such as those used for requesting personnel, block grant, Partnership for Excellence funds or VTEA funds, require information based on research data, program review results, or defined needs related to specific college goals.  The Institutional Researcher sits as a nonvoting member of the college’s Planning Committee in order to provide information or assist in the interpretation of data.

 

The Instructional Program Review process provides for self evaluation whereby faculty determine the effectiveness of each instructional program.  It is based upon data provided by the Vice President of Instruction to the Institutional Research Office for interpretation and then given to the faculty under program review who in turn make their evaluations and comments.  Following the guidelines in the Instructional Program Review Notebook, faculty review program data elements such as full-time and part-time faculty ratios, enrollment trends, degrees and certificates awarded and surveys of faculty and students.  Their analysis and conclusions about these elements provide the basis for any recommended changes in the program.  A summary of the final results of the Instructional program review is sent to the college Planning and Budget Committees for use in their planning.

 

Program review is also carried out in the Student Services and Administrative Services areas.  Both integrate the college goals and objectives in their review processes.  The Student Services Planning Guide includes a systematic review of all programs and services, and includes research data addressing Matriculation issues, student satisfaction surveys, and student success.  The Administrative Services area follows its program review plan which includes surveying the campus about the effectiveness of services, maintenance and operations, media support and issues of safety and security.

 

 

SELF EVALUATION

 

• The institutional research office was opened Spring 2000 and has supported planning and evaluation as follows:
• Fall 2000 – Administered a Student Satisfaction Survey
• Fall 2000 – Administered an Institutional Priorities Survey
• Fall 2000 – Developed and Administered a needs and information survey of the local High Schools during Career Day
• Fall 2000 – Collected and analyzed data to support program review for English, Speech and Theater Arts
• Spring 2001 – Collected and analyzed data to support program review for Student Services
• Summer 2001– The Institutional Research Office successfully coordinated the efforts of producing a $2 -million Title V grant.  This grant is designed to increase student success and promote PFE goals.
• Fall 2001 – Collected and analyzed data to support program review for Biology, Botany Math and Chemistry.
• Fall 2001– Collected and analyzed data to support program review for Psychology, Philosophy, History and Sociology.
• Fall 2001 – Developed and Administered a needs and information survey of the local High Schools during Career Day
• Fall 2001 – Developed, published and put on the web the first edition of the College Fact Book
• The researcher constantly answers numerous questionnaires and surveys requested of the College.
• Fall 2001– The researcher has put together a team of five people from the college who are participating in the local high school accreditation process on a regular basis Fall 2001/Spring 2002.

 

The research process has generated valuable data for the college and has often created change at the classroom level, but there remains much to be done to make program review an integral part of the college’s on-going planning and evaluation process.  To begin with, Program Review at Palo Verde College has been a process of course review.  The obvious reason for this is that PVC is a small institution without departments.  Many courses are not taught every semester or even every year.  Like other colleges where several departments.  For program review purposes, these departments or programs are being evaluated by instructors who taught a class with the same title as the program being reviewed.

 

The only person who is really in a position to see the overall “big picture” in instruction at PVC is the Vice President of Instruction.  His responsibilities are extensive and widespread and he has to rely on individual faculty who are teaching full time, and in many instances over time, in their subject field for feedback about programs and evaluations.  PVC is too small to have Deans and Division Chairs, but perhaps certain subject areas could be clustered to produce a group of instructors who have some commonality where one of them could have some release time to build  programs with meaningful reviews and recommendations.  PVC has done a good job with its limited resources, but it could do a great job by following the recommendations of the Program Review, Institutional Planning and Budget Committees, and in that order, where decisions are based on student success.

 

The college also uses external data sources that are state generated.  They may include VATEA Core Measures, Unemployment Insurance Wage data, Student Right to Know (STRK), Intersegmental Postsecondary Education Data Systems (IPEDS), California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC) and data generated from California Community College Chancellor’s Office Management Information System (MIS).

 

Once information is made available, managers and staff perform their analyses along with any additional information pertinent to effective evaluation such as program advisory group input, student feedback, related state reports, prior Program Review Reports and trends.

 

 

PLANNING AGENDA

• The college has just moved to a new location.  The President is in the process of developing a Strategic Plan that will address the shortcoming of the current planning processes. 
• A special section in the new library has been set aside for housing data publications such as the Fact Book and Surveys generated from the Office of Institutional Research.  A college web site is being developed, by the newly hired web master, where the College Fact Book is available for all stakeholders to read .  These two processes alone will greatly further the dissemination of data to faculty, staff and community.
• Ensure that all faculty are appropriately notified and given sufficient time to work on program review.
• Integrate the results of program review more fully and effectively in the planning, approval, and allocation processes of the college.

 

 

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

Palo Verde College has committed significant resources to address the research needs of the college.  The Institutional Researcher’s (IR) position was recently created as 1/3 time and then increased to ½ time.  The secretary’s position was also created and then increased to ½ time research assistance

 

At the time the researcher took on these duties, he immediately started attending all available state Research and Planning Group and Accreditation meetings throughout the year.  The research office has accomplished a great deal in a short time.  It has gathered data at the college during a period when data has been very difficult to locate due to MIS problems and on a limited basis provided data and general research activities for other campus departments.

 

SELF EVALUATION

The college has been supportive of the need to hire an institutional researcher by adding the research duties to an existing employee and creating a 1/3- time research position Spring 2000.  The position was increased to ½-time Fall 2001 when this person was no longer responsible for coordinating CalWORKs.  Part-time secretarial support was created along with the research position but then became vacant when the secretary accepted another position on campus.  The position is expected to be filled on a permanent-full-time basis in January 2002.

 

 

Collaborative efforts between the institutional research office and MIS Department have worked well with limitations only in the area of equipment reliability in both offices.  Technical support has been sporadic due to broken computers, unavailability of data, and the need to compile large amounts of information by hand.  Everyone at the college has been challenged at just about every turn in the areas of equipment reliability, filling positions and moving the college all during a period of preparing for accreditation, but it can be said with confidence that units of the college have performed as a team members and a feeling of positive change is present.

 

 

PLANNING AGENDA

 

• Develop processes that encourage a research presence on campus by completing the construction of the research website.
• Insure that an adequate ongoing budget is available to the Research Office for workshops, equipment and personnel.

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

The college Mission Statement is published in the 2001-2003 College Catalog along with four Primary Educational Functions and six levels of Supporting Functions followed by six College Goals addressing Unity and Honesty, Maintaining Accreditation Status, Building the New Campus, Building Community/College Partnerships, Providing Access to Instructional Technology and Providing for Personal Development, all of which are tied directly to accreditation standards and developed in the Educational Master Plan. 

 

The Educational Master Plan process was in the process of development while Dr. Averill was President.  It was designed to maintain effectiveness in meeting College objectives and goals and is now being carried out as the Strategic Plan.

 

Student Services program members complete programs reviews including outcomes, objectives, timelines, measurement strategies and other criteria used to assess the effectiveness of Student Services activities and to conduct planning.  The program’s strength and weaknesses are published with goals and objectives used as part of management evaluations.

 

Instructional program review respond to data compiled with measurable objectives related to relevant college goals.  A report is developed summarizing its contents and is then forwarded to the Planning committee and Budget Committees.  Requests can then be made for funding or staff.

 

Many of the college’s career and vocational programs are evaluated by outside accrediting of licensing authorities.  Programs in the Health and Sciences are regularly reviewed by professional, state and federal accrediting or licensing agencies.  Advisory committees for career and vocational programs also provide important evaluation of program standards and overall effectiveness.

 

The college also evaluates how well it is accomplishing its mission and purposes through regular evaluation of all faculty, staff, and management, as provided by contract agreements or, in the case of managers, Board approved processes.  In addition, the college undergoes regular evaluation by specialized accreditation agencies and scheduled visits from representatives of the California Community Colleges, State Chancellor’s Office for categorically funded programs such as EOPS and Disabled Students.

 

 

 

SELF EVALUATION

 

The Strategic Plan document, the College Council minutes, the President’s newsletter and the first issue of an annual Fact Book are evidence that the college community is diligent in evaluating its mission, unit functions, and objectives through the comprehensive plan process.

 

The program and services review processes combined with the Strategic Plan, conducted by units across the campus, are the primary means for evaluating in what ways and how well the college accomplishes its mission and purposes.  The Strategic Plan states the college mission, priorities and evaluation conducted by all units in the planning process.

 

In terms of the Mission Statement, the development and implementation for evaluation is coordinated through the activities and efforts of Instruction, Student Services and College Services to better serve the needs of students.  The Strategic Plan also provides a means to translate evaluation into goals and to indicate the progress made toward these goals.   In addition, the Student Success Plan clearly states the Partnership for Excellence performance goals in quantitative terms.  These are the benchmarks that provide a basis for evaluation of the effectiveness of the Student Success strategies.

 

One measure of institutional effectiveness is a currently being sponsored through a grant and carried out by the Center for Student Success Consortium.  Thirty-nine California Community Colleges, including PVC, formed a consortium summer 2000 to study Exemplary Practices by looking at the success rate of following ten items at the 39 colleges: 

• Overall college success rate
• Success rate in first term for new freshmen,
• Persistence rate from Fall to Spring term for new freshmen
• Success rate in basic skill courses for which have scaled identifiers in English, math and ESL
• Persistence within basic skill courses
• Probability of enrolling in and completing a transfer level English, math, and ESL as a function of what level below transfer a student started
• Overall rate of associate degree attainment for new freshmen given four years
• Overall rate of certificate attainment for new freshmen given four years
• Transfer directed rate for new freshmen
• Transfer ready rate for new freshmen

 

As results become available, a work group will be formed to examine model collaborative and planning practices to develop and implement new approaches to adopting exemplary practices.   

 

The college also participates in categorically funded and/or grant funded programs such as Tech Prep/School-to-Career, Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOP&S), Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSP&S), Matriculation, VATEA, CalWORKs/TANF and Title V (Hispanic Serving Institution).  Evaluations are through internally generated reports with external compliance audits.  Wherever possible, these reports and external evaluation are incorporated into the program and service reviews for comprehensive planning.  The Accrediting Commission Self-Study evaluation team visits and mid-term reports to the Commission have also provided valuable information and direction for evaluating institutional mission as well.

 

The College is also aware that there are examples of national work being done to define and document student achievement and learning outcomes. It is following an exemplary study sponsored by the League for Innovation in Community College “ 21^st Century Learning Outcomes Project” with the expectation of being able to utilize the information from this study and other reports to assist it in defining the means of measuring how well it accomplishes its mission and purposes.

 

 

PLANNING AGENDA

• Implement the Strategic Plan process.
• Participate in workshops, conferences and projects as available to improve the Colleges knowledge of and ability to measure student outcomes.

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

Regular review and improvement of programs and services is part of Palo Verde College’s nature of performance.  All areas of the institution are involved in program review processes that result in documents shared campus-wide and updated when appropriate.  Program review reports include measurable objectives derived from review and written to support college goals.  All instructional programs are required to make needed revisions to course outlines or program curricula in the semester following their program review.

 

Both instructional and student services programs are evaluated with recommendations resulting in program improvement.  Additionally, those college’s programs that are accredited by external agencies are listed in the Catalog.

 

SELF EVALUATION

 

The College’s Matriculation services, as well as the Extended Opportunities Programs and Services and Disabled Students program have all undergone successful site visit reviews in the last two years and in each case have responded to any resulting recommendations for improvement.  Many of the needs are now met with the move to the new campus where DSP&S is able to obtain specific items to assist disabled students, a technology specialist was hired, more space is made available for the registrar’s office, counseling equipment has been acquired, software was purchased and additional space is available for special activities.  Additional examples of items recommended for improvement are: documentation of activities, extending counseling service hours, coming up with an evaluation tool for non-teaching faculty, follow-up of students having academic difficulties and budget funds for transfer activities and outreach.

 

Evaluation processes, both college-based and those conducted by external agencies lead to changes of programs and services in several areas but improvements are not always clearly tracked.  However, the process might be strengthened if incorporated more into the college-wide planning and decision-making process.

 

The Instructional Program Review process allows program faculty and staff to evaluate their programs in an objective manner and to update their curriculum as needed.  At this point there is no systematic process that ties the results of program review to planning within the campus level Planning and Budget Committees.

 

PLANNING AGENDA

 

• Develop strategies for more consistently measuring and providing evidence of improvement resulting from program evaluations.

 

• Institute processes that ensure the integration of program review results with planning and decision-making by the Planning and Budget Committees.

 

 

B.      Institutional Planning

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

The major planning activities of the college were set forth in its Educational Master Plan and Facilities Plan that were developed through a consultative process with constituents, community members and consulting organization.  The draft Facilities Plan was first reviewed in November 1996 and later adopted Fall 1997.  Fall 1997, the College constituent groups and the stakeholders of the Palo Verde Valley clarified its goals and established an Educational Master Plan.  The plan was developed and consists of six goals listed in A.3, a set of objectives, activities, and a time line for the completion of these goals.  This information has been tracked and reported in the Annual Report prepared by the office of the Superintendent/President.  The Educational Master Plan includes the Mission Statement and Goals of the college in providing the traditional services of a community college and was approved by the Board of Trustees July 1998.

 

The Institutional Planning Committee organized an Institute Day held March 9, 2000 at the Butler Building in Blythe to initiate the process of our institutional research efforts at the college.  This study session was conducted to gather information for the development of the Educational Master Plan, was advertised in the local newspaper and open to the public to participate.  

 

The College in Board Policy 6011 defines the responsibility of the Accreditation and Institutional Planning Committee as follows:

The Committee oversees the development and revision of the college mission statement as well as the annual update of the college goals and objectives. The Committee also has oversight of the development and update of the Facilities Plan, the Technology Plan and accountability reports. The Educational Master Plan is reviewed through this committee.  The Committee will oversee the production of the accreditation self-study report…. Each of the constituency organizations shall have one member of this standing committee.

 

The Strategic Plan (formerly Educational Master Plan) keeps the continuity of the development of the planning process with more depth and development.

 

The College uses a format consisting of an Accreditation Committee, Institutional Planning Committee and Budget Committee, all of which provide information and evidence in support of funding or hiring requests.  Meeting for these committees are open to the public.   

 

SELF EVALUATION

 

The College clearly understands the need for a cohesive, coherent planning process and has made numerous changes over the last five years to define and implement that process.  At Palo Verde College, the Superintendent/President has always played a very key leadership role in the planning process. Under the leadership of Dr. Averill, the Institutional Planning & Accreditation Committee really began to take a more effective role, concentrating on the elements outlined in the previous findings of the Accreditation report. The College felt that it was well on its way to implementing an effective process for planning.  However the change of leadership in the Superintendent/ President office disrupted the process as follows:

o                   July 1996 -June 2000 Dr. Averill – Superintendent/President

o                   June 2000 – January 2001 Mr. Stremble  (Vice President of Instruction)           appointed Interim President

o                   January 2001 – present Dr. Hottois – Superintendent/President

           

As a result of these changes, with the interim President filling responsibilities for both Instruction and college oversight, and the need for the committee to give priority to the Accreditation self-study, the planning responsibilities of this committee were neglected. Under the leadership of Dr. Hottois, a Strategic Plan is being developed for 2002-2005[LG3] .  The Strategic Plan is being developed systematically on the basis of current research and information provided by local focus groups.   

 

 

PLANNING AGENDA

 

• Review and document the process for developing the Strategic Plan 2002-2005., the Facilities Plan and Technology Plan .

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

The college’s primary focus for planning has been its Educational Master Plan (soon to be its Strategic Plan),its Mission Statement and Accreditation Report.  Its primary focus for evaluation is its Program Reviews, Student Satisfaction Inventory, Accreditation Self Study and external program reviews.

 

 

In addition, funding sources such as Partnership for Excellence has given the College additional focus (other areas of evaluation are mentioned in A.3) to improve services in the following five goal areas as described in the President’s Progress on Educational Master Plan 1997-2000 report.

 

Other planning has resulted from annual advisory committee meetings.  Each of the career and certificate programs met with industry representatives, college program directors, faculty, and student representatives to evaluate the effectiveness and relevance of each vocational program.  Some programs, especially the Health Sciences are involved in program level accreditation or licensure by regulatory bodies.  These programs use the findings of accreditation teams and the requirements of external licensing agencies to develop planning priorities.

 

College-wide program review processes provide for planning initiatives and ensure consideration of program needs in each department’s planning process.  This is done on a five-year cycle.  In the instructional area, appropriate faculty and the Vice President of Instruction are responsible for conducting the program review.  The newly formed Institutional Research Office provides necessary data for the reviews.  Additional information is added by the faculty and administrators involved in the process and through faculty and student surveys.  The self-evaluation is then forwarded to the college Planning Committee.

 

All requests from the campus departments or programs for personnel, equipment funds, or facilities improvements go to the Planning Committee and must indicate the relationship of the request to the Master Education Plan while being supported by documentation such as program review data, survey results, committee recommendations and licensure or program accreditation requirements.

 

 

SELF EVALUATION

 

The college started to develop a process for evaluating, planning and identifying priorities for improvement under the direction of Dr. Averill with a strategic planning session at Lake Arrowhead in 1997.  From this retreat a vision-mission statement was developed and the Education Master Plan was initiated.  Since then there has been a turn-over in the leadership of the College.  The former Superintendent/President left and the Assistant Superintendent became Interim Superintendent/President for seven months.  During this period the planning process was put on hold until Spring, 2001 when a new permanent Superintendent/ President joined the College.  Currently, the new President is developing a Strategic Plan that builds on the old Master Educational Plan.

 

The development the Strategic Plan began with a three stage process that will lead to a report that will be presented to the District Board as a starting point for the Strategic Planning Process itself.  The planning itself will involve broad-based participation by all elements of the College’s various communities and represented by a core group.  The core group will draw from the College Council which is the major body for shared governance in the District and the leadership from the Planning Committee.

 

The President has indicated that the completed plan will be a brief, focused document with clear, achievable goals.  It will be easily referred to on a regular basis and can continue to evolve as the College grows and as its environment evolves.  The Strategic Plan will become the basis for subsequent educational master plans and for all other planning in the Palo Verde Community College District.

 

 

PLANNING AGENDA

• Make sure that all stakeholders have an opportunity to participate in the Strategic Planning process.
• Develop guidelines to strengthen the planning process through systematic research to identify and establish priorities.

           

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

The Strategic Plan being developed will provide the format to integrate the educational, financial, and physical and human resources planning at PVC.  The planning process includes priorities derived from Program Reviews and incorporated into the final Strategic Plan and published.  The document will include college-wide priorities for facilities, scheduled maintenance and financial needs.  Fiscal planning is incorporated into the comprehensive planning process by developing a Fiscal Budget published in the Fall of each year for the coming fiscal year.  The planning process includes normal budget expenditures and also priorities in the event that increased funding becomes available.

 

 

SELF EVALUATION

 

The Instructional, Student Services, and Administrative Services Departments complete appropriate program review and evaluation, multi-year planning, self-studies and accrediting activities, along with the evaluation of staff, within regular, specified timeframes.  The Instructional Departments review the curriculum and create or update courses, including prerequisites and co-requisites and advisories on preparation, on a regular basis throughout the year.  Regular meetings of key committees and campus bodies such as President’s Cabinet, Administrative Cabinet, Academic Senate, Student Services and Administrative Services ensure shared, integrated discussion and planning of campus issues.  Broad-based representation by faculty, students, classified staff, and administrators provides the opportunity to promote shared governance and supports initiatives for needed changes in programs and services.

 

Under the direction of the Dean of Administrative Services, general funds are allocated on an historical basis to the departments.  Budgets based on general fund allocations are developed annually at the department level for the following year.  Department managers determine discretionary budgets with input from faculty and staff.  Requests for external funds such as State allocated block grant funds of Partnership for Excellence (PFE) monies are generally prioritized first at the program or department level and then by the College Planning and Budget Committee.  This prioritization structure is used for all requests, including those for supplies, equipment, facility upgrades, and personnel.  Forms used for requesting such funding require supporting data such as the PFE goals, department or program goals.

 

Federal Vocational and Technical Education Act funds are prioritized first at the program level by department faculty using input form the community advisory committees, then at the department level.  Criteria for prioritization is primarily based on State and Federal regulations for approved use of funds and the way in which programs plan to address mandated priorities.  The department recommendations are reviewed and approved by the Vice President of Instruction and results are reported to the College Planning and Budget Committees.  In addition, data elements from program review, advisory committee recommendations and college goals are generally included in the VTEA request applications.  Results are then submitted to the State Chancellor’s Office.

 

The college regularly plans for its physical resources through goals or needs identified in the appropriate Standard of this report.  A new college campus was just built and occupied Fall 2001.  Plans are underway to build the second phase of the new campus which will house vocational programs and a third and fourth phase are in the planning.

 

Faculty and staff have high expectations for the new campus and additional phases of the campus plan. There is a general feeling that the changes will move the college forward with new purpose.  The college has recently been able to offer courses to inmates at the local prisons which will significantly increase enrollments.  “Snowbirds” are also being targeted as potential short-term students for the non-credit program.  A satellite campus has been opened to serve the community of Needles. The local high school students are also being aggressively recruited.

 

Although the planning process is intended to be smooth, the College also is aware that it must respond to immediate, unanticipated needs.  Increased enrollments through its outreach to local prisons, for example, are necessitating the hiring of additional full-time faculty. This growth, although positive in most regards, brings pressure on facilities and support staff that are not easily accommodated immediately. There is also concern that the stability of this student population is influenced by outside agencies and regulations over which the college has no control.

 

The institution also participates in FTES sharing agreements through IEC and Ben Clark Training Center (see Standard 4 A5) that are dependent upon a contractual arrangement that increase the financial position of the district. Long term planning and dependency on this arrangement has a certain amount of risk but it continues to afford the district the opportunity to improve its base programs and services.

 

PLANNING AGENDA

 

• Continue to advance the college through increased enrollments.
• Continue to develop contingency plans that address the possibility of discontinued funding for out of the area contracts.
• Develop contingency plans that address the possibility of withdrawal of funding for inmate students.

 

 

 

 

C.      Institutional Outcomes Assessment

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

In each update of the Strategic Plan, the College will identify priorities and track progress made toward these stated goals.  A College Fact Book was published Fall 2001 showing student persistence rates.  Not only are outcomes specified in the comprehensive planning process, but the college outlines plans and activities in its Student Success /Partnership for Excellence Plan.  Additional external reports, such as the Student Right to Know (STRK), Intersegmental Postsecondary Education Data Systems (IPEDS) Graduation Rate Survey (GRS), The Report Card Bill (SB265) and the California Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) MIS reports also report relevant data as to student achievement and outcome measures.

 

 

SELF EVALUATION

 

The institution needs to further develop its intended outcomes and assessment models. Currently, the lack of data hampers the ability of the institution to document outcomes beyond the obvious statistical counts. As MIS data becomes available and the institutional research office matures, the ability of the institution to more clearly document achievements will grow.

 

The Office of Institutional Research has expanded and will be able to produce more data in the next Fact Book showing student outcomes and achievements as related to the PFE Student Success Plan goals with specific activities that promote student success in the areas of university transfers, degrees and certificates earned, basic skills improvement, articulation with local high schools, workforce development, and successful course completion rates.  The new “beta” web site has the College Fact Book on it now with the anticipation of the web site being operational in a short time.

 

 

PLANNING AGENDA

 

• Further develop an institutional outcomes and assessment plan. Review external models for adaptation to meet PVC needs.
• Get the new MIS system up and running.
• Instigate an electronic enrollment process which will enable counselors to help students succeed by having more efficient Student Ed Plans, enable administrators control class offerings and curb teacher shortages and teacher overloads while maximizing course scheduling, and again, promoting student success by eliminating student disenchantment when class don’t “make,” and by promoting valid and current data for research and planning.

 

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

The College’s Management Information System (MIS) data are regularly disseminated to public agencies through the cooperative efforts of the College and the California Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO).  Annual presentations of the Educational Master Plan/Strategic Plan are made to the Palo Verde Community College District Board of Trustees in public meetings.  Additional data transfers and financial supports of qualify assurance are given to the CCCCO for presentation to external agencies such as the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC) and the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), Intersegmental Postsecondary Educational Data System (IPEDS) and the federally mandated Student Right to Know (STRK) report.

 

The College produces a Report to the Community about college programs, demographics, and student safety and makes it available to the public at the College Business Office counter.

 

The college has hired a Public Information Officer who promotes the college to the community agencies where appropriate.

 

SELF EVALUATION

 

The Educational Master Plan/Strategic Plan  s made available through a presentation to the PVC Board of Trustees in public meetings.  The College’s accreditation status is communicated to the public as a formal evaluation of the institution.  The President reports at Board of Trustees meetings and distributes annual reports summarizing the achievements of the college’s students and staff during the preceding year.

 

Because of the united effort of the administration and staff, beginning next school year, information generated from the MIS system and translated through the Institutional Research Office will be available to those who need it in a timely manner.

 

PLANNING AGENDA

 

• The Public Information Office will continue to develop resources to communicate the College’s activities, status of its programs and information regarding its status to the public.
• Appropriate documents and information will be placed on the College web site.

 

 

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

The College President used an Institute Day March 9, 2000 where all the faculty, staff, administrators, board members and selected community leaders worked together to initiate the process of institutional research efforts at the College.  A survey was given out and evaluated by the Institutional Planning Committee.  The same Spring 2000, a part time Institutional Researcher position was created by adding research duties to a non-teaching faculty member’s other assignments as explained in A.1.  This was the beginning of an effort to start a systematic approach to research on campus.

 

In the evaluation of instructional units, the Academic Senate, Vice President of Instruction develop through shared governance and agency requirements, questions and input to the annual review process that lead to evaluation and documented in the Program Review. 

 

Personnel from the Student Services department respond to established questions, forward the answers to unit managers who belong to the Matriculation Committee and make recommendations that are compiled into reports and  recommendations to the planning process are incorporated into the planning process.

 

The College Council is ultimately responsible for assessing the overall and ongoing usefulness of the overall comprehensive planning process for the District and modifications to institutional research are suggested and implemented.

 

 

SELF EVALUATION

 

Until recently, planning and evaluation data has been initiated at the unit manager’s level.  Now, with an Institutional Researcher on board, planning and evaluation data are produced from his office to provide additional tools for more research that is needed to address the shifts in funding and resource allocation.

 

Systematic evaluation through the Program Review process is accepted by faculty and administration as effective.  Institutional Planning is a major part of the Institutional Researcher’s function.  The development of programs and services review, their timelines on campus, the dissemination of data and research results and the planning process have been developed over time and are reviewed and revised continuously.

 

The Institutional Researcher has identified a need for the college to review and modify its program review process and to make research data more available campus-wide for planning, budgeting, and evaluation purposes, which could result in new goals and objectives as the process progresses.

 

Some career and vocational programs also evaluate their programs based on outside accreditation standards because of employment, certification, or licensure requirements.  External accreditation for these programs is based on measurable outcomes such as employment rates, attrition rates, and licensure exam results.  Based on these criteria, research, planning, evaluation, and related efforts are reviewed and changes made accordingly.

 

The adoption of an outside research and consulting organization to assist in developing the new Strategic Plan is in itself evidence that the institution reviews and modifies its research and planning processes for assessing institutional effectiveness.

 

The institutional research office also participates in appropriate Research & Planning group workshops and seminars and list serves in order to stay abreast of new developments and consult with colleagues about research efforts, tools, and findings at other institutions.  This is an invaluable organization that assists in every aspect of research.

 

PLANNING AGENDA

• Purchase and use a data management tool such as SPSS in the research office.
• Continue to participate in the RP Group workshops and seminars as available.

 

 

STANDARD FOUR: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

            The institution offers collegiate level programs in recognized fields of study that culminate in identified student competencies leading to degrees and certificates,  The provisions of this standard are broadly applicable to all educational activities offered in the name of the institution, regardless of where or how presented, or by whom taught.

 

A.  General Provisions

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Consistent with its mission statement, Palo Verde College provides open and affordable access to a comprehensive educational program.  The College offers over 500 individual courses in a variety of disciplines encompassing the associate in arts degree, the associate in science degree and certificate programs.  Additionally, the College provides a wide variety of not-for-credit programs through its community-based Spring Street campus.  The College response to welfare reform continues to focus on work-force preparation through CALWORKS.

 

Varied support services are provided by Palo Verde College to meet the needs of the entire student population.  Towards the aforementioned goal, the Learning Skills Center (LSC) provides special laboratory sessions, individual assessment, tutoring, learning, and educational services that support regular classroom instruction.  In addition, it serves students who need assistance in achieving the educational/vocational goals by providing basic skill assistance in English as a Second Language (ESL), reading, writing, and math.  Additional support services include Financial Aid, Disabled Student Programs and Services, and Educational Opportunity Program and Services.

 

SELF EVALUATION

 

Palo Verde College has made a significant effort to serve the expanding student population.  The College FTES increased significantly from 742 in 1997/98 to 1,195 in 2000/2001.  The aforementioned significant increase encompasses the College Main Campus, Needles Campus, Spring Street Campus, and Ben Clark Training Center in Riverside.  We also recently have been providing distance learning in several subjects to a local state prison (with service to a second prison being considered).

 

The college recognizes that students having varying degrees of preparation and various educational goals.  It recognizes that some students are entering with basic skills levels below that required to successfully complete college level work. To better meet the needs of these students the college has also increased its basic skills offerings.  To help the students determine their skill level in many academic areas, including written English expression, reading, and mathematics, the college provides a comprehensive assessment program.  Currently students at the main campus and in Needles who indicate an interest in seeking a degree or certificate are able to take the assessment/placement test for English and Math online on a walk in basis.  This has greatly enhanced the assessment process both in adding flexibility for the student and increasing the ability to report findings.  Additionally, counseling and Educational Planning, through its professional counselors and faculty members, are available to give individual help to both under-prepared and other students in dire need.

 

The college has also sought and received a Title V grant designated for Hispanic Serving Institutions for Fall 2001-2006.  The objectives specified through this grant include: revising curriculum; increasing transition from non-credit to credit; development of alternative instructional modes for low income, high risk students; increasing the number of targeted population students attending PVC.  This is the first major grant of this nature that the institution has been funded for in recent years.  At this writing (October 2001), the college has defined a director position for the grant and is in the process of filling that position. The impact and activities defined under this grant include a process of developing new curriculum, courses and support services that will be interwoven into the fabric of the institution.  The college is excited about the resources that this grant will foster and feels that this grant will bring focus to the needs of low income, high risk students. 

 

The institution has also recently sought to meet the needs of the inmate population imprisoned in the district.  Working with this unique population requires innovation, coordination and a high degree of commitment from student services, administration and faculty.  The college recognizes that the education of these students is an important contribution to their lives, the lives of their families and the community at large. In seeking to offer the same high quality education to this population, it is struggling to develop a model program that will include appropriate services, instruction and research. The college has received encouragement and recognition of its efforts from the Chancellor’s office.

 

 

PLANNING AGENDA

Matriculation is a process which is designed to assist students in planning, selecting and achieving educational goals.  The process brings the college and students into agreement for the purpose of realizing the student’s educational goals.

·     The College, through the Matriculation services, provides campus-specific assessment test results to appropriate college constituents and to the Vice President/Assistant Superintendent of Instruction.

·     The Vice President/Superintendent of Instruction, Director of Research, Counseling and Educational Planning will conduct new educational assessment needs to help determine the educational needs of the community each campus serves.

·         The Title V grant director will be added as a key member to a number of committees keep the college focused on the needs of the targeted population.

·         The Institution will continue its research efforts to better define the varied needs of its students. 

 

 

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

Palo Verde College provides varied ways for students to complete patterns of programs and courses leading to degrees and certificates.  Course offerings range from 1-day, 2-days, 3-days, 4-days and 5-days per week, both during days and evenings on an 18-week semester basis.  Additionally, the college similarly offers a 6-week summer session.  The modes of delivery are mostly the traditional classroom offerings.  In addition to scheduled classes on the three campuses and the Ben Clark Training Center in Riverside, the college also offers courses on a high school campus.  Because of the various ways courses are offered, it is possible for prospective students to complete most degree and certificate programs on any of the aforementioned campuses within a reasonable time.

 

SELF EVALUATION

 

The College attempts to ensure sufficient course offerings to allow students to complete their educational goals within a reasonable time.  The District has expanded course offerings beyond the main campus, making it possible for a student to earn an associate’s degree/or complete most transfer patterns on these campuses.

 

Students responded in the Student Satisfaction Survey to the following questions that address this issue:

Q.8: Classes are scheduled at a time that is convenient for me. Overall students rated this as an important item and were mostly satisfied, however evening students indicated less satisfaction with this issue than daytime students and full-time students indicated less satisfaction than part-time students, students who had completed more than 1 year at the college indicated less satisfaction than those who had completed a year or less.

Q. 15. I am able to register for classes with few conflicts.

Overall the students rated well on this question, with evening students slightly less satisfied than daytime students.

 

In order to make course offerings more flexible, the college now offers distant education courses to prospective students at Ironwood Correctional Facility.

 

A challenge for the College involves the struggle to provide some requisite courses especially during the Spring and Fall semesters based on students needs.  Some students are frustrated because some courses have not been offered during these semesters.  The effort to remain efficient and still provide a way for these students to complete some programs compels the College to develop a comprehensive enrollment management process.  This process encompasses studying course sequences and offerings within and among departments, course conflict resolutions, and disciplines to ensure that students have sufficient course offerings at various times to complete their educational goals.

 

PLANNING AGENDA

·    The Vice President/Assistant Superintendent of Instruction and faculty members will review course sequencing and scheduling to ensure that students meet degree and certificate requirements in a reasonable amount of time.

·        The Dean of Student Services will work with the Registrar and MIS director to better identify and monitor the progress of students towards degrees and make appropriate recommendation to Instruction regarding course offerings.

 

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

To establish and revise general education program requirements, the faculty member submits proposals to the Academic Senate for deliberation in regards to Academic Standards. In the case of vocational programs or certificates, advisory committees will meet with the lead faculty in that area to review or make program change recommendations. In either case, course changes are further sent to the Curriculum Committee for further review.   The Academic Senate, through the Curriculum Committee, makes recommendations to the Board of Trustees.

 

SELF EVALUATION

 

During the review process, there is significant opportunity to evaluate the impact of program changes for individual programs.  The institution takes seriously its contract with a student to complete the requirements as specified under the catalog that they enrolled under.  Counseling works individually with students to work on substitutions or waivers as needed..  In the same vein, when a program is eliminated, past practice is to allow a student to complete the course of study.

 

The institution because of the relatively limited number of programs and its small enrollment has been able to manage program changes through this process.  However, if there is significant growth in programs and enrollment or significant changes in faculty, the institution will need to readdress this issue.

 

The institution has not recently updated its policy on program elimination.  This policy should be reviewed by the Program Review Committee and appropriate changes made as needed.

 

PLANNING AGENDA:

·    The Program Review Committee will review the Institution policy on program elimination and make recommendations to the Academic Senate and Instruction Office.

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Standards 6, 7, 8, and 9 discuss in detail the technological, human, financial, and physical resources available.  A new, larger main campus is being occupied for instruction for Fall, 2001.  Information on our use of the Ben Clark Training Center, the Needles Campus, and our Adult Education Non-Credit Program will come at the end of this Section A. - General Provisions.

 

SELF EVALUATION

 

The Program Review process that has been in place now for the last three years has been useful in uncovering and therefore aiding in the resolution of problems in each curriculum and administrative area (i.e., adding instructors, administrators, classrooms, equipment, etc.). This process is consistent regardless of location or delivery method, however, each location represents unique challenges and limitations.

Physical Resources:

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The current campus on Chancelor Way has a shortage of classrooms and only an adequate number of computer rooms for classes and open labs.

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The new, main campus is due to be occupied for instruction in Fall, 2001 with more classrooms and computer rooms for classes and open labs. The institution acknowledges that there will be additional physical resource requirements needed to support all of the programs it offers at this location. It has requested funding for phase two from the Chancellor’s office which will address many of the additional needs. Anticipated future facility needs will be addressed in its strategic plan.

 

Human Resources

The institution is aware that it faces many challenges as a small rural college in providing support services to its students, staff and faculty.  It looks for innovative ways to be able to offer sufficient courses, programs and services, often asking each employee to often assume responsibility in more than one area.  The remote location also makes it difficult for employees to easily attend staff development functions in the region. Qualified adjunct faculty, substitutes for classrooms or employee absences are often difficult The institution feels that it does a commendable job managing its limited resources.

 

Instructional Delivery Method

The institutions main delivery mode is face to face classroom instruction augmented by technology in the classroom.  It provides distance education/correspondence classes to inmate students at Ironwood State Prison. Other students in the nearby community as well as students in Needles can take advantage of this service to augment the face-to-face offering.  The institution recognizes that these offerings are increasing and it has committed resources to this program.

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The completion of most degrees and certificates is possible in a 2-4 year time frame; however, certain certificates and degrees are not - particularly those that have very low enrollments for certain more advanced courses.

 

PLANNING AGENDA

 

·        The institution will continue to address the various needs of each location and program as part of program review and educational master / strategic planning process.

 

 

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

Advising programs are in place for the students in general as well as the EOPS, DSPS, and CalWorks programs.  The advisors are both professional and peer counselors.

 

SELF EVALUATION

 

The advising programs seem to have an adequate number of competent counselors except for perhaps the very beginning of each regular semester.  Information forms go back and forth from the registrar’s office and the faculty (mid-term deficiency reports), EOPS and the faculty (6-7 week progress reports), and DSPS (forms at the beginning of the semester describing the student’s disability and some personal calls to interested faculty from the head of DSPS).  It is seldom that peer counselors in any of the above-mentioned areas contact faculty directly about absenteeism or progress.  Our MIS database system, which has had numerous delays in its progress, is supposed to allow the counselors to access this information electronically sometime in the near future.  This will require the faculty to keep current attendance figures, etc.

In the Student Satisfaction Survey (Fall 2000), students responded as follows to the following questions related to this area (ranked in order of importance to students):

 Q. 32 My academic advisor is knowledgeable about my program requirements.

Full-time students and those who were in their 2^nd year indicated greater dissatisfaction than did part-time students or students who were in their first year and Hispanic students were less satisfied than Caucasian or African American students.

Q.47 There are adequate services available to help me decide upon a career.

Full-time students and those who were in their 2^nd year indicated less satisfaction with this than did first year students.

Q. 41 Admissions staff are knowledgeable.

All students indicated a good degree of satisfaction in this area.

Q. 40 Academic advisors are knowledgeable about transfer requirements.

All students indicated a high degree of satisfaction in this area.

Q. 49. Admissions counselors respond to prospective student’s unique needs and requests. In general, most students were satisfied, however evening students were less satisfied than day students.

     

 

PLANNING AGENDA

·        As a result of the student satisfaction survey and other indicators, the College added the position - Assistant Dean of Evening Programs for Fall 2001.  This position assists instruction and also serves a counseling function for evening students. 

·        The College also recognizes that it needs to have a stronger career and transfer center.  There are a number of personnel changes being made, as well as facility changes that impact this function.

·        Counseling staff and academic advisors have been encouraged to take part in workshops and to stay up-to date on program changes, particularly those that relate to transfer requirements.   

·        A more flexible MIS system is being developed that should allow students and counselors to view graduation, matriculation requirements so that everyone is in agreement as to the student’s program requirements.

 

 

BEN CLARK TRAINING CENTER IN RIVERSIDE

 

GENERAL PROVISIONS:

Palo Verde Community College District, in cooperation with the Riverside Community College District, provides entry level and advanced public safety training for law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical personnel from throughout the state.

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY:

 

Palo Verde and Riverside Community Colleges have entered into a unique partnership with various local and state agencies to provide one of the largest public safety training programs in Southern California. This program is located at the Ben Clark Training Center in Riverside.  Each year hundreds of students are prepared to enter the public safety profession while thousands of law enforcement, firefighters, probation officers, dispatchers, correctional officers, and emergency medical technicians receive advanced training at this facility.

 

This partnership affords a unique environment where the various public safety disciplines can train together to provide better public safety to the communities they serve.

 

SELF EVALUATION:

 

In order to serve the increasing number of public safety personnel in the Southern California area, Palo Verde College registers a portion of the students attending training at the Ben Clark Training Center. Palo Verde College has aggressively sought outside programs and activities to help support the low enrolled institutional activities at the main campus site.  Two such programs are the Industrial Emergency Council (IEC) contract and the consortium agreement with Riverside Community College at the Ben Clark Training Center.

 

The IEC Connection

 

In a partnership agreement with the Industrial Emergency Council (IEC), Palo Verde College has been able to offer high quality hazardous materials instruction programs throughout the state.  The IEC is a state-wide recognized premiere training provider in hazardous materials and fire training.  Because IEC is aware of hazardous materials training providers throughout the state, we try to offer classes wherever training is generally not available.  When IEC, usually in concert with the State Fire Marshall, identifies a training need within the state, Palo Verde College contacts the college district in which the training is needed and requests permission to enter their district to offer the hazardous materials curriculum.  If the local college district has an approved hazardous materials program, access into their district is usually denied and they in turn meet their local training need.

 

If allowed into the district, Palo Verde College will conduct the state certified training using state certified instructors who meet or exceed all California community college teaching requirements.  All IEC instructors have complete approved personnel records on file and are approved by the Board of Trustees to teach classes for Palo Verde College.

 

Through an FTES sharing agreement, Palo Verde College reimburses IEC for all instructional salaries.  All revenues in excess of direct instructional costs go into the general fund and are used to offset the cost of low enrolled classes.

 

The Ben Clark Training Center

 

Located in the West end of Riverside County is the Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center operated by the Riverside Community College District (RCCD).  Palo Verde College has established a contractual relationship with RCCD to assist them in the delivery of public safety training programs in police, fire, corrections, and emergency personnel.  By a contractual agreement, which was reviewed by the State Chancellor’s office, Palo Verde College has the first right of refusal to deliver any unmet training needs of the training center not being offered by RCCD.

 

RCCD ensures that all instructors meet or exceed community college and agency requirements, and provides counseling, matriculation, and registration services as required by Title 5.  Palo Verde College provides direct supervision of the instructional delivery system by an on-site, full-time coordinator.

 

 

 

ADULT EDUCATION NON-CREDIT DIVISION

PROGRESS REPORT

 

This report over the non-credit division of Palo Verde College will include the following three categories: a descriptive summary which includes the purpose, mission, location, and history; a self-evaluation, including program success, failures, and current activities; and a planning agenda, indicating short-term and long-term goals.

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

The essential purpose of the non-credit division is to offer course work to the general working public to increase their subject knowledge, or to improve their working skills or the skills necessary to their survival in the working force.  Also, the secondary purpose of the division is to offer developmental course work in preparation for college entrance.  The mission of the non-credit program at PVC is to enlighten and to prepare the general public for active participation in communal affairs such as analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information in making good decisions for themselves and for their children.  Also, voting and determining the best candidates for the “good of the whole,” and not only for personal aggrandizement.  Further, this program is devoted and designed to meet the special needs and capabilities of those citizens who do not desire or need to obtain unit credit.

 

The location of the program is based in Blythe, California, and is housed at 145 North Spring Street.  The non-credit division of Palo Verde College has been part of PVC for four academic years, and was originally proposed by the superintendent/president, Dr. Don Averill.  The director of the program, Robert Heeder, was asked to locate and to design a location for the non-credit program.  The City of Blythe leased to the college the present site as seen in the address above.  Mr. Heeder designed the plans for the remodeling of the site and the PVC maintenance department completed the construction.

 

 

SELF EVALUATION

 

The growth and progress of the Palo Verde College Adult Basic Education (ABE) Program is principally due to personal and public need.  The citizens of Blythe and the surrounding Palo Verde area have responded overwhelmingly to the offerings to meet their special needs, and capabilities without the regimented demand of the traditional classroom to take tests and to follow strict hours of study and class preparation.  Also, success can be attributed to the need for such course work in the developmental, remedial, occupational, and other general educational subject areas.  The Palo Verde College ABE Program has also extended its growth to include training of students enrolled in the “GAIN” (Greater Avenues to Independence), as well as the training of those registered with the TECH PREP programs in connection with the public school district, and other public social programs such as “Drug Rehabilitation” in which the ABE aids the participants in improving their basic skills in reading, writing, mathematics and GED preparation.  Some weaknesses in this program have included finding qualified and certified instructors to teach classes needed by the business community, as well as classes needed in the technical fields.  Many public and private figures have requested non-credit classes in such areas as air conditioning repair, small appliance repair, food handling, and other restricted subjects; however, we have been unable to provide this service due to a lack of qualified instructors.  A major problem has developed due to the lack of space (classrooms, lab areas, etc.) at our present center.  We are currently advertising and seeking qualified applicants for such course work.

 

Other weaknesses such as the lack of qualified personnel to repair and to maintain the facility, its component parts (computers, the Internet, etc.), and the need for full-time maintenance has become critical.  These problems need immediate solutions.  Our current activities include developing good advertising techniques, working with business management to develop course work relating directly to their needs, expanding our services to other areas and locations such as Ripley, California, Ehrenberg, Arizona, and other areas as they become open, and as the traffic demands.  Also, the center encourages basic and developmental instruction in preparation for entering credited course work directed toward getting a community college diploma and/or matriculation to higher institutions of academia.

 

PLANNING AGENDA

·        The Non-Credit Division of Palo Verde College will continue to advance the above-mentioned policies.  New goals will constantly be established as successes and failures are observed or perceived in immediate classroom situations as well as in situations observed over a period of time.

 

Some goals for the future (short term):

 

·        To offer more weekend seminars directed to the development of personnel needs and to the needs of the business community.

·        To offer course work directed to personal skills development.

·        To improve remedial, developmental, occupational, and other skills.

·        To emphasize course work for older adults.

·        To provide educational opportunities to handicapped persons.

·        To provide health and safety education.

·        To provide vocational programs with high employment potential.

·        To provide education programs in home economics.

·        Short term goals will be provided by qualified and certified personnel to a degree allowing the student/participant to apply the acquired knowledge in the workplace or at home in home beautification projects. 

·        Instruction will help to develop the participant’s self-concept by providing success in the academic pursuit.  The non-credit concept assumes that all participants/students can learn.  Some can learn faster than others, but all persons can learn when given enough time and proper instruction to do so.  The non-credit concept allows open entry/open exit enrollment.  This concept allows the participants to participate and to prepare at their own speed and time.

 

Some goals for the future (long term):

·        To expand the non-credit program to include updated equipment and proper maintenance.

·        To enlarge or procure a facility that allows and encourages growth of the non-credit program.

·        To hire some full-time instructors to assure the citizens of Blythe and the Palo Verde area that the program will always be here for their welfare and growth.

·        To improve and expand the vocational program allowing either entry into the workforce or matriculation to the full-time credited program.

 

PALO VERDE COLLEGE - NEEDLES

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Purpose/Mission Statement

Palo Verde Community College Needles Site embraces the philosophy that an Extended Educational Institution serves as a catalyst for the growth of a diversified population and as a resource for responding to the changing needs of the service area communities by taking educational opportunities in general studies, occupational, developmental, transfer, and support services to enhance personal and academic development as well as employability.

 

Location and History

The Palo Verde Community College Needles Site was approved by the Governing Board of the Palo Verde Community College District and the Needles Unified School District in 199    .  This additional part of the District is located in San Bernardino County, one hundred miles north of the main campus in Blythe, California, in Riverside County.

 

The PVCC District Needles Site was approved and opened in July 1999.  The Extended Campus was located at the Needles High School facility.  The Needles Site opened the first schedule for classes during the Fall Semester of 1999.  Classes were scheduled and offered during the evening hours only.

 

Adjunct instructors were recruited through the local newspaper.  The response has been outstanding.  We currently have sixty-four (64) applicants for teaching credit and non-credit courses for the Palo Verde College Needles Site..  We have some adjunct instructors who are interested in teaching full-time at this location.  Sometime classes are offered on the basis of what the instructors can teach, not what classes are needed.  We find that this is a way to generate interest in residents getting back into education.

 

SELF EVALUATION NEEDLES

 

As of today, the most successful part of this program is the Achieving a College Education (ACE) Program (begun in a joint partnership with the Needles High School and Palo Verde College).  This program offers students courses that meet their high school elective requirements and they also earn college credit for their programs of study in higher education.

 

Another successful part of the program came in offering computer courses.  Local area residents and winter visitors have a need and an interest in learning the use of technology to communicate locally, nationally and internationally.  The development of a college computer lab will continue to attract local area residents to further their education, training, and use of technology.

 

Challenges

Residents in the areas that the PVCC Needles Site serves are constantly questioning the full commitment of the Palo Verde Community College District to this location.  The residents constantly question whether the College will have a facility to bring education and training to this area.  Based on some past experiences with another community college district that started at this location and was not successful, residents have the impression that this may happen again.  Residents in this area want a permanent college facility in this area of our district.  A facility at this location will make a major impact on assuring that this institution is a reality.

 

Current Developments

The Palo Verde Community College Needles Site is working to locate a permanent facility at this location.  A facility is needed to bring education, training, and student support services for residents in this area.  There is a need to establish a facility where classes may be offered during the day and evening hours.

 

Another important need is to bring and provide student support services to students who are interested and in need of starting and continuing their education.  There is a need for a learning center for students who need tutorial assistance, advisement, and guidance.

 

Through the involvement with local area community organizations, we are working to link the college for education and training.  We are also working to develop joint and collaborative partnerships with local area Tribal Reservations that have an interest and need for education and training.

 

PLANNING AGENDA Needles

Goals:

·        To implement a research and information system which utilizes the techniques of research to keep the college informed with the changing needs of its population in the service areas.

·        To establish educational opportunities and facilities partnerships with community-based organizations, agencies, and service providers that will permit the PVCC Needles Site to respond more efficiently to community needs.

• To increase the instructional capability (academic, occupational, and transitional) to permit incoming students to obtain jobs in industry, business, and service occupations.
• To develop a master plan for identification and construction of a building and facilities for programs and services to meet the current and changing education and training requirements of the population in the service area.
• To develop and operate a comprehensive student personnel and instructional support services program aimed at recruiting, enrolling, and retaining students at the Needles Site/Campus.
• To offer individually prescribed instruction in traditional, standard academic, and supplemental enrichment work for students who’s educational, occupational, and personal needs are not met by the standard college curriculum.

class=Section10>
 

Palo Verde Community College Needles Campus

Development Plan

for

Instructional Programs and Services

2001-2005

 

I.      Instructional Programs                                                                             Potential Market

 

1.             Hotel Hospitality and Management Program                  *AVI Resort & Casino - AVI Resorts & Casino is

                *Customize the program with emphasis on                     planning to build two casinos and two hotels

                corporate culture                                                                  *Local motels and hotels

                *Pre-entry, Program, and Post-Program                           *State and County Agencies

 

2.             Intensive Language Institute (Spanish, English,            *Schools with bilingual and LEP students at

                other languages)                                                                  secondary level

                                                                                                                *Police Departments in Needles

       

3.             Computer Training Academy

                *A Computer Proficiency Program structured to           *Job Preparation

                offer short-term, open-entry/open-exit, flexible               *Business and Industry in the service area

                scheduling credit courses                                                  *Incorporate into training program with new

                *Integrate computer training throughout the                 contacts

                curriculum-English, Math, Science, Education,

                Business and Industry, Vocational/Occupational

 

4.             Weekend College

                *Structure weekend college in-plant and in the              *Potential employee/student population in

                casinos                                                                                  business/industry and community-based

                *Develop and offer weekend courses on campus          organizations

                and through Distance Learning                                         *Put emphasis on special populations - police

                                                                                                                department personnel, city personnel,

                                                                                                                government agencies, casino personnel

       

5.             High School College (Achieving a College

                Education, ACE Program)

                *Initiate two plus two programs at the high                    *Conduct campus on-site visitations, tours, etc.school level                                                                              

        *Have high school students take college

                -Transitional Program of Study                                         courses at their campus

                -Develop Faculty Partnership of Instruction                   *Alternate courses on campus

                with certified high school faculty                                      *Take college courses to meet high school

                *Initiate pre-entry programs of study for                        electives and earn college credit

                potential job opportunities with business,

                industry, and service providers.

 

 

 

 

II.    Program Support Services

 

1.   College Readiness Program

              *Develop and conduct two-week commuter                     *Recruiters identify and process candidates

              instructional and support services program                      for the College Readiness Program

              for first-time freshmen

 

2.           Recruitment and Admission Program

              *Develop a cadre of Palo Verde Community                     *Assign the high school and schedule meetings

              College Needles Campus students as                                                and group sessions with high school students

              recruiters                                                                                                 *Assign local sites where students gather and

              -Conduct training sessions on completing                        provide information and technical assistance

              admission applications                                                                         *Attend activities where students attend and

              -Train to complete financial aid application                       provide technical and referral services

              -Work as referral agents for the College/

              Needles Campus

              -Train recruiters as peer counselors

 

III.         Resource and Development

             

1.                   Community Services and Continuing Education

2.                   High School Equivalency Program (HEP)

3.                   Adult Education Programs

4.                   Funds for the Improvement of Post

                      Secondary Education (FIPSE)

1.                   Upward Bound Program

2.                   Talent Search Program

3.                   Minority Science Program

4.                   Special Services for Disadvantaged Students

5.                   Title III, Strengthening Developing

                      Institutions

 

4.B    DEGREE AND CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS

 

4.B.1:

The institution demonstrates that its degrees and programs, wherever and however offered, support the mission of the institution. Degree and certificate programs have a coherent design and are characterized by appropriate length, breadth, depth, sequencing of courses, synthesis of learning, and use of information and learning resources.

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

In its Mission Statement, the District states that it provides “lower-division courses that include the complete range of general education courses needed for transfer” as well as occupational and vocational programs, liberal arts and science programs, and developmental education.  The college catalog has a philosophy statement which declares “that education should enable students to achieve academic excellence and/or technical proficiency, consistent with their ability to learn; that students can be helped to think independently and creatively, to value reason, to understand research processes, and to relate effectively with others.”

 

Students acquiring an Associate degree must demonstrate competencies in mathematics, reading and writing as part of their general course of study for the degree.  In addition, students planning to transfer to a four-year program complete a cohesive program of general education and lower division courses that are articulated the University of California and the California State University System. These agreements identify the courses required to satisfy both general education and lower division preparation requirements.

 

SELF-EVALUATION

 The District identifies its degrees and certificates through a number of publications, including a catalog, specific brochures, and advertisements.  Also, all of the degree and certificate programs listed in the college catalog are designed to fulfill either the District’s stated mission or its statement of philosophy.

The design, breadth and scope of the degrees and certificate programs offered by the College are consistent with its mission and purpose and meet the standards described in its articulated agreements with other institutions and those required by the state of California. To ensure that the District‘s degree and certificate programs support the mission of the college and that the degrees and programs have a coherent design and appropriate length, breadth, depth, sequencing, synthesis, and use of information resources, all 42 associate degree and/or certificate programs offered in career and technical education are scheduled for review every two years by the Curriculum Committee as part of the instructional program assessment and planning process.  Moreover, program advisory committees and employers hiring students with certificates offer additional input for the career and technical programs.  Other vocational programs, such as the nursing and health sciences programs, have outside accreditation processes that ensure coherent designs and appropriate content.  These processes ensure that programs and courses correspond with programs and course work at other institutions, particularly four-year universities such as UC and CSU campuses.  In addition, these processes provide mechanisms through which the coherent design of all programs is validated and/or changed as needed.

 

Not only does the District undergo internal evaluation processes, the District ensures that its degree and certificate programs have appropriate design and content by verifying the programs with outside institutions.  For example, The District has developed articulation agreements with four UC campuses, eight CSU campuses, and several private four-year institutions.  In addition, the District annually updates the IGETC and CSU general education transfer requirements and is actively involved in the ASSIST program.  Palo Verde Community College, in cooperation with the ten other community colleges in Region 9, participates in an articulation program designed to facilitate the student transfer process between colleges in the region.

 

Through Program Review, the institution reviews the various program requirements including length, breadth, depth and sequencing of courses. The District recognizes, however, that it has certain limitations (due to its small size and therefore limited offerings) in sequencing courses, so that not all courses are offered each semester. In addition, in interdisciplinary areas – general studies and liberal arts associate degrees– offerings are not specifically sequenced and there is no faculty member that oversees these courses as an area of responsibility. The district recognizes that it needs to negotiate a way to departmentalize areas of responsibilities and incorporate some areas of faculty oversight for programs while keeping in mind budget and union constraints.

 

At the course level, discipline faculty ensure those courses leading to or serving as part of a degree or certificate adequately prepare students with the expected skills and knowledge including use of information and learning resources.

 

PLANNING AGENDA

• The Program Review process needs to be reviewed to insure that programs, not just courses are appropriately reviewed. The institution will soon be hiring a new Vice-President of Instruction who will have the responsibility for developing a structure that will address program responsibilities.

 

 

4.B.2:

The institution identifies its degrees and certificates in ways which are consistent with the program content, degree objectives, and student mastery of knowledge and skills including, where appropriate, career preparation and competencies.

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

All degrees and certificates are listed in the college catalog as part of the particular discipline responsible for issuing the degree or certificate. Included are the prerequisite courses or skills required and recommended courses needed to complete the degree or certificate and course descriptions.

 

SELF EVALUATION

 

Continual oversight by the college’s faculty, Public Information Officer, and Catalogue Committee is necessary to ensure that degrees and certificates are appropriately identified.

In the Student Satisfaction Survey (Fall 2000) students were asked and responded to the following question:

            Q.66 Program requirements are clear and reasonable. The institution was rated very well on this issue by all target populations.

 

 

The College is aware that in the past not all brochures are dated and that there are some publications that are out of date that are still in circulation.  It is also aware that not every vocational advisory committee meets each year.

 

PLANNING AGENDA

• The College will seek ways to insure that all publications are up-to-date including publishing an applicable date on all brochures.

 

• The College will seek ways to insure that each certificate program have at least one annual meeting and seek input from the appropriate advisory committees.

 

 

4.B.3:

The institution identifies and makes public expected learning outcomes for its degree and certificate programs.  Students completing programs demonstrate achievement of those stated learning outcomes.

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

The college identifies and publishes expected learning outcomes for its degree and certificate programs in its catalog and brochures.  The mission statement for the college lists overarching educational and community goals.  The graduation requirements enumerate broad areas of knowledge and specific competencies for all associate degree candidates, regardless of major.  In certain instances, such as English competency, and Mathematics competency, as a component of the graduation requirements, competency may be determined by passing certain courses and/or examinations.

 

 

 

 

SELF EVALUATION

In most of the Liberal Arts Programs listed in the catalog, learning outcomes are expressed in terms of the students’ completion of course requirements for the undergraduate major/degree.  Where academic programs list learning outcomes, they are described in generalized terms and broad language.  In most of the vocational and technical programs, learning outcomes are expressed in terms of courses required for completion certificates and the attainment of specific job skills.  Program brochures employ similar language in describing outcomes.

 

In certain certificates, where no English or Mathematic courses or pre-requisite are required, it is unclear as to how competencies in English and Math areas are demonstrated even though the public should reasonably be able to assume that someone with a College certificate should have such a competency. It is also unclear whether standards for receiving a certificate are more stringent, in some cases, than standards for students completing degrees.

[LG4] 

PLANNING AGENDA

 

• The College will review the standards for passing grades for certificates and degrees as well as pre-and co-requisite requirements in English and math and clarify the statements in the catalog.

 

 

4.B.4:

All degree programs are designed to provide students a significant introduction to the broad areas of knowledge, their theories and methods of inquiry, and focused study in at least one area of inquiry or established interdisciplinary core.

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY:

 

Since all degree programs require a general education component, there is a significant introduction to the broad areas of knowledge. As described in the catalog, students with specific majors apart from liberal arts will concentration on a definite area. Liberal arts majors may complete their units with a variety of electives. Students are clearly advised as to the broad general education requirements for the Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and IGETC.  

 

Identification of objectives and expected outcomes is typically built into the course outlines of record. Language specifying general education outcomes is broadly descriptive.

 

Since all degree programs require a general education component, there is a significant introduction to the broad areas of knowledge.  Students with specific majors apart from liberal arts also concentrate on a definite area, but liberal arts majors may well complete their number of units with a variety of electives.

 

SELF EVALUATION

 

The institution has a limited number of focused areas of study. The majority of students outside of the special programs offered in Public Safety at Ben Clark and other training areas complete degrees in general studies or liberal arts.  This approach has the benefit of providing the majority of students with an introduction to broad areas of knowledge and preparation for transfer. 

 

 

4.B.5:

Students completing degree programs demonstrate competence in the use of language and computation.

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

Palo Verde College has established minimum competencies for mathematics and language for all students seeking Associate Degrees. These competencies are articulated as earning a “C” or better in certain English or Math classes with specific requirement areas outlined in the course outlines.  The lowest level of language course allowed for any of the Associate of Science Degrees is Eng 99 Basic Composition and the lowest level for the Associate of Arts is Eng 101 Reading and Composition a freshman transfer course.   The lowest level of math competency in the Associate of Science Degree is Math 84 Introductory Algebra and the lowest level for the Associate of Arts is Math 110 College Algebra or Math 106 Introductory Statistics (which has a prerequisite of Intermediate Algebra).

 

 

SELF EVALUATION

Language and computation skills for the Associate Degrees at PVC clearly evidence adequate student competencies in those areas.

 

PLANNING AGENDA

None

 

 

Standard 4 C:  General Education

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

A general education component is integrated into and required of all Associate Degree programs at Palo Verde College. Specific requirements are outlined in the Catalog under each degree explanation as well as a comparison on pages 68-69 of the 2001-2003 catalog. Courses that satisfy these requirements are listed, as well as pertinent information about transfer requirements for IGETC and CSU.  In addition to publishing the information in the catalog, the District publishes the general education requirements in the Student Handbook and includes them in the Student Educational Plans.

 

 

SELF EVALUATION

The courses that satisfy the requirements are listed in clear, complete form for the most part.  However, because the catalog is not reprinted every year, additional courses that may meet the requirements are not always updated in the catalog that the student receives, this means that the student must rely on the academic advisor/counselor and addendums to the catalog for more up-to-date information.

 

PLANNING AGENDA

·        The institution needs to develop a mechanism, on-line or electronic of updating student information more readily.

 

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

This component is consistent with the institutional mission, educational master plan and developed through transfer education.  The rationale for the district’s general education requirements under transfer education, which is printed in the college catalog, reads: “The district will provide lower division courses that include the complete range of general education courses needed for transfer as well as many of the specific courses needed for particular majors.”  It reflects the philosophy of Palo Verde Community College District, also published in the catalog, and reads, “That education should enable students to achieve academic excellence and/or vocational/technical proficiency, consistent with their ability to learn.” 

 

SELF-EVALUATION

Palo Verde College’s Mission statement along with CSU and IGETC transfer requirements provide a broad basis for determining the courses that meet the general education requirements. The college, however, does not publish a clearly stated rationale for selection of each course for inclusion in the

 

PLANNING AGENDA

·     Devise and publish a clearly stated philosophy and rationale for the general education requirements included in the Associate Degree.

 

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Palo Verde College’s general education requirements are outlined in the catalog.  The general education components include written and oral communications, natural sciences, humanities and fine arts, and social sciences.  The course outlines identify broad competencies, assessment methodology and expected outcomes of learning objectives. 

 

 

SELF EVALUATION

While the catalog/curriculum lists courses that include appreciation for cultural diversity and the appreciation of the humanities and fine arts, few of these courses have been offered in the past 6 years.  An effort should be made to include such courses on the schedule at least one course per year.  The general education program provides a wider range of courses to develop social attitudes, information technology skills, intellectual and communicative skills. These courses are offered on a more frequently and introduce students to diverse ideas and the skills necessary to become more effective learners and citizens.

 

           Students responded on the 2000 Student Satisfaction Survey as follows:

           Q. 70. I am able to experience intellectual growth at PVC: Overall students rated PVC as meeting expectations, however students between the ages of 19-35 rated the college as not meeting their expectations. In addition, Hispanic students responded to this question as not meeting their expectations well.

           Q. 74. PVC offers sufficient and appropriate general education courses. Students rated the item as very important to them, with the college generally meeting most of their expectations. However, students between the ages of 19-35 rated the college as not meeting their expectations.

 

A major reason that an insufficient variety of general education courses are offered is due to the lack of enrollment and lack of qualified faculty. In addition, sufficient general education course offerings are not available for day and evening students.

 

PLANNING AGENDA

·     The College is seeking ways to expand its ability to offer a wider variety of general education courses.  One of the ways that we will be able to expand this area is through distance education, attracting more students, allowing more classes and a wider variety to be offered.

·     A three year plan needs to be developed/implemented to provide students with a sufficient variety of courses in timely manner for both day and evening.

·     Students need to be exposed to “cultural diversity” through appropriate courses, workshops, and presentations. The recently awarded Title V grant will allow us to develop and implement curriculum emphasizing cultural diversity.

 

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Because Palo Verde Community College is an open access institution, many students who enroll are not “college-ready.”  In Fall 2000, 79% of English students placed in remedial English classes (80, 81, 82, 99).  Currently, students can meet the GE requirements with a satisfactory grade (C or better), in English 101 for the AA degree and English 99 for the AS degree which is one level below transfer-level English.  Similarly, in Fall 2000, 98% of Math students placed in remedial Math classes (80, 82, 84, 86, 88).  The critical thinking requirement can be met by taking English 103.   Of all students tested in English from Spring 1997 to Spring 2001, 80% have placed in remedial level English and 99% have placed in remedial level Math.  For test scores, see Attachment A.  Moreover, the sequence in which students take basic skills courses often creates problems.  Many students, for example, do not fulfill the reading requirement before they tackle college-level courses.  This may have an affect on their ability to complete courses successfully that requires a lot of reading.

 

Students who complete the general education pattern have demonstrated competence in written communication, scientific and quantitative reasoning, and critical analysis/logical thinking with at least a “C” grade.  Also, a minimum grade point average of not less than 2.0 (C average) is required in work taken at Palo Verde Community College for the AA or AS degree and for required work for all certificates

 

The faculty and the disciplines and on the Curriculum Committee review all new and revised courses to ensure they have appropriate rigor and contain critical analysis and writing incorporated into the goals and objectives of each course.

 

SELF EVALUATION

 

Students are assessed in reading, sentence skills and mathematics as they enter the college, however there is no method for demonstrating competencies aside from completing courses with a passing grade.  Although course outlines specify assessment, objectives and expected student outcomes, since writing assignments vary from instructor to instructor, students are not uniformly expected to demonstrate the same level of skills in the same or similar general education courses.

 

Although the Institution is aware of the need to measure student outcomes, it has not developed a plan that addresses this issue across the curriculum.

 

 

PLANNING AGENDA

 

·     The Institution needs to strengthen its ability to measure outcomes and will focus on this as part of its strategic plan and research requirements.

 

 Standard 4 D: Curriculum and Instruction.

          

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

The college has adopted a curriculum review model that evaluates the instructional and non-instructional areas of the college on a regular basis.  It was developed through shared governance the process begun in the Spring of 1977 as follows:

 

 In the Spring of 1997, the curriculum advisory committee was assigned the task of the developing a program review process for all areas of the college.  After reviewing several models from other colleges, it settled in on a process which was jointly developed by the local chapter of the CTA and the academic senate of the college.  A draft matrix of areas to complete the review process was also prepared by the curriculum committee.

 

Upon completing the Program Review and Educational Planning process it was forwarded to the college council for its review.  The council, which is the shared governance body of the college, sent copies of the program review process to its constituent groups for their input and approval.  As a result of the review process, separate forms were developed to differentiate between the instructional and non instructional areas of the college.

 

The Program Review Model called for two groups to handle the process.  One group was the program review team which consisted of faculty members representing the programs scheduled for review.  In addition, a program review committee was formed to review the recommendations of the team and present the findings to the Board of Trustees. The process calls for a formal review of each area every six years. Such review is both quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the area.

 

The new model was first used during the 1996-97 school-year, when the Business related programs were reviewed.  The team consisted of Business, Office Administration and CIS instructors.  A committee was assembled via the shared governance process and consisted of representatives form all college groups and student representatives.  The initial team meeting was held on September 16, 1997 where the newly developed process was discussed.  The instruction office supplied all research data necessary to complete the review. Concurrent with the review process, a comprehensive review of the curriculum offered by the effected areas was also conducted.  On January 7, 1998, the team delivered a completed 190 page report to the committee.  On February 3, 1998 the Committee held an open hearing on its recommendations accepting input and comments from the team, students, faculty and staff.  The agreed upon results of the process were communicated to and accepted by the Board of Trustees. This completed the first complete review cycle for the college.

 

During the latter part of the 1997-98 school year a similar process was started for the vocational areas of the college.  These areas consisted of Automotive, Child Development, Criminal Justice, Fire Science, Allied Health/Nursing, Tech-Prep and Welding.   In addition, the non-instructional areas of Business Services, Maintenance and operations and the Office of the Superintendent started their review.

 

In 1999 the review process was completed for the instructional areas and presented to the Board of Trustees.  Because of a delay in the Superintendent’s office, the non instructional areas did not submit their review materials to the committee and, as such, did not make the 1999 Trustees meeting.  Also in 1999 materials were developed for the program and curriculum  review for Economics, English, Languages, Liberal Arts, Speech and Theater.  Learning Resources, Library and the Instruction Office also started the review process.

 

In July 2000, the Superintendent/President left the district and the Assistant Superintendent/Vice President assumed the interim presidency until a permanent replacement could be found.  During this time the interim president completed the review for the Superintendent/President’s office and, along with Business Services and Maintenance, forwarded the completed package to the interim Dean of Instruction to deliver to the committee.  The interim Dean of Instruction presented to the Board of Trustees a Power Point presentation containing the financial and curricular overview and the combined recommendations of the Team and the Committee. 

 

With the new research office on campus, the responsibility to supply data for the program review process was shifted from instruction to institutional research.  The instruction office will continue to share its information database for this purpose. 

 

SELF EVALUATION

 

The Program-review process has worked well but has been difficult to implement because of the lack of MIS data necessary to complete the process.  (An administrative computing system was selected to replace our very aging System 36 which forced much of the state reporting to be done by hand. When the System 36 crashed its final time in Spring 2000 a product called Teams (CMDS) software was purchased as the fastest possible road to recovery. During the period of complete MIS failure, program review was temporary suspended because of the lack of information to complete the evaluation process.) 

 

In Fall 2000 / Spring 2001 an additional challenges complicated the program review process. At the same time as the system failure we were in the process of hiring a new Superintendent/President which further taxed the organization. A temporary Dean of Instruction was hired, and the permanent Dean of Instruction assumed the responsibilities of the President.  Curriculum review however, continued and remained on schedule during the entire time.

 

During the Fall 2001 semester, program review continued with a review of Student Service (DSPS, EOPS and counseling) scheduled to be finished during the Fall semester They reported to the Board of Trustees at the end of the semester.  Site visits by the Chancellor’s Office were conducted in the DSPS and EOPS areas with their findings sent to the Board of Trustees.

 

Recommendations for new faculty hires in CIS and Police Science from a previous program review process went through budgeting and the hires were completed in 1999 with the employees having completed their first probationary year.

 

 

Each area under review has been given the opportunity to change the forms as necessary During the past four years,  the process has resulted in very little change.  In the non-instructional areas, more drastic changes needed to be made to accommodate the remaining functions of the college.  As institutional research matures and more data is available the program review process will be revised to meet the current needs of the institution.

 

The recently implemented program review process will have completed one complete cycle prior to the accreditation team visit.  The Board of Trustees has reviewed all facets of the delivery system, has asked salient questions relative to what the college is doing, and has approved the joint recommendations of the program review committee and team.  The curriculum committee has conducted a curriculum review in concert with the program review process in addition to insuring that all class offerings have up to date course outlines.  Curriculum changes recommended by program review have been implemented and staffing and program changes have been implemented or prioritized as

 

 

PLANNING AGENDA

 

·     The process used for program review needs to be evaluated by a shared governance task force of the college.  It was the original intent of the college that after one complete round of evaluations that the process be thoroughly reviewed and a more streamlined, meaningful and efficient process be developed.

·     A review process for Non-Credit needs to be developed and implemented.

·     A review process for lo-tech distance education needs to be refined.

·     The Research department of the college needs to fully assume the responsibility for data generation relevant to program review.

·     The new colleges MIS system needs to expand to include direct on the spot registration of students, on-line development of educational plans which also prepare recommended class schedules, complete direct access by the Instruction office to class scheduling and cancellation as well as report generation in support of the curriculum and program review processes of the college.

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

The curriculum committee of the Academic Senate reviews all new course proposals o