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Shoreline Community College

Evaluation Committee Report for

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Conducted October 3-5, 2012

Table of Contents

Evaluation Committee Members………………………………………………………….2

  1. Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………3

a. Assessment of Institution’s Self-Study and Support Materials ………………………..3

b. Brief Summary of Methods Used to Verify the Contents of the Self-Study ...….……..3

  1. Response to Recommendations/Issues Requested by the Commission ...... 3
  1. Year One Self-Evaluation Report…………………………………………………....3
  1. Standard One: Mission, Core Themes, and Expectations ...... 3
  1. Eligibility Requirements 2 and 3...... 3
  2. Standard 1.A – Mission ...... 4
  3. Interpretation of Mission Fulfillment ...... 4
  4. Acceptable Threshold and Extent of Mission Fulfillment ...... 4
  5. Standard 1.B.1 – Core Themes ...... 4
  6. Standard 1.B.2 – Appropriate Objectives and Indicators for the Core Themes ...... 4
  1. Standard Two: Resources and Capacity ...... 5
  1. Eligibility Requirements 4 through 21 ...... 5
  2. Standard 2.A – Governance ...... 6
  3. Standard 2.B - Human Resources ...... 12
  4. Standard 2.C – Educational Resources ...... 13
  5. Standard 2.D – Student Support Resources...... 17
  6. Standard 2.E – Library and Information Services...... 20
  7. Standard 2.F – Financial Resources ...... 22
  8. Standard 2.G – Physical and Technological Infrastructure ...... 26
  1. Standard Three – Institutional Planning ...... 30
  2. Standard 3.A – Institutional Planning ...... 31
  3. Core Themes - Planning, Assessment, and Improvement ...... 31
  4. Section 1 – Core Theme One: Educational Attainment and StudentSuccess ….….32
  5. Section 2 –Core Theme Two: Program Excellence...... 36
  6. Section 3 –Core Theme Three: Community Engagement ...... 38
  7. Section 4 –Core ThemeFour: Access and Diversity...... 41
  8. Section 5 -- Core Theme Five: College Stewardship …………………………...…42
  9. Standard Four – Assessment and Improvement……………………………….…….....43
  1. Eligibility Requirements 22 and 23 ...... 43
  1. Standard Five – Mission Fulfillment, Adaptation, and Sustainability ...... 44
  1. Eligibility Requirement 24 ...... 44
  2. Standard 5.A – Mission Fulfillment ...... 44
  3. Standard 5.B – Adaptation and Sustainability...... 45
  1. Commendations and Recommendations ...... 46

Members of the Evaluation Committee:

Dr. Ryan Thomas, Weber State University, Chair

Dr. Kristen A. Jones, Flathead Valley Community College

Dr. Janice Alexander, Flathead Valley Community College

Dr. Karin Hilgersom, Central Oregon Community College

Dr. Elizabeth Hogeland, Linn-Benton Community College

Mr. Jim Eustrom, Chemeketa Community College

Ms. Laura Wight, Montana State University-Great Falls

Mr. Randy Griffin, Treasure Valley Community College

Dr. Pamela Goad, NWCCU Liaison

  1. Introduction

Shoreline Community College (SCC) is anurban, public, two-year community college located ten miles north ofdowntown Seattle, Washington. SCC enrolls approximately 12,000 students annually and serves a racially and culturally diverse local population, in addition to students from several other states and 35 foreign countries.

a.Assessment of Institution’s Self-Study and Support Materials

The evaluation community found the self -evaluation to be well organized and candid. The materials provided in the Evaluation Committee room were comprehensive and well organized.

b.Brief Summary of Methods Used to Verify the Contents of the Self-Study

Prior to the campus visit, evaluators reviewed materials (Year Seven Report, appendices, catalog/addendum, and online supplementary materials). The site visit was conducted onOctober 3-5, 2012. Evaluators conducted interviews with all major administrators and substantial numbers of faculty, staff and students. Students, staff, administrators and faculty were candid in their responses and feedback to the evaluators. Inaddition to the self-study and the interviews,the Evaluation Committee reviewed evidence provided by SCCin the work room and online. Exceptional support was provided for evaluators in all areas (e.g., technology, scheduling, food, printing and directions to meeting locations).

Compliment: SCC provided excellent support for the Evaluation Committee including well-written materials and candid interviews that allowed the Committee to develop accurate perceptions of the college and its strengths and challenges.

  1. Response to Recommendations from the Commission
  1. Year One Self-Evaluation Report

The college received one recommendation:

Recommendation 1: The evaluation panel recommends that SCC continue to review and revise its indicators to ensure they are meaningful, assessable, and verifiable, and allow for effective evaluation of the accomplishment of objectives and core themes (Standard 1.B.1).

Evaluation of the Committee

The Evaluation Committee found evidence that SCC has made meaningful modifications of their indicators of achievement in response to this recommendation. While further refinement still is needed, substantial progress has been achieved. There is further discussion of this issue in section III’s review of Standard 1.B.

  1. Standard One: Mission, Core Themes, and Expectations

a.Eligibility Requirements 2 and 3

Evaluation of the Committee

Shoreline has been authorized bystate statute RCW 28B.50 to provide educational programs and services and to award degreesand certificates as a state-supported community college since 1964. The five members of the Board of Trusteesof Shoreline Community College are appointed by the governor and have authority for the college.

The Evaluation Committee found that the college’s mission and core themes were approved by its governing board in 2009and fully align with the college’smission statement and its strategic goals.

b.Standard 1.A – Mission

Evaluation of the Committee

The Committee found that SCC has a widely published mission statement that has been developed by the college community and adopted by its governing board. The Committee further found that the purposes enunciated in the mission are appropriate for the institution and give directions for its efforts.

c.Interpretation of Mission Fulfillment

The Committee found that SCC has defined mission fulfillment in the context of its purposes and expectations.

d.Acceptable Threshold and Extent of Mission Fulfillment

Evaluation of the Committee

Although the Committee found that SCC has defined mission fulfillment in the context of its purposes and expectations, it was concerned that the acceptable thresholds that have been identified appear to primarily reflect current levels of performance, rather than a more considered review of what might constitute appropriate levels of achievement.

e.Standard 1.B.1 Core Themes

Evaluation of the Committee

The Committee found the SCC Core Themes to appropriately manifest and incorporate the essential elements of the mission statement.

f.Standard 1.B.2 Appropriate Objectives and Indicators

Evaluation of the Committee

SCC has spent considerable effort in trying to identify appropriate, meaningful and sustainable objectives and indicators. They have struggled to find an appropriate number of indicators, having initially identified 71, but are now supporting 53. In several areas, the indicators appear to reflect easily obtainable, rather than meaningful and sufficient measures of achievement for the Core Themes. The value and propriety of the indicators will be discussed more fully in the discussion of Standard 4 in section XI.

Concern:

The Evaluation Committee suggests the collegecarefully reconsider, realign, and where necessary, re-identify indicators that provide more meaningful measures of the fulfillment of the Core Themes and Mission. (Standards 1.B.2)

IV. Standard Two: Resources and Capacity

a.Eligibility Requirements 4 through 21

4. The Committee found that SCC’s programs and services are predominantly concerned with higher education and it has sufficient organizational independence to be held accountable for the Commission’s standards and eligibility requirements.

5. The Committee found SCC’s programs and practices to be non-discriminatory.

6. The Committee found that SCC adheres to high standards of integrity.

7. The Committee found that SCC has a functioning governing board which consists of five members who have no contractual or financial interest in the institution.

8. The Committee found that SCC employs a chief executive officer, appointed by the Board, whose full-time responsibility is to the institution.

9. The Committee found that SCC employs a sufficient number of adequately prepared administrators to provide effective leadership and management for the institution.

10. The Committee found that SCC employs and regularly evaluates a sufficient number of qualified faculty.

11. The Committee found thatSCC’s educational programs have appropriate content and rigor, culminate in clearly identified learning outcomes, and lead to college-level degrees in recognized fields of study.

12. The Committee found that SCC’s associate transfer programs and applied technology programs have appropriate general education and/or related instruction in communication, computation, and human relations.

13. The Committee found that SCC maintains a library that has resources of appropriate depth, currency and breadth to supports it programs of instruction.

14. The Committee found that SCC has the appropriate physical and technological infrastructure to support its programs.

15. The Committee found thatSCC maintains an environment that supports academic freedom.

16. The Committee found thatSCC publishes and adheres to its admission policies.

17. The Committee found thatSCC’s public information includes its mission, core themes, admission and grading policies, names and preparation of its faculty and administrators, student rights and responsibilities and program descriptions with tuition and fee information.

18. The Committee found thatSCC is financially stable and has cash flow and reserves appropriate to its operation and that its financial planning reflects available resources and potential risks to ensure solvency.

19. The Committee found thatSCC has had a biennial accountability audit conducted as required by Washington State Law but that the results are not considered by appropriate administrators and policy makers.

20. The Committee found thatSCC accurately communicates all needed information to the Commission.

21. The Committee found thatSCC accepts the eligibility requirements and standards of the Commission and acknowledges that the Commission may make its accreditation status known to the public or any agency.

b.Standard 2.A – Governance

2.A.2 The Committee found that SCCis governed by the college’s Board ofTrustees whose five voting members are appointed by the governor.

2.A.3The Committee found evidence that SCC’s Board of Trustees ensures SCC’s compliance withfederal, stateand accreditation policiesand procedures, including monitoring compliance with NWCCU’saccreditation standards, collective bargaining agreements, legislative actions, and externalmandates.

1. Governing Board

2.A.4 The roles and responsibilities of the five-member Shoreline Board of Trustees are specified in the board’s policies, which specify the legal basis of the board, its power and duties, meeting guidelines and format, code of ethics, and other policies related to the board’s functions.The board approves all policies governing the operation of Shoreline Community College, which are published online and widely accessible to all employees and the public.

2. A.5The board acts as a committee and “no action [is] taken except by an affirmative vote of at least three members.” In addition, the board’s policyclearly indicates that no individual trustee ever has legal authority outsidethe meetings of the Board. Board policy specifies that no trustee “may hold orexercise as an individual the powers granted exclusively to the Board as a collective entity.”

2. A.6The board is responsible for maintaining and keeping the college policies and procedurescurrent and for ensuring that they are reflected in the college operations.

2. A.7 The Board delegates authority andresponsibilities to the college president/chief executive officer (CEO). The president has full-time responsibility for implementing and administeringcollege policies and operating the college.

2. A.8The Board of Trustees conducts regular evaluations of its performance. The last self-examination was conducted on August 5, 2012.

Leadership and Management

2.A.9President Lee Lambert has a J.D. andseveral years of experience as a vice-president at two other colleges prior to joining Shoreline.SCC also employs three vice presidents, five deans, and a number of directors. All administrative personnel at the college are well prepared and serve full-time.

2.A.10 President Lee Lambert has full-time responsibility for all operations at Shoreline(2.A.10).

2.A.11 The administration of SCC has clearly delineated administrative areas:

Most of the administrative areas reflect consolidations due to recent budgetary challenges and most seem to be functioning effectively, with the reduced staffing.

Faculty, staff and students generally have representation on recommending councils and other representative structures. However the Committee found some evidence there was concern among faculty, staff and students that the task forces, which are intended to be short-term , do not follow the representative structure of campus committees and may not include students or representatives of other interested groups.

Compliment: The restructuring of administrative areas has provided continuity for core administrative functions, despite cutbacks necessitated by the budget challenges.

Concern: The use of short-term task-forces has provided a mechanism for rapid response and quick development, but has occasioned concerns among some campus groups about such task forces supplanting existing representative structures.

Policies and Procedures

Academics

2.A.13 Although policies relating to access and use of the Library and information resources are documented and published via the library website, interviews with the library faculty and staff demonstrated these policies are not consistently enforced. Library policies were difficult to locate and extreme variation was found between evidence provided in the evaluation room (binder of print library policies) and evidence provided by Library Faculty (electronic version of draft revisions of library policies on the ‘S’ drive). The majority of library policies have not been revised in the last 10 years and there is currently no Collection Development/Acquisitions Policy in place. Furthermore, the library policies are not included in any campus documentation and are not collocated with other campus policies requiring Board approval.

Concern - The evaluation committee urges the college to initiate the process of revising, publishing, and enforcing library policies that support the evolving nature of library and information services on the Shoreline campus in order to fully meet the requirements of Standard 2.A.13.

Students

2.A.15Policies addressing students’ rights and responsibilities are found in the college’s Policies, Guidelines and Procedures. A review of the college catalog, and college website confirmed that the procedures and parameters for student records, student conduct, academic honesty, appeals, grievances, and accommodations for persons with disabilities are clearly stated and readily available to students and staff. Interviews with students and staff indicated that these policies are administered in a fair and consistent manner.

2.A.16 While there is no policy that directly addresses admission for the general student, admission and placement processes are clearly articulated in the college catalog and website. Guidelines for student continuation in and termination from educational programs, including an appeals and readmission process, are included. In interviews on-site, students and staff confirmed that these procedures are administered fairly and consistently.

2.A.17 Policy 5001 addresses Student Government. There are few policies that address co-curricular activities. Clear guidelines for student clubs and organizations and the roles and responsibilities of students and the college are readily available to students on the college website under Current Students tab. Policy 5241 addresses authorized student publications.

Human Resources

2.A.18 College policies and procedures regarding human resources are found in the college’s Policies, Guidelines and Procedures in Section 4000. A review of the Classified Staff Handbook (adopted January 2003) and the Faculty Handbook (adopted September 2003) confirmed that the procedures are clear and readily available to staff and faculty. Further delineation of practice can be found in the Classified Collective Bargaining Agreement (June 2013) and in the Administrative/Exempt Staff Terms and Conditions of Employment document.

2.A.19 Interviews with staff, faculty, and Human Resources Department employees indicated that through the New Employee Information/Orientation Session all employees are apprised of their conditions of employment, work assignments, rights and responsibilities, and criteria and procedures for evaluation, retention, promotion, and termination. This information is also clearly documented in Human Resources procedures in Shoreline Community College’s Policies, Guidelines and Procedures, as well as in the Faculty Handbook, the Classified Collective Bargaining Agreement and in the Administrative/Exempt Staff Terms and Conditions of Employment document.

2.A.20 Policy and Procedure 4160 in the college’s Policies, Guidelines and Procedures clearly define parameters of confidentiality and access to faculty personnel files. Article 33 of the Classified Collective Bargaining Agreement clearly defines parameters of confidentiality and access to classified personnel files. Through personal observation, evaluators confirmed that the college maintains the security and appropriate confidentiality of human resource records which are maintained and held in a secured office/workroom room in the Administration Building, with access controlled by HR staff.

Institutional Integrity

2. A.21All college publications and announcements follow established policies and high ethical standards. The college is committed to making information about academic programs and services available to students and the public as accurately, clearly, and consistently as possible. This information is communicated in program brochures and web pages and other publications. The college also complies with current Department of Education requirement for posting “gainful employment” information for certificate programs on individual program web pages.

Fair and Consistent Treatment

2. A.22The college applies established policies to ensure that students, faculty and staff are treated fairlyand consistently. Specific policies and procedures for handling complaints and grievances arestated in the following documents for the respective constituents:

  1. College Policy 4125, Standards of Ethical Conduct, which applies to trustees and employees,
  2. Board of Trustees Policies GP-9 and GP-10,
  3. Board Members Code of Ethics, and
  4. Executive Limitation EL-2, which states that, “With respect to treatment of students, employees, volunteers, community members and visitors, the President will promote conditions that are humane, fair, dignified, and non-discriminatory.”

Processes for resolving grievances and complaints are defined and accessible to all employees and students through the EEO/AA Human Rights Universal Complaint Procedure, Policy 4111. In addition to college policies, the respective collective bargaining agreements with the classified staff and faculty unions address the grievance processes and specify timelines for each step in each process.