
Program
Review is an opportunity for self-study, self-renewal, and
recognition of the excellence of our educational and support
programs, and an opportunity to identify areas in need of
improvement. In this era of 'accountability', educators and
educational institutions are increasingly being asked to account
to others for their efforts and to quantify their successes,
demonstrate that we continuously improve and update our curriculum,
respond to changing student needs, and use our resources wisely.
All areas of the college bear this responsibility.
The
process involves self-scrutiny by all college entities to
determine how well each is achieving its own objectives and
advancing those of the College, to identify areas where change
should be made and develop action plans to address inadequacies.
The annual goal development process assumes that academic
departments, student support services, campus administrative
units, and college leadership groups' goals should reflect
College goals. The College's planning process, including budget
development, should also reflect the goals and objectives
of all areas of the College. All facets of the campus have
the responsibility to identify their own efforts to support
college goals, and merge these efforts with a self-assessment
of how well they lead to student success.
Academic Program Review has its mandate in Title 5 of the
California Code of Regulations. Further, the Accrediting Commission
for Community and Junior Colleges is placing greater emphasis
on self-assessment and measurable goals as it revises the
standards of good institutional practices, the basis of the
Accreditation Self Study process. The Chancellor has urged
colleges to strengthen their mission, self-assessment, and
accountability by identifying college-wide goals, which in
turn are supported by goals developed within each level of
the administrative hierarchy down to the individual department
or discipline. In recent years the concept of 'cost-centers'
and the responsibility of these entities to justify expenditures,
resource use and demand, and perform minimal assessment of
their role in supporting the college mission has been used
in the college planning process. In effect, all levels of
the campus have been involved in some manner of visioning,
focused efforts for improvement, and assessment. The college
President has consistently stressed the college's focus on
student success. |