2007-2008 Ohlone College Annual Report (PDF, 13
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A World of Cultures United in Learning OHLONE COLLEGE RREPORTINGEPORTING THETHE YYEAREAR 2007 • 2008 INTRODUCTION In 2007-2008, Ohlone College crossed milestones, experienced changes and achieved many accomplishments. Thanks to the efforts and successes of our students, faculty and staff, we as a College continue to progress towards achieving our goals and contributing to the success of the community and students we serve. One of the major changes at Ohlone came with the arrival of Dr. Gari Browning who replaced outgoing president Doug Treadway. Browning joined Ohlone from College of the Desert in Palm Desert, CA where she formerly served as Vice President of Instruction, overseeing all instructional programs, off-campus sites, contract and community education, learning initiatives, institutional research and planning, grants, program planning for capital outlay, accreditation, and instructional support services. She brings a wide range of professional experience, including teaching at nearly every educational level, especially community college as a professor and department chair of ESL, and division Dr. Gari Browning dean at Orange Coast College. Dr. Browning was the Associate Director at the President/Superintendent ACCJC WASC, where she helped develop the current standards that include Student Learning Outcomes. She earned a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics from UCLA, a Masters degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from UCLA, and a Bachelors degree in Linguistics from UC Irvine. She has two NU ATI M L A grown children and resides in Fremont, California. P EN BU W D E IL A R D E R Another milestone that capped off three years of construction was the opening G I N E . D S L . G of Ohlone College Newark Center for Health Sciences and Technology in L U N E G A I D S E C E January 2008. Built to strict environmental sustainability standards, the campus R D L S O I L H A I U C T P N N IN E received LEED Platinum Certification from the US Green Building E M NE ON RGY & ENVIR Council in August. The District underwent the close, self-scrutiny of preparing for an accreditation review from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, or WASC. Over the course of the year, groups of faculty and staff from all areas of the college engaged in the self diagnostic process of examining the college from all angles including instruc- tion, services to students, leadership, planning, and use of resources. The written responses, as well as a visit from the WASC accreditation team, were used to assess the effectiveness of the College in meeting the standards of an institution of learning as established by WASC. ©Robert Canfield Photography Pending further development in two areas, the final report from WASC will not be available before June 2009. ©Robert Canfield Photography OHLONE Center for COLLEGE Hea lth Scienc es Cover Photo: ©Robert Canfield Photography NEWARK & Technology The College’s activities are guided by the goals established as part of the strategic INTRODUCTION planning process. The current goals seek to accomplish the following: 1. Promote appreciation for and understanding of diverse races and culture. 2. Develop the Learning College Model across the curriculum to improve student course success and program completion. 3. Develop strategies including learning communities, cohort groups, enhanced facilities, and improved course availability to increase full-time student enrollment. 4. Provide continuous learning for all personnel associated with the District supportive of the Learning College Model. 5. Promote the health, environmental, cultural, and economic vitality of the community through outreach programs, community services, and partnerships. 6. Promote and maintain an accessible, clean, safe, healthy and environmentally sustaintable college environment. 7. Increase public and private funds for educational programs, equipment, and facilities through entrepreneurial activities, grants, and the college foundation. 8. Develop and implement a District-wide facilities plan which supports programs and enhances student and employee success. This report reviews some of the outstanding success experienced at Ohlone in the Areas of Instruction, Student Services and Facilities/Business Services, as well as a report on donors to the Ohlone College Foundation. Ohlone has established an international presence in Hangzhou, China and developed educational partnerships in Japan, Sweden, and India. International students recognize the value of coming to Ohlone for preparatory work in English prior to entering English colleges and universities. In serving the Ohlone district, we have several examples of high school outreach, helping students in our district to form pathways to higher education in high growth job fields, while maintaining sound fiscal policies to ensure the College is secure and well-prepared to weather the storm of changing budgets. We are proud of our accomplishments in leading the way in Environmental Sustainability, of innovative teaching methods, and using technologies designed to serve the students of today and the students of the future. © Robert Canfield Photoigraphy 1. ACHIEVEMENTS ACCREDITATION IN INSTRUCTION 2007-2008 was the Year of Accreditation for Ohlone College. Well before the beginning of the fiscal year, college personnel were divided in to assessment and writing teams to develop a self study report for the WASC accreditation team. Every six years a team from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges visits the college, conducts extensive interviews with staff, faculty, administrators and students and examines the Self Study Report. The Report covers four Accreditation Standards determined by WASC to best determine how well an institution is meeting its objectives and obligations as an educational institution. The 336-page self-study document also included a change proposal related to the opening of the Newark Center for Health Sciences and Technology. Based on conclusions drawn from the report and the site visit, the accrediting team put the college on warning, indicating two areas in need of improvement. The first area, relating to WASC Standard Four on Leadership and Administration, cites the need to increase the effectiveness of the Board of Trustees in its oversight and policy-making capacity for the College. The accreditation team requested an October response with a follow up visit in November. The second area for improvement is in strategic planning, including budget prioritization and better demonstrating the link between the District’s activities and the strategic goals. The response for this item is due in March with a follow-up visit from WASC in April. In June 2009 the accreditation commission will reconvene to make its determination about Ohlone’s accreditation status. Accreditation: Relates to all eight Goals because the accreditation self-study crosses into all activities of the District, including instruction, student services, facilities, staff, and leadership issues and concerns. Math Team Ohlone placed No. 4 in the United States in the Fall 2007 Student Math League national competitive math exam sponsored by the American Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges (AMATYC), No. 1 in Northern California. Ohlone mathletes Terence Lee and Jun Fang placed No. 9 and 15 in the United States on the year. Helen Fung placed No. 3 in the college calculus competition held in Monterey and open to colleges and universities throughout California. Forensics The Ohlone forensics team took second place at the California Community College Forensics Association state championships in March 2008. The five day tournament was held in Concord and featured 16 community colleges from across the state. The team won two gold medals, five silver medals and three bronze, allowing five team members to attend the Phi Ro Pi national tournament in Illinois. 2. LAB - Learning Alliance for Bioscience ACHIEVEMENTS HIGH SCHOOL OUTREACH IN INSTRUCTION LAB Project: In 2005 the district received a National Science Foundation NSF grant to fund the LAB program, or the Learning Alliance in Bioscience. The program works with local high schools and middle schools with a focus on increasing the number of underrepresented students involved in biotechnology and in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), with an emphasis on Hispanic and Latino students. Using a variety of teaching and learning strategies within a learning community environment, LAB concen- trates on enhancing and expanding STEM foundation course work that prepares students to enter biotechnology courses in college without extensive pre-requisite coursework. The pilot program began with approximately 15 Ohlone College was high school sophomores from Newark Memorial appointed to serve as host to High School, whose participation included after the California Applied school study, peer mentoring, summer programs Biotechnology Center that supports colleges located in and tutoring. Teachers in the participating schools the southern East Bay, receive professional development assistance in eastern Santa Clara County, curriculum and program development to enhance and the Central and San student learning. The high school program works Joaquin Valleys. The Center with students for three years in order to prepare them for college. This year the promotes their biotechnology first LAB students have begun attending Ohlone. Three college scholarships programs, supports their development and growth, were awarded. Many former LAB students are starting