2011 Institutional Self Study in Support of Reaffirmation of Accreditation

Cypress College

2011 Institutional Self Study In Support of Reaffirmation of Accreditation

March 2011

Submitted in Support of Reaffirmation of Accreditation to the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission of Community and Junior Colleges

Submitted by

Cypress College 9200 Valley View Street Cypress, CA 90630 www.cypresscollege.edu

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 i ii Cypress College North Orange County Community College District

Dr. Ned Doffoney, Chancellor

Board of Trustees

Jeffrey P. Brown Barbara Dunsheath Leonard Lahtinen Michael B. Matsuda Molly McClanahan Donna Miller M. Tony Ontiveros Ryan Billings, Student Trustee, Cypress College Natalie Baek, Student Trustee, Fullerton College

Dr. Michael J. Kasler, President Cypress College

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introductory Documents

1. Certification of Institutional Self Study...... 1

2. History of the College...... 3

3. Demographics and Data...... 5

4. SLOs...... 15

5. Program Review...... 20

6. Abstract of the Report...... 23

7. Organization for the Self Study 2011...... 25

8. Accreditation Self Study Timeline...... 29

9. Organizational Structure...... 31

10. Certification of Continued Compliance with Eligibility Requirements...... 34

11. Response to the Previous Team Recommendations, 2005...... 38

12. Functional Map...... 51

Standard I I NSTITUTIONAL MISSION AND EFFECTIVENESS

IA: Mission...... 59

IB: Improving Institutional Effectiveness...... 68

Standard II S TUDENT LEARNING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

IIA: Instructional Programs...... 99

IIB: Student Support Services...... 134

IIC: Library and Learning Support Services...... 157

iv Cypress College Standard III R ESOURCES

IIIA: Human Resources...... 169

IIIB: Physical Resources...... 188

IIIC: Technology Resources...... 197

IIID: Financial Resources...... 215

Standard IV L EADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE

A: IV Decision-Making Roles and Processes...... 235

IVB: Board and Administrative Organization...... 247

Summary of Planning Agendas ...... 267

Campus Maps ...... 269

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 v

Introductory Documents

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 vii

CERTIFICATION OF INSTITUTIONAL SELF STUDY

DATE:

TO: Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges

FROM: Cypress College 9200 Valley View Street, Cypress, CA 90630

This Comprehensive Institutional Self Study Report is submitted for the purpose of assisting in the determination of the institution’s accreditation status. We certify that there was broad participation by the campus community, and we believe the Self Study Report accurately reflects the nature and substance of the institution.

Signed

Barbara Dunsheath, Dr. Ned Doffoney, Chancellor President Board of Trustees North Orange County Community College District

Dr. Michael Kasler, President Dr. Santanu Bandyopadhyay Cypress College Director, Institutional Research and Planning Accreditation Liaison Officer

Cherie Dickey Dr. Pat Ganer Accreditation Self Study Chair Academic Senate President

Rod Lusch Danial Shakeri CSEA Representative President, Associated Students

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 1

History of the College Master Plan is being developed to anticipate and fulfill the future needs of students. Student success has remained as the keystone commitment of the College since its inception. The College The Educational and Facilities Master Plan for the was founded in 1966 as the second major educational North Orange County Community College District institution of the District. It has grown from its initial brings the emerging enrollment patterns and facilities configuration of temporary structures to the current requirements together. The plan was started in Fall 110-acre campus with 25 significant buildings. The 2009 and includes participation by all campus constit- College serves over 16,000 students per semester, pro- uencies. The plan is being developed by an external viding excellence in academic, career/technical, and consulting firm under the active leadership from the personal development offerings. The College has de- District and involvement from the campuses. Several veloped dynamic academic, physical, and technologi- meetings took place at the District as well as at the cal infrastructures to help students keep abreast of an Campus. The plan is expected to be completed and ever-changing economic environment. presented for approval in Spring 2011. Once completed, this will serve as the blueprint for future develop- Physical Infrastructure ments of the College. The current infrastructure of the College includes a 110-acre campus in the City of Cypress. Out of the Academic Infrastructure 25 buildings, two are dedicated to administration and Cypress College currently employs over 850 staff, in- student services, and one for library and learning re- cluding over 500 faculty (both full-time and part-time). sources. The rest include both classroom and admin- The College continues to engage its faculty and staff istrative facilities. Over the last five years, the campus to improve teaching, learning, and assessment oppor- has completed construction and renovation of several tunities. In the last five years, notable advancements buildings. The Library and Learning Resource Cen- have been made in program review, student learning ter and the renovation of the Humanities building are outcomes, and assessment. Although program review among the most recent that were added to the campus. has been in place since the early 1990s, the process has The remodeled building was rededicated in Spring been strengthened over the last few years to connect 2010 and houses the Language Arts and Social Science the reviews to budget and resource allocations. This Divisions of the College. The last phase of construc- process is discussed in detail in the section under Pro- tion ended in Fall 2008, with the exception of the Hu- gram Review. In its current form, the process not only manities building. The present infrastructure provides links assessment results with funding decisions, but also adequate physical space to accommodate the current evaluates the process to identify areas for improvement. enrollment of nearly 16,000 students. With the current Another major development in recent years is defining economic scenario, no major construction is under and assessing student learning outcomes at the course way at the present time. However, with more students level, and defining both program and General Edu- enrolling in colleges, Cypress College has also experi- cation and Basic Skills Program Learning Outcomes enced sharp growth in its enrollment over the last few (GE & Basic Skills PLOs). Major advancements have years. To keep up with the increased demand, the plan- been made in the area of assessment as the assessment ning for new facilities remains a continued priority for methods are defined for 82% of all courses and the the institution. assessment reports (closing the loop) are completed for Facilities planning is complex and long-term as it in- 48% of all courses. volves projecting the potential growth in enrollment, The other major development in the area includes pur- anticipating student mix (part time vs. full time) and chase, implementation, and use of a centralized assess- estimating class-taking patterns (online/hybrid vs. ment management software, TracDat. The software classroom). Cypress College is aware of the challenges was purchased to house all SLOs and their results, to involved in predicting the growth in these areas. Un- consolidate reporting, and to use the information to der the leadership of the North Orange County Com- strengthen program review. The software will also be munity College District, an Educational and Facilities used to assess alignment of SLOs with the institutional

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 3 mission and strategic plan. This is discussed further in the SLO section.

Technological Infrastructure With the advancement of technology and distance education, the need for a superior technological infrastructure was tantamount. The College, despite the continued budget crisis, allocated resources in this area to provide the support that students need to learn and faculty need to teach. Technological infrastructure includes developing portals, enabling web access, expanding available smart classrooms, and developing systems to accelerate response times. This is an area where the College works closely with the District office to acquire and implement new technology. A technology plan was developed to provide a roadmap for developments in this area. Although there have been many developments in the course of the last forty years, only the major changes that took place since the last accreditation visit in 2005 are highlighted here. The changes are discussed in depth throughout this self study.

Administrative Changes Cypress College has witnessed changes in leadership since the last accreditation visit. The leadership transition was smooth, and College planning was uninterrupted with the incoming president in July 2007. The new Executive Vice President has been with the Dis- trict for over twenty years, serving the last three years at Cypress College. The new Vice President of Adminis- trative Services is a long-term employee of the College, beginning in her current capacity in 2007. Apart from the President’s Staff, there have been changes in the divisions as well. A new dean has been appointed in Fine Arts. For the short term, the Language Arts and Library dean positions have been consolidated. Stu- dent Services also witnessed its share of change. The process of orienting new management employees was effective while the focus of the College remained on student success. There has not been any change in the present management team for the past two years.

4 Cypress College Demographics of Cypress College and the Areas it Serves

The Big Picture: Demographic and Employment Trends The primary service area of Cypress College, a part of the North Orange County Community College District, includes the cities of Cypress, Anaheim, Buena Park, Garden Grove, Stanton, La Palma, Los Alamitos (Ross- moor), and Seal Beach. Although nearly half of its students come from cities outside the primary service area, and many come from the adjoining other areas of Orange County, or Los Angeles county, for the purpose of this demographic analysis, only the data for Orange County is taken into consideration. The American Community Survey 3-year estimates project the population of Orange County as 2,985,995. Figure 1 shows the proportion of different ethnicities in Orange County.

Figure 1: Orange County Demographic Estimates: percentages do not add up to 100 because of rounding Data Set: 2006-2008 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates Survey: Census.gov, American Community Survey

One significant change between the 2000 census and 2008 projections is the increase in the Hispanic population. The proportion of Hispanics in Orange County increased from 30.8% in 2000 to 33% in 2008 – a gain of over 2% in eight years. The initial results of the 2010 census show that the Hispanic population is continuing to grow. The demand for a college education has also increased between 2000 and 2008. According to the American Com- munity Survey Estimates (Census.gov) in 2008, 83% of people 25 years and over had at least graduated from high school, and 35% had a bachelor’s degree or higher. This is a significant improvement from 2000 when 79.5% completed high school or higher, and 30.8% received a Bachelor’s degree or higher. The total school enrollment in Orange County was 859,000 in 2008. Nursery school and kindergarten enrollment was 92,000, and elementary or high school enrollment was 519,000. College or graduate school enrollment was 248,000.

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 5 Figure 2: Educational Attainment of People in Orange County: percentage of population 25 years and over Source: Census.gov, American Community Survey, 2006-2008

According to the American Community Survey, 2006-2008 (Figure 2), the two leading industry segments in terms of employment were Educational services (health care and social assistance) and Manufacturing. Educational services, health care, and social assistance employed 17% of the population 16 years and older while Manufacturing employed 14%. Among the most common occupations were: (1) Management, professional, and related occupations; (2) Sales and office occupations; (3) Service occupations; (4) Production, transportation, and material moving occupations; and (5) Construction, extraction, maintenance and repair occupations. Figure 3 shows the proportion of employees in the top five occupations. Eighty-one percent of the people employed were private wage and salary workers; 11 percent were federal, state, or local government workers; and 8 percent were self-employed. The employment data indicates that the largest occupations in Orange County require a postsecondary education. This is similar to the overall trend across California and the United States where a shortage of an educated and skilled workforce is predicted over the next decade.

Figure 3: Top five occupations in Orange County, 2008 Source: Census.gov, American Community Survey, 2006-2008

6 Cypress College The need to attain a postsecondary education has increased steadily in the past decade because of changing socio-economic conditions. Projections indicate that by 2012, the majority of jobs, including fastest growing occupations, will require some postsecondary credential. An increased need in occupational “upskilling” will add further to the demand for skilled professionals (Carnevale, 2008). The need for a workforce with a postsecondary education is expected to rise by 2018 as nearly 76 million baby boomers retire. The Accountability Report for Community Colleges (ARCC) shows the relationship between income and academic qualifications. The data show that median income of students receiving a degree/certificate from community colleges grows at a faster pace than the median per capita or household income in California. Over a ten-year period, the median income of students with a community college degree out performs the state household or per capita median income (ARCC, 2010; page 21). The recent economic downturn has added to the increasing demand for postsecondary education. Many adults are unable to find employment in the economic recession and are enrolling in colleges to re-tool their skills. The economic downturn has thus resulted in a higher proportion of non-traditional students turning to postsecondary education. The increasing competition for seats at California State Universities (CSU) and University of Califor- nia (UC) systems have compelled many of the potential CSU and UC students to come to the community colleges. The recent enrollment trends at Cypress College reflect this sharp increase in demand for courses.

Students at Cypress College

Figure 4: Enrollment Trend – 2003 to 2010

The highest enrollment recorded in the history of Cypress College was during Fall 2009. At the census date, 16,670 students were enrolled, up from 14,990 in Fall 2008. This represents an increase of 11% from Fall 2008 and a 21% change from Fall 2007. This is the highest enrollment ever at Cypress College, improving upon the past record of 16,266 in Spring 2002. The 11% increase is particularly significant because of the reduction of 112 sections — or nearly 6.5% — in class offerings from Fall 2008 levels. Figure 4 shows the enrollment during the last seven years. From 2006, every semester registered a significant increase in enrollment compared to its previous period. Typically, Spring enrollment is significantly less than the Fall figures. However, this trend has changed in the last two years when Spring enrollment has been comparable to Fall figures. This is probably due to a combination of reasons such as economic downturn and reduction in course offerings. In Spring 2010, the enrollment was less by nearly 1,000 (headcount) than the previous Fall because 128 fewer sections were offered. The distribution of students by gender has remained steady over the past decade (Figure 5). Nearly 60% of students are female – this mirrors the national as well as California trend.

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 7 Figure 5: Proportion of students by Gender

Figure 6: Distribution of students by ethnicity

Participation rate by ethnicity during the Fall semester has changed over the past five years. This change reflects the overall change in the population served by Cypress College. As shown in the demographic information in Figure 6, the proportion of Hispanics has increased in Orange County. Following the overall population trend, the Hispanic enrollment at Cypress College has increased steadily over the past five years. For the first time in Fall 2009, Hispanic students were the single largest ethnicity on campus.

8 Cypress College Figure 7: Distribution of students by age

Distribution of students by age remained relatively unchanged over time (Figure 7). The largest group on the campus has always been between 20 and 24 years of age; in Spring 2010, the proportion of 20-24 year olds increased to 38%. The proportion of students below 20 years of age has increased steadily since Fall 2006. It is likely that such increases are caused by a number of reasons such as increase in high school graduates, increase in overall population, and limited seat availability at UC and CSU campuses. The enrollment in public schools grades 9-12 in California is projected to grow at 1.4% between 2011 and 2017, coming up from a decline of -1.5% between 2005 and 2011 (Projections of Education Statistics, U.S. Dept. of Education, page 52). In Orange County, the high school dropout rate has increased in 2007-2008, according to Orange County Community Indicators. However, the dropout rate is not uniform across ethnicities — Hispanic students drop out at a higher proportion than others. The growth in high school enrollment is likely to increase the number of younger students seeking enrollment in colleges. The demographic information, demand for higher education, and high school enrollment growth all point towards a higher level of enrollment. Furthermore, various motivations for college enrollment exist among different age groups: high school graduates are expected to increase the number of students below 20 years of age seeking college admission; and the need to re-skill is expected to increase the number of older adults seeking a college education. Nearly 60% of the students enrolled at Cypress College are part-time. The enrollment pattern has steadily changed between 2001 and 2007. During this period, full-time enrollment almost doubled from 21% to 40%. Since 2007, the enrollment pattern has remained very stable. There has been a significant increase in self-declared objectives of students when the enrollment pattern changed (Figure 8). As more students enrolled full time, the intent to transfer to a four-year institution also increased simultaneously. It is appropriate to infer that the enrollment pattern and self-declared intent are a reflection of overall improvement of academic qualifications of the general population of Orange County. However, after 2007, although the proportion of full-time students became steady, the aspiration to transfer to a four-year institution has still been increasing, albeit at a slower pace.

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 9 Figure 8: Self-declared intent at the time of enrollment

Student needs have also changed over the past years keeping in pace with the change in enrollment patterns, student demographics, and student aspirations. In Spring 2010, 39% of students were first generation in college, and 63% came from under-represented ethnic groups. Although no separate study was conducted to determine the academic preparation of these students, existing research indicates that both first-generation students and students from under-represented ethnic groups tend to be academically less prepared (AchievingtheDream.org, American Association of Community Colleges). In order to increase their chance of success, Cypress College strengthened its Matriculation services: Assessment, Orientation, and Counseling. The student progress data from the Chancel- lor’s Office (Accountability Report for Community Colleges, 2010) also demonstrates that Cypress College has made reasonable progress in helping students learn. The needs of students vary with the changing demographics and aspirations of the entering student body. An increase in first-generation students and students from minority groups, who tend to be under-prepared, increases demand for basic skills. A larger number of Hispanic students results in increasing demand in ESL courses. The older adults need orientation services and time management tips to integrate into college. The younger students need to transition from high school to college life. The changing student body requires academic as well as student services to ensure that students have the tools they need to succeed in college. The college-wide performance indicators show that Cypress College has been catering to the needs of its students.

Student Performance The Accountability Report for Community Colleges (ARCC) provides a comparative analysis of college performance in several areas. Specifically, progress in English as a Second Language (ESL) data from ARCC 2010 indicates there has been significant progress; Cypress College has been ahead of its peers for three consecutive years in this measure. Also, the College performance has improved in each of the three years. One of the critical needs of the increasing number of Hispanic students is met via a strong ESL program.

2004-05 to 2006-07 2005-06 to 2007-08 2006-07 to 2008-09 Cypress 59.0% 64.2% 64.9% Cypress Peer Group Average 43.2% 53.6% 54.8% Figure 9: ESL Improvement Rate

10 Cypress College Another set of ARCC data indicates that basic skills improvement at Cypress College was significantly better than its peer groups. In this measure, the College performance has improved from one year to the other since 2006- 2007. 2004-05 to 2006-07 2005-06 to 2007-08 2006-07 to 2008-09 Cypress 56.5% 58.6% 59.4% Cypress Peer Group 46.6% 52.6% 54.2% Average Figure 10: Basic Skills Improvement Rate

Student progress and persistence rate (SPAR) data from ARCC also shows improvement in the past two years. The SPAR data combines measures of degree/certificate completion, transfer to University of California/California State University systems, and vocational/occupational workforce development. An important observation in this area is that Cypress College performance has improved in the last two years as the performance of its peer institutions has gone down.

2001-02 to 2006-07 2002-03 to 2007-08 2003-04 to 2008-09

Cypress 51.6% 50.7% 52.5%

Cypress Peer Group 53.4% 47.7% 47.9% Average Figure 11: Student Progress and Achievement Rate

Figure 12: Student success under-prepared students.

Student success and retention rates have remained very consistent over the last five years. It should be noted that with increasing enrollment, many first-generation students and students from minorities have come to Cypress College. Existing research shows that these student populations (first generation, ESL, and minorities) tend to be academically under-prepared. From that perspective, maintaining a steady success and retention rate required substantial effort from the faculty and staff at the College. Several college initiatives such as Supplemental Instruction, Peer Assisted Learning, Legacy, University Transfer Achievement Program (UTAP), Puente, Honors, and Tutoring are aimed at helping students.

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 11 Employee Demographics

Figure 13: Distribution of staff by gender and assignment

Cypress College employs over 850 instructors, managers, and staff. Women comprise about half of the employees across most job assignment categories. In some categories, such as managers, the proportion of males is higher than females. Among the full-time faculty, there are more females than males, although the situation is exactly reversed among the part-time faculty. Overall, the gender distribution has remained fairly stable over the last five years. Table 1 shows the distribution of staff by age. Out of 880 employees, 459 are below and 421 are above 50 years of age. Overall, there is a growing concern across the nation about the ageing workforce in higher education, and Cypress College is no exception since a large proportion of employees at Cypress College are over fifty years of age. Keeping with the area served by the College, the staff is ethnically diverse although Caucasians are the largest ethnicity among all categories of staff. As of the beginning of Fall 2009, the College has higher proportions of managers and full-time faculty approaching retirement than adjunct faculty and classified staff. This is a national trend in higher education. It is expected that as the baby boomers start retiring, there will be a void among the faculty and staff, particularly in the experienced ranks. Although the situation is known to everyone, no specific strategy has been adopted to reduce the impact of such attrition of senior staff. A substantial number of retirements as well as a shortage of a talented workforce pool may adversely impact the College operations. Age Group Manager Classified FT Faculty PT Faculty Total Less than 30 10 29 39 30 - 39 5 53 31 99 188 40 - 49 8 61 57 106 232 50 - 54 3 38 32 57 130 55 - 59 6 33 37 68 144 60 and over 7 20 51 69 147 Total 29 215 208 428 880

Table 1: Employee Age by Assignment, Fall 2009

12 Cypress College Figure 14: Employees by Ethnicity, Fall 2009

Figure 14 shows the distribution of all employees by ethnicity. Although the majority of employees are White (64%), many other ethnicities are represented among faculty, staff, and administrators at Cypress College; 15% are Hispanic and Asian (including Filipino and Pacific Islander). Compared to 2007, the proportion of White employees decreased (by 3 percentage points) but held steady between 2008 and 2009. Figure 15 shows the ethnicity of employees by assignment. Of the various employee groups, the classified staff remains the most diverse, with nearly fifty percent non-white employees, followed by managers. The least diverse group is the part-time faculty.

Figure 15: Employee Ethnicity by Assignment, Fall 2009

Cypress College regularly evaluates the demographic information of the population of its service areas and its students. The enrollment management strategies take into consideration changes in student needs to provide access to students and help them succeed in college. In the discussion of the four accreditation standards, references are made regularly to the demographic information. Several initiatives that are targeted at specific student populations are also referenced in the discussion of the standards. The Office of Institutional Research and Planning publishes a news bulletin every semester that summarizes student demographics. Also, a detailed demographic analysis is prepared as a part of the annual Institutional Effectiveness Report. In Fall 2009, a Dashboard of In-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 13 stitutional Effectiveness was prepared. The Dashboard identifies the strategic initiatives of the College and tracks fourteen parameters that represent the College’s accomplishments in the strategic areas.

14 Cypress College Student Learning Outcomes Student Learning Outcomes: 2002- Assessment 2009 2002-2003: Faculty initiated the SLO discussion in the Student learning outcomes (SLOs) are statements that Fall. Throughout the year, faculty and deans attended specify what students will know, be able to do, or be regional SLO conferences and workshops to familiar- able to demonstrate when they have completed or par- ize themselves with SLOs and assessment techniques. ticipated in a program/activity/course/project. Out- Peggy Maki spoke at Fall Opening Day 2003. comes are usually expressed as knowledge, skills, attitudes, or values. SLOs specify an action by the student 2003-2004: The Staff Development Coordinator fa- that is observable, measurable, and capable of being cilitated a number of meetings to encourage college- demonstrated. Apart from being a key component of wide dialogue on SLOs. The dialogue group drafted accreditation, developing and measuring SLOs help to a set of institutional learning outcomes (ILOs), which improve teaching and learning at an institution. were approved by the Cypress College Academic Sen- ate, adopted by President’s Advisory Cabinet in late Several accreditation standards developed by the Ac- Spring 2004, and published in the College Catalog. creditation Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) bears reference to SLOs. In AC- 2004-2005: To better prepare for the Accreditation CJC’s language: Team visit in March 2005, an SLO Team was created. The SLO Team initially consisted of three members: Standard I: “The institutional mission provides Nancy Deutsch, Staff Development Coordinator; Ran- the impetus for achieving student learn- dy Martinez, Psychology faculty member; and Heather ing and other goals that the institution Brown, Director of Institutional Research. With guid- endeavors to accomplish. The institution ance from the SLO Team, faculty worked as depart- provides the means for students to learn, ments to complete an ambitious course mapping proj- assesses how well learning is occurring, ect. The resulting ILO-Course Matrix was completed and strives to improve that learning by December 2004 and reflects the extent and level to through ongoing, systematic, and inte- which each course provides opportunities for students grated planning.” to achieve each ILO. Standard II: “Instructional programs, student sup- 2005-2006: The SLO Trainer was added to the SLO port services, and library and learning Team to design and implement staff development support services facilitate the achieve- workshops for faculty and staff to help them learn ment of the institution’s stated student about SLOs, including how to write measurable stu- learning outcomes.” dent learning outcomes at the course and/or program Standard III: “Human, physical, technology, level and how to develop a plan for assessing SLOs. and financial resources enable these Betty Disney, Fine Arts faculty member, assumed this programs and services to function and new role as SLO Trainer and created a Blackboard improve.” training site to conduct faculty workshops. Through- Cypress College started developing SLOs in 2002 and out the spring semester, departments wrote SLOs for at is committed to completing SLO development and least one individual course. measurement for all courses and programs by 2012. 2006-2007: By Fall 2006, the SLO Faculty Assessment SLOs are an integral part of all program review – the Facilitator was added to design and implement work- program review forms for instruction, student services, shops to help faculty in the following areas: (1) selecting and campus support services were modified in 2009 to or developing appropriate measures to assess the extent help establish a connection between SLOs and alloca- to which students achieve stated SLOs and (2) compil- tion of resources. The programs are required to docu- ing, analyzing, summarizing, and/or interpreting as- ment the relationship between funding requests and sessment data. Randy Martinez assumed this role and SLO assessment and analysis. A chronology of SLO presented workshops throughout the year to assist de- development and assessment at Cypress College is pro- partments to develop and implement assessment plans vided in the following section. for the SLOs they had written the previous spring. In

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 15 Spring 2007, some departments gathered data for at ulty members participated in workshops (SLO Writing, least one course. Assessment, Analysis and Report Writing) offered by A significant milestone for the College was the estab- Randy Martinez. The Spring Opening Day program lishment of an SLO Coordinator position in Spring included a breakout session to allow time for faculty 2007. Responsibilities of the coordinator include: members to work together and post course SLOs and chairing the SLO Team meetings to develop a cohe- assessment plans. Subsequently, the percentages of sive, integrated process for assessing, documenting, and courses with SLOs increased from 5% to 39%, and reporting SLOs; tracking and following up on the vari- those with assessment plans increased from 3% to 18% ous SLO stages; ensuring campus-wide communica- by the end of the 2007-2008 academic year. tion and discussion of SLOs and their assessment; and The SLO Committee used a Blackboard site to store writing an annual executive summary of progress. Ben SLOs and assessment plans, and an Excel file to track Izadi, faculty member in Computer Information Sys- the status of SLOs at the course level. The reports were tems, was selected for this role in Spring 2007. stored on the campus repository (J: drive). However, In April and May, the SLO Team prepared compre- with accelerating levels of activity in this area, neither hensive reports for the Board of Trustees and the Ac- of these tools was adequate. To sustain progress and crediting Commission. The reports showed that all but success in this area, the SLO Committee identified the five departments had developed SLOs for at least one need for a comprehensive tool that would assist fac- course. The college had identified SLOs for 55 of its ulty and staff with the development, assessment, and 1,060 active courses (5%), and developed assessment reporting of SLOs at all levels. In Spring, a small task- plans for 32 active courses (3%). force reviewed existing commercial products and considered many important factors. The taskforce invited 2007-2008: The year was marked by a significant in- four vendors to campus for on-site demonstrations, crease in the breadth and depth of work in this area. which were well attended by faculty and staff from Cy- The SLO Coordinator and other SLO Team mem- press College, Fullerton College, the School of Con- bers identified several remaining challenges deterring tinuing Education, and the District offices. After ad- progress and discussed ways to move forward. During ditional investigation and deliberation by the taskforce, the Fall Opening Day session, the SLO Coordinator the Expanded SLO Committee approved the selection briefed the faculty of the current state of the SLO pro- of a specific assessment management software (Trac- cess and invited them to participate in a new set of Dat) at its May meeting. campus-wide dialogue sessions. In September, six SLO dialogues were attended by 70 faculty members, deans, 2008-2009: The process of SLO development contin- and other campus leaders. As a result of these sessions, ued under the leadership of the SLO Team in 2008- 2009. The primary focus was to develop the course a set of recommendations were established.1 In brief, SLOs during the year. The development of program the recommendations called for an Expanded SLO learning outcomes (PLOs) for individual programs Committee with representation by every division and and the General Education and Basic Skills Program established a more ambitious timeline to write SLOs Learning Outcomes (GE & Basic Skills PLOs) that and close the assessment loop. involve multiple divisions was planned for the 2009- The Expanded SLO Committee with a faculty repre- 2010 academic year. The goal for 2008-2009 included sentative from each division convened and met month- developing 50% of the course SLOs and closing 25% ly to hear division status reports, discuss problems and of the loops. As of Summer 2009, 60% of the course related solutions, plan workshops and activities to meet SLOs were posted and 26% of the loops were closed. the goals, and approve important documents and ac- Although the progress has been satisfactory, there had tions. The committee also developed a Frequently been some concerns among the faculty regarding the Asked Questions (FAQ) document to guide the faculty SLO process. members in the SLO process. One of the concerns was general understanding and During Fall 2007 and Spring 2008, more than 200 fac- workload associated with the SLO process. In order 1 Recommendations to the Academic Senate from to overcome this problem, the Expanded SLO Com- the SLO Dialogues, approved September 27, 2007.

16 Cypress College mittee members were charged with the task of help- on the feedback of the SLO Core Team and the SLO ing with the development of SLOs in their respective Coordinator. Also, it was overwhelming for the SLO areas. Also, an open forum to discuss issues related to Coordinator to single-handedly review all reports and the SLO process was held on April 22, 2009. The fo- provide feedback. The issue was discussed at length at rum was attended by over 60 faculty and staff mem- the Expanded SLO Committee meetings, and, finally, bers. The dialogue during the forum and the follow-up it was brought to the attention of the Academic Sen- sessions helped clarify some of the questions. Specific ate. After hearing the concerns from all constituents, concerns were raised regarding migrating the SLOs the Academic Senate decided to appoint an SLO As- from Blackboard to the newly acquired assessment sessment Committee to review the reports. The SLO management software, TracDat, and the workload in- Assessment Committee was formed near the end of volved with that process. The College created a Trac- Spring 2010. Members consisted of the SLO Coordi- Dat Implementation Team to address the migration nator, SLO Facilitator, and three faculty members. The and training- related issues. committee was charged with providing feedback to re- The TracDat Implementation Team worked during spective faculty regarding the SLO assessment results. Summer 2009 to move the existing SLOs from Black- Faculty members are required to respond to each of Board to TracDat. The team also worked on develop- the recommendations based on the following 3 options: ing a training program for the faculty. Keeping the 1. Accept the recommendation and indicate if the commitment to the SLO process, the College funded recommendation will be implemented the summer activity out of one-time funding sources. during the current assessment cycle. The TracDat Implementation Team identified Gener- 2. Accept the recommendation and indicate that al Education SLO development, TracDat faculty train- it will be implemented in the next assessing, and closing the course loop as areas to focus on in ment cycle. 2009-2010. 3. Provide an explanation of why the recommen- One of the important accomplishments in the area of dation does not apply. SLO assessment was receiving an award from the RP Group for Best Documentation for SLOs in California. The recommendations by the SLO Assessment Com- This award was presented to the SLO Core Team by mittee and responses by the faculty members are docu- the RP Group during the Student Success Conference mented in TracDat to provide future reference. The in Fall 2009. SLO Core Team worked during Summer 2010 to migrate the remaining SLOs, assessment plans – also The process of developing SLOs contin- 2009-2010: called Campus Assessment Techniques (CATs), and ued in 2009-2010. As planned, the pilot TracDat train- assessment results to TracDat. As of October 2010, ing was conducted with the PE Division; the training faculty members have defined SLOs for 85% of the materials were fine-tuned based on their feedback, and courses, defined assessment methods for 82%, and subsequently, trainings were conducted for all full-time closed the loop on 48% of all the courses. faculty members. The TracDat user training included creation of log-ins and instructions on how to input During Fall 2009, an open forum was conducted to their course SLOs, assessment plans, assessment results, create a GE SLO Committee. Fourteen faculty mem- and action plans, as well as generate TracDat reports. bers representing different divisions volunteered to participate in the committee. The committee met ten Special emphasis was given to closing the loop. The times during Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 and developed process of closing the loop involved collecting data, GE program learning outcomes (PLOs). A draft of GE using data to validate if SLOs were achieved accord- PLOs was shared with the Leadership Team in Fall ing to specific standards, and deciding on future plans 2009. After several rounds of dialogue among faculty based on the observed outcomes. This process gener- in Spring 2010 to justify the inclusion of Basic Skills ated an engaging and sometimes heated conversation with General Education and with input from adminis- among the faculty on the campus. trators and classified staff, the GE SLO Committee de- Faculty from different divisions expressed their reser- veloped a final draft of the General Education & Basic vations to change the SLO assessment process based Skills Program Learning Outcomes (GE & BS PLOs).

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 17 All divisions reviewed the document before it was ap- to help the College accomplish its goals of implement- proved by the Academic Senate in Spring 2010. The ing and integrating SLO assessment with planning and GE & Basic Skills PLOs are included in the 2010-2011 program review by 2012. College Catalog. As of the Spring semester of 2010, it The College is exploring ways to centralize all as- is required that student learning outcomes be included sessments in TracDat. This should include program on all course syllabi. reviews for instruction, student services, and campus The SLO Coordinator worked with the program chairs support services. Ultimately, the goal of the College is and department coordinators across all disciplines to to establish a firm relationship between SLO and AUO develop their individual program learning outcomes (Administrative Unit Outcomes) assessment, resource (PLOs). Several divisions determined that their courses allocation, and self improvement. contribute mainly to the basic skills and general education curricula and so adopted the GE & BS PLOs as Assessment Management Software: their program learning outcomes. Other departments (mostly vocational) developed their own PLOs for their TracDat specific programs. As of October 10, 2010, 27 out of For the selection of assessment management software the 32 programs, including the General Education and that best fit the “culture” of the SLO process at Cy- Basic Skills Program, have defined their PLOs. The press College, a subcommittee consisting of six mem- remaining programs are working on developing their bers conducted a comprehensive selection process PLOs and expect to complete them by Spring 2011. during Spring 2008. After preliminary research and Some programs have defined the assessment methods, communication with other colleges, the subcommit- and the other programs are working with the SLO tee identified seven potential candidates and had web team to develop the assessment methods. The 2010- conferences with each of the seven vendors. The top 2011 College Catalog includes the program learning four candidates were invited for on-campus demon- outcomes, where available. Plans to assess the GE & BS strations, and faculty members were asked to e-mail PLOs and individual program learning outcomes are their feedback. The subcommittee further evaluated being addressed in Fall 2010 and Spring 2011. the four candidates and identified TracDat as the top candidate. The subcommittee facilitated a conference One of the areas that has not been addressed so far call between District IT, Cypress College IT, and Trac- is converting from an integrated paper planning, pro- Dat IT specialists to resolve any possible implementa- gram review, and SLO process to an electronic one by tion/maintenance/upgrade issues. The Expanded integrating the program review process in the central- SLO Committee approved the selection of TracDat as ized assessment management software, TracDat. This the SLO assessment software for Cypress College in was one of the goals during 2009-2010 that has not their meeting on May 7, 2008. The College invested in been met. The SLO Core Team intends to initiate TracDat in September 2008. this process in Fall 2010 and complete it by the end of Spring 2011. In October 2008, selected members of the Expanded SLO Committee made a one-day visit to Mt. San An- Overall, the College has made considerable progress tonio College, which had several years’ experience with towards developing SLOs for its courses. Department TracDat configuration and implementation. After the faculty members continue to develop and revise course visit, that group realized that TracDat had the potential SLOs, collect data, close the assessment loops, and use for storing and reporting different campus processes in the assessment results and action plans in the program addition to SLO assessment. However, once TracDat review process to request and justify the need for re- is configured, it would not be possible to reconfigure it. sources, such as instructional aids, technology, person- Planning for configuration of TracDat was, therefore, nel, and facilities. The Planning and Budget Commit- the major challenge in TracDat implementation. After tee reviews each department’s Planning and Program discussion of this issue, the Expanded SLO Commit- Review information provided with its budget request tee recommended to the College that prior to TracDat before allocating resources. The investment in the as- configuration, an Institutional Effectiveness Plan that sessment management software, TracDat, is expected mapped the SLO assessment process with the institu-

18 Cypress College tion’s mission, vision, and goals must be developed. ◊ Continue the process of closing the loop The main purpose of this software is to house all the on courses and providing feedback SLOs, work as a centralized source for all assessment ◊ Develop a plan for assessing GE & BS functions, and generate reports that inform the institu- PLOs and individual program learning tion about the status of SLO assessment and improve- outcomes ment of teaching and learning at Cypress College. One of the functional requirements of the software is ◊ Migrate all existing SLOs from Black- the existence of an Institutional Effectiveness Plan that board and J: drive to TracDat maps the SLOs and assessments with the institution’s ◊ Complete configuration of the Program mission and vision. Review Process in TracDat and provide A taskforce created in December 2008 developed an training to department coordinators and Institutional Effectiveness Plan that helped prepare a instructors roadmap for configuration of TracDat according to the ◊ Continue holding campus-wide forums needs of the College. The plan was developed during to identify concerns and address them Spring 2009, and after a review by various shared gov- quickly ernance committees and feedback from the faculty and staff, the plan was approved by the Academic Senate ◊ Provide TracDat support for user man- and President’s Advisory Cabinet in May 2009. The agement and configuration, and assist initial training for configuration of TracDat was also faculty in data analysis, uploading infor- conducted in late May 2009. During Summer 2009, mation, and generating reports the SLO Core Team worked on migrating some of the ◊ Provide training for Deans on generating SLOs from different locations onto TracDat. reports using TracDat The work during Summer 2009 of the SLO Core Team ◊ Develop and integrate Campus Support also included developing TracDat training programs Service AUOs in TracDat for faculty. The plan was to conduct a few pilot train- ◊ Develop and establish a 3-year plan for ing programs for the faculty in Fall 2009, adjust the the SLO assessment cycle training program based on the feedback, and roll out comprehensive training for all divisions in Spring 2010. Cypress College recognizes the critical role of SLOs Also, the new program review format developed as a in student learning, assessment, institutional planning, part of the Institutional Effectiveness Plan was used for and resource allocation. The College is committed to the first time in Fall 2009 for instructional Department reaching the level of proficiency in using SLOs for in- Planning and Program Review and for Student Sup- stitutional planning and program review by 2012. port Services Quality Review. During Spring 2010, the campus conducted Campus Support Services Quality Review using the new format. The process of inputting the information and data from the program and departmental reviews into TracDat will be initiated in Fall 2010 and completed by the end of Spring 2011 so that the reports generated can be used for planning and resource allocation purposes.

Major Goals for 2010-2011 The College has made significant progress towards developing SLOs during 2009-2010. However, much work lies ahead in order to reach the level of proficiency in using SLOs for assessment, planning, and fiscal allocation. Specific goals for 2010-2011 include:

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 19 Program Review Instructional Program Review Cypress College has been conducting program reviews At Cypress College, the instructional program review since 1993. Over the last seventeen years, the scope process was established as a peer-review process by the of the review has been expanded to include new pro- Academic Senate in 1993 as Instructional Quality As- grams and services. The review process itself is evalu- sessment (IQA) and has occurred annually, except for ated periodically to ensure the process contributes to a short period in the academic year 2003-2004 when the ultimate goal of continuous quality improvement. the process was under review. Establishment of instruc- The program review process at Cypress College uses tional program review components, processes, and planning documents, student learning outcomes, and forms resides with the Academic Senate as one of the other assessment results to evaluate how well the pro- 10+1 academic and professional matters for which the gram goals are being met and links the budget alloca- Academic Senate has primary responsibility, according tions with findings of the review. Four major purposes to the Education Code (Title 5 Section 53200). The served by the program review process are: re-named Department Planning and Program Review Committee (composed of a faculty chair appointed ◊ Determine if the program is achieving by the Academic Senate, a faculty representative from its intended goals and identify means of each of the ten instructional divisions approved by the improvement Academic Senate, and one dean) periodically evaluates ◊ Evaluate if student learning outcomes the instructional review process and recommends to are being met by the program the Academic Senate changes to the approval process. ◊ Identify the resources necessary for the The existing review of instructional programs includes program to successfully accomplish its the following steps: goals 1. Reviewing of internal and external trend ◊ Outline a plan to fulfill the program data goals if the necessary resources are not 2. Evaluating past three years’ action plans immediately available and goals The programs offered at Cypress College are catego- 3. Identifying next three years’ goals and rized into four areas for the purpose of review: (a) In- objectives structional programs; (b) Student Services programs; 4. Identifying new courses that will go (c) Campus Support Services programs and (d) Special through curriculum review programs. The instructional and Campus Support Ser- vices programs are reviewed on a three-year cycle: one- 5. Exploring delivery methods, alternative third of the programs are reviewed every year (instruc- scheduling, and new courses to be of- tional programs in the Fall and campus support in the fered in the next three years Spring). The Student Services programs are reviewed 6. Planning for phasing out courses that are on a four-year cycle, with one-fourth of the programs no longer offered coming up for review every Fall semester. Academic Year 2010 – 2011 will be for Special Programs review, 7. Examining accomplishment of student at which time the review cycle will be determined. Al- learning outcomes though the purpose of program review is to improve 8. Identifying courses that are due for cur- the quality of the programs based on existing data, riculum review each of the four areas listed above follow somewhat 9. Establishing support for developmental different review processes. The review process estab- education lishes the link among program review, student learning outcomes, administrative unit outcomes, and resource 10. Articulating strategies to meet develop- allocation. mental needs of students 11. Connecting the findings with the Educa- tional Master Plan

20 Cypress College 12. Proposing changes, if any, to the Educa- vised and approved by the Student Services Council. tional Master Plan based on up-to-date The previous template included information on stu- data dent satisfaction (survey data), changes since the last 13. Establishing budgetary requirements quality review, narrative, and long-range plans and ob- based on the review jectives. Two of the areas not addressed specifically in the previous template were student learning outcomes The review process is periodically examined and up- and a link with budgets. During the review in Fall 2009, dated. The link between existing plans such as the these sections were added to the template. The current Educational Master Plan and program goals were al- template has a specific section on achievement of stu- ready incorporated in the template. In the last round dent learning outcomes and identification of resources of review conducted in Spring 2009, the role of stu- based on the review. The Student Services Council dent learning outcomes was made explicit in the pro- recommended that all Student Services areas include cess. Also, identifying resource requirements as a part their SLOs in their SSQR information using the Nich- of the program review process was introduced during ols & Nichols model template (i.e., Mission (column I), revision of the process in Spring 2009. Goals/Objectives (column II), Data and Use of Assess- Student Services Program Review ment Results (column III, IV, V). Also, the template asks for a plan of action in case the identified resources The objective of Student Services is to provide non- are not immediately available. instructional support to students. Program evaluation has been conducted at Cypress College within the Stu- Special Programs Quality Review (SPQR) dent Services areas for a number of years in various Periodically, changes are made to existing review pro- methods. Some offices created their own student satis- cesses, and new processes are developed when the need faction surveys based on the State Chancellor’s Office arises. Such a need was identified, and in Fall 2007, Guidelines. Since Fall 2003, the campus has utilized a the College developed a new review process for “spe- commercial instrument (the Noel-Levitz Student Ser- cial programs” that are not purely instructional or stu- vices Inventory) to conduct a formal student satisfac- dent services programs and which do not fit well with- tion survey. in existing program review models. The new process Spring 2005 was the first occasion to pilot test the Stu- was piloted with nine programs (e.g. Legacy, Honors, dent Services Quality Review (SSQR): the first cycle Peer Assisted Learning, and Tutoring). Each of these of services evaluated the Admissions, Assessment, and programs, with the exceptions of Study Abroad and DSPS offices. The process involved surveying students Honors, has been funded from one-time resources on and using the survey data to prepare the review. The a year-to-year basis. When it became evident that the Student Services Quality Review Report includes the funding could not be continued at the same level as in same elements for all service areas: department, par- the past due to State budget deficits, the Quality Review ticipating names, tally of student responses and com- became important information for the Planning and ments, goal, narrative of standards being met or not, Budget Committee to make funding decisions for the long-range plan and objectives, goals related to the year 2008-2009. Similar to the existing program review Strategic Plan - now Student Services Master Plan - processes, the new model includes various types of in- and the Educational Master Plan, and budget requests/ formation, including an assessment of overall program timelines. By integrating the SLO and quality review effectiveness by program leaders, numbers of students processes, the student services programs are likely to served, and future goals. The template for review of gain a more comprehensive assessment of each pro- special services was developed in Spring 2010. Reviews gram, including how well they are aligning student of special programs such as Supplemental Instruction learning outcomes with the institutional mission and and Tutoring were conducted to determine the role of how well they are helping students achieve their edu- these programs in student success. The findings were cational goals. positive. Based on the initial review results, the College wanted to incorporate review processes for all Special The template used to review Student Services is re- Programs in Spring 2010 and use the information to viewed periodically. In Fall 2009, the template was re- make budget decisions. The reviews could not be con-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 21 ducted prior to budget decisions in Spring 2010. The Summary of the Three Program Review Pro- College is committed to conduct the special program cesses review prior to budget allocations for 2011-2012. The program review processes are examined periodi- Campus Support Services Quality Review cally to ensure that they contribute to continuous qual- (CSSQR) ity improvement. During the review of the process in Campus Support Services are evaluated every three Spring 2009, it was found that no strong linkage ex- years. All programs listed below completed their last ists between student learning outcomes, administrative quality review in Spring 2010 unit outcomes, budget allocation, and program review. Thereafter, all the program review templates were re- ◊ Academic Computing and Media Ser- vised to bring focus onto SLOs, AUOs, and budget al- vices location. In its revised form, the program review pro- ◊ Bookstore cess not only helps improve student learning but also identifies the areas that need fiscal resources. The re- ◊ Bursar’s Office view includes an analysis and plan of action if required ◊ Campus Safety resources are not immediately available. ◊ Institutional Research and Planning Cypress College has progressively advanced to the phase of sustainable continuous quality improvement ◊ Maintenance and Operations for its program review processes. Apart from reviewing ◊ Staff Development its programs, the College periodically reviews its pro- ◊ Production Center cess and improves upon the existing ones. The overall changes made in Spring 2009 demonstrates the com- ◊ Public Information mitment Cypress College has towards program review In the CSSQR process, each program was evaluated and linking it with planning, SLOs, and budget alloca- on a set of core measures (e.g., hours of operation, tion. response time, staff helpfulness, staff knowledge, and overall quality of service). Each program also had the opportunity to develop additional survey items and to assess products or services that are unique to the program. Most of these programs used a web-based survey to collect feedback from campus staff; the Bookstore used a point-of-service survey to capture input from all its clients (predominantly students). After the surveys were analyzed by the Office of Institutional Research and Planning, reports were distributed to the department leaders. They were asked to review the results with others in the service area and to consider how the results compared to the findings of the previous review. Each department completed a quality review report that included a reflection on changes since the last review cycle, major objectives, and plans for the next three to five years. The form used for CSSQR in Spring 2010 was revised to include a focus on administrative unit outcomes and a link with budget allocation. Although most of the administrative units have not defined their administrative unit outcomes (AUO), all the AUOs will be defined by 2012.

22 Cypress College Abstract proportion of the larger population of North Orange County. The campus makes an additional effort to re- Cypress College has remained committed to its vision main welcoming to all, and it is reflected in the opin- of being a premier learning community recognized for ions collected via the Campus Climate Survey (employ- supporting student success and enriching society. The ees) and Student Satisfaction Survey. postsecondary education scenario has changed rapidly since Cypress College was last accredited in 2005. The There are two processes that are mentioned separately College has developed a culture of analyzing the edu- in the introductory chapter. These are Program Re- cation scenario, planning in advance, sharing its plan view and student learning outcomes. Cypress College is among various constituents, and aligning resources to consciously building a culture of inquiry and evidence. fulfill its plans. This approach has helped accomplish The program review process reflects how quantitative the mission of the College, engage faculty and staff in and qualitative information are merged to evaluate College activities, and maintain a high level of student program effectiveness. The process itself is examined satisfaction. As reflected in this self study, the College periodically for opportunities for improvement. Cur- believes it is in compliance with the requirements of rently, the program review process establishes the con- the Accrediting Commission of Community and Ju- nection between program outcomes, resource require- nior Colleges (ACCJC) of the Western Association of ments, and budget processes. With the establishment Schools and Colleges (WASC). of the link between the resource requirement and budget allocation, the program review process meets The self study provided the College an opportunity to all the criteria to be in the phase of sustainable quality engage its faculty, staff, administration, and students improvement. in an open and pervasive dialogue regarding different operational practices and procedures. Active partici- Work on Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) has been pation of 82 employees in the four accreditation stan- in progress at Cypress College since 2002. The College dards is indicative of the level of involvement with the has discussed the need, relevance, and utility of SLOs accreditation process. Besides those who researched in several forums during this period. As of Summer the processes, collected evidence, interviewed constitu- 2009, SLOs have been defined for most of the active ents, and wrote sections, there have been several others courses. There have been several engaging dialogues who participated in the process indirectly. The collec- about SLOs for the General Education program. The tive work not only identified multiple areas where the College has also invested in the assessment manage- College is meeting its goals but also recognized areas ment software, TracDat, to keep track of assessments where scope of improvement exists. The teams came of SLOs. The College is progressing towards complet- up with eight planning agendas to help improve the op- ing SLO for all active courses and programs by the erations of the College. The planning agendas are ex- year 2012. pected to serve as roadmaps for the forthcoming years. The vision, mission, and core values of the College are The self study reflects how the College shaped the dia- reviewed periodically to ensure that they are adequate logue among faculty, staff, students, community, and to serve the College’s students. In Standard I, the self administration to improve student success. The core analysis revealed that while the College is fulfilling the values of Cypress College – Excellence, Integrity, Col- requirement of this standard, there is a scope of im- legiality, and Inclusiveness – have remained the driving provement. The College will evaluate the effectiveness force behind the self study. The discussions that took of its programs and services to determine their impact place among the teams were all conducted keeping the on success of different student groups. The findings core values in mind. This self study truly reflects what will be used to develop, modify, and/or continue ser- is done at the College, and how it is done. vices that best serve the students and improve student equity among diverse student groups. In order to be The demographic analysis and environment scan es- an effective institution, the College will explore ways tablishes the context within which the College oper- to improve information dissemination among various ates. It is evident that the College attracts nearly half employee groups on campus with the ultimate goal of of its students from areas outside its immediate neigh- improving participation, understanding the rationale borhood. The ethnic mix of students represents the

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 23 behind decisions, and expanding opportunities to en- ership drives an organization forward. Cypress College, gage in the decision-making process. the District office, and the Board of Trustees all work Instruction, student services, and learning support ser- in a cohesive manner to align the goals of the College vices constitute the main activities that directly impact with the District. The collegial relationship helps focus student success. In order to improve these areas, Cy- the attention on student success. The recent surveys press College is perpetually evaluating the outcomes conducted at the College indicate that employees and as well as the processes. As mentioned above, the pro- students agree that the College maintains a culture that gram review process has been improved continuously encourages diversity and promotes participation. at the College, and it encompasses instructional, stu- The candid dialogues that shaped this self study reflect dent services, and campus support services. The self a vibrant college that is proud of its accomplishments study revealed that the standards are being met in the and critical of its shortcomings. Guided by its core val- areas of instruction, student services, and learning sup- ues of excellence, integrity, collegiality, and inclusive- port services. There are a few areas that will be ad- ness, Cypress College continues to engage its constitu- dressed in the future planning cycles. Three specific ar- encies in an inclusive and open dialogue. The self study eas identified for further improvement are: (i) integrate reflects that although there is a scope of improvement, the Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) and Adminis- Cypress College adds value to its students by providing trative Unit Outcomes (AUO) assessment results from a safe and welcoming learning environment. Instructional, Student Services, and Campus Support Services to improve student success; (ii) Develop and evaluate a method based on mapping the course SLOs to GE & Basic Skills PLOs to assess the GE outcomes; and (iii) collaborate at Chancellor’s Cabinet to complete the development and adoption of an appropriate and effective educational program development and educational program discontinuance policy as directed in AP 2510. Resources are a critical component of any organization. At Cypress College, special care is taken to ensure that human resources are provided adequate technology and infrastructure to function effectively and efficiently. North Orange County Community College District has always been very prudent in allocating its resources. This is reflected in the fact that even in the recent condition of fiscal deficit, the District has been maintaining its operations without any layoffs and has maintained a contingency fund. The Campus Climate Survey and Student Satisfaction Survey conducted in Fall 2009 reflect the level of satisfaction enjoyed by both employees and students. Recent advances in technology require any postsecondary education to continuously evaluate its needs and invest in technological infrastructure. Cypress College, in collaboration with the District, has been doing it continuously. This is an ongoing process and will continue to remain a priority in the future. Finally, leadership and governance are a critical component of any organization. The vision set by the lead-

24 Cypress College ORGANIZATION FOR THE SELF STUDY — 2011 Accreditation Self Study Committees Cherie Dickey (Faculty) — Accreditation Self Study Chair Santanu Bandyopadhyay (Director, Institutional Research and Planning) — Accreditation Liaison Officer

Steering Committee Accreditation Self-Study Chair ...... Cherie Dickey — Faculty Standard I Chair ...... Lisa Clark — Faculty Standard II Chair ...... Susan Klein — Faculty Standard III Chair...... Rebecca Gomez — Faculty Standard IV Chair ...... Carlos Sandoval — Faculty Cypress College President ...... Michael Kasler Academic Senate President ...... Pat Ganer — Faculty Academic Senate Past-President...... Robert Johnson — Faculty Accreditation Liaison Officer...... Santanu Bandyopadhyay Executive Vice President ...... Bob Simpson Vice President ...... Karen Cant Student Representative ...... Danial Shakeri Classified epresentativeR ...... Rod Lusch

Standard I: Institutional Mission and Effectiveness Lisa Clark Chair Faculty Career Technical Education

Mission 1. Dave Wassenaar Chair Dean Business & CIS 2. Avery Olson Classified EOPS 3. Olga Moran Faculty Language Arts 4. John Sciacca Dean Health Science 5. Jackie Barretto Adjunct Faculty Language Arts

Effectiveness 1. Steve Donley Chair Dean Career Technical Education 2. John Alexander Faculty Career Technical Education 3. Joel Gober Faculty Science, Engineering & Math 4. Ben Izadi Faculty Business & CIS 5. Sarah Jones Faculty Language Arts 6. Stacey Howard Faculty Counseling 7. Annik Ramsey Adjunct Faculty Social Science 8. Phil Dykstra Classified Institutional Research and Planning 9. Donna Landis Classified Instruction Office

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 25 Standard II: Student Learning Programs and Services Susan Klein Chair Faculty Language Arts

Instructional Programs 1. Debra McPherson Chair Faculty Language Arts 2. Jason Witt Adjunct Faculty Language Arts 3. Sujata Chiplunkar Faculty Science, Engineering & Math 4. Larry Curiel Faculty Social Science 5. Beth Piburn Faculty Health Science 6. Billy Pashaie Faculty LLRC 7. Jeanne Miller Faculty Business & CIS 8. Christie Diep Faculty Language Arts 9. Donna Woo Faculty Business & CIS 10. Michelle Oja Classified Institutional Research and Planning 11. Gil Contreras Manager EOPS

Student Support Services 1. Richard Rams Chair Dean Student Services 2. Paul de Dios Dean Counseling 3. Kim Bartlett Director DSPS 4. Mary Forman Faculty Language Arts 5. Deidre Porter Faculty Counseling 6. Marcus Marquardt Faculty Health Science 7. Long Nguyen Adjunct Faculty Physical Education 8. Deann Burch Classified Career Center 9. Alan Reza Classified Financial Aid 10. Karina Hernandez Student

Library and Learning Support Services 1. Peggy Austin Chair Faculty LLRC 2. Regina Rhymes Faculty Social Science 3. Cindy Shrout Faculty Science, Engineering & Math 4. Keith Vescial Faculty Language Arts 5. Monica Doman Faculty LLRC 6. Eldon Young Dean LLRC/Language Arts 7. Temperance Dowdle Classified Matriculation 8. Cindy Ristow Classified LLRC 9. Santanu Bandyopadhyay Director Institutional Research and Planning 10. Tony Ignacio Student

26 Cypress College Standard III: Resources Rebecca Gomez Chair Faculty Health Science

Human Resources 1. Nina DeMarkey Chair Dean Social Science 2. Becky Floyd Faculty Social Science 3. Stuart Rosenberg Faculty Language Arts 4. Rosalie Majid Faculty Health Science 5. Virginia Derakshanian Classified LLRC 6. Michelle Bandak Classified Business Office 7. Manya Preston Classified Instruction Office

Physical Resources 1. Albert Miranda Chair Director Facilities 2. Carlos Urquidi Faculty Career Technical Education 3. Barbara Kashi Faculty Language Arts 4. Marcia Jeffredo Classified Maintenance & Operations 5. Betty Germanero Classified Facilities 6. Grace Suphamark Classified Fine Arts

Technology Resources 1. Mike Kavanaugh Chair Interim Manager Academic Computing 2. Michael Frey Faculty Science, Engineering & Math 3. Jessica Puma Faculty Language Arts 4. Michael Land Classified Academic Computing 5. Darlene Fishman Manager Health Science 6. Marc Posner Manager Public Information Office 7. Paul Paiement Faculty Fine Arts

Financial Resources 1. Karen Cant Chair Vice President 2. Raul Alvarez Exec Director Foundation 3. Parwinder Sidhu Faculty Social Science 4. Jann Nelson Classified Business Office 5. Renie Harter Manager Business Office 6. Joyce Carrigan Dean Fine Arts

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 27 Standard IV: Leadership and Governance Carlos Sandoval Chair Faculty Social Science

Decision-Making Roles and Processes 1. Diane Henry Chair Dean Physical Education 2. Jane Jepson Faculty Counseling 3. Jeremy Peters Faculty Career Technical Education 4. Donna Freiss Faculty Language Arts 5. Bev Harrington Classified Academic Computing 6. Richard Fee Dean Science, Engineering & Math 7. Ryan Billings Student

Board and Administrative Organization 1. Rod Lusch Chair Classified Facilities 2. Michael Brydges Faculty Language Arts 3. Pat Humpres Confidential President’s Office 4. Jose Gonzalez Student 5. Bob Simpson Executive Vice President

28 Cypress College Timeline Officers from Cypress College and Fullerton College present the Accreditation Self Study Standards and for the process followed by each college to document com- Accreditation Self Study pliance to the accreditation standards to the Board of Trustees. Leading Up to Comprehensive Evaluation in Spring 2011 January 2010 The Self Study Chair shares the status of and future March 2009 plans for the Accreditation process at the College’s The key personnel attend the Self Study Workshop on Spring Opening Day Meeting. March 13 at Cypress College. Spring 2010 April 2009 to May 2009 The Accreditation Committees gather information The Self Study Chair is appointed by the President’s from the campus and meet with relevant groups for Advisory Cabinet (April 16). dialogue regarding the Accreditation Standards. The Steering Committee members, Standards Chairs, The committees review the Student Learning Out- and Committee Chairs are selected by the Self Study come (SLO) reports to ensure adherence to the Ac- Chair and approved by the President’s Advisory Cabi- creditation Standards. net. The Steering Committee meets to agree upon the The committees begin documenting their findings; the general approach of the Self Study. The Steering Com- Standards Chairs and the Self Study Chair reviews the mittee reviews the institutional effectiveness rubric cir- documentation to ensure that the documentation cov- culated by the Accrediting Commission for Junior and ers all requirements of accreditation standards. Community Colleges. Each section of the Accredita- tion Standard is assigned to a separate committee and a separate committee chair. The Standards Chairs are March 2010 responsible for the work of several Committees. The Accreditation Committee on Board and Admin- istrative Organization holds a dialogue regarding Ac- Campus personnel are invited on Accreditation Com- creditation Standards with the Board of Trustees. mittees through a college-wide call for volunteers and through individual solicitations. May 2010 Fall 2009 The Accreditation Committees present their initial draft reports to the Self Study Chair and the Standards Accreditation Committees finalized. Chairs. Faculty members on the committees are approved by The chairs meet with the committees, if required, to the Academic Senate. seek clarification. The Accreditation Committees establish schedules, define internal procedures, assign responsibilities, and June 2010 to August 2010 (Summer begin deliberations regarding the Accreditation Stan- dards. 2010) The Institutional Self Study Chair prepares the first The Self Study Chairs and the Accreditation Liaison draft of the Institutional Self Study. Officers from Cypress College and Fullerton College develop the District Functional Map. August 2010 November 2009 The first draft of the Institutional Self Study distributed to the Standards Chairs, the Steering Committee, The Self Study Chair and the Accreditation Liaison the Committee Chairs, and the President of the Col-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 29 lege. January 2011 to March 2011 The Self Study Chair and the Accreditation Liaison Finalize preparation for site visit. Officer present the draft report to the Board of Trust- ees on August 10, 2010. The Board to provide feed- March 2011 back by September 3, 2010, to the Self Study Chair. The site visit by Accreditation Team takes place. The Self Study Chair presents the Self Study at the Opening Day of College for Fall 2010.

August 2010 to September 2010 The steering committee, the standards and committee chairs and committee members review first draft report, suggest revisions, respond to required clarification. The chair prepares second draft of the Institu- tional Self Study based on the feedback received.

October 2010 Copies of the second draft of the Institutional Self Study are distributed to the division and other major offices on campus. The draft is also placed on the campus server. Campus community provides feedback using web log forms. The Board receives substantial changes on October 12, 2010, based on feedback provided. College holds a series of open forums where all are invited to meet the representatives from each accreditation committee and share views/comments on the Institutional Self Study.

November 2010 The Self Study Chair finalizes third draft of the In- stitutional Self Study. The Institutional Self Study is endorsed by the Academic Senate (Nov 11), the Cali- fornia School Employees Association (CSEA), the As- sociated Students, and approved by the President of the College (Nov 18). The Institutional Self Study is presented to the Board of Trustees for approval on No- vember 23, 2010.

December 2010 Final copy of the Institutional Self Study sent for printing.

January 2011 The Institutional Self-Study sent to Accreditation Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

30 Cypress College Cypress College Organizational Structure Effective 2010-2011

President – Mike Kasler Educational Programs & Student Support Services – Bob Simpson, Executive Vice President Administrative Services – Karen Cant, Vice President Institutional Research and Planning – Santanu Bandyopadhyay, Director Foundation & Community Relations – Raul Alvarez, Executive Director Public Information – Marc Posner, Public Information Officer Staff Development – Nancy Deutsch, Coordinator Campus Diversity ______

Executive Vice President, Educational Programs & Student Support Services – Bob Simpson Business/CIS and Admissions & Records – Dave Wassenaar, Dean Admissions & Records Registration – Regina Ford, Registrar Advisory Committees Counseling & Student Development – Paul de Dios, Dean Counseling Center Career Center Disabled Students Programs & Services – Kim Bartlett, Director Articulation – Stacey Howard, Articulation Officer International Students Program – Yongmi Han, Manager Matriculation – Kris Nelson, Coordinator Puente Program (Counseling Component) Student Discipline Transfer Center Fine Arts – Joyce Carrigan, Dean Patrons of the Arts Study Abroad Health Science – John Sciacca, Dean Nursing – Darlene Fishman, Director Health Services – Mary Lou Giska, Director Program Accreditation Advisory Committees Language Arts – Eldon Young, Dean Educational Interpreter Program – Dennis Davino, Special Projects Manager Forensics Legacy Program Puente Program (Academic & Instructional Component)

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 31 Library & Learning Resources – Eldon Young, Interim Dean Language Lab/Open Commons Learning Resource Center – [Vacant], Special Project Director Distance Education/Learning Lab Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) Supplemental Instruction (SI) Tutoring Services Science, Engineering & Math – Richard Fee, Dean Learning Communities STEM Grant Weekend College Coordinator Physical Education & Athletics Director – Diane Henry, Dean Petitions Student Activities Graduation Senior Day Social Science – Nina DeMarkey, Dean Honors/Service Learning Teacher Preparation & Paraprofessional Programs – Dennis Davino, Special Projects Manager Student Support Services – Rick Rams, Dean Student Ambassador Program CalWORKS CARE Extended Opportunity Programs & Services – Gilbert Contreras, Manager Financial Aid – Keith Cobb, Director Guardian Scholars Outreach TRAC Career Technical Education and Economic Development – Steve Donley, Dean Distance Education Economic Development Grants Tech Prep Title V VTEA Advisory Committees Enrollment Management Personnel ______

32 Cypress College Administrative Services – Karen Cant, Vice President Academic Computing – Mike Kavanaugh, Interim Manager, Systems Technology Services Media Services Telecommunications Bookstore – David Okawa, Manager Business and Auxiliary Services Budget & Finance Services – [Vacant], Manager, Campus Accounting Bursar Office – Renie Harter, Manager, Campus Accounting Campus Safety – Shirley Smith, Director Switchboard Facilities Use & Rentals Food Services Grant Support Services Personnel Production Center & Mailroom Swap Meet Physical Plant & Facilities – Albert Miranda, Director Maintenance & Operations – José Recinos, Manager

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 33 Certification of Continued Governing Board Compliance with Eligibility The North Orange County Community College Dis- trict Board of Trustees is an independent policy-mak- Requirements ing body capable of reflecting constituent and public As evidenced by this Self Study, Cypress College com- interest in Board activities and decisions. The Board plies with all eligibility requirements established by the is composed of seven members elected by registered Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior voters in the District; the Trustees represent four spe- Colleges. There has been one Substantive Change, as cific geographic areas but are elected at-large. Trustees defined by the Commission, since the last Self Study serve four-year terms of office, and the positions are in 2005. Distance Education course offerings increased staggered to ensure a degree of stability and continu- progressively over the last five years. As a result of this ity. Two Student Trustees, representing the interests of significant growth, 50% or more of 18 Associate De- students at Cypress College and Fullerton College, are gree Programs and 54 certificate programs can now elected annually by the students at their respective col- be completed via distance education programs. Also, leges for one-year terms. a number of programs offer 40% of the courses via distance education, and they are approaching a point Chief Executive Officer where 50% of the programs may soon be completed The Chief Executive Officer of Cypress College is the via distance education. A Substantive Change proposal College President. The President, appointed by the was submitted to the Accrediting Commission on Au- Board of Trustees, holds a full-time position at the Col- gust 12, 2009, seeking approval of such change. The lege and has the authority to administer Board policies, approval was granted on September 17, 2009. manage resources, and ensure compliance with all statutes and regulations. The President does not serve on Authority the Board of Trustees. The Chief Executive Officer of Cypress College is authorized by the Accrediting Com- the North Orange County Community College Dis- mission for Community and Junior Colleges of the trict is the Chancellor, whose full-time position allows Western Association of Schools and Colleges and by him to oversee the management of the three major en- the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Of- tities of the District. The Chancellor does not serve on fice to operate as an educational institution and to the Board of Trustees. award degrees. Further authority to grant degrees is provided under the auspices of a locally elected Board Administrative Capacity of Trustees. The College President is directly supported by a senior staff that consists of the Executive Vice President, Mission Educational Programs and Student Services; a Vice The Cypress College Mission Statement, after being President, Administrative Services; and a Director, In- adopted by the campus through its shared governance stitutional Research and Planning. The College has ten processes, was approved by the Board of Trustees, most Division Deans, 9 Directors, and 9 Managers. Support recently in November of 2004. The Mission Statement staff is provided for all positions. All administrative clearly defines the College as a degree-granting institu- personnel meet or exceed the minimum qualifications tion that serves the surrounding community and as an for their positions in terms of qualifications, training, institution that offers its programs in a “student-cen- and experience. tered learning environment.” The Mission Statement is published in the College catalog, on the College Operational Status website, in Divisions, and in a variety of other official In Fall of 2009, Cypress College enrolled 16,533 stu- publications. dents. Students are pursuing Associate in Arts and Sci- ence degrees, occupational certificates, transfer certification, basic skills development, and lifelong learning

34 Cypress College opportunities. All approved programs at the College must specify the objectives of the program; currently, completion of Degrees courses indicates that those objectives have been met. The College also has adopted a specific set of institu- Cypress College offers a variety of degree and certifi- tional learning outcomes (ILOs) that students receiv- cate programs; all are clearly described in the College ing degrees, certificates, or transfer certification are ex- catalog. The vast majority of the College’s courses are pected to have achieved. The College is engaging in a applicable to degrees and/or certificates. The College campus-wide dialogue to reach a better understanding does offer non-degree applicable courses that are in- of student learning outcomes (SLOs), with the inten- tended to assist students in basic skills development. In tion of ensuring their clearly identifiable inclusion in the 2008-2009 academic year, 1,013 students complet- all courses and programs. As of October 2010, faculty ed degree requirements, and 760 students completed members have defined SLOs for 85% of the courses, certificate requirements. Also, 719 students transferred defined assessment methods for 82%, and closed the to 4-year institutions during the same period. In Fall loop on 48% of all the courses. It should be noted that 2009, the total number of students (unduplicated) pur- 100% of courses will not have SLOs. Although the cat- suing pre-collegiate credit courses was 3,342. alog lists all courses, only those courses that are being offered currently are defining course SLOs. Educational Programs The principal degree programs at Cypress College are General Education congruent with its Mission to provide Associate in Arts All degree programs at Cypress College must contain and Science degrees, occupational certificates, and a substantial component of general education cours- transfer education preparation. All such programs are es that are designed to ensure breadth of knowledge based on recognized higher education fields of study, and promote intellectual inquiry. Of the sixty units re- are of sufficient content and length, and are conducted quired for an Associate’s degree, twenty-five of those at levels of quality and rigor appropriate to the degree units must be from the approved general education list. offered. All courses and programs must be approved by Students are required to complete courses in language the Curriculum Committee and the Board of Trustees, and rationality, the natural sciences and mathematics, and the College requires the completion of at least six- art and humanities, the social sciences, and physical ty units for a degree. All approved courses must specify activities and health. Students must also complete a course objectives, means of evaluation, and course course in cultural diversity and demonstrate proficien- content and scope. As of Spring 2010, 79% of the pro- cy in reading. All such courses, as a result of the cur- grams have defined program learning outcomes. riculum review process, are consistent with the levels of quality and rigor appropriate to higher education. Academic Credit A committee worked during Fall 2009 to develop Gen- Cypress College awards student credit for course- eral Education & Basic Skills Program Learning Out- work using the standard established by Title 5, section comes; the Academic Senate approved the GE & Basic 55002.5, of the California Code of Regulations. For Skills PLOs, and these are published in the 2010-2011 semester length courses, one unit of credit is awarded College Catalog. for each hour of lecture per week or for three hours of laboratory activities per week. Academic Freedom The North Orange County Community College Dis- Student Learning and Achievement trict adopted a board policy and administrative proce- All courses at the College must have an approved dure of Academic Freedom (BP/AP 4030) in February course outline, which includes the instructional objec- 2008. In addition, the College has a Statement of Pro- tives for student learning, the methods of achieving fessional Ethics that commits the College to the belief those objectives through assignments and activities, that faculty and students are free to examine and test and the means of evaluating the level of achievement. all knowledge appropriate to their discipline or area of

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 35 major study as judged by the academic/educational Information and Learning Resources community in general. The College maintains an at- The College provides sufficient information and learn- mosphere in which intellectual freedom and indepen- ing resources to support its Mission and instructional dence exist. programs. The College Library is the primary repository of books, periodicals, and electronic databases. In Faculty addition, a number of other learning centers can be In the Fall semester of 2010, Cypress College em- found throughout the campus, providing either special- ployed 212 full-time faculty and approximately 390 ized services or campus-wide services. Computer ac- adjunct faculty. Approximately sixty-six percent of the cess is provided in a number of the different centers. College’s credit hours are taught by full-time faculty. The College’s new Library/Learning Resource Center All faculty meet or exceed state-mandated minimum provides for both the expansion and consolidation of qualifications. The roles and responsibilities of faculty information and learning resources. The College peri- members are delineated in the collective bargaining odically reviews student needs and aligns its resources agreements the District has signed with United Faculty to serve students. and Adjunct Faculty United - the unions for the full- time and adjunct faculty. Those responsibilities include Financial Resources the development and review of curriculum and the The North Orange County Community College Dis- assessment of learning. A Faculty Handbook that was trict and Cypress College have a funding base that is last revised in 2004 is currently being updated. adequate for the College’s student learning programs and services, its efforts to improve institutional effec- Student Services tiveness, and its ability to maintain financial stability. Cypress College offers a wide range and variety of ser- The District reserve exceeds state-mandated minimum vices to assist students in meeting their learning and requirements. However, while the funding base is ad- developmental needs. The services are comprehensive equate, the severe cuts in state funding that have oc- and accessible to all students. Services are listed in the curred in the last few years have resulted in the reduc- College Catalog, the Schedule of Classes, the Student tions of staffing, course offerings, and student services. Handbook, and on the College website. In addition, The District and the College have worked together to all faculty are asked to refer to those services on their maintain instruction and student services despite ongo- syllabi. Students are also made aware of the available ing budget cuts. services during Orientation. Financial Accountability Admissions The North Orange County Community College Dis- Consistent with its own Mission, the mission of the trict is audited annually by an independent audit firm California Community Colleges, and Title 5 of the to ensure that it is in compliance with all regulations of California Education Code, Cypress College maintains the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Of- an open admissions policy. Eligibility to enroll at Cy- fice and the United States Department of Education. press College is open to all high school graduates, all The reports are reviewed annually by the Board of those who possess a G.E.D. certificate, all those who Trustees, and the District responds to any exceptions possess a California High School Proficiency Certifi- or findings. Similar processes are in place at the Col- cate, or those eighteen years of age or older who can lege level with college-wide budgets and special bud- profit from instruction, all those under eighteen years gets being audited annually by independent firms. The of age who can profit from instruction and who have College responds to any exceptions or findings. Neither a recommendation from his or her parent and high the District nor the College has shown an annual or school principal, or any person under eighteen years of cumulative deficit in its budgets. age not enrolled in school who can profit from instruction and has a recommendation from his or her parent and/or guardian.

36 Cypress College Institutional Planning and Evaluation also be found on the College website and in the Sched- Cypress College gives serious attention to institution- ule of Classes. al planning and evaluation (e.g., Educational Master Plan, Technology Plan). The College’s Strategic Plan Relations with the Accrediting is the primary document the campus relies upon for Commission its integrated planning processes, resource allocation, Cypress College has consistently adhered to the eli- implementation, and re-evaluation. In addition to the gibility requirements, standards, and policies of the college-wide process, specific areas undergo planning Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior and evaluation through their own review processes. Colleges. It describes itself in identical terms to all ac- Chief among those are the Departmental Planning crediting agencies, communicates any changes in its and Program Review, the Student Services Quality Re- accredited status, and agrees to disclose information view, and the Campus Support Services Quality Re- required by the Commission. The College is in full view processes. All are designed to allow the specific compliance with the Commission’s requests, directives, areas to evaluate the current state of their programs decisions, and policies. All disclosures by the College and to plan for the future. Those results are then inte- are complete, accurate, and honest. grated with the campus-wide Strategic Plan. All such reviews and plans are public and available to any who wish to examine them. Also, the College publishes an Institutional Effectiveness Report every Fall. This report is a compendium of the initiatives that the College takes to plan and evaluate its services. Beginning Fall 2009, the College introduced a Dashboard of Institu- tional Effectiveness. Fourteen parameters reported in the Dashboard provides a summary of the College’s initiatives and results in the five areas identified in the Strategic Plan.

Public Information The Cypress College catalog is available both in print and online. The catalog is reviewed annually for accuracy and currency. All information requested by the Commission is found in the catalog. Specific information is found in the following areas: 1) General Infor- mation – official name, address, telephone and website address of the College; the College Mission Statement; course, program, and degree offerings; academic calendar and program length; available student financial aid; available learning resources; names and degrees of administrators and faculty; and names of the Board of Trustees members; 2) Requirements – admissions, student fees and other obligations, degrees, certificates, graduation, and transfer; 3) Major policies affecting students – academic regulations including academic honesty, academic freedom, nondiscrimination, acceptance of transfer credits, grievance and complaint procedures, sexual harassment, refund of fees, locations or publications where other policies may be found. Abridged versions of the information requested can

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 37 Response to the Previous worked toward integrating the results of the District planning process with existing campus plans in order Team Recommendations, to create a more cohesive District-wide Strategic Plan. 2005 Additionally, the District is currently working on a Comprehensive Education and Facilities Master Plan, #1 Budget Allocation Model with completion expected 2010-2011. The team recommends that the District Chan- cellor develop and implement an evaluation of #3 Strengthen Dialogue the existing budget allocation model and make ♦ Student Learning and Institutional Effec- adjustments if appropriate to meet the needs tiveness of the entire district (Standard III.D, IV.B.3.c). The College must develop and implement a From 2004-2006, a District shared-governance com- collaborative, inclusive process that focuses mittee met to revue and evaluate its budget allocation on the continuous improvement of student model. The review resulted in significant changes in learning and institutional effectiveness (Stan- two allocations and stronger strategic connections be- dard IB.1) tween budget priorities and program priorities. Spe- The College has developed an organizational frame- cific results related to operational funding for growth work with representatives from each instructional pro- now include providing the campuses with increases in gram to guide and support the inclusion of learning supply and operation costs as the District is funded for outcomes for every course offered. Workshops on SLO growth. A Budget Allocation Committee was formed development and assessment are ongoing. Specific ac- to continue looking at new budget allocation methods. tivities for 2007-2008 have included college-wide dia- In addition, the District’s first District-wide Strategic logues held by the SLO Team to determine how to Plan will be used to guide budget decisions. move the SLO-CATs process along faster. The College established a timeline for completing the SLO assess- #2 Strategic Plan ment process for all courses, each division appointed The team recommends that the Board of at least one SLO representative to an expanded SLO Trustees and Chancellor implement a process Team, and each department created a plan for meeting to systematically develop and document stra- the 2011 College goals. In Fall 2007, the SLO Team tegic institutional goals for the district. The was expanded to include faculty representatives from goals should: provide a framework for the Col- every division, who are charged with communicating leges’ strategic planning processes; include a important information and new developments to their review of the district mission statement to en- divisions. In September 2009, a forum was scheduled to sure that the district strategic goals align with discuss the development of General Education SLOs. the mission; and be reflected in the allocation Faculty volunteered to serve on a General Education of district resources (I.A.I, I.B.4, and III.D.1). Ad Hoc Committee by divisional representation. By May 2010, the General Education & Basic Skills Pro- During 2005-2006, work began on the District Strate- gram Learning Outcomes were developed, presented gic Plan under direction of the Board of Trustees and to the College community for discussion, and approved the Chancellor. Under the guidance of the College’s by the Academic Senate. In May 2010, the SLO As- planning consultants, the first phase included groups sessment Committee was approved by the Academic conducting interviews and surveys of students, em- Senate as one of its subcommittees to review course ployees, community members, and others. Eight goals SLOs and program learning outcomes assessment and and many potential strategies and indicators/measures make recommendations for improvement. were identified around three focus areas: Innovation and Relevancy for All Learners, Intra-District and The College has employed various strategies to Community Collaboration, and Effective and Efficient strengthen dialogue about institutional effectiveness. Use of Resources. The second phase, initiated in 2006, The Office of Institutional Research and Planning established a website to provide faculty, staff, students,

38 Cypress College and members of the public with access to reports and was revised to be consistent with other college program information. Key research reports are distributed and review processes. discussed at College meetings and events. A new In- For Campus Support Services and Student Services, stitutional Effectiveness Report was developed in 2005 the benchmark was changed to a comparison of their and is published and distributed each Fall and is also prior review’s levels, and a section on SLO comple- available online from the Institutional Research web- tion was added. The review is linked with budget al- site. In Fall 2009, a Dashboard of Institutional Effec- locations through the Planning and Budget Commit- tiveness was prepared. The Dashboard (also available tee and in the actual report that requests information online) identifies the strategic initiatives of the College about budget requests. The pilot program is still being and tracks fourteen parameters that represent the Col- worked on. lege’s accomplishments in the strategic areas. ♦ Qualitative and Quantitative Data in Deci- Also, the College’s Educational Master Plan 2006-2016 sion-Making Processes and Student Services Master Plan 2007-2014 reflect collaborative, inclusive processes that identify institu- Incorporates both quantitative and qualitative tional strengths and challenges and culminate in plans information in decision-making (Standard to further strengthen institutional effectiveness. IB.2) In Spring 2009, in preparation for the configuration Cypress College uses data to inform a wide range of of TracDat, the assessment management software pur- decision-making processes. Decisions about allocations chased by the College, the Institutional Effectiveness of one-time funds are shaped by qualitative and quan- Task Force was formed to review all college planning, titative data provided to each member of the Plan- program review, and SLO assessment processes. The ning and Budget Committee and to each member of Institutional Effectiveness Plan was approved by the the Direction Committees. Beginning in Spring 2007, Academic Senate and the President’s Advisory Cabinet new criteria were included to identify how strongly the in May 2009. This document guided the revision of in- funding being requested supported the newly adopted structional, student services, campus support services, Educational Master Plan. Decisions for on-going needs and special programs program review processes that such as staff vacancies rely on a Classified Staff Needs were put into place in 2009 - 2010. Assessment to help gauge the importance of refilling a vacated classified position. Decisions regarding fac- The College also has well-established processes for ulty positions include careful consideration of a broad program review in instruction, student services, and range of qualitative and quantitative information be- campus services, which contribute to ongoing discus- fore prioritizing the positions to be filled. Starting in sions regarding institutional effectiveness. College October 2007, the Academic Senate president and two leaders have been responsive to feedback regarding additional members of the Senate Executive Commit- the relationship between program review procedures tee joined the deans and Executive Vice President in and timelines, and closely related initiatives, such as this decision-making process. Data from the Office of strategic and master planning. The Academic Senate Institutional Research and Planning and various other approved a streamlined educational program review sources inform decisions for allocating other resources process for Fall 2007 that includes clear connections such as facilities, course offerings, room utilization, and to the Educational Master Plan. In Spring 2009, in- unmet student demand for courses. This is particularly structional Department Planning and Program Review true while the College faces budget cuts and is forced (formerly IQA) was revised and approved by the Aca- to cut sections. Data as to who the cuts affect are the demic Senate to emphasize the dynamic relationship foundation for these decisions. between course and program SLO assessment and future planning, including the budgeting process. In ♦ College Mission, Practices, and Decision- Spring 2007,the College also began piloting a new re- Making Processes view process for “special programs” that are not purely Mentors all faculty and staff in the College instructional or student service programs. In Spring mission, practices, and decision-making pro- 2010, the review process for these “special programs” cesses (Standard I11A.7; I11A.3)

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 39 The College has included its Mission and Vision state- the President’s office is distributed electronically to all ments in the College catalog, the Educational Mas- campus users and is available through the College web- ter Plan, and the Student Services Master Plan. The site. Also, all shared governance committee agendas inclusion of these statements on the College website and minutes are posted to the campus J:\ drive (cam- has recently taken place. The President has also begun pus server) for all faculty and staff to be able to access. review of the Vision, Mission, and Core Values with new management and classified staff. Communication #4 Educational Master Plan has been strengthened by a more visible presence of relevant information through the Public Information The team recommends that the College im- Office and through the use of “allusers” email in order mediately address the need to develop and im- to inform the entire campus community on important plement a comprehensive planning process. topics. In doing so, the College must rely on the Col- lege mission and vision to develop a long-term The College has increased opportunities for faculty educational master plan to guide short-term to effectively participate in the development, shaping and long-term decision-making including re- and approval of College policy through an increase source allocations. This master plan must be in available reassigned time. In addition, a task force developed collaboratively by College person- developed in Fall 2006 recommended significant in- nel and used as the foundational document creases in reassigned time available to department co- for all other components of a comprehensive ordinators. Changes in decision-making processes in- planning process, such as annual operational clude implementation in Fall 2007 of the inclusion of plans, technology plans, and facilities plans. three Academic Senate representatives as members of All components of this comprehensive plan- the Joint Committee on Full-Time Faculty Positions to ning process must incorporate standardized consider and prioritize requests from the instructional data, contain measurable outcomes, and be programs for full-time faculty positions. widely disseminated. Once the comprehensive The College’s commitment to inclusiveness is evident planning process is implemented, the process in the shared-governance committees which include must be periodically evaluated to facilitate a membership from administration, faculty, classified cycle of continued improvement (Standards staff, and students; specifically, Diversity Committee, IA.4, IB., IIA.2f, IIB.4, IIC.2, IIIA.6, IIIB., Matriculation Advisory, Planning and Budget, Presi- IIIC.2, IIID.1a, IIID.3, IVB.2b, Eligibility Re- dent’s Advisory Cabinet, Staff Development, Student quirement 19). Equity Planning, Basic Skills, Enrollment Manage- The Educational Master Plan (EMP) adopted by the ment, and Campus Technology. College in September 2006 is now the foundational ♦ Clear and Effective Communication Path document for College planning. Utilizing cyclical planning processes, the College evaluates curriculum Provides a clear and effective communication instructional quality and overall institutional effective- path for faculty and staff so they know how to ness using the EMP as a guide. The College established advance needs that maintain and/or enhance a multiyear calendar of major planning activities that students’ learning environment (Standards is anchored by the six-year accreditation cycle. To I11C;I11D; IVA) capitalize on the work and vision set forth in the EMP, In order to assure that the campus constituencies stay the College engaged in various strategies to weave the informed regarding discussions and decision-making EMP into strategic planning, decision making, and re- taking place in shared-governance meetings, it was de- source allocation processes. Additional relevant devel- cided that each committee conduct an orientation at opments include a new Student Services Master Plan the beginning of the year. Included in this orientation (2007-2014) and Technology Plan developed in 2008. would be a focus upon the responsibility of constituent representatives to speak up during committee discussions and to share information in a timely manner with the groups they represent. A weekly newsletter from

40 Cypress College #5 Evaluate, plan, and improve: The campus has used an inclusive, faculty-led dialogue Technology process to explore and consider various approaches and select the most appropriate approach for the cam- The team recommends that the College rely on pus. The dialogue group decided to start by establish- the educational master plan described in Rec- ing learning outcomes at the institution level and draft ommendation #4 to collaboratively develop a a set of institutional learning outcomes (ILOs). An comprehensive technology plan that addresses SLO Team was created that initially consisted of three all components of technology resources iden- members: the Staff Development Coordinator, a Psy- tified in Standards IIIC.1 and IIIC.2: chology Department faculty member, and the Direc- Academic computing needs, tor of Institutional Research. In 2005-2006, the SLO Administrative computing needs, Team expanded to include a new SLO Trainer position with responsibilities to design and implement staff Training for faculty and staff, development workshops for faculty and staff to help Equipment maintenance, and them learn about SLOs, including how to write measurable student learning outcomes at the course and/ Equipment replacement. or program level and how to develop a plan for assess- In October 2007, the Academic Computing staff pre- ing SLOs. By Fall 2006, the SLO Faculty Assessment sented a draft Technology Plan to the Campus Tech- Facilitator position was added to design and imple- nology Committee (CTC) to begin a process of review, ment workshops to help faculty, managers, and clas- comment, and feedback. The primary objective was to sified staff. A significant milestone for the College was synchronize the Technology Plan with the Educational the establishment of a Faculty SLO Coordinator posi- Master Plan by looking five years into the future at the tion in Spring 2007. Once faculty members in so many campus technology needs. Specific issues are Academ- departments had developed skills in determining and ic and Administrative Computing Needs, Training for assessing SLOs, there was the potential to apply them Faculty and Staff, and Equipment Maintenance and readily to other courses. As of October 2010, faculty Replacement. The Technology Plan was reviewed by members have defined SLOs for 85% of the courses, the College’s constituency groups, including the Aca- defined assessment methods for 82%, and closed the demic Senate, in August 2008, revisions approved by loop on 48% of all the courses. the Campus Technology Committee on November 11, 2008, and approved by the Planning and Budget Com- Instructional Programs: Recent mittee and President’s Advisory Cabinet on November Progress and Plans for the Future 20, 2008. The SLO Team held a series of college-wide dialogues in September 2007 to determine how to move #6 Identify and assess student learning the SLO-CATs process along faster. Each division was outcomes across the campus represented by at least one instructor with represen- The College needs to implement and expand tatives of individual departments also attending. The its strategic plan related to student learning specific timeline established through the dialogues and outcomes. These outcomes must be developed approved by the Academic Senate is as follows: and assessed for Year Write SLOs Complete the loop Instructional programs at the course, pro- 2007-2008 25% of courses 10% gram, degree and certificate levels (Standard IIA.2a, IIA.2e, IIA.2f, IIA.2i, Eligibility Re- 2008-2009 50% of courses 25% quirements 10, 11), 2009-2010 75% of courses 37% Student services provided throughout stu- 2010-2011 100% of courses 50% dents’ matriculation at the College, (Standard IIB), and Campus support services (Standard It is important to note that the 2007 timeline was de- IIC.2, IIIB, and IIC.a). veloped before the College was informed by ACCJC of

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 41 the Spring 2012 deadline for achieving the proficiency In Fall 2009, SLO assessment was integrated into the level for SLO process. Since then the SLO committee College’s quality review process for Student Services, has communicated to the faculty the need to expedite and in Fall 2009, Student Services program SLO as- the process. sessment results were entered into TracDat. Another important development to grow out of the Fall 2007 dialogue was the establishment of an Ex- Campus Support Services panded SLO Team with representatives from each The College distinguishes campus services from in- division meeting regularly each semester to monitor structional and student service programs based upon division and College progress and address emerging function and the areas served. Specifically, there are challenges. The Expanded SLO Team explored ways nine campus services: Academic Computing, Book- to improve campus-wide communication about SLOs store, Bursar’s Office, Institutional Research, Mainte- and reviewed and evaluated various commercial soft- nance and Operations, Staff Development, Produc- ware packages and other tools that are designed to al- tion Center, and Public Information. The College has leviate the cumbersome task of tracking progress on an established process and cycle of program review SLOs. In Fall 2008, after a careful review, the College for campus support services with clear links to plan- selected and purchased TracDat as the assessment ning and budgeting. One part of the process includes management software for housing course SLOs and surveying client satisfaction. The most recent Student program learning outcomes, assessment plans and re- Services Quality Review (SSQR) used a College stan- ports, instructional departmental plans and reviews, dard of 75% of survey respondents saying they were and other College quality reviews. Configuration of satisfied or very satisfied with different areas of service. TracDat occurred in Spring and Fall of 2009. Train- As almost all programs had more than 75% of respon- ing faculty to input course SLO data into TracDat oc- dents satisfied with their service, a higher benchmark curred in Spring 2010. In Spring 2011, the College will was discussed. This may be implemented in the next be providing training on how to assess and enter data Student Services Quality Review cycle. This discussion for individual program learning outcomes and GE & did lead to a change in the Campus Support Services Basic Skills PLOs developed in Spring 2010. As faculty Quality Review (CSSQR) template in which these sat- and program managers review program and course isfaction ratings were compared to the satisfaction rat- SLO assessment results on a regular cycle, they will be ings from the prior CSS program review cycle rather able to update the results of continuing SLO assess- than a standard benchmark. ment and program review on TracDat and write new plans for improvement. Managers and staff in each of the areas review the results and complete a quality review report. Summaries of these reports are included in the annual Institutional Student Services Effectiveness Report so that others on campus may see In November 2006, the Student Services Council ad- and understand the current goals of campus service opted the Nichols and Nichols Model for the develop- programs. Campus services are on a three-year cycle ment of Student Services Student Learning Outcomes and were reviewed again in Spring 2010. The College through assessment of conditions that enhance educa- will be integrating administrative learning outcomes tion effectiveness (known on campus as the “five col- (AUOs) into the existing program review process for umn model”). By May 2007, all 18 student services campus services in Fall 2010. programs had established SLOs and assessment plans under the facilitation of the Dean of Student Sup- port Services. Early in Fall 2007, each program had completed all five columns for the 2006-2007 SLO cycle. Like their colleagues in instruction, student services staff are still developing the knowledge and skills needed to establish meaningful SLOs, assess them, and close the loop. They have dedicated Student Services Council meetings as workshops to help in these areas.

42 Cypress College Response to College- 2. The College will strengthen the linkages of planning activities to all relevant committees, Identified Planning Agenda constituencies, Departments, Divisions and Items services. The College will develop a means of ensuring greater participant rotation on the Mission Direction Committees under the Strategic Plan in order assure greater involvement of 1. The Mission Statement will be communi- the entire campus community. cated more clearly to the entire campus community. Planning is a regular agenda item for the Planning and Budget Committee (PBC) and for President’s Advisory 2. The College’s Mission Statement will be in- Cabinet. Each year, the chair of PBC offers to attend cluded in the Curriculum Committee Hand- division meetings to answer questions. Planning has book and Course Development section to pro- been re-organized into the Institutional Research and vide guidance for those offering curricular Planning Office, which has resulted in more attention revisions. on evidence-based decision making. The College has included its Mission and Vision state- Increasing Direction Committee rotation has been dif- ments in the College catalog, the Educational Master ficult. Interest and response from potential new par- Plan, and the Student Services Master Plan. The Col- ticipants has not been significant. However, representa- lege Mission Statement is also included on the homep- tion includes a cross section of all constituency groups, age of CurricUNET — the College’s curriculum de- and Direction 1 now allows for balanced representa- velopment software — to provide guidelines for those tion from all instructional divisions. offering curricular revisions. The President has also initiated review of the Vision, Mission, and Core Val- 3. The College will communicate to all con- ues with new management and classified staff during stituencies’ student success data along with their orientation process. Communication has been an explanation of how it is collected and how strengthened through the use of “allusers” email in or- it might be used. During that process, faculty der to inform the entire campus community on impor- will be assured that any negative data on stu- tant topics. dent success and/or retention relating to their courses does not pose a threat to them individually but will be used as an opportunity for Institutional Effectiveness growth and improvement. 1. The College will increase efforts to engage a The Director of Institutional Research and Planning greater number and broader spectrum of par- worked with the faculty chair of the Program Review ticipants in the dialogue process. Participants Committee (formerly IQA) and the Staff Development will be encouraged to more effectively serve as Coordinator to develop and deliver training workshops conduits of information to their constituency for faculty regarding a revised instructional program groups. review process that included additional measures of The agendas and minutes from the campus shared program efficacy such as trends in success and reten- governance committees as well as District Planning tion rates, enrollment, FTES, efficiency, and awards at Council and Board of Trustees meetings are posted the course and department level. The Director of Insti- to the College’s J:drive. At the beginning of each year, tutional Research and Planning explained that the pur- committee chairs review the responsibilities each mem- pose of cyclical program review is to help gauge overall ber has to communicate with the constituency group program and institutional effectiveness, and that this he or she represents. The College works to promote review must include quantitative and qualitative mea- broad campus participation in campus initiatives via sures considered within an appropriate context. “allusers” emails, campus presentations, and commit- 4. The College will develop better mechanisms tee members serving as conduits of information to for the distribution of statistical data and re- their constituency groups. ports from the Office of Institutional Research

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 43 to reach a broader audience within the cam- all staff. pus community. Such a process should include By May 2004, the College had established institutional the improved sharing of research data and re- learning outcomes (ILOs), and faculty had completed ports among committees and various constitu- an intensive ILO-course mapping project. As much of encies. the literature and regional discussions centered on the The Office of Institutional Research and Planning concept of Student Learning Outcomes rather than established an office website to provide faculty, staff, ILOs, many questions remained among faculty regard- students, and members of the public easy access to rel- ing the distinction between the two terms, how to as- evant reports and information. The office prepares and sess them, and how to use them for improvement. distributes an Institutional Research Bulletin each se- The original SLO Team first established following the mester, which is distributed to the College via “allusers” last accreditation site visit has since expanded to include email, and a comprehensive Institutional Effectiveness an SLO Trainer, now known as the SLO Faculty As- Report is now published and distributed widely each sessment Facilitator, and the SLO Coordinator. These Fall to the campus Leadership Team (approximately efforts have provided broader participation among the 60 members of faculty, classified staff, and managers) faculty, the establishment of SLOs, the resolve of the and is also available online from the Institutional Re- Academic Senate to accelerate the pace by which new search website. In the years that Institutional Research SLOs are established and assessed, and new communi- conducts the Campus Climate Survey and the Student cation tools related to SLOs. Satisfaction Survey, they also bring the reports to several committees and post them on the website. As a result of these efforts, the GE & Basic Skills PLOs were established in accordance with the College ILOs 5. The College will improve the dissemination in the Spring of 2010 by a committee represented of research to the surrounding community. by all instructional divisions. The SLO Team is cur- Such information will make greater usage of rently developing plans to assess the GE & Basic Skills the College’s “success” statistics and data. PLOs based on course-level SLO assessments which Since 2005, the College’s Public Information Office has will involve pilot projects and further faculty collabo- made an effort at broader dissemination of research rations. The campus continues to communicate the featuring the College’s success statistics and data. The importance of SLOs through meetings and dialogues. @Cypress newsletter is published weekly during the An Expanded SLO Team, with faculty representatives Fall and Spring semesters and features information on from every division, is also exploring ways to improve various areas of success across campus. It is also a pri- campus-wide communication. mary communication vehicle between the College and 1. The College will increase its offerings of the media and is utilized to share campus information Staff Development programs designed to en- with members of various boards and committees, both hance student learning. within the District and throughout the community. An- nually, the President of Cypress College presents the Since Spring 2004, the Staff Development Office has End of the Year Report and the Institutional Effective- increased the number of workshops, seminars, and ness Report to the Board of Trustees. semester-length programs designed to facilitate the use of delivery modes and teaching methodologies that reflect the diverse needs and learning styles of its stu- Instructional Programs dents. The Staff Development Office has continued to The College will continue its focus on the un- offer a Learning Centered Instruction Workshop Series derstanding and development of Institution- as part of the New Faculty Seminar including learn- al Learning Outcomes and Student Learning ing and teaching styles, learning strategies and brain- Outcomes and delineate the relationship be- based research, and working with learning disabled tween the two. The College will develop and as- students. The Hybrid/Online Training Program was sess Student Learning Outcomes for all cours- offered one Spring and every Fall from Spring 2004 es and programs. The College will convey the through Fall 2007 (the end of the 2003 - 2008 Title V importance of Student Learning Outcomes to Grant). Since the last self-study, the College has had

44 Cypress College two Opening Day speakers, one who presented mul- missing cases and important omissions (e.g., students tiple workshops on improving student learning using who are self-employed and those who join military ser- recent brain research and another who gave a keynote vice). They also do not provide sufficient information address on generational differences of both students to allow researchers to discern whether the student and staff. The Staff Development Office has offered is employed in the same field studied at Cypress Col- four additional semester-long faculty development pro- lege. However, the College has developed the means to grams to provide intensive training in creating learn- track and survey students in the Mortuary Science and ing communities and using technology to enhance Health Information Technology Programs about their instruction: Learning Community Development Pro- employment after college. gram, Instructional Web Training Program, TechCafe, With respect to improvement in success rates of stu- and Student Learning Outcomes/College Assessment dents enrolled in basic skills courses, the College has Techniques workshops. Workshops on using the my- engaged in a number of efforts. Statistics regarding Gateway Course Studio allowed faculty to put instruc- success rates in basic skills courses and student progress tional materials online and to create online student dia- through basic skills course sequences are published and logues. In Spring 2010, workshops on inputting course reviewed on a regular basis and included in the IER. SLOs, assessment plans and results, and creating plans The College also recently established a Basic Skills for improvement in TracDat were offered. Committee, which is engaged in a detailed assessment 2. The College will continue its efforts to both of existing college programs and resources that sup- track and improve its measurements of stu- port basic skills or developmental education. dent success. Specifically, the College will ex- 3. The College in concert with the other Dis- amine methods to track the employment rates trict entities will complete the development of graduated students and will work to im- of the Program Discontinuance and Academic prove its transfer rates, to increase the num- Freedom Policies. ber of degrees and certificates awarded and to raise its success rates in Basic Skills courses. A draft document of a District Program Discontinu- ance Policy was developed by a joint subcommittee of The Office of Institutional Research and Planning has the academic senates of the District but was not ad- helped to expand and improve the set of core measure- opted. Discussions continue at the District Planning ments of student success by identifying and monitoring Council and the Chancellor’s Cabinet. At the campus additional measures of student success and institutional level, in 2006-2007, the Academic Senate President effectiveness. A key tool for reporting and monitoring and Executive Vice President initiated discussions re- how well Cypress College is fulfilling its mission is the garding Program Discontinuance. Institutional Effectiveness Report (IER). Cypress Col- lege awards associate degrees in approximately 30 ar- The Chancellor and the Academic Senate Presidents eas. Most degrees are earned in Liberal Arts and Gen- met in September 2007 to work on the policy for Ac- eral Studies and certificates in 25 areas. Most students ademic Freedom. In February 2008, both the Board who transfer from Cypress College to a CSU or UC Policy and Administrative Procedure 4030, Academic campus choose to remain within the greater metropoli- Freedom, were adopted by the Board of Trustees. tan Los Angeles area with the vast majority transferring to a CSU campus; and approximately 80% of the Student Support Services College’s students who transfer to CSU attend either 1. The College will provide ongoing staff de- CSU Fullerton or Long Beach. The numbers of stu- velopment opportunities regarding the cam- dents who transferred to the University of California pus based student service programs. have remained stable over time. Most of these students transfer to UC Irvine or UCLA. Student Support Services coordinates workshops and training throughout the year, which are open to all fac- Tracking employment rates for all graduate students ulty, staff, and students. On an ongoing basis, Student has turned out to be an unrealistic and unfeasible goal. Support Services staff regularly visit classrooms, staff The available data are fragmented and fraught with information booths, and visit off-campus sites to gather

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 45 information and to collaborate with others. its website. The new curriculum software system, Cur- ricUNET, requires faculty to consult with a librarian 2. The College’s commitment to serving its during the curriculum development process to ensure students will be enhanced through providing that adequate library materials exist. Also, a librarian supplementary employee training programs serves on the Curriculum Committee, the SLO com- and, when economically feasible, increasing mittee as well as the Learning Communities Advisory the number of employees. Team. At the end of each fiscal year, the Library pub- Student services staff members participate in activities lishes an annual report that details the Library’s hold- offered throughout the year, participate in quarterly di- ings and other pertinent statistical data. In addition to vision staff meetings, and are encouraged to attend all circulating and reference materials, the Library has staff development programs offered on campus. In ad- worked with faculty to increase the number of text- dition, staff participate in the Student Support Servic- books placed on reserve to increase student access to es Outreach Advisory Team, the Student Ambassador course material. The Library currently has 1,954 text- Program, and the Guardian Scholars Advisory Team. books associated with current courses as well as ma- Since Spring 2005, four additional positions have been terials put on reserve by instructors for supplemental added to the student support services area; three in fi- reading or viewing. nancial aid and one in EOPS. 2. The Library will continue to increase the 3. The College will continue to monitor the size of its print and data base collections as matriculation process to insure equal access, the budget permits. opportunity, and success for all students. The Library added approximately 3,000 public domain The College has made significant progress during titles to its electronic book collection. The Library also the current accreditation cycle to continue to ensure purchased 12 electronic reference titles and four ad- equal access, opportunity, and success for all students ditional databases, which are all available through the by assisting them in the completion of their college online catalog. courses, persistence to the next academic term, and achievement of their educational objectives through 3. The Library will increase its outreach/ all components of the matriculation process: admis- marketing efforts regarding Library services, sions, orientation, assessment, counseling/advisement, materials and databases. Particular attention and student follow-up. To ensure continued progress in should be paid to groups such as Disabled Stu- monitoring the matriculation process for all students, dents Programs and Services, Extended Op- the College developed and implemented ten matricu- portunity Programs and Services and the As- lation-related strategies and activities since the last ac- sociated Students. creditation site visit. A new Instruction Outreach Librarian was hired in early Fall 2007. The Library’s website is being rede- Library and Learning Support Services signed to make it simpler for users. The Library offers tours and orientations to students in DSPS and EOPS. 1. Librarians will increase their periodic dis- The Library anticipates hiring a new Access Services cussions with the faculty at-large, and the Cur- Reference Librarian who will increase the outreach riculum Committee in particular, regarding and marketing efforts even more. information competency, the measurement of student learning outcomes, the status of Li- brary holdings, and the method by which fac- Human Resources ulty can request the purchase of library mate- 1. The College will recommend that the Dis- rials. trict negotiate changes with the two faculty Librarians have increased discussions with faculty by unions so that effectiveness in achieving Stu- attending department and division meetings, organiz- dent Learning Outcomes becomes a compo- ing activities, and communicating with faculty via fly- nent of faculty evaluation. ers and email. The Library also posts information on While the College has identified methods to evaluate

46 Cypress College programs based on their effectiveness in achieving Stu- to this obligation was decreased, the impact upon the dent Learning Outcomes, it has relatively little influ- College was minimized due to the realities of the en- ence over pursuing the effectiveness in achieving Stu- rollment situation. During this period and including dent Learning Outcomes as a component of individual the 2007-2008 academic year, the College has moni- faculty evaluation, as this is an item subject to negotia- tored and reviewed staffing requests on a regular basis. tion. The campus did communicate with the District’s Full-time faculty position requests are solicited and re- Vice Chancellor of Human Resources regarding this viewed in a regular process, with the integrity of Col- Planning Agenda item. lege programs as the primary consideration in making the allocation decisions. Unfortunately, it is difficult to 2. The College will develop a written code of identify a way to measure the impact of a reduced Full ethics for non-instructional personnel. Time Faculty Obligation to the College. In Spring 2010, the Board adopted Institutional Code of Ethics BP/AP 3050, which states that the North 5. The College will continue its efforts to hire Orange County Community College District upholds personnel of diverse backgrounds. a written code of professional ethics for all of its per- The District’s Office of Human Resources coordinates sonnel. The comprehensive language of this Board- recruiting efforts for the College by sending all position approved policy establishes standards of ethical con- flyers to a comprehensive distribution list. All vacancies duct that apply to and encompass all District employee are also posted to the District’s website, and manage- groups. ment and full-time faculty vacancies are advertised in various diversity publications. In addition, managers 3. The College will continue to assess staffing distribute information through their professional orga- needs and increase its personnel when budget- nizations, and the District uses other resources to ad- ary conditions permit. vertise certain disciplines. Beginning in Fall 2007, the College initiated a full-time faculty position allocation process agreed upon by Col- lege administration and the Academic Senate that in- Physical Resources cludes the deans and Academic Senate representatives. 1. The College will investigate the adoption of The Joint Committee on Faculty Positions reviews all a centralized scheduling plan for classroom full-time faculty position needs and requests and works utilization. by consensus to prioritize those requests. In March Subsequent to both campuses’ and School of Continu- 2006, the campus finalized a Classified Staff Needs As- ing Education’s representatives reviewing live demon- sessment, which resulted in a prioritized list of posi- strations of a software package that would allow for tion needs identified from across the campus. Funding centralized scheduling for both instructional and non- was identified to add a total of 12 new classified posi- instructional use as well as creation of a master cal- tions since Spring 2005. However, budget reductions endar, the District Information Services Department to state funded categorical programs resulted in a lack agreed to purchase the software. of funds to cover several positions in 2009-2010. The College absorbed those positions using vacancies in the 2. The College will develop a plan to proactive- general fund budget, thereby creating a net growth of ly and systematically replace and repair major 4 positions since 2006 and averting any potential lay- equipment. offs or furloughs. The College has developed a replacement plan for in- 4. The College will monitor the impact of the frastructure equipment on campus that is not covered reduced Full Time Faculty Obligation on its in the State Capital Outlay, local bond fund, or State staffing levels. Scheduled Maintenance programs. This includes items such as air handlers, air compressors, and water heat- When the District entered into negotiations with the ers. In addition to this, a replacement plan for the cam- state over the full-time faculty obligation, Cypress Col- pus fleet vehicles and maintenance/grounds/custodial lege was in the beginning stages of a period of declin- equipment has been developed. These plans were pre- ing enrollment. Though the District number relative sented to the Planning and Budget Committee in Fall

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 47 2010 with anticipated completion Spring 2011. the Educational Master Plan, the Strategic Plan, and The College is also evaluating how to develop an equip- the Technology Plan. Ongoing funding for software ment replacement plan for significant instructional and systems maintenance has also been adequate. equipment and the development of funding strategies Looking into the future, it is clear that increased tech- for all of these plans. nology needs also require increased hardware, software, and additional personnel resources. With the increasing pressure to have technology services avail- Technology Resources able 24 hours a day, the future demand for resources to 1. The College and the Office of Academic provide that service will only increase. Computing and Media Services will work with District Information Technology personnel Financial Resources to ensure the integration of the Banner and 1. The College will request an increased cash Blackboard systems. allocation from the District when the budget The integration of the Banner and Blackboard systems permits. was completed in August 2007. The Cypress College Vice President of Administra- 2. The Office of Academic Computing and Me- tive Services works closely with the budget officers of dia Services will offer more training to faculty both Fullerton College and the School of Continuing and staff. In order to accomplish this, consid- Education to formulate recommendations to the Dis- eration will be given to the hiring of additional trict Vice Chancellor of Finance and Facilities on how personnel when the budget permits. to make allocations of new ongoing or one-time funds Training has been offered for a number of years in the for NOCCCD. For a period of nearly two years, pre- areas of email (basic and advanced) and Web Develop- sentations were made to the District Planning Council ment (basic and advanced). The Strategic Plan outlines (DPC) on four different funding modifications to the twelve training sessions per year with some being ac- District’s allocation model: 1) Growth Beyond Ex- complished each semester. However, since faculty and tended Day, 2) Operating Allocation, 3) New Facili- staff have received the initial training for supported ties Budget Allocation, and 4) Partnership for Excel- software products, formal classes are no longer neces- lence Allocation. Consensus was reached to support sary. Since new employees receive personal training, options 1 and 4. At the last meeting of the District Academic Computing has elected to extend an of- Planning Council in Spring 2006, the Vice Chancel- fer for additional training to individuals and smaller lor of Finance and Facilities distributed an analysis of groups within their offices. These sessions are shorter in the current District funding model. Because this was length, hands on in a familiar place, personal to those at the end of the school year, there was little time for asking a question to include other faculty and staff in discussion about the model, and by the Fall of 2007, and around the same office area, and set up around the idea of further examination of the current alloca- the customer’s schedule. For the Academic Comput- tion model was raised again. A work group was formed ing staff conducting these sessions, this process serves comprised of campus Budget Officers, campus Re- to educate them in the unique business needs of that search Directors, and the primary campus Instruction department and/or division. Additionally, that one Offices to conduct further analysis and comparison to question being answered initiates several other ques- other multi-college district models. In Spring 2007, a tions and the process ends with several people becom- recommendation was approved by DPC to approve ing more adept using the tools at hand and better able allocations to cover late retroactive salary settlements to help one another should the need arise. for positions that were funded through categorical programs. In addition, DPC approved a recommendation 3. The College will ensure that the campus net- to allocate one-time resources for Facilities, Equipment work and systems receive continued funding Technology, and Infrastructure from funds available in to keep pace with technological changes. 2006-2007. One-time funding each year has been adequate to sup- 2. The District will provide a more thorough port the hardware needs of the campus as outlined by

48 Cypress College orientation and training for all personnel, es- committees that include opportunities for student rep- pecially with respect to financial matters. resentation. All Associated Students Council members are required to serve on at least two campus commit- The District Information Services department provides tees. In March 2008, a three-day campus-wide collo- Banner Navigation and Purchase Requisition train- quium on strategic planning was held, and six current ing to all personnel who need to update their Banner students participated in this event. technology and skills. The campus Business Office also provides group or individual supplemental training to campus personnel who need more thorough review. Board and Administrative Organization 1. The College will request that the Board of Decision-Making Roles and Processes Trustees and the District continue the process of utilizing Strategic Conversations and con- 1. The College will promote orientations and sider variety in the format. The College will training about the various shared governance also request that the Board of Trustees and the processes. District also continue to develop other strate- Each of the constituencies is represented on the vari- gies to receive and encourage input from con- ous shared-governance committees of the College. stituent groups. Each constituent group representative is charged with Since Spring 2005, the Board of Trustees has hosted the responsibility of informing its representatives on one “Strategic Conversation” each year. The Strategic these bodies of the duties and obligations assumed by Conversations remain the primary vehicle for all Dis- virtue of their participation. In addition, each shared trict employees and students to speak informally one- governance committee begins the academic year by on-one or at least in a group discussion with Trustees. reviewing purpose, mission, duties, and responsibili- With the participation of Cypress College faculty and ties of the members. Emphasis is placed on the need administrators in Strategic Conversations, issues of im- for participants in the shared-governance processes portance to this campus have been brought to the at- of the College to inform their constituent group and tention of Trustees. In addition, starting 2009 - 2010, to provide input and feedback from that group to the the Chancellor and Trustees have conducted a “Coffee committee. Each Fall, orientations are scheduled for with the Chancellor” at each campus in order to share the Direction Committee Chairs, and they in turn con- ideas and ask questions. duct orientations for members of their committees. In addition to these sessions, both the Vice President of 2. The College will regularly review and evalu- Administrative Services and the Director of Research ate the administrative structure to determine and Planning make themselves available to attend divi- its effectiveness and efficiency. sion meetings to discuss the annual One-Time Fund- In 2004 and 2005, a reorganization task force was ing Budget Request processes. Several avenues are formed, chaired by the Executive Vice President, used to share information about shared governance: which made recommendations to the President’s Ad- publication of the “Cypress College Shared Gover- visory Cabinet. The recommendations were to hire a nance Process Committees and Task Forces,” a data- Dean of Library and Learning Resources and to adjust base maintained by the Staff Development Office that several of the responsibilities under the Dean of Coun- tracks people serving on each committee, new faculty seling and Student Development and the Dean of Stu- and classified orientations, and campus forums. dent Services. In light of four positions being filled by 2. The College will make greater efforts to in- interim managers as of July 1, 2007, a new task force volve students in shared governance process- was convened in Fall 2007 to review the management es. Students will be made aware of both the structure and provide recommendations to the Presi- existence of opportunities and the procedures dent before the end of the Fall semester. The task force of getting involved. recommended to change the Vice President position to a Vice President of Administrative Services, change The President’s Office provides the Associated Stu- the Director of Research position to a Director of Re- dents Council with a list of campus shared-governance

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 49 search and Planning, and then reduce the ranking of it can be used to expand a College program into the the Director of Budget and Finance allowing for the Anaheim facility. new Vice President position to assume primary responsibility for budget and finance. The proposed reorganization was shared in several different ways including an open meeting of the task force allowing the campus to ask questions about the proposal, and discussions at the Deans and Directors Meeting, Planning and Budget, and President’s Advisory Cabinet. Time was allowed for the constituency groups to gather input and report back to the shared-governance committees. 3. The College will provide a more thorough orientation and training for all personnel, including specific attention to financial and collective bargaining matters. Finance-related training has been provided by the Vice President of Administrative Services and/or staff from the campus Business Office in small groups or one- on-one to new staff members or to areas identified as needing a refresher course on budget processes. Dis- trict Office of Human Resources staff members have provided managers and deans with training on contract revisions due to the collective bargaining process. The Staff Development Office provided leadership in the development of a Classified Staff Resource Guide to be a useful resource tool for managers and classified staff. 4. The College will encourage the Board of Trustees to give careful consideration to academic concerns when renting out space at the Anaheim Campus and to be particularly alert that such actions not impact negatively the instructional programs of the campuses. Outside vendors have shown an interest in leasing space at the Anaheim Campus. Information regarding vendors and the programs they are interested in offering are discussed in Chancellor’s Staff meetings. All of the information regarding the vendor is then shared and discussed with the appropriate dean and faculty at the campus level. If it is determined that leasing space to a vendor will negatively impact a College program, the College President will present this information to the Chancellor with the rationale and justification of why the College does not support such a lease agreement. Vendors have been turned away as a result of this process. When vacancies occur, the College is also given an opportunity to review the space and see if

50 Cypress College 1 Person Title of Responsible Board Shared Governance Committees Vice Chancellor – Finance & Facilities, Vice President, Budget Director Vice Chancellor – Human Resources, Executive Vice President, Vice Presidents P – Primary S - Secondary Responsibility P - District S - College P - District P - College P – District S - College P- District S - College Functional Map Description Administrative Services The board defines the vision of district, serves as a liais on between the district and community, approves annual budgets set s policies, among other responsibilities. The Board takes input from severa l constituent groups on campus, such as the Academic Senate, Budget & Planning Committees, and the Shared Governance Committees. The Board also invites comments from general public. responsible for implementation of the vision and mission set by Board of Trustees. campus and is responsible for leading the College to achieve it s vision mission. Budget is developed under the leadership of Vice Chancellor – F inance & Facilities in consultation with campuses. The campus participat ion comes via its Planning and Budget Committee. The District C ommittee also provides input to the process. policies and practices are in compliance with federal state nondiscrimination and equal opportunity statutes regulati ons; processing and responding to complaints related discriminati on sexual harassment; negotiations; administrative hearings, grie vance and discipline procedures; provision of interpretation and guidance to administrators, others in areas of negotiated agreements, boar d policies and procedures. Additionally, Human Resources oversee benefits. Function Policy & Regulations - Board of Trustees ChancellorPresident/Provost The Chancellor is the Chief Executive Officer of District and The President/Provost is the Chief Executive Officer of respective Budget Development Human Resources Vice Chancellor - Human Resources is responsible for ensuring personnel Version2.FC rev

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 51 2 Person Title of Responsible Vice Chancellor - Finance & Facilities, Vice President, Budget Director, Managers Chancellor, Executive Vice President, Vice President, District Director – Equity & Diversity Vice Presidents, Directors Executive Vice President, Vice Presidents, Deans, Budget Director Chancellor, Presidents, Executive Directors P – Primary S - Secondary Responsibility P – District S - College P – District S - College P – College P - District P – College S - District P - College P - District Functional Map Description administration, risk management and fund disbursement. Alt hough funds are disbursed from the district office, approval process st arts campuses. various community resources to promote equity and diversity, m onitor programs and activities to ensure compliance with state fe deral laws, conduct in-service training for administration, faculty and sta ff regarding hiring procedures, equal employment opportunity, prevention of unlawful discrimination and sexual harassment in the academic setting/w ork environment. the students, faculty, and staff. The purpose of the Grants Procurement is to identify grant opportunities, develop the application, monitor use of grant dollars (if alloc ated) and submit final reports. with the objective of raising funds that can be used for Colle ge activities. In addition to the college efforts, district is also engagi ng in fund-raising activities. Function Business Services Business services are responsible for accounting, purchasing, budget Equity & Diversity The Office of Equity & Diversity strives to maintain relationships with Campus Safety Each campus is independently responsible to ensure a safe environment for Grants Foundation Foundation fosters relationship among the communities and college Version2.FC rev

52 Cypress College 3 Person Title of Responsible Directors District Director – Public Affairs, Campus Public Information Officers Chancellor, Executive Vice President/ Vice President, Deans, Academic Senate President Executive Vice President, Vice President, Deans, DE Coordinators P – Primary S - Secondary Responsibility P - College P - College Vice President, P- District P - College P – College S - District a Functional Map Description Instructional Services The purpose of IR & P is to provide information the campus on contextual issues based on data driven research; to conduct st udies effectiveness of campus activities with respect to student succ ess and learning and to promote a culture of evidence. The research out comes are used to drive planning agenda and discussions. The District Public Affairs Office is responsible for coordinat ing the District’s legislative advocacy efforts and special District pr ojects (such as the Green Planning Team); District communications with employee s, news media, and the community; District’s public relations a nd marketing initiatives. The Campus Public Information Offices are responsi ble for their individual campus communications with employees, students, news media, and the community, their campus public relations market ing initiatives. The District Public Affairs Director and Campus P ublic Information Officers meet on a regular basis to plan collaborat ive communications, public relations, and marketing initiatives, a nd to keep each other informed of their individual initiatives. President of the Academic Senate is responsible for curriculum development, delivery of instruction, and assessment student learning outcomes. Preparation of class schedule and maintenance cat alog are primary responsibilities of Instructional Services. Under the l eadership Executive Vice President/Vice President, the instructional dea ns ensure planning, development, and delivery of instructional services. Although a part of Instructional Services, Distance Education ( DE) merits special functional definition as it is one of the fast emergi ng areas. DE develops, offers and evaluates online hybrid courses. DE c ollaborates closely with the Academic Computing and Media Services to ensur e availability of appropriate digital infrastructure that facilit ates student learning. Function Institutional Research & Planning Public Affairs/ Information Instructional Services Distance Education Version2.FC rev

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 53 4 Person Title of Responsible President, Vice President, Deans, Managers, Faculty Coordinators Deans, DE Coordinators President, Vice Presidents, Deans – A & R Budget Director, Managers P – Primary S - Secondary Responsibility P - College Executive Vice P - Colleges Executive Vice P - College Vice President, Student Services Functional Map Description closely with the Academic Computing and Media Services to ensur e availability of appropriate digital infrastructure that facilit ates student learning. The Admissions and Records Office is responsible for the admiss ion registration processes, reporting enrollment and attendance dat a, ensuring the accuracy and maintenance of student records. The bursar’s office provides all students with financial servic es related to their educational experience and other support services for cam pus programs and clubs. CARE program assists single parents receiving Temporary Aid t o Needy Families (TANF) to increase their educational skills, become m ore confident, and move from welfare. CalWORKS assists students t o become self-sufficient and gain independence from public assistance. The DSP & S provides accommodation to students with disabilitie s that ensure their equal access to college programs and maximize thei r potential for success. EOPS assists students with economic, linguistic, and educationa l challenges to enroll and succeed in post-secondary education successf ully prepare for careers. Financial Aid intends to provide assistance students with de monstrated financial need. Function Admissions, Record, and Registration Bursar Categorical Programs – CARE/ CalWORKS Disabled Students Program and Services (DSP & S) Extended Opportunities Program & Services (EOPS) Financial Aid Version2.FC rev

54 Cypress College 5 Person Title of Responsible Deans, Directors President, Vice President, Deans, Manager President, Vice President, Deans President, Vice President, Deans, Managers President, Vice President, Deans President, Vice President, Deans, Manager P – Primary S - Secondary Responsibility P - College Vice Presidents, P - College Executive Vice P - College Executive Vice P - College Executive Vice P - College Executive Vice P - College Executive Vice Functional Map Description financial need. The goal of Matriculation is to ensure that all students who ar e admitted college complete their courses, persist to the next academic te rm, and achieve their academic objectives. students to help reduce the need for off-site health services students prepare for a career and life-long learning. academic, career, and personal counseling The International Student Services helps the international st udents integrate with the campus atmosphere The LLRC help students become better learners, provides student s with a comfortable, supportive, and attractive learning environment, a nd help students with preparation at all levels The Student Activities Center creates and provides students wit h a safe welcoming environment away from the academic demands that y face on campus, support all active campus clubs, and provides a variet y of activities that enhance student life Function Matriculation Health Services Health Services provides quality health care, education, and information to Career Center Career center provides resources and support services designed to assist Counseling Counseling department enhances student learning and success by providing International Students Library & Learning Resources Center (LLRC) Student Activities Center Version2.FC rev

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 55 6 Person Person Title of Title of Responsible Responsible President, Vice President, Faculty (CC), Manager (FC) Vice Chancellors Vice Presidents Directors Vice Presidents, Directors (District & College) Directors Budget Director, Managers Budget Director P – Primary P – Primary S - Secondary S - Secondary Responsibility Responsibility P - College Executive Vice P – District S - College P - District P - College P - CollegeP - College Vice Presidents, Vice President, P - College Vice President, Functional Map Description Description Facilities & Infrastructure preparation of transfer students, especially those who are hist orically and culturally underrepresented in the campus Facilities Planning and Construction has the responsibility of procurement, construction, maintenance, and operations of all district facil ities construction projects. Responsibilities include coordinating al l contracts, leases, facilities, planning, construction, and maintenance. Information Services (District) and Academic Computing Technol ogies (Campuses) plans for procurement, replacement, maintenance, a nd support of all digital infrastructure and systems used for administrati ve student learning purposes. Responsibilities include management of st udent information, financial human resource informati on, email, web services, networks, servers and training. M & O is responsible for all the physical plants, building, a nd grounds at the campuses. purchase. Function Function Transfer Center The Transfer Center provides a range of services intended to facilitate the Facilities Planning & Construction Information Technology Maintenance & Operations Bookstore The goal of the Bookstore is to offer books and supplies students for Food Services Food Services is a subcontracted service. Version2.FC rev

56 Cypress College Standard I

Institutional Mission and Effectiveness

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 57

Standard IA: Mission Plan, the College Vision was evaluated. The committee charged with this task reaffirmed the core elements The institution demonstrates strong commit- of the College Vision and concluded that the College ment to a mission that emphasizes achieve- was successful in fulfilling the promise of its vision and ment of student learning and to communi- that it needed to do a better job in communication of cating the mission internally and externally. the College’s accomplishments to a broader audience. The institution uses analyses in an ongoing With this goal in mind, the vision of the college now and systematic cycle of evaluation, integrated reads as follows: planning, implementation, and re-evaluation to verify and improve the effectiveness by which the mission is accomplished. Vision A premier learning community recognized for Mission supporting student success and enriching society. The institution has a statement of mission The drafts of mission and vision were sent to the that defines the institution’s broad education- campus community for their review, comments, and al purposes, its intended student population, feedback. A “blog” was created to seek campus-wide and its commitment to achieve student learn- comment. After the reviews, the mission and vision ing. were presented to the Planning and Budget Commit- tee, which recommended it to the President’s Advisory Cabinet (PAC). PAC approved the vision and mission Descriptive Summary in October 2004. The Board of Trustees approved the Cypress College has clearly articulated statements of new mission statement in November 2004 (Strategic mission, vision, and core values that are widely circu- Plan, 2004-2008). lated on the campus. Apart from being displayed in The periodic review of vision and mission is typically divisional and various other administrative offices, the integrated with the strategic planning cycle. During the mission statement is published in the College Catalog: last strategic planning (Strategic Plan 2008-2011) process, over 45 faculty, staff, and administrators attend- Mission ed a colloquium at the UCLA Conference Center in Cypress College enriches students’ lives by pro- March 2008. The colloquium participants represented viding high quality education for transfer to four- different departments and constituencies. The partici- year institutions, associate degrees, career tech- pants reviewed existing reports and plans, evaluated nical education, and certificate course work, as information gathered during interviews with students well as basic skills and opportunities for lifelong and colleagues, researched demographic information, learning. The college is committed to promoting and identified challenges facing the campus. After student learning and success, embracing diver- careful consideration of student needs, the participants sity, and contributing to both the economic and decided to maintain the mission as written and ap- social development of the surrounding commu- proved in November 2004. The vision was modified nity (1.4). and approved as part of the creation of the 2008-2011 The mission statement is reviewed periodically to eval- Strategic Plan. uate if the institutional goals and objectives satisfy the Along with the mission and vision, the core values driv- needs of the changing student population. The current ing Cypress College are: mission statement was developed during strategic planning sessions in Spring 2004. The dialogue began in Core Values Spring 2003 at a two-day College retreat when the in- Cypress College is committed to: stitutional values were developed. This was followed by another retreat in Spring 2004 where the mission and Excellence — quality and high standards in instruc- vision were developed. tion and student services, supported by professional growth for faculty and staff As part of the creation of the 2008-2011 Strategic

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 59 Integrity — an ethical standard that emphasizes hon- low 25 years of age. Median age of students is 22 years. esty, fairness, accountability, and trust The mix of students of different age groups demonstrates the commitment towards students with different Collegiality — an environment that emphasizes goals. Students enroll at Cypress College for a variety teamwork, collaboration, communication, courtesy of reasons, such as learning skills, basic skills improve- and respect both on campus and with the surrounding ment, earning degrees or certificates, and transferring community to four-year institutions (Institutional Effectiveness Inclusiveness — a community that embraces diverse individuals; provides an accessible, supportive climate; and encourages a variety of perspectives and opinions The mission and vision, together with core values, drive the strategic actions at the College. The strategic planning process analyzes the demographic information and reviews if the mission, vision, and core values are guiding the actions of the College and fulfilling the needs of students. Based on the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data during the strategic planning process, the institution identifies a select number of strategic directions that are most suited to satisfy student Figure 1 needs. In the current Strategic Plan, there are five such strategic directions and 13 clearly articulated goals under the five strategic directions. An annual evaluation Report, 2008-09). In order to cater to the needs of of plans and goals, as well as their alignment with the students, Cypress College offers a comprehensive pro- North Orange County Community College District, is gram of instruction that prepares students to develop conducted and presented to the Board. basic skills, receive vocational training, and prepare for transfer to four-year colleges and universities. The Col- In its over forty years of existence, Cypress College has lege enrolled over 16,000 students in Fall 2009 as well demonstrated its commitment to students and enrich- as over 15,000 in Spring 2010 (1.1). Over the last five ing their lives through higher education. As a Califor- years, nearly 65% of students successfully completed nia Community College, Cypress College is an open- the courses they enrolled in (1.2). Several programs ca- access institution. The College admits all who wish to ter to the needs of students seeking a career technical apply and are eligible to enroll. The open-access policy education. In fact, almost 83% of students who earned helps fulfill the critical mission of providing access to a career technical certificate or degree in the 2008- higher education to the adjoining community mem- 2009 school year found jobs (1.3). bers. The open-admission policy allows students with any of the following qualifications to apply for admis- The College community includes members of many sion: surrounding cities as well as areas throughout the state of California, other states, and other countries. Nearly ◊ Any high school student fifty percent of the students come from adjoining cit- ◊ Any person possessing a G.E.D. ies defined as the primary service area of the College (Figure 2). The relationship between Cypress College ◊ Any person possessing a California High and local communities and high schools resulted in a school Proficiency Certificate large proportion of students coming from the adjoin- ◊ Any person 18 years of age or older who ing areas. In Fall 2009, 39% of students enrolled at may benefit from instruction, and Cypress College came from the 15 feeder high schools. ◊ Any K-12 student who qualifies for the This reflects commitment of the College to contribute Special Admit Program to social and economic development of its surrounding communities. Cypress College shows that it is commit- Age distribution of students (Figure 1) shows that near- ted to economic development and relationships with ly two out of three students at Cypress College are be-

60 Cypress College Self Evaluation The mission statement reflects the goals and commitments of the College. Nearly 64% of students from under-represented ethnic minorities and over 39% first-generation in college (Spring 2010), the College successfully provides access to the population who needs it the most. The local community is well represented by the students who enroll in the college. The support, involvement, diversity, and economic enrichment of the local community are all part of the culture of the College. Assessment, orientation, and counseling — three matriculation services — have progres- Figure 2 sively served a larger student population over the years. the community through active memberships in cham- During 2008-2009, a total of 9,575 students were as- bers of commerce of eight adjoining cities (Anaheim, sessed, 31,062 received counseling, and 4,925 received Buena Park, Cypress, Garden Grove, La Palma, Stan- orientation services. The Student Equity Plan specifi- ton, Seal Beach, and Rossmoor) and Rotary organiza- cally compares the performance among various stu- tions. The strong community relationship is further dent groups. Based on the findings, special programs demonstrated by the participation of local industries such as Puente are offered to help integrate the stu- in College programs. For example, the College runs an dents to College and help them succeed. automobile technology program in collaboration with the Toyota Motor Corporation. The Cypress College Planning Agenda Foundation is also a leader for the College in working None. with and for the surrounding community. 1. The institution establishes student learning Students come to Cypress College from a variety of programs and services aligned with its pur- backgrounds (Figure 3). The College periodically com- poses, its character, and its student popula- pares its population with the overall population in Or- tion. ange County. The race and ethnic composition of the student population consistently represents that of the county. The College has been a “minority majority” Descriptive Summary institution for a considerable period of time, when no The institutional mission and vision drive planning, single community had an overwhelming presence on the development of programs and services, and alloca- the campus. Over the last three years, the proportion of tion of resources. The Educational Master Plan 2006- Hispanic students has consistently increased. In 2009- 2016 used the mission and vision as guiding principles 2010, the Hispanic students became the largest group on the campus. This is commensurate with growth of the Hispanic population in Orange County. Nearly 64% of the students in Spring 2010 were from ethnic minority groups and almost 40% of them were first generation colleges. In accordance with its mission, Cypress College not only provides access to higher education to these students, but also tracks their success. Note: All charts were prepared by the Office of Institu- tional Research and Planning, Cypress College.

Figure 3

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 61 to set long-term goals. Every three years, the campus serve. engages in a strategic planning process that evaluates Based on the mission and vision, Cypress College also demographic information, discusses challenges and developed Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILO). opportunities facing the College, and creates an ac- The institutional learning outcomes articulate what tion plan for the three-year period. The most recent students are intended to learn at the completion of Strategic Plan was developed in 2008 for the period their education and what they are assessed for. 2008-2011. Keeping with the institutional mission, a primary goal is to help students with diverse interests and needs meet their educational objectives. The cur- Institutional Learning Outcomes rent Strategic Plan has five broad directions. (ILOs) Students leaving Cypress College with a vocational Strategic Plan Directions certificate and/or an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts, Occupational Studies, or General Studies, or students Cypress College staff and students recognize the im- transferring with general education certification will portance and interdependence of diversity, innovation, demonstrate common learning outcomes. Institutional technology, and staff development. These threads are Learning Outcomes (ILOs) refer to the scope of re- reflected in all of the five strategic directions. There are quirements either for a vocational certificate or for any multiple goals that address each direction. The Strate- AA/AS degree or general education certification rath- gic Plan also provides specific objectives that would col- er than individual courses or programs. lectively fulfill the goals. The accomplishment of goals and objectives is reviewed annually. The College assesses service to students who complete an overall college degree or certificate by examin- Direction 1 — Instruction ing and assessing General Education and Basic Skills Designing, enhancing, and delivering comprehensive PLOs. The College also assesses service to students in and accessible instruction to promote academic excel- specific courses by examining general student achieve- lence and student learning. ment in course-level SLOs. Direction 2 — Student and Academic Support A student who receives a certificate from Cypress Col- Services lege… Developing and providing comprehensive student and • W ill have acquired a specified set of skills re- academic support services to foster a positive and effec- quired for particular employment opportuni- tive learning environment. ties Direction 3 — Campus Support and Infra- • Will have achieved the necessary competen- structure cies to enter a particular employment field Ensuring that campus support services and resources • W ill be aware of additional educational and are provided in an effective and efficient manner. career opportunities within that field Direction 4 — Climate, Involvement, and Com- A student who graduates from Cypress College with an munication AA or AS degree in any field or transfers with a general Promoting a campus climate that embraces diversity education certification… and supports excellence, integrity, collegiality, and in- • W ill possess a breadth of knowledge and ex- clusiveness, by supporting communication and involve- periences from the areas of the humanities ment throughout the College. and arts; the natural sciences and mathemat- Direction 5 — Collaborative Relations and ics; the social sciences; and physical education Marketing • Will possess skills for life-long learning in oral Improving marketing efforts and establishing and and written communication; human adapt- strengthening collaborative relationships with other ability and health; critical thinking, including educational institutions and with the communities we deductive/inductive reasoning, problem-solv-

62 Cypress College ing, and quantitative/qualitative reasoning; from basic skills to credit courses. and information competency Each of the student services areas carefully evaluates • Will possess an understanding of civic society the entering student population and offers services to and culture in the areas of citizen rights and best suit the needs of students. The Counseling Divi- responsibilities; the role of diversity in mod- sion provides academic counseling, orientation, classes, ern society; and the nature of ethical decision career information, college transfer information, course making (1.4). articulation, and matriculation placement services. Fi- The Strategic Plan direction, together with the ILOs nancial Aid provides grant and loan information and and SLOs, clearly set the institutional intent to serve distribution services. The number of Pell Grant re- its students. Student needs are assessed by carefully cipients has increased by 39% between 2006-2007 and evaluating the demographic information and aligning 2008-2009 (Dashboard of Institutional Effectiveness resources to serve students. 1.13). Assessment provides testing, course placement in math and English, and transcript evaluation to place students in the correct achievement level for success in Programs Designed to Serve Students coursework. Specialized programs to help disabled stu- The College provides services aligned with its mission dents and economically disadvantaged are also avail- through a full-service student service operation for in- able in the Disabled Students Program and Services coming and current students. With the increase in the office, TRAC, and the CARE offices. Hispanic population in Orange County, the number In addition, the Admissions and Records, Informa- of students whose first language is not English has also tion Counter, and Bursars offices stand ready to help grown. In fact, in Fall 2009, Hispanic students were the students enroll in classes. Enrollment and admissions single largest ethnic group on campus. To serve these are summarized in the “Six Easy Steps” process (1.5). students well, the College strengthened its English as Most of the enrollment services are available online Second Language (ESL) program. The improved per- 24/7 through the College website and the College por- formance in ESL reflects the effect of this initiative. tal: myGateway. Students can apply, enroll, and pay for Another example of aligning student needs and ser- classes online. A new Student Services Building was vices is in the area of Basic Skills. dedicated in Spring 2009. All student services are avail- As the number of first generation students and stu- able near or around the center of the campus by the dents from ethnic minorities has increased, the need College campanile. for a strong basic skills program was recognized (Figure Cypress College is proud to accept 100% of its eli- 4). Under the tutelage of the Basic Skills Committee, gible applicants. The College uses CCCApply, which the College has developed a multi-year plan to serve was developed for California Community Colleges as under-prepared students (1.14). The results are evident a California Community College Chancellor’s Office from the improved performance of students moving Funded Application System. Because of the open enrollment commitment of all California Community Colleges, Cypress College accepts over 20,000 applications per year (1.1). Students who enroll go through the Six Easy Steps to the Registration Process: Admission, Assessment, Orientation, Counseling, Enrollment Fee Waiver (optional), and finally Registration. By following these steps, students are coached, encouraged, and placed in classes and programs according to their educational goals. Cypress College demonstrates effective measures of instruction, student learning outcomes, and program completion (1.6). Cypress College focuses its attention on student learn- Figure 4 ing. Over and over, students come first. Starting with

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 63 student services and into the classroom, student learn- relate to the Strategic Plan 2008-2011 and the over- ing outcomes have been established. The latter part of riding Educational Master Plan (1.7, 1.8). the Mission Statement reflects this commitment to students and student success. Self Evaluation Further evidence of commitment to student learning is The learning programs and services of the College are demonstrated in the institutional learning outcomes as aligned with its mission, The student body is represen- well as individual courses and programs. In addition, tative of the service area of the College. The College discussions of student learning are part of the Stra- periodically analyzes how well the College mission is tegic Plan Directions One and Two and were promi- aligned with student needs and how students are ben- nent in forming of the directions (1.11). The Mission efiting from the services offered by the College. The Statement also includes a statement of commitment to mission statement aligns the College with its students promoting student learning and success (1.4). This ties and community, and its commitment to diversity. Its with the student learning outcomes that are part of the mission statement also aligns the College with its pur- College’s student services, courses, and programs. pose of being a comprehensive college committed to Every two years, the College engages the service of student learning and success, and social and economic Noel-Levitz — a national organization — to survey its development in the community. students (Figure 5). The survey not only measures student satisfaction at Cypress College, but also compares Planning Agenda it with other institutions. The last survey, conducted in None. Fall 2009, showed that Cypress College student satisfaction is ahead of the national average in all the areas 2. The mission statement is approved by the measured. Despite overall high level of student satis- governing board and published. faction, however, there are areas that need focus and improvement. The survey results are discussed with Descriptive Summary Deans, Leadership Team, Planning and Budget Com- The mission statement of the College was presented mittee, and President’s Advisory Cabinet. Areas for for review again in Fall 2008 to the faculty, administra- improvement are identified based on the survey, and tion, and students. During the previous Spring, it was remedial action is formulated. For example, the survey reviewed by Planning and Budget, the President’s Ad- identified that students expressed concern regarding visory Cabinet as well as by the Leadership Team. The advising services. The issue was analyzed, and an ac- Planning and Budget Committee approved it in Fall tion plan to identify the underlying cause of concern 2008, with final approval given by the President’s Ad- was formulated. Beginning Fall 2010, all students will visory Cabinet on September 18, 2008 (1.5). receive a quick survey after advising sessions, and the results will be analyzed. This is an example of how During its last review, the mission statement of Cypress the College uses assessment results to improve student College was presented as part of the College Strategic learning. Plan on December 9, 2008, and was entered as formally received by the North Orange County Commu- A wide range of assessments are applied relating to Cy- nity College District (NOCCCD) Board of Trustees at press College students: Student achievement, success its December 9, 2008, meeting (1.6). It is published in rates, retention rates, basic skills improvement in math the College Catalog, Schedule of Classes, and the Col- and English, persistence, awards of degrees and cer- lege’s website (1.3, 1.4, 1.10). tificates, and transfer to California State Universities and Universities of California. Other assessments applied relate to enrollment, characteristics of students, Self Evaluation staff, service areas, instructional programs, student ser- The mission statement was reviewed on campus vice programs, campus support, and special programs. through the shared-governance practice and process Student learning outcomes have become integrated as and presented to the NOCCCD Board of Trustees in part of the assessment process. All of these assessments a timely manner.

64 Cypress College cess and the inclusiveness of all the stakeholders as well as Foundation Board of Directors and other community partners (1.7).

Self Evaluation The College gathers demographic information, labor market information, and academic information of the adjoining communities as the basic input for the strategic plan process. The representatives from different sections of the campus then engage in a dialog to identify strategic directions that would serve potential students. Figure 5 The core groups of stakeholders, students, members of the community, faculty, managers, and staff, respond- Planning Agenda ing to community demographics and advisory groups, None. meet to use assessment data and work as a team to use the shared-governance process to update the mission 3. Using the institution’s governance and deci- statement of the college. sion-making processes, the institution reviews its mission statement on a regular basis and revises it as necessary. Planning Agenda None. Descriptive Summary 4. The institution’s mission is central to insti- Cypress College is a shared-governance institution. tutional planning and decision making. Major planning, policies, and decisions are reviewed at all levels of governance. Various committees, the Aca- Descriptive Summary demic Senate, and groups both formally and informal- The mission statement is central to the Educational ly review, discuss, and debate issues and policies. The Master Plan (EMP), the long term planning document mission statement is reviewed and revised according to of the College. The EMP was created for the ten-year this process approximately every three years. This re- period 2006 to 2016. In order to identify short-term view and process is detailed earlier in this section. goals that would contribute to accomplishment of the Since the mission statement is part of the Strategic broad goals of EMP, several planning documents were Plan, it is reviewed each time the Strategic Plan is re- created. These planning documents, such as Basic viewed. The current Strategic Plan (1.7) covers years Skills and Distance Education, focus on specific opera- 2008-2011 and was developed during 2008 involv- tional areas of the College. Every three years, a strate- ing many participants from the campus and advisory gic plan is drawn up that provides the directions that groups from the community. With this three-year pro- the College wants to pursue during the strategic plan cess, there is substantial dialog between the shared- period of three years. The relationship and hierarchy governance groups — students, faculty, managers, and of plans is shown in the planning diagram (Figure 6). classified staff — providing substantial opportunities Thus, the institutional mission is integrated through for input and decision making by all stakeholders. the Educational Master Plan (EMP) into the Strategic Plan document along with Vision, Core Values, and When the Strategic Plan comes to the end of its cycle, Strategic Directions (1.8). Program Review, Student the Vice President of Administrative Services and the Services Master Plan, and Department EMP as well Director of the Office of Institutional Research and as the Institutional Educational Master Plan are all ex- Planning take the lead to bring the constituencies of amples of the breadth to which the mission statement the campus together to review and revise the College is included. Strategic Plan. The College President’s message on Page 1 of the current Strategic Plan describes the pro- ◊ Funding processes for professional

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 65 conferences, Program Review, and rent mission of the College and who it is serving. The One-Time Budget Requests are other College’s emphasis is on student learning and makes its examples of the college commitment decisions as a result of the shared-governance culture to the Strategic Plan Direction One tie of the College. The College ties budgets and funding required to get funding. to student learning outcomes and shows outcomes and ◊ The mission statement is integrated into results as reflected in its mission statement. The Col- the Strategic Plan. Page 3 of the current lege regularly seeks input from and listens to sugges- plan documents the purpose of the plan tions from its employees and community. and its use in the decisions and allocations made at the College (1.9). Planning Agenda ◊ Cypress College’s decision making is None. directly prompted by its mission statement, which in turn directly influences Reference Documents the College’s planning process and all departmental and institutional planning. 1.1 CCCApply, Applications Report, XAP Software, More specifically, the College’s mission, Culver City, California practices, and decision-making processes 1.2 Cypress College Institutional Effectiveness Report can be found in the College Catalog, 2008-2009, November, 2009 — www.cypresscol- Educational Master Plan, and Student lege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/rreports.aspx Services Master Plan (1.3, 1.8, 1.11). All 1.3 Cypress College Catalog 2009 – 2010 — www. decisions pertaining to budget changes, cypresscollege.edu/academics/CollegeCatalog.aspx program development, and student 1.4 Cypress College Schedule of Classes 2010 —www. service development originates from the cypresscollege.edu/academics/ScheduleofClasses. planning process. These decisions are aspx confirmed by ensuring that there is a direct connection to the College’s mis- 1.5 Meeting minutes, September 18, 2008, Cypress College President’s Advisory Cabinet — J:\Presi- sion statement. For example, the Cypress dent’s Advisory Cabinet\2008-2009 College Principles for Budget Reduc- tions review (updated 9/18/08) indicates 1.6 Meeting minutes, December 9, 2008, North Or- ange County Community College Board of Trust- specifically that Cypress College will ees — www.nocccd.edu/Trustees/MtgMinutesAr- keep in mind its vision, mission, and core chive2010.htm values when making budget reductions. More specifically, Reference point 5 1.7 Cypress College Strategic Plan 2008-2011 — www. cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/ states, “Recognize that Student Services pdocuments.aspx are a critical part of this college mission” (1.12). 1.8 Educational Master Plan — www.cypresscollege. edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments.aspx Self Evaluation 1.9 Leadership Team Meeting The College’s broad student learning programs and 1.10 Cypress College website — www.cypresscollege. services coordinate well with its educational purposes, edu/ goals, and student population. As of Fall 2010, the 1.11 Student Services Master Plan — www.cypresscol- College has begun creating a centralized repository of lege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments. plans and goals where all the plans, stated goals, and aspx their relationship to the College mission will be iden- 1.12 Cypress College Principles for Budget Reductions tified. The mission statement drives all the planning — J:\President’s Advisory Cabinet\2008-2009 processes at the College. Additionally, the College peri- 1.13 Dashboard of Institutional Effectiveness — www. odically reviews its mission statement to reflect the cur- cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Research/

66 Cypress College SE/2009-2010IERDashboard_alt.pdf 1.15 Institutional Research and Planning — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocu- 1.14 Basic Skills Plan — www.cypresscollege.edu/ ments.aspx about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments.aspxFi- nal.4-25-08.pdf

Figure 6

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 67 Standard IB: Improving following paragraphs. Institutional Significant discussion has taken place regarding planning, accreditation, program review, student learning Effectiveness outcomes, matriculation, research, grant writing, the The institution demonstrates a conscious ef- planning and budget process, the curriculum devel- fort to produce and support student learning, opment process, and other collaborative activities. Al- measure that learning, assess how well learn- though these activities have not always been recognized ing is occurring, and make changes to improve as “dialogues,” they do reflect the primary intent of student learning. The institution also organiz- the dialogue concept, which is to create “a group dis- es its key processes and allocates its resources cussion among ‘colleagues’ that is designed to explore to effectively support student learning. The complex issues, create greater group intelligence, and institution demonstrates its effectiveness by facilitate group learning” (2.37). At Cypress College, providing 1) evidence of the achievement of these dialogues have taken many forms that involve student learning outcomes and 2) evidence of faculty, staff, administration, students, and community institution and program performance. The in- members to provide discussion and the expression of stitution uses ongoing and systematic evalu- ideas, concerns, and objections. ation and planning to refine its key processes A. Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) Dia- and improve student learning. logue: 1. The institution maintains an ongoing, col- When Cypress College embarked on the exploration legial, self-reflective dialogue about the con- of a new type of SLO assessment, dialogues and fo- tinuous improvement of student learning and rums were scheduled to introduce and facilitate the de- institutional processes velopment of the process. These meetings were open to all faculty and instructional deans. Issues and pro- Descriptive Summary cesses were openly discussed; concerns were heard and Cypress College has long engaged in an integrated, documented. In Fall 2003 and Spring 2004, a series collegial, and self-reflective dialogue about continual of dialogues produced a list of Institutional Learning improvement of the College and its student learning Outcomes (ILO) that were approved by the Academic processes, programs, and services. Constituent groups Senate in April 2004, adopted by the College in May have established internal structures and procedures 2004, and published in the 2004-2005 College Catalog such as program review and budget allocation model (2.1). In Fall 2004, another series of dialogues led to so that their ideas, initiatives, and concerns can be ad- the mapping of all instructional courses to ILOs ac- vanced to College-level planning bodies. These plan- cording to these two factors: the extent to which the ning bodies — in particular the President’s Advisory course provides opportunities for students to achieve Cabinet (PAC), Leadership Team, and the Planning the ILO, and the level of mastery, which reflects the and Budget Committee (PBC) — bring together all degree to which students are expected to achieve the College constituents to discuss, plan for, and allocate ILO by the time they complete the course (2.2). In ad- resources as needed. Along with faculty and staff par- dition, the Fall 2004 dialogue group set the ground- ticipation, the College has encouraged the inclusion of work for course SLO assessment. In Fall 2005, an SLO students in the designated campus committees. The Trainer was hired to develop and deliver SLO writing Associated Student representatives participate in all workshops to divisions and departments. In May 2006, committees including PAC, Planning and Budget, Cur- another set of dialogues were held to discuss the best riculum, Diversity, Academic Senate, District Planning way to proceed with SLO assessment. In Fall 2007, six Council, and Student Learning Outcomes. Committee separate dialogues resulted in a series of SLO Assess- participations ensure that students’ opinions are con- ment Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and Recom- sidered in the decision-making process. Various dia- mendations, which were approved by the Academic logues are structured as determined by campus groups Senate by the end of the semester (2.3). Prior to these charged with different action plans as outlined in the dialogues, the SLO Team consisted of the SLO Co-

68 Cypress College ordinator, the SLO Assessment Facilitator, the Staff recommend a process for regular evaluation of institu- Development Coordinator, and the Director of In- tional effectiveness. The taskforce, which consisted of stitutional Research. As a result of the dialogues, an faculty, administrators, and staff, reviewed models from Expanded SLO Team comprised of divisional repre- other colleges, identified strengths and weaknesses in sentatives was created and has met once a month since existing campus assessment processes, and considered (2.4). During Spring 2008, a subcommittee was formed ways to align the institutional effectiveness review pro- to evaluate available assessment management software. cess with the planning and budget process (2.6). The A recommendation was made to the Expanded SLO task force efforts were followed with a campus-wide Committee about the software most appropriate for colloquium on institutional effectiveness in March the College. 2003 (2.7). Subsequently, Student Services Quality Re- The subcommittee met several times and selected seven view (2.8, 2.9) and Campus Support Services Quality different software systems for further evaluation. After Review (2.10) were developed in Fall 2003 and Spring observing the software capabilities through web confer- 2004, respectively. ences, the subcommittee selected four systems for live, Another Institutional Effectiveness Task Force con- on-campus presentations open to all faculty members, sisting of 14 members (two students; two researchers; administrators, and district colleagues. These presenta- two deans; one staff; and seven faculty members) was tions were held in April 2008; subsequently, TracDat commissioned in 2009 to develop an Institutional Ef- — an assessment management software — was select- fectiveness Plan. The Task Force met several times dur- ed and purchased in Fall 2008. Before the implemen- ing Spring 2009 and conducted a review of all student tation and configuration of TracDat, the SLO Team learning outcomes processes, College program review requested that an Institutional Effectiveness Task Force processes, and Strategic Plan/Educational Master Plan be convened to review all planning, program review, action plans and reporting processes at Cypress Col- and budgeting processes of the College. With the ap- lege. Through various dialogues, an integrated system proval and adoption of the Institutional Effectiveness was developed to evaluate how effectively the institu- Plan (2.11) by the Academic Senate and President’s tion fulfills its mission. During this time, the student Advisory Cabinet in May 2009, configuration of learning outcome management software, TracDat, was TracDat occurred in May 2009, and training on the configured. TracDat is a relational database and out- TracDat system began in October 2009. In April 2009 comes management system that links student learning and September 2009, two forums were held to discuss outcomes with course, program, and department goals General Education assessment (2.5). As a result of the and establishes the connection among the accomplish- forums, a General Education Committee was formed ment of the departmental goals, aligning them with with divisional representation to explore the best way strategic plan goals and institutional mission (2.11). to assess general education learning outcomes. The The final objective is to centralize all assessment activi- General Education Committee met several times in ties, including program review, in TracDat. Fall of 2009 and Spring of 2010 and drafted the Gen- C. Strategic Planning Dialogue: eral Education learning outcomes. The committee’s recommendations were taken to the Academic Sen- The process of dialogue has been integral to the Stra- ate for approval before the assessment process began tegic Planning process from its inception. The 2000- (2.99). Starting Spring 2010, the Curriculum commit- 2004 and 2004-2008 strategic plans were developed tee required all faculty members to include the student with involvement from a wide spectrum of the Cypress learning outcomes on course syllabi (2.100). The doc- College community that included students and em- umentation work done by the SLO Team was recog- ployees as well as the Foundation Board of Directors nized as exemplary by RP Group, a statewide research and other community partners. The 2008-2011 Stra- and planning organization. tegic Plan was developed based on the input from the nearly 50 members of the Cypress College community B. Institutional Effectiveness Dialogue: who attended the Strategic Planning Colloquium. The The history of dialogues on Institutional Effectiveness participants included all segments of the campus, from goes back to Fall 2002 when a task force was formed to students to faculty and managers to classified staff. The

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 69 colloquium brought together many varied perspectives cation Plan received endorsement of the Curriculum about the campus. Their work was then synthesized, Committee and approval by the Cypress College Aca- sorted, analyzed, and coalesced into a working draft. demic Senate. That draft was then shared across campus communi- F. Inclusive and Pervasive Dialogue Encom- ties for review, input, and revision (2.12, 2.13). passing all Constituencies: D. Planning and Budget Dialogue: By far, though, most of the dialogues that occur on The College has committed itself to a process in which campus have occurred in settings that do not utilize planning drives the budget. There is a strong belief in the term but which do follow the procedures. The pri- strengthening all relevant committees, constituencies, mary assumption of a dialogue is that participants view departments, divisions, and services. Planning and themselves as colleagues. Cypress College has adopted budget relies heavily on planning documents devel- a Core Value of Collegiality (2.22), the concept that oped through dialogues and committee participation. a campus should be “an environment that empha- These documents include: Educational Master Plan sizes teamwork, collaboration, communication, cour- (2.14), Student Services Master Plan (2.15), Distance tesy and respect both on the campus and with the sur- Education Plan (2.16), Student Equity Plan (2.17), rounding community.” The Core Value of Collegiality Technology Plan (2.18), and Basic Skills Action Plan underlies the approach taken in the interactions that (2.19, 2.20). The Planning and Budget Committee rec- occur on the campus, whether they have been formally ognized the need to and has now tied areas such as identified as “dialogues” or not. Another assumption is Student Learning Outcomes, Department Planning that “dialogue improves collective thinking.” The Col- and Program Review (2.21), Campus Support Services lege has also adopted the Core Value of Inclusiveness Quality Review (2.10), Student Support Services Qual- (2.22), the idea that it is “a community that embraces ity Review (2.9), and the Curriculum Committee pro- diverse individuals; provides an accessible, supportive cess into the Planning and Budget process in order to climate; and encourages a variety of perspectives and improve institutional effectiveness (2.96). opinions.” As a result, the campus benefits from the collective thinking of individuals from diverse back- E. Distance Education Plan Dialogue: grounds and different ideas who are supported in the Cypress College offered its first course via the Internet articulation of their positions. While many of the col- during the Fall 1999 semester. By Fall 2008, nearly 150 loquia and retreats have featured the use of a facili- online and over 15 hybrid courses were offered. The tator, the vast majority of campus dialogues have not tremendous growth of the Distance Education (DE) relied upon an outside agent but have depended on the Program is a direct result of the determination and campus’s own processes and values to reach the goals dedication of the students, faculty, staff, and adminis- articulated by the concept of dialogue. tration of the College. The Cypress College Strategic Plan 2008-2011, approved on October 23, 2008, set In addition to the specific topics noted earlier, the cur- a goal for the development of a comprehensive Dis- riculum process, course and program development, tance Education Plan that addresses standards for stu- student success, retention, and persistence rates, tech- dent and instructor proficiency, and identifies strategies nology planning, accreditation, and meeting of user to improve student success, retention, and persistence groups associated with construction projects have also (2.13). The entire Cypress College community was been focal points of campus dialogues. invited to participate in its development. Four meetings for the development of the DE Plan structure and content were held. Conversations included analysis of strengths and weaknesses of distance education, generally, and at Cypress College, specifically. Individual team members completed “homework” between meetings, which included results of their research on specific sections of the plan, and written responses to, or summaries of, that research (2.16). The Distance Edu-

70 Cypress College pact on campus-wide planning and decision making (2.92). The President and others on campus have made a conscious effort to engage all constituencies in the planning and institutional improvement dialogue. Howev- er, although invited to participate, not all individuals choose to participate in the dialogue. This is sometimes a matter of apathy or over-commitment in other areas by a faculty and staff burdened by ever-increasing workloads. Students, in particular, although encouraged to participate, are often difficult to include in the dialogue process because of their commitments and/ Figure 1: Participation or a lack of awareness regarding the impact of their participation. The Cypress College Foundation has also had several planning retreats, and the Community Advisory Group As a consequence, the dialogue sometimes fails to in- (2.23) has been part of the dialogues in a variety of set- volve as much participation as desired, or is not at- tings. District and campus policies and procedures are tended by as many individuals or constituencies to be also discussed in an open process and with a sense of fully characteristic of and as broadly based as a shared- collegiality. governance process should be. Nonetheless, the Col- lege embraces and understands the purpose of the dia- The College President is committed to the concept of logue and has made great effort to reach the goal of institutionalization of dialogue and has implemented it institutionalizing that process in a variety of settings. in a variety of forums. In addition to the normal inter- The awareness, participation, effectiveness, and in- actions as are found in the President’s Advisory Cabi- volvement in the planning process among constituency net, the primary participatory governance group on groups is shown in Figure 2. campus (2.24), dialogue is a capstone of the Manage- ment Team meetings (2.25), Leadership Team meet- In addition to the opportunities already mentioned, ings (2.26), and a variety of other forums on campus. opportunities for information sharing include the fol- In keeping with the College’s Core Value of “Inclu- lowing documents and committees: siveness,” these efforts have expanded the participation ◊ Strategic Plan 2008-2011 (2.13) of different segments of the campus community in the process of information gathering and decision mak- ◊ Educational Master Plan (2.14) ing. Figure 1 shows participation in shared governance ◊ Technology Plan (2.18) committees by constituency. The Office of Institutional Research and Planning has proven to be an important source of data and analysis necessary to support Strategic Planning, Department Planning and Program Review (2.21), Student Support Services Quality Review (2.8, 2.9), Campus Support Services Quality Review (2.10), and Planning and Bud- get. As more members of the campus community have become aware of the variety of information available, they have begun to play a larger and more informed role in the campus dialogue about improving student learning and overall institutional effectiveness. The most recent review by Institutional Research and Plan- ning reveals that over 95% of the respondents believe Figure 2: Effectiveness of Planning Process: Climate Sur- Institutional Research and Planning had a positive im- vey, Spring 2010

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 71 ◊ Student Services Master Plan (2.15) ◊ CTE Advisory Committees (2.86) ◊ Matriculation Plan (2.28) ◊ College Colloquiums and Retreats (2.35) ◊ Distance Education Plan (2.16) ◊ Basic Skills Committee (2.19, 2.20) ◊ Basic Skills Plan (2.19) ◊ Distance Education Committee (2.16) ◊ Student Equity Plan (2.17) ◊ Workforce Development Committee ◊ Cypress College Website (2.68, 2.69) (Grants) (2.90) ◊ @ Cypress (2.74) ◊ Opening Day (Fall & Spring) ◊ End-of-the-Year Reports (2.57, 2.58, ◊ Campus Budget Meeting scheduled by 2.59, 2.60, 2.61) Chancellor ◊ Institutional Effectiveness Reports (2.27, ◊ Campus-wide Special Meeting for Bud- 2.42, 2.43, 2.44) get Update ◊ Institutional Research and Planning Bul- letins (2.72, 2.73) Self Evaluation The variety of opportunities to engage in dialogue ◊ Foundation Strategic Plan (2.82) reflects the College’s commitment to an environment ◊ Academic Senate (2.78) where participation, institutional effectiveness, and innovation are encouraged and embraced. Additionally, ◊ Deans & Directors (2.83) because of its commitment to both Core Values of ◊ Planning and Budget Committee (2.31, Collegiality and Inclusiveness, Cypress College has en- 2.40, 2.41, 2.67) gaged in dialogue on all essential issues but recognizes ◊ Management Team (2.25) that it can always improve the breadth and depth of the dialogue as well as the level of participation. The ◊ Leadership Team (2.26) College has succeeded in promoting dialogue among ◊ Curriculum Committee – evaluate the groups described in this section, and members of courses, programs, certificates, and de- the College community concur that they have an op- grees. (2.84) portunity to participate in the planning process that they believe is effective (Figure 2) and that the goal of ◊ Division Meetings – Campus activities, the dialogue is to work on improving student learning initiatives, goals, programs, directions, and institutional effectiveness. opportunities, challenges, and barriers are discussed. (2.88) Planning Agenda ◊ Department Meetings – faculty members revise SLOs, develop curriculum, and None. evaluate department goals (2.89) 2. The institution sets goals to improve its ◊ Department Planning and Program Re- effectiveness consistent with its stated pur- view – Annual academic program review poses. The institution articulates its goals and (2.21) states the objectives derived from them in measurable terms so that the degree to which ◊ Student Support Services Quality Re- they are achieved can be determined and view (2.8, 2.9) widely discussed. The institutional members ◊ Campus Support Services Quality Re- understand these goals and work collabora- view (2.10) tively toward their achievement. ◊ President’s Advisory Cabinet (2.24) ◊ Staff Development (2.85)

72 Cypress College Descriptive Summary stitutional Research and Planning and are referenced Through a collective, collaborative process, Cypress elsewhere in this document. College established its Strategic Plan with five clearly The planning process at Cypress College is guided articulated Strategic Directions that reflect 13 goals by the overall directions provided in the mission and and 37 strategies to accomplish those goals (2.13). The Strategic Plan of the North Orange County Commu- Strategic Plan for the period 2008-2011 was approved nity College District. The institutional effectiveness and adopted in Fall 2008. Some strategies are multi- perspective helps establish the relationship between year while others are single year. The 2008-2009 Insti- the missions of the District and the College, the in- tutional Effectiveness Report, Table 18, (2.27) lists all stitutional learning outcomes, program learning out- the goals and strategies and provides the status. comes, and the student learning outcomes established The planning process and development of the Strate- for individual departments and programs. Assessment gic Plan at Cypress College build on the strategic goals results of student learning outcomes are used to evalu- identified by the District. Beginning with the Educa- ate accomplishment of the institutional mission, there- tional Master Plan, the College has developed several by establishing a cycle of institutional improvement plans to define the scope of activities in the critical ar- based on clearly established goals and performance eas of the institution. Collectively, these plans set out standards. The assessment outcomes are also used to the operational context and intended direction of the drive the institutional dialogue of continuous quality institution. The accomplishment of these plan objec- improvement. tives individually and collectively reflects how well the The central theme of institutional effectiveness is built institution is progressing towards its stated goals. Cur- around student success. This is demonstrated through rently, the following plans have been approved and are the multiple planning documents that collectively de- being pursued institutionally: fine what the short- and long-term goals of the College ◊ Educational Master Plan (2.14) are, how the College allocates resources to provide the physical and academic infrastructure required for stu- ◊ Student Services Master Plan (2.15) dent learning, and how the goals align with the mission ◊ Matriculation Plan (2.28) and vision of the North Orange County Community College District (NOCCCD) and those of the College. ◊ Distance Education Plan (2.16) The Educational Master Plan sets the long-term goals ◊ Technology Plan (2.18) of the institution; the Strategic Plan breaks them down ◊ Basic Skills Plan (2.19) into short-term goals and drives the annual planning and budget process. The objectives identify specific ◊ Student Equity Plan (2.17) ways to strengthen institutional effectiveness within ◊ Enrollment Management Plan (2.97) three-year cycles. Completing the objectives requires The periods of these plans differ although all of them sustained and collaborative efforts by many at the Col- are being implemented concurrently and all influence lege (2.29). Progress on the objectives is monitored the Strategic Plan. Each of the plans has specific and annually by the Strategic Plan Direction Committees measurable goals and objectives and a timeframe for (2.30), Planning and Budget, President’s Advisory Cab- accomplishing them. The action plans are specific so inet, Academic Senate, and other campus constituen- that it is possible to assess the extent to which the goals cies. Figure 29 in the Institutional Effectiveness Report have been achieved. The strategic goals are tied to the (2.27) illustrates the connections between the Educa- Mission and Vision Statements and Core Values of the tional Master Plan (2.14), Strategic Plan (2.13), and College and ultimately to the student, program and in- Planning and Budget Process (2.31, 2.31, 2.33, 2.34). stitutional program learning outcomes. An update on In its Strategic Plan, Cypress College has articulated the strategic plan goals was added in the current ver- five Strategic Directions (2.13) as follows: sion of the Institutional Effectiveness Report (2.27) to Direction One: Instruction provide the operational context of the institution. The actual plans can be obtained from the Office of In- Designing, enhancing, and delivering comprehensive

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 73 and accessible instruction to promote academic excel- what needed most urgent attention. These statements lence and student learning. were based upon a wide variety of resources including interviews of students and colleagues, and existing Direction Two: Student and Academic Support reports and plans (including the Educational Master Services Plan (2.14), the Student Services Master Plan (2.15), Developing and providing comprehensive student and the NOCCCD District Strategic Plan (2.36), the Basic academic support services to foster a positive and effec- Skills Plan (2.19), Matriculation Plan (2.28), Distance tive learning environment. Education Plan (2.16), Technology Plan (2.18), and Direction Three: Campus Support and Infra- recommendations to the College from the accrediting structure commission (2.37, 2.38, 2.39). This pre-colloquium assignment was designed to (1) solicit input from mem- Ensuring that campus support services and resources bers of the College who were not able to attend the are provided in an effective and efficient manner. retreat and (2) connect the new Strategic Plan to sig- Direction Four: Climate, Involvement, and nificant work and plans underway at the College and Communication District. At the colloquium, participants met in small and large groups to agree upon the primary challeng- Promoting a campus climate that embraces diversity es facing the College. These challenges soon fell into and supports excellence, integrity, collegiality, and in- several broad topic areas: student success and reten- clusiveness, by supporting communication and involve- tion, resource development, communication, campus ment throughout the college. involvement, training and orientation, and marketing. Direction Five: Collaborative Relations and Participants then drafted strategies and objectives to Marketing address the six primary challenges. Towards the end Improving marketing efforts, and establishing and of the colloquium, participants met as a large group strengthening collaborative relationships with other to reflect upon their work and discuss implications and educational institutions and with the communities we next steps. The group agreed that because the previous serve. strategic directions (and some goals) were still considered to be relevant, the new Strategic Plan should keep The Strategic Plan also serves as a core document for a similar structure, with five strategic directions. annual discussions regarding the allocation of faculty positions, one-time funds, and other resources. For fur- The Office of Institutional Research and Planning ther insight into the role of the Strategic Plan relative provided demographic trend data for the service areas, to other college plans and processes, please see the Dia- helped to plan and coordinate the retreat, participated gram of the Planning Process (2.31). in the break-out sessions, and worked with volunteers on follow-up activities after the retreat. Scanning teams Development of the 2008-2011 Strategic Plan composed of individuals from a broad spectrum of The Strategic Plan was developed with extensive in- College constituencies gathered and reflected upon involvement of and understanding by all parts of the formation available from a wide variety of sources. At campus community. In March 2008, 50 members of the Strategic Planning Colloquium, participants iden- Cypress College attended a strategic planning collo- tified key trends likely to have significant impact on the quium at the UCLA Conference Center in Lake Ar- future of the College. rowhead (2.35). Participants included students, faculty, After the colloquium, objectives were compiled from classified staff, and managers. In addition, colloquium the colloquium records to form the initial basis of a new participants had been at the College from as little as plan. The direction statements were modified slightly six months to more than 38 years and represented to reflect the six primary challenges identified atthe many different programs and departments. Please colloquium, and the new objectives were mapped to see Appendix B (Page 12) of the Strategic Plan for a the five strategic directions. complete list of colloquium participants (2.13). Prior to the colloquium, participants prepared statements The next phase of developing the plan involved draft- about the most significant strengths at the College and ing over-arching goals and carrying previous goals for-

74 Cypress College ward, as appropriate. Portions of the draft plan were plishes these must be the primary focus of assessment. shared with campus groups for discussion in April Several benchmarks are utilized including those that 2008. For example, the Planning and Budget Commit- indicate the College’s goals and the responses of the tee reviewed the draft of Direction Three, and the 5% students themselves: MORE Committee (now the Enrollment Management Status of the Strategic Plan Committee) reviewed the draft of Direction Five. The entire draft plan was shared with the Leadership Team The assessment of the current status of the Strate- at its meeting on May 2, 2008 (2.26). Small group gic Plan was completed during Summer 2009 and is discussions at that meeting identified language that available in the Institutional Effectiveness Reports for needed to be revised for clarity. In general, however, review by members of the College community (2.27). the suggested revisions made at that point were rela- Examination of the Report is an accurate means of de- tively minor. Suggested changes were incorporated as termining the extent to which the College is progress- appropriate, and a revised draft of the Strategic Plan ing towards achievement of its goals. was presented to the Planning and Budget Commit- Results of the Student Satisfaction Survey: It is also tee on May 15, 2008 (2.40). The committee represen- important for the College to know students’ percep- tatives asked for time to review the plans with their tions of their own needs and to assess whether or constituency groups before final approval but agreed not improvement goals are being met. In the Fall of to tentatively approve the plan pending potential addi- 2009, 14,701 students were surveyed, of which 1,847, tional feedback. This allowed work related to the plan or 12.6% responded. These respondents represented to continue through Summer 2008. At the September a cross-section of the College’s demographics. They 18, 2008, meeting of the Planning and Budget Com- completed electronic surveys distributed by the Office mittee the Strategic Plan was accepted as written and of Institutional Research and Planning which indicat- forwarded to the President’s Advisory Cabinet with a ed what factors they found important in a college and recommendation that it be adopted (2.41). That same their level of satisfaction at Cypress College (2.45). day in the President’s Advisory Cabinet approval of the 2008-2011 Strategic Plan was finalized. Twelve parameters covering a broad range of campus activities were measured. Students indicated they Faculty, staff, students, administrators, and a communi- were pleased with the quality of instruction, admis- ty advisory group all took part in the development and sions and registration, campus safety, academic advis- revision of the Plan. The 2008-2011 Strategic Plan ing, academic services, campus services, the variety of was organized around the five Directions cited, which courses, and the adequacy of the Library, computer reflect the importance to the College of learning and labs, and study areas. They also reported that faculty instruction, student success, campus climate and diver- are knowledgeable in their fields and are available to sity, technology, efficient and effective use of physical, students after class and during office hours. The areas financial and human resources, and development of where students reported dissatisfaction, such as avail- relationships with the external community. ability of classes and a reduced class schedule, may be The Strategic Plan 2008-2011 reflects the significance attributable to the heavy budget cuts experienced this of accountability: action plans are tied to specific Di- year and in prior years. Compared to the same survey rections and goals, include a timeline, and a notation conducted in the Spring 2007 (2.46), students were sig- of the person(s) responsible. Each action plan includes nificantly more satisfied in the areas of campus safety, a specific target statement, some of which include very academic services, admissions and financial aid, and specific improvement targets. The Strategic Plan Prog- climate. More importantly, they also noted the Col- ress Reports (2.30) and annual Institutional Effective- lege’s commitment to underrepresented populations ness Reports identify the extent of progress in specific and to students with disabilities. A summary report areas (2.27, 2.42, 2.43, 2.44). of the Campus Climate and Student Satisfaction Sur- vey was reviewed with all staff on Spring 2010 Open- Given the fact that Cypress College’s overarching Vi- ing Day, and the results were shared in detail with the sion and Mission Statements are oriented towards stu- Leadership Team. Complete survey results are avail- dent success, the extent to which the campus accom- able in the Office of Institutional Research and Plan-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 75 ning (2.47). Planning and Budget Guidelines (2.31, 2.32, 2.33, The campus budget process also reflects institutional 2.34), which exist to assist Planning and Budget opera- commitment to achieving the College’s goals (2.31, tionally, and individuals and constituencies in the bud- 2.32, 2.33, 2.34). The process for reviewing and award- get request and allocation process, and the Principles ing one-time budget requests (generated at the Divi- for Budget Reductions, which assist divisions and de- sion/Department level) favors requests that help sup- partments in making thoughtful and effective budget port the established directions and goals. The Strategic reductions (2.53). Plan Directions teams review budget requests relevant Achieving the strategic goals is dependent upon staff to their area, prioritize them, and make recommenda- sharing those goals and understanding the processes of tions to the Planning and Budget Committee (2.48, decision making on campus. In a recently conducted 2.49). Please refer to budget process diagram (2.96). Campus Climate Survey (2.47), over 80 percent of all Although the process of developing the Strategic Plan survey respondents felt that “all of us” or “most of us” in the past had some shortcomings, the campus has have a unified commitment to achieving the goal of made significant improvements in the processes to ad- student success. This sense of commitment did not dif- dress those concerns. Initially, many on campus did fer by employee group. not fully recognize the linkages of planning activities As a result of the flow of communication, the College to campus activities. As a result, participation on the community has a broad understanding of the planning Direction Committees had been limited to those who process, the goals of the institution, and the processes more quickly grasped the significance of that partici- used to implement them. Results from the Campus pation. The College recognized and successfully re- Climate and Planning Survey (2.47) conducted in Fall sponded to the need to increase the campus awareness 2009 received a record 441 responses, up by nearly of the linkages between planning and other events and 30% over Spring 2008. The electronic survey was sent the need to increase participation in the process. to the entire population of Cypress College faculty, The College has moved to a planning cycle (2.32, staff, and managers (1,112 individuals). Although the 2.33), which recognizes that the College’s Directions survey attracted responses from different demographic are expected to be fairly stable over time but that the groups, there was one notable change from previous process for establishing goals and action plans should response trends. A significantly large number of part- be flexible enough to respond to changing conditions. time employees participated in the survey this time Additionally, the older Strategic Plans were not well- (168 responses compared to 84 in Spring 2008). It is informed by external trends likely to impact the future worth noting that in each of the planning-related ques- of the College, so it was difficult to adapt to external tions, a large percentage of employees were “neutral” changes and stay true to the Strategic Plan. This has (neither agree nor disagree) in their opinion. Also, it been addressed by initiating a process to scan and fore- is particularly noteworthy that administrators, faculty, cast external factors that impact the goals of the Col- and staff report being more knowledgeable about the lege. campus planning process than in the prior Campus Climate Surveys (2.54, 2.55, 2.56, Figure 2). There was Most personnel understand the College’s directions, a significant increase in the number of adjunct faculty goals, and objectives. The means of reaching those ob- participating in the survey in Fall 2009 compared with jectives is enhanced as more research and other data Spring 2008. Since the adjunct faculty are present on become available and are analyzed and formulated the campus for a limited period of time, their opportu- into understandable formats, such as the Institutional nity and motivation to participate in campus activities Effectiveness Dashboard (2.29). As a result, the Col- are restricted compared to those who are on campus lege’s staff has a better sense of how those goals can full time. This fact was noted while analyzing the re- be better achieved. Moreover, most individuals and sults. The comparisons with prior periods were made constituencies understand the link between planning, after controlling for the response of the adjunct. The program review, budget allocation, institutional effec- higher response from adjuncts helped to better under- tiveness, and student success. That understanding has stand issues that they face. been advanced by the development of the College’s

76 Cypress College Knowledge- Know how Participate Participation Encouraged able about to partici- influences to participate planning pate outcome process Administrators 89.3 89.3 85.7 88.9 88.9 Faculty 59.1 53.9 45.8 30.6 55.2 Classified Staff 63.2 42.9 32.7 25.7 49.5 Table 1: Awareness, participation, and perception of planning process

On the issues of Decision Making, General Job Sat- and 36.4 percent, respectively. isfaction & Planning, administrators, faculty and staff The information was reviewed during the Leadership members reported a broad awareness of the College’s Team meeting where the teams proposed strategies to strategic goals and the planning process, and believe improve engagement in the planning process. that their contributions are influential. Administra- tors were most likely to agree that they are aware and Members of the College community not only have an involved in campus planning, while part-time faculty understanding of the planning process, the College’s were least likely to agree. goals, and work together to achieve those goals, they believe the planning process leads to achievement of There was a new section in the survey on effectiveness those goals. Perhaps the most important of the ques- of the planning process. The employees were asked tions on the Campus Climate and Planning Survey was, about their awareness, participation, effectiveness, and “I think the planning process helps the college achieve perception of the campus planning activities. Overall, its desired goals.” In response to this question, the ma- the full-time employees are aware of the planning pro- jority of all employee groups — managers (92.9%), cess and know how to participate. Certain employee faculty (57.9%), and staff (58.3%) — strongly agreed groups feel more strongly than others that their par- or agreed. Neutral responses were received from man- ticipation influences the planning process. The survey agers (7.1%), faculty (30.3%), and staff (36.1%). indicates that the majority of managers, faculty, and staff are knowledgeable about the planning process, as Faculty, staff, and managers are encouraged to be cre- shown in Table 1. The percentage of the faculty re- ative and innovative in achieving the College’s goals porting their familiarity with the planning process is and report that they work together for the common influenced by the large number of less-knowledgeable good of the College. The majority of managers, fac- part-time faculty participating in the survey. Neutral ulty, and staff report that they collaborate with other responses were indicated by 10.7, 24.0, and 28.3 per- divisions and departments to achieve the College’s stra- cent, respectively. The majority of managers, faculty, tegic goals. and staff indicated that they knew how to participate Clearly, the campus has a broad understanding of the in the planning process. Neutral responses were in- College’s planning process, the goals, and the possible dicated by 10.7, 25.6, and 42.9 percent, respectively. means of working to achieve those goals, and that The majority of managers, faculty, and staff indicated the institution is committed to achieving its identified that they actually participate in the planning process. goals. All managers are required to include activities in Neutral responses were indicated by 10.7, 25.9, and support of the College’s strategic goals from the Direc- 42.1 percent, respectively. On the question of whether tions in their individual annual performance goals and participation influences the outcome of the planning objectives. Direction teams meet annually or more fre- process, managers, faculty, and staff believed it did. quently, as needed, to review and report on the progress Neutral responses of 3.7, 41.1, and 49.5 percent, re- towards each of the goals in their Direction area. This spectively, were reported. When asked if they are en- review and status report process forms the basis for re- couraged to participate in the planning process, a ma- ports to the campus and the Board of Trustees regard- jority of managers, faculty, and staff strongly agreed or ing the completion of the College’s goals, as evidenced agreed. Neutral responses were indicated by 7.4, 25.5, by the annual Institutional Effectiveness Reports (2.57,

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 77 2.58, 2.59, 2.60, 2.61). ning as a priority at Cypress College.

Self Evaluation Planning Agenda As evidenced by the Campus Climate and Planning None. Survey and the long list of accomplishments identified 3. The institution assesses progress toward in the Institutional Effectiveness Reports (2.27, 2.42, achieving its stated goals and makes decisions 2.43, 2.44), the completion of new buildings, growth of regarding the improvement of institutional ef- online education, integration of online registration and fectiveness in an ongoing and systematic cycle support services, and articulation and communication of evaluation, integrated planning, resource of the planning process and goals in a variety of for- allocation, implementation, and re-evalua- mats, the College has a broad-based understanding of tion. Evaluation is based on analyses of both the goals and great success in achieving them. The In- quantitative and qualitative data. stitutional Effectiveness Report has provided two categories of information: (1) a consistent set of information on college demographics and program review, and Descriptive Summary (2) special segments that summarize important activi- Ongoing planning is something that is taken very se- ties that were initiated or completed during the period riously at Cypress College. So much so that in early of review, such as Campus Survey Results and Student 2009, the Director of Institutional Research position Learning Outcomes. The consistent information en- was restructured to include planning. As a result, that ables comparison of institutional performance over a position now directly reports to the President and also period of time by using the trend data on the same pa- serves as a member of the President’s staff, which also rameters. The special segments provide an overview of includes the Executive Vice President of Educational the specific activities relevant to institutional effective- Programs and Services and the Vice President of Ad- ness. This past year, apart from continuing to maintain ministrative Services. This significant change illustrates the trend information and special segments, two chap- that planning is at the forefront of student success at ters were added to bring specific focus to institutional Cypress College. effectiveness with respect to the changing academic en- The planning process at Cypress College focuses on vironment; specifically, the Dashboard of Institutional institutional effectiveness in order to achieve the ulti- Effectiveness and Comprehensive Planning Process mate outcome: student success. The cycle of institu- (2.29, 2.62, 2.63). As the College grows, the need for tional effectiveness begins with the aligned missions on-going communication and processes to engage new of the North Orange County Community College faculty, staff, and managers will continue. As SLOs at District (NOCCCD) and Cypress College. These mis- the course, program and institutional level continue to sions drive the strategic goals and objectives set forth be used and refined, opportunities to develop addition- by the College. Student learning outcomes are then al and expanded strategic goals will continue into the established for individual areas and then assessed to future. see if the College has made any progress in achieving Through an organized and comprehensive process its mission. These outcomes help to drive an ongoing of planning, goal setting, communication, dialogue, dialogue about continuous quality improvement (2.64). review, assessment, and revision to refine its key pro- The planning process itself utilizes a variety of different cesses and improvement strategies, the College engages documents that define the short- and long-term goals in sustainable and continuous quality improvement. of the College along with how the College allocates its There is an on-going positive dialogue at all levels at resources to fulfill its mission and vision to bring about the College about institutional effectiveness wherein student success (2.65). The NOCCCD Strategic Plan data and analyses are widely distributed and discussed Framework (2.36) of Innovation, Collaboration, and and further input received. As recognized by faculty, Effectiveness helps drive the College Educational Mas- staff, and administration, this translates to a consistent ter Plan (2.14). The Educational Master Plan sets the and continuous commitment to improving institutional long-term goals of the College and helps drive plan- effectiveness and demonstrates the importance of plan-

78 Cypress College ning in other specialized areas such as Student Services most recent round of Campus Support Services Qual- (2.15), Matriculation (2.28), Distance Education (2.16), ity review took place in Spring 2010 (2.92 ). Beginning Student Equity (2.17), Technology (2.18), and Basic in Spring 2008, a review was piloted for special pro- Skills (2.19). grams on campus that receive one-time funding alloca- The Cypress College Strategic Plan (2.13) then breaks tions; however, the future schedule of this process is yet down all of these areas into short-term goals and steers to be determined (2.71). the annual planning and budget process. These strate- Once all of these reviews are complete, the information gic plan outcomes are documented in the Institutional is ready for the Planning and Budget Committee (PBC). Effectiveness Report and are reported to the Board of This is a shared-governance committee comprised of Trustees by the President each November (2.66). Once faculty, administration, classified staff, and students. Its that takes place, the information is disseminated cam- charge is to direct the planning effort, complete the an- pus-wide through a variety of forums such as the Man- nual planning and budget processes — which includes agement Team (2.25), the Leadership Team (2.26), faculty positions (2.50), classified staff needs (2.51), fa- which includes representatives from all areas through- cilities projects (2.52) and one-time budget allocations out the College, Department and Division Meetings, (2.48) — and make appropriate recommendations to Deans Meetings, various shared-governance commit- PAC for final consideration, discussion, and approval. tees (2.67), as well as the College website (2.68, 2.69). For example, the one-time budget allocation process The fiscal allocation process begins once a series of requires those seeking funding to tie their request to continuous reviews takes place. These reviews include either the Educational Master Plan or the Student Ser- the assessment of student learning outcomes, a variety vices Master Plan. Also, each request must specify what of institutional effectiveness measures contained in the goal the budget request would support and how each Institutional Effectiveness Report, departmental cur- goal supports the College strategic directions and goals riculum review, and several areas of quality review. All set forth in the Strategic Plan. Once this is completed, areas of quality review include both quantitative (en- each request is assessed by a Direction Committee, rollment, outcomes, etc.) and qualitative data (faculty which looks at whether it supports the College mission, and/or student surveys). Department Planning and if an area is growing, the quality of the area, the dem- Program Review (instructional quality review) takes onstrated need, and if safety issues are involved (2.48, place on a three-year rotation with one third of the 2.49). The committees rank the requests and present programs participating each Fall. This process is con- their recommendations to Planning and Budget where tinuously improving with the Program Review Com- the requests are prioritized into one list and presented mittee recommending and the Academic Senate ap- to PAC for final approval (2.98). proving revisions to the review, such as to now include fiscal allocations and student learning outcomes for Self Evaluation a more comprehensive assessment of a department’s performance (2.21, 2.70). Student Services Quality Since the last accreditation visit, the amount of data- Review takes place on a four-year rotation with one- driven decision making has increased. The Institu- fourth of the programs participating each Fall. This tional Effectiveness Report (IER), established in 2004- process has also been improved. After a review by the 2005, serves as the primary document assessing how Institutional Effectiveness Task Force and the Student well the College is doing in achieving student success. Services Council, a decision was made to include pro- The IER, for the first-time in 2008-2009, now includes gram level information about faculty/staff involve- a dashboard, which examines a variety of measures re- ment and needs assessment, facilities, technology, and lated to student success for each of the five directions fiscal resources and planning into the quality review to of the strategic plan. The resources section also pro- meet ACCJC standards of assessment and planning. vides a complete listing of other information provided Campus Support Services Quality Review takes place to inform planning. In the most recent Institutional Re- in the Spring semester every three years. This process is search Campus Services Quality Review, conducted in also being revamped to make it more in line with both Spring 2010, 97% of respondents “strongly agreed” or instructional and student services program review. The “agreed” that information received from Institutional

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 79 Research is easy to understand, and 97% of respon- the Associated Students (AS) and have rights as defined dents “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that Institutional by Title 5. Research data have had a positive impact on planning, Broad involvement in the College planning process is and, 95% “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that Institu- guaranteed by the shared-governance policy that functional Research data have had a positive impact on de- tions in accordance with (1) the mandates of AB 1725, cision making at Cypress College (2.91). the California Education Code, and Title 5 regula- The College uses a variety of planning processes to en- tions, (2) the collective bargaining agreements with the sure that data-driven decision making is taking place, UF, (3) the policies of the Board of Governors, and and budget allocations are linked to College planning. (4) the policies and procedures of the North Orange While this is currently happening in instruction and County Community College District Board of Trust- student services, additional work needs to be complet- ees to ensure that these groups are represented in the ed in the areas of assessing campus services and special planning process. A strong collegial atmosphere and a programs to make sure that funding in these areas are shared vision and commitment to student success gen- similarly allocated based on the College mission. erates the interest of administration, faculty, staff, and students to participate and follow the above policies. Planning Agenda A recent campus survey (2.47) provides evidence that there are recognized opportunities for broad-based None. participation in a successful planning process. The 4. The institution provides evidence that the majority of managers (89.3%), faculty (59.1%), and planning process is broad-based, offers oppor- staff (63.2%) either agree or strongly agree that they tunities for input by appropriate constituen- are aware of the planning process. The majority of cies, allocates necessary resources, and leads managers (92.9%), faculty (57.9%), and staff (58.3%) to improvement of institutional effectiveness. either agree or strongly agree that the planning process helps the College achieve its desired goals. The major- Descriptive Summary ity of managers (89.3%) and faculty (53.9%), but only 42.9% of staff either agree or strongly agree that they At Cypress College, the shared-governance process is know how to participate in the planning process. As a system whereby all affected persons have an oppor- referenced in earlier portions of this report, the Col- tunity to give input into decision making, directly or lege President and others have made a conscious effort through representation in all planning, budget, off-site to engage all constituencies in the planning process re- planning colloquia, and other collegial consultation lating to institutional improvement. However, although committees. For example, one important commit- invited to participate, students, staff, and faculty may tee is the President’s Advisory Cabinet (PAC), which not participate in this process for reasons ranging from serves as the primary recommending body to the Col- apathy to over-commitment. As a result, the campus lege president on the establishment of campus policies, process may represent views from a smaller segment of procedures, and general college issues. PAC includes the campus community than desired. The Leadership President’s Staff and representatives from the College’s Team engaged in developing strategies to improve par- main constituent groups. The Academic Senate repre- ticipation and transparency in planning and decision- sents the faculty on academic and professional matters making processes to further improve on this area. as defined in Title 5 of the California Education Code on Strengthening Academic Senates. The United Fac- Goal 9 and Assessments 23 & 24 under Direction Four ulty (UF) represents the faculty on wages, hours, work- of the Strategic Plan were established to further guar- ing conditions, and contractual matters. The Califor- antee broad involvement in College activities, includ- nia School Employees Association (CSEA) represents ing the planning process: the classified staff on wages, hours, working conditions, Goal 9: Expand involvement in College activities, and contractual matters. The District Management As- plans and initiatives to reflect broader participation by sociation (DMA) represents Cypress College managers all members of the College. and their views regarding affected areas in deliberating and formulating decisions. Students are represented by Assessment 23: By Fall 2008, establish a task force

80 Cypress College on campus involvement to explore and establish strate- grants, equipment purchases, faculty mini-grants, stu- gies and activities to increase involvement and to iden- dent scholarships, and student emergency relief funds. tify the responsible individuals or departments to lead The College has also developed relationships with nu- these efforts (e.g., a written guide to campus involve- merous hospitals and facilities in support of instruction ment, spirit week, and student life activities plan). Lead in Nursing and the allied health professions. The Nurs- Person: Chair of Direction Four. ing Program conducted a POD drill with the Orange Assessment 24: By Fall 2010, reflect upon the recent County Public Health Dept. and local police and fire strategies to increase campus involvement and develop authorities. An aditional drill is in planning stages for ways to sustain or expand the most effective ones. Lead November 2010. Nursing students conduct flu clinics Person: Chair of Task Force on Campus Involvement. each semester on campus as well as in senior centers and local hospitals. Pediatric nursing students do devel- Involvement is also further enhanced by allowing dif- opmental assessments for Orange County Childrens’ ferent individuals from the various constituency groups Services each December, visit local grade schools to talk the opportunity to participate on a variety of shared about nursing, and do a “show and tell” for Cypress governance committees. This allows for each constitu- College’s KinderCaminata each year. In addition, the ency group to determine if somebody with past experi- California Nursing Student Association (CSNA) spon- ence is best suited to meet the needs of the group or if sors Toys for Tots every December, conducts a job fair it is better to rotate to a new individual who can bring on campus each semester with local hospitals, mili- fresh new ideas and a new perspective. Each group sets tary, and Veterans Hospitals participating. and partici- forth the ground rules on when and how their repre- pates in outreach to high schools. The Dental Hygiene sentation will be reviewed. Program has contracts with Share Ourselves Clinic The College allocates resources — to the extent re- in Costa Mesa and Rancho Los Amigos in Downey. sources are available — in accordance with established These facilities allow dental students to go to each facil- plans and procedures. Program and quality reviews are ity for training. The Hotel, Restaurant, Culinary Arts incorporated as part of the allocation process whenev- Program receives support from Disney Resorts, Knott’s er requests for funding are considered. Allocations are Berry Farm, the Hotel Industry Association, numerous monitored and reviewed to assure that College dollars hotels, and other entities. The College also generates are being allocated and effectively expended in accord $1.2 million in unrestricted funding annually by rent- with identified priorities. ing space to a weekend swap meet. The College has an effective resource allocation process With regard to enrollment, as the College has reduced to continuously identify and access outside resources budgets, resources have been allocated based upon wherever possible. By way of example, the College the implementation of effective plans. These plans secured a Department of Education STEM grant to- addressed issues of FTES reduction and resource al- taling $2.5 million for modernizing laboratory instruc- location. The information considered in making these tional equipment, multimedia upgrades for lecture and reductions and allocating resources included: laboratory instruction, outreach, tutoring services, and ◊ Unmet student demand reports collaborative student research projects with local universities. The District has also been able to pass a local ◊ Unfilled seat reports general obligation bond Measure X for major building ◊ Five year enrollment trend reports construction and upgrades to existing buildings. ◊ Program review reports Corporate sponsorships with entities such as Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., Volvo Penta, Sherwin-Wil- ◊ College Educational Master Plan liams, Snap-On, Matco, AAA, TurboCor, Yamaha The result has been a significant reduction in expendi- Corporation, and many others support various pro- tures and seats available, at a time of significant increas- grams at the College by providing instructional materi- es in student demand, increased fill rates, and FTES. als, equipment, and supplies. When resources to fulfill plans and meet the College’s The Cypress College Foundation supports department goals are reduced, the College follows prescribed bud-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 81 get reduction guidelines, incorporates strategies for ef- Descriptive Summary fective class scheduling reductions — while preserving Cypress College collects, analyzes, and disseminates the integrity of programs — and seeks alternatives to a variety of student assessment and quality assurance improve productivity and efficiency. Effective planning data. It utilizes a variety of means to communicate in- has led to some positive changes during this economic formation pertaining to student achievement to a wide downturn and time of uncertainty. The College has variety of different groups. The reports integrate a successfully completed three new major facilities and range of quantitative and qualitative assessment. Apart four significant remodels because it had appropriate from the college-wide reports such as success and reten- and effectively developed plans in place to capture the tion, program-specific reports are also developed. Ex- State’s scarce available resources. amples of program-specific reports include effective- Finally, program quality is significantly supported by ness of Supplementary Instruction and Improvement the engagement of a funding process that provides for in successive basic skills mathematics courses. Among the consideration of both short-term and long-term the means that are used to communicate matters of goals. Significant one-time program needs are ad- quality assurance are the annual Institutional Effec- dressed through a rigorous one-time funding process tiveness Reports (2.27, 2.42, 2.43, 2.44) and End-of- that funded significant improvements and upgraded the-Year Reports (2.57, 2.58, 2.59, 2.60, 2.61). Further equipment and support for a variety of programs. Un- information about institutional effectiveness is found in expected needs and/or emergencies are also addressed a variety of detailed research data and reports dissemi- by Planning and Budget on an ad hoc basis as the need nated by the Office of Institutional Research and Plan- arises through a special or emergency funding request ning (2.68, 2.72, 2.73). In addition, the office analyzes, process. synthesizes, and presents information in a manner that is readily understood by the College community. Re- Self Evaluation search reports are usually presented to audiences in person by the Director. This provides the Director with Planning and decision making is broad based and par- the opportunity to observe how well the material meets ticipatory throughout the College. All shared-gover- the expectations of the audience and whether it pro- nance committees allow for participation from each of vides appropriate detail. It allows the Director to assess the various constituency groups on campus. Awareness how it is interpreted and likely to be used and gives and recruitment by each of these groups allows for op- the audience members the chance to ask questions or portunity and assures that involvement is broad within request further information. In the Spring 2010 sur- each constituency group. vey of Institutional Research and Planning, 97% of re- The College allocates resources through an extensive spondents said that reports are easy to understand, and planning process that allows for the inclusion of da- 98% said that researchers are open to feedback. ta-driven decision making. The College also uses this While these exchanges are valuable and have improved information to set priorities and determine whether ef- significantly over the past several years, they are time- ficiencies can be obtained locally to increase resources consuming, and this approach leaves room for contin- or funding should be sought out from external bodies ued improvement. Often, the primary audience con- such as through grants and/or corporate sponsorships. sists of one or more committees such as Planning and The planning process has allowed the College to make Budget, the Management Team, Leadership Team, or necessary changes to update facilities and programs to Deans and Directors Team. Although some commit- better meet the needs of its student population. tee members share the research with others, in years past, the information sometimes never reached the Planning Agenda broader campus community. The College has worked None. at making significant improvements over the past five years in the sharing of information, which is corrobo- 5. The institution uses documented assess- rated by the Fall 2009 Campus Climate Survey (2.47). ment results to communicate matters of qual- They include, among others, dissemination of such ity assurance to appropriate constituencies. information on the College website (2.69), within the

82 Cypress College @Cypress newsletter (2.74), via Institutional Research ing planning is also conducted. and Planning Bulletins (2.72), Opening Day in Fall and Each semester, the Office of Institutional Research and Spring, and through a variety of other research sur- Planning publishes and distributes its Institutional Re- veys and reports (2.73). In some cases, comprehensive search and Planning Bulletins (2.72) that highlight en- written reports are prepared and distributed campus- rollments, demographics, and a variety of other sound, wide. Other means used to communicate the status action-oriented research to help decision-makers to act of student success are regular reports to the Board of effectively on behalf of students and the community Trustees, news releases, website postings, meetings with and to foster student success and institutional effective- community advisory boards and career technical ad- ness. visory committees, outreach counseling, reports to the College Foundation, and program publications and Externally, the Public Information Office publishes brochures from a number of campus areas. some of the more global achievements of the College’s students and faculty in a variety of media, including Since 1990, Cypress College has had a comprehensive traditional publications and electronic media. It also instructional program review process in place. This builds rapport with the community, promotes Cypress is “Department Planning and Program Review,” for- College, and publishes basic transfer and completion merly, “Instructional Quality Assessment” (2.21). With rates and information regarding degrees and certifi- substantial changes on campus, as well as changes in cates awarded. the Accreditation Standards, in addition to the fore- going, the campus developed both a Student Services While some data have always been published as part of Quality Review (2.8) and a Campus Support Services the required “Student Right to Know” Report (2.75), Quality Review process (2.92). Both reviews are pro- the College only recently began publishing extensive or viding valuable information, establishing and monitor- comprehensive statistics on student achievement and ing goals, and evaluating and reporting effectiveness on learning in the Institutional Effectiveness Report (2.27), a regular basis. which is accessible to the community and demonstrates the many contributions Cypress College makes. Department Planning and Program Review, Student Services Quality Review, and Campus Support Ser- Finally, the Public Information Office publishes “@ vices Quality Review reports are communicated to ap- Cypress,” a weekly publication to students, faculty, propriate constituencies as part of their self-study pro- staff, administration, and the community that focuses cesses. While the Department Planning and Program on achievements of the College, students, faculty, staff Review results are shared with those in the depart- and administration. This publication routinely con- ment, these results are also available for review by any- tains demographic data and student success informa- one wishing to examine them. The Student Services tion (2.74). Quality Review and Campus Support Services Quality The College assesses whether it is effectively commu- Review results are used for setting goals and program nicating information about institutional quality to the improvement and are shared campus-wide via allusers public through a variety of different means. On an as- email and then stored on the J: drive for campus-wide needed basis, surveys are conducted to determine if its access. marketing efforts are effective. This was last done in In addition, the campus regularly reviews the effective- Spring 2005 to determine the best ways to get informa- ness of the Strategic Plan. At the conclusion of each tion about Cypress College to the public (2.93). During four-year cycle, a planning retreat or colloquium (2.35) that same time, the Public Information Office initiated is held to lay the groundwork for the development of a comprehensive communications program focused on the succeeding plan. In this process, the Department connecting with students via email. Over time, these Planning and Program Review reports, Student Ser- messages have become more sophisticated and are now vices Quality Review and Campus Support Services segmented so that they contain information relevant to Quality Review reports, and a variety of other campus the individual student receiving them. For example, documents are evaluated so that the Strategic Plan is students enrolled in 9 units receive a personalized mes- responsive to them. An external scan of factors impact- sage encouraging them to add an additional class so that they can become a full-time student. This strate-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 83 gic communication has also been utilized to encourage industry, business, labor union, civic, and community students who may be at or nearing eligibility for earn- representatives meet to provide the College with infor- ing a degree or a certificate to meet with a counselor. mation and to provide opportunities for the College to In recent years, Cypress College has taken a proactive inform them and receive feedback assessing the Col- and leading role in the use of social media to commu- lege’s effectiveness. Current advisory committees in- nicate about the College’s success, including the success clude the following: of its students, faculty, and alumni. During the period ◊ Management Advisory Committee between accreditation visits, the College has utilized a ◊ Marketing Advisory Committee variety of social media methods, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, iTunes, Podcasts, and MySpace. ◊ Accounting Advisory Committee The focus of these endeavors has primarily been to ◊ Computer Information Systems Advi- convey information that fosters student success and stu- sory Committee dent participation as well as highlighting the success of students, faculty, and alumni. A blog, launched in Fall ◊ Court Reporting Advisory Committee 2010, furthers this effort. ◊ Automotive Technology Advisory Com- The College is always reviewing how it disseminates mittee information to the public. For the first time this past ◊ T-TEN Advisory Committee year, the College developed a four-page document ◊ Automotive Collision Repair Advisory called the Dashboard of Institutional Effectiveness. Committee This serves as a companion piece to the Institutional Effectiveness Report. It gives a quick snapshot on how ◊ Aviation Advisory Committee well the College is performing on a variety of measures ◊ Airline Travel Careers Advisory Com- tied to the Strategic Plan Directions (2.29). It has been mittee well received by the Board of Trustees and community groups. ◊ Hotel Restaurant Culinary Advisory Committee Cypress College also understands the importance of communicating and connecting with other educational ◊ Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Advi- entities. Specifically, the College works closely with the sory Committee School of Continuing Education (SCE) to promote ◊ Nursing Advisory Committee each other’s programs. This has lead to increasing ◊ Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee numbers of SCE high school graduate program students enrolling at the College. The College also col- ◊ Dental Assistant Advisory Committee laborates with local high schools regarding a wide va- ◊ Diagnostic Medical Sonography Advi- riety of academic and vocational course offerings. All sory Committee College managers are assigned to the ten local chambers of commerce from the College’s service area and ◊ Mortuary Science Advisory Committee special populations. The College also invites the com- ◊ Psychiatric Technology Advisory Com- munity on campus to participate in various events such mittee as KinderCaminata, Senior Day, and the High School Principals’ Breakfast. Despite the economic downturn, ◊ Radiologic Technology Advisory Com- College enrollment is up, and College-sponsored committee munity events like the Foundation Golf Tournament ◊ Health Information Technology Advi- and Americana Awards continue to thrive. Cypress sory Committee College makes a point of having a presence in the com- ◊ Art - Computer Graphics Advisory munity and letting them know how well it is contribut- Committee ing to student success (2.94). ◊ Communications/Journalism Advisory Finally, several advisory committees comprising of Committee

84 Cypress College ◊ Photography Advisory Committee College developed its Educational Master Plan 2006- 2016 that provides direction for each department and ◊ Human Services Advisory Committee for the College as a whole (2.14). This was done partly in response to recommendations of the Accrediting Self Evaluation Commission for Community and Junior Colleges and The College collects a variety of data used to assess partly because it was a tool recognized by the College whether it’s doing a successful job of achieving student as important to planning, budget allocation, evalua- success. The College has done a much better job in tion, and continuous quality improvement. The Col- the last few years in disseminating this information to lege launched an ambitious project to develop the Edu- a variety of audiences on campus, off campus, and cational Master Plan 2006-2016 during the 2005-2006 through the Internet. The College continually reviews academic year. The strength of the plan lies in the fact whether the dissemination of information is working that the faculty, staff, and management in each divi- well or whether changes need to occur. Through these sion and department developed their section, following methods, matters of quality assurance and institutional a template established by the task force and respond- effectiveness are communicated to the public. Given ing to a broad array of data provided by the Office of the high number of local community members choos- Institutional Research and Planning. This grass-roots ing the College, these strategies appear to be working. effort resulted in a plan that is based on real needs and, therefore, will be a valuable resource as the College Planning Agenda moves forward. None. This Educational Master Plan has become the foundation on which all other College planning is based. It 6. The institution assures the effectiveness of drives the development of future strategic plans and is its ongoing planning and resource allocation operationalized through the goals and objectives that processes by systematically reviewing and become part of the Strategic Plans. It is also used as modifying, as appropriate, all parts of the cy- decisions are made about resource allocations, includ- cle, including institutional and other research ing new faculty and staff, facilities, and budgets. efforts. Another piece of the ongoing planning process is the College’s Strategic Plan. Since 1996, the College has Descriptive Summary been using a four-year Strategic Plan. Each year, this The College uses several processes to evaluate the ef- plan has become more significant in guiding campus fectiveness of evaluations, integration of planning ef- decision making. forts, and budget allocation. The College’s institutional The culture of this institution in planning has always effectiveness cycle serves as a comprehensive model to been to involve representatives from all constituencies assess, summarize, and report how well the College is in an all-day retreat to develop the ideas for the Col- doing with respect to its goals and objectives to ensure lege’s Strategic Plan. The current plan used a consul- that they are relevant and being achieved in an appro- tative approach involving 50 faculty, staff, and admin- priate timeline. All components of these processes — istrators in a colloquium. The participants reviewed including Strategic Plan goals and objectives, student and updated the Vision and Mission of the College, learning outcomes, and validation of mission fulfill- reviewed the Core Values for the institution, consid- ment — serve as an effective process that drives the ered community demographics and data supplied by institutional dialogue of continuous quality improve- the Office of Institutional Research and Planning, ment. performed internal and external scans, and reviewed For a number of years, the College has developed and the status and effectiveness of the previous Strategic used a Strategic Plan to effectively guide decision mak- Plan as part of a systematic cycle of evaluation. It also ing and resource allocation. In addition, the NOCCCD involved the analysis of a variety of other planning Board of Trustees approved a district-wide Master Plan documents including academic program reviews, non- in 1999, which has been used to guide facilities devel- instructional program reviews, research reports, and opment on the campus. It was not until 2006 that the

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 85 the various campus plans referenced below. decisions. In addition to the review of individual planning pro- In an effort to provide a more efficient way to evalu- cesses and their integration with budget allocation, the ate its efforts and progress, in Fall 2005, several reports College also conducts a systematic and comprehensive were combined together into one document, called review of the planning processes, including evaluation the Institutional Effectiveness Report (2.42). Chapter of mechanisms for reviewing the effectiveness of the one included student and staff data, chapter two in- planning process at Cypress College. As part of this cluded the summaries for the Department Planning process, the campus community is asked to evaluate the and Program Reviews, chapter three and four included adequacy of research data for all planning purposes. summaries for the Student Services Quality Reviews Each of the five directions in the Strategic Plan is mon- and the Campus Support Quality Reviews, and chap- itored by a direction committee and headed up by a ter five included a status report of the Strategic Plan. direction leader who is part of the Planning and Bud- This document is produced and distributed each Fall get Committee (PBC). There are over forty individuals, in order for the campus to have a summary of its ef- including students, who work on the plan each year. fectiveness and to act as an additional resource for con- In the Fall semester, PBC focuses on planning by com- tinuous evaluation, planning, and responsible budget municating with those responsible for completing the allocation. The document has continually evolved to action plans and developing a progress report in De- now include chapters on a dashboard of institutional cember. A final report of the action plans is completed effectiveness, special programs quality review, student in June. In the Spring, requests for one-time funding learning outcomes, and planning in general. are prepared, and it is the direction committees that The Educational Master Plan (EMP), which covers a prioritize the requests based upon the goals and objec- ten-year period, has become the umbrella for other tives of that part of the Strategic Plan. Those priori- College plans. The Technology Plan, the Student Eq- tizations are then discussed in PBC and merged into uity Plan, the Facilities Plan, the Matriculation Plan, one list for the campus and presented to PAC for final and the Distance Education Plan all support the EMP. approval. During the last two years, those submitting a Each of these plans is systematically reviewed and request have also been required to submit their com- modified, as appropriate, to ensure continuous quality pleted quality review report to identify why a particular improvement. request is being submitted. Most importantly, the EMP focuses the directions of The evaluation form used by the direction committees the Strategic Plan, which is revised every four years; to rank requests gives points for specific criteria includ- and the action plans, which are revised every two years. ing if the request is part of a plan developed through Since the Strategic Plan is so much a part of the culture the quality review process. Other parts of the compre- of Cypress College, it is the vehicle to guide short-term hensive planning process in existence are the various decision making including resource allocation. Stan- quality review processes. The College has used Depart- dardized data and measurable outcomes have been es- ment Planning and Program Review (formerly Instruc- tablished. Measures of institutional effectiveness that tional Quality Assessment or IQA) for 19 years as its relate to the College mission and the directions/goals program review process for instruction. The College of the Strategic Plan have been established. College has also initiated Student Services Quality Review and performance on these measures is published annually Campus Support Services Quality Review. All of these in the Institutional Effectiveness Report. The Educa- quality review processes are cyclical, thus providing the tional Master Plan has proven to be a valuable tool as it vehicle for continuous evaluation and assessment. The is used to set priorities for human resources and budget processes have and will continue to undergo continu- allocations. ous improvement, and the cycle is now repeating these Department Planning and Program Review (2.21) re- processes, and has been integrated into campus deci- views each department’s curriculum/programs, goals sion making. The quality review reports have continu- and objectives on a 3-year rotation. The Career Tech- ously gained importance among the constituents be- nical Education programs follow a bi-yearly program cause they are being used by the College to help make review cycle. This provides a systematic review of the

86 Cypress College progress on goals since the previous review cycle. In- program on a three-year cycle. The process was just tegrated within Department Planning and Program updated to include more information about achiev- Review is the SLO process, which is established to en- ing previous goals, developing administrative unit sure that students are achieving learning outcomes of outcomes (AUOs), as well as determining the impact courses and programs. SLOs and PLOs are defined, on services in light of current economic uncertainties and corresponding data is collected and analyzed for (2.92). implementing an action plan. The effectiveness of the The planning process does an effective job of fostering SLO process will be evaluated and assessed once the improvement. Specific elements within the institutional first cycle is completed by Spring of 2011. Department effectiveness cycle allow for continuous improvement Planning and Program Review is also linked to the in accord with articulated and identified needs. The budget process. Educational Master Plan gives evidence that the Col- Budget requests from divisions must have a Strategic lege defines the scope of its operations and identifies Plan Direction and a division, department, or program goals and strategies. Evaluation is conducted on all as- priority number assigned following faculty, staff, and pects of planning from the effectiveness of one-time management collaboration within that division, de- funding requests to the accomplishment of strategic partment or program. Budget items move from Direc- plan goals, which are directly tied back to the District tion Subcommittees to the Planning and Budget Com- and College mission. mittee where a priority list is created and presented to Realistically, when funds are reduced, it creates chal- the President’s Advisory Cabinet for final approval. As lenges, and improvements are met at a slower pace. Di- funds become available, the priority list is used to fund visions and departments have limited allocated budgets the budget requests. The College’s Program Review to work with, and they often have to ask the Planning form (2.21) has been updated to reflect the needs of the and Budget Committee for special funding for emer- institution, including SLOs and linking resource needs. gencies and program or services improvements. The Institutional Effectiveness Report (2.27) reviews and reports on the effectiveness of the program. Self Evaluation Student Services is another area that reviewed its planning and resource allocation process following the The College regularly and systematically assesses the adoption of the Educational Master Plan (EMP) (2.14) effectiveness of its planning processes to achieve im- in 2006. The Student Services division formed a task provements in both the process and the College’s out- force for development of SLOs for all Student Ser- comes. Changes in the planning process will continue vice areas. In 2007, the Student Services Master Plan to occur to respond to evolving College needs, such as (SSMP) (2.15) was completed. The driving force for de- the ongoing integration of SLO assessment within the veloping the SSMP was to help students achieve their program review process and the further integration of educational and/or occupational goals. This compre- planning with the budgeting process to form a single, hensive support services and guidance plan was devel- cohesive, and participatory process. oped as a tool to help students overcome challenges as they arise. The SSMP, which covers a seven-year pe- Planning Agenda riod, supports the Educational Master Plan and will be None. used for strategic planning in the Student Services divisions. Review of this process is ongoing. 7. The institution assesses its evaluation mechanisms through a systematic review of their As indicated earlier in Standard IB, the campus reg- effectiveness in improving instructional pro- ularly reviews the effectiveness of the Strategic Plan. grams, student support services, and library During its four-year cycle, the Plan is annually reviewed and other learning support services. by the Planning and Budget Committee and a variety of constituencies across campus, and adjustments are made in preparation for the following year. Descriptive Summary The institution utilizes planning processes and mecha- Campus Support Services reviews and evaluates each nisms to measure the effectiveness of campus programs

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 87 and services. Quantitative and qualitative data are The EMP’s primary focus is on aligning goals with the used in an effort to continually improve College pro- mission and vision of the College. The EMP also in- grams and services. The comparison of successive pro- forms and guides other campus plans, such as the Col- gram reviews, college-wide survey results, and ad-hoc lege’s Strategic and District Strategic plans, Matricula- research conducted on student learning and success tion Plan, Student Equity Plan, Technology Plan, and indicate the extent to which the College has improved Facilities Plan, as well as provides input into long-term and provides information on areas that still need im- decision making related to resource allocation (2.14). provement. These determinations are based on statisti- The College’s Strategic Plan is updated every four years cal data, qualitative observations, and goal setting done with the current 2008 plan in effect until 2011. This during a specific review period. The other part of the plan’s objectives appropriately align with the new EMP College improvement process involves improving the but have a more specific focus on the campus “Quality process itself. Review” process in terms of evaluation of instructional The institutional planning process is outlined in the programs and courses and student services programs 2006 Educational Master Plan (EMP), which lays the with shorter-term goals. The 2004-2008 Strategic Plan foundation for the institution’s planning and assess- (2.12) was developed and approved before the development process. This master plan, coupled with short- ment of the EMP. To capitalize on the work and vision term plans, has set the stage for a comprehensive set forth in the new EMP, the College established new campus-wide planning process that serves as the pri- action plans that are reflected for the last two years of mary evaluative tool for campus programs and servic- that Strategic Plan — 2006 through 2008. These ac- es. Specific goals have been indicated in the EMP and tion measures included efforts to coordinate goals with in other campus plans and then are measured after a the EMP, a new Student Services Master Plan (SSMP) predictable timeframe to determine the effectiveness (2.15), and a new campus Technology Plan (2.18), in of these programs and services. The EMP serves as the addition to the establishment of a multi-year calendar College’s primary planning mechanism. This plan and of major planning activities. This calendar identifies others will be referenced in the following paragraphs timeframes and sequential development of all such as they relate to the discussion of determining the Col- planning mechanisms (2.76). lege’s effectiveness. The 2008-2011 Strategic Plan includes additional ac- First is the Accreditation Self Study. The College’s plan- tion measures and campus-wide goals impacting pro- ning process and respective timelines for evaluation of grams and student services (2.13). This latest strategic programs and services are carefully considered with re- plan has a specific timeframe and lead persons assigned spect to the Self Study. The last Self Study report was to make sure that each objective is met. released by the College in 2005. As a result of the Self Also considered a major planning mechanism in the Study findings, along with Accrediting Commission for area of strategic planning is the new 2006 District- Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Asso- wide Strategic Plan, developed by the District in an ef- ciation of Schools and Colleges (ACCJC’s) recommen- fort to address the changing workforce of California dations, the College implemented further plans and and meet the demands of neighboring communities action measures with the goal of improving programs through various programs. This plan has a direct im- and services. These are reflected in recent plan updates pact on the programs and services being offered by the as discussed below, as well as in the 2008 Accreditation District’s colleges (2.36). Midterm Report (2.39). The College evaluates its curriculum in terms of in- Among the primary action measures was the imple- structional quality, campus support services, and over- mentation of an Educational Master Plan (EMP). This all institutional effectiveness based on outcomes of plan will be updated every ten years and is now effec- measurable goals specified in various campus plans. tive through 2016. The EMP serves as the College’s The College also utilizes results of systematic surveys comprehensive planning process and provides a means as a means of self evaluation and institutional effec- of gathering evidence and incorporating long-term tiveness. The Noel-Levitz Student Survey is distributed goals with respect to College programs and services. in the Fall semester in odd-numbered years, i.e. 2003,

88 Cypress College 2005, 2007, 2009, etc. The 2009 and prior surveys eas have improved. In the area of campus services, the address important questions concerning matters that College set a standard of at least 75% satisfaction with mean the most to students and whether or not the Col- each of the core survey measures although some de- lege is meeting these expectations (2.45). partments set a higher standard for themselves. After Several questions in the Climate Survey conducted in the surveys are analyzed by the Office of Institutional 2009 were related to satisfaction and importance of Research and Planning, managers in each area review employee opinion on decision making (Figure 1). Al- the results with their staff and complete a quality re- though the general results indicated overall satisfac- view report including a narrative that places the data tion on both areas to be satisfactory, perception var- in context, comments on any standards not met, and ied among employee groups. Administrators, full-time establishes program goals and objectives for the next faculty members, and members of shared-governance several years. Summaries of these reports are included committees are more satisfied with their work and in an Institutional Effectiveness Report (IER) so that believe that their contributions are more influential, others on campus may see and understand the current compared to the staff, part-time faculty, and those not goals of campus service programs. Campus services involved in shared-governance committees. Admin- were reviewed in 2004, 2005, and 2007. They are now istrators were also most likely to agree that they are on a standard three-year cycle and were reviewed in aware and involved in campus planning, while part- Spring 2010. The campus also utilizes the IER and time faculty were least likely to agree. Average scores other data to make enrollment management decisions are shown in the chart below for a select group of ques- with potential impact on programs and services. The tions related to satisfaction and decision making (2.47). campus has a new Enrollment Management Commit- tee to deal with related issues. Both surveys collect information about specific populations, i.e. students, faculty, etc. The data are compared Student services also gather evidence by conducting from one year to the next to determine which areas surveys of students who avail themselves of such ser- of the campus may need improvement and which ar- vices. The reviews are done at the department/division

Figure 1

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 89 level, discussed with deans, submitted to the Executive the divisions’ programs participated in a four-year re- Vice President and, finally, entered into the Institution- view cycle; it is now a three-year process. Each review al Effectiveness Report (IER) (2.27).The IER includes involves a re-confirmation of course requisites through student and staff demographics, institutional outcomes, the curriculum process, among other important re-val- and quality review results (2.27). This report has been a idation measures. Recent program progress and future planning mechanism for the campus since 2005 (2.42, plans of instructional programs are also evaluated as 2.43, 2.44). Quality Review includes outcomes as a re- part of this process. In 2005, the Self Study Report sult of Department Planning Program Review (2.21), (2.38) discussed this Quality Review process not only Student Services Quality Review (SSQR) (2.8, 2.9), in terms of evaluation of the instructional programs Campus Support Services Quality Review (CSSQR) themselves, but also the viability of this review process (2.10), and Special Programs Quality Review. This re- to determine if adjustments and/or revisions should port is yet another mechanism which serves as a vali- be made. The decision to change to a three-year cycle dation tool for affirming what the College does right of program review was a major outcome. Department and what needs improvement. This helps in setting Planning and Program Review was then revised to campus-wide priorities and budgeting. make it more focused on program effectiveness. Program Review is an important evaluation mecha- The College also responded to AACJC’s recommen- nism with its goals stated in various plans such as the dation (2.37, 2.38, 2.39) to identify and assess student EMP and Strategic Plan. This process includes a com- learning outcomes (SLOs) across the campus. The prehensive and multi-program review that takes into EMP and Strategic Plan both include strategies for in- account all of the Quality Review processes noted corporating SLOs into the College’s plans. As stated in above. The Program Review rotation schedule indi- the EMP, “Student Support Services will start the pro- cates which departments are up for review for instruc- cess of developing their SLOs in 2006-2007 and will be tion, as well as the rotation schedule for student servic- finished by the end of five years” (p. 152). This process es, campus services, and special programs (2.21, 2.77). was also applied to all of the College’s active courses The Campus Support Services are reviewed during and instructional programs and the institution as a the Spring every three years including Spring 2010. whole with Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs). Cypress College distinguishes campus services from in- The SLO process is a cyclical process that is designed structional and student service programs based upon to effectively assess student achievement in our courses function and the areas served. The College recognizes and programs once every 3 years. The steps involved to nine campus services (2.10): complete the course-level SLO process include the following: defining SLOs, defining means of assessment, ◊ Academic Computing-Media Services collecting data for assessment, analyzing the collected ◊ Maintenance and Operations data, and, finally, writing a report that includes action plans, to improve/maintain the quality of instruction. ◊ Bookstore The overall goal of SLOs for all campus programs, ◊ Staff Development including student services, is to collect, analyze, and use the information to improve courses, programs, ◊ Bursar’s Office and services. All issues pertaining to SLOs, including ◊ Production Center the process itself, are regularly evaluated to establish a ◊ Campus Safety continued cycle of institutional improvement and effectiveness (2.13). ◊ Public Information The Academic Senate and the Associated Students ◊ Institutional Research and Planning Executive Board approved a draft of ILOs in April Department Planning and Program Review for in- 2004; on May 6, 2004, the President’s Advisory Cabi- structional programs requires that one-third of the net (PAC) reviewed and adopted the approved draft of College’s programs are reviewed each Fall on a rotat- ILOs (2.24, 2.78). The next step was to develop SLOs ing basis. Each rotation includes departments from a in instructional and student services areas. The College wide range of disciplines. Prior to Spring 2008, all of has made significant progress in this area. In Spring

90 Cypress College 2007, departments had gathered data for at least one Plan, which includes directions and goals for Student course and started analyzing that data the following Services. In 2005-2006 with the development of the Fall. A significant milestone for the College was the EMP, a new Student Services Master Plan (SSMP) was establishment of a Faculty SLO Coordinator position also developed during the 2006-2007 academic year that Spring. Responsibilities of the coordinator include and adopted by the campus in Fall 2007 (2.15). The leading the SLO Team meetings to develop a cohesive, SSMP, which covers a seven-year period, supports the integrated process for assessing, documenting, and re- EMP. It is a document that will be used for strategic porting SLOs; tracking and following up on the vari- planning in the student services divisions at the College. ous SLO-CATs stages; organizing faculty and staff dia- The development of the SSMP was a very beneficial logues to plan the direction of the SLO-CATs process; exercise for all areas. It provided student services staff providing updates to appropriate audiences; ensuring members with an opportunity to review and evaluate campus-wide communication and discussion of SLOs their current programs, in addition to future planning. and their assessment; and writing an annual executive The SSMP was also developed in conjunction with summary of progress. By May 2007, all 18 student ser- recently completed Student Services Quality Reviews. vices programs had established SLOs and assessment The Program Review rotation for student services re- plans. In reviewing the SLO process recently, the Col- quires one-quarter of the programs to be reviewed lege discussed the possibility of all student service pro- each Fall. Special Programs were also included in this grams focusing on a single theme - such as retention or rotation beginning with the Spring 2008 semester. persistence - for a single SLO cycle. The campus also The student services offices included in this review has plans to explore ways to more fully integrate SLOs include California Work Opportunity and Responsi- with the College’s quality review process for student bility for Kids (CalWORKS), Cooperative Agencies services. The goal in integrating the two processes is a for Resource Education (CARE), Disabled Students more comprehensive assessment of each program, in- Program and Services (DSPS), Extended Opportunity cluding how well it is helping students to achieve their Program and Services (EOPS), Library/Learning Re- educational goals. source Center (L/LRC), Study Abroad, International Faculty members have since been involved in SLO Dia- Students, Puente, Veterans Affairs, Admissions and Re- logues, and several recommendations have been made cords (A&R), Assessment, Counseling, Financial Aid, to Academic Senate (2.78). Among those recommen- Transfer Center, Student Activities, and the Health dations were that the College establish a timeline for Center. completing the SLO assessment process for all courses, The diagram of the planning process illustrates the re- that each division appoint at least one SLO representa- lationship between long-term planning, strategic plan- tive to an expanded SLO Team, and that each depart- ning, and resource allocation processes (2.31). ment create a plan for meeting the 2011 College goals and provide status reports to the deans and to the SLO Apart from the formal mechanisms of evaluation al- Team representative at least twice a semester. The rec- ready described, faculty and staff often make ad hoc ommendations were discussed and approved at the research requests to the Office of Institutional Research September 27, 2007, meeting of the Cypress College and Planning to get information about the effectiveness Academic Senate (2.78). As of October 2010, faculty of their programs and services (2.68, 2.72, 2.73). members have defined SLOs for 85% of the courses, defined assessment methods for 82%, and closed the Self Evaluation loop on 48% of all the courses (2.95). Although the The College uses a variety of mechanisms to gather College started out focusing primarily on establishing evidence about the effectiveness of programs and and assessing course SLOs, the process has expanded services and does extensive program planning at the to include individual program learning outcomes as department and instructional level. The entire qual- well as special instructional programs (e.g. Supplemen- ity review process, which includes instruction, student tal Instruction, Peer Assisted Learning, Honors, and services, campus services, and special programs, takes Service Learning). a comprehensive look at effectiveness levels. While the The College has been guided primarily by its Strategic instructional component has been around for quite

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 91 awhile, the student services, campus services, and spe- March 2004 – J:\Quality Review\Campus Support cial programs quality reviews are still rather new and Services Quality Review are changing and evolving over time to help the institu- 2.11 Cypress College Institutional Effectiveness Plan tion do a better job of collecting evidence on effective- 2009 – www.cypresscollege.edu/about/Institutional- ness than had been the case in the past. Research/rreports.aspx One of the recent changes to the quality review process 2.12 Strategic Plan 2004-2008 for Cypress College - is to not only develop goals and objectives, but to also 2004-2008 Strategic Plan with Objectives and Ac- tion Plans – J:\Planning review those from the past to see if past practices have been effective or need to be changed. Those changes 2.13 Strategic Plan 2008-2011 for Cypress College – along with utilizing departmental performance data in www.cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Planning/ considering one-time funding requests have led pro- StrategicPlan2008-2011Final.pdf grams and services to continue improving or run the 2.14 Educational Master Plan for Cypress College- www. risk of losing out on much needed funding. cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Planning/Educa- tionalMasterPlan.pdf Planning Agenda 2.15 Student Services Master Plan for Cypress College – www.cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Planning/ None. StudentServicesMasterPlan_2007-2014.pdf

2.16 Distance Education Plan at Cypress College – www. Reference Documents cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Planning/CC_ DE_Plan_Final_040209.pdf 2.1 Cypress College Institutional Effectiveness Report 2006-2007. Chapter 5: A brief History of SLOs at 2.17 Student Equity Plan at Cypress College – www. Cypress College – J:\Institutional Effectiveness Task cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Planning/20040 Force\IE Report 2007\IER07_Final.pdf 5StudentEquityPlanupdateoct06.pdf

2.2 Institutional Learning Outcomes Meeting Minutes, 2.18 Technology Plan at Cypress College – www. Reports and Information (2003-2004) – 2005 Self- cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Planning/CTC_ Study reference citations (2.1) TechplanUPDATED.pdf

2.3 Student Learning Outcomes Dialogue and Forum 2.19 Basic Skills Initiative Action Plan – www.cypresscol- Minutes (2007-2009) – J:\SLO Team\Dialogues\Min- lege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments. utes aspx

2.4 Expanded Student Learning Outcomes Committee 2.20 Basic Skills Initiative – www.cypresscollege.edu/ Agenda and Minutes (2007-2010) – J:\SLO Team\ about/InstitutionalResearch/ResearchandEvaluation/ ESLO bsinitiative.aspx

2.5 General Education Outcomes Committee Agenda 2.21 Program Review - Department Planning & Program and Minutes (2009-2010) – J:\SLO Team\GE\Agen- Review (formerly IQA) Cypress College Website da-Minutes – www.cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalRe- search/ProgramReview 2.6 Institutional Effectiveness Task Force Meeting Min- utes (2000) - 2005 Self-Study reference citations 2.22 Core Values Document (2004). Also see Reference (2.2) 2.13

2.7 Campus-wide Institutional Effectiveness Colloquium 2.23 Community Advisory Committee Agenda and Min- Agenda, Minutes and Reports (2003) – J-Drive utes (2004)

2.8 Student Services Quality Review Report (March 2.24 President’s Advisory Cabinet – Agenda and Minutes 2004) – J:\Quality Review\Student Support Services – J:\President’s Advisory Cabinet Quality Review 2.25 Management Team information dissemination – J:\ 2.9 Student Services Quality Review form – J:\Quality Strategic Plan Review\Strategic Plan Update Review\Student Support Services Quality Re- view\2009-10\ SSQR form 2.26 Leadership Team information dissemination

2.10 Campus Support Services Quality Review Report 2.27 Institutional Effectiveness 2008-2009 – www.

92 Cypress College cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Research/SE/ cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Research/SE/ IER2009forwebsite.pdf IER_2007-2008.pdf

2.28 Matriculation Plan – www.cypresscollege.edu/ 2.45 Student Satisfaction Survey, 2009 – www.cypress- about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments.aspx college.edu/IRP/Resources/Research/SE/NoelLev- itz_summary_F09Sp10.pdf 2.29 Strategic Planning Dashboard – www.cypresscollege.edu/Media/Website%20Resources/PDFs/ 2.46 Student Satisfaction Survey, 2007 – www.cypress- pio/2009-CypressCollege-Dashboard.pdf college.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/rsurveys. aspx 2.30 Strategic Plan Progress Report 2.47 2009-2010 Campus Climate and Planning Survey 2.31 Diagram of the Planning Process – www.cypress- Report – www.cypresscollege.edu/about/Institu- college.edu/IRP/Resources/Planning/Diagramof- tionalResearch/ResearchandEvaluation/rsurveys. thePlanningProcessatCypressCollege.pdf; www. aspx and www.cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/ cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Research/SE/ Research/SE/CLIMATE200910brief.pdf IER2009forwebsite.pdf 2.48 One-time Budget Allocation Form – J:\Planning & 2.32 Schedule of Major Planning Events – J:\Planning – Budget Committee PBC Background Documents 2.49 One-time Budget Allocation Assessment Form – J:\ 2.33 Synchronizing Major Planning Efforts – J:\Planning – Planning & Budget Committee PBC Background Documents 2.50 Faculty Request Form – J:\ 2010-11 faculty request 2.34 Budget Planning Process – J:\Planning – PBC form Background Documents 2.51 Classified Staff Needs Form 2.35 Strategic Planning Colloquium - J:\Planning\2_Plan- ning\Strategic Plan 2008-2011 2.52 Facility Projects Form

2.36 NOCCCD District Strategic Plan – www.nocccd. 2.53 Principles for Budget Reductions – J:\Planning & edu/StrategicPlanning/documents/nocccd_strate- Budget Committee gic_plan_062706.pdf 2.54 2003-2004 Campus Climate Survey – www. 2.37 Accreditation Reports – www.cypresscollege. cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Research/SE/ edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/Accreditation/ CampusClimateSurveyReport1_2004.pdf ResourcesforSelf-Study/areports.aspx 2.55 2005-2006 Campus Climate Survey – www. 2.38 Institutional Self-Study – www.cypresscollege.edu/ cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Research/SE/ IRP/Resources/Accreditation/R/CC-Self-Study-w- CypressCollege2006ClimateSurveyReport.pdf links.pdf 2.56 2007-2008 Campus Climate Survey – www. 2.39 Focused Mid-Term Report – www.cypresscollege. cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Research/SE/ edu/IRP/Resources/Accreditation/R/FocusedMid- CAMPUSCLIMATESURVEYREPORT2008wsurvey. TermReport_Final_Feb5_2008.pdf pdf

2.40 Planning and Budget Minutes (May 15, 2008) – J:\ 2.57 2005 End of the Year Report —www.cypresscol- Planning & Budget Committee\PBC Minutes-Prior lege.edu/newsEvents/Publications Years 2.58 2006 End of the Year Report —www.cypresscol- 2.41 Planning and Budget Minutes (September 18, 2008) lege.edu/newsEvents/Publications – J:\Planning & Budget Committee\PBC Minutes- Prior Years 2.59 2007 End of the Year Report —www.cypresscollege.edu/newsEvents/Publications 2.42 Institutional Effectiveness 2005-06 – www.cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Research/SE/Institution- 2.60 2008 End of the Year Report – www.cypresscollege. alEffectivenessFullReportwCover2006.pdf edu/Media/Website%20Resources/PDFs/pio/2008- CypressCollege-EOY.pdf 2.43 Institutional Effectiveness 2006-2007 – www. cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Research/SE/ 2.61 2009 End of the Year Report – www.cypresscollege. IER07_FinalOct22.pdf edu/Media/Website%20Resources/PDFs/pio/2009- CypressCollege-EOY.pdf 2.44 Institutional Effectiveness 2007-2008 – www.

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 93 2.62 Institutional Effectiveness Cycle, Institutional Effec- Research/PROGRAM_REVIEW_ROTATION_ tiveness Report, Figure 28, p.72 – www.cypresscol- SCHEDULE.pdf and www.cypresscollege.edu/IRP/ lege.edu/IRP/Resources/Research/SE/IER2009for- Resources/Planning/CypressCollegeCycleofQuality- website.pdf Review_revised.pdf

2.63 Cypress College Planning Diagram, Institutional 2.78 Academic Senate Minutes – September 27, 2007 – Effectiveness Report, Figure 29, p.73 – www. J:\Academic Senate\Senate Minutes 07-08 cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Research/SE/ IER2009forwebsite.pdf 2.79 Campus Technology Survey – J:\Campus Technol- ogy Committee 2.64 Institutional Effectiveness Cycle, Institutional Effec- tiveness Report, Figure 28, p.72 – www.cypresscol- 2.80 Campus Technology Minutes – J:\Campus Technol- lege.edu/IRP/Resources/Research/SE/IER2009for- ogy Committee website.pdf 2.81 Institutional Research Calendar – J:\Planning - 1_ 2.65 Cypress College Planning Diagram, Institutional IRP Office at CC Effectiveness Report, Figure 29, p.73 – www. cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Research/SE/ 2.82 Foundation Strategic Plan IER2009forwebsite.pdf 2.83 Deans and Directors Minutes 2.66 Board of Trustees minutes – www.nocccd. edu/Trustees/documents/MinutesBoard- 2.84 Curriculum Committee Minutes – J:\Curriculum Mtg2008_11_11_000.pdf minutes & other info

2.67 Planning and Budget information dissemination – J:\ 2.85 Staff Development – www.cypresscollege.edu/facul- Planning & Budget Committee\PBC Minutes-Prior tystaff/default.aspx Years 2.86 CTE Advisory Committees – Minutes maintained by 2.68 Institutional Research and Planning website –www. individual CTE programs cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch 2.87 Program Review Form – J:/IQA 2.69 Cypress College website – www.cypresscollege. 2.88 Division Meetings – Agendas and Minutes retained edu/ in Division Offices 2.70 Departmental Planning and Program Review form – 2.89 Department Meetings – Agendas and Minutes re- J:\IQA\Department Planning and Program Review\ tained by Department Department Planning and Program Review Form 2.90 Workforce Development Committee – Agendas and 2.71 Cycle of Quality Review at Cypress College – www. Minutes retained in the Grants Office. cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Planning/Cy- pressCollegeCycleofQualityReview_revised.pdf 2.91 Campus Support Services Quality Review 2006- 2007 – J:\Quality Review\Campus Support Services 2.72 Institutional Research Bulletins – www.cypresscol- Quality Review\2006-2007\Inst Research Quality lege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/Research- Review_Sp2007 andEvaluation/irbulletins.aspx 2.92 Campus Support Services Quality Review 2009- 2.73 Institutional Research Surveys & Reports –www. 2010 – J:\Quality Review\Campus Support Services cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/Re- Quality Review\2009-2010\CSSQRform.doc searchandEvaluation/rsurveys.aspx 2.93 Advertising Survey, Spring 2005 2.74 @Cypress – www.cypresscollege.edu/newsEvents/ news/AllNews.aspx 2.94 North Orange County Community College District- wide Strategic Plan 2008-09 Update – J:\District 2.75 Student Right to Know Report – College Catalog, Strategic Plan Page 45 – www.cypresscollege.edu/academics/ CollegeCatalog.aspx 2.95 SLO Status Worksheet for March 1st 2010 – J:\ SLO Team\SLO Status\2010 2.76 Strategic Planning Framework – www.nocccd.edu/ StrategicPlanning/documents/Strategic_plan_at_a_ 2.96 Budget Process Diagram (found at the end of Stan- glance_June06.pdf dard IB)

2.77 Program Review Rotation Schedule at Cypress 2.97 Enrollment Management Plan – www.cypresscol- College – www.cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/ lege.edu/IRP/Resources/Planning/EnrMgtPlan2009.

94 Cypress College pdf

2.98 PBC Minutes re One-Time Funding – J:\Planning & Budget Committee\One Time Funding Process 1011

2.99 GE & BS Program Learning Outcomes – J:\Aca- demic Senate\Senate Minutes 09-10, CCAS Min- utes 4-22-10.approved, p. 6

2.100 Curriculum discussion re SLOs on syllabus – J:\ Curriculum minutes & Other Info\2008-2009, 14 apr 2009 min, p. 1

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 95 Safety projects PBC/Vice proposals and proposals Step 5: one-time fundingone-time President of associated with the associated the with Committee reviews Committee identifies safety risk calls for one-time calls for one-time funding proposals Step 4: Administrative Services Administrative funds. 43 PAC & Projects receiving funding requests time fundingtime PBC reviews evaluations to Step 3: carry-over to one- to carry-over PBC decide to open submits evaluation showingform determine successful utilization of determine Step 9: utilization of projectto utilization PBC. funds of Strategic Plan Step 6: Direction Committees rank one-time funding rank one-time proposals in their areas their in proposals PAC & PBC PBC & PAC and pre-allocations Step 2: decide to fund pending fund to decide projects from prior year roval found. pp PBC members members PBC a PAC & PBC review prioritized President’s Staff President’s Step 7: final priority list takingintofinal priority available one-time funding available one-time to the projects with the highest priority. on proposal merits, direction merits, proposal on list of funding proposals, allocating committee priorities, and safety priorities, and committee The list is forwarded to PAC for for The is list to forwarded PAC reviews budget and grants or other additional monies are issues.The committeeprepares a Projectsmay be funded out of order if individually rank proposals based proposals rank individually consideration individual rankings. individual consideration Step 8: recommends that carryover funds are allocated Step 1: Draft 1 Draft Budget Process Diagram Budget Process

96 Cypress College Standard II

Student Learning Programs and Services

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 97

Standard IIA: Instructional lifelong learning. The college is committed to promoting student learning and success, embracing diversity, Programs and contributing to both the economic and social de- The institution offers high-quality instruction- velopment of the surrounding community” (3.1). al programs in recognized and emerging fields The College has continued to provide the highest of study that culminate in identified student course and instructional quality. For existing courses outcomes leading to degrees, certificates, em- and programs, the College has developed SLOs for ployment, or transfer to other higher education 85% of all active courses and has also developed Gen- institutions or programs consistent with its eral Education and Basic Skills PLOs and ILOs. At the mission. Instructional programs are system- same time, the College has implemented the use of the atically assessed in order to assure currency, software program CurricUNET to streamline the cur- improve teaching and learning strategies, and riculum process and the assessment management soft- achieve stated student learning outcomes. The ware TracDat to facilitate effective organization and provisions of this standard are broadly appli- use of SLOs (3.88). cable to all instructional activities offered in the name of the institution. In addition, the College continues to respond to the needs of the local community and industry by expand- Student learning and success is a high priority at Cy- ing course offerings and modes of delivery for colle- press College as evidenced by the breadth and depth of giate, pre-collegiate, transfer, and occupational cours- the instructional programs, the wide range of student es. For example, in Fall 2001, the College offered 12 services, the extensive library services and holdings, online courses across five divisions; by Spring 2008,148 and the array of academic support services. Students online sections and 15 hybrid sections (utilizing both are challenged to achieve excellence whether they are online and face-to-face teaching methods) of 113 working toward a degree, preparing to transfer to a courses were offered across nine divisions (3.2). four-year institution, training for a technical career, developing basic skills, or seeking personal enrichment. The quality of each instructional program is ensured The quality of instructional programs, student services, through a variety of means, including a rigorous cur- and library and academic support services are ensured riculum approval and revision process, ongoing and through institutionalized cycles of program review and systematic program review, integration of student a painstaking curricular process. Student learning and learning outcomes into course curriculum outlines and student satisfaction are monitored using a variety of course evaluation, regular review of student success methods including assessment of student learning out- and retention data by the Office of Institutional Re- comes (SLOs) and student satisfaction surveys. search and Planning, and analysis of student satisfaction as measured every two years. 1. The institution demonstrates that all instructional programs, regardless of location Instructional offerings are in two primary modes – tra- or means of delivery, address and meet the ditional classroom and distance education. Distance mission of the institution and uphold its integ- education course offerings (fully online and hybrid) rity. have been increased progressively over the last five years to provide access to students. In order to ensure that distance education courses follow the rigorous Descriptive Summary requirements of traditional courses, a Distance Edu- Cypress College continues to fulfill its mission and meet cation Plan (DE Plan) was prepared and approved in the current and future needs of its students and com- Spring 2009 (3.2). The College submitted a proposal munity through a wide range of high quality courses to approve the substantive change caused by offering and training. The College mission states, “Cypress Col- 50% or more of the courses in DE mode for 18 associ- lege enriches students’ lives by providing high quality ate degree programs and 54 certificate programs. AC- education for transfer to four-year institutions, associ- CJC approved the proposal on September 17, 2009. ate degrees, career technical education, and certificate The DE Plan provides details of how the College en- coursework, as well as basic skills and opportunities for sures quality of instruction as well as student services

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 99 for students enrolled in its DE courses. group orientations. Currently, the College is exploring the feasibility of implementing mandatory student 1.a. The institution identifies and seeks to orientations for all incoming students. Research shows meet the varied educational needs of its stu- that students completing Counseling 140, Education- dents through programs consistent with their al Planning, are more likely to be successful in later educational preparation and the diversity, de- coursework and more likely to graduate than students mographics, and economy of its communi- who do not take Counseling 140 (3.3). ties. The institution relies upon research and analysis to identify student learning needs and In Summer 2010, Cypress College implemented a pi- to assess progress toward stated learning out- lot summer bridge program, LinkME to College, tar- comes. geting students from the top ten feeder high schools who test into developmental Math or developmental Descriptive Summary English. LinkME to College student participants are tracked by the Office of Institutional Research and At Cypress College, students have the opportunity to Planning for program evaluation and outcomes. All select from a wide variety of courses and programs to Cypress College students are currently tracked by the meet their educational goals, whether these goals in- Institutional Research and Planning Office to analyze clude working toward an Associate of Arts or Associ- persistence, retention, and the impact on successful stu- ate of Science degree, an occupational certificate, or dent matriculation. life-long learning. Cypress College offers a variety of formats for instruction to help address the diverse edu- Cypress College ensures the quality of instruction, pro- cational needs of students such as classroom, online, grams, and services through ongoing dialogue among short-term, full-term, and hybrid. faculty members via departmental meetings, collaboration with business and advisory committees, a rigor- Instructional opportunities are available to students ous curriculum process, and a comprehensive program from 7 am to 10 pm, Monday through Friday. Online review process and quality review process facilitated courses are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Plan- by the Office of Institutional Research and Planning ning for class schedules involves collaboration between (3.82). In addition, the Staff Development office coor- faculty, department chairs, division deans, instructional dinates forums to share best practices across disciplines staff, and student support services. In addition, Cypress (3.85). Finally, the College utilizes the Educational College utilizes economic forecast data, community Master Plan, which provides a decade of direction for demographic profiles, and ongoing collaboration with educational planning (3.84). industry partners, employers, and members of advisory committees to inform and validate course offerings, Planning at Cypress College involves collaboration and programs, implementation, and scheduling. Two docu- shared governance. Each campus stakeholder contrib- ments prepared and used extensively are Research Bul- uted to the Mission and Vision of Cypress College in letins (3.81) that are prepared every semester and the a variety of forums. Academic Senate, campus-wide annual Institutional Effectiveness Report (3.36). These committees, division meetings, and department meet- reports provide a demographic analysis as well as stu- ings are a few examples of how the College integrates a dent information. The deans, under the leadership of diversity of perspectives into the planning process. Ex- the Executive Vice President, use the demographic in- amples of these committees and groups include Man- formation, fill-rate data, demand for classes, and suc- agement Team, Leadership Team, Deans and Direc- cess and retention information to offer courses and tors Team, President’s Advisory Cabinet, Planning and programs suited to student needs. Budget Committee, Student Services Council, Enroll- ment Management Committee, Matriculation Com- Complementing a well-rounded schedule of classes mittee, Basic Skills Initiative Committee, Curriculum and outstanding student support services, Cypress Col- Committee, Staff Development Committee, Student lege also provides extensive Matriculation services for Services Master Plan Committee, Educational Master all students. Student assessments help students deter- Plan Committee, Diversity Committee, and Student mine college readiness. Counselors utilize assessment Equity Plan Committee. The College relies on leader- results to assist students with course selection during

100 Cypress College ship from these various committees and groups in the The Office of Institutional Research and Planning pro- planning process to set priorities, conduct needs assess- vides Success and Retention Reports at the conclusion ments, identify outcomes, develop activities and time- of each semester. These reports inform the campus lines, identify resources, implement evaluation, and about specific courses where students achieve success. coordinate collaboration with each other to achieve Equally important, these reports reveal specific courses desired results. where students may be struggling. The data are used In addition, the College utilizes data from the Office by instructional leaders during department meetings as of Institutional Research and Planning to make in- well as by student support services areas, including aca- formed planning decisions. Examples of this research demic support services. Additionally, this information include Student Satisfaction Surveys, Campus Climate is included in program review documents. It provides Surveys, Institutional Effectiveness Reports, ARCC the foundation for meaningful discourse when faculty Reports, Institutional Research Bulletins, and Program and staff review curriculum, analyze intervention strat- Reviews for instruction, student services, campus sup- egies, and enhance academic support tools to assist stu- port services, and special programs (3.82). dent learning (3.36). Despite substantial budget reductions to categori- In addition to Success and Retention Reports, the Of- cal programs during the 2009-2010 and 2010 – 2011 fice of Institutional Research and Planning provides school years, the North Orange County Community every semester a list of courses with low student suc- College District (NOCCCD) and Cypress College have cess rates. Academic support services in the Learning remained committed to providing premier student sup- Resource Center regularly utilize this list to target very port services for all students, including for some of the limited resources for Tutorial Services, Supplemental most socio-economically disadvantaged students on Instruction, and learning tools available in the Math campus. For example, during the 2009-2010 academic Learning Center. Also, student support services at the year, Cypress College and NOCCCD provided sub- College utilize this data to target intervention efforts stantial funding to offset the budget shortfalls from the for students from educationally, socially, and economi- state of California. Rather than transfer the budget cally disadvantaged backgrounds. shortfalls directly to the most disadvantaged students The Office of Institutional Research and Planning also served on campus by severely reducing or eliminating provides data regarding the effectiveness of special programs and services, the administration at the Col- programs and the success of specific student popula- lege provided financial support to minimize downsiz- tions, i.e., the Supplemental Instruction program (SI). ing of staff as well as provided money for books for SI provides students with an opportunity to participate EOPS/CARE students. This gesture exemplifies the in a study group led by an SI Leader, usually someone commitment of the campus to students during chal- who has previously passed the same course with the lenging economic times—a commitment to the most same instructor. In all student performance measures, disadvantaged students on campus, keeping the prom- SI proved to be a beneficial program. Students who ise of access and retention to higher education in Cali- attended an SI session had higher success rates than fornia, and ultimately ensuring a campus climate rich students in the same sections who did not attend an SI in diversity (3.89). session. Students who attended 12 or more hours of SI (SI participants) had higher success rates than did ei- Self Evaluation ther those who attended SI for fewer than 12 hours and those who did not attend any SI study group sessions. The Office of Institutional Research and Planning pro- Finally, students who attended more hours of SI were vides Cypress College with an enhanced understand- more likely to be successful than students who attended ing of student needs, which help implement data-driv- fewer hours of SI (3.5). Cypress College searches for en decisions impacting programs and services. Central innovative ways to find permanent funding for the in- to the mission and vision of Cypress College, embrac- stitutionalization of Supplemental Instruction. ing diversity and facilitating student success are commitments that manifest themselves in various forms Students in Extended Opportunity Programs & Servic- throughout the campus and in the community (3.4). es (EOPS), exemplify a specific population of students

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 101 for which data on success is provided by the Office of ments and decreasing state funding resulting in the re- Institutional Research and Planning. Table1 shows a duction of course sections offered at the College (3.36, comparison of math course success rates for EOPS stu- pp. 14, 19 & 21). dents—historically disadvantaged students from low- income backgrounds—and Cypress College students Planning Agenda as a whole. EOPS relies on data like that in Table 1 to make informed decisions regarding academic support None. services, student support services, and allocation of di- 1.b. The institution utilizes delivery systems minishing resources during these challenging budget and modes of instruction compatible with the years. objectives of the curriculum and appropriate The ongoing data provided by the Office of Institu- to the current and future needs of its students. tional Research and Planning is very beneficial for programmatic efforts targeting specific subgroups of Descriptive Summary students. The data in the table provides EOPS with Cypress College offers a full spectrum of educational a helpful snapshot of how EOPS students perform in delivery systems and modes of instruction to best serve comparison to the overall College. the current and future needs of students. Access to The Fall 2009 Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction In- learning at Cypress College includes the following op- ventory revealed that student respondents most often tions in addition to traditional on-campus courses (3.6): reported high satisfaction with the quality of instruc- ◊ Learning Communities tion, safety and security of the campus, and ease of accessibility of the online process for course registra- ◊ Online courses tion. Overall, from 2007 to 2009, student respondents ◊ Hybrid courses reported increased satisfaction with the beautification ◊ Web-enhanced courses of the College campus, campus safety, and the institutional commitment to students with disabilities. Con- ◊ Service Learning courses versely, student respondents reported increased dis- ◊ Short-term courses of varying lengths satisfaction with course registration, infrequent course offerings, and inconvenient class times. The areas of ◊ Study abroad programs dissatisfaction may be explained by increasing enroll- ◊ Summer sessions Student Success Rates for Selected Math Courses Spring 2009 EOPS* Cypress College Course Success Rate Success Rate

Math 15 Pre-Algebra 48% 57%

Math 20 Elementary Algebra 36% 37%

Math 40 Intermediate Algebra 50% 46%

Math 141 College Algebra 46% 38%

Math 142 Trigonometry 45% 45%

Math 150A Calculus & Analytical Geometry 45% 42%

Table 1

*Due to the smaller number of EOPS student enrollment, the data is taken from Fall 2006 to Spring 2009.

102 Cypress College ◊ Teleconferencing (Educational Interpret- regular live teleconferences. The EITP broadcast origi- er Training Program) nates from Cypress College with participation of stu- ◊ Webinar (Health Information Technol- dents both on-campus and at various alternative loca- ogy) tions throughout the State from as far north as Butte County and as far south as Imperial County. Off-site ◊ Weekend classes (currently discontinued) students view the broadcast and interact with the in- ◊ Work experience structor and students from Cypress College, as well as those at each remote location. EITP offers training that ◊ Open-entry/exit courses meets the needs of sign language interpreters in K-12 Dialogue surrounding delivery systems and modes of settings and complies with state certification require- instruction on campus is extensive and occurs regularly ments (3.8). at the Curriculum Committee, the Deans Meetings, The Study Abroad Program provides students the op- the Distance Education Committee, and at Staff De- portunity to enrich their educational experience by velopment planning meetings. studying abroad for one semester or for a shorter peri- Like many colleges, Cypress College has increased the od of time, depending on course offerings, while earn- number of courses and sections offered in an online ing college units. The program is designed not only to format. In Fall 2001, the College offered 12 online enrich course content by their location in the country courses across five divisions; by Spring 2008, it offered where they are offered, but also to provide students 148 online sections and 15 hybrid sections (utilizing with a multi-cultural experience by living in a society both online and in-person teaching methods) of 113 and environment different from that of the United courses across nine divisions. Cypress College academ- States. Cypress College frequently offers programs in ic programs have implemented distance education for partnership with Fullerton College (3.9, 3.86). a variety of reasons, including a desire to offer instruc- Health Information Technology (HIT) classes are de- tion in a variety of formats and delivery modes, meet signed to provide students optimal support for learning student needs, provide instructional opportunities to through traditional course offerings and Webinar— students who would not otherwise have access, meet synchronous seminars conducted over the Internet high student demand for distance education options, (3.10). A recently procured grant specific to HIT will program survival in periods of low enrollment, recruit- provide program faculty with the opportunity to ex- ment of Distance Education students to the on-campus plore the development of additional curriculum and program, competition with programs offered by oth- alternative delivery modes. er institutions, and efficient physical space utilization when distance education is the only way to grow a pro- Although Cypress College began offering weekend gram (3.7). classes nearly 20 years ago, with the budget crisis, these classes are not being scheduled at the present time. Be- Given the growth in the number of courses offered fore the decision to eliminate the weekend classes was through Distance Education, the Distance Education made, an analysis was done to understand the impact Plan for 2008 – 2011 was created. The development of of such a decision. Only 3% of students were found the plan included: to be attending weekend classes only; the rest of the ◊ Planning Stage students taking weekend courses were also on campus on other days. ◊ Development Stage A variety of year-long learning programs provide stu- ◊ Writing Stage dents with unique and exciting educational experienc- ◊ Review Stage (entire College invited to es. These programs include the following: the Puente participate) Program, the Legacy Program, and LinkME. The Pu- ◊ Final Review and Approval ente Program pairs English classes focusing on Latino literature with a counseling class. Legacy, which is a The Educational Interpreter Training Program (EITP) three-semester program, links English courses with a began offering courses in Fall 2006, which included counseling class in the Fall and an Ethnic Studies class

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 103 in the Spring and the following Fall, focuses on issues Course and curriculum approval is the responsibility of of cultural diversity by significantly incorporating Afri- the Cypress College Curriculum Committee, overseen can-American literature. LinkME targets students from by the Academic Senate. The Curriculum Committee the top ten feeder high schools who test into develop- relies upon the expertise of the faculty to determine mental Math or developmental English classes and are appropriate delivery methods for individual courses. linked to a counseling class (3.10). The formal process for course approval is well defined In addition, several learning communities have provid- and compatible with student needs, and SLO course- ed interdisciplinary instruction. These learning com- level assessments provide data on the effectiveness of munity cohorts integrate common goals, objectives, instruction in relationship to course objectives. student learning outcomes, and assignments. In the The Distance Education Subcommittee established University Transfer Achievement Program (UTAP) — course Instructional Objectives as the core criteria in a year-long learning community — students enroll in determining which of the Distance Education delivery an English class that is paired with a counseling class methods is most appropriate for instructional needs. and additional academic classes such as Theater, U. S. If all Instructional Objectives of a particular course History, College Study Strategies, Human Communi- can be accomplished with comparable rigor, depth, cation, Psychology, Library Research Skills, or Geol- and breadth to traditionally delivered courses, then ogy. These courses share integrated instruction and as- the Curriculum Committee can approve the course to signments. Semester-length learning communities have be offered in the online format. In this respect, if the also been offered. “Reading Between the Lines” pro- course’s Instructional Objectives require a significant vided integrated instruction in a developmental Eng- student-faculty in-person component to achieve the lish and math class. The “Dental Talk” learning com- learning objectives, the Committee may recommend munity paired Dental Assisting with an Interpersonal the Hybrid course format rather than the exclusive- Communication course. “Close Encounters” linked ly online format (3.17). All Cypress College distance Interpersonal Communication with Airline Customer education courses are offered in accord with appli- Care. In the latter two learning communities, technol- cable statutory and regulatory guidelines. Substantive ogy was used to enhance the interdisciplinary curricu- change proposals have been approved as required by lum and community connections. An English and a ACCJC for all programs subject to the 50% or more Japanese learning community has also provided inte- on-line provisions. The most recent request for sub- grated instruction for several years (3.12). stantive change was approved in Fall 2009. The Teacher Preparation Program offers course sec- The Educational Interpreter Training program oper- tions designed for future teachers (3.10). During year ates independently of the Distance Education Program five of the last Title V Grant, thirty students completed and, therefore, has established its own policies and pro- the Vocational Internship Program, in collaboration cedures. However, documentation of guidelines per- with businesses and industry in the surrounding com- taining to broadcast distance education is a part of the munity (3.13). DE Plan Goals and Objectives (3.7). Measuring the effectiveness of an institution’s delivery Self Evaluation methods and evaluating student learning is essential to Cypress College determines that delivery of instruction student success. Understanding what is working and fits the objectives and content of its courses primar- why it is working is just as important as understanding ily through the curriculum approval process, but also what is not working and why it is not working. Cypress through the application of student learning outcomes College evaluates the effectiveness of delivery methods (SLO), data from Student Success and Course Com- in meeting student needs and accomplishing student pletion research, data from degree/certificate comple- learning through: tion, transfer rates, the Distance Education Report ◊ Program review for online instruction, comparison of performance in same courses offered via different modes, and faculty ◊ Instructor and course evaluations recommendations. ◊ Completion and success rate reports

104 Cypress College ◊ Course SLOs and PLOs utilizing differ- Between the Lines.” As a consequence, this learning ent modes of delivery community had a full cohort in Fall 2008. ◊ Enrollment trends in courses utilizing The courses offered via distance education undergo non-standard methods of delivery. the same review process as traditional courses. The ◊ Title V-funded evaluations of specific Distance Education Program will be reviewed as an programs, such as specific learning com- administrative unit and undergo a Campus Support munities Service Quality Review process with other special programs in Spring 2011 (3.82). Evaluations and adjustments have been made within the College’s learning communities to make them more An additional goal of the Distance Education Plan is effective. In May 2007, after an evaluation of the Year to work with campus-wide groups including Disabled 4 University Transfer Achievement Program (UTAP) Students Program and Services (DSPS), Academic Freshman Experience Program, it was determined that Computing, and Staff Development on an accessibil- adding a dedicated counselor and counseling class to ity review process. Currently, the DE Program is in the the year-long learning community greatly enhanced process of acquiring software for Ed Code 508 compli- the ability of its students to succeed and persist. Also ance. After the faculty is trained, the Committee plans contributing to the success of the 2006-2007 UTAP to create a review process, as required by the State cohort was that Cypress College students, rather than Chancellor’s Distance Education Guidelines (3.19). staff, called high school students assessed for English Expected completion date is Spring 2011 (3.7). placement in the spring and encouraged them to en- Success and Retention reports are incorporated into roll in the UTAP learning community. Consequently, Program Review reports and are re-examined by online in Fall 2007 the UTAP Freshman Experience sections status, basic skills progress, prerequisite and placement filled quickly with students eager to initiate their col- exam validations, and evaluations of other programs lege careers. UTAP Freshman Experience Program and grant-funded activities. Although the Success and added another cohort of students, increasing the num- Retention Report comes out every fall and spring, the ber of students served to 50 students. At the end of the IR&P Office provides in-depth analyses for specific year, the success rate for both cohorts exceeded pre- programs throughout the year (3.36, 3.77). vious years’ rates. To revise the 2006-2007 year-long UTAP Freshman Experience Learning Community, Planning Agenda the Learning Communities Coordinator and lead faculty member worked with three other course instruc- None. tors, a counselor, the Dean of Counseling, and the Ma- 1.c. The institution identifies student learning triculation Manager. Together they analyzed previous outcomes for courses, programs, certificates, years’ success and retention rates, the characteristics of and degrees; assesses student achievement of the previous years’ learning community students, the those outcomes; and uses assessment results organization of the curricula shared by the instruc- to make improvements. tors, and the extent of support from student services. Based on their analysis, a counselor was assigned to the Descriptive Summary 2007-2008 learning community; the two cohorts of the UTAP learning community experienced an 89% suc- The campus has engaged in considerable dialogue re- cess rate in Year 5 (3.83). lated to the adoption of the student learning outcomes (SLO) assessment process. The campus initiated dis- The Basic Skills English and math learning commu- cussions regarding institutional learning outcomes as nity “Reading Between the Lines” was also evaluated early as 2002 and adopted its final version in 2004. The and revised. Because of the success of student-initiated initial group of interested faculty and campus person- calls for UTAP the previous year, in Summer 2008, Cy- nel has evolved into the Expanded SLO Committee press College students contacted high school students comprised of the SLO coordinator, the SLO Facilita- assessed into basic skills English/reading and math tor, at least one faculty representative from each divi- courses and encouraged them to enroll in “Reading sion, the campus Staff Development Coordinator, the

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 105 Director of the Institutional Research and Planning, future. and other interested campus representatives. Over the In 2009, the campus SLO Team began to focus on past few years, many meetings and multiple dialogue program and general education outcomes. Two forums sessions have provided the opportunity for faculty and and multiple division presentations were conducted by management to raise concerns, voice questions and the SLO Team to introduce the PLO process. A Gener- frustrations, and provide input. al Education and Basic Skills Committee compromised In late 2007, the Academic Senate approved a timeline of representatives from all divisions was formed and for the completion of the SLO assessment process or the GE & Basic Skills PLOs were developed after 10 “loop.” At that time, the timeline called for the comple- meetings that were held during Fall 2009 and Spring tion of all course SLOs by Spring 2011 and comple- 2010. PLOs were developed for mostly vocational pro- tion of 50% of all course loops (3.20). Completion of grams. As of October 2010, 27 out of the 32 programs, the loop consists of writing the SLOs, developing an including the GE & Basic Skills Program, have devel- assessment plan, collecting data, analyzing the data oped their PLOs. The remaining programs will define collected, completing a report of assessment results, their PLOs by Spring of 2011. In the Campus Support and implementing any necessary changes. As of Fall Services Review conducted in Spring 2010, all units 2009, 68% of all SLOs were completed and 21% of noted that they will develop AUOs by Fall 2011 (3.76). the loops were completed; SLOs were on target, but loop completion rate was below target (3.21). In 2008, Self Evaluation the Academic Senate and Curriculum Committee approved the addition of SLOs as part of the curriculum The College has successfully engaged the faculty in a approval process (3.22) for all new and revised courses. dialogue regarding the SLO assessment process. Al- It is to be noted, however, that the curriculum com- though the campus shared the statewide concern re- mittee does not approve the course SLOs. SLOs de- garding workload issues that did not stand in the way velopment is the responsibility of each academic de- of moving the SLO process forward. The campus partment, advised by the SLO Committee. SLOs have management team has been supportive and involved been added to course outlines, and starting in Spring in the entire process, evident by their willingness to 2010, SLOs were required in course syllabi across the purchase and maintain the TracDat assessment man- campus and were added to the program/quality review agement software. The campus Office of Institutional evaluations. These changes will accelerate the comple- Research and Planning has consistently worked with tion of the campus SLO writing timeline. the SLO Team, campus departments, and individual instructors. The office provides departments with the The development of course SLOs and PLOs and im- data relevant to the entire SLO process. Data related plementation of the SLO assessment process are facul- to enrollment trends, FTES, WSCH/FTEF, successful ty responsibilities. Most of the process has occurred at course completion, retention, and number of certifi- the individual, team, and/or department level. Teams cates and/or degrees, where applicable, are supplied. and/or departments have met to identify course SLOs, The history of the SLO assessment process at Cypress assessment methods, analyze data, and complete re- College as documented in the “Introductory Docu- ports. Each department is responsible for developing ments — SLOs” section is evidence of the milestones assessment methodology, timelines, and evaluation the College has achieved in establishing this process. processes. The program review form was modified in Spring 2009 SLO reports were submitted to the SLO Team and to include SLO assessment. Beginning Fall 2009, all in- were archived on the campus’ J: drive. In 2008, the structional and student services programs included re- campus purchased the TracDat assessment manage- porting progress of SLO achievement as a part of their ment software for the SLO process (3.23). Most of the internal review and used the information to strengthen SLO reports on the J: drive were uploaded into Trac- the programs. Campus Support Services has also made Dat. Faculty training of data entry methods began in the commitment to develop Administrative Unit Out- Fall 2009. As with the curriculum process, data entry comes by 2012. into TracDat will become a faculty responsibility in the

106 Cypress College Planning Agenda isting ones and also to ensuring that such courses meet None. the highest standards. Each division has its own Cur- riculum Committee Representative to help dissemi- 2. The institution assures the quality and im- nate information and assist in getting courses through provement of all instructional courses and the curriculum process. The Curriculum Committee programs offered in the name of the institu- developed a Curriculum Handbook in 1989-1990 to tion, including collegiate, developmental, and assist Division Representatives and other committee pre-collegiate courses and programs, continu- members who were working with faculty in the cre- ing and community education, study abroad, ation and revision of curriculum. The current Curri- short-term training courses and programs, cUNET system incorporated all the pertinent policies, programs for international students, and con- processes, and forms contained in the Handbook into tract or other special programs, regardless of this automated system; making the information more type of credit awarded, delivery mode, or lo- widely available and readily accessible to any faculty or cation. staff member participating in curriculum development and approval. In 2009, the committee also created and Descriptive Summary disseminated a new Curriculum Development Train- Cypress College regulates the quality and improvement ing Guide and a FAQ document in order to provide of all instructional courses by the interplay of highly up-to-date guidance on developing a quality Course qualified faculty and other personnel, the Curriculum Outline of Record and ensuring timely approval of Committee, Academic Senate, the Deans Council, ad- proposals. The original Handbook is still available in visory boards, and stringent course and program re- print, but most assistance is now provided via links to view. Programs and courses are developed and offered resources on the College’s CurricUNET page and ac- using the quantitative and qualitative information ob- companying help screens. (3.24, 3.25). tained by the institution and the divisions. Examples of Program Review is an integral part of quality assur- quantitative information are the Institutional Research ance at Cypress College. The instrument used for pro- Bulletin (published every semester) and Institutional gram review has been revised several times over the Effectiveness Report (3.36, 3.81). Qualitative informa- last nineteen years. The latest review of the process tion is obtained from the expertise of faculty in their was conducted in Spring 2009. In its current form, fields and environment scan. the program review process analyzes quantitative data, The College is committed to hiring faculty who go evaluates SLO achievement, and identifies resources beyond the state mandated minimum qualifications, required for continued service to students. This is the seeking those with outstanding expertise in their disci- first time that the program review process directly links pline and demonstrated ability to effectively commu- budget allocation with quantitative and qualitative re- nicate that expertise to students. For those programs view of programs. The process of linking budget plan- which are technical and/or occupational, hiring com- ning with program review has been implemented for mittees look for individuals with high levels of train- student support and campus support programs as well ing and proven workplace experience. Programs and (3.76). courses are developed and offered using quantitative and qualitative information obtained by the institution Self Evaluation and the divisions. Examples of quantitative informa- Faculty form the cornerstone of instructional quality at tion are the Institutional Research Bulletin (published Cypress College. It takes four years for a faculty mem- every semester) and Institutional Effectiveness Report ber to attain tenure, and both full-time and adjunct (3.36). Qualitative information is obtained from the ex- faculty are formally evaluated on a regular cycle. Reg- pertise of faculty in their fields. ular faculty members are evaluated every three years The Curriculum Committee at Cypress College is in accord with the Education Code and the Collective committed both to facilitating a department or pro- Bargaining Agreement. Adjunct faculty members are gram’s ability to create new courses and/or revise ex- evaluated in the first semester of service and at least once in every six semesters subsequently. Some de-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 107 partments, such as the English as a Second Language tion, the Office of Institutional Research and Planning, Department, use a mentor system whereby an experi- and the UC/CSU Articulation Officer, among others, enced full-time faculty member provides assistance to as well as the use of a wide variety of data sources in- other faculty members who may be teaching a course cluding SLOs, the Institutional Effectiveness Report, for the first time. In addition, faculty can participate ev- the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction, and the Climate ery semester in a voluntary Student Satisfaction Survey Survey of Faculty and Staff, are used to assist in deter- (3.26) of any course they teach in order to gain further mining the quality and effectiveness of the College’s feedback on their effectiveness. courses and programs. The College is committed to providing continuing education and development for its faculty. Opening Planning Agenda Day, held each semester, has featured keynote speakers None. who address pedagogical issues such as the August 18, 2006, presentation by Dr. Janet Zadina, “Using Brain 2.a. The institution uses established proce- Research to Enhance Student Success.” In addition to dures to design, identify learning outcomes providing training on any new technology that affects for, approve, administer, deliver, and evaluate faculty, such as Web Training, Blackboard, CurricU- courses and programs. The institution recog- NET, and TracDat, Staff Development often conducts nizes the central role of its faculty for estab- pedagogically-related events during the semester such lishing quality and improving instructional as “Instructors’ Understanding and Use of Learning courses and programs. Styles,” a sabbatical presentation by Michael Flores, Professor of History, April 15, 2010 (3.27) Faculty are Descriptive Summary also encouraged to present at and/or participate in The responsibility for developing courses and pro- professional conferences. grams lies in the hands of the faculty. Recommenda- The curriculum process continues to provide guidelines tions for courses and programs may come from a va- for a high standard of quality assurance. The search riety of sources such as administrators and advisory for a means to streamline the process and make it more committees, but it is only when faculty take action that accessible to both faculty and Curriculum Committee the course development process can begin. The con- members led to the advent of CurricUNET. The entire sultation phase of the curriculum process is delineated curriculum process is now online and readily available in the Curriculum Handbook and incorporated auto- to all parties involved in creating a new course or revis- matically into the CurricUNET approval process. In ing an existing one. this first phase, the faculty member is encouraged to interact with others in the department, division, related Faculty within their individual departments and pro- divisions on campus, Fullerton College, the Articula- grams are responsible for the quality of course con- tion Officer and, in some cases, the Dean of Career tent and instruction. Their expertise enables them to Technical Education and Economic Development determine if new courses are needed or if a course’s (3.25). The intention is that the extended discussions content needs to be updated to remain current with with others will identify potential problems and lead to recent and/or future developments within their disci- a better and more fully developed course or program. pline. Each course outline must be revisited every five CurricUNET approval requires a sign-off by a repre- years, if not sooner. A full Program Review by each sentative from each level (department, division, Articu- department or program is on a three-year cycle. Dur- lation, Fullerton & SCE campuses) before the proposal ing Spring 2010, a Distance Education Course Quality can move ahead to the Curriculum Committee. Pro- Rubric was approved by the Academic Senate. The ru- posals can be returned to the originator at any time bric provides guidelines to help faculty teaching online for further discussion with others and modifications if to assess the quality of their online course content and necessary. ease of use to students (3.28). Once those preliminary steps have been taken, courses Open dialogue with other offices or governing bodies and programs must be submitted to the Curriculum on campus, such as the Academic Senate, Matricula- Committee for approval. That Committee is faculty

108 Cypress College chaired and dominated by faculty representatives but oped during Fall 2009, and after a review by various also includes representatives from the administration, shared governance committees and feedback from the classified staff, and Associated Students. Careful scru- faculty and staff, the plan was approved by the Aca- tiny is given to all elements of the course proposal, par- demic Senate and President’s Advisory Cabinet in May ticularly the course outline. The Curriculum Commit- 2009. The initial training for configuration of TracDat tee may either suggest or insist upon certain changes in was also conducted in late May 2009. During Summer the course or program before final approval is granted 2009, the core team worked on migrating some of the in order to improve the proposal and thus, ultimately, SLOs from different locations onto TracDat (3.33). the instruction that occurs in those courses (3.25). During Summer 2009, the work of the core team also The responsibility for evaluating courses and programs included developing training programs for faculty. The is also faculty driven. While some evaluation does oc- plan was to conduct a few pilot training programs for cur during tenure and peer review, the primary evalu- the faculty in Fall 2009, adjust the training program ative tool is the Program Review process. Every three based on the feedback, and roll out comprehensive years each department on campus is asked to evaluate training for all divisions in Spring 2010. Also, the new its courses and programs and provide an Action Plan program review format developed as a part of the In- for improvement (3.44). Under newly revised proce- stitutional Effectiveness Plan was used for the first time dures, the Action Plans are more closely linked to both in Fall 2009. During Fall 2010, the campus will con- the curricular and planning and budget processes as duct program reviews using the new format and feed one means of enhancing the potential improvements the data into TracDat so that the reports generated can (3.30). be used for planning purposes (3.33). Another means of evaluating courses and programs Another development that greatly improves the quality is the review by external agencies. The health science of instructional courses and programs is CurricUNET. programs have accrediting bodies that have deter- CurricUNET allows for a smoother curriculum ap- mined the appropriate and expected student learning proval process with input from the School of Continu- outcomes for each profession and program. It is the ing Education, Fullerton College, and all concerned responsibility of the faculty and Department Coordi- parties so that students have relatively timely access to nator to ensure that these outcomes are met. Both a new courses, certificates, and programs. CurricUNET Departmental Self Study and a site visit by the accred- has resulted in increased discussion about course num- iting agency for each program take place in order to bers, content, and class size that may affect students ensure compliance (3.31). on both campuses. Currently, developers are trying to As data related to the SLO process started increasing, a coordinate so that students who enroll at either of the way to integrate the assessment process and create a re- campuses can do so with a minimum of confusion — pository for all SLO-related data was needed. The Col- especially with regard to course titles, numbers, and lege invested in an integrated assessment management prerequisites. Instructors creating new courses consult software, TracDat (3.23), in September 2008. The with the library to ensure that important supplemen- main purpose of this software is to house all the SLOs tary materials are available to support students taking and PLOs, work as a centralized source for document- the course. Further, developers are working on a flag- ing assessment results, and generate reports that in- ging system that will allow CurricUNET to flag courses form the institution about the status of SLO and PLO that need to be reviewed and prerequisites that need to accomplishments. One of the functional requirements be re-validated. Also, CurricUNET includes more in- of the software is the existence of an Institutional Ef- formation regarding possible transfer status and articu- fectiveness Plan that maps the SLOs and assessments lation than the previous “paper-process” system. This with the institution’s Mission and Vision. ensures a more comprehensive articulation process for students planning to transfer to a four-year institution. A taskforce created in December 2008 developed an Institutional Effectiveness Plan that helped prepare a roadmap for configuration of TracDat according to Self Evaluation the needs of the College (3.35). The plan was devel- The Curriculum Committee, a subcommittee of the

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 109 Academic Senate, is made up of faculty members and participated in these workshops (3.33, 3.80). Since is responsible for overseeing revision and updates of 2007, the more expansive and educated SLO Team course outlines and departmental programs. During has worked diligently to oversee the development of the Fall semester, the committee’s focus is on approv- both program and General Education and Basic Skills ing curriculum. Issues that need discussion or investi- PLOs. As of October 2010 (Table 2), faculty members gation are placed on the committee’s list of “Issue Bin have defined SLOs for 85% of the courses, defined Items.” These items are then placed on Spring semes- assessment methods for 82%, and closed the loop on ter agenda to be worked on to resolve the issues. Some 48% of all the courses (3.21). items necessitate a subcommittee to investigate further to determine the best course of action. Any changes Planning Agenda are then put into the Curriculum Training Guide, added as links from the CurricUNET homepage or None. incorporated in the Help screens available as faculty/ 2.b. The institution relies on faculty exper- curriculum committee members are actually inputting tise and the assistance of advisory commit- data (3.32). tees when appropriate to identify competency A key order of business is the current development of levels and measurable student outcomes for SLOs. The initial discussion of SLOs in the Fall of courses, certificates, programs including gen- 2002 has led to much progress. Since that time, faculty eral and vocational education, and degrees. and deans attended regional workshops to familiarize The institution regularly assesses student themselves with SLOs and assessment techniques, the progress towards achieving those outcomes. Staff Development Coordinator facilitated meetings to encourage SLO dialogue, and an SLO Team was cre- Descriptive Summary ated, which worked with departments to map cours- Each course offered at the College has been designed es. Later, the SLO trainer was added to help faculty and implemented by relevant faculty and has an official and staff learn about the SLO process. Accordingly, course outline specifying course objectives. Guidelines workshops were offered to all departments throughout for course syllabi ensure that students know the spe- Spring 2007 and Fall 2008 in 3 different areas: 1. writ- cific objectives of a course, its SLOs, and its criteria ing SLOs and developing assessment plans, 2. analysis, Page 114: Updated chart for successful completion. Faculty of each department and 3. report writing. More than 220 faculty members continue to conduct program reviews on a regular ba-

# of # of # of # of Course Course Course Course Reports % % % Total # of SLOs CATs Reports On SLOs CATs Closed Division Courses Posted Posted Submitted TracDat Posted Posted Loop BUS/CIS 199 147 147 133 45 74 74 67 Counseling 14 14 14 10 10 100 100 71 CTE 133 90 89 47 38 68 67 35 Fine Arts 223 221 219 48 48 99 98 22 Health Science 140 138 138 135 137 99 99 96 Language-Arts 86 70 66 48 39 81 77 56 Library 2 2 2 2 2 100 100 100 PE 96 95 90 22 18 99 94 23 SEM 67 57 56 39 38 85 84 58 Social Science 133 90 77 39 29 68 58 29 SUM 1093 924 898 523 404 85 82 48

SLO data as of this report (3.37)

Table 2 Page 118

110The College follows a program review calendar. All programs are reviewed on a three-year Cypress College cycle. The following table show the semester when the program is reviewed.

Campus Support Services: Spring semesters, every three years (2004, 2007, 2010…) Program DPPR: One third of the programs each fall semester, programs on a three-year rotation Review Student Support Services: One third of programs each fall semester, programs on a 3-year rotation Noel-Levitz Student Survey: Fall semesters in odd-numbered years (2003, 2005, 2007…) Campus Climate Survey: Spring semesters in even-numbered years (2004, 2006, 2008…) In developing this plan, campus researchers considered surveys that might overlap in content. For example, the Noel-Levitz survey contains many items about student supports services-especially admissions and records, counseling and financial aid. The plan avoids scheduling similar surveys during the same semester.

Campus Support Services Departmental Planning & Student Support Timeframe (CSS) Program Review (DPPR) Services (SSS) Division Fall 07 Spring 08 Fall 08 Spring 09 Fall 09 Spring 10

Business 62.1 67.1 66.2 65.8 67.7 65.7 66.6 62.6 68.0 65.1 74.5 70.0 CounselingDivision Fall 07 Spring 08 Fall 08 Spring 09 Fall 09 Spring 10 Fine Arts 66.4 67.5 68.8 69.8 72.4 71.5 Business 62.1 67.1 66.2 65.8 67.7 65.7 Health Science 80.0 77.1 77.2 80.7 82.1 81.1 Counseling 66.6 62.6 68.0 65.1 74.5 70.0 Language Arts 67.5 67.1 68.2 66.6 71.3 71.2 Fine Arts 66.4 67.5 68.8 69.8 72.4 71.5 Physical Education 70.3 73.5 71.2 70.0 71.2 67.9 Health Science 80.0 77.1 77.2 80.7 82.1 81.1 SEM 55.1 55.1 55.5 57.1 61.0 61.0 Language Arts 67.5 67.1 68.2 66.6 71.3 71.2 Social Science 59.6 63.9 62.6 64.0 66.7 66.4 Physical Education 70.3 73.5 71.2 70.0 71.2 67.9 Voc/Tech (CTE) 69.9 69.8 75.8 70.8 71.5 72.2 SEM 55.1 55.1 55.5 57.1 61.0 61.0 College-wide 64.3 65.7 65.8 66.1 69.1 68.2 Social Science 59.6 63.9 62.6 64.0 66.7 66.4 Success Rates by Division, Fall 2007-Spring 2010 Voc/Tech (CTE) 69.9 69.8 75.8 70.8 71.5 72.2 College-wide 64.3 65.7 65.8 66.1 69.1 68.2 SuccessThe table Rates shows by the Division, improvement Fall 2007-Spring in success rate 2010 over the past three years. Although the success rate varies from one division to another as well as from one semester to another, there has been a Table 3 modest gain in overall student success. The more important role of this data is to provide a Thecontext table for shows analysis the andimprovement setting benchmarks in success for rate improvement. over the past three years. Although the success rate varies from one division to another as well as from one semester to another, there has been a modest gainDivision in overall student Fall success. 07 Spring The more 08 important Fall 08 Springrole of 09this data Fall is09 to provide Spring a10 contextBusiness for analysis and setting76.9 benchmarks 79.2 for improvement. 80.2 79.8 80.1 76.0 Counseling 86.0 80.6 86.8 84.6 90.2 89.3 Fine ArtsDivision Fall81.9 07 Spring 79.8 08 Fall 81.1 08 Spring 82.5 09 Fall 84.6 09 Spring 83.3 10 BusinessHealth Science76.9 88.979.2 87.080.2 87.179.8 90.480.1 90.776.0 90.6 CounselingLanguage Arts86.0 81.380.6 78.986.8 80.684.6 78.790.2 83.189.3 82.0 FinePhysical Arts Education81.9 85.679.8 86.981.1 86.382.5 85.284.6 87.483.3 84.7 HealthSEM Science 88.972.787.0 71.987.1 73.290.4 73.390.7 77.790.6 76.8 LanguageSocial Science Arts 81.3 78.978.9 79.480.6 80.578.7 81.683.1 84.582.0 82.6 PhysicalVoc/Tech Education (CTE)85.6 85.986.9 84.486.3 89.185.2 84.987.4 85.784.7 84.5 SEMCollege-wide 72.780.371.9 79.673.2 80.973.3 80.877.7 83.776.8 82.0 RetentionSocial ScienceRates by Division,78.9 Fall 2007-Spring79.4 201080.5 81.6 84.5 82.6 Voc/Tech (CTE) 85.9 84.4 89.1 84.9 85.7 84.5 TableCollege-wide 4 80.3 79.6 80.9 80.8 83.7 82.0 Retention rates Rates depict by Division, a similar Fall picture. 2007-Spring There have 2010 been moderate gains over the years although sisthe and result make varies course by divisionand/or programand by semester. modifications as desired or required by industries and licensure regula- deemed necessary. tions. Retention rates depict a similar picture. There have been moderate gains over the years although Data resulting from the application of SLOs are used Results of licensure examinations, employment statis- the result varies by division and by semester. together with other measurements such as successful tics, and basic skills improvement assessments also pro- course completion rates, completion of degrees and vide a means of evaluating the effectiveness of student certificates, and transfers to four-year institutions for learning. For example, the Radiology & Diagnostic program review. Program review also establishes the Medical Sonography Program has advisory members connection between student achievement measured by which it reports to. It also has evaluative tools for stu- the parameters mentioned above and resource require- dents in clinical training, which have to be completed to ments. In other words, accomplishment of SLOs plays reach competency. The program has state and national an important role in identifying resources necessary for accreditation standards for both radiology (jrcert.org) successful continuation of programs (3.43). and ultrasound (jrcdms.org). In addition, the Program Advisory committees are required for all vocational utilizes employer surveys, pass rates, and graduate sur- programs and identify specific competencies that are veys to assess effectiveness (3.38).

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 111 Self Evaluation These guidelines help to determine whether a course is Faculty and advisory committees provide the essential categorized as transfer level or basic skills. If it is a basic means of assessing student learning and of ensuring skills course, the guidelines assist in determining how that course criteria are met. While course grades and many levels below transfer the course is placed (3.40). other assessment vehicles have traditionally provided The District has also completed an in-depth review of the means of evaluating student success, the role of the collegiate/pre-collegiate coding assignments to as- SLOs in this process has just begun. Apart from being sure accuracy (3.41). an integral part of program review, assessment infor- Cypress College uses placement tests in math, English, mation is also published and disseminated annually via and ESL to determine the baseline knowledge in ba- the Institutional Effectiveness Report and on the IR&P sic skills of students wishing to enroll in the College’s website (3.36). courses and programs. Several studies have been con- Since its inception, the Institutional Effectiveness Re- ducted to validate the placement cut scores, as well as port has provided information on course completion identify placement and enrollment patterns and trends rates and retention rates. The annual reporting is par- in levels of placement (3.51). Students who do not place ticularly useful for comparing trends over a period of into the lowest-level credit basic skills courses (Math 10 time. and English 57) or the intermediate ESL course (ESL 080C) are advised to consider noncredit basic skills Table 3 shows the improvement in success rate over the programs. past three years. Although the success rate varies from one division to another as well as from one semester to Quality of instruction is also assessed through the Pro- another, there has been a modest gain in overall stu- gram Review of instructional programs (3.42, 3.43), dent success. The more important role of this data is to including a targeted review process for career techni- provide a context for analysis and setting benchmarks cal programs. Program review now incorporates stu- for improvement. dent learning outcomes, a process of defining learning outcomes, assessing student performance in relation to Retention rates depict a similar picture. There have these outcomes, and thereby determining what areas been moderate gains over the years although the result of instruction may need change in order to facilitate varies by division and by semester (Table 4). student learning. Success and retention rates are also provided by the Office of Institutional Research and Planning Agenda Planning every term by division and course so that de- None. partments can complete their program review. As this process is ongoing and cyclical, instruction is ever im- 2.c. High-quality instruction and appropri- proving (3.44). ate breadth, depth, rigor, sequencing, time to completion, and synthesis of learning charac- The overall quality of instruction at Cypress College terize all programs. is further validated by increasing numbers of degrees awarded (3.36). Performance data is described in the annual Institutional Effectiveness Report (IER), which Descriptive Summary details success and retention rates (through time by Cypress College demonstrates the quality of its instruc- division and by distance education status), as well as tion in a myriad of ways. Faculty play the key role in progress from one basic skills course to the next higher decisions regarding the appropriate breadth, depth, course, persistence rates, degrees and certificates, and rigor, sequencing, time to completion, and synthesis of transfer data (3.36). The performance of students who learning of programs, as overseen by the Curriculum transfer to four-year institutions is another indication Committee under the direction of the Academic Sen- of quality of instruction — the GPA of Cypress Col- ate (3.39). lege students who transfer to California State Univer- sity system are comparable to the overall GPA of all In order to determine if a course or program is colle- students in the system, as reported in the Institutional giate or pre-collegiate, the College uses Title 5 require- Effectiveness Report. Progress and achievement data ments and the new CB-21 coding rubric guidelines.

112 Cypress College are also available from a statewide accountability re- The College has begun formulating and implement- port (ARCC) (3.45). This report is distributed to the ing student learning outcomes in order to better moni- Board, executive staff, deans, and managers. tor and evaluate course quality. By virtue of a process Proper course sequencing is also evaluated. The In- that uses those with expertise in their field to determine stitutional Research and Planning office conducts exactly what students should be able to do, and that research validating prerequisites, thus providing em- requires the outcomes to be evaluated and potentially pirical support for sequencing of courses. Articulation refined on a periodic basis, the overall quality across agreements between the College and local universities courses and across the curriculum is high. also demonstrate that courses are at the correct level In short, the College uses data obtained from students, of breadth, depth, and rigor as equivalent courses at other institutions, and industry to assess the overall ef- universities (3.46). fectiveness of its instructional programs. Awards to students and programs also demonstrate high quality instruction by showing that external or- Planning Agenda ganizations recognize excellence among both students None. and faculty; the End of the Year Report (3.47) details successes in Instruction and Learning. For example, the 2.d. The institution uses delivery modes and 2009 End of the Year Report noted several successes teaching methodologies that reflect the diverse related to quality of instruction, including a CCC Ath- needs and learning styles of its students. letic Association Scholar Team Award in 2007 - 2008 to baseball and men’s golf. A Cypress College student Descriptive Summary was also named to the Women’s Basketball Academic Cypress College is committed to fulfilling its Mission All-Star Team. A Social Science instructor was award- by maximizing accessibility to learning. To reflect the ed the Medal of Excellence for Teaching in 2009; that diverse needs and learning styles of students, Cypress year she was also a nominee for the Cypress College College delivers instruction in a wide variety of modes, and Orange County Teacher of the Year. The EOPS ranging from 18-week in-person and distance educa- office named this same instructor as an Outstanding tion courses offered weekdays, weekends, daytime, and Teacher. A Cypress College Health Science student evening to short-term courses and self-paced indepen- has won a research award by the American Dental Hy- dent study programs (3.52). gienists’ Association for the past two years. In the Ca- reer Technical division, the T-TEN program has been Evaluating and assessing all of these modes is difficult, nationally ranked by Toyota as among its top perform- but course outlines of record indicate an increasing ing graduates for the last six years. Also in this division, commitment to addressing a variety of learning styles Court Reporting received an award for 30 years of ex- and student needs. Other metrics indicating that these cellence from the National Court Reporters’ Associa- modes and methodologies serve students include: tion (3.48). ◊ Student demand (which has been in- At this time, the departments, divisions, and the increasing since 2003 and has substantially stitution are actively involved in formulating student increased in the past two years) learning outcomes. Campus-wide Opening Day events ◊ Success and retention rates have mandated time for departmental SLO dialogues ◊ Increased degrees and certificates award- since 2006 (3.49). The GE SLO Committee has recent- ed ly completed its full draft of GE & Basic Skills PLOs (3.50). ◊ Gains in student satisfaction (some of which are also related to course success) Self Evaluation and higher satisfaction than the national average (3.36, 3.87) Cypress College is actively engaged in offering a quality educational experience for students and community The College assesses students’ academic behaviors, members at large, whether transfer or non-transfer. values, and expectations through administration of the

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 113 College Success Factors Index (CSFI). It is currently The committee also financed expensive software pro- completed in a number of basic skills courses each term grams that allow developmental reading/writing and to aid at-risk students in their academic performance. math students to complete self-paced, independent re- Analyses of these survey results have been descriptive inforcement activities that accommodate a variety of (describing students’ behaviors and expectations), pre- learning styles. scriptive (acknowledging strengths and weakness of Department faculty develop course methodologies individual students), and predictive (showing what be- based on their knowledge and expertise. A wide range haviors or expectations are related to course success) of methodologies is typical for any given course to (3.54). address diverse needs and learning styles. Method- The College introduces new instructional delivery ologies range from lecture, demonstration, discussion, styles to meet student needs based upon the overall ac- and group activities to media presentation, computer- ademic environment, areas of growth across the nation enhanced instruction, oral assignments, aural assign- in specific areas such as Distance Education, and facul- ments, and lab assignments. ty expertise regarding student needs. Once a new style is introduced, careful assessment is conducted. The Self Evaluation assessment includes comparative analysis of success and retention rates in same courses offered in different Cypress College faculty and staff work together to styles. For example, a comparative analysis of success ensure overall quality of instruction and diversity of and retention in online versus classroom instruction is delivery modes in such a way as to meet a variety of conducted by the Office of Institutional Research and student needs and learning styles. Planning (3.36). Based on the comparative data, deci- By hiring faculty with expertise in their field, by en- sions are made to offer or withdraw specific courses. couraging ongoing professional development of faculty The College demonstrates that it meets student needs through Staff Development and conference participa- and learning styles as evidenced by success and retention, and by requiring that course outlines be revisited tion rates, number of degrees and certificates awarded, and updated every five years, the College maintains the and the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Survey (3.36, currency of its course content, teaching methodolo- 3.87). gies, and delivery modes (3.36). A variety of campus activities are designed to ensure that faculty are pedagogically informed and appropri- Planning Agenda ately match instructional methodologies with student None. needs, including required training for newly-hired tenure track instructors, required training for instruc- 2.e. The institution evaluates all courses and tors wanting to teach distance education and web- programs through an on-going systematic enhanced courses, and expectations that they pursue review of their relevance, appropriateness, supplemental learning opportunities. Staff develop- achievement of learning outcomes, currency, ment opportunities have included workshops on brain and future needs and plans. research as well as cross-departmental sharing of best practices. The use of CSFI, support for attendance at Descriptive Summary conferences related to developmental education, and Academic departments and programs, student servic- quality/program review of special programs all reflect es, campus services, and special programs systematical- the institution’s focus on learning styles and varied ly review and reflect on their activities to improve the modes of learning. quality of education and services provided to students The College’s Basic Skills/ESL Committee (BSI) has ef- (Table 5). Currently, the College has a three-year cycle fectively provided support for departments attempting of review for instructional programs, with approxi- to meet diverse needs and learning styles of students. mately one-third of the programs reviewed each year For instance, BSI equipped three computer classrooms (3.44). The ongoing systematic review of courses and for students in developmental reading/writing courses. programs consists of a loop beginning with Program Review; continuing to generation of data for General

114 Cypress College Program areas; linking the data to the College mission, Self Evaluation and institution-, course-, and program-level SLOs; The departmental program reviews are submitted to subsequently linking the data to resource allocation; the campus Program Review Committee. The com- and completing the loop by returning to the Program mittee analyzes the report, seeks clarification, if re- Review in the following cycle (3.57). This cyclical pro- quired, and forms an overall idea as to how the process was facilitated by the implementation of TracDat gram is helping students. For example, if a program in Spring 2010. reports declining student enrollment over the years, SomePage Program114: Updated Reviews chart must meet additional crite- the committee questions the reasons for such decrease ria. Both the Health Science Division and the Career and the plans to reverse such trends. The commit- Technical Education Division include outside agencies tee submits its report to the Executive Vice President in reviewing the quality of their programs. Nursing, for for his evaluation. Upon approval from the Executive # of example, must be accredited by# theof National# of League # ofVice President,Course the reports are archived. A summary of Nursing Accrediting Commission.Course Likewise,Course the Courseof the reviewsReports is included% in% the Institutional% Effective- Automotive TechnologyTotal # ofprogramSLOs has to meetCATs the re-Reportsness ReportOn (3.36).SLOs CATs Closed quirementsDivision establishedCourses by the PostedBureau of AutomotivePosted Submitted TracDat Posted Posted Loop BUS/CIS 199 147 147 133The program45 review74 process74 provides67 the basis for in- Repair and those for Automotive Service Excellence depth College analysis of the effectiveness of its pro- andCounseling National Automotive14 Technicians14 Education14 10 10 100 100 71 CTE 133 90 89 47grams and38 services.68 These reviews67 are35 central to Col- Foundation certifications. Fine Arts 223 221 219 48lege discussions48 regarding99 the98 allocation22 of resources, OnHealth a department/program Science 140 level,138 departments138 com- 135including137 financial99 and human99 resources.96 The impor- pleteLanguage-Arts a Department Planning86 and70 Review form.66 In de- 48tance of these39 reviews81 is signified77 each56 year as they are velopingLibrary their plan, faculty2 and department2 members2 2incorporated2 into 100 College 100 discussions100 regarding the utilizePE their own expertise96 within95 their discipline90 in 22allocation18 of full-time99 faculty94 positions23 and in address- conjunctionSEM with the67 results of student57 learning56 out- 39ing requests38 for funding.85 In 84addition,58 program reviews Social Science 133 90 77 39 29 68 58 29 come statistics and other assessment data including generate a dialogue in the department as well as on SUM 1093 924 898 523 404 85 82 48 student success and retention provided by the Office the campus regarding curriculum, student learning of Institutional Research and Planning. The results of outcomes, student success, and resource identification. Program Review are then used in the ongoing refine- The quantitative and qualitative data contribute to the mentPage of 118 program/course offerings such that they meet understanding of the relevancy of the program. The current and future student need. dialogue enables faculty to determine if curriculum The College follows a program review calendar. All programsreview are is necessary.reviewed onLinking a three-year resources with program cycle. The following table show the semester when the programreview aids is reviewed. in the budget allocation process. Changes

Institutional SelfCampus Study — Support Spring Services 2011 Departmental Planning & Student Support 115 Timeframe (CSS) Program Review (DPPR) Services (SSS) Page 114: Updated chart

Page 118

The College follows a program review calendar. All programs are reviewed on a three-year cycle. The following table show the semester when the program is reviewed.

Campus Support Services Departmental Planning & Student Support Timeframe (CSS) Program Review (DPPR) Services (SSS)

Campus Support Services Departmental Planning & Student Support Timeframe (CSS) Program Review (DPPR) Services (SSS) Fall 2010 Group 1 1. CalWORKS 1. Accounting 2. CARE 2. History 3. DSPS 3. Anthropology/Archaeology 4. EOPS 4. Journalism 5. Library/LLRC 5. Art Computer Graphics 6. Music 7. Dental Hygiene 8. Philosophy & Religious Studies 9. English/Reading 10. Photography 11. Foreign Language 12. Physical Science 13. Health Information Technology 14. Theater Arts Spring 2011 Fall 2011 Group 2 Group 1 1. Air Conditioning & Refrigeration 1. A&R 2. Ethnic Studies 3. Airline & Travel Careers 2. Assessment 4. Human Services 3. Counseling 5. Aviation 4. Financial Aid 6. Mortuary Science (1 survey) 7. Biology 8. Nursing 9. CIS 10. Physical Education 11. Counseling 12. Psychology 13. Dance 14. Sociology 15. ESL Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) Spring 2012 Campus Climate Survey of Faculty/Staff Fall 2012 Group 3 Group 1 1. Art 1. Career Center 2. Economics 3. Auto Collision Repair 2. Transfer Center 4. Geography/GIS 3. Student 5. Auto Technology Activities 6. Management/Marketing 4. Health Center 7. Chemistry 8. Mathematics 5. Library/LLRC 9. Communication Studies (1 survey) 10. Political Science 11. Court Reporting 12. Psychiatric Technology 13. Culinary Arts 14. Radiology Technology 15. Dental Assisting Spring 2013 1. Academic Computing- Media Services 116 Cypress College Campus Support Services Departmental Planning & Student Support Timeframe (CSS) Program Review (DPPR) Services (SSS) Fall 2010 Group 1 1. CalWORKS 1. Accounting 2. CARE 2. History 3. DSPS 3. Anthropology/Archaeology 4. EOPS 4. Journalism 5. Library/LLRC 5. Art Computer Graphics 6. Music 7. Dental Hygiene 8. Philosophy & Religious Studies 9. English/Reading 10. Photography 11. Foreign Language 12. Physical Science 13. Health Information Technology 14. Theater Arts Spring 2011 Fall 2011 Group 2 Group 1 1. Air Conditioning & Refrigeration 1. A&R 2. Ethnic Studies 3. Airline & Travel Careers 2. Assessment 4. Human Services 3. Counseling 5. Aviation 4. Financial Aid 6. Mortuary Science (1 survey) 7. Biology 8. Nursing 9. CIS 10. Physical Education 11. Counseling 12. Psychology 13. Dance 14. Sociology 15. ESL Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) Spring 2012 Campus Climate Survey of Faculty/Staff Fall 2012 Group 3 Group 1 1. Art 1. Career Center 2. Economics 3. Auto Collision Repair 2. Transfer Center 4. Geography/GIS 3. Student 5. Auto Technology Activities 6. Management/Marketing 4. Health Center 7. Chemistry 8. Mathematics 5. Library/LLRC 9. Communication Studies (1 survey) 10. Political Science 11. Court Reporting 12. Psychiatric Technology 13. Culinary Arts 14. Radiology Technology 15. Dental Assisting Spring 2013 1. Academic Computing- CampusMedia Support Services Services Departmental Planning & Student Support Timeframe (CSS) Program Review (DPPR) Services (SSS) Media Services 2. Bookstore 3. Bursar’s Office 4. Campus Safety 5. Institutional Research 6. Maintenance & Operations 7. Staff Development 8. Production Center 9. Public Information Fall 2013 Group 2 1. Air Conditioning & Refrg. 2. Art 3. Chemistry 4. CIS 5. Computer Science 6. English/Reading 7. ESL 8. Ethnic Studies 9. Geography 10. Physical Education 11. Psychiatric Technology Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) Table 5 following program review include reducing number of High Schools report describes top feeder seatsPage in 154 areas not in demand, increasing seats for high high schools (3.36). demand programs, and exploring ways to improve stu- ◊ Three-year Follow-up of Cypress Col- dent success. Climate Survey conducted in Fall 2009 indicate that the employee ratingslege regardingStudents, thealso general known as Student InCollege this systematic atmosphere assessment has improved of itssince effectiveness the last survey in conducted in SpringRight 2008.to Know Compared (SRTK), to shows degree meetingthe 2008 student study, goalsmore employeesand needs, feltthe thatCollege the College utilizes has a strong commitmentattainment to andsupporting transfers , including a diversityvariety of activities studies and that reports address such issues as therelevant following: to gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgenderidentifying top employees transfer institutions (3.59). and students. A substantial portion of the survey focused on employees’ perceptions of how responsive ◊ theThe College Institutional is to its Effectiveness diverse students Report and staff. The following chart shows the ratings given by theincludes respondents student in relationand staff to demograph- questions on diversity.Planning Agenda ics, institutional outcomes, and quality None. review results (3.36). 2.f. The institution engages in ongoing, sys- ◊ Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inven- tematic evaluation and integrated planning to tory is based on the fact that satisfaction assure currency and measure achievement of is related to student performance (3.36). its stated student learning outcomes for cours- ◊ The Climate Survey of Faculty and Staff es, certificates, programs including general gathers information regarding Cypress and vocational education, and degrees. The College employees’ opinions on job sat- institution systematically strives to improve isfaction, diversity, and decision-making those outcomes and makes the results avail- (3.36). able to appropriate constituencies. ◊ The Academic Characteristics and En- rollment Patterns of Students from Local

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 117 Descriptive Summary the following three options: The College systematically engages in instructional 1. Accept the recommendation and in- program review, which is integrated with institutional dicate if the recommendation will be planning in order to better achieve student learning implemented during the current assess- outcomes. As individual departments and programs ment cycle. complete program reviews and quality assurance eval- 2. Accept the recommendation and indi- uations, using such data as Student Learning Outcome cate that it will be implemented in the assessments or the Institutional Effectiveness Report next assessment cycle. (3.36), this information is used to develop action plans that are, in turn, directly linked on an institutional level 3. Provide an explanation of why the rec- to the College’s Strategic Plan and the Educational and ommendation does not apply. Facilities Master Plans, for example. Such integration Recommendations by the SLO Assessment Commit- allows the College to better determine the allocation tee and responses by faculty members are documented and use of its resources to better serve students and the in TracDat to provide future reference (3.23). The full community. implementation of TracDat is expected to help the The progress of the College in defining, assessing, and College accomplish its goals of implementing and in- reporting on SLOs over the last eight years attests to tegrating SLO assessment with planning and program its commitment to long-term integration and utiliza- review by 2012. Such review data is used to evaluate tion of SLOs for student success. With the advent of the department/program’s needs in light of institu- TracDat for housing and linking SLO data with other tional goals and planning. campus plans, the effective use of data from a variety of sources will enhance each department or program’s Planning Agenda ability to determine appropriate directions, goals, and None. action plans. 2.g. If an institution uses departmental course Self Evaluation and/or program examinations, it validates their effectiveness in measuring student learn- The College continues to engage in systematic self ing and minimizes test biases. evaluation in order to best accomplish its mission. As departments and programs have instituted SLOs, for example, they have already begun a cyclical review of Descriptive Summary SLOs to assure currency. Such review data is used to The English Department’s English 60 departmental evaluate the department/program’s needs in light of exam was eliminated in 2005 in light of the develop- institutional goals and planning. ment of specific student learning outcomes measurements. Since 2009, program review forms for instruction, student services, and campus support services have re- Cypress College does not make use of departmental flected the link between SLOs and allocation of fiscal course exams. Students in many Health Science Divi- resources (3.76, 3.77). sion take externally administered examinations for certification and licensing; however, these exams are not The establishment by the Academic Senate of an SLO used as part of the programs’ internal student evalu- Assessment Committee in Spring of 2010 will further ations. ensure that SLO assessment results are used in program planning and revision. Assessment Committee members consist of the SLO Coordinator, SLO Facilitator, Self Evaluation and three faculty members. The committee is charged At this time, the College has no departmental course with providing feedback to respective faculty regarding and/or program examinations. SLO assessment results. Faculty members are required to respond to each of the recommendations based on

118 Cypress College Planning Agenda Descriptive Summary None. Faculty engage in rigorous and well-defined processes to establish meaningful degree and certificate programs 2.h. The institution awards credit based on in the interest of advancing the College mission. As student achievement of the course’s stated the process of establishment of student learning out- learning outcomes. Units of credit awarded comes for all of its courses and programs continues, the are consistent with institutional policies that connection between successful student achievement as reflect generally accepted norms or equivalen- evidenced in the attainment of degrees and certificates cies in higher education. and transfers to four-year colleges and universities is becoming increasingly connected to stated learning Descriptive Summary outcomes. Major requirements are established by fac- The primary means of addressing issues related to ulty of each of the College programs offering associ- credit is through the College Curriculum Committee. ates degrees through the regular curriculum process. Its rigorous process of curriculum review focuses upon General education requirements are established and issues of unit equivalencies, articulation, and certifica- maintained through an ongoing dialogue engaged pri- tions. Each degree and certificate program undergoes marily at the Curriculum Committee in consideration in-depth review on a regular basis to verify viability of State regulations and System standards. Certificate and appropriateness. Student performance standards requirements are established collaboratively with pro- for credit courses are established by faculty, confirmed gram representatives significantly informed via the en- by the Curriculum Committee, and clearly communi- gagement of community and private industry advisory cated to students through course outlines and syllabi. boards.

Self Evaluation Self Evaluation The curriculum process follows Title 5 regulations and All degree and certificate requirements are clearly com- State criteria. Units are determined in accord with municated by means of the Cypress College printed standards established Title 5, section 55002.5, of the catalog, online catalog, and on program websites and/ California Code of Regulations. All course outlines or printed brochures. specify any prerequisites, the objectives of the course, New courses or programs must go through the Cur- course activities, unit assignments for the course, and riculum Committee approval process, which requires course materials. Each department has formulated stu- clearly stated instructional goals and student learning dent learning outcomes for specific courses and lists outcomes. them on the course syllabi. In addition, Cypress College has instituted student Faculty within every College department and program learning outcomes in its existing courses to further conducts Program Review on a regular basis, at which clarify required student achievement levels. time student performance standards are re-examined and re-affirmed. In addition, individual faculty review Consequently, students have clear access to require- serves to verify the individual faculty member’s under- ments for completion of their degree or certificate. standing of and compliance with required student per- Students wishing to graduate must file a petition with formance levels. Office of Admissions and Records to ensure that they have met such requirements. Planning Agenda The Office of Institutional Research and Planning None. publishes data on degrees/certificates issued and also on transfer rates (3.90). 2.i. The institution awards degrees and certificates based on student achievement of a pro- Planning Agenda gram’s stated learning outcomes. None.

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 119 3. The institution requires of all academic and education criteria through the curriculum develop- vocational degree programs a component of ment process. In addition to meeting standards for AA/ general education based on a carefully con- AS degrees or certificates, close communication with sidered philosophy that is clearly stated in its transfer institutions confirms that general education catalog. The institution, relying on the exper- courses will satisfy UC and/or IGETC requirements. tise of its faculty, determines the appropriate- Also, the Articulation Officer reviews all curriculum as ness of each course for inclusion in the general a required step in the CurricUNET approval process education curriculum by examining the stated to ensure that requirements have been met (3.24). learning outcomes for the course. The development of GE & Basic Skills PLOs and the Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will help the Descriptive Summary College determine the ongoing quality of its courses Cypress College states its philosophy for General Edu- and programs. cation in the 2009-2010 College Catalog, page 51 (3.9). The General Education & Basic Skills Program Learn- Planning Agenda ing Outcomes Committee finalized a draft of Cypress None. College General Education and Basic Skills Program General education has comprehensive learn- Learning Outcomes (3.50), which was approved by the ing outcomes for the students who complete it, Academic Senate in Spring 2010 (3.92). including the following: In order for a course to be included on the general 3.a. An understanding of the basic content and education list, it must meet specific criteria established methodology of the major areas of knowledge: by the Cypress College Curriculum Committee. Crite- areas include the humanities and fine arts, the ria, found in the Training Guide on the CurriUNET natural sciences, and the social sciences. homepage (3.24) are: A course must fulfill all criteria in Category I: (A) It must contain a body of knowledge that educated people have in common; (B) It must pres- Descriptive Summary ent the fundamental principles of a discipline; (C) Its Cypress College offers a variety of General Education coverage must be broad in scope rather than special- courses designed to introduce students to the many ized; and (D) It must enhance critical evaluation and ways people comprehend the modern world. The critical thinking. In addition, a course must meet at subject matter presented in general education courses least one criterion from Category II: (A) It is helpful to is designed to be broad, and frequently introductory, students in examining, evaluating, and expressing the rather than specialized, narrow, or advanced. These principles of a discipline; (B) It integrates knowledge; courses, offered in various formats such as full and half- (C) It develops clear and effective communication semester, on-campus, online and hybrid, form a pat- skills; and (D) It promotes understanding of diverse tern of learning experiences designed to develop the cultures. During its course review process, the Curricu- following insights and capacities in all students regard- lum Committee provides faculty with explanations as less of their ultimate educational goals: to why a course has not met the criteria and what can ◊ Knowledge of the common principles, be done to correct it, or why the course is not appropri- concepts, and modes of inquiry in the ate for general education. major disciplines; Rationale for general education is communicated to ◊ Appreciation and understanding of the both students and faculty via the Cypress College Cat- environment, culture, society, and self; alog, the College website, and CurricUNET (3.9, 3.1, 3.24). ◊ Ability to think and communicate clearly and effectively, critically, and ethically Self Evaluation both orally and in writing; The College ensures quality of instruction and general ◊ Proficiency in mathematics, natural sciences, and analytical thinking;

120 Cypress College ◊ Understanding of the political and eco- Completion of all the requirements in the Intersegmen- nomic environment in order to be better tal General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) informed and more responsible citizens; will permit a student to transfer from Cypress College ◊ Desire to continue education throughout to a campus in either the California State University or their lives (3.9) the University of California system without the need, after transfer, to take additional lower division general Cypress College currently offers General Education education courses to satisfy campus general education courses in the areas of humanities and fine arts (106), requirements. the natural sciences (51), mathematics (17), and the social sciences (78), to help students develop foundational skills towards the completion of AA/AS degrees, cer- Self Evaluation tification programs, and the Intersegmental General The faculty and administrators on the Curriculum Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC). Committee rigorously evaluate and review all existing, revised, and newly introduced courses to ensure that Students entering Cypress College in Fall 1995, or lat- they meet the general education standards and adhere er, must complete 25 units of General Education (of to the requirements for articulation with CSU and UC the total 60 degree-applicable units required for the (3.24). Associate Degree) taken from the following areas: All divisions are currently engaged in the SLO process, ◊ Language and Rationality: Written which includes developing and assessing SLOs and Communication (a minimum of 3 units); PLOs and mapping course SLOs to at least one of the Analytical thinking (a minimum of 3 GE & Basic Skills PLOs. units) The final draft of Cypress College General Education ◊ Natural Sciences and Mathematics: Life and Basic Skills Program Learning Outcomes, as final- Sciences and Physical Sciences (a mini- ized by the GE & Basic Skills PLO Committee, was ap- mum of 3 units); Mathematics (a mini- proved by the Academic Senate in Spring 2010 (3.60, mum of 3 units) 3.92). It included the following GE & Basic Skills PLOs ◊ Arts and Humanities: Arts (a minimum relevant to breadth of knowledge and experience: of 3 units); Humanities (a minimum of 3 I. Breadth of Knowledge and Experiences units) Students will possess a breadth of knowledge and expe- ◊ Social Sciences (6 units) riences from the following areas: ◊ Physical Activity and Health (1 unit) A. Humanities and the Arts ◊ Proficiency in reading may be satisfied 1. Aesthetic Awareness: Examine the visu- by completing a college-level reading al arts, dance, music, and/or literature course with a satisfactory score on the of diverse cultures. Cypress College reading proficiency test, and is required for California State Uni- 2. Critical Analysis: Assess the methods versity (CSU) general education certifi- used to create art and interpret its literal cate, IGETC certification, and a Bach- and/or symbolic meaning. elor’s degree from a regionally accredited 3. Cr eativity: Engage in artistic creative institution (3.9). endeavors. Students planning to transfer to one of the campuses B. Natural Sciences and Mathematics of the California State University system must complete a minimum of 48 semester units in General Edu- 1. Scientific Principles: Demonstrate an cation breadth courses. Cypress College is permitted to understanding of scientific principles certify completion of the lower division 39-unit general that govern the natural and physical uni- education requirement (3.1, 3.9). verse.

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 121 2. The Scientific Method: Apply scientific Descriptive Summary processes to solve problems and mea- Cypress College general education course structure is sure and observe natural phenomena, inclusive of courses that have been designed for stu- including the design, performance, and dents with the goals of earning associate degrees as analysis of experiments. well as transferring to four-year institutions (UC and 3. Mathematical Systems: Demonstrate an CSU). These courses provide well-rounded instruction understanding of mathematics as a sym- in oral and written communication skills, information bolic, universal language. competency, computer literacy, scientific and quantitative reasoning, critical analysis and logical thinking, C. Social Sciences and, the ability to acquire knowledge through a variety 1. Cultural Competence: Demonstrate of means. knowledge and understanding of the The general education courses offered at Cypress Col- feelings, opinions, and/or values of oth- lege are designed to introduce students to various path- er people and cultures ways of learning and the means and resources that can 2. Global Perspective: Recognize impor- be used to become a life-long learner; to help students tant economic, political, social, and his- develop effective oral and written communication; to torical issues and values in one’s own think clearly and logically; to acquire competency in community, state, country, and/or the gaining and retaining relevant information by applying world. technology as well as traditional sources; to understand 3. Human Experience: Use qualitative scientific principles and methods of inquiry; and to de- and/or quantitative methods to study velop creative skills and social awareness. the human aspects of the world. D. Physical Education Self Evaluation Cypress College General Education & Basic Skills Pro- 1. Fitness: Understand the development, gram Learning Outcomes, as finalized by the GE & care, and exercise of the human body Basic Skills PLO Committee, were approved by the Ac- through movement. ademic Senate in Spring 2010 (3.60, 3.92). It includes 2. Health and Nutrition: Understand and the following GE & Basic Skills PLOs relevant to com- apply the principles of nutrition, hy- munication and critical thinking competency: giene, and safety to develop mental and II. Communication physical well being. Students will communicate effectively, which means 3. Mo vement Competence: Perform the ability to learned skills competently. A. Read: Planning Agenda 1. Compr ehend, interpret, and/or evalu- None. ate various written information. 3.b. A capability to be a productive individual B. Write: and life long learner: skills include oral and 1. Communicate thoughts, ideas, informa- written communication, information compe- tion, and messages in writing. tency, computer literacy, scientific and quan- 2. Compose and create documents with titative reasoning, critical analysis/logical correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, thinking, and the ability to acquire knowledge and appropriate language, style, and through a variety of means. format. 3. Check, edit, and revise written work for correct information, appropriate em-

122 Cypress College phasis, form, style, and grammar. 2. Create a plan of action to resolve the is- C. Listen: sue. 1. Sense and appropriately perceive and 3. Execute and evaluate the effectiveness respond to verbal and/or nonverbal of the plan. messages. D. Communicate: Planning Agenda None. 1. Organize ideas and communicate verbal and/or non-verbal messages appropri- 3.c. A recognition of what it means to be an ate to the audience and the situation. ethical human being and effective citizen: qualities include an appreciation of ethical 2. Communicate clearly and ask relevant principles, civility and interpersonal skills; questions in conversations, discussions, respect for cultural diversity; historical and group activities, and/or public speaking. aesthetic sensitivity; and the willingness to as- III. Critical Thinking and Information Competency sume civic, political, and social responsibilities locally, nationally, and globally. Students will think critically, which is characterized by the ability to Descriptive Summary A. Analyze: As an educational community, Cypress College em- 1. Recognize and apply rules and princi- braces the shared characteristics as well as the diverse ples to new situations. intellectual viewpoints and ideas of its culturally rich 2. Use logic (induction and deduction) to population. To prepare students to meet the challeng- draw conclusions from information gives of increasingly diverse campus and work environ- en. ments, selected academic courses are designed to: 1) foster respect for diverse populations; 2) assist students 3. Differentiate between facts, inferences, in understanding and critically evaluating personal bi- assumptions, and/or conclusions. ases; and 3) encourage students to apply the knowledge B. Compute: gained in these courses in their daily lives. The general 1. Use basic numerical concepts, such as education program at Cypress College prepares stu- whole numbers, percentages, and esti- dents to develop as effective, ethical, and socially re- mates of math without a calculator. sponsible human beings. To achieve these educational goals, Cypress College requires all students to take at 2. Use tables, graphs, charts, and diagrams least one course that emphasizes the United States or to explain concepts or ideas. focuses specifically on issues such as race, gender, re- 3. Use basic geometrical shapes, such as ligion, national origin, sexual orientation, socio-eco- lines, angles, shapes, and space. nomic background, physical and mental ability, and how they impact the struggles of people to achieve civil C. Research: and human rights (3.9). 1. Ef fectively and ethically acquire, organize, analyze, synthesize, evaluate, and Self Evaluation communicate information. The final draft of Cypress College General Education 2. Determine which technology resources & Basic Skills Program Learning Outcomes, as final- will produce the desired results ized by the GE & Basic Skills PLO Committee, were D. Solve Problems: approved by the Academic Senate in Spring 2010 (3.60). It includes the following GE & Basic Skills PLOs 1. Define a problem and identify its com- relevant to being an ethical human being and respon- ponents. sible citizen:

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 123 IV. Self Development a grade of “C” or better in each course attempted that Students will develop self-awareness and responsibility is counted for the major or area of study. A “C-” does by means of the following: not satisfy this requirement. For each area of emphasis, a student must complete a minimum of 18 units (3.9). A. Self Integration 1. Understand the person as an integrated Planning Agenda physiological, social, and psychological None. being. 5. Students completing vocational and occu- B. Personal Responsibility pational certificates and degrees demonstrate 1. Develop skills and identify values for technical and professional competencies that personal growth and life-long learning. meet employment and other applicable standards and are prepared for external licensure C. Global Citizenship and certification. 1. Understand the interconnection between current events, ethics, and per- Descriptive Summary sonal and societal choices within our world. Accrediting and licensing agencies provide information to departments regarding the performance of Cypress College students on their examinations. Departments Planning Agenda maintain and make available the statistical data as None. needed. Graduates of many of the training programs 4. All degree programs include focused study are required to take licensure exam(s) to determine in at least one area of inquiry or in an estab- their competence in the field before they are allowed lished interdisciplinary core. to become practitioners in the field. The agencies performing the testing keep records of the pass rates of each school. Cypress College has performed well above Descriptive Summary the state average in many areas. Each of Cypress College’s degree programs include Advisory committees are required for all vocational focused study in at least one area of inquiry or in an programs and identify specific competencies that are established interdisciplinary core. Requirements for desired or required by industries and licensure regula- the AA degree in an area of inquiry typically include tions. the successful completion of all major requirements, elective requirements, and general education require- Results of licensure examinations, employment sta- ments. For associate degrees in an area of inquiry, stu- tistics, and basic skills improvement assessments also dents must successfully complete courses established provide a means of evaluating the effectiveness of stu- through the curriculum process as significantly related dent learning. For example, within the Dental Assis- to the area of focus, general education requirements, tant Program at Cypress College, Dental Assisting has and electives. a national examination in order to receive the Certi- fied Dental Assistant CDA Certificate as well as a state Self Evaluation examination for the Registered Dental Assistant RDA License. Students are eligible to take the examinations The overall requirement for an AA or AS degree is 60 after they have earned a Certificate of Completion for units total with a cumulative grade point average of the Dental Assisting Program (3.61). 2.0: 24 units as stipulated by the Cypress College graduation requirements plus 1 unit of Physical Education; 39 units as stipulated by the CSU general education Self Evaluation certification requirements or 37-39 units as stipulated Table 6 lists representative licensure pass rates for Cy- by the IGETC. For the major, a student must achieve press College graduates by program (3.62).

124 Cypress College Program Licensure Exam Pass Rate Nursing (RN) NCLEX-RN, Board of Registered Nursing 2007/08: 97% (89 students)

2008/09: 94% (100 students)

2009/10: 95% (83 students) Health Information Registered Health Information Technician 2006: 86% Technology Program (through the American Information Management Association) 2007: 100% 2008: 75%

2009: 80% Psychiatric Technician Board of Vocational Nurses and Psychiatric 2010: 85% Program Technicians Mortuary Science National Board Examination (for graduation) 2009/10: 88% for first-time test takers California State Embalmer Licensing Exam Radiologic Technology American Registry of Radiologic Technologists 2006: 97% Program 2007: 91%

2008: 100%

2009: 100% Diagnostic Medical American Registry of Diagnostic Medical So- 2006: Abdomen - 100%; OB/GYN - 100%; Sonography Program nography Physics - 67%

2007: Abdomen - 67%; OB/GYN - 100%; Physics - 100%

2009: Abdomen - 75%; OB/GYN - 100%; Physics - 89% Registered Dental As- RDA Licensure Practical: 80% first time takers sisting Program Written: 92% first time takers California Registered Not a Licensure; it is a certification. CDA-Certi- 2009: 100% Dental Assisting Certi- fied Dental Assistant fication Examination Dental Hygiene Dental hygiene National Board Exam 2009: 100%

Court Reporting Certified Shorthand Reporter’s Exam (CSR). 100% This is a three-part test given three times a year. The machine portion is at 200 wpm. The academic portion covers English and Professional Practice. Table 6 In addition, the job placement rate of students gradu- Planning Agenda ating from the Career Technical Education was above None. 80% (3.36). The high pass rates in licensure examinations and high job placement rates indicate that the 6. The institution assures that students and programs prepare students for successful employment. prospective students receive clear and accu- The involvement of local industries such as Toyota and rate information about educational courses Dental Clinics indicate that local employers are satis- and programs and transfer policies. The in- fied with the students of Cypress College. stitution describes its degrees and certificates in terms of their purpose, content, course re-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 125 quirements, and expected student learning course syllabi include SLOs, attendance and grading outcomes. In every class section students re- policies, prerequisites, course materials, course objec- ceive a course syllabus that specifies learning tives, academic honesty policy, and information about objectives consistent with those in the institu- student services. All faculty members were notified tion’s officially approves course outlines. that SLOs became a requirement on all syllabi starting Spring 2010. The Curriculum Committee revised Descriptive Summary the syllabus guidelines during Spring 2010 to include SLOs, distance education elements, and other neces- The College assures that students and prospective stu- sary information. The revised Syllabus Guidelines dents receive clear and accurate information about document as well as a Checklist were approved by the educational courses and programs and transfer poli- Academic Senate in Spring 2010. The Curriculum cies through the College Catalog. The print version is chair emailed the document to all full-time and adjunct published yearly for July 1st distribution. The College faculty and deans. They have replaced the old syllabus Catalog is available in hardcopy format and on the guidelines on the College J: drive (3.65, 3.66). College website (3.9). In order to ensure that individual course sections fol- The College Catalog provides a clear and accurate de- low established learning objectives, all instructors are scription of degrees and certificate programs. Degree required to submit a copy of their course syllabi to and program information is reviewed yearly before their respective division deans. This is required at the publication in order to verify the accuracy of content beginning of each semester for each class taught. Con- and requirements. This review process is campus wide tractually mandated evaluations of both full-time fac- and includes matriculation and articulation officers, di- ulty and adjunct faculty include a review of individual vision deans, program directors, managers, department course syllabi in order to ensure that each document chairs, and faculty. The online version of the College includes specified course requirements and SLOs as of Catalog is updated if an addendum is needed in order Spring 2010. to maintain updated accuracy if changes in program and degree requirements occur after the yearly print publication. Students, prospective students, and the Self Evaluation general public can access program and certificate de- The College assures that all students and all prospec- scriptions and requirements through the College web- tive students receive clear and accurate information site via the online College Catalog, as well as links to about educational courses and programs and transfer specific academic and certificate programs. policies. The College Catalog makes this information available in both print version and on the College web- PLOs are included in the 2010-2011 Catalog. As of site. Students also receive individual course syllabi that October 2010, 26 out of 31 programs, including the contain prerequisite information, course objectives, GE & Basic Skills Program, have defined their PLOs, and expected learning outcomes. As of Spring 2010, and the projected completion date for the remaining all instructors are required to include approved student five programs is Spring 2011. A login name is required learning outcomes in each of their course syllabi (3.66). to review course outlines and completed SLOs. As of Full-time faculty and adjunct faculty are required to October 2010, faculty members have defined SLOs for submit a copy of each course syllabi to their respec- 85% of courses, defined assessment methods for 82%, tive dean for review. In addition, the mandated faculty and closed the loop on 48% of all courses. The pro- evaluations also ensure that course syllabi adhere to the jected completion date of all individual course SLOs is requirements and provide clear, accurate, and reliable Spring 2011 (3.64). information (3.93). All full-time faculty and adjunct faculty must create a syllabus for each course section being taught. This course syllabus must be distributed to students at the Planning Agenda first class meeting. Orientations for new faculty and for None. adjunct faculty are given in order to ensure that the 6.a. The institution makes available to its stu- required elements of the syllabus are adhered to. All dents clearly stated transfer-of-credit policies

126 Cypress College in order to facilitate the mobility of students Courses completed at another college or university without penalty. In accepting transfer credits outside of the U.S. are evaluated by an off-campus to fulfill degree requirements, the institution evaluation service: http://www.naces.org/. Evalu- certifies that the expected learning outcomes ations need to be course-by-course with grades and for transferred courses are comparable to the units. This information is available to students in the learning outcomes of its own courses. Where College Catalog and on the College website (3.9, 3.1). patterns of student enrollment between insti- The College follows the statewide guidelines of accep- tutions are identified, the institution develops tance of Advance Placement (AP) credit. This infor- articulation agreements as appropriate to it mation is available in the print Catalog and the online mission. Catalog, and it is reviewed annually by the College Ar- ticulation Officer. A College policy is also in place for Descriptive Summary specific certificate programs and occupational degrees. The military credit policy was updated in the 2009 The College accepts transfer coursework from accred- Catalog, which ensures alignment with the new CSU ited institutions based on information from the Ameri- policies (3.67). can Council on Education: Postsecondary Education. Articulation agreements with the CSUs and the UCs are kept current and renewed annually by the College Self Evaluation Articulation Officer. The College provides clearly stated transfer-of-credit policies in order to facilitate consistent student mobil- Transfer information is available to students and the ity. Articulation agreements with public institutions are general public in the College Catalog (3.9), Schedule kept current, and the process ensures that expected of Classes (3.10), through ASSIST.org, and through learning outcomes are comparable between institu- printed information available in both the Transfer tions. Articulation agreements with private institutions Center and the Counseling Center (3.67). are also maintained based on current data. The Col- Admissions and Records evaluators and Counselors lege provides many ways in which students, prospective are trained to work together in order to ensure that stu- students, and the general public can access articulation dents receive consistently accurate information that re- information. This information is available in the print flects the official policies stated in the Catalog. Monthly and online versions of the College Catalog and Sched- workgroup meetings also coordinate current and up-to- ule of Classes, the Counseling and Transfer center web date communication of policies and procedures to stu- pages on the College website, and through direct mate- dents. In 2008 and 2009, the College conducted a pilot rials, classes, and workshops provided by the Transfer program of mandatory orientation for new students. Center and the Counseling Center. It began with a cohort of students from the College’s eleven top feeder high schools. The pilot required students to attend an on campus or online orientation in Planning Agenda order to receive information about degrees, programs, None. transfer programs, and vocational programs. They also 6.b. When programs are eliminated or pro- received an earlier Fall registration date as an incentive gram requirements are significantly changed, to attend the orientation in June or July prior to Fall the institution makes appropriate arrange- registration (3.94, 3.95, 3.96). ments so that enrolled students may complete The College Transfer Center also offers specialized their education in a timely manner with a min- transfer information to students through Trip Tic, a imum of disruption. personalized booklet created for individual students based on a specific major. The Trip Tic booklet de- Descriptive Summary scribes transfer information and guidelines for a se- The issues of program elimination (discontinuance) lected university. Information about Trip Tic is avail- and significant change to program requirements are able in the Transfer Center and on the College website addressed in different venues. The elimination of pro- Transfer Center link (3.68, 3.69).

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 127 grams is a matter subject to provisions of Board Poli- cant program changes assure that the information stu- cy (BP 2510) and Administrative Procedures (AP 2510) dents need to engage in effective academic planning is (3.15). In accord with provisions of California Assem- readily available in a variety of locales. bly Bill 1725 (Vasconcellos,1985) (3.79), Program Dis- The program elimination (discontinuance) process is continuance is a matter subject to agreement between fundamentally a District-level responsibility. The issue the academic senates of the District and the Board of has been taken up at Chancellor’s Cabinet, the body Trustees. Specifically, this is a matter upon which the responsible for the maintenance and revision of Dis- Trustees must reach mutual agreement with the sen- trict Policy and Procedures, for the last four years. Rep- ates. resentatives of the academic senate have been active Significant changes to program requirements are ad- participants in those discussions. Efforts to develop and dressed through the regular campus process of curricu- adopt a policy to address the need for effective pro- lum review. Following approval of proposed changes gram monitoring and elimination when necessary have by the College Curriculum Committee, the changes come up against significant institutional inertia. are reviewed by the District Curriculum Coordinating Committee (DCCC). Subsequently, such changes are Planning Agenda agendized and presented for consideration to the Board of Trustees at regularly scheduled Board meetings. Sig- None. nificant changes in program requirements rarely occur. 6.c. The institution represents itself clearly, In the event that significant changes should occur, stu- accurately, and consistently to prospective and dents are advised of the options that are available to current students, the public, and its personnel them through modifications in the Catalog and Sched- through its catalogs, statements, and publica- ule of Classes, information distributed by program tions, including those presented in electronic directors and program instructors, by counselors at formats. It regularly reviews institutional pol- the Counseling Center, and by representatives of the icies, procedures, and publications to assure College at the Transfer Center. In addition, students integrity in all representations about its mis- who maintain continuous enrollment retain their cata- sion, programs, and services. log rights and are thus protected against undue impact of program changes. Descriptive Summary The College Schedule of Classes, Catalog, specific Self Evaluation program information, and other printed publications Significant changes to programs occur upon the initia- provide consistent, clear, and accurate information to tion by program faculty of the curriculum process of current students, prospective students, the public, and the College. Initiating faculty are expected to engage District personnel. This information is also easily ac- in program/department-level conversations prior to cessible through the College website. In addition, pre- advancement to the division level. Once recommenda- vious Catalogs and Schedules of Classes are also avail- tions for needed changes are finalized at the division able through the College website (3.9, 3.10). level, the required curriculum is input into the curricu- Each Catalog and Schedule of Classes is reviewed by lum process (CurricUNET) for technical review, review the matriculation officer, the articulation officer, cur- by cross-District programs that may be impacted, and riculum representatives, program directors, deans, sign-off by Curriculum Committee representatives, the managers, department chairs, and faculty. A second Executive Vice President of the College, and the Presi- review process is always conducted before printing oc- dent of the College (3.24). Once approved, the changes curs. The Schedule of Classes is printed three times a are submitted for review to DCCC. If the proposed year for fall, spring, and summer course offerings. The curriculum receives DCCC approval, it is next present- Catalog is printed yearly. ed to the Board of Trustees for review and adoption. The College’s processes are effective in maintaining The College website has comprehensive program de- the integrity of its curriculum. The mechanisms uti- scriptions and contact information that are available to lized to assure communication to students of signifi- both students and the general public.

128 Cypress College The Cypress College Public Information Office is re- and alumni. sponsible for internal and external communications, as well as the areas of public relations and marketing. The Public Information Office initiated a blog in Fall For the past decade, the office has published the @Cy- 2010. While the technology itself is not revolutionary press newsletter on behalf of the President (3.70). The at this point, the philosophical change it represents newsletter is produced each week during the Fall and is. The @Cypress newsletter had been the driving Spring semesters. The @Cypress newsletter is distrib- force for communicating information about the uted to all campus employees, posted to the College college — including its students, employees, and website, shared on Facebook and Twitter, and emailed achievements. The implementation of the blog to a group of recipients that includes retirees, District shifts news dissemination to an information-sharing- employees, members of the media, Foundation Board centric model that takes place on a daily time scale members, and other constituents. In addition to the (or even up-to-the-minute, if events warrant). The production of @Cypress in the Public Information Of- blog will eventually become a central repository for fice, the document is reviewed for accuracy and cur- information, which is currently scattered in various rency by the President and the President’s executive as- locations, including Facebook, Twitter, and even sistant. @Cypress regularly contains stories on student alluser email. In turn, the best of the blog then achievement. In addition to @Cypress, information becomes the content for the @Cypress newsletter. In about student achievement can be found in the Col- short, the news itself becomes the driver, rather than lege’s annual End of the Year Report. Along with print the production of the newsletter. distribution, this document is also shared on the Col- lege website (3.47, 3.72). Planning Agenda In the mid-2000s, the Public Information Office ini- None. tiated a comprehensive communications program fo- 7. In order to assure the academic integrity cused on connecting with students via email. While the of the teaching-learning process, the institu- primary purpose was to foster enrollment, these per- tion uses and makes public governing board- sonalized direct email newsletters also have contained adopted policies on academic freedom and messages related to student awards. responsibility, student academic honesty, and Another method of providing information comes specific institutional beliefs or worldviews. through the myGateway portal where students can re- These policies make clear the institution’s ceive both email and “personal message channel” no- commitment to the free pursuit and dissemi- tifications (3.85). nation of knowledge. Finally, select stories about student achievement are also shared with members of the media via news re- Descriptive Summary leases (3.72). The North Orange County Community College Dis- trict has recently implemented a Board policy BP/AP Self Evaluation 4030 outlining broad freedoms for classroom instruc- In recent years, Cypress College has taken a proactive tors regarding in-class speech and discussion (3.15). and leading role in the use of social media to The faculty at Cypress College have engaged in extend- communicate about the College’s success, including ed dialogue related to the distinction between personal the success of its students, faculty, and alumni. During conviction and appropriate topics within a particular the period between accreditation visits, the College discipline. Discussions district-wide have led to the has utilized a variety of social media methods, adoption of a policy on academic freedom in February including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, iTunes 2008. BP/AP 4030 is currently in agreement with both Podcasts, and MySpace. The focus of these endeavors the full-time and adjunct faculty labor unions (3.73). has primarily been in conveying information that fosters student success and student participation as Cypress College Academic Senate has had discussions well as highlighting the success of students, faculty, with the Chancellor’s office to design a draft to ensure

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 129 the right of faculty and students to teach and learn in demic honesty as it relates to online instruction as new a supportive environment (3.15). The goal is to balance technologies become available. academic freedom with exploration of difficult ques- Course syllabi, distributed at the beginning of every se- tions that could be disquieting to some students. BP/ mester, are the primary method of informing students AP 4030 makes it clear that the instructor can intro- regarding the expectations the instructor has for them duce and discuss controversial topics, as long as the for the successful completion of their course. Academic presentation of this material involves objective reason- honesty policies are expected to follow existing District ing, rational discussion, and pertains to course content policies found in the College Catalog, Deans’ offices, (3.15). Student Services’ office and the District office. Finally, the policies and procedures for disciplining any student Self Evaluation who has violated the policy on academic honesty are The Board Policy makes reference to the issue of facul- clearly set out in both Administrative Procedures and ty speaking as private citizens. The Board Policy makes in the College Catalog (3.15, 3.9). it clear that the faculty member can speak and write freely as a citizen and should be free from institutional Self Evaluation censorship or discipline but should state that personal Information regarding student academic honesty poli- comments in no way reflect the opinions of NOCCCD. cy is clearly delineated in the College Catalog and oth- BP/AP 4030 clearly states that there is an appropriate er campus publications (3.9). Cypress College has not time, place, and manner for expressing personal con- recently surveyed student or faculty positions on mat- victions as private citizens (3.15). ters of accessible information regarding the policy of student academic honesty and related consequences if Planning Agenda the student is found to have violated that policy. While None. Cypress College has made its position clear to the faculty and its students on the matter of academic hones- 7.b. The institution establishes and publishes ty, there are some concerns of how to implement these clear expectations concerning students aca- policies as students’ rights evolve in the coming years. demic honesty and consequences for dishonesty. Planning Agenda Descriptive Summary None. The Cypress College Administrative Procedures hand- 7.c. Institutions that require conformity to book clearly delineates the policies and guidelines specific codes of conduct of staff, faculty, ad- concerning student academic honesty and related out- ministrators, or students, or that seek to in- comes (3.15). The policy is also available in the College still specific beliefs or world views, give clear Catalog (both print and online versions), instructors’ prior notice of such policies, including state- course syllabi, the College and District web sites, and ments in the catalog and/or appropriate fac- the Student Handbook (3.9, 3.15, 3.75). The College ulty or student handbooks. has a set of web and print pages dedicated to informing students about existing academic standards and Descriptive Summary student conduct policies. This page was created to give Cypress College is a public institution; all of its agreed students clear definitions of plagiarism and academic upon policies and ethical codes of conduct are a re- dishonesty and outlines consequences for these trans- flection of its Mission, Vision, and Philosophy State- gressions (3.75). ments (3.9). Unlike private institutions or colleges that Faculty members use online programs such as Turni- are funded by the donations of religious or political tin.com as a method of monitoring and discouraging organizations, Cypress College does not seek to instill plagiarized essay or term-paper assignments. The Col- specific beliefs or world views in its students nor require lege plans to continue to address concerns about aca- them of faculty and staff.

130 Cypress College All Board policies, including those that delineate insti- 3.2 Distance Education: — J:\Distance Education\DE tutional standards and professional conduct expecta- 3.3 IRP Research – Counseling 140 — www.cy- tions, are made available to faculty and students via the presscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Research/SE/ District website (3.15). Updates or changes to Board COUN140.pdf policies are made available campus-wide through email 3.4 Cypr ess College Mission and Vision Statements notification from the Chancellor’s Office. As part of www.cypresscollege.edu/about/atAGlance/mission- Cypress College’s extensive offerings or division/flex Vision.aspx workshops, there is a consistent emphasis placed on the proper understanding and adherence to the vari- 3.5 IRP Research – Supplemental Instruction — www. cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Research/SE/ ous provisions of the code of conduct (3.91). Students SIperformance_Sp09.pdf are made aware of the existing Student Conduct Code through its publication in the Cypress College Cata- 3.6 College Catalog, Special Programs — www. cypresscollege.edu/Media/Website%20Resources/ log, Schedules of Classes, and Student Handbook and PDFs/catalog/2010-11_CypressCollege_catalog.pdf Academic Procedures Manual. Selective provisions of the Student Conduct Code are incorporated into the 3.7 Distance Education Plan — J:\Distance Education\ faculty course syllabi (3.75, 3.15, 3.9). DE Plan 2008- 2011 It is the responsibility of the Instructional and Student 3.8 Interview with Dennis Davino, Educational Interpret- er Training Program Director Services Deans or those from Student Services to provide any student who is alleged to have violated the 3.9 Cypress College Catalog — www.cypresscollege. Student Conduct Code with a copy of the District ap- edu/academics/CollegeCatalog.aspx proved code of conduct. Faculty members are also in- 3.10 Schedule of Classes — www.cypresscollege.edu/ formed of the College policies and procedures through academics/ScheduleofClasses.aspx the above publications, as well as workshops, campus 3.12 Email from Michael Brydges, Learning Community communiqués, regular Academic Senate meetings, and Coordinator the NOCCCD collective bargaining agreement (3.78). 3.13 Email from Nancy Deutsch, Staff Development Co- ordinator Self Evaluation 3.14 Section 55206 of the Guidelines also NOTE: Author- The expectations of adhering to codes of conduct are ity cited: Sections 66700 and 70901, Education printed in the various College publications. Cypress Code. Reference: Sections of Distance Education College makes every effort to make all aware of the Plan — J:\Distance Education\DE Plan 2008- 2011 standards of conduct expected of its faculty, staff, and 3.15 North Orange County Community College Board students. Policies and Administrative Procedures —www. nocccd.edu/Policies/PoliciesAndProcedures. htm#BoardPolicies Planning Agenda None. 3.16 Email from Curriculum Committee Chair, Cherie Dickey, posted on Blackboard course site 8. Institutions offering curricula in foreign lo- 3.17 Distance Education Report approved by the Cur- cations to students other than U.S. nationals riculum Committee Spring 2009 — J:\Curriculum operate in conformity with standards and ap- minutes & Other Info and posted on the login page plicable Commission policies. at www.curricunet.com/cypress/?CFID=78439&CFT OKEN=95943849 Cypress College does not offer any curriculum in foreign locations to non-U.S. citizens. 3.18 Planning and Budget Minutes, March 4, 2010 — J:\ Planning & Budget Committee\PBC Minutes for 2010-11

Reference Documents 3.19 Chancellor’s Office California Community Colleges Academic Affairs Division Instructional Programs 3.1 Cypress College website — www.cypresscollege. and Services (2008). Distance Education Guidelines edu (2008 Omnibus Version). Chancellor’s Office Califor-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 131 nia Community Colleges Website responses to several questions. On Blackboard

3.20 Academic Senate Minutes 2007 — J:\Academic 3.42 Steve Donley, Dean of Career Technical Education, Senate\Senate Minutes 07-08 email 12/07/2009

3.21 SLO Committee Minutes — www.cypresscollege. 3.43 SLOs — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/Institu- edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/SLO/Instruction/ tionalResearch/SLO Course.aspx 3.44 Program Review Cycle — www.cypresscollege.edu/ 3.22 Academic Senate and Curriculum Minutes — J:\Ac- IRP/Resources/Research/PROGRAM_REVIEW_RO- ademic Senate Minutes and J:\Curriculum minutes TATION_SCHEDULE.pdf & other info 3.45 ARCC — www.cccco.edu/ OurAgency/ 3.23 TracDat TechResearchInfo/ResearchandPlanning/ARCC/ tabid/292/Default.aspx 3.24 CurricUNET website — www.curricunet.com/cypress/ 3.46 Stacy Howard, Articulation, ASSIST Status Report — Fall 2009 document on Blackboard site. 3.25 Curriculum Committee Handbook 3.47 Cypress College End of the Year Report — www. 3.26 Student Satisfaction Survey — www.cypresscollege. cypresscollege.edu/newsEvents/Publications edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/rsurveys.aspx 3.48 Emails from Division Deans: Dave Wassenaar and 3.27 Staff Development flyer and email re. Michael Flores’ Steven Donley presentation 3.49 Opening Day agendas on Blackboard for last sev- 3.28 Distance Education Course Quality Rubric — J:\Dis- eral years. tance Education\DE Course Quality Rubric 3.50 GE SLO’s — www.cypresscollege.edu/academics/ 3.29 Valentina Purtell, Director, SCE ESL, email 1/15/10 CollegeCatalog.aspx

3.30 Instructional Quality Assessment Validation Guide- 3.51 Blackboard documents regarding validating cut- lines — J:\Program Review and Department Plan- scores, placement, and enrollment patterns ning\Department Planning and Program Review 3.52 Donna Landis email 10/21/2009 3.31 Lynn Mitts, M.A., R.T. (R), RDMS, Program Director, Radiology & DMS, email dated 2/24/2010 3.53 DSPS website — www.cypresscollege.edu/services/dsps 3.32 Cherie Dickey (Curriculum Chair), Email 1/27/10 3.54 CSFI — www.cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/ 3.33 Ben Izadi, SLO Coordinator, Email 11/12/09 Research/SE/CSFIStudentSurveyF08Sp09Find- ings_Summary.pdf 3.34 Cherie Dickey, Curriculum Chair, Email 2/18/10 3.55 Faculty Readiness and Training, Distance Education 3.35 Institutional Effectiveness Plan — www.cypresscol- Plan, page 21 – J:\Distance Education lege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/rreports.aspx 3.56 BSI Action Plan — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/ 3.36 Institutional Effectiveness Report — www.cypress- InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments.aspx college.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/Research- andEvaluation /rsurveys.aspx 3.57 Director of Institutional Research and Planning, San- tanu Bandyopadhyay, interviewed on 11/2/2010 3.37 Alison Robertson, SLO Committee member, email 2/18/2010 3.58 VP, Administrative Services Office, email from Bar- bara Woolner, 4/26/2010 3.38 Lynn Mitts, M.A., R.T. (R), RDMS, Program Director, Radiology & DMS, email dated 2/24/2010 3.59 Three-year Follow-up of Cypress College Students, also known as Student Right to Know (SRTK) — 3.39 Interview with Curriculum Committee Chair, Cherie www.cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalRe- Dickey search/rreports.aspx

3.40 Cherie Dickey, Curriculum Committee Chair, email 3.60 Nancy Deutsch, GE SLO Committee member, email 12/09/2009 4/16/2010

3.41 Dr. Robert Simpson, Executive Vice-President, 3.61 Elizabeth Pacheco, Dental Assisting Program, email

132 Cypress College 2/25/2010 loginf

3.62 Table 2 of this Report 3.86 Study Abroad literature

3.63 Cypress College Catalog — www.cypresscollege. 3.87 Noel-Levitz Survey — www.cypresscollege.edu/ edu/academics/CollegeCatalog.aspx about/InstitutionalResearch/rsurveys.aspx

3.64 Interview with Ben Izadi, SLO Coordinator 3.88 Interview with Ben Izadi, SLO Coordinator

3.65 Interview with Cherie Dickey, Curriculum 3.89 2010 - 2011 Proposed Budget & Financial Report Chair (p. 11) — www.nocccd.edu/Departments/FandF/ documents/201011ProposedBudget.pdf 3.66 Syllabus Guidelines and Checklist — J:\Curriculum minutes & Other Info 3.90 Student Right to Know Data — www.cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Research/SE/srtk2002cy- 3.67 Interview with Stacy Howard, Articulation Officer press.pdf

3.68 Transfer Center — www.cypresscollege.edu/ser- 3.91 MyGateway Staff Development Calendar vices/transfer

3.69 Trip Tic — www.cypresscollege.edu/services/transfer/resources

3.70 @Cypress — www.cypresscollege.edu/newsEvents/ news/atcypress.aspx

3.72 Marc Posner, Public Information Officer, email, 5-7- 10

3.73 Email/Interview Fola Odebunmi, President United Faculty

3.75 Student Handbook

3.76 Program Review — www.cypresscollege.edu/IRP/ Resources/Planning/CypressCollegeCycleofQuality- Review_revised.pdfc

3.77 Special Programs Review for Service Learning and Study Abroad — J:\Quality Review/Special Pro- grams

3.78 Collective Bargaining Agreement

3.79 California Assembly Bill 1725 (Vasconcellos,1985)

3.80 SLO Workshops Status Worksheets — J:\SLO Team\Workshops\SLO_Workshop_participation_ April22_09

3.81 Research Bulletins — www.cypresscollege.edu/ about/InstitutionalResearch/irbulletins.aspx

3.82 Institutional Planning and Research website — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalRe- search

3.83 2008 Annual Performance Report for Title V Grant — J:\Title V Grant 2003-2008

3.84 Educational Master Plan — www.cypresscollege. edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments.aspx

3.85 myGateway — mygateway.nocccd.edu/cp/home/

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 133 Standard IIB: Student Support Services Division, the College has seen improvements in measures of monitoring, enhancing, and fostering Services student success. The institution recruits and admits diverse The Fall 2009 Student Services Satisfaction Inventory students who are able to benefit from its pro- (SSI) reveals improvements in many areas of student grams, consistent with its mission. Student services and the campus environment at Cypress Col- support services address the identified needs lege since the previous self-study was completed (4.1). of students and enhance a supportive learn- Since 2006, the College has implemented an aggres- ing environment. The entire student pathway sive outreach program to K-12 feeder schools and the through the institutional experience is charac- greater community. Under the direction of the Dean terized by a concern for student access, prog- of Student Support Services, a Student Ambassador ress, learning, and success. The institution program was created to utilize Cypress College stu- systematically assesses student support ser- dents in outreach activities. Student Support Services vices using student learning outcomes, faculty staff conduct trainings with Student Ambassadors and and staff input, and other appropriate mea- attend outreach events and activities to recruit and assures in order to improve the effectiveness of sist prospective Cypress College students. these services. The Dean of Student Support Services is responsible for outreach efforts. He works closely with the Dean of Descriptive Summary Counseling and Student Development to adequately The Student Services Division (consisting of Counsel- staff college fairs and share campus information with ing & Student Development and Student Support Ser- high school personnel, students, and parents. Student vices) supports the framework of the College’s Mission Services staff are also responsible for making presenta- and goals by providing support services that maximize tions at high schools to discuss such topics as the ad- the potential of prospective and current students to missions application process, programs, and services achieve academic and career success. offered by the College as well as university transfer Since the College’s previous self study, the Division has requirements. Both instructional and student services reported significant achievements in completing stu- areas maintain publications and marketing materials dent learning outcomes and increasing the availability that are used for events and activities. Entering fresh- of services. The College’s online services in Admis- men arrive at Cypress College informed about the sions allow students to access their records, search the matriculation process, financial aid programs, EOPS Schedule of Classes, and register, all without leaving requirements, academic support programs, career ser- their homes. Facilities have expanded and allowed the vices, technology, and counseling courses that promote Division to more efficiently meet the needs of students. success. The majority of the Counseling & Student Develop- Cypress College’s admissions procedures are open and ment Division is now centrally located in the Student accessible since the College website was redesigned in Center along with the Assessment Center, Admissions 2007. Application functions, as well as other website & Records Office, and Bursar’s Office. Student Sup- features, are available 24/7 as a result of myGateway’s port Services, including Financial Aid, Extended Op- online student portal (4.91). portunity Programs & Services (EOPS), CARE, Cal- WORKS, and Disabled Students Program & Services Any individual 18 years of age or older or a high (DSPS) are centrally located on the first two floors of school graduate who can benefit from instruction is the Cypress College Complex building. welcome to attend Cypress College. In accord with the North Orange County Community College District Evidence detailed below demonstrates the dramatic in- (NOCCCD) Board policy, high school students may creases in financial aid awards and services provided also be admitted after meeting specific requirements, to students participating in the Counseling, EOPS, which are outlined in the College Catalog, Schedule of CARE, CalWORKs, and DSPS programs. Through Classes, and on the College’s Website (4.2). the combined efforts of the programs in the Student Open access to higher education is a key component of

134 Cypress College the mission of California’s community colleges. State other support services for campus programs and law requires that all who can benefit from instruction clubs. be admitted to the institution. While maintaining the • CalWORKs assists students to become self suf- requirements related to application information, the ficient, gain independence from public assistance, Admissions & Records Department assists students obtain a job, and continue life-long learning. with first-rate service to ensure an easy transition. The staff are well-trained, speak multiple languages, and • Campus Safety provides and maintains a safe and are accessible on site or via the telephone and Inter- secure instructional environment while respecting net. The Student Satisfaction Inventory conducted by the rights and dignity of individuals utilizing pro- Noel-Levitz in Fall 2009 showed improved ratings for grams and facilities of the College. Admissions & Records from the 2007 survey level. • CARE assists single parents receiving Temporary The Student Equity Plan was updated in 2009 to en- Aid to Needy Families (TANF) to increase their sure equity in access to the College for various ethnic education skills, become more confident and self- groups and students with disabilities. The Student sufficient, and move from welfare to independence. Equity Committee consists of representatives from • Career Planning Center (CPC) provides resources faculty, management, classified, and student constitu- and support services designed to assist students and encies. The group has identified many of the factors the general public in the cultivation and enhance- that might account for the observed achievement gaps ment of aptitudes to explore and research career among the various ethnic, gender, and disability groups and major options, define goals and decisions, on campus, and has developed action plans to address enhance employability, and prepare for life-long them (4.3). learning. Student Services staff and instructional faculty encour- • Counseling Center is committed to promoting stu- age students to take advantage of the academic assis- dent learning and success by providing academic, tance services on campus. In addition to the Learning career, and personal counseling, along with classes Resource Center (LRC) and computer labs in specific and support services to maximize student potential instructional divisions, the College has a variety of stu- for achieving educational and life success. dent service components to address students’ learning needs. Below is a brief overview of the services pro- • Disabled Students Program & Services (DSPS) provided by many of the student service and campus sup- vides accommodations to students with disabilities port areas: that ensure their equal access to College programs and facilities and maximize their potential for suc- • Admissions & Records, in the College’s Student cess in achieving their individual educational and Center, is the first destination on campus for most career goals. students. Staff oversee admissions, registration, records, and online services. • Extended Opportunity Programs & Services (EOPS) assists students with economic, linguistic, • Associa ted Students of Cypress College dedicate and educational challenges to enroll and succeed in themselves to promoting higher education, repre- higher education and successfully prepare for ca- senting and supporting the students, and advocat- reers. ing for their needs and concerns with passion, trust, and teamwork. • Financial Aid strives to maintain a professional, respectful, and peaceful environment and promote • Athletics provides a range of intercollegiate sports accountability of students by providing financial for both men and women that compete in the Or- aid services to students who show demonstrated fi- ange Empire Conference. Sports instruction and nancial need. performance courses are taught year round. A workout facility is available for all students to use. • Health Center strives to reduce the need for students to seek off-site health services by providing • Bur sar’s Office provides all students with financial quality health care, education, and information. services related to their educational experience and • Inter national Students Program (ISP) strives to in-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 135 ternationalize the campus and its community by re- forts. On November 16, 2006, the division adopted the cruiting, integrating, and supporting international Nichols and Nichols model for the development and students (F-1 visa holders) of diverse ethnic and cul- assessment of SLOs (4.95). Each department has com- tural backgrounds. pleted at least three full cycles of assessment and most • Library and Learning Resources Center (LLRC) are well on their way through the fourth cycle of assess- supports the campus and community by encourag- ment (4.4). The division engages in regular dialogue ing life-long learning, including the abilities to lo- regarding SLOs and is regarded as a model program cate, evaluate, and apply information to daily living. for the development of SLOs. The CCC System Of- fice provided a commendation in the February 2009 • Matriculation works to ensure that all students who program review, and the Chief Student Services Of- are admitted to the College are properly assessed, ficers Association highlighted Cypress College Student persist to the next academic term, and achieve their Services’ efforts in 2009 at a Regional Training as an educational objectives. exemplary program (4.92). • Student Activities Center creates and provides stu- In Summer 2009, the campus successfully configured dents with a safe and welcoming environment away TracDat for the monitoring and reporting of SLOs from the academic demands that they face on cam- as well as campus planning documents. The Dean of pus, supports all active campus clubs — including Student Support Services as well as the Matriculation the Associated Students Council — and provides Manager are members of the College-wide SLO Com- a variety of programs and activities that enhance mittee, which provides information, guidance, and sup- student life. port to faculty and staff involved in the development • Transfer Center provides a variety of services to and assessment of SLOs. facilitate the preparation and transfer of students, Student Services SLOs are determined by the mem- especially those who are historically and currently bers of the department or service unit. Typically, the underrepresented in the transfer process. manager or program coordinator is responsible for • TRAC program assists single parents pursuing vo- reporting SLOs. However, depending on the types of cational majors and students pursuing nontradi- assessment activities and objectives, a wide variety of tional trade/career majors in attaining the life skills staff and faculty may participate in the process. needed to become economically, psychologically, Managers, faculty, and classified staff in the Student and socially self sufficient. Services Division participate on shared-governance • Veterans Affairs Office provides information and committees to help shape the dialogue about student customer service to veterans on available educa- access, progress, learning, and student success. tional benefits in accordance with federal and state regulations. Self Evaluation Under the leadership of the Dean of Student Support Student success remains a central topic of discussion Services, student learning outcomes (SLOs) develop- and key focus for the College. Campus leadership and ment began in 18 student services areas in November shared governance committees address student success 2006. At the institutional level, the College measures through committees and planning teams. Standard IV a student’s success by course completion, final grade, of this self-study will detail the campus organization program persistence, degrees, and certificates awarded. and governance; however, the following groups engage Student Services areas measure student learning out- in frequent dialogues about student success: comes by a variety of actions as identified in Bloom’s • Instructional divisions Taxonomy. • Individual instructional programs Student Services are currently in their fourth year of SLO development. All Student Services areas have • Individual instructional departments identified and assessed at least three SLOs. The de- • Student Services Council velopment began in 2006 with a series of training ef- • President’s Advisory Cabinet

136 Cypress College • Planning and Budget Committee the Deans and Directors Team (DDT) and Planning • Institutional Effectiveness Taskforce and Budget groups where student success is a regular agenda item in the planning and implementation of • Deans and Directors Team programs and services. For example, on February 23, • Leadership Team 2010, the Deans and Directors Team discussed the opportunity to create a Veterans Resource Center. As the • Management Team number of veterans has increased, appropriate discus- • Enrollment Master Planning Group sions and planning began for the development and ex- ecution of a one-stop Veterans Resource Center coor- • District Educational Master Plan Commit- dinating support services. Effective Summer 2010, the tee Veterans Resource Center houses staff and a counselor • Banner Steering Team who spend a portion of their workload dedicated to the • College Technology Committee success of this special student population. • Student Learning Outcomes Leadership Counseling and Student Development Division meet- Group ings along with Student Support Services Division meetings also engage in discussions of student success • Diversity Committee and have the input of staff, faculty, and students where • Curriculum Committee applicable (4.7). • Academic Senate In terms of student access and ability-to-benefit, the College’s admissions criteria can be accessed in numer- • Petition Committee ous ways at a variety of locations to meet the needs of • Associated Students the diverse population the College serves. Print materi- - • Safety Committee als are available online via the College website, and pri marily in the A&R area. The Dean of Admissions & • Staff Development Records collaborates regularly with the Matriculation • LinkME to College Planning Group Manager and Dean of Counseling and Student De- velopment to ensure that the admission process allows • Foundation Board students admitted to the College to matriculate, enroll • Learning Communities in classes, and successfully follow “steps to success” as described in orientation activities. • Opening Day Activities lead by the College President and SLO leaders The application for admission has been placed online since the last accreditation, and the majority of stu- • Web Redesign Team (2007-current) dents apply to the College via the web, as evidenced • Basic Skills Initiative Committee by the first SLO assessed by the Admissions & Records • Curriculum Committee office (4.4). The online version of the application has been designed to trigger immediate instructive emails • Student Equity Committee informing students of the steps needed in order to be- In Student Services, the recent Categorical Program come a Cypress College student. Review conducted by the California Community Col- The College’s website also provides admissions and fi- lege System Office (CCCSO) helped identify recom- nancial aid information and showcases all the College’s mendations and commendations for efforts in key Stu- programs, procedures, and support services (4.28). In dent Services areas (4.5). 2008, Datatel nominated the Cypress College website While Student Services staff members regularly con- for “outstanding and innovative web design for higher vene monthly Student Services Council meetings and education environments.” The website redesign team, engage in reflective conversations regarding access led by the Dean of Student Support Services, spent and success, such topics are also featured throughout approximately two years revamping and updating the the College community (4.6). The best examples are campus website to be more accessible and informative

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 137 to the campus and its constituents. these services, regardless of location or means Recent results of the Student Satisfaction Inventory of delivery, support student learning and en- suggest that campus orientations and “steps to success” hance achievement of the mission of the insti- are guiding students through the appropriate path- tution. ways to accessing educational programs at Cypress (4.1). Orientation data collected as part of the Coun- Descriptive Summary seling and Student Development SLOs provide strong The Student Services Division’s staff, faculty, and man- evidence and support of student learning in terms of agers engage in ongoing and robust dialog about the measures for access and educational planning. Instruc- quality of services offered. As evidenced by Student tional SLOs developed by courses, departments, and Services SLO development since 2006 and the Student divisions also suggest learning and success are being Services Quality Review process, regular discussions, achieved and modified where applicable (4.4). program reviews, and related goals and objectives sup- Student Services Quality Reviews are a key source of porting the College strategic plan have been imple- information for individual department success. Stu- mented (4.8). dent satisfaction is measured on these quality reviews, All 18 student services areas are currently engaged in and departments have tailored specific plans tied to their fourth year of SLO development and assessment. SLOs and department goals and objectives (4.8). All In April 2009, Cypress College’s Student Services was student services are reviewed on a four-year cycle, with the “exemplary program” as selected by the College one-fourth of the programs coming up for review every President to be featured during the District Board of fall semester. The review begins with surveying the stu- Trustees meeting. On April 14, 2008, The Dean of dents. The survey results are discussed internally and Student Support Services and Dean of Counseling & compared with previous results. A self analysis for any Student Development gave a presentation describing improvement/deterioration is conducted, achievement the context and methodology of SLO development as of previous goals are summarized, and new goals are well as how this process is integrated with the planning established. Finally, the resources required to achieve process at Cypress College (4.94). goals as well as strategies to provide services if all resources are not immediately available are analyzed. The categorical programs in the division consist of The reviews are submitted to the Executive Vice Presi- DSPS, EOPS, CARE, CalWORKs, and Matricula- dent prior to finalization and archived in the shared tion. In 2009, these programs underwent an intensive drive. The reviews are also reported in the Institutional internal review culminating with a site visit from a Cal- Effectiveness Report. ifornia Community College System Office (CCCSO) visitation team. The full internal assessment can be In summary, the College has upheld its Student Ser- found in the Categorical Programs Self Evaluation for vices mission by providing support services that maxi- Cypress College (4.5). mize the potential of prospective and current students to achieve academic and career success. More than The Student Services Council meets monthly to re- just a mission, collective efforts are continually evalu- view, analyze, collaborate, and implement improved ated through quality reviews, SLO development, and service plans for students. Members maintain regular dialogue with shared-governance committees as well as dialogue about existing enrollment processes and ex- the general College community. Student Services areas plore ways in which they can be streamlined. When share a collaborative spirit among the managers, staff, needed, recommendations made from this group are faculty, and students. taken forward for discussion and approval, to committees such as the Campus Technology Committee, Plan- ning and Budget, and President’s Advisory Cabinet . Planning Agenda The Council was instrumental in helping develop and None. ultimately approve the first Student Services Master Plan in 2007 (4.9). 1. The institution assures the quality of student support services and demonstrates that Methods of serving students and monitoring their suc-

138 Cypress College cess are evolving at the College as the College utilizes nificant improvements in student services areas. The myGateway and various enhanced technological tools. methodology of the survey ensures that there is a rep- Plans to place degree audit and educational plans resentative cross section of students responding. The online for students, create a “New Student Welcome number of respondents was adequate to create statis- Night” college preview activity, and retool Early Alert tically significant findings. Categories of questions in- to decrease the referral time to appropriate support cluded demographic data, satisfaction with instruction services are underway. The goal is to be proactive and and services, interest in using services more if hours identify challenges to student access and success early. were extended, reasons for attending the College, bar- New Student Welcome Night orients students to college riers to college, and campus life (4.1). life and the College’s programs/services. Early Alert For Cypress College, of the 14,701 surveys distributed, allows counseling to develop interventions for students 1,847 students completed the surveys for a 13% per- who are not making satisfactory academic progress. cent response rate. Specifically, the survey indicates the The 2009 Categorical Program Review Committee degree to which students report being satisfied or very commended Cypress College for its (1) campus and satisfied with College services. Overall, respondents facilities, (2) campus climate, (3) student services pro- indicated satisfaction with College services. The areas grams and staff, and (4) SLO identification, assess- with the highest satisfaction ratings were Academic ment, evaluation and follow-up. As noted by the review Services, Registration Effectiveness, and Instructional team and evidenced by the College’s internal Student Effectiveness. Areas receiving the lowest satisfaction Services Quality Review Process for non-categorical ratings were Campus Support Services and Admissions programs, Cypress College Student Services regularly and Financial Aid. In each case, however, rankings were monitors the quality of services provided and aggres- above the national average of all two-year institutions sively identifies ways to improve student learning (4.4, surveyed by Noel-Levitz. Further, a comparison of the 4.8). 2009 and 2007 Noel Levitz survey results demonstrates increased satisfaction in the areas of Academic Advis- Self Evaluation ing, Admissions and Financial Aid, and Service (4.1). This standard is partially met at Cypress College The College is well aware that continued monitoring through the submission of Student Services Quality of services is required to assure both quality and the Reviews that are an effective means for monitoring the appropriateness of services, so the Noel Levitz Student quality of Student Services programs and for setting Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) is administered every two new goals to improve services. Each of the programs years. Prior to administering the survey, various cam- is committed to student success and regularly looks for pus groups discuss the questions, style, method, and ways to improve services and the support of student specific areas of concern. learning. Faculty/staff in services such as Counseling Students’ satisfaction with College services is assessed and Assessment demonstrate through quantitative data not only in the student survey discussed above but dur- the links between their professional functions and stu- ing department quality reviews as well. Service depart- dent success. Additionally, each department has sub- ments conduct individual surveys to complete their mitted SLOs that assist the division with routine iden- Student Services Quality Reviews (SSQR). Some pro- tification, assessment, and responsiveness of learning grams, such as categorical programs, rely upon stan- needs. The development of SLOs has yielded an ef- dardized data elements to measure the effectiveness fective assessment and measurement tool for Student of services. Qualitative research is completed through Services offices. Planning is underway to identify addi- advisory committees and informal meetings with stu- tional SLOs to assist the division with effectively man- dents. aging student support needs. SSQRs from 2009-2010 indicate an extremely high One of the most important ways in which the College satisfaction rate for the Transfer Center and Health determines the quality of student support services is Center, both of which earned “Good” or “Excellent” to ask the recipients of those services. The Fall 2009 student satisfaction ratings from 92 percent or more re- Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) yielded several sig- spondents in every area, with the Health Center earn-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 139 ing 100% “Good/Excellent” ratings in four of the sev- ◊ Educational Mission (4.11). en areas rated. Likewise, Disabled Students Program ◊ Course, Program and Degree Offerings and Services earned high marks in every category, with (4.11). every area but one evaluated as “Excellent” or “Good” by a minimum of 93 percent of students. In addition, ◊ Academic Calendar and Program Admissions & Records exceeded the College standard Length (4.12). for student satisfaction in every area, a significant im- ◊ Academic Freedom Statement (4.13). provement over 2005 indicators (4.8). ◊ Available Student Financial Aid (4.14). Both the internal evaluation documents and the annual survey of students reveal that students are generally ◊ Available Learning Resources (4.15). satisfied with the services they receive at the College. ◊ Names and Degrees of Administrators The students’ perception is backed up by quantitative and Faculty (4.16). data collected through the College’s Office of Institu- ◊ Names of Governing Board Members tional Research and Planning. (4.17). Several measures concerning students who participate 2.b. Requirements in the Student Services programs reveal that program participants actually succeed at higher rates than the ◊ The Cypress College 2009-2010 Catalog general student population. In a study conducted by provides information regarding admis- the Office of Institutional Research and Planning on sion policies, which include eligibility re- the impact of Supplementary Instruction (SI) and Tu- quirements, procedures for new and re- toring services, it was found that those who attend these turning students, residency requirements, services improve their GPA compared to their peers, and open enrollment. Prospective stu- after controlling for the student background and prep- dents can apply for admission by visiting aration. The study also demonstrated how frequency the College website, www.cypresscollege. of attending SI sessions impact GPA. Based on the edu, and accessing the online applica- findings of the pilot study, there is a plan to broadbase tion system, CCCApply. Applicants may the data collection. The campus has collaborated with submit their applications for the Fall and the Basic Skills Committee and Academic Comput- Summer semesters at the beginning of ing to procure hand-held scanners to collect data that March. For Spring semester, applications would be analyzed regularly. Plans are also underway are accepted at the start of October. Ad- to determine the funding levels based on impact of the mission to Cypress College is governed special programs on student success. Such research is by the laws of the State of California valuable when planning and designing programs. and District policies BP 5010, AP 5010, and AP 5011, which can also be accessed Planning Agenda via the North Orange County Commu- None. nity College District website (4.18). 2. The institution provides a catalog for its ◊ Student fees and other financial obliga- constituencies with precise, accurate, and cur- tions are presented under the “Fees” sec- rent information concerning the following: tion in the Cypress College 2009-2010 Catalog. This section offers information regarding the Associated Students Descriptive Summary benefits program, campus identification 2.a. General Information card, enrollment fees, health fee, non- The Cypress College 2009-2010 Catalog addresses the resident tuition, parking, refunds, refund following areas: processing fee, and student representation fee. Fee policies BP 5030 and AP ◊ Official Name, Addresses, Telephone 5030 are also explained in details on the Number, and Website (4.10). North Orange County Community Col-

140 Cypress College lege District website (4.18). College’s nondiscrimination statement ◊ The “Program of Study” section in the is also available on the North Orange Cypress College 2009-2010 Catalog pro- County Community College District vides information germane to the three website (4.19). basic program types: associate degrees, ◊ Information regarding acceptance of certificate programs, and transfer pro- transfer credits is provided under the grams. The “Graduation/Educational “Programs of Study” section in the Options” section provides guidelines for Cypress College 2009-2010 Catalog. students on earning an associate degree The Catalog lists the baccalaureate-level as well as describes the three associate classes deemed transferable to any uni- degree options offered at the College, versity in the California State University which include the following: Option I— system for credit toward a baccalaure- Liberal Arts, Option II—Occupational, ate degree, which include the following: and Option III—General Studies. Poli- business and computer information sys- cies BP 4100 and AP 4100 for Program tems, counseling and guidance, fine arts, of Study and Graduation/Educational health science, language arts, physical Options are also explained in detail on education, science/engineering/math- the North Orange County Community ematics, social science, and vocational College District website (4.18). technical education (4.20). 2.c. Major Policies Affecting Students ◊ The Cypress College 2009-2010 Cata- ◊ The “Academic Policies” section in the log delineates the guidelines germane to Cypress College 2009-2010 Catalog grievance and complaint procedures in offers information on academic honesty, the section, “Campus Life.” The guide- academic honors, the academic renewal lines for student grievances include pro- policy, advanced placement credit, at- cedures on how to file for petitions and tendance, course repetition, auditing, appeals, such as academic appeals and grading, grade change, examinations, admissions and records appeals (4.21). petitions and appeals, probation and dis- ◊ The sexual harassment policy is ad- missal policies, transcripts, Title IX and dressed under the section “North civil rights grievances, and withdrawal. Orange County Community District The College’s academic policies are Non-Discrimination Statement” in the also listed and explained in detail under Cypress College 2009-2010 Catalog. The “Academic Affairs” on the North Orange District categorizes sexual harassment as County Community College District unlawful discrimination under policies website (4.19). BP 3430 and AP 3430. The College’s ◊ The nondiscrimination statement ap- unlawful discrimination policies are also pears under the section “North Orange explained in detail on the North Orange County Community College District County Community College District Non-Discrimination Statement” in the website (4.18). Cypress College 2009-2010 Catalog. ◊ The “Fees” section in the Cypress Col- The College’s nondiscrimination policies lege 2009-2010 Catalog provides infor- reflect Section 59328 of Title 5 of the mation regarding refund of fees. Refund California Code of Regulations, Section policy AP 5030 is also listed on the 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 North Orange County Community Col- and Title II of the Americans with Dis- lege District website (4.18). abilities Act of 1990, and Title IX of the 2.d. Locations or Publications Where Other Education Amendments of 1992. The Policies May be Found

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 141 The Schedule of Classes is available to students in website. printed format for a nominal fee and in digital format for free (4.22, 4.23). The campus also publishes a Planning Agenda Student Handbook, which is available in the Student Activities Center and Counseling Center (4.24). The None. Schedule of Classes and the Student Handbook are 3. The institution researches and identifies the used in conjunction with the College Catalog in Coun- learning support needs of its student popula- seling classes offered by the Counseling & Student De- tion and provides appropriate services and velopment Division (4.25). programs to address those needs. Every semester, the Office of Institutional Research Self Evaluation and Planning conducts a demographic analysis of in- Every other year the Catalog is updated by a commit- coming students (I://Demographics/Census). Addi- tee comprised of the Catalog and Schedule Coordi- tionally, the assessment test scores of students are ana- nator, students, faculty, and representatives from the lyzed by ethnicity and gender. The research findings Admissions & Records office. The Catalog is reviewed indicate a growing number of Hispanic students are for continuity in layout, ease of use, inclusiveness and enrolling in Cypress College. Existing research indi- currency of information, standardization of terminol- cates that Hispanic students and students from ethnic ogy, and accessibility. Additional feedback is garnered minorities are academically less prepared and require from the annual reviews done by the divisions, depart- special services to be successful in college (4.93). Both ments, and programs responsible for the Catalog con- academic and student services programs are geared to tent. Curriculum representatives, including those from attend to the needs of these students. Programs such as distance education classes, are in regular communica- Puente and LinkME help integrate Hispanic students tion with the Catalog and Schedule Coordinator to into College; using STEM Grant funds, several initia- upgrade catalog information. Revisions are made as tives are taken to serve the under-prepared Hispanic needed. This process ensures that changes in policy, students. procedures, and curriculum are reflected in the cata- 3.a. The institution assures equitable access log. This revised catalog is then published in print and to all of its students by providing appropriate, posted online in July each year (4.25, 4.26). Particularly comprehensive, and reliable services to stu- important sections are also excerpted in the Schedule dents regardless of service location or deliv- of Classes, which is updated each semester. Any chang- ery method. es made in policy or procedures are communicated to students via an addendum in the printed Catalog, in the Schedule of Classes, and online. Descriptive Summary Cypress College emphasizes education for the individ- Because it is evaluated and updated on a bi-yearly ba- ual student by providing equal access to all student sup- sis by a diversity of individuals, departments, divisions port services. Each student support division serves the and programs, the Cypress College Catalog is current, educational needs of the entire student population by complete, clear, easy to understand, easy to use, and adhering to the divisional student learning outcomes. well-structured. Within the Cypress College Student Services Division, Currently the Catalog Committee is discussing the in- co-curricular student learning has been central in the clusion of a Glossary of Terms in the Catalog to en- design and implementation of various programming hance clarity and accessibility. In addition, the com- efforts and learning interventions. These along with mittee will review the District’s shared drive for any departmental mission statements and individual unit policies, such as college liability policies for field trips, goals were evaluated and assessed to determine the which are not published in the catalog and consequent- progress of the stated outcomes. During each of these ly remain virtually inaccessible to the public (4.27). To SLO cycles, individual units developed outcomes, de- address this oversight, the committee is looking into signed activities, completed assessments, and created creating links from the campus website to the District improvement plans based on independent dialogue

142 Cypress College and feedback and subsequently developed a frame- Center offers a wide variety of online programs to as- work that would create a collaborative effort between sess career interests and strengths, provide information units (4.4). for specific careers, and assist in resume building and Departments provide access to services by several interview skill development. The EOPS site houses means of delivery in order to accommodate the needs specific forms, calendars of opportunities, and links to of their own student population. With the implementa- valuable resources. EOPS is a categorical program that tion of myGateway/Webstar and CCCapply, Cypress provides support services including counseling, book College students have access to online services such service, and tutoring for students who are traditionally as admissions, registration, adding/dropping classes, underrepresented and place into remedial math and transcripts, grade retrieval, class schedules, campus English courses (4.28). catalogs, and new student orientations. These services can also be accessed in person at the appropriate de- Self Evaluation partments on campus for special needs populations. Financial aid services have been greatly improved with With the voter approval of Measure X, NOCCCD the availability of online services such as the FAFSA, was provided $239 million for facility expansion and Fee Waiver, Award Letters, and the ability of students improvement at Cypress College, Fullerton College, to view their academic status on myGateway. The Fi- and the School of Continuing Education. Cypress nancial Aid Office has also purchased the Singularity College’s new Student Center, which opened in Spring Hershey System, which provides the ability to scan all 2008, houses the Admissions & Records, Bursars, As- documents to create a paperless office. sessment, Counseling, Career Planning, Transfer Cen- Online services for Admissions & Records were judged ters, and Food Services. to be “Excellent” or “Good” at a level exceeding the The Counseling and Student Development Division College standard of 75 percent. Of students surveyed, maintains complete guidance service, including: 52.9 percent rated their satisfaction with WebStar, the online course registration system, as “Excellent,” ◊ Orientation of new students to a success- and another 37.7 percent rated their satisfaction as ful college experience both in-person and “Good,” for a total of 90.6 percent. The “Excellent/ online. Good” satisfaction level for myGateway was at 88.7 ◊ Counseling by telephone, in-person, or percent. Satisfaction with the National Student Loan online to provide assistance in the selec- Clearinghouse earned a “Good or Excellent” rating tion of courses of study, and individual from 76.8 percent of students (4.8). guidance in matters of aptitude and With the hiring of the Dean of Student Support Servic- personal adjustment. es in Summer 2006, Cypress has improved its in-reach ◊ Tracking the number of appointments and outreach efforts as well as community presence. made, attended, or canceled by students Upon his arrival, the Dean created a Student Ambas- with the College’s SARS Software prod- sador Program, which enabled the campus to double uct. its outreach efforts by hiring current students to assist in campus tours, campus events, community fairs, and ◊ Retrieving outside academic transcripts high school career days. The College also holds two online through the Singularity Hershey annual events - Senior Day and Parent Night. During System. these events, local feeder high schools are invited to All of the Student Services areas provide useful online attend a day of workshops and information sharing. information and resources for students on the College Last year, over 1,700 high school students and parents website. For instance, the Transfer Center includes ac- were in attendance. The College uses these events as cess to ASSIST, an online student-transfer information tools to attract potential high school seniors by provid- system showing how credits from one institution ap- ing information about the campus and services. Before ply to another. Also available are Major Preparation the events, students fill out contact cards, which allows Sheets and CSU and IGETC checklists. The Career staff to follow up to answer questions about attending

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 143 the institution as well as to gather information about each semester, offers a variety of informational work- the areas of service. Student and parent responses were shops on financial aid, stress management, undecided used to gauge how well the events went and what could majors, and study skills. Students learn about grants, be improved on. The College also used the contact fee waivers, transfer, and the EOPS, CARE and Cal- cards to determine how many students ended up en- WORKs programs. Workshop participants earn a tick- rolling at Cypress College and to see if the College’s et for a drawing and a chance to enter contests and win marketing goals were met. prizes (4.32). The Associated Students (AS) of Cypress College is Planning Agenda an elected and appointed group of students that are None. given the opportunity to represent the students of the College and advocate for their issues and concerns. AS 3.b. The institution provides an environment offers students the opportunity to share in College gov- that encourages personal and civic respon- ernance, interact with professionals, and to participate sibility, as well as intellectual, aesthetic, and in social and cultural activities. Furthermore, students personal development for all of its students. are encouraged to create and administer their own programs and support systems that reflect diversity and Descriptive Summary instill self reliance, ethical leadership, and responsible Cypress College is committed to promoting the Core action (4.33). Values of Excellence, Integrity, Collegiality and Inclu- Students are encouraged and given the opportunity siveness, all of which contribute to personal and civic to serve on many campus committees to provide their responsibility of its students. The College fosters a cli- own input to decisions that affect all students. AS stu- mate that emphasizes teamwork, collaboration, com- dents participate in the following campus committees munication, and respect both on campus and with the (4.34): surrounding community. Cypress College embraces di- ◊ Academic Senate versity, provides an accessible, supportive climate, and emphasizes honesty, fairness, accountability, and trust ◊ Campus Technology Committee (CTC) through its high standards in instruction and student ◊ Chancellor’s Cabinet/District Planning services (4.29). Council (DPC) The College helps students to actualize these values by ◊ Curriculum Committee offering a range of activities and opportunities for student involvement outside the classroom and provides a ◊ Campus Diversity Committee learning environment that promotes these personal at- ◊ Graduation tributes. The College makes student rights and responsibilities very clear through several publications and the ◊ KinderCaminata College website. Policies related to academic standards ◊ Matriculation Advisory Committee and student conduct are included in the Catalog, Stu- ◊ President’s Advisory Cabinet (PAC) dent Handbook, and Schedule of Classes (4.30). ◊ Petitions One key to student success is raising students’ awareness of the services and opportunities available to them. ◊ Planning and Budget Committee (PBC) New students are encouraged to attend a New Student ◊ Senior Day Orientation that provides important information about getting started at the College as well as highlighting the ◊ Staff Development Committee wealth of opportunities available to connect them with ◊ Student Equity Committee the College. Students are encouraged to join campus ◊ Safety clubs and become involved in student government and other extracurricular campus activities (4.31). ◊ Accreditation Student Success Week, which is offered at the start of ◊ Strategic Plan

144 Cypress College ◊ Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) but also meet career and life success needs. Compre- ◊ Distance Education hensive handouts are available at the Career Center for those who are unable to attend the workshops (4.37). ◊ Catalog, Scheduling, Registration Intellectual, aesthetic, and personal development op- ◊ District Employee Equal Opportunity portunities are easily found at the College. The Cypress Advisory Committee College Art Gallery makes annual presentations of stu- ◊ District Technology Advisory Commit- dent work created during the school year. The works tee are juried, and awards are presented. The Photography Department offers regular exhibitions presented in the ◊ Title V Grant Steering Committee Eduard de Merlier Photography Gallery with a focus ◊ Various hiring committees on outstanding contemporary photography. Students and faculty in the Journalism Department are currently Student life on campus is a reflection of student inter- working in partnership with Lutsk Liberal Arts Univer- ests and talents. Cypress is home to over 25 different sity, Ukraine, and with the University of Warsaw. The clubs with a wide variety of purposes. Groups are fo- Study Abroad Program allows students the opportu- cused on public service, ethnic and religious identifi- nity to gain a global perspective for effective living and cation, sexual orientation, purely social pursuits, and working in an international environment, providing an campus involvement, to name a few. Student groups opportunity to develop a broader perspective on life are involved with Club Rush, Blood Drives, Thanks- and personal values and goals. Employers recognize giving Food Drive, and World Fest. New clubs form to that applicants who have an international experience meet the changing needs of the student body. Mem- can bring knowledge, skills, and cultural awareness that bership in a club is a great way for students to become are tremendous workplace assets (4.38). connected to the campus and to enjoy the benefits that the College has to offer. A portion of the proceeds from The International Students Program (ISP) strives to the purchase of the Associated Student Benefits Card internationalize the campus by recruiting, integrating, enriches the College’s academic, athletic, and artistic and supporting international students of diverse eth- community by helping to fund extracurricular pro- nic and cultural backgrounds. Students participate in grams and events (4.35). various clubs and work as tutors and student workers on campus. The presence of these international stu- Students are exposed to life skills and social responsi- dents contributes to not only making the College more bility through events such as Financial Aid workshops ethnically and culturally diverse, but also to promoting on credit card and money management. Extended personal growth and development of all of its students Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) offers both in and outside the classroom. Many personal, in- workshops on self esteem, parenting, study skills, and tellectual, and cultural interactions and exchanges take time management. The Transfer Center provides the place between American and international students. opportunity to meet with representatives from 4-year The ISP offers a number of events and activities for colleges and universities and participate in university its students such as potluck dinners, holiday luncheons, tours, workshops, and transfer fairs. The STEM Sci- and end-of-year recognition and graduation receptions ence Lecture Series offers presentation and Q & A ses- (4.39). sions on current topics in the world of science, which are open to all students. One recent topic focused on Many campus Learning Communities — including stabilizing the greenhouse problem (4.36). Puente, Legacy, Honors and UTAP — provide the opportunity for students to attend lectures given by guest The Career Planning Center regularly presents both speakers, cultural events, conferences and field trips employability enhancement and student success work- to theaters, museums and universities which enhance shops on topics such as job search strategies, resume the learning experience. UTAP students attend extra- writing, interview skills, problem solving/critical think- curricular activities, typically instruction-related, in- ing, goal setting/decision making, concentration/ cluding a Bolsa Chica bonfire, a stage play, a university memory techniques, and procrastination. These “soft tour, Monologue Night, Senior Day, KinderCaminata, skills” not only help students achieve academic success

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 145 and the L.A. Festival of Books (4.40). ing programs to support student development The Disabled Students Program and Services (DSPS) and success and prepares faculty and other celebrates Disabilities Awareness Month in October. personnel responsible for the advising func- For Fall 2009, DSPS created a display in the Library tion. and emailed FAQ’s about disability topics to the faculty and staff to share with students (4.41). Descriptive Summary Many of the College’s programs offer opportunities The mission of the Counseling Department is to pro- for student leadership, mentorship, and community mote student learning and success by providing aca- involvement, which are critical components to student demic, career, and personal counseling, and classes success. Puente and UTAP students become men- and support services to maximize student potential for tors for succeeding generations. Puente, Legacy, and achieving educational and life success. The department UTAP students have all created clubs to support their is unique in that it is engaged in both instruction and programs and reach out to other students on campus. support services. All members of the Counseling facul- The Educational Ambassadors Program is called upon ty teach student development courses that are designed to assist in Teacher Preparation Program (TPP) events to promote academic and life success and include aca- at local schools and participate in KinderCaminata as demic and transfer planning, career development, and both readers and tour guides. Additionally, the TPP personal/life management. Counselors also meet with students work with Book Buddies and First Book to students individually and in groups to assist them in acquire donations of new reading books that are then reaching their short- and long-term goals (4.43, 4.44, distributed to local schools during events with Educa- 4.45). tional Ambassadors. Counselors are located in several academic buildings/ divisions and are specialists in working with specific Self Evaluation majors. They are assigned to the following divisions: Cypress College provides a variety of academic and Business & CIS, Career/Technical Education, Fine non-academic activities, events, programs, workshops, Arts, Health Sciences, Language Arts, Physical Edu- and services that support an environment where stu- cation/Athletics, Science, Engineering & Math, Social dents can exercise civic and social responsibility as well Sciences, and Student Support Services. Close prox- as develop intellectually, aesthetically, and personally. imity to the academic divisions facilitates the working The wide array of activities exposes students to and relationship between counselors and teaching faculty provides perspectives on issues presented in academic for the benefit of students. and non-academic settings. These events and opportu- In addition, counseling services are provided by the nities enhance their total educational experiences and following departments on campus: California Work personal growth. Opportunity Responsibility for Kids (CalWORKs), The College has many avenues for evaluating its efforts Career Planning Center (CPC), Cooperative Agencies in this area including Student Services Master Plan Resources for Education (CARE), Disabled Students (SSMP), Student Services Quality Reviews (SSQR), Program and Services (DSPS), Extended Opportunity Student Learning Outcomes (SLO), the Campus and Programs and Services (EOPS), International Students District Strategic Plans, Institutional Effectiveness, Program (ISP), Transfer Center, and Veterans Affairs. Education Master Plan (EMP), Student Equity Plan Counseling services are also provided by various spe- (SEP), Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory cial programs/projects such as University Transfer (SSI), and Program Reviews (4.42). Achievement Program (UTAP), Puente, Legacy (formerly Black Studies), and Teacher Preparation. Finally, counseling services are provided by grant funded ini- Planning Agenda tiatives such as Science, Technology, Engineering and None. Math (STEM), Perkins, and Basic Skills (BSI). These counseling units offer services to assist students in mak- 3.c. The institution designs, maintains and ing effective academic, personal, and career decisions. evaluates counseling and/or academic advis-

146 Cypress College A variety of counseling options are offered to students: partnerships with local feeder high schools. Counselors appointment, walk-in, telephone, and web-based email are involved in the planning and coordination of the communication via onlinecounselor@cypresscollege. College’s annual Senior Day, Parent Night, Kinder- edu (4.46). caminata activities, and a new pilot program called, The Counseling Center provides services to all students “LinkME to College,” which was created in response in a centralized location on the second floor of the Stu- to the Strategic Plan Action item of developing and dent Center. It is open twelve months of the year, and implementing a summer readiness program (4.49). its operational hours are M-TH 8:00 am - 6:00 pm; F Due to the state budget crisis, procedures to provide 8:00 am - 12:00 pm. It is the initial point of counseling better service to students were implemented by the contact for new students on campus and allows other Dean of Counseling & Student Development based on departments to direct students to a central location. recommendations from faculty and staff during divi- Its primary function is to answer quick questions for sion meetings (4.50) and from members of the Deans students related to courses, degree requirements, and Advisory Council (DAC), which is a taskforce of three general college information. All counseling services in full-time counselors who provide input with respect to the Center are provided on a walk-in basis while lim- the operations of the Counseling & Student Develop- ited appointments are available M-TH 3:00 pm - 6:00 ment Department (4.51). An increasing number of stu- pm. Counselors address the immediate concern of the dents were seeking counseling services approximately student and then make referrals to meet with other six weeks before the fall term. Previous deans of coun- counselors by major as appropriate. Because of the seling used counselors not currently on contract work walk-in nature of the Center, some counseling services during the summer and paid them overload (4.52), re- are better provided in a half-hour appointment; all ap- sulting in a significant deficit in the Counseling budget. pointments are made through the support staff in the Through the work of the DAC, the Dean of Counsel- Center. ing & Student Development was able to move some The Counseling & Student Development Division of the counselors’ part-of-load hours during non-peak staff includes a Dean of Counseling/Student Develop- periods to peak periods and thus not impact the Coun- ment, one Counseling Department Coordinator with seling budget by paying excessive overload costs. In ad- 20% reassigned time, 18 full-time counselors and four dition, managers offered to assist with presenting the full-time classified. The counseling staff in the Student 90-minute overview during the three-hour new student Support Services Division includes one full-time EOPS orientations while the counselor stayed in the Coun- counselor, two adjunct EOPS counselors, and one Cal- seling Center to assist students. The counselor then WORKs counselor (4.47). Additional adjunct faculty, proceeds to advise and counsel students immediately part-time classified staff, and work-study students are following the manager’s overview of general college in- hired throughout both divisions as needed and as funds formation (4.53). permit. Along with their work to provide services to students, Counselors conduct outreach to feeder high schools the counselors represent the division on many campus and the local community by participating in college committees. Specifically, they serve on the Curricu- nights and various outreach events. Each counselor lum Committee, Academic Senate, Basic Skills, Stu- is assigned at least one local feeder high school from dent Learning Outcomes, General Education Student the College’s service area to maintain constant com- Learning Outcomes, Student Services Council, Ex- munication, provide College workshops, and attend tended Opportunity Programs and Services, and Dis- college nights/fairs hosted by the high schools (4.48). abled Students Program and Services Advisory Com- Counselors are required to contact their high school mittees, Diversity, Online Student Educational Plan counterparts via email, phone call, or visits at their Software Taskforce, and Pass Along Appeals Commit- assigned high school at least once every two months. tee. The Counseling & Student Development Division also Counselors are trained through a variety of methods. hosts an annual High School Counselors Breakfast to A new counselor shadows the Counseling Department increase communication and continue to strengthen Coordinator. Counseling related paperwork and stu-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 147 dent information systems in SCT Banner are covered (SSI) indicated that students wanted a more focused as part of training and can be found in the Counsel- counseling service to help them succeed. The Dean of ors Handbook (4.59).Other methods include regional Counseling & Student Development met with Institu- or Systems Office training, conferences and workshops tional Research and Planning to develop an appropri- such as Ensuring Transfer Success, UC and CSU con- ate intervention to help improve services to students. ferences, private university conferences, Learning Dis- Counseling services are offered at a centralized loca- abilities Eligibility Training, Coordinators training for tion as well as in respective departments. In order to new Matriculation, EOPS/CARE, DSPS, and Trans- identify where the students are expecting improved ser- fer Directors monthly counseling in-service meetings vices, a survey has been designed and will be forwarded chaired by the Counseling Department Coordinator, to all students after they see a counselor. This process District-wide Banner/Argos/Groupwise training, non- will begin in Fall 2010. Based on the findings, further violent crisis intervention training, SARS training, and action plans will be formulated. new faculty orientation conducted by the Staff Devel- Staffing adequacy within the Counseling Department opment Office, Dean of Counseling & Student Devel- and other support services providing counseling servic- opment, and Dean of Student Support Services (4.54). es are regularly evaluated by the Dean of Counseling & Student Development and Dean of Student Sup- Self Evaluation port Services. If the need is deemed critical to replace Counselors are evaluated according to the evaluation full-time counseling positions as a result of retirements, guidelines, which are defined in the Collective Bar- then faculty replacement requests are submitted during gaining Agreement with the United Faculty (4.55). the normal faculty prioritization request cycle. The intent of faculty evaluations is to concentrate on improved performance and to acknowledge effective Planning Agenda counseling service. The North Orange County Com- None. munity College District (NOCCCD) uses a variety of methods to evaluate counseling. For temporary part- 3.d. The institution designs and maintains ap- time counselors, the immediate supervisor performs an propriate programs, practices, and services evaluation with consultation from the Counseling De- that support and enhance student understand- partment Coordinator (4.56), while tenure track coun- ing and appreciation of diversity. selors are evaluated by a review committee consisting of faculty peers and administrators, and tenured facul- Descriptive Summary ty are evaluated by the Counseling administrator with Cypress College has a strong commitment to diversity the Counseling faculty given the option for a peer to as evidenced by curriculum, campus events, outreach participate in the evaluation process as well. Counsel- efforts, programs, and services. The College has a di- ors have an opportunity to address and make necessary versity course requirement that must be met in order to adjustments based on the recommendations as detailed obtain an Associate Degree. A variety of courses that in their evaluations prior to the next evaluation period. reflect many levels of diversity are available through- Counseling services are evaluated by the following: out the curriculum to enable students to meet this re- ◊ Program Review/Student Services Qual- quirement (4.57). ity Review (4.5, 4.8) The College also supports learning communities ◊ Student Satisfaction Inventory by Noel whose objectives are to serve under-represented minor- Levitz (4.1) ity populations. The Legacy Program (4.58), which is comprised mainly of African-American students, and ◊ Categorical Programs Site Visit (4.4) the Puente Program (4.59), which serves mostly His- ◊ Student Services Master Plan (4.9) panic students, both promote an understanding and appreciation of diversity through course work and ex- ◊ Student Learning Outcomes (4.4) tracurricular activities. The results from the Student Satisfaction Inventory Student services further enhance an understanding

148 Cypress College of diversity. Programs such as DSPS, EOPS, and the Religious Issues International Students Program serve students from a ◊ Speaker Dr. Terrance Roberts – Cel- variety of backgrounds. Many of the staff members in ebrating Diversity Forum these programs also have diverse backgrounds. Their efforts further enhance an understanding of diversity ◊ Women’s Day of Expression and enrich the college experience for all students. In addition to these activities, students have the op- The Student Equity Plan (SEP) serves as a tool to help portunity to develop an understanding of diversity the College gauge its progress in improving access and through participation in campus clubs. Of the 27 ac- success rates for all students and in particular under- tive clubs on campus in 2009-2010, eleven clubs have represented groups. Updated in Fall 2009, the SEP a diversity-related focus. Among them are the Japanese outlines activities that the College will engage in to im- Club, the Muslim Students Association, the Puente prove rates of course completion, degree and certifi- Club, the Black Student Union, and GALA (Gay and cate completion, and transfer among its diverse student Lesbian Acceptance) (4.62). population (4.42). The College’s Diversity Committee plays a major role Self Evaluation in promoting diversity. As a shared-governance com- The Office of Institutional Research and Planning mittee, it meets monthly to discuss issues related to di- conducts the Campus Climate Survey every two years versity. The committee sets aside funding to support to measure employee satisfaction in a number of areas. diversity events on campus such as speakers, films, and Included are questions related to diversity. The Noel- performances, as well as to purchase diversity-themed Levitz Survey, which also measures satisfaction in a DVD’s for the Library (4.60). number of areas including diversity, is administered to The Diversity Committee also maintains a monthly students on a biannual basis as well. Both surveys have multicultural calendar of campus events and activities shown increased satisfaction in the area of diversity (4.61). Among the events that have been held over the over the past four years (4.63, 4.1). past five years are: The Climate Survey conducted in Fall 2009 indicates ◊ Disabilities Awareness Month – Library that the employee ratings regarding the general Col- Display, Disability Jeopardy lege atmosphere has improved since the last survey conducted in Spring 2008. Compared to the 2008 study, ◊ Kwanzaa celebration with Speaker Dr. more employees felt that the College has a strong com- Amen Rahh mitment to supporting diversity activities that address ◊ Black Colleges Fair - Speaker Kareem issues relevant to gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender Abdul-Jabbar employees and students. A substantial portion of the survey focused on employees’ perceptions of how re- ◊ Author James D. Houston on Califor- nia’s Crossroads Culture ◊ Speaker Marco Firebaugh – Hispanic Heritage Celebration ◊ Performance of Taiko Drum Duo ◊ Black History Month – Speakers Jihad Saafir and May May Ali; Gospel Con- cert ◊ World Fest ◊ Speaker James Sakatani on WWII Japa- nese Internment Camp

◊ The Gay Marriage Debate: Legal and Figure 1

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 149 sponsive the College is to its diverse students and staff. counseling/ orientations), and how to register (4.65). Figure 1 shows the ratings given by the respondents in Definitions are provided for what constitutes a continu- relation to questions on diversity. ing, new, or returning student. Overall, the campus atmosphere related to diversity The Admissions & Records Office provides students has improved since the last survey. Although agree- with current information about registering for classes. ment levels vary among different groups several times, The “Six Steps to Registration” handout is available at the gap is not much. Also, none of the areas were per- the Admissions & Records Office, in the Schedule of ceived overwhelmingly negatively (below 60% score on Classes, and on the College website (4.66). This sum- Agree/Strongly Agree) by any of the groups. While the mary also provides contact information for Admissions campus has improved the perception towards diversity, & Records, Assessment, and Counseling Centers as the good work needs to continue to strengthen the posi- well as information regarding applying for admissions, tion. taking assessments, attending an orientation, meeting In summary, the efforts of the College to support di- with a counselor, applying for financial aid, and regis- versity have been varied and extensive. The work of tering for classes. the Student Equity Plan Committee and the Diver- Another document, “Registration Q & A,” provides sity Committee has demonstrated the College’s com- answers for commonly asked questions and directs stu- mitment to a diverse campus community. Finally, the dents to additional online resources (4.67). The Admis- infusion of diversity issues into the curriculum, cam- sions & Records Office has representatives who speak pus events, and support services has contributed to an Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese to assist students enhanced understanding and appreciation of diversity who may encounter language barriers. Students en- among students and staff. rolled in DSPS and EOPS as well as eligible veterans are given early registration dates (4.68). Other students Planning Agenda are assigned registration dates based on the number of units completed. None. The College provides both online and paper applica- 3.e. The institution regularly evaluates admis- tions; CCC Apply applications online are available in sions and placement instruments and prac- both English and Spanish (4.69). Since data is submit- tices to validate their effectiveness while mini- ted directly by applicants, the information is protected mizing biases. from tampering. This data is stored for purposes of federal and state mandated MIS tracking. Descriptive Summary Matriculation utilizes Mathematics Diagnostic Test- Cypress College maintains an open enrollment policy, ing Project (MDTP) (4.70), Combined English Lan- following the eligibility requirements outlined in the guage Skills Assessment (CELSA) (4.71), and College College Catalog and California Education Code (4.64) Tests for English Placement (CTEP) (4.72) assessment and the North Orange County Community College tests to place students in appropriate math, ESL, and District Board Policy, Chapter 5 BP 5055 referenced English classes. These placement tests are on the Cali- from Title V, Sections 51006, 58106, 58108 (4.18). fornia Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office list of Open enrollment is guided by the North Orange Coun- approved assessment tools. Additionally, faculty evalu- ty Community College District Board Policy regarding ations of student performance and counselor evalua- Enrollment Priorities, Chapter 5 AP 5055 referenced tions of academic transcripts can be used to validate from Title V, Section 58106, which outlines the terms the assessment test placements. Students with disabil- under which enrollment may be limited (4.18). The ities go through the Disabled Students Program and College Catalog and online website provide admissions Services office, where they are administered the same information regarding who is eligible to enroll at Cy- tests but allowed to use adaptive tools and other appro- press College, what the process and deadlines are for priate accommodations to complete these tests. applications, what determines residency, what the procedures are for admissions (including assessment and

150 Cypress College Self Evaluation has been completed and submitted, a nine-member Cypress College Admissions & Records Office works in Campus Petitions Committee compromised of an ad- conjunction with the Banner Steering Committee, the ministrator, faculty, and student representatives meet Banner Student Team, and Fullerton College Admis- to review the evidence provided. A recommendation sions & Records Office to test systems and run pilot is then made. If the faculty member agrees with the programs. This continued assessment, experimenta- grade change recommendation, then the Admissions tion, and evaluation has lead to improvements in the & Records Office would become involved to facilitate ease of use in the registration process. In the survey ad- the grade change. ministered for the last Program Review for Admissions & Records, the registration process was given a 90% Planning Agenda satisfaction rate by students (4.73). Currently, 99% of None. students use the online application. Use of this application is part of the student learning outcome assessment 3.f. The institution maintains student records for Admissions & Records. permanently, securely, and confidentially, with provision for secure backup of all files, Each year the Cypress College Admissions & Records regardless of the form in which those files are administrators collaborate with Fullerton College and maintained. The institution publishes and fol- School of Continuing Education administrators to lows established policies for release of student maintain the integrity of the College application. In records. addition, assessment vendors have conducted their own validation studies for cultural and linguistic biases. The Office of Institutional Research and Planning fol- Descriptive Summary lows a Matriculation Research Calendar of their own Cypress College maintains student records permanent- creation, which outlines when local validation efforts ly, securely, and confidentially. BANNER, implement- are conducted (4.74). The campus has spent the past ed in Fall 2001, is a secure data base system requiring year and a half extensively analyzing MDTP for math- a validated username and password to log in to the ematics course placements. The Office of Institutional system and access confidential records (4.77). Students Research and Planning meets quarterly with appropri- can obtain unofficial transcripts, individual class sched- ate deans, department chairs, and the Matriculation ules, and add or drop a class through myGateway, a Advisory Committee to review research studies prior portal system to obtain real-time data from BANNER. to publishing these studies on the campus J: drive. The A confidentiality statement appears prior to logging in College has maintained compliance with the state to BANNER (4.78), which is in accordance with Ad- mandate to conduct validation studies every six years. ministrative Procedure, AP 3720 (4.79) and with local, However, due to statewide Matriculation budget cuts, state, and federal laws, as well as the procedures of the the campus is waiting to hear from each vendor for re- North Orange County Community College District. search updates. Secure access to student records is in accordance with North Orange County Community College District’s The Admissions & Records Office also works in con- Administrative and Board Policies (4.80, 4.81), State junction with the Student Grievance Campus Petitions Law (4.82, p. 20), and Federal Family Educational Committee to assist students who wish to file a griev- Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (4.83, p. 20, 45). Stu- ance (4.75). Student petitioners are referred to the Stu- dents have access to records through myGateway or dent Grievance Campus Petitions Committee Chair in person at the Admissions & Records Office by pre- who provides petitioners with an overview of the griev- senting a photo form of identification upon request of ance process as well as an understanding of their rights. any documents (4.84, p. 45). Students can request tran- The chair makes sure that the student has followed the scripts, duplicate diplomas, and/or certificates in per- grievance protocol in seeking resolution to this prob- son at the Admissions & Records Office (4.85, p. 45). lem. Petitioners who wish to proceed with their grievance are given the Campus Petitions Committee Form The Admissions & Records Office at Cypress College and assisted in any way necessary to complete this form houses all student records mostly as Banner electron- (4.76). After the Campus Petitions Committee Form ic files as well as some paper documents in the form

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 151 of old hard copy transcripts, instructor grade rosters, location for approximately 30 days in the event there is completed student Petitions for Exceptions, instructor a loss of information with the BANNER system. Paper grade changes, Academic Renewals, residency docu- format documents are securely kept in the Admissions mentation, subpoenas, graduation certificate program & Records Office. Student demographic information is information, transcript requests, and verification re- collected electronically through the online application quests (4.86). All Cypress College transcripts can now process, CCC Apply. Prior to 2001, these records were be retrieved electronically through either the Singu- collected through paper application forms and kept by larity Imaging System or BANNER. The transcript the Cypress College Research Department and kept storage system is much more efficient for processing securely by the Cypress College Researcher. Course and retrieval as well as safety from damage or loss. All grades have been recorded and kept on BANNER electronic transcripts are backed up off site for security since 2001. Archived state-reported records for active purposes. Individual categorical programs maintain students, the MIS Report (Management Information their own records, and access to these student records Systems-enrollment census) and the 320 Report (en- is through BANNER and is the same as through the rolled for quarterly positive attendance and funding) is Admissions & Records Office. Some paper records and currently being electronically sent to the State. Cypress forms are still maintained. College recently developed a Records Retention/De- Board and Administrative Policies of Cypress College struction Schedule, which was submitted to the Execu- and the North Orange County Community College tive Vice President of Cypress College for review. District assure the governance of the maintenance and release of student records under BP 5040 and AP 5040 Planning Agenda (4.18). The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act None. also ensure student records are secure as stated in the Cypress College Catalog 2009-2010 (4.87, p. 20 & p. 4. The institution evaluates student support 45). Cypress College utilizes an electronic record secu- services to assure their adequacy in meeting rity-software system in which access to student records identified student needs. Evaluation of these is password protected. Each student and employee has services provides evidence that they contrib- an individual security protected password, and security ute to the achievement of student learning out- is granted according to the level of work expertise. The comes. The institution uses the results of these BANNER log-in process allows security down to the evaluations as the basis for improvement. screen and individual user level (4.88). Cypress College provides provisions for securely back- Descriptive Summary ing up all student records (4.89). The District backs up Student Services Quality Review is the primary process all student records on a daily basis through BANNER, used for the examination and evaluation of Student where these records are kept indefinitely. Student re- Services programs on a regular and ongoing basis. All cords are never altered or deleted during the back-up support services within the Student Services Division process. In addition to the daily back-up process on go through quality review in accord with the schedule BANNER, the District stores back-up tapes offsite for issued by the Office of Institutional Research and Plan- approximately 30 calendar days in case there is a prob- ning (4.90). However, to keep the evaluation of services lem with the BANNER daily back-up process. current, all support services have completed three full cycles of SLO development. Self Evaluation Aspects of every Student Services Program Review Cypress College has provisions for securely backing and SLO development include: up all student records, regardless of the form in which ◊ Each department’s Mission and Vision those files are maintained. Since 2001, the College has Statement utilized the BANNER database system, which backs up ◊ Executive Summary of report all electronic file entries nightly. As a second means of reliance, tapes of student records are kept at an off-site ◊ Program Description

152 Cypress College ◊ Program Data Collected ment’s mission or vision, if needed, and set new de- ◊ Instructional Component (if available) partmental goals. ◊ Program Evaluation Component The College uses SLO’s for program improvement. As student learning outcomes are defined institution- ◊ Analysis ally, Student Services will create and expand SLOs to ◊ Goals and Objectives maximize student learning. On November 16, 2006, the Student Services Council adopted the Nichols and ◊ Signatures and individual comment Nichols Model for the development of their Student ◊ Appendices, Instruments, or Action Services Student Learning Outcomes over a five year Plans period (4.95). Using this model, known on campus as the Five Column Model, each office has specified: 1) Aspects of every Student Services Quality Review Re- its mission and goals, 2) intended outcomes, 3) means port include: of assessment, 4) data summary, and 5) how results will ◊ A progress report on the status of cur- be used in the future. Entering 2010-2011, Student rent goals and a statement of new goals Services will develop their fifth cycle of SLOs and as- for the upcoming year. sessment and revisit this model in November 2011 to ◊ A plan for achieving the new goals. determine if the approach will be modified. ◊ A review of the Mission and Vision When services are evaluated, program strengths and statements for the department. weaknesses are clarified and student needs are identified. Each Student Services program strives to utilize ◊ Results of the satisfaction surveys admin- the findings of Quality Review to improve the services istered by the department for Program it provides for students by including the improvements Review (if available). Those groups who in its program goals and annual manager goals and ob- are surveyed include students who use jectives. the service. ◊ An analysis of staffing for the depart- Self Evaluation ment. The Quality Review format used for all Student Servic- ◊ An analysis of student usage trends/ac- es Division departments is thorough and effective. The cess to programs and services. division has seen numerous improvements throughout ◊ An Action Plan identifying departmen- its programs in the last two years, and more goals for tal needs (what the department needs to improvement have been set. The program review pro- be able to do, but cannot for whatever cess was customized by Student Services managers and reason) and the creation of a strategy to Student Services Council and will be improved upon as deal with that need. necessary. The Quality Review and SLO development model for the Student Services Division has evolved to ◊ A departmental budget and explanation best accommodate the needs and functions of the divi- of need, which itemizes budgetary needs sion. for additional staff, technology, supplies, and other resources that are not included Cypress College has a commitment to student learning in the department’s current annual bud- outcomes in Instruction and Student Services. Due to get. These would typically be those items various conferences and training opportunities, student that have been identified as needs from support services personnel are aware of student learn- the Program Goals and Action Plan. ing outcomes and are ready to integrate them into the Quality Review and SLO development process. The Findings associated with the Quality Review are used College’s divisions will need to cooperate/collaborate to measure progress toward the achievement of es- with each other in order to support students in their tablished departmental goals, identify student needs, achievement of learning outcomes. establish solutions to challenges, redefine the depart-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 153 Planning Agenda College 2009-2010 Catalog None. 4.21 “Campus Life” section in the Cypress College 2009- 2010 Catalog

Reference Documents 4.22 Schedule of Classes

4.1 Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory 2009 4.23 Schedule of Classes online — www.cypresscollege. edu/academics/ScheduleofClasses.aspx 4.2 Board Policy on Admissions — www.nocccd.edu/ Policies/PoliciesAndProcedures.htm#TheDistrict 4.24 Student Handbook

4.3 Student Equity Plan — www.cypresscollege.edu/ 4.25 College Catalog about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments.aspx 4.26 College Catalog online – www.cypresscollege.edu/ 4.4 Student Services SLO documents academics/CollegeCatalog.aspx

4.5 Categorical Program Review — www.cypresscol- 4.27 Campus J:drive lege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/ProgramRe- 4.28 Cypress College website — www.cypresscollege. view edu/services 4.6 Student Services Council Meeting Minutes 4.29 Core Values — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/ 4.7 Counseling Division Meeting Minutes atAGlance/coreValues.aspx

4.8 Student Services Quality Review Reports — J:\ Cypress College Catalog 2009-10, pg. 4 Quality Review\Student Support Services Quality Cypress College 2009-10 Student Handbook, pg. 3 Review 4.30 Policies related to Student Rights, Responsibilities, 4.9 Student Services Master Plan — www.cypresscol- Academic Standards and Student Conduct: lege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments. aspx Cypress College Catalog 2009-10, pgs. 8-9, 12-14, 37-46, Cypress College Spring 2010 Class Scheule, . 4.10 College Catalog, Official Name, Addresses, Tele- pgs. 131-133 phone, Number, and Website of the Institution Cypr ess College 2009-10 Student Handbook, pgs. . 4.11 College Catalog, Educational Mission. Course, Pro- 56-66 gram, and Degree Offerings 4.31 New Student Orientation — www.cypresscollege. 4.12 College Catalog, Academic Calendar and Program edu/admissions/gettingStarted/orientation Length Cypress College Spring 2010 Class Schedule, pg. 1 4.13 College Catalog, Academic Freedom Statement 4.32 Spring 2010 Student Success Week flyer 4.14 College Catalog, Available Student Financial Aid 4.33 Associated Students — www.cypresscollege.edu/ 4.15 College Catalog, Available Learning Resources studentLife/assiciatedStudents 4.16 College Catalog, Names and Degrees of Administra- 4.34 Campus committees with AS participation tors and Faculty A. Cypress College Shared Governance Process 4.17 College Catalog, Names of Governing Board Mem- Committees and Task Forces, 02/01/07 bers B. Academic Senate Approved Minutes, 02/11/10 4.18 North Orange County Community College Dis- trict Board Policies and Procedures — www. C. Campus Technology Committee (CTC) Guide- nocccd.edu/Policies/PoliciesAndProcedures. lines htm#TheDistrict D. District Planning Council (DPC) Purpose and 4.19 North Orange County Community College website – Operational Guidelines www.nocccd.edu E. Campus Curriculum Committee Composition, 4.20 “Programs of Study” can be found in the Cypress- 2007-08

154 Cypress College . F Campus Diversity Committee Guidelines • Financial Aid – 11/14/2008

G. Matriculation Advisory Committee Guidelines C. Annual Report Update on Student Learning Outcomes 2007-2008 H. President’s Advisory Cabinet (PAC) Description, Purpose & Guidelines D. 2008-2011 Cypress College Strategic Plan

I. Planning and Budget Committee Guidelines E. North Orange County Community College Dis- trict Strategic Plant Framework J. Staff Development Committee Guidelines F. Institutional Effectiveness: How well is Cypress K. Student Equity Committee Membership College doing? 3/25/09

4.35 Campus Life, Cypress College Catalog 2009-10, G. Educational Master Plan 2006-2010, pgs. 145- pgs. 35-37 154

4.36 Workshops: H. Student Equity Plan 2004

A. Financial Aid Office Assistance Request Form I. Fall 2009 Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inven- tory B. EOPS Newsletter, March/April 2010 J. New Program Review Proposed for Special Pro- C. Transfer Center flyers — www.cypressvollege. grams. edu/services/transfer/calendar.aspx Examples: D. STEM Science Lecture Series email • Special Programs Quality Review Report 4.37 Career Planning Center Workshop Series Flyers, Sp Service Learning – 12/19/2007 2010 and Sp 2009 • Special Programs Quality Review Report, 4.38 Concrete Walls Project at Cypress College, Oct 14 – Honors Program – 12/17-2007 Nov 12, 2009 • Special Programs Quality Review Report, 4.39 International Students Program (ISP) 2008-09 Inter- Teacher Preparation, Educational Interpreter national Focus Brochure, ISP calendar, and flyers Training, and Paraprofessional Certificates Program – 12/04/2007 4.40 Learning Community Activities: 4.43 Mission of the Counseling Department I A. UTAP Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 Calendar 4.44 Mission of the Counseling Department II B. Honors Program Requirements – www.cypresscollege.edu/academics/specialPrograms/ 4.45 Mission of the Counseling Department III Honors 4.46 Counseling Services — www.cypresscollegecoun- C. Legacy Program/Black Studies Learning Com- selor.edu munity flyer 4.47 Counseling & Student Development Division Staff D. Fall 2009 Puente Program Report 4.48 Counselor Outreach 4.41 Disabled Students Program & Services Disabilities Awareness Month emails 4.49 “LinkME to College”

4.42 Evaluating our efforts 4.50 Counseling & Student Development Division Meet- ing Minutes A. Student Services Master Plan 2007-2014 Key Findings, pgs. 78-79 4.51 Deans Advisory Council (DAC)

B. Student Services Quality Review Report Tem- 4.52 Counseling budget plate. 4.53 Counselors Handbook Examples: 4.54 Counselor Training provided by the Offices of the • Counseling – 11/17/2008 Executive Vice President, Dean of Counseling & Stu- dent Development , and Dean of Student Support

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 155 Services dures – www.nocccd.edu/Policies/PoliciesAndPro- cedures.htm#TheDistrict 4.55 Collective Bargaining Agreement with the United Faculty 4.82 State Law

4.56 Counseling Department Coordinator consultation 4.83 Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 4.57 College Catalog 4.84 MyGateway and/or Admissions and Records web- 4.58 The Legacy Program brochure site

4.59 The Puente Program brochure 4.85 Admissions and Records

4.60 The College’s Diversity Committee in promotingdi- 4.86 Admissions and Records Services versity minutes 4.87 The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act can 4.61 The Diversity Committee’s monthly multiculturalcal- be found in the 2009-10 College Catalog endar 4.88 BANNER 4.62 Eleven clubs on campus have a diversity-relatedfo- cus 4.89 Cypress College provisions

4.63 The Campus Climate Survey — www.cypresscol- 4.90 SSQR Schedule lege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/rsurveys.aspx 4.91 myGateway: mygateway.nocccd.edu/cp/home/log- 4.64 California Education Code of regulations inf

4.65 Admissions and Records Office webpage — www. 4.92 Rick Rams email to Cherie Dickey 7/6/10 cypresscollege.edu/admissions/admissionsAndRe- cords 4.93 Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation — www.mdrc.org/ 4.66 “Six Steps to Registration” handout 4.94 NOCCCD Board Minutes — www.nocccd.edu/ 4.67 “Registration Q & A” Trustees/MtgMinutesArchive2009.htm

4.68 Vice Chancellor Memo on Priority Registration 4.95 Nichols and Nichols http://books.google.com/ books?hl=en&lr=&id=ocxqaZ0mvDUC&oi=fnd&pg= 4.69 CCCApply.org — www.cccapply.org/ PA7&dq=nichols+five+column+model&ots=vfoD-rW rM8&sig=pnszk7Npn8dvdp9T9PDJaIeq6T0#v=one 4.70 MDTP test page&q&f=false 4.71 CELSA test

4.72 CTEP test

4.73 Student Services Quality Review Report for Admis- sions and Records

4.74 Matriculation Research Calendar

4.75 Student Grievances Campus Petitions Committee procedures

4.76 Campus Petitions Committee form

4.77 BANNER Login and Authentication Screen

4.78 BANNER Confidentiality Statement

4.79 BANNER Usage agreement in accord with AP 3720

4.80 Administrative Procedure AP 3720

4.81 NOCCCD Board Policies and Administrative Proce-

156 Cypress College Standard IIC: Library and gram have been consolidated in order to address multiple student learning needs in one convenient location. Learning Support Services The LRC features 159 computers where students have Library and other learning support services access to Internet, word processing (Microsoft Office), for students are sufficient to support the insti- and printing. Two flatbed scanners with accompany- tution’s instructional programs and intellec- ing photo editing software are also available. Students tual, aesthetic, and cultural activities in what- may obtain a broad variety of academic support media ever format and wherever they are offered. placed in the LRC by instructors. Typically, students Such services include library services and col- are using computers to complete instructional software lections, tutoring, learning centers, computer programs, but the LRC also provides 48 CD and cas- laboratories, and learning technology devel- sette tape players, 4 TV/VCR combos and 2 DVD opment and training. The institution provides players plus headphones for use with older instructional access and training to students so that library media. Tutors help students with a variety of subjects, and other learning support services may be including math, English, ESL, biology, chemistry, sta- used effectively and efficiently. The institution tistics, anatomy, physiology, geology, accounting, and systematically assesses these services using Spanish. In addition to computer access, an array of student learning outcomes, faculty input, and solutions manuals, science models, texts, and handouts other appropriate measures in order to im- are available to students during their tutoring sessions. prove the effectiveness of the services. Supplemental Instruction Leaders prepare lessons for 1. The institution supports the quality of its in- students in an office dedicated to their use; they also structional programs by providing library and consult with their mentors and their coordinator. Fi- other learning support services that are suffi- nally, the LRC has a testing center where students can cient in quantity, currency, depth, and variety make up exams they have missed, ADA stations, and to facilitate educational offerings, regardless a computerized classroom that instructors can reserve of location or means of delivery. for their classes. 1.a. Relying on appropriate expertise of fac- Faculty members determine what instructional materi- ulty, including librarians and other learning als and software programs are purchased for the LRC. support services professionals, the institution They also influence what tutoring services are made selects and maintains educational equipment available as well as which classes are supported by Sup- and materials to support student learning and plemental Instruction. LRC staff include a learning enhance the achievement of the mission of the center coordinator, an instructional assistant, three in- institution. structional aides, an SI coordinator, a tutorial services coordinator, two hourly employees, twenty-six tutors, Descriptive Summary and forty-five SI leaders. The LLRC dean oversees the personnel and activities of both floors. The Cypress College Library and Learning Resource Center (LLRC) opened January 2006 to accolades for The second floor of the building is devoted to Library its high tech, environmentally friendly design, coupled collections and services. According to their 2008-2009 with a creative convergence of academic resources. Annual Report, (5.1) the Library owns 61,472 print The LLRC, a 62,500 sq. ft. facility, consists of two volumes plus another 7,781 e-books, 1,307 CDs and floors connected by a circular stairway and a central cassettes, 3,268 videos and DVDs, 87 print periodical elevator. subscriptions, 3,444 reels of microfilm and 12 database subscriptions comprising approximately 7,910 full-text On the first floor, the Learning Resource Center (LRC) magazine/journal titles plus indexing and abstracting brings together a number of learning support servic- for many more. In addition to circulating and reference es that, prior to 2006, were offered in different places materials, the Library currently has 1,954 textbooks as- across campus. In the new LRC, the Learning Center, sociated with current courses as well as materials put Writing Center, Math Learning Center, Foreign Lan- on reserve by instructors for supplemental reading or guage Lab, and the Supplemental Instruction (SI) Pro-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 157 viewing. Twenty-six computers (including one ADA more formally in the regular review of Library hold- station) are available in an open lab setting where stu- ings during the accreditation process for individual dents have access to Internet, library databases, Mi- programs. In addition, each year the campus Diversity crosoft Office Word Viewer, and pay-for-print services, Committee provides input into the selection of media including three photocopiers and a microfilm reader/ addressing diversity issues along with $500 from their printer. Another 35 computers are available for “hands own budget towards those purchases. Finally, the cam- on” instruction in the Library orientation classroom. pus Curriculum Committee’s review and approval Students can also use their own laptops as the build- process includes a requirement that faculty consult a ing has wireless capability in addition to data ports and librarian to determine whether Library materials need electrical availability throughout. Although most of the to be purchased to support a new or revised course (see Library’s media collection can be checked out and tak- Image 1 of CurricUNET screen shot). As a permanent en home, many students, staff, and community mem- member of the committee, the librarian has ample op- bers choose to use one of the eight combination VCR/ portunity to review outlines and assignments related to DVD players available in the Library. Current staff any new courses or programs being submitted and to within the Library include three full-time librarians (a work with faculty to ensure appropriate and necessary fourth has been hired to fill an open position beginning materials are acquired to support these courses or pro- with the Fall 2010 semester), seven adjunct librarians grams. (for a total of .7 FTEF), a Library Services Coordina- A number of Student Support Services covered in tor, four full-time Library Assistants, and three student Standard IIB of this document also provide collec- assistants. tions, computer labs, and services designed to support Library materials are selected in accordance with the particular educational or occupational programs and Library’s Collection Development Guidelines (5.2). goals. Since these resources must meet very specific The primary objective of the collection development program is to provide materials and equipment to support and meet the instructional, institutional, and individual needs of students, faculty, and staff. The selection process is a cooperative one involving both teaching and Library faculty and, as explic- itly stated in the guidelines, “[f]aculty requests for the purchase of materials pertinent to their courses are given first consideration.” Librarians solicit input from faculty informally through emails and personal conversations at the refer- Image 1 ence desk. They also accept donations for circulating and reserve materials directly from fac- needs, materials and equipment are most often select- ulty, discuss the content instructor’s class assignments ed based on faculty input, student need, and discus- prior to Library orientation sessions, and visit depart- sions between front-line classified staff and supervising ment and division meetings as necessary. Librarians pe- faculty within the division or department. The Career riodically offer a “Weed and Feed” event that provides Planning and Adult Re-entry Center, Transfer Center, lunch and flex credit to faculty from any discipline who EOPS, DSPS, and a number of discipline-specific labs are interested in spending two hours with a librarian or libraries complement the materials and services pro- reviewing holdings in their subject area, discarding vided by the LLRC and offer students various points of out-of-date material, and discussing the replacement entry to learning resources across the campus. or purchase of new materials in print or other formats. The Career Planning Center, located on the second Collection development in the health sciences occurs floor of the Student Center, offers an extensive col-

158 Cypress College lection of occupational, labor market, and job search software, 5 listening stations with tape and CD capa- information to assist individuals with their career re- bility, 2 TV/VCR combos, headphones, periodicals, search. Students have in-house access to books, videos and a variety of music literature. The Nursing Depart- and career files plus 25 computer workstations offering ment provides an open skills lab with five computers, licensed software programs and databases related to various online resources, clinical equipment to support all aspects of career planning and job hunting. Many almost all patient care simulation activities plus books, of these programs are also available remotely with a software, and videos that support the nursing curricu- user id and password via a link from the Career Center lum. The Dental Assisting and Dental Hygiene pro- website (5.21). grams utilize a Perkins IV Grant to provide mentoring The Transfer Center houses a transfer resource library or tutoring for dental students who have low test scores, including college catalogs, articulation agreements, ref- poor clinical performance, anxiety and/or difficulty erence books, college videos, and computer programs with math. These students can spend additional time for student use. They share the 25 computer worksta- with a faculty member practicing clinical skills in the tions with the Career Planning Center so that students fully operational dental facility, review material from can access web resources from the center or remotely the small library of dental textbooks available in the via a link from their website (5.22). department, or receive a referral to student services for study skills, including activities in the LLRC. The Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) and Disabled Students Program and Services Library and learning resources are developed and (DSPS) programs are open to all students who quali- maintained in accordance with the Student Services fy. Both programs are located in the Cypress College Master Plan (SSMP) (5.3) and Direction Two of the Complex, and both programs provide small labs with Cypress College Strategic Plan (5.4). The LLRC par- Internet access and word processing for their students. ticipates along with all the student support services in EOPS offers an inventory of used textbooks available a regular cycle of program review. The review process on reserve, 13 computers, educational supplies such as includes the distribution of point-of-service surveys de- flash drives, and tutoring through the LRC. The DSPS signed to measure student satisfaction with the quality lab is equipped with 12 computers and specialized soft- of library materials as well as with the number of da- ware such as screen readers for visual impairment plus tabases, sufficiency of the print collection for research, limited free printing. and the number of textbooks on reserve for student use. The LRC and its Math Learning Center distrib- The main purpose of the Business CIS Computer Lab ute similar surveys soliciting feedback regarding the is to provide hands-on practice for students enrolled quality of their materials as well as satisfaction with the in computer applications, networking, programming, number of computer stations, software programs, and web page design, and computer information systems availability of tutors. Library and LRC Student Servic- classes, flexible time with extended hours for Business es Quality Review Reports were completed in Spring and CIS student use, and proctored testing for face to 2007 (5.5, 5.6) and Fall 2009 (5.7, 5.8). Results from face and online CIS classes. A minimum of one faculty the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (5.9) member is present at all times when the lab is open (administered every two years) also help the institution to students. Also, three instructional lab assistants are gauge satisfaction with collections and services in the scheduled to support students and instructors. Overall, Library as well as the various computer labs, tutoring, there are 81 computers and 3 high-speed networked and study areas mentioned earlier in this section. printers available in the adjacent classroom, lab, and Testing Center. The computers have a broad range of Librarians adhere to the evaluation criteria delineated software available for student usage. in the Library’s Collection Development Plan (5.2) to ensure the relevance, quality, depth, and diversity of Three additional learning support resources deserve the collection. In addition to consulting profession- mention because of the unique way they meet the al review publications such as Library Journal and needs of students in specific programs. The Music De- Choice, they actively solicit donations and requests for partment maintains a music library with 5 computers purchase from faculty subject experts. Through the li- and site licenses for Microsoft Finale music notation brarian representative on the Curriculum Committee,

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 159 they review proposals for new courses and programs from Spring 2007. Satisfaction with the quality of ma- to identify needs for additional library resources. Cur- terials is up 6.6% to 93.5%. Combined “good/excel- rently, the Library also subscribes to WorldCat Col- lent” ratings for the number of databases and the print lection Analysis (WCA), a software program from the collection are 97.1% and 98%, respectively. Satisfac- Online Computer Library Center, Inc., that allows us- tion with the number of textbooks on reserve is 88.8%. ers to determine their library’s subject-matter strengths There was a significant decrease in satisfaction in the and weaknesses as well as make comparisons to the col- number of computer stations (14.4%); it is now 66.3%, lections of other institutions. which is below the College standard. This can be attributed to a significant increase in Library patronage: Self Evaluation the turnstile count in September 2006 was 20,490; in September 2009 it was 34,297, an increase of 67%. Although the primary goal of student services programs Meanwhile, the number of computer stations has not other than the LLRC is not necessarily the provision of changed (5.5, 5.7). materials, student surveys administered during the program review process indicate at least a 90% satisfaction Results of the Fall 2009 Noel-Levitz Student Satisfac- rate with the quality of materials these programs and tion Inventory indicate library resources and services services offer. On the other hand, in the LLRC, the as one of the areas of high importance and satisfaction provision of equipment and materials is top priority. that should be highlighted in the College’s promotional Therefore, the LLRC does identify a single SLO in the materials (5.9). In a somewhat contradictory finding Student Services Master Plan, which student satisfac- compared to the LLRC program review, the adequa- tion surveys are designed to measure: “students will ex- cy and accessibility of computer labs are also listed as perience satisfaction with the support received in the an area of high importance and satisfaction. Perhaps LLRC in terms of physical facilities, skilled and car- the high satisfaction applies specifically to labs such as ing staff, services and tools that enhance academic ad- Business/CIS that are available to students enrolled in vancement, and access to information required to meet specific programs only as compared to the open com- their educational needs” (5.3). Previously, the College puter areas in the LLRC. standard was met whenever 75% or more of responses fell in the “good” or “excellent’ categories. Beginning Planning Agenda Spring 2010, the new standard compares the trend of None. responses in the “good” and “excellent” categories and analyzes the reasons for the change. 1.b. The institution provides ongoing instruction for users of library and other learning In a comparative analysis of current results with the support services so that students are able to previous program review cycle, the LRC reports — in develop skills in information competency. the combined “good/excellent” ratings — the overall quality of service is 94.6%, an improvement of 6.7% from Spring 2007. Quality of materials rates 92.3%, Descriptive Summary an increase of 7.6%. There is a significant decrease The mission of the Library and Learning Resource in satisfaction with the number of student comput- Center is to support the campus and community by en- ers (19.5%). This can be attributed to the significant couraging life-long learning, including the abilities to increase in student use of the LRC: in the first three locate, evaluate, and apply information to daily living weeks of September in 2006, students visited the LRC (5.3). Library instruction occurs one-on-one at the ref- 12,231 times: in 2009, they visited 15,395 times – an erence desk, in 50-minute orientation sessions sched- increase of 3,164 students. However, the number of uled by faculty for their classes engaged in research as- available computers has not increased since the last signments, via the Library’s online information literacy program review (5.6, 5.8). tutorial (TILT) available as a link from the Library’s Library program review shows — in the combined website, and through the Library’s one-unit Library “good/excellent” ratings — the overall quality of ser- 100: Introduction to Research course (5.13). Many of vice rates 95.4%, which is an improvement of 3.6% the handouts and instructions used in teaching sessions are also available from the Library’s web page (5.23).

160 Cypress College A full-time, tenure track instruction librarian was hired ♦ During the research process, differentiate in 2007 specifically to meet increased demand for re- between the types of sources obtained, search skills. The instruction program continues to evaluate the quality and relevance of grow. In Spring 2010, the Library offered four sections these sources to the research question, of LIB 100: two hybrid sections open to all students and revise the search strategy, if neces- and two sections devoted to the Puente and the Uni- sary, to obtain more relevant results to versity Transfer Achievement Program (UTAP) learn- the research assignment criteria. Assess- ing communities. In addition, the instruction librarian ment includes in-class exercises and an has held training sessions for LRC tutors regarding annotated bibliography. Library resources. Under the guidance of the instruc- ♦ When producing a research paper, tion librarian and using the American Library Asso- correctly synthesize source material in ciation’s Information Literacy Competency Standards a bibliography or a list of references ac- for Higher Education (5.10), the Library has defined cording to a specified style manual, such and assessed student learning outcomes for both the as MLA or APA. Assessment includes orientation program (5.11, 5.12) and its one-unit Li- in-class exercises, an annotated bibliog- brary 100 course (5.13). Details of the assessments can raphy, and practical exams. be found on the College’s Tracdat database. Library SLOs will link to GE & Basic Skills PLOs, which in turn are related to the institutional learning outcomes. Self Evaluation SLO is defined for the typical Library orientation last- Figures from the Library’s last three annual reports ing 50 minutes: (2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009) (5.1, 5.14, 5.15) ♦ Develop and implement an effective show reference librarians, on average, answer 22,000 search strategy appropriate for an infor- questions and provide Library orientations for over mation need by 2,500 students each year. According to the LLRC’s 2009 program review, 97% of the users surveyed rated ◊ differentiating among various types the responsiveness of librarians to research questions of information resources (special- in the “good/excellent” category (5.7). SLOs for the ized encyclopedias, article databases, Library’s orientation program were assessed in Fall library catalogs, search engines) 2007 and again in Spring 2008 (5.11, 5.12). A total of ◊ understanding the purpose of each 368 students were assessed in 2007, and 325 students of the above resources were assessed in 2008. Rates of students achieving an acceptable score were 80% and 86%, respectively. Assessment includes an in-class post-test given during The first SLO cycle for Library 100 was completed in the last five minutes of the session. Students must give Spring 2009 (5.13). Three SLOs were assessed. In the the correct answer to at least 2 out of 3 questions, with case of the first two SLOs, 87% and 75% of students an acceptable rate of 75% of students completing the achieved the desired outcome. Only 72% of students task with a score of 2/3 or better. achieved the desired outcome for the third SLO. The one-unit Library 100 course specifies three student learning outcomes: Planning Agenda ♦ After articulating a research need, con- None. struct and implement a search strategy using appropriate key concepts and 1.c. The institution provides students and per- terms in order to locate and retrieve sonnel responsible for student learning pro- books, articles, and authoritative web grams and services adequate access to the sites using a variety of library and In- library and other learning support services, ternet search tools. Assessment includes regardless of their location or means of deliv- in-class exercises and an annotated bibli- ery. ography.

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 161 Descriptive Summary ◊ Proquest – Los Angeles Times and the The Library is open from 8:00 am – 9:00 pm, Mon- historical New York Times from 1851 day through Thursday and 8:00 am – 1:00 pm on Fri- ◊ CQ Researcher – In-depth reports on days during Fall and Spring semesters. Summer hours controversial and hot topics are generally 11:00 am – 7:00 pm, Monday through ◊ Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center Thursday when Summer School is in session. – Pro & con on hot topics with full-text LRC (first floor) is open from 8:00 am – 9:00 pm, Mon- articles day through Thursday and 8:00 am – 5:00 pm on Fri- ◊ Gale Virtual Reference Library – full days during Fall and Spring semesters. Summer hours text articles from subject specific, schol- are 8:00 am – 7:00 pm, Monday through Thursday arly encyclopedias when Summer School is in session. ◊ Literature Resource Center – Biogra- The Career Planning Center and Transfer Center phies, literary criticism, and full-text are open from 8:00 am – 6:00 pm, Monday through periodical articles Thursday and 8:00 am – noon on Friday. ◊ CountryWatch – Economic, political, EOPS is open 8:00 am – 6:00 pm, Monday through and social data for every country in the Thursday and 8:00 am – noon on Friday. world DSPS is open 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday, Tuesday, ◊ NetLibrary ebook Collection – Thou- Thursday, 8:00 am – 6:00 pm on Wednesday, and 8:00 sands of digital books available full-text am – noon on Friday. and included in the Library’s catalog The Music Department Library is open 8:30 am – 1:30 ◊ NoodleBib – Software program for pm, Monday through Thursday, 3:30 pm – 6:30 pm on creating bibliographies in MLA, APA, or Wednesday, and 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm on Thursday. Chicago/Turabian styles The Business CIS Computer Lab is currently open Distance Education students and other remote users 9:00 am – 9:00 pm, Monday through Thursday. Due can find extensive help from the Library’s web page by to budget constraints and decreases, the hours of the clicking on the HOW DO I…? links or completing the lab are subject to change from one semester to another. Texas Information Literacy Tutorial (TILT) program Hours of the various health science labs vary by semes- which has been customized for the Cypress College Li- ter and mentoring activities. brary. They can also contact a librarian by email, and All registered students, faculty, and staff have 24/7 ac- a librarian will respond within 24 hours of the next cess to the Library’s catalog and full-text databases plus business day, not including weekends and holidays. In various instructional handouts and guides available a continuing effort to improve services to remote us- from the Library’s website (5.23). The following data- ers, the Library recently purchased a subscription to bases are available anywhere on campus with Internet LibGuides, a content management system that allows access or remotely with a simple login via the Library’s libraries to create and publish ADA/Section 508 com- proxy server: pliant online research guides that are subject specific. According to a recent review posted on the Communi- ◊ EBSCOhost – includes general full-text ty College Library Consortium website (5.24), “Start- databases, Business Source, Cumulative ing at the school’s LibGuides home page, students can Index to Nursing and Allied Health, find guides through a system search box or a subject Medline and other subject specific data- directory. Students can also access guides via widgets bases that can be embedded into course management sys- ◊ NewsBank – America’s Newspapers, tems, blogs, other web sites and an application that can including New York Times, Orange be added to their Facebook profiles.” County Register, and other papers throughout the United States

162 Cypress College Self Evaluation Self Evaluation The Noel-Levitz Survey indicates students are satisfied According to the Noel-Levitz Survey, students rated the with Library resources and services and the adequacy safety of the campus and the adequacy of Library re- and accessibility of campus computer labs (5.9). In sources and computer labs as areas of high importance contrast, the Student Services Quality Review Re- and high satisfaction (5.9). In addition, the Library’s reports generated by the LLRC show only 71% satisfac- cent program review indicates student satisfaction with tion rate with the Library’s hours of operation and a pay-for-print and copier services exceeds the campus 63.7% satisfaction rate with the hours of operation in standard (5.7). the Math Learning Center (part of the LRC) (5.8). Due to budget constraints, the Library closes at 1:00pm on Planning Agenda Fridays; it is also closed on Saturdays. Librarians and LRC staff are acutely aware that access to learning re- None. sources and services is greatly enhanced by the use of 1.e. When the institution relies on or collabo- current technology. As members of the Campus Com- rates with other institutions or other sources puter Technology Committee, the Systems Librarian for library and other learning support ser- and the LRC instructional assistant ensure that librar- vices for its instructional programs, it docu- ians and LLRC staff stay informed about technologi- ments that formal agreements exist and that cal issues and activities on campus. They also bring such resources and services are adequate for the particular technological needs and concerns of the the institution’s intended purposes, are easily LLRC to the campus committee. The Library recently accessible, and utilized. The performance of updated its own technology plan for 2009-2012 (5.16) these services is evaluated on a regular basis. and presented it to the Campus Computer Technology The institution takes responsibility for and as- Committee, knowing that implementation of innova- sures the reliability of all services provided ei- tions in technology will require collaboration with the ther directly or through contractual arrange- campus as a whole. ment.

Planning Agenda Descriptive Summary None. In an effort to provide students, faculty, and staff with 1.d. The institution provides effective main- maximum access to resources and materials for research, tenance and security for its library and other the Library provides reciprocal borrowing privileges learning support services. with California State University Long Beach (5.17) and the CalWest Consortium of Cypress, Fullerton, Gold- en West, and Orange Coast Colleges (5.18). The four Descriptive Summary CalWest Consortium libraries contract, through North Library and LRC material is protected by a 3-M book Orange County Community College District, with Ex- detection system. Photocopiers and the computer pay- Libris for Voyager (5.19), the integrated library system. for-print system are maintained by Xerox. All learn- Interlibrary loan services, cataloging, and WorldCat ing resource areas are supported by Academic Com- Collection Analysis are provided through the Online puting and Media Services for overall upkeep and Computer Library Center (OCLC) (5.20). Database maintenance. Hardware upgrades, computer replace- purchases are made through the Community College ment, software licenses, and Internet access are sup- League of California. As mentioned above, a 3M se- ported centrally by Academic Computing. DSPS staff curity system was installed when the LLRC was built. keep other learning resource staff apprised of ADA Xerox agreements cover pay-for-print and photocopier requirements. Learning resources faculty, staff, and maintenance and services on both floors. The LRC also instructional lab assistants ensure that the equipment has subscriptions to Red Rock Software (Tutor-Trac), functions properly and collaborate with the Academic Plato, Ellis, and foreign language publishers. District Computing staff to provide timely technical support. Purchasing keeps copies of any relevant contracts or licenses related to these purchases.

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 163 Self Evaluation LRC. In 2006, the following SLO was developed for No significant problems exist with the current con- the combined LLRC: “Students will experience satis- tracts. Librarians review database usage statistics annu- faction with support received in the LLRC in terms of ally to inform decisions to renew databases or add new physical facilities, skilled and caring staff, services and ones the following year. As discussed earlier, program tools that enhance academic advancement, and ac- review results indicate high levels of student satisfac- cess to information required to meet their educational tion with Library materials as well as pay-for-print and needs” (5.3). Results of the two program reviews dem- photocopier services. onstrate levels of student satisfaction in each of these areas (5.7, 5.8) while SLO assessments gauge levels of competency (5.12, 5.13). Planning Agenda Two tools for scheduling and attendance logging anal- None. ysis are being used to determine the impact of differ- 2. The institution evaluates library and other ent LRC services on student academic success. A data learning support services to assure their ad- gathering system called the Enterprise-Wide Positive equacy in meeting identified student needs. Attendance Tracking and Accounting System (EW- Evaluation of these services provides evidence PATAS) has already been used to compare the success that they contribute to the achievement of stu- rates for students receiving supplemental instruction dent learning outcomes. The institution uses (SI) as opposed to those who have not. With funding the results of these evaluations as the basis for from the Basic Skills Initiative and the STEM Grant, improvement. portable scanners have been purchased to expedite further tracking of SI’s impact on student success and to Descriptive Summary pilot what will ultimately be accomplished for tutoring and Library workshops. This will be the culmination of Guided by the Educational Master Plan (EMP) (5.25), partnership between the LRC, the Library, Academic the LLRC as well as other learning support services are Computing, and the Office of Institutional Research part of the Student Services Master Plan (5.3). Particu- and Planning. lar goals and objectives for both plans are articulated under Direction Two of the College’s Strategic Plan — As an area of Instruction, the Library has also defined Student Academic Support Services: “Developing and and assessed student learning outcomes for both the providing comprehensive student and academic sup- orientation program and its one-unit Library 100: In- port services to foster a positive and effective learning troduction to Research course. These SLOs are de- environment” (5.4). Every support service’s program tailed in section IIC:1b of this document as well as the review report (5.26) includes the results of a student results from each assessment cycle. satisfaction survey of the particular services provided, a summary of changes since the last review, a summary Self Evaluation of student learning outcomes for the department, a de- In its latest report on the effects of SI on 2005 students’ scription of the involvement of faculty/staff in the re- academic performance in Spring 2009, the Office of view process, a discussion of the standards that were or Institutional Research and Planning found that “stu- were not met, and whether or not the program’s goals dents who attended an SI session had higher success and objectives were met in the previous review cycle. In rates than students in the same sections who did not addition, all learning support services identify the mea- attend an SI session”; “students who attended 12 or surable objectives the areas plan to achieve within the more hours of SI had higher success rates than those next three years. Goals for the next year that require who attended SI for fewer than 12 hours and those who fiscal resources must also be submitted to the Planning did not attend any SI”; and “students who attended and Budget Committee. The Library and the LRC more hours of SI were more likely to be successful than have been through the cycle of program review twice. students who attended fewer hours of SI.” The success The Library functions as an area of instruction as well rate of students who did not attend SI was 42%; the as a learning support service in conjunction with the success rate of students who attended more than 12

164 Cypress College hours was 83%. vices Quality Review Report, 2009 — J:\Quality Review\Student Support Services Quality Re- Results of LLRC program reviews indicate a high level view\2009-10 of student satisfaction in almost every area related to student learning outcomes. For example, overall qual- 5.9 Results of Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalRe- ity of service in the LLRC exceeded 94 %. In the area search/rsurveys.aspx of research, 93.5 % of students rated the quality of materials “good” or “excellent,” and an extremely 5.10 American Library Association’s Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education high percentage of students find databases (97.1 %) and print collections (98 %) sufficient for research. In 5.11 SLOs for the Library’s orientation program: as- fact, apart from computer stations and hours of opera- sessed Fall 2007 tion, the LLRC ratings exceeded the College standard 5.12 SLOs for the Library’s orientation program: as- (75%) in every area (5.7, 5.8). sessed Spring 2008

Evaluation of the Library’s instructional SLOs reveal 5.13 SLO cycle for Library 100: Introduction to Research that of the 693 students assessed over the course of was completed spring 2009 2007 and 2008 orientation sessions, an average of 83% 5.14 Library 2006-2007 Annual Report met the assessment criteria, answering 2 out 3 questions correctly. For the Library 100: Introduction to 5.15 Library 2007-2008 Annual Report Research course, three SLOs were assessed, with 87% 5.16 Library Technology Plan for 2009-2012 and 75% of students achieving the desired outcome for the first two SLOs. For the third SLO, only 72% 5.17 California State University Long Beach Reciprocal achieved the desired outcome. Borrowing Agreement 5.18 CalWest Consortium of Cypress, Fullerton, Golden Planning Agenda West and Orange Coast Colleges None. 5.19 Contract, through North Orange County Community College District, with ExLibris (formerly Endeavor) for Voyager Reference Documents 5.20 Interlibrary loan services, cataloging, and WorldCat 5.1 Library 2008-2009 Annual Report Collection Analysis are provided through the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) 5.2 Collection Development Guidelines 5.21 Career Center website — www.cypresscollege. 5.3 Student Services Master Plan — www.cypresscol- edu/services/cpc/computerizedInformation.aspx lege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments. aspx 5.22 Transfer Center website — www.cypresscollege. edu/services/transfer/resources 5.4 Cypr ess College Strategic Plan — www.cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/Planning/Strategic- 5.23 Cypr ess College Library website — www.cypress- Plan2008-2011Final.pdf college.edu/library

5.5 Library Student Support Services Quality Review 5.24 Community College Library Consortium website Report, 2007 — J:\Quality Review\Student Support www.cclibraries.org/reviews/ Services Quality Review\2006-2007 5.25 Educational Master Planwww.cypresscollege.edu/ 5.6 Lear ning Resource Center Student Support Ser- about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments.aspx vices Quality Review Report, 2007 — J:\Quality Review\Student Support Services Quality Re- 5.26 Pr ogram Review Reports http://www.cypresscol- view\2006-2007 lege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/ProgramRe- view 5.7 Library Student Support Services Quality Review Report, 2009 — J:\Quality Review\Student Support Services Quality Review\2009-10

5.8 Lear ning Resource Center Student Support Ser-

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Standard III

Resources

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 167

Standard IIIA: Human In all positions, the hiring committee is responsible for reviewing the job descriptions and desirable qualifica- Resources tions. If any additional desirable qualifications are add- The Institution employs qualified personnel to ed, they first need to be approved by the District Office support student learning programs and ser- of Human Resources. This process is designed to verify vices wherever offered and by whatever means that both the duties and qualifications match each po- delivered, and to improve institutional effec- sition. All hiring committee members are required to tiveness. Personnel are treated equitably, are attend training from District Human Resources staff evaluated regularly and systematically, and before serving on a hiring committee. are provided opportunities for professional For classified and management positions, job de- development. Consistent with its mission, scriptions are approved per Board policies AP 7120- the institution demonstrates its commitment 3 Classified Employee Hiring (6.5) and AP 7120-4 to the significant educational role played by Management Employee Hiring (6.5). All duties and persons of diverse backgrounds by making qualifications of the job are carefully designed to set positive efforts to encourage such diversity. the standards for hiring the best qualified applicants. Human resource planning is integrated with In 2003, the District assessed all classified positions institutional planning. throughout the District to determine if job classifica- People are the most important asset to any successful tions and duties were proper for the positions. All reorganization. Cypress College is no different. In order classification results were presented to the Board on to meet its core value of excellence, job descriptions June 24, 2003 (6.16). appropriately reflect the duties and responsibilities of To be eligible for employment in a full-time or an ad- each position. There is a diligence to assure that pro- junct faculty position with the District, including sub- spective employees have the necessary qualifications stitute, the minimum qualifications established by the for the position. This is accomplished through plan- Board of Governors of the California Community ning, a wide range of recruitment activities, trained Colleges for the academic discipline must be satisfied. hiring committees, and teaching demonstrations for The equivalency requirements can be determined ac- faculty positions. Ongoing training assures that faculty cording to the District’s equivalency requirements and and staff have current skills to meet the demands of procedure AP 7210-1 Equivalency (6.5). their positions and to meet the needs of students. Pe- riodic surveys are completed to assess the needs of the Complying with these policies ensures that Cypress faculty and staff. This information is used to help im- College hires qualified personnel for its programs and prove the campus climate and achieve the mission of services. the College. 1. The institution assures the integrity and Self Evaluation quality of its programs and services by em- The College develops the personnel positions based on ploying personnel who are qualified by appro- its program needs, duties, and qualifications required. priate education, training, and experience to The procedures for hiring faculty are established and provide and support these programs and ser- implemented in accordance with Board policies and vices. procedures. The procedures for hiring classified employees and management employees are established Descriptive Summary per the procedures outlined in Board Policies 7120-3 and 7120-4 (6.5). Cypress College is committed to its core value of excellence; therefore, one of its top priorities is to assure that its personnel are fully qualified for the positions. Quali- Planning Agenda fied personnel are necessary to ensure excellence and None. integrity of all programs and services that the College 1.a. Criteria, qualifications, and procedures provides to its students. for selection of personnel are clearly and pub-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 169 licly stated. Job descriptions are directly relat- tee paper screens the applications and decides which ed to institutional mission and goals and accu- candidates to interview. Effective teaching is judged as rately reflect position duties, responsibilities, part of the interview process. The finalists are required and authority. Criteria for selection of faculty to perform a teaching demonstration in the subject of include knowledge of the subject matter or their discipline. They should be accurate and clear in service to be performed (as determined by in- explaining the material as well as demonstrate clear dividuals with discipline expertise), effective communication skills. Usually, both the application teaching, scholarly, and potential to contribute and resume provide insights to the candidate’s scholar- to the mission of the institution. Institution- ly orientation. This is also evaluated during the hiring al faculty plays a significant role in selection process. The committee may also ask questions regard- of new faculty. Degrees held by faculty and ing the candidate’s scholarship in the interview process. administrators are from institutions accred- However, these are secondary considerations because ited by recognized U.S. accrediting agencies. the priority is to select faculty based on the candidate’s Degrees from non-U.S. institutions are recog- teaching skills and knowledge. nized only if equivalence has been established. After the interview and evaluation, the hiring committee makes recommendations to the Executive Vice Descriptive Summary President and the President, who interview the final All job descriptions reflect the duties and responsibili- candidates. The candidate who will be offered the po- ties of the position. Classified and management posi- sition is determined between the hiring committee and tion descriptions are approved by the District Office the administrators. of Human Resources. Faculty job descriptions may be In order to qualify for employment in a faculty position, modified to suit current needs in the field. minimum qualifications for the academic discipline When departments identify needs to fill vacant or to must be satisfied or the equivalency requirement must add new faculty positions, the requests are submitted be met according to the District’s equivalency proce- to the College Faculty Prioritization Committee, which dure AP 7210-1 (6.5). All course work and degrees used is made up of the division deans, the Executive Vice to meet the minimum qualifications must be from ac- President, and three representatives from Academic credited institutions. Equivalency of foreign degrees Senate. The requests are prioritized and sent to the are determined according to the District’s equivalency Planning and Budget Committee, which, subsequent requirements and procedure. The District Equivalency to presentation and discussion, makes its recommen- Committee, which consists of management and faculty dation to the President’s Advisory Cabinet. In accord from all three institutions of the District, determine the with the priorities established in this collaborative documentation submitted by the candidates. In addi- process, when a position from the list is approved to tion to the minimum qualifications mentioned, appli- be filled, a hiring committee is established. Per Board cants must include a current, valid certificate to work, a Policy AP 7120-1 Tenure Track Faculty Hiring (6.5) license to practice in California, or other qualifications and AP 7120-2 Adjunct Faculty Hiring (6.5), all hiring that are essential for effective instruction. committees for faculty include faculty members. In the hiring process, the District asks applicants to Before the position is advertised, the hiring commit- submit official or unofficial academic transcripts of un- tee develops the paper screening criteria and interview dergraduate and graduate courses. Any licenses or cer- questions based on the approved job description. Job tificates that are required for the employment must also openings are advertised through the use of mailing lists, be submitted. Candidates who are selected for employ- advertising in journals, general circulation, and posting ment must provide official transcripts and documenta- on internal and external websites. The goal is to attract tion of licenses or certificates. applicants from diverse backgrounds including, but not The District verifies the degree from non-U.S. insti- limited to, listings with the California Community Col- tutions in the American Council on Educations’ Di- lege Faculty and Staff Diversity Registry organization. rectory of Accredited Institutions of Postsecondary When all applications are received, the hiring commit- Education. If the degrees are not listed in that direc-

170 Cypress College tory, they are then referred to the District Equivalency ly, and documented. Committee for evaluation in accordance with the Dis- trict equivalency procedures. If necessary, transcripts Descriptive Summary are submitted to a foreign credential evaluation service for assessment. Cypress College follows Board Policy and Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), where applicable, to The success of the College’s hiring processes can be as- ensure the effectiveness of its human resources by em- sessed by the outcome of the performance evaluation ploying established evaluation procedures. Appropri- of its employees. Tenure review is a four-year process, ate institutional responsibilities have been developed which is outlined in Article 17 of the United Faculty in accord with Policy and CBAs based on established Collective Bargaining Agreement (6.15). This allows Human Resources practices. In April 2003, the Dis- adequate time for tenured faculty to evaluate the per- trict completed and implemented a classification study formance reviews on their new colleagues and for re- that assessed the job titles, duties, and relative com- cently hired faculty to improve their skills. pensation of all classified bargaining unit positions All employees who are selected to serve on the hiring within the District (6.16). Also, in 2006, the District committees must have Equal Opportunity Employment conducted a study of all management classifications, Training that is provided by District Human Resources which included a market analysis of salaries for com- Department staff. They are then eligible to serve on parable duties. The study and new salary schedule hiring committees for two years. After the two-year pe- were approved at the June 13, 2006, Board meeting riod, the employees must receive additional training to with a retroactive implementation date of July 1, 2005 serve on a subsequent hiring committee. This training (6.47). In 2009, the Vice Chancellor of Human Re- includes diversity and required EEO training, federal/ sources convened a District Management Association state laws, District policies, the hiring process. committee to evaluate and rewrite the Management Evaluation instrument. The committee met for over a year and submitted a final Management Evaluation Self Evaluation instrument for consideration; however, this instrument The District has built a strong and effective selection has not yet been adopted by the District’s governance process in hiring highly qualified employees. The Dis- committees. The new instrument will be submitted for trict has four different hiring procedures: AP 7120-1 approval to Chancellor’s Staff, Chancellor’s Cabinet, Tenure Track Faculty Hiring Procedure, AP 7120-2 and subsequently to the Board by the Vice Chancel- Adjunct Faculty Hiring Procedure, AP 7120-3 Clas- lor of Human Resources. Implementation is expected sified Employee Hiring, and AP 7120-4 Management in July 2011 (6.48). Members of all employee groups Employee Hiring (6.5). Each of the procedures is well are provided copies of job descriptions and evaluation defined and available to all employees. forms in advance of the evaluation process so that they know what criteria will be used to determine their ef- Planning Agenda fectiveness. None. As detailed in Board Policies and Collective Bargain- ing Agreements, all employees are evaluated periodi- 1.b. The institution assures the effectiveness cally for the purposes of acknowledging satisfactory of its human resources by evaluating all per- and excellent job performance, identifying areas where sonnel systematically and at stated intervals. improvement is needed, and developing a timeframe The institution establishes written criteria and criteria for establishing that job performance has for evaluating all personnel, including perfor- improved where needed. Administrators are evalu- mance of assigned duties and participation in ated every year by their immediate manager, including institutional responsibilities and other activi- a comprehensive evaluation every three years per AP ties appropriate to their expertise. Evaluation 7210-7 (6.5). Each Fall, deans are required to submit processes seek to assess effectiveness of per- goals and objectives for their division to the Executive sonnel and encourage improvement. Actions Vice President. These are to be written in consider- taken following evaluations are formal, time- ation of student success and College planning docu-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 171 ments, including the Education Master Plan, Strategic semester, the Executive Vice President’s office sends Plan, and Program Reviews, and are also evaluated the deans a Faculty Evaluation Schedule that shows all by the Executive Vice President. Newly-hired pro- full-time faculty to be evaluated in that fiscal year and bationary full-time faculty members are evaluated by whether each faculty member is in the probationary a Tenure Review Committee in each year of their faculty evaluation process or the regular faculty evalua- four-year probationary period commencing with the tion proces (6.49). The Cypress College Personnel As- first semester of service. The Tenure Review Com- sistant receives all completed faculty evaluations and mittee composition, requirements, and expectations forwards them to the Executive Vice President for re- are detailed in section 17.6 of the Agreement between view and signature. The Executive Vice President then United Faculty and the NOCCCD (6.15). In the first sends them to District Human Resources for review. year of service, probationary faculty are evaluated in College deans and District Office of Human Resourc- the Fall and Spring semesters. Student evaluations are es personnel monitor and track timelines for adjunct conducted for all classes taught as part of the faculty’s faculty evaluations. The Executive Vice President’s of- regular load. In the second and subsequent years of fice and District HR monitor and track timelines for probationary service, faculty members are evaluated successful completion of the evaluations for probation- in the Fall semesters only, with student evaluations ad- ary faculty, regular faculty, classified employees, and ministered in not less than 40% of their assigned sec- managers (6.25, 6.26, 6.27, 6.28). tions (6.15). Regular full-time faculty are evaluated ev- Employee evaluation procedures are in place to rec- ery three years subsequent to receiving tenure. Adjunct ognize, document, and encourage excellence in job faculty members are evaluated once in their first two performance. Evaluation instruments are also used semesters of employment and then once every three to communicate when performance does not meet ac- years thereafter (6.19). Classified employees are evalu- ceptable standards. If an employee receives a “needs ated during their probationary period (at the end of improvement” or “unsatisfactory” rating, s/he will four months, eight months, and two weeks prior to the be re-evaluated in accord with timelines established end of the 12-month probationary period) and then in the appropriate CBA or District Policy evaluation every two years thereafter (6.20). These evaluations are procedures. The employee is also provided with an im- intended to “strengthen communication between the provement plan. Monitoring of progress toward the Unit Member and the Immediate Management Super- established improvement goals occurs in accord with visor,” to provide “a useful and substantive assessment CBA and/or District Policy evaluation requirements. of performance,” to document and provide “recogni- In cases where improvement is not forthcoming, Col- tion and acknowledgment of good performance,” and lege managers coordinate appropriate responses with to provide for “enhancement of performance by iden- the District Office of Human Resources. Subsequent tification of areas needing improvement” (6.20) (CBA, to an evaluation and articulation of an improvement Article 19, Section 19.1.1.1) The process of classified plan, specific areas of deficiency are noted, criteria for evaluation is coordinated by the District Office of Hu- improvement are stated, and a timeline for improve- man Resources and administered at each of the Dis- ment is implemented. trict sites with provisions of the CBA. The Office of Human Resources routinely holds training sessions for all managers charged with conducting employee evalu- Self Evaluation ations. The training sessions occur with the release of Evaluations for all groups — classified staff, adjunct a newly negotiated collective bargaining agreement or faculty, tenure-track probationary faculty, tenured fac- in accord with current evaluation cycles. ulty, and management — are conducted in a timely Written evaluation forms have been developed utiliz- and professional manner. At the beginning of the Fall ing shared-governance processes and have been Board semester, the Executive Vice President’s office sends approved and/or agreed to as part of the collective notices to all deans indicating which probationary bargaining process in the case of all groups except for and tenured faculty are to be evaluated during the fis- administration (6.5, 6.15, 6.19, and 6.20). cal year. It is the responsibility of the deans to track when adjunct faculty are due for a three-year evalua- With each new fiscal year, at the beginning of the Fall tion. The District Office of Human Resources sends

172 Cypress College out a yearly notice to all managers indicating which tiative, it is recommended by the District Management classified staff are to be evaluated during the current Association that the evaluation of managers who have fiscal year. At Cypress College, all completed evalua- completed a probationary period will be conducted at tions are sent to the Personnel Assistant, who forwards three-year intervals in accord with procedures in place them to the office of the Executive Vice President for for regular faculty. However, before revised processes review before forwarding them to the District Office of and forms go into effect, they must first be evaluated by Human Resources. the District Management Association and the college Administrators receive training in personnel evalua- presidents/provost. Changes in administrative evaluations each year. The training is conducted by the Di- tion procedures would also require formal approval of rector of Human Resources or his designee. Adjunct the governing board. faculty evaluations are conducted by deans or depart- Cypress College utilizes employee evaluation processes ment coordinators who have also received training as a significant component of continuous improvement and instruction from the deans. Peer evaluations are a of performance and services. The College recognizes component of regular faculty evaluations and are co- its human resources as the most valuable of its com- ordinated by the faculty members involved. The deans modities. are available to offer assistance and answer questions regarding the correct forms and processes when con- Planning Agenda sulted in this instance. None. The District Office of Human Resources routinely notifies administrators when evaluation forms have 1.c. Faculty and others directly responsible for been updated. Evaluation forms for adjunct faculty, student progress toward achieving stated stu- probationary faculty, and regular faculty have been dent learning outcomes have, as a component updated to include issues specific to online instruction. of their evaluation, effectiveness in producing Although processes have not been formally negotiated those learning outcomes. for the evaluation of online classes contained in faculty assignments, Cypress College approved the Distance Descriptive Summary Education Plan (6.50), which includes information on Cypress College Focused Mid-Term Report of 2008 the evaluation of online courses and also includes a included the following planning agenda item: “The process for conducting student evaluations online. For College will recommend that the District negotiate regular faculty evaluations, in accord with the CBA changes with the two faculty unions so that effectiveness provisions, student evaluations and comments are not in achieving Student Learning Outcomes becomes a included in the management evaluation report. The component of faculty evaluation” (6.29). Subsequently, Distance Education Coordinator administers student the College forwarded a request to the District for con- evaluations in order to maintain instructor confiden- sideration at the collective bargaining table. tiality of student evaluations of online courses. The deans have requested that the evaluation of online A critical examination of language used to describe courses be negotiated since it is currently possible for SLOs in ACCJC’s Guide to Evaluating Institutions tenured faculty to teach online without ever having in- (6.30) indicates that institutional self-analysis that leads struction of an online course evaluated. Deans have to improvement of all activities pertaining to teaching also requested that they would like to have review of and learning is the underlying theme. Cypress College student evaluations and comments as a component for has consistently emphasized its commitment to the all tenured faculty evaluations. SLO process over the last eight years. The College has articulated institutional learning outcomes, appointed Administrators are the only District employee group an SLO Coordinator, established a core team to guide evaluated every year. One of the reasons that the Vice the SLO development process, formed an Expanded Chancellor of Human Resources convened the com- SLO Committee to facilitate dialogue on SLOs on the mittee to revise the management evaluation form was campus, purchased centralized assessment manage- to rectify this inequity. As he goes forward with this ini- ment software (TracDat), and trained full-time faculty

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 173 on using TracDat to manage SLOs. In addition, fac- mat. Also, Administrative Procedure 7210-5 Faculty ulty members within each department collaborate to Code of Ethics (6.5) is currently under construction. In develop SLOs and PLOs. A college-wide committee Spring 2010, the Board adopted Institutional Code of comprised of faculty from different divisions developed Ethics BP/AP 3050, which states that the North Or- General Education & Basic Skills PLOs, which were ange County Community College District upholds a approved by the Academic Senate in Spring 2010. As written code of professional ethics for all of its per- of October of 2010, 85% of all College courses have sonnel. The comprehensive language of this Board- defined SLOs. The dialogue regarding SLOs took approved policy establishes standards of ethical con- place in several College forums and Leadership Team duct that apply to and encompass all District employee meetings (6.51). The discussion on SLOs is featured in groups. the Student Services area as well. All of the student services units have defined SLOs for their respective Self Evaluation areas and are engaged in measuring the effectiveness of SLOs. In Fall 2009, the College conducted its bi-annual Cli- mate Survey. It was conducted in Fall instead of the usual Spring timeframe so that the results could be Self Evaluation used for the accreditation self study. Total responses of Cypress College has identified methods to evaluate 441 were received, which was up by nearly 30% com- programs based on their effectiveness in achieving stu- pared to the previous survey. The electronic survey was dent learning outcomes. The development of SLOs sent to all employees of Cypress College. Overall, the and PLOs and implementation of the SLO process College atmosphere and diversity-related areas were are faculty responsibilities. Most of the process has ranked more positively compared to the previous sur- occurred at the individual, team and/or department vey. level, where faculty have identified course SLOs and Campus climate surveys are conducted regularly on assessment methods, analyzed data, and completed campuses across the nation. Fall 2009 marked the fifth reports. Each department is responsible for develop- time that such a study was conducted at Cypress Col- ing assessment methodology, timelines, and evaluation lege. Like the earlier studies, its purpose was to gain processes. Since articulation of this planning agenda, a better understanding of employees’ satisfaction with Cypress College faculty have been engaged in activi- the general working environment at the College. ties, including departmental planning and program review and development and assessment of General Ed- More employees reported a positive feeling related to ucation and Basic Skills Program Learning Outcomes the general College atmosphere compared to the previ- to evaluate the effectiveness of established SLOs to ous study. Similarly, more employees also felt that the improve learning and teaching. These ongoing initia- College has a strong commitment to supporting diver- tives demonstrate the strong commitment of Cypress sity activities that address issues relevant to gay/lesbi- College to put SLOs at the center of the institution’s an/bisexual/transgender employees and students than key processes. in the 2008 study. Responses with the highest agreement ratings demonstrate strengths of the College, as the employees see them, suggesting a respectful cam- Planning Agenda pus in which minority status does not factor into career None. decisions. Comparisons between employee groups 1.d. The institution upholds a written code of provide a much more thorough understanding of the professional ethics for all of its personnel. survey results. There were differences on the ratings, primarily related to employee groups (administrators/ managers had differing agreement levels than faculty Descriptive Summary or staff) and disability status. The College currently has an Administrative Guide for Administrators/managers, full-time faculty, and those Code of Ethics for Faculty, which was adapted from who participate in at least one shared-governance the Board Policies and Administrative Procedures for- committee were more likely to agree to almost all ques-

174 Cypress College tions related to decision-making, job satisfaction, and over L/LRC instead of hiring new L/LRC Dean) and planning than, respectively, faculty or staff, part-time staff are filling vacant positions on a temporary basis faculty, or those who are not a shared-governance com- (e.g. Social Science DOM retired, SS Administrative mittee member. Assistant become temporary DOM, while temporary A source of pride for Cypress College is that the major- Administrative Assistant funded with “back-fill” mon- ity of employees believe that diversity and the College’s ey replaced her). atmosphere have improved, and employees believe that The qualifications for administrators and support staff Cypress College is truly an equal-opportunity institu- are developed by NOCCCD Human Resources in tion. collaboration with other appropriate personnel. The hiring procedures are described in NOCCCD Admin- Planning Agenda istrative Procedures AP 7120 and Board Policies BP 7120 (6.5). Normative evaluation procedures described None. in AP 7130-7 and AP 7110-7 (6.5) and appropriate ne- 2. The institution maintains a sufficient num- gotiated contracts (e.g. United Faculty, CSEA, and Ad- ber of qualified faculty with full-time respon- Fac) outline evaluation procedures designed to ensure sibility to the institution. The institution has a the continued qualifications of staff, management, and sufficient number of staff and administrators faculty over time. with appropriate preparation and experience Working within the normal practices and procedures to provide the administrative services neces- for each academic division or service area, adminis- sary to support the institution’s mission and trators develop hiring recommendations. Justifications purposes. for personnel increases come from the need to replace retirees, enrollment data (FTES, 5 year trends, etc.), Descriptive Summary dialogue among existing personnel, Program Review Staffing needs are determined by a variety of factors action plans, the Educational Master Plan, Student that incorporate data, surveys, and plans such as the Services Master Plan, Department Planning, exter- Department Planning and Program Review (6.3) and nally imposed load limitations, whether it will enhance the Educational Master Plan (6.1), using standard pro- student transfer and/or occupational opportunities, cedures developed and practiced by each academic and the general availability of qualified adjunct faculty. division or service area. The Office of Institutional Re- Recommendations are sent to the Planning and Bud- search and Planning maintains databases of informa- get Committee, and then forwarded to the President’s tion collected from various campus climate surveys and Advisory Cabinet for final approval (6.8). keeps track of the numbers and types of faculty and staff employed at the College. Self Evaluation At the time of this writing, Cypress College has 208 According to the California Community College full-time faculty and 428 part-time faculty (6.14). Sev- Chancellor’s Office June 2005 report from the “Work- eral Cypress College departments participating in Pro- group on 75/25 Issues” (6.21), the most current com- gram Review for 2006-2007 and 2008-2009 (6.3) in- ment on the issue, the California Community Colleges dicated that the hiring of additional full-time, tenure have a very difficult time obtaining and maintaining track faculty was among their goals for the next three compliance with the 75/25 obligation (AB 1725). The years (6.14). Program Reviews also frequently list the Chancellor’s Office recommends that districts continue need for more clerical, hourly, and other support staff. to work toward the goal, but recognizes that lack of The faculty and directors of these programs are con- funding is generally the impediment. cerned with achieving and maintaining sufficient full- The Chancellor’s Office developed the Faculty Obli- time faculty and support staff. In the current difficult fi- gation Number (FON) for each district in California, nancial situation, only the most direly needed positions based on the number of faculty each district had in are being filled, and some administrative positions are 1988, when AB 1725 was passed and signed into law. being combined (e.g. Dean of Language Arts taking The NOCCCD felt that this number was unfairly high.

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 175 Several years ago, the District in collaboration with the sonnel policies and procedures that are avail- academic senates at both campuses, worked with the able for information and review. Such policies Chancellor’s Office to renegotiate the FON (6.17). and procedures are equitably and consistently The organization and hierarchy of administration and administered. staff is generally decided based upon need and what makes logical sense. The College strives to maintain Descriptive Summary the same number of faculty and staff, making efforts to In furtherance of its core value of excellence and to fill vacancies. However, changes are made based upon fulfill the College’s vision — “A premier learning com- growth or decline of a program or service area, and munity recognized for supporting student success and added requirements based upon accreditation recom- enriching society” — Cypress College employs diverse mendations or changes in the Education Code. Budget faculty, staff, and administrators who are qualified by and other financial issues also influence organizational appropriate education, training, and experience to changes. Every few years, departments submit clerical support the College’s student learning programs and requests to a shared-governance committee, which pri- services. oritizes them for hiring, if money is available (6.18). The District systematically develops and updates per- The 2008 Campus Climate Survey (6.7) indicates sonnel policies and procedures that are reviewed by the 31.6% of employees in all categories feel considerable Chancellor’s Cabinet (which consists of representatives pressure to accomplish too many objectives and priori- from all constituency groups) prior to submission to the ties. This might be interpreted to mean that these em- Board of Trustees for adoption. The District’s person- ployees would like to have additional staff to help get nel policies and administrative procedures are posted their work accomplished or that the way the work is or- on the District’s website (Board Policies and Admin- ganized/assigned is inefficient. The 2007 Noel-Levitz istrative Procedures, Section 7, Human Resources). Student Satisfaction Inventory (6.6) found that on the Additional personnel procedures are contained in the whole, Cypress College students are very satisfied with negotiated collective bargaining agreements between how the College is organized and staffed by reporting the District and the exclusive representatives of its full- extremely high satisfaction ratings on things such as: time faculty, adjunct faculty, and classified employees. Academic Advising/Counseling, Instructional Effec- The collective bargaining agreements between the Dis- tiveness, Academic Services, Admissions and Financial trict and United Faculty (6.15), Adjunct Faculty United Aid, and Campus Support Services. (6.19), and the California School Employees Associa- The Institutional Effectiveness Report (IER) (6.14) dis- tion (6.20) are provided to employees and are also post- cusses the results of the Student Services Quality Re- ed on the District’s website. view. The 2006-2007 IER reported high student sat- The District Office of Human Resources and the Of- isfaction for CalWORKS, CARE, DSPS, EOPS, and fice of Equity and Diversity monitor District personnel Library/Learning Resource Center. The IER results policies and procedures and the collective bargaining of the Student Services Quality Review reported that agreements to ensure consistent and equitable applica- campus employees were very satisfied (at least 75%) tion. Managers and other personnel are provided with with all of the following: Academic Computing and appropriate training regarding the District’s person- Media Services, Bookstore, Bursar, Campus Safety, In- nel policies and procedures and collective bargaining stitutional Research, and Production Center. agreements. In 2008-2009, Student Support Services in Admissions and Records, Assessment, and Financial Aid met or ex- Self Evaluation ceeded the 75% student satisfaction benchmark. The District has established appropriate written personnel policies and procedures, which have been re- Planning Agenda viewed by the Chancellor’s Cabinet and approved by None. the Board of Trustees. These policies and procedures are reviewed and revised as necessary in response to 3. The institution systematically develops per- environmental changes. The District provides appro-

176 Cypress College priate training and monitoring to ensure consistent and Planning Agenda equitable application. None. 3.b. The institution makes provisions for the Planning Agenda security and confidentiality of personnel re- None. cords in accordance with the law. 3.a. The institution establishes and adheres to written policies ensuring fairness in employ- Descriptive Summary ment procedures. Employee personnel records are maintained in a secured area of the District Office of Human Resources Descriptive Summary in locked cabinets. Employee personnel files are main- Board Policy 3410 (6.5) articulates the District’s com- tained in confidence in accordance with law and are mitment to equal opportunity in educational programs, accessible only to the employees themselves or to au- employment, and all access to institutional programs thorized personnel, when necessary, in the proper ad- and activities. Administrative Procedure 3410 (6.5) ministration of the District’s affairs. states the District’s commitment to provide equal em- Employee personnel records are categorized as Class ployment opportunities to all applicants and employ- 1 records as provided in AP 3310 (6.5) and are perma- ees regardless of race, religious creed, color, national nently retained by the District. origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, gender, age, sexual orienta- Self Evaluation tion, or military status. The provisions of AP 3410 (6.5) also provide that all employment decisions shall Personnel records are properly secured and confiden- be based on job-related criteria that are responsive to tially maintained by the District Office of Human Re- the District’s needs. sources in accordance with law. The District adheres to its established written procedures for the employment of full-time faculty (AP Planning Agenda 7120-1), adjunct faculty (AP 7120-2), classified em- None. ployees (AP 7120-3), and management employees (AP 4. The institution demonstrates through poli- 7120-4) (6.5). cies and practices an appropriate understand- The District Office of Human Resources and the Of- ing of and concern for issues of equity and di- fice of Equity and Diversity provide training to hiring versity. committees and monitor all hiring processes from recruitment to selection to ensure consistent applications. Descriptive Summary HR has an extensive list of diversity-related organizations and communication groups that open position The College’s Mission Statement is explicit: “the Col- announcements are sent to. lege is committed to…embracing diversity” (6.35). Two of the most relevant values listed in the District’s Strategic Plan (6.34) are “respect” and “inclusiveness.” Self Evaluation The Educational Master Plan 2006-2016 (6.1) states as The District has established written employment poli- one of its core values: “Inclusiveness – a community cies and procedures, which support equal opportunity that embraces diverse individuals; provides an acces- in employment and fairness in employment procedures. sible, supportive climate; and encourages a variety of Hiring committees are provided with training regard- perspectives and opinions.” ing employment procedures, and hiring processes are The College has a shared-governance committee monitored by the District Office of Human Resources chaired by the President that meets regularly to discuss and the Office of Equity and Diversity to ensure fair- the College environment with respect to diversity and ness and consistent application of procedures. exploration of avenues to improve it. The commit-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 177 tee members represent different constituencies on the The College has increased the proportion of students campus. aged 30-39 in the last two years. The average student is The College sponsors a variety of speakers and activi- 26, 22% are over 30, and the oldest student is 89 years ties related to diversity throughout the academic year young. (6.31). Over the past several years, engaging speakers Staff and Faculty-- Although the majority of employees have addressed a packed theater: James Houston, co- are White (64%), many other ethnicities are represent- author of Farewell to Manzanar; Bacon Sakatani on ed among faculty, staff, and administrators at Cypress WWII Japanese internment camps; and author and College; 15% are Hispanic and Asian (including Fili- columnist, Gustavo Arellano. Staff Development also pino and Pacific Islander). Compared to 2007, the pro- offers workshops related to diversity. Recent events portion of White employees decreased by 3 percentage have included programs on Learning Disabilities; points) but held steady between 2008 and 2009. Brain Research and Its Impact on Learning; Gener- The results of the Climate Survey (employees) and ational Differences in the Workplace; and Learning Student Satisfaction Survey both suggest that Cypress Styles. In addition, the District Office of Equity and College welcomes everyone irrespective of their race Diversity sponsored the visit of an anti-racist speaker, or ethnicity. Moreover, the climate survey results indi- Tim Wise, and Sultan Sharrief, writer/director of the cate that the perception of employees regarding diver- film Bilal’s Stand (6.36). sity has improved since the last survey. The North Orange County Community College Dis- In the Climate Survey conducted in Fall 2009, it was trict (NOCCCD) recently hosted the first-ever collab- noted that more employees expressed positive feelings orative conference of the Western Region Council on related to the general College atmosphere since the Black Affairs and the African American Male Educa- previous study in 2008. Similarly, more employees also tion Network & Development in November 2009, host- felt that the College has a strong commitment to sup- ing administrators, faculty, staff, and students from as porting diversity activities that address issues relevant many as fifteen community college districts in eleven to gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender employees and western states (6.36). students than in the 2008 study. A substantial por- The Curriculum Committee encourages faculty to in- tion of the survey focused on employees’ perceptions clude multicultural components in their course outlines of how responsive the College is to its diverse students if they are warranted within a specific course. The and staff. Analyses looked at items related to gender, committee does look closely at course outlines that are race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and gen- submitted to meet the Cultural Diversity requirement. eral diversity, as described below (6.7). Overall, the In order to meet the Cultural Diversity criteria, the campus atmosphere related to diversity has improved majority of the course must focus on multicultural is- since the last survey although agreement levels vary sues in America or issues dealing with race, ethnicity, or among different groups. Also, none of the areas were culture in America (6.52). perceived overwhelmingly negatively (below 60% score on Agree/Strongly Agree) by any of the groups. While Self Evaluation the campus has improved the perception towards diversity, the good work needs to continue to strengthen Cypress College encourages enrollment that represents the position. the diversity of its community. Approximately 63% of the College’s students are from traditionally underrepresented groups. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Planning Agenda the percentages of Asians and African Americans are None. higher at the College than the percentages of Orange 4.a. The institution creates and maintains ap- County residents. In the Student Satisfaction Survey propriate programs, practices, and services conducted in Fall 2009, the general opinion of students that support its diverse personnel. indicated that they felt welcomed on the campus, irrespective of their background.

178 Cypress College Descriptive Summary uals have equal opportunities in their careers regard- The College is committed to maintaining programs, less of their gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. practices, and services to support the diversity of its Employees self-identified as minorities are less satisfied personnel. than those of the majority groups (men, white). Faculty According to the District Office of Equity and Diver- and staff are less satisfied than managers. sity, the faculty are represented by the following groups: The results of the survey indicate that the College Black Faculty/Staff Association, Latino Faculty Asso- should focus on improving the experience for employ- ciation, and Gay and Lesbian Association of District ees who are women, non-White, GLBT, or disabled. Employees. An Asian/Pacific Islander Faculty group is Also, the College could help staff and faculty (especial- in the planning stages. ly part-time faculty) “feel that their opinions and duties The Diversity Committee highlights a different group are influential, meaningful, and important for the col- each month of the school year and supports a variety lege and our students.” of activities and educational opportunities, including Planning Agenda brochures available at the library: September, Hispan- ic Heritage Month; October, Disabilities Awareness None. Month; November, Muslim Awareness Month; De- 4.b. The institution regularly assesses its re- cember and January, Kwanzaa Awareness; February, cord in employment equity and diversity con- Black History Month; March, Women’s Recognition sistent with its mission. Month; April, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgen- der Awareness Month; May, “Noche par alas familias Latinos” (6.53). These events are also publicized in the Descriptive Summary College’s weekly @Cypress newsletter (6.54). The District Office of Equity and Diversity is responsible for “monitor[ing] programs and activities” to In addition, through the District Office of Equity and ensure that they are consistent with the goals of the Diversity, training is required of all College personnel District. At the College, the Diversity Committee re- in the areas of Sexual Harassment and Unlawful Dis- views the findings of the semi-annual Campus Climate crimination and Hiring Committee Training for equal Surveys to determine if there are areas of concern that opportunity for those participating on hiring commit- need the committee’s attention. Each hiring committee tees. The Office of Equity and Diversity also monitors is aware of the need for equity and diversity, and mem- programs and activities to ensure compliance with state bers are trained to meet these requirements. and federal laws and District policies regarding equal employment, sexual harassment, unlawful discrimina- The District Office of Equity and Diversity provides tion, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (6.55). “in-service training for administration, faculty and staff regarding hiring procedures, equal employment Support for employees in need of assistance is provided opportunity, prevention of unlawful discrimination through the District Office of Human Resource. The and sexual harassment in the academic setting/work Employee Assistance Program helps employees with environment.” The District-wide Equal Employ- health and wellness, personal relationships, work rela- ment Opportunity and Diversity Advisory Committee tionship, and finances. Resources are also provided to (EEOAC) assists the District in developing and imple- find counselors, lawyers, a certified financial planner, menting the District Equal Employment Opportunity child care provider, eldercare provider, and estate guid- Plan and helps to formulate and recommend activities ance (6.56). to promote diversity, inclusion, and multiculturalism throughout the District, and to promote community Self Evaluation relations in the area of diversity. This district-wide According to the most recent Campus Climate Survey committee is comprised of representatives of the vari- (6.7), more personnel are satisfied with the College’s ous College/site constituent groups (faculty, classified, programs, practices, and services than in the previous management, confidential, students, and community survey. The majority of employees believe that individ- members). A Cypress College student, faculty member,

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 179 classified employee, and management employee serve 4.c. The institution subscribes to, advocates, on the District-wide EEOAC committee as a part of and demonstrates integrity in its treatment of the participatory governance process. its administration, faculty, staff and students. In accordance with Cypress College’s Mission State- ment, the Diversity Committee is dedicated to foster- Descriptive Summary ing diversity among its students, employees, and com- The NOCCCD Board Policy BP 1002 states: munity by cultivating and promoting inclusiveness, awareness, and acceptance. The Diversity Commit- 2.2 Achieving, respecting and embracing di- tee supports the recruitment and retention of diverse versity within the student body, faculty, and faculty, staff, and management. This is accomplished staff will be of primary importance. through assistance with diversity-related outreach/re- 2.3 Consistent with state legislation, the District cruitment activities, job postings in newspapers, publi- will apply the principles of shared gover- cations, websites, and other social media as it relates to nance, which is a decision-making process equity and diversity. The District Office of Equity and that is based on a fundamental belief in the Diversity works with Cypress College to ensure that all value of all opinions, as well as on an agree- employees who serve on hiring committees are provid- ment to thoughtfully consider the point of ed with appropriate in-service training regarding the view of all affected constituencies. District’s hiring policies and procedures, the legal as- These policies are in evidence at the College through pects of hiring, and unlawful discrimination in the aca- the many shared governance committees that exem- demic/working environments. The District monitors plify integrity in incorporating the participation and college hiring, programs and activities to ensure com- viewpoints of all campus constituents. Among many pliance with state and federal laws and District policies examples are the President’s Advisory Cabinet, the as they relate to equal employment opportunity (6.36). Planning and Budget Committee, the Diversity Com- mittee, and the Program Review Committee. Self Evaluation The Campus Climate Survey 2010 shows that the ma- Self Evaluation jority of staff that responded felt that the College is The most recent Campus Climate Report shows that responsive to the issues of diversity and equity (6.7). the majority of respondents feel that the College does The Campus Climate Survey reports that 85.9% of demonstrate integrity in its treatment of its diverse respondents feel the campus is equally supportive of population. There is a strong feeling at the College all genders. 75.8% feel that women have equal op- that each group has a voice and that voice is heard. portunities for recognition, respect, and advancement Policies and procedures at the District and the College at the College. 79.8% (72% non-white 84.1% white) demonstrate the fair treatment of faculty and staff. feel the campus is equally supportive of all racial/eth- The policies and practices at the College show this fair nic groups. 56.1% (50% non-white 59.5% white) feel treatment of all students. the College is committed to increasing numbers and Another example of the supportive environment at the percentages of ethnic minorities in classified, faculty, College is the frequent honoring of faculty and staff and administrative positions. 75.5% feel the campus for their contributions to the College. Award luncheons is equally supportive of all sexual orientations. 43.9% are held each year for faculty and staff. A year-end feel the College is committed to supporting diversity Luau includes awarding personnel on their time served activities that address issues relevant to gay, lesbian, bi- at the College. At graduation, the honorees are recog- sexual, and transgender employees and students. 74% nized publicly. (63.1% non-white 80% white) feel that diversity is actively promoted on campus. In all, there is a strong sense throughout the College that work and effort are noticed and honored. Planning Agenda None.

180 Cypress College Planning Agenda more effectively to various forces that demand change None. with the ultimate goal of improving student success. Consequently, the College’s multi-faceted professional 5. The institution provides all personnel with development program provides on-campus workshops, appropriate opportunities for continued pro- semester-long intensive seminars, and funding for off- fessional development, consistent with the campus workshops. The framework developed pro- institution’s mission and based on identified vides for immediate responses to queries and concerns teaching and learning needs. from faculty and staff.

Descriptive Summary Self Evaluation Professional development at Cypress College is a col- The Spring 2007 Campus Support Services Quality laborative endeavor guided by the College’s Education- Review (CSSQR) for the Staff Development Program al Master Plan (EMP) (6.1) and the Student Services satisfaction survey revealed that 93% of respondents Master Plan (6.23). Professional development is opera- rated the overall quality of the service (hours of op- tionalized and implemented by the College’s Strategic eration, timeliness of responses, presenter knowledge, Plan (6.2) and the District Strategic Plan (6.34) with the quality of materials) as Good/Excellent (6.9). The overarching purpose of improving staff performance Spring 2010 CSSQR satisfaction survey found that and student success while enhancing the College’s sta- 89% of respondents rated the overall quality as Good/ tus as a premier learning community. At the center of Excellent (6.9). Although there was a drop in satisfac- this effort is the College’s Staff Development Com- tion ratings, it must be noted that in May 2008, the mittee, a shared-governance committee comprised of 100% Staff Development Administrative Assistant re- faculty, classified staff, managers, and students. The signed and was not replaced due to budget cuts. Due to mission of this committee is to plan and implement this loss of administrative support, the Staff Develop- professional development activities, collectively known ment Coordinator with 60% reassigned time has had as the Staff Development Program, for all College staff to balance the demands of the Staff Development Of- based on the teaching and learning needs identified fice with the coordination of the Staff Development through a variety of needs assessments, program re- Program. view and evaluation (6.9), review of current literature on learning-centered instruction, and examination of the College’s institutional research such as the Campus Planning Agenda Climate Surveys for students and staff (6.7). The fac- None. ulty Staff Development Coordinator chairs the Staff 5.a. The institution plans professional devel- Development Committee, coordinates and implements opment activities to meet the needs of its per- the activities of the Staff Development Program, and sonnel. serves on numerous committees (Academic Senate, SLO Team, Basic Skills/ ESL Committee, Planning and Budget Committee, District myGateway Steering Descriptive Summary Committee, and District Staff Development Chairs Every three years through the Campus Support Ser- Committee) in order to share information and collect vices Quality Review (CSSQR) (6.9) process, the Staff ideas for future professional development activities. Development Committee utilizes the CSSQR faculty and staff satisfaction survey, as well as workshop evalu- In addition, other departments and programs provide ations, to evaluate the past three year’s plan of activi- professional and staff development opportunities as ties. The Staff Development Committee also conducts well (e.g., Distance Education Coordinator, Academic an intensive needs assessment every three years before Computing, Health Center, Emergency Operations completing the CSSQR. A review of the Educational Center Advisory Team, and District Information Ser- Master Plan (EMP) (6.1), the College’s Strategic Plan vices). At the heart of this collaborative effort is the (6.2), and other College planning documents provides philosophy that staff and professional development the foundation for future Staff Development activities. should enable College faculty and staff to respond

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 181 A search of instructional and student services planning ◊ New Faculty Seminar – year-long pro- and program review documents and the Campus Cli- gram for new tenure-track faculty mate Survey (6.7) also reveals needs that might other- ◊ New Classified Orientation and Men- wise be missed. Once this review of assessed needs has toring Program – six-month mentoring been collected, the committee reviews and revises the program program’s mission and administrative unit outcomes, as needed, and writes a new three-year plan of activities, ◊ Learning-Centered Instruction Semi- including a list of resources that are needed to carry nar – year-long program which includes out the new three-year plan. The Staff Development learning/teaching styles, student diver- Committee then uses the results of the CSSQR as jus- sity, student preparedness, classroom tification to request annual operating funds through management techniques, brain-based the One-time Budget Funding process. research applicable to learning, classroom assessment techniques, reading and The committee meets twice a month when classes are writing strategies, and modes of delivery in session to develop, implement, and evaluate professional development activities for faculty, classified staff, ◊ SLO Writing, Assessment, Analysis and and managers. The annual plan is a flexible document Report Writing Workshop Series – a that allows the committee to respond expeditiously to series designed for faculty to attend and changing needs. For example, when new technology is work together as departments developed adopted by the District or purchased by the College, by the SLO Facilitator and Coordinator immediate plans are made to develop training oppor- ◊ Best Practices in Instruction and Student tunities and materials for faculty, classified staff, and Services – one-day event with follow-up managers (6.24). activities The Staff Development Program has several com- ◊ Learning Communities Development ponents. One is the opportunity for faculty, classified Training – a semester-long program for staff, and managers to request workshop and confer- faculty to produce syllabus and materi- ence funding for off-campus events to meet the criti- als for integrated instructional learning cal needs for professional development as determined community (2004-2008 funded by 2003- by campus priorities. The Staff Development Office 2008 Title V Hispanic Serving Institu- also produces electronic materials, such as the Classi- tions Grant) fied Resource Book and instructions for using the Early Alert Program, available on the Internet as a resource. ◊ Hybrid/Online Training Seminar – In Fall 2010, a “resident expert” program offering one- intensive semester-long instructional on-one assistance by knowledgeable staff members seminar developed by the Instructional will be developed and offered as needed. The Staff Designer (2004-2007) Development Program also offers a limited number Other programs and services offer workshops and of single meeting workshops, such as Adjunct Faculty seminars as well. The Distance Education Coordina- meetings, single-session TechCafe workshops on new tor and Instructional Designer are revising the On- instructional technology, myGateway/Webstar and line Training Program for all faculty. Academic Com- TracDat workshops (6.37). Most professional develop- puting also presents workshops for email system and ment activities, however, have been developed to focus off-campus access to the campus network (6.39). The on the collaboration of colleagues over an extended Cypress College Health Center initiated a day-long period of time to develop new strategies or materials. Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Workshops, which is Participants in these seminars or workshop series may now offered as a district-wide program. The College also earn equivalent unit credit toward advancement also provides Emergency Management Training utiliz- on the pay scale. Some examples of this type of activity ing videos and discussions to prepare faculty and staff, include the following, which are ongoing unless other- and ultimately students, for disasters such as fire, earth- wise noted: quake, and shooter-on-campus events. In addition to the videos and discussion activities, the College engag-

182 Cypress College es in ongoing emergency response drills to be better vey) ➔ Nonviolent Crisis Intervention prepared for unforeseen disasters. These drills are held Workshop every semester and include all staff members, students, The Spring 2010 CSSQR Satisfaction Survey found and various community response organizations. Dis- that 89% of respondents rated presenter knowledge of trict Information Services presents workshops on the all workshops and seminars as Good/Excellent (6.9). Banner Enterprise System for all of its employees who utilize the system (6.37). District Human Resources facilitates workshops on sexual harassment and discrimi- Planning Agenda nation and has sponsored the Hire Me Workshops for None. prospective full-time faculty, a program developed at 5.b. With the assistance of the participants, Cypress College (6.38). the institution systematically evaluates professional development programs and uses the Self Evaluation results of these evaluations as the basis for As a result of the needs assessment conducted during improvement. the CSSQR process in 2004 and 2007, the following workshops, seminars, and other activities have been Descriptive Summary developed and implemented. The list below reflects Because of the variables affecting the improvement of the manner in which the need was identified and the teaching and learning, it is difficult to identify and quan- activity that was developed to meet that need. This list tify the impact of professional development activities in provides examples of the results of the Staff Develop- a statistical way. However, the ASCCC “Guidelines for ment planning process. Implementation of the Flexible Calendar Program” ◊ Develop and assess instructional and stu- (developed with the Chancellor’s Office) outlines four dent services student learning outcomes different levels of evaluation for staff development (6.1 and 6.2a and b) ➔ the SLO As- programs, ranging from basic to advanced in regard to sessment, Analysis, and Report Writing “reaction,” “achievement,” “behavior,” and “impact” Workshop Series (6.33). ◊ Support and provide for changes in the One mechanism used by the Staff Development Com- workplace for all personnel (6.2a) ➔ mittee that demonstrates “reaction” is to compile self- Classified esourceR Book reported responses and evaluations from faculty and ◊ Purchase and implementation of the staff to determine if the workshops had an immediate impact. The results of the satisfaction survey compo- District myGateway portal ➔ myGate- way Training including web accessibility nent of the CSSQR are examples of this “reaction” and course studio implementation type of evaluation (6.40). ◊ Purchase of the TracDat Assessment Whenever possible, Staff Development activities — especially seminars and workshop series — are designed Management Software ➔ Development of TracDat Training for faculty to be evaluated at the “achievement,” “behavior,” and/or “impact level.” More specifically, several work- ◊ “Need: online workshop registration” shops used “achievement” as the type of evaluation. A (2007 SD Needs Survey) ➔ Develop- component of the Webpage Development Training is ment of District-wide Staff Develop- a quiz on web accessibility, which the faculty must pass ment Registration Calendar before starting to build their webpage. At the end of ◊ “No recent workshops on first aid” (2007 this workshop, instructors demonstrate that that they SD Needs Survey) ➔ District-sponsored have attained these skills by developing their faculty First Aid/CPR classes homepage. The myGateway Course Studio Training, TracDat Training, First Aid/CPR, and Nonviolent ◊ “Workshops on working with angry and Crisis Intervention Training are all evaluated by the troubled students” (2007 SD Needs Sur- “achievement” of the participants.

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 183 The evaluation of “behavior” determines if partici- ◊ Write Administrative unit outcomes for pants have modified their on-the-job behavior and are the next three years, including those using the information they learned. The faculty who goals related to professional development successfully completed the Hybrid/Online Training in the Strategic Plan. developed a hybrid or online class using Blackboard. ◊ Develop an expenditure plan needed to Since 2007, 223 instructors have attended at least one achieve the goals. of the SLO Assessment, Analysis, and Report Writing workshops. As of October 2010, faculty members have ◊ Evaluation of the best funding resource defined SLOs for 85% of the courses, defined assess- to achieve the goals and Administrative ment methods for 82%, and closed the loop on 48% of Unit Outcomes, i.e. one-time funding all the courses. requests, grant proposals, and/or fund raising events The last type of evaluation identifies whether or not the training had a positive “impact” on the organiza- ◊ Submit requests for funding based on tion including student success or improved morale. For needs assessment, three-year Staff Devel- example, participants in the initial Learning Commu- opment Plan, and the Strategic Plan. nities Development Program developed the Univer- In addition, the Staff Development Committee plans sity Transfer Achievement Program (UTAP) learning to develop each Staff Development activity and its community whose students achieved higher retention evaluation to include achievement, behavior, and/or and student success ratings than the freshmen not par- impact types of evaluation. ticipating in the program (6.41). Another example of “impact” evaluation was conducted after Student Ser- vices SLO workshops. Each November since 2006, the Self Evaluation Student Services Council has dedicated their Novem- The Staff Development Committee has completed ber meeting as their SLO workshop. During the past the Campus Support Services Quality Review for the three years (cycles) of SLO development and evalua- past three program review cycles (6.9). The committee tion, most of the student services areas have demon- has seen a drop in the satisfaction ratings of the overall strated positive effects on student learning as measured quality of the Staff Development program as Good/ through the outcomes and objectives established in Excellent from 93% of all respondents in 2007 to 89% each of the departments (6.42). of all respondents in Spring 2010. This is most likely the result of the reduction of services due to the loss of The data collected from these four types of evaluations the 100% Staff Development Administrative Assistant are reviewed during the annual planning meeting and position in May 2008. Until funding sources are made the development of the three-year Staff Development available, the reduction of services from the Staff De- Plan. velopment Office will continue, and adjustments will Every three years since 2004, the Staff Development have to be made. Committee has completed the Campus Support Ser- The Staff Development Program is moving from “re- vices Quality Review (6.9) that now asks the committee action” evaluations given at the end of workshops to members to do the following: the three higher levels of evaluation. To evaluate the ef- ◊ Review the mission of the Staff Develop- fectiveness of the TracDat workshops, “achievement” ment Program and determine how well was used. Instructors were asked to practice with a it has achieved its previous three-year training “course” and then input actual SLO assess- goals, including those included in the ment data for one of their courses into TracDat. Of College’s Strategic Plan (6.2) the 154 instructors who attended the workshops, 89% ◊ Review the results of the faculty and inputted actual course data into TracDat during the staff satisfaction survey. workshop (6.43). There was a 100% pass rate on the exit test for the 8-hour Non-Violent Crisis Intervention ◊ Review the results of the current needs Training Program for 28 Cypress College faculty and assessment. staff (6.44).

184 Cypress College To evaluate the effectiveness of the series of SLO work- written for the period 2008-2011. The College’s goal is shops presented over a span of two years, the measure to more fully integrate its planning processes with the of “behavior” evaluation was used: “Are participants District’s Master Plan that is currently being updated using the information they learned to assess SLOs?” (6.13). Although faculty members worked on just one course In addition, the College has several annual review in each of the workshops, the end result was that 223 processes in keeping with its core values of excellence academic instructors who attended at least one of the and collegiality and commitment to the shared-gover- SLO Assessment, Analysis, and Report Writing work- nance process. Review processes include: Department shops have written SLO assessment plans for 82% of Planning and Program Review, (6.3) Student Services all courses and closed the SLO loop on 48% of the Quality Review (6.4), Campus Support Services Qual- courses (6.45). ity Review (6.9), and Special Programs Quality Re- The University Transfer Achievement Program view, (6.10) all of which are completed every three (UTAP) is an example of the “impact” of the semester- years. These reviews evaluate the effectiveness of each long Title V Learning Communities Training Program department or program and identify human resource and the persistence of the lead instructor of the UTAP needs to meet identified goals and objectives. program. During 2007-2008, the UTAP successful course completion rates for UTAP courses were con- Self Evaluation siderably higher than the successful course completion rate for all non-UTAP courses: English 60 – 90% to The College has excellent procedures in place to en- 60%; English 100 – 81.8% to 57%; Counseling 150 – sure that human resource planning is integrated with 94% to 71.1%; and Psychology 101 – 84.8% to 60.5% institutional planning. (6.41). All of the entities on campus (CSEA, full-time faculty, When planning Staff Development activities, the Staff and management) look to the Educational Master Plan Development Committee encourages the development and Strategic Plan as the basis for the goals and objec- of activities that can be evaluated by “achievement,” tives established by departments, programs, and divi- “behavior,” or “impact,” as defined by the ASCCC sions. This process also helps the Planning and Budget Guidelines for Implementation of the Flex Calendar Committee ensure that its decision-making processes Program. Whenever possible, the Staff Development meet the goals and objectives specified in the Educa- Committee recommends the use of these more ad- tional Master Plan and Strategic Plan. vanced types of evaluations when Staff Development Deans, directors, managers, and the Academic Senate activities are being planned and developed. each have monthly meetings, and CSEA constituents meet regularly. This allows all constituencies to evalu- Planning Agenda ate and make recommendations for institutional planning, the effective use of human resources, growth and None. development, and improvement. Every two to three 6. Human resource planning is integrated with years a Classified Needs Survey (6.11) is conducted to institutional planning. The institution system- determine Classified Staffing Needs at the College. In atically assesses the effective use of human re- March 2010, all Cypress College managers and three sources and uses the results of the evaluation Academic Senate representatives participated in a as the basis for improvement. Classified Needs Assessment Prioritization (6.12) to determine the most critical classified positions to fill for Descriptive Summary 2010-2011 based on the available funds. This process was necessary due to retirements, vacancies, and posi- The Cypress College Educational Master Plan (6.1) tions that could be terminated due to the reduction in directs institutional planning and the development of categorical program funding. the Cypress College Strategic Plan (6.2). The Educa- tional Master Plan was written in September 2006 for Also, the campus annually conducts a full-time faculty the period 2006-2016. The current Strategic Plan was hiring assessment using the Full-time Faculty Hiring

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 185 Request form (6.8). The form asks how the position 6.3 Department Planning and Program Reviews for request relates to needs stated in the most recent Edu- 2006-2007 and 2008-2009 — www.cypresscollege. edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/ProgramReview cational Master Plan and Department Planning and Program Review. Each division dean consults with the 6.4 Student Support Services Quality Review http:// full-time faculty regarding the tenure-track positions www.cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalRe- that should be requested, and a request for a position(s) search/ProgramReview is submitted to the Executive Vice President. The re- 6.5 NOCCCD Board Policies, Administrative Procedures quests are then ranked by a committee comprised of and Administrative Guide — www.nocccd.edu/Poli- the deans and Academic Senate representatives, and a cies/PoliciesAndProcedures.htm recommendation to hire positions in the ranked order 6.6 Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory 2007 is submitted to PAC and the President for review and — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalRe- a final decision. The number of positions that may ac- search/rsurveys.aspx tually be filled for the next year is determined by the 6.7 Campus Climate Surveys — www.cypresscollege. District. edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/rsurveys.aspx

The District and College have systems in place to en- 6.8 Full-time Faculty Hiring Request Form sure that all performance evaluations are conducted and meet requirements. For full-time faculty, the Ex- 6.9 Campus Support Services Quality Review — www. cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/Pro- ecutive Vice President’s Office sends out a list of evalu- gramReview ations that are due and checks to make sure that they have been completed. Deans and Human Resources 6.10 Special Programs Quality Review — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/Program- audit required evaluations for adjunct faculty and clas- Review sified employees. In addition, District Human Resourc- es also provides training for managers to ensure that 6.11 Classified Needs Survey proper procedures are being followed. 6.12 Classified Needs Assessment Prioritization Although a process for filling vacancies exists for CSEA 6.13 District Master Plan Timeline and full-time faculty positions, currently, no similar process exists for management positions. In 2009, 6.14 Institutional Effectiveness Report — www.cypress- a committee was formed to review the management college.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/rreports. aspx evaluation form and change it to be similar to the process used for full-time and classified employees (6.22). 6.15 United Faculty Collective Bargaining Agreement, Discussion is currently taking place with District Hu- July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2011 man Resources on whether the annual management 6.16 Board Agenda/Minutes June 24, 2003 — www. evaluation will be changed to more closely follow the nocccd.edu/Trustees/MtgMinutesArchive2010.htm two- or three-year evaluation schedules held for classified and faculty, respectively. 6.17 Dr. Bob Simpson email, November 16, 2009 6.18 Nina DeMarkey email, November 12, 2009

Planning Agenda 6.19 Adjunct Faculty United Agreement, July 1 – July 30, None. 2012 6.20 CSEA Agreement, August 1, 2007 – July 31, 1010

Reference Documents 6.21 California Community College Chancellor’s Office June 2005 Report from the “Workgroup on 75/25 6.1 Cypress College Educational Master Plan, 2006- Issues” 2016 — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/Institution- alResearch/pdocuments.aspx 6.22 Email from Jorge Gamboa regarding Management Evaluation Revision Committee, December 16, 2009 6.2 Cypress College Strategic Plan, 2008-2011 — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalRe- 6.23 Student Services Master Plan — www.cypresscol- search/pdocuments.aspx lege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments. aspx

186 Cypress College 6.24 Staff Development Committee Minutes – J:\Staff 6.47 Steve Duncan email 9-27-10 Development 6.48 Jeff Horsley email 9-28-10 6.25 United Faculty Probationary Tenure Track Evaluation Form — J:\District Forms and Templates 6.49 Faculty Evaluation Schedule

6.26 United Faculty Tenure Track Evaluation Form — J:\ 6.50 Distance Education Plan — www.cypresscollege. District Forms and Templates edu/IRP/Resources/Planning/CC_DE_Plan_Fi- nal_040209.pdf 6.27 Classified Evaluation Forms, Probationary and Per- manent — J:\District Forms and Templates

6.28 Management Evaluation Form — J:\District Forms and Templates

6.29 Focused Mid-Term Report, 2008 (p. 29) — www. cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/Ac- creditation/areports.aspx

6.30 Guide to Evaluating Institutions, August 2009 (p.7-8)

6.31 @Cypress — www.cypresscollege.edu/newsEvents/ news/atcypress.aspx

6.32 Student Services SLO Final Reports 2007, 2008, 2009 — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/Institution- alResearch/SLO

6.33 Guidelines for Implementation of the Flexible Calen- dar Program — www.cccco.edu/Portals/4/AA/Flex- ible%20Calendar/Flex_Calendar_Guidelines_04-07. docx.pdf

6.34 District Strategic Plan — www.nocccd.edu/Strate- gicPlanning/StrategicPlan.htm

6.35 Cypress College Catalog — www.cypresscollege. edu/academics/CollegeCatalog.aspx

6.36 Email from Ken Robinson, District Director of Equity & Diversity, November 24, 2010

6.37 MyGateway — Staff Development Calendar

6.38 HireMe Workshops Report 2007 & 2008

6.39 Web Editor Training email announcements

6.40 Fall 2009 Opening Day Evaluation Summary

6.41 UTAP Course Completion Report Fall-2004-Spring 2008).

6.42 CCRAA STEM Grant Proposal, 2008-2010

6.43 TracDat Workshop Report, 2009-2010

6.44 Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Training Report, 2010

6.45 SLO Workshop Participation, April 2009

6.46 Email from Vice Chancellor of Human Rsources, August 23, 2010

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 187 Standard IIIB: Physical and, therefore, provide the main criteria and processes against which the College evaluates its facilities’ safety. Resources State agencies include the Air Quality Management Cypress College is recognized for the quality and vital- District (AQMD) (7.4), the Health Department (7.24), ity of its physical resources, including its major facili- the local Fire Authority (7.20), the Department of ties, architectural themes, and landscaping strategies. State Architecture (DSA) (7.15), and OSHA (Occupa- The integrity of the physical environment is assured by tional Safety and Health Administration) (7.34). Legal the dedication of human and financial resources to the directives include the Americans with Disabilities Act continuous planning, construction, and maintenance (ADA) (7.1). cycles necessary for the provision of resources condu- Custodial, maintenance, and campus safety staff con- cive to a sound educational environment. The College duct daily inspections of facilities under their charges. is a part of community-wide participation and involve- Physical Plant personnel are alerted when deans, of- ment programs to assist in evaluating the strengths and fice personnel, faculty, or students encounter potential weaknesses of its Emergency Action Plan. The College safety hazards. In addition, the Campus Safety Com- is committed to maintaining a positive status with re- mittee (7.39) meets every month to review the College spect to its physical resources even during challenging status with respect to the various District, state, and economic times. It takes all necessary measures to as- federal safety programs and any other related issues. sure a safe, secure, and supportive learning environ- Throughout the year, on a rotating basis, the Physical ment, with physical resources appropriately conceived, Plant Director and the Manager of Maintenance and built, and maintained for the disciplines they support. Operations (M&O) survey the buildings and grounds. Physical resources, which include facilities, Unsafe conditions or potential hazards are addressed equipment, land, and other assets, support immediately. student learning programs and services and The Emergency Action Plan (7.17) is overseen by the improve institutional effectiveness. Physical Vice President of Administrative Services, but is facili- resource planning is integrated with institu- tated by Campus Safety. The campus participates in tional planning. mandated emergency drills (7.18) every semester, dur- 1. The institution provides safe and sufficient ing which the campus administration team sets up the physical resources that support and assure the Incident Command Post (7.26) in accord with state and integrity and quality of its programs and ser- federal emergency response protocols with identified vices, regardless of location or means of de- key personnel serving in their designated roles. The livery. College coordinates communication plans with the District and local agencies for mutual emergency re- Descriptive Summary sponse aid. The campus has also been designated as a potential evacuation site for the Red Cross and a Point Cypress College has engaged in significant construc- of Dispensing (POD) for vaccines for the local Health tion, including new and remodeled facilities, over the Department. The Director of the Physical Plant and course of the last six years. This construction has oc- the Campus Safety Director, along with other campus curred utilizing a combination of District and local administrators, are able to identify through these drills bond funding. The new and newly remodeled facilities the strengths and weaknesses of the College’s current have positioned the College to assure the integrity and emergency response plan. The institution continues to the quality of its programs and services. In order to as- learn and improve from these exercises. sure continuing standards of integrity with respect to its facilities, the College collaborates on a regular basis The District also conducts campus facilities inspections with District personnel to review facilities issues. Alli- (7.12) and offers suggestions and advice. The District ance of Schools for Cooperative Insurance Programs complies with the requirements of the mandated In- (ASCIP), state agencies, and legal directives require jury and Illness Prevention Program (7.28) for ensuring the campus to monitor and evaluate facility and cam- the safety of all employees and students. The District pus safety according to required codes and regulations conducts a safety audit (7.38) of its facilities every three

188 Cypress College years. These loss prevention and safety audits (7.38) are campus wide to ensure that the needs of programs driven by the insurance carrier, Alliance of Schools for and services are met regardless of locality or means of Cooperative Insurance Programs (ASCIP). Participants delivery. The primary criteria used by the campus to in this review are the Physical Plant Director or Man- assess the safety of its facilities are the codes and regu- ager of Maintenance and Operations, the District En- lations of the various state agencies, including the Fire vironmental Health and Safety Specialist, and a repre- Authority (7.20), Health Department (7.24), Air Quali- sentative from the Alliance of Schools for Cooperative ty Management District (7.4), Occupational Safety and Insurance Program. The District insurance carrier also Health Administration (7.34), and American Disabili- requires additional inspections as mandated by the In- ties Act (7.1). The institution remains in compliance jury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) (7.28). Cur- with the codes and regulatory requirements of the state rently, the District’s Environmental Health and Safety agencies. The Fire Authority conducted its most recent Specialist conducts unofficial periodic evaluations of inspection of the campus April 7, 2010 (7.20). The the campus with either the Physical Plant Director or Health Department conducted its annual inspection the Manager of Maintenance and Operations. of the campus December 3, 2009 (7.24). There were The State Space Inventory System (7.41) is updated no violations. by the campus every Fall to provide for an accurate For its off-site programs, the Health Sciences Depart- accounting of current availability and use of its class- ment uses the Agreement for Clinical Programs in rooms, lecture halls, laboratories, and other facilities. Health Science for each facility (7.2). This contract was Classroom use continues to be monitored and included drawn up by legal counsel and executed by the Man- in the Annual Fall Report (7.4) created by the Office ager of District Resources, as well as the Vice Chancel- of Institutional Research and Planning. The availabil- lor, Finance and Facilities. ity and quality of lecture and lab spaces continue to The Physical Education Department also offers off- be of particular concern, especially in older buildings site programs. However, for these programs there is no such as the Science, Engineering & Math building. campus process in place to evaluate the safety and qual- The campus pays close attention to the annual Spring ity of the sites. These facilities are typically businesses Space Utilization Report (7.42). This report contains that the general public uses, such as a golf course or data conducive to the monitoring of scheduled usage, a bowling alley. These off-site facilities must meet and indicating the sufficiency or deficiency of space, and comply with state and city codes and regulations, as availability of classrooms, lecture halls, labs, and other well as criteria set by insurers. These public businesses facilities. are regulated by the same agencies as the institution, The College continues to monitor the ability of its fa- such as the Fire Authority and Health Department. cilities to meet the instructional needs of the campus. Since 2003, the Cypress College Career Technical This topic is often evaluated in relation to the Educa- Education Division’s Hotel, Restaurant, Culinary Arts tion Master Plan, the Facilities Master Plan (7.19), the classes (HRC) have been held at the NOCCCD Ana- Strategic Plan (7.43), the Noel-Levitz Student Satis- heim Campus. This move has resulted in significant faction Inventory (7.32), the Campus Climate Survey improvements in the quality of the educational experi- (7.6), the Planning and Budget Committee (7.35), the ence and student success. The larger Anaheim Cam- Campus Support Services Quality Review (7.8) Qual- pus location with state-of-the-art kitchen equipment ity Review (7.8), and the campus Safety Committee and learning facility allows for cutting-edge culinary (7.39). The Program Review Guidelines (7.37) and techniques and hospitality instruction. The larger fa- the Campus Support Services Quality Review (7.8) cility and classroom space has also allowed for addi- are processes that focus on department-specific needs. tional sections and class offerings resulting in double The College also continues to employ the services of a the enrollments. Additionally, the Anaheim Campus consultant who reviews and makes recommendations proximity to the Anaheim Resort District benefits area that help the campus meet and achieve space utiliza- employers and HRC students with employment and tion goals (7.42). internship opportunities, industry guest speakers, hotel Safe and adequate physical resources are available field trips, and networking opportunities.

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 189 The individual programs evaluate the safety and suf- the classrooms. This work was completed during Sum- ficiency of the facilities and the equipment they use mer 2010. In the face of limited finances, the College on an ongoing basis. The College uses the results of has engaged in a process of prioritization to assure the these evaluations to determine unmet needs for main- provision of facilities support necessary for the maintenance, improvements, purchases, upgrades, and re- tenance of quality in its programs. The institution replacement of equipment. The unmet needs are pri- mains in compliance with the codes and regulations of oritized and resolved mainly through the One Time the state agencies even during these difficult economic Funding process (7.33). times. The College’s Maintenance and Operations Depart- The Director of Disabled Students Program and Ser- ment works with the offices of Academic Computing vices (DSPS) affirmed that the campus strives to comply and the Distance Education Program to assure that with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (7.1). distance delivery modes are well-supported for facul- Two examples were cited of how M&O interfaces with ty and students. For example, if a television requires DSPS to assure accessibility. First, during the compre- mounting, or fiber optic needs to be pulled, the Physi- hensive remodel of the Humanities Building, accessible cal Plant responds and quickly provides required as- features such as automatic doors and accessible coun- sistance. The Technology Plan was prepared by the ter space were factored into the building plans. Second, Campus Technology Committee (7.45) and Academic the campus Master Plan included specifications that Computing in order to provide a framework of support would assure physical access such as larger elevators, conducive to the maintenance of sound instruction. curb cuts, wider sidewalks, and automatic doors (7.7). The plan addresses Distance Education infrastructure, According to the 2009 Space Inventory (7.41), the hardware, and software support for faculty, staff, and campus is 59.0 % efficient per the State Utilization students. Computer equipment is on a regular rotation Formula in the use of its facilities. The reduction in schedule for replacement (7.11). Updated equipment is course offerings has increased the fill rate to approxi- purchased regularly to replace the old or obsolete com- mately 102%. Enrollment is up and parking has been puter systems. impacted for the first time in many years. Now that the Humanities building remodel has been completed, Self Evaluation the campus has several vacant (inactive) classrooms Facilities and construction updates are shared monthly that could negatively impact its Space Inventory (7.41) with the campus Management Team (7.31). Faculty and the potential Capital Outlay Funding (7.48) for the and staff surveys indicate that they are not always Fine Arts and the Science, Engineering & Math build- fully informed and aware of any upcoming improve- ing. The removal of the old temporary buildings is now ments or changes that would help benefit the campus. a College priority. The elimination of buildings in this This information is made available at all Management space would open an opportunity for the campus to Team meetings (7.31). The expectation is that manag- expand parking and meet the needs of growing enroll- ers will share in a timely manner the information that ment. is provided at these meetings. A Centralized Scheduling Program (7.9) is in place The campus community is aware that funding sources and working for the improved coordination of facili- are more limited than in past years. The Fine Arts and ties assignments. The system has many capabilities that Science, Engineering & Math buildings were taken could benefit the entire campus; however, the program off the initial list of priorities during the funded reno- is not yet fully implemented. It is a very strong tool used vations since they were next in line for State Capital by the Facilities Office to address scheduling needs for Outlay Funding (7.5, 7.48). These projects are still on inside requests and outside rentals. Once fully imple- the State approval list; however, the funding may be mented, it will assist the campus in locating and book- a few more years away given the current state of the ing rooms that are made available to staff. It will also economy. Local Capital Outlay Funds were identified allow staff to view real-time information on events and to replace the carpet and paint in the public areas of activities taking place on and off campus. these buildings and to address other critical needs in The expressed needs of the College often come into

190 Cypress College conflict with State formulas and guidelines regarding port for distance learning demands. space utilization (7.42). The educational programs and divisions, in general, perceive a need for more space. Planning Agenda However, the educational plans for most programs and divisions do not always validate this perception. Col- None. lege governance mechanisms facilitate the process to 1.a. The institution plans, builds, maintains, evaluate requests for program expansion and facilities and upgrades or replaces its physical resourc- needs. Through the use of these tools, the institution es in a manner that assures effective utiliza- assesses and ensures that its facilities meet the needs of tion and the continuing quality necessary to their programs and services, and that the facilities are support its programs and services. also being used effectively. The institution addresses facilities issues in a regular Descriptive Summary and timely manner. The criteria used by the institution The institution’s Educational Master Plan (7.16) estab- to verify the safety and sufficiency of the off-campus fa- lishes the framework for evaluating the facilities needs cilities are established in state codes and regulations as of programs and services. The collaborative process previously indicated. However, different off-site facili- used by the campus ensures representation from all ties (e.g., hospitals) are under different jurisdictions and constituencies at various levels, with appropriately es- regulations that are frequently more stringent and far tablished standards in place to help the design team exceed those used by an educational facility. Some pro- generally meet and address all relevant issues (7.14). grams, such as those offered by Health Science, have The classrooms in the newly remodeled Humanities an accrediting process that ensures the off-site facilities building now have state-of-the-art technology, such are safe and sufficient. Other programs, such as Physi- as “smart classrooms,” lighting controls, sound barri- cal Education, may need to develop a process to better ers between classrooms, appropriate furniture, power, document and ensure that the off-site facilities they use data, and wireless standards, and new heating and air are safe and in good condition. conditioning system and controls. The design, installa- Facilities needs are promptly addressed within the ex- tion, and support needs for the new technology had to isting College trouble ticket process. Special attention be addressed during the remodel project. The inclu- and priority is always given to any potential safety haz- sion of additional classroom space, however, was not ards. The Planning and Budget process for One Time possible in this project. The state funding constraints Funding (7.33) provides the allocation of funds for restricted such expansion and growth based on the cur- equipment replacement and other facilities and infra- rent Space Inventory Report (7.41). structure needs. The Planning and Budget Committee The process for determining equipment needs, replace- has seen the number of requests submitted annually ment, and ongoing maintenance begin with an individ- by each budget unit reduce significantly over the past ual department request. This request may result from several years. This is evidence that the needs of the the need to introduce new technology due to safety is- various departments are being met. sues or because the equipment has been deemed ob- The campus infrastructure and technology offer sig- solete or in need of replacement. The division initially nificant support to the needs of the distance education evaluates all maintenance, technology, and work-order delivery modes. Computer equipment and systems in requests. Those that can be handled within existing general are systematically updated or replaced. Most division budgets are resolved immediately. Those that of the classrooms and labs have been equipped with present an immediate impact to instruction and for state-of-the-art technology that followed the standards which there are no available funds result in an Emer- set by the Technology Plan (7.46), i.e., ceiling mount- gency /Special request for funding submitted to Plan- ed projectors, sound systems, DVD, VCR, document ning and Budget (7.35, 7.50) for consideration by all readers, and wireless technology. The College has ad- committee members. Those items deemed critical are opted and implemented a Technology Plan that will recommended for funding to the President’s Advisory better coordinate and administer the provision of sup- Cabinet.

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 191 Some programs evaluate the effectiveness of facilities Technology Plan, and the use of well-defined College and equipment in meeting the needs of their specif- processes for the procurement of needed support con- ic program through an advisory board that involves tribute significantly to the College’s reputation for put- individuals from business, industry, education, and ting students and instruction first. government. Each program meets with its advisory Regular equipment maintenance is performed mostly group at least once annually, and several meet more by specialized vendors through agreements and con- frequently for this purpose. Managers, faculty, and tracts that are issued annually for the various depart- staff participate in regional and statewide committees ments and divisions. For example, the automotive pro- where they discuss and evaluate emerging technologies grams have repair accounts in place to service their and instructional delivery models. Conferences and instructional equipment. These accounts are funded trade shows also introduce them to new technologies. by the campus to ensure the equipment needs of in- Through this process, the institution evaluates its cur- structional programs are met. Equipment replacement rent status and needs, and determines if changes are is funded by the programs out of their individual bud- warranted. Whenever possible, the necessary changes gets or through the One Time Funding process (7.33) are implemented in a timeframe and in such a manner of the College’s Planning and Budget Committee. as to provide faculty and students with the appropriate facilities and equipment required for their programs. In addition to the regular processes established by the College to address internally its facilities and mainte- The College assures that physical resources at all lo- nance needs, representatives of the College — includ- cations where instruction is offered, including the pro- ing the President and the Vice President of Adminis- grams and services, are constructed and maintained to trative Services — meet on a regular basis with District assure access, safety, security, and a healthy learning personnel, primarily from the Office of Finance and and working environment. All programs and depart- Facilities. These regular meetings provide the oppor- ments are suitably built for the discipline they house. tunity for the College to share information related to Curricular changes can occur at a much faster rate facilities issues and to advocate the College’s position than the State Capital Outlay Funding process (7.48) with respect to infrastructure and support needs. Facili- can accommodate. In these situations, the campus uti- ties issues are addressed at weekly construction meet- lizes local funds or grants to facilitate the growth or ings, Chancellor’s Staff meetings, and regular District facilities changes necessary for the effective delivery of Planning Council meetings. instruction. For example, the procurement of computers for instruction came to the institution many years prior to the State funding that supported the Telecom- Planning Agenda munication Infrastructure Requirements (7.47). Dur- None. ing that time, the campus built independent computer 1.b. The institution assures that physical re- labs to support these instructional needs. Today, with sources at all locations where it offers courses, the development and implementation of the Educa- programs, and services are constructed and tional Master Plan (7.16), the Five-Year Construction maintained to assure access, safety, security, Plan (7.21), and the Strategic Plan (7.43), the institu- and a healthful learning and working environ- tion is better prepared to effectively support the exist- ment. ing programs and potential curricular changes of its educational programs. Descriptive Summary Self Evaluation The institution assures that all facilities are safe and accessible. Daily facilities and equipment inspections are The College has developed a well-defined and aggres- conducted by Maintenance, Campus Safety, Facilities, sive internal program of facilities maintenance that and Operations staff. The faculty and division office takes into account its planning documents, program employees also monitor and inspect their areas and re- needs, maintenance cycles, and unexpected emergency port any unsafe or access-related issues to the Physical requests. The recent acquisition of facilities scheduling Plant office. Additionally, safety and access concerns software, the adoption of a Distance Education and

192 Cypress College are discussed at the monthly Safety Committee meet- regular basis, taking utilization and other rel- ings (7.39). All concerns and potential hazards are im- evant data into account. mediately addressed by the Physical Plant Office. Some programs, such as those offered by the Health Descriptive Summary Science Division, undergo periodic accreditation. A Each fall, an Annual Space Inventory is conducted significant component of the accreditation process is a to determine the adequacy of room utilization (7.41). thorough evaluation of off-site facilities used by these Throughout the year, classroom use is tracked through programs. the Office of Institutional Research and Planning. To facilitate optimum utilization of space, the campus Self Evaluation has begun to implement centralized scheduling (7.9). According to the latest Noel-Levitz Student Satisfac- As a result, course curriculum requirements are more tion Survey (7.32), students rated College facilities quite easily matched with the best possible classroom con- highly and reported that the campus is generally ac- figurations. In addition, Program Reviews often trigger cessible and safe. The institution responds expediently impromptu assessment and modifications of existing and diligently to any potential hazard or access issue. facilities several times a year (7.37). Some of the results of these assessments are used to plan and improve or Assurance that the College’s physical resources are replace facilities and equipment by way of the Plan- constructed and maintained with the highest standards ning and Budget Process (7.35). The College also sub- of access, safety, security, and a healthful learning and mits an annual Scheduled Maintenance Plan (7.40) to working environment are provided by the engagement the District, requesting State matched funding for proj- of effective College and District procedures dedicated ects that far exceed the campus maintenance budget. to this task. A variety of College committees, includ- However, due to growing budget deficits not only in ing the Safety Committee, Planning and Budget, the California, but across the nation, no scheduled mainte- President’s Advisory Cabinet, and the Food Service nance dollars have been received from the State in the Committee are all engaged in continuous review of past two years. the College’s physical resource status. When issues are identified, the College effectively engages its gover- The College’s Five-Year Construction Plan was sub- nance processes to assure response in an appropriate mitted for 2010-2015 (7.21). This plan included an Ini- timeframe. tial Project Proposal (IPP) for Tech Ed I (7.29) and an FPP Final Project Proposal for Fine Arts (7.22) and Sci- The College offers a limited number of instructional ence, Engineering & Math (7.23). The Fine Arts build- opportunities at off-campus sites that are not under the ing is on the approval list of projects pending passage charge of accrediting or other educational oversight of a State bond (7.5) for Capital Outlay Funding (7.48). bodies. There are currently no procedures in place to Due to the existing economic conditions, expecting document, control, and validate that the off-site facili- passage of a new Bond (7.5) is not realistic this year. ties adhere to appropriate educational facilities access, safety, and security standards. Though the institution With the exception of the Fine Arts and Science, Engi- does not have control over the off-site facilities that are neering & Math, most buildings were remodeled with not District owned, it can engage in a process of veri- the Measure X Bond (7.5) funds: Tech Ed 1, Tech Ed fication regarding adherence to state and federal stan- 2, Tech Ed 3, Business, Theater Gym 2, and Humani- dards. ties. The College was able to carpet and paint the Sci- ence, Engineering & Math and Fine Arts buildings in Summer 2010 using other local Capital Outlay Funds Planning Agenda (7.48). This helped to give these buildings a facelift None. while State Funds to totally renovate these facilities continue to be on hold. 2. To assure the feasibility and effectiveness of physical resources in supporting institutional programs and services, the institution plans Self Evaluation and evaluates its facilities and equipment on a The existing process is designed and applied to effec-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 193 tively manage the available spaces. Curriculum chang- consideration as well. es sometimes trigger room changes, modifications, Capital Projects are prioritized based on criteria that or upgrades. For example, a drafting lab in the SEM support short- and long-term planning by the institu- building was converted into a multi-purpose lab with tion. These criteria are set by the Educational Master the integration of computer stations and data infra- Plan (7.16), Space Inventory Data (7.41), Student En- structure. This was done with the use of STEM grant rollment Capacity Load Ratios (7.44), building condi- funding, which was awarded for this purpose. Also, as tions, and District matching funds. space is available, sections are moved to different classrooms to allow for the right size space to be used. For Long-term planning has already allowed for various example, in the Business building, the seat count for a modernization and facilities upgrade projects, includ- CIS course was restricted because of the room size. To ing the Capital Outlay Funding (7.48) of the new Li- accommodate growth in the seat count, the room was brary/Learning Resource Center (L/LRC) and the traded for an “inactive” space on campus. The previ- Humanities Building remodel for efficiency. Next ous “too small” room was deactivated. Space inventory in the queue are Final Project Proposals for the Fine reports are prepared and filed annually each Fall. This Arts Building (7.22) and Science, Engineering & Math exercise allows for the annual evaluation of improve- building (7.23) remodels for efficiency. ments in space utilization, which can also lead to quali- fying for additional State Capital Outlay funding for Self Evaluation future renovation projects. The existing plans and procedures are effectively supporting the facilities improvements. The needs will al- Planning Agenda ways exceed the funds, and this is where the planning None. process helps. 2.a. Long-range capital plans support institu- The campus has recently completed several new con- tional improvement goals and reflect projec- struction projects that were designed by several different tions of the total cost of ownership of new fa- architectural and engineering firms. Although the Col- cilities and equipment. lege established standards (7.14) as the initial projects were started, these different firms did not always follow them. For example, the Telecommunication Standard, Descriptive Summary which can be found in the District Standards, (7.14) The Educational Master Plan (7.16), Facilities Master was not followed, and soon after the staff moved in, Plan (7.19), and the Strategic Plan (7.43) all feed into there were needs for additional phone and data lines and inform the District Five-Year Construction Plan that would have been in place if the set standards (7.14) (7.21). Some smaller projects are funded by the cam- had been followed. The College had to absorb most pus through the Planning and Budget process (7.35). of the cost using its operation’s budget. The most sig- A recent example would be the new carpet and paint nificant impact was on the time and material it took in the office area of the Science, Engineering & Math to get the work completed after the walls and ceiling building. had been closed. What could have cost $3,000 in mate- Elements that comprise “total cost of ownership” in- rial to add what was required by the District Standards clude product quality and durability for maximum life cost five times that amount. The maintenance staff expectancy. The campus has developed a list of stan- and budgets were negatively impacted. Many of the dards to help ensure that inferior substitutes are not campus divisions and departments suffered the conse- utilized (7.14). Also, organizations such as the Environ- quences with diminished and delayed services that the mental Protection Agency (EPA) (7.49), the Air Quality Maintenance and Operations Department was able to Management District (AQMD) (7.4), and Leadership provide during that time. in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) (7.30) set To date, the College is still experiencing difficulties in guidelines and codes that must be complied with. The meeting certain requests. For example, the Student campus’s ability to maintain facilities and equipment Center originally had an office that was set up for one versus the cost of a maintenance contract is taken into

194 Cypress College staff member. Because the Telecommunication Stan- great autonomy with respect to internal budgets, in- dards were not followed, there are not enough data and cluding local cash allocations and grant funding, they phone jacks on the walls to support two work stations. are expected to act in accord with established planning Work will need to be done to pull new wires through agendas and to obtain appropriate authorizations prior the wall and ceiling across the building in order to pro- to proceeding with significant expenditures. vide the lines requested for the second work station. The cost associated with this request will need to be Self Evaluation funded from the College’s general fund. The existing process allows the institution to allocate Due to the lengthy approval process for Capital Out- funds to meet the needs that support the College’s es- lay Funding (7.48), a project’s needs may change from tablished plans and goals in an effective and timely its original scope of needs. It is difficult to change the manner. The collaborative participation of various scope of work on a state funded project after the Final constituencies in the process, and their individual par- Project Proposal has been submitted. Any change in ticipation, allows for the list of funded priorities to be scope could jeopardize approved funding. Because of developed and approved at the different levels, e.g., this fact, the College endeavors to submit construction departmental, divisional, Planning and Budget (7.35), concepts that are well thought out and in accord with Management Team (7.31), the President’s Staff, and identified need, understanding that as time passes from President’s Advisory Cabinet (7.36). the date of plan development to the date of project completion, the fit of the project with College needs Data and comments returned every other year from may be compromised to a greater or lesser degree. the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) Survey (7.32) and the Classified Needs Assessment Sur- vey (7.10) help the campus to prioritize allocation of Planning Agenda physical resources. Strengths cited as areas of high im- None. portance and satisfaction in the 2009 SSI (7.32) included that, on the whole, the campus is well-maintained, 2.b. Physical resource planning is integrated is safe and secure for all students, and is physically ac- with institutional planning. The institution cessible to people with disabilities. Two ongoing areas systematically assesses the effective use of of low satisfaction were cited as being substandard physical resources and uses the results of the restroom sanitary conditions and inadequate parking evaluation as the basis for improvement. space (7.32). After in-depth surveys of use conducted by Maintenance and Facilities staff in collaboration with Descriptive Summary the College’s Campus Safety Department, the park- All allocations for facilities modification and expan- ing issue was substantially addressed via a regularly- sion, including general upkeep and major repairs, are approved funding proposal to significantly improve, ex- processed through the College Planning and Budget pand, and reallocate student and staff parking spaces. Committee (7.35). The committee relies upon ap- This reallocation should significantly address concerns proved College planning documents to determine the over parking expressed in the Campus Climate Survey. appropriateness of requests for facilities funding sup- The institution does the best it can with available report submitted by the various College programs. The sources. Students are served and faculty and staff are committee assesses, evaluates, and recommends fund- provided with the tools and equipment needed to per- ing for the submitted projects to the President’s Advi- form their jobs. sory Cabinet for those projects deemed appropriate and in accord with established plans. The agenda for planned and approved facilities improvements derives Planning Agenda from this process. None. College divisions and programs have great latitude in utilizing internal funding sources to address identified physical resource needs. Though the programs have

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 195 Reference Documents 7.28 Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP)

7.1 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 7.29 Initial Project Proposal (IPP) for Tech I

7.2 Agreement for Clinical Programs in Health Science 7.30 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) 7.3 Annual Fall Report — Institutional Research and Planning — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/Institu- 7.31 Management Team Meeting information tionalResearch/rreports.aspx 7.32 Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory — www. 7.4 Air Quality Management District (AQMD) cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/ rsurveys.aspx 7.5 Bond and Remodel for Efficiency Projects List 7.33 One-time Funding Process — documents and prior- 7.6 Campus Climate Survey — www.cypresscollege. ity list — J:\Planning & Budget Committee edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/rsurveys.aspx 7.34 Occupational Health and Safety Administration 7.7 Campus Master Plan — www.cypresscollege.edu/ (OSHA) about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments.aspx 7.35 Planning & Budget Committee information — J:\ 7.8 Campus Support Services Quality Review — www. Planning & Budget Committee cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/Pro- gramReview 7.36 President’s Advisory Cabinet — J:\President’s Advi- sory Cabinet 7.9 Centralized Scheduling Samples 7.37 Program Review guidelines — J:\Program Review 7.10 Classified Needs Assessment Survey and Department Planning

7.11 Computer Replacement rotation schedule 7.38 Safety Audits

7.12 District Inspections and Evaluations Records 7.39 Safety Committee meeting minutes

7.13 District Purchasing Handbook 7.40 Scheduled Maintenance Plan

7.14 District Standards 7.41 Space Inventory Report

7.15 Department of State Architecture (DSA) 7.42 Space Utilization Report

7.16 Educational Master Plan — www.cypresscollege. 7.43 Strategic Plan, 2008 - 2011 — www.cypresscol- edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments.aspx lege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments. aspx 7.17 Emergency Action Plan 7.44 Student Enrollment Capacity Load Ratios 7.18 Emergency Drills 7.45 Technology Committee information — J:\Campus 7.19 Facilities Master Plan Technology Committee

7.20 Fire Authority Inspections 7.46 Technology Plan — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/ InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments.aspx 7.21 Five-Year Construction Plan 7.47 Telecommunication Infrastructure Requirements 7.22 Final Project Proposal (FPP) for Fine Arts 7.48 Capital Outlay Funding 7.23 Final Project Proposal (FPP) for Science/Math 7.49 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 7.24 Health Department Inspections 7.50 Emergency Funding Request — J:\Planning & Bud- 7.25 Health Science Accreditation Document get Committee 7.26 Incident Command Post

7.27 Institutional Effectiveness Report — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/rreports. aspx

196 Cypress College Standard IIIC: Technology Of significant value — though not addressed in the Technology Plan — is the commitment of Cypress Resources College’s Academic Computing Staff to providing the Technology resources are used to support stu- college community with the technology resources and dent learning programs and services and to training necessary to thrive in this dynamic environ- improve institutional effectiveness. Technol- ment. Academic Computing staff members are quick ogy planning is integrated with institutional to respond and resolve issues. They routinely evalu- planning. ate new technologies and are purposeful in deploying them. Most importantly, they are focused on providing 1. The institution assures that any technol- proactive solutions for the needs of the College and the ogy support it provides is designed to meet college community. Members of Academic Comput- the needs of learning, teaching, college-wide ing are committed to doing their jobs efficiently, cost- communications, research, and operational effectively, and with a positive attitude. systems. The Academic Computing Staff of nine currently in- Descriptive Summary cludes: Cypress College recognizes the importance of instruc- ◊ 1 Manager, Systems Technology Services tional and operational technology in the success of the (Interim) educational mission of the College. Technology plan- ◊ 1 Administrative Assistant II ning is purposefully integrated with Cypress College institutional planning in order to enable and encour- ◊ 2 PC Technicians: Responsible for age a wide and varied use of technology to support 1600+ computers on campus student learning programs and services as well as to ◊ 1 User Support Analyst: Responsible for improve institutional effectiveness. Technology is inte- Helpdesk functions and email services grated through all five of the College’s Strategic Plan ◊ 2 Applications Support directions (8.3). • 1 responsible for the campus website Technology planning serves as a guide for the day-to- and web based program develop- day operations, educational mission, and strategic ini- ment tiatives of the College and is a key component in creating a dynamic environment for the use of information • 1 responsible for Virtual Servers and technology. program development The Cypress College Technology Plan (8.1) provides a ◊ 2 IT Services Coordinators thoughtful and measured vision for how information • 1 responsible for the Network, Infra- technology is to be developed, used, and applied at the structure, and security appliances College over the next three years. The plan functions with the understanding that Cypress College is a multi- disciplined institution with an emphasis in distinct academic and career-oriented divisions: Business & CIS, Health Science, Fine Arts, Language Arts, Social Sci- ence, Physical Education, Career Technical Education & Economic Development, and Science, Engineering & Mathematics. A practical approach is taken in bal- ancing the need for information technology security with the need for flexible access of academic groups and operational areas. The plan also considers the importance of effective access to the College’s infrastructure and information assets from anywhere and at any time.

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 197 • 1 responsible for “after hours” sup- ogy support and meeting the needs of learning, teach- port of the Network, Infrastructure, ing, college-wide communications, research, and op- and classroom technology erational systems is truly a team effort and has been The Academic Computing staff develops and pro- proven to be successful for all involved. motes new instructional support technology and main- The department continues to offer training for Group- tains current systems across campus. Considering the wise (email), web editor, and CITRIX systems through- amount of equipment deployment in use (which ex- out the semester at various times to better facilitate staff pands each semester), staffing is lean for the number and full-time and part-time faculty using these systems. of computers and programs being served. Current The Academic Computing Department utilizes an in- computer and multimedia equipment supported by the house web application to register faculty and staff in Academic Computing Staff consists of: these classes. ◊ 1619 computer systems (PC and MAC) The Cypress College educational mission is supported ◊ 24 Physical file servers by campus technology through Academic Computing, by District technology through NOCCCD Informa- ◊ 45 Virtual file servers tion Services, and by technological resources available ◊ 38 Computer labs through the State Chancellor’s Office. ◊ 6 Computer classrooms As an institution, the College employs various instruments to determine ongoing and future technologi- ◊ 103 Instructional station classrooms cal needs. More specifically, the College’s Technology ◊ ~70 Smart technology classrooms Plan, Strategic Plan, Student Services Master Plan, and Educational Master Plan guide the technology needs To aid staff members charged with daily maintenance of the campus. New technology is generally driven by and support, the College has been making its class- instructional needs as defined by the College in the fol- rooms “smarter,” easier to use, and standardized across lowing plans. campus. Standardization of multimedia equipment (i.e. projectors, DVD/VCR players, and classroom computers and the addition of enterprise control sys- Campus Plans tems) makes it possible to maintain, monitor, and op- The Cypress College Education Master Plan (8.2) and erate systems remotely. Remote control of systems as the Cypress College Strategic Plan (8.3) are the guid- well as providing instructors with more user-friendly ing plans for the campus. An organizational chart of tools to operate classroom multimedia has improved the College Strategic Plan illustrates how the campus troubleshooting and instructor support. planning committees work with one another and drive campus decisions. Identifying technology needs plays It should be noted that there is very little overlap of a key role in most of the Strategic Plan — and specifi- skill sets in support of the systems. However, every staff cally in Directions 1 and 3 (8.3). member continues to help one another when needed. Because of this, the Academic Computing staff have a Each campus division develops its own plan, included close relationship with faculty. Staff are welcomed to in the College’s Educational Master Plan, which has a conduct classroom observations to better understand technology component driven by internal assessments, faculty and student needs. This information gathering curriculum, and student learning outcomes (SLOs). For is crucial in matching the right technology for each in- example, the Business & CIS division has an advisory structional situation. committee composed of community members and instructors who are experts in their respective fields of Vendors also play a crucial role bringing their expe- technology. Through this partnership, they assist in de- riences with other educational institutions for evalua- veloping curriculum and identifying the lab equipment tion in the College’s own environment. Additionally, needed to train students in the latest technologies. Academic Computing staff work very closely with the campus Facilities Department in coordinating projects The budget to support technology on an ongoing ba- and ultimately providing complete systems. Technol- sis per the College’s Technology Plan is allocated by

198 Cypress College the campus. There are additional needs at the campus Planning and Budget Committee, all relevant cam- that are supported from a variety of sources. Any iden- pus constituent groups, and finally to the President’s tified needs are brought to the attention of Planning Advisory Cabinet for approval. The Technology Plan and Budget Committee. The committee evaluates the encompasses the Computer Replacement Schedule importance as well as urgency of the need and tries to (8.14), which, in conjunction with the physical inven- identify potential sources of funding. Needs of this na- tory maintained by the Academic Computing Staff, ture are funded from grant money or carryover funds. ensures that campus computers are on a 3 to 5 year In either case, the process involves need evaluation, replacement cycle. The campus has committed an- implementation planning, and approval from the Plan- nual one-time funding to this project with instructional ning and Budget Committee. computers having top priority. While the Computer Technology needs also play a significant role in the Replacement Schedule is not a formal plan, Academic Cypress College Student Services Master Plan (8.4). Computing does evaluate the systems up for replace- Each of the subsections within this plan has a technol- ment and develops a working plan with a strategy to ogy section identifying technological needs necessary leverage the College’s current investment and ultimate- to providing services to students. ly extending the usable life of the equipment in question. The Computer Replacement Schedule is created with consideration for current system usage, pending Academic Computing Operational Plans software upgrades and requirements, and necessary Academic Computing prepares the College Technol- upgrades to systems. Using this schedule, the oldest ogy Plan (8.5) in consultation with the Cypress College computers are cycled out to surplus, stripped for spare Campus Technology Committee. parts, and in many cases, replaced with newer models. Academic Computing operational support procedures are implemented to identify and support the comput- Self Evaluation ing needs across campus. PC Computers receive full Technology effectiveness and use is measured both hardware and software support including the Windows quantitatively and qualitatively. The Institutional Re- operating system and base software imaging. The cam- search Office helps to direct a campus-wide Program pus-based software image includes virus protection, the and Quality Review. Program Review allows for in- Microsoft Office suite, the necessary clients for Novell, dividual departments and programs to evaluate their and Internet access. needs including technology planning. It is the respon- Apple Computer hardware systems are also fully sup- sibility of each department or program to address its ported. However, Apple software receives limited sup- technology planning needs by seeking funding and ap- port. Academic Computing makes a “best effort” at- provals through the campus Planning and Budget pro- tempt to resolve issues and/or facilitate repairs through cess. Academic Computing provides consulting and a third-party vendor. specification recommendations for technology purchases as well as subsequent technology support. The Campus Technology Committee (CTC) & The Campus Services Quality Review Satisfaction the Technology Plan Survey (8.6) performed during the Spring 2010 se- The Campus Technology Committee (CTC) (8.5) is a mester provided useful survey information about Aca- shared-governance committee that reports to Planning demic Computing services. The survey results showed and Budget with recommendations on the direction of overall satisfaction in the quality and level of service technology on campus. This committee is a forum for and support provided by Academic Computing. The addressing technology needs across the campus. Issues survey results indicated that, “Each core area was rat- addressed by the CTC include maintenance, usage, ed as favorable 84% of the time or greater.” Most re- and ongoing support policies and procedures. spondents indicated that they were satisfied with the “overall quality of service” (92%). In addition, students CTC is responsible for the annual review and for the indicated that they were most satisfied with “staff help- implementation of the objectives defined in the Cam- fulness” with a satisfaction rating of 96%.” (8.6, p.1) pus Technology Plan (8.1), which is submitted to the

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 199 A customer satisfaction survey (8.7) is offered electroni- Decisions regarding technology services, facilities, cally upon closure of every Trouble Log System ticket. hardware, and software that require or could poten- Since the beginning of 2009, the Trouble Log surveys tially require shared use districtwide are generally have been overwhelmingly positive. Two IT Techni- brought to the weekly District Technology Roundtable cians are responsible for over 1,600 computers on (DTR) (8.11) meeting. The IT Directors from Cypress campus, and that number continues to grow each year. College, Fullerton College, NOCCCD Information While the number of servers and desktop computers Services, (Anaheim campus), and the School of Con- increases, the staff supporting those systems continues tinuing Education share ideas and determine whether to remain static in number. to proceed collectively or at the campus level only. This Technology use is monitored through the interactions committee meets weekly by conference call and once between Academic Computing and campus faculty and a month face to face to provide a forum for existing staff. Faculty and Academic Computing staff members and potential vendors. DTR’s role is to collaborate on work together to evaluate the needs of each instruc- projects, share resources (Gartner Group Research) tional lab and determine a strategy to allow the labs to and ideas, and develop policy and standards where efficiently support instruction for the next 3 years. applicable. Some of the collaborative projects include Microsoft Agreement, Maintenance Contract review, New technology is also funded and evaluated through Credit Card Processing, and an Emergency Notifica- federal, state, and community business partnerships tion System. A complete list of ongoing and potential such as the Perkins grant (8.8), which provides federal projects is identified as “DTR Collaborative Projects” funding to improve Career Technical Education pro- (8.15). grams. Academic Computing is charged with managing the campus technology resources. Academic Computing Planning Agenda uses many forums of information and collaboration None. available from varying sources in choices for meeting technology needs from the Wide Area Network to the 1.a. Technology services, professional sup- classroom. The College decision-making process at the port, facilities, hardware, and software are institutional level encompasses collaboratively created designed to enhance the operation and effec- planning documents, standing committees, and ad hoc tiveness of the institution. committees that oversee the planning for technology services, facilities, hardware, and software. Descriptive Summary Support for Distance Education Support for Overall Campus Functions The Cypress College Distance Education Program The Technology Plan is used to support decisions (DE) manages online and hybrid distance education made at all levels at Cypress College. Generally, total course offerings. Selective DE resources are managed cost of ownership is a determining factor in technology separately but in consultation with Academic Comput- decision making including costs for adoption, mainte- ing. Examples of available resources are Groupwise, nance, support, replacement, licensing, and knowledge Webmail, Web Editor, and Turnitin.com. Decisions re- base costs. garding Distance Education technology resources are Academic Computing staff members also rely upon based on the goals and outcomes found in the DE Plan the experiences of their peers at other campuses and (8.10). institutions across the state. Vendors play a key role in Distance Education faculty members are served by the delivering new and emerging technology information campus technology services available to all faculty and by way of trade shows, webinars, personal visits, and staff. These services include access to the Academic equipment demonstrations. Gartner Group Research Computing Help Desk for any of their computing (8.9) is also available to help guide the direction the needs and access to the College website, which hosts College takes in its choices of available technology. the Distance Education site and individual faculty

200 Cypress College home pages. Distance Education is also serving as a Self Evaluation pilot group for the development of a Virtual Desktop The campus Technology Plan is serving the campus Interface (VDI) and ThinApp from VMWare. These well in its current format in addition to being updated services will allow Distance Education faculty to access for continued use across campus. By collaborating with a broader range of applications and files for themselves District Technology Roundtable (DTR) team mem- and their students and save the program and the Col- bers, the College has also realized monetary savings lege software licensing costs. In the future, VDI may combining hardware and software purchases where ultimately be offered campuswide. possible, renegotiating Service Level Agreements (SLA) The only official course management system for Cy- for existing maintenance contracts for both hardware press College Distance Education is Blackboard.com, and software, and working closer together addressing version 9.1. The NOCCCD Information Services sup- issues beneficial to all campuses. The Distance Edu- ports Distance Education technology at Cypress Col- cation program continues to grow in course offerings lege with consultation services and automatic course and attendance and has successfully completed a ma- management system enrollments (Snapshot) support jor software upgrade. Finally, Academic Computing between BANNER and Blackboard. continues to grow its current deployment and knowledge base of Virtual Desktop Interface (VDI) systems Distance Education also contracts for Integration Cus- including ThinApp applications for use across campus tomization Maintenance Support (ICM). ICM is an as an alternative to purchasing or replacing computers. annual subscription-based upgrade maintenance program contracted specifically for Snapshot™. ICM provides coverage for data integration, including the use Planning Agenda of existing integration tools, scheduled upgrade main- None. tenance events, and troubleshooting in the event of un- 1.b. The institution provides quality training expected behaviors. Blackboard Inc. advertises 99.7% in the effective application of its information uptime and safeguards against threats to physical and technology to students and personnel. data security, natural disasters, and network outages of any kind. Descriptive Summary Academic Computing also provides additional storage support for Distance Education by using “EduStream” Development and creation of a training plan is part of and providing on-campus storage services for DE train- any campus hardware or software adoption impacting ing delivery. EduStream is a proprietary web service college personnel. Student training is limited to access and web access portal created and maintained by the to the wireless Internet. San Bernardino Community College District under Training for students is a campus-wide responsibility. grant funding by the California Community College Academic Computing provides wireless access training Chancellor’s Office. to staff and lab managers who, in turn, train students. Web-enhanced courses are not Distance Education Library faculty and staff provide instruction in the use courses and while they provide virtual resources on- of technological resources related to research and li- line, no instruction takes place separated at a distance. brary use. The Learning Resource Center (LRC) coor- District Information Services hosts the Luminis web dinator and other staff members provide orientations portal called myGateway (8.22), which includes course for classes at the start of the semester and one-on-one support features designed for web-enhanced courses. help as needed with the technology on the open floor. Each course home page includes announcements, ba- The College’s instructional designer trains LRC staff sic threaded discussions, limited link creation, file, and to help online students with the course management image upload. Faculty members also have the option system. A Reading Department faculty member en- of choosing Blackboard as a web-enhanced delivery sures student competence in assisting students with tool. Plato instructional software (8.24). Instructors and lab assistants train students on course-specific applications. Distance Education provides instructor training on

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 201 how to set up student orientation materials and offers ◊ Shared Storage: group and individual support through the Distance Education Office for the training and support for network drives course management system. Classroom Technology Academic Computing provides faculty and staff train- ◊ Smart Classroom: group and individual ing for all Enterprise, Office Productivity, and class- training and support room technology systems. Additional training and support for classroom technology is offered by Staff ◊ Technology Carts: group and individual Development and the Instructional Design Office (Ap- training and support pendix A). ◊ Course Management System: Distance With the exception of myGateway, Academic Comput- Education provides faculty training and ing provides primary support for the systems defined support below. myGateway receives primary support from ◊ TracDat: SLO Coordinator, the SLO Fa- District IT staff, and Cypress Academic Computing cilitator, and the Instructional Designer provides secondary support as needed. However, ques- provides group and individual training tions regarding myGateway generally filter through the and support. Cypress College Helpdesk and are answered without escalating to District Helpdesk. Self Evaluation Enterprise Systems The Campus Services Quality Review Satisfaction ◊ myGateway: Staff Development provides Survey (8.6) performed during the Spring 2010 semes- support and training ter provided useful survey information about Academ- ◊ Remote Access to Administrative sys- ic Computing services. The purpose of the survey was tems: Individualized training for Citrix to collect employee opinions about academic computing at Cypress College. The goal was to improve the ◊ Videoconferencing and Teleconferenc- quality of services provided by this area. A total of 235 ing: Individualized training responses were collected through an online survey dis- ◊ Wireless Access: Training provided to tributed through campus email to all employees. staff and lab managers Employees were then asked to rate academic com- ◊ Campus Website: Academic Comput- puting on eleven measures of quality, including one ing oversees Datatel web management measure of overall satisfaction, as well as two open system user accounts; the Instructional ended questions asking for feedback about what was Designer provides training for staff and most helpful and what else could be done to help. The faculty home page, department accounts, valid percent for “Excellent” and “Good” were com- and special program Web Editor Ac- bined to obtain a composite score of the percentage counts; support is offered through both of favorable responses. Each core area was rated as the Instructional Design office and the favorable 84% of the time or greater. The six core ar- Academic Computing Help Desk. eas were hours of operation, response time, clarity of procedures, usefulness of materials, staff helpfulness, ◊ Campus Surveillance: Individual train- and staff knowledge. Most respondents indicated that ing and support they were satisfied with the “overall quality of service” Office Productivity (92%). In addition, students indicated that they were most satisfied with “staff helpfulness” with a satisfac- ◊ Groupwise Email: group and individual tion rating of 96%. training and support The survey also included four items that looked at sat- ◊ Personal Computing: application specific isfaction with various aspects of the area. With the group and individual training and sup- recent changes to the College website, 66% said it was port for Microsoft Office and Windows easy to find information on the web, and 73% said the OS

202 Cypress College information from the website was useful. With the new- End of Life information provided by manufacturers. ly added position to cover needs after normal business This information gives Academic Computing the abil- hours, over 77% of respondents said they were pleased ity to produce a three- to five-year replacement sched- with that service. In addition, 89% of respondents said ule to help inform the campus Planning and Budget the office has follow through on major technology proj- Committee of future expenditures. Since 2009, all Dis- ects. Overall, the quantitative measures and qualitative trict sites have been working together to review of soft- comments indicated the high level of service provided ware purchases to bring those purchases and annual by Academic Computing is enjoyed and appreciated maintenance costs under one contract when feasible. by the users. There were suggestions to improve the user-friendliness of the campus website. Self Evaluation Cypress College Academic Computing continues to Academic Computing manages the campus systems work with the Campus Technology Committee (CTC) on a daily basis. Some systems require hourly mainte- and the Campus Technology Plan in providing equip- nance and/or monitoring to run at peak performance. ment, service, and support in addition to providing Early warning systems for the critical Network Opera- recommendations to the Planning and Budget Com- tions Center battery backup system and HVAC sys- mittee to fund future technology upgrades. It contin- tems are in place with text messaging and email sta- ues to update its three- to five-year technology plan- tus reports sent to staff mobile phones. Maintenance ning documents for network infrastructure equipment is accomplished both in-house and through outside replacement and work closer with faculty and staff vendors. Operational Maintenance is administered by in analyzing its current PC Replacement Plan needs. Academic Computing staff and backed up by Service Additionally, it continues to look for ways to support Level Agreements from third-party vendors. Hardware technology on campus remotely and by providing ad- support is administered by third-party Service Level ditional training to staff and faculty as requested and Agreements generally encompassing 24-hour service necessary. five days a week. Maintenance contracts and expenditures are moni- Planning Agenda tored and reviewed by Academic Computing in March None. of each year to plan for each new fiscal year. All Cisco Networking equipment maintenance is contracted un- 1.c. The institution systematically plans, ac- der one contract for the entire District. quires, maintains, and upgrades or replaces technology infrastructure and equipment to meet institutional needs. Physical Infrastructure The Cypress College Physical Infrastructure was built Descriptive Summary to Sumitomo and Systimax manufacturer’s specifications with full manufacturer warranty (20 year) stan- Academic Computing routinely tracks annual main- dards to address any related issues. tenance and life expectancy of its Enterprise network infrastructure equipment. It takes advantage of savings in annual maintenance costs through equipment stan- Server Technology dardization under one district-wide contract. The cam- Campus server technology includes the following ap- pus Computer Replacement Schedule assumes a three- plications to monitor and manage the various systems to five-year life cycle. However, in 2010 the College is used to support the campus community needs. in the second year of making a more detailed analysis ◊ VMware View: Managed from the view of computers up for replacement in an effort to lever- desktop manager and has built-in re- age current investment and deployment. Instructional sponses for memory, CPU and storage systems are top priority in those decisions. Academic alerts Computing maintains a listing of its Enterprise infrastructure equipment similar to the Computer Replace- ◊ Vcenter: Monitors and alerts to identify ment Schedule (8.14) that includes End of Service and problems with the ESX environment

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 203 supporting the bulk of the College’s services to campus network users. server farm ◊ Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS): All ◊ Windows 2008 server: Provides built-in Critical Campus systems and devices are support used to manage and identify is- physically connected to Enterprise UPS. sues with user logins In the event of power fluctuation or a complete campus-wide power failure, Network Infrastructure critical components will roll to an onsite UPS and continue to operate normally The Cisco Electronics supporting the College logical for approximately 90 minutes. Once the infrastructure are kept under continuous maintenance UPS is exhausted, a generator will be agreements, which entitle the College to software up- used to continue operations on a con- dates and support. Each of the 37 data rooms on cam- tinuous basis until power is restored. pus is physically cleaned on a rotational basis to maintain an optimum environment in an effort to maximize ◊ District Backup: Cypress College is also equipment life. directly connected to the District Infor- mation Systems. The District IT Systems Academic Computing upgrades technologies and ex- also have battery backup (UPS) systems plores new technologies to keep a high degree of auto- in addition to being directly connected to matic redundancy for services offered on and off cam- their site generator. pus.

◊ 2008 Server: The 2008 server supports Planning Agenda file replication and a domain base dis- tributer file system providing real time None. file redundancy spread across 2 to 4 serv- 1.d. The distribution and utilization of tech- ers depending on the critical nature of nology resources support the development, the files. maintenance, and enhancement of its pro- ◊ In Summer 2010, AVAMAR replaced grams and services. tape backup with real time redundant disk backup. Descriptive Summary ◊ Dell M100E: A blade chassis that offers The Campus Technology Committee (8.5) is com- triple power redundancy, quad network prised of representatives from faculty, management, redundancy dual SAN redundancy and students, and staff. The committee meets monthly to up to 16 redundant blades. The MDF coordinate the technology needs of the campus with also has the ability to be hooked up to the goals of the Cypress College Educational Master an external generator to provide power Plan (8.2), Strategic Plan (8.3), the Campus Technol- to the core system if the outage will last ogy Plan (8.1), and the Student Services Master Plan more than the 90 minutes of inline bat- (8.4). The Academic Computing Department gathers tery backup that is currently in place. input from the Campus Technology Committee as well Electrical plans are in the process of be- as information, needs, and concerns from members/ ing drawn to permanently connect one groups of the campus community in order to promote of the campus generators to the MDF effective and efficient use of technology and develop electrical panel for emergence power. technological partnerships among campus programs and departments. Examples of this type of information ◊ Cypress College Logical infrastructure: gathering and collaboration would include recent proj- Designed to provide logical redundancy ects for classrooms in the Humanities building. When to each building on campus. The design funding was made available to remodel the Humanities principles employed have built-in redun- building, Academic Computing met with members of dancy, which allows for a single Core the faculty to upgrade the technology carts used in the Switch to fail and still provide continuous

204 Cypress College classrooms. This effort also included a visit to a neigh- data security in addition to Payment Card Industry/ boring community college before final decisions were Data Security Standards (PCI/DSS) for the handling made in purchasing equipment. Once the needs were of credit card transactions across campus. Data and identified, an equipment list developed, and cart place- systems security are also a district-wide function as il- ment finalized, the project was incorporated into the lustrated in the District Technology Roundtable (DTR) building project’s plans. Prior to the building opening Collaborative Projects List (8.15). NOCCCD is also for classes, training sessions were developed and made developing a District standard for information security available to faculty in addition to hard-copy documen- specific to the campuses and District Enterprise System tation placed with each technology cart in all 48 class- (8.22). Security of both the campus and wide-area net- rooms. work infrastructures are randomly tested on an annual Another key addition to the new building was a need basis and consistently receive a “B” rating for network to develop computerized classrooms, three in total. security, which is a satisfactory rating for system/infra- Due to the number of computer workstations needed structure/network security to prohibiting threats or at- in conjunction with limited table space in each of the tacks to its data network. three rooms, a collaborative decision was made be- The following Security devices are deployed on the Cy- tween Academic Computing, the division dean, and press College Campus Network. faculty teaching in these rooms to use Virtural Desktop ◊ Firewall ASA 5550: Network edge Interface (VDI) technology. One of the main concerns Enterprise firewall is used to protect the for this project was trying to identify a system that campus from malicious attacks from out- would allow for optimum table space for students to side Internet sources. Common attacks complete assignments alone and in collaboration with would include Denial of Service and one another. Basic Skills Grant monies were sought af- Port Scan attacks. ter and subsequently awarded to the division to complete the project, and all three classrooms are being ◊ SCM 3200 Appliance: The Network fully utilized. These are just two examples of the kind Edge email scanning appliance. This ap- of thought processes and collaboration that takes place pliance is used to scan all inbound email to provide faculty and students the best possible solu- for viruses, SPAM and phishing signa- tions to enhance the teaching and learning experience tures and quarantine this traffic based on at Cypress College. policy prior to being delivered to a user mail box. This policy is designed to stop Portions of grant monies are also used to upgrade tech- the propagation of malicious traffic that nology in classrooms and labs. As newer systems are may be undetected by the end user. purchased and integrated, they become the new standard for many divisions across campus to use in class- ◊ Safeconnect NAC: This appliance is rooms. used for Network Access Control of Campus wireless network users. The Ap- Self Evaluation pliance enforces the posture of a wireless device prior to the device gaining On a daily basis, Cypress College employs the tools and access to the campus network. The level applications necessary to ensure the security and integ- of security is based on policy defined by rity of the campus network and infrastructure. These administrators. The policy includes Os appliances and applications are essential to network patch level, virus and spyware defini- administrators to aid in ensuring a secure network en- tions, and music sharing and download vironment for staff and student user communities in policy. an ongoing effort to prevent data loss in addition to malicious attacks against network services. A high level ◊ Bluecoat Packet Shaper: This appliance of human intervention is involved in securing a net- is used to manage network bandwidth work from malicious attack. As an educational institu- and network protocols. The appliance is tion, the College operates under FERPA Guidelines for also used to identify and ultimately stop malicious traffic that may have infected

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 205 staff or student workstations. ◊ Learning Center Lab: Component of the Learning Resource Center in the ◊ McAfee Desktop Suite: Application LLRC resides locally on all campus workstations scanning for viruses and malicious ◊ Writing and Reading Lab: Component applications that may embed themselves of the Learning Resource Center in the on campus workstations. LLRC ◊ Cisco Access Control Server: Used by ◊ Computer Applications and Office Tech- Academic Computing to manage Secure nology Labs: Business & CIS division Access to all campus network switches, ◊ Disabled Students Program and Services routers and access points. The function classroom: DSPS of this server is to prevent unauthorized access to network devices. The ability ◊ Photography Lab: Technical Education of the application to log all attempts to II access these devices provides insight to ◊ Computer Graphics Lab: Fine Arts administrators regarding the presence of building potential intruders. ◊ Distance Learning Lab: Component of Additional Security Features the Learning Resource Center in the 1. Virus Protection: Anti-Virus software is LLRC, not associated with Distance part of the standard software package Education on College computers and configured to ◊ Math Lab: Component of the Learning update on a daily basis. Resource Center in the LLRC 2. Password Protection: All computer ac- Students also have access to computers in various counts must have a password. campus locations to access Internet services and Col- 3. Network Segregation: The network is lege services; more specifically, in the Student Services divided into two parts: an administra- building, Admissions and Records for online registra- tive/ staff area and a student area. Only tion, the Career and Transfer Centers, and the Student the administrative/staff area has access Activity Center. to the College’s Banner system. The campus infrastructures are designed and built 4. Server Backup: All Enterprise servers are based upon the District’s Telecommunications Stan- backed up on a regular basis dards (8.16). All cabling is designed and built holding a 15- to 20-year warranty in performance and work- 5. Spam Filters: Academic Computing im- manship. Any new construction or additional work plemented anti-spam/anti-virus software must follow these standards and warranties. The Col- for its Groupwise email system and to lege is on its third revision of the District Telecommu- monitor network traffic. nications Standards (8.17) document, which serves as a 6. Software Updates: The Groupwise email planning guide for architects working with the District system was upgraded in January 2010 to improve current facilities and create new facilities to the latest version to make the system as funding becomes available. Needs for renovated or more robust. new buildings are assessed to assure that the College provides the technology best suited for the learning en- Computer labs and/or stations are available through- vironment. This has resulted in new smart classrooms out the College to support teaching and learning and that have “plug and play” computer systems for the student services. Software in these labs is generally up- instructors to use. These classrooms also have ceiling- dated at the beginning of each academic year so that mounted projectors, sound systems, Internet connec- students have access to the most up-to-date software tion, DVD and video capabilities, and document cam- the campus can deploy and support. eras.

206 Cypress College The College provides both computer equipment and program and service areas are met beyond the results servers in support of Distance Education courses. Dis- of the Cycle of Quality Review. The College’s Campus tance Education faculty are assigned computers, either Technology Committee follows a shared-governance desktops or laptops, to support their courses. These model, with representation from across all constituen- computers were upgraded in the Desktop Rollout re- cies. This group provides guidance and feedback on placement. The Desktop Rollout Project provided a the utilization of technology and the needs of the cam- computer to all full-time faculty and access to shared pus. Along with employee and student involvement, computers for part-time faculty. there are a number of campus documents that address The College provides computer equipment (PCs) to the technology needs of the College. Such documents each full-time faculty member’s office. Laptops are also include the Technology Plan (8.1), the Distance Educa- made available to faculty each semester for checkout. tion Plan (8.10), the Institutional Effectiveness Report Adjunct faculty have a workroom for use on campus (8.19), the Student Services Master Plan (8.4), the Facil- that includes PCs and printers. The campus PC Re- ities Plan (8.20), the Strategic Plan for 2008-2011(8.3), placement Plan allows for a number of these systems the Educational Master Plan (8.2) and the Basic Skills to be upgraded as newer systems are purchased for in- Action Plans (8.21). structional labs. The older systems are identified and The prioritization of technology needs occurs on a replaced on a “First In-First Out” method. number of levels. Individual programs and departments are permitted to make technology purchases Planning Agenda within budget allocations while working in conjunction with Academic Computing. However, the primary None. method involves the campus-wide “one-time” budget 2. Technology planning is integrated with in- process, through the Planning and Budget Commit- stitutional planning. The institution systemat- tee. This process provides the framework for financial ically assesses the effective use of technology resources for replacement hardware, technology, and resources and uses the results of evaluation as media. This funding has been given a high priority in the basis for improvement. the past or has even been funded ahead of the process. Generally funding is provided based on the Replace- Descriptive Summary ment Plan for that given year (8.25). Cypress College is nearing the end of a construction cycle spurred by passage of a local bond measure in Self Evaluation 2002 (8.23). The decisions made during this recent ren- Technology has generally received a high priority, but ovation and expansion of the campus emanated from the competition for funding has increased while state- planning a process that solicited input and collabora- allocated resources have dwindled. The College is able tion from all impacted parties. For each construction to meet its immediate and pressing technology needs project, the employees who would occupy the space through creative solutions such as utilization of thin were interviewed by the project planners. Likewise, the clients and virtualization in order to meet the demands project planning and implementation included tech- of a growing desktop-computer replacement need on nology representation from both the campus and dis- campus. trict level. Decisions were also made using information The College and District can point to a number of suc- from the previous Educational Master Plan (8.2). cesses in recent years as an indicator of effectiveness Cypress College Academic Computing area is re- in meeting the needs of the campus. Specific successes viewed as part of the Campus Support Services area. include: the deployment of a new website, implemen- These services completed a Quality Review in 2004, tation of the myGateway student portal, expansion of 2007, and 2010. Such comprehensive reviews include online-based education, deployment of a campus-wide utilization of a Campus Services Quality Review Satis- wireless network, implementation of a campus-wide faction Survey (8.6). There are a number of additional video system, installation of electronic marquees and methods utilized to determine that technology needs in scoreboards, the opening of four new buildings and

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 207 the provision of technology needs in swing space dur- 8.12 Appendix A ing construction, installation of servers to facilitate a 8.14 Campus Computer Replacement Schedule virtual environment, and the design and deployment of “smart classroom” technology and technology carts 8.15 District Technology Roundtable Collaborative Proj- across the campus. ects List Academic Computing is also regarded across the col- 8.16 District Telecommunications Standards, Third Revi- lege community as being a responsive group both in sion terms of short-term, immediate computer-repair needs 8.17 Learning Resource Center (LRC) Technology Re- and long-term, bigger picture issues. This feedback is sources received via online surveys sent to campus email for 8.18 Cypress College Climate Survey 2010 — www. “trouble tickets” that have been completed (8.26). The cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/ department is responsive to end user’s needs and ques- rsurveys.aspx tions. One such instance resulted in extending the cam- 8.19 Institutional Effectiveness Report — www.cypress- pus video-monitoring system onto laptop computers college.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/rreports. for use in the campus safety vehicles over the campus aspx wireless network. 8.20 Facilities Plan Planning Agenda 8.21 Basic Skills Action Plans — www.cypresscollege. edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments.aspx None. 8.22 myGateway website — mygateway.nocccd.edu/cp/ home/loginf Reference Documents 8.23 Measure X Bond passed for renovation projects 8.1 Cypress College Technology Plan — www.cypress- 8.24 Learning Resource Center (LRC) Technology Re- college.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocu- sources document ments.aspx 8.25 Replacement Plan 8.2 Cypress College Education Master Plan — www. cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/ 8.26 Online Survey Results pdocuments.aspx

8.3 Cypress College Strategic Plan, 2008-2011 — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalRe- search/pdocuments.aspx

8.4 Cypress College Student Services Master Plan, 2007-2014 — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/Insti- tutionalResearch/pdocuments.aspx

8.5 Campus Technology Committee

8.6 Campus Services Quality Review Satisfaction Sur- vey 2010 — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/Institu- tionalResearch/rsurveys.aspx

8.7 Customer Satisfaction Survey

8.8 Perkins Grant

8.9 Gartner Group Research

8.10 Cypress College Distance Education Plan — www. cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/ pdocuments.aspx

8.11 Directors Technology Roundtable (DTR) Committee

208 Cypress College Appendix Chart for organizing information: IIIC 1.b What technology training does the institution provide to students and personnel? How does the insti- to students and personnel? How information: organizing technology training does the institution provide Chart for IIIC 1.b What faculty and staff for support it provides the training and technical that is the training effective tution ensure How and effective? appropriate are provided?

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 209 210 Cypress College Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 211 212 Cypress College Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 213 214 Cypress College Standard IIID: Financial period, is the umbrella for other College plans. Most importantly, the EMP focuses the directions of the Resources Strategic Plan, which is the vehicle to guide short-term The success of the College is dependent on sound, pru- and long-term decision making including resource al- dent fiscal practices to support the Mission of the Col- location. lege. Through the past several years, Cypress has been At each budget development cycle, the College sets innovative in conserving its resources. In recent years, goals for achievement that include enrollment growth the College has had to adapt in the face of reduc- targets, full-time faculty obligation, development of tions of State funding. This is evident by the positive new programs and business partnerships, facilities and results of the external Financial and Compliance an- maintenance needs, contract commitments, and other nual audits. The College community is well informed long-term commitments as evidenced in the Depart- regarding financial issues and Board actions that have ment Planning and Program Review for Instructional an impact on the operations and the ability to provide and Student Support Services areas and Campus Sup- quality education. Campus constituents are able to port Services (9.2). provide feedback by various methods to assist with utilizing financial resources appropriately. Every three years, Instructional Program Review allows faculty to evaluate how well a program is serving 1. The institution relies upon its mission and students and how it is related to the mission of the insti- goals as the foundation for financial planning. tution. The instructional program review takes a criti- 1.a. Financial planning is integrated with and cal look at the resources that have been allocated and supports all institutional planning. that are required to run a program successfully. After an overall evaluation of the quantitative and qualita- Descriptive Summary tive data pertaining to a program, the Program Review Committee prepares its report and ultimately the pro- The College’s financial planning and budget develop- gram review process is expected to make continuous ment processes reflect the vision, mission, core values, improvement to the quality of instruction offered to priorities, and goals of the College. The Planning and students. Budget Committee (PBC), a college-wide shared-governance committee, serves as the primary recommend- The following describes the College’s standard prac- ing body to the President’s Advisory Cabinet (PAC) on tice regarding one-time budget requests; however, in general planning and budget issues for the campus and response to the state budget crisis for 2009 and 2010, conveys to PAC the views of the campus community the process was temporarily suspended. The Planning on matters relevant to both planning and budget for and Budget Committee recommended in 2009 that in the College. At the onset of each budget planning cy- light of the serious reduction in funds available from cle, PBC reviews the mission and goals of the College the state, only critical-need items would be considered. as part of the fiscal planning and preparation process. This mitigated the need for the work-intensive regu- PBC identifies goals and actions for campus-wide in- lar process. In consideration of this special circum- volvement. Priorities for annual planning and budget- stance, the Direction Committees were not required to ing are established by measures of broad institutional convene. For the 2010-2011 academic year, because effectiveness and department or program goals estab- the state budget crisis had not been resolved, and in lished through cyclical quality review processes (9.1). consideration of the fact that the College’s Strategic At the last accreditation cycle, the Accrediting Com- Plan objectives were nearly complete, the Planning and mission for Community and Junior College (ACCJC) Budget Committee recommended that the convening recommended that an Educational Master Plan (EMP) of the Direction Committees should once again be de- be written. The College took steps to develop an EMP ferred. Based upon the College’s current understand- to serve as the “foundational document” for the coming of projections for the next budget cycle, it is antici- prehensive planning process. The Educational Mas- pated that the standard practice will resume in 2011. ter Plan was completed and submitted to ACCJC on Each Spring, the campus-wide budget request process October 15, 2006. The EMP, which covers a ten-year is implemented. The One-Time budget request pro-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 215 cess and timeline is distributed via an “allusers” email ◊ Growth of programs and/or work area in December. Step-by-step instructions are provided ◊ Quality of program and/or work area to complete the necessary budget forms (9.3). Each of the College’s eighteen Budget Units begins discussing ◊ Demonstrated need within the Budget their individual program needs as addressed in their Unit program reviews and department goals. Faculty, staff, ◊ Support of health/safety/security issues budget managers, and administrators work together to develop their budget requests and use a shared-gover- A representative of the Budget Unit may be called to nance process to select their top priorities to submit as clarify requests for the Direction Committee, if need- requests for funding (9.4). These requests must each ed. Upon review and discussion of all the requests, identify which one of the five Directions of the Strate- each Direction Committee develops one list of recom- gic Plan it supports. All forms and instructions can be mended priorities to submit to the Planning and Bud- easily accessed on the College’s J: drive. get Committee. Priorities of the Directional Commit- tees are honored, if possible; however, on occasion, the By the deadline set forth in the timeline, each Budget Planning and Budget Committee may alter the recom- Unit submits its prioritized budget requests to the Busi- mended priority, if in its estimation, there is reason to ness and Auxiliary Services Office. The office then co- do so. The Planning and Budget Committee develops ordinates the distribution of the campus-wide requests one final campus-wide list of prioritized requests and to the chairpersons of the five directional committees, forwards the list to the President’s Advisory Cabinet one representing each direction of the Strategic Plan. (PAC) with a recommendation for funding. PAC re- Any requests that identify health/safety/security issues views the prioritized requests at its last meeting in May. are reviewed separately by the Campus Safety Com- mittee for completion of a risk assessment report. The Early in the following Fall semester, the Planning and Campus Safety Committee may consult with outside Budget Committee identifies all available sources of professionals, if needed, to assist in the risk assessment. funding to help support the list of budget requests. Ad- PBC uses the Planning and Budget Safety Review form ditionally, restrictions of specific grant funds that are to evaluate and identify items earmarked to be given identified to fund items on the prioritized list may drive highest priority (9.5). some decisions on funding priorities that appear out of order. Certain requests that require year-to-year funding to maintain a program or involve broader legal issues that The Executive Vice President of Educational Pro- require immediate response from the campus may be grams and Support Services and the Vice President of given higher priority by the Planning and Budget Com- Administrative Services work together with the division mittee. These high priority requests are pulled from the deans and the many campus constituencies to achieve priority process to be included in an Advanced Fund- balanced and effective financial planning that supports ing list. The committee may choose to fund these items the College’s programs, goals, and strategies. immediately without submitting them to a Direction Since the primary method the State uses to allocate re- Committee. The Vice President of Administrative Ser- sources is by full-time equivalent students (FTES), the vices then convenes a meeting of the chairpersons of monitoring of FTES is critical to the successful opera- the five Directional Committees to review the prioriti- tion of the College. Not generating enough FTES can zation process and to verify the appropriate commit- result in reduced apportionment income, and gener- tee placement of the requests. Then each of the five ating more than the State-established cap can result Direction Committees meet to prioritize the requests in unfunded enrollment. Establishing an appropriate from the Budget Units. The priority of the Budget FTES strategy and budget parameter, therefore, is Unit may be considered, but the work of the Direction fundamental to the budgeting process. The District es- Committees is based upon the following criteria: tablishes priorities among competing needs by holding ◊ Supports College mission, Educational several discussions at District Planning Council Meet- Master Plan, Student Services Master ings (DPC). DPC is a district-wide committee com- Plan and Strategic Plan prised of all constituency representation and chaired by the Chancellor. Based on the committee’s work, a

216 Cypress College framework for the budget process is established and sultation with grant-makers and the grant’s committee any necessary shifts are made to annual FTES targets. (if any). For example, there is a consultative committee An integral part of the District’s budget comes from for the Perkins Grant on campus that is responsible for resources carried over from prior-year operations. The implementation of the Perkins Grant (9.7). budget center carryovers can be used to backfill bud- The carryover funds are used to provide support for get reductions, purchase instructional equipment, as- emergency needs, one-time funding needs, and special sist with overtime and hourly support, supplement ex- projects. The President’s Staff recommends the allo- tended-day budgets, or pay any other expense deemed cation of carryover funds. The Planning and Budget a priority by the budget center or identified as a goal Committee (PBC) reviews the recommendation and in the College-wide Strategic Plan. Requests are chan- upon approval, forwards the recommendation to the neled through departmental planning processes such President’s Advisory Cabinet (PAC). Both PBC and as program reviews and goals set by each department PAC are comprised of representatives from all con- (9.6). The College regularly reviews its Strategic Plan, stituencies on the campus, and both these bodies make Educational Master Plan, Student Services Master decisions that are based on consensus. Once funds are Plan, and the Five-Year Construction Plan. Different allocated, the Vice President’s office calls for propos- campus constituencies have ample opportunities and als from the campus. The proposals are evaluated by are encouraged and invited to participate in the budget all members of PBC individually, and upon consen- development process. Campus-wide planning and the sus, funding recommendations are made to PAC (9.8). established strategic priorities drive the budget alloca- Electronic communications are sent to the entire cam- tion process. pus community via “allusers” mail for relevant topics The Planning and Budget Committee oversees major such as the annual one-time budget request process decisions related to the budget, including allocation of and the classified staff needs assessment. carryover funds and establishment of a contingency The tentative budget submitted to the Board each June fund for unanticipated needs. The budget allocation provides the basis for managing and monitoring expen- process at Cypress College is broadly divided in two ar- ditures early in the year. Once the Board approves the eas. As is the case for most postsecondary educational tentative budget, the District has an operating plan un- institutions, the major part of the budget is in person- til the official state budget is finalized and a final bud- nel and fixed expenses such as benefits, maintenance get can be developed and approved by the Board. It is and operations, and insurance. The personnel position the benchmark against which to measure fiscal perfor- part of the budget process is rolled over from one year mance for the remainder of the fiscal year. The budget to the next by the District Finance Staff. Other budget reports, audit reports, and Retiree Benefits Actuarial line items are entered at the campus level after the Dis- Study Reports are posted on the District’s website (9.9). trict office calculates the revenue anticipated and allocates resources to the colleges to perform budget data entry. Centralizing allocation of some budgets helps Self Evaluation achieve economies of scale for major purchases such At each budget development process, the College aims as healthcare or insurance. The College oversees the to link budget allocations and funding for staffing to allocation of campus carryover funds and grant funds. program reviews and other College planning docu- Carryover funds are generated from multiple areas. As ments. Planning documents are presented to the Board the name suggests, any unutilized fund at the end of and are made available to all campus constituents par- the year in department budget is carried over and des- ticipating in the budget planning process. Major plan- ignated as the College fund. Apart from unspent funds, ning documents include: a large part of the carryover fund is received from rev- Five-Year Construction Plan (9.10), Educational Mas- enues from the weekly Swap Meet on the College cam- ter Plan (9.11), Student Services Master Plan (9.12), pus. Allocation of these funds and any grant funding and Strategic Plan (9.13). is completed at the College. The allocation of grant As a consequence of the institution’s emphasis on plan- funds is made according to the guidelines of the grant. ning processes, a new section of the employee survey The dean in charge of grants allocates the funds in con-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 217 Figure 1

was included asking about employees’ knowledge and ships, and expenditure requirements. involvement in planning (Figure 1). For each of the following six questions, administrators were more likely to Descriptive Summary agree than either faculty or staff: The District provides easy access to financial docu- ◊ I am aware of the planning process ments that clearly indicate the budgeted allocations to ◊ I know how to participate in the plan- those involved in institutional planning. Each Budget ning process Unit has the capability to pull reports of its current budget status by accessing Banner. Administrators ◊ I participate in the planning process and budget managers regularly use this information ◊ My participation influences the outcome to project future needs. The District maintains its gen- of the planning process eral ledger using the Banner operating system as well as a dually maintained system at the Orange County ◊ I think the planning process helps the Department of Education (OCDE). Historically, all of college achieve its desired goals the funds designated as District funds (e.g., General, ◊ I am encouraged to participate in the Bond, Capital Outlay, Self Insurance, Retiree Benefits, planning process Financial Aid, and Child Development Funds) have Similarly, full-time faculty were more likely to agree been dually maintained within Banner and OCDE. than part-time faculty, and those who are involved in Any changes on major expense categories or changes a shared-governance committee were more likely to to contingency reserves are clearly explained in the re- agree to these same items than those not involved. ports. At regularly scheduled meetings, the Board rati- fies all contracts, personnel hiring, and purchase orders with expense implications that affect the bottom line. Planning Agenda In accordance with §58310 of Title 5 of the Califor- None. nia Code of Regulations, the Chief Executive Officer 1.b. Institutional planning reflects realistic of the District submits the CCFS-3IIQ report showing assessment of financial resource availability, the financial and budgetary conditions of the District development of financial resources, partner- — including outstanding obligations — to the govern-

218 Cypress College ing Board. The Chief Executive Officer also prepares a the delivery of services at the same time as the College quarterly report based on measurements and standards is experiencing its highest demand for classes and ser- as established by the Board of Governors of the Cali- vices. The College is being forced to reevaluate hours fornia Community Colleges and certified on forms pro- of service, course offerings, and staffing to address real vided by the State Chancellor. This report is reviewed and budget reductions. The College is using campus by the District Board and entered into the minutes of vacant staff positions (managers, classified, and fac- a regularly scheduled meeting (9.14). In the CCFS- ulty) and carryover funds to buffer budget shortfalls. 3IIQ report, a summary of the general fund revenues, Layoffs and furloughs for employees have been avoided expenses, and fund balance for the prior fiscal year is through the 2009-2010 school year. detailed. This report is submitted to CCCSO in conjunction with the Adopted Budget for the current fiscal Planning Agenda year. These documents describing the District’s financial standing are regularly referenced throughout the None. year by budget managers and administrators as they 1.c. When making short-range financial plans, engage in fiscal planning and address budget issues. the institution considers its long-range finan- The many campus-wide constituencies involved in in- cial priorities to assure financial stability. The stitutional planning include department coordinators, institution clearly identifies and plans for pay- department managers, division deans, categorical pro- ment of liabilities and future obligations. gram managers, and grant program administrators, as well as the Board (9.15). Funding priorities identified Descriptive Summary in the budget parameters include support of student The College has an excellent reputation in the com- learning, growth and quality of programs, support of munity it serves. The College is committed to promot- College mission, the Educational Master Plan, the Stu- ing student learning and success, embracing diversity, dent Services Master Plan, and the Strategic Plan. Fo- contributing to the economic and social development cus on student learning is given top priority. The goals of the surrounding community, and being open to all of Direction One of the Strategic Plan is to design, qualified students pursuing their educational goals. enhance, and deliver a comprehensive instruction to Being in a growth district, the College takes carefully promote academic excellence and student learning. planned measures to ensure that sufficient funds are al- A significant portion of the College’s carryover funds located to support student access. With the College’s are used to address student learning, which include ad- understanding of budget formulas at the State level dressing program needs, updating instructional equip- and how the State growth calculations impact the Col- ment, library collection updates, classroom furniture lege, each year the College ensures that data and statis- replacement, technology upgrades, and tutor hiring. tical information are collected and reported to the Cal- Some programs and projects identified for “advance” ifornia Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. The funding during the 2009-2010 year included TracDat management of enrollment is done via careful data software implementation to house and develop student tracking through the Enrollment Management System learning outcomes (SLOs), Blackboard licensing, tutor- (EMS) and through ongoing dialogue with division ing, Teacher’s Preparation, the Legacy Program, Staff deans both in the instruction area as well as student Development, Academic Computing, and the Diver- services area. Discussions in the areas of enrollment sity Committee (9.16). growth, changes in demographics, outreach plans, and marketing strategies set the tone and direction of the Self Evaluation College’s long-term planning. The College has followed a coordinated, inclusive, fis- As part of the long-term planning, the College engages cally sound process of achieving its funding goals. Its in discussions and decision making on the appropriate funding priorities are centered on student learning as number of sections, its associated operating expenses, it uses the Educational Master Plan as the overriding as well as facilities requirements. In Fall 2009, the Dis- framework and vehicle to making resource allocations trict engaged the assistance of a consulting firm to co- (9.1). The State budget deficit is having an impact on ordinate the needed input to develop a new ten-year

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 219 Educational and Facilities Master Plan. Key faculty through budget turmoil and structural deficit. When and staff provide input to develop this document. The making short-range financial plans, the College con- resulting plan will serve to inform and drive the fiscal siders every aspect of the College’s operations and planning process and budget allocation at the District how these immediate plans will impact long-term fis- level. cal planning and priorities. The District has few long- The District’s most recent annual external audit of its term liabilities and those that it has are largely offset by financial positions and activities was completed in June revenues from numerous sources. An integral part of 30, 2009. The District reported according to the stan- the District’s budget comes from resources carried over dards of Governmental Accounting Standards Board from prior-year operations. The ending balance on (GASB) Statements No. 34 and No. 35 using the Busi- June 30, 2009, was $38,488,658, which is an increase ness Type Activity (BTA) model as recommended by of $8,019,956 from the previous year (9.19). the California Community College Chancellor’s Of- The District continuously monitors and evaluates its fice. As of June 30, 2009, the District ended the fiscal own fiscal health. It is aware that in the coming years, year with a healthy surplus due to prior year’s prudent issues pertaining to the increased cost of retiree health fiscal management in anticipation of challenging bud- and welfare will impact the District’s financial horizon. get times ahead. However, there is still significant con- Currently, in accord with GASB 45, the District rec- cern for the 2009-2010 fiscal year and future budget ognizes an annual expense on its financial statements years as there remains an overall structural deficit in for the sum of ongoing annual out-of-pocket retiree the State budget. The economic position of the District benefit costs, plus an amortized annual actuarially is closely tied to that of the State of California. Cur- determined amount necessary to recognize the entire rently, the North Orange County Community College unfunded obligation over a period not to exceed 30 District is working through the budget woes centering years. Based upon the District’s most recent actuarial on deep ongoing cuts from the State — in particular to study, as of June 30, 2008, the District’s actuarially categorical program funding. The District’s manage- determined unfunded liability was estimated at $158 ment will continue to closely monitor the State bud- million, and the District’s annual required contribution get information and will maintain a close watch over (ARC) was $12.3 million. To date, the District has ac- resources to sustain its ability to react to internal and cumulated $49 million in the Retiree Benefits fund and external issues (9.17). expended $4.7 million in 2008-2009 of the ARC (9.20). Also in accordance of the Governmental Accounting Since 2002 and the passing of Measure X, the Col- Standards Board Statements No. 34 and No. 35, the lege has received $80.3 million for remodeling and District has provided an overview of assets, liabilities, for new buildings. It also received another $30 million and net assets as of the end of the fiscal year. The through State Capital Outlay funding. With this fund- Statement of Net Assets is a point-in-time financial ing, the campus addressed many of the facilities needs statement that presents a fiscal snapshot of the District. identified in the 1999 Facilities Master Plan. As part of The Statement of Net Assets presents end-of-year date the continuing planning process, the District will once concerning assets (current and non-current), liabilities again conduct an update of its Educational and Fa- (current and non-current), and net assets (assets minus cilities Master Plan to address the educational needs of liabilities). From the data presented, readers of the faculty and students. The District will look into the po- Statement of Net Assets are able to determine the as- tential of a new combination of Local and State bond sets available to continue the operations of the District. fund programs to complete the projects delineated in How much the District owes vendors and employees the most recent Facilities Master Plan (9.45). can also be determined. Finally, the Statement of Net Assets provides a picture Self Evaluation of the net assets and their availability for expenditure In spite of the challenges associated with the state bud- by the District (9.18). Through prudent budgeting and get, the District is financially stable. It makes short-term planning, the District has maintained a healthy reserve plans by carefully considering the long-range financial level to position itself favorably as the State struggles implications and has established plans for payment of its long-term obligations. The District has no Cer-

220 Cypress College tificates of Participation (COPs) to offset. It regularly through clearly delineated procedures, ensures that monitors its financial standing through regular budget the resources received from the District are accounted monitoring, quarterly reports, and the annual external for and disbursed appropriately. The College, through audit (9.43). scheduled program review cycles, reviews and monitors for the appropriateness of the level of support pro- Planning Agenda vided to various departmental programs and services. None. Self Evaluation 1.d. The institution clearly defines and follows Because educational planning and goals are the engine its guidelines and processes for financial plan- that drive the College’s fiscal planning, which deter- ning and budget development with all constit- mines the District’s financial forecast, it can be said uencies having appropriate opportunities to that the District has been successful at designing a participate in the development of institutional strong financial foundation that is supportive of the in- plans and budgets. structional programs and mission of the College. The District’s accounting of long-term obligations using the Descriptive Summary GASB methodologies further attests to the District’s The College follows a shared-governance process fiscal stability. whereby all affected persons have an opportunity to provide feedback into decision making, directly or Planning Agenda through representation, and have those suggestions seriously considered. The rationale for the final decision None. on planning and budget matters is communicated to all 2. To assure the financial integrity of the in- campus constituents. As the budget is developed, bud- stitution and responsible use of financial re- get requests, budget parameters, and meeting minutes sources, the financial management system has are all recorded and made available on the College’s appropriate control mechanisms and widely shared J: drive (9.8). The Planning and Budget Com- disseminates dependable and timely informa- mittee (PBC), which meets bi-monthly, is the primary tion for sound financial decision making. recommending body to the President’s Advisory Cabi- 2.a. Financial documents, including the bud- net (PAC) on general planning and budget issues for get and independent audit, reflect appropri- the campus. PBC uses the Educational Master Plan ate allocation and use of financial resources and the Strategic Plan to drive its budget decision mak- to support student learning programs and ser- ing. Each campus Budget Unit is expected to submit vices. Institutional responses to external audit its budget requests based on its responsibility for ac- findings are comprehensive, timely, and com- complishing the goals and objectives identified in their municated appropriately. respective Program Reviews. The Planning and Bud- get Committee also provides the context on how the District’s financial planning and budget process takes Descriptive Summary place. The Board adopts the tentative budget in June The annual Proposed Budget and Financial Report for the next fiscal year to provide the District with an documents the distribution of allocations within the operating plan until the Proposed Budget is approved College and the obligations for which they are used. by the Board of Trustees in September. Presentations The Strategic Plan leads the College in its decision are made detailing the budget development and plan- making regarding allocation of funds. Each Fall se- ning process at each site and how the process is driven mester, the Planning and Budget Committee focuses by the District-wide Strategic Plan. on planning by communicating with those responsible The College uses the Banner system as its financial for the action plans of the Strategic Plan (9.16). In the budget and reporting system. The Office of the Vice Spring, the Planning and Budget Committee oversees President of Administrative Services provides the fi- development of the campus operating budget, which is nancial management and planning oversight and, prepared under the direction of the Vice President of

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 221 Administrative Services. The budget is then submitted results of those audits are available to review in the for approval to District Fiscal Affairs and to the Board Campus Business Office or the District Office of Fiscal of Trustees for review and adoption (9.21). Carryover Affairs, upon request, by anyone in the College com- funds, which are available from concerted efforts to munity (9.26). conserve resources, are generally used to provide a During this time, there was one Cypress College find- contingency fund for emergencies and address needs ing that took more than one fiscal year to correct due such as instructional equipment, one-time program ex- to timing. An instructional material fee that was being penses, tutors, safety issues, library collection updates, charged for material was deemed not valid but was not classroom furniture replacement, and technology up- implemented due to the timing from when the discrep- grades (9.17). Requests for funding from carryover ancy was reported to being able to implement the cor- funds are prepared and submitted to the Planning and rection in the Schedule of Classes for that same year Budget Committee, for review and prioritization based (9.25). upon goals and objectives of the Strategic Plan. Final approval is given by the President’s Advisory Cabinet. Planning Agenda In the Strategic Plan 2004-2008, one of the completed goals was to identify, develop, and utilize student learn- None. ing outcomes in the instructional areas (9.22). A com- 2.b. Appropriate financial information is pro- pleted Quality Review Report accompanies funding vided throughout the institution. requests for carryover funds as part of the justification for the request. Managers and deans are asked to fill Descriptive Summary out accountability reports on the completed program or projects (9.23). Annually, the CCFS-311 Report is A presentation of the current budget status and fiscal included with the Proposed Budget, which is made stability of the College is part of the College’s Opening available for public inspection prior to Board approval Day activities each Fall and Spring. The Vice President in early September each year. After approval, it may be of Administrative Services receives ongoing informa- found on the District’s website (9.24). tion from the Community College League of Cali- fornia (CCLC) and the State Chancellor’s Office and Fiscal management is assessed by annual external au- shares that information at all campus meetings where dits of the College, the District, the Cypress College deans and managers are present. Budget updates are Foundation, and all grant programs. also on the agenda at bi-monthly meetings of the Plan- When findings are presented, the District Fiscal Af- ning and Budget Committee, President’s Advisory fairs staff works with the Vice President of Administra- Cabinet, District Board Meetings, and District Bud- tive Services and the appropriate dean or manager to get Officers Meetings. The Executive Vice President implement procedures to resolve the issue and ensure of Educational Programs and Student Services keeps future compliance. In the year subsequent to the year the campus informed on FTES targets and costs of in- of the finding or recommendation, the auditors do a structional areas. follow-up on the prior year and state whether the find- Annual financial information is included in the Out- ing/recommendation has been implemented or not. If standing Issues section of the Annual Proposed Budget not implemented, the item becomes a new finding in Narrative, while the quarterly Chancellor’s Memo and the current year (9.25). the President’s weekly newsletter, @Cypress, contain ongoing updates throughout the fiscal year. The @Cy- Self Evaluation press newsletter is distributed to all employees, posted In the last six years, audits have indicated that the fi- to the campus website, shared on Facebook and Twit- nancial management practices in all areas of the Col- ter, and emailed to a group of recipients that includes lege are conducted with integrity and presented fairly retirees, employees elsewhere in the District, members and in conformity with Generally Accepted Account- of the media, Foundation Board members and other ing Principles (GAAP). In addition, there were no ma- constituents. terial weaknesses in internal controls identified. The Employees are able to view adopted and adjusted bud-

222 Cypress College gets, detailed expenditures, encumbrances, and balanc- State apportionment deferrals can pose cash flow dif- es of campus budgets utilizing the District’s enterprise ficulties. Due to the significant amount of apportion- business system, BANNER. This application allows ment deferrals to community colleges as part of the monitoring and reallocation of funds within a timely State budget package, the District has the following manner to avoid shortfalls. Fiscal CCF-311Q reports options in place to access cash should the need arise. are provided to the Board for informational purposes The District has a Memorandum of Understanding on a quarterly basis. (MOU) in place with California School Employees As- All funding allocations and audit reports are on file in sociation (CSEA) and United Faculty (UF) to borrow the Campus Business Office and District Fiscal Servic- against the Retiree Benefits Fund, in the event of a fis- es Office (9.27). cal emergency, for purposes of meeting the actual and necessary expenses of the District. In addition, the Dis- trict has adopted a resolution entering into an agree- Self Evaluation ment with the Orange County Treasurer to obtain a Information is expected to be disseminated to contemporary transfer of funds, not exceeding 85% of an- stituencies by representatives attending the various ticipated revenues, to meet current expenditures (9.29). meetings. Minutes of campus meetings are stored on In addition to the District’s plans to meet financial a shared network drive available to all campus employ- emergencies, Cypress College’s Vice President of Ad- ees, and Board of Trustees meeting summaries contain ministrative Services requests $750,000 from carryover financial information when presented and are electron- funds each year to be marked for campus emergency/ ically mailed to all users of the campus’ email system. critical needs. The Swap Meet, held at the college each All avenues of distribution appear to be utilized for dis- weekend, generates between $1.3 and $1.4 million in seminating dependable and timely information. income to the College each year. The College has ac- cumulated approximately three million dollars marked Planning Agenda for budget transition funding by not budgeting any ongoing costs to these funds. As of February 2010, the None. College has elected not to replace 14 vacant positions 2.c. The institution has sufficient cash flow to assist with budget transition funding. and reserves to maintain stability, strategies The District is insured for workers compensation and for appropriate risk management, and real- property and liability claims through a combination istic plans to meet financial emergencies and of self-insurance and commercial insurance coverage. unforeseen occurrences. The excess coverage is purchased through a commercial insurance carrier (9.30). Descriptive Summary For general liability coverage, the District is self-insured The District maintains control of the Unrestricted and a part of a risk sharing pool, Alliance of Schools General Fund and has maintained the required reserve for Cooperative Insurance Programs Joint Powers of at a prudent level and to match the requirements of Authority (ASCIP JPA). It provides $25,000 self-insur- the Board. These amounts are sufficient to maintain ance retention (deductible) per claim (more claims can an adequate reserve for emergencies. The District re- apply if multiple parties are injured during the same ceives general fund revenues through the State appor- incident) and the coverage is $5,000,000; excess cover- tionment process. Funds are then allocated to the cam- age above that up to $20 million per occurrence. This puses in accordance with the District approved Budget amount of coverage applies to an event that caused the Allocation Model. injury(ies)/claim(s), and the coverage is for all claims

Unrestricted ending fund balances for Fiscal Year CC FC SCE District Total the North Orange County Community 2008-09 6,583,338 8,018,211 543,706 20,297,234 35,442,489 College District, by budget center, for the 2007-08 4,901,918 7,005,143 128,242 15,699,473 27,734,776 previous three fiscal years is illustrated in 2006-07 4,945,541 5,739,862 (4,641) 19,125,426 29,806,188 Table 1 (9.28). Table 1: Unrestricted Ending Fund Balance

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 223 resulting from the single event/occurrence, and only a final approval. Routing does not proceed without prop- single deductible applies (9.31). er contractual obligations being met at specific check- For Workers Compensation, the District is self-insured points. Any reallocations between major expenditures for the first $500,000 for each claim, and excess cover- over $10,000 are approved by the Board. Financial in- age is purchased from a commercial insurance carrier, formation is easily accessible with the enterprise busi- up to the statutory limit (9.32). ness system so that individuals are able to monitor their own Budget Unit’s allocations and financial transactions. Self Evaluation There are regular annual external audits as well as in- Because the District has maintained a prudent level of ternal and agency audits conducted as needed. Exter- reserve funds and monitors cash flow on a regular basis nal audits include audit of categorical programs (9.34). to assure that operational obligations can be met, for more than six years, no short-term financing options such as Tax Revenue Anticipation Notes (TRANS) Self Evaluation or long-term financing options such as Certificates of External auditors perform tests of internal control, Participation (COPS) have been necessary. For precau- and those results determine how they conduct their tionary purposes, should the District be in need of cash audit. In the audit opinions of the last six years and to meet its current obligations, the MOU and County prior, the District’s financial statements were said to be agreements, as discussed above, are available (9.28). presented fairly and in conformity with Generally Ac- The District sets aside an adequate amount of funds cepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Of the 14 audit each year to cover its self-insurance obligations for both findings in the last six years, seven applied to Cypress Workers’ Compensation and property and liability College. One example was a finding having to do with claims. The District obtains periodic actuarial evalu- an error in calculating the Gann limit at the District ations on the programs used. Based on the actuarial Office; another with errors in assessing the fixed assets studies, sufficient reserves are maintained in the self- of the North Orange County Community College Dis- insurance fund (9.33). trict by the appraiser currently used by the District. In both cases, management response included solutions that would prevent future errors. None of the findings Planning Agenda were deemed material weaknesses, and all recommen- None. dations of findings have been implemented (9.25). 2.d. The institution practices effective oversight of finances, including management of Planning Agenda financial aid, grants, externally funded pro- None. grams, contractual relationships, auxiliary organizations or foundations, and institutional 2.e. All financial resources, including those investments and assets. from auxiliary activities, fund-raising efforts, and grants are used with integrity in a manner consistent with the mission and goals of Descriptive Summary the institution. For effective oversight of finances, the College relies on procedures such as monitoring of major budgets Descriptive Summary for projected deficits, monthly reviews of auxiliary financial statements and of financial updates for grants The College’s Associated Students (AS) (Education budgets, internal auditing throughout the year, and an Code Section 76060) is funded by an optional fee of annual external audit. There is a consistent layering $7 per semester, including summer. This fee supports of review and approval levels between the campus and student clubs and co-curricular activities. It provides District. Purchase requisitions route electronically from students with organizational leadership experience to the originator through appropriate management chan- promote multicultural, educational, and social oppor- nels reaching the District Director of Purchasing for tunities; finance student activities; and facilitate partici-

224 Cypress College pation in the College community that enhances their The Bookstore moved into a new facility in May academic experience. The AS budget is prepared by 2008, which includes an adjacent Bookstore Express the AS Vice President of Fiscal Affairs, the AS Presi- area that offers snacks and drinks. Over the last two dent, and the Advisor to the AS Council. years, the campus’ self-operated Bookstore has been Each week the AS reconciles transactions through its hit hard by rapidly reducing book sales as the demand own records that parallel the records maintained on for print materials has begun to shift to other modes their behalf by the College. of delivery. In 2009-2010, overall book sales dropped $533,863 from the prior year in spite of record enroll- Cypress College raises funds for student scholarships, ments at the College. Sales in the Summer and Fall student emergency assistance, faculty/staff mini- semesters of 2010-2011 also reflect a gradual decline grants, endowments, and other College programs. In as students search out the many alternates to the pur- addition, the Foundation fosters community relation- chase of hard-copy textbooks. To meet the changing ships and partnerships. Cypress College is a member demands, in Summer 2010 the Bookstore entered into of ten local and/or county Chambers of Commerce, a textbook rental contract with Follett and a contract an effort that is coordinated by the Foundation. It ac- with CourseSmart, which offers e-books for sale. Both cepts donations on behalf of the College from busi- services offer much less expensive alternatives to stu- nesses and individuals, from private grants, and from dents than the traditional hard-copy textbook. Unfor- planned gifts. The President of Cypress College is a tunately, neither option has the revenue potential to voting member of the Foundation Board of Directors support the overhead of the Bookstore in delivery of and Executive Committee. The Foundation Strategic textbooks and supplies. To date, the decline in book Plan is updated during each planning cycle at an an- sales has been mostly offset by revenue generated in nual retreat attended by a majority of the Foundation’s the Bookstore Express and the gradual downsizing of Board members and is tied into the College’s mission full-time staff with two positions eliminated subsequent and goals. to staff retirements. The Bookstore operation is being The Bursar’s Office assists the Foundation and auditors monitored closely, hours modified, and new revenue by reconciling income to Foundation donor records, sources sought while staff assess how the store might preparing a cash summary for all bank accounts, as evolve in the future. well as a balance sheet, income sheet, and revenue and Cypress College out sources the Food Service opera- expense analysis. The Bursar also prepares monthly tions. The current food services contract with Sodexo financial statements and investment reports for the expires in June 2011, and a Request for Proposals will Foundation Finance Committee, which meets monthly. be issued in Spring 2011 as the College considers who The Finance Committee also reviews the annual au- will manage the operation over the next five years. dit. In turn, the Finance Committee reports to the full board at each regular Board of Directors meeting. The In 2008-2009, the Cypress College Foundation experi- Board of Directors reviews all of the Foundation’s ac- enced significant investment losses, as did many similar tivities (9.35). The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations. Investments fell 16.6%, from $1,109,500 organization with a separate Tax I.D. (#12-7197703) to $925,836 during this period. This — coupled with although in several respects it functions as part of the investment losses in the final quarter of 2007-2008 and College. For example, Foundation staff are District the recessionary economic environment — put the Employees, and the Foundation Executive Director re- Foundation’s unrestricted funds into a deficit. However, ports to the College President. The Foundation under- from April 2009 to March 2010, investments rebound- goes an annual external audit process that is separate ed, increasing by 32% in this 12-month period. As of from the NOCCCD audit. The Foundation Finance March 31, 2010, the Cypress College Foundation’s to- Committee, which meets monthly, oversees this process tal assets were $1,635,851, an all-time high. by providing direction to the audit, and in turn, reports Cypress College administers several grants. As of Feb- to the Foundation Board of Directors, which meets bi- ruary 2010, grants include: monthly. There have been no adverse audit findings for Captioning Grant — assist instructors in getting the Foundation in the past ten years. DVDs/videos closed captioned ($150,000 or more

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 225 over 2 years). gram ($5,500 annually). Edustream Grant — Provides off-site storage of online HSRA Health Science Grant — Provides direct schol- media content and a library of over 2500 closed-cap- arship awards to HS students ($100,000 annually). tioned videos for faculty use in instruction ($100,000 Multimedia Grant — Provides support to ACG and annually for 5 years). other MM programs ($10,000+/- annually). Perkins IV — Supports a variety of CTE programs/ All grants are governed under Board and Adminis- projects ($857,000 annually for 5 years). trative Policy BP/AP 3280 and the Education Code, CCRAA STEM — Supports a variety of projects/ Section 70902. The Dean of Career Technical Edu- equipment purchases and summer Bridge Program cation and Economic Development maintains primary ($1,250,000 annually for 2 years). oversight over all grants. For each grant, this office sets Tech Prep Grant — Supports a variety of CTE out- up an accounting system at the campus level, which reach/articulation and other projects ($76,000 annu- is checked monthly against, and independently from, ally for 5 years). District financial reports. Prior to their approval, grant purchases are checked for consistency with the particu- AARA DHHS HIT Grant — Supports curriculum re- lar grant work plan. On larger grants, the College hires visions and program expansion for HIT professionals a third-party consultant for additional guidance on ($700,896 over 2 years). achieving grant goals and preparing for audits. Select WIA Grant — Supports program expansion of Allied grants associated with specific departments (e.g., within Health Programs ($776,000 over 4 years). Health Science) rely on that division dean as the first level of oversight. The second level of oversight is pro- Nursing Enrollment Growth and Retention — Sup- vided by the Dean of Career Technical Education and ports an increase in the number of Nursing students Economic Development, and a third level of monitor- accepted into the program ($300,000 annually). ing is carried out by the District’s Finance Office. Psych Tech Apprentice Grant — Supports an increase Grant reports are provided either quarterly or semi- in the number of Psych Tech students accepted in the annually to the appropriate funder’s governing body. program ($221,000 over 2 years). Midterm and final report outcomes, including com- UniHealth Foundation Grant — Addresses the nurs- plete budget information, are shared with the appro- ing shortage at St Mary’s Hospital in Long Beach and priate constituencies. COPE Health Solutions ($150,000 over 2 years). ATTE Grant — EWD grant supporting curriculum Self Evaluation development and industry training in emerging tech- The financial resources including those from auxiliary nologies ($220,000 annually for 5 years). activities, fund-raising efforts, and grants are used with Title V Grant — Developing Hispanic-Serving Institu- integrity in a manner consistent with the mission and tions Grant ($650,000 annually for 5 years). goals of the College. This is documented in audit reports as well as the internal reports presented to the CTE Teachers Prep Grant — Supports the develop- Board. ment of CTE teachers ($190,000 for 1 year). NOCROP Partnership Academy Grant — High Planning Agenda School Medical Academy partnership ($10,000+/-). None. Tech Prep Cooperative Grant (HS) — Supports CTE 2.f. Contractual agreements with external en- programs, curriculum development, articulation, out- tities are consistent with the mission and goals reach ($20,000 annually for 5 years). of the institution, governed by institutional Basic Skills Initiative — Improvement of Basic Skills policies, and contain appropriate provisions ($128,000 varies annually from $100,000 to $180,000). to maintain the integrity of the institution. Hilgenfeld Grant — Supports Mortuary Science Pro-

226 Cypress College Descriptive Summary govern the College. “Out” clauses are included in ev- The Board delegates to the Vice Chancellor of Fi- ery contract for any breach, for cause, and for no cause. nance and Facilities the authority to supervise the general business procedures of the District to assure the Self Evaluation proper administration of property and contracts per The District negotiates contractual agreements with Education Code Section 70902(d); 81655, 81656. The external entities that are consistent with its mission Board delegates to the Vice Chancellor of Finance and and goals, governed by institutional policies, and that Facilities, or District Director of Purchasing, the au- contain appropriate provisions to maintain the integ- thority to enter into contracts on behalf of the District rity of the institution with evaluation and review by le- and to establish administrative procedures for contract gal counsel, as appropriate, and final approval by the awards and management. Board. The Vice Chancellor of Finance and Facilities establishes procedures regarding the use of College prop- Planning Agenda erty, including but not limited to facilities, equipment, None. and supplies, by community groups and other outside contractors. These administrative procedures reflect 2.g. The institution regularly evaluates its fi- the requirements of applicable law, including Educa- nancial management processes, and the re- tion Code Section 82537, regarding Civic Centers. sults of the evaluation are used to improve financial management systems. All District properties are subject to a facility use charge in accordance with Education Code Section 82545 (b- f). This ensures the highest level of protection for the Descriptive Summary District and the least amount of exposure for liability The campus Bursar’s Office maintains the books and or financial issues. records for Bursar Office activities, the Associated Stu- Under the guidelines provided by the Internal Revenue dents, other trust and agency funds, and the enterprise Service (IRS), Employee Retirement Income Security activities on campus such as the Bookstore and Food Act (ERISA), the NOCCCD has developed a three- Services operations. In addition, it maintains trust ac- stage process to be completed before an independent counts for various student and department activities contractor is engaged. The questionnaire is completed (9.37). All cash disbursements are approved by a mini- by a representative from the division requesting the mum of two authorized individuals and supported by services and reviewed by the dean/director or a des- adequate documentation. Purchases are made in ac- ignee. The risk for engaging independent contractors cordance with the guidelines established (9.44). The is evaluated by a designated individual for each college campus Bursar’s Office submits to the District a quar- and the District. The risk evaluators are: Cypress Col- terly investment report of all campus investment funds lege – Vice President of Administrative Services; Ful- maintained by the Bursar’s Office. These reports are lerton College – Director, Budget and Finance; School then incorporated into the quarterly financial reports of Continuing Education – Manager, Administrative provided to the Board. Services; and District – Purchasing Director. Contracts The Board of Trustees provides an annual audit of all up to $5,000 are approved by the Budget Officer or funds, books, and accounts under the control and juris- College President/Provost. For services or work to be diction of the District in accordance with the regula- done costing less than $25,000, the Chancellor, Vice tions of the Board of Governors. Arrangements for the Chancellor of Finance and Facilities, or the Director audit for any fiscal year are made final no later than of Purchasing may approve. Any agreement above May 1 of the preceding fiscal year. The annual audits this threshold requires NOCCCD Board of Trustees are made by Certified Public Accountants licensed approval (9.36). Contract language is drafted with the by the California Board of Accountancy and contain intent to develop fair contracts that would allow each the identification of expenditures by source of fund; party to function at the highest level, while always tak- a statement that the audit was conducted pursuant to ing into consideration the regulations and policies that standards and procedures developed in accordance

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 227 with Education Code Section 84040.5; and a summa- ment processes with the goal of providing feedback ry of audit exceptions and management recommenda- that can be used to improve financial management sys- tions. The Board of Trustees then reviews the annual tems. Training on financial management systems en- audit at a public meeting of the Board (9.38). hances the usefulness of management reporting. Also, The Budget Process Committee has been meeting for the District’s external and internal auditors are regu- the past ten years. The committee consists of mem- larly involved in reviewing processes and procedures, bers from Cypress College, Fullerton College, and the especially with new or developing programs. School of Continuing Education. It meets every second Past fiscal planning is a good template for the future and the fourth Tuesday afternoon throughout the year. and provides a framework for procedures and controls. The purpose of this committee is to discuss different The District encourages those who have fiscal oversight issues concerning the College or the District. The Vice for an area to take a direct role in ensuring future com- Chancellor is accessible and open for any dialogues or pliance. Fiscal needs are evaluated as planning is done discussions on any financial matter. and brought forward as part of the budget process. If The rate of pay for each employee of the District is in resources are not immediately available or if the need accordance with the rate established for the position can be deferred without consequence to a subsequent on the appropriate salary schedule as approved by the budget period, documentation to this effect is made so Board of Trustees, unless the employee’s compensation that the funding can be established at an appropriate is otherwise fixed by the Board. Payment to employ- time. ees is in accordance with the schedule and procedures for school payrolls established by the Orange County Planning Agenda Department of Education. Any payroll error resulting None. in insufficient payment for an employee is corrected, and a supplemental check is issued within a reasonable 3. The institution systematically assesses the time after the employee provides notice to the District effective use of financial resources and uses Payroll Office. If an overpayment occurs, the Payroll the results of the evaluation as the basis for Office will notify the employee. Normally, salary de- improvement. ductions for overpayment commence with the next month’s paycheck, and the overpayment is deducted Descriptive Summary in the same number of paychecks in which the over- The District has an established Board and Adminis- payment occurred, except when the period of over- trative Policy BP/AP 2430 prescribing the delegation payment exceeds one year. In that situation, the period of authority to the Chancellor. Also, BP/AP 6100 des- over which deductions are made shall not exceed a pe- ignate authority to the Vice Chancellor, Finance and riod of one year (9.39). Facilities, over general business procedures of the Dis- Other effective vehicles for financial oversight are in- trict to ensure proper administration (9.41). Addition- ternal audit projects, such as the District’s cash han- ally, a Functional Map is being formulated to delineate dling review. NOCCCD established a position several District-wide functions and responsibilities of Admin- years ago to be responsible for this area. This part-time istrative Services, Instructional Services, Student Ser- position, Special Projects Manager, reports directly to vices, and Facilities and Infrastructure. This Functional the Vice Chancellor of Finance and Facilities. The Map will be presented to the District Planning Council risk assessments done by this Special Projects Manager (DPC) for review. Once DPC has the opportunity to are summarized in several internal reports. These are review the Functional Map, appropriate steps will be not public documents, nor are they available on the taken to have this reviewed and approved by the Board College’s J: drive. However, the reports are available of Trustees. through the Vice Chancellor’s Office. From a financial perspective, there are various mechanisms in place to assess the effectiveness of services Self Evaluation provided District wide. Financial records are subject to The District regularly evaluates its financial manage- periodic internal review and an annual external audit.

228 Cypress College Various categorical programs are also subject to re- the resources are allocated to the institutions in accor- view/audit by the funding agency. Committees such as dance with the budget allocation model. Therefore, DPC and the Budget Officers Group meet regularly to with the exception of personnel costs for all permanent discuss and assess financial practices and procedures of positions, use of the allocated resources is left to the the District. Additionally, frequent feedback is received institution’s internal budgeting process, using a shared- from outside vendors, contracting agencies, and other governance approach to address the needs and priori- educational institutions regarding the effectiveness of ties of the institution. The District’s budget allocation District practices. Also, employee evaluation instru- model allocates resources based on one measurement ments are an essential tool utilized by the District to as- focus, which is the measurement of students served. sess the effectiveness of services. The District’s current Several years ago, the District did a thorough analysis budget allocation model and decentralized operational of the budget “split” using other points of measure- model provide operational budgets to each of the cam- ment such as number of personnel and gross square puses to address their individual needs and priorities. footage. That analysis, which was in response to an The District has semi-monthly meetings with the bud- accreditation recommendation, did not present any get officers from each campus where there is an oppor- significant concerns that the method of distributing re- tunity to voice campus concerns. In addition, compre- sources was inequitable (9.40). hensive evaluation instruments of District managers The resource distribution method is data driven. To are sent to many people on the campuses as another name a few examples, distribution based on FTES opportunity to provide feedback to the District. And is from data compiled by the campuses from the in- lastly, every District agenda item submitted under the formation contained within the District’s enrollment; current Board Agenda format clearly identifies how carryover analysis is based on information contained the District operations are aligned with the District- within the District’s general ledger system; personnel wide Strategic Plan, which encompasses each institu- costs, which comprise over 80% of the on-going ex- tion’s mission and function. penditures, are based on information contained within The District’s budget allocation model includes the the District’s human resource system. In addition, each budget centers Cypress College, Fullerton College, campus has its own researcher to provide evidence School of Continuing Education, Information Servic- based on data gathered from various sources. As men- es, and District operations. It encompasses the follow- tioned above, the District’s budgeting process is decen- ing budget categories: Personnel costs of all permanent tralized once the resources are allocated to the institu- positions; Operating Allocation costs; Extended Day tions in accordance with the budget allocation model. budgets; District-wide expenses; Self-supported Pro- Therefore, with the exception of personnel costs for all grams, Contracts, Grants, Restricted Programs, and permanent positions, use of the allocated resources is Other Funds; and Carryover Funds. left to the institution’s internal budgeting process using a shared-governance approach to address the needs In addition, a 5% reserve for economic uncertainty is and priorities of the institution. maintained in accordance with the California Com- munity College State Chancellor’s Office recommend- The District and College’s expenditures are controlled ed guidelines as a “prudent” reserve level. The District via an electronic approval queue process that routes all primarily receives resources from the State based on expenditure requisitions, transfers, etc., to the proper FTES and, therefore, FTES is the primary driver of approvers. This approval routing system is very exten- the District’s budget allocation model. Institutions’ sive and incorporates adequate layers to provide checks FTES targets are established based on a shared-par- and balances through many campus levels prior to ticipation process that includes discussions at various moving to the final District-level approval. Once at the forums where Campus and District personnel evalu- District level, the District Manager of Fiscal Affairs, or ate the resources available to generate FTES and the designee, reviews every item for compliance with vari- campuses’ ability to generate FTES targets based on ous laws and regulations under which the District is institutional priorities. governed. The District has practiced sound, prudent, fiscal management for many years. This is evidenced The District’s budgeting process is decentralized once by the positive results of the external Financial and

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 229 Compliance annual audits. The District has not re- 2008 – $30,468,702 ceived any audit adjustments, nor has the District had 2007 – $32,400,251 any material weaknesses reported over any areas for at least the past six years. Additionally, any deficiencies 2006 – $33,879,585 noted through the audit process are taken seriously by 2005 – $30,247,716 the District, and appropriate steps are taken to ensure that the deficiencies are addressed, which is also evi- 2004 – $32,138,768 denced in the results of subsequent audits as the “status For at least the past six fiscal years, the District has re- of prior year findings.” ceived an unqualified opinion on its external financial Following is a brief summary of finding topics for the and compliance audits. This is the highest level opinion previous six fiscal years: of audit assurance possible. This evidences the sound fiscal practices and strong internal controls that are in 2009 — There were two deficiencies noted in the ar- place throughout the District. In addition, the unquali- eas of 1) Procurement, Suspension, and Debarment, fied opinions reveal that the District is in compliance and 2) Student Financial Aid Return of Title IV Funds with all applicable laws and regulations, including the (Note: the District has implemented procedures to cor- California Community College State Chancellor’s Of- rect these deficiencies and expects that the 2010 audit fice Budget and Accounting Manual and all applicable will confirm this.) Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) 2008 — The District did not receive any findings. statements. 2007 — There were five deficiencies noted in the ar- The evidence supporting the Chancellor’s delegation eas of 1) Student Health Fees, 2) Lottery Funds, 3) In- of full responsibility/authority to the Presidents and structional Material Fees, 4) Course Repetition, and 5) other appropriate administrators at Cypress College CalWorks (Note: These comments were reported as to implement and administer policies without interfer- “implemented” in the subsequent fiscal year audit.) ence and holds them accountable for the College operations is found in Board Policy and Administrative 2006 — There were two deficiencies noted, both in the Procedure BP/AP 6100, which states that authority is area of Instructional Material Fees (Note: One of these delegated to various positions throughout the District, comments was reported as “implemented” in the sub- including the College Presidents. In addition, through sequent fiscal year audit while the other comment was weekly Chancellor’s Staff meetings, the College Presi- reported as “implemented” in the 2008 audit.) dents meet with the Chancellor to discuss various up- 2005 — There were three deficiencies noted in the dates and make decisions on certain matters through areas of 1) Student Financial Aid Return of Title IV a collaborative process. Furthermore, the majority Funds, 2) Student Financial Aid Pell Grant Origination of campus operations are decentralized and thus fall Records, and 3) EOPS Advisory Committee (Note: under the responsibility and authority of the College These comments were reported as “implemented” in President. the subsequent fiscal year audit.) Methods of the College and District working jointly 2004 — There were two deficiencies noted in the areas come in many forms including informal communica- of 1) Student Financial Aid Return of Title IV Funds, tion by telephone, email, fax, and/or inter-office mail. 2) Concurrent Enrollment (Note: The comment relat- This allows for a quick flow of information. From a ed to Concurrent Enrollment was reported as “imple- fiscal standpoint, the District fiscal staff and the cam- mented” in the subsequent fiscal year audit while the pus fiscal staff work well together and have open lines Student Financial Aid Return of Title IV Funds was of communication. Additionally, semi-monthly Budget reported as “implemented” in the 2006 audit.) Officer meetings and DPC meetings provide a face- The District consistently ends the fiscal year with a to-face atmosphere to communicate with one another. positive ending balance. Following is the General Fund These methods allow for a shared perspective of Col- ending fund balance for the last six years: lege as well as District matters. 2009 – $38,387,687 The Colleges are well-informed about financial is-

230 Cypress College sues and Board actions that have an impact on their pdocuments.aspx operations, educational quality, stability, or ability to 9.2 CC Department Planning and Program Review provide quality education. As previously mentioned, Form, CC Student Support Services Quality Re- weekly Chancellor’s Staff meetings and semi-monthly view Report, CC Campus Support Services Quality DPC and Budget Officer meetings provide a formal Review Report — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/ mechanism to keep the colleges well-informed on vari- InstitutionalResearch/ProgramReview ous financial issues. In addition, any issues that need 9.3 Documents for 2010-2011 One Time Funding Re- attention prior to the next scheduled meeting are com- quests — J:\Planning & Budget Committee municated to the campuses. In regard to Board ac- 9.4 Cypress College Budget Units for 2009-20109.5 tions, all of the Board agenda items are available for Planning and Budget Safety Review Form — J:\ review and comment via monthly DAC meetings. For Planning & Budget Committee non-business meetings (the second Board meeting of 9.6 NOCCCD/Cypress College Budget Process Flow each month), the Board agenda items are available for Chart review and comment at Chancellor’s Staff. In addition, all Board agendas and minutes are posted on the Dis- 9.7 Perkins Grant Team meeting minutes trict’s website, available to the public (9.42). 9.8 Minutes of meetings from PBC, PAC, Evaluation The District can evaluate the effectiveness of its finan- Forms — J:\Planning & Budget Committee and J:\ President’s Advisory Cabinet cial practices through several instruments. As mentioned above, the District’s financial records are subject 9.9 Budget and Audit Reports — www.nocccd.edu/De- to periodic internal review/audit, and annual external partments/FandF/FinanceFacilities.htm audits, both of which provide qualitative and quanti- 9.10 Five Year Construction Plan tative data assessment. Additionally, various monthly, quarterly, bi-annual, and annual reports are completed 9.11 Educational Master Plan — www.cypresscollege. edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments.aspx accurately and timely. There have been no material weaknesses identified on audits or reviews performed 9.12 Student Services Master Plan — www.cypresscol- on any of the District’s categorical programs, or on the lege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments. District financial records as a whole. aspx Financial audits are conducted on a regular basis, both 9.13 Strategic Plan — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/ InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments.aspx internally and externally. The results of the periodic internal reviews/audits are shared frequently with 9.14 NOCCCD Board Agenda, Quarterly Financial Status members of the Budget Officers Group. Annual exter- Reports — www.nocccd.edu/Departments/FandF/ nal audit results are also presented to, and accepted by, FinanceFacilities.htm the Board of Trustees, and subsequently filed with the 9.15 Cypress College Shared Governance Process Com- State Chancellor’s Office and various regulatory agen- mittees and Task Forces, President’s Advisory Cabi- cies. net February 1, 2007, Cypress College President’s Advisory Cabinet Description, Purpose & Guide- lines, September 2008, Cypress College Planning SELF- EVALUATION and Budget Committee, September 5, 2008 — J:\ Planning & Budget Committee and J:\President’s Fiscal resources are reviewed regularly and results of Advisory Cabinet those reviews are used to make improvements. 9.16 Proposed Budget and Financial Report 2009-2010, Page 31 Planning Agenda 9.17 NOCCCD Annual Financial Report 6/30/09, p. 16) None. (graphs p. 12 -13) — www.nocccd.edu/Depart- ments/FandF/FinanceFacilities.htm

Reference Documents 9.18 NOCCCD Annual Financial Report 6/30/09, p. 5-6) (include SNA stmt, p.7-9) — www.nocccd.edu/De- 9.1 Educational Master Plan, Page 10 Diagram — www. partments/FandF/FinanceFacilities.htm9.19 Pro- cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/ posed Budget and Financial Report 2009-2010 P.4

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 231 & 29 htm#HumanResources

9.20 Proposed Budget and Financial Report 2009-2010, 9.40 DPC Meeting Minutes — J:\Chancellor’s Cabinet p 11 District Planning Council Summaries-Minutes

9.21 Budget Preparation, Board Policy 6200 — www. 9.41 North Orange County Community College Board nocccd.edu/Policies/PoliciesAndProcedures.htm Policies and Administrative Procedures — www. nocccd.edu/Policies/PoliciesAndProcedures. 9.22 Strategic Plan 2004-2008 — www.cypresscollege. htm#BoardPolicies edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments.aspx 9.42 NOCCCD Agenda and Minutes — www.nocccd. 9.23 Annual Proposed Budget Narrative 2009/10, page edu/Trustees/MtgMinutesArchive2010.htm 18; Strategic Plan 2008-2011, p.6-7; Educational Master Plan 2006-2016, p.7 9.43 Department of Finance and Facilities — www. nocccd.edu/Departments/FandF/FinanceFacilities. 9.24 Annual Proposed Budget Narrative 2009/10, p.54 htm

9.25 Phone interview with Claudette Dain, District Direc- 9.44 Department of Finance and Facilities, Purchasing — tor of Fiscal Services, 12/18/09 www.nocccd.edu/Departments/FandF/Purchasing. htm 9.26 Annual Financial Reports, 2007, 2008 9.45 Department of Finance and Facilities Progress 9.27 Chancellor’s Memos Feb 2009-Feb 2010, Plan- Report — www.nocccd.edu/Departments/FandF/ ning and Budget Committee Guidelines, @Cypress FacilitiesBond/documents/NOCCCDFMPProgress- Newsletters 8/21/09, 9/18/09, 1/29/10 Report2009.pdf 9.28 Claudette Dain email 10/29/09, Audit Reports under Analysis of Ending Fund Balance

9.29 Claudette Dain, District Director of Fiscal Services, email 10/29/09; 11/24/09 Board Meeting Minutes, Item 4.a; News from the Board 11/24/09

9.30 Claudette Dain, District Director of Fiscal Services, email 10/29/09; Board Meeting Minutes 6-9-09 for 2009-2010 school year, item 3.e & f

9.31 T. Oh, District Director of Risk Services, 2/11/10

9.32 T. Oh, District Director of Risk Services, 12/16/09

9.33 T. Oh, District Director of Risk Services, 12/14/09

9.34 External Audits — www.nocccd.edu/Departments/ FandF/FinanceFacilities.htm, internal audits performed by Pete Cruz under the direction of Vice Chancellor Finance & Facilities, periodic compliance reviews from state agencies remain with the program/department reviewed

9.35 Foundation Meeting Minutes

9.36 Administrative Procedure 6150 — www.nocccd. edu/Policies/PoliciesAndProcedures.htm

9.37 Ref. Education Code Section 84040(c); Title 5, Sec- tion 58311; Accreditation Standard 9B and C

9.38 Board Policy/Administrative Procedure 6400 — www.nocccd.edu/Policies/PDFs/6400.AP_022206. pdf

9.39 Board Policy/Administrative Procedure 7130 — www.nocccd.edu/Policies/PoliciesAndProcedures.

232 Cypress College Standard IV

Leadership and Governance

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 233

Standard IVA: Decision- The Directions in the Strategic Plan refine and guide the College toward continued student success and Making Roles and Processes learning. The Plan is the primary tool used by decision- makers on campus and is the foundation for institu- A. Decision-Making Roles and Processes tional planning and budgetary determinations (10.5). The institution recognizes that ethical and ef- Monetary requests that are in close harmony with the fective leadership through the organization directions of the Strategic Plan are more likely to be enables the institution to identify institutional funded (10.2). values, set and achieve goals, learns, and im- Student success is monitored as part of program re- proves. view for both instructional programs and support ser- Cypress College’s leadership and governance reflects a vices. To this end, the College is nearing completion student-centered philosophy with the primary empha- on its plan for integrating student learning outcomes sis on student learning outcomes and success. The de- (SLOs) and assessments into its ongoing quality review cision-making roles and processes, therefore, focus on process (10.7). The program review process allows the improving the learning environment on campus to ac- faculty and classified staff in each area to contribute commodate the needs and interests of the students. By their insights to the program evaluation. Since these integrating the systematic governing structure that in- reviews serve as the basis for long-term planning, em- volves campus members in strategic planning — staff, ployees also have a say in determining the direction of faculty, administrators, and students — the College their programs. encourages open communication for new ideas while The culture of the institution reflects excellence in maintaining the integrity of the College’s mission, val- its ability to live up to the core value of inclusiveness ues, and vision. through the many efforts the College utilizes to pro- 1. Institutional leaders create an environment vide opportunities for all segments of the institution to for empowerment, innovation, and institu- be involved with planning. Planning retreats are held, tional excellence. They encourage staff, fac- requests for participation are sent to the entire cam- ulty, administrators, and students, no matter pus community, and the conveners always ensure that what their official titles, to take initiative in there are representatives from faculty, classified, man- improving the practices, programs and ser- agement, and student constituencies. Sometimes rep- vices in which they are involved. When ideas resentatives of the surrounding communities are also for improvement have policy or significant included. The most recent planning retreat in Spring institution-wide implications, systematic par- 2008 involved 50 members from the Cypress College ticipative processes are used to assure effec- community who attended a strategic planning col- tive discussion, planning and implementation. loquium. The participants included all segments of the campus from students, to faculty, managers, and Descriptive Summary classified staff as well as the Cypress College Founda- tion board of directors and other community partners. The vision for Cypress College is “A premier learning Some had been at the campus for many years, while community recognized for supporting student success others were new (10.5). and enriching society.” This vision reveals student success to be at the core of all institutional efforts at Cy- press College (10.1,10.5). The word “premier” reflects Self Evaluation the focus on excellence in achieving student success. The Fall 2009 Campus Climate Survey revealed that The most all-encompassing document that points to- overall Cypress College faculty and staff members wards the importance of enhancing student success viewed the campus atmosphere favorably (10.3). A ma- is the Strategic Plan (10.2). The four Core Values — jority (over 60%) (10.3b) of Cypress College employees Excellence, Integrity, Collegiality, and Inclusiveness — who responded assigned positive ratings on all eleven speak to the campus culture of shared governance with descriptors. In fact, over 80% agreed that the campus student success as the ultimate goal (10.5). was “friendly, respectful and comfortable.” This result

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 235 was considerably higher than it had been in 2008 when student support areas. Past results have included cur- the satisfaction in those areas was closer to 70%. It is riculum and budget revisions that focus on improving interesting to note that in all remaining descriptive ar- student learning and an increase in grant applications eas except “relaxed” (61.6%), respondents rated the that are designed to enhance the College’s ability to atmosphere at Cypress College at or above the 70% provide support services for its students. level. This result is ten percentage points above the last The College’s current self evaluation processes are climate survey from 2008. This increase in faculty and relying upon the Accrediting Commission for Com- staff satisfaction is noteworthy as California has been munity and Junior Colleges’ (ACCJC) revised ac- faced with the worst economic conditions in decades. creditation standards that went into effect in 2004. Cypress College has suffered budgetary cutbacks, over- These standards stated in part, “…The institution crowding in classrooms, and reductions in staff, and yet provides the means for students to learn, assesses how satisfaction with the campus climate is higher than in well learning is occurring, and strives to improve that the past. learning through ongoing, systematic, and integrated Administrators and managers perceived the atmo- planning” (Standard I,10.2). Instructional programs, sphere on campus more favorably than other employee student support services, and library and learning sup- groups. Administrators, full-time faculty members, and port services evaluate their effectiveness in supporting members of shared-governance committees are more these goals through the program review process. The satisfied with their work at Cypress College and believe results of these evaluations are published in the annual that their contributions are more influential than staff, Institutional Effectiveness Report. At this point, pro- part-time faculty, and those not involved in shared-gov- gram learning outcomes have been developed for all ernance committees. Administrators were also most academic programs and support service areas (10.7b). likely to agree that they are aware and involved in cam- Most academic departments have completed their first pus planning while part-time faculty were least likely cycle of assessment and will be linking these assessments to agree. The 2009 Climate Survey trends show that into their planning documents and program review overall the College atmosphere, acceptance of diver- through the TracDat software in the next evaluation sity and decision-making, and job satisfaction are rated cycle (10.7). Some programs (e.g., the Supplemental In- more positively than in the past (10.3). struction Program) also conduct detailed analyses with Although most employees of Cypress College hold the assistance of the Office of Institutional Research positive attitudes and beliefs about the College, all em- and Planning. The results of these studies are posted ployees do not experience the campus as positively as on the office’s web page (10.7c) as well as in other Col- others. Employees who are members of dominant so- lege documents. cial groups (e.g., Whites, men, heterosexuals, and non- In addition to its role in evaluating practices within its disabled individuals) experience the College as more programs and services, the SLO process has involved supportive and equitable than do employees who are many campus personnel in meaningful dialogue. It has members of minority social groups. Similarly, experi- increased faculty and staff awareness of their roles in ences of administrators are more positive, and they feel helping achieve institutional goals. Faculty play the key that their involvement in campus planning and deci- role in determining the content and delivery of student sion making is more meaningful than faculty (part-time learning with input from this ongoing dialogue as well or full-time) or staff (10.3). as assessment and curricular program and professional With excellence as a goal, improving student learn- development activities. Staff members who are directly ing is also the primary outcome of the Department involved with campus and district committees — those Planning and Program Review (previously known as involved with funding, campus activities, and events Instructional Quality Assessment) and the Student — perhaps can even more readily describe their own Services Quality Review processes. These commit- roles than those who are not as involved. The College tees utilize the decision-making processes to assess and recognizes the importance of continually keeping the evaluate where the campus is succeeding and which various constituency groups aware of their roles and areas need improvement in both the instructional and opportunities for involvement in governance structures (10.5).

236 Cypress College There are many opportunities for innovation on the stantive and clearly defined role in institution- part of the faculty both as individuals and as members al governance and exercise a substantial voice of departments. They create and modify existing cur- in institutional policies, planning, and budget riculum on a five-year cycle to maintain currency and that relate to their areas of responsibility and compliance with the CSU and UC articulation agree- expertise. Students and staff also have estab- ments. Either by working independently or with the lished mechanism or organizations for provid- assistance of the Expanded SLO Committee, faculty ing input into institutional decisions. members develop SLOs for individual courses as well as PLOs that evaluate their ability to serve students ef- Descriptive Summary fectively. Based on the results from SLO analysis and other input, faculty evaluate their departmental plan- Cypress College has developed both formal and infor- ning goals and recommend changes to bring these mal avenues of communication consistent with its core goals into alignment with action plans identified in the values of inclusiveness and collegiality. These commu- master planning documents. These evaluations pro- nication networks allow for both top-down and bot- vide input to the annual budget development process tom-up communication that encourage efficiency and through department participation and one time fund- creativity within the community so that each member ing requests. They also assist the division deans in pri- has the opportunity to suggest ideas for institutional oritizing proposals for hiring additional faculty (10.5). improvements. As part of the North Orange County Community College District (NOCCCD), commu- Through the negotiated language of faculty and clas- nication between Cypress College, Fullerton College, sified contracts, the District administration encourage the School of Continuing Education, and the District faculty and classified employees to participate in the Office must also be coordinated effectively. Formal numerous colloquia, strategic conversations, and stra- structures within the District as well as all Board poli- tegic planning gatherings. Students are encouraged to cies can be found on the NOCCCD website (10.10) participate through their involvement in club activi- For example, Board Policy 2510 specifies the role of ties and student government. The structure of these faculty, staff, and students in institutional governance. events encourages individuals to express their opinions Descriptions of College-level communication struc- and share their ideas. In addition, there are important tures can be found in both the College’s Strategic Plan workplace structures which rely upon the governance (10.2) and the Educational Master Plan (10.5). Specific process to enhance student learning. They include de- details about the membership, history, and purpose of partments, divisions, and offices where individual and the various governance and planning committees are group ideas may be heard. Finally, there are campus stored on the College’s J: drive (10.11). committees, governance structures such as the Aca- demic Senate and Faculty and Classified Employees’ Individual faculty members have many avenues unions, and the Associated Students, which can serve through which to communicate ideas and participate as vehicles for innovation and improvement (10.5). in the governance process. Regular (monthly or as needed) department and division meetings allow faculty to express concerns, contribute ideas, and par- Planning Agenda ticipate in the day-to-day operations within their de- None. partment. At these meetings, department coordinators share information and provide status reports on their 2. The institution establishes and implements areas. Faculty members on shared-governance com- a written policy providing for faculty, staff, mittees and Academic Senate representatives inform administrator, and student participation in their peers about the deliberative activities of these decision-making processes. The policy speci- groups (10.12). In turn, faculty discuss these activities fies the manner in which individuals bring for- and, when appropriate, vote to establish directives for ward ideas from their constituencies and work their representatives. together on appropriate policy, planning, and special-purposes bodies. The Academic Senate represents faculty on all issues regarding classroom instruction and College policy. 2.a. Faculty and administrators have a sub-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 237 Faculty can bring division-specific issues to the Aca- addition to input through the formal process, students demic Senate through their elected representatives. In at the College are able to promote change through less addition, faculty can address areas of wider concern formal processes by working directly with faculty, man- through their at-large Academic Senate representatives agers, and administrators (10.18). (10.13). When necessary, issues related to instructional Most decisions that affect Cypress College are made assignment or terms of employment can be addressed at the campus level. These decisions may involve bud- through the United Faculty union (UF) for full-time getary, staffing, and instructional issues as well as the faculty or Adjunct Faculty United (AdFAC) for adjunct development of policies and procedures. Typically, instructors. Both of these unions operate under their planning begins at the department and division level own set of governance rules (10.14). as part of the program review process (10.19). This Classified staff participate in division meetings where planning document aligns departmental goals with the they can express their concerns and provide feedback institution’s goals as outlined in the Strategic Plan and to the faculty. Most divisions also hold regular staff Educational Master Plan (EMP), taking into account meetings where classified personnel can communicate the data collected through the SLO process (10.19), directly with their manager to establish operating pro- the Institutional Effectiveness Report (10.7), and other cedures for their area and help develop the division research projects requested through the Office of In- budget. Much of the operational information affect- struction. ing day-to-day processes are communicated infor- When instructors determine that additional resources mally through the network of division office managers are needed to fulfill their goals, they submit a One- (10.12). Their ability to communicate effectively and Time Funding Proposal to the appropriate direction their willingness to work together is one of the College’s committee (10.2). The various direction committees strengths. Like faculty, classified staff can communicate prioritize these proposals and make recommendations workplace-related concerns through their California to the Planning and Budget Committee (PBC). The School Employees Association (CSEA) when necessary PBC reviews these proposals, evaluates the campus (10.15). needs and resources, and passes their recommenda- Cypress College administration communicates via a tion on to the President’s Advisory Cabinet for final regularly scheduled series of meetings. Deans from Ac- approval. ademic Divisions and Student Support Services meet Occasionally, decisions affecting the campus occur via twice monthly with the Executive Vice President of a top-down mechanism. These decisions begin as direc- Instruction to share the concerns of their faculty and tives from the president, often as a result of changing staff and to discuss issues that affect instruction and regulations or accreditation standards. In these situa- student support. At a separate meeting chaired by the tions, information regarding campus goals — includ- President, Deans and Directors discuss broader cam- ing the rationale behind them and the parameters for pus issues including facilities concerns and the devel- resolving the issues — are communicated in a variety opment of campus-wide procedures. These directors’ of venues. These discussions occur at large gatherings meetings are scheduled to alternate with a larger Man- such as campus Opening Day events, Leadership Team agement Team meeting that includes all administrative meetings, as well as through management and division personnel (10.16). In addition to these administrative meetings. As much as possible, the campus community meetings, managers are also members of one or more works together to craft an appropriate response. other committees where they serve side-by-side with faculty and staff (10.17). Self Evaluation Student representation occurs through the Associated Students Council, which makes appointments and pro- Although Cypress College has developed a structured vides feedback to campus committees. Over the past decision-making process that encourages open com- two years, student participation on the Council has munication and innovation, the number of individu- increased, enabling stronger and more diverse student als who participate in this process is less than optimal. representation in the shared-governance process. In Those individuals that do participate express a greater sense of satisfaction both with the College and with

238 Cypress College their job (10.3). The two most common excuses for lack demic senate or other appropriate faculty of involvement are a lack of available time and inad- structures, the curriculum committee, and ac- equate information on how to get involved. ademic administrators for recommendations New personnel and those that do not have a history about student learning programs and services. of involvement are often unaware of campus processes and procedures. This problem creates an information Descriptive Summary gap forming a barrier for recruitment into the shared- The North Orange County Community College Dis- governance process. For example, many instructors are trict (NOCCCD) has established and implemented not familiar with the valuable information available written policies providing faculty, staff, administrators, on the campus J: drive, while others do not know how and students participation in the decision-making pro- to access it or that it even exists. These obstacles pre- cesses. These specific policies include: Board Policy vent them from becoming involved in campus gover- 2430 — Delegation of Authority to the Chancellor, nance. Cypress College’s plans to improve involvement Board Policy 3100 — Organization Structure, Board include creating a brochure “How to Get Involved” Policy 3250 — Institutional Planning, Board Policy (10.25); however, barriers to participations still remain. 6250 — Budget Management, and Board Policy 6300 The fact that many individuals are not involved has se- — Fiscal Management. (10.53) rious consequences in terms of both communication and governance. Increasing participation will require The major legal provision that sets forth the official re- an extensive effort of analysis, recruitment, and reten- sponsibilities and authority of the faculty is California tions. Assembly Bill 1725 (10.22), which codified the principles of shared governance. The Board of Trustees Staff Development introduces first year full-time faculty has adopted the policy that it will “rely primarily” on members to the structure and function of college gov- the advice of the Academic Senate “or seek to reach ernance in their New Faculty Seminar Series (10.58). mutual agreement” in the ten identified areas of ac- However, the amount of new material first year faculty ademic and professional matters. In keeping with its members are exposed to can be overwhelming. Hence, Core Value of Inclusiveness, Cypress College is com- they are not likely to retain this information. Also, since mitted to the principle of shared governance and relies new instructors are encouraged to devote their early on the faculty as the major contributor on curricular years to enhancing their instructional aptitude, cam- and educational matters. pus involvement is delayed. Unfortunately, the habit of participation is much more difficult to develop once As an institution, Cypress College values inclusiveness. behavior patterns are established. Adherence to this value is manifest in the makeup of the College shared-governance committees. Each of As the modes of communication have moved rapid- the following committees includes membership from ly from print, to electronic, to web-based media, the administration, faculty, classified staff, and students: College has struggled to remain current. Each area of President’s Advisory Cabinet, Diversity, Matricula- campus has established communication networks that tion Advisory, Curriculum, Planning and Budget, all meet their local needs. However, individuals from oth- Direction Committees of the Strategic Planning Pro- er areas are not aware of these structures or how to use cess, Planning and Budget Subcommittees, Staff De- them. Most importantly, no single individual or entity velopment, Student Equality Planning, and Campus on campus bears the responsibility for maintaining or Technology (10.42). In this respect, every aspect of coordinating the systems. As a result, there is no single governance that includes planning and curriculum de- depository for institutional documents, although that velopment receives significant input from both faculty was the intent behind creating the intranet J: drive. and administrators. The Curriculum Committee is a subcommittee of the Planning Agenda Academic Senate and assumes primary responsibil- None. ity for curricular issues. The Cypress College General Procedures on Curriculum describes the official re- 2.b. The institution relies on faculty, its aca- sponsibilities of faculty and academic administrators in

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 239 curricular matters (10.43). Both the committee mem- and SLOs, implement curriculum changes, and con- bership and its function are weighted heavily toward duct their program review. The division dean is con- faculty involvement. The curriculum process is made sulted during this process and submits a companion up of four phases: Consultation Phase, Campus Ap- form that includes his/her observations and recom- proval Phase, District Approval Phase, and Resolution mendations. The Program Review Committee reads Phase. (10.54) During the Consultation Phase, Division these reviews and recommends changes before the final Representatives work with faculty within their divisions report is submitted to the Executive Vice President and to create and/or modify their curriculum. Representa- campus committees to be used in considering fund- tives ensure that the curriculum is in accordance with ing requests for faculty, staff, facilities, and equipment. State law and College guidelines. Completed curricula Similarly, both the division dean and faculty members are thoroughly reviewed before the Campus Approval within the division offer their input at the Consulta- Phase, during which the Technical Review Subcommit- tion Phase in Curriculum Development to ensure that tee evaluates the curriculum for technical errors. These curriculum changes have broad general support before errors are corrected before the curriculum is presented being presented at the campus level. In general, most before the full committee for campus approval. Simi- faculty contribute to these local processes. larly, procedures at the District Approval and Resolu- Cypress College has established an inclusive model tion phase include a high level of faculty input and for campus-wide participation through its Educational administrative cooperation. Recently, Cypress College Master Plan (EMP). The EMP “serves as the founda- has strengthened and streamlined this approval process tional document to inform and shape other campus through the utilization of the CurricUNET software plans” (10.5). The EMP also describes the history and to standardize formats and improve oversight (10.23). the extensive collaborative effort that led to its devel- Every third year, each academic department conducts opment. Each subsequent plan developed to fulfill an internal Department Planning and Program Re- the goals of the EMP was created through a similarly view (10.57) during which faculty members collabo- collaborative process. Each was also approved by the rate with one another to evaluate data from SLOs and Academic Senate, the Planning and Budget Commit- other sources and develop plans for the future direc- tee, and President’s Advisory Cabinet before adoption. tion of their instructional program. During this review, The implementation of the Student Services Plan, the instructors are encouraged to consider how well their Matriculation Plan, and the Technology Plan are all department mission, goals, and action plans reflect the conducted with the oversight of an advisory commit- mission and broader goals of the College as articulated tee that represents a range of constituencies. Represen- in the Educational Master Plan. These internal reviews tation on these and other campus-wide committees is are submitted to the Department Planning and Pro- voluntary. Fewer faculty choose to serve on these cam- gram Review Committee, which is composed of a fac- pus committees than contribute to the decisions made ulty chair appointed by the Academic Senate, a faculty at the department and division levels. representative from each of the ten instructional divi- The extent to which faculty contribute to the planning sions approved by the Academic Senate, and one dean. and shared-governance processes decreases as the perceived distance from their instructional area increas- Self Evaluation es. This “inverted involvement pyramid” results in a Cypress College has developed a comprehensive gov- smaller number of faculty members contributing to the ernance structure to ensure that both faculty and ad- broader campus-wide decisions than those contribut- ministrators have significant input into decisions that ing to their immediate area. Currently, this picture rep- impact student learning and educational support ser- resents the perceived pattern of campus involvement. vices. This structure encourages input at both the local Both the College administration and the faculty mem- (i.e. departmental/divisional) level and at the campus bers who serve on campus-wide committees perceive level. this pattern of involvement to be detrimental to the decision-making process. However, there has not been Most departments rely on collective contributions from a systematic study of campus involvement to verify each individual instructor as they develop their goals whether this inverted involvement pyramid exists, and,

240 Cypress College if it does, whether it really is detrimental to College held in the District since 1999 to encourage communi- shared governance. cation and interaction between staff, community, and Board of Trustee members. The comments and ideas Planning Agenda shared at these informal conversations are compiled into follow-up reports, which serve as a reference for None. the Board as it addresses future policy matters (10.41). 3. Through established governance structures, At the campus level, Cypress College has created a processes, and practices, the governing board, well-defined structure to conduct its planning activities administrators, faculty, staff, and students (10.46). Using this structure, the College community work together for the good of the institution. collectively determines the goals and objectives of the These processes facilitate discussion of ideas institution based on a shared understanding of its mis- and effective communication among the insti- sion, vision, and core values. In developing its guiding tution’s constituencies. Educational Master Plan 2006-2016 (EMP) (10. 5), the College recognized the need to institutionalize data- Descriptive Summary driven decision making as part of its overall planning Cypress College maintains a strong commitment to the process. The EMP provides a detailed analysis of the ideals and practices of shared governance. The cam- College’s service area and student population in order pus community adheres to its core values of collegiality to respond more efficiently to student needs. and inclusiveness in making policy decisions, soliciting Assessing this information, faculty worked within the input from all affected parties including faculty, clas- existing departmental structure to predict enrollment sified staff, students, and administrators. These values and occupational trends in their areas. Using these pre- are an extension of the District’s goals to create a trans- dictions, individual departments strive to define pro- parent decision-making environment as befits a public grams and develop support structures as a foundation institution. The following examples demonstrate how for student success. The broadly defined institutional both District and College personnel work together to goals outlined in the EMP directly feed into the more apply these ideals in their shared-governance practices. specific planning objectives expressed in the Strategic The District website is structured to provide public Plan 2008-2011 (10.2). access to Board policies, meeting schedules, meeting The basic foundation for the Strategic Plan was devel- agendas and minutes, and financial documents (10.10). oped during a planning colloquium at the UCLA Con- District business is conducted in open session during ference Center in Lake Arrowhead in March 2008. bi-monthly meetings. Meeting minutes are compre- Participants included personnel across all areas of the hensive and thorough. Instances where sensitive legal campus. Among the participants were 13 instructors issues are discussed in closed session are duly noted (including two representing the Academic Senate), 5 with references to appropriate Government Codes students, 8 academic deans, 4 area coordinators and that support the Board’s actions. The District Direc- directors, 2 academic counselors, 2 research personnel, tor of Public Affairs prepares News from the Board of 9 other classified employees as well as the VP, EVP, and Trustees (10.49), which summarizes meeting highlights President of the College (10.47). Contributors engaged (10.49), and are distributed electronically to the con- in structured dialogues addressing critical issues facing stituent campuses. the College and its students. An example of the Trustees’ commitment to collective Based on the discussions of this diverse group, six pri- dialogue is the Annual Strategic Conversation. The mary challenges were identified. A steering commit- topic of this year’s 11th Strategic Conversation was tee used this information to develop a draft document “Student Success.” Over 80 participants (including stu- containing five Strategic Directions with 37 objectives dents, faculty, support staff, administrators, and Board supporting 13 specific goals. The draft document was members) discussed definitions of student success and then distributed to campus committees including the shared personal experiences that affected their own Academic Senate, the Planning and Budget Commit- ability to succeed. Strategic Conversations have been tee, and the Enrollment Management Committee (5%

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 241 MORE) before being shared with the Leadership Team storage. However, since no individual has been desig- on May 2, 2008 (10.50). At this meeting, members sug- nated responsibility for maintaining this archive, there gested some minor revisions to improve the clarity and is some difficulty in navigating the site and determining readability of the document before distribution for which forms are the most current. comment to the campus at large. After a waiting pe- Because some issues require more interactive commu- riod for discussion and review, the President’s Advisory nication, deans and directors regularly meet bi-weekly Cabinet adopted the Strategic Plan on September 18, with the President, VP, and EVP. At these meetings, 2008 (10.51). administrators receive updates on policy decisions and Five Direction Committees oversee the campus ac- the rationale behind them so that they, in turn, can tivities defined by the Strategic Plan to ensure that its communicate with their divisions. Directors also share objectives are being accomplished according to the information on campus events/incidents and their like- proscribed timelines. Each committee seeks represen- ly impact on personnel. Discussions and deliberations tation from all academic and support areas and from follow a participatory model that emphasizes consen- all personnel categories across campus. Committee sus whenever possible with cordial acceptance of deci- members contact the lead persons identified by the sions when consensus proves elusive. Strategic Plan for progress updates on specific objectives. They also review spending proposals submitted Self Evaluation to support these objectives and prioritize expenditures. The proposals are subsequently presented for approval The shared-governance structure at Cypress College to the Planning and Budget Committee and, finally, to reflects its culture and history as an institution. Cam- the President’s Advisory Cabinet (PAC). pus Climate Surveys conducted biennially indicate a strong correlation between involvement and personal Cypress College relies on several parallel structures to satisfaction with campus institutions and governance communicate the results of the decision-making pro- practices (10.3). In other words, the structures of the cesses. The College has adopted electronic commu- College’s participatory governance works well for those nication as the preferred “official” medium for con- employees that participate. Unfortunately, not all per- veying information to students and employees. When sonnel participate. students apply, they designate a primary email address through which they receive campus communications. Communicating with adjunct instructors proves to be a All full-time faculty, adjunct faculty, and staff are issued particularly difficult issue to address. Since many teach email accounts under the @cypresscollege.edu domain at multiple colleges, they often have three or more name. Academic Computing is currently investigating separate email accounts to monitor (10.26). Therefore, the feasibility of extending this practice to include stu- multiple modes of communication including email, dents and alumni as well, with plans to implement this written memos, and direct personal contact are re- policy in 2012-2013 (10.24). In addition to email, stu- quired to keep them informed. dents and District employees have access to myGate- way (10.55), a password-protected portal network with Planning Agenda links to important messages and administrative pro- None. cesses throughout the District. 4. The institution advocates and demonstrates The campus also provides access to District forms and honesty and integrity in its relationships with the activities of the College’s various shared-gover- external agencies. It agrees to comply with nance committees through an archive of documents Accrediting Commission standards, policies, on an intranet J: drive. All Cypress College staff, in- and guidelines, and Commission require- cluding both full-time and adjunct faculty, can request ments for public disclosure, self-study, and a Novell account to access the J: drive. Due to the sen- other reports, team visits, and prior approval sitive nature of some of the documents stored there, of substantive changes. The institution moves remote access and student access are restricted. This expeditiously to respond to recommendations resource provides a centralized location for document made by the Commission.

242 Cypress College Descriptive Summary Some of the College programs utilize industry agen- Cypress College recognizes the importance of integrity cies for course standardization. The Culinary Arts Pro- and openness in communication. As a public agency, gram uses materials provided by the National Restau- the College is ultimately responsible to the public. Ac- rant Association (10.36), and the Hotel Management crediting agencies are watchdogs for the public inter- Program uses materials provided by the American Ho- est, providing the oversight necessary to ensure that the tel and Lodging Educational Institute (10.37). Partner- College is providing a quality education for its students. ships have been developed with a variety of employers Since the institution also values excellence, it welcomes such as the Toyota Corporation (10.38) and its Toyota the feedback and recommendations. They are taken to Technical Education Network (T-TEN) and the John- heart and recognized for what they are: an opportunity son Controls’ Career Connect (10.39) Program to en- for reflection and improvement. As a community, the sure that quality instruction leads directly to viable em- College also understands that timely compliance with ployment. these regulations and standards serves to develop and The Career Technical Education and Economic De- maintain its professional relationships, reflecting well velopment, Health Science, and Business & CIS divi- on the College and exemplifying its commitment to sions are all in State compliance by annually hosting collegiality in all of its relationships. advisory meetings with industry leaders to maintain quality and currency in course and program offerings. Self Evaluation In addition, the dean of Career Technical Education and Economic Development works closely with the The College responds to external agencies consistently U.S. Department of Education Office of Vocational and accurately and makes deliberate efforts to main- and Adult Education, the California Department of tain high standards of excellence. The 2008 Focused Education Office of Workforce Development, and the Mid-term Report (10.27) details progression toward California Community College Los Angeles/Orange completion of the 6 recommendations made by the County Regional Consortium. Accrediting Commission, as well as recognition by the U.S. Department of Education’s (10.28) of Cypress Campus deans are dedicated to maintaining collabora- College as an accredited institution with the West- tive relationships with local industries and attend city ern Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting and Chamber of Commerce events. Campus deans Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. and other campus staff also participate in various activities and meetings with the California Workforce In- Specialized accreditations maintained by the Health vestment Board (WIB). Science Division include the American Board of Fu- neral Service Education (10.29), the Commission on A Public Information Office maintains an open and Dental Accreditation (10.30), the Joint Review Com- cooperative relationship with the media and, through mittee on Education in Radiologic Technology (10.31), the College’s comprehensive website, provides pub- and the National League for Nursing Accrediting lic access to current and archived catalogs, schedules, Commission (10.32). newsletters, accreditation documents, institutional publications, and campus calendars. Students, faculty, and Additionally, a number of College programs are mem- staff have access to their private documents through bers of professional organizations and/or are in com- the myGateway portal (10.55). pliance with those professional industry standards. More specifically, the Automotive Technology Program A full-time Articulation Officer maintains course is certified with the National Automotive Technicians agreements with 2- and 4-year institutions, a part-time Education Foundation (10.33); the Computer Infor- Technical Preparation Coordinator maintains course mation Systems program is Microsoft Office Specialist agreements, alignments, and career pathways with lo- Certified (10.34); and the Air Conditioning/Refrigera- cal high schools and Regional Occupation Programs, tion program is currently seeking certification with the and all full-time counselors have liaison assignments Heating Ventilating Air Conditioning Excellence Or- with the local high schools to encourage and enhance ganization (10.35). student academic progress. The final phase of the 2002 voter-approved Measure

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 243 X Remodel for Efficiency project was completed with Planning conducts these surveys, analyzes the results, the Humanities building rededication in Spring 2010 and creates a report that is accessible through their (10.40). website. The results of this survey are widely circulated through presentations at Leadership Team meetings Planning Agenda and at campus Opening Day events. None. Cypress College regularly conducts comprehensive surveys of both students and staff to evaluate all func- 5. The role of leadership and the institution’s tional units on the campus. The Student Survey is governance and decision-making structures conducted every Fall in odd-numbered years while the and processes are regularly evaluated to as- Campus Climate Survey is conducted in the Spring sure their integrity and effectiveness. The in- semesters of even-numbered years. These surveys are stitution widely communicates the results of distributed both electronically and via regular mail for- these evaluations and uses them as the basis mat to maximize responses and ensure a representa- for improvement. tive data set (10.3). In addition, the Campus Support Services Survey is conducted every three years in the Descriptive Summary Spring semester. These surveys become part of the Cypress College has not created a formal review pro- Quality Review process for Student Support Services, cess to evaluate its organizational governance struc- Campus Support Services, and Special Programs. The ture, although this structure is periodically evaluated in Special Programs survey began in Spring 2008, and the preparation of its Accreditation Self Study (10.16). the rotation schedule has yet to be determined. Nevertheless, informal discussions occur regularly as The results of these surveys are evaluated by the Office part of the shared-governance process. Specific con- of Institutional Research and Planning. Researchers versations arise when vacancies occur or in response publish comprehensive reports on their website (10.7c), to economic downturns. Each administrative vacancy on the campus J: drive (10.11), and in a shortened ver- is reviewed thoroughly to evaluate the necessity of fill- sion on the campus website (10.52). The results are ing the position. At times, administrative duties are evaluated by representatives from administration, stu- shuffled or combined in response to economic uncer- dent support services, and special programs areas. If tainties. When circumstances dictate a more compre- changes for improvement are recommended, they are hensive response, the President’s Advisory Cabinet forwarded to the various shared-governance decision- may suggest the formation of a Reorganization Task making bodies (10.45, 10.48), including designated Force composed of faculty, administrators, and classi- management teams, the Planning and Budget Com- fied personnel. This task force is charged with assessing mittee, and the President’s Advisory Cabinet. Minutes the current governance structure and making recom- of these meetings are posted on the campus J: drive for mendations to manage both short-term and long-term the entire campus community to review. reorganizations. Individual administrators are evaluated yearly by their Self Evaluation immediate management supervisor based on criteria Cypress College has established an effective means for set forth in the Management Appraisal Instrument as evaluating the opinions of student and staff through well as mutually agreed-upon goals and objectives. Ev- an orchestrated series of surveys. The results of these ery third year, administrators undergo a comprehen- surveys are communicated through a variety of fo- sive review and are evaluated by a broad cross-section rums and serve to inform the decision-making process of College employees using the same criteria (10.53). on campus. The Office of Institutional Research and The biennial Campus Climate Survey provides feed- Planning has developed a “Dashboard,” an effective vi- back of a more general nature about impressions of the sual format for integrating the various measures of in- College environment (10.6). An entire section is dedi- stitutional effectiveness and connecting them with the cated to the evaluation of campus governance and job established governance structure (10.56). This dash- satisfaction. The Office of Institutional Research and board provides a detailed summary of the current sta-

244 Cypress College tus and progress toward the goals outlined in the Stra- 10.7 Cypr ess College Institutional Effectiveness Report tegic Plan. The website for the Office of Institutional 2008-2009, p. 61 — www.cypresscollege.edu/IRP/ Resources/Research/SE/IER2009forwebsite.pdf Research and Planning contains links to the analysis and written reports for the most recent campus-wide 10.7b Cypr ess College Institutional Effectiveness Report surveys. Full implementation of the TracDat assess- 2009-2010, p. 63 — www.cypresscollege.edu/IRP/ ment management software promises a great advance Resources/Research/SE/IER2009forwebsite.pdf in centralizing campus information. However, the ex- 10.7c Of fice of Institutional Research and Planning web- istence of multiple storage locations and separate sites page — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/Institution- for storing present and past reports creates confusion alResearch. among campus employees. 10.8 Higher Education: A Report and Collection of Insti- Cypress College management is particularly sensitive tutional Practices of the Student Learning Initiative to concerns about personal job satisfaction and the de- 10.9 Cypr ess College Accreditation Self Study 2005 gree to which individuals are involved and content with — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalRe- the governance process. In fact, the Campus Climate search/Accreditation/areports.aspx Survey for Spring 2010 (but conducted in Fall 2009 for 10.10 North Orange County Community College District use in the Self Study) asked 14 specific questions re- website — www.nocccd.edu/ lating to these issues (10.3). The results of this study 10.11 Cypress College Campus — J:drive indicate that there is general satisfaction with campus governance, but that administrators express a signifi- 10.12 Richard Fee, Dean: SEM. — Personal communica- cantly more positive opinion than do other segments tion of the campus community. 10.13 Cypress College Academic Senate Constitution and By-Laws — J:\Academic Senate\Academic Sen- ate Constitution & By-laws\Constitution & By-laws Planning Agenda adopted and ratified April 2008.doc None. 10.14 Faculty Contracts — www.nocccd.edu/Depart- ments/HR/UnionContracts.htm

Reference Documents 10.15 California School Employees’ Association (CSEA) By-Laws — www.nocccd.edu/Departments/HR/ 10.1 Cypress College Catalog — www.cypresscollege. documents/CSEAContract2007-2010.pdf edu/academics/CollegeCatalog.aspx 10.16 Meeting minutes archived in President’s and Execu- 10.2 Cypress College Strategic Plan 2008-2011 — www. tive Vice President’s offices cypresscollege.edu/Media/Website%20Resources/ PDFs/ir/Strategic%20Plan%202008-2011%20Final. 10.17 Shared Governance Committees — J:\Shared Gov- pdf ernance Committees

10.3 Climate Survey of Faculty and Staff, 2009-2010 10.18 R yan Billings, Vice President Cypress College As- — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalRe- sociated Students — Personal Communication search/rsurveys.aspx 10.19 Institutional Effectiveness Plan — www.cypresscol- 10.3b Climate Survey, 2009-2010 (additional unpublished lege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments. data from the Office of Institutional Research) aspx

10.4 Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory Fall 2009, 10.22 Assembly Bill 1725 — www.faccc.org/ADVOCACY/ published 2010 — www.cypresscollege.edu/about/ bills/historical/ab1725.PDF InstitutionalResearch/rsurveys.aspx 10.23 CurricUNET — www.curricunet.com/cypress/ 10.5 Cypress College Educational Master Plan, 2006 -2016 — www.cypresscollege.edu/IRP/Resources/ 10.24 Personal communication: Mike Kavanaugh, Director Planning/EducationalMasterPlan.pdf of Academic Computing

10.6 Cypress College Strategic Plan Update 2009 — 10.25 Cypress College — How to Get Involved. (expected www.cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalRe- completion date Spring 2011) search/pdocuments.aspx

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 245 10.26 Basic Skills initiative Regional Meeting discussion, Paper — www.nocccd.edu/documents/Strategic- Fall 2009. Richard Fee — Personal Communication Conversation11Summary.pdf

10.27 Focused Midterm Report to the Accrediting Com- 10.42 President’s Advisory Cabinet — J:\President’s Advi- mission (2008) — www.cypresscollege.edu/IRP/ sory Cabinet\Shared Governance Process Resources/Accreditation/R/FocusedMidTermRe- port_Final_Feb5_2008.pdf 10.43 General Procedures on Curriculum: Curriculum minutes & Other Info — J:\Curriculum minutes & Other 10.28 “The Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institu- Info\General Procedures on Curriculum.doc tions and Programs.” U.S. Department of Educa- tion. Web. 15 Nov. 2009 — www.ope.ed.gov/ac- 10.45 Planning and Budget Committee — J:\Planning & creditation/ Budget Committee

10.29 “ABFSE Directory of Programs – California.” Ameri- 10.46 Cypress College Strategic Plan 2008-2011: Ap- can Board of Funeral Service Education. Web. 10 pendix A — www.cypresscollege.edu/Media/Web- March 2010 — www.abfse.org/html/dir-ca.html site%20Resources/PDFs/ir/Strategic%20Plan%20 2008-2011%20Final.pdf 10.30 “Commission on Dental Accreditation.” American Dental Association. Web. 17 Mar. 2010 — www. 10.47 Cypress College Strategic Plan 2008-2011: Ap- ada.org/prof/ed/programs/index.asp pendix B — www.cypresscollege.edu/Media/Web- site%20Resources/PDFs/ir/Strategic%20Plan%20 10.31 “Accredited Programs.” Joint Review Committee on 2008-2011%20Final.pdf Education in Radiologic Technology — www.jrcert. org/ Web. 17 Mar. 2010. 10.48 President’s Advisory Cabinet — J:\President’s Advi- sory Cabinet 10.32 “NLNAC Accredited Nursing Programs.” National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, Inc. 10.49 News from the Board — www.nocccd.edu/Trust- Web. 17 Mar. 2010 — www.nlnac.org/home.htm ees/NewsFromBofT1011.htm

10.33 “NATEF: Certification Process.” National Automotive 10.50 Leadership Team Meeting Agenda: Maintained by Technicians Education Foundation. Web. 15 Nov. the Office of the President 2009 — www.natef.org/certification.cfm 10.51 President’s Advisory Cabinet\2008-2009 — J:\Pres- 10.34 “Microsoft: Certification.” Microsoft. Web 15 Nov. ident’s Advisory Cabinet\2008-2009\PAC Minutes 2009 — www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/default. 09-18-08a.doc aspx 10.52 Cypress College Website — www.cypresscollege. 10.35 “HVAC Excellence.” HVAC Excellence. Web. 15 edu Nov. 2009 — www.hvacexcellence.org/Default.aspx 10.53 North Orange County Community College District 10.36 “NRA: ManageFirst.” National Restaurant Associa- Website- Board Policies — www.nocccd.edu/Poli- tion Education Foundation. Web. 15 Nov. 2009 — cies/PoliciesAndProcedures.htm www.managefirst.restaurant.org/ 10.54 The Curriculum Process — J:\curriculum minutes 10.37 “AHLA: Hospitality Training, Certification and Edu- and other information cation.” American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute. Web. 15 Nov. 2009 — www.ei-ahla.org/ 10.55 MyGateway Portal — mygateway.nocccd.edu/cp/ home/loginf 10.38 “T-TEN Find a School.” Toyota Motor Sales Cor- poration. Web. 15 Nov. 2009 — www.toyota.com/ 10.56 Dashboard Format — www.cypresscollege.edu/ about/tten/ Media/Website%20Resources/PDFs/pio/2009- CypressCollege-Dashboard.pdf 10.39 “Johnson Controls: Career Connect.” Johnson Controls. Web. 15 Nov. 2009 — www.johnsoncon- 10.57 Department Planning and Program Review — www. trols.com/publish/us/en/careers/college_recruiting1/ cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/Pro- Career_Connect/partner_schools.html gramReview

10.40 North Orange County Community College District Website- Building Progress Report 2009 — www. nocccd.edu/Departments/FandF/FacilitiesBond/ documents/BuildingProgressReport2009.pdf

10.41 11th Annual Strategic Conversation Background

246 Cypress College Standard IVB: Board and Self Evaluation Administrative The Board engages in effective open debate on issues relevant to the College as contained in Board agendas. Organization The Board acts in a conscientious manner to encour- In addition to the leadership of individuals age input from the constituent groups and from the and constituencies, institutions recognize the public. Once action has been taken on agenda items, designated responsibilities of the governing the Board acts as a cohesive team in assuring appro- board for setting policies and of the chief ad- priate implementation. Board meetings provide the ministrator for the effective operation of the opportunity for internal and external constituents to institution. Multi-college districts clearly de- be heard on policy and other matters. The Board is fine the organizational roles of the district and conscientious in listening to complaints and concerns the colleges. while serving as a buffer, explaining the parameters of District initiatives and the limitations under which the 1. The institution has a governing board that is colleges and School of Continuing Education operate. responsible for establishing policies to assure the quality, integrity, and effectiveness of the Regularly scheduled Board meetings serve as forums student learning programs and services and for the Board to receive information and to act as ad- the financial stability of the institution. The vocates for the Colleges and the School of Continuing governing board adheres to a clearly defined Education. They are unified in serving to protect and policy for selecting and evaluating the chief advance the well being of the College while being ap- administrator for the college or the district. propriately responsive to the community. 1.a. The governing board is an independent policy-making body that reflects the public in- Planning Agenda terest in board activities and decisions. Once None. the board reaches a decision, it acts as a whole. 1.b. The governing board establishes policies consistent with the mission statement to en- Descriptive Summary sure the quality, integrity, and improvement Board Policy 2010 (11.1) sets forth the formal regu- of student learning programs and services lations regarding how the Board is constituted. The and the resources necessary to support them. Board consists of seven members, with staggered elections held every two years for the participation of regis- Descriptive Summary tered voters in the North Orange County Community The North Orange County Community College Dis- College District (NOCCCD). Each Trustee represents trict has adopted its own mission statement (BP 1001): one of four specific geographic areas within the Dis- “The mission of the North Orange County Commu- trict. The Trustee must live in that area but is elected nity College District is to serve and enrich our com- at large by all voters within the District. Trustees are munities and inspire life-long learning by providing elected to four-year terms of office. The backgrounds education that is exemplary, relevant, and accessible.” of current Board members include experience in both (11.1) The mission statement further states: “Cypress the private and public sectors. Several have also been College and Fullerton College will offer associate de- involved in local and state politics. All of the current grees, vocational certificates and transfer education, as members have served multiple terms, providing conti- well as developmental instruction and a broad array of nuity and stability to the District in their role as Trust- specialized training. The School of Continuing Edu- ees. Two Student Trustees also serve on the Board. The cation will offer non-college credit programs including Student Trustees participate in all open Board discus- high school diploma completion, basic skills, vocational sions and activities while representing the interests and certificates and self development courses. Specific ac- issues of their respective colleges. Student Trustees are tivities in both the colleges and School of Continuing elected by the students at their respective colleges each Education will be directed toward economic develop- Spring and serve one-year terms beginning in June.

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 247 ment within the community.” The mission statement Descriptive Summary also provides that Cypress and Fullerton colleges “will Legal authority for the Board of Trustees to operate offer associate degrees, vocational certificates and on behalf of the North Orange County Community transfer education as well as developmental instruction College District is provided in provisions of the Cali- and a broad array of specialized training.” The District fornia Education Code §70902 et al. (11.2), Title 5 has adopted a Philosophy Statement, BP 1002, (11.1) of the California Code of Regulations, §51004 et al. that includes the following, “Trustees, faculty, staff (11.3) and the Procedures and Standing Orders of the and administrators have the responsibility to provide Board of Governors, Article 3, §331 et al. (11.4). The and support educational offerings of the highest qual- Board is the ultimate arbiter regarding issues of edu- ity and value to students and the community.” These cational quality, legal matters, and fiscal integrity of policy statements articulate the Board’s commitment the District. Board Policy 1002 (11.1) specifically states, to ensuring high quality programs and services. District “The Board of Trustees, faculty, staff and administra- Board Policies, Administrative Procedures, and the Ad- tors have the responsibility to provide and support edu- ministrative Guide (11.1) are intended to provide the cational offerings of the highest quality and value to specific means through which the District operational- students and to the community.” Local Board Policy izes its mission and philosophy. does not specifically address the Board’s responsibility in legal matters; however, its authority in this arena is Self Evaluation assumed under the general authorization given Boards The Board engages in an ongoing process of review of Trustees via state statutes and regulations. of all its policies and procedures. That review process involves participation by faculty, staff, students, and ad- Self Evaluation ministrative personnel from the District, Cypress Col- The Board of Trustees has ultimate responsibility for lege, Fullerton College and the School of Continuing developing policies to guide the District. However, the Education. All entities have representation on Chan- Board recognizes and operates in accord with the prin- cellor’s Cabinet. cipal that those closest to issues are often best able to The District Planning Council (DPC) serves as the pri- resolve those issues. Consequently, the Board encour- mary body responsible for ensuring that the institutions ages input and strives to base its decisions on policy. receive the resources necessary to comply with the mis- The Board relies primarily upon recommendations sion of the District as articulated by the Board. In ad- from the District staff, i.e., the Chancellor, the Vice dition, ongoing and ad hoc financial matters are dis- Chancellors of Finance and Human Resources, and cussed among the District and campus budget officers the Directors of Information Services and Public Af- at the Budget Managers meetings, which coincide with fairs, the Presidents of Cypress and Fullerton Colleges regularly scheduled Board meetings. The information and the Provost of the School of Continuing Educa- discussed at the Budget Managers meetings is present- tion. The Board also receives input and direction from ed as appropriate to the membership of the DPC to be the District constituent groups, including the Academ- used in discussions relevant to allocation of resources. ic Senates, the collective bargaining groups, classified Topics relevant to these discussions include FTES al- and confidential representatives and the management locations, budget allocations, and human resource al- group. The Board receives input from these constituent locations (11.25). groups through their representatives serving on District committees and from the resource table at regularly Planning Agenda scheduled Board meetings. Student Trustees from each None. College participate in all open procedures of the Board and represent the student voice. 1.c. The governing board has ultimate responsibility for educational quality, legal matters, and financial integrity. Planning Agenda None.

248 Cypress College 1.d. The institution or the governing board Planning Agenda publishes the board bylaws and policies speci- None. fying the board’s size, duties, responsibilities, structure, and operating procedures. 1.e. The governing Board acts in a manner consistent with its policies and bylaws. The board regularly evaluates its policies and practices Descriptive Summary and revises them as necessary. Board bylaws and policies specifying duties, responsibilities, structure, and operating procedures are con- Descriptive Summary tained in District Board Policies, Administrative Pro- cedures and the Administrative Guide (11.1). Hard Since the last accreditation report, the Board has re- copies of these documents are available at the District mained consistent with its policies and bylaws. Through Office. These materials can also be accessed via the monthly Board meetings and the DPC/Chancellor’s District website. Cabinet, the Board regularly evaluates its policies and practices and revises when necessary. Recent examples of such scrutiny include the development of a District Self Evaluation statement on ethics (BP/AP 3050), a District policy ad- Nine years ago, hard copies of the District’s govern- dressing legislative changes to nursing student selection ing documents, including all Board Policies and Ad- processes (BP/AP 4106), and revisions to AP 6150, ministrative Procedures and the Administrative Guide, Designation of Authorized Signatures (11.5). were kept in every department and administrative office so that all employees could have access to them at Self Evaluation any time. On June 12, 2001, it was decided that these documents would be made available electronically on BP/AP 2410 (11.1) refers to how Board policies and the District’s website (11.1) with hard copies no longer procedures are established and revised. Board meeting being provided as before. The intent was to reduce the minutes, which are posted to the District website (11.5) enormous use of paper required to provide hard copies as well as to the Cypress College campus server (11.6), in every department throughout the District. All staff reflect evidence that the Board is operating in a man- are responsible for having knowledge of Board Policies ner consistent with its responsibilities under this policy and adherence to them in the performance of their and procedure. job. Unfortunately, at the present there are still a signif- Any employee, student, or member of the public may icant number of staff that either don’t have access to a initiate a review of any policy by submitting a request computer, lack the training to use them due to their job or recommendation in writing to the Chancellor’s Of- locations, and/or access to a dedicated computer. Clas- fice. The DPC/Chancellor’s Cabinet, which includes sified staff members are encouraged to engage in staff managers and constituent representatives from all of development activities that will enhance their familiar- the campuses, has the opportunity to review and dis- ity and proficiency with technology, especially those cuss current and new policies and procedures and make technologies that are job related. Classified employees recommendations to the Chancellor’s Cabinet. All in lead positions are required to have immediate access meeting minutes from the DPC/Chancellor’s Cabinet to the technology directly related to their responsibili- are posted to the campus server (11.6) and are acces- ties. This need may preclude the use of such technol- sible to all employees. The minutes further support the ogy by others. Whenever the College is made aware of processes that are in place to review and make recom- issues of access to technology, it responds appropriately mendations regarding Board policies and procedures. to determine the extent of need and to develop solutions that maintain an appropriate workplace environment. As the College becomes increasingly dependent Planning Agenda upon technology, training opportunities for employees None. must also become increasingly available. 1.f. The governing board has a program for board development and new member orienta-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 249 tion. It has a mechanism for providing for con- processes are effective. tinuity of board membership and staggered terms of office. Planning Agenda None. Descriptive Summary 1.g. The governing board’s Self Evaluation Per BP/AP 2740, the District Chancellor’s Office pro- processes for assessing board performance vides an orientation and handbook to newly elected are clearly defined, implemented, and pub- Board members (11.1 ). New trustees have an orienta- lished in its policies or bylaws. tion meeting with the Chancellor, College Presidents/ Provost, and constituent groups, in addition to reams of documents they receive to read. Trustees receive ex- Descriptive Summary cellent training from the Community College League The Board’s Self Evaluation requirements and process of California’s new trustee workshop, including a new is described in AP 2745 Board Self Evaluation (11.1). student trustee workshop. In addition, Board mem- There was an assessment of the Board of Trustees bers receive further development through attendance compiled in April 2009 and contained responses from at various state-wide and nation-wide conferences and both the resource table and the Trustees (11.7). The workshops, Board Strategic Conversations, and the majority of the respondents indicated a rating of ac- “Trustee/Chancellor Coffees” held at the campuses. ceptable to excellent for all questions on the assessment The Orange County Department of Education instrument. The following questions received only ac- (OCDE) is a resource regarding trustee elections for ceptable to excellent ratings from all respondents: all school districts within its jurisdiction and acts as a ◊ The Board when giving direction to staff source of information to the public. NOCCCD ad- is based on a consensus of a majority of heres to guidelines set forth by the OCDE and also acts the Board. Individual Board Members as a public resource for trustee elections. The trustees do not assume this authority. are elected to four-year terms with staggered elections held every two years. ◊ The Board Members respect each others’ opinions. Self Evaluation ◊ Board Members are punctual to and at- BP 2010 (11.1) sets forth the terms for Board mem- tend all meetings to conclusion. bership. In general, the Board development and new ◊ The Board reviews agenda materials and member orientation processes are working well as indi- is prepared for Board meetings. cated by the stability of the Board. ◊ The Board conducts its meetings in Trustees actively participate in state-wide opportunities compliance with state laws, including the such as serving on the California Community College Brown Act. Trustees Board and the Community College League ◊ Board meetings include some education of California’s Commission on the Future. The trust- or information time. ees conscientiously seek ongoing education by attending conferences and workshops in addition to review- ◊ Board meetings provide adequate time ing newspaper clippings and educational articles, for discussion. which bring a wealth of information that facilitates the ◊ Board Members are knowledgeable Board’s decision-making ability and helps develop best about community college and state-relat- practices throughout the District. ed issues. Although there may not exist a clear process or mea- ◊ The Board acts as an advocate for com- sure for evaluating the processes, the Board’s stability munity colleges. and the District’s fiscal stability, along with the Board’s involvement statewide are strong indications that the ◊ The Board gives adequate attention to

250 Cypress College the mission and goals of the District. ment and a strategic plan that looks to ◊ The Board has a procedure for annual the future, anticipating what the institu- evaluations of the Chancellor. tion and its colleges will look like in 10 years. The following questions reflect where resource table respondents indicated some degree of a need for im- ◊ The Board monitors outcomes by requir- provement. ing institutional effectiveness measures. ◊ The Board’s highest priority is student ◊ The Board reaches decisions on the basis learning and student success. of study of all available background data and consideration of the recommenda- ◊ The Board monitors outcomes by requir- tions of the Chancellor. ing institutional effectiveness measures. ◊ New Board Members, including Student ◊ Discussions are structured so that all Trustee, receive and orientation to rules have an opportunity to contribute to the and responsibilities and District mission decisions. and policies. ◊ Board Members have adequate informa- ◊ Board Members are available to District tion upon which to base decisions. employees for comments and sugges- ◊ The Board reaches decisions on the basis tions. of study of all available background data ◊ The Board shows its support for the Dis- and consideration of the recommenda- trict through members attending various tions of the Chancellor. events. ◊ The Board is knowledgeable about the ◊ The Board is knowledgeable about the District’s history, values, strengths, and District’s history, values, strengths, and weaknesses. weaknesses. ◊ The Board has processes in place for ap- ◊ The Board understands, appreciates, and propriately involving the community in is responsive to the diverse community relevant decisions. which it serves. ◊ The Board helps promote the image of ◊ The Board has processes in place for ap- the District in the community. propriately involving the community in ◊ The Board understands the collective relevant decisions. bargaining process and its role in the ◊ The Board understands the collective process. bargaining process and its role in the ◊ The Board is involved in and under- process. stands the budget process. ◊ The Board is involved in and under- ◊ The Board demonstrates a good understands the budget process. standing of collegial consultation and ◊ The Board demonstrates a good under- related processes. standing of collegial consultation and The following questions reflect where the Trustee re- related processes. spondents indicated some degree of a need for improvement. Self Evaluation ◊ The Board has clearly defined instruc- The Board adheres to its requirement of self evalua- tional goals with desired outcomes both tion every two years. The results are included in the short and long term. Board agendas and are posted to the District and campus servers. ◊ The Board has established a vision state-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 251 An assessment of the Board of Trustees in April 2009 er interest influences; ensure nondiscrimination in its included responses from 12 members of the resource policies, procedures and actions; hold student access tables and six of the Trustees (11.7). In those docu- and success as primary concern and assure a visible ments there was consensus by 67% of the respondents physical presence at appropriate functions; consistently that the Board members do an acceptable job of set- attending meetings and being properly prepared; con- ting priorities that are both strategic and manageable ducting all business in open meetings; take advantage and provide direction for the administration. There of educational opportunities to enhance effectiveness was a comment from a Trustee that, “We could have as a Board member; promote and maintain good rela- greater clarity to meet the ‘strategic and manageable’ tions with fellow Board members; promote an effective criteria” (11.26). There is also consensus ranging from working relations with the Chancellor and staff; and acceptable to excellent that the Board agendas focus be and advocate for the District in the community. It on policy issues that relate to Board responsibilities and also contains provisions for dealing with complaints or that agendas include legislative and state policy issues charges of Trustee misconduct. The AP requires that that will impact the District. each member of the Board reaffirm adherence to the Since this evaluation, the Board has addressed the Code of Ethics by signing a statement at the annual concerns of the resource table. It is reassuring that the organizational meeting. Board was willing to be openly critical of its own per- In March 2009, a BP/AP 3050 Institutional Code of formance and that it has been addressing these issues. Ethics was proposed for consideration in Chancellor’s The Board’s evaluation instrument is regularly re- Cabinet (11.25). Creation of an Institutional Code of viewed and revised prior to distribution. Also, Board Ethics that addresses the behavior and conduct of all policies and administrative procedures are reviewed employees in the District was the charge of the Ac- regularly and revised as necessary. creditation Team upon the completion of the 2005 Accreditation Self Study. BP/AP 3050 was completed In addition to the Trustees’ Self Evaluations, the Board and adopted in Spring 2010 (11.1). believes it benefits from being evaluated by individuals other than members of the Board, and the Board gives proper attention to the feedback received. Board Self Evaluation Strategic Conversations are beneficial because they al- BP 2715 Code of Ethics/Standards of Practice is well low for interaction with faculty and staff from the three thought out and fairly comprehensive; however, the campuses and provide an opportunity for the trustees language dealing with Trustee misconduct also in- to listen to concerns/points of view on various matters cludes processes and procedures that would be better (11.5). suited for the companion Administrative Procedure. On review of the Proposed BP/AP 3050, the con- Planning Agenda stituent groups’ opinion was that the tone of the None. documents was not appropriate for their purpose, so the Vice Chancellor of Human Resources was given 1.h. The governing board has a code of ethics the assignment to make the adjustments and bring it that includes a clearly defined policy for deal- back. In March 2010, BP/AP 3050 was reintroduced ing with behavior that violates that code. in Chancellor’s Cabinet and subsequently approved by consensus. However, the language of the proposed Descriptive Summary AP 3050 still contained language of similar tone to the first draft. On April 12, 2010, AP 3050 was adopted in Board members are obliged to maintain high stan- Chancellor’s Cabinet after some language modification dards of ethical conduct per BP/AP 2715 Code of and much discussion. It was agreed that the tone of the Ethics/Standards of Practice (11.1). The BP identifies document had become more acceptable and clearer. twelve ethical standards that address conflict of inter- To illustrate, the purpose statement changed from: est: Board decisions only during legally constituted meetings; confidentiality of closed session discussions; “Because of its responsibility to the public, and be- maintaining independent judgment unbiased by oth- cause the effectiveness of a public educational institu-

252 Cypress College tion is directly related to the public’s perception of its Self Evaluation integrity, it is the policy of the North Orange County Board members gain knowledge of their role in the Community College District (hereinafter “District”) to accreditation process through a combination of orien- conduct itself with honesty in all of its dealings. The tation workshops, training, participation in state and District is committed to public accountability and national conferences, and assessment practices that transparency in its mission and operations.” provide them with resources needed to carry out their to: responsibilities. Noted in the July 27, 2010, Board min- “The North Orange County Community College Dis- utes, is discussion regarding Board development and trict (hereinafter “District”) recognizes its responsibility self evaluation as they relate to the accreditation pro- and obligation to the public to conduct its business with cess. Significant to this are the ways in which Board honesty, integrity, professionalism, and quality in the members demonstrate their involvement in accredita- performance of those operations and functions neces- tion by consistently encouraging and receiving regular sary to achieve its established mission and philosophy constituent input at Board meetings, campus/commu- as described in Board Policy. To that end, the District is nity functions, conferences/workshops, and via tele- committed to public accountability and transparency.” phone or email.

Planning Agenda Planning Agenda None. None. 1.i. The governing board is informed about 1.j. The governing board has the responsibility and involved in the accreditation process. for selecting and evaluating the district/system chief administrator (most often known as the chancellor) in a multi-college district/sys- Descriptive Summary tem or the college chief administrator (most The Board is concerned about the natural correlation often known as the president) in the case of a between trusteeship and accreditation and uses that as single college. The governing board delegates a framework for assessing how well the institution is full responsibility and authority to him/her meeting its educational and societal mission. to implement and administer board policies The Board is involved in the accreditation process without board interference and holds him/her through established governance, procedures, and prac- accountable for the operation of the district/ tices to ensure that it works cohesively with adminis- system or college, respectively. In multi-college trators, faculty, staff, and students for the good of the districts/systems, the governing board estab- District. The established processes facilitate discussion lishes a clearly defined policy for selecting and of ideas and effective communication among the insti- evaluating the presidents of the colleges. tution’s constituencies. The Board of Trustees adopted BP/AP 3200 Accred- Descriptive Summary itation (11.1) in March 2004 to ensure adherence to Board Policy 2200, Board Duties and Responsibili- accreditation standards and process. The Board was ties, Section 2.0, Subsection 2.3 identifies the Board of provided with progress reports and a timeline of the Trustees’ responsibility to hire and evaluate the Chan- accreditation self study on October 13, 2009, (11.5) cellor (11.1). The Board’s responsibility for hiring the and May 11, 2010 (11.5). The Self Study Chair at- Chancellor should there be a vacancy in that position is tended the July 27, 2010, Board meeting to engage in also identified in BP 2431 (11.1). Additionally, Subsec- discussion with the Trustees regarding areas of Stan- tion 2.4 of BP 2200 identifies the Board’s responsibility dard IVB and the Trustees’ views on the effectiveness to delegate power and authority to the Chancellor to of some of their processes. At the August 10, 2010, effectively lead the District. The Board’s delegation of Board meeting, a printed draft of the Cypress College authority to the Chancellor is more clearly and specifi- Self Study was presented to the Board (11.5). cally defined in BP2430 (11.1). It empowers the Chan-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 253 cellor to reasonably interpret Board policy. Where The Chancellor reports to the Board at its regular there is no Board policy, the Chancellor has the power meetings that are generally held every second and to act, but such actions are subject to review by the fourth Tuesday of the month. The Board avails itself Board. The Chancellor is expected to perform the du- of the opportunity to question the Chancellor, as well ties contained in the Chancellor’s job description and as other members of the resource table, in order to en- fulfill other responsibilities as determined in annual sure that it has sufficient information on institutional goal-setting or evaluation sessions. BP 2432 delegates performance to allow it to fulfill its responsibilities. authority to the Chancellor to appoint an acting Chan- The Board also periodically requests reports from the cellor to serve in his or her absence for periods not to Chancellor and other members of the resource table exceed 30 days at a time (11.1). regarding the status of ongoing activities and plans. The Board is obligated to evaluate the Chancellor on When the Board asks the Chancellor for a report, he an annual basis as specified in BP/AP 2435 (11.1). The either reports back directly with an explanation or del- evaluation shall comply with any requirements set forth egates it to the appropriate person. If delegated, that in the contract of employment with the Chancellor as individual either provides the explanation or does so in well as BP 2435. The Board evaluates the Chancel- the form of a presentation, which may include other lor on his job description and the goals and objectives resources and PowerPoint. Topics include areas such that were jointly agreed upon by the Board and the as budget, campus construction, and the success of ba- Chancellor. Members of the resource table are given sic skills programs. Soliciting input from the constitu- evaluation forms to fill out regarding the Chancellor’s ent resource personnel is usually confined to a specific performance (11.27). Since those are the individuals in topic or agenda item of the moment and is generally the District who have the greatest and closest contact responded to in an impromptu manner. Examples of with the Chancellor, seeking their input is critical to this interaction between the Board, the Chancellor and achieving a valid evaluation. resource personnel are available in the minutes of the Board of Trustees meetings (11.5). According to BP 3250, the Chancellor must ensure the District has and implements a broad-based com- Since the last accreditation self study, the North Or- prehensive, systematic, and integrated system of plan- ange County Community College District (NOCCCD) ning that involves appropriate segments of the College saw the retirement of its Chancellor and underwent the community and is supported by institutional effective- hiring process for a new Chancellor. Dr. Jerome Hunter ness research (11.1). The planning system includes retired from his position as Chancellor of NOCCCD plans required by law including, but not limited to, June 30, 2009. Dr. Ned Doffoney was hired as his suc- Long-Range Educational or Academic Master Plan; cessor effective July 14, 2009. AP 7120-4 dictated the Facilities; Faculty and Staff Diversity; Student Equity; formation of the committee and how the hiring pro- Matriculation; Transfer Center; Cooperative Work Ex- cess was conducted (11.1). AP 7120-4 applied to all perience; and Extended Opportunity Programs & Ser- management hirings up to and including the position vices (EOPS). Plans requiring Board approval per Title of Chancellor. When the Board decided to conduct a 5 are submitted to the Board by the Chancellor. The search for Dr. Hunter’s replacement, they indicated that Chancellor informs the Board about the status of plan- they wanted to have more control over the makeup of ning and the various plans and ensures that the Board the committee, how it conducted the search, and pos- has an opportunity to assist in developing the general sibly even have the authority to alter its hiring proce- institutional mission and goals for the comprehensive dures and parameters. Some of the constituent groups plans. AP 3250 provides for how these plans are to be were opposed to these changes and asserted that what accomplished by the involvement of the established the Board was proposing would not be in conformance committees and representational groups throughout with the provisions of AP 7120-4. Also, some of the the institutions multi-college system (11.1). Utilization constituent groups asserted statutory provisions that of institutional effectiveness research, program reviews, gave them the right to appoint their representatives to and individual unit plans complement and inform the the hiring committee. Both the Board and the constitu- resource allocation process. ent groups conceded that it would not be feasible to change the AP within the Board’s timetable for having

254 Cypress College a new Chancellor in place, so it was decided to use AP authority of the Board in hiring the Chancellor, their 7120-4, as written, in hiring the new Chancellor, and relationship with each other, and the Board’s ability to then create a new AP that would be specific to hiring determine how effectively the Chancellor’s duties are a Chancellor. performed. At the March 10, 2009, Board of Trustees meeting, All parties appear to be in consensus that a procedure there was more discussion between the Board and the for hiring the Chancellor separate from the one that is constituent groups concerning AP 7120-4 and the used for hiring other administrators is appropriate and Board’s desire to change how a Chancellor is hired advisable. Two of the Trustees visited the Chancellor’s (11.5). As a result, the Board decided to form a sub- Cabinet while it was discussing the proposed AP and committee comprised of three Trustees for the purpose had expressed some concern about the hiring commit- of researching the Chancellor selection process and tee being able to subvert the hiring process for their then make recommendations. At the August 25, 2009, own purposes; and conversely the constituent groups Board of Trustees meeting, the Board’s subcommittee held the same concerns about the Board. In the revised presented a draft of a new AP 2431, Chancellor Selec- version that was presented to the Board, provisions tion (11.5). Again there was much discussion between with checks and balances were included to address the Board and the constituent groups. Upon conclusion these concerns. of that discussion, the Board requested that the pro- At this time, there is no compelling reason for changing posed AP 2431 go through the Chancellor’s Cabinet BP 7120, AP 7120-4, or BP 7240. process and that written justification be provided for any revisions to the proposed AP, which would then re- Planning Agenda turn to the Board for final approval. At the February 9, None. 2010, Board meeting, the Trustees received as Agenda Item No. 6.a.2 a revised version of their proposed AP, 2. The president has primary responsibility with the justifications as requested (11.5). The Trustees for the quality of the institution he/she leads. are currently reviewing this document and will bring He/she provides effective leadership in plan- it back either to approve as revised or possibly present ning, organizing, budgeting, selecting and de- new revisions of their own. veloping personnel, and assessing institutional effectiveness. In the selection and evaluation of the College president, the Board does not have a separate policy. The 2.a. The president plans, oversees, and evalu- position is included within the category of manage- ates an administrative structure organized ment. BP 7120 establishes the Management Employee and staffed to reflect the institution’s pur- Hiring Policy, and AP 7120-4 establishes the procedure poses, size, and complexity. He/she delegates for management employee hiring (11.1). Currently the authority to administrators and others consis- Administrative Guide Policy 2002 (11.1) dictates the tent with their responsibilities, as appropri- evaluative procedures to be followed for all manage- ate. ment personnel, including the President of the Col- lege. At the time of this writing, BP 7240 establishes Descriptive Summary the management structure within the District and the The President is the chief executive officer and has full terms and conditions of their employment, including authority to manage the College and serve as liaison contract and salary provisions (11.1). AP 7240-7 is un- between the District and the College. He participates in der construction and will provide for the evaluation developing District policies and procedures and makes procedures to be followed for all management person- recommendations on College issues related to finance, nel, including the President of the College and the Pro- personnel, and policy. The President executes and ad- vost of School of Continuing Education (SCE). ministers contracts under authority of the Board and keeps the Board informed about the financial condi- Self Evaluation tion and needs of the College (11.1). He is responsible These policies and procedures clearly delineate the for the efficient use of existing institutional resources

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 255 and the creation of new resources. He is responsible Planning Agenda for the formulation of all reports as may be required None. by the Board and by local, state, or national agencies. He oversees and evaluates the College’s administrative 2.b. The president guides institutional im- structure, which is modified as fluctuations occur to provement of the teaching and learning envi- needs and resources. Changes are largely to enhance ronment by the following: efficiency or are due to budgetary considerations. ◊ establishing a collegial process that sets values, goals, and priori- Self Evaluation ties; The current President assumed his position on July 1, ◊ ensuring that evaluation and plan- 2007 (11.8), after more than 15 years of experience at ning rely on high quality research the College, first as a dean, and more recently as Ex- and analysis on external and inter- ecutive Vice President for Educational Programs and nal conditions; Student Support Services. In Fall 2007, a re-structur- ◊ ensuring that educational planning ing of top-level administrators was implemented (11.9 is integrated with resource plan- & 11.10). A significant change was made when respon- ning and distribution to achieve sibility for planning was shifted from the Vice President student learning outcomes; and of Educational Support and Planning to the Director of Institutional Research and Planning. The vice presi- ◊ establishing procedures to evalu- dent’s title was also changed to Vice President of Ad- ate overall institutional planning ministrative Services to encompass all matters related and implementation efforts to budget and finance as well as campus support services. In doing this, the previous position of Director Descriptive Summary of Budget and Finance was eliminated, which resulted The President actively communicates institutional val- in significant savings to the College. ues, goals, and directions both on and off campus. He Three top-level administrators report directly to the does this in many ways, which includes wide distribu- President. They are the Executive Vice President of tion and posting on campus of the 2008-2011 Strategic Educational Programs and Student Support Services, Plan (11.11). He participates on a number of District the Vice President of Administrative Services, and the committees, including Chancellor’s Staff, the District Director of Institutional Research and Planning. These Planning Council, and the District Curriculum Coor- three administrators comprise the President’s Staff, dinating Committee, where he represents the goals and which meets at least weekly to discuss campus issues. needs of the campus and also attends and speaks at Each administrator has extensive expertise in higher Board meetings to keep the trustees informed of cam- education. Together they provide outstanding vision pus events and issues. On campus, he chairs the Presi- and direction while serving as valuable resources to the dent’s Advisory Cabinet (PAC), which deals with cam- President. When appropriate, the President delegates pus planning and policy matters (11.12). Membership responsibilities to these and other managers, encour- on PAC includes representation from all campus con- ages their involvement in campus decision making, and stituencies, which allows for constituent input in cam- is supportive of their efforts (11.35). pus decision making and provides the President with a The President and his staff promote teaching, learning, means to communicate with constituencies. Members and student success through innovative approaches to of these committees are responsible for carrying infor- basic skills development, transfer programs, career mation to and from their constituents. technical programs, workforce development programs, Opening Day presentations at the beginning of Fall and student support services. He assures that educa- and Spring semesters provide an opportunity for the tional programs comply with Board policies as well as President to address the state of the College and other state and federal statutes. issues affecting the College (11.13). In addition, he provides for and participates in campus-wide forums on

256 Cypress College budget updates, holds a Leadership Team meeting each Board policies and procedures, the President efficiently semester, meets regularly with the Academic Senate manages resources and implements priorities. He ef- President, and chairs the campus Diversity Commit- fectively articulates campus needs to the District and tee, Management Team, and the Deans and Directors communicates the District’s interests and priorities Team. The President meets with newly hired faculty back to the campus community. He also assures a cli- and classified staff during their orientation meetings mate of participatory governance and collaboration and attempts to instill an understanding of the Col- with internal constituencies and promotes a campus lege’s vision, mission, and values with new employees. climate that respects and values the diversity, dignity, The President also meets with the Academic Senate at and contributions of all people. The results of a Cam- the beginning of each semester and also when issues pus Climate Survey completed in Spring 2008 indi- arise where the interaction would be beneficial. cated an increasing number of respondents agreeing The President guides the institutional improvement that constituency groups work collaboratively towards of the teaching and learning environment by main- the achievement of College goals (11.28). A majority taining a clear strategic goal for the College. With the of respondents in the survey also agreed that there expansion of the Office of Institutional Research to are meaningful opportunities to participate in shared- include Planning, the President encourages the direc- governance activities, and that ideas and opinions are tor’s involvement in campus settings where planning encouraged and given appropriate weight in matters of can be linked to other functions such as budget alloca- institutional decision making. tions. The director is a member of President’s Staff, The President is an active participant in College com- President’s Advisory Cabinet, Planning and Budget mittees, Foundation activities, and community out- Committee, Accreditation Self Study Committee, In- reach events. This allows him to monitor the relation- stitutional Effectiveness Task Force, Student Learning ship between institutional research and planning and Outcomes Core Team, Deans and Directors Team, the aspects of student learning and resource allocation. Management Team (11.14), Leadership Team (11.15), Basic Skills Committee, and District Planning Coun- Planning Agenda cil. As a result, the director is in a position to keep the campus informed on a wide variety of factors where None. research is critical. He is also able to glean from those 2.c. The president assures the implementation groups additional areas that need research for campus of statutes, regulations, and governing board improvement. The Office of Institutional Research policies and assures that institutional prac- and Planning is located within the main administration tices are consistent with institutional mission building, which facilitates frequent interaction between and policies. the Office of Institutional Research and Planning and the President. Daily communication occurs in person Descriptive Summary or via phone/email so that the director can consistently provide the President with data that affects the day-to- The President assures the implementation of statutes, day operations of the College. regulations, and governing Board policies and assures that institutional practices are consistent with the insti- In addition to assessing campus undertakings, the Pres- tutional mission and policies. The President serves as ident is also involved in reviewing the work involved the chief executive officer of the College and is respon- in the development of student learning outcomes, the sible for the integrity of all College activities. In this program review process, the Curriculum Committee’s capacity, the President is required to be knowledgeable proposals and the Planning and Budget Committee’s and conversant with federal and state statutes pertain- allocation of funding in relationship to the Strategic ing to the College as well as with District policy, pro- Plan. cedures, and practices. Serving as the principle liaison between the College and the District, the President Self Evaluation provides ongoing oversight to assure that institutional Besides ensuring the implementation of statutes and practices align with District policies. In addition, the President is charged with assuring that the College’s

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 257 institutional practices are aligned with its mission, vi- Planning Agenda sion, and policy directives. The President receives and None. distributes information via email to constituent leaders or presents it at management and shared-governance 2.d. The president effectively controls budget committee meetings. As constituent leaders receive and expenditures. information, they are expected to distribute it to their Descriptive Summary groups for discussion and feedback. The President’s Office also serves as a conduit between the campus and The President is ultimately responsible for the integrity District for specific information on items requiring Dis- of the College budget, including allocations and expen- trict or Board approval. ditures. This charge includes responsibility for assuring that those allocations and expenditures are appropriately supportive of the primary mission of the College Self Evaluation and student success. He is in frequent communication The President meets regularly with the senior staff with the Vice President of Administrative Services, and Management Team to ascertain if there are any the Director of Institutional Research and Planning, problems. The President also ultimately assures that and the Vice Chancellor of Finance and Facilities to all personnel, facility requests, and budget requests go obtain current information related to College budgets through appropriate approval processes on campus. and allocation needs. The President monitors all ma- The President also assures that others on campus are jor expenditures and approves all travel requests, and aware of all policies. He participates in a new man- the President’s Staff reviews budget requests, including ager’s orientation to develop an awareness of policies, those for regular and hourly personnel, on a weekly ba- and managers are assigned mentors similar to the pro- sis. The Planning and Budget Committee (PBC) serves cess for new faculty mentoring. Although this is effec- as the primary recommending body to the President’s tive, there are slight variations as needs and personnel Advisory Cabinet (PAC) on general budget and plan- changes fluctuate, so it remains a work in progress. ning issues. For one-time funding proposals, PBC ranks The President receives information from the state proposals based on merits, safety issues, and priorities Chancellor’s Office and Community College League from direction committees (11.11). PBC conveys to of California and distributes it to the Planning and PAC the views of the campus community on matters Budget Committee (PBC) and President’s Advisory relevant to College budget and planning. After receiv- Cabinet (PAC). He also attends weekly Chancellor’s ing and discussing PBC recommendations, PAC makes Staff meetings where he advocates for campus needs, funding recommendations to the President. receives additional budgetary information, and distributes it to managers. He maintains an open-door Self Evaluation policy to discuss new budget developments and works The President works consistently with managers to daily with President’s Staff to make sure that budget convey the importance of monitoring their budgets. information is widely distributed. All campus fund- Given the economic shortfall affecting the District, it is ing requests go through a campus-wide planning and significant that the President has led efforts at Cypress prioritization process. The President, as well as PBC College to serve record numbers of students within the and PAC, are guided by the Educational Master Plan, College’s budget. Student Services Master Plan, and Strategic Plan when setting priorities. The President receives funding recommendations from PBC and PAC and considers Planning Agenda constituent feedback before making decisions about None. expenditures. On rare occasion, the President makes a 2.e. The president works and communicates decision contrary to a recommendation from PBC and effectively with the communities served by the PAC because of limited funding and a critical need for institution. a broader benefit to the campus or for health, safety, or security reasons.

258 Cypress College Descriptive Summary their graduating seniors be successful college students The President serves as the chief community spokes- (11.16). Each Spring the President and Foundation person for the College. He serves on a number of lo- host a Business and Community Leaders Forum for local community committees, including local Chambers cal business and community leaders (11.17). A panel of Commerce, philanthropic organizations such as the of experts is invited to speak about current issues af- Rotary Club, and community-based YMCA’s. The fecting business and the College. For example, in 2010 President is also mindful of the need to maintain effec- the forum was titled “Can Your Business Survive A Di- tive dialogue and partnerships with the local civic and saster?” A panel of experts gave presentations about public sector communities. He is a regular attendee of planning for disasters. The forum provided valuable in- city governance events, particularly State of the City formation that addressed concerns impacting commu- addresses by our local city mayors. He maintains effec- nity safety, employment, and the local economy. The tive working relationships with the superintendents and forums are an effective way of discussing issues of con- principals of local high school districts. This partner- cern to the community while introducing community ship is validated each year in the annual Superinten- leaders to the resources and needs of Cypress College. dents/Principals Breakfast hosted at the College each October. Planning Agenda In addition to his personal involvement locally, the None. President has also continued with and strengthened 3. In multi-college districts or systems, the connections to the community amongst the manage- district/system provides primary leadership ment staff. Managers of the College have assignments in setting and communicating expectations of as representatives to local Chambers of Commerce. educational excellence and integrity through- Instructional and Student Services deans serve as liai- out the district/system and assures support sons to local area high schools. By maintaining these for the effective operation of the Colleges. It personal connections to the community, the College is establishes clearly defined roles of authority kept abreast of local issues while advancing the local and responsibility between the Colleges and image and standing of the College. The maintenance the district/system and acts as the liaison be- of these relationships has proven to be of significant tween the colleges and the governing board. importance. 3.a. The district/system clearly delineates and communicates the operational responsibili- Self Evaluation ties and functions of the district/system from The President is a member of the Anaheim Family those of the colleges and consistently adheres YMCA Board of Directors and the Cypress Rotary to this delineation in practice. Club. He regularly attends meetings and functions and is also a member of several local Chambers of Com- Descriptive Summary merce. The President is often invited to speak at gatherings and frequently brings in Cypress College staff to The North Orange County Community College Dis- be guest speakers on various topics. He also takes the trict (NOCCCD) adopted a District Strategic Plan in lead in encouraging specific managers to serve as liai- June of 2006 (11.18). This document defines the Dis- sons for surrounding communities. The President rep- trict vision, mission, and values. In addition, the Plan resents College interests as a member of the Cypress specifies the following: College Foundation Board of Directors. He regularly ◊ An NOCCCD Strategic Plan that in- attends Foundation functions to help develop and sup- cludes a District vision, mission, values, port fundraising efforts. institutional goals, strategies, and key Every Fall the President hosts a breakfast meeting for performance indicators high school superintendents and principals to update ◊ A District Annual Plan with strategic them on current happenings at the College and receive targets that drives the annual budget of their feedback about things the campus can do to help the District

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 259 ◊ A participative planning process and with the Board about the successes and challenges of resulting documents that are initiated by College programs and activities. This provides elected the Board of Trustees and Chancellor, Board members with the opportunity for direct inter- further developed by the Chancellor and action while maintaining and respecting the opera- college leadership, widely reviewed for tional administrative structures of the District. When feedback by District stakeholders, and issues arise out of these conversations, the Chancellor implemented by the District and colleges is charged with follow up and coordination of effort with the appropriate college president/provost. ◊ A future requirement and means for aligning the Colleges’ planning processes, goals, strategies, and budget with Planning Agenda those of the District None. In addition, the North Orange County Community 3.b. The district/system provides effective College District Functional Map (11.29) delineates the services that support the Colleges in their mis- institutional responsibilities within the District. Key sions and functions. stakeholder representatives, including College faculty, staff, and students, are expected to be familiar with their roles and responsibilities in accord with the Dis- Descriptive Summary trict governance structures. These representatives are The District provides a broad array of services in sup- responsible for disseminating information consistent port of the College mission. Among these services are: with governance processes — both College and Dis- ◊ Enrollment planning and coordination trict level — including decision-making processes and levels of responsibility. The delineation of responsibili- ◊ Budget planning, allocation, and over- ties is reviewed and revised following the District plan- sight ning cycles. ◊ Information services ◊ Human Resources Self Evaluation ◊ Public information coordination Cypress College is fortunate to operate in an environment of significant support and autonomy from ◊ Purchasing the Board. Due to clearly defined roles, responsibili- The District Planning Council (DPC) is the primary ties, and expectations as indicated in the Descriptive forum for the sharing of District information related to Summary above, the College has developed effective budgets, enrollment, and facilities planning. The Col- strategies and structures to support the primary mis- lege is well represented on this body, as well as at the sion of student achievement and success while operat- various District level planning meetings where infor- ing within the context of a multi-college district. The mation and issues are presented. In order to provide for College President conveys to the Chancellor informa- assessment of effectiveness of system services, various tion from the College that is relevant and necessary to feedback mechanisms are in place, each representing the support of the College mission. This information is what is appropriate for the particular area of activity. subsequently conveyed by the Chancellor to the Board. For example, in the area of technology, District-level Chancellor’s Staff meetings are the formal mechanism communication takes place during bi-weekly meetings for this exchange. These regularly-scheduled meetings that include District personnel representing Human are also used as forums for the Chancellor to provide Resources, Finance and Facilities, and Information direction and feedback from the Board to the College Services. At these meetings, concerns and needs are President. communicated from all entities of the District. Com- In addition to regular meetings between the presi- mittee members collaborate to resolve issues that affect dents/provost and the Chancellor, the College Presi- the entities of the District. dent is also given the opportunity at regularly-scheduled Board meetings to share information directly

260 Cypress College Self Evaluation 3.d. The district/system effectively controls In a broad sense, when the colleges have concerns, its expenditures. their voices are heard at various District meetings such as DPC, Chancellor’s Cabinet, Chancellor’s Staff, and Descriptive Summary the District Curriculum Coordinating Committee. Board Policies 6200, 6250, and 6300 (11.1) articulate Issues of concern can also be given voice at regular and explain the financial mechanisms of the District. meetings of the Board of Trustees, where the trustees Tentative budgets are submitted to the Board in June, encourage free and open exchange. with the final budget approval typically occurring in District services are evaluated internally but do not en- September of each academic year. Quarterly financial gage in system-wide analyses with regard to the effec- reports (11.19) are submitted to the Board of Trust- tiveness of support for the College mission ees and to the State Chancellor’s Office. The District utilizes an approval process requiring requests for ex- Planning Agenda penditures and all budget transfers over $10,000 to be reported to the Board. A variety of documents dem- None. onstrate District control over finances and funding, 3.c. The district/system provides fair distri- including annual audit reports (11.20), annual budget bution of resources that are adequate to sup- reports (11.21), actuarial reports (11.22), and listings of port the effective operations of the colleges. budget transfers contained in the Board agendas (11.5). In addition, the District conducts an annual indepen- Descriptive Summary dent audit of its finances (11.20). The most recent au- The revenue allocation model utilized by the District dit revealed that the District is in good financial health. is historical and based in significant part upon FTES The District typically ends each year with a positive generated by the sites. Most of the College revenue ending balance consisting of an operational reserve, comes via this mechanism. the Board’s discretionary fund, and campus carryovers. The District Planning Council (DPC) is charged with Self Evaluation developing allocation recommendations regarding District programs and services and forwarding those Though a variety of different funding options have been recommendations to the Chancellor for consideration discussed at DPC, no substantive changes to the alloca- by the Board of Trustees. DPC, in formulating recom- tion model have been adopted. The District Office of mendations, takes into account the mission of the Cali- Finance and Facilities initiated a revue in 2007 of costs fornia Community Colleges, the District Strategic Plan, by site per FTES in order to address Cypress College’s data relevant to the needs and demands of the commu- concern that it was under funded due to the cost of nity the District serves, goals and objectives developed maintaining expensive career technical education pro- by the budget centers, and other factors deemed rel- grams at a level that is disproportionate in comparison evant to the planning process. DPC is chaired by the to the other District entities (11.34). Though the data Chancellor and is constituted of members representing were collected and discussion ensued, no change to the the constituency groups of each of the entities of the fundamental resource allocation model was proposed. District. The District funding model does not take into account institutional differences or individual needs. Because the lion’s share of College funding is based upon FTES, Self Evaluation the Colleges and the School of Continuing Education The District remains fundamentally sound financially will continue to compete for limited resources based even though the state economy and community college upon their ability to increase enrollment. funding have diminished. The District continues to re- alize the benefits of having successfully passed Mea- Planning Agenda sure X in March 2002 (11.23). This measure resulted in a bond of $239 million for facilities construction, None. improvement, and expansion. Information regard-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 261 ing both the Facilities Bond itself and recent updates level more in line with system-wide norms. As District are available on the District website (11.30). The eight revenue has decreased, workload measures have also member Citizen’s Oversight Committee oversees Mea- decreased. However, College enrollment has increased sure X audits and compliance. Reporting to the Board due to significantly improved productivity measures. of Trustees, the Committee is comprised of repre- The College continues to monitor expenditures related sentatives of business, community members, support to enrollment in order to provide the greatest possible groups, and students. District staff members may not level of access for students within the confines of the serve on the Committee. dollars it is allocated. As the current construction cycle comes to completion, the District is engaging in a new Educational and Facil- Planning Agenda ities Master Plan project that will result in the establish- None. ment of a roadmap of educational and facilities needs and priorities for the next ten years. This project is be- 3.e. The chancellor gives full responsibility and ing coordinated by the District with significant College authority to the presidents of the colleges to participation and control (11.31). implement and administer delegated district/ system policies without his/her interference The District’s Retiree Health Benefit costs continue to and holds them accountable for the operation escalate. Current actuarial studies place the liability of the colleges. at approximately $70 million. Each year, the District spends approximately $4 million out of its operating budget to pay Retiree Health Benefits. This represents Descriptive Summary an increase in annual expenditures of almost $2 mil- Full authority and responsibility are given to the presi- lion as compared to the information reported in the dents of the colleges by the Chancellor and the Board previous accreditation self study. As health care costs of Trustees as evidenced in BP/AP 3100 and articu- continue to escalate, the District will experience an lated in job descriptions for college presidents of the increasingly burdensome financial obligation. Discus- District (11.1). While the President is granted college- sions are ongoing at the District level — involving rep- level authority, in a multi-college district, the President resentatives of the constituent groups — to fairly and reports to the Chancellor. BP 2430 delegates authority appropriately address the need to fully fund this obliga- to the Chancellor the executive responsibility for ad- tion. ministering the policies adopted by the Board and for executing all decisions of the Board requiring adminis- The District has engaged in a collaborative effort with trative action. Section 1.1 of this policy authorizes the the colleges and the School of Continuing Education Chancellor to delegate the administration of District to address budget reductions that are consistent with colleges and centers while retaining ultimate responsi- individual institutional needs. The fundamental guid- bility for those delegated powers and duties. In addition ing principal established by DPC as the District has to providing leadership to the College, the President is addressed reductions is to maintain jobs and student responsible for addressing initiatives as directed by the access to the extent possible while operating within the Chancellor, including initiatives emanating from other budget. The sites have been afforded great latitude to District-level officers as appropriate to the mission. identify reductions consistent with individual resources, needs, and priorities. Self Evaluation As the District addresses the need for reductions in expenditures, concerns over appropriate levels of staffing The District structure significantly empowers the Presi- continue. Classified staffing levels were reduced in the dents to act in accord with the best interests of his or- last budget downturn and have not been increased since ganization. At the same time, the President serves as that time. The College is now downsizing to even lower an executive officer of the District, reporting directly levels and holding vacant positions unfilled in order to to the Chancellor. The issue of the appropriate bal- reduce expenditures. The District was also successful ance between campus autonomy and District control is in renegotiating its Faculty Obligation Number to a a matter of ongoing discussion at the District Planning

262 Cypress College Council. In addition to DPC, other District planning also a number of ad hoc and informal interactions that bodies provide forums for constituent representatives take place between District sites. Site representatives to express concerns when representatives from the charged with common responsibilities, such as Staff campuses perceive that District control is impacting Development, often meet to share concerns related to local decision-making processes. An example of this their areas. It is common for deans and faculty mem- ongoing discussion is provided in DPC minutes (11.24) bers at Cypress College to informally interact with reflecting constituent concerns that the Chancellor’s their counterparts at Fullerton College, particularly Staff was inappropriately intruding in campus priori- where curricular issues are concerned. Ongoing week- tization of faculty position allocations. The discussion ly meetings involving site and District representatives provided a forum for the expression of concerns and coordinate the multitude of facilities and operations is- re-affirmation of the College right to determine which sues within the District. Among these regularly-sched- programs would receive allocations of full-time faculty uled coordinating meetings are the Budget Managers positions. meetings held on the Tuesdays of Board meetings, twice monthly District-level construction and facilities Planning Agenda meetings chaired by the Vice Chancellor of Finance and Facilities, and periodic District level meetings to None. coordinate disaster response efforts. Although a multi- 3.f. The district/system acts as the liaison be- college district is large and complex, the implementa- tween the colleges and the governing board. tion of these processes typically results in clear, effec- The district/system and the colleges use effective, and timely communication. tive methods of communication, and they ex- Information comes to the College on a regular basis re- change information in a timely manner. garding significant Board discussion items and actions. Immediately after each meeting of the Board of Trust- Descriptive Summary ees, the District Director of Public Affairs disseminates College-level matters with District-level impact are the Board meeting newsletter News from the Board of presented to and discussed at the Chancellor’s Staff Trustees. Complete and detailed minutes of current and the District Planning Council. The District acts as and prior meetings are archived and available on the liaison between the colleges and the governing Board. shared campus server (11.32, 11.33). The Chancellor Representatives of the colleges are also appointed to makes both regular contact at the Fall Opening Day positions and attend all Board meetings, providing for and in summer letters and periodic contact when issues direct communication with Board members. Several arise. standing committees consist of representatives from the District, the two colleges and the School of Continu- Self Evaluation ing Education. Among these are Chancellor’s Cabinet, In general, administration, faculty, and support staff DPC, Banner Steering Committee and the District are well informed regarding District-level issues. Ad- Curriculum Coordinating Committee. The boards of ministrative staff members regularly attend Board the different unions — United Faculty, Adjunct Faculty meetings and report back to the deans and managers United, and CSEA — also have representatives from where Board actions impact their areas. The President the different sites. Each of these bodies provide for in- of the College emphasizes the importance of these dividuals to share local perspectives. representatives sharing information with constituents, Each January, there is a joint meeting of the academic including managers, faculty members, and classified senates from the three District entities, United Faculty, staff. and Adjunct Faculty United. This meeting provides a forum for the representatives of the different entities Planning Agenda to share and to understand the concerns and positions None. of the other major faculty organizations. Trustees and administrators throughout the District are invited and 3.g. The district/system regularly evaluates regularly participate in the annual meeting. There are district/system role delineation and gover-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 263 nance and decision-making structures and These external reviews validate the effectiveness and processes to assure their integrity and effec- accuracy of the reporting mechanisms. tiveness in assisting the colleges in meeting educational goals. The district/system widely Self Evaluation communicates the results of these evaluations and uses them as the basis for improvement. With the exception of the annual review of the District Strategic Plan, other assessments of effectiveness in this area are dependent upon constituent representatives Descriptive Summary raising issues and concerns on an ad hoc basis. Neither The District engages in an annual review of the Stra- DPC nor Chancellor’s Cabinet engage in a regular and tegic Plan status, with the Colleges and SCE also pro- rigorous review of effectiveness. Though District providing their assessments for inclusion in the report that cesses and procedures are generally perceived to be ef- is presented to the Board. Other District effectiveness fective in assisting the colleges in meeting educational assessments occur on an ad hoc basis as issues of ef- goals, regular and formal review of effectiveness is not fectiveness arise in the relevant arenas. These ad hoc currently an ongoing process of District planning bod- assessments are typically in the form of concerns raised ies. at the relevant planning bodies regarding the effectiveness of decision-making structures and processes. Planning Agenda DPC and Chancellor’s Cabinet include representatives None. from Cypress College, Fullerton College, the School of Continuing Education, representatives of the constituent groups, and other members of District staff. Issues Reference Documents can be raised by any of these representatives regarding 11.1 NOCCCD Board Policies, Administrative Procedures District processes and procedures, which are subject to and Administrative Guide — www.nocccd.edu/Poli- discussion and revision as a result of this dialogue. cies/PoliciesAndProcedures.htm As noted earlier, the Board of Trustees conducts an an- 11.2 Education Code §70902 et al. nual assessment of its own performance and makes the 11.3 California Code of Regulations, Title 5, §51004 results of that assessment generally available. At each et al. — www.cccco.edu/Portals/4/Executive/ Board meeting, resource table representatives have an Board/2010_agendas/jan_10/Procedures_and_ opportunity to address the Board regarding any issues Standing_Orders_2010_(1).doc related to the District’s decision-making structure and 11.4 Procedures and Standing Orders of the Board of procedures. Representing the District Management Governors, Art. 3, §331 et al. Group, the three Senates, the two collective bargaining units for the full-time and adjunct faculty, and the 11.5 Board of Trustees Meeting Agenda, Minutes and Archives — www.nocccd.edu/Trustees/MtgMinute- collective bargaining unit for the classified staff, these sArchive2009.htm) individuals have the opportunity to comment either on general conditions or specific actions. In addition, time 11.6 Cypress College Server (J: drive) is devoted during each Board meeting for public com- 11.7 2009 Assessment of the Board of Trustees — April ments regarding District matters. 2009

Several of the District’s offices are evaluated by ex- 11.8 North Orange County Community College District ternal agencies. The Office of Finance and Facilities descriptive flyer for Cypress College President, July must undergo an annual audit (11.20); any findings 2007 or exceptions are reported publicly and must be ad- 11.9 BP/AP 3100 Organizational Structure includding dressed. District Information Services are required to Cypress College 2009-10 Organizational Chart report significant data across the spectrum of District 11.10 Pr esident’s Advisory Cabinet Minutes – 12/06/07 activities to the State Chancellor’s Office. Any failure and 12/20/07 — J:\President’s Advisory Cabinet to do so would result in immediate feedback from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. 11.11 2008-2011 Cypress College Strategic Plan —www.

264 Cypress College cypresscollege.edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/ 11.32 News from the Board of Trustees — www.nocccd. pdocuments.aspx edu/Trustees/NewsFromBofT1011.htm

11.12 President’s Advisory Cabinet Guidelines – Rev. 11.33 Board Meeting Minutes — www.nocccd.edu/Trust- 9/17/09 — J:\President’s Advisory Cabinet ees/MtgMinutesArchive2010.htm and J:\Board Agenda 11.13 Cypress College Opening Day Agendas — 2007- 2010 11.34 District Quarterly

11.14 Cypress College Management Team Agendas — 11.35 Organizational Structure (Found in Introductory 2007-2010 Documents of this Self Study)

11.15 Cypress College Leadership Team Agendas — 2007-2010

11.16 College High School Superintendents/Principals Breakfast Agendas — 2007-2010

11.17 Cypress College Business & Community Leaders Forum Agendas — 2007-2010

11.18 District Strategic Plan — www.cypresscollege.edu/ about/InstitutionalResearch/pdocuments.aspx

11.19 NOCCCD CCSF 311Q — www.nocccd.edu/De- partments/FandF/FinanceFacilities.htm

11.20 NOCCCD Annual Audit Reports — www.nocccd. edu/Departments/FandF/FinanceFacilities.htm

11.21 NOCCCD CCSF 311 Annual Report — www. nocccd.edu/Departments/FandF/FinanceFacilities. htm

11.22 NOCCCD Actuarial Report, 2009 — www.nocccd. edu/Departments/FandF/FinanceFacilities.htm

11.23 NOCCCD Board Agenda [Containing Measure X Approval; Exec. Admin. Aide to Chancellor]

11.24 District Planning Council Minutes, February, 2010 — J:\Chancellor’s Cabinet District Planning Council Summaries-Minutes

11.25 DPC/Chancellor’s Cabinet Minutes — J:\Chancel- lor’s Cabinet District Planning Council Summaries- Minutes

11.26 Board Assessment Summary, Trustee Responses

11.27 Board Assessment Summary, Resource Table & Audience Responses

11.28 Campus Climate Survey — www.cypresscollege. edu/about/InstitutionalResearch/rsurveys.aspx

11.29 NOCCCD Functional Map (Found at the end of Introductory Documents section of this Self Study)

11.30 Facilities Bond — www.nocccd.edu/Departments/ FandF/FacilitiesBond/FacilitiesBondInfo.htm

11.31 District Educational and Facilities Master Plan

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 265

Summary of continuance policy as directed in AP 2510. Planning Agendas 6. Improve efficiency of the technological infrastructure and adoption pro- After reviewing the planning agendas suggested by the cess by working with instructional subcommittees, an evaluation was made to differenti- units to research and maintain a best- ate between on-going activities and future planning fit list of products as needed and re- agendas. Similar items were merged and duplications sources allow. were eliminated to arrive at the following list of nine items. 7. Identify and address training needs to improve use of technology by faculty, administrators, staff, and students. 8. Promote activities that will engage 1. Evaluate the effectiveness of the Col- employees and students from diverse lege’s programs and services to de- groups, that will advance a support- termine their impact on success of ive climate, and that will encourage various student groups. The findings the meaningful consideration of a va- will be used to develop, modify, and/ riety of perspectives and opinions. or continue services that best serve the college’s evolving diverse student population. 2. Develop ways to improve information dissemination among various employee groups on campus with the ultimate goal of improving participation, providing the rationale behind decisions, and expanding opportunities to engage in the decision-making process. 3. Develop and implement a process in TracDat that clearly establishes the link between Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) and Administrative Unit Outcomes (AUO) assessment results with program review, planning and budgeting, as well as align them with strategic directions in order to improve student success. 4. Develop and evaluate a method based on mapping the course SLOs to GE & Basic Skills PLOs to assess the GE outcomes. 5. Collaborate at Chancellor’s Cabinet to complete the development and adoption of an appropriate and effective educational program development and educational program dis-

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 267

Institutional Self Study — Spring 2011 269 N

ORANGETHORPE

LINCOLN

605 5 CYPRESS COLLEGE BEACH BLVD.

9200 Valley View St. KATELLA VALLEY VIEW Cypress, CA 90630 405 (714) 484-7000 22 CypressCollege.edu

Cypress College is located near the intersection of Valley View Street and Lincoln Avenue. Entrances to the campus are available from Valley View and Holder streets and on Orange Avenue. Entrance Streets are named Cypress College West, Cypress College South and Cypress College East. College Circle Drive is a one-way street, circling the campus in a counter-clockwise direction.

270 Cypress College