Peer Review Team Report Palo Verde College One College Drive Blythe, CA 92225 This report represents the findings of the peer review team that visited Palo Verde College from March 2 - 5, 2020. Eva Bagg, Ph.D. Team Chair 1 Contents Summary of Evaluation Report ...................................................................................................... 5 Major Findings and Recommendations of the 2020 Peer Review Team …………………………7 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………..8 Eligibility Requirements…………………………………………………………………………..9 Checklist for Evaluating Compliance with Federal Regulations and Related Commission Policies ....................................................................................................................................................... 10 Public Notification of an Evaluation Team Visit and Third Party Comment ........................... 10 Standards and Performance with Respect to Student Achievement ......................................... 11 Credits, Program Length, and Tuition ...................................................................................... 13 Transfer Policies ....................................................................................................................... 14 Distance Education and Correspondence Education ................................................................ 15 Student Complaints ................................................................................................................... 17 Institutional Disclosure and Advertising and Recruitment Materials ....................................... 19 Title IV Compliance ................................................................................................................. 20 Standard I ...................................................................................................................................... 21 I.A. Mission …………………………………………………………………………………..21 I.B. Assuring Academic Quality and Institutional Effectiveness……………………………..23 I.C. Institutional Integrity……………………………………………………………………..27 Standard II ..................................................................................................................................... 30 II.A. Instructional Programs .................................................................................................... 30 II.B. Library and Learning Support Services ............................................................................ 35 II.C. Student Support Services .................................................................................................. 37 Standard III ................................................................................................................................... 40 III.A. Human Resources ........................................................................................................... 40 III.B. Physical Resources .......................................................................................................... 42 III.C. Technology Resources .................................................................................................... 43 III.D. Financial Resources ........................................................................................................ 44 Standard IV ................................................................................................................................... 48 IV.A. Decision-Making Roles & Processes .............................................................................. 48 IV.B. Chief Executive Officer ................................................................................................. 49 IV.C. Governing Board ............................................................................................................. 51 IV.D. Multi-College Districts or Systems................................................................................. 54 Quality Focus Essay ...................................................................................................................... 55 2 Palo Verde College Comprehensive Evaluation Visit Team Roster Dr. Eva Bagg Team Chair Barstow Community College Superintendent-President Heather Minehart, Team Assistant Barstow Community College Dean, Enrollment Management and Services Dr. Stephanie Droker, ACCJC Staff Liaison ACCJC President ACADEMIC MEMBERS Mr. Jon Drinnon Merritt College Professor of English Dr. Matthew Goldstein College of Alameda Professor of Humanities and Academic Senate President Dr. Judy Kasabian El Camino College Professor of Mathematics Dr. Carol Kozeracki Los Angeles City College Dean, Academic Affairs/Liberal Arts Dr. Christopher McDonald Irvine Valley College Vice President, Instruction ADMINISTRATIVE MEMBERS Dr. Claudia Lee Golden West College Vice President, Student Services 3 Dr. Susan Murray San Diego City College Dean, Institutional Effectiveness Dr. Richard Storti West Hills Community College District Deputy Chancellor 4 Summary of Evaluation Report INSTITUTION: Palo Verde College DATES OF VISIT: March 2 – 5, 2020 TEAM CHAIR: Eva Bagg A ten-member accreditation peer review team visited Palo Verde College (PVC) March 2 to March 5, 2020, for the purpose of determining whether the college continues to meet Accreditation Standards, Eligibility Requirements, Commission Policies, and USDE regulations. The team evaluated how well the college is achieving its stated purposes, providing recommendations for quality assurance and institutional improvement, and submitting recommendations to the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) regarding the accredited status of the college. In preparation for the visit, the team chair attended a team chair workshop on December 3, 2019. The team chair and team assistant conducted a pre-visit to the campus on February 3, 2020. During the visit, the chair met with campus leadership and key personnel. The entire peer review team received team training provided by staff from ACCJC on February 5, 2020. The peer review team received the college’s self-evaluation documents (ISER) and supporting evidence several weeks prior to the site visit. Team members found the ISER to be a comprehensive, well written document detailing the processes used by the college to address Eligibility Requirements, Commission Standards, and Commission Policies, although some critical evidence was not made available until the site visit due to storage of assessment data in files available only from within the college’s network. The team confirmed that the ISER was developed through broad participation by the entire college community including faculty, staff, students, and administration. The team found that the college provided an accurate picture of the college through the ISER which contained several self-identified action plans for institutional improvement. The college also prepared a Quality Focus Essay (QFE), for which the team has provided comments. Prior to the visit, team members completed their team assignments, identified areas for further investigation, and provided lists of interview requests and specific evidence that was not provided as part of the ISER. On March 2, team members spent the morning discussing their initial observations drawn from the ISER and supporting evidence. Palo Verde College hosted an introduction reception the afternoon of March 2, 2020. During the visit, team members met with approximately 40 students, faculty, classified staff and administrators in formal meetings, group interviews, and individual interviews. Team members also met with representatives from the Palo Verde Community College District Board of Trustees. Some team members made informal observations of campus activities. Two open forums provided college stake holders and community members an opportunity to meet with members of the evaluation team. These well-attended open forums had representation from 5 faculty and staff, including staff who were video-conferenced to main campus from the Needles Center. The team found the college well prepared for the team visit and the team felt welcomed by the entire campus community. For some standards, the team experienced some difficulty obtaining the evidence required due to apparent misunderstanding about precisely what the team needed to assess compliance with those standards. Aside from this, the outstanding support provided to the team during its visit was acknowledged by the entire team. The team noted the college’s exceptionally unified and dedicated commitment to serving a highly distinctive student population and its extraordinary efforts to continuously improve the processes and practices that it employs to serve these students and to expand its correspondence education program to serve an even broader reach of incarcerated students. The team found that the college satisfies all Standards, except where noted in the recommendations section, Eligibility Requirements, Commission Policies and USDE regulations. In addition to the commendation noted in this report, the team recognized the college’s highly inclusive approach to its local community and for being proactive in building relationships with and in support of its educational and community partners. 6 Major Findings and Recommendations of the 2020 Peer Review Team Team Commendations Commendation 1: The team commends the institution for fulfilling its mission by innovatively aligning its education programs and support services to meet the needs of its