Solano Community College Institutional Self-Evaluation Report in Support of Reaffirmation of Accreditation Submitted by: Solano Community College 4000 Suisun Valley Road Fairfield, CA 94534 Submitted to: Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges Western Association of Schools and Colleges August 2017 BOARD OF TRUSTEES ROSEMARY THURSTON, PRESIDENT SARAH CHAPMAN, PH.D., VICE PRESIDENT DENIS HONEYCHURCH, J.D. PAM KEITH MICHAEL A. MARTIN QUINTEN R. VOYCE A. MARIE YOUNG CELIA ESPOSITO-NOY, ED.D., BOARD SECRETARY SUPERINTENDENT-PRESIDENT CELIA ESPOSITO-NOY, ED.D. ACCREDITATION LIAISON OFFICER DAVID WILLIAMS, PH.D. ACCREDITATION SELF EVALUATION COORDINATOR SAKI CABRERA, PH.D. ACCREDITATION LEAD WRITER MELISSA REEVE ACADEMIC SENATE PRESIDENT MICHAEL WYLY Table of Contents Introduction History of the Institution .................................................................................................... 1 Presentation of Student Achievement Data and Institution-Set Standards ........................ 5 Organization of the Self Evaluation Process ................................................................... 39 Organizational Information .............................................................................................. 43 Certification of Continued Institutional Compliance with Eligibility Requirements ................................................................................... 59 Certification of Continued Institutional Compliance with Commission Policies ............ 61 Standard I ............................................................................................................................... 65 Standard II ............................................................................................................................ 135 Standard III .......................................................................................................................... 235 Standard IV .......................................................................................................................... 315 Quality Focus Essay ............................................................................................................. 343 Glossary of Acronyms ......................................................................................................... 361 A. Introduction The introduction should include a brief history of the institution, including the year of establishment. The introduction should highlight the major developments that the institution has undergone since the last comprehensive review, including student enrollment data, summary data on the service area in terms of labor market, demographic and socio-economic data. The introduction should also include the names and locations, including addresses, of sites where 50% or more of a program, certificate or degree is available to students and any other off-campus sites or centers, including international sites. Institutions should clearly state in the Self Evaluation Report, as it does to the public, any specialized or programmatic accreditation held. History of the Institution Established in 1945 as Vallejo Junior College, part of the Vallejo Unified School District, Solano Community College (SCC) became an independent community college district in 1967. The 192-acre central campus, located just off Interstate 80 in Fairfield, California, opened in 1971 with 5,000 students. The SCC District currently includes centers in Vacaville and Vallejo and enrolls almost 10,000 students from the communities of Benicia, Dixon, Fairfield, Suisun, Vacaville, Winters, and Vallejo; as of a 2015 population estimate by the State of California Department of Finance, this service area consists of approximately 429,267 residents and is expected to grow by another 100,000 by 2035. The College also offers classes at local high schools and program-specific spaces, such as an aeronautics facility in Vacaville and at a shared space at Travis Air Force Base. In all, the District maintains over 500,000 gross square feet in 32 buildings on 285 acres of land. The District provides educational and training opportunities in three broad mission areas: Academic/Transfer, Career Technical Education/Vocational, and Developmental/Basic Skills. In addition to the approximately 2500 course sections offered each academic year, the college offers 92 degrees and 39 certificates of achievement (per the 2016-2017 catalog). The College also offers limited Contract Education courses, in which the College partners with local businesses, industries, and agencies to develop solutions for workforce or workplace needs. A community education and lifelong learning program called Vistas and the Solano College Small Business Development Center were discontinued in spring 2017 so the College can focus on credit education for students seeking degrees, certificates, and transfer opportunities. Finally, through a Memorandum of Understanding with a local feeder school, Angelo Rodriguez High School, the College hosts an Early College program on its main Fairfield campus. [ MOU Fairfield USD / ECHS ] 1 Instructional Sites Site Name Address Phone Fairfield Campus 4000 Suisun Valley Road, Fairfield, CA (707) 864-7000 (Main) 94534 Vacaville Campus 2001 North Village Parkway, Vacaville, (707) 863-7836 CA 95688 Vallejo Campus 545 Columbus Parkway, Vallejo, CA (707) 642-8188 94591 SCC has recently undergone extensive expansion and renovation due to the passing of a $348M Bond (Measure Q) in November 2012. In addition to a number of small capital projects, major projects from this bond include [ Measure Q Quarterly Progress Update ]: Fairfield campus: • Horticulture site improvements (progressing); • Substation replacement (utility infrastructure upgrade, with construction slated to start during Thanksgiving 2017); Vacaville Campus: • Classroom annex renovation (ongoing); • Biotechnology and Science Building (construction ongoing); • Intersection improvements (crosswalk designs submitted); • Aeronautics and Workforce Development building (cost estimate developed); • HVAC system upgrades (work scheduled for summer 2018); Vallejo Campus: • Autotechnology Building (construction ongoing); • HVAC system upgrade (work scheduled for summer 2017; classes have been relocated to Mare Island Technology Academy in Vallejo for summer 2017) Vacaville Center In June 2010, a new Vacaville Center opened across the street from the original Center, now known as the Annex, which was established in October 1996. This Center, located on a 60- acre site, features a 40,000 square foot, two-story, state-of-the-art facility that houses 14 classrooms with capacity for 700 students, science and computer laboratories, a 60-seat lecture hall, math and reading/writing laboratories, faculty offices, and a multi-purpose room for theatre arts and physical education classes. The Center offers an array of academic and career technical education courses, averaging 80 sections each semester. These numbers do not include enrollment or offerings at Travis Air Force Base and Nut Tree Airport, whose numbers are captured under the Vacaville Center for reporting purposes only. In July 2010, the former Vacaville Center Director position was upgraded to a Center Dean (educational administrator) position in order to effectively address the anticipated growth in size, complexity, and ongoing challenges at the Center. With this change, the Center’s chief administrative officer is able to manage both the operations and personnel. The enhanced 2 administrative and academic role of the Vacaville Center Dean includes the supervision of two academic programs: Aeronautics and Fire Technology. The Aeronautics Program provides training in basic maintenance techniques and specialized requirement for airframe and power plant work. Upon completion of required courses, students are eligible to take the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) exams for airframe or power plant licenses. The Aeronautics program is housed at the Nut Tree County Airport, located a few miles from the Center. The Fire Technology program, which is one of the College’s top ten majors in terms of numbers of graduates, provides the skills, knowledge, and training needed to be a firefighter. The Center hosted its first Fire Academy graduation in December 2010. The Vacaville Center is also the planned site for the College’s new pilot baccalaureate program in Biomanufacturing. Through funding provided by Measure Q, a $34,300,000 biotechnology and science building is being constructed, with a target completion date of August 2017, in time for fall 2017 classes and the first enrollments in the baccalaureate program. [ Biotech Science Building ] During the 2015-2016 academic year the Vacaville Center enrolled 989 full-time equivalent students (FTES). In order to serve increasing numbers of students, the Center has increased service hours and hired additional staff, including an administrative assistant to the dean; increased custodial and grounds keeping staffing; hired a part-time Community Services Officer; increased counseling and library services; and added a part-time Science Lab Technician. In addition, the former 1.4 FTE Extended Campus Assistant positions were reclassified as Student Services Generalists to reflect the growing student support needs at the Center. The Student Services Generalists perform a variety of support duties and provide current and potential students with registration, financial aid, outreach, assessment, and career services at