Transcript Accreditation and the Role of the Board

Accreditation
and the Role of the Board
ARE WE GOING TO BE TESTED ON THIS?
Today’s Presentation
 Provide an update on the Self Evaluation process
 Preview Standard IV.B.1, which addresses Board
involvement in college governance
 Set the stage for the next steps towards our
accreditation reaffirmation in 2015
Outcomes
Board trustees will:
 Be prepared to review Standard IV.B.1 and provide
feedback as needed
 Understand their role in this stage of the
accreditation process
Structure of the Self Evaluation Report
4 Standards:
 I. Institutional Mission and Effectiveness
 II. Student Learning Programs and Services
 III. Resources
 IV. Leadership and Governance
IV.B.1. Board and Administrative
Organization
Descriptive Summary
 How do we meet the Standard?
 How do we know we meet it? (Evidence)
Self Evaluation
 How well do we meet the Standard?
Actionable Improvement Plan
 Have we identified an area for improvement, set
goals, and determined the action required to meet
those goals?
Use Guideline Questions
See page _____ in your Board meeting materials.
 These are questions that ACCJC suggests that
visiting team members use as they evaluate an
institution in relation to each Standard.
 The answers to the questions should be integrated
within the response to the Standard and should have
evidence to back them.
Standard IV.B.1.f
The governing board has a program for board
development and new member orientation. It
has a mechanism for providing for continuity
of board membership and staggered terms of
office.
Reframe into questions:
Does the governing board have a program for board
development and new member orientation?
Does the board have a mechanism for providing for
continuity of board membership and staggered terms
of office?
Descriptive Summary
(Paragraph 1)
The Sonoma County Junior College District Board of
Trustees is a publicly elected body consisting of seven
members, plus a Student Trustee who is elected
annually by the student body. To provide appropriate
representation of the public interest, Board Policy 0.4
divides the composition of the seven publicly elected
members into areas representing the various
geographic areas of the district. Trustee terms are
staggered by an election process that opens only a
portion of the seven seats every two years; each term is
for four years, except for the Student Trustee, which is
one year.
Descriptive Summary
(Paragraph 2)
Policy 0.30 states that the Superintendent/President shall
develop and conduct an orientation for each new Trustee,
including the Student Trustee, within two months of election to
the Board. All Trustees are required to participate in an annual
retreat at the start of each calendar year, an occasion that begins
the mentoring process for new Board members. New trustees
attend the earliest possible session of the annual statewide
Community College League of California (CCLC) orientation.
Every Board member is expected to attend the CCLC new board
orientation with the participation of the Superintendent/
President. In addition, the Board shares membership in several
statewide organizations, including CCLC, the Accrediting
Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), the
American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the
Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), the League
for Innovation in the Community College, and the California
Community Colleges Trustees (CCCT) organization.
Descriptive Summary
(Paragraph 3)
In regards to accreditation standards and requirements,
the board receives periodic updates from the Vice
President/Assistant Superintendent of Instruction on a
regular basis during the six-year accreditation cycle. This
keeps the board well informed as to upcoming changes and
requirements related to accreditation. An example of this
was the Vice President/Assistant Superintendent’s
presentation to board at its meeting of October 8, 2013,
and February 11, 2014.
[Wanda’s edit: Separate list of Board meetings with
significant accreditation references: Midterm report, SLO
report, launch of 2015 Self Evaluation, etc.]
Self Evaluation
The College meets the Standard. The calendar and
outline for the orientation and continuity of Board
development is supported by the Superintendent/
President and his administrative staff. With this
support, the Board of Trustees has a consistent
program for training and familiarizing new members
with the protocols and practices of the current
membership. Opportunities for statewide involvement
and training are openly discussed and encouraged.
Since the last accreditation report, the Board has
participated in CCLC trainings and events.
Actionable Improvement Plans
None.
IV.B.1.j
The governing board has the responsibility for
selecting and evaluating… the college chief
administrator (most often known as the
president). The governing board delegates full
responsibility and authority to him/her to
implement and administer board policies
without board interference and holds him/her
accountable for the operation of the
district/system or college, respectively.
Descriptive Summary
(Paragraph 1-2)
The Board of Trustees selects the chief executive
officer (Superintendent/President) and confirms the
appointment of other major academic and administrative
officers as formalized by the Board in Policy 0.20 of the
Board Policy Manual.
Since the hiring of a college president has occurred
so infrequently at SRJC (about every 20 years), the Board,
when faced with hiring a replacement, determines what
process will be used to search for a new president
depending on the circumstances as they exist at that time.
For example, in its 96 year history, SRJC has had only five
Superintendents/Presidents. The most recent one took
office in January 2012 after a lengthy search process,
replacing his predecessor who had served for 22 years.
Descriptive Summary
(Paragraph 2, cont.)
The Board’s initial attempt to find a new president was
conducted by the Board and in-house college staff without
the benefit of a professional search firm. This process
yielded three finalists that were invited to speak at public
forums on the college campus. The Board solicited
comment and advice from the community and District
employees. After receipt of much input the Board
recognized and agreed that none of the finalists would be a
good “fit” for SRJC. In action that was responsive to the
messages being received, the Board determined it should
go out in a second search for a replacement president. This
time the Board engaged a professional search firm that led
to community support for the ultimate appointment of the
current president.
Descriptive Summary
(Paragraph 3)
The basic authority for the administration of the
Sonoma County Junior College District is delegated by the
Board of Trustees to the Superintendent/President as
defined in Policy and Procedure 2.2.1 and 2.2.1P of the
Board Policy Manual. In addition to the responsibilities
outlined in the Superintendent/ President’s job
description, he/she reports to the Board of Trustees and
performs other duties assigned or delegated by the Board
of Trustees. As stated in Policy 0.1 of the District Policy
Manual, “The Board shall concern itself primarily with
broad questions of policy, rather than with administrative
details.”
Descriptive Summary
(Paragraph 4)
The Board of Trustees annually evaluates the
performance of the Superintendent/President per
Policy 0.20 and invites input from the major
constituent groups of the college. The evaluation
includes meetings with representatives of the
constituent groups prior to the annual retreat, a review
of the Superintendent/President’s goals, and the
setting of new goals and evaluation at the retreat. The
outcomes of the evaluation become part of the
President’s permanent personnel file and the general
outcome is shared with the college community at a
Board meeting immediately following the evaluation.
Self Evaluation
The College meets the Standard.
[Wanda’s comments—this section needs more explanation,
such as:]
Although the College has had remarkable longevity of its
presidents, the policies for selecting and evaluating the
superintendent/president are firmly established and
served the College well during its 2011-12 hiring process.
Subsequent communications and actions involving the
board and the president as well as regular evaluations
demonstrate that the policies involving the president’s
authority and accountability are being fully implemented.
Actionable Improvement Plans
None.
__________________________________
Questions? Comments?
Suggestions?
What’s Next?
 Completion of Final Draft over the summer.
 Board comments and questions regarding Standard
IV.B.1 due to Mary Kay Rudolph before the July
board meeting.
 Graphics Department will have printed draft ready
for October Board meeting.
 Board approves Self Evaluation at December 9 Board
meeting.
 Visiting team receives copies of Self Evaluation and
related documents January 2015.
Thank you!
Accreditation Website:
w w w . s a n t ar o s a . e d u / a c c r e d 2 0 1 5
Contacts:
Mary Kay Rudolph
m r u d o l p h @ s a n t ar o s a . e d u
Wanda Burzycki
w b u r z y c k i @ s a n t a r o s a. e d u