REPORT OF INSTITUTIONAL SELF-STUDY FOR REAFFIRMATION OF

Cerro Coso Community College Accreditation Report

1994 Self Study REPORT OF INSTITUTIONAL SELF-STUDY FOR REAFFIRMATION OF ACCREDITATION

Submitted by CERRO COSO COMMUNITY COLLEGE

3000 College Heights Boulevard Ridgecrest, California 93555 Kern Community College District

In conformance with the 1990 Edition of the Handbook of Accreditation and Policy Manual

Raymond A. McCue President of the College

OCTOBER 1994 to ACCREDITING COMMISSION FOR COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES

John C. Petersen, Executive Director Aptos, California 95003

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page Title

Abstract of the Self Study Report

Certification of the Self Study Report

Organization for the Self Study

Accreditation Self Study Timetable

Descriptive Background and Demographics

Demographics

Enrollment and ADA/FTES History and Projections 1980-81 through 2010

Number and Percent of High School Graduates Who Have Attended Cerro Coso Community College 1982 through 1992

Kern Community College District Graduates by College 1915 through 1993

Cerro Coso College Graduates by Ethnicity and Degree Type (AA and AS) 1991-92 and 1992-93 Cerro Coso College Certificates Awarded by Type 1993-94

Cerro Coso Community College Administrative Organization

Cerro Coso Community College Shared Governance Structure

Responses to Previous Team Recommendations

Standard One: Goals and Objectives Standard Two: Educational Programs Standard Three: Institutional Staff Standard Four: Student Services Standard Five: Community Services Standard Six: Learning Resources Standard Seven: Physical Plant Standard Eight: Financial Resources (now standard seven) Standard Nine: Governance and Administration (now standard eight) Standard Ten: District Relations (now combined with standard eight) Standard 1: Institutional Integrity, Purposes, Planning, and Effectiveness

1A Institutional Integrity 1B Institutional Purposes 1C Institutional Planning 1D Institutional Effectiveness

Standard 2: Educational Programs

2A General Provisions 2B Curriculum Planning and Evaluation 2C General Education 2D Special Programs Offering Courses for Credit 2E Credit for Student Achievement 2F Articulation 2G Non-Credit Courses and Programs 2H Community Education and Services

Standard 3: Student Services and the Co-Curricular Learning Environment

3A General Provisions 3B Admissions and Records 3C Comprehensiveness of Service 3D Counseling Services 3E Coordination and Administration Standard 4: Faculty and Staff

4A Selection 4B Qualifications of Staff 4C Evaluation 4D Staff Development 4E Other Personnel Policies

STANDARD 5: Library and Learning Resources

5A General Provisions 5B Resource Development 5C Accessibility 5D Faculty and Staff 5E Information Technology

Standard 6: Physical Resources

6A Facilities 6B Equipment 6C Facilities Planning Standard 7: Financial Resources

7A Financial Stability

7B Financial Planning 7C Financial Management Standard 8: Governance and Administration

8A The Governing Board 8B The Chief Executive Officer (District Chancellor) 8C The Chief Executive Officer (College President) 8D Administrative Services (District) 8E Administrative Services (College) 8F Faculty 8G Support Staff 8H Students

ABSTRACT OF THE SELF STUDY REPORT

Overall, the self study addressed each statement of standards through description and appraisal. Plans were identified as a result of the appraisal.

The previous self study was completed in January 1990, and the college was visited by the evaluation team in April 1990. Because of a decision to coordinate evaluation team visits with the two other colleges in the Kern Community College District, Cerro Coso conducted the current self study less than four years following the last study. Over this time three significant developments affected Cerro Coso. First, the college wrote and implemented a comprehensive plan for Shared Governance. Second, the college formally annexed all of Inyo county and most of Mono county to its service area. Third, a broad-based college committee led the college in defining a long range plan for the use of information technology at Cerro Coso.

The college Shared Governance structure is directed toward full participation of all constituent groups and immediate communication of thoughts, ideas, and decisions. It is based on the operation of several representative committees that have significant responsibilities for review and input into the decision process. The self study frequently refers to the work of these committees.

Formal action by the District Board of Trustees and the state Board of Governors to annex Inyo and a portion of Mono counties to the Kern Community College District and to Cerro Coso's service area has resulted in the establishment of the Eastern Sierra College Center. These actions have increased the need for facility and program planning and integration related to this center.

In the spring of 1993 the College Council named a college-wide task force for Information Technology to identify ways in which Cerro Coso should address the integration of Information Technology into the college's plans for the future. Throughout the 1993-94 year the task force surveyed faculty and staff, reviewed the current and future state of technology, and considered college priorities. A report of twelve recommendations was published as the first step in a detailed long range plan. This report is considered in the self study.

The Master Planning Committee addressed institutional integrity and planning effectiveness in Standard One. As a result of their analysis, specific plans were

identified to increase communication with staff, students, and the community regarding programs and policies at the college. However, most of the plans were directed toward measures to increase the effectiveness of an already strong planning process. These plans included improving access to data and more directly connecting budgeting and planning.

The Curriculum and Instruction Council studied Educational Programs (Standard Two) and determined that, overall, the college provides an excellent educational program that responds to the educational needs of each of its communities. The self study also identifies plans to increase the effectiveness of the college's educational program through an improved review of educational programs.

Standard Three was studied by the Matriculation Committee. The committee reviewed student and co-curricular services at the college and identified forty-four plans. These plans primarily focused on ways to improve access to services within existing limitations and ways to increase communication with the entire college.

The college Staffing Committee identified eighteen plans in its analysis of Standard Four. Key needs addressed by the plans include the improvement of Affirmative Action efforts, the continued support of staff development, and support of part time faculty.

CERTIFICATION OF THE SELF STUDY REPORT

DATE: July 1994 TO: ACCREDITING COMMISSION FOR COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES, WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES FROM: CERRO COSO COMMUNITY COLLEGE 3000 College Heights Boulevard Ridgecrest, California 93555-7777

This 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 this institution.

Raymond A. McCue President, Cerro Coso Community College Raymond A. McCue

James C. Young Chancellor, Kern Community College District James C. Young

Edward B. Cornell President, Kern community College District Edward B. Cornell

Gilbert J. Plain Trustee, Kern Community College District Gilbert J. Plain

Richard L. Benson Co-Chair, Institutional Integrity, Richard L. Benson Purposes, Planning and Effectiveness

William H. Campbell Co-Chair, Institutional Integrity, William H. Campbell Purposes, Planning and Effectiveness

D. Roe Darnell Co-Chair, Educational Programs D. Roe Darnell Steering Committee Chair

James R. S. Manion Co-Chair, Educational Programs James R. S. Manion President, Academic Senate President Steering Committee Member

Barbara Butler Chair, Student Services and the Co-Curricular Barbara Butler Learning Environment

Martha M. Rodgers Chair, Faculty and Staff Martha M. Rodgers

Leo A. Girardot Chair, Library and Learning Resources Leo A. Girardot

B. Joann Handeland Co-Chair, Physical Resources B. Joann Handeland

Clayton A. Witherow Co-Chair, Physical Resources Clayton A. Witherow

Sarah B. Goss Chair, Financial Resources Sarah B. Goss

Ruth E. Gleason Chair, Governance and Administration Ruth E. Gleason College Council Chair

Paul J. Riley Steering Committee Member Paul J. Riley

Allison Swift Steering Committee Member Allison Swift

Paula G. Hayes Steering Committee Member Paula G. Hayes President, Classified Senate

An ad-hoc committee was established to conduct the self study for Standard Five, Library and Learning Resources. This committee found the most significant needs to be the continued introduction of technology and the allocation of resources in times of limited funding.

The Construction and Facilities Committee found that the college meets the tenets of Standard Six well. The college has a master plan for facilities that will establish a

balanced campus in Ridgecrest and also provide instructional facilities at the new Eastern Sierra College Center. Existing facilities are well maintained.

The college Budget Committee conducted the self study for Standard Seven. This committee determined that the District Office provided significant leadership in maintaining the financial stability of the college in the uncertain funding environment extant in California. They also noted that the budgeting process on campus provides for significant interaction among all segments of the college and is, in itself, a stabilizing element.

The College Council, the guiding committee for Shared Governance, addressed Standard Eight. The committee's report reflects a district Board of Trustees that provides strong leadership for the college and a notable Shared Governance structure which supports effective communication and decision making.

The college's self study is a comprehensive review of programs and services provided by Cerro Coso. It shows that the college is effectively providing excellent service to each of its communities in a highly professional way. The self study also identifies areas for improvement which are addressed through written plans.

ORGANIZATION FOR THE SELF STUDY

The self study process was organized to reflect, as much as possible, the college's Shared Governance structure. A steering committee consisting of administrative representatives and the Presidents of the Academic and Classified Senates provided broad guidance and review of the process. The study itself was conducted by existing Shared Governance Committees with the exception of the Standard Six committee. A listing of each committee and its membership is below.

STEERING COMMITTEE Roe Darnell, Chair

Paula Hayes James Manion

Paul Riley Allison Swift

STANDARD ONE Master Planning Committee Richard Benson, Co-Chair William Campbell, Co-Chair Natalie Dorrell Diane Mourton Allison Swift Jonathan Tittle

STANDARD TWO Curriculum & Instruction Council Roe Darnell, Co-Chair James Manion, Co-Chair Barbara Butler William Campbell Richard Dodge Gurney Hoggard Paula Jones Ruth Maddox William Maxwell Nancy Webster

STANDARD THREE Matriculation Committee Barbara Butler, Chair

STANDARD FOUR Staffing Committee Martha Rodgers, Chair

Sally Franklin Mary Lee Greenland Gurney Hoggard Bonnie Mathis Gary Matulef Don Mourton Susan Smith Allison Swift June Wasserman Robert Weisenthal

Phoebe Box Roe Darnell Bernard LaChance Don Mourton Tami Okamoto

STANDARD FIVE Ad Hoc Committee Leo Girardot, Chair Richard Benson Sally Franklin Ruth Gleason Jonathan Tittle Suzanne Wyatt Jill Walls

STANDARD SIX Facilities Committee Joann Handeland, Co-Chair Clay Witherow, Co-Chair Sara Brown Wendy Dye Carol Hewer Mykle Loftus

STANDARD SEVEN Budget Committee Sarah Goss, Chair Roe Darnell Nada Kilgore Debra Harrell Don Mourton Janet Westbrook

STANDARD EIGHT College Council Review Board Ruth Gleason, Chair Paula Hayes Richard L'Hommedieu William Locke Mykle Loftus Raymond McCue Lupe Miller Paul Riley Susan Smith Sharon Swasey Allison Swift June Wasserman Janet Wilson

ACCREDITATION SELF STUDY TIME SCHEDULE

March, 1993

1. Identify Steering Committee and Standards Committees. 2. Provide training and charges for committees. 3. Identify Institutional Research needs.

April, 1993

1. Design Institutional Research. 2. Review status of previous accreditation recommendations. 3. Identify preliminary information needs. 4. Develop individual committee timeliness

May-August, 1993

1. Conduct research 2. Compile institutional information.

September-October, 1993

1. Conclude research. 2. Committee deliberations.

November, 1993

1. Standards Committee progress report to Steering Committee. 2. Research Report due to Steering Committee.

January, 1994

1. First Draft of each Standard due to Steering Committee. 2. College-wide Accreditation Meeting.

February, 1994

1. Second Draft of Standard committee report due to Steering Committee

March, 1994

Final Draft of Standard Committee reports due to Steering Committee.

April, 1994

Draft of Self-Study available for college-wide review.

May, 1994

Final Self-Study presented for signatures.

June-July, 1994

Printing

August, 1994

Mail Self-Study to Accrediting Commission.

DESCRIPTIVE BACKGROUND AND DEMOGRAPHICS

District Organization and Description:

The Kern Community College District encompasses the territory of the following high school districts: Delano Joint Union High School, Kern Joint High School, Mojave Unified, Muroc Unified, Porterville Union High School, Sierra Sands Unified, Tehachapi Unified, Trona Joint Unified and Wasco Union High School.

Encompassing approximately twenty-four thousand square miles, the district includes most of Kern County, parts of Mono, Tulare and San Bernardino Counties, and all of Inyo County. Its terrain consists of mountains, deserts and the broad Central Valley of California. The district operates three colleges: Bakersfield College, Porterville College and Cerro Coso Community College.

College Description:

Community college education in the Indian Wells Valley began as early as 1950 with the offering of the Naval Apprenticeship Program through Bakersfield College extension. This program provided a base for establishing a branch of Bakersfield College.

The Desert Division of Bakersfield College began full operation in the fall of 1961 with a resident Dean and a full-time staff of four. They began from an office located at Burroughs High School. Growth continued at a slow, steady pace from an initial enrollment of 490 students in 1961 to 674 students in the spring of 1966.

In 1966, at the request of the Board of Trustees, an educational master plan for the Kern Community College District was prepared. This comprehensive report recommended that a new, small community college be built in the Ridgecrest area. As a result, two relocatable buildings were installed on the Burroughs campus for use as office space and to allow for the scheduling of daytime classes. In 1968, the Desert Division was designated the Desert Campus of Bakersfield College.

In the latter part of 1968, members of the district and local staff began planning for a new college campus in the Indian Wells Valley. On July 1, 1973, Cerro Coso Community College was established as an official entity. Classes were held at the current site in the Spring Semester of 1974.

Cerro Coso Community College is located on the edge of the city of Ridgecrest overlooking the Indian Wells Valley. Its service area consists of the communities of Rosamond, Boron, California City, Cantil, Mojave, Edwards (Southern Extension); Onyx, Weldon, Kernville, Lake Isabella (Kern Valley Extension); and Randsburg, Red Mountain, Johannesburg, Inyokern, Trona and Ridgecrest (Ridgecrest Campus). Additionally, the college serves the communities of Olancha, Independence, Lone Pine, Big Pine, Bishop, Death Valley, Mammoth Lakes, Benton and June Lake (Eastern Sierra Extension) which are located in the newly annexed territory of Inyo and Mono Counties.

The college is committed to the concept of outreach instruction and provides classes, programs, and services to all these communities. However, instruction is

administered through four administrative components: the Main Campus located in Ridgecrest, the Southern Extension located at Edwards Air Force Base, the Kern Valley Extension located in Lake Isabella, and the Eastern Sierra Extension with dual offices in Bishop and Mammoth Lakes.

The Indian Wells Valley Campus is situated on two 160 acre sites overlooking the Indian Wells Valley. The campus consists of six buildings housing administration offices, general purpose classrooms, instructional laboratories, a maintenance building, a child development center and a physical education facility. The buildings enhance the desert environment with dramatic architectural statements suggesting contemporary attitudes towards learning.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Cerro Coso's Service Area Population, 1980 through 2010: Year 1980 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

Pop. 50,000* 82,879+ 102,515# 131,527 160,595 191,899

From Kern Community College District Comprehensive Planning Resource Document 1993-1994, p. 75.

* According to official data in census tracts. + Includes Lake Isabelle census tracts. # Includes annexation of Inyo County and part of Mono County.

Our service area will experience growth in the future.

Cerro Coso's Enrollment and ADA/FTES, History and Projections: Year 1980 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

Enroll. 4, 118 4,532 5,563 7,138 8,716 10,414 ADAFTE 1,560 1,950 3,282 4,211 5,142 6,144


We can expect to serve increasing numbers of students in the future.

Cerro Coso's Service Area Ethnic Composition: (1990 Census) Ethnicity White Asian* Hispanic Black Nat.American Other

Ridgecrest 87.9% 4.1% 3.8% 3.2% .9% .1%

Sch.Dist. 84.0% 3.0% 8.0% 4.0% 1.0% 0.0%


Ethnicity, Ridgecrest 1992-93, Service Area by School District, *Asian includes Pacific Islanders. Nat. American = Native American.

Our service area is predominantly Caucasian.

Cerro Coso's Enrollments by Ethnicity, Fall Semesters:

Year White Hispanic Black Other*

1985 82.7% 3.3% 4.3% 9.7%

1986 81.2% 3.5% 4.8% 10.5%

1987 82.4% 3.3% 3.6% 10.7%

1988 82.0% 3.5% 3.6% 10.9%

1989 84.9% 3.3% 2.6% 9.2%

1990 83.1% 3.7% 3.5% 9.7%

1991 82.7% 6.4% 4.2% 6.7%

1992 82.1% 7.9% 3.6% 6.4%


*Other includes Asian (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Indian, Filipino) American Indian, Other (Alaskan, Pacific Islander, Guamanian, Hawaiian, Samoan) and Unknown.

We server an ethnically diverse student population.

Cerro Coso's Student's Enrolled in Non-Credit, Part-Time and Full-Time Status, Fall Semesters:

Year Non-Crd. Number Non-Crd Percent Part-Tm Number Part-Tm Percent Full-Tm Number

Full-Tm Percent

1987 134 3% 3523 86% 428 11% 1988 144 4% 3476 86% 429 11% 1989 334 7% 4137 83% 503 10% 1990 414 9% 3592 79% 526 12% 1991 259 6% 3797 82% 590 13% 1992 281 6% 3367 79% 639 15%

From Kern Community College District Comprehensive Planning Resource Document 1993-1994, p. 179-181.

Full-time enrollments increased steadily until 1992.

Cerro Coso Student Population By Age, Shown by Number/Percent:

Year 18 or less 18 to 20 21 to 24 25 to 29 30 to 34 35 to 64 Totals

1987 180/4% 511/13% 564/14% 713/18% 600/15% 1364/33% 4,085

1988 123/4% 465/12% 545/14% 695/17% 635/16% 1403/35% 4,049

1989 260/5% 517/10% 524/11% 770/16% 711/14% 1783/36% 4,974

1990 151/3% 521/12% 516/11% 738/16% 672/15% 1508/33% 4,532

1991 126/3% 531/12% 629/14% 745/16% 689/15% 1635/35% 4,646


The 35-64 age groups remains consistent at about 35% each year. The 20 and less groups remain consistent at about 15% each year as o the 21-24, the 25-29, and the 30-34 age groups.

Cerro Coso Student Population By Age, Shown by Number/Percent: (continued, but different age groupings)

Year 19 or less 20 to 24 25 to 29 30 to 49 50 plus unknown Totals

1992 570/13% 749/17% 675/16% 1761/41% 532/12% 9/-1% 4,287


The 30 to 49 age group becomes the dominant age group.

Cerro Coso Headcount Enrollment Status, Spring 1992:

Total Percent Continuing Students 2,469 52.9%

Returning Students 929 19.9%

First-Time Students 614 13.2%

First-Time Transfer Students 352 7.5%

Other 301 6.5%

Totals 4,6650 100.0%

Continuing students make up over half of our enrollment.

From California Community Colleges MIS Division, Selected Statistic Reports.

Cerro Coso WSCH By Enrollment Pattern, Spring 1992: Day Students 10,802 47.5%

Evening Students 11,919 52.5%

Day and evening enrollments are comparable.

From California Community Colleges MIS Division, Selected Statistic Reports.

CERRO COSO COLLEGE

ENROLLMENT AND ADA/FTES HISTORY AND PROJECTIONS 1980-81 THROUGH 2010

FALL

YEAR ADA/FTES ENROLLMENT

1980-81 1,560 4,118

1981-82 1,585 3,820

1982-83 1,642 3,945

1983-84 1,546 3,606

1984-85 1,572 3,299

1985-86 1,656 3,595

1986-87 1,713 3,865

1987-88 1,719 4,085

1988-89 1,782 4,049

1989-90 2,052 4,974

1990-91 1,950 4,532

1991-92 2,353 FTES 4,656

1992-93 2,543 FTES 4,287

1995 3,282 FTES 5,563

2000 4,211 FTES 7,138

NOTE: Full-time Equivalent students (FTES) projections were made by using the same percentage as actually generated for 1992-93—59%.

2005 5,142 FTES 8,716

2010 6,144 FTES 10,414

NUMBER AND PERCENT OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES WHO HAVE ATTENDED CERRO COSO COMMUNITY COLLEGE 1982 THROUGH 1992

School Year of Graduates

Number of Seniors

Number Enrolled at CC in Fall Following Graduation

Percent Total Enrolled at CC Through Spring

1992

Percent

Burroughs High

1982 270 101 37 242 89

1983 261 126 48 242 93

1984 236 88 37 202 86

1985 238 67 28 162 68

1986 285 82 29 200 70

1987 309 83 27 190 61

1988 350 76 22 188 54

1989 324 115 36 216 67

1990 262 97 37 191 73

1991 291 110 38 190 65

1992 307 105 34 164 53

KERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT GRADUATES BY COLLEGE 1915 THROUGH 1993

Bakersfield College Cerro Coso College Porterville College

1915- 1 1916- 0 1917- 0 1918- 0 1919- 2 1920- 1 1921- 7 1922- 5 1923- 8 1924- 9 1925- 6 1926- 10 1927- 10 1928- 17 1929- 20 1930- 33 1931- 40 1932- 58 1933- 79 1934- 104 1935- 114 1936- 97 1937- 146 1938- 109

1955-219 1956-235 1957-336 1958-344 1959-304 1960-350 1961-337 1962-393 1963-385 1964-414 1965-456 1966-570 1967-613 1968-620 1969-701 1970-786 1971-823 1972-770 1973-730 1974-800 1975-880 1976-821 1977-762 1978-743

1972- 59 1973- 49 1974- 56 1975- 85 1976-141 1977-126 1978-128 1979- 94 1980- 94 1981-112 1982-139 1983-165 1984-154 1985-153 1986-138 1987-132 1988-154 1989-162 1990-164 1991-192 1992-181 1993-209

1929- 7 1930- 20 1931- 19 1932- 22 1933- 37 1934- 23 1935- 45 1936- 40 1937- 49 1938- 40 1939- 43 1940- 44 1941- 53 1942- 37 1943- 24 1944- 0 1945- 8 1946- 18 1947- 123 1948- 40 1949- 26 1950- 27 1951- 20 1952- 27

1962- 79 1963- 84 1964- 79 1965- 67 1966- 91 1967- 92 1968- 104 1969- 120 1970- 145 1971- 128 1972- 141 1973- 158 1974- 135 1975- 152 1976- 161 1977- 131 1978- 165 1979- 120 1980- 106 1981- 89 1982- 111 1983- 122 1984- 99 1985- 92

1939- 145 1940- 153 1941- 165 1942- 154 1943- 70 1944- 27 1945- 38 1946- 45 1947- 132 1948- 269 1949- 221 1950- 242 1951- 225 1952- 162 1953- 210 1954- 184

1979-750 1980-687 1981-617 1982-540 1983-510 1984-480 1985-444 1986-412 1987-452 1988-436 1989-529 1990-519 1991-553 1992-609 1993-636

1953- 20 1954- 29 1955- 47 1956- 57 1957- 51 1958- 39 1959- 43 1960- 64 1961- 53

1986- 80 1987- 93 1988- 85 1989- 72 1990- 87 1991- 61 1992- 104 1993- 95

TOTAL – 24, 884 TOTAL – 2,887 TOTAL - 4,543

Bakersfield College: 1915-Josephine Chase; 1919- Margaret Brewer and Maybelle Mentzer; 1920- Dorothy Bitner; 1921- John Alstaetter, Georgia, App, Edison Dalton, Ivan hastin, Richard Lindgren, Inex Schatz and Sylvester Wells

CERRO COSO COLLEGE GRADUATES BY ETHNICITY AND DEGREE TYPE (AA AND AS) 1991-92 and 1992-93

White Hispanic Black Other TotalDegree Type Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

1991-92

Associate in Arts

102 9 6 5 122 82.4

Associate in

Science

22 1 1 2 26 17.6

Totals 124 83.8 10 6.8 7 4.7 7 4.7 148 100.0

1992-93

Associate in Arts

131 9 10 9 159 80.7

Associate in

Science

36 2 0 0 38 19.3

Totals 167 84.8 11 5.65 10 5.1 9 4.6 197 100.0

CERRO COSO COLLEGE CERTIFICATES AWARDED BY TYPE 1993-94

Division Instructional Area Number Total

1992-93

Administration Justice Post 72 72

Administrative Justice 0

Automotive Automotive Technician 4 4

Business Business Administration Office Careers

3 20

23

Computers Computer Technician 15 15

Drafting Drafting Technician 1 1

Electronics Electronics Technician 4 4

Machine tool Machine Tool Technician 5 5

Vocational Nursing Vocational Nursing 15 15

Welding Welding Technician 2 2

Total All Instructional Areas 141

CERRO COSO COMMUNITY COLLEGE ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION

CERRO COSO COMMUNITY COLLEGE SHARED GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE

RESPONSES TO PREVIOUS TEAM RECOMMENDATIONS

Standard One: Goals and Objectives (Now Standard One: Institutional Integrity)

Recommendations

1. The college should implement the first four recommendations of the previous team, which stated that in order to facilitate planning and evaluation, the college should:

a. determine specific objectives, sufficiently clear and precise as to be assessable, in order to implement the broad goals of the college;

b. establish institutional priorities for the achievement of these objectives;

c. establish a process for periodic review and assessment of the college mission statement, goals, and objectives;

d. allow for participation by all segments of the college in the determination and review of the college mission, goals, and objectives.

The College Master Planning Committee, a Shared Governance committee, has addressed this recommendation through a focused and continuing master planning

effort. Through a college-wide review the committee Identified a mission statement and articulated eight long-range goals for the college. These statement of mission and goals form the basis for institutional priorities and decision making.

Annually, each college Shared Governance committee and college management area reviews the broad college goals to determine objectives and identify institutional priorities. Each area then writes annual objectives and mid-range goals to be published in the college master plan. In addition, individual managers write specific objectives to reflect the college goals.

Standard Two: Educational Programs

Recommendations

1. The college needs to develop an effective master planning process and plan which is supported and driven by institutional research and environmental assessment data.

This recommendation was addressed through an interim report forwarded to the commission on March 25, 1991. An effective master planning process has been established and the college has published a strategic master plan based on institutional research and an environmental assessment. Copies of this plan have been submitted to the commission.

2. All course outlines should immediately be brought into compliance with state-promulgated guidelines.

This recommendation was addressed through an interim report forwarded to the commission on March 25, 1991. All course outlines are in compliance with state Title V requirements. Course outlines are filed in the Office of Instruction and are available, through computer file, to all college locations. In addition, a program of regular review has been established whereby outlines are updated every three years. This process includes provisions for culling outdated courses from the 1995-1997 college catalog.

3. The college should make provision for support services at its extension sites a top priority.

The college provides support services to each extension site according to need and availability of funds. As a result support has increased. For example:

The Kern River Valley Extension has received increased staffing and student financial assistance has grown.

A contract with the Inyo County ROP to provide support services to Northern Extension students has been maintained. New instructional computers have been purchased for Southern and Kern River Valley Extensions.

Copy machines have been purchased for each location.

Copies of course outlines on computer disk have been provided each extension site.

And regular training visits have been made to each extension by members of the Student Services program.

The college has placed a higher priority on services to the extension programs. At the same time, the President and the college have established the main campus as the primary location. It is firmly believed that the needs of the college are best served by making support services at the main campus the first priority.

4. The college should establish procedures for coordinating the content and standards for the same course material among full-time and adjunct instructors.

The college works to maintain consistency in content, standards, and course materials among, all instructors. Part-time instructors are provided a standard course outline for each class at the time of original assignment and are required to submit a course syllabus to the Dean of Continuing Education for review. Consistency is also maintained through the adoption of a standard text for each course. Full-time faculty have primary responsibility for the course outline and the adoption of texts.

In addition to procedures for coordinating content through course outlines and materials the college provides for direct communication among full and part-time faculty. Full-time faculty, through the Discipline Area

Committees, make decisions about the qualifications of part-time faculty. The Dean of Continuing Education actively seeks recommendations and input from full-time faculty before assigning part-time faculty to courses. The English discipline includes part-time faculty in the holistic grading of essays. Part-time faculty in Science are included in curriculum discussions and meetings regarding course sequencing and scheduling. The result of these activities includes consistent standards in courses.

Standard Three: Institutional Staff

Recommendations

1. Staff development funds should be allocated more in alignment with the expressed needs and interests of the various segments.

Staff development expenditures are determined by a college-wide Staff Development Committee. This committee is composed of classified, management, and faculty representatives. Committee members identify the interests of the various college segments indirectly through input received from the respective senates and directly through a regular survey of interest.

The Staff Development Committee has adopted a variety of methods to respond to needs expressed by members of the staff. Professional travel is extensively supported for all staff members. Specialized workshops are conducted on college-

wide areas of concern. Organizational building events such as staff recognition meetings are held. In addition, individuals may design activities specific to their area and have them funded through a staff development mini-grant. In all, the committee has been successful in allocating a limited amount of funds in a way that maximizes use by all segments of the college community.

2. The college should develop and implement a clearly-defined process for identifying new full-time positions.

Addendum D of the college Shared Governance Document communicates the process for identifying new classified and certificated positions. The process includes the early identification of new positions by any member of the college community, procedures for clearly defining the position and reasons for the proposal, and a method for communicating recommendations directly to the college President. The Staffing Committee controls the process and works to ensure that each senate is involved in a complete review of each proposed position.

3. Comprehensive training in the theory, practice, and legal aspects of affirmative action should be provided for all staff involved with hiring.

On April 29, 1994, the college affirmative action officer conducted a training program for affirmative action representatives to hiring committees. This workshop, attended by more than twenty individuals, was directed toward an understanding of the role of the affirmative action representative in the selection process. Topics included the recruitment, paper screening, interviewing, and selection processes as well as the legal requirements of Affirmative Action.

Standard Four: Student Services

Recommendations

1. It is strongly recommended the college establish a formal process for student services program review, engaging individuals from areas outside those under review to assist in the implementation of such a process.

This recommendation was addressed through an interim report forwarded to the commission on March 25, 1991. The college conducted a complete review of all student services programs in 1992-93. The review included representation from all college groups. From this process a six-year process for the review of all programs within Student Services was identified.

2. The college as a whole and the Student Services division should review their commitment to the extension centers and make available staffing and services commensurate with that level of commitment.

Each of the five Directors in Student Services has program responsibility for services at the extension program locations. The Vice President of Student Services has joint responsibility with the extension administrators for the delivery of those services. The College has been forced, because of financial conditions and limitations, to establish priorities for providing funding and services throughout the college. The Indian Wells Valley campus has been identified as first priority. Even with these

constraints, services have been expanded and new programs have been developed at each extension location.

3. The college should seriously consider the establishment of a Student Health Services program, with appropriate space and staffing.

The College has reviewed the question of offering Student Health Services and after that review made the decision not to implement such a program at this time.

Standard Five: Community Services

Recommendations

1. The college should conduct a community needs-assessment to establish clearly articulated goals and objectives.

The college has assessed community needs through a variety of processes. Direct involvement with community groups on the part of the President, the Director of Public Information, the Vice President of Instruction, and others has provided information regarding community needs from the Ridgecrest Planning Commission, IWV 2000, the Chamber of Commerce, the Naval Weapons Center, and the general public. Employers have provided input through participation on Occupational Advisory Committees. Additionally, the college has maintained an understanding of employment needs through a review of information provided by Kern County and the Employment Development Department. The college Master Planning Committee conducted an extensive analysis of the external environment in establishing the long term goals for the master plan. This external assessment provided a clear understanding of community needs as they relate to the college.

In light of the ongoing efforts directed toward the identification of community needs and the college limited financial and human resources, it was decided that a formal survey-based community needs assessment was not required.

2. The college should establish a broadly-based Community Services Advisory Committee to assist the college in provision of services to the community.

This recommendation was addressed through an interim report forwarded to the commission on March 25, 1991. After consideration of the nature of community services at Cerro Coso and the relationship of community services to the direction of the college, a formal community services advisory committee was not viewed as necessary.

Standard Six: Learning Resources

Recommendations

1. The budget priorities for library acquisitions should be reexamined with the objective of increasing the collection.

In a time of level or decreasing revenue matched by a natural increase in fixed costs of salaries and utilities, the college has maintained a high level of support for library acquisitions. The college has consistently provided funds for print and nonprint media. It has also increased the amount of funds dedicated to journal databases.

2. The college should study the feasibility of expanding library hours and increasing professional staff.

The library staff and the Library Advisory Committee has considered the feasibility of expanding library hours. At this time such a change is not planned. An increase in library hours to include Saturdays would require an increase in custodial, professional, and communications support staff that is beyond the capabilities of the college.

3. The college should identify means of increasing services to the extension centers.

The college continues to identify ways to increase services to the extension locations. In addition to providing regular transportation of resources from the library to individual students, library staff have actively worked to provide access to local libraries to extension students, and some limited reference works are available to students at each location. Most recently, a computer work station was located at the base library for students at Cerro Coso's Southern Extension.

The Information Technology long range plan directly addresses ways to increase services to extension location. That plan calls for the use of full text databases, an automated catalog system, and access to INTERNET as a means of increasing student access to library services.

Standard Seven: Physical Plant

Recommendations

1. The college should commit itself to establishing and developing, as appropriate, adequate facilities with respect to the extension centers.

The college has included the construction of facilities at the Eastern Sierra College Center in the facilities master plan. In addition the college leases educational facilities in the Kern River Valley.

2. The college should establish a long-range plan for maintenance and operations to address the needs of the current and expanding physical plant.

The long range needs of maintenance and operations to support the college physical plant are addressed through the Shared Governance committee process. A formal plan is currently being developed for adoption.

Standard Eight: Financial Resources (Now Standard Seven)

Recommendations

1. It is strongly recommended the college implement the third recommendation of the previous team, that financial planning be undertaken to determine specific priorities paralleling long-range educational goals and objectives which would be funded as resources become available.

The college master plan provides the framework for financial decisions. The long-range goals and annual objectives are paralleled by budgetary allocations.

In several cases specific long range plans include financial projections. For example the plan to annex Inyo and Mono counties included a four-year plan for the addition of staff, facilities, and programs as well as the costs related to the additions. The college recently adopted a long range information technology plan that is designed to address long term financial obligations as well. In all, given the unstable financial future of California community colleges, the college works to include financial planning in its master planning efforts.

2. The college should take further action on the fourth recommendation of the previous team, regarding a participatory budget process, by establishing a budget committee with membership to include representation from all segments of the college community thereby achieving broader participation in the actual budget decision-making process.

This recommendation was addressed in a March 25, 1991, interim report.

The college has identified a Shared Governance budget committee which oversees

the budgeting process to ensure full participation from all segments of the college community. This process provides for every individual to submit budget requests to Budget Area Groups. These requests are then prioritized and forwarded to the college President. The current system works well to provide broad participation in the budget decision making process.

Standard Nine: Governance and Administration (Now Standard Eight)

Recommendations

1. The college should develop and implement a comprehensive and organized process of institutional research and evaluation.

In 1991 the President established the position of Dean of Educational Services. Duties assigned to this position included institutional research in the areas of long range planning, faculty load, and student follow-up. As part of this effort the dean compiles and distributes a college statistical almanac each year. This information is used as a basis for long range planning and for evaluation.

Standard Ten: District Relations (Now Combined with Standard Eight)

Recommendations

1. The college should hold more frequent administrative meetings to expedite the dissemination of information from the district and to assure that two-way communication between the president and the management team continues to improve.

In the period since the previous visit, the college President has attempted to expedite the dissemination of information to the management team in several ways. Regular meetings of the management team have been scheduled on an annual calendar. These meetings included reports from the President regarding district information and reports from management team members regarding their supervisory areas. An analysis of these meetings by the President concluded that this method was not productive.

In an effort to increase communication and reduce unnecessary meetings the President recently initiated the following:

The President's Cabinet consisting of the Vice President of Instruction, Vice President of Student Services, Dean of Educational Services, Director of Administrative Services, and Director of Development and Information meets monthly;

The President's Advisory Council consisting of all management and confidential staff meets at the beginning and end of each semester;

Each administrator submits a monthly report to the President who distributes these reports throughout the college; and, the President regularly distributes information from the Chancellor's Cabinet to each administrator and requests direct feedback.

2. The recommendation of the previous team is reiterated: the district should research the relative costs of operation for large and small colleges and develop and implement a revenue allocation systems which takes into account both the diseconomy of small size and the need to increase the number and proportion of full-time faculty members.

The District has considered the relative costs of operation for large and small colleges and has concluded that the present funding method is adequate and should not be altered.

STANDARD ONE INSTITUTIONAL INTEGRITY, PURPOSES, PLANNING, AND EFFECTIVENESS

Committee Members: Richard Benson, Co-Chair William Campbell, Co-Chair Natalie Dorrell Diane Mourton Allison Swift Jonathan Tittle

STANDARD ONE INSTITUTIONAL INTEGRITY PURPOSES, PLANNING, AND EFFECTIVENESS

The four elements of Standard One are broadly applicable to each institution and to all of its constituent programs and services. An accredited institution presents itself to students and the public precisely and truthfully, with due regard for freedom to teach and freedom to learn. The institution states Its goals with precision, engages in planning to achieve those goals, and evaluates its effectiveness In achieving purposes and goals.

STANDARD IA INSTITUTIONAL INTEGRITY

STANDARD 1A.1

Institutional policy regarding the safeguarding of academic freedom and responsibility is published and readily available.

DESCRIPTION

The Kern Community College District policy regarding the safeguarding of academic freedom and responsibility is published in the District's Board Policy Manual as a part of the collective bargaining agreement. It is also listed in the section entitled "Faculty Rights and Duties." This manual is issued to, and periodically updated for, all college administrators and the Academic Senate president, with a copy placed on reserve in the college library. A portion of this policy is excerpted in the Adjunct Faculty Handbook which is provided to each member of the part-time instructional staff.

APPRAISAL

Because academic freedom and responsibility are key elements in the American educational process, it is believed that district and college policies regarding them deserve broader publication and wider distribution. Ways need to be explored to increase the awareness of all members of the college community,

especially all faculty members, both full-time and part-time, as well as classified staff and students.

PLAN

District institutional policies regarding academic freedom and responsibility will be included in the next revised editions of the faculty handbooks, both full-time and part-time, the classified staff handbook, and any student manuals. They will also be included in the 1995-97 college catalog.

STANDARD 1A.2

Governing boards and administrators protect and support faculty in their exercise of academic freedom. The faculty protects the academic freedom of its members.

DESCRIPTION

The Kern Community College District Governing Board and administrators protect and support faculty in their exercise of academic freedom. Section 5DI (Academic Freedom) and section 5K2 (Complaints Against Faculty) of the Board Policy Manual define academic freedom and procedures to protect that freedom for faculty.

APPRAISAL

No direct challenges to the exercise of academic freedom have been reported. Faculty and staff believe that on occasions when grievances against faculty members have been filed and the issue of academic freedom has been involved, academic freedom has been upheld. The current level of academic freedom protection and support for faculty is considered adequate.

STANDARD 1A.3

The institution fosters the integrity of the teaching-learning process. Faculty and other college staff distinguish between personal conviction and proven conclusions and present relevant data fairly and objectively to students and others.

DESCRIPTION

The integrity of the teaching-learning process is specifically addressed in Article 5DlC of the District Board Policy Manual which states:

Faculty members acknowledge that in the exercise of academic freedom they have a responsibility to be accurate and comprehensive in making reports, to be fair-minded in making interpretations and judgments, to respect the freedoms of other persons, to exclude irrelevant matters from classroom discussions and instructional exercises, and to make appropriate distinctions between statements of fact made as faculty subject matter specialists and opinions made as private citizens.

In addition, the Vice President of Instruction, Dean of Continuing Education, and the extension administrators incorporate information on academic freedom as part of their faculty orientations. Student evaluations which are conducted periodically in the classrooms of both full-time and adjunct faculty serve as a check on whether or not the integrity of the teaching-learning process is being maintained.

APPRAISAL

Cerro Coso has been successful in informing faculty members of the importance of distinguishing between personal opinion and proven conclusions as evidenced by student evaluations and the lack of student grievances in this area of academic freedom. Both district and college officials continue to emphasize the importance of the integrity of the teaching-learning process through board policy, faculty orientations, and the faculty evaluation process.

PLAN The Instructional Deans will continue to emphasize academic freedom as part of the faculty orientation and evaluation processes.

The Academic Senate will assist the college administration in providing information to all faculty members on how to foster academic freedom in their classes.

STANDARD 1A.4

Institutions which strive to instill specific beliefs or world views or to impose codes of conduct on faculty, staff, or students give clear prior notice of such policies.

DESCRIPTION

Cerro Coso does not subscribe to any unique beliefs or world views other than that identified in the college mission statement. Codes of conduct are published in the Kern Community College District Board Policy Manual (Section Five, Article 5D - Faculty Rights and Duties; Section Four, Article 4F Student Conduct and Rights; Section Nine, Article 9L - Classified Employment Policies; Section Ten, Article 10B - Confidential and Management Employment Policies) and in the Cerro Coso Faculty, Staff, and Student Handbooks.

APPRAISAL

The college mission statement clearly reflects the college's beliefs and the Kern Community College District's Board Policy Manual and various handbooks indicate the college's expectations regarding administrator, faculty, staff, and student conduct.

STANDARD 1A.5

The Institution fosters an affirmative environment in which diversity is embraced and every person is treated with respect.

DESCRIPTION

Fostering an affirmative environment in which diversity is embraced is the intent of Goal Four in Cerro Coso's Master Plan: "Expand cultural and ethnic sensitivity among students and staff through a coordinated program of affirmative action, workshops, speakers, and other events." The college's affirmative action policy is stated in all adverse job announcements, in each published schedule of classes, and in the college catalog. A trained affirmative action representative is included on every screening, interview, and selection committee to ensure that affirmative action policies are adhered to by all individuals and groups involved in college hiring processes.

The governance committee on staff development strives to include campus speakers and workshops on cultural diversity every year. A district mentoring program recently instituted at Cerro Coso pairs certificated staff members with minority students to help such students achieve their goal of transfer to a four-year college or university. The Indian Wells Valley campus Student Affairs program includes an active ethnic students organization which promotes a variety of activities.

APPRAISAL

In general, there is a climate of acceptance and respect for individual differences and cultural diversity at Cerro Coso. Employee and student workshops, in-class discussions, and all-college events are methods used to achieve the college's goals to increase the cultural and ethnic sensitivity of all members of the college community.

STANDARD IA.6

The institution provides faculty and students with clear expectations concerning the principles of academic honesty and the sanctions for violations.

DESCRIPTION The Cerro Coso Student Code of Conduct outlines the college's expectations regarding academic honesty. In addition, Section 4F6B of the District Board Policy Manual states: "Students are expected to observe high personal standards of decency, morality, honesty, and social relationships."

The responsibilities and duties of faculty are identified in section 5D4 of the Board Policy Manual.

APPRAISAL

It is believed that all members of the college community could benefit from expanded policy statements and broad discussions regarding academic honesty and its implications for both college employees and students.

PLAN

The Vice President of Instruction and the Academic Senate will jointly explore current literature and thinking on the subject of academic honesty and develop broader statements regarding college expectations for the behavior of Cerro Coso employees and students. The results will be published as appropriate in the Student Code of Conduct, Student Handbook, and Faculty Handbooks.

Instructional Deans will incorporate the topic of academic honesty in their faculty orientation sessions.

STANDARD 1A.7

Representations about the institution to prospective students and to the general public are accurate and consistent with institutional practices.

DESCRIPTION

College publications that are widely disseminated to the general public and prospective students include the college catalog, class schedules, and special flyers or brochures. In addition, news stories, articles, and announcements regarding college classes, programs, events, and activities are frequently released to the media within each of the communities that the college serves.

APPRAISAL

The current policies and procedures established to ensure accuracy in their representation of the institution in all publications, publicity, and recruitment efforts are considered to be effective.

PLAN

The Offices of Instruction and Student Services will continue to review all print publications and recruitment publications on an annual basis for consistency and accuracy.

STANDARD 1A.8

Precise, accurate, and current information is provided In the institutional catalog concerning (a) educational purposes (b) degrees, curricular offerings, educational resources, and course offerings; (c) student fees and other financial obligations, student financial aid, and fee refund policies; (d) requirements for admission and for

achievement of degrees; and, (e) the names of the administration, faculty, and governing board.

DESCRIPTION

The current (1993-95) college catalog includes the educational purposes of the college in its mission statement, a listing of all degrees and educational programs, and descriptions of each and every course offered within the regular curriculum.

Also included in the initial pages of this publication are the educational resources available to students, student fees and financial aid, and the college's admissions requirements. A listing of the members of the college full-time faculty and administration, as well as District Board of Trustees, is found on the final pages of the catalog.

Each college schedule of classes includes complete descriptions of all courses offered, a semester academic calendar, class registration procedures, class schedule by day and evening time blocks, and other information of value to students.

APPRAISAL

The college catalog is reviewed biannually to ensure its accuracy and clarity. It is sold through the college bookstore to current and prospective students. In addition, the catalog is available for review in the Counseling Office.

Information traditionally provided only in a college catalog is also presented in the college schedule of classes because they are widely disseminated and are free. Their comprehensive nature and readability are regularly reviewed. The college's long-standing practice of including course descriptions in the class schedule is considered a positive example of the effort to fully communicate accurate information.

STANDARD 1A.9

Degrees held by contract faculty and administrators are listed in the institution's primary catalog. All U.S. degrees listed are from accredited institutions. Degrees from non-U.S. institutions are recognized only if equivalence has been established.

DESCRIPTION

The earned degrees of Cerro Coso contract faculty and administrators are listed in each edition of the college catalog. All degrees listed are from accredited U.S. institutions. No current members of the faculty or administration hold degrees from non-U.S. institutions.

APPRAISAL

Current and accurate information regarding the earned degrees of all certificated staff is ensured through periodic review by both district and college staff and during the process of revising the college catalog.

STANDARD 1A.10

The institution demonstrates honesty and integrity in its athletic programs.

DESCRIPTION The Cerro Coso inter-collegiate athletic program closely follows all guidelines established by the California Community College Commission on Athletics, as set forth in that body's athletic code. All coaches employed by the college are provided in-service training on an annual basis regarding the state athletic code, with special emphasis on the topics of recruiting and subsidization of athletes. A significant portion of the assignment of one of the college counselors involves working closely with all student-athletes throughout the entire academic year. This counselor also teaches a Master Student class that is designed specifically for the student-athlete. With district approval, the college has established an academic eligibility policy for student-athletes that is strictly enforced by the Vice President of Student Services.

APPRAISAL As the college inter-collegiate athletic program continues to grow, there is also an increased possibility of infractions regarding rules and regulations. However, the college has not thus far been placed on any type of probation for rules infractions. The academic monitoring program (in place for two years) provides up-to-date information on each student-athlete's progress in his/her coursework, as well as the need, if any, for additional assistance. The Master Student class designed for student-athletes provides another opportunity for the instructor/counselor to work more closely with student-athletes on a regular basis during their first semester at Cerro Coso. The college's academic eligibility policy, which places emphasis on a student's success in his/her studies first and athletics second, is strictly enforced by the Vice President of Student Services, Athletic Director, and all members of the coaching staff.

PLAN The college will continue to demonstrate honesty and integrity in its athletic program and follow its current policy of emphasizing the student in student-athlete.

The college Athletic Director will develop and publish a student-athlete handbook that clearly describes all of the pertinent elements of the State Athletic Code and college regulations governing athletics.

STANDARD IA.11

In its relationship with the Commission, the institution demonstrates honesty and integrity and agrees to comply with Commission standards, policies, guidelines, and self-study requirements.

DESCRIPTION

The college agrees with the standards, policies, and guidelines of the Accrediting Commission and has endeavored to participate fully in the accreditation self-study and review process. The seriousness of its purpose is exemplified by the utilization of

the college shared governance structure and processes in an attempt to ensure maximum participation, as well as to integrate the accreditation process into the on-going operation of the college.

APPRAISAL

Significant effort has been made to comply with the guidelines provided by the Accrediting Commission in the conduct of this self-study and to achieve a balance between an honest assessment of institutional strengths and weaknesses and the need for improvement.

STANDARD 1B INSTITUTIONAL PURPOSES

(Mission)

The institution is guided by clearly stated purposes that define its character, which are appropriate for higher education and are consistent with Commission standards.

STANDARD 1 B.1

The statement of purposes identifies the broad-based educational objectives the institution seeks to fulfill, is adopted by the governing board, and is periodically reexamined with the participation of the campus community.

DESCRIPTION

The college's mission statement identifies the broad-based educational objectives that the institution seeks to fulfill. This mission statement was adopted by the Governing Board and will be periodically reexamined with the full participation of the campus community. The Master Planning Committee, representing students, classified staff, faculty, and administrators, drafted the college's latest mission statement during the 1992-93 school year and then submitted the statement for college-wide discussion and approval through the four senates and the College Council before forwarding it to the District Board of Trustees for final approval. The mission statement was then printed in the 1993-95 college catalog and in the annually updated Master Plan for the Nineties. It will be reexamined by the college community on a regular basis.

APPRAISAL

The process of developing the college's statement of purposes took several months of work and discussion before achieving approval through consensus. Although the process consumed much time and energy, most everyone was pleased with the results. The resultant mission statement has subsequently served as the cornerstone of the college's long-range planning endeavors.

STANDARD 1 B.2

In implementing its purposes, the institution has defined the constituencies it intends to serve as well as the parameters under which educational programs can be offered and resources allocated.

DESCRIPTION In the Cerro Coso Master Plan, the geographical constituencies of the college service areas are identified. The mission statement broadly defines the types of educational programs to be offered; these statements provide direction for the allocation of college resources.

APPRAISAL

The parameters which determine the specific educational programs that are offered and the resources allocated have not always been specifically articulated, especially at the extension sites where programs are sometimes expanded or contracted depending on enrollment and budget constraints. A five-year master plan for all of the extension sites is needed and should include educational programs, support service, staffing, facilities, equipment and supplies, estimated budget allocations, and intended outcomes.

PLAN

The Master Planning Committee will coordinate the development of a five-year master plan for each of the extension educational programs.

STANDARD 1 B.3

Institutional purposes delimit educational programs and services and guide the development of physical resources and allocation of fiscal resources.

DESCRIPTION

The mission statement in the Cerro Coso Master Plan broadly establishes the scope of educational programs and services to be offered by the college. Copies of the Master Plan are distributed to all members of the college community and are referred to in developing physical resources and allocating fiscal resources.

APPRAISAL In developing long-range goals, staff members have attempted to relate them to the mission statement. However, when final budget decisions are made, the mission statement is not always cited as the primary basis for making these choices.

PLAN

The Master Planning Committee will develop a process for directly relating long-range goals used in making physical and fiscal resource decisions to the college's mission statement.

In cooperation with the College Council, the Master Planning Committee will work to achieve better integration among the Master Planning, Budget, and Staffing Committees.

STANDARD 1C INSTITUTIONAL PLANNING

The institution is engaged in ongoing planning to achieve its avowed purposes. Through the planning process, the institution frames questions, seeks answers, analyzes itself, and revises its goals, objectives, programs, and services.

STANDARD 1 C.1

An established planning process involves all segments of the campus community and the governing board.

DESCRIPTION

The Master Planning Committee, whose membership consists of one student representative, two classified staff members, two faculty members (who served as co-chairs in 1993-94), and two administrators, is an integral part of the college's shared governance structure. A portion of the committee membership rotates annually to ensure continuity and broad participation. Issues and proposals to be considered, as well as draft documents to be reviewed, are circulated to all college senates for discussion and recommendations. The widest possible avenues for feedback and input are sought. The Master Planning Committee attempts to achieve consensus in its decision-making processes.

Long-range goals and the various area objectives are annually reviewed and rewritten as necessary. These are then published in the College Master Plan and a copy provided to all Cerro Coso employees. Additional copies are made available in the college library, while others are forwarded to the Kern Community College District office for distribution to members of the board and district administration.

APPRAISAL

The Board of Trustees, district administration, and most segments of the college community participate to some degree in Cerro Coso's planning processes. However, even though student membership on the Master Planning Committee is provided for, consistent student participation in the work of the committee has been lacking. Other ways of achieving more student involvement need to be explored.

In previous years, district-wide meetings chaired by the chancellor have been scheduled to address the topic of college master planning. Such meetings were not scheduled in 1992-93 nor have they been scheduled for the 1993-94 school year. District-wide involvement and coordination is viewed as a positive aspect of college planning that should be continued.

Master planning at Cerro Coso has been greatly enhanced by the shared governance structure and processes. During 1992-93, the Master Planning Committee revised the college's long-range goals which were then reviewed and adopted by all of the senates. The Master Planning Committee also expanded the scope of the Master Planning document to include short-, mid-, and long-range planning objectives for every major college area. A procedure was devised to acknowledge the progress made in meeting annual objectives. Most of the significant accomplishments in the planning processes were made within the Master Planning Committee while the college president served as a regular member. Because the president withdrew from active membership on this committee prior to the 1993-94 school year, the impact of this change on committee functioning will have to be assessed at a later date.

PLAN

The college president, College Council, and members of the Master Planning Committee will assess the impact of the president's role on the effective functioning of this major governance committee.

STANDARD 1C.2

The planning process uses the results of institutional research on subjects such as institutional effectiveness, student outcomes, and demographics.

DESCRIPTION

The District Office and college Offices of Instruction and Student Services collect information relating to institutional effectiveness, student outcomes, and student and community demographics. The governance committee on Master Planning has created a Resource Manual which includes a substantial amount of information gleaned from institutional research. Both the Student Services and Instructional Budget Area Groups use selected portions of this data in developing their annual budget recommendations. All college offices, senates, and governance committees have access to copies of the Resource Manual for information sharing and use in the planning and budget development processes.

APPRAISAL

The creation of the Resource Manual, which combines the results of many types of institutional research in a single publication, is a major accomplishment. However, a method has not yet been discovered for effectively sharing this information with college offices, senates, and governance committees to facilitate their planning efforts. More effort also needs to be expended to define "measures of institutional effectiveness" and "student outcomes" so that relevant data can then be collected.

PLAN

By the end of the 1994-95 school year, the Master Planning Committee will have established a procedure to effectively share the Resource Manual with all groups involved in the planning process and developed operational definitions of "measures of institutional effectiveness" and "student outcomes," together with a listing of data sources, by which these can be assessed.

STANDARD 1 C.3

The planning process assists in identifying institutional priorities.

DESCRIPTION

The planning process currently utilized at Cerro Coso has resulted in the identification of institutional priorities. These priorities are listed in the college's Master Plan in the form of annual objectives, mid-range goals, and long-range goals developed by each of the major departmental areas and governance groups.

APPRAISAL

Annual objectives have always been fairly easy to identify for most individuals, program areas, and governance committees. Long-range goals, while not as easy to identify, provide focal points for discussion and the identification of institutional priorities. Most difficult is the task of coordinating annual objectives and long-range goals. The planning process assists in this effort.

PLAN

The Master Planning Committee will develop strategies to assist college staff members in their planning efforts.

STANDARD 1 C.4

The planning process identifies the need for human, financial, and physical resources of the institution. Planning influences the acquisition and allocation of resources.

DESCRIPTION

Shared governance has identified the planning process as central to the responsibility of the Master Planning Committee. This planning process began in earnest in 1990 with the formation of a large, representative group that met regularly to question, gather information, explore alternatives, and draft a plan. During the following year, a smaller, working sub-committee was formed to work on the production of a planning document. The first edition of The Master Plan for the Nineties appeared in the fall of 1991. It identified the human, financial, and physical

needs of the institution in terms of long-range goals. Since that time, the planning process has been refined to more directly influence the acquisition and allocation of resources.

APPRAISAL

All participants of shared governance at Cerro Coso are involved in the planning processes, but the ability to plan for the distant future is more difficult than to plan for the current fiscal year. Staff, faculty, and administrators are just beginning to develop the skills necessary for long-range planning in specific areas, such as budget, staffing, and program review.

The current level of expertise in planning is perhaps adequate for the job at hand. However, as the planning process becomes an integral part of Cerro Coso's shared governance and each governance committee incorporates the elements of total group planning into the separate committee decision-making processes, greater expertise will be needed. Long-range planning should eventually become central to all resource acquisition and allocation.

PLAN

The Master Planning Committee will continue to work with each governance committee to help identify the long-range human, financial, and physical resource needs of the institution.

STANDARD 1D INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

The institution has developed the means for evaluating how well, and in what ways, it is accomplishing its purposes and uses results of these evaluations as the basis for broad-based continuous planning and improvement.

STANDARD 1 D.1

Institutional research and program review are conducted as essential elements in planning and evaluating institutional effectiveness.

STANDARD 1 D. 1 A

Research assesses such elements as instructional programs, student services, and the social intellectual environment of the campus.

STANDARD 1 D.1 B

Program reviews are systematically conducted for educational and student service programs and other institutional activities to assess their effectiveness.

DESCRIPTION

Student Services conducted a program review during the 1991-92 academic year in response to the previous accreditation team's recommendations. As a result, a six-year rotating cycle of reviews for each of the program areas within Student Services was established.

Instructional program reviews are conducted as needed and based on research documentation provided by the District Data Processing system. During the spring 1994 semester a full review of all vocational education programs at Cerro Coso was conducted with the assistance of an outside consultant.

APPRAISAL

In its efforts to continue to improve the quality of services available to students at all college sites, Student Services has completed an initial program review of all of its areas this year and will be conducting reviews of individual areas on a rotational basis starting next year. Results of program reviews are published and available to all members of the college community.

Institutional research at Cerro Coso does not adequately support the review of instructional programs, and there is currently no systematic approach to evaluating instructional effectiveness.

PLAN

The Dean of Educational Services will work with the Vice President of Instruction and college faculty to identify research necessary for evaluating instructional effectiveness at Cerro Coso.

Student Services will continue to follow its established plan of annual review of the various program areas.

REFERENCED DOCUMENTS

1. 1. Comprehensive Planning Resource Document 2. KCCD Board Policy Manual 3. Cerro Coso College Master Plan 4. Master Planning Committee minutes 5. Administrative Job Descriptions and Goals and Objectives, 1994-95 6. Administrative monthly reports, 1993-94 7. Master Planning Committee Resource Manual 8. Faculty Handbook 9. Staff Handbook 10. Student Handbook 11. Job announcements 12. College catalog 13. Schedules 14. Student Code of Conduct 15. Publicity File 16. California Community College Commission on Athletics Code

STANDARD TWO EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

Committee Members: Roe Darnell, Co-Chair James Manion, Co-Chair Barbara Butler William Campbell Richard Dodge Gurney Hoggard Paula Jones Ruth Maddox William Maxwell Nancy Webster

STANDARD TWO EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

STANDARD 2A GENERAL PROVISIONS

The achievement and maintenance of high quality programs in an environment conducive to study and learning are the primary responsibilities of every accredited institution; hence, the evaluation of educational programs and their continuous Improvement is an ongoing responsibility. As it analyzes its goals and discovers how conditions and needs change, the institution continually redefines for itself the elements that will result in programs of high quality.

STANDARD 2A.1

The institution seeks to meet the diverse educational needs of all its students.

DESCRIPTION

The college catalog lists 44 educational programs which include a two-year university parallel transfer program, occupational career programs, a pattern of general education breadth coursework, basic skills preparatory courses, and adult education not-for-credit classes. In addition, various community education classes are periodically offered. A special services program designed for students with special needs and a learning assistance program supplement the college's regular educational program.

Cerro Coso serves a geographically diverse service area east of the Sierras in the Kern Community College District in portions of Mono, Inyo, Kern, and San Bernardino

counties, State of California. The Indian Wells Valley campus serves the communities of the Searles and Indian Wells Valleys. Outreach educational programs are offered at Northern, Southern, and Kern River Valley F-extension sites.

The Southern Extension serves the communities of Edwards Air Force Base, Mojave, Boron, and California City. A wide variety of classes are offered here, including academic, technical, career/occupational, and special interest courses.

Northern Extension serves the communities of Mammoth Lakes, Bishop, Big Pine, Lone Pine, Independence, and Death Valley, as well as other locations in Inyo and Mono counties. A comprehensive educational program with both day and evening classes is provided, offering coursework for transfer, general interest, general education, and occupational programs. A college center is maintained in the community of Bishop.

A more recent Cerro Coso extension program was established in the Kern River Valley area. This currently includes a two-year, full-time evening transfer program leading to an Associate in Arts Degree. A college extension office is located in Lake Isabella, with classes offered at various locations, including the Kern Valley High School.

The college master plan contains the following long-range goals that attempt to address the diverse educational needs of Cerro Coso students:

Offer transfer and vocational/ technical/occupational programs that are representative of the diverse needs of current and future students.

Increase the percentage of population served by the college, with emphasis on under-represented groups.

Address issues of global concern while promoting an understanding of cultural and ethnic diversity.

Complete the master plan for construction of facilities to support student learning.

APPRAISAL

As is indicated in the college mission statement, "Cerro Coso is devoted to serving the comprehensive needs of its students and its communities with educational programs of quality and excellence." Continued progress is being made to examine the needs of all students for the purpose of updating educational programs, developing programs in emerging topics/fields, and offering the curriculum in a variety of presentational modes and delivery systems. To better serve the needs of special students, the acquisition of new facilities for the Learning Assistance Center to accommodate a larger number of students has been addressed and is included in the five-year construction plan.

STANDARD 2A.2

Sufficient resources are provided to meet the educational needs of the students.

DESCRIPTION

Financial, physical, and human resources that support student learning include staffing, facilities for instruction, and specialized equipment for a variety of instructional modes. Educational programs are also supported by instructional materials and supplies but, as is the case with most public institutions, Cerro Coso operates with limited resources.

APPRAISAL

Assigning budget responsibilities for specific subject matter domains to members of the instructional budget committee who represent the faculty in these areas has significantly improved the budget development and review process.

To date, resources necessary to support ongoing projects and functions have been adequate. However, the Instruction Budget Area Group has expressed concern that resources are not available for new projects. This body has started to develop processes that will make it possible to initiate new projects within existing resources.

There are some programs and classes which cannot accommodate all of the students who want to enroll. To help solve the problem of overcrowded classes, a concerted effort has been made by the Long-Term Scheduling Committee to increase the number of daytime classes offered, especially during the late afternoon hours, as well as to spread out the scheduling of classes over all available hours in the day and evening. This has provided more options for students and helped to minimize time conflicts among and between critical courses.

PLAN

The Instructional Budget Area Group will identify a method to allocate funds to new projects, while still maintaining support for continuing longer-term projects, as well as the ongoing instructional program.

STANDARD 2A.3

The institution demonstrates its commitment to high standards of teaching. Effective procedures and adequate resources exist to evaluate and improve the quality of instruction.

DESCRIPTION

Cerro Coso courses and programs are taught by a combination of full-time and adjunct faculty. This combination provides students with the latest information,

techniques, theories, and philosophies and allows the college to respond quickly to changes in program needs and student enrollment patterns.

The evaluation process for Cerro Coso faculty primarily focuses on effective teaching and the facilitation of learning in students, as delineated in the district's collective bargaining agreement. Part-time faculty are both observed by administrators and evaluated regularly on their classroom performance by students.

APPRAISAL

The college is dedicated to high standards of teaching and the creation of optimal learning environments for students. This is reinforced by the involvement of full-time faculty in the selection and teaching assignments of part-time faculty, the emphasis placed on staff development, and the use of student ratings in the evaluation of faculty.

However, Cerro Coso's combination of full-time and part-time faculty presents challenges related to maintaining consistency in course content and quality assurance. In discipline areas such as English and mathematics regular meetings between full and part-time faculty are held on the Indian Wells Valley campus to review course content/standards and testing/grading methods. Meetings of the Science faculty also normally include part-time instructors. Vocational Education faculty regularly include adjunct faculty members in their advisory council meetings to ensure consistency within their respective programs. All of these efforts to work closely with their part-time counterpart place a burden on many of the college's relatively small number of full-time faculty.

PLAN

The college will continue to upgrade evaluation methods and techniques related to the quality of teaching and student learning facilitated by both full- and part-time faculty.

Within the limits of available funding, the college will seek ways to improve the part-time/full-time faculty ratio.

The Dean of Continuing Education will continue to work with full-time faculty to identify ways to increase communication and coordination among full- and part-time faculty.

STANDARD 2A.4

Educational programs are structured to be consistent with institutional purposes, the demographics and economics of the service area, and the student constituency.

DESCRIPTION AND APPRAISAL

Cerro Coso's recently revised mission statement specifies the areas of instruction that the college will pursue, i.e. degree and certificate curricula in lower division arts

and sciences and in vocational/technical occupational education. The actual educational programs offered varies with the geographical area and population served. The largest variety and number of courses and programs are offered on the Indian Wells Valley campus, which includes a substantial basic skills curriculum.

A wide variety of classes are offered at the Southern Extension including academic, technical, career/occupational, and special interest courses. Most of the students here tend to be completing transfer curricula with the largest number of majors in the business areas. A comprehensive educational program with both day and evening classes is provided including coursework for transfer, general interest, general education, and occupational programs.

A college center is maintained in the community of Bishop.

A comprehensive college program has also been established in the Kern River Valley area, including a two-year, full-time, transfer program leading to an Associate in Arts Degree. A college extension office is maintained in Lake Isabella, and classes are offered at that 10,000 square foot facility.

PLAN

The college will continue to re-evaluate the educational program needs of the communities it serves.

STANDARD 2A.5

Program and course objectives clearly specify the subject matter to be covered the intellectual skills to be acquired and learning methods used the effective and creative capabilities to be develope4 and the specific occupational skills to be mastered.

DESCRIPTION

Course outlines for all credit and non-credit courses are reviewed and updated every three years, or more frequently if necessary. New or revised outlines must be approved by the Curriculum and Instruction Council (CIC). To be approved, course outlines must specify course objectives, the scope and content of the subject matter domain, and the skills and knowledge students are expected to achieve in a course, together with the required readings, and the writing, problem solving, and other skills to be learned. The outline must also include suggested modes of instruction, methods for evaluating the progress and performance of students, desirable prerequisites (if any), and course materials to be used. Outlines are maintained on file in the Office of Instruction.

APPRAISAL

To ensure satisfactory compliance with Title V regulations, comprehensive course outlines are updated every three years. New courses, academic programs, and revisions to current courses and programs continue to be scrutinized and processed in accordance with prescribed CIC course and program approval procedures.

STANDARD 2A.6

Programs and courses are offered in a manner which ensures students the opportunity to complete the entire program as announced within a reasonable period of time.

DESCRIPTION

The majority of Cerro Coso's courses are offered so that students can complete their educational program in a timely manner. In instances where a required course for a program has not been offered (or not offered for some time), the college is often able to provide an acceptable alternative instructional experience or identify a substitute course.

The Long-Term Scheduling Committee is responsible for identifying program course requirements and projecting an appropriate schedule of course offerings over a period of two years. This committee meets regularly to review course sequencing and identify course scheduling conflicts so that students may complete degree and major requirements within a reasonable time frame. A two-year schedule of course offerings for the Indian Wells Valley campus is published annually and distributed to students through the Student Services Center.

Decisions about which classes to offer each semester are made by area deans and faculty members in the various disciplines, based on enrollment projections and student needs for required courses. The Long-Term Schedule is used as the primary source document for decisions regarding the scheduling of courses for each school term.

APPRAISAL

Long-Term Schedules are not published for extension sites and not all majors are available at each site. In instances where a given major or program of courses is not available at a specific location, a statement to that effect is published in the college catalog.

Students in some educational programs may experience delays because needed classes are closed (reached maximum enrollment), canceled (because of low enrollment), or are offered infrequently (due to limited financial resources). Students who experience difficulty completing degree or program requirements for these reasons may petition the college Petitions Committee for assistance in satisfying requirements through alternative means.

PLAN

The Long-Term Scheduling Committee will continue to identify program and course needs and requirements and review the projected course offerings for the Indian Wells Valley campus to maximize its effectiveness in meeting student needs.

STANDARD 2A.7

The institution has an administrative structure responsible for the overall coordination and administration of instruction.

DESCRIPTION

As Cerro Coso's Chief Instructional Officer, the Vice President of Instruction is assigned overall responsibility for the administration of the college's curriculum and most aspects of its instructional program. Delegated specific responsibility for administering the various parts of the educational programs are the Dean of Continuing Education for Indian Wells Valley campus adjunct faculty, the Dean of Vocational Education for most of the Technical-Vocational Programs, and the supervising administrators at the three extension sites for each of their outreach programs. The Vice President of Student Services has over-all responsibility for all coursework offered within the subject matter domains of Personal Development and Basic Skills.

APPRAISAL

Effectively coordinating all aspects of the college's instructional program is oftentimes a challenge because of the small number of full-time faculty, the large number of part-time faculty, the lack of any department or divisional structure for academic disciplines, and the geographical distances to the extension sites.

Efforts have been made to positively respond to these challenges. Formerly a committee of the whole (consisting of all administrators and full-time faculty), the Curriculum and Instruction Council was recently reorganized as a standing committee of the Academic Senate with discipline area representation and the Vice President of Instruction and Academic Senate President functioning as co-chairs. Integral to the process of class schedule development each school term are faculty discipline area meetings with the Vice President of Instruction. Other subject matter-oriented groups that meet regularly are the following: Discipline Area Committees that deter-mine equivalencies and serve as hiring committees for adjunct-faculty; the Long-Term Scheduling Committee; and the Instructional Budget Area Group that develops the annual budget for all instructional areas.

There is a belief among many full-time faculty members that the administration and coordination of the instructional program could be improved by incorporating a divisional structure. At the same time, there are others who believe that the current structure works well, particularly in light of the small number of full-time faculty and the need for direct support to the large numbers of part-time instructors. To date, there has been no formal consideration or study of a divisional structure and there is no hard data related to its potential effectiveness at Cerro Coso.

PLAN

The college will conduct a review and evaluation of the current organizational structure within the instructional program and its relation to the potential effectiveness of a divisional structure.

STANDARD 2B CURRICULUM PLANNING AND EVALUATION

Curriculum planning is designed to achieve the aims of the institution. Curriculum planning considers current and future needs for human, financial and physical resources. This systematic planning is based on continuing institutional self-evaluations and assessment of the needs of the institution's constituencies. All appropriate segments of the Institution are involved in planning.

STANDARD 2B.1

The responsibility for design, approval, implementation, and revision of the curriculum is vested in designated bodies with clearly established channels of communication and control. The faculty has a major role in such processes.

DESCRIPTION

The Curriculum and Instruction Council (CIC) is the college authority for curriculum design, development, approval, implementation, and revision. CIC is a standing committee of the Academic Senate. The Vice President of Instruction is a regular voting member who provides technical assistance and functions as co-chair, together with the current Senate President. The remainder of the Council membership consists of full-time faculty from each of nine curriculum areas selected by the senate to represent their subject matter disciplines. Members serve two-year terms with an approximate 50 percent turn-over in membership each year. Meetings are open to all members of the college community. Faculty members or administrators advocating or presenting additions or modifications to the curriculum normally do so in person before the CIC membership.

APPRAISAL

The current structure of CIC appears to be functioning well vis-a-vis the college curriculum. Its role and functions are clearly understood by all affected parties, and its . members make every effort to communicate the policies, expectations, and decisions of this body to their colleagues.

STANDARD 2B.2

The institution engages in periodic review of program and departmental quality and effectiveness under clearly specified and demonstrably implemented procedures. The process is based on current qualitative and quantitative data which are used to assess strengths and weaknesses in achieving program purposes and projected outcomes.

DESCRIPTION

When the college's educational programs are reviewed, both qualitative and quantitative data is used. The District Office annually prepares a Comprehensive Planning

Document that contains quantitative data related to instructional programs. At the conclusion of each school ten-n, the District Data Processing Office provides reports to the college on Full-Time Equivalent Student enrollments (FTES) by program area, grade distribution, course completion rates, and attrition. The Vice President of Instruction meets with program area faculty on a regular basis to review class scheduling patterns, course enrollments, and program needs and accomplishments. All of the information collected is used in the evaluation of programs.

Administrators review each program biannually in preparation for the printing of a new edition of the college catalog. With the publication of the 1993-95 catalog, a number of program changes were made, some majors were placed "on hold," and various inactive courses were deleted.

Programs are also reviewed on an as-needed basis. Most recently, as a result of an analysis of enrollment data and discussions with faculty, a full review of all vocational education programs was initiated.

APPRAISAL

In general, instructional programs are reviewed and modified as needs dictate. This process seems to be working well at Cerro Coso. However, it is recognized that a need exists for a more regular analysis and review of programs based on consistently identified outcomes and data. Attempts to identify the latter have thus far proven unsuccessful. The Curriculum and Instruction Council has accepted the task of designing just such a process in the near future.

PLAN

The Vice President of Instruction, in conjunction with the Curriculum and Instruction Council, will present a draft plan and procedure for formal program review to the Academic Senate in the fall of 1994.

STANDARD 2B.3

Policies and procedures for additions and deletions of programs or courses are carefully developed and administered are based on curriculum planning and are consistent with the resources of the institution, the capabilities of the faculty and the needs of the community served by the institution.

DESCRIPTION

The addition to and deletion of courses from the college curriculum is a function of the Curriculum and Instruction Council (CIC). The process of adding a course involves the preparation of a Title V Course outline, a presentation followed by first and second Teachings before the CIC, a consideration of available resources, and the

projected impact on existing programs and courses. The articulation staff is consulted in all matters Relating to articulation of coursework and programs with four-year colleges and universities.

The process of deleting a course from the curriculum may be initiated by an administrator, faculty member, or college committee. Semesterly course syllabi are periodically submitted to discipline area faculty for review. In some cases the faculty review results in the course being

Recommended for deletion. Courses and programs are also biannually reviewed during the publishing of the College Catalog. During this review, instructional administrators, faculty, and committees (e.g. Long-Term Scheduling Committee) may identify courses or programs that should be considered for deletion. In all cases, courses or programs recommended for deletion are ultimately submitted to CIC for action. These recommendations are discussed during an initial meeting, then refer-red to the faculty at large for additional review, and acted upon during a second meeting.

APPRAISAL

The processes currently employed to add and delete courses and programs are working well. All credit courses have recently prepared

Title V outlines. Over the past several years, many courses which were outdated or determined to lack relevance have been deleted from the curriculum. A system of periodic checks ensures that only properly approved courses appear in the published class schedules.

STANDARD 2C GENERAL EDUCATION

The educational program is designed to give students a substantial and coherent exposure to the major broad domains of higher education. All programs leading to the Associate degree include a major area and a general education component.

STANDARD 2C.1

The general education segment of all educational programs is based on a philosophy and rationale that are clearly stated and provides the criteria by which the appropriateness of each course in the general education component is evaluated.

DESCRIPTION

A pattern of general education breadth coursework is a required component of all Cerro Coso programs leading to the associate degree. In all editions of the college catalog prior to the 1993-95 catalog, a rationale for the inclusion of the general education component in all degree programs was included. When the Master

Planning Committee rewrote the college's mission statement in accordance with AB 1725 guidelines, it replaced the Functions Section in the latest college catalog.

The college catalog clearly delineates the general education requirements for the associate degree at Cerro Coso. These requirements include eight courses totaling at least 24 units in the categories of natural sciences, social and behavioral sciences, humanities, and language and rationality. It also outlines the pattern of general education coursework required for transfer to the California State University system, as well as that prescribed for the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC). The various patterns of general education requirements are provided to students by the Student Services Center in the form of Educational Plan Check-Off Sheets.

APPRAISAL

Even though Cerro Coso expends considerable effort to communicate the various patterns of general education coursework to students, it seems that the philosophical foundations of these breadth requirements also need to be emphasized.

PLAN

The Curriculum and Instruction Council (CIC) will develop a statement of philosophy for the general education program and ensure that it is included in future editions of the college catalog and other appropriate college publications.

STANDARD 2C.2

The plan for general education is developed by faculty and administrative staff and approved by the governing board.


General education proposals are received and approved by the Curriculum and Instruction Council which is composed of faculty representatives selected by the Academic Senate from each of the nine curriculum areas. The Chief Instructional Officer, as co-chair of the Council, provides administrative perspective and support. The District Board of Trustees ultimately approves the stated general education requirements when each edition of the college catalog is approved.

The Curriculum and Instruction Council periodically updates the required pattern of general education coursework as it reviews and approves additions and deletions to the college catalog. The processes used for developing a general education plan are functioning satisfactorily.

STANDARD 2C.3

The general education program introduces the content and methodology of the major areas of knowledge -- the humanities, the fine arts, the natural sciences, and the

social sciences -- and helps students to develop the intellectual skills and social attitudes that will make them effective learners and citizens.

DESCRIPTION

The general education program incorporates different areas of study so as to encourage the development of critical thinking, an appreciation of the humanities, and an understanding of the political, physical, and ecological environments that will provide the framework needed to live successfully in a rapidly changing world.

APPRAISAL

The general education program provides students with the content and methodology of the major disciplines to encourage students to develop the intellectual skills and attitudes that will motivate them to become lifelong reamers and productive citizens.

STANDARD 2C.4

The educational program provides opportunities for all students to develop and demonstrate competencies in communications and quantitative skills, critical analysis of data and argument, and appreciation of cultural diversity.

DESCRIPTION

Required general education coursework at Cerro Coso provides opportunities for students to acquire and demonstrate competence in communication via English composition and speech classes, in quantitative skills within the various math courses, and in critical and analytical thinking through philosophy and other critical thinking classes. Even though cultural diversity is not the focus of any specific course, its understanding is addressed in a number of the behavioral science classes.

APPRAISAL

The college provides excellent opportunities for students to develop their computational, communication, and analytical skills. While there are specific courses that address cultural diversity and are included in the General Education curriculum, it has not always been possible to schedule them on a regular basis. A number of courses which are regularly scheduled indirectly address the understanding of cultural diversity.

PLAN

The faculty and the Curriculum and Instruction Council will determine whether to strengthen the cultural diversity components within existing classes or to develop one or more classes whose major focus is the understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity.

STANDARD 2D SPECIAL PROGRAMS OFFERING COURSES FOR CREDIT

AU special courses and programs which include courses for credit whether conducted on- or off-campus are integral parts of the institution; their functions, goals and objectives are consistent with other elements of the institution; they maintain the same academic standards as regular campus programs; and they are planned and evaluated by the some processes as the regular educational programs.

7'he college is solely responsible for the academic and fiscal integrity of all instructional programs and courses which bear the institution's name.

STANDARD 2D.1

Courses taught by non-traditional delivery systems such as television, correspondence, newspaper, video or, audio tape, radio, modularized instruction, and computer assisted learning.

DESCRIPTION

Cerro Coso College is not involved with any of the aforementioned non-traditional delivery systems at this time.

APPRAISAL

The college has adopted a fairly conservative approach as regards classroom presentational modes and the use of non-traditional delivery systems in offering classes. However, as a result of the introduction of technology into the instructional program, the college is reviewing non-traditional delivery systems associated with the concept of distance learning.

PLAN

The college will explore the possibility of implementing non-traditional delivery systems in selected components of its instructional program.

STANDARD 2D.2

Contract education courses taught for credit.

DESCRIPTION

The college is currently offering a contract education course for the U. S. Borax Company in Boron, California, involving students learning the millwright trade. In the spring of 1994, the college also offered a contract course in computer literacy for this same company.

APPRAISAL

The contract education courses for millwright training with U.S. Borax was deemed a success with eight students starting and completing the program. However, contract education has never played a significant role in Cerro Coso's instructional program.

PLAN

The Deans of Continuing and Vocational Education, together with the Deans at each of the Extensions, will attempt to develop additional contract course options with other corporations within the college service areas.

STANDARD 2D.3

International Education Programs.

DESCRIPTION

Cerro Coso initiated a district-wide Semester in England program in 1990. Kern

Community College students attended Cerro Coso classes in Winchester, England, taught by a Cerro Coso full-time faculty member and part-time local instructors. The program was discontinued as a district-wide project in 1992.

Student access to international study has continued through an agreement with Santa Barbara City College which permits Cerro Coso students to participate in that college's study abroad program.

APPRAISAL

The original study abroad program was successful. Of the seventeen students who participated in the program, nine completed two years at Cerro Coso before transferring to a four-year college. The program was discontinued because interest could not be sustained throughout the three district colleges.

The Vice President of Instruction and College President are currently exploring a cooperative relationship with the Universitad de Los Altos in Tepatitlan, Mexico, that would include student and faculty exchanges. These efforts reflect the college's commitment to, global awareness.

PLAN

The Vice President of Instruction will draft a cooperative agreement for faculty and student exchange between the Universitad de Los Altos and Cerro Coso College to be presented to the college community for review.

STANDARD 2D.4

Practices providing credit for prior experiential learning.

DESCRIPTION

Credit for experiential learning is granted by Cerro Coso for military training and military school experience, as well as for service in the Peace Corps and other approved public service programs.

Cerro Coso uses guidelines established by the American Council on Education to award credit to students for military technical school courses completed. When a student indicates to a counselor that he or she has completed military technical training, the counselor assists the student in obtaining documentation which is then submitted to the Registrar for official evaluation. The results of this evaluation are placed in the student's official file, with a copy sent to the student's counseling file.

APPRAISAL

The largest number of Cerro Coso students with military training experience attend the Southern Extension program at Edwards Air Force Base. Since the Air Force established the regionally-accredited Community College of the Air Force, which places military training school credit on their official transcripts, the need to evaluate training received at Air Force Technical Schools has diminished. Evaluation of Army, Navy, and Marine training using the American Council on Education standards adequately meets the need for evaluation of military-related experiential learning.

STANDARD 2D.5

Credit courses or programs taught under contract by an outside institution.

DESCRIPTION

Cerro Coso College does not offer credit courses or programs taught under contract by an outside institution.

STANDARD 2D.6

Work experience and cooperative education courses.

DESCRIPTION

Credit for work experience and the associated seminar is an integral part of 18 vocational educational programs. Work experience coursework is designed to help students acquire good work habits and career awareness. To participate in work experience programs, a student must be enrolled in a minimum of seven units, four of which may be in work experience. One unit of credit is granted for each 75 hours

of paid employment or 60 hours of volunteer work. Students may earn up to 16 units of credit in the work experience program.

Students are required to establish a set of objectives they plan to achieve during the semester on the job. They are periodically evaluated by their job supervisor and by the faculty coordinator of work experience.

Cerro Coso coordinates and participates in a Cooperative Education program through the Naval Air Weapons Center, China Lake. Students are employed by the Navy while enrolled in such Cerro Coso programs as Business Office Careers, Physical Science Technology, and General Trades Practices. Upon completion of their program, students are placed in permanent positions at the Naval Air Weapons Center, China Lake.

APPRAISAL

The Work Experience and Cooperative Educational Program is providing a large number of students with the opportunity to learn on-the-job skills while pursuing an education at the same time.

The numbers of students participating in these programs during the past four years are:

Fall '89 119 Spring '90 93

Fall'90 110 Spring '91 141

Fall '91 112 Spring '92 201

Fall '92 119 Spring '93 14

STANDARD 2D.7

Courses offered through independent study.

DESCRIPTION

The college offers credit for special independent-study projects. Advanced students are afforded the opportunity to develop individualized study, research, or projects that are either too specialized or are beyond the general scope of the courses currently listed in the college catalog. It is the student's responsibility to develop a proposal in an academic or vocational area and secure the approval and sponsorship of a faculty member who will monitor and evaluate the student's performance and progress. Faculty members sponsoring independent study projects are expected to work with the student to develop clear objectives, goals, and tasks for the project. It is expected that each unit of credit earned will represent approximately 54 hours of directed college work.

The proposal for a special study or project is submitted to the Vice President of Instruction by the sponsoring faculty member for approval. If approved, the student

will register in the special studies or project course at the Office of Admissions and Records.

Independent study coursework is not permitted in lieu of any courses presently listed in the college catalog. Special studies or projects course credit may be applied to associate degree graduation requirements as elective credit only. Use of such credit to satisfy major field requirements may be approved by the College Academic Review/Petitions Committee on a case-by-case basis. Students are limited to a single independent study course per academic area each semester, with a maximum of 12 units that can be applied toward an associate degree. Requests for special studies or projects are not approved until a student has successfully completed 12 units of credit at Cerro Coso.

APPRAISAL

In recent years, Cerro Coso students have not extensively used this type of study option.

STANDARD 2D.8

Programs offered on military bases.

DESCRIPTION

The college offers courses at the Southern Extension site located at Edwards Air Force Base where students can complete an Associate Degree in either General Education, Business Administration, or Social Science. Students may also complete a pattern of general education coursework that will transfer to CSU/UC campuses or to private colleges or universities.

APPRAISAL

This program has been utilized by both military and civilian personnel employed on this base and their family members. The portions of the college curriculum offered in this program are identical to those offered on the Indian Wells Valley campus and do not deviate in quality or content from them.

STANDARD 2E CREDIT FOR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

Evaluation of student learning or achievement and the award of credit are based upon clearly stated and I distinguishable criteria.

STANDARD 2E.1

Student performance is evaluated in terms of defined and published course requirements.

DESCRIPTION

The Instruction Office maintains a file of course outlines for all courses listed in the college catalog. Each course outline is reviewed and updated every three years. Course requirements are specified in the syllabus prepared by each instructor for each class section and distributed to all enrolled students each school term. Course syllabi include course objectives, a calendar of topic areas and assignments, and an explanation of the instructor's grading system. Course syllabi are kept on file in the Instruction Office and periodically reviewed by the Vice President of Instruction and the Dean of Continuing Education. They are also reviewed by other faculty as part of the peer-evaluation process. These reviews help to ensure consistency between a course outline and the instructor's syllabus for the corresponding course.

APPRAISAL

The consistent use of course syllabi in all classes by every instructor ensures that student performance is evaluated according to specific criteria that are published and distributed to all enrolled students. The regular administrative and peer review of course syllabi helps to monitor their congruence with the corresponding course outline.

STANDARD 2E.2

Criteria for evaluating student performance or achievement are clearly established, stated in college publications, and are generally understood by faculty and students.

DESCRIPTION

The college grading system, including interpretations for each letter grade, is included in the current college catalog on pages 13 and 14, in the Board Policy Manual 4C3A, and in the Faculty Handbooks. It is based upon standard definitions of the various letter grades (A-F), as well as those for Credit (CR) and No Credit (NCR), Withdrawal (W), Incomplete (INC), and, In Progress (IP).

APPRAISAL

The college's grading system is clearly stated for the information of students and faculty in various publications. It is consistent with Title V regulations and accepted academic practice.

STANDARD 2E.3

Credit awarded is consistent with student learning or achievement and based upon generally accepted norms or equivalencies.

DESCRIPTION

Credit awarded is based upon the definitions used to describe the standard Carnegie unit.

APPRAISAL

The awarding of credit is consistently based upon the recognized standard.

STANDARD 2E.4

The degree, certificate, or diploma awarded upon successful completion of an educational program is appropriate to the demonstrated achievement of the graduate.


Cerro Coso College offers associate degrees and certificates upon successful completion of the requirements for each program listed in the catalog. Courses numbered 1-69 are associate degree and certificate level courses which are also generally Baccalaureate transferable. (Codes designating course transferability are included with each course entry in all printed class schedules.) Courses numbered 70-89 are considered non-transferable but applicable for associate degree and certificate programs.

Baccal4ureate transferability is subject to review by individual transfer institutions. Courses numbered 90-99 are considered preparatory in nature and do not can-y degree credit. Courses numbered 100-199 are not-for-credit adult education courses.

STANDARD 2E.5

Clear and well publicized distinctions are made between courses which offer degree and non-degree credit..

DESCRIPTION

The course numbering system listed on page 67 of the college catalog indicates that courses numbered from 1-89 can-y degree credit, while those numbered 90-99 may not be applied to a degree program. Courses numbered 100 and above are used to designate not-for-credit adult education classes.

APPRAISAL

The course numbering system clearly makes a distinction between degree and non-degree credit courses. This system is consistently applied and used in all printed class schedules at all college sites.

STANDARD 2E.6

Any credit for prior experiential learning is awarded and limited in accordance with Commission policy.

DESCRIPTION

Other than credit awarded for military service and military schools experience, the college does not currently award credit for prior experiential learning. Credit granted for military experience is granted as elective units only and not applicable toward a specific major.

APPRAISAL

The college needs to explore options for awarding credit for prior experiential learning in accordance with Title V and Commission policy.

PLAN

The Curriculum and Instruction Council will research and develop a college policy for awarding credit for prior experiential learning.

STANDARD 2F ARTICULATION

The institution has a systematic procedure for articulating its programs with secondary schools, Baccalaureate institutions, and with employers who hire occupational students.

STANDARD 2F.1

The curriculum planning process involves liaison with secondary schools, particularly in sequence courses. Where articulation agreements exist, high schools of origin receive reports on student performance.

DESCRIPTION

Liaison with high schools in the Cerro Coso service area is performed by designated counselors from the Student Services Center. An Indian Wells Valley campus counselor schedules visits to various high school campuses each fall for the purpose of introducing the college to those students. Additional visits are scheduled in the spring to administer placement tests to students considering attending Cerro Coso and later to assist them with their academic planning. Priority registration is then provided to those students who decide to enroll at the college. 'Me counselor at Southern Extension establishes similar relations with the students attending local high schools in that area.

Junior and senior level high school students are also permitted to concurrently enroll in college course work. High school and college counselors work together to ensure that course work is appropriate for the individual student's needs and abilities. Transcripts are sent to the high schools notifying counselors of individual student performance.

In addition, the college is an active participant in the Tech-Prep Program. A 2+2 articulation agreement was recently completed between the Cerro Coso Business Office Careers program and Burroughs and Mojave High Schools.

APPRAISAL

Liaison with high schools in the Cerro Coso service area continues to provide substantial numbers of high school graduates as enrollees at Cerro Coso. According to Cerro Coso's Master Plan for the Nineties, "Over the years, Cerro Coso has served a large percentage of Sierra Sands School District graduates. During the decade from 1981 through 1991, 91 percent of the 1983 graduating class and 90 percent of the class of 1982 have attended Cerro Coso." Based upon statistics supplied by Burroughs high school counselors, approximately 40 percent of their graduates attend 2-year schools, of which 70 percent to 80 percent enroll at Cerro Coso.

PLAN

With the annexation of the Eastern Sierra Center to the District in July 1994, counselors will begin to perform many of the same duties at these service area high schools that are currently performed in the local area and at Southern Extension.

The Dean of Vocational Education will work with additional college occupational programs to expand the Tech-Prep program.

STANDARD 2F.2

The curriculum planning process Involves coordination with baccalaureate institutions, particularly with respect to major and general education requirements. Data about the number, performance, satisfaction and adequacy of preparation of transfer students are systematically collected and reviewed.

DESCRIPTION

Through the work of the Curriculum and Instruction Council and the college counseling staff, articulation agreements exist between Cerro Coso and several four-year colleges and universities. The director of counseling, together with the transfer center counseling technician, serve as the primary liaisons in developing articulation agreements for presentation to other schools. Cerro Coso is now part of the CAN (California Articulation Number) System and currently has 32 courses on the approved CAN course list.

Cerro Coso offers general education certification course work that meets lower division general education transfer requirements in the California State University system. This pattern of courses is annually evaluated and submitted to the California State University Chancellor's Office for approval. Cerro Coso has articulated four complete course-by-course agreements with the California State University campuses of Bakersfield, Sacramento, San Bernardino, and San Diego, as well as partial agreements with Northridge, Chico, and Humboldt. An agreement proposal is currently being evaluated by CSU Fresno.

Cerro Coso's IGETC has been approved on an annual basis since 1992. Other complete articulation agreements have been established with the University of California campuses at Davis and San Diego, while partial agreements exist with Berkeley, Irvine, and Riverside campuses.

Other articulation agreements have been established with the University of Nevada at Reno and the private Los Angeles Chiropractic and Cleveland Chiropractic schools.

The Vice President of Student Services regularly receives reports from the CSU and UC campuses on the academic performance of Cerro Coso transfer students. These reports are reviewed and discussed by members of the Student Services staff. In addition, the college Transfer Center annually mails a questionnaire to former Cerro Coso students to collect information about their transfer experiences.

APPRAISAL

Cerro Coso continues to develop articulation agreements with CSU, UC, independent, and out-of-state campuses. The work of the Transfer Center staff has substantially assisted in the development of the current articulation agreements on file. The latest performance reports from the CSU and UC campuses indicate that Cerro Coso transfer students continue to perform at a higher GPA level than the indigenous students at those institutions. There has been a significant increase in the number of CAN system courses approved.

PLAN

The Director of Counseling and the Transfer Center Counseling Technician will continue to maintain the current articulation agreements and develop additional agreements for approval by other receiving institutions. Additional Cerro Coso courses will be submitted to the State CAN system for approval.

STANDARD 2F.3

The relevance of courses to job requirements is ensured by systematic analysis of specific job requirements and curriculum review.

DESCRIPTION

The Dean of Vocational Education periodically meets with each vocational program advisory council. Each council consists of community members, college faculty and staff members, and is chaired by the Dean. The purpose of these meetings is to discuss each program's effectiveness and whether or not it is serving the needs of the students and potential employees.

In the spring of 1994, a full review of the college's vocational education program was conducted by an outside consultant. Particular attention was paid to questions relating to the subsequent job success of Cerro Coso graduates and to the vocational training needs of our community. The development of plans in response to this review is in progress.

APPRAISAL

Vocational Education programs at Cerro Coso appear to be meeting the needs of most of the students involved with these programs. A new degree program in Trades Technology has just been accepted by the Curriculum and Instruction Council (CIC) and approved by the Board of Trustees. This new program is partially designed to assist Cerro Coso students involved in the COOP Trades Program operated in conjunction with the nearby Naval Air Weapons Station.

The current system of student follow-up and evaluation provides information to the district but not in a timely manner to the Dean of Vocational Education. Perhaps a local campus evaluation and information-gathering instrument would provide needed feedback in a more timely manner.

PLAN

The Dean of Vocational Education will implement changes that were identified through the recent review of Cerro Coso's vocational programs.

STANDARD 2F.4

Follow-up studies of transfer and occupational students are conducted regularly to evaluate the level of performance or job placement.

DESCRIPTION

The Transfer Center counseling Technician conducts an annual survey by mail to determine the number of students who actually transfer each year. Questions are asked to determine the level of success achieved by each transfer student and

whether or not any problems were encountered in the transfer process. These surveys are sent out in the early fall semester.

Information on former vocational students is collected through the Student Follow-Up System (SFS) and evaluated at the District Office.

APPRAISAL

This is the first year that the Transfer Center has used the informational survey with former Cerro Coso students, and the number of questionnaires returned was low.

'Me vocational education information gathering system used by the District does not provide timely information in a useable format that assists the college in effectively evaluating its Vocational Education program.

PLAN

The Dean of Vocational Education will develop and implement a more efficient method of student follow-up and evaluation.

STANDARD 2G NON-CREDIT COURSES AND PROGRAMS

Non-credit courses and programs, whether offered on or off-campus, are integral to the educational mission of the institution.

STANDARD 2G.1

Planning for and evaluation of non-credit courses and programs Ls comparable to planning and evaluation for other programs of the institution.

DESCRIPTION

The planning for and evaluation of noncredit courses is a distinctly different process at each college site. Because Cerro Coso offers non-credit courses in at least five communities that are both geographical and demographically unique, the corresponding programs vary in size, purpose, and structure.

The non-credit course program at Cerro Coso has increased considerably since the spring 1989 semester. This increase has occurred primarily in the category of classes for older adults at the Kern River Valley Extension. During the spring 1994 school term, a high of 22 non-credit classes were offered at this location.

A sample of non-credit Adult Education classes offered include Theater Laboratory, Community Choir and Orchestra, Community Opera Lab, Wellness Fitness Assessment, Preparation for GED Exams, Career Transition Workshops, English as a

Second Language, OSHA Review for Health Care Professionals, and Smoking Cessation.

Instructors are selected using criteria included in Title V regulations covering minimum teaching qualifications. Under the general supervision of the Vice President of

Instruction, the Dean of Continuing Education, and the Extension Deans develop and coordinate the non-credit programs at their respective locations.

APPRAISAL

Because the planning and evaluation processes used for non-credit programs vary from location to location, there is a need to develop a more standardized approach to ensure greater consistency and continuity of these programs throughout the college.

PLAN

Planning for and evaluation of all non-credit courses and programs will be integrated into the curriculum development process under the auspices of the Curriculum and Instruction Council.

STANDARD 2G.2

Programs are administered under stated and well-publicized instructional policies and procedures.

DESCRIPTION

The planning and administering of non-credit courses and programs are functions jointly shared by the Vice President of Instruction, Dean of Continuing Education, and deans of each extension program. Faculty are involved in the development of new non-credit courses and approval by the Curriculum and Instruction Council is required.

Institutional policies and procedures encourage the offering of non-credit classes that conform to the Chancellor's guidelines. Such non-credit classes are repeatable for the student needing to maintain current job skills and/or technical knowledge.

APPRAISAL

The non-credit courses and programs are being administered under the instructional policies that conform to the Chancellor's guidelines.

STANDARD 2G.3

Policies governing non-credit courses and programs are described in appropriate instructional publications.

DESCRIPTION

Non-credit course information is publicized in the printed class schedules, in the college catalog, and in brochures targeted for special adult populations.

APPRAISAL

Non-credit coursework is described in institutional publications so that students will know what classes best fit their special educational needs and circumstances.

STANDARD 2G.4

There is demonstrable coordination with institutional credit programs.

DESCRIPTION

As indicated in 2G.1 and 2G.2, coordination in the planning and development of non-credit coursework has occurred with that of credit programs.

APPRAISAL

Cerro Coso Community College offers courses in at least five geographically and demographically distinct locations. Because of the diverse educational needs of each of these locations, coordination with credit programs has required a high degree of creativity.

Non-credit programs are an important component of that portion of the college's mission to serve the special educational needs of its unique communities offered concurrently with non-credit options for those students who do not desire college credit. Non-credit courses are taught by both full-time faculty and adjunct instructors.

PLAN

Non-credit courses will continue to be offered where they can best serve the diverse needs of Cerro Coso students.

STANDARD 2H COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND SERVICES

Community Education and Services, if recognized as an institutional objective, respond to local needs for lifelong teaming by providing vocational classes, classes

for the business and professional community, non-credit contract education courses, cultural events, and community and civic functions.

STANDARD 2H.1

Community Education classes are part of the educational program and are coordinated with the credit and non-credit program.

DESCRIPTION

The college offers a limited selection of fee-based Community Education classes at its various actions. For the most part, these classes are fisted in the class schedules of regular credit courses published each school term at all locations. These courses reflect the educational needs of those who reside in the various communities that the college serves. The Summer Youth College Program began in the summer of 1989 as a pilot and has been conducted each subsequent summer through the present time.

The existing community education program for the Indian Wells Valley campus is coordinated by the Dean of Continuing Education and his staff in the Office of Instruction. It is administered in conjunction with the college's credit and non-credit offerings rather than as a separate program. Proposed community education courses are coordinated with the full-time and/or adjunct faculty in the appropriate discipline area. This process includes discussions of possible conflict with the credit curriculum, the scheduling of facilities, and mutual use of equipment. Additionally, the Office of Instruction staff provides general program support and performs registration functions for community education classes.

Under the general supervision of the Vice President of Instruction, the extension deans develop and coordinate the community education programs at their respective locations. All community education classes listed in the semester schedule of classes are approved by the Instructional Dean.

In addition to the college's community education classes, the Associated Students of Cerro Coso (ASCC) provide funding for a variety of extra- and co-curricular community services activities and events. They have provided funding to the English faculty for the past three years to bring the San Francisco Shakespeare Company to the college. Past performances have included The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet, and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

In 1992-93 ASCC funds provided for the following community service events: presentation of Lecture Series; a guest author (Whitney Otto); class performances of The Nutcracker Ballet (at the Southern Extension), a campus opera workshop production; and a variety of other events including partial support for a workshop on collaborative Teaming. During the 1993-94 year, the ASCC allocated funds to the Southern Extension's drama class production of Scrooge, the Indian Wells Valley campus opera class performances, a cultural diversity workshop for staff and students, and a faculty sponsored lecture series. While many of these events are primarily directed towards the college community, they are often advertised within

the local communities and provide cultural and educational opportunities for those outside the college.

APPRAISAL

While community education and services are not recognized as a high institutional priority, Cerro Coso has attempted to identify and meet such needs within the present financial constraints facing the college.

The current policy of administering the community education program through the Office of Instruction under the supervision of the Dean of Continuing Education is working well at the college. This process allows for appropriate interface with college faculty members to ensure that such course offerings supplement but do not replace those offered as part of the regular credit and non-credit programs.

The listing of community education classes in the semester class schedules provides for broad advertising among prospective and currently enrolled students. Information on such classes is also highlighted in flyers posted on campus and included in other forms of media coverage.

The Associated Student Body continues to actively participate in the funding, coordination, and planning of lectures, plays, workshops, and other events of broad college and community interest.

Since its inception, the Summer Youth College has shown a continual increase in student enrollment, number of classes offered and completed, and the number of instructors involved in the program. This program has been coordinated by the Dean of Continuing Education and supervised by a member of the college's adjunct faculty or a certificated teacher from the local community.

PLAN

The Vice President of Instruction and the Dean of Continuing Education will integrate Community Education classes into the curriculum development and coordination process with credit and adult education courses under the auspices of the college's Curriculum and Instruction Council.

STANDARD 2H.2

Community liaison is effectively developed and maintained in order to determine community interests and needs and to evaluate offerings.

DESCRIPTION

Perceived interests and needs have often been based historically on previously successful courses. The college solicits and accepts input from current and prospective instructors of community education and credit classes. Incoming students are surveyed at the beginning of each term as part of the matriculation

process. Recommendations for new classes also come from various campus advisory committees composed of staff, faculty, and community representatives.

Periodically, user evaluations are conducted in community education classes similar to the process followed in the credit courses. Every class offered as part of the Summer Youth College Program is evaluated by the participating students and their parents.

APPRAISAL

There has not been a formal community survey to assess educational needs in this area of course offerings since 1989 at the Indian Wells Valley campus. Similarly, no recent efforts have occurred at the extensions to formally gather community input.

Offerings are evaluated through surveys of incoming students conducted as part of the college Matriculation Program. The college is provided an understanding of student needs as they change from year-to-year.

It is projected that the offerings of community education courses will continue at the current level for the foreseeable future. These courses are a small component of the Cerro Coso instructional mission as it is currently defined.

PLAN

The Dean of Continuing Education will formally request the Master Planning Committee to address the future role of non-credit community education courses at the college.

STANDARD 2H.3

Institutional policies and procedures establish conditions under which college facilities may be used by the public.

DESCRIPTION

Current Board Policy exists with the appropriate attendant procedures including priority for use, application, fee schedules, and methods of payment for non-college use of college equipment and property. The office of the college president (and the extension deans) maintains primary responsibility for coordinating this function. At the Indian Wells Valley campus the appropriate individuals are contacted as part of the coordination and approval process regarding equipment and facilities for which they are responsible. A variety of community groups periodically utilize the college facilities. Examples of these are The Over-the-Hill Track Club, High Desert Tennis League, Burroughs High School Cross Country Team, High Desert Cyclists, Loma Linda Medical Center, Coso Dog Fanciers, Kern River Valley High School tennis tournament, and the Police Employees Association. The college has also functioned as the site of several weddings. The Northern Extension in Bishop has provided facilities for the AARP to conduct a tax workshop for older adults, as well as classroom space for La Verne College's Extension Program.

APPRAISAL

The current system appears to be functioning effectively and the college has been able to accommodate the needs of many groups and individuals in addition to extra- and co-curricular use by student organizations. 'Me existing procedures and request forms have allowed for a clear and well documented provision for services. In excess of 20 groups have been able to utilize the college buildings and grounds during the most recent academic year. Many local groups have used the facilities on successive occasions during this time period.


1. Cerro Coso Community College Catalog, 1993-95 2. Cerro Coso Community College course schedules 3. Faculty Handbook 4. Part-time Faculty Handbook 5. Curriculum and Instruction Council minutes 6. Long Term Schedule 7. FTES by TOPS 8. FTES by Instructor 9. Memorandum of Understanding between Edwards Air Force Base and Cerro

Coso Community College 10. Training Agreement with U.S. Borax 11. Cerro Coso College Work Experience Manual 12. Business Office Careers articulation agreement between Burroughs High

School, Mojave High School, and Cerro Coso Community College 13. Business Office Careers articulation agreement between Naval Air Warfare

Center China Lake Training Center and Cerro Coso Community College 14. Vocational Education Advisory Committee minutes 15. CCA/KCCD contract 16. Report of facility use by community groups 17. College publicity file 18. Vocational Education plan 19. Title V Course Outline books

STANDARD THREE STUDENT SERVICES AND THE CO-CURRICULAR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Committee Members: Barbara Butler, Chair Sally Franklin Mary Lee Greenland Gurney Hoggard Bonnie Mathis Gary Matulef Don Mourton Susan Smith Allison Swift June Wasserman Robert Weisenthal

STANDARD THREE STUDENT SERVICES AND THE CO-CURRICULAR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

The institution establishes and maintains an environment that fosters the intellectual and personal development of students. Student Services reflect an institutional concern of students physical and mental health, facilitates educational progress, and helps students to relate to others in the institutional community.


Established policies and practices make clear the institution's obligations to students and the obligations of students to the institution.

STANDARD 3A.1

The institution systematically studies the characteristics and identifies the learning and counseling needs of the student population.

DESCRIPTION

All first-time, non-exempt students complete an assessment process during their initial enrollment at Cerro Coso. Each new student's learning and service needs are identified from the information collected on both the Student Application form and the ASSET Planning form. In their initial meeting, with each new student, counselors

discuss their specific needs and refer the student to the appropriate resources, as necessary, using the "help needed" brochure.

APPRAISAL

This process works well for students at the Indian Wells Valley campus but not as well for students at the extension locations because of the reduced level of services. There is currently no established process at the college extension sites designed to follow-up on special learning needs and services requested via ASSET.

PLAN

The governance committee on Matriculation will develop a plan to provide the necessary follow-up services at all college extension locations.

STANDARD 3A.2

The institution has an organized system for admission, assessment, orientation, counseling and advisement and student follow-up.

DESCRIPTION

As part of the College Matriculation Plan, a well-defined process for providing these services has been developed. Admissions is a computerized process that utilizes scannable application forms and includes telephone registration at two campus locations. At three college sites, assessment, orientation, and counseling/advisement are available to students as a package. Follow-up services are carried out only for certain identified student groups, e.g. student athletes, students with special needs, and those on academic probation. Such services include academic monitoring and contacts by Student Services staff members. Basic skills classes are visited by counseling staff members each semester. Probationary students are notified by letter regarding their academic status. Second semester probationary students, as well as those academically disqualified, are required to see a counselor or counseling technician prior to registration. In the past, a computerized Early Alert System was employed at the Indian Wells Valley campus.

APPRAISAL

An effort has been made to provide a comprehensive and well-organized system of matriculation services at all Cerro Coso campus locations. Student follow-up services are effective at most of the college sites.

However, a full range of student services is not provided at all of the extension locations. Funding limitations, geographical considerations, and limited staffing combine to adversely impact student participation in orientation and assessment activities.

PLAN

The Director of Admissions and Records, Matriculation, and Student Affairs, will coordinate efforts to identify any obstacles to providing all services at each location, ensure that appropriate procedures are established at all college locations to provide orientation materials to students, assist staff at all college sites to develop procedures to facilitate the participation of students in appropriate activities, review the staffing needs at the extension centers to determine how to best provide support for these activities, and pilot an "early alert" program designed to provide a more timely intervention activity and student follow-up service.

STANDARD 3A.3

The institution involves students in the planning, development and delivery of student services.

DESCRIPTION

Students are provided with the opportunity to participate in the development of student services through representative membership on governance committees and other college groups, as well as via student surveys. The governance committee on Matriculation, which serves in an advisory capacity for some of the Student Services programs, has a position for a student member. The Special Services Program also has an advisory committee with required student membership, as have the various ad hoc sub-committees involved in the program reviews of specific areas of Student Services. College-wide surveys are periodically administered to students to obtain feedback on the effectiveness of these services to students. As part of an on-going evaluation process, student surveys and questionnaires are also administered in Master Student classes to solicit their feedback, suggestions, and concerns.

APPRAISAL

Student representation on college-wide committees and advisory groups provides students with the opportunity for input into the student programs, services, and processes. Unfortunately, students do not always avail themselves of these opportunities and student committee slots often remain unfilled for long periods of time. However, some very useful information has been obtained from students in the past through surveys and the Student Services Program Reviews.

PLAN

The Vice President of Student Services and his program directors will explore establishing a committee composed of student services personnel and students to examine ways to increase student involvement in the decision-making processes within student services.

STANDARD 3A.4

Policies on student rights and responsibilities, including the rights of due process and redress of grievances and rules defining inappropriate student conduct, are clearly stated, well-publicized and readily available and they are implemented in a fair and consistent manner.

DESCRIPTION

The Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities (revised to incorporate both the Student Conduct Policy and Student Complaint Procedures) is published in the Student Handbook, with multiple copies available in the Student Services Center and at each of the extension sites. The Student Code of Conduct and the Grievance Policy forms part of the Kern Community College District Board Policy.

APPRAISAL

These codes, policies, and procedures are well publicized and readily available to the student body. Staff members and students who participate on college grievance committees are briefed on the policies and processes to ensure consistent and fair implementation.

PLAN

The Vice President of Student Services will continue to ensure that students and appropriate college staff are well informed about these policies and their respective roles in implementing them.

STANDARD 3A.5

Publications (e.g., student handbooks) describing relevant policies and procedures, student services and programs, student government and activities are readily available.

DESCRIPTION

The Student Handbook and the college catalog each contain descriptions of the various support services and programs available to students. The Special Services program publishes its own handbook/calendar addressing the unique services and programs available to eligible students. The Student Aid Office provides students with a Financial Aid Handbook and Scholarship Booklet. The Associated Students of Cerro Coso provide members of the Student Senate with a handbook containing specific information relevant to this group, including pertinent board policies, information on forming a student club, and copies of the forms necessary for scheduling events and arranging for payments.

Each printed class schedule also contains information for students regarding registration, matriculation, tuition and fees, auditing, and the various academic dates and deadlines.

APPRAISAL

Students who attend new student orientation sessions are provided with a student handbook and/or a college catalog. Student handbooks have been developed for each college site and are currently under revision. During the revision process, alternative materials are being provided to students. While the information materials for students are very good, a plan to publicize the availability of such information would help to ensure that it reaches more students. Some areas such as counseling currently do not utilize brochures to advertise their services. At some of the extension sites there is insufficient staff to ensure the consistent availability and delivery of materials and information to students.

PLAN

The Director of Admission and Records, Matriculation, and Student Affairs will publish a student handbook to be distributed to all college locations.

The Student Services staff will publish informational brochures for each program area within Student Services.

STANDARD 3A.6

The institution supports opportunities for student participation and leadership in campus organizations and student involvement in institutional government.

DESCRIPTION

Cerro Coso College provides opportunities for student involvement, both in campus organizations and in college governance. Students are invited to become directly involved in student activities through the Associated Students of Cerro Coso (ASCC), through co-curricular or extra-curricular clubs, and through participation in the College Council or college-wide governance committees. Students are quite active in creating and helping to fund various college activities, such as music, art and drama events, student awards luncheons, and other forms of entertainment for students, staff, and the community. In the past few years, the Associated Students sponsored and presented Cultural Diversity Days, performances by the San Francisco Shakespeare troupe, visiting artists and poets, and guest lecturers.

APPRAISAL

The intent of the ASCC model is to encourage and provide opportunities for student involvement in the total life of the college. However, while these opportunities exist, the actual participation in student government, student activities, and college governance, varies from semester to semester. Student senate members attribute this inconsistency to a variety of factors, such as the need to work while attending college and other family and personal commitments outside of college.

PLAN

The Director of Admissions and Records, Matriculation, and Student Affairs will present student leadership workshops to discuss leadership skills and inform students about the various opportunities for involvement.

Instructors and counselors will distribute and discuss student activity flyers/brochures during orientation sessions and in becoming a Master Student classes.

STANDARD 3A.7

Counseling and other appropriate academic support services are offered to day and evening students on and off campus.

DESCRIPTION

Counselors and counseling technicians provide assistance to students in planning their educational programs for graduation, for transfer, or for personal enrichment. Services include educational, career, and personal counseling, college orientation, academic assessment, and probation and referral to other campus and community resources. Counseling staff members also provide students with special counseling in matters pertaining to adjustment to college, improving study skills, career planning and other services appropriate to college students.

APPRAISAL

If present trends continue, the demand for counseling services will continue to increase in the future. Counseling contacts have increased approximately eight percent per year for the last several years. At the Indian Wells Valley campus, the increased counseling load has been accommodated by adding two part-time counseling technicians and employing five part-time counselors who work primarily during the evening hours and summer periods. As the student populations at the extensions increase, there will be a need for a corresponding increase in counseling personnel hours.

PLAN

The Matriculation Committee will continue to gather comprehensive statistics on student contact hours in counseling at all locations to document the need for increased services.

The college will develop a plan to provide each extension center with counseling services that will include a counselor, counseling technician, and essential materials for distribution to students.

STANDARD 3A.8

Staffing, resources, and physical facilities are commensurate with the size of the institution and with its stated purposes.

DESCRIPTION

Since Cerro Coso's last accreditation, the Student Services Center has been remodeled to integrate the areas of Counseling, Financial Aid, Career Information and Planning, and Veterans Affairs within one physical location on the Indian Wells Valley campus. Across the hall is a newly remodeled area for the new Special Services Offices.

Two years ago a new gymnasium/physical education facility with adjacent athletic fields, was completed. At the same time a new ChildCare Center was constructed on campus. The completion of the new Child Development Center provided an opportunity to expand the program offerings to include infant care. The evening ChildCare program was eliminated.

The Learning Assistance Center has expanded the services available to students with the addition of a math lab and a writing lab.

APPRAISAL

The consolidation of Student Services functions on the Indian Wells Valley campus appears to be working out well for students. The success of the Special Services program has created the need for additional space. Since occupying the new office, the Special Services student population has doubled in size. As a result, some additional office space nearby was adapted for their use.

Despite the college's new child development center, there are still students, primarily AFDC and reentry students, for whom this facility's programs have not adequately served. The shortage of needed childcare services is generally attributed to a lack of sufficient space, funding, and teachers.

The Student Center is somewhat overcrowded at meal times. Students have reported their inability to be served in a timely manner during class breaks.

The athletic facilities provide the college with a potential opportunity to develop a comprehensive student intramural sports program. Such a program could enrich the experiences of students who enjoy sports activities but do not desire to participate in intercollegiate athletics.

The Learning Assistance Center has outgrown its physical location and is consequently hard-pressed to meet increasing student and faculty demands for its services.

PLAN

The Director of Admissions and Records, Matriculation, and Student Affairs will explore the development of a comprehensive student intramural sports program.

The college development office will continue to pursue state funding for the building of a student cafeteria.

The Vice President of Student Services and the college Facilities Committee will formulate plans for the Learning Assistance Center's current and future expansion needs.

STANDARD 3B ADMISSIONS AND RECORDS

An admission, registration, and records service facilitates student access to the institution and keeps and protect the records of their participation.

STANDARD 3B.1

Standards for admission, including provisions for exceptional cases, are based upon norms of expectation generally recognized in post secondary education, and are consistent with the institution's educational purposes. Test instruments used in the admission process are designed to minimize cultural bias and are evaluated to assure their validity.

DESCRIPTION

Cerro Coso embraces the "open door" policy regarding admissions espoused by community colleges in California. All students who meet the basic eligibility requirements are accepted for admission. Any exceptions to these requirements are identified and provided for whenever possible. The placement exams used at the college are included on the list of approved tests at the state Chancellor's Office. College validation studies are currently being conducted with the results of placement exams utilized as part of a multiple measures process for recommended placement of students in classes.

APPRAISAL

The college follows the accepted procedures of the California Community College system for admitting students, and the admissions standards are consistent with Cerro Coso's educational purposes. 7he placement exams are approved by the State Chancellor's office and are being used for the purposes for which they were developed.

STANDARD 3B.2

The institution actively seeks diversity in its student body.

DESCRIPTION

Cerro Coso actively recruits students from diverse ethnic groups, as well as students with disabilities, by making presentations to various groups throughout the college's service area. Counselors, program directors, and students representing diverse groups speak to prospective students about the opportunities available to them at Cerro Coso.

The Kern Community College District has designed a minority mentoring program, in which faculty are encouraged to mentor specific students who they feel show promise of eventually becoming community college faculty members hired to work in the Kern Community College District. In addition to the short-ten-n value of improving the retention of the students being mentored, it also achieves the longer term goal of increasing the diversity of the faculty.

APPRAISAL

The college has made an effort to recruit ethnic minority students in the past. The Financial Aid Director conducted a financial aid workshop for minority students, predominantly Hispanic, during the spring 1993 semester. Minority students are recruited along with other high school students during Cerro Coso high school outreach activities. The research conducted in preparing the new Student Equity Plan indicates that, in general, Cerro Coso's minority student enrollment is reflective, within one to two percentage points, of the ethnic population of the college's service area. As part of the college Student Equity Plan, a comprehensive series of goals was developed, many of which specifically address proposed recruitment activities.

PLAN

Student Services staff will work with community groups such as the NAACP, the Hispanic Advisory Council, the Tribal Council, the Special Services Advisory Board, and other appropriate groups and individuals to encourage more minority students to attend the college.

STANDARD 3B.3

The institution makes provision for the security of student records of admission and progress. Student records, including transcripts, are private, accurate, complete, and permanent. They are protected by fireproof and otherwise safe storage and backed by duplicate files. Data and records maintained in computing systems have adequate security and provision for recovery from disasters.

DESCRIPTION

The Admissions and Records Office is a secure, planned area of the main college building. Physical security of the student permanent records is further maintained through the use of fireproof, locking file cabinets. Inactive files are microfilmed, and several backup copies are housed at the District Office and a record's repository.

All campus areas which house student records are accessible only to college staff. Hard copies of student records can only be released upon a student's written and

signed request. On-line student records indicate if the student has exercised his/her right to privacy under the "Privacy Act." Students may gain access to portions of their own records, such as current enrollment, semester grades, and GPA via the telephone registration system. To gain access to such records, certain information known only to the student is requested prior to their release. Computerized records maintained in the district mainframe are supported by three backup copies. The most current copy is retained at the District Data Processing Office in a fireproof vault. The previous week's data is transported by courier to a data vault in Fresno which then cycles with the copies which are three weeks old. Computer access is controlled by a numerical login system which requires the use of access codes, name codes, and private passwords to gain access.

APPRAISAL

Current security provisions for maintenance and control of student records are working well within the present levels of technology available through the college and the District Data Processing Office.

PLAN

The Admissions and Records staff will participate in the ongoing process of upgrading the student records software at the district.

The Admissions and Records staff will continue to pursue the use of newer technology, such as optical disk storage, for the maintenance of student records.

STANDARD 3B.4

Transfer credit is accepted from accredited institutions or from other institutions under procedures which provide adequate safeguards to ensure academic quality and relevance to the student's program. Implementation of transfer credit is consistent with the Commission Policy on Transfer and Award of Academic Credit.

DESCRIPTION

Transfer credit is evaluated by college counselors and the Admissions and Records evaluation technician working in concert. Appropriate staff are well trained and experienced in the evaluation of such credit. Credit earned at this institution is articulated when possible with several California colleges and universities, through articulation agreements, CSU transfer agreements, and the IGETC.

APPRAISAL

Currently, the college employs a full-time Admissions and Records technician who has responsibility for evaluating other college transcripts, military school credits, and readiness for graduation. However, the average length of time to complete a student records evaluation is longer than ideal because of the other duties and responsibilities assigned to the evaluator. Currently in the final stages of development is an on-line computer evaluation screen which would allow members

of the counseling staff access to this information during student conferences via the computer network.

PLAN

The Director of Admissions and Records, Matriculation, and Student Affairs will complete and implement the computer on-line evaluation function.

The Vice President of Student Services and the Director of Admissions and Records, Matriculation, and Student Affairs will evaluate staffing needs related to the present turnaround time for completing evaluations.

STANDARD 3B.5

The institution has a policy regarding fee refunds that is well-publicized, uniformly administered, and consistent with customary standards.

DESCRIPTION

The college has an established tuition/fee refund policy developed in accordance with state legislation. The policy is published in the college catalog and in the printed class schedules for each college site every school term.

APPRAISAL

The college's tuition and fee refund policy is clearly stated and well-publicized in the college catalog and in all schedules of classes that are widely distributed each school term throughout the Cerro Coso service area.

A pilot program is currently being conducted within the Kern Community College District which will enable students to receive cash refunds when requested or as soon as the Point of Sale Terminal determines eligibility. If proven successful, Cerro Coso will also provide this service to its students.

STANDARD 3C COMPREHENSIVENESS OF SERVICES

Depending on the nature and needs of the student body and the purposes of the institution, a range of student services may be provided Decisions on comprehensiveness of services depend on the purposes of the institution, the diversity of its student body, and whether students commute or live in campus residential facilities. The functions, goals, and objectives of each service are consistent with those of the institution. Each is planned and evaluated by the same established processes as are other parts of the institution's major programs and services.

The provisions of Standard 3C apply to student services such as career planning services, special services to disadvantaged students. special services to disabled students, tutorial services, the student activities program, the student financial aid program, child care services, athletics, veterans services, international student services, services for re-entry students, student health services, psychological services, student housing, if provided, food services, and student bookstore.

CAREER PLANNING SERVICES

DESCRIPTION

Career planning and placement is one of the services provided by the Student Services Center. A bulletin board for job listings is maintained in the Student Center for information on employment opportunities for students who have been referred to the college. CO-OP job opportunities for students are available through the federal government with the Naval Air Warfare Center and the Bureau of Land Management. The U.S. Navy also has a limited number of Stay-In-School employment positions for low-income students. The Student Services Center

maintains a library of printed reference materials and software to assist students with the job search process, as well as provide information on resume writing, cover letters, and how to pursue employment opportunities. Assistance is available to individual students and to groups in the form of classes and workshops. Referrals are also made to the career placement services of the local office of the state Employment Development Department.

APPRAISAL

There are both advantages and disadvantages to housing the career planning and placement services in the Student Services Center. Counseling staff members who work in the Student Services Center are acquainted with the resources available there and are notified when any new career or job opportunities become available for students. Faculty members are also notified of such student job opportunities so that they can announce them in their classes. A disadvantage to the current arrangement is that no one staff member has career planning and placement services as his/her sole job assignment. The Director of Counseling Services is charged with overall responsibility for the service, with the actual program implementation delegated to a counseling technician. Both of those individuals have many other job responsibilities. In light of changing economic conditions and increasing unemployment, the need for greater emphasis on career planning and placement services should be studied.

PLAN

The college will study the need to increase the career planning and placement services provided for Cerro Coso students.

The Dean of Vocational Education will include a part-time job development position in the college vocational education plan for 1994-95.

SPECIAL SERVICES TO DISADVANTAGED AND DISABLED STUDENTS

DESCRIPTION

Services to identified economically disadvantaged and disabled students are provided through the college's Special Services Program. Three categorically-funded programs (EOPS-CARE-DSPS) are totally integrated by funding, facilities, staff, and goals to holistically address the needs of these students. This program is recognized statewide for its unique approach and for its family-like support system which is made available to assist each student to attain his/her educational goals.

APPRAISAL

The Special Services Program has maintained accountability records for many years that verify the excellent retention rate and scholastic records of its students. A 1992 Program Review resulted in excellent evaluations by students, indicating satisfaction with the services provided. Since 1987, the program has grown in numbers of students served by 68 percent, which is not commensurate with a budget increase of only 10 percent. As in so many other student service programs, the components of job search and job placement were eliminated with Proposition 13 and never fully reinstated at Cerro Coso. While Special Services students are provided individualized career planning services, job development, as such, has not been available.

PLAN

The Special Services Program will develop job placement services for this identified student population.

The Special Services Program will continue seeking alternative ways to fund services for an increasing clientele.

RE-ENTRY SERVICES

DESCRIPTION

General re-entry services are provided through the Student Services Center. However, re-entry students who are identified as economically disadvantaged and qualify for the EOPS-CARE program are referred to Special Services. Such students are enrolled in a two-semester college orientation course and provided a family-like support system.

APPRAISAL

Although a program exists for re-entry students who are economically disadvantaged and attending Cerro Coso on a full-time basis, no comprehensive program exists to serve part-time, re-entry students. However, these students are at least permitted

to enroll in the appropriate Master Student class which helps to provide some support for a successful transition to the college environment.

PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES

DESCRIPTION

Psychological services are provided on a limited, short-term basis by certificated counselors. Referrals are made to local mental health facilities if more long-term psychological counseling is required. Students who have been referred to Cerro Coso by mental health professionals for educational purposes are assisted by the Special Services Program counselors (DSPS) who work with local mental health counselors to provide supportive services for such students to enhance their chances for academic success.

APPRAISAL

Faculty and staff at the college periodically encounter students who may benefit from psychological counseling. It is important that these students are aware of the support that the counseling staff can provide them, whether via short-ten-n counseling or by making referrals to local agencies.

Since January of 1993, the State has allocated specific funding to the Special Services Program (DSPS) to provide assistance to those who are verified as psychologically disabled. Such students and their mental health liaison receive on-going coordinated support from the program. Other psychologically disabled students are identified only when their behavior makes their condition apparent to the staff. The Vice President of Student Services is responsible for management and referral of these individuals.

PLAN

The Special Services Program will offer a staff development workshop for faculty and staff to assist them in understanding the differences between verified psychologically disabled students and those who are simply behavioral problems. Strategies will be presented for working with and assisting both groups.

Student Services will develop a handout of resources and strategies to deal with students in the classroom and on campus who appear to need psychological services.

TUTORIAL SERVICES

DESCRIPTION

The goal of the tutoring program is to provide individual and small group tutoring to students who require additional assistance to successfully complete a course. Tutorial assistance is' available for most courses offered at Cerro Coso.

Tutors are students at Cerro Coso who have successfully completed the course for which they are a tutor with an "A" or "B" and are approved by the course instructor. If there is a need for tutorial assistance ' in a subject for which no qualified student tutor is available, a classified tutor may be recruited.

Students are required to attend tutor training sessions during their first semester as a tutor.

APPRAISAL

As part of a 1992 Program Review, students were asked to complete a survey evaluating the tutoring program. Although the survey results indicated that students were satisfied with the program, areas were identified that need improvement.

There has been an approximate 50 percent growth in the tutoring program during the past five years. However, there are some courses for which it is difficult to find tutors. To help alleviate this situation, two services were initiated during the spring 1994 semester: an open writing lab with instruction on the use of a word processor and walk-in math assistance on a limited basis. There is a need to expand these services.

Even though new tutors are required to attend training sessions every other week for one semester, this requirement needs to be expanded into a tutor training course which meets weekly.

Records keeping would be more efficient if tutoring appointments and data collection were computerized.

PLAN

The Director of Basic Skills/Learning Assistance Center will develop a required training course for all tutors.

The Director of Basic Skills/Learning Assistance Center will establish a computerized records-keeping system for the tutoring program.

The Director of Basic Skills/Learning Assistance Center will develop a plan for offering walk-in tutoring.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES PROGRAM

DESCRIPTION

The student activities program is coordinated under the auspices of the Associated Students of Cerro Coso (ASCC) and the Student Affairs Office staff. The ASCC serves as the official student representative group on campus which administers an annual budget of approximately $30,000. The fact that Cerro Coso is a commuter college with a large number of older returning students has contributed to the current focus of the ASCC. The annual budget is developed each spring following a period of soliciting input from the college faculty, administration, staff, and from the various student clubs. A wide variety of activities and events for students are then developed and implemented. -Funding is heavily weighted in favor of co-curricular activities, including support for performing arts groups, guest lecture series, speakers invited to the campus by faculty in support of their curriculum, performances by the San Francisco Shakespeare Company, authors and poets, and films and workshops on collaborative learning and cultural diversity. Campus clubs may obtain additional funds over and above those generated by fund-raisers to supplement events such as the High School Art Workshop, the Arts ACMON Halloween carnival, Black History Month and other ethnic diversity events, and field trips to trade shows for the Auto Club and to medical facilities for the nursing students. Funds are also used to send ASCC student senate members and other students to leadership workshops. The ASCC supports the tutoring program and the library and Instructional Media Center. ASCC funds have also been utilized in the past to provide much needed instructional equipment.

APPRAISAL

In spite of the commuter nature of the college's student population and the inordinately large geographical area served, the ASCC and the Student Affairs Program nevertheless actively seek to serve all Cerro Coso students. The diverse focus of these programs seems to appropriately reflect the needs of most of these students.

Despite continual attempts to stimulate greater participation in the Student Senate on the part of all campus clubs and co-curricular academic areas, all available seats are rarely filled. There is concern that most students appear generally uninformed as to the activities of the Student Senate. The student newspaper, when it is functioning, has been able to assist in the dissemination of information regarding the activities and issues before the Student Senate. More visibility for the ASCC is needed if a broader based process for student input and participation is to be achieved.

PLAN

The ASCC executive board will identify ways to assist in publicizing this organization.

The Director of Admissions and Records, Matriculation, and Student Affairs will develop a formatted process for obtaining broad-based input from students regarding issues that come before the Student Senate.

STUDENT AID PROGRAMS (Financial Aid, Veterans Services, Student Housing)

DESCRIPTION

Cerro Coso provides its students with a full range of financial assistance programs: Pell Grants, College Work Study, Stafford Loans, Supplemental Grants, EOPS/CARE Grants and/or services, Cal Grants, and Bureau of Indian Affairs Grants. The college also awards a variety of private scholarships donated by various individuals and organizations to assist our students. Eligible veterans and dependents can use their GI Bill benefits at Cerro Coso and all students are eligible to participate in job placement services and housing programs.

Information and applications for all student assistance programs are available in the Student Services Center on the Indian Wells Valley campus. Staff at each of the extension sites are trained to assist students in the completion of necessary forms and applications, which are then processed at the Indian Wells Valley campus. The financial aid staff consists of a Director of Student Aid, two Financial Aid Technicians, and an hourly employee funded through the Board Financial Assistance Program (BFAP).

APPRAISAL

In light of the recent dramatic growth of the student aid programs, the addition of an hourly staff member has been especially helpful. Because of the special training some staff members have received at the extension sites, students at these locations @n receive assistance on a walk-in basis throughout the year.

Financial aid funds administered by Cerro Coso are efficiently delivered to students. Applications for aid are initially processed in February of the preceding school year and packaged beginning May 15. If a student files the requested paperwork on time, financial assistance will be available on the first day of classes in the fall.

Information on Student Aid Programs is included in the college catalog, as well as via publications distributed by the Student Aid Office. To inform and assist prospective students, the Director of Student Aid conducts financial aid workshops at local high schools each year.

The steady growth of Cerro Coso student aid programs over the last five years has resulted in over 1,000 requests for financial aid during the 1993-94 school year as compared to 769 requests for the previous year. With such growth there is a need for technology to meet the increasing demands placed on program staff. The new District MS system, when in place, will provide enhancements to the current system that will substantially improve the ability of the staff to serve students. The college has recently purchased an Electronic Data Exchange (EDE) Program from the Department of Education that will shorten the turnaround time for receiving Pell Grant Student Aid Reports, as well as processing corrections to Student Aid Reports.

PLAN

The Student Services Directors will review and assess the overall Student Aid Program with particular emphasis on staffing and office space requirements to ensure that adequate resources are being allocated to meet the needs of this growing program.

The Financial Aid Director will continue to work with the district and staff vendors to ensure that all technology options have been reviewed and assessed to better meet the needs of our students.

CHILD CARE SERVICES

DESCRIPTION

The campus Child Development Center offers an organized developmental and instructional program for pre-school children and infants and toddlers throughout the day-time hours. The center serves children of Cerro Coso students, staff, faculty, and members of the community. The program is in operation weekdays throughout the year (250 days). Children of working parents or college students may qualify for state-subsidized child care according to family income.

APPRAISAL

The Child Development Center is a well run program that manages to be self-sufficient through a combination of state funding and tuition income. Support of the Infant/Toddler program depends entirely on funds from tuition. In its second year of operation, it is the area of greatest growth. Because the prescribed teacher/child ratio is 1:3, the program has received only incremental growth and does not benefit from economies of scale.

The child development facility is less than five years old and is visually attractive. Center staff enjoy a higher pay scale than other local child care providers, but the rate of pay is still quite low. Programs and services are designed and evaluated according to state and local standards in addition to those of the college.

In the past, the college supported extended day child care during weekdays to assist parents attending classes in the evenings. Because of budget constraints, this was discontinued a few years ago.

FOOD SERVICES

DESCRIPTION

The Coyote Kitchen, which provides food services for the Indian Wells Valley campus, is operated under the auspices of the Associated Students of Cerro Coso (ASCC) and is located in the Student Center. A variety of food and beverage items may be purchased at the Coyote Kitchen during most of the hours that classes are normally in session, from Monday through Friday, both in the day and early evening hours. Any profits realized from the operation of these food services are deposited to the general fund of the ASCC and used to fund the operation of the Student Activities programs.

APPRAISAL

The Coyote Kitchen's management and profitability are reviewed by an advisory committee consisting of administrators, faculty, classified staff, and students. Even so, this student business seldom makes a profit. The goal is to break even, but many years have shown a loss. Cost of goods sold runs much higher than industry standards because of low volume purchasing and moderate mark-ups. Even when a diligent effort is made to keep prices low, many students cannot afford to purchase meals from the Coyote Kitchen on a regular basis. Lunch is the most popular meal, often with daily specials, while breakfast and dinner consist of short order items.

The five-year facilities plan includes a new cafeteria. When that is built, food services will expand considerably. During the planning phase of the new cafeteria, it will be necessary to explore the costs and benefits of establishing a vocational education program in food services.

Some students are hired each year to assist with food service. At this time the college does not have a vocational program in the food services, although there are usually job opportunities locally for food service personnel.

PLAN

The Dean of Educational Services and Vice President of Student Services will evaluate the efficiency of the snack bar operation with a goal toward increased profitability.

STUDENT BOOKSTORE

DESCRIPTION

The college bookstore (The Book Nook) is operated under the auspices of the Associated Students of Cerro Coso and located in the campus Student Center. This student-owned business is normally open during most of the hours that classes are in session, both day and evening, Monday through Friday. The bookstore sells textbooks to students at each extension site at the beginning of the term. All required textbooks, paperbacks and school supplies are available for purchase. An attractive line of sports clothes with the Cerro Coso name and logo are also stocked as well as many other specialty items. Profits from the bookstore are used to supplement funds for the operation of the Student Activities programs.

APPRAISAL

The Book Nook is managed to produce an annual profit, usually between six percent and ten percent of gross sales, which is used to offset any losses from the Coyote Kitchen. Some students are regularly employed in the bookstore while others are hired only during peak times at the start of each school term. An advisory committee made up of administrators, faculty, classified staff, and students oversees the bookstore's operations.

The bookstore is currently housed in small, cramped quarters. A new location needs to be found to provide better service in a more pleasing environment.

PLAN

The Bookstore Manager will monitor inventory to ascertain the most profitable mix of goods and textbooks.

ATHLETIC PROGRAMS

DESCRIPTION

Cerro Coso currently fields intercollegiate teams in the following sports: men's basketball, men's baseball, women's volleyball, women's tennis, cross country (men and women), golf (men and women).

Men's baseball, women's volleyball, and women's tennis are sports added since the last accreditation.

Staffing for the Intercollegiate Athletics Program includes a certificated Athletic Director, who also holds the position of Director of Financial Aid, a head Basketball Coach who is also a college counselor, and a Baseball Coach who is also a member of the PE Faculty. All other sports are coached by part-time certificated staff members. Designated as Academic Advisor for all of the student athletes is one of the regular college counselors, who also teaches a section of the Master Student course specially designed for this student, population. Cerro Coso currently participates in two different athletic conferences: the Southern California Conference (baseball, basketball, cross country) and the Foothill Athletic Conference (volleyball, tennis, golf. Beginning in the fall of 1994, Cerro Coso will only be affiliated with the Foothill Conference for all sports.

APPRAISAL

Primarily as a result of the recent addition of the college's PE facilities, Cerro Coso's athletic program has experienced substantial growth since the last accreditation. Having these facilities has helped to significantly improve the quality of this program, as well as the attractiveness of the college for teams and spectators visiting the campus for athletic events.

With growth comes increased responsibility for the Athletic Director and other Athletic Staff members, as well as increased needs within the program that were not apparent when it was smaller in size. For example, the constitution of the Foothill Conference specifies that all participating schools should have a "Certified Athletic Trainee' available at all home games in the event of injury to a player. Currently, Cerro Coso has only been able to fulfill this requirement with part-time employees none of whom have been certified athletic trainers. A request for an Athletic Trainer/Wellness Aide was submitted to the Staffing Committee during 1992-93 and, even though it received a favorable ranking, funds were not allocated to fill the position. A search for a part-time certified athletic trainer has proven to be futile, so this important function within the athletic program continues to be performed by individuals who are less than fully qualified.

The designation of a counselor with responsibility for the academic planning and monitoring of all student-athletes has yielded positive results. All such students are kept informed of expected academic standards and the consequences of not meeting these standards. This staff member plays a critical role in the collection and evaluation of academic information on student-athletes.

The possible addition of new sports to the existing intercollegiate athletic program is currently being evaluated by the Long Term Athletic Planning Committee. This body, which has broad representation from all campus constituencies, will formulate long-term goals for the athletic program in light of fiscal restraints, gender equity, and other factors which may influence future directions of the program.

PLAN

The Athletic Director will continue to request that the position of Athletic Trainer/Wellness Aide be filled.

The Athletic Director will ensure that the recommendations of the Long Term Athletic Planning Committee are developed and submitted to the Student Services Steering Committee for further action.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

DESCRIPTION

Cerro Coso Community College is authorized under federal law to enroll non-immigrant alien students. The Office of Student Services functions as the information and processing center for international students. Prior to admission, all potential F-1 Visa students from non-English speaking countries must achieve a qualifying score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). In addition, foreign students are required to submit high school and college transcripts, letters of recommendation and evidence of adequate financial support. The class attendance and academic records of matriculated F-1 visa students are periodically monitored in compliance with Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) Regulations.

APPRAISAL

This process is working well. There are no plans to expand the program in the future due to lack of college staff and housing facilities.

STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES

DESCRIPTION/APPRAISAL

At the present time we do not offer Student Health Services at any of the college sites, and, even though this has been addressed on a number of occasions, the decision has been made not to establish this service at Cerro Coso.

STANDARD 3D COUNSELING SERVICES

A systematic program of counseling and academic advisement assists students in making appropriate decisions.

STANDARD 3D.1

The institution provides an organized and functioning counseling program which includes, but is not limited to academic counseling, career counseling, Identification of potential barriers to progress and strategies to overcome them, counseling of students on probation, referral td appropriate support services and agencies, and counseling of student populations with special needs.

DESCRIPTION

The primary responsibility of the college's counseling staff is to provide academic counseling to students. This process involves assisting students to establish educational goals and then select a program of coursework designed to achieve these goals. Effective academic counseling involves the sharing of accurate and complete information on the various course, certificate, degree, and transfer requirements that prepares students to make their own decisions. Student Educational Plans (SEPS) are developed during the initial counseling session and then modified as needed as the student's educational goals evolve or change.

Career counseling is also an important focus of Cerro Coso's student services. Interest inventories, such as the Strong Interest Inventory and the Career Assessment Inventory, as well as Discover and Eureka, computerized career search programs, are available tools for the students and counselor to use. These resources assist the counselors and students in the career decision-making process. Career counseling is available concurrently with academic counseling because the latter tends to be more effective when students have already determined their career goals.

From the first counseling session, attempts are made to identify potential barriers to a student's success. As part of the assessment process, students are asked to indicate areas in which they may need help, such as financial aid, childcare, study skills, and a physical or learning disability. When the counselor discusses the assessment, he or she can refer to a print-out of the student's concerns so that strategies for addressing or overcoming them can be mutually developed.

A process is in place for assisting students on academic probation. When a student is initially placed on probation, a letter is sent to the student suggesting that he or she

see a counselor. Second semester probation students are required to see a counselor before being permitted to register for classes. The purpose of this required counseling session is to provide an opportunity to discuss the difficulties experienced and to ensure that the student understands what is required for removal from probationary status. Students who are academically disqualified are required to see a counselor and to enroll in a special counseling class designed to help them succeed. Students who do not make satisfactory progress during the semester following re-admittance must then wait at least one additional semester before being allowed to petition for readmission.

Referral to appropriate support services on the campus, as well as community agencies, is an important part of the on-going counseling services. An important aspect of new student orientation is to provide information about student support services, both orally and in written form via the orientation information packet and Student Handbook. When counselors meet with students to discuss their placement test results, students will have had an opportunity to select specific services that they envision needing. The counselor provides them with a packet of information describing the available services and may also make personal referrals at that time. As students continue in their educational careers, counselors can then make referrals as needed.

The Special Services program is a comprehensive system for working with students with special needs and is unique in providing an integrated network of support services, classroom experiences, and career counseling to both disabled (DSPS) and economically disadvantaged (EOPS and EOPS/CARE) students. DSPS is a categorically funded program consisting of support services and special classes for the educational development of disabled students. Another goal of this program is to create an understanding of the special needs of this student population and provide a supportive campus environment. The services and classes are designed to provide accessibility to facilities, programs, and activities. EOPS is a categorically funded state program created for the purpose of providing outreach, retention, and transition services to those individuals who may not otherwise have the opportunity to attend college because of economic, educational, and/or cultural barriers. CARE is a program within EOPS which provides additional funding and services such as child care, transportation, and networking for single parents receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children.

APPRAISAL

Academic counseling has been greatly enhanced by the immediate access that counselors and counseling technicians have to computerized student records. In the past few years, the counseling staffs at extension sites have also added the same computerized access to student records previously just available on the Indian Wells Valley campus. The use of Student Education Plans (SEPS) in the matriculation process has significantly improved the academic counseling information that students receive.

Counseling for transfer students has also been improved by the establishment of a Transfer Center housed within the Student Services Center. Visits from representatives of four-year institutions have increased dramatically from just one or two schools a few years ago to five schools making multiple Visits.

Technology has also improved the services for transfer students with a computerized articulation program that makes possible an instant print-out of all official articulation agreements by major. The Transfer Center is linked by modem to the California State University computerized infor-mation system, CSUPER-NET.

Career counseling services have been enhanced on the Indian Wells Valley campus by providing a computer for student use to access DISCOVER, Eureka, and articulation agreements. Both day and evening students utilize these systems, which also have been installed at the Kern Valley extension site. There is a need to expand these services to include the Northern and Southern Extensions.

More progress needs to be made in the development of a career counseling process that involves the teaching faculty in presentations or workshops in selected major fields.

PLAN

The Director of Counseling Services will develop an expanded career counseling process which involves multiple contacts between the counselor and student.

The college will expand the computerized counseling services available at the extension locations so that the network version of DISCOVER, Eureka, and computerized articulation are available to all students.

Counselors and classroom faculty will present career seminars and workshops for students in selected majors.

The Director of Counseling Services will increase the services provided to transfer students by continuing to expand the activities of the Transfer Center.

STANDARD 3D.2

A structured system of academic advisement is available to all students.

DESCRIPTION

A system of academic advisement is available to both day and evening students at all college locations. This system, initially developed as part of the matriculation plan, includes the components of orientation, assessment, counseling, educational plan development, and student follow-up.

APPRAISAL

Even though efforts are made to provide academic advisement for all students, not all students take advantage of it. This may be occurring for a variety of reasons. One reason is that some students are only taking courses for personal enrichment and believe that they do not need these services. According to Cerro Coso's matriculation plan, students attending for personal enrichment and enrolled in less than seven units are granted a deferment from the mandatory components of matriculation.

A study is currently being undertaken to determine the proportion of students taking advantage of the matriculation components of orientation, assessment, counseling, and the development of an educational plan.

For non-exempt students, compliance with matriculation components is required before being permitted to access telephone registration. This provides an automatic method of enforcing compliance at the Indian Wells Valley campus where most students use telephone registration. At the extensions, compliance with matriculation components is not as easily enforced, especially since available counseling is more limited.

PLAN

The governance committee on Matriculation will initiate a program for matriculation exempt students to encourage their use of the counseling services provided.

The Vice President of Student Services will evaluate the effectiveness of assessment counseling, using multiple measures that do not include test score cut-off ranges. Research to validate cut-off ranges of the ASSET placement test will continue.

The Director of Admissions and Records, Matriculation, and Student Affairs will conduct a review of the new-student orientation process to determine whether or not the goals for the half-hour orientation session being held in conjunction with the placement exam are being attained.

STANDARD 3E COORDINATION AND ADMINISTRATION

The institution has an administrative structure responsible for the overall coordination and administration of student services.

STANDARD 3E.1

Student services professionals and support staff are qualified to provide effective service.

STANDARD 3E.2

Arrangements are in place which assure that student services faculty, teaching faculty, and students are involved in the processes of program and policy development for student services, and in systematic evaluation and planning for programs and services of the institution.

DESCRIPTION

The Vice President of Student Services, who reports directly to the college president, is administratively responsible for the college's student services programs. Reporting directly to the vice president are five directors whose assignments cover all components of student services. Each director supervises assigned classified staff and coordinates the efforts of appropriate certificated staff. All directors have an approved job description which lists their complete duties and responsibilities.

The vice president and directors comprise the Student Services Steering Staff and meet on a weekly basis to discuss issues related to the policies and procedures of student services. Each of the directors also holds regular meetings with his/her staff members.

All meetings of student services staff members are conducted using the consensus approach to decision making.

Each component program within student services is a part of a scheduled review process which involves the development of college-wide committees to evaluate the service areas and formulate plans for the future directions of the program.

APPRAISAL

The decision-making process using the consensus approach appears to be working well. The duties and responsibilities of each staff member are clearly defined. However, the issue of meaningful student involvement in student services decision-making processes needs to be addressed, even though the level of student interest varies markedly from semester to semester.

The issue of work load for the directors also needs to be addressed. Directors perform many administrative functions and have a high level of program responsibility as compared to many other certificated positions at the college. Currently, they all receive stipends for the added work load, but it is questionable as to whether this is adequate compensation.

PLAN

The work load for directors will be evaluated through the district certificated load review process that is currently evaluating loads of the certificated staff at the three colleges.

The Vice President of Student Services and his directors will establish a committee composed of student services personnel and students to assist in facilitating increased student involvement in the decision making processes within student services.


1. Matriculation Plan and Reports 2. Matriculation Committee minutes 3. Cerro Coso Student Handbook 4. Financial Aid Handbook 5. Student Grievance Policy

6. Child Care Center Funding Application 7. Child Care Center Handbook 8. Long Range College Athletics Plan 9. Student Equity Plan 10. Associated Students of Cerro Coso minute. 11. Student Services Steering Committee minutes 12. EOPS Year End Report

STANDARD FOUR FACULTY AND STAFF

Committee Members: Martha Rodgers, Chair Phoebe Box Roe Darnell Bernard LaChance Don Mourton Tami Okamoto

STANDARD FOUR FACULTY AND STAFF

The categories of those who are employed by a post secondary institution vary substantially from one institution to another, but typically include those who teach, those in student services, those in learning resources, paraprofessionals, support personnel, and administrative staff and includes persons employed on full-time and part-time basis. The institution demonstrates its commitment to the increasingly significant educational role played by diversity of ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds among its members by making positive efforts to foster such diversity.

STANDARD 4A SELECTION

STANDARD 4A.1

Each category of staff is sufficient in number and diversity to provide effective instruction, student services, support services, learning resources, and administration.

DESCRIPTION

Cerro Coso has 35 full-time faculty who provide instructional, student, and learning resource services. Faculty represent a variety of academic and vocational disciplines in the Liberal Arts, Sciences, Technical Trades, and Basic Skills. A number of faculty members are prepared in multiple disciplines. In addition, the college maintains a large pool of part-time faculty who provide instructional services to students at all college sites.

Support services are provided by approximately 91 full- and part-time classified staff members assigned to the Indian Wells Valley campus and extension sites in the departmental areas of instruction, student services, and administrative services.

There are 13 management and confidential employees who provide administrative support for the college's instructional and student services programs. The titles of these positions are as follows: President; Administrative Assistant to the President; Director of Development and Information; Dean of Educational Services; Vice President of Student Services; Director of Administrative Services; Director of Maintenance and Operations; Vice President of Instruction; Dean of Continuing Education; Dean of Vocational Education; Dean of Southern Extension; Dean of Northern Extension; and Dean of Kern River Valley Extension.

APPRAISAL

The diversity of the current staff provides a broad range of expertise and preparation that enables the college to effectively support programs in instruction, student services, and learning resources. However, there is a recognition of the pressures experienced because of the relatively small numbers of full-time faculty and the number and distance of extension locations supported by the college.

It is generally agreed that there is a need for additional full-time faculty at Cerro Coso, especially in subject matter areas where none now exist. Current faculty members experience high demands on their time and energies relating to professional participation in co-curricular activities and committee work. Some are forced to concurrently serve on three or more committees. Curriculum development and coordination of programs is difficult in disciplines where there are no full-time faculty. This need is complicated by the recognition that, in some disciplines, a full faculty load is not feasible and funding is limited. As a result, part-time faculty members are sometimes hired to develop and revise curriculum.

Cerro Coso has a higher than average number of administrative staff as a result of its extension locations and their relative distance from the Indian Wells Valley campus. In previous years, attempts were made to administer some of the extension sites from the Indian Wells Valley campus or to assign a single administrator to oversee more than one site. In such cases, students and community members were critical of the resulting decreased administrative oversight and support received within their locality.

The college's governance committee on staffing meets regularly and periodically solicits input from all members of the college community regarding staffing needs. In meetings of this committee, the issues of changing staffing needs, staff diversity, and staff replacements are continuously addressed and considered in making staff recommendations to the college president.

PLAN

The staffing committee will address the staffing needs of the college through a college-wide process that identifies the long and short-range needs of all departmental areas and sites as they relate to the college master plan.

STANDARD 4A.2

Criteria, qualifications, and procedures for the selection of all personnel are clearly state4 public, and directly related to institutional objectives. Job descriptions are available for all staff positions and are adhered to in all selection procedures.

DESCRIPTION

Policies and procedures related to the selection of personnel at Cerro Coso are identified through Kern Community College District board policy, existing collective bargaining agreements, and college developed procedures. The Board Policy Manual, a public document, includes sections on certificated, classified, and management personnel which address personnel selection.

To establish compliance with AB 1725 in 1992, the Vice President of Instruction and Academic Senate developed procedures and processes for the selection and equivalency determination of full- and part-time faculty. These procedures have been published in a hiring handbook that is distributed to all administrators and those faculty members currently serving on the Equivalency Committee. The appropriate sections of this handbook are reviewed within each of the Discipline Area Committees when meeting to screen applications, interview candidates, or determine equivalency

Procedures related to classified staff selection are included as part of the administrative services procedures manual and are reviewed with selection committees as necessary.

Printed job announcements are developed for each classified and certificated opening. These announcements define the position, outline qualifications, and specify selection procedures.

Job descriptions have been written for each administrative and classified position. They are on file in the offices of the president and classified personnel officer's (Director of Administrative Services). Administrative job descriptions are annually reviewed and updated as part of the management evaluation process. Classified job descriptions have been recently reviewed and updated through a district-wide reclassification study.

Written job descriptions for certificated directors in Student Services were jointly developed by the Vice President of Student Services and the membership of the Student Services Steering Council. They are reviewed annually and maintained on file in the office of the Vice President of Student Services.

APPRAISAL

In general, college employees are aware of established personnel selection procedures and hiring committees understand and adhere to these selection processes. Copies of the written procedures are readily available to all interested and concerned persons. The process appears to be working well.

Job descriptions are understood and followed. Provisions exist to make minor modifications to existing job descriptions in cases where changes in job assignments make this necessary.

There is a possibility that as the college responds to changes in technology it will be necessary to modify minimum qualifications for some classified positions. For example, the college-wide shift to the use of computer networks instead of typewriters may render obsolete the general requirement for speed typing skills in clerical positions.

PLAN

The college personnel office will work with supervisors and the district personnel office to ensure that minimum qualifications for classified positions adequately reflect changing technologies.

STANDARD 4A.3

Teaching effectiveness is the principal criterion for the selection of the teaching faculty.

DESCRIPTION

For every open full-time faculty position, a separate hiring committee is formed. According to Board Policy, each hiring committee is structured so as to guarantee that a majority of the committee's members are faculty. It also requires that, whenever possible, the committee chair represent the subject matter discipline of the proposed position. In all cases, hiring committees serve as the primary recommending bodies for faculty selection to the college president. The hiring process for full-time faculty includes required teaching demonstrations of all candidates invited for interviews.

Adjunct faculty are selected for approved pools by Discipline Area Committees composed of three faculty members in the same or related disciplines and one administrator. Faculty members also chair each Discipline Area Committee.

APPRAISAL

Current faculty selection practices emphasize effective teaching skills for both full- and part-time faculty members. However, because it is sometimes necessary to staff an instructional assignment with new members from the adjunct pool, requiring demonstrated teaching effectiveness is not always possible.

STANDARD 4A.4

A written policy exists to ensure equity in call employment procedures. That policy is consistent with accrediting commission policy on non-discrimination and affirmative action. Consistent attention is paid to the meeting of the institution's affirmative action or diversity goals.

DESCRIPTION

On January 7, 1993, the Kern Community College District adopted a newly revised non-discrimination and affirmative action policy relative to the employment of personnel. The adoption process included opportunities for substantial input and consideration by Cerro Coso faculty and administrative staff as part of a one-year period of development and review.

Representatives of Cerro Coso's Academic Senate worked with district staff to develop a faculty hiring process that is consistent with district Affirmative Action Policies. The latter policies emphasize the importance of selecting staff who represent the diversity of the adult community, mandate training in affirmative action for members of hiring committees, and define the role of the college Affirmative Action Officer. Similar attention to affirmative action procedures is provided for in Board Policy regarding the hiring of part-time faculty.

The college periodically reports progress towards achieving its diversity goals to the district Personnel Office and the district Personnel Council. Applicant pools for both faculty and classified personnel are reviewed by the college Affirmative Action Officer and the district Personnel Officer to determine the adequacy of the pool before the selection process begins.

Both college and district officials engage in activities to achieve affirmative action goals, including the following: participation in state and local job fairs; advertising positions in state and national publications; actively soliciting diverse candidates from state colleges and universities; and advertising in publications traditionally read by minorities.

The district has established a mentoring program which provides incentives to faculty members who serve as mentors to ethnic minority students who subsequently are hired to teach in one of the colleges in the district. Four faculty members at Cerro Coso are currently participating in this program.

APPRAISAL

Cerro Coso actively supports district efforts to achieve its affirmative action goals. However, as the college anticipates its future needs to hire new certificated personnel, it will be necessary to increase efforts to achieve greater ethnic diversity. To accomplish this, consideration should be given to revising the college affirmative action plan to include specific strategies for actively recruiting minorities for open positions.

Prior to the spring 1994 school ten-n, only three college employees had received training to guide the affirmative action process in the selection of staff. This placed

an inordinate demand on their time as they had to participate on selection committees throughout the year at all college sites. Additional affirmative action representatives had to be trained, with special emphasis on extending training to all sites. A special seminar on affirmative action hiring practices was concluded for selected staff members in April 1994.

PLAN

The district personnel staff, members of the Cerro Coso Academic Senate, and the Vice President of Instruction will establish a faculty intern program during the 1994-95 school year as per provisions of AB 1725 for the purpose of increasing the number of faculty from under-represented groups.

Cerro Coso's personnel officer will work cooperatively with district staff to establish a district-wide, community-based Affirmative Action Advisory Committee.

The Cerro Coso personnel officer will continue to conduct regular training sessions for college affirmative action representatives and other interested members of the college staff.

The college personnel officer will develop a recruitment plan for certificated staff that identifies specific methods for actively recruiting ethnic minorities and women candidates.

STANDARD 4B QUALIFICATIONS OF STAFF

STANDARD 4B.1

All members of the staff, including faculty, paraprofessionals, support staff, and administrators, are qualified by academic background and experience to carry out their institutional and program responsibilities in accord with the purposes of the institution.

DESCRIPTION

Faculty at Cerro Coso Community College satisfy minimum qualifications for teaching, counseling, or performing other services for students, either by holding appropriate State credentials, meeting minimum state-wide requirements, or being deemed equivalent on the basis of some combination of work experience, education, and training. The following chart shows the numbers and percentages of full-time faculty with their highest earned degrees:

FULL-TIME FACULTY

DEGREE TOTAL # TOTAL %

Doctorate 5 14

Master’s 26 74

Bachelor’s 2 6

Associate’s 1 3

No Degree 1 3

TOTAL 35

Of the ten Cerro Coso administrators, seven hold doctorate degrees and three have master's degrees. One of three confidential employees holds a baccalaureate degree.

Cerro Coso employs a large number of adjunct faculty each school term. Adjunct faculty are now required to meet the same minimum qualifications as full-time faculty, even though many current part-time instructors were "grandfathered in" under the former credentialing requirements. The following chart shows the education levels of adjunct faculty employed at Cerro Coso during the last five years.

ADJUNCT FACULTY

DEGREE TOTAL# TOTAL%

Doctorate 23 8

Master’s 141 51

Bachelor’s 83 30

Associate’s 13 5

No Degree 15 6

TOTAL 275

As a result of AB 1725, all full- and part-time faculty were placed in specific discipline areas according to their minimum qualifications. A listing of faculty by discipline area is maintained in the college Instruction Office and in the district Personnel Office. Approved adjunct faculty pools are also organized by discipline areas.

Discipline Area Committees consisting of full-time faculty review applicants for the Adjunct Faculty Pool to determine whether they are qualified to teach in that discipline through minimum qualification or equivalency. Part-time instructor applicants are placed in the discipline pool for a possible teaching assignment only after this determination has been made.

As with faculty, the qualifications of classified staff is determined by the screening and selection process. All classified staff meet the minimum requirements for their position and many exceed these requirements. APPRAISAL Despite the relative geographical remoteness of the Cerro Coso campus and its extension sites, the

college has been able to assemble an excellent staff because of its long-standing commitment to hiring quality employees for every position.

F-specially notable is the success the college has had in maintaining high standards among its large pool of adjunct faculty since finding well-qualified applicants for every teaching assignment is often difficult. There is some concern that the college is beginning to experience increasing difficulty in recruiting new part-time faculty because of the relatively low continuing education faculty pay schedule. The current pay schedule is between 20 percent and 35 percent below that of bordering districts. While this deficiency is recognized, recent financial constraints have limited the district's ability to respond favorably.

The college monitors the availability of faculty for possible teaching assignments and maintains a comprehensive database in the Instruction Office which includes the following: composition of the faculty; the basis on which employment has been made (credential, appropriate degree(s), equivalent experience etc.); a history of courses taught; and the qualifying disciplines for each faculty member.

PLAN

The faculty equivalency committee will annually review equivalency guidelines and monitor equivalency granted by Discipline

Area Committees so that consistency and quality is maintained.

Instructional administrators will continue to work with district Personnel Office staff to identify ways to increase compensation for part-time faculty.

STANDARD 4C EVALUATION

STANDARD 4C.1

The evaluation of each category of staff is systematic and conducted at stated intervals. The follow-up of all evaluations is formal, systematic, and timely.

DESCRIPTION

Guidelines for evaluations of full-time faculty are set forth in Article 5E of the Kern Community College District Board Policy which conforms to the provisions of both AB 1725 and the CCA contract. Tenured faculty are evaluated every three years under Mode B, while new non-tenured faculty are evaluated annually for the first four years under Mode A. Mode C evaluations are only invoked when substantive deficiencies require the development of a remediation plan. In all evaluation modes, administrative, peer, student, and self evaluations are utilized.

Records are maintained by the college Certificated Personnel Officer (Vice President of Instruction) on the past and projected evaluations of each full-time faculty member. At the opening of each academic year, the Vice President of Instruction and Academic Senate President meet to review the chart of faculty evaluations scheduled for the year and to select members for each Peer Evaluation Committee.

Upon completion of each evaluation, the written evaluation report is signed by the faculty member, supervising dean, and college president, and forwarded to the district Personnel Director for placement in the evaluatee's permanent file. Copies of the completed evaluation report are provided to the faculty member, college president, and Vice President of Instruction.

In accordance with Article 7D of the District Board Policy, evaluations of adjunct faculty are conducted by the Dean of Continuing Education at the Indian Wells Valley campus and by each of the administrators at the extension sites. The patterns of evaluation vary somewhat among sites but normally include administrative observations of classroom performance and student evaluations of instruction. In most cases, all new adjunct faculty receive initial classroom observations and are evaluated by their students during their first two or three teaching assignments. Those adjunct faculty members who have been teaching at Cerro Coso for several years are, on the average, evaluated at least every two years depending on their past teaching performance and prior evaluations. Both student evaluations of instruction and classroom observations are reviewed by the supervising administrators who develop a written summary or evaluation report. A copy of the report is provided to the adjunct faculty member who is invited to discuss it with his/her supervisor and/or respond to any or all aspects of it in writing. Remediation strategies and action plans, if any, are formulated during a conference between the adjunct faculty member and administrator. Any written responses are attached to a copy of the evaluation report and placed in the instructor's personnel file in the Instruction Office.

In accordance with Article 9L.3B of District Board Policy, permanent classified employees are evaluated annually, one month following their birthday, and probationary staff members are evaluated three times during their first year: end of three months, six months, and eleven months.

All confidential and management personnel are currently evaluated on an annual basis. Until 1992, the evaluation of confidential and management staff consisted of the employee updating his/her job description, writing a summary review of accomplishments during the previous year, and establishing goals for the coming year. This process has been augmented to include a more formalized self-assessment, which includes accomplishments and future goals, as well as a written evaluation by the employee's immediate supervisor. In addition, at least once every four years all confidential and management personnel will receive a more extensive evaluation involving faculty and staff participation.

APPRAISAL

All full-time faculty have been regularly evaluated in accordance with district policies. Faculty participation on Peer Evaluation Committees has been thorough and conscientious, even though the time involved in conducting these AB 1725-mandated evaluations has been extensive. Because of this, strict adherence to timelines hasn't

always been possible. District and college management staff have subsequently worked together with CCA negotiators to achieve more realistic and workable evaluation timelines for full-time faculty. Even though effort is made to regularly evaluate all part-time faculty, a more consistent and comprehensive approach that is applicable and appropriate for all college sites needs to be developed.

In spring 1992, college managers and supervisors attended district workshops on classified staff evaluation procedures. As a result of these workshops, the evaluations of classified employees have been conducted in a more timely and consistent manner. However, adherence to established evaluation timelines by supervisors could still be improved.

During the first two years of implementation of the new confidential and management personnel evaluation process, one-fourth of all such employees were comprehensively evaluated in the spring 1993 and another one-fourth in the spring 1994. These evaluations have proven to be effective in recognizing individual strengths and accomplishments, as well as motivating improvement.

PLAN

Cerro Coso will continue to adhere to district procedures for evaluating full-time faculty, classified staff, and confidential management personnel.

The Dean of Continuing Education, together with the Academic Senate, will develop a comprehensive all-college plan for the conduct of adjunct faculty evaluations that is applicable to all college sites.

STANDARD 4C.2

Evaluation processes seek to assess effectiveness and encourage improvement.

DESCRIPTION

The primary purpose of faculty evaluation is the "enhancement of job competence." Additional purposes include situations involving disciplinary action and the determination of faculty tenure. Evaluative criteria include adherence to one's job description and the performance of faculty duties, as listed in the current faculty contract. Classroom observation forms and administrative assessment forms manifest the foregoing purposes and criteria.

According to the classified contract, the evaluation of a staff member is primarily the result of observed performance and documented action since the last evaluation. Evaluations are based on job-related criteria and include specific recommendations for improvement.

Confidential and management evaluation is designed to encourage improvement and recognize achievement. Much of the process is directed toward the development and achievement of goals that are related to college and district goals. The district Certificated Personnel Office staff periodically conduct workshops for managers to

assist them in developing evaluation techniques to assess effectiveness and encourage improvement of faculty and classified staff.

APPRAISAL

The current evaluation processes at Cerro Coso appear to successfully address and assess the various aspects of effectiveness in the job performances of its employees. At the same time, there is a concomitant emphasis on continuous improvement, instead of merely identifying job deficiencies. Enhancing effectiveness through continuous improvement has been achieved by training in evaluation techniques, expanding the involvement of peers in the evaluation processes, and focusing on developing individual goals that involve both the employee's technical and human relations competencies.

STANDARD 4C.3

Teaching excellence is the principal criterion for the retention of teaching faculty.

DESCRIPTION

Article 7C6G of the District Board Policy outlines the standards of performance expected of the teaching faculty that are related to teaching excellence: teaching performance, classroom management, student achievement, student relationships, personal qualities and professional qualities. These are observed through peer evaluation by committee, student evaluation, administrative assessment, instructor self-evaluation, and goal-setting.

APPRAISAL

The evaluation process for full-time teaching .faculty emphasizes a number of the aspects of the teaching-learning process but not enough to conclude that teaching excellence per se is the principal criterion for their retention. The sole criteria for evaluation of adjunct faculty is classroom performance.

STANDARD 4D STAFF DEVELOPMENT

STANDARD 4D.1

Members of the faculty, administration, and support staff remain current in their field of expertise.

DESCRIPTION

Attendance at off-campus district, state, and regional conferences and workshops has been the single most important method for college employees to gain and maintain currency in their fields of expertise. Since 1990, some staff development funds have been specially designated for staff travel and conferences, and college employees have been encouraged to utilize these funds for this purpose. These monies have been significantly augmented by special project and categorical funds, such as those for vocational education, EOPS, DSPS, and matriculation, which allow other staff to attend special events and conferences related to these areas of service.

There is institutional funding support for faculty sabbatical leaves, for the completion of approved college course work, and for attendance at district-wide meetings and workshops. For faculty, additional ways of staying current in subject matter and/or service areas are through professional journals and via interaction with their faculty colleagues.

Classified employees may participate in a Classified Staff Professional Development Plan which rewards employees for completing an approved 15-unit course of study related to their job or potential work assignment.

A recently instituted policy permits administrators to release classified staff members during work hours to attend college classes and pay their course fees as a way of providing in-service training.

APPRAISAL

Because a high value is placed on faculty, administration, and classified staff members at Cerro Coso maintaining currency in their fields of expertise, all funds designated for travel and conference are exhausted each year. More than half of the faculty have attended conferences during each of the past two years, using approximately two-thirds of the travel and conference budget monies.

Classified staff have also taken advantage of opportunities to attend off-campus conferences and workshops.

A number of administrators, faculty and staff have managed to further their professional development on their own. Some have traveled out of the area to complete advanced degrees while others have received grants to attend seminars and workshops through such organizations as the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The college has supported released time for conferences and travel funding in previous years when such staff development funds for this purpose were unavailable. There is a concern that a decline in staff development funding could adversely affect conference and travel funding in the future. The 1991-92 and 1992-93 staff development budgets contained no additional institutional contributions.

PLAN

The Staff Development Committee will continue to maintain a budget category for staff travel and conferences as long as funding permits.

STANDARD 4D.2

Development opportunities are planned for each staff category with the participation of that staff and are available to all and supported by the administration and the governing board.

DESCRIPTION

The major responsibility for campus staff development activities is assigned to the Governance Committee on Staff

Development. Since 1988, this body has functioned as a college-wide committee, with broad representation from the classified staff, faculty, and administration. The committee is charged with the responsibility to promote the professional and personal growth of all staff members, as well as foster organizational development through leadership and process training. Under the college's Shared Governance Model, this committee reports to the College Council but has broad latitude to plan and implement staff development events and activities for the college. A special sub-committee of this group is appointed each year to oversee the allocation of funds for travel and conferences.

The Staff Development Committee operates with a budget funded by both institutional monies and state AB 1725 funds. In the past, almost 60 percent of the committee's total budget has been designated for travel and conferences. Most of the remaining funds are used to bring outside speakers and workshops to the Indian Wells Valley campus. Extension sites are also allocated some funding to sponsor development activities within their areas. A small amount of funds has been used to support a resource library of staff development software housed in the college's Instructional Media Center.

APPRAISAL

All segments of the college staff are involved in planning and implementing activities and events that benefit not only their own staff category but also other college employees. The Staff Development Committee has been successful in offering a variety of activities in numerous topic areas in an attempt to meet the diverse needs of the entire staff. Activities and events are widely advertised and all employees are encouraged to attend with the support of the college president and other administrators.

In attempting to design an effective staff development program, the two major challenges have been (1) selecting topics and presenters that appeal to, and are appropriate for, all members of the campus community, and (2) scheduling events and activities so that all who are interested have the opportunity to attend.

A Staff Development program evaluation survey of employees in 1991-92 yielded very positive responses as well as numerous "didn't know/did not attend" responses. A more recent survey in November 1993 concluded that no single type of activity or event can meet the needs of all staff, so it is important to schedule a variety of

activities to meet a diversity of needs. And even though social activities were valued, these were not considered to be true staff development per se. This survey also indicated an almost universal need for more training with technology, a need which has subsequently been addressed.

Scheduling staff development activities during the afternoon hours (especially on Fridays) has proven to be the most successful for increasing employee participation. However, even though the college president and other administrators have been very supportive of this program, the need to maintain minimal services in all campus offices makes it impossible for all classified staff to attend. The level of full-time faculty involvement is also reduced by the number of day classes they are teaching, while most of the adjunct instructors, who primarily teach evening classes, are not able to attend college events during the daytime hours.

PLAN

The Staff Development Committee will survey college staff annually to assist in determining the direction of future staff activities and will work more closely with each of the senates to ensure that appropriate activities are planned annually for each staff category.

The Academic Senate and Staff Development Committee will jointly revisit the concept of flex calendar to determine if it can enhance the staff development program and increase faculty participation, as well as provide opportunities for greater interaction among part-time and full-time faculty.

STANDARD 4D.3

Faculty, administration, and staff members engage in professional activity supported by the institution.

DESCRIPTION

Faculty, administration, and staff are active in the Shared Governance Committees as well as committees determined by the senates. The active participation of all categories of staff is a primary goal. Committee meetings are frequently scheduled during college hours to allow for maximum participation of all college employees. (The president of the Academic Senate represents faculty in meetings with the college. administration as well as district administration. The position is supported with six LHE per year assignment.)

All employees are encouraged to be a positive force for Cerro Coso on the campus and in the community. The college belongs to the League for Innovation in the Community College and yearly recognizes an Innovator of the Year at the college. The Board of Trustees holds one meeting per year at the campus, during which time the college formally recognizes student, faculty, and staff achievement.

College employees are active in the community in civic and professional organizations, service clubs, fine and performing arts events, as newspaper columnists, and as community activists.

The college supports faculty, administrative, and staff participation in professional activities. Employees who have assumed leadership roles in professional organizations or who have made presentations to professional meetings have been provided release time and support for travel expenses.

APPRAISAL

College employees are encouraged to participate on college committees. The small number of full-time faculty means that members frequently devote time to several committees each. The active members of the Classified Senate face similar problems in participating in Shared Governance.

Staff members are encouraged to be active in the community and to bring the community to the college. This occurs regularly with music and drama programs, health fairs, art workshops and exhibits, and guest authors and lecturers.

PLAN

The College Council will continue to seek full participation of faculty and staff on college committees.

STANDARD 4E OTHER PERSONNEL POLICIES

STANDARD 4E.1

Personnel policies and procedures affecting staff are clear, equitable, and available for information and review.

DESCRIPTION

Most college personnel policies and procedures are contained in the District Board Policy Manual. Specific personnel-related sections of the manual are provided for Certificated Personnel (Section 5), Certificated Academic Senate (Section 6), Certificated Part-time (Section 7), Classified Personnel (Section 9), and Confidential/Management Personnel (Section 10). The policy manual also includes a section on general personnel administration (Section 11). The district procedures are operationalized through a campus administrative procedures handbook which is periodically reviewed and revised as needed.

Efforts are made to ensure that personnel policy information is readily available to all staff and other interested persons. The Board Policy Manual is a public document and is distributed to all supervisors, faculty, classified leaders, and all relevant employee

organizations. In addition, a current copy is located in the college library. Copies of the current certificated and classified collective bargaining contracts are distributed annually to all employees and managers. A summary of all personnel policy changes since publication of the prevailing contract is distributed widely. The district periodically provides workshops

on each campus for supervisors regarding contract updates, and both unions hold contract update meetings annually for bargaining unit members.

APPRAISAL

Most college personnel policies and procedures are incorporated in the District Board Policy Manual and are adhered to by district and college staffs, are regularly updated, and broadly distributed among the district colleges. The entire policy manual was reviewed and revised during the 1991-92 academic year and approved by the Board of Trustees in early fall 1992. All employee groups were involved in this revision to ensure, among other things, clarity and equitability.

Because of the diversity of the colleges, communities, and personnel within the district, consistent administration of personnel policies requires continual review and updating. District-wide committees meet regularly to discuss many personnel-related issues in an effort to maintain this consistency. Such groups include the district Personnel Council, the district Vice Presidents of Instruction, and the college Academic Senates.

PLAN

The district Personnel Office and district-wide groups representing the colleges will continue to review personnel policies and procedures and ensure the dissemination of appropriate personnel information to the various campus constituencies.

STANDARD 4E.2

Criteria for determining work loads are clearly stated and equitably applied.

DESCRIPTION

Faculty load policies applicable to each of the district colleges are incorporated in the District Board Policy Manual. They are an integral part of a binding agreement between the Kern Community College District and the Kern Community College California Teachers' Association. The average work week is defined as 40 hours of professional activity and the work year consists of 175 days. This load policy specifies assignments for instructors, counselors, librarians, and other non-teaching assignments, as well as how workload and overload are computed.

Work loads for classified employees are also found in the District Board Policy Manual and have been recently reviewed as part of a district-wide reclassification study.

APPRAISAL

Even though it is thought that the current faculty load policy is equitably applied, some members of the Cerro Coso faculty and administration believe that the current load policy does not adequately represent the actual workload of the faculty. Neither does the cur-rent load policy provide for nontraditional instructional delivery embodied in distance learning. Faculty and administrative representatives from district colleges have been meeting with the goal of identifying a uniform load policy.

PLAN

The district Personnel Officer will periodically undertake classified job studies to maintain clarity and equitability among the various job classifications.

Cerro Coso faculty and administrators will continue to participate in the on-going district faculty load study.

STANDARD 4E.3

There are Systematic Processes for the development of Personnel Policies.

DESCRIPTION

College personnel policies are reviewed regularly via the monthly meetings of the district Personnel Council whose membership includes the Assistant Chancellor for Personnel and the Personnel Directors of each college. Suggestions for changes in district personnel policy or policy administration are often initiated by this group. Other district groups, such as the district Vice Presidents of Instruction or the district Vice Presidents of Student Services, may also initiate suggestions for changes in personnel policies.

Suggestions for changes in personnel policy are first prepared in draft form by the initiating group and then widely distributed to employee groups and campus managers for review. The draft is then refined and modified, as necessary, and submitted to the district Chancellor's Cabinet for review. After review, the cabinet requests input from campus groups before the policy is recommended for adoption to the Board of Trustees.

APPRAISAL

The process for developing and/or changing personnel policy is well defined and is designed to achieve a broad range of review and input prior to adoption. Even though this process has proven to be cumbersome at times because of the slow responses of campus groups, it is generally thought to be thorough and effective.

STANDARD 4E.4

Procedures and criteria for personnel appointment, evaluation, retention, advancement, and due processes are explicitly stated.

DESCRIPTION

The district through board policy establishes the basic parameters for hiring, evaluation, retention, and advancement of staff. These policies and due process procedures are contained in the board policy manual, college personnel manuals, and employee union contracts.

APPRAISAL

All personnel are provided with printed copies of explicit statements covering procedures and policies related to appointments, retention, advancement, and due process.

STANDARD 4E.5

Policy regarding privacy of information is clearly stated and consistently administered.

DESCRIPTION

Policies related to privacy of information, as well as actions relating to personnel files, are stated in the District Board Policy Manual. All information contained in personnel files is considered confidential. Other than supervisory staff, no one is provided access to any staff member's personnel file without the written permission of the employee. All official personnel files are maintained at the district office. To review a file requires a written request which is then placed in the file for future reference.

APPRAISAL

This process is working well. There has been no difficulty with maintaining the confidentiality of personnel files. Although policies related to privacy are written in the Board Policy Manual, they are not communicated to all personnel through the college personnel handbooks.

PLAN

Policies related to privacy of information will be communicated to all staff through employee handbooks.


1. Classified Staff Handbook 2. Faculty evaluation forms 3. Classified evaluation forms

4. Management evaluation forms 5. Part time faculty data file 6. Course by Discipline List 7. Faculty Selection and Minimum Qualifications handbook 8. Position opening announcements 9. KCCD Salary Information Guide 10. Annual Staff Development Report 11. Staff Development Committee minutes 12. Staff Development Committee Survey of staff 13. College staffing process documents

STANDARD FIVE LIBRARY AND LEARNING RESOURCES

Committee Members: Leo Girardot, Chair Richard Benson Sally Franklin Ruth Gleason Jonathan Tittle Suzanne Wyatt

STANDARD FIVE LIBRARY AND LEARNING RESOURCES

The college provides those Teaming resources necessary to support the educational program and the intellectual and cultural development of staff and students, day and evening, on- and off-campus. The adequacy of an institution's Teaming resources is judged in terms of its goals and programs. The effectiveness of an institution's teaming resources is judged by how well and how much they are actually used.

Learning resources include the library and its collections, learning laboratories and centers, other collections of materials that support teaching and Teaming, instructional technology and support services, distribution and maintenance systems for equipment and materials, instructional information systems, instructional computers and software, telecommunications and other instructional media, and the facilities that house such equipment and services.


STANDARD 5A.1

Library holdings, media resources, facilities, and staff are sufficient in quality, depth, diversity, and currentness to support the institution's educational offerings.

DESCRIPTION

Cerro Coso's Learning Resource Center (LRC) on the Indian Wells Valley campus consists of a library and an Instructional Media Center. To serve a student body of approximately 2,540 full-time-equivalent students, the library houses 23,536 volumes and 127 periodical and newspaper subscriptions that support academic disciplines and vocational educational programs offered at the college. The Instructional Media Center currently maintains a collection of 2,069 videotapes, films, and filmstrips for student and faculty use.

Students may access the resources of two CD ROM magazine indexes in the library: Info Trac II, Magazine Index Plus and Info Trac Health Reference Center. A central card catalog directs library patrons to books in the

collection, pamphlet materials, and non print resources. The library has space to accommodate 106 patrons at tables and study carrels, plus two small study/conference rooms which can be reserved for group study or tutoring.

The LRC staffing totals 4.47 FTE employees, significantly below recommended standards (see section 5D). All LRC staff are qualified in their various areas of expertise.

APPRAISAL

The minimum collection size recommended in Standards for Community, Junior, and Technical College Learning Resources Programs for a college the size of Cerro Coso is 40,000 volumes of books, 300 serial subscriptions, 400 videos and films, and 5,100 other items for a total of 45,800 items. The Cerro Coso library has just over one-half of the minimum recommended collection of books and less then one-half of the minimum recommended serials but over four times the minimum number of films and videotapes. Faculty are encouraged to participate in the selection of materials, and while some do, many do not.

The assignable square feet in both the library and media center totals 11,663, approximately 27,047 square feet below the minimum recommended for a Teaming resources facility. With 106 user stations, the LRC falls short by 244 the number of minimum recommended stations for a college of this size. Cerro Coso's five-year capital outlay plan indicates that even though it is under built in library space, it would not qualify for a new LRC facility at this time.

PLAN

The Director of Learning Resources will provide necessary information to the college Development Office so that the option to enlarge the existing library facility may be pursued.

The Director of Learning Resources will continue to pursue additional budget allocations for complete automation of LRC circulation and card catalog functions.

STANDARD 5A.2

The library collection and other learning resources are adequately supported in relation to the total budget and needs of the institution.

DESCRIPTION

The LRC budget for 1992-93 was $47,835, which included $20,000 for books, $3,670 for videotape purchases, $7,662 for CD ROM magazine indexes, and $7500 for subscriptions, supplies, equipment repair, and dues and memberships.

The amount budgeted for 1993-94 increased slightly to $51,842. Price increases for films and videos, magazine subscriptions, and supplies accounted for the $4,000 difference.

APPRAISAL

A budget consistent with the need to expand and maintain the excellence of the collection is essential for developing a viable library that provides adequate service to all patrons. The budget for print and non print materials has stabilized in recent years. Although the college has made a commitment to increasing the size of the book collection, the library is still well @below the standards established in the Standards for Community, Junior and Technical College Learning Resources Programs.

With a student FFE of 2540 and a Learning Resources budget of $51,842 for 1993-94, Cerro Coso spent just over $20 per FT'E student on Learning Resources. The minimum recommended amount is $190 per FFE student.

PLAN

The Director of Learning Resources will continue to seek budget support to augment the print collection and add CD ROM-based, full-text resources to the periodical collection.

STANDARD 5A.3

Learning Resources are de-signed to provide support for varying modes of instruction appropriate to student's needs and learning styles and are augmented to serve curricular changes.

DESCRIPTION

The Learning Resources Center provides video, film, slides, and related equipment for instructional use. Instructors may use these resources in classes, or students may use them individually in the library.

The Learning Assistance Center provides several modes for meeting student learning needs through a variety of approaches. These modes include individual computer-aided instruction through the Handicapped High Tech Center, the Plato Learning laboratory, individualized instruction, and tutoring.

APPRAISAL

The Learning Resources Center supports a variety of instructional modes and student learning styles.

STANDARD 5A.4

Technical assistance is provided to facu4 in the production of tests, syllabi, audio visual programs, and other instructional materials.

DESCRIPTION

Assistance in test construction, syllabi preparation, and the check out of other instructional materials is provided by the Office of Instruction. The ordering of textbook examination and desk copies, as well as accompanying instructor manuals, test banks, and software, is provided as a service to faculty by the college bookstore. Assistance with the preparation of printed materials, such as class handouts and transparencies, is provided by the Office of Instruction and the Graphics/Print Shop. Instructors may obtain copies of subject matter bibliographies from the library and inventory listings of applicable media programs from the Instructional Media Center.

APPRAISAL

Technical assistance is provided to faculty members to help them develop many types of instructional materials for classroom application. However, the college does not currently possess the capability to produce audio-visual programs or author multimedia presentations. The Information Technology Task Force is exploring the possibility of establishing a center on campus whose purpose will be to support the development of faculty-authored presentational materials.

PLAN

The Vice President of Instruction will establish a faculty driven multimedia and computer assisted instruction authoring center to be operational in fall 1994.

STANDARD 5A.5

Learning resources equipment is properly maintained.

DESCRIPTION

The library has three computers: two for patron access to CD ROM magazine indexes and one for staff use. Other library equipment consists of two microfiche reader/printers and several electric typewriters for patron use. Only the typewriters and microfiche reader/printers are maintained and repaired on service contracts.

The Instruction Media Center houses and is responsible for a variety of instructional equipment placed in various instructional spaces. These include overhead projectors, film projectors, slide projectors, videotape players and monitors, film strip projectors, video cameras, and compact disc players. This equipment is maintained and repaired by the Kern County School District in Bakersfield. Maintenance and simple repairs are accomplished by the college's Audio Visual Technician.

APPRAISAL

The lack of a college-wide computer plan to purchase, maintain, and repair computers has adversely affected the Learning Resources Center. When a piece of computer equipment fails, it is difficult to know how to resolve the problem. Lack of funds for equipment purchases has made necessary the continued use of old and sometimes inadequate instructional equipment in the classrooms.

PLAN

The Information Technology Committee will develop a college-wide computer plan for the purchase, deployment, and maintenance of such hardware which shall include that used for the automation of the library.

STANDARD 5B RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

STANDARD SB.1

There is an organized procedure in which faculty and administrators participate in the selection, evaluation, and elimination of library holdings, learning resources, and materials.

DESCRIPTION

Print and non-print materials are selected and evaluated in accordance with the Cerro Coso Collection Development Policy. The goals and objectives of the college and the library are to support the college curriculum, college faculty, and meet student needs. Collection Development Policy guidelines are used to select and obtain books, periodicals, instructional media, and other reference materials for use by all members of the college community and other library patrons.

Although the privilege and responsibility for selection of library materials belongs to the faculty and staff, the actual responsibility for acquiring a complete and balanced collection rests with the professional staff of the college library. At the beginning of

each budget cycle, all college faculty are formally requested to submit suggestions for library acquisitions in their subject matter areas. At the same time, they are provided with publisher's catalogs for reference. AR faculty requests are carefully evaluated by the LRC staff on the basis of the availability of title selections, relationships to college curriculum, known patron needs and requests, whether or not available in periodicals in current print or computer-based indexes, and availability at other local libraries. The librarian director and library technician annually assess the periodical collection, together with requests received from faculty and staff. When funding allows additional subscriptions or necessitates budget cuts, faculty are contacted and asked for input and suggestions.

Collection development also involves the evaluation and weeding of damaged or obsolete materials as an essential part of maintaining the quality of the collection. Both full- and part-time faculty members are periodically requested to assist library staff in evaluating print and non-print materials currently held in their areas of expertise. Such evaluations may result in the actual removal of portions of the library collection, in accordance with the criteria included in the Collection Development Policy.

APPRAISAL

The cooperative processes by which the faculty, staff and library/media staff select and remove materials from the college collection serve the best interests of the college community by incorporating maximum input and encouraging college-wide participation. In this respect, the relatively small size of the full-time faculty is an advantage because it allows for more frequent and personal contact regarding acquisitions. However, there is a tendency for the collection to become somewhat skewed because adjunct faculty involvement in these processes is more difficult to obtain. Discipline areas where no full-time faculty exist suffer accordingly.

In general, faculty also tend to be less willing to assist the library staff with the weeding process.

PLAN

The library staff will continue to work closely and cooperatively with the college faculty to evaluate and maintain a viable collection in the LRC.

STANDARD 5B.2

Faculty and staff are kept informed about new developments in teaming technologies,

DESCRIPTION

Faculty and staff are informed about new developments in Teaming technologies in a variety of ways.

Faculty and staff meetings have included information and discussion about new technologies. During the 1992-93 year the Staff Development Committee sponsored a campus program and guest speaker on the topic of the future of education and technology.

Faculty and staff have been afforded the opportunity to attend League of Innovation sponsored conferences and seminars on new technology in the classroom.

A High Tech Center (HTC), located in the Learning Assistance Center, has been equipped with adaptive computer equipment to assist students with physical handicaps and Teaming disabilities. Cognizant staff members have received training in the use of the new hardware and software at the model HTC at De Anza College in Cupertino, California. Learning Assistance Center staff members have visited other colleges to learn about their hardware, software, and computerized instructional programs.

Two classes designed to provide a basic understanding of the WordPerfect word processing program were offered to faculty and staff. A 15-hour class covered document creation, editing, formatting, printing, and filing, while the other, a 4-hour class, covered only the basics of word processing.

Two all staff workshops were conducted in the spring of 1994 to acquaint faculty and staff with Internet, the campus network, and the college's long-range plan for technology.

APPRAISAL

There is a need for a more coordinated approach to keeping staff informed of new developments in learning technologies at Cerro Coso. Various groups and individuals at the college are separately exploring the uses of new technology, purchasing hardware and software, and implementing such enhancements in their work areas or classrooms. There is a lack of coordination among these groups and individuals.

An AD Hoc committee of the College Council, the Information Technology Task Force, was formed to assess the technology presently available and to develop a technology plan for the college. Task force members have surveyed the faculty and staff to determine the present status of technology utilization within the college. Also explored were the uses of technology at other colleges. The results of these efforts will aid in developing an overall information technology plan for Cerro Coso.

The Information Technology Task Force provided two all staff workshops on information technology for faculty and staff in an attempt to better inform the college about new opportunities in the use of technology. Less than half the faculty attended the workshops, indicating a need to identify additional methods for keeping faculty informed.

Goal Eight in the college master plan states that Cerro Coso will "integrate technology throughout the college using state-of-the-art developments in communications, such as computers and satellite systems, to enhance student learning and promote organizational effectiveness." If Cerro Coso is to achieve this goal, educating faculty about new technology should be a high priority. The use of

multimedia presentations, adaptive computer equipment, computer local area networks, wide area networks, and distance learning strategies offer exciting prospects for doing a better job with current students, as well as reaching new student populations.

PLAN

The college will continue to schedule campus and district workshops and faculty meetings devoted to technology in education and encourage faculty members to attend appropriate conferences and seminars.

The Information Technology Committee will implement recommendations for the application and management of information technologies at Cerro Coso.

STANDARD 5C ACCESSIBILITY

STANDARD 5C.1

Use of library and other resources is promoted through a comprehensive program of orientation, instruction, and printed material designed to assure substantial use of these resources by students, staff, and faculty. Attention is given to the needs of both traditional and nontraditional students.

DESCRIPTION

The Director of Learning Resources and her staff work with instructors to make students aware of the kinds of learning resources that are available in the library. Faculty members are encouraged to schedule orientation tours of the library for their classes each semester. The librarian also makes herself available for class presentations and answering questions about the library. Handouts and fliers in the library describe the resources and services provided by the library.

APPRAISAL

Even with the small size of the library staff, Cerro Coso has developed an appropriate program of orientation, instruction, and printed material designed to ensure substantial use of library and learning resources by students, staff, and faculty. The library staff has experienced its greatest success in this area by working with individual instructors on a class-by-class basis.

PLAN

The Director of Learning Resources and her staff will continue to develop methods to inform students about the college's Library and learning resources. A special effort will be made to involve classes with large numbers of nontraditional students, such as ESL and Basic Skill courses.

STANDARD 5C.2

Learning resources are available to students at off-campus centers for both day and evening students.

DESCRIPTION

The college's three extension sites largely depend on local public libraries to provide learning resources for their students. Although local branches are not large, students can order books and periodicals through the county library loan system. At Southern Extension, the Edwards Air Force Base library can be used by any student enrolled in a Cerro Coso class. Extension students may also request research services and library resources through the college library in Ridgecrest. In October 1993 the college librarian completed an Extension Library Resource Guide that was distributed to the off-campus locations during the spring 1994 semester.

APPRAISAL

It is clear that the college has not adequately met the learning resource needs of its students attending classes at off-campus sites even though local public libraries have cooperated with Cerro Coso in making their collections and services available to its students. Attempts have been made to ensure that instructors are aware of what learning resources are available through the local public libraries.

The Extension Library Resource Guide will help inform faculty and students at the extensions of the learning resources and services available through the college library. However, because of the significant distance between the Indian Wells Valley campus and all the extension locations, the real need is to find ways to make the college's learning resources more accessible to students at off-campus sites.

PLAN

The Vice President of Instruction and the college librarian will jointly develop a plan to automate the library holdings and electronically transmit learning resources to the extension sites.

STANDARD 5C.3

Hours of service provide adequate access to learning resources.

DESCRIPTION

The college library is open all hours that the campus is in operation (Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) except for one hour each evening from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The library is not open on weekends because the college campus is normally closed at these times.

APPRAISAL

The library hours appear to sufficiently meet student needs. The small size of the learning resources staff does not allow additional hours or days of service.

STANDARD 5C.4

Where reliance is placed on the resources of another Institution or organization, the arrangement is clearly delineated in a written agreement.

DESCRIPTION

The college has informal agreements with county libraries in Ridgecrest and its extension locations. A formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Cerro Coso and Edwards Air Force Base delineates the support that will be provided by the Base Library to Cerro Coso students and staff.

APPRAISAL

Aside from the MOU between Cerro Coso and Edwards Air Force Base, formal written agreements with local libraries are thought to be unnecessary.

STANDARD 5D FACULTY AND STAFF

STANDARD 5D.1

Learning resource staff are sufficient in number and properly qualified in various specialty areas to serve users and to provide technical support. (See Standard Three.)

DESCRIPTION

The professional staff in the Learning Resources Center consists of one FTE certificated director and professional librarian, one FI'F- library technician, one .60 FTE library assistant, two .50 FTE library assistants, and one .87 FTE audio/visual technician. The sum of these LRC positions is 4.47 FTE staff members, serving the library 61 hours per week.

The librarian's management functions include planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting, and budgeting. She also supervises those functions performed by the library technician, the audio/visual technician, and the part-time library assistants. The librarian and her staff maintain the collection, provide reference services, conduct orientations to use of the library, and perform

the annual inventory. The librarian also interacts with faculty, chairs the Library Advisory Committee, and generally represents the Learning Resource Center to the rest of the college community.

The library technician and assistants perform the bulk of the daily functions of the library.

They place book orders, process new books, maintain accounting procedures, compile daily and monthly statistics, and conduct the annual inventory. They also assist patrons by providing reference service and instruction in the use of the library equipment.

'Me Audio/Visual Technician's duties include the selection and purchase of audio-visual hardware and software, the ordering of rental films/videos and their distribution, and minor maintenance of audio-visual equipment. She also compiles daily and monthly statistics, maintains an inventory of hardware and software, and performs necessary clerical functions, as well as instructs others in the use of audio-visual equipment.

APPRAISAL

Since the last accreditation self-study report of 1990, there has been no change in the staffing levels of the Learning Resources Center. Needs have nevertheless increased with the student population and expanded usage of these services. With its 4.47 FFE staff, the LRC falls short of minimum recommended standards for a two-year college learning resource center.

According to Table A (Staffing Requirements for Services) taken from Standard for Community, Junior, and Technical College Resources Programs (approved by ACRL, and AECT 1990), staffing for a college of approximately 1000-2000 FTE should consist of the following:

Administrators 1

Professionals 3 (minimum) 5 (excellent)

Technicians 3 (minimum) 6 (excellent)

Other staff 3 (minimum) 6 (excellent)

Total staff 10 (minimum)

18 (excellent)

There have been no additional hours added to the operation of the Learning Resource Center (e.g., weekends). This would not be possible without additional professional and paraprofessional staff.

At this time, there is no specific staff-training program. The responsibilities of the technicians are taught "on the job."

PLAN

The Director of Learning Resources will make recommendations to the college Staffing Committee regarding the hiring of additional professional and technical staff and its impact on library service hours.

STANDARD 5E INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

STANDARD 5E.1

Computing and Data Communications Services are provided as teaming resources in sufficient quality and quantity to support the educational offerings of the institution.

DESCRIPTION

To support the educational offerings of the college, the Learning Resources Center is part of the Electronic Information Services/ California On-line Resources for Education (EIS/CORE) which provides the library staff with access via Internet to the University of California and California State University libraries for interlibrary loan purposes and for catalog information. The library can also access public libraries in California through on-line technology. Ordering books for the library is accomplished in large part by using on-line ordering with software provided by the book jobbers. The library's Magazine Index Plus and Health Reference Center provide computer searching for magazines and journal articles.

Available to students in the college's Learning Assistance Center (LAC) is the PLATO computerized instructional program which is networked to 15 student work stations. The courseware addresses skill levels from grade 3 through college and is designed specifically for adults. The lab is used by students needing to upgrade their skills in reading, basic math, algebra, and English, and by students preparing for the GED (Tests of General Educational Development). The recently created High Tech Center (HTC) in the LAC provides adaptive computer equipment and software to students with mobility, visual, speech, and hearing impairments, as well as Teaming disabilities. The HTC enables these students to have access to all the academic and support services programs provided by the college.

The Business Office Careers Laboratory offers typing programs, a computer literacy class, and courses in computer applications.

The Computer Science Laboratory supports a variety of programs, including computer languages, literacy, and applications courses. Open lab time is available for students approximately 48 hours weekly. During the open lab time, students may access application programs in word processing, data base management, spreadsheets, and desktop publishing. Students may also use academic support programs in accounting, statistics, mathematics, and drafting. During a recent school term, approximately 650 students made use of the open laboratory.

Southern Extension shares a computer lab with the Air Force that is linked by a local network where computer literacy and applications courses are offered.

The Kern River Valley Extension possesses a computer lab that is used as both a Teaming lab for students as well as a teaching facility for classes in keyboarding and computer literacy and applications.

Each of the Northern Extension sites in Bishop and Mammoth offer computer keyboarding, literacy, and applications courses in smaller laboratories. In Bishop, a remediation lab is also provided for students in the GAIN Program and those preparing to take the GED exams.

APPRAISAL

An automated library is essential if Cerro Coso is to provide Teaming resources in sufficient quality and quantity to support its educational offerings, both at the Indian Wells Valley campus and at the extension sites. However, with the on-line ordering system, books can be placed on the shelves quicker and patrons can check them out sooner.

Because the PLATO program currently used in the LAC was purchased in 1988, the hardware is old and the software out-dated. Students are also requesting that the LAC provide software for more advanced courses, such as calculus and pre-calculus. However, the results of a recent student survey indicated a high degree of satisfaction with the LAC's new High Tech Center.

Effort is made to continuously upgrade both the main campus Office Careers Lab and Computer Science Lab, as permitted by the college budget. Most recently the Office Careers Lab was upgraded to provide for instruction in Windows. The file server in the Computer Science Lab was also upgraded to provide a mirror back-up system. However, there is a need to upgrade 20 of the workstations from 8088 processors to 486 processors so that all stations can use current software programs.

The computer labs at all extension sites are well utilized. In all of these off-campus locations, the major concerns regarding computer facilities are for more space and work stations, proper periodic maintenance of the equipment and networks, and the regular updating of both hardware and software.

The Kern River Valley Extension is utilizing its computers and lab. Even though the classes offered are appropriate, more computers would allow more students to participate in classes and have lab time.

The college has recently considered a long-range plan for the use of information technology to support the instructional program. This plan addresses student and faculty access to computer-assisted learning, on-line information databases, and information sharing.

PLAN

College staff will continue to assess the computing and data communication services. Hardware and software will be continually re-evaluated to avoid the adverse effects of obsolete equipment and software.

The new Information Technology Committee will make every effort to implement the recommendations of the Information Technology Task Force regarding computing services.

STANDARD 5E.2

The Institution provides service to support full utilization of its information technology resources.

DESCRIPTION

There are seven local area networks with more than 200 workstations at the college. The hardware and software service is currently provided by the Vice President of Instruction and a single 19-hour computer lab technician. The district Data Processing Office also provides technical support personnel to assist with repairs and access to the district network.

APPRAISAL

The college is understaffed in areas of computer equipment maintenance, installation, and repair. This shortcoming has been identified by the Information Technology Task Force which recommended hiring a faculty Director of Information Technology, a full-time technician, and a full-time laboratory assistant.

PLAN

The college Staffing Committee will review and consider the recommendations regarding staffing to support the use of technology at Cerro Coso.


1. IMC Handbook 2. Long Range Information Technology Plan 3. Library circulation reports 4. Standards for Community, Junior and Technical College Learning Resources

Programs 5. Cerro Coso Collection Development Policy 6. Extension Library Resource Guide 7. Memorandum of Understanding between Cerro Coso and Edwards Air Force

Base 8. Library Budget

STANDARD SIX PHYSICAL RESOURCES

Committee Members: Joann Handeland, Co-Chair Clay Witherow, Co-Chair Sara Brown Wendy Dye Carol Hewer Mykle Loftus Jill Board

STANDARD SIX PHYSICAL RESOURCES

Physical resources, including buildings and equipment used both on and off campus, are adequate to serve the needs of the institution In relation to its stated purpose and its goals and activities. The physical environment of the institution contributes to an atmosphere for effective learning.

STANDARD 6A FACILITIES

STANDARD 6A.1

Space allocations are appropriate and adequate for the institutional functions served.

DESCRIPTION

Space allocation and utilization are annually reviewed by college and district personnel. A Space Inventory Report is submitted to the State Chancellor's Office each September, and district staff submit a Five-Year Construction Plan to the Chancellor's Office in February of every year. When compared with state allocation formulas, these documents indicate that Cerro Coso's main campus has an excess of laboratory space and a shortage of office, library, audio visual, and lecture space.

The original building, completed in early 1974, was designed as a "Mega Building" with 71,697 square feet of space. Over the past 20 years, this building has undergone numerous modifications in an attempt to keep up with increased enrollment and instructional demands. First floor remodeling projects include an expanded computer lab, a nursing skills classroom and lab addition, a Graphics/Print Shop expansion, an enlarged kitchen, and extra office spaces. A remodeling project in the Admissions and Records Office was recently completed to correct a serious safety concern. Second floor modifications have included an enlargement of the drafting technology lab and expansion of both the student services and special services office areas. An additional workroom was added to the Mega Building

adjacent to the bridge leading to the new Classroom Wing, which is located directly east of the Mega Building. Third floor remodeling projects encompass the Learning Assistance Center, additional faculty offices, and expansion of the Learning Resource and Instructional Media Centers.

The Occupational Learning Laboratory building provides facilities for Art and the Automotive, Electronics, Machine Tool, and Welding Technologies. 'Ibis 27,214 square-foot facility was completed in 1984.

The increased need for student and instructional support services within the Mega Building necessitated the addition of an 8,427-square-foot classroom wing. This facility, which houses a total of eight well utilized classrooms, was completed in January 1990.

In the summer of 1990, a new 7,755 square-foot Child Development Center was completed. It includes an infant activity area, crib room, toddler room, preschool activity area, preschool quiet room, kitchen, an isolation room, an observation classroom, reception area, a director's office, and sick room.

The newest college building is a 34,500 square-foot Multi-Use Physical Education Facility completed in August 1991. This facility contains a gymnasium, health and fitness center, racquetball court, floor exercise room, weight training lab, a general classroom, wellness diagnostic center, three faculty offices, men's and women's locker rooms, and a storage area. Subsequently, a parking lot with lights project was completed and is providing the gymnasium and outdoor physical education complex with an additional 348 parking spaces including eight handicapped spaces. A new water line installation project, designed to accommodate the current and projected water needs of the college, was also completed. The college took occupancy of the 22.5-acre Outdoor Physical Education/Athletic Complex in November 1992. This complex meets institutional physical education and inter-collegiate athletic needs with six tennis courts, eight handball courts, a soccer field, a track and field, a soft ball, baseball field, an archery range, three volleyball courts, and an 18-station par course.

In the area of Maintenance and Operations, a 3,966 square-foot building provides interior space for repair, maintenance, and indoor storage, while outside there is a secure compound for vehicles and implement storage. A solar greenhouse, constructed adjacent to this building, provides for campus landscaping and grounds development. The greenhouse also provides heating and cooling to supplement this building's needs. More recently, an additional 6,000 square-foot metal storage building was constructed adjacent to the maintenance compound to accommodate the college's increased storage needs.

APPRAISAL

Since the time of its founding in 1973, Cerro Coso has attempted to meet the educational needs of its large and unique service area without having yet attained a basic, balanced home campus. The college has demonstrated its strong commitment to developing a comprehensive campus, as evidenced by its record of successful campaigns for new facilities over the years.

Although Cerro Coso continually strives to make more efficient use of its facilities, actual classroom space is inadequate. Specifically, current facilities cannot accommodate the present and projected needs in the areas of performing arts and food service.

The college's performing arts capabilities are limited because of inadequate facilities for the music and drama programs. Additional rehearsal and performance space is needed before adequate programs in these areas can be developed, both for transfer and non-transfer students. The college's only performance area, the Lecture Center, is inadequate because of its small size and lack of necessary auxiliary spaces (dressing and costume rooms), equipment, lighting and curtains.

Cerro Coso has long ago outgrown its food service facilities which were incorporated in the original Mega Building structure.

Both the performing arts and cafeteria projects have been included as part of the District Capital Outlay Program, and it is hoped that both of these facilities will be funded and constructed within the next five years.

Expanded special student and learning assistance services are restricted because of facility limitations and architectural barriers.

PLAN

Utilizing the Shared Governance processes, the Construction and Facilities Committee will address the college's facility concerns and needs within the five-year master plan for new construction and major remodeling projects.

STANDARD 6A.2

Buildings and grounds are clean and in good repair. Maintenance and operations are conducted in a systematic, planned manner with adequate staff and support.

DESCRIPTION

The college buildings and grounds are maintained by fourteen staff members. A Senior Plant Engineer is responsible for the maintenance and operation of all HV/AC, electrical, refrigeration, and mechanical equipment. A maintenance worker has the responsibility for maintaining all other physical facilities. Seven custodians are responsible for the cleanliness and overall appearance of the buildings. Five grounds workers maintain the cleanliness and overall appearance of the external environment of the campus.

APPRAISAL

The various Indian Wells Valley campus buildings and remodeling projects were completed at different times during the past 20 years. Because the architects attempted to incorporate the latest technologies in HV/AC and lighting in each construction project, the result is a wide variety of equipment and systems that must

be maintained. The task of maintaining these facilities throughout the campus requires broad staff knowledge and training, as well as increasing budget allocations for supplies and replacement parts.

Two years ago Cerro Coso hired a Senior Plant Engineer to manage campus physical facilities and maintain an acceptable level of operation. His most pressing challenge is keeping all of the HV/AV systems operating continuously. It is hoped that a good preventive maintenance program will reduce the need for emergency repairs.

Custodians are trained in the use of the latest techniques for maintaining a clean and attractive environment for students, staff, and guests of the college. They receive periodic training in the use of new equipment, cleaning products, and safety measures.

The grounds staff works to upgrade the landscaping and general appearance of the external environment by contouring portions of the campus to take advantage of water flow patterns for irrigation, planting new drought-tolerant trees and shrubs to replace those that die or prove to require too much water for adequate growth, and planting drought-tolerant plants in all new, foliated areas. Xeriscape techniques and plants are used whenever possible to ensure water and energy conservation.

PLAN

The Senior Plant Engineer will establish a program for periodic, preventive maintenance of equipment and facilities at the college.

Maintenance and Operations employees will receive special information and training on maintenance techniques.

Periodic campus inspections by the Director of Maintenance and Operations will be conducted to ensure continued cleanliness, maintenance, and integrity of all facilities and equipment.

STANDARD 6A.3

There are well-planned adequate, and well-maintained physical facilities for off-campus programs.

DESCRIPTION

Cerro Coso operates four off-campus extension sites: Edwards Air Force Base (Southern), Kern River Valley (KRV), and Bishop and Mammoth Lakes (Northern). The Southern Extension program is administered from Edwards Air Force Base, where the college shares an educational facility provided by the United States Air Force. Here Cerro Coso utilizes classrooms, laboratories, and other facilities provided by the military base, as well as classrooms at Payne Avenue School, Desert High School, Boron High School, Mojave High School, California City Middle School, and the Mojave Airport.

The Kern River Valley Extension is presently offering classes at a large leased facility in the Kern Valley Plaza. This facility houses administrative offices, learning laboratories and classrooms. This makes it possible for the college to provide day classes. In addition the college is using a variety of community facilities including Kern Valley High School, the Senior Citizen's Center, Veterans' Center, Lake Ridge Mobile Home Park Recreation Room, Lake Isabella Moose Lodge, and various other locations. Most of these facilities are available for use only during the evening hours.

Facilities currently used by the college in the Northern Extension program include a leased building in Bishop with over 10,000 square-feet of usable space consisting of nine classrooms, a separate art studio and five offices. This facility, remodeled specifically for Cerro Coso, provides an element of stability for a large portion of the Northern Extension instructional program. Other facilities used by the college in Inyo County include a science laboratory in Bishop High School and elementary and secondary school classrooms in Big Pine and Lone Pine. In Mono County, courses are offered in Mammoth Lakes High School classrooms.

APPRAISAL

The college's oldest and most well established extension program is in the Southern Extension area at a relatively new educational facility located on Edwards Air Force Base. This facility is well supported and maintained by the United States Air Force. Cerro Coso has also received support from both the Mojave and Muroc School Districts in providing classrooms off the military base.

With the recent annexation of Inyo and Mono Counties by the Kern Community College District and the establishment of a college center in Northern Extension, there is a need for additional college facilities in Bishop and Mammoth Lakes. The feasibility of a center consisting of two sites, one located in Bishop and the other in Mammoth Lakes, is being examined by the State Chancellor's Office and the Kern Community College District.

PLAN

Cerro Coso staff members will continue to work with district and state officials on the establishment of an Eastern Sierra College Center at Northern Extension that will meet the increasing higher educational needs of this geographical area.

STANDARD 6A.4

There is a demonstrated concern for safety, security, disaster planning, and energy conservation.

DESCRIPTION

The governance committee on Safety and Security was established several years ago to address specific safety and security concerns at Cerro Coso. This committee meets semi-monthly to discuss these concerns and recommend courses of action for remediation. Recommendations are directed to the appropriate person or office on

campus responsible for affecting a solution to a given issue. This committee also conducts or sponsors a number of campus workshops and seminars on various aspects of safety and security.

The Safety and Security Committee has been responsible for addressing issues of earthquake awareness and disaster preparedness. Each year the college staff participates in an earthquake exercise in conjunction with the City of Ridgecrest and the nearby Naval Air Weapons Station. This exercise is intended to train personnel to deal with disaster conditions which might be caused by a severe earthquake in or near the Indian Wells Valley. Specific recommendations resulting from each exercise are referred to the Safety and Security Committee for action.

The college president established an Energy Savings Task Force in 1991 to evaluate energy conservation ideas submitted by staff members for possible adoption. This task force was disbanded a short time later following the deliver-y of its recommendations. The concept was reinstituted in 1993 in the form of the Resource Conservation Committee formed by the College Council to develop a resource conservation awareness program at the college. For example, this committee arranged for a recycling company to place bins throughout the Indian Wells Valley campus to collect and dispose of scrap paper for recycling.

An evaluation of campus lighting is currently being scheduled to determine if college facilities lighting is in compliance with new state-mandated regulations. Also planned is an evaluation of college HV/AC systems to determine whether or not measures must be taken to make these systems more efficient and cost-effective to operate.

Emergency systems are in place for fire and burglar protection. Each new building will, in turn, be integrated into the emergency alarm system as it is completed.

Contract security forces are in place each day of the week during the evening hours.

APPRAISAL

The college has fully implemented the state-mandated Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) to provide a safe and healthful workplace and learning environment for all employees and students. When a new employee is initially hired, he/she receives training regarding objectives, program requirements, and procedures. Each employee is re-trained annually.

The Resource Conservation Committee appears to have lost some of it original impetus during the 1993-94 school year, and there is a need to revitalize this important college group.

The work of the Safety and Security Committee continues to have a significant positive impact on the college's Indian Wells Valley campus.

The college president takes an active role in the earthquake awareness drill and the resulting follow-up critique. Many of the efforts to remediate changes, problems, and deficiencies have been effected quickly because of his involvement.

There is an annual inspection of all fire sprinkler, fire alarm, and burglar alarm systems. Each year all fire extinguishers are inspected and recharged by a professional inspector to ensure proper operation when required.

Security coverage has resulted in a marked decrease in undesirable, after-hours activity on and around the college campus. It has also resulted in a decrease in the occurrence of theft of and damage to college property.

PLAN

The College Council will strive to revitalize the Resource Conservation Committee.

STANDARD 6A.5

There is a concern for health Issues, barrier-free access, and environmental standards related to hazardous materials and waste.

DESCRIPTION

First aid kits are distributed throughout the campus instructional and work areas. The kits are periodically inspected to ensure that each contains a full complement of supplies for various emergencies.

The Cerro Coso multi-level campus was originally designed with no provisions for the mobility of physically handicapped employees or students. The resultant architectural barriers have been addressed by the State Chancellor's Office through the Capital Outlay Budget Charge Proposal Process. A Handicapped Barrier Removal project is approved by the state to begin in the summer of 1994.

The Cerro Coso staff are especially cognizant of the problems of hazardous materials and waste on campus. During the past ten years, the college has undergone several remodeling projects which have included the professional abatement of asbestos insulation. These abatements, varying in size from a few square feet to that involving nearly an entire floor of the main building, have heightened staff member awareness of the dangers presented by airborne particle pollution.

Periodic inspections and removal of hazardous materials are conducted in the chemistry storage room, biology laboratory, Maintenance and Operations building and automotive shop, and the automotive and machine tool technology labs. Inspection is an annual activity while removal is usually on an as-needed basis.

For each of the past few years, the district has allocated funds to pay for hazardous materials storage and waste removal. Responsible faculty and staff members are required to read and understand the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for each item placed in storage or kept in instructional spaces. An MSDS for each kind of hazardous material stored in a classroom is posted near the storage unit and is readily available in case of need.

APPRAISAL

Completion of the Handicapped Barrier Removal project will help the college achieve compliance with current architectural barrier laws.

Staff and students are generally trained in "Hazardous Communications" which covers such areas as labeling of containers, the wearing of proper clothes, MSDS awareness, and the use of personal protective equipment. An indoor air quality program has been implemented by the Senior Plant Engineer which includes air filter replacement and inspections for proper ventilation.

Three members of the Maintenance and Operations staff are certified to perform asbestos abatements of three square feet or less which has resulted in a cost savings on smaller campus projects. Because of the strict precautions taken in such cases, no adverse reactions from personnel have resulted.

PLAN

College staff will continue to receive annual training in "Hazardous Communications" and periodic training in proper measurement and handling of chemicals and cleaning products.

The college facilities and equipment will be periodically evaluated to ensure safe operation and the elimination of possible hazards to health and safety.

The college Safety Officer will continue to coordinate the hazardous waste storage and removal program with the district and Self-Insured Schools of Kern (SISK) to minimize cost and maintain compliance with regulatory programs.

STANDARD 6B EQUIPMENT

STANDARD 6B.1

Equipment is appropriate for the institutional functions served.

DESCRIPTION

Efforts are made to provide and maintain appropriate equipment for all offices and instructional programs at all college sites. New equipment has been provided for the following: recently completed outdoor physical education and athletic fields; upgrading of computer lab hardware; a local-area computer network at the Kern River Valley Extension; a computer lab jointly equipped by the Air Force and Cerro Coso at the Southern Extension; chemistry laboratories; automotive and welding technology equipment; and housecleaning and grounds equipment to maintain the new physical education facility and athletic fields.

Since the last accreditation report, Budget Area Groups representing faculty, staff, and administrators oversee budget requests submitted by all college employees. Budget Area Groups evaluate requests utilizing specific criteria, balancing needs and impact on other college programs.

APPRAISAL

The college has been successful in meeting most of its equipment needs despite reduced funding. Contributions and donations from other agencies and businesses have augmented the institutional budget for equipment purchases. The Budget Area Groups have ensured that the input from the entire staff is represented in the choices made and that all college employees have a voice in the process. In most cases, faculty and staff originate budget requests, ensuring that any new equipment purchased is appropriate to their needs.

Additional funding is needed to upgrade the college library with a computerized check-out system, to provide handicapped accessibility to the extension sites, and to upgrade equipment in some of the vocational education areas.

PLAN

The Dean of Vocational Education will evaluate the entire vocational education program to determine instructional equipment needs.

STANDARD 6B.2

Equipment is maintained on a regular basis and attention is given to the safety-health-security aspects of equipment operation and maintenance.

DESCRIPTION

Preventative maintenance contracts exist on a number of pieces of equipment and other equipment is regularly maintained by college and/or district personnel. The Maintenance and Operations Office maintains computerized records for scheduled in-house maintenance of college-owned vehicles. Campus HV/AC equipment is maintained by a trained staff Senior Plant Engineer. Beginning in 1993, annual safety training is required for all staff members. Laboratory instructors provide their students with safety training on the use of equipment prior to operation.

APPRAISAL

Although the equipment is well maintained, some is aging and replacement parts are difficult to obtain.

The Illness and Injury Plan, although only in place for one year, has heightened staff awareness of the safety aspects of equipment operation.

STANDARD 6B.3

Equipment is adequately inventoried and controlled and periodic replacement is scheduled

DESCRIPTION

The college has initiated a computerized inventory control system. Tags are placed on all equipment items at the time of receipt and logged into the computer.

APPRAISAL

The new inventory-control system ensures that all new capital equipment is properly placed into the college inventory upon arrival on campus. However, tracking is not adequately performed, and the exact locations of some equipment is not known. A full inventory of all capital equipment is needed to determine the current locations of all items, whether or not any equipment is missing, and the condition of each item. As the college equipment ages, it is apparent that a replacement schedule is also necessary.

PLAN

The computerized inventory control system will be fully implemented to better track equipment once it has been received and inventoried.

STANDARD 6C FACILITIES PLANNING

STANDARD 6C.1

There is a master plan for campus development, consistent with the objectives of the institution and the educational master plan.

DESCRIPTION

Cerro Coso has a Five-Year Construction Plan which is submitted to the State Chancellor's Office annually, as required by the Community College Construction Act. This plan is essentially data-driven by the mandates of the State for facilities planning. The governance committee on Construction and Facilities is responsible for coordinating enrollment reports, master planning, space inventory, deferred maintenance needs, and program data for strategically addressing the college's facility concerns and needs.

APPRAISAL

The college's Five-Year Construction Plan is consistent with the objectives of the institution and the Educational Master Plan. The college is committed to meeting the educational needs of its students by providing facilities which are conducive for learning, as evidenced by the college's success in receiving funding for new facilities through the State Capital Outlay Program. Long Range Goal #2 of Cerro Coso's Master Plan for the Nineties specifically addresses the future construction and facility needs of the institution and the college's proposed strategy for meeting these needs.

PLAN

The Construction and Facilities Committee and the Facilities Planning Office will continue to utilize the Shared Governance process to develop the college's Five-Year Plan and coordinate it with the objectives of the institution and the Educational Master Plan.

STANDARD 6C.2

There is appropriate involvement of staff in the planning of facilities.

DESCRIPTION

Because the Facilities and Construction Committee is a part of the college's Shared Governance model, its operation is designed to promote and encourage broad participation and involvement by all members of the college staff. Representative members are elected or appointed from the membership of each of the four senates for two-year terms. In addition to the Facilities and Construction Committee, a special task force is normally assembled for each construction project, which includes appropriate staff, architects, engineers, and community members for the purpose of receiving a wide spectrum of input on the project.

APPRAISAL

There is appropriate involvement of staff in the planning of facilities at Cerro Coso. The Facilities and Construction Committee reviews the college's Five-Year Construction Plan and maintenance needs and makes recommendations for improvements, modifications, and additions to the physical facilities and campus environment in accordance with the college's Master Plan and strategic goals.


1. Five-Year Master Plan for New Construction and Remodeling Projects 2. Deferred Maintenance Plan 3. College Safety Manual 4. Construction and Facilities Committee Minutes 5. Space Inventory Report 6. Cerro Coso College Master Plan

STANDARD SEVEN FINANCIAL RESOURCES

Committee Members: Sarah Goss, Chair Roe Darnell Nada Kilgore Debra Harrell Don Mourton Janet Westbrook

STANDARD 7A FINANCIAL STABILITY

Financial resources are sufficient to achieve, maintain, and enhance the goals and objectives of the college. The level of financial resources provides a reasonable expectation of financial viability and improvement.

STANDARD 7A.1

Current and anticipated income is adequate to maintain high quality programs and services.

DESCRIPTION

The financial stability of the Kern Community College District and Cerro Coso Community College is a function of the commitment of the people of the state of California acting through the legislative and executive branches of government to provide the resources necessary to develop and maintain high-quality programs and services. However, the financial ability to fulfill this commitment has been seriously hampered by California's recession, now in its fourth year, which is not expected to abate until at least 1995 or 1996.

During fiscal year 1993-94, the statutory split of State Proposition 98 funds was again suspended, resulting in community colleges receiving a smaller share than required by law. A second loan of $178 million to be repaid from future Proposition 98 funds was provided to community colleges. The enrollment fee increased to $13 per unit with no unit limitation and a $50 per unit differential fee was continued for baccalaureate degree holders. There was a further shift of $1.4 billion of property tax revenues from county and local governments to the schools, including community colleges.

All of the foregoing combined to fund the California community colleges' apportionment base but only partially funded enrollment growth. The statutory cost of living adjustment of 2.65 percent was not funded nor was Program Improvement-Equalization.

In early winter, a prior-year correction for 1992-93 and an additional 1993-94 property tax recalculation revealed new shortfalls of $11.2 million (.5 percent) and $23 million (1.0 percent), respectively, for California community colleges. This new 1.5 percent shortfall was in addition to the 2 percent deficit which had already been forecasted.

Fiscal year 1994-95 promises to be even more difficult. Before there can be any increases for growth and inflation, $200 million must be found to restore the apportionment base and offset a like amount of "one-time" funds (loan and prior year funds) provided in fiscal year 1993-94. Assuming the State budget is as tight as predicted, the prospect of an additional loan, additional cuts, and/or increases in student fees appear realistic.

A brief summary of the Kern Community College District's income and expenditures for 1981-82 and 1986-87 (the time of the visit of the last two accreditation teams) and 1993-94 follows:

KERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT'S INCOME AND EXPENDITURES 1981-82 & 1986-87 & 1993-94

INCOME:

Description 1981-82 1986-87 1993-94

Beginning Balance $ 2,150,558 $ 1,465,358 $ 2,554,857

Federal Income 1,380,279 2,686,268 3,096,455

State Income 14,325,682 10,603,980 18,952,486

Local Income 10,877,375 20,531,063 28,258,817

Transfers 587,969 2,348,812 -0-

Total Beginning Balance Income $29,321,863 $37,635,481 $52,862,615

EXPENDITURES: 1981-82 1986-87 1993-94

Certificated Salaries $12,760,795 $15,280,705 $20,774,378

Classified Salaries 5,516,333 7,751,988 10,984,596

Fringe Benefits 3,492,556 4,777,477 9,127,963

Supplies 1,246,402 1,215,007 1,602,885

Operating Expense 3,426,053 5,061,339 6,434,321

Capital Outlay 726,194 1,155,600 1,675,830

Other Outgo (Including Student Financial Aid

2,063,530 1,631,853 2,205,942

TOTAL EXPENDITURES: 29,231,863 $36,873,969 $52,805,915

SUMMARY OF EXPENDITURES PER ADA/FTES

1981-82 1986-87 1993-94

Object Object Object

Object Description Per Per ADA Per Per ADA Per Per ADA

ADA as % ADA as% ADA as %

1000 Certificated Salaries

$1,254.75 46.7 $1,593.23 41.4 $1546.52 40.0

2000 Classified Salaries

542.41 20.2 808.26 21.0 817.73 21.3

3000 Staff Benefits 343.42 12.8 498.12 13.0 679.52 17.6

4000

Books, Supplies and Equipment Replacement

122.56 4.6 126.68 3.3 119.32 3.1

5000

Contract Services and Operating Expenses

336.88 12.5 527.72 13.7 478.99 12.1

TOTAL CURRENT EXPENSE

$2,600.02 96.8 $3,554.01 92.4 $3,642.08 94.1

6000 Capital Outlay

71.41 2.7 120.40 3.1 124.75 3.3

7000 Other Outgo 16.07 0.5 170.14 4.5 96.86 2.6

TOTAL $2,687.50 100.0 $3,844.64 100.0 $3863.69 100.00

APPRAISAL

The district staff is continually challenged in its attempts to anticipate income and build a budget during the spring before the income and distribution decisions are made by the Governor and Legislature in Sacramento. A further financial planning challenge has been the addition of lnyo and Mono Counties to the Kern Community College District. This has resulted in an income and expenditure increase of close to $1,000,000 annually at a time when growth monies from the State are sparse.

Based on the foregoing scenario, current and anticipated income is adequate to maintain high-quality programs and services only if:

• The State begins to recover from the current recession in 1995; • Some growth, cost of living, and program improvement funds are provided to

offset increased costs of salary merits, utilities, supplies, and equipment; • The district controls the costs associated with the fringe benefit package; • All college faculty and staff forego cost of living adjustments for perhaps two

or more years; • General obligation bond funding is provided for the development of new

centers at Eastern Sierra and Southwest Bakersfield and for modernization of the campus;

• The Eastern Sierra Centers are fully funded for annual operating costs; and the state provides funding for all FTES (removal of the growth cap).

PLAN

The Assistant Chancellor/Business Services will continue to monitor the state economy and state budget process to keep district expenditures in balance with district revenues from the state.

The College President will continually monitor progress toward determining the income for the Eastern Sierra College Center.

STANDARD 7A.2

Plans exist for the payment of long-term liabilities.

DESCRIPTION

The district long-term liabilities consist of:

• Lease Purchase Agreements for Equipment and Relocatable Buildings-$ 2,805,053

• Vacation Accrual-$95,853 • Retiree Medical Program-$54,662,389 • 1988 Certificates of Participation-$25,900,000 • 1993 Project Notes-$15,825,000

The first three items above are funded on a current year basis out of the General Fund. A schedule of changes in the long-term debt for the year that ended June 30, 1993, is shown one the next page:

CHANGES IN LONG-TERM DEBT

Balance Balance

June 30, 1992 Additions Deletions June 30, 1993

Vacation Accrual $-0- $95,853 $-0- $95,853

Certificates of

Participation $26,500,000 -0- 600,000 25,900,000

Lease Payable 1,747,604 1,777,777 732.328 2,793.053

$28,247,604 $1,873.630 $1,332.328 $28,788,906

CERRO COSO’S LEASE/PURCHASE AGREEMENTS:

Payment Made To Item(s) Leased Annual Payment

Final Payment

Eastman Kodak Copier $ 9,452 12/94

Security Pacific (Lease #2575)

Metal Storage Bldg.

23,618 03/93

TOTAL $33,070

DISTRICT-WIDE SCHEDULE BY YEAR OF FUTURE MINIMUM LEASE PAYMENTS

June 30 Amount

1994 $ 805,301

1995 563,808

1996 471,465

1997 321,998

1998 243,841

Thereafter 418,640

TOTAL $2,825,05

THE ORIGINAL 1988 ISSUE OF CERTIFICATES OF PARTICIPATION FOR $27,500,000 MATURES AS FOLLOWS:

June 30 Principal Interest Payment

1994 $700,000 $ 1,414,875 $ 2,114,875

1995 800,000 1,375,000 2,175,000

1996 800,000 1,331,000 2,131,000

1997 800,000 1,287,000 2,087,000

1998 800,000 1,243,000 2,043,000

1999 800,000 1,199,000 1,999,000

2000 800,000 1,155,000 1,955,000

2001 800,000 1,111,000 1,911,000

2002 800,000 1,067,000 1,867,000

2003 800,000 1,023,000 1,823,000

2004 900,000 977,625 1,877,625

2005 900,000 928,125 1,828,125

2006 900,000 878,625 1,778,625

2007 1,000,000 827,750 1,827,750

2008 1,000,000 772,750 1,772,750

2009 1,100,000 716,375 1,816,375

2010 1,100,000 655,875 1,755,875

2011 1,200,000 594,000 1,794,000

2012 1,200,000 528,000 1,728,000

2013 1,300,000 460,625 1,760,625

2014 1,300,000 389,125 1,689,125

2015 1,400,000 316,250 1,716,250

2016 1,500,000 237,875 1,737,875

2017 1,600,000 154,000 1,754,000

2018 1,600,000 66,000 1,666,000

Year Ended Total $25,900,000 $20,708,875 $46,608,875

The district is obligated to make annual lease payments to cover the principal, interest, and costs related to the COP issuance.

On August 24, 1993, the Kern Community College District issued $15,825,000 Project Notes for the purpose of financing library and health facility improvements. The notes mature July 15, 1994, and bear interest at the rate of 3.5 percent per annum.

Employees of the Kern Community College District are eligible to retire with full medical and dental benefits if they satisfy specific requirements regarding retirement dates and years of service. These requirements are delineated in the Board Policy Manual.

An estimate of the present value of future claims costs for present and potential future retirees as of May 1, 1991, is $54,662,389. This amount includes the expected medical and dental care claims for current and future retirees in the Blue Cross Medical plan and is detailed in a report conducted by Deloitte & Touche of July, 1991.

APPRAISAL

In 1991, the district retained the fin-n of Deloitte and Touche to determine the unfunded liability of providing medical coverage to its retirees by performing an actuarial valuation. The net liability of $54.662 million is the expected medical care claims for current and future retirees and is based on a number of assumptions, such as employee demographics, i.e., age at retirement, mortality, turnover and medical cost inflation, trends, etc. A small change in an assumption can cause a large change in liabilities. For example, a decrease of over 1 percent in medical cost inflation rate would decrease the obligation by 13.8 percent.

Beginning in 1988, the district reached agreement with employees to reduce its liabilities by increasing the required years of service for eligibility, limiting medical coverage to employees hired after June 30, 1988, to age 65, requiring medicare eligibility, and making changes to the benefit plan, such as increasing the deductible and introducing managed care. The annual cost trend rates have been reduced

substantially to the point that premiums have been reduced by 1.6 percent and the reserve for on-going health care costs is fully funded.

The district issued $27,500,000 in Certificates of Participation (COPS) in 1988. The COP Lease Payment Fund has been established to provide for annual lease payments and associated fees. Revenues to cover these costs are provided by funds received from the Community College Construction Act and from interest and investment earnings.

The Fund balance on July 1, 1993, was $16,267,620 and is anticipated to earn $938,270 interest in Fiscal Year 1993-94. A transfer of $250,000 from the General Fund is budgeted to ensure an adequate fund balance.

The district issued $15,825,000 in Project Notes on August 24, 1993, for the purpose of providing interim financing of Library and Health Facility Projects at Bakersfield College.

The Capital Project Notes Fund has been established to provide for repayment of the notes. It is anticipated that interest income will exceed interest expense by $200,000.

PLAN

The district health plan and related plan design will be carefully monitored to ensure that current and projected costs remain affordable for the district.

The 1988 COP’s and 1993 Project Notes will be restructured into new long-ten-n variable rate COP issuance of approximately $42 million secured by the investment earnings of the COP Lease Payment Fund.

STANDARD 7A.3

Cash flow provision and/or reserves are sufficient to provide fiscal stability and to meet the needs of the institution.

DESCRIPTION

In the fall of 1993, Kern Community College District had a reserve for contingencies totaling $904,868 (out -of a $52,805,915 budget), the highest in four years. As a result of risk management procedures instituted by the district-wide Fringe Benefit Committee, a total of $340,000 existed in the medical benefit reserve account in fall 1993.

To date the district has been able to maintain sufficient liquidity for contingencies and cash flow. But to continue doing so the district must rely on an annual issuance of Tax and Revenue Anticipation Notes (TRANS), a short term borrowing of up to $5,000,000.

APPRAISAL

The district has provided for additional funds to meet its needs in the capital outlay area by:

Issuing a total of $27.5 million in Certificates of Participation for construction and deferred maintenance since 1988.

Issuing $15,825,000 in Project Notes in August 1993 to provide financing for a new library and Allied Health facility at Bakersfield College.

PLAN

Because of the additional shift of Education Revenue Augmentation Fund (ERAF) tax dollars to the district and a related reduction in state apportionments, the TRANS issuance will need to be increased to at least $7.5 million.

The 1988 COPs and 1993 Project Notes will be conso4dated and refinanced in a new COP issuance.

STANDARD 7B FINANCIAL PLANNING

Financial planning is based on institutional planning involving the governing board and broad staff participation.

STANDARD 7B.1

Financial planning is based upon the educational master plan and provides for staff participation and budget approval by the governing board.

DESCRIPTION

The college budget is divided into four areas of responsibility: the offices of the president, Instruction (including all extension sites), Student Services, and Administrative Services. Shared Governance processes are utilized in the development of the annual budget with responsibility delegated to three kinds of committees. These committees are the Budget Area Groups, the Budget Preparation Committee, and the Budget Development Committee. The Budget Preparation Committee merely develops a timeline for the budget process in accordance with the procedures outlined in the Shared

Governance document.

Three of the four responsibility areas are represented by Budget Area Groups, which are chaired by the respective area administrator. Each Budget Area Group solicits budget requests from all area employees and subsequently develops its own budget. Once area budgets are developed, they are submitted to the Budget

Development Committee for final review of the process and incorporation in the college's over-all budget.

In accordance with the college Master Plan, the annual and long-range goals of the Budget Development Committee include the following: To review the plans for construction of facilities to ensure that Budget Area Groups have adequate information to prioritize annual budgets (Long-Range Goal #2); To review requests from the Staff Development Committee for annual funding (Long-Range Goal #6); To review technological needs of the college with the president, area deans, and the district to ensure that the Budget Area Groups have adequate information (Long-Range Goal #8).

The final budget is submitted by the president for approval to the District Board, according to the district budget schedule. Its development is based on an open process of input and feedback involving all college employees, discussions and consensus decision-making in each Budget Area Group, and a full review of the process by the Budget Development Committee.

APPRAISAL

Cerro Coso employees involved in institutional budget-building are committed to the Shared Governance processes and to the role of long-range planning in budget development. Each budget group reviews and prioritizes budget requests in light of college and instructional goals. The result is an open process with a high degree of participation.

STANDARD 7B.2

The policies, guidelines, and processes for developing the budget are clearly defined and followed.

DESCRIPTION

Through the Shared Governance structure, the Budget Development Committee was formed to oversee and implement the regulations, guidelines, and processes for developing the institutional budget.

The Budget Development Committee consists of faculty, administrators, classified staff and student members. Each member reports to his or her respective senate and shares their recommendations with the committee. The Budget Development Committee implements the budget process, develops procedures for prioritization, and makes final budget recommendations to the president. The final budget is then submitted to the District Office. At least annually at an All-Staff Meeting the college president presents in his "State of the College Address" the latest information on the status of the budget.

The Budget Preparation Committee, a sub-committee of the Budget Development Committee, determines the timeline for the process that must be followed to adhere to the district's timeline. This information is then provided to the chairs of each budget area group to assist them in establishing internal timelines for each Budget Area Group.

Some Budget Area Groups require a written justification for each budget request and its relationship to the college's long-range goals.

APPRAISAL

The budget development process appears to be well defined and followed. A major function of the Budget Development Committee is to identify and correct breakdowns in the process.

STANDARD 7B.3

Financial planning takes into account long-range projections regarding programs, services, costs, and resources.

DESCRIPTION

The budgeting process accommodates long-range projections of costs and resource needs. Through the budgeting process, the Budget Area Groups are asked to consider the college's long-range goals. The Budget Committee also reviews budgets to see that multi-year leases and other obligations are included in the budget. Specific projections of long-ten-n costs have been requested for the implementation of the college information technology plan and for the introduction of the library CD-ROM periodical collection.

APPRAISAL

In the past, the college has projected long-range costs primarily in cases where multi-year leases are involved. Recent efforts on the part of the Budget Committee to solicit information regarding long-range budgeting needs related to special projects reflect a change in this arena.

STANDARD 7C FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Financial management exhibits sound budgeting and accounting.

STANDARD 7C.1

The organization for financial administration is clearly defined.

DESCRIPTION

The District Business Office is appropriately organized to administer the financial affairs of the district. It is headed by the Assistant Chancellor/Business and staffed with an Internal Auditor, both of whom report directly to the Chancellor. In the Cerro

Coso Business Office there is a Business Manager and staff to administer the business and budget affairs of the college.

APPRAISAL

A variety of factors is currently causing the district and its member colleges to examine its financial management processes and administration. The MSNAC study of software and hardware needs has forced not only an examination of paper and electronic processing but also how people function organizationally in financial administration both now and in the future. The 1994 retirement of both the Assistant Chancellor/ Business and the District Director of Accounting is encouraging an examination of the duties, functions, and needs of the District Business Office.

PLAN

In accordance with the MSNAC study, the Cerro Coso Director of Administrative Services will continue to support the implementation of on-line requisition processing with the District Office.

STANDARD 7C.2

Financial reports are timely and accurate and are routinely distributed and reviewed.

DESCRIPTION

Budget control reports are prepared monthly by the District Business Office through District Data Processing and distributed to the

College Administrative Services Office. In addition to district reports, reports are initiated at the campus level to increase budget accountability. Each of the primary areas of budget responsibility monitors its own expenditures, budget transfers, and account balances. The College Administrative Services Office works closely with all Budget Area Groups to provide up-to-date budget information. Meetings of all District Business Managers are held periodically to discuss and review both district and college financial reports and processes.

The college president, who reviews and approves all budget expenditures, has the prerogative of freezing accounts or transferring funds from one area of responsibility to another.

APPRAISAL

For the past few years (1991-92 and 1992-93), Cerro Coso not only operated within its budget but has actually underwent its allocation by almost 10 percent. Unexpended monies reverted back to either a Special Reserve Fund for long-range projects or the District's General Fund. The underspending was a result of the inability to predict exact incidental costs.

It is believed that more detailed information regarding expenditures could be provided to the Budget Area Groups, which would assist them in developing recommendations related to the budget.

PLAN

The Director of Administrative Services will develop and implement procedures for ensuring that current expenditure reports are more frequently provided to the Budget Area Groups.

STANDARD 7C.3

The institution has policies and programs on risk management which address loss by fire and theft and liability for personal injury and property damage.

DESCRIPTION

Most of the Kern Community College District's insurance and risk management programs are maintained through a joint powers agreement (JPA) that created a separate legal entity, Self Insured Schools of Kern (SISK), which sets rates, collects and invests premiums, approves payments of claims, and provides for insurance programs for the schools and colleges in Kern County. The district's property and liability, Workers'

Compensation, and health, dental, and vision insurance programs, are administered through SISK. The Assistant Chancellor/Business serves as a member of the Board of Directors of SISK.

Insurance for fire, theft, and personal injury and property damage liability is managed through the District Office. To help minimize property loss, theft, and damage, Cerro Coso has installed a Radionics Security System and has contracted for security services to patrol the campus on school nights, holidays, and long weekends, as well as during some athletic contests and other college events.

APPRAISAL

Over the past six years, the college, in cooperation with the district and SISK, has engaged in a pro-active risk management cost-containment program. The District-wide Fringe Benefit Committee, composed of representatives from management, faculty, and classified staff, generally oversees this program. Over half of the employee representatives on the committee are also members of the unions' (CCA/NEA and CSEA) negotiating groups, which helps to increase the opportunities for more successful negotiations and implementation of cost containment measures.

The District-wide Safety Committee also works with SISK to contain costs in the injury and illness prevention program and, thereby, reduce Workers' Compensation payments.

PLAN

Through participation in the District Fringe Benefits Committee, Cerro Coso will work with the district and SISK to continue risk management cost control measures.

STANDARD 7C.4

The institution's financial records and internal control processes are subjected to an annual audit by an independent certified public accountant.

DESCRIPTION

The district's annual audit is conducted by an independent public accountant.

Recommendations contained in the annual audit report are thoroughly reviewed by the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees to ensure maximum compliance. Audit recommendations are also reviewed in detail with the District Assistant Chancellors for Business and Personnel, as well as the college presidents and business managers.

APPRAISAL

When the district became fiscally independent (from the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office) in 1990, the external auditors recommended that an internal Auditor/Disbursing Officer/Analyst be hired with responsibilities that include supervision of pre-audit claims against the district, development and implementation of an internal audit program, monitoring and recommending investments of surplus cash, and managing the district's Certificates of Participation Program.

The creation of this auditor position has ensured implementation of necessary business-flow procedures that were recommended by the external auditors.

The external audit report published in December 1993 recommended that the district accounting system be upgraded. Such an upgrade was found to be necessary to provide the mandated information in compliance with the reporting requirements of special funding sources, as well as to remove an audit exception (related to fixed asset records) noted in this report. The upgrade will allow the district to consolidate all management information within a single accounting system.

Following the district auditor's recommendations in December 1992, an RFP for a new administrative software system was developed. The business components of this system will be installed during the 1994-95 academic year.

SECTION 7C.5

Auxiliary organizations or foundations using the name of the institution conform with institutional principles of operation and support institutional goals. Their activities are

carefully monitored and their financial records ore regularly reviewed by an independent auditor. The institution retains appropriate responsibility and control over such organizations.

DESCRIPTION

Cerro Coso's financial support from external sources is limited. The Fire Mountain Foundation was established to support college programs. Its major objective has been to raise funds for student scholarships, but it also serves as the vehicle through which special gifts and donations are received by the college.

APPRAISAL

The Fire Mountain Foundation is carefully supervises by a Board of Directors which consists 6f appointed community members, college staff and the college president. This organization is governed by a constitution and by-laws that are approved by the Kern Community College District Board of Trustees.

The foundation's activities are monitored and their financial records are regularly reviewed by an independent auditor. The District Board of Trustees exercises appropriate oversight and controls vis-a-vis the Fire Mountain Foundation.


1. 1994-95 College Budget 2. 1993-94 College Budget 3. College Budget Process Documents 4. Budget Development Committee minutes 5. KCCD budget calendar

STANDARD EIGHT GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION

Committee Members: Ruth Gleason, Chair Paula Hayes Richard L'Hommedieu William Locke Mykle Loftus Raymond McCue Lupe Miller Paul Riley Susan Smith Sharon Swasey Allison Swift June Wasserman Janet Wilson

STANDARD EIGHT GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION

STANDARD 8A THE GOVERNING BOARD

The governing board is responsible for the quality and integrity of the institution. It selects a chief executive officer, approves the purposes of the institution, and responsibly manages available fiscal resources. It establishes broad institutional policies and delegates to the chief executive officer the responsibility to administer these policies. There is a clear differentiation between the policy-making function of the board and executive responsibilities. The Board protects the institution from external pressures and provides stability and continuity to the institution.

STANDARD 8A.1

The Board includes adequate representation of the public interest and the diverse elements of the population it represents. Arrangements provide for the continuity of board membership and staggered terms of office.

DESCRIPTION

The Board of Trustees is composed of seven members, each elected from the various geographic areas of the Kern Community College District for four-year terms. The terms are staggered to ensure continuity. Since 1992, Board members have been elected solely by the constituents within their respective district areas. Historically, Board membership has been very stable: the number of years served by current

members is 34, 25, 20, 10, 3, and 1. In addition, one board member was recently appointed and has served less than a year. Membership has changed in recent years to more closely reflect the composition of the community. Of the seven, two are women, one of which is Hispanic, and one male member is Black.

During the week following the accreditation team visit to Cerro Coso, there will be an election for four of the seven Board members. The current incumbent from the Ridgecrest area will not be running for re-election.

The Board meets twice monthly with all meetings publicized and open to the public. Four Board meetings are held during the year at the district's three college campuses: Bakersfield, Cerro Coso and Porterville, and at Bakersfield College's Delano Center. At each of these campus-held Board meetings, Board members spend a half-day touring the campus and observing various college programs and services. During each Board meeting held at the district, the Board hears a major report from one of the district's colleges in which a program or service of that college is reviewed. At most meetings, representatives of the college's Academic Senates present reports concerning instructional programs or faculty activities.

APPRAISAL

The Kern Community College District Board of Trustees represents the public interest and reflects the various populations it serves. The Board's interest in each community served was reflected in the decision to hold the September 1994 regular meeting in the community of Bishop and to visit the community of Mammoth Lakes at that time. There is both continuity and stability in the Board's membership.

STANDARD 8A.2

Board policies include a statement of ethical conduct for its members. The Board acts as a whole; no member or committee acts in place of the board. Board policy precludes participation of any of its members or any member of the staff in actions involving possible conflict of interest.

DESCRIPTION

Policies of the Kern Community College District Board include statements regarding conflict of interest. The Board members annually file a Conflict of Interest statement through the Fair Political Practices Commission. Board policy provides that Board members abstain from voting on items which may constitute a conflict of interest. The Board, after closely examining and considering a statement of ethical conduct, made the decision not to take action on its adoption. All Board decisions are made by the full Board of Trustees. There are no standing committees.

APPRAISAL

The ethical requirements of Board membership are well understood and adhered to by all Board members. The Board functions as a single entity in open sessions conducted according to law. Members of the Board, when appropriate, do abstain from voting and report the reason for abstention at the time of voting.

PLAN

Board members will continue to function according to a high standard of ethical conduct.

STANDARD 8A.3

The board is responsible for the financial soundness of the Institution and ensures that the educational program and the physical facility plans are of high quality and consistent with institutional purposes.

DESCRIPTION

In fulfilling its financial responsibilities, the Board of Trustees performs the following: (1) reviews the annual budget in a half-day work session each June prior to tentative budget adoption; (2) receives and reviews monthly budget control reports; (3) approves the advertising and awarding of all bids statutorily required; (4) receives and reviews an investment portfolio analysis each month; (5) approves all district expenditures on a monthly basis; and (6) approves required reports to the California Community College Chancellor's Office regarding the district's financial soundness. Board members review and approve all new programs at each of the colleges. The Board has delegated the review and approval of individual courses within programs to the Chancellor; however, the Trustees annually approve all changes to each college catalog which include the addition or deletion of courses. The Cerro Coso schedules of classes are presented to the Board as information items.

APPRAISAL

The Kern District Board of Trustees has an expectation of prudent and sound financial management at the college level. Even though fiscally conservative, the Board has been creative in obtaining revenue needed for various projects. To ensure financial soundness, the Board, on the advice of the external auditor, authorized the development of specifications for a management information systems software package that will rectify some reporting and tracking shortcomings in the current system. This is a major project which will be implemented over the next three to four years and will affect all administrative processes within the district.

The Kern district has been aggressive in seeking and receiving state-funded capital outlay projects, as well as state-funded matching grants for major deferred maintenance projects at the colleges. The physical facilities at Cerro Coso are in exceptionally good condition, given the financial climate in California community colleges. The Board of Trustees annually visits the Cerro Coso campus and views the facilities first hand. It is kept fully apprised of all facility planning.

PLAN

The Board will continue to take full responsibility and provide direction to ensure the financial soundness and the high quality of educational programs and facilities at Cerro Coso.

STANDARD 8A.4

The board reviews and approves educational programs, and ensures that programs, degrees, and certificates are of satisfactory quality, consistent with institutional purposes.

DESCRIPTION

Kern District Board procedures include complete reviews and approvals of all Cerro Coso educational programs. After initially being reviewed by appropriate campus committees, all proposed degree and certificated programs are introduced to Board members at one meeting, then acted upon at a subsequent meeting. The Board also formally approves changes to the Cerro Coso College catalog, within which courses and programs are described. Follow-up information on Cerro Coso students is regularly presented to the Board, including state-wide nursing test scores, grade-point averages of transfer students attending four-year colleges and universities, employment of vocational program graduates, and anecdotal reports by faculty.

APPRAISAL

The Board has established high standards for educational programs at Cerro Coso and consistently reinforces these standards through the review and approval processes. Most recently, the Board has devoted attention to examining technology for instructional delivery systems and has been supportive of efforts to obtain telecommunication funds.

PLAN

The board will continue to ensure that educational programs are of a high quality.

STANDARD 8A.5

The board approves an effective organization which serves institutional purposes.

DESCRIPTION

In fall 1993, the Kern Community College District Board authorized a year-long study of the district's confidential/management employees. It was conducted with the assistance of a management consultant by an eight-member Confidential/Management committee composed of representatives from the district

office and each of the three colleges. The study reviewed position titles, examined the salary schedule structure, and addressed the placement of positions into job ranges based on objective criteria.

The Kern Community College District uses a line-staff organization plan which is identified in section 10A of the Board Policy Manual. Administrative authority rests with the Board of Trustees and is delegated through the Chancellor to the college president. Authority and responsibility is further delegated to campus level administrators.

APPRAISAL

The organizational structure at Cerro Coso appears to be operating in an effective and efficient manner. The study conducted by the district identified little in the way of organizational relationships that needed to be changed. However, it is believed that recommended title changes, as they are implemented, will clarify reporting relationships.

PLAN

As a result of the findings of the Confidential/Management study, the district and Cerro Coso plan to propose job title changes to the Board of trustees for selected positions.

STANDARD 8A.6

After appropriate consultation, the board selects and provides regular evaluation of the institution's chief executive officer.

DESCRIPTION

The Kern Community College District Chancellor was evaluated during the 1993-94 year under a system established by the Board. This evaluation was the once-every-four-year comprehensive evaluation for

Confidential/Management employees that is described under Standard 4.

The college president is evaluated yearly according to the district Confidential Management evaluation system. A comprehensive evaluation will be conducted by the district chancellor in 1995/96.

APPRAISAL

The sixteen-year tenure of the current Chancellor and the fifteen-year tenure of the current college president would suggest a long-ten-n harmonious relationship between the Board and these chief executive officers.

PLAN

In 1995 the Board and the Chancellor, utilizing both the results of the Chancellor's evaluation and the Board self-assessment, will discuss and implement any changes in policy direction and administration suggested by these assessments.

STANDARD 8A.7

The board has a process by which its own performance can be assessed

DESCRIPTION

The Kern District Board has identified a process by which its own performance is assessed. Board members completed a self-assessment instrument in the fall of 1993 and subsequently held discussions about the self-assessment results in January of 1994. During the discussions, Board members requested that district staff familiar with Board operations also respond to the self-assessment to determine if any differences in perception exist between the Board and staff.

APPRAISAL

As a result of the board assessment, areas for improving Board operations have been identified.

PLAN

The Board will utilize the data received from the self-assessment in planning the conduct of future Board meetings and/or Board operations.

STANDARD BA.8

The board is informed about and involved in the accreditation process.

DESCRIPTION

Throughout 1993 and 1994, the Chancellor regularly informed the Board about the progress of the three colleges' preparation for accreditation renewal. Some Board members made specific contributions to the self-study report of the college within their geographical area.

APPRAISAL

The Board and the Chancellor jointly prepared and reviewed applicable sections of the text of Standard 8. The Board reviewed all three college self study reports before approving them.

PLAN

By providing guidance and necessary resources, the Board will support Cerro Coso's responses to the recommendation of the fall 1994 Accreditation Team.

STANDARD 8A.9

In multi-campus systems, division of responsibility and authority between the system office and the institution is clear; system policies and procedures are clearly defined and equitably administered.

DESCRIPTION

The geographical size of the Kern Community College District, the distance between two colleges and the district office (50 miles from Porterville College and 120 miles from Cerro Coso College) and the unique character of the three geographically-separated communities dictate a decentralized philosophy of governing. Cerro Coso functions with a high degree of autonomy, guided by clear district policies and procedures. The Board has endeavored to foster a philosophy that permits the colleges to offer services and curricula unique to their communities, while adhering to district policies that are enforced equally on the three campuses. Financial services tend to be more centralized, while the areas of personnel and instruction are less centrally controlled.

APPRAISAL

Areas of authority between college personnel in line positions and district personnel in staff positions (who have specific district responsibilities) occasionally are not clear or in actual conflict. The Chancellor's Cabinet often functions as a vehicle to clarify mutual areas of responsibility and authority.

An equitable process for the allocation of funds among the three colleges has been developed over a number of years and appears to function well. Any "all-district" expenditures that are removed from the funding allocation process are fully discussed in the Chancellor's Cabinet before implementing.

Ensuring consistent personnel practices and procedures among the colleges is sometimes difficult. Regular meetings of the college personnel directors have been effective in improving communications and practices.

PLAN

The Chancellor's Cabinet will continue to focus on the task of clarifying responsibility and authority between the district office and the college.

STANDARD 8B CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (District Chancellor)

The chief executive officer is the educational leader and provides necessary leadership to define goals, develops plans, and establishes priorities for the institution. The role of the chief executive is central to the operation of the institution. The chief executive officer's full-time responsibility is to the institution.

STANDARD 8B.1

The chief executive fosters appropriate communication among the governing Board staff, and students.

DESCRIPTION

The current Chancellor has been an employee of the Kern Community College District since 1972 and has served as its Chancellor since 1978. He has always been committed to an open sharing of information with all employee groups and has consistently fostered open and honest communication channels between the Board, district administration, and staff.

The Chancellor regularly communicates with college faculty via 1) his role as chief spokesperson in contract negotiations with the Community College Association; 2) publishing a Board of Trustees report following each Board meeting; and 3) meeting approximately five times a year with the Academic Senate presidents of the three colleges. He also holds annual meetings with the confidential management employees at each college.

APPRAISAL

The Chancellor effectively communicates with the Board and campus groups. His modeling also helps to foster communication among the various groups at both the district and colleges.

The Chancellor works with staff and students who have exhausted formal avenues of appeal at the campus level to achieve solutions to problems. He conducts ad hoc faculty meetings with faculty and staff to obtain input when issues of major proportions are facing the district.

A number of district-wide committees support the orderly functions of the district. Minutes of these meetings are widely distributed to facilitate communication.

PLAN

The Chancellor will continue to facilitate communication through open meetings with and among employee groups of the district.

STANDARD 8B.2

The chief executive has ensured that college policies land procedures are clearly defined known to the college community, and equitably administered.

DESCRIPTION

Copies of District Board policies and procedures are provided to Confidential Management employees, all employee groups and each of the college libraries. When major changes occur to these policies and procedures, summary memoranda accompany the revisions. District personnel often conduct workshops on the college campuses to review policies and procedures. In addition, a variety of district-wide groups, such as the Chancellor's Cabinet, Personnel Council, Vice Presidents of Instruction Council, Vice President of Student Services Council, Management Information Committee, and the District Fringe Benefits Committee, meet regularly to ensure that these policies and procedures are equitably administered across all three colleges.

APPRAISAL

Policies are well defined and communicated. The Board Policy and Procedures Manual is organized in a manner that is easily understood as a result of a 1992-93 revision. Procedures exist for initiating changes when needed for clarification. When changes are made in policies and procedures affecting the colleges, the Chancellor encourages discussion among appropriate groups and distributes drafts of proposed policy changes for review and input from all groups on the campuses before they are sent to the Board of Trustees for approval. Chancellor's Cabinet meetings are held twice each month to facilitate common administration of college policies and procedures across campuses.

PLAN

Through the district-wide committee structure, the district will continue to ensure the equitable administration of its policies and procedures.

STANDARD 8B.3

The chief executive efficiently manages resources, implements priorities controlling budget and expenditures, and ensures the implementation of statutes, regulations, and board policies.

DESCRIPTION

The Chancellor, through the Assistant Chancellor for Business Services, is responsible for controlling the budget and expenditures. The Cerro Coso College President is delegated authority for budgeting and expenditures for the college and assists in setting district-wide priorities for expenditures. The Chancellor's Cabinet is the primary body to determine allocation of budget resources among the colleges. In addition, annual budget review sessions are held involving Board members and campus employee representatives.

APPRAISAL

The Kern Community College District has developed a reputation for complete openness in its sharing of budgetary information. When faced with news of possible budget cuts during three of the past five years, the Chancellor held district-wide budget discussions with major employee groups from the colleges. Recommendations on fringe benefit allocations have been delegated to a district-wide fringe benefit committee consisting of faculty, classified staff, and administrators.

PLAN

In anticipation of continued minimal financial support from the state, the Chancellor and his staff will continue to work with college and employee groups to exercise budget control, effect improved service delivery, and secure alternative outside funding.

STANDARD 8B.4

The chief executive supports an effective affirmative action policy for staff and students.

DESCRIPTION

The Chancellor has encouraged and directed the recruitment and hiring of district and college employees from under represented groups. To provide an improved pool of under represented applicants for faculty positions, he has developed a faculty mentoring program designed to identify and track outstanding minority students who are potential college faculty members.

APPRAISAL

A district-wide Affirmative Action Committee including both campus and community members has been formed. As a result of its spring 1994 meeting, the committee provided the entire college community with an analysis of past faculty minority recruitment records in addition to needs and goals for the future.

The goal of the Kern Community College District is to have the student population and staff reflective of the communities served. Encouragement is given to campus efforts to attract and retain minority staff members.

PLAN

The district will work more actively with the district-wide Affirmative Action Committee in an effort to attract and hire faculty and staff members from under-represented groups.

STANDARD 8B.5

If the institution is part of a state system the chief executive establishes and maintains an effective working relationship with the state system administration.

DESCRIPTION

The Kern Community College District Chancellor has been active in many state-wide activities in association with the California Community College State Chancellor's Office. This involvement includes 12 years on the Community College Facilities Task Force, serving as Secretary-Treasurer of the California for Community Colleges (a political action group that has raised over $300,000 in support of two successful state-wide bond measures), membership on the executive committee of the Community College State Chancellor's Office, membership on the Board of Directors of the state CEO organization for three years (during which time he served as vice-president), and a member of the Facilities Task Force of the Commission on Innovation.

APPRAISAL

The Chancellor personally knows most of the state system administrators and has frequently interacted with them during the past two years in effecting the annexation of Inyo and Mono Counties into the Kern Community College District.

PLAN

The Chancellor will continue his involvement in the state-wide system by staying active in such endeavors as state bond measures for facilities, advocacy with local legislators regarding community colleges and ad hoc committee work as requested by the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges.

STANDARD 8C THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (College President)

The chief executive officer is the educational leader and provides necessary leadership to define goals, develop plans, and establish priorities for the institution. The role of the chief executive is central to the operation of the institution. The chief executive officer's full-time responsibility is to the institution.

SECTION 8C.1

The chief executive officer fosters appropriate communication among the governing board staff, and students.

DESCRIPTION

The college president has established several methods of communications among the governing board members, staff and students.

He regularly attends all District Board meetings in Bakersfield and keeps Board members and district staff abreast of what is happening at Cerro Coso via periodic communiqué and Board Reports. In addition to distributing the district "Action" newsletter to all college sites, he conveys pertinent actions taken by the Board to his Cabinet, Administrative Council, and the College Council.

The president meets regularly with his Cabinet and receives monthly reports from each manager and supervisor which are also. shared with other members of the college community as well as with the Chancellor at the end of each year. Monthly reports are also required from some student services directors and some governance committee chairs (e.g. Staffing and Budget).

The president is committed to the concept of Shared Governance and fosters the involvement and active participation of all members of the college community in these processes. As a member of the College Council, he presents the President's Cabinet report at each meeting of this body.

In 1990, the president established the "President's Hour," a scheduled weekly day and time when students and staff are provided the opportunity to meet informally with him in the campus Student Center,

APPRAISAL

The aforementioned communication channels appear to function effectively for the sharing of information between and among the various levels and segments of the college community. The president actively articulates the college's needs to the District Board and administration. He serves as a conduit for information sharing among his administrative group and representatives from senates, actively seeking input and feedback.

STANDARD 8C.2

The chief executive has ensured that college policies and procedures are clearly defined, known to the college community, and equitably administered.

DESCRIPTION

The Shared Governance structure and processes ensure that college regulations and procedures are broadly developed, periodically reviewed, and widely disseminated. Prior to adoption, new regulations and procedures are subjected to rigorous scrutiny via the Shared Governance processes of input and feedback among the four Senates and College Council.

A copy of the District Board Policy and Procedures Manual is available in the college library and in various offices throughout the campus. Copies are also provided to each member of the College Council and all Senate presidents.

The Shared Governance model is itself continually revised through broad-based college review.

APPRAISAL

The opportunity for all college staff and students to have input into Shared Governance processes and, in turn, to review proposed college regulations and procedures has enhanced the over-all staff commitment to adhere to these regulations and procedures.

Opportunities to express concern, support, or disapproval appear to be equitable and fair. There are occasional instances when appropriate processes are not followed; such aberrations are usually addressed and remediated by the College Council.

PLAN

The college president will continue his commitment to share responsibility with the College Council to monitor and refine the Shared Governance structure and processes.

SECTION 8C.3

The chief executive efficiently manages resources, implements priorities controlling budget and expenditures, and ensures the implementation of statutes, regulations, and board policies.

DESCRIPTION

The college president expends considerable time and energy functioning as a steward of the college's resources. He closely monitors the processes through which these resources are managed and shared by the various administrators and governance entities. The president oversees the Shared Governance process by which the college's annual budget is developed, relying on input and advice from the Budget Committee and the individual and collective memberships of the senates. Governance committees with funding requirements manage their own budgets (e.g. Staff Development, Safety and Security). The president periodically reports to staff on the annual status of the budget. He also regularly reviews the expenditures of all administrators and signs all college purchase requisitions.

APPRAISAL

Cerro Coso Community College has generally maintained a reputation through the years of sound financial management and takes pride in the fact that it has never exceeded its budget or experienced a fiscal crisis. The president, while delegating

authority to subordinates for managing various portions of the budget, nevertheless closely monitors the fiscal condition of the college. The Shared Governance system has substantially increased the college community's support for the president, his goals, and his responsibilities.

PLAN

The president will continue his commitment to closely coordinate institutional budget priorities and the management of resources with long-range planning.

STANDARD 8C.4

The chief executive supports an effective affirmative action policy for staff and students.

DESCRIPTION

The Director of Administrative Services is delegated the authority and responsibility by the president for implementing district affirmative action policies and procedures for college staff. District affirmative action policies are included in the Kern Community College District Board Policy Manual and are closely adhered to in all hiring processes. The Vice President of Student Services is similarly delegated responsibility for student affirmative action under the guidelines of a recently developed Student Equity Plan.

APPRAISAL

A district-wide Affirmative Action Committee including both campus and community members has been formed. As a result of its spring 1994 meeting, the committee sent the entire college community an analysis of past faculty minority recruitment records in addition to needs and goals for the future.

The college is in need of affirmative action training for its hiring committees. An affirmative action training session was held in April 1994 and was attended by many college staff members. The establishment of a college affirmative action committee to review affirmative action goals and plans would be very helpful to all staff involved in hiring issues and processes.

PLAN

Administrative Services will place a high priority on the integration of federal, state, and district affirmative action regulations and policies with college procedures and processes and develop an on-going training program for all staff in appropriate practices.

STANDARD 8C.5

If the Institution is portion of a state system the Chief Executive establishes and maintains an effective working relationship with the state system administration.

DESCRIPTION

The Kern Community College District Chancellor maintains a relationship with the state system. Through district cabinet and board meetings, the president maintains contact with the state community college system and is thereby kept informed of all necessary laws and regulations.

APPRAISAL

The president maintains a close working relationship with the district chancellor, who, in turn, maintains a communication network with the State Community College Chancellor, his staff, and the Board of Governors. District level meetings are the primary source of information in this regard. While this mode of communication is effective, the extensive travel required of the president makes it necessary that he frequently be absent from campus. Four hours of travel time is required for each meeting. This is inefficient and makes it difficult for the president to administer campus operations.

PLAN

The current procedure will be continued with the president representing the college to the district and the district chancellor working with the state chancellor and the state governance system.

The president and his cabinet will identify more cost effective and efficient modes of maintaining contact and close working relationships, both with district and state entities.

STANDARD 8D ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES (District)

The administration is organized and staffed to provide leadership which makes possible an effective teaching and teaming environment for the achievement of institutional purposes and goals.

STANDARD 8D.1

The administration supports a decision-making process which is timely and which involves persons in the process who will be affected by the decisions.

DESCRIPTION

As indicated in the response to Standard 8B, the Kern Community College District administration involves appropriate employee groups in the development of district policies and procedures. The district has traditionally operated on a decentralized basis; once policy is adopted, campuses are empowered to make their own operative decisions.

APPRAISAL

Cerro Coso effectively functions within the decentralized decision-making structures adopted by the district. This structure allows for timely decision-making at the college level, as well as the support of Cerro Coso's Shared Governance model. It seems to be working well even though there are times when misunderstanding occurs about authority, responsibility, and final decisions. When these misunderstandings arise, they are usually addressed with an openness that assists in achieving resolution.

PLAN

The district will continue to adhere to an essentially decentralized decision-making process where appropriate but will strive to uniformly and evenly administer overall district policy.

Studies of district-wide, decision-making processes will be conducted in the next few years as the new management information system software is implemented and as new organizational structures are adopted.

STANDARD 8D.2

The administration provides leadership and encouragement to the faculty in the improvement of Instruction through methods such as the use of classroom research, educational technology, and innovative methods of instruction.

DESCRIPTION

The district provides Information Services for the district's colleges. Instructional computing and associated educational technology have been traditionally provided by each of the colleges for their own faculty and students.

The district is a charter member of the League for Innovation in the community college which was founded in 1968. Membership and participation in League activities have provided employees of the colleges and district with access to the latest in innovative teaching methods and use of instructional technology, as well as many opportunities to share new ideas with educational leaders throughout the country. Examples of League staff development activities are Project Synergy, which involves an evaluation of software systems for under prepared students, and the Student Art Competition, which will be hosted by Cerro Coso at a national League conference in 1995.

Through special funding sources, college faculty are encouraged to develop innovative teaching approaches visit other colleges and universities, and conduct local workshops for sharing creative instructional methods. District staff support and assist in generating funds for these endeavors.

APPRAISAL

The Kern Community College District Board of Trustees and district administration support the development of new instructional methodologies. The district is currently a partner in a joint powers agreement with California State University, Bakersfield, the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, and the Kern High School District to design and seek grant funding for a Telecommunications Highway system. This system will directly benefit Cerro Coso by connecting the college's service area with Bakersfield.

In direct support of instructional development, the Board approved a special leave for a Cerro Coso faculty member in art to participate as a Fulbright Fellow in Nicaragua. The district also provided additional funding to publish the results of this study.

PLAN

Through the Kern Telecommunications Consortium and related efforts, the district will continue to support ideas and projects that will result in improved instructional methodology at Cerro Coso.

STANDARD 8D.3

The administration assures that institutional research is conducted and that the results are provided to the faculty and the governing board.

DESCRIPTION

The district annually compiles a Comprehensive Resource Planning Document which establishes a basis for planning within the district. This document includes sections on Missions and Goals, External Characteristics, Internal Evaluation, Instructional Services, Student Support Services, Student Demographics, Staffing, Facilities and Equipment, Finance, and Success Factors. Copies are distributed to faculty and classified staff leaders, members of Cerro Coso's Long Range Planning Committee, and all managers.

The district Information Services Office provides regular reports on faculty load, student enrollment, budget expenditures, grade distribution, and vocational education. Many staff members have full access to the extensive data base in the district's management information system so that individual research may be conducted.

APPRAISAL

Though the current management information system has an abundance of data for research, it is not sufficiently "user friendly" to allow staff members to retrieve and design data output effectively. Special reports are difficult to obtain because they require extensive programming time from a limited staff. Regularly scheduled reports

such as the FTES BY TOPS or the FTES BY INSTRUCTOR are often difficult to interpret and are not timely.

The district management Information Services personnel provide Cerro Coso with a wide range of information upon request. The MS staff often have difficulty responding to these requests because of the inadequacy of the data base report writer. As a result, there are varying degrees of satisfaction with these reports. This problem is being openly addressed. Specifications for a user friendly report writer have been written. Upon installation, end users (faculty, administration, and staff.) will be able to effectively write their own reports with ease.

PLAN

A new report writer will be installed to provide enhanced institutional research capabilities.

STANDARD 8D.4

The administration is organized and staffed to reflect institutional purposes, size, and complexity, and to provide economical and effective management.

DESCRIPTION

The district staff consists of 45 employees assigned to the various offices as follows: Chancellor (7); Assistant to the Chancellor/Instruction (3); Assistant Chancellor/Personnel (5); Assistant Chancellor/Business Services and (17); Director of Management Information Services (13).

The district encourages effective management by coordinating many district-wide committees. Among these are the Matriculation Committee, Instructional Deans Council, Personnel Council, Child Development Council, MS Committee, and DSPS Committee.

APPRAISAL

The geographically large size of the Kern Community College District, the unique features of the various communities served by the three colleges, and the differences in size of these colleges make a decentralized governance and decision-making system logical. Communication between the district and each of the three colleges, as well as among the colleges, is an administrative challenge. The geographic size of Cerro Coso's service area has been significantly increased by the recent annexation of Inyo and Mono counties to the Kern Community College District. This annexation adds 12,000 square miles to the Cerro Coso service area.

PLAN

The administrative organization of the district office will be reviewed to determine if changes are needed to effect better communication between Cerro Coso and the district office.

STANDARD 8E ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES (College)

The administration is organized and staffed to provide leadership which makes possible an effective teaching and learning environment for the achievement of institutional purposes and goals.

SECTION 8E.1

The administration supports a decision-making process which is timely and which involves persons in the process who will be affected by the decisions.

DESCRIPTION

The administration at Cerro Coso supports a Shared Governance model of decision-making which seeks to involve all members of the college community who are affected by these decisions. The purpose of Shared Governance at Cerro Coso is to provide an equal voice for all members of the college community, regardless of group membership or job title, in the decision-making processes of the college. Participants in Shared Governance include students, faculty, classified staff, and administrators. The college president, however, retains the ultimate responsibility for all decisions that are made. For a complete description of the current governance structure and processes at Cerro Coso, please refer to the Cerro Coso Shared Governance Model.

APPRAISAL

In keeping with the spirit of AB 1725, the success of Shared Governance at Cerro Coso primarily depends upon the levels of cooperation and trust attained, the values shared and the consensus achieved among and between individuals and groups at the institution. The creation and application of Shared Governance has significantly increased participation in the decision-making processes. All personnel are encouraged, and most participate in committee work and other group activity which contribute to the leadership of the college. Even though achieving consensus is a slower process and requires more time, its use in Shared Governance has resulted in higher motivation, increased sense of ownership, and a reduction in alienation of college employees. The lengthy deliberations that sometimes occur on topics of importance to the college invariably result in a higher quality of decision-making than the almost totally unilateral administrative approaches practiced in the past.

Shared Governance also requires a more complex and well-defined committee structure to effectively consider the diverse proposals and questions brought before its central group, the College Council. An effort is made to continually refine the processes of information sharing among the constituent college groups. Each year the Shared Governance structure and processes are reviewed, evaluated, and

modified by the college community to ensure that they continue to respond to current needs, newly defined needs, and redefined relationships. Student participation on Shared Governance has been somewhat limited because of the inordinate time requirements needed to fully participate on any governance committee.

Substantive changes in the membership of the college council have recently been made in an effort to underscore this body's critical role in Shared Governance. These changes include requiring each of the senate presidents to serve as council representatives and expanding the membership to include the administrative positions of Chief Instructional Officer and Chief Student Services Officer.

PLAN

The changes in College Council membership will be implemented and the College President, Council, and Review Board will continue to refine the Model and encourage broader participation by all staff members and students in the Shared Governance processes.

STANDARD 8E.2

The administration provides leadership and encouragement to the faculty in the improvement of instruction through methods such as the use of classroom research, educational technology, and innovative methods of instruction.

DESCRIPTION

Cerro Coso faculty are encouraged to utilize computer technology to enhance classroom instruction. Some faculty members have utilized staff development funds to attend workshops and conferences that focus on educational technology and instructional innovation. Last year the staff development committee sponsored a campus speaker who addressed the faculty on the topic "Intro the Future of Education with Technology." Classroom research has been conducted comparing placement test scores and student success in English, Basic Skills, and Mathematics courses.

Innovative methods of instruction have been encouraged through the regular granting of sabbatical leaves for faculty to pursue projects of value to them in their respective teaching disciplines. The sharing of sabbatical leave reports among college colleagues has provided enrichment to the campus teaching learning environment. A member of the Art faculty was granted a Fulbright Scholarship for research and study in Nicaragua last year.

Through the Innovator of the Year award (sponsored by the district and League for Innovation), faculty members are recognized for their creativity in instructional methodology and curriculum development. Several faculty have also received honors from state and national organizations for their innovative methods of instruction.

A Task Force on Information Technology has been formed to "make recommendations to the College Council for the application and management of information technologies that will best meet the needs of the entire college community including students and staff." This task force has surveyed college faculty, classified staff, and members of the administration to assess computer knowledge, current practices in the use of computer and other technology, and desired directions for the future. Computers are presently used in accounting, basic skills, mathematics, office careers, and drafting and machine tool technology classes.

APPRAISAL

At Cerro Coso, the current status of classroom research, educational technology, and innovative methods of instruction are still in the beginning stages of development. The levels of awareness have significantly been raised, and a plan was recently developed for attaining the long-range goal of "integrating technology throughout the college..."

PLAN

Computer-facilitated instruction will be introduced into the curriculum with the use of computer software in three non-computer classes.

Computers at each of the three extension sites will be linked to the college's local area network, as well as to the district office, to provide direct E-mail communication.

The existing computer network will be evaluated to determine new user requirements, possible up-grading of software and hardware, and the quality of interface with the district computer system.

The Budget Area Groups will ensure that adequate resources are allocated in their respective annual budgets to allow for expanded uses of technology at the college.

STANDARD 8E.3

The administration assures that institutional research is conducted and that the results are provided to the faculty and the governing Board.

DESCRIPTION

The Dean of Educational Services conducts institutional research for the college as needed and annually updates a manual of resource data for use by the Master Planning Committee and other governance committees. Ibis resource manual contains extensive data on college programs, enrollment patterns, and demographics of the college's service area and student body.

At Cerro Coso, the District Comprehensive Master Plan is reviewed and pertinent college data is extracted for insertion in the college's Master Plan for the Nineties or into the resource manual. The Master Planning Committee then meets with other

governance committees to review the research data, answer questions, and ascertain if additional information is needed to assist in their decision-making processes.

APPRAISAL

Because the amount of information available is considerable, keeping the various other governance committees informed with appropriate data has been a challenge. The Master Planning Committee needs to develop an effective method of heightening the awareness of the college community as to the data that is available to them. It is not sufficient to simply place documents in the library, inform staff what information is available, and expect that they will avail themselves of the data.

PLAN

The Master Planning Committee will enlist the support of the College Council in devising an effective means of making research available and encouraging its use by all governance groups.

STANDARD 8E.4

The administration is organized and staffed to reflect institutional purposes, size, and complexity, and to provide economical and effective management.

DESCRIPTION

Cerro Coso's administrative structure is hierarchical and organized along program lines (see organization chart). Within this traditional structure is the newer framework of a Shared Governance model that emphasizes information-sharing, consensus-building, and shared decision-making.

APPRAISAL

The college's new Shared Governance structure has blurred some of the lines of authority that have existed in the past. Most of the governance committees function somewhat autonomously within the general guidelines provided by the Shared Governance model. Other committees function as work groups within the organizational chart but with recommending authority and membership that goes beyond traditional departmental relationships. This organizational approach appears to be functioning as a workable blend of the traditional chain of command together with expanded opportunities for broad-based involvement in decision-making.

PLAN

College administrative positions are currently being studied by the district with Hay Management Consultants of Los Angeles. Initial findings and recommendations were formulated and shared in January 1994 with implementation planned for the 1994-95 school year.

STANDARD 8F FACULTY

STANDARD 8F.1

The faculty have established and participate in an effective academic or faculty senate or, in the case of private colleges, a formal process for providing input in institutional governance. This faculty organization is able to carry on its responsibilities for academic and professional matters at the college. The college provides support to the faculty to enable it to meet its responsibilities. Appropriate delegation of authority takes place from the local governing board.

STANDARD 8F.2

The role and responsibility of the faculty through its academic senate or faculty organization, is clearly defined in written policy.

STANDARD 8F.3

The role and participation of the faculty on various policy-making, planning, and special purpose bodies Ls clearly stated in written policy.

STANDARD 8F.4

The faculty have and exercise a substantial voice in matters of educational program, faculty personnel, and other matters of institutional policy which relate to their areas of responsibility and expertise.

STANDARD 8F.5

It is considered part of each faculty member's professional responsibility to participate in committees and the governance structure of the institution.

STANDARD 8F.6

Where appropriate, there exists a workable written delineation of functions between the bargaining agent and the senate.

STANDARD 8F.7

(For multi-college systems only.) If the system is served by a system or district senate, the relationship between the college and district senate and the relationship between the district senate and the governing board are clearly defined.

DESCRIPTION

Established in 1973 when the college first opened, the Cerro Coso Academic Senate is the official organization for the professional development and support of all current full-time contract faculty members. Provisions also exist to allow for participation of part-time certificated employees (i.e. Adjunct Faculty) in the structure and processes of the Senate via full-time counterparts in their respective subject area disciplines or service areas.

In its official Policies, the Board of Trustees of the Kern Community College District affirms its recognition of the Cerro Coso Academic Senate, as

well as its obligation to consult collegially with this body regarding academic and professional matters. The scope and substance of "academic and professional matters" is contained in the Kern Community College District Board Policy Manual and the Academic Senate Constitution and By-Laws. The roles and responsibilities of the faculty are further defined in the current CCA/Kern Community College District Faculty Contract, the Adjunct Faculty Handbook, the Shared Governance policies, and the Academic Senate Constitution and By-Laws.

APPRAISAL

After the passage of AB 1725 and the subsequent implementation of the current Shared Governance model adopted by the college in 1991, the faculty and their Senate have assumed an expanded role and responsibility within the planning and policy-making functions of the college (see Shared Governance Policies and Chart of Governance Group Memberships). These include membership and a high level of participation on the Governance Committees of Master Planning, Budget Development, Staffing, Facilities and Construction, Staff Development, Matriculation, and Safety and Security, and Information Technology.

Cerro Coso faculty also exercise a substantial voice in matters relating to the college's educational programs, curriculum, and faculty hiring processes. Faculty constitute the majority of the membership on the key committees of Curriculum and Instruction, Long-Term Schedule Development, and Academic Review/Petitions. This is also true of the Discipline Area Committees (DAC's) which screen applications and interview and approve candidates for the adjunct faculty pool, as well as decide on issues of minimum qualifications and equivalency for prospective instructors.

Because the durations of membership on all major Governance and Senate Committees are limited and regularly rotated, faculty members have the opportunity to serve on a number of these groups over a period of time and are in fact encouraged to do so. All full-time faculty members are expected to participate in the

governance processes of the college through membership in their Senate and the various all-college committees. However, this is not considered a part of the professional responsibility of adjunct faculty members. There is no district-wide Academic Senate in the Kern Community College District. Each college Senate is independent and does not possess a formalized working relationship with the other college senates.

PLAN

The Academic Senate will further develop and implement the provisions of their constitution and by-laws to incorporate representation for adjunct faculty, including non-teaching certificated employees, within its structure and processes.

The College Council will develop additional avenues and opportunities for increased participation of faculty members, including adjunct faculty, in the college's evolving Shared Governance processes.

STANDARD 8G SUPPORT STAFF

STANDARD 8G.1

An organization of support staff personnel, if established has well-defined responsibilities and functions.

DESCRIPTION

As part of the new Shared Governance model implemented in 1991, the Cerro Coso support staff established a Classified Senate organization for all permanent classified employees. The responsibilities and functions of these support personnel are outlined in the Classified Senate Constitution which was ratified in May 1991 by a majority vote of the classified staff. An executive board subsequently was elected and regular monthly Senate meetings began in the fall 1991 semester.

The Classified Senate was established to represent the various needs, concerns, and viewpoints of classified employees in the college's governance system and to facilitate

communications among classified staff members, as well as between this group of employees and other segments of the college community. Official representatives are appointed from the Senate to serve on the various governance groups.

In addition to the Senate's constitution, support staff duties and responsibilities are further defined in the Shared Governance policies and current CSEA Contract.

APPRAISAL

All classified employees are invited to participate in the college's governance processes and may do so by being elected to the Senate Executive Board, governance committees, or College Council. Even though their involvement in college governance is encouraged, it is estimated that no more than 20 percent of the total staff actually participate. Reasons cited for lack of participation are: 1) lack of understanding of Shared Governance and/or the role of classified staff in it; 2) the geographical distance of some staff members located at extension centers; 3) a perceived lack of supervisory support on the part of some staff members; 4) a belief by some that Shared Governance is not effective; and 5) the fact that the minimal staff in some offices makes it difficult to spare members to attend meetings. Those who do participate often serve on more than one committee to compensate for the lack of involvement by other members. Part-time staff frequently must arrange to participate during their non-work hours or make up missed time when meetings are held during their scheduled work hours. Because of the efforts of those members who participate in the Classified Senate and other governance groups, there has been a substantial improvement in the sharing and flow of information which has resulted in a more positive and open work environment at Cerro Coso.

In an effort to increase participation of the support staff, an information brochure describing the structure and functions of the Classified Senate was developed and distributed to all staff. Classified employees were also surveyed to evaluate the Senate's performance, as well as to ascertain whether or not changing the meeting schedule would stimulate more attendance. In addition, the Senate recently began the practice of developing Career Track flyers spotlighting classified employees and circulating these throughout the college. It is hoped that these efforts will help to inform the entire college staff about the Senate and about those who serve in the Shared Governance structure.

PLAN

The three classified representatives on the College Council will continue to function in a liaison capacity to the three college extension sites, maintaining contact and facilitating information flow with support personnel working at these outlying areas.

As Cerro Coso College looks at how to implement future technology, teleconferencing will provide a means by which extension staff can participate in Senate meetings.

The Senate will plan and conduct a leadership training workshop in fall 1994 and develop an on-going mentoring system which will pair experienced staff with inexperienced members who wish to participate but lack confidence in their ability to do so.

STANDARD 8G.2

The role of the support staff in various governing, planning, budgeting, and policy-making bodies is made clear and public.

DESCRIPTION

The role of the classified staff is delineated in both the Shared Governance policies document and the Classified Senate Constitution. Classified employees serve as representatives on the College Council, Governance Review Board, and on all governance committees, including those of Master Planning, Budget, and Staffing.

Copies of the Shared Governance policies and the Classified Senate Constitution are broadly distributed within the college community.

Meeting minutes of the College Council, the four senates, and the seven governance committees are generally distributed to each college office and also posted on the Print Shop bulletin board.

APPRAISAL

The advent of Shared Governance at Cerro Coso has significantly expanded and vitalized the role of the classified staff in college governance, planning, budgeting, and policy making. However, there is still a tendency on the part of many staff members to underestimate the importance of their participation in the governance processes of the college. There is a need to continually redefine the role of the classified staff within a college-wide perspective and explore ways to stimulate their meaningful involvement in all aspects of college operations.

PLAN

The Classified Senate will continue to survey its membership to evaluate the senate's performance and to solicit suggestions for improving its operations.

STANDARD 8G.3

There exists a well-developed program of staff development for the support staff.

DESCRIPTION

In-service training and job enhancement programs for support staff are generally provided by the governance committee on Staff Development. This committee solicits ideas and suggestions regarding desired topics, workshops, seminars, speakers, and other training opportunities from all college employees. Staff responses form the basis for the scheduling of various staff development activities and events during the following year. For example, during the 1992-93 academic year, eleven campus staff development events were scheduled. These events were advertised via brochures, posters, flyers, campus bulletins, meeting minutes, and reports in senate meetings. Release time was granted for support staff to attend.

Another avenue for staff development is the Classified Staff Professional Development Plan available to all permanent classified employees for participating in an approved program of college coursework. Of the 20 participants during the 1992-

93 school year, 4 completed their goals, while the remaining participants are still progressing through their program.

Support staff are also encouraged to individually develop their job, leadership, and communication skills by participating in college governance and attending off-campus workshops and conferences.

APPRAISAL

Support staff are provided with ample opportunities to participate in various aspects of the college's staff development program. Even though the staff members have been surveyed as to their staff development needs and interests and encouraged to participate, levels of participation tend to be low. Some indicate that they do not have the support of their supervisors or that their work load and office assignments do not permit participation. However, the events that have been scheduled during non-work hours are no better attended. Since the opportunity for input to the Staff Development Program exists, a higher participation rate would be expected. Because of the distances extension staff have to travel to the main campus, some staff development funds are separately allocated for scheduling events at extension sites.

Some employees have expressed dissatisfaction with limiting travel funding to only two-thirds of the total costs. However, this policy makes it possible to support conferences and workshops for more participants. Staff also have the option of applying to other funding sources for the additional one-third financial support.

The incentives to participate in the Classified Staff Professional Development Plan seem to work, even though some feel that the $1000 award is a token reimbursement that does not adequately cover expenses.

PLAN

The College Council will encourage a higher level of administrative support for classified staff to participate in the various aspects of staff development.

The Classified representatives on the Staff Development Committee will submit a mini-grant application to fund one event each year specifically for support staff.

STANDARD 8H STUDENTS

STANDARD 8H.1

A student governing body, if established has well-defined responsibilities and functions.

STANDARD 8H.2

The role of students in various governing, planning, budgeting, and policy-making bodies is made clear and public.

DESCRIPTION

Since the adoption and implementation of the Shared Governance model at Cerro Coso in 1991, students are provided with a formal channel for input into the institutional decision-making processes. There are two student representative positions on the College Council and one on each of the seven governance committees. This offers students on-going opportunities for input and feedback to and from the Student Senate and a voice in college-wide governance.

The responsibilities and functions of the governing body representing the Associated Students of Cerro Coso (ASCC) are outlined in the Student Senate Constitution. Representatives from various student organization and subject matter disciplines comprise the membership of the Student Senate. For every ten members belonging to a recognized student club, the club is permitted one voting representative on the Student Senate.

There is also an opportunity for a Cerro Coso College student representative to sit on the Kern Community College District Board of Trustees on a rotating basis every third year. There will be a Cerro Coso student on the Board in 1994-95.

The Associated Students of Cerro Coso own the college snack bar and bookstore businesses. Because the college is ultimately responsible for their operation, the ASCC delegates the management of these businesses to the college president or his designee. Student representatives are invited to serve on the Advisory Committee that generally oversees the operation of these businesses. Proceeds from these two businesses belong to the ASCC, and the Student Senate approves budgets that are proposed by the managers. Net profits realized from both businesses form the basis of the ASCC annual budget and are used to fund student events and activities, as well as other institutional projects.

APPRAISAL

Although the opportunity for student involvement in college governance is encouraged, actual participation has been minimal. The participation of student members on governance committees has not been consistent. Few students tend to remain active on a given committee for the full term. However, maintaining student involvement in the Student Senate for the full term has been more successful.

During the 1993-94 school year, a College Council member from the faculty was appointed to act as a liaison between the Council and the Student Senate to educate and inform students regarding the opportunities for them in college governance.

The membership of the Student Senate developed and adopted a new ASCC constitution in fall 1993. ASCC requests and carefully researches budget proposals submitted from all areas of the college. Funds have been allocated for a number of

instructional areas as well as for special student leadership and governance activities, workshops, and conferences.

PLAN

An annual workshop will be developed to assist students to build leadership skills and provide the training for increased participation in the college's governance processes.

Plans will be formulated to design a multi-faceted approach to educating students about Shared Governance through student newspaper articles, informational handouts, and presentations in new student orientation sessions and Master Student classes.


1. Board member directory 2. Board meeting minutes 3. Board member self-assessment instrument 4. Chancellor Cabinet minutes 5. Shared Governance Document 6. Academic Senate minutes and constitution 7. College Council minutes 8. Classified Senate minutes and constitution 9. Classified Senate member survey 10. Administrative Senate minutes and constitution 11. President's Advisory Committee minutes

Cerro Coso Community College 3000 College Heights Boulevard Ridgecrest, CA 93555

This document is not a copy of the original hard-copy report but is a duplicate of the web document. The content is the same as in the original report.