Responses To Recommendations

PAGE 9 OF 10

Recommendation Nine

Committee Membership

Dr. Kay Faulconer Boger, Co-Chair, Dean of Business, Community Education, Resource Development and Off-Campus Programs
Jerry Mortensen, Co-Chair, Assistant Dean of Criminal Justice, Public Safety and Music
Steve Turner, Co-Chair, Instructor, Educational Assistance Center
Glenda Plisky, Clerical Assistant III, Public Safety

Recommendation Nine

The College should identify the nature and scope of administrative tasks to be performed by College management staff, identify administrative positions, duties, and structure to accomplish those tasks, and create and maintain a stable cadre of professionals to fill those positions. (1996 Standards 10 B.3, 10 B.4)

Response

A. Nature and Scope of Administrative Tasks
Ventura College has undergone several administrative reorganizations since the last full accreditation visit in 1996. Perhaps the most major alteration in structure was the elimination of separate Vice Presidents for Instruction and Student Services and the creation of a single position for both units, the Executive Vice President of Student Learning. This organizational model was adopted district wide in 1997, by a philosophy directed at achieving an organizational structure that would reinforce the core value of the colleges: student learning. This change fully reorganized the interdependencies between student services and teaching/learning. Full implementation of this reorganization included:

• Elimination of separate Vice Presidential offices for Student Services and Instruction
• Establishing a new Office of Executive Vice President for Student Learning to provide leadership and direction for both student and instructional services
• Redesigning the functions of all mid-level deans and, in the process increasing management level support for student services functions from 1.0 FTE to 2.0 FTE
• The formation of a new structure called Administrative Council, which includes student services and instructional managers working together within a single coordinating administrative body

This administrative plan was implemented in Fall 1997 and was operational until Fall 1999. The President had recognized that, to some degree, the new structure and roles were experimental, and that a process of periodic review and evaluation should be included as another element of the new administrative plan. By Spring 2002, more adjustments were needed in the overall administrative structure because two administrators left the College; one retired and the other went on an extended leave of absence. Additionally, a third dean was selected to serve as the Executive Vice President of Student Learning for the College. As a result of fiscal constraints facing the organization, the college and district decided not to replace the vacated positions, so the college undertook another internal reorganization as a consequence of these changes. The Administrative Council helped facilitate this process through weekly discussions regarding the division of duties (R 9.1). The outcome resulted in the elimination of one Dean position and the redistribution of responsibilities among the remaining administrators and the establishment of an “intern” Dean position. The College organization charts reflect the changes in administrative duties that have occurred since 1996 (R 9.2). The following chart notes the comparison of management positions from 1996 through 2002:

Comparison of Management Positions

Classification	1996 Report	2002 Report	July 2002
President	1	1	1
Executive Vice President		1	1
Vice President, College Services	1	1	1
Vice President, Instruction	1
Vice President, Student Services	1
Dean	7	7	6
Assistant Dean		2	1
Intern Dean			1
Total	11	12	11

Although these reassignments of administrative duties have expanded the responsibilities and workload of the overall administrative staff, the College has continued to make progress in the accomplishment of its goals. It should be noted that several major programs and services have also contributed to the increased workload of the administrative staff since the 1996 Self-Study. Included in these new programs and services are the following:

• Ventura County Sheriff’s Police Academy
• Two Title V Grants for Hispanic Serving Institutions
• Expanded Health Programs: CAN, EMT, and Paramedic
• Alternate Text Production Center
• Multimedia
• Biotechnology
• Expansion of Courses and Services at East Campus

Two other important changes have reinforced the College’s ability to cope with its operational issues. First, the Administrative Council has evolved into an effective group that addresses seriously the day-to-day and long-term operational issues of the College and provides considerable advice to the President’s Cabinet and openly shares information with other organizational groups. Second, the College has become much more inclusive in its decision-making and decision-recommending processes. The recent reaffirmation of the Council for Institutional Development’s (CID) role in strategic and tactical planning by both the Academic and Classified Senates, the monthly campus-wide Budget Forums, the expansion of the District Council of Administrative Services (DCAS) to evaluate the overall budget process, and other related groups are changing the fabric of the College’s decision-making and recommending processes and the result is a better overall understanding of College operations by all participating administrators.

B. Administrative Qualifications, Job Duties and Evaluations
The College’s administrative staff has an average of 15 years experience in College administration (R 9.3). Each staff member has been selected through the District’s hiring procedures and in accordance with District policy. All administrative hires require local screening and interviews with recommendations of finalists made to the College President who then interviews the finalists with the District’s Executive Management. Only then are final recommendations presented to the Governing Board.

Individual job descriptions for each of the College’s administrative staff are provided in the reference materials (R 9.4). Both College-wide and individual organization charts and functional assignments for each administrative position are presented in the materials attached to this report.

The appropriate supervisor annually evaluates each administrator. The formal evaluation documents are forwarded to the District for the Chancellor’s final review and are made a part of each manager’s permanent personnel file.

C. Professional Development
The district as well as Ventura College provides professional training opportunities for administrators via a staff development program and the Professional Development Plan for Managers and Supervisors (R 9.5, R 9.6). In addition, college administrators are also provided with the opportunity to participate in a variety of workshops to enhance managerial skills throughout the year.

Recommendation Nine List of Documents

R 9.1	Minutes of Administrative Council Meetings
R 9.2	Organization Charts
R 9.3	Management Surveys on Education and Experience
R 9.4	Job Descriptions
R 9.5	Staff Development
R 9.6	Professional Development Plan for Managers and Supervisors

 

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