Organization for Accreditation 2004 Self Study
Organization for Accreditation 2004 Self Study
Ventura College is pleased to submit this 2004 Institutional Self Study as part of its application for reaffirmation of accreditation. Planning for the Self Study began during the Spring 2003 Semester under the leadership of the Accreditation Self Study Co-Chairs-the Executive Vice President, Student Learning/Accreditation Liaison Officer and the Vice President of the Academic Senate (former President). The former President of the College, in consultation with the Academic Senate, appointed faculty members, administrators, classified staff and a student leader to serve as co-chairs of committees for the four accreditation standards. Additionally, faculty, classified and administrators were appointed for subcommittees of Standards Two, Three and Four. Two English faculty received partial release time to serve as the Self Study Editors.
An orientation meeting for the Accreditation Steering Committee-consisting of the Accreditation Self Study Co-Chairs, the co-chairs of the four accreditation standard committees, the Academic Senate President, the Classified Senate President, and the Associated Student President-was held in October, 2003. This group was convened to organize Ventura College's report preparation and site visit for October, 2004, and to determine what aspects of the college's April 2003 Progress Report would be included in this project.
Background Leading to the Development of the October 2004 Self Study
Ventura College was scheduled for a site visit for March 2002. Prior to this time, an Abbreviated Accreditation Self Study Report was prepared and submitted to the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, and the visiting team members. The abbreviated Self Study was being conducted for two primary reasons: 1) Ventura College had not had a full Self Study since 1996 and 2) the next College self study was scheduled for Fall 2004. Since the Colleges of the Ventura Community College District were all going to the same accreditation/visitation schedule (Fall 2004), Ventura College would have eight years between a full Self Study and accreditation team visit. This time frame was unacceptable to the Commission, therefore, it was decided that there would be the abbreviated study and team visit in March 2002. This report was prepared and submitted to the Commission and visiting team. The visit was held, as scheduled, March 19-21, 2002 . The Accrediting Commission reviewed the institutional study report of Ventura College and the report of the evaluation team that visited the college (March 2002), and acted to accept the report and place Ventura College on warning June 14, 2002 .
Ventura College was instructed to develop a Progress Report in response to the Commission's letter ( June 14, 2002 ). The Progress Report was to have the following structure:
- Cover Sheet
- Table of Contents
- Statement of Report Preparation
- Organization Chart (showing offices and functions of the college)
- Response to the Team Recommendations and Action Letter
- Summary and Discussion of Self-Identified Issues (to be identified through review of the 1996 Standards).
The April 2003 Progress Report was prepared by a cross-section of Ventura College faculty, managers, classified staff and student leaders. The Accreditation Team Report of April 2002 made nine Recommendations to Ventura College . The Accrediting Commission added a tenth Recommendation to its final report of June 2002, that had as its primary focus, "to reestablish a relationship of integrity with the Commission.". Given the serious, substantive concerns raised by the Commission's addition of the tenth Recommendation to the findings in its report from the 2002 abbreviated visit, a separate campus committee (Recommendation Ten) was established to review these issues and address the concerns.
The former President received a letter from the Commission on June 30, 2003 informing him that the college's Warning status had been removed and accreditation reaffirmed. The college was also commended for the seriousness with which it engaged in the preparation of the Progress Report (April 2003) and for its ability to address Commission concerns in such a short period of time.
Organization of Self Study for October 2004 Site Visit
During the first Steering Committee meeting (October 2003), it was decided that those members of the Progress Report (April 2003) Committees, who expressed interest in serving on committees for particular new accreditation standards would be given preference-this would be their second Self Study in two consecutive years-and third site visit in three consecutive years. The Accreditation Committee members felt strongly that Ventura College was greatly misrepresented by the preparation of the March 2002 Progress Report, which lead to the college's Warning status. They believed that the process utilized in the preparation of the 2003 Progress Report had addressed all institutional integrity issues cited by the Commission and that they wanted to continue this campus wide effort for the fall 2004 Self Study. Therefore, over the summer 2003 the leadership of the college, with the Accreditation Co-Chairs developed yet another plan for an accreditation study and site visit. Organizational meetings were being held and/or developed.
Several issues could have impacted the Accreditation Timeline. One significant change for the college was the resignation of the Ventura College President in early December 2003. The district's Deputy Chancellor was reassigned to the campus at the end of January 2004. The resignation of the President, who was co-chairing two of the four standards resulted in changes to the original Self Study organizational structure. The Executive Vice President of Student Learning and the Vice President of Business Services provided support on an as needed basis-to ensure that Ventura College kept pace with its sister colleges for submission of the Self Study-with respect to district established timelines.
The Office of Institutional Research (District Office) collected and summarized existing data for the majority of this report. The Ventura College Office of Institutional Research is a grant-supported activity, and is solely utilized for the provision of grant data. However, pertinent data from both offices has been collected and summarized as needed to support documentation for all standards.
The Accreditation Self Study Co-Chairs and selected Deans drafted the Responses to the Recommendations of the April 2003 Accrediting Team, for review by the steering committee, Academic Senate, Classified Senate and Campus Student Leadership.
Throughout the process, Accrediting Steering Committee/Co-Chairs members reported frequently through the College's organizational and committee structure on the progress of the Self Study. The Accreditation Self Study Co-Chairs provided campus update via email periodically to keep the campus abreast of all accreditation activity. The draft of the Accreditation Report was also sent of via email in early May 2004 requesting campus feedback and input. The status of the Accreditation and Site Visit will be presented for the college community at the Fall 2004 Mandatory Flex Day.
The Steering Committee as well as the Accreditation Co-Chairs have thoroughly reviewed many drafts of the standard committees reports. Responding to the standards has invoked a great deal of discussion on many campus topics and issues, and as such there has been a relatively high level of attention to the development of the Self Study by college constituent groups. As mentioned earlier, the campus is very sensitive to wide campus involvement since VC's prior placement on Warning Status. The campus (as a whole) takes great pride in Ventura College and all its programs, services and course offerings, and wants to be recognized for its excellence in service to students and the community. It is important to mention that the Ventura College community has worked tirelessly on accreditation reports for two consecutive years!
At the July 13, 2004 Board Meeting, the VCCCD Board of Trustees will review the completed report. If any institutional changes occur between the completion of the Self Study report and the accreditation visit, the Accreditation Liaison Officer will draft an addendum to the report, to be reviewed by the Accreditation Steering Committee/Co-Chairs and mailed to the visiting team members with the final Self Study report in September 2004.
TIMELINE FOR ACCREDITATION SELF STUDY 2004
| May 1, 2003 | Development of work plans, goals, and objectives; appointment of co-chairs for all constituent groups (faculty, classified staff, student and administrator) of standard committees |
| August 15, 2003 | Announcement to the college community of the opportunity to volunteer to serve on accreditation standard committees by the Executive Vice President at Mandatory Flex Day |
| October 9, 2004 | Ventura College training for accreditation standard committee co-chairs by Dr. Barbara Beno |
| October 17, 2003 | First Steering Committee (Co-Chairs) Meeting held |
| November 5, 2003 | Monthly Co-Chairs Meeting; progress reports from standard committee co-chairs and planning of dialogue meeting at Council of Institutional Development (CID) |
| November 12, 2003 | Council of Institutional Development (CID) meeting to plan dialogue accreditation themes |
| December 3, 2003 | Accreditation Steering Committee/Co-Chairs meeting to update progress on standards |
| December 10, 2003 | Council of Institutional Development (CID) to dialogue first selected theme for accreditation self study |
| February 4, 2004 | Accreditation Co-Chairs Meeting; written versions of Self Study report-1 st draft were shared among all committee members |
| February 11, 2004 | CID meeting to dialogue second selected theme for accreditation self study |
| March 3, 2004 | Accreditation Co-Chairs meeting; written versions of Self Study report-2 nd draft were shared among all committee members |
| March 10, 2004 | CID meeting to dialogue third selected theme for accreditation self study |
| March 22, 2004 | Standard Co-Chair self study standard completed draft to Accreditation Co-Chairs for initial review |
| March 29, 2004 | Accreditation Co-Chairs send draft self study report to editors |
| April 23, 2004 | Self Study sent back to standard co-chairs for review |
| May 6, 2004 | Email of Self Study final draft to campus community (hard copies available on request) for review at large and final review by standard committee co-chairs |
| May 12, 2004 | Draft Self Study report comments and changes due back from campus community and standard committee co-chairs to the Executive Vice President's Office |
| May 24, 2004 | Report available in the Executive Vice President's Office for Committee Co-Chairs signatures |
| June 7, 2004 | Accreditation Co-Chairs review final draft of Self Study with President |
| June 18, 2004 | Report to the Board of Trustees for initial review; meetings scheduled by Accreditation Co-Chairs with Academic Senate, Classified Senate, and Associated Student Board to review report |
| July 13, 2004 | First reading by the Board of Trustees |
| July 14, 2004 | Self Study to printer |
| July 15, 2004 | Accreditation Self Study Report posted to college website |
| August 10, 2004 | Second reading by the Board of Trustees |
| August 13, 2004 | Flex Day comments and update on accreditation site visit and report by Accreditation Co-Chairs |
| August 16, 2004 | College community review of completed Accreditation Self Study September 3, 2004 Visiting Team by Accreditation Co-Chairs) |
| August 25, 2004 | Copies of Accreditation Self Study Report mailed to the Accrediting Commission and the members of the Accreditation Team |
| September 6, 2004 | Preparation of addendum to Accreditation Self Study Report by Accreditation Liaison Officer |
| September 15, 2004 | Addendum to Accreditation Self Study Report mailed to the Accrediting Commission and members of the Accreditation Team |
| October 4, 2004 | Steering Committee/Co-Chairs meeting-final planning of team visit |
| October 13, 2004 | Steering Committee/Co-Chairs meeting-update on details of team visit |
| October 19-21, 2004 | Accreditation Team Visit |
Ventura College, 4667 Telegraph Road, Ventura, CA 93003 (805) 654-6400
