PRESENTED BY Leslie Buckalew Accreditation Liaison Officer AND

PRESENTED BY: Leslie Buckalew, Accreditation Liaison Officer AND Nathan Rien, Faculty Accreditation Co-Chair Spring Faculty In-Service | January 6 -7, 2016

ACCREDITING COMMISSION FOR COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accreditation 101 WHAT’S ALL THE FUSS ABOUT?

What is “Accreditation? ” Behind the curtain of an incredibly important word. • A status certifying a college’s educational quality when measured against peer-developed Accreditation Standards • Voluntarily pursued in part by the process of an Institutional Self Study, inclusive of research, reflection, and plans for improvement • A national system of peer-to-peer self-regulation that functions at a regional level under the auspices of the federal government • Overseen and facilitated by a commission made up of comparable “member” institutions

What does the Accreditation process do ? • Provides ample, clear evidence that a college is fostering student learning and achievement most effectively. • Uses insight gleaned from ongoing selfassessment to determine whether college programs, resources and services promote academic quality • Asks a college to use information in various forms to review its effectiveness in the spirit of continuous quality improvement.

Accreditation: The Perks Assures the public that the accredited college meets established standards upheld by the government. As a result; • The earned education and/or courses completed are of inarguable value to students, employers, career licensing agencies and other institutions of learning. • Legitimizes a student’s transcript for the purpose of transfer, career licensing, and financial aid.

Columbia’s Accreditor: ACCJC The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges • Member of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), 1 of 7 regional accrediting commissions in the U. S. • Oversees accrediting processes for eligible associate degree-granting institutions in the Western U. S. • Recognized by U. S. Department of Education

ACCREDITING COMMISSION FOR COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES Western Association of Schools and Colleges 4 Phases of Accreditation SITE VISIT| FALL 2017

4 Phases of Accreditation A 6 -year cycle of ongoing self review and improvement Self Study Development and Submission Site Visit and Site Visit Report on Findings Implementation and Improvement Accreditation Status Determined

What is a Self Study? A substantial report describing findings resulting from a robust internal review of a college’s present-day effectiveness according to Accreditation Standards upheld by the accrediting commission.

The Self Study: It benefits us. • Facilitates meaningful reflection on the effectiveness of services available to the college community • Asks the college to construct an actionable, collegiallyendorsed plan for meaningful improvement • Revitalizes communication channels • Validates whether students are meaningfully and effectively served by planning and resource allocation • Helps the college routinely and systematically improve how and what it does

What is a Site Visit? After reviewing the college’s Self Study, an ACCJC-trained team of 8 to 13 will visit Columbia in to validate that: • Accreditation Eligibility Requirements are met • Accreditation Standards are met • Accrediting Commission policies are followed

Site Visit Team A group of 8 -13 community college peers from the accrediting region which can include: • Administrators • Faculty • CEOs and sometimes • Trustees

What’s in a Site Visit Team members will meet with various groups and individuals and use various means to validate what we have described in our Self Study by means of: • Interviews • Research • Group meetings

Determining Our Status After the Site Visit: • The visiting team makes a formal recommendation to the Commission based on the college’s Self Study and findings from the Site Visit • The Accrediting Commission makes the final determination on Columbia’s Accreditation Status

Accreditation Statuses Reaffirmation of Accreditation with Follow-Up Report and Site Visit Deferred Decision on Reaffirmation of Accreditation Issue Warning Show Cause Terminate Accreditation 6 of 7 Images are sourced from the Wong-Baker FACES© Pain Rating Scale

ACCREDITING COMMISSION FOR COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accreditation Standards ADOPTED JUNE 2014

Standard I Overview “Mission, Academic Quality and Institutional Effectiveness, and Integrity” We must: ü Provide evidence of a mission-driven commitment to learning and achievement. ü Demonstrate that we use information (quantitative and qualitative) to continuously and systematically evaluate, plan, implement, and improve programs and services. ü Demonstrate integrity in all policies, actions, and communication. ü Show that College employees and governing board members act honestly, ethically, and fairly in performance of duties.

Standard II Overview Student Learning Programs and Support Services We must: ü Demonstrate that all instructional programs, learning and student support services align with the mission. ü Show that programs have rigor expected in higher education. ü Show assessment methods are used across the institution to measure quality and continuously improve ü Use assessment methods appropriate to higher education ü Ensure that degrees earned include a robust general education component allowing for breadth of knowledge and intellectual inquiry.

Standard III Overview STANDARD III Resources We must: ✓ Show human, physical, technology, and financial resource usage is mission-driven, and demonstrate that it ultimately improves academic quality and institutional effectiveness.

Standard IV Leadership and Governance We must: ü Show leadership promotes student success, while sustaining academic quality, integrity, fiscal stability, and continuous improvement of the institution. ü Demonstrate that governance roles are defined in policy and work in tandem with the governing board and CEO, and facilitate decisions that support and improve learning programs, and institutional effectiveness ü Establish governance structures, processes, and practices ensure that the governing board, administrators, faculty, staff, and students work together for the good of the institution.

Columbia College Accreditation Standard Teams SELF STUDY | FALL 2017

Standard I Team Mission, Academic Quality and Institutional Effectiveness, and Integrity Team Lead Joe Ryan Jim Toner Tom Johnson Amy Nilson Nancy Bull Diana Sunday Lonnie Blansit Brad Sullivan (Student/ASCC President) District Representation Marc Beam

Standard II Teams Student Learning Programs and Support Services Section A: Instructional Programs Team Lead: Melissa Raby Co-Chairs: Brandon Price & Kathy Schultz Klaus Tenbergen Letitia Miller Elizabeth Pfleging Doreen Bass Melissa Colon Raelene Juarez Pam Guerra-Schmidt Erik Andal Errin Bass (YCCD Student Trustee) Ben Vogt (Student/ASCC Rep) Sections B & C: Library and Learning Support Services & Student Support Services Team Lead: Anneka Rogers Whitmer Co-Chairs Matt Fox & Lindsay Laney Kelsie Bonavia Wendy Griffiths-Bender Tom Hofstra Kirsten Miller Karin Rodts Allison Mc. Dermott Breanne Brown Tracey Hickey Sara Mitchell Monika Aldabe (Student/ASCC Rep. )

Standard III Team Resources Team Lead: Brian Sanders Don Smith Kath Christensen Robert Gritz Candice Hann Cindy Inwood Marnie Shively Derrick Wydick Laureen Campana Casey Bonavia Terri Martin (Student/ASCC Senator) District Representation: Kathren Pritchard Dave Keener Margo Guzman Sarah Schrader

Standard IV Team Leadership and Governance Team Lead: Angie Fairchilds Micha Miller Rick Rivera Doralyn Foletti Elissa Creighton Adrienne Seegers Michelle Walker Ted Hamilton Erin Naegle Tim Elizondo Errin Bass (YCCD Student Trustee) Ben Vogt (Student/ASCC Rep) District Support Coni Chavez

Columbia College Preparation for the Self Study & ACCJC Site Visit SELF STUDY | FALL 2017

First, are we “Eligible? ” ACCJC “Institutional Eligibility Requirements for Accreditation” 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Authority Operational Status Degrees CEO Financial Accountability Mission Governing Board Administrative Capacity Educational Programs Academic Credit Student Learning and Student Achievement 12. General Education 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. Academic Freedom Faculty Student Support Services Admissions Information and Learning Support Services Financial Resources Institutional Planning & Evaluations Integrity in Communication with the Public (Catalog) Integrity in Relations with the Accrediting Commission

Accreditation Process: What’s New in the 2014 Standards? The Quality Focused Essay (QFE) Asks the college to focus on 2 -3 areas and discuss strategies for achieving significant change across the institution. Napa Valley College beta-tested the QFE in 2015 • • Process for Identifying Action Projects Findings from the Self-Evaluation Study Student Learning Assessment Conceptual/Vision Map Institutional Effectiveness, Evaluation & Review Map

Accreditation Milestones Data Collection & Development of Self Study Report COMPLETE Spring/Fall 2016 Summer 2017 Site Visit by ACCJC Accreditation Team Fall 2017 Accreditation Status Determined Spring 2018

What do we need from you? TEAM MEMBERS… follow through on your commitment by: • • • Committing to and attending monthly meetings Actively participating in Self Study research, development and review Encouraging input from others to ensure a most authentic Self Study process IF YOU ARE NOT ON A TEAM… demonstrate an authentic institutional commitment to self improvement by: • • • Supporting those who serve on Standard Teams Staying curious and informed about the progress of the Self Study Speaking up on topics that are close to your heart and expertise

Columbia College Accreditation Q&A SELF STUDY | FALL 2017 Wendy Griffiths Bender, Academic Senate President Ted Hamilton, Past President Academic Senate Nathan Rien, Faculty Accreditation Co-Chair Leslie Buckalew, Accreditation Liaison Officer Angie Fairchilds, President Raelene Juarez, Student Learning Outcomes Coordinator Brad Sullivan, CCASB President